A26921:42
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…
Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and the latter times of his corporal pains and weakness.
London: printed by Tho. Snowden for B. Simmons, 1683
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. And such Mercies of this life to the Land of our Habitation must not be undervalued. The want of them are parts of God's threatened Curse; and godliness hath the Promise of this life, and of that which is to come; and so is profitable to all things. And when God sends on a Land the Plagues of Famine, Pestilence, War, Persecution, especially a Famine of the Word of God, it is a great sin to be insensible of it: If any shall say, while Heaven is sure we have no cause to accuse God, or to cast away comfort, hope or duty, they say well: But if they say, Because Heaven is all we must make light of all that befalleth us on Earth, They say amiss.
3. And such Mercies of this life to the Land of our Habitation must not be undervalued. The want of them are parts of God's threatned Curse; and godliness hath the Promise of this life, and of that which is to come; and so is profitable to all things. And when God sends on a Land the Plagues of Famine, Pestilence, War, Persecution, especially a Famine of the Word of God, it is a great sin to be insensible of it: If any shall say, while Heaven is sure we have no cause to accuse God, or to cast away comfort, hope or duty, they say well: But if they say, Because Heaven is all we must make light of all that befalleth us on Earth, They say amiss.
Good Princes, Magistrates and public Spirited men that promote the safety, Peace and true Prosperity of the Common-wealth, do thereby very much befriend ⟨image 14⟩Religion, and mens Salvation; and are greatly to be loved and honoured by all. If the Civil State called the Common-wealth, do miscarry or fall into ruin and calamity, the Church will fare the worse for it, as the Soul doth by the ruins of the Body. The Turkish, Muscovite, and such other Empires tell us, how the Church consumeth and dwindles away into contempt or withered Ceremony and Formality, where Tyranny brings Slavery, Beggary, or long Persecution on the Subjects. Doubtless divers passages in the Revelations contain the Churches glorifying of God, for their Power and Prosperity on Earth, when Emperors became Christians: What else can be meant well by