A26921:852
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.
Impatience showeth a misunderstanding of God's dealing with the afflicted; but patience yieldeth, because it understandeth whence all comes, and what ⟨p. 318⟩will be the fruit and end. A Man that is let Blood for his life, is not impatient with the Chirurgeon; but a Beast will strive, and a Swine or Child will cry.
Impatience sheweth a misunderstanding of God's dealing with the afflicted; but patience yieldeth, because it understandeth whence all comes, and what ⟨p. 318⟩will be the fruit and end. A Man that is let Blood for his life, is not impatient with the Chyrurgion; but a Beast will strive, and a Swine or Child will cry.
Our burdens are heavy enough of themselves: Impatience maketh them heavier, and is more painful than the thing which we suffer: Some have gone mad with crosses which oft to another would have been light. Patience is our cordial and nepenthes: yea, the Health of the Soul by which it is able to bear its infirmities. In our patience we possess our Souls, Luk. 21. 19. whatever else we lose, we lose not our selves. He that keepeth his Faith, and Hope, and Love by patience keepeth his Soul. But the impatient lose themselves; as if their other losses were not enough. A poor Man singeth that gets his living only by his Day-labour: When a Lord or Knight would be tormented with sorrow, if he were reduced to his degree. Striving under our yoke and burden maketh it Gall the more: And we cannot so hopefully or comfortably pray for deliverance from the pain which we make our selves, as from that which God layeth on us: Though also there, we must pray for the Grace that must save us from our own impatience.
Our burdens are heavy enough of themselves: Impatience maketh them heavier, and is more painful than the thing which we suffer: Some have gone mad with crosses which oft to another would have been light. Patience is our cordial and nepenthes: yea, the Health of the Soul by which it is able to bear its infirmities. In our patience we possess our Souls,