Vea. 16. ephefanr,Chap.4. . 5o7 ceivingofit, five things mutt leepremifed. I. When the Scripture callethChrift aHead, and us a Body; we muff not conceive of is as properly fpoken, as if Chrift and his mem- bers were naturally without diftance of place , coupled together : Chrift is in the higheft Heavens, weeon earth; but it is a borrowed fpeech, byway of refemblance : for as the Head is firft inorder, and the body is a multitude of members couched under the head, fo Chrift is inall things, having the preeminence, and we are a multitude ofpetfons orderedunder him ; and therefore it is fitly refembled by a King and his Nobles andCommons,hebeing the Head, they the bo- dy; by a Matter ofa Colledge,withFellowes and Schollers,the more and leffenoble members ofthe Colledge under him the Head. , eff. Why then doth the Apoftleufe the comparifonofanaturall heade Anfw. Becaufe that as from the naturall head floweth fenfe and motion into the body : So there isaninternall influenceofgracefrom Chriff into everyone ofus, which in politick heads and bodies is not refembled. 2, It mutt be marked that according to Scripture and foundeft reafon, the head isas the tower in which thefoule principally refi- deth : SoChrift isfuch a Head , who is not man only in our nature, but God, and therefore aquickning Spirit, and the fouleofhis body. 3. Youmuff know that inthe naturall body, no member receiveth any thing from the head, which isnot bybenefit of joyntsand bonds, (which ferve for conveyance from the head to the members) coupled with the head and the cell of the body So wee get nothing from Chrift, till we by faitharecoupled with him, and by love are knit one with another; there are the joyntsand bonds, Ci1.2.z. wherethey are raid tobe knit together in love. q.. You muffknow that the foule (for the prefcrving and periet Ling ofour bodies) doth put forth a vitali faculty which nourifheth and augmenteth the body; for if there fhould not bea furnifhing ofmatter for fupplyof that expence which nature isat uncelfantly, (evenor ten dayes would beall we could indure. 2. For perfecting of the body it putteth fortha quickning vertue that doth increafe us, and make us grow till we come to the full and due ftature which nature bath de- termined : and wherefoever thisfaculty is, there the nutritive is alfo, thoughnot onthe contrary, aswe whenfoeverwe arc increafed , we are nourifhed, thoughafter thirty five yearesof age, when our increa- fing faileth,our nourifhingis Will continued. 5. Concerning this vertueofthe foule which augmenteth the body, youmuff know twothings. Firft ,that k worketh proportio- nably to the parrinwhich it worketh; as forexample, thefame pow- er ofthe foule giveth the headhis increafe, that giveththe finger his, yet intthe finger it worketh not beyond the meafure of a finger. Se- condly, this powerlaffeth but till every member beat his perfection, then it ceafeth : Thus Chriff putteth forthhis vital' forcewhieh doth How Chrift is called anhead, and the faíth- fullmembers. Thesem- blance be- tween Chrift and thenatu- rall head and theCoale.
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