BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. ó% ed as Paul was in his journey to Jerusalem (Acts xx. and xxi.) by the love of ancient friends and hearers, I must say, ' What mean you, to weep and break my heart ! I am ready to leave the dear- est friends on earth, and life, and all the pleasures of life, for the presence of far better friends withChrist, and the sweeter pleasures of a better life.' That little amiableness, which is in things below, is in godly men as life in the heart, which dieth last : when that is all gone, whenwe are dead to the love of the godly themselves, and to learning, books, and mediate ordinances, so far as they serve a selfish interest, and tempt down our hearts from heavenly aspir- ings, the world is then crucified to us, indeed, and we to it. I re- joice to tread in the footsteps of my Lord, who had some, indeed, weeping about his cross, but was forsaken by all his disciples, while in the hour of temptation they all fled! But my desertion is far less, for it is less than I am fit to bear. If God will justify, who shall condemn ? If he be for me, who shall be against me ? O, may I not be put to that dreadful case, to cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" And may nothing sepa- rate me from his love ! And then, were L forsaken of the sober and peaceable, as I am, in part, ofsome quarrelsome dividers, how tolerable a trial would it be ! Man is as dust in the balance, that addeth little to it, and signifiethnothing when God is in the other end. But I suspect still that I. make too much account of man, when this case hath taken up too muchof my observation. 10. And of all things, surely a departing soul bath Ieast cause to fear the losing of its notice of the, affairsof the -world; ofpeace, or wars, or church, or kingdoms! For, (1.) If the sun can send forth its material beams, and operate by motion, light, and heat, at, such . a distance as this earth, why should. I think that blessed spirits are such local, confined, and impotent substances, as not to have notice of the things of earth ? Had I but bodily eyes, I could see more from the ,top of a tower or hill, than any one that is be- low can do. And shall I .know less of earth from heaven than I do now ? It is unlike that my capacity will be so little, and if it were, it is unlike that Christ and all the angels will be so strange to me, as to give me IA) notice of things that so much-concern my God and my Redeemer, (to whom I am united,) and the. holy society of which I am a part, and myself as a member of Christ and that society ! I do not think that the communion of the celestial inhabitants is so narrow and slow, as it is of walking clods of earth, and of souls that are confined to such dark lanterns as this body is. Stars can shine one to another, and we on earth can see them so far off, in their heaven. And sure then, if they have a seeing faculty, each of themcan see many of us, even the . kingdoms of the world. Spirits are most active, and ofpowerful
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