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	visible_a	10,670	5	9.6541	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43313	An essay for the discovery and discouraging of the new sprung schism raised and maintained by Mr Simon Henden of Bennenden in Kent. Exhibited in some passages of writing which have gone between Mr John Elmeston of Cranebroke, and the same M. Henden. Published according to order.	Elmeston, John.; Henden, Simon, attributed name.	1652 (1652)	Wing H1429B; ESTC R216858	34,427	52

in which state the Jews could not assemble as in their own Land to the Temple to perform all Gods service but as they were scattered into several Cities and Towns could onely where they were make open profession of their Religion and in smaller companies meet together for the Word and prayer and such main parts of Gods worship And such a one also hath continued under the Popish defection To speak to which Point somewhat more largely I affirm First That there never was nor ever will be an utter failing of Christs visible Church It is prophesied of Christ That he shall sit upon the Throne of David and his Kingdom to order and stablish it with judgement and iustice from henceforth even for ever Isa. 9. And what is this Throne and Kingdome of David but Christs visible Church in which Christ is to sit and reign visibly as David did in his Kingdom and that for ever It is written Dan. 2. 44 That the God of heaven should set up a Kingdom which should never be destroyed And what can this be meant of but of Gods visible Church set up in the view of the world as those earthly Kingdoms were which it should break and destroy but it self stand for ever But if this Church have at any time wholly failed it hath not stood nor doth stand for ever but hath been destroyed 3. Christ is set up by God his Father with power and a command given him To rule in the midst of his enemies Psal. 110. 2. which how should he do if his enemies should so farre prevail as to abolish his visible Church in which he is to reign Besides these are Relatives and depend one upon another a King and Kingdom an Head and Body Husband and Spouse And what is Christs Kingdom Body Spouse here in the world as we have afore-said but his visible Church So that it failing Christ should cease to be a King Head or Husband in the view of men or be a King without a Kingdome a Head without a Body an Husband without a Wife or as it were a forlorn Widower Lastly Christ is the same yesterday to day and so for ever Heb. 13. 8. As therefore of old he hath had a visible Church so ought he to have in these latter times now and for ever If at any time he were or be without it he is not the same but undergoeth a notable alteration in respect of this estate and relation It will not salve the matter to say That his invisible Church never failed and so that his Kingdom Headship c. did and doth ever continue for they are visible things whereby the relation between him and his Church are deciphered and so in all reason point out the visible state of the Church 2. The Church invisible as so is unknown and wholly unseen to men and Christs invisible Rule and Government over them cannot by men be discerned And what honour were this then to Christ in the world to rule only invisibly of which men can take no knowledge 3. Wheresoever Christ hath an invisible Church there will a visible Church appear for where true faith is it will not be hid but manifest it self to the world by open profession and so those that are members of the invisible Church will become visible to the world Secondly I affirm That Christs visible Church never wholly failed under Antichrists Apostacy It was sometimes lesse for the Territories it occupied then at some other time sometime more hid and lesse conspicuous for its shew unto the world but it was ever extant and so extant that it appeared unto men both in particular members and in companies belonging thereto by their profession of the true faith witnessing against errours worshipping God and suffering for the Gospel though not so acknowledged by the Antichristian rabble 1. There were two Witnesses of Christ all the time of Antichrists Reign Revel 11. 3. and what were they but a company of Preachers and Professors which all that time successively witnessed for Christs truth against Popery whose profession as it was open and manifest so did it declare to the world that Christ had a company which professed his truth and that they did belong thereunto 2. There were Saints so manifesting themselves by life and profession so discovered by the Beast and Whore by their opposition which they made to their wayes against which the Beast made warre and overcame them Revel. 13. 7. And with whose bloud the Whore was drunken Revel. 17. 6. Yet so that all Christs Saints were not destroyed but some being slain others arose in their rooms or continued other where so still to uphold the profession of the Gospel Now where visible Saints are as we do see here were under Antichrist that professe true religion and worship there is a visible Church 3. There was by S. John during the Apostasie seen on Mount Sion with the Lamb a hundred fourty four thousand Revel 14. 1. whose description is such as sheweth that Christ in them during that time had a visible Church For 1. They had their fathers i. e. Gods name written in their fore heads vers. 1. that is they made open profession of his true Religion 2. They did exercise themselves in singing before the Throne the Elders and the Beasts vers. 3. And what is that but that they worshipped God together in holy Assemblies 3. They were not desiled with women ver. 4. but were virgins that is they kept themselves from being polluted with the spirituall whoredom I mean the Idolatry of the times And now tell me Are not such companies as openly professe true Religion worship God in holy meetings and preserve themselves from common Idolatry visible Churches what else can you make of them Surely they are neither Synagogues of Satan nor confusions of Babylon Lastly There was a Temple during the time of the Apostasie in which also there was a company that did worship Revel. 11. 1. And what was this but the true Church of Christ and the same visible For it was measured Now measurement is of things visible not invisible Again while the Apostasie lasted Saint John saw a Temple in which Angels were conversant and with them no doubt other worshippers Revel 14. 15 17 18. Yea he saw this Temple opened Chap. 15. 5. in heaven before the seven last plagues were fulfilled It seems that for the greatest part of the Apostasie this Temple was somewhat secret and hidden yet not so but that it was visible also in some that worshipped in it and some open Professors of the Gospel But withall it became more open and manifestly visible upon the Reformation which was made by those worthy and godly Ministers whom God raised some hundred years ago and so hath been ever since more visible and conspicuous so far is it from being utterly lost and extinct Object But all this while onely asealed elect number remained Rev. 7. 3 c. 9. 4. Answ. If you mean that there

