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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	church_n	doctrine_n	1,773	5	6.7675	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73751	The rocke of religion. Christ, not Peter As it was deliuered in certaine sermons vpon Math. 16. ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, & 20. Summarily contracted out of that which was more largely handled in the parish of S. Anthonline by George Close the younger, one of the readers there.	Close, George.	1624 (1624)	STC 5433.5; ESTC S124804	70,602	246

erre or to doe euill with a multitude so neither can that Popish paradox be any warrant vnto vs that we should beleeue as the Church beleeueth except wee know the grounds of the Churches Beleefe much lesse can a generall conceit of the common multitude which is commonly full of phantasie and errour rather then truth and iudgement settle vs in any peace of Conscience touching our hope and saluation in and by Christ Vse 1 The first vse serueth for reprehension I know it is an vsuall fault of most men that they had rather erre in a generall opinion which they haue phantasied then to seeke out what is the most certaine and constant truth which they should imbrace for their owne benefit health and saluation wee are most of vs therein too ready to imitate Peter which being required by Christ to testifie his louing him more then others as hee protested by doing more duty then others but he asketh t Iohn 21. 21. 22. What Iohn shal do And so many think they make a good Apology for themselues to maintaine their errours if they can auouch one Doctor or Authour or the generalitie of the people to hold such opinions But u Heb. 2. 4. the Just shall liue by his faith that is by his owne faith And the Exorcists were rightly disgraced by the Deuill which mocked their coniurations in the name of Iesus whom Paul preached w Acts. 19. 15. 16. the euill Spirit knew Iesus to bee the powerfull Sonne of God and Paul his faithfull Seruant and Minister but what was that to them which neither knew nor followed the Doctrine of Iesus and Paul hee easily preuayled against such professors and tare them in pieces vse 2 Wee should euer therefore heare this voyce of Christ sounding in our eares Whom say yee that I am This Peter himselfe obserueth and afterwards deliuered it as a Rule to others with which I will conclude the point x 1. Pet. 3. 15. Bee readie alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Text. Whom doe yee say that I am Obserue heere hee doth not say Quem creditis but quem dicitis Whom doe ye beleeue but Whom say ye that I am Not that faith is not required but that it is not sufficient to beleeue vnlesse they also confesse Christ and herein there is another Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles commended vnto vs namely Doct. That what wee haue beleeued wee must also make confession thereof According to that of the Apostle y Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse an● with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation Implying that the way to bee saued is to beleeue with the heart that we are saued onely by Christ and to confesse the same before the world Vse 1 The first vse serueth to crosse two contrary opinions and practises of some First of such which thinke it sufficient to keepe their consciences vnto themselues and dissemble both with God and man as hypocrites Neuters and Nulli fidians Secondly others as afterwards was exemplified in Peter himselfe z Math. 26. 22 33 34 70 7● 74. who professed more loue and zeale to Christ then any other of his Disciples but in time of temptation his faint heart fayled him and hee fell more grieuously then any other of the Christian Professors and the offence was the greater because his Lord and Master had forewarned him and the rest of his Disciples and giuen them speciall precepts and cautions a Math. 10. 32 33. beware of denying or not confessing him before men lest hee should iustly deny them before his Father in heauen which yet not onely Nicodemus b Iohn 9. 22. 12. 42. and other faint-hearted Disciples did lest they should be excommunicated for the profession of Christ c Math. 26. 56. but Peter and all the rest forsooke him when hee went to his Passion and was conuented before the Rulers of the Iewes and Gentiles Vse 2 Hast thou faith then testifie thy faith by thy confession and for thy better direction note this distinction Confession of Christ is not onely Verball but Reall for to confesse him with thy mouth and to deny him in thy deeds is the worst deniall of all for it is a manifest abnegation of his power and goodnesse Our blessed Sauiour the paterne of all humilitie beeing sometimes demaunded to confesse of himselfe what hee was whether the Messias or the Prophet d Act. 3. 24. to whom all the Prophets from Samuel to that time gaue witnesse he chose rather to confesse and witnesse himselfe to bee Christ by his workes then by his words and therefore in the sight of such as were sent to inquire of him a Confession what he was he did many great works which no other but Christ could doe agreeably to the Prophesie of Isaiah e Isai 61. 