Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	wonder_n	work_v	world_n	52	3	4.0204	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96520	Miranda, stupenda. Or, The wonderfull and astonishing mercies which the Lord hath wrought for England, in subduing and captivating the pride, power and policy of his enemies. Presented in a sermon preached July 21. 1646. before the honorable House of Commons in Margarets Church Westm. being the day appointed for thanksgiving for the surrender of Oxford. / By Henry Wilkinson, B.D. pastor of Dunstans in the East, London, and one of the Assembly of Divines.	Wilkinson, Henry, 1610-1675.	1646 (1646)	Wing W2224; Thomason E345_7; ESTC R200988	36,334	48

What hath God wrought reacheth the Originall the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack Quid operetur Deus The Cald. paraphr Quid operatus sit Deus The Samaritan pentat is the same with our translat Quid fecit Deus and this shall I follow In all which senses and versions we may observe first the strangenesse and wonder of the things which God would work for his people for as it was a very strange thing in the eyes of Balaam that by all his sorceries he was able to doe no mischiefe at that time so according to that time for the future the Lord would preserve as miraculously his servants Secondly you have the effect that these wonders should work in the hearts of them that see them and that is admiration a suitablenesse of affection to the greatnesse and wonder of the things wrought by God for his people There be severall Doctrines might be raised hence but according to the two generals I will present two propositions onely The first is a Doctrine of it selfe but you may take it thus First that all the sorceries witchcraft and stratagems contrived and carried on by the wit and malice and power of hell against the Church of God shall prove vaine and succeslesse Secondly the wonderfull things which God hath wrought and will work for his Church and people shall be and also are matter of astonishment and wonder unto all I shall insist at present on the latter of these two Doctrines as being very suitable to our condition in this Kingdome which of late hath been a theater of wonders so that we may call its name as Abraham did Gen. 22. 14. of that place where he was to offer Isaac Jehovah jireh In the handling of which I shal propound first what things God hath or will work secondly How thirdly When fourthly Why fiftly The Uses which may be made of the Doctrine First What are the wonders that God hath wrought First they be rare they be such as usually and frequently are 1. What are the wonders which God hath wrought not brought to passe such things as happen rarely are matter of wonder and draw the eyes of men to them though they have naturall causes as Eclipses c. Secondly Incognita such things of which the world is not acquainted withall whose causes and ends men cannot reach unto they being ultra captum Thirdly Insperata such things as are beyond ordinary hopes so they are ultra spem as well as ultra captum as being out of the compasse of nature such things are beyond power and parts lying out of the spheare of naturall possibility Fourthly Repugnantia such things as are contrary to the course of nature and are abhorring from the naturall streame and tide of the creature All things that carry these characters on them are matter of wonder Now the things which God doth for his people they are The wonderfull things which God doth for his people are of two sorts iether spirituall or temporall These spirituall things in order to salvation are indeed admiranda let but any one consider from whence to what a state we are recovered and he must say as it is Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! c. that we should be raised from a state of privation being devested of all good from a state of enmity against all good a state in which we were lyable to the curses written and unwritten c. to be raised from so low and vile and miserable and abominable state to be the children of God John puts an Ecce a note of admiration on it 1 John 3. 1 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God c. That we that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death should be raised up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2. 6. this is wonderfull and we may truly say What hath God wrought That we that have so many wayes provoked the Lord to destroy us should be pardoned is wonderfull the Church speaks of it by way of wonder Micah 7. 18. Who is God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Is it not matter of wonder that God should say I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgression c. Isa 43. 