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	king_n	war_n	4,472	5	6.2395	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66781	Speculum speculativum, or, A considering-glasse being an inspection into the present and late sad condition of these nations : with some cautional expressions made thereupon / by George Wither, immediately after His Majesties restauration, to preserve in himself and others a Christian obedience to God's various dispensations ; hereby also are some glimmerings discovered of what will probably ensue hereafter.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1660 (1660)	Wing W3193; ESTC R200947	83,568	179

out And that cost may no longer be bestown On fruitless plants which he did never own Such is the Prelacy which did proceed From mixture both of good and evil seed As may declar'd by their Etraction be For this appears to be their Pedigree Not very long time ofter Noahs Flood When old Idolatries began to brood The forenam'd DRUIDES who from the Oak Which they much rev'renced their name first took In these Parts of the world usurp'd upon Mens Consciences as many since have done Ev'n in this Isle if that which may be read In old Records be true and being spread Into the neighb'ring Continent from hence In France next settling their chief residence Did there an uncontrouled power retain Until the days of Claudius Caesar's reign The Flamin-Prelacy which did begin Before that time then by degrees did win Pre-eminence and reverenced was Till Pontifical-Prelacy took place From that the papal prelacy deriv'd Their being and a Hierarchy contriv'd Accommodated with a Discipline From Gentiles Jews and Christians hetrogene For though compos'd of pieces patch'd together From all these taken it was like to neither For that the Christian worship might not seem To be inglorious in the worlds esteem Or rather that themselves advance they might Unto a princely and a pompous height In temporal enjoyments they took in Such Pageantries as had affected been By carnal Worshippers by alteration In some things and in some by imitation So by degrees they totally threw off That soberness and meekness with a scoff Which was in true sincerity profest Before the birth and reign of Antichrist The Spouse of CHRIST because she did appear In out-side poor though rich her Linings were With dis-respect they turned out of dore And in her stead trimm'd up a painted Whore So meer will-worship was set up at last And in the Throne of GOD an Idol plac'd From those the prelates came when these Nations Intended to reform their Innovations A carnal prudence dreaming that if they With their External pomp was took away Whereby some thought God's worship was adornd Religion and Devotion should be scorn'd The Prelacy upon that vain surmise Was here continu'd in a new Disguise Till that imposture was by Providence Made manifest and then it was from hence By GOD expel'd as both dishonourable To him and to his Church disserviceable To those intending no affront at all Whose Function simply is Episcopal But this Expulsion being for our sin Revers'd and Prelates now again brought in That and a Sacra-fames in Excess Not thirst and hunger after righteousness Hath so inrag'd them that they all devour Who fall within their new-restored pow'r With high contempt at last without regard Of what the KING hath graciously declar'd And those whom they of their Estates despoil With insolent upbraidings they revile As meriting nor livelihood nor place With them and as uncapable of Grace From GOD or men But cry are not these they Who lately took from Holy Church away Her Dowry spoil'd GOD'S Houses in the Land On sacred things laid sacrilegious hand And vilifide his Servants Thus they crow But they injurious are in doing so And have as much in their blasphemings fail'd On Hezekiah for GOD did not own Those Altars or High-places overthrown And then mis-called his nor owneth he For Bishops those who now so termed be Nor those impertinent Appurtenances Which Prelates please to term GOD'S Ordinances And though they should when they see Babel's fall Their dreadful howlings and their weepings call The Churches sighs and tears no whit availing To them would be their howling and bewailing And though some think this constitution brings Advantage to the Thrones of lawful Kings 'T will prove when thereinto they better look It strengthens them as Ivy doth an Oak And that of Men no one sort under Heaven Cause and Occasions have so often given Of private Quarrels Discords and Debates And Wars 'twixt Realms Nations Kings States The Shepherd therefore hopes this will by those Who can distinguish between Doves and Crows Consider'd be and manifest it then That greatest Clerks are not the wisest men Or that wise men through Avarice and Pride By wealth and honour may be led aside And though this hope should fail him in the main It will not altogether be in vain But for the present shall at least suffice To