The Temple Opened, Tract · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of Church-Communion.
1. UNion according to its Nature, Phyſical or Politick, or Oecumenical, naturally produceth a Communion ſuitable thereto; that which we are about to ſpeak of, is of a Spiritual, at leaſt of an Eccleſiaſtical Nature; we have ſhewn what is the primary Bond of Union in the Church of Chriſt, that it is the Spirit of Chriſt that animates, knits and tyes his whole Body together, and that this is Myſtical: But exerting it ſelf in vital motions and operations in all the Members, it produceth a ſecond Bond, proper and neceſſary to the eſtabliſhment of a particular Viſible Church, which is a manifeſtation of this Spirit in a credible Profeſſion, and free conſent to the Regiment and Ordinances of Chriſt, with a reſignation of our ſelves thereto; and this becomes the Bond of Church-Fellowſhip, and the Foundation of an orderly Communion.
Communion is participation in one common benefit, or its mutual Participation or Communication of good things by various ſubjects.
So Spiritual Communion is firſt a common participation in one general good or benefit of a Spiritual Nature; and here where all the Members of Chriſt's Body partake of the ſame Head, the ſame Spirit, as their Unity conſiſts in reſpect of connexion of Parts, ſo their Communion conſiſts in it in reſpect of Participation; and this is the Communion of the Holy Ghoſt, 2 Cor. 13.14. Its fully expreſſed as a Myſtical Communion, 1 John 1. 3. That which we have ſeen and heard, declare we unto you, that you may have Fellowſhip with us; and truly our Fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Christ; This Communion in the Spirit is ſet forth unto us at large in that forementioned place, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 6, 7, &c. where he ſhews, that all the Graces, Gifts, Members, Operations, Offices in the Body, according to their ſeveral diverſifications, flow from the ſame Spirit, all the ſtreams take indifferently from the ſame Fountain.
This Communion in the Holy Ghoſt runs through the whole Catholick Church in all Ages and Countries; for where the common Bond of Union is, this Communion muſt be.
3. To make Communion in the Body compleat, there muſt not only be this Participation in a common good by all the Members, but a Communication of all good to each other mutually, as they are capable, and fellow-feeling with each other in all Sufferings.
The Spirit of Chriſt thus influencing all the Members, appears and manifeſts it ſelf in Graces and Gifts, variouſly working towards this mutual fellowſhip of Parts, both in good and evil of each other, which are called the Operations of the Spirit; as for Graces, the Principal wherein the Catholick Communion doth conſiſt, are Faith and Love; and by theſe they Communicate with Chriſt the Head, receiving from him, and making return to him, as it were in a reciprocation, as alſo a mutual communication to, and with each other; for Faith is the leading Grace of Communion for our preſent ſtate, by it we receive of the fulneſs of Chriſt for Juſtification and Sanctification, John 1. and by Faith the Saints have communion one with another; for as it is the foundation of the love of God in the heart, ſo it is of our love to our Brethren, believing them to be Juſtified in Chriſt Jeſus, and Members of his Body: for Love founded on the Faith of the good eſtate of another, is properly Charity; the credibility of anothers Profeſſion, gives ground of Faith, that he is what he profeſſeth; and this joyned with Love, makes Charity; wherefore the Apoſtle takes it in this ſence, when he ſaith, Philemon 5. Hearing of thy Love and Faith which thou hast toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and all Saints: Moreover by Faith the Saints viſible have a kind of Communion, with thoſe that went before, and who are to come after; it being the ſubſtance of things [or perſons in futurition] hoped for, and the evidence [or demonſtration of the Truth] of things not ſeen, [i. e. removed from ſence, by timen parterition, or place in abſence;] ſo thereby we ſee the Saints and thoſe Truths atteſted by them in Ages paſt.
4. As for Love, it's not only the moſt eminent Grace of actual communion between Chriſt and his Members, and of them with each other in the ſtate that we are in here; but it's almoſt the only remaining when we go hence, 1 Cor. 13.13. John treats much of the tranſcendent excellency of this Grace throughout his Epiſtle, &c. 1 John 4.11. If God ſo loved us, we ought to love one another, 12. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is made perfect in us: by this Grace we have communion with all Saints Militant and Triumphant, 1 John 5.1. Every one that loveth him that is begot, loveth him that is begotten of him.
5. Now by Communion in theſe two Graces, the Church grows up to its full perfection; the Apoſtle ſaying, Epheſ. 4.12. That the Miniſtry and Miniſtration is for the Building up of the Body of Chriſt, foreign [agreement in all points of Faith, and Profeſſion of it] and to the knowledge of the Son of God, [the Head] to the perfect man, to the meaſure of the Stature of the fullneſs of Christ [Myſtical] filling up his Body, and receiving influentially of his Fulneſs by Faith, and v. 15. foreign, do grow more and more ſincere in Love; this Love ſhews it ſelf in its fellow-feeling, alſo that it works in us, whereby we communicate in each others Sufferings, and ſupply each others wants, for the good of the whole; this part of Communion is fully diſcourſed by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 12.13, 14, &c. yea in the moſt part of the Chapter.
