BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. 11. î and holy persons, O, what an orderly, lovely world would it bu If one kingdom consisted (prince, magistrates, pastors, and people) all ofsuch, what a blessed kingdom would that bel The plague of wicked nten's deceits, and falsehoods, oppressions, and iniquities, may help to makeus sensible of this. It would be a great tempta- tion to us to be loath to die, and leave such a country, *ere it not that the more the beauty of'goodness appeareth, the more the state of perfection is desired. It is pleasant to me to pray in hope, as Christ bath conimànded me, that earth may be made liken unto heaven, which now is become so like to hell. But when I shall see the society perfected in number, in holiness, in glory, in heavenly employment, the joyful praises of Jehovah, the glory of God, apd the Lamb shining on them, and God rejoicing over them as.his delight, and myself partaking of the same, that will be the truly blessed day. And why doth my soul, imprisoned in flesh, no moredesire it? 5. I shall better understand all the word of God, the matter, and the method of it though I shall not have that use for it as I have now in this life of faith, yet I shall see more of God's wisdom and his goodness, his love, mercy, and justice, appearing in it, than ever man on earth could do. As, the creatures, so the Scriptures, are perfectly jmown only by the perfect spirits. I shall then know how to solve all doubts, and reconcile all seeming contradictions, and to ëxpound the hardest prophecies that light will show me the admirable methods of those sacred words, where dark minds now suspect confusion! How evident and clear then will every thing appear to me! Like a small print when the light comes in, which I could not read in the glimmering twilight. How easily shall'I then confute the cavils of all our present unbelievers! and how joyfully shall I praise that God and Savior that gave his church so clear a light to guide them through this darksome world, and sosure a promise to support them till theycame to life eternal ! How joyfully shall I bless him that by that immortal seed did re- generate me to the hopes of glory, and that ruled me by so holy andjust a law ! 6. In that world of light I shall better understand God's present and past works of providence, by which he ordereth the matters of this world : the wisdom and goodness of them is little understood in little parcels : it is the union and harmony of all the parts which showeth the beautyof them, when the single parcels seem deform- ed, or are not understood. And no one can see the whole together but God, and they that see- it in the- light of his celestial glory : it is a prospect of that end, by which we have here any true under- standing of such parcels as -we see. Then I shall know clearly why, or to what use, God prospered the wicked, and tried the 1
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