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

§ 16. And I confess that the great Wisdom of God hath not thought meet that in the Body we should have as clear, and sensible, and lively apprehensions of Heaven, and Hell, as sight would cause. For that would be to have too much of Heaven or Hell on Earth; for the gust would follow the perception, and so full a sense would be some sort of a possession, which we are not fit for in this World. And therefore it must be a darker Revelation than sight would be, that it may be a lower Perception, lest this World, and the next should be confounded; and Faith, and Reason should be put out of Office, and not duly tried, exercised, and fitted for reward. But yet Faith is Faith, and Knowledge is Knowledge; and he that verily believeth such great transcendent things, though he see them not, will have some proportionable affections and endeavours.

§ 16. And I confess that the great Wisdom of God hath not thought meet that in the Body we should have as clear, and sensible, and lively apprehensions of Heaven, and Hell, as sight would cause. For that would be to have too much of Heaven or Hell on Earth; for the gust would follow the perception, and so full a sense would be some sort of a possession, which we are not fit for in this World. And therefore it must be a darker Revelation than sight would be, that it may be a lower Perception, lest this World, and the next should be confounded; and Faith, and Reason should be put out of Office, and not duly tryed, exercised, and fitted for reward. But yet Faith is Faith, and Knowledg is Knowledg; and he that verily believeth such great transcendent things, though he see them not, will have some proportionable affections and endeavours.

§ 17. I confess also that Man's Soul in Flesh is not fit to bear so deep a sense of Heaven, and Hell, as sight would cause; because it here operateth on and with the Body, and according to its capacity, which cannot bear so deep a sense, without distraction, by screwing up the Organs too high, till they break, and so over doing would undo all: But yet there is an over-ruling Seriousness, which a certain belief of future things must needs bring the Soul to, that truly hath it. And he that is careful and serious for this World, and looketh after a better, but with a slight, unwilling, half-regard, and in the second place, must give me leave to think that he believeth,