when Christ takes possession of a poor soul he doth apply himself to it not onely in a way of affection wishing well to it not only in a way of consent I do yeild my self unto it not only in a way of consent I do yeild my self unto it not only in a way of union I take this soul as mine and will own it as my own self not onely in a way of promise I will bestow some good upon it but also in a way of unction that is he doth set up himself in this his possession He doth qualifie he doth sanctifie he doth beautifie every roome of the soul with the graces of his blessed Spirit As when the Lord entred into the Temple which Solomon built he then filled the same with his glory 1 King 8. 11. So when Jesus Christ enters into a soul he fills that soul with the glory of his grace with his influence as well as with his presence When the first Adam enters into us he enters as a contagion and as death so when the second Adam enters into us he enters into us as a renovation and life Therefore is Christ said to be formed in us Gal. 4. 19. The Papist talk of the figure of Christs body sticking in the garments c. that 's a vanity but this is a truth that Christ doth forme himself in the soul of a beleever he formes himself in us by conforming us unto himself implanting in us all holy graces which 1. Alter 2. Enable 3. Dispose and incline as if he should say this heart shall love sinne no more it shall be enflamed with love to me this heart shall trust vanity no more it shall trust on me this tongue shall blaspheme no more it shall praise me this person shall be a slaye no more he shall be a servant unto me Behold O soul thou art become mine and I must now adorne thee to be a delightful Mansion for my self therefore we are said to be new creatures and his workmanship and to put on Christ Blindnesse vanity folly pride be gone come in knowledge wisdom soundnesse of judgment truth regard of me and it come in and possess the upper roome of this soul the minde Unwillingness stoutness rebellion hardness hypocrisie be gone come in plyablenesse softnesse tenderness sincerity readiness compliance with my will dependance on my self come in and possess the royal chamber of the soul the will Irregularity vileness inordinatenesse be gone Come in purity order quickness come in and possesse the lower roome of the soul the affections All ye graces of my Spirit be ye set up in the inward rooms and spread and act in the outward rooms of the life in all spiritualnesse of behavior towards God and man c. 3. A sweet gubernation for Christ possesseth the soul as a Lord possesseth his Mansion to do what he pleaseth and to rule after his own will in it and therefore he is called the Lord of his Temple And the housholder who employs and sets every servant his work having first given unto them several talents He must have and hath the command and disposal of the soul As the Centurion said to one servant go and he went do this and he did it come and he came Matth. 8. So saith Christ to the soule which he takes possession of I will have you sometimes to abound and then you must be thankful and sometimes to want and then you must be contented now I will have you to do for me with your graces or with your estates and you must then be ready to do and another time now I will have you to suffer for me in your Name in your comforts in your possessions in your liberties perhaps in your lives and you must then be willing to forsake all for me Sometimes your lusts will be commanding but do not hearken to them sometimes Satan will be tempting but do not yeild to him sometimes your carnal friends will be trying of you but do not regard them you are none of theirs nor none of your own you are my possession and therefore must be only at my disposal 4. A watchful provision when a man takes possession of house or houshold or lands he is thereupon engaged to take care and charge over all He must Till the ground and manure it and mend it and keep it in heart and he must keep and repaire the house if it be sinking and he must maintaine the servants with all necessaries of food and rayment he must look to them when they be well and when they be sick just so doth Christ when he takes possession of a soule he takes upon him the full care of that soul he will be a sufficiency unto it By preserving the graces given unto it By adding sutable degrees and helps of grace for greater and further services By repairing and recovering a fallen or sinking soul There is a rich store-house in Christ for the soul which he possesseth He will give renuing grace and justifying grace and then he will keep that grace given And he will yet adde more grace and help And if the soul be drawn aside and falls he will not lose it he will seek after it he will find it again and recover it again 5. A sure protection when one hath possession it behoves him to keep possession he is to defray all the rents or dues wherewith that possession is charged and he is to answer and take off all claimes and titles made against his right of possession Go to my Master saith the servant to my husband saith the wife So doth Jesus Christ when he enters and takes possession of the soul This soul saith Christ is mine I own it I will provide for it plead for it or against it who will or can I will answer him I will answer for it I will stand 'twixt it all pleas 'twixt it and all claims 'twixt it and all hazards I will take all upon me and as long as I am Christ and as far as my blood will go or my intercession will go or my merits can go or my Spirit can go I will maintain and defend mine own John 17. 12. Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost John 10. 27. My sheep hear my voice c. Ver. 28. And I give unto them eternal life neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Rom. 8. 38. Neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities 〈◊〉 powers nor things present nor things to come Ver. 39. 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. Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died c. As if he should say come who will and do your utmost yet I will be possessour and Saviour still Satan stands out and saith this soul belongs to me I have had possession of it a long time too
are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. 4. His expostulations why will you not come to me why wil you die yea and his forcings of sinners compel them to come to the wedding 5. His acceptations never did any sinner open to him but he entred into him Never did any sinner come to him but he accepted of him John 6. 37. Him that comes unto me I will in no wise reject There is a rejection 1. Negative in passing by 2. Positive in hating neither of these for them that come to Christ There are two Negatives in the Greek I will not not reject him to take off all feares and disputes 6. His compassions towards sinners and that both to those 1. That have still shut the door He wept over Jerusalem because she would not know the day of her visitation 2. And to those that have opened the door unto him How he ran to meet the lost child and fell on his neck and kissed him gives him Luke 15. not one harsh word He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking fâ—ax 7. His frequent knocking 's at the door and all of them to get us to open the doore unto him He knocks at every doore of man 1. At the eare of man that first wicket by the preaching of the Word 2. At the fore-door the minde of man by enlightning it to see its vile and lost condition without him 3. At the Chamber-door the conscience of man by strong troubles and despair of self-deliverance 4. At the closet-door the will Open to me 1. Per legem 2. Per crucem 3. Per lucem 4. Per concilium 5. Per afflatum auxilium in lâ—â— and affections of man by notable excitations to stand out no longer but to yeild and to receive him Hearken unto me and your soules shall live Or as Viega or Pareus c. on this place He knocks at the door by the Law by the Crosse by light shining in the Gospel by Councels by the breathing and aid of the Spirit 8. His patient expectation if answer be not presently given yet he doth repeat his stroaks nay though denial be many times given yet he assayes sinners again and again waites after three yeers one yeer more on the fig-tree stretches out his hand to a gainsaying people that is to them that have said him nay and that all the day long Rom. 10. 21. and of Jerusalem he saith How often would I have gathered thee Mat. 23. 37. How many Sermons by one Minister to wooe us to open our hearts to Christ and when he is dead or gone how many more by another He hath stood at our doores more then one day or night more then one week or two more then one yeare or two more then one twenty years or two Would he do thus if he were not willing to come in and save us 9. His retorical and soul-drawing Arguments Partly 1. Privative ye shall not perish if ye will open to him 2. Positive ye shall have ever lasting life if you will open to him John 3. 15 16. the words are doubled whosoever beleeveth in him he shall not perish he shall not perish but he shall have everlasting life Your sinnes you feare will damn you but open to me and I will be your surety I will undertake to satisfie God for them and will assuredly deliver you from his wrath and from damnation Your sinnes you feare will shut heaven against you O fear it not open the heart to receive me and my blood shall open heaven to receive you 10. His gracious Articles he requires no more but open the door unto me 1. He doth not say If I find Not on merit desert in you then I will enter O no he hath entred into the most undeserving hearts That woman in John 4. 7 c. was a very undeserving creature In respect of worship she was an ignorant and superstitious person ver 22. In respect of morals she was a common where verse 18. In respect of present disposition she was an hard hearted wretch she would not give Christ so much as a cup of cold water verse 9. nay a mocking sinner almost at every word that Christ spake and yet Christ stood not upon any of these And so for Paul he was a blasphemour he was injurious he was a persecutor c. 2. Nor doth he say if I finde Not on holinesse any holinesse or comelinesse in you then I will enter Ezek 6. 8. When I passed by thee and looked upon thee Behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Verse 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live O note Live live live and this was when thou wast in thy blood in thy blood in thy blood All the condition that Christ stands on is this do but come do but open to me do but receive me And he is willing to work in you this condition too for he hath appointed the Ministery of the Gospel upon hearing to be a word of faith Rom. 10. 