THE CHRISTIAN WISHING TO DEPART.
"I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ."
The strength of this desire is such that it is ready, so far forth
as it can, to dissolve that sweet knot of union that is betwixt body
and soul--a knot more dear to a reasonable creature than that can be
which is betwixt wife and husband, parent and child, or a man and
his estate; for even all that a man hath will he give for his life,
and to keep body and soul firmly knit together. But now, when this
desire comes, this silver cord is loosed, is loosed by consent. This
desire delightfully grants to him that comes to dissolve this union,
leave to do it. "We are confident and willing rather to be absent
from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
The strength of this desire shows itself in this, that it is willing
to grapple with the king of terrors, rather than to be detained from
that sweet communion which the soul looks for when it comes into the
place where its Lord is. Death is not to be desired for itself; the
apostle chose rather to be clothed upon with his house which is from
heaven, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
But yet rather than he would be absent from the Lord, he was willing
to be absent from the body. Death, in the very thought of it, is
grievous to flesh and blood; and nothing can so master it in our
apprehensions as that by which we attain to these desires.
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