A SERMON Preached before Their Majesties, K. William and Q. Mary's FORCES, AT GANT in FLANDERS, The Sunday before they marched into the Camp, 1694.  
By JOHN PETTER, M. A. Chaplain to Her Majesty's Regiment of Horse, commanded by the Honourable Brigadier Lumley.  
Published at their Request.  
LONDON, Printed by J. H. for Edw. Evets', at the Green-Dragon in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1694.   

Imprimatur,  
Humph. Hody, Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Johanni Diu. Provide. Archiep. Cant. à Sacris Dom. May 28. 1694.   

To the Officers, and Soldiers of Their Majesty's King William and Queen Mary's English Forces of the Garrison of Gant in Flanders.  
Gentlemen,  
HAD I designed to have published this Sermon, or could I have foreseen I should have been requested to do it by you, it might have appeared more correct, but you know my attendance on the Public Service of the Church twice a Day, together with the many other necessary Duties of so great a Garrison, left me but a very little time to provide for this which came so quick about; the constant performance of it being made necessary oftentimes each Week by the many subtle Contrivances, and cunning Devices of the Romish Priests to corrupt and debauch your Principles of Religion, and Allegiance; and amongst many others their great Diligence they employed this way to seduce you from your bounden Duties to God, and Their Majesties; these, with the great sincerity of my intentions of doing my utmost to promote God's Glory, the good of the Church, and Their Majesty's interest among you, I hope may apologise for those Defects which shall be obvious to you in the reading, that might perhaps escape you in the hearing: Now God grant that these, with all my other well designed, though mean Performances among you, may produce their intended and much wished for Effects. Though the Scandal that the extravagant Looseness and Liberties of of some among you hath brought upon so honourable and noble a Profession be very great, and much to be lamented; yet I must do you so much justice as to own to the World, that I have ever found among many of you, a great readiness to encourage the meanest Endeavours tending to the Promotion of any of the aforementioned ends, viz. God's Glory, the good of the Church, and Their Majesty's interest; of which amongst many others, your earnest Requests for the printing of this following Discourse, are a sufficient Instance, and my Compliance with them the greatest I can give of my being what you shall find me on all Occasions,  
Gentlemen, From Gant, May the 30. N. S. 1694. Your most obedient, and very humble Servant, John Petter.   

1 SAM. iv part of vers. 9— Quit yourselves like men.—  
GOD Almighty, when his people went out to battle, order the Priest should approach, and say unto them, Let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them, Deut. 20. 2. and such forms of speech as this we find frequently used in Scripture at the opening of their Campagnes, or before they entered upon any Action, to excite and stir up, to animate and encourage both Officers and Soldiers, to behave themselves manfully and with undaunted resolution.  
Gentlemen, the time of your marching now drawing near, and this being the last day of your meeting together in this place, I have in compliance with so ancient and so good a custom, chosen to address myself to you in these words, Quit yourselves like men: and in handling of them I shall do these four things.  
First, Show you what it is to Quit yourselves like men.  
Secondly, The best and surest way to do so.  
Thirdly, The great reasons you have to do it at this present Counjuncture.  
Fourthly and lastly, make one Inference from the whole; and conclude with an Exhortation to you, and with my hearty Prayers to the God of all Power, to protect your Persons, and bless your Arms with good success this ensuing Campagne.  
I shall show, First, What it is to Quit yourselves like men; Estote viri, so 'tis usually translated; and both this, and the Hebrew word, in their several Languages, signify not any mean, or ordinary person, but a Man of Worth and Valour; so says David to Abner, 1 Sam. 25. 16. Art not thou a man, a valiant man, a worthy person; there is none like thee. But the words import more, and are more properly rendered by others, Estote in viros, a known Hebraism, as, Ero tibi in Deum, I will be unto thee for a God, that is, truly and effectually, to all intents and purposes; so here, be ye for Men, stand not for Ciphers; fill not up only the places of Officers and Soldiers, but be what you appear to be indeed. Now there are some that are the peculiar virtues of every rank and condition of Men, and those in Soldiers are these three: 1. Courage: 2. Orderliness. 3. Fidelity.  
And to Quit yourselves like men in this station, is, to perform all these Virtues that are peculiar to that rank in which you are placed: So that you must be courageous, orderly, and faithful to your Trust, to Quit yourselves like men.  
First, You must be courageous, and that consists in these three things:  

1st. Suffering cheerfully any Hardships.  
2ly. Receiving boldly the Assaults of your Enemies.  
3ly. Fight bravely whenever you are commanded to it.   
