A26921:838
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.
Why then may I not with distinct conceptions and joyful desires look after the Souls of my departed Friends, that are now in the Celestial Kingdom? Though malignity hath scorned me for naming some few in my Saints Rest, being such as the Despisers hated; yet I forbear not on such accounts to Solace my self by naming more, but because they are more than it's fit to number. In all places where I have lived, how many excellent Souls (though here they were not perfect) are gone to Christ? How sweet is the remembrance of the communion which I had with many of them in Shrewsbury and other parts of Shropshire? Of many at Dudley and the adjoining parts: Of Multitudes at Kidderminster, Bewdley, and other parts of Worcestershire: Of abundance at Coventry, and other parts of Warwickshire: And of many where I have sojourned in other parts of the Land: And above all in London, and the adjoining parts? As Mr. How hath elegantly expressed it in his excellent Character of my excellent and dear Friend Mr. Richard Fairclough: What a Multitude of Blessed Saints will arise at the last Day out of London? ⟨p. 306⟩[…] ⟨p. 307⟩[…] ⟨p. 308⟩and this Earth is as it were hallowed with the Dust and Relicts of so many blessed Souls. But it's Heaven that is spangled with these Spiritual Stars: The place honoured with them, and they with it, and all by Christ. We are like Infants, or Lambs, or other young ones, that cry for their Dams if they be but out of sight; though they are never so near, if they see them not, they cry as if they were not, or had forsaken them. As Christ told his Disciples, that it was needful for them that he departed from them, and yet their Hearts for this were sorrowful, till the Holy Ghost came upon them, as better than Christ's fleshly presence, to prepare them joyfully to follow him; so we think of our Friends as almost lost to us by separation, till the heavenly Spirit tell us where they are, and prepare us to desire to be with them.
Why then may I not with distinct conceptions and joyful desires look after the Souls of my departed Friends, that are now in the Celestial Kingdom? Though malignity hath scorned me for naming some few in my Saints Rest, being such as the Despisers hated; yet I forbear not on such accounts to Solace my self by naming more, but because they are more than it's fit to number. In all places where I have lived, how many excellent Souls (though here they were not perfect) are gone to Christ? How sweet is the remembrance of the communion which I had with many of them in Shrewsbury and other parts of Shropshire? Of many at Dudley and the adjoining parts: Of Multitudes at Kiderminster, Bewdley, and other parts of Worcestershire: Of abundance at Coventry, and other parts of Warwickshire: And of many where I have sojourned in other parts of the Land: And above all in London, and the adjoining parts? As Mr. How hath elegantly exprest it in his excellent Character of my excellent and dear Friend Mr. Richard Fairclough: What a Multitude of Blessed Saints will arise at the last Day out of London?