The General Assembly, Doctrine · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. An Account of the Intercourſe the Saints have at their meeting together.
THE former Head referred to the main Buſineſs of the Saints meeting together, which was glorifying God, injoying of him, which conſiſts in their perſonal Felicity.
2. This latter concerns their mutual Society, and familiar Entercourſe one with another, which will be additional to their comfort and happineſs in thoſe heavenly Regions.
Communion of Saints is one Article of our Faith, and the great Priviledge of Believers in this lower World; both that which is Catholick with all Saints through the World, and that which is Perſonal and Immediate with Members of the ſame Society: As ſoon as any Man commenceth Chriſtian, he eſpouſeth this Communion, Phil. 1.5. For your fellowſhip in the goſpel from the firſt day until now: Wicked Men talk their good Fellowſhip in feaſting, drinking, jeſting, gaming, alaſs they are all but Child's play, yea Devils ſport to this, and leave the Soul ſapleſs and guilty: But this Fellowſhip of God's Children is delectable, honourable and profitable, a diſtinctive Character of a Saint, an Emblem of Heaven, a ſtep to Communion with God.
Yet that Fellowſhip they have in Glory far exceeds that they have below, for they are defecated from the dregs of Corruption and ſinful Paſions, their Souls purified, their Graces perfected, and though they be different Lives, yet all center in God.
That the Saints above have familiar Entercourſe one with another, is generally aſſerted, and very probable; becauſe ſuch a Communication doth greatly heighten their Comfort and Happineſs: But how this is carried on, is not ſo Evident; whether it be [imprimendo] imprinting their Conceptions in the Minds of each other, as Scotus ſaith, or [repreſentando, ordinando] ordering their Conceptions in their own Minds, and ſo in ſome peculiar way repreſenting them by certain Species to others: So Aquinas; or [ſonando] by forming Sounds, which after their way are intelligible: But we that are ſo much ſtrangers to the Nature of Spirits, cannot conceive of theſe things.
Yet after the Reſurrection, when Bodies are united to their Souls, poſſibly they may hold Diſcourſe vocally; yet, it muſt be ſaid, whil'ſt in this World, in a ſound Senſe, that they know no Man after the fleſh, 2 Cor. 5.16. How much leſs in Heaven, when their Bodies become Spiritual, will they know each other, or confer together in a low carnal Manner, as they do here in this World.
Let the more learned read Dr. Tuckny's Diſcouſe in his Praelect. Theol, Page 152 to 157, upon this Queſtion [Beati in ſtatu gloriae ſe mutuo ſunt aquituri:] That the Bleſſed in the State of Glory ſhall know each other, for which he brings Proofs out of Scripture, of Dives and Lazarus and Moſes, and this in Chriſt's Transfiguration, &c. and ſome Argument.
But of this I ſhall ſay as he [quòd queſtio iſta in ſe contineat veritatem theologicam non fundamentatem fidei Articulum] that this Queſtion contains in it a Theological Truth, not a Fundamental Article of Faith; not neceſſary to our Salvation, but uſeful to our Edification and Conſolation.
Now if it be asked, what Subjects the Saints glorified ſhall in all probability diſcourſe upon, I confeſs its an high an hard Queſtion; for, I do find in the 2 Cor. 12.4. that when the Apoſtle Paul was lifted up into the Third Heavens, he heard [foreign] wordleſs Words, or Words that could not be uttered, or which it is not lawful for a Man to utter: God forbid that I ſhould preſume to expreſs either the Matter or the Manner of theſe Conferences above: But words or things they are that are uttered, and we may lawfully gueſs at what the Saints above confer of, by the holy laudible Diſcourſes they have here; and they may be ſuch as theſe:
1. Concerning the Work of Creation: For though the viſible Heavens and Earth ſhall be burnt up, yet nevertheleſs, according to his Promiſe, they ſhall ſee new heavens and new earth, wherein dwells Righteouſneſs, 2 Pet. 3.12, 13. Fire purifies,Rev. 18.5. ſo the viſible Heavens which were defiled with Men's Sin, ſhall be purged with Fire,Rom. 8.21. and the creature ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption: And oh what a brave ſhew will that preſent? Far beyond Golden Mountains, Rocks of Pearl or Diamonds, or Chriſtal ſtreams: A ſemblance of it we have in Rev. 21. which is the wonderful Workmanſhip of the great Creator, enough to imploy the Eyes and Tongues of thoſe Coeleſtial Inhabitants to the Praiſe of Jehovah, Rev. 4.9, 10, 11. and though the firſt Creation be paſt away, yet the mighty Fabrick of this vaſt Univerſe will poſſeſs the Thoughts of the Saints, with admiration of God's Power, Wiſdom, Holineſs which ſhines therein, and they will reflect, upon with Diſcourſes one to another, and adoring God: To the Honour of his Majeſty.
