The Communion of Saints, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
How the Saincts gather into communiō, & grow vp vntounto a body or church.
The caling of the Saincts into communion, we hav seen to cōsist of two branches, 1. A separation from the wicked of the world; 2. and a collection or gathering togither of themselves in the faith & love of Christ. Which two things were also implied in the first caling of our father Abraham, when he was willed; 1. to get †Gen. 12. …him out from his countrey, kinred, and fathers howse, (which were Ios. 24. 2.idolaters:) 2, and to come to the place which God would shew him, (wher he & his posteritie, *Psal. 105. 44 45, Deut. 4. 5might serv & obey the Lord. It remayneth yet further to be spoken, of the covenant and communion, that the Saincts enter into, & keep among themselves.
2. This congregation of Saincts, when it is at the greatest, is but a litle flock and smal remnant; being compared with the multitudes of ye world: but the beginnings hereof, are marvelously weak, smal and cōtemptible; like the grain of mustard-seed which *Mat. 13. 32.is the least of all seeds; and as Israel, which ‡Deut. 7. 7.were the fewest of al peoples. For God taking them one *Ier. 3. 14.of a citie & two of a tribe, and these the ‡1 Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28.foolish, weak, and vile of the world, the †Luk. 14. 21.poor, the maymed, the halt & the blinde, whose dwelling is by the ‖ver. 23.highwayes and hedges, he brings thē neyther *Zech. 4. 6.by an army, nor strength, but by his own spirit, into his howse and kingdome, where though ther be but ‡Mat. 18. ….two or three gathered togither in his name, he is in the mids of them. These being once borne of God, begotten by the immortal seed of his word, vntounto the faith of the Gospel; know also that there is a Ierusalem from above, *Gal. 4. 26.which is the mother of vsus al; that of Sion it shalbe sayd, ‡Psal. 87. 5.Man & man, (that is many men) are borne in her, & the Lord wil count when he writeth the people, †ver. 6.He was borne there; therfore they seek to enter into this estate and happie cōmunion; they ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward, saying, ‖Ier 50. 5.Come and ioyn to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shal not be forgotten.
3. This covenant which they make togither, standeth vponupon two pillers; 1. to keep their faith in God by Iesus Christ, 2. & to observe his lawes in love. In both these are they to build vp and help forward one another, saying, *Mic. 4. 5.al peoples wil walk every one in the name of his God, and we wil walk in the name of Iehovah our God for ever and ever. Herevpon follow their assembling *Heb. 10, 25.or gathering togither for the instruction one of an other; their mutual ex hortations to †Act. 14. 22. Colos. 1. 23.continew in the faith grounded & stablished, & to ‖1 Cor. 16. 13.stand fast therin; their prayers one with and for another, that *Eph. 3. 14. 17.Christ may dwel in their harts by faith; their rebuking such as teach vnwholsome doctrine, that so they may be ‡Tit. 1. 13hayl or sound in the faith; of which if any make shipwrack, they ar to be thrust out of the communion of the Saincts, and †1 Tim. 1. 19 20. Tit. 3. 10.delivered vntounto Satan. And for their conversation, they ‖Deut. 27. 17set vp the Lord in that day to be their God, and to walk in his wayes, and to keep his ordinances, and his commaundements and his lawes, & to hearken vntounto his voice: & they promise to *Isa. 2. 3.walk in ye pathes of God as he shal teach them; from whence arise (both publickly and privatly) their mutual love & care ech of other, ‡Heb. 10. 24.provoking vntounto love & good works, & walking †Eph. 4. 1.worthy of their caling wherevnto they are caled: their *1 Thes 5. 14 Lev. 19. 17. 1 Tim. 5. 20.admonitions and reproofs one of another when they syn, seeking to ‡Gal. 6. 1.restore them with the spirit of meeknes; but withdrawing †1 Thes. 3. 5.from the disobedient, & putting away such as are wicked ‖1 Cor. 5. 13.from among them.
