Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	world_n	write_v	zeal_n	13	3	7.1659	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17651	An epistle both of Godly consolacion and also of aduertisement written by Iohn Caluine the pastour & preacher of Geneua, to the right noble prince Edvvarde Duke of Somerset, before the tyme or knoweledge had of his trouble, but delyuered to the sayde Duke, in the time of his trouble, and so translated out of frenshe by the same Duke.	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Somerset, Edward Seymour, Duke of, 1506?-1552.	1550 (1550)	STC 4407; ESTC S118174	16,566	68

An epistle both of GoDLy Consolacion and also of aduertisement written by Iohn Caluine the pastour preacher of Geneua to the right noble prince EDvvarde Duke of Somerset before the tyme or knoweledge had of his trouble but delyuered to the sayde Duke in the time of his trouble and so translated out of frenshe by the same Duke To the Christian reader THat nothing is more odious or detestable afore god then the disobedience of subiectes against their Kynges and Gouernours maye partly by moste open testimonies of holy Scripture euydentlye appeare and partly by thys argument be manifestly proued that it hath neuer yet vnto thys daye neyther in goddes elected people the Israelytes nor yet in anye other common weale eyther Heathen or Christyan escaped without moste grieuous plages and punishmētes Yet neuertheles so merciful a god he is of so long sufferance so lothe to stryke and so desyrous of mans amendment that it hath pleased his diuyne maiestie ere he will take extreme vengeaunce for tumultuous dysobedyence of the people agaynste theyr heades to geue manye sondrye kyndes of warnynges for vs to beware by First he hath nowe in these last daies reysed vp many godly preachers who cease not daylye to publish as it were gods proc●amacion in thys behalfe plainely declaryng to all estates and degrees what theyr duety is He hath prouided many godly exhortacions and treatyses dayly to come forth to the same effect purpose Yea and leste any manne should thinke that he will daly in suche a matter he made vs the last Soomer here in England to feele a littel touch of his sharpe rod by the kinges regal sworde beyng a most euydent token of hys great wrath and indignacy on agaynste all Rebelles and sedicious murmurers God hath of his infinite goodnes not only made litle Englāde strong enoughe to withstand al forein puissaunce yf we holde togethers and agree well emonges our selues obeying the king and magistrates as we ought to dooe but also by many vndoubtable tokens hathe declared that he myndeth as it were to make hys habytacyon and dwellyng place here emong vs of purpose to be our sure defence and proteccion yf we wil receiue him accordyngly But in case we wil be so hard herted as wilfully to refuse the grace of his gospell most mercyfully and most fatherly offered vnto vs it cannot bee doubted ne auoyded but that thextreme plages of gods wrath and vengeaunce will at length lyght vpon all such as eyther of an vngodly hearte will swell and stryue agaynst the grace and trueth of hys woorde which he hath sent amonges vs or els of a malicious frowardnes wil repine and murmure agaynst theyr heades rulers Wherfore thou has● here set furth vnto the good Christian reader an Epistle of Iohn Caluyne written in frenche vnto the ryght noble prynce Edward Duke of Somerset and sent hither into Englande immediately vpon the late commocion here in thys realme And by thys Epistle it maye to the godly reader very wel appeare how tenderly god of hys goodnes dooeth embrace vs and doeth as it were set vs in hys owne lappe myndyng to kepe vs safe frō al perils of outward enemies vnder the shadowe and sure defence of his own winges He declareth himself so mercifully to prouide for vs if we will gladlye and willinglye receyue hys grace and stande therein that he maketh them careful for vs that neuer wer in Englād nor neuer had to doe with vs sauing onely that as the nature and propertie of christian charitie is they wishe and daylye praye that we maye haue grace so to vse oure selues that the blessing of god which he hath so plētuouslye powred vpon vs maye not through our vnthankefulnes bee taken away agayne whiche forasmuch as it so is ▪ let not vs be lesse carefull for our selues than other straungers be Let vs not haue receiued the grace of God in vayne Let vs stand in the trueth and cleaue to Christes gospel and by the same lette vs practise as it teacheth vs to obeye quietely and willingly our rulers and gouernours by him appointed Which it we do he wil so defende vs with his almightiful arme that al foreyne enemies what euer they be shal eyther bee vnhable to doe vs any scathe or els shall be turned in theyr heartes and of eager enemies shall beecome oure earnest frendes and folowers Whiche thinge GOD graunte To whome be all honor and prayse worlde without end AMEN The Epistle of John Caluine MY lord although god hath geuen vnto you synguler prudēce magnanimitye and other vertues requisite to the place wherein he hath ordeyned you and in th affayres that