6. Thus far Communion belongs to the Church under its Catholick conſideration in its Myſtical State; there muſt be ſome external actions and things that are viſible, whereby the Communion of theſe Graces muſt be manifeſt, in Miniſtry, Offices, Gifts, Ordinances, but all for and from the Spirit, and theſe eminent Graces of Faith and Love.
7. Communion then of particular Congregations muſt be by Chriſt's Ordination viſible in thoſe ſacred Means and Ordinances appointed by Chriſt for its growth, confirmation, and building up in Grace and Truth. God having made his Church in its viſible ſtate, the Nurſery of Grace, and the Knowledge of the Truth, Eph. 4.12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying the Body of Christ, [i. e. in the militanting viſible part] 13. till we all come in the Ʋnity of the Faith, and the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fullneſs of Christ. Verſe 14. That we ſhould be henceforth no more Children.
8. The Edification of the Church being appointed by Chriſt in a way of Communion; we are to conſider, 1. wherein this viſible communion doth conſiſt; 2. what is the ground and end of it: 3. where, and between whom it is. 1. Wherein doth it conſiſt? It doth conſiſt, firſt in participation of ſome common benefit and advantages, which a particular Congregation are capable of, and have frequent fellowſhip together in, and theſe are Church-Gifts and Church-Ordinances, Acts 2.42. They continued ſtedfaſt in the Apoſtles Doctrine and Fellowſhip, in Breaking Bread and in Prayers; and for this end hath Chriſt furniſhed his Church with Miniſtry and Ordinances, Epheſ. 4. Miniſtry by erecting extraordinary and ordinary for the planting of his Church; our Saviour thought meet to ſend them with extraordinary Commiſſion and qualifications thoſe that were ſuch, were eſpecially Apostles, Prophets, & Evangeliſts, 1 Cor. 12.28. First Apostles, ſecondarily Prophets, Eph. 4.11. Theſe were all to be Witneſſes of the Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of our Lord Jeſus, and confirm their Doctrine by Miracles, had their inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, ſpecial Preſence of God, and power in the Churches wherever they came, eſpecially the Apoſtles.
9. The Apoſtles were XII, which waited upon our Lord during his Miniſtry on earth, before his Sufferings; Judas then falling from his Miniſtry, when our Lord Aſcended he left eleven, to which Matthias was added by Lot, and Election of the Church, Act. 1. to theſe two more were added afterwards, by ſpecial command of the Holy Ghoſt to the Prophets in the Church at Antioch, Act. 13.1, 2, 3. compared with chap. 14.14. Which when the Apoſtles Barnabas and Paul heard of; and before that Ordination, Barnabas was but a Prophet, ſent from the Church at Jeruſalem to aſſiſt them that were there before; as appears chap. 11.22, 23. and chap. 13.1.
10. The Prophets, I apprehend to be ſuch, who were furniſhed with Gifts and Graces, and extraordinary inſpiration; their Call and Commiſſion being ſuch, for the calling of the Gentiles, and gathering the Churches: And I ſuppoſe them to be thoſe Brethren of the 120 that waited together at Jeruſalem, till they were baptized with the Holy Ghoſt and fire, being all equally with the Apoſtles furniſhed with the gift of Tongues (though ſecondary to them in their power) for the diſpenſing the Goſpel to all Nations, and therefore upon the ſcattering the Church of Jeruſalem after Stephens Perſecution; theſe Prophets moſtly began the Churches of the Gentiles by their Miniſtry at firſt: My Reaſons for it are, 1. That its evident all the Brethren as well as the Apoſtles were extraordinarily furniſhed for the Miniſtry, Act. 2.4. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to ſpeak with other tongues, &c. Now this was for ſpecial ends, that they were capacitated to ſpeak to all Nations in their own Languages.
2. We find upon Stevens Perſecution, Act. 8.1. that they were all ſcattered, except the Apoſtles; not the whole Church, for we read often of that Church ſtill, but all the Brethren of the 120 were ſcattered throughout the Regions of Judea & Samaria, by whole means Churches of the Jews were gathered, as it appears, verſe 14. and Acts 9.31. After God had taken off that great Informer Saul, then had all the Churches rest throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria. Likewiſe we find that the Church of Antioch, the firſt among the Gentiles that we read of, was Planted by their Miniſtry; ſee Acts 11.19, 20, 22. compare with ch. 13. 1. More might be ſaid on this point but I muſt keep to the preſent deſign, only naming the ſeveral Offices.
