Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	day_n	good_a	lord_n	2,583	5	3.5431	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23635	New-Englands choicest blessing and the mercy most to be desired by all that wish well to this people cleared in a sermon preached before the court of election at Boston on May 28, 1679 / by James Allen ...	Allen, James, 1632-1710.	1679 (1679)	Wing A1028; ESTC W13883	18,844	19

Israelites found Clothes houses food was not necessary not the ordinary way of its supply God could supply it another way but this cannot Luk. 10.42 there is one thing necessary that is the gracious presence of God therefore Moses chuseth the Wilderness with Gods presence rather then Canaan without him Exod. 33.15 Heaven is not desireable without it Psal 73.25 2. It is the most suitable blessing to the People of God nothing more pleasing as well as profitable to them Psal 4.6 therefore the best blessing 3. It is a sufficient good you cannot desire a more comprehensive blessing this is enough Gen. 33.11 Jacob when he had obtained it by earnest prayer he acknowledgeth he had all nothing less will make a people happy more is superfluous It is a saving and it is a satisfying presence Jer. 14.8 all good is in it it is sufficient for defence against danger Rom. 8.31 Psal 27.2.23 4. To support assist and succeed in every duty Hag. 1.14 Math. 28.20 Gen. 39.2 so that promise intimates thus much as was made to Joshua and applyed to the use of every Believer Heb. 13.5 against fears of Enemies or of want you cannot want providing for that have God graciously with you Psal 144.15 4. The most distinguishing favour Exod. 33.16 our experience proves it Reas 2. The want of it is the greatest evil so God threatheth it Hos 9.12 and the Prophet in the Name of the Lords people Jer. 14.9 deprecates it as the worst that can befal them though Sword Famine were threatned he takes no notice of them but endeavours to prevent a greater Lord do not thou leave us nor forsake us be not thou a stranger Deut. 28.15 at this gap all other evils enter if God forsakes Ordinances will leave you any benefit by them friends will forsake all comforts he carryes all with him they are but his Attendants Creatures and other enjoyments are but umbra Dei especially when all your outward good came with Gods presence it will leave you if God doth it is the presence of God hath multiplyed you enriched you outwardly sanctified any of you if he forsakes these will not stay no nor the People of God neither then Enemies will come all misery such shall say are not all these things come upon us because God is not among us Enemies will know our shadow is removed Num. 14.14 It was that kept off Enemies from Israel they heard the Lord was among them that encouraged the Psalmist Enemies Psal 71.11 God hath forsaken hence while God is with his People no evil will assoil them therefore as you would see the prosperity and prevent the misery of the people of God desire the gracious presence of God for them VSE 1. For Information See hence who are the best friends of a professing People Who are thine O New-England that love you best though they have not at least they are not so accounted of by you Those they are who wish pray endeavour that the gracious presence of God may continue with you and be with you as signally as with any of his People in former times or in the first times of this People A praying zealous reformed and reforming Magistracy Ministry and People Isa 62.7 8. that upon your walls give God no rest that promote keep up the seperation between the precious and the vile Jer. 15.19 Ezek. 22.26.30 These are your gap-men who prevent Gods going away and ruine coming but doe you not think them the troublers of Israel Are you not weary of them and fain would be rid of them The old and faithfull ones that have seen the works of the Lord doe you not wish others were in their room that you might have more elboe room Doe you not dig pits for their soul that pray for yours for a converting presence of God that you might be with him as your fathers were Jer. 18.20 Thy best dayes are gone O New-England if their Prayers should be turned against you O Sirs yet you may revive the hopes of such if you would prize and value them the presence of God might be desired and obtained by them 2. Then those that desire Gods departure from a People are their worst enemies Such as would drive away or remove his gracious presence from you Job 21.14 15. There are such men as would fain be rid of the presence of God some such bold sinners they say it with their mouthes would have no Sabbaths nor preaching nor precise walking would be rid of godly Magistrates Ministers Christians they have too much of them all wicked men say it in their hearts others in their practices and wicked works especially sensual Sinners and that have fullness of the world have all their carnal hearts doe wish they love not the presence of God it s not the way to sinfull pleasure or profit or credit in the world Mal. 3.14 Isa 30.10 11 12. will not endure plain distinguishing seperating preaching but must be soothed pleased in a sinfull way so would have the holy one to cease from among them the sanctifiing presence of God that they cannot bear and what follows These are the worst enemies among the people that would take away your God Judg. 18.24 he thought so of them that took away his dung-hill gods and those means of worship of his own inventing how much more reason have you to look upon them that would take away your glory the signs of Gods gracious presence even his own holy institutions 3. Hence see how to make a right judgement of the happiness or misery of any people it is according to the presence of God among them his gracious presence Exod. 33.19 It is that makes the most noted difference between one people and another the same people in one time and in another according to the manifestation of his presence Psal 144.15 May it not in this respect be truely said former dayes were better than these when they had more of Gods presence then now but the Wise man reproves the saying so that former dayes were better Eccles 7.10 Answ The meaning is not that some dayes of the Church and people of God are not more troublesome and others more prosperous and that we should not bewail with godly sorrow the evil of the dayes we live in and the sins judgements that make them so you must see they are so and enquire into the cause but the meaning is 1. That which is blamed is so to complain of the evill of present time as not to take notice of the good in it that the Lord continues that is folly when the Lord hath removed many choice and precious ones from the Bench and the Pulpits yet we ought to take notice with thankfulness of the precious ones there whom he hath left and so much of his presence with them This was their sin Numb 14.4 5. Exod. 16.3 2. Nor should we complain that our Lot is cast in such a day that is to murmure

