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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	father_n	son_n	3,252	5	5.6495	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04597	A spiritual chaine, and armour of choice, for Sion souldiers Which, whosoeuer weareth graciously, shall be sure of the best honour, comfort and safetie (whether he liue or die in the battell) that can come to a Christian souldier. Very necessary for these times.	Jones, Anthony, fl. 1622.	1622 (1622)	STC 14717.5; ESTC S114423	39,266	114

as his God in this instruction Our gracious God vouchsafeth to teach his seruants his souldiers how to fight Hee teacheth my hands to fight saith King Dauid Nay more then this so honorable is the profession of a souldier that God of vvarre by the pen of his seruant Moses professeth himselfe to be a man of vvar The Lord is a man of warre saith he You saw before that he called himselfe a Captaine of the Lords hoast here he is called plainly A man of warre As he took mens nature vpon him so taketh he mens names vnto him they men of warre he a man of vvarre they brethren he a brother they seruants and he a seruant yea and imparteth also his owne names to the sonnes of men he a father and men fathers he a King and men Kings nay he a God and men Gods And vvhat so great maruell is this for names sith it is his good pleasure to make men partakers also of the diuine nature in regard of qualities and to giue them an entrance here into his euerlasting kingdome where at his appearing they shall be like him yea one with God O wonderfull humiliation on the one side O wonderfull exaltation on the other side Warre then is ancient vvarre then is honorable If we respect the spirituall warre all the life of man is a warre saith Iob if we respect the corporall warre we may see that as our God will be called a warrier so he will haue his deputie Kings who yet aboue all other men ought to seeke peace and make peace and keepe peace if it be possible to be vvarriers also vvhen time and cause are offered Samuel did signifie thus much to the Israelites vvhen he told them that their King would chuse some of their sonnes to make instruments of warre and other some to be Captaines ouer thousands To this end for one also he gaue King Saul another manner of heart then that which he had when he sought his fathers asses a couragious heart for battell and made little Dauid a man of great courage as to take a Beare by the throate a Lion by the beard and a Giant by the eares yea and this prouident God of ours chargeth Kings to make war by counsel and teacheth them to be circumspect in war What King saith our God goeth to war against another King and sitteth not downe first Luke 14.31 and taketh counsell whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twentie thousand Moreouer we perceiue that all people of vnderstanding despise a coward and respect a man of valour whence it is that the name of a dastard is a base by-word of great reproch And hence also it comes that they who are to be chosen to offices of any eminencie in the Weale publike one speciall qualitie regarded in them is according to Iosuahs counsell that they be men of courage Lastly Exod. 18.21 we may see in all ages that the most worthy Kings and Princes haue highly preferred souldiers of fidelitie policie and prowesse yea giuing them titles and places so high as to be of their Councell such were King Dauids Worthies 2. Sam. 23.8 and from hence euen from courage in war proceeded that which greatly sheweth and setteth forth the ancient dignity of a valiant souldier namely Armes Souldiers are specially called Men of armes nay they onely are so called and haue had both Names and Armes giuen them as well as other honours for their worthy deeds of Chiualrie These things thus I will come to apply that which I haue briefly laid downe of the right worthy and ancient profession of a souldier concerning which this I say Sith the antiquitie dignitie estimation and vse of men of warre is so great what maner care ought true Christian souldiers to haue for ioyning heauenly cariage with earthly nay rather with heauenly courage heauenly armour with earthly armes Surely an exceeding great care thereby adorning a profession so princely with all eminent vertues and holinesse otherwise they do not only forset all their former titles ornaments and aduancements of sacred and worthy souldiers but withall they shame as much as in them lieth their countrey their Religion their Kings their Princes their Leaders their parents their teachers their kinsfolkes their alies yea and dishonor their God also Far be it then that a Sion souldier any one I meane who haue that name should in his deeds be found to be a swearer a drunkard a drone a tigre a peacock a lyer a bragger a Thraso a filthy doer a loose speaker a lasciuious liuer a quareller a cutter a cozener a shifter an irregulous Atheist a prophaner of the Sabbath or any way tainted with any other notorious sin No no a Sion souldier must be a Saint by life as hee is by calling Hence it is that I vse my best endeuour to perswade all Protestant souldiers to all maner holinesse and this not onely in peace but in warre also yea and then especially lest they lose the presence of God and his blessed Angels when they haue most need of them Will you see a precise commandement for a speciall regard of their holy cariage in warre his generall commandement to all the world that they be holy as he is holy Leuit. 