Of Communion with God, Part 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of the Fellowship which the Saints have with Jesus Christ the Son of God. That they have such a fellowship proved 1 Cor. 1. 9. Revel. 3. 20. Cant. 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. opened. Prov. 9. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
OF that distinct Communion which we have with the §. 1 Person of the Father, we have treated in the foregoing Chapters; we now proceed to the Consideration of that which we have with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now the Fellowship we have with the second Person, is with him as Mediator, in that Office whereunto by dispensation he submitted himselfe for our sakes, being made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons, Gal. 4. 4, 5. And herein I shall doe these two things
1. Declare that we have such Fellowship with the Son of God.
2. Shew wherein that Fellowship, or Communion doth consist.
For the first, I shall only produce some few places of Scripture §. 2 to confirme it, that it is so. 1 Cor. chap. 1. v. 9. God is faithfull by whom ye were called to the Fellowship of his Sonne, Jesus Christ our Lord. This is that whereunto all the Saints are called, and wherein by the Faithfullnesse of God they shall be preserved, even Fellowship with Jesus Christ our Lord. We are called of God the Father as the Father, in pursuite of his Love, to communion with the Sonne, as our Lord.
Revel. chap 3 v. 20. aJohn. 14. 23.Behold I stand at the doore and knock, if any man heare my voyce and open the doore, I will come in-to him, and §. 3 sup with him, and he with me. Certainly this is Fellowship, or I know not what is; Christ will Sup with Believers, he refreshes himsefe with his own Graces in them, by his Spirit bestowed, on them. The Lord Christ is excedingly delighted in tasting of the sweet fruits of the Spirit in the Saints. Hence is that prayer of the Spouse that shee may have something for his Entertainment, when he commeth to her. Cant. 4. 16, Awake O North-Wind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out, let my beloved come into his Garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. The Soules of the Saints are the Garden of Jesus Christ, the good ground Heb. 6. 7, 8. A Garden for delight: he rejoyces in them, his delights are with the Sons of Men: Prov. 8. 31. and he rejoyces over them: Zeph 3. 17. And a Garden for fruit, yea pleasant fruit, So he describes it: Cant. 4. 12, 13. 14. A Garden inclosed is my sister my Spouse, a spring shut up, a Fountaine sealed; thy Plants are an Orchard of Pomgranates with pleasant fruits, Camphire with Spicknard, Spicknard and Saffron, Calamus, and Cynamon, with all trees of Frankincense, Mirrbe, and Aloes; with all chiefe fruits. Whatever is sweet and delicious for tast, whatever savoury and odoriferous, whatever is usefull and medicinall, is in this Garden. There is all manner of Spirituall refreshments of all kinds whatever, in the Soules of the Saints for the Lord Jesus. On this account is the Spouse so earnest in the prayer mentioned for an increase of these things, that her beloved may sup with her as he hath promised. A wake O north wind &c. Oh that the breathings and workings of the Spirit of all Grace, might stirre up all his guifts and Graces in me, that the Lord Jesus the beloved of my soule may have meet and acceptable entertainment from mee. God complaines of want of fruit in his vineyard, Isa. 5. 3. Hos. 10. 1. want of good food for Christs entertainment, is that the Spouse fear'd, & labours to prevent. A barren heart is not fit to receive him. And the delight he takes in the fruits of the spirit, is unspeakable. This he expresses at large, chap. 5. 1. I am come saith he, I have eat, I am refreshed. He calls it foreign the fruit of his sweetnesses; or most pleasant to him. Moreover, as Christ supps with his Saints, so he hath promised they shall sup with him, to compleat the fellowship that they have with him. Christ provides for their Entertainment in a most eminent manner. There are Beasts killed, and Wine is mingled, and a table furnished, b Prov. ch. 9. 2. He calls the spirituall dainties that he hath for them a Feast, a Wedding, cIsa. 25. 6. Math 22 8. Revel. 19. 7.A feast of fat things, Wine upon the Lees, &c. The fatted Calfe is killed for their entertainment. Such is the Communion, and such is the mutuall Entertainment of Christ and his Saints in that communion.
