A26786:347
The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in…
The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in several discourses / by William Bates.
London: printed for Brabazon Aylmer, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The supreme happiness of Man is in the Soul's Communion with God. This will appear by considering the principal Ingredients of Happiness: they are the excellence of the Object, and the vigour of the Actings upon it. The Life and Blessedness of God, is to know and love himself, according to his infinite Perfections. And 'tis the highest happiness of the reasonable Creature to know and love God. For he is a spiritual infinite, unchangeable Good, and can fully communicate all that is requisite to entire Blessedness, Supply all the Wants, and satisfy all the Wishes of the immortal Soul. The Understanding and Will are our most comprehensive Faculties, the principles of our most eminent Operations. ⟨p. 285⟩To know and to love are essential to the reasonable Soul, and in directing those Acts upon God, the Rectitude, the Perfection and Felicity of Man consists. As the intellectual Creature by setting its Mind and Heart upon earthly things, is degraded into a lower order, the thoughts and desires that are spiritual with respect to the principle from whence they proceed, are sensual and perishing with respect to their Objects: So when our noble faculties are exercised in their most lively and vigorous perceptions upon the supreme Good, Man is advanced to an equality of Joy and Perfection with the Angels. Now in Heaven, God by his most evident and effectual presence, excites and draws forth all the active Powers of the Soul in their highest degrees; and such is the immensity of his Perfections, fills their utmost Capacity, from whence a Divine pleasure, a perpetual Satisfaction springs, a Joy that is as unspeakable as 'tis eternal.
2. The supream happiness of Man is in the Soul's Communion with God. This will appear by considering the principal Ingredients of Happiness: they are the excellence of the Object, and the vigour of the Actings upon it. The Life and Blessedness of God, is to know and love himself, according to his infinite Perfections. And 'tis the highest happiness of the reasonable Creature to know and love God. For he is a spiritual infinite, unchangeable Good, and can fully communicate all that is requisite to intire Blessedness, Supply all the Wants, and satisfy all the Wishes of the immortal Soul. The Understanding and Will are our most comprehensive Faculties, the principles of our most eminent Operations. ⟨p. 285⟩