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

§ 15. 7. That must needs be Best for me, which all other things must be forsaken for: It is folly to forsake the Better for the worse: But Scripture, Reason, and Conscience tell me, that all this World, when it stands in competition or opposition, should be forsaken for Heaven; yea, for the least hopes of it: A possible everlasting Glory should be preferred before a certainly perishing Vanity: I am sure this life will shortly be nothing to me; and therefore it is next to nothing now. And must I forsake all for my everlasting Hopes, and yet be unwilling to pass unto the possession of them.

§ 16. 8. That is like to be our Best, which is our Maturest state: Nature carrieth all things towards their perfection: Our Apples, Pears, Grapes and every Fruit is best when it is ripe: And though they then hasten to corruption, that is, through the incapacity of the corporeal materials, any longer to retain the Vegetative Spirit, which is not annihilated at its separation; and being not made for its own felicity, but for Mans, its ⟨p. 129⟩ripeness is the state in which Man useth it, before it doth corrupt of itself, that its corruption may be for his nutriment; and the Spirits and best matter of his said food doth become his very substance. And doth God cause Saints to grow up unto ripeness, only to perish and drop down unto useless rottenness? It is not credible. Though our Bodies become but like our filthiest excrements, our Souls return to God that gave them: And though he need them not, he useth them in their separated state; and that to such heavenly uses, as their heavenly Maturity and Mellowness hath disposed them to. Seeing then Love hath ripened me for itself, shall I not willingly drop into its hand?

§ 17. 9. That is like to be the Best which the Wisest and Holiest in all Ages of the World have preferred before all, and have most desired: And which also almost all Mankind do acknowledge to be best at last. It is not like that all the Best men in the World should be most deceived, and be put upon fruitless labour and sufferings by this deceit, and be undone by their duty; and that God should by such deceits rule all or almost all Mankind? And also that the common notices of humane Nature, and Consciences last and closest documents, should be all in vain. But it is past all doubt, that no men usually are worse, than those that have no Belief or Hopes of any Life but this: And that none are so Holy, Just, and Sober, so charitable to others, and so useful to Mankind, as those that firmliest believe and hope for the state of immortality: And shall I fear that state which all that were wise and holy, in All Ages, have preferred and desired?