[2.] For the grounds hereof I shall mention one only, which all others do lean upon. This is pressed, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, "As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body : so also is Christ. For by one 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 head; for as are the members of the body natural, under one head, so is Christ mystical, that is, all believers, under Christ their head. And this union they have by the inhabitation of the same quickening Spirit which is in Christ their head ; and by him they are brought all into the same spiritual state and frame, — they are made to drink into one and the same Spirit : for this same Spirit produceth the same efiects in them all, — the same in kind, though differing in degrees, — as the apostle fully declares, Eph. iv. 3-6. And this Spirit is in them, and not in the world, John xvi. And as this gives them a naturalness in their duties one towards another, or in mutual caring for, rejoicing or sorrowing with, one another, as members one of another, ] Cor. xii. 2~j, 26; so it reveals and discovers them to each other so far as is necessary for the performance of the duties mentioned, in such a manner as becomes members of the same body. There is on this account a spiritually natural answering of one to another, as face an- swereth face in the water. They can see and discern that in others Avhereof they have experience in themselves, — they can taste and re- lish that in others which they feed upon in themselves, and wherein the lives of their souls do consist; the same Spirit of life being in them, they have the same spiritual taste and savour. And unless their palates are distempered by temptations, or false opinions, or pre- judices, they can in their communion taste of that Spirit in each other which they are all made to drink into. This gives them the same likeness and image in the inward man, the same heavenly light in their minds, the same affections; and being thus prepared and enabled to judge and discern of the state of each other, in refer- ence unto their mutual duties, they have, moreover, the true rule of the word to judge of all spirits and spiritual effects by. And this is the ground of all that love without dissimulation and real commu- nion that is among the saints of God in this world. But here two cautions must be allowed : —
Ver.4.] INTEENAL HINDERANCES TO FAITH. 591
(1st.) That we would not judge the state and condition of any men in the luorld, — no farther than we are called thereunto in a way of duty; and we are so called only with reference unto the duties that we are to perform towards them. What have we to do to judge them that are without, — that is, any one that we have not a call to consider in reference unto our own duty? Herein that great rule takes place, " Judge not, that ye be not judged." Let us leave all men, the worst of men, unless where evident duty requires other actings, to the judgment-seat of God. They are the serva,nts of an- other, and they stand or fall unto their own master. There have been gi-eat miscarriages amongst us in this matter; some have been ready to condemn all that go not along with them in every principle, yea, opinion or practice. And every day slight occasions and pro- vocations are made the grounds and reasons of severe censures; but nothing is more contrary to the conduct of the meek and holy spirit of Christ. This is our rule : — Are we called to act towards any as saints, as living members of the body of Christ, and that in such duties as we cannot perform in faith unless we are persuaded that so they are? — then are we, on the grounds and by the ways before mentioned, to satisfy ourselves in one another.
(idly.) Do we endeavour mutually to discern the condition of one another in reference unto such ends? — let us be sure to look tmto and jyursue those ends when we have attained our satisfaction. What these ends are hath been showed. It is, that we may love them without dissimulation, as members of the same mystical body with us ; that we may naturally take care of them, and for them ; that we may delight sincerely in them ; that we may minister unto tlieir wants, temporal and spiritual; that we may watch over them with pity and compassion. These and the like are the only ends for which we are at any time called to the consideration of the spiritual condition of one another; if these be neglected, the other is useless. And here lies a great aggravation of that neglect, in that such a way is made for the avoidance of it. Here lies the life or death of all church society. All church society and relation is built on this supposition, that the members of it are all regenerate. Some lay this foundation in baptism only, professing that all that are baptized are regenerate ; others require a farther satisfaction, in the real work itself; but all build on the same foundation, — that all church members are to be re- generate. And to what end is this? Na.mely, that they may all. mutually ^^erform those duties one towards another which are in- cumbent mutually on regenerate persons. If these are omitted, there is an end of all profitable use of church society. Churches without this are but mere husks and shells of churches, carcases without souls ; for as there is no real union unto Christ without faith, so there is