I68 BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. is commended, and truth and goodness accused and oppressed, be- cause men's minds are unacquainted with them, or unsuitable to them. And those that are the greatest pretenders to truth do most eagerly contend against it, and oppose it; and almost all the world are scolding or scuffling in the dark; and where there ap- pearethbutlittle hopesof aremedy, I say, can I love such a world as this? And shall I not think more delightfully of the inheritance of the saints in light, and the uniting love and joyful praises of the church triumphant, and the heavenly choir? - Should I not love a lodely and a loving world much better than a world where there is, comparatively, so little loveliness or love ? All that is of God is gond and lovely ; but it is not here that his glory shineth in felicitating splendor. I am tahght to look upward when I pray, and to say, "Our Father, which art in heaven." God's works are amiable, even in hell ; and yet, though I would know them, I would not be there. And, alas ! how much of the works yf man are mixed here with the works of God ! Here is God's wisdom manifest ; but here is man's obstinatefolly. Here is God's government ; but here is man's tyranny and unruliness. Here is God's love and mercies; but here are men's malice, wrath and cruelty ; by which they are worse to one another than wolves and tigers, depopulating countries, and filling the worldwith, blood- shed, famine, misery, and lamentations; proud tyrants being worse than raging plagues, which made David choose the pestilence be- fore, his enemies' pursuit. Here is much of God's beauteous order andharmony ; but here is also much of man's madness, deformity, and confusion. Here is much historical truth, and some eccle- siastical justice ; but, alas ! with how much odious falsehood and injustice is it mixed? Here is much 'precious theological verity ; but how dark is much ofit to such blind, 'and negligent, and cor- rupted minds as every where abound! Here are wise, judicious teachers and companions to be found'; but, alas ! how few, in com- parison of the most ; and how hardly known by those that need them ! Here are sound and orthodox ministers of Christ ; but how few that most need them know which are they, and how to value them or use them ! And how many thousands of seduced or sen- sual sinners are made to believe that they are but deceivers, or, as they called Paul, pestilent fellows, and movers of sedition among the people ! And in how many parts of the world are they as the prophets that. Obadiah hid in caves, or as Micaiah, or Elias among the lying prophets, or the Baalites ! though ' such as of whom the world is not worthy. And is that world, then, more worthy ofour love than heaven? There are worthy and religious families which honor God, and are honored by him ; but, alas ! how few ! and usually by the temptations of wealth, and worldly
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