19.2 might serue for all sorts yet it is his good pleasure very remarkable to informe their care of holinesse in the very time of warre Deut. 23.9 When thou goest out saith our God against thine enemies keep thee from all wickednesse Will you moreouer see the exhortation of a most valiant godly Captaine to this See it in Iosua a little before the destruction of Ierico The very day before their miraculous passage through Iordan Ios 3.5 he called them together and said Sanctifie your selues For your better and more full consideration yet what a great respect our glorious God hath to his peoples holinesse in warre ponder I pray you deeply of the grieuous state of Gods armie yea and of good Iosuah himselfe especially at their fight with the men of Ai. How came this Ios 7.1 Because there was one wicked man in secret among them Behold this turned to their great discomfort Consider then with your selues how fearfull the standard of any campes must needs stand in all ages if there be many notorious wicked men in them horribly infected like lepers with many contagious vices Our good God I know both can and may spare such campes for his owne names sake for his owne childrens sake but I am sure that the case of such camps shall for euer be desperate for ought that man can see How so Because the true and powerfull word of our most true and powerfull God whose reuealed will belongeth to vs and our posteritie hath shewed it Reade and consider If thou shalt obey diligently the voice of thy God Deut. 28.1.2 3. and obserue and do all his commandements which I command thee this

made of purpose euen as artificers make nets to catch wilde beasts Do not imitate them Deale you plainly truly sincerely and righteously with all sorts of people friends and foes Our holy forefathers haue bin highly carefull of plaine dealing and so let vs. Iosua that right valiant Captaine and all the Princes with him gaue a notable patterne of this plaine dealing and true dealing in the case of the Gibeonites though they wrought craftily The Israelites were commanded to spare no such neare neighbours as the Gibeonites were yet hauing made a promise to them suddenly they feared more to breake that old rule of truth that rule I say of promise keeping then this new rule of worldly policie in killing such as might be goades in their sides and thornes in their eyes This patterne let all true Christian souldiers imitate and not prefer politike crueltie before Protestant innocencie As each godly policie may be vsed against wicked enemies so all kind of piety must be practised towards them We must repay good for euill and not cary reuenging mindes If reuenge be euil how euill is it when a Christian shall breake all bonds of promises giuē of purpose to breake into reuenge by craft This is vtterly euill As Iosua and the Nobles were and are iustly to be commended for that famous example of keeping promise so Sauls sonnes were worthily hanged a long time after euen for that very promise broken with some of the Gibeonites Consider that our God is the God of truth yea truth it selfe his sonnes the sonnes of truth and our Protestant Religion the Religion of truth but contrariwise Satan is the father of lying from the beginning all his Popish Iesuited sonnes lying children and their Religion a Religion of lies Therfore still I say let all Protestants and Protestant souldiers aboue all continue in all truth as touching leagues promises and oathes Let Sion souldiers excell in that vertue truth I say whose opposite vice falshood is most proper to all winding shifting turning whores and to Rome aboue all Let all Protestant souldiers abhor that vice and procure a most blessed name of carefull and sure keeping all their oathes leagues and promises that so they may in by and through Christ Iesus our Lord obtaine the promise of resting in Gods holy mountaine Psal 15. when that whore and her bastard seed who make a practise wilfully willingly and purposely to breake all promises with Protestants shall be throwne into the sea of destruction yea the bottomlesse lake except repentance be giuen them To conclude this point let vs euen all Protestants carefully imitate our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in a●l truth and abhor that whore of Rome his enemie especially for her falshood And so I conclude the ioyning of this fift linke to the rest namely Truth in all leagues oathes and promises The sixt worthy linke is Contentednes The sixt worthy linke is contentednes with their pay Luke 3.4 I say contentednesse with their pay and this according to Iohn Baptists aduertisement Do violence to no man neither accuse any man falsly and be content with your wages The want of this worthy