17. yea he did open the door in Lydia upon the hearing of Paul Acts 16. 14. 11. The opening of the doore unto him makes Christ 1. Exceeding joyful when the lost child came back what rejoycing was there It was meet said his father Luke 15. 32. that we should make merry and be glad For this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found 2. Exceeding thankful See Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast revealed these things unto babes as if he had said O my Father this is such a mercy as my heart cannot conteine it self I must needs acknowledge this c. Quest But why should Christ be thus willing to enter into the hearts of sinners and to save them Sol. The Reasons briefly are these Because 1. Not only that Philanthropy in him above all other creatures His bowels of mercy and compassion 2. Not only his perfection of obedience to his Fathers Will whose Will he came down from heaven to do John 6 38. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one who hath the sonne and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life ver 40 3. But also it is the very end of his Mediatorship The conjunction of the divine and humane nature in his person was to conjoyne us and God to declare the name of his Father and his love Joh. 17. 25 The qualifications of him with the grace of union and with the grace of unction was to perfect our Redemption and
be for retribution a coming against sinners 3. Evangelical this is for vocation a coming unto sinners 4. Spiritual this is for Application a coming into sinners There is a twofold Application of Christ 1. One is Active and in this the soul comes to Christ 2. Another is passive and in this Christ comes to the soule which exactly to expresse doth exceed my capacity The Scripture calls it sometimes His apprehending of us Phil. 3. 12. If that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended â—f Christ Jesus His forming of himself in us Gâ—l 4. 19. Till Christ be formed in you His being or abiding in us Joâ— 15. 4. Abide in me and I in you His dwelling in us Eph. 3. 17. Christ dwells in your hearts by faith But because the coming in of Christ is restrained to the Metaphor of a King or Master coming in to possesse and dwell in an house or Mansion opened or yeilded up unto him I shall therefore keep close to that and for the unâ—olding of it insist a little on three particulars 1. What it is for Christ to possesse himself of the soul 2. What the properties and adjuncts of this possession are 3. The reasons why he takes possession of that soul that opens to him 1. What it is for Christ to take possession of the soul In answer to this consider certaine premises before the opening of Christs taking possession 1. God at first made man a goodly creature and righteous and as he severed Paradise for his habitation so he reserved man above all other creatures for his own possession 2. Man quickly dispossessed himself of that condition by sinne and stood now qua talis as an outlawry and rejected person 3. Christ Jesus was immediately promised as the author of life and salvation and passed under Covenant and Types and at length in the fulnesse of time was incarnated and as a Mediatour and Redeemer perfectly wrought out Reconciliation and Redemption 4. The Gospel makes publication if this and indefinitely tenders Jesus Christ to sinners and by vocation calls them to Christ and the participation of salvation by him 5. This vocation to some is ineffectual to others it is â—fficacious To them who from faith given and thereby answer or obey or accept or open to the call of Christ it is effectual 6. When this faith is wrought then immediately and â—emultaneously ensues an union 'twixt Christ and the beleever 7. Which union is a spiritual relation 'twixt Christ and a beleeving soul and a most intimate close mystical and inseparable conjunction 'twixt them Expressed in Scripture by that of Head and Member of Husband and Wife of a Foundation and Living-stone built thereupon of the Vine and Branches c. 8. In this union beleevers are by the Spirit of Christ immediately knit to him and by him to God so that in a mystical respect they become one with him and with the Father and partakes of all the good in and by Jesus Christ which flowes from him as the head from the members Christ in respect of himself is one that possesseth all good and upon this union a communication thereof doth ensue 9. The forme of this union is a mystical compaction or co-augmentation by those admirable joynts of the Spirit and Faith Eph. 4. 16. And is severally phrased in Scripture As Christ stands under the relation of a Head and we of members It is called incorporation As Christ hath the relation of a foundation and we of a building it is called an inedification As Christ stands in the relation of an husband and we of a wife it is called a disponsation and marriage As Christ stands in relation of a vine and we of branches It is called an insition or implantation As Christ stands in relation of a Lord or Master and we of an house and family It is called especially on his part An entrance possession and inhabitation These things being premised for answer to the question we must know that there is a double possession that Christ hath of souls 1. Possessio juris a possession of Right or Title by which he may lay claime unto them which he may justly do 1. Jure autoritatis for