Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	nature_n	power_n	1,617	5	4.8157	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49909	Twelve dissertations out of Monsieur Le Clerk's Genesis ... done out of Latin by Mr. Brown ; to which is added, a dissertation concerning the Israelites passage through the Red Sea, by another hand.	Le Clerc, Jean, 1657-1736.; Brown, Mr.; Another hand.	1696 (1696)	Wing L828; ESTC R16733	184,316	356

The name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be deduced from the Chaldee Radix Touph which signifies to overflow and therefore will be the same as Tipho i. e. one overflown which name well enough fits the men that were drowned in the Lacus Asphaltites 2. This same Typhaeus whether a Man or a Monster was an Enemy both of Gods and Men as the Sodomites and their Neighbours were See Homer's Hymn upon Apollo and Hesiod's Theogonia 3. The beds of Typhaeus are said by Homer Il. 2. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Aramaea or Syria for which consult the Interpreters upon Stheph Byzant upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Lycophron in his Cassandra p. 137. Ed. Steph. places the seat of his Wife in a Lake which seems to have a respect to the Lacus Asphaltites 5. He was slain by Jupiter with a Thunderbolt which Homer in the place above cited and Hesiod in his Theogonia describe after such a manner that they may seem to relate to the Conflagration of Sodom consult the latter from v. 840. to v. 867. 6. In the very place where Typhaeus is said to be overcome and killed by Jupiter Fire and Smoak is reported to break forth which as we have already observed agrees with the the Country about Sodom 'T is true both the Greek and Latin Poets have added several things to this Fable and not knowing where to place the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Homer strangely disagree from one another as to that particular especially but agree in those Circumstances we have here taken notice of VIII Since it is most probable that these Cities of the Plain of Jordan were overthrown in the same manner as we have related it However some inquisitive Reader may be still inclined to ask whether we suppose the Ground was burnt and subverted by Miracle or only by the common methods of Nature Seneca was of opinion that the Gods never concerned themselves in any thing of this kind and that the disorders of Heaven nor Earth were occasioned by the anger of the Deities Those things says he are produced by their own Causes neither do they rage because they are commanded so to do but when they are disturbed it proceeds from some failing or irregularity as it happens with human Bodies and then when they chiefly seem to give an injury they receive one But to us who are ignorant of the true Cause every-thing appears frightful and our apprehensions are increased by the rarity of them But to lay aside Rhetorical Figures which only amuse and deceive ignorant People the thing itself if we consider it divested of all Circumstances does not seem to exceed the ordinary power of Nature as we have sufficiently demonstrated from several Instances of Earthquakes In a Soil impregnated with Bitumen which is above may be shaken and swallowed up with a sudden hiatus Thunder-bolts too may fall and set the veins of Sulphur and Bitumen on fire which afterwards breaking out and mingled with the Water may in a low Valley easily cause a Lake full of Asphaltus But if these things were done before the natural Causes were in a disposition to produce this Effect and had not happened at that instant unless it had been for some extraordinary Intervention of God or his Angels it ought to be no less reputed a Miracle than if every particular in the Transaction plainly surpassed the usual order of Nature And that the business happened after this manner the two Angels dispatched by God Almighty upon this important occasion and their Discourses are Arguments sufficiently convincing Nay one of the Angels seems to have intimated this who before the thing happened foretold it to Abraham as we have observed in our Paraphrase of the 18. ch of Genesis and the 19. ver Dissertation X. Concerning the Statue of Salt I. The Original of the Opinion that Lot's Wife was changed into a Pillar of Salt came from the Jews II. This Opinion cannot be made out from the words of Moses III. The absurdity of it IV. The Patrons of it are not to be reli'd on since they can bring no Reasons to support it V. A Solution of the Arguments usually urged in behalf of the common Opinion VI. That Lot's Wife either died of fear or else was suffocated by some pestilential Vapour VII That the Fables of Niobe and Medusa arose from such Expressions as Moses useth in this place which is confirm'd by the Example of the Fable of the Harpies VIII Whether Hoc est corpus meum does not resemble the Mosaical Narration as they have been already compar'd by some Persons I. HAving described the burning of Sodom and the neighbouring Towns more accurately than the common Interpreters are used to do I think it not amiss to examine the celebrated Metamorphosis of Lot's Wife For as we have demonstrated in the foregoing Dissertation that those Cities situated near Jordan were by an unusual divine Power overwhelmed and buried in Ruins so on the other hand we hope we shall be able to convince every unprejudiced Reader in this that some persons out of too fond a regard to Miracles by misunderstanding the words of the Holy Scriptures have improv'd an event which we own to be somewhat uncommon into a mighty Prodigy The Jews who were always a people so sottishly abandon'd to the belief of Miracles that not being content with the Truth they trumpt up a Thousand other Legends absurd of which the Bible makes not the least mention seem to have misled the Christians into this Error and they by following their blind Guides with too implicit a Resignation imagin'd after the Jews that Lot's Wife was turn'd into a Pillar of Salt tho' so wonderful a Change cannot certainly be deduced from the words of Moses Josephus relating this History in the first Book of his Jewish Antiquities ch 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Lot 's Wife in her flight casting her eyes perpetually back upon the City and being too much concern'd about it tho' God had expresly forbid her to do so was turn'd into a Pillar of Salt I have beheld it my self and it continues to this Day Josephus 's Country-men are of the same Opinion and particularly the Author of the Jerusalem Paraphrase where we read that Lot's Wife because she was a Native of Sodom turn'd her head to see what became of her Father's House and was made a Pillar of Salt till the time of the Resurrection The same account of the matter is to be found in Jonathan II. Let us for a while lay aside their Authority of which we shall treat hereafter and examine Moses's words which gave occasion to this Opinion Lot's Wife says he who followed him looked back Vatthebi ntsib melahh and became a Pillar of Salt Now here we find two words of a doubtful Signification which being ill understood were accidentally the causes of this Error 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉

