Sixthly, labour so to improve your communion now, 1as every time you do enjoy it, it may make your hearts to spring, putting you in mind of that blessed communion you shall have with God, and his people; and think thus, If we find so much joy, in enjoying communion with Gods people here, what will there be in that communion our souls shall have in Heaven, when we shall not only have communion with some few of Gods servants, but with all, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets, and Patriarchs? As Cicero hath a notable 2speech concerning the happiness of his death; O famous day, that I shall go to the counsels of those famous men, that I shall go from this rout of people, and go and converse with those famous men! But brethren, for us to think that we through Gods mercy, here have communion with Gods people, and shall hereafter enjoy communion with the Saints of God for ever, what is it worth the enduring? if it were but the enjoying of communion with Moses alone, it were worth all you have endured; and therefore comfort your selves for the present in that you have, and let your hearts be raised in hope of better things hereafter, when you shall have them perfect. Now we rejoice that we are with Gods people, if they be conferring about ⟨p. 313⟩any thing of God and Christ; but hereafter we shall see nothing but God in his Saints, we shall see the full glory of God shining in them; then the very bodies of the Saints shall shine more glorious then the Sun; How glorious shall their souls be then? There shall then be no more danger of fallings out, and frampold carriages, no more jealousies and suspicions, but we shall see the image of God perfectly in them; and we shall have perfect love to rejoice in the salvation of any as in your own salvation, and then we shall be with them in all holy exercises: It is good to be with Gods people, to trade with them, but better to be with them to pray with them, to receive Sacraments with them; the better the exercise is, the better it is to be with them: Then what is it to enjoy communion with them, and to be always in holy exercises, always singing praises to the Lamb, and giving glory to him that sitteth on the Throne for evermore, blessing God for the great Mystery of the Gospel?
Sixthly, labor so to improve your communion now, 1as every time you do enjoy it, it may make your hearts to spring, putting you in minde of that blessed communion you shall have with God, and his people; and think thus, If we finde so much joy, in enjoying communion with Gods people here, what will there be in that communion our souls shall have in Heaven, when we shall not onely have communion with some few of Gods servants, but with all, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets, and Patriarchs? As Cicero hath a notable 2speech concerning the happiness of his death; O famous day, that I shall go to the counsels of those famous men, that I shall go from this rout of people, and go and converse with those famous men! But brethren, for us to think that we through Gods mercy, here have communion with Gods people, and shall hereafter enjoy communion with the Saints of God for ever, what is it worth the enduring? if it were but the enjoying of communion with Moses alone, it were worth all you have endured; and therefore comfort your selves for the present in that you have, and let your hearts be raised in hope of better things hereafter, when you shall have them perfect. Now we rejoyce that we are with Gods people, if they be conferring about ⟨p. 313⟩any thing of God and Christ; but hereafter we shall see nothing but God in his Saints, we shall see the full glory of God shining in them; then the very bodies of the Saints shall shine more glorious then the Sun; How glorious shall their souls be then? There shall then be no more danger of fallings out, and frampold carriages, no more jealousies and suspitions, but we shall see the image of God perfectly in them; and we shall have perfect love to rejoyce in the salvation of any as in your own salvation, and then we shall be with them in all holy exercises: It is good to be with Gods people, to trade with them, but better to be with them to pray with them, to receive Sacraments with them; the better the exercise is, the better it is to be with them: Then what is it to enjoy communion with them, and to be always in holy exercises, always singing praises to the Lamb, and giving glory to him that sitteth on the Throne for evermore, blessing God for the great Mystery of the Gospel?
- 16.
- 2O praeclarum diem, cúm ad illud animorū Concili um coetumque proficiscar; & cum ex hac turba & colluvione discedam: proficiscar enim non ad cos solum viros de quibus ante dixi, sed etiam ad Catonem meum, &c. Cicero de senectute.O praeclarum diem, cúm ad illud animorū Concili um coetumque proficiscar; & cum ex hac turba & colluvione discedam: proficiscar enim non ad cos solum viros de quibus ante dixi, sed etiam ad Catonem meum, &c. Cicero de senectute.