Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	bear_v	love_n	zion_n	20	3	8.9372	4	false

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

to be practised here by Christian souldiers doubtlesse there is For though no man goeth a warfare at his owne cost as the Apostle saith yet in dayes of necessitie sacred souldiers must take their God for their pay-master and rest quiet and stand couragious for a time without their pay Nay a degree further then this too Say that victuals wax scarce as well as wages yet Sion souldiers will make no mutinies for all these wants no though vnder officers should neglect or abuse them in all these things which God forbid and giue wisedome and care to superiour magistrates to looke narrowly to that point holy souldiers will not murmure as the wicked Israelites did in the wildernesse but rather submit themselues as meeke lambes vnder the mightie hand of their heauenly Father euen as Samson did when our good God quenched his thirst presently whereby he was refreshed in a time of great want and sooner giue comfort to their gouerners whom they see grieued for their sakes then adde afflictions and griefes vnto them by their discontentments It is one thing to keep backe the hirelings wages or foode out of a couetous or carelesse mind and another thing to be wounded in heart because the strait is so great that Kings Princes Generals and Captaines cannot do that for their souldiers which their soule desireth in such a case sanctified souldiers will rather cheere vp their valiant gouernours by their holy learning to abound and want then make tumults for lacke of cheere How far then will they be from such an vtter falling away as to forsake God and gouernours cause and campe because their purses and mouthes be not alwayes filled Many wicked souldiers are vtterly voide of this godly minde who vpon the least want of pay or prouision do shew all maner want of patience and contentednesse yea so far as to make insurrections Some in this case fall to cursing railing and rauing and othersome fall away to the enemie No longer plentie no longer dutie no longer pay no longer Prince Such souldiers as thus forsake God and gouernours for want of mony and meate do bewray great emptinesse of grace and do much disgrace the honourable profession of a souldier This sheweth that their grounds and resolutions in coming to war were sinister and quite voide of all godlinesse As betweene man and wife parents and children friend and friend there is a firm indissoluable bond of loue as well in aduersity as prosperitie so it is betweene gouernours and their souldiers nothing must part them but death vntill by a generall consent they giue ouer war If at any time the wants be so great as they cannot be endured then it will be the wisedome and mercie of supreme Leaders and Commanders to relinquish and breake vp for a time and to vse all good meanes for their souldiers safetie as for their owne but whiles hope of victorie remaineth and matters go in a tollerable sort no want of wages in any wise nor any sufferable want of any necessaries will cause souldiers that haue tasted of the new birth to abandon the campe or curse and ban their Rulers knowing that so much the more patience as they haue in extremities so much the more recompence they shall haue both with God man in victories As they that faithfully suffer other losses at home in lands houses goods or liberties with our most blessed Sauiour shall vndoubtedly reigne with him so they that in war suffer with their Leaders in hard straits shall vndoubtedly triumph with them at length if not in earth yet let them know that if they suffer Christianly in war for Christs sake I say this is also a right blessed meanes through Christs merits to reigne with him and with his Deputie-Captaines eternally Let not Christian souldiers then looke with the eye of flesh vpon present meanes but with the eye of faith vpon Gods power and promise and wholy commit themselues vnto this good Father of fathers esteeming his glory and his Deputies comfort and protection to be of more value then all the wages and victuals in the world Let it neuer be said that Sion souldiers are like couetous worldlings all for mony nothing for loue The ancient heathen shall condemne such selfe-louers yea weake women amongst the heathen shall condemne them euen a Moabite did Ruth leaue Naomi though greatly vrged because she was now become poore No sure she cleaued to her in a time of penurie much like a time of war and that in a most louing and constant maner Naomi you know was in very extraordinary griefe and distresse when she was to trauell alone for ought she knew from Moab to Iudea This tender mother in law was loth to haue her daughters in law with her lest they should come to dangers and wants At length the one of them was perswaded to returne but the other would by no meanes leaue her come what wants