APPLICATION having been made to me, by the young men of this Society who are engaged in the present War, for the term of three years, that I should on this morning address them in publick (they expecting to set off in the afternoon for camp) In compliance with their re­quest, I shall attempt to suggest a few things to their consideration and improvement, which however im­perfectly treated, will be well aimed, even for their profiting.

The words chosen, when justly attended to, and considered, may be judged, as containing things suita­ble not [...] for gentlemen of a military character, [Page 6] but forevery denomination of men, considered as chris­tians. Their primary use and immediate direction, it seems, were to the ministers of the gospel, particu­larly to Timothy. St. Paul directs, or rather gives in charge to him thus, "Thou therefore my son, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus; and the things that thou hast heard of me, among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." And then solemnly charges him▪ thus, as in the verse imme­diately preceeding the text, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." And this he illustrates by introducing and pointing out the duty of a faithful soldier, who, having harnassed himself goeth sorth to war: No such man entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier, that is, no man, who undertaketh and is faithful in the cause of his country, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; such a soldier leaves the affairs and business that he was formerly occupied in, and gives up, and devotes himself to the duties that belong to his character as a soldier, that he may please his com­mander, and answer the just expectation of his em­ployers for the country's defence: And thus St. Paul would have Timothy be faithful, as a good chris­tian soldier to his divine Commander, even Jesus the captain of our salvation, would, from the weightiest reasons, have him exert himself in the best manner, to promote the good designed by the gospel mini­stry, and therefore would not have him entangle himself with the affairs of this life, would not have him plunge himself into the busy and perplexing [Page 7] concernments of this life and world, least the duties of his office as a minister, and character as a christian, should not be discharged.

His master Christ, who had chosen him to be a soldier, to oppose his enemies and the enemies of his kingdom, and into whose service he had engaged, expected he would approve himself faithful, and in this way please him; that he would be studious and ready at all times to please him by his fidelity, as the good soldier in the field is to please his com­mander whom he loves and fears.

But notwithstanding the primary use and direc­tion of these words were to Timothy and other ministers of the gospel, they may be applied to com­mon christians; they may in some sort be applied to us all, whether ministers, common christians or sol­diers, and teach us the duties we owe to Christ our divine Commander.

For let our station and occupation in life, be what it may, we ought to think ourselves as indis­pensibly bound to war a good warfare, to quit our­selves like men, and with the gospel armour oppose our spiritual, which are our most dangerous foes. The direction of the Apostle is this, 1. Tim. i. 18, 19. —War a good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience.

When men go forth to war against their common enemy, they are not to think they have no other duty to perform, but that of approving themselves as obedient and faithful soldiers to their respective [Page 8] officers; but as christians, to remember the duties they owe to their divine Commander, and to them­selves; and see to it, they do not live in the neglect hereof. For this notion and opinion which hath been instilled into some of the military character, that if a man dies in battle, having there acquitted himself with honor in opposing the enemy, he shall be saved, because he dies in a good cause, let his character be as it may in other respects: I say, this opinion is to be exploded as not founded in truth.

A man may be a good soldier in his country's cause, do his tour of duty and fight valiantly, when called to it, and yet not be a good soldier of Jesus Christ; not war the christian warfare, not oppose his spiritual enemies, but tamely submit to the bon­dage of sin and satan: And surely if this most im­portant warfare be not warred, how can men in the exercise of calm reason, expect to be saved, altho' they may have been good soldiers in other respects!

However, I mean not to say any thing to lessen a sense of duty in respect to fidelity, acting as soldiers in the defence of our country's liberties, but to urge it; and at the same time hold up to view the im­portance of acting as christians, or, in other words, to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, to oppose the enemies of his kingdom and our spi­ritual foes, with all that care, precaution and vigilance which come into the account of self-defence and fidelity to Christ.—My principal aim in the sequel will be, to point out to the young men whom I am to address in this discourse, the duties they owe to [Page 9] Christ their divine commander, who may be said to have chosen them to be soldiers; but shall first touch upon their duty, considered as soldiers in their country's cause. In this view, shall point out the reason why they are not to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life: For, no doubt, the Apostle▪ in this illustration of the duty of Timothy in his calling, means to compare it to the duty which a soldier in the field owes to his commander and to his country, and therefore of such an one says▪ No man that warreth, that is, no man who strives lawfully and faithfully, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.—If he entangleth himself with these things, he cannot acquit himself with honor and advantage.

