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	will_n	3,297	5	6.8462	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97126	The good-vvill of Him that dwelt in the bush: or, The extraordinary happinesse of living under an extraordinary providence. A sermon preached before the Right Honourable, the House of Lords, in the Abbey Church at Westminster, on Tuesday, Iuly 22. 1645. At their publike thanksgiving for the good successe given to the Parliaments forces, under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax in the west. /	Ward, John, d. 1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing W774; Thomason E293_16; ESTC R200163	33,640	44

to the building of the first Temple then the whole Congregation together were able to offer towards the reedifying of the second Possibly one man had been owner of more cattell then all of them could number when they were come up into their own land they did not enjoy the liberty of an Israelitish subject but were under the arbitrary power of a Tyrant who bare rule over them at their pleasure They were servants in their own land and it yeelded much increase to the Kings whom God had set over them because of their sinnes Onely they had found some favour with the Heathen Monarchs Proclamations had been issued in their behalfe some liberty granted by Cyrus some additionall enlargement by his successours some speciall providences had been dispensed in answer of their prayers a door of hope was opened but there were many adversaries and they daily wrestled with many difficulties and discouragements even among themselves were found many wicked and ill affected persons at that very time there was cause of solemne mourning and fasting Yet even this deliverance this way of God in good-will to them the holy man magnifies with no little wonderment hereof he was glad as they that dreame in an extasie of joy and admiration he looks upon it as an over-excellent object over-powring his heart that he cannot finde wordes for it And hast given us such deliverance as this Secondly The Psalmist speaks it plainly though he cannot speak it fully Happy is the people that is in such a case yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord He weighs both stakes with the advantages of each one against the other and in his judgement this casts the scales and more then counterpoiseth the good of that for if the former words vers. 12 13 14. and part of the 15. That our children c. Happy is that people that is in such a case be the wish and boast of the vain men mentioned vers. 11th then he opposeth those last of his own to theirs nay happy are the people whose God is the Lord or if he speaks his own thoughts looking to the promises and blessings of the Law yet then he correcteth himselfe and preferreth this to the former counting them happy who suffer affliction if God be amongst them in good will as when he dwelt in the bush rather then those who spend their daies in wealth whose houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them whose soever the words be without controversie he gives the precedencieto that for which he had first prayed viz. an extraordinary providence towards him in times of trouble Bow the Heavens O God and come down send thine hand from above rid me and deliver me out of great waters from the hand of strange children whose mouth talketh of vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood And by the way it may be noted how he can number and measure the blessings of plenty and prosperity can gaze upon the pomp and glory of them and finde language to speak as much as heart can wish or thinke but the priviledge of protection and deliverance in troublesome times while God teacheth the hands to warre and the fingers to fight while God becomes the goodnesse fortresse tower deliverer and shield of his servants subduing and scattering their enemies before them He rather admires then comprehends he cannot graspe what he saw nor distinctly expresse what he apprehended affections swallow up words Happy is that people whose God is the Lord But why do we look so farre when we may finde proof so neer in the last verse of this very chapter Happy art thou oh Israel who is like unto thee oh Jacob saved by the Lord the shield of thine helpe and who is the sword of thine excellencie The Rhetorique is very high yet very intelligible and its meaning easily discernable an ordinary capacitie will reach it especially if but imagine the man of God now upon the mount of contemplation as we finde him in the next Chapter on the top of Nebo looking round about him on the course of Gods providence in Egypt in the wildernesse and in the land in times of distresse and giving liberty to his heart with contentment and gladnesse to feed upon the good things the manifold good folded up in that blessed state wherein the Lord did more immediately and openly interest himselfe in their cause in every difficulty and against all opposition either miraculously in the want and absence of means supplying and saving-by himselfe or marvellously in the insufficiencie and disproportion of means commanding an efficacie and creating an issue beside their thought beyond their expectation to their advantage and priviledge especially in the hazard of warre else what means the mention of shield and sword A short paraphrase will smooth and clear the abrupt and imperfect expression if any thing may seem obscure in it and lend much light to the proofs of the doctrine in hand for the words do manifestly bear this sense Oh the happinesse of the people the care of whose welfare the everlasting God doth take upon himselfe The multitude the variety the world of mercies mingled with judgements the abundance the infinite of good put into their hands dropt into their mouthes by the gracious and glorious administrations of providence Oh the excellence the lustre of the prerogative of such a people above all other nations outshining the seeming cloudinesse and uncomfortablenesse of their unsetled distracted condition They perhaps may sometimes thinke themselves in a worse estate then other men because of the diminution and obstruction of their ordinary liberties by the want of common accommodations and conveniences but if they were taken off their prejudices and knew their own happinesse there were none to be compared with them the worlds wonder and envy having God so nigh them so seasonably so manifestly so admirably preserving and providing for them its impossible to set forth the excellencie of their priviledge words will not expresse it the minde cannot fathom it admiration cannot reach it Oh the happinesse c. But we may well set aside particular witnesses for there are three or four things in Scripture that we cannot lightly passe by without observation which corroborate the testimony produced First This blessing is the blessing of the promises mostly the matter of Gods promises speciall solemne promises other things are the object of mens wishes and desires Oh that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and enlarge my coast and that thou wouldest keep me from evil that it may not grieve me but if God saw cause at any time to fore-acquaint his people with his good will about the concernements of their outward temporall estates the prophecie and the promise are usually of these and of this kinde we finde very many very ample and very remarkeable discoveries and ingagements in Moses and the Prophets Secondly God is more oft proclaimed by Names