might come Ruth would not forsake Naomi Naomi did say nay rather Marah as she calls her selfe she would take part with her in bitternesse Ruth 1. Ponder well vpon her most kind words a rare daughter in law Intreate me not to leaue thee or to returne from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried The Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me Doubtlesse gracious souldiers wi●l say as much for the loue which they beare to their louing Kings Princes Gouernours and Captaines they will not leaue them nor forsake them for want of wages no nor for want of food so long as nature hath any strength to hold out Sion souldiers would think it great shame and disgrace that any woman specially a Moabite should go beyond them in close standing to a deare friend in time of aduersitie As Ruth then ventured to gleane for her mother in law and her selfe amongst strangers and some of them of strange and boisterous qualities so will they venture to roue and reape in the enemies countrie for their owne and their Captains sustenance yea to rush through multitudes 1 Sam 13.15 ●● like Dauids Worthies for the water of Bethlehem rather then exclame against their Leaders for such wants as lie not in their power to supply A low ebbe of earthly maintenance will not bring a Sion souldier to a low ebbe of heauēly loue Good King Dauid was brought to a low ebbe when hee and his men are the Shew-bread And what great store of prouision may wee suppose that hee had 1 Sam. 21.7 when hee sent to Nabal for some of his store or when King Achish asked him Where he had bin a rouing that day 1 Sam 15.6 Neither is it like that hee had much wages to giue his souldiers in the wildernesse Behold here a great Captaine in great wants yet his

neighbour fare you well I am resolued of my course if I neuer come againe to my house I haue a house not made with hands prepared for me By a little shadow of this couragious resolution viz. that it was the most glorious and blessed thing that could be to die for ones country O praeclara mors quae naturae debita patres est redita Cicero in Philip. the old Romanes who were like old wine which is better then new became a kind of Lords ouer their owne liues not caring for death and thereby at length a kinde of Lords also ouer the knowne parts of the world If they could thus resolue vpon so poore weake and sandie a ground what maner of resolution may Sion souldiers make vpon the most faithfull promise and oath of the God of truth Heb. 6.13 to the end 1. Cor. 2.9 1. Pet. 1.4 touching those surpassing ioyes which the eye hath not seen nor the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued laid vp and reserued in store by our good God for them that loue him Math. 9.29 Math. 10.34 lose any friends for his sake yea and especially for them that die in his cause If mortall Princes and gouernours hold it their renoune to requite their Captaines and souldiers for their constancie and courage how will the immortall God performe this to his worthies If the Romanes could giue their Torquatus a chaine of honour and a name of dignitie which remaineth to this day euen the name of a chaine what will our God giue his valiant men Surely both palmes and garlands and chaines and a celestiall crowne together with an euerlasting name in heauen What is it then to lose our country or friends for such a King such a God What is it to lose a lim for him nay what is it to lose life it selfe for him Surely it is no losse but great aduantage And they who in this sort lose a mortall life shall find an immortall life Therefore you Sion souldiers take this linke of courage together with the rest for making vp a chaine of honor here which will procure you a better chaine then the Romanes could giue their Torquatus O prepare to come from home with resolued couragious mindes And therefore prepare to come also with resolued hearts to behaue your selues so as becommeth Christians in all maner holinesse otherwise doe not loo●e to obtaine true resolued courage from our God For this heauenly resolution can neuer enter into the heart of a wicked man because our God hath threatned yea and assured him the quite contrary euen euerlasting punishment with the Diuell and his Angels except he repent except he amend except he be new borne except he present his bodie a liuing sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable to God which things if by the grace of our most gracious God he performe then shall he be more valiant then any giant then shall he not feare the face of any enemie but strike and dash to peeces the iaw bones of Gods foes flee at them like a Dragon and teare them like a Lion Reu. 5 8. because the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda is with him Such souldiers as these haue no cause to feare any enemies because they feare God and haue him for their friend If they die they die in great honor because they