all of them are the fruit of his power the workmanship of his hand in Creation 2. Jure pretii for he hath laid down a price and hath ransomed or purchased them by his death 3. Jure donationis for all of them are given unto him for subjection and rule 2. Possessio Gratiae A possession of grace or a gracious possession in which he doth not only claime but take possession or enters a as possessor of this I am now to speak and it comprehends five things in it 1. A Sovereigne seazure when he comes in as a possessour he doth in a way of propriety set up his Title in the soul As if he should say now this soul is mine It is no longer sins no longer the worlds no longer the devils no longer it s own but mine and only mine I am the Lord and husband of it As in all contracts there results an exclusive propriety Ezek. 16. 8. When I passed by thee and looked upon thee Behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Or as Psal 132. 13. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation Ver. 14. This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Hence those relative and impropriating expressions as my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5. 2. As an husband can say this woman is mine c. The wife cannot be more the husbands nor a house more the owners nor a member more the heads nor a branch more the vines then the opening soul is Christs Which is therefore said to be knit unto him Ephes 4. and to be joyned or glued unto him 1 Cor. 6. 17. and to be married unto him for an eternity Hos 2. And he is said to own us as a Master owns a servant Rom. 6. as an husband owns a wiâ—e as a Lord owns an house as the head owns the members as the Lord once owned the Temple So then Christ comes into the soule by way of possession when he doth interest himself in such a peculiar way of union and propriety that he saith this soul is mine and the soul may reciprocally answer this Christ is mine as the Church in Canticles 6. 3. 2. A distinguishing furniture when Christ takes possession of a soul there is not onely a relation of propriety but there is also a communication of quality The Spirit of Christ actuates the whole soul with grace As to make Christ in himself a Mediatour there was not only the grace of union by which he was God and man but also the grace of unction by which he was adorned and qualified to the work of Mediatour So is it
actions as import communion viz. 1. Cohabitation He dwells in us and with us by his Spirit 2. Consociation he eats and drinks with us in the Sacrament 3. Conversation he speaks and conferres with us in his Word For the cleerer opening of the assertion I will discuss these particulars 1. Wherein this communion doth consist 2. What the extent of it is 3. Why Christ hath communion c. 4. Then the useful Application Quest 1. Wherein this communion doth consist Sol. It doth consist in a reciprocal expression 'twixt Christ and beleevers Like Jacobs ladder the Angels ascending and descending There are mutual passages between them both Something Christ imparts to them and something they impart to Christ It is an hand mutually opening and clasping It includes 1. An exceeding mutual love Two hearts respectively inflamed one to another and infolded one within another Christ lets out his love unto beleevers he loves them as if they were his servants but that is too little He loves them as if they were his friends ye are my friends John 15. He loves them as if they were his children I and the children God hath given me Heb. 2. 13. Nay he loves them as if they were his Spouse Hosea 2. Nay yet more he loves them as if they were bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh he loves them as himself Eph. 5. 30. nay yet more he loves them more then his own life which he parted with for their sakes and in some respect more then his own glory which he veiled a while for their salvation And believers let out their love to Christ Simon lovest thou me more then these Lord saith he thou knowest that I love thee O blessed Christ saith Bernard I love thee plusquam mea more then all lands plusquam meos more then all friends plusquam me more then all my Amor mâ—us crucifixus said Ignatius self So that here is the first branch of communion 'twixt Christ and beleevers viz. mutual love ye are my beloved and my friends saith Christ and this is my beloved and this is my friend saith the Church Cant. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3. 1. 2. It includes a singularly mutual complacence or delight 1. Christ delights in beleevers he delights 1. In their persons Thou shalt be called Hephzibah and Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee Isa 62. 4 5. He delights in them as a bridegroom in his newly married bride And Zeph. 3. 17. He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing When God created the world he delighted in his own workmanship and so doth Christ delight in a beleever his new Creation as the birth of his own power and mercy and as his glory on earth 2. In their graces which are as it were the face and image of Christ in the soul A beleeving soul is the reflex of Christ and their graces are compared in Cant. 4. to the smel of oyntment v. 10. to the chiefe spices ver 14. to pleasant fruit ver 13. to a fountaine of gardens ver 15. 3. In their services which are therefore stiled mountaines of myrrh and hills of Frankincense Cant. 4. 