The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God, Sermons · Sermon 14
ROM. 8.39.
Nor any other Creature,—
WE are come to the laſt Rank or Regiment of enemies▪ which may be ſuppoſed to endanger a ſeparation between God and a believer in ſweet Communion, in which the Apoſtle in the name of all believers, comes off with victory.
Let us conſider what is meant by this expreſſion,
Firſt, Nor any other creature—The Apoſtle having reckoned up all known Adverſaries in this cauſe by name; he riſeth higher, and ſpeaks by way of ſuppoſition. If there be yet any other creature, beſides what I have mentioned; if any know any other adverſary then what I have named, I fear not to encounter.
I doubt not but to overcome it.
Secondly, Nor any other creatures. By creature here (ſaith a learned Author) we are to underſtand all things that are done in the world, Gry…whether good or bad, and all the thoughts, words, actions, employments, councels, contrivances of men, Angels, Devils, with all other creatures within the Compaſs of the whole Citation of God.
Thirdly, Nor any other creature—the word rendred Creature is foreign, which often ſignifies the Creation, the whole Creation.
The Apoſtle had hitherto encountred the enemy in Parties and ſingle Regiments, but now he encounters the whole body, he muſters up all the enemies he had before ſpoken of, into one body; he fears not to encounter the united ſtrength and combined power and rage of the whole Creation, If all creatures ſhould riſe up together with one hand and one heart to endeavor to ſeparate—They ſhall not be able—
Doct. Not the Concurring Power of the whole Creation of God, if they were in one Confederacy, can be able to ſeparate.
This I ſhall prove.
1. The concurrent power and endeavour of the whole Creation cannot make God to be againſt his people who are in Communion with him.
Balak hired Balaam to do this work, to ſeparate God from his people; Balaam uſed all means to this end, he offered ſacrifices, he uſed inchantments and divinations, but nothing could prevail, Numb. 23.19. God is not as man—ſee ver. 23.
Hence the Apoſtle ſpeaks as a man aſtoniſht, fill'd with abundance of evidence and aſſurance in this point, Rom. 8.31. If God befor us.—
Such as have Emanuel, God with them, God in Communion with them, have alſo God for them, and what can the concurrent power of the creature do againſt them.
Secondly, that that love of God which hath gathered believers into this bleſſed Communion with God, and ſtill embraceth them in the lofteſt Armes of Peace; it is everlaſting as God is, Ier. 31.3. It takes hold on both Eternities, that which is paſt, and that which is to come; This Love runs Parallel with the Life of God from Eternity to Eternity.
Can the concurrent wrath, rage and malice of the whole Creature, bring God out of love with them, whom he loved from everlaſting; Is there more power in the wrath of the Creature, then in the love of God? Can the poor Creature make that not to be, which God hath made to be from Eternity, to be for Eternity?
Thirdly, the golden Chain of ſalvation cannot be broken, Rom. 8.29, 30. The two extreme links in this Chain are Election and Glorification; the two middle links are Vocation and Juſtification. This ſeems to be the Chain which ſo much raviſht the heart of Chriſt about the neck of his Spouſe, Cant. 4.9. The two ends of this Chain God keeps in his own hands in Heaven; the two middle links are thoſe God lets down from Heaven, and ſo draws us up to himſelf, and linketh us faſt to himſelf for ever.
What Confederacy or Combination of the creature, can pull the Son out of Heaven?
Further, can they pluck any end of this Chain out of Gods Hand. Can they riſe up and blot out the book of life, and raſe out the names that are written in Heaven. Can Creatures, ſome whereof are in Chains of darkneſſe, all in iron Chains of divine Providence, break that golden Chain of grace, in which believers are kept cloſe in Communion with God.
Can the concurrent Power of the creature riſe up and cancel the great Charter of ſalvation, whoſe records are kept in Heaven.
Fourthly, the concurrent power and malice of all creatures cannot ſeparate them from Chriſt in whom they have this Communion with God in love.
I. They are ſaid to be in the Hand of Chriſt, which Hand gives them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, John 10.28. what creature can pluck them out.
II. They are ſaid to be engraven on the Palmes of his hand, Iſa. 49.16. what is engraven cannot be taken out, without mangling the Hand of Chriſt. If you could ſuppoſe they could be taken out of Chriſts Hand as looſe things, yet they cannot as engraven things, will Chriſt ſuffer his Hand to be maculated or cut off.
III. They are ſaid to be in the Armes of Chriſt, Cant. 8.6. They are ſealed on the …rm of Chriſt, with the indelible characters and impreſſions of divine love. If the Arm of Chriſt cannot be ſeparated from him, then cannot Saints.—
IV. They are not only on, but in the Armes of Chriſt, they are everlaſting Armes, Deut. 33.27. there is an everlaſting Arm underneath, and an everlaſting Arm above, Cant. 2.6.
