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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	lord_n	people_n	word_n	2,775	5	4.0281	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96329	The danger of greatnesse: or Uzziah his exaltation and destruction: set forth in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and the reverend Assembly of Divines, in the church of Martins in the Fields, the 14th day of January, 1645. being a speciall day of humiliation set apart to seek God, for his direction in the setling of the great worke of church-government. / By Jeremiah Whitaker, a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Whittaker, Jeremiah, 1599-1654.	1646 (1646)	Wing W1711; Thomason E316_1; ESTC R200519	42,588	49

rescue his servants out of their hands as fire-brands taken out of the common burning When the Lord of hosts who is the redeemer of his people appears to be strong and thorowly to plead the cause of his people to give them rest and to disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon to deliver the righteous out of trouble Jer 50.34 and to bring the wicked into trouble in their stead If under all this their uncircumcised hearts be not humbled and they will not give glory to God in beleeving they shall be broken as a tree and the horn of his people shall be exalted and the wicked shall see and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth and melt away the desires of the wicked shall perish and iniquity shall stop her mouth for ever 1. Vse 1 Beleeve this great truth that the prosperity of persons families and Kingdoms are in the hands of God that promotion comes neither from the east nor from the west but that it is God that sets up one and pulls down another The books of the Kings and Chronicles are recorded that God himself hath left for States-men in especiall manner to peruse and ponder the many and mighty changes in the state and polity of Israel and Iudah came from an higher hand then the designes of men In the whole story you shall finde all experience cleering this that their whole state varied in its rise and fall beauty and deformity accordingly as they came up or fell off from the Lord. When they sought the Lord God helped them Wonderfully but when they deserted God and resolved to carry all before them by power and policy they were soon brought low for their inquity Psal 106.43 2. Vse 2 If others beleeve not this do you acknowledge it this day Right Honourable and the heads of our Tribes is this Scripture fulfilled in your eyes you may see it and cry out in admiration surely God hath helped us Wonderfully God hath rained down miracles of salvations he hath wrought wonders for you 1. In calling you together in the daies of our fears Call but to minde the Wormwood and the gall and let your soul still have them in remembrance When the enemy was so high that they were above fear and the people of the Lord so low that they were below hope then you could not but say this text is verified on you as truly as on Vzziah God hath helped wonderfully 2. God hath wrought wonders in keeping you together all this troublesome time when there hath been a great dispersing and forsaking in the midst of the Land 3. God hath kept you when others fell off from you 4. God hath kept you together when our sins not to say yours have provoked the Lord every day to make you fall asunder and when in some particulars according to different light your selves have been divided yet for the main God hath kept you together by a wonder of goodnesse that so your division might not prove our confusion God hath also kept you and the Nation in you alive our lives and safeties and the life of our Nation have been bound up in yours God hath wrought also wonders every where for you he hath helped you wonderfully in the North and in the West He hath said to the North Give up and to the West Keep not back His deliverances have been clear victories no longer disputable but undoubted Your friends cannot but admire your enemies cannot but acknowledge therefore 't is your duty to beleeve it with the heart and confesse it with the tongue that the Lord hath helped wonderfully 3. Vse 3 Be not you then weary in seeking God You have not fought in vain God hath not been to you a Wildernesse or a land of darknesse had God set us to pull at a rock that we should all our life long have been praying crying mourning and we had never seen any return of our prayers it had been our duty to have persevered seeking to our dying day but when God hath so visibly and so wonderfully risen up upon the supplication of his servants follow God with entreaties When God intends to worke great redemptions and to bring deliverances to perfection then he hath said Ier. 31.9 his people shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them If God hath helped you wonderfully Vse 4 be you forward to helpe the Lord even the Lord against the mighty God hath begun first to afford his helpe to you be you ready to draw out all your strength to helpe him God commands it and in all equity he may expect it All parts of the Kingdom cry for your helpe and the Church as a woman in travell cries out for your assistance Look back and consider what great things God hath done and aske your own hearts what you have hitherto done for the name of your God or what shall