THE Inseparable Communion OF A Believer WITH GOD IN HIS LOVE Being the Substance of Several SERMONS Preached on ROM VIII 38.39 By that Reverend Minister Mr. THOMAS MALLERY late Pastor of a Church in London LONDON Printed for R. D. near the Royal Exchange MDCLXXIV AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE Christian-READER THE Author of this short Treatise was so well known to the Churches of Christ in and about this City that neither himself nor any of his holy Labours do need an Epistle of Commendation to them For though he be dead he yet speaketh by his past Example to Believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity And by his Ministry which he Managed as the Steward of God holding fast the faithful Word with uncorruptness and dispensed with gravity sincerity sound speech as cannot be condemned rightly dividing the Word of Truth whereby as he did approve himself to God a Workman that needed not to be ashamed so also to every Mans Conscience that knew him and more especially to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made him Overseer to whom in Christ Jesus both his Personal Grace and Ministerial Abilities are acknowledged as the Auther and Finisher of them The design therefore of these few lines is not so much to bespeak an Acceptance with the Reader as to Advertise him That these Sermons were not prepared or for ought is known ever intended by himself for the Presse but are made publick by some of his Friends in whose Memory his Name and Labour yet live as those that God made useful and savoury to them when he Preached them and which they hope may be Profitable to all the Saints Yet the Reader may be assured That they are the true Copy of his own Notes the Errors of the Transcriber excepted which he Prepared to methodize what of the Word he Ministred in his daily course which were enlarged and further emproved in the lively Delivery of them which latter if we could present thee with as truly as the substance of them is here emitted especially if it had pleased the only wise God to have spared him to a Review of them by that spiritual Judgment which he was singularly blest with to deliver the things of God not only solidly but in many things very sublimely there would need no Apology to the World whose course is to censure rather then to study profit by the Labours of Gods Servants for the seeming abruptnesse of some of his notions and the brevity of the whole which last inconvenience yet is attended with this advantage That the godly Reader may with less expence of time peruse them and with greater facility retain them and the worth and weight he finds in them will recompence his labour through the blessing of the Holy One who teacheth us to profit as he hath Promised to all that are interessed in this inseparable union to and communion with him in Jesus Christ who will through him make us Conquerours over the unprofitablenesse of our own hearts as well as all other our spiritual enemies The Substance of several Sermons ROM 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. IN the 33. and 34. verses we have Paul with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration he sets one foot on Mount Calvary where Christ died the other on Mount Olivet where Christ ascended and by faith takes in a full view of the infinite dimensions of the Grace of Justification and triumphs over the Law and Satan the grand Accuser of the Brethren In 35 36 37 verses he triumphs over the world and the worst the world can do by power or malice by faith in the love of Christ In the Text is a higher Rapture of faith it takes a view of all things in Heaven Earth and Hell and triumphs over all Enemies real or imaginary that can be supposed to endeavor to separate believers from the love of God in Christ ver 38 39. 1. Here we have one thing implied a Mystery that lies hid in the bosom of the Text viz. Communion with God Secondly the Bond of that Communion the Love of God Thirdly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first subject of that love Christ Jesus Fourthly the Propriety Believers have to Christ for this end viz. Communion with God in his love Christ Jesus our Lord. Fifthly the triumph of faith in this love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord over all things in Heaven Earth or Hell that can be supposed to separate from the love of God 1. All Believers have a most intimate spiritual Communion with God though in a mystical and wonderful way This truth is couched in the Text and lies hid like a spring in a Watch which yet moves all the Wheels in the Work it is implied in the word Separate for separation is the disjoyâ—ting or disuniting of things conjoyned together in common union and therefore somthing and in the first place is to be spoken to it In which we must consider three things Union Communion Communication between God and Believers 1. We must consider the Union that is between God and Believers which is the foundation of all Communion There are several sorts of Union First A natural union an union of persons in the same common nature such an