1 c. Opening the eyes of the blinde the eares of the deafe the mouthes of the dumbe and raysing the dead f Math. 11. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Luc 7. 21. 22. Iohn ● 3. 6. and then concludeth that his workes testifie of him what he was and they that would not beleeue his wordes should yet beleeue him for his workes sake The testimony of the life is stronger then of the lippes and workes haue their eloquence in the silence of the tongue vse 3 Lastly seeing our Sauiour exacteth iustly an Account and Confession of the Apostles proficiencie what they had attained vnto aboue others in the knowledge of him it conuinceth the ignorance and backwardnesse of Seraphicall Doctors which not only professe to haue learned but to haue taught the sacred Theology concerning the Dignitie Authoritie and Offices of Christ when they shall find many of inferiour degrees of Learning onely professing themselues Schollers and Learners and not Masters and Teachers which yet in soundnesse of knowledge and practise of pietie shall out-strip and runne before these Church-Rabbins When g Iohn 3. 4 4. 5 10. Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel is palpably blind in the doctrine of Regeneration which the sinfull Canaanite Marie Magdalen and other silly women the followers of Christ h Iohn 7. 40. both knew and practised more then they i Act. 18. 25 26 yea Aquila and Priscilla which were Tent-makers and Mechanicks could instruct the eloquent Preacher Apollos to vnderstand more perfectly the Mysteries of Religion concerning Christ Now omitting many other obseruations which might bee drawne out of this Context and the reasons which mooued many not so freely to confesse Christ as they ought Let vs looke into that Confession which Peter in the name of the rest maketh who was not restrained with vulgar errour or feare as those which hauing k Act. 13. 27. the Prophets dayly read amongst them yet were blinded with wilfull ignorance in misapplying them or stumbled at that stone of Authoritie and Greatnesse of men that they

The Rocke of Religion CHRIST NOT PETER As it was deliuered in certaine Sermons vpon Math. 16. ver 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Summarily contracted out of that which was more largely handled in the Parish of S. Antholine by George Close the younger one of the Readers there Other foundation can no man lay then that is layd vvhich is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. LONDON Printed by A. Mathewes for Mathew Law 1624. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sir Thomas Middleton Knight William Eyres Doctor of Physick and others the Parishioners and Christian minded Auditory of the Parish of St. Antholine Grace Peace and Saluation in our beloued and blessed Sauiour IESVS CHRIST RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AS the Beloued Apostle S. Iohn besides his generall Epistle to the whole Church directed his two particular to two seuerall Disciples a 2 Iohn ver 1 2. one a Noble worthy and Elect Lady and an other to a faithfull friend b 3 Ioh. ver 1. Gaius a man very hospitall saluted by Paul as his c Rom. 16. 23 Host and of the whole Church at Corinth whom hee had d 1 Cor. 1. 14 baptized and is dignified by Saint Luke to haue been e Acts 19. 29. Pauls companion in his trauels and iourney and was taken prisoner with him at Ephesus in the tumult raised against him both being great fauourer of the Ministers and louers of the Gospell the Euangelicall Apostle chiefely reioyced that they prospered and walked in the trueth and veritie of the Gospell so vnto the painfull Preachers of the Word ariseth great ioy to see the Faith and Loue of the people of God towards his Word and Ministers and prouoketh them to expresse a reciprocall loue to them in seeking to aduaunce the trueth of Religion whereunto they finde them so diligently and dutifully inclined Which consideration hath moued mee to publish these my poore Labours and to commend them to your Protection that haue heard and can best witnesse what hath beene sincerely laboured therein And though I feare not in these dangerous times the malicious scandals of Aduersaries which will by calumniations oppresse the Trueth but was pressed by the loue of some Friendes which are Louers of the Trueth not to suppresse what I had publiquely professed for the maintenance of the Trueth I was at last by their Christian perswasions induced to commit to the Presse these my poore endeauours wherein I haue laboured to expresse the trueth in a Question so much controuerted and oppugned by the Aduersaries of the Truth I confesse it was a double spurre vnto mee to incite mee to giue you contentation when I considered your good likings to haue this Doctrine in these troublesome times of our Churches oppugnation to bee publiquely professed and maintained in the face of Gods enemies which with their blustering breath would at one blast blow downe both our Church and Common wealth and would haue them wholy theirs or none at all Herein on the contrary part you haue in your good acceptations and aduancing this Doctrine