Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	ghost_n	holy_a	spirit_n	3,926	5	5.5026	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26346	God's eye on the contrite, or, A discourse shewing that true poverty and contrition of spirit, and trembling at God's Word is the infallible and only way for the obtaining and retaining of divine acceptation as it was made in the audience of the General Assembly of the Massachusetts Colony at Boston in New England May 27, 1685, being the day of election there / by William Adams.	Adams, William, 1650-1685.	1685 (1685)	Wing A498; ESTC W12431	33,350	44

of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Phil. 2. 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Iesus To be and carry like Christians indeed I. Motive Consider the disadvantage of being without this spirit In several respects 1. The Word you hear will doe you no good Pride is an enemy to profiting It is observed that the ground whereon the Peacock that proud bird sits is barren the heart where Pride sits is barren The Word must be received in meekness that it may be savingly efficacious Ia. 1. 21. While men remain in the pride and unhumbledness of their hearts whatever their professions be and whatever they may doe the best counsels cautions will not work kindly upon them A People will never be brought to do their business throughly with God in compliance with His Word till they be brought to such a trembling frame Ezra 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away according to the counsel of my Lord and of those that tremble at the Commandment of our God and let it be done according to the Law There must be an awful sanctifying reverential fiducial fear in all our Transactions with God otherwise they will be but formal Hypocritical vain and ludicrous there will be no good effect of the Word of God upon us The Lord's Words will indeed do good and come to something in those that walk uprightly Mich. 2. 7. But it is expresly declared that his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Hab. 2. 4. Therefore such will doe nothing to purpose with God in attending to His Word let it be spoken never so plainly closely solemnly and frequently Neither will the Word spoken go down with an unhumbled people unless it be such as suits them they not so much desiring that their wills should be brought to the Word as that the Word should be brought to their wills A sad Instance we have of this Ier. 43. 1. 2. And it came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God for which the Lord their God had sent him to them even all these Words Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah and Johanan the son of Kareah and all the proud men saying unto Jeremiah thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say goe not c. Notwithstanding their solemn profession Chapt. 42. 5 6. Then they said to Jeremiah The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us if we doe not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether it be good or whether it be evil we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send thee that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God 2. This will make men that they will not be afraid when God is displeased with themselves or others When sin is committed or Judgement threatned Ier. 36. 23. 24. And it came to pass that when Iehudi had read three or four leaves he cut it with the penknife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth yet they were not afraid nor rent their garments neither the King nor any of his servants that heard all these Words This is from an inward stoutness and unsubduedness of heart Hence many a professor can be loose in his walk formal and flighty in Religious duties careless of the Sabbath indulge his corruptions comply far with some sins of the times neglect the trust and charge committed to him and yet his heart not smite him the thoughts hereof do not trouble him nor make him afraid And this is a dangerous thing 3. This will expose us to Misery and Destruction If we should have no other Molestation come upon us any way yet if we be without this spirit of awful fear and trembling before God we shall be like enough quickly to sink in our own ruines under the weight of our pride and other corruptions Ier. 44. 10 11. They are not humbled even to this day neither have they feared nor walked in my Law nor in my Statutes that I set before you and before your Fathers Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Behold I will set my face against you for evil and to cut off all Iudah For in setting up our selves we reject and forsake God And this People have been told that if they forsake God God will cast them off for ever 1. Chron 28. 9. Uzziah's self-exaltation emboldned him to venturre upon such things as were the occasion of his destruction 2. Chron. 26. 16. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense A heart not duly subdued will expose men to venture upon such things as will tend to wound their consciences dishonour Religion and procure their calamity All the world can never keep that man up that never seeks to 〈◊〉 his own spirit low GOD has not been wont to prosper any People long however good they were or however good their cause were if their spirits have been high and so shown more of themselves than of the spirit of Christ as it is too often with God's people So true is it which the Holy Ghost saith Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low and Chapt. 16. 18. Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall If Hezekiah's heart be lifted up there is a Dispensation of wrath near 2. Chron. 32. 25. for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Iudah and Ierusalem The loftiness of man shall be made low God will have it so Isai. 2. 11. 17. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the LORD of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low c. II. Mot. Consider the Advantage of being of this poor contrite and trembling spirit It will be exceeding beneficial many wayes 1. This will dispose you to acknowledge and sanctifie the Name of God under all Dispensations under all visitations To see and own how God is fulfilling His Word making good His threatthreatnings and executing His Judgements He hath foretold and so to give Him the glory of His work Zech. 11. 9 10 11. Then said I I will not feed you that that dyeth let it dye and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another And I took my staff even Beauty and cut it asunder that

