Fellowship with God, Sermon 5
SERMON V·
1 Joh. 1.3.
That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye als… may have fellowship with us, &c.
THere are many thing… that you may desire to hear, and it may be are usually spoken of in publick, which the generality of mens hea…ts are more carried after; but t…uly, I should w…ong my self and you both, if I should take upon me to discourse in these things, which it may be some desire, for direction or information conce…ning the times: for I can neither speak of them with …o much ce…tainty of perswasion as were needful, nor can I think it an advantage, to shut out and exclude this which the Apostle takes to declare, as the chief subject of his writing, which must needs be, if such things have place: The…e…o…e I cho…e rather with the Apostle to declare this unto you, which I can alwayes do with alike ce…tainty, and certainly might alwayes …e done to an infinit greater advantage. Ther… a…e these two peculiar excellencies in the Gospel, o… Word of life, that it is never unprofitable, nor unseasonable; but doth contain in it at all times the greatest …dvantage to the souls of men, of infinit more concernment and urgency, then any other thing can be supposed to be. And then we have no doubtful disputations about it, it va…ie… not by times and circumstance…, it may be declared with the …a…e full assu…ance at all time…, which certainly cannot be attained in other things▪ I w…ld gladly know what Paul meant, when he said, he …t…rmin…d to know n…thing but Iesus Chri…t, and him …rucified, 1 Cor. 2 2. and that he …unted all dresse and dung to the su…er-excelle…t knowledge of Iesus Christ, Phil▪ 3 8. Sure it must amount …o so m…ch at lea…t, that this should be the ordina…y subject …f the Ministers of the Gospel, since they are the Ambas…adours of Jesus Christ, not th… O…ators of the State. Should not all other things …e thought impertinent and …ivial in respect of thi…, the salvation …f sinn…s? And what hath a connexion with that, but I…sus Christ, and the W…rd …f life?
But though this be the most pleasant and profitable subject, yet I …ear, that …ew …f them who pretend a calling to thi… Embassage, a…e thus qualified and disposed to speak and declare it, as the Apostle imports, that which we have heard and seen, &c. It is true, there was something extraordinary in this, because they were to be the first publishers of this Doctrine, …nd to wrestle against the rebellion of mens heart…, and the idolatry and superstition of the world: yea, to undertake such a work, as to subdue all Nations by preaching of a crucified man to them, which seemed to reason, the most desperat and impossible imployment ever given or taken: therefore it behoved them to be t…e eye and ear-witnesses of his Doct…ine, Life, Miracles, and all; that being themselves perswaded beyond all the degrees of ce…tainty that reason c…n afford, they might be the more confident and able to convince and perswade others. But yet there is something that hold… by good proportion, that h… that de…lare… this ete…nal life to others, should be well acquainted with it himself; He that preaches Jesus Christ, should fi…st be conve…sant with him, and become his Disciple and follower, befo…e they can with any f…uit become Teache…s of others. Therefore the Apostles, Act. 1. Chooseth out one that had been with them from the beginning, gone in and out with them, seen and heard all. O! How incong…uous is it for many of us to take upon us to declare this unto others, which I fear, few can say they have heard and seen in a spiritual manner, and handled by expe…ience? No question, it prevails usually most with the heart, that comes from the heart: Affection is the fire that is most suitabl… to set …ffection on flame. It is a great addition to a mans power and vertue of perswading others, to have a full perswasion settled in his own heart conce…ning these things. Now it is much to be lamented that there is so little of this, and so few ca…ies the evidence on their hearts and wayes, that th…y have been with Jesus, co…versant in his company. I cannot say, but the Ordinances, that carry their wo…th and dignity from God, and not …om men, should be notw…nding p…ecious to your hea…ts; an… tha… W…rd of life however, and by whomsoever sent, to you it be spoken, it should be suitably …eceived with gladnesse of heart. B…t I confes…, the…e i… much of the success disappointed, by the unsuitable car…iage and disposition of i…struments, which ought to be mou…ned under, a… the g…eatest judgment of this Nation.
Two p…inciples hath acted this Divine Apostle; the exceeding love of his Master, for he loved much, as he was much beloved, and this ca…ies him on all occasions to give so hea…ty a testimony to him, as you see, I…h. 21.2…. he characte…zeth himself, or ci…c…ms…ribe… hi… own name thu…; This is the Dis…i…le that testifieth these things, and wrote these things, and we know his testimony is tru…. Where that divine love, which is but the …esult and ove… flowing of the love Ch…ist car…ies to u…, fills the hea…t: this makes the sweetest vent, and most f…ag…nt opening …f the mouth, whether in Di…course, or in Prayer, or Preaching that can be. O how it perfumes all the commendation of Ch…ist: Peter, lovest thou me, feed my sheep. These have a natu…al connexion together, the love of Christ in the heart, and the aff…ctionat hearty se…iou… declaration of him to othe…. An… then, another principle hath moved him, the love of others salvation. These things I de…lare, that ye may h…ve fellowship with us; finding in his own experience how happy he was, what a Pea…l he had found, how ra…e a Jewel, eternal life, he cannot hide it, but proclaims it: His next wish is, Now since I am thus blessed, O that all the wo…ld knew, and would come and share with me; I see that unexhausted fountain of life, that unemptyable sea of goodnesse, that infinite fulnesse of grace in Jesus Ch…ist, that I▪ and you, and all that will, may c…me and be satisfied, and nothing diminished. There is that immense fulnesse in spiritual things, that sup…abundance, and infinit excesse over our necessities, that they may be enjoyed by many, by all, without envy or discontent, without prejudice to one anothers fulness; which the ska…nesse and meann…sse of created things cannot admit. I believe, if Ministers or Christian… did taste of this, and had accesse into it to see it, and bl…sse themselves in it, if they might enter into this t…easury, or converse into this company, they would henceforth carry themselves as those who pity the world, and compa… sionat mankind. A man that we…e acquainted with this that is in Christ, would not find his heart easily stirred up to envy, or provoked upon others prosperity or exaltation, but rather he would be constrained to commiserat all others, that they will not know nor consi…er wherein their own true …anquility and absolute sati…faction consists. He that is lifted up to this blessed society, to conve…se with God, were it not for the compassion and mercy he owes to miserable mankind, he might laugh at the …ollie… and vanitie… of t…e world, as we do a… children. But as the foreign, the affectionat kind love our Saviour carried to humane nature, made him often g…o…n and sigh for his adversaries, and weep over Ierusalem, …lbeit his own joy was full without …: So in some measure a Christian learns of Christ to be a lover and pitier of mankind, and then to be most moved with compassion towa…ds others, when we have fullest joy and satisfaction our selves. O that we might be perswaded to seek after these things which may be gotten and kept without clamour and contention, about which there needs be no s…ife nor envy. O, seek that happinesse in fellowship with God, which h…ving attained, you …ack nothing but that other… may be a… happy.
