Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	judgement_n	sin_n	3,123	5	4.8089	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15524	Christs farevvell to Jerusalem, and last prophesie A sermon preached in the quier of the cathedrall church of Canterburie, at the funerall of that reuerend and worthy man, Mr. Doctor Colfe, Vice-Deane of the said church. Octob. 12. 1613. By Thomas Wilson, minister of Gods word.	Wilson, Thomas, 1563-1622.	1614 (1614)	STC 25790; ESTC S101806	26,045	78

as for their Children vvhose harmes vse to moue the bowels of tender mothers very greatly no compassions to the compassions of a mother toward her distressed babes 1 Kings 3. 26. Partly for that a thing horible to thinke of more direfull to act it many mothers through rage of hunger occasioned by famine in time of the Seige should be forced to broyle and eate their owne children for food to saue their liues with the death of their sweet infants as it hapned by Iosephus report Lastly Children would be a great hinderance and clogge as it vvere at the heeles of their Parents to stay their flight by which they otherwise might haue preserued themselues as some did Wherevpon our Sauiour vttereth Mat. 24. a vvoe to such women as should be with childe or giue sucke in those dayes The cause of all these terrible Iudgements were amongst other sinnes of the Iewes as their infidelitie hypocrisie contempt of the word hardnesse of heart yet especially the extreame sauage vnthankefulnesse and barbarous crueltie in putting causlesse to a shamefull death the innocent man Iesus hauing had Prophets and iust men sent vnto them some they reuiled others they beat and ill entreated God at last sending his owne and onely Sonne him they cast out of the Vineyard and slew therefore the Lord of the Vineyard waxed hot vvith indignation and vvhetting his sword came against those Husband-men in his fierce vvrath and destroyed them with a vvoderfull destruction some fortie yeeres after the Passion of our Lord for the vvhich Christ admonisheth these people that bewayled him telling them they had greater reason to lament their owne heauie case and the affliction of their Children then to vveepe for his cause From hence wee haue sundry things for our instruction and admonition First of all we may hereby discouer the errour of such men as though there vvere two Gods one of the olde Testament and another of the new and that the God of the new Testament of the twaine vvas the milder whereas there is but one onely God and the same alwayes like to himselfe God is euer but one both for nature and for will as extreamely hating and punishing sin now vnder the Gospell as he vvas vvont to doe vnder the Law nay more extreamly because now hee hath afforded greater grace and afforded more meanes against sinne All the olde Testament cannot yeeld an example of such seueritie in punishing sinne as here is threatned touching the destruction of Ierusalem and downe-fall of the Iewes No sorrow vvas like their sorrow nor no plague vvas like vnto their plague Therefore let all men greatly feare the diuine Iustice and he vvarned to take heed how they offend and prouoke it Secondly vvee may obserue the force and poyson of sinne when it is continued in impenitently it is able to turne the nature of things to change blessings into cursings and comforts into plagues and confusions What greater earthly blessings then the fruit of the wombe Children are called a treasure giuen from God Gold and Siluer cannot purchase it Kings and Princes haue desired to haue them and could not yet through sinne these impenitent Iewes were brought to this passe through their vvickednesse I say as that they accounted their Children accurst and their greatest miserie the fruit of their vvombe Wonder not at this for seeing obstinacy in sinne can make God of a Father to be a Iudge Christ of a Sauiour and corner-stone to support to be a stone of offence to stumble at the Gospell of the sauour of life to be a sauour of death the Sacraments to be a Iudgement and not a nourishment if in spirituall things Sinne haue this power to alter their propertie what maruell though in worldly things it can preuaile so farre as to cause that to be occasion of euill which was ordayned for our good and welfare as our Table to be our snare our riches to become thornes to choake our Children to be our vnhappinesse and woe Let all obstinate sinners which liue in the seruice of sinne and notwithstanding all admonitions from Gods Word Works and Spirit and from their owne conscience also yet hate to be reformed let such take knowledge of this doctrine and lay it to heart and hasten to be reclaimed else let them feare least an houre come when those things which are now a delight to them as their wiues children siluer gold houses lands meat drinke yea the very creatures of God which be so comfortable as Sunne Moone Starres doe through their stubbornesse in sinne proue bitternesse to them euen as bitter as gall and wormewood so as it be grieuous vnto them to looke vpon these good things and to thinke that euer they enjoyed them be as heauy to them as death This God can bring