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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	pope_n	power_n	1,442	5	4.9516	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00718	An admonition to the Parliament	Fielde, John, d. 1588.; Gwalther, Rudolf, 1519-1586.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.; T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1572 (1572)	STC 10848; ESTC S102020	41,634	60

open pulpits haue beene suffyciently witnessed To conclude this fylthy courte hath full power together wyth the aucthoritie of thys pettie pope Metropolitane and primate of all Englande to dispense in all causes wherein the pope was wont to dispence vnder whych are contained more cases and causes then we are able to recken As for the Archbyshop of Yorke we deale not with him We referre him to that learned Epistle which Beza wrote vnto hym about these matters 20 And as for the commissaries court that is but a pettie little srinking ditche that floweth oute of that former great puddle robbing Christes church of lawfull pastors of watchfull Segniors and Elders and carefull Deacons In thys court as in the other * one alone doth excommunicate one alone sitteth in iudgement and when he will can drawe backe the iudgement whych he hath pronounced hauing called vpon the name of God and that for money which is called the chaunging of penaunce In this courte for non paiment of two pence a man shall be excommunicated if he appeare not when he is sent for if he doe not as hys ordinarie would from whome he had his popishe induction institution and to whom he hath sworne Canonicam obedientiam Canonicall obedience if he learne not hys Catechisme like a good boye wythoute booke when it were more meete he shoulde be able to teach others To conclude if he be not obedyent to all these Lord bishops officers by and by he must be cut of by excommunication And as it is lightly graunted and giuen forthe so if the money be paide and the court discharged it is as quickly called in again Thys courte poulleth parishes scourgeth the poore hedge priestes ladeth Churchwardens wyth manifest periuries punysheth whoredomes and adulteryes wyth toyishe censures remitteth without satisfying the congregation and that in secrete places giueth out dispensations for vnlawful mariages and cōmitteth a thousand such like abhominations God deliuer al Christians out of this Antichristian tyrannye where the iudges aduocates and proctors for the most part are papists and as for the scribes and notaries as greedy as cormorantes and if they all should perhappes see this wryting they wold be as angry as waspes and sting like hornets Three of them would be inowe to sting a man to death for why they are highe commissioners All this we say springeth out of this pontifical which we muste allowe by subscription setting downe oure hands that it is not repugnant or against the word of god we meane this antichristian hierarchie and popishe ordering of ministers strange from the word of god and the vse of all wel reformed churches in the world 21 We haue almost let passe one thing worthy the remēbrance which is that they take vppon them blasphemously hauing neither promise nor commaundement to say to theyr newe creatures receaue the Holie ghost As though the holy ghost were in their power to geue without warrant at theyr owne pleasure And thus much be spoken as touching this booke against which to stād is a wonder to two sortes of mē the one ignorant the other obstinate The Lorde geue those that be his vnderstanding in al things that they may haue iudgement as for the other whome the god of this world hath blinded least they shuld see and confesse the truth and so be saued and that doe in the full growth of wickednes maliciously resist the truth God confound them that peace may be vpon Israell and his sauing health vpon this nation Amen The .2 Article That the manner and order appointed by publique authoritie about the administration of the sacraments and common prayers and that the apparell by sufficient authoritie appointed for the ministers wythin the church of England be not wicked nor against the word of God but tollerable and being commaunded for order and obedience sake are to be vsed For the order of administration of Sacramentes and common prayer enough is said before all the seruice and administration is tyed to a surplesse in Cathedrall churches they must haue a coape they receiue the Communion kneelyng they vse not for the moste part common bread according to the word of god and the statute but starch bread accordyng to the Iniunction They commonly minister the Sacramentes wythout preaching the worde And as for the apparell though we haue bene long borne in hande and yet are that it is for order and decencie commaunded yet we know and haue proued that there is neither order nor cumlines nor obedience in vsing it There is no order in it but confusion No ●●mlines but deformitie No obedience but disobedience both against God and the Prince We maruell that they could espie in their last Synode that a gray Amise which is but a garment of dignitie shoulde be a garment as they say defyled with superstition and yet that copes caps surplesses