Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	earth_n	militant_a	triumphant_a	4,249	5	10.5933	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01972	An exposition on the vvhole fifth chapter of S. Iohns Gospell also notes on other choice places of Scripture, taken by a reuerend diuine, now with God, and found in his study after his death, written with his owne hand ...	Gouge, William, 1578-1653.; Pemble, William, 1592?-1623.	1630 (1630)	STC 12114; ESTC S103283	240,568	389

glorious 〈…〉 wi●h Christ 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. 〈…〉 This then must vp●old vs against all the scoffes and reproaches of the world against our owne wants and infirmities that wee be not daunted by them for Christ suffereth vs to bee tryed by these 1 That wee may see our owne vnworthinesse 2 To make vs the more thankfull for the more vnworthy wee are of a thing the more thankfull we bee for it As Abigail was of Dauids offer 1 Sam. 25. and was Ester a poore captiue more thankful for her aduancement then Vashti which is report●d to haue beene Cyrus daughter 2 This is a ground of great comfort vnto vs in that we ar● ruled by so wise glorious and powerfull a gouernor who wil and can deliuer vs from all danger c. which thing wee must consider when we are assaulted by the t●mp●ation of the deui●l and world For Christ hath a feeling of all our wrongs and iniuries euen as the head hath of all the hurts of the body and for this reason hee said vnto Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 3 This shewes that this vnion of Christ with vs is as neere as possible can be But of this more vers 30. 2 Doct. This further shewes the regiment of Christ ouer his Church of what it is That it is no Tyrannical but such as is for our good hee hauing alwaies a sence and fellow-feeling of our infirmities and wants The world hee ruleth as a Iudge with a scepter of iron Psal 2.9 110.1 c. But the Saints he gouerneth gently and mildely as a father not crushing them vnder his feete but exalting them Ioh. 14.3 3 Doct. Hence wee see from whence wee haue all graces namely from Christ as the body hath all sence and life and motion from the head For this cause is Christ not onely a liuing soule but a quickning spirit because he giueth life vnto vs 1 Cor. 15.45 Hence it is that he is called a Vine Ioh. 15.1 2. and that wee liue in him Gal. 2.20 This must make vs depend vpon Christ to haue reco●rs● vnto him for all good things Also this serues to strengthen our faith concerning our ful deliuerance not onely from temporall euill but from death and him that hath the pow●r of it Heb. 2.14 For if the head be aboue water there is no feare of drowning and therefore if Christ our head be safe if he be risen deliuered from the power of d●ath we must be safe if we perish he must perish too b●cause of this vnion And this may make vs bold to triumph against all our enemies Further obserue who they bee that are vnited to Christ They are the Church viz. all the Elect of God who are called sanctified whether militant on earth or triumphant in heauen Wee may also comprehend among them those that are not yet borne if we respect that that shall bee but not properly Doct. The gifts of Gods Spirit are proper to the Elect being called and sanctified 1 Thes 1.3 4. 1 Pet. 1.4 The most precious promises are giuen to them Rom. 11 29. Which refutes the opinion of those that say that iustifying faith and some sauing may bee in the wicked and reprobate aswell as in the Elect and that there is no difference but in the continuance 2 It teacheth the more highly to prize the proper graces for those things that but a few haue are wont to bee much esteemed Yet other and they will make so great account of common gifts 3 This serues for triall to know whether wee bee in the Church or no and so whether Christ bee our head Doe wee feele in vs spirituall life and motion namely the graces of Gods Spirit dwelling in our hearts It is a signe wee are vnited to our head Christ but if we bee still dead in our sinnes dull in our vnderstanding c. wee may iustly feare that wee are not in Christ 2 If there be a mutation and change in our nature if our conuersation bee heauenly and wee partakers of the diuin● quality it is a token we are grafted into the true Oliue tree which as they report contrary to other stockes changeth 〈…〉 into it owne Doct. Out 〈…〉 no saluation Which is to be vnderstood of 〈…〉 Church that they who are not of the numb●r 〈…〉 who are vnited to Christ can looke for no saluation ●nd not of particular Churches as to say that because he is not of this or that congregation therefore hee cannot bee saued though in the meane while it be a dangerous thing to separate himselfe from a particular Church where he sees the plaine not●s of a true Church Here are discouered two errors 1 Of the Papists that exclude all from saluation that are not of the Romish Church 2 Of the Separatists that doe wilfully abstaine from all particular Churches Further this shewes that this title of Head is