to passe that men shall curse their parents their birth-day their benefits themselues and all For if God did such strange things vnto the Iewes his chosen and peculiar people his treasure whom hee tooke out of all nations to be his owne to whom he made such great promises and gaue so many and notable priuiledges the Law the Couenant the seruice of God the Adoption the Arke of the testimonie visible token of his presence If Ierusalem the Citie of the great King where was the Temple the Altar the Sacrifices the Priest-hood and where God sayd he would for euer rest and dwell yet for impenitency in their sinne were made desolate and not onely depriued of Gods protection but contrary to the order set in nature had all their blessings accursed then wee the Inhabitants in England howsoeuer wee be blessed with many prerogatiues fauours the word of God the Ministery the Sacraments good Lawes and Maiestrates long and great Peace and Plenty yet if wee will not turne from our pride couetousnes ambition vncleannesse and other sins which are too ripe and rife amongst vs wee may looke when God should bring the like confusion among vs and make vs to be a prouerbe a reproach and pointing of the finger vnto al our neighbour nations as he did the Israelites before vs. Are we better then they should God change the course of his Iustice for our sakes Furthermore if the iust God haue such sharpe and terrible vengeance to powre out against vnrepentant sinners in this world where there is a time of patience and mercy Oh how horrible and intollerable torments may the wicked which goe on in their iniquities expect to suffer in the world to come when iudgement shal be executed without mercy and where the fury of Gods wrath like a consuming fire shall breake forth in all extremity for the full and perfect punishment of sinners vvho shall be bitten and vexed with the euer-gnawing worme of a guiltie conscience and burned in a fire of hot indignation that neuer shall go out All good things being taken away nothing but euill shall be present let this be as an Iron rod to driue

of our Text was the euent that followed this mourning namely a graue speech which our Sauiour vttered by occasion thereof ver 28. Which speech is partly prohibitory Weepe not for me secondly exhoriatory but weepe for your selues thirdly comminatory threatning not a few or light ones but an heape of heauy iudgements declared by the sayings of women that had children Blessed c. and of persons of all sexes and degrees then shall they begin c. Fourthly confirmatorie rendring a reason why the Iewes must be so plagued in an allegorical sentence wherein Iesus for his innocencie and good workes which he did is likened to a greene Tree which is both fruitfull and vnfit for burning the Iewes for their wickednesse are compared to a drie tree which is both barren and meet for burning these must in no wise escape the fire of Gods vengeance when his owne Sonne a greene tree is so sore afflicted And there followed him That is came neere vnto him euen behind his backe They bewailed and lamented him that is their inward sorrow was so vehement as it brast out into teares as appeares by vers 28. What women these were that thus followed lamented though not expressed in the Text yet probable to haue beene such as had heard his doctrine of whom reade in Luke 8.2.3 Iohn 11. 1. 2. and elsewhere It is the manner at Executions and Funerals of persons of note and name that many flocke and follow to the place some out of curiositie to heare and see some out of compassion to bewaile and lament their case and their losse So it was here many followed Christ as enemies some as friends out of loue much grieued that a man so innocent and so beneficent vvhich had done so much good to so many by his doctrine miracles should so vniustly suffer First of all note here how manifold testimonie vvas giuen to Iesus of his innocencie from all sorts of persons and creatures Iudas which betrayed him affirmed him to be an innocent Matt. 27.4 Pilate which condemned him not onely with his mouth sayd What euil hath hee done Matth. 27.23 and againe I finde no fault in him at all Iohn 19.4 but by the Ceremonie of washing his hands publikely protested so much Matth. 27.24 His Wife being troubled about Iesus in her dreame sent her husband this message Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man Matth. 27. 