Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	know_v	2,974	5	4.2147	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92778	Solomons choice: or, A president for kings and princes, and all that are in authority, presented in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons at Margarets Westminster, at their publique fast, Septemb. 25. 1644. By Lazarus Seaman, pastor of the Church of Christ at Alhallowes-Breadstreet-London. One of the Assembly of Divines.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.	1644 (1644)	Wing S2177; Thomason E16_23; ESTC R189	37,337	55

Justice and serves both for our humiliation and consolation For our humiliation because all things are naked and open before him with whom we have to doe (a) Heb. 4. 13. He is acquainted with all our waies (b) ●sal 139. 3. For our consolation because there is no God like unto him for passing by transgression (c) M●c 7. 18. If he should marke iniquity who should stand (d) Psal 130 3. As for all the good we do we shall in no wise lose our reward (e) M●t. 10. 42. As touching Gods love to Solomon it 's largely described The second speciall from the fifth verse to the fifteenth wherein we have the History of a most holy and gracious communication between God and Solomon in a dreame in which the exub'rancy of Gods love to him appeares by these particulars First in passing over the corruption of the times unpunished The particulars whe●eby Gods love to Solomon is manifested Secondly in communing with him as one friend with another and that in such a manner as was not ordinary either between God and man or between God and his owne peculiar people Thirdly in giving of him liberty to aske what he would And God said aske what I shall give thee at the fifth verse a strong temptation and yet withall an extraordinary favour and that which cannot be paralleld 'T was a great liberty which Abraham tooke to himselfe in prayer Gen. 15. ● when he said Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesses c. And God did mightily stoope unto that unbeleeving Ahaz in saying Aske thee a signe of the Lord Isa 7. 11. thy God aske it either in the depth or in the height above But no instance reaches fully unto this wherein the love Eph 3. 20. of God was so much the greater because he is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we aske or thinke * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly in guiding of his heart to aske that which was most meet It was easie for God to promise freely and largely and to performe accordingly but it was hard for Solomon to aske that which might become him * Nemorite preca●ur nisi quem ' Deus incitet ad ●●andum Pe● Mart. Many have not onely lost their opportunities but undone themselves by foolish requests as Adonijah Fiftly in accepting of his choice And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing the tenth vers● Lastly in multiplying of his blessings upon him beyond all desert and expectation Behold I have done according to thy Word loe I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy daies The 12 and 13 verses By all which there is a lively demonstration that besides An inference from the second speciall the common love of God to mankind and his speciall love towards his Church and children there is a singular and peculiar love wherein he abounds towards some according to his good pleasure And this serves first to manifest and magnifie (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exceeding The use of that inference riches of his grace Eph. 2. 7. As also secondly to quicken us unto a holy emulation amongst our selves that each of us may strive to be better then other and to doe and suffer more for Christ because God can make us more then a proportionable recompence even in point of love It serves also thirdly to shew the reason of that variety which is found in Gods providence towards his owne children some rich some poore some noble and sitting among Princes others are made the dung and off-scouring of all things yet all equally chosen in Christ called according to his purpose justified adopted sanctified and heires of glory And yet further fourthly to reprove our slothfulnesse for neglecting God as usually we doe This singularity of his love is no matter of discouragement as some Dix●rit fortè q●●spiam ●ur etiam 〈◊〉 opti●●●●is n●● datur Into datur Ch●istus e●im dixit Quicq●id 〈◊〉 c. John 14 14. 1 John 5. 14. Rom. 8. 2● Zich ●● 10. may thinke but rather an invitation and incitement unto all We have every one of us a full brest of consolation in the promises Aske and it shall be given you c. Mat. 7. 7. If ye shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it saith Christ our advocate And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us We have also the spirit to helpe our infirmities The spirit of supplication and grace God doth every day new and strange things for his people And which of us have not some blessing or other which we must needs acknowledge to be our own peculiar The third speciall and that which is most remarkable in The third speciall the Chapter is the singular use which Solomon made of Gods singular love That consisteth in two particulars First in improving of it to his owne benefit and the good of the people which God had committed unto his charge as in the words of the Text. Give unto thy servant therefore an understanding heart c. And secondly in improving it to Gods glory the center wherein all things meet at last as is declared in the 15 verse And Solomon awoke and behold it was a dreame and he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord and offered up burnt-offerings and offered peace offerings and made a feast to all his servants Oh that there were in every one of us such a heart that we could improve the evidences of Gods love to us unto his praise and for publique good Our daies of humiliation wherein we have long waited on the Lord and still doe waite would soone be turned into daies of thankesgiving according to that promise in Zachary chap. 8. vers 19. Thus saith the Lord of hosts the Fast of the fourth moneth and the Fast of the fifth and the Fast of the seventh and the Fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladnesse and cheerfull Feasts But alas destruction upon destruction is cried for the whole Land is spoiled * Jerem. 4. 20. And what 's the cause of all this evill Even that which followes in the 22 verse of that Chapter For my people is foolish they have not knowne me they have no understanding they are wise to doe evill but to doe good they have no knowledge If it be demanded what remedy the answer is out of the words of the Text Give unto thy servant an understanding The Text. heart c. In which words we

