Jesus and the resurrection justified by witnesses in heaven and in earth in two parts : the first shewing that Jesus is the Son of God, the second that in him we have eternall life / by Symon Patrick ...

II.

And if the nature of this LIFE be farther examined, you will find the Mind is not the onely Faculty that shall be gra∣tisied; but the Will shall conceive a Love as great as the Knowledge of which I have discoursed. For as God is the highest object of the Understanding, be∣ing the Prime Truth; so he is the chiefest object of the Will, being the First and Best Good. And therefore as the Under∣standing shall then ••ost clearly know him; so the Will, in like manner, shall most ardently love him, and find perfect satisfaction in that Love. There is a ne∣cessary connexion between these things; and it cannot be otherwise, but that from

the best Good clearly known, there will flow the greatest Love; drawing along with it the greatest delight, and the most perfect repose. And therefore to SEE GOD, virtually contains in its notion both Love and Delectation, with Rest, or Satisfaction. Love naturally flows from thence, as from its fountain; and the other naturally flow from Love. Which is the highest act of that Faculty which we call the Will, as knowing and contemplating is of the Understanding. Desire, indeed, is the first Motion of it, when any thing is apprehended to be good for us; but that will there be quen∣ched in possession and enjoyment: and no more of it can be conceived to re∣main, then a longing after the continu∣ance and increase of this Happiness; which, yet, will be so certain, that we shall be rather confident, then desirous.

The Will therefore, having such a glo∣rious object always before it, will be wholly imploy'd in Love, and spend it self, without any decay, in flames of af∣fection towards this Universall Good, which shines so fairly and brightly in its eyes. It will apply it self to the enjoy∣ment of it with as great a vehemency as

it can; and laying its mouth (as St. Au∣stin teaches me to speak) to the Spring of all happiness, do more then taste the sweetness of it. We may expect to have it filled with those delicious pleasures which we know attend on Love; and which in that state will be proportiona∣ble to the greatness of the Good that is embraced, and to the strength and arden∣cy of the embracement.

And whereas here in this world men are wont to love beyond all reason, whereby their love becomes adulterate, and is mixed with so many discontents, that it proves but a bitter-sweet: There our Understanding (as you have heard) will be in its full growth and highe•••• pitch; so that as nothing which is rea∣sonable shall be omitted to be done, no∣thing likewise shall be done that is un∣reasonable. This Love will be grounded upon the clearest Judgment; this Flame kindled by the purest Light: so that there will be no ••nquiet or trouble in it, but perfect rest and peace.

And whereas in this world mens affec∣tions flow to things that are not ••ea•• so big as themselves, (i. e. as 〈…〉〈…〉

desires,) and so they languish, and faint, and fall sick, even in the enjoyment of the best good that it affords; because they find it is not a supply proportionable to their want, or to their expectations: There will be no such emptiness nor want of satisfaction in those celestial enjoy∣ments; because we shall embrace not onely our proper good, but that which is commensurate to our desires, and be∣yond our hopes. Our Affections will not fall then upon that which cannot sustain the whole weight of them; but feeling themselves born up to the greatest height of Love, by a Good so full, that it will leave no room for complaint or uneasi∣ness, they will enjoy the most solid Rest and Satisfaction.

Do but conceive then in your minds what a pleasure it is here in this Life, to Love and to be Beloved; and you will have some notion whereby to take a mea∣sure of the LIFE we are speaking of, which will consist in such mutuall Love and delightfull Correspondencies. And they who have neither Father nor Mo∣ther, Wife nor Children, near Kindred nor Relations, whereon to place their affection; let them consider, if they have

but a singular Friend, what the pleasure is that two persons, who sincerely and purely love, take in the sweet company and conversation of each other. Or if I must suppose any man to be so unkind and so unhappy, as to have no love for any body but his own self, let him think what contentment he hath, and how he is pleased, if he can arrive any thing near to a quiet enjoyment of his dear Self And such a delightfull state may be a small image of Heaven, where holy Souls will love God with a far greater flame, then ever they did (or shall then) love them∣selves: because He will appear infinitely more lovely, and to bear also a far greater love to them, then it is possible for then to do to themselves.

Now none can tell how transporting it will be to a good Soul, when it feels i•• self the Beloved of God, as well as full of love to him: because we cannot think how great the Love of the Al∣mighty is, unless we could know how great he is himself. This is a thing that cannot fail to have a strange power over our affections, and to master them so that we shall be taken quite out of our selves: for we all extreamly love to be beloved.

