Of Growth in Grace, Sermon 15
SERM. XV.
HAving in the close of the last Argument, begun to speak concerning Gospel-priviledges, and how much our growth in the Knowledge of Christ will promote the comfort of those Priviledges, I shall now proceed a little further with you in that Argument, in making it more fully clear to you: That as ever we desire to suck the sweet of Gospel-Priviledges, to have our souls refreshed with them, as with breasts of consolation, that we may find them to be as streams from Lebanon, as wine that's able to make the lips of them that are asleep to speak. It concerns us exceedingly for to endeavour and advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall never be able so fully, justly to value the Priviledges of the Gospel, nor so kindly to relish the comforts of these Priviledges, if we do not well understand the Mysterie concerning growth in Grace, and be well improved in the Knowledge of Christ.
I toucht a little upon that great benefit that comes over to us, of Justification: That great Priviledge; indeed such a benefit as is beyond all valuation. O that we would but make it our work and business to search into it, to labor that we may understand it, what is the proper interpretation of the Justification of a sinner; the Scriptures speak of it, and they invite us to be well studied in it; for a sinner, a guilty sinner, chargeable with a world of wickedness, lyable to a hell of wrath and vengeance, deserving to be everlastingly cursed of God, and to be cast under everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power: A poor guilty soul that hath been, it may be, for many, many years wallowing in filth and mire of sin, weltring in blood, and hath been soaking and rotting in his dung; such a poor creature that is laden with iniquities, and whose Conscience lies under deepest and most dreadful guilt; for such a poor creature, yet to have an eye of compassion opened upon him, a look of favour, and when he might justly have expected to hear this dreadful doom and sentence past upon him; thou art a guilty malefactor, thou hast committed high treason against the Crown and Dignity of the great God, and I judge thee to be suffering of the vengeance of eternal fire; I adjudge thee to be cast into prison, and to lye under chains, and to be everlastingly sweltring under the unsupportable weight of my wrath and indignation. Whereas a poor soul might justly expect to have such a sentence past upon it, yet for God to say, This poor soul that is guilty of so much Rebellion against me, I do freely forgive; and all the sins that were committed by him, from first to last, shall never be charged upon him; nothing of all that guilt that hath been contracted by him, shall be reckoned to him, but I will discharge him freely, and he shall have no more conscience of sin, he shall be as if he had never startled a tittle from the perfect rule of Righteousness: I will give him a full discharge, and he shall stand right in Court, and be able to make a challenge to men and devils, and say, Who shall lay any thing to my charge? It is God that justifies. O the pretiousness of this Gospel-priviledge! And it will be known one day, of what pretious import it is. Why this is Justification, Gospel-Justification; for one that (I say) hath been plunged into the deepest gulf of guilt, to be fully acquitted of all; and the… is nothing of all that ever hath been done by him, of wickedness and transgression, that shall be charged upon him, or reckoned unto him. Wh… …ow the comfort of this Priviledge it is exceedingly promoted by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we do but consider.
First, That the Foundation of a poor sinners Justification, is laid in the Justification of Christ himself: For if he, who undertook on the behalf of sinners, had not been justified himself, never had any soul been justified, no not to the end of the World. The Justification of a sinner, it stands upon the foundation of the Justification of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was justified himself, and by his being justified, the sinner comes to be justified.
And his Justification, it is a legal Justification. The Justification of a sinner is an Evangelical, a Gospel-Justification; but the Justification of Jesus Christ it is a legal Justification, he is justified by works, he is justified by the Law, he hath fulfilled the Law, both in a way of doing, and in a way of suffering, both wayes: And so his Justification, it is a legal Justification; and in vertue of this Justification, a poor sinner comes to have his Justification, which is Evangelical. This is now the advantage that comes over to a soul by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus; it may bear upon this, That it is and shall be for ever justified, because its Justification depends upon the Justification of Jesus Christ, whose Justification comes over to him in a legal way, and it's perfect and compleat, so that strictest Justice can take no exception against.