at the providence of God and the holy government of it who hath appointed the places and times of every person Act. 17.26 3. To insist upon a wrong cause and charge the positive and meritorious evil upon the times but this is wise enquiry and judgement when we see our own and others sins to be the cause of evil times and that evil men make evil dayes 2 Tim 3.1 2 3. they are the deserving or meritorions cause 4. To judge the want of outward things or presence of outward evils to be the cause deficient or privative of worse times that mens trade and estates grow worse when the true cause or want is the gracious presence of God which is hindred by our sins Isa 59.1 2. That there should be no spiritual thriving and trade with heaven should be on the losing hand So to see times where less of God is to be worse is wisdome to enquire the cause that it may be mended and we may obtain the presence of God with us as in former times VSE 2. Of Exhortation To this great Assembly That you would sincerely desire the presence of God with this People as with their Fathers I am encouraged to press this upon you being well perswaded I speak to a great many that love the prosperity of Jerusalem and that come to be directed in the way to it 1. Endeavour it 2. Earnestly pray for it I will give you but these two general directions 1. To endeavour it do what you can and lyes with you it may be so true desires are alwayes followed with suitable endeavours for they are the issuings and goings out of the will to the good it hath chosen there are two main acts of the will viz. elicite and imperate and having chosen it pursues it by Commands to every faculty of the Soul yea and members of the body The understanding that it should inform it self what is the best way and then affections to love or hate as this good is furthered or hindred or we in the obtaining of it Direction for your endeavour better cannot be given then what is in 2 Chron. 15.2 being from the immediate guidance inspiration of the Spirit of God 1 Chr. 28.9 The visible gracious presence of God is conditional with a visible People see that you fulfil it performing your Covenant duty to God in your several Relations you stand in to him and his People It is not enough you are not against him in such a day neutrality will be counted opposition Math. 12.30 Men Brethren and Fathers 1. Endeavour I speak to this whole Assembly together to keep and recover Gods presence by deep humiliation for and through Reformation of what is provoking to the Lord search out the Achan and judge it Josh 7.12 otherwise the Lord will not be among you sin and the holy God cannot be together in the same heart nor place were it is allowed Am. 3.2 if two walk together they must be agreed bewaile and reform Sensuality want of first love lukewarmness in Religion Animosities unbelief you have been frequently minded of those sins you all know to be so find and clear each of you your personal guilt in any of them This is Covenant duty with promise of Covenant mercy Lev. 26.41 2. Let God have his will do not cross him but labour to please him remember he is your Sovereign he will be with you as such an one therefore you must be with him as his Subjects subject to all his Commands and submit to his Providences that is the way to his favour 1 King 8.58 it is the effect of and way to his gracious presence to walk as according to his positive so his instituted will Lev. 26.1 2 3 to ve 13. then you walk with God when you obey his will and he will be with you by fulfilling his promises to you Math. 28.19 20. Job 14.23 Job 8.29 and when you submit to his providences Deu. 3.17 24. 3. Give him good content value and highly prize his presence the Lord is not wont to leave any till undervalued by them Psal 81.12 when they took not full content in him then he gave them up Hos 5 15. therefore see you get and keep up love to his presence so to the signs of it in his Ordinances Isai 52.7 8. value Ministry and the faithful Ministers esteem them as choice Covenant blessings Jer. 3.15 And godly Rulers when those that love you rule over you 1 King 10.8.9 be not weary of them and Sabbaths but call them your delight Isai 58.8.9 10. maintain an humble sense of your unworthiness of it and yet a need of it Isai 57.15 be thankful for the least discoveries of it and yet earnestly desirous of the most especially value God's Son Psal 2.12 A Word to the Freemen To all concerned in the work of this day if you are with God in your chusing and they are so who are chosen by you as our Fathers were we may expect the Lord will be so with his people our fears or hopes will be furthered as this day is managed It is promised as an high Testimony of Gods favour to his People Isai 1.26 when he gives them Judges as at the first c. and how doth he give them but in that way of giving you hearts to chuse such for it is a fruit of the right managing that other Covenant priviledge the Lord hath betrusted you with Jer. 30.20 to have our Governours from among our selves 1. Be not negligent in your choice this liberty is a Talent you have this day another opportunity to use it do not hide it in a napkin or in the Earth as that unfaithful Servant Math. 25.24 25. that your worldly business may not take up that time should be employed in this Service I have heard it much complained of that Freemens meetings are not attended not half of them appear upon choice of Deputies in this Town and other concerns in that nature and many that do come have never prayed for guidance nor made enquiries of things or persons but only do as they are led Is not this to do the work of the Lord negligently To be careless of your Oath And to be accessary to all the mischief you might have prevented if it be any otherwise then well and to have no part nor share in what good the Lord this way brings about to his People 2. Those who are active see that it be for God the glory of God and the good of his People be on Gods side let not private respects sway you in your Elections to be for those that are your friends or favourers be for God and he will be with you If you would be so then let your choice be guided and over-ruled by the word of God see how men stand affected to Religion and the common good of this people 2 Sam. 23.3 He must be just ruling in the fear of God If they had the wisdome of Solomon Justice of