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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	appear_v	country_n	great_a	175	3	2.1549	3	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

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

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

Abraham in Arms OR The first Religious GENERAL WITH HIS ARMY Engaging in A VVAR For which he had wisely prepared and b● 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. BOSTON Printed by John Foster 1678. To the Reader Friendly Reader A Desire to gratifie my Friends hath made against my own Judgment to consent to the Publication of these Notes taken by one of the Auditors to which I am not able to make that addition by reason of my inability to write through infirmity in my right hand which God hath been pleased to exercise me with almost wholly taking away the use of my hand What is therefore made publick is not mine own Notes but agreeing in the subst●●ce with what was delivered This Argument also prevailed with me to let this come forth I thought others more able seeing this imperfect work to find acceptance with some might thereby be provoked to Preach and Print something that might be more effectual to revive our Military Discipline and the spirit of Souldiery which seems to be in its Wane in an Age when never more need of it The Love I have for this Country where I drew my first Breath hath made me Run the Gaunt let by exposing this to the world hoping that they that fault it will endeavour to mend it by some mean or other and to pray for the Author who is a Friend to all of such a spirit Samuel Nowell Gen. 14.14 And when Abram beard that his Brother was taken captive he armed his trained Servants born in his own house three hundred and eighteen and pursued them to Dan. OUR Father Abraham is highly commended in Scripture for two things with respect to his Family besides his own Faith and Piety that the Scripture gives account of so we have his care with respect to his Family 1. To Teach them Piety Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham there is none like him in all the earth he will command his Family and his houshold in the wayes of the Lord. 2. We have his care to instruct them in Military Discipline appearing in these words he armed his trained Servants such as he had Trained up to be fit for such a piece of Service as God by his providence called him to His Trained or instructed Servants for such a service prepared for it by instruction or by Training which is our usual word for such an end This labour and care of Abraham in this work is much commended from his success in War or his martial Exploit of which we have an account in this Chapter And that Abraham undertakes War and succesfully and gets a Blessing by it Melchizedech's Blessing in his return out of the Field we see That the highest practice of Piety and practice of War may agree well in one person Religion and Arms may well be joyned together they agree so well together that the Lord assumes the name to himself The Lord is a Man of War the Lord is his name It is the first song that ever was penned to celebrate Gods praises in that Song God is magnified for this as if it were one of his highest and chiefest Attributes The Lord is a man of War The Creation is overlooked and the first piece of praise given to God is The Lord is a Man of War Exod. 15.1 2 3. I will sing to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his Rider hath he cast into the Sea the Lord is a Man of War the Lord is his name In this Chapter we have the first mention in sacred Story of any warlike exploit not but that there had been war before as is implyed in the beginning of the Chapter the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah had served Chedarlaomer twelve years in the thirteenth year they rebelled in the fourteenth year he with three other Kings makes War upon them and he overcomes them and takes Lot Captive and this is the first mention of any Battle fought and as eminent an instance of valour in Abraham and his Army as is in the whole Book of God for though Gideon and three hundred men fought with a great Army yet there was a great deal more Stratagem on his part his pitchers with lamps in them being broken in the night put a fright on the enemy but Abraham fairly won his battel with dry blows It is the first exploit of a Christian Souldier the first time we read of any Christian Souldier being in arms or of a religious Captain with his Army of Religion and arms joyned together this account of Abrahams arming his own Servants In this piece of Story four things are hinted 1. The Occasion of Abrahams arming his Souldiers at this time When Abraham h●ard that his brother Lot was taken Captive 2. We have an account of the Generall of the Army in this undertaking or War and that is Abraham 3. We have an account of his Souldiers 1. The number of them they were three hundred and eighteen 2. The Quality of them they were trained men they had their arms ready and skill to make use of them He presently takes Arms he had not arms to seek nor men to learn how to make use of them but every thing was ready fit to pursue and overtake the enemy 4. We have the success of it with the consequents thereof the success he recovers his Brother Lot beats the enemy wins a compleat victory takes all the Captives The Consequents of it were 1. He gets a Blessing of Melchizedech for it Melchizedech that was eminently a Type of Jesus Christ God did so far own and encourage Abraham in this undertaking that he would not let this action goe without a special Blessing to encourage Souldiers in a lawfull War He hath the special blessing of Christ it is more than if an Angel had done it Melchizedech so eminently representing Jesus Christ who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech 2. His Restauration of the goods and persons to the King of Sodom in which he shews as much of nobleness or gallantry of spirit as in fighting with Chedarlaomer The King of Sodom offers Abraham to take the goods if he would restore the persons No saith Abraham I will not take the least from a thread to a shoe latchet lest the king of Sodom should say he had made Abraham rich It shews it was not for gain or advantage he had ventured his life his spirit was above it It was not any reward from men that he expected but was contented with the blessing of God that rich blessing which he got It was a great piece of praise but in a bad cause of Sisera's souldiers that came to the waters of Tanach and fought they took no gain of money had it not been in a bad cause it had been an high commendation of them but it was in a wicked Cause and so they lost the praise which