place of rest and a place of love All the Saints being Abrahams children are of Abrahams Covenant and promise they are received into Abrahams bosome in glory with a great deale of love and are taken into his bosome as into the resting place Thus the Children of God stand in the same relation to Christ as a wife to the husband 3. There is yet a higher expression of Intimacy then this all these are but externall and fleshly but the vnion of the Spirit is much more strong 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit He that is joyned to the flesh is one flesh but hee that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 't is as if there were an union of two soules Cyprian when he would expresse this union saith 't is a union of wills and a confederacy of affections they grow into one spirit These relations do import thus much for the Lord Jesus Christ doth not give empty Titles It will further appeare if you consider those high Acts of Intimacy that the Scripture speakes of I will name foure 1. Christ and his people are said to walke together Christ walkes in them Revel 2.1 hee walks among them 2 Cor. 6.16 and wee reade of Galleries in which the King is held Cant. 7.5 what be those Galleries places of intimate converse where friends walke together and enjoy communion one with another now can two walke tegether except they be agreed Amos 3.3 walking implies intimacy and familiarity 2. They supp together now to eate and drinke together in Scripture is an expression of great familiarity and therefore saith the Apostle with such an one eate not that is withdraw familiarity not to eate with one is an Argument of withdrawing familiarity but to eat together is an argument of familiarity Revel 3.21 I will come to him and sup with him and he with me And for this cause when the CoÌ„munion of Saints is set forth it is set forth by eating and drinking together at the same table we being many are one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10.17 we are many in number as Erasmus hath it but by the consent of our spirits wee become one bread when the Lord would expresse the intimacy the Saints have with him then he is said to sup with them and they with him and marke how hee doth cheere them up Cant. 5.1 Eate O friends drinkeye drinke ye abundantly O ye beloved 3. They doe not onely sup together but they dwell together Christ dwells in your hearts by feith Ephes 3.17 It is the great command the Lord laies upon the husband hee must dwell with his wife now if Jesus Christ will undertake the Relation of a husband hee must dwell with his spouse In Iohn 14.23 he tells you he will fulfill his relation I will come to you and make my abode with you as if the Lord could never speake enough 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them and I will wake among them 4. They doe not only dwell together but they lie together Christ and his people lie in one bed Cant. 1.16 Our bed is green 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grarseni my bed but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grarsenu our bed what is that truly they are those Ordinances of worship in which the Lord together with his people doth exercise those high Acts of intimacy and familiarity that will appeare if you compare it with 57. Isay 7.8 Thou settest thy bed upon a high mountaine and thither thou wentest up to offer sacrifices thou hast enlarged thy bed c. what is that Floreliâ—s upon the place faith it was Idolatrous worship wherin they did commit spirituall Adultery now the Lord calls that the bed Idolatrous Ordinances are the bed of Idols so on the other side the bed wherein the Lord Christ and his people enjoy intimacy and familiarity is the bed of Ordinances and for this cause the Church glories in this Cant. 1.13 he shall lie all night between my brests So much for the first thing I promised namely that the Scripture holds forth such such a state of Communion between God and his people I shal but name the other two and so passe on Posit 2 The second Position The Communion that the Saints have with God it is with all the persons they have not onely Communion with the Father but Communion with the Son and not onely communion with the Son but with the Spirit also with all persons in the Trinity the people of God have communitie 1 John 1.3 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ The Posit 3 Third Position that this communion in this life is chiefly in Ordinances for the Immediate communion is reserved for another world All the communion wee have in this world it is a mediate communion there are mediums betwixt us and God through which God conveyes grace unto us and drawes us up unto him Ordinances they are the Galleries there 's the wall of sinne and ther 's the windowes of Odinances he stands behind our wall of sin but hee lookes through the windowes of Ordinances For the opening of this I shall shew you what fellowship with God in Ordinances meanes And first I shall lay down some Scripturall proofs of this that the main ende of God in setting up Ordinances is that he may be glorified in communion with his people and then some Positions for the right understanding of this communion and after that I shall give you the grounds the properties the Acts and the ends of communion and then apply the whole Proof 1 1. Let me prove it from scripture expressions that end that Gods aimes at by setting up his Ordinances is that hee might have communion with the Saints and his Saints have communion with him See Revel 21.3 When God comes to reforme his ordinances and to purge his Church I heard a great vâ—yce saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them The Tabernacle and Temple were places of publique worship it was his dwelling and his walking with them dwelling notes constancie and walking notes familiarity he will be constant and he will be familiar with his people in Ordinances 48. Ezec last And the name of the Citty shall bee the LORD is there 'T is a prophesie that receives it's accomplishment when Jews and Gentiles shall bee brought to worship God now when these two shall be made one in the hand of the Lord then shall the name of the City be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah shaumah that is the Lord is there Proofe 2 2. Proofe This hath been the great ground of all the preparations that the Saints have made when they have approched to God in Ordinances that they might have communion with God in them 2 Chron. 30.18 The Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to seeke God though not according to the purification of the Sanctuary As a Bride prepares her selfe for
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
