Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	apprehend_v	faith_n	justify_v	2,268	5	9.0045	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86934	A brief exposition of the prophecies of Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah. By George Hutcheson minister at Edenburgh. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy	Hutcheson, George, 1615-1674.	1654 (1654)	Wing H3822; Thomason E1454_1; ESTC R209588	282,367	353

dispositions at such a time will give faithfull messengers much to do and many errands to God for the Prophet beside his own arguings within himself was beset with reprovers arguers or quarrellers at these messages which puts him the more earnestly to stand and watch to see saith he what I shall answer when I am reproved 6. Albeit the Lords people may have their own debates and faintings betwixt God and them yet it is their part to smother these as much as they can and to bring up a good report of God and his way to others for however the Prophet afterward records that expostulation which he had with God Chap. 1. yet it appeareth that in the time he had so carried himself before that murmuring people on Gods behalf as they were arguing and contending with him and he reproved by them Ver. 2. And the LORD answered me and said Write the vision and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it The Lord answers his servant attending on him by giving him a vision which is afterward recorded v. 5. c. and this vision he is commanded to publish clearly and make it plain to every ones capacity and to affix copies thereof on the gates of the Temple or other publike places as is reported to have been their custome and that in so legible characters and plain termes as every on might without difficulty read and understand it Doct. 1. However it may seem to be in vain for souls plunged in perplexities to pluck up their loines and eye and wait on God yet the experience of the Saints proves it to be an enriching trade for the Lord answered me saith the Prophet who had waited for an answer from him in his perplexity 2. It is the will of God that what light or ground of encouragement is given to any in a sad time be made forth-coming for the good of others for the Prophet is commanded to write the vision for the use of the Church which though it was his duty by vertue of his peculiar office yet it may be a pattern for every one so to act within their station 2. It is the Churches great advantage that in her hard lots she hath the minde of God in his Word whereby she may expound his dealing with her her dutie in every case and what she may expect concerning her self her troubles and troublers for there is a vision here which the Prophet is to write for her use 4. The Lord hath seen it fit in his deep wisdome and rich love and for preventing all occasion of delusion forgerie or misrepresentation and for helping of our forgetfulnesse and perpetuating his truth in the world not only to deliver his minde to his Church by word of mouth by himself or by his Prophets but to leave it on record in writing with her on which she may build her faith as certainly as if God were immediately or by his Prophets speaking to her by Word from day to day therefore is the Prophet commanded to write the vision on which the godly were to rest their faith in an hard time 5. The approved way of publishing Gods Word is not when it is adorned with wisdome or excellency of words but when it is delivered in simplicity and plainnesse condescending to the capacity of the meanest for saith the Lord Make it plain upon Tables that he may run that readeth it 6. The Word of God is deposited with the Church not to be read and made use of by some sort of persons only but indifferently by all the members of the Church and accordingly is fitted to the capacity of all for this written vision is not to be hid up in a strange language and dark expressions but to be made plain upon Tables that he that runs may read it Verse 3. For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarty wait for it because it will surely come it will nor tarry The Lord subjoyns a reason to this command which is also a premonition to the godly concerning the subsequent message to wit that the performance of his decreed vengeance revealed in this vision had its prefixed period before which it could not be accomplished and at which it should certainly come to passe and therefore the godly were to look much to the clearly revealed vision and laying aside all fervour and haste patiently to wait for the accomplishment which should be seasonable and timely however their sense might judge the contrary Doct. 1. As the mercies promised to the Church so also the timing of them is in Gods hand so that we are not to expect that the performance of comfortable promises or of threatened vengeance against enemies will be always ready at our call but must wait the Lords time who hath his own seasons for afflicting trying and delivering for The vision is yet for an appointed time saith the Lord. 2. The Lords delaying to appear diminisheth nothing of the certainty of performance of what he hath promised to the Church or threatned against her enemies for The vision hath an appointed time and an end prefixed so that the exercise will not be perpetual and at this time it shall speak to wit by performance though we undervalue other expressions of it yet then it shall speak to our satisfaction and not lye nor disappoint us whatever feares we have to the contrary 3. Such is our weaknesse haste and distrust that when the Lord delayes to perform promises or what he hath foretold in his word we are ready to think that he denies to do it at all which is to contradict the Scriptures verdict here published to remove such apprehensions Though it tarry it will surely come 4. When we do not simply doubt of the certain performance of Gods Word yet we must not expect to have sense subscribing to all which faith apprehends concerning Gods method in performing but faith wil oft-times see cause to speak in contradictory terms to senses verdict for Though it tarry it will not tarry saith he sense will soon weary and say the performance tarrieth when the Lord satisfieth not its hasty desires but out-wearieth all carnal confidence and strength But faith will say that considering Gods love and wisdome his holy purposes in filling the cup of the enemies bringing good to his people out of every delay considering our duty and the exercise of graces we are called to when he delays considering that his performances come never out of date and when matters were past all recovery but that still when he comes he makes up all as if he had come the first hour considering that there is strength enough in God to carry through till deliverance come Isa 40.29 30 31. Faith I say considering all these will say it will not tarry but comes in a seasonable and the best time and before we be fit for it by performance of these duties required