And then add this withal, that by the knowledge, of our Lord Jesus …rist, the comfort of our Justification is excee…gly promoted, because there is this to be reckoned to the knowledge of Christ, that he stands ingaged to see to it; that all those, whose cause he hath undertaken, and in whose behalf he hath ingaged himself; it lies upon him to see to it, that their Justification do proceed, and that it be vindicated, and it be maintained to them: this is that that we have to know concerning Jesus Christ, that it lies upon his hand to see to it; that all those that he hath given himself for, may be fully and freely discharged, that there be nothing objected against them, nor may lye against them in Court: This is that which lyes upon the hand of Christ for to do; and to this very purpose it is, that he now being ascended on high, and set down on the Right-hand of the Majesty in Heaven: this is that which he now ingages to; He appears in Heaven before God, to this very purpose, that he might maintain the Justification of his people, his believing ones, that he may maintain it to them, and that they may have the comfort of it. Mark you how the Apostle reasons to such a purpose, Rom. 8. ver. 28, 29. saith he, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect; it is God that Iustifies, who shall condemn? it is Christ that died:—I, but what of that, that he died; why, if so be that he be not risen again, how can God be just in justifying? I, but saith he, yea, rather that is risen again; he brings it in with a yea rather, who is even at the Right-hand of God, and maketh Intercession for us: This is a Beleevers plea, upon the account of Christs ingaging of himself, by dying, and rising, and interceding, appearing to make cession; this is the plea; Christ comes to stand forth before God, on the behalf of his beleeving ones, that their Justification may be maintained to them. And truly Brethren, were it not that the Covenant is ordered in all things, and sure; and that the Mediator of the Covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ, is thus ingaged with the Father, in the behalf of his Redeemed ones. Alas, what woful breakings would there be upon our comforts? I, and what indeed would become of our Justification? A justified soul repents, and comes to be pardoned, and is acquitted, and the poor soul turns again to folly, and renews his transgression by performing new acts of disobedience: what would become now of a soul in such a case? you know how it was with David, and Peter, and other poor souls; they take a course being justified, to unjustifie themselves, and for to blot out their pardon, casting themselves under new guilt: what would become of a poor creature in such a case? Alas, I had indeed the forgiveness of all my sins past; I, but I have been upon new transgressions, I have broken with God again; and what if God should now break with me? I have pardoned thee formerly, but thou hast forfeited thy pardon. I told you thus, sinner, I will discharge thee of all thy sins that ever were committed by thee; but look thou to it, I will speak peace to thee, but turn thou no more to folly: so the Prophet speaks in the Psalm, and Christ to the man, Thou art made whole, I, but go thy waies, and sin no more; look to it, that thou sin more.——I, but, saith the poor soul, alas, I have sinn'd again, I have turned to folly, I have broke with God, and what will become of me now? Why here's now the comfort; Christ, he lives for ever at God's Right-hand, and he is therefore able to save to the utmost, those that come unto God by him, Heb. 7. because he ever lives to make intercession: He pleads with the Father, why Father, my blood is fresh still, I plead my blood still; the merit of my blood: Father, I shed my blood, to satisfie thy Justice for all the sins that ever were, or ever should be committed. Father, this poor creature hath broke with thee; I, but my Father, I have not broke with thee; consult my blood, thou wilt find, that that blood of mine hath made satisfaction for this, and that, and the other transgression. Thus we are to conceive concerning our Lord Jesus Christ: and so a poor beleeving soul, knowing, and understanding the mystery concerning Jesus Christ, with a well-improved knowledge, may plead this, and apply still to that blood, and bear upon the representation which the Lord Jesus makes of his blood and meritorious sacrifice to the Father: plead this, and bear upon this, and so shall he come to be maintained in his justified estate. Truly Brethren, these are the greatest things that ever God did make known to the World, and they are matters of the highest importance that possibly can be made known unto us, and therefore we have reason to consider of them, and should set our hearts to this, that we may come to have a more due apprehension of them: and so the Apostle argues most preciously, in 1 Ioh. 2. when he had spoken before concerning the blood of Jesus Christ, that it cleanseth from all sin, there's your Justification: why then, saith the Apostle, my little children, These things write I unto you, that you sin not: You have cleansings by the blood of Jesus, and free Justification from the guilt of all your transgressions: this is a blessed Doctrine, as if he should say, and this is that which