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spirit_n believe_v faith_n scripture_n 6,364 5 6.0991 4 false
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A16943 The house of God The sure foundation, the stones, the vvorkmen and order of the building. The incomparable strength of that house, and the vaine assaults and batteries of Satan and all his power. In a sermon preached at Pauls Crosse, December 24, 1626. / By Matthevv Brookes. Brookes, Matthew, fl. 1626-1657. 1627 (1627) STC 3836; ESTC S119308 25,408 48

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foundation Isa 28.16 Eph. 2.20 the foundations are the Prophets and Apostles they are the second foundation and vpon these the members of the Church as stones are builded according to that of the Apostle to the Ephesians Vers 22. You are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Of this spirituall building S. Peter was a liuely stone It is a name which no man knoweth but he that hath it hee doth eate of the Tree of life and of the hidden Manna he is a Citizen of Heauen a fellow-Citizen of the Saints and of the Familie of God and to be layed in any place of this Temple is an honour farre greater then to bee exalted in the Palaces of Kings The Queene of Sheba when she heard the wisdome of Solomon shee said thus ● King 10.8 Happy are thy men happy are these thy seruants which stand continually before thee and that heare thy wisdome Were these happy for hearing Solomons wisdome Were these happy for standing before him How much more happy are those that stand builded in this spirituall House in which the Lord doth dwell who heare his wisdome who are made wise vnto saluation who receiue the secrets of the Gospell who are made the sonnes of God hearers and vnderstanders of his wisdome and because builded vpon that strong and sure foundation which Christ is therefore neuer to bee throwne downe This happines is common to Peter with euery true beleeuer let vs therefore examine the matter further that we may see what prerogatiue he might haue in this building aboue other stones I said before that he was made a stone by his faith and by his function by his faith he was made an Elect and precious stone by his function hee was made a great stone and a necessary foundation stone by his faith hee was laid into the building by his function he was was laid into the foundation of the building By the first he had fellowship with the Saints by the second hee had equality with the Apostles vpon both these respects dicimus lapidem electum pretiosum necessarium fundamentalem Wee say that he was a stone a choice stone a stone of great worth meet for the building and a stone of the Foundation By his faith It is not euery kinde of faith that maketh a stone much lesse such a stone a liuing stone or if you will so haue it a spirituall stone for then were it possible that all men might bee stones of this building because it is not impossible that all men may haue one kind of Faith or other There is a common faith which both the Elect and Reprobate haue and there is a faith proper to the Elect of God and this doth properly deserue the name of faith for to speake Theologically fides est electorum fides faith is the faith of Gods Elect Tit● 1.2 so saith Saint Paul that he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods Elect. The common faith is of three sorts Acts 8.13 Historicall whereby a man beleeueth the letter or History of the Bible to be true Temporary Iames 2 1● whereby a man doth not onely beleeue the Scripture and in particular the Gospell but for some short time doth make profession and perhaps doth bring forth some fruits but he is not faithfull vnto death and therefore hath nothing to doe with the Crowne of life Reu. 2.10 Mat. 17.20 1 Cor. 13.2 Lastly the faith of Miracles whereby the minde is carried with a vehement inspiration of the Spirit to doe signes and wonders in the Name of Christ Neither of these faiths doe make a man a stone in this spirituall and eternall building and therefore though Simon had them all they could not make him Peter they could not make him a stone The Diuels doe beleeue the Scriptures to be true Iam. 2.19 Demas the backslider and Iulian the reuolter did for a time make profession of them 2 Tim. 4.10 and false prophets prophecie and cast out Deuils yea and doe many wonderfull workes in the Name of Christ Mat. 7.22 It is therefore worthy to be enquired what kind of faith St. Peters was and because we said that properly faith is the faith of the Elect so we will call it it was the iustifying or sauing faith Rom. 3.28 which did lay hold on Christ the Sonne of the liuing God who came to breake the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 and to deliuer vs from the Iawes of death for Peter caught him in the armes of faith when he confessed saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Let a man haue neuer so much knowledge let him make neuer so great profession let him be able to remoue mountains if he haue not this faith he is as sounding brasse or as a tinckling Cymball This is the faith that maketh euery one that hath it a stone in the building I will not say a stone so precious so bright-shining-glorious as Peter was for euen among the foundation stones themselues there seemes to me to be some difference of gifts and graces in this life and of glory in the life to come The first foundation was Iasper Reu. 21.19 the second Saphyr the third Calcedony c. but a stone at least a true member of the Church of Christ the benefit whereof is Ephes 2.3 that first he is washed from his naturall filthinesse and of a child of wrath is made the child of grace Secondly he is reconciled Rom. 5.1 and is at peace with God through Christ Thirdly he is the child of God Rom. 8.17 and an inheritor of the kingdome of Heauen Lastly he attaineth all good gifts to bring him thereto as sauing knowledge religious zeale constant obedience perseuerance in grace and what else you can thinke or speake of nay more then can come within the imagination of a naturall mans heart for he dwelleth in God and God dwelleth in him yea God hath giuen him his Spirit whereby he knowes it Let the proud and ambitious men of this world seeke after wealth and honour let them Haman-like account the Kings fauour aboue all good things let them haue sumptuous Palaces heapes of gold and siluer and all pleasures as Salomon had let them enioy these things with health peace and libertie let them haue all the good things of the mind body fortune which any naturall man be he as acute as Aristotle or Plato is able to wish for this one gift of sauing faith possessed in the depth of pouerty and worldly contempt in the diseased body and vlcerous skin of Lazarus and at the best wandring vp and downe in Sheeps-shinnes and Goats-skinnes lodging in dennes and caues of the earth with the seruants of the Lord shall preserue the possessors of it in that great and terrible day of the Lords wrath when the wicked shall vanish as smoake and consume away as the fat of Lambes Let vs not therefore