Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	religion_n	see_v	1,391	5	3.4178	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02187	Newes from Italy of a second Moses or, the life of Galeacius Caracciolus the noble Marquesse of Vico Containing the story of his admirable conuersion from popery, and his forsaking of a rich marquessedome for the Gospels sake. Written first in Italian, thence translated into latin by reuerend Beza, and for the benefit of our people put into English: and now published by W. Crashavv ...; Historia della vita di Galeazzo Caracciolo. English	Balbani, Niccolo, d. 1587.; Crashaw, William, 1572-1626.	1608 (1608)	STC 1233; ESTC S100534	64,277	90

Verona there he found the Marquesse his fafather who receiued and vsed him kindly though he could not but manifest in his countenance the inward anger and griefe ofhis heart After a few salutations the father began with all his cunning to deale with him about his returne home againe laying open to the ful that perpetuall in famy which was sure to fall on his house and posterity vnlesse that Galeacius did preuent so great a mischiefe which saith he thou easily maiest doe and of right oughtest to doe and I know thou wilt doe if there be in thee but one sparke of naturall affection to father wife or children Galeacius the sonne with such reuerence as was due to his father answered with all sub●●●sion that his bodie and estate is his fathers but his conscience is the Lords and tels him he can by no meanes returne home but he should make shipwrack of a good conscience he proues it to him by good reasons and such as his father could not resist and therefore humblie intreats his father that seeing his desire is onely to obey the Lord and saue his soule that therefore he would not vrge him to respect more the good estate of his children then the glory of God and his owne soules health The Marquesse perceiued he laboured in vaine to remoue his sonne from his resolution which he iudged to be nothing but a peruerse stubbornnesse against the Catholike Religion as he thought and therefore with griefe ofminde ceased that sute and imparted to him the cause ofhis iourney to the Emperour strictly enioyning him that he should not returne to Geneua but abide in Italy till he had obtained his sute at the Emperours hand and was returned out of Germany which thing Galeacius promised and performed for he a bode in Italy vntill August at what time he had notice that his father had preuailed in his sute bfore the Emperour During which time one Hieronymus Fracastorius a notable Philosopher Physition and Poet being procured and set on by the Marquesse dealt with Galeacius with all his might and eloquence to perswade him to yeelde to his father adding withall that that new sect as he termed was false and deceitfull and not worthy to be beleeued Galeacius heard all he could say and answered him point by point and finally by the pure simplicity of the word of God he so satisfied him though he was both wise and learned that he willingly held his tongue and at last friendly intreated him that he would not be angrie for that his importunitie and boldnesse with him CHAP. XVII Of his returne to Geneua where he founded and setled a forme of discipline in the Italian Church THus Galeacius hearing of his fathers successe returned with a ioyfull heart towards Geneua for that he saw his father deliuered from the feare of that infamy which the confiscation of his goods and forfeiture of his lands might haue brought vpon his family and therefore he hoped he would be the lesse moued against him Whereuppon setling himselfe downe againe at Geneua and deuising how to spend his time in doing good he began to consider seriously of setling the discipline in the Church of the Italians which was then at Geneua for thither had a great number of Italians transported themselues and their families for Religions sake flying the tyranny of the vnholy inquisition And about that time it fell out fitly that Calume going Embassadour from Geneua to Basill in causes of Religion and other matters intreated Galeacius to beare him company whereunto he willingly condescended At Basill he found an Italian called Celsas whose right name was Maximilian and was descended of the noble house of the Earles of Martinongo in Italy this man had got a great name in Italy amongst the Papists for his eloquency speech and lately by the mercy of God was escaped out of the mite of popish superstitions Galeacius right glad of him perswaded him to breake off the purpose that he had for England and goe to Geneua with him where he might liue in the fellowship of a great number of his country men Italians and inioy the benefit of the company conference and familiarity of many worthy men but especially the most sweete acquaintance of that great Caluin and al those with the liberty of a good conscience The good gentleman yeelded and so they comming to Geneua by their industry and good meanes together with the helpe and direction of Caluin in all things that forme of discipline was established in the Italian Church which at this day standeth florisheth in the same church remaineth recorded in a book for that purpose Maximilian the Earle of whom we spake afore was the first Pastor elect of that church vndertooke the charge purely to expound the word of God and to administer the Sacraments that Christ left behinde him and to watch ouer that flocke and people certaine Elders