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
other communions in the world but this is above them all the communion that the Saints have with God compared with other Communions 't is as Saul among the people that was higher by the head and shoulders then the rest of them 't is as the Sunne compar'd with the planets far larger and far more glorious then any one of them nay then all of them you that take up the communion without God below God besides God nay it may be in some things against God know this that it is much inferiour to the Communion that the Saints have with God Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine It was the saying of a precious Saint That one houres communion with God was more worth then the whole world and indeede the Saints are able to set to their seale that this is true will you see them doing of it Psal 84.10 For a day in thy Court is better then a thousand I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse One daies communion with God is more worth then all the communion you have in this world You that are rocked in the cradle of Creatures and take the creame of them that have all the bosoms of created Excellencies to receive from and to communicate your selves too unto alas ther 's more sweetnesse tasted in the injoyment of the least part of God then in the greatest part of the world Are not waters much more pleasant in their springs then in their streames the Saints and people of God they drinke at the fountaines head when they goe to God and take in all at the first hand the creatures milke out no sweetnesse but when God fills their brests The communion that the Saints have with God is Superlative and transcendent in a six-fold respect 1. The dignity excellencie of all communion is according to the persons with whom we communicate 1 Joh. 1.3 That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us why with whom is your fellowship Our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ The fellowship that the Saints have is with all the Persons in the Trinity In this communion there are these two things First the persons dignifie the communion Secondly the communion dignifies the Persons that enjoyes it For a Beggar to have communion with a King is a very high priviledge but nothing compared with the Saints enjoying communion with God Ordinary communion with extraordinary persons raiseth it to a great height 2. Our communion with God must needs be a superlative communion Why because it is the foundation on which all other fellowships are laid When we brake with God all creatures brake with us when man fell from his holinesse he fell from his happiness when he fell from his Image he fell from his excellency The creatures stood upon the same termes with us as we stood with God and by falling from God all creatures fell from us There were two things that we lost in relation to the creature 1. Our dominion over them 2. Our communion with them All men that live in their naturall state have no reall communion with the creature all creatures are become enemies to them since they themselves became enemies to God creatures had no longer their commission to be obedient to us then we were obedient to God I but observe now when once we are restored to God and brought into communion with heaven all the creatures are restored to us when once we our selves are brought to God Hos 2.19 unto 22. I will betroth thee unto me for ever c. and then I will hear the heavens and the heavens shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Jezreel There is a five fold communion that is bottomed upon our communion with God 1. The communion that the Saints have with the Angels is all bottomed upon the communion they have with Christ 2. The communion that the Saints of God have one with another Saints should never have had communion with Saints if they had not had communion with God 1 John 1.3 These things write wee unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 3. The communion of the Church of the Jewes with the Gentiles that 's laid in their communion with God 4. The communion the glorious Saints have in heaven with the glorious Saints on earth that 's bottomed upon their communion with God Heb. 12.22 23. 5. The communion that we have with all the creatures that 's bottomed upon our communion with Christ 3. This must needs bee the most superlative communion which is made between God the Father and Jesus Christ and all the Saints why because when once it begins it never ends perpetuity adds an excellency to it Things that are evill are much more evill by how much longer their continuance are So it is in things that are good they are much better by their continuance Some interpositions there may bee of a Saints communion sometimes but no dissipation of it The interruptions that the communion of the Saints meet withall are but as clouds before the Sun that quickly make their departures again when it shines forth upon them Other communions often end as soone as ever they begin they are lost as soone as ever they are found they are taken out of our hands as soone as ever they are gotten into our hands friends quickly die and leave us behind them or it may bee wee our selves dye and leave our friends behinde us and so the knot of communion is untied They are not long liv'd that have the longest life But a Saint in communion would never attaine his end if his communion should ever come to an end Such as the foundation is such is the building that 's laid upon it the foundation of all communion is laid in love and love is laid from everlasting to everlasting God must first cease to let out his affections to the Saints before ever he can cease in communion with them 4. It must needs be the highest communion because it is the open dore to all a Saints blessednesse so you have it in the Text I will meet them and bless them What a blessing did Jacob receive when the Angell wrestled with him all the night But Jacobs wrestling goes before his blessing Our communion makes way for our blessednesse there are no favours but come in through the gates of communion 5. It must needs be the highest communion because all other commnnions are but dark shadowes and resemblances of it the uttermost that all Communions among all the creatures amounts to is but a resemblance and a dark shadow of this communion with God 'T is resembled by the
