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A funeral sermon preached upon the death of the reverend and excellent divine Dr.…
A funeral sermon preached upon the death of the reverend and excellent divine Dr. Thomas Manton who deceased the 18th of October 1677 / by William Bates.A funeral sermon preached upon the death of the reverend and excellent divine Dr. Thomas Manton who deceas'd the 18th of October 1677 / by William Bates.
London: printed by J.D. for Barbazon Aylmer, 1678
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.
When the Soul opens its eyes to the clear discoveries of the first Truth, and its breast to the dear ⟨p. 18⟩and intimate embraces of the Supreme Good, beyond which nothing remains to be known, nothing to be enjoyed, what a deluge of the purest Pleasures will overflow it? We cannot ascend in our thoughts so high, as to conceive the excess of Joy that attends those operations of the glorified Soul upon its proper object. But something we may conjecture.
When the Soul opens its eyes to the clear discoveries of the first Truth, and its breast to the dear ⟨p. 18⟩and intimate imbraces of the Supream Good, beyond which nothing remains to be known, nothing to be enjoy'd, what a deluge of the purest Pleasures will overflow it? We cannot ascend in our thoughts so high, as to conceive the excess of Joy that attends those operations of the glorified Soul upon its proper object. But something we may conjecture.
Those who are possest with a noble Passion for Knowledge, how do they despise all lower Pleasures in comparison of it? How do they forget themselves, neglect the Body, and retire into the Mind, the highest part of Man, and nearest to God? The bare apprehension of such things that by their internal nature have no attractive influence upon the Affections, is pleasant to the Understanding. As the appearance of Light, though not attended with any other visible beauties, refreshes the Eye after long darkness: so the clear discovery of Truths, how abstract so ever, that were before unknown, is grateful to the intellective faculty. Thus some have been strangely transported with the pleasure of a Mathematical Demonstration, when the evidence, not the importance of the thing was so ravishing; for what is more dry and barren of delight than the speculation of Figures and Numbers? Solon when near his end, and some of ⟨p. 19⟩his Friends that visited him were speaking softly of a Point of Philosophy, by a sound of Wisdom was awakened from the sleep of Death that was just seizing on him, and opening his eyes, and raising his head to give attention; being asked the reason of it? answered, That when