First Fruits

Abstract

At the beginning of this book I quoted some examples of the claim that the presence of the spirit of God, seen most clearly in saintly people, is an anticipation of the life to come. Some of the writers quoted, for instance Wesley, were careful to say that an ‘anticipation’ is something more than a ‘preparation’, for it is believed that the life of the Blessed has already begun on this earth. In a similar vein, von Hügel concludes his encyclopaedic study Eternal Life by saying:

Religion, in its fullest development, essentially requires, not only this our little span of earthly years, but a life beyond. Neither an Eternal Life that is already fully achieved here below, nor an Eternal Life to be begun and known solely in the beyond, satisfies these requirements. But only an Eternal Life already begun and truly known in part here, though fully to be achieved, and completely to be understood hereafter, corresponds to the deepest longings of man’s spirit as touched by the prevenient spirit, God. (p.396)