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

2. What am I to those more excellent Persons whom in all Ages he hath taken out of the World? And would mens Thoughts of the Churches needs detain them? The poor Heathen, Infidel, Mahometan Nations have no Preachers of the Gospel? And if their need prove not that God will send them such, no Countries need will prove that God will continue them such. Many more useful Servants of Christ have died in their youth: John Janeway preached but one Sermon: Joseph Allen (and many another excellent Men) died young in the midst of his vigorous successful labours: Both of them far more fit for God's work and likely to win Souls, and glorify God, than I am or ever was (However their greater Light was partly kindled from my lesser.) Yet did both these under painful consuming languishings of the Flesh, die as they had long lived in the lively triumphant Praises of their Redeemer, and joyful desires and hopes of Glory? And shall I at Sixty seven Years of Age, after such a life of unspeakable Mercies, and after almost Forty four Years of comfortable help in the Service of my Lord, ⟨p. 113⟩be now afraid of my reward, and shrink at the Sentence of Death, and still be desiring to stay here, upon pretence of further service: We know not what is best for the Church as God doth: The Church and the World are not Ours, but his: not our desires, but his will, must measure out its Mercies: We are not so Merciful as he is: It is not unmeet for us to desire many things which God will not give, nor seeth it meet to grant the particulars of such desires. Nothing ever lay so heavy on my Heart as the sin and misery of Mankind, and to think how much of the World lieth in folly and wickedness? And for what can I pray so heartily as for the Worlds recovery: And it is his will that I should show a Holy and Universal Love by praying, Let thy Name be hallowed, Thy Kingdom come, and Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven: And yet alas, how unlike is Earth to Heaven, and what Ignorance, Sin, Confusions and Cruelties here reign and prosper? And unless there be a wonderful change to be expected, even as by a general Miracle, how little hope appeareth that ever these Prayers should be granted in the things? It maketh us better to desire that others may be better: But God is the free disposer of his own gifts:

2. What am I to those more excellent Persons whom in all Ages he hath taken out of the World? And would mens Thoughts of the Churches needs detain them? The poor Heathen, Infidel, Mahometane Nations have no Preachers of the Gospel? And if their need prove not that God will send them such, no Countreys need will prove that God will continue them such. Many more useful Servants of Christ have died in their youth: John Janeway preached but one Sermon: Joseph Allen (and many another excellent Men) died young in the midst of his vigorous successful labours: Both of them far more fit for God's work and likely to win Souls, and glorifie God, than I am or ever was (However their greater Light was partly kindled from my lesser.) Yet did both these under painful consuming languishings of the Flesh, die as they had long lived in the lively triumphant Praises of their Redeemer, and joyful desires and hopes of Glory? And shall I at Sixty seven Years of Age, after such a life of unspeakable Mercies, and after almost Forty four Years of comfortable help in the Service of my Lord,