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

§ 3. And as I must not look to be the Nearest to Him, as he is the first Efficient, no more must I as he is the first Dirigent or governing Cause: As now I am under the government of his Officers on Earth, I look for ⟨p. 132⟩ever to be under subgovernours in Heaven: My glorified Saviour must be my Lord and Ruler; and Who else under him I know not: If Angels are not equal in Perfection, nor as is commonly supposed equal in Power, nor without some regimental order among themselves, I must not conclude that no created Angel or Spirit, shall have any government over me: But it will be so Pure and Divine, as that the blessed Effects of God's own Government will be sweetly powerful therein. If the Law was given by Angles, and the Angel of God was in the burning Bush, and the Angel conducted the People through the Wilderness, and yet all these things are ascribed to God, much more near and glorious will the Divine Regiment there be, whoever are the Administrators.

§ 3. And as I must not look to be the Nearest to Him, as he is the first Efficient, no more must I as he is the first Dirigent or governing Cause: As now I am under the government of his Officers on Earth, I look for ⟨p. 132⟩ever to be under subgovernours in Heaven: My glorified Saviour must be my Lord and Ruler; and Who else under him I know not: If Angels are not equal in Perfection, nor as is commonly supposed equal in Power, nor without some regimental order among themselves, I must not conclude that no created Angel or Spirit, shall have any government over me: But it will be so Pure and Divine, as that the blessed Effects of God's own Government will besweetly powerful therein. If the Law was given by Angles, and the Angel of God was in the burning Bush, and the Angel conducted the People through the Wilderness, and yet all these things are ascribed to God, much more near and glorious will the Divine Regiment there be, whoever are the Administrators.

§ 4. And as I must expect to be under some created Efficient and Dirigent Causes there, so must I expect to have some subordinate Ends: Else there would not be a proportion and harmony in causalities; whatever nobler Creatures are above me, and have their Causalities upon me, I must look to be finally for those nobler Creatures. When I look up and think what a world of glorious Beings are now over me, I dare not presume to think that I shall finally any more than Receptively; be the Nearest unto God, and that I am made for None but Him. I find here that I am made, and ruled, and sanctified, for the Public or Common Good of many as above my own (of which I am past doubt:) And I am sure that I must be finally for my glorified Redeemer; and for what other Spiritual Beings or Intelligences that are above me, little do I know: And God hath so ordered all his creatures, as that they are mutually Ends and Means for and to one another, though not in an Equality, nor in the same respects. But whatever nearer Ends there will be, I am sure that he who is the first