Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/611

 Home, where  thou  art  awaited by  the  vast  company  of them  that  love  thee,  of  Angels, Apostles,  Martyrs,  Virgins, and  all  my  Elect,  the sight and  conversation  of whom  will  be  to  thee  far more delightful  than  ever  was any friendship  upon  earth. Shouldst thou  not  pant  rather after their  society? Forget, therefore, thy  father’s  house. Go forth  out  of  thy  country, and from  thy  kindred; for thy portion  is  in  the  land  of the  living. Wouldst thou  not be brought  into  a land  flowing with  honey  and  milk, and be  with  me  in  Paradise?

Why art  thou  afraid  to  go forth? My Elect  rejoiced when they  received  the  answer of  death,  and  when  the laying away  of  their  tabernacle was  at  hand. Behold, my Vessel  of  election,  how he desired  to  be  dissolved  and to be  with  me,  and  reckoned death for  gain!

MAN. Why should  not  Paul desire to  be  dissolved? He had fought  a good  fight,  he had  kept  the  faith,  he  had finished his  course; as  to  the rest, he  knew  that  there  was laid up  for  him  a crown  of justice,  which  thou,  the  just Judge, wouldst  render  to him; nay,  he  was  certain  that nothing would  be  able  to  separate him  from  thee. But it is  because  I am  a sinner that I desire  not  to  be  dissolved; nay,  I dread it,  because I know  that  the  death of the  sinner  is  very  evil. And how  can  it  be  other than evil,  when  it  is  not  to be  succeeded  by  life? I am afraid to  go  forth,  and  I begin to  tremble  all  over  at  the very entrance  of  the  harbour, while I fear  that  none  is standing  by  to  receive  me when  I go  forth. For how can I go  forth  in  safety,  if thou,  O Lord,  keep  not  my coming  in  and  my  going  out? Alas! I shall be  the  sport  and the prey  of  the  thieves  that would intercept  me,  while none is  near  to  redeem  me  or to  save! Blessed, indeed,  are the dead  that  die  in  the  Lord! But man,  O Lord,  knows  not, alas! whether he  is  worthy  of love  or  of  hate,  and  what  lot that is  which  awaits  him  after death; and how  can  it  be that  he  should  not  fear  and shrink from  death,  the  issue of which  to  him  is  so  very  uncertain?

CHRIST. Fear, therefore, not to  die,  but  to  live  ill. To what purpose  is  it  to  shrink from that  which  thou  canst not escape,  and  so  to  live  as to  incur  a serious  danger thereby? But yet  my  will  is, that with  fear  and  trembling