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	moses_n	murmur_v	99	3	10.4666	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30235	The difficulty of and the encouragements to a reformation a sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons at the publick fast, Septem. 27, 1643 / by Mr. Anthony Burges ...	Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.	1643 (1643)	Wing B5643; ESTC R7338	25,238	35

that he is ingaged for his truth more then you you indeed have your lives and estates to lose but God hath his Honour and his Truth to lose which is more then all the World How will you ever answer it if God at the day of Iudgement shall say he put an opportunity into your hands and you have not improved it when the blood of other mens soules may be required at your hands Take heed that at your death-beds there be no out-cry O my England sinnes I speake not this in any spirit of discontent but rather of joy seeing those clusters of grapes you have already brought us from the Land of Canaan those good and wholesome Lawes that have been enacted since your sitting onely be exhorted to hold on and take the opportunities that God puts into your hand Those that would not gather Manna in the morning could find none all the day after onely the man that stept in first into the pool of Bethesda could be healed And you are the more engaged to this by the solemne Covenant you have entred into so that you must needs break many bonds asunder if you grow forgetfull of this work Take David for an example Psal. 1 32. there he had vowed to bring the Ark back into a fit place now when he had thus sworn see how carefull he was Remember David and all his troubles or more neer the Originall in his whole affliction that is in all that trouble and fear and care that was upon him when God smote Uzzah and so hindred him in his intended Reformation There is his griefe where was a stop in his work Then consider again his resolution hee would not sleep nor eat its an hyperbolicall expression of the indefatigable paines hee would take that the Ark might be setled I shall therefore pray as David when the people were willing The Lord keep this alwaies in their heart the Lord alwaies keep your Covenant and resolutions alive in your hearts Now that you may not be as those who built the Ark for Noah but were drowned themselves or as Hiram that sent materials to build a Temple to that God whom he did not know that you may have comfort and benefit in all that is done 1. Humble your souls for all your failings and sinnes one miscarriage may imbitter many mercies 2 Sam. 6. When David was with great pomp and chearfulnesse bringing back the Ark on a sudden God manifesteth his displeasure against Uzzah not as some think because he toucht the Ark seeing he was a Levite but because it was put on a cart whereas it ought to be carried on mens shoulders see what a sad obstacle was put in the way David hereupon leaveth the Ark and will carry it no further Take the advantage therefore on these dayes that all the sinnes which stand upon your account may be wiped off 2. Labour for a spirituall heart to be such as can delight in the spirituall worship of God that can account spirituall things glorious things men that are affected with outward glorious pomp in the service of God it is a signe they have no spirituall things to rejoyce in the woman that hath no children to play with she can delight in dogs and other creatures Hag. 2. there is a promise that God would make the glory of the second Temple far above that of the former and how was this true but because of Christs spirituall preaching and presence there I cannot but name a passage out of Isidore Pelusiota lib. 2. epist. 246. because it s so parallel with our times alate and I would all were of his judgement There was one Eusebius a Bishop that did cast out and revile the good people and in the mean time was very devout in building and adorning the Churches now saith Isidore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Church is one thing the place of the Church another the one consists of unblameable men the other of wood and stone which if the Bishop did consider he would not any longer overthrow the one and adorn the other And in the Apostles times when the Church did abound with spirituall graces and holinesse of life they had no Temples but in our time the Temples are more adorned then is fitting {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but the Church is scorn'd and mockt If I might have my wish I had rather be in those times wherein the Temples were not so beautified but the Church splendent with heavenly graces then in these our times wherein the Temples are very glorious but the Church empty of graces 3. Get sincere and holy aimes even in doing Gods commands let there not be Pauls complaint All seek their owne and not the things of Jesus Christ Be willing to be even an Anathema that the Church may prosper It was a noble resolution of Tullies Ne immortalitatem quidem contra rempublicam acciperem he would not have immortality it self to the prejudice of the Common-wealth You have a notable instance for this in John how did he reform according to all that was in Gods heart and yet he lost the reward nay Hos. 13. God threatens to be revenged on him and why is all this but because his heart was not right to God Doe not thou aime at glory and at fame but at Gods own glory and honour 4. Reforme your owne lives and conversations for how reasonable is it that you who make lawes that others doe not sweare you your selves should not how fit is it that you who bind others to the keeping of the Sabbath you your selves should sanctifie it And this againe did undoe Iehu that although he pulled down Baal yet he did not reform himselfe from Ieroboams sinnes lege historiam ne fias historia reade the history of Iehu lest thou thy selfe be made such an history to others Oh therefore let it be true of thee that since thou hast been labouring in this publike Reformation thou hast been more holy thou hast been more pure Thou that hast endeavoured to make way for Christ in the Church and State hast much more made way for him in thy owne family What will it profit to have holy Ordinances holy Worship if wee our selves still remaine unholy Vse 2. Of Instruction unto people not to mutter under these sad calamities if hereby Christ may come and reign in his Church Consider 1. That a Reformation doth not make these troubles but sinne Do not murmur under Gods providence as is forbidden 2 Cor. 10. The Iewes they murmured under Moses and Aaron how many of them did God destroy so again the Corinthians because Paul did urge strict Discipline about the incestuous person and other disorders therefore they were prone to murmur And thus people think that this Reformation is the cause of all this evill and that Reformers are the troublers of England but sure it is our sinnes and an unwillingnesse to bee subjected to Christ that works us all this woe and if we had more truth we should have more peace 2 How slowly we prepare and fit our selves for mercies It s true speed is a great advantage in publike works The heavenly bodies conveigh their sweet influence non quà calida sed quà velocis motus as they are swift but yet you are to take notice of it that our slownesse in fitting our selves for mercy is more to be blamed It s your complaint the Parliament is slow Why not rather wee reforme our lives slowly wee prepare our selves slowly and therefore it is that good things are kept off Moses and Aaron were not the causes that the people were kept so long in the wildernesse but their own sinnes and rebellions against God Let this therefore stop your mouthes and doe not discourage those who labour for your good that is not profitable for you as the Apostle speaks in the like case 3 How grievous a sinne it is to wish for thy old condition againe or to magnifie that This was the temper of the perverse and froward Jewes would they were in Egypt againe Moses and Aaron would destroy them and see how they amplifie that condition the bondage of which they did so much complain of before They sate down by the fleshpots in Egypt sate down as if they had so much ease and by the fleshpots as if they had had so much plenty whereas indeed their estate was miserable It is true our times are very sad and as Tully of his civill warres so may we say of ours Non est civit Romanus qui in hac tempestate ridere potest he is not a true Christian that can be heartily merry in these dayes But were not the times of Superstition of Altar-worship of silencing your Ministers as bitter unto you 4 How the mercy when it doth come will make amends for all Canaan will satisfie for the troubles in the wildernesse That the Church hath brought forth a man-child of Reformation will make all former sorrowes and pangs be forgotten When and how God will put a period unto these sad Distractions wee know not but certainly God will own his own Truth he will not forget his promises to his people and if we should perish yet when wee have done our duty we shall have our comfort and reward in heaven and certainly God hath not raised all these hopes of his people to make them the more miserable Will God doe with his people when they have layd up all for his service as the husbandman with his Bees when they have enriched themselves with their honey and layd up all their stock then to set fire on them and burn them no certainly if the servent prayer of one righteous man prevail much how much rather the prayers of many thousands FINIS Maldonat who hath it from others Mat. 40. 35 Grotius in 〈◊〉 Doct. Psal. 2● 7.