4. VntoUnto this covenant, ar al that make profession of faith and obedience, to be admitted, without respect of persons; for in Christ Iesus ther is †Gal. 3. 28.no difference of Iew or Gentile, of rich or poor, of bond or free, of male or female, for all are one, and alike redemed by his blood, wherby he hath confirmed the covenant ‖Mat. 26. 28. Dan. 9. 27.for the many; and he hath powred out his spirit vponupon al flesh, *Ioel. 2. 28. ….vponupon sons & daughters, vponupon old and yong, vponupon servants and mayds. And togither with themselves, their infants also ar recived, by virtue of Gods, promise vntounto ‡Gen. 17. 7.Abraham, which promise by Christ is †Luk. 1. 54. 55. 72. 73. 74. Act. 2. 39 2 Cor. 1. 20.confirmed vntounto vsus, with al the benefits & privileges of the same. Which infants, though they want discretion to perceiv the favour of God for the present; yet want they not sanctification, but ‖1 Cor. 7. 14ar holy, if but one parent beleev in Christ, & this through the mighty work of Gods spirit, who sanctifieth *Ier. 1. 5.his from the womb; and by this grace, doth comfort the parents, in that he is both God of them and of their seed; and after, the children also hav their faith confirmed, by knowing that ‡Psal. …. 10.they wer cast vponupon him from the womb; and he was their God, from their mothers belly.
5. And as the number of beleevers groweth, so ought they to gather togither and we accept into our fellowship, al that †Act. 2. 41.gladly receiv the word; even such as be ‖Rom. 14. 1.weak in faith must we receiv, *Rom. 15. 1. 3bearing their infirmities after Christs example, who would not ‡Mat. 12▪ 20.break the bruised reed, nor quēch the smoking weke, but nourish it rather by the oil and breath of his spirit, that it might burn bright. And if notorious infamous synners, repent and beleev the Gospel; they may not be repelled, for Christ came to †Luk. 5. 32. & 15. 1. &c. 1 Tim. 1. 15.cal, and save such; neither are they to be refused▪ as impure, whō he hath ‖1 Cor. 6. 10. 11.washed and clensed by his blood, and received to the glory of his father. Which grace of his David did fore shadow, vntounto whom there gathered *1 Sam. 22. ….al men that were in trouble, & all men that were in debt, and all those that were vexed in minde, & he was their Prince. Also when God converteth the child and not the father, the servant and not the maister, the wife and not the husband, the subiect & not the magistrate; such as he caleth must come to his church; we also must admit, knowing that Christ hath sayd, he cameto *Mat. 10. 34. 35.set variance betwixt parents and children, so that a mans enemies should be they of his own howshold. Yet is not their entrance into the faith and church of God, any discharge of them from their duty and obedience towards their former governours; but let every man (as sayth the Apostle) ‡1 Cor▪ 7. 20. 21.abide in the same vocation wherein hee was caled. The beleeving wife, may †ver 13.not forsake her vnbeleeving husband; nor the servant ‖1 Tim. 6. 1. 2.his maister; and every sowl must▪ *Rom. 13. 1.be subject to the higher powers, even to ‡1 Pet. 2. 13.every humane creature for the Lords sake. As Christs kingdome is †Ioh. 18. 36.not of this world, so neyther doth it destroy or abolish the policies of the same, but mainteyn them rather, whiles it teacheth all men to do their duty, and subject themselves, even for *Rom. 13. 5. Eccles 10. 20.conscience sake.
6. Again as no earthly power can compel a man vntounto this estate of grace, (for no man cometh vntounto Christ, ‡Ioh. 6. 44.except the Father drawe him; faith is the †Eph. 2. 8.gift of God not of men, & he ‖Act. …. 47.addeth to his church such as he wil save:) so neither can any creature hinder this good work; but when Christ draweth vsus, we *Song. 1. 3.wil run after him; & when he effectually caleth vsus, we *Mat. 4. 20. 22.will leav father and friends and all to follow him. And as our gathering togither is in ‡Mat. 18. 20.his name, so must we defend it by his authoritie, answering as did the Apostles to thē that blame vsus, †Act. 5. 29.we ought rather to obey God then men.
7. But forasmuch as the Saincts are dispersed over al the face of the earth, in several cities & countries; God requireth not yt they should al go to one place; for that could not stand with civil policie, neither were possible for them to perform. Therefore, albeit whiles the seat of his church was in the litle land of Iewrie, he cōmanded al the men to appear togither before him at Ierusalem, ‖Deut. 16. 16.thrise every year: yet when al nations were admitted into his covenant, adopted to be Abrahams seed, & the Israel of God; he gathered them togither by his Apostles, in severall cities where they dwelt, and so established many congregations in one countrie, as the seven churches in the lesser *Rev. 1. 4. 20Asia, the churches of ‡1 Cor. 16. ….Galatia, of †Act. 15. 41.Syria & Cilicia, and sundry other mētioned in scripture, do witnesse; even in Iudea were moe churches planted as the Apostle ‖Gal. 1. 21.Paul noteth.
