Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…

§ 47. But God letteth us see, that though the World be One, yet he delighteth in a wonderful diversity and multiplicity of Individuals. How various and numerous are they in the Sea, and on the Land, and in the Air? And are there none in the other World? How come the Stars therein to be so numerous, which are of the same Element? And though perhaps Saturn, or some other Planets, or many Stars, may send forth their radiant Effluvia, or parts, into the same Air, which the Sun Beams seem totally to fill and illuminate, yet the Rays of the Sun, and of other Stars, are not the same, how near soever in the same Air.

§ 48. Were there now no more Contraction by Egoity or Propriety among men, nor Mine and Thine did signify no more, nor the distance were greater than that of the several drops of Water in the Sea, or particles of of Light in the illuminated Air, but I had all my part in such a perfect unity and Communion with all others, and knew that all were as happy as I, so that there were no divisions by cross interests or minds, but all were One, certainly it would make my own comforts greater by far than they are now? Are not an hundred Candles set together and united as splendid a flame as if they w•re all set asunder. To one Soul, one Love, one Joy would be.

§ 49. Object. But it is only the fomes that individuateth Lights; As when the same Sun by a burning Glass lighteth a thousand Candles, they are individuate only by the matter contracting, being still all united parts of the same Sun Beams. And when they are extinct, they are nothing, or all one again.