he hath put in your hādes Yet neuertheles forasmuche as ye dooe esteme me for a seruante of his sonne whome aboue al ye desyre to obeye I am certen that for the loue of him you wil gently receyue that which I write vnto you in hys name as in dede I pretende no other end but that in folowyng that that you haue begonne you might more and more aduaunce his honoure vnto the tyme that you shal haue established his reigne in suche perfeccion as it may be knowen in the world And also you shal know that withoute aduauncyng anye thing of myne owne fantasy al that I write shal be drawen oute of hys pure doctryne If I considered not other causes then the dignitie and greatenes where ye be there wer no meane for a man of my qualitye to wryte vnto you But forasmuche as you refuse not to be taught of the master the whiche I serue but that rather you preferre to al the rest the grace that he hath geuen vnto you to be one of his disciples I thynke that I haue no nede to make vnto you any long excuse or preface because I fynd you sufficiently dysposed to receyue all that shall proceede of hym We haue all to render thankes vnto our Lorde GOD and father in that he will be serued of you in so excellente a woorke as in settyng foorthe agayne by youre meanes the pure and true rule of hys seruyce in Englande and in causing the doctrine of health to haue place and to be there faythefullye publysshed for all them that will heare the same And for that as he hath geuen vnto you suche vertue and constancye to pursue it vnto this time against so many temptacions and difficulties And for that also that he hathe strēghtned you in blessynge all youre deuyses and laboures for the prosperyng of them they be thynges that styrreth all true faythefull menne to magnify his name But in the meane tyme beecause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all wayes newe combates There is nothynge more hard then to cause the woorde of god peaceablye to rewle emong the people and that it is a thynge of it selfe so hard as there canne bee nothynge more harde then to cause the woorde of GOD peaceablye to rewle emonges the people the whiche of theyr nature

are geuen to lyes And forasmuche as there be so many cyrcumstances which in these dayes empeache the course of the same and aboue all that the supersticions of the antechriste hauyng taken roote of so long tyme may not easely bee taken awaye from theyr heartes Me thynketh you haue great nede to be confyrmed by holye exhortacyons And I doubt not but that experience teacheth you to feele the same whiche shall bee the cause to make me to procede the more frankelye beecause that my purpose as I belieue shal be conformable to youre desyre And albeit that my exhortacions shall bee superfluous yet I am sure that you wil beare with the good zeale and affeccion that stirreth me to doe it Wherfore according to reason I belieue that the necessitie which ye feele shall cause that the same shal bee a greate deale the better receyued Howesoeuer it shal bee I beseche you my lorde that it may please you to geue me the hearynge in some aduertisementes which I entend brieflye to declare vnto you hopyng that when ye shall haue hearde it at the least you shal fynde some sauor for to bee reconforted and to take a great deale the better courage to continue the holye and noble enterprise in the whiche god hath appointed you to be employed vnto this present I doubte not but the greate troubles whyche happened vnto you not long agoe haue beene vnto you verye harde and annoyouse and moste of all for that manye myghte haue taken occasion of slaundre for asmuche as they were moued in some parte vnder the shadowe of chaungyng the Religyon Wherefore it cannot bee but that it hathe beene vnto you a verye harde assaulte aswell for the cares whiche myghte come vnto you as also for the mutenies of the malygners and Ignorauntes and also for the feare and trouble of the good Truelye the brute that I haue heard a farre of hath caused me to haue great grief in my hearte vnto suche time that I dyd knowe that God had begonne to put some remedy Neuertheles for that that they be not yet al pacifyed and that the deuill may renewe them agayne you shall call to remembraunce that that the holy story recyteth of the good king Ezechias that is to saye at suche tyme as he hadde abolyshed the Supersticyons in Iewerye Ezechias at his fir●… reforinyng of the church was fore oppressed of enemies and reformed the state of the church according to the law of god that thē he was so oppressed of his enemies that he was very lykelye to be a loste and desperate manne It is not withoute cause that the holye Spiryte notablye expresseth that suche afflyccyons happened vnto hym immediatelye after he had established the true religion in hys persit ordre For it was verye lykelye Whoso goeth aboute to set furth the glorye of GOD shall haue persecuciō that as soone as he went about to set foorthe the glorye of God he shoulde not haue hys realme peaceable So all faythefull Princes and Gouernours of Countreyes be aduertised by thys exaumple that the more they shall employe theyr labour to put