A Treatise of Conversion, Chapter 1 · Section 15
SECT. XV.
4. THe fourth Means of Salvation which Conversion turneth the heart of a man to, is the Communion of the Saints. Before Conversion, the Nature, and sometime the very name of a Saint is loathsome to them; though God hath told us that without Holiness none shall see him, Heb. 12. 14. And that all his people are called, and sanctified, and none but they shall be glorified; yet how commonly do we hear men make a mock at the very name of Saints: These are the Saints, say they; these are the holy Brethren. When the blood of Christ is shed to sanctifie men; when the spirit of Grace is sent from heaven to sanctifie men, and hath made it his Office; when all that God doth by his word and ordinances is to sanctifie men: when all true Christians are sanctified men, or Saints; and the Church it self is a company of Saints; and when sanctification is nothing else but our devotedness to God that made and redeemed us. Yet dare these Impious wretches open their mouthes against Sanctity, coming neer to the scorning of God himself, and to Reproaching the Word and the will of God! yea, and to some kind of blaspheming the Holy Ghost. Its natural to a wicked man to hate a Saint, Gen. 3. 15. An enmity is put between them: and the first two men that were born into the world did manifest that enmity, for Cain killed his brother Abel; because his own works were evil, and his brothers Righteous, 1 Joh. 3. 12. Heb. 11. 4. And Christ himself telleth his Disciples, that because they are not of the world, but he hath chosen them out of the world, therefore the world hateth them; but if they were of the world, the world would love her own, Joh. 15. 19. Yea, on this very account it first hated Christ himself, Joh. 15. 8. and therefore no wonder if the communion of the Saints be abhorred, or not delighted in by the ungodly, even while they make it an Article of their Creed. But when once the soul is truly converted, there is a likeness to God and his Saints, put upon them; and a natural love to them Implanted in their hearts, and thereupon a strong inclination to have communion with them in the worship of God, and the way to Heaven; as many drops of water will gather into one; or many small streams will run into one River; or many small flames if you bring them neer will make all into one; and every thing is enclined as it were to Incorporate with its like, so is it with the truly sanctified soul: the same means will not serve their turns, if they have it not in Communion, Act. 4. 32. the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul: and they distributed to one another, as every one had need; and Charity made that common which Law had made proper, Act. 2. 43. They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread and prayer; and they that believed were together, and had all things common [that is, by Charity, as I said before] and they continued daily with one accord in the Temple, breaking bread from house to house. Certainly there is in all the children of God, such a love to their brethren, that they love their company, especially in the holy worship of him that redeemed them. False hearted Christians, that have but the name, may have the hearts of Heathens, and do as they did, who were unacquainted with Christian love, but so will not the true. Hence it is that the Christians in all ages have so valued the Sacrament, which hath been still called the communion of the Church, or of Saints; because there they all joyn together to feed upon one Christ, and taste of the Supper of the Lord as the Fellow-Heirs of his Glory: And as many corns made one loaf of bread, so are they, as the Apostle speaks, one bread and one body: For the bread which they break, it is the communion of the Body of Christ, and the cup which they drink, is the communion of his Blood, 1 Cor. 10. 16. And hence it is, that it hath ever been so heavy a punishment in the eyes of all Christians to be excommunicate, and that out of the fellowship of the Church: (though there are also other reasons greater then this) so that the poor Christians if they had fallen into any sin that deserved excommunication, they would have stood with tears at the Church doors, month after month, entreating the Prayers of the Church that they might be pardoned, and be sit to be taken in again; and this even when Christianity was so persecuted, that it was matter of danger to a mans life to be a Christian, so precious then was the communion of Saints: every Lords day did they administer the Lords Supper, that they might be frequent in that part of Communion: and therefore they highly esteemed the Lords days, because they were the days of the Churches holy Communion. Do not marvell then, if any true converted soul have a closing, uniting, combining Disposition; and if they love to be together in the holy worship and service of God; and if they are glad when they can get together in the publike meeting place, or any other convenient place, to joyn together and help each other in the work that is common to all. I know there may be some upright souls live among such as hinder them from that communion which they would have; but their hearts are towards it, and they will have it if they can: I know also that the Heathens and Papists, and all enemies of the Church have still defamed the communion of Christians, and such as joyn to seek the Lord: and if any evil fall out among them, they would lay it all on their meeting and communion: But yet this malice of the Devil could never break the Assembly and communion of the Saints. I know also, that many Hereticks are much addicted to secret combination, and to lye together in their way; But thats natural for men to love their like in evil; so drunkards can flock together to an Ale-house, but it is not so natural to delight in good: Other mens communion in evil doth not disgrace but commend our communion in the fear of God. Satan hath his Legions that can agree in one man; but they are not such as the Legions that attended upon Christ. What, must Christ have no School or Army because Satan hath one? Must we dissipate because the wicked always associate? There are means sufficient left us to discern the communion of the Church of Christ from all ungodly and Heretical combinations whatsoever. Though there be some stings in the Church of Christ among the Bees, yet there is more Honey. The meetings of Hereticks are like the nests of Wasps, they are all sting & no honey: saith Tertullian, Vespe habent favos, & Marcionit… Ecclesias: Wasps have combs too, and Hereticks make Churches: the combs of the Bees and of the Wasps may be very like to look upon; but the honey is not like, nor the sting altogether: It is not to seed on the Doctrine of Christ, and live to him, that Hereticks do combine, but it is to divide the Church, and shew their error, and pride, and to sting and despise others. So that, their meetings are nothing like the meeting of the Church in many regards. I beseech you now beloved hearers, try how your hearts are affected to the matter in hand. If you are true converts, your very hearts are among the Saints: It doth you good especially to joyn with them in publick; and especially in the two Duties of praising God and receiving the Sacraments, which are the most proper to the Church. And also it will do you good to have communion with them in private. In Prayer, in conference, in any holy work: you are where you would be when you are thus imployed: you do not do like the hypocritical world, to say I believe the communion of Saints; and at the same time either hate and scorn, or at least neglect and set light by the communion of Saints. It is not to every wicked man that the Promise is made, Where two or three are met together in Christs name, there is … in the midst of them, Mat. 18. 20. And its not for nothing, that the Saints delight in this communion; For as here is most of Gods blessing and most help from one another, so when they are neerest to one another, they are all neerest to Christ: and their closure and communion is a foretaste of their communion in Glory: For their happiness lieth in their being one with Christ and among themselves, Joh. 17. 21, and Christ died of purpose to gather into one the children of God that are scattered throughout the world, Joh. 11. 11, 52. And it is Gods design in the work of Redemption to gather together in one, all things in Christ, Eph. 1. 10. And as he therefore gives his Prophets, Apostles, Ministers to the Church for the perfection of the Saints, and edifying the body till it be all come in the unity of the faith to a perfect man, that we may grow up in him who is the head in all things, from whom the body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, to the edifying of it self in love, Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14, 16. So also at the day of Judgement shall the Angels gather the Elect together from the four winds, Mat. 24. 31. and they shall be one in Christ for ever, Joh. 17. 21. great reason therefore have the Saints to make out after more of that which their perfection doth so much consist in. Other men may have some delight in the company and Assembly of Christians for by Respects: but to love the communion of the Saints, as such, and delight in them as the body of Christ implyed in his Praises, this is the proper disposition of a Saint. And this is another thing that Conversion doth turn their hearts un to.