union there is between Christ and believers Heb. 2.11 and through Christ between them and God for hereby God became Emanuel God with us one with us and we one with him Secondly there is an union by Covenant thus all the sons of men were one with the first Adam the Apostle speaks of this one man as including all men Rom. 5.18 Such an union there is between Christ and believers Eph. 1.10 and through Christ with God Zach. 13.9 I will say it is my people and they c. Thirdly there is an union of Amity or Affection as between Jonathan and David 1 Sam. 18.11 and 20.17 as between those Acts 4.32 such an union is between believers and Christ Eph. 5.25 Christ loved his Church and gave himself Such also between God and believers now reconciled by Christ Eph. 2.14 Fourthly there is a Conjugal union of persons by Marriage Eph. 5.28 31. such an union there is between Christ and believers 2 Cor. 11.2 and such between God and believers Isa 54.5 Isa 62.5 Hos 2.16 19.20 Fifthly there is a spiritual union between all believers 1 Cor. 12.13 such an union hath believers with Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 and through Christ with God 1 Cor. 2.13 with Eph. 2. ult But there is an union of believers with God beyond all these most spiritual most mystical and as yet incomprehensible such an union as is made to resemble the union between the Father and his Son John 14.20 and John 17.21
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 wiâ—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 â—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 Goâ— 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 Jeâ—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 1â— 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 anâ— 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. â— 5 Secondly be much in the Communion of the Spirit by whom our Communion with the Father
Gods eternal love to us but only in Iesus Christ 2 â—or 4.6 Knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ By the glory of God we are in a special manner to understand it of the glory of his eternal love and grace if with this we compare Eph. 1.6 and 12. every believers experience will bear witness to this truth 3. Dem. God did first accomplish all that grace in Christ which his eternal love had purposed to perform in us 2 Cor. 1.20 Hence Christ became the first-born Rom. 8.29 the first-fruits 1 Cor. 15.23 The Image Patern and Exemplar of all the grace and glory of God to us 2. Our salvation was founded on the eternal Election of God Christ was elected Isa 42.1 He was not only one chosen out of all Creatures Men and Angels but chosen out of all the three Persons in Trinity to be the Mediatour of our Peace by the Election of Christ ours is ratified and confirmed Secondly our salvation includes in it a Predestination to the Adoption We were ordained to be sons of God So Christ in our nature by its personal Union with the Divine was the Son of God Luke 1.45 Gal. 4.4 5. Thirdly our salvation is carried on by our Calling Iesus Christ had his Call of God to all the Offices that concerned him in the Work of our Redemption Heb. 5.4 5. Fourthly our salvation is carried by Iustification so Christ was first justified Isa 50 8. 1 Tim. 3.16 Fisthly our salvation is carried on unto a final victory over all our enemies for Christ Iesus he hath first overcome Rev. 3.21 Sixthly our salvation is perfected by the Resurrection from the dead and a possession of glory for Christ first rose from the dead and entred into his glory Eph. 4.5 6. So what faith hope love holiness patience humility obedience God should require of us was first performed by Christ who became a Pattern and Examplar of all grace unto obedience for us John 15.10 and our constant Growth and Increase in Grace is called a growing up in all things to Christ our Head Eph. 4 15. 4. Dem. All these treasures of salvation which God hath in his eternal love decreed to lay out on his Elect both in grace and glory are given into Christ Col 1.19 Col. 2.3 Christ Heir of all things by appointment Heb. 1.3 Here he is said to be made of God unto us whatever God intended to make our salvation compleat by viz. Wisdom 1 Cor. 1.30 Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption These four Ingredients are perfect and compleat salvation So that of Christs fulness we still receive grace for grace and glory for glory 2 Cor. 3.18 John 1.16 and our compleatness is in him Col. 2.9 10. Hence Christ is said to be not only given us for a Saviour but to be the salvation of God to us Luke 2.30 because he contains in himself the whole matter of our salvation every part and parcel that makes our salvation compleat 5. Dem. When God actually performs any of that grace his eternal love purposed and decreed for us he first makes us to be in Christ makes us one with Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 Of God are ye in Christ Iesus he gathers into one in Christ Eph. 1.10 he calls them into the fellowship of Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 whom he intends to save As we are said to be chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 so we are said to be made the sons of God in Christ Gal. 3.26 reconciled in Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 to be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult to be made new creatures in him 2 Cor. 1.17 to be made an habitation of God in him Eph. 2. ult to be sanctified preserved called in Iesus Christ Iude 1. hence we are called the Workmanship of God in Christ Eph. 2.10 The grounds of this truth why God should make out all the manifestations and dispensations of his love to us in Christ Iesus may be 1. Christ only is that among all three Persons in Trinity which God did ordain us to be viz. the Son of God The grace of our Adoption is the supreme Priviledge of all that grace we receive from Gods love 1 Iohn 3.1 and is our Right and Title to all other blessings if sons then heirs We must be sons before we can have right to any part of the Inheritance Now Christ having this Prerogative peculiar to himself to be the Son of God it was necessary that we should be made the sons of God in Christ Iesus Eph. 1.5 Secondly because Christ was as the only begotten Son of God so the only beloved of the Father sole Heir of all his Fathers love and his Fathers blessings both in grace and glory Therefore it behoved that the manifestations of the Fathers love and the dispensations of his love to us in the blessings of grace and glory should be made in Iesus Christ Thirdly that the glory of our salvation might not be communicated in any part to the creature but to God alone of whom through whom to whom are all things to whom be glory for ever It is God who of himself and in himself and by himself worketh all grace in us of himself as the Father in himself as the Son by himself as the holy Spirit The Uses of this Point are I. For Information First it informs us how miserable men are who are yet out of Christ they are in no capacity to receive one token of Gods saving love They may love themselves and do good to themselves the world may love friends may love them and shew them love but God will shew them no love out of Christ Secondly it informs us of that excellent order and method the Wisdom of God hath observed in stating our salvation The love of God which is the great spring of life and grace is first in God himself as the original Then it is in Christ as he to whom belongs the Birth-right and the blessings of it in whom all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen Then it is in us who are in Christ Iesus in whom we are made Partakers of the righteousness holiness and glory of God Thirdly that no natural goodness in our selves nothing we can do in conformity to the Law of God no external duties of Worship to God no moral Righteousness towards man can be the least part of that Righteousness that can bring us into a state of love and favour with God It must be what God doth bestow on us in Iesus Christ for no man is made that unto which the love of God hath predestinated him in himself and through himself but in and through Christ only Fourthly it informs us in what glass we may most clearly behold the love of God to us in all its effects it is Iesus Christ Would we know the love of God to us look upon his love to Christ or know the dignity of our Adoption look upon the Sonship of Christ or know the dignity
Apostle would hold forth the immediate way of Saints Communion with God in love without the least help or assistance of any creature concurring Even all the Angels had nothing to do in it And as no Angel could ever procure Gods love or bring a Saint into Communion with God so none shall be able to separate Secondly we are to consider how the good Angels may be supposed to endanger believers in their Communion with God 1. The good Angels by their continual Attendance and Watchfulness about Saints must needs be privy to all their open sins in words actions duties and cannot but conceive a holy indignation at the unworthy or unbeseeming carriages of believers as that text 1 Cor 11.10 shews Saints miscarriages and sins grieve offend the Angels and hereby may be supposed to endanger their state in Gods love when they sin against love Secondly the Angels in zeal to God glory are always in a readiness to revenge the injuries that are done against God Psal 104.4 and they have ofteâ— executed the righteous displeasure oâ— God against his own people 2 Sam. 2â— 16 17. When David saw the Angel hâ— cried out O Lord I have sinned Wheâ— Isaiah saw God on his Throne with hâ— Seraphims about him the Executioneâ— of his Justice upon the Transgression of his own people he cries out Wo me I am undone Isa 6.1 2 5. Thirdly the Angels are made servanâ— to believers Man in his first Creatioâ— was made a little lower then the Angels but in Christ he is now exalted to glory and honour above the Angels Christ hath not taken Heb. 2.16 our nature is exalted in the Person of Christ far above all Principalities Ephes 1.20 21. That Angels should be servants to them who by nature are inferiour to them is ground of a temptation to them had not grace over-powered