Lastly, As for the terrible effects which follow after death, they belong not unto thee being a member of Christ; for Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death to the faithful; so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 1And Christ hath protested, that he that believeth in him, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, 2but ha•• passed from death unto life. Hereupon the holy Spirit from Heaven saith. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: and that from thenceforth they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. In respect therefore of the faithful,3 death is swallowed up in victory: and his sting, which is sin, and the punishment thereof, is taken away by Christ. Hence death is called in respect of our bodies, a bsleep and rest: In respect of our Souls, a going to our heavenly Father, a cdeparting in peace, a removing from this body to go to the Lord; a ddissolving of soul and body to be with Christ. What shall I say? Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. These pains are but thy throes and travail to bring forth eternal life. And who would not pass through Hell to go to Paradise? much more through death? There is nothing after death that thou needest ⟨image 224⟩fea•; not thy sins• because Christ hath payed thy ransom; not the Judge, for h• is thy loving brother; not the grave, […] i• is the Lord's bed; not he, for thy Redeemer keeps the keys; not the Devil, for God's holy Angels pitch their Tents about thee, and will not leave thee, till they bring thee to Heaven. Thou wast never […] eternal life: glorify therefore. ••ist by a blessed •eath. Say cheerfully, Come Lord Jesus, […] thy Servant cometh unto thee: I am willing, Lord help my weakness.
Lastly, As for the terrible effects which follow after death, they belong not unto thee being a member of Christ; for Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death to the faithful; so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 1And Christ hath protested, that he that believeth in him, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, 2but ha•• passed from death unto life. Hereupon the holy Spirit from Heaven saith. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: and that from thenceforth they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. In respect therefore of the faithful,3 death is swallowed up in victory: and his sting, which is sin, and the punishment thereof, is taken away by Christ. Hence death is called in respect of our bodies, a bsleep and rest: In respect of our Souls, a going to our heavenly Father, a cdeparting in peace, a removing from this body to go to the Lord; a ddissolving of soul and body to be with Christ. What shall I say? Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. These pains are but thy throes and travail to bring forth eternal life. And who would not pass through Hell to go to Paradise? much more through death? There is nothing after death that thou needest ⟨image 224⟩fea•; not thy sins• because Chr•st hath payed thy ransom; not the Judge, for h• is thy loving brother; not the grave, 〈…〉 i• is the Lord's bed; not he, for thy Redeem•r keeps the keys; not the Devil, for God's holy Angels pitch their Tents about thee, and will not leave thee, till they bring thee to Heaven. Thou wast never 〈…〉 et••nal life: glorifie therefore. ist by a blessed eath. Say cheerfully, Come Lord Jesus, thy Servant cometh unto thee: I am willing, Lord help my weakness.
- 1Rom. 8. 1.
- 2Joh. 5. 24.
- 31 Cor. 15. 54.
- b1 Thess. 4. 13. Isai. 26. Rev. 14.
- c[Greek or Hebrew]. Luk. 2. 29.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Luk. 2. 29.
- d2 Cor. 5. Phil. 1. 23. [Greek or Hebrew]. Mors port• gloriae. Gr•g. Janua vitae. Bernard.2 Cor. 5. Phil. 1. 23. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Mors port• gloriae. Gr•g. Janua vitae. Bernard.
