King Solomon's RECANTATIONS: BEING AN EXTRACT Out of the Famous WORKS Of the Learned FRANCIS QVARLES, Cup-bearer to the Queen of Bohemia, Sister to the blessed Martyr King Charles the I. of ve­nerable Memory. With an Essay, to prove the Immortality of the Soul, by way of Symetry, or Connexion.

Licensed,

July 21. 1688.
Rob. Midgley.

LONDON, Printed by I. R. and are to be sold by Randal Taylor, near Stationers-Hall. 1688.

Advertisements.

T'Here is lately Printed a Book, Intitule The way of Life is Pleasant: Or, t [...] Church of England is the Best Guide. Co [...]taining several useful Discourses, for every Christian to Read and Practise, for the sup­port of their Spirits, and comfort of the Minds: With some Evangelical Reflection upon the Apostolical Observation of th [...] Lent-Fast: With short and useful Prayer upon the Church-Festivals, and most (other Emergent Occasions: With several prepa [...]ratory Prayers for the Holy Sacrament, an [...] Thanksgiving after Receiving. Licensed Iun [...] the 4th. 1686. and Sold by Randal Taylo [...] near Stationers Hall; I. Harding, at the Bi [...] and Anchor in Newport-street; Rich. Sare, a Grays-Inn Gate in Holbourn; and by most Book sellers in London and Westminster. 1686.

KIng Solomons Experimental Observations of Himself, Time and Things; deduct­ed from his Recantations, by Way of Solilo­quie; in a well digested Method. Sold by Randal Taylor, near Stationers-Hall. 168 [...].

King Solomon's RECANTATIONS, &c.

OH! 'tis much better not to Thirst at all.
Than Thirst in vain, or quench thy Thir [...]t with Gall.
[...]hose profit can accrue to Man, what gains
[...]an Crown his Actions, or reward his Pains:
[...]nless he trample on the Asp, and tread
[...] the young Lyon, and the old Dragon's head:
Or else the Clouds of Sorrow may multiply,
[...]d hide from thee the Crystal of the gloomy Sky.
[...]oad not thy Shoulders by the Sin of unwise desire,
[...]hat all thy bedrid Passions may quite expire.
[...]earch for, and find such Words which have the might,
[...] intermingle profit with sweet delight;
Than shalt thou have hopeful worth to Crown thy last
[...]ith Peace and Honor; yea such rare Sons thou hast, [...]nce Frolick, Midnight, Madness, is quite expir'd; and thou requite
Thy wild attention with Heavenly delight:
Thy courage indeavouring to deserve the name
Of heroick Martyr, by giving thy Body to the Flame.
This will give true Life, so sweet, to every one
That takes pleasure in the Worlds redeeming Son,
From Earths pleasures, by striving to refrain,
Knowing those short-liv'd flattering pleasures vain:
[Page 2] Therefore rejoycing greatly in true Spiritual ways,
By Heavenly contentment, chearing youthful Days.
Banishing false-eyed Mirth, let it be truly disposest
Of those lewd Firs, that are apt to inflame thy Brea [...]
For Earths best injoyments are short, and vain;
But for a season rejoycing, but cannot remain,
For feeble Strength, her ruins, smite thee,
And grinds thy clod to dust, tho not afrights thee.
One Generation gives another way,
But Earth abides in one perpetual stay:
The Prince of Light put on his Morning Crown;
But in the Evening lays his Glory down;
Where leaving Earth, to take a short repose,
He soon returns, and rises where he rose.
His Wisdoms choice affections own,
His Churches good, much dearer then his Throne.
For us subduing, beneath the spangled Sky,
What ever might hurt us. That in Wisdom we may decry
All Evils, and seek all Hevenly sweet felicity:
Yet injoying such pleasures, that Earth could len [...] that I
Might find Earths Mirth and Beauty but vanity.
My thoughts yet pondering all that hath been done
Betwixt the solid Center, and the glorious Son:
And yet no knowledge can reduce the state
Of crooked Nature, to a perfect straight.
For some Mens Ignorance, which surmounts
The learned Language of Arithmeticks accounts.
Oh! then thought I, how are the vain desires
Flesh and Blood
Baffled in their mistaken things, called good:
Yet travel seeks them, yea unwearied Hearts
Makes them the objects, both of Arms and Arts:
Yet many certan obvious Evils attend
Our Ways, to our uncertain Journies end.
We tire the Night in thought, the Day in toil,
Sparing neither sweet nor lucubrated Oyl.
[Page 3] [...]o seek the things we cannot find, or found;
[...]e cannot hold; or held, we cannot ground
[...]o firm, as to resist the various swings
[...]f fickle Fortune, or the frowns of Kings;
That if his Royal Power please to commit
[...]is Pastorial Staff, to such as are more fit
[...]o Eat and Drink, Kill, or recommend his Flocks
[...]o such dumb Dogs, of whom ne'r Wof nor Fox
[...]ill stand in awe; or shew their fears by flight,
Not having Tongues to bark, nor Teeth to bite:
Yet, by the way, advise Obedience; then
Always he sure to please, rather God than Men.
[...]f the Embers of his rage should chance to lye
Rak'd up, or furnace from his angry Eye;
Quit not thy Duty, 'tis thy part to asswage,
[...]y due Obedience, the jealous flames of consuming rage.
Curse not the King, nor them that bears the Sword;
No, not in Thought, tho Thought express no Word:
[...]or secret report shall vent such hidious things,
To punish those who oppose the legal Authority of Kings:
For all that attempt thus to act, casts a shame
Upon the beauty of an honor'd Name.
Ah, then, my Soul, take heed to keep thy Heart
At thy right Hand; where, there she will impart
Continual secrets, and direct thy ways
[...]n secret Ethicks, sweetning out thy Days
With season'd Knowledge; Wisdom past the reach
Of dangerous error; and instruct and teach
Thy Heart-wise silence, Wisdom, when to beak
Thy clos'd Lips, and judgement how to speak,
[...]uch wise Mens Words are gracious where they go;
But foolish Language doth themselves o're-throw:
Folly brings in the Prologue, with his Song,
Whose Epilogue is rage, and open wrong.
