Selected quad for the lemma: head_n
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A86226
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Herberts beleefe and confession of faith made in CLX articles. For th'instruction of his wife & children.
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Herbert, William, fl. 1634-1662.
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1646
(1646)
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Wing H1537; Thomason E1207_1; ESTC R208783
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30,491
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60
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or feele th' effects of Gods bountie LXXV I Beleeve that my flesh my verie flesh shall by the pow'r of Christ be then reunited unto my Soule never to be separated but to enjoy both together the fruits of Christs merits a perpetuall fulnes of joy which surpasses all conception expression of man my whole person being made so glorious that neither spirit nor flesh shall want any thing requisit to their full perfection LXXVI This glorious Resurrection being proper to the Elect is a free gift of God to the secret members of Christs bodie which is known by the name of Church I Beleeve then that God hath here a Church or assemblie of men call'd by his Spirit Word unto the State of Grace that this Assemblie is Christs spirituall mysticall Bodie LXXVII I Call it Spirituall for as Adam is the Head of the companie of carnall men who live after the flesh as being his Children engendred in his corruption so those who live after the Spirit are the blessed bodie of Christ who is their Head by Adopotion Redemption Sanctification or Renovation LXXVIII I call it likewise Mysticall or hid because Gods Election our Regeneration are not things subject to the eye so the Church is invisible her members being not seen as they are Elect though they be visible as men professing the true Religion by their holines manifesting their faith an effect of their Election I say their Holines 'cause LXXIX I Beleeve that Gods Church is Holie all faire and without spot yet not properly in her selfe for being compounded of men of whom the best is a Sinner this Holines of the bodie is as his Righteousnes Imputative God imputing unto the Church the holines of Christ which covers her impurities as Gods gifts are without repentance so LXXX I Beleeve this holines so inherent unto the Church that she cannot erre finally in those points of faith manners which work her damnation for though she admits some errors commits grievous sins yet she 's recall'd reformed by her Lover Lord so that her fall is not finall nor her sicknes to death LXXXI Her members then by which I understand onely th' Elect either never loosing or certainly recovering their donative integritie in faith all good workes Christ having promised her a subsistence or being till the end of the World I call her Infallible LXXXII And in this respect of continuation from the Worlds beginning unto its end because she 's not ty'd to places persons but is or may be spred through all nations consists of all sorts or degrees of persons I Beleeve her Catholique or Universall although sometimes she be contain'd in a litle compasse confin'd to a kingdome or Towne there being sometimes but few outward professors of the truth among them but few whose faith life be right for though many be call'd yet few are chos'n those manie who are thus call'd not chosen are often but a small number compard unto the rest who never heare Gods voyce know not his iudgements LXXXIII Which being true so considering the Church as Visible Invisible a Politique mysticall Bodie I allow her two Heads Beleeving her as a Civill Bodie subiect to Kings States under whom she subsists and so oblig'd to all their Lawes if iust that she sins against Christ her Invisible Head to denie them her Obedience LXXXIIII The Church which is likewise a Spirituall bodie the Assemblie of those faithfull persons who live walke after the Spirit must be subject unto Christ in all things for all his Lawes are iust there is no authoritie which on anie pretext may exempt her from her due Obedience to Christ her Husband Head Sunne LXXXV Considering Christ as a Husband the Church as a VVife I Beleeve her subject to him oblig'd to obey all his Lawes acknowledge him for her onelie Husband Lord adhere to him depend on him forsake all false lovers and seeke to please him in all things LXXXVI Considering Christ as a Head the Church as a Bodie I Beleeve there must be an union of the members with the head mongst themselves so that they all receive life from the head live among themselves in a holie union which is call'd Communion of Saints having Being Life Affections Actions Food Faith Hope common for certainly LXXXVII I Conceive Beleeve that all the members of Christs Church make but one mysticall Bodie Quickned by him Aiming as one man unto his glorie the preservation good of the Bodie Agreeing in the performance of the Heads commandements Breaking one bread feeding on his flesh the merits of his life death the graces of his Spirit Yeelding faith to his Word beleeving his promises Expecting his mercifull Rewards LXXXVIII This one Bodie of Christ having manie Members most fitly joyned together to grow up into him he hath for the edification of his Bodie for the collection perfection of all his Saints for the worke of the Ministerie given Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers so sent manie labourers into his field Vineyard I then Beleeve that the Ministers of the Church must have from God their Commission either Extraordinarie or Ordinarie LXXXIX The Apostles Prophets Evanglists being Extraordinarie Ministers had I Beleeve an Extraordinarie Vocation seal'd by Gods spirit both inwardly outwardly inwardly by a great knowledge of his mysteries strong motifs to advance his glorie outwardly by a good life by the gifts of tongues miracles prophesies XC The Leviticall Law being abolisht the Gospel Preacht writ beleev'd by manie nations those holie men did die those gifts ceas'd then succeeded succeede Ministers call'd ordinarily examin'd by the Church concerning faith knowledge good life then elected confirmed for the right administration of the Sacraments predication of Gods Word to give their flockes what they owe them full instructions in faith good manners dissvasions from all sins exhortations to pietie all Christian vertues meanes of reconciliation with God men visits comforts in their miseries captivitie diseases death XCI These Ministers being Shepheards to feede the Church must discharge their dutie both in publick in privat both by examples counsels leading their flocks to greene pastures still waters taking care of a weake sheepe which cannot well follow the rest of that too which goes astray XCII These Ministers being likewise as dogs must watch over the flock least grievous wolves enter the fold yea least some of the Church arise speaking perverse things teaching false doctrines breaking the Communion of Saints For though the members of the Church cannot say one to another I have no need of you sith even the feeble members are necessarie that in love policie those members are adorn'd which are lesse comelie Yet XCIII I Beleeve
