Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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B04981
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A warning-piece to repentance presented in an assize-sermon preached in the cathedral chruch of Lincoln. Aug. 15. 1664. / By William Reresby doctor in divinity.
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Reresby, William, d. 1670.
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1664
(1664)
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Wing R1123; ESTC R182680
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27,476
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70
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he is contented that the 〈◊〉 of his immediate Worship shall for that purpose be for a time intermitted and suspended When Joshua and the Elders of Israel were crying to God in prayer mark Gods Reply Get thee up why lyest thou upon thy face Josh 7.10 something else is now to be done Israel hath sinned I am highly provoked Achan must dye Though the prayer of the upright be Gods delight Prov. 15.8 Though prayer be the most acceptable piece of all God's service Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely Yet Joshua is here called from his Devotion to the execution of Justice Reas 3 Not to mention any more the third Reason is taken from his Judicial Office at the latter day He shall judge the World ponderrng the particular actions of men and weighing them as it were in a balance So Solomon in the last of Ecclesiastes God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil And if every work then among the rest wrong-doing and injurious dealing Now this he cannot do if injustice and wrong should be found in any of his actions A Judge must not be guilty of those things he condemns in others The Philosopher being ask't on a time why he laugh'd answer'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I see great Thieves lead a little Thief to hanging And this reason I find laid down Rom. 3.5 6. Is God unrighteous c How then shall he judge the World So Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge saith Abraham of all the Earth do right q. d. O Lord Thou art Judge of all the Earth How then can it be but thou shouldest do right Now for Application And the Use hereof is threefold For Instruction Consolation and Exhortation Use 1 1. For Instruction If God never punish without a cause if the judgments that he executes are alwayes just and righteous it teacheth us when any punishment is upon us how to obtain deliverance from it viz. by taking away the cause thereof The cause of any thing being taken away its effect ceases according to that Rule Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus But what 's the cause of all kind of punishments The Prophet Jeremy shall tell you Lam. 3.39 Man suffereth for his sin And David Psal 107.17 Fools because of their transgressions and because of their iniquity are afflicted Remove thy sins then and forsake them and be washed from them and let them be unto thee as the waters of Noah which God hath sworn shall no more go over the Earth not returning with the Deg unto his vomit again nor with the Sow to her wallowing in the mire and then God will remove his judgments Thou deceivest thy self if thou expect deliverance any other way Jer. 30.15 Why cryest thou for thine affliction Thy sorrow is incurable And why For the multitude of thine iniquities because thy sins were increased Thou dost not cease to multiply and increase thy sins and iniquities daily and yet cryest unto me for thine affliction that I should take it away why dost thou so its in vain I neither can no◠will till thou take away thy sins Use 2 The second Use is for Consolation and the Consolation of those whose Friends that are dear unto them are any wayes afflicted or visited under God's hand Look into the 14th Chapter of Ezekiel the Lord threatning there to smite Jerusalem with a deadly destruction bringing his four sore judgments as he calls them upon it The Sword the Famine Noysom Beasts and the Pestilence yet promises that a remnant should escape he would spare some few But what favour was that They had better have perished with the rest than survive with grief of heart and sorrow of eyes to see the destruction of their neighbours kinsfolks friends and acquaintance round about How can I endure saith Esther to see the destruction of my people No saith God in the two last verses They shall be comforted concerning the evil that I will bring upon Jerusalem But how When they consider that I have not done without cause all that I have done Use 3 3. For Exhortation And 1. To all in general 2. To some more especially in particular 1. To all in general Eph. 5.1 Herein to be followers of God as dear Children taking heed by all means of wrong doing In God there are some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inimitable of the Creature some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are difficult and hard to be imitated other things again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are easie to be imitated And of this last sort is his just and righteous dealing and process against sinners The sin my Brethren is greatly aggravated when what is done is done without cause no just occasion being given They have privily laid a Net to destroy me saith David of his Adversaries that was a sin I and without cause Yea even without cause they have made a pit for my soul Psal 35.7 It was greater by that The Assyrian saith God oppressed my people that was ill nay and which is worse without cause Esay 52.4 A sin too common and Epidemical in these times wherein Judgment as our Prophet speaks Ames 6.12 Chapter 6. is turned into gall and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock Esay 59.14 Or as another Prophet Esay 59. Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off Truth is fallen in the streets and Equity cannot enter But I wish the Apostles saying were remembred Col. 3. ult He that doth wrong shall receive according to the wrong that he hath done 2. To some more especially in particular And they 1. Those that are instrumental for the execution of Justice viz. Judges Lawyers Jurors Witnesses 2. Those that suffer under Gods hand howsoever 1. Those that are instrumental for the execution of Justice And amongst these Judges have the first place They are God's Vicegerents his Substitutes as it were or as the Apostle calls them Rom. Rom. 13.4 13. His Ministers to execute wrath upon evil doers In any wise to beware of unjust executions and penalties such as for which there is no cause An upright Judge looks at the justness of the cause not at the persons of their Friends Kinsmen or Favourites Personam judicas exuit qui amici induit He is too little a Judge who is too much a Friend Justice must run down like a River saith our Prophet Amos 5 24. Chap. 5.24 It must not be pal'd in as a Pond but must lie open to refresh all comers rich and poor Ye shall hear the small as well as the great Deut. 1.17 Justice is pictur'd with a veil before her eyes and a pair of Scales in her hand her eyes are veil'd to denote unto us the impartiality that should be in a Judge he should have tars to scan mens causes but no eyes to discern