A26921:411
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and the latter times of his corporal pains and weakness.
London: printed by Tho. Snowden for B. Simmons, 1683
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Richard Baxter's Dying Thoughts. › Part 4: IV. The Constitutive Reasons from the state of my will.
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 if created Love be so necessary, so active, so communicative, how much more will the infinite Love of the Creator be? His Love is now the Life of the ⟨p. 177⟩World: His Love is the Life of Nature in the Living, the life of Holiness in Saints; and the life of glory in the Blessed. In this infinite Love it is that I and all the Saints shall dwell for ever more. And if I dwell in LOVE, and LOVE in me, surely I shall have its sweet and plenteous communication; and shall ever drink of the Rivers of Pleasure. It is pleasant to Nature to be Beloved of others: Especially of the great, and wise, and good: much more to have all the communications of Love, in converse and gifts, in plenty and continuance, which may be still expressing it to our greatest benefit! Had I a Friend now that did for me but the hundredth part of what God doth, how dearly should I love him? Think then, think believingly, seriously, constantly, O my Soul, what a life thou shalt live for ever in the Presence, the Face, the Bosom of infinite Eternal Love? He now shineth on me by the Sun, and on my Soul, by the Sun of Righteousness but it is as through a Lantern, or the crevices of my darksome Habitation: But then he will shine on me, and in me, openly and with the fullest streams and beams of Love.
And if created Love be so necessary, so active, so communicative, how much more will the infinite Love of the Creator be? His Love is now the Life of the ⟨p. 177⟩World: His Love is the Life of Nature in the Living, the life of Holiness in Saints; and the life of glory in the Blessed. In this infinite Love it is that I and all the Saints shall dwell for ever more. And if I dwell in LOVE, and LOVE in me, surely I shall have its sweet and plenteous communication; and shall ever drink of the Rivers of Pleasure. It is pleasant to Nature to be Beloved of others: Especially of the great, and wise, and good: much more to have all the communications of Love, in converse and gifts, in plenty and continuance, which may be still expressing it to our greatest benefit! Had I a Friend now that did for me but the hundredth part of what God doth, how dearly should I love him? Think then, think believingly, seriously, constantly, O my Soul, what a life thou shalt live for ever in the Presence, the Face, the Bosom of infinite Eternal Love? He now shineth on me by the Sun, and on my Soul, by the Sun of Righteousness but it is as through a Lanthorn, or the crevises of my darksom Habitation: But then he will shine on me, and in me, openly and with the fullest streams and beams of Love.