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

§ 31. The Cloud separated the Company, Moses, and Elijah are seen no more; no nor the Glory of Christ: But yet Christ is not separated from them: His ordinary presence still abideth with them. Christ doth not leave the Soul, when extraordinary joys do leave it: It loseth not his saving Grace, nor the presence of his Spirit, as oft as it loseth heavenly delight. Desire showeth Love to him, and to his Holiness: And he never forsaketh those that love him: As long as the Soul breatheth after Christ, and after more communion with God, and conscious of its imperfection would fain be perfect, and resolveth to continue waiting for increase of Faith and Holiness in the use of the means which Christ hath appointed, it is not forsaken. Christ by his Spirit dwelleth, and worketh in that Soul. It may enter into a Cloud, and Christ may be unseen, and seem quite lost, but the Cloud will vanish, and he will appear; and he will first find us, that we may seek ⟨p. 344⟩and find him. If he appear to us, but as in his humiliation, and as crucified, and thereby humble us, and crucify to us the World and the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts thereof, and cause us but to seek first his Kingdom and Righteousness, he will raise us higher, and show us his Glory, when Grace, and Conquest, and Perseverance have prepared us: We are in a cloudy World and Body; and our sins are yet a thicker Cloud, between God's glorious Face and us: But as God is God, and Heaven is Heaven, so Christ is Christ, and Grace is Grace, when we see it not, but fear that we are undone, and entering into outer darkness: And at Sun rising all our darkness, & all our doubts & fears will vanish.

§ 31. The Cloud separated the Company, Moses, and Elias are seen no more; no nor the Glory of Christ: But yet Christ is not separated from them: His ordinary presence still abideth with them. Christ doth not leave the Soul, when extraordinary joys do leave it: It loseth not his saving Grace, nor the presence of his Spirit, as oft as it loseth heavenly delight. Desire sheweth Love to him, and to his Holiness: And he never forsaketh those that love him: As long as the Soul breatheth after Christ, and after more communion with God, and conscious of its imperfection would fain be perfect, and resolveth to continue waiting for increase of Faith and Holiness in the use of the means which Christ hath appointed, it is not forsaken. Christ by his Spirit dwelleth, and worketh in that Soul. It may enter into a Cloud, and Christ may be unseen, and seem quite lost, but the Cloud will vanish, and he will appear; and he will first find us, that we may seek