Chap. V. Of HEAVEN. Operations of the glorified Soul upon its proper Object But fomething we may conje£l';[,~fe who are po[eft with a noble Paffion for Knowledg; how do they defpife all lower Pleafures in comparifon of it ? how do they forget themfelves, negleC1: the Body; and retire into the Mind, the higheft part of Man, and neareft to God? The bare ap· prehenfion of fuch rhinos that by their internal Nature have no attra8ive influence up· on the AffeClions, is ple~ fant to the Underftanding. As the appearance of Light, tho not attended with any other vifible Beauties, relrefhes the Eye after long darknefs: ,fa the clear difcovery of Truths, how abftraCl foever, that were before unknown, is grateful to the intell el.l:ive Faculty. Thus fame have been firangely tranfportedWith the plea• fure of a Mathematical Demonftration, when the Evidence, not the Importance, of the thing was fa ravifhing ; for what is more dry and barren of Delight than the [peculation of Figures and Numbers? Solon when near his End, and fame of hi s Friends that vifited him were fpeaking foftly of a Point of Philofophy, by that found of Wifdom was awal<en'd liom the lleep of Death that WJS juft feizing on him; and opening his • . Eyes, railing his Head to give attention, being ask'd _the reafon of it,, anf~vere?, -:¥ That fiu~~~i~~:id when I underjland what you are difoourftng of, I may dte. Such was hiS delight m Know- eft de 9uo ledg, that a little of it made his Agony infenfible. d•fpurnu; ~rBut l1ere are many Imperfel.l:ions that le[en this intelleClual Pleafure, which fhall ceafe ~~:~;:~""• in Heaven. Here the acquifition of Knowledg is often with the expence of Health: The Flower of the Spirits, nece[ary for natural Operations, is wafted by intenfe Thoughts. How often are the Learned fickly ? A s the Flint when 'tis ftruck, gives not a Spark without confuming it felf; fo Knowledg is obtain'd by Studies that wafte our faint fenfitive Faculti<S. But then ourKnowledg (hall be a fre~ emanation from the fpring ofTruth, with?ut our labour and pams. Here we learn by ctrcmr, and ~hfccrn by corn- ~~}~~t~~!~ied~nili:ntb~ar:r~r~:/~nd!f;;~~e~l. a f;!~e~a;~~~c~w~:r J~b~~~:'nct t~~~: :;~~~ little Know ledg do we gain ? Every Q!Ieftion is a Labyrinth, out of which the nimble£!' and moft fearching Minds cannot extricate themfelves. How many fpecious Errors impofeupon ourUnderftandings? We look on things by falfe Lights, through deceiving SpeEtacles : But then our Knowledg fhall be certain and compleat. There is no forbid- ~;d,~~~"a:~.'Fs~f~~~ft~!re~·,~~~~ k~a~~~a;~;n~f~ ~~~~~~~Id~~'~::i/t?~:rsh:~~~~:~~ in the Mind : for the moft comprehenfive knowledg of things that are iQfufficient to make us happy, cannot afford true SatisfaClion. But then we fhall fee God in all his Excellenetes, the fupreme Objel.l: and End, the only Felicity of the Soul. How will the fight of his glorious Perfel.l:ions in the firft moment quench our extreme Thirft, and fill :ak'!~'~J~~na~i.~~~~::\~anr '~[j~~~~~~ ~:~e~~~~~ f~~~:hii~nhi~:rr;yr,~r~~~~~'-~~7a ravifh'd with the Beauties and Wonders of his Face, that they never divert a moment from the contemplation of it. 2 . The _pure Love of the Saints to God, is f'ully f'atis6ed in the poffeffion and enjoyme~t of hrm, .and confequemly the greateft delight and complacency is fhed abroad in therr Hearts. Love confrdered as an Affection of Friendfhip, is always attended with two Defires ; to be af!"urcd of Reciproca l Love, and to enJOY the Converfation of the Perfon beloved, the tcllimony of his Efteem and Goodwill. This kind of " Affection • Arifiotle. feems to be inconfiflent with that infinite diftance that is between God and the Creature. But tho'tis difproportionable to the Divine Majefty, 'tis proportionable to his Goodnefs. Accordrngly our Sav10ur promrfes, He that loves me, fba /1 be loved of m1 Father, and I will lfYIJe htm, and manifeft m1 [elf fin to htm ' And to confirm our belief of tli is aftonifhing ~~d:~c::~~~o::~:~ :~it~7m~4~~o;~em~r:fen~4~:;e~i~~:Vfi:~~~f~o~;s w;:e~f;j~~~ vour are exhrbited to Ius Fnends. Now he beftows on them the honour of being his Sons, the Graces and Comforts of his Spirit, the precious Earnefls of his Love, and Seal o[ thm Redemptton. But m e~unency of degrees, the Emanations of his Love, and the Effel.l:s of hrs Beneficence, are mcomparably more gl(\rious in Heaven. Here the Saints are adopted, there crown'd : There he opens. all the bright Treafures of his Wifdom, the Rrches of hiS Goodnefs, the. Beaunes of hrs Holinefs, the Glories of his Power, and bythe rnt•mate apphcatron of hrs Prefence makes his Love moft fenfible to them. In- ~!~~cYc~':f~:;~~,~~~~1 ~h~~~fri~~h F~;~e te~~:r;e~~:~~~ ~~;f;r~da~~s ~~~isr.'ai~~ fprrngs. 0 the pure Delights between God an~ f~rified Sou)s ! God looks on them wi~~
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