A. God is all in all things; of him, and through him and to him are all things, and the Glory of all is to him for ever. But God made not any single Creature to be happy in him alone as separate from the rest; but an Universe which hath its Union and communion. I told you as the Eye and Hand have no separated Life or Pleasure, but only in Communion with the whole Body, so neither shall we in Heaven. God is infinitely above us, and if you think of him alone, without mediate Objects for the ascent and access of your Thoughts, you may as well think to climb up without a Ladder: We are not the Noblest Creatures next to God, nor yet the most Innocent: We have no access to him, but by a Mediator: And that Mediator worketh and conveyeth his Grace to us by other subordinate means: He is the Saviour of his Body, which is the fullness of him that filleth all: If we think not of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the glorious City of God; the Heavenly Society and Joyful Chore that praise Jehovah and the Lamb, and live together in perfect Knowledge, Love and Concord, in whose Communion only we have all our Joy; to whom in this Unity God communicateth his Glory; and if we think not of the Glorious Head of the Church, who will then be our Mediator of Fruition, as he was of Acquisition: nay, if we think not of those loving blessed Angels that rejoiced at our Conversion, and were here the Servants, and will be for ever the Companions of our Joy: And if we think not of all our old dear Friends and Companions in the Flesh, and of all the Faithful, who since Adam's Days are gone before us, and if we think not of the attractive Love, Union and Joy of that Society and State, we shall not have sufficient Familiarity above, but make God as ⟨p. 172⟩inaccessible to us: Delight and desire suppose attractive suitableness: Inaccessible excellency draws not up the Heart. I thank God for the Pleasure that I have in thinking of the Blessed Society, which will shortly entertain me with joyful Love.
A. God is all in all things; of him, and through him and to him are all things, and the Glory of all is to him for ever. But God made not any single Creature to be happy in him alone as separate from the rest; but an Universe which hath its Union and comunion. I told you as the Eye and Hand have no separated Life or Pleasure, but only in Communion with the whole Body, so neither shall we in Heaven. God is infinitely above us, and if you think of him alone, without mediate Objects for the ascent and access of your Thoughts, you may as well think to climb up without a Ladder: We are not the Noblest Creatures next to God, nor yet the most Innocent: We have no access to him, but by a Mediator: And that Mediator worketh and conveyeth his Grace to us by other subordinate means: He is the Saviour of his Body, which is the fulness of him that filleth all: If we think not of the Heavenly Ierusalem, the glorious City of God; the Heavenly Society and Joyful Chore that praise Iehovah and the Lamb, and live together in perfect Knowledge, Love and Concord, in whose Communion only we have all our Joy; to whom in this Unity God commnicateth his Glory; and if we think not of the Glorious Head of the Church, who will then be our Mediator of Fruition, as he was of Acquisition: nay, if we think not of those loving blessed Angels that rejoiced at our Conversion, and were here the Servants, and will be for ever the Companions of our Joy: And if we think not of all our old dear Friends and Companions in the Flesh, and of all the Faithful, who since Adam's Dayes are gone before us, and if we think not of the attractive Love, Union and Joy of that Society and State, we shall not have sufficient Familiarity above, but make God as ⟨p. 172⟩inaccessible to us: Delight and desire suppose attractive suitableness: Inaccessible excellency draws not up the Heart. I thank God for the Pleasure that I have in thinking of the Blessed Society, which will shortly entertain me with joyful Love.
