Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	know_v	5,049	5	3.5427	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

speak it And do apprehend that his purposes tend thereunto As also to the honour safety and benefit of the Common-wealth manifested by his ordering affairs abroad in making honourable peace thereby stopping more and greater effusion of bloud and exhausting of treasure As also his Highnesses care for proving Ministers to eject those that are scandalous and unsound in which I yet hope his Highnesse and present Parliament will make better and further progresse that known Heresies apparent Blasphemies and open prophanesse may be extirpate and ●ast out of these three Nations which that they may do shall be my constant praier And that as God hath added to his Highness encrease of worldly honour he will also double and redouble to him spiritual humility wisedom holinesse with all other graces And let this be the praier of Zions Saints that Peace and Truth may be established Jesus Christ set up in ou● hearts and sincerely worshiped in his own Ordinances that the purity of Ordinances may stand like the Ark of God before which all heresies seducements and doctrines of devils may fall like Dagon to the earth so that if it be possible Eugland may be the Beloved Nation and the praise of the whole Earth for the which let us all pray and endeavour and this brings us to our fifth Inference The fifth Inference is that although God have set a time for the giving in of mercies and for inflicting of Judgements which shall certainly be a●complished in their time yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawful means for the enjoying of the one and the avoyding of the other This was ever the practice of holy men in all ages the Prophet Daniel notwithstanding he was well assured of the performance of Gods promise for the deliverance of his people after the set time of seventy years was expired yet he praieth with his face toward Ierusalem g yea when he knew the time was at hand he yet praieth for the accomplishment of it and confessed his own sins and the sins of the people h nor did he think it sufficient to pray for a spurt but he praied from the morning until the time of the evening Sacrifice i Thus Zion her self complaineth unto God and praieth for deliverance k and Nehemiab when the time was come mourned fasted and praied and used all lawful endeavours l He looked sad in the presence of the King sig●●●●ing the sorrow of his heart for the ruines of Ierusalem and this was a●●●●ns by which he obtained favour to make his R●quest to the King yea ●●●lest his tongue was speaking to the King his heart praied to the God of h●aven m and God gave him his desires not only to build the Temple at Ierusalem but to have all materials necessary for the wo●k The reason why all lawful means must be used is Because whatsoever God in his secret counsel hath determined to be done he hath also determined and appointed the means how it shall be done As he hath decreed the end he also hath decreed the means conducing to that end So it was in the things of rebu●lding the City and Temple God had determined it should be built again promised it by his Prophets And he had also determined and appointed that ●yrus should be the means or secondary cause of it Therefore he cals Cyrus his Shepherd He that shall perform all his pleasure even saying to Ierusalem Thou shalt be built and to the Temple ●by foundation shall be laid n and he shall let go my captives o And this was at the time appointed made good as you may see Ezr. 1. 1. and herein Gods purpose and secondary causes work together God worketh by such men and endeavours as he hath appointed and such means men are to use You know God promised to Israel many blessings both temporall and spiritual he promiseth the downfal of their enemies and great encrease of all things multiplicity of blessings in all outward comforts p so he promiseth to them and in them to us Christrans all spirituall blessings freely given for his own Name sake he promiseth to sprinkle clean water on us to clense us from all our filthinesse and from our Idols He will give us a new heart and put his Spirit into us and cause us to walk in his Statutes q signifying thereby the merits and bloud of Jesus Christ which cleanseth us from all iniquity c. yet saith the Lord notwi●hstanding he will surely give all these blessings freely I will be sought unto I will be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them r so you shall see God sends the Prophet to Hezekiah to te●l him he should su●ely die of the disease of which he was sick Hezekiah notwithstanding makes his addresses by praier unto God unto God to spare his life and obtains his desire God addes fifteen years ſ praier obtains the mercy desired that 's one means yet there must be another means added Hezekiah must take a bunch of figs and apply to the mortall sore and he shall recover t when God alloweth nay requireth that we shall use all lawful means for us to neglect to use the means or obstinately reject the means we are self-enemies and it is just with God to withhold the mercy we desire