Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	israel_n	lord_n	people_n	2,601	5	4.8657	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80426	Higayon selah. Ierusalem fatall to her assailants. Discovered in a sermon before the Honorable House of commons August 29. 1649. At Margarets Westminster, upon their solemne day of thanksgiving for that signall victory over the Lord Ormond, in routing his whole army, and raising the seige of Dublin in Ireland, by the garrison thereof under the command of lieutenant Generall Jones. / By William Cooper M.A. minister of the gospel at Olaves Southwark.	Cooper, William, minister at St. Olave's Southwark.	1649 (1649)	Wing C6064; Thomason E572_4; ESTC R206160	37,133	45

have endeavoured to seek out a seasonble and sutable word for we may know as there 's nothing new under the Sun so the providence of God which hath wrought hitherto worketh yet still for his Church and so will doe yet more gloriously that yee all may marvell Observe then the parts and parralel together You have here first a very formall and formidable laying a siege secondly We have a signall raising of that siege thirdly we have the causes and consequents of both In the first two things are considerable First The besieged secondly the besiegers The Besieged is a City no mean City but a Mother in Israel Jerusalem the metropolis of Judea the glory of the earth the City of God is invested and beleagured the beloved City is surrounded and straightned by her adversaryes 2. The Besiegers a numerous Host all the people round about sundry Nations bad neighbours such as bear evill will to Sion all these come up against Juda and against Jerusalem this is clearly implyed v. 2. Nay its presupposed that all the people of the earth may designe a siege and sacking to Jerusalem v 3. Besides they shall come up well provided with Horse and Foot and all warlike equipage and they shall advance so far as to attach it they shall be lifting at it presuming to carry it v. 2 3 4. compared together Thus much of the siege of Jerusalem 2. The signall raising of the siege Wherein observe we first the Causes secondly the consequents The Causes are twofold Principall and instrumentall the principall cause of this work of Deliverance and Victory for its both is the Lord Jehovah who appears chief in this action in every verse to the eighth and he is described by his power and by his will which are put forth to relieve and succour Jerusalem Particularly the Lord comes forth armed with his Almighty creating power described in there eminent effects of it stretching out the heavens laying the foundation of the earth and forming the spirit of man within him This is to tell you how far the Lord Jehovah will engage for the rescuing of Jerusalem in distress his wonder-working and world creating power 2. The Instrumentall cause of Jerusalems reliefe for the Lord makes use of Instruments in it and that is Jerusalem it self shall be instrumentall in its own deliverance and the Lord thus working for Jerusalem by Jerusalem puts forth severall acts in the manner of his working here elegantly expressed and happily taking effect upon the enemy 1. Infatuating of him he would needs drink a cup and he was intoxicated with it v. 2. 2. Worsting or breaking them he would be lifting and heaving at Jerusalem and this stone fell upon him and brake him v. 3. 3. By astonishing the Horse and his ryder their most active powers their Cavalry and flower 4. After this follows the enemies utter consumption all of them shall be cut in pieces and consumed as straw with fire v. 3 6. Thus we have the Causes Hence 3. Follow the effects and consequents 1. Jerusalem is delivered and secured 2. Hereupon follows the doxology high and low governours and inhabitants of Ierusalem speak hearty praise to the Lord of Hosts acknowledging wherein their strength lyes in the Lord and his people and withall we have an act of faith in the governours resolving to make choice of the Lord of Hosts for their protector cleaving to him and being assured of him upon this score and interest that they have the inhabitants of Ierusalem with them and for them i. e. Gods people who have alwayes Gods presence and power by which they are invincible v. 5. Thus you have the Lords doing and our duty These are our parts and the parallel is clear between Ierusalem case and this occasion it needs not further repetition or application for as the words seem litterally meant of Ierusalem assaulted and distressed by Antiochus defended and relieved by the Maccabees so is it mystically meant of the Christian Church or any part of it persecuted by Antichrist and his powers of whom Antiochus was no obscure type or fore-runner * The interest of Gods people in Dublin and the enemies rage against it together with the righteous in it may well intitle such another City Jerusalem Now oh that the other part of the Prophesie v. 8. were fulfilled upon us this day as it was upon them that in that day i. e. when God puts forth his power in and for his people then the inhabitants of Ierusalem and he that is feeble among them shall be as David and the house of David as God and as the Angel of God before him they have been in power and valour Oh let us be as Davids and as Angels in praise and thanksgiving Had we but Davids heart and harp we might sing upon those parts of the text a Psalm of Degrees I must crave leave to passe through the Porch and Entry to my Text the first verse of the Chapter is but a preparatory preface to that I pitch upon for our meditations yet hath it some influence and relation to that which follows The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel Thus saith the Lord that stretched forth the heavens that laid the foundations of the earth that formeth the spirit of man within him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Song or comfortable prophesie begins with the burden first a burden that doth not pinch or presse Gods people at all t is for Israel for their sakes for their safety for their comfort but a burden indeed faln heavy upon Ierusalems enemies Ierusalems besiegers this burden is theirs It s a common metaphor among the Prophets importing some judgement or propheticall threatning of judgement upon a people such a contrariety is there between Ierusalem and her enemyes that as the two scales of a balance put weight in one it presseth down and lifts the other up the rise of Sion is the fall of Babylon the death of the witnesses makes the inhabitants of the earth merry Revel 11.10 When Ieremy and his people lamented in tears their enemyes laughed mocking at their Sabbaths Againe the Saints have their turn at last they shall laugh last Isa 65.13 14. Behold my servants shall rejoyce but yee shall be ashamed my servants shall sing for joy of heart but yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of Spirit Revel Now this is a speciall act of divine justice to give every one his turn and not onely so but by the law of retaliation to make his people shift their burdens upon their oppressours shoulders The burdens that oppressors lay on the back of the righteous shall fall heavy upon themselves breaking their bones and pressing them down into the Pit This they get by laying load on the Saints of God but of that afterward from the 3. v. The burden of the word of the Lord. The word fals heavy upon sinners though they make light of it this expression

