But farther, the apostle in these words alludes to the state and
composition of a natural body, and doth thereby inform us, that the
mystical body of Christ holds an analogy with the natural body of
man: as, 1. In the natural body there must be a spirit to animate
it; for the body without the spirit is dead; James ii. 26. So it is
in the mystical body of Christ; the apostle no sooner tells of that
one body, but he minds us of that one Spirit; Eph. iv. 4.

2. The body hath joints and hands to unite all the parts; so hath
the mystical body of Christ; Col. ii. 19. This is that bond of
peace mentioned in the text, as also in the 16th verse of the same
chapter, where the whole body is said to be fitly joined together,
and compacted, by that which every joint supplieth.

3. The natural body receives counsel and nourishment from the head;
so doth the mystical body of Christ; he is their counsellor, and him
they must hear; he is their head, and him they must hold: hence it
is that the apostle complaineth, Col. ii. 19, of some that did not
hold the head from which the whole body by joints and hands hath
nourishment.

4. The natural body cannot well subsist, if either the spirit be
wounded or the joints broken or dislocated; the body cannot bear a
wounded or broken spirit--"A broken spirit drieth the bones;" Prov.
xvii. 22, and "A wounded spirit who can bear?" Prov. xviii. 14.
And, on the other hand, how often have the disjointing of the body,
and the breakings thereof, occasioned the expiration of the spirit?
In like manner it fares with the mystical body of Christ; how do
divided spirits break the bonds of peace, which are the joints of
this body? And how do the breakings of the body and church of