Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	call_v	ground_n	pillar_n	2,288	5	9.7053	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01889	Spiritual marriage: or, The vnion betweene Christ and his Church As it was delivered in a sermon at Westminster, the first of Ianuarie. Anno Dom. 1626. By Iames Baillie, Master of Arts.	Baillie, James, Master of Arts.	1627 (1627)	STC 1203; ESTC S120307	33,214	58

Church which no power in hell nor earth is able to sunder and infringe neyther is there any way in nature by which two things can bee made one but from it the Spirit of GOD borroweth similitudes to expresse our conjunction with CHRIST wee are one with him as EVAH was with ADAM flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone wee are one with him as the house and the foundation whereupon it is built But this vnion is most liuely set forth in these three similitudes First as is the strait conjunction betweene the graft and the stock so is the vnion between CHRIST and his Church Secondly as is the neerenesse of the garment to the body so is ours with CHRIST Thirdly as the straitnesse of the bond is betweene the wife and the husband such is the straitnesse of our vnion with CHRIST But before I explaine the similitudes it is necessary to vnderstand what is signified by this word * Church in my text The Church hath diuers significations to the end that you may know to which Church this promise is made seeing it is diuersly taken and hath sundry significations in the old and new Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church is a Greeke word and properly signifieth an Assembly which belongeth as well to the Heathen and to Infidels as to Christians and the children of GOD verified by DAVID Psal 26.6 Psal 26.6 Odini Ecclesiam malignantium I haue hated the assembly or the Church of the wicked and by the Apostle Act. 19. Act. 19. That calleth that multitude which cryed Great is the DIANA of the Ephesians Ecclesiam the assembly or the Church But hereafter vse obtayned that Christians called their assembly Ecclesiam the Church to Why Christians called there Assemblies the Church distinguish it from the Synagogue of the Iewes albeit that both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth one thing an Assembly or a Congregation a meeting or a gathering together This word then Ecclesia the Church being vsurped by Christians is taken by them in the new Testament The Church hath fiue significations among Christians fiue manner of wayes First for the Pastors of the Church the people being excluded and so it is taken St Math. 18.17 where our Sauiour commands That if a debate betweene neighbours cannot bee quietly pacified to tell the Church that is the Byshops Prelates and other Pastors of inferiour titles that haue superioritie and jurisdiction in the Church Now it sometime belongs to this Church arguere increpare 2. Tim. 4. to improue and rebuke sometimes amputare to cut off sometimes lapsos relevare to raise vp againe such as haue slipped or fallen sometimes to confirme and corroberate those that stand In a word In this Church as in the Arke there must bee both manna and virga bread for refection and a rod for correction osculum and fraenum a kisse for friends and a bridle for refractarie and stubborne persons And as in a Vineyard there must be both planting and pruning so in this Church must there be both Doctrine Discipline Doctrine to inctruct in the points of Faith to conserue nourish and augment charitie flowing from the sinceritie of the minde integritie of the conscience and from a faith voyde of dissimulation and hypocrisie Discipline to correct and reforme vices and abuses Secondly this word Church is taken for the People the Pastors being excluded and so it is taken Act. 20.28 Where Pastors are exhorted to feed the Church which CHRIST hath purchased with his owne blood Thirdly it is taken for a particular Church in which both people and pastors are comprehended such of old was the Church at Ephesus at Corinth at Rome and such were those seauen Churches whereof wee reade in the 2. and 3. Chapters of the Revelation But now many of these Churches haue much fallen from that puritie wherein the Apostles and their Disciples did institute them and some of them altogether made so great a defection and apostasie from the faith as therein a man explicitly resting on their whole Doctrine cannot bee saued such to day is the Church at Rome and such a one hath she beene these many ages past for in her Idolatry is maintayned and the whole Doctrine of the benefit of CHRIST altogether corrupted if then a man would bee saued hee must vse our Sauiours counsell Revel 18.4 Reuel 18.4 Goe out of Babylon my people that yee bee not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Fourthly this word Church is taken for the whole assembly of those that here below vpon the earth are called Christians and this is the vniuersall visible Church composed of diuers particular Churches called by the Apostle in the 1. of Tim. 3.15 1. Tim. 3.15 The pillar and ground of truth because it is the dutie thereof to vnderprop and defend the truth against all those that seeke by schismes heresies and erronious Doctrines to suppresse and ouerthrow the same Now this vniuersall Church subsisteth by a perpetuall generation one succeeding to another and consisteth of all the conuerted Iewes Gentiles that are vpon the face of this earth It is truth that this Church was once and before CHRIST came in the flesh onely among the Iewes glorious and the Gentiles then were but dogs or whelpes In the 15. of Math. 26. Math. 15.26 It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes But now God perswaded IAPHETH to dwell in SHEMS tent Now God is the God of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.29 Yea which is more obstinacie is come to Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in Rom. 11.25 And amongst vs God hath a more The Church is more glorious among the Christians then it was among the Iewes glorious Church then euer hee had amongst the Iewes for this cause ABRAHAM desired to see our dayes for this cause St PAVL called Gods old ordinances beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 and reputed of Genealogies as of fables for this cause the Patriarkes without vs are not said to be perfect Heb. 11.2 Heb. 11.40 And this made SIMEON for a time to desire that he might not see death The Iewish Church had but shadowes and circumstances but we haue the body and the substance Ioh. 1.2 The word was made flesh he walked among his brethren they saw him handled him heard him beheld his wounders and miracles Math. 27.24.35 Math. 26.6 saw him condemned crucified raised and carried into heauen in a cloud It was this that made EZECHIELL the Prophet say our Temple should bee bigger then in the dayes of MOSES Math. 11.11 that made IOHN the Baptist bee called the greatest of all the Prophets and yet the least in our Church greater then he that made St. PAVL 2. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 3. Call the Law the ministerie of condemnation but the Gospell the ministration of righteousnes