die for God and in God and to God if they liue they liue in great honour both for their good life and for their true valour True valour I say that is stirred vp by a calme and religious minde to fight for the truth Desperate resolutions proceed not from Christian fortitude but from rash furie It is not brainsick venturing in mad moods drunken veins and furious fits that makes a worthy souldier a noble souldier in life and death by such venturing thou maist venture vpon and enter into hell As it is in Martyrdome so it is in battell The cause not the torment maketh a Martyr Right so a good life lead in peace not a bad life lost in warre makes a blessed souldier at his death in the fields Let Sion souldiers therefore be resolued vpon true valour then may they stand to it with courage because they stand vpon a certaintie They shall be certaine either of a glorious victorie in life or of a more glorious victorie by death Such souldiers are far more resolute for Sion then euen the ancient Romanes were for old Rome or the new ones can be for new Babylon Such warriers are indeed more excellent conquerers then euer the most excellent Romanes were For by Christ Iesus their Captaine they become spirituall conquerers of the whole world yea of the flesh and sin and death and diuell and hell These be truly couragious and truly resolued souldiers Thus much for the third worthy namely a resolute courage 4. Worthy Mercie The fourth worthy thing to be considered of Sion souldiers is Mercie Albeit a sacred souldier must be couragious and valorous and that in such sort as to lay about him most manfully without respect of the life of any whosoeuer rather then put his owne life and his countries and his cause in danger yet on the other side there are times when and persons to whom mercy must be shewed I pleade not here for Agags 1 Sam. 15.33 Iudg. 2.21 nor for Zeba's and Zalmunna's whom the Lord will haue destroyed principall irreconcilable enemies such must find no fauour the blood which they haue mercilesse spilt crieth out for their blood without mercie Benhadad 1. King 2. Sam. 15.11 But the thing which I would say is this Such as are mis-led ignorantly like those two hundred whom Absalon abused mercie is due to them Such as before haue shewed mercie to others mercie is due to them If Zeba and Zalmunna had been mercifull vnto Gideons brethren Gideon saith Iudg. 8.29 he would not haue slaine them Babel was commanded to leaue her throne and sit in the dust because she shewed no mercie to the Israelites but laid a very heauie yoke vpon the ancient Isai 47.6 Deut 20 10. 2. Sam. 20.18 Psal 137. Obed. The like is said also of the children of Edom Such as yeeld in due time without resisting mercie is due to them Such captiues as may be spared without any danger of present or future harms through their trechery or multitude it is better to shew mercie there then rigor Matrons and virgins vnlesse they haue bin like Iesabel it is good in sacking of townes to shew mercie to them whom to handle in the least vnchaste maner let the thought thereof be far from all Sion souldiers The great huffing Harlot mother of the Stues leaue villanie to her sonnes fie vpon such filthinesse let it not once be named among Protestant souldiers but rather giuing of thanks for the victorie Moreouer yong children if there be any kinde of hope to stay them by the word it is pitie to slay them by the sword

saith the Apostle the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the euill day Eph. 6.13 and hauing done all to stand Stand therefore hauing your loines girt about with truth and hauing on the breastplate of righteousnesse and your feete sh●d with the preparation of the Gospell of peace aboue all things take the shield of faith wherewith ye shal be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit Let me now lay downe a little concerning euery of these seuen peeces of armour Truth the girdle the better to expresse them for the vnlearneds sake First of all Truth in worshipping the true God and soundnesse in this truth must compasse you about like a girdle to make you strong in your marching as they whose loines are girded whereby you may the better fight against all aduersaries whatsoeuer they be that oppose this truth In truth and in spirit you are to worship the true God hee will make this truth a mightie defence to you being indeed the first part of a Christian souldiers armour This armour is not like the corporall which is put on peecemeale this part first and that next and then the girdle last nay this is put on all together and so the girdle of veritie fastneth on all the rest For without this truth in Gods worship no other parts will sit closely or remaine orderly vpon you As the heathen man Cato said well of Cesar touching his earthly girdle Odi puerum male cinctum I hate that same yonker who goeth so loosely girded so our God hateth old and yong high