were ioyned as assistants to him to whom was committed the care of the Church to looke to the puritie of doctrine and life in all estates the principall of the Elders was Galeacius himselfe vnto whom the honour is due of bringing to passe so worthy an enterprise and the rather for that by his authority diligence and watchful care he preserued the same in good and sure estate all his life time and after him it hath continued being deriued to others to the great good and profit of many soules And thus he passed this yere 1554. withioy and comfort CHAP. XVIII The third temptation to drawe him away liberty of conscience offered him by his vncle Pope Paul the fourth which after many temptations of flesh and blood to the contrary at last by the assistance of Gods grace he refused NExt succeeded in order the yere 1555. wherein Satan assauted him with new stratagems and deuices for that yere his vncle which was Paulus quartus his mothers brother attained the feate of the Papacy of Rome whereby the Marquesse his father conceiued good hope by this meanes either to draw his sonne home againe or at least to procure him liberty of conscience and leaue to liue in some Citie of Italy where he might inioy the society of his wife and children and they of him Whereupon hauing occasion of businesse to trauel that way hee sent letters to his sonne to Geneua commaunding him to meete him at Mantua in Italy and for his easier dispatch hee sent him prouision of money for the iourney Galeacius obeying againe his fathers will tooke his iourney from Geneua and came to Mantua the fifteenth of Iune where hee was entertayned by his father with more then ordinarie kindnesse and in more louing maner then heretofore was accustomed And at last hee opened his minde vnto him the substance and effect whereof was that hee had obtained of his vncle who now was Pope a dispensation for him whereby liberty was granted him to liue in any City within the iuristiction of the Venetians

inconstancy or complaine of iniurie offred him in taking thatfrom him which afore I bestowed on him because it was his owne seeking both to estrange himselfe from mee and from all society with our Church wherefore he may thanke himselfe and take the blame on his owne necke for for my owne part I am vnwillingly drawne thus farre to change my accustomed maner as to race out any mans name out of my writing And I bewaile that the man hath throwne himselfe downe from that seat of fame wherein I had placed him namely in the forefront of my booke where my desire was he should haue stood thereby to haue beene made famous to the world But the fault is not in me for as then I held him worthy so since then hee hath made himselfe vnworthy and therefore let him be as he is and he for mee buried in obliuion and so for the good will I once bare to him I spare to speake any more of him And as for you right honourable Sir I might seeke excuse why I put you now in his roome but that I am so sufficiently perswaded of your great good will and true loue to me the truth whereof can be testified by so many witnesses in our Church And that I may make one wish more I wish from my heart that I had knowen you as well ten years agoe for then I should haue had no cause to haue altred the dedicatiō of my booke as now I do And as for the publicke estate of the Church it is well that it shall not onely lose nothing by forgetting that man whose name I now blotte out but by your comming into his stead shal receiue a far greater gain and a sufficient recompence For though I know you desire not the pub licke applause of the world but rest contented in the testimony of Gods spirit in your conscience neither is it my purpose to publish your praises to the world notwithstanding I thinke it my duety to make knowne to the readers some things concerning you and whereof my selfe and this Church and City are daily eye witnesses and yet not so much for your praise as for the benefit instruction of the readers And this is it that I would all men should know make vse of that a Gentleman a Lord so wel and highly borne flourishing in wealth honor blessed with a noble vertuous louing wife and many goodly children liuing in al peace quietnes at home abroad wanting nothing that nature could desire euery way blessed of God for all things of this life should willingly of his owne accord leaue al those forsake his country a rich fruitfull pleasant soile so goodly a patrimony inheritance so stately a house seated so commodiously so pleasantly to cast off al domestical delight and ioy which hee might haue had in so good a father wife children kinred affinity and acquaintauce and all that for this onely that he might come serue Christ Iesus in the hard vnpleasant warfare of Christianity and should depriue himselfe of so many alluring delights of nature to content himself with that slēder measure of al things which the distressed estateof our Church is able to affoord frō al the superfluities of a Courly Lordly life here amongst vs to betake himself to an easie rate and frugal kind of life euen as though he were no better then one of vs and yet I so recite al this to others as I let it not passe without vse to my selfe For if I do set out your vertues in this my Epistle as on the toppe of a Towre for all men to see them that so they may conforme themselues to the imitation of them it should be shame for my selfe not to be much more neerely and inwardly touched with a loue of