These things I de…lare, th…t …e m…y have fellowship with us. O…! that Minister… of the Gospel might …ay so, an… might f…om their own expe…ience invite others to p…ake with them, as Paul req…ests othe…s to be …ollowe… of him, a… he was of Ch…ist; so these w…o suc…ed Paul in thi… embassage of recon…il…tion, and a…e sent to call to the feast, might upon good g…ound inte…pose their own experience thu…, O come and eat wi…h us, O come and sh…e with u…, for it will suffice us all without division. W…en some get into the savour of great and eminent persons, and have the honour to be their companion…, they will be very loath to invite pro…c…ously others to that dignity, this society would beget competition and emulation. But, O! of how different a nature is this fellowship? which whosoever i… ex…lted to, he hath no other grief, but that hi… poor brethren …nd fellow-creatures either know not, or will not be so happy: therefore he will alwayes be about the declaring of this to others. But if Ministers cannot use such an expression to invite you to their fellowship, yet I beseech you, beloved in the Lord, let all of us be here invited by the Apostle to partake of that, which will not g…ieve you to have fellows and companion… into, but rather …dd to your contentment.
Moreover, th…s may be represented to you, that ye are invited to the very communion with the Apostles, the lowest and meanest amongst you hath this high dignity in your offer, to be fellow-citizens with the Saints, with the eminent pillars of the Church, the Apostles.
It might be thought by the most part of Christians who are more obscure, little known, and almost despised in the world, that they might not have so near accesse into the Court of thi… great King: Some would think these who continued with him in his temptations, who waited on his own person, and were made such glor… ous instruments of the renovation of the world, should have some great preference to all others, and be admitted into the fellowship of the …ather and the Son, beyond other…; even a… many would think, that Christs Mother and Kinsmen in the flesh, …hould have had prerogatives and priviledges beyond all his followe…s. But O the wonde…ful mystery of the equal, free, and ir…espective conveyance of this grace of the Gospel in Ch…ist Jesus! Neither bond nor free, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision. The… is …ne common salvation, Jude v. 3. as well as common faith, Tit. 1.4. and it is common to Apostles, to Pastors, to People, to as many as shall believe in his Name; so that the poo…est and meanest creature is not excluded from the highest priviledges of Apostles. We have that to glory into, in which Paul glo…ied, that is, the Cross of Christ: we have the same access, by the same Spirit, unto the Father, we have the same Advocat to plead for us, the same blood to cry for us, the same hope of the same inheritance; in a word, we are baptized into one body, and for the essentials and chief substantials of priviledge and comfort, the Head equally respects all the Member…. Yea, the Apostles, though they had some peculiar gifts and priviledges beyond others, yet they were forbidden to rejoyce in these, but rather in these which were common to them with other Saints, Rejoyce not (saith Christ) that the …pirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven, Luk. 10.20. The hight …nd depth of this drowns …ll other differences.
Now, my beloved, what can be more said for our comfort? Would you be as happy as Iohn, as blessed as Paul? Would you think your selves well, if it were possible, to be in as near relation and communion with Christ as his Mother and Brethren? Truly, that is not only possible, but it is holden out to you, and you are requested to imbrace the offer, and come and share with them. He that beareth my words and doth them, the same is my mother, and sister, and brother: You shall be as dear to him as his dearest relation…, if you believe in him, and receive his sayings in your heart. Do not then intertain jealous and suspicious thoughts, because you are not like Apostles, or such holy men as are recorded in Scripture? If you forsake not your own mercy, you may have fellowship with them in that which they account their chiefest happinesse; there i… no difference of quality or condition, no distance of other things, can hinder your communion with them; there are several sizes and growths of Christians, both in light and grace, some have extraordinary raptures and extasies of joy and sweetness; others attain not to that, but are rather kept in attendance and waiting on God in his wayes; but …ll of them have one common salvation, as the highest have some fellowship with the lowest in his infirmities, so the lowes… hath fellowship with the highest in his priviledges. Such is the infinit goodnesse of God, that which is absolutely necessary, and most important either to soul or body, i… made mor… universal, both in nature and grace, as the common light of the Sun to all, and the Sun of Righteousnesse too, in an impartial way, shining on all them that come to him.