Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/610

 but rather  desire  to  be  dissolved and  be  united  to  thee. For nowhere  is  it  well  with me, nor  will  be  ever,  without thee. Oh, when  wilt  thou bring me  out  of  this  prison! when shall  I be  delivered from the  body  of  this  death! &amp;c.

CHRIST. But many  also there are  who  fly  from  death, because in  the  world  they are flourishing  in  wealth, abound in  riches  and  honours, and call  happy  the  people which possesses  these  things. Alas! now bitter  is  death  to the  man  that  has  peace  in  his possessions, whose  ways  are prosperous in  all  things,  and that is  yet  able  to  take  meat! But, oh,  foolish  and  slow  of heart! oh, men  of  little  faith! is it  hard  for  you,  who  expect heaven  and  the  highest Good, and  the  state  that  is perfect  in  being  the  complement of  all  blessings,  to  abandon the  goods  of  earth. Behold, eye hath  not  seen,  nor ear heard,  neither  has  it  entered into  the  heart  of  man, what things  I have  prepared for them  that  love  me: nay, I will myself  be  their  honour and glory,  and  inheritance and pleasure,  and  reward  exceeding great.

MAN. I believe to  see  the good things  of  the  Lord  in  the land of  the  living, where  we shall  be  inebriated  with  the plenty of  thy  House, and where one day  will  be  better  than thousands. But, why,  alas! is my  faith  so  weak,  that  for a clod of  earth  I should  be  no more  a candidate  for  Heaven? Why does  not  my  soul  pant after thee,  O God,  as  the  hart pants after  the  fountains  of water,  or  as  the  labourer waits for  the  end  of  his  work? when, O Lord,  thou  wilt  thyself be  my  portion  in  the  land of the  living. Thou art  the portion of  my  inheritance  and of my  cup; it  is  thou  who wilt restore  my  inheritance to me. Increase, O Lord,  my faith,  and  stir  up  my  heart and my  desire.

CHRIST. See, then,  that  by death  thou  receivest  things that are  far  greater  than those that  thou  leavest  behind thee. True it  is,  that,  to my  faithful  ones,  death  is  not loss, but  gain. For instead of a life  short  and  perishable, and full  of  miseries  on  every side, they  receive  one  happy and immortal,  where  there shall be  no  more  pain. For the perishable  goods  of  the world, they  gain  the  goods  of the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the living. For the  vain  pleasures of the  flesh  they  are  given  to drink  of  the  torrent  of  eternal pleasure.

What is  it,  then,  that  binds thee to  the  world? Is it  hard to leave  thy  parents,  thy  relations, thy  friends,  thy  associates? But, in  dying,  bethink thee  whither  thou  goest. It is  to  thy  heavenly