greatly approoued your care and zeale to the seruice of God and his true Church as your loue and loyaltie to your King and Common wealth which by the opposite endeauours of our aduersaries are fearefully shot at My purpose and proceedings heerein haue not reached in any absolute manner to decide all the poynts of this our Controuersie and by all Authenticall Authors and ancient Fathers of the Primitiue church or moderne Writers to discusse this Question which many others of great learning and experience haue abundantly performed but onely in an ordinary Audience and vulgar Exercise to prooue out of the Canon of holy Scriptures how faithfully our Doctrines are thence deriued and drawne out for confirmation of what wee hold and confutation of whatsoeuer our Aduersaries haue dreamed to the contrary For this indeed is the Touch-stone of Trueth whereby all pure and counterfeit mettals are to be tryed and wherein as well the olde as the new Writers haue principally laboured to bring all Controuersies to bee discussed The whole current of the Scriptures haue no better nor almost any other ground for their confirmations or confutations in converting gainsayers to the Faith and conuincing Infidels and Heretiques The eloquence of Apollos was an ornament to the Doctor but the authoritie of the Scriptures was the Firmament of his Doctrine who is sayd to haue mightily and publiquely confuted the Iewes f Act. 18. 28. prouing by the Scriptures That Iesus was the Christ I shall therefore intreat the Readers of this poore and plaine Discourse especially such as were the Auditors of those Lectures with the Bereans to examine the truth of the Doctrines according to the Marginall Quotations out of the Scriptures which to auoyde prolixitie I haue there set downe without such Amplifications as according to that time and due exigence of that Exercise I more at large opened and dilated And so commending you to the Word of Gods grace which is able to build you further with dayly and heartie Prayers to God for the increase of your Christian Faith in the knowledge of his will and loue of the Truth commit my selfe to the fauourable acceptance of religious and iudicious mindes passing by the carping obloquy of criticall Censurers Your Worships in the Lord GEO CLOSE Iun. The Rocke of Religion CHRIST Not PETER MATH 16. Vers 13 14 15 16 c. Now when Iesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the Sonne of man am And they said Some say John Baptist and some Elias others Ieremias or one of the Prophets Hee said vnto them But whom say ye that I am Then Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God THis sacred Sripture compriseth summarily the Doctrine of the most Catholicke Religion contained in Peters Confession concerning the knowledge of Christ who is poynted out to be a Ephes 1. 22. the head and foundation of his Church and vs his members and therein is also shewed with what Keyes the Kingdome of Heauen is opened or shut vnto vs. More particularly this holy Historie relateth a Conference which our blessed Sauiour had with Peter and all the Apostles b Mark 8. 27. vpon the way as they trauelled towards Cesarea Philippi which somtime was called Pannaeas it is distinguished therby from an other Cesarea neere Joppe formerly called Straton which Herod the Great this Philips father builded fortified with a Castle in honour of Augustus Caesar by whom he was aduanced and surnamed it Cesarea This heere mentioned Philip the Tetrarch of Jturia imitating his fathers flattering example as well in honour of himselfe as the then Romane Emperour Tyberius builded and beautified and called it Cesarea Philippi afterwards it was againe inlarged by King Agrippa and by him called Neronia in honour of Nero. Doct. It is ancient and vsuall with worldly men to endeauour

Priests and people threatning ruine not onely vnto them but also to the Temple Citie and Kingdome Lastly it was generally beleeued and spoken that he was at least a Prophet r Luke 9. 19. or one of the olde Prophets The ground of this errour is that paradoxe held also by the Pythagoreans of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of the soule out of one body into another either reasonable or bruitish which it first happeneth to meet withall after it is departed as Poets fained the soule of Philip father to Alexander the Great entred into Bucephalus Alexanders horse whereby hee became so victorious in battell but how it crept into the Iewish Church is more doubtfull for it seemeth the Priests and Leuites held such opinions when they sent to require of Iohn Baptist to know what he was If hee ſ Acts 3. 22. 7. 37. were not Elias or the singular Prophet spoken of by t Deut. 18. 15 16. Moses and other Prophets or the Christ Iohn 1. 19 20 21 c. Which grosse Paradox is contrary to the Canon of the sacred Scriptures or orthodoxall Writers and common reason For euery soule u 1 Cor. 13. 38 as euery seed hath his proper body and being once departed from that body w 2 Sam. 12. 23 returneth no more except it bee by myracle into his owne much lesse into another body Elijah indeed prayed vnto God x 1 Kin. 17. 