out all Idolatrye and procure that god be truely wurshypped as he ought the more theyr fayth shall bee proued Why God suffereth godly Princes to bee tempted by dyuers temptacions God suffereth it and so will haue it to declare the constancie of hys and to exercyse them that they shoulde haue regarde to an hygher thyng then thys worlde The deuil laboureth priuely to destroy al godly doctrine In the meane tyme the deuil also doth hys offyce entending by al couert and hidden meanes to destroye the good doctrine because he cannot openlye attayne to hys desyre But folowing the admonicion of saint Iames who sayeth vnto vs that in consideryng the pacience of Iob we muste take hede to th ende we must also caste oure eyes vpon the end whiche was geuen to the sayde good kynge The good ende that GOD geueth to the godly As god succoured hym in all hys aduersities so in th ende he remayned victorious Consideryng that and for asmuch as hys hād is not now any shorter than it was than and that he hath at this day in so gret recommendacion the defence of his people truth and veritie as euer he had Doubte ye not but that he wil helpe you and not onelye for one tyme but in as many temptacions as he shall send vnto you If the moste parte of the worlde resiste the Gospell and lykewyse enforceth themselues with all rage and violence to empeache and hyndre the settyng furth therof The ingratytude of men doeth euer more resist God approchīg vnto them We ought not to thynke it straunge For it is the vnthankefulnesse of menne which euer haue bene and shal be to recoyle when GOD approcheth to them and also to stumble agaynste hym when he will charge them with hys yoke Moreouer for that of theyr nature they bee geuen to hipocrisie they maye not endure to bee brought to the light of the woord of GOD whiche discouereth their infamye and shame nor to be drawen out of the supersticiōs which serueth vnto thē as hyding places for to geue them shadowe It is then no new thing if there bee greate contradiccion whē one goeth aboute to brynge them to the pure obedyence of GOD. Iesus brigeth the swerd with the gospel And also we haue aduertisemente of oure Lorde Iesus the whiche sayeth to vs that he hathe brought the sweorde with his euangelye But this muste not astonyshe vs nor make vs wurse willynge or fearefull for in th ende when men shall haue well mutined and put furth all theyr malices they shal be confounded in a momente and shal ouerthrow themselues with theyr owne violences It is true as it is sayde in the seconde psalme that god shall not but laughe at theyr styrrynges Howe god laugheth at the malicious stirring of persecutours that is to say that in dissimulyng he shall leaue them tormented as the thyng touched hym not But for all that in th ende they shal be alwayes drieuen backe by hys power of the whiche if we be armed we haue a good perfite and inuincible municion againste all conspiracies whatsoeuer the Deuilles maye procure agaynst vs. And in th ende we shall knowe by experyence The Gospell that maketh a reconciliacion betwene god and vs can also a pease men that as the gospel is the messenger of peace of the reconciliacyon betwene God and vs So can he aswel for vs pacifye men And by thys meane we shall feele that Esai hath not sayd in vayne that when Iesu Christe shall reygne emonges vs by hys doctrine the sweordes shall be conuerted into plough shares and the speares into Sythes In the meane tyme albeit that the malice and Rebellion of men are the occasion of sedicion and mewtenies which ryseth agaynste the Gospell Yet neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to take hede to our selues God some

time chasteneth vs by the euil persoues and to knowe that god chasteneth oure faultes by them which otherwise cannot serue but to Sathan It hath bene an auncient complaynte that the Ghospell was the cause of all euilles and calamities Some lay the faulte of sedicion to the gospell whiche happened vnto men In deede we see by the histories that not longe after the christianitie was spredde in all places there was not almost a corner in the worlde whiche was not horriblye afflycted The mocyon of the warres was as an vniuersal fyer lyghtened in all countreyes The floudes in th one syde the Pestilence and famyne in the other an horrible confusyon of ordre and pollicye in manner that it was lykelye that the worlde shoulde bee clearelye ouerturned We haue also seene in oure tyme sythe the gospel hathe begonne to be abroade manye myseryes So that euerye manne complayneth that we bee in an vnhappye worlde and there is verye fewe that feeleth not the wayghte of the burden Nowe in feelynge suche blowes wee oughte to regarde the hande of hym that stryketh vs and we oughte also to thinke wherfore The cause why we fele gods scourge The cause whiche moueth hym to make vs so to feele hys scourge is not very darke or hard to vnderstande We know that his woorde by the which he will kepe vs in health is an inestimable treasure and in what maner of recompence is it receaued of vs. Wherfore then seeyng we esteme not muche that whiche is so precious to speake of it is reason