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A51705 The inseparable communion of a believer with God in his love being the substance of several sermons preached on Rom. VIII 38, 39 / by ... Mr. Thomas Mallery ... Mallery, Thomas, fl. 1662. 1674 (1674) Wing M337; ESTC R32046 52,543 166

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22. This union of believers is not the same for quality or equality with that of the Father and Son nor is this union made to refemble the natural union of the Father and Son in the Godhead But that mystical union between the Father and the Son in our flesh carrying on with joynt hand and heart the great work of Redemption so 't is express'd John 10.28 29 30. Secondly From this union flows our Communion with God which is the second Believers have a special spiritual Communion with God Communion is between persons some way or other united participating of each others good things for their comfort and delight Believers by union with God have Communion with God i. They have Communion with God in nature 2 Pet 1.4 not by way of Partition as if God divided his nature between him and us nor by way of transfusion as if God emptied of his nature into ours but by way of Communion As the humane nature of Christ was assumed into unity with the Divine in the Person of his Son and by that union had Communion with the divine nature whence followed an Unction whereby the humane nature received Perfections and Excellencies above its own natural capacity so by Communion with the divine nature we receive an unction from the Holy One the Spirit and its supernatural Excellencies and Perfections Secondly they have Communion with God in all the divine Relations in the Godhead Father Son and holy Spirit Father 1 John 1.31 Son 1 Cor. 19. Holy Spirit John 14.17 Hedwelleth in you Thirdly they have Communion with all three Persons in their peculiar and distinct Excellencies The peculiar Excellency of the Father is Love 1 Iohn 4.16 of the Son is Grace Rom. 16.24 Of the Spirit is comfort Iohn 14.16 Believers have Communion with the Father in love with the Son in grace with the Spirit in comfort 2 Cor. 13.14 Paul often wi●heth Mercy Grace and Peace to Saints Mercy is the Fathers Grace the Sons Peace the holy Spirit They have Communion with all three in their peculiar and distinct Priviledges Fourthly they have Communion with God in all communicable Properties and Attributes his Wisdom Righteonsness ●oliness Meekness Patience Goodness These which are Attributes in God are also many graces in believers these make up the Image of God in Saints and in these they are said to resemble God in these is their likeness to God their conformity to God Fifthly they have Communion with God in his greatest Priviledges they are holiness and happiness i. Holiness is one of Gods chiefest Prerogatives Exod. 15.11 that believers have Communion with God in his holiness appears Isa 63.8 they are called the people of his holiness by this Argument viz. their communion with Go● The Apostle exhorts believers to a further progress in holiness 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Secondly Happiness or Glory Blessedness of Felicity is Gods Prerogative 1 Tim. 6.15 Rom. 9.5 so is glory which is the manifestation of that blessedness God is called the God of glory Acts 7 2. the Father the Father of glory Eph. 1.17 the Son of God Je●us Christ the Lord of glory Iames 2.1 the Spirit the Spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4.14 That believers have Communion with God Father Son and Spirit in glory see 2 Cor. 3.18 Iohn 1● 22 and from hence follows the third which is Communication Thirdly there is a sweet Communication between God and believers naturally flowing from this Communion like that which is express'd of those believers in holy Communion Act. 4.32 This Communication is mutual between God and believers God communicates himself to us to be our God we communicate to him by owning him for our God As they Ier 3.22 Behold and by giving up our selves to his service 2 Cor. 8.5 The Father communicates to us in all his spiritual blessings Eph. 1.3 We communicate to him by improving all we receive from him thank fully faithfully to the praise of his grace The Son communicates to us his Merits Mercies Purchases Treasures of his VVisdom Knowledge Righteousness Holiness And we communicate to him by receiving him and all his benefits by faith and bring forth the fruits of righteousness by him to the glory of the Father The Spirit communicates to us light truth liberty joy strength peace comfort and we communicate to him by acknowledging all our receits from him and giving up our selves to be led counselled guided and governed by him The Father communicates with us in his love an● we communicate with him by returning love to him The Son communicates with us in grace by fetching all supplies out of his fulness and by doing all our works more by the strength of his grace then our own The Spirit communicates to us in his comforts and we communicate with him in raising up our hearts by his comforts to joy in God above all other rejoycings Rom. 5.11 1. Use Let Believers raise up their admiration to the utmost in the Contemplation of this Priviledge the free grace of God and the blood of reconciliation hath brought them to viz. Communion with God Fellowship with all three Persons in blessed Trinity First in this consists your chiefest dignity It was great honour to the Son of God in his state of Humiliation that God called him the Man his Fellow Zach 13 7. What honour is it that God should say of poor sinners poor weak believers Behold the man the woman my fellow whom I have taken into fellowship and communion with my self Secondly in this consists your