proper to Christ alone as 1 who hath it alotted to him of God Ephes 1.22 2 who is most eminent high and powerfull 3 who only hath receiued the spirit aboue measure Then it is a presumptuous dealing of the Papists who make the Pope to be the head of the Church Their distinction of Imperiall and ministeriall head is but new found for heretofore they vsed to say that Christ took Saint Peter into the fellowship of the indiuisible vnity so making them both one And as false it is as neuer hauing ground in the Scripture but is a m●ere inuention of their owne braines for they say Christ is the Imperiall head that is he quickens giues grace The Pope is the ministeriall that is he gouerns which is to separate those offices that are cōioined in Christ secondly how doth the Pope gouern is it by maintaining the peace of the Church c No but by making lawes binde to mens consciences and the like Sauiour of his body Consider heere 1 The kind● of the benefit 2 The p●rson that bestowes it 3 The obiect of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sauiour A word in Greeke which those that are Grecians say cannot bee fully expressed in Latin signifying as much as a most absolute deliuerer from all danger and all euill whatsoeuer Mat. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is h●e alone of and by himselfe Act. 4.11 a body all the Elect implying two conclusions 1 That all that are giuen to him of God are saued hee saues not a legge or an arme only but euery part of the body b 2 That none but those that are giuen to him are saued by him c Vse is 1 To amplify the benefit of the head-ship of Christ in whom we haue true rest and secur●ty so that wee may trust perfectly to the grace that is brought vnto vs. 2 It is for our comfort ioy and to stir vs vp to praise God as the Virgin Mary and old Simeon did and for this cause the Angell said that it was gladsome tidings that a Sauiour was borne vnto the

euill day that will come vpon vs as Reu. 6.11 And ther●ore the Scripture puts a must vpon it Wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God Herein also is the difference between the Church militant and the Church triumphant Y●a who in his owne exp●rience doth not finde this to be● true Vse ●hat wee bee not secure thinking no euill wll come vpon vs. A conceit not onely of the wicked Psal 10.6 but euen of those also that haue giuen vp their names to God as Dauid Psal 30.6 Quest But wh●n then is this day Answ God disposeth of it as of the day of death though it will certainely come y●t wee know not when to the end that we● might alwaies watch and pr●pare our selues So that wee learne Doct. 2 That wee must prepare and be alwaies armed for an euill day Thus Iob thought of his afflictions before they came Iob 3.25 Thus Paul prepared for his afflictions Acts 20.22 c. And so doth hee warne Timothy 1 Tim. 1.18 Vse For reproofe of those that liue securely thinking that all peace and quietnesse shall still last and so like the people of Laish Iudg. 18. are easily surprized So much for the first degree In the s●cond obserue 1 The Time 2 The issue or benefit The Time is expressed in these words hauing finished all things Wherein we may note 1 the Action 2 the Obiect all things Doct. The instruction from thence is that the assaults made against vs are many all as Psal 34.19 The Commonwealth of Israel was a type of this which was continually exercised with afflictions in Egypt and afterwards till they came to be in quiet in the Land of Canaan And this is also verified in the life of Christ his Prophets and Apostles So then as there is an euill day certainely to be looked for so likewise are there many to be vndergone of vs. Wherein 1 God doth shew his goodnesse in assisting and deliuering vs and the truth of his promises in not forsaking vs. 2 Heereby God wou●d weane vs from the world in which through ease and quiet we too m●ch de●ight 3 And mak● vs the mo●e to ●ong after Heauen 4 This commeth ●o passe by rea●on of the vn●a●iable ma●●ce o● th● diuel who w●ll vse more m●anes than one to foyle vs if it may be as h● did to Iob and Christ Vse 1 To t●ach vs to looke for one affliction af●er ●nother and t●●r●●ore ●till to prepar● our selues 2 For com●ort tha● we do● not thinke our selues forsaken of God ●●cause of m●ltitude of af●lictions and tempta●ion● s●eing that it is our condition whilest we liue heere Doct. 2. Finis●●d It is not suff●cient well to acquit our selues o● som● one of those assaults that are brought against vs but we must valiantly stand against all whatso●uer Hence is the constancy of the Martyrs commended that endured a●l sorts of afflictions Hebr. 11.36 and 12.4 R●asons are 1 Because all the promises of reward made vnto vs be annexed with th● condition of constancy and perseuerance to the ●nd Reu. 2.7 and in all those 7 Epistles Math. 10.22 2 Because without continuance all our former courage and constancy is in vaine Gal. 3.4 2 The benefit is in these words to stand fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not in