perhaps find in them several Footsteps of the Truth which Josephus who made use of them did not see Indeed 't is certain as several Learned Men have observed that in the Fragments which he hath preserved to us there are many things which he understood not well There is something in Strabo Book XVI which seems to belong to the passage of the Israelites thro' the Red Sea tho' he says it happened in a Neighbouring Country A wonderful and extraordinary thing says that Author is reported to have happened in the Shoar between Tyre and Ptolemaïs 'T is said That the Inhabibants of Ptolemaïs having engaged in a battle with General Sarpedon and being put to flight were overwhelm'd as they fled by the Sea coming upon them as a Tide and that some were carried into the Sea and others left dead in some low Places Afterwards when the Sea Ebbed their Bodies were found lying promiscuously among dead Fishes What happen'd in the Red Sea was transferred to the Shoars of Tyre and disguised with false Circumstances The word Sarpedon was also falsly accounted a Proper Name for Sar-Phadon in Hebrew signifies the Head of Deliverance or of those who are Delivered which Encomium suits Moses very well Diodorus Siculus heard the Trogloditae report a like thing 'T is reported says he by the Ichthyaphagi who live near that Sea as they have it from their Ancestors that there having been a GREAT REFLUX the whole Channel of the Gulph was dried up and lookt Green And when the Earth had been seen at the bottom a violent Flowing came in of a sudden and restored the Channel to its former State Which Words describe the thing well enough as I have shewed that it happened Indeed if the Ichthyophagi said nothing else they were more modest than some Christians who having made themselves Masters of those places have corrupted every thing with abundance of feigned Tales an Example of which we find in Orosius Book I. Ch. 10. There remains still says he some certain Monuments of that event For the Track of the Chariots and Wheels may be seen not only in the shore but also at the bottom as far as the sight can reach and if it be confounded either by chance or out of curiosity it is of a sudden divinely restored to its former state by the Winds and Waves that whosoever learns not to fear God by applying himself to Religion which he knows may be terrified by an ancient Example of God's Anger IX I have hitherto sufficiently shewed how God opened a passage for the Israelites through the Red Sea but I have not shewed yet what was done by the ordinary Laws of Nature and what by an extraordinary effect of the Divine Power What happens after the latter manner is called a Miracle in the Stile of Christians but Events of the former kind go not by that Name Again There are two sorts of things which God does above the order of Nature some are such as cannot be ascribed to natural Causes as things are now For Example If a body heavier than another goes not below it as if an Iron thrown into the Water sinks not if a humane Body remains in the midst of Flames without being hurt in the least and the like Others being considered in themselves might be lookt upon as the Effects of natural Causes such are an extraordinary Wind and Reflux of the Sea Natural Causes may produce them and often do it But if God does those things and the like by an Act of his Will without using natural Causes and without expecting the Order he established from the beginning of the World then I say what was not a Miracle by its Nature is rightly called so If God by his special Will raises a Wind when no Wind had risen by the ordinary Course of Nature and drives the Waves much farther than they used to go when the Reflux had not been greater than it used to be by the ordinary Laws of Nature those things are call'd Miracles and are really so There might be therefore Miracles of both sorts in what happen'd to the Red Sea Perhaps the North-Wind had not blown if God had not raised it and caused the South-Wind to cease Perhaps the strength of that Wind was so great by the Will of God that no Natural Wind could have removed the Sea so far The same may be said of the Reflux Perhaps the Sea had not returned back when it did if God had not removed it nor would it by its natural Ebbing have gone back so far as to leave a Passage Large enough for so many Thousands of Men. This therefore must be granted to us even by obstinate Men that there might be some Miracles properly so call'd in that Event provided the thing happen'd as 't is related which I think I may now take for granted But it will be ask'd how shall we know that those things happn'd not by Natural Causes but by an Extraordinary Effect of God's Power In answer to which I say First that the Extraordinary strenth of the Wind and the Reflux which was so great that perhaps the like was never seen shew the Power of God in them Secondly if nothing Extraordinary happen'd the Egyptians had no reason to rejoyce nor the Israelites to be Terrified when they saw themselves shut up between the Sea and the Mountains for they might escape by expecting the Reflux of the Sea nor is it likely that so many Thousands of Men knew nothing of the Nature of the Ocean from which their former Habitation was but a few days journey distant Lastly it was also a Miracle in this respect Viz. Because Moses who could expect nothing else but an Ordinary Reflux foretold the Israelites that the Egyptians should perish but that they themselves should escape without any damage Fear ye not says he stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them again no more for ever Could any Humane Prudence foresee that and that there would be a place in the Channel left dry and so large that so many Thousands of Men might go thro' it in few Hours without any danger and that the Egyptians should be so blinded as to follow the Israelits thinking there was nothing Extraordinary in the matter If it be said that God revealed this to Moses we have what we desire for the very Revelation will be a great Miracle When a Miracle is foretold before it happens 't is a most certain Criterium of such a Miracle for from thence it may be evidently inferred that God bears a Special Love to Him whom he thus forewarns and that an Extraordinary thing happen'd which could not be known if God had not been pleased to fortel it Indeed if an Event which is not manifestly above the Power of Nature were not foretold it could not be said after it hath happen'd to be most certainly a