Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	lord_n	see_v	4,192	5	3.2926	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38451	Propugnaculum pietatis, the saints Ebenezer and pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the creature, or, The godly mans crutch or staffe in times of sadning disappointments, sinking discouragements, shaking desolations wherein is largely shewed, the transcendent excellency of God, his peoples help and hope : with the unparallel'd happiness of the saints in their confidence in him, overballancing the worldlings carnal dependance both as to sweetness and safety : pourtray'd in a discourse on Psal. 146:5 / by F.E.	F. E. (Francis English)	1667 (1667)	Wing E3076; ESTC R2623	160,282	286

we joyned to him by the same spirit does he dwell in our hearts by faith is he in us and we in him and abides in us as the hope of our glory our interest in him is a sure and infallible evidence of our interest in the Father He is the only Jacobs ladder whereby we can climb up to communion with the God of Jacob. His foot is on Earth but his top in Heaven The second is our covenant obligation to him I entred into a covenant with thee saith God and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 Isa 55.3 There is a mutual covenant between God and his People as he hath engaged for their salvation so have they for his service O Lord I am thy Servant quoth David and so the Church Micah 4.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever She gives up her self to God not only in a way of single considence but resolute obedience The relations are mutual between God and his People he becomes theirs and they his They are betrothed in the marriage-covenant to him in judgement righteousness tender mercies and faithfulness and they know the Lord. Art thou then O soul brought into covenant with God hast thou broken off that accursed league with sin and Satan by righteousness and engaged thy soul solemnly to become a faithful servant to him as thy only Liege-Lord and no other Art thou resolved to fear love and serve him in holiness and righteousness all the daies of thy life and to glorifie him in thy soul body and spirit which are his Thy engagement for his glory is an hopeful sign of his engagement for thy good Thirdly Intimate acquaintance and indeared communion with him Abraham had great interest in God and as great acquaintance with him We may see in Sodoms case how boldly he goes to him Friendship with God breeds an holy familiarity So Moses had a large share in Gods favour and God spake to him face to face and he talked with him again as a man with his familiar friend There are sweet communications of counsel between God and a gracious soul Our fellowship is with the Father 1 Joh. 1.3 David was a man after Gods own heart and had intimate acquaintance with God went to him by faith and prayer on all occasions It 's good for me saith he to draw near to God and one daies communion with him is worth a thousand It was said of Charls the great he conversed more with God than men As all communion is founded in union so true union discovers it self by flowing forth in acts of communion Now Christian what communion maintains thy soul with God in prayer private secret in meditation in publick Ordinances Is it thy meat and drink thy joy and rejoycing to work righteousness and meet him in his waies Thou canst have no interest in God if thou livest without him in the world nor canst call him Father truly if thou hast not or dost not know him Fourthly Sympathy and fellowship with him Gods interest and the souls are not two but one they are like two Turtles if one dies the other never lives comfortably after but sorrowing for the loss of her Mate God is sensible of and well-pleased with all the good done to his People his language is Inasmuch as ye have done it to these ye have done it to me And his people are affected with and rejoyce in all the glory is brought to him and had rather lose their comfort than their God should lose his honour They desire he alone should be magnified and are willing to be made stirrups for him to rise by though it be by their utter downfall And as they are satisfied in each others good so sensible of each others evil God sympathizeth with his Peoples sufferings In all their afflictions he is afflicted And they with his affronts and injuries The interest of God lies nearer their hearts than any thing else in the world They count not their own lives dear so they may but save his honour and so he be magnified though they be reproached impoverished imprisoned bamshed p●rsecuted they think themselves well apaid What sympathy hast thou with Gods cause and interest dost thou account the glory brought to him as good done to thee and take the injuries he suffers as offered to thy self Canst thou wish thy self a shield to sence off those dishonours which are cast on the face of thy Lord and Master Art thou meek as a Lamb in thy own cause but fierce as a Lion in Gods zealous for the Lord God of Israel how art thou affected when thou hearest his holy Name