1st. Gentlemen, you must suffer cheerfully any Hardships. You must be willing, so often as occasion requires it, to feed low, and lie hard, to endure heat, and cold, hunger, thirst, and nakedness, to submit to any terms, to be fed and clothed, and every thing as your General pleases; to the most distant place, or through the foulest ways, or in the sharpest weather, you ought cheerfully (if your Commander give the Word) to march; you ought not to be discouraged, or affrighted with these, or any other hardships; but contentedly to live (if occasion requires it) upon any the least thing, nay, on nothing sometimes but a bare promise, and never to mutiny for want of present Pay. And thus you ought willingly and cheerfully to undergo these glorious Toils and Fatigues of War, to endure a hard March in the day, and sleep upon a harder Pillow at night: You must be content to sleep with the noise of Drums and Trumpets in your Ears, and to be awakened with Alarms, to run on upon Spears points, and charge at the mouths of Cannons whilst they are roaring out destruction; and thus you must follow Victory through heat and cold, hunger and thirst, sweat and blood, and seize, and pluck it from the arms of these hazards and difficulties wherewith 'tis compassed and surrounded; and this is to Quit yourselves like men in this respect, if you are thus courageous in bearing these hardships and difficulties of War. You must also Quit yourselves like men by being courageous,  
2ly. In receiving boldly the Assaults, and bearing the impressions of your Enemies. You must not be daunted (let the difference in number be never so great) with the approach of them; but (like David towards Goliath) run half way to meet them, no touch of evil must make you shrink, no appearance of danger make you give ground; but you must receive and bear all with an invincible courage, and not like those delicate Youths in the History, who were no sooner touched in their tender faces by their Enemy's weapons, but they threw down their own, and ran away; nor like the Children of Ephraim, Psal. 78. 9 who being harnessed, and carrying Bows, turned their backs in the day of battle, but like that Order of Ancient Knights in France, a part of whose military Oath it was, that they should never turn their Backs upon their Enemies. The Lacaedemonian women were wont to charge their Sons when they went out to battle, Ut, aut vivi cum armis in conspectum earum venirent, aut mortui in armis referrentur, that they should either return with their Arms, or die in them. Even the tender Mothers among the Romans, would not lament their Sons that fell in battle, but rejoiced when their Wounds were in their foreparts, and not in their backs, and you (Gentlemen) in thus receiving the Assaults, and bearing the impressions of your Enemies, must quit yourselves like Men in this respect too. You must farther▪ quit yourselves like Men by showing your Courage,  
3dly, In fight bravely,  you are commanded to it: You must be as ready to be active as passive, to give as to receive Blows; and outface the King of Terrors, and charge through all his Horrors with an undaunted Resolution; you must mock at Fear, like the warlike Horse in Job, and stand at the Mouths of breaches in the midst of Thunder and Lightning; you must laugh at the impotent Threaten of Danger, and bravely defy it, to do its worst. In these lies the Gallantry, and Courage of a Soldier, in bearing Hardships, enduring Blows, and hewing down his Enemies, and all these are implied in quitting yourselves like Men.  
Secondly, A second thing implied in quitting yourselves like Men, is to be orderly; you must walk orderly,  
1st. In respect to your Lives and Manners, by abstaining from those many outrageous and unjust Practices, from that lose and dissolute way of living, which have brought upon your Profession (though in itself most honourable) so great Dishonour, and occasioned it by so many to be evil-spoken of in the World.  
2dly, You must walk orderly in respect to your Superiors, and always have a mighty regard to the Word of Command; you must keep your Ranks and Files; for if a Soldier forsakes his place, and breaks Discipline, he casts his Division, it may be the whole Company into confusion, and makes an easier Entrance for the Enemy. Nihil magis in acie custodiendum est, quàm ut omnes Milites ordinem incedendi servant, periculum enim ab hostibus semper gravissimum sustinet divisus, & inordinatus exercitus: Veget. de re milit. Mannius Curius, when Consul, was wont to say, Non opus est reipublico milite, qui parere non potest. The Commonwealth had no need of that Soldier, who knew not how to obey Orders. When the Holy Ghost would describe an Army that should be invincible, and bear all before them, he says, that they should march every one in his way, and none should break their Ranks, Joel 2. 7. You Gentlemen are an Army, but you are only so, while due Order and Discipline is maintained, and every Officer and Soldier keeps his own place and station; but when these are neglected, and trampled under foot, you are quite another thing, you may be a Multitude or Rout, but you will hardly bear the Name of an Army, without this Order, all things would run into present confusion: 'Tis not in your choice to stand where you will, and do what you list in this Army, but you must every one of you faithfully discharge that Duty, and diligently manage that particular place which is committed to your Trust; You must at all times with cheerfulness obey the Orders of your Superiors. When you are commanded to march on, you must not (though the Danger be ne'er so great) endeavour to retreat, when to wheel to the right you must not (upon any considerations) endeavour to do it to the left. As one once complained, Ordo Militum nunc est ordinem non tenere, as if the Excellency of a Soldier consisted in contradicting and thwarting the Commands of his superior Officers; and this is the 2d thing implied in quitting yourselves like Men, to be orderly.  
3dly. The 3d thing implied in quitting yourselves like Men, is to be faithful to your Trust (that is) not to betray it for any temptation of interest or advantage, nor to be so mercenary to engage on any side for pay, without regard to what is right, or wrong. This the Romans took such care of, that they listed none into their Service, but they obliged them to take an Oath to that purpose, which they called by the great and venerable Name of Sacramentum; a thing so solemn with them, that the Christians have chose to borrow that Word, to express their entrance into Covenant with God by: we do at this Day follow their Example, and strictly to observe your Oath, is to be faithful to your Trust; I think it therefore not amiss to repeat it to you at this present.  
I swear to be true to our Sovereign Lord, and Lady, King William, and Queen Marry, and to serve them honestly, and faithfully, in the Defence of their Persons, Crown, and Dignity, against all their Enemies, and Opposers whatsoever; and to observe, and obey Their Majesty's Orders, and the Orders of the Generals, and Officers set over me by Their Majesties: So help me God.  
