Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	body_n	church_n	mystical_a	1,460	5	10.3110	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29526	The spirituall vertigo, or, Turning sickensse of soul-unsettlednesse in matters of religious concernment the nature of it opened, the causes assigned, the danger discovered, and remedy prescribed ... / by John Brinsley.	Brinsley, John, fl. 1581-1624.	1655 (1655)	Wing B4723; ESTC R25297	104,504	248

just Judgment hath given them over to be deceived and seduced by them And thus I have also done with this third Direction which bids you take heed of coming in the winds way Take a fourth Would you not be thus carried about take heed of beginning to turn You know how it is with a wheel I have hinted it once and again Being set upon a declivity if once it begin to turn going down the hill now it turneth alone being carried about of it self by its own force Object True will some say so long as it is going down the Hill But that is not our case We are going up the Hill and therefore though we do begin to turn yet there is no such fear no such danger A. This is the common plea of all Sects and Secturies in the world They all think they are going up the Hill tending to an higher degree of perfection then those have attained to whom they leave behind them But we know how it fared with the Syrian Army which was sent to surprize the Prophet Elisha being smitten with blindnesse whilest they thought they were going to Dothan they march into the midst of Samaria 2 Kings 6. 19 20. And even so fareth it with those Armies of Sectaries that are in this Nation and elsewhere Being all of them Blinded blindfolded in some of the waies aforesaid they all think they are going up the Hill climbing towards perfection whilest in truth they are going downwards declining in their spirituall conditions That none of you may be taken with this not more common then dangerous fallacie let me subjoyn to this Generall direction 3. or 4. particular Caveats every of which will informe you when you are going down the Hill 1. Take heed of turning from Iesus Christ of not holding fast the head as Paul cautions his Colossians Col. 2. 19. Such is Iesus Christ the Head of the Body the mysticall Body the Church Col. 1. 18. The Head of the Corner as Saint Peter hath it 1. 2. 7. borrowing it from the Psalmist Ps. 118. 22. The Head-stone as the Foundation-stone so the Topstone And being so it necessarily followeth that whosoever turn from him which way soever they turn they are gowing downwards And this take you heed of as being at all turns most dangerous of turning from Iesus Christ to any thing else In particular of turning from Christ to Moses This was the case of many in the Apostles time who turned from the Gospell to the Law from the doctrine of free Grace in Christ to seek Justification in whole or in part by the works of the Law So did the Galatians some of them whom Paul tells that they were fallen from Grace Gal. 5. 4. from the doctrine of Gods free Grace in Christ. And so do they who ever shall seek Justification and Salvation by the works of the Low by any morall performances much more by Ceremoniall observances which was the case of those Galatians or any thing besides Christ in so doing they fall from Grace and they fall from Christ who by this meanes is made of none effect to them So unsound is that seemingly politick Maxime which is made use of by many in the Church of Rome viz. That a man standeth surer upon two boughs then upon one Not so say we if so be that by standing upon a bough that is rotten he fall from that which was sound Which is the very case of all those who trust to Christ and Moses to Gospell and Law for their Justification and Salvation By resting upon the one in part they fall wholly from the other Christ will either be a whole Saviour or no Saviour So as this is a declining a going down the Hill with a witnesse So Paul looked upon it in his Galatians and would have them so to judg of it Gala. 3. 3. where he parlies with them about it Are ye so foolish saith he having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Where by flesh we are to understand the Ceremonies of the Law which were no other but external and Carnall observances especially after that the figurative and Sacramentall use which whilest it continued was as the soul and spirit putting life into them was now ceased being taken away by the death of Christ Now they were no other but flesh flesh without spirit And being so the Apostle censureth it as no small degree of folly in them that they should fall off to them that having begun in the Spirit having imbraced the doctrine of the Gospell the commands whereof are Spirituall and having withall found the effectuall work of the Spirit in their heart working faith and Regeneration in them that they should once think of being made perfect in that way This indeed was that which the false Apostles promised them that they should by this means receive some addition of perfection Even as the Doctors of the Church of Rome at this day do to their disciples But this the Apostle justly censures as folly and that no small degree of it as in the Teachers so in the receivers of this Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are ye so foolish And be you ware of falling under the like Censure A Caveat not unneedful this being a folly which some in this Nation at this day who pretend to the highest degree of perfection to be perfect as Adam nay for holinesse such is their Blasphemy perfect as God himself do openly proclaim whilest they professe to look for Justification and Salvation not by the Righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them but by the Righteousnesse of Christ inherent in them which is no other then inherent holinesse Now if this be not a falling from Christ and a falling from Grace surely we must conclude the Apostle in that Text forenamed Gal. 5. 4. to have been much mistaken Let this be a first Caveat under this Head Secondly whilest you thus hold fast the Head take heed of parting with the Body of falling off from the Church by severing and separating from it And that as from any part of it any particular Church which being sound in the faith wherein the Word is rightly preached and Sacraments duly administred though possibly labouring under some other imperfections and not so accomplished in respect of Order as it ought to be and some others are yet deserveth to be called and owned as a true Church so much more from the whole Body the whole Catholick visible Church This also is a Hill a Mountain Yea a Mountain paramount a Mountain established in the top of the Mountains So the Prophet Esay describeth the Church under the Gospel Isai. 2. 2. which in respect of spiritual glory is exalted far above all secular state and power And being so well may they who fall from it be said to go down the Hill And such a Declension such a Separation take heed of Such Separatists there