(_THE HEAVENLY MANSIONS--EARTH A SHADOW._)
LOVING AND DEAR SISTER,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you.--I
received your letter. I know that the favour of Christ in you (whom
the virgins love to follow) cannot be blown away with winds, either
from hell, or the evil-smelled air of this defiled world. Sit far
aback from the walls of this pesthouse, even the pollutions of this
defiling world. Keep your taste, your love, and hope in heaven; it is
not good that your love and your Lord should be in two sundry
countries. Up, up after your lover, that ye and He may be together. A
King from heaven hath sent for you: by faith He showeth you the New
Jerusalem, and taketh you alongst in the Spirit, through all the
ease-rooms and dwelling-houses in heaven, and saith, "All these are
thine; this palace is for thee and Christ." And if ye only had been
the chosen of God, Christ would have built that one house for you and
Himself: now it is for you and many others also. Take with you in your
journey what you may carry with you, your conscience, faith, hope,
patience, meekness, goodness, brotherly kindness; for such wares as
these are of great price in the high and new country whither ye go. As
for other things, which are but the world's vanity and trash, since
they are but the house-sweepings, ye will do best not to carry them
with you. Ye found them here; leave them here, and let them keep the
house. Your sun is well turned and low; be nigh your lodging against
night. We go one and one out of this great market, till the town be
empty, and the two lodgings, heaven and hell, be filled. At length
there will be nothing in the earth but toom walls and burnt ashes;
and, therefore, it is best to make away. Antichrist and his master are
busy to plenish hell, and to seduce many: and stars, great
church-light, are falling from heaven, and many are misled and
seduced, and make up with their faith, and sell their birthrights, by
their hungry hunting for I know not what. Fasten your grips fast upon
Christ. I verily esteem Him the best aught[360] that I have. He is my
second in prison. Having Him, though my cross were as heavy as ten
mountains of iron, when He putteth His sweet shoulder under me and it,
my cross is but a feather. I please myself in the choice of Christ; He
is my wale in heaven and earth. I rejoice that He is in heaven before
me. God send a joyful meeting; and, in the meantime, the traveller's
charges for the way, I mean a burden of Christ's love, to sweeten the
journey, and to encourage a breathless runner; for when I lose breath,
climbing up the mountain, He maketh new breath.
[360] Property.
Now the very God of peace establish you to the day of His appearance.
Yours, in his only Lord Jesus,