The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Treatises · Treatise 5
CHRISTIANS Ingrafting into CHRIST.
1 Cor. 12. 13.
For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Grecians, whether we be Bond, or Free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
WEE have ſpoken of Regeneration, which is a work of the Spirit, and the firſt implanting of a man into Chriſt: Now we come to ſpeak of a new work of the Spirit, The implanting of a man into the Church, the Body of Chriſt, when the Spirit makes a man to be a Member of the Myſtical Body of Jeſus Chriſt; and this is done all under one; for being once ingrafted in Chriſt, we come to be fellow-Members with all thoſe that are Chriſts; and this we have here in the Text, By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body, &c. The Apoſtles meaning is this, All we that are the people of God, we are all one Body; and the efficient cauſe of this, is the Spirit of God, it is by the Spirit that we are made thus, and the inſtrumental cauſe, though it be not here expreſſed, yet it is implyed, and that is Faith; and the means of confirming this Faith are the Two Sacraments: Firſt, The Sacrament of Baptiſme, we are baptized into the ſame Body. Secondly, The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, intimated in one part of it, namely, the Cup, which is put for the whole, and are made all to drink of the ſame Cup, we are all of one and the ſelf ſame Body; as many as are in Chriſt, are endued with the ſame Spirit; not one endued with one Spirit, and another endued with another Spirit, but by one Spirit we are Baptized into one Body; our Baptiſme is one, and our Food one; it is altogether one, though our condition in the world be never ſo different, bond, or free, though our Countrey, and Nation, and Pariſh be never ſo various one to another, one of one, and another of another, Jews and Gentiles, we are all baptized into one Body, and this is done by one and the ſelf-ſame Spirit.
Now to ſpeak of the putting of a man into the Body of Chriſt: We will ſhew you theſe Five things.
Firſt, What this Body of Chriſt is.
Secondly, What this putting of a man into it is.
Thirdly, That this is done by the Spirit of God.
Fourthly, How the Spirit of God doth it: How a man is made part of the Body of Chriſt.
Fifthly, The Application of the Point.
For the Firſt, What is this Body of Chriſt, which is Spirit of GodVVhat this Body is. doth ingraft his people into? In a word, It is the inviſible Church of God: which is a peculiar company of men and women, out of all Nations under heaven predeſtinated to eternal life, gathered together by the Word, and made all one in Chriſt: This is the Body of Jeſus Chriſt: ſo that here are Five Things that are to be opened.
Firſt, It is the Church of God; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Col. 1. 18. He is The inviſible Church of God.the Head of the Body, the Church: So that the Church is the Body of Chriſt, that ſame peculiar company of men and women, as Saint Peter calls them, You are a choſen generation, a peculiar people, a royal prieſthood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Author to the Hebrews calls them, The Aſſembly of the firſt born, Heb. 12. 23. And Chriſt himſelf calls them, A little flock, in regard of the multitude of other people that is in the world, and are not of this brother-hood: Now I call this inviſible, for though their perſons, and courſes, and manner of life be ſeen and known, and they may be known who they are, yet all of them were never known, nor ever will be; there may be more then we can tell, and fewer then we think of; The foundation of God is ſure, having this ſeal, The Lord knoweth who are his, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord had ſeven thouſand in Iſrael that had not bent their knees to Baal, when Eliah could ſee never a one: So that this is the Firſt Thing; it is the inviſible Church of God.