Having sufficiently insisted on the first thing which I proposed, and shown you what it is to quit yourselves like Men, I proceed now to the second, which is the best and surest way to do so.  
2dly, The best and surest way to do so, is to be religious; to be courageous, orderly, and faithful, is to quit yourselves like Men; and these, I believe, are qualifications which you wish to be in all that are under your Command; because without these the Service that the Public, or yourselves can expect, must be but very small: It is not difficult to guests at the many sad Consequences of being at the Head of a Body of cowardly, disorderly, and unfaithful Wretches; therefore if I can make it appear, that Religion will effect these three things, and make you, 1st. More courageous, 2dly. More orderly, 3dly. More faithful to your Trust; I doubt not but 'twill abundantly convince you, that the best way to be good Soldiers, is to be good Men, and that the only, and surest way to quit yourselves like Men, is to fear God, and keep his Commandments.  
1st, Therefore I shall show you, that being religious will make you the more courageous, without which, such Gentlemen as you are useless in the World: You heard in the beginning of this Discourse, that God Almighty when his People went out to Battle, ordered the Priest should approach, and say to them, Let not your hearts faint, fear not, etc. Deut. 20. 2. Now after that, the Officer was to say again to them, What Man is there that is fearful, and faint-hearted? let him go, and return to his House, vers. 8. It is not to be denied but that some Men, who are very bad, are very stout, daily experience evinceth this; there is a sort of Audacity, and Fool-hardiness, which is a resemblance of true Valour, and which the worst of Men are capable of, but this is a brutish sort of Bravery, like the Valour of an Horse, that runs into Battle without fear or consideration. But alas! such an irrational Valour, which you own merely to your constitution, will last no longer than your inconsideration: For when the impetus is once over, and you come soberly to debate your present Affairs, and to take a true Prospect of your future State, your Spirits will then flag, and your stoutness become as nothing. For who can imagine, that you will in cool Thoughts, with any Courage venture your Lives, when your Consciences tell you, you are in no measure prepared for Death? But he who hath well-grounded hopes of a better Life, how undauntedly, when he is lawfully called to it, will he hazard this? This is that to which the Apostle attributes the Heroic performances of those religious Champions of old, Gideon, Baruch, Samson, Jeptha, David, etc. Hebr. 11. it was through faith they subdued Kingdoms, waxed valiant in fight, and put to flight the Armies of the Aliens. A firm belief in God will make a Man valiant in the midst of the greatest Dangers, but Vice and Irreligion makes men Sneaks, and Cowards, and a Wing of Miscreants have just reason to flee, when Death is coming out of a Cannon's Mouth, the Muzzle of a Gun, or upon the Point of a Sword, because the formidable Appearance of Hell is coming too, and then the Hearts of irreligious Men will recoil, and evil Consciences will be apt to make them run into Pits, or Woods, or into any Corners on this side the Territories of the damned. Take this, Gentlemen, for a general Rule, that none shall undertake an Enterprise with so much Readiness, or engage with so much Fortitude, or maintain his Ground with so much Constancy, or defy the roar of the Field with such a fixed Resolution, as the Man who is girt about with Integrity, and to whom a good Conscience is a Coat of Mail. For as a Pagan Philosopher said, He that loves God receives Death willingly, and is not cowed at its Approaches, but keeps his Station, and his Post with a steeled Courage; So that you see, this is one good influence Religion hath upon Gentlemen of your profession, it makes them the more courageous.  
2dly, It will make them more orderly too. The dissoluteness, and rudeness of Armies is so common and notorious, that they are often dreadful to their own side, almost as much as to their Enemies. The sharpest Punishments that were ever yet inflicted for any Crime have not been able to terrify so, but that in such a Body, there are still many, who will venture to commit the same. But though all the Care, and Severity of Discipline is not able to prevent Disorder in any kind, yet this will. The good Man hath a Rule within him, more exact, and strict than any martial Law, that whereas others by their violent Outrages, and domineering Debaucheries, enrage the People, and bring their Profession into disrepute, he will demean himself so, as to be able to make St. Paul's Appeal wheresoever he hath had his quarters; Ye are Witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you. Whence come the wrongs, and wastings, the swagger, and insolences, the extravagancies, and immoralities complained of in all Ages among the Soldiery? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your Members, from the want of Religion, and the Fear of God? This would lay the Axe to the Root of such flagitious Enormities, restrain your Passions, bridle your Appetites, and make you so sober, so civil, and so orderly, that your company would be as much desired in all places, as now (I am sorry to say it) 'tis with too much reason dreaded: and this is another good effect Religion has on a Soldier, it makes him more orderly.  
3ly. The third influence Religion hath upon a Soldier is, It will make him more faithful to his trust, which he is obliged to be (as you have heard) by the Oath he takes when he is first listed. But what are Oaths, and where are the force of them, if men have no real sense of Religion? like Samson's Withs, they may pretend to be bound with them, but when they think fit they will as easily snap them in sunder. Eusebius tells us of the Father of Constantine, that once it came into his mind to give out, that all that served him in any Office, should sacrifice to Idols, or else quit their places, when the time came that they had all given in their determinations; quite contrary to their expectations, those that chose rather to lay down their employments, than to wound their consciences, he kept in, or advanced to higher trust, those that to comply with his humour, and, as they thought, their own interest, were ready to turn Idolaters, he dismissed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. For how (saith he) should I imagine, but that upon occasion these men will be treacherous to me, that make no more of being so to their God? But the fear of him is the best security for any man's Fidelity, if it be so that he truly and indeed fears God, upon this account he will fear to be false to Men; and this is the third influence Religion hath upon a Soldier, it makes him more faithful to his trust. So that since Religion will make you more courageous, orderly and faithful to your trust, 'tis evident that to fear God, and keep his Commandments is the best and surest way to quit yourselves like men; which was the second thing I proposed to speak to.  
