Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 7 · Part 9
The Church compared to a natural Body.
1 Cor. 12.13. — All baptized into one Body.
Eph. 2.16. — Both unto God in one Body.
Eph. 4.12. — For the edifying of the Body of Christ.
Col. 1.18. He is the Head of the Body, the Church, &c.
Verſe 24. For his Body ſake, which is the Church, &c.
THe Body, foreign, (Soma) is frequently put for the Church or People of God, the Explication of which Trope is conciſely opened in the following Parallel.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| EVery natural Body hath a Head. | SO the Church of God hath a Head, viz. the Lord Jeſus Chriſt:Eph. 1.22. He (God the Father) hath put all things under his Feet, and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is his Body, the Fulneſs of him that filleth all in all. And he is before all things, and by him all things conſiſt. Col. 1.17, 18. Verſe 17. And he is the Head of the Body, the Church, &c. |
| II. The natural Body hath many Members,1 Cor. 12.14, 20. and tho many Members, yet all make but one and the ſame Body. | II. The Chureh of Chriſt conſiſts of divers Saints, called the Members of his Body: Now ye are the Body of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12.27. and Members in particular; and tho many, yet all make but one and the ſame myſtical Body. |
| III. In the natural Body are Members different in Strength, Uſefulneſs, and Honour, as Arms, Legs, Eyes, Feet, Hands, Fingers, &c. But the weakeſt, and thoſe that ſeem leaſt honourable, are very uſeful, and the Body cannot be without them. | III. So in the Church, the myſtical Body of Chriſt, are different Members, both with reſpect to Honour and Uſefulneſs; as Apoſtles, Prophets, Teachers;Eph 4.11. 1 J…h. 2.13, 14. or, as the Apoſtle John hath it, Fathers, young Men, and Children. All are not Apoſtles, all are not Prophets, all are not Teachers, &c. But yet the weakeſt and moſt feeble Saints or Members are uſeful to the Church. As in the Body natural,1 Cor. 12.20, 21, 22, 23. tho the Eye is of greater uſe than ſome other Members, yet the Eyes (or Miniſters, who are as uſeful as Eyes to the Body) cannot ſay to the Hand, (or ſuch to whom God hath given the Riches of this World to diſtribute unto others,) We have no need of thee; nor can the Head ſay to the Feet, I have no need of you. Nay, and thoſe Members of the Body, which ſeem to be more feeble, are neceſſary. |
| IV. In the natural Body, if one Member ſuffer, all ſuffer with it. | IV. So in Chriſt's myſtical Body, when one Saint ſuffereth, all do ſympathize and ſuffer with him. If one ſuffer, 1 Cor 12.26. all ſuffer; and if one Member be honoured, all the Members of the Body rejoyce with him. |
| V. All the Members of the Body natural, take care of, and ſeek the Good of the whole Body, and of each Member in particular. | V. So in the Church of God, every particular Saint doth, and ought always to ſeek the Welfare of the whole myſtical Body of Chriſt:1 Cor. 12.25. That there ſhould be no Schiſm in the Body, but that the Members ſhould have the ſame care one of another. |
| VI. All the Members of the natural Body have their Nouriſhment from the Head. | VI. So all the Members of the myſtical Body receive Nouriſhment from Chriſt, who is the only Head thereof; and from hence the Apoſtle condemneth thoſe falſe Profeſſors, and counterfeit Chriſtians, who pretended to much Piety and Religion, but did not receive their Doctrine and Principles from Chriſt, nor were they united unto him by Evangelical Faith. Not holding the Head, Col. 2.18, 19. from which all the Body by Joints and Bonds having Nouriſhment miniſtred, and knit together, encreaſeth with the Increaſe of God. |
| VII. In the natural Body, betwixt the Members and the Body there is a marvellous Nearneſs, or bleſſed Union. | VII. So there is a wonderful Nearneſs, and bleſſed Union between Jeſus Chriſt, and every Member of his myſtical Body: For we are Members of his Body, of his Fleſh, Eph. 5.30. and of his Bones. |
| VIII. The Body natural encreaſes in Strength, Bigneſs, and Beauty; according to the Age of the Body, is the Perfection and Excellency of it. | VIII. So the Church encreaſes in ſpiritual Strength, Bigneſs, and Glory. The Church is but ſmall and weak now, in compariſon of what ſhe ſhall be, when ſhe is come to her full Growth, and perfect State. There will be a great Addition to the Church in the latter Day: The Lord ſhall riſe upon thee, Iſa. 60.2, to 9. and his Glory ſhall be ſeen upon thee; and the Gentiles ſhall come to thy Light, and Kings to the Brightneſs of thy Riſing. Lift up thine Eyes round about, and ſee; all they gather themſelves together, they come unto thee; thy Sons ſhall come from afar, and thy Daughters ſhall be nurſed at thy ſide, &c. to the end of the Chapter, compared with chap. 66.8, 9, 10. where you may read of the Multitude that ſhall be added to her, and of the Abundance of her Glory. And as ſhe ſhall grow in Bigneſs, ſo likewiſe ſhe ſhall encreaſe in ſpiritual Knowledg, Faith, and Godlineſs.Hab. 2.14. For the Earth ſhall be filled with the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea. All the Officers, and glorious Gifts appertaining to them, that are given to the Church, are for the perfecting of the Saints, Eph. 4.11, 12, 13, 14. for the Work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt, till we all come in the Ʋnity of the Faith, and of the Knowledg of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the meaſure of the Stature of the Fulneſs of Chriſt. |
Inferences.
THis clearly ſhews what infinite Benefit the Godly receive from Jeſus Chriſt, and what Dependency they have upon him. What can the Body do without the Head?
2. How happy are all true Believers! how near and dear are they to the Lord Jeſus! what greater Union is there, than that between the Members and the Head!Eph. 5.29. No Man ever hated his own Fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it, as the Lord the Church.
3. What will become of thoſe evil and wicked Men, that ſeek to deſtroy the Church and Saints of God! Do they not herein ſtrive to break Chriſt's Bones, and tear his Fleſh in pieces? What will they do in the Day of Vengeance,Iſa. 63.4. when he comes forth to plead the Controverſy of Zion.
4. This reproves that Church, that pretends it ſelf to be Chriſt's Body, and yet ſlights and grievouſly neglects his Members, nay, his moſt uſeful Members. The Church ſhould be as careful and tender of her Miniſters, as the natural Body is of its Eyes. Shall the Eye ſuffer, or be in danger of being put out or ſpoiled, and the Hand refuſe to relieve and defend it, when it is in its power?