BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. 39 B by it ; and yet a Vine is a vine ; and an apple is an apple ; and a rose is a rose; and a nettle is' a nettle. And few men would be toiled horses, or toads, if it were proved that they are animated by a common soul. But God letteth us see, that though the world be one, yet he de'ighteth in a wonderful diversity and multiplicity of individuals. How various and numerous are they in the sea, and. on the land, and in the air! . And are there none in the other world? How come the stars therein tobe so numerous, whichare of the same element ? and though, perhaps, Saturn, or some other planets, or many stars, may send forth their radiant effluvia, or parts, into the same air, which the sunbeams seem totally to fill and illuminate, yet the rays of the sun, and of other stars, are not the same, how near soever in the same air. Were there now no more contraction by egoity, or propriety among men, nor mine and thine did signify no more, nor the dis- tance were greater than that of the several drops of water in the sea, or particles of light in the illuminated air, but I had all my part in such a perfect unity and .communion with all others, and knew that all were as happy as I, so that there were no divisions by cross interests or minds, but all were one, certainly it would make my own comforts greater by far than they are now. Are not an hundred candles set together and united as splendid a flame as if they were all set asunder? So one soul, one love, one joy, would be.* * B * it * Obj. But this would equalize the good and bad, or, at least, those that were good in several degrees ; and where, then, were the reward and punishment? Answ. It would not equal them at all, any more than distinét personality would do: for, 1. The souls of all holy persons may be so united, as that the souls of the wicked shall have no part in that union. Whether the souls of the wicked shall be united in one sinful, miserable soul, or, rather, but in one sinful society, or be greatlier separate, disunited, contrary to each other, and mili- tant, as part of their sin and misery, is nothing to this case. 2. Yet natural and moral union must be differenced. God is the root of nature to the worst ; and however in one sense it is said, that there is nothing in God but God, yet it is true, that in him all live, and move, and have their being ; but yet the wicked's in- being in God doth afford them no sanctifying or beatifying, com- * Two paragraphs are here omitted ; they contain an abstruse answer to an abstruse objection, both being founded, like much of the reasoning in the con- test; on a philòsophy now obsolete. Ed.
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