The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

If we consider the nearness of conjunction, and communion that one Christian hath with another, we may well be convinced of the equity of this duty. For we are all Sons of one Father, all Members of one Body: In respect thereof there should, nay there ought to be such a sympathy and compassion in the Members of the Mystical body, I mean among Christians, as there is in the ⟨p. 147⟩Members of the Natural Body. Now we know that in the Natural Body, if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; as the Apostle expresseth, 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place S. Austin in his tenth Tractate on John explaining, excellently showeth the mutual compassion between 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 tongue complaineth, as if it self were pricked, the eye searcheth it out, the hands do their best to pluck it out; yea, every member of the body is compassionately affected with it. And surely such a sympathy and compassion there ought to be amongst Christians, who are all Members of one Body, whereof Christ Jesus is the Head.

If we consider the nearness of conjunction, and communion that one Christian hath with another, we may well be convinced of the equity of this duty. For we are all Sons of one Father, all Members of one Body: In respect thereof there should, nay there ought to be such a sympathy and compassion in the Members of the Mystical body, I mean among Christians, as there is in the ⟨p. 147⟩Members of the Natural Body. Now we know that in the Natural Body, if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; as the Apostle expresseth, 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place S. Austin in his tenth Tractate on Iohn explaining, excellently sheweth the mutual compassion between 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 tongue complaineth, as if it self were pricked, the eye searcheth it out, the hands do their best to pluck it out; yea, every member of the body is compassionately affected with it. And surely such a sympathy and compassion there ought to be amongst Christians, who are all Members of one Body, whereof Christ Jesus is the Head.