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

Think not then that heavenly contemplation is an impossible thing, or a mere dream, as if it had no conceivable subject matter to work upon; the visible things of Earth are the Shadows, the Cobwebs, the Bubbles, the Shows, Mummeries, and Masques: and it is loving them and rejoicing and trusting in them, that is the dream and dotage. Our heavenly Thoughts, and Hopes; and Business are more in comparison of these, than the Sun is to a glow-Worm, or the World to a Mole-hill, or Governing an Empire to the motions of a Fly. And can I make somewhat, yea, too much of these almost nothings; and yet shall I make almost nothing of the active, glorious unseen World; and doubt, and grope in my Meditations of it, as if I had no substance to apprehend? If invisibility to Mortals were a cause of doubting, or of unaffecting, unsatisfying Thoughts, God himself who is All to Men and Angels, would be as no God to us, and Heaven as no Heaven; and Christ as no Christ, and our Souls which are our selves would seem as nothing to themselves; and all men would be as no men to us, and we should converse only with Carcasses and Clothes.

Think not then that heavenly contemplation is an impossible thing, or a meer dream, as if it had no conceivable subject matter to work upon; the visible things of Earth are the Shaddows, the Cobwebs, the Bubbles, the Shews, Mummerries, and Masques: and it is loving them and rejoicing and trusting in them, that is the dream and dotage. Our heavenly Thoughts, and Hopes; and Business are more in comparison of these, than the Sun is to a glow-Worm, or the World to a Mole-hill, or Governing an Empire to the motions of a Fly. And can I make somwhat, yea, too much of these almost nothings; and yet shall I make almost nothing of the active, glorious unseen World; and doubt, and grope in my Meditations of it, as if I had no substance to apprehend? If invisibility to Mortals were a cause of doubting, or of unaffecting, unsatisfying Thoughts, God himself who is All to Men and Angels, would be as no God to us, and Heaven as no Heaven; and Christ as no Christ, and our Souls which are our selves would seem as nothing to themselves; and all men would be as no men to us, and we should converse only with Carkasses and Cloaths.

Lord shine into this Soul with such an heavenly potent quickening Light, as may give me more lively and powerful conceptions of that which is all my hope and life. Leave me not to the exercise of Art alone, in barren notions; but make it as Natural to me to love Thee and breath after Thee: Thou teachest the young ones both of men and brutes, to seek to the Dam for food and shelter: And though Grace be not a