feed that part which upon Smoke relies Till with essential nourishment suppli'd By that which GOD hereafter will provide Yea though this charming should not prove so strong To fetch back that which doth to him belong Thenceforth content his Ewe and Lambs and he To live upon the Commons then will be However other hopes may have success His best hopes will be rather more then less For they are built on him who best can judge 'Twixt what is and what is not Sacrilege And if his Judges partially shall deal From them to that great Judge he will appeal Who cannot be deceiv'd But no distrust Hath he of their Uprightness who here must Be Judges in his Cause for they have seen What did befal them who unjust have been And hereby now though he be much pre-judg'd May know what on his part may be alleag'd That which is claim'd GOD will perhaps divide Betwixt both Parties when their Claims are tride For out of that which they erewhile possest The Prelates for their sins were justly cast The Shepherd was for his expelled too By him whose just doom he submits unto As therefore GOD shall please he is content To share in Mercy and in Chastisement Till he under that Heritage is brought Which at anothers cost for him was bought And whereto he vouchsafes him by his Grace A better Title in a better place If all be judg'd which he hath purchas'd here The Prelates due he 'll take his portion there For though it be a little while delaid 'T will prove the better share and be will paid This is the Shepherds Case and this the Course He means to take pray use him ne'er the worse For he had not exprest it in this mode But that the Cov'nant PRELATES to explode He conscientiously adheres unto And dares not slight the same as others do Because he can discern Truths from Delusions And knows their late Re-entries are Intrusions FINIS

and shall be well employ'd By me although I thereby am destroy'd And though it is an old adjudged case That Poets must be poor I 'll not be base My poverty is without president For I am poor by Acts of Parliament I was not in that condition thrown Till they who crackt my credit lost their own And if the King pleaseth he may make me rich Yet loose no honour nor in treasure much For had I but mine own my Debts to free I should suppose my self as rich as he From GOD if this proceed not I shall have The recompence I merit to receive Which will be at the worst an outward trouble And loss of that which I have built with stubble But if it flows from him it will produce Effects which to his glory shall have use And he will bring it forth at such a time As serviceable make it will to him Yea though in the Thames it should be thrown Like that which being tide unto a Stone Was sunk in Euphrates and no more seen After in Babel it once read had been And will be made available to that Which in composing it I aimed at Till that time therefore I will lay it by Not doubting such a time is drawing nigh If this King as I hope be hither sent As well for Mercy as for Chastisement For we need both it such effects will bring That we in Judgement shall of Mercy sing For my part whatsoere my Portion be I 'll take that thankfully which falls on me As sent from GOD whoere he be that brings it Yea though at me in rage the Devil flings it For be it known and heeded not in vain Die they who in the forlorn Hope are slain Nor uselesse to a Victory are they Who are suppos'd to throw their Lives away By desperate attempts since Providence Whose way transcendeth mans intelligence Acts very many times by things which we Think may to her own ends repugnant be They who were slain when first the Fight begun And they who fought until the Field was won May whatsoere to others doth appear In work and honour merit equal share Nay signal Victories are got sometime By that which hath been punish'd as a Crime To me and many other men beside May peradventure such a Lot betide However I submit unto his pleasure Who acts in his own time by weight and measure And forasmuch as I have no defence Against my Foes but naked Innocence Or words which are amongst them sometimes shot To let them understand I fear them not I that my Flesh my be preserved from Dejection in her mode till succours come My fortresse keeping their Affronts despise Shoot back their stones and durt into their eyes Believing they to peace will now incline Or be reduc'd to harder streights then mine As they but lately were who did contemn The Sequels whereof I fore-warned them And if by Storm they take my life away Which I as little do regard as they It in their Souls may leave a Sting behinde it Which will with Torment make them sometimes mind it But here I yet remain and for a Close In reference to our Antichristian Foes I 'll adde this Corollary by the way Whilst on his Horns the B E A S T is tossing Hay For if deceiv'd I am not our Disease Chiefly proceedeth underhand from these And though a farther-off removed Cause Pretending they bescratch us