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	sin_n	7,176	5	5.3331	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96435	Abraham's humble intercession for Sodom, and the Lord's gracious concessions in answer thereunto containing sundry meditations upon Gen. XVIII. from ver. XXIII. to the end of the chapter. Wherein many things are spoken of concerning believers drawing near to God, and the efficacy of their prayers; and how they may be princes and prevailers with God, and with what boldness they may come before him, and what ground they may get of him by their prayers, and what sweet communing they have with him. With sundry other things worthy of our most serious thoughts, helping us to be more spiritual and heavenly, which may prepare us for that everlasting communion and fellowship that we hope to arrive at, and come to in a blessed state of glory by Jesus Christ. By Samuel Whiting, Pastor of the Church of Christ at Lyn in N.E. [Three lines of Scripture texts]	Whiting, Samuel, 1597-1679.	1666 (1666)	Wing W2022; ESTC W15363	173,427	374

something may come or hath come from us for which God may be angry with our Prayers and when God hath any occasion given him to be angry we have cause to fall down humbly before him When a King is justly angry the Subject stoops and abaseth himself if a Father be angry all the Children carry themselves submissively so should we It is said of Henry the Eighth King of England That when he was angry as he often was the chief Peers of his Kingdome would stoop humbly to him how much more should we stoop humbly to the Lord when he is angry at our Prayers who is the great King over all the earth 3. We see the truth of that Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me When we go to pray it is good that we do and a commanded duty but even then evil is present with us and we have cause to fear that something may or hath broken from us in the duty for which God may be angry with us When a man thinks to go a right step he takes a wry step that makes him stumble and fall when a man would give a right stroke his instrument sometimes slips and the stroke is wrong when a man would make good musick a String breaks or a Pegge slips and makes an harsh sound So it is when we pray and would tread right in the duty and strike a right stroke and make a pleasant sound like melody in the Lords ears then we tread awry and strike amiss and make such an harsh sound that God is not delighted but angry with our Prayers 4. We see that if we be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers what cause then have we to fear that he will be angry with us for our other sins that we do too often provoke him with If he hath so much against us for our duties Oh what hath he then against us for our other evils in thought word and deed whereby he is displeased we should be afraid that he will be angry for these If he will be angry with wry steps and trips Oh how angry will he be for deep falls and great provocations if for spots we may fear his displeasure how much more for fouler sins A Schoolmaster if he see a Scholars blots in writing he will be angry but if he see him blurre and blot his hands and face and foul his clothes he will be much more angry So we have cause to be afraid of his anger for grosser evils if he be angry at our Prayers 5. We see what cause we have to breathe after an immortal estate in glory where neither we nor any of our services shall have any blot or spot upon us or them Here we are afraid that God may be angry at our Prayers and that he may see just cause for it our best duties being defiled but when we come in Heaven there will be no blot cleave to any of our services we shall give him no cause to be angry nor shall we fear his anger to be expressed toward us Here in our best duties we sin our beauty is stained our face gathers blackness we have something of Ethiopian hue some spots and speaks are upon us some wrinkles of the old man appear in the face of the best of our performances but in Heaven we shall be faultless Jude ver 4. without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 nothing shall then be seen upon us like a spot or like a wrinkle all our imperfections will then be done away there shall not be a wemme in our garment not a blemish in our face not a speck in our services not any blot cleaving to our hearts and hands there will be no deformity no infirmity no scar no scurf no mole nor any the least defilement shewing it self but we shall be all glorious within and without all fair in respect of Sanctification as well as of Justification all over bespangled and bedecked with those rich and royall graces of the Spirit as becomes such a place and such company as we shall ever be with then never a frown will appear in his face never a lowring look in his countenance never a wrinkled brow shew it self but all smiles and kisses and hearty embraces and amiable aspects of his favour and acceptance of what we perform to him and who would not long for such a day and such a time as this will be it will be the happiest day that ever our eyes saw the sweetest time that ever we could desire the joy of our hearts the Crown of our Glory the Light of our Life the Confluence of all our Comforts the