Secondly, It's ſuch a company as is gathered out of all Nations under heaven; Gathered out of all Nations.As Saint John ſpeaks, Rev. 7. 9. After this, behold and loe, I ſaw a great multitude of all Nations, and Countryes, and Tongues, &c. Though it be a little Flock in reſpect of the Reprobate; yet it is a great multitude conſidered in it ſelf: and they ſtood before the throne, and before the Lambe, with long white Robes, and with Palms in their hands: This white Robe is the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Jeſus imputed, which begets another Righteouſneſſe which is inherent in ſome meaſure; and the Palms in their hands, is the ſign of Victory over Sin, Death, and Hell; and this is a great multitude: and it was out of all Cities, and Nations, and Kindreds of the world; and therefore our Saviour Chriſt, ſpeaking of his own taking of this company home unto himſelf at the laſt day, ſee what he ſpeaks, Mat. 24. 31. He ſhall ſend his Angels with a great ſound of a trumpet, and they ſhall gather his Elect from the four Winds, from the one end of the Earth to the other: The Lord gathers here one, and there another, as a man would gather a Poſie in a Garden, here a flower, and there a flower. This is Another Thing in the Body of Chriſt: it is a Company gathered out of all Nations, and People, and Places, at one time, or other.
Thirdly, This ſame godly Company, are a Company of Predeſtinated Predeſtinated unto life.men unto Eternal life. For there are none but the choſen of God that are the true Body of Chriſt; this is a company only of Elect men, and women, and babes; therefore they are called Elect, Rom. 8. 33. They are ſuch a company as are written in the Lamb's Book of life, Rev. 21. 27. Therefore all thoſe that ſeem to be of God, and go a great way with the people of God, and yet turn back, as Orphah from Naomi, Ruth 1. They were never of this number, 1 Joh. 2. 19. They were not of us, they went out from us; if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: So that it is only the Elect of God that are of this Company, that are the Members of this Body.
Fourthly, It is ſuch a godly Company as is gathered by the Word of God: Begotten again by the VVord.The Word of God gathers them together; they, as well as other people by nature, are of another Body, of another Corporation, as vile, and as wretched, and as miſerable in themſelves, if left to themſelves; but God found them when he paſſed by them, and ſaid to them, Live; they were defiled as well as others in their bloud, but the Lord turned their hearts by the Word, and doth beget them again thereby: This is that immortal ſeed whereby God doth beget them again unto eternal life.
Fifthly, They are ſuch a company as are made one, knit and combined together in Chriſt; though themſelves are never ſo many, and never ſo remote and diſtant from one another, may be they never ſaw one another, nor ever heard of one another, one lives in one Country, another in another; one in one pariſh, another in another, and have little bodily communion, and are not known one to another; may be ſome of this company are in heaven already, and ſome upon earth; yet they are all one in Chriſt, they all meet together in one heart and ſoul in Chriſt Jeſus, they are all of one minde in him, as being all one body, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 12. 12. And they are all one ſeed, Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his ſeed were the Promiſes made. He ſaith not, To ſeeds, as if they were many; but, To thy ſeed, as of one, that is Chriſt: that is, which is Chriſt, and all that are Chriſts; they are one ſeed, the ſeed of the woman; indeed all men come forth of the womans loins, the wicked as well as the godly, only here is the difference, The one is the ſeed of God, the other of the Serpent: Now Chriſt, and all that are Chriſts, are one and the ſelf-ſame ſeed; though they are different in Place, different in Countrey, different in eſtate and condition; ſome Jews, ſome Gentiles, ſome Bond, ſome Free, ſome Noble, ſome Mean; yet they are all one in Chriſt Jeſus, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Gal. 3 28. There is neither Jew nor Grecian, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus. 'Tis true, you are different among your ſelves, one is a maſter, another a ſervant, one is a rich man, another a poor man, ſo there is a difference; but they are all one in Chriſt Jeſus, they have all one and the ſelf-ſame Faith, they have all one and the ſelf-ſame Father, there is but one Lord, and one Spirit to quicken and unite them all: Thus we ſee what this Body of Chriſt is.
Now in the Second place, What it is to be put into this Body; to be implantedVVhat putting into this Body is. into it, to be knit into this Body: I Anſwer, in a few words it is this:
It is a part of a mans Ingrafting into Chriſt by Faith, whereby a man is ingrafted into the Body of Chriſt, having one common life with all the reſt of the Members for mutual conſent, and profit, and care, and help, and ſympathy, or fellow-feeling.