that he take vengeance of our ingratitude We also heare that Iesus Christe sayde that the seruaunte knowyng the will of hys maister and dooyng it not is worthy of double chastisemente for because that we bee so slothfull to obey the wil of oure God whiche hath bene declared vnto vs more than an hundred tymes heretofore we ought not to think it straūge if he be more sharply angrye with vs seing that we be more inexcusable Whē we cause not the good seede to increase and profite it is reason that the thystles and thornes of Sathan groweth to prycke and tormēt vs. Because that we geue not to our creatour the obedience that is due vnto hym it is no meruayle that men aryse agaynst vs. As I vnderstād my lord you haue had two kyndes of mutenies whiche bee risen against the king the state of the Realme Two kindes of mutenies at once Thone be fantasticall men which vnder the colour of the gospell would put all to confusyon The other bee obstynate people in the Supersticyons of the Antichriste of Rome Altogether deserueth wel to be punyshed by the sweorde that is commytted vnto you Seeynge that they quarell not onelye agaynste the kynge but also agaynste God whiche hathe placed hym in the seate Royall and hath committed vnto you the proteccion aswell of hys person as of hys maiestie and regall estate How gods word must be receued But the principal meane is to doe as much as is possible to cause that they which sauor the doctrine of the gospel to thintent to stycke and cleaue vnto it shoulde receyue it with suche humblenesse and feare that they may forsake themselues for the seruice of god For they ought to thinke that god wil reuele all to thentente that they shall profit more without fe●ning in his woorde then they haue done before These mad folkes that would the worlde should returne into a confuse disordinate libertie be suborned by Sathan for to slaūdre the gospel As that it should not engendre but rebellion a gaynste prynces and all dysordre emonges the people Wherfore al faythfull ought to be sorowful The Papistes willīg to maintain the filthy abhominaciōs of their Romain Idole shew themselues open enemyes of the grace of Iesus Christe and of all hys ordynaunces the same also ought to greeue the heartes of al them whiche haue good zeale wherfore they ought to thynke altogether that these be scourges of god which he sendeth to them And wherefore But onely because that they make none accoumpte of the doctrine of healthe as they ought to doe The principall remedie to appeace sedicion Wherfore the principall remedye for to appeace such sediciōs is that they which professeth the gospell doe truely repayre to the Image of God for to shewe that our christianitie causeth not dissipacion in the humain lyfe and geue good proofe tryall by theyr sobrenes and temperaunce that we gouerned by the woord of God bee not mē vnruled and without a brydle And by theyr good holy lyfe stop the mouthes of all euyll speakers For by thys meanes god beeing appeaced shal retiere hys hand and in the place that thys day he punisheth the slaunderers for the contemning of his word he shall blesse theyr obedience in all prosperitie Lawe es Iustices oughte to bee vncorrupt Lykewyse that al the nobilitie and lawiers gouerne them selues ryghtlye and in all humilitie to thobediēce of this great kyng Iesus Christ Makyng holy homage vnto him without feining of soule and body and all that they haue To thintente that he correct and abate that to gancie and folly of them that woulde tyse agaynst them Loe thys is the meane howe Princes of the earth ought to reygne in seruing Iesus Christ to th ende that he may haue Soueraine auctoritie emonges all bothe great and small Wherefore my Lorde in asmuche as you haue the regall estate of the king your Nephieu deare vnto you and in greate recommendacion as you shewe very wel I pray you in the name of god to employe your principall care vigilancye that the doctrine of God may bee preached with strengthe and vertue for to brynge furthe hys fruite and not to leaue for any respecte to pursue a ful and an entiere reformacion of the Churche And the better to declare vnto you my mynde and intencion I will deuyde the whole into three poyntes The fyrst shal be the meane to instructe the people well The remedies againste all sedicion in a common weale The seconde shal be the taking away of the abuse that hath bene of longe tyme. The third with diligēce to correct vyces and to kepe so good ordre that the slaundres disordres may not haue such place as the the name of God shoulde bee blasphemed As to the fyrste I mynde not to declare vnto you what doctrine ought to haue place But rather I geue thankes to almighty god that besides that he hathe geuen vnto you the light of his pure knowledge he hath also geuen vnto you good counsell and discrecion to cause hys pure veritie to be preached So that God be thanked you be not to teache what is the true faith of christen mē and the doctrine that they ought to receiue Seing that by youre meane the true puretie of the faythe is restored That is that we belieue and take God for the onelye gouerner of oure soules that we