God liste to shewe his wonderful myracle
In hire, for we sholde seen his myghty werkis;
Crist, which that is to every harm triacle,
By certeine meenes ofte, as knowen clerkis,
Dooth thyng for certein ende that ful derk is
To mannes wit, that for oure ignorance
Ne konne noght knowe his prudent purveiance.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. The Man of Law says that Constance escaped being slain at the wedding feast because God wanted to show his wonderful miracle and mighty works in the person of this viruous Christian woman. Christ does things for a certain reason that is beyond the range of human understanding.