davejonescue
Puritan Board Junior
Hello. Was looking over the list to see a work I could do and this title stood out to me. There seems to be very little information on this person; was just looking to see if anybody may know something on him? EBBO-TCP doesnt even include a birth or death date for him. He is mentioned in Calamys Memorial, but only briefly, and with no real info; only that he produced this work. I was able to get some information from a 1700's reprint; which seems to be the last time it was reprinted, but was seeing if anybody had anything more. Thanks in advance for any info.
Reader, - Mr. Stephen Coven, author of The Militant Christian, was one of those worthy confessors ejected on the fatal 24th of August, 1662. We have but little said of him by those who have transmitted to us an account of the above conscientious men. We find he was deprived of the rectory of Sanford Peverel, in the county of Devon. From this book he appears to have been a warmhearted advocate for true religion. The design of it was to animate the followers of the Lord Jesus to courage and perseverance in those suffering times and by the esteem expressed for it among serious persons of our day, we doubt not but it was useful to thousands when it first came from the press. The book has been for a number of years very scarce. Many who have read it with pleasure and profit have wished to see it re-printed. To gratify their wishes, and with a view to the spiritual profit of Christians in general, it is now abridged, and reprinted. There were in the first edition many things suited to the times in which the author lived. These, as now quite useless, are left out, some words are likewise altered for such as are better understood; but the sense and design of the book are carefully preserved, some verses of poetry are inserted for the better remembering the substance of what is written and the solid pleasure of the reader. The Christian soldier is here represented in his present warfaring condition. You will find he has a good captain, a good cause, a good armor provided, and many profitable directions given for rightly using his spiritual weapons. God grant every spiritual warrior may be obedient to the first, courageous in the second, and taught by the Holy Ghost successfully to use the last. Amen.
Taken from the re-print Editors preface in the 1781 edition.
"Christian Reader,
With thee, this Soldier must his Quarters take,
If not for's Worth, yet for his Captains sake:
His Captain is thy Savior, and who will
Answer for slighting such a Generals Bill?
If thou a Preface large dost here expect,
This Man of Arms that Custom doth reject:
And without further Prologue, tells thee, he
Is one of those upon the Mount that be:
Who with the Lamb, against the Beast make War,
In's Front he bears the Father's Character.
Fear not his Instruments of War: for those
Discharged are only at the Churches Foes.
When he doth shoot, thou wilt clearly see at whom,
They’re Beasts at Rome, or Monsters here at Home.
And in this Cause, our bold Disciple here,
Strikes at the High-Priests Head, not Malchus Ear.
He’ll teach to Fence, but with a holy Slight,
The Devil and his Agents how to Fight.
If thou want'st Arms, and Volunteer wilt be,
Peruse this Book, thou wilt find Artillery.
A Militant Christian! Art thou so?
Triumphant Saints were once so too:
Who now installed are on high,
Above the glittering Starry sky.
Good Soldier is thy proper Name:
O Hero of Immortal Fame!
Is Christ Captain? Thy Cause is good:
He Conquered all that him withstood.
Thou hast the Armor that He wore:
Thou hast his Magazine and Store.
Thou hast the Engine which He used,
The Weapons that the World refused.
Thy Walls are strong, thy Towers tall:
Which none can Penetrate, or Scale.
Thou needest not fear, where thou dost go:
Let all the World thy Warfare know.
Now as into the Field thou goes,
Embrace thy Friends, and face thy Foes.
March forth, Christ's Soldier, take the Field:
Be Valiant, make thy Foes to yield.
March after him who led the Van:
And overcome thee then, who can.
Heroic Valor doth become
One fighting Hell, and facing Rome:
One Marching through the Pikes and Spears,
Which Champions have surprised with fears.
Let Devils, Men, World, Death and Sin:
Resist thee, thou the day wilt win.
When great ones who the Lamb Oppose,
Shall slaughtered be, to feast the Crows:
Hardness endure, and faithful be:
Till Death thy Enemies will flee.
When thou thy Service hast renowned,
Thy Captain then, will have thee Crowned.
And after thou, hast won the Day:
Thy Masters Joys shall be thy Pay.
Militant Saint, advance, draw near,
Unto this Soldier lend thy ear:
And hear a Metaphor Explained,
What is, by Allegories gained.
He opens to thee, thy Relation
To Christ, the Captain of Salvation.
How thou camest to be of his Band:
Thy Duty, his Words of Command.
What potent Enemies, with thee Fight:
And how to put them all to Flight.
To keep thy Ground, and face thy Foes,
And Conquer all that thee Oppose.
He shows thee Weapons, from the Word,
Surpassing Great Goliath's Sword.
Armor of Proof, He will thee tell,
To Shield thee from, the Shafts of Hell.
He shows thee how to Fence and Ward:
Thy Head, and Heart, how thou mayest Guard,
A Mighty Engine, to be had,
Exceeds all Archimedes made.
Better than those that were made use
For, or against great Syracuse.
A Glorious Standard, in the Field:
To animate Friends, and make Foes yield.
The Trumpet sounding, Come away
Brave Volunteers, and win the Day.
Walls, Bulwarks, Towers, Impregnable,
Which cannot be won, by strength of Hell.
Here is enough, what wilt have more:
Here is Christ's Magazine, and Store.
Here is Encouragement to endure:
Though Service hard, yet Pay is sure.
