length to be oby the occafion of what is now tendred to the faints of God. I shall speak nothing of the fubject here handled; it may I hope speak for itself, in that spiritual favour and relish which it will yield to them, whose hearts are not fo filled with o ther things, as to render the sweet things of the gospel bitter to them. The design of the whole treatise, thou wilt find Christian reader, in the first chapters of the first part: and I shall not detain thee here with the perufal of any thing which in its proper place will offer itself unto thee: know only, that the whole of it hath been recommended to the grace of

God in many fupplications, for its usefulness unto

them that are interested in the good things menti

oned therein.

Oxon. Ch. Ch. Coll.

July 10. 1657.

JOHN OWEN.

3-7-1932

TO THE

READER.

A

LPHONSUS, King of Spain, is faid to have found food and phyfick in reading Livy: And Ferdinand King of Sicily, in reading Quintus Curtius. But thou hast here nobler entertainments, vastly richer dainties, incomparably more fovereign medicines; I had almost said, the very highest of angels food is here fet before thee. And, as Pliny speaks, permista deliciis auxilia: Things that minister unto grace and comfort; to holy life and livelinefs.

Such is this treatife. This which is the only one extant, upon its great and necessary fubject. This, whose praise hath been long in the churches; and hath gone enamelled with the honourable reproaches of more than one English Bolfer. This whose great author, like the fun, is well known to the world, by eminence of heavenly light and labours.. This which, as his many other works, can be no other than manna unto found Christians; tho' no better, than stone and ferpent to Socinians and their fellow-

commoners.

Importunity hath drawn me to say thus much more, than I could think needful to be faid, concerning any work of Dr. Owen's. Needful in our day it felf; a day wherein pauci facras fcripturas, plures nomina rerum, plurimi nomina magiftrorum Séquuntur. Few do cleave to the holy fcriptures; many do rest in scholaftick senseless sounds:: And most men do hang their faith upon their Rabbi's fleeves,

This only I add; of the fwarms every day rifing, there are few books but do want their readers. Yet if I understand aright, there are not many readers but do want this book.

In which censure, I think, I am no tyrant, (which the Philosopher names the worst of wild beafts:) and I am fure, I am no flatterer, (which he calls as justly, the worst of tame beasts.)

Let the simple souls (the pauciffima lectionis manci-.. pia) who take the doctrine of diftinct communion with the divine persons, to be a new fangled one, and uncouth; obferve the words of the Reverend Mr. Sam. Clark (the annotator on the Bible) in his fermon on 1 John i. 7. It is to be noted, that there is a distinct fellowship with each of the perfons of the bleffed Trinity. Let them attend what is faid by Mr. Lewis Stucley, in his preface to Mr. Polwheil's book of quenching the Spirit; ' It is a most glorious truth, tho' confidered but by few, that ' believers have, or may have, distinct communion with the three perfons, Father, Son and Spirit. • This is attested by the finger of God, and folemnly owned by the first and best age of chriftianity." To name no more; let them read heedfully but the second chapter of this treatife, and its hoped that then they shall no longer contra antidotum infanıre; no longer rage against God's holy medicinal truth, as St. Austin faith he did, while he was a Manichee; testifying in so many words, his error was his very God.

Reader, I am,

Thy Servant in Christ Jesus,

DANIEL BURGESS.

That the faints have communion with God, I John i. 3. confidered to that purpose. Somewhat of the nature of communion in general.

N the first epistle of John, chap i. ver.

the

apoftle affures them to whom he wrote, that the

fellowship of believers is with the Father and with his Son Jefus Chrift: and this he doth with such an unusual kind of expression as bears the force of an afseveration, whence we have rendered it, Truly our fellowship, &c.

The outward appearance and condition of the faints in those days being very mean and contemptible, their leaders being accounted as the filth of this world, and as the offscouring of all things, the inviting others unto fellowship with them, and a participation of the precious things which they did enjoy, enjoy, seems to be exposed to many contrary reafonings, and objections: what benefit is there in communion with them? Is it any thing else but to be sharers in troubles, reproaches, scorns, and all manner of evils? To prevent, or remove these and the like exceptions, the apostle gives them to whom he wrote to know, and that with fome earnestness of expreffion, that notwithstanding all the disadvantages their fellowship lay under, unto a carnal view, yet in truth it was, and would be found to be, (in reference to some with whom they held it) very honourable, glorious and defireable: For truly, faith he, our fellowship is with the Father, and with bis Son Jejus Chrift..

This being so earnestly and directly asserted by the apostle, we may boldly follow him with our affirmation, viz. That the faints of God have communion with him and an holy and spiritual communion it: is, as shall be declared. How this is spoken diftinctly, in reference to the Father, and the Son; must: afterwards be fully opened, and carried on.

By nature, fince the entrance of fin, no man hath any communion with God. He is light, we are darknefs, and what communion hath light with darkness? He is life, we are dead. He is love, we are enmity, and what agreement can there be between us? Men in fuch a condition, have neither Chrift, nor hope, nor God in the world, Eph. ii. 12. Being alienated from the life of God through the Xignorance that is in them, Chap. iv. 18. Now, two cannot walk together unless they be agreed, Amos iii.. 3. Whilft there is this distance between God and man, there is no walking together for them in any Fellowship, or communion. Our first intereft in God, was fo loft by fin, as that there was left un

to