Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	day_n	die_v	end_n	4,289	5	5.3574	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52557	Abraham in arms, or, The first religious general with his army engaging in a war for which he had wisely prepared and by which not only an eminent victory was obtained, but a blessing gained also / delivered in an artillery-election-sermon, June 3, 1678, by S. N.	Nowell, Samuel, 1634-1688.	1678 (1678)	Wing N1440; ESTC R32339	18,391	24

his Reward He that doth what he doth as service to God we know our labour is not in vain in the Lord he must needs be the better spirited for his work 2. A true Christian is a gainer by Death it is not so with an Atheist To me to dye is gain Phil. 1 21. Therfore saith Solomon the day of Death is better then the day of a mans Birth viz. to the Saints because there is an end of all a mans sin and sorrow and the beginning of his never-ending Joy He that fighteth in the Faith of this must needs out doe one that hath no such expectation an Atheist reckoneth of nothing in the world to come he can believe for no reward in the world to come that thinketh there is no God He cannot be so adventurous in looking Death in the face as he that knows he shall be a Gainer by Death It is Hope that animateth all our work The heathen that had not true peace of Conscience yet had some sence of the natural Conscience excusing Non turbidus Auster c. Hor. and doe express it in a strange manner What is it such a man needs to fear it is not all the violent storms he can be in or hazzard by them not the cruelty of Tyrants nor though the world should rush together It is but an Heathen speech but expresseth a strange apprehension they had of the benefit of peace of natural Conscience they knew not peace with God A man that is whole and sound within may better look Death in the Face then any other from any other Consideration The Psalmist expresseth it in another manner Psal 1 12.7 He shall not be afraid of evil Tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. 2. To come to some Directions 1. To such as represent Abraham Rulers in the Commonwealth both Civil and Military God expecteth from you that you should act Abrahams part 1. I would speak a few words of Encouragement to you 2. By way of Direction For Encouragement 1. Through the goodness and favour of God you have a people under you that have Spirit and Courage enough that have a large share of that a great blessing to this country a mercy that we have all cause to bless God for there hath rather been an excess of Courage then defect or want of it most of our losses have been occasioned meerly by it You have men full of activity and Courage forward enough notwithstanding danger You have a People bred up in this Country that have the heart of Lions 1 Chron. 12.8 Or Lion-like men 1 Chron. 11.22 What is said of the Horse one may by way of similitude apply to men He mocks at fear he is not afraid neither turns he back from the sword Job 39 22-25 I speak this because I have seen and heard something my self of the Courage of Souldiers that hath been better and more refreshing then the greatest Daintyes or Feast could be to see the hearts of men raised in danger rather then cast down with it The spirits of men to be raised and heightned in danger if we had the Mines of Mexico and Peru it would not be such a mercy and blessing to the Country as this is 2. They can endure hardness that is another thing by way of encouragement to Rulers that is a great mercy A tender softly effeminate People is a curse and misery when God is pleased to frame a people to be such And by the way I might encourage Rulers Governours and Parents to train bring up their Children in such manner that they may endure Hardness Thô Isaac was a great Prince as the king of the Philistines acknowledged him yet when he sent away Jacob he sent not so much as a Servant with him he took of the stones made a pillow of them it was a hard pillow had no feathers in it but when he had the hardest nights lodging he had the best nights rest He saw a Vision of a Ladder reaching to heaven it was as comfortable a night as ever Jacob had Isaac was a Prince acknowledged by the King of the Philistines yet he brings up Jacob in such a manner that he should not complain of this hardness to be sent out alone to lye in the woods have nothing but a stone for his pillow to have a piece of bread in his pocket and water to drink he did endure without murmuring and repining It is probable his Father did not bring him up deliciously One leaving of New-England did commend that to Parents You doe not know what hardness your Children may be called to By way of Advice two or three words 1. Require of all the exercise of Trainings or attendance upon them That Rulers should look unto that they may have Souldiers ready for any Expedition There are good Laws but there needs strictness in the execution of them 2. Keep up martial Discipline a Souldier is the worst of creatures that is not under Discipline and such as are Commanders should look to that You know the praise-worthy example of the Centurion I say to one goe and he goeth and to another come aend he cometh Mat. 8.9 Discipline is the life of the work Captains are greatly to blame that are softly men and do not hold their authority in the field That which would be no fault or might be winked at at home should not be suffered in the Field 3. Encourage your Horse those exercises also Foreign Princes know they can easily over-master you in Foot but know not how to over-master you in Horse They that have had an aking tooth