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V
ELI
O.
Ephefian:r,C-hap.
I;
I
n;
would needs
beat
his
owne
hand
:
By
nature
all
are
without God.
Se-
condly,
weare fcattered from
Chrift,like
Sheepe
in
the values of death,
running after
the
Wolfe,
and leaving
the Shepheard
of
our
foules.
Thirdly,
we are divided
one from another
; a
man being
by
nature
a
Wolfe to
a
man,
his feet
being
(Witt
to
flied
bloud, further then God
rcftraineth.
Now
for
the order
in
which we
are
gathered. Firft, the
opening
of
2
the Gofpell
loth
gather
us
into one faith. Secondly,
by
faith as
a fpiri-
tuall
finnew
or
Ncrve,it doth
unite
us
with
Chrift,making-tfs to become
one perfon with him,
as
man and
wife,
in
Law,
make
one perfon.
Thirdly, It doth
thus unite
us
with
God,
as
a
woman
marrying
a mans
naturali
forme,
becommeth
upon it
daughter
in
law
to him,
with whole
Tonne
The
is
one by marriage:
Yea, we
are
fo much fleeter
to God; by how
much
God
and
Chrift
arc
more neerely united,
then
any naturali fonne can
be with
his naturali
Parent,
who
cannot have
the
felfefame fingular
being
his
father hath, but one
in
kinde like
unto him,
and
derived from him. Fourthly, we by being
gathered
to Chrift,
are
gathered
to
the whole
body
of
Chrift,
to
all
who exift under him,
by
a kinde
of
pure
fubordination,
as
Angels
are fpirituall generation
from him,
as it
is
in
all redeemed
by him,
the
..
ngelsbecomming
miniflring
fJ+irits
far
our good
, and we
moltltriEìly
knit
withal' both
in
heaven
earth, already
in
Chrift
;
not onely
that
we are under one
head with
them, but
we are quickned
with one fpirit,
and contained
together,
as
the members
of
a
naturali
body
are
both
contained
and
quickned
by
one
foule.
Nay,
we are
gathered to
all
who
in
Gods predeftination belong to
Chrift:
As one borne
of
this
or that
man,
is
not
onely
lincked
with
chofe
brethren
he
hath
in
prefent, but bath
a
refpeEt
of
confanguinitie,
to
all
that
may be
got-
ten
of
him,
fo
it
is
with
us
i
from
what
time
Chrift
bath
brought
us,
by
a
fupernaturall nativitie,
to be borne
of
him,
we have a refpeet
of
neare
conjunélion
to
all,
who
arein
time
to be brought
to faith by him.
Who
can unfold
the
fociety which
the Gofpell
revealed
cauferh'
The
Vfe is,firft
to
move us,that we would confider
of
Gods
gracious
VA
r.
purpofe, according ro
which
he
revealeth
the
doctrine
of
his
Sonneto
us.
What
doe we it for,
but
to bring you
to Chrift
;
Even
as
a
friend,
which
goeth
betweene
his lover and
his
love,
fo
Chrift
fendeth
us
with
that
his
minde,
that
we might winne you
to him.
It
were
happineffe
fora
poorewoman
to be
contranìed
to
a
man vertuous,
wealthy,honou-
table
;
but what
(hall
be thy happineffe, when thou fhait
by
anunfained
faith, have
got thy
felfe
contracted unto
Chrift Refute not wifdome
rrov.9.
fending
forth
her maids; refute
not God,
fending out
his
fervants, and
Mats:.
inviting
you tocome
and partake in his
Sonne
Chrift,
and all
his
bene-
fits,
to forgiveneflè
of
finnes, and falvation
of
your
foules, left you
by
defpifing his
grace,
molt highly
provoke
his
indignation.
We
fee
the
vaine Hander
of
the
world;who
fay,the Gofpell marreth
Yf.
2,
all fellow
fhip
:
Indeed
it
doth
breake fometime
good fellowfhip,falfely
fo called
;but
it
breedeth
and
holdeth together
al
fellowfhip
that
is
good
L
3
indeede;