21 that the soule of the dead sonne of the widdow of Sarepta might returne into his body againe which was miraculously performed as were also the seuerall soules of y Acts 9. 40. Dorcas raised by Peter and z Act. 209 10. Eutychus by Paul the a Luke 7. 15. Iohn 11. 44. Math. 27. 52 53. Widdowes sonne at Naim and Lazarus and others raysed by Christ whose soules returned into their owne bodies by diuine miracle and no other transmigration for the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and no torment shall touch them and it is noted in the Reuelation that the Soules of the Martyrs slaine for the testimonie of Iesus b Apoc. 6. 9. were in heauen vnder that Altar c Luke 16. 22. Angels caried the soule of Lazarus into heauen and cast the Gluttons into hell d Eccles 12. 7. The body shall returne vnto the earth whence it was taken and the Spirit to God that gaue it So beleeued the Protomartyr Saint Stephen when dying e Act. 7. 59. hee commended his soule into the hands of God yea f Luke 23. 46 Christ himselfe confirmed this Doctrine by his owne example as g Psal 31. 5. Dauid his true type and figure had also done else what a misery were it if good soules should enter into euill bodies as that phantasie dreameth they may doe and bee againe subiect to new torments in their bodies in this world and to damnation in the world to come and the same soule should bee holy and prophane reasonable and bruitish blessed and miserable which were an absurditie that can haue no coherence with Reason Scripture or any sort of learning But to passe ouer these dotages as vnworthy to be insisted vpon thus long let vs consider the purpose of our Sauiour in propounding this Question to his Apostles and Disciples for it could not bee that hee doubted or was ignorant of any thing concerning himselfe but well knowing the erronious conceits of the ignorant and variable multitude he draweth his owne followers into examination as well to drawe from them a true confession of that truth wherein he had instructed them as to correct the misconceiuings of the multitude which talked so vainely and variously of him and so descends from Quem dicunt to quem dicitis But whom doe yee say that I Verse 15. am As if he had said You that haue been taught of God and both seene and heard the word and works of God expresse your faith Whom doe yee say that I am To this question Peter one of the first and forwardest Disciples of Christ in the name of all the rest maketh a full and direct answere Verse 16. Then Simon answered and sayd Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ the annoynted of God which implieth all his Offices of King Priest and Prophet the Sonne not adopted by grace as all the faithfull are but begotten in vnspeakable manner by nature the Son of God the expresse character and image of God the Heire of God equall with the Father of eternitie the Sonne of the liuing God vnlike the heathen progeny which were the children of the dead Gods and off-spring of Idoles and imaginary fictions The summe is Our Sauiour Christ hauing first drawne from his Disciples a confession of the peoples fantasticall and erronious misconceits presseth them to lay downe what he had truely taught and they had learned of him what hee was which proceeded neither of ignorance to learne of them what opinions were held nor of ambitious humour as vaine men commonly doe to make enquiry after vulgar rumours either to glory in the peoples praises or to reuenge their calumniations but that hearing their opinions hee might instruct them aright or otherwise to draw from them a confession of the truth this for the context let vs now come to the obseruations Verse 13. He asked his Disciples saying Whom doe men say that I the Sonne of man am In that Christ doth inquire what the world thought and spake of him we may conclude that Doct. In some respects it is very lawfull and commendable to inquire what opinion the world hath of vs. There is I say a lawfull and lawdable vse to bee made of inquiring after mens reports of vs. Reas 1 That if they speake well and truly wee may bee thankfull to God that hath graced vs with a good name h Eccles 7. 3. which is more precious then the Apothecaries perfume sweet oyntment though we ought rather to striue i to deserue 1 Prou. 22. 1. well of others then to heare well of our selues Reas 2 or secondly if wee find our selues iustly taxed for our miscariages wee may endeuour rather to amend our selues then reuenge it vpon others that haue spoken truely of vs. Vse Indeed scandalous and vniust reports may be despised and it is good when wee are pursued with false clamours to take vp our harbour as Sea-men doe in a tempest resting in the calme hauen of integritie and a good conscience at least that Iudge will tell thee that there is cause of iust reproofe knowne vnto God and thy selfe that thou shouldest vndergoe such a chastisement as the raylings of the multitude and say as Dauid did of Shimei k 2 Sam. 16. 10 It may be the Lord hath stirred him vp to rayle and reproach thee Verse 14. And they said Some say John Baptist some Elias c. It is heere very obseruable ●hat the wrong opinions which