Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bishop_n	pope_n	power_n	1,636	5	5.0155	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20307	A short description of Antichrist vnto the nobilitie of Englande, and to all my brethren and contreymen borne and dwelling therin, with a warnynge to see to, that they be not deceaued by the hypocrisie and crafty conueyaunce of the clergie	Old, John, fl. 1545-1555, attributed name. aut; Gwalther, Rudolf, 1519-1586, attributed name. aut	1555 (1555)	STC 673; ESTC S116863	35,736	88

after cleaue assuredly without waueringe folow which do perceaue that your lordships contrary to youre owne● commaundementes before made and directed to them do flie and retiere from the doctrine and true vse of the Sacramētes that you in so litle tyme past did most worthely approue to be most Godly and necessarie to be taughte and folowed God graunte that the comēs of this Realme that now murmur and grudge at this inconstancie and other your euil doinges do not hereafter burden you with the same And especiallye for your flieng from the true religiō which you did before all men approue to be most godly ▪ From the which ye be now fled to the great dishonoure of God Wherfore God by his Prophete threatneth you to bring you to dishonoure sayenge I will geue them honour that honoure me And they that dishonoure me 1. Reg. 2. them will I bringe to dishonoure This promise will God kepe with you God therfore graūt you grace truly to repente in season Amen Hieremi 5. Horrible and greuouse thinges be done in the lande The preachers teache falsly and the priestes folow them and my people haue pleasure therin What will come therof at the last Hieremi 7. From the least to the most they hange all vpon couetousnes And from the prophete vnto the priest they go all about which falsheed and lye and besydes that they heale the hurte of my people with swete wordes sayenge peace peace when ther is no peace at al. Therfore they must be ashamed for they haue committed abomination Hieremie 23. Heare not the wordes of the prophetes that preache vnto you and deceaue you For they speake the meaninge of their awne heartes and not out of the mouth of the Lorde Hieremie 23. Yea the waye that men take is wicked and theyr gouernaunce is nothinge lyke the worde of the Lorde For the preachers and the pristes them selfes are polluted ypocrytes and their wickednesse haue I founde in my howse sayeth the Lorde Hiere 51. Babilō hath benin the Lordes hādes a golden cuppe that maketh all landes dronkē of hyr wyne haue al people dronken therfore are they out of their wittes Hier. 51. Oh my people come out of Babilon that euery man may saue his lyfe frō the fear ful wrath of the Lorde Esaias ca. 10. Woo be to Assur that is a staffe of my wrath in whose hande is the rod of my punishmente for I shal sēde him amōge these ypocrites amōge the people that haue deserued my displeasure shall I sēde him That he maye vtterly robbe them spoyle them and treade thē downe lyke the myre in the strete How be it his pretēce is not so nother thinketh his hearte in his fashion But he ymagineth only how to ouerthrow and to destroye moch people For he sayth be not my princes all kinges The contentes of this treatise 1 Ther is no thinge moare perilous harte to christen faith then a corrupte iudgemente 2 The multitude of people serue Antichriste nor vnderstādinge nor knowinge him to be Antichriste 3 Antichrist cometh in vnder the pretence to condemne errours and hersye wherof he his sworen secte wil be iudges and therfore condemeneth veritiein the siede of heresie 4 A description of Christ and of his office 5 The reuelation of Antichrist and of his condicion 6 The vayne thinges that Antichrist hath ordened 7 Antichriste erecteth a new religion wherin he breaketh Gods commaundement 8 The world receaueth Antichrist rather then Christe and what is the cause 9 Christe and his Apostles call certen doctrines the doctrines of deuels 10 Nether bishop nor priest hath any authoritie to forgyue synnes but by preaching the gospell 11. Anriculer confession is contrary to the doctrine of Esai 12. The priestes absolution spoken in a spech not knowen of the confessed can̄ not profite them 13. Certen causes wherfore bishops priestes do mayntayne whorish confessiō 14. A token geuen by Christ of the tyme when Antichrist shal come 15. Diuers abominations stande now in the temple of God And what is the temple of God 16. The causes wherfore Paul nameth Antichrist rather the man of sinne then a synner 17. How the Quenes maiestie is circumuented to make a law to stablish the Popes vsurped power 18. What bishops be theues mortherers and destroyers 19. No man shuld dye for his faith 20. Who be gyltie of the deeth of all them that haue suffred deeth by the wicked lawe lately reuyued made in force