6. A little Myrrh and Frankincense is sweet and pleasing what is an hill or mountaine of them Ver. 10. The smell of thine oyntments is better then all spices Ver. 11. Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanâ—n When Noah prayed and offered a burnt offering the Lord smelled a sweet savour Gen. 8. 20 21. When the Philippians exercised acts of mercy they were Phil. 4. 18. as odours of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God When David offered up his broken heart this was a delightful sacrifice A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not destiâ—e Psal 51. 17. Christ delights in their tears in their sighs in their prayings though weâ—k in their hearings in their trustings in their praisings 2. And beleevers delight in Christ Cant. 2. 3. I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste They delight 1. In the glories of his person As the chiefest of ten thousand none like to him or to be compared with him John 1. 14. We beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth 2. In the wonder and mirrour of his Redemption admiring at the heighth and depth and breadth of his love to die for them 3. In all the methods of his prâ—sence the vâ—ice of him in his Word O how sweet One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand Psal 84. 10. the disclosure of himself in the Sacrament O how precious now the beleeving and loving soul rejoyceth with joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. The answer from him of our seeking O what a satisfaction Return to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116. 7. 3. It includes a mutual benevolence In a rational and friendly communion each party studies and wisheth good to each other So doth Christ unto beleevers He wisheth much good to his enemies to them who reject communion with him How often would I have gathered you and Father forgive them what good then doth he wish and will to his friends There is not only a fulnesse of goodness in Christ but also fulness of willingnesse in Christ to do good to his members when he was on earth He instructed and prayed for them and longed with a great desire to die for them and was earnest when they die they might be with him and Behold his glory John 17. 24. And now he is in heaven he is an Advocate for them appears in their suit and cause he is an Intercessor He ever lives to make intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. And so do beleevers unto Christ though they cannot wish any good to Christ as to one that is indigent by way of addition yet they do wish good unto him as to one who is glorious by way of publication They wish will and desire the enlargement of his dominion in their own hearts and others The honouring of his Gospel that it may be beleeved and received prosperity to the cause and servants of Christ pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee and to all his Ordinances 4. Lastly it includes a mutual beneficence or a mutual communication of good Christ communicates good unto beleevers and they in their way communicate good unto Christ speak and do and live to him and pay their all to his glory Christ communicates good unto beleevers In Zachary 4. 2. you read of a Candlestick all of gold with a bowle upon the top of it and seven Lamps and seven pipes And then v. 3. of two Olive trees by it one upon the
maintained by infinitenesse and prolonged to eternity our life will end and the world will end and time will end but this communion shall never end Nay and contrary to all other communions which like wine is quickest at the first drawing the longer that this communion holds the sweeter and the fuller and the purer it becomes In this life you by reason thereof partake of glorious and unspeakable good from Christ but all is little to what he reserves for another world All in this life is but as the first fruits the harvest is to come but as the earnest penny the full reward is to come but as the contract the marriage is to come After a few dayes you shall come to an immediate and perfect communion not at second hand by means not by tokens not by droppings not by mixtures but by a glorious and absolute fulnesse by compleat fruition and vision Christ will let out his strength of holinesse and glory upon you and you shall let out the strength of love to Christ you shall enjoy him to the utmost capacity of fruition and you shall love him with the utmost possibility of affection for ever and ever This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord this is that admirable and blessed communion which is and shall be 'twixt Christ and all beleevers Rev. 3. 20. Serm. 7. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me THe next Use shall be of Instruction to such persons who upon good grounds finde themselves to have communion with Christ and Christ with them Their dignity I confesse is great so the duty thereupon is manifold 1. Walk with cheerful thanfulnesse Two sights are very incongruous one is a wicked man inflamed with joyes another is a good man almost drowned in teares 1 Sam. 1. 