The saints everlasting rest

O, my soul, begin it here; be sick of love now, that thou mayst be well with love there; Keep thyself now in the love of God, and let neither life nor death. nor any thing separate thee from it, and thou shalt be ⟨p. 387⟩kept in the fullness of love for-ever; for the LORD hath prepared a city of love, a place for the communicating of love to his chosen, and those that love his name shall dwell there.

O, my soul, begin it here; be sick of love now, that thou mayst be well with love there; Keep thyself now in the love of God, and let neither life nor death. nor any thing separate thee from it, and thou shalt be ⟨p. 387⟩kept in the fulness of love for-ever; for the LORD hath prepared a city of love, a place for the communicating of love to his chosen, and those that love his name shall dwell there.

Away then, O my drowsy soul, from this world's uncomfortable darkness! The night of thy ignorance and misery is past, the day of glorious light is at hand: this is the day-break betwixt them both: though thou see not yet the s•n itself appear, methinks the twilight of promise should revive thee! Come forth then, and leave these earthly cells, and hear thy LORD that bids thee rejoice, and again rejoice! Thou hast la•n here long enough in thy prison of flesh, where Satan hath been thy gaoler, where cares have been thy irons: add fears thy scourge, and the bread and water of affliction thy food: where sorrows have been thy lo•ging, and a carnal, hard, unbelieving heart the iron gates and bars that have kept thee in, that thou couldst scarce have leave to look through the lattices, and see one glimpse of the immortal light: the angel of the covenant now calls thee, and strikes thee, and bids thee arise and follow him: up, O my soul, and cheerfully obey, and thy bolts and bars shall all fly open; do thou obey, and all will obey; follow the Lamb which way ever he leads thee: art thou afraid, because thou knowest not whither? Can the place be worse than where thou art? Shouldst thou fear to follow such a guide? Can the sun lead thee to a state of darkness? Or can he misread thee that is the light that light th every man that cometh into the world? Will he lead thee to death, who died to save thee from it? Or can he do thee any hurt, who for thy sake did suffer so much? Follow him and he will show thee the paradise of GOD, he will give thee a sight of the new Jerusalem, he will give thee a taste of the tree of life: thy winter is past, and wilt thou house thyself still in