Chapter 48: The blessedness of communion with God

NOw we come to the fourth thing, Communion with God, and this is more then the other three things. Union is the ground of communion; communion is that which rises from both parts being united, and the Saints shall have a glorious communion with God and the Trinity; in this life there is a communion that the Scripture speaks of, that we have with God the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit, 1 John 1:3 Our fellowship is with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; and in 1 Cor. 13:14 The communion of the Holy Ghost be with you, says the Apostle; so that there is a fellowship with the Father and the Son, and communion with the Holy Ghost; but certainly, it shall be another manner of communion that the Saints shall have with God in the world to come. Now this communion, it stands either in regard of the work of God, upon and towards the Saints, or the work of the Saints upon and towards God; for communion is on both sides, and that in these four things: First, in the delight they have one in another. Secondly, in wishing all good to one another. Thirdly, in the communication of themselves one to another. Fourthly, in the blessed familiar converse that they have one with another.

First, communion consists in the delight they have in one another: There is a full, actual, mutual, everlasting delight between God and the Saints in heaven: First, there is a delight: Secondly, full: Thirdly, actual: Fourthly, mutual: Fifthly, everlasting.

First, there is a delight: God here rejoyces in them, the Scripture says, He rejoyces in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delight is with the sons of men, Prov. 8:31 why does God delight in the habitable parts of the earth? there are other glorious works of God that are not in the habitable parts of the world; but God delights in the habitable parts of the world, because there are rational creatures there; but he has more delight in his Church in this world, then in any other part of the habitable parts of the world; as Isa. 19:25 Assyria is the work of Gods hands, but Israel is his inheritance; but there will be a delight far higher: The delight that God has in heaven it self, is in regard of the Saints that are there, without which heaven were not heaven. First, it is delight in their persons, God takes infinite delight and content in the persons of the Saints; howsoever their persons are mean here, yet as they shall be hereafter, God will take an infinite delight in them. Secondly, he delights in conferring blessedness upon his people; there is much delight in the communication of good, as well as in the enjoyment of it: what good has a man who has a great estate more then another, but that he may communicate more good then another. Thirdly, he delights in the glory that he has conferred upon them: As those that have true communion one with another, delight in any good that one another has, God delights in the glory that is in his Saints, and takes much pleasure in it, his soul is satisfied in the glory that he sees upon his own people, and that because he loves them: The former arose from the pleasure in himself in the act of communicating; this from the love to his people, to see their good. Fourthly, God delights in their presence to have them with him, and by him, as the Father delights in the presence of his Children to have them round about him. Fifthly, God delights in their love, that he has these creatures to love: as a man delights to have love from others; What pleasure could a man have in all the world, if none loved him? If he should live in a Family or Town, and none loved him, he could have no pleasure in his life; but if a man live where he is loved, it makes up a great many wants, so God is not contented in any thing else he has to delight himself in, but that which must make up all, in that he has his people to love him. Sixthly, God delights the more in his own glory, because his Saints are partakers of it; it is so much the more sweet unto him, because they have a share in it; thus it is between entire friends, who have intimate communion one with another, their own happiness pleases them the more, because the other has a part in it.

