for this end to have communion with them and that they might have communion with him that he might have the enjoyment of them and that they might come to the participation of him 'T is a wonder of mercy and of condescensions that the most High should stoop to such low persons He that had infinite blessednesse in the society and in the enjoyment of himselfe he that took so great a delight in his Son and in the society of the Angells that he should take any delight to impart himselfe unto poor sinfull dust and ashes to men nay to wormes and no men When men set up variety of means for the accomplishment of their ends 't is a great signe that their hearts are very much set upon them Consider what variety of Ordinances God hath set up for the communication of himselfe unto believers 2. Behold here what should be the main end of the Saints in the use of all Ordinances namely communion and fellowship with God look what was Gods end in appointing Ordinances that should be our end in using of Ordinances In praying we should seek the face of God and in hearing we should hear the voice of God hear what God the Lord will say and in meditating my meditation of thee shall be sweet and in conference Psal 145.11 They shall talk of the glory of thy Kingdome and speak of all thy power In receiving the Lords Supper what should be a Saints greatest delight in comming to that spirituall Banquet It should be meeting with Christ in that Ordinance We oftentimes lose all the blessings of the means because we propound not to our selves communion with God as the end Many soules that come to Sermons Christ may say to them as he said to those What went ye out into the Wildernesse to see a Reed shaken with the winde You are to do as the wise Virgins did to go forth and meet the Brides groom and to trim your Lamps for the meeting of him If communion be not your end in Ordinances Ordinances will be nothing available to you you will lose all the Ordinances that you enjoy except you meet with Christ in them 3. Is communion with God the great end of God in Ordinances Hence then learn this that when communion with God in Ordinances is not enjoyed then the ultimate end of all the Ordinances is frustrated you lose the end for which all Preaching and Praying and Hearing was ordained while communion is missed while you have no communion with God Ordinances never attain their appointed ends How sad is it to use the means and never attain the end and yet this is the case of thousands of soules that live under choice administrations and yet are never brought into a state of communion they are so far from enjoying communion with God that they know not what it is to have communion with God though it be declared to them How many are there that lye a long time at the pool and yet never see any Angell come down to stirre the water that lie by the sides of the pool but are never put into the pool O how sad is it that such excellent Ordinances should lose their ends and that we should so long have the enjoyment of them and yet never be bettered by them that we should never attain those ends for which they were ordained 4. Is it so that the main end of God in establishing and setting up of Ordinances is to enjoy communion with himselfe then let every soul take heed of throwing down of Ordinances let every soul be exceeding tender of the appointments of God lest they throw down the means of their communion with God and live without God in the world Though God hath not tyed himselfe to Ordinances yet he hath tyed us to Ordinances and in mine own experience I have known many men grow worse but never any man grew better by the neglecting of Ordinances There is no communion to be had with God but in Ordinances and therefore if you go from Ordinances you will be fetched home by a smarting rod if you belong to God VVhat ever you do be very tender of Gospell-Ordinances For if he that despised Moses his Law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer panishment shall they be thought worthy that trample under foot the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified and count it an unholy thing O it 's sad to see how many soules there are that cast dirt upon those Ordinances that are the Charriots in which Jesus Christ rides to take up soules into communion with himselfe 5. If communion be the main end of God in setting up of Ordinances Behold then whence it is and why it is that the Saints of God are so much troubled when they want the sensible enjoyment of communion with God they know the truth of this truth the Ordinance in its end is lost to them When a child goes out to seek his Father and cannot finde him 't is a great grief to him Believers go out in Gospell-Ordinances to seek after God and when they cannot finde him it must needs be very grievous to their spirits Cant. 3.1 by night upon my bed I sought him whom my soul loved but I found him not Divine endeavours do not alwaies meet with Divine successes shee sought him I but she found him not So many a soule comes to meet with God in an Ordinance but God is withdrawn from them they cannot see his face though they come to seek his face and the sorest affliction that a child of God lies under or can lie under in this world is the withdrawment of God from Ordinances when he thinks to find God in them he is departed from them they shall go with their Flocks and their Herds to seek after the Lord but they shall not find him for he hath withdrawn himself 6. Is it the main end of God in setting up Ordinances that his Saints might have Communion with him Then learn hence the ground why the Saints set so high a price upon and are so often found in Divine Ordinances 't is because they there meet with Communion with God now the meetings with God is the ground of their so often appearings before him Alas 't is not their meeting together that they aim at but their meeting with God that they looke after if God be wanting all is wanting if God be there nothing is wanting Ordinances alas they can do nothing without God they are but painted swords in dead mens hands they cannot raise the heart when it is fallen they cannot refresh the heart when it is sad they cannot enlighten the soul when there is a cloud upon it they cannot draw the heart to Heaven when it is earthly they cannot resolve any doubts that are upon their spirits no these things are too great and too good for Ordinances to do 't is onely the God of the Ordinances that can do all all
