'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 8

Our assurance of heaven is not perfect. True believers shall still be deficient in this as well as in other things. We only know in part. If we have obtained assurance in some degree, the perfection of it will be found only in heaven. Our assurance and comforts are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He freely bestows them especially when his people are in the deepest necessity. A mercy in season is the sweetest mercy. I could give you an abundance of examples of those who have languished for assurance and comfort in their sickness, and some, most of their lives, but when they have been near to death they have received mercy in abundance. We must value the time we have highly and improve it as a mercy that we must be accountable for. Every godly man may desire to live longer as Paul did, to be able to serve the church, but we may take this as our present loss since we are kept from heaven. This may tend to the church's and our own future advantage, but we must still see that heaven is valued and loved above earth. When you have a cause to pray for a longer time, it is like a bride to be married to a prince who desires delay for her preparation. We must cheerfully yield to God's disposal. The right attitude is like that of Paul: to be in a strait between two, desiring to depart and be with Christ, and yet to stay, while God will have it, to do the church service. Death is to be submitted to since it is the season and occasion of so great a good. Christ comforts us against this natural evil. I am not persuading the ungodly from fearing death. It is a wonder that they fear it no more than they do. You would think they would eat their bread with trembling at the thoughts of their danger. They should fall before God that they might quickly be free of this danger.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Richard Baxter, The Saints' Everlasting Rest, pp. 234-240
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