And Falling Near The
Straits, They Perceived Themselves To Be Beset Round About With Eight
Galleys Of The Turks, In
Such wise that there was no way for them to
fly or to escape away, but that either they must
Yield or else be sunk,
which the owner perceiving, manfully encouraged his company, exhorting
them valiantly to show their manhood, showing them that God was their
God, and not their enemies', requesting them also not to faint in
seeing such a heap of their enemies ready to devour them; putting them
in mind also, that if it were God's pleasure to give them into their
enemies' hands, it was not they that ought to show one displeasant look
or countenance there against; but to take it patiently, and not to
prescribe a day and time for their deliverance, as the citizens of
Bethulia did, but to put themselves under His mercy. And again, if it
were His mind and good will to show His mighty power by them, if their
enemies were ten times so many, they were not able to stand in their
hands; putting them, likewise, in mind of the old and ancient
worthiness of their countrymen, who in the hardest extremities have
always most prevailed, and gone away conquerors; yea, and where it hath
been almost impossible. "Such," quoth he, "hath been the valiantness
of our countrymen, and such hath been the mighty power of our God."
With such other like encouragements, exhorting them to behave
themselves manfully, they fell all on their knees, making their prayers
briefly unto God; who, being all risen up again, perceived their
enemies, by their signs and defiances, bent to the spoil, whose mercy
was nothing else but cruelty; whereupon every man took him to his
weapon.
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