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

§ 11. But how is it that Christ is said, to learn obedience by the things that he suffered, and so to be made perfect? Heb. 5. 8, 9. was he unlearned and imperfect before? He had no culpable imperfection. But his satisfactory mediation was imperfect till it was all performed: It was not perfectly done; and when it was done he thereby was constitutively made a perfect Mediator: as he said upon the Cross, It is finished: And as his humane Nature received additional acts of knowledge, as he grew up and conversed with more Objects, and so is said to increase in Wisdom (as Adam knew the Creatures when he saw them;) so he had a new acquaintance with Obedient suffering, when he was under the experience of it; and is said to learn it, in that he now exercised it.

And should not my suffering be God's School; should I not learn obedience by it? Surely, as it smartly tells me of the evil of former disobedience, so it calls me to remember in whose hands I am, and with whom I have to do, and what is my duty in such a state? God can do no wrong to his own: He will do nothing finally hurtful to his Children. In all our afflictions he is said to be afflicted, to signify that he afflicts not willingly, or without our provocation. Justice is good, and holiness is good; and it's good for us to repent and be weaned from the Flesh and World: And all good must be loved, and the means as such: Sharp Heart-breaking Sermons are unpleasing to Nature; and yet to be loved for their use. And afflictions are God's powerful Sermons: The proud and hardened are forced to hear them, who scorn and prosecute Preachers for speaking the same things: And shall Believers under sufferings be untaught. Words are but Words, but stripes go by forcible sense unto the Heart: Obedient submission to the greatest pains, is a serious acknowledgement of God's Dominion, and of his Wisdom and Love, and the certain hopes of a better life. Impatience hath in it somewhat of Atheism, or Blasphemy; God is not duly acknowledged and honoured. Job's Wife would have had him thus purposely provoke God, to end his misery by Death: As if she had said, Speak no more well of him, by whom thou sufferest so much, nor honour a God that will not help thee: But Patience saith,