Firſt, It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Chriſt; For the ingraftingA part of our ingrafting into Chriſt. of a man into Chriſt, and into the body of Chriſt, are not Two things, but God doth them by one and the ſelf-ſame act, as you may ſee, Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Chriſt, and every one Members one of another: that is, by being Members of Chriſt, and by being ingrafted into Chriſt, we come to have fellowſhip, and conjunction, and joyning one with another: it muſt needs be the ſame work, for the putting a man into Chriſt in whom are the other Members, that very act makes a man to have fellowſhip with Chriſt, together with all the other Members, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 11. 17. Though ſome of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wilde olive tree, waſt grafted in for them, and made partaker of the root: When a man is ingrafted into this Olive tree, he is ingrafted with the reſt of Chriſts Members, and he doth partake together with the other Members of the ſame root, and of the ſame Gifts, and Graces, God doth both under one: Therefore though I handle this after the other, it is becauſe I cannot handle them both at once. Saint John ſaith, 1 Joh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowſhip one with another; So that if a man be in Chriſt, he hath communion with the Body of Chriſt; if he hath fellowſhip with Chriſt, he hath fellowſhip with the Body of Chriſt; ſo that you ſee the Spirit doth both by one and the ſelf-ſame act, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Epheſ. 2. 12. Ye were at that time without Chriſt, and aliants from the common-wealth of Iſrael: It is all one thing to ſay that a man is out of Chriſt, and an Aliant from the common-wealth of Iſrael, without that corporation, without that Body, he is no Member of that Body; therefore it follows on the other ſide, If a man be in Chriſt, and ingrafted into Chriſt, then he is of this ſociety, he is of the common-wealth of the Iſrael of God: So that this is the Firſt Thing, It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Chriſt.
Secondly, This likewiſe is done by Faith: When a man is ingraftedVVrought by Faith. into Chriſt, he is ingrafted into him by Faith: As the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 11. 23. And they alſo, if they abide not in unbelief, ſhall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them: As who ſhould ſay, If ever they have Faith, they are ingrafted into Chriſt; it is Faith that ingrafts a man into Chriſt, and the ſame Faith that makes a man to be of the Body of Chriſt, that puts a man into the number of the Members of Chriſt; as Paul ſaith, To Titus my Son in the common Faith, Tit. 1. 4. that is, it is ſuch a Faith as doth not only ingraft this man into Chriſt, but the very ſelf-ſame Faith, another man having it, it doth ingraft him into the Body of Chriſt too: So that it is a common Faith, whereby one is ingrafted into the Body of Chriſt as well as another, as Act. 2. 44. They were all of one minde, and one heart, they all hung together as one body, they imparted their gifts, and things they had, even to their very Lands and Goods, one to another; here was a ſweet communion: but then, what was the reaſon of this? What was the Inſtrument that wrought this? It was Faith; for the text ſaith, they were believers, or elſe they could not have done it: And therefore as we are ſaid to come to Chriſt, ſo to the Body of Chriſt, as Heb. 12. 22. But ye are come to Mount Zion, to the City of the living God, the celeſtial Jeruſalem, and to the company of innumerable Angels; and to the congregation of the firſt born, which are written in heaven. You are come, he ſpeaks of a ſpiritual coming by Faith: So that this putting into the Body of Chriſt, is by Faith.