tippe●s and suche lyke baggage the preaching signes of popishe priesthode the popes creatures kept in y same forme to this end to bryng dignitie and reuerence to the Ministers and Sacramentes shoulde be retayned styll and not abolyshed But they are as the garments of the Idole to which we should say auant and get thee hence They are as the garments of Balamites of popishe priests enemies to God and all Christians They serue not to edifycation they haue the shewe of euyll seeing the popish priesthode is euyll they worke discorde they hinder the preaching of the Gospel they kepe the memorie of Egipt still amongst vs and put vs in minde of that abominatiō whervnto they in times past haue serued they bryng the ministerie into contempte they offend the weake they encourage the obstinate Therfore can no authoritie by the woord of God with any pretence of order and obedience commaund them nor make them in any wise tollerable but by circumstances they are wicked and against the word of God. If this be not playne enoughe by that whyche is already set forth we mynde by Gods grace to make it playner and should doe it better if it were as lawfull for vs as for our aduersaryes to publish our mindes in Printe Neyther is the controuersie betwixt them and ●s as they wold beare the world in hand as for a cap a tippet or a surplesse but for great matters concerning a true ministery and regiment of the churche according to the word Which things once established the other melt away of them selues And yet consider I pray you whether theyr owne argument dothe not choke them selues for euen the verye name of trifles dothe plainly declare that they oughte not to be maintained in Christes church And what shal our bishops win by it Forsothe that they be maintainers of trifles and trifling bishops consuming the greatest part of theyr time in those trifles whereas they shoulde be better occupied We striue for true religion gouernment of the churche and shewe you the righte way to throw out Antichrist both head

To the godly Readers Grace and peace from god c. TWo treatises yee haue heere ensuing beloued in Christ which yee must read without parcialitie or blinde affection For otherwise you shal neither see their meaning nor refraine youre selues from rashlye condemning of them withoute infre cause For certaine men there are of great countenaunce whiche will not lightly like of them bicause they principally concerne theyr persons and vaiusre dealings whose credite is greate and whose freendes are manye we meane the Lordly Lords Archbishops Bishops Suffraganes Deanes Vniuersitie Doctors and Bachelers of Diuinitie Archdeacons Chaūcelors and the rest of that proud generation whose kingdome must down hold they neuer so hard bicause their tyrannous Lordship can not stande with Christes kingdome And it is the speciall mischefe of our Englishe churche and the cheefe cause of backewardnesse and of all breache and dissention For they whose authoritie is forbidden by Christ will haue theyr stroke without their fellow seruaūts yea though vngratiously cruelly and Pope-like they take vpon them to beat them and that for theyr owne childishe Articles being for the most part against the manifest truthe of God First by experience theyr rigoure hathe too plainely appeared euer since their wicked raign and specially for the space of these fiue or six yeares last past together Of the eno●mities which with suche rigoure they maintaine these treatises doe in parte make mention iustly crauing redresse therof But the matters do require a larger discourse Only the authors of those thought it their parts to admonish you at this time of those inconveniences which men seme not to thinke vpon and which without reformation cannot but increase further dissention the one parte being proude pontifycall and tyrannous and the woorde of God for the other parte expresse manifest as if it pleased the state to examine the matters it would be euident And would to God th●● free conferēce in these matters might be had For howe so euer learned and many they seeme to be they should and may in this realme finde inowe to matche them and shame them to if they hold on as they haue begon And out of this realme they haue all the best reformed churches thorowout Christendom againste them they were once of our minde but since their cōsecration they be so transubstanciated that they are be come such as you see But in a few words to say what we meane Ether must we haue a right ministerye of God a right gouernment of his churche according to the scriptures set vp bothe which we lacke or else there can be no right religion nor yet for contempt therof can Goddes plagues be from vs any while deferred And therfore though they lincke in togither and slaunderously charge pore men whom they haue made pore with greeuous faults calling them Puritanes worse than the Donati●tes exasperating setting on such as be in authoritie against them hauing hitherto miserably handled them with reuilings depriuations imprisonments banishments suche like extremities yet is these poore mennes cause neuer the worse nor these chalengers the better nor god his hande the further of to lincke in with his againste them nor you