The Communion of Saints, Chapter 16
CHAPT. XVI.
How the Saincts on earth, ar caled to a holy communion among themselves.
God who hath chosen and caled vsus in Christ from this world, and fellowship of al wicked ones therin, to be his, and to serv him: hath further required at our hands, that we which ar caled, should not live alone, or a sunder by our selves, but joyn togither, and so entertayn and nourish, a loving & holy communion one with an other, in the vnitie of the faith and spirit, by the bond of peace. For man is made a sociable creature; and when he was in his perfection, God saw & sayd, it was †Gen. 2. 18.not good for him to be alone, and therfore made him a help meet for him: but after, when we were corrupted, there was much more need of fellowship one with an other for our mutal help and comfort. And many are the benefits which we reap hereby; evē as on the contrarie, the evils, dangers, and discomforts, which arise for want hereof, are moe then can be told.
2. When God had brought his people out of Aegypt, to lead them into Canaan; whiles thither they were traveyling, even in the wildernes caused he a Tent to be made, for himself ‡Exod. 25. 8.to dwel among them, and in midds of their tents; which when it was perfected, he took possession of, †Exod. 40. 34filled and sanctified it with his glorie; commaunded also the people; Lev. 1. 3. & 4. 4. &c.thither for to bring their services and their sacrifices; promised there *Exod. 29. 42 43.to meet with thē, to speak there vntounto them; whervpon that place was caled the Tent (or Tabernacle) of ‡ver. 42 44. foreignMeeting or Congregation. And whereas this Sanctuary was flitting & moveable not onelyonly in the †Num. 4. 4. &. 10. 7. &c.wildernes, but also in Ios. 5. 10. & 18. 1. 1. Chrō. 15. 1.the land of Canaan: therfore God gav Israel a charge by Moses, that they should seek *Deut. 12. ver. 5. 6.the place which he should choose out of al their tribes, to put his Name there, and there to dwel; that thither they should come, to sacrifice, and rejoyce before the Lord; themselves ‡ver. 12. 13. 14.their children, and their servants; there to keep †Deut. 16. …. 11. 15. 16.their solemn feasts, and take heed they offred not in any other place. For he had told thē, whosoever, Israelite or strāger sojourning among them, that resorted not to this Tabernacle with his oblations, but sacrificed other where, eyther within or without the host, that man should be reputed ‖Levit. 17. 3. 4. 7. 8. 9.as if he had shed blood, or offred vntounto Divils; and was to be cut off from among his people. This tent, (togither with the Ternple which for like *…. Chron. 2. … ▪holy vse, succeded the same,) was a figure of the church or congregation of Christians, amongst whom God hath placed his *Rev. 21. 3. Ezek. 37. 27 28.tabernacle, to dwell as their God with them, and they to be his people, even his ‡Heb. 3. 6.howse and habitation; & should therefore †Mat. 18. 20.gather themselves togither in his name, to keep their spiritual ‖1 Cor. 5. 4. 8 Nahum. 1. 15feasts, not withdrawing from, nor leaving *Heb. 10. 25.the mutuall assembling or fellowship that they have among themselves; for who so repayreth not to the Church the true Ierusalem, of all the families of the earth, there to ‡Zech. 14. 16 17.keep the feast of Tabernacles, & worship the king the Lord of hosts; no rayn (of Gods grace or blessing) shal come vponupon them.
3. This gathering togither of the Saincts, is not a bare assembly or concourse onelyonly, of people; but a neer vniting and knitting of thē selves, in one holy cōmunion and fellowship. For as the foresayd Tent was made of many courtaines, but al of thē so coupled one to another, with loops & taches, that they were but †Ex. 26. 1…one Tabernacle; and as the ‖1 Kin. 5. 17. & 6. 7. 12. 13many costly hewed stones, wherwith Solomon built the Temple, whē they were layd togither, made one Howse wherein God had his habitatiō: so the servants of Christ though they be many, yet are so built *Ephs. 2. 21. 22.& coupled togither by faith, that they grow vntounto an holy temple in the Lord, to be the habitation of God by the spirit; and are builded as a citie ‡Psal. 122. 3.that is compact togither in it self. Which neer cō iunction is further set sorth, by similitude of a bodie, wherein there be many members of several shape & vse, yet by the wisdome of God so vnited & set togither, that there appeareth a goodly frame and proportion of the man; and every lim so fastned to other, and al the parts so serviceable needful & comfortable ech to other, that they cannot without paine, losse, and deformity be pulled asunder: even so the Saincts of God, ar (as the Apostle sayth) †Rom. 12. 5.one body in Christ, & every one, one anothers members; being by one ‖1 Cor. 12. 13spirit al baptised into one body; wch is caled Christs *Eph. 1. 22. 23Church or Congregation, because we ar gathered and joyned togither vntounto him our head, ‡Ephes. 4. 15. 16.by whom al the body being coupled and knit togither by every joynt, for the furniture therof, (according to the effectual power which is in the mesure of every part,) receiveth increase of the body vntounto the edifying of it self in love.
