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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	good_a	heart_n	word_n	6,783	5	5.4992	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81950	The right receiving of Christ· Or, An appendix to the worthy communicant, or A treatise shewing the due order of receiving the sacrament. By Jer. Dyke, late minister of Epping in Essex. Which was intended by the said author in his life time to be annexed to this treatise of the sacrament; as appeares in the epistle. Wherein a Christian may know, whether he hath rightly received Christ in the sacrament or no.	Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639.	1645 (1645)	Wing D2959bA; ESTC R229229	52,271	144

we thrive in Christ Thirdly The conscionable and serious use of Gods Ordinances the Word 3. and Sacrament The Word is called Jam. 1. 21. The engraffed or Implanted Word that is the Word which by the Ministry is engraffed in our hearts Now as it is an engraffed so it is an engraffing Word which being rightly received doth engraff implant and roote us into Christ The seede that fell upon the stony ground had no Roote Matth. 13. but contrarily when the seede falles upon good ground it Rootes And when the Word rootes in our hearts it rootes us into Christ for Christ is received in his Word And when the Word rootes Christ rootes and when Christ rootes in us wee roote in him for it is a naturall and reciprocall Radication Two things are required to make a tree or herbe roote Planting and watring The Ministry of the Word is both 1 Cor. 3. Paul may plant and Apollos may water The Ministry of the Word therefore is a planting and a watering They therefore that would roote must seriously use that meanes which must plant and water them And so for the Sacrament of the Supper wee being once rooted by the Word it is an excellent meanes to make us take deeper rooting The barren figtree in the Parable Luk. 13. brought not forth fruit There was some fault not in the branches but in the roote and therefore the dresser would dig and dung it about the roote he would loosen and remove the hard earth from the rootes and lay some mellow moulds about the roote And wee see when such husbandry is used about trees that they roote the better a great deale The right use of the Sacrament is a digging and dunging of the tree roote is a fresh moulding of our rootes and the Sacrament rightly used and received as it ought will make our roote wrap about Christ and sprout and spread into him As therefore wee desire to roote in Christ so attend upon the Word and Sacrament with that due preparation and religious behaviour as God requires Wee shall finde this a sweet fruite of these Ordinances duely used that they will further our rooting in Christ CHAP. XV. How to know whether we bee Rooted in Christ or not IF every true Christian must be rooted in Christ then as wee would know whether wee be true Christians so let us examine our selves whether wee be rooted in Christ or not That may be knowne by those things mentioned before in the reasons of the point They that are rooted in Christ doe grow such as our growth is such is our roote If we grow not in Christ it is a signe wee are not rooted in him They that are rooted beare fruit Trees may roote and yet not alwayes beare fruit Though there can be no fruit unlesse there be a roote yet in naturall trees there may be a roote where there is no fruit But not so here There is none rootes in Christ but he brings forth fruite in Christ The Apostle speakes of bringing forth fruit to God Rom. 7. 4. but he first speakes of being married unto Christ which is equivalent unto rooting So that whosoever is rooted in Christ brings forth fruite unto God By it may be seene who is not and how many are not rooted in Christ By their fruits shall yee know them They bring forth no fruite unto God therefore not rooted in Christ What be the fruits they bring forth The fruits of swearing whoring drunkennesse prophanenesse covetousnesse c. Are these fruits unto God or fruites unto the Devill Doe they that are rooted in Christ bring forth fruits unto Satan Therefore in as much as the fruites that most men bring forth are fruites unto the flesh fruites unto Satan it is a signe that they are rather rooted in the flesh in Satan then in Christ And when men are so easily shaken and moved from the truth it is a signe that they are stony ground that they have no roote in themselves And how little men are partakers of the fatnesse of Christ appeares by the leanenesse and lewdnesse of their lives But besides these it may be discerned by these things First By that Rom. 11. 16. If the 1. roote be holy so are the branches namely the branches that are joyned to that roote Branches then that are rooted into an holy roote are such as the root is All that are rooted in Christ are such as he is There is the same sap in the roote and branches of a tree If a sweet sap in the roote a sweet sap also in the branches They that are rooted in Christ have the same Spirit that is in Christ Philip. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Christ is an holy roote all that are rooted in him are holy persons Jude 1. Sanctified in Christ Jesus He is not onely an holy but an hallowing Christ Whatsoever touched the flesh of the sinne offering was holy Levit. 6. 27. Whatsoever touched the Altar was holy Exod. 30. 