Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…

Study this heavenly work of Love, O my Soul; these are not dead or barren studies: These are not sad, unpleasant studies: It is only love that can relish love, and understand it: The will here hath its gust, so like to an understanding, as maketh some Philosophers say that voluntas percipit, is a proper Phrase: What can poor carnal Worldlings know of glorious Love, who study it without Love? What sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbals, a lifeless Voice, are they that preach of God, and Christ and heavenly Glory without Love? But gazing upon the face of Love in Christ, and tasting of its gifts, and looking up to its glorious reign, is the way to kindle the Sacred Fire in thee. Look upwards if thou wouldst see the Light that must lead thee upwards! It is not for nothing that Christ hath taught us to begin our Prayers with [Our Father which art in Heaven:] It is Fatherly Love that must win our Hearts, and that must comfort them: And it is [in Heaven] where this is gloriously manifested: As I said before, as the Soul is in all the Body, but yet understandeth not in the Hand as it doth in the Head, nor ⟨p. 180⟩rejoiceth not in the Foot as it doth in the Heart; so God that is every where, doth not every where glorify his Love, as he doth it in Heaven: Thither therefore the Mind and Eye are even by Nature taught to look up as to God, as we look a Man in the Face when we speak to him, rather than to his Feet, though his Soul be also there.

Study this heavenly work of Love, O my Soul; these are not dead or barren studies: These are not sad, unpleasant studies: It is only love that can relish love, and understand it: The will here hath its gust, so like to an understanding, as maketh some Philosophers say that voluntas percipit, is a proper Phrase: What can poor carnal Worldlings know of glorious Love, who study it without Love? What sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbals, a lifeless Voice, are they that preach of God, and Christ and heavenly Glory without Love? But gazing upon the face of Love in Christ, and tasting of its gifts, and looking up to its glorious reign, is the way to kindle the Sacred Fire in thee. Look upwards if thou wouldst see the Light that must lead thee upwards! It is not for nothing that Christ hath taught us to begin our Prayers with [Our Father which art in Heaven:] It is Fatherly Love that must win our Hearts, and that must comfort them: And it is [in Heaven] where this is gloriously manifested: As I said before, as the Soul is in all the Body, but yet understandeth not in the Hand as it doth in the Head, nor