Then in the Third place, It makes a man have a common life with all the Making us have common life with other Members.reſt of the Members of Jeſus Chriſt: As you may ſee, Col. 3. 4. When Chriſt which is our life ſhall appear; ye alſo ſhall appear with him in glory▪ Chriſt who is our life; We that are the people of God, Chriſt is our life, we have one and the ſelf-ſame life, all one and the ſelf-ſame minde in the wayes of God; As it is ſaid, Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one ſoul; all the people of God in the whole world would quickly be acquainted if they were brought together, for they are all of one and the ſelf-ſame diſpoſition and mind; As our Saviour ſpeaks to his Father, Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one, as thou art in me, and I in thee, ſo that all they may be one in us: As the Three Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity are three diſtinct Perſons, and yet are all one; ſo in ſome ſenſe, the Members of the Body of Chriſt, though they be of ſeveral callings and conditions in the world, yet they are all one, that they may be all one as we are one, verſ. 21. They all live by the ſame rule, and walk by the ſame rule, they are all guided by the ſame Word, and ſwayed by the ſame Commandment, they all walk in one Way, they all Pray by one and the ſelf-ſame Spirit, they have a life that is common: look as one lives, ſo lives another; look as one repents, ſo another repents; look as one believes, ſo another believes; and look as one apprehends of God, and comes before him with affection, and fear, and trembling, ſo doth another; though they never ſaw one another, yet they all meet in the ſame life, for they have the ſame root of life, the ſame cauſe of life.
In the Fourth place, It makes a man to be of one conſent with all the people It makes of one conſent with all the people of God.of God every where; As you may ſee, Zeph. 3. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to ſerve him with one conſent. The Lord helps them all to Pray after one pure language, and gives them all one pure conſent in the Service of God (though it is in different degrees indeed, one ariſeth to an higher pitch than another) therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beſeech you brethren, by the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ye ſpeak all the ſame things, that there be no diviſions among you: As who ſhould ſay, All the Members of Chriſt are ſo, I beſeech you endeavour to have this ſign of being Members of Chriſt, be all joyned together in the ſame mind; it is true, that this union, and conſent, and agreement, and oneneſs of heart and mind (as I may call it) is very imperfect, but in ſome it is more imperfect then it is in other; ſome have attained to a further degree, there is a great deal of unlikeneſs of affections, a great deal of unlikeneſs in Prayer, a great deal of unlikeneſs in Obedience, there is a great deal of jarrings now and then through weakneſs; but as the Apoſtle ſaith, As far as we have attained, let us be thus minded, Phil. 3. 15, 16. Let us walk by the ſame rule, and mind the ſame things; the Children of God throughout the whole world, they are of one mind, as far as they have attained, though in Faith, in Repentance, in new Obedience they differ gradually in their attainments, yet they all agree in this conſent of judgment, That ſin muſt be hated, that a man muſt live in no ſin, that a man muſt yield Obedience to all Gods commandments, that a man muſt deny himſelf in all things, that in all things God muſt be glorified; they all agree that we are Members one of another, and that we muſt love one another, and forgive one another, as God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven us; they all agree in this, They are all of one mind: and as one is mortified, ſo is the other; and as one is meek and gentle, ſo is the other: It is true indeed, one hath attained further then another; but whereunto they have attained, they are all alike minded: Now whereunto we have not attained, God will reveal it in his good time unto us, ſaith the Apoſtle: May be one ſeeth ſuch a thing is a duty, which another doth not, yet all ſee that it is their duty to fear God, and obey him in all their wayes, and they all ſet themſelves to hate and oppoſe all manner of known ſins: As far as they have attained, they are all of one minde.
Fifthly, All this is for mutual profit, and help, and care, and ſympathy, For mutual care and help.as you may ſee delivered by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 12. That it muſt be for mutual profit, ſee the ſeventh verſ. The manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal; that is, when the Spirit of God doth manifeſt himſelf in one man one way, and in another man another way; he gives one man (may be) the gift of Teaching, to another man the gift of Knowledge; ſome have excellent gifts in one kind, ſome in another (but all have the gifts of new Obedience.) Now look whatſoever gifts they are, whenſoever the Spirit doth manifeſt it ſelf to any Member of the Body of Chriſt, it is to be helpful and uſeful to others, ſo that the Members of Chriſt need one another: that you may ſee, verſ. 21, 22. The eye cannot ſay to the hand, I have no need of thee: nor the head to the foot, I have no need of thee, &c. We cannot be without the pooreſt, and vileſt, and contemptibleſt Member in the Body; nay, the very life of the Body may depend upon the vileſt Members.