with the Paws Of other Beasts it plainly may be seen By whom our troubles have contrived been I therefore make but a Defensive VVar With such as mine own adversaries are And to his Captains as th' Assyrian King Once gave command intend no Dart to fling To be destructive to Foe great or small Whose hate to me is onely personal But at those onely whose hate doth extend To HIM and HIS on whom I do depend To act the last Scoene which precedes their Doom They now new vampt upon the Stage are come And though that with the KING as if his Friends They seem to side they come to other ends VVhich he not yet discerning in his grace Vouchsates them a considerable place And of prevailing they already boast As if they saw the LAMB and all his Host Quite overthrown which me as confident Hath made that GOD their proud hope will prevent And overthrow that Tyranny out-right By what they think shall raise it to its height But many tryals must the Saints abide And very much their patience will be tride Here and elsewhere before that Act is done Which with an Anti-mask is now begun Our Friends inhabiting beyond the VVaters And who were of our Tragedies Spectators Now twenty years though they perceive it not Or seem not to perceive it in that Lot Which these have cast for us designed are Or in what follows next to have a share For Hamans PUR's on foot not onely here But like wise almost ev'ry other where And these think that to take them by his Gin With most speed is with us first to begin But ther 's a Counter mine which will be sprung To blow up them and all their Mines ere long Six hundred sixty six draws on apace And not one day beyond that shall they pass It is the number of that MAN OF SIN VVhereto his Kingdom hath confined been By him that cannot lye and long ago To many that Epocha I did shows From whence his Reign begins and by a light As I believe which shines without deceit It numbers out his Reign as certainly As women reckon the Nativity Of Children in their wombs which hath success VVithin a very few days more or less And of that Mystery what heretofore I have exprest I 'le here express once more Because those Nations which may much be needed Cannot be too oft told nor too well heeded To former times this Mystery was dark And lay a long while cover'd like a spark In ashes lest perhaps what at this time Will comfort us might have discourag'd them Who lived then for men rejoyce to hear The day of their deliverance is near But nothing save discomfort could they gain By knowing Tyranny so long should reign Herein I circumstantially perchance May somewhat ere through humane ignorance But as to that which was essentially To us intended by this Mystery I shall not fail of which is to presage That Babylon shall fall in this our Age. Sev'n Numerals the Romane Empire had Whereby of old they Computations made And in them was their Destiny fore-shown Though to themselves perhaps it was unknown These placed singly as they valued are Do truly though misteriously declare How long that Empire with what sprung there-from Should last when to the full height it should come For M.D.C.L.X. with V. and I. Do number up in Chronogrammistry Years Sixteen hundred sixty six and that Will be of Roman Tyrannies the date No other Number either more or less If none of these you double or displace Can be by them exprest If you

hither Who probably in Flanders had remain'd If otherways their ends they could have gain'd And Dick perhaps GEORGE Jack or any thing With popular app'auses had been King But these Insecti though they greatly swarm Can do the King not so much good as harm Nor can those who through want of wit courage Will sell their birth-rights for a mess of Porredge To this establishment contribute ought Till they be better disciplin'd and taught It is not they in Linen Ephods neither Those Chimerims who now conspire together Nor those vain and fantastical baboons Who jet in Feathers and in Pantaloons Who fix a King but those grave men among Our Nobles And the civil uulgar throng Who love the Publick peace and do profess A Loyalty in truth and soberness VVithout regard of any Interest Save that which may with other mens consist The rest if well consider'd are a number Of animals which more confound and cumber Then settle Governments and are to Kings But troublesome unprofitable things I have observ'd them well and long ago Perceiving what they likely were to do VVho know the way as often as they please To bring to pass their own Designes by these Upon Occasions given was so bold That what I pre-conjectur'd I fore-told And how these acting singly or together To publick Damage made use of each other This oft I did before the Parliament Became their self-destroying instrument In plain terms or Aenigma's as the time Would bear it and as well in Prose as Rimes I did the like to him and to his son VVhom GOD permitted to usurp the Throne As two addresses which I did prefer To their own hands yet