at this place have been afraid of this that have Foot-Souldiers enough at our backs yet know not how to match us in Horse 4. Look with a favourable aspect upon and afford your presence as much as may be at such Meetings as are the work of this day Encourage Artilery-Trainings 1. It is a way and means to give encouragement to dilligent and expert Men by giving them titles answerable to their activity and skill In Grammar-Schools to be a Captain for a day makes young Schollars strive at their Books It is a way that affordeth opportunity to put honour and respect upon Men of activity as their Dilligence Valour and activity calls for it The Law of nature teacheth that the virtuous Skil of any doth call for honour 2. It is a Nursery for Officers beyond our common Trainings or a better means to accomplish those that are Officers Artilery Meetings consisting in a great measure of such It is also a proper means for trying the Skill of Souldiers beyond what is at other times 2. A few words to inferiour Officers and Souldiers to such as represent Abrahams Servants labour to be good Souldiers and to that end Fellow-Souldiers I would commend a few things 1. Something to you as Christian Souldiers 2. Something to you as Souldiers Literal or men 1. Something as Christian-Souldiers only these two words 1. Get Armour of proof put on the whole Armour of God that is the way to make a good Souldier to have his compleat Armour Armour for his inward man without there be a Guard to that there will be a Failing if the Conscience be wounded or be not safe if the Breast-plate of Righteousness be not on if men have guilty Consciences they will find and feel the sad effects of it when they come to be in danger Put on your spiritual Armour look to that Brest-plate of Righteousness I would commend the keeping of a good Conscience with that Brest-plate a man may look Death in the Face When the vitals are secured a man that hath any Courage or Spirit will not vallue a scratch in the arm or leg If a man have a good Brest-plate and large sufficient to defend his Vitals it will make a man bold he knows that ordinarily he is secured as for his life and he that hath any spirit will venture his Limbs Take care of your inward man therefore as you would make good Souldiers Look to your inward man the Heart that that be wel guarded and defended that you have a good Brest-plate for the defence of that Abraham first taught Piety Engage God with you and that would make a very coward fight For a man to have his Conscience against him in the day of Battle is a very sad thing it frighteth a man far more than the enemy God is departed from me and answerethme no more and the Philistines are upon me That made the Philistines as bad as so many Devils to him 2. Be Temperate and endure hardness do not live as if your great study were to please the flesh one that is given to appetite will never credit the profession of a Souldier nor himself 2. A hint or two to you as Souldiers 1. Be in subjection to Officers to those God sets over you to dispute commands is unbecoming a Souldier I am a man under Authority and say to one goe and he goes saith the Centurion Luk. 7.5 2. Goe to or attend upon Trainings as those that do not reckon it a Task but account it your Recreation and Priviledge as those that have a mind to be expert in war The Lord Jesus when he calls out any they shall not be bunglers it will not be long ere the Lord Jesus will call out Souldiers those that he will use shall be expert for War and therefore let us accustome our selves to this work that fatal blow at Black-point should make men love Training the unreadiness they were in there they were raw undisciplined let us labour to be expert for War to be like our General Iesus Christ The Lord is a man of War Lastly look to your Arms that becomes a Souldier to keep them fixed and to be expert in the use of them 2 Sam. 1.18 according to that of David be commanded to teach them the use of the Bow FINIS

Faith of many Believers did more shine forth then in the use of it in War There is no higher occasion ordinary or outward wherein we have a higher opportunity or use for Faith so other Graces A Souldier may be and should be an holy man and the more fit he is for a Souldier But that it is a duty of great Consequence I shall speak to the Doctrine in these two parts 1. It is a commendable practice 2. It is the duty of Gods Abrahams to have a care of this work to instruct souldiers that they may be fit for War 1. It is a commendable practice that may appear in four or five things 1. In that the Lord himself doth claim the honour of it if it were not an honourable work God would not challenge the honour of it He teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight Military skill is such a piece of divine wisdome that the Lord will not loose the honour of it If every good and perfect gift be from him he doth challenge every good and perfect gift as from him but peculiarly claims the honour of this gift of giving Military skill God is the Author of it The Lord is a Man of War the Lord is his Name That the Lord doth claim the honour of it I might shew you by induction of Particulars or by instances Every thing every part that belongeth to a Souldier God challengeth or claims as being from him every thing that is honourable or praise-worthy 1. The giving Spirit and Courage to men of raising up the Spirits of men that he claims as being from him Jer. 5● 11. Make bright the arrows gather the shields the Lord hath raised up the spirits of the Kings of the Medes He raiseth up mens spirits when they are raised