The Communion of Saints, Title page – Table of contents
THE COMMVNION of Saincts. A treatise of the fellowship that the faithful have with God, and his Angels, and one with an other; in this present life.
Gathered out of the holy Scriptures, by H. A.
Let thy hand help me (Lord,) for I have chosen thy precepts.
Psal. 119. 173.
Imprinted at Amsterdam by Giles Thorp. 1607.
To the Christian Reader, Grace mercy and peace from God be multiplied.
THe communion of Christians with the Lord and among themselves, is a doctrine (good reader) both needful and comfortable to be knowen: for it is the stay and strength of the soule in many tentations, and the meanes to conse…v the Church stedfast in faith and love. And if in this point mens minds be setled aright, vponupon the ground of Gods word; they wilbe as the ‡Exod. 36. 20. 23. 24▪ &c.boards of the Tabernacle standing vpright, with their tenons sastened in sockets of silver. For what is sweeter to a troubled conscience, then the assurance of salvation; and what is better to stablish our weak & fainting faith, then when both flesh and hart do fayl, to know & feel, that †Psal. 73. 26God is the rock of our hart, and our portion for ever? Againe, how good is it, & how pleasant, for brethren to dwel togither in vnity!Psal. 133. like the pretious ointment on Aarons head, & the dew on the mountains of Sion. God hath appointed his holy son Iesus, to be the head and governour of his people; the *Heb. 5. 9.author of eternal salvation to al the that obey him. He hath set vp also the kingdome of Christ on earth, which is his Church▪ the ‡1 Tim. …. 1…pillar and ground of truth. He is the ‖Ioh. 8. 18.light of the world, whom al must folow, that would have the light of life; &†Rev. 21. 9. 10. 11. Ierusalem his spowse, is made bright by his glory, & the people which ar saved*Rev. 21. 24▪ shal walk in theIsa. 60. 1. 2. 3. light of it. He is the‡Isa. 9. 6. Father, this theGal. 4. 26. mother of vsus al. Of the Son it is said,*Psal. 2. 12. happy ar al that shrowd in him, for he is our†Isa. 32. 2. hiding place from the wind, our refuge from the tempest of Gods wrath: of Sion also it is said, y• Isa. 14. 32.the poor of his people shal shrowd in it; for there hath the Lord†Isa. 4. 5. 6. created a clowd by day, and flaming fyre by night, (as when‡Exod. 13. 21 he brought his Israel out of Aegypt) & vponupon al the glorie, is a defence; there is a shadow in the day for the heat, a refuge & shelter for the storm and for the rayn. It is requisit therfore, that al men comeMat. 11. 28 to Christ, if they would have life, and by him†Ioh. 14. 6. vntounto the Father, & abide in*1 Ioh. 1. 3. communion with them both; that they may be†Phil. 3. 9. found in him, and hauehave the justice which is of God through faith; that they may‡vers. 10. know him, and the vertue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, & be made cō formable vntounto his death: this is as the first and great commandement of the law, & the second is like vntounto it, that they seekDeut. 12. 5 the place which he hath chosen to put his name there, &*Psal. 26. …. love the place wher his honour dwelleth, wher he†Song. 1. 6. feedeth & causeth (his flock) to ly-down at noon; that thither they bring‡Isa. 60. 5. their riches, their glory & honour,Rev. 21. 26. that of every such one the Lord may count when he writeth the people,aPsal. 87. 6. He was born there; that so beingbGal. 3. 29. & 4. 26. 28 31. Christs, and children of the free woman, & heyres by promise; they maycAct. 26. 18 receiv forgivnes of syns, and inheritance among thē which ar sanctified by faith in him: for he hath sayd, thatdIsa. 65. 9. his elect shal inherit his mountayn, & his servants shal dwel there. But, two things ther are, which wil hinder our feet frō running this way, if we beware not of them: the one is, too much liberty which many men take in the faith of the gospel and obedience of the same, whiles they turn Gods grace into wantonnes, and abuse his mercy to the fulfilling of their own lusts and licenciousnes; wheras they should make an end of their salvationePhil. 2. 12. in fear and trembling, knowing that even thef1 Pet. 4. 18. righteous ar scarcely saved. Whiles also they take boldnes to communicate in spiritual actions with any, supposing that the syns of some, or of the publick congregation cannot hurt them, especially if in hart they disallow the evil, and condemn the same. Such men seem not to discern the nature of communion, how far it reacheth; or the contagiō of syn, how far it infecteth. They seem neyther to hav learned the LawgHag. 2. 12. 13. 14. which taught that a man by bearing or touching holy things, was not himself made holy therby, but a polluted person touching any of them, made them vnclear: nor the doctrine of the gospel, which confirmeth, thath… Cor. 10. …. they which eat of the sacrifices ar par takers of the altar; & al theyivers. 17. one bread & one body, wch partake of one bread; wher if ther be but ak… Cor. 5. 6. &c. litle leaven, it maketh sowr the whol lump. And then look how farr they partake with other mens syns; so farr ar they in dāger, tol…. 18. 4. receiv of their plagues.
