Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	father_n	holy_a	2,466	5	4.6244	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73737	The vvonders of the ayre, the trembling of the earth and the warnings of the world before the Iudgement day. Written by Thomas Churchyard esquire, seruant to the Queens Maiestie.	Churchyard, Thomas, 1520?-1604.	1602 (1602)	STC 5260.5; ESTC S124798	16,729	25

short and vse the pearcing and weighty words of the Gospell we are told of warres earthquakes desolation faintnes of faith and warned if God did not shorten those dayes for the chosens sake the very elect might be dissaued and but a fewe should be saued so many opinions and errours would arise and iniquitie would be so great that it would striue for the victorie and faith would waxe so cold that God and all goodnes should in a maner be forgotten wherefore the maker of heauen and earth reuiues our dead memories with earthquakes and wonders not engendered and produced by naturall causes because that omnipotent Lord doth what he listeth both in the elements and earth compelling them to worke his will as their courses be set by the infallible order and ordinance of his maiestie that doth with his owne workmanship what séemeth best in his sight Now I pray you vnder patience and fauour demaunded shall the little starre lately séene in Iuly last be forgotten as vnfitte to be reckoned or noted for the smalenesse of it among the wonders of the ayre indeede the incredulitie of the world and hardnes of stonie hearted men beléeues as little as they may eyther of the forewarnings of God or diuine preachings of good men who daily in swéetest maner openeth the scriptures vnto vs and shewes familiar examples out of the old Testament and the new that might mooue millions to repentance and frame a fraternall conuersion among the people but thousandes growe so stubborne and stifnecked that they neither will stoupe to consider what is spoken nor bend their mindes to the amendment of life but runs all on head without looking backe into errours and vaine imaginations thinking that wonder or that worthy matter will blowe ouer and stands in feare of nothing no scarce of a terrible blast of thunder that often teares men beastes and trées in pieces and striketh down flat to the ground high towres and stately buildings All these strange accidents rehearsed and ten thousand times as many more fearefull matters if they might be set downe as a spectacle to our sight can neuer change nor alter the common course of our dissolute maners and incredulous mindes A wonder lastes but nine dayes a signe in the ayre is but wondred at an earthquake is called but a common custome of many causes a blazing starre makes people but babble a while a mounster in beast or man brings no great maruels a sommer winter like is but wayed as wicked world pleaseth an vnnaturall wett out of season is named but a foule weather a tempest or blustring stormes is quickly quieted with a calme a dearth of graine and all sustentation of man tries but our patience and seldome brings repentance and the plague of the sworde warre and pestilence is sodainly forgotten so carelesse is our life and so full of incredulitie are our hartes wherefore neither excellent men in a pulpit true writers of good bookes setting out of auncient histories nor shewing of fearefull examples séemes to doe no good neither to the benifite of the body nor blessednesse of the soule Than of necessitie all must be committed to Gods grace and goodnesse whose mercies must vphold vs or else the wonders of the ayre the trembling of the earth and the incredulitie of the world will increase the wrath of the almightie and bring a badde world to confusion Warnings to the world IN the forenoone doctor Rogers being in a matter to the rebuke of some disorders hee sawe sodainly fall a great darkenesse ouer all the Church a cracke of thunder following the darkenes whereby all the people were not onely amazed but likewise stricken downe in a great terrour and trembling and at their fall were marked vnder their clothes with bloudy signes and shewes of Gods wrath most wonderfull to behold because their garments were kept whole and sound at which season and feare some seemed dead and fell so sicke on the sodaine that long after they recouered not yet the preacher not a whit stricken nor none of his folkes hurt notwithstanding as doctor Rogers told me many of the people at that instant present were stricken downe but howsoeuer thinges fell out by Gods visitation and sufferance the mightie maiestie of the Lord was myraculously séene and vnderstoode in this fearefull action The bishop yet most stoutely preached in the after noone when no such wonders were to be noted at that instant but incredulous people cares for no wonders for the like of this was at Bongie a parish church in Northfolke I saw it my selfe and beheld the clocke house belfrie and walls torne in pieces euen as a mans hand had bin thrust through a great péece of warme waxe and another church neighbour to this at the very same season was visited with some signe of Gods displeasure for in some one of them or both were sundry people slaine other churches since that time as Norwich of late and Born in Huntington shire haue witnessed to the world that Gods anger on churches hath often beene marueilously séen which may make many men wonder at the strangnesse thereof namely for that in churches and places of prayer God permits and openly suffers his people to perish and chiefely when they are at seruice where men ought rather to be mindfull of their offences and frailtie of life then beare in breast any motion that may purchase Gods displeasure But some doe iudg and that a great number the vilest sorte that honours no vertue makes or would make the house of prayer a denne of théeues and so foorth as Christ himselfe found fault withall Solomon and no other was ordayned to build the Temple of the Lord and when it was finished Sollomons owne wordes and prayer in that Temple is a most diuine note and wonder to looke vpon honour and admyre wel well I dare say no more but God is marueilous angrie at some matters or men pertayning to the Church when in that holy house he sendeth such myracles and sendeth such warnings I referre the iudgement thereof to graue Fathers and Diuine preachers So bringing to an ende the small matter of this booke that hath treated of Wonders and signes in the ayre Trembling and shaking of the earth and warnings from God sent before the iudgement day which mightie matters because they passe my reach to iudge off and the common skill of men to discusse and deside I leaue vnto the almightie that daily workes wonders sendes warnings shewes myracles and neuer rests from making men knowe his dutie towardes the admiring of him and his workes which the more men write off thinke on or dispute in the more farther they run headlong to heapes of errours follies and vnpardonable offences wherefore auoyding ouer much boldnes and presumption of entering too farre in these causes I conclude and commit all to his mercies FINIS The Lords prayer and creede in verse with the ten Commandements OVr Father which art in persons three Thy mighty name most