Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII. 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 riſeth 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 maner 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 1.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 hath 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 hath 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; 1.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 2.communication of good, as well as in the enjoyment of it: what good hath a man who hath a great eſtate more then another, but that he may communicate more good then another. Thirdly, he delights in the glory that he hath conferred upon 3.them: As thoſe that have true communion one with another, delight in any good that one another hath, 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 4.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 hath theſe creatures to love: as a man delights 5.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 hath to delight himſelf in, but that which muſt make up all, in that he hath his people to love him. Sixthly, God delights the more in his own 6.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 hath 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. 2.he will rejoyce over them with joy and with ſinging; the delight that God hath 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 hath brought his work to ſome perfection, he will look upon it: Now when God ſhall ſee what he hath done, in raiſing ſuch a poor worm to ſuch high excellency, God will take full delight in viewing this full work he hath 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 4.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 hath no other object, but rational 5.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 hath no other object to himſelf, and his Son, and his Spirit, to let out his delight unto, but the rational Creatures, Saints and Angels, joyned 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, 3.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, 4.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 hath 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 5.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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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, 5.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 ſhew the riches of his glorious Kingdom, and the honor of his Majeſty.
Secondly, in communion there is a mutual wiſhing 2.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 Amor amicitiae, Amor bene volentiae.ſhall will onelyonly 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 3.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: 2.Suppoſe that God ſhould draw out all that beauty, ſweetneſs, goodneſs, and power that he hath 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 a flie, 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 hath not ſeen, neither ear hath heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him.
Thirdly, it is free, as free as the Sun lets out its 3.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 4.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 onelyonly 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 4.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 1.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 hath 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 ſpake 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 2.mutual opening of themſelves one to another; much is ſaid of Gods opening of himſelf to his people here, Pſal. 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 whatſoever thou doeſt in thy 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 hath 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 onelyonly 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, 3.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 onelyonly in one another, but in receiving 4.one from another; when men do converſe, they delight in being receiving, and being uſeful to one onother; ſo God will rejoyce in any thing that they ſhall be able to give him, as they ſhall rejoyce 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 hath 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 hath 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.