Selected quad for the lemma: woman_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
woman_n	church_n	time_n	wilderness_n	1,494	5	9.8942	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08102	A godlie treatise of the Church. Written by Robert Some..	Some, Robert, 1542-1609.	1582-1583? (1583)	STC 22910; ESTC S95257	42,376	122

time popish darknes more then that of Egypt couered the face of the earth But in many kingdoms dominions thanks be to God Moses rodde hath eatē vp the roddes of the Egyptian sorcerers the Lords Arke hath cast the Philistines Dagon to the ground the sound preaching of the Gospel hath broke the necke of Popery Because Gods Church is not alwaies so visible it is wel compared to a bunch of grapes hanging vnder a fewe vine leaues after the grape gathering to an oliue remaining vnder the leaues after the oliue tree is shaken to an eare of Corne standing after haruest to the sun vnder a blacke clowde Esay chap. 49. ver 21. Gods Church is called desolate and barrē not because it is forsakē of almighty GOD but for that it appeares not alwayes in the world yet Gods church both hath shal be alwaies visible as it consists of true visible members for it is not an imaginary thing Obiection My spirit which is vppon thee my words whiche I haue put in thy mouth Esay chap. 59. vers 21. shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seede saieth the Lorde from hence foorth euen for euer Therefore Gods Church shal be alwaies apparantly visible in the world Answeare The argument folowes not and is like vnto this The scepter shall not departe from Iuda Gen. chap. 49. vers 10. vntill Silo that is the Messias come therefore there was no interruption of that visible Scepter This is a weake argument yet it is as strong as the other My reasons are these The Scepter of Iuda was not visible conspicuous when the Israelites were in captiuity seuentie yeeres at Babylon After their returne from that captiuity the Asmonits which were not of the tribe of Iuda translated the kingly authority to themselues Where was all this while the visible succession of the scepter in the tribe of Iuda Wee must aunsweare that the reliques of the Scepter of Iuda was in the stocke of Isay Esay chap. 11. vers 1. though it seemed for a time to be altogether withered In like sort it may be truely sayde that although the face of Gods Church hath byn obscured and the visible succession interrupted that Esayes Prophesie stands sure true For a thing may not be said therefore not to be at all because it is not after this or that sort Question Where was the Protestants Church two hundred yeeres agoe Answeare It was hidden in the Papacie as wheate vnder a great deale of chaffe For of that little seede is growne vp a goodly haruest and of a few sparkes a comfortable fire thanks be to God hath appeared It was in the handes of wicked husband men which killed the Lords seruants cast the sonne and heyre out of the vineyarde and did their best to kill him Besides who knowes not that there should be a departing from the faith and that Antichrist should sitte as God in the temple of GOD and deceiue all the world 2. Thess 2. This Antichrist we take to be the Byshoppe of Rome not meaning any one singuler man but the succession of Bishops there since their Apostasie from Gods religion and this interpretation is substantially proued by some excellēt men of our side during all this time of darkenesse and tyranny coulde Gods church appeare beautifully in the world Was it not with the woman in the wildernesse Apoc. 12. Mat. 2. 1. King 19. and with Christ and his parents in Egypt Elias did thinke that himselfe remayned alone of all Gods children in the time of Achab and Iezabel but there were seuen thousād besides which bowed not their knees to Baal If Elias which was a holy prophet was farre shorte and wyde in this reckoning and account of Gods seruants is it not both possible likely that the enemies of our Churche are greatly ouerseen in the numbring of our Churches 12 The visible Churche must not bee tyed to any place or persons 1. Sam. 4. ALmighty God was serued in Silo vntill the death of Heli but when Gods religion was defiled by the wickednes of the priests vnthankfulnes of the people Silo was destroyed Iere. 7. The children of Israel saith Hoseas shall sit many dayes without a king Hos 3. ver 4. and without a Prince without an offring and without an altar and without an Ephod That is to say they shal haue neyther king to gouerne them nor priest to teach thē Gods religion If the Churche were tyed either to place or persons no such thing had fallen out amongst them Bethel was Gods house but after that it was defiled with idolatry superstitiō it was called Bethauen that is the house of iniquity Ierusalem was a famous Church and enriched with heapes of Gods benefites it was Gods sanctuary and the seat of the kingdome priesthood which were most precious iewels it was the fountayne of Gods religion as it were the starre of the world The Lord had so great delight in Ierusalem that he did as it were bynde himselfe to it Psal 132. ver 14. this is my rest saieth the Lord for euer here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein But because they of Ierusalem dishonoured God trode his religion vnder their feet liued mōstrously went about to quenche the doctrine of the prophets with the blood of the prophets almighty God did set them at nought gaue them ouer as a pray to their enemies For Ierusalem was taken ouerthrown their stately temple was destroied according to the prophesies of Christ and Ieremy Math. 24. Iere. 26. by Titus the sonne of Vespasian so that Ierusalem which was sometimes a goodly Theatre of Gods glory is at this day a notable monument of his iudgements The Churche of Rome was sometimes a famous Churche in the West Rom. 1. 6. 16. chap. and was greatly commended by Saynt Paule in the Epistle to the Romaines but nowe it is an enimye to the weighty poyntes of religion contayned in that Epistle The Church of England is a goodly Church It hath pleased God to powre his blessing vpon it with a full horne The particulers of Gods fauour are written in so great and faire letters that he that runnes may reade them If our thankfulnesse to his Maiesty appeare in our liues he will multiply his blessings vpon vs. If we faile in performing this duetie that is to say if we professe religion only for a fashion and vse it as a cloake to couer our Church polling oppression and other foule actions GOD will sweepe vs with the besome of destruction If we thinke that the viserd of godlinesse and religion will serue the turne and stand as a wall between vs Gods heauy iudgementes wee are in a grosse errour For if Moūt Sion and the temple of Ierusalem coulde not deliuer the Israelites from