Now, Gentlemen, before I speak to the third thing, I shall beg your patience whilst I make one Observation, and reflect a little upon your general and great neglect of this main point, hoping thereby to bring Religion into greater esteem among you, and to prevail with you, to be more careful for the future of this one thing necessary, it being (as you have heard) the surest way to gain that noble Character (which is, or aught to be the desire and ambition of you all) of quitting yourselves like men. There is generally so much licentiousness and wickedness among the Soldiery, that the Poet hath scandalised the whole Tribe upon that account, Nulla fides, pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur. These (saith he) are a sort of people that have no manner of religion or honesty at all in them. A great deal of pity it should be so at any time; it is sad, and may prove dangerous to have the Sword in such mad men's hands: But I think the Poet was much to blame, to condemn all for the sake of some: For though it be so among too many, yet 'tis not so universally true, but (that God be thanked) there be some exceptions: and many (to your great honour, Gentlemen, be it spoken) that are employed in this present Service. Why should Religion be thought inconsistent with your Profession? whatever liberties too many of it give themselves, it has been as famous for Men eminently pious as any whatsoever: The first Man that we read professing Christ after his Crucifixion was a Soldier; in that hour of darkness, when his Followers fled, his Disciples fainted, and the Rabble derided him, a Soldier and his Company owned him; Matt. 27. 54. The Centurion, and they that were with him feared greatly, and said, Truly this was the Son of God. Nazianzen in his time had a Caesarius, Saint Basil a Gordius; and a Learned Writer, speaking of the Noble Army of Martyrs, saith, Pars melior ex militibus, The greater part of them were Soldiers. The Character which S. Luke gives of Cornelius the Centurion is, That he was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always, Acts 10. 2. I have instanced in this last, as a Pattern worthy your imitation, and with a desire that you would compare the practice of this noble Roman with that of many of our present Army, and see what you can find, that can at all patronise that impious liberty and profaneness that is by so many recommended as reputable and ingenious, and is every day so much exemplified to us in common practice, that one would think it were entailed upon your Prefession. The Centurion here mentioned was a devout Man, and zealous for Religion, one who endeavoured to promote it, by keeping up (all ways possible) its honour and reputation in the world: Many among our Centurions make a mock of it, saying in their heart, there is no God, they sit down in the seat of the Scorner; and though they cannot argue, yet resolve to laugh all Piety out of countenance. Every the dullest Creature, that can but revile his Religion, make a profane Paraphrase upon the Holy Writ, vent an impious Jest, ridicule any thing that is Sacred, and stoutly disclaim his Maker, is immediately proclaimed a Wit, not considering that this is direct Blasphemy. 'Tis said farther of this Centurion, that he feared God; they cannot in the least pretend to this part of the Centurion's character, who upon every impertinent occasion, take his most sacred Name into their profane Mouths, and call upon him to witness to every trifle, sometimes to a lie. Sure, Gentlemen, you cannot pretend to the fear of God, who call upon him almost every moment to damn yourselves, your dearest friends or acquaintance for every frivolous disappointment, nay often for nothing; whose mouths are full of bitterness and cursing, who challenge to yourselves the liberty of your tongues, saying in the words of the Psalmist, We are they that ought to speak, Who is Lord over us? Psal. 12. 4. Nay, there are some among you (I think myself obliged in duty to take notice of it) who are so far from fearing God, that you seem to be perfectly of the temper of the unjust Judge mentioned in Saint Luke, who neither feared God, nor regarded man. If it were not so, though the fear of God could not restrain you, yet otherwise in respect of Men, you would sometimes abstain from all sorts of impious, lewd, profane and atheistical discourse, and at least comply with the rules of civility, though you will not with those of piety. For your unsavoury breath (supposing no God to be offended with it) you cannot but imagine to be nauseous to all those who believe there is one, to all those who have any Zeal for their Faith, you cannot think any discourse more intolerable, or more disobliging. Those who do acknowledge a divine Power, cannot be supposed with ease and satisfaction to sit by, and hear God▪ ridiculed and blasphemed; you cannot but think this to be a very unpleasant entertainment for any who believe a Deity; more especially for those who are more than ordinarily concerned for his honour. The next part of this Centurion's character is, That he was one that feared God with all his house. Now if we compare the practice of some among you with this part of his character, it will be but too visible, that you come far short of it. I need not descend to particulars, for they are too evident; the many Oaths and Curses, with the abundance of other unsavoury discourse that doth flow, almost every minute, from the mouths of the meanest and least servant that does attend the Camp, sufficiently proclaim the neglect of you their Masters; who too many of you, by your own example, and the countenance and encouragement you give to the vicious courses of those about you, seem to have taken up a resolution contrary to that of Joshua's, and in your hearts to say, As for me and my house, we will neither of us serve the Lord.  
