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	lord_n	people_n	4,203	5	4.5705	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02693	Dauids comfort at Ziklag A plaine sermon made in time of dearth and scarcitie of corne and worke. By Robert Harris.	Harris, Robert, 1581-1658.	1628 (1628)	STC 12825; ESTC S103794	12,068	29

DAVIDS COMFORT AT ZIKLAG A PLAINE SERMON made in time of dearth and scarcitie of Corne and WORKE By Robert Harris LONDON Printed for IOHN BARTLET at the gilt Cup in Cheape-side 1628. DAVIDS COMFORT AT ZIKLAG 1. SAM 30.6 And Dauid was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him because the soule of all the people was grieued euery man for his sonnes and for his daughters but Dauid encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God THese words briefly report Dauids distresse at Ziklag which distresse is first in grosse said to be great and then more particularly enlarged from the causes and effects thereof The cause ouer and aboue his prinate losse is the mutinie of his owne people who are 1. imbittered vpon the losse of their children taken by the Amalekites against whom their zeale should haue been greater and thereupon in the next place would haue stoned Dauid as the authour of so much mischiefe Dauid then was in danger of his head hee was like enough to dye by the hand of his friends as a malefactor without tryall and this distresses him Now for the effects Dauid first comforts and stayes himselfe on God who was able to helpe all being the Lord ready being his God Secondly hauing comforted him selfe in God hee consults with God where 1. the meanes on his part is mentioned Gods own meanes 2. the answer on Gods part a direct answer both for the means to be vsed and successe to be expected he should follow and he should certainly speed Wee will not forestall another by any exact enquiry into the words but acquaint you with some generall meditations that haue beene to one and may be to you somewhat vsefull First Doct. 1. this is in sight That the Lord doth sometimes suffer his dearest seruants to be greatly 〈…〉 stressed Men greatly beloued as Dauid was are many times greatly straightned as Dauid was To proue this were to waste time First see When they are chiefly thus distressed secondly Why and as for kinds of distresses we shall touch them in application and so saue time It shall suffice for the present to say that Gods children drink of all waters and haue experience of all afflictions and that chiefly in these times First when they haue left Gods counsels and followed their owne deuices Gods children are neuer worse hampered than in nets of their owne weauing when they will be witty eyther against God or without God then they spinne a wofull threed a Spiders webbe For carnall reason is a very bad counsailor and puts a man vpon euill meanes and none can draw a good conclusion from ill premisses but only God Therfore when Christians haue lost Gods wisedome and his wayes and betaken themselues to their owne wit and wayes they haue plunged themselues wonderfully A man is secure and confident in his owne courses like a childe that leaues his fathers counsaile and followes his owne and the fresh-water souldier that will be a Pilot before hee is fit for a Mariner and thereupon runnes his ship vpon the sands Thus Ionah was greatly distressed when hee would be wiser than God thus Abraham greatly distressed Gen. 20. when he would liue by his wits thus Dauid he had so contriued it that neyther Saul nor Achitophell nor any of them all should touch him and now hee is in all their dangers vnlesse God helpe him out And neuer doe Gods children please themselues greatly in their owne contriuements but thus they speed where they expect great safety they are greatly endangered where much comfort greatly distressed 2 Secondly when they haue receiued great blessings and comforts from God then comes pride and securitie and that 's a forerunner of a fall Great mercies worke great thoughts and spirits in vs and great thoughts make way for great afflictions We will not instance in Nebuchadnezzar Dauid prospered greatly God had set him on high made his mountaine strong his heart grew secure then came trouble Hezekiah was greatly distressed and when was it after great deliuerances and blessings V 〈…〉 iah and Asa the like Mans heart cannot beare a great measure of comfort no more than his head can a great measure of wine therefore eyther God mingles their wine when they take it or presently after or else they be giddy and must be distressed Hence S. Paul after great consolations had great temptations and afflictions 2. Cor. 12. and the blessed Virgin Mary in S. Luke is told of a sword when of a sonne Luc. 2.35 that must through her heart as well as Christ through her loynes 3 Thirdly when they be to receiue some great comfort from God when God hath some great employment or preferment or deliuerance or consolation in store for his children hee makes way thereto by some great affliction of bodie minde state friends c. as men lay the foundation very deepe when they meane to raise the building very high Thus Ioseph was greatly distressed but when when he must be a Prince shortly after thus Dauid greatly impouerished when when shortly after he must come to the Crowne Generally as in darke nights it is darkest towards day-breake so t is with the Saints of God the sharpest fit is euer at the birth when they bee deliuered of their sorrow So God makes his comforts more tastefull and lesse dangerfull to them and therefore first mars them then makes them vndoes them crushes them and then rayses them vp These be speciall times the generall should haue beene first noted viz. When Gods children haue gotten some stocke and strength for the Lord is wise and will not vse an Iron Instrument to thresh out Cummin Esay 28. hee will not lay weight vpon greene Timber but first season it and then employ it after Ioh. 21. Thus while Peter was young hee walked at large but after was distressed Thus for the When. Now Why doth God bring such distresses on his you may partly ghesse by the When. He respects himselfe his Church his particular children in it First God gaines glory many waies by this Reason 1. First his power is seene in their distresses his loue goodnesse truth c. Then the Saints can say with Iob Now mine eyes haue seene thee 2 Secondly Iob. 42.5 then not only present power and mercie is seene but former Wee see what power was vsed in preuenting miserie what mercie in giuing comfort And thirdly then God shall haue their custome and companie Children that care not for Parents in prosperitie will to them in miserie they le come early come euery whit of them Dauid could comfort himselfe in his wiues in his children before but now ail are met in God no wise but God no child nor friend but God now hee goes all one way and now his confessions and prayers bee such as will set out God indeed prayes more and more spiritually than euer c. Secondly Reas 2 God aymes at the Churches good in this 1. whilest shee