up for war God hath a hand in it 2. God challengeth this he teacheth to make weapons of War and the use of them God doth not only give spirits to such a work but teacheth the framing and making of weapons and hath a hand in the whetting and furbishing of them He directeth the Smith to form or frame weapons for war Isar 54.16 17. to shew that he hath the ordering of the use of weapons Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the coal in the fire and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work And I have created the Waster to destroy and no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper God useth it as an Argument to encourage his people to trust in him there is no weapon of War but I do direct to the making of it He whets the sword and furbusheth it to the battel if I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on vengeance Deut. 32.41 He looks to the forming of the weapons He teacheth men the ordering of the battel God doth give that wisdome also to the Sons of men he teacheth them by the order of his own Host the Stars But more especially he provideth a Captain for his own Host Josh 5.14 It came to pass when Ioshua was by Jerecho he lift up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with a sword drawn in his hand and Ioshua went to him and said unto him Art thou for us or for our adversaries And he said nay but as Captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come It was an Angel appeared When any Host of his is called forth the Lord doth take care as he did for Israel when he intended to possess them of Canaan he sent his Angel to goe along with them he was invisibly constantly with them for he came to be as Captain of the Lords Hosts And therefore that good King encourageth the people the Lord is with us to fight our Battels He hath a hand in ordering the battel 2 Chron. 32.8 He appeareth eminently in the day of Battel raising the spirits on the one side and taking it away from the other The Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the strong God over-rules it gives it where he pleases It is the Lord of Hosts that mustereth the Host of the Battle Isa 13.4 5. The noise of a multitude in the mountains like as the noise of a great people a tumultuous noise of the Kingdoms of nations gathered together the Lord of Host mustereth the Host of the Battle they come from a far country from the end of heaven even the Lord and the weapons of his in dignation And therefore we have this as a frequent expression The Battle is the Lords hath been used for encouragement by those that have been Commanders of the People of God when in any eminent danger Be not afraid for the Battle is the Lords 1. Sam. 17.47 That the Battle is the Lords appears by Gods turning the Battle by such a small accident as he doth frequently one stone directed right casteth the day as it was with the Philistines fighting against Israel One arrow drawn at a venture smote the King of Israel between the joints of the harness and that one stroke turns the day God covers the head in the day of Battle God particularly saith in every thing He hath a hand in it in forming weapons giving Skill raising the Spirit God hath a hand in it and eminently in this in Covering the Head in the day of Battle How neer doe the Bullets or instruments of death come but God covers the head in the day of Battle Therefore it is a commendable thing to teach and instruct men to be expert for War because God hath so great a hand in it and doth claim the honour of it 2. The wisest of Rulers and holiest of men have been still carefull about this duty and work in the acting of this part making preparation for War in Peace and in order to it instructing men in the use of weapons the holyest and best and wisest of men have alwayes had a care about it David made a Law he commanded them to teach Israel the use of the bow 2. Sam. 1.18 By that weapon the Worthyes of Israel fell Saul and Jonathan David made a Law of it to teach the use of that particular weapon that had been so destructive to the Church of God Abraham Trains his Servants Jacob that was so eminent for holiness was skilfull in the use of his sword bow he won a parcel of land by it that he gave to Joseph by Will at his death Gen. 48. ult and that he taught his children the use of it is apparent by the ill use of it made by Simeon and Levi. He had both used it himself was expert in the use of it had won a considerable portion of a country by it and had taught it his children It was apparent they were so ready at it Solomon that wise man though he enjoyed such peace in his dayes that it is said there was no adversary nor evil occurrent yet none made greater preparation for

at the door is commonly believed and therefore we should be exhorted to be the Servants waiting for our Lord. The Lord Jesus is not coming to send peace on the Earth but the Sword Reformation never went on yet without it Look at it in Germany or Holland or where ever else there hath been any attempt first or last there hath been something of a War for the defence of it or for laying the Foundation the Sword will be drawn upon Christs account and therefore that consideration should stir us up to keep up this military Skill or Exercises that we may be the better fitted for it 2. Our own greatest tryals seem to me to be behind that for several Reasons I apprehend we shall not live quiet long or at least we have no Reason to promise our selves that we shall on these accounts 1. There are none of the Princes of note in Europe that have any interest in America but have long had their