〈…〉 That True 〈…〉 Word is the 〈…〉 of Divine 〈…〉 As it was made 〈…〉 General Assembly 〈◊〉 Massachusetts 〈…〉 NEW-ENGLAND May 27. 1685. 〈…〉 ELECTION there By Mr. WILLIAM ADAMS Mat. 3. 9. Think not to say within your selves We have Abraham 〈◊〉 our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low but Honour shall 〈◊〉 hold the humble in spirit Zeph. 3. 12. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and 〈◊〉 people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. BOSTON in NEW 〈…〉 Printed by Richard 〈…〉 Isai. 66. 2. For a●… tho●… 〈◊〉 hath my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all saith the Lo●… but to ●…is 〈◊〉 will I 〈◊〉 and of a 〈◊〉 ●…rit and 〈◊〉 ●…th at my 〈◊〉 THis Chapter and the foregoing contain the last and 〈◊〉 ing S●… on of this Prophet in the publick A●…ce o●… 〈◊〉 Iews 〈◊〉 that did concern and was proposed to the General ●…dy of that People in which Discourse the Lord does by the Prophet declare the Removal of the Glory and of his Kingdom from them to another People and withal mentions th●…●…rticular sins and their Obstinacy in them for which he would 〈◊〉 deal with them in removing from and rejecting of them But yet notwithstanding to evidence his Love and Faithfulness to this people that had been so near him and that he had so graciously manifested Himself to the Lord promises to preserve a Remna●… in this calamity whom He would follow with signal favours where ever they should be cast and reserve to better times In the finishing and making up of his Prophecy the Prophet intermixes many things by way of Comfort to the godly and Threatning to the wicked under all the great Revolutions of Providence that should happen in the accomplishment of what was here fore-told And because this people of the Iews both good and bad did too much confide in the Temple and the external Rites and Ordinances of God's worship attended among them while in the mean time they were not suitably spirited nor did suitably carry themselves The Prophet in the beginning of this Chapter beats them off from that carnal confidence and shews them the true way of obtaining and re-taining Divine Favour declaring ●…hat it would be vain Confidence to rest in any external ●…gns of Gods pr●…e or be constantly and certainly depended upon But to this m●… 〈◊〉 look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and tremble●… at my Word Concerning the former part of the words there a rise two Questions QUST I. What is the Antecedant to the Relative those those things which its said God had made and that they had been ANSW Some refer it to the Heaven and Earth mentioned in the beginning of the first verse Them and whatsoever is contained in them all the works of Creation which we behold above or below in the Sky or Heavens or on the earth Others refer it t●… the House that had been built unto God that had been the place of His rest viz. the Temple mentioned in the latter part of the first verse it is not inconsistent or impossible but both may be referred to having been just before both mentioned and the repeating of the Relative is not unlikely but doth intimate so much All those things hath My hand made 〈◊〉 the works of Creation And all those things have been viz. ●…t have pertained to my Temple House Rest and Abode among you QUEST II. What is the scope and drift of these words to what end 〈◊〉 they thus exprest For all those things hath mine hand made c. ANSW They may import either 1. Seeing that God is HE who has given being to all things one and another He cannot be supposed to have any need of to receive benefit by or be engaged unto Man for any service he hath done Him And so they respect and may be joyned with the following words after this manner q. d. Although I who AM the Authour and Creator of all things whatsoever cannot therefore need or be engaged to any creature yet I will condescend to shew grace to such who are of 〈◊〉 truly humble mind and do fear before Me. My Greatness shall not hinder Me dwelling with and regarding the lowly in spirit Or else 2. It may be as if the Lord should say It s true My Temple My House My Rest My Worship Order and Ordinances have been among you All these things have been But the bare Being of these is no certain Sign of My continuing Presence and Favour There may be many things that may drive Me away notwithstanding all that may have been of this nature But here I give you a certain mark by which you may try and be assured of My Favour Viz. if these following properties be found in you That you be poor contrite in spirit and tremble at My Word But to this man will I look even to him that is poor c. I shall a little open this latter part of the words But to this man scil To every such man man or woman and therefore to any Company or Society of such men as shall be so spirited To any people that are in such a frame What agrees to Individuals will also agree to the whole that is made up of such Individuals Will I look Verbs of Sense denote also suitable and proportionable affections It imports therefore To look with favour and acceptation to respect regard take notice and take care of to accept with good Will to embrace with Favour and Love So Exod. 2. 25. God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect to them Numb 16. 15. Moses was very wroth and said to the Lord respect not thou their offering Psal. 11. 7. His countenance doth behold the upright Amos 5. 22. Your meat-offerings I will not accept neither will I regard which is the same word ●…th this here in the Text. Even to him that is poor The word sometimes signifies those which are outwardly poor and afflicted and such frequently is the condition of those in this world who find most Favour with God But here it is to be understood of such who are spiritually poor or poor in their own sight and esteem poor in spirit as they are called Mat. 5. 3. that think modestly lowly meanly of themselves They are meek and humble that feel their need of divine answers to their cries and of divine Help All men indeed are poor in spiritual regards but it is the man that does duly sense his spiritual poverty who understands himself to be and bears himself as a poor man that is here meant Qui nihil altum de se sapit His heart is not haughty nor his eye lofty and he feels and believes that there is no cause they should And of a contrite spirit The word properly signifies smitten in spirit and intends one