4. The strength & virtue of this vnion of the Saincts, procedeth from the vnitie of their Faith and spirit. For faith is the †Act. 14. 27.doore, by which we hav entry & accesse both vntounto ‖Rom. 5. ….God, and into *Act. 2. 44.his Church or assembly, which thervpon is caled the ‡Act 4. 32.multitude of the faithful, or beleevers; even the †Gal. 6. 10.howshold of faith. And as by it we ēter into this societie so being entred, we there build vp ‖Iude. ver 2… Heb. 10. 38our selves in our most holy faith; by it we * live, by it we ‡Rom. 11. 20.stand, by it we al ar the †Gal. … ▪ 26. 7 29.sons of God, the seed of Abraham, & consequently heyrs by promise, of the blessed inheritance, and so doe enter into ‡Heb. 4. 3.his rest. Which faith because it is †Eph. 4. 5.one as the Lord is one, and is by his holy spirit communicated with al the Saincts; it is therfore caled the ‖Tit. 1. 4.commune faith, from which, the communion *Philem. ver. 6.of faith, that is of al Christian duties do flow; and especially is seen in our conversing togither, for the better performance of them. For as Christ prayed, that they which should belev in him, might ‡Ioh. 17. 20. 21. 22.al be one, as the Father & He were one, in and with another; so the effect of that his prayer appeareth in the vnion & communion of the first beleevers which were of one ha… & of one †Act. 4. 32. & 2.sowl, and continued dayly with one accord ‖Acts. 2. 42. 44. 45. 46.their meetings and fellowships for duties both spiritual & humane. Of which happy day the Lord did foretell by his prophets saying, *Ier. 32. 39.I wil giv them one hart and one way that they may fear me for ever, for the wealth of them and of their children after them; and ‡Eze. 37. 22I w… make them one people, in the land, vponupon the moūtains of Israel; & one king shalbe king to thē al; & they shalbe no more two peoples, nor divided any more henceforth into two kingdoms. This fellowship ought al men to labour that they may come vntounto; and being come, there to abide; ‡Eph. 4. 3.endevouring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace, and †Phil. 1. 27.to continew in one spirit & in one minde, fighting togither through the faith of the Gospel.
5. The causes why God requireth this gathering and knitting togither of our selves, are these. First for the better service of his Majestie, which he most esteemeth when it is done of vsus with joynt consent and agreement, that we with one minde ‖Rom. …5. 6.& one mouth, prayse God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, and (as the prophet sayth) serve him *Zeph. 3. 9.with one shoulder. And for this cause, at the first constitution of the Church of Israel, he cō maunded that at their solemn feasts they should, all the males, ‡Exo. 23. 1… ▪ 17.three times in the yere appear before the Lord Iehovah, (besides their vsual meetings on the Sabbaths,) which fests were called holy †Lev. 23. 1. 4assemblies or convocations, and had special Num. 28. 2. 18. 25. 26. & 29. 1. 7. 12. 35.dayes for calling and assembling the people, wherein Gods word *Neh. 8. 1. 2. 8.was read & expounded vntounto them; his name magnified▪ with †2 Chro 7. 6. & 30. 21.songs & prayses; the people answering Neh. 8. 6.Amen, bowing down and worshiping; sacrifices were offred *2 Chron. 35. 8. 12. 13.for the whol congregation; feasts were celebrated with relief of ‡Neh. 8. 10. Deut 16. 14.the poor; and the people received a †2 Chron. 30. 27.blessing, in the name of the Lord. Which open & solemne service, as it was pleasing to the Lord, Psal. 51. 19. Ez…. 20. 40.who there required the service, offrings, & al the holy things of al his people: so the neglect and omission hereof, was a forsaking of him and 2 Chron. 29. 6. 7. 8.a procuring of his wrath. Wherefore the godly magistrates, wer careful to establish & mainteyn that publick worship, appoynting ‡2 Chron. 31. ….the Priests & Levites for the burnt offrings and peace offrings, to minister and to give thanks, and to prayse in the gates of the tents of the Lord; and the faithful vsed to frequent that place, and those solemnities, that they might prayse God Psal 22. 22. & 122. 4. & 35. 18.in the midds of the congregatiō, among much people, & there declare with the voice †Psal. 26. 7. 8.of thanksgiving, and set forth all his wonderous works; & pay Psal. 116. 18 19.their vowes vntounto him, in the presence of al the folke, within the courts of his howse, which he had *Psal. 132. 13. 14.chosen for his rest for ever, loved there to dwel, and delighted therein. They vsed also to ‡Deut. 33. 19call the people vntounto the mountain, there to offer the sacrifices of righteousnes; to stir vp, and exhort one another, to blesse †Psal. 68. 36.God in the Assemblies, and ‖Psa 107. 31. 32.exalt him in the congregation of the people. The like publick worship, the Lamb solemnizeth vntounto his Father, whiles he standeth vpō Mount Sion with his 144. thousand; *Rev. 14. …. 2. 3.wher the voyce of the heavenly congregation, is heard like the sound of many waters, and of a great thunder, and like harpers harping with their harps, & singing a new sōg before the throne. And there Christs prayse *Psal. 22. 25.is of God, in the great assemblie, his vowes he performeth before them that fear him, he declareth ‡Ps. 40. 9. 10.Gods justice and mercy, his truth and his salvation. Whose prayse therfore is heard in the †Ps. 149. 1. 2.Cō gregation of Saincts, Israel joying in his maker, and the sons of Sion rejoycing in their king; saying Rev. 19. 1.Halelu-jah, salvation and glory & honour & power, vntounto the Lord our God; *ver. 6.Halelu-jah for the Lord God almighty reigneth.