So again, That they are to care for one another; That you may ſee in the 25. verſe; Leſt there ſhould be any diviſion in the Body, but that the Members ſhould have the ſame care one for another. You ſee how it is in the Body of a man, the head hath care of the feet, it guides the feet; and the foot hath care of the head, to hold it up, and carry it up and down; and the hand is uſeful for the relieving of any part, they have all the ſame care one of another, ſo it is in the Body of Chriſt. And for a Sympathy, ſee it in the 26. verſe, Wherefore if one Member ſuffer, all ſuffer with it; and if one Member rejoyce, all rejoyce with it; all have a fellow-feeling of one anothers neceſſities and comforts. Therefore when the Spirit of God doth implant a man into the Body of Chriſt, it is all one with the implanting a man into Chriſt, he doth give him a common life, one minde and heart, he doth give them all natural help, and natural care one of another, for they have need one of another.
In the Third place we muſt ſhew, That the Spirit doth this, And why he That this is the Spirits work.doth it.
Firſt, That it is the Spirit that unites and tyeth all theſe Members together; This makes them hang together; therefore it is called, the unity of the Spirit, Eph. 4. 3. He exhorts the Epheſians that were the Members of Chriſt, to keep the unity of the Spirit; becauſe as the Members of Chriſt are united to Chriſt, ſo they are united mutually by the Spirit; Therefore take heed (ſaith the Apoſtle) to keep the unity of the Spirit, that you may be of one mind, and one heart: Therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Body of Chriſt, he compares it to a building; A building conſiſts of divers bricks, and ſtones, and timber, which being joyned together, make up an houſe: So the Members of Chriſt being joyned together, make up an houſe for God to dwell in: But who makes this? The text ſaith, the Spirit of God, Eph. 2. 22. The Spirit of God makes up this bleſſed building, all the elect of God, all the faithful, all the heirs of Grace in the world, are as an houſe or body: though there be never ſo many parts in it, yet they make all but one body or houſe, ſo it is here; Now the Spirit unites theſe, and layes them artificially together, ſo that they may prop one another. Ezek. 11. 19. The Lord there ſpeaking of his Elect, I will give them (ſaith he) one heart, and make them of one mind; How will he do it? I will put a new Spirit within them; And ſo he makes them to be of one and the ſelf-ſame mind.
Now the Reaſon, Why the Spirit of God doth do this, is,Reaſons why the Spirit of God doth thus unite to the Body of Chriſt. None but the Spirit is able.
Firſt, Becauſe none elſe beſides the Spirit is able to do it: For by nature we are wofully and fearfully different from the Body of Chriſt, we are of another nature, of another kind, of another life; nay, we are contrary to it: all the Members of Chriſt, they are as young ſucking children; but wicked men, and all men by nature are Lions, and Leopards, and Bears, and Tigers, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 11. 6. 7. Now the Prophet there ſpeaking how Chriſt means to effect it, is to unite theſe together, to make the Lion and the Lamb to have communion together, to make the Bear and the Kid to lye down together: Mark how he ſheweth how Chriſt will do it, in the ſecond verſe of the ſame Chapter, the text ſaith, The Spirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him; he ſpeaks of Chriſt; that is, whereas this requires a great deal of power to do this, to make a man to be clean contrary to his nature; whenas a mans nature is carnal, and wicked, and earthly, to make him of the Body of Chriſt; therefore ſaith the text, The Spirit of Might ſhall be upon him, &c. There is a great deal of Might required to turn their diſpoſitions: it is a mighty thing to change a man that is a drunkard, a proud perſon, a wicked wretch; to turn this man topſie-turvy, to make him mind other things, to make him clean another man; this requires infinite wiſdom: Therefore the Spirit of Wiſdom ſhall reſt upon him to do it; and the Spirit of Knowledge, and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord; that is, the Lord Jeſus ſhall put in the Spirit of Fear into mens hearts, and this will turn them, this will alter mens minds, and converſations.