25. to them he speaks that had not called on him that were weary of him that did not sacrifice to him that would not serve him but made him to serve with their sinnes verse 22 23. To goe over all the particulars that might be insisted on would be a vast thing I proceed therefore to temporals and shall consider what great things God hath wrought in them Secondly for temporall things there is abundant matter of wonder in them He is wonderfull in his protection and preservation of his people the Church may alwayes fing the 124. Psalme If it had not been the Lord who was on our side c. they had swallowed us up quick c. for a company of Sheep and Lambs to live in the midst of whole Heards and Droves of Wolves and Tygers and all sorts of Beasts of prey is much for the Bush to burn and not to be consumed for the vessell of the Church to be full of waves sometimes and not to be drowned for the male child newly borne to be kept from the Dragon with seven heads and ten hornes Revel 12. 3 4. that the Lilly should live in the midst of Thornes and not be torne in pieces that the people of God should be safe in the midst of principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses which bring out all their traine of Artilery that come furnished with all the ammunition and magazine of hell This is wonderfull preservation Secondly he is wonderfull in his salvation and deliverances of his people out of the greatest dangers and out of many deaths when God delivered his people from the power of the Aegyptians then Moses in his Song Exod. 15. 11. say Who is a God like unto thee c. working wonders When the people of God were delivered out of captivity they were like men in a dream Psal 126. 1. nay the heathen themselves said the Lord hath done great things for them ver 2. Thirdly he is wonderfull in the destruction that he brings by them on their enemies Is 41. 14. 15 16. that a worm should be as a new threshing instrument to thresh the moūtains and beat them small and fan them c. is a wonder that Israel a poore contemned people should be the battle-axe of God and his weapons of warre to break in pieces the Nations and to destroy Kingdomes c. Jer. 51. 20 21. this is wonderfull that a poore captivated people even Jerusalem broken and undone should be a cup of trembling to all round about and a burthensome stone for all

120. yeers before Christ Which prodigious star then appearing did by the consent of the learned foreshew the declining of the Greek Monarchy and the rise and strength of the Roman Empire hath taken notice of many signes in the heavens and earth before the destruction of Jerusalem one of the most famous alterations in the Heavens which hath had its most remarkable influences below was in the yeer 1572. when there appeared a strange light exceeding in the apparent brightnesse thereof all the fixed stars and shewing forth a bright and majesticall lustre not in the night onely but at noon day also It was the wonder of the world and the work and businesse of all the Astronomers of Europe but Ticho Brahe a Noble man of Denmark treateth of this starre in above 500. pages of his book called by the name of Astronomica Progymnasmata In which book he speakes of the influences of this star and the overthtow of States and Kingdoms and reparation and glory of the Church I make mention of these onely to shew how the Lord doth great things even overthrowing or changing and altering the frame and course of nature As for the operations or portending signification of superiour lights I think it cannot be denied but that extraordinary wonders visible in the heavens may have their significations and impressions also nor may it be altogether incongruous literally to interpret those words Joel 2. 30. I will shew wonders in the heavens and the earth partly of that flaming sword like the Comet d Egesip de excid urbis Hierasol l. 5. c. 44. Nam per annum fere supra templum ipsum Comites passim ignis gladii quandam praeferens similitudinem denunciabat quoque ferra igni gentis regni urbique ipsius vastitatem futuram quid enim similitudo gladii nisi bellum quid ignis nisi incendium denunciaret The third thing propounded is concerning the season and time when it shall be said What God wrought that appeared as a forewarner of the destruction of Jerusalem The third thing propounded was when it shall be said What hath God wrought for the time When creature helps faile first in point of prudence they know not how to advise secondly in point of power they know not how to deliver or save Deut. 32. 35 36. thirdly in occasionall emergent difficulties such as could neither be foreseen nor prevented fourthly in great extremities and streights when enemies are very high and the Saints are very low when heaven and earth and hell seem to joyne issue when God himselfe seemes to take part against the Church then she is in the greatest extremity ahd when she is in this case then doth God arise and help her Indeed Gods season is when it seems to be past season his time is when it is past time Isa 33. when the people of God are in a forlorne condition given up for lost then God ver 10. sayes Now will I arise now will I he exalted now will I lift up my selfe Now now now he repeats it three times with variety of language there is something more then ordinary in that expression so trebled as it is to encourage their sinking souls who thought God would not or could not or had altogether laid aside the thoughts and care of helping them when the wound is past cure then he undertakes the cure Jer. 30. 