extant may declare And whereby such advantages I got As usually they get who flatter not During the last pow'r in an oblique way As touching him who reigneth at this day I hinted that which now is come to pass In such wise as I might in such a case At such a time as that with what Events To his beginnings would be consequents If on the Giddy Vulgar he depended In prosecuting what should be intended Or if he sought a Kingship to erect Like what meer earthly Princes do effect VVherein although I had no worse Designe Then with the publick weal to wrap up mine I am for my plain dealing as a Foe Both scandalized and oppressed so That all the Mercy some vouchsafe me would Is Life deprived of all things that should In me and my relations Life uphold Which is a cruelty and such away Of killing men a hundred times aday That GOD with due avengement will repay For though men are not so yet he is just The measure which they gave receive they must Yea measure running over and prest down Unless God shew more grace then they have shown I have not much deceived been in ought Which with Pre-meditation I fore-thought And heretofore divulg'd relating to These Nations in the things they ought to do Or unto that which would require their heed How therein they go backward or proceed I lately pre conjectur'd and fore-told That London was a Mount whence issue should A wind which hither likely was to blow A change that of our greatest weal or woo As likewise of her own would be the cause And by her aid that change is come to passe Let her so mind it now that GOD may bless Her future actings with a good success For that to them this Caveat give I may Thus purposely I stept out of the way My Muse once more shall here likewise recal What I presag'd would to my self befal Yea though I toucht upon it heretofore I will illustrate it a little more Me therefore to insist thereon permit For as it me concerns to mention it It may concern you to and doth declare That poor mens wrongs by GOD observed are Upon my heart I strong impressions had That I should of their fall a signe be made Who for my faithful service me opprest And they who last the supreme pow'r possest This day both see and feelingly perceive That 's come to passe which they would not believe To them I told both jointly and apart But seem'd to speak to men without a heart That they in reason had good cause to fear If they should offer still a Deaf man's Ear To my complaints a very sad reward Would be the sequel of their Dis-regard Yet though with humbleness I them implor'd By ev'ry means which those times did afford Save bribes and flatt'ry they would seldome hear Ought which concerned me except it were An accusation or to grant an Order Which more my Ruine then Relief did further Or do me Justice during my oppressions Nigh eighteen years complain'd of by Petitions And by addresses tenter'd unto them Not seldome by some hundred at a time Nor to me their Ingagements made they good Nor those discharg'd by which ingag'd I stood For them nor for their Debts detain'd from me Three times six years although made due they be By Ordinance and Orders nor would they Vouchsafe as much as interest to pay By them allowed though I much did need it Both to relieve me and preserve my Credit Nor could I that enjoy which I had bought And they had sold as I in Justice ought Till my Estate and Credit was o'rethrown By them through their neglecting of their own Though they were not alone oblig'd unto it But likewise had both power and means to do it A single foe could do me in one hour More injury then all my Friends had pow'r To right whilst they reign'd though I seem'd befriended Of many who to Righteousness pretended Though early at their dores and also late As at Bethesda-pool the Cripple sate I waited on them I went ev'ry day Both without Help and with small Help away No more prevailing then if still I had To blocks or statutes my Petitions made These Grievances increasing ev'ry year Rais'd at the length my Damages well near To twice five thousand pounds and so increast My debts by troubles suits and interest That wants thereby still multiplying more I was at last made somewhat worse then poor From seven hundred pounds per annum brought To be some hundred pounds less worth then nought So loosing my repute with my estate Which many new perplexities begat To ev'ry wrong I liable was made When no means left for my defence I had And most men then perceiving that the Doom Which I fore-saw would come was then nigh come And likely to destroy them in whose hands Lay all my whole Estate in Debts and Lands And that the Title which thereinII had Would as they stood or fell prove good or bad My Creditors grew thereby so affraid What I then ow'd them never would be paid That more to pay one debt then would pay two Was thereby maugre all that I could do Streight torn away and I could neither set Nor sell nor borrow neither payment get Of what was due to buy things