will fill up your joy, to think that there hath been such a blood shed for you, as cleanseth you from all your sins. Why now it stands you upon to look to it, that you do not sin against this blood, nor infer upon it, therefore we will be the more bold to sin; no, God forbid it should be so: therefore, saith he, These things write I unto you, that you sin not: O, but the poor creature may reply, and say, Alas, you write to us that we sin not; but how can it be but that we sin, carrying about with us such a body of sin; having such cursed principles, lying open to so many temptations? How shall we be able to stand, and to keep up from being prevail'd upon by temptation, so, as not to be drawn to sin: I, but then here's the relief; if it be the purpose and bent of your hearts not to sin, but to walk suitably to the Grace of the Gospel; why then take comfort in this, If any man sin, we have an Advocate. If any man sin, why we have had a sacrifice▪ I, but that sacrifice now ceaseth to be offered:—so it doth, and Christ will never offer any more sacrifice, he will never come upon the Cross again; He will never shed blood more; He will never come into the World again to dye, as he did at first. The poor soul may argue thus; O, but alas, Christ will never suffer more; if we sin, and break with God, what shall we do? I but, saith he, Though we have no more sacrifice for sin, no more sacrificings; yet there is a standing Advocation: there's the comfort, as the Apostle holds it out.——But this is spoken to poor humble souls, whose purpose is not to sin, and yet through infirmity, sometimes they do miscarry. This is spoken only for the relief of those, and not to imbolden any proud wretch in a way of wickedness. Why, if any man sin, though we have no more sacrifice; and indeed, blessed be God, and to the praise of Jesus Christ be it spoken, there needs no more sacrificing, he hath sacrificed enough, he hath done that once for all, which is sufficient for all; he hath done more by once shedding of blood, he hath done that that all the bloods that ever were shed from the beginning of the World, were never able to accomplish: there is but one sacrifice, I, but there is a standing Advocation. This is the comfort, and this is that that maintains the Justification of Beleevers; I, it doth; it maintains the Justification of Beleevers, that there is a standing Advocate, a standing Intercession performed; and Christ still is taking off, as the poor sinner is drawing on: This now is the benefit that comes by a well-improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: but to pass from that.
Consider now what reason there is, that we should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because this Knowledge doth so strongly contribute to the promoting of the comfort of the priviledge of Adoption; that's another great priviledge of the Gospel. Adoption, truly this, as the former; and so all other priviledges of the Gospel; alas, we are not affected with it as we ought to be. You would think it a great matter for a great Monarch, a mighty Potentate in the World, for to look upon a poor beggarly creature, a beggars child that's cast out, and hath none to look after him; to take him up from the dunghill, from his beggarly, base, and sordid condition; to take him up, and Adopt him for his son, and to Estate him in great Possessions, to settle him upon them, and to own him to such a purpose. It was a great matter for Pharaohs Daughter to Adopt Moses for her child: poor Moses, whose Father and Mother durst not keep him in their house; they turn'd him out, cast him upon the River in a Basket of Bullrushes; this course was taken with Moses. Pharaohs Daughter she spies the basket, and finds the Babe, and poor Babe, weeping with tears upon his face in that condition; and she takes up this Babe, and looking upon it as a lovely child, she adopts it; though in a perishing condition, yet she takes this child and adopts it for her own; this shall be my child. This now was a great matter, and a thing to be reckoned upon as a very high act of Grace. O, but what is this to that act of Grace, that the great Majesty of heaven performs on the behalf of poor sinful sons and daughters of men? That he should look upon them in their most loathsom condition and state, and should please to set his love upon them, these base born children, beggars brats (for so we are all) a seed of rebellion; they are a generation of men and women that come from a bitter root, they are such as the soul of God might abhor; yet for the Lord's sake, O these beggers brats, these contemptible creatures, these ill-looking deformed people, yet notwithstanding I will set my love upon them, I will love them freely, I will adopt them for my children, and they shall be mine, and I will estate them in great and large Possessions, I will own them, I will not be ashamed of them, to be called their Father, and to call them my children. A wonderful thing it is, to consider of the priviledge of Adoption. I, but now, by the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, when it comes to be a well grown Knowledge, when we come to know that that is to be known concerning Jesus Christ, this will exceedingly advance the comfort of this priviledge of Adoption: As will appear thus.
