Prov. 28. 1. The Wicked flee when no Lyon. THE HE two great Ingredients that go into the Compofition of an accomplished Souldier, are Courage, and good Conduct: As for the latter of these, it is the peculiar Subject of your Profeffion, and falls not under the Cognizance of our fpiritual TaEticks; nor was it ever well for the World when the Pulpits, which were defigned for Oracles of the Gospel of Peace, rung with Battels, and Alarms, and that ἡμέρα σάλπιγξ, that foft and fili Trumpet of Meeknefs, and Charity, and Obedience, which should found from hence was out-noised and drowned with theThunder of Drums, and the roaring of Cannons. Sure I am, in our Commiffion we have no H 2 Inftructions 99 Inftructions to put on any Armour, but the whole Armour of God, to lift any Volunteers but for Heaven, or proclaim any War but between Men and their Lufts, from which all otherWars and Fightings do proceed. And being of so diftant a Profeffion, we may very well be excufed if we understand not the Language of your Discipline, if we cannot talk in Rank and File, and Flank and Rear our Difcourfes with Military Allufions in which it is as eafie for us to be abfurd and ridiculous as for a fresh-Water Souldier, that being to make a Speech to a Company of Sailers, will needs interlard his Harangue with Terms of Navigation. Wherefore, in Reverence to your Skill and Judgment in your own Profeffion, I fhall chufe to leave Hercules his Club in his own Hands, who knows much better than I how to wield and manage it; it being, in my Opinion, not altogether fo decent for a Divine to read Le&tures of War before Hannibal. But as for that other Ingredient of a good Souldier, viz. Courage and Refolution (it being a Christian Virtue, and as fuch, neceffary not only (though (though more efpecially) for you, but for all others who intend to continue faithful Souldiers under the common Captain of our Salvation) it is upon this Account a very proper Argument both for the Speaker, and the Hearers, and as fuitable to the Place, as it is to the Occafion, and therefore, in Compliance with both, I have chofen this Text, in which you have Cowardize and Courage refolved into their first Principles, The Wicked flee when no Man pursues, but the Righteous is bold as a Lyon. In these Words you have all Mankind diftinguished by their proper Characters into two forts: The first is the Wicked, under which Name all bad Men, of whatsoever Denomination, are comprehended, whether they be irreligious in their Belief, profane in their Manners, or hypocritical in their Designs and Intentions, and the Character here by which they are all diftinguished, is, that they flee when no Man pursues; i. c. they are of fuch bafe and timerous Spirits, that they are ready to run afrom the leaft Shadow of DanH 3 way ger, ger, though it hath nothing of Subtance or Reality in it, and being haunted with an ill-boding Mind, flee before the Spectres of their own Fancies. Which Words are not to be fo understood as if every wicked Man were actually a Coward, for that contradicts Experience, and we know there is a fort of Valour which naturally springs out of the very crafts and Temper of Mens Bodies, which is nothing else but a certain Impetus, or brisk Fermentation of the Blood and Spirits; and this is common to bad Men with good, accordingly as they happen into a warm and vigorous Constitution. The meaning therefore is, that they are Cowards in their Causes; that their Wickednefs naturally tends to effeminate them, and will certainly do it, if it be not strongly counter-influenced by the Vigour of their bodily Temper. The fecond fort into which Mankind is here distinguished is the Righteous, by which Phrase the Scripture is wont to exprefs all good Men in general; and that for very good Reafon, because all Instances of Goodness whatfoever are in Strictnefs, Acts of Righteousness, |