Secondly, There is none ſo fit as the Spirit of God to do it: For thisNone but the Spirit is fit to do it. Body of Chriſt, it is a company of Sons and Daughters that God hath up and down in the world, that are able to cry, Abba Father: now who is ſo fit to do this as the Spirit of the Son? As the Apoſtle ſaith, That he might redeem them that were under the Law, that they might receive the Adoption of Sons, Gal. 4. 5.
Fourthly, How the Spirit of God doth this; and that is Two wayes, asHow the Spirit doth Unite to Chriſt's Body. By being one and the ſame ſpirit in all Members. the Scripture reveals to us.
The One is, By being one and the ſame Spirit in all the Members of Chriſt: He comes into them, and dwells in them as one and the ſelf-ſame Spirit, and ſo makes up this union: The ſame Spirit that was in Paul, was in Peter; and ſo all the reſt of the Members of Chriſt one and the ſelf-ſame Spirit is in them, 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that yeare the Temple of God, and that the Spirit dwelleth in you? Therefore look what Spirit of Faith one man hath, another comes to have the ſame Spirit of Faith: as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the ſame Spirit of Faith with them, as it is written, I believe, and therefore I ſpeak; ſo we believe, and therefore we ſpeak.
Secondly, The Spirit doth this by uniting and tying a knot between theſe By tying a knot between all the Members.Members: He doth unite them, and make them hang together in one; he makes them to be of one heart, and of one ſoul by knitting and combining of their hearts all together: Therefore this fellowſhip is called the fellowſhip of the Spirit, Phil. 2. 1. Though Paul were far off from Philippi, yet he could adjure the Philippians by the fellowſhip of the Spirit. But you will ſay, How can this be? Can the people of God have communion and fellowſhip one with another when they are ſo far aſunder one from another, and may be never ſaw one another, may be never heard one of another? How can this be? I ſay, Very well: for the Spirit of God hath a long arm, and is able to make the people of God ſhake hands, though they be a thouſand miles aſunder; it is the Spirit that tyeth this knot, and unites them together: As Paul ſpeaks, Col. 2. 5. Though I be abſent in the Fleſh, yet I am preſent with you in the Spirit; and methinks I am in your company and meetings; when you meet together; I ſee you in my mind methinks, and I joy in your order: The Spirit makes the communion between the people of God; and hence it is that they can love one another, becauſe all the Members are tyed together by one knot; and they come to help one another, and do any thing one for another; even by the very love of the Spirit which they have one towards another, Rom. 15 30. The Apoſtle had ſome need of the good Romans to help him: Now ſee how he doth intreat help from them: he deſires them by the love of the Spirit, to pray heartily for him: he knew that the love of the Spirit would be a great motive to them: you know you and I are joyned together by the ſame Spirit, for the love of the Spirit pray for me. Thus we ſee,
Firſt, What this Body of Chriſt is.
Secondly, What the putting a man into this Body is.
Thirdly, The Reaſons why.
Fourthly, How the Spirit doth it.
Now I come to the Ʋſes.Ʋſes. The want of the Spirit is the cauſe of difference.
And Firſt, Is it ſo that the Spirit of God doth unite all the Saints of God together in one Body? Then here we may ſee the reaſon of the difference of men in the world: The difference of our Congregations; ſome companies that hang together are of one mind, another of another mind; the reaſon is, they have a different Spirit; but all the Saints of God have the Spirit of God which makes them hang together; and the wicked, they have another Spirit.
