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

§ 42. And now what remaineth, O my Soul, but that thou take in the due Impression of this Apparition, of the Glory of Jesus and his Saints; and that thou joyfully obey this heavenly Voice, and Hear the Beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased.

I. As we that are Born in another Age and Land, must know what Christ said by the transmission and certain testimony of them that heard him, infallible Tradition by Act, Word, and Record, being our way of notice, as immediate sensation was theirs, so even the glorious Apparition itself may be the mediation of their infallible Record, be partly transmitted to our Imagination. An Incorporate Soul is so used to a mixed way of knowing by imagined Idea's received by sense, ⟨p. 352⟩that it would fain have such a sort of knowledge of separated Souls and other Spirits, and of their glorious state and place and work, and is hardly fully satisfied without it: Seeing Christ hath partly condescended to this our culpable weakness, lose not the help of his condescension. Let this clear description of the heavenly sight, make it to thee partly as if thou had been one of the three Spectators: till thou canst say, Methinks I almost see the Face of Christ shine as the Sun, and his raiment whiter than the Snow; and Moses and Elijah (no doubt in some degree of glory) standing with him: Methinks I almost hear them discoursing of Christ's Death, and Man's Redemption: And by this sight I partly conceive of the unseen heavenly Company and State: Methinks I see the Cloud receive them, when Peter had been transported with the sight: and I almost feel his pleasant raptures, and am ready to say as if I had been with him, It is good for us to be hear: Methinks I almost hear the heavenly Voice, This is my beloved Son, Hear him. And shall I yet doubt of the Celestial Society and Glory? Had I once seen that, what a sense would it have left upon my Heart, of the difference between Earth, and Heaven, Man and God, Flesh and Spirit, Sin and Duty? how thankfully should I have thought of the work of Redemption and Sanctification?

I. As we that are Born in another Age and Land, must know what Christ said by the transmission and certain testimony of them that heard him, infallible Tradition by Act, Word, and Record, being our way of notice, as immediate sensation was theirs, so even the glorious Apparition itself may be the mediation of their infallible Record, be partly transmitted to our Imagination. An Incorporate Soul is so used to a mixed way of knowing by imagined Idea's received by sense,