a law written These things I have already spoken to The words which I have read are a promise made unto the places of Gods publique worship which were typicall for respect to places is done away John 4.21 The houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father All acts of worship are to be done to God as a Father respect of places beeing done away now children may every where worship their Father The whole Jewish Religion lay in these 4. things 1. In holy times 2. In holy places 3. In holy persons 4. In holy things The Apostle 1 Jam. 27. hath wrapt up a ReligioÌ„ under the new TestameÌ„t pure Religion and underfiled before God and the Father is this To visit the Fatherlesse and widdowes in their afflictions and keepe himselfe unspotted from the world Jesus Christ was made known foure waies in the old Testament by promises by prophecies by Types shaddowes by Apparition The blessing in this Text comes under an Apparition for it is nothing else but the appearance of God in divine Ordinances now respect to places being done away by the promulgation of the Gospell The promise though it doe not relate to the place yet it doth relate to the Ordinances so that in all places if you lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting and worship the Father in spirit this blessing belongs to you In all places where I record my name c. The words themselves being a promise have these particulars in them First the Author of it that 's God the Father Secondly the extent of it and that is all places where I record my name Thirdly the nature of the promise and that in two branches 1. Of communion I will come unto you 2. Of benediction I will blesse you Wherein you have 3. things 1. The union of them meeting and blessing 2. The order of them first meeting and then blessing 3. The Object of them the sincere seekers of God I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee Ther 's but one thing in the Text that is difficult In the place where I record my name In the Hebrew t is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becol hammakom asher azkir etsheni that is In every place where I shall cause or make my name to bee remembred or in every place where I shall mention or make mention of my name for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 azkir is in the conjugation hiphil which usually imports an action done or caused to be done by another as here I will cause to bee remembred the name of God hath severall acceptations in Scripture By name of God is here meant the publique worship and service of God Jer. 7.12 Goe yee tó 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shilâ—h the place where I have set my name that is my worship service So its said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah echad ushemo echad Jehovah shall be one and his name one that is he shall be so worshipped as he is one in essence In all places where I record my name I will meet you and blesse you For the explication and confirmation of the two chiefe heads the text points at viz. 1. That by recording remembring or mentioning the name of God is meant the setting up the worship of God in his Ordinances and 2. that wheresoever the name of God is thus recorded remembred or mentioned that is wheresoever God is worshipped in his Ordinances there hee doth promise and command a blessing or there he will meet those that record his name in the worshipping of himselfe with a blessing There are two or three other parallell places of Scripture deserving speciall consideration as 1. for the first point there is a most remarkable expression Psal 22.27 All the nations of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jizkeru the same Hebrew root with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 azkir here in the Text shall remember why what is that or what shall they remember even this they shall turne to the Lord and worship him his name in his Ordinances as is explained in the words following of the verse And all the families of the nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jishtachavu shall bow downe themselves or worship before thee c. and so Psalme 86.4 All nations whom thou hast made shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vejishtachavu and they shall worship before thee And how shall they doe so even by recording remembring making mention of the glory of thy name as in the words following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vicabbedu lishmecha and they shall glorifie thy name 2. For the second point that the Lord as he hath promised so he doth come and meet those with a blessing who doe thus glorifie and worship his name in his Ordinances so that they shall never doe it in vaine and for nothing see those two precious texts in Isaiah his prophesie viz. Jsa 64.5 45.19 first in Isaiah 64. v. 4. The incomprehensible mercies and goodnesse of God which he hath laid up and prepared for his people is set forth since the beginning of the world men have not perceived by eare neither hath the eye seen c. And then marke what followeth verse 5. Where the Prophet describeth those whoÌ„ the Lord will come and meet with all those incomprehensible blessings viz. Those who waite upon him and rejoyce in his worship working righteousnesse and remembring his name in his waies and Ordinances Thou meerest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those who remember thee in thy waies c. So that no lesse then blessings incomprehensible by the understanding minde of man do waite upon those who wait upon God who remember his name in his worship waies and Ordinances And therefore that other cited text Isa 45.9 is fully verified that never did any of the sonnes of Jacob true Israelites seeke God in his waies worship and ordinances in vain I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vaine or for a void or empty nothing as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tohu importeth no the sincere seekers of God in his worship ordinances shal not be sent away with tohu vacuity and emptinesse but with their cup overflowing with all the fulnesse of incomprehensible blessings Thus doth the Lord come and meet them with a blessing who remember his name in his worship and ordinances in all places where I record my name I will meet you and blesse you But we are to consider that in relation to Ordinances there be foure sorts of men 1. Some they are altogether below Ordinances 2. Others are altogether above OrdinaÌ„ces they look upon them as milke fit for babes but not as meat fit for strong men they looke upon them as the shadwes of the evening fit to be stretched over the persons whose knowledge is not very high 2 Pet. 1.19 We have a more sure word of Prophesie where unto ye do well
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