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	part_n	2,878	5	4.1381	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48855	A sermon preached before Her Majesty, on May 29, being the anniversary of the restauration of the King and royal family by the Bishop of S. Asaph, Lord Almoner to Their Majesties.	Lloyd, William, 1627-1717.	1692 (1692)	Wing L2716; ESTC R6946	15,431	33

as we may reasonably believe that God is concern'd for Thirdly When we see there was a great and near danger of losing that which God was concern'd for if this had not happened for its preservation I think these three that I have named are sure tokens by which we may Judge without danger of mistake that any thing that happens in this manner is of God's doing 1. First When we see a thing done that is great and extraordinary in it self or is like to be so in its consequence it sets us presently on thinking whence this should proceed For we know that nothing happens by chance every thing has a Cause wheher we know it or not But if we are so at a loss for it that either we see no Cause at all or none that can reach the effect What then We Judge the Cause to be something that is to us invisible The Heathens as they held every thing which they could not see to be a God so when they saw any thing done which they knew not how any creature should do they ascribed it to God Thus the Magicians of Egypt when they saw Moses turn dust into lice a thing which they could not do with all their Inchantments They confessed that this was the finger of God When the Syrians saw their mighty armies overcome by a handful of Israelites they knew it was not done by humane strength what then It must be a Divine power that assisted them When the Jews that were returned from the Babylonian Captivity had built up the Wall about Jerusalem in fifty two days which was a very unaccountable thing even their Enemies the Moabites and others that saw it confessed that this was the work of God Thus they Judged not from any peculiar notions of their own Nation or Religion but it was the reasoning of humane nature upon that Hypothesis that there is a God that governs the World And therefore much more we that have Revelation for this Wee that have the holy Scriptures which teach us that from him and by him are all things when we see such things done as could be from no other it confirms us that such things must be from God It is that Allwise and Allmighty Being that sheweth himself now by his ordinary Providence in such works as are above our reason and strength no less then he did by works of Miracle to them that lived in Scripture times Secondly Especially we see this in such works as appear to be done for such purposes as wee have all reason to believe God would be most especially concerned for in this World This is the second thing that I proposed among the ways we have to Judge that any great work is of God's doing The Old Romans in judging of Criminal matters when they would kn●w the author of any thing that was done one of their fi●st Questions was that of Cassius Cui bono Who has been or who was like to be the better for this If the ben●fit of it redounded to any person whether to himself or to his Children or his family that gave a shrewd suspicion that he was the Author of it The same way one may guess at the author of any Action whatsoever the nature of it may be And by this measure God is pleased to give us leave to Judge of him and of his doings This he tells us in the first place that he made all things for his Glory It is that which we are therefore to consider in the first place as being the chief end of all his doings Whatsoever is contrary to that and so is all sin whatsoever we are sure he is not the Author of it And though he suffers such things as far as he sees fit yet he does not even that but so as it may turn to his G●ory But of all things that he has made he loveth those things best that are fittest to set forth his Glory Those are here upon earth the Rational beings whom he Create● in his own Image howsoever by Sin they are fallen from it Again among these his chief care is for them whom he has re●●emed to himself Especially he takes care for the B●dy o● his redeem'd ones that is for his Church And therefore for those societies of men that are his Church in the several Kingdoms or Nations As this is his chief care for Persons so for Things he is chiefly concerned for those things by which man sheweth forth his Image all those Godlike Qualities of Truth and Righteousness and Peace and Charity and Mercy and the like And above all for true Religion and the true Worship of God These things are directly for his glory therefore these things are his great concernment in the World That Gods greatest care of all is for his Church this is so clear that they that held a multiplicity of Gods the Heathens thought it most reasonable to believe that every God should be most concern'd for his own people They believed the God of Israel would do things for his own people that he would not do for any other And therefore when they saw great things done for Israel they did not doubt that those things were done by Israel's God In like manner whatsoever may be done by any other supernatural power as it cannot be denied that Devils may do great things that may resemble the wonderful works of God yet they are to be distinguisht by this that whereas God's works are for the good of his Church and for the promoting of Religion and Goodness which are his great concernment in the World Whatsoever tends to the destruction of these we may be sure it is not the work of God It is the Enemy that hath done this And yet when the Enemy has done his worst which may go very far towards the Destruction of the Church so far as to bring it into great sufferings by the permission of God for the Chastisement of his People which having obtain'd its effect they will have cause to thank God for their sufferings Yet I say when the Devil has done his worst before it comes to utter destruction God will find a way to deliver his people and that is truly the work of God 3. And the neerer they were to destruction the more visible is his work in their deliverance that 's the third thing I have to shew The greater danger there was of our losing that for which God is concern'd so much the more of his Hand appears in our deliverance from it The greatest dangers are those which as to men appear to be insuperable Therefore the more any danger appears to be such the more it appears to be worthy of God that he should deliver us from it For though as to him all things are easie alike no one work is harder then another to make the World out of nothing no more then making Lice out of Dust Yet as to us there is a great difference for we are most affected with

