Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .B352 1835 v2

LIFE OF FAITH.. 453 no longer work: ge forthwith' joy: the ¡horning of thy endless joys is near; and the night.of fears and darkness at an end. Thy terrible dreams are ending in eternal pleasures ; the glorious light will banish all thy dreadful spectres, and resolve all those doubts which are bred and cherished in the dark. They whose employ- ment is their weariness and toil, do take the night of darkness and cessation for their rest ; but this is their weariness : defect of action is thy toil and thy most grievous labor is to do too little work; and thy incessant vision, love and praise, will be thy incessant ease and pleasure; and thy endless work will be thy' endless rest! Depart, O my soul, with peace and gladness ! Thou leavest not a world where avisdom and piety, justice and sobriety, love, and peace, and order do prevail ; but a world of ignorance and folly, of brutish sensuality and rage, of impiety and malignant enmity to gdod; a. world of injustice and oppression, and of confusion and distracting strifes!' Thou goest not to a world of darkness and of wrath, but of light and love ; from hellish malice to perfect amity ; from Bedlam rage to perfect wisdom ; from mad confusion to perfect order; to sweetest unity and peace; even to the spirits of the just made perfect, and to the celestial, glorious city of God ! Thou goest not from heaven to earth, from holiness to sin, from the sight of .God into an infernal dungeon ; but from earth to heaven, from sin and imperfection 'into perfect holiness ; and from palpable darkness into the vital splendor of the face of God ! Thou goest not among enemies, but to dearest friends ; not amongst mere-strangers, but to many whom thou hast known by sight, and to more whom thou hast known by,faith, and must knowby thesweet- estcommunion forever. Thou goest not to unsatisfied justice, nor to acondemning, unreconciled God;, but to love itself, fo infinite good- the fountain ofall created and communicated good ; to the Ma- ker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier ofsouls ; to him who prepared heaven for thee, and now hath prepared thee for heaven. Go forth then in triumph, and not with terror, Omy soul! The prize is won: possess the things which thou hast so long prayed for and sought! Make haste and enter into-thy Master's joy! Go view the glory which thou hast so long heard of; and take thy place in the heav- enly choir; and bear thy part in their celestial melody ! Sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God; and receive that which Christ in his covenant did promise to give thee . at the last. Go boldly to that blessed God with whom thou hast so powerful a Mediator, and to the throne of whose grace thou hast had so oft and sweet access. Ifheaven be thy fear or sorrow, what can be thy joy? And where wilt thou have refuge, if thou flyfrom God? If perfect, endless pleasures be thy terror, where then d'ost thou expect content? If grace have taught thee long

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