[5.] There is the unanimous conjunction of all the saints in the praises of God, or a joining in comfort, without jarring or difference. The apostle biddeth us, Rom. xv. 6, ' With one mind and with one mouth to glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.' It is our duty, but never performed to the full, but when we meet together in that great Travijyvpi';, that council of souls, or ' the general assembly and church of the first-born,' which the apostle describeth, Heb. xii. 23, * The spirits of just men made perfect,' or consecrated. It is comfort- able to join in worship with the people of God now. Moses preferred it, with afflictions, before all the riches, and honours, and pleasures he enjoyed in Egypt : Heb. xi. 24, ' Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of siu for a season.'
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But then is tlie communion of saints completed, when all are admitted to the vision and clearest knowledge of God, and have the most perfect adherence and love to him. Now what an happy time will that be, when we and all the holy ones of God shall, with the same enlarged affection, set about the same work ! as our groans here made but one sound, and our conjoined tears but one stream, and our united desires but one prayer, so all our praises then shall make but one melody and har- mony. If it be an happiness to live with the saints in their imperfection, when sin doth often embitter their society, surely it is an happiness to live with them for ever when they are purged and freed from sin, and fully consecrated and fitted to minister before the Lord.
[6.] To think of God, and to rejoice in his glory, and to love and praise him, will be our great employment. There we shall be intent upon our choice and noble work, which is praising and lauding God : Ps. Ixxxiv. 4, ' Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ; they are still praising thee.' Praises now are a part of our sacrifices, and must be mingled with our prayers : Phil. iv. 6, ' In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known unto God.' So Kev. V. 8, ' The four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints.' Harps signify their praises and thanksgivings. Here it cometh in by way of mixture, but there it is our sole employment. There is no need of prayers, for there are no sins, nor wants, nor necessities there; all is praise. David calleth upon the angels ' to bless the Lord,' Ps. ciii. 20, to tell us what they do. And when a multitude of them descended at Christ's birth, Luke ii. 13, 14, they presently fell a-lauding and praising God, ' Glory be to God in the highest.' It is the opinion of the ancient Hebrews that every day they sing praises to God, and that in the morning ; this they gather from Gen. xxxii. 6, ' Let me go, for the day breaketh;' which place the Targum of Jerusalem thus explaineth, * Let me go, for the pillar of the morning ascends ; and behold, the hour approacheth that the angels are to sing.' This was their opin- ion. Sure we are that the angels bless God, and that in an eminent manner, as appeareth by frequent passages of scripture, where they are called upon to bless the Lord ; for though the speech be in the imperative mood, as if it were hortatory, yet it is to be expounded by the indicative, as narrative of what the angels do. Particularly we read they blessed God for his own excellence : Isa. vi. 1-3, ' In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims ; each one had six wings ; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.' For the creation : Job xxxviii. 4-7, ' Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth ? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest ? or who hath stretched the line upon it ? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened ? or who laid the corner-stone thereof, when the morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?' For the nativity of Christ :
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Luke ii. 13, 14, 'And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.' So they blessed Christ : Kev. v. 11, 12, ' I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.' Though they cannot fully compre- hend God, yet they do it far more clearly than we. They apprehend God's excellency and perfection in himself; they know also the excellency of his works, creation, and providence, and the redemption of mankind. ' Then we shall know as we are known,' 1 Cor. xiii. 12, and understand the faithfulness of God's conduct in bringing us to glory. 0 blessed time when we shall fall upon the work of angels, when we shall have a sublime understanding to know God, an heart to love him, and a mouth to praise him for evermore ! We shall not need any excitement, but be willing and ready to do it. We have greater cause of blessing God than the angels have. It is a question whether an innocent or a penitent person is more bound to thank God ? An innocent man is bound to praise God in respect of the greatness of the benefit, and the continuance of it ; but a penitent man in respect of the f reeness and graciousness of it. The freeness and graciousness is much more conspicuous towards men. God was indeed good and bountiful to the angels, creating them out of nothing, endowing them with many excellent gifts ; but to man sinful was God good indeed ; he loved us as enemies ; when his justice, offended by sin, put a bar to our salvation, he spared not his beloved Son, but delivered him to a cursed death in our room and stead.