Yea the tedious actions of every Fool doth try,
The solid patience of the weary standers by;
[Page 4] Because their weakness knows not how to lay
Their actions posture, in a civil way:
Yea such rude folly stains their Fame,
But fair repute for Wisdom lends a name.
Therefore our steps will measure out the way,
Our Garb, our Looks, our Language doth betray,
Our Wisdom, or Follies read by all we meet,
Our selves proclaiming our Follies in every Street.
But 'tis a grief that grates beneath the Sun,
That like events betides to every one.
A like be false, to Good and Bad, Wise and Foo [...] Yea both
To him that Swears, and him that fears an Oath.
Better to be a living Creatures, tho vild they plead,
Then to be known a wealthy Wiseman that is dead:
For they that live well, know that they shall die,
Therefore take time; but the [...] that lie
Rak'd up in deaths cold Em [...]rs, they know not
Or Good, or Ill, their names are quite forgot;
No Friends they have to Love, nor Foes to Hate;
They know no Virtue to spit Venom at;
They sell no sweet for gains, nor do they buy
Pleasures with pains, or tread beneath the Sky.
But yet go thou rejoyce and Eat, let a full Bowl
Cashire thy Cares, and chear thy frolick Soul,
What Heaven hath lent thee with a liberal Hand,
To serve and chear thy frailty up, command.
Indulge thy weary Flesh with new supplies,
And change of Garments of the purest die.
Refresh thy limbs, annoy'd with sweat and toil;
With costly Baths, thy Head with precious Oyl.
What e'er thy Hand endeavours, that may gain
Contentment, spair not either cost or pain,
For there is no Hand to work, no Power to save,
No Wisdom to contrive within the Grave.
I find the swift not always win the prize;
Nor strength of Arm the Battel; nor the Wise
Grow rich in Fortune; nor the Men of skill
In favour, all as Time and Fortune will:
[Page 5] [...]en knowing not their time, as Fishes are
[...]ar'd in the Net, Birds tangled in the snare.
So be the Sons of Men surpriz'd with fears,
When mischief falls upon them unawares:
This Wisdom have I seen beneath the Sky,
Which wisely weigh'd, deserves the Wiseman's Eye;
[...]ut when I set my busie Heart to know,
[...]isdom and Heavens strange workings here below.
For Night and Day my studys did deny,
Sleep to my Eye-lids, slumber to my Eye;
Striving to note each action under Heaven,
Endeavouring to observe and have given
My Soul to God, in due Obedience; having
Sought for true spiritual Wealth worth keeping.
But the poor fruitless labours of deluded Man,
Are vainly spent, being short as a span
Or seeming pleasures, serves to requite,
Long leagues of travel, for one drops delight
Of airy froth; how are ye forc'd to borrow
Strong gales of hope, to sail through Seas of Sorrow.
Why do we thus afflict our labouring Souls
With dregs of Wormwood, and carouse full Bowls
Of boyling Anguish? to what hopeful end
D [...]oyl we our craizy Bodies, and expend
Our sorrow wasted Spirits, to acquire
A good, not worth a breath of our desire.
A good, whose fulsome sweetness, clogs and cloys
The Soul, but never lasts nor satisfies.
How poor an Object pleases, and how soon
That pleasure finds an end; how quickly noon;
How quickly Night, and what to Day we prize
Above our Souls, to morrow we despise.
Beneath a trifle, what in former times
We own'd as Virtues, now we tax as Crimes.
Tell me my Soul, What would'st thou buy?
Go in and Cheapen; let thy curious Eye
Make her choice: they will present thy view
With numerous Joys; buy something that's new.
[Page 6] The Wiseman's Eyes are in his Head; they stand
Like Watchmen in the Tower, to guard the Land.
At length I cast my serious Eyes upon
My painful Work, and what my Hands had done;
And there I find my Hearts delight was all my gains,
My pleasure was the portion of my pains.
I gave my Eyes, what e're my Heart requir'd:
I denied my Soul no Mirth, my Spirit desir'd
All sorts of Musick, the Spirits delights had I
To please my Spiritual Ear, was beauties to my Eyes
Yet knowledge then affords my Soul no rest;
My roving Thoughts tried Mirth, and was possest,
Of all the pleasures Earth could lend, yet I
Found Mirth and Pleasure all but Vanity:
I laugh'd at laughter as a toyish antick,
And counted all Earths pleasure no less than frantick
Since Hearts that wisely, foolish do incline
To costly fare, and frolick Cups of Wine.
For in those pleasures I find but little solid good,
To Crown the short liv'd Days of Flesh and Blood;
Tho some build great magnifick Palaces, and fraim
Vast buildings to the glory of their name;
Planting Vineyards, whose plump clusters might
Make them fruitful Orchards for their delight.
Rejoycing their Souls with Earthly treasures,
With curious Gardens to refresh their pleasures:
Yet true Wisdom can discern but little real good,
Mistaken Earth so much admiring stood!
What profit hath my Wisdom, then thought I
The height of Wisdom hath her Vanity.
The foolish bauble and the learned bays,
Are both forgotten; in succeding Days
Impartial Death shall Cloath the dying Eyes,
Both of the Ignorant and also of the Wise:
Therefore I hated life, for, from the events
Of humane actions, flows many discontents.
Then slighted I, all that my Hand had done,
In seeking happiness beneath the Sun:
[Page 7] For what I did, I cannot call my own;
[...]nothers Hand must reap what mine has sown;
Who knows if my surviver is to be
A Wiseman, or a Fool? However, 'tis he
Must spend with ease, what I have earn'd with pain
And Souls vexation; this is all so vain,
For which my Soul thus fool'd with vain persuits
Of blossom happiness that bears no Fruits.