taken up with the works of darkness 2. They are swallowed up with the fellowship and Communion with sinners those that are Gods professed Enemies are their bosom-friends the darling delights of their Souls are in the Society of those in whom God takes no pleasure nor no delight 3. They take up their fellowship and Communion with this world James 4.4 know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the Enemy of God they make up their Heaven upon Earth there are three things wherein they go out to the world 1. They let out their choicest love 2. They lay out their choicest paines 3. They Anchor their greatest hopes upon the world Now those that are taken up with the fellowship and Communion with this world at what a distance do they stand from Communion and fellowship with God Creatures hath their hearts God hath them not 4. They are swallowed up in Communion and fellowship with false foundations this is a certain rule that look whatsoever the foundation is that we build our souls upon that 's it with which wee have Communion Job 8.14 15. He shall lean upon his house but it shall not stand c. Those hopes that it hath that it shal go well with him to all Eternity these are called his house he rests upon them and hee hath Communion with them Houses 1. They are dwelling places a man lives in his house 2. They are hiding places in the time of a storm men retire to their houses for shelter 3. They are resting places 4. They are places that when once they are built men will keep them if they can from falling down Now sinners are swallowed up in Communion and fellowship with those false bottomed hopes that they have laid their soules upon they rest in those houses that they make to themselves though their hopes bee but like Spiders webs yet they lean upon their houses 5. They are swallowed up in fellowship and Communion with the very Devil himself 1 Joh. 5.19 we know that we are of God and that the whole world lies in wickedness In the Greek 't is thus and the whole world lies in that wicked one the Devil and they maintain Communion together the evil spirits haunt their Spirits The Devil in Scripture is said to have all those Acts of worship performed to him by sinners that Christ is said to have performed to him by Saints hath Jesus Christ his Ministers the Devil hath his Ministers also Ministers of Satan transforming themselves into Angels of light hath Christ his Churches so hath the Devil which is call-the Synagogue of Sathan hath Christ his Ordinances and Altars so hath the Devil too he hath his Table and his Communicants you cannot bee partakers of the Lords Table and the Table of Devils Argu. 4 The fourth Argument to prove that unregenerate men can have no fellowship and Communion with God in Ordinances because they live under a Legal Covenant Evangelical Communion is not bottomed upon Legal Covenants In Conversion there is a double change 1. A change of a mans nature and that is wrought within him 2. A change of a mans state and that is wrought upon him Every unregenerate man is under the first Covenant which admits of no Communion with God since it is broken There are five things wee lost in our fall 1. Our holy Image and became vile hence 2. Our Son-ship and became slaves 3. Our friendship and became Enemies 4. Our Communion and became strangers 5. Our glory and became miserable Now 't is impossible till sinners be translated from a broken Covenant of works that was made with them in Adam to a Covenant of grace that is made in Christ that ever they should come up to Communion with God you must know this that Communion with God is no Legal dispensation and therefore every person that is duly under the Law cannot enjoy Communion with God Having premised these I come to those four partioulars I laid down viz. to give you the grounds the properties the Acts and the ends of the Communion First For the Grounds of all the fellowship and Communion that the Saints have with God in Ordinances and they are five for this Communion ariseth 1. From his electing love 2. From the Covenant-state wherein believers stand 3. From our union with Jesus Christ 4. From our Interest in the Spirit 5. Our conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ Ground 1 I. Ground of our Communion with God is his Electing love that 's the foundation of all our blessednesse and the onely spring of all our mercies which without Gods Electing love no mercy would be a mercy to us and with it no misery will make us miserable The Lord hath chosen you unto three great ends in subordination one to the other he hath chosen you to salvation to reconciliation and to communion Psal 4.3 The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe God hath picked and culled every Godly man out of the world and set him aside For what for himselfe for himselfe what 's that It doth not only note for spirituall service but for the highest priviledges he hath set the godly man apart for these two ends First for the enjoyment of communion with him on earth Secondly for the fruition of blessednesse with him in heaven The Lord hath set c. 1. Consider who is it that hath done it It 's God that hath set him apart 2. What hath he done He hath set him apart put him distinct from all the world 3. Who is it that is thus set apart It is the man that is godly 4. What is the end of this action for which this man is set apart He is set apart for God 'T is the choycest duty that belongs to us to set our selves apart for God and 't is one of the choicest mercies of God to set us apart for himselfe The Lord doth separate to himselfe for imployment and for fellowship he will employ that man and he will have communion with that man The Angels they are of all creatures taken to speciall communion with God they behold the face of God the Father which is in Heaven It was excellently expressed by Tertullian the Saints in this life are the men that are the Lords attendants setting the Lord alwaies before them and standing alwaies before him waiting upon him Zech. 3.7 Thus saith the Lord if thou wilt walk in my waies c. I will give thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mah-lechim Walks that is places to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—en hagnomedim ha-elleh inter stantes illos among these that stand by Who be they The meaning is conceived to be this the Angels they alwaies stand before God thousand thousands compasse his Throne now when the Lord speaks of taking a people into intimate familiarity with himselfe he saith he will give them walkes or Galleries to walk in among the
by whom 3. The same state of grace to which the Gospel brings us in that estate doth Christ keep us wherein we stand 4. That a Saint through the sight of his accesse to and his standing in this grace is made to rejoice in hope of the glory of God as is expressed in the words following for the clearing and confirmation of the substance of all those four particulars viz. that believers have accesse unto and are kept into that state of grace wherein they rejoyce and glory onely by Jesus Christ and his mediation there is a remarkable expression of the Apostle in Eph. 2.13 but now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Jesus for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition Those who are without Christ are afar off three manner of waies 1. In point of opinion and apprehension 2. In point of fellowship and Communion 3. In point of grace and conversion Now as Joseph said to his Brethren bring your Brother Benjamin with you or else see not my face any more So doth God say to sinners when they come nigh to enjoy communion with him bring Jesus Christ in your arms or else never look me in the face It 's the custom of some Countries and foraign Nations that when ever they speak any thing to the King they take up his Son in their armes sure I am 't is the custom of Heaven that who ever shall have Communion with God and enjoy fellowship with his spirit they must take his Son in their armes and carry Christ along with them Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need God hath set up a Throne and that Thone that he hath set up is a gratious Throne and 't is set up for poor sinners and for poor sinners to come freely and boldly too to take liberty in speaking to God it 's set up for these two ends for the obtaining of mercy and for the finding of grace that may help us in time of need that is for the finding of favour and fellowship with God And it is upon the alone account of the Lord Jesus Christ that we can