29. Both were types of Christ Now if but the touch of Christ make holy then much more when a man not touches him but is rooted engraffed incorporated into him By this may men try their Rooting in Christ If mens holinesse must be the evidence how many will bee cleane cast Let mens lives speake what holinesse they have I doe not thinke that if men had holinesse they would mocke and scoffe at it Secondly By a Radication in the grace of love and charitie He that is 2. rooted in Christ is rooted in love Ephes 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts When Christ dwells in us wee dwell in him and when wee dwell in him wee are rooted in him And when thus rooted in him see what followes That yee being rooted and grounded in love Then a man may be said to be Rooted in love when out of the sense and apprehension of Gods love to him in Christ his love is againe kindled towards God and his neighbour and so increases in him that it takes daily deeper and deeper roote in him So then a man that rootes in Christ roots in the love of God of Christ of his members The more wee are rooted in Christ the more wee are rooted in the love of God and his Saints and the more that love roots in our hearts And therefore it is that faith and love doe lead hand in hand still in Scripture and that not onely love to God but to his Saints Let mens consciences but search themselves and it is to be feared that they will finde such poore small rootes of love to God and his Saints as will give them just cause to question their being rooted in Christ Thirdly By Spirituall life and Nutrition Hee that is rooted in Christ drawes life from Christ and receives nourishment from him A tree that is rooted in the earth it lives by the sap it drawes out of the earth in which it rootes So the Christian that roots in Christ hee lives in Christ and drawes sap out of Christ that feeds and maintaines spirituall life in him Gal. 2. 20. As a tree lives yet not so much the tree as the roote and the life which the tree lives it lives by the roote in the earth Our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. The life of a Christian is in and from Christ Secret it is as the life of a tree is hid in the roote which is under the earth Doth Christ then quicken thee with spirituall life doth he nourish and feede thee with spirituall sap so as all thou doest thou doest by an influence of sap and life from him Then conclude comfortably that thou art rooted in Christ But many are so livelesse so dead and saplesse that it is a senselesse thing to conceive them other then rootlesse Christians FINIS

his naturall condition 2. Faith implants a man into the soyle of grace it implants a man into Christ When a tree is pluckt up by the roots yet if it be not set into the earth in the Garden or Orchyard it rootes not there The way to have it to roote in the Garden is after it is pluckt up by the rootes to set it in the ground and set it in the earth There must bee a planting of a tree before there can be a rooting Jer. 12. 2. Thou hast planted them they have taken roote therefore before taking roote there must be a planting Psal 80. 8 9. Thou hast planted the Vine thou hast caused it to take deepe roote So it is here before there can be rooting in Christ there must be a planting in him Now faith is that which plants us in Christ That sets us put us into Christ the soyle in which we must roote The Apostle hath a phrase Rom. 6. 5. of being planted into Christs death There is a planting into his death and there is a planting into his person When a tree is set into the earth then it is planted when a man is set into Christ and is in him then is a man planted in him Now by faith it is that we are in Christ Phil. 3. That I may be found in him having the righteousnesse of faith And thus faith implanting us into Christ putting and setting us into the soyle doth roote us into Christ 3. Faith suckes attracts and drawes nourishment from Christ If a tree be set into the ground yet if it draw not moysture heart and nourishment out of the ground it roots not but by degrees will dye But when it is once set into the ground and fastned there and doth draw sap and moysture out of the earth then the roote runs and spreads this way and that way and so the tree radicates to the purpose So then a Christian being planted in Christ doth roote in him when there is a quickning nourishing sap drawne out of him into a mans foule that makes it spring and spread it selfe into Christ Now faith is that which drawes suckes and extracts vertue power out of Christ which makes us spread and roote in him Thus by these things faith roots us into Christ So that if wee would roote in Christ wee must get faith in Christ and the more faith we get the greater and deeper roote shall we have in Christ Secondly Get repentance and mortification 2. When once a man hath gotten into Christ and is begun by faith to be rooted in him these will exceedingly helpe to make a man roote more deeply and to spread abroad his roote in Christ The more sinnes and lusts wee nourish in our hearts the lesse we roote in Christ Christ is indeed a fat and a fertile soyle but though a tree or herbes be planted in fat and good ground yet a man may so order the matter that herbes and trees shall root but poorely in it for let a man mingle with it barren and baggage cold earth or throw in gravell stones or flints into the earth and about the roots and these will hinder the rooting of a tree So though Christ be a fat soyle yet if wee suffer our sinnes and our lusts to lodge in our hearts these will hinder our rooting in Christ But these removed and taken away it will conduce exceedingly to our rooting Now repentance and mortification these take away and remove sins and lusts When God planted a Vineyard Isa 5. it was his purpose that it should roote and it did roote Psal 80. 