them who am continually an eye witnesse of them and daily behold them not in an Epistle but in the cleare glasse of your owne life and therefore because that I find in experience how much your example preuailes in me for the strengthning of my faith and the increase of godlines in me yea and all other holy men who dwel in the city doe acknowledge as well as I that this your example hath beene greatly to their edification in al grace I thought it therefore a necessary duety to impart this rare example of yours to the world that so the profit and benefit of vs might inlarge it selfe and spread out of this citie into all the Churches of God for otherwise it were a needlesse labour to make knowne to the furthest parts of Christendome the vertues of such a man whose nature and disposition is so out of loue with pride and so farre remoued from all ostentation Now if it shall please God that many others who dwelling farre off haue not hitherto heard of you shall by the strangenesse of this your example addresse themselues to the imitation of it and leaue their pleasant nests whereto the world hath setled them so fast I shall thinke my selfe bountifully rewarded for these my paines for out of question it should be common and vsuall amongst Christians not onely to leaue liuings and lord ships and castles and townes and offices and promotions when the case so stands that a man may not enioy both Christ and them but euen willingly and cheerefully to despise and shake off whatsoeuer vnder the Sunne though it be neuer so deere and pretious so pleasant and comfortable in respect and comparison of Christ But such is the slownesse and sluggishnesse of the most of vs that we doe but coldly and formally professe the Gospell but not one of a hundred if he haue but some little land or peece of a Lordship that will forsake and despise it for the Gospel sake yea not one of many but very hardly is drawn to renounce euen the least gaine or pleasure to follow Christ without it so farre are they from denying themselues and laying downe their liues for the defence of it I wish these men would looke at you and obserue what it is you haue forsaken for loue of Christ and especially I wish that all men who haue taken vpon them already the profession of Religion would labor to resemble you in the denial of themselues which indeed is the chiefe of all heauenly vertues for you can very sufficiently testifie with me as I can with you how little ioy we take in these mens companies whose liues make it manifest that though they haue left their countries yet they haue brought hither with them the same affections and dispositions which they had at home which if they had also renounced as wel as they did their countries then had they beene indeed true deniers of themselues and beene partaker with you of that true praise wherein alas you haue but few compartners But because I had rather the Reader should gather the truth and strangenes of this your example then I should

goe about in words to expresse it I will therefore spare further speech and turne my selfe to God in praier desiring of his mercy that as he hath indued you hitherto with an heroicall courage and spiritual boldnesse so he would furnish you with an inuincible constancy to endure to the end for I am not ignorant how strangely the Lord hath exercised you heretofore and what dangerous pikes you haue passed ere you came to this by which former experience your spiritual wisdome is able to conclude that a hard and toilsome warfare doeth still remaine and wait for you and what neede there is to haue the hand of God from heauen raught out to assist vs you haue so sufficiently lea rned in your former conflicts as I am sure you will ioyne with me in prayer for the gift of perseuerance to vs both and for my part I will not cease to beseech Iesus Christ our King and God to whom all power was giuen of his father and in whom are kept all the treasures of spiritual blessings that he would stil preserue you safe in soule and body and arme you against all temptations to come and that still he would proceed to triumph in you ouer the diuell and all his vile and wicked faction to the magnifying of his owne glory and the inlarging of his kingdome in your selfe and others of his children 9. Call Feb. 1556. at Geneua Your honours most assured in the Lord IOHN CALVINE CHAP. XIII Newes of his departure to Geneua came to Naples and the Emperours Court and how the old Marquesse his father and other his friends were affected with the newes AND thus to returne againe to our story Galencius setled himselfe downe at Geneua as at a ioyfull resting place But when the newes of so sudden and strange a departure and so wilfull an exile came to Naples and were made knowen in the Emperours Court it would scarce be beleeued or thought how strangely it affected moued al that heard it All men wondred at it and the most could not be perswaded it was so but when it was certainely knowen and out of doubt it was strange to see how euery man gaue his verdit of the matter some one way some an other as the course of men in such cases is But aboue all it so abashed and astonished his owne friends and familie that nothing was heard or seene amongst them but cries and lamentations most bitter teares and pitiful complaints And surely to haue beholden the state of that family how miserably it seemed at that time to bee distressed a man would haue thought it euen a liuely paterne and