Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	body_n	soul_n	whole_a	7,416	5	5.8712	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35023	A letter written to a friend concerning Popish idolatrie	Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691.	1674 (1674)	Wing C6968; ESTC R3785	21,890	35

point controverted between us Indeed it were strange if in so many points in difference they should not have some colour at least in Scripture for one or two Let us see what Scripture they have for their Transubstantiation A very clear one Our Saviour taking Bread in his hand said This is my Body Sure we believe our Saviour could change Bread into his Body why then do not we believe that he did change it I pray you give me lieve to make the like Argument to you Our Saviour as positively said I am the bread which came down from heaven Sure you believe our Saviour could change his Body into Bread why then do not you believe he did so Are we not upon equal Terms If then you deny the latter to me why may not I deny the former to you You see how unconscionably they accuse us as a sensual and faithless Generation that will not believe any thing beyond our Senses do not we believe the Trinity our Saviour's Incarnation the Resurrection and much more far above all Sense and Reason also and should as readily believe this were there any just ground for it in Scripture But the Papists come upon us again and urge doth not our Saviour say Joh. 6. My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed and much more in that Chapter I must confess the words in this Chapter are far more pressing upon us than those in Matthew This is my body c. for'tis apparent the words in John made many take them in a literal sence as if Christ would give his very Flesh and Blood to be eaten and drunk whereat many of his Disciples were much offended and went from him but when at supper he said This is my body and gave it his Disciples to eat no man was offended at it or made any scruple to eat what he gave which no doubt some one at least would have done had they apprehended it to be his very Flem. Thomas who so hardly believed his Resurrection often declared unto him before hand and attested to him by all the rest after and the thing it self so much more easie for him to believe that the Soul should enter the same Body but two whole days after death when he had seen Lazarus raised after four dayes doubtless this slow believing Thomas would have somewhat boggled at believing the bread converted into Christ's Flesh and to eat it yet we do not find he or any other was startled at it but swallowed it down as readily as the former meat for our Saviour had before informed them that the words he spake were spirit and life therefore they ought not to be offended at them all which makes me confidently believe they did not believe it to be Christ's very Flesh but took the words as figuratively spoken as you and all others do those words I am the bread c. And I do as confidently believe that had they believed wrong our Saviour would have rectified their belief and would have fully instructed them But now I beseech you consider those words in Joh. which are so much more pressing for a literal sence of Christs very flesh given if those by the Papist Doctors are taken in a figurative sence and will not be endured by them in a literal sence have you not much more reason to take those in Matthew in a figurative sence The Papist Doctors dare not take the Words of St. John literally because they so clearly condemn the taking away the Cup from the Laity and denying them the Blood of Christ which our Saviour there so absolutely requires to be drunk by every one that will enter into Life Now consider into what a strait the Papist Doctors have brought themselves into if they take the words literally their taking away the Cup is declared damnable to the Laity if they take them figuratively their Transubstantiation is condemned as a grand Imposture But blessed be God we are free from both and fully confirmed in the figurative sence by St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. 23. Where he tells the Corinthians that he delivered to them what he received of the Lord who said This Cup is the New Testament in my blood which words differ much from those spoken by our Saviour and are as different in the sence also if taken literally for they denote a change of the Cup into Christ's Blood and therefore of necessity must and are taken by all figuratively and then they signifie the same with our Saviour's words and I hope the Papists will not accuse St. Paul to have told the Corinthians a false story and delivered that unto them which he never received of Christ. Sure you will rather stand up for St. Paul and accuse their Transubstantiation of falsity I could dilate on this Subject much more but I love brevity as well as you and when you desire more there is enough to be seen in Bishop Morton e. The Conclusion is made by the Papist Doctors that there being no Transubstantiation they are as great Idolaters in adoring the consecrated Hoste as any Heathens ever were God of his infinite mercy preserve you from having any Communion with them I shall now end this business as I began with Dr. Thorndick's Judgement thereon He in his Sixteenth Chapter speaking of the Papists praying to Saints saith there was no such thing in use till a good while after Constantine the Emperour who died Anno Dom. 350. so that by this Computation it must be about 400 years And can any one in reason think it fit to venture on so dangerous a practice in Religion unknown to the Church 400 years when Faith was purest Devotion most fervent Sanctity most eminent and when all helps to Salvation were most eagerly pursued yet no praying to Saints practised which is now come to that height as Dr. Thorndick himself there calls it A precipice of horrible danger sor saith he they ask the same things of the Saints and especially of the Blessed Virgin in the same terms in which they are desired of God even in the holy Scripture And this which the Doctor affirms is most evident in their printed Books of Prayer wherein though they sometimes mention the Saints Intercession and this we do to Christ also perfect God yet other times they pray to the Saints and Blessed Virgin directly for the things Thus you see they make no distinction between God Christ Blessed Virgin and Saints in their form of Prayer or things prayed for And is not this Idolatry far greater than to sacrifice to them Bulls and Rams to give them the divinest part of God's Worship Is not this to deifie them in the highest degree Is not this to worship false Gods They make them Gods as much as ever the Heathens made their Heroes Gods for the Heathens believed their Heroes to be mortal Men they knew them living they saw them dying but for their great Virtues believed their Souls were carried up into heaven and