9. Thou causedst it to take deepe roote I but marke what course God did take Isa 5. 2. He fenced it he gathered out the stones He cleared and rid the soyle of all such hurtfull things as might hinder the rooting thereof And so gathering out the stones it did take deepe roote Now repentance doth this it takes away the stones out of the heart it takes away the heart of stone and so makes way for rooting If a man be in Christ and yet have an heart of stone there bee stones in the soyle but repentance taking away the heart of stone fits us for rooting and spreading Againe set herbes in a rich and fat soyle yet if that soyle be suffered to over-run with weedes herbes will never roote kindly and to purpose therefore they that would have herbes and plants roote doe plucke up all offensive weedes by the rootes And when thistles nettles and such like baggage trash are pluckt up then good herbes and plants roote the better and deeper All lusts and sinnes are so many weeds in our hearts and the more these weeds roote in our hearts the lesse shall we root in Christ But if these weeds be pluckt up by the rootes and this noxious stuffe be carefully and diligently weeded out then wee shall roote apace in Christ Now Repentance and Mortification they weede up and plucke up by the rootes those sinnes and lusts which hinder our rooting in Christ So that looke what counsell the Apostle gives them in that case is good in this Heb. 12. 15. Looking diligently lest any roote of bitternesse springing up trouble you Hee speakes of Heresies Apostasies and Scandalls that might fall out in the Church every such one is a roote of bitternesse in the Church And so every sinne and lust fostered in a mans heart is a roote of bitternesse in the soule and such a roote of bitternesse as will trouble a mans soule from rooting in Christ Therefore every one that would roote in Christ must diligently watch that no such roote of bitternesse spring up and grow up in his heart and if any such roote doe spring and grow up presently to roote it up and roote it out There must be a Rooting out if wee would have a rooting in A rooting out of lusts if wee would have a rooting in Christ Wee know how Job speakes in that case of the lust of uncleanenesse Job 31. 9. 12. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman it would root out all mine increase That one lust would be enough to roote out all his substance and all his increase So it is in this case with any lust whether of uncleanenesse covetousnesse c. If these roote in the heart and prevaile they will roote out all grace and goodnesse and roote a man quite up for taking any roote in Christ As therefore wee desire to be rooted in Christ so it concernes us to roote out all lusts by repentance and mortification It is not here as in the Parable Mat. 13. 28 29. Wilt thou then that wee goe and gather them up But he said Nay lest whilest yee gather up the tares yee roote up also the wheate with them But here the not rooting up the tares will prove the hindrance of the rooting of the wheate That soule that suffers lusts to roote in it cannot roote in Christ Our lusts cannot thrive in us and

good that is in and amongst you ver 5. Well then what is it that you would have us doe Answ Since my care is so great for you since the Gospel is so certaine sublime and perfect therefore I would have you That as you have received Christ so yee would walke on in him c. In which words he exhorteth them unto two things 1. To walke in Christ 2. To be rooted in him To a going on in the profession of Christ and to a stability and stedfastnesse there in Hee first exhorts to a walking in Christ To this he urges them by that they had already done As yee have received Christ Jesus the Lord. As if he had said Yee have begun well yee have received Christ the Lord and yee professe yee have received him now then as yee have begun so goe on and to your receiving of Christ adde your going on and walking in him from which argument of the Apostle we may take this lesson by the way That good beginnings are an engagement Doct. to good proceedings Receiving Christ is an engagement and an obligation to walking in him Psal 4. 9. Those things that yee have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe Thus you have learned and received therefore doe thus Apoc. 3. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent It is this ground that edges those sharp reproofs Gal. 3. 3. Are yee so foolish Having begun in the Spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh and Gal. 5. 7. Yee did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth And this is the reason why they that have begun well and yet goe not on shall receive a smarter punishment then such as never made any such beginning at all because they had a greater tye and engagement then others to be godly and religious Their latter end is worse then their beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. And why so because their beginnings were better then other mens They began to build they began to look towards Christ and Heaven these beginnings engaged them to a further progresse and because such engagement notwithstanding they brake off therefore have they made their account the heavier Let it teach us therefore if once wee have given up our names to Christ to goe on and hold on A giving up the name to Christ and a beginning to professe religion it is a subscribing with the hand to the Lord. Isa 44. 