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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	church_n	member_n	mystical_a	3,558	5	10.4248	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12509	Christs Last Supper or the doctrine of the Sacrament of Christs Supper, set forth in fiue sermons Wherein is taught the great necessitie of a godly preparation, before men come to the Sacrament. Wherein it doth consist: with the condemnation threatned against the vnvvorthy receiuer of the same. By Samuel Smith, minister of Gods word at Prittlewell, in Essex.; Christs Last Supper.	Smith, Samuel, 1588-1665.	1620 (1620)	STC 22837; ESTC S106152	104,748	388

of ●ryall tribulation Sicknesse and ●ther aduersitie to consider ●hat howsoeuer by sicknesse per●ecution imprisonment c they ●ay bee kept from partaking of ●is holy banquet they cannot ●e kept from partaking of Christ ●y faith and howsoeuer they ●ay be seperated from the con●regation and societie of the faithful yet they haue stil a secret and sweete fellowship societie with Christ their head who will accept of the will for the deede and answer the desires of their Soules when they cannot come vnto his ordinance with a gracious supply of his owne spirit Now as we haue heard what it is to eate Christ viz. to beleeue in Christ and that it is a priuiledg that belongs only vnto the faithfull so to doe So now we are to obserue our spirituall vnion which by this meanes wee shall haue with Christ The Godly haue communion with Christ in this Sacrament For this word Eate and Drinke serues to set out vnto vs our Spirituall vnion and communion that we haue with Christ being made now bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh That as verily as wee see and feele our bodyes to bee nourished and fed by the outward elements So euen so vndoubtedly are our soules likewise nourished strengthened by the body and bloud of Iesus Christ applyed by Faith So as the true beleeuer becomes now assured that Christ Iesus with all the merits of his death and passion becomes to be his righteousnesse and obedience and doth ●ruly belong vnto him seeing Christ is his Euen as truly as Bread and Wine is turned into his substance and becomes his so Christ and his benefites becomes ●is likewise Christ in this Sacrament doth giue the true beleeuer a sure possession of himselfe So that the Instruction Doct. 5 that doth arise hence to the ●ndlesse comfort of euery true ●eleeuer is That Christ Iesus in this Sa●rament of his Supper doth giue vnto the true beleeuer a sure possession of himselfe And heereby wee come to bee ingrafted into Christ and to haue a spiritual being in him So that as the spirituall eateing of Christ consisteth in faith by the which the true beleeuer doth truly partake of Christ so doth it in a consequent and effect of faith which is our spirituall vnion and coniunction we haue with Christ And this the Apostle calleth a Great mistery Speaking of Christ and his Church Ephe. 5.32 for what vnion can be greater or stronger then that which is betweene the thing nourshing and the thing nourished The cup of blessing saith Paul which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 And the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ And the Bread and wine are not onely pleadges of what shall bee bestowed vpon ●s but effectuall meanes to con●erre exhibite the things promised vnto vs. Yet what can be ●earer vnto vs then our Meate ●nd Drinke Wee can haue no ●reater interest into any thing ●hen in our foode for that is part ●f our selues and turnes into our ●ery substance and there is no ●●e member of the body but ●ceiues life and strength from ● what then can more liuely ex●resse this vnion and coniuncti●n that wee haue with Christ then ●read and Wine in this Sacra●ent doth ● am not ignorant how the spi● of God in the Scripture doth ●der diuers similitudes labour ● set out this our vnion and coniunction with Christ as by the Similitude of a Marriage the strongest coniunction tha● can be betwixt any By a building whereof Christ is the foundation By a tree whereof Chri● is the Roote wee the branches Nay more which is strange the● is scarce two things in nature come to bee made one But th● spirit of God in some one plac● or other doth borrowe a comparison from the same to expres● our vnion and communion tha● wee haue with Christ But amongst al other things none ca● more liuely set out the same vnt● vs then this Sacrament doth where Christ doth in a most liuely manner communicate himselfe vnto the true beleeuer 〈◊〉 the which he comes to be tran●formed and trans-changed int● into the Godly Nature 2. Pet. 1.4 making vs one with himselfe Obiect But Christ is in heauen and we are vpon earth how then can ●t bee that wee are vnited vnto him Answ I answere that though Christ ●e in heauen and we on earth ●o distance of place can hinder his vnion inasmuch as it is spi●ituall and so hath Christ promi●ed to be present with hi● church ●nto the end of the world Ioh. 14. spiri●ally We may see this to bee ●eare by the members of