picture of all woe and misery But none was more inwardly pinched then the Marquesse his father whose age and experience being great seemed to assure him of nothing to follow hereupon but infamy and reproch yea the vtter vndoing and subuersion of his whole estate and family notwithstanding passing ouer that fit of sorrow as soone and as easily as he could the wretched and carefull olde man began to bethinke himselfe by what meanes he might preuent so miserable a ruine and fall which seemed to hang ouer him and his One thing amongst other came into his mind which also had once caused many grieuous temptations to Galeacius and had much troubled his mind afore his departure It was this CHAP. XIIII The first meanes vsed by his father the old Marquesse to recall him home againe he sent a kinsman of his whom he knew his sonne deerely loued to perswade him to returne but he could not preuaile GAleacius had a cosen-german whom alwaies hee esteemed and loued as his brother this Gentleman so tenderly loued of Galeacius did the Marquesse send to Geneua to his sonne with commission and letters full of authority full of protestations full of pitifull complaints full of cryings and intreatings that he would come home againe and thereby cheere vp his old father and make happy againe his vnhappy wife be a comfort to his distressed children a reioycing to his kinsfolkes and to the whole citie of Naples and saue his whole house and posteritie from that extreame ruine which otherwise it would be sure to fall into Thus this Gentleman was dispatched away and hasted to Geneua with great hope for their ancient and faithful loue to haue preuailed with Galeacius Where by the way wee are to remember that Galeacius did alwaies so loue him that the gentleman was not so sorrowful for his departure but Galeacius was much more sorowfull that he could not winne him to haue gone with him in this holy pilgrimage for religions sake but he so much feared to haue bin hindred himselfe that he durst not deale with this gentleman his dearest cofin no nor with his wife to perswade them to haue gone with him The gentleman comming to Geneua inquired after Galeacius At that time Galeacius dwelt in an ordinary meane house which he had taken to his owne vse hauing no more attendance but onely two seruants the gentleman at last found him out and presented himselfe into his sight It had bin a pitiful spectacle to haue seene the meeting of those two gentlemen their first meeting and imbracings were nothing at all but sighes and sobs and teares and vnutterable signes of griefe such vnspeakeable sorow did their naturall affections breed in them that for diuers houres they could not speake a word one to other but at last the gentleman burning in desire to inioy againe his dearest Galeacius brast forth into speeches mixing teares and sobs with euery worde deliuered his letters till hee could come to more liberty of speech and at last hauing obtained of his affections leaue to speake he added to his letters exhortations strong perswasions earnest entreaties and withall plentie of teares that he would haue respect to the ouerthrow of his house the griefe of his olde father the desperate estate of his wife and children the continual complaints made by all his friends and kinsfolks all which notwithstanding were not so past cure but that yet they might be remedied by his returne again This was the substance of his message Galeacius taking not long time to aduise himselfe in this which the world would thinke so waighty a case addressed him immediatly this answere in briefe that he perceiued very wel al to be true that he said but as for his departure it was not done rashly nor vpon any fond conceit but vpon mature deliberation that the Lord was the author of the action that Gods grace was the cause mouing him and the meanes whereby he brought it to passe which grace of God he said had opened his eyes and enlightned his mind with the knowledge of the truth and made him see and discerne the cosenages and superstitions and Idolatry of Popery which by an impious and sacrilegious distribution diuideth the glory of God which is incōmunicable imparteth the same with fained filthy Idols he likewise told him that he wel foresaw

wheresoeuer he would without any molestation to be offred him about his Religion or conscience His father tels him that if he doe this this will bee a greater solace to his olde age then his departure and absence hath beene griefe vnto him besides all this the good old man most earnestly intreated him though hee was the father and spake to the sonne that hee would gratifie him in this his request and added many beseechings who in any lawfull thing might by his authoritie haue commanded him and euery word that he spake was so seasoned as comming from the affection of a father and at last with many strong reasons perswaded him not to reiect this so extraordinary a fauor offered him by the Pope in so speciall and rare clemency whereby he might without hurt of his conscience liue more commodiously then euer afore and be restored to his former honour and place and estate and recouer the former loue and estimation of all his friends yea and of many strangers who hearing of this his obedience to his father would loue him for it vnto which obedience to me saith the father to his sonne thou art bound both by the bond of nature and by the law and word of God which thou so much talkest of and vrgest to me