First of all, We are to consider that a Believers Adoption, it's founded in Christ; and the foundation of it, it is laid in the Blood, and Death, and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are said to be the Sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ, as the Apostle speaks: 'Tis by faith in Jesus that we come to have this Adoption; and we are to know, that all that are the adopted of God, they are a generation that springs out of the very blood and bowels of Jesus Christ. Methinks it is worthy observing, that which we have in Isa. 53. compared with Isa. 54. In the 53. you have an account in a Prophetical way, of the sufferings of Christ, and of his blood sheding. It pleased the Father to bruise him, v. 10. He hath put him to grief. Well, what follows upon this? He shall see the travel of his soul, and shall be satisfied. Now mark you, what's this travel? Observe what follows in Chap. 54. Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travel with child; for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married Wife, saith the Lord: Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand, and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles. And thus the Prophet goes on. Here now upon the Sacrifice & Sufferings of our Lord Jesus, there comes to spring up a numerous Issue, which springs up out of his blood; he shall see his seed, and be satisfied; there shall be a seed that shall be raised up out of his very blood and bowels. And so likewise in Psal. 22. the Prophet having in the former part set forth unto us the sufferings of Christ, he gives us in the close of the Psalm, an account of the fruit that springs up out of these sufferings: Saith he, A seed shall serve him, it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation; they shall come and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. He hath brought about a seed, he hath raised up out of his own blood and bowels, a seed that shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation. O, this is the benefit that comes by Christ. And mark you this, By the right Knowledge of our Lord Jesus, we have this comfort concerning Adoption, That as he pleads on the behalf of his People their Justification, and maintains them in that; so he pleads their Adoption, and his blood it is that keeps them fast to God, so as they shall never be unchilded again.
And then again, This is that that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, That it is he that gives them this priviledge of Adoption, and puts them into the actual possession of it, as in that, 1 Ioh. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. He gave them the priviledge to become the Sons of God, and to enjoy this priviledge: Why this is that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus.
And with all consider this, O, this is that which makes the comfort of Adoption to spring out, to …low forth to the refreshing of the souls of the Saints, to think that their Adoption it is such a priviledge, as that upon the account thereof, as they come for to be Children to the Father, so they come to be Brethren to Christ. For mark you, Christ himself is a Son; saith the Apostle, Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God. Here's love indeed; and it appears so to us, because by being made the Sons of God, we come to be in a condition like unto Christ?—For, what is he? He is the Son of the Father, he is the begotten of the Father, the only begotten, in regard as he is second person; and the first begotten in respect of his Mediatorship, as he is God-Man: The first born, the first begotten; the only begotten as he is the second Person; but the first begotten, and the first born as he is Mediator; as the Prophet speaks in the Psalms, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee. You are to understand that of Christ as Mediator, and especially as raised up in the day of his Resurrection from the dead, This day have I begotten thee; begotten thee by an act of mighty power, raising thee up; and so he becomes the first-born among many Brethren Here's the comfort of the priviledge of Adoption, which we come to be partakers of, by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: Here's the comfort of our Adoption, that by means hereof we come into a Brotherhood with Christ. Beleevers, O what a dignifying priviledge is this, that they come to have a Brotherhood with Jesus Christ! As they have a filiation in reference to God, so they come to have a Brotherhood with Jesus Christ; so that he is born to them, and they are Brethren to him (according to Psal. 22. we sung this Morning) I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren, speaking of his People and redeemed ones; and he is pleased so to reckon upon all his People; they are his Brethren, Go and tell my Brethren. After his Resurrection he expresseth himself to this purpose, Go and tell my Brethren that I go before them. And O, this is that that doth advance the Priviledge, and give them comfort of the priviledge of Adoption to souls, to think that they come into a Brotherhood with Christ Jesus. And as it is said in the Text I spoke to the other day, That