place in your sense and applied it to the purpose For my part I finde a Temple even under the Apostasie measured out and an Altar and some worshipping in it Revel. 11. 1. Yea I finde Angels i. e. Magistrates Ministers and other persons of note whom the Lord would use to execute his judgements upon the Antichristian world Revel. 14. 15 17 18. conversant in it and the four Beasts abiding in it Revel. 15. 7. The Temple then which was before the seven last plagues fulfilled was not so shut but some did enter into it and served God therein Yea that John during this time saw it opened in heaven Revel. 11. 19. and 15. 6. And if Sion and the Temple in your opinion be one and the same thing and both note the state of a true visible Church as you seem to think it is plain that before and under the vials there are acknowledged in the Apocalyps visible Churches and the same true and right unto which Christians had accesse and in which they were conversant You must pardon me then if herein I do not concurre with you that none could enter into the Temple or arrive at Sion i. e. that no visible Church could be found into which men might have entrance and admission untill all the vials were poured out I do rather agree with other godly Interpreters who do understand it of those people who yet for their whole body are clean out of the Church viz. the Jews and Pagans but chiefly the Jews of which it seems no full harvest sufficient to make up a Church or Churches shall or can come in untill the vials be fully poured out to Romes utter destruction It doth not exclude those who were already admitted and entered into the Temple as were the reformed Churches of the western world The second thing which you adde is That we have not yet wholly put off our Babylonish Garments Touching which I shall not say much because you expresse not what you mean by these Babylonish Garments nor wherein they are not put off Only two things I do reply 1. That the retaining of some rags of the Babylonish Garments though it be a deformity to a Church can no more keep a Christian company or person out of Sion then sacrificing unto God in high places somewhat after an Heathenish manner could or did put the Church of the Jews out of Sion or Polygamy not warranted by the Lords first Institution of Marriage put Abraham Jacob or other holy men out of the Catalogue of the ancient and godly Patriarchs or the remainder of some sinfull infirmity in a man regenerate barre him of Communion with Christ 2. Those seven Angels which had the last seven Plagues as they came out of the Temple so also they were cloathed with white and pure linen and were girded about the brests with golden girdles Revel. 15 6. Now what are those Angels but types of those instruments which the Lord would use in executing those seven last Plagues And what is the meaning of their coming out of the Temple but that they were persons belonging to some of the Protestant reformed Churches Now surely as the habit of the members was such was the habit of the Churches to which they did belong For how could they come so purely cloathed out of Churches utterly impure These Churches therefore which are our reformed Churches of these dayes had cast off their Babylonish Garments and were clad with fine linen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints The third thing you say is That the time for visible marriage is not yet come untill all enemies be brought down and God only reign and that therefore all visible Church-marriage since the Apostasic taken up before the time being onely founded on the will name and power of man without Gods call must needs be bestial Answ. Concerning this I say first That it is much the Jews excuse Hag. 1. 2. saying That the time was not yet come that the house of the Lord should be built Whenas the time for building it was seasonable enough and nothing letted but their greater care to build their own houses then the Lords house So say you The time is not yet come that visible Churches should be gathered and married unto Christ in visible manner whe●as the time is seasonable enough but that many have more minde to disturb the work by venting fancies of their own then to contribute their endeavours towards the work Secondly This is to make Christ to have been a Widower as it were or a Bridegroom without a known or visible Bride an Head without a visible Body a King without a visible Kingdom for more then these thousand years and how long he is like so to continue none can determine For what is Christs visible Spouse Body Kingdom but a visible Church and none such hath been according to your opinion right and true all this time of the Apostasie nor yet is or shall be untill all the vials be poured out Thirdly This is to make all the reformed Churches which since their breaking off from Rome have been erected or are now in Germany France Netherland Scotland Old and New England to be Antichristian and bestial which in all moderate and understanding mens judgement will be thought a rash uncharitable and audacious Assertion Fourthly It may as well be said by you That there is no visible Marriage between Christ and particular Christians before the time as that there is none between Churches and Christ For no particular Christian can be a meet Bride for Christ who is not cloathed with pure fine and shining linen viz. The righteousnesse of the Saints And if no Churches shall be found before that time fitly thus arrayed for their Marriage with Christ what sound reason can be yielded why any single Christians can be so cloathed when as commonly they receive their spiritual birth being cloathing and all in visible Churches where they live Now nihil dat quod non hab●t None can give that which they have not And if no visible Churches can be found thus arrayed it is not easie to imagine how single Christians should obtain it If private Christians may be so cloathed before that time and so fitted for visible marriage with Christ so also may whole Churches whenas Churches are made up of particular Christians and particular Christians are thus cloathed among other ends that they may be fitted for members of visible Churches But to make this good you referre us to Revel. 19. 7. which how that is understood not of reformed Churches in general but of the Church of the Jews when that Nation shall be converted to the Faith by the most learned Interpreters of the Apocalyps I know you well know And for my part though I will not say as he did Malo cum Platone errare quam cum aliis vera sentire yet I cannot but say That it is farre safer to follow so many godly learned and judicious Divines who have