Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	great_a	3,686	5	2.7944	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25209	A sermon upon the wonderful deliverance by His Majesty from assassination, the nation from invasion by Vin. Alsop.	Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703.	1696 (1696)	Wing A2911; ESTC R23666	37,849	39

in this dark matter or whither to consult the Scripture or advise with the Priests but when he came then he was abundantly satisfied and begins his Psalm v. 1. with this Recognition Truly God is good to Israel even to them that are of a clean heart 2. 'T is a most wise Providence Especially in the case before us he makes his greatest enemies to serve his friends and knows how to rule the malice of the Devil to produce the effects of his own love Could we behold the beautiful scenes of Providence in a true light with a clear eye nothing could be more ravishing To observe how he makes fire and water sweetly to agree in the same mixed bodies when in their distinct forms they are implacable enemies might lead our thoughts to a higher speculation how he over rules the opposition of irreconcileable interests to contribute to a general Peace this was the admiration of holy David Psal. 104.24 O how wonderful are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all He conducts ignorant agents to an end which they think not of and stubborn creatures to fulfil those designs of his which they professedly oppose he maintains his own order in the midst of all our confusions and can easily bring forth light out of all that darkness which at present involves the face of things he can command the storm which threatens to sink the Vessel to blow it into safe Harbor and out of these bloody Wars can speak to the Nations a firm and happy Peace and of all these and many more instances of the divine wisdom we need no other proof than what lies fair before our eyes our enemies thought to have broken us by dividing us wise Providence has united and Associated us they design'd to overturn the foundations of our government wise Providence has more strongly settled it they plotted against the life of our King wise Providence took the hint and has declared him both Lawful and Rightful King 'T is a most powerful Providence Nothing so high so strong as to be above his power nothing so mean so weak as to be below his care Luke 1. 50. He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts he hath put down the mighty from their seat and exalted them of low degree 'T is the peculiar glory of Providence to break the hardest heart and then to bind up what he has broken to humble the stoutest spirit and then to exalt it when truly humbled Let us now gather up these particulars and they will give us a demonstration of the greatness of the privilege that Israel has a most holy most wise and most powerful Providence to watch over her to superintend all her concerns against all the subtle and malicious designs of all her enemies § 2. We must now distinguish of Providence and that will give us yet a further and fuller prospect into the greatness of this privilege Providence is either Common or Special 1. Common Providence is that whereby he governs cares and provides for all his creatures as such for Providence is as wide and large as creation Not like the Ostrich Job 39. 14 15. which leaveth her Eggs in the earth and warmeth them in the dust and forgetteth that the foot may crush them or that the wild beast may break them she is hardned against her young ones as tho they were not hers her labour is in vain without fear but the good God hates nothing neglects nothing that he has made Mat. 5. 45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust The sun is his great servant to communicate light and heat and the influences of life vigor and fruitfulness to this lower world and some have shamefully mistaken the servant for the Master and worshipt the second cause when they should have referred all their mercies to be first and the sun seems to be unwilling to rise and shine and lend his beams to a company of wretched Idolaters but God makes him rise and shine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he compels him to discharge his office to the whole creation so faithful to and careful of the works of his hands is the great Creator Psal. 147.9 He giveth to the beast his food and to the young ravens which cry The young ravens have a language which Providence understands and God feeds them as well as the innocent Doves nay the young Lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God Lions that might be supposed their own Ca●erers and Carvers that would never ask leave of the Shepherd to borrow a Lamb from his Fold or Flock yet even these in their Dialect seek their meat from God as the Lion roars for his prey the Lamb bleats for his food and tender Providence understands and gives what they crave and want and to a good God the want of his creature is its prayer This Providence of God tho it be called common is yet particular and reaches the minutes of the creation not only caring for the works of his hands in the gross and lump but extending its regards to the motions actions and concerns that seem most inconsiderable it reaches not only the head but the hairs of the head and does not only dispose of and provide for the stately lion but the chirping sparrow and because in the motions of that little bird nothing seems more contingent than its lighting upon the ground whether to seek its food or divert it self yet even these come under the notice of providence Math. 10. 29 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing A small creature a small price And one of them whose price can be but half a farthing shall not fall on the ground an inconsiderable action of an inconsiderable creature without your father But the very hairs of your head are all numbred Wonder not then that God tells the number of the stars of Heaven Psal. 147.4 when he counts the number of the hairs of your head and let this consideration lead our thoughts from admiration of to dependance on that providence which if it cares for the hair will not fail to secure the head This providence is yet more to be admired in that concern it has about the horrid wickednesses of a debauched world that it can like the Sun shine upon a dunghil and yet never defile its beams with those steams which rise from thence that sin which he wisely permits he powerfully over-rules and by a priviledge peculiar to himself brings the greatest good out of the greatest evil 2. There is yet a special and peculiar Providence whereby he is concerned to Provide for and Protect his own Israel his Church and our Saviour the Interest of his own Name and glory is wrapt up in As his Relation is nearer so his Love is dearer and his care greater for Israel Psal. 148.14 The Children of Israel a