we render to the Lord for his great goodnesse Lay out your selves for him who hath spread out his great power for you and be willing to decrease that he may increase let God be your strength and your strong tower honour God with your strength this will be a strong preservative against the venomous infection which surprised Vzziah who when he was made strong doted upon his highnesse and his heart was lifted up to his own destruction Thus far you have seen this great Prince in his ascension Third part and in him a parallel of superlative goodnesse to wards you The remainder is very sad his sin and misery Vzziah being made strong his heart was lifted up not in the wayes of the Lord as it was said of good Icheshapha● 2 Chro. 17.5 for that is ever needfull to be lifted up in the Lord against all discouragements but his heart was lifted up swelled grown great in the thoughts of his own worth Oh tell is not in Gath publish it not in the gates of Askelon Yet his fall is recorded for our warning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon whom the ends of the world are come When good men are made strong Observ 3 then are they in most danger vainly in themselves to be lifted up Look over all former particulars 1. Of Persons that have been greatest Rehaba●m when he was establish'd in the Kingdom had strengthened himself to forsake the Lord and all Israel with him 2 Chron. 2.12 21. 2 Chron. 2.25 19. Amaziah when he had smisten the Ammonites his heart was lifted up to boast Nebuchadnezzar when God had used him as a great instrument his heart was lifted up and hardned through pride 2. Dan. 5.20 As in Persons so also in States and Nations Assyria Isa 10.13 Tyre Ezek. 28.2 5 17. thy heart was lifted up because of thy riches and vers 17. because of thy beauty and in Egypt 31 5 and 10.3 See this in the best of Saints in the dayes of their flesh Hezekiah breaths after God in the time of his streits and relapses from

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE The LORDS and COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT Great Senatours GOD hath called you to action Your time to hear is little to read is lesse therefore there is need that your own prayers be more fervent and that the supplications of others for you be the more frequent and they that have the honour and trust to preach before you have the greater cause to deal uprightly not as men-pleasers nor handling the word of God deceitfully but that your hearts may be affected that the word may come not in the letter only but in the power and by the manifestation of the truth 2 Cor 4 2. they may commend themselves not to the eare or phansie but to every mans conscience in the sight of God It is your wisdome and safety to abhor to be flattered to love to be searched Hezekiah like to speak comfortably to all that teach the good knowledge of the Lord. 2 Chro. 30 22. David 1 Sam. 24 5. a Prince both pious and prudent a man after Gods own heart yet felt something in himself for which his heart smote him and feared many other things for which he cries to God Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindenesse It is the usuall prudence of States to be jealous to fore-see every plot to have an open ear to any that can discover the least probability of danger and though this often raiseth needlesse fears yet it s safer to fear danger where it is not then not to fore-see and prevent danger where it is God hath set watch men upon the walls of Jerusalem and hath enjoyned them upon pain of death that if they apprehend any danger coming to blow the trumpet and to give warning and if any die for want of warning Ezech 33.3 6 he is taken away in his iniquity yet his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand You are not ignorant of Satans devices his many plots against you be never ceaseth to be a tempter to all but against you mighty Worthies his malice is most embittered and enraged by you he hath been disposessed and drivan into the wildernesse Mat 1● 43 he hath been wandring in dry places seeking rest but findes none till he can re-enter His desire is to winnow you if he can ruin you be knows he ruins the Kingdom and all the Protestant party in Christendom with you he that durst set on Christ in the dayes of his flesh his malice is not now lesse to attempt nor is your power greater to resist he hath been hitherto tempting to overwhelme you with despair to make your difficulty so great that your hands might be weakned from the worke Neh. 6 9. but your God hath strengthened you to admiration God hath made you a wall of brasse he hath thrust sore at you that yee might fall but the Lord hath been your helper hath scattered all temptations of this kinde as the chaffe upon the mountains Now he hath no way left but to alter his temptations to transforme himself into an Angel of light he sees he cannot affright you he will try to flatter you into self-admiration and self-confidence and doubtlesse will do his utmost since if he cannot scatter you by dejection to exalt you through abundance of revelations and so secretly worke your ruin by presumption To discover and prevent this stratagem was the earnest desire and endeavour of your humble servant in this Text and Sermon Pr●v 1.17 knowing that in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird Now the great God of