Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…

§ 5. Now as to the consequence (or Major) of the first Argument, it is evident of itself, from Gods perfection, and the Nature of his works. God maketh it not mans natural Duty to lay out his chief care and labour of all his life, on that which is not, or to seek that which man was never made to attain; For then, 1. All his Duty should result from mere Deceit and falsehood, and God should Govern all the World by a Lie which cannot be his part who wanteth neither Power, wisdom, or Love to Rule them by Truth and righteousness; And who hath Printed his Image both on his Laws and on his Servants; In which Laws Lying is condemned; And the better any man is, the more he hateth it; And Liars are loathed by all mankind. 2. And then the better any man is, and the more he doth his duty, the more deluded, erroneous and miserable should he be. For he should spend that care and labour of his life, upon deceit, for that which he shall never have, and so should lose his time and labour. And he should deny his flesh those temporal Pleasures which bad men take, and suffer Persecutions and injuries from the wicked, and all for nothing, and ⟨p. 37⟩on mistake: And the wickeder or more unbelieving any Man is, the wiser and happier should he be, as being in the right, when he denieth the life to come, and all duty and labour in seeking it, or in avoiding future punishment; and while he taketh his utmost pleasure here, he hath all that Man was made for. But all this is utterly unsuitable to God's Perfection, and to his other works: For he maketh nothing in vain; nor can he Lie: much less will he make Holiness itself, and all that duty and work of Life which Reason itself obligeth all men to, to be not only vain, but hurtful to them. But of this argument I have been elsewhere larger.

§ 5. Now as to the consequence (or Major) of the first Argument, it is evident of itself, from Gods perfection, and the Nature of his works. God maketh it not mans natural Duty to lay out his chief care and labour of all his life, on that which is not, or to seek that which man was never made to attain; For then, 1. All his Duty should result from meer Deceit and falshood, and God should Govern all the World by a Lie which cannot be his part who wanteth neither Power, wisdom, or Love to Rule them by Truth and righteousness; And who hath Printed his Image both on his Laws and on his Servants; In which Laws Lying is condemned; And the better any man is, the more he hateth it; And Lyars are loathed by all mankind. 2. And then the better any man is, and the more he doth his duty, the more deluded, erroneous and miserable should he be. For he should spend that care and labour of his life, upon deceit, for that which he shall never have, and so should lose his time and labour. And he should deny his flesh those temporal Pleasures which bad men take, and suffer Persecutions and injuries from the wicked, and all for nothing, and