Espyals upon us as I might easily demonstrate but the reason of the thing it self is sufficient to convince us of this no Merchant but observeth anothers motions and actions trading and advantage that he makes no Husbandman but hath his eye on his Neighbour to see how he profiteth by his labour and pains that he may do the like So it is in other things no Plantation goes on and thrives but they that have neighbouring plantations are looking or it and observing it our own dayly observation may be sufficient to make us believe this there is not a small Island in America but the Princes or States of Europe are striving for it as we see the other day for Tobage St. Christophers c. if these be looked after what can we expect 2. Rome will have no peace with you and you ought to have no peace with it and that Rome's Agents are abroad at work is plain from that sire-light we have seen in the world if the Beasts deadly wound should ever be healed that we read of in Rev. 13. we are like to feel the Influence of it if their Councels should happen to sway the world it is a vain thing for us to promise our selves peace 3. The sins of New-England increase iniquity doth abound and the Love of many doth wax cold and therefore trouble will be usually the sword is one means by which God punisheth this sin in his people and therefore probability yet of more of it 4. The Inhabitants of the land will not joyn or mix with us to make one Body which is the more likely they are preserved to be thorns in our sides When Hamor and Sechem propounded a firm peace with Jacobs Family they cry Let us marry together and make one nation or people a Policy used by the French at this day not far from us they may think thereby to escape some scourge that hangs over them the issue of which we must leave to God When God intended the Canaanites to be destroyed he did forbid Israel to marry with them they were to be thorns to them and Israel was to root them out in the conclusion therefore frequent trouble we may probably and rationally reckon of to meet with from the heathen Two Nations in are the womb and will be striving That is a second consideration we must either learn to defend our selves or resolve to be vassals It is a base spirit that of Issachar a strong Ass couching between two burdens he saw that rest was good and the land it was pleasant and bowed his shoulders to bear and became a Servant to tribute So servile are some that they will pay tribute to heathens rather then endure a little difficulty Low spirited men let them have Issachars lot that make his choice 3. The World however pride and lust dispose them to quarrel yet are not disposed to breed up souldiers there is such abounding of Intemperance or debauching that doth wound mens Consciences and in the day of danger and trouble will fly in their faces wounded Consciences will be felt then as it was in the case of Josephs brethren when they were in distress they cry we are verily guilty concerning our Brother many humane stories might be mentioned for the confirmation of this Take one A Captain in the Low Countryes challenged Major-General Skippon the Lord Veer hearing of it told them to morrow I intend to assault such a Town and then I shall see who will be the best Souldier accordingly a breach being made in the Wall this Bravado was commanded to enter but would not saying I am not fit to dye Conscience will fly in mens faces when they have eminent apprehensions of death a man that did not know how to put on his Spur right if an honest man was wont to be accounted a fitter person to make a Souldier then those that would cry God damn me at every word that slight and despise Hell and eternal Damnation Intemperance Luxury filthiness and uncleaness in the world doth so debauch men they are not like to breed up Souldiers for Christ to do service for Christ he that striveth for Mastery must be temperate in all things I will tell you how we breed up Souldiers both in old England and New every Farmers Son when he goes to the Market-Town must have money in his purse and when he meets with his Companions they goe to the Tavern or Ale-house and seldome away before Drunk or well tipled It is rare to find men that we can call Drunkards but there are abundance of Tiplers in New-England This makes Youth effeminate and wanton besides the injury to mens Consciences this doth make men not so bold The Righteous are bold as a Lion Prov. 28.1 It hath been a question whether Athiesme or Piety have made the better Souldiers late experience as well as this of Abraham doth teach us that a well established Conscience is better then a seared Conscience to fill a man with Courage some fill themselves with drink to make them forget the fear of death but David that was a couragious Souldier knew no way so fit to animate his Spirit as to go to the promise of God to encourage himself in God fulness of Corn and wine cannot heighten and raise the spirits of men so as assurance of the love of God Psal 4.6 7. a well established Conscience Faith in the promises is above all such means as the poor simple sinfull world useth That Atheisme cannot do so much as a good Conscience may appear from two Reasons 1. Because an Atheist hath no assurance of a Reward whereas a Believer hath That should make a Believer more couragious because he is sure of a Reward when a man goes to the Battle it is uncertain whether he shall out-live the Battle and also it is uncertain whether he shall have the victory and if either of these happen an Atheist hath no reward if he loose the day or loose his life but a true Christian is assured of