A26921:921
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and the latter times of his corporal pains and weakness.
London: printed by Tho. Snowden for B. Simmons, 1683
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And why may I not accordingly put my self as into the case of them, who saw all Christ's Miracles and saw him risen and ascend towards Heaven? Or at least of all those ordinary Christians who saw all the wonders done by the Reporters of these things? I can easily receive a pleasing Idea of some foreign happy Country, which a Traveller describeth to me, though I never saw it; and my Reason can partly gather what great things are, if I see but lesser of the same ⟨p. 353⟩kind, or somewhat like them. A Candle showeth somewhat by which we may conceive of the greatest flame. Even Grace and Gracious actions do somewhat notify to us the state of Glory: But the sight on the Mount did more sensibly notify it.
And why may I not accordingly put my self as into the case of them, who saw all Christ's Miracles and saw him risen and ascend towards Heaven? Or at least of all those ordinary Christians who saw all the wonders done by the Reporters of these things? I can easily receive a pleasing Idea of some forreign happy Countrey, which a Traveller describeth to me, though I never saw it; and my Reason can partly gather what great things are, if I see but lesser of the same ⟨p. 353⟩kind, or somewhat like them. A Candle sheweth somewhat by which we may conceive of the greatest flame. Even Grace and Gracious actions do somewhat notifie to us the state of Glory: But the sight on the Mount did more sensibly notifie it.
Think not then that heavenly contemplation is an impossible thing, or a mere dream, as if it had no conceivable subject matter to work upon; the visible things of Earth are the Shadows, the Cobwebs, the Bubbles, the Shows, Mummeries, and Masques: and it is loving them and rejoicing and trusting in them, that is the dream and dotage. Our heavenly Thoughts, and Hopes; and Business are more in comparison of these, than the Sun is to a glow-Worm, or the World to a Mole-hill, or Governing an Empire to the motions of a Fly. And can I make somewhat, yea, too much of these almost nothings; and yet shall I make almost nothing of the active, glorious unseen World; and doubt, and grope in my Meditations of it, as if I had no substance to apprehend? If invisibility to Mortals were a cause of doubting, or of unaffecting, unsatisfying Thoughts, God himself who is All to Men and Angels, would be as no God to us, and Heaven as no Heaven; and Christ as no Christ, and our Souls which are our selves would seem as nothing to themselves; and all men would be as no men to us, and we should converse only with Carcasses and Clothes.