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
and fellowship with God the more a Christian growes up into a conformity with God the higher hee growes in his fellowship and communion with God The lesse any man hath of a Divine Resemblance the lesse hee enjoyes of a Divine Communion When our Images shall be perfected then our communion shall be compleated the more imperfect our Image is the more imperfect our Communion is I shall lay downe two propositions 1. That a Saint hath a conformitie and a resemblance of God upon him 2. That his conformitie and resemblance to God is the ground of his communion with God 1. That a Saint hath a conformity and a resemblance of God upon him 1 Iohn 4.17 For as he is so are we in this world And 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises that by them we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature There 's a kind of impression of the glorious attributes of God instampt upon every Christian 1. There 's a kind of Omnipotency Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me What can Omnipotency do more then all things and yet Paul can do no lesse by the strength he receives from Christ 2. There 's a kind of Omnisciency in all the Saints 1 Joh. 2.20 But ye have an Unction from the holy one and ye know all things There are some footsteps of that glorious Attribute of God that are to be seen upon gracious soules 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spirituall judgeth all things yet be himselfe is judged of no man He is the judge of all and yet none the judge of him 3. There are some impressions of the Allsufficiency of God that is engraven upon a Christian Phil. 4.18 I have all and abound and am full So 2 Cor. 6.10 As having nothing and yet possessing all things So 1 Tim. 2.6 Godlinesse with contentment is great gain The Greek reads it thus Godliness with selfe-sufficiency is great gain So Solomon tells us that a good man shall be satisfied from himselfe not from another but from himselfe There is some kind of impression of the All-sufficiency of God upon a Christian 4. There 's a kind of Omnipresence of God upon a Christian Heaven and earth are the two great Continents of all things now a Divine soule is travelling in them both at once Phil. 3.12 Our conversation is in heaven though they themselves were on earth yet their conversation was in heaven so that they are both in heaven and earth at once where ever God is there the Saints are for they have their dwelling places in him Psalm 73.23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee thy right hand upholdeth me A Christian runs through all states and things with God himselfe he is led by his Fathers hand through every state 5. There 's a kind of immortality put upon a Saint mortality is written upon the face of all things that are below every thing is liable to the stroke of death yet a Christian though he die daily yet lives for ever though the man die yet the Saint doth not grace is never laid in the grave John 11.26 He that believeth in me shall never die that is he shall never live uncomfortable for an uncomfortable life is equivalent to death and he shall never dye eternally he that believes in me the second death hath no power over him he may dy as a man but he shall never dy as a believing man 6. There 's a kind of immutability and unchangablenesse upon a Christian In regard of his state he is immutable he can never change though in regard of the degrees of his state he is changing dayly look what now he is as a Saint that he shall for ever be he shall never lose the graces that he hath received for the gifts and callings of God are without Repentance that is he never repents nor exerciseth any acts of sorrow for the bestowing of grace upon any of his people A believer lives unchangably in the midst of changes he lives peaceably in the midst of troubles and cheerfully in the midst of wants Thus you see that a Saint hath a conformity and a resemblance of God upon him The second Position I laid down that this conformitie is the ground of communion the more likenesse there is in any creature one to another the more love and the more love the more desire of communion Birds of a feather will flock together Things that carry a contrariety can never admit of any community what communion hath light and darknesse together which are so opposite to each other The light expells the darknesse and the darknesse drawes a shaddow over the light The Holy Ghost tells us in plain language that light hath fellowship with nothing but light and darknesse hath fellowship with nothing but darknesse 1 John 1.6 7. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as hee is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son clenseth us from all sinne There can bee no communion with Christ except there be a conformitie to Christ Now many Soules are there that delude and deceive themselves and thinke they have communion when they have none but alasse if you be not made like unto Christ you can never have communion with Christ in grace nor communion with Christ in glory Thus you see this Communion ariseth from the conformity that is in the Saints unto Christ likenes is the ground of love and suitablenesse is the ground of intimacy that is the reason why you say a man is knowne by his communion Princes you judge of their tempers by their favorites the reason is because a mans Spirit never closethin intimat society with any man but one that hath a sutablenesse with himselfe 1 Cor. 6.17 There can be no communion betwixt light and darkenesse Christ and Belial where there is no conformity there is no communion Rom. 8.29 what is the great end you aime at to bee like unto his Son So then when your conformity shall bee perfect then your communion shall be swallowed up in vision for vision is but union perfect Secondly To give you the Properties of this communion and they are these sixe 1. T is a Superlative and transcendent 2. A free and voluntary 3. A close and neare 4. A growing and encreasing 5. A Spirituall Supernaturall 6. A delightfull and complacentiall Communiō 1. 'T is a Superlative and a transcendent communion a communion that is above all communions it excells all other communions and fellowships in the inferior world There are two very sad sights in the world one is to see a bad man inflam'd with joy the other is to see a good man devoured and overwhelmed with sorrow Let me pluck downe the pride of the naturall man and raise up the heart of the spirituall man There be many