6. An other cause of the joyning togither of the Saincts; is their edification, in the knowledge and fear of God. For although they have his word privatly to meditate therin day & night, which also he blesseth vntounto them; yet in his church or assemblie he more plentifully powreth out his blessings, as he promised by Moses, †Exo. 20. 24.In every place wher I shal put the remembrance of my name, I wil come vntounto thee & blesse thee. And as his name was in his ‖2 Chro. 20. 9howse and Temple, so there he appointed ministers to *1 Chr. 16. 4.reherse or make mention of the same, to ‡Deut. 33. 10teach Iaakob his judgements and Israel his lawes. Which Law when he first gav vntounto them, he sayd vntounto Moses, †Deut. 4. 1….Gather me the people togither, & I will cause them to hear my words; and when afterwards it was solemnly repeted, every Sabbath yere; by like commaundment the people ‖Deut 31. 12.were to be gathered togither, men, women, children, and strangers; to hear and learn the same. Yea every Sabbath day, the people assembled in their *Act. 15. 21.synagogues, throughout all their cities, for the same purpose. And in these last dayes, it was foretold, how many people should provoke one another to go vp to the mountayn and howse of God, wher he would *Isa. 2. 2. 3.teach them his wayes, and they would walk in his pathes; because the law was to go forth of Sion, & the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Wherefore Christ often visited the ‡Iohn. 18. 20. Luk. 4. 15. 16Temple and synagogues, (as did also his †Act. 3. 1. & …3. 5. 14. 44.disciples,) to shew how he regarded the assemblies of his people, in which he vttered so many gracious words, and wrought so many great miracles. And after that he had gathered a new people to himself, they also vsually met togither, Acts. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 1…. 17. 18. &c. & 14 4. 5. 12. 19. 26.for the food of Gods word, and other holy things, in the churches or assemblies; where Christ had given gifts vntounto men, in the persons of his officers, *Eph. 4. 8. 11. 12.for the gathering togither of the Saincts, & edification of his body. Then the ‡Isa. 60. 3.nations walked in the light of Ierusalem, & there the Lord gathered *Ier. 23. 3. 4.his sheep into their folds, wher they might grow and encrease; & set vp ‡1 Pet. 5. 1. 2shepheards over thē, which should feed them; he †Ezek. 34. 14 15. 16.fed them in good pasture, & they lay in a good fold, he brought them to their rest, reduced that which was driven away, bound vp that which was broken, and strengthned the weak, by the doctrines of his gospel. There God is very terrible Psal. 89. 7.in the mysterie of the Saincts, whiles by the fyre of his spirit, he causeth on earth & in his heavēly tēple, *Rev. …. 5. & 11. 1….lightnings, and Voices, and thundrings, and earthquake, and much hayl. For the words that his wise men there speak, given by him the One pastor, are like ‡Eccl. 12. 1….go…ds to excite and stir vp our dul nature, that being †Act. 2. 37.pricked in our harts we may be drawn to repentance; like Ier. 5. 14.a fyre to devour ye adversaries; like *Ps. 149. 6. 7a two edged sword to execute vengeance; like a ‡Ier. 23. 29.…āmer to break the stone; like *2 Cor. 10. 4. 5.mighty weapons of war, to cast down bulwarks, and whereby the wise †Pro. 21. 22.goeth vp into the citie of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. Again, there are vttered ye words of ‖Act. 5. 20.life, which *Psa 119. 50. Ioh. 5. 25.qui… ken the hearers, and bring thē o… of the graves of syn; the words o… ‡3 Cor, 5. 19.reconciliation, which make peac… between God and the conscience are as †Song. 2. 5.flagons of wine, and comfortable apples, to refresh the si… sowl; even the words of ‖Act. 13. 26.salvation▪ and of *Ioh. 6. 68.eternal life. These Chris… putteth in the mouthes of his ministers; and by the oyl of his spirit, causeth the seven lamps ‡Exo. 25. 37. Num. 8. 2. 3. Psal. 119. 105of the golden candlestick of his law, to give light continually in his tabernacle. With these waters, he moystneth the garden of his church, and the several roots and brnches of the same; wherevpon such as are planted in the Lord; howse, †Psal. 92. 13. 14.do flou…ish in his courts, & stil bring forth fruit; their leaf fadeth not, neyther doth their fruit fayl, ‖Ezek 47. 12because their waters run out of the sanctuarie.
