Fear not then, O my Soul, to lay down this Flesh: Mercy hath kept it up for my preparing work; but, O what a burdensome and chargeable a Companion hath it been! Is it better than the dwelling place of perfect Spirits? O what are my groans and all my cold and faint Petitions, and my dull Thanksgiving, to their harmonious joyful Praise? If a Day in God's Courts be better than a Thousand, what is a Day, yea, what is Everlastingness in the heavenly Society and Work; O how hateful a thing is darkness and unbelief, when the remnants of them thus stop poor Souls in their ascent: And make us half unwilling to go home? What! unwilling to be with my glorified Lord? Unwilling to be with Saints and Angels, who are all Life, & Light, and Love? Unwilling to see the Glory of Jehovah? O foolish sinful Soul! Hath Christ done so much to purchase the heavenly Glory for thee, and now art thou unwilling to go into the possession of it? Hast thou been seeking, and praying, and labouring, and suffering so many Years, for that which now thou seemest scarce willing to obtain? Dost thou not judge thy self unworthy of Eternal Life, when thou no more desirest to enjoy it? All this is long of thy too much adherence unto SELF and SENSE: Thou art still desiring sensitive satisfaction, and not content to know thy part, wouldst know that for thy self, which Christ knoweth for thee: As if thou couldst better trust thy self than him? Fear not, weak Soul, it is our Fathers good pleasure to give thee the Kingdom: Trust infinite Power, Wisdom, and Love: Trust that faithful gracious Saviour who hath so wonderfully merited to be trusted: Trust that promise which never deceived any one? and which is confirmed ⟨p. 298⟩by so many Miracles, and by the Oath, and by the Spirit of God. Whenever thou departest from this house of Flesh, the Arms of Mercy are open to embrace thee, yea, Essential transcendent Love is ready to receive thee: The Spirit of Love hath sealed thee to that blessed state? Christ will present thee justified and accepted. Most of my old holy familiar Friends are gone before me, and all the rest that died since the World began. And the few imperfect ones left behind, are hasting after them apace, and if I go before will quickly overtake me: Though they weep as if it were for a long separation, it is their great mistake:
Fear not then, O my Soul, to lay down this Flesh: Mercy hath kept it up for my preparing work; but, O what a burdensom and chargeable a Companion hath it been! Is it better than the dwelling place of perfect Spirits? O what are my groans and all my cold and faint Petitions, and my dull Thanksgiving, to their harmonious joyful Praise? If a Day in God's Courts be better than a Thousand, what is a Day, yea, what is Everlastingness in the heavenly Society and Work; O how hateful a thing is darkness and unbelief, when the remnants of them thus stop poor Souls in their ascent: And make us half unwilling to go home? What! unwilling to be with my glorified Lord? Unwilling to be with Saints and Angels, who are all Life, & Light, and Love? Unwilling to see the Glory of Jehovah? O foolish sinful Soul! Hath Christ done so much to purchase the heavenly Glory for thee, and now art thou unwilling to go into the possession of it? Hast thou been seeking, and praying, and labouring, and suffering so many Years, for that which now thou seemest scarce willing to obtain? Dost thou not judge thy self unworthy of Eternal Life, when thou no more desirest to enjoy it? All this is long of thy too much adherence unto SELF and SENSE: Thou art still desiring sensitive satisfaction, and not content to know thy part, wouldst know that for thy self, which Christ knoweth for thee: As if thou couldst better trust thy self than him? Fear not, weak Soul, it is our Fathers good pleasure to give thee the Kingdom: Trust infinite Power, Wisdom, and Love: Trust that faithful gracious Saviour who hath so wonderfully merited to be trusted: Trust that promise which never deceived any one? and which is confirmed ⟨p. 298⟩by so many Miracles, and by the Oath, and by the Spirit of God. Whenever thou departest from this house of Flesh, the Arms of Mercy are open to embrace thee, yea, Essential transcendent Love is ready to receive thee: The Spirit of Love hath sealed thee to that blessed state? Christ will present thee justified and accepted. Most of my old holy familiar Friends are gone before me, and all the rest that died since the World began. And the few imperfect ones left behind, are hasting after them apace, and if I go before will quickly overtake me: Though they weep as if it were for a long separation, it is their great mistake:
