Selected quad for the lemma: body_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
body_n	head_n	member_n	mystical_a	10,566	5	10.6497	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84653	Severall queries concerning the church of Jesus Christ upon earth, briefly explained and resolved wherein is shewed and proved, 1. That there is a church of Jesus Christ upon earth. 2. What this church is? 3. How a people become a visible church? 4. That the churches in England were at first rightly constituted? 5. What manner of government Jesus Christ hath ordained in and for his church? 6. What manner of persons those ought to be, that may be continued in, or admitted into the church? 7. What is the duty of church members towards Jesus Christ their head, and one another. / By John Flowre M.A. preacher at Staunton in the county of Nottingham.	Flower, John, b. 1623 or 4.	1658 (1658)	Wing F1386; Thomason E2141_2; ESTC R208378	33,318	112

2 47 4●.49 But they were such as gladly received the Word as were pricked in their hearts at the sense of their sins such as continued in prayer and the exercise of other holy and Christian duties They were such as burnt their curious because prophane Books Acts 19.18 19. Such as confessed their sins and shewed their deeds Thus I Conclude in the first place that those which are received into the Church or continued in the same as members thereof ought to be such as at least wise in outward appearance abstain from evill as have a mark of Sanctification and holiness upon them Secondly Church-Members ought to be such as have some competent measure of knowledg I conceive they ought to be so instructed that they may be able in some measure to give an account of their hope and those fundamental truths that are necessary to be known for the praise and glory of Gods Grace and their own Salvation the Apostle would have all Christians be able to give a 1 Pet 3.15 reason of their hope Thirdly They that are received into or continued in the Church as its members ought to be such as are sound in the faith as hold fast the form * Tit. 2.2 of sound words that they make not a rent or Schisme in the Church therefore an Heretique saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 1.13 after the first and second admonition reject Sect. VII Containing an answer to the Seventh Question Quest What are the duties of church-Church-Members towards Jesus Christ and one another Sol. THe Church of Jesus Christ is call'd his body We are the body Mysticall Christ is our Head we are his Members Now the duty and office of the Members of this body Mysticall both towards their Head and one another may be more clearly seen into if we consider the office of the Members in the Body Natural from whence the Church which is called the body of Jesus Christ takes this sigurative denomination First The Members of the body Naturall have a very special care of the Head as of their principall and chief part without which they cannot subsist therefore the Members will endanger themselves to secure their head If a blow be made at the head the hand or arm will interpose it self and receive the blow or wound upon it self rather than it should fall upon the head So the Members of the Church of Jesus Christ ought to have a most speciall care of him their head Is Jesus Christ their head made at Do any go about to wound him by striking at his Person Natures Death Resurrection Ascension Justification by his blood O now it is time for all the Members to look about them to interpose betwixt their head and those that strike at him to vindicate his honour excellency person nature and the like as before against all his Enemies and Assailants that would wound him in any of these Though you may be in never so much danger of worldly loss or dammage by making such a defence yet care not where this blow lights so it be warded off your head It was a noble resolution of a French Martyr After many perswasions of worldly friends to recant his profession he considering how dishonorable this would be to Jesus Christ how his head would be wounded and grieved by such a revolt puts off all that perswaded him to so shamefull an action with this notable saying Vivat Christus pereat Servus Let Christ live let his Servant perish Every member of Jesus Christ ought to be so minded ready upon occasion at all times to say let me that am a poor and unworthy member of so honourable and excellent a head let me be cut off let me suffer in my name estate relations let me be imprison'd wounded bleed So my Lord Jesus Christ my head be not grieved o he live and be glorified by my bonds imprisonments scars bleedings reproaches rebukes let all these and a thousand more befall me Secondly The members of the body naturall are guided and govern'd and move by the direction of the head and follow it so the members of the body of Jesus Christ the Church they ought to observe the guidance motion and steps of their head to follow his example and tread in his paths to be heavenly in their discourse holy in their conversations as he hath given them an example every member of this body ought to walk the way of the * 1 Joh. 2.6 head Now as to the carriage and duty of Church members towards one another First The members of the body naturall they are united and at peace among themselves one arme doth not strike another one foot doth not spurne the other the eye doth not say to the hand I have no need of thee and so of the rest So the members of the body mystical the Church there ought to be a sweet harmony betwixt all and every member Envie Malice Hatred spurning at and reviling one another these things ought not to be heard of in the Church of Jesus Christ because they are all members of his body Secondly the members of the bodie natural if some be weak or wounded all the rest have a special care of the weak or wounded mēber the whole arme will bind up the broken one the strong leg will ease that that 's lame and feeble This mutuall respect there ought to be among the members of the body of Christ the Church the whole ought to binde up the broken the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak that they may not faile nor be discouraged nor faint in the way and service of Jesus Christ Thirdly The members of the body natural are ready to save and support one another in case of any apparent danger as if one leg trip or stumble the other will hast to relieve and support it so the members of the Church of Jesus Christ they ought to be watchfull one over another to be ready to save support one another in case of apparent danger as if one member do stumble or is ready to fall into errours of opinion or practise the other should be ready to catch at such a falling member to releive and strengthen and support to hold him up that he may recover and not utterly fall into such temptations Fourthly The Members of the body Natural are ready to supply according to their power to each particular member what it stands in need of So the Members of the body of Christ the Church these ought to be ready to the utmost of their ability to supply and relieve the wants of other fellow-Members whose necessities crave it As we are men we are commanded to do good to all this is humanity as we are Members of the Church of Christ we are enjoyned especially to succour and relieve those that are of the same houshold This is Christianity In the Church of Jesus Christ we should not every one look only at his own proper interest but