Selected quad for the lemma: body_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
body_n	head_n	member_n	mystical_a	10,566	5	10.6497	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

sheepherd If because they grow carelesse hee growes carelesse likewise and will not keep them how is hee a faithfull Sheepherd If he wants not will and care who dares say that he wants power to keep them Argument 4 From the neer conjunction the faithfull have with Christ he is the head of the Church which is his body Ephes 1.23 Every true believer is a living member of this body 1 Cor. 6.15 now Christ is a Saviour of his owne body Ephes 5.23 the body of Christ is not subject to corruption either in whole or in part as it was not possible that the naturall body of Christ should wholly perish or decay so it is not possible that the mysticall body of Christ or any part of it should wholly perish every member of this being animated and quickned by the same spirit wherewith the head is quickned as Christ being raised up from the dead dies no more Rom. 6.9 so it is with those who are quickned together with him ver 11. Argum. 5 From the intercession of Christ as he prayed for Peter that his faith might not faile so he doth for all those that are builded on the same rocke as Peter was He prayes not for the World but for those whom the Father had given him out of the world Joh. 17.9 and one thing which he prayes for among others is that while they are in the world they might be kept from evill ver 15. that they may bee one with him and his Father ver 21. that they may be with him where he is and see his glory ver 24. now Christ is heard in what he prayes for Iohn 11.42.43 therefore none that are given to him no true believer shall wholly fall away and perish Argum. 6 From the inhabitation of the Spirit it is said that the Spirit of God dwelleth in true believers 1 Cor. 3.16 now one principall worke of this Spirit is to guide and lead all the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 this spirit leads into all truth Iohn 14.16 all truth needfull to salvation whether of faith or practice yea this spirit shall dwell and abide with them for ever Ioh. 14.16 therefore ever guide and lead them in the right way therefore they shall not totally and finally miscarry 2. He is called a seale and an earnest Ephes 1.13.14 because hee makes things sure to the faithfull as seals make the writing firme and sure all true believers are sealed by the spirit of promise an earnest makes the bargaine sure these have the spirit given to be the earnest of their inheritance Ephes 1.13.14 therefore they shall never fall so far as to lose their inheritance so that there is no place for that usuall shift that it is a seale and an earnest so long as men keep it for as was shewed it shall abide with them for ever and it seals men that is gives assurance not for a day or a week or some short time but to the day of redemption Ephes 4.30 it is a seale of our inheritance till the redemption of the purchased possession Ephesians 1.14 that is till we bee put in possession of that inheritance whereunto wee are redeemed Argum. 7 From the nature of faith this is such a grace as makes a true union with Christ by believing we receive him Iohn 1.12 by receiving him we come to partake of that life which is in him he that hath the Sonne hath life 1 Iohn 5.12 even that life which is in the Sonne namely eternall life ver 11. Hence it is said that he who beleeves in the Son hath everlasting life Ioh. 3. last he hath it already begun in him for he partakes of the same life which is in Christ therefore he shall never die he shall never be wholly deprived of this life for then this should not be everlasting life because it doth not last ever but comes to an end what is the difference betwixt our mortall and this immortall life if they both alike come to an end the life of Grace is an inchoation of the life of glory therefore shall never be wholly interrupted and broken off If a true believer should wholly fall away what should become of this life of Grace wherewith hee was quickned which is called everlasting life it cannot be moved into another subject no more then the same soule can bee removed into another man therfore when a man wholly falleth away this wholy ceaseth to be and so is not everlasting life when our Savior had said that he who believes hath everlasting life lest any should except that this life might fall from him and so he might perish he adds further that he shall not come into condemnation and gives this as a reason because he is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 which reason were of no force if he might passe back again from life to death if everlasting life being begun in us should fall from us or we from it as we perish so the life perisheth besides by believing we eat of that living bread which came downe from heaven and whoever cateth of this bread shall not dye Joh. 6.50 our Saviour makes this the difference betwixt the Manna whereon the Israelites fed in the wildernesse and the Spirituall Manna those who had eaten of that dyed after they had eaten but whoever did eate of this should not dye ver 49 50. by beleeving we drinke of the well of the water of life and he that drinks of this should never thirst any more but it shall be a well of water springing up in him to everlasting life Joh 4.14 our Saviour likewise makes this to be the difference betwixt the living water that he would give them to drinke and common water that he who drinkes of this may thirst againe he may be as empty as ever but he that drinkes of that shall never thirst he shall never be so wholy empty of the grace of Christ as he was before he beleeved but as he is alwayes desiring and thirsting so he shall be alwayes filling he shall have a well of water spring up in him a new supply of grace dayly conveyed from Christ by the spirit Ioh. 7.37 Argum. 8 From the nature of the word which is called incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.21 therefore breeds an incorruptible life in those that are begotten and borne of it therefore such an one shall never dye Hence Saint Iohn saith that he who is borne of God sinneth not 1 Joh 3.9 this must needs be understood of a totall falling into sinne and comming under the power of it in such sort as he was before he was borne of God for he had said before that who saith he hath no sinne deceives himselfe This he proves by two reasons first from his spirituall birth and nativity he is borne of God and he that is once borne cannot be unborne again Secondly from the principall of life of which he was bred and borne the seed