Haven of our Desires after our tossings with tempest here the bright Sun-shine after our rain and storms and mists of darkness here When Paul and his company were tossed in the Adriatick Sea and no small tempest lay upon them neither Sun nor Stars appearing for many dayes and no hope left that they should be saved it 's said that they wished for the day Acts 27.20 29. So after all our troubles and tossings here we should wish for this day wherein we shall see the face of God and shall never see him angry with us any more This is a desireable day indeed 6. We see that if we be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers here then how may they be afraid of that anger of his that will cast them into the bottomless pit for ever how should such be afraid of the wrath to come Gods anger burns hot here but Oh how will it burn in Hell it's inconceiveable unutterable we are not able to think what his anger will there be Moses in Psal 90.11 challengeth any to tell what this anger is Who knoweth the power of thine anger even when he smites his people here the power of his anger is not known Oh but if so who is able to tell what it is in another world who can tell how hot Hell is and what that Breath is that like a stream of brimstone kindles the fire of it 7. We see what need we have to get Christ to bear the iniquities of our holy things as Aaron did in type of old for the best of us may be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers Our holy things even our pure prayers have something cleaving to them that we may justly fear God is displeased with and therefore great need we have of that great High Priest to bear as all our other sins so the iniquities of our holy things even of the holiest Prayers that at any time we offer up to God He is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 and in him as our persons Eph. 1.6 so our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 8. We see that if we may be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers then may we much more be afraid that he will be

angry when we restrain prayer before him Some godly ones in temptation pray not neither in their Families nor in their Closets and they dare not as they think come before the Lord in that duty they are afraid to look him in the face but this is their sin and such had need be humbled for it for God will be angry at it and they will have cause to blush that they should deal so with God as not to call upon his Name Vse 2. for Terrour to all those that are wicked and go on in a way of wickedness If God be angry with the Prayers of his and they are justly afraid he may so be how angry will he be with the workers of iniquity he is angry with them every day Psal 7.11 12 13. If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bowe and made it ready He hath prepared for him the instruments of death he ordained his arrows against the persecutors God is so angry with them that all his weapons of destruction are in a readiness to destroy them speedily dreadfully and without remedy Vse 3. for Humiliation that we should give the Lord any cause to be angry with our Prayers and our selves cause to fear that so it is An ingenuous Childe will be troubled at his Fathers anger and so should we that we give our Father cause to be angry at our Prayers and that we have cause to fear that we have as in other things so in that duty provoked his displeasure against us This should lay us low before him Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To be watchful in this duty that God may not be angry with our Prayers Watchfulness must ever be a companion to Prayer Coloss 4.2 1 Pet. 4.7 To be sure the enemy will watch when we are at the duty and throw in something that is either evil or not good at that time as Hushai said of Achitophels counsel 2 Sam. 17.7 and our own hearts yield store of evil thoughts which flie-blow the duty and if we watch not against these God will be angry and we have cause to fear that it will be no better with us 2. To meditate much of Christs Intercession for he it is that offers his Incense with the prayers of all Saints and mingles his with ours to perfume and sweeten them and make them acceptable so as God will not be angry with them Christs Intercession makes our Prayers so welcome that they are pleasant in his sight and he cannot be displeased with them 3. To be angry with our selves that we have any cause to fear that God may be angry at our Prayers for he is not angry for nothing he does not without cause what he does Ezek. 14.23 wherein he does express his anger towards us Such holy fire therefore would be pleasing to God and be a fruit of true Repentance 2 Cor 7.11 4. To call upon us to be thankeful when he does not express any tokens of his displeasure at our Prayers for we our selves fear that we give him cause to be angry at them If therefore he manifest no such thing but the contrary viz. That he is well-pleased in Christ with them Cant. 2.14 Oh what cause have we to be for ever thankful VVE now come to the second part of the Note and that is this That Believers desire of God that he would not be angry with them when they pray to him So did Abraham here Let not the Lord be angry So Gideon Judg. 6.39 Let not