338 Di erence betweèn the State of Pfa1. i 30° fo to be. In a word, the due performance of all principal mutual Gofpel Duties, tó the Glory of God and our own Edifi- cation, depends on this fuppofition,that we may have fuch a fa- tisfying perfwafon concerning the fpiritual condition of others as that from thence wemay take our ayme, in what we do. 2. For the grounds hereof, I (hall mentionone only ; which all others do lean upon. This is prefed, r Cor. i i 2, I ;. As the body ie one, and hash_ many members, andall the members of that one body being many, are one body, fo is Chrift. For by ene Spirit we are all Baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. They are all united unto, and hold of one -Ileac!. For as are the members of the body natural un- der one head, So is Chrift myftical, that is, all believers under Chrift their head. And this union they have by the inhabita- tion of the fame quickning Spirit, which is in Chrift their head, and by him they are brought all into the fame fpiritual flare and frame ; they are made to drink into one and the fame spirit; for thi' fame Spirit produceth the fame Effects in them all, thefame in kind though differing in degrees, as the Apofile fully declares, Ephej 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. And this Spirit is in them, and not in the world, John 16. And as this gives them a natu- ralneß in their duties one towards another ; or in mutual caring for, rcjoycing and forrowing with one another, as mem- bers one of another, i Cor. 12. 25, 26. So it reveals and difco- vers them to eachother, fo far as is neccfrary for the perfor- mance of the Duties mentioned, in fuch a manner as becomes members of the fame body. There is on thisaccount a jpiri- tualy natural Anfwering of one to another, as face anfwer- eth face in the Water. They can fee and difcern that in others whereof they have Experience in themfeivcs ; they can tat and reliíh that in others, which they feed upon in themfclves, and wherein the lives of their fouls do confift > the famefpirit of life being in them, they have the fame fpiritual tart and Sa- vour. And unlefs their pallats are diftempered by Ternpta-' tions or falfe opinions, or prejudices, they can in their Commu- nion, tait of that Spirit in each other, which they are all made to drink into a Thisgives them the fame likenefs and *age
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