link is a chiefe cause why so many make such hauocke and waste in war against all lawes of God and man as sheweth them to be vtterly vnworthy of this high calling of a souldier As wicked sonnes wil not stay for their fathers goods till they come to it by their gift or death but robbe them in their life time so wicked souldiers wil not stay for spoiles till their heauenly Father hath brought their foes to death or flight but they will vse pilling and polling by and by yea and sometimes killing and ransacking not of foes onely but of friends also as soone as they get the name of soldiers These counterfets are the cause of that ill report which generally is brought vp euen vpon all souldiers how holy soeuer Howbeit it is the dutie and it will be the wisedome of all good people to lay the blame where it ought to be laid and not to traduce and blot the innocent let the wicked beare his owne disgrace Our God will not haue a good sonne to beare the ignominie of his fathers fault and shall a good souldier beare the spot of his wicked fellows sin This is vniust Learn you and practise you the gracing of sacred souldiers they watch for you when you sleepe they fare hard for you when you feast they endure extreme cold and heate when you are in case and place to procure comforts and remedies both wayes they want the mutuall societie of their dearest friends when you are in the midst of them yea and diuers times they lacke that blessing of blessings the word preached by tumults and tossings when you enioy it abundantly and lastly they hazard their liues for you as well as for themselues when you sit vnder your owne vines in all safetie and plentie Requite not the good sort of souldiers so ill as to disgrace them with vile persons and to ioyne them with riotous and rakehels To whom shall I resemble such a wicked generation Surely such wicked souldiers in war are like Elies riotous sonnes in peace whatsoeuer their lusting heart desireth that their theeuish hands will wrest without any respect of iustice law order season age or sexe but gracious souldiers who feare the great God of Israel will be as wel contented with competent pay in war as any poore thresher hedger or ditcher in peace so far wil they be from hurting any as that they will rather defend their neighbours goods innocents goods from the violence of others who make no conscience of their wayes No doubt but good Dauid taught his souldiers this doctrine and kept them in this discipline yea and it may well appeare that they followed his instructions Nabals seruant confessed their aboundant kindnesse yea so far as to be a wall to them both by day and night This was a rare example quite contrary to the custome of most souldiers now adayes who take robbing and rifling as a part of their wages so as when they receiue presse mony they esteeme that they receiue also a large licence to take all maner commodities from all sorts of people without any regard of Gods eye or feare of his sword spoile they will rob they will how when whom they care not as they go to war in the time of war and as they returne from battell These are Sathans takers right Shabeans God forbid that any Protestant souldiers should euer vse this riot this crueltie nay rather let them be well contented with such pay as our God allotteth them yea and let them haue more contentednesse then this also or else they be not gracious Sion souldiers Put case that Kings Princes Generals and Captaines haue not alwaies their pay readie as it may fall out sometimes to the most godly liberall prouident and potent gouernours in the world is there not a higher contentednes

compelled to war in a cause apparently knowne to be vnholy and vniust Most true it is that he must go to war sometimes when wel he knoweth the cause nay more then that when he is vtterly ignorant thereof For souldiers may be iustly pressed by their gouernours to take weapon way and ship towards some exploit which as yet is hidden and vnfit to be opened for a season If it be hid continually then they must beware of suspition and iudge louingly of their Prince Loue is not suspitious 1. Cor. 13.5.6.7 but hopefull rather rest fully perswaded that the cause is good Their diligent search to know the goodnesse of the cause Pro● 5.3 and their desire to fight in a holy cause when by any secrecie in the Princes heart which is deepe and vnsearchable or by any suddennesse of combat it cannot be reuealed is accepted by our good God who searcheth the herat Now if he cannot come to an euident truth of the iustnesse of the cause yet a Centurion souldier so I call the obedient at a becke must go with all speed Math 8.9 labouring to fight with as much courage as if he knew the cause to be euer so iust and then our gracious God who seeth his holy purpose will take this good hope conceiued of his Deputie in good part and take his due obedience giuen to his Deputie as done to himself Beware then of false whisperings which many times bring disobedient murmurings Gods Vicegerent must not be denied aide no nor so much as grudged at vpon surmises and rumors so they