and low who care not for his true worship this gracious girdle marke their behauiour you shal find it loose He that cares not for this truth in worshipping the true God shall be a false and a loose souldier Therefore keepe on your girdle you Sion souldiers Beware of idols beware of all false worship Masses and the purtenances adoration of Saints and such like Then hauing endeuoured to giue our God his due Righteousnesse the breastplate then I say comes your Breast-plate of righteousnes your righteous life must shine cleerly before men Part not this true life from true worship our glorious God shall haue great honour thereby and the aduersaries shall rest ashamed whē they speake that euill of you which they cannot proue This plate will so couer your breasts as to make them vndaunted and ioyfull continually yea it will be such a peece of armour as none shall be able to pierce no not the greatest Anack or Goliah in earth or hell This peece of armour thus setled you must also put on spirituall shooes before you go abroad Peace the shooes you must haue peace from the Prince of peace you cannot stand in any war without this peace which passeth all vnderstanding If you venture abroad without those shooes that peace euery place shall be as sharp stones nay as thornes wheresoeuer you tread and if you kicke you shall kick against pricks Therefore you must carefully put on this peece of armour euen that peace which comes from the God of peace you must fasten it on to your soules as shoes to your feete then shall you tread safely Mal. 4.3 Vpon what Euen vpon the neckes of the wicked at last till they be as dust how great soeuer they be They haue their pleasure now and you shall haue your ioy hereafter their pleasure is momentanie your ioy shall be euerlasting Nay more then so our good God doth oftentimes also affoord his souldiers this downe treading of his enmies in this world Ios 10 24.25 yea vpon their very necks as he did in Iosuahs time This peace with God is the chiefe peace which no war of the most vile enemies can keep from you This peace with God will breed peace with men also and with all the creatures yea and nourish patience and courage against all oppositions without which men shall come so vnprepared to battell as a traueller to his iourney if he want shooes What a comfortable peace is this How famous are the very soles of these shooes and how beautifull are the feete that bring you this peace To this peace you are prepared by the glad tidings which the word of our God brings you touching the Messiah Faith the shield in whom our peace consisteth Your shooes being on abroad you go but not without your Shield in any wise In your iourney ouer and aboue stones and thornes make account that you shall meete with Buls of Basan whom no inclosure will hold with yong and old foxes also yea mad dogs and other mad beasts such as Paul fought with nay vvith Beares vvolues lions tigres and aspes feare them not you Sion souldiers depend faithfully and wholy vpon your heauenly Father trusting in his mercie through the merits of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Sauiour and grand Captaine and vpon his good will towards you and withall vpon his most powerfull abilitie to defend you This faith shall be your shield and by it you shall be shielded This part of your armor is of such proofe as you haue a whole cloud of witnesses in the word of our God Heb. 11. the whole chap. chap. 12.1 to testifie that whosoeuer vsed it in a gracious maner vvere alvvayes kept from all the hurt of any troubles You may haue seeming griefes Heb. 12.11 but they shall bring you a substantiall quiet fruit This is that shield which performeth that truly vvhich is falsly reported of inchanted shields viz. continuall preseruation no earthly nor infernall blow can vtterly and finally ouerturne him that hath vvell put on this shield 5. Saluation the Helmet But yet left notvvithstanding all this dreadfull death do offer to seize vpon you and vtterly to dismay you you must haue more armour then this deaths stroke is mightie it offereth violence to the verie heart of your temporall comfort euen to life it self How shall you doe now On vvith your Helmet O Sion souldier and that is saluation Say to your selfe and say truly Saluation is mine by my Christ reserued in heauen for me 1. Pet. 1.4 2. Pet. 1 1● nay an entrance into that euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is ministred vnto me abundantly When this Helmet is thus put on let death strike and doe the vvorst it can this assurance that eternall life is yours and kept in store for you by him from whom none can vvrest it this this vvill couer your head in the day of your greatest battell Then shall you say to death 1. Cor. 15.55 where is thy sting and to the graue Where is thy victorie My head my life is kept safe by my Head that Lord of life Imitate the vvilie serpent in this he still