An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

First, Because all the Godly they are (as I may so say) Ejusdem speciei. ¹They have all the same substantial fundamental work of grace in their hearts. That as you see all men have the same specific humane Nature, though there be many individual properties, and differences. Thus all the godly do partake of the same Divine Nature; They are all borne of God; they are all become new creatures. Although indeed for the manner of conversion, and the degrees of grace; as also experiences of Gods favour and love in these things, there may be ⟨p. 194⟩much variation, yet in the main, as they all have the image of God, and so are like him: So they are also like one another. It's the common faith; it's the common love; it's the common Image of God, which they all do partake of. So that godly men, though they may differ in their gifts, in degrees of graces, in their judgements and opinions, yet because the Image of God is stamped on them all, there is a likeness and similitude between one another: What one feeleth, the other feeleth: How one is affected, the other is affected; they understand one another; they do (as it were) see themselves in one another. We have an expression, Prov. 27. 19. As face answereth face in water, so the heart of man to man. There is a two-fold exposition of this place, and that contrary. Some say, it is brought to show the falsehood and deceitfulness of mans heart. That as in water, there is not a true representation of the face, so one mans heart is not truly known to another. Others they go on the contrary, As (say they) the face of a man, and the reflection of it in the water are alike; so is the heart of man to man, that is of one friend to another. Therefore a friend is Alter Ego: They have all things common, one soul (as it were) and one heart. Now if this be true of moral friendship, that their hearts are so alike, how much more of the people of God, who are all made one in the Lord, cis, not [Greek or Hebrew], Gal. 3. 21. They are all but one Person; their hearts must needs answer one another. Let a godly man read David's Psalms, wherein he doth experimentally declare what the workings of his soul were: will not a godly man say, he speaketh his heart, his doubts, his complaints? Seeing then there is the same fundamental work of grace in all, no wonder if what is suitable to one, is also to another.