19. The Centurion seeing what hapned sayd Of a truth this was the Son of God Luke 23. Many people and women in our Text by their teares condemne the crueltie of the Priests and Elders and other Iewes and iustifie his integritie Yea not reasonable but euen vnsensible creatures as the Graues which opened the stones which cleft asunder the Sun which was Eclipsed the Ayre darkened all these as with one voyce did proclaime him an innocent person We read of a certaine Heathen Philosopher who vpon the strange accidents about the suffering of Iesus vttered these vvords Aut mundi machina dissoluitur aut Deus naturae patitur This serueth to the confutation and confounding of these wicked Iewes vvhich thought and still do thinke that Christ suffered as an euill doer a seducer or seditious person whereas his death had not taken away sinne from others if any sinne had beene in himselfe It became vs to haue a Sauiour separate from sinners holy vndefiled c. Hebr. 7.26 Secondly here is matter of comfort for all such as see and feele their owne iniquities with godly sorrow being humbled for them and displeased with them because they are sinnes the offences of a iust GOD and the causes of the death of an immaculate Lambe let such reioyce and be glad because Christ hauing no sinnes of his owne to suffer for therefore it must needs be he came to saue such sinners the iust to die for the vniust to seeke vp that vvhich is lost Secondly learne here our Christian dutie which is to mourne and bee touched with heauinesse for the death of godly persons as the Israelites mourned for Iacob a right good man and afterwards for Mosesan vpright Maiestrate and singular Prophet Deut. vlt. Also the Iewes lamented sore for zealous Iosiah that restorer of Religion keeping a yearely remembrance of his death see Lam. 1. ver 2. When Stephen the protomartyr a man full of Fayth and the holy Ghost dyed there was great lamentation made for him Act. 8.2 and Paul hauing said to the Christians at Melitum that they should see his face no more they fell vpon his necke and weptsore Act. 20.38 There be diuers reasons why we ought to bee affected with sorrow vvhen righteous persons are taken from vs. First Gods Commandement 1 Thessal 4.13 Eccles. 7.4 Secondly the example of holy men and of Iesus vveeping at the death of Lazarus Iohn 11.35 Thirdly because the world is continued and spared for the sake of good men Gen. 18. If ten righteous men had beene found in Sodome God had not punished it To Paul Act. 27.24 God gaue all the liues of those vvhich were in the Ship with him Certainely the iust by their prayers stand in the gap and doe stay and hold backe many iudgements that they breake not out and fall downe vpon the heads of the vvicked Againe the taking away of good men is commonly the fore-runner of some calamitie When Lot was out of Sodome then came downe fire from heauen to consume them And after the death of Iosiah Gods people vvere carried captiues into a strange Land Esay saith generally that righteous persons are remoued hence that they may not see the euill to come At a word godly persons be the props and pillers of Church and Common-wealth The meditation of this doctrine will help vs First to make better account of good men to whom wee are so much beholden that we haue them in singular loue honouring a Prophet and a righteous man because they be such Secondly this checketh three sorts of persons First those which hate the iust as Cain hated Abel and thinke them to be the troublers of the world as Achab falsly thought of Elias accusing them as enemies to Kings and States as CHRIST and his Apostles were iudged of putting them to death as euill doers as Antipas was Reu. 3. Secondly those which being shamelesly wicked doe reioyce at the fall of good men esteeming it a great benefit to be without them as they in the Psalme cheered themselues with Dauids sickenesse saying There there so would wee have it hee is downe and shall neuer rise againe Or as the Iewes triumphed when they had nayled IESVS to the Crosse and that hee had giuen vp the Ghost Thirdly such as through senselesse blockishnesse are without all feeling of sorrow when God strikes at such famous Lampes as this lying before vs which long gaue shine vnto the world by his wholesome doctrine and good life Lastly it must prouoke

sinners vnto speedy and serious repentance and amendement of life Moreouer of all other sinnes which wee ought to repent of namely and especially of crueltie and of crueltie against the Lord Iesus This was the crime among many others which principally prouoked God against his owne people and Citie euen for that they crucified the Lord of glory and put to death that iust One after they had rayled and spitted on him and beaten and shamefully entreated him howbeit this sinne of crueltie against Iesus I doubt it is little thought on or mistrusted to be amongst vs because Iesus is long since gone from vs whereas there be sundry wayes how men may now doe often fall into it For euen they which let slip out of minde the bloodshed of Iesus and forgetting they were once purged by it from their old sinnes doe liue securely and presumptuously in a sinnefull course being worldly and prophane what else doe they but what lyeth in them cause Iesus to bleed afresh and againe crucifie him making voyd the force and fruit of his passion to themselues Secondly all distrustfull persons which haue wauering mindes and doubt through vnbeliefe and though Christ haue suffered for sinne and be risen and gone vp into Heauen yet still doe aske how they shall escape death and bee saued what else is this but to call Iesus backe againe vnto the Crosse to bring Christ downe from above Rom. 10.6 Moreouer they which doe in cruell manner oppresse Christians spoyling them wrongfully in goods libertie or life is not this to persecute Christ in his members As it is written Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Act. 9.4 And what other thing doe they then but kill Christ through vnmercifulnes which doe not feed him when hee is an hungred doe not harbour him when he is harbourlesse and doe not cloath him when he is naked We know that they which doe not these things to the least of Christs they doe it not to himselfe Matth. 