A26919:787
The divine life in three treatises
The divine life in three treatises ... by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Francis Tyton, 1664
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Obj. But then I shall have no more comfort in my present friends than in any other.
Answ. 1. If you had none in them, it is no diminution to our happiness, if indeed we should have all in God immediately and alone. 2. But if you have as much in others that you never knew before, that will not diminish any of your comfort in your ancient friends. 3. But it is most probable to us, that as there is a twofold object for our love in the Glorified Saints; one is their Holiness, and the other is the Relation which they stood in between God and us, being made his instruments for our conversion and salvation, so that we shall Love Saints in Heaven in both respects: And in the first respect (which is the chiefest) we shall love those most that have most of God, and the greatest Glory (though such as we never knew on earth) And in the second respect we shall Love those most that were employed by God for our greatest good.
Answ. 1. If you had none in them, it is no diminution to our happiness, if indeed we should have all in God immediately and alone. 2. But if you have as much in others that you never knew before, that will not diminish any of your comfort in your antient friends. 3. But it is most probable to us, that as there is a twofold object for our love in the Glorified Saints; one is their Holiness, and the other is the Relation which they stood in between God and us, being made his instruments for our conversion and salvation, so that we shall Love Saints in Heaven in both respects: And in the first respect (which is the chiefest) we shall love those most that have most of God, and the greatest Glory (though such as we never knew on earth) And in the second respect we shall Love those most that were employed by God for our greatest good.
And that we shall not there lay by so much respect to our selves, as to forget or disregard out benefactors, is manifest, 1. In that we shall for ever remember Christ, and Love him, and Praise him, as one that formerly Redeemed us, and washed us in his blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests to God: And therefore we may also in just subordination to Christ, remember them with Love and Thankfulness, that were his Instruments for the collation of these benefits.