God is not ashamed to be called the God of his People; God is not ashamed to be called their God, and their Father, and to call his People his Children: So it is said of Christ, and 'tis a very considerable thing, that which the Apostle holds forth in his Epistle to the Hebrews; saith he, Both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Mark this, this is the testimony concerning Jesus Christ, That as God is not ashamed to call them children; truly this language may well astonish us, God the Father is not ashamed to call his People, poor despicable worms as they are, he is not ashamed to call them children, and to be called their God and Father: So our Lord Jesus, is not ashamed to call them Brethren; but is free to say, This is my Brother, and this is my Sister; as you know what's exprest in the Gospel, when they came and told him, Thy Mother, and thy Brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee;—Why saith he, Who are they? you understand my Brethren according to the flesh: O, but I'll tell you who are my Brethren, and whom I will never be ashamed to own for Brethren and Sisters; He that heareth my Word, and receives my Doctrine, and comports with my Counsels, and attends me in the way of the Gospel, That's my Brother, that's my Mother, and that's my Sister; I will never be ashamed of that Kindred. He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare my Name unto my brethren; in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee. (This refers unto Psal. 22. and it's a quotation out of that.) O wonder of Grace and Mercy! That there should be such a conjunction; I will not be ashamed to call them Brethren, I will declare thy Name to my Brethren, I will tell them what a Father they have; I know thee well, thou art my Father and my God; and I will tell them, and declare thy Name to them, and make it known to them what a Father I have, and have had from all Eternity; and I will tell them what a Father they shall find thee to be to them: And this I will tell to them, and sing praise to thee in the Church. O this will be the joy of my heart, that I have a company of poor Brethren. Christ was not prided in this, to be the only begotten of the Father; indeed he gloried in this, to be the only begotten, as second Person. O, but it was his joy to think that he should have a company of people that should come into the state of Brotherhood with him; O he joys in this, and shed his blood to purchase them; and when he comes once to have them given to him, he will say to them, Friends, you are my Brethren, flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone, we have one blood, and I will declare my Fathers Name to you, and it shall be my joy so to do; in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee. O, a wonder of Mercy and Grace! that ever it should be thus done to poor sinners; O, how will this advance the comfort of a Believers Adoption, when we shall come to consider, that by vertue of this Adoption, he comes to be in a Relation to God as to a Father, so to Christ as to a Brother.—A Brother, and what Brother? that so you may come to understand the blessing of this Priviledge; and if it may be, that we may every one of us, that have any hope towards God, take shame to our selves, that we should be so spirited, and should not come to look more into Gospel-priviledges, the priviledge of Justification, and of Adoption; that we should not search into them, and have our hearts more affected with them. Now I say, that you may come to be the more affected with this, and to know how the comfort is advanc'd to us, consider what a Brother Christ is:
A Brother, not such a Brother as he in the Gospel, Luk. 15. when his younger Brother had plaid the Prodigal, and had spent his estate upon lend persons, in a course of riotous living, he comes home and humbles himself to his Father, and confesseth; Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. He comes home, and the Father entertains him, and falls upon his neck and kisseth him, and kills the fatted Calf, and provides the best robe for him, and calls his Friends together, Let us rejoyce and make merry, This my Son was dead, and is alive, he was lost, and is found; and they began to be merry. The elder Brother, he comes out of the field, and hears the musick, and these rejoycings, and he begins to take it in indignation, and his spirit begins to boyl within him, and he begins to grumble at it; O Father (saith he) I am thy elder Son, and I have carried it thus and thus to thee, and thou never didst thus to me. Here was a Brother, but a Brother of somewhat an unbrotherly spirit, towards his repenting and returning Brother. Is Christ such a Brother? An elder Brother, but a Brother of a sweeter spirit than this. When a poor younger Brother comes home, and confesseth his miscarriages to his Father, the Father entertains him, and there's joy in heaven under such a returning soul. Well, doth the elder Brother come and pout, and take on, and discover a spirit of discontent; no, it's the joy of Christ's heart; O Brother, welcom Brother; well dear Brother, I rejoyce in you; I, you shall have your elder Brothers garments to put on.
