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	scripture_n	3,046	5	5.5888	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14974	Iacobs vvell: or, A sermon preached before the Kings most excellent Maiestie at Saint Albans, in his summer progresse 1612. By William Westerman, Bachelar of Diuinitie, and chaplaine to the most Reuerend Father in God, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, his Grace	Westerman, William.	1613 (1613)	STC 25281; ESTC S103491	32,662	111

Stilbnach prior Manuscript M● Cox so neuer finished neither for pendent opera interrupta the workemanship remaineth but abruptly still as the pillars witnesse then is the wonder not so great and we well perceaue that superstition in the greatest heate had r Sub Will. Ab. 22. siontale huius eccl tediosam moram traxerat tardiora molimina slower progresses longer trauaile and not so quicke deliuerie as they would make vs belieue But Date crescendi copiam Let the Lord giue leaue and peace to the Gospell and prosperitie to our religious Princes then after such distance of time let the Aduersaries call vs to a reckoning what fruits our faith hath produced Now be pleased to remēber then in briefe and lay altogether first that the primitiue Christians foūded no Churches for want of meanes opportunity yet they did buiid vp the Church of God with their doctrine with their liues and blood and so did our Religious Forefathers vnder persecution Secondly that the first founders who beganne to erect Churches were of our faith and not of the moderne Romish profession Thirdly that it is as honorable often more necessary to repaire those Monuments then to build them at the first Fourthlie that our faith obtaining freedome vnder religious Princes hath been Actiue Aboundant in good works for necessarie purposes Lastly that those great Monuments which our Aduersaries boast of had a longer time to their accomplishment then they would haue vs imagine And in regard of these premisses those worke-vaunters haue no such great aduantage ouer our faith in founding and building as they would make the world beleeue One thing more I obserued which 2. Ob. is that as the Romanists lay claim to our Churches so they intitle themselues to the Catholike Church it selfe pretending that they are vndoubted heires and successors of all Ancient founders And as the Samaritans pleaded that they were the true worshippers Iacobs children because they had Iacobs Well whereof he dranke the mount where hee worshipped so they haue the names of Peter Paul the places where perhaps they preached sufered they talke of the Apostles and Martyrs of the Fathers and Councels they ingrosse to thēselues the name Church Catholike yea they haue the Scriptures as the Iewes had in their bookes or as the s Iudges 16. Philistins had Samson in captiuitie fettered shaued blinded But shall we beleeue that they are the only Catholikes Children of the Apostles for these probabilities and presumptions Or that they are the onely spouse of Christ because they shew the t Mr. White out of Jsidor pref sheathes and Caskets where the Ornaments and Iewels of the husband once lay Or because like the madde-man in Athenaeus they take an Inuentory of all goods in the Church for their own as he did in all ships that arriued there are they the right owners It is not sheepes clothing that transformes the wolfe nor the Lions skinne that alters the Asses Nature They are not therfore right Christians good Catholikes that boast of names and titles Places and Remnants no more then u Dion Nicaeus Vibius Rufus was a good Orator for hauing Ciceroes wife or a great Emperour for hauing Caesars saddle or that foolish smatterer a * Lucian good Philosopher who studied by Epictetus his Candlesticke or x Fox contra Osor Neanthus the Iangler a good Musician for carrying the harp of Orpheus Nay the Samaritans seemed on a better groūd in some things then the Romanists for they indeed had Iacobs Well but these obtrude vnto vs Reliques of Christ of the Apostles and Martyrs which are but meere Impostures and for geries Their vsurping Prelate must be Christs Vicar Saint Peters successor when he succeeds him but as y Mr. D. K. ex Nazianz night doth the day a tempest a calme sickenes health Yet his z D. R. Conference prerogatiue must be Peters his dignity Peters his patrimonie Peters his robes and royalties Peters his Ring Peters his sea Peters his keyes Peters his pence Peters And as the Samaritans said Iacob gaue vs this Well so they say Christ or Peter or the Emperor gaue vs these wels this honor these crowns these promotiōs So poore Peter hath rich heyres And this is the Gorgons head which astonished the world a long time a 2. Tim. 3. 9. sed vltra a nō proficient They shal preuail nolōger for their madnes shal be made manifest to all men But we leaue these seducing seduced Romanists to see their errors if it please the Lord with the Samaritans to bee conuerted to the sound knowledge of Christ our Saviour And I returne to our selues to whom the Lord hath giuen now the possession of I acobs Wel the vse of many temporal and spirituall benefits to further vs in his seruice if we take our opportunitie For first our God hath reuealed vnto vs that rocke fountaine of our saluation Christ I esus wherein are all our b Ps 87. 7 fresh springs of hope and Comfort the knowledg of whom by the scriptures translated read preached as by streams Conduits do continually c Ps 46. 4. glad and refresh the Citie of God And to perpetuate these blessings the Lord hath fauoted vs with a gracious King whose hart is a Wel-spring of wisdome Counsell Iustice And so blessed him while hee drinks the Water of his owne louely Cisterne that thence issueth a happy Riuer of Royal Apparent succession as from a blessed fountaine which the Lord grant may run on in grace glory for the comfort of all true Christian hearts to the end of the world In regard of which inestimable fauours let me be bold without offēce to the royal patience of my Lord and King to speake a few words to al the worthy children and subiects of our Princely I acob here assembled so I wil conclude Seeing the Lord hath granted vs to reap the fruit of many fauours sowed by former Benefactors of al sorts d Isa 66. 12. hath extended peace ouer vs as a flood the Gospell as a flowing streame Seeing the true faith cōmeth vnto vs not solitary alone but accompained with infinite blessings so that we haue example and encouragement from the highest Authority to do good many opportunities to effect the same let vs be ready to shew forth the inward fountaine of our faith by the outward streams of our Loue. Especially do Yee the most eminent in note indeuor to do most good whose priuate wels are answerable to your wils substance to your desire Let some water of cōfort flow from you to the Putei dum bauriuntur speciosiores suns Basil publike benefit of the Church Commonwealth They that would haue their wels to be wholsome do draw them oftē and ye that would haue your riches blessed must distribute them often Thinke what Oceans of wealth run ouer the back-in weeds shreds and thorough the throat in puddle pamper how much is wasted by many in vaine pleasures priuate buildings fruitlesse exercises by others in superstitious Idolatrous Aduancements turne some of the streames of your fountaines at last into the barren fields of the poore and to the watering of the Sanctuarie Passe not thorough the world as arrowes through the aire and ships thorough the sea leauing no mark nor trace behind you vnlade the weight of your burdens that your reckoning may be the lighter Heere and euerie where are hauens to ease your Iourney speed your arriuall towards heauē Let not Leah reproch Rachel for barrennesse nor blinde superstition reprooue our Religion for lamenesse Let vs trie it out with our Aduersaries by action as well as by profession Spectemur agendo They wrought for their own sakes in confidence of merit Let vs worke for Gods sake in regard of duty Can ye not build Churches yet repaire thē Can yee not preach the Gospell yet further the Gospel Can you not build Hospitals Yet refresh the poore mēbers of Christ when like their Master they sit hungry weary thirsty by your Wels. Trifle not as the woman of Samaria did when Christ asked water pretending Religion to saue you purses as the Samaritan did to saue her Paines In a word let vs be ready to doe good to distribute without murmuring reasonings Lay up store and a good foundation for the time to come that we may be the sons of lacob Disciples of Christ Iesus the fountaine of life the giuer of liuing water who with his aboundance vouchsafe to make our soules like a well watered gardē like a spring whose waters faile not and blesse our princely Iacob going out and comming in from this time forth for cuermore FINIS