Then shall the Soul with joyfulness greet her Body,1 saying, O well met again my dear Sister. How sweet is thy Voice! How comely is thy countenance having lain hid so long in the Clefts of the Rocks, and in ⟨p. 77⟩the secret places of the grave! thou art indeed an habitation fit, not only for me to dwell in, but such as the H. 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 than the Lily-flowers on the Earth: the time of singing Hallelujahs is come, and the voice of the Trumpet is heard in the Land. Thou hast been my Yoke-fellow in the Lord's labours, and companion in persecutions and wrongs for Christ and his Gospel sake; now shall we enter together into our Master's Joy. As thou hast born with me the Cross, so shalt thou now wear with me the Crown. As thou hast with me sowed plenteously in tears, so shalt thou reap with me abundantly in joy. O blessed, ay 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, for they are remitted and covered, but every good work, 2which thou hast done for the Lord's sake, shall be rehearsed, and rewarded.
Then shall the Soul with joyfulness greet her Body,1 saying, O well met again my dear Sister. How sweet is thy Voice! How comely is thy countenance having lain hid so long in the Clefts of the Rocks, and in ⟨p. 77⟩the secret places of the grave! thou art indeed an habitation fit, not only for me to dwell in, but such as the H. 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 than the Lily-flowers on the Earth: the time of singing Hallelujahs is come, and the voice of the Trumpet is heard in the Land. Thou hast been my Yoke-fellow in the Lord's labours, and companion in persecutions and wrongs for Christ and his Gospel sake; now shall we enter together into our Master's Joy. As thou hast born with me the Cross, so shalt thou now wear with me the Crown. As thou hast with me sowed plenteously in tears, so shalt thou reap with me abundantly in joy. O blessed, ay blessed be that God! who (when yonder Reprobates spent their whole time in Pride, fleshly Lusts, eating, drinking, and prophane 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, for they are remitted and covered, but every good work, 2which thou hast done for the Lord's sake, shall be rehearsed, and rewarded.
- 1The Elect Souls apostrophe to the Body, at their first meeting in the Resurrection. Cant. 2▪ 14.
- 2Psalm 32. 1.