8. Hanna said Elkanah why weepest thou and why is thy heart grieved am I not better to thee then ten sonnes So say I to thee a beleever why doest thou walk with so many habitual cares in thy head and with so many continual fears in thy breast hast thou not communion with Christ Obj. Perhaps thou hast but little of the world yet even at the lowest thou hast communion with Christ Sol. And should not the shining of the Sunne satisfie thee though all the candles were put out If thou hadst nothing but a naked Christ thou hadst as much as happinesse comes to How many have quitted all to enjoy Christ alone and have rejoyced too why then shouldest thou be troubled who at once hast as much of earth as is necessary and as much of Christ too as will make thee blessed Remember him who sold all for the pearle and forsoâ—k all for Christ A little with contentment is great gain what then should a little nay any thing be with Christ When a fit of sadnesse once surprized Caesar he strook himself on the breast saying Cogita te Caesarem esse why man art thou not Caesar So when melancholy thoughts about external possessions surprize thy minde rouze up thy self Cogita te Christianum esse remember and say am I not a Christian have I not communion with Christ and cannot communion with him eke out that little portion of other things It was wont to make the prison a Palace the flames of martyrdome a bed of roses why should it not be able to make thy bit of bread a feast and thy cup of water sweeter then wine it self Obj. Or perhaps it is but little which Christ as yet hath imparted to thee of himself little grace little assurance little joy Sol. O friend let that little be never so little if it be aliquid Christi it is great in worth though small in bulk A little issuing from communion with him is the fruit of highest love and the pledge of fullest glory The ring of gold is little but it with a pearle is very much A little grace with a full Christ is a condition very high If the Christian were truly humble and wise who had the prizing of it nothing is little which drops from Christ the least ray of gold is precious For my part I judge that wife abundantly estated whose husband is so O Christian be contented be thankful be cheerful Consider 1. The least which comes from Christ is enough to save thee and should not then the much which comes from him be enough to comfort thee 2. Where Christ communicates a little there he will communicate more 't is a gift not a portion There are showers which gush out of a cloud but they quickly cease they grow lesse and lesse There are drops which distil out of a fountaine and they still increase Thou hast no sooner received one degree of grace but Christ is ready to adde another Methinks the child should suck quietly when although it takes not in the whole breast at once yet the milk is spinning out to renue a further drought after the former is gone down 3. Christ imparts not alike to all nor all at once to any He so gives as that still he reserves more to give I feare our condition would not be sure were there not some good still in Christs hand to bestow communion would cease if communication did cease It is an unspeakable comfort to me that Christ is mine no man ever enjoyed him but he shall enjoy more from him I blesse his goodnesse for the former I will wait on his wisdom for the latter 2. Live like those who have communion with Christ Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dreame an image whose head was of gold but the feet were part of iron and part of clay Dan. 2. 32. 33. Truly that Christian is but in a dreame who fancies a golden communion and yet wallows in a wicked conversation If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse we lie 1 John 1. 6. The forty four thousand with the Lamb had his Fathers name written in their foreheads In communion there is alwayes similitude and conformity and this is twofold in a Christian to that in Christ 1. Of holinesse when the grace of Christ appears but doctrinally it teaches us to live holily Titus 2. 12. much more when it appears effectually in communication from Christ Surely they are much mistaken who can exalt the Gospel and despise the Law who can magnifie the merit of Christ and withal contemn the Spirit of Christ As if a good Christ and a good life were inconsistent or as if the blood of Christ purchased this unhappy favour for us to live licentiously will you shame your head and deny that Christ that bought you Is this a Christ communication Is this to shew the vertues of him who hath called you Brethren be not deceived God is not mocked An evil conversation is incomplyable with the learning of Christ in truth Eph. 4. 21 22. For what fellowship
communion Christ and the soule are drawn so neer together that they seeme to be but one soule Christ lives in the soule and the soule lives in Christ As they report of the heart of Ignatius the Name of Jesus was engraven upon it sure I am the nature and power of Christ are engraven upon the hearts of them who have communion with him What doth Paul desire to know none but Christ In whom doth the desire to be found in none but Christ whom doth he strive to magnifie none but Christ Open his heart and see whether you find not Christ written in every affection of him His love on whom was it it is on Christ The love of Christ constrained him 2 Cor. 5. 14. His hope on whom was it it is on Christ Phil. 3. 