christian b●ethren must neuer the rather without examination condemne them But thankfully take this tast which God by these treatises offereth you weigh them by the worde of God and do your endeuor euery one in his calling to promote his cause And let vs all with more earnest prayer then we are wonte earnestly commend it to God his blessyng and namely y it wil please him by his spirit to lighten the heart of oure most gracious soueraigne and the rest in authoritie to the benefyte of his small flocke and the ouerthrowe of theyr proude e●●emies that godlinesse may by them procede in peace God his glory thorow Iesus Christ be throughly aduaunced Which we call God to witnesse is our only labor and sute And so presently we leaue you heartily beseching God to graunt it Amen ¶ An Admonition to the Parliament SEing that nothing in this mortal life is more diligently to be sought for carefully to be loked vnto than the restitution of true religion and reformation of Gods churche it shall be your partes dearly beloued in this present Parliamēt assembled as muche as in you lyeth to promote the same and to employ your whole labour and studie not onely in abandoning al popish remnāts both in ceremonies and regiment but also in bringing in and placing in Gods church those things only which the Lord himselfe in his word comm●undeth Because it is not enoughe to take paines in taking away euil but also to be ocupied in placing good in the stead thereof Now because many men see not al things and the world in this respect is maruelously blinded it hath ●ea thought good to proferre to youre godly consyderations a true platforme of a church reformed to the end that it being laide before your eyes to beholde the great vnlikenes betwixt it this our english churche you may learn● either with perfect hatred to detest the ●●e and with singular loue to embrace and carefull endeuor to plant the other or els to be without excuse before the maiestie of our God who for y discharge of our conscience and manifestation of his truth hath by vs reuealed vnto you at this present the sinceritie and simplicitie of his Gospell ▪ Not that you should either wilfully withstand or vngraciously tread the same vnder your fete for God doth not disclose his will to any such ende but that you should yet now a the length with all your mayne and might endeuor that Ch●iste whose easie yoke lyght burthen we haue of long time caste off from vs might rule and raigne in hys church by the scepter of hys word onely May it therfore please your wisedomes to vnderstand that we in England are so far off from hauing a church rightly reformed according to the prescripte of Gods woorde that as yet we are scarse come to the outward face of the same For to speak of that wherin the best consent whervpon al good wryters accord The outward markes wherby a true christian church is knowne are preaching of the woorde purely ministring of the sacraments sincerely and Ecclesiasticall discipline which consisteth in admonition and correction of faults seuerely Touching the fyrst namely the ministerie of the word although it must be confessed that the substance of doctrine by manye deliuered is sound and good yet here in it faileth that neyther the ministers therof are according to gods word proued elected called or ordained nor the functiō in such sort so narowly loked vnto as of right it oughte and is of necessyrie required For whereas in the olde churche a trial was had both of their abilitie to instruct and of their godly conuersation also nowe by the

so much vprightnesse for it is to be doubted they wil Lu. 11. 52. kepe backe the key of knowledge as they haue done neyther entring in them selues and yet as to this daye they do forbidding them that doe come in God of his gracious goodnesse blesse them that take this his cause into theyr handes 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5 and so directe them in the vsing of his spirituall weapons that they being mightie thorowe hym to caste downe holdes maye ouerthrowe the imaginations and euerye high thing that is exalted againste the knowledge of God and bring into bondage euerye thoughte to the obedience of Christ that he therby may be glorifyed his church comforted and continued vnto eternall glory Amen FINIS THere be some men perhappes will maruell why we haue annexed the priuate letters of these learned and reuerende men to these Treatises seeing that it may seeme some iniurie vnto them for that their consent is not there vnto And besides not written so aduisedlye as the publyshing in Print woulde require whereout things may be drawne agaynste bothe parties being written for stay of strife betwene bothe But we trust that bothe the one the other will beare with vs in this behalfe Firste bicause the godly Brethren haue beene often pressed with priuate letters as not to be of the iudgement of the best learned and that therfore we are singular contentions and so vnstayed that we seeke we can not tel what Againe we haue for our example the reuerende Byshops who to gette the better credite to theyr cause haue shewed vs a president of imprinting some priuate letters though we must needes say neyther in so good a cause nor with halfe so