7. A third reason of the Saincts gathering togither, is that they might the better resist the cōmune adversaryes. For ther is warr continual, †Gen. 3 15.between the serpents seed and the church; and they ‖Psal. 2. 2.band themselves togither, to bese…t *Rev. 20. 9.the …ents of the Saincts and the beloved city. Against that kingdome of darknes, God gathereth and setteth a cōtrary kingdome, a band of Christian soldjers, or ‡Rev. 19. 14. 19.heavenly warriours, the †1 Chron. 9. 19.host of the Lord; who standing & fighting togither vnderunder the banner of his gospel, by the conduct of his Spirit, and Christ their captaine; are an help, strength and comfort one to another. These come ‖Psal. 110. 3.willingly, at the time of assembling Christs armye in holy bewty; among them ar *Heb. 13. 17. …. Tim. 2. 3. 4guids and leaders, the overseers of the Churches, as the ‡2. King. 2. 12. &. 13. 14charrets & horsmen of Israel; they ar al furnished with the †Eph. 6. 11. 12. 13. &c.armour of God, having his word for asword, his faith for a shield, his salvation for a helmet vponupon their heads. These weapons of their warfare, ar mighty through God; and here are more shields & targets, ‖Song. 4. 4.thē hung on Davids towr; the trumpets of the Lord do *2. Cron 13. 12. Num. 10. 10.sound an alarme against the enemies, and in their conflicts the people of God do *2. Sam 10. 11. Iosh. 1. 14.help one another as need requireth, wherby they ar emboldned and comforted among themselves, ar terrible to their foes as an ‡Song. 6. 9.army with banners, and having fought togither the good fight of faith, do get the victory over †Rev. 12. 7. 11.the Dragon and his Angels, by the blood of the Lamb, through many▪ afflictions, & so at last, doe triumph in glorie.
8. A fourth cause and benifit of this societie, is the mutual ayd strengthning, and consolation one of another in al other Christiā duties both publick & private. For as the several members of a mans body ar serviceable to the whol and each to other; so ar the Saincts among themselves, having every one their ‖Rom. 12. 3.mesure of faith, their diversity of gifts and graces from God, that what is wanting in one, may be supplied by an other. And as the *1. Cor. 12. 21eye cannot say to the hand, nor the head to the feet, I have no need of yow: so cannot the least member in the church of Christ, be refused as vnnecessarie, but may be beneficial to the greatest. For ‡Pro. 27. 17.as yton sharpneth yron; so doth man sharpen the face of his friend. †1. Thes. 5. 11And hence doe arise the mutual exhorting ‖1 Thes. 5. 11. Heb. 3. 13.and building vp one of another in the faith *3. Iohn 8.labouring together vntounto the truth; ‡1. Thes. 5. 14. &. 4. 18.admonishing the vnruly, comforting the feble minded, bearing with the weak, †Heb. 10. 24.considering one another to provoke vntounto love and good works; ‖Luke. 18. 3. Lev. 19. 17.rebuking for syn & trespasse, confessing of faults *Iam. 5. 16.one to another, & praying one for an other, bearing ‡Gal. 6. 2.one anothers burden; rejoycing †Rom. 12. 15. Iob. 30. …5.with them that rejoyce, & weeping with them that are in trouble; ‖Phil 4. 14.communicating to the afflictions and distributing *Rom. 12. 13to the necessities one of an other; ‡Mat. 25. 36 49. Psal. 35. 13. 14. 2. Cor. …. 11.visiting them in sicknes, mourning & labouring together in prayer for thē; with many other offices of like nature, for the refreshing of soul & bodie; al which ar found and felt in this holy communion and body, wherin if one †1. Cor. 12. 26.member suffer, al suffer with it; & if one be had in honour, al rejoyce with it; so neer a conjunctiō doth Gods spirit work in the hartes of the faithfull, which maketh them to look, †Phil. 2. 4.not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