come with boldnesse to it Look on the words foregoing verse 15 For we have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities c. Let us therefore come boldly c. John 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life there is no comming to the Father but by Jesus Christ and Heb. 10.19 Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus The sinfullest wretches in the world if they be brought into Jesus Christ may come boldly and have communion with God the Father Cant. 1.4 The King hath brought me into his Chambers There is no going into the chambers the places of communion with God the Father but by being led by the hand of the King of Saints the Lord Jesus Christ thither Ground 4 The fourth ground of our communion with God is the Spirit of Christ in us this is one of the main ends why believers receive the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Christ is not only received as a bond of union but as a means of communion the Spirit of Christ in believers hath these foure things in it 1 It 's a Spirit of Union 2 It 's a Spirit of Unction 3 It 's a Spirit of Action 4 It 's a Spirit of Fellowship As 1. It 's a spirit of Union It s that which is the everlasting tie of the God head in it selfe the spirit running forth through the Father and the Son or proceeding from the Father and the Son as it is expressed in the Gospell so 't is that which is the very tie and knot of the Saints and Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 Hee that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 2. It 's a Spirit of Union 1 John 2.27 but the anointing which ye have received abideth in you c. The oyntment that was powred upon the head of Aaron it ran downe to the skirts of all his Garment the spirit of God like to oyntment that was powred forth upon the head of Christ and it doth run downe to all his members 3. It 's a Spirit of Action saith the Apostle If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh The spirit is the powerfullest weapon in our hands to put flesh to death in us it is not an idle but an active spirit 4. It 's a spirit of fellowship and Communion Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the father we both have accesse that is Jew and Gentile though they are two Nations that one spirit leades them both to the Father The Spirit of Christ is not onely a spirit of manifestation and of revelation but it is a spirit of Supplication and of Manuduction It leads us by the hand to the Father Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they the Sons of God Thus you see that intimacy is grounded upon your Union with Christ The ground of all Communion is Union now answerable to the Union such must the Communion be if the Union bee very neere truly then the Communion must bee very intimate Ephesians 5.3 Wee are of his flesh and of his bone it is so neere nay neerer hee that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit what 's the end why the Lord hath made so neere a Union truly it is that there may bee an intimate Communion answerable he is in us like leaven even as the leaven incorporates it selfe that there can bee no separation between it and the dough One end of the Hypostaticall Union was the mysticall Union Christ takes the two natures into one person that so you might become one with him Consider there is a morall union that is made by love for love is Affectus unionis an uniting affection such a union the Angells have and Adam had in the state of Innocency I but there is likewise an union that faith makes a mysticall union that is another kind of union then ever the Angells had or can have The Angells are never said to bee the brethren of Christ and the members of Christ Christ is said to be their head but they are never said to be his members there is some thing morein that mysticall union which is by faith between Christ and beleevers then there can be in that union which is between Christ and the Angells Now if the end of union be Communion why hath the Lord made so neere a union but for an intimate familiarity and communion Ground 5 The fift ground of Communion is our conformity and similitude to Jesus Christ conformity and similitude is the ground of all communion A Saint being made like unto God receives communion
Mutuall manifestation 2. Mutuall contemplation 3. Mutuall admiration 4. Mutuall delight and satisfaction 5. Mutuall communication of secrecy The first act of communion is manifestation and that 1. Of God to man 2. Of man to himselfe 1. â—f God to man and that three waies of his Presence of his Glory and of his Grace 1. Of his presence Saith Jacob Gen. 28.16 God is in this place And John 14.21 I will manifest myselfe to him 2. Of his glory Psalm 63.3 Iosee thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary 3. Of his grace Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly to the throne of grace c. God in Gospell-Ordinances through Jesus Christ sits upon a Throne of grace and when we go unto the throne of grace to receive from him we must go with boldnesse Now there are two chief acts that you are to exercise about this presence of God when it manifests it self to you in the use of Ordinances 1. The foule sees and observes this presence of God manifesting it selfe and beholds it It is Davids wish Psal 27.4 That I might dwell in thy House to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple As the Ordinances of God are the glory of a people so the presence of God is the glory of the Ordinances and the soule that enjoyes communion with God it eyeth and seeth the glorious presence of God in Ordinances 2. There 's not only an act of beholding but there 's an act of adoring the presence that we do behold doing homage to it The Angels that have a more immediate communion with God then we have they fall down before God and adore him And so the Prophet Esay Esay 6.5 Then said I wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleanelips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts And Rev. 4.10 And the twenty foure Elders cast down their Crowns at his feet and fall down before him c. Secondly there 's an act of Revelation of man to himselfe to know himselfe Man in himself is dark in discoveries of himself 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly 'T is not the presence of the Lord in heaven but the presence of the Lord in Ordinances that is the candle of the Lord. Now in this act of the Revelation of man to himselfe 1. It discovers the secrets of the heart 1 Cor. 14.25 And thus are the secrets of the heart made manifest 2. It discovers the principles and grounds and ends of his action the Word of God discovers it to him and the presence of God in it 3. It passeth a sentence upon a man according to that light Ezek. 20.3.4 Son of man wilt thou judge them that is by Ordinances A soule is then judged by Ordinances First When it is mightily ashamed in the Divine presence for its non-conformity unto God and Secondly when it takes the judgement that the word gives and lies down with silence under it This is the first act of communion an act of manifestation of God to man of man to himselfe Of God to man of his Presence of his Glory of his Grace Of man to himselfe in the secrets of his heart and in the principles and grounds of his heart The second act of communion is mutuall contemplation the soule doth continually converse with Christ by secret meditation and contemplation There is a beholding of the beauty of Christ which is called the beauty