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Fourthly, The Saints of God in the Church of Chrift have communion with the holy Angels. They who did foretel the Birth of John the forerunner of Christ, they who did annunciate unto the blessed Virgin the Conception of the Saviour of the World, they who fung a glorious Hymn at the nativity of the Son of God, they who carried the Soul of Lazarus into Abraham's bofom, they who appeared unto Chrift from Heaven in his agony to ftrengthen him, they who opened the Prifon-doors and brought the Apoftles forth, they who at the end of the World fhall fever the wicked from among the juft, and gather together the elect of God, certainly they have a conftant and perpetnal relation to the Children of God. Nay, Are they not all miniftring spirits fent forth to minifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation? They have a particular fenfe of our condition, for Christ hath Luke 15. 1o. affured us that there is joy in the prefence of the Angels of God over one finner that repenteth. And upon this relation, the Angels, who are all the Angels, that is, the meffengers of God, are yet called the Angels of men, Matth.18.10. according to the admonition of Chrift, Take heed that ye defpife not one of thefe little ones, for I fay unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Heb. I. 14.

Thus far have we confidered the Communion of Saints with fuch as are diftinguished from them by nature as they are men; the fellowship which they have in Heaven with God, and his holy Angels, while they are on Earth. Our next confideration will be, what is the communion which they have with those who are of the fame nature, but not partakers of the fame holiness with them.

Fifthly therefore, The Saints of God, while they are of the Church of Christ on Earth, have fome kind of communion with those men which are truly Saints. There were not hypocrites among the Jews alone, but in the Church of Chrift many cry, Lord, Lord, whom he knoweth not. The Tares have the privilege of the Field, as well as the Wheat; and the bad Fish of the Net, as well as the good. The Saints have communion with hypocrites in all things with which the distinction of a Saint and Hypocrite can confift. They communicate in the fame Water, both externally baptized alike, they communicate in the fame Creed, both make the fame open profeffion of Faith, both agree in the acknowledgment of the fame principles of Religion; they communicate in the fame Word, both hear the fame Doctrine preached; they communicate at the fame Table, both eat the fame Bread, and drink the Wine, which Chrift hath appointed to be received : but the Hypocrite doth not communicate with the Saint in the fame faving Grace, in the fame true Faith working by love, and in the fame renovation of Mind and Spirit; for then he were not an Hypocrite but a Saint: a Saint doth not communicate with the Hypocrite in the fame fins, in the fame lurking infidelity, in the fame unfruitfulness under the means of Grace, in the fame false pretence and empty form of Godliness; for then he were not a Saint but an Hypocrite. Thus the Saints may communicate with the wicked, fo they communicate not with their wickedness; and may have felEphef. 5. 11. lowship with finners, fo they have no fellowship with that which makes them My Culo fuch, that is, their Sins. The Apostle's Command runneth thus, Have no νετε τοῖς ἔροις. 1 Tim. 5. 22. fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; and again, Be not parta Μὴ κοινώνει kers of other mens fins: and a voice from Heaven fpake concerning BabyTais aμagli- lon, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her fins. To communicate with fin is fin, but to communicate with a finner in that which is not fin, can be no fin; because the one defileth, and the other cannot, and that which defileth not is no fin.

αις.

Rev. 18.

va un C

κοινωνήσαζε

4.

ταῖς ἁμαρτι

a. Duobus modis non te maculat malus, fi ei non confentias, & fi redarguas. Communicatur enim quando facto ejus confortium voluntatis vel approbationis adjungitur. Hoc ergo admonens Apoftolus ait, Nolue communicare operibus infructuofis tenebrarum, magis autem redarguite. S. Aug. de Verbis Domh. Serm. 18.

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Having

Having thus confidered those who differ from the Saints of God; first, in refpect of their humanity, as they are men; fecondly, in reference to their fanctity, as they are men of holiness: we are now to confider fuch as differ either only in perfon, as the Saints alive; or in prefent condition alfo, as the Saints departed.

