Ephefians,Chap.r. VER,23. with the fire kindling; fothis fulneffeofgrace in Chrift, isof the fame nature with that whichit doth infome manner bring forth in us. Laftly, every faithful! foule is governedby Chrift outwardlyand in- wardly, as a member of thebody by the head ; the headdoth notonely Phew the foote whither to goe, but imparts fpirits which (titreup the fa- cultic of moving, and fo caufe it to goe. Thus we are outwardly by Chrifts words diredted, inwardly by his fpirit ; So many as are Chrifls, are led by the firit ofChrifl. TheUfe is,firft for further Confutation: Forif the faithful! havenone for a head,but they are a body tothat perfon, then furely they have not the Pope for their head, inanyproperty offpeech, or theymutt as pro- perlybe faid thebodyofthe Pope ; yet Papifts, who makeno doubt to ufe the other phrafe, ftraine curtefie here, and will not fay the Church is the body ofthe Pope; but they might as well confidently fay, this man isfather to this childe, and yet be afraid to fay, thischilde isforne to fucha man. Seeing we arehisbody, let us not doubt but he bath fellow- feeling with us, anddoth fo farre as may ftand with aglorified condition, com- miferate our diftreffes : Saul, Saul, why perfeeutefl thou me ? He that soacheth you, toucheth the apple of myeye; Can thefingerake, but the bead feelethi ? This doth (hewus our dutie, that we mutt endevour to fubjel our felves wholly to Chrift. If the head would direst one way, and the members take another, what a confufion were this in the naturali body C Let us labour to deny our owne wits, and lay them downe before Chrift ; as ever we will with comfort call upon him to beea head tous, let us behave our felves asobedient members tohim. Some bend the will of Chrift, like a leaden rule, to their owne will, and fo fame they will goe in religion as (hall humour them, and Rand with their pleaftue : But let us know that true religion never beginneth, till in preparation of minde we addreffe our felvesto deny and fub- jedt our roils to that whatfoever Chrift (hall frgnifie as his will, out of his word. Obferve againe, that he faith This body is hisfulneffe, that Chrift Both notcount himfelfe full and compleate, without all his faithful) members ; Hence it is, that while all Chrifts members are gathered, weare Paid not to be growne up tothat agewherein Chrift is full, or to the age ofthe fulneffe ofChrift, Eph. 4. 53. For as it hath pleafed Chrift tomake himfelfeahead tous, we may fay of him, as Saint Paul faith ofthe head, I Car. s z. Can the head fay to the foote, I have no neede ofthee? For as the head is not in full perfedtion, till it have every member, and that in the growth which appertaineth to it; fo Chrift our head is not compleate, till he have all his members, and that in their feverall perfedtions belonging to them ; even as it is between Kings,whoareheads politic ke,and their people,though for their perfons they are never fo compleate, yet the multitude oftheir fubjests addeth no fmall glory to them; So it is twixt Chrift our King,and us hispeople. Which 411
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