The Practice of Piety

Then shall the Soul with joyfulness greet her body, ¹saying: Oh well met again, my dear sister, How sweet is thy voice! how comely is thy countenance, having lien hid so long in the clefts of the rocks, and in the secret places of the grave!² Thou art indeed an habitation ⟨p. 162⟩fit, not only for me to dwell in; but such as the Holy Ghost thinks meet to reside in, as his Temple for ever. The Winter of our affliction is now past: the storm of our misery is blown over, and gone. The Bodies of our Elect Brethren appear more glorious, then the Lilly flowers on the earth; the time of singing Hallelujah is come; and the voice of the Trumpet is heard in the Land. Thou hast been my Yo•ke-fellow in the Lords labours, and companion in persecutions and wrongs, for Christ and his Gospels sake; now shall we enter together, into our Masters joy: as thou hast borne with me the cross, so shalt thou now wear with ⟨p. 163⟩me the Crown: as thou hast with me sowed plenteously in tears, so shalt thou reap with me abundantly in joy. O blessed, aye blessed be that GOD, who (when yonder reprobates spent their whole time in Pride, fleshly lusts, eating, drinking and profane vanities) gave us grace to join together, in watching, fasting, praying, reading the Scriptures, keeping his Sabbaths, hearing Sermons, receiving the holy Communion, relieving the Poor, exercising in all humility the works of Piety to God, and walking conscionably in the duties of our calling towards men. Thou shalt, anon, hear no mention of thy sins, ³for they are remitted and covered; ⟨p. 164⟩but every good work which thou hast done for the Lords sake, shall be rehearsed and rewarded.

Then shall the Soule with ioyfulnesse greete her body, ¹