The other impediment, is over much straytnes which some men hav in their own bowels: whiles their feeble consciences ar too much affected, both with their own & others infirmities. Such had need to have their knowledg and faith increased, their harts inlarged, least by expecting a greater perfection in themselves and others, then is to be found vponupon earth, they faint & fall. Let such look on the image of Christ, as he is portrahedmPsal. …2. …. …3. Ma…. …. &c. in the scriptures, whiles the chastisemē … of our peace was layd vpō him; so shal they find balme for their wounded consciences; and healing for their sowles by his stripes; and their shivered bones wil reioyce. …or of his cup must we al drinck our parts, & be baptised with his baptisme, into his death, before we can tast the sweetnes of his life; & be vnderunder the rigor of that schole-maisternGal. …. 24. the Law like servants, ere we can perceiv the adoption of sons, & libertie of his faith and Gospel. And if he which knew no syn, and had but our syns imputed vntounto him, felt such feares and sorowes in his pretious sowl, and was so smitt…n of God and humbled, so despised and reiected of the world: what shal we exspect, in whoseRom. 7. …le…h ther dwelleth no good thing. Let them also look vponupon the estate of Christs church in all ages from the… ▪ beginning, how it hath been vexed with troubles & terrors, within & without, &2. 5. they shal find Sions case to be continually asoRev. 12. 2 a woman in travel, whose payns & infirmitiesGal 4. 19. 26. 27. are sometimes so great, that the children come to the birth,p2 King. 19. 3. and ther is no strength to bring forth. And when they hav viewed the many tribulations through wch the Lord hath led his people, how he hath suffred them to be buffeted of Satan, persecuted by enemies without, and molested wth hypocrites within, for their trial & humiliation; they wil confesse that we must walk here byq2 Cor. 5. 7. faith and not by sight, for ourrColos. 3. 3. life is hid with Christ in God; his spowsesSong. 1. 5. is black, for the Sun hath looked vponupon her, her own mothers sons hav been angry against her, and al the glory of the kings daughtertPsal. 45. 1… ▪ is inward.
And furthest astray are such vayn men as imagine to themselves a state of perfection, as if they had alreadyuPhil. 3. 11. 12. attayned the resurrection of the dead: & do disclaime al Churches and societies where synnes are to be seen. Moses face isxExod. 34. 30. 33, 35. hid frō thē as with a veil, they discern not the vse2 Cor. 3, 13. 14. 15. of his law, nor end of his ministerie, for a veil covereth their harts; neyther see they… the possession that syn hath in them, yea…. 7. 17 … 1 Ioh. 1. in al Saincts, so long as they dwel in these howses of clay, for which cause they sigh desiring to be clothed with their howse…. 5. 2. which is from heaven, to be loosed and to be with Christ. And when the voyl shalbe…. 1. 23. taken from those mens harts, who so farr mistake themselves to be that they are not: they wil crie with the Leper, fLewit. 13. 45.I am vnclean, I am vnclean; & wil gEzech. 16. 61. 63.remēber their wares and be ashamed, & never open their mouth any more because of their shame, but will hEzech. 20. 43.judge themselves worthy to be cut of, for al their evils that that they have cōmitted. Such also as eyther of ignorance, or worse humour, doe vnorderly depart, and rend themselves vponupon every occasion from the church and body of Christ; wil walk better, when they have learned to iGal. 6. ….bear one an others burden, and tread in the steps of Christ, his prophets and Apostles; who vsed al good means with patience, to reclaim the offenders, before they forsook them. Yet because the faith must not be held kIam. 2. 1.in respect of persons, neyther may we lExod. 23. 2folow a multitude to do evil; and it often falleth out, that the mIsa. 1. 21.faithful city becometh a harlot, and they which wer nM…c. 2. ….yesterday Gods people, are risen vp on the other syde as against an enemie: therfore the Saincts should be wise in hart, and not hold communion with any but in the Light, in the faith, in the true worship of God; for he is gealous even over his own people, and wil not oExod. 23. 21.spare their misdeeds, but wil take his kingdome from them, and remove pRev. 2. 5.the cā dlestick out of the place, if they repent not; & as he saith by his prophet, qAmos. 3. 2You onelyonly hav I knowen of al the families of the earth, therfore wil I visit you for al your inquities. Thus may Christiās walk as they ar counselled by the wisdom of God, not being rEccles. 7. 18just overmuch, neyther svers, 19.wicked overmuch, laying hold, and not withdrawing their hand from this, tvers. 20.that he which feareth God, shal come forth of them al.
