The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

Yea and most evident it is from those Texts; not only that holy souls sleep not, in that state of separation; but that they are awaked by it (as out of a former sleep) into a much more lively, and vigorous activity, than they enjoyed before: And translated into a state, ⟨p. 173⟩as much better then their former, as the tortures of a Cross, are more ungrateful, then the pleasures of a Paradise; these joys fuller of vitality, then those sickly dying faintings. As the immediate presence, and close embraces of the ⟨p. 174⟩Lord of life; are more delectable then a mournful disconsolate absence from him (which the Apostle therefore tells us he desired, as far better (and with an Emphasis which our English ⟨p. 175⟩too faintly expresses; for he uses a double comparative [[Greek or Hebrew]] by much more better, and as a perfected, i. e, a crowned triumphant Spirit, that hath attained the end of its race (as the words import in the agonistical notion^*) is now in a more vivid, joyous state then, when, lately ⟨p. 176⟩toiling in a tiresome way, it languished under many imperfections. And it is observable, that in the three former Scriptures, that phrase of being with Christ, or being present with him, is the same which is used by the Apostle, 1 Thes. 4. 17. to express the state of blessedness after the resurrection, intimating plainly the sameness of the blessedness before, and after. And though this phrase be also used to signify the present enjoyment saints have of Gods gracious presence in this life (which is also in nature, and kind the same) yet it is plainly used in these Scriptures (the two latter more especially) to set out to us such a degree of that blessedness, that in comparison thereof our present being with Christ, is a not being with him; our presence with him, now, an absence from him. While we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; and I am in a strait betwixt two, desiring to depart (or having a desire unto desolation) and to be with Christ, &c. How strangely mistaken, and disappointed had the blessed Apostle been, had his absence from the body, his dissolution, his release, set him further off from Christ, or made him less capable of converse