9. For these and the like reasons, hath the communion aud societie of the Church bene alwayes praysed, sought for, loved and estemed. For as God though he ‖Deut. 33. 3.love his people, and hath al his saincts in his hand; yet *Psal. 87. 2.loveth the gates of Sion, above al the habitations of Iakob: so his people likewise hav ‡Psal. 26. 8.loved the habitation of his howse, & desired this †Psal. 27. 4.one thing of the Lord, yt they might dwel in the same al dayes of their life, to behold the Lords bewty and to inquire in his temple▪ esteming ‖Psal. 84. 10.a day in his courts better thē a thousand other where; lamenting their lot when they were exiled therfrō; & *Psal. 42. 4.powring out their very hart, when they remembred how they had gone with the multitude into Gods howse, with voyce of song, prayse, and solemnity; for which now their ‡Psal. 84. 2.sowles longed, and even faynted in thē. Yea the very †Lam. 1. 4.wayes of Sion lamented, when no man came to the solemne feasts; & Israel mourned, when the Lord had destroyed his ‖Lam 2. 6. 7.congregation, caused the feasts and Sabbathes to be forgotten in Sion, and forsaken his altar; their hart was heavy, & their eyes dimm, *Lam. 5. 17. 18.because the mountaine of Sion was desolate. And so comfortable was the fellowship of Gods children, vntounto the Apostles themselves (though they were the ‡Gal …. 9. Rev. 21. 14,pillers & foundations of the church, & needed this help lesse then others,) that they often longed to †Rom. 1. 11. 12. 1. Thes. 2. 17.see the brethren, for their comfort, through their mutual faith; and earnestly intreated the help of their ‖Rom. 15. 3… ▪ Eph. 6. 19. Hebr. 13. 1…. 19.prayers, even as they againe 1 The. 1…. … ▪prayed for them, had great *Philē 1. 7. 3 Ioh. 4.joy & consolation in their love, and holy walking in the truth; yea esteemed them the ‡1 Thes. …. 19 20.crown of their rejoycing, their glory & their joy. Even Christ himself in the heavines of his hart, †Mat. 26. 38 40. 43. Luk. 22. 46.sought comfort by the prayers of his disciples; to teach vsus how to esteme the fellowship of the faithful.
10. Of al these, and many moe blessings, are those deprived, that refuse or neglect to vnite them selves with Christ in his Church; or doe with draw & separate themselves therefrom, to live alone, as in the desert; or to frequent the company of the wicked. They wāt the benefit and comfort of Gods graces in his childrē, they want the help, strengthning, and incouragement in time of trouble; and the labour of such foolish ones do… weary them, †…eel…s. 10. 15because they kno… not to goe into the Citie; they a… exposed to many perils, like wa… dring sheep vponupon the mountay… ready to be ‖Ezek. 34. 5.devoured of the w… beasts, and made a prey vntounto S… tan. If they erre, ther is none to … duce them into the right way; … they be wounded or broken, the… is none to bind them vp; if they … in misery and want, ther is none … give thē so much as *Luk. 15. 16.huskes to …t if they fal, woe vntounto them, ‡Eccles. 4. 10.… ther is not a second to lift them … What remayneth then, but seing Wisdome hath †Prov. 9. 1. 3 4. Luk. 14. 16 &c.built her howse, fu… nished her table, and invited t… poor and simple vntounto her fest: th… al repayr thither without excu… or delay, there to eat ‖Isa. 55. ….that whi… is good and let their fowl delig… in fatnes; remēbring how it is wri… ten, *Act. 2. 47.the Lord added to the church from day to day, such as should be saved And if any know not the place, of their repast, or fold of Christ; let them beseech him whō their sowl loveth, †Song. 1. 6.to shew them wher he feedeth, & maketh (his flock) to lie down at noon; least they turne a side to the flocks of his companions, or remayn still in dispersion; For behold how good & how pleasant it is, brethren to dwel even togither! ‖Psal. 133. 1. 3for there the Lord hath cōmanded the blessing, life everlasting.
Send thy light & thy truth (ô God;) let them lead me, let thē bring me, to thy holy mountayn… & to thy tabernacles.
Psal. 43. 3.