8. And God which caled the people vntounto his faith; furnished them also with divers gifts of his spirit, *1 Cor. 12. 8. 9. 10. &c.wisdome, and knowledge, & prophesie, & tongues, and many other graces wherewith he adorned the spowse & bride of his beloved son; that by them they might serve him, and help, comfort, and edify one an other in their most holy faith. He appointed also that some which for their gifts and conversation were found fit, should have the care and oversight of that congregation where they were set, ‡Heb. 13. 17.to watch for their sowles, and to feed and rule them with the word of God. These for their gravitie ar caled †1 Tim. 5. 17Elders; for the charge cō mitted to them, ‖Phil. 1… Act 20. 28.Bishops or Overseers; for the message whereon they are sent, the *Rev. 1. 20.Angels of the churches; and for the effect of their administration, they are named ‡Hobad. vers. ….Saviours, by the doctrine of the Gospel, †1 Tim. 4. 16saving those that hear them. Yet are not these ‖1 Pet. 5. 3.Lords over Gods heritage, but the administers of his graces and blessings among them, and ensamples to the flock; not *2 Cor. 1. 24.having dominion over their faith, but helpers of their joy.
9 By the †1 Pet. 1. 23.seed of the Word in the mouthes of these ‖Eph 4. 11. 1…ministers and the other *1 Cor. 14. 3. 5. 24. 31.mēbers of of the church, ar children begotten & multiplied dayly, that Ierusalē enlargeth ‡Isa. 54. 2. 3the place of her tents, and they spread out the curtaines of her habitatiōs. For she increaseth on the right hād & on the left, vntil this host of our David become great, ‡1 Chron. 12. 22.like the host of God; & his †Ier. 33. 22.seed, as the army of heaven that cannot be numbred. By the same word, as by ‖1 Pet. 2. 20 Isa. 55. 10milk and wine, ar the people nourished vp vntounto life eternal; & their covenant wt God & one with another, ar the two staves, *Zach. 11. 7Be wtie & Bands, which Christ the good sheepheard hath taken to feed and rule his flock. His covenant with them, †Zach. 11. 10is Beautie or Pleasance, for by ‖Psal. 25. 14.it he giveth thē knowledge, which *Prov. 2. 10. & 22. 17. 18.is pleasant to their sowl, as is also ‡Song. 1. 16.himself and his †Prov 3. 17.waies. By this covenāt he cōfirmeth his ‖Isa. 59. 21.spirit vpō thē & his words in the mouth of thē & their seed, wch words are *Prov. 16. 24 Psal. 19. 7. 10.plesant & as the hony cōb, sweetnes to y• sowl, & health to the bones; which causeth thē to desire that they may dwel ‡Psal. 27. 4.in his howse al their dayes, to behold his bewty, and alwayes they say, †Psal. 90. 17.Let the Bewty of the Lord our God be vponupon vsus. His other staff, Bands, conserveth the ‖Zech. 11. 14.brotherhood of his people, wherby they ar lincked togither in love, labouring to be *1 Pet. 3. 8.al of one mind, one suffring with an other, loving as brethren, living & growing togither as ‡Ezek. 37. 17. 19.one tree or staff in his hand. This †1 Pet. 2. 17.brotherhood the Saincts are al exhorted to love, and endevour *Eph. 4. 30to keep the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace, being clothed with the ‡Col. 3. 12. 13bowels of mercies, kindnes, humblenes of mind, meeknes, long-suffring, forbearing & forgiving one an other, even as Christ forgave them; and above al these things, having †ver. 1….Love, which is the bond of perfectnes.
