Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	aaron_n	hand_n	hearken_v	13	3	11.0379	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93242	Judgement and mercy: or, The plague of frogges [brace] inflicted, removed. Delivered in nine sermons, by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Iosias Shute, Arch-deacon of Colchester, and preacher at St. Mary Woolnoth, in London: with his usuall prayers before and after sermon. Whereunto is added a sermon preached at his funerall, by Mr. Ephraim Vdall. Imprimatur. Ja. Cranford. Octob. 29. 1644.	Shute, Josias, 1588-1643.; Udall, Ephraim, d. 1647. Sermon preached at the funerall of Mr. Shute.	1645 (1645)	Wing S3715; Thomason E299_1; Thomason E299_2; ESTC R200245	134,491	230

so let it urge us to prepare and if we be prepared either we shall be hid in the evill day or the affliction shall be so sanctified that we shall finde honey in that Lion Another thing I would commend to your consideration something of kin to this point in hand Pharaoh holds out God sends a message it will not be God now executes Where words will not serve blows must I shall not need to give instances of this there are enow in Scripture And there is great reason that God should doe it For if he should only content himselfe with words his truth would be called in question as if he had said that that he meant not to performe if that word that he hath spoken shall not take effect Secondly his Justice would be questioned that hee hates not sinne with that hatred that the world is perswaded of Thirdly his Power would be questioned that though he hate sin and threaten it yet he were not able to punish it Lastly his Wisdome and Providence would be questioned for it is not the part of a wise man where there is desert for blowes to content himselfe only with words for this makes reproofe contemptible and all speeches ridiculous and turne againe upon him with disgrace For the Use of it it should teach us to justifie God in all his proceedings ever give glory to God whatsoever falls for certainly God for the contempt of ordinary proceedings is faine to goe to a more severe reckoning with men they justly deserve it therefore God is to be justified Secondly since God is so leasurely and treatable in his pace to vengeance Let us all make use of the deliberate proceedings of God feare Gods word and wee shall never feare his blowes that is true It is a speech of Chrysostome to good purpose Let a man feare Gods word and he shall never need to feare those acts of vengeance Let them feare in Egypt and Rome let him feare and stand in awe that offends If a man be carefull to lead a holy life he need not be afraid though the hills tumble into the sea and the foundations of the earth be rased he shall stand unappaled in the middest of all dangers So that speech of Gregory and it is good counsell that he gives Let us feare when we heare lest we come to feare when we feele which is worst of all For beloved it is hard to be put to the tutorage of that School-mistris experience If a man feare not till hee feele then wrath will fall the heavier The Wise man takes another course Solomon saith A wise man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but a foole goeth on and is punished he will not be warned and admonished God comes to many men nay to all by the dispensation of his word he tells us what is due to sinne what he will inflict he sometimes by lesse chastisements as his lesser ordnance playes upon us doth not God expect profit by this If we doe not he will inlarge punishments upon people and so much more the blows shal be because of the contempt of his gracious proceedings and then men shall have no body to complaine of but themselves and curse the time a thousand fold that they did not obey the word of God but would needs stand it out till it came to blowes now the fearfull hand of God is fallen upon them It was the complaint of Daniel Dan. 9. We hearkned not to the voyce of thy Prophets now therefore thy wrath is stretched upon us to the full As he saith there Therefore my counsell shall be to feare the word of God and we shall not need to feare his judgements tremble at his threatnings Get the heart of Iosiah to melt when he read the Law of God he had respect to the Word that he trembled at his word and was contrite in that manner that he was deeply cast downe with the consideration of his menacies and threatnings God will be mercifull to such a one and he shall escape in the day of vengeance whereas those that are refractory and contumacious that care not for words till it come to blowes they shall be sure to sucke the dregs of Gods vialls THE FIFTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 5. And the Lord spake unto Moses say unto Aaron Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streames over the rivers over the ponds and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt c. HAving spoken of the denunciation of this judgement I come now to the second thing The execution of it which is laid downe in vers 5.6 where