20. We look for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ His long desire after what was it That I may be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. His joy and rejoycing in what in whom was it It was in Christ Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the crosse of Christ 3. It is a full and satisfying communion It was a choise expression of Paulinus when one told him that the Gothes had sacked Nola and plundred all from him Domine saith he ubi sunt omnia mea tu scis where my all is thou who art all in all doest know A deluded Christian is never satisfied with Christ alone The Pharisee he must have his own righteousnesse too The hypocrite he must have his own delight The young man he must have all his wealth too Let him pretend what he pleaseth apply himself to an open communion with Christ as oft as he pleaseth yet there is something else besides Christ which he must have Zonoras relates of a Prince of the Barbarians who being brought captive to Rome and released by Claudius viewed the stately structure of that City and then brake out thus Why This is wonderful that you who enjoy such stately palaces should so molest your selves to obtaine our poor cottages But it is otherwise with him who hath a true communion with Christ Christ doth bound his soule and is a fulnesse to his soul A fulness as well as a fitness Psalme 17. 15. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse And truly besides this that Christ is happinesse and therefore fulnesse there is another thing considerable that every relation includes satisfaction and contentment The childe hath enough in one father the wife hath enough in one husband the members have enough in one head and the Christian findes enough in one Christ Righteousnesse enough to justifie his person blood enough to expiate his sinnes grace enough to cleanse his heart peace enough to appease his conscience joy enough to satisfie his soul 4. It is an inflaming communion that is it is such an alluring communion that the more you finde of it the more you thirst for it as the tasting of honey draws you to the eating of honey So a little experimental communion with Christ windes in the soul with greater desire of more communion with him Phil. 3. 10. Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which I also am apprehended of Christ V. 13. I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behinde I reach forth unto those things which are before c. There is a vast difference 'twixt a designe which a person hath upon Christ and a communion which one hath with Christ A designe on Christ is a mercenary complying with Christ for some particular good and this being obtained that person hath enough of Christ If I meet with a commodity in the market I have that which I looked for and so wholly quit the Market If I have an arme broken I send for the Chirurgion and he sets the bone and it being closed I have no further communion with him And so many a person he would have a protection from hell by Christ and then he is satisfied he would have his tormenting conscience alayd by Christ and then he hath done with Christ But in communion with Christ that soul is fixed on Christ for Christ as my universal good and therefore riseth still more and more after Christ Lord evermore give us this bread every receipt from Christ begets an higher degree of love and desire unto Christ as every drop of oyle addes more light and life as it were to the Lamp 3. By the effects resulting upon this communion which I will onely mention at this time 1. Your affections will answer Christs affections Amicorum we say est idem velle idem nolle you will delight in what and in whom Christ doth delight and you will hate what Christ doth hate friends will and nill the same things 2. You will prize the meeting places of Christ If Christ be deare to you his Ordinances will be precious to you you meet him by praying and he meets you by speaking if the person be pleasing his presence is so too 3. Your obedience will be ready and cheerful Let a man speak to his seat it stirres not but let the Head speak to the hand it moves for here is communion The last use shall be of Exhortation to all who are out of communion with Christ do not rest thus but use all the means of heaven that you may come into this communion Two things if rightly considered will I trust move you to hearken unto this counsel 1. The unspeakable misery of a person out of it And here I know not how to begin If a non-communion with the Church of God be so direful a curse that Caine cryes out thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Earth and from thy face shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the Earth and every one that findes me will sâ—ay me Genesis 4. 14. O then what is a non-communion with Jesus Christ Luther doth professe That he would not be in heaven if God were not there and he could be content to be in Hell if God were there But where should he be willing to be who is no where with Christ If he lives he lives without Christ if he dies he dies not unto Christ I may say of him as Christ of Judas It had been better for that man that he had never been born Three things makes up this mans sad condition 1. His best portion is but poor and cursed All the Earth was cursed upon mans fall This perhaps thou hast and no more but this When thou hast summon'd up all thy pleasures and when thou hast cast up all thy riches the result is onely this the portion of my cup is a little cursed vanity I have but earth and no longer then whilest on the earth The Beauty which is put on with the garment