thine anger be hot against me When we make Supplication to a Prince we desire this that we may have the smiles of his face and that he may not be angry with us So do Believers when they make Supplication to the Lord they do and ought to desire that he would not be angry with them Reasons 1. From the Petitioners themselves 2. From the nature of his anger First From the Petitioners 1. They desire the acceptance of their Prayers and that they may be sweet and pleasing to him which they could not be if God should be angry with them Psal 141.2 Let my prayer come before thee as Incense Psal 10.14 2. They would be Princes with God and prevail with him as it is said of Jacob Gen. 32.28 and this cannot be if God be angry with them A Prince will not be prevailed with if he be angry with him that puts up his suit to him So we shall never prevail with God if he be angry with us when we pray to him 3. They see some just cause why he might be angry with them if he should be strict with them there are so many spots in the duty and these they earnestly desire that he would not take notice of to be angry with them Psal 130.3 4. They are afraid that they are too bold with him and therefore desire that he would not be angry with them So Abraham does here When we sue to men for some special favour we desire pardon for our boldness as fearing that we may offend by it so do they that make suit to the Lord. 5. They are conscious of their own integrity in the main though they may have their failings Psal 44.17 18. and therefore desire that he would not be angry with them 6. They expostulate with him in an humble way about his anger with their Prayers Psal 80.4 which shews that they see cause to desire of God that he would not be angry with them for such an expostulation contains the force of an earnest prayer that he would withdraw his anger from them Secondly From the nature of his Anger 1. It is like fire and therefore Gideon expresseth it Judg. 6.39 Let not thine anger be hot against me Gods anger is as hot as fire and therefore in Deut. 32.22 it is said A fire is kindled in mine anger that shall burn to the lowest hell Now being of such a fiery nature it is not to be marvelled at that they pray that God would not be angry with them 2. It is like the dreadful waves of the Sea Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord The word translated indignation signifies such a raging as is in the raging waves of the Sea when they are lifted up on high and threaten drowning and overwhelming and therefore Jonah 1.15 the same word is used for the raging of the Sea in a sore storm and tempest and when the Sea rageth and is tempestuous the Marriners earnestly desire a Calm and that they might be quiet and the Sea might cease from her raging So Believers desire of God that the dreadful waves of the Sea of his anger may cease and that they may enjoy a quiet Calm 3. It is compared to smoke Dent. 29.20 Psal 74.1 and smoke is a stifling thing if it be in the extremity of it and cannot be endured and as men get out of a smoky house or room as not being able to bear it and desire to be as farre

bold with him Isa 64.7 5. He makes account that such cast off fear as restrain prayer and are not bold with him Job 15.4 and Believers are loth to have that imputed to them for faith and fear go together Heb. 11.7 6. He alwayes makes us the more welcome the more bold we are with him when we pray to him Abraham lost nothing by taking upon him to speak unto the Lord and being further bold with him A bold friend findes hearty welcome from men much more from the Lord they that sue oftenest speed the best Secondly From our selves 1. We sue to a God who hath said that we shall not seek his face in vain Isa 45.19 and therefore may be bold with him and make further bold 2. We sue to him who hath given out that great word Isa 45.11 Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hands command me which none of us durst have thought of had not he spoken it 3. We sue to him that hath said Psal 81.10 that if we be so bold as to open our mouthes wide and enlarge our desires he will fill and satisfit them 4. We go to him who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 and therefore can supply us abundantly What cannot that God of all grace bring in to us All grace is more then Rich grace A man may be Rich and yet not have All but God is not onely Rich in grace but the God of all grace and therefore can make all grace to abound towards us 5. We sue to him who will never send us empty away who turns none away from his doors without relief His suiters shall never go sad away from him He sends the rich empty away that think they need nothing Luke 1.53 but filleth the hungry with good things 6. We go to him that hath said that Every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Mat. 7.8 and therefore we may be bold and further bold with him We may be bold to think that he will not be harder to us then he is to every one Thirdly From the nature of Believers boldness 1. It draws us nearer unto God and that God delighteth in we get near to the Throne of Grace 2. It makes a man go out of himself more and see what need he hath of supplies from Heaven and that 's a gracious frame of heart 3. It lets us