I h:1V:f2id JllOreofthis frnce,in my Li[ee[F;~itiJ. · Virtf1· r. Dirtf1• 2· Heb,li, J, Dlre/1. 3• Of our [ommunion Jvith Veparted Souls with CIJYift. CHAP. X. Directions about Otlr Communion Jvith Holy Souls Departed,- and 110111 1 vith [hrift. THE overfight and neglcc\1: of our duty concerning the fouls of the blrlfed, now with Chrifi doth very much harden the Papifls in their erroneous cxcelfcs here about. And if we wili ever reduce them, or rightly confute them, it mufi be by a judicious aJferring of the Truth and obfcrving fo much with thtm as is our duty, and cornmcnding that in them which is t~ be commtnded, and not by running away from truth and duty that we may get far enough from rhem and mour: For mour is an ill way of confuting crrour. The praltical Truth lycth in thcfc follow– ing Precepts. 9· 1: Direc\1:. r. Remtmber that_ lht dtparte~ fo~ls in Heaven art part, and the nob/eft part of tbe Body of Cbri.fl and famzly of God, of wbtch you are rnfertour members ; and therefort that you owe them greater LovctJmiHomur. than you owe toany Saints on Earth. Eph. 3· '5· 1he whole family in Heaven and Earth i1 ~am•d of Chrift. Thore are.the happiell and nobldl parrs, that are mofi pure and perfect, and dwell m the h1ghcfi and rnofi glorious habitations . . nearcfi unto Chrifi, yea, with him: If Holinefs be lovely, the moft 1-luly are the mojf lovely : we hav; many obligations therefore, to Love them more than the Saints on earth : They are more excellent and amiable, and Chrifi Loverh them mou. And if any be Honourable, it mull: efpecially be thofe fpirits, that are of greatdl excellencies and perfections, and advanced to the greateft Glory and nearnefs to their Lord. Make Confcicnce therefore of this as your duty, not only to Loveand Ho 1 wur bleffcd fouls, but to Love and Honour them more than thofe that are yet on Earth. And as every. Duty is at– tended with Benefit, fo we (hall find this exceeding gteat benefit in the performance of this duty, that it will incline our hearts to be the more Heavenly, and draw up our Deftrn to the fociety which we fo much Love and Honour. §. 2. Dire&. 2. Rem<mbtrthat it i< a part of the life of faith, to fee by it the Heavenly Society of the blrff,d, ami. a part ofyour Heavenly Convu[ati~n, t9 have frequent, ferioHJ and deiight[Hl tbought!, of thofeCrowmd [oulsth., are with Chrij!. Otherwife God would never have given us fuch defcriptions of the Heavenly Jeru[alem, and told us fo much of the Hofis of God that mufi inhabit it for ever ; that mull come from the Ea(f and from tht Weft, and fit down with Ahraham, lfaac and Jacob in tbt Kingdom .of God : When it is faid that our converfation ( ~oAinu~"') M in Heaven, Phi!. 3· 20. the meaning extcndeth both to our Rclatibn, Privilcdges and Convtr[e: We are Drnizrms or Citizens ol the Heavenly Society ; and our title to their happinefs is our highefi Priviledge and Honour; and therefore our daily bufinefs is there, and our fweetdl and mofi ferious converfe is with Chrifl and a\l thofe bldfed fpirits. Whatever we are doing here, our Eye a11d He.trt fhould flill be there; For we look._ ;zot at the temporal tbings which sre fien, but at tbe etemal thi;Jgs which are not fun, 2 Cor. 4· 18. A wife Chrifiian that hath forfaken the Kingdom of darknefs, will be defirous to know what the Ki>tgdom of Chrij! i4 into which he is tranflatcd, and rrho are his feUow Subje{JJ, and what are their fcveral ranks and dignities, fo far as tendeth to his congruous converfe with them all. And how Chould it affect us to find that we are come umo Mount Zion, aiJd untothe Citynf the livi:ug G.d 1 the Heavenly Jcrufalcm, and to an innumerable company of AngelJ, totbegencral AjJembly and Church of the firjf born which are written in Heavm, and to God the ]Hdge of aU, and to the fi>irits of Jujl men made prrftll, and to Jef~~< the Me– diator of the new Covenant, Heb. 12. 22,,23, 24· Live then as the members of this foc!ety, and exclude not the chief members from your thottghts and co;:vcrfe: though our local vifible communion be only with thefe rural infcriour inhabitants, and not with the Courtiers of the, King of Heaven, yet our Mental Communion may be much with them. If our home and treafure be there with them, our Hearts will be there alfo, Mat. 6. 2 I. 9· 3• DireCt:. 3· It U the wiU of God that the Memory of. the Saints be honoured Qit earth when they are dead. Jr is[ome part ofhis favour which he hath promtfcd ro them. Prov. 10. 7· The memory ufthe jujf ~1 blrffed: btttthe ~tame of the wick.,ed jha~ rot. Matth. 26• .I 3· Vcr~0' I foy unto you, ~bcrcfocver tbi-1 Go{peljhall be Preacbed in the whole world, IIJtrefhali al{o tbu thattbl-1 w!Jmanhath done, be tQ/d f()r ~:~memorial of her. The hifiory of the Scripture recordeth the Lives of the Saints to their perpetual honour. And God will have it fo alfo for the fake of his abuft:d fcrvanrs upon earth, that rht:)' m1y fee that the fianders of malicious tongues,Chall not be able to obCcure the glory of his Gr1ce,and rillt the lies of the ungodly prevail but for a moment. And God will have it fo for the fake of the ungodly, that they may be afhamed of their malicious enmity and Iyes againfi the godly, whilt they perceive that the departed Saints, do leave behind them a furviving tefiimony of their fanClity and innocency, fufficicnt tO
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