Secondly, it is a full delight that God takes in his people: It is said of his people in this world, in Zeph. 17:3 he will rejoice over them with joy and with singing; the delight that God has with his people in Heaven must needs be full: First, in regard of the near relation that his people have to his Son, and because he takes such infinite delight in the Son; and they being one with him, thence flows that full delight. Secondly, because he shall see so much of his own Image; now that is infinitely delightful: that is the reason why the father or mother does delight in their children, because they see themselves in them: so God shall see himself in his people, and that will cause full delight. Thirdly, because of the glorious works of God upon the souls of his people, because he shall see his own handy-work to be so glorious and full in them. As a man that makes a work that is very curious and glorious, he takes abundance of delight to look upon it; and if the work be full and perfect, then his delight is full and perfect. Now the great work of God is in the glory of the Saints: God loves to look back to the creatures, therefore when he had made the world, he looked upon what he had made, and saw it was good: As a workman when he has brought his work to some perfection, he will look upon it: Now when God shall see what he has done, in raising such a poor worm to such high excellency, God will take full delight in viewing this full work he has done. And this is more then all the former; for besides the delight in the act of communication and delight, because of the love to those to whom good is communicated: This is the delight in his own work, done in the beholding the beauty and glory of it. Fourthly, the delight of God must be full, because in them God attains his highest end, the highest end of his greatest design, the highest end of his deepest councels, the highest end of his most glorious work: It is a great delight to a man when he goes about a work, if he have his end; though a man have some benefit by his work, yet if he be crost in his last end, all his joy is taken away; and this is the evil of sin, sin seeks to cross God in his highest end that he aims at, but the Saints in heaven shall give God his full end: God shall have the highest end that he did aim at, he shall see it accomplished and fulfilled in them; now those objects in which Gods highest end is fulfilled, he must needs take delight in, and that shall be in the Saints. Again, the delight of God must be full, because God has no other object, but rational creatures, Angels and Saints to let out his delight to; if God does take any delight in any creature here, it is in order to the Angels and the Saints: Now when God has no other object to himself, and his Son, and his Spirit, to let out his delight unto, but the rational Creatures, Saints and Angels, joined in one (for the Lord Christ shall be the head of the Saints and Angels) surely his delight in them shall be full.

Thirdly, this delight shall be actual; and that is necessary to communion; for though there be delight, yet if it should lie dead in the habits, there is no communion: If two friends have habitual delight one in another, they are not said to have communion, but when it is actual, so this delight shall be actual; the nature of delight is to be lively and active, even in us, though it be but an affection in us; but God being a pure act, there will be an infinite activity in his delight, and it is always vigorous and fresh, so as God shall make the souls of his people to be sensible of the activity of his delight. Fourthly, this delight shall be mutual, it shall be on the Saints part, as well as on Gods part. As God delights in the persons of the Saints, so they delight in God himself, not in that they receive from God, but their greatest delight is in the being of God himself; and as God delights in their glory, so they do delight in all the glory of God, in essential glory that they see in God, and in all the glory that is reflected upon God by his creatures; and they delight in his presence in being with him, and in his love, and in that they can give any glory to him; they delight in all they have, more because God has glory by it, then in that themselves are blessed in it. And it is full likewise; the delight of the Saints of God is full, as well as the delight of God in the Saints is full; and that for the very same grounds that the delight of God in them is full; namely, The fulness of Gods delight in them is their relation to Christ; so the ground of their full delight in God is, because God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and because they see their likeness in God; what ever excellency they have in themselves, they see it to be infinitely in God; and as God delights in them, because of his works he sees in them, so the Saints shall see all the good that ever they have done, does redound to the glory of God; howsoever, the works of Gods people for the present seem to be mean, yet it shall appear, all the gracious works of the people of God shall be the most glorious things in the world: For God shall own them for the setting out of his glory, as the greatest things in the world; and this should be an infinite encouragement to us, to be abundant in good works, because God will glorifie our good works: and as the fulness of the delight of God in the Saints is, because God attains his end in them, how full must the delight of the Saints in God be, because the Saints do attain their end in God, the end of all their thoughts, and ways, and performances? and they shall have no other object to let out their delight to, but only God: here, though we have some grace, yet the stream is divided, we let out so much to one creature, and so much to another; the children so much to the Parents, and the Parents so much to the children; and husband so much to the wife, and the wife so much to the husband, and so much to our friends, that the stream we let out to God is but little: but when all the delight that we let out to the creatures, shall be taken away, and God shall be the only object of our delight, then our delight must be full.

And as this delight is mutual, so it shall be continual: for being withdrawn from all other objects, it will work upon that, both of them, Gods delight in the Saints, and the delight of the Saints in God, shall be for ever: the Saints shall be an eternal excellency, in which God shall delight, and God shall be an eternal excellency in which they delight, they shall be always keeping that feast of the Lamb. We read of Ahasuerus, he kept a glorious feast, and the gloriousness of it is set forth by the continuance of it, Esther 1. 4, 5. it is observable, the difference between the feast that he made with his Nobles, and the feast that he made with the common people, and that may lively set out the difference of the goodness of God that he lets out to his own people, and that he lets out to other common people; he made a feast of a hundred and fourscore days to his Nobles, and but seven days to the common people: so when God comes to make a feast of joy to his people, it shall be everlasting. Men in the world have some content, but it is but for a little time; but the comfort and joy that is to be between God and the Saints in Heaven, is to be eternal, because it is such a feast as is made to his Nobles, and to show the riches of his glorious Kingdom, and the honor of his Majesty.