Another thing that is added in commendation of this Centurion is, That he gave much alms to the people, his devotion and the fear of God are accompanied with Works of Charity. How backward are many of you to relieve those, who by the fate of War, or any other misfortunes, are reduced to necessity and want; he was of a tender and compassionate nature; you may see here the mildness and sweetness of his temper, by his being kind and merciful; fruits of the spirit highly requisite to preserve those of your profession from transgressions of a crying nature, which too many of you, gentlemans, make light of, violence, cruelty, wasting, plundering, etc. But he in whose heart God had put it, to give that which was his own to others, when their necessities required it, could not but abhor to take and detain that which was not his own from others; no, he walks according to the Baptist's rule of doing violence to no man, and being content with his own wages. But instead of walking according to this example, and relieving to the utmost of your ablity the people, and assisting those that are under your command, how many of you take all occasions, to squeeze and oppress the former, and to do all the injustice you are able to the latter; and, like miscreant achan's, make it your business by these indirect ways to enrich yourselves, not fearing the Curse of God on such illgotten treasure?  
The last thing that is said in praise of this Centurion is, That he prayed to God always, that is, every day, at the set and appointed times, when he was not hindered by other lawful occasions. In an undertaking attended with so many and so great difficulties and dangers as yours is, he knew it would be impossible for him to succeed without imploring the divine aid and assistance; therefore he omitted no opportunity of representing his needs, knowing that he might have them supplied only for ask. But how many among you, gentlemans, rather choose to quit your hopes of protection and good success in this world and happiness in the next, than to buy it at the cheapest rate of humble Prayer? How many among you do neglect, disuse and contemn so easy a duty, the constant and due performance of which is attended with so many and so great blessings? What blessed opportunities are put into your hands? What an happiness (by the pious care of our most religious and gracious King and Queen) do you enjoy, of having liberberty (even in these Popish Countries) of addressing yourselves to God in public twice a day, in a most incomparable and a well advised form, and in a language understood by the meanest of the people? A blessing denied to all that are round about you. And you, gentlemans, who neglect to give your constant attendance on this duty, your circumstances requiring it in a more especial manner, as I shown you at large the last Lord's-day; what do you but in effect declare to the World, that you look no higher than yourselves, your own Strength and Valour, your own Skill and Conduct, and that you do repose all your confidence in the Arm of Flesh, or that you think protection, and good success Blessings hardly worth your ask, or else with those profane Wretches in the Psalmist, that you care not for God, neither is God in all your thoughts.  
Now, Gentlemen, it may perhaps be thought by some among you, that these reproaches are too severe, but the Pulpit is to be pardoned plainness, because the Grave deals roundly, and therefore I hope you will bear with them; especially considering of what importance to the Public such a Body of Men as you are, who are of so great use in the World, that every Nation and People, have with one consent justly accounted you worthy of all Esteem and Honour; so that if the light that is in you should be darkness, by reason of the consequence of it, how great might that darkness prove? Sir Walter Raleigh, discoursing whether the Greeks, or Romans, were the better Soldiers, very fairly concludes, that the English were better than both; nor is this the particular judgement of a Countryman of your own, but you have a general Renown in all the Nations that are round about you, and the Character which he long since gave of our Countrymen, hath by the opinion of the greatest Generals the World ever bred, together with the many Noble exploits you have achieved since in the presence of many Nations been sufficiently confirmed; if to this, you would add that of the Centurion, to be devout Men, fearing God, etc. then you would be perfect, and lacking nothing, and thereby free your profession from that ill opinion which the great looseness, and horrid profaneness of some among you hath brought upon it; and thus removing these unhappy occasions of your , all Nations round about you would record you for the Worthies of the Earth, and you would abroad, as well as at home be thought worthy of double Honour; you would then be an Honour, as well as a Defence to your Country, Their Majesties and the whole Kingdom would prise and esteem you, and God would bless you, bless you with Honour, Victory, and good Success in this World; and when you have thus fought a good fight, and finished your course, and kept the Faith, henoeforth there would be laid up for you a Crown of Righteousness in the World to come; thus having so well grounded hopes of a better life, what can be a surer way to make you quit yourselves like Men, than in exposing this? (when there is so just an occasion for it) which brings me to show you,  
Thirdly, The great reasons you have to do it at this present Conjunction; which I don't doubt will appear to be very great, and I hope powerful too, if you consider these four things:  

