3 Labour to be compassionately affected with the miseries and afflictions of thy brother, 1for as Job speaketh, To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend. Which duty is often urged and pressed in Scripture,2 as by the Apostle Paul, Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep; and by the Apostle Peter, in this phrase,3 Having compassion one of another▪ which Beza Paraphrastically well turns, Be touched with the sense and feeling of one another's griefs. And truly that communion and nearness of conjunction that sincere Christians have one with another, doth call for this duty; for as they are all sons of one Father, so are they members of one body, in respect whereof there should, nay there ought to be such a compassion and sympathy in the members of the Mystical body, I mean among Christians, as there is in the members of the Natural body. Now, you know that in the Natural body if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; as the Apostle ⟨p. 70⟩expresseth it, 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place Saint Augustine in his Works often expounding,4 most excellently shows the mutual compassion betwixt the members of a Natural body; Behold, saith he, the foot treadeth on a thorn, and see how all the members condole it; the Back bends it self, the Head stoopeth; the Eye, though remote in place, diligently searcheth it out; the Tongue complaineth, as if it self were pricked; and the Hands do their best to pluck it out; and yet neither Back, nor Head, nor Tongue, nor Eye, nor Hand, nor any member but the Foot was touched with the thorn; and surely such a sympathy and fellow-feeling there ought to be amongst true Christians, who are all members of one body, whereof Christ Jesus is the head.5
3 Labour to be compassionately affected with the miseries and afflictions of thy brother, 1for as Iob speaketh, To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend. Which duty is often urged and pressed in Scripture,2 as by the Apostle Paul, Rejoyce with them that rejoyce, and weep with them that weep; and by the Apostle Peter, in this phrase,3 Having compassion one of another▪ which Beza Paraphrastically well turns, Be touched with the sence and feeling of one anothers griefs. And truly that communion and nearness of conjunction that sincere Christians have one with another, doth call for this duty; for as they are all sons of one Father, so are they members of one body, in respect whereof there should, nay there ought to be such a compassion and sympathy in the members of the Mystical body, I mean among Christians, as there is in the members of the Natural body. Now, you know that in the Natural body if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; as the Apostle ⟨p. 70⟩expresseth it, 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place Saint Augustine in his Works often expounding,4 most excellently shewes the mutual compassion betwixt the members of a Natural body; Behold, saith he, the foot treadeth on a thorn, and see how all the members condole it; the Back bends it self, the Head stoopeth; the Eye, though remote in place, diligently searcheth it out; the Tongue complaineth, as if it self were pricked; and the Hands doe their best to pluck it out; and yet neither Back, nor Head, nor Tongue, nor Eye, nor Hand, nor any member but the Foot was touched with the thorn; and surely such a sympathy and fellow-feeling there ought to bee amongst true Christians, who are all members of one body, whereof Christ Iesus is the head.5
- 1Job 6. 14
- 2Rom. 12. 15.
- 31 Pet. 3. 8 [Greek or Hebrew], i. e. esto•e mu•uo molestiarum sensu •ffecti. Beza.1 Pet. 3. 8 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, i. e. esto•e mu•uo molestiarum sensu •ffecti. Beza.
- 4Aug. in Ps. 130 & Tract. in soar.
- 5Rom. 12. 5