Κοινωνία μελ

Sixthly, therefore, the Saints of God living in the Church of Christ, have communion with all the Saints living in the fame Church. If we walk in 1 John 1. 7. the light, we have fellowship one with another; we all have benefit of the fame ordinances, all partake of the fame promifes, we all are endued with the Graces of the fame mutual love and affection, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, all engrafted into the fame ftock, and for receiving life from the fame root, all holding the fame head, from which all Coloff. 2. 19. the body by joynts and bands having nourishment miniftred and knit together, increafeth with the increase of God. For in the Philofophy of the Apoftle, the nerves are not only the inftruments of motion and fenfation, but of nutrition alfo; fo that every member receiveth nourishment by their Intervention from the head; and being the head of the body is Chrift, and all the Saints are members of that body, they all partake of the fame nourishment, and fo have all communion among themselves.

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Laftly, The Saints of God living in the Church of Chrift, are in communion with all the Saints * departed out of this life and admitted to the pre- * This is that fence of God. Jerufalem fometimes is taken for the Church on earth, fome- part of the times for that part of the Church which is in heaven, to fhew that as both saints which are represented by one, fo both are but one City of God. Wherefore thus which thofe doth the Apostle fpeak to fuch as are called to the Chriftian Faith Te are ents especially come unto mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly infifted upon, Ferufalem, and an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Affem- who first took bly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God in the Greed. the judge of all, and to the Spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jefus Sanctorum the mediator of the new Covenant. Indeed the communion of Saints in the nem, i. e. Church of Chrift with those which are departed is demonftrated by their cum illis Sancommunion with the Saints alive. For if I have communion with a Saint &tis in hac of God, as fuch while he liveth here, I must still have communion with him pimus fide dewhen he is departed hence; because the foundation of that communion can- functi funt not be removed by death. The myftical union between Chrift and his fpei commuChurch, the fpiritual conjunction of the members to the Head, is the true nione teneafoundation of that communion which one member hath with another, all mur, Serm. the members living and increasing by the fame influence which they receive pore, Et qui from him. But death, which is nothing else but the feparation of the Soul nunc cognoffrom the Body, maketh no feparation in the mystical union, no breach of citis per authe fpiritual conjunction; and confequently there muft continue the fame munionem communion, because there remaineth the fame foundation. Indeed, the habeatis cum Saint departed, before his death had fome Communion with the hypocrite, tyribus, & per as hearing the word, profeffing the Faith, receiving the Sacraments together; illos cum Dowhich being in things only external, as they were common to them both, mino Jefu and all fuch external actions ceafing in the perfon dead, the hypocrite re- Paff. S. Perpemaining loseth all communion with the Saint departing, and the Saints fur- tu. viving ceafe to have farther fellowship with the hypocrite dying. But 23 the true and unfeigned holiness of man wrought by the powerful influence of the Spirit of God, not only remaineth, but also is improved after death; being the correfpondence of the internal holinefs was the communion between their perfons in their life, they cannot be faid to be divided by death, which had no power over that fanctity by which they were first conjoined

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This communion of the Saints in heaven and earth, upon the mystical union of Christ their Head, being fundamental and internal, what acts or external operations it produceth is not fo certain. That we communicate with them in hope of that happiness which they actually enjoy is evident; that we have the Spirit of God given us as an earnest, and so a part of their felicity is certain. But what they do in heaven in relation to us on earth particularly confidered, or what we ought to perform in reference to them in heaven, beside a reverential respect and study of imitation, is not revealed unto us in the Scriptures, nor can be concluded by neceffary deduction from any principles of Chriftianity. They which firft found this part of the Article in the Creed, and delivered their expofition unto us, have made no great*We have al- er enlargement of this communion, as to the, Saints of heaven, than the Soready produ- ciety of hope, esteem and imitation on our fide, of defires and fupplications ced the Words on their fide: and what is now taught by the Church of Rome, is, as un