1. The Excellency of that Government, those Laws and Liberties you have to defend.  
2. The Church and Faith you contend for.  
3. The Defenders of the Faith you have to serve.  
4. The Enemy you are to oppose: Consider, Gentlemen,   
1st. That Government, those Laws and Liberties you have to defend; and you will find them such, that if any where upon the Face of the Earth, you must confess, that there is the easy Yoke, and light Burden: How secure do they render to you all your civil Rights? Your Liberties are such, that while our Sovereign Lord and Lady sit upon Their Throne in the brightness of Imperial Majesty, the meanest Subject may as truly sit under his Vine, and Figtree, and enjoy his own with security, peace and plenty: You yourselves, Gentlemen, who have seen the sad and doleful Circumstances of poor Peasants in these Countries, know full well, that God hath not dealt so with other Nations: You may all of you gratefully sing as the Prophet David did, Psal. 16. 6. The lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, and we have through the Divine Providence, a goodly Heritage: Yours is one of the fortunate Islands; the Government is of that rare balance, and temperament, that you cannot but have a deep sense of the many Blessings you all enjoy under it of those woeful Miseries and Distractions you were all exposed to, by the Violences offered to it in the late Reign: This is well worthy your highest Valour, well worthy your truest Fidelity; all your welfare is apparently bound up in the welfare of this Government; and that Government that preserves you, that it may so do, must be inviolably preserved by you, and certainly 'tis a great debt, and duty which you all own to it, 'tis yours, as well as Their Majesty's Safety; 'tis a concern so essential, that what the Roman Orator says of Government, in general, may as truly be said of that of their present Majesties, That neither Family, or City, neither People, nor Country, could any longer subsist without it: He therefore that faithfully stands by it, shows himself a Friend to his own, and Country's safety, as well as a true and faithful Subject to Their Majesties; I do not doubt therefore, but that as good Christians, and true Englishmen, you will put on a generous largeness of Spirit, and with your lives stand firmly by it, and whilst 'tis highly prized by all Strangers, that you of the same Nation will not contemn, neglect, or abuse it, but quit yourselves like Men, in maintaining, defending, and securing of it.  
2dly. The second consideration to move you to quit yourselves like Men, is the Church, and Faith you contend for: A Church that owns the venerable Antiquities of purer Times, and rejects the absurd Encroachments, and Corruptions of later Ages; many of which in these Countries are daily visible to your Eyes, though of some they seem to me to be ashamed, by their abstaining from the Use of them, in those Garrisons where the Protestants are quartered, during the time of their abode there: All the Doctrines of your Church are ancient, holy, just, and good, such as were taught by our Saviour Himself, when here on Earth practised by his Apostles, delivered from them to the primitive Christians, and so derived down to you. They are all of them most agreeable to the highest reason, in their consequences tending most directly, to the promoting of Piety, and true Morality, the peace of Societies, and the good of every particular Person; they are so clearly subservient to all good Ends, that if your design by Religion be, (what it ought to be) nakedly to save your Souls, you may then in communion with the Church of England pass surely and safely to Heaven: God hath not dealt so with other Nations; neither have they such comfortable freedom in his ways: You see, Gentlemen, in what blind ignorance they here keep their People, by the forbidding them under the most severe Penalties the use of the Holy Bible, or the reading any Protestant Books, or conferring with any Person upon any point of Religion, or the doing any one thing that may tend by the opening of the Eyes of the Blind, to the discovery of these Cheats; which Commands if any of them should chance to transgress, it must be inserted into the Catalogue at their next confession, and they, poor Souls, before they can be absolved, and readmitted to their half communion must undergo what penance the Confessor shall think fit, who for such heinous Crimes as these always enjoins to be more severe, than for Theft, Whoredom, or Murder, etc. You see what intolerable Burdens they lay upon them, how many ridiculous and foolish Ceremonies, barbarous and uncommanded Penances they enjoin them, and none of them tending in the least to benefit the Souls of the ignorant performers, but all of them insignificant to any other ends and purposes, but that of maintaining the Power, and increasing the Wealth of their Church. The Church you contend for enjoins nothing but what tends to the promoting of true Piety, she hath crowded in among her Doctrines, no Pardons, nor Indulgences, no Pilgrimages to the shrines of pretended Saints, nor vain Oblations to enrich her Coffers; she hath thrust in no Invocation of Saints, nor Prayers for the Dead; no pompous Processions nor sacred Relics to fill the pockets of her Priests; she hath squeezed in no Infallibility, nor Probability, no Enthusiastical pretences to immediate Revelation, nor pretended Miracles to impose upon her People: You see therefore, Gentlemen, how much 'tis your interest, as well as your duty, if you sincerely love God and your own Souls, or have any real desire of your own, or others welfare, faithfully to adhere to that Church you have the happiness to be Members of, and to quit yourselves like Men, by vigorously maintaining and defending it against all Opposers whatsoever, and this is the second consideration to move you to quit yourselves like Men, the Church and Faith you contend for: Now I proceed to the▪  