Christs ●ysticall body howsoeuer they ●e scattered and dispersed tho●wout the whol earth and haue ●uer seene each other yet are ●otwithstanding knit together ● the bond of one spirit into an ●ly Communion Note and haue in ●em a fellow feeling of the miseries one of another Then why should wee doubt but that the head and members of this mysticall body are also one by the same spirite though Christ be in heauen and wee vpon earth There needes not any corporall presence for the effecting of this vnion his spirite is sufficient while we abide heere which is giuen to all that truely beleeue Now from this ground of a Christian mans vnion with Chris● there proceedes many comforts Comforts arising from our vnion with Christ First then seeing we are vnite● vnto Christ and made one wit● him heere-hence ariseth a not●ble comfort That the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Comfort who sanctified o● Nature that hee might assum● it hee will also sanctifie vs i● asmuch as hee hath vnited vs vnto himselfe It is not so leaft vnto vs to doe as that the Lord Iesus Christ will bee a meere patient but hee hath taken it into his owne hand to perfourme Moses may marry an AEthiopian but hee cannot change her colour but the Lord Iesus Christ shall make to himselfe a glorious Church Eph. 5.27 not hauing spot nor wrinkle And from him shal we haue such a garment as shall couer all our nakednesse from Gods sight Euen Christ our righteousnesse who being vnited vnto vs and we vnto him shal couer vs therwith For shall the woman in the Gospell but touch Christs garment be cured and ●hal we be incorporated into his body Mat. 9.20 and made one with him and not haue the running sores of our corruptions stayd and more and more solued in vs by the worke of Gods Spirite that is in vs. 2 Comfort Secondly we haue by our vnion with Christ a communion of estates for being vnited vnto him he must needes be touched with compassion of our infirmities This is clearely to be seene in a naturall body as the Apostle witnesseth 1. Cor. 12.16 If one member suffer all suffer with it The foote cannot be payned but the head is affected with it one finger cannot

ake but al the body suffers payn Euen so it fares in this mysticall body He that toucheth you touch the apple of mine eye Zach. 2.8 There being a most sweete and secret sympathy betwixt Christ and his members so as to persecute them is to persecute him Act. 9.4 Mat. 25.40 he still partaking with them in their weale or woe a sweete comfort Thirdly we haue by vertue of this vnion and coniunction with Christ 3 Comfort a most certaine assurance of the resurrection of these our bodies to life eternal for so saith the Apostle Rom. 8.11 If the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwel in you he that raysed vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirite that dwelleth in you And this is likewise confirmed by that of our Sauiour where he sayth Ioh. 6.33.54.58 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my ●loud hath eternall life and I will ●ayse him vp at the last day What ●hough these bodies of ours for ● time doe tast corruption they ●hall not perish in corruption Trees and plants of the earth in ●he winter season appeare like dead trees without leaues or fruite but in the Spring time they budde blossome and bring forth And the reason is because of that vnion and coniunction which they haue with the roote where lies the Sappe all the Winter season Euen so by vertue of our vnion and coniunction we haue with Christ these decayd bodies of ours shall one day rise againe and that to life eternall where we shall euer enioy the Lord. And last of all this our vnion with Christ 4 Comfort vvhat doeth it but assure vs of the grace of perseuerance that we shall holde out firme and constant vnto the ende so as the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against vs. And the reason is cleare Mat 16.16 Rom. 11.18 VVee beare not the Roote the Roote beareth vs. VVee are fast knit vnto him that is the Lorde of Life Wee are built vpon a sure foundation Ephes 2.20 Christ himselfe beeing the chiefe Corner stone And Because I am not changed therefore yee are not consumed Oh yee Sons of Iacob And surely in time of temptation this is a sure stay vnto Gods people to consider the manifold priuiledges that follow such as are vnited vnto Christ Now the vse in a word Vse Seeing the godly are thus knit vnto Christ and haue such an vnion and coniunction with him it shews as the happy and blessed estate of all those that are thus vnited vnto Christ in regarde of their manifold priuiledges they enioy by him So the miserable estate and condition of such as are left in their olde sinnes as wild Oliues not plucked vp and planted into the stocke Christ Their nature is not change Christ partakes not with them in their sufferings but the same is inflicted as a iudgment of God vpon them Little comfort can such haue in their life whose hope and glory is but vaine and dyeth with them if not before them Lesse comfort in death inasmuch as Iudgement