Secondly, in communion there is a mutual wishing and willing of good to one another; now God shall will all good to the Saints, and they wish all good to God: It is true, that God from all eternity did will all good unto his people, but here his people are not of a capacity to receive much; there is a great deal of difference in willing and determining good to them, before they were in being, or before they were capable of receiving this good, and willing good to them when they shall be made vessels fit to receive good; the bodies and souls either of the Saints or the wicked being united after the resurrection, they shall be vessels infinitely enlarged, capable of abundantly more then they are here, and then to have God will good to them, is far better then to have good willed to them here: The men of the world would fain have good here, while their hearts are narrow, and they cannot receive much from God; but the Saints look for good hereafter, when their hearts shall be enlarged; when as the wicked, when their souls shall be enlarged, they shall have nothing but misery. There is a twofold love, when one shall will only good to himself by another, or will good to another; now the love of good will is most glorious in God, and it is mutual; God shall will his good to the creature, and the Saints shall will all good to God: What good can they will to God? It is true, there can be no addition to the essential goodness of God, but they can will that this his goodness be honored and praised; and this shall be in the blessed communion between God and his Saints in the mutual working of their wills.

Thirdly, in communion, there is the communication of what one have unto another; where there is right communion, there is a communication on both parts; if on receive good, and the other do not labor to communicate, it is not communion. Now there is a glorious communication on Gods part: First, immediate: Secondly, full: Thirdly, free: Fourthly, everlasting. First, immediate; whereas here God communicates himself through creatures, or through ordinances, there are conduits of conveyance; for there is such distance between God and us, that we cannot expect that immediate conveyance of Gods goodness, and of himself to us here, as we shall have in heaven.

Secondly, the fulness of Gods communication: Suppose that God should draw out all that beauty, sweetness, goodness, and power that he has communicated in all creatures in the world, and bring the quintessence of all, and communicate that unto the soul of one Saint, certainly it would not serve the turn, for the happiness of one Saint, there must be a greater communication: But conceive, if we see one creature have so much power in it by its influence upon the dunghil, as to produce such a glorious creature as life, which is the most glorious thing that ever God did make. Saint Augustine says, There is more glory in the life of aflie, then in the Sun in the Firmament: Now if the Sun have such power to produce life from a piece of dirt, what power shall the influence of an infinite God have upon a glorified soul? No marvel though the Scripture says. That eye has not seen, neither ear has heard, neither has it entred into the heart of man, to conceive what God has prepared for them that love him.

Thirdly, it is free, as free as the Sun lets out its beams: It is natural to a good thing to communicate, much more for goodness it self: certainly, God being goodness in the abstract, his communication must needs be free.

Fourthly, it is everlasting; the letting out of himself to the Saints, shall preserve their strength, that he may let out himself unto them; as if there were that power in some excellent liquor that is let out into a vessel, not only to sweeten it, but perpetually to preserve it, that it may be letting out it self into it; so God does everlastingly in communicating himself unto his people, preserve them that he may communicate himself. And then the Saints of God do communicate to God in the same way that God does to them. They are always worshipping God immediately, not through ordinances; as they shall not receive any thing of God through ordinances, so they shall not worship God through ordinances; but as they receive immediately, so they shall worship God immediately, and their communication shall be full: but as they cannot will any essential good to God, so they cannot communicate any essential good, but they shall communicate themselves, and all that they are or have to God; or if they were able to make a thousand worlds, they would make them all for the glory of God; but because that is beyond the power of any creature, therefore they communicate themselves, and all that they are, or have, or can do to God: as a drop of water is let out into an infinite Ocean, so they are let out unto God, as into an infinite Ocean: And then the communication is free, having the divine nature made perfect in them, that do flow to God, when they see his divine nature: and this communication shall be everlasting, God letting out himself to them, and they letting out themselves to God: This is the reward of the Righteous, and this is that which Moses had an eye unto, and all Gods people that have an eye beyond the vail, behold it with infinite soul-satisfaction.