A soldier, who undertakes with a true design to be faithful, entangleth, or embarrasseth not himself with such things as are foreign from the department into which he hath voluntarily inlisted himself. Such a soldier leaves the affairs of this life; leaves his farm, his trade, and his merchandise, or what­ever kind of business he had before employed him­self in: he leaves his dear friends and connections, all his circle of agreeable acquaintance (except those that accompany him in the same undertaking) yea, he leaves all his domestic concernments and parti­cular endearments, and sensible of his duty and the pressing call of Providence, goes forth to do those services of the camp, and in the field, where­unto he is called, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

[Page 10]And here it may not be out of place, to consider who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And will not this naturally occur, that his employers chose him, the people for whom he undertook? These con­fiding in him, as one who would be true and faith­ful, intrepid and valiant, ready to endure hardness and encounter danger for the good of the country, and for the protection, defence and safety of his friends, his own and their property, which he leaves behind; the people, his employers, thus confiding in him, choose him to be a soldier. Moreover, a soldier of such trust and confidence, may be con­sidered as chosen by the commander in chief and his respective officers. For, if they are of the same approved character, true and faithful▪ intrepid and valiant, ready to endure hardness and encounter danger for the common good, they doubtless choose and welcome such a soldier, and will manifest their approbation of and attachment to him, not only by common tenderness and respect, but will aim to promote and honor him according to merit. These things being considered, the soldier has set before him no small motive to exert himself to please him or them who have chosen and welcomed him to be a soldier.

But to return and speak a little more to this, viz. He entangleth not himself with the affairs of this life, i. e. he engages not in, nor spends his time about such things as enervate and disqualify from performing the duties of his station. The good soldier therefore must be temperate, pure, chaste, and not spend his time in gaming, intemperance, lewdness and debauchery; lest through the want of [Page 11] virtue and fidelity, the great end of being chosen a soldier should be frustrated, and the enemy get advantage, which has often been the case, where soldiers, unmindful of the duties of their character, have entangled themselves with such kind of things. The evils and vices above mentioned may be rec­koned among the affairs of this life, which the good soldier will be careful not to be encumbered with: And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible, 1. Cor. ix. 25. It is the plain duty of the soldier, as he would approve himself faithful to himself and his country, to be temperate, brave and virtuous, being ready for every tour of duty and enterprize to which he is called by his commanding officer.

As a soldier, his daily care must be to acquit him­self for and to do the business of his station from early to late, as it was industriously to go through his labor and domestic concernments, before he assumed the character of a soldier.

In the camp, it may be, that the occasions and circumstances of an army do not call for that exer­tion, labour, fatigue and enterprize at some times which they may at others, yet in the most leisure and uninterrupted spaces, the faithful soldier is not to entangle himself with those things that are pre­judical to his health, honor and safety; but is ever so to govern himself and passions as to be in a ready, easy and alert posture of defence and action, though suddenly and in the usual hours of repose, called to it.

[Page 12]Moreover if the occasions and circumstances of an army should at some particular periods, call for long and incessant fatigue and hardship, the faithful sol­dier is not to shrink back or desert his colours. He is not to harbour a wish to return back to the affairs of this life, though his own ease, pleasure and tem­poral emolument may prompt him.

The compleat character of a faithful soldier, can­not be constituted short of his being willing to en­dure hardness, when the exigence of affairs make it necessary. A cause so great and important, as that of securing the liberties and maintaining the lives and properties of a great and good country, as this is, is not to be deserted because some very hard, fatiguing and dangerous things are to be encountered. For consider, if so great and good a cause be de­serted, on whatever pretence, the consequence, in all probability, would be vastly more distressing and terrible, than to continue, bearing the greatest ima­ginable fatigues and hardships, that soldiers, engaged in such a glorious cause, are ever called to. It is not easy to figure to ourselves the deplorable situa­tion in which this country would be involved, should the noble ardour in the cause of liberty, which hath pervaded every part, and catched in every generous breast, be now extinguished. The consequence of relaxing and abating that zeal and prowess with which our fellow citizens and brave soldiers have so long opposed our enemies and defended America. The consequence (I say) of a relexation now, will be to let in our oppressors like a flood upon us, and tamely submit to conquest. It is easy to conceive whether this is not a condition infinitely worse than to bear those burdens and endure those fatigues to which [Page 13] we are called during the contest. Alarmed with these consequences, the good soldier will carefully cherish that noble ardour, that love of liberty, love of his country, which has supported us from the beginning of the contest to the present day, and with which every patriotic mind consents to endure hardness 'till it ends in our favour and the establish­ment of our independence.

