Preaching as a Dying Man to Dying Men

Richard Baxter was a poet as well as a theologian, pastor and scholar. After his wife Margaret died in 1681, in his grief he published a set of poems called Poetical fragments: heart-imployment with God and it self, the concordant discord of a broken-healed heart, sorrow-rejoying, fearing-hoping, dying-living, written partly for himself, and partly for near friends in sickness, and other deep affliction (1681). (Later he published Additions to the Poetical Fragments (1683) and, posthumously, Paraphrase on the Psalms of David, with other Hymns.) For a brief discussion on his publication of Poetical Fragments somewhat against the counsel of concerned friends, see J.I. Packer, A Grief Sanctified, pp. 32-34.

Here is an extract [slightly modernized spelling] from the longest of his poems in Poetical Fragments, Love Breathing Thanks and Praise, p. 30, which contains an oft-quoted phrase:

This call'd me out to work while it was day;
And warn poor Souls to Turn without delay:
Resolving speedily thy Word to preach;
With Ambrose, I at once did Learn and Teach.
Still thinking I had little time to live,
My fervent heart to win mens Souls did strive.
I Preach'd, as never sure to Preach again,
And as a dying man to dying Men!