of holinesse Holinesse is the beauty of a Saint and Christ is the beauty of holiness The Saints set forth Christ to be the fairest of ten thousands fairer then the children of men Christ replies again O thou fairest among women The Saints they behold and contemplate the beauty of Christ and Christ he beholds the beauty and contemplates the excellency of the Saints The Saints they are taken up with the love of Christ and Christ he is taken up with the love of them thus they admire the vertues one of another You know 't is never well with friends unless they be together what a shift will lovers make to enjoy each other So it is between the Soule and the Lord Psalm 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee Why a man might have told David God is in heaven and thou art upon the earth In my bodily presence I am from him not with him but in the presence of spirit and in the meditation and contemplation of soule I do never ly down I do never rise up but I am with thee By the Covenant of Grace and the Ordinances of the Gospell you are come to God the judge of all things you have intimate fellowship with him as well as with the Saints Austin saith The soule doth often and familiarly walk the streets of the new Jerusalem Seeing there the Patriarchs and the Prophets and the Lord Jesus Christ This the soule doth by fiduciall reasoning and by high and glorious meditation and contemplation The third act of communion is mutuall admiration the soule is admiring those excellencies that are in God and Christ is admiring those excellencies and being ravished with the beauties that are in them Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse Cant. In the Book of Exodus 't is said the High Priest carried the names of the children of Israel upon his Breast-plate A Jewell set in the Breastplate of Christ O how shining and glorious is it The Saints as Jewells are very taking but being set in Christs Breast-plate are more taking This is my beloved this is my friend O you daughters of Jerusalem 4. The fourth act of communion between Christ and the soule doth consist in mutuall delight satisfaction contentment and rejoycing in each other There was a great fellowship and communion betwixt David and Jonaâ—han and they rejoyced in each other There 's a great fellowship and communion betwixt wife and husband â—eâ—her be as the loving hind to thee and Esay 62.5 I will rejoyce over thee as a Bride-groom rejoyceth over the Bride O the contentment that the soule takes in Christ and the contentment Jesus Christ againe takes in the soule that he hath communion withall Isa 53.11 Hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied Psal 17. last I shall bee satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chelek Jehovah guammo The Lords portion is his people in Deut. 32.9 and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chelki Jebovah amerah naphshi The Lord is my portion saith my soule Lam. 3.24 therefore the Soule studies Christ and Christ studies the Soule the king shall take pleasure in thy beauty you know the command is unto a
glory IIII. I come to the ends of communion why God will have any fellowship at all with the Saints and seeing he will have fellowship and communion with them why he doth not immediately translate them to glory Observe he that accomplisheth the best and the greatest ends is the wisest man the more ends any action accomplisheth the more excellent is that action Mordecai's action was a most excellent one because it brought about so man yâ—â—nds there was a great plot defeated great enemies subdued the state of the Church was restored the Kings affections rectified and himselfe honoured and advanced There are eleven ends why God will have fellowship and communion with his people The first great end of God in communion is that he might manifest and impart himselfe to the creature Gods imparting of himselfe to the creature as it is an act of communion so it is the very end of communion too John 14.21 I will come to him and manifest my selfe to him There were two ends for which God created the Angells the one was for glory and the other was for communion that they might behold his face and that he might impart himselfe to them There is a double end of communion some have communion for need others have it for delight some have communion for need they impart their wants to have them supplyed others have communion for delight their communion is out of abundance of desire for communication not that they might receive from others but that they might give to others God hath not communion with the creatures out of need but out of delight not that he needs the creature but that he might give forth of his abundance to the creature God sets apart the man that is godly for himselfe not for service only but for communion and communication also This is one of the great ends of God in communion that he might impart and communicate himselfe unto the creature The 2. End why God will have communion with the Saints is this that he might thereby set forth unto the Saints the perfection of the mediation of Christ and that in these two things 1. In his being able to cure all the wounds and bruises that sin had made upon a man By sin we lost both our Image and our fellowship Now Jesus Christ he doth not only make peace with God so that he doth not destroy us but raiseth a way of communion with God to receive us That 's a type of Christ Exod. 25.22 I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat c. 2. He is able to give you a more perfect communion then Adam had as he gives you a more perfect righteousnesse As we have not a distinct righteousnesse from Christs righteousnesse so we have not a distinct fellowship from Christs fellowship All the communion that Christ hath in the humane nature with the Father 't is for us and in our behalf 3. End why God will have fellowship and Communion with us is this that in this fellowship all other fellowships may have their foundations laid there had never been any kind of fellowship if there had not been first this kind of fellowship when you brake with God all Creatures brake with you for upon the same termes that wee stood with God did all Creatures stand with us the Devills they have no fellowship among themselves other creatures that are separated from God they have no fellowship at all But now the Saints of Jesus Christ have fellowship with the Angells I with all the Saints they shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven They have fellowship with the Angells Jacobs Ladder which is Jesus Christ there the Angells come down and go up again and they have fellowship with the Saints the Communion between Saints and Saints is bottomed upon the Communion that is between Christ and Saints Eph. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times hee might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth even in him The 4. End why God will have communion with his Saints that hee might confirme them and make them like unto himselfe God loves to see his owne picture upon his owne people The more any man is moulded into the sorry things of this world the more like them he is the more communion he hath with them the more conformity Hee that walkes with the wise shall be wise So it is with the Saints the communion they have with God the more conformity they have to him for communion makes conformitie and carries it on to a greater height what is the reason the Angels are more holy then men it is because they have more communion with God then men have what is the reason the glorified Saints are more holy then the gracious Saints are 't is because they have more Communion with God What 's the reason one Saint is more holy then another 't is because he hath more Communion with God then the other according to the degree of our Communion such will be the degree of our holiness and conformity to God The fifth end of Gods Communion with the Saints is that hee may act and strengthen their graces Cant. 1.12 While the King sitteth at his Table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Every thing the nearer it comes to it's Center the swifter it moves Communion with God and the Souls enjoyment of God 't is the very Center of it and and the nearer it comes to this the swifter still it moves 'T is observable of Abraham that he put forth the greatest Acts of humility in his Communion with God O Lord I am but dust and ashes and Jacob hee put forth the highest Acts of zeal in Communion with God I will not let thee go except thou blesse me and Moses put forth the greatest Acts of prayer in his Communion with God O Lord pardon the sin of this people which is very great one of the great ends that God aimes at in Communion is the exercise of your graces he would not have the graces of his people to lie still to bee like swords rusting in the scabbards but he would have them exercised hee would have your patience set at work in waiting upon him your faith set a work in resting on him your zeal set a work in longing after him your zeal set a work in acting for him God doth not love any Heavenly Talent should be wrapt up in a napkin hee was a sinful servant that was a floathful servant that laid up his Masters Talent when he should have laid out his Masters Talent God loves to see us exercise all our graces and thence it is that he hath Communion with us 6. End why God will have fellowship and Communion with his Saints is that hee may sweeten the whole course of our lives while we are in this world we meet with many
bitter things and 't is only Communion with God that can put sweetnesse into them Jesus Christ he was a man of sorrowes and what upheld his life onely Communion with God the Lord stood by me and strengthned me Now that which upheld the life of Christ that is it that doth uphold the life of every Christian and that is communion with God The same words Paul makes use of The Lord stood by me and strengthened me whose I am and whom I serve This is the mighty end that God aimes at in communion that he may sweeten all the course of our pilgrimage while we are going to heaven This is the bunch of grapes that God gives his people to feed upon in their wildernesse state they would be out of heart if they had no communion with him This is that sweet wood that is cast into the waters of Marah to make them sweet and pleasant 7. Therefore hath God communion with his people that he may prepare their hearts for desertions that they may be affected with them when they come and that they may not be dejected under them though they long continue that they may not think their cloud shall never be blown over though their Sun be hidden 1. That they may be affected with desertions Saith David Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled If he had never seen the face of God he would never have been troubled for Gods hiding of his face The Saints of God if they had not some tasts of communion with him they would never be troubled for his withdrawment from them 2. That they may not be dejected under them David he calls to minde his song that he made in the night and the remembrance of that was exceeding sweet and exceeding pleasant unto him the remembrance of former communions that he had with God bore up his spirit when many troubles were upon him 8. End why God will have communion with his people it is to put them out of tast with all the pleasures of sin and the creature Phil. 4.7 And he peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds c. 'T is usuall when any epithite of God is added to a thing it signifies and notes the excellency of it it 's the peace of God a peace that comes from God a peace that brings to God a peace that makes us live like God in such sweetnesse and peace and contentment Now this peace it puts a mans mouth out of tast of any of the sweet nesses and of the pleasures of sin Thy loving kindnesse is betâ—e then life saith David And Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than Wine saith the Church There is nothing puts us out of tast with the pleasures of sin so much as a soules tasting of communion with God when a soule hath drank the old wine it cares not for drinking of new because the old was better The loving kindnesse of God in communion with him is that which takes off the pallate from tasting sweetnesse any where else The more any soule is brought into communion with God the more doth it disrelish the pleasures of sin 9. End that God aims at in giving the Soule Coumunion with himself is that it might aggravate their sins in the day of Repentance Sins against Communion are great aggravations Solomon departed from the Lord when hee had appeared to him twice which migh tily aggravated his sin 1 Kings 11.9 God kept an exact account of his manifestations that he might aggravate Solomons sins in the day of his Repentance O when a soule comes to fit down and consider I have not onely sinned against so many mercies of God and so long tired out the Patience of God but I have sinned against Communion with God Jesus Christ took me into his banquetting house and his banner over me was love He stay'd me with flagons he comforted me with Apples his left hand was under my head and his right hand did imbrace me and yet I finned my self out of the sweet imbraces of Christ O how doth this melt the heart when it comes to mourn for sin the sense of the sweetness of his communion that he had with God puts double tears into his eyes and double sighs into his spirit There 's no such aggravation of sin as communion with God 10. Therefore God hath communion and fellowship with his people therefore doth he meet them that he might blesse them Exod. 20.24 Communion times are times when all requests are granted King Ahasuerus grants the request of Hester when he comes to sit with her at a banquet of wine The greatest blessing that ever the Saints do enjoy it is in times of communion with God O then how are their consciences filled with peace O how are their hearts filled with joy God makes large distributions of spirituall blessings when he admits the soul into communion with himselfe What blessing is there that the soule may not have when it hath communion with God in Ordinances 11. End of Gods communion with his people here is that his fellowship here may be the first fruits of glory hereafter When God will bestow any great mercy upon a man he gives him a tast of it before hand that he may set him upon more earnest and eager longings after it Gods people they have the first fruits of all their mercies in this world and the full crop of them all in another world When the soule is made to tast of the sweetnesse of communion with God O how it longs to be with God how many prayers doth the soule make to God that he would tak it home to himselfe that it might ever lye in his arms and ever dwell in his presence I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all What was the ground that raised up such desires in Paul to be with Christ It was because here he had tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ and if Christ in this world was so sweet if a Christ on earth was so sweet then a Christ in heaven would be much more sweet And on this ground the Church calls to Christ Make hast my beloved and be thou like a Roe or young Hart upon the mountain of spices Cant. 8.14 And in Revel 22. when Christ had told the Church that he would return again unto her to have more communion with her she cries out Amen even so come Lord Jesus She puts her prayers to Christs promises and saith Amen Lord so let it be Application THere are three Uses I shal make of this point 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. For Information Use 1 Is it so that the main end of God in the establishing and setting up of Ordinances is communion with himselfe Hence I draw these six inferences 1. Behold here the infinite delight that God takes in the society of all his Saints that he would set up all Ordinances