In a word, faithfulness and a sense of honor, together with this country's safety and well being▪ will prevail upon every good soldier, to bear patiently those intervals of hardship and to encounter those particular instances of danger, to which his lot as a soldier will at any time expose him; and if he en­tangleth not himself with those things that are foreign from his department, he then is the man of honor and virtue, who pleases him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; he answers the just expectation of his employers, who confided in him, and pleases his good commander whom he obeys.

Thus have I considered the duty of a man in the character of a soldier in his country's cause. I proceed now to consider what is still more impor­tant, viz. What duties the soldier owes to his divine commander, who may be said to have chosen men to be soldiers.

It may with good reason be judged that Christ has chosen men to be soldiers in defence of their coun­try, when invaded by an unrighteous and cruel foe; or in other words he may approve, yea, make it the duty of men to go to war in certain cases and circumstances. If not, the undertaking of our young men, to compose the army, is wrong, and ought not to have been; but it is presumed [Page 14] none of the undertakers once doubt the lawfulness of the war on our part. If the enemy have wick­edly begun and prosecuted the war against America without just provocation, this supposes our right and duty to oppose them by arms, with such weapons as God has provided for us, that we may defend our lives, liberties and properties.

To defend ourselves against the unreasonable en­croachments and invasion of others is the plain dic­tate of reason; and revelation will vindicate the sentiment. If a defensive war is lawful, and if this war in which we have so unanimously taken a part to assert our rights and privileges against the claims of the enemy; if it is a necessary defensive war on our part, the enemy having first drawn the sword unprovoked; then the war is lawful which we are carrying on, and if lawful, then approved of by God, for he ever approves of what is lawful: And Christ came not to destroy but to fulfil the law▪ Christ ever approves of that which is lawful and right, yea, has made it our duty to vindicate our natural rights and privileges, and therefore has chosen men or called them to serve in their country's cause, and for it's safety and defence, as also has chosen us all to serve under him, he has invited us all to inlist un­der his banner; and would he invite us to be his sol­diers unless it was his choice that we should be so? If he has invited all, then the soldier engaged in his country's defence is also chosen to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and he is bound to perform the duties which he owes to him.

The religion of our Saviour is as worthy and necessary to be regarded by gentlemen of the military line, as any class of men whatever, their souls being [Page 15] equally precious and their salvation equally impor­tant. We find particular notice taken of the reli­gion and suppliant posture of a soldier who came to Jesus for a particular favour, which I would intro­duce in this place for the improvement of all who bear the name of soldiers in this age. See Mat. viii. 5.—"And when Jesus was entered into Caper­naum, there came unto him a Centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented; and Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him: The Centu­rion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed; for I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh, and to my servant do this, and he doth it▪" Notwithstanding the Cen­turion ranked as an officer, one in command, see! how he humbles himself in the presence of Christ, exalts him whilst he debases himself, and see! what notice Jesus took of this eminent man who was a soldier. —"When Jesus heard it, he marvelled and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great saith, no not in Israel." This Centurion paid more honor and respect to Christ, than to his commander in the field, as may be judged from Christ's approbation of him, and thus every soldier is bound to do; for whose commands should most impress our minds, whether those of a human or divine commander? Whilst the soldier should be ready to obey all the lawful commands of his re­spective officers, he is not to be unmindful of but strictly regard the authority of Jesus his divine [Page 16] Captain. This will lead the soldier to consider what enemies he has to oppose, as he would be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

