02& DEATH A BLESSING TO THE SAINTS. with thy Lord, to behold his glory, to see him as he is, and to be made like him, and wilt thou not enter in at the gate into the new Jerusalem when he calls thee, but tremble and start backward, because there is a short dark valley that lies on this side of it ? Remember, 0 my soul, death is thine: There is nothing in that dark valley shall hurt thee. Lift up thy head, arise, and shake thyself out of the dust. Let thy faith take a sweet pros- pect over the little hills of time, and beyondthe vale of death : Look far into the invisible world, and banish all thy fears under the strong allurement of the joys that are prepared for thee ; wait with pleasure for the hour of thy departure, and rejoice and triumphwhen the divine message shall come. While thou con- tinuest here, life is thine. When thou goest hence, death is thine: things present and things to come are thine ; and the invisi- ble world to which thouart hastening, has everlastingjoys in re- serve for thee : Heaven itself is thine : Heaven is the inherit- ance of all the saints : The glories laid up there are waiting for thy possession : the dissolution of thy earthly tabernacle shall convey thee into the midstof them. Awake, arise, and meet the happy moment, when thou shalt be undressed of this sinful flesh and blood: O let these defiled garments ever sit loose about thee, that they may be cast off without pain and regret : Go, my soul, at the summons of thy God and Father, and when the symptoms of dying nature shall say, Hark, he calleth thee; letthy faith and thy love, and thy joy answer, Lord I come. Go, my soul at the invitation of thy Redeemer, at the voice of thy beloved : Behold he appears, he Comes ! Go forth and meet him. Drop this fleshly clothing with holy delight ; arise, put on thy beautiful garments, and shine for the glory o f the Lord is rising upon thee: Go shine among the spirits of thejust made perfect, thyself a spirit released from earth, and divested ofall imperfec- tion. O happy farewell to life and time ! O glorious entrance into immortality f
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