When thou hast ended all thy Strife,
Christ will thee give a Crown of Life.
Now Cheer up Christian, get Renown:
Follow thy Captain, take the Crown.'
"The Militant Christian" - Stephen Coven
Reader, - Mr. Stephen Coven, author of The Militant Christian, was one of those worthy confessors ejected on the fatal 24th of August, 1662. We have but little said of him by those who have transmitted to us an account of the above conscientious men. We find he was deprived of the rectory of Sanford Peverel, in the county of Devon. From this book he appears to have been a warmhearted advocate for true religion. The design of it was to animate the followers of the Lord Jesus to courage and perseverance in those suffering times and by the esteem expressed for it among serious persons of our day, we doubt not but it was useful to thousands when it first came from the press. The book has been for a number of years very scarce. Many who have read it with pleasure and profit have wished to see it re-printed. To gratify their wishes, and with a view to the spiritual profit of Christians in general, it is now abridged, and reprinted. There were in the first edition many things suited to the times in which the author lived. These, as now quite useless, are left out, some words are likewise altered for such as are better understood; but the sense and design of the book are carefully preserved, some verses of poetry are inserted for the better remembering the substance of what is written and the solid pleasure of the reader. The Christian soldier is here represented in his present warfaring condition. You will find he has a good captain, a good cause, a good armor provided, and many profitable directions given for rightly using his spiritual weapons. God grant every spiritual warrior may be obedient to the first, courageous in the second, and taught by the Holy Ghost successfully to use the last. Amen.
Taken from the re-print Editors preface in the 1781 edition.
"Christian Reader,
With thee, this Soldier must his Quarters take,
If not for's Worth, yet for his Captains sake:
His Captain is thy Savior, and who will
Answer for slighting such a Generals Bill?
If thou a Preface large dost here expect,
This Man of Arms that Custom doth reject:
And without further Prologue, tells thee, he
Is one of those upon the Mount that be:
Who with the Lamb, against the Beast make War,
In's Front he bears the Father's Character.
Fear not his Instruments of War: for those
Discharged are only at the Churches Foes.
When he doth shoot, thou wilt clearly see at whom,
They’re Beasts at Rome, or Monsters here at Home.
And in this Cause, our bold Disciple here,
Strikes at the High-Priests Head, not Malchus Ear.
He’ll teach to Fence, but with a holy Slight,
The Devil and his Agents how to Fight.
If thou want'st Arms, and Volunteer wilt be,
Peruse this Book, thou wilt find Artillery.
A Militant Christian! Art thou so?
Triumphant Saints were once so too:
Who now installed are on high,
Above the glittering Starry sky.
Good Soldier is thy proper Name:
O Hero of Immortal Fame!
Is Christ Captain? Thy Cause is good:
He Conquered all that him withstood.
Thou hast the Armor that He wore:
Thou hast his Magazine and Store.
Thou hast the Engine which He used,
The Weapons that the World refused.
Thy Walls are strong, thy Towers tall:
Which none can Penetrate, or Scale.
Thou needest not fear, where thou dost go:
Let all the World thy Warfare know.
Now as into the Field thou goes,
Embrace thy Friends, and face thy Foes.
March forth, Christ's Soldier, take the Field:
Be Valiant, make thy Foes to yield.
March after him who led the Van:
And overcome thee then, who can.
Heroic Valor doth become
One fighting Hell, and facing Rome:
One Marching through the Pikes and Spears,
Which Champions have surprised with fears.
Let Devils, Men, World, Death and Sin:
Resist thee, thou the day wilt win.
When great ones who the Lamb Oppose,
Shall slaughtered be, to feast the Crows:
Hardness endure, and faithful be:
Till Death thy Enemies will flee.
When thou thy Service hast renowned,
Thy Captain then, will have thee Crowned.
And after thou, hast won the Day:
Thy Masters Joys shall be thy Pay.
Militant Saint, advance, draw near,
Unto this Soldier lend thy ear:
And hear a Metaphor Explained,
What is, by Allegories gained.
He opens to thee, thy Relation
To Christ, the Captain of Salvation.
How thou camest to be of his Band:
Thy Duty, his Words of Command.
What potent Enemies, with thee Fight:
And how to put them all to Flight.
To keep thy Ground, and face thy Foes,
And Conquer all that thee Oppose.
He shows thee Weapons, from the Word,
Surpassing Great Goliath's Sword.
Armor of Proof, He will thee tell,
To Shield thee from, the Shafts of Hell.
He shows thee how to Fence and Ward:
Thy Head, and Heart, how thou mayest Guard,
A Mighty Engine, to be had,
Exceeds all Archimedes made.
Better than those that were made use
For, or against great Syracuse.
A Glorious Standard, in the Field:
To animate Friends, and make Foes yield.
The Trumpet sounding, Come away
Brave Volunteers, and win the Day.
Walls, Bulwarks, Towers, Impregnable,
Which cannot be won, by strength of Hell.
Here is enough, what wilt have more:
Here is Christ's Magazine, and Store.
Here is Encouragement to endure:
Though Service hard, yet Pay is sure.
When thou hast ended all thy Strife,
Christ will thee give a Crown of Life.
Now Cheer up Christian, get Renown:
Follow thy Captain, take the Crown.'
"The Militant Christian" - Stephen Coven
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