These are spiritual, which are the most dangerous. As the soldier is to be vigilant to espy out his na­tural enemies so as to be the better prepared to receive their attack, and to repel their force, so the christian soldier under Jesus Christ is to be vigilant to espy and ready to resist his spiritual foe; the direction given by the Apostle, is to be heeded in making this resistance, 1 Peter v. 8, 9. "Be sober be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour," and whom think ye he will devour, except it be those who are not sober and vigilant? If ye are rude, vain and wicked, not on your guard against the attack of Satan, ye are in danger of falling an easy prey to his malevolent designs. You need therefore be more strictly on your guard against this your spiritual foe, than your natural and bodily enemies, whom resist stedfast in the faith. Faith is the powerful weapon, or instrument with which the designs of this evil and dangerous foe can be best warded off. If the Centurion had great faith re­corded to his honor, being a soldier, it is equally important that all others should have faith in order to get true honor and the best victory. "This is the victory that overcometh, even our faith," John v. 4. But that the well disposed soldier may be apprehen­sive of the enemies of his soul and know what armour he must put on and be clad with, in order to make head against them, he will do well to hearken to and comply with that skilful and excellent advice of the Apostle, Ephes. 6 chap. "Finally, brethren, [Page 17] be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wicked­ness in high places." Here the enemies of our souls are reckoned up as being numerous, potent and dangerous. These, we are to wrestle with and oppose with such kind of armour as will best succeed. The armour is next mentioned. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in an evil day, and having done all to stand; stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." The whole christian armour is here delineated, with which the christian soldier being clad, he is completely furnished to receive the attacks of his spiritual enemies, and to make a successful war against them, in which he shall finally come off victor.

The helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, is an essential part of that armour which the christian soldier is to take. The sword of the spirit is said to be the word of God; and it may justly be considered as the great instru­ment, in the use of which the Spirit of God operates for the saving good of men, and agreeable to this is that answer given to the question propounded in [Page 18] the 119th Psalm, 9. "Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way?" The answer is direct, viz. "By taking heed thereto according to thy word." This is the way for the young man, the good soldier, to cleanse himself and to be saved from the evils, snares and temptations to which his soul is exposed. By taking heed, in the use and improvement of the word of God—praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, the good soldier is well pre­pared, fortified and guarded against his worst enemies. This then is the salutary advice to be given to the young man who would get the victory over them, and please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; the urgent advice is, that he would take the word of God with him and make a prayerful and diligent use of it. By no means think the Bible and religion as things unworthy and what do not concern him in his military profession and character.

Religion and the fear of God is truly the best ornament and greatest safeguard to the young as well as aged, and except the soldier be acquainted with and possessed of it, he cannot be said to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ; without it, he cannot be supposed to please Christ who has chosen him to be a soldier —Under whom has the soldier to serve? and who is he bound to please? Let it be attended to, that it is not merely under an human, but a divine commander. The orders and commands of the latter are strictly and conscientiously to be observed: But how will the orders and express will of this supreme Leader be known, without frequent recourse to the word of God? As having recourse to general [Page 19] orders in the army is necessary to know precisely what they are, so is it no less necessary frequently to turn to the word of God to know what the will and commands of Christ are. It may then be judged an affair of no small concernment to know, make serious use of, and improve the word of God. In this way the good soldier will be clad with the richest and safest armour, an armour in which he need not fear the attacks of his spiritual foes, and if these be vanquished, great and important, rich and glorious will be the victory when obtained.

What remains will be an address to the soldiers at whose request I have spoken in such a sort.

My young friends and youth of my flock. The cause in which you have engaged is so good, so im­portant and laudable, that it reflects honor upon any name to have it enrolled in the list of American troops, whose commander is the great, the virtuous and intrepid WASHINGTON. Him and all who are actuated by his patriotic spirit are you studiously to please, which you will do, whilst you readily and faithfully discharge the duties of your honourable station as soldiers; you will remember the character of the trusty soldier who goeth forth to war is not to entangle himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