the Imparatiue moode as implying a duty but in the Infinitiue as noting a benefit the issue and euen● of the fight Implying that at length wee shall be conquerours and as victors stand last in the field when our adu●rsary is fled awa● Doct. They who doe well fight the battels of the Lord shall be sure at length to haue the victory 1 Cor. 10.13 Thus did Christ stand last in the field and so did I●b Iames 5.11 Vse It serues for comfort and encouragement to fight valiantly for heere is the blessed issue that will ●●comp●nce all our labour and trauell VERS 14. Stand therefore c. IN this and the verses following is laid downe a particular exemplification of that generall direction giuen vnto vs how to keepe our selues safe from all the assaults of our spirituall enemies In which we may obserue how the Apostle la●es down 1 Duties to be performed which are twofold 1 Stand in this verse 2 Pray verse 18. 2 The meanes whereby they are performed 1 That wee may stand The meanes are expressed in sixe branches 1 The girdle of verity c. 2 That we may pray The meanes are verse 18. Before wee come to the particular handling of these points obserue here the coherence and ioyning together of these two duties Stand and pray Whereby we learne that as on the oe side wee should not be faint-hearted timorous and carelesse so on the other wee be hot proud a●d insolent trusting and presuming on our owne strength The first shewes that God will not helpe vs vnlesse wee labour and endeauour to doe our best The second shewes that we can doe nothing without the helpe of God We must pray so trusting to God to his promises and mighty power that we also stand that is vse the meanes that hee hath prescribed Againe we must so vse the meanes alwaies hauing an eye vnto God So neither tempting by neglect of the meanes nor presuming on the meanes to be carelesse in seeking helpe of God This was notably represented vnto vs in that first battell of the Israelites with the Amalekites Exod. 17. where Ioshua was fighting and Moses praying both together See the like 2 Chron. 14.10 11. Vse is for vs that we doe not separate those things that God hath ioyned together 1 The fi●st duty to be performed is in this word Stand a warre-like word t●ken from the manner of standing in warre Wee heard it vsed before verse 13. but not in the same Mood nor Tense and so not in the same signification There it was in the Infinitiue here it is in the Imparatiue there is meant standing after the fight heere in the very fight Now this word implyes 4 things 1 Courage in this Christian warre for timorous and faint-hearted soldiers are ready to fly away where a man of valour will stand it out 2 An abiding in that place and ranke wherein our Captaine Christ Iesus hath set vs and not to straggle from it 3 Watchfulnesse Not to be sluggish to lye downe and sleepe but to stand on our feet 4 A kinde of continuance and constancy Not to be still putting off and on of our armour but to keepe it on still From whence accordingly wee are to obserue foure duties 1 Christian soldiers must be of a valourous and couragious minde to stand against and to defie their enemies Such courage as Dauid had against Goliah which how needful it is in all things appeares in that the Lord doth so often vrge to Ioshua euen three times together Ioshua 1.6 7 9. Reasons 1 In regard of our enemies who are daunted with nothing more than with courage and valour and insult ouer vs when wee are timorous like

none are loued but in Christ and all in Christ are loued So much for this first Cause simply considered in himselfe Now we come to consider it in the reference thereof viz. as it is to shew the ground of that power authoritie dignitie excellency and equality which Christ hath with his Father Whence we learne that Christ did not vsurpe these things bu● God did freely and willingly bestow th●m on him Vse 1. Further to strengthen ou● confidence in him to repose our selues vpon his redemption mediation c. Secondly it serues for the terror of those that oppose themselues against this dignitie and equality of Christ for they prouoke God and are fighters against him who hath in loue communicated these things to Christ Thus did the Iewes because they would haue none to be equall to God oppose against the authoritie of Christ and this likewise is spoken to aggranate their malice The second Cause whereby it comes to passe that Christ doth the same workes with his Father is because the Father sheweth him all things Which is not to bee taken for a bare relation or an instruction or that the Father doth them only in the presence of the Sonne as one man may doe a thing in presence of another or that he sets them before him as in a Mappe or Table but for a communication that the Sonne doth participate of the Wisedome Power and whatsoeuer else the Father hath together with his Essence Secondly that the Father doth so set forth himselfe in his Sonne that he may be seene in him and who so knoweth the Sonne may know the Father as Ioh. 14.9 And this is a further argument to proue the equality because God cōmunicates all things to him Vse 1. It shewes vnto vs how the vnsearchable mysteries and depth of Gods wisedome come to our knowledge and to be reuealed vnto vs. God hath communicated them to Christ and Christ hath declared them to vs. See Reuel 5.5 c. And this shewes a reason of that phrase that Christ is called the Word because he hath vttered the will of his Father and hath declared the secret Councels of God Therefore are wee to heare him Matth. 