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Consider, 1. How the wicked are one in their ungodly designs and practices. The scales of Leviathan, as Luther expresses it, "Are linkt toge"ther; shall not the Lord's followers be one in him? They unite to undermine the peace of the "church; shall not the godly join their prayers to

"countermine them?”

2. There is in the hearts of all the saints one spirit. How then can they be but one, since they have the same purpose and journey, and tend to the same home? And why shall they not walk together in that way? When they shall arrive there they shall be fully one, and of one mind; not a jar nor difference, all their harps perfectly in tune to that one new song.

Having compassion.] This testifies, that it is not a bare speculative agreement of opinions that is the badge of christian unity; for this may accidentally be, where there is no further union; but that they are themselves one, and have one life, in that they feel how it is one with another. There is a living sympathy amongst them, as making up one body, animated with one spirit; for that is the reason why the members of the body have that mutual feeling, even the most remote and distant, and the most excellent with the meanest: this the Apostle urges at large.

And this lively sense is in every living member of the body of Christ towards the whole, and towards each other particular part. This makes a christian rejoice in the welfare and good of another, as if it were his own; and feel their griefs and distresses, as if himself were really sharer in them; for the word comprehends all feeling together, feeling of joy as well as of grief. And always where there is most of grace, and of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, there is most of this sympathy. The Apostle St. Paul, as he was eminent in all grace, had a large portion of this. And if this ought to be in

y Rom. xii, 4. and 1 Cor. xii. 14. 17.
Heb. xiii. 3. 1 Cor. xii. 26. a 2 Cor. xi. 29.

reference to their outward condition, much more in spiritual things, rejoicing at the increases and flourishing of grace in others. That base envy that dwells in the hearts of rotten hypocrites, that would have all ingrossed to themselves, argues that they move not further than the compass of self; that the pure love of God, and the sincere love of their brethren flowing from it, is not in them; but when the heart can unfeignedly rejoice in the Lord's bounty to others, and the lustre of grace in others, far outshining their own; truly it is an evidence, that what grace such a one hath, is upright and good, and that the law of love is engraven in his heart. And where that is there will be likewise, on the other side, a compassionate tender sense of the infirmities and frailties of their brethren. Whereas some account it a sign of much advancement and spiritual proficiency to be able to sit in judgment upon the qualifications and actions of others, and to lavish out severe censures round about them; to sentence one weak and of poor abilities, and another proud and lofty, and a third covetous, &e; and thus to go on in a censorlike magisterial strain. But it were truly an evidence of more grace, not to get upon the bench to judge them, but sit down rather and mourn for them, when they are manifestly and really faulty; and for their ordinary in-. firmities, to consider and bear them. These are the characters we find in the scriptures; of stronger christians. This holy and humble sympathy argues indeed a strong christian: And nothing truly (as one says) shews a spiritual man so much, as the dealing with another man's sin. Far will he be from the ordinary way of insulting and trampling upon the weak, or using rigour and bitterness; even against some gross falls of a christian; but will rather vent his compassion in tears, than his passion in fiery railings; will bewail the frailty of man,

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tatio.

b Rom. xv. 1. Gal. vi. 1.

Nil tam spiritualem virum indicat, quam peccati alieni trac

and our dangerous condition in this life, amidst so many snares and temptations, and such strong and subtle enemies.

2dly, As this sympathy works towards particular christians in their several conditions, so by the same reason it acts, and that more eminently towards, the church, and the public affairs that concern its good. And this is it that we find hath breathed forth from the hearts of the saints in former times, in so many pathetical complaints and prayers for Zion. Thus David, in his saddest times, when he might seem most dispensable to forget other things, and be wholly taken up with lamenting his own fall", yet even there; he leaves not out the church, In thy good pleasure do good to Zion. And though his heart were broken all to pieces, yet the very pieces cry no less for the building of Jerusalem's wall, than for the binding up and healing of itself; and in that', that seems to be the expression of his joy being exhalted to the throne, and sitting peaceably on it; yet he still thus prays for the peace of Jerusalem. And the penman of that makes it an execrable oversight to forget Jerusalem", or to remember it coldly or secondarily, no less will serve him than to prefer it to his chief joy. Whatsoever else is top or head of his joy, (as the word is) Jerusalem's welfare shall be its crown, shall be set above it. And the prophet, whoever it was that wrote that cii. Psalm, and in it poured out that prayer from an afflicted soul, comforts himself in this, that Zion shall be favoured. My bones are consumed, &c. "But it matters not what becomes "of me; let me languish and wither away, provided "Zion flourish; though I feel nothing but pains "and troubles, yet thou wilt arise and shew mercy "to Zion; I am content; that satisfies me.”