might haue no heartie vse at all of subiects for maintaining their wars Howbeit that serious enquirie that full purpose that heartie desire to fight in a good cause abhorring the contray should be in all Sion souldiers Therefore those souldiers shew themselues to haue ignorant blockish and wicked hearts who care nothing at all in what cause they venture lims and life much more they who hazard themselues when the cause is plainly discerned to be bad If hope of gaine be their principall motiue then haue they hearts possessed with the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 Here mercenarie souldiers are greatly to be reproued who runne to and fro like greedie wolues and flie hither and thither like hungrie Eagles where they may haue most wages whether they fight for God or for the Diuell they care not so they may haue mony and spoiles Such as these can looke for no good successe in the battell God forbid that any Protestant souldier should be of this mercenarie mind Hence it is that I aduise all godly souldiers to vse all good meanes to be throughly perswaded of the goodnes of their cause that so that good God and mightie defender of right may stand for them and that they may stand to him with true courage in the field And yet again I aduise a gracious souldier to iudge the best of the cause if by those occasions which I haue named or the like he can neuer find the depth of it for he must in no wise contest with his gouernours about the cause by standing vpon nice termes shifts and euasions Thus might vnwilling souldiers find store of starting holes to auoide all skirmishes To conclude a Sion soldier must be zealous for a good cause and not iealous of a good Prince he must vse all good inquisition and auoide all euill suspition And thus much for the second worthy sink namely a worthy cause Thirdly sith all men though vertuous 3. Worthy Courage godly and prudent are not endued with courage fit for war for courage is a speciall gift of God it behoueth a true Christian to consider how God hath stirred him vp that way and not offer himselfe to war vpon a sudden heate or mood in euer so good a cause but stay till he find that the God of battell hath bestowed a firme couragious heart vpon him without which he is able to do small good nay rather much harme Faint hearts may sooner discomfort others then performe any acceptable seruice at all Yet this I say in the case of courage when any goeth to warre voluntarily vpon a deceiued heart and then findeth his courage faint or when any that is pressed to war by his Prince is oppressed with feare of the enemie then let him do that to obtaine courage which men ought to doe for obtaining wisedome Iam. 1.17 both these descend from the Father of lights Iam. 1.5 Therefore as Saint Iames saith If a-man lacke wisedome let him aske it of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man so say I if any Christian souldier want courage let him aske it of God in faith and for his glorie not for by and bad respects and if then our most wise God doth not vouchsafe vpon earnest petitions to bestow this gift vpon him surely he should do well to confesse his faintnesse and then such gracious Captaines as shall haue full notice thereof shall do well also to send him backe for some other emploiment at home I make no way here for dissemblers to wind out of their Princes seruice our God can giue holy Captaines discerning spirits to iudge of things in wisedome but I speake of such souldiers whose dastardly feare is apparently seene Here I suppose that old rule of our good God is to be remembred and practised for euer which saith Let the officers speake vnto the people Deut. 20.8 and say Whosoeuer is fearfull and fainthearted let him go and returne vnto his house lest his brethrens hearts faint as well as his heart yet I determine nothing hereof but leaue it to the godly wisedome of religious Captaines To go forward now in speaking more fully of courage I must put you in mind that this courage which here I write of hath alwayes a holy and noble resolution from the first houre to the last What resolution A Christian resolution full of magnanimitie A heart a soule a bodie fully resolued and prepared for all kinde of extremities yea death it selfe which endeth all a heart a soule which makes the will and testament at home in such sort as if the man were neuer to returne to his short home but to go as our phrase of speech is to his long home a heart a soule prepared to leaue all in all and to beare all brunts for Christ his sake When the person of a souldier is once accepted of his God in that most worthy Sonne of his that Lambe I say who is worthy to receiue power and riches and wisedome Reu. 5.12 and strength and glorie and praise then with this resolution which is vnseperable from that acceptance the Sion souldier defieth all Gods enemies despiseth all dangers and after a heauenly maner denieth all friends and himselfe also for Christs sake Then he saith Life I looke not for thy continuance Death I feare not thy sting Wife father mother sonne daughter brother sister friend