Selected quad for the lemma: body_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
body_n	church_n	head_n	mystical_a	8,581	5	10.6663	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20466	The second part of a plain discourse of an unlettered Christian wherein by way of demonstration hee shevveth vvhat the reasons bee vvhich hee doth ground upon in refusing conformity to kneeling in the act of receiving the Lords Supper / by Tho. Dighton ...	Dighton, Thomas, fl. 1618-1619.	1619 (1619)	STC 6877; ESTC S1696	42,581	96

the word truely administred are the vndoubted markes or proper Cognizances of the Churches communion both with Christ the head with all the saints making one entire misticall body and by these they may be known where these are is a true Church whosoeuer say to the contrary Let vs therfore preserue not some fundamentall partes onely but all things of essential vse herein uncorrupted and vndefiled euen pure and vnspotted and therfore neuer conform to wordly rudiments carnall innovation human invention in any part of Gods worship lest we decline from our first loue wherein we vowed and professed to haue a sincere respect not to some principall but to all the parts of Gods worship euen to all his commandements and so shall wee rteaine the infallible markes of the true Churches of Christ vpon vs but if wee forsake the gesture or ceremonie of the purest Church that euer was wherein the heavenliest order diuinest decency that euer was vpon the earth was by our Lord and Sauiours owne presence and practise in the institution sanctified and proposed for all succeeding Churches to follow for euer as this neuer being repealed nor any other approued by the scriptures doth plainly testifie do we not bespot and obscure this marke of our visibilitie especially by conforming to the ceremonie or the likenes thereof of the falsest most perfidious bloodiest and most Apostate Church that euer was or can be is not euery thing which is of religious vse in Gods publicke worship being without warant frō the word erronious and doth not error in any one part though but in the ceremonie prooue a direct defect in the whole sacrament being an entire and an inseperable action if therefore we wittingly subscribe to the lawfullnes of that which we know wee are defectiue in we haue no promise of God for his blessing vpon vs in our so doing yea the very hoping of mercie in such a case I meane where there is no ground for it in the word but onely in our owne intentions is a main cause of Apostacie Atheisme and like abominable presumptions Rytes and signes of religious vse in the publike worship of God which are not ordained by him to be seales for as all the parts of the seale make but one seale so euery part not being deuided may truly be faid to be the seale of his covenant and instruments of his grace are not the true marks of the true Church though the true Church vse them to that very intent and indowe them with the verie same properties and intentions for none can ordain a sign in Gods worship whethere actions gestures or any kinde of ceremonie of holy or religious signification which indeed are peculiar marks of Cognisances but he onely that is able to giue that spirituall grace or heavenly invisible blessing which is represented therein or signified thereby Seing then the holy gesture in the act of receauing the most pretious body and blood of our Lord Iesus sacramentally is on all sides confessed to be significant and a part of the individuall seale it cannot be denied that none of what condition of quallitie soeuer may ordaine it but hee onely who is able to giue the thing signified or receaved thereby If then kneeling in this very kinde manner order as it is vrged be not ordained by the Lord and yet haue a spirituall signification as all men agree though all the wisdom of the world labor to grace it with all the complements than art wit and learning or authority can possibly conferre vpon it wee may not conforme vnto it neither is it a marke or seale of the true Church but a blot and staine thereof for the precept and promise of Christ haue no relation therevnto but onely to those gestuers and other ceremonies in his worship which himselfe hath ordained and therefore no other may be with safety of conscience conformed vnto Nothing of religious vse but what is of divine institution can be holy and all such are holy to the beleeuer though wicked persons administer them or be pertakers of them but if God haue not ordained it to be of religious vse in that very manner and order of his worship it is profane to the beleeuing receiuer though the holiest men in the world administer it and approoue thereof for therefore onely is any thing in divine service Gods instrument because he hath ordained it so to be whether it be a ceremony of p●aier or of praise of receiving a blessing or shewing thankfulnes for the same whether it be of humiliation or of ioyfulnes or whatsoeuer is aimed at therein there is no blessing to be obtained where none is promised for if God had appointed the forme of the altar of Damascus it had beene as good and holy as that at Ierusalem they were both altars and the same sacrifices to the same God offered thereon yet differing in the very forme made the whole worship abominable therefore those who dare so confidently affirm that God will blesse our conformity to ceremoniall signs being some in matter some in manner of mans meere deuising is directly with the grossest idolators to adiure the holy ghost to sanctify or make of holy vse our owne carnall deuises because wee aime at nothing but deuotion therein is not this to goe a whoring after our owne Inventions The end of all Gods ordinances is to vnite vs to himselfe not carnally locally ot naturally but spiritually mystically sacramentally or holily after the manner of contracts or covenants What beleeving heart then dare conform to any essentiall Ryte in this holy sacrament a most speciall and effectuall instrument of increasing our assurance of this our spirituall vnion with God through Christ which is not commanded or warranted by the scriptures may mortall men yea or Angels of heaven ordain any thing to be done in remembrance of Christ and without a gesture in the act of receiving this whole action of his remembrance vanisheth or to put vs in mind of what he hath done for vs or to vnite and knit vs more firmely vnto him doth not the opening of this gap in the gesture approue of and not whisperingly recall alwaies provided that a Canon wash and wype away their superstition and Idolatry all those fleshly and carnall abhominations which our forefathers and Churches both Princes and people haue cast out as the notorious workes of that infamous Beast Is conformity then to this humane devices in the gesture the very best way you can devise to preserue the Churches from utter ruine Are carnall inventions I say in this cleare light of the Gospell the very best course to preserue holy Assemblies and Ecclesiasticall Ministery will God else quite forget to be gracious Doth the moisture hereof onely preserue his hand of helpe and power from withring and his arme of protection from being shortened do you verely beleeve indeed that as the case doth stand conformity to the liknes of Idolatrous vncleane ceremonies