5. It is a saying I am the Lords Now when wee have once said we are the Lords and have subscribed to it set us also have a care to say wee will be the Lords and to stand to and make good our subscription But if once wee have subscribed with our hand and after our subscription be found Revolters God will bring in our own hands against us The entrance upon profession of Christs name is subscription Subscription is an obligation to God An obligation forfeited makes a man liable to the penalty This by the way Before I come to the thing pressed I will take the words in order as they lye and begin first with that ground upō which he presses them to that duty As yee have received Jesus Christ the Lord. In which words he implyes that they had received Christ they professed that they had received him and he takes it for granted as a ground upon which he will work them on further from what these Colossians did learne What is every mans duty to doe that meanes to be a true Christian indeed CHAP. I. It is the duty of every one that will be a Christian to receive Christ A Man is never a Christian indeed till this be done The Lord Jesus Christ is to be received of us God he offers Christ to us he tenders him in the Gospel and as it is Gods mercy to offer him so it is our duty and should be our wisdome to receive him for that is the end of all Gods offers He doth not offer him only to shew that there is a Christ or what kinde of Christ he is hee doth not offer him to be seen and shewed but God offers him to this end that he might be received And therefore when God sends his Ministers to preach Christ and to offer him unto people in their ministery hee speaks of Christ in this case as Paul speaks to the Philippians of Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 29. Receive him with all gladnesse and hold him in reputation And as God offers Christ to be received so he himself also is willing to be received Wee know what the Pharisees quarrell was with him Luke 15. 2. This man receives sinners And it was true hee did so But why did he so Surely to let sinners see how willing hee is that they should receive him His receiving of sinners was but to invite them to the receiving of him Yea the errand he sends his Ministers upon is but to perswade men to receive him Hee seeks to be received Cant. 5. 2. Open unto mee my sister my love c. As if he had said Lo here I am I offer my self unto thee I sue and seek unto thee to be received and entertained Yea hee complains of it and takes it ill when men receive him not John 5. 43. I came in my Fathers Name and yee received me not Now if Christ were not willing and desirous to be received he would not complain of it and take it as an unkindness not to be received Wee ought in their kind to receive godly men John 3. 8. We therefore ought to receive such And if we ought to receive such then much more ought we to receive Christ himself As then wee would prove our selves Vse 1. true Christians indeed so be we forward and ready to receive Christ offered unto us Wee should do in this case as Zacheus did in that Luke 19. 5 6. Zacheus sayes Christ Make haste and come down for to day I must abide at thine house Here was an offer a fair offer of Christ What doth Zacheus do does he demurre and deliberate upon it and take time to think of it no such matter And he made hast sayes the Text and came down and received him joyfully Zacheus presently imbraces the offer receives him hastily and joyfully No sooner should Christ offer himself unto us but with all readines greedines should he be received of us There is a strange perversenesse of spirit in us a strange naturall untowardnesse in us to receive Christ See how Christ speaks Joh. 5. 43. I am come unto you in my Fathers name and yee receive me not if another come in his own name him yee will receive So it is still with us If Satan come with a tentation if a lust come with a motion if a false teacher come with a novelty if any thing come that should not come it is strange to see with what readines and greedines we receive these

but if Christ come with whom comes all good how awke and how backward are we to receive him Men blesse themselves with coming to Church and receivng the Sacrament and think all is well so long as this is done But how many come to Church that come not to Christ and how many receive the Sacrament that yet receive not the Lord Jesus Christ This therefore being a point of so great consequence and necessity as none greater it will not be amisse to help to sink it down with some considerations as may make way for it into our hearts Consider therefore these three things CHAP. II. Ignorance of the worth of Christ keeps men from receiving him FIrst consider who it is that is to be received It is Jesus Christ the Lord says the Text. He in whom is all our good and by whom we have all spirituall and eternall good that is to be had How gladly do some receive Lords great ones how gladly do men receive Kings Now Christ he is the Lord the King of Glory Upon this ground are we excited to receive him Psal 24. 