these things Alas if there were nothing but the very Ordinance believers would never be so often in the use of them if there were nothing but a little bread and wine at a Sacrament who would sit down at it with such great delight If there were nothing but praying in prayer who would lose any time about it if there were nothing but hearing in hearing if there was not the power of God going along with the voice of man what is it And therefore when you see the Saints and people of God so often imploying themselves about spirituall Ordinances when you see them begin the day with prayer and end the day with thanksgivings when you see them fixing their souls to meditate upon God you may well conclude there is more then the bare Ordinance nay in every Ordinance remember 't is not for the Ordinance sake but for Communion with God which was the main end why God set up Ordinances Use 2 For Examination how you may know whether you have had any fellowship and Communion with God or no. This is a serious question and deserves more then a slight answer Communion with God is a thing of more concernment and of greater moment then most men are a ware of and we use to try things that will not be taken from us without tryall Consider three things 1. God hath scales to weigh all your graces 2. He hath touchstones to try all your graces 3. He hath Fanns to sift all your graces Rev. 3.2 thou hast a name to live and art dead And then you use to try those things where there may be credit Sometimes men take that for fellowship with God in Ordinances which is not and sometimes mendeny that for fellowship with God in Ordinances that is First Some men take that for fellowship with God in Ordinances which is not There are two things that look like fellowshp and communion with God in Ordinances that are not 1. There are some imperfect approches of God unto the soules of unregenerate men in ordinances when there is no reciprocall approaches of the spirits of unregenerate men to God 2. When their spirits are onely passive and not active God calls upon them to seek his face but their hearts never answer Lord thy face will I seek as the heart of the righteous do Secondly some men deny that for Communion with God in Ordinances which is Common Take these two distinctions 1. Dist. Communion with God in Ordinances is sometimes secret and sometimes more manifest First it is secret God doth not alwaies speak peace with a loud voice he sometimes speaks peace with a still voice Cant. 5.4 5. there Communion with God is more secret My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him I rose up to open to my beloved and my hands dropped with mirrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling mirrhe upon the handles of the locks Secondly It is more manifest sometimes they are in hidden rooms in secret chambers together At other times they are walking in the open galleries 2. Distinction There 's a Sanctifying Communion and there 's a ravishing Communion The sanctifying-Communion may be where the ravishing Communion may not be Ps 51.8 make me to of hear joy and gladnesse c. David hee had a sanctifying Communion before but now he beggs for a ravishing Communion with God that would raise him up to a rejoycing in God Now you may know whether you have fellowship with God in Ordinances or no by three things 1. By somthing Before duty 2. By somthing In duty 3. By somthing After duty First by something before duty If you have Communion with God you may know it by these three Characters 1. If God before raise up thy heart to make fellowship thy end in duty O shew us the Father and it sufficeth us that was the Disciples end in their prayer to Jesus Christ shew us the Father nothing but the Father would suffice them So when thou comest to Ordinances and sayest O that I might see the goings of God my King in his Sanctuary O that I might be able to see the prints and footsteps of God in such and such an Ordinance God will never deceive the expectations of his people These expectations they are raised by him they shal be fulfilled by him Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end They looked for peace I saith God an Olive branch shall be sent them they expect my presence they shall find my presence If God before hand raise up thy heart to make fellowship thy end in all thy Actions then thou maist certainly conclude thou shalt have fellowship with him 2. If God before hand put thy heart into a suitable frame to the duty then thou maist assure thy soule thou shalt have fellowship with God in the duty if thou findest those graces exercised by thee the duty calls for from thee When God called Moses into the Mount he was sure to have communion with God Why because God gave him such dispositions as fitted him for communion When once the heart is put into communion frame it shall never go without it if thy shooes be put off and the place on which thou standest be holy ground never fear but thou shalt enjoy communion with the holy God There is a remarkable passage the Psalmist hath Psal 10.17 expresly pointing at this that God doth first put the spirits of his people in a frame suitable to communion with himselfe And 2. he commeth unto them with a blessing enclining his ear to hear and accept them favourably or that whensoever the Lord doth put the hearts of his people into a prepared frame then he doth incline his ear and hear them the words are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tachin libam there is the first thou wilt fit dispose direct or prepare their heart or thou wilt cause their heart to prepare it selfe as it were for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tachin is the future hiph from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chun he prepared or fitted c. and then observe what followeth VVhen once thou hast thus fitted and prepared their heart then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takshib oznâ—kah Thou wilt prepare thy ear to hear or thou wilt cause thy ear to be heard and to be attentive in hearing their suits and supplications for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takshib is also future hiph from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kashab inkal he was attentive or he heard with attention So that God never puts his people into a prepared posture for communion but he gives them communion VVhen duties answer to our hearts and our hearts answer to our duties This is the workmanship of God to frame the heart for duty as well as to cut out duty for the heart And hence the Psalmist knowing this that it
