Mafter Bradford, that Angel Bradford, though Cap.51. he was but one that had the likeness of an Angel, and in prison, yet he rejoyced in being with him: What rejoycing will there be to be with all the Angels that are Angels indeed, and that in our Fathers houfe? The way and maner of the converfe of Saints with Angels is very obfcure; how fpirits do converfe one with another, we know but fittle; we converse one with another by speaking,there can be no fuch way of converfe with Spirits. The Schoolmen fay, By the act of their wills, they come to make known what is in their mindes, but we fhall know more of the maner of converfe with them afterwards.

CHAP. LI.

The happiness of enjoying communion with the Saints in glory.

Ut 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 fweet, to enjoy communion with all the Saints, with all the Patriarchs, Abraham, Ifaac and Iacob, and Mofes, and Aaron, and Iofhua, 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 fweet, then to have communion with all at once muft needs be sweet; it is worth the enduring much

to

Cap.51. to get to heaven, if it were onely to have communi

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on 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 choiceft of Gods fervants, & with none elfe,that is fweet indeed.

Thirdly, to have communion with them made perfect: The best now have many weaknesses, and many frampold moods, and offenfive carriages, that there must be a great deal born in communion with the beft; but then we fhall be delivered from inperfections, there fhall be no ignorance, but we shall have communion with those that are knowing, and perfectly glorified. The life of my Lord fhall be bound up in the bundle of life; it is the bleffing 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 fet in another: Now there is a great deal of difference between a bundle of plants laid in the water, to preferve them till they be fet in the garden, and thofe plants growing and flourishing in the garden: It is a great bleffing 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, referved till we fhall come to be planted in Heaven, and there to flourish: There is much difference between Gods people, what they are here, and what they fhall 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,

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Fourthly, to have communion with them, when Cap.51. we fhall know one another perfectly: It is an opinion of Thomas, as you heard, That the bodies of the Saints fhall be fo transparent, that they shall be able to fee through one anothers bodies, as through a glass: Howfoever that be, yet the fouls of one another, and the graces, and goodness of one another, fhall be fully made known to one another: If now we did converfe 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 fome hopes of their election, and we fee fome figns of grace; but if we were certain of this, if God fhould fpeak from Heaven concerning the poorest member of a Church, and fay, 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 fuch a one, and rejoyce to have fuch 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 fo fhall live with us to eternity; we shall never have any fears or fufpitions of them, left they fhould be hypocrites, as there are fears and fufpitions given of one another now.

And then to have communion with them, when there fhall be perfect love and union of heart to one another, that one shall love another as well as himfelf, and rejoyce in the glory and profperity of one another, as well as his own: If one have more glory then another, he that hath leaft glory, fhall rejoyce in him that hath more glory, as if it were his

own,

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tanquam

quia illi

Cap.51. own, and therefore there fhall not be any want of Lufti diligunt Deum glory to any; fays Anfelm, Every Saint fhall love plufquam God above himself, and love one another as himself, eipfos,& and God fhall love them all, more then they either invicem love themfelves or one another, and he gives the reafeipfosfon of it, fays he, They love both themselves and one Deus illos another for God, and by God, and God loves himself plufquam illi fcipfos, and them for himself, and by himself; and therefore as they fhall love God above themselves, so they fhall love one another like themfelves, and rejoyce in the happiness of another, as in their own happinefs: Now what an heaven upon earth is it to have brethren live together in unity if it be in fafeipfum, mily communion, or in Church communion, to have profol.c. entire love without any breaches, this is a bleffing; but howsoever, while we are in this world, there will be breaches, yet there is an heavenly Ferufalem coming, where we shall live without breaches.

illum,&

fe, invicem per il um,

&

ille fe&

illos ter

Anfelm.in

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And then likewife to have communion one with another always in holy exercifes: To have communion one with another in our civil converfe, to eat, and drink at one anothers tables, and in recreating our felves, this is fweet; but communion in holy ordinances, and holy duties, that is fweeteft. Men love communion and fociety here, that they may play together, and eat and drink together; indeed, if it be in a moderate Chriftian way, there may be fome delight in it, but know, it is an evident fign of a carnal heart, when as thy chief affections shall be let out in the exercifing thy felf that way: If the chief joy of your hearts be not in exercifing your felves 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 Cap.51. with one another in recreating themselves, and that day wherein they fhall have communion with one another in exercifing 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 exercifes, better then a day of communion in outward fociety.

Again, it is fuch a communion as we shall never part with, fuch a communion as we fball always enjoy: Here we have communion, but it is often darkned, because we are often in our dumps, and many times there is an occafion of forrow given; but to have communion where there fhall be always joy, continual being at the feaft, the fupper of the Lamb, that must needs be fweet. Therefore that Text you have of Lazarus in Abrahams bofom, fets out the continual feaft of the Lamb that the Saints fhall have, because that was the maner of the Fews feasting, to lean in the bofom of one another; and therefore Fohn when he fate to eat with Chrift, he leaned in his bofom, noting that the Saints shall be always as the children of the Bride-Chamber: There is a queftion made by fome, of the knowing of one anoanother in heaven. It is reported of Luther, the night before he dyed, he was reasonable well,and fate with his friends at the Table, and the matter of their difcourfe 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 reafon he gave, As it was with Adam, as foon as he faw Eve, he knew what

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