'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 6

Why are we so loath to die and depart from here to possess the everlasting rest promised to the people of God? If I may judge others by my own heart, we are exceedingly guilty at this point. We linger as Lot in Sodom till God is merciful to us and plucks us away against our will. How rare it is to meet a Christian that can die with unfeigned willingness! If God enacted a law for the continuance of our life until we are truly willing, heaven might be empty, and our lives on earth would be very long. We pretend that we want to have greater service for God, and we beg one year more, and another, but still our service is just as distant as before. It is true that death itself is undesirable, but it is the common passage for the soul's rest with God. Consider what unfaithfulness lurks in the heart of this sin. Either we do not believe the promises given in Scripture, or we doubt our interest in them. O if we would believe the promises of glory, we would be impatient of living! Is it possible that we can truly believe that death will remove us from misery to such glory, and yet be loath to die? If a man in despicable poverty today had assurance that he would arise a prince in the morning, would he be afraid to go to bed? The truth is, though there is faith in our mouths, there is infidelity and paganism in our hearts. The things we delight in—some garden, a walk, or books—we pour over with delight. We love food, clothes, and recreations. Can I love God above these and have no desire to be with him? I do not say that we have no love at all for him, but if we love him more, we would die more willingly. Our knowledge is dark, our faith exceedingly feeble, and our love but little. Christ came from heaven that we might go to heaven.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Richard Baxter, The Saints' Everlasting Rest, pp. 209-222
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