212 BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. habitants of the same nature. What shall we think, then, that Enoch and Elias, at their entrance into those regions, laid by their bodies, and became auch as Abraham, and other holy souls ? Why are they taken up, to be so laidby ? The corruptibility, no doubt, they did lay by. God knoweth, but it is much unknown to us. Or shall we think, as all those fathers cited by Faustus Regiensis, and as Dr. More, and some of late, that all spirits are souls, and animate some bodies; and so that all in heaven have some bodies? If so, what bodies are they? and how differ they from the resur- rection state? As the soul here operateth in, and by, the igneous spirits in our bodies, it may be so lodged in these as to take some of them with it at death, as the life of a dying plant, yet dieth not in the seed. And a man may be said to go unclothed to bed, though he put not off his shift or nearest garment, and to be cloth- ed again when he puts on the rest. And at the resurrection, as there will be a new heaven and earth, so spirits, now in heaven, may have much more delightful business on the new and righteous earth than now they.have, and, therefore, may have use for an additional body, as much differing from what they have now in heaven, as the new earth and their employment there require; and as the 'seed doth differ from the plant. And spirits, being communicative, will be more happy by more communication. As God delighteth to do good to all his works, so the souls now con- fined to heaven will delight to be employed in doing good to the new earth, and to animate the bodies suited to such work ; though now they have use for no other than such spiritual, lucid recepta- cles as are fit for the regions where they dwell. And it will be no debasement or dejection for -á spirit now in heaven to animate a bodyat the resurrection, fit for the new earth ; no more than it was to angels to speak to Adam, and to Moses, toAbraham, Jacob, Manoah, and others ; or than it is to the sun to enlighten and en- liven things on earth. It is a foolish thing to think, as some do, that departed souls will be as dormant and unaétive as in apoplectic or sleeping 'per- sons, for want of organized bodies to act in. Spirits are essential- ly active, intellective, and volitive; and will God continue such essential powers in vain? Moses and Elias wanted not bodies,; and those in heaven can praise Jehovah and the Lamb with holy, concordant love and joy ; whether in any sort of ethereal bodies, or without, we shall shortly know. , It is said that Moses and Elias talked with Christ this show- eth that Christ bath familiar communion with the blessed. He that would come into flesh on earth, and live with man in an humbled state, and refused not familiar converse with poor men and women, and would eat and drink with publicans and sinners,
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