49° An Expoption of the Epiple ~--~------~~~~--~~~~--~~------~ and proportionable,) than he cloth to the mifiical body. And fo much for thofe Sermo11 two difiindions. XXXVf. Now, Why cloth this come in, which u hu Bod)? ~ Itcometh in upon a twofold conlideration. Firfi, To !hew the nearnefs of the relation that Jefus Chrifi hath to his Church and his Church hath to h1m.. He 1s not a head only as a ruler, but he is a head as a N•tural head to a body; he 1sfo a head to his Church which is his body; Secondly, To !hew that he IS aifected ro them,to the Saints,as the head is to the body. I might handle many. things here concerning the Churchc·s being a body to Chrifr wherem the limditude holdeth, but J!hall not be able to do that and dif– patch \"hat I am yet to d~- I !hall only make this ufe of it. That a body and the members of 1t are umted one to another by the nearefr union, by a union of fenfe, fo faith the Apo(lle, 1 Cor. 12, 12. As the BadJ is 011e and bath many Members, and all th~ Members of that 011'_ Body, bei11$ mm!Y, are o11e Body, Jo alfo is.Chri(l. Here IS a umon. And the mference ol the Apofile from thence is this, verfe 25. That there {j;ould be nofchifm in the Body, but that the Mem– bers fbotttd have theflme care one of mwther, and whether o11e Membrrfujfer all th~ Manbers /ttffer w1th tt, Th1s IS the inference the Apofile makes of the Churches being a body. Now let me make but an Obfervation upon the former difiintbon mentioned. I told you there is a Sacramental body of Chrifi, Thu u my Body; And there is a Minifierial body of Chnfi, Tottare one Body for ) 'OU are partakers of that one Bread. My Brethren, it is firange to fee and to confider how that thefc two have made the greatefi divilions in the World. Thofe things that are for Communion, (for Chri1t bath· appointed Church fello~lhip for Communion, he bath appointed the Sacrament for the CommuniOn of hiS body, you lhall be one body faith the Apofile by it, Te are Ollt Bread and one Body, for ye are all partakers of one Bread; 1Cor. 1c. 17.) is that which bath caufed the fchifm of the body as I may fo exprefs it in the Apofiles words. For what bath bred the greatefr difference between the Papifls and us of all other points, it is Thu is my Body, It was that chiefly about which all the Martyrs futfered. Amongfi theProteflants what bath made the greateft diffention between the Lt1thmms and the Calvinijls l It is Thi.s i& my Body ; there is though not a Tranfubfiantiation yet a confubitantiation, he is in and with the bread,fo the Ltllhrrmrs hold. Amongfi our felves what bath been the great divifion? S•ill,though not about the facramental body, yet about the Minifierial body of Chrifi, Church fellowlhip. The body of Chrifi bath ben the occalion of the rending of the body of Chrifi, As the difpute was about the body of Mofes fo are the difputes about the body of Chrifr. My Brethren, if you cannot agree in Judgment yet agree in heart. Let me but mind you ofthe relation you bear to Chrifr, remember you are his body, and there !hould bo no fchifm in the body,and there would be no fchifm if you did not judge one another for thefe things. Though you are of different minds, here is no fchifm , tor this will be while the Saints are upon the Earth, but the fchifm is in judg1ng one ano– ther, in not being at peace becaufe you differ in judgment. Let me fay to godly men, Agree, you are the body ofChrifr, remember that, let your mifrical relation to Chrifl:, that mifrically you are his body, prevail over all conliderations whatfoever. It is the frronegfr tie in the World. Shall I pro– phecy unto you? Either agree or God will ~a~e you_ agr~e,either with the Sword or with Fire and Fagot. And let me edge 1t with thiS a httle, whrch H hiS Bot~); Oh, my Brethren this word [ hu Body,] it is a fweet word. . You are not only a body among your felves, but confider whofe body you are, you are the body of Chrifr, his Body; the body which he ownetl1, which he filleth, which is more his body than yours, and if you will do nothing out of love one to another as be– cometh Saints, yet do it out of love unto him. I will add this, the word [Hi&] is added alfo to !hew that it is the relation .t!lis body beareth to Chrifi that giveth the excellency to it: This Body would • .have no beauty, no excellency in it if this head flood not on lt, The C6ttrch wbrch u hu Body. So I pafs from that.
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