V. They are not only in the Armes, but in the breaſt and boſome of Chriſt, Iſa. 40.11. the High-Prieſt bare the Names of all the tribes on his breaſt-Plate.
VI. They are born not only in his breaſt, but on his ſhoulders, as Exod. 28.11, 12. Cant 8 5. by which they are everlaſtingly upheld from all that ruine or deſtruction their enemies can—
VII. They are not only on the ſhoulders, but in the eye of Chriſt, as the Apple in the eye, Zach. 2.8.
VIII. Nor only in the eye, but in the very bowels of Chriſt, as that expreſſion ſhews, Phil. 1.8.
IX. Not only in his bowels but in his heart; ſee Cant. 8.6. ſuch as prevail to ſeparate believers from Chriſt, muſt pluck out the heart of Chriſt.
Obj. 1. But the Apoſtle ſeems to ſp…k within the Compaſs of Creatures, that no Creature can— yet God can ſeparate.
Anſw. It is God that juſtifies, who ſhall condemn, Rom. 8.33. to juſtifie and condemn the ſame perſons, implies a contradiction, which God cannot do, Jer. 33.24, 25, 26.
Secondly, he hath ſaid to the utmoſt, I will never, never, never—leave thee, Heb. 13.5, 6.
Obj. 2. But though other men, other creatures cannot do it, a man may ſeparate himſelf.—
Anſw. 1. God hath promiſed to put his fear, Jer. 32.40.
Secondly, never any true believer made the leaſt ſeparation from God, but they quickly found a difference, and readily return'd to him again with bitter repentings, Hoſ. 2.7.
Obj. 3. Though no creature can do it, ſin may.
This was Bernards Poſition, but I anſwer
Firſt, Sin is a creature, not Gods creature but the devils; every ſin is a Lie, and the devil is the father of it, Iohn 8.44. Therefore.
Secondly, former ſins cannot, they are pardoned; after-ſins ſhall not, they have an Advocate and a Propitiation, 1 Iohn 2.2.
Thirdly, large experience hath made this good, Ier. 51.5. when Bala… attempted to ſeparate between God and his people, he could not effect it, becauſe God beheld no iniquity— Numb. 23 21.— for the Lord his God is with him.
1. Uſe. This informs us, how much the ſalvation of man one way or other is endangered by every creature; for if ſuch who are gathered into Communion with God are endangered by every creature in a ſeparation, how much more are ſuch who are yet at a diſtance from God, in danger by the creature to be kept from embracing that Communion. Doth not every creature an unregenerate man loves, ſet up it ſelf to be his God, his chief good, and endeavour to perſwade him that his chief bleſſedneſs conſiſts more in that enjoyment, then in the enjoyment of God himſelf.
Beware how much you are endangered by the creatures, either to be kept off from all Communion with God, or made to have a looſe Communion with God.
2. Uſe. I exhort believers again and again to ſtrengthen your faith in your Communion with God in love which is in Chriſt Ieſus.
This is the Ark of ſalvation in every deluge, your Refuge and Sanctuary in every ſtorm; your Door of eſcape in every danger, your reſting place in all the Confuſions of the world, your Victory and Triumph over all your enemies, all your fears, doubts, temptations, trials—
But how ſhall we do this?
Firſt, ſtudy much the love of God, it had a wonderful attractive vertue to draw you into this Communion! With loving kindneſs I have drawn you. It hath a marvellous force and efficacy to keep you cloſe to that Communion: 2 Cor. 4.14. The Love of Chriſt, coarctat conſtringit—
Secondly, better your acquaintance with Chriſt.
Firſt, who firſt ſwallowed up all the diſtances, and reconciled all the e…ities, and ſo made way for you into this bleſſed Communion with God.
Secondly, ſtudy him, converſe with him, who remains one with God, and one with us in the divine nature, and in the humane nature, that he might preſerve our Communion with God inviolable.
3. Uſe. Having clear'd your Communion— Put on a nobleneſs of ſpirit, an height of reſolution, a magnanimity of faith, expect to encounter with the moſt and with the worſt of enemies.
And doubt not of Victory and Conqueſt over all. Let your faith riſe higher then your dangers or enemies can
Some can believe Victory over ſuch and ſuch, not over others; over things preſent, not over things to come— Faith is not come to its juſt height of ſpirit till it triumph over all, real or poſſible, preſent or to come, not only over one creature, but over the united, concurrent power of all creatures.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Mallery, The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God (1674)