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

But if I obey Nature and Conscience in Communicating that Knowledge which containeth my difference aforesaid, the Dissenters too often take themselves disparaged by it, how peaceably soever I manage it: And as bad men take the Piety of the godly to be an accusation of their impiety, so many Teachers take themselves to be accused of Ignorance, by such as condemn their Errors by the light of Truth? And if you meddle not with any Person, yet take they their Opinions to be so much their Interest, as that all that is said against them, they take as said against themselves. And then alas what envyings, what whispering disparagements, and what backbitings. if not malicious slanders and underminings do we meet with from the Carnal Clergy: And O that it were all from them alone, and that among ⟨p. 91⟩the Zealous and Suffering Party of faithful Preachers, there were not much of such iniquity, and that none of them preached Christ in strife and envy: It is sad that Error should find so much shelter under the selfishness, and pride of pious men; and that the Friends of Truth should be tempted to reject and abuse so much of it in their ignorance as they do: But the matter of fact is too evident to be hid.

But if I obey Nature and Conscience in Communicating that Knowledge which containeth my difference aforesaid, the Dissenters too often take themselves disparaged by it, how peaceably soever I manage it: And as bad men take the Piety of the godly to be an accusation of their impiety, so many Teachers take themselves to be accused of Ignorance, by such as condemn their Errours by the light of Truth? And if you meddle not with any Person, yet take they their Opinions to be so much their Interest, as that all that is said against them, they take as said against themselves. And then alas what envyings, what whispering disparagements, and what backbitings. if not malicious slanders and underminings do we meet with from the Carnal Clergy: And O that it were all from them alone, and that among ⟨p. 91⟩the Zealous and Suffering Party of faithful Preachers, there were not much of such iniquity, and that none of them preached Christ in strife and envy: It is sad that Errour should find so much shelter under the selfishness, and pride of pious men; and that the Friends of Truth should be tempted to reject and abuse so much of it in their ignorance as they do: But the matter of fact is too evident to be hid.