them call for more than all this Pray we therefore that the Lord would teach us how to strengthen our friends to gaine our enemies if it be possible But above all how we may glorifie God by doing or suffering in the midst of all scandals and blasphemies whereby he is dishonoured How to use his ordinances aright To try the spirits and to know his true Ministers from the messengers of Satan who transforme themselves into Angels of light Who be the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the Vines and their tender Grapes and what to doe with them Cant. ● 15. Yet one step further Let 's practise exercise and manifest A fifth branch of the generall exhortation our wisdome in all affaires and upon all occasions When our Saviour says Be wise ●s Serpents and innocent as Doves (a) Mat. 10. 17. he meanes it of a practicall wisdome There is a prudence which some Moralists call prudentia practice practica * which is of all other kinds the most Pavonius in Ethicis disput 1. q. 2. excellent An ability of the mind whereby we know what is fit to be done all circumstances considered and are inclined to doe accordingly If things were so and so as sometimes we fancy and desire we could tell what to doe but as they are we are at our wits end Our duty is to take the worst and make the best of it He 's a skilfull Pilot that knows how to order the ship in a storme so as to prevent shipwracke I 'le conclude this generall part of the exhortation with that of St. James Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him shew out of a good conversation his workes with meeknesse of wisdom (b) James 3. 13. And with St. Pauls charge See that ye walke circumspectly or accurately * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as fooles but as wise Redeeming the time because the daies are evill (c) Eph. 5. 15 16. As touching the second part of the exhortation to The speciall exhortation unto Governour● such as are in authority and entrusted with the publique weale out of the depth of affection which I beare them and the righteous cause wherein they are engaged I desire with all due reverence humility and subjection to spread before them the following considerations that their way may be like the path of the just which is ●s the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (d) Prov. 4. 18. The first consideration is this The feare of the Lord is The first speciall consideration the beginning of wisdome (e) Prov. 1. 7. This is so much the more to be regarded because it is so often repeated by the Holy Ghost in Scripture (f) Ch. 9. 10. Job 28 28. Psal 111. 10. If there were no more but a S●la● in the close there should be the more diligent attention to it but being so oft inculcated in the same book and by several men of God our hearts should be deeply affected with it Men that have no feare of God before their eyes are seldome of Gods counsell They plough not with his heifer I meane they consult not with his Spirit in the word no wonder if they read not his riddles All his counsels are to them like the writing on the wall to Belshazzar Yea they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is or can be in them (d) Ierem. 8 9. The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant (e) P●●l 25. 14. As for the wicked 't is with them as with Jerusalem The things which made for her peace were hid from her eyes (f) Luke 19 42. Labour therefore to be really godly that you may be truely wise Have respect unto all Gods Commandements that ye may not be ashamed (g) Psal 119. 6. Let his testimonies be your delight and counsellors (h) Vers 24. Secondly There is a wisdom which God curses beware The second consideration of it He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse And againe The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine (i) 1 Cor. 3. 19 ●0 Those words of the Prophet Isaiah are very dreadfull Behold I will proceed to doe a marvellous worke among this people even a marvellous worke and a wonder for the wisdome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid (k) Isa 29. 14. The causes assigned of this so fearefull a judgement which the Prophet though most eloquent wanted words to expresse were Hypocrisie and Superstition in Religion They that are not wise according to the Word for Religion shall not be wise for the good of the State at least their wisdome shal have no good successe Pharaohs wisdom was to keep Israel under (l) Exod. 1. 10. but thereby he multiplyed strange plagues upon himselfe and people and was utterly overthrowne in the red Sea he and all his Host Balaams wisdome was to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel (a) Revel 2. 14. to make them eate things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication by this meanes he thought to have brought them under a curse but it lighted on himselfe (b) Num. 31. 8. And on the Moabites and Ammonites Who were ever after to be looked upon as bastards and shut out of the Congregation of Israel unto the tenth generation for ever (c) Deu● 23. 2 3 Achitophels wisdome was to make the difference betweene David and Absolon irreconcileable but God turned it into foolishnesse (d) 2 Sam. 16. 21 Jeroboams wisdome was to make Religion serve the State but while he laboured to stablish himselfe by this meanes he rooted out both his family and the Kingdome it selfe (e) 1 King 12. 26 28. The Jewes were so wise as to reject Christ for feare lest the Romans should take away them and their Nation * John 11. 48. The evill which they feared came upon them the means which they used to prevent a judgment brought it upon them with expedition Therefore let there be no oppression neither of people nor of Ministers Religion must be pure and sincere They who consult other mens mischiefe shall procure their owne No perpetuall war but with the divell and sinne Let our Kingdomes be the Lords and his Christs in the first place entirely lest we be no more a people If he be not the Corner-stone of the whole building both in Church and State all wil prove but a Babel and end accordingly Thirdly consider this Wisdome and Authority are The third consideration not alwaies intail'd The Scribes and Pharisees fate in Moses his chaire and yet were blind leaders of the blind It 's one of Solomons observations too often verified Folly is set in great dignity (f) Ecel 10. 6. But Job speakes more fully of the