OF COMMUNION WITH GOD. 7
to God, 2 Cor. iii. ]5, 16, etc. But now in Christ we have ^bold- ness and access with confidence to God, Eph. iii. 12. Tliis boldness and access with confidence the saints of old were not acquainted with. By Jesus Christ alone, then, on all considei'ations as to being and full manifestation, is this distance taken away. He hath con- secrated for us a new and living way (the old being quite shut up), "through the va,il, that is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. 20 ; and " through him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father," Eph. ii. 18. " Ye who sometimes were far ofi", are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace," etc., verses 13, 14. Of this foundation of all our communion with God, more afterward, and at large. Upon this new bottom and foundation, by this new and living way, are sinners admitted unto communion with God, and have fellowship) with him. And truly, for sinners to have fellowship with God, the infinitely holy God, is an astonishing dispensation.^ To speak a little of it in general : — Communion relates to things and persons. A joint participation in any thing whatever, good or evil,^ daty or enjoy- ment, nature or actions, gives this denomination to them so partaking of it. A common interest in the same nature gives all men a fellow- ship or communion therein. Of the elect it is said, Ta vaibla. -/.ixoi- )imy\%i gapzos ■/.a,! ai/j^arog, Heb. ii. 14, "Those children partook of" (or had fellowship in, with the rest of the world) "flesh and blood," — the same common nature with the rest of mankind ; and, therefore, Christ also came into the same fellowship: Kal avrhg TapaTXrigfcag [jjirie-xi rojv airSiv. There is also a communion as to state and con- dition, whether it be good or evil ; and this, either in things internal and spiritual, — such as is the communion of saints among themselves; or in respect of outward things. So was it with Christ and the two thieves, as to one condition, and to one of them in respect of another. They were h tw ahrOj x^Z/Aar/,— under the same sentence to the cross, Luke xxiii. 40, " ejusdem doloris socii." They had communion as to that evU condition whereunto they were adjudged ; and one of them requested (which he also obtained) a participation in that blessed condition whereupon our Saviovu' was immediately to enter. There is also a communion or fellowship in actions, whether good or evil. In good, is that communion and fellowsliip in the gospel, or in the performance and celebration of that worship of God which in the gospel is instituted; which the saints do enjoy, Phil. i. 5; which, as to the general kind of it, David so rejoices in, Ps. xlil 4. In evil, was
' Tlayf/iiria's xcc) Triv •ffpovaycdyhv ev '^rt'TroifnTH.
2 1 Jtillll iii. 1. ^i?,!uv fi'iv ovrav, ouhh l-J liKaio^ijvr,;- 'hiKa.ioi'hi Hans ■jr^ocrcliovra.i (piXias.
— Arist. Etli., lib. viii. cap. 1.
* " Queraadmodum enim nobis arrliabonem Spiritus reliquit, ita et a nobis arrhabonem carnis accepit, et vexit in coelum, pignus totius sumnite iliac quau- doque redigeuda3." — 'Tertul. De Resur., c. Ii.
8 OF COMMUNION WITH COD.
that wherein Simeon and Levi were bi'ethren, Gen. xlix. 5. They had communion in that cruel act of revenge and murder. Our com- munion with God is not comprised in any one of these kinds; of some of them it is exclusive. It cannot be natural; it must be vo- luntary and by consent. It cannot be of state and conditions; but in actions. It cannot be in the same actions upon a third party ; but in a return from one to another. The infinite disparity that is be- tween God and man, made the gi'eat philosopher conclude that there could be no friendship between them.^ Some distance in the per- sons holding friendship he could allow, nor could exactly determine the bounds and extent thereof; but that between God and man, in his apprehension, left no place for it. Another says, indeed, that there is "communitas homini cum Deo," — a certain fellowship between God and man; but the general intercourse of providence is all he apprehended. Some arose to higher expressions; but they under- stood nothing whereof they spake. This knowledge is hid in Christ ; as will afterward be made to appear. It is too wonderful for nature, as sinful and corrupted. Terror and apprehensions of death at the presence of God is all that it guides unto. But we have, as was said, a neiu foundation, and a new discovery of this privilege.
Now, communion is the mutual communication of such good things as wherein the persons holding that communion are delighted, bottomed upon some union between them. So it was with Jonathan and David ; their souls clave to one another (1 Sam. xx. 1 7) in love.^ There was the union of love between them; and then they really communicated all issues of love mutually,' In spiritual things this is more eminent: those who enjoy this communion have the most excel- lent union for the foundation of it ; and the issues of that union, which they mutually communicate, are the most precious and eminent.
Of the union which is the foundation of all that communion we have with God I have spoken largely elsewhere, and have nothing fartlier to add thereunto.