The Saints' Everlasting Rest - Richard Baxter

When God hath more abundantly warmed thy spirit with fire from
above, then thou mayst soar with greater freedom. A little labor will set thy
heart a going at such a time as this; whereas at another time thou mayst take
pains to little purpose. Observe the gales of the Spirit, and how the Spirit of
Christ doth move thy spirit. "Without Christ we can do nothing;" and
therefore let us be doing while he is doing! and be sure not to be out of the
way, nor asleep, when he comes. When the Spirit finds thy heart, like Peter,
in prison and in irons, and smites thee, and says, "Arise up quickly, and
follow me!" be sure thou then arise and follow; and thou shalt find thy chains
fall off, and all doors will open, and thou wilt be at heaven before thou art
aware.
Another peculiar season for this duty is, when thou art in a suffering,
distressed, or tempted state. When should we take our cordials but in time of
fainting? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven than when we know
not in what corner of earth to live with comfort? Or when should our
thoughts converse more above than when we have nothing but grief below?
Where should Noah's dove be but in the ark, when the waters cover all the
earth, and she cannot find rest for the sole of her foot? what should we think
on but our Father's house, when we have not even the husks of the world to
feed upon? Surely God sends thy afflictions for this very purpose. Happy art
thou, poor man, if thou make this use of thy poverty! and thou that art sick, if
thou so improve thy sickness! It is seasonable to go to the promised land,
when our burdens are increased in Egypt and our straits in the wilderness!
Reader, if thou knewest what a cordial to thy griefs the serious views of
glory are, thou wouldst less fear these harmless troubles, and more use that
preserving, reviving remedy. "In the multitude of my" troubled "thoughts
within me," saith David, "thy comforts delight my soul." "I reckon," saith
Paul, "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us." "For which cause we faint not:
but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by
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