You have already heard it hinted who have chosen and welcomed you to be soldiers, viz. your employers, your fellow-citizens, your country, and further, your respective officers choose and welcome you; yea, more, the Lord God of hosts, the God of armies, chooses and invites you into this important and neces­sary [Page 20] work of defending your much injured and greatly threatned country. It being a fixed principle and the voice of millions that our cause is good, that the sweets of liberty ought to be contended for at the risk of life and expence of much treasure; hence we agree, it is a duty for some to turn out to serve in the war; a duty made plain by the voice of God's providence, that such a number, as is proportioned for the common safety and defence, should harness themselves, and with an eager desire grasp the sword and manfully wield it till the enemy hearken to terms, and America be rid of her invaders: The sword in the hands of our brave sons, determined to be free, or to fall as precious victims to the shrine of liberty; the sword in such chosen hands may oppose, yea vanquish our enemy and recover and establish our indisputable rights, but to sheathe the sword before the work and business be done for which it was first assumed, will be to deserve the fate of cowardly apostates whose end is worse than their beginning. Now in special, are we called to arms, to supply those vacancies, which the enemy have flattered them­selves we should not be able to do — To convince them we can bring an army into the field by actually effecting it, and that seasonably, will probably discon­cert and disappoint them, and afford an happy prospect of terminating the war in our favour, and agreeable to our most ardent wish. You, my young friends, and respectable auditors, have attended to the call of your country, and to the call of providence. Seasonably have you offered yourselves to this important service, are this day to take your leave of us, and proceed to join the continental army: May the duty of a faithful soldier [Page 21] from this day impress your minds, and each of you uniformly and perseveringly act the part of such a character: You will remember, that in the description of a good soldier, he is not to entangle himself with the affairs of this life, not to embarrass himself with such things as are foreign from his department. These, in part, you have formally given up by your engage­ment. Suffer me to repeat it; you leave your farms, your trade, and such kind of business of life as you before had employed yourselves in; you leave your dear friends and connections, all your circle of agreeable acquaintance, and all your domestic con­cernments; and these would be but entanglements to you, considered as soldiers: These, though you may leave with some reluctance, yet, considering the im­portance of our cause and the necessary defence of this great and flourishing country, you will forego your own ease and domestic convenience, and with manly courage, with fortitude to face every danger, you will proceed, take and bear the common lot of good soldiers.

Further, you will remember that as you would not entangle yourselves with the affairs of this life, you are not to spend your time in such things, such hurtful evils as tend to enervate and disqualify from performing the duties that belong to a soldier. Be you then advised not to spend that time (which should be better employed) in the sins of intem­perance, gaming, profaneness, debauchery, and the like, lest, through the want of virtue and fidelity, the end of your undertaking should not be answered, and lest the enemy get advantage of an unguarded hour. But of you, respectable soldiers, I would [Page 22] hope better things, though I thus warn you. More­over, you will take this into thought, that though there be leisure and but little fatigue and hardship at some times, yet that the occasions and cicumstances of an army at others, may require long and laborious tasks. But nevertheless, you will not in such times of exigency and painful trial shrink back and desert the cause; you are to expect nothing less than to endure hardness, if you would be reckoned into the class of good soldiers who would preserve their credit and honor, and get the mastery.

Wherefore, and in the best sense of the term sol­dier, see that you conscientiously discharge the duties of such under Christ your divine commander: It is important and necessary that each of us who tarry at home be good soldiers of Jesus Christ, as we would please him and be accepted of him, and it is no less impor­tant that you, who go forth into the perilous and high places of the field, be good, obedient and faithful soldiers under Jesus your greatest captain and leader. —Think for a moment the safety of your condition in case you enlist under the banner of Christ, and be his true, tho' young disclples. Then, although it might be your lot to fall in battle, you die not only honourably, but most happily, for Jesus the glorious captain of your salvation shall give you a crown of glory that shall never fade away; but if you pay no regard to your divine commander, if you choose not this man to reign over you and will not be subject to his authority and most reasonable com­mands, your condition is very unsafe and alarming. Be you then now advised and fully persuaded to put on the christian armour as already directed— [Page 23] Take the helmet of salvation and that most defen­sive and useful sword, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.—And be much in prayer, that ye may vanquish your spiritual which are your most destructive foes. Go to your divine captain the prince of peace, in the humble submissive lan­guage of the renowned Centurion, that eminently good soldier, who frankly owned himself unworthy that Christ should come under his roof. In a word, be religious in early life, be sober-minded, vigilant and temperate, fear God and fear an oath, let no profaneness proceed from your lips, your honor is better preserved in a pure than in an unhallowed use of language; as good soldiers, who are studious to please your divine leader Jesus (rather than to be governed by the wicked custom of profane swearing) Swear not at all, seeing he has expressly forbid it. Then may you go and prosper, and in God's time return in safety, that you and your dear friends, who now part for a time, may meet again and mutually rejoice in a land delivered and saved of the Lord.— We wish you the blessing of the Lord God of hosts, the God of [...]mies, in the shadow of whose wings may you and each one of us ever trust and make our refuge.

To close, May the happy time soon come, when the present distressing war shall be fully and righ­teously terminated—when you and all our friends may return to domestic life, peace and endearment, and sit under our vines and fig-trees, in a long uninterrupted peace, there being none to make us afraid. AMEN.