6. Will you reply to all this, “But I am a soldier, and have therefore nothing to do with these things?” Hold! Have soldiers nothing to do with death? How so? Do soldiers never die? can you fright death away? No, my friend; he will not regard all your big words and looks; nor all the weapons of your warfare. You can neither conquer, nor escape him. Your profession may excuse you from many other things; but there is no excusing yourself from death. Are you less sure of this than other men are? No; there is one lot for all. Are you farther from it than they? Nay, rather nearer. You live in the very jaws of death. Why then a soldier (if there be any difference) has more to do with death than other men. It is not far from every one of us: but, to him, it is just at the door.
7. Or, do you fancy a soldier has nothing to do with judgment? Will you say then (as poor Captain _Uratz_ did, when he was ask’d a few minutes before his death, if he had made his peace with God) “I hope God will deal with me like a gentleman?” But God said unto him, “Thou fool! I will deal with thee, as with all mankind. There is no respect of persons with me. I reward every man according to his works.” Thou also shalt receive of the righteous judge, according to the things which thou hast done in the body. Death levels all; it mingles in one dust the gentleman, soldier, clown and beggar; it makes all these distinctions void. When life ends so do they. Holy or unholy is the one question then. Lo! the books are opened, that all the dead may be judged according to the things that are written therein! O may thy name be found written in the book of life!
8. For, have soldiers nothing to do with hell? Why then is it so often in _thy_ mouth? Dost thou think God does not hear the prayer? And how often hast thou prayed him, _To damn thy soul_? Is his ear waxed heavy that it cannot hear? I fear thou wilt find it otherwise. Was not he a soldier too, (and a terrible one) to whom God said of old, “Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming?” And what marvel? For sin is the high road to hell. And have soldiers nothing to do with sin? Alas! How many of you wallow therein, yea and glory in your shame? How do you labour to work out your own damnation! O poor work, for poor wages! The wages of sin is death; the wages of cursing, of swearing, of taking the name of God in vain, of sabbath-breaking, drunkenness, revenge, of fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness. Now, art thou clear of these? Does not thy own heart smite thee? Art thou not condemned already? What voice is that which sounds in thine ears? Is it not the voice of God? Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a sinner as this? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Be very sure that thou art stronger than he, before thou fliest in his face! Do not defy God, unless thou canst overcome him. But canst thou indeed? O no. Do not try. Do not dare him to do his worst. Why should he destroy both thy body and soul in hell? Why shouldst thou be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power?
*9. But if there were no other hell, thou hast hell enough within thee. An awakened conscience is hell. Pride, envy, wrath, hatred, malice, revenge; what are these but hell upon earth? And how often art thou tormented in these flames? Flames of lust, envy, or proud wrath? Are not these to thy soul, when blown up to the height, as it were a lake of fire, burning with brimstone? Flee away before the great gulph is fixt: escape, escape for thy life! If thou hast not strength, cry to God, and thou shalt receive power from on high: and he whose name is rightly called Jesus, shall save thee from thy sins.