For this cause hav I endevored, (though the vnfittest among many,) to help forward in the way of truth, such as love the same with me; and hav penned this treatise folowing, for their sakes, that hav not meanes and leysure to serch the scriptures as they should and would, or by reason of their weaknes cannot gather and compare the scriptures togither for their cōfort & assurance in these points, as they desire. I have laboured both for playnnes & brevity, as I could in so large & ample argument; & by references rather sent the reader to look himself into Gods book, then to insist vponupon collections or expositions of mine own. Wherin if any places be alleged amisse or impertinent, or things gathered otherwise then the text wil afford; (as through my ignorāce, or vnheedines, no doubt many may …e:) I humbly ask pardon for the same, both of God and his people; and do … … reader not to rely vponupon my judgment in any thing, but as himself by the wisdome of Gods spirit, shal see agreable vntounto truth. For if any shal buyld vponupon my words, with out sure ground from the Law of the Lord; he shal first offend God, who hath given his scriptures by divine inspiration to teach and perswade al truth, to improve and correct2 Tim. 3. 16 17. al error, to instruct in righteousnes, & make men perfect vntounto every good work; he shal injury me also, who have written these things to be tryed and examined by Christs law, not to be accepted for a law; and he shal injury his own sowl, by relying vponupon the word of frayl man whose breath is in his nosthrils, which cannot stablish the hart, nor assure the conscience in any thing. Let therfore the grasse wither & the flower fade, for it is the xIsa. 40. 8.word of our God that shal stand for ever.
Finally this one thing I would advertise thee of, (good reader,) that somtimes I alledge the scriptures otherwise then our cō mon translations hav them; when the force of the Original words, doth afford an other or more ample sence. Herin I fear not to be blamed of any that love the truth in incorruption; and for the places so changed, I leave them to their trial, that are men of judgement. The Lord who is author of every good gift vntounto al men, who passeth by the syns of his servants, and covereth al their trespasses; passe by in mercy, whatsoever in this work is done amisse: & turn these my labours, to the glory of his name, & the benefit of his people. Amen.
Henry Ainsworth.
The contents of the Chapters.
O… the communion and peace that was at the first; and how soon it was broken. Chapt. 1
of the horrible miseries that Divils and men fel into, after they had forsaken God.— Chapt. 2
Of mans redemtion, & the renewing of his peace, by the grace of God in Iesus Christ.— Chapt. 3.
Who be the Saints of this communion.— Chapt. 4.
Holynes or sanctitie, what it is.— Chapt. 5.
How holynes is given vntounto God and Christ, and how vntounto creatures.— Chapt. 6.
How the word was communicated with Adam & his children and of the Saints interest in the same.— Chapt. 7.
How God by his word hath alwayes called and separated a people, from communion with Divils and wickedmen, to the fellowship of his grace, by faith in Christ.— Chapt. 8.
How farr we must avoid communion with Divils, and how far with wickedmen— Chapt. 9.
How the Saincts are caled out of themselves, & taught to forsake their own wayes and works, that they may have communion with God in Christ Chapt.— 10.
Of the cōmunion that we have with God, in general.— Chapt. 11
Of the cōmunion that we hav with Iesus Christ our mediatour— Chapt. 12
Of our cōmunion with the holy Ghost.— Chapt. 13
How the foresaid cōmunion & peace between God & his Saints, is somtimes interrupted by their syns: what vnrest and trouble they then feel in themselves, & how their ancient peace is renewed. Ch. 14.
Of the communion that the Saincts have in this life with Angels.— Chapt. 15
How the Saincts on earth are called to a holy cō munion among themselues.— Chapt. 16.
How the Saincts gather into cōmunion, & grow up vntounto a body or church.— Chap. 17.
Of the cōmunion that the Saincts in all churches have in things spiritual.— Chapt. 18
Of the communion of the Saincts in civil things and humane— Chapt. 19.
How the communion and peace of the saincts is hindred by enemies without.— Chapt. 20
How the peace and communion of the church, is disturbed by troubles & syns within it self Chapt. 21
How the commuion of Saints may be purged of the evils that arise therin, by the power & censures of Christ: and how needful it is for the Saincts al, to look herevnto.— Chapt. 22.
How far the Saincts may hold and walk in communion togither, if offences be not removed. Ch. 23
Of the communion that one Church hath with an other.— Chapt. 24.
The conclusion.