Some Men there be, whose elaborate gains
The fruits of lawful cares and prudent pains
Descend to those who know not pains nor art:
This is a sore vanity, and afflicts the Heart;
For what reward hath Man of all his droyl,
His Evening trouble and his Morning toyl,
His Hearts vexation and his griefs, that run
Through all his labours underneath the Sun.
'I view'd the Chair of Judgment, where I saw
'Instead of righteousness, a perverted Law.
'I view'd the Courts of Equity, and spy'd
'Corruption there; and Justice wrap'd aside.
'Oh! then, (thought I) the of Judge Heaven shall do
'Right to the Wicked, and the Righteous too.
Then puzzel'd in my Thoughts, I thus advis'd,
Heaven suffers mortals to be exercis'd
In their own miseries, that they may see
They are yet not much more happy than the Bee;
They substance of Flesh, tho not the same,
Yet dust to dust, both must turn from whence they came.
Which rightly way'd, it seems the better choice,
For Man to suck his labours and rejoyce,
Since flashly, troubles doth all things so unframe,
That Earths Content doth scarce deserve the name:
Considering this, what can we advise,
Since we berefit of Wisdom, labouring to be Wise.
Alas! is it not enough, that we poor Farmers pay
Quit-rent to Nature, at the very Day:
[Page 8] And at our dying Hour bequeath to thee
Our whole substance, for a Legacy:
I mus'd again, and found when pains had crackt
The harder shell to some heroick act.
Pale envy strikes the kernel with taxation;
Oh, this is vanity, and the Souls vexation!
Thus pausing, Contemplation shew'd mine Eye
A new prospect of humane vanity:
When, the droyling Hand thinks nothing can supply
The greedy wants of his insatiate Eye.
He robs himself, not knows for whose relief,
This is a vanity, and a wounding grief;
Woe to the Man whom danger meets alone,
For there's no Arm to help him but his own:
But if some help put in a timely stroak,
The Cord that's three-fold is not quickly broke.
If eithers feeble Shoulders be betray'd
To a sad burden, there's a mutual aid,
To be a poor Wise Child, is judg'd a thing
More honourable, than to be a vain King.
My Soul, to what a strange disguis'd good,
Art thou bewitch'd? oh, how hath Flesh and Blood
Betray'd thee, to a happiness that brings
No comfort, but from transitory things.
Are not the shady Bowers of Death more sweet,
Than the scorching Sunshine, where we Hourly meet
Fresh evils, like a Temes, whose deluded breath
Tickles our Fancies, till we laugh to Death?
When thou hast bound thee to thy God by Vow,
Defer not payment, but perform, it thou
Discharge thy Bonds, for Heaven takes no delight
In those that violate the Faith they plight;
For better 'tis thy Vows were never made,
Then having promis'd, payment never paid.
Let not thy Lips insnare thee, plead not thou
Before thy Angel, 'twas too rash a Vow.
'Tis not the Pills of treasur'd wealth sustain
Thy drooping Spirits, this is all so vain.
[Page 9] Oft have I seen increasing riches grow
To their great mad Owners overthrow:
Vexing their Souls with Care, and then repay
Unprosperous pains with grief and melts away;
His wealth is fled, and when he shall transfer it
Upon his Heir, there's nothing to Inherit.
Look how he came into the World, the same
He shall go out as naked as he came;
Of what his labouring Heart have brought about,
This dying Hand shall carry nothing out:
This is a wounding grief that as he came,
In every point, he shall return the same.
What profit can his Souls afflictions find,
That toils for Air, and travels for the Wind.
This is an evil, that happiness now and then
Beneath the Sun amongst the Kings of Men:
Then eat and drink, and reap what pains have
Got, to Crown thy Days which thy Creator gave;
'Tis all the portion some will have,
Who study not for happiness in the Grave.
But hark, my Soul, the Morning Bell invites
Thy early paces to a new delight;
Away, away, the Holy Saints Bell rings,
Put on thy Robes and Oyl thy secret wings;
Call home thy Heart, and bid thy Thoughts surcease,
To be thy Thoughts, go bind them to the Peace:
Take good Security, or if such fail
Commit them to the All commanding Jayl;
And thy cram'd Bags there to lie close and fast,
Until thy Heavenly atoning Vows are past:
Confine thy rambling pleasures to the trust
Of vacant Hours, and let thy Wisdom thirst:
Banish all Worldly passions, with their base born Sir
From thy delectable Courts, that Wisdom may come in
Leave all thy servil Fancies in the vail,
Mount thou the secret Hill, and there bewail
Thy dying Isaac, whose free gift may be
A living Pledge 'twixt thy God and thee.
[Page 10] Take thou no Care, Heaven, will supply
Their craving Thirst with Bottles from thy Eye;
Better it is to be Funeral Guest,
Then find the welcoms of a frolick Feast:
For he that fears the Almighty shall
Out-wear his evils, or find no evil at all.
Wisdom affords more strength, more fortifies
The undejected courage of the Wise:
Yet is there none beneath the Crystial Skies
So just in Actions, or in words so Wise,
That doth always good, or hath not been
Sometimes poluted with the stains of Sins.
What God hath setled in a crooked State,
No industry of Man can make it strait;
Since then the Righteous Man's recompence is such;
Be not too Wise, nor Righteous over much.
Let not thy Flesh suggest thee, or advise
Thee to be Wicked, or too Unwise.
Why should thy too much Righteousness betray,
Thy danger'd Life, and make thy Life a prey?
At passions Language stop thy gentel Ear,
Lest if thy Servant Curse thee, thou should'st hear:
For oftentimes thy Heart will let thee see,
That others have been likewise Curs'd by thee.
This Wisdom, by my travel I attain'd,
And in my Thoughts conceiv'd that I had gain'd.
I gave my studious Heart to watch and pry
Into the bosom of Philosophy.
I laboured to give my self to fly the Art
Of falshood, and the Madness of the Heart.
For whom Heaven favours, shall decline Sins gates;
But the Incorrigible shall be taken by her baits:
But whether shall these, to what strange Religion fly
To find Content, and baulk that hidious vanity,
Which haunts this buble Earth, and makes thee still
A slave to thy preverse infatuated Will.
All this I have (by thee) observ'd, and given
My Heart to not each action under Heaven.
[Page 11] There was a time when the oppressers Arm
Oppress'd his Neighbour, to the oppressers harm,
With floods of bitterness, since none of these,
Nor, all can Crown our labours, nor appease
Our raging Hearts. Oh! my deceiv'd Soul,
Where wilt thou take thy Peace? who shall controul
Our unbounded Thoughts, to sweeten out
This span of frailty plung'd and orb'd about
The threatning Firmements; but as a breath
Darts down, and dashes at the doors of death.
Since Waxen-wing'd Honour is not void
Of danger, whether arm'd or injoy'd:
Since Hearts rejoycing, profit have no fruit,
But care both in fruition, and in persuit:
Since laughter is but Madness, and high Diet
Oft ruins our Health and breeds us great disquiet:
Since humane Wisdom is but humane trouble,
And double knowledge makes our sorrow double:
Since what we have, but lights our wish to more,
And in the height of plenty makes us poor;
And what we have not too, to apt to crave,
Even dispossess of what we have.
A good repute is sweeter, far,
Than breaths of Aromatick Oyntments are;
And that sad Day wherein we drew our breath,
Is not so happy as the Day of death:
For here we are but quickly forgot;
Blaze for a season, but continue not.
Tho foolish flatteries entertain
Our Souls with Joy, but all that Joy is vain;
For if both Heaven and Earth should undertake,
To extract the best from Mankind, and to make
One perfect happy Man; and thou art he,
Thy finite fortunes still would disagree.
Man in whose frame the Great Three-One advis'd,
And with a studious Hand Epitomiz'd
The large Volumes, and perfect Story
Of all his Works, the manuel of his [...]
[Page 12] With fear and wonder in whose sovereign Eye,
He breath'd the flames of awful Majesty.
Man a poor shiftless transitory thing,
Born without Sword or Shield, not having wing
To fly from threatning dangers, not to arm,
Or graple with those numerous evils, that swarm
About this new born frailty, wrapt aside
From fair Obedience, to Rebellious Pride.
How is that Power, that was bred and born
The Earths Commander, now become the scorn
Of Dunghil passions, Shipwrack'd with the gust
Of every factious and inferiour Lust?
How is the Sun-bright Honour of his name
Eclpis'd? how is his Glory Cloath'd with shame?
What means that great Creating Power, to frame
This spacious Universe? Was not his name
Glorious enough without a Witness? Why
Did that corrected twilight of his Eye
Unmuzle darkness, and with Morning light
Redeem the Day, from new baptiz'd Night?
There is an evil, which my observing Eye
Hath taken notice of beneath the Skye:
Man's wealth can't instruct him to withstand
The augry stroak of the Almighties Hand;
Since the increase of wealth procur'd by pain,
Preserv'd with fears, with sorrow lost again,
Increaseth grief in the possessors Breast;
What vantage than have Man to be possess'd,
Who knows what's good for Man in this dull balze
Of life is swift, his shaddow flying Days:
Or who can tell when his short Hour is run,
The events of all his toyl beneath the Sun?
The Worlds surviving Lamps do not affright
The pleasing slumbers of his peaceful Night.
There be no Ears, no Eyes, to hear, to see
The living Soul, have not such rest as he,
Who stands upright in Courts, with unshaken Mind;
For the Test proves him, and he is found refin'd.
[Page 13] If thy superiour happen to incense
His jealous wroth at thy suppos'd Offence;
Do thou thy part, yield, for yielding slacks
The raging flame great transgressions makes:
He that shall dig a pit, that shall prepare
A snare, shall be ensnar'd in his own snare.
Happy is the Just and Holy, for who but he
Can judge of things, or what their Natures be?
For these are Heavens favorits, sent down from thence,
Unfolding secret Mysteries in Heavenly Eloquence;
Knowing there's a time, true Justice shall preceed
On every purpose, upon every deed.

With God all future Times are present.

ALL Times to Heaven are now both first and last,
God sees things present, yea future, as we see them past:
But we transgress his Laws, 'tis time to part,
For why? the Laws of Nature break the rules of Art.
A smiling Conscience, a contented Mind,
A sober Knowledge, with true Wisdom joyn'd.
Sleep seasonable, moderate and secure;
Actions heroick, constant, blameless, pure:
A life as long as fair, and when expir'd,
A glorious Death unfear'd as undesir'd.
The World is a Book, writ by the eternal Art
Of the great Maker, Printed in Mans Heart.
'Tis falsely Printed, tho Divinely Pen'd,
And all the Errata will appear at the End.
[Page 14] Believe it Christian, by how much near.
Thou get'st to Heaven, the less will Earth appear:
Call home thy dearest wishes. and recal
Thy hopes; expect the worst that can befal.
Grace giveth Virtue, opinion not Glory;
For Princely favours are but transitory.
Humane Nature, curious without, corrupt within;
A glorious Monument of inglorious Sin:
Yet much our Saviour have endured, yea more
To make us Kings that were but Slaves before.
He that grieves because his grief is so small,
Has a true grief, and the best Faith of all;
He vows his Faith, and the sincere perfection
Of undissembl'd and intire affection;
And such in doing well,
Shall seek for Heaven; not find the flames of Hell.
`Oh! let the Church my Mother instruct me,
Give savory Meat, Cloath and Conduct me
Into my Fathers Arms: These Hands shall never
Trust to the poorness of their own endeavour.
Bring I a Kid, but of my Mothers dressing,
'Twill please my Father, and procure a Blessing.
Most Sins, at least, please Sense, but some are Treason,
Not only against the Crown of Sense but reason.