Cantic 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. I am the Rose of Sharon, and the lilie of the Valleys. As the Lilie among the thornes, so is my love among the §. 8 daughters: as the Aple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the Sonnes: in his shaddow I delighted and sate down, and his fruit was sweet to my tast, &c.
In the two first verses you have the description that Christ gives, first of himselfe, then of his Church. Of himselfe v. 1. that is, what he is to his Spouse: I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys. The Lord dMal. 4. 2. Revel. 12. 1. Lnk: 1. 78. foreign. Num. 24 17. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Kevel. 22. 16. Gen. 49. 9. Mich. 5. 8. Revel. 5, 5.Christ is in the Scripture compared to all things of Eminency in the whole Creation. He is in the Heavens the Sunne, and the bright morning starre: As the lyon among the beasts, the Lyon of the tribe of Judah. Among the flowers of the field, here, he is the Rose, and the Lilie. The two Eminencies of Flowers, sweetnesse of savour, and beauty of coulour are divided between these. The Rose for sweetnesse, and the Lilie for beauty (Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these) have the preheminence. Further he is the Rose of Sharon, a fruitfull plain, where the choisest herds were fed. 1 Chr. 27. 29. so eminent that it is promised to the Church, that there shall be given unto her the eIsa. 33. 9. ch. 65. 10.Excellency of Sharon: Isa. 35. 2. This fruitfull place doubtlesse brought forth the most Precious Roses. Christ in the Savour of his love, and in his Righteousnesse (which is as the Garment wherein Jacob received his blessing, giving forth a smell as the smell of a pleasant field Gen. 27. v. 27.) is as this excellent Rose, to draw and allure the Hearts of his Saints unto him. As God smelled a sweet Savour from the blood of his Attonement, Eph. 5. 2. So from the Graces wherewith for them he is annointed, his Saints receive a refreshing cherishing savour: Cant. 1. 2. A sweet savour expresses that which is acceptable and delightfull: Gen: 8. 21. He is also the Lilie of the Vallyes, that of all flowers is the most eminent in beauty Mat. 6. 29. most desireable is he for the comlinesse & perfection of his person incomparably fairer then the children of men, of which afterwards. He then being thus unto them, abundantly satiating all their spirituall senses, their refreshment, their ornament their delight, their Glory; in the next verse He tells us what they are to him: As the Lilie among the thornes, so is my beloved among the Daughters, That Christ & his Church are likened unto, & termed the same thing, (as here the Lily) is, as from their Union by the Indwelling of the same Spirit, so from that fRom. 8. 29.conformity and likenesse that is between them, and whereunto the Saints are appointed. Now shee is a Lillye, very beautifull unto Christ; As the Lilly among the thornes 1. By the way of Eminency: as the Lilly excelleth the thornes, so doe the Saints all others whatever in the Eye of Christ. Let Comparison be made, so will it be found to be. And 2. by the way of triall: the residue of the world, being pricking briers and grieving thornes to the house of Israel. Ezek. 28. 24. The best of them is a brier, and the most upright of them sharper then a thorne Hedge; Mich. 7. 4. And thus are they among the Daughters; even the most eminent Collections, of the most improved professors, that are no more but so. There cannot be in any comparison, a greater exaltation of the Excellency of any thing. So then is Christ to them indeed, v. 1. So are they in his his Esteem, and indeed, v. 2. How he is in their esteem and indeed, we have v. 3.
