BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. 101 soul groaned under the sense of distance, and darkness, and estran- gedness from God! How oft hath it looked up, and gasped after him, and said, ' Oh ! when shall I be nearer and better acquainted with my God ?' ".As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after, thee, O God : my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" Psalm xlii. 1. And would I not have my prayers beard, and mydesires granted ? What else is the sum of lawful prayers, but God himself? IfI desire any thing more than God, what sinfulness is in those desires, and how sad is their signification ! How oft have I said, " Whom have. I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee !` It is-good for me to drawneat to God." Psalm lxxiii. 25, 28. Woe to me, if I did dissemble ! If not, why should my soul draw back? Is it because that death stands in the way ? Do not my fellow-creatures die for my daily food; and. is . not my passage secured líy the love of my Father, and the resurrection and intercession of my Lord? Can I see the light of heavenly glory in this darksome shell and womb offlesh ? 2. All creatures are more or less excellent and glorious, as God is more or less operative and refulgent in them, and, by that ope- ration, communicateth most of himself unto them. Though he be immense and indivisible, his operations and communications are not equal: and that is said to be nearest to him which hath most of those operations on it; and that without the intervenient casual- ty ofany second, created.cause ; and so all those are in their order near unto him, as they have noblest natures, and fewest interveni- ent causes. Far am I from presuming to think that I aín, or shall be, the best and noblest of God's creatures, and so that I shall be so near him as to be under the influx of no second or created causes of whichmore anon. But to be as near as my nature was ordained to approach, is but to attain the end and perfection,of my nature. . 3. And as I must notlook to be the nearest to him, as he is the first efficient, no more must I, as he is the 'first dirigent, or govern- ing cause. ,As now I am under the government of his officers on earth, I look forever to be under sub=goi'ernors in heaven. My glorified Savior 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 gov- ernment will be sweetly powerful therein. If the law was given by angels, and the angel of God was in the burning bush, and the angel conducted the people through the wilderness, and yet all
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