nature to take all occasions against Saints to bring God out of love with them and to bring themselves again into the highest place of Gods favour Fourthly the Angels may be supposed to endanger Saints not industriously but occasionally by reason of the corruption that remains in our natures What through the excellency of their Natures their nearness to God and the many good services they perform to us Saints have been endangered to commit idolatry with them See Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.8 hence that caution of the Apostle Col. 2.18 19. hereby some are in danger to quit Jesus Christ the Head Thirdly we are to shew that Angels shall not be able to separate I. They will not First in regard of their Office they are all ministring spirits sent forth Heb. 1. ult Secondly they will not be enemies to them but are in a readiness to execute the wrath of God upon all that offend them Mat. 18.10 Thirdly they have a charge to keep them in all their ways Psal 91.11 12. not to lead them out of Gods way II. They cannot if they would First their subjection to Christ they are under his dominion and sovereignty Heb. 1.6 7 8. Secondly their dependance upon Christ for the execution and performance of all they do The vision of Jacobs Ladder compared with Jo. 1. ult Angels attended Christ at his Birth in the Wilderness when tempted in the Garden at his Resurrection and Ascension Thirdly they can do nothing but what God commands them Psal 103.20 III. If they could they dare not First they have their establishment in Christ They were by nature as mutable as the rest that fell they are fetled in a state of love in God by Christ testified by the Cherubims on the Mercy-Seat Secondly they are by Christ brought into the same Fellowship and Communion with God as we Eph 1.10 see what the Angel himself declared Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.9 and we are said to be brought into Communion with Angels Heb. 12.22.23 if they should endeavor to separate believers from Communion with God in his love they should also separate themselves 1. Vse This informs us that no creature ture in Heaven not the purest Angels can be any part of our essential blessedness These Angels may in case of disobedience actually instict the Tokens of Gods displeasure against us And occasionally through our own corruption prove snares and temptations to us such as may endanger our state in Gods love much less then caâ— any creature on earth the holiest the purest Saint the sweetest and dearest relation be part of our essential blessedness This alone consists in our Immediate Communion with God in love through Iesus Christ our Lord from which nothing can separate us 2. Use This serves to confirm the faith of believers in the assurance of their unchangeable state in Gods love there is an utter impossibility to separate them from it The Angels excel in strength Psal 103.20 if they cannot do it much less can inferiour creatures Men or Devils what is beyond the power of good Angels is an absolute impossibility to other creatures 3. Use By this we are informed that those things those Agents sometimes we greatly fear as enemies that may endanger us in our chiefest concernments are often our greatest friends and such as really design our greatest good good angels are but supposed enemies and are real friends beloâ—s of our Ioy and such as Endeavor to keep us fast in the love of God 4. Use This fully convinceth Popery to be Apostacy an Apostacy of such who were never truly or really in a state of Love and Communion with God through Christ For though not actively yet occasionally through good angels they are utterly fallen from that love of God that Communion with God in Christ they professed They are fallen into the worship of Angels which is flat Idolatry Rev. 22.9 and they hold not the head Col. 1.18 19. Had they real Communion with God in Love they had never been separated by the means of Angels from the love of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. ROM 8.38 39. I am Perswaded Nor Principalities BY Principalities I understand as I shewed in the Explication the Magistrates Princes Rulers of the Kingdoms of this world with their subjects Armies Associates whereby they become potent enemies to the Church which is the Kingdom of Christ Doct. None of the Princes or Principalities of the Kingdoms of this World shall be able to separate What great opposition the Princes and Principalities of the World have made at all times against the Church and how much persecution the Church hath suffered under them how much Saints have been endangered thereby to Apostacy and so to a separation from their Communion with God in love is upon record in Scripture How much the Church the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints under the Old Testament suffered from the Principalities of the Kingdoms of the World appears Psal 2.2 How often are Kings said to be assembled against Sion Psal 48.4 How oft did Christ put them to â—ight with their Armies Psal 68 1â—,14 destroy them Psal 136.17.18 No sooner did Christ appear under