Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head II. as united to Chrifl. |6j
Laftly, Be of' a meek Difpofition, and an uniting
Temper with the Fellow Members of Chrift’s Body,
as being united to the meek Jefus, the blefled Center
of Union. There’s a Prophefy to this Purpofe con¬
cerning the Kingdom of Chrift, Ifa. ii. 6. ‘the Wolf
fhall dwell with the Lamb; and the Leopard jhall
ly down with the Kid. ’Tis an Allufion to the
Beafts in Noah's Ark. The Beafts of Prey, that
were wont to kill and devour others when once
they came into the Ark, lay down in Peace with
them : T’he Lamb was in no Hazard by the Wolf
there ; nor the Kid, by the Leopard. There was
a beautiful Accomplifhment of it in the primitive
Church, jiffs iv. 32. jind the Multitude of them that
believed, were of one Heart, and of one Soul. And
this prevails in all Members of Chrift, according
to the Meafure of the Grace, of God in them.
Man is born naked, he comes naked into this
World, as if God defigned him for the Picture of
Peace: And furely when he is born again, he
comes not into the new World of Grace, with
Claws to tear, a Sword to wound, and a Fire in his
Hand to burn up his Fellow-Members in Chrift,
becaufe they cannot fee with his Light. Oh! ’Tis
fad to fee Chrift’s Lillies as 'Thorns in one ano¬
ther’s Side, Chrift’s Lambs devouring one another
like Lions, and God’s Diamonds cutting one ano*
ther: Yet it muft be remembred, that Sin is no pro¬
per Cement for the Members of Chrift, tho’ Herod
and Pontius Pilate may be made Friends that Way.
The Apoftle’s Rule is plain, Heb. xu. iq. Follow
Peace with all Men, and Holinefs. To follow
Peace no further than our Humour, Credit, and fuch
like Things will allow us, is too Ihort: To purfue
it further than Holinefs, that is. Conformity to the