2. Concerning Man's Apoſtacy: How excellently God had placed Man in the Primitive ſtate of Perfection in his own Image, with perfect Faculties in the Image of of God,Pſal. 8.6. with dominion over the works of God's hands: Yet he unreaſonably made defection from God, and roſe up in rebellion againſt God, by violating the Moral Law engraven in his Heart; and the Poſitive Law of not eating the Fruit of one Tree: Whereby he utterly ruined all his Poſterity, made himſelf and his Off-ſpring ſubject to God's wrath and curſe here and hereafter to all Eternity: This will be greatly aggravated to the advancement of Free-grace in our deliverance out of it.
3. Eſpecially the Saints ſhall diſcourſe of the Means of our Redemption: The infinite Wiſdom, Grace and Love in God's Contrivance of it; the tranſcendent Love, Care, Faithfulneſs of Chriſt in the managing of it, the Nature, Birth, Death, Reſurrection, Aſcention of the Son of God, his Offices, ſuited to our State, and all his Mediatory Undertakings: This will be a Voluminous Book for Saints to read, fairly written in indelible Characters;Eph. 1.20, 21. and the glorious Object before their Eyes, at the right Hand of God, in heavenly Places, above Principalities; to be a perpetual Monitor of his glorious Tranſactions: This ſhall be the triumphant Harmony of the Coeleſtial Inhabitants to all Eternity, Rev. 5.8, 9, 13, 14.
4. The priviledge of Believers; the bleſſed Fruits of Chriſt's purchaſes: Now they ſhall more fully underſtand and take the due dimenſions of the Benefits of Reconciliation, Juſtification, Adoption, peace of Conſcience, joy of the Holy-Ghoſt; theſe priviledges will be better underſtood then, and diſcourſed of one to another: O what bleſſed Effects of Divine Grace! We enjoyed them, but did not duly conceive of them, now we ſee what it is to be the Children of God, to be Juſtified, Sanctified; theſe were greater Mercies then we were aware of: Let us caſt our Eye back, and conſider what we were once, what Bruits, Sots, but how we were waſhed, ſanctified, juſtified, in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the ſpirit of our God, 1 Cor. 6.11. Ah, what a pleaſant Theam is this!
5. The Ordinances injoyed: Oh, how many ſavory Sermons have we heard! How often have we been feaſted together at the Lord's Table? What ſweet Fellowſhip have we had with the Saints in the lower World! Many an Heart-melting Faſt, many a Soul-refreſhing Thanksgiving, many an edifying, Heart-warning Conference: I could then ſay, it was good for me to draw nigh to God: Pſal. 73.28.Thoſe Duties led us to this Glory: God help us to improve Ordinances, and now we are got quite above Ordinances.
6. The difficulties of our Pilgrimage: While the Saints ſtand on the ſhore of Eternity, and look back at the ſtormy tempeſtuous Sea they have paſſed, the Pirats, Rocks and Sands they eſcaped, by the conduct of the great Pilot, it fills them with Admiration and Aſtoniſhment: How many roaring Devils, ſurious onſets of Men: What Temptations, Perſecutions they have paſſed through, what hard Duties they have performed, what Corruptions they have mortified, what Burthens they have born; all theſe do accent their Joy to an high pitch.