Heaven and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath chosen you and ever helped you hitherto rebuke Satan pluck you as precious brands out of this fire also and tread Satan and all temptations under your feet and put this double honour upon you in the sight of this Nation and all the Kingdoms round about you that the whole earth may break forth into singing and say Here is that Parliament which adversity could not sinke and prosperity cannot swell who are taught of their God to be low in their own eyes when God hath made them high in the eyes of others who whiles they rule over others are most exact and exemplary in bearing rule over their own selves and whiles they rule over men desire nothing more then to be just ruling in the fear of God This will be the crown of your triumphs and will stop the mouths of all gainsayers and set you upon that rock of eternity that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you and so confirm and establish you that this Parliament shall be called the repairer of the breach the restorer of paths to dwell in the joy of many generations which is the earnest prayer of him who desires daily to be your remembrancer at the throne of grace and who is Your most humble servant lesse then the least of all Saints I. W. The Danger of Greatnesse OR Vzziah his Exaltation and Destruction IN A SERMON PREACHED Before the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT and the Reverend Assembly of DIVINES in the Church of Martins in the Fields the 14th day of January 1645. being a speciall day of Humiliation set apart to seek God for his direction in the setling of the great worke of Church-Government 2 CHRON. 26.15 16. He was helped marvellously till he was made strong but when he was made strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction WE are met here this day as they at Ahavah to afflict our selves before God to seek of him a right way for our selves and our little ones Ezra 8.21 for the present and future generations Like as a woman with childe that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain Isa 26.17 and crieth out for pangs so are we in the sight of our God this day The childe hath been a long time at the birth we begin to fear lest the wombe should be over-great with it hitherto we have not had ability or wisedom to bring forth The occasion is very sad so is the text full of soul-melting expressions The words I read them not as a charge but as a caution they are a story not a prophecy A relation of a great man a great Prince and Governour in the Land of Judah raised up to a miracle of eminency yet in his height is made low his sun goes down at noon-day and all the brightnesse of his glory sets under a dark cloud The tragaedy is very dolefull but I hope it is acted not now in acting we read it as a thing done not now in doing The good Lord keep it as a story not a prophecy a story for us not a story of us that after generations may not rise up and write this sad Epitaph upon your tombes Here lyes that Parliament that was helped marvellously till it was made strong ●●t Men they were made strong then c.

look well and swell in upper parts but shrinke downwards It was the reproach of the Church of Rome that it was all head let that abide still the character of the man of sin that there be no cause justly to apply it to any that professe godlinesse It is a common complaint in the bodies of many that in their disease which some call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viscerum they finde their stomacks to be cold and their liver to be hot but a her head and a cold heart is the worst temper or distemper rather that can befall a Christian What sight can be sadder then to see all our strength of Christianity in opinion and nothing in conversation Surely it is good that the heart be established with grace not with meats and drinks which have not profited them that have been occupied therein * Pari passu a●●●●tlare posssunt omnis religro rulla●e ligio Gerhard de Magist pag. 60● Diascorus Augustin Epist 55. Tune O Dias core c. Scire tua●●ibit est ●●si te scire boc sciat alter E●a doctus pruder us nescias R●mpublicam exparvâ magnan facere Respondere pos sit ●e ista nescire nosse quomodo s●●e ist is bono potest esse bea●us Aug. Diascoro Epist 56. It is observed by learned men that when Scepticisme comes in upon Christians as a stood it hath been the next doore to let in Epicurisme and Atheisme to overflow and cover the earth as waters do the sea When Diascorus propounded some curious questions to Augustine and sollicited him earnestly for a present answer Augustine rebukes him sharpely and refutes that desire strongly tells him there is a knowledge that puffeth up when we desire to know that we may be known that there are many speculations whereof there may be a learned and prudent ignorance That Themistocles being at a feast entreated to sing and play on an instrument answered he knew not how to do the one or the other and when it was demanded of him what knowest thou he then replyed to make the Common-wealth of little to become great If he could say so why shouldst thou doubt to answer in these speculations I confesse my ignorance But though I know not them yet this I know that without them a man may be happy When men are sick it is their wisedom to seek out not