A Brother, how a Brother? Truly such a Brother as Ioseph was to his Brethren.
A Brother, a Shepherd; the Stone, the Shepherd of Israel, who being himself as it was with Ioseph, he being advanc'd to honour in Pharaoh's Court, he entertains his Brethren, and speaks kindly to them at length, after some reservation of himself; his bowels melt over them, and entertains them, and uses them kindly, and bestows largely upon them, and rejoyces in them: And so it is with Jesus our elder Brother, our Ioseph; he is glad to have his Brethren about him, and his heart melts over them.
And if so be that Christ's poor Brethren should argue the case as Ioseph's Brethren did, and say, It may be our Brother, now living in honour, and prosperity, and glory, it may be he will remember all the unkindness that we shewed him; we sold our Brother Ioseph for a slave, and he now being in place and power, will be avenged on us: Oh, what said Ioseph to his Brethren? No, no my Brethren, my honour is for your advantage, I shall not remember the wrongs and injuries that you have done me, but I look up to the hand of my God that sent me into Egypt before you, to preserve seed alive. So it is with Jesus, and much more if his poor Brethren should begin to have misgivings of heart concerning him, and think thus: O, our elder Brother, he is now in glory and honour, and at the Fathers right hand, and will he not remember all the unkindness we have done him? how we have wounded him, and how unworthy we have carryed it towards him; will he not keep all this in remembrance? No, nothing of this shall be remembred against his Brethren; but in the midst of the Church will I sing praise to thee, and I will rejoyce with my Brethren; O my Father, these are Brethren that my soul takes delight and pleasure in.
And then again, Such a Brother is Christ, as indeed is born for adversity; a Brother is born for adversity: O, Christ was born for adversity, for the adversities of his People, that he might relieve them; and he was pleased to come into adversity himself, that he might deliver the souls of his People from all their adversity: Such a Brother is Christ, an elder Brother.
And such a Brother, as will do the part of a Brother. It belong'd to a Brother under the Law, if his Brother died, to raise up seed to his Brother: Why truly, Jesus our elder Brother, will raise up seed to his Brethren. And what's the meaning of that? He will maintain a seed of Grace in their souls, and he will maintain them.—I, he will raise up seed, that is, their bodies that lay in the dust, he will raise up at the last day. Now, what a priviledge is this, to be in Relation to Christ, as to a Brother, by vertue of the Fathers Adoption to us?—That Jesus Christ should not be ashamed, to call us his People, Brethren. These are the fountains of comfort, and do spring from Lebanon; which if we were but well acquainted in them, would stream out, to the gladding and refreshing of the souls of Believers. —Consider the priviledge of Justification, and how the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus promotes the comfort of that;—the priviledge of Adoption, and how the Knowledge of Jesus Christ it doth promote the comfort of that. A Brother, O a Brother indeed; a Brother, that though he have a double portion, as the elder Brethren had; yet he will see to it, that all his Brethren shall become portioners with him; Father, I will that those thou hast given me, be where I am; one house shall hold us Brethren, and we will have one Inheritance: And though I am the chief among the Brethren, yet I own them as my Brethren; they shall fare as I fare, and they shall share as I share; for the substance of the portion, they shall share as I share, they shall be where I am, they shall see the glory that I have had with thee; and I cannot be contented to be in heaven, and to live there, without my Brethren. Here's the priviledge now; and if so be that we were not wofully implunged in the world, and of imbased spirits, O the thoughts of these things would make our hearts to spring up within us, in holy admirings of that rich and glorious Grace which by the Lord Jesus Christ we are called unto the fellowship of.