The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is shewed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...

SECT. IIII.* 1.1

2. COnsider, A heart in Heaven is the highest excellency of your spirits here, and the noblest part of your Christian disposition: As there is not only a difference between men and beasts, but also among men, between the Noble and the Base: so there is not only a common excellency, whereby a Christian differs from the world, but also a peculiar nobleness of spirit, whereby the more excellent differ from the rest: And this lyes especially in a higher and more heavenly frame of spirit.* 1.2 Only man of all in∣ferior creatures, is made with a face directed heaven-ward: but other creatures have their faces to the earth. As the Noblest of Creatures, so the Noblest of Christians, are they that are set most direct for Heaven. As Saul is called a choice and goodly man,* 1.3 higher by the head then all the company: so is he the most choice and goodly Christian, whose head and heart is thus the highest. Men of noble birth and spirits, do mind high and great affairs, and not the smaller things of low poverty: Their discourse is, of the councels and matters of State, of the Government of the Common-wealth, and publike things; and not of the Countrey-mans petty imployments. O, to hear such an hea∣venly Saint, who hath fetcht a journey into heaven by faith, and hath been wrapt up to God in his contemplations, and is newly come down from the veiws of Christ, what discoveries he will make of those Superior regions! What ravishing expressions drop from his lips! How high and sacred is his discourse! Enough to

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make the ignorant world astonished,* 1.4 and say, Much study hath made them mad: And enough to convince an understanding hearer, that have seen the Lord; and to make one say, No man could speak such words as these, except he had been with God▪ this, This is the noble Christian. As Bucholcers hearers concluded, when he had preached his last Sermon, being carried between two into the Church, because of his weakness, and there most admirably dis∣coursed of the Blessedness of souls departed this life, Caeteros concio naetores a Bucholcero semper omnes, illo autem die etiam ipsum a sese superatum, That Bucholcer did ever excel other preachers, but that day he excelled himself: so may I conclude of the heavenly Christi∣an,* 1.5 He ever excelleth the Rest of men, but when he is neerest Hea∣ven he excelleth himself. As those are the most famous mountains that are highest; and those the fairest trees that are talest, and those the most glorious Pyramides and buildings whose tops do reach neerest to Heaven: so is he the choisest Christian, whose heart is most frequently, and most delightfully there. If a man have lived neer the King, or have travelled to see the Sultan of Persia, or the great Turk; he will make this a matter of boasting, and thinks himself one step higher then his private neighbors that live at home. What shall we then judg of him that daily travels as far as Heaven, and there hath seen the King of Kings? That hath fre∣quent admittance into the Divine presence, and feasteth his soul upon the tree of life? For my part, I value this man before the ablest, the richest, the most learned in the world.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 4.
• * 1.2

  Os homini sub∣lime dedit, &c.
• * 1.3

  1. Jam. 9.2. & 10.23, 24.
• * 1.4

  Act. 26.24.
• * 1.5

  Fraxinus in Sylvis pulcher∣rima pinus in hortis: populus in fluvi is, abies in montibus altis. Virg.