But 'tis an error, as foul, to call
Our Sins too great, for Pardon, as too small.
The reason is easie to be riddled out,
One's dispair, the other not doubt.
Lord weaken this Rebellious Flesh,
That's apt to oppose Grace: Oh! quicken, and re­fresh:
My dull and coward Spirit, that would yield,
And make Proud Satan Master of the Field:
Because 'tis Grave, not Bed, that I am in;
Not a-sleep, but dead in Sin.
Serve God in Plenty, and in Affliction trust;
No thanks to serve our God when he feeds us.
[Page 15] Promise is a Debt, and Debt implies a Payment;
How can the Righteous then doubt Food and Ray­ment:
Let not my Thoughts so divided be,
But they mix again, and fix on thee.
Oh! thou who didst appear in cloven Tongues o [...] Fire;
Direct my Thoughts and with thy self inspire:
That I may search the Scripture, to increase
In the Diviner Knowledge of thy Peace;
That when all things shall cease that are transitory,
Thy Gifts of Grace may be Crown'd with perfect Glory
The Rich Mans sum of untold descended Wealth,
Can give his Body Plenty, but no Health:
The Poor in pains and want possesses all,
The other in plenty finds no Peace at all.
'Tis strange, and yet the cause is easily known;
The one's at Gods finding, the other at his own.
The formers filken Robes, his costly Diet;
Can lend a little Pleasure, but no Quiet.
The latter seldom slacks his Thirst, but from the Pump
And yet his Heart is blithe, his Visage plump.
Such Truths are Subjects, far more fit
For Holy Admiration than for Wit.
'Tis said of Alexander, that he complain'd
And wept, because there was no other Worlds to gain
His griefs and thy complaints are not amiss;
He has grief enough that finds no World but this.
Our trust in God for Riches, never must
Exclude our Care, nor Care exceed our tru [...]t.
Thy Sacred Will be done, Great God,
To spend, or to suspend thy Rod;
If possible my Will's to miss it,
If otherwise to stoop and Kiss it:
However submit, we shall not be this the worse,
If Conscience Bless, what if Shimei Curse.
'Some say the Sacrament's a Supper, and 'tis fit
'To use the posture of a Meal to fit;
[Page 16] 'Can thy Discretion Phares, or thy Zeal
'Give Carnal gestures to a Spiritual Meal:
'A Heavenly Supper and a Fleshy Heart;
'Thy posture has discover'd what thou art.
Of those Sacraments which some call Seven,
Five were Ordain'd by Man and Two by Heaven,
As saith the Eternal Word, whose high Decree
Admits no change, and cannot frustrate be.
What thing is Man? that Gods regard is such:
Or why, should Heaven love wretchless Man so much?
His age is Sinful, and his youth's Vain,
His life's a Punishment, his death's a Pain:
Yea, Man who ought to be a Watch-light in the Temple,
Is as a Snuffer, wants the Oyl of good Example:
Can he be said to fear the Lord that flys him,
Can Word confess him, when as Deed denys him.
For this, Men should strive to have their Hearts relent;
Such Hearts which never knew what Mercy meant.
Gods Love is boundless, apt and free
To turn to Man, when Man returns to thee.
Adjourn thy Sanguine Dreams, awake, arise,
Call in thy Thoughts and let them all advise.
Before the Soul can a true comfort find,
The Body must be prostrate, and the Mind
Truly contrite and repentive within,
And loath the fawning of a bosom Sin:
But Lord, can Man deserve, or can his best
Do justice, equal right, which he transgrest.
When Dust and Ashes mortally offends,
Can Dust and Ashes make Eternal mends:
[...]s Heaven unjust? must not the recompence
Be full equivalent to the offence.
What mends by moral Man can then be given,
To the offended Majesty of Heaven.
O mercy, mercy, on thee my Soul relies,
[...]n thee we build our Faith, we bend our Eyes.
If thou wilt, thou canst change our lot,
That we and ours may Live and perish not;
[Page 17] Thy Glorious Wisdom, and tender Love
Transcends thy sharper justice will remove.
'Judge not that Field because its stubble,
'Nor him that's poor and full of trouble;
'Tho the one look bare, the other thin,
'Judge not, their Treasure is within.
Injur'd inocency, while the Enemies Unhallow'd Tongue [...]
Makes her a Glorious Martyr in their wro [...]gs.
The Devils believe, all know they do;
But their belief does make them tremble too:
Men rail at Iudas, him that did betray
The Lord of Life, yet do [...]t Day by Day;
They Curse that Traytor Life and Limb,
Tho Curse themselves in Curfing him.
The Thief and Slanderer are almost the same,
The one steals my Goods, the other my good Name;
The one lives in Scorn, the other dies in Shame.
But from these dark som Clouds Good Lord deliver us,
Let them not interpose betwixt thy Glory and us:
For thou alone art our Creator, in whom we trust:
Some trust too much in their doing well,
In seeking Heaven they find the flames of Hell:
But the pure of Heart have Power to refuse,
Being endow'd with Wisdom, the Evil and Good to chuse.
He that gives Wisdom to refuse,
Inspires the Art which to chuse.
'In thee, O King, my pensive Soul respires;
'Thou art the fulness of my choice desires;
'Thou art that Sacred Spring, whose Waters burst
'In streams to him, that seeks with Holy Thirst.
'Thrice happy Man, Thrice happy Thirst to bring
The fainting Soul to so sweet a Spring.
God is just, what his deep Counsel wild,
His Prophets told, and justice hath fulfill'd:
But Man, the Child of ruin, to avoid
Less dangers, by a greater is destroy'd;
[Page 18] Whose Spring is like a Flower for a Days delight,
At Noon we flourish, and we fade at Night.
If Plants be cropt because their Fruits are small;
Think you to Thrive that bears no Fruit all:
But who so Fruitful is, and worthy to Drink this,
Shall be receiv'd unto Eternal Bliss;
Such cannot Dye, the Sacred Nine deny,
All Souls that merits Fame shall ever Dye.
