The Rest of the Story

A Reason for the Hope

From Baxter's Saint's Rest:

There is in heavenly rest a perfect freedom from all evils. All the evils that accompanied us through our course, and which necessarily follow our absence from the chief good: besides our freedom from those eternal flames, and restless miseries, which the neglecters of Christ and grace must remedilessly endure; a woeful inheritance, which both by birth and actual merit, was due to us, as well as to them! In heaven there is nothing that defileth, or is unclean: all THAT remains without (Revelation:21:7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
See All...; 22:15). And doubtless there is not such a thing as grief and sorrow known there: nor is there such a thing as a pale face, a languid body, feeble joints, unable infancy, decrepit age, pecant humours, painful or pining sickness, grip[p]ing fears, consuming cares, nor whatsoever deserves the name of evil. We did weep and lament, when the world did rejoice; but our sorrow is turned into joy, and our joy shall no man take from us (John:16:20Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
See All...,22). 

---Richard Baxter, “The Saint’s Everlasting Rest,” or “A Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in their Enjoyment of God in Heaven,” New York: Worthington Co., 1888, p 24.