silence their Chariot Wheels run smoothly on and God takes them not off and this silence of Providence they interpret into consent and conclude that God is heartily with them because he is not declaredly against them Psal. 50. 21. I kept silence and thou thoughtest I was such a one as thy self Now tho it be not justifiable in humane Counsels to suffer the enemies plots to rise too high their designs to grow too ripe and ready for execution lest they should grow too unruly for their management and not be able to bring 'em down again when they would but rather to nip them in the ●ud or flower or however whilst the fruit is green As the Physitian would run a dangerous risque both of his own credit and Patient's life that should extenuate and emaciate his body upon a presumption that he can repair Nature and restore the habit of the body when he pleases tho I say this be not advisable in humane Politicks and some great Statesmen have been severely censured for suffering Conspirators to go too great a length yet is all this otherwise with the great keeper of Israel He can sail the Ship within a Hairs breadth of a Rock and yet never strike nor split he can permit the Sword to be set at Isaac's throat and in a moment stop the blow Tho Providence suffers the enemies of his Church to play with their Conspiracies whilst he plays with them and at last baffles and fools them 1. Providence suffers the conspiring enemies of his Church to play and please themselves with their own designs he sees them admire the well concerted frame of their Plots and hug themselves in the wit of the contrivance the secrecy of carrying it on the vast hopes of the success the wondrous felicity of their hopes when enjoyed Psal. 36.2 He flatters himself in his own eyes till his iniquity be found to be hateful 2. As they play with their own contrivances Providence plays with them diabolical policy is but the scorn and contempt of the divine Wisdom Psal. 2.4 whilst they are imagining a vain thing setting themselves and consulting against the Lord and his Christ he that sits in heaven doth laugh the Lord has them and their devices in derision O happy that Person that Cause that Interest upon whom the Lord shall graciously smile O wretched those persons that cause that Interest at whom God laughs There was once a project set on foot which whether it had more of seeming glory or real solly in it is a great question I mean that of the builders of Babel Gen. 11. 4. Go to let us build us a City and a Tower whose top may reach to heaven and let us make us a name c. God from his throne sees observes all the progress they make in it at last v. 6. takes notice This they begin to do and now nothing will be restrain from them which they have imagined to do Go to let us go down and confound their language So that the whole of all these conspiracies and designs issue out in this whether Men shall have their wills or God shall have his It 's come to a tryal of skill whether mens policies shall defeat Gods promises or his wisdom confound their counsels Jer. 44. 28. Whose words shall stand mine or theirs Their word and sentence is Israel shall be destroyed Gods word and promise is Israel shall be saved The only point in issue is whether Gods faithfulness shall prevail over their falshood or their policies against the divine wisdom truth and mercy and Solomon has foreseen and foretold what will certainly be the event of all Prov 19. 21. There are many devices in a mans heart but the counsel of the Lord that shall stand 3. The watchful eye of Providence observes not only the length the enemies have gone but what length it 's meet and convenient to suffer them to go and herein the divine wisdom is no less admirable than it is various 1. Sometimes he permits them to come to the Critical juncture which they have fixt and concerted in their deep Cabals just to the execution of their Plot and then when hope and expectation is rais'd to the highest pitch he steps in with his saving right hand He has suffered Israel to sink very low but never so low but he was able to recover her Deut. 33. 27. The eternal God is thy Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Arms. Nor does he ever suffer the rage and wrath of enemies to rise so high but still his infinite power is above them Eccles. 5. 8. He that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they There is a period which the divine wisdomh as fixt to all the unruly ungovernable creatures in the world These barrs he has prescrib'd to the raging waves of the Sea Job 38. 11. Thus far shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed Such limits he sets to the more outrageous rage of proud Tyrants Isa. 37.29 Because thy Rage and thy Tumult against me is come up into mine ears therefore will I put my hook into thy nose and my bridle into thy lips and I will turn thee back by the way which thou camest Pharaoh concluded he had got Israel into a snare out of which no humane wisdom could extricate her and as for divine wisdom he was secure Thus he promises himself Exod. 15. 9. I will pursue I will overtake And this length Divine Providence lets him go but when he threatens I will divide the spoyl my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword and my hand shall destroy them He quickly found he had reckoned without God for now appears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now God is seen in the Mount and the extremity of the enemies hope and of his peoples fear is the opportunity of heaven to deliver God often suffers such a measure of humane or inhumane wrath to break out as will praise him but that remainder of wrath which cannot praise him he will restrain Psal. 76.10 2. At sometimes divine wisdom permits the counsels of his and Israels enemies to succeed and take effect gratifies their malice so far that they put their designs in execution and it was a great length which he allowed the ever bloody Papists in Ireland with their more subtile Consederates in England to proceed when by the greatest variety of torments they cut off two hundred thousand innocent persons but yet they reached not their utmost length It 's not individuals not single persons that will glut their fury Antichrist flies at higher game 't is the rooting out the name of Protestants and destroying their remembrance from the earth that is his quarry 'T is the extirpating the NorthernHeresy which is the Eye-sore of that envious one you shall read the whole of the Plot in Psal. 83.3 4. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy