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

And if here I must rejoice with them that rejoice, as well as mourn with them that mourn, why should I not much more rejoice with all the blessed Society above? And more familiarly with my old Acquaintance, Pupils, and dear Friends? My Love should be most to the best; and therefore more to them than to any other of my Friends: And therefore my Union with them being closer, and their Felicity far greater, I should think with more Joy of them, than of any left behind. They are safe in the Harbour, past all our dangerous storms and waves. And though they know or will know more of my sins than they did on Earth, and hate them more, yet they that feel the comfort of the Pardon of their own, will imitate God in pardoning me, and rejoice in God's forgiveness of me. Though their vile Bodies lie like common dust, how much better do they now know the love of God, the Mysteries of Grace, the heavenly Glory, the state of Spirits in the City of God, than I do who was wont to preach it to them. God that sent down Moses and Elijah, to show that Saints in Heaven, and on Earth have communion, will bring me and my Friends now in Heaven together again into a far sweeter Communion than ever we had here.

And if here I must rejoice with them that rejoice, as well as mourn with them that mourn, why should I not much more rejoice with all the blessed Society above? And more familiarly with my old Acquaintance, Pupils, and dear Friends? My Love should be most to the best; and therefore more to them than to any other of my Friends: And therefore my Union with them being closer, and their Felicity far greater, I should think with more Joy of them, than of any left behind. They are safe in the Harbour, past all our dangerous storms and waves. And though they know or will know more of my sins than they did on Earth, and hate them more, yet they that feel the comfort of the Pardon of their own, will imitate God in pardoning me, and rejoice in God's forgiveness of me. Though their vile Bodies lie like common dust, how much better do they now know the love of God, the Mysteries of Grace, the heavenly Glory, the state of Spirits in the City of God, than I do who was wont to preach it to them. God that sent down Moses and Elias, to shew that Saints in Heaven, and on Earth have communnion, will bring me and my Friends now in Heaven together again into a far sweeter Communion than ever we had here.