way and let the soul go an other then it can have no Communion But when God and the soul tread both in the same steps there 's a sweet agreement and delightful harmony between them 9. A soul that hath Communion with God highly prizeth the presence of God and the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ If thy presence go not along with us saith Moses carry us not from hence and nothing gives the soul content if it hath lost Communion till it be restor'd again it can bear any thing better then a breach in its Communion no loads lie so heavy upon it as a departed Saviour how doth the soule lament after the Lord when it cannot find the Lord it is restlesse till it come to lie in it's beloveds bosome Lastly A soul that hath fellowship Communion with God it cuts off all other contrary fellowships that are inconsistent with it cuts off all sinful carnal fellowship They wil have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse that have fellowship communion with the Father of lights Use 3 For Exhortation to presse you to look after communion with God There are three things that wee are to look after to attain to communion with God 1. We must have a right path 2. We must have a staffe of strength and power 3. Wee must have true ascents and fellowships First wee must have a right path and that is Jesus Christ there is no coming to the Father but by the Son Jâ—h 14.6 I am the way c. There is a choice way to God but there are no choice of waies to come to God passe by one you pass by all Heb. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by â—he which we draw nigh unto God what is that better hope It is Jesus Christ hope depends so much on him for the best things that he is called our better hope by which with assurance wee may draw nigh to God that 's the Apostles incouragement Heb. 10.19 by the bâ—ood of Iesus we have boldnesse to enter into th holiest Secondly wee must have a staffe of strength and power and that 's the spirit of God Iude 20 Verse praying in the Holy-Ghost As it 's the office of Christ to interceed with God for us so it 's the office of the spirit to interceed in us the prayers that go up to God come down from God There are two burdens that are too heavy for us to bear First the burden of sins Secondly the burden of suits Thirdly we must have true ascents and footsteps else wee shall never come up to Communion with God There are six severall ascents and foot steps by which wee ascend to the Throne of God for the enjoyment of communion with him 1. The sence of self-indigency wee never enjoy communion with the fulnesse of God till we see the Emptinesse that is in our selves a full soule loaths the hony Come though it have never so much sweetnesse in it the whole never prizeth the Physitians Medicines sence of want draws the Creature downe on Earth and then leads it up to Heaven 2. Sence of our own utter inability to supply our own necessities Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever If there be any thing that you expect satisfaction from besides God you will never come to communion with him you will then looke after fellowship with him when you see all your happinesse in him The. 3. Footstep to Communion with God is sence of our own unworthinesse that God should give supplies unto us when Jacob was brought so nigh into fellowship and Communion with God when hee was strugling with God and would not let him go till hee had got a blessing then he lâ—t go all opinion of worth in himself to receive a blessing Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies There is no drawing nigh to the most high God without low thoughts of our selves the proud look disdainfully upon God and meet with disdain from him The 4. Footstep to Communion is the clear knowledge and full acknowledgement of the power and sufficiency of God to help us and to fill us Heb. 11.6 hee that cometh to God must believe that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him what 's that It lies in two things First that God needs no Creature Secondly that he is enough to supply the needs of every Creature 5. Foostep to communion is to believe that the Lord stands ready to embrace us in all our commings to him and to give us all the good that we come for to believe that he is ready to supply us in every good we seek from him we honour God most when we expect the greatest incomes of mercy from him He hath not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou for a vain void and empty nothing The greatnesse of God gives him power and his goodnesse gives him will to supply us therefore we should believe without doubting his readinesse to supply us Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near in full assurance c. In what assurance must we come Even in this that we shall be answered in whatsoever we ask As Faith must be mingled with every word of precept that Godspeaks to us so it must be mingled with every word of prayer that we speak to him James 1.5 6. If any lack wisdome let them aske it of God that giveth to all men lib rally and upbraideth not 6. Footstep of our Communion with God is boldnesse in all our approaches to him As God opens his heart freely so we must open our mouths boldly Holy boldnesse is the highest act of Faith and the neerest step to God when the soul is got thus high it is upon the top of Jacobs Ladder Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly to the Throne of grace c. Boldnesse is a grace that is most suitable to the Throne of grace Let me speak with reverence we are gotten to Gods side when we come with boldnesse grace can step no higher the next degree of ascent is to be swallowed up in glory In every Ordinance we have a vision of God by faith and in every duty we should come to God with boldnesse and joy To conclude all Would you have Communion with God in Ordinances Then let me commend to you these five things First there must be a being neer to God before there can be a drawing neer to God you must labour after Reconciliation before ever you can enjoy Communion while you are enemies you will be strangers Till God be brought neer to you you can never draw neer to God We are first brought neer to God by the blood of Christ before ever we have Communion with God in Ordinances Secondly He that desires Communion with God in Ordinances must look upon God as present and not as absent from him without this we can never enjoy Communion with him Rev. 4.6 there 's a high Throne which is nothing else but a representation of God to his people in Gospell-Ordinances there they behold his glory and enjoy Communion with him He that desires Communion with God in Ordinances must look upon God as present first in Majesty secondly in jealousie thirdly in authority fourthly in purity 3. If you would have Communion with God in Ordinances then in every Ordinance make Communion with God your end The hypocrisie or the sincerity of every mans spirit is mostly seen in his end There 's a double end that every man should propose to himselfe in comming to Ordinances and when this end is unproposed Communion with God is un-enjoyed First they should do them as acts of obedience in reference to Gods command Secondly they should use them as means of Communion in reference to Gods promise In every Ordinance you should make Communion with God your end and use the Ordinance as a means for the attainment of that end thus I am going to such a duty Lord and this is my end to enjoy thee in it I am going to pray and I would have the enjoyment of God in prayer This is the end you should propound when you go about every Ordinance 4. Get divine and spirituall apprehensions if ever you would enjoy Communion for according to our apprehensions of God such will be our enjoyments of him and such will be our Communions with him Some persons have to do with God in Ordinances that never think what that God is with whom they have to do The only way to raise up our Communion with God is to raise up our apprehension of him if we know him but a little we can never enjoy much society and communion with him 5. Make use of former experiences if you would enjoy communion with God the experience that men have had of the sweetnesse of God will stirre up their hearts to long more and more after communion with God He that hath tasted of the sweetnesse of God cannot sit down satisfied except he meet with God in the Ordinance FINIS