his Apostles so plainly spokē that they be nether obscure darke nor hard to be vnderstāde Who also haue cōmaunded all mē to beware of them of the teachers of thē Rom. 16. so to departe decline frō them I haue also set forth his tyrāny his sedition his treason his crafty and false deceates wherwith he hath circumuented oppressed and deceaued many Emperours kinges and other noble rulers to whome Christ commaunded hym to obeye Mat. 17. and gaue him also a manifeste and playne example when he payed tribute for himselfe and Peter And by his owne obedience vsed and practised vnto the higher powers vnto their lawes He neuer gaue him exēple authoritie or power to depose other Emperoure kinge or any other cyuil rules And therfore for this his disobedience towardes God and for all his other iniquities he is iustly called the man of sinne a child of eternal perditiō So that he is worse thē a beast or the most frātike madde man that euer was madde that ether wil saye or thinke that he is other Christes vicare or successoure to the Apostle But rather the deuels vicar and successoure or clothe deuel himselfe For as by the frute the tree is most certenly knowen euen so 〈◊〉 your lordships by these his false doctrines al other his wickednes assuredly knowē him to 〈◊〉 man of synne veraye Antichriste himselfe And all his wicked generation to be the sectes of perdition the wicked brood of Antichriste most contrary to God and Christe Wherfore he most falsly vsurpeth to him the title and name of holy father or of Christes vicar in earth or successoure of the Apostles But moch more worthely and truly is called Antichrist the most malitious enemie and hatefull aduersarie of Christ as both his doctrines his decrees wicked lawes his pride exaltinge him selfe aboue al Emperours kinges his dispensational for sinne to be vsed in the church of God his vanities where with he deludeth and bewytcheth the people ▪ all his forged and fayned holynes his hypocrisis dissimulation sedition treason most seuere crueltie and all other his wickednes and most detestable lyst of both hym and all his fluttish generation of serpentes and filthy secte of infideles do manifestly proue and testifie before all men So that doubtles the● can not be any thinge more contrary to God and Christe then he himself and his wicked broede do in all thinges Consideringe that youre lordshipe be not now ignoraunce as my trust is what thinge Antichrist is but that you wel vnderstande and knowe that all they that be come in to the church to occupie an misterie office or vocation contrary to Gods worde and Christes ordinaunce and appointementes or abuse his sacramentes contrarye to his ordinaunces or that teach any false doctrine or that take vpon them any of Christes honoure or power be veraye Antichristes which is as moch to saye as againste Christe Wherfore right honorable lordes I hope that God will open the eyes of your heartes that you maye nowe at the last see and well perceaue by what crafte falseed and subtile deuyses you haue ben deceaued entised to serue Antichrist in the stede of Christe the deuel in the stede of God to folowe false superstition in the stede of Christes true religion hypocrisie and vanitie in the stede of the christen veritie And in conclusion that you maye well vnderstande that you of al mē haue ben most blinded in your iudgemētes most fylthilie corrupted and your vnderstandinge and senses most shamfully deluded begyled and bewitched Therfore my good Lordes nowe renewe youre wits and vnderstandinges And knowe you certenly that all your lordly lorde bisshops be of the naturall broede of Antichriste Who with all subtiltie policie and falsheed studie and labour to obscure the light of Gods worde why they make the nobles partakers and to subuerte the ordenaunces of Christ and of his Apostles and obstinatly defēde their errours and euill doinges and make you their ministers to murther your brethern for their faith against your conscience to wrappe you and your posteritie in Gods displeasure with them And because your lordships shall not be deceaued in them I haue geuen you the comon token signe and marke wherby you al men can not but know them to be against Christ and his worde Where Christe sayde to Peter feede feede feede Which is to saye teach teach teach They