therefore saith he if there be in thee either sparke of naturall affection or any Religion and conscience of thy duety thou wilt yeelde vnto me in this especially seeing thou maist doe it without hurt or endangering of thy conscience and Religion This talke and request of the Marquesse diuersly affected Galeacius for the thing he requested and the reasons he vrged seemed to be such as he could with no good reason contradict them and yet he durst not presently entertaine the motion besides that the presence authority and reuerent regard of his father the vehemency and affection of his mind and especially the naturall bond and obligation wherein the son stands tied to the father in things law full and indifferent especially when by that obedience no violence is offred to good conscience all these did greatly moue him Also naturall and carnall reason for their parts assaulted him no lesse violently with such kind of arguments as for the most part preuaile with all men For his father offred him yearly reuenues competent and fit for his estate the solace of his children and society of his wife which two things he desired aboue all other in the world So that to this motion and request of his father the Marquesse Galeacius knew not well what to answere on the sudden but stood for a time musing and doubtfull what to say and the rather for that he then wanted his speciall friend faithfull Caluine with whom he might consult in so waighty a cause It seemed to him impious and vngodly not to yeeld to his father in so lawfull and reasonable a request and he saw no way how he might denie it but he must needes incurre and vndergoe his fathers extreame displeasure and yet how hee might yeelde to it with safety of conscience he much doubted for he feared that more danger to his profession and Religion and consequently more hurt to his soule might hereupon insue then he could presently perceiue so that he stood altogether vnresolued in his owne reason what to doe therefore in this extremity he denied himselfe and renounced his owne wit and in humble and feruent prayer betooke himselfe in this difficulty to the blessing and direction of his God and Sauiour the author and true fountain of wisedome and constancy humbly crauing of the Lord to assist him with his holy spirit that in this extreamity hee might aduise and resolue of the best and safest course for Gods glory and his owne sound comfort O how truely sung that sweete singer of Israel King Dauid when he said How happy and blessed are they that feare God for God will teach them the way they should walke Galeacius found it most true in his owne experience for vpon this his submission and prayer the Lord from heauen resolued him in this sort That seeing the Pope did Antichrist-like directly oppose himselfe to Christ and his Religion and Church that therefore he might by no meanes sue for or accept any fauour at his hands nor be by any meanes beholden to him at all Because what shew of seruice soeuer was done to him by the enemy of Christ seemed to bee taken from Christ himselfe Further Gods spirit perswaded him it caried too great a shew of Apostasie or backsliding to forsake the company of godly professors and the fellowship of Christs Church and to liue amongst Idolaters in the midst of all abominations The same spirit of God set before his eyes that scandall and offence which this fact of his would breed in the minds of the faithfull which would thinke that he had taken his farewel at Religion and would now shake hands again renue his acquaintance with his old friend the world that he had lightly esteemed the spirituall blessings heauenly iewels of graces which God distributeth daily in his Church and would now betake himself again to the olde affections of his flesh The same spirit resolued him that thus to forsake the ordinary meanes and depriue himselfe of the true vse of the word and Sacraments and to liue in a place where was nothing but Idolatrie was to tempt God in the highest degree God likewise opened his eyes that he perceiued the sleight of Satan by this his fathers d●●t namely to entangle him againe in the net of worldly cares to wrappe his mind in the snards of Italian pleasures and so to dazle his eies with the honours and pleasures and sensuall delights which once he had bin brought vp in that his Religion might decay by little and little and that all godlinesse might by the heat of these new pleasures fall and melt away like as waxe before the fire and lastly the Lord vpon his prayer granted him the wisedome of his holy spirit to answere al his fathers obiections and confute all his arguments And amongst many other he earnestly intreated his father that he would not do that vnto him which afterward hee would repent that euer hee had done namely that he would not be a meanes to make him a prey to the Papists which had confirmed for a law and ratified it by many examples that promise faith nor oath is to be kept with any man whom they call heretikes Whereupon said he it is better for me and more ioy to you to liue as I doe with this poore estate then with hope of better to endanger my life and so our whole posterity By these and such like perswasions it pleased God so to worke vpon the Marquesse that hee was ouercome in this sute wherein he supposed to haue preuailed and therefore he yeelded against his will and so with a sorrowfull heart he returned to Naples And as he went he certified the Pope the obstinacy