see our own unworthiness Gen. 32.10 11. Luke 15.21 and that God takes pleasure in 4. It holds up our friendship with God and assureth us that we are his friends in that we make so bold with him Jam. 2.23 5. It is the very Suburbs and Gate of Heaven for they in Heaven can be holily bold with the Lord Dan. 4.17 6. It is a blessed fruit of Christs Ascension Heb. 4.14 16. Upon all which grounds Believers may be bold and further bold with him Vse 1. for Information 1. We see what a gracious God we sue to that we may be bold and further bold with in our requests that we put up to him He proclaimed his Name thus of old The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious Exod. 34.6 2. We see that Believers have great interest in him that may be so bold with him as to take upon them to speak again and again thus to him 3. We see that great is the friendship that is between God and Believing Souls Great hath been the friendship that hath been between some men but none like this between God and his believing ones 4. We see that to be bold with God and to be further bold with him in our requests that we put up to him is an argument that God is very near to us and we very near and dear to him 5. We see that surely we shall be near indeed to him in heaven when faith is turned into vision 6. We see that if we make so bold with him here in praying to him Oh what holy boldness shall we have with him when he clasps us in his Everlasting Arms and puts us into his Bosome to all Eternity 7. We see that though Believers are the modestest men that are yet they are the boldest men also for they can take upon them to speak to God and to be further bold with him 8. We see that no men nor Devils shall be able to dash them out of countenance for they can be bold with God himself 9. We see a reason of that in Ephes 6.16 That that makes us bold with God will make us victorious over the wicked one 10. We see how bold we should be in a good cause and for a good conscience as Peter and John Acts 4. Vse 2. for Terrour to Unbelievers they cannot be bold this way though they make too bold with him by sin Vse 3. for Humiliation to those that are not so bold with him as they may Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To be holily bold 2. Believe 3. Fear him 4. Be friends to him 5. Apply Christs Ascension 6. Walk with him 7. Love Christ Verse 31. Peradventure there shall twenty be found there Doct. XXIV THat Believers in making suit to the Lord improve Gods bounty and mercy all that ever they can in behalf of others that they sue for Abraham found God merciful to Sodom that if there had been fifty Righteous within the City he would have spared the whole place for their sakes then afterwards if there had been five and forty then if there had been forty then if there had been thirty and had a grant so far and now having obtained so much mercy he improves it yet further to twenty Peradventure there shall twenty be found there he will try yet further what the Lord will do Reasons 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers themselves 3. From their Prayers First From the Lord. 1. He is Rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 Rom. 10.12 and that Riches of his mercy is inexhaustible we cannot empty the treasure of it nor draw the fountain of it dry it is a Spring that is alwayes full and therefore we may improve it all that ever we can A rich Myne may be digged into and a rich Treasure may be made use of and a full Fountain drawn So here 2. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think Eph. 3.20 and therefore we may improve it to the utmost and ask high of him Our desires are scant our thoughts are narrow to that large bounty and mercy that he can impart to us 3. He is such a full one that the whole earth is full of his mercy Psal 119.64 and that that fills the whole earth we may well improve for those that we pray for We may have enough of that that the whole earth is full of 4. His thoughts and wayes of mercy are not like our thoughts and wayes but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are

his choicest ones in the worst places that are to leave them without excuse and to condemn them both here and in the Day of Judgement as I said before Thirdly From the nature of their Hope 1. It is of things that are not seen Rom. 8.24 so Abraham here hoped for that he saw not 2. It is conjectural he puts a may be or peradventure upon it and that yields ground for hope it is not impossible but such a thing may be 3. It knoweth nothing to the contrary and that is some ground of hope as Abraham here knew nothing to the contrary but there might be so many righteous ones in the City Fourthly From Gods Honour and Glory 1. From the glory of his power for this hope gives him the glory of that Attribute that he is able to preserve some of his Sheep among so many Wolves and other beasts of prey 2. From the glory of his Grace for this hope gives him the glory of that Attribute in keeping them undefiled among so many polluted ones 3. From the glory of his secret working in reserving some to himself which cleave to him in the worst places for this hope gives him the glory of this secret working 1 Kings 19.18 4. From the glory of his patience for this