Of Communion with God

By John Owen

Contents

Part 1. Of Communion with each Person distinctly - Of Communion with the Father

Chapter 1. That the saints have communion with God - 1 John 1: 3 considered to that purpose - Somewhat of the nature of communion in general.

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 worship to each person 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.

Chapter 3. Of the peculiar and distinct communion which the saints have with the Father - Observations for the clearing of the whole premised - Our peculiar communion with the Father is in love - 1 John 4: 7, 8; 2 Cor. 13: 14; John 16: 26, 27; Rom. 5: 5; John 3: 16, 14: 23; Tit. 3: 4, opened to this purpose - What is required of believers to hold communion with the Father in love - His love received by faith - Returns of love to him - God's love to us and ours to him - Wherein they agree - Wherein they differ.

Chapter 4. Inferences on the former doctrine concerning communion with the Father in love.

Part 2. Of Communion with the Son Jesus Christ

Chapter 1. Of the fellowship which the saints have with Jesus Christ the Son of God - That they have such a fellowship proved, 1 Cor. 1: 9; Rev. 3: 20; Cant. 2: 1-7 opened; also Prov. 9: 1-5.

Chapter 2. What it is wherein we have peculiar fellowship with the Lord Christ - This is in grace - This proved, John 1: 14,16,17; 2 Cor. 13: 14; 2 Thess. 3: 17, 18 - Grace of various acceptations - Personal grace in Christ proposed to consideration - The grace of Christ as Mediator intended, Ps. 45: 2 - Cant. 5: 10, Christ, how white and ruddy - His fitness to save, from the grace of union - His fulness to save - His suitableness to endear - These considerations improved.

Chapter 3. Of the way and manner whereby the saints hold communion with the Lord Christ as to personal grace - The conjugal relation between Christ and the saints, Cant. 2: 16 ù Isa. 54: 5, etc.; Cant. 3: 11, opened - The way of communion in conjugal relation, Hos. 3: 3; Cant. 1: 15 - On the part of Christ - On the part of the saints. Digression 1. Some excellencies of Christ proposed to consideration, to endear our hearts unto him - His description, Cant. 5, opened. Digression 2. All solid wisdom laid up in Christ - True wisdom, wherein it consists - Knowledge of God, in Christ only to be obtained - What of God may be known by his works - Some properties of God not discovered but in Christ only; love, mercy - Others not fully but in him; as vindictive justice, patience, wisdom, all-sufficiency - No property of God savingly known but in Christ - What is required to a saving knowledge of the properties of God - No true knowledge of ourselves but in Christ - Knowledge of ourselves, wherein it consisteth - Knowledge of sin, how to be had in Christ; also of righteousness and of judgement - The wisdom of walking with God hid in Christ - What is required thereunto - Other pretenders to the title of wisdom examined and rejected Christ alone exalted.

Chapter 4. Of communion with Christ in a conjugal relation in respect of consequential affections - His delight in his saints first insisted on, Isa. 62: 5; Cant. 3: 11 Prov. 8: 21 - Instance of Christ's delight in believers - He reveals his whole heart to them, John 15: 14, 16; himself, 1 John 14: 21; his kingdom; enables them to communicate their mind to him, giving them assistance, a way, boldness, Rom. 8: 26, 27 - The saints delight in Christ; this manifested Cant. 2: 7; 8: 6 - Cant. 3: 1-5, opened - Their delight in his servants and ordinances of worship for his sake.

Chapter 5. Other consequential affections: - 1. On the part of Christ - He values his saints - Evidences of that valuation: - (1.) His incarnation; (2.) Exinanition, 2 Cor. 8: 9; Phil. 2: 6, 7; (3.) Obedience as a servant; (4.) In his death. His valuation of them in comparison of others. 2. Believers' estimation of Christ: - (1.) They value him above all other things and persons; (2.) Above their own lives; (3.) All spiritual excellencies. The sum of all on the part of Christ - The sum on the part of believers. The third conjugal affection - On the part of Christ, pity or compassion - Wherein manifested - Suffering and supply, fruits of compassion - Several ways whereby Christ relieves the saints under temptations - His compassion in their afflictions. Chastity, the third conjugal affection in the saints. The fourth - On the part of Christ, bounty; on the part of the saints, duty.