doeth follow Heb. 9.27 and they are then to giue vp their account vnto God Poore soules if such onely bee happy and blessed who haue the Lord for their God and are thus knit vnto him oh where shal the vngodly and sinner appeare that are solyable vnto al miseries crosses and curses in this life hereafter to bee separated for euer from his glorious presence But of this before And thus much for the first circumstance what it is to Eate and what to Drinke The second fol●oweth and that is what we eate ●nd what we drinke Of this Bread Of this Cup. It is Bread then that we eate 2 Circumstance what it is that we Eate and Drinke ●nd it is Wine that wee drinke ●wo of the most excellent creatures ●hat God ordained for the vse 〈◊〉 comfort of mans life the one ● strengthen mans heart The o●er to glad mans heart For vse ●nd comfort what would wee ●aue more and therefore of all ●her creatures the fittest for ●ch an holy vse Teaching vs ●us much Doct. 6 That the true beleeuer that ●rtakes of Christ Christ euery way a sufficient Sauiour vnto the elect as euery true ●●leeuer doth in this Sacrament shall find him euery way a sufficient Sauiour whatsoeuer our wants are wee shall here finde a Supply made vnto them all for the weake here is Bread to strengthen them For the sorrowfull here is Wine to comfort them And thus doth the Lord by his prophet Esay make a free and a large profer of his heauenly graces vnto his Church yea such good things as shall make a Supply vnto all our wants H●e euery one that thirsteth Esay 55.1 come ye vnto the waters And ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy Wine and Milke without money c. Whereby Wine and Milke c. are to bee vnderstood the graces of Gods spirit yea such good things as wil fit euery man● turne according to their seuerall necessities Some haue Sorrowfull hearts for such he hath wine to comfort them Some are Babes for such hee hath Milke to nourish them Others are feeble ●nd weake for such hee hath Bread to strengthen them ●thers are grown Christians and ●espect their pleasure and vnto ●hem hee hath Let your Soule de●ght in fatnesse So that Christ is all ● all vnto all Col. 1.19 for so saith the A●ostle It pleased the Father that in ●m should all fulnesse dwell And ●his fulnesse wee all receiue grace ●r grace Mat. 1.21 Hee is Iesus a Sauiour ●●d shall saue his people from their ●nes Hee is the way the truth 1. Cor. 10.3.4 ●●d the life and there is saluation ● none other Say wee then ●th the Apostle Lord whether ●ll we goe thou hast the words of ●rnall life It shall little auaile to goe to Saints or Angels or the Virgin Mary to procure a pardon from the Pope indulgence c. in asmuch as for al our wants of what nature soeuer here we may haue supply The reasons followes Reason 1 For first the Lord Iesus Christ he hath satisfied the law fully in the rigor thereof by his death hath remoued the curse euen that iudgement that was due for sinne As also by his obedience merited our peace and procured the blessing So that now we may safely reason with the Apostle If when we were enemies wee were reconciled vnto God by the death o● his Sonne Rom. 5.10 how much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life The reason is cleare Reason 2 Secondly God the Father i● he that was offended with mankinde for his disobedience and he it is that threatneth the curse an● ●●flicteth the punishment now ●ath not he appoynted his own ●onne to bee our peace-maker ●● worke-mans reconciliation ●nd to make Attonment for vs ●ow then can he but be

saying Ier. 3.13 Know thy sins O Ierusalem Lam. 3.39 And againe Wherfore is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sin Let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Where he shewes that for want of this iudging of our selues men are punished and because they will not enter into a narrow search of their owne soules they doe not returne vnto the Lord. So Dauid I considered my own wayes and turned my feete to thy Testimonies Ps 119 5● And the like speece is vsed by the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 2.1.2 Fan your selues oh my people Yea common reason doth require the same before a man can frame himselfe to enter into a right course hee must thorowly bee resolued and perswaded within himselfe that hee hath beene mistaken in his former course of life I might multiply testimonies in this kinde but these shall suffice to direct vs in this duty how necessary this strict tryall and examination of our owne estates is to the iudgeing of our selues Ioel. 2.13 Onely let me adde this that in this our examination we must not only search after our grosse sins Act. 8.22 but euen after our most secret corruptions For true repentance extends it selfe not onely to the grosse euiles of mens liues but euen the most secret corruption of the heart and of the Soule And we must withall consider the Circumstances of our sinnes as when where how we haue committed the same that so accordingly wee may labour for humiliation for the same And herein it shall bee safe for vs to passe