those things that may please the phansie but those medicines that may purge out the disease You tell us there are difficulties in determining Quaery and dangers in delaying which way soever you turn dangers and difficulties are round about us It is a kinde of contradiction to presse men to forbear delaying and yet to tell them sin lyes at the door in determining Would you have us determine in the darke Here is the strait ●and we cry out this day as Jehoshaphat did Sol. We know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee And blessed be the God of Heaven that hath put such a thing as this into your hearts most Noble Senatours to seek to the God of your fathers in this extremity let your eyes be ever towards the Lord and he shall bring you out of your distresses for the patient expectation of his people shall not perish for ever And when he prepares their heart to prayer he causes his own ear to hear Are there no directions which might be some way usefull to expedite this great difficulty Quest. Give me leave to lay down some generall Rules at your feet Sol. which may in some degree be as a lampe shining in a darke place 1. Be afraid rather to mistake your duty in this great cause Rule 1. then to grapple with any difficulty It s a great argument of sincerity when the soul is more afraid of the evil of sin whereby we displease God then of any evil of misery whereby God and man may displease us and therefore pray Lord teach us the way wherein thou wouldst have us to walke make us to know what is our evil and what is our sin search us and try us and if there be any wickednesse in us lead us in the way everlasting that in this cause of Christ you may prefer godly simplicity above all carnall policie and let no man defraud or go beyond another for God is an avenger of such things so shall you partake of that great promise that integrity and uprightnesse shall preserve you in his way and your steps shall be ordered by the Lord and he will delight in your goings Although the heart be upright and hath Gods promise to instruct them with his eye and to guide them with his counsel yet the way may be darke and slippery Therefore observe this That when the way wherein you should walke is darke Rule 2. yet the end that is to be aimed at may be clear and the cleernesse of the end gives a great deal of light unto the way that in it self is full of darknesse Now the Gospel holds out the ends we should aim at very clear As 1. Christs end is that the purity of Ordinances may be exalted that profanenesse might be suppressed that the old leaven may be purged out that offences may be removed that the power of godlinesse may be countenanced what ever power Christ has given to his Church he gave it to that end for which also he gave himself Ephes 3 26. that he might sanctifie and cleanse it till the day come wherein he presents it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle that so it may be holy and without blemish 2. Christs end is that mutuall love may be enoreased that beleevers may purifie their souls 1 Pet. 1.12 in the obeying of the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the brethren that they may love one another with a pure heart fervently All light without love is obscure darknesse that is the great end Christ aimed at Joh. 15 12. These things I command you that you love one another this is the old and new command the character whereby Christ and his Disciples shall be discerned without this it is not possible to attain the great end propounded in the Gospel Can any building stand when one stone will not lye upon nor neer another Is not the whole naturall body join'd by bands and ligaments and are there no ligaments whereby Christ hath join'd together the members of his mysticall body Is not the Scripture expresse that the end why God gave Officers to his Church was that the whole body might be fitly joyned together and compacted Ephes 4 16. by that which every joynt supplies might make increase in the same body to the edifying of it self in love And the end also why Christ gives grace effectually to call them that are chosen and visibly to build them upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Ephes

Hos 14 3. Ashur shall not save us nor will we ride any more upon horses In vain is salvation hoped for from the hils or from the multitude of mountains surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of his people They keep their eye on God when they are in trouble enduring because they see him that is invisible My eyes are ever towards the Lord for he hath plucked my feet out of the net and therefore ascribe their redemptions to him when out of trouble 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consider the Extent of this helpe helped marvellously till he was made strong The word signifies God wrought wonders to helpe him His way towards him was not usuall But God with an high hand and stretched out arm wrought marvellously for Vzziah If you enquire what wonders were those consider 1. When he was young and tender and weak was it not a wonder out of all that weaknesse to be made strong and that after the slaughter of so many Princes the Lord should reserve Vzziah to set him upon the throne of his father David 2. When the people were in a great heat and height and their hand had been very heavy upon the royall family did not God helpe wonderfully to quench all those storms and to establish the Kingdom is his hands 3. Was it not the mighty worke of God not only to over-power the hearts of the people at home that they had an heart to submit ver 7. ver 8. when power was in their hands to resist but also that God should subdue all his enemies abroad The Philistims the Arabians and the Ammonites gave gifts to Vzziah 4. Consider the great honour God put upon him that he was loved of his friends feared by his enemies honoured by the neuters and his name spread far abroad to the entring in of Egypt vers 8. 