For these must survive, for their self clos'd Eyes,
That now lie slumbering in the dust shall rise.
The highest Heavens have Decreed, to Bless
The Fruitful Souls, and with a fair success;
For that they built their Bliss, not on the blaze of Glory,
Nor seated their Happiness in things transitory.
O Lord, how great is the Power of thy Hand?
Glorious is thy Name in every Land,
Great God, Unlimited are thy Confines;
And assistest Man in his good Designs.
Thy Mercies like the dew of Hermon Hill:
Or, like the Oyntment dropping downward still.
Thy Love is boundless, thou art apt and free
To turn to Man, when Man returns to thee.
[...] Sacred Subject, of a Meditation,
Thy Works are full of Admiration:
Thy Judgments all are just, severe and sure;
They quite cut off, or else by lancing Cure.
'My Faith, not Merits, hath assur'd thee mine;
Thy Love, not my Desert, hath made me thine.
Unworthy I, whose drousie Soul rejected
Thy precious Favours, and (secure) neglected
Thy glorious Presence, how am I become
A Bride befitting, so Divine a Groom?
'It is no Merit, no Desert of mine,
Thy Love, thy Love alone, hath made me thine:
Since then the bounty of thy dear Election
Have styl'd me thine. Oh, let the sweet refle­ction
[Page 19] 'Of thy Illustrious Beams, my Soul inspire,
'And with thy Spirit inflame my hot Desire.
'Unite our Souls; oh, let thy secret rest
'Make a perpetual home within my Breast;
'Instruct me, so that I may gain the skill
'To suit my Service to thy secret Will.
Then shall my Soul that suffers through dispite
Of Error and rude Ignorance, have right:
Then shall my Soul injoy within this Breast
A Holy Sabboth of Eternal rest;
And my dearest Spouse shall Seal me on his Heart,
So sure, that envious Earth may never part
Our joyn'd Souls; let not the World remove
My chast Desires, from so chast a Love.
'All you that wish the bountiful encrease
'Of dearest Pleasures and Divinest Peace;
'I charge you all, if ought my charge may move
'Your tender Hearts, not to disturb my Love;
'Vex not his gentle Spirit nor bereave
'Him of his Joys, that is so apt to grieve.
That he may teach his living Plants to thrive;
And such as are a dying, to revive.
He walks about such tender Plants
To smell their Odours, and supply their wants;
That he may leave his secret Spirit in their Breast,
As Earnest of an Everlasting rest.
To thy Creatour hast my Soul, and let thy Sacre [...]
Vows
Plight Holy Contracts with so sweet a Spouse:
His Left Hand's full of Treasure, and his Right
Of Peace and Honor, and unknown Delight.
Then shall it please our gracious Lord
To Crown, with Audience, his suppliants Word.
O Glory, chace Disloyal Thoughts, let not thi [...]
World allure
My chast Desires from a Spouse so pure.
He'l endow my ardent Soul with sweetness, and inspire
With Heavenly ravishment my rapt Desires.
[Page 20] O let all times be prosperous, and all places
Be Witness to our undefil'd imbraces.
Sure is the Knot, that true Religion ties;
And Love that's rightly grounded never dies.
'If Error lead not my dull Thoughts amiss,
'My genius tells me where my true Love is:
'He's busie labouring in the flowry Banks,
'Inspiring Sweetness and receiving Thanks.
'Watering those Plants, whose tender Root are dry;
'And Pruning such, whose Crests aspire too high:
'Transplanting, Grafting, Reaping from some,
'And covering others that are newly come.
Then take from each to make one perfect Grace,
Yet would my Love out-shine that borrow'd Face.
So perfect are his Graces, so Divine,
So full of Heaven are those fair looks of thine.
O Sacred Symetry, O rare Connexion
Of many Perfects, to make one Perfection.
O let my Lips, like a perpetual Story,
Divulge thy Graces and declare thy Glory.
Hear comes a Critick, close thy Page,
Thou art no Subject for this Age;
Thou hast no Guilt that does require,
That thou should'st lurk, nor yet retire;
Thou hast no Lustre of thy own,
But what's deriv'd from Heaven alone.
Fear not thy Heaven instructed Page
Will either please, or teach the Age:
For the Wise with ease shall riddle out,
Which is the voice of Wonder, which of Doubt;
For God sends an Angel to protect,
As well from Evil, as to Good direct.
O thou, the beginning, and the end, before whom
Things past, and present, and things to come
Are all alike; O prosper my Designs,
And let thy Spirit inrich my feeble Lines:
Rejoyce, my Soul, and give my Pen the Art
Wisely to move, and me an understanding Heart.
[Page 21] Earthly Glories are scarce worth craving to ob­tain;
They are Happinesses that must be lost again:
Gasp not for Honour, wish no blazing Glory,
For these will perish in an Ages Story;
Nor yet for Power; Power may be carv'd
To Fools, as well as thee that hast deserv'd.
Thirst not for Lands nor Mony, wish for none:
For Wealth is neither lasting nor our own.
Riches are fair Inticements to deceive us;
They flatter while we live, and dying leave us.
What fit of Madness makes us love them thus,
We leave our lives and pleasure leaveth us.
Pleasure is fleeting still and makes no stay,
It lends a smile or twain and steals away.
The pleasures of this World soon abate,
They are lively emblems of our own Estate;
Which like a Banquet at a Funeral show,
But sweeten Grief and serve to flatter Woe.
How slight a thing is Man, how frail and brittle,
How seeming great, how truly little.
We rise securely with the Morning Sun,
But unregarded Die e're Day be done:
Yet his Estate was level, and he hath Free-will
To stand or fall; unforst to Good or Ill.
Such is the State Man was created in;
Within his Power, a Power not to Sin:
His life's a bubble, full of seeming Bliss,
The more it lengthens, the more short it is.