verse Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling c. I thus armed thus resolved will now shew my glory at this great undertaking come and see a famous spectacle your God engaging for Ierusalem when the Lord once engageth eminently for Ierusalem to defend and deliver it Note he summons all to be spectatour and observers of it Before he shewed his power what he could doe here he declares his will what he is resolved to doe Behold I will make c. a solemne summons This is worth noting God looks to be observed and admired in his great workings for a distressed people he cals for it aloud Revel 6. When the Lamb opened the first seale John saith he heard a noise as of thunder one of the foure beasts saying Come and see and when he had opened the second seale I heard the second beast say Come and see And when he had opened the third seale I heard the voyce of the third beast say Come and see And when he had opened the fourth seale I heard the fourth beast Come and see Alloquitur Ioannem sustinentem personam fidelis populi qui similiter per vocem ministrorum excitarentur ad observandos hos mirabiles eventus Exod. 14.13 Moses told trembling Israel Feare not stand still and see the salvation of God which he will shew you this day The Lord shall fight for you and yee shall hold your peace yea that 's a glorious sight to see indeed to see God taking a Pharaoh in hand of whom wee said For this cause have I raised thee up to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth This is one main end why the Lord fats and heightens an adversary that he may try misteries with him and spend his arrows on him and all this to be observed and admired the more Psal 111 2. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all that have pleasure therein his work is honourable and glorious he hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred that 's their end the Lord would never appear upon the stage if he had not some strange act to present he would never call inspectatours if he would not provide somwhat worth seeing This hath made the Saints in all ages curious in observing Gods works Abraham rejoyced in seeing Christs day Iacob waited for Gods salvation Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy glory he had seen much of God before all that did but whet his appetite he was still greedy after more Daniel was a man of desires in this sense as you heard it glossed but now and had a large prospect yet would fain have crowded to see more Right honourable You set us to display God in his grandour this day you stand upon advantageous ground and you see farre and quick into Gods works for you have declared your sense of this and former mercies yet you will yeeld you have not seen all and that its worth reading and turning over and over this marvellous discovery and dispensation of God Say then with Moses when the bush burned and was not consumed when the Church was in a flame and yet flourished in the fire I will now turn about and see what this great sight meaneth Exod. 3.3 The Lord wonders and is very angry at the senlesnesse and blindenesse of men that will not see his hand lifted up men that are quick witted and sharp sighted in other things they can discern the face of the skyes but will not know the signes of the times when they are visible but let the wicked doe wickedly for none of them shall understand but the wise shall understand the scripture makes tother a matter of folly and brutishnesse but these providentiall acts upon wicked men in their ruffe and when they flourish and are presumptuous then to pull them down this is too deep for wicked men yet are wee solemnly called to observe it See Dan. 12.10 Hos 14. ult Psal 92 5 6 7. Psal 107.40 41 42 43. Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling to all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Iudah and Ierusalem Note Ierusalem may be besieged by her enemies the place and people of God may be encompassed and distressed by their Adversaries a truth so clear both of litterall and mysticall Ierusalem that it is but time waste to prove it It s observable that our three grand enemies are encompassing enemies and grow dangerous For an enemy to encompasse argues a fourfold danger First It argues neernesse Secondly Superiority in power else he neither could or durst advance so close Thirdly Superiority in numbers else he could not surround and encompasse for he that is without hath the largest Line Fourthly A distresse and straitning from escape all this is implyed in a siege 1. The Devill Iob 1.7 Iob 2.2 He compasseth the earth 1 Pet. 5.8 He is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk about and to devour There 's not a soul of a righteous man but he layes siege making assaults and battery to that soule as for the hearts of wicked men he is possessed of them already and they are fortified by him against God his Word and judgements 2. Sin is an encreasing evill it s called sin that doth easily beset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 12. Psal 49.5 David speaks of the iniquity of his heels compassing him about 3. The world none will doubt but that 's an encompassing enemy Therefore the poor Church is not only called a lilly among thorns a speckled Bird amongst the Birds Lambs among Wolves but expresly a besieged City the Daughter of Sion is left as a Cottage in a Vineyard as a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers as a besieged City Isaiah 1.8 Solitary and surrounded and not only invested at large but closely streightned and distressed so as with Jehosaphat they know not what to do only their eyes are upward towards God restat iter coelo tantum The ground of this from God is partly to give check restraint to the extravagancies of his people and we know sometimes it is but need the best and most retired soul hath his wanton flings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it s very hard to keep it from leering and hankering after some vanity to cure this the Lord will hedge us in with thornes Chrysost Hos 2. that we shall not find our lovers We are apt to turn our liberty into licenciousnes and the grace of God into wantonnes and to surfit upon mercy to growe fat and ranck to begin to gone and kick and break fence the Lord sees good to pinch us for this to reduce us to our measure and compasse by driving us into corners Sic deus cohibet fraenat suos ne diffluant Calvin thus the Lord will hamper his own he will banck and bound them into their right Channels least they overflow their bancks but