or to bring the judgements upon us we would avoid to neglect slieght or contomn any lawfull means is a tempting of God that man that shall cast off all means and say he will rest upon providence neither beleeves there is indeed an over-ruling providence nor can rest upon providence upon any Scripture ground He that will rest upon providence must follow the dictate and waies of providence else he deceives himself The Physician in cases of any necessity is the means for health the Chirurgion is a means for cure of a fretting wound ulcer or gangrene The Lawyer to clear a questioned Title or to pleade a doubtful cause before the Judge he that shall in such or the like cases neglect or reject such means providence offering it to him shall be justly condemned of folly by any wise man so it is in all things between God and us to obtain mercies or to avoid judgements we are to search out and to use all lawfull means But in the use of any means though never so lawfull we must take heed that we trust not to the means for that is sinful and the way to deprive our selves of what we do expect or most desire and to involve our selves in these troubles and miseries we would avoid and most fear This was the si● of that good King Asa in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians u We must be diligent in means but trust in God as much as if we had no means to use You shall see that when Moses was to leade the people of Israel through a vast and barren wildernesse God

against it w and we have seen Gods provident care thereof that they that have been the heads of this assault have been broken in peeces and their ass●tiations the Word of God is as fire and it shall consume stubble All the enemies of truth shall be like straws though numerous which conspire against a burning coal and encompasse it by heaps to put it out that when they think they have done it and have eclipsed the light for a little while it shall kindle burn and consume them all these straws though mighty for a time shall come to nothing This is their time of attempts and this is the time that God will purge his Church This is the time of Reformation and of great judgements For whenever God hath been doing any great work tending to Reformation the devil and Satan that great old Enemy and subtle Serpent hath alwaies made the greatest opposition the greater the work is that God is doing the stronger the oppositions will be as we see in Rev. 12. 1 2 3 4. considered and compared That God is doing a great work in these daies is manifest clear as the light of the Sun But what God will do he only know To us it is unknown whether he will at this time give in to England the mercies promised or whether he will yet afflict us with more and greater Judgements we know not The former shall be made good assuredly to his Church the latter seems rather to be our present portion the effects of all the alterations and changes in our times is hid from our eyes only it is Gods good pleasure and he is doing a great work There are three things evils that have long threatned the great judgements and changes which we of England have lately felt and seen in this Nation 1. The encrease and growth of all kinde of sin especially corruption in Religion x and a general crying oppression these do still remain as high as ever 2. The appearance and encrease of secondary causes thereunto conducing principally Jealousies Divisions Emulations Hypocrisie Sedition and Treachery z These things are effects of Gods anger a and forerunners of great changes but these do encrease in England 3. The straits and necessities of the Church when good men especially holy godly Ministers are scorned contemned and misused b then God is exceeding angry and brings wrath without remedy For the Churches necessity is Gods opportunity to deliver his Church and to avenge himself of their enemies and that is alwaies by great changes God hath made change after change in England once twice thrice and again but the evils are not changed therefore more changes are threatned The Prophet denonncing Judgement against the King and Kingdome of Israel saith thus Thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end thu● saith the Lord God Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the man Ex●lt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is and I will give it him c This Prophecy was concerning Zedekiah and Israels carrying captive into Babylon and the government of Christ to whom all Kingdoms and Nations are given and are his right whom he is pleased to set up as vicegerent under him to rule in righteousnesse and judgement shall be established God will abase him that is highest and exalt him that is low and will overturn and overturn again and again until he come for his right it is to whom Jesus Christ shall give it So it is evident that all turnings overturnings and changes that have been in this Nation or whatsoever shall be are not by accident nor by the subtle contrivement of counsel or men but as all is ordered by Providence to effect Gods will for man is not able of himself to bring any enterprise to passe he is not able saith Doctor Preston