Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	know_v	lord_n	3,918	5	3.5901	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B07173	A wonderfull and straunge newes, which happened in the countye of Suffolke and Essex, the first of February, beeing Fryday, where it rayned wheat, the space of vi. or vii. miles compass: a notable example to put vs in remembraunce of the iudgements of God, and a preparatiue, sent to moue vs to speedy repentance. / Written by William Auerell, student in diuinitie..	Averell, William.	1583 (1583)	STC 982.5; ESTC S125869	9,271	33

haue baked thereof but whether that be so or no it is not greatly material onely the thing is straunge that any suche substaunce should raine from the Heauens but least some should obiect that it might be scattered by the handes of some in some certaine places It is assuredly saied that it rained not onely in some one perticuler Toune but sixe or seuen miles compasse naie some saie that it was founde also in Essex and other places neither could it be scattered by men either by negligence or pretended purpose for as muche as it was founde in many mens Gardens and Backsides whereas none could come to plaie any suche pageaunt This gentle Reader haue I heard tolde of those men them selues inhabityng that Countrey whereof some substanciall and credible haue gathered and brought to this towne for triall thereof of the graine Lett vs not therefore bee to curious in searchyng out the naturall cause hereof for were Arictottle aliue with all the Philosophers of the world thei could not searche out the cause thereof neither is there any cause to bee founde but the infringible will and power of our God who is Causa causarum and causa sine qua non he it is that is the efficient cause thereof the finall cause and ende wherefore he sendeth the same is our repentaunce that wee beholdyng his Omnipotencie might turne from sinne speedily conuert to hym hastely laie holde of his mercie and by our godly life set forth his glorie for God seyng his worde daiely preached his benefites and graces receiued our peace wealth and quiett encreased and yet our liues no whit amended beginneth to shoote out the arrowes of his anger out of the bowe of his iudgement and displeasure and seyng we regarde not his word he will teache vs by wonders Sith wee despise the inuisible grace of his Sacramentes he wil sende vs the visible signes of his plagues and punishmentes I can not neither wee maie not enter into the counselles of the Lorde to saie that this or that will happen or succeede thereof But surely Marcellus the Heathen man could saie Prodigia esse deorum iras vel minas that straunge euents are either the anger or threatnynges of the Gods And it hath beene approued in all ages that after suche extraordinarie and portentuous tokens haue followed straunge and terrible accidentes as is plainly to be proued by many and sundry Histories for thei haue been the forerunners of plagues of Warres of Famines of the death of Princes of the alteration of states and of innumerable mischeefes all whiche lett vs leaue to the Lorde at his pleasure and seeke to preuent them by repentaunce and prayer Let vs leaue the secrete vnderstandyng thereof to hym who maketh no man of his counsell and for so muche as we can not comprehende the same within the compasse of our capacities As Sainct Augustine saieth Augustin Dicamus deum aliquid posse quod nos fateamur inuestigare non posse in rebus enim mirabilibus tota ratio faciendi est potentia facientis Let vs graunt that God can doe somethyng whiche we confesse we can not searche out For in thynges that are wonderfull the whole maner to doe the same is the power of the doyng thereof For as Gregory saieth Gregory in hom 1. Rationem de occulto dei consilio quaerere nihil aliud est quam contra eius cōfilium superbire To seeke a reasone of the secrete counsell of God is no other thyng then to resist his counsell And as the same Father saith in the same booke The miracles of God thei maie be considered by studie but not searched by vnderstandyng And therefore we must saie with the Prophett Dauid This is the Lords doyng and it is wonderfull in our eyes For whiche cause Christian Brethren seyng the Lorde hath by his greate wisedome and power declared himself in this wonderful sorte vnto vs and hath as it were shaken the sworde in his displeasure to signifie vnto vs the waight of his anger Seyng also wee knowe the cause thereof to bee our sinnes whiche because thei are outragious haue therefore incensed the wrath of our GOD and considering likewise that wee knowe the meanes and waies to preuent the wrathe and indignation of God namely by our repentaunce by a sorrowe vnfained a faith assured with a full purpose of a life amenmended Let vs not slacke to turne to the Lorde while he now turneth vnto vs let vs not be slow to seeke him while he may be founde for if we knowe our Maisters will and dooe it not wee shall bee beaten with many stripes Let it not be saied of vs as it hath beene of the Athenians among whom when a certaine olde man came in to their Theater and none of the Citizens would rise and giue hym honour albeit the reuerence of age was confirmed among them by lawe he came by chaunce by the Ambassadors of Lacedemon who also came thether to beholde who perceiuyng the olde man because of his graie heares rose vp and gaue hym rome whiche when the Athanians behelde with a great shoote thei praised the deede to whō one of the Lacedemonians saied Athenienses quid fit rectum sciunt at illud facere ex toto negligunt The Athenians know what is meete to doe but thei wholy neglect to doe the same Euen so Mutato nomine de nobis fabula naratur Christians knowe what is meete to doe but thei wholy neglecte to dooe the same Albertus telleth of certaine Birdes that albeit thei haue wynges yet thei can not flye because thei want eyes and therfore thei rather creepe and hopp vpon the earth then flye any whit at all and to such maie wee bee compared For albeit wee haue the wynges of knowledge yet wee lacke the eyes of faith and therfore when wee shoulde flye with our myndes and thoughtes to heauen for want of faithe our hartes creepe vppon the yearth and are settled on yearthly thynges But as Hierome saieth Hie. ad demetriadem Non sufficit mandata dei memoriter scire opere obliuisci It is not sufficient to knowe perfectlie the Commaundementes of GOD and by our woorkes to showe wee haue forgotten them whiche whether we haue or not is manifest by the wofull spectakle of our sorrowfull daies in whiche sinne is so setled and growne to suche ripenesse that it waiteth but for the sickell of the Lords iudgements Looke on our pride are not our men trickt like Monsters and our women prickt like Players Bee not the bellies of men like bolsters and their buttockes made like Butterflyes Are not our women chaunged into the shape of men how are their heare curld like Ruffianes and their garmentes made like Maskers what iettyng and ioggyng what shoueyng shouldryng what nicenesse in treading what iestures in going what coiyng in countenaunce what trifelyng in talking and to be shorte how are maners corrupted and all good orders subuerted Laie this to the touchstone