his delayes in executing vengeance for sin with the severity of it when it comes therefore in opposition to their devising iniquity verse 1. that they might execute it well as they thought the Lord deviseth an evil saith he that is it shall be as sore and sharp an evil as if it had been most seriously devised and all the time of delay had been imployed for that effect 4. Sin publickly acted without controlment will bring on judgments against a whole people Therefore because oppression was committed publickly against this family do I devise an evil that is against this whole Nation Amos 3.1 2. even the notorious sins of private persons much more of publick Ministers of Justice not being punished or such sins becoming universal cannot but bring judgments upon a whole Land 5. However Oppressors may think to shift the Lords visitations yet when they come they shall seize upon them and their violence shall be met with afflictions which they cannot shake off for it is an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks 6. Albeit men also dream that if they cannot exempt themselves from judgments yet they will courageously and undauntedly bear out under them yet the Lord by his rods will make the most haughty to stoop for Neither shall ye go haughtily 7. God hath our time and the revolutions thereof so in his own power as he can thereby when he will cause the stoutest to fall before him therefore it is subjoined as a reason why they shall not walk haughtily for this time is evil God shall make the times to crush them 8. Men by their transgressions do provoke the Lord to make their time bitter and evil unto them wherein otherwise they might comfortably serve their generations for because they had oppressed c. therefore this time is evil Ver. 4. In that day shall one take up a Parable against you and lament with a doleful lamentation and say We be utterly spoiled he hath changed the portion of my people how hath he removed it from me turning away he hath divided our fields Their calamity is further set forth that it should not be ordinary but the matter of a Proverb in all mens mouths and of a bitter lamentation composed by themselves to bewaile their calamities or by their enemies counterfeiting their sorrow wherein they should bewaile their utter desolation in that the Lord had transferred the possession of the holy land which he had given as a portion to his people to their enemies and had not onely cast his people out of it but turning away in anger had given it to the enemies to divide it among them and so had put them out of hope to return to it again all which relates especially to the case of the ten Tribes whose lands were thus possessed by the Assyrians 2 Kings 17.24 Doct. 1. Sinning against God with an high hand will at last make the sinner a remarkeable spectacle of justice and will end in bitternesse and lamentation for In that day shal one take up a Parable or Proverb against you and lament with a doleful lamentation 2. The sinners desert is to be utterly ruined without hope of restitution and to be left in that condition to bewaile their want and misery for this is the sum of their lamentation that they are utterly ruined put away from their land their enemies dividing it as their owne inheritance 3. The seeing of God as a party and affliction as flowing from his anger they make the afflicted's lamentation yet more bitter for so doe they lament He hath changed and removed turning away be hath divided 4. The Lords judgements upon a sinfull people will surprize them with astonishment and be more sad then any thing they did expect or dreame of when they were wallowing in their iniquities for so much doth their admiration import How hath he removed it from me Ver. 5. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the Congregation of the LORD Their utter desolation is here positively denounced by God in confirmation of their lamentation that being cast out of their land they should want the benefit of dividing their inheritances by lot before the LORD in his Congregation as of old Joshua had done Josh 18.4 6 10. and they used to doe on several occasions especially every Jubilee when they returned to their possession but should remaine exiled and their enemies in possession of their Country Doct. 1. It is a bitter case when an hard condition is not onely feared or apprehended by us but proves in reality as sad as we imagine For here the Lord confirms their lamentation in apprehending desolation by a positive sentence Thou shalt have none to cast a cord by lot 2. Iniquity will make a Land spue out even a confederate people and detaine them in exile destitute of their wonted priviledges This is imported in that threatning Thou shalt have none to cast a cord c. 3. The causes procuring judgements are still to be taken along in our thoughts with the judgement Therefore saith he because of these sins mentioned ver 1 2. Thou shalt have none c. This will make us justifie God in his afflicting and will set the afflicted on work by repentance to make up their outward losses in God 4. Afflictions will be so much the more bitter as the mercies of which wee are deprived by them have been given unto us by a special providence and as a signe of Gods favour for so the land from which they are to be banished is a land which they had by lot in the Congregation of the Lord that is a land divided to them by especial providence of God and wherein the Congregation of the Lord was See Ps 47.4 and 137.1 Ver. 6. Prophesie ye not say they to them that prophesie they shall not prophesie to them that they shall not take shame The second accusation is for their contempt of and opposition unto Gods Word and Messengers the sense of the words which in the original are concise and short is when the wicked heard the Prophets of God threaten sin so sharply they could not endure this sound doctrine but either would have them silent as Amos 7.10 11 12 13. or would limit them to preach onely what they pleased as their false Prophets did and so some read the words Prophesie ye not let these to wit the time-serving Prophets and such as would follow their way prophesie upon this the Lord threatens to adde this to their judgements that he will take away his Prophets and hereby give them up as dogs to whom holy things are not to be cast and prevent the shame and ignominy which his Prophets suffered at their hands as Matth. 7.6 or as the words may be read by way of interrogation If they shal not prophesie unto these shall they take no shame although they were rid of faithfull messengers to warne them yet that would not hold off jugements