4. The cure of excessive Sorrow. Knowledge, Meditation, and firm belief of the present and future State of those that dye in the Lord. I would not have you to be ignorant; others are, and therefore mourn to excess; but I would not have you so to be, that you may not sorrow as they do. Did ye know, think, and believe, that their Death is but a Sleep, out of which they shall certainly awake; their Graves, their Beds, out of which, when the morning of the Resurrection shall come, they shall arise, and that their Souls in ⟨p. 8⟩the mean time are with God, and Christ, and the Eternal Spirit, admitted into that glorious Society of Angels and Saints above, perfectly Loving, constantly delighting, perpetually Praising and Triumphing in that God that did choose them, in that Jesus that did redeem them with his Blood, in that Holy Spirit that made them meet to be partakers of that Inheritance of yonder Saints in Light, and Life, and Love; would you groan while they rejoice? Would you mourn while they sing Songs of Praise? Are you grieved because they are exalted? Do you take on, as if they were for ever lost, when by saving Mercy they are now for ever found in the glorious Presence of their Lord, and Father, and Redeemer? Could you hear them speak to you, they would say, you are in daily Trouble, we in everlasting Rest, and Peace, and Triumph; you are in the Field, we have got the Victory; you are in danger of Sin and Satan, we are freed from them for ever; your love unto our Lord and yours, is imperfect love, while ours wanteth no degree; you know not what we do know of God, and Christ, and Glory; you see not what we do see, nor enjoy so much as we enjoy, therefore spend your Tears upon your selves, and not for us; weep for your selves, and not for us; lament your selves being yet in a sinful World, and not us that are lodged in a pure, spotless Place ⟨p. 9⟩and Kingdom. You pray, and wait, and hope to be where we are, but we have no desire to be where you be. We have a better House than you live in, better Company, and better Work, and sweeter Employment; therefore Sorrow for your selves, and not for us.
4. The cure of excessive Sorrow. Knowledg, Meditation, and firm belief of the present and future State of those that dye in the Lord. I would not have you to be ignorant; others are, and therefore mourn to excess; but I would not have you so to be, that you may not sorrow as they do. Did ye know, think, and believe, that their Death is but a Sleep, out of which they shall certainly awake; their Graves, their Beds, out of which, when the morning of the Resurrection shall come, they shall arise, and that their Souls in ⟨p. 8⟩the mean time are with God, and Christ, and the Eternal Spirit, admitted into that glorious Society of Angels and Saints above, perfectly Loving, constantly delighting, perpetually Praising and Triumphing in that God that did chuse them, in that Jesus that did redeem them with his Blood, in that Holy Spirit that made them meet to be partakers of that Inheritance of yonder Saints in Light, and Life, and Love; would you groan while they rejoyce? Would you mourn while they sing Songs of Praise? Are you grieved because they are exalted? Do you take on, as if they were for ever lost, when by saving Mercy they are now for ever found in the glorious Presence of their Lord, and Father, and Redeemer? Could you hear them speak to you, they would say, you are in daily Trouble, we in everlasting Rest, and Peace, and Triumph; you are in the Field, we have got the Victory; you are in danger of Sin and Satan, we are freed from them for ever; your love unto our Lord and yours, is imperfect love, while ours wanteth no degree; you know not what we do know of God, and Christ, and Glory; you see not what we do see, nor enjoy so much as we enjoy, therefore spend your Tears upon your selves, and not for us; weep for your selves, and not for us; lament your selves being yet in a sinful World, and not us that are lodged in a pure, spotless Place ⟨p. 9⟩and Kingdom. You pray, and wait, and hope to be where we are, but we have no desire to be where you be. We have a better House than you live in, better Company, and better Work, and sweeter Imployment; therefore Sorrow for your selves, and not for us.
