Community in the Church is more. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. If you be godly you have an interest in all the eminent godly men in the world, in all their gifts, their graces, in all they have or do; all that is in the world that hath any good in it, is yours, yea what is evil shall be serviceable to you for good. This is brought by the Apostle to quiet the jarrings and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians. One would be for Paul, another for Apollos, says the Apostle, What need this contention, who you are for, and who another is for? they are all yours, all the excellency there is in them is the good of every one of you. A special reason why men contend so much, is, they think the good that other men have is their evil, therefore they must either get it to themselves, or darken it in those that have it. But such men acted by such a principle are poor, low-spirited men. A man of a raised, enlarged spirit, opens his heart that it may be filled with that infinite good in which there is all good. Now if it be that good my soul closeth with, and is satisfied in, then whatsoever hath any goodness in it, be it where it will, it flows from this Infinite Ocean of good that my soul is launched into, and some way or other flows into this again; though thorough mens corruptions, there may be windings and turnings in the course of it, yet hither it comes at last, and therefore it is mine as really and truly as any I have in mine own hand: my soul then shall rejoice in all the good I see my brethren have, in all they do, I will bless God for it, and seek the furtherance of it what I can. Surely this man must needs be a man of peace and love.
Community in the Church is more. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. If you be godly you have an interest in all the eminent godly men in the world, in all their gifts, their graces, in all they have or do; all that is in the world that hath any good in it, is yours, yea what is evill shall be serviceable to you for good. This is brought by the Apostle to quiet the jarrings and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians. One would be for Paul, another for Apollos, sayes the Apostle, What need this contention, who you are for, and who another is for? they are all yours, all the excellency there is in them is the good of every one of you. A speciall reason why men contend so much, is, they think the good that other men have is their evill, therefore they must either get it to themselves, or darken it in those that have it. But such men acted by such a principle are poore, low-spirited men. A man of a raised, enlarged spirit, opens his heart that it may be filled with that infinite good in which there is all good. Now if it be that good my soul closeth with, and is satisfied in, then whatsoever hath any goodnesse in it, be it where it will, it flowes from this Infinite Ocean of good that my soul is launched into, and some way or other flows into this againe; though thorough mens corruptions, there may be windings and turnings in the course of it, yet hither it comes at last, and therefore it is mine as really and truly as any I have in mine own hand: my soul then shall rejoyce in all the good I see my brethren have, in all they do, I will blesse God for it, and seek the furtherance of it what I can. Surely this man must needs be a man of peace and love.
