Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Shewing how all Gods people are but one.
THe ſecond Alienation, expreſſing the miſery of men in their corrupt and carnall eſtate, an Alienation from the Common-wealth of Iſrael. Iſrael were once the peculiar people of God, ſet apart by a holy Covenant unto God to be his people above all the people of the earth, from the common-wealth of theſe Iſraelites, the Gentiles before the comming of Chriſt were ſtrangers, and before their calling and converſion by the miniſtery of the Goſpell, they were wholly excluded from the Priviledges and Prerogatives belonging to the Iſraelitiſh people, as being ſtrangers unto their common-wealth. And the Apoſtle expreſſeth their miſery and diſhonourable eſtate, by a Metaphor taken, a iure Civitatis, from the Rights and Priviledges belonging to a City, being no Citizens, no members of this ſpirituall common-wealth, they were excluded from the Lawes, Immunities, Freedomes, and Priviledges belonging to the ſame.
In the words we may obſerve,
1. The Title given to the Church and people of God, a Common-wealth.
2. The Exemption of all prophane men from this Common-wealth, called Aliens to the Common-wealth of Iſrael.
1. Of the Title, which is not proper but metaphoricall, and it may teach us,
Doct.That Gods faithfull people are a spirituall and myſticall Common-wealth. As they are termed a body conſiſting of many members of which Chriſt is the head; a houſe conſiſting of many lively ſtones, whereof Chriſt is the head corner ſtone; an Orchard compoſed of many Trees, of which Chriſt is the planter: ſo they are alſo a ſpirituall, a myſticall Common-wealth, wherof Chriſt is the ſupreame Governour: And Chriſts Church and faithfull people are a ſpirituall Common-wealth.
1. In reſpect of multitude. A Common-wealth conſiſteth of many perſons, the Church of Chriſt of many beleevers, as a body of many members, a houſe of many ſtones, an orchard of many trees, a flocke of many ſheep, and an army of many ſouldiers; though they be but few, a ſmall number, comparatively in reſpect of the prophane multitude, like Gideons three hundred men to the Midianitiſh Hoaſt, A little flocke, a few, a remnant, one of a City, and two of a Tribe, as the Scripture ſpeaketh; yet conſidered ſimply, and in themſelves they are many. One hundred forty and foure thouſand were pRev. 7.4.ſealed, Rev. 7.4. And the Prophet foretold of the converſion of the qIſa 60.abundance of the Sea, and of the comming of the forces, of the Gentiles to the Church of Chriſt.
2. In reſpect of Submiſſion and Obligation to one Law. The people of a Common-wealth, though they be many, yet they are all guided by one Law. Thus the Church of Chriſt, though they be many, and diſperſed farre abroad upon the face of the earth, yet they are all ſubject to, and guided by one divine and ſacred Law; They walke all (as the Apoſtle ſaith) by rPhil. 3.one Rule: All Iſrael were guided by one fiery pillar in their journeyes; All the nations of the earth have one and the ſame Sun, miniſtring light unto them, to guide them in their ſeverall goings: The beleevers of all Nations have one and the ſame word of God, to be the light of their feet, and the lanterne of their paths. Chriſt preſcribes one Law to all his Subjects, one rule of beleeving, obeying and adoring him.
3. In reſpect of Subiection under one Governour. In a Common-wealth there is one chiefe Ruler; in the Church, Chriſt is the ſupreame Governour: He is the Head of this body, the King of this Common-wealth. As the body hath but one Head, and the common-wealth but one King: ſo the Church but one ſpirituall Head, but one divine and heavenly King, which is Chriſt; therefore ſtiled the ſEpheſ. 1.21. Pſal. 26.head over all things unto the Church, and a King ſet upon the holy hill of Syon: The Church is the Spouſe, and Chriſt the Bridegroome; the Church the ſlocke, and Chriſt the chiefe ſhep heard; the Church the ſhip, and Chriſt the Pilate; the Church the family, and Chriſt the Maſter of the houſe, ſtiled by …nt James, Iam. 4.12.one Law-giver, and we by voice from Heaven are commanded to heare him.