that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place until the day dawn the day star arise in your hearts They think that all these morning starrs must away as soone as ever Jesus Christ hath risen as a Sun in the Heart of the Saints 3. Others they are such as take up their rest in Ordinances and conclude the goodnesse of their estate by Ordinances because they have the enjoyment of Ordinances therefore they thinke they have the enjoyment of God 4. Others neither rest in nor yet rest from Ordinances and these are persons indeede that are like to meet with a blessing when they come to God when these come to worship him they are made welcome to him and they shall be blessed by him such a spirit is fit for Ordinances and such a spirit shall receive much blessing by Ordinances The propositions that lie in the words are these 1. Doct. 1 One of the principall ends which God aimes at in the setting up of his publique Ordinances is that he may have Communion with his Saints and that his Saints may have communion with him 2. The times of a Saints Communion with God Doct. 2 and Gods Communion with them are times of blessing and times of benediction Communion times are blessed times and they are blessing times Blessednes is out of the reach of the whole Creation one Creature cannot make another blessed nay all the creatures cannot make one creature blessed Man is fallen too low for his fellow creature to advance him He is too sore for the whole creation to make him a plaster T is impossible for the whole creation to make any part of amends to man for the wrong that he did himselfe creatures cannot take off that curse which they lye under themselves how then can they give the blessing that 's wanting to others nothing is in working above what 't is in being the world in being is poore and beggerly therefore it can never make us rich Hos 2.21 I will heare the heavens they shall heare the earth c. The heavens they cry to God the earth that cries to the heavens the creatures they cry to the earth still we are led up the Stairs by one creature to another till wee have past through them all to God himselfe and therein indeed doth our blessedness lie creatures want a blessednesse for themselves how can they give a blessedness unto us 3. Doctrine that might bee raised from the words viz. That the foundation of all the blessednesse of man is the will of God I will meet them and blesse them But 't is the first of these I shall speake of viz. Doct. That one of the principall ends which God aimes at in the setting up of his publique Ordinances is that he may have communion with the Saints and that his Saints might have communion with him Every man while he lives here is at a distance from God there 's a twofold distance that is between God and the creatures First a distance in point of Reconciliation 2 ly a distance in point of communion there 's a Naturall distance as we are creatures and a morall distance as we are sinners I shall premise three things 1. The Scripture holds forth such a state 2. The Communion that the Saints have with God it is with all the persons in the Trinity 3. That this Communion in this life is chiefly in Ordinances First Position Position 1 That the Scripture holds forth such a state of Communion between God and his people such as is between the Bride and the Bridegroome in the Bride-chamber 'T is true I confesse all godlines is a mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godlinesse but yet in this there are some mysteries greater then others Observe there is such an intimacy spoken of 1 Joh. 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father with his sonne Iesus Christ Then the Saints have a fellowship with the Father and with Christ yet notwithstanding som of them have a more peculiar fellowship with God then others 'T is true whosoever he be that is taken into union is taken into communion too all the Saints having a communion with themselves have a communion with Christ also for they doe all meet as one with him as lines in the center yet there are some Saints in this life have a more peculiat communion with the Lord then others Numb 12.8 c. If there be a Prophet saith God I will speake to him in a dreame in a vision but my servant Mosâ—s 't is no so with him I will speake to him mouth to mouth as a man to his friend and the similitude of God shall hee behold He shall have such discoveries of God as ordinary Saints have not hee shall have such communion with God as ordinary beleevers have not Now this communion of God with the Saints will appeare to be a very great and glorious intimacy and familiarity if you looke to the severall denominations that are given to them in the Scripture all of them imply a very great familiarity As 1. They are called his friends Abraham was called the friend of God Jam. 2.23 I have not called you servants but I have called you friends John 15.16 And as Jesus Christ calls them friends so they call him friend too Cant. 5.6 This is my beloved this is my friend O daughters of Ierusalem What is a friend truly it is as a mans owne selfe Deut. 13.6 thy friend which is as thine owne soule Then friendship speaks high familiarity Austin speakes of himselfe concerning a friend of his when he died he professed he was put into a great streight whether hee himselfe should be willing to live or willing to die hee was unwilling to live because one halfe of himselfe was dead yet he was not willing to die because his friend did partly live in him though he were dead 2. He doth call the Church the Bride the Lambs wife There is the same resemblance between Christ his Church as between man wife Now you know husband and wife become one flesh so that this matrimoniall union is but a shaddow and resemblance of the glorious union that is betwixt Christ and his Church there is a great deale of intimacy betwixt man his wife therefore she is called Deut. 13.6 the wise of his bosome now what is the bosome 't is the seate of secrecy and the seat of intimacy For this cause the Lord Jesus Christ is said to be in the boâ—â—â—e of the Father Iohn 1.18 as one that is acquainted with all his secrets and as one that enjoyes the most intimate familiarity with the Father So thou art the wife of the bosome of Christ This I think to be the meaning of that Lu. 16.23 It is said Lazarus died and was carried into Abrahams bosom Dives when he dyed was in hell torments surely then the other was in heaven why is it called Abrahams bosome it is a
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
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
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