there is First the injunction And then the performance of that injunction The injunction verse 5. God said to Moses say to Aaron stretch forth thine hand with thy rod c. The performance of this verse 6. Aaron did so In the former of these the injunction God spake to Moses say unto Aaron A man might say Why did not Moses take the rod as well as Aaron There are divers reasons given why Moses did not doe it but Aaron rather The Hebrewes they according to their fabulous manner say it was not fit for Moses to smite the river because he was preserved in the water when time was as we read in the story Exod. 2. when he floated in an arke of bulrushes Pharaohs daughter tooke him up Hee should have beene ungratefull to those streames to have smitten them with a plague that were the meanes of his preservation It is true beloved that gratitude works not only towards men but toward the brute creatures even to the place where and instruments by which a man is benefited but this is no solid reason Suppose Moses received never so much good there thankfulnesse to the creature would not beare him out in disobedience to the Creator Another saith that Moses was not to doe it because the Egyptians then would have beene perswaded that he had done it by sorcery and so they would have beene lesse moved and perswaded by it They were so unjust that they conceived of Moses that he was a sorcerer The truth is that he had all the learning of the Egyptians and it is likely that many of them used that Art yet we know nothing of Moses but that he was exercised in those sciences that were justifiable Againe if this were the reason Aaron might have beene suspected for he lived among them a great age and without doubt Pharaoh would have brought it out Calvin gives a third reason God would not have Moses strike the streames and bring the frogs but Aaron that Pharaoh in regard of his pride and insolencie might be handled more contemptibly As if Moses would let him see that be would not trouble himselfe but his servant that was to officiate for him he should doe it There is a fourth reason God hath set downe an order he gives Moses direction what to doe and from him Moses directs Aaron and he executes it

men as if the Devill were entred into a company of swine we have observed these and other sinnes that provoke Gods wrath And these and the like we have seene impenitently committed and we have spit in the face of these abominations not only seven times but seventy times seven times And now we see no reformation we are bold in the name of our God to denounce judgements and we have told you that plague and famine would come for the sinnes of the land and hath the Lord suffered one jot of the words of his servants to fall I and yet we must tell you that continuing in your iniquities will provoke God to further wrath and we may boldly say If we be deceived God hath deceived us and though heaven and earth perish there is not one word of God shall perish If thou refuse to let them goe Saith Tostatus upon this place The common way of men that are suppliants to others is to intreat a thing but never to seeme to distrust them that they aske of and to question it for though they bee perswaded that they shall be denied yet they will not intimate so much for feare they should be thought to distrust the goodnesse of the giver And indeed if a man finde himselfe distrusted though he had a prompt minde to satisfie the request he is ready to fall backe againe But if a man goe so farre as to manifest his distrust of the performance yet it is not the fashion of suiters to threaten therefore saith my Author See in what manner Moses comes not in his owne name but in the name of God and though he spake to one that was above him yet he saith Let them goe for God will not brooke a refusall Thus we that are Ministers as we call to men for obedience and threaten them for their disobedience and we speake it out of the dominion and authority and power that God hath invested us with we speake it home For the businesse doth not lye between God and his people as between man and man that are reciprocall that may be equall but it is betweene God and his People as between a King and his Subjects where there is a wondrous disproportion Therefore Moses might speake and speak imparatively and with a commination If thou refuse c. But I will not stand upon that If thou refuse to let them goe Hee doth wisely premise this before hee speake of the judgement that Pharaoh and all the world may take knowledge that God never punisheth without a cause If thou refuse to let them goe I will smite thy Country with frogs God forbid that the judge of all the world should deale unjustly saith Abraham Gen. 18. Ezek. 14. ult And saith the Lord When these things are done you shall know that I have done justly that what I have done was not without a cause Never did God punish any man without a cause Was there not cause for our first parents punishment even that we have heard they refused to heare the command of God and to obey it Was there not cause of