So it is here the neearer the union the closer the communion A child is farther off in point of union then a spouse a servant farther off then a child the highest union hath alwaies the closest communion Jesus Christ and the Saints have the neerest union for they are made one spirit The bond of all union below is flesh but the bond of all union above is spirit Jesus Christ and a Saint is so one as the Father looke upon them all in him he never lookes on them as substracted but as united There is alwaies the closest communion where there is the choycest love but there is the choicest love betweene Christ and the Saints therefore the closest communion Love cannot live at the least distance from its beloved love lets nothing come between or interpose between it and its object it is like a falling mountaine that breakes downe all that is betwixt it and its rest love is never so neere but it would still be nearer when it hath got its object its eye it would then have it in his Armes IIII. Property of the communion that the Saints have with God it is a growing and increasing communion it every day creepes up to a greater height and to taller stature no communion is capable of such increase as our communion with God There are two things you may consider in relation to the soules of the Saints 1. They grow up by cōmunion with God 2. They grow up in communion with God the more a Soule converseth with God and the oftner it doth approach unto him it comes to see a greater beauty in God to tast a greater sweetnesse in God and to enjoy a greater presence of God Consider three particulars 1. Looke how a mans apprehension growes of God so his communion growes with God most mens apprehensions are below God but the best mens apprehensions are too low of God when men raise apprehensions of God and with thoughts of the glory and excellency of God upon them then are they raised in their communion with God As the Soules apprehensions of God are raised by degrees so his communion with God is raised by degrees also Jsa 6.3 The Angels they have glorious acts of communion with God they alwaies behola the face of God they are holy holy holy when men have low understanding slighting thoughts of the glorious Majesty of God and of the holynesse of God they can never enjoy excellent and glorious communion with God for such as a mans apprehensions are of God such is his communion with God There are 3 things that are according to our apprehensions of them 1. Such as our apprehensions are such will be our estimations as wee see things so we prize them 2. Such will be our applications if they be raised towards a thing we apply our selves to it that we may have the enjoyment of it 3. Such will bee our communions none shall ever take delight to draw neere to those things wherein we see judge no excellency 2. Consider as men grow up in conformity to God so will they grow up in communion with God for as conformity is a ground of communion so the more conformitie the greater the communion still As the life of holinesse growes up within us so communion with God flowes in upon us Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection c. The more conformable Paul was made to Christs death the more communion he enjoyed in Christs Resurrection 2 Cor. 3. last We beholding the same Image as in a glasse as the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory 3. The more a Saint growes in largeness of affection the more will he grow up in spiritualnesse of communion love drawes the heart strongly after God many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it At the first entrance upon our communion with God the soul is but weak and poor it hath but some tasts of God but it comes for more till at last it feed upon a full Table 1 Pet. 2 3 4. If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious What then to whom comming as unto a living stone dissallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and very precious Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house The more we tast of the graciousness of God the more still do we come into communion with God 'T is very observable in the Song of Solomon that the Spouse at first she had but some kises of the lips of Christ but afterward she is taken into his Chambers and at last she is brought into his Banqueting house into his house of Wine There are foure things that communion leaves in the soul after any precious acts that it hath enjoyed 1. Communion leaves in the soule a sweet remembrance in it Cant. 1.4 The King hath brought me into his chambers We will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more then wine The Acts of the love of Christ shewed to a soule in communion with him is increased by it Psalm 42.4 When I remember these things I power out my soule in me These things what things when I went with the multitude that kept holy day that is when I went with thy Saints to worship thee where I enjoyed communion with thee 2. It leaves an impression of grace and holinesse of God upon the soule Cant. 5.5 I rose up to my beloved and my hands dropped with mirrh and my fingers with sweet smelling mirrh upon the handles of the lock Moses his communion left an impression of the glory of God upon him when he comes from the Mountain he comes with his face shining there are bright beams of Gods face to be seen upon Moses face 3. It leaves in a man a love to those Ordinances where he had this communion O how much is the soule in love with those Sermons in which communion with God is obtained and with those prayers in which he hath the enjoyment of God 4. It leaves in the soul an instinct after further fellowship and after further communion so that the whole desires of the foule are carried forth now after greater and larger enjoyments after higher and more glorious incomes and fresh influences of the divine presence You never knew what it was to enjoy communion with God if your hearts run not out after further and greater communion The V. Propertie of communion and fellowship that the Saints have with God in Ordinances it is spirituall and and supernaturall First it is not all theabilities of nature that can make up this commumunion it is not all the education of the world that can bring a soule into the presence of God or any parts and gifts that is able to raise the Soule into communion with God It is a spirituall communion it is the Spirit of God cōming down and taking the Spirits of the Saints up to its selfe Revel 1.10 I