things more then he hath done as to Create new Worlds and likewise destroy his own works yet from his infinit power nothing must be affirm'd as done or to be done unles his Will be prov'd XXVII By Gods Will I Conceive that most simple infinit perfect act by which he eternally Will himself all things for himself so that God hath not two nor contrarie Wills but one onelie constant immutable yet to help our weaknes in the imperfect conception of the incomprehensible God we have manie nominall but not reall distinctions of Gods Will chiefely soure the VVill of Good Pleasure of Signe Absolut Conditionall XXVIII By the VVill of Signe I understand those meanes by which God manifests what is pleasant or displeasant to him as his injunctions prohibitions promises threatnings And so I call both Testaments the VVill of Signe or the Revealed VVill because we see in them what is secret and hid in God XXIX By the VVill of Pleasure I Conceive Gods onely VVill by which he most freely for himself eternally decrees what must be done I say eternally for Gods VVill hath no first nor last yet in respect of things decreed God is said to have decreed that they should come to passe in that order and succession we see XXX I Beleeve Gods VVill Absolute because it is grounded on his sole good Pleasure depends in no-wise upon things made or done in time but is the Cause of whats'ever is made or done of beings actions yet not of the malice of the actions XXXI And I call it Conditionall because Gods commandements prohibitions promises threatnings have a condition of obedience or disobedience joyn'd with them XXXII I Beleeve that God is so absolut Lord and Master of the whole world that nothing is nor can be done against his free onelie will of Good-Pleasure For although manie things be done against the VVill of Signe yet they are not nor can be done against the VVill of Good pleasure but all creatures are govern'd all things doe happen by according to the eternall will or Providence of God which consisting not onely in knowledge but also in government those verie things which in respect of second causes we call Contingent or of Chance are most necessarie so necessarily happen in regard of Gods absolute immutable VVill yet not by a necessitie of compulsion chiefly in the rationall creatures but of immutabilitie XXXIII As I Beleeve there is a God such as I have describ'd yea farre above all my apprehension So I Beleeve in him Father Son Holie Ghost in the unitie of Essence putting my whole confidence in his Name for whatsoever concernes me in goods friends reputation bodie soule XXXIV I beleeve that the Name of God is admirable reverent but by this word I understand not onely those Names Jehova God Lord Father Christ Saviour Jesus Comforter c. but the Divine Essence represented me by those Names I therefore tremble not nor bow at the sound or sight of those Names but I feare and adore the Majestie of God his pow'r wisdome justice love and the rest which I conceive in hearing or seeing those Names XXXV I beleeve that God being incomprehensible to us because he 's infinit and we finit there 's no proportion of a finit to an infinit thing he hath yet in some sort reveal'd himself to man in the Creatures Scripture for both in part declare his eternitie wisdom power goodnes and perfection Then concerning the Creatures XXXVI I beleeve Confesse that God to communicate his goodnes for his will and good pleasure made immediatly by himselfe all things invisible visible some of nothing others of a matter alreadie created by him but naturally unapt to produce the thing made thereof first separating that matter then giving it a better forme more perfection greater Ornament XXXVII I Beleeve that God although wanting nothing as being a compleat essence which can receive no perfection by the creature did yet for his glorie praise make all things for himself for the good helpe felicitie of the rationall creature to which all other things yea it selfe manifest the excellence of the maker XXXVIII God being the soverain good I beleeve that all his creatures were good perfect in their kind I make not therefore two principles or beginnings of things good ill for these ill things were not so in themselves but verie good for the use end they were made XXXIX I Beleeve that the Trinitie did concurre in the Creation the Father as the first cause of all things making the World by the Son who is his Word Wisdom by the holie Ghost his power vertue And all these three Persons in one Essence I love serve and adore with equall affection fidelitie respect feare XL I Beleeve that though the Heavens declare the glorie of God the whole world be a faire glasse to behold therein his greatnes wisdom goodnes c. Yet Angels and Men onely were made in Gods Image hereupon XLI I Conceive Beleeve that this Image was not in the shape of mans bodie for Angells are but Spirits God himselfe hath no bodie though the Scripture for our capacitie speakes of Gods eyes eares hands to shew he knowes all can do all Seeking then that Image of God in man I find it chiefly in the Soules invisible immortall substance having a wise understanding this with the will memorie yea with the whole bodie just upright besides that Majestie and pow'r over all these inferiour creatures by which he was Gods lieutenant on earth so represented him in some sort above all the rest XLII I Beleeve that Angels being all made in Gods Image which consisted in their invisibilitie immortalitie uprightnes some fell voluntarily from God others did remaine in their integritie assisted confirmed in it by Gods grace in Christ who is their Head if not by redemption yet by creation and Adoption or gracious union with God for he 's the Image of the invisible God the first borne of everie creature by whom for whom were created all things in Heaven Earth visible invisible therfore without whom Angels nor Men could be neither created in the Image of God nor adopted for Sons XLIII Angels being thus confirm'd in Gods grace eternall felicitie I Beleeve them glorious diligent faithfull Ministers of Gods will for his glorie the good of his Church faire miroirs of the riches of his mercie wheras others who fell being confirm'd hardned in malice doe what they can against that Church being in their most wretched state of everlasting damnation wofull spectacles of Gods justice anger towards sin XLIV I Beleeve that Adam having a will free indifferent both to good evill did willingly reject the first embrace the second