chiefest joy amidst all the scorns reproaches troubles sufferings from the world 1 John 1.3 4. Thirdly in this consists your stability in grace the Father and Son with whom ye have Communion John 14.23 will make their abode with you so will the Spirit with whom ye have Communion John 14.16 This Communion ye have with God here will not leave you till it be perfected in the full enjoyment of God in glory 2. Use Endeavor to be acquainted more and more with this Priviledge though this Communion of believers with God be a Mystery the full knowledge whereof and the most blessed fruits and effects of it be reserved for another state yet let us endeavour to know the reality of it that we may believe it and for that end wait for the Promise and Office of the Spirit as Comforter in that day ye shall know the truth of it though not yet the manner of it Iohn 14.20 First from this Communion with God Father Son Spirit flow all supplies of Mercy Grace and Peace Secondly this communion is the true character of your Christianity a man is best known by his Company Use 3. Endeavor daily to encrease and grow up in this Communion it is yet imperfect incompleat First for this end bestow more cost on faith by faith Enoch walked with God which notes Communion and then was translated Heb. ● 5 Secondly be much in the Communion of the Spirit by whom our Communion with the Father
Saints IV. They are not only on but in the Armes of Christ they are everlasting Armes Deut. 33.27 there is an everlasting Arm underneath and an everlasting Arm above Cant. 2.6 V. They are not only in the Armes but in the breast and bosome of Christ Isa 40.11 the High-Priest bare the Names of all the tribes on his breast-Plate VI. They are born not only in his breast but on his shoulders as Exod. 28.11 12. Cant 8 5. by which they are everlastingly upheld from all that ruine or destruction their enemies can VII They are not only on the shoulders but in the eye of Christ as the Apple in the eye Zach. 2.8 VIII Nor only in the eye but in the very bowels of Christ as that expression shews Phil. 1.8 IX Not only in his bowels but in his heart see Cant. 8.6 such as prevail to separate believers from Christ must pluck out the heart of Christ Obj. 1. But the Apostle seems to sp●●k within the Compass of Creatures that no Creature can yet God can separate Answ It is God that justifies who shall condemn Rom. 8.33 to justifie and condemn the same persons implies a contradiction which God cannot do Jer. 33.24 25 26. Secondly he hath said to the utmost I will never never never leave thee Heb. 13.5 6. Obj. 2. But though other men other creatures cannot do it a man may separate himself Answ 1. God hath promised to put his fear Jer. 32.40 Secondly never any true believer made the least separation from God but they quickly found a difference and readily return'd to him again with bitter repentings Hos 2.7 Obj. 3. Though no creature can do it sin may This was Bernards Position but I answer First Sin is a creature not Gods creature but the devils every sin is a Lie and the devil is the father of it Iohn 8.44 Therefore Secondly former sins cannot they are pardoned after-sins shall not they have an Advocate and a Propitiation 1 Iohn 2.2 Thirdly large experience hath made this good Ier. 51.5 when Bala●● attempted to separate between God and his people he could not effect it because God beheld no iniquity Numb 23 21. for the Lord his God is with him 1. Use This informs us how much the salvation of man one way or other is endangered by every creature for if such who are gathered into Communion with God are endangered by every creature in a separation how much more are such who are yet at a distance from God in danger by the creature to be kept from embracing that Communion Doth not every creature an unregenerate man loves set up it self to be his God his chief good and endeavour to perswade him that his chief blessedness consists more in that enjoyment then in the enjoyment of God himself Beware how much you are endangered by the creatures either to be kept off from all Communion with God or made to have a loose Communion with God 2. Use I exhort believers again and again to strengthen your faith in your Communion with God in love which is in Christ Iesus This is the Ark of salvation in every deluge your Refuge and Sanctuary in every storm your Door of escape in every danger your resting place in all the Confusions of the world your Victory and Triumph over all your enemies all your fears doubts temptations trials But how shall we do this First study much the love of God it had a wonderful attractive vertue to draw you into this Communion With loving kindness I have drawn you It hath a marvellous force and efficacy to keep you close to that Communion 2 Cor. 4.14 The Love of Christ coarctat constringit Secondly better your acquaintance with Christ First who first swallowed up all the distances and reconciled all the e●●ities and so made way for you into this blessed Communion with God Secondly study him converse with him who remains one with God and one with us in the divine nature and in the humane nature that he might preserve our Communion with God inviolable 3. Use Having clear'd your Communion Put on a nobleness of spirit an height of resolution a magnanimity of faith expect to encounter with the most and with the worst of enemies And doubt not of Victory and Conquest over all Let your faith rise higher then your dangers or enemies can Some can believe Victory over such and such not over others over things present not over things to come Faith is not come to its just height of spirit till it triumph over all real or possible present or to come not only over one creature but over the united concurrent power of all creatures FINIS