As the Aple-tree among the Trees of the wood, so is my beloved among §. 5 the Sonnes, I sate down under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast. To carry on this entercourse, the Spouse begins to speake her thoughts of, and to shew her delight in the Lord Christ. And as he compares her to the Lilly among the Thornes, so shee him to the Aple-tree among the trees of the wood: And she addes this Reason of it, even because he hath the two eminent things of Trees, which the Residue of them have not: 1. Fruit for food. 2. Shade for Refreshment: of the one shee eateth, under the other shee resteth, both with great delight. All other sons, either Angells, the Sons of God by Creation Job. 1. 6. 38. 7. or the Sons of Adam, the best of his off-spring, the Leaders of those companys, which v. 2. are called Daughters; or Sons of the old Creation, the toppe branches of all its desireable things, are to an hungry, weary soule, (such alone seek for shade and fruit) but as the fruitlesse, leafelesse trees of the Forrest, which will yeild them neither food nor Refreshment. In Christ, saith shee, there is fruit, fruit sweet to the Tast. Yea his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. Moreover he hath brought forth that everlasting Righteousnesse, which will abundantly satisfy any hungry, soule after it hath gone to many a barren Tree for food, and hath found none. Besides he aboundeth in precious and pleasant Graces, whereof I may kCante. 5. 1.eate, yea he calls me to do so, and that abundantly. These are the fruits that Christ beareth. They speake of a Tree that bringeth forth all things needfull for life in food and raiment. Christ is that Tree of life, which hath brought forth all things that are needfull unto life eternall: In him is that Righteousnesse which we gMath. 5. 6.Hunger after: in him is that water of life, which who so hJoh. 7. 38.Drinketh of, shall thirst no more. Oh how sweet are the fruits of Christ's mediation to the faith of his Saints. He that can find no reliefe in Mercy, Pardon, Grace, Acceptation with God, Holinesse, Sanctification, &c. is an utter stranger to these things, iIsa. 25. 6. Prov. 9. 1.(wine in the Lees) that are prepared for believers. Also he hath Shades for Refreshment and Shelter. Shelter from wrath without, and Refreshment because of wearinesse from within. The first use of the lJonah: 4. 6, Isa. 25. 4. Isa. 32. 2. 2 Cor: 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13. Mal. 4. 2.Shade, is to keep us from the Heate of the Sun, as did Jonah's Gourd. When the Heate of wrath is ready to scorch the Soule; Christ interposing beares it all; under the shaddow of his wings, we sit downe constantly, quietly, safely putting our trust in him. And all this with great delight. Yea who can expresse the Ioy of a soul safe shaddowed from wrath, under the Covert of the Righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus? There is also Refreshment in a shade from wearinesse: He is as the shaddow of a great Rock in a weary Land: Isa 32. 2. From the power of Corruptions, trouble of Temptations, distresse of persecutions, there is in him quiet Rest and Repose; Math. 11. 27. 28.
Having thus mutually described each other, and so made it manifest, that they cannot but be delighted in Fellowship and §. 6 Communion: in the next verses that Communion of theirs is at large set forth and described. I shall briefely observe foure things therein.
1. Sweetnesse:
2. Delight.
3. Safety.
4. Comfort.
1. Sweetnesse. He brought me to the Banqueting House; or House of wine. It is all set forth under expressions of the greatest §. 7 sweetnesse, and most delicious Refreshment: Flagons, Apples, Wine, &c. He entertains me (saith the Spouse) as some great Personage. Great Personages, at great Entertainments are had into the Banqueting house, the House of wine, and dainties. These are the preparations of Grace and Mercy, Love, Kindnesse, supplys revealed in the Gospell, declared in the Assemblys of the Saints, exhibited by the Spirit. This Love is better then Wine Cant. 1. v. 1. it is, not in meats and drinkes, but Righteousnesse and mRom. 14. 17. Joh. 7. 37. Prov. 27. 7.Peace, and Ioy in the Holy Ghost. Gospell daintys are sweet refreshments; Whether these Houses of Wine, be the Scriptures, the Gospell, or the Ordinances dispensed in the Assemblys of the Saints, or any eminent and signall manifestations of speciall Love, (as banqueting is not every days worke, nor used at ordinary entertainments) it is all one. Wine that cheereth the heart of man, that makes him forget his misery, Prov. 31. 6, 7. that gives him a cherefull look and countenance, Gen. 49. 12. is that which is promised. The Grace exhibited by Christ in his Ordinances, is Refreshing, Strengthning, Comforting, and full of Sweetnesse to the Soules of the Saints. Woe be to such full Soules, as loath these Hony Combes. But thus Christ makes all his Assemblys, to be banqueting Houses, and there he gives his Saints Entertainment.