those that were present at the things that I have mentioned tho' otherwise they were far enough from being over-religious yet that which they saw could not but make a deep Impression And if that be your Case that only present things will affect you then I must crave leave to put you in mind of the things which are hardly yet past There lies now a great Army upon the French Coast and they say Transport-Ships that for six Weeks together wanted only a Guard of Ships of War to set them over into this Kingdom And we are told there hath been a sufficient number of Ships of War these six Weeks ready to set Sail only they wanted Wind to bring them first together and then into our Seas But the Dutch Fleet and Ours have wanted no Wind to bring them out nor to bring them together And the French have wanted it no longer then till our Fleet was in readiness and till all the Advantages of Number and Strength were on our side Then it pleased God to bring them forth with positive Orders to Fight us of which we can give no other account but that it was an Insatuation from God Whatsoever the Instruments were it was surely an Insatuation from God who was pleased with their own Kings Consent nay by his Order to deliver so many of their best Ships into our hands It was a wonderful thing that God should give us such a Deliverance much more that he should give us such a Victory and all this by Means to which we could contribute nothing The Deliverance was from such a Danger as we may reasonably hope we shall never be in again after such a Victory A Victory that not only puts an end to the present Descent but that if we know how to use it secures us against any the like for the future A Victory of which it seems to be as true as it was of the Spanish Invasion there ended their Power at Sea there ended their Terror to our Island there ended their hopes of an Universal Monarchy I might say a great deal more but this is I confess a fresh Subject which is reserved for some other Hand I shall therefore leave it to him to whom it belongs Only one thing I ought to observe as to the timing of this Victory Considering how little the present French King was a Friend to our Royal Family before the Restauration and considering how much he has been an Enemy to our Church both before and since I suppose he had very little Joy of that which happened on our Nine and twentieth of May. I do not believe that he did ever heartily thank God for it Well! for all that we thank God for that which happened on His Nine and twentieth of May. It was on his May 29. that God was pleased to send us this Victory We have cause indeed to thank God not only for this but for so many other great Deliverances that he has given us So many and so great he has heapt upon us in our Age nay in a small part of our Age within these very few Years that I do not believe he has sh●wn the like care of his Pro●i●●nce over any other Christian Nation Nay he scarc● shew'd the like in any one Age over them in the J●wish Church What should be the Meaning of our most gracious God in all this Is it his meaning to set us up like a Light on a Hill that we should be a Pattern to all other Nations Is it his meaning that we should be hi● Instruments to help others with the like Affection and Care as he has sh●wn in helping us Is it his meaning that we sh●uld shew our concernedness for those things which he has sh●wn himself so much concern'd for Is it his meaning that w● should love the Church of England to which h● has shewn so much love in so many Deliverances Is it his meaning to knit our Hearts to their Majesties whom he has so wonderfully blessed and preserved and whom he has made the blessed Instruments of so much good to us The good God dispose us and enable us to perform his good meaning in every one of these Particulars The Lord make us as much concern'd for their Majesties Preservation and Service as they have shewn themselves concern'd for the Deliverance and for the Peace and Prosperity of this Nation especially to His Majesty in those great Dangers to which he is daily exposing himself it is all the Return we can make in Praying for him while he is Fighting for us The Lord make us alike affected to his Church and alike concern'd for it as he has shewn himself in all his Deliverances and Mercies The Lord make us as ready to help our Brethren specially those that suffer for righteousness sake as he has shewn himself ready to preserve us and to help us out of all our Dangers and Sufferings But one thing more The Lord dispose us in all things to live worthy of his Goodness and Mercy as a People that he has so often and so wonderfully delivered and that we may shew it by living blameless and harmless as the Sons of God without rebuke in this corrupt Age that we may shine as lights in the world The Lord grant it for his Mercies sake through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Catalogue of Books lately Printed for Thomas Jones in Lincolns-Inn new Square next Newmarket A Discourse of God's ways of Disposing of Kingdoms Part I. The Second Edition Price 1 s. A Sermon Preached before the Queen at Whitehall Ian. 30. being the Day of the Martyrdom of King Charles the First Published by Her Majesties Command Price 6 d. A Letter to Dr. Sherlock in Vindication of that part of Josephus's History which gives an Account of Jaddus the High Priest's submitting to Alexander the Great while Darius was living against the Answer to the Piece Intituled Obedience and Submission to the present Government The Second Edition Price 6 d. A Sermon Preached before the Queen at Whitehall May 29. being the Day of the Restauration of the Royal Family Price 6 d. These Four by the Right Reverend Father in God William Lord Bishop of St. Asaph and Lord Almoner to their Majesties A Sermon Preached before the Queen at Whitehall Aug. 23. by Jonathan Blagrave Sub-Almoner and Chaplain in in Ordinary to their Majesties Published by Her Majesties Command Price 6 d. Mr. Finger's choice Collection of Ayres for two and three Treble Flutes curiously Engraven on Copper Plates Price 2 s. 6 d. An Account of the late Action of the New-Englanders under the Command of Sir William Phipps against the French at Canada together with the Articles of War composed and agreed upon for that purpose Price 4 d. A Dialogue between two Oxon Scholars Price 3 d. A Dialogue between the Confederate Princes concerning the Affairs of Europe Price 2 d. Dr. Sherlock of Death in Welsh Price 2 s. A Fatal Mistake or the Plot spoiled a Tragedy as it was lately Acted Written by Joseph Haynes A Moral Essay of the Soul of Man in Three Parts A Weeks Exercise preparatory towards the worthy Reception of the Lord's Supper in Meditations Prayers and Ejaculations before at and after the Holy Communion Also Rules and Exercises how to live well after it The Second Edition A Pious Office for Sick and Weak Persons wherein many Directions and useful Instructions are given them with Supplications Prayers and Meditations proper for their Condition In Three Parts The Effigies of King William and Queen Mary with Seven new Bishops viz. The Most Reverend Fathers in God the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York the Right Reverend Fathers in God Gilbert Lord Bishop of Sarum Edward Lord Bishop of Worcester Simon Lord Bishop of Ely Robert Lord Bishop of Chichester and Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells curiously Engraven on a large Copper Plate by Mr. William Elder and Arthur Soley Price 1 s. Dr. Kenn's Practical Catechism in Welsh The Lively Oracles by the Author of The Whole Duty of Man Octavo An Account of the French King's Cruelty over the Protestants in France acted by Monsieur St. Ruth at the Instigation of the Priests and Iesuits Price 4 d. FINIS