to see all the wheels that tend to make up an enterprise nor if he were able to see them all he is not able to turn them nor to fit every one so together as to make up an enterprise God by providence after several changes and several attempts of new enterprises which the attempters though skilful to deceive and powerful to compell could not enterprise hath given us a Supream Magistrate to judge the people of these Nations And by providence hath intitled him OLIVER Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and of the Dominions thereunto belonging This is the man whom God by his secret providence hath made the instrument of our deliverance from the designs of an Anti-christian brood and from the powers of Royall and Hierarchical enemies and rescued our Laws and Religion out of usurpers hands therein comparable to Gideon It is true he accepted of what Gideon refused d but he coveted not what Gideon asked e nor indented beforehand as Iephthah did f He might have sate in Parliament at ease and with profit as others did but providence ordered him to another work And he freely and voluntarily exposed himself to all hardships to endure the parching Sun by day and the nipping frost by night as a zealous Patriot of his Nation his sleep departed from his eyes His bed the open field and the Heavens his Curtains He was not backward to jeopard his life in the high places of the field for the safety of his Countrey not shifting to secure himself in the greatest danger nor declined any Engagement with the Enemy let the disadvantages be what they could 〈◊〉 three four or five to one of the Enemies party yet not once that I can remember was he put to the worst or caused to fly from or turn his back from the Enemy from the beginning of the war to the end thereof He is of an ancient Family He hath been well educated in Learning and in Religion except only some youthful tricks hath been a professor of holinesse and practiser of justice the man of the Saints praiers whom God prospered and made successeful in all his undertakings and providence hath kept in all dangers ordering all along by gradations to what he now is as is observed in our third Inference Why God hath done all this we cannot give any reason but that it is his secret will to effect his own purpose But whether it shall be at this time as an income of mercies or encrease of afflictions I leave to the all-knowing God who will manifest his pleasure in his own time It may be a mercy from God and so I esteem of it but we may by our divisions turn it to a judgement as indeed our seditious practises do threaten Sure I am whatever may be that since providence laid this burthen upon him he hath managed it with much wisedom and justice the fruits whereof we have had some taste To the honour of God I

Iacob might in him be accomplished That a Scepter should not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come f which was spoken of David and in him fullfilled g the particulars would be too long to instance them it may be I shall touch some of them in another place afterward and leave the whole story to the Reader to contemplate Something I might say of many particulars and clear providence observable of late daies in ordering things Actions and Instruments leading Oliver our present Lord Protector to the place office and dignity in which he now ruleth with the Honourable High Court of Parliament for whom I pray and of whom I intend to say something more in the proper place afterward in the mean time we have I hope said enough to prove that God and God alone pulleth down Kings and setteth up Kings That so we may acknowledge that every mercy and every judgement is from God ordered by him and is not from men whatsoever their designs are or whatsoever they intend or aim at as their end for all men good and bad are but Instruments in Gods hand secondary causes and can do nothing but what God by Providence leads them to do or permits to be done to effect his own purpose and secret decre● ordering all and every Action thereunto It is true that a merciful man doth good and a good man sheweth mercy but a good mans goodnesse is not his own he hath received it from God who is the fountain of all good nor can a good man distribute good to another but as he is guided by God he is but the Instrument in Gods hand Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights h A man may be able to do good to this or that man yet he may sometimes want will to do it if he have a will it is from God where how or to whom he shall do that good or if a good man have a will and intention to do good to this or that man his intentions may be crossed that he cannot do it or if he be not crossed in his intentions yet the good he doth may turn to the hur● of him that receives it except God blesse and prosper it so that all good and every mercy to any man let the Instrument be what it will it is from God God gave Ioseph favour with the Keeper of the prison i and God extended mercy to his people in the sight of the Kings of Persia k all is from God Men are but Gods Instruments therefore Iacob praieth to God that God would give his Sons favour