Angels themselves to attend upon him and hence are those and such like expressions of this their office and duty I have set the Lord alwaies before me c. and as the eyes of Servants are upon the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of a waiting-Maid unto the hand of her Mistrâ—sse so our eyes are upon the Lord our God waiting till he have mercy upon us c. Now had the Lord chosen you but to Salvation wheÌ„ he did leave the Angels to fall under the curse of their covenant broken this had been a great mercy but this will not satisfie electing love only to make up old breaches and then to shut up its bosome or to say to us as David said to Absolon let him return to his house but let him never see my face no but God will have his children look him in the face therefore in the Luke 214. there is not only glory to God in the highest and peace on earth which is reconciliation but there is good will towards men There is fellowship and communion peace will not serve loves turn but there must be good will too The love of God did not only ordain us to friendship but it did ordain us to fellowship The Father in love came forth from all eternity to us that we to all eternity might enjoy communion with him I had almost said that the very essence of the love of God and all the actings of it lead to communion and fellowship with him Ground 2 The second ground of communion is from the Covenant of Grace under which you stand When Adam had sinned he ranne away from God when he made himselfe a sinner God made him an exile Now in the Covenant under which Adam was he had communion with God as a Creature with his Creator but not as a child with his Father Now the Covenant of grace it is a conjugall Covenant and conjugall Covenants are all of them made for the enjoying of communion Hosea 2.19 I will betroth thee to me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgment and in loving kindnesse and in mercies Mark there are foure things in these words that point out the firmnesse and the stability of our Marriages with Christ First 't is done in righteousnesse Secondly in judgment Thirdly in loving kindnesse Fourthly in tender mercies Now what are the fruits and effects of this same conjugall relation and of our joyning to Christ See Chap. 3.3 And I said thou shalt be for me many daies and shalt not be for another so will I be for thee Christ promiseth to be for the Saints and he engageth the Saints to be for him Ephes 2.12 Strangers to the Covenants of promise without God and without hope in the world Till such time as a man be brought into Covenant with God he is a stranger to God and therefore hath no communion with him he stands at the greatest distance from this fellowship with the Father and with his sonne Jesus Christ But now when a man is brought within the verge of the Covenant of grace then hath he communion in all the grace of the Covenant The Covenant of Grace hath two properties peculiar to it which were not in the first Covenant First there is Foedus Amicitiae and Paedus Conjugale a Covenant of friendship and a Conjugal Covenant This is the great end of the Gospell Luke 2.14 the Angels described the purpose of God and what is it to give peace on earth and good will God contents himselfe not only with peace but good will not only reconciliation but communion and the Lord delights his people should come to him in a familiar way under tearms of intimacy Hos 2.16 a strange expression Thou shalt not call me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ishi saith the Lord and shalt call me no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baali Baali signifies my Lord God would be called by Lord no more but call me Ishi what 's that my Husband Ground 3 The third ground of communion of Saints with God is their union with Jesus Christ Answerable to your union there will be your communion There 's a five-fold union 1. An union Politicall as between a King and his people 2. An union naturall as between head and members 3. An union sinfull as betwixt one sinner and another 4. An union Hypostaticall between the two natures of Christ 5. An union mysticall and that is between Christ and the Saints Look what Righteousnesse Christ as Mediator hath is yours and the communion that Christ hath with the Father we have interest in it also 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the memes of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ God the Father never looks on Christ and the Saints as two but as one Will you take a view of Christs communion with the Father Dan. 7.13 I saw and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Antient of daies and they brought him neer before him 1 John 18. He lives in the bosome of the Father The bosome 't is the seat of secrets of love and of fellowship Now in this his communion with the Father we are in no lesse then the whole of our Salvation interessed for he is brought before the Father standing at his right hand and lying in his bosom not only to enjoy communion with his Father himselfe but to intercede for our communion with him also Union that disposeth for communion There can be no communion where there is no union Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the dore and knock if any man hear my voice and open the dore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me First there must be opening of the dore and Jesus Christ must come in before ever there be supping together none of the fare that is to feast a Chrian comes till Christ him self brings it If the dore be shut against Christs person then there is a Baracado to all communion Cant. 5.5 I am come into my Garden my sister my spouse c. And then Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved There are two things that we enjoy by vertue of our union with Christ First satisfaction in him Secondly Communion and fellowship with him Look what fellowship and Communion Christ hath with the Father it is by vertue of his union with him and look what fellowship and Communion wee have with Christ 't is by vertue of our union with him 1 Cor. 3.22.23 mark how the Relation there riseth All are yours how comes that ye are Christs and Christ is Gods and Rom. 5.2 by whom wee have accesse into this grace wherein we stand note this 1. Believers have under the Gospel accesse into glorious grace into this grace 2. That the meritorious cause of believers accesse into this grace is the Lord Jesus Christ