What would we give now for the least Glimpse of that invisible World, which the first step we take out of these Bodies will present us with?  There are such things as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive:  Death opens our Eyes, enlarges our Prospect, presents us with a new and more glorious World, which we can never see while we are shut up in Flesh; which should make us as willing to part with this Veil, as to take the Film off of our Eyes, which hinders our Sight.

’As a thinking Man cannot but be very much affected with the Idea of his appearing in the presence of that Being whom none can see and live; he must be much more affected when he considers that this Being whom he appears before, will examine all the Actions of his past Life, and reward or punish him accordingly.  I must confess that I think there is no Scheme of Religion, besides that of Christianity, which can possibly support the most virtuous Person under this Thought.  Let a Man’s Innocence be what it will, let his Virtues rise to the highest pitch of Perfection attainable in this Life, there will be still in him so many secret Sins, so many human Frailties, so many Offences of Ignorance, Passion and Prejudice, so many unguarded Words and Thoughts, and in short, so many Defects in his best Actions, that, without the Advantages of such an Expiation and Atonement as Christianity has revealed to us, it is impossible that he should be cleared before his Sovereign Judge, or that he should be able to stand in his Sight.  Our Holy Religion suggests to us the only Means whereby our Guilt may be taken away, and our imperfect Obedience accepted.

’It is this Series of Thought that I have endeavoured to express in
the following Hymn, which I have composed during this my Sickness.

I. When rising from the Bed of Death,
O’erwhelm’d with Guilt and Fear,
I see my Maker, Face to Face,
O how shall I appear!

II.  If yet, while Pardon may be found,
And Mercy may be sought,
My Heart with inward Horrour shrinks,
And trembles at the Thought;

III.  When thou, O Lord, shalt stand disclos’d
In Majesty severe,
And sit in Judgment on my Soul,
O how shall I appear!

IV.  But thou hast told the troubled Mind,
Who does her Sins lament,
The timely Tribute of her Tears
Shall endless Woe prevent.

V. Then see the Sorrows of my Heart,
Ere yet it be too late;
And hear my Saviour’s dying Groans,
To give those Sorrows Weight.

VI.  For never shall my Soul despair
Her Pardon to procure,
Who knows thine only Son has dy’d
To make her Pardon sure.