3d Consideration, which is the Defenders of the Faith you have to serve, and they are a King and Queen, professing the same Faith with yourselves, and worshipping God in the same manner: An happiness, and blessing long wished for in our Kingdoms, and I pray God long to continue it to us. Besides how tender are they of all your welfare, how careful of your Liberties and Properties! how great encouragement do they give to Piety, Sobriety, Justice, and Charity, and every thing that is praiseworthy, both by their Precept and Example? Can you wish for, can you conceive any Princes more gracious, than those whom God hath set over you, and hitherto miraculously preserved, for the public good and benefit of your Kingdom? Their only aim and study is to make you a great and an happy People; for the effecting of which, 'tis plain, they spare themselves no pains, no care, nor trouble: For this end to how many great, and inexpressible Hardships and Dangers has His Majesty willingly, and cheerfully exposed His Sacred Person, and with the same willingness and cheerfulness, doth still continue to expose it, both by Sea, and Land? He, like the Noble Caesar, in all his Commands in the Field, was never heard to say, Ite milites, sed: venite; not go, but follow me; as if he scorned in all his on▪ sets to be any thing else but still a Leader: He has always taught you, gentlemans, by that which is the strongest Authority, his own forwardness and example, and he seems to be one that the supreme God hath taken particular care of, by Death's coming often so very near him, yet passing him by, and shunning him when it hath swept away almost all about him. I need not tell you the many narrow Escapes he lately had, nor how often he hath been miraculously and particularly defended in the midst of the greatest Dangers; but besides these open Dangers, how many secret Snares of Death, that have been villainously contrived, and cunningly laid for him, hath he escaped? Yet he still goes on with his usual cheerfulness and bravery, to expose himself to these open and secret Dangers, for the good and safety of your Church and Kingdom. What Honour and Success may you not yet hope to gain, when so many thousand Men of Valour are headed and led on by so experienced and so brave a General? whose Security and Safety is to you all an high Concern. He hath, Gentlemen, laid on you all the obligations you can wish or desire to Quit yourselves like men. Besides, 'Tis your interest so to do, for 'tis endeavouring to preserve the Ship wherein you are all embarked. If you would strengthen the house, you must not weaken him that bears up the pillars of it, Ps. 75. 3. Your firmness and steadiness to him is, at second hand, but a kindness to the Breath of your own Nostrils. Thus whilst your Royal Master, by his great Courage and good Conduct, endeavours all he can here; and your Royal Mistress, by her most prudent and discreet management of Affairs in England in his absence, does her utmost to make you a great and an happy People: What can you, gentlemans, do less than to love and revere them, to obey them readily and cheerfully, to think yourselves only capable of being made great and happy by making them greater and happier? Every Soul of you to be subject to them, so as strictly to observe all their Orders and Commands for Love of them, more than for Fear of punishment, to be silent from all manner of murmur and mutinies, loud only in their Applauses and Thanks to Almighty God for the felicities of their Reign. On which account, happy we their Subjects, the most fortunate and happy People in all the World: And this is the third Consideration to move you to Quit yourselves like men, The most gracious King and Queen you serve.  
The fourth and last Consideration to move you to Quit yourselves like men in this present Conjuncture is, The Enemy you do oppose, viz. the King of France: All his methods and ways of proceeding do sufficiently evidence to the World, that he makes the Maxims of the common Enemy of Christendom the Rule and Measure of all his Actions, and that absolute Power at home, with universal Empire abroad is his aim as well as the Turks; and seeing that by these principles (which 'tis plain he hath taken up) all the duties of Christianity are laid in the dirt, it were difficult to determine, should absolute Conquest (which God forbidden) attend his Arms, whether under French or Turk Christendom would obtain the fairest quarter. All that the Turks have done in Christendom since the time of Francis the First to this day, they own to the Alliances of France with the Ottoman Court, and to the Diversion which the French have given in their favour. This present King hath learned from Francis the First the most unchristian methods of making League with the Turks, by calling in (to his eternal shame) their assistance, to carry on his revengeful and ambitious designs, to the hazard of all Christendom. He, under a show of assisting weak Princes, hath taken occasion to share with them in their Principalities, and by these unjust means, has vastly increased his own power. He has observed no rule of justice in making War, nor had any regard to it in observing Peace, when made. The War in these Countries is a sufficient confirmation of both. 1. That grand Treaty between France and Spain, called The Pyrenaean Treaty. 2. That of Aix-la-Chapelle, unto which all the Princes of Christendom were invited, to take care of the common Security. 3. The Treaty at Breda. I have not time now to relate these at large, and how ill they have observed them; together with their Treaties with Holland. And 'twould be too tedious to repeat all that may give you proof of their goodwill and faithfulness to your own Country, as well as to all other Nations that have had any deal with them: But these you may see at your leisure in the Collection of Treaties made by them with all the Princes and Potentates of Europe. I shall only remark at present, that the first of these Treaties was made upon a most solemn occasion, that of Marriage, confirmed by an Oath, with the most Sacred Mysteries of their Religion at the high Altar; and yet was so palpably broken (as you may see, if you will take but the pains to peruse the Treaty) that 'tis not to be paralleled by any instance or example in all the World besides. He has been the common Enemy of every State, destroying the Peace of the Government every where, sowing of Factions in all Prince's Courts, in their Councils, their Armies, or among such of their Subjects as were inclinable to be factious; or else he hath jumbled one Prince against another by turns: And more than all this, He, gentlemans, hates you and your Religion: He has been often heard to speak these words, That his Grandfather loved the Protestants, his Father feared them, and he himself hated them; which any one that considers the Ruins of their demolished Churches, and the hard and miserable Conditions (too large to be here recited) under which they are and have been oppressed in every point in that Kingdom, will easily believe. And now, because many of the Romish Party, both by their words and actions, seem to wish well to his Proceed, I think it not a miss to remark here, how their Religion is like to far if he gains his Point; and this they may easily guess, by his deal with them in Catalonia, Alsatia, these and divers other Roman Catholic Countries, where all of them exclaim against his arbitrary and unjust ways of proceeding; How do they know how far Reasons of State may drive him? How can they tell what Alterations they may (as they have ever done) oblige him to make? It behoves the Popish-party therefore