take teachinge for no parte of their office but only to multiplie a sorte of blinde ceremonies to bringe the people from knowleage of Christe and to kepe them vnder in ignorance with crueltie And that they maye bringe that to passe they laboure to be lordes and to haue temporal offices contrary to Gods worde sayenge The kinges of the nations reigne ouer them Luc. 22 and they that beare rule ouer them be called gratious lordes But you shall not be so That is you shall not take upon you to haue ciuill gouernaunce and rule ouer the people ne yet to be called gratious lordes S. Peter commaundeth all bishops and soch as haue spirituall charge of soules committed to them to feede the flocke of Christe willingly as Christe commaunded him and not to be lordes ouer the parishes but euen as they were one of the flocke Yet your lordships well perceaue that oure bishops not only take to them selfes the name of lorde and gratious lorde but also procure to haue both cyuell gouernaunce and rule ouer the people as to be Lorde chaunceloure Lorde presidente and to haue the hearinge of testamentary causes of whoredōe of dyuorses of slaūders which be no spirituall matters Except a man will so call them bycause that they that boast to be spirituall only do most vse them And as for preachinge where with Christe chiefly chargeth his ministers is the least poynte of their charge But they must attēde vpō bysshoppinge of childern christeninge of belles of churches churchyardes altares and soch other baggage and abominations as were neuer commaunded of Christe nor yet practised not knowen of his Apostles Wherby they maye easlye be knowen not to be of Christ but against Christ and very Antichristes In lyke maner the persones vicars and curates that are admitted by them to haue enioye and occupie the commoditie and profite of any spiritual benefice wherunto perteyneth cure and charge of soules do not diligently reache the Lawe the Gospell but nosell the people with longe Matenses Masses and Euen songes in a straūge tonge And where ryche parisshes be they rocke them with mirrye singinge and pipinge with soch guegawes to please them withall cleane contrarie to Gods worde and Christes commaundement which sayeth As my Father sent me 〈◊〉 20. euen so do I sende you But his Father dyd sende him to preache as it is playne Esaye 61. Mark 1. Luke 4. with the whiche comaūdemēt of Christ geuen to all that haue charge of soules nother Emperoure Kinge nor Quene maye lawfully

how contrary your bishops be to Christe and how contrarie they be to his doctrine and to the doctrine of his Apostles and also how wicked your law lately by your consētes reuyued is contrary to Gods worde But good my lordes thinke not that you can gather grapes vpon thornes This their mortheringe of their brethern for their faith declareth vnto all men whose vnderstandinge is not takē awaye by God that they be the theues of which Christe speaketh Ioh. 8. of whome cā not come any good frute For morther is a worke that proueth them to be the deuels seruātes who was a mortherer from the beginninge sayeth Christ that lyeth not But as Abraham had two children one borne after the fleshe called Ismael Gal. 4. and an other after the spirite called Isaac As then he that was borne carnally persecuted him that was borne spirituallye euē so is it now sayeth Sainte Paul Did Christ my good lordes compel any mā to come to his religion with imprisonemente or with fyre Did Christe kill the Iewes scribes pharisees that hearinge his doctrine and seinge also his wonderous miracles not withstandinge both wold not beleue in him Ys not faith honorable lordes the only gifte of God liberally geuen to whome it pleaseth him Can any man by his awne industry studie and laboure obteyne faith If you will suffer youre byteshepes so cruelly to morther men for wante of soch faith as it hath pleased them to deuyse by lyke equitie and Reason maye you suffer them to morther all them that haue not the lyberall gifte of God to make whole the sicke And also with moare equitie you your selfes maye hange vp the bishop of London and all youre other bisshops preistes as theues and mortherers that take charge of soules receaue the profites of their benefices which haue not the gifte of God to preach the gospell to the flocke accordinge to Christes commaundemente And by no lesse equitie all they must suffer deeth that haue not the gift of chastitie allthough to deceaue the people they saye they haue auowed it And although your lordships as ye thinke do not any violence against soch as now