Fourthly, in communion with God, there is a familiar converse between God and the Saints: And herein are these particulars:

First, God manifesting himself in a suitable way to the conditions of his people, so as it were condescending to their condition, that though his Majesty be infinite, yet it shall no way be a terror unto them: Here if a Saint of God sees but an Angel, he is amazed; but because God would have his people enjoy holy familiarity with himself, therefore he will manifest himself so, as though there be an infinite glory, yet there shall be no amazement; but that they shall be able familiarly to converse with him, as one friend does with another. The Scripture speaks of the familiar converse that God has with his people here, that they are called friends: Abraham was called The friend of God, and the Disciples were called friends, but hereafter the friendship shall be much more full and sweet; Job shall have his desire, O that the terror of God may not fall upon me: Here when God spoke by himself, many of the dearest of his Saints have been afraid; but when we come to be made partakers of this blessed Recompence of reward, all such fear shall be done away.

Again, another thing in familiar converse, is the mutual opening of themselves one to another; much is said of Gods opening of himself to his people here, Psalm 25:14 Prov. 3:32 1 Cor. 2:16 John 15:15 and that is the reason why they are brought into the Chamber spoken of in Cant. 1:4 because their secrets are discovered; as they said to the King of Judah, concerning the Prophet, The Prophet that is in Israel, does reveal whatever you doest in your bed-chamber, because in them Kings reveal their secrets: The mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed to the Saints here, much more in heaven, there are many secret things that God has to tell his people, when they come to have familiarity with him. When a man comes to a woman a stranger, he does not tell her his secrets; but when she is marryed to him, then he tells her his secrets; so in heaven, God will reveal his secrets, and they shall not only see his face, but they shall see Gods heart. And they shall open their hearts to God, for they shall have nothing in their hearts that they shall be ashamed of. As the Sun-flower, when the Sun shines, the flower is open, but when the Sun is down, it shuts: So here when Gods face shines, their hearts are open to God, but often they lose the shine of Gods face, but in Heaven Gods shine shall be always upon them, and their hearts shall always be open to God.

Again, in converse there is discoursing one with another, it is much here, 2 Cor. 6:16 I will dwell in them, and walk in them: walks of friends are for discourse, in Canticles 7:5 The King is held in the Galleries: Galleries are made for converse, and walking; so the Church is compared to the Galleries in which Christ is held: There is converse with God here, but much more in Heaven.

And then in familiarity there is abundance of delight, not only in one another, but in receiving one from another; when men do converse, they delight in being receiving, and being useful to one onother; so God will rejoice in any thing that they shall be able to give him, as they shall rejoice in what God does give them. And the ground of all, is because they live the same life of God; as now there cannot be a converse between plants and beasts, because they do not live the same life; but between one beast and another, there may be converse, because they live the same life; and so there cannot be converse between beasts and men, because they do not live the same life; nor between God and man, unless they live the same life; but there shall be a glorious life hereafter, fitting the souls of the Saints for converse with God: no creature is capable of converse with God, but the rational creature, because no creature can live the life of God, but the rational creature: and the ground the converse that the Saints have with God, is from the near familiarity that God has with Christ. Zach. 13:7 Awake, O Sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow; it is the voice of God concerning Christ: now because there is this familiarity between Christ and his Father; this is the ground why the Father has such a sweet familiar converse with the Saints. And from all this communion that is between the Saints of God, and God himself; hence it is that the Saints are carried to God, as the universal latitude of good; it is as natural for the will to will good in general, as it is for the fire to burn, or for the Sun to shine; but here is the mistake, some mistake good, they will good in general, but they look for good in this creature and that creature, or in this lust or that lust: but here is the happiness of the Saints; as it is natural for their wills to will good, so it shall be as natural for their wills to will God as an universal good! this is the blessed communion that the Saints shall have with God, and this is the accomplishment and issue of all the communion we have with God here.