VEg,33, Epheflan,r,Chap.I. Which confideration doth firftfhew us, that none of thofe who either live knit to Chrift onely by externall profeffion , yea, none of thofe , who receive force effeEts of the fpirir , which for a time onely abide in them , none of all thofe who in the end (hall heare that fentence, Depart fromme, were ever true partsofChrifts body ; for Chrift is made the fuller and compleate by all his true members, and fhouldbe maimed ifhe lackedone ofthem : Thefe, ergo, belonged to his body, as a wooden leggeor glaffe, doth to the body ofa man, or at themolt, as a bunching wenne,which is more inwardly continued, and batha kinde of life,but it is not quicknedas a member of ir,and ther- fore itremaineth the more compleate when fuch are cut offfromit. Is every beleeving foule a member , making Chrift their heade more full e This then Both affure us, that Chrift will keepe us,who are true members of him , and not fuffer any thing to feparate us from him. Is it not a blemifh in the body, wherein one member onely is wanting f So Chrift fhould be maimed, if we were any of us loft, who exift in him, as living members of him. Befide, what naturali head would part with a member , were it in the power of it ftiil to enjoy it Wherefore when Chrift wanteth no power, wee may affure our felves her wanteth no will to preferve us in that union and communion which as members wee have attained with him. This Both let us fee a groundofpatience againft the contempt to which true Chriftians are fubjeól in this prefent world. Men often deeme them the refufeand offall ofall others ; but this may encourage, ChriftBoth thinke fohonourably ofus,thathe counteth himfelfe may- med and imperfeét without us. Ifgreat onesfavour and refpeótus, we patenot what inferiour perfons thinke ofus : So fhould it be here, we should digeft difgrace frommenmore eafily,to thinkethatour great God andSaviour hath us infuch eftimation. Obferve laftly from this defcriptionof Chrift, whofilleth all in all, thatwhatfoever thing is in us as Chriftians,all of iris from Chrift,Colof z. r e.tnhimwe are compleate, filled withall heavenly gifts, which ferve to remove evill, or fetus in Rate of bieffedncfTë; SoCe10J3 .x a. Put on the newman,inwhich Chrift is alin all :For lookeas what ever things are in naturali men, areall from the old Adam, as forexample ; That they are of this compie&ion,this ftature,feature,fexe,in regard of theirbody, thatthey are of(harpe mindes,reachingwits,or otherwife,that they are in this Country,in thiscivili condition, what ever theyhave according to the fafi ion of this world which paffeth, all is from the fir(t Adam: fo looke about thee, what ever thing is to be feene in a Chriftian `as a Chriftian , all is from Chrift this fecond Adam, whof/leth a in aff. Should we have any any thing which we received not from him,. we might fo farrreboaft inour felves, Ergo,We have not any thing which is not given us by Chrift, that all our rejoycing might' be in God through him. He doth furnifh us with the whole fuite of Grace andglory, that his magnificence might not in the leaf} degree S 3 be. 197 Yfe l. Ye 2. j%
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=