4. In reſpect of mutuall and common intereſt in all ſpirituall good things. All the members in a common-wealth have intereſt in the common priviledge and liberties belonging to that common-wealth. All the living members of the Church of Chriſt, have claime and title to all the good things of Chriſt; they are all ſonnes of God, they are all the Lords free-men, they are all Citizens of the new Jeruſalem, they are all members of the ſame myſticall body, they are all heires to the ſame inheritance, and partakers of the ſame promiſes and benefits by Chriſt; All is theirs, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, all is theirs, and they are Chriſts. Ther Sun is alike open and obvious to the eye of the poore, and of the rich. Chriſt the Sun of Righteouſneſſe is alike open and free in the communication of himſelfe to the ſoule of the poore, and rich beleeving Chriſtian; yet this parity of beleevers participation of Chriſt, takes not away the imparity of dominion and ſubiection between themſelves. He that is inferiour in ſanctification, may be ſuperiour in externall eſtate and iurisdiction: For as there are various degrees of ſtate in a common-wealth, ſo there are in the Church of Chriſt on earth.
Ex medico & medico▪ ex ruſtico & ruſtico; ſed ex medico & ruſtico5. In reſpect of Conſtitution and compoſition. A common-wealth, as Ariſtotle obſerves, conſiſteth not of a Phyſitian and a Phyſitian, nor of a countrey man, and a countrey man; but of a Phyſitian and a countrey man: ſo the Church of Chriſt conſiſts not of a Paſtor, and a Paſtor, nor of a hearer, and a hearer; but of a teacher and a hearer, they are neither all teachers, nor all hearers, but ſome Paſtors, and ſome Diſciples, ſome teachers and ſome learners; as in an army ſome are ſouldiers, and ſome are Captaines; in a family, ſome are nurſes, and ſome are ſacking babes; ſome therefore in the Church are commanded to teach, and ſome are enjoyned to learne.
6. In reſpect of ſeparation and diſtinction. A common-wealth is ſeparated and diſtinguiſhed from other Lands, by Lawes, language, habit, priviledges, &c. The Church of Chriſt is ſeparate and deſtinguiſhed from all the reſidue of the world; they are called out of the world, they are a t1 Pet. 2 9. Deut. 7.royall Prieſthood, a choſen generation, a peculiar people, called out of darkneſſe into a marvellous light. They are a holy people unto the Lord their God, the Lord their God hath taken them to be a speciall people unto himſelfe, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth: And they are diſtinguiſhed from all other people by their Originall, they are borne of God; by their Countrey, they are Citizens of the new Jeruſalem; by their language, they ſpeake the language of Canaan, God hath returned to them a pure language: By their habit, they put on righteouſneſſe as a garment, their adorning is not the putting on of gold, or plaiting of the haire, but the adorning of the hidden man of the heart: To be glorious within is their choiſe, and ſpeciall ornament; they are diſtinguiſhed from others as the living from the dead, as the vine from the thorne, as the lambe from the wolfe, as light from darkneſſe: God is their God, and they are his children, and they have priviledges which no other people have beſides them.
7. In reſpect of unity. A common-wealth conſiſting of many particular perſons, makes but one politicke body. All true beleevers are but one myſticall body in Chriſt; therefore the Church is called One. My beloved (ſaith Chriſt) is one, and there is one body, and one spirit (ſaith the Apoſtle) one Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſme, one God and Father of us all. The Church is of one Lord, by one Baptiſme, into one myſticall body, under one head, ruled by one ſpirit, bound with one bond of hope and love, profeſſing one faith, and called with one Calling, to one heavenly Kingdome, built upon the foundation of one Doctrine. As one ſoule doth quicken the many members of the body: ſo the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church. As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rinde: ſo doth one Church containe innumerable people, through the unity of faith; having one Father regenerating them, one spirit enlivening them, one light guiding them, one spirituall food nouriſhing them, one Law binding them, and one Head ruling the in, they are moſt ſweetly and entirely one among themſelves.