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I suppose thou wilt marvel that I trouble myself with so wild a generation as the people called Quakers are or that I trouble thee with a few hasty lines which I wrote on such an occasion. I'll truly tell thee the cause of both: They sent me five several papers, one of them containing the queries which I answer, and others of them almost nothing but a bundle of filthy railing words. They chose out one day, when it pleased God to confine me to my chamber by sickness to come into our assembly and after morning sermon to fall a questioning the preacher, my assistant and because he avoided public disputing with them at that season, as not taking it for a profitable spending of the Lord’s Day, they call him the hireling that flieth. I find that they do so challenge and brag and triumph, if we say nothing to them, and that too many simple people expect that we should answer them, that (after an unprofitable verbal discourse with an unreasonable railing fellow) I resolved to send them this brief answer to their questions. - Summary adapted from Preface

A breviate of the life of Margaret, the daughter of Francis Charlton, of apply in Shropshire, esq. and wife of Richard Baxter. For the use of all, but especially of their kindred. There is also published the character of her mother, truly described in her published funeral sermon, reprinted at her daughter’s request, called, the last work of a believer, his passing-prayer, recommending his departing spirit to Christ, to be received by him. <br><br> "Being thus obliged by her request, mine own affections urged me to premise this Breviate of her own life: Written, I confess, under the power of melting grief, and therefore perhaps with the less prudent judgment; but not with the less, but the more truth: For passionate weakness poureth out all, which greater prudence may conceal. Conscionable men’s histories are true; but if they be also wise, they tell us but some part of truth, concealing that which would do harm, and which the depraved world cannot bear without abusing it: But we that are less wise, tell all the truth, too little regarding how men will receive it. And hence comes all history, which hath not evidence equal to natural, to be of less credit than most men think; while bad men lie, and good men leave out so much of the truth, as makes the rest to be as another thing than altogether it would appear." - Summary from the title page and text