Ecclesia enucleata: The temple opened: Or, A clear demonstration of the true gospel-church in its nature and consitution, according to the true doctrine and practice of Christ and his apostles. By I.C.

CHAP. X. Of Church-Communion.

1. UNion according to its Na∣ture, Physical or Politick, or Oecumenical, naturally produ∣ceth a Communion suitable there∣to; that which we are about to speak of, is of a Spiritual, at least of an Ecclesiastical Nature; we have shewn what is the primary Bond of Union in the Church of Christ, that it is the Spirit of Christ that animates, knits and tyes his whole Body together, and that this is Mystical: But exerting it self in vi∣tal motions and operations in all the Members, it produceth a second Bond, proper and necessary to the establishment of a particular Visi∣ble Church, which is a manifesta∣tion

of this Spirit in a credible Pro∣fession, and free consent to the Re∣giment and Ordinances of Christ, with a resignation of our selves thereto; and this becomes the Bond of Church-Fellowship, and the Foundation of an orderly Com∣munion.

Communion is participation in one common benefit, or its mutual Participation or Communication of good things by various subjects.

So Spiritual Communion is first a common participation in one general good or benefit of a Spiri∣tual Nature; and here where all the Members of Christ's Body partake of the same Head, the same Spirit, as their Unity consists in re∣spect of connexion of Parts, so their Communion consists in it in respect of Participation; and this is the Communion of the Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. 13.14. Its fully expressed as a Mystical Communion, 1 John 1.

3. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that you may have Fellowship with us; and truly our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ; This Communion in the Spirit is set forth unto us at large in that fore∣mentioned place, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 6, 7, &c. where he shews, that all the Graces, Gifts, Members, Operations, Offices in the Body, ac∣cording to their several diversifica∣tions, flow from the same Spirit, all the streams take indifferently from the same Fountain.

This Communion in the Holy Ghost runs through the whole Ca∣tholick Church in all Ages and Countries; for where the com∣mon Bond of Union is, this Com∣munion must be.

3. To make Communion in the Body compleat, there must not only be this Participation in a common good by all the Members,

but a Communication of all good to each other mutually, as they are capable, and fellow-feeling with each other in all Sufferings.

The Spirit of Christ thus influ∣encing all the Members, appears and manifests it self in Graces and Gifts, variously working towards this mutual fellowship of Parts, both in good and evil of each o∣ther, which are called the Opera∣tions of the Spirit; as for Graces, the Principal wherein the Catho∣lick Communion doth consist, are Faith and Love; and by these they Communicate with Christ the Head, receiving from him, and making return to him, as it were in a reciprocation, as also a mutual communication to, and with each other; for Faith is the leading Grace of Communion for our pre∣sent state, by it we receive of the ful∣ness of Christ for Justification and Sanctification, John 1. and by Faith

the Saints have communion one with another; for as it is the foun∣dation of the love of God in the heart, so it is of our love to our Brethren, believing them to be Justified in Christ Jesus, and Members of his Body: for Love founded on the Faith of the good estate of another, is properly Cha∣rity; the credibility of anothers Profession, gives ground of Faith, that he is what he professeth; and this joyned with Love, makes Cha∣rity; wherefore the Apostle takes it in this sence, when he saith, Phile∣mon 5. Hearing of thy Love and Faith which thou hast toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and all Saints: Moreover by Faith the Saints visi∣ble have a kind of Communion, with those that went before, and who are to come after; it being the substance of things [or per∣sons in futurition] hoped for, and the evidence [or demonstration of

the Truth] of things not seen, [i. e. removed from sence, by timen parterition, or place in absence;] so thereby we see the Saints and those Truths attested by them in Ages past.

4. As for Love, it's not only the most eminent Grace of actual com∣munion between Christ and his Members, and of them with each other in the state that we are in here; but it's almost the only re∣maining when we go hence, 1 Cor. 13.13. John treats much of the transcendent excellency of this Grace throughout his Epistle, &c. 1 John 4.11. If God so loved us, we ought to love one another, 12. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is made perfect in us: by this Grace we have communion with all Saints Militant and Tri∣umphant, 1 John 5.1. Every one that loveth him that is begot, loveth him that is begotten of him.

5. Now by Communion in these two Graces, the Church grows up to its full perfection; the Apostle saying, Ephes. 4.12. That the Mi∣nistry and Ministration is for the Building up of the Body of Christ, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [agreement in all points of Faith, and Profession of it] and to the knowledge of the Son of God, [the Head] to the perfect man, to the measure of the Stature of the fullness of Christ [Mystical] filling up his Body, and receiving influen∣tially of his Fulness by Faith, and v. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, do grow more and more sincere in Love; this Love shews it self in its fellow-feeling, also that it works in us, whereby we communicate in each others Sufferings, and supply each others wants, for the good of the whole; this part of Communion is fully discoursed by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12.13, 14, &c. yea in the most part of the Chapter.

6. Thus far Communion belongs to the Church under its Catholick consideration in its Mystical State; there must be some external actions and things that are visible, where∣by the Communion of these Gra∣ces must be manifest, in Ministry, Offices, Gifts, Ordinances, but all for and from the Spirit, and these eminent Graces of Faith and Love.

7. Communion then of particu∣lar Congregations must be by Christ's Ordination visible in those sacred Means and Ordinances ap∣pointed by Christ for its growth, confirmation, and building up in Grace and Truth. God having made his Church in its visible state, the Nursery of Grace, and the Knowledge of the Truth, Eph. 4.12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying the Body of Christ, [i. e. in the militanting visible part] 13. till we all come in the Ʋnity of the

Faith, and the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the full∣ness of Christ. Verse 14. That we should be henceforth no more Chil∣dren.

8. The Edification of the Church being appointed by Christ in a way of Communion; we are to consi∣der, 1. wherein this visible commu∣nion doth consist; 2. what is the ground and end of it: 3. where, and between whom it is. 1. Where∣in doth it consist? It doth consist, first in participation of some com∣mon benefit and advantages, which a particular Congregation are ca∣pable of, and have frequent fellow∣ship together in, and these are Church-Gifts and Church-Ordi∣nances, Acts 2.42. They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, in Breaking Bread and in Prayers; and for this end hath Christ furnished his Church with

Ministry and Ordinances, Ephes. 4. Ministry by erecting extraordina∣ry and ordinary for the planting of his Church; our Saviour thought meet to send them with extraordi∣nary Commission and qualificati∣ons those that were such, were es∣pecially Apostles, Prophets, & Evange∣lists, 1 Cor. 12.28. First Apostles, secondarily Prophets, Eph. 4.11. These were all to be Witnesses of the Re∣surrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus, and confirm their Do∣ctrine by Miracles, had their inspi∣ration of the Holy Ghost, special Presence of God, and power in the Churches wherever they came, especially the Apostles.

9. The Apostles were XII, which waited upon our Lord during his Ministry on earth, before his Suf∣ferings; Judas then falling from his Ministry, when our Lord As∣cended he left eleven, to which Matthias was added by Lot, and E∣lection

of the Church, Act. 1. to these two more were added after∣wards, by special command of the Holy Ghost to the Prophets in the Church at Antioch, Act. 13.1, 2, 3. compared with chap. 14.14. Which when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of; and before that Ordinati∣on, Barnabas was but a Prophet, sent from the Church at Jerusalem to assist them that were there be∣fore; as appears chap. 11.22, 23. and chap. 13.1.

10. The Prophets, I apprehend to be such, who were furnished with Gifts and Graces, and extraordina∣ry inspiration; their Call and Com∣mission being such, for the calling of the Gentiles, and gathering the Churches: And I suppose them to be those Brethren of the 120 that waited together at Jerusalem, till they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, being all equally with the Apostles furnished with

the gift of Tongues (though secon∣dary to them in their power) for the dispensing the Gospel to all Na∣tions, and therefore upon the scat∣tering the Church of Jerusalem af∣ter Stephens Persecution; these Prophets mostly began the Chur∣ches of the Gentiles by their Mini∣stry at first: My Reasons for it are, 1. That its evident all the Brethren as well as the Apostles were extra∣ordinarily furnished for the Mini∣stry, Act. 2.4. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, &c. Now this was for special ends, that they were capacitated to speak to all Nations in their own Languages.

2. We find upon Stevens Persecu∣tion, Act. 8.1. that they were all scattered, except the Apostles; not the whole Church, for we read of∣ten of that Church still, but all the Brethren of the 120 were scattered throughout the Regions of Judea & Samaria, by whole means Churches

of the Jews were gathered, as it ap∣pears, verse 14. and Acts 9.31. After God had taken off that great Infor∣mer Saul, then had all the Churches rest throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria. Likewise we find that the Church of Antioch, the first among the Gentiles that we read of, was Planted by their Ministry; see Acts 11.19, 20, 22. compare with ch. 13. 1. More might be said on this point but I must keep to the present de∣sign, only naming the several Offi∣ces.

11 The third kind of extraordi∣dary Officers, were Evangelists, such as Steven, Phillip, Luke, Mark, Timothy, &c. they were men no doubt extraordinarily qualified, and were called Evangelists, as being Assistants to the Apostles, and tra∣velled with them, and sometimes alone, as Philip: It may be doubted whether the seven Deacons were of that 120 Brethren, for they were

men full of the Holy Ghost, ch. 6. 3. and afterward being pitched up∣on for eminent Service to the Church, were called now Evangelists; but being not of the number that were together at our Saviours Ascenti∣on and Pentecost, and though their work might be the same with the Prophets, yet their dignity was in∣feriour to the Apostles and Prophets, as Eph. 4. Some Apostles, some Pro∣phets, some Evangelists; but we need not lay much stress now upon the differences of those Offices cea∣sed; those Officers, especially Apo∣stles and Prophets, are irrecovera∣bly ceased from the very nature of them; for an Apostle, it were requi∣site to be one who had seen the Lord, and a Prophet (according to what we endeavour to prove) one of those that were baptized with the Ghost and Fire at Pentecost. As for an Evangelist, it's most proba∣ble to remain, if any, because the

work still remains necessary to the encrease of the Church, viz. Prea∣ching to Unconverted people, and gathering of Churches; tho' none can be expected since the Primitive Times with any more then ordina∣ry qualifications which any stated Church-officer hath, such Evange∣lists & such Deacons cannot be had: But to supply those Offices neces∣sary now in the Church, those that are to be mentioned are sufficient.

12. The Ordinary Officers re∣maining in the Church now, may be reduced to these two heads, El∣ders and Deacons; Elders, for Mini∣stry and Government; Deacons, to serve Tables, to look after the ne∣cessary charges for the Ministry, Ordinances, Assemblies, Poor, &c. I shall not enlarge here, it being e∣vident to every one acquainted with Scripture.

13. The Ordinances of Ordinary Communion, are Prayer, Preach∣ing

the Word, Sacraments, Acts 2. Collections. The Lords Supper is still spoken of as the most eminent Ordi∣nance of Communion, 1 Cor. 10.16.

14. If we enquire for the ground and end of Communion in these Ordinances, it is, That this is the way appointed by Christ for the edifying his Body, for the encrease of Faith and Love in the Members of Christ; those Ordinances being designed indeed, as to the Church, for edification; for its not to be sup∣posed that a Church-Member should be an unconverted person; if a hy∣pocrite creep in, he hath nothing of true end and design of Communion. So that by Communion the Body of Christ is nourished, strengthened and perfected, towards its fullness of stature in Christ.

15. If it be enquired where Church Communion is, and be∣tween what kind of persons? I an∣swer, Church Communion in Or∣nances,

can be but in one particu∣lar Congregation, at the same time, where all may meet for edification in one place, & we read of no other in the Primitive Church; tho some would have that of Jerusalem to be greater then so, after the addition of 3000; but its expresly said, that they were all together in Fellowship, and met together still before the dispersion, Acts 2.42.44. also chap. 5.12. and other places; but this great Church was scattered after∣wards by Gods Providence, order∣ing it for the great advantage of the Gospel, and propagation of Chur∣ches.

16. If it be inquired between whom Church-Communion is ex∣ercised? The answer is easy, It's between particular Members, that ordinarily have fellowship in the same particular Congregations; as likewise between one particular Church and another, all Churches

comunicating in this, that they are of the same universal Body, have the same Head, Bond of Union, Graces, Ordinances, Priviledges, as in the one intire Catholick Body; as every individual person in fellow∣ship is a Member in particular, so every individual Church is a part of that Integrum compacted by that vvhich every joynt supplyeth,* 1.1 according to the effectual working in the mea∣sure of every part, &c.

17. Communion we have said, as it stands in copartnership in some common good, so in communicati∣on between Member and Member; what of peculiar good is in any part, is communicable to the rest, or fellow-feeling of the Sufferings of each other. As there is a com∣mon design carri'd on by every part for the good of the whole, so by all parts for each other: The Apostle tells us this at large, 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4.

18. The mutual communication that is visible in order to spiritual advantage, stands in giving and re∣ceiving by the exercise of spiritual gifts and graces in the Word and Prayer, by mutual advice and coun∣sel, by admonition and Church-censures, where required; by con∣tributions to the wants and neces∣sities of each other any way arising, Spiritual or Temporal. This Commu∣nion is practicable between Church and Church also, not only by occa∣sional participation in the Word and Ordinances with each other, but in the matters before mentio∣ned of advice and supply of each others wants: In the former case, we have the example of the Church of Antioch, advising with the Church of Jerusalem; in the latter, that 1 Cor. 16.5. 2 Cor. 9.3, 4. Gal. 6.6. &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ephes. 4.16.