5. God gave him a wise heart to improve all those opportunities that were put into his hands He fortified himself exceedingly His victories far greater then any of the Kings of Iudals that lived before him from the time of David His magnificent works equall if not superiour to any from the dayes of Sol●mon He built towers in Ierusalem at the Corner-gate and at the Valley-gate ver 9. and at the turning of the wall Besides all this he had the art to use as well as the happinesse to procure in the grounds convenient for husbandry he had plough-men He had vine-dressers in the Mountains in Carmel and in the Low-Countries and in the plains he had cattel and in other waste places taken from the Arabians and Ammenites in their select places fit for pasture There he digged wells for water and built towers to defend his servants in the desert and to command those water courses that none without his consent might make use of that dry land whereby he got into his own hand the sole command of the waters and of the countrey 6. For Martiall exploits he was helped wonderfully to grow very famous You may read of a vust Army 1. Raised by him to the number of three hundred thousand seven thousand and five hundred fighting men 2. This Army well disciplined and trained under the command of mighty men of valour ver 15. There were to order this great Army to the number of two thousand and six hundred Officers ver 12.3 This Army maintained and provided for for he prepared for them thorowout all the host swords and spears and helmets and besides many rare inventions for he made in Ierusalem engins invented by cunning men to be on the Towers and on the Bulwarks to shoot arrows and great stones withall so that his name spread far abroad thus when he sought the Lord he was no loser by it he sought not in vain for God helped him wonderfully till he was made strong God hath not said to any person or Nation that they shall seek his face in vain God will not desert till he be deserted 2 Chron. 15. ● You may read the same in the example of Asa of Jehu and of many others which makes the truth evident that whiles a people seek the Lord the Lords usuall way is rather then they shall perish to worke wonders c. 1. God helps wonderfully them that seek him Reason 1 to magnifie his bounty or that he may discover to the sons of men his own sovereignty that those that will not see his hand in the works of creation may feel his power in the acts of his providence When God appears in his beauty to infatuate the counsels wither the plots confound the policies and to blast all the choicest designes and deepest contrivances of the ablest of men when they thinke to carry all the world before them then God ariseth and in one moment undeeth all that which they have been doing and contriving for many years and ages Thus is the world forced to confesse what it is desirons to deny that there is a God 1. discerning Prov. 11.4 Prov. 24.12 Psal 58.11 Is 1.3 5.3 2. considering and 3. judging in the earth Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the ears of the deaf be unstopped 2. Those that seek to the Lord God will helpe Reason 2 that he may vindicate the truth and honour of his despised ordinances A carnall heart snuffs at Gods service Mat. 1.17 Mal. 3.14 sayes it s in vain to serve the Lord and to Walke mournfully before the Lord of hosts But while the world is scoffing the Saints are mourning and its a sword in their bones to have their adversaries reproach them saying Where is your God Psal 42.10 what is become of your prayers of your Iesus But when the Lord looks down from the height of his sanctuary to hear the groans of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed unto death Psal 101.17 19. When he regards the prayer of the destitute and despises not their supplication then shall the world finde those contemned and scorned prayers of the Saints to be as arrows sharpe in the hearts of the Lords enemies Psal 45.5 and that all the wit of man cannot prevail over a people that weep and make supplication Hos 12.4 and prevail with God 3. Reason 3 God helps wonderfully to encourage poor sinners to come to him as their greatest strength O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 Though they be but flesh and not spirit yet they wait upon him in their deepest difficulties and God works wonderfully Heb. 11.34 out of weaknesse to make them strong 4. Reason 4 That they who will not seek to the Lord may be left without excuse when God kindles a burning under all their glory and sprinkles brimstone upon their habitations when his judgements meet them in their way and stare them in the very faces yet God works wonderfully to crosse the designes to stain the pride of their glory to