2. Delight. The Spouse is quite ravished with the sweetnesse of this entertainment, finding love and care and kindnesse bestowed §. 8 by Christ in the assemblys of the Saints: hence she cryes out v. 5. Stay me with Flaggons, comfort me with Apples, for I am sick of Love. Upon the discovery of the Excellency and sweetnesse of Christ in the banqueting house, the soule is instantly overpowred, and cryes out to be made partaker of the fulnesse of it. She is sick of Love: not (as some suppose) fainting for want of a sense of Love, under the Apprehension of Wrath, but made sick, and faint, even overcome with the mighty actings of that divine Affection, after she had once tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ in the Banqueting house. Her desire deferred, makes her heart sick: therefore she cries stay me, &c. I have seen a glimpse of the king in his beauty: tasted of the fruit of his righteousnesse, my soule melteth in longing after him, Oh support and sustaine my Spirit, with his presence in his Ordinances, those Flaggons and Apples of his banqueting house, or I shall quite sinke and faint. Oh what hast thou done blessed Jesus? I have seen thee and my soule is become as the Chariots of Amminadab; let me have something from thee to support me, or I dye. When a person is fainting on any occasion, these two things are to be done; strength is to be used to support him, that he sink not to the ground; and comfortable things are to be applied to refresh his spirits. These two, the soule overpowred, and fainting with the force of its own love, raised by a sense of Christ's prayeth for: it would have strengthning grace to support it in that condition, that it may be able to attend its duty; and consolations of the Holy Ghost, to content, revive, and satiate it, untill it come to a full enjoyment of Christ. And thus sweetly and with delight is this Communion carried on.
3. Safety: His banner over me was Love. v. 4. The Banner is §. 9 an Embleme of safety and protection, a signe of the presence of an host. Persons belonging to an Army, do encampe under their Banner in security. So did the children of Israel in the wildernesse, every Tribe kept their Campes under their own Standard. It is also a token of successe and victory, Psal: 20. 6. Christ hath a banner for his saints: and that is Love. All their protection is from his Love; and they shall have all the Protection his Love can give them. This safeguards them from Hell, death, all their Enemies. What ever presses on them, it must passe through the Banner of the love of the Lord Jesus. They have then great spirituall safety, which is another Ornament or Excellency of their Communion with him.
4. Supportment, and Consolation. v. 6. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. Christ here hath the posture §. 10 of a most tender friend towards any one in sicknesse, and sadnesse. The Soule faints with Love; spirituall longings after the enjoyment of his presence, and Christ comes in with his Embraces. He nourisheth and cherisheth his Church: Ephes. ch. 5. v. 29. Isa. 63. 13. Now the hand under the head, is supportment, sustaining Grace, in pressures and difficulties; and the hand that doth embrace, the hand upon the heart; is joy and consolation: in both, Christ rejoycing, as the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride. Isa: 62, 5. Now thus to lye in the Armes of Christs Love, under a perpetuall influence of supportment and Refreshment, is certainely to hold communion with him. And hereupon v. 1. the spouse is most earnest for the continuance of this fellowship, charging all so to demeane themselves, that her beloved be not disquieted, or provoked to depart.
In briefe this whole Book is taken up in the description of the Communion that is between the Lord Christ and his saints, & therefore it is very needlesse to take from thence any more particular instances thereof.
I shall only adde that of Prov. ch: 9. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Wisdome §. 11 hath builded her house, she hath hewen out her seven pillars. She hath killed her beasts, she hath mingled her Wine, she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens, she cryeth upon the highest places of the City. Who so is simple, let him turne in hither, as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him, Come eat of my bread, and drink of the Wine that I have mingled.
The Lord Christ, the Eternall Wisdome of the Father, and who of God is made unto us Wisdome, erects a spirituall-house, wherein he makes provision for the entertainment of those Guests whom he so freely invites. His Church is the House which he hath built on a perfect number of pillars, that it might have a stable foundation: His slaine Beasts, and mingled Wine wherewith his table is furnished, are those spirituall fatt things of the Gospell, which he hath prepared for those that come in upon his Invitation: surely to eat of this bread, and drinke of this Wine which he hath so graciously prepared, is to hold fellowship with him; for in what waies or things, is there nearer communion then in such.
I might further evince this Truth, by a consideration of all the Relations wherein Christ and his Saints do stand, which necessarily require that there be a communion between them, if we do suppose they are faithfull in those Relations: but this is commonly treated on, and something will be spoken to it, in one signall instance afterwards.