A26919:855
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.
And when I have Infinite Goodness to delight in, where my soul may freely let out it self, and never need to fear excess of Love, how sweet should this employment be? As Knowledge, so Love is never stinted here, by the narrowness of the Object: We can never Love him in any proportion either to his Goodness and amiableness in himself, or to his Love to us. What need have I then of any other company or business, when I have infinite Goodness to delight in, and to Love (further than ⟨p. 362⟩they subserve this greatest work?)
Come home then, O my soul, to God: Converse in Heaven: Turn away thine eyes from beholding vanity: Let not thy affections kindle upon straw or briars, that go out when they have made a flash or noise, and leave thee to thy cold and darkness: But come and dwell upon celestial beauties, and make it thy daily and most diligent work, to kindle thy affections on the infinite everlasting Good; and then they will never be extinguished or decay for want of fuel; but the further they go, and the longer they burn, the greater will be the flame. Though thou find it hard while Love is but a spark to make it burn, and complain that thy cold and backward heart is hardly warmed with the Love of God, yet when the whole pile hath taken fire, and the flame ascendeth, fire will breed fire, Love will cause Love; and all the malice of Hell it self shall never be able to suppress or quench it unto all eternity.
Come home then, O my soul, to God: Converse in Heaven: Turn away thine eyes from beholding vanity: Let not thy affections kindle upon straw or bryars, that go out when they have made a flash or noise, and leave thee to thy cold and darkness: But come and dwell upon celestial beauties, and make it thy daily and most diligent work, to kindle thy affections on the infinite everlasting Good; and then they will never be extinguished or decay for want of fewel; but the further they go, and the longer they burn, the greater will be the flame. Though thou find it hard while Love is but a spark to make it burn, and complain that thy cold and backward heart is hardly warmed with the Love of God, yet when the whole pile hath taken fire, and the flame ascendeth, fire will breed fire, Love will cause Love; and all the malice of Hell it self shall never be able to suppress or quench it unto all eternity.