hand to support and save them in and out of the flouds or Fires of Affliction and calamity Psal. 34. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit I. USE It is of solemn Conviction and Humiliation to us this day That we have not been that we are no more such as God hath declared His Acceptance of and Respect to That we have been and are no more poor contrite and trembling at His Word Alas that this people hath lain no more low before God Let the Prophets of the Lord and all the Lord's people mourn and their souls weep for the Pride of New-England as he Ier. 13. 17. But if ye will not hear i●… my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lord's 〈◊〉 is carried away captive O that we could so take reproof from God as to make this place and this day a Bochim As they Iudg. 2. 4 5. And it came to pass when the Angel of the Lord spake these words viz. words of Conviction and Reproof ●…e have not obeyed my voice why have ye done this ver 2. and words of Threatning I will not drive them out before you but they shall be as thorns in your sides unto all the Children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept and they called the name of that place Bochim They were deeply affected and greatly mourned under that Divine Reproof Hath not God spoken as plainly and directly to us of our neglect to obey His voice and in particular of the pride and Lordliness of of hearts by that and many other words Ier. 2. 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto Israel a land of darknes●… Wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no more unto thee Had we not been stout against the Lord we could never have stood out against so many solemn counsels and warnings upon these and other occasions as we have done Oh that as it is said of Hezekiah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem 2. Chron 32. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart both he and the inhabitants of Ierusalem so all our Rulers and all the people would humble themselves for the Pride of their hearts This would be a meanes to keep wrath off the Land even that which has been threatned Here Consider 1. What we have done 2. What we have suffered for want of this humble spirit Both which should convince and abase us I. What we have done for want of this spirit The want of this has been the cause of all our errors of all provoking errors in Doctrine Worship in Administration both Civil and Ecclesiastical and in Conversation The Pride and Unbrokenness of our hearts hath caused us in many Instances to wander from the path-way of Wisdom and understanding In general 1. Hence we have with-hold from God His Right what was due to Him viz. The full honour of His Sovereignty Power Authority and Command over us This has not been fully and practically acknowledged by us which yet hath been due from us Mal. 1. 6. A son honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I be a Father where is 〈◊〉 honour and if I be a Master where is my Fear saith the Lord of Hosts unto you that despise my Name 2. Hence We have taken to our selves more than our Right More than becomes not so much creatures as those who profess utmost Reverence Subjection Obsequiousness to and Dependance upon the Lord our Creator and Redeemer as we have done 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 7 8. why 〈◊〉 thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us Particularly 1. Hence it is that we have no more duly sought God Hence we have sought Him No more fully according to His Order There has been much Ignorance and Mistake in and about the things of God's House and Kingdom Some Ordinances of Christ laid by and thrown aside by many if not despised and reproached Too much baulking also of known Institutions and Commands Men have not been willing throughly to subject themselves to God's Ordinances and Institutions especially when any thing of their own hath come at any time to be thwarted by them Inst gr It hath been too much-in New-England that the Discipline of Christ in His Churches hath been in great part neglected or attended according as it suited with or happned to the humours affections interests or relations of some men and so the Ordinance of Christ that ought to be attended and administred without partiality prostrated to mens lusts No more sincerely and uprightly But with so much Formality Hypocrisie carelesness and indifferency in the Ordinances that have been attended And all neglect of seeking God at all or in due order it arises from pride Ps. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God Though not alwayes from the pride of a wicked person but sometimes from unmortified pride in a righteous man 2. Hence we have been contentious The wise man tells us what is the only cause of Contention Prov. 13. 10. Only by pride comes contention And how much of this together with the evil concomitants of it Jealousies reproaches Slanders Alienations of spirit c. has there been in Churches and other Societies The Remembrance of those woful Contentions that have been in many Churches may justly humble us this day as also the Dissentions Heart-risings and counter-actings that have been in Courts and civil Assemblyes while we were otherwise at quiet Oh how high have we been in our Contests with and Censures one of another And it is lamentable to consider what Mis-understandings Jealousies Animosityes Prejudices and evil eyes have been between Rulers and People or some among either On which side in our late Differences of apprehension about the management of publick affairs which did rise so high there was most blame I shall not affirm Only I wish that ever●… one of whatsoever Opinion or Apprehension might be sensible of every particular wherein they have been out of the way and too blame in that or any other controversy which has at any time unhappily spread among us It is not so much difference of apprehension that is common to men and the best of men in this world about Circumstantials and non-fundamentals as vehemency and bitterness of spirit and the like evils arising from and accompanying such differences which sucks away the vital spirits of Gospel-charity that has wounded us Whatever provocations therefore there may have been at any M●…ssah or Meribah of ours let every one concerned take heed that he do not suffer any bitterness of spirit then taken to ly and rankle into any Malignity on one side or other for I intend not one