Selected quad for the lemma: head_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	body_n	member_n	mystical_a	10,421	5	11.0632	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03347	The splendour of the spouse A sermon preached in the parish church of Ware, Anno Domini, 1638. By Augustine Hill, rector of Dengey, in the county of Essex.	Hill, Augustine, d. 1660.	1640 (1640)	STC 13468; ESTC S116585	15,346	25

Divines have observed many other reasons and respects why the Church may be said to be a Lily among the thornes I will onely rub some few of their eares of corne and leave the harvest to some other choyce worke-man his gathering A Lily among thornes 4. In regard of the multitude of afflictions she suffereth in this life for the Church hath ever beene like Abrahams Ram held in a thicket of adversity Christianus is Crutianus as Luther was wont to say a man of crosses The servant is not above his master God had but one only Son and he was sine peccato yet not sine stagello Aug. in Psa 31. Luc. 9 23. Beza Therefore let us take up our Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a day by day ut dies diem sequitur ita crux crucem accipiat every day we must expect sufficient travell and with patience let us possesse our soules for it resolve that through many tribulation and afflict on s we must enter into Gods Kingdome if we will have Christ his Crowne of glory Acts 14 22. we must be content to weare a crowne of thornes For the Church is a Lily among thornes 5. In regard of the manifold impediments she hath to hinder her spirituall growth namely First Satan is a blacke thorne in his temptations alwayes pricking and wounding the children of God yea biting at the very root of the Lily like the worme at the root of Jonahs Gourd and the Lily would as soone wither as that Gourd did was there not a soveraigne power from above to preserve it pray we then unto God to rebuke Satan in all his assaults that our Lily may flourish in despight of him Secondly naturall corruption which God hath left to be pricks in our eyes and thornes in our sides Sa●nt Paul that choyce vessell of grace complaines of them Rom 7. I cary about me a body of sinne and death he calls it by the very terme in my Text the thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me take we his course even to solicite God by frequent prayer 2 Cor. 12.7 till we have the same answer which he obtained my grace shall be sufficient for thee and begge of him who comes with healing in his wings to heale our nature that it may not be so fruitfull in bringing forth these pricking thorns S. Bernard particularizeth these to be Amores seculares immoderate earthly desires worldly cogitations which brings a barrennes of goodnes to the soule Math. 13. and choak the seed of the word O munde munde saith St. Austin Fallax proditor impure world a traitor to us and a deceiver of us It glues our wings that we cannot soare upwards and as he that hath a thorne in his foot is utterly unfit for travell so he that hath these thorns of worldly cares stick in his soule is unmeet for his journey to heaven Let us therfore pluck out this thorne and if riches encrease set not our heart upon them Psal 62.10 Thirdly the perverse and sinfull conversation of wicked men which are thornes in our way to heaven the sons of Belial shall be as thornes thrust away 2 Sam. 23.67 because they cannot be taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with Iron Cant. 1.6 and the staffe of a Speare The Church complaines that her mothers sons made her the keeper of the Vineyards but her owne Vineyard she kept not and hath not every member of the Church cause to complaine with David Psalm 119.61 Bern. in Cant. Ser. 48. the bands of wicked men have robbed me Saint Bernard is seasonable for a close of this point Si Lilium est inter spinas videat unaquisque anima quam vigilem solicit ámque esse oporteat super custodia sui septa undique spinis hinc inde aculeos intendentibus The Church is like a Lily beset round about with thornes that seeke to wound and teare her therefore let every soule be watchfull and carefull for the preservation of it selfe that neither the thorne within doe impoison her nor those other without doe pierce her to hinder her growth in grace here or to deprive her of glory hereafter 6. In regard of the small number of those that are the true members of the Church in comparison of forreine Congregations without and false brethren within one Lily many thornes Plures mali they which are evill Byas are the greatest number There is much mold whereof earthen vessels are made but little dust that gold commeth of 2 Esdras 8. many trees are planted but few like that good tree bring forth fruit in their season much seed is sowne but three parts thereof miscary Saint Augustin gives a good rule Aug. in Ps 39. Noli numerare sed appende stateram affer aequam non dolosam Doe not take them by number but consider well of them weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary or else thou mistakest then afterwards Noli imitari Doe not imitate them that be the most or in words of holy writ Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill the reason is given by one Seneca Est turba semper argumentum pessimi the worse goe by heapes and troopes the least are oftentimes solitary of twenty Kings of Israel not one good that cleave to the Lord with all his heart of sixe hundred thousand Israelites but two came into the Land of Canaan It was a remarkeable folly and punishment of Radbodus King of Frisia who asking whether there were most in heaven or hell and was answered that in hell was the greatest number withdrew himselfe from holy baptisme and professed plainely that he would goe to hell where the most company was but he injoyed his madnes and contempt of Gods Ordinance but a short space for the third day after he dyed suddenly It is better to be with Noah his small family in the Arke then with the whole world to be drowned in the deluge to be planted in Gods garden with the Lily then to be throwne into the fire with a whole wildernes of thorns 7. Lastly the Church is as the Lily among thornes in respect of her unity and their divisions and distractions being torne in more pieces then the Prophet Ahjiahs garment was 1 Kings 12. for that was onely into twelve but these are infinite parted into as many severall conventicles are there be men of deepely corrupt minds who doe partes facere as Saint Augustin saith of the Donatists and gather disciples unto themselves Aug. de unitate Ecclesiae c. 3. Quis possit singulas quasi haereses enumerare gentium singalarem saith Saint Augustin who is able to reckon up all the heresies of every severall Nation Aug. de unitate Ecclesiae c. 3. Daniel ● yea the severall Sects that are in one Nation these hold not the head Christ and are as those beasts of Daniel diverse one from another yet all against the Church as the enemies to the Lily and folded together to doe more mischiefe as the thorns are Nahum 1.10 they have unitatem contra unitatem as S. Augustin saith I am sure contra veritatem a unity against truth for our Saviour tells us not onely of many false Prophets but of false Christs But there is but one true Christ the head and beleevers are the severall members of his mysticall body united by faith to him their head and in Christian charity one to another and though there be threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines and Virgins without number yet is Christ his Spouse una unica Cant. 6.9 one and the onely one of her mother And S. Paul tells us that there is but one body one spirit one hope of their spirituall calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all our through all Eph. 4.4 5. Iohn 17. and in all his children therefore they ought all to be one as our Saviour prayed for them five times in one Chapter the very thornes will lesson us in this duty shall they be folded together to doe hurt and shall not the Lilies hold together to preserve one another It is unity will make our colour more candid out odour more fragrant and fruitfulnesse Aug. ep 15. Hieronymo more seasonable and aboundant For omnis pulchritudinis forma unitas unity is the forme of beauty and uniformity is the forme of unity where there is cor unum and viauna one heart and one way the carriage of things will be prosper●us the end comfortable I will close then with that prayer of Saint Paul for the Thessalonians 2 Thess 3.15 Now the Lord of peace himselfe give us peace us alwayes by all meanes and that for Jesus Christ his sake the Prince of peace who dearely bought our peace by his precious blood to whom with the Father and the holy-Ghost be given all glory dominion might majesty and thankesgiving from this time forth and for evermore Amen FINIS