Chapter 51: The happiness of enjoying communion with the Saints in glory

BUt it is more familiar to us, to know our excellency in the converse with the Saints, Heb. 12:23 To the general Assembly, and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, &c. To enjoy communion with the Saints here is sweet, to enjoy communion with all the Saints, with all the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, and Moses, and Aaron, and Ioshua, and all the good Prophets, and the good Kings, and all Martyrs, and Worthies of the Lord: If to have communion with one or two be sweet, then to have communion with all at once must needs be sweet; it is worth the enduring much to get to heaven, if it were only to have communion with the Saints.

Secondly, to have communion with none but them: to have communion with the Saints is sweet, though we are forced to have communion with the world, but to have communion with the choicest of Gods servants, & with none else, that is sweet indeed.

Thirdly, to have communion with them made perfect: The best now have many weaknesses, and many frampold moods, and offensive carriages, that there must be a great deal born in communion with the best; but then we shall be delivered from imperfections, there shall be no ignorance, but we shall have communion with those that are knowing, and perfectly glorified. The life of my Lord shall be bound up in the bundle of life; it is the blessing of Abigail to David: Now Interpreters expound it thus, It is a Metaphor, taken from binding up of yong plants that are removed from one place to be set in another: Now there is a great deal of difference between a bundle of plants laid in the water, to preserve them till they be set in the garden, and those plants growing and flourishing in the garden: It is a great blessing to be bound up amongst Gods people here, that are plants that have life; but we are here but as plants, bound up and laid in water, reserved till we shall come to be planted in Heaven, and there to flourish: There is much difference between Gods people, what they are here, and what they shall be in Heaven, as there is between a plant that is bound up, and laid in water to be kept alive, and when it is in the Orchard, green and flourishing, and bringing forth fruit.

Fourthly, to have communion with them, when we shall know one another perfectly: It is an opinion of Thomas, as you heard, That the bodies of the Saints shall be so transparent, that they shall be able to see through one anothers bodies, as through a glass: Howsoever that be, yet the souls of one another, and the graces, and goodness of one another, shall be fully made known to one another: If now we did converse with a company of people, that we knew certainly had all true grace, and were all elected from all eternity, what an admirable comfort would this be? our communion is comfortable, because we have some hopes of their election, and we see some signs of grace; but if we were certain of this, if God should speak from Heaven concerning the poorest member of a Church, and say, This man, or woman, is the man or woman that I have had thoughts upon from all eternity, and have elected to everlasting glory; would we not prize such a one, and rejoice to have such a one in our families and houses? Now when we come to Heaven, we shall certainly know every one was elected from all eternity, and so shall live with us to eternity; we shall never have any fears or suspitions of them, lest they should be hypocrites, as there are fears and suspitions given of one another now.

And then to have communion with them, when there shall be perfect love and union of heart to one another, that one shall love another as well as himself, and rejoice in the glory and prosperity of one another, as well as his own: If one have more glory then another, he that has least glory, shall rejoice in him that has more glory, as if it were his own, and therefore there shall not be any want of glory to any; says Anselm, Every Saint shall loveGod above himself, and love one another as himself, and God shall love them all, more then they either love themselves or one another; and he gives the reason of it, says he, They love both themselves and one another for God, and by God, and God loves himself and them for himself, and by himself; and therefore as they shall love God above themselves, so they shall love one another like themselves, and rejoice in the happiness of another, as in their own happiness: Now what an heaven upon earth is it to have brethren live together in unity? if it be in family communion, or in Church communion, to have entire love without any breaches, this is a blessing; but howsoever, while we are in this world, there will be breaches, yet there is an heavenly Jerusalem coming, where we shall live without breaches.

And then likewise to have communion one with another always in holy exercises: To have communion one with another in our civil converse, to eat, and drink at one anothers tables, and in recreating ourselves, this is sweet; but communion in holy ordinances, and holy duties, that is sweetest. Men love communion and society here, that they may play together, and eat and drink together; indeed, if it be in a moderate Christian way, there may be some delight in it; but know, it is an evident sign of a carnal heart, when as your chief affections shall be let out in the exercising yourself that way: If the chief joy of your hearts be not in exercising yourselves in holy duties, your hearts are carnal: There is a great deal of difference between that day, in which a company of gracious men have communion with one another in recreating themselves, and that day in which they shall have communion with one another in exercising themselves in holy ordinances, in praying together, and hearing the Word together; and therefore examine whether you finde a day of communion with Gods people in holy exercises, better then a day of communion in outward society.

Again, it is such a communion as we shall never part with, such a communion as we shall always enjoy: Here we have communion, but it is often darkned, because we are often in our dumps, and many times there is an occasion of sorrow given; but to have communion where there shall be always joy, continual being at the feast, the supper of the Lamb, that must needs be sweet. Therefore that Text you have of Lazarus in Abrahams bosom, sets out the continual feast of the Lamb that the Saints shall have, because that was the manner of the Jews feasting, to lean in the bosom of one another; and therefore John when he sate to eat with Christ, he leaned in his bosom, noting that the Saints shall be always as the children of the Bride-Chamber: There is a question made by some, of the knowing of one anoanother in heaven. It is reported of Luther, the night before he dyed, he was reasonable well, and sate with his friends at the Table, and the matter of their discourse was, Whether they should know one another in heaven or no, whether the father should know the childe, or the childe the father? Luther held it affirmatively; and this was one reason he gave, As it was with Adam, as soon as he saw Eve, he knew what Eve was, not by discourse, but by the Spirit of God, telling him what she was; and so we being filled with the Spirit of God, we shall come to know one another, we shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob; we shall have communion with them, not only as godly men, but as with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and if with them, why not with others? This we have in Scripture, that spiritual relations shall adde much to the glory of the people of God in Heaven, though natural relations shall be taken away; as the Father, if he know the childe, there shall not be that natural affection to the childe as is now; yet the Scripture seems to speak of spiritual relations, that they shall continue even in Heaven for the glory of the Saints; and therefore St. Paul says to the Philippians, You are our crown, and our rejoicing in the day of Christ: It shall be known, who were converted by such a Ministery, and it shall be a crown to a Minister, that such were converted, and edified, and built up by him.

But we need not trouble ourselves about this question, because we have one thing that will satisfy us, about all questions that are not clear: Either we shall have all that happiness we do think in our thoughts, or can think, or else we shall have that (we being our own judges and choosers) that shall be as good or better: so that if a Parent thinks what an happiness were it for me to see my childe in heaven; and the childe shall think, what an happiness were it for me to see my Parents in Heaven, you think so here: We guess at things thus childishly, but yet either this shall be, or that which is as good or better then this. As suppose I should think, how glad should I be if such a one would give me a shilling, if after I come to know he will give me this, or a Twenty shilling piece, I do not trouble myself to know whether he will give me a shilling or no. And so much for Communion with the Angels and Saints.