vvhiles I walke in this narrow way seeing that it tends to life and saluation but let me goe forward vvithout faynting at any time yea with much cheerefulnesse and delight knowing that all these light and momentary afflictions are no waies worthy of that glory Rom. 8.18 vnto which through the straitnesse of this gate I shall shortly haue passage All that are of the Church visible or militant shall not be of the Church Inuisible and Triumphant MAny haue accesse into the Princes outmost chamber who are not admitted into the chamber of Presence but excluded and shut out from hauing entrance thereinto In like manner Many are brought to the fellowship of the visible Church which is as it were the outmost chamber of the house of God the palace of that great King and a fauour it is that is vouchsafed them herein for all doe not attaine vnto it Psal 147.19.20 but few are so blessed as to be led by the spirit further into that secret and priuie chamber where God shewes his familiar presence Cant. 2.4 and vnto vvhich none are admitted but they vvho are of the communion of Saints Hebr. 12.22.23 of the court of heauen heires of the glory of that coelestiall kingdome where they shall alwaies attend vpon the Maiestie of the highest the great God of the vvhole world O Lord it is thy mercy that thou hast called mee to haue a place in the visible Church here on earth and to liue among thy Israel thy Saints and chosen to enioy thy word and Sacraments and to looke as it vvere Cant. 2.9 through a câ—euis into the holy of Holies for the greatest part of the world haue not obtained thus much How many thousands of Iewes Turkes heathen doe we see at this day excluded and cast out from the lists and outmost bounds of thy Church Reuel 11.1.2 But it is thy vvonderfull and vnspeakeable goodnesse towards me that thou hast admitted me into the chamber of Presence calling me to the blessed fellowship and communion with thy Saints yea vvith thine owne selfe making me one of thy Israel Iohn 14.21.22.23 Gal 2.20 Phil. 3.10 Reue. 3.20 one of thy Saints and chosen a true member of the Church militant heere on earth and heire of the glorious and triumphant Church in the highest heauens where I shall liue with thee for euer Iohn 14.2 17.24 O blessed be thy name for the riches of thy loue infinite grace vouchsafed vnto me herein through Christ Iesus my Lord. Thou mightest iustly haue excluded me as well as others yea euen from the outmost courts of thy Sion but it hath pleased thee O Father to magnifie thy great mercy towards me thy poore and vnworthy creature that so my heart might be drawne vp the more vnto thee and inflamed vvith an vnfained loue of thee O therefore that thou vvouldest knit my heart and soule vnto thee and cause me to set all the affections of my loue ioy and delight in thee to vvhom onely they are due and to whom alone I desire they may be giuen And teach me withall to seeke daily more and more to presse forward and to striue to get nearer accesse vnto thee indeauouring by a holy life and godly conuersation to obtaine full and comfortable assurance that thou hast called me into the communion of thy chosen ones admitted mee into the chamber of thy gracious presence Iohn 8.35 and that I shall abide in thy house for euer euen in those glorious mansions and heauenly habitations vvhere thine honour dwelleth and where all thy Saints shall reigne and triumph vvith thee for euermore The blessed estate of a true Christian in regard of that spirituall and heauenly vnion that is betweene Christ and him OH how blessed a Vnion is there betweene Christ and euery true Christian Who is able to expresse it who doth not admire and vvonder at it It is a great matter for them to be accounted his friends Ioh. 15.13 15. Mark 3.34 Leuit. 25.25 Heb. 2.11.12.13 his kinsmen his brethren his children as all these names and titles he giues vnto them in the Scriptures But this is not all it is not one halfe for they are not onely tyed vnto him by these strait and sacred bonds of friendship kindred and brotherhood but they are made one with him one flesh Ephe. 5.31 Ephe. 5.30 1 Cor. 12.12 Hebr. 2.11 one bodie yea in a sort himselfe hauing his owne name giuen vnto them as afterwards To shadow out this vnion vnto thee by those types as it were and semblances by which the Scriptures haue declared it vnto vs in that maner that our fraile nature is able to conceiue of it for the vveakenesse and shallownesse of our capacity is such as it is not able fully to comprehend it in the excellencie of it Seest thou not what vnion there is betweene the head and the members of the bodie So it is betweene Christ and true Christians They are knit vnto him as it were by the sinewes of the spirit and by the bond of faith as the members of the bodie are vnto the head and from him as from the head Ephe. 1.22 5.23 