hope gives him the glory of that Attribute that he forbears smiting where there are so many bad for the sake of a very few good among them Vse 1. for Information 1. We see how charitable godly men be even of and toward the wickedest places that are Sodom was one of the vilest places for wickedness yet Abraham is not without hope but that there may be fifty righteous persons there and that under that heap of chaff might lye hid so many corns of Wheat and upon that dunghill of filthiness so many Pearls and precious Gems might be found Charity is an hoping Grace and loves to go as far this way as may be Could any good come out of Sodom Abraham does not altogether despair of it Peradventure sayes he there be fifty righteous within the City 2. We see what hope we may have concerning England though there be so many thousands that we could wish were better yet we cannot but hope that there are many fifty hundreds of righteous persons yea more then does appear in the Christian world any where else if Travellers have taken their observation right not that they have any cause to boast themselves but to exalt Grace for who hath made England to differ from other Nations that more Jewels are found there then elswhere and what hath that Island that it hath not received The East and West-Indies yield the Gold and Pearl and sweet Spices but I know where the golden precious spicy fragrant Christians be England hath yielded these yet not England but the Grace of God that hath been ever with them 3. We see what hope we may have concerning New-England though we do not deserve to be named the same day with our dear Mother but have cause to hang down our heads and blush more then any people in the world in regard of what God hath done for us and we have done against him our sins here being of the first Magnitude and far greater then others in regard of Means and Mercies Liberties and Priviledges that we have enjoyed but no way so improved as the Lord hath expected yet this let me say That we have many fifties here to the glory of God be it spoken and the Lord increase them a thousand times more how many soever they be that are the Lords Righteous ones and though there be many blacker then a coal viler then the dirt under their feet and which may wish that they had never seen New-England with their eyes nor heard what they have heard here with their ears for whom Hell waits and gapes for every day yet we have some rare jewels and have had some rarer and peradventure there may be more then we think of as there were in Elijahs time Vse 2. for Terrour to those places where there are none that are good among them what will become of such places and persons Hell opens her mouth wide for them Vse 3. for Exhortation 1. To pray for the worst places peradventure some good may be found there some pearls may be hid in base shells some gold may be mixed with much dross 2. To hope well of those places how bad soever where the Gospel comes that Net will catch some good fish that Word will be a savour of life unto life to some that Treasure will enrich some that will be the power of God to salvation to some that Glass will transform some into the glorious Image of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 3.18 3. To bless God for any hope we have of the Righteous that are among us Oh that there were many more but for those we have we are for ever to bless God 4. To plead with God as Abraham did when God threatens destruction to any place that is dear to us Peradventure so many Righteous may be found there and see what such a plea will procure for it But of that more hereafter if the Lord will 5. To despair of no place or persons that have not sinned against the Holy Ghost seeing Abraham stands up for wicked Sodom 6. To prize those that are choice Believers they speak good words to the Lord for the wicked how much more for the Righteous that sue to them Verse 24. Wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein Doct. V. THat godly men do earnestly desire that God would not destroy but spare a wicked place especially for such a considerable number of Righteous ones as may be found therein So does Abraham here desire that God would not destroy but spare Sodom if fifty righteous persons were found in it Reasons 1. From God 2. From the righteous ones themselves 3. From them that pray for them First From God 1. He is very ready to forgive Psal 86.5 Neh. 9.17 at least so as to remit the punishment Abraham knew this full well and therefore made bold to intercede for wicked Sodom Some men are of that disposition that they are easie to be intreated and ready to forgive much more God 2. He will do much for those with whom his people have been Sojourners and that puts them upon prayer for them Abraham knew that though Sodom was a vile place yet it had suffered Lot and his family to dwell there and therefore prayes the rather for them that they may be spared at least if there were such a considerable number of such as he was 3. He commands us to be kinde to those that we have dwelt among Deut. 23.7 Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his land and if so he will be much more kinde himself and that 's a ground of godly mens praying for them 4. He loves the Righteous Psal