can come to Christ unlesse the Father draw him Ioh. 6.44 If it hath reference to God so that Christ by his death hath purchased a possibility for God to save men this doth much extenuate the infinite excellency and vertue of Christs death and make the work of mans salvation to be thereby very little advanced and set forward It being possible for God even before Christ was given to die to save men by what way and means himself should think best and Christ by his death hath purchased no actuall but a potentiall salvation namely apossibility for God to save whom he pleaseth 4. If the effect of Christs death be only a possible or potentiall salvation how comes it to bee made actuall If it be said by mans beleeving and applying it by faith it may be replyed 1. That Faith can apply no other salvation then what is purchased for our application changeth not the nature of the thing How then can man be actually redeemed and saved by a redemption and salvation that is only potentiall or possible 2. If man by his application doth make it of potentiall to become actuall then mans work should be more perfect then Christs worke for an actuall redemption or salvation is a more perfect worke then a potentiall only If it be said that Christ works this also by putting a spirit of faith into men this confirms what we have said before namely that Christ hath purchased not only a potentiall but actuall salvation for men Therefore by his death hath purchased not only salvation but all that belongs to it namely that spirit which works faith and all other graces needfull to salvation according to that of the Apostle hee hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ Ephes 1.3 and so is a perfect Redeemer both by making satisfaction to God for us and making application of that satisfaction to us by his Spirit Object But if Christ died not for all then there is not a doore of salvation set open to all Answ 1. The doore of Salvation can be said properly to be set open to no more then those to whom the Gospel is preached for if the Gospell bee hid it is hid to those that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 and the Apostle speaking of such as these saith they were without hope Ephe. 2.12 and that the Scripture hath concluded or shut them up under sinne 2. It followes not that the doore of Salvation is shut to those unto whom the Gospell is preached although Christ both in Gods intention and his owne died not for all because in the Gospell Christ is offered to all all are commanded to looke out to him for salvation and promise is made to all that if they will beleeve they shall be saved which promise shall certainly be made good Object But they want a foundation of their faith if Christ died not for all Answ No for the foundation both of our faith and obedience is not the secret but the revealed will of God which injoynes every man to beleeve on him whom the Father hath sent finding himself lost to seek out to him and rest on him for Salvation Object But can God in Justice require any man to looke out to his Sonne for Salvation if hee hath not given his Sonne to purchase Salvation for him Answ What art thou O man that disputest with God Rom. 9.20 It may as wel be said how could God in justice send Moses and Aaron to charge Pharaoh that he should let his people goe when at the same time hee said he had hardened Pharaohs heart that he should not let them go Exod. 7.2.3.4 Object But how then is mans destruction of himselfe Answ 1. Because no man shall be destroyed but for his owne sinne and for that sinne which his owne conscience shall tell him hee hath willingly committed 2. Because the ground of his refusall of Christ when he is offered is not because God hath not given Christ to die for him which is more then he knowes but something else arising from some corrupt principle in himselfe as that he will not believe what a lost estate he is in what excellency and worth is to be found in Christ or is not willing to subject himselfe to the rule and government of Christ or some other like Object If Christ hath not died for all how then can he be their Head Lord and King Answ 1. Christ is the Head only of his own body which is the Church of which also he is the Saviour Christ is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 there is a mutuall relation betweene the head and members the faithfull onely and such as are saved by him are the members of him for hee is the Saviour of his owne 2. There is a twofold rule and government which Christ exerciseth over men 1. Generall which he exerciseth over all all power in heaven and in earth is given to him Mat. 28.18 Thus hee reigneth in the midst of his enemies Psal 110.2 and by him Kings reigne Pro. 8.15 2. There is a speciall rule and government which he exerciseth over his own People and thus he is King and Lord of his Church only for there is a mutuall relation betwixt King and Subject and thus he is King only over those in whose hearts hee reignes by his Word and Spirit who willingly subject themselves to him and of such as these are those places understood 2 Cor. 5.15 Rom. 14.9 of such as live unto the Lord and die unto the Lord. 3. It follows not that because he is Lord of all hath power and command of all that therefore he died for all he hath power comand over the divels yet he died not for them his dying for the elect is a sufficient ground to entitle him so that prerogative making him capable of that priviledge to be Lord of all because he humbled himself to the death of the Crosse God hath exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 3.8 not onely honour and dignity but power and authority that to the Name of Jesus to his Person invested with this power and authority All things in Heaven and Earth Angels Men and Divels should be subject Ground 3 A third ground which Tho. More brings to prove that Christ died for all is those generall expressions which the Scripture useth in speaking of Christs death as that he gave himself a ransome for all tasted of death for every man was a propitiation for the sins of the World yea of the whole World c. 1. He cannot be ignorant that the doctrine and truth of holy Scripture lies not alway in the literall signification of the word but in that sense and meaning which is agreeable to that place where those words are used and to other places of Scripture where the same thing is spoken of He counts it blasphemy to deny that those words all every man world and the like when