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

1. And of all things surely a departing Soul hath least cause to fear, the losing of its notice of the Affairs of the World? Of Peace or Wars, or Church, or Kingdoms. For, 1. If the Sun can send forth its material Beams, and operate by motion, light, and heat, at such a distance as this Earth, why should I think that blessed Spirits are such local, confined and impotent substances, as not to have notice of the things of Earth? Had I but bodily Eyes I could see more from the top of a Tower or Hill, than any one that is below can do. And shall I know less of Earth from Heaven than I do now? It's unlike that my Capacity will be so little: And if it were, it is unlike that Christs and all the Angels will be so strange to me, as to give me no notice of things that so much concern my God and my Redeemer (to whom I am united) and the Holy Society of which I am a part, and my self as a Member of Christ and that Society! I do not think that the Communion of the Celestial Inhabitants is so narrow and slow, as it is of walking Clods of Earth, and of Souls that are confined to such dark Lanterns as this Body is? Stars can shine one to another. And we on Earth can see them so far off in their Heaven: And sure then if they have a seeing faculty each of them can see many of us; even the Kingdoms of the World. Spirits are most active, and of powerful and quick communication. They need not send Letters, or write Books to one another, nor lift up a voice to make each other hear: Nor is there any unkindness, ⟨p. 110⟩division, or unsociable selfishness among them, which may cause them to conceal their notices or their joys: But as Activity, so Unity is Greatest, where there is most Perfection: They will so be Many, as yet to be One; and their Knowledge will be One Knowledge, and their Love One Love, and their Joy One Joy: Not by so perfect a Unity as in God himself, who is One and but One; but such as is suitable to created imperfection, which participate of the Perfection of the Creator, as the Effect doth of the virtue of the Cause, and therefore hath some participation of his Unity. (O foolish Soul! if I shall fear this Unity with God, Christ, and all the Holy Spirits, lest I should lose my present separate Individuation, when Perfection and Union are so near akin.)

1. And of all things surely a departing Soul hath least cause to fear, the losing of its notice of the Affairs of the World? Of Peace or Wars, or Church, or Kingdoms. For, 1. If the Sun can send forth its material Beams, and operate by motion, light, and heat, at such a distance as this Earth, why should I think that blessed Spirits are such local, confined and impotent substances, as not to have notice of the things of Earth? Had I but bodily Eyes I could see more from the top of a Tower or Hill, than any one that is below can do. And shall I know less of Earth from Heaven than I do now? It's unlike that my Capacity will be so little: And if it were, it is unlike that Christs and all the Angels will be so strange to me, as to give me no notice of things that so much concern my God and my Redeemer (to whom I am united) and the Holy Society of which I am a part, and my self as a Member of Christ and that Society! I do not think that the Communion of the Celestial Inhabitants is so narrow and slow, as it is of walking Clods of Earth, and of Souls that are confined to such dark Lanthorns as this Body is? Stars can shine one to another. And we on Earth can see them so far off in their Heaven: And sure then if they have a seeing faculty each of them can see many of us; even the Kingdoms of the World. Spirits are most active, and of powerful and quick communication. They need not send Letters, or write Books to one another, nor lift up a voice to make each other hear: Nor is there any unkindness,