torn by the black mouths of the wicked and their tongues set on fire from Hell when thou seest his Creatures abused his Ordinances prophaned his People trampled under foot his Truth despised his Attributes blasphemed his Sabbaths unhallowed his Worship polluted If thou beest in the relation of a Son thou wilt not endure to see one spit on thy Fathers face or an ingenuous Servant wilt not bear thy Masters wrong behind his back Fifthly Suitable affections Where there is interest in God all the affections of the soul have their out-goings after him Thou hast First An high esteem and valuation of him Whom have I in Heaven but thee Interest raiseth estimation The Father esteems his Child and the Husband his Wife and so vice versà above all other though they be deformed and others beautiful they weak and others healthful they rich and others poor they ignorant and others learned and knowing because of their propriety in them A Saint values God above all the world above all things visible or invisible counts all loss dross and dung in comparison of him He alone is to him the Pearl of true price Gods People are precious to him above all others and so is he to them likewise They will part with all for him preferring him before all and venture all rather than lose their hold of him or sacrifice their interest in him omnia levia preterquam quod tui carendum How stands their esteem poised Secondly Thou hast an ardent and affectionate love towards him I will love the Lord my strength saith holy David Psal 18.1 Self-interest makes a man love his own Whom believing we love The applications of faith are alwaies seconded with the imbraces of love He that hath God for his God hath had experience of his love in Christ some tastes of his love shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost and he cannot but love him by whom he was first loved This love constrains him Amor meus Pondus meum Does mercy love misery and shall not misery love mercy beauty affect deformity and shall not deformity re-affect beauty glory shine on dust and they not reflect on glory Nimis durus animus qui etsi amorem non vult impendere tamen non vult rependere Bernard

when we extravagate from him but will never utterly disinherit us and cast us out of his favour and protection but though for a moment he forsakes with everlasting kindness he remembers us Fourthly This teacheth us the folly and danger of all oppositions against and oppressions of the People of God If God be their help who shall be their destroyer or dare be their opposer And yet such is the madness and phrensie of the world as they will venture to set themselves against those God hath set himself for The wicked have shamed the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge They know what to do well enough with him for all that they are resolved to persecute him let him save and deliver him Many there be saith David which say of my soul there is no help for him in his God Psal 3.2 3. These in their triumphant bravado's and flourishing vapours are their vain and cursed conclusions I will pursue I will overtake that 's their desperate resolution The world is resolved to hate those God loves and persecute them God hath undertaken to protect They will kick against the pricks and though they cannot reach the person Christ whose Image the Saints do but represent yet Panther-like in their rage they will tear the picture Either by secret fraud they are consulting against Gods hidden ones to undermine them or by open violence endeavouring to overthrow them But such is the Saints stability in God that the very gates of Hell shall never prevail against them They are as Mount Sion that cannot be moved They do but throw stones against the wind go about to pluck the Sun out of Heaven as those Barbarous Nations who when scorched by the heat of it endeavour with their arrows to shoot at it There is no enchantment against Jacob nor divination against Israel saith Baalam himself a Wizzard Numb 23. And God hath set a noli me tangere about his People Psal 106.15 Yea promised that no weapon formed against them shall prosper God will turn those weapons against themselves and cause all their arrows to return on their own heads God will be an enemy to his Peoples enemies and bring ruin on all the Churches oppressors It 's Solomon's counsel not to oppress the poor because his Redeemer is mighty The Most High regards it and will reward it too and relieve them under it For the oppression of his poor and needy he will also arise and set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psa 12.5 God is his Peoples second and stands at their back he will uphold Jacob though a Worm he hath undertaken their defence and will vindicate their cause They therefore have no cause to fear or their enemies to triumph God stands Sentinel over them never slumbers or sleeps and they may sleep securely while he awakes as that great Commander did when his Captain was watching the enemies motion David will never flie or run for 't as long as he hath God for his shield Psal 11.1 In the Lord saith