17.5 as the old World was to hearken vnto him speaking by his Prophets and the Iewes to himselfe when hee was on earth and the Church afterward when hee spake by his Apostles so are wee now to hearken to him speaking in his Ministers who declare to vs the will of God So much for these causes considered seuerally in themselues Now consider them ioyntly as the loue of the Father is made the ground of communicating all things to the Sonne Whence obserue that 1. All that Christ hath from his Father it come from loue then how much more doth all that which is in vs come of loue 2. According to the loue that the Father did beare vnto the Sonne accordingly did he bestow the Spirit Ioh. 3.34 also dignitie and honour vpon him Vse So likewise learne we by Grace to iudge of Gods loue towards vs if we find that we are regenerated and sanctified to be perswaded of Gods loue And further by the measure of grace to hope for the measure of glory for the more grace wee haue the more God loues vs the greater is his loue the greater will be our glory 3. It is a fruit and token of loue to enuie no skill knowledge dignity honour c. but to be ready to communicate all things So saith Christ to his Disciples You are my friends I haue shewed you all things And herein especially is that saying true Among friends all things are common And this may bee a triall for Parents if they loue their children for Schoolemasters if they loue their scholers and for all friends if they loue one another Vers 20. and he will shew him greater workes then these that yee may maruell NOw we come to consider the particular euidences of this equalitie but before we come to speake of them wee must consider the transition from the former generall points vnto those that follow here laid downe by Christ in these words Which is done first to preuent a secret obiection which the Iewes might make For it is so that what the Father doth thou doest and what thou doest the Father doth can the Father then doe no more then that which thou hast done ●iz to cure the sicke giue sight to the blinde c. Christ answereth God can doe more these are but small euidences of his almighty power but hee will manifest vnto his Sonne greater workes whereby it shall be declared that hee is the Sonne of God Secondly to stirre vp attention because the things which Christ had yet done were lightly esteemed and opposed against now therefore God would shew such great workes that their hearts should be amazed and astonished at In this transition are two points first the extent of Christs power greater workes Secondly the euent of it they should maruell For the former it hath reference to the miracles which Christ had before time done Whence the Doctrine is that Christs miracles which hee did were but euidences of a farre greater and more almighty power as his miracles of healing the sicke of power to cure our sinnes of restoring sight to the blinde of power to illighten our minds of casting out of diuels of his power of subduing the Diuell and deliuering vs from his bondage and the like And this vse ought we to make in reading the miracles of Christ 2. Yee should maruell Yee mine enemies Doct. Such is the euidence of Christs power that it maketh all astonished as we may reade at the working of most of his miracles and at his resurrection how greatly the Iewes were astonished And at the day of Iudgement all such as haue opposed against him shall tremble and quake Now this astonishment at the power of Christ is that wherein we must rest it being an argument rather of Christs power then of our faith in him But we must consider the end of this power for which it was giuen him viz. that hee hath it for our good that hee might saue vs and then his power will be a ground of our faith to make vs to shroud our selues vnder him Verse 21. For as the Father rayseth vp the dead and quickeneth them euen so the Sonne quickeneth whom he will THe Particular euidences for the proofe of the equality betweene Christ and God the Father are 1. The Power of quickening in this verse 2. The Right and Authority of Iudging vers 22. Rayseth and quickeneth To phrases implying one thing as appeares in the other cause where but one is expressed yet not in vaine is that of quickening added For first it shewes that they were dead and so vnable to helpe themselues Secondly that he rayseth them not as stocks and stones but with the raising puts life into them which amplifies the benefits Some take this raising of the dead to bee meant of Christs