A helpe to Christian fellowship: or, A discourse tending to the advancement and spirituall improvement of holy societie.: Wherein the practise of it is commended, 1. In the communicating or imparting of their gifts and graces. 2. In their walking together in the ordinances of Christ. 3. In a mutuall serviceablenesse to one another. The particular graces necessary to the qualifying of Christians for it, are propounded. And an invitation unto it is urged by some motives from the benefit and pleasantnesse thereof. Applied to these times for the strengthening of mens hands in the happy work of reformation. By Samuel Torshell. Imprimatur, Charles Herle.

CHAP. IX. An exhortation to the entring into this fellowship. Some motives. Christians strengthned against tentations. God better served. The mutuall benefit of it.

HAving thus set up the structure, it now only remaines, that I open the portal of this Temple of Divine fellowship, and invite the passers-by to come in. Here is place for such as are already in a marriage-fellowship, if they be heyres together of the grace of life. Let them consider they are in a state that shadoweth out the mysti∣call and heavenly communion betwixt Christ and his Church. Let them worship God together, help one another forward toward Hea∣ven, pray together, be acquainted with one anothers bosomes and spirituall estates, submit to each others advice, yet let Manoah not disdain the words of his wife if she have made a better obser∣vation of God in his proceedings and the course of his providence. But chiefely let not Job omit to reprove his wife, if she speake like one of the foolish women. Here widowes may recover and make up

abundantly all the comfort and much more then they lost in their husbands, caring for the things of the Lord, being holy both in body and in spirit. Here brothers, and sisters, and kindred, may find themselves by the same name in an other and better relation. Here servants also are in some sense made the Lords freemen, being not as servants, but above servants, as brethren beloved, as S^t Paul would have Philemon to account Onesimus who was converted to the faith. I cannot but mention it unto the honour of that famous man, M^r Bruen of Stapleford, who, to use the phrase of Scripture, had a Church in his house, what respect he gave even to his ser∣vants that feared God, counting and calling them brethren, praying often with them, and they also with him. Here also, friends, acquain∣rance, neighbours, partners, fellow-collegiates, brothers of compa∣nies, and in a word, all that in any respect doe relate unto one ano∣ther, may have place, and an occasion of a more close and holy cor∣respondency.

But what shall I say, how shall I invite men into this society. If there were no other motives, the very condition of the present times, might be one. How doe the times rage against all that are godly. Lyons, and wolves, and Tygers, and Foxes, doe affociate themselves, and are assembled into bodies, into Armies. Papists, Prelaticall spirits, Atheists, profane scoffers, rusting Cavaliers, bloudy Inish, are in bands together, and in an agreement to roote out, if not the name of protestancie, yet the power of godlinesse. Let even this make them that feare the Lord, meet, keepe, pray, and humble themselves together. But we have also other motives.

1. We have other enemies besides evill men, namely spirituall wickednesses, whose temptations we shall be the better inabled to resist, when our forces are united. In respect of this order, the Church is said to be, Terrible as an Army with banners. Straglers, and those that goe alone, are often snatcht up, They were scattered, saith the Prophet, and they became meate to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. How easie is it, to pervert one to Popery, Familisme, or any other dangerous error, who neglects the benefit of others help. But the knowing head, and the honest heart, may agree in this way to succour one another when tempted and assayled. As Joab said to Abishai. If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be

too strong for thee then I will come and help thee. So if pride be too strong, for the knowing head, let the plain heart admonish him; and if the cunning seducer be too strong for the honest heart, let the knowing head clearely informe him. So shall there be a sufficient de∣fence against the temptations both of lusts and errors.

2. Hereby, and in this way God shall be the better served: when a people of a pure language, doe all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent; or, with one shoulder. Therefore God hath covenanted, to give his people one heart, and one way, that they may feare him. And as if God could not be glorified, where there is not an agreement among them that worship, he thus prayes for the Romanes, The God of patience and consolation, grant you to be like minded towards one another, that ye may with one mind, and one mouth glorifie God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. The Saints are hereby mutually benefited. Iron sharpeneth iron: so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend: It may be Salomon meant it, of angry, words and passionate speeches; but we may apply the phrases and language of the Aphorisme, to a mutuall whetting of parts, stirring up of gifts, and enkindling of graces. For in society, all doe enjoy the good of all, the foot hath the eyes light, and the eye hath the service of the foot to walke. Two are bet∣ter then one, because they have a good reward, (that is good fruit) of their labour, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. Such as are spirituall will restore them that are fallen, in the spirit of meek∣nesse. But woe to him that is alone when he falleth, either into temptation, or after it into a desertion, for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lye together, then they have heate. Did not Christ warme those in whose company he went towards E∣maus? But how can one be warme alone? We grow cold and dull under the best helpes. But how did Joash goe back from all his shewes and forwardnesse, when Jehojada was dead? We have yet one other instance in that place of Salomon. If one prevaile against him, (saith he) two shall with stand him, and a three fold cord is not quickly broken. A proverbiall speech, usually applied in the com∣mendation of society. Moses, Aaron and Hur made up together such a threefold cord, which was not easily broken thorough faint∣nesse and wearinesse in prayer. The story is this, when Israel fought against Amalek, while Joshua with the Army were below in the

battell, Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill, where Moses was to hold up the rod of God as a signall, and to pray. At length when through continuance all day, Moses fainted, Aaron and Hur helped to sustain him and hold up his hands, not only to hold forth the rod, but in all probability joining with him in prayer, assisting his fervency, and as it is likely now and then suggesting matter of prayer and arguments. So that with their help, he conti∣nued all the day, till the going down of the Sunne, holding up the rod in the sight of the Army, and lifting up his hands in prayer, till Amalck was quite discomfited. And into such a threefold cord, Daniel also twisted himself in prayer: for when by the command∣ment of Nebuchadnezzar, all the wise-men or Chaldeans about the Court were to be put to death, because they could not tell to the King his dreame and the meaning of it. Daniel being educated in one of their colledges, fearing lest he should suffer under the same cruell sentence, undertook the matter, to reveale unto the King his dreame; but he undertook it not in his own strength, but trusting in God, and being to obtain that secret from Heaven, he wisely makes use of his three friends to improve their strength with him and their acquaintance with God. The text is expresse; Then Da∣niel went to his house, and made the thing (that is, the businesse that he had undertaken) known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azzariah, his companions, that they would desire mercies of the God of Heaven concerning this secret. Daniel himself sought those mercies from before God, but behold he calls in others also to assist, with whom no doubt he had been wont at other times to meet in prayer. And now, whether he together with them, or he apart, and they apart, we are uncertain, but their peritions met at the same threshold be∣fore God, and were neturned with successe. It were easie here to multiply instances and bistories of great things done and obtained by people joyning together in prayer and humiliation; there is scarce any man that hath been acquainted with this course, but hath somewhat or other upon the file, and upon record in his own memory and thoughts. And how many examples also might be re∣membred, of brave courage, magnanimity and resolution, that Christians have fiered one anothers breasts withall. Many times the very society of a prison, and of lying together in the stocks and in chaines, hath rendred some fainting and otherwise drooping

spirit, thorough the blessing of God, invincible. The Acts and Mo∣numents collected by M^r Fox, is full of proofes of this. It was so at the first in that society which the Apostles had with with our Lord and Master and theirs. 'Tis said, when the rulers saw the bold∣nesse of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they mervailed; (as well they might, for poore fisher-men, unacquainted with Courts and Tribunals, to plead the cause of Christ with so much bravenesse and spirit, but it followes in the same text, which indeed takes away all the wonder, that) they tooke knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And lastly how doth society sometimes alter the very temper and frame of whole conversation. Saul had a new spirit put upon him, when he was appointed by God to be King. For though I understand that place in, 1 Sam. 18.10. where it is said, He prophecied in the midst of the house, that he was in a frantick fit, and behaved himself madly and furiously, like one in a rapture. And though I know not what to say, to what we reade, 1 Sam. 19.20, 21, 22, 23. that Sauls Messengers and himself prophecied, when they came into the com∣pany of the Prophets; unlesse they were rapt, and miraculously stricken with astonishment and admiration, so that whereas they came with a purpose to apprehend David, they could not doe it, and as for Saul, he was forced to lay off his military habit and Armes, and therefore said to lye down naked. Yet, 1 Sam. 10.6. seemes otherwise to be understood, that God meant to fit Saul for the government, by tempering and forming his spirit in the company of the Prophets: for so Samuel said unto him, Thou shalt meet a company of Prophets, and the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophecy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. Behold the wonderfull effect and power of society.

Notes

• An Invitation into Christian fellowship.
• 1 Pet. 3 7.
• Ephes. 5.
• Jud. 13.23.
• Job 2.
• 1 Cor. 7.12. Phile. v. 16.
• Tentations best resisted by fellowship.
• Cant. 6.10.
• Eze. 34.6.
• 2 Sam. 10.11.
• God better served in fel∣lowship. Zeph. 3.9. Jer. 32.39.
• Rom. 15.5, 6.
• Saints much benefited in fellowship. Pro. 27.17.
• Eccl. 4.9, 10, 11, 12.
• Ex. 17.1••.
• Dan. 1.17, 18.
• Acts 4.13.