with the men they had to do with l And as it is in mercies so it is in judgements and afflictions all is from God men are his Instruments secondary causes It is true that wicked men devise and imagine mischief continually and plot against the righteous to afflict and to molest them although the wickednesse which they plot is their own And they think they have power to act accordingly they never wanting will to do it yet they are crossed by providence in acting what they intend And often yea alwaies to the Elect of God the evil they think to do turns to the good of them against whom it is done as the bufferings from Satan did to Paul it was advantage to him for if wicked men could act answerable to their wils and intentions neither righteousnesse nor holinesse should be amongst men not the man on earth that should practise either but they are in Gods hand his Instruments to do his pleasure and no more neither wicked men nor Sa●an himself cannot do as shall be shewed afterward The want of due and serious consideration of this truth and submission to it causeth much discontent and murmuring among men for in our affl●ctions we are ready to fly in the face of men meer instruments secondary causes and as the Prophet complains We turn not to God that smiteth us nor seek to the Lord of hosts m We are like the dog that bites the stone that is cast at him but looks not at the hand that cast it We are sensible of the rod that whips us but take no notice of the hand that holds it We complain of men and things Accidents and Causes and it is likely not without cause but God the cause of all causes except sin we consider not who saith of himself I the Lord do all things I create the light and make darknesse I make peace and create evil n God mingleth a perverse spirit in the midst of counsell o he leadeth away Counsellors spoiled and maketh Judges fools p God stirred up Hadad and Rezon to be adversaries to Solomon q and they did much mischief in Israel all Solomons daies Shall there be evil in the City saith the Lord and I the Lord have not done it r that is evil of affliction punishment not the evil of sin for that is the procuring cause of all punishment as we shall shew in the proper place All that I now drive at is but to prove that all secondary causes men or things can do nothing of themselves either to misery or to happiness But that all mercies and all judgements are of God from him and by him he disappointeth the devises of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise This I say is the Soveraignty of God the Creator over all things governing the world by his wise and secret providence And it doth above all things declare the glory omnipotency and incomprehensible wisedom of God working in and by all things after the counsell of his own will That all things though in motion and use never so contrary one to another and in their nature and ends destructive one to another yet all and every thing in most harmonious union work together in one consent to effect and accomplish whatever God hath in his secret counsel determined yea by the worst of Instruments to do glorious things bringing good out of their evil and work deliverance to his Church by the Enemies Actions and destroy his Enemies by their own counsels causing the wisedom of the wise to perish and to hide uuderstanding from the prudent ſ When he giveth quietnesse who can make trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only t Thus much shall serve for foundation or groundwork of our intended discourse from whence we may gather some inferences and therein take a view of some late and remarkable Providences in these our daies ordering Counsels Actions and Things contrary to mens designs and endeavours and working all things after the counsell of his own will pulling down and setting up whom he pleaseth for the accomplishment of his own secret purpose first one and then others changing times and seasons men and counsels

his back they made long furrows but how long till the time appointed by God then the rigbteous Lord cuts the cords asunder a It is a metaphor taken from the Plowman he holds the Plow the Horses draw by cords or traces and the Plow breaketh and teareth the ground but when the cords are cut the horses may go but the Plow stands still it makes no more furrows there would be no end of afflicting if the devils and wicked men were not limited God saith to them as to the proud waves Thus far you shall go and not a foot further God tels Abraham that his seed must be afflicted and be strangers in a Land or lands that was not theirs and God sets the time how long it should be four hundred years is the set time b this time of affliction began presently after the birth of Isaac and was thirty years after the Promise made to Abraham before-mentioned which Moses counting from the time of the first Promise maketh four hundred and thirty years Exod. 12. 