10. Sometimes God bringeth vntounto his faith and church, the governours & great men of the earth; whose authoritie and scepters are a great help to the conservation of true religion, and outward peace of his people, by their defence of the just, and punishment of evil-doers. These notwithstanding their high places, yet are to have no *Psa. 131. 1. …haughty harts nor lofty eyes, but behave themselves, and compose their sowles, like weyned childrē; learning dayly from *D…. 17. 18. 19.the ministerie and book of God, to fear the Lord & to keep al the words of his law, that their *Deut. 17. 20harts be not lifted vp above their brethren; They are with them to ‡Eze. 46. 10.begin & end the publick worship of God; they may not take of the †ver. 18.peoples inheritance, nor thrust them out of their possession; they are to conteyn as wel themselves as their subjects in the obedience of Christ, to be foster fathers ‖Isa. 49. 23.and nourses of the church; vntounto which they have brought their *Rev. 21. 24.glorie and their honour; expecting a better and an eternal glory with al Saincts in the kingdome of God. For there is a covenant between them and their subjects *2 Chron. 23. 16.that they wil be the Lords people, yea thēselves are the foremost ‡2 Chron. 29. 10. and so forward in the chap.to make it, & to order al things in their kingdomes according to Gods word. As that good king Iosiah ”2 Chron. 34. 29—32.in the assemblie of al his people, both great and smal, first covenanted himself to walk after the Lord, and to keep his cōmandements & his testimonies and his statutes, with al his hart and with al his sowl, that he would accomplish the words of the covenant written in Gods book: and then caused al that were found in Ierusalem and Benajamin, to stand to the same.
11. But because in times of worldly peace, many wil presse to enter into the church, for cōpany, favour, or fashion sake; which otherwise would never regard the same, being profane, idolatrous or irreligious, the children of this world: therfore care must be had that no such vnclean wicked persons be accepted. For though the gates be open, †Isa. 26. 2.that the righteous nation which keepeth the faith, may enter in: yet seing it is sayd, that the way shalbe caled ‖Isa. 35. 8.holy, & the polluted shal not passe by it; that Ierusalem shalbe holy, †Ioel 3. 17.& no strangers shal goe through her, nor a ‖Zach. 14. …1.Canaanite be any more in the howse of the Lord of hosts: ther must be seen in them, the seed and foundation of religion, before they be received, namely Heb. 6. 1.repentāce fiō dead works, & faith towards God. For this was ‡Mat. 3. 2. 3.the voyce, of the crier that proclaymed the kingdom of heaven; which they that obeyed, †Vers. 6.wer baptised vntounto remission of syns; the residue were rejected, as a ‖Vers. 7.viperous generation: the same thing also Christ made the beginning and groundwork of his kingdome, saying *Mark. 1. 15.Repent, and beleev the Gospel. Vntil therfore, such willingly ‡Act. 2. 41. Rom. 10. ….receiv and confesse the truth, renouncing their former evil wayes; promising submissiō, meeknes, & obediēce in the faith of the Gospel: vntil the wolf have, learned †Isa. 11. 6. 7. 8.to dwel in peace with the lamb, the leopard to lie with the kidd, the bear to feed with the kow, and the Lion to eat straw like the bullock: we may not admitt them into communiō with vsus, (for †2. Cor …. …what part hath the beleever with the vnbeleever?) but refuse their proffered and pretended service, as the fathers of Israel answered the like intruders, ‖Ez…. …. …. ….It is not for you & for vsus (joyntly,) to build an howse vntounto our God, but we our selves togither wil build it, vntounto the Lord God of Israel. And as there were *1 Chrō. …. …4.porters in the fowr winds or quarters of Gods ancient howse; evē porters set, that ‡2 Chron. 23. 19.none that was vnclean in any thing, should enter in; and diligent watch and †Nohem. 7. 3ward was kept at the gates of Ierusalem, for fear of enemies: so in this new and Christian Ierusalem, though the gates therof be ‖Ro…el. 21. 2…never shutt, yet is ther such watch to be kept, that no †Rev. 21. 27.no vnclean thing may enter into it, neyther whatsoever worketh abominatiō or lies, but they wch a… written in the Lambs book of life.
