persons acceptable, and our actions well-pleasing, in the sight of God. And thus I believe in the holy catholick church.

The Communion of Saints.

THIS part of the Article beareth something a later date than any of the rest, but yet is no way inferior to the other in relation to the certainty of the truth thereof. And the late admission of it into the Creed will be thus far. advantageous, that thereby we may be the better assured of the true intent of it, as it is placed in the Creed. For it will be no way fit to give any other explication of these words as the sense of the Creed, than what was then understood by the church of God, when they were first inserted.

If we look upon the first institution of the church, and the original condition of those persons who received the gospel, how they "were all together, and had all things common;" how "they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need;" how St. Paul urged" an equality, that the abundance of some might supply the want of others, as it was written, He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack:" we might well conceive that the communion (which word might be taken for communication) of the saints, may signify the great charity, bounty, and community among the people of God.

But seeing that community, precisely taken, was not of eternal obligation, nor actually long continued in the church; seeing I conceive this Article doth not wholly look upon that which is already past; and especially, seeing I think neither that custom, nor that notion was then generally received in the church, when this communion of saints was first inserted, I shall therefore endeavour to show that communion which is attributed to the saints both according to the fathers who have delivered it, and according to the scriptures from whence they derived it.

Now all communion being between such as are some way different and distinct, the communion of the saints

may either be conceived between them and others, or be tween themselves; between them and others, as differing from them, either in their nature or their sanctity; between themselves, as distinct in person only, or condition also. Wherefore if we can first understand who or what kind of persons these are who are called saints, with whom beside themselves, and how among themselves, in this relation as they are the saints, they have communion: and, lastly, in what the nature of that communion in each respect consisteth; I know not what can be thought wanting to the perfect explication of the communion of saints.

That we may understand what communion the saints have with others, it will be necessary first to consider what it is to be a saint, in what the true nature of saintship doth consist, by what the saints are distinguished from others. Again; that we may understand what communion the saints have with or among themselves, it will be farther necessary to consider who are those persons to whom that title doth belong, what are the various conditions of them, that we may be able to comprehend all such as are true saints, and thence conclude the communion between them all.

I take it first for granted, that though the Greek word which we translate saints, be in itself as applicable to things, as persons, yet in this Article it signifieth not holy things, but holy ones, that is, persons holy. Secondly; I take it also for granted, that the singular Holy One, the Holy One of Israel, the Fountain of all sanctity, the Sanctifier of all saints, is not comprehended in the Article, though the communion of the holy ones with that singular, eminent, and transcendent Holy One, be contained in it. Thirdly; I take it farther for granted, that the word in this article, which we translate saints, is not taken in the original of the Creed, as it is often taken in the translation of the old testament, for the sanctuary, as if the communion were nothing else but a right of communicating or participating of the holy things of God. Lastly; I take it also for granted, that although the blessed and holy angels are sometimes called in the scriptures by the name of saints, yet they are not those

saints who are here said to have the communion, though the saints have communion with them.

For this part of the Article hath a manifest relation to the former, in which we profess to believe the holy church; which church is therefore holy, because those persons are such, or ought to be, who are within it, the church itself being nothing else but a collection of such persons. To that confession is added this communion; but because though the church be holy, yet every person contained in it is not truly so, therefore is added this part of the Article which concerneth those who are truly such. There is therefore no doubt but the saints mentioned here are members of the church of Christ, as we have described it, built upon the Apostles, laid upon the foundation of their doctrine, who do not only profess the gospel, but also are sanctified thereby.

The only question then remaining is, in what their sanctity or saintship doth consist, and (because though they who are believers since our Saviour's death, be truly and more highly sanctified, yet such as lived before and under the law, the patriarchs, the prophets, and the servants of God were so called, and were truly named the saints of God) who are the persons who are capable of that demonination?

Now seeing God himself hath given a rule unto his people, which is both in the nature of a precept and of a pattern: ("Be ye holy, as I the Lord your God am holy:" 66 Be ye holy"-there is the command; "as the Lord your God is holy"-there is the rule) seeing it is impossible that we should have the same sanctity which is in God, it will be necessary to declare what is this holiness which maketh men to be accounted holy ones, and to be called saints.

The true notion of saints is expressed by Moses both as to the subject, and the affection or qualification of it; for they are called by him " men of holiness;" such are the persons understood in this Article, which is the communion of men of holiness. Now holiness in the first acception of it signifieth separation, and that with the relation of a double term, of one from which the separation is made, and of the other to which that which is

separated is applied. Those things which were counted holy under the law were separated from common use, and applied to the service of God; and their sanctity was nothing else but that separation from and to those terms; from a use and exercise profane and common, to a use and exercise peculiar and divine. Thus all such persons as are called from the vulgar and common condition of the world unto any peculiar service or relation unto God, are thereby denominated holy, and in some sense receive the name of saints. The penmen of the old testament do often speak of the people of Israel as of an "holy nation," and God doth speak unto them as to a people holy unto himself; because he had chosen them out of all the nations of the world, and appropriated them to himself. Although therefore most of that nation were rebellious to him who called them, and void of all true inherent and actual sanctity; yet because they were all in that manner separated, they were all, as to that separation, called holy. In the like manner, those of the new testament writing to such as were called, and had received, and were baptized in, the faith, give unto them all the name of saints, as being in some manner such, by being called and baptized. For seeing baptism is a washing away of sin, and the purification from sin is a proper sanctification; seeing every one who is so called and baptized is thereby separated from the rest of the world who are not and all such separation is some kind of sanctification; seeing, though the work of grace be not perfectly wrought, yet when the means are used, without something appearing to the contrary, we ought to presume of the good eftherefore all such as have been received into the church, may be in some sense called holy.

So,

fect;

But because there is more than an outward vocation, and a charitable presumption, necessary to make a man holy; therefore we must find some other qualification which must make him really and truly such, not only by an extrinsical denomination, but by a real and internal affection. What this sanctity is, and who are capable of this title properly, we must learn out of the gospel of Christ: by which alone, ever since the church of Christ was founded, any man can become a saint. Now by the

tenor of the gospel we shall find that those are truly and properly saints who are "sanctified in Christ Jesus ;" first, in respect of their holy faith, by which they are regenerated; for "whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God;" by which they are purged, God himself "purifying their hearts by faith," whereby "they are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus;" "in whom also after that they believe, they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise," Acts xv. 9; 1 Cor. vi. 11; Eph. i. 13. Secondly, in respect of their conversation: for "as he which hath called them is holy," so are "they holy in all manner of conversation;" "adding to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity, that they may neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. i. 5. Such persons then as are called by a holy calling, and not disobedient unto it; such as are endued with a holy faith, and purified thereby; such as are sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God; and by virtue thereof do lead a holy life, "perfecting ho liness in the fear of God," such persons, I say, are really and truly saints; and being of the church of Christ, (as all such now must of necessity be) are the proper subject of this part of the article, the communion of saints, as it is added to the former, the holy catholick church.

Now as these are the saints of the church of Christ, from whence they were called "the churches of the saints;" so there was never any church of God but there were such persons in it as were saints: we read in the psalms, of "the congregation and the assembly of the saints;" and Moses assured the people of Israel, that "all the saints of God were in his hand:" we read in the Prophets, of the "saints of the Most High;" and at our Sa viour's death "the bodies of such saints which slept arose." Where again we may observe that they were saints while their bodies were in the grave; as Aaron in the time of David kept the name of "the Saint of the Lord." Such as are holy in their lives do not lose their sanctity, but improve it at their deaths; nor can they No. XV.

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