man Prov. 5.19 concerning his wife let her brests satisfie thee at all times and bee thou ravished alwaies with her soule now the Lord Christ his people satisfie him at all times it is all the portion hee lookes for Isa 62.4 hee calls her name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chephtzi bah or Hephzibah my delight in her 5. Act of communication is communication of secrets love gives gifts and it gives counsells too The carriage of a Saint in communion when he receives the communication of Secrets must bee thus 1. He must come with holy and sanctified thoughts of God 2. He must come with apprehensions thoughts of his owne vileness To him will I look saith God that is of an humble heart With an eye of inspection no but with an eye of respect with an eye of compassion and with an eye of approbation 3. He must come with seriousnesse of spirit and with solidity of heart to the Ordinances if he would enjoy communion with God in them and have the secrets of God revealed to him 4. All a mans graces should be acted when he comes to attend upon God And 5. He must bring the Lord Jesus Christ in his armes as we perform no service but by him so we have no communion with God but through him Christ is a two fold Mediator First of reconciliation for enemies and strangers Secondly for communion and communication of secrets to those that are reconciled Now in all those and all other acts of spirituall communion there is one speciall and choice qualification of them that they are performed and acted with much intimacy or with very intimate and familiar correspondence between Christ and the soule which appears in these particulars 1. The soule hath a great deal of intimacy in those acts of communion with Christ for it lookes upon him as reconciled as one that bears nothing but good will to it It 's ungodly men that look upon God as a stranger God shewes them the back and not the face Jer. 18.17 but 't is not so with his people he doth remove all clouds he shewes them his face he doth cause his face to shine upon them Psalm 104.37 My meditations of him shall be sweet Mark what is that which sweetens Davids meditation of the Lord Truly the reason was this because he looked upon God as reconciled and at peace with him therefore whatsoever was in God was his Not to look upon God as a Judge but as a husband as a Father reconciled and so the soule hath an interest in whatsoever is his Thus God is said Psalm 116.7 to be the rest of the soul Return to thy rest O my soul Thy rest for truly wheÌ„ the soule wanders from God it is restlesse That 's an excellent expression Psalm 38.10 My heart panteth you read it but in the Originall it is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libbi secharchar my heart went about to and fro like a Merchant For it is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sachar which signifieth to go about or to run hither and thither properly to traffick and play the Merchant in buying and selling So the soule runs to this creature and is trading with that creature But when once the soule pitcheth upon God it rests there as upon a rock of ages 2. Their fellowship with Christ is in things of the highest nature therefore there 's a great deal of intimacy A man may have acquaintance in ordinary things but familiarity in things of the highest concernment must needs argue a great deal of intimacy your fellowship is in the Spirit As the Devill is an enemy to your fellowship with God in heavenly things and things of Eternity Ephes 6.12 So the intimacy you have with Jesus Christ is in things spirituall and of an eternall concernment and they are these foure 1. 'T is fellowship with Christ in his graces in the graces of his spirit We have an Unction from the holy one 1 John 2.22 2. 'T is fellowship with Christ in the motions of his spirit they that have received the spirit of Christ are led by that spirit Rom. 8.14 3. 'T is fellowship with Christ in the sealings of his spirit After you believed you were sealed by the spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 4. 'T is fellowship with Christ in the earnest of his spirit which I think is more then the sealing sealing puts the state out of controversy but earnest gives a man a tast of that glory before hand As a wicked man in this life by the spirit of bondage doth receive a judgment a kind of sense and tast of hell in his soule before hand Heb. 10.27 So doth the Lord let into the souls of his people a fore-tast of glory Here is a great deale of familiarity In the third place this intimacy that the Saints have with the Lord Jesus consists in this they do come to him with boldnesse and have accesse with boldnesse to the Throne of grace It is called drawing neer Heb. 10.22 All ungodly men they stand afar off from God he comes to God as a stranger he is afraid of him But the drawing neer of the children of God it is called Job 22.26 A listing up their face to God They shall have boldness in the presence of God as a man that lifts up his face without fear in the presence of his intimate and familiar friend Hos 14.6 7. Their small shall be as the Wine of Lebanon It is an observation of Galen all other things grow old and will grow the worse for time but Wine the longer you keep it the better will it be time doth not make it grow worse and that is the reason of that expression of our Saviour He that hath tasted of old Wine doth not by and by desire new Now they shall come into the presence of God and their services shall be accepted of him as the Wine of Lebanon What is that That is as one saith the older they be and the oftner they come into the presence of God the more acceptation they finde with him because their smell is as the Wine of Lebanon In the fourth and last place they have a great deal of intimacy which appears in this they are alwaies calling one another to further fellowship and are never satisfied Our Saviour Christ is alwaies crying Open to me my Love my Sister and my Spouse and the Church she is alwaies calling the Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come come away my beloved come away like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountain of spices By these Mountains of spices I conceive to be meant the promises and the Lords making hast upon them is for the accomplishment of them Set me as a Seal upon thine heart All this â—s nothing else but the Church still calling to the Lord for further fellowship True grace is a spark begun here and it will never cease aspiring till it hath got to him that is the fountain of all in