Secondly, Doth the Spirit of God joyn all the Saints of God together inLet none put aſunder what the Spirit joyns. one Body? Then that which God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder. It is ſpoken in regard of man and wife; if it be ſuch a horrible thing to part man and wife, then what a horrible thing is it to part Saint and Saint that are joyned together by the Spirit of God; this bleſſed communion of the Spirit, what a fearful thing is it for a man to root it out? When there ſhall be heart-burnings and ſtrivings between thoſe that are the children of God, what a fearful thing is this? Is the number of those that fear God ſo great, that we can ſpare any? Or are the Graces of Gods Spirit Wilderneſs Graces, that can walk alone and need no help from, or can do no good to others? Therefore the Apoſtle prayeth God in the behalf of the Corinthians, That the Members of Chriſt may be of one minde, and live in peace, 2 Cor. 13. 11.
Thirdly, Here we may ſee how to try our acquaintance, and whether To try our acquaintance hereby.the company we joyn our ſelves unto, be good or no: If our company be right, the Spirit of God tyeth the knot; therefore the Apoſtle will tell you, whether you have the right communion and fellowſhip, or no; try the ſpirits, whether they be of God or no, ſaith he, If the fellowſhip we have one with another be not of God, if the Spirit of God do not knit us together, our fellowſhip is not right. 1. Joh. 1. 3. there is an excellent place, That they may have fellowſhip with us (ſaith he) and truly our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt: As who ſhould ſay, We would fain have you have fellowſhip with us; and I tell you what kind of fellowſhip you muſt have, if you be acquainted with us, you muſt have fellowſhip with the father, and with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for our fellowſhip is with the Father and his Son Jeſus Chriſt: ſo that we may ſee, whether our Company be right or no, by this.
The Laſt Ʋſe is this, Is it ſo that the Spirit of God joyns all the SaintsTo ſtir up a ſympathy amongſt the Saints. of God together in one Body? Then we ſhould have a fellow-feeling with all the Members of Chriſt: Do not ſay thou art a Member of the Church of England, and not of France, or Germany; do not ſay thou art a Member of this Pariſh, but not of another; do not ſay ſo, for if thou art a Member of Chriſt, there is one Body, and one Spirit, Eph. 4. 4. If there be one Body, there muſt be one Spirit; and therefore we ſhould have a fellow-feeling.
But how ſhall we have a fellow-feeling with the Members of Chriſt?How to work, maintain, and expreſs this ſympathy. By informing our ſelves concerning one another.
I ſay, Firſt, We muſt inform our ſelves as much as we can concerning one another; As when the Ark of God was among the Philiſtims, old Eli, though he gave way too far to his Sons wickedneſſe, yet was he very careful of the Ark and people of God; and therefore (1 Sam. 4. 13, 14.) he went out and ſate in the high-way, that ſo he might hear, in the firſt place, what was the news; and you know how his heart trembled when he heard that the Ark of God was taken: So it was with David, when any came out of the Camp of Iſrael, he ſaith to them, What is done I pray thee? 2 Sam. 1. 4. So we ſhould enquire concerning one another.
Secondly, We ſhould viſit our fellow-members: As it is ſaid of Moſes, By viſiting our fellow-Members.though he were a great Courtier in Pharaoh's Court, yet he went out to look upon his Brethrens burthens, Exod. 2. 11. he would be ever and anon ſteping out to ſee how his brethren fared, and how did this affect his heart with their trouble?
Thirdly, We ſhould lay to heart their Afflictions: It is a ſtrange thingBy laying to heart their afflictions. how the people of God in all ages, have been affected with the Afflictions of the Church; nay, though they have not ſeen it, but only fore-ſaw what would be afterwards; As Eliſha wept when he fore-ſaw what cruelty Hazael would uſe towards the People of Iſrael, 2 King. 8. 11, 12. So Daniel, Dan. 8. 27. when God revealed the Afflictions of the Church to him two hundered years before it ſhould come to paſs, yet when he heard of the Affliction that ſhould fall out, the text ſaith, that Daniel fainted; and how can we think that the Spirit of Chriſt hath united us into one Body, when we have not this diſpoſition in our ſouls?