12 13. there it is said Thy wound is incurable and ver 17. It is said I will cure thee When all passages are blockt up when there is a close siege of difficulties and impossibilities when dangers are inextricable and the matter past recovery then is Gods time when the ship is full of waves Mat. 8. 24. when Lazarus was dead and buried John 11. 21 32 39. when the woman had spent all she had upon Physitians and there was as little hope as mony left Luke 8. 43. then is the Lords time to work and fetch out of the fire as it were Zech. 3. 2. and from the dead Revol 11. 11. and from the ruines and destruction of death Ezek. 37. 7 10 11. The fourth thing propounded was why doth God thus The fourth Particular propounded was concerning the reason why doth God thus appeare in such a wonderfull manner for his people The first reason respects Gods glory appeare for his people first to magnifie his owne glory more the first end respects Gods glory there be three things in the wonderfull proceedings of God that magnifie him very much First there is a mystery in the proceedings of God mysteries affect with wonder and admiration and the Lord doth carry on his work in a very mysterious way and in a hidden manner Isa 45. 15. it is said Thou art a God which hidest thy selfe spoken with reference to the great things which he would doe for his people so also Hab. 3. 4. He had hornes came out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power there be many intricacies of providence Ezek. 1. 16. and perplexed and involved difficulties so Zech. 1. 8. the Lord Christ is in that vision presented in a Wood and in a bottome not easily discerned when he comes to work for his people mysteries doe affect with wonder more and they magnifie the Lord more Secondly there is a majesty in these wonders and this doth cause men to admire also to magnifie the Lord he seems to goe in state as it were when he will doe great things for his people Deut. 33. 26. The Lord rideth on the heavens for thy help and his excellency on the skie so Hab. 3. 8 9. the Lord appeares in his Majesty there and ver 10 11 the Sun and other creatures seem to be trembling and wondring and Nahum 1. 3 4. the Lord is brought in in a glorious manner and then ver 5. The mountaines quake c. this also doth magnifie the Lord and shew forth his glory Thirdly there is a peculiar excellency in Gods great workes which doth affect the heart with wonder the excellency of his wisdome shewes it selfe in infatuating and blasting the councels of the wise and of his power that shines in breaking their strength in which the wicked are so confident the excellency of his justice that appeares in the execution of the wicked and vindication of his peoples cause the excellency of his faithfulnesse and truth breaks out in making good his Word and fulfilling his promises This is the first reason why God doth work wonders for his in which there is a mystery a majesty and a peculiar excellency appeares A second thing respects the enemies of Gods people first The second reason respects the enemies of the Saints two wayes 1. That the confusion of the enemies might be the more notable that so the greater confusion and shame may come on the enemies of the Saints for God to deliver his Saints from many and mighty and malicious enemies is a wonder especially when it is with great

templum Roma quidem fueras nunc es Babylonia fallax Ex qua tot luctus gemitusque feruntur in orbem O fraudum mater carcer teterrimus irae Carnificina boni sed iniqui sedula nutrix it be found that she which should have been a mother hath proved a step-dame if that which should have been a nursery of holinesse and Religion be found a sinke of prophanesse if that place which should have been a mint of the precious coyne that should passe currant every where without controll or contradiction be found to be a forge of counterfeit coyne and falshoods against God and the Parliament if that which should have been a Goshen be found an Aegypt rather if that which should have been as Zion be a Sodome and that which should have been as Jerusalem be a Babylon then I know every one will say you had need bestir your selves here above all other places whatsoever But what is here to be done I dare appeale to prudentiall men among our adversaries Put the case the Parliament had possessed Oxford and the Divines which adhered to that had sheltred themselves there and were in all those places of maintainance and trust which they have which are opposite to the Parliament and their cause had the King prevailed and taken the place as now you have done I appeale to any impartiall men what would they have done you may if you please make that good the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light I doe beleeve it should never have come into debate whither