Dying Thoughts Upon Philippians 1:23, Frontispiece – Part
Nos qu…que floruimus, sed flos fuit ille …
Fl…mmaque de ſtipula noſtra brepuſque fui… O…:
VERA EFFIGIES RICHARDI BAXTERI MIN: IES: CH: IN OP… ET PAT… FIDEI SPEI ET CHARITATIS. ANO 168… AETAT SUAE …8
Farewell Vaine World: as thou haſt bin to me
Duſt and a Shadow: those I leave with thee:
The vnseen Vitall Subſtance I committ.
To him that's Subſtance Life-Light-Love to it.
The Leavs & Fruit are dropt for ſoyle & Seed.
Heavens heirs to generate to heale and feed:
Them also thou wilt flatter and moleſt:
But ſhalt not keep from Everlaſting R…ſt.
RICHARD BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS UPON PHIL. 1. 23. Written for his own Uſe in the latter Times of his corporal Pains and Weakneſs.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Snowden, for B. Simmons at the Three golden Cocks, at the Weſt end of St. Pauls, 1683.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
Reader,
I Have no other uſe for a Preface to this Book, but to give you a true excuſe for its Publication. I wrote it for my ſelf, unreſolved whether any one ſhould ever ſee it, but at laſt inclined to leave that to the will of my Executors, to publiſh or ſuppreſs it when I am dead, as they ſaw cauſe. But my Perſon being ſeized on, and my Library, and all my Goods diſtrained on by Conſtables, and ſold, and I conſtrained to relinquiſh my Houſe (for preaching and being in London:) I knew not what to do with multitudes of Manuſcrip… that had long lain by me; having no Houſe to go to, but a narrow hired Lodging with ſtrangers: Wherefore I caſt away whole Volumes; which I could not carry away, both Controverſies and Letters practical, and Caſes of Conſcience, but having newly lain divers Weeks, Night and Day, in waking torments Nephritick, and Colick, after other long pains and languor, I took this Book with me in my removal, for my own uſe in my further ſickneſs. Three Weeks after falling into another extream fit, and expecting Death, where I had no Friend with me to commit my Papers to, meerly leſt it ſhould be loſt, I thought beſt to give it to the Printer: I think it is ſo much of the work of all mens lives to prepare to die with ſafety and comfort, that the ſame Thoughts may be needful for others that are ſo for me: If any miſlike the Title as if it imported that the Author is Dead, let him know that I die daily, and that which quickly will be, almoſt is: It's ſuited to my own uſe: They that it is unſuible to, may paſs it by. If thoſe mens lives were ſpent in ſerious preparing Thoughts of Death, who are now ſtudying to deſtroy each other, and tear in pieces a diſtreſſed Land, they would prevent much dolorous Repentance.
R. B.
THE CONTENTS.
Doct. 1. THat the Souls of Believers when departed hence ſhall be with Chriſt.
I. The neceſſity of believing this, proved, pag. 1, &c.
II. Whether it be beſt believing it without conſideration of the difficulties or proofs? p. 7.
III. The certainty of it manifeſted; 1. From the Immortality of the Soul: which is proved, p. 11.
1. The Soul is a ſubſtance. 2. It is a ſubſtance formally differenced from lower ſubſtance by the Virtue of ſpecial Vital Activity, Intellect, and free will, p. 14 3. It is not Annihilated at Death. 4. Nor deſtroyed by diſſolution of parts. 5. Nor loſeth its formal Power or Virtue, p. 15. 6. Nor doth ſleep or ceaſe to act, p. 16. 7. To ceaſe to be Individuate by Vnion with any other common Spirit, is not to be feared, were it true, p. 19. But it is not like to be true, p. 31, &c.
II. The ſecond proof: It is a natural notice, p. 33.
III. From the duty of all men to ſeek a future happineſsm p. 34.
IV. From Man's capacity of knowing God, &c. as differenced from Bruits. p. 37.
V. From God…s governing Juſtice, p. 38.
VI. From Revelation ſupernatural, p. 39.
VII. From God's anſwering Prayers, p. 42.
VIII. From our preſent communion with Angels. p. 44.
IX. From Satan's temptations, Witches, Apparitions, &c. p. 45.
X. Specially from the Operations of God's Spirit on our Souls, preparing them for Glory, p. 47.
Faith excited, and Objections anſwered in the Application.
The proofs ſummed up in Order, p. 65.
Why this Happineſs is deſcribed by our being vvith Chriſt.
1. What is included in our Being vvith Chriſt: 1. Preſence with Chriſt's glorified Body and Soul, and God-head, p. 66.
2. Vnion with him, in each, p. 73. Too near Vnion not to be feared, as deſtroying individuation.
3. Communion with him in each; active and paſſive opened, p. 74, &c.
We muſt DEPART that we may be with Chriſt. I. From what, p. 75.
1. From this Body and Life: Yet it is far better ſo to do, p. 76.
2. From all the fleſhly Pleaſures of this Life, p. 83. Yet beſt.
3. From the more manly delights of Study, Books, Friends, &c. conſidered: 1. Of Knowledge, and Books: the vanity, 2. Of Sermons, p. 87. 3. Of Friends and Converſe, p. 95.