the punishing of Cain Yes he refused to heare God when he spake to him fairly to prevent a wickednes Was there not cause of punishing the old World Yes they were full of lusts and of cruelty and refused to heare the Preacher of righteousnesse so Noah is called Was there not cause of punishing Gods people and of the destruction of Ierusalem God saith he sent his Prophets early and late and they refused to heare them We have not hearkned to the voice of thy servants the Prophets acknowlodging the sins of the people Dan. 10. And Christ himselfe when he gives the reason of the destruction of Ierusalem He would have gathered them as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wing but they would not Certainly as St. Austen saith Judgement never knew the way into the world without Sin Sin ushered it in therefore God must be justified in all things For the very childe that is new borne that never committed actuall iniquity nay that was prevented in the birth must justifie God if it be sent to hell for in the rigour of Gods justice it is condemned before it be borne Therefore let no man say when he is afflicted as Rebecah said Why am I thus upon the strugling of the twins in her womb reflect on thy self and thou shalt find cause enough of the judgement of God and greater then thou canst conceive It cannot possibly be but thou shalt finde a cause yet this is a certaine rule Gods judgements may be secret but they cannot be unjust I will smite thy land and all thy borders with frogs Much might be said concerning that party smiting that all the world might know that none but he hath done it Much might be said concerning that word I will smite as if he should say It shall not be a signe it shall now be a plague a stroake on thee thou shalt be sensible of it I will not now deale with signes but will come nearer then before but these I passe and come to speake of the judgement I will smite thy land with frogs Though it be true that God hath all creatures to serve him He being the Lord of Hoasts they are at his beck The fire comes downe to burne Sodome The water drownes the Egyptians The earth swallowes Corah Dathan and Abyram The Lion consumes the disobedient Prophet The Beares destroy 42 children that mocked Elisha The Serpents sting the disobedient in the wildernesse Which by the way will be a shame to man at the last day that all creatures are dutifull to God and man only rebels As one said That beasts shall give evidence at the last day against man that they serve him but he doth not serve God to shew that they are dutifull to their maker but man is refractory and a rebell But now though God have all creatures at his beck to command them and that he can send one disease and one judgement as well as another yet here hee sends frogs And why frogs Reverend Calvin gives two reasons why frogs rather then any other judgement First saith he Ignominio causa c. He would shame Pharaoh that proud monster that cried out Who is the Lord that I should obey him The Lord takes downe the pride of him by base contemptible creatures Certainly you must needs thinke that it troubled Pharaoh much and he would say with himselfe when he saw the abundance of frogs that after God willing we shall speak of What! if we had been overcome by power If a for raine Prince had invaded my land and thrust me out it had been some honour but to have my land overrun with frogs that I cannot eat my meat or lye in my bed with comfort for these contemptible creatures what a vexation is it It must needs vex the heart of that proud King God would take him downe in his insolencie by this poore base

submit to the government of the Shepherd That as Justinian the Emperour saith there may be a sweet harmonie between Prince and people that no string may be too high or too low that is the best musique in the eares of God If Pharaoh desire for his people how should they beg of God in the behalfe of their Soverain Paul when he wisheth that Prayers should be made for all men in the first place he puts Kings And it was the practise of holy people of God in former time Cyprian when they were charged with some rebellion We are far from that we wish well to the King saith he And his Master before him for so he calls Tertullian he professeth concerning the Christians that they begged of God in the behalfe of the Emperour they desired long life a secure regiment and reigne a safe house worthy Counsellors strong and valiant Souldiers c. Let not this be forgotten by us we are too defective in this many of us pray in private for our selves but when doe we remember our Governours O the light of our eyes and the breath of ournostrills is deprived of our prayers If it be a sin to forget a naturall father certainly it is no lesse to forget our politicall father The next thing to be observed which is the second generall is the promise that he makes I will let the people goe I will but touch one thing and so conclude you see here that now he cannot get from under the judgement what evapourates from him he will let the people goe