Chapter 6. Of communion with Christ in purchased grace - Purchased grace considered in respect of its rise and fountain - The first rise of it, in the obedience of Christ - Obedience properly ascribed to Christ - Two ways considered: what it was, and wherein it did consist - Of his obedience to the law in general - Of the law of the Mediator - His habitual righteousness, how necessary; as also his obedience to the law of the Mediator - Of his actual obedience or active righteousness - All Christ's obedience performed as he was Mediator - His active obedience for us - This proved at large, Gal. 4: 4, 5; Rom. 5: 19; Phil. 3: 10; Zech. 3: 3-5 - One objection removed - Considerations of Christ's active righteousness closed - Of the death of Christ, and its influence into our acceptation with God - A price; redemption, what it is - A sacrifice; atonement made thereby - A punishment; satisfaction thereby - The intercession of Christ; with its influence into our acceptation with God.

Chapter 7. The nature of purchased grace; referred to three heads: - 1. Of our acceptation with God; two parts of it. 2. Of the grace of sanctification; the several parts of it.

Chapter 8. How the saints hold communion with Christ as to their acceptation with God - What is required on the part of Christ hereunto; in his intention; in the declaration thereof - The sum of our acceptation with God, wherein it consists - What is required on the part of believers to this communion, and how they hold it, with Christ - Some objections proposed to consideration, why the elect are not accepted immediately on the undertaking and the death of Christ - In what sense they are so - Christ a common or public person - How he came to be so - The way of our acceptation with God on that account - The second objection - The necessity of our obedience stated, Eph. 2: 8-10 - The grounds, causes, and ends of it manifested - Its proper place in the new covenant - How the saints, in particular, hold communion with Christ in this purchased grace - They approve of this righteousness; the grounds thereof - Reject their own; the grounds thereof - The commutation of sin and righteousness between Christ and believers; some objections answered.

Chapter 9. Of communion with Christ in holiness - The several acts ascribed unto the Lord Christ herein: 1. His intercession; 2. Sending of the Spirit; 3. Bestows habitual grace - What that is, and wherein it consists - This purchased by Christ; bestowed by him - Of actual grace - How the saints hold communion with Christ in these things; manifested in sundry particulars.

Chapter 10. Of communion with Christ in privileges - Of adoption; the nature of it, the consequences of it - Peculiar privileges attending it; liberty, title, boldness, affliction - Communion with Christ hereby.

Part 3. Of Communion with the Holy Ghost.

Chapter 1. The foundation of our communion with the Holy ghost (John 16: 1-7) opened at large - "Parakletos", a Comforter; who he is - The Holy Ghost; his own will in his coming to us; sent also by Christ - The Spirit sent as a sanctifier and as a comforter - The adjuncts of his mission considered - The foundation of his mission, John 15: 26 - His procession from the Father twofold; as to personality, or to office - Things considerable in his procession as to office the manner of his collation - He is given freely; sent authoritatively - The sin against the Holy ghost, whence unpardonable - How we ask the Spirit of the Father - To grieve the Spirit, what - Poured out - How the Holy Ghost is received; by faith - Faith's acting in receiving the Holy Ghost - His abode with us, how declared - How we may lose our comfort whilst the Comforter abides with us.

Chapter 2. Of the acting of the Holy Ghost in us, being bestowed on us - He worketh effectually, distributeth, giveth.

Chapter 3. Of the things wherein we have communion with the Holy Ghost - He brings to remembrance the things spoken by Christ, John 14: 26 - The manner how he does it - The Spirit glorifies Christ in the hearts of believers, John 16: 14, sheds abroad the love of God in them - The witness of the Spirit, what it is, Rom 8: l6 - The sealing of the Spirit, Eph. 1: 13 - The Spirit, how an earnest; on the part of God, on the part of the saints - Difference between the earnest of the Spirit and tasting of the powers of the world to come - Unction by the Spirit, Isa. 11: 2, 3 - The various teachings of the Holy Ghost - How the Spirit of adoption and of supplication.

Chapter 4. The general consequences in the hearts of believers of the effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned - Consolation; its adjuncts, peace, joy - How it is wrought immediately, mediately.

Chapter 5. Some observations and inferences from discourses foregoing concerning the Spirit - The contempt of the whole administration of the Spirit by some - The vain pretence of the Spirit by others - The false spirit discovered.

Chapter 6. Of particular communion with the Holy Ghost - Of preparation thereunto - Valuation of the benefits we receive by him - What it is he comforts, us, in and against; wherewith; how.

Chapter 7. The general ways of the saints' acting in communion with the Holy Ghost.

Chapter 8. Particular directions for communion with the Holy Chest.