Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

That the saints have communion with God — 1 John i. 3 considered to that purpose — Somewhat of the nature of communion in general.

Il-f tlie Fii'st Epistle of John, cliap. i., verse S, the apostle assures them to whom he v/rote that the fellowship of believers "is with the Father,, and with his Son Jesus Christ:"^ and this he doth with such an unusual kind of expression as bears the force of an asseveration ; whence Ave have rendered it, " Truly om- fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

The outward appearance and condition of the saints in those days being very mean and contemptible, — their leaders being accounted as the filth of this world, and as the offscouring of aU things,^ — the inviting others unto fellowship with them, and a participation of the precious things which they did enjoy, seems to be exposed to many contrary reasonings and objections: " What benefit is there in communion with them? Is it any thing else but to be sharers in troubles, reproaches, scorns, and all manner of evils?" To prevent or remove these and the like exceptions, the apostle gives them to whom he wrote to know (and that with some earnestness of expression), that notwithstanding all the disadvantages their fellowship lay under, unto a carnal view, yet in truth it Vv'as, and would be found to be (in reference to some with whom they held it), very honourable, glorious, and desirable. For " truly," saith he, " cur fellowship is v»ith the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

This being so earnestly and directly asserted by the apostle, v/e may boldly follow him with our affirmation, — namely, " That the saints of God have communion luith him." And a holy and spiritual communion it is, as shall be declared. How this Ls spoken

' Kai h xoivuvia il h rifiiri^cc, etc.

' 'iU m^iKx^df/icara nu Kotrfiou. — 1 Cor. iv. 8-13; Rom. viii. 35, 3C; Ileb. x. 32-34. " Christiaiios ad Icones. Et puto, nos Deus apostolos novissinios elegit veluti bestiaries."— Tert. de Pud., Acts xvii. 18; Gal. vi. 12. " Semper casuris similes, nunc^uamque cadeutes."

distinctly in reference to the Father and the Son, must afterward be fully opened and carried on.

By nature, since the entrance of sin, no man hath any communion with God. He is light^ "we darkness; and what communion hath light with darkness ? He is life, we are dead, — he is love, and we are enmity; and what agi'eement can there be between us? Men in such a condition have neither Christ,'^ nor hope, nor God in the world, Eplx ii. 12; " being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them," chap. iv. 18. Now, two cannot walk together, unless they be agreed, Amos iii. 3. Whilst there is this distance between God and man, there is no lualJcing together for them in any fellowship or communion. Our first interest in God was so lost by sin,^ as that there was left unto us (in ourselves) no possibility of a recovery. As we had deprived ourselves of all power for a returnal, so God had not revealed any way of access unto himself; or that he could, imder any consideration, be approached unto by sinners in peace. Not any work that God had made, not any attribute that he had revealed, could give the least light into such a dispensation.

The manifestation of grace and pardoning mercy, which is the only door of entrance into any such communion, is not committed unto any but tmto him alone* in whom it is, liy whom that grace and mercy was purchased, through whom it is dispensed, who reveals it from the bosom of the Father. Hence this communion and fellowship Avith God is not in express terms mentioned in the Old Testament. The thing itself is found there ; but the clear light of it, and the boldness of faith in it, is discovered in the gospel, and by the Spirit administered therein. By that Spirit we have this liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18. Abraham was the friend of God, Isa. xh. 8; David, a man after his own heart; Enoch walked with him. Gen. V. 22 ; — all enjoying this communion and fellowship for the substance of it. But the way into the holiest was not yet made manifest whilst the first tabernacle was standing, Heb. ix. 8. Though they had communion with God, yet they had not Tappy^fflav, — a boldness and confidence in that communion. This folloAVS the entrance of our High Priest into the most holy place, Heb. iv. 16, x. 19. The vail also was upon them, that they had not sXivhpiuv, freedom and liberty in their access • 1 John i. 5; 2 Cor. vi. 14; Eph. v. 8; John v. 21; Matt. xxii. 32; Eph. ii. 1; 1 John iv. 8; Rom. viii. 7.

- " Magna hominis miseria est cum illo non esse, sine quo non potest esse." — August.

* John i. 18; Heb. x. 19-21. " Unus verusque Mediator per sacriticium pacis reconcilians nos Deo; unum cum illo manebat cui offerebat; unum in se fecit, pro quibus offerebat; unus ipse fuit, qui offorebat, et quod offerebat." — [Slightly changed from] August, de Triuit., iv. c. 14.

to God, 2 Cor. iii. 15, 16, etc. But now in Christ we liave ^boldness and access witli confidence to God, Eph. iii. 12. This boldness and access with confidence the saints of old were not acquainted with. By Jesus Clmst alone, then, on all considerations as to being and full manifestation, is this distance taken away. He hath consecrated for us a new and living way (the old being quite shut up), "through the vail, that is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. …