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

God hath so constantly confuted and befooled me, by his marvellous Providence, when ever I have said, Soul take thy ease, and have thought of building Tabernacles on Earth, as hath convinced me, that such folly is not the least part of the danger of a Soul, from which his Mercy did so watchfully save me: If a little Health and Ease, or a pleasant Habitation, or beloved Company and Friends, have but flattered me into ⟨p. 339⟩earthly delight and hopes, and made me say, It's good to be here; I never was long without some pains, and dangerous sickness, or some loss or cross in Friends, or some removal by personal or public changes, to tell me, that I knew not what I said; and that rest and happiness are not here: As the laborious Ants and Bees are long gathering a heap of Treasure, and furnishing a Hive with Winter Provision, and a contemptuous foot soon spurneth about the one, and the chief owner of the Hive destroyeth the other; so (while I neglected Wealth and Honour) when I have but treasured up the choicest Books, and taken pleasure in my Work and Friends, God saw that such pleasure needed an allay, and hath taken away Books and Friends together, or driven me oft from them and my Habitation, to tell me sensibly that I have higher to look, and further to go; and that Moses and Elijah appeared not to turn Earth into Heaven, and make me think that now I am well, but to invite my Soul to their Celestial Habitation. When Christ hath comforted me by hearing Prayers, by great deliverances, by wonderful success of my defective labours, by comfortable Friends, by public Mercies, it was not by making my condition pleasant, to keep down my desires from Heaven, but to draw them thither by such foretasts. Contentment with our Condition, as without more of the World, is a great duty: But to be content with the World, or any thing on Earth, without more holiness and communion with God, and without a part in the heavenly Perfection, is a heinous and pernicious sin.

God hath so constantly confuted and befooled me, by his marvellous Providence, when ever I have said, Soul take thy ease, and have thought of building Tabernacles on Earth, as hath convinced me, that such folly is not the least part of the danger of a Soul, from which his Mercy did so watchfully save me: If a little Health and Ease, or a pleasant Habitation, or beloved Company and Friends, have but flattered me into ⟨p. 339⟩