If any neighbour shew us an unex∣pected and undeserved kindness, we are apt to think he is the best person in the world: And the poorest Wretch that is, if we see in him the undoubted signs of an hearty love to us, we cannot chuse but requite it with some expressions of kindness back again. Nay, if a Dog, as I have said elsewhere, or such a dumb creature, do but fawn upon us, and de∣light in our company, and with a great deal of observance follow us whereso∣ever we go; we cannot but be so far pleased with this inclination towards us, as to make much of it, and to be trou∣bled to see any harm befall it, and to love to see it play and be well pleased. Judge then what a pleasure it will be to pious Souls, to find themselves beloved of him, who hath put these kind resentments in∣to our nature. To what an height will the sweet breathings of his Love blow up the flames of theirs? Into what Ec∣stasies will they fall, when they feel by the happy fruits, what an exceeding great affection their Heavenly Father bears to them? It is above our present thoughts to apprehend the joy that will then overflow them: but we may con∣ceive

a little of it, if we remember, that GOD is Love; and that by our Love He will be in us, and by his Love we shall be in Him.

But, if you please, let us fall much lower then this; and onely represent to our selves, how great an happiness we shall account it, to be beloved of the whole Family of God in Heaven. Look down from the highest Angel to the smallest Infant that shall be blessed there, from the noblest to the meanest in that celestiall Court; and there is not one of them but will love us, and be ready to shew their sincere and most affectionate kindness towards us. They that are the greatest in that Glory, will be the grea∣test Lovers; they that enjoy most of God, will be disposed to let us enjoy most of them. For there is no Pride nor Envy in the heavenly Quire; but the more any are Beloved, the more they will delight in the most effectuall expres∣sions of their Love. And how can they chuse but interchange to each other unspeakable contentment, who live in the comfort of such indissoluble Amity and Friendship? Nothing can be thought of beyond this to set forth their happi∣ness:

But we much conclude with * 1.1 Philo, that this i•• the best definition of immortall life, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to be held fast in an unfleshly and incorpo∣reall love and friendship of God.

You will say, perhaps, that I have been now speaking of some other Love be∣sides his; which, supposing our hearts so fixed on him, we shall not be capable to entertain our selves withall in the other world. For who can divert himself from so beloved a Good, (which sends also such tokens of Love to him,) and turn to any other object? We cannot think that they who love God perfectly, will be inclined to love any thing else. And you may think so still, if you please, without any prejudice to what I have said. This will but make that LIFE the more desirable, and move us to wish for such an happy state; where God will be in all our thoughts, and we shall al∣ways love him, and yet love one ano∣ther too. For these are not at all incon∣sistent, but we may delight our selves in the sweet society of Angels and Saints, and yet always SEE GOD; because we see and love Him in every thing. They will be his Beauties which we shall

behold in them. Those holy ones will shine in his Glory. So that our affections will not incline to run to any person merely for himself; but because we be∣hold the face of God in him, and see his Graces wherewith he is adorned. All the Love there will be Divine: And the more of God shall appear in any persons, the more lovely they will be; and the more we shall be ravisht with their com∣pany, and rejoyce in a happy league of friendship with them.

Well then, withdraw your thoughts a while from all the things you love here, and raise them above to look at Love where it reigns, and hath an uncon∣trolled Empire: Behold it sitting on its Throne, advanced to its utmost pitch of Perfection, and shewing it self in its full Glory: And then keep the beginnings of this Heavenly LIFE out of your Souls, if you can. It will be impossible you should not think, there is nothing so much to be desired as to be all Love. O happy Life, will you say, where they love as much as they are able! and where they shall be able to love more then now can be conceived! and where they will be beloved more then they can love;

and have their Love hereby heightned, when they reflect upon it, in an endless Circle of joy and pleasure! Let us enter upon this Life with all the speed we can make. Let us begin it this very moment; and endeavour that no moment may pass hereafter, but in the Love of God. For there is no heart so stony (sure) and in∣sensible, that will not be dissolved into flesh, and receive any impressions from God, if it be once touched with the se∣rious thoughts of this state of Love. No Soul so hard frozen and icy, that will not be thawed and melted to run whether God pleases, when it doth but feel the least spark of this heavenly Fire fall down upon it. Do but go from the reading of this, with the thoughts of this Happiness burning in your breasts, and preserve the fire, for one hour, from going out: and you cannot imagine, till you try, to what an heavenly temper it will puri∣fie and refine your Spirits. It will make you heartily in love with the Life of Christ here, which leads to such a bliss∣full Life in the other world. You will zealously follow those holy desires and resolutions, which you will necessarily feel it inspiring you withall. And you will not suffer any temptation whatso∣ever

to divert you from that earnest pur∣suit; but still be saying, as St. Austin be∣gins and ends his Confessions:

Thou, Lord, hast made us for thee, and our heart is uneasie and restless untill it re∣pose it self in thee. Who being that Good which needs no good, art always at rest; for thou thy self art thine own Rest. But to understand this, what man will give to man? what Angel to Angel? or what An∣gel to man? Let it be askt of thee, let it be sought in thee, let it be knockt for at thee: So, so shall it be received, so shall it be found, so shall it be opened. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, p. 459.