Gal. 2.20 life floweth into the whole bodie the life of grace and spirituall motion and action is conueyed and communicated vnto the Church and all the faithfull members thereof vvhich are the bodie of Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 Eph. 4.12 Againe this vnion betweene Christ and them is compared to that which is betweene the Vine and the branches So Iohn 15 1.2 that as the stocke and the branches grow together so the faithfull being rooted in Christ and set as it were into him a Rom. 6.5 as branches of that heauenly Vine receiue life and sappe from him growth of all spirituall and heauenly graces It is compared to a fountaine and the waters issuing and steaming therefrom b Ioh. 4.14 Likewise to the corner-stone in a building and the stones that are built vpon the same c Ephe. 2.20.22 For so Christ is often in Scripture compared to the corner-stone vpon which as their manner of building in old time in those parts was the whole building was fastened combined and so reared vp and the faithfull compared to liuing d 1 Pet. 2.5 stones built vpon that sure foundation and thence also called the temple of the holy Ghost e 1 Cor. 3.16 6.19 Ioh. 14.23 Reue. 3. wherein God himselfe dwelleth f â—0 and will dwell for euer It is compared also to the bodie and the apparrell vvhich clothes and couers it and shelters it from cold and raine and from the iniury of the weather whence the faithfull are said to put on Christ g Rom. 13 14 Gal. 3.27 And lastly to the Husband and his Spouse whence Christ is often called the Husband of his Church h Ephes 5.23 Mat. 25.6 the Bridegroome which is preparing for his marriage solemnities and
vnto him in a more strait and neare vnion then the members of the naturall body are knit and vnited vnto the head For they may be seperated from it and so perish but there is no seperation no diuision no dis-vnion possibly to be made betweene d Rom. 8.39 Christ and any one of his members much lesse the whole Church Againe for I had rather bee too plentifull then too sparing in the illustration of this so excellent and so heauenly a truth as all the members of the body are vnited vnto the head and quickened by one and the same soule vvhich animates them and conuayeth naturall life vnto euery one of them So all the faithfull vvhether they be in Heauen aboue or in Earth below of the Church militant or triumphant are ioyned and vnited vnto CHRIST by one and the selfe-same Spirit vvhich comming from the Head CHRIST IESVS giueth spirituall life quickening and motion vnto them so that the vvhole body being coupled and knit together e Ephes 4.16 by euery ioynt receiueth increase of grace by degrees and groweth vp daily more and more till the body of CHRIST vvhich is his CHVRCH bee fully perfected and consumated receiuing the f Ephes 4.13 accomplishment of all Grace and Glory in the highest heauens This is the first meanes whereby this vnion is made betweene CHRIST and the faithfull euen this sacred bond of the Spirit And from this efficacie and operation of the spirit vniting vs vnto CHRIST it is said by the Apostle that wee euen all beleeuers haue drunke into the same g 1 Cor. 12 13 Ephes 4.4 Spirit And againe that wee are baptized into one body that is wee are made one Body vvhereof Christ is the Head Now that other bond by vvhich they are tied and vnited vnto Christ and that on their part is Faith For the Spirit of God hauing begotten a true and liuely faith in vs by the preaching of the Word by meanes of this excellent grace we are vnited vnto Christ For thereby we lay hold on Christ with all his merits and h 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 3.18 Phil. 3.21 1 Ioh. 3.2 Gal. 2.20 benefits and apply them in particular to our selues and so become one vvith him all vvhich he hath done for mankinde being made as proper vnto vs as if it were our owne And hence it is that Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by i Ephes 3.17 Faith Faith is the hand as it were whereby vvee receiue Christ being offred vnto vs in the Word by meanes of it Christ is made ours and we his by an inseparable vnion And thus wee haue at large described that spirituall and mystical vnion vvhich is betweene Christ and the faithfull his members So neare and so strait a vnion that the holy Ghost in Scripture giueth sometimes as was sayd the name of Christ himselfe vnto the Church and calleth it by his owne name euen as the name of the husband by reason of that vnion betweene them is giuen vnto the Wife and she called by his name As k 1 Cor. 12 12. the body is one saith the Apostle hath many members euen so is Christ that is the Church of Christ Such is the nearenesse and efficacie of that spirituall coniunction of Christ and the faithfull that he cals them not onely Christians as sometimes they are l Acts 11.26 named or his Spouse