Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	cause_n	good_a	life_n	4,640	5	4.5822	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74620	The camp at Gilgal. Or, A view of the Kings army, and spirituall provision made for it.	Ferne, H. (Henry), 1602-1662.	1643 (1643)	Wing F788; Thomason E1178_2; ESTC R208093	26,230	60

you were broken of your accustomed time and so when you return to privacy you must thinke of offering I have often thought with my selfe how it should come to passe that Mariners and Souldiers who of all other stand most in need of the benefit of prayer and of a continuall prepared heart as being most often neere to death are yet of all other most commonly farthest from the use of prayer and thought of death and doe usually live more carelesly and loosely It puts me in mind of that which Plutarch speakes in the life of Solon whom he notes to have been formerly of a looser conversation and delighted in Poetry and gives a reason of it from his former course of life when he was a Merchant to this effect Merchants running through many hazards and great dangers doe when the Feare and sorrow wherewith they were possest is over desire to enjoy themselves so much the more in like manner such Souldiers that have no better comforts and refreshments then what sense doth suggest unto them being often in great dangers feares and bitternes of mind doe seeke the sweet of a licentious relaxation and liberty and the more they were straitned before the more they let all loose when once they are free This is no true ease or solace of mind after evills and dangers that are past nor is it any good preparation against those that are to come it is not a Christian but Epicurean remedy against feare and care for it saith let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye But the Scripture would teach both Mariner and Souldier the neerer they are to danger the more carefully to number their dayes that they may apply their hearts to Wisdome which wisdome is in the fearing of God the depending on his protection the serving of him dayly by prayer and thankesgiving the duties already commended unto you And now if you will take a short View of the Services and imployments you are put upon you shall find the use and benefit of those duties in them The imployments or services you are put unto I may reduce to two You are called either to Watch or to Fight against the Enemy to the Guard or to the Encounter and Battell The Watch or Guard I. When you stand upon the Watch or Guard you are there set for the preservation of your selves and others and ought to consider what a great charge is committed to your trust no lesse then the lives of all that are within the compasse of your walls or trenches who are to be secured by your care and to take their rest in your watchfullnes a duty this is conscionably to be discharged by you A great Commander of the Thebans finding his Sentinell sleeping dispatched him forthwith and excused it I found him dead and so I left him dead because sleeping and because sleeping therefore rewarded with death indeed It showes what you deserve if you be found so because those you watch for might be so dispatched by the Enemy through your neglect Hereupon you ought to consider how much it concernes you to take heed of excesse and drunkennesse which makes you unfit for the faithfull performance of this service we read in severall histories how many Cities Armies have been surprized and lost through the negligence of the Watch being opprest with drunkennes and sleep You must also consider that the safety of the City or Camp is not to be ascribed only or chiefly to your care and watchfullnes but to that Eye of providence which never slumbreth nor sleepeth which watcheth over you and those that you watch for which appointeth salvation for Walls and Bullwarks as you heard above and as the Psalmist tells us It is the Lord that maketh fast the barres of our Gates Psa 147.13 and the Watchmen wake in vaine except the Lord keep the City Psa 127. so that this service or imployment calls for your dependance on his protection according to the Duty before commended to you 2dly When you are called to the Encounter or Battell you will find the direction and benefit of the three former Duties and here you are called to the triall of your Valour and to a consideration of the Issue of the Battell VALOVR I. VAlour is both necessary and commendable in a Souldier but very much mistaken now adayes sometimes a quarrellsome disposition and heat of blood sometimes a careles and rash daring goes for Valour we see how drunkennes often brings forth quarrells and fightings when it ha's heated the blood which else upon a just and sober occasion would be cool enough a Valour that deserves not to be armed with swords but drinking pots with which the Thracians a drunken people were wont to fight We see also how a false opinion of honour and reputation thrusts men into Duells from whence come Warres and fightings among you come they not from hence even of your lusts that warr in your members Iam. 4.1 No true Valour here but inordinate lusts and desires that first fight and strive within your selves being set on fire by excesse and riot or stirred up and misguided by a false conceit of your reputation blemished if you doe not answer the challenge that ha's dared you to adventure body and soule The first challenge for a Duell that we read of came from the mouth of an uncircumcised Philistin 1. Sam. 17.8 and yet that was in open warr tending to the saving of many by the hazard of two and because it was therefore lawfull David did accept it but a challenge to a private Duell upon a private quarrell comes from an heart very unchristian uncircumcised Next we find Abner and Joab meeting and putting their men to twelve Duells for being inured to blood they made but a sport of killing 2. Sam. 2.14 but to shew that the Lord liked neither the offer nor the accepting of the triall the matches on both sides fell downe together and perished True Valour is grounded upon the assurance of a good Cause in the maintenance whereof and in the confidence of Gods blessing the Souldier is not affraid to meet Death to hazard life he that is resolute here is truly Valiant though he will not sweare and swagger though he will not answer a challenge from a fellow Souldier but dare from a just lawfull Enemy for he dare adventure his life but not his soule knowing that duell's upon private quarrells are both Vnsouldier-like because men are not call'd together into Armes to try their swords upon each other to pursue a private revenge but an open Enemy and also Vnchristian because in such a case to kill or be kill'd are both unwarrantable damnable Ioab was a valiant man and shewed it not when he slew Abner and dispatched Amasa shedding the blood of War in Peace 1. King 2.5 but when he Encountred the Ammonites and Syrians then he shewed a well grounded Valour Be of good courage saith he to his brother Abishai and let us play