41. The Captivity in Babylon was appointed and the time set how long it should be threescore and ten years c Satan was limited in all his temptations and afflictions upon Iob he could not go one jot further then Gods appointments d The holy Ghost foretelleth the afflictions of the Church but withall tels them the time is set how long and what it shall be Satan shall cast some of you into prison how long You shall have tribulation ten daies e God had set the time and when that time is out neither devils nor men can afflict any longer Pharaoh may pursue Israel with a mighty Army to his own destruction but cannot hurt one of the people of Israel when his Commission is out f So long as God would have Israel to be afflicted every taskmaster in Egypt could make their lives miserable but when the time appointed was expired Pharaoh with all his host cannot continue it one day not so much as a dog in all Egypt shall move his tongue at man nor beast g But although God have set times to all purposes and all are known to him yet these are unknown to men Israel although the time of their affliction and servitude was foretold knew not the time of their deliverance till it came for they knew not from what time to begin their account of the four hundred years so although Ieremy had foretold that Israel should be in captivity seventy years yet they knew not when those years were expired because they were not sure whether they took the beginning at the first captivity which was in the time of Iehojaki● or in the second which was in the time of Jeconiah or in the third which was in the time of Zedekiah when the Temple was burnt and wholly broken down It is true Daniel saith He understood by Books that was by Jeremies Prophecy that God would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem h by which he knew the time was near but though he was a Prophet of God God had not revealed to him that it was expired nor could he ascertain the time Neither could Nehemiah nor Ezra till the very time was come Nor could they say or imagine by what means their deliverance should come but God who only is wise and faithfull in all his promises keeps his time and by providence ordereth the means to effect the thing promised so it was in bringing back his people from their captivity which what done when they looked not for it before they were aware Hence it was that the Church in celebrating her praise for that deliverance saith When the Lord returned again the Captivity of Zion we were like them in a dream i the suddennesse of their deliverance was amazement to them as if they had but dreamed it The time of Christs coming in the flesh was foretold by Daniel and others of the Prophets It was shewed to Daniel by the seventy weeks k yet until the very time came none could tell or say that was the time So the time of Christs second coming it is foretold and signs given us of the time yet no man no nor the Angels in heaven can tell the time when it shall be not what day nor what age l We are theref●r commanded to watch for saith our Saviour Christ Ye know not when he will come neither doth any man know who shall be smitten and who shall escape in the time of any calamity though it be certainly known and appointed by God Christ telleth his Disciples It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power m God hath set the time for the fall of Babylon and he hath set the time for the conversion of the Jews but the time nor means we cannot know till the accomplishment be Hence I conceive Daniel is commanded to shut up the words and to seal the Book even to the end n that is shut or seal this Prophecy for it is obscure and long to the end before it shall be accomplished It is the saying of Irenius That every Prophecy before it be accomplisht is as a riddle but being once accomplished it is plainly understood And though by faith we look upon all Prophecies to come as that which is truth and that there is a certainty in them as if we now saw them fulfilled yet at the time of their accomplishment they shall be much more glorious and it is true that as Knowledge encreaseth so men will be more studious in them and in observing the several providences of God working and ordering secondary causes as the means to accomplish them in the time appointed but it cannot be known unto us as is proved Then surely it must needs be unwarrantable boldnesse in any to take upon them to tell what God will do and when he will do it and will prescribe the means how it shall be done as many do in these daies who spare not to affirm that Christ shall come to reign on the earth a thousand years and the time when he shall come and by what means that fifth Monarch shall be set up and what Governours and Government shall be in the world till then they will tell us when the Jews shall be converted and how When Babylon shall fall and by whom and what means But these things are secrets of Gods counsell as I have shewed things which he keeps to himself in his own power and till the time of the accomplishment no man can know the certainty of them To tell us of Revelations Visions Dreams and new Lights is nothing but even as much as if they should say they dreamed they were in a dream for they are meer fantasies I can say of these men no other then the Prophet Jeremy saith of the false Prophets of his time which prophesied lies saying I have dreamed I have dreamed o