Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	catholic_n	church_n	creed_n	5,623	5	10.8449	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55302	Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its resemblances, bonds, seals, priviledges and marks by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.	Polhill, Edward, 1622-1694?	1680 (1680)	Wing P2751; ESTC R3312	145,980	330

could make it It s satisfactory and meritorious blood did operate before it was shed upon the account of it Pardons and the Holy Spirit were communicated unto the ancient believers That presence which made them capable of the bonds of union made them capable of the union it self There is a difference between the natural body and the mystical in the natural body the members are simultaneous but in the mystical one they are successive Some members are before others yet they are all but one body some were before Christ incarnate yet were they united unto him as their Head St. Austin elegantly sets forth this from Jacob whose hand came out first and then his head De Catech. rud cap. 3. and 19. in Psal 61. Manus a capite praemitti potest connexio tamen ejus sub capite est the hand may be first sent forth by the head yet is it united to the head all the ancient Saints were but as it were manus Christi the hand of Christ though they came forth before he the Head came in the flesh yet they were united to him and had a virtue and Divine Spirit from him though they were first in time yet he was first in dignity and power Had these not been members of him there would have been after the fall some holy flesh not in conjunction with him which to imagine is to render him useless as if the forfeited sanctity in man might have been recovered without him The sum of all is this That Union which no distance of place or time can break or dissolve must needs have a great deal of mystery in it 7thly The Union between Christ and Believers is lasting and durable were it not so very black consequences must needs ensue There might possibly be no Church at all that Article of our Creed which concerns the Holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints might cease and become no object of Faith the death of Christ might be in vain his precious sufferings might be without fruit the great Promises as well those which are made to Christ touching a seed as those which are made to Christians touching perseverance might utterly fail and come to nothing These are very momentous things yet passing them over it will suffice to consider what a King Husband Foundation Vine Head Food Christ is the excellency of him above all the earthly patterns will evidently prove the perpetuity of this Union He is such a King as never was his Kingdom stands upon foundations that cannot be shaken Earthly kingdoms may be dissolved by a defection of Subjects the Prince cannot command their minds and wills the outward Thrones and Laws may be too weak to keep them in due order a jealousie of yokes and burdens may blow the coal a fancy of being better under a change may kindle a fatal Rebellion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present Government is ever grievous But it is not thus in Christs Kingdom his Subjects never fall off he inspires obedience into their wills and hearts his Throne and Law are within there are no blots or errata's in his government all is meer rectitude and Grace they cannot be better than under him in such circumstances no room is left for a revolt The kingdoms of this world may be broken by a foreign invasion one earthly power may eat up another the great Empire rowl'd about from the Chaldean to the Persian from thence to the Grecian from thence to the Roman but in the Kingdom of Christ it is not so his Kingdom shall not be left to other people Dan. 2.44 No invasion can be upon him who hath all the power in Heaven and Earth he sits at Gods right hand till his enemies be made his footstool Psal 110.1 till Sin Satan the World Death Hell be subdued under him no foreign power therefore can overturn his Kingdom who is universal Conqueror Earthly kingdoms have their periods there is a mene wrote upon each of them the Gold Silver Brass Iron Clay in the great Image must at last be all broken to pieces and become like the chaff of the Summer threshing-floor Dan. 2.35 But it is not so with Christ his Throne is as the Sun and as the faithful witness in Heaven Psal 89.36 37. Of his Kingdom there is no end Luke 1.33 It is a thing of perpetuity But if his Subjects might fall off where what would his Kingdom be A Kingdom without Subjects is but an umbra a meer shadow It may be therefore noted that in that 89th Psalm there is not only a Throne continuing but a seed enduring for ever And in that first of St. Luke there is not only an endless Kingdom but an House of Jacob a Church for him to regin over for ever without this his Kingdom would soon be at an end for want of Subjects If then his Kingdom be as it is perpetual then there must needs be a continuance of Subjects under him He is such an Husband as never was his conjunction with his Spouse is never dissolved the earthly marriage may be dissolved by Adultery but in the spiritual Marriage between Christ and Believers no such thing falls out truth and faithfulness are found on all hands he will never forsake them they will not forsake him his fear in their heart keeps them from a departure his love is towards them their love is towards him if it cool or slack his love which is the fountain and first mover will come and inflame theirs afresh nay there is not only love or a likeness of temper between them but they are so joined to him as to be one spirit two spirits may vary and go different ways but one spirit must needs keep them together here is no room for spiritual fornication or departure from Christ Further Death parts man and wife but not Christ and Believers he died but it was that he might purchase a Church that a Spouse might come out of his bleeding side they dye but their death is a sleep in Jesus their union to him continues in Death there is a separation of body and soul but as in Christ it did not break the hypostatical union so in Christians it doth not break the mystical one his body in the grave was not separate from his Divine person their bodies there are not separate from Christ the Head his Spirit will not leave them in the dust but raise them up to a glorious life as a sure token that they are in conjunction with him The perpetuity of this conjunction is excellently set forth by the Prophet I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord Hos 2.19 20. In this famous Text which as I take it respects the spiritual Marriage between Christ and the Church two or three things may be noted Here we have