may make me uncapable of thy future favours I desire to praise and glorifie thy holy name for all thy Temporal and Spiritual Blessings for the particular preservations of thy good Providence that thou hast defended my life hitherto from the violence of the Enemy and be thou pleased to continue still watchful over me help me O God of my Salvation for the glory of thy name and let me not be delivered over into the Hands of merciless and cruel Men and since I know not what sudden dangers may encompass me give me serious thoughts to prepare for the Hour of Death and the Day of Judgment that I may not be surprized at any sudden change or accident of mortality but may patiently submit to thy Holy Will and whether I live or die chearfully resign both my Soul and Body into the Protection of thy good Providence for the sake of Christ Jesus who is the God of my hope and Salvation and in whom I will trust for my deliverance from the Enemy and therefore devoutly pray as he hath taught me in his Holy Gospel saying Our Father c. A Private Prayer for the Evening O Lord God merciful and gracious Father who bearest the most tender love and compassion to the Children of Men who hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that he should turn from his way and live Be graciously pleased to accept of the hearty Contrition and repentance of thy humble Servant who meekly confess my sins and acknowledge my vileness * Hear mention the sins of the day I have sinned against thee O what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of Men I have indeed sinned against thy Mercies and thy Judgments against the checks of my own Conscience and the deliberate Vows and Purposes of Holy amendment But now O Father I come unto thee in the mercies of the Holy Jesus and pray thee That thou wilt accept of the Sacrifice of his Blood to be a Propitiation for my sins O let the sprinkling of that everlasting Covenant wash and purifie my Soul clean and undefiled from all the Pollutions of Vice and Wickedness and do thou fill me with such a Measure and Portion of thy Grace that I may resist all future Temptations and diligently apply my heart to fulfil all thy Commandments by serving thee in true Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life remember with me the sorrowful State and Condition of Mankind shew thy mercy and compassion to the manifold fins and Provocations of this Land and Nation and punish us not according to our iniquities for then how shall we escape O God if thou be extreme to mark what we have done amiss O remember not against us our former iniquities but let thy tender mercies speedily help and prevent us heal all our Divisions and Differences in Opinion and unite us all by the bands of Brotherly Love and Charity that we may become a chosen Generation and a peculiar People zealous of Good Works Let us not continue unthankful for thy late Mercies but let us all O Lord consider thy Work and the power of thy Providence and so repent of this our backsliding wickedness that iniquity may not be out Ruine And that Truth and Peace may flourish in our daies bless the Supream Power and Government of Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary prosper thou the Great Work of Their Hands O prosper thou Their handywork that They may become Victorious over all Their Enemies And to this end give a blessing of strength and courage to Their Forces both by Land and Sea particularly I pray for the chief Commanders the Officers and Soldiers of this * As occasion requires Camp or Garison Give us all the Spirit of Christian Fortitude and Resolution that we may be strong and of good courage to stand before the Enemy in the day of Battel O preserve thou the Life of thy Servant who now calls upon thee let the Enemy have no advantage over me nor the wicked approach to hurt me but let me be continually guarded by the Protection of thy good Providence until these Calamities be over-past And as thou hast been pleased to defend me this day and all the days of my Life for which my Soul does praise and magnifie thy Holy Name for this and all other thy mercies so let no evil happen unto me this Night nor any Destruction come nigh my Tent or Dwelling but O blessed Lord the keeper of Israel who never slumberest nor sleepest watch over me and all the Camp of our Israel that we may be secure from all dangers both of Soul and Body Give me serious Apprehensions of Death that I may consider the few and uncertain days of my Pilgrimage here and since I know not how short my time is to live make me sensible of all the sudden accidents and dangers of War that I may never live in such a state as I shall be afraid to die but may be always ready with chearfulness and joy to resign my self into the Hands of my merciful Redeemer and grant O Lord that whether I sleep or wake live or die I may always continue thy faithful Servant even unto the end of my life for the sake of Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour in whose Name I further call upon thee saying Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth As it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen Repeat the Apostles Creed which is the right Confession of your Christian Faith I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary Suffered under Pontius Pilate Was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into Heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church The Communion of saints The forgiveness of sins The resurrection of the body And the life everlasting Amen And this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 1 John 5.4 That is the word of faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hat raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.8 9. Repeat often the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments which is the Rule of your Obedience GOD spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have none other Gods but me Lord have mercy upon me and incline my heart to keep this law Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven
Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barack and of Samson and of Jephtha of David also and of Samuel the prophets Heb. 11.32 Who through faith subdued kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions Heb. 11.33 Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of aliens Heb. 1â— 34 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life Rev. 2.10 EXERCISE VII A good Soldier must exercise his Christian hope and confidence in the strength and power of God and not trust in the Arm of Flesh THE Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal 27.1 When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell Psal 27.2 Though an host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though war should rise against me in this will I be confident Psal 27.3 The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people blessed be God Psal 68.35 Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be mo with us than with him 2 Chron. 32. v. 7. With him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels 2 Chron. 32. v. 8. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength Psal 33.16 An horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength Psal 33. v. 17. For I will not trust in my bow neither shall my sword save me Psal 44.6 But thou hast saved us from our enemies and hast put them to shame that hated us Psal 44.7 Then said David to the Philistin Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts the God of the armies of Israel 1 Sam. 17.45 Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight Psal 144. v. 1. My goodness and my fortress my high tower and my deliverer my shield and he in whom I trust who subdueth my people under me Psal 144. v. 2. Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Isai 12. v. 2. Therefore thus saith the Lord Cursed be man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17.5 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Jer. 17. v. 7. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6.10 Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord Psal 31.24 He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scatterred the proud in the imâ—gination of their hearts Luk. 1.51 Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Psal 33.22 EXERCISE VIII The Christian Soldier must then firmly depend upon the Promises of God's help when he is to engage the Enemy in Battel AND Moses said unto the people Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you to day Exod. 14.13 The Lord shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace Exod. 14.14 Hear O Israel you approach this day unto battel against your enemies let not your hearts faint fear not and do not tremble neither be ye terrified because of them Deut. 20.3 For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you ye shall not need to fight in this battel set your selves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem fear not nor be dismayed to morrow go out against them for the Lord will be with you 2 Chron. 20. v. 17. And they rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa and as they went forth Jehosaphat stood and said Hear me O Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his prophets so shall ye prosper 2 Chron. 20. v. 20. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host with very many chariots and horsemen yet because thou didst rely on the Lord he delivered them into thine hand 2 Chron. 16. v. 8. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him 2 Chron. 16. v. 9. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help Psal 121.1 My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth Psal 121.2 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Isa 41.10 Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish Isa 41.11 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said Joel 2.32 And they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand John 10.28 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath Heb. 6.17 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6.18 EXERCISE IX A devout Soldier must exercise the duty of Prayer before he goes upon Action or attempt to fight his Enemies in Battel AND the children of Israel said unto the Lord We have sinned do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee deliver us only we pray thee this day Judg. 10.15 And Sampson called unto the Lord and said O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me I pray thee only this once O God Judg. 16. v. 28. I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine enemies 2 Sam. 22. v. 4. And Asa cried unto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to
help whether with many or with them that have no power help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14. v. 11. So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah and the Ethiopians fled 2 Chron. 14. v. 12. And when Judah looked back behold the battel was before and behind and they cried unto the Lord 2 Chron. 13.14 Then the men of Judah gave a shout and as the men of Judah shouted it came to pass that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah 2 Chron. 13. v. 15. And the Children of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hand 2 Chron. 13. v. 16. Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight against them that fight against me Psal 35. v. 1. Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for mine help Psal 35. v. 2. Draw out also the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me say unto my soul I am thy salvation Psal 35. v. 3. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me Psal 55. v. 16. Evening and morning and at noon day will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice Psal 55. v. 17. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battel that was against me Psal 55. v. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them Psal 145. v. 19. But it came to pass that when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdo dites heard that the walls of Jerusa em were made up and that the breaches began to be stopped then they were very wroth Neh. 4. v. 7. And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it Neh. 4. v. 8. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch against them day and night because of them Neh. 4. v. 9. And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Luke 18. v. 1. Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Joh. 16. v. 23. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Phil. 4.6 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5.16 EXERCISE X. A Christian Soldier must not fear his Enemies but pray for happy Deliverance and Victory AND Moses said unto the people Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you to day Exod. 14.13 Be strong and of a good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee Deut. 31. v. 6. And the Lord said unto Joshua Fear them not for I have delivered them into thine hand there shall not a man of them stand before thee Josh 10. ver 8. And Joshua said unto them Fear not nor be dismayed be strong and of good courage for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight Josh 10. v. 25. O our God wilt not thou judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 20. v. 12. And he said Hearken ye all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem and thou king Jehosaphat Thus saith the Lord unto you be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the battel is not yours but Gods 2 Chron. 20. v. 15. To morrow go ye down against them 2 Chron. 20. v. 16. Ye shall not need to fight in this battel set your selves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem fear not nor be dismayed to morrow go out against them for the Lord will be with you 2 Chron. 20.17 And they rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa and as they went forth Jehoshaphat stood and said Hear me O Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his prophets so shall ye prosper 2 Chron. 20. v. 20. My times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me Psal 31.15 Deliver me from mine enemies O my God defend me from them that rise up against me Psal 59. v. 1. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloody men Psal 59. v. 2. Thou art my king O God command deliverances for Jacob Psal 44. v. 4. Through thee will we push down our enemies through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us Psal 44. v. 5. Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord Jer. 1. v. 8. And fear not them which kill the body Matth. 10. v. 28. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Rom. 10.1 For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me Heb. 13. v. 6. EXERCISE XI If our Forces become weakned and the Enemy grows strong and powerful we must humble our Souls and pray more earnestly that God may avert the Judgement of the Sword which is sent to punish the sins of the Nation EVen all Nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land what meaneth the heat of this great anger Deut. 29.24 Then men shall say Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers Deut 29. v. 25. Up sanctifie the people and say Sanctifie your selves against to morrow for thus saith the Lord God of Israel There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you Josh 7.13 If my people which are called by my name shalt humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land 2 Chron. 7.14 O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Psal 79. v. 8. Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sins for thy names sake Psal 79. v. 9. O Lord God of Israel thou art