The primitive christians were fully sensible of this, and therefore we find them continually keeping up communion with each other: for what says the scripture? They continued stedfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, _Acts_ ii. 42. _Peter_ and _John_ were no sooner dismissed by the great council, than they haste away to their companions. “And being set at liberty they came to their own, and told them all these things which the high priest had said unto them,” _Acts_ iv. 23. _Paul_, as soon as converted, “tarried three days with the disciples that were at _Damascus_,” _Acts_ ix. 19. And _Peter_ afterwards, when released from prison, immediately goes to the house of _Mary_, where there were “great multitudes assembled, praying,” _Acts_ xii. 12. And it is reported of the christians in after-ages, that they used to assemble together before day-light, to sing a psalm to CHRIST as GOD. So precious was the _Communion of Saints_ in those days.
If it be asked, what advantages we shall reap from such a procedure now? I answer, much every way. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour: for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe be to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Which directly leads me to my Second general head, under which I was to assign some reasons why “two are better than one,” especially in _Religious Society_.
1. As man in his present condition cannot always stand upright, but by reason of the frailty of his nature cannot but fall; one eminent reason why two are better than one, or, in other words, one great advantage of religious society is, “That when they fall, the one will lift up his fellow.”
And an excellent reason this, indeed! For alas! when we reflect how prone we are to be drawn into error in our judgments, and into vice in our practice; and how unable, at least how very unwilling, to espy or correct our own miscarriages; when we consider how apt the world is to flatter us in our faults, and how few there are so kind as to tell us the truth; what an inestimable privilege must it be to have a set of true, judicious, hearty friends about us, continually watching over our souls, to inform us where we have fallen, and to warn us that we fall not again for the future. Surely it is such a privilege, that (to use the words of an eminent christian) we shall never know the value thereof, till we come to glory.
But this is not all; for supposing that we could always stand upright, yet whosoever reflects on the difficulties of religion in general, and his own propensity to lukewarmness and indifference in particular, will find that he must be zealous as well as steady, if ever he expects to enter the kingdom of heaven. Here, then, the wise man points out to us another excellent reason why two are better than one. “Again, if two lye together, then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone?” Which was the next thing to be considered.
2. A second reason why two are better than one, is because they can impart heat to each other.
It is an observation no less true than common, that kindled coals, if placed asunder, soon go out, but if heaped together, quicken and enliven each other, and afford a lasting heat. The same will hold good in the case now before us. If christians kindled by the grace of GOD, unite, they will quicken and enliven each other; but if they separate and keep asunder, no marvel if they soon grow cool or tepid. If two or three meet together in CHRIST’s name, they will have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
Observe, “How can one be warm alone?” The wise man’s expressing himself by way of question, implies an impossibility, at least a very great difficulty, to be warm in religion without company, where it may be had. Behold here, then, another excellent benefit flowing from religious society; it will keep us zealous, as well as steady, in the ways of godliness.
But to illustrate this a little farther by a comparison or two. Let us look upon ourselves (as was above hinted) as soldiers listed under CHRIST’s banner; as going out with “ten thousand, to meet one that cometh against us with twenty thousand;” as persons that are to “wrestle not only with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places.” And then tell me, all ye that fear GOD, if it be not an invaluable privilege to have a company of fellow soldiers continually about us, animating and exhorting each other to stand our ground, to keep our ranks, and manfully to follow the captain of our salvation, though it be through a sea of blood?