12. The Saincts being thus gathered, as a people Num. 23. 9.that shal dwe… by themselves, and not be reckne… among the nations, (for that the ar *Iob. 15. 19.chosen out of the world, & ‡Lev. 30. 24.separated from the same;) and being builded as a citie ”Psal. 122. 3.compact togither in it self, and growing vp in Christ the chief corner stone vntounto an holie Temple in the Lord: are made the †Ephes. 2. 21. 22.habitation of God by the spirit, and do dwel Dout. 33. 28alone in safetie, in a land of wheat and wine, also their heavens do drop the deaw. For the graces of God, by his word and spirit, are as a *Psal. 46. 4. Rev. 22. 1.river of water of life clear as chrystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the lamb, whose streames make glad this citie of God, and moisten the trees planted in this gardein. Yea God himself *Rev. 21. 3. Psal. 46. 5.dwelleth here, & is in the middes of it, therefore it shal not be moved. As the good husbandman, he ‡Iohn. 15. 2.purgeth every fruitful branch in this vine, that it may bring forth more fruit; for this his vineyard is †Son. 8. 12. Isa. 27. 3.before himself, not let out to others; he keepeth it & watereth it every moment; least any assayl it, he keepeth it night & day, from injurie of enemies, ”Psal. 147. 13. 14.making the barres of the gates strong, and in it self he setteth peace, and this not in one, but in *1 Cor. 14. 33al the churches of the Saincts, amids ‡Rev. 2. 1. 2. &c.whom he walketh, visiting and knowing theyr works and all their wayes. which churches though they be many in number, yet are they one in vnitie. To them al, he hath given one ‡Eph. 4. 5. Iude. 1. 3. Gal 6. 16. 1 Cor. 16. 1. Mat. …8. 19. 20.faith order and canon, to be kept for ever vntounto the worlds end▪ & to every of them a like power and grace. And as he guided his ancient Israel the twelv tribes, by day in the pillar of a clowd, †…. 1…. 21.& by night in a pillar of fyre, to giv them light, that they might goe both by day & night: so hath he created (according to his promise,) *…. 4. 5. 6.vponupon every place of mount Sion, the church vnderunder the Gospel,) & vponupon the assemblies thereof, a clowd & smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fyre by night, that al Christiā churches, have frō him their directiō & protectiō; whiles in the ministerie of his word & spirit, he speaks vntounto thē as in ‡Psal. 99 7.ye clowdy pillar; & is their ”Isa. 25. 4.shelter against the tē pest, their shadow against the heat. For which grace, †Psal. 68. 26praise ye God in the Assemblies; even the Lord, ye that are of the fountain of Israel.
13. Thus every Church is like mount Sion, *Psal. 48. 2. 3fair in situation, the joy of the whol earth, the citie of the great king, in ye pallaces wherof God is knowen for a refuge, wch he wil *Psal. 48. ….stablish for ever, and where his people ”ver. …0wait for his merciemercy in the mids of his temple. And as the howse of Iaakob, walketh †Is…. 2. 50in the light of the Lord, which shineth in the face of Iohn. 8. 18.Christ, in which light they *Iohn. 12. 36.beleev, that they may be the children of the light: so also they, even al nations and people which are saved, walk in the Isa. 60. 30. Rev. 21. 24.light of the church, which it hath fi ō the Lord who is her light *Isa. 60. 19. 20.everlasting, her Psal. …4. 11.sun & shield, in whose light she ”Psal. 36. 9.seeth light. This is y• *Zech. …. 3.citie of truth, the mount of holines, the †Psal. 111. 1.secret and congregatiō of the righteous; which looketh forth as the So…. 6. 9.Morning, fair as the Moon, pure as the Sun; terrible as an armie with banners. It is the howse of the living God, *Gen. 28. 19.the gate of heaven, the ‡1 Tim. 3. 1…pillar & ground of truth; al the ”Eze. 43. 12.limits therof roūd about, ar most holy; the Lord hath stablished it, & ye *Isa. 14. 32.poor of his people wil shrowd thēselves in it, the glorie and honour of the nations †Rev. …1. 26.shalbe brought vntounto it, & vponupon al the glorie ‖Isa 4. 5.shalbe a defence; it shalbe a ”Isa. 33. 20.quiet habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be removed, a kingdome that *Heb. 12. 28.cannot be shakē, and the nation or kingdome that wil not serve it, ‡Isa. 60. 12.shal perish: but the people that dwel therein, shal have ”Isa. 33. 24.their iniquitie forgiven, and from the day that this citie is builded, the name thereof is, *Eze. 48. 35.THE LORD IS THERE.
The Lord blesse thee, ô habitation of …, holy mountaine.
Ier. 31. 23.