his Sister his m Cant. 5.2 Loue his Doue his Vndefiled c. but euen Christ his owne name Whence also it is that that vvhich is done to the Church or any member thereof he accounteth it as done to himselfe whether it be good or euill The workes of Loue and Charity done to his poore members in the day vvhen hee shall sit vpon his Throne to iudge the World he will pronounce them to haue beene done vnto himselfe I was a hungry n Mat. 25.35.36.40 and ye gaue ME meate I thirsted and yee gaue ME drinke naked and yee clothed ME sicke and ye visited ME c. In as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these MY Brethren yee haue done it vnto ME. And when Saul persecuted the poore Saints of God and breathed out threatnings slaughter against them Christ looking downe from heauen and beholding him cries out vnto him with a loud voice o Acts 9.4 Heb. 4.15 Zach. 2.8 1 Cor. 12.26 Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me The Foote is wounded on earth and the Head feels it and complaines of it from Heauen The persecution or wrong done to his Church or any member thereof he esteemeth it as done to himselfe O my soule raise vp thy selfe vnto the oft and serious consideration of this spirituall and mysticall vnion of the faithfull with Christ their head and Sauiour Oh how full is it of sweetnesse much comfort and inward solace Thinke of it and beleeue it without all wauering and doubting Say not as carnall men are wont and as Nicodemus did in a point of like nature How can this be p Iohn 3.9 6.42 How can Christ being in heauen so farre distant from vs in regard of bodily presence be vnited vnto vs Reason not so as flesh and blood will suggest vnto thee but beleeue this stedfastly and assuredly as if thou beest spirituall and not carnall thou wilt and canst not doe otherwise The trueth of God hath sealed it the Scriptures in many places ratifie and confirme it and it is a great measure of infidelitie to denie it or to doubt of it Thou seest it not vvith the eyes of thy body What then vvilt thou beleeue nothing but that which thou seest with thy bodily eyes then thou wilt not beleeue that there is a Vnion betweene thy soule and thy body for thou seest it not with thine eyes and yet if it were not thou wert a dead man and a liuelesse carkasse Thou wilt not denie but that there is a Vnion betweene man and wife though they be distant in place yea though the one of them be in this country and the other in that for it is a receiued Maxime or rule granted of all that distance of place dissolueth not the marriage-bond both Gods law and mans law so determineth it and wilt thou be so faithlesse as not to beleeue that there is a Vnion betweene that heauenly bridegroome Christ Iesus though he be in heauen and his faithfull members many of them on earth Shall not faith be of more efficacie then nature Thou wilt not denie that which experience teacheth thee except thou beest blinde that the sight of the eye of thy bodie in a moment of time as it vvere and in an instant doth reach vnto the Starres in the firmament and is in a sort vnited vnto them though so many thousand miles distant from thee and wilt not thou graunt much more that faith which is the eye of the soule and of a farre more powerfull and piercing nature may
they what they do whē they do ill vnto thee they strike against the Rock which will dash them in peeces q Isay 8.15 they kicke against the pricke r Act. 9.5 Touch not mine annoynted s Psal 105 15 saith the Lord those that are annoynted with the heauenly graces of my holy spirit yea which is more touch not harme not those that are vnited vnto mee that are as neare vnto me as mine own flesh bones the t Zachar. 2 8 apple of mine eyes most deare and tender vnto me Christ cannot indure this he will not suffer it to goe vnpunished O it is a fearefull thing to be an enemie to the least of Christs redeemed ones Feare v Isay 8.12.13 not therefore the feare of any man that in opposing thee setteth himselfe against Christ thy Sauiour but let them feare and tremble whiles they doe it and trust thou in the Lord and cleaue fast vnto him in all things And seeing he hath linked thee vnto himselfe so neare making thee his Spouse and professing himselfe to bee iealous of x Exod. 20 5. Hos 2.2.7 thy loue see that thou preparest thy selfe so as thou mayest alwayes be ready to bee presented vnto him as a y 2 Cor. 11.2 pure Virgin that so hee may delight z Prou. 8.31 Cant. 4.10 in thee and in thy loue continually O mercifull LORD doe thou vvorke and frame my heart vnto these things daily more and more I humbly beseech thee especially inflame my frozen and benummed affections and kindle in me the sparkes of true and vnfained loue vnto thee who hast dealt so exceeding graciously with me aboue all merits or deserts of mine Oh what a vvonderfull and vnspeakeable loue