7. Miniſters, and their Hearers will communicate their former Experiences: Oh, will the Convert ſay, it was a bleſſed Day that ever I ſaw ſuch a Miniſters Face, or heard his Voice: I remember the Text, the Doctrine, the Particular, that firſt touched my Heart:Cant. 2.3. I ſat under that ſhadow with great delight, the fruit was ſweet to my Soul, God healed me by the ſame Hand, that wounded me; poſſibly the Miniſter never knew till now all the Souls he hath been an Inſtrument to Convert: Now they have a reciprocal Joy, when ſower and reaper rejoyce together, John 4.26.
8. Godly Relations will mutually reflect on Days that are paſt, though now not as Huſband and Wife, yet as quondam in that Relation: They were heirs together of the grace of life, prayed, wept,1 Pet. 3.7. ſuffered, and ſweetly converſt togegether, the Father wept over the miſcarrying Child, prevail'd with God, his Miſcarriages coſt him dear, but his Converſion was as life from the dead, that was a coſtly Child, how the more lovely the gracious Child reflects upon, recounts the godly Fathers and Mothers Prayers and Tears, Counſels, Admonitions.
9. The diſtinction Grace hath made betwixt them and others: Such a one as well Born, Bred, Educated as we, ſometimes under Convictions, ſat under the ſame means of Grace, of fine Parts, made a Profeſſion, and were once as likely for Heaven as I, but fell into groſs Sin, or kept in a courſe of Formality, and theſe are now ſwallowed up in Eternal Torments, why, am not I in their Caſe? Who made us to differ? 1 Cor. 4.6.It was nothing but Free grace that gave me a Repenting-heart: I was as likely to Periſh as he, and as unable to help my Self as he.
10. Chriſtians will diſcourſe of the various Providences of God in this World: I was Sick and the Lord raiſed me up, had I dyed then, I had been undone, for I was in a graceleſs State: God in faithfulneſs afflicted me, Pſal. 119.75.I had periſhed, if I had not periſhed, I was wandring, and God brought me home by weeping Croſs: I had not been thus Happy, if I had not been Miſerable; all things did work for my Good: The Lord ſupplyed my Wants, ſupported me in Troubles, vouchſafed many Mercies in my Pilgrimage, wereby he rendred my Condition comfortable: Many a particular Diſpenſation of Providence will be then laid open to others.
11. The ſeaſons of ſpecial Inlargement; they will then declare what God hath done for their Souls: Many things that paſſed betwixt God and their Souls, that were not fit to be divulged in this World, will then be laid open to the glory of God, and their own and others joy and abundant content as thoſe two Diſciples ſaid, Luke 24.32. did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way? Oh, what ſweet Intercourſe with God had my Soul in ſuch a Chamber,Cant. 7.12. Cloſe…; there did he give me his Loves, and I gave him mine: It was a little corner of Heaven: Such an Ordinance, Preſence, was as one of the Days of Heaven; I could have been content to have died there.
12. Laſtly, They ſhall diſcourſe of the Felicity they are now advanced to, and the Perpetuity of it: This State is beyond, what eye hath ſeen, ear heard, or could enter into the heart of Man; little,1 Cor. 2.9. ah little did I then know what I now enjoy: One hour in this blisful State, compenſates all my days of Service or Suffering: O that I had done more for God! I am ſaith Luther, aſhamed that God ſhould ſo abundantly reward ſo little Work: But God acts like himſelf, I did but little for God, but God doth much for me: Who would not ſerve ſuch a Maſter? My Sufferings were but light and momentary, but this is a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: O What a beautiful Maſter have we ſerved:2 Cor. 4.17. Nor is this for a ſhort Seaſon, to have an End, but it is laſting, everlaſting; it would damp our Joy, if we were in danger to loſe this Felicity, but let us take Courage, we ſhall never be expelled out of this our Paradice as Adam was out of his: This Happineſs ſhall run Paralel with the Life of God, and live of Eternity.
You'l ſay, how do you know that this ſhall be their Diſcourſes, have you been there to hear it, or who told you?
I Anſwer no, but we may rationally gueſs at it, partly from ſome general Hints in Scripture, partly from their profitable and comfortable Diſcourſe on Earth, which will then be heightened, and indeed becauſe they ſhall ſpeak and act ſuch things as moſt tend to the Glory of God, and their own greater Joy and Comfort.