The swelling of his outward Fortune, can
Create a prosperous, not a happy Man.
'A peaceful Conscience is the true content,
'But Wealth is only her Golden Ornament.
'I care not so my Kernel relish well,
'How slender be the substance of my shell.
'My Heart being Virtuous, let my Face be wan;
'I am to God, I only seem to Man.
[Page 22] To him the searching of Mens Hearts belong;
Mans Judgment sinks no deeper than the Tongue.
Let shame prevent our Lips, recant and give
To the Almighty his Prerogative.
He overlooks thee, and in one space
Of Time his Eye is fixt on every place.

A Disswasive from placing our Hopes in transient Happi­nesses.

BUild not your Bliss upon the blaze of Glory,
Can perfect Happiness be transitory?
Nor in the use of Beauty place your end,
Nor in the enjoyment of a Courtly Friend:
These, if injoy'd, are crost with Discontent,
If not in the pursuit, yet in the event.
Apply thy Heart to Wisdom, with good atten­tion,
For 'twill inrich thy Soul with fair prevention;
That no foul Treason against thy Blood intended,
Thy Life, thy State, will Loyally be defended;
For Worship, Honor, and true respect
Shall be done to him, whom the Heavenly King do affect.
Peerless Honours and Princely Rights
Be done, to them in whom this King delights.
The highest Heavens will still conspire to Bless
All faithful Seed, and with a fair success
Their Enemies he'll ty, they shall not make reply;
Not daring to answer nor deny.
[Page 23] The Heavens grown great with Age must soon decay,
[...]e pondrous Earth in time shall pass away;
[...]t yet his Sacred Words shall always flourish,
Though Days and Years, and Heaven and Earth do perish.
[...]an sees like Men, and can but comprehend
[...]ings as they present are, not as they end.
Man wants the Strength to sway his strong af­fections;
What Power he has is from Divine direction,
Which oft unseen through dulness of the Mind,
We Nick-name Chance, because our selves are Blind;
And that's the cause Man's first beholding Eye
Oft Loves, or Hates, and knows no reason why.
If he be Poor that wanteth much, how Poor
he that hath too much, and yet wants more:
[...]ice happy he, to whom the bounty of Heaven
[...]fficient, with a sparing Hand hath given
[...]e fairest Crop of either Grass, or Grain,
[...]ot for use, undew'd with timely Rain.
The Wealth of Crcesus, were it to be given,
Were not Thank-worthy, if unblessed by Heaven.
[...] Riches, which fond Mort [...]s so imbrace,
[...]re not true Riches, it not enlightned with true Grace.
Wealth interpos'd with too too gross a Care,
[...]hey lie obscur'd and no Riches are.
Let not the fawning World to pleasure then invite,
Thy wandering Eyes; the Flesh presents delight.
[...]sist me in my Combat with the Flesh,
[...]elieve my fainting Power, and refresh
[...] feeble Spirit. I will not wish to be
Cas [...]t from the World, Lord, cast the World from me.
To be afraid to die, or wish for death,
Are Words and Passions of disparing Breath.
[Page 24] But wretched Man! were thy condition mine,
I'de not dispair as thou do'st, not repine;
But offer up the broken Sacrifice
Of an humble Soul, before his gracious Eyes.
Whose Works are Miracles of Admiration;
He mounts the Meek amidst their desolation,
Confounds the Worldly Wise, that blindfold they
Grope all in darkness at the Noon of Day:
But guards the humble from reproach of wrong,
And stops the current of the crafty Tongue.
Thrice happy is the Man, his Hands correct;
Beware lest fury force thee to reject
The Almighties Tryal; he that made thy Wound,
In Justice can, in Mercy make it sound.
[...]ear not, tho multiply'd affliction shall
B [...]siege thee, he at length will rid them all.
In Famine he shall feed, in War defend thee;
Shield thee from Slander, and in Griefs attend thee.
Thy House shall thrive, replenisht with Content,
Which thou shalt Rule in prosperous Government:
For Man [...]licted by the Almighties Hand,
His Faith doth flourish and securely stand.
Yet the worst I'le look for, that I can project;
If better come, 'tis more then I expect:
If other ways I am Arm'd with preparation,
No Sorrows sudden to an expectation.
Lord, to thy Wisdom, I submit my Will;
I will be thankful, send me Good or Ill.
If Good, my present state will pass the sweeter,
If Ill, my Crown of Glory will be greater:
All this experience tells, when I advise
Those, who have taught many, may themselves b [...] Wise
Tho rising early with the Morning Sun,
Yet unregarded die e're Day be done.
No Gold is pure from dross, tho oft refin'd.
The strongest Ceder's shaken with the Wind.
The [...]est of Men have Sins, none lives secure;
In Nature nothing's perfect, nothing pure
[Page 25] [...]om mudded Springs, can Crystal Water come.
[...] some things all Men Sin, in all things some.
Since that my Vesture cannot want a stain,
Assist me lest the Tincture be in Grain.
To thee my great Redeemer do I fly,
It is thy Death alone can change my Dye:
Tears mingled with Blood can scowr so,
That Scarlet Sins shall be as white as Snow.
But wretched Man be not in thought too sure,
Sin steals unseen when we sleep most secure.
By Craft there are, who season error with the taste of truth,
And tempt the frailty of our tender Youth.
What pleasure is in Dainties? if the tast
Be in it self distemper'd, better fast.
Lord, in my Soul, a Spirit of Love create me,
And I will Love my Neighbour tho he Hate me.
I Love the World to serve my turn, and leave her;
Tho i'll not say 'tis no Deceit to cozzen a Deceiver.
She'll not miss me, I less the World shall miss;
To loose a World of G [...]ief, to injoy a Life Bliss.
By thy Mercy, Lord, to Glory receive me in,
A [...]though my Soul is burthen'd with my Sin;
For thou art Just and bent to a Wise Decree,
Which certain is, and cannot alt'red be;
It seems a Paradox beyond belief,
T [...]t Men in trouble should prolong, relief.
