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THE

USEFULNESS AND EXPEDIENCE

OF

SOULDIERS

AS DISCOVERED BY

REASON AND EXPERIENCE,

And countenanced and supported by the

GOSPEL.

A

SERMON,

Preached to an Artillery Company at Guilford, May 25, 1736, on the day of their first choosing their Officers. And now made publick at their earn

est desire and charge.

BY THOMAS RUGGLES, A.M.
Pastor of the first Church There.

NEW-LONDON, Printed 1737.

HARTFORD:

GEO. W. KAPPEL, Print.

1831.

THE

USEFULNESS AND EXPERIENCE

OF

SOULDIERS.

Luke iii. 14. And the Souldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?

T

¡HE Usefulness of Souldiers in this present world of Sin and Lusts, Together with the Honour and Dignity of that Employment, is a thing almost all Nations Acknowledge and Approve. But then by how much the more Nations are Civilized and become Polite, by so much the more is the Martial Art Improved and Advanced: And by Consequence, becomes so much the more Honourable and Useful; Improves and Enobles the Minds of men: And therefore as its Improvements and Use is of great Advantage to mankind, so it is both Reasonable and Laudable for men to Endeavour to Accomplish themselves with Military Knowledge and Skill.

DAVID that man after God's own heart, As he confesses, Psal. cxliv. i. God had taught his hands to War, and his fingers to fight; So has he made and Dedicated one of his best Poems, To and upon, Military Employment; I mean that which is usually stiled David's Elegy, or Mourning over the Death of Saul and Jonathan, Recorded II. Samuel, Chap. I.

The Poem (as one* Expresses it) is a Martial Poem; 'Tis written with a truly Martial spirit and Life; The Subject is entirely Military; And as it discovers the Greatness of David's spirit; so no words can more Commend the true Grandure of a Military Life, or set forth the Honour of those that Excel in Martial Knowledge; such as Saul *The Rev. Mr. Symmes, in his Lovel Lamented. (Capt. John Lovewell. See our No. 5.)

and Jonathan were. Nor is the Business of a Souldier Inconsistent with the Life or Character of a Christian; Those that are the profess'd Subjects of the Kingdom of Peace, yet are many times called forth into the Field to hear the Confused noise of Battle and have their Garments Rolled in blood. God has not therefore been unmindful of them; Such is the excellency and Comprehensive Nature of God's Word, that therein even a Souldier may learn much of his Duty; and how to Conduct himself as to be Approv'd of GOD and be Acceptable in the midst of his Brethren.

A Souldier is not a person Exempted from the Laws of Reason or Religion; nor left to live at an Ungoverned and Lawless manner; (Tho' too often they give themselves too large a liberty in this Respect). But the Laws of Honour, Justice and Sobriety are Equally obliging upon them, as on other men. God has therefore Taught them what he Requires of them, and what it is they ought to Do. Our Text and Context has an Immediate and Direct relation hereunto; They Demand, What shall we do? And John gives them a brief, but very Comprehensive Direction what their Duty is; Thus, The Souldiers also Demanded, And what shall we do?

I shall not at this time trouble you with any Critical Observations upon the Text; Either who these Souldiers* were; or concerning the Person of whom the Demand is made, who was John Baptist, the forerunner of Christ; It may suffice in General to say, That among the many that came to hear John's Ministry and Enquire their Duty, the Souldiers came also to him and Demanded of him, What shall we do? The whole of the Account is perfectly Souldierlike; The Enquiry is express'd with the very Air and spirit of a Souldier in it; They Demanded; They speak as men of true Greatness

*I am sensible by Souldiers here, Expositors in general understand some of the Roman Militia left and kept to preserve the Country in Quiet. But as we Read, Luke xxii. 52, of the Captains of the Temple; and as it is Evident there were some of the Priests or Levites, whose Employment was to be a Guard upon the Temple, &c. And as John's as well as our SAVIOUR'S Ministry, seems to be much confined to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel; It mayn't seem altogether Improbable these Souldiers were of this sort. But of which Number soever (Either Jews or Romans) they were, seems of no great moment to our present purpose.

of mind, as persons who were not accustomed to be Denied. 'Tis Recorded of the other persons, that came before to John, that they Asked, But the Souldiers Demanded, And what shall we Do? And by John's gentle and pious Answer and Directions to them, 'Tis abundantly plain, that as he no ways Disapprov'd of their Calling, so a Souldier may be taught what he should do from the Laws of Religion.

From whence in general we may make these Two Remarks.

1. Remark, That the Employment of a Souldier is what both GOD and the Gospel do Allow, Countenance and Approve of.

2. Remark, A Preacher of Christ may, without going beyond the bounds of his Duty, Preach to and Instruct Souldiers in their Duty. But what I shall at this time Insist upon and speak unto from the words, I shall cast into this method, under Three Doctrinal Propositions, viz.

I. 'Tis a Duty, and what a people of God should take care of, that there be among them those Train'd up in the Knowledge and Business of Souldiers; as that they may become Valiant Souldiers to fight the Lord's Battles, and be Couragious for themselves, for their Land and for their Families.

II. Consider what Influence and Countenance the Word of God does afford, to Excite and move persons to faithful and sincere endeavours to Accomplish themselves as good Souldiers.

III. Both Reason and Experience discover it is the Duty of Souldiers to Endeavour especially to become Skilful in those Methods of Martial Knowledge, as may furnish them to be, and in the best manner make them a Defence to their Country and answer the Ends of Souldiers.

We begin with Considering,

PROP. I. 'Tis a Duty, and what a People of God should take special care of, that there be among them those trained up in the Knowl

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