that they may sacrifice If god reserve us God willing we shall observe that he did flie off from this But in the meane time somewhat he saith and promiseth and It is no strange thing that the worst of men have good motions sometimes This Pharaoh saith another time I have sinned And the sorcerers say after It is the finger of God And Balaam saith Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23. And Saul may say he hath sinned and Ahab may humble himselfe and Felix may sometimes tremble and Agrippa will cry out he is almost made a Christian by Paul And it was never known of the most desperate adulterers the most bloudy men or oppressors or excessive persons but some time or other they did thinke ill of their own courses and did think that another way was better and it may be have had motions and resolutions tending to reformation The ground is the light that God puts into the consciences and the power that he hath indued it with that will sometimes put a man in minde of his abberations from the right way that this is not the course hee should take Again there is a generall illumination in the world that enlightens every man by this they come to have some notions But as Bernard saith in another case they come in frequently and passe away as speedily They are like the morning dew or the morning cloud soon dissipated not so good as Ephraims cake that was halfe baked they are soon gone as Tertullian saith of the flower it is a thing to look on and breath on and smell to and it is gone So it is with these motions of the wicked they passe away as smoke Therefore for the use of it Let us not be confident of the motions and flashes of the wicked unlesse they persist and continue in them there is little hope Nay let us not please our selves for motions that are like flashings of lightning in the soule they are not worth the talking of When motions come that are good cherish them keep them on foot that they may be actuated and perfected Thus God would have us to doe it is a sparke of the divine fire therefore the Lord would have it blown till it come to a flame If at any time we finde it dying as like enough the dear Saints of God may doe we must stir it up and excite the grace of God by the use of the Ordinances of God as the Apostle speaks And likewife by reflecting upon our many omissions and neglects and it may be suppression of motions by the cons●●●●●tion of the fearfull account we must give one day for these neglects stir it up and keep it fresh and by the blessing of God there may come great matters That that is now a sparke may be a flame that that is like a cloud no bigger then a hand it may after mask the whole heavens That that is now as a grain of mustard seed it may be a great tree wherein the fowles of the air may make their nests Of all take heed of quenching and suppressing this Spirit of puting it out and that is done by wilfull grosse sins When God gives good motions if men would cherish them and keep them alive there might be much good in them but when they run into foul sins that waste conscience the graces of God die and all good motions are as far to seek as if they never had been This will add to a mans judgment when God shall put these things in his heart and he by untimely frosts nipps them in the bud whereas if he would cherish them they would come to great perfection and improvement THE EIGHTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 8.9 And I will let the people goe that they may doe sacrifice unto the Lord. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glory over me when shall I intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people c. THere is one thing that remaines of the eighth Verse remaining that I will speedily dispatch and so go on Pharaoh saith here I will let them goe that they may sacrifice to the Lord. Ubi potentiae Ubi superbiae saith one upon my Text. How now Pharaoh what is become of thy power what is become of thy pride not long since thou wast in thy ruffe and said Who is the Lord that I should seare him or let Israel goe Thou wert so farre from dismissing them that thou eldst more intensively hate them and multiply their sorrowes Thou didst contemne Moses and Aaron that came with a Commission from God and now behold thou art under a judgement and knowest not how to extricate thy selfe from this perplexitie now thou wilt let the people goe now thou acknowledgest God now thou suest to Moses and Aaron now thou art glad to dismisse the people Even thus it was and in that it was thus my observation must bee concerning The necessitie of afflictions All faire meanes would do no good with this man God was faine to take the rod in his hand and then wee see the issue so great is the necessitie of afflictions And it drives at divers things First afflictions make a man see his sinnes as wee see in the brethren of Joseph Gen. 41.21 In their trouble in Egypt they reflect upon their unnaturalnesse to their brother they confesse that the cause of this trouble and distresse was because they did not hearken to