he put I my trust how say ye to my soul fly as a Bird to your Mountain And neither have their enemies any ground of confidence Would not you think that man worse than mad whom you bend setting his shoulders against a strong and well-built house thinking to overturn it of its foundation or against an impregnable Rock endeavouring to remove it from its place Such and infinitely far worse is their vanity who set themselves against the Lord and his Anointed None ever yet set himself against the Almighty or shall ever do but will be sure to have the worst of it God saies Zach. 12.3 He will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces Heerom tells us that at the entrance of the gate of Jerusalem there lay very great stones by the lifting whereof men used to try their strength He that could heave them came off without any harm but they which attempted and could not lift them were sorely bruised and battered if not utterly spoiled by them Such will be the issue and success of all wicked mens designs and enterprizes against Gods People who have him as the stone of their help all their powers policies attempts and under-ground devices shall come to nought and confusion their mischief come down on their own head and their violent dealing on their own pate yea all their conf●deracies and combinations as well as conspiracies and secret machinations shall be broken in pieces Isa 8.9 10. And as God told the Israelites once when leaning on the Egyptians both he that helpeth and he that is holpen shall both fall together Isa 31.3 O that the world would at length learn the wisdom not to oppose God and so run on the pikes of their own inevitable ruin but rather kiss the Son lest they perish in his wrath when kindled but a little And which is a consequence of this or rather a just inference upon it let all that pretend to bear good will to Sion beware openly or covertly of taking in against Gods interest and cause whatsoever be their disguises or pretences lest it comes home by them in the end If Meroz was cursed for not helping the Lord against the mighty what will be their doom who dare help the mighty against the Lord If good Jehosaphat had so sharp a reproof for helping with the ungodly and those who did not fear the Lord 2 Chron. 19.2 They must needs not only be blamed but also cursed who will venture to aid abet or assist the wicked against those who fear the Lord and are the objects of his help and protection And so much by way of deduction and inference Secondly This provokes to examination If they be thus happy who are interested in God and have him as their help and hope it 's worth our enquiry whether this God be our God and consequently our help and hope in the day of evil Now if we would know this our interest let us take first some general signs of an interest in him Secondly some more particular evidences or discoveries of our making him our hope and help The first mark or sign of an interest in God is union with him in and through Christ All creatures through the fall are out of favour at Heaven and there is no coming to God but through his Son He is the way the truth and the life The way in which the truth by which the life unto which the soul moves and comes No man comes to the Father but by him nor knows the Father but 't is of his revealing We are far off from God by nature but draw nigh through Christs blood that new and living way If we know him we know also the Father Are our souls united then to Christ by faith have we received him as our Lord and Saviour Prince and Priest to save and sanctifie redeem and rule us are

weeps he watcheth he runs he fights he strives and all to obtain further assurance to apprehend that for which he is apprehended of him And so much for the more general signs of our Interest in God To touch secondly about a few more special signs of having him our help and hope First If God be our Help and we so make him there will be a disobligation to and utter discarding of rejection and casting away all creature-confidence The Soul hath no confidence in the arm of flesh as to its spiritual condition not in Means and Ordinances gifts parts duties graces enjoyments but accounts all loss as to its temporal condition it trusts not to its power wit policy strength wealth estate friends makes not fine Gold its hope as Job speaks in vindication of his integrity cap. 3.24 Ezra was ashamed to go with a request to the King though in a good Cause having first declared his trust in his God Ezra 8.12 A gracious Soul renounceth all carnal dependencies whatsoever Neither Circumcision or Uncircumcision avails him he glorieth only in the Lord. He will not pluck the Crown off the head of Free grace or snatch it out of the hand of Divine power to set it on the head of a poor finite Creature A carnal heart can trust any thing but God a Christian can trust nothing but God him before any thing all things A Worldling can trust God in nothing a Saint in all things at all times can trust him with his Name Estate Liberty Life Soul his all trust him in good dayes of peace and prosperity