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concerning Hope. In the fame we find also that of Imitation, Si igitur cum Sanctis in æterna vita communionem habere volumus, de imitatione eorum cogitemus. Debent enim in nobis aliquid recognofcere de fuis virtutibus, ut pro nobis dignentur Domino fupplicare, ib. Hæc funt veftigia quæ nobis fancti quoque revertentes in patriam nobis reliquerant, ut illorum femitis inhærentes fequeremur ad gaudia, ib. Befide this imitation, he addeth their Defires and Care for us below; Cur non properamus & currimus ut patriam noftram videre poffimus? Magnus illic charorum numerus expectat, parentum, fratrum, filiorum, frequens nos & copiofa turba defiderat jam de fua incolumitare fecura, adhuc de noftra falute folicita, ib. Of the venerable Efteem we ought to have for them, speaks Eufebius Gallicanus; Credamus & Sanctorum communionem, fed fanctos non tam pro Dei parte, quàm pro Dei honore veneremur. And again, Dignè nobis venerandi funt dum Dei cultum, & futuræ vitæ defiderium contemptu mortis infinuant. Thus far anciently they which expounded this Article: but the late Expofition of the Church of Rome runneth thus; Non folum Ecclefia quæ eft in terris communicat bona fua cum omnibus membris fibi conjunctis, fed etiam communicat fuffragia Ecclefie quæ eft in Purgatorio, & Ecclefia quæ eft in cælis communicat orationes, & merita fua cum Ecclefia que eft in terris, Bellar. in Symb. Where the Communication of the Suffrages of the Saints alive to the Church in Purgatory, and the Communication of the Merits of the Saints in Heaven to the Saints on Earth, are novel Expofitions of this Article, not fo much as acknowledged by Thomas Aquinas in his Explication of the Creed, much less to be found in any of the ancientor Expofitors of it.

2 Cor. 6.14,

15.

Acts 26. 18.

The ncceffity of the belief of this communion of Saints appeareth, First, x John 1.6,7. In that it is proper to excite and encourage us to holiness to life. If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. But if we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lye, and do not the truth. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion bath light with darknefs? and what concord hath Chrift with Belial? When Chrift fent S. Paul to the Gentiles, it was to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them which are fanctified by faith that is in Chrift. Except we be turned from darkness, except we be taken out of the power of Satan, which is the dominion of fin, we cannot receive the inheritance among them who are fanctified, we cannot be thought meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Indeed there can be no communion where there is no fimilitude, no fellowship with God without fome fanctity; because his nature is infinitely holy, and his actions are not fubject to the leaft iniquity.

Col. 1. 12.

2 Pet. 1. 4.
1 Sam. 18.18.

Secondly, The belief of the Communion of Saints is neceffary to ftir us up to a proportionate gratitude unto God, and an humble and chearful acknowledgment of fo great a benefit. We cannot but acknowledge that they are exceeding great and precious promifes, by which we become partakers of the divine nature. What am 1? faid David, and what is my life that I should be fon-in-law to the King? What are the Sons of men, what are they which are called to be Saints, that they fhould have fellowship with God John 14. 8. the Father? S. Philip the Apostle faid unto our Saviour, Lord, fhew us the Father and it fufficeth; whereas he hath not only fhewn us, but come

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unto us with the Father, and dwelt within us by his holy Spirit; he hath called us to the Fellowship of the Angels and Archangels, of the Cherubins and Seraphins, to the glorious Company of the Apoftles, to the goodly Fellowfhip of the Prophets, to the noble Army of Martyrs, to the Holy Church militant on Earth, and triumphant in Heaven.