of Gods worde and see how it agreeth alas it makes the godly to grone although the vngracious feele no greefe Leaue this and looke vppon our couetousnesse what pittie is there of the poore and what releefe of many needie how are rentes raised Incombes leueyed Leases corrupted Bonds and their forfeites sued poore needie soules imprisoned lawes wrested and truthe little regarded maie it not be said of our daies as Petronius said of his Quid faciunt leges vbi sola pecunia regnat Aut vbi paupertas viuere nulla potest Iam non iudicium est nihil est nisi public amerces Nullaque iustitia est fraus vbi iura regit Venalis populus venalis curia primum Ipsaque maiestas aere sepulta iacet What good do lawes where money rainges alone Or where the poore can not obtaine his right Our iudgement now to common gaine is growne No iustice is where fraude puts lawe to flight Men set to sale the iudgement seate likewise Honor her self in money buried lyes But omittyng this with our Vsurie Blasphemie Adulterie Enuie Subteltie Oppression Extortion and Briberie seyng we are all corrupte euen from the sole of the foote vnto the hedde Seeyng there is nothyng whole in vs but all wounds and swellyngs and sores full of corruption Lette vs desire the Lorde to wrappe vs vp to binde vp our woundes and to mollifie vs with the Oile of his grace for wee are the vnfruitfull Vineyard euen this little realme of England whiche albeit our lande hath been plentifull yet haue our liues been barren and vnthanckfull the Lorde hath hedged vs in with his graces he hath gathered out the stones of Poperie and errors he hath planted vs with the beste plantes namely of sounde Religion and the truthe of his Gospell he hath builte a Tower in the middest of vs whiche is his Churche Wee haue a wine presse the house of prayer the Lorde hath looked that we should bryng forthe grapes of good life but we haue brought forthe the wilde grapes of wickednesse and now our owne consciences can be witnesse that the lorde hath doen so muche for vs as more he could not doe for any Nation he will therefore take awaie our hedge of defence namely his mercies and so shall wee bee troden doune of our enemies The Lorde hath looued vs with an euerlastyng loue he hath chosen vs to hym self in mercie he hath fedde vs with the fatnesse of the yearth and giuen vnto vs the dewe of heauen he hath caste a bancke about vs for our defence and closed vs in with a wall of strength he hath with peace sent vs plentie and with aboundance giuen vs tranquilitie Wee haue a gracious and mercifull Queene to guide vs indued with wisedome learnyng and vertue that laboureth daiely the increase of the Gospell God hath giuen wise and graue Counsailers in the middest of trouble to determine our causes who care and carke for the defence of our Countrie and applie their studie for our common weales commoditie the Lorde hath endewed vs with learned Bishoppes Pastors and teachers who ring daiely in our eares the golden belles of the Lawe and Gospell who sounde out of a sweete golden Trompet the cherefull allarum against our enemies Thei feede vs with Manna beyng Aungelles foode and giue vs cleare water out of the pure Fountaine Thei haue stopped vp the muddie puddelles of Popery and giuen vs to drincke of the cleare Siluer streames of the Gospell Lett vs not bee vnthanckfull to GOD for them for thei stande in the gappe to tourne awaie the wrathe of the Lorde it is the praiers of these that holdeth backe the angrie hand of the Lorde Ouid saieth that Arturus is a Starre placed nere the Pole Artick whiche neuer falleth but riseth and compasseth continually about the Pole if this starre should fall the Pole would by and by faile and so the whole frame of the worlde should perishe Euen so these holie and godly men as no doubte there are some though the number bee few in this Citie thei are those that daie and night doe compasse the Pole of this worlde who continually beate in the eares of the lorde with their praiers and like this Starre thei are continuall in risyng and neuer fall were it not for whom the frame of this worlde had long since been dissolued but assuredly there being is not long for these wonderfull tokens and prodigious signes dooe manifestly tell vs of the worldes consumation let vs therefore watche for the time is at hande Lette vs bee wise Virgines with our Oile in our Lampes that wee maie enter into the weddyng Chamber whē our spouse Christe Iesus shall come to Iudgement let vs continue to th ende that we maie eate of the hidden Manna let vs striue valiauntly that we maie obtain the Croune and gaine the kyngdome we haue long hopes for and heare the sweete and cōfortable saiyng Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginnyng of the worlde and that this maie speedely come Lett vs continually crie Come lorde Iesus come quickly bryng vs to the fruition of thy ioyes and shorten these our miserable daies that wee maie all with one voyce glorifie thee in thy heauenly kyngdome and sing that swete song holie holie holie Lorde God almightie Graunt this O Father for Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie spirite be all honor and praise bothe now and for euer Amen VVitnesse hereunto these men whose names doe followe Maister VVillyam Geffreyes dwellyng in Jpswhich John Bull seruaunt to Justice Germaye Richard Boothe of Jpswhich dwellyng with Olyuer Boothe Richard Kaye with diuers others FINIS