Our communion, then, with God consisteth in his communication of himself unto us, tvith our returnal unto him of that which he ro- quireth and accepteth, flowing from that union* which in Jesus Christ
'Axj/Srif /Av out \\i ToitUTois cvx iVt;» i^ifff^os, iaj{ t'ivo; ol (piXov ToWuv ya.^ a(paiptv/ii- »wv, tri fiivti, -s-oXu Si ;^;ii)j/(r('ivT;,-, ^7ov tou 0iov cvk 'in. — Aristot. Kth., lib. viii. c. 7; Cicer. de Nar. Door., lib. i. 2 yiavra ra rruv (piXuv »eivd.
^ Ka! « 'Xa.^oif/.ia,, xoiva to, ifiXiiv, o^fcLsy £v x-oivuvla yae ri (fiiXix. — Arist. Ktll., viii.
' " Nostra quippc et i^isius conjiinctio, nee miscet pcisonas, nee unit substantias, sed aflFectus consociat, ot conftpclorat vohintatos." — Cyp. de Ca3i). Domini. [No treatise of Cyprian bears sueh a title. Tbere is a treatise, " De Cmiia Domini," as- cribed to Cypriaji, Itut on grounds so questionable and insufficient that it is some- times not included amoiijj;- bis supposititious works. A statement referring to the union between Christ and bis jjeople, as illustrated by the sacramental elements, occurs in his letter to Ccccilins, " J )e Sacramento Dominici Calicis j" but the words of the above quotation arc not contained in it.]
OF COMMUNION WITH EACH PERSON DISTINCTLY. 9
we have with him. And it is twofold: — 1. Perfect and complete, ill the full fruition of his glory and total giving up of ourselves to him, resting in him as our utmost end; which we shall enjoy when we see him as he is; — and, 2. Initial and incomplete, in the first- fruits and dawnings of that perfection which we have here in grace; which only I shall handle.
It is, then, I say, of that mutual communication^ in giving and receiving, after a most holy and spiritual manner, which is between God and the saints while they walk together in a covenant of peace, ratified in the blood of Jesus, whereof we are to treat. And this vv^e shall do, if God pemiit; in the meantime praying the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath, of the riches of his grace, recovered us from a state of enmity into a condition of communion and fellowship Avith himself, that both he that writes, and they that read the words of his mercy, may have such a taste of his sweetness and excellencies therein, as to be stirred up to a farther longing after the fulness of his salvation, and the eternal fruition of him in glory.
CHAPTER II.
That the saints have this communion distinctly with the Father, Son, and Spirit — I John V. 7 opened to this purpose; also, 1 Cor. xii. 4-0, Eph. ii. 18 — Father and Son mentioned jointly in this communion ; the Father solely, the Son also, and the Holy Ghost singly — The saints' respective regard in all worship to each person manifested — Faith in the Father, John v. 9, 10; and love towards him, 1 John ii. 15, Mai. i. 6 — So in prayer and praise — It is so Uke- wise with the Son, John xiv. 1 — Of our communion with the Holy Ghost — The truth farther confirmed.
That the saints have communion with God, and what communion in general is, was declared in the first chapter. The 'manner how this communion is carried on, and the matter wherein it doth consist, comes next under consideration. For the first, in respect of the dis- tinct persons of the Godhead with whom they have this fellowship, it is either distinct and pecuUar, or else obtained and exercised jointly and in common. That the saints have distinct communion with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (that is, distinctly with the Father, and distinctly with the Son, and distinctly with the Holy Spirit), and in what the peculiar appropriation of this distinct com-
' " Magna etiam ilia communitas est, quse conficitur ex bcneficiis ultro citro, datis acceptis." — Cic. Off., lib. i. c. 17.
J 0 OF CO.^IMUXIOX WITH EACH PERSON DISTINCTLY.
munion unto the several persons doth consist, must, in the first place, be made manifest/
1 John V. 7, the apostle tells us, " There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." In heaven they are, and bear witness to us. And what is it that they bear wit- ness inito? Unto the sonship of Christ, and the salvation of believers in his blood. Of the can-ying on of that, both by l)lood and water, justification and sanctification, is he there treating. Now, how do they bear witness hereunto ? even as three, as three distinct witnesses. When God witnesseth concerning our salvation, surely it is incumbent on us to receive his testimony. And as he beareth witness, so are we to receive it. Now this is done distinctly. The Father beareth witness, the Son beareth witness, and the Holy Spirit beareth witness ; for they are three distinct witnesses. So, then, are we to receive their several testimonies : and in doing so we have communion with them severally; for in this giving and receiving of testimony consists no small part of our fellowship Avith God. Wherein their distinct wit- nessing consists will be afterward declared.
1 Cor. xii. 4-6, the apostle, speaking of the distribution of gifts and graces unto the saints, ascribes them distinctly, in respect of the fountain of their communication, unto the distinct persons. " There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit,"^- — " that one and the self- same Spirit;" that is, the Holy Ghost, verse 11. " And there are dif- ferences of administrations, but the same Lord," the same Lord Jesus, verse 5. " And there a,re diversities of operations, but it is the same God," etc., even the Father, Eph. iv. 6. So graces and gifts are bestowed, and so are they received.