Owen, Of Communion With God, File 3
(... continued from File 2)
Chapter 2. That the saints have this communion distinctly with
the Father, Son, and Spirit, 1 John 5: 7 opened to
this purpose; also, 1 Cor. 12: 4-6, Eph. 2: 18 -
Father and Son mentioned jointly in this communion;
the Father solely, the Son also, and the Holy Ghost
singly - The saints' respective reward in all wor-
ship to each manifested - Faith in the Father, John
5: 9, 10; and love towards him, 1 John 2: 15, Mal.
1: 6 - So in prayer and praise - It is so likewise
with the Son, John 14: 1 - Of our communion with the
Holy Ghost - The truth farther confirmed.
That the saints have communion with God, and what
communion in general is, was declared in the first chapter.
The manner how his communion is carried on, and the matter
where in it does consist, comes next under consideration. For
the first, in respect of the distinct persons of the Godhead
with whom they have this fellowship, it is either distinct and
peculiar, or else obtained and exercised jointly and in
common. That the saints have distinct communion with the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (that is, distinctly
with the Father, and distinctly with the Son, and distinctly
with the Holy Spirit), and in what the peculiar appropriation
of this distinct communion unto the several persons does
consist, must, in the first place, be made manifest.
1 John 5: 7, the apostle tells us, "There are three that
be a record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost." In heaven they are, and bear witness to us. And what
is it that they bear witness unto? Unto the sonship of Christ,
and the salvation of believers in his blood. Of the carrying
on of that, both by blood and water, justification and
sanctification, is he there treating. Now, how do they bear
witness hereunto? even as three, as three distinct witnesses.
When God witnesseth concerning our salvation, surely it is
incumbent on us to receive his testimony. And as he beareth
witness, so are we to receive it. Now this is done distinctly.
The Father beareth witness, the Son beareth witness, and the
Holy Spirit beareth witness; for they are three distinct
witnesses. So, then, are we to receive their several
testimonies: and in doing so we have communion with them
severally; for in this giving and receiving of testimony
consists no small part of our fellowship with God. Wherein
their distinct witnessing consists will be afterward declared.
1 Cor. 12: 4-6, the apostle, speaking of the distribution
of gifts and graces unto the saints, ascribes them distinctly,
in respect of the fountain of their communication, unto the
distinct persons. "There are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit," - "that one and the self same Spirit;" that is,
the Holy Ghost, verse 11. "And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord," the same Lord Jesus,
verse 5. "And there are diversities of operations, but it is
the same God," etc., even the Father, Eph. 4: 6. So graces and
gifts are bestowed, and so are they received.
And not only in the emanation of grace from God, and the
illapses of the Spirit on us, but also in all our approaches
unto God, is the same distinction observed. "For through
Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father," Eph. 2:
18. Our access unto God (wherein we have communion with him)
is "dia Christou", "through Christ," "en Pneumati", "in the
Spirit," and "pros ton Patera", " unto the Father;" - the
persons being here considered as engaged distinctly unto the
accomplishment of the counsel of the will of God revealed in
the gospel.
Sometimes, indeed, there is express mention made only of
the Father and the Son, a John 1: 3, "Our fellowship is with
the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." The particle "and"
is both distinguishing and uniting. Also John 14: 23, "If a
man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love
him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
It is in this communion wherein Father and Son do make their
abode with the soul.
Sometimes the Son only is spoken of, as to this purpose. 1
Cor. 1: 9, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." And, Rev. 3: 20,
"If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in
to him, and will sup with him, and he with me;" of which place
afterward.
Sometimes the Spirit alone is mentioned. 2 Cor. 13: 14,
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all." This
distinct communion, then, of the saints with the Father, Son,
and Spirit, is very plain in the Scripture; but yet it may
admit of farther demonstration. Only this caution I must lay
in beforehand: - whatever is affirmed in the pursuit of this
truth, it is done with relation to the explanation ensuing, in
the beginning of the next chapter.