We poor weaklings when we sleep in Sin,
Knock at onr dro [...]sie Hearts and never lin
Till thou [...] our sin congealed Eyes,
Lest drown'd in [...] we sink and never rise.
The approaching [...] might be at once prevented,
With Pra [...]rs and Pains r [...]red, reattented.
We try new ways dispairing of the old;
Love quickens, Courage makes the Spirits bold.
Our God bids go, our Credit bids us stay,
Our guilty fear bids fly another way.
O Earthy Men, make not your Righteous Laws
A trick for gain, let Justice r [...]e the Cause.
[Page 26] 'O worthless Man, arise and see,
'There's not a twiny thread 'twixt Death and thee.
'This darksome Place thou measur'st may be thy Grave;
'And sudden Death rides Proud on yonder Wave.
By thoughts dive down into the Abyss of Hell,
And there in Justice doth the Almighty dwell.
Death is a Calander, compos'd by Fate,
Concerning all Men, never out of date:
Yet chear up, I have a message in store
Whose Comforts much, and joyful News is more.
We have yet a Friend Puissant and of Might,
Will see us take no wrong but do us right.
Lets offer up Sacrifice with one accord,
And pay our solemn Vows unto the Lord;
And with penitent Hearts implore him,
And Day and Night pour forth our Souls before him
For shall I be silent; no, I'le speak
Till Tongue be tired, and my Lungs be weak.
Proclaim to us thy Mercy, for we thurst for Grace
For thou art free of Mercy to those that Mercy will embrace.
O save us harmless from our Foe-mans Jaws,
Who art turned Orator to plead our Cause:
How are thy Mercies full of Admiration,
How sovereign sweet's their Application.
How redef [...]ed are we with the Rust of Sin,
Which hath abus'd thy Stamp and eaten in.
But yet at length if we repent,
Instead of Plagues and Direful Punishments,
We shall find Mercy, Love, and Heavens Applause;
For the Great Almighty himself will plead our Cause.
Thine Eye that views the moving Spheres above,
Ought to give Praise to him that makes them move.
Here may we see how Prayer and true Repentance
Do strive with God, prevail and turn his Sentence
From Judgment Just, and Plagues Infernal,
To boundless Mercies and to life Eternal.
[Page 27] All o're the World how should these Mercies make a sound,
As Blessings fall, Thansgiving must abound;
[...]dge then did ever Record round thine Ear,
That God forsook the Heart that was fiueere.
But often have we seen that such as Plow
[...]wdness and Mischief, reap the same they sow.
The Moral says, all Wisdom that's given
[...]o Hood-wink'd Mortals, first proceeds from Heaven.
Far safer 'tis of things unsure to doubt,
Than undertake to riddle Secrets out.
It was demanded once what God did do,
Before the World was fram'd: Whereunto
'Answer was made, he built a Hell for such
As were too curious, and would know too much.
at such curiosity preceds from him, who can
[...]ly accuse Man to God, and God to Man;
[...]no Hourly sows fresh Schisms among the Saints,
[...]ea, buffets them, then laughs at their Complaints.
O Chastity, the Flower of the Soul,
[...]ow is thy perfect fairness turn'd to foul:
There are thy Maiden-smiles, thy blushing Cheek,
[...]hy Lamb-like Countenance, so fair, so meek;
[...]ay not other Virtues serve, but must this Queen
[...] made the Subject of Unchast spleen.
So young is Man, that broke with Care and Sor­row,
[...]e's old enough to Day to die to morrow.
[...]e gives us Passage to endure great Woes,
[...]ath frees us from all Temporal Foes.
[...]t tho secure, my Soul did never slumber,
[...]et do my Woes exceed both weight and number.
Both Poor and Rich, are equal in the Grave;
[...]rvants no Lords, and Lords no servants have.
[...]hat needs there light to him that's comfortless;
[...]r, Life to such as languish in distress:
[...]bjects of pitty, are Bodies in distress,
[...]nd worthy to injoy eternal Rest.
[Page 28] Lord, make Wise thy Servant; a Wise forecast
Grieves for things present, not for things are past.
Satan have Servants, who can make true boast
They gave away as much as thine have lost:
Others with Learning made to Wisely Mad,
Refuse such Fortunes as Croesus never had.
Lord, make me Champion, give me such belief,
A strong and fervent, but not crafty Faith.
I know a forc'd Love neeeds no such great Applause,
Since they Love Ill, that Loves not for a Cause.
I bespeak leave to Answer all this, before I knew
They want no Grief, that find such Friends as you.
Be not discontent, no, no, forbear; for I
Hate less your Censures than your Flattery:
Succour I sought and begged, but none was there
To give the Alms of one poor trickling Tear.
See how I lie devoid of Help or Friend:
O make me humble and mindful of my End.
Lord, make me Just in Image, like my Divin [...] Creator,
Pollish and [...], yea Refine my Nature;
Let me receive all as [...] thy Hand,
With a thankful Heart as living in thy Land:
And consider the self-same Sorrow
Grieves others to Day, may make me groan to mo [...] row.
Great King, be my Comfort in my highest Grief,
I will not trust to Mans, but thy relief.
I know Great God, upon my true Repentance
Thou wi [...]t determine to reverse thy Sentence:
Make me, tho in a blind Age Wisely to see;
And in a seeing Age, not b [...]ind to be.
He that would save his Life, when Honour bids hi [...] die,
Steals but a Life, and lives by Robbery,
Dishonours his God, and that likens to the Pow [...] Divine,
That made and placed her in her Fleshly Shrine.
[Page 29] The Wise and Good-like kind Physicians are,
That strive to heal us by their Care;
Their Physick and their Learning calmly use,
Although the Patient them strangely abuse:
For since the Sickness is they find,
A sad Distemper of the Mind.
The Wiseman in the midst of Woes,
May enjoy and