muche equitie And what thanke they had for so doing as well D. Bullingers letter written to a Noble man in thys realme is witnesse as also this of Maister Gualters which followeth That whiche they did was in defence of corruptions and no small discredite to the Authors that which we do is in defence of the truth and to Gods glory and no doubte to a singular commendacion of the wryters Albeit we must nedes say th●● the truthe of thys cause craueth no credit neither of theyr letters nor authoritie For the scriptures are manifest and the woorkes of these godly and learned men I meane bothe of D. Bullingers and M. Gualters testifie howe farre of they are from maintaining any of the forenamed filthy corruptions We beseeche thee therefore gentle Reader to iudge the best of our doings howsoeuer it fall out this shall be our cōfort the testimonie of a good conscience wherin we mind to rest and to suffer willingly what so euer shal be laid vpon vs These godly men I hope will not be offended with vs seeing we doe it for the truthes sake and to purge them from such a iudgement to defende corruptions as the Bishops by setting out theyr letters would seme to charge them As for the former admonition if in the print they fynde many faults let them remember it was done speedely and as the extremitie would suffer For the matter if any thing be iustly reproued it shall be amended for the Treatise if it be thought too short it shall by Gods grace be enlarged We thoughte at the fyrste onely to giue but a taste of these corruptions to prouoke the patrons thereof to a more full defence which when it shall be set oute we minde more fully to shewe our meanings In meane time we beseeche God to appease these troubles to worke his peoples deliuerance from all Antichristian slauerie to preserue our Queene in peace wholely to seeke the Reformation of his Churche whiche shal be to his glory Fare well Anno. 1572. To the reuerend Father in Christ D. I. P. the moste vigilant B. of N. and his louing Father HEalth in Christ When we heard at the fyrst reuerend father in Christ that a controuersie of the apparel of Ministers was risen among you that matter did greatly astonish vs because we feared leaste that thing continuing and increasing longer shoulde bring some greater mischiefe and therfore we laboured as muche as lay in vs to pacifye some certaine men least aboute a thing not of anye suche great waighte they shoulde trouble or disquiet them selues And surely this foretelling of oure minde no whitte at all deceyued vs if those things be true that we heare to wit that many other things besides these garments are thrust vpon the Churches and those Ministers cast out from the Churches which will not subscribe vnto the ordinances of certaine men whiche either abuse the name of the Queene or else by theyr yeelding make hir more bolde in suche lyke matters so that according to her pleasure shee may ordaine what shee will. It increaseth also our greefe for that we see our letter to be imprinted wherin we indeuorred to mitigate some one or other man and that the Godly brethren are pressed with the aucthoritie of our name so we to come into suspition with many as thoughe we allowed popishe fylthinesses or corruptions In deede we counselled certain Ministers that they should not forsake theyr Churches for a cappe or a surplesse but that so farre forthe as they might Keping godlinesse sound and vntouched they shoulde feede the Lords flocke In meane tyme we neuer haue allowed eyther theyr superstition or foolishe toyes whiche thruste vppon godly Ministers suche things and out of the Popes schoole or rather kitchen scrape suche fylthinesses together throughe whiche they make much trouble and busynesse to good pastoures and gyue offence to the weake But especially it seemeth harde vnto vs that the Bishops shoulde shewe them selues to be the officers of this execution that by them they whiche will not yeelde should be cast out I woulde to God they would way what the Lorde woulde when he speaketh of that same vntrusty steward of the house who whilest he ought to haue fed his housholde banquetteth and playeth with drunckardes and beateth hys fellowe seruauntes For I see not howe farre they differ from hys manners who doe so easily allowe the phantasies of superstitious courtiers and handle godly Ministers so vncurteously Neither woulde I euer haue thonghte that any could be found among the Byshoppes which would haue shewed him selfe an officer of this rashnesse or at the least haue confyrmed the same throughe cowardly dissymulation For me thoughte that all this matter had sprong from certaine men that abused the aucthoritie of the Queenes moste excellent Maiestie but we hoped that the Bishoppes woulde haue defended the cause of the Ministers and haue soughte meanes whereby this mischeefe mighte haue bene redressed There are I graunt among the brethren certaine men a litle waywarde But notwithstanding theyr cause is not euill muche lesse wicked or vngodly yea rather it were to be wished tbat theyr iudgemente mighte preuaile the whiche thing bicause then it seemed impossyble vnto vs we admonished them to bēd them selues to things present and that they shoulde truste