in evil dayes of trouble and adversity being carefull for nothing but in every thing making his requests known to God with Prayer and Thanksgiving committing his whole way and care to him and his Providence Which is a second Note A constant exercise of dependance on God and on God alone He is his hope and his habitation to which he continually resorts Psal 71.2 Do's he want any mercy he goes by Faith and Prayer to his God for it do's he meet with any mischief or injury he goes again and pours forth his overwhelmed Soul in complaints before the Lord he waits for him and looks to him His eyes are up to the Heavens whence his help comes Mic. 7.7 Therefore saith the Church will I look to the Lord and wait upon the God of my salvation And so David Psal 5.3 In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and will look up When he hath shut his mouth he will open his eye his ear and when himself knows not what to do hear what his God will say He is alwayes confident in the Lord and triumphs in the God of his salvation Now because an Hypocrite may harbour a false dependance and a counterfeit hope as well as a Christian a well-grounded confidence let us try it by some following Touch-stones which is the third and last particular concern'd in this Inquisition with which I shall dismiss it namely to give some Notes or lay before you some properties and effects of a Saints fixed hope in the Lord his God which may discriminate and contradistinguish it from the languishing and vanishing hope of Hypocrites and carnal Professors And them take in these following particulars First A godly mans hope is a grounded Hope He hath the root of the matter in him The righteous hath an everlasting foundation the Hypocrite hath no bottom These have no root Luk. 9.13 The house on the Sands was raised to an equal height with that on the Rock and the difference was not in the superstructure but only in the foundation A carnal man may have as firm a confidence as a Saint and an Hypocrite as strong a presumption as an upright Soul hath a perswasion but not so good an evidence Now confidence is always nought without evidence The jetting hope of an Hypocrite is built upon his external profession and priviledges as a worldlings is on his meer outward enjoyments His confidence is in the flesh but a Saints hope is bred and maintained too by the Word and Promises Heb. 6.18 19. It 's nourisht by spiritual influences and experiences As it is founded on the Lord Jesus Christ that bringing in of a better hope that hope in us of our glory so 't is backt with good evidence I will trust in him saith Job though he kills me I will maintain mine own wayes before him He also is become my salvation but an Hypocrite shall not come before him cap. 13.15 16. The Apostle calls a Believers a good hope through grace 2 Thess 2.16 through grace favouring as the Spring and grace sanctifying as the suel of it Secondly It is an Effectual hope hath a blessed vertue and efficacy in it especially a six-fold vertue First Ad purificandum to purifie the heart and Conscience of a Christian What the Apostle saith of Faith may be said of Hope it purifies the heart Yea he sayes it expresly of this grace also 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifies himself even as God is pure Secundum speciem though not gradum in kinde and quality though not equality If not in act yet at least in endeavour and affection Hope purgeth the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God by it the Soul draws nigh to God and comes to have a sight and view of him and Omnis visio affimilat Proportionable to our Faith is our Holiness and to our Expectations our Conversation This distinguisheth it from all Formalists presumption Hypocrites lean on the Lord and are confident of his presence amongst them though they perpetrate all manner of wickedness and do all kind of abominations Mic. 3.11 But in vain do sinners load Gods back and yet pretend to lean on his Arm. Security and presumption lead men to sin Isa 57.10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet thou saidst not there is no hope Thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved And desperation also makes them rush on in courses of Iniquity Jer. 18.12 They said there is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart a sad and desperate conclusion But true hope draws the Soul off from sin Whatsoever a Childe of God doth he will not sin against and away his hopes but having hope in Gods Word and in those great and precious Promises he cleanseth himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit Tit. 2.12 14. Secondly Ad excitandum it quickens unto duty It 's a living yea a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Where hope is in the centre obedience is in the circumference David conjoyns them Psal 119.166 Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy Commandments Believing puts upon doing Hope of mercy quickens and animates to duty We believe and therefore we speak and act too and no good hope of the end without due use of the means means must