suffer by force of that wicked law that by youre consentes is reuiued because your lordships haue referred al the determinatiō iudgemēte of heresie vnto your byteshepes Yet be your lordships and all they that haue consented to the reuiuinge and makinge in force strēgth of the sayd law gyltie of the blood and deeth of all thē that haue suffered deeth shall suffer or do suffer by force s trēgth of the said law For not only all they that committe do euill be worthy deeth sayeth Paul but also all they that consente therto Rom. 1. Not only because the law by force wherof many suffer deeth was reuyued by your consētes But also bycause the same law is manifest wicked vnrightuous because it is contrary to the worde of God Wherfore it cā not be but wicked And therfore the same law wherby all they suffer vniustlie and the blood of thē that suffer deeth shal be a witnes before God against you of their tormentes and deeth And then good my lordes remember the sētence of God pronounced against al them that shede innocēte blood vnrightuously not only that they be mortherers who shal neuer inheret the kingedome of heauen 1. Cor. 5. Gene. 9 But also the holy goost sayeth he that shedeth innocente blood of men his blood shal be shed againe by men If your lordships do not thinke God false in his promises loke most certēly for your blood if ye do not vnfaynedly spedely repente to be shed of men againe And although you wold not beleue the promises of God to be true Yet way you the late experience of that trueth verefied in the late dukes of Somerset and Northumberlande whose doinges to al them that did know them do manifestlie prooue the sayed promises of God to be most certenly and truely verefied in them As they can not be otherwise in all men And now I trust your lordships do well vnderstande and perceaue that this law by your consentes lately reuiued made a law in force and stength is contrary both to the doctrine and example of Christe and of his Apostles and Prophetes Wherfore it can not be but a wicked law Esai 10. Woo therfore be vnto you that make wicked lawes sayeth God by his prophe Esaias And if a nother magistrate shuld by the prouision of God be called to reigne oue vs who iudgeth the forme of religion last receaued of vs to be contrary to Gods worde and therfore to be worthely abolished then maye he persecute all youre bishops and thē that now haue consented to morther christen men for their fayth but nor because he perceaueth that they haue no perfite faith or els a wicked faith for then should he commit lyke iniquitie but because the worde of God sayeth The same measure that you haue measured to other the same shal be measured to you againe By this sentence that is no wicked law al youre mortheringe bishops maye iustly be handles as they haue handled them This law of late by youre consentes reuyued and made in force and strength as a perfite law doeth not only reproue youre lordships of youre inconstauncie who not longe tyme before vpon reasonable and godly causes wel wayed frely disputed and reasoned did dysanull make frustrate voyed the same as a wicked law but also this youre sodeine reinuinge of the same declareth that you care not what you do be it neuer so wicked contrary to God so that you maye auoyde the displeasure of the magistrate and supreme eyuill gouernour Wherby it appereth manifestlie that you regarde more the displeasure of man then the displeasure of God Doeth nor your lordships consider that God saith by the prophere Psal 5. The lorde shall breake the bones of them that do studie to please men Halas right honorable lordes who har● so be witched you now that you so sodenly aye fled from Gods trueth Gal. 3. Your awne cōnsciēces so longe tyme approuīg the same Before whose eyes Iesus Christ was so lyuely preached and so faithfully set forth And neuertheles now not only his doctrine and the true and profitable vse of the sacramentes be by your consētes repelled for heresie but also Christ him self in his holy membres and misticall body most truelly tormented and slayn Halas that foreyne nations shal obsecre this inconstantie to your dishonours namely to be so in constante and ●…inge in the principall pointes concerninge a Christen mans religion and faith consideringe that by your owne consentes the same religion now by you repelled as heresye was by your commandemes set forth and commaunded thorough all the Realme and dominions of Englāde to be taught and also to be receaued of the people To what trueth and to what religion maye the subiectes of this realme here