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

that Faith and Hope which may kindle Love and Desire, and make me run my Race in Patience, and live and die in the Joy which beseemeth an Heir of Heaven! But if my part on Earth must be no greater than yet it is, let it make me the wearier of this Dungeon, and groan more fervently to be with thee, and long for the day when all my longing shall be satisfied, and my Soul be filled with thy light and love.

§ 24. And doubtless as I shall love the Angels and Saints in Heaven, so I shall some way in subordination to Christ be a Receiver from them: Our love will be mutual: And which way soever I owe duty, I shall expect some answerable return of benefit. The Sun shineth upon the Stars as well as on the Earth, and the Stars on one another. If Angels are greatly useful to me here, it's like they will be much more there, where I shall be a more capable receiver. It will be no diminution to Christ's honour that he there maketh use of my fellow Creatures to my joy, no more than it is here: ⟨p. 189⟩The whole Creation will be still one compaginated frame; and the heavenly Society will for ever retain their Relation to each other, and their aptitude and disposition to the duties and benefits of those Relations. And as we shall be far sitter for them than here we are, so shall we have far more comfort in them: How gloriously will God shine in the glory of the Blessed? How delightful will it be to see their Perfection in Wisdom, Holiness, Love and Concord? What Voices they use, or what Communication instead of Voices we shall shortly know: But surely there is a blessed harmony of Minds, and Wills, and Practice. All are not equal, but all accord to love and praise their glorious God, and readily to obey him, and perfectly to love each other: There is no jarring or discordant Spirit that is out of tune: no separation or opposition to each other! As God's love in Christ is our full and final happiness; so Nature which hath made us sociable teacheth us to desire to be loved of each other: but especially by wise and worthy Persons: Saints and Angels in Heaven will love incomparably better than our dearest Friends on Earth can do; and better than they did themselves when we were on Earth: For they will love that best which is best; and where there is most of God appearing: Else it were not intellectual love! And therefore they will love us as much better when we come to Heaven, as we shall be better. If we go from loving friends on Earth, we shall go to them that love us far more: The love of these here doth but pity us in our pains, and go weeping with our Carcasses to the Grave: But the love of those above will joyfully convoy or welcome out Souls, to their triumphing Society: