Burned and wasted we must be; and is it not fitter it should be in lighting men to heaven, and in working for God, than in living to the flesh? How little difference is there between the pleasure of a long and of a short life, when they are both at an end! What comfort will it be to you at death, that you lengthened your life by shortening your work? He that worketh much, liveth much. Our life is to be esteemed according to the ends and works of it, and not according to the mere duration… Will it not comfort us more at death, to review a short time faithfully spent, than a long life spent unfaithfully?

Richard Baxter (1615–1691), Pastor

Topics: Work & Vocation, Time & Transience

Richard Baxter

Richard Baxter war ein englischer puritanischer Pastor und Theologe des 17. Jahrhunderts, der vor allem durch seinen Dienst im englischen Kidderminster bekannt wurde. Er prägte eine praxisnahe Seelsorge sowie ein überkonfessionelles Glaubensverständnis, geriet jedoch wegen seiner Nonkonformität zur Staatskirche und seiner vermittelnden Rechtfertigungslehre in politische und theologische Konflikte. Bibellesern gilt er heute als historisches Beispiel für eine konsequente Verbindung von biblischer Lehre, persönlicher Frömmigkeit und engagierter Gemeindepraxis.

All quotes by Richard Baxter (92)

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It may be that the Last Day will dawn tomorrow; if so, we will gladly lay down our work for a better future, but not before.

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If our identity is in our work, rather than Christ, success will go to our heads, and failure will go to our hearts.

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Our Lord's example is our example, not only on Calvary but in the workshop, on the road, in the crowd, amid interruptions, amid opposition, amid the lack of quiet and privacy, amid constant demands.

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