7. 9. Lift up your heads O yee gates and be yee lift up yee everlasting doors that is lift up your hearts and set the doors of your hearts wide open But why what shall we get by it The King of glory shall enter So that when the King of Glory is to be received how readily should men set their hearts wide open to receive him Receive Christ and yee receive the King of Glory and the King of Glory enters The Apostle pressing to hospitality uses this argument Hebr. 13. 2. that some thereby received Angells Oh how glad would a man be to have such guests as Abraham and Lot had how glad would a man be to receive Angels I but here is a greater matter In receiving Christ we receive not Angels but wee receive the Son of God himself not into our houses but into our hearts What be Angels to the King of Glory to the Son of God If men did but consider who it is that should be received and what a guest they should receive when they receive Christ how easily would they be perswaded to receive him Men know not Christ know not his worth and excellencie and therefore receive him not Joh. 1. 10 11. That which is in one verse Knew him not is in the other Receive him not To shew that men therefore receive not Christ because they know him not they know not how precious a Christ he is Oh how gladly and readily would men receive him if once they knew who and what he were We find John 6. 19. that the Disciples not knowing Christ were afraid of him though he came towards them yet they were so farre from receiving him that they would well have wisht him further off Being afraid of him they must needs be afraid to receive him But when verse 20. Christ makes himself known unto them It is I be not afraid then verse 21. They willingly received him into the ship When once they knew it was Christ whom they should receive they then no longer feare but willingly and gladly receive him So when Christ is offered unto men they receive him not because they know him not and therfore indeed are many times afraid to receive him They think if he be received they may lose their credit and friends in the world that this Christ will mar all the joy and pleasure of their lives and that they should lead but melancholy mopish lives and so not knowing Christ are afraid of him I but it is the Lord Christ that is offered unto you the Lord of life and grace the Lord of all comfort and consolation it is a Saviour and Redeemer that is offered unto you It is that Christ that dyed for you that shed his blood for you that did undergo the curse of God and bare the infinite weight of his Fathers wrath to deliver you It is a Jesus Christ a saving Christ who is offered unto you Since therefore it is Christ and he such a Christ this should make us receive him and receive him as willingly into our hearts as they when they knew him received him into the ship It is the Lord Jesus Christ that is offered us be yee then lift up yee everlasting doors fly open yee gates of our hearts that Jesus Christ the Lord may be received and entertained How gladly did the Galatians receive Paul who was but a Minister and an Apostle of Christ Gal. 4. 14. Yee received me as an Angel of God even as Jesus Christ If they so received a Minister of Christ how then should Christ Jesus himself be received CHAP. III. The great benefit that comes by receiving Christ SEcondly Consider the great benefit we shall receive by receiving Christ we shall be sure to be on the receiving hand by receiving Christ It is a great advantage wee receive to our selves by receiving Christ into our hearts There is a great reward to be received in receiving a Prophet nay in receiving an ordinary righteous man Matth. 10. 41. He that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward hee that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward In the 40. verse our Saviour speaks of receiving himself Hee that receiveth you receiveth mee Now if such a reward to him that receives a Prophet if such a reward to him that receives a righteous man how much more shall that man that soul be richly blessed and rewarded that receives Christ Jesus the Lord the Prophet of the Church and that great Righteous One Let us a little then consider the Reward of receiving Christ what it is and what benefit will follow thereupon There is a three-fold Reward or Benefit that followes upon it The first Benefit is the Adoption of sons and daughters They that receive Christ shall thereupon receive this honour and happinesse to be made sons of God Seems it a small thing unto you to be the Kings son in Law saith David to the servants of Saul And if it be no small thing to be the Kings son in Law then it is no small honour to be Gods sonnes and daughters 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what love the Father hath shewed unto us that wee should be called the sonnes of God It was the greatest love that God could shew us the greatest honour that God could doe us to make us his sonnes But now how come wee to receive this great honour We receive this honour by receiving Christ They that receive Christ receive this honour to be the sonnes of God John 1. 12. To as many as received him he gave this priviledge to become the sonnes of God As many as received him What ever they were for outward condition rich or poore bond or free high or low old or young if they received him they lost nothing by it Christ thereupon gave them this