4. Of God's Word and Worſhip, p. 98. Of Theology, p. 99. Of my own labours herein, p. 103.
6. Notice of the Affairs of the World, p. 109.
7. From our Service to the Living, p. 112.
The Application to my ſelf, p. 115.
To DEPART and to BE WITH CHRIST IS FAR BETTER, or rather to be choſen, p. 120.
I. Simply better and properly, at it is the fulfilling of God's will, p. 122.
II. Analogically better, as it tendeth to the Perfection of the Vniverſe and the Church.
III. Better to my ſelf as to my own felicity, p. 124. proved, 1. By general Reaſons from the efficients and means. 2. The final Reaſons. 3. The conſtitutive Reaſons from the ſtate of my Intellect: as to the Iu…uitive manner of knowledg, and as to the matter: Both opened: 1. I ſhall know God better, p 144. 2. And God's Works; the Vniverſe. 3. And Jeſus Chriſt. 4. And the Church. 5. And the Church triumphant, the heavenly Jeruſalem. 6. And all God's Word; for Matter and Method. 7. God's preſent Works of Providence. 8. The nature and worth of Mercies. 9. And my ſelf; Body and Soul. 10. And my fellow Creatures. 11. And what the evil was from which I was delivered, enemies, dangers, ſins, &c.
4. The Conſtitutive Reaſons from the ſtate of my will. I. Negatively, p. 163. 1. Freed from Temptations of the Fleſh, World, and Devil, 2. There will nothing be in it that is againſt God, my Neighbours, or my ſelf. II. Poſitively, 1. It will be conform to God's will: The benefits of this, p. 165. Fruition: A fixed will. The Object, 1. God. To love him and beloved of him, is our end, p. 169. He is a ſuitable, full, near, Object.
II. The next Object; God's golorius Image in the Perfection of the Vniverſe, p. 171.
III. The Church Triumphant, p. 174. 1. Jeſus Chriſt. 2. Angels, 3. Holy Souls. The Wills Reception in Glory, p. 175. 1. What it is to be loved of God. Excitations, 179. 2. How bleſſed to be under the Love of Chriſt, p. 881. Excitations, Deſires, p. 182.
3. Communion with Angels and Saints by reception. p. 188
More of the good of Vnion and Communion as diſtinct from ſingular Propriety, p. 190.
5. The conſtitutive Reaſons from our heavenly Practice, p. 195. Better works for us there than here, proved. What they are in general: What particularly: I. Concordant praiſing God. Excitations and Petitions, p. 169. II. The bleſſed probably uſed for the good of men and things below, p. 198. Their Opinion rejected, that aſſert, the ceſſation of ſenſe; proof. Objection from Bruits anſwered The concluding Application, p. 202.
A Breviate of the helps of Faith, Hope, and Love for a dying Man.
I. The Goſpel Evidence on 1 Tim. 3. 16. p. 260.
II. A Breviate of the proof of ſupernatural Revelation, and the Truth of Chriſtianity, p. 262.
III. The difference between the World which I am leaving, and the World which I am going to: With Reaſons of my comfortable hope. p. 283.
IV. More Reaſons and Helps of my Faith and Hope, p. 289.
V. A diſcourſe of the ſenſible manifeſtation of the Kingdom of Chriſt, at his Tranſfiguration, which is expounded and applied for the help of Faith and Patience, p. 300.
VI. Short Meditations on Rom. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Of the ſhedding abroad of God's Love on the Heart, that we may rejoice in hope of the Glory of God, p. 360.
THe exerciſe of Three ſorts of LOVE, to God, to Others, and to my Self, afford me a Threefold ſatisfaction (conjunct) to be vvilling to depart.
I. I am ſure my departure vvill be the fulfilling of that Will vvhichwhich is Love it ſelf, vvhichwhich I am bou…d above all things to Love, and Pleaſe, and vvh… is the beginning, rule, and end of all: Antonine …ould hence fetch good Thoughts of Death.
II. The World dieth not vvith me vvhen I die; nor the Church, nor the Praiſe and Glory of God vvhichwhich he vvill have in and from this World unto the end: And if I love others as my ſelf, their Lives and Comforts vvill novv be to my Thoughts, as if I vvere to live my ſelf in them. God vvill be praiſed, and honoured by Poſterity, vvhen I am dead and gone. Were I to be annihilated this vvould comfort me novv, if I lived and died in perfect Love.
III. But a better and glorious World is before me, into vvhichwhich I hope by Death to be tranſlated, vvhither all theſe Three ſorts of Love ſhould rap up the deſires of my aſcending Soul; even the Love of my ſelf, that I may be fully happy; the Love of the triumphant Church, Chriſt, Angels, and glorified Man, and the Glory of all the Univerſe vvhichwhich I ſhall ſee; and above all the Love of the moſt Glorious God, Infinite Life, and Light, and Love, the ultimate Amiable Object of Man's Love; in vvhom to beperfectly pleaſed, and delighted, and to vvhom to be perfectly pleaſing for ever, is the chief and ultimate end of me, and of the higheſt, vviſeſt, and beſt of Creatures; Amen.