Diret1iom fur Souldiers. 49 fpeLdily, though you fc:em 10 go fcor-frte for a time. You may cake a pride in domineering m•cr others, at'd mtKmg your tdvls L(Hds by violence of other mens e!lJ.tcs, and when you fee none that will qutltion you tor it, you m .y uke that ~hich you have mdt\ mind of: But the poor and op":" prdfLd have a jult dct"t:nder, who ha.th a feverer puni£hmcnt for you dua the Sword 01 G,Jiows! And thou~h he u.ke you nt,t in the very fo~.Cl, and hi' femcnce is not prefemly txecuted, yet be cec- ''} r•in o( it, that your djy is coming. §. 9· D it• cr. 9· 7 ak._e hrid lejf cuflnme, and the freqttt1tCJ ofGods judgement!, do harden your betSrts Ditell. 9· imo a reprCJb.lt£ ftupidity. MJny a man that formerly by the fight of a Corpfc, or tht groanings of the tick, was awakened eo krious thoughts of his latter end, when he cc.Hneth into an Ar.my, and h;:nh olftn ken the dtad lye ft:artcrcd on the earth, and h3tli often fcaped death himfdt~ groweth mtc1ly fc:nfdcf'i, and taketh blocki!hnefs to be valour, and cuflome makcth fuch warnings ro be of no dll Cl:. You c:tn fcuce name a more firangc and lamentable proof, of the rnadding and hardning nawrc ot tin! ·Thiit men ihould be moH fm"fclefs when they arc in the greatcfi danger ! And Ieali ten God, v.:I'Hn tl1ty arc among his dreadfulldl judgements! And leafi hear his voice, when his calls arc lowdtfi ! And live as if they lhould not dye, when they look death fo often in the face, and fee {o many dtaJ before them ! That they fhould be mofl rcgardl<fs of their cndlefs life when they are nearell ir; and fenfc it (elf hath fuch notable advanuge to.rcll them of all this ! WhJt a monJtrous kind of fortilh tlupidity is this? Think whither the {Qui is gone when you fee the carkai$ on the earth: an·d think where your own mufi be for ever. 9· 10. Dirdt. 10· Take beed of falling into dmnkfnnefs and fenfiulity, though Temptationr and Li- Dire[/. 10. brrty be ntver fo great. Iris too common with ~ouldiers, bccau(c: thc.y are oft put ro thi~:Jf and wantJ, to think they may lawfully powre it in when they come at it, wirhout moderation ur re~ ftraint : Even as many poor men take a gluttonous meal for no fin, becaufc they have: fo many dayes of hunger; fo is it with fuch Souldiers in their drink: till drunkennefs fir11 have 'R!Mndcd their con· fcicnces, and afterwuds grow common till ft have dtliaucbed and fc.Jred them ; and then they have drowned Rdigionand Rcafon, and are turned fotti!h mifc:nblc: bruites. 9· u. Direct. 11. If nmflity deprive you oftht btntjitr of Godr p•blicl(_or jlattd Worfbip, [tethat Di~t{l. 11• ynu labour to repair that loji, by double diligwct in thofe {piritu~Jl duties, tt!hich yet JOU have oppor· t:tnity far. If you mufi march or watch on the Lords Daycs, red<.~m your othc:r time the more: If you cannot hear Sermons, be not without fame protitahlc Book, and often read it : And let your meditations be holy, and your difcourfes edifying: for thefe you have opportunities, if you have hearts. 9-12· Dirrd-.!2· 1a/t,! bttdtbJtCommand orSuccrlfrr tlo noi puff you up; and malt.! you over· Dirtll• 12i value y our felvc~, and intline you to rebeU ag,injl your GovernourJ. What lamenu.ble etf..:Ch hath England Jatdy {een of this! A tilly half·wittcd Souldier, if he be but m.1dc: a CJptJ.in," doth carry it as it he were wifcr than the Preacher or the Judge! As if his dignity had added to his wir I When V1d'orics have laid the power at mens feet, and they think now thJt none is able to contrail them, how few arc they that abufe not fuch fucccfs to their own undoing, and are not conquered by the pride of their own hearts, when they have conquered others? How ordinarily do they rnif-expound the Providence ofGod,and think he hath put the Government into th("ir hands, becaufe they have the ftren~Sth; and from the Hiltorics of former fucce[sful Rebels, and the fairnefs of their opportunity cncouragerhemfelves to Rebel!, and think they do but whats their duty? How eafily do they julline therntdves in thofe unlawful deeds, which impartial by-fiandcrs fee the evil of? And how eafily do they quiet their con(Ciences, when they have but power enough to raife up A.Hterers, and to flop the mouth of wholforne reprehenfion? How h.Pnentably doth profpcrity make them drunk, .and fudden adv.lncemcnt overturn their brains! and their grcatncfs together with thcr pride and fury, prefc:rvtth thtm horn the ac<:dfc:s of wifdom and of fobcr men, that fo their mal.,dy may have no remedy : And there like a drunken man, they rave a while, and {peak big words, and lay about them, and gto.. r'y in che honour of a pefitlence, that they can kill men; and we mufl not fpcak to them till chcir heads arc fetled and they come to themfelves; and that is not ufually till the hand ofGod have laid them lower than it found them; and then pt:rhaps chey will again hear rcafon ; unlefs pride hath left their f.,uJs as ddperate, as at lafi it doth their bodies or efiates. The c:xperience of this Age mo~y fi.tud on ncord as a rcacher to future genuations, what power there is in gre.H fuccdfcs, to conquer both Reaf,m,Religion, Rightenufnds, Profdlions, Vows and all obligations to God and man, by puffing up the heart with pride, and thereby making the undedlanding d1unken.
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