is this of thee my GOD and Sauiour that thou shouldest picke and cull mee out of the a Gal. 1.4 vvorld a sinnefull vvretch a forlorne person not worthy of the least degree of thy loue a branch of that cursed b Rom. 11.17 5.12 17. roote the sonne of Adam the childe of vvrath perdition for so I must needs confesse I was by c Ephes 2.3 Tit. 3.3 nature as well as others and vnite me so nearely d Ephes 2.13 vnto thine owne selfe as to bee flesh of thy flesh and bone of thy bone one with thee as thou art one with the Father O the depth e Ephes 3.18 of thy loue and infinite compassions towards me It cannot be conceiued it cannot bee expressed vvhat a marueilous degree of loue this is It is vnsearchable boundles bottomlesse O let the meditation of it euen rauish my heart and soule and cause me to breake forth vncessantly into praise and thankefulnesse vnto thee and to seeke by all meanes to shew my loue vnto thee who hast magnified thy Grace Mercy so richly towards me in making me of so wretched a creature so blessed and glorious though the vaile be yet so spread before mine eyes that f Col. 3.3.4 1 Ioh. 3.2 I cannot perfectly see or discerne what my blessednesse and glory is but shall haue it fully manifested both vnto my selfe and others vvhen thou who art my life and hope shalt appeare in glory and be made marueilous in g 2 Thes 1.10 all them that beleeue in thee How Christians are to liue in regard of that neere vnion that is betweene them and Christ THE bodie of euery true beleeuer is a member of Christs a 1 Cor. 6.15 body How carefully therefore ought they alwayes to keepe them from being the instruments of sinne or the weapons b Rom. 6.19 of vnrighteousnesse sith Christ thereby is so greatly dishonoured Shall the members of Christ be made the limmes of Sathan Shall his tongue speake vvickednesse his eyes see vanitie his hands worke iniquitie or any part of his mysticall body be made an instrument to commit sinne and vnrighteousnesse God forbid Blessed Lord seeing it hath pleased thee of thy free grace through faith to vnite me vnto Christ my head and blessed Sauiour to ingraffe me into his body and to make euen this weake and fraile body of mine a true member of his mysticall body graunt I beseech thee that I may labour continually to keep this vessell of mine holy and vndefiled free from all pollution and defilement of sinne and from being an instrument to commit any wickednesse lest thereby I should dishonour my head shew my selfe vnworthy c 2 Cor. 6.14.15 to be ioyned vnto him in so neere and happy a vnion yea let it bee my endeauour alwayes to preserue my body in puritie and holinesse and to giue all the parts and members thereof seruants vnto righteousnesse yea to serue thee continually both in body d 1 Cor. 6.20 and spirit that so honour and glory may redound to Christ my Sauiour who with thee O Father and thy Spirit be blessed both now and for euer Amen How Christians are to be affected one towards another in regard of their vnion to Christ and each to other ALL that are true Christians being vnited vnto Christ their head are a 1 Cor. 12 members of the same body vnder Christ their head vnited each to other as they are all to Christ members one of another b Ephe. 4.4 liuing by the same Spirit and looking for the same glory c 1 Pet. 1.3 Ioh. 17.24 euen that immortall and neuer-fading inheritance reserued in the heauens for them where they shall dwell vvith Christ their Sauiour for euermore How then should they enuy hate and maligne one another and seeke to procure what mischiefe they can each to other What an vnkinde and vnnaturall thing is this Doth one member of the body euer hate d 1 Cor. 12.20.21 or enuie another yea the basest and meanest though indeed euen the basest and vncomliest haue not onely a vse and conueniencie for the rest but also a kinde of beautie and comlinesse in themselues howsoeuer in the present estate of this sinneful life couered with the shew of indecencie and morall dishonestie yea doth not one care for the other e 1 Cor. 12.25.26 suffer with the other and reioyce vvith the other So is it with all that are true Christians naturall and liuely members of that mysticall body of Christ Iesus There is a mutuall sympathy betweene them They are as it were of one heart and of one f Acts 4.32 soule They cannot but loue and affect those in whom they see euident or likely signes to perswade them that they are true Christians grafted vvith them into the same stocke they can not hate them from the heart they can not vvish or procure their euill but desire and seeke their good in all things and so much the more will their loue abound towards them as they see that they are more nearely vnited vnto Christ their Head and Sauiour Eyther therefore shew thy entire and Christian affection vnto all the Saints the members of Christ or else