The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Article 10
ARTICLE X. ❧ The Communion of Saints.
CHAP. XXXVI.
THey that make this clauſe to bee onelyonly an appendix for explication of the former, as if they would ſay, I beleeve the holy Catholike Church to be the Communion or fellowſhip of Saints: come ſhort of the uttermoſt meaning thereof. For beſide the two properties of the Church, to be Holy and Catholike; it is neceſſary to know what the Priviledges or prerogatives are, which belong to that holy congregation, that they may know that their ſeruice is not without reward. Theſe prerogatives are 4. 1. This Cōmunion of the Saints, which is the ground and aſſurance of the reſt. For from hence it followes, that we may aſſuredly beleeve that our ſins are forgiven, and therefore that our bodies ſhall riſe againe, and that to everlaſting life. But this Communion of the Saints is two-fold; 1. Among themſelves: Secondly, in the participation of thoſe benefits which are purchaſed for them by the merit of Chriſt. Yet this Communion among themſelves, is rather a third property, than a priviledge of the holy Church, and ariſeth from that Communion which we have with Chriſt, For he that loveth Him that begetteth, loveth him alſo that is begotten of Him, 1. Ioh. 5.1, 2. And becauſe all the faithfull are governed by one Holy Spirit, therefore are they ever ready and willing to impart what gifts ſoever they have received, to the common good of all that may be partakers thereof. And this not onelyonly in the ſupply of outward helpes, as it appeared, Act. 4.32. but much more in like affection one toward another, in prayer one for another, in ſupporting each the infirmitie of other, as one member of the body is ever helpfull to another, in comforting, in exhorting, and in the Spirit of Meekenes admoniſhing one another, and every one in himſelfe, giving an example of a vertuous, and honeſt life, according to that commandement, Mat. 5.16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. And theſe things proceed from that inward and ſpirituall Communion which wee have with God the Father, and with His Son Ieſus Chriſt, as it is ſaid, 1. Iohn. 1.3. For ſeeing w… know, That God ſo loved the world, as that He gave His Son to die for the life of the world, wee ought alſo to love the brethren. So likewiſe the ſpirituall Communion, or participation of thoſe benefits whereof wee are partakers by the merit of Chriſt, ſtands altogether in this, that He our Mediator, God and Man, having given Himſelfe a ranſome for u…: God doth not now looke on us as wee are in our ſelues, corrupted in our ſinnes, but as wee are waſhed, but as wee are ſanctified, but as wee are juſtified in the name of the Lord Ieſus, and by the Spirit of our God, as wee are one body with His Son, and He our head, is become our righteouſneſſe, our ſanctification and redemption: So that through Him, wee hauehave not onelyonly theſe priviledges here mentioned; of the forgiveneſſe of our ſinnes, reſurrection, and life; but alſo having in Chriſt the adoption of ſonnes, wee have by Him an entrance unto God the Father, a right and intereſt in the eternall inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven, and whatſoever may bee availeable to our eternall happineſſe, for the gift was not as the offence, as you might ſee, Chap. 18. §. 2. For as we know that Christ our Lord, the eternall Son, was partaker of our nature, and are likewiſe aſſured, that the greateſt actions of God in His creature, are for the greateſt good that can come neere the creature: So ought wee to bee perſwaded, that we alſo ſhall be made the ſons of God, by that Spirit of God that dwelleth in us, as it is ſaid, 1. Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit. And theſe are the exceeding great and precious promiſes, that God hath made unto us in Chriſt, that by Him wee ſhall bee made partakers of the divine nature. 2. Peter 1.4. this is that union, and Communion for which our Lord prayes that it may bee made perfect in us, Iohn 17.21, 22, 23.
1. For ſeeing the ſoule of man is a thing whoſe excellencie doth ſo farre exceed all things of this world: it may not be thought that the happineſſe and perfection of the ſoule can ſtand in things that are inferiour to it ſelfe: as in riches, honour, worldly pleaſure, or the like: But ſeeing it knowes that there is one onelyonly infinite goodnes, which becauſe it is infinite, muſt needs be eternall, and able to ſatisfie all the deſire of the creature that can bee partaker thereof: therefore doth it aſpire thereunto, becauſe in the injoying of that alone, it can be made perfect. And if this deſire of the ſoule ſhould be in vaine, then the Holy Spirit of God which wrought this deſire in the ſoule, ſhould have wrought in vaine: then the infinite goodneſſe, which might ſatisfie the deſire of the creature, ſhould be defective toward the creature, and conſequently not infinite: then the promiſes of God made in His word ſhould faile, and the prayer of our Mediator, cited even now from Iohn 17. without effect. But all theſe things are impoſſible. Therefore there is a Communion of the Saints with God, and with one another, as wee confeſſe in the article.
2. If the merit of Chriſt bee infinite, and that not for Himſelfe, but for His body, which is the Church, then it is neceſſary that an infinite reward be given thereto. But the merit of Chriſt is infinite, both actively and paſſively. Therfore an infinite reward is due to us thereby: So that by the Spirit of Chriſt which is in us, we have communion both with the Father, and the Sonne, 1. Iohn 1.3.
3. All the dignities of God are infinite, and they are all to bee manifeſted in the creature, ſo farre forth as the creature can bee made capable thereof. Ergo. Now the foundation and originall of communion is in this, that for as much as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, He alſo Himſelfe tooke part of the ſame, that through death He might deſtroy him that had the power of death, Hebr. 2.14. and that to this end, that wee might be partakers of His immortality, and from that union of the divine and humane nature, whereby our Lord, of the ſeed of Abraham, became one with all man-kind, ariſeth that ſpirituall and myſticall union of us with Him, that howſoever we are abſent in body, yet being renewed by the Spirit of our mind, we live unto Him, & have Him evermore abiding in us, as we evermore abide in him, & daily more & more grow up with Him into one myſtical body, as if we were fleſh of His fleſh, and bone of His bones, Eph. 5.30. and from this myſtical union, we have the aſſurance of that glorious vnion which ſhall be in heaven, when we ſhalbe joyned to our head inſeparably: and this is that vnion or communion which all the faithfull hope for, whereof we have the aſſurance of His promiſes in His Holy word, the ſignes and pledges of the Holy ſupper, and the witneſſe of the holy Spirit of God in our hearts. And thus is Chriſt ours, with His graces, and His merits, and thus according to the exceeding great and precious promiſes, are wee made partakers of the divine nature: not that wee participate of the incommunicable eſſence of the deitie; but that by the renewing of the Holy-Ghoſt, wee put off our corrupt deſires, and are transformed in our minds according as His Divine power doth give us all things that belong to life and godlineſſe.