you or any that have eminently engaged for and with you should have compounded for estates it may be you would have thought it happinesse and favour enough to have redeemed your lives These things being premised and there be truth in these suppositions then I think you need not have any one to tell you what to doe never any did begin a plantation among weeds and brambles But it will be said these be men of excellent parts and accurate learning what shall we doe with them I answer as one sayes of the Jesuits quo meliores eò deteriores concerning whom I say further as Agesilaus did of his adversary Farnabasus talis cum sis utinam noster esses I could wish for my owne part that all wayes were used to gaine them if it might be and I could wish heartily that the University had been conquered as well as the Garrison and Christ had captivated learning as our Army did the Militia and that the Militia togata as well as armata I could wish they had been distinguished had yeelded up it selfe to God and you Put the case they have been never so bad and have appeared never so much against you yet if they shall doe as Benbadads servants did to the King of Israel who said Behold we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings and they put e Ignoscere pulchrut iam misero paenaeque genus vidisse precan tem Claud. sack-cloath on their loynes and ropes on their heads and so they came to him 1 Kings 20. 30 31 32. if those that have published you Rebels in the Presse and preached you Rebels in the Pulpit and discoursed you Rebels in their conference and fought against you as Rebels in the Field yet if they shall doe as Benbadads servants did I suppose you would let them know you are such absolute conquerours of your selves that you can and will pardon such and likewise bestow where no reward is due but the most extreame punishment favours and benevolence I doe beleeve that many of them will never put you to it to turne them out if you would hire them to keep their preferments with great rewards upon your termes they would not doe it nay rather then use the Directory take the Covenant submit to the Discipline stoop to Parliamentary power promote your designes engage in your way of reformation all which are contrary to their principles unlesse your conquests have had the like effect which Peters Sermon had or that God hath wrought upon them they will suffer very much rather then goe against their consciences in submitting to that which they cannot subscribe to In the third place I hope you will have an extraordinary care in the placing of fit men in the University There be three sorts of men you are to look after First professors of languages and sciences Secondly Governours of houses Thirdly Fellowes and Schollers As for the first if England cannot furnish you I hope Europe will for if there be one better then another let him be the man whatever it cost these are fathers in the faculty and progagate the sciences they have the wardship of learning committed to them these Fathers of the Arts if they have not drawne in the masculine vigour and life of the Muses they beget but a weak and diseased issue It is here as with naturall Parents strong and able Parents have like Progeny f Quanta pervicacia in hostem tanta beneficentia adversus supplices utendum Tac. Ann. 12. besides he that undertakes g Fortes creantur fortibus bonis est in juvencis est in equis patrum virtus nec imbellom feroces Progenerant aquila columbaus Hor. l. 4. od 4. such places upon a small and weak foundation it is as if he should traverse the Ocean in a Cock-boat such run a hazard from the Haven and are like to prove famous onely by their errours and delinquencies The second sort that we are to speak of is Governours of houses of whom there ought to be had by so much the greater care by how much the greater influence they are like to have and impression on others what the Apostle speaks of such as are to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture should be found in such as are to be heads of Houses men exemplary in holinesse and grace whose life as one speaks of the life of a Prince should be h Pan. Troj censura publica as a publick stādard lest haply if they come to be engaged in an error or sinfull course i Sen. cont 1. imitatio alienae oulpae be counted innocentia the deformities infirmities of such as we love honour so often are doted on and made patternes of our imitation Men k Amatorem quod amicae tur pia deciplunt caecum vitia aut etiam ipsa delectant vetuti Balbinum Poly pus agnae Hor. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 3. of singular self-deniall and of a strict conversation are the fittest for such places that which Cicero notes as an errour in Cato the second when he writes to his friend Atticus I take as a vertue required in a Governour Cato optime sentit sayes he sed nocet interdum Reip. loquitur enim tanquam in Rep. Platonis non tanquā in faece Romuli There is in some an eminent suitablenesse of spirit a notable frame of heart fitting a