But where is now this Spirit of high sympathy with the church? Sure if there were of it in us, it is now a fit time to exert it. If we be not altogether e v. 17. f cxxii. Psalm. & cxxxvii. Psalm. v. 5. i Psal. cii. 13.

■ Psal. li.

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dead, sure we shall be stirred with the voice of those late strokes of God's hand, and be driven to more humble and earnest prayer by it. When will men change their poor base grumblings about their private concerns? Oh! what shall I do? &c. into strong cries for the church of God, and the public deliverance of all these kingdoms from the raging sword? But vile selfishness undoes us, few or none looking further; if themselves and theirs might be secured, how many would regard little what became of the rest; as one said, when I am dead, let the world be fired: but the christian mind is of a larger sphere, and looks not only upon more than itself in present, but even to after times and ages; and can rejoice in the good to come, when itself shall not be here to partake of it: thus, it is more dilated, and liker unto God, and to our head Jesus Christ. The Lord, says the prophet, In all his people's affliction, was afflicted himself; and Jesus Christ accounts the sufferings of his body, the Church, his own; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me1? The heel was trode upon on earth, and the head crieth from Heaven, as sensible of it; and this in all our evils, especially our spiritual griefs, is a high point of comfort to us, that our Lord Jesus is not insensible of them. This emboldens us to complain ourselves, and to put in our petitions for help to the throne of Grace through his hand; knowing that when he presents them, he will speak his own sense of our condition, and move for us as it were for himself, as we have it sweetly expressed ". Now as it is our comfort, so it is our pattern.

Love as brethren. Hence springs this feeling we speak of love is the cause of union, and union the cause of sympathy, and of that unanimity mentioned before. They that have the same spirit uniting and animating them, cannot but have the same mind, and the same feelings. And this spirit is derived from that head Christ, in whom christians live, and move, and have their being, their new and *Isaiah Ixiii. 9. Acts ix. 4. m Heb. iv. 15, 16.

excellent being; and so living in him, they love him, and are one in him: they are brethren, as here the word is; their fraternity holds in him. He is head of it, the first-born among many brethren". Men are brethren in two natural respects, their bodies being made of the same earth, and their souls breathed from the same God: but this third fraternity that is founded in Christ, is far more excellent and more firm than the other two; for being one in him, they have there taken in the other two, for that in him is our whole nature, he is the man Christ Jesus; but to the advantage, and it is an infinite one, being one in him, we are united by the divine nature in him, who is God blessed for ever, and this is the highest certainly, and the strongest union that can be imagined. Now this is a great mystery indeed, as the Apostle says", speaking of this same point, the union of Christ and his church; whence their union and communion one with another, that make up that body the church, is derived. In Christ every believer is born of God, is his Son; and so they are not only brethren, one with another, that are so born, but Christ himself owns them as his brethren: both he which sanctifies, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

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Sin broke all to pieces, man from God, and one from another. Christ's work in the world was union. To make up these breaches he came down, and begun the union which was his work, in the wonderful union made in his person that was to work it, made God and man one: and as the nature of man was reconciled, so by what he performed, the persons of men are united to God. Faith makes them one with Christ, and he makes them one with the Father; and from these results this oneness amongst themselves, concentering and meeting in Jesus Christ, and in the Father through him, they are made one together. And that this was his great » Rom. viii. 29. Rom. ix. 5. Eph. v. 32. 9 Heb. ii. 11.

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