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

30. The joy of these Spectators was turned into Fear (saith the Text) when they entered into the Cloud. No wonder: The change was sudden and great; from a sight of the Kingdom of God in Power, unto a dark Cloud! Just now they seemed almost in Heaven, and presently they knew not where they were: From glorious Light, to a kind of Prison of obscurity.

Such changes here we are liable to. The same Soul that lately tasted of transporting joy, may lie in terror, hardly resisting temptations to despair: The same Person that was confident of the Love of God, may be quickly not only doubting of it, but sinfully denying it: The same that had assuring evidence of sincerity, may shortly conclude that all was but Hypocrisy. The same that was triumphing in the sense of Love, may cry out, O miserable Man that I am: And the same that magnified the Grace of Christ, may say, The day of Grace is past• Especially if either the Tempter get the ⟨p. 343⟩advantage of a Melancholy Body, or of casting the Soul in to renewed guilt of some wounding sin, or into impatient discontents with the things that befall it in the World.

Such changes here we are liable to. The same Soul that lately tasted of transporting joy, may lie in terrour, hardly resisting temptations to despair: The same Person that was confident of the Love of God, may be quickly not only doubting of it, but sinfully denying it: The same that had assuring evidence of sincerity, may shortly conclude that all was but Hypocrisie. The same that was triumphing in the sense of Love, may cry out, O miserable Man that I am: And the same that magnified the Grace of Christ, may say, The day of Grace is past• Especially if either the Tempter get the ⟨p. 343⟩advantage of a Melancholy Body, or of casting the Soul in to renewed guilt of some wounding sin, or into impatient discontents with the things that befal it in the World.