e saintly
men. It is with regard to such persons that the Psalmist says,
"If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the
generation of Thy children." [Ps. 73:15] God gives, even to His
people, an abundance of these blessings, for their own comfort,
and the comfort of others. Still, these things are not their
proper blessings, but only shadows and emblems of their true
blessings, which consist in faith, hope, love, and other gifts
and graces, which love communicates to all.

This is the communion of saints, in which we glory. And whose
heart will not be lifted up, even in the midst of great evils,
when he believes that which is indeed the very truth; namely,
that the blessings of all the saints are his blessings, and that
his evil is also theirs! For this is the sweet and pleasant
picture which the Apostle Paul depicts, in Galatians vi, "Bear ye
one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." [Gal.
6:21] Is it not a blessing to be in such a company in which,
"whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or
one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it"? [1 Cor.
12:26] as it is said in I. Corinthians vi[65]. Therefore, when I
suffer, I suffer not alone, but Christ and all Christians suffer
with me; as He saith, "He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple
of My eye." [Zach. 2:8] Even so others bear my burden, and their
strength becomes my own. The Church's faith supports my
fearfulness, the chastity of others bears the temptations of my
flesh, the fastings of others are my gain, the prayer of another
pleads for me. In short, such care have the members one for
another, that the comely parts cover, serve, and honor the
uncomely; as it is beautifully set forth in I. Corinthians
vi.[65] others as though they were my own; and they are truly my
own when I find joy and pleasure therein. Let me, then, be base
and vile; yet they whom I love and admire are fair and beautiful.
And by my love I make not only their blessings, but their very
selves my own; so that by their honor my shame is made honorable,
by their abundance my poverty is filled, by their merits my sins
are healed. Who, then, could despair in his sins? Who would not
rejoice in his pains? For it is not he that bears his sins and
pains; or if he does bear them, he bears them not alone, but is
assisted by so many holy sons of God, yea, even by Christ
Himself. So great a thing is the communion of saints, and the
Church of