11 The third kind of extraordidary Officers, were Evangeliſts, ſuch as Steven, Phillip, Luke, Mark, Timothy, &c. they were men no doubt extraordinarily qualified, and were called Evangeliſts, as being Aſſiſtants to the Apoſtles, and travelled with them, and ſometimes alone, as Philip: It may be doubted whether the ſeven Deacons were of that 120 Brethren, for they were men full of the Holy Ghoſt, ch. 6. 3. and afterward being pitched upon for eminent Service to the Church, were called now Evangeliſts; but being not of the number that were together at our Saviours Aſcention and Pentecoſt, and though their work might be the ſame with the Prophets, yet their dignity was inferiour to the Apoſtles and Prophets, as Eph. 4. Some Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Evangeliſts; but we need not lay much ſtreſs now upon the differences of thoſe Offices ceaſed; thoſe Officers, eſpecially Apoſtles and Prophets, are irrecoverably ceaſed from the very nature of them; for an Apoſtle, it were requiſite to be one who had ſeen the Lord, and a Prophet (according to what we endeavour to prove) one of thoſe that were baptized with the Ghoſt and Fire at Pentecoſt. As for an Evangeliſt, it's moſt probable to remain, if any, becauſe the work ſtill remains neceſſary to the encreaſe of the Church, viz. Preaching to Unconverted people, and gathering of Churches; tho' none can be expected ſince the Primitive Times with any more then ordinary qualifications which any ſtated Church-officer hath, ſuch Evangeliſts & ſuch Deacons cannot be had: But to ſupply thoſe Offices neceſſary now in the Church, thoſe that are to be mentioned are ſufficient.
12. The Ordinary Officers remaining in the Church now, may be reduced to theſe two heads, Elders and Deacons; Elders, for Miniſtry and Government; Deacons, to ſerve Tables, to look after the neceſſary charges for the Miniſtry, Ordinances, Aſſemblies, Poor, &c. I ſhall not enlarge here, it being evident to every one acquainted with Scripture.
13. The Ordinances of Ordinary Communion, are Prayer, Preaching the Word, Sacraments, Acts 2. Collections. The Lords Supper is ſtill ſpoken of as the moſt eminent Ordinance of Communion, 1 Cor. 10.16.
14. If we enquire for the ground and end of Communion in theſe Ordinances, it is, That this is the way appointed by Chriſt for the edifying his Body, for the encreaſe of Faith and Love in the Members of Chriſt; thoſe Ordinances being deſigned indeed, as to the Church, for edification; for its not to be ſuppoſed that a Church-Member ſhould be an unconverted perſon; if a hypocrite creep in, he hath nothing of true end and deſign of Communion. So that by Communion the Body of Chriſt is nouriſhed, ſtrengthened and perfected, towards its fullneſs of ſtature in Chriſt.
15. If it be enquired where Church Communion is, and between what kind of perſons? I anſwer, Church Communion in Ornances, can be but in one particular Congregation, at the ſame time, where all may meet for edification in one place, & we read of no other in the Primitive Church; tho ſome would have that of Jeruſalem to be greater then ſo, after the addition of 3000; but its expreſly ſaid, that they were all together in Fellowſhip, and met together ſtill before the diſperſion, Acts 2.42.44. alſo chap. 5.12. and other places; but this great Church was ſcattered afterwards by Gods Providence, ordering it for the great advantage of the Goſpel, and propagation of Churches.
16. If it be inquired between whom Church-Communion is exerciſed? The anſwer is eaſy, It's between particular Members, that ordinarily have fellowſhip in the ſame particular Congregations; as likewiſe between one particular Church and another, all Churches comunicating in this, that they are of the ſame univerſal Body, have the ſame Head, Bond of Union, Graces, Ordinances, Priviledges, as in the one intire Catholick Body; as every individual perſon in fellowſhip is a Member in particular, ſo every individual Church is a part of that Integrum compacted by that vvhichwhich every joynt ſupplyeth,Epheſ. 4.16. according to the effectual working in the meaſure of every part, &c.
17. Communion we have ſaid, as it ſtands in copartnerſhip in ſome common good, ſo in communication between Member and Member; what of peculiar good is in any part, is communicable to the reſt, or fellow-feeling of the Sufferings of each other. As there is a common deſign carri'd on by every part for the good of the whole, ſo by all parts for each other: The Apoſtle tells us this at large, 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4.
18. The mutual communication that is viſible in order to ſpiritual advantage, ſtands in giving and receiving by the exerciſe of ſpiritual gifts and graces in the Word and Prayer, by mutual advice and counſel, by admonition and Church-cenſures, where required; by contributions to the wants and neceſſities of each other any way ariſing, Spiritual or Temporal. This Communion is practicable between Church and Church alſo, not only by occaſional participation in the Word and Ordinances with each other, but in the matters before mentioned of advice and ſupply of each others wants: In the former caſe, we have the example of the Church of Antioch, adviſing with the Church of Jeruſalem; in the latter, that 1 Cor. 16.5. 2 Cor. 9.3, 4. Gal. 6.6. &c.