Obedient patience in general, and in XX particular cases with helps to obtain and use it, and impatience repressed : cross-bearers less to be pityed that cross-makers / written for his own use under the cross, imposed by God and man, and published as now seasonable ... by Richard Baxter.

THE PREFACE.

I Here offer to others the same which I have pre∣pared for myself, and find ne∣cessary for my daily use. All men most savour that which they find most suitable to them. When I was young and lay under the sad sus∣picions of my own heart, and the doubts of my sound con∣version, and justification, I was far more pleased with a Sermon that opened the na∣ture of saving grace, and

helpt me against such doubts, than with a Sermon of afflict∣ion, and its use; yea tho I be∣gan to be afflicted. But now this is the subject of my daily necessary thoughts: Mans implacable enmity maketh them somewhat necessary; but Gods more immediate corrections on my body, in∣comparably more. And while every day almost fills my ears, with the sad com∣plaints of weak, Melan∣cholly, afflicted, impoverish∣ed, sick, pained or other∣wise

wise distressed persons, and and the weekly News-books tell us of Foreign Wars, Persecutions, ruines im∣placable contentions, malig∣nant combinations, against the Church, pursuing Con∣science and obedience to God, with diabolical rage to drive it out of the world, and of the successes of blood thirsty Men, and the deluge of Atheism, Idolatry, Sad∣ducisme, Infidellity, Ma∣hometanisme, hypocrisie, sen∣suality, ambition, worldli∣ness,

lying, perjury, maligni∣ty, and gross ignorance, which hath even drowned the Earth, while there is little but doleful tidings, complaints and fears from Kingdomes, Churches, Ci∣ties, Families, and God in Judgment permitteth man∣kind to be worse than Ser∣pents, Toads, or Wolves, if not than Devils to one a∣nother; and while wit and learning, reverend errour and hypocrisie, are every day as hotly at work, as any

Smith in his flaming forge, to blow the coals of bloody malice; and hating and de∣stroying others, even those whom they pretend to love as themselves, seemeth to multitudes the most honour∣able and necessary work, and the killing of love, and of Souls and bodies, is taken for meritorious of everlast∣ing happiness: I say, while all this is so in the world, and while all flesh must look for pain, sick∣ness and death, and all men

are yet worse to themselves and greater burdens than all their Enemies are, I cannot think a Treatise of Patience needless or un∣seasonable.

R. B.

December the 27th. 1682.