to look to it; they may (if they please) hope the best, but you, and all the rest of the Protestant-party in Germany and other parts, will be sure to be equal Sufferers with those of his own Country, as fast as he can reach you, and then he will deal with you as he hath done with them, in the Concerns of your Religion, as well as of your Estates; the former will be sure to go down, and your constant profession of it esteemed so great a crime, that you will be thought altogether unfit to be trusted any longer with the latter. The Papists too have just reason to believe that their Religion shall receive considerable Alterations, especially in secular Advantages of Wealth and Power, and that they themselves shall far but very indifferently in respect to their temporal Concerns too, if they but consider his arbitrary way of proceeding in France and all his conquered Countries. Therefore it concerns both Papist and Protestant to adventure their distinct Power and Interest in one common bottom, and resolution to oppose him, and to hinder the obstinate pursuit of his Project of Universal Monarchy. 'Tis certainly the true Interest of all to oppose his Designs, since no oppression is like his. And since you have heard that the Faith of Treaties confirmed in the most solemn and sacred manner, the Good of Religion, the Ties of Blood and Amity, cannot hold him; you may doubtless believe it a very good reason at this Juncture, to endeavour to secure yourselves and all Europe from the sad Effects of his most unjust Courses, by Quitting yourselves like men; and this is one great reason you have to do so, and the last which I proposed to speak to, viz. the Consideration of the Enemy you are to oppose. Not one of these forementioned Considerations, but would afford matter enough to fill whole Volumes; but considering I am confined to so short a time, I could say no more, but only give you these Items; and hoping they may put you upon reflecting on many more Particulars, and be sufficient to obtain the designed End, I shall proceed to the fourth and last thing, which is,  
Fourthly, To make one Inference from the whole, and to conclude with an Exhortation to you, and my hearty Prayers to the God of all Power, to protect your Persons, and bless your Arms with good Success this ensuing Compagne. You are Gentlemen in whom their Majesties and their Kingdoms repose great Trust and Confidence, and on whom your own whole Nation, as well as others, have at this time fixed their Eyes, observing your Motions, which way you will lead others, whether to the Right or Left: Your Care therefore, Gentlemen, aught to be the greater in the prudent government of yourselves both as to your words and actions, that you give not the least encouragement to those who are ready to take fire from any little spark. But whilst the unjustly discontented and unreasonably Factious are plotting against the present Government, and forming Designs against their Majesty's most Sacred Persons; It well becomes you, gentlemans, in your stations, to show greater Zeal than ordinary for both, by liking whatever their Majesties may judge reasonable for them to do in their public Affairs, by discouraging all those who approve or disapprove of things according as they themselves are pleased, or provided for, or as they are influenced by some male-contented or factious Leaders, by disallowing, disapproving and discouraging of that licentious Liberty that some take of misrepresenting, arguing and arbitrating the great Affairs of State, of censuring, arraigning and condemning what and whom they please, by discountenancing all petulant Speeches or Discourses that may cause Discontents or Divisions of Mind, which would much better become the mouths of your common Enemies, than those who profess themselves to be true Englishmen and faithful Subjects of the King and Queen's: And no doubt but all Discontents would then be laid aside, and Divisions, and Factions, soon dwindle into nothing, when others have a precedent so good and powerful as yours to influence their practice, when they behold you a constant instance of this Truth, that the poison of faction, and sedition, cannot infect all sorts of Men: You therefore, Gentlemen, having such Laws and Liberties to defend, such a Church and Faith to contend for, such a gracious King and Queen to serve, such an Enemy to oppose, what can be a more Noble Cause wherein to employ your Arms? What Cause can be more worthy of your Swords? In what Conjuncture can you more justly, or with cruer praise, quit yourselves like Men? And since the only way to do so is to be Religious, what remains but that you abstain from all those Vices which so usually attend the Camp, and perform all good and virtuous Actions so often as you have occasion, and opportunity; making the Precepts of your Religion the rule and standard of all your Thoughts, Words and Actions; and thus perfecting Holiness in the fear of God, if it be your hap to fall in the Day of Battle, you will not fail to be raised from that Bed of Honour, to a Crown of Glory, which will sufficiently convince you that your labour has not been in vain in the Lord: Now may His Majesty this Summer become the happy Instrument to recover the Rights of the oppressed States, and Princes, of setting Bounds to the French Ambition, to preserve our Nation against the threatened Dangers, and to redeem Europe from that Yoke which they are framing, and devising to put about her Neck, and to restore to us all, a Glorious, Christian, and an honourable Peace; may he then thus laden with Honour, Victory, and good Success return in safety to his own People, and there together with Her Majesty enjoy the blessed Fruits of his own Labour, by possessing his Throne in peace for many, many Years; and may they never want such Subjects as you are, of so much Skill and Courage, of such Loyalty and Fidelity, to defend Their Royal Persons, and Government, against foreign Invasions, and intestine Factions and Rebellions; and may you, gentlemans, all live to receive the just Rewards of those many Hardships, and Hazards to which you have so freely, cheerfully and bravely exposed yourselves for Their Majesties, and their Kingdoms; and then, though the Terror of your Arms may be necessary for the Defence of Their Majesties, and the Security of your Country; yet may they never after this Campagne have any more occasion to try your great Skill, and invinsible Courage; and I don't doubt, though you are all Men of War, yet as Christians you are such lovers of Peace, that you will hearty say, Amen to it: I shall therefore dismiss you with the Words of the Psalmist; wherever you go,  Action you are commanded on, The Lord prosper you, and cover your heads in the day of battle.  
I wish you all good Luck in the Name of the LORD.  
FINIS.