25. It is truely sayd of an auncient writer Si non pauisti occidists for the Apostle Iames writeth Chap. 5. of the couetous rich men that they doe kill the iust by vvithdrawing their wages from them vvhereupon they should liue also we perceiue by the vvords of Christ in the Gospell that not to saue life when we may is to destroy and to take away life and the truth is it is a like cruel vtterly to quench ones life by violence or by hardnesse of heart to keepe away that from him whereby hee should preserue life But I vvill shew you a greater cruelty then all this committed against Christ in his members by false prophets by negligent teachers and blinde guides vvhich put the precious soules of Christians in danger to perish euerlastingly eyther by teaching corrupt doctrine or no doctrine eyther by sowing heresies or not by sowing the seed of the word as an vnfaithfull steward doth starue the family by not giuing euery one their portion of meat so are they soule murderers which deny vnto Gods people their appointed food of the word Ezekiel Chap. 13. ver 18. sayth of false prophets that they doe hunt the soules of the people as a wilde beast doth hunt the poore Lambe to kill him It is the sentence of our Sauiour CHRIST Iohn 10. that hirelings doe loue the fleece and lucre better then the soules of the flocke doe come to kill and to destroy Finally it is expresly written in the Prouerbs that there the people doe perish where vision or preaching faileth There is no crueltie to the soule-crueltie which first or last wil call down for wrath vpon the heads of those which are guilty of it If Abels bloud cryed to God for vengeance how much more will the bloud of soules doe it In the first of Daniel when Daniel and the other children of the Iewes desired to be fed vvith pulse and not with meate which came from the Kings table the Eunuch which kept them answered that he durst not For saith he if your faces be not well liked when the King shall looke vpon you he will take away my head from me I doe not say vnto Idoll-Shepheards and dumbe dogges through whose negligence or ignorance the soules of the people haue leanenesse entred into their soules and looke vvith euill fauoured countenances that God will strike their heads from their shoulders but this I dare say auouch that without true repentance he will cast both their boydes and soules into hel and with the euill steward in the Gospell who said in his heart my Master will deferre his comming and so fall to beating his fellow-seruants they shall be cut in pieces and their portion shall be giuen them with Hipocrits and at the last they shall be burned with fire and brimstone O therefore that euill and sloathfull Ministers would consider this in time and lay it neere vnto their heart and repent of their cruelty past and hence forth carrie more mercifull hearts towards the inheritance of Christ yeerning and pittying the spirituall necessities of Christ his sheepe after his owne example Matthew 9. 36. Lastly it is greatly to be wished that all vniust and Sacriligious persons and Patrons who are the direct and effectuall occasions of plunging many soules into endlesse perditions by wrongfully detaining the hyers of Gods labourers by which meanes the Church of Christ is pestered with foolish Ministers and blinde Shepherds that God I say would giue them better mindes and change their bloudy hearts into pittifull hearts to take compassion on their brethren which doe by heapes runne vnto destruction For Christ Iesus will not for euer put it vp to be so cruelly dealt with in his people which be deere and precious to him as the apple of his eye Verse 30. Then shall they begin to say vnto the Mountaines fall on vs c. THese wordes are borrowed out of the Prophet Hosea Chap. 10. ve 8. Where God threatneth vnto sinnefull Idolatrous Samaria such extreme iudgments as they should rather chuse to suffer any violence then to liue and languish in their miseries Here Christ foretelleth the Iewes that this shall be iust their case euen such a miserable condition they should be in as they should seeke death and it should flye from them desire to be crushed by the waight of hils and mountaines rather then to enioy life with such anxitie and vnhappinesse How this was fulfilled is reported by Iosephus a Iew himselfe an eye and eare witnes of all that horrible calamitie that came vpon Ierusalem according to this prediction of Christ. Hardly without abundance of teares can one read the most bitter euils and perplexed afflictions and shifts which partly by famine partly by sword partly by flight running into Caues and Mountaines to hide themselues they were plunged into such an heape of most comfortlesse miseries as the very Romaines their enemies pittied and grieued to looke vpon their desolations Where obserue