The Church Compared to a Natural Body

    THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A NATURAL BODY

    "All baptized into one Body," 1Co 12:13.

    "Both unto God in one Body" Eph 2:16.

    "For the edifying of the Body of Christ, Eph 4:12.

    "He is the head of the Body, the Church," &c. "For his body s sake, which is the Church," Col 1:18,24.

    THE Body, swma, Soma, is frequently put for the Church or people of God, the explication of which trope is concisely opened in the following parallel.

    METAPHOR

    I. Every natural Body hath a Head.

    PARALLEL

    I. So the Church of God hath a Head, viz., the Lord Jesus Christ: "He," God the Father, "Hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is his Body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all," Eph 1:22. "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the Head of the Body, the Church," Col 1:17-18.

    METAPHOR

    II. The natural body hath many members, and though many members, yet all make but one and the same body, 1Co 12:14,20.

    PARALLEL

    II. The church of Christ consists of divers saints, called the members of his Body: "Now ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular," 1Co 12:27, and though many, yet all make but one and the same mystical Body.

    METAPHOR

    III. In the natural Body are members different in strength, usefulness, and honour, as arms, legs, eyes, feet, hands, fingers, &c. But the weakest, and those that seems least honourable, are very useful, and the body cannot be without them.

    PARALLEL

    III. So in the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, are different members, both with respect to honour and usefulness; as apostles, prophets, teachers; or, as the apostle John hath it, fathers, young men, and children. "All are not apostles, all are not prophets, all are not teachers," &c. Eph 4:11; 1Jo 2:13-14. But yet the weakest and most feeble saints or members are useful to the Church. As in the Body natural, though the eye be of greater use than some other members, yet the eyes, or ministers, who are as useful as the eyes to the Body, cannot say to the hand, or such to whom God hath given the riches of this world to distribute unto others, "We have no need of thee; nor can the head say to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, and those members of the Body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary," 1Co 12:20-23.

    METAPHOR

    IV. In the natural Body, if one member suffer, all suffer with it.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So in Christ's mystical Body, when one saint suffereth, all do sympathize and suffer with him. "If one suffer, all suffer; and if one member be honoured, all the members of the Body rejoice with him," 1Co 12:26.

    METAPHOR

    V. All the members of the Body natural, take care of, and seek the good of the whole Body, and of each member in particular.

    PARALLEL

    V. So in the Church of God, every particular saint doth, and ought always to seek the welfare of the whole mystical Body of Christ: "That there should be no schism in the Body, but that the members should have the same care one of another," 1Co 12:25.

    METAPHOR

    VI. All the members of the natural Body have their nourishment from the head.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So all the members of the mystical Body receive nourishment from Christ, who is the only Head thereof; and from hence the apostle condemneth, those false professors, and counterfeit Christians, who pretended to much piety and religion, but did not receive their doctrine and principles from Christ, nor were they united unto him by evangelical faith. "Not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God," Col 2:18-19.

    METAPHOR

    VII. In the natural Body, betwixt the members and the Body there is a marvellous nearness, or blessed union.

    PARALLEL

    VII. So there is a wonderful nearness, and blessed union between Jesus Christ, and every member of his mystical Body: "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones," Eph 5:30.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. The Body naturally increases in strength, bigness, and beauty; according to the age of the Body, is the perfection and excellency of it.

    PARALLEL

    VIII. So the Church increases in spiritual strength, bigness, and glory. The church is but small and weak now, in comparison of what she shall be, when she is come to her full growth, and perfect state. There will be a great addition to the church in the latter day. "The Lord shall rise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee; and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see; all they gather themselves together, they some unto thee; thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side," &c., Isa 60:2-9, to the end of the chapter, compared with Isa 66:8-10, where you may read of the multitude that shall be added to her, and of the abundance of her glory. And as she shall grow in bigness, so likewise she shall increase in spiritual knowledge, faith, and godliness. "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," Hab 2:14. All the officers, and glorious gifts appertaining to them, that are given to the Church, are "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Eph 4:11-13.

    INFERENCES.

    I. This clearly shows what infinite benefit the godly receive from Jesus Christ, and what dependency they have upon him. What can the Body do without the head?

    II. How happy are all true believers! How near and dear are they to the Lord Jesus; What greater union is there, than that between the members and the head! No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as the Lord the Church," Eph 5:29.

    III. What will become of those evil and wicked men, that seek to destroy the Church and saints of God! Do they not herein strive to break Christ's bones, and tear his flesh in pieces? What will they do in the day of vengeance, when he comes forth to plead the controversy of Zion, Isa 63:4.

    IV. This reproves that Church, that pretends itself to be Christ's Body, and yet slights and grievously neglects his members, nay, his most useful members. The Church should be as careful and tender of her ministers, as the natural body is of its eyes. Shall the eye suffer, or be in danger of being put out or spoiled, and the hand refuse to relieve and defend it, when it is in its power?