thorough the whole law of God and take a viewe of our liues by euery particular commandement that so we may the better come to see and acknowledge our misery and want Vse 1 First then this serues to discouer vnto vs the reason why there is so little faith true repentance in the world why men are no more humbled for their sins and doe not repent of the same Poore Soules they know not that they doe euill such either cannot or do not search themselues they call not their owne wayes to account Now then how can such come to repentance and to haue their sinnes pardoned that neuer yet called their sinnes to account nor questioned their estate Such neuer came as yet where repentance grew Well then I say againe marke well this poynt doe not lightly passe it ouer but esteeme it as the blessed truth of God that the sight and vnderstanding of our owne wandering is the first step vnto eternall life and saluation and to iudge our selues that so wee may in the ende escape the condemnatorie sentence of the Almighty Vse 2 Secondly wee may obserue hence what a singular a fauour of God it is when he doth open a mans eyes to see his miseries to find himselfe like a lost sheepe to haue gone a stray Surely surely this is the begining of al grace true conuersion vnto God Whereas such as are yet ignorant of their own estates or cannot abide to looke into the Law whereby sinne comes to be discouered It is a plaine signe that such a one is in a most desperate case past hope Psal 50. and God himselfe must bee faint to take him into his own hand for sin must be iudged And thus much for the first degree of iudging of our selues our examination of our owne estates The second particular 2 Accusation wherein this iudging of our selues doth consist is Accusation Or the preferring of bils of inditement against our selues and to accuse our selues before God for our sinnes And indeede if wee woulde not bee iudged and condemned of the Lord we must bring our selues as poore prisoners to the barr of Gods iudgment seate And this wee do when wee set our selues in the presence of God and enter into a narrow reconing with our owne Soules and consciences as if now were the day of iudgement To see what our conscience which is as a little God and iudg in our bosom woulde say against vs. And surely the often performance of this duty Note to bring our selues thus into Gods presence to see what an acnount we can make vnto GOD of our liues past will be a good meanes to bring vs to this duty to iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord and where men doe truly come to the sight of their sinnes and vnto true repentance for the same there will euer follow this Accusation for sinne In true repentance there is euermore a disposition to lay to a mans owne charge asmuch as is possible A penitent sinner needs none other aduersarie then his owne conscience he himselfe is his owne foe And this appeares clearely by that of Dauid I haue sinned exceedingly saith he and done very foolishly 2. Sam. 24.10 And it is the practise of Ezra in that confession of his hee makes in the behalfe of the whole Church Our iniquities are increased ouer our heads Esay 9.6 and our trespasses are growne vp to heauen And that of the Prophet Daniel is most excellent to this purpose when he saith Wee haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly Dan. 9.5 and haue rebelled euen by departing from thy precepts and from thy iudgemens How doth the Prophet there accuse for sinne by the acknowledgment of the peoples degrees of sinnes 1. Tim. 1.13 And if we require some examples we may behold Paules practise herein confessing himselfe to bee a Blasphemer an Oppressor c. Yea the Cheefe of sinners And that of the Prodigall who confessed that he had sinned against heauen and against God c. All which as a cloud of witnesses Serue to informe our Iudgement and to settle the same in the truth of this poynt that vnto this iudging of our selues there must be selfe-accusing and indeede where there is true repentance there is in some Vse 1 measure this disposition The vses followe If this accusing of a mans selfe be so necessary vnto the iudgeing of our selues that so we may escape the condemnation of the Lord what shall we say to those that study the Art of mincing and extenuating of sinne poore soules such neuer came where repentance gr●we And yet the world affords thousands of these who notwithstanding thinke themselues to bee in good cause that can put vppon couetousnesse the cloake of frugality and good husbandry vpō drunkennes good-fellowship c so far are many from accusing themselues for sin as that they rather iustifie themselues in their euill wayes Vse 2 But let this serue for matter of instruction vnto vs all that as we desire the pardon of our sinnes to haue some good euidence vnto our owne soules of our repentance to aggrauate our sins to accuse our selues vnto God for our manifold impieties Oh it is an excellent signe of grace in a man to think he can neuer lay enough vnto his owne charge Oh this is the onely way to haue our