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

II. And doubtless it will be no small part of my delight, to see and know God's perfect works, I mean, the Universe itself; I cannot say that I shall have so large a Capacity as to comprehend all the World, or know it perfectly and with an adequate knowledge: But I shall know it in such Perfection as is suitable to my capacity: It is exceeding pleasant to know the least Particles of the works of God: With what diligence and delight have men endeavoured to Anatomize a Body, yea a small part of a Carcass, and to know and describe poor Worms and Insects, Plants and Minerals? And no Man ever yet perfectly knew the least of them all; no Herbalist or Physician ever yet knew the Nature, and uses of any one Herb with an adequate knowledge! With what delight and diligence are Physical searches carried on in the World, though still we are all but groping in the dark, and ignorant of many things for one that we know (and therefore know no one perfectly because we are ignorant of rest.) But if indeed we were above our dreaming erroneous Hypotheses, and saw the Nature of every Creature, even in Sea and Land (this little Spot of God's Creation,) and the compages of all, Oh, what a delightful Spectacle would it be? How much more to see the whole Creation, yea or one Vortex or System of the Globes, and to know their union and communion, and to behold their beauteous Symmetry, and hear them in concord and melodious Harmony praising the the Glory of their Great, Wise, Amiable Creator, this were a delectable sight indeed: I shall have as much of this as I shall be capable of: And the wonders and glory of the Works of God, shall wrap up my Soul in admiring joyful praise for ever: And though here it be but little of God's Works that we know, I have great ⟨p. 152⟩reason to think that it will be far otherwise there. 1. Because the state of Perfection must far excel our dark and infant state of imperfection: We have now desires after such a knowledge: His Works are great, sought out of them that have pleasure therein. And these desires being of God, shall not be frustrate. 2. Because there will be a proportionableness of the parts of our Perfection; and therefore as our Love to God and his works will be there perfected, so will be our knowledge. 3.

II. And doubtless it will be no small part of my delight, to see and know God's perfect works, I mean, the Universe itself; I cannot say that I shall have so large a Capacity as to comprehend all the World, or know it perfectly and with an adequate knowledge: But I shall know it in such Perfection as is suitable to my capacity: It is exceeding pleasant to know the least Particles of the works of God: With what diligence and delight have men endeavoured to Anatomize a Body, yea a small part of a Carkass, and to know and describe poor Worms and Insects, Plants and Minerals? And no Man ever yet perfectly knew the least of them all; no Herbalist or Physician ever yet knew the Nature, and uses of any one Herb with an adequate knowledge! With what delight and diligence are Physical searches carryed on in the World, though still we are all but groaping in the dark, and ignorant of many things for one that we know (and therefore know no one perfectly because we are ignorant of rest.) But if indeed we were above our dreaming erroneous Hypotheses, and saw the Nature of every Creature, even in Sea and Land (this little Spot of God's Creation,) and the compages of all, Oh, what a delightful Spectacle would it be? How much more to see the whole Creation, yea or one Vortex or Systeme of the Globes, and to know their union and communion, and to behold their beauteous Symmetry, and hear them in concord and melodious Harmony praising the the Glory of their Great, Wise, Amiable Creator, this were a delectable sight indeed: I shall have as much of this as I shall be capable of: And the wonders and glory of the Works of God, shall wrap up my Soul in admiring joyful praise for ever: And though here it be but little of God's Works that we know, I have great