Thirdly, The Belief of the Communion of Saints is neceffary to inflame our hearts with an ardent affection towards those which live, and a reverent refpect towards those which are departed and are now with God. Nearness of relation requireth affection, and that Man is unnatural who loveth not thofe perfons which nature hath more immediately conjoined to him. Now no conjunction natural can be compared with that which is fpiritual, no tem. poral relation with that which is eternal. If fimilitude of shape and feature will create a kindness, if congruity of manners and difpofition will conjoin affections, what fhould be the mutual love of those who have the image of the fame God renewed within them, of those who are indued with the gracious influences of the fame Spirit? "And if all the Saints of God living in the communion of the Church deferve the best of our affections here on Earth, certainly when they are diffolved and with Chrift, when they have been bleffed with a fight of God, and rewarded with a crown of glory, they may challenge refpect from us who are here to wait upon the will of God, expecting when fome fuch a happy change fhall come.

*

νωνοί έσι, πότ

Fourthly, This tendeth to the directing and enlarging our acts of Charity. We are obliged to be charitable unto all Men, because the love of our Brother is the foundation of our duty towards Man, and in the language of the Scriptures whofoever is another is our Brother; but we are particularly directed to them that are of the Houshold of Faith. And as there is a general reason calling for our mercy and kindnefs unto all Men, fo there is a more fpecial reafon urging those who are truly fanctified by the Spirit of God to do good unto fuch as appear to be led by the fame Spirit; for if they communicate with them in the everlasting mercies of God, it is fit they fhould partake of the bowels of Man's compaffion; if they communicate with Końótis them in things fpiritual and eternal, can it be much that they should partake ở är πλησίον ( with them of fuch things as are temporal and carnal? in igus Youn• To conclude, Every one may learn from hence what he is to understand by rois this part of the Article, in which he profeffeth to believe the Communion of ag7014 201Saints; for thereby he is conceived to express thus much: I am fully perfuaded of this as of a neceffary and infallible truth, That fuch perfons as are rois plaglois truly fanctified in the Church of Christ, while they live among the crooked BarnabaEpift. generations of men, and struggle with all the mileries of this world, have fellowship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoft, as dwelling with them, and taking up their habitations in them: that they partake of the care and kindness of the blessed Angels, who take delight in the ministration for their benefit: that befide the external fellowship which they have in the Word and Sacraments with all the members of the Church, they have an intimate union and conjunction with all the Saints on Earth as the living members of Christ; nor is this union feparated by the death of any, but as Christ in whom they live, is the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world, fo have they fellowship with all the Saints which from the death of Abel have ever departed in the true faith and fear of God, and now enjoy the prefence of the Father, and follow the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth. And thus I believe the Communion of Saints.

part 2. cap. I,

ARTICLE

* Therefore Carolus Magnus in his Capitular,

1. 3. c. 6. in

Bafilius

ARTICLE X.

The Forgiveness of Sins.

HIS Article hath * always been expreffly contained and acknowledged in the Creed, as being a moft neceffary part of our Christian profeffion and for fome Ages it immediately followed the Belief of the Holy Church, and was therefore added immediately after it, to fhew that the Remiffion of Sins was to be obtained weighs again in the + Church of Christ. For being the Creed at first was made to be used as Bishop of An- a confeffion of fuch as were to be baptized, declaring their Faith in the Facyra, because ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, in whose name Baptifm was administred; X in his Confeffion of they propounded unto them the Holy Church, into which by Baptifm they Faith which were to be admitted, and the Forgiveness of Sins, which by the fame Bapin the end tifm was to be obtained; and therefore in fome Creeds it was particularly Council of expreffed, * expreffed, * I believe one Baptifm for the Forgiveness of Sins.

he delivered

Nice, (Act.1.)

be omitted the Remiffion of Sins, which the Apostles in fo short a compendium as the Creed would not omit, Hanc Apoftoli in collatione fidei, quam ab invicem difceffuri quafi quandam credulitatis & prædicationis normam ftatuerunt, poft confeffionem Patris & Filii & Spiritûs Sancti pofuiffe perhibentur ; & in tanti verbi brevitate, de quo per prophetam dictum eft, Verbum abbreviatum faciet Dominus fuper terram, hanc ponere minimè diftulerunt, quia fine hac fi dei finceritatem integram effe minimè perfpexerunt. Nec cohibuit eos ab ejus profeffione illius Symboli brevitas, quam expofcebat facræ fidei integritas, tantique doni veneranda fublimitas. † Concordant autem Angeli nobifcum etiam tunc cùm remittuntur noftra peccata. Ideo poft commemorationem S. Ecclefiæ in ordine Confeffionis ponitur Remiffio peccatorum: per hanc enim ftat Ecclefia quæ in terris eft, per hanc non perit, quod perierat & inventum eft. S. Aug. Enchir. c. 64. And to this purpose it is in his Book De Agone Chriftiano, paffing from one Article to another with this general Transition; after that of the Church, he proceedeth with these words, Nec eos audiamus qui negant Ecclefiam Dei omnia peccata poffe dimittere. cap. 31. So it followeth alfo in Venantius Fortunatus, and in fuch other Creeds as want that part of the former Article of the communion of Saints. Orig. Hom. 2. in Genefin. Sanctam Ecclefiam teneat in qua & remiffio peccatorum & carnis refurrectio prædicabatur. Ruffin. in Symb. Sed neque de ipfis criminibus quamlibet magnis remittendis in S. Ecclefia defperanda eft mifericordia. S. Aug. Enchir. c. 65. In remiffionem peccatorum. Hæc in Ecclefia fi non effet, nulla fpes effet. Remiffio peccatorum fi in Ecclefia non effet, nulla futuræ vitæ & liberationis æternæ fpes effet. Gratias agimus Deo qui Ecclefiæ fuæ dedit hoc donum. Author. Homil. 119. de Tempore. Quia finguli quique cœtus Hæreticorum fe potiffimùm Chriftianos, & fuam effe Catholicam Ecclefiam putant; fciendum eft illam effe veram, in qua eft religio, confeffio, & pœnitentia, quæ peccata & vulnera, quibus eft fubjecta imbecillitas carnis falubriter curat. Lallant. l. 4. c. 30. Thefe are the words of the Conftantinopolitan Creed, Ὁμολογῷ ἐν βάπισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Before which Epiphanius in his lefer Creed, Ὁμολογέμθμ εν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν· in the larger, Πισούομθμ εἰς μίαν Καθολικών και ̓Αποσολικών Εκκλη σίαν, καὶ εἰς βάπτισμα μετανοίας. in Ancorato. s. Cyril both thefe together, Εἰς ἐν βάπλισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Pelegrinus Laureac. Epifc. Credo unum Baptifmum in remiffionem omnium peccatorum. Symbolum Ethiopicum. Credimus unum Baptifina in remiffionem omnium peccatorum in fecula feculorum.

*

Looking thus upon this Article, with this relation, we find the fsense of it must be this, that we believe Forgiveness of Sins is to be obtained in the Church of Chrift. For the explication whereof it will be neceffary, firft, to declare what is the nature of Remiffion of Sins, in what that action doth confift; fecondly, to fhew how fo great a privilege is propounded in the Church, and how it may be procured by the Members of the Church. That we may understand the notion of Forgiveness of Sins, three confiderations are required; first, What is the nature of Sin, which is to be forgiven; fecondly, What is the guilt or obligation of Sin, which wanteth forgiveness; thirdly, What is the remiffion it felf, or the loofing of that obligation.

As the power of Sin is revealed only in the Scriptures, fo the nature of it is best understood from thence. And tho' the Writings of the Apostles give us few definitions, yet we may find even in them a proper definition of Sin. Whofoever committeth fin tranfgreffeth against the law, faith S. John, and then rendreth this reafon of that univerfal affertion, for fin is the tranfgreffion of the law. Which is an argument drawn from the definition of Sin; for he faith not, Every fin is the tranfgreffion of the law, which had been neceffary, if he had spoken by way of propofition only, to have proved the univerfality of his affertion, but produceth it indefinitely, Sin is the tranfgreffion of the law,

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