The way and means, then, on the part of the saints,
whereby in Christ they enjoy communion with God, are all the
spiritual and holy actings and outgoings of their souls in
those graces, and by those ways, wherein both the moral anal
instituted worship of God does consist. Faith, love, trust,
joy, etc., are the natural or moral worship of God, whereby
those in whom they are have communion with him. Now, these are
either immediately acted on God, and not tied to any ways or
means outwardly manifesting themselves; or else they are
farther drawn forth, in solemn prayer and praises, according
unto that way which he has appointed. That the Scripture does
distinct]y assign all these unto the Father, Son, and Spirit,
- manifesting that the saints do, in all of them, both as they
are purely and nakedly moral, and as farther clothed with
instituted worship, respect each person respectively, - is
that which, to give light to the assertion in hand, I shall
farther declare by particular instances: -
1. For the Father. Faith, love, obedience, etc., are
peculiarly and distinctly yielded by the saints unto him; and
he is peculiarly manifested in those ways as acting peculiarly
towards them: which should draw them forth and stir them up
thereunto. He gives testimony unto, and beareth witness of,
his Son, 1 John 5: 9, "This is the witness of God which he has
testified of his Son." In his bearing witness he is an object
of belief. When he gives testimony (which he does as the
Father, because he does it of the Son) he is to he received in
it by faith. And this is affirmed, verse 10, "He that
believeth on the Son of God, has the witness in himself." To
believe on the Son of God in this place, is to receive the
Lord Christ as the Son, the Son given unto us, for all the
ends of the Father's love, upon the credit of the Father's
testimony; and, therefore, therein is faith immediately acted
on the Father. So it follows in the next words, "he that
believeth not God" (that is, the Father, who bears witness to
the Son) "has made him a liar." "Ye believe in God," saith our
Saviour, John 14: l; that is, the Father as such, for he adds,
"Believe also in me;" or, "Believe you in God; believe also in
me." God, as the prima Veritas, upon whose authority is
founded, and whereunto all divine faith is ultimately
resolved, is not to be considered "hupostatikos", as
peculiarly expressive of any person, but "ousiodos",
comprehending the whole Deity; which undividedly is the prime
object thereof. But in this particular it is the testimony and
authority of the Father (as such) therein, of which we speak,
and whereupon faith is distinctly fixed on him; - which, if it
were not so, the Son could not add, "Believe also in me."
The like also is said of love. 1 John 2: 15, "If any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him;" that
is, the love which we bear to him, not that which we receive
from him. The Father is here placed as the object of our love,
in opposition to the world, which takes up our affections "he
agape tou Patros". The Father denotes the matter and object,
not the efficient cause, of the love inquired after. And this
love of him as a Father is that which he calls his "honour,"
Mal. 1: 6.
Farther: these graces as acted in prayer and praises, and
as clothed with instituted worship, are peculiarly directed
unto him. "Ye call on the Father," 1 Pet. 1: 17. Eph. 3:
14,15, "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named." Bowing the knee compriseth the whole worship
of God, both that which is moral, in the universal obedience
he requireth, and those peculiar ways of carrying it on which
are by him appointed, Isa. 45: 23, "Unto me," saith the Lord,
"every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." Which,
verses 24, 25, he declareth to consist in their acknowledging
of him for righteousness and strength. Yea, it seems sometimes
to comprehend the orderly subjection of the whole creation
unto his sovereignty. In this p]ace of the apostle it has a
far more restrained acceptation, and is but a figurative
expression of prayer, taken from the most expressive bodily
posture to be used in that duty. This he farther manifests,
Eph. 3: 16, 17, declaring at large what his aim was, and
whereabout his thoughts were exercised, in that bowing of his
knees. The workings, then, of the Spirit of grace in that duty
are distinctly directed to the Father as such, as the fountain
of the Deity, and of all good things in Christ, - as the
"Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." And therefore the same
apostle does, in another place, expressly conjoin, and yet as
expressly distinguish, the Father and the Son in directing his
supplications, 1 Thess. 3: 11, "God himself even our Father,
and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you." The like
precedent, also, have you of thanksgiving, Eph. 1: 3, 4,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," etc.
I shall not add those very many places wherein the several
particulars that do concur unto that whole divine worship (not
to be communicated unto any, by nature not God, without
idolatry) wherein the saints do hold communion with God, are
distinctly directed to the person of the Father.
2. It is so also in reference unto the Son. John 14: 1,
"Ye believe in God," saith Christ, "believe also in me;" -
"Believe also, act faith distinctly on me; faith divine,
supernatural, - that faith whereby you believe in God, that
is, the Father. There is a believing of Christ, namely, that
he is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. That is that
whose neglect our Saviour so threatened unto the Pharisees,
John 8: 24, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in
your sins." In this sense faith is not immediately fixed on
the Son, being only an owning of him (that is, the Christ to
be the Son), by closing with the testimony of the Father
concerning him. But there is also a believing on him, called
"Believing on the name of the Son of God," 1 John 5: 13; so
also John 9: 36; - yea, the distinct affixing of faith,
affiance, and confidence on the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of
God, as the Son of God, is most frequently pressed. John 3:
16, "God" (that is, the Father) "so loved the world,.. that
whosoever believeth in him" (that is, the Son) "should not
perish." The Son, who is given of the Father, is believed on.
"He that believeth on him is not condemned," verse 18. " He
that believeth on the Son has everlasting life," verse 36. "
This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he has
sent," John 6: 29, 40; 1 John 5: 10. The foundation of the
whole is laid, John 5: 23, "That all men should honour the
Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the
Son honoureth not the Father which has sent him." But of this
honour and worship of the Son I have treated at large
elsewhere; and shall not in general insist upon it again. For
love, I shall only add that solemn apostolical benediction,
Eph. 6: 24, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus
Christ In sincerity," - that is, with divine love, the love of
religious worship; which is the only incorrupt love of the
Lord Jesus.
Farther: that faith, hope, and love, acting themselves in
all manner of obedience and appointed worship, are peculiarly
due from the saints, and distinct]y directed unto the Son, is
abundantly manifest from that solemn doxology, Rev. 1: 5, 6,
"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his
Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Which yet is set forth with more glory, chap. 5: 8, "The four
living creatures, and the four and twenty elders fell down
before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden
vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints:" and
verses 13, 14, "Every creature which is in heaven, and on the
earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and
all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and honour,
and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." The Father and
the Son (he that sits upon the throne, and the Lamb) are held
out jointly, yet distinctly, as the adequate object of all
divine worship and honour, for ever and ever. And therefore
Stephen, in his solemn dying, invocation, fixeth his faith and
hope distinctly on him, Acts 7: 59, 60, "Lord Jesus, receive
my spirit;" and, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge;" -
for he knew that the $on of man had power to forgive sins
also. And this worship of the Lord Jesus, the apostle makes
the discriminating character of the saints, 1 Cor. 1: 2, "With
all," saith he, "that in every place call upon the name of
Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours;" that is, with
all the saints of God. And invocation generally comprises the
whole worship of God. This, then, is the due of our Mediator,
though as God, as the Son, - not as Mediator.
3. Thus also is it in reference unto the Holy Spirit of
grace. The closing of the great sin of unbelief is still
described as an opposition unto, and a resisting of that Holy
spirit. And you have distinct mention of the love of the
Spirit, Rom. 15: 30. The apostle also peculiarly directs his
supplication to him in that solemn benediction, 2 Cor. 13: 14,
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all." And such
benedictions are originally supplications. He is likewise
entitled unto all instituted worship, from the appointment of
the administration of baptism in his name, Matt. 28: 19. Of
which things more afterward.
Now, of the things which have been delivered this is the
sum: - there is no grace whereby our souls go forth unto God,
no act of divine worship yielded unto him, duty or obedience
performed, but they are distinctly directed unto Father, Son,
and Spirit. Now, by these and such like ways as these, do we
hold communion with God; and therefore we have that communion
distinctly, as has been described.
This also may farther appear, if we consider how
distinctly the persons of the Deity are revealed to act in the
communication of those good things, wherein the saints have
communion with God. As all the spiritual ascending of their
souls are assigned unto them respectively, so all their
internal receiving of the communications of God unto them are
held out in such a distribution as points at distinct rises
and fountains (though not of being in themselves, yet) of
dispensations unto us. Now this is declared two ways: -
(1.) When the same thing is, at the same time, ascribed
jointly and yet distinctly to all the persons in the Deity,
and respectively to each of them. So are grace and peace, Rev.
1: 4, 5, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and
which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits
which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the
faithful witness," etc. The seven Spirits before the throne,
are the holy Spirit of God, considered as the perfect fountain
of every perfect gift and dispensation. All are here joined
together, and yet all mentioned as distinguished in their
communication of grace and peace unto the saints. "Grace and
peace be unto you, from the Father, and from," etc.
(2.) When the same thing is attributed severally and
singly unto each person. There is, indeed, no gracious
influence from above, no illapse of light, life, love, or
grace upon our hearts, but proceedeth in such a dispensation.
I shall give only one instance, which is very comprehensive,
and may be thought to comprise all other particulars; and this
is Teaching. The teaching of God is the real communication of
all and every particular emanation from himself unto the
saints whereof they are made partakers. That promise, "They
shall be all taught of God," inwraps in itself the whole
mystery of grace, as to its actual dispensation unto us, so
far as we may be made real possessors of it. Now this is
assigned, -
[1.] Unto the Father. The accomplishment of that promise
is peculiarly referred to him, John 6: 45, "It is written in
the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man
therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes
unto me." This teaching, whereby we are translated from death
unto life, brought unto Christ, unto a participation of life
and love in him, - it is of and from the Father: him we hear,
of him we learn, by him are we brought unto union and
communion with the Lord Jesus. This is his drawing us, his
begetting us anew of his own will, by his Spirit; and in which
work he employs the ministers of the gospel, Acts 26: 17, 18.
[2.] Unto the Son. The Father proclaims him from heaven to
be the great teacher, in that solemn charge to hear him, which
came once [and] again from the excellent glory: "This is my
beloved Son; hear him." The whole of his prophetical, and no
small part of his kingly office, consists in this teaching;
herein is he said to draw men unto him, as the Father is said
to do in his teaching, John 12: 32; which he does with such
efficacy, that "the dead hear his voice and live." The
teaching of the Son is a life-giving, a spirit-breathing
teaching; - an effectual influence of light, whereby he shines
into darkness; a communication of life, quickening the dead;
an opening of blind eyes, and changing of hard hearts; a
pouring out of the Spirit, with all the fruits thereof. Hence
he claims it as his privilege to be the sole master, Matt. 23:
10, "One is your Master, even Christ."
[3.] To the Spirit. John 14: 26, "The Comforter, he shall
teach you all things." "But the anointing which ye have
received," saith the apostle, "abideth in you, and ye need not
that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you
of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has
taught you, ye shall abide in him," 1 John 2: 27. That
teaching unction which is not only true, but truth itself, is
only the Holy Spirit of God: so that he teacheth also; being
given unto us "that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God," 1 Cor. 2: 12. I have chosen this special
instance because, as I told you, it is comprehensive, and
comprises in itself most of the particulars that might be an
numerated, - quickening, preserving, etc.
This, then, farther drives on the truth that lies under
demonstration; there being such a distinct communication of
grace from the several persons of the Deity, the saints must
needs have distinct communion with them.
It remaineth only to intimate, in a word, wherein this
distinctions lies, and what is the ground thereof. Now, this
is, that the Father does it by the way of original authority;
the Son by the way of communicating from a purchased treasury;
the Holy Spirit by the way of immediate efficacy.
1st. The Father communicates all grace by the way of
original authority: He quickeneth WHOM HE WILL, John 5: 21.
"OF HIS OWN WILL begat he us," James 1: 18. Life-giving power
is, in respect of original authority, invested in the Father
by the way of eminency; and therefore, in sending of the
quickening Spirit, Christ is said to do it from the Father, or
the Father himself to do it. "But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send," John 14: 26. "But when
the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the
Father," John 15: 26; - though he be also said to send him
himself, on another account, John 16: 7.
2dly. The Son, by the way of making out a purchased
treasury: "Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for
grace," John 1: 16. And whence is this fulness? "It pleased
the Father that in him should all fulness dwell," Col. 1: 19.
And upon what account he has the dispensation of that fulness
to him committed you may see, Phil. 2: 8- 11. "When thou shalt
make his soul an offering for sin, he shall prolong his days,
and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He
shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for
he shall bear their iniquities," Isa. 53: l0,11. And with this
fulness he has also authority for the communication of it,
John 5: 25-27; Matt. 28: 18.
3dly. The Spirit does it by the way of immediate efficacy,
Rom. 8: 11, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that
dwelleth in you." Here are all three comprised, with their
distinct concurrence unto our quickening. Here is the Father's
authoritative quickening, - "He raised Christ from the dead,
and he shall quicken you;" and the Son's mediatory quickening,
- for it is done in "the death of Christ;" and the Spirit's
immediate efficacy, - "He shall do it by the Spirit that
dwelleth in you." He that desires to see this whole matter
farther explained, may consult what I have elsewhere written
on this subject. And thus is the distinct communion whereof we
treat both proved and demonstrated.
Owen, Of Communion With God
(continued in File 4...)
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