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

And it hath pleased God, who Thirty Years and more hath tried me by humane Applause, of late in this City (where multitudes of Persons of contrary Minds are like Passengers in crowded Streets, still jostling and offending one another) to exercise me with mens daily backbitings and cavils: And so many have chosen me for the subject of their Discourse, that I may say as Paul, 1 Cor. 4. 9, 10, &c. [We are made a Spectacle (or Theatre) to the World, and to Angels, and to men: We are Fools for Christs sake, but ye are wise in Christ, &c.] Did I not live out of the noise in retirement, and taken up with pain and expectations of my change, what an annoyance to me would it be to hear Religious Persons that have a God, a Christ, a Heaven to talk of, to abuse their Time and Tongues in so much talking of one so inconsiderable, and that hath so little to do with them, or they with him; while with some overvaluing me and others still quarrelling, I am the matter of their idle sinful talk. The Persecutors for divers Years after first silencing (if not still) and the Separatists for two or three Years last past, have been possessed with so strange ⟨p. 106⟩a jealousy and quarrelsome a disposition against me, that they seem to take it for their Interest to promote my defamation? and for much of their work to search what may afford them any matter of accusation in every Sermon that I preach, and every Book that I write. And though the fury of the Persecutors be such as maketh them much uncapable of such converse and sober consideration as is needful to their true information and satisfaction; yet most of the more Religious Cavillers are satisfied as soon as I have spoken with them, and all endeth in a putarem or non putarem: For want of accurateness and patience, they judge rashly before they understand, and when they understand confess their error; and yet many go on and take no warning after many times conviction of their mistake. Even in Books that are still before their Eyes (as well as in transient words in Sermons) they heedlessly leave out, or put in, or alter, and misreport plain words, and with confidence affirm those things to have been said that never were said, but perhaps the contrary.

And it hath pleased God, who Thirty Years and more hath tryed me by humane Applause, of late in this City (where multitudes of Persons of contrary Minds are like Passengers in crowded Streets, still jostling and offending one another) to exercise me with mens daily backbitings and cavils: And so many have chosen me for the subject of their Discourse, that I may say as Paul,