The Saints' Everlasting Rest - Richard Baxter

day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
And another season peculiarly fit for this heavenly duty is when the
messengers of God summon us to die. When should we more frequently
sweeten our souls with the believing thoughts of another life, than when we
find that this is almost ended? No men have greater need of supporting joys
than dying men; and these joys must be drawn from our eternal joy. As
heavenly delights are sweetest when nothing earthly is joined with them, so
the delights of dying Christians are oftentimes the sweetest they ever had.
What a prophetic blessing had dying Isaac and Jacob for their sons! With
what a heavenly song and divine benediction did Moses conclude his life?
What heavenly advice and prayer had the disciples from their Lord, when he
was about to leave them! When Paul was "ready to be offered," what
heavenly exhortation and advice did he give the Philippians, Timothy, and
the elders of Ephesus! How near to heaven was John in Patmos, but a little
before his translation thither! It is the general temper of the saints to be then
most heavenly when they are nearest heaven. If it by thy case, reader, to
perceive the dying time draw on, O where should thy heart now be but with
Christ? Methinks thou shouldst even behold him standing by thee, and
shouldst bespeak him as thy father, thy husband, thy physician, thy friend.
Methinks thou shouldst, as it were, see the angels about thee, waiting to
perform their last office to thy soul; even those angels which disdained not to
carry into Abraham's bosom the soul of Lazarus, nor will think much to
conduct thee thither. Look upon thy pain and sickness as Jacob did on
Joseph's chariots, and let thy spirit revive within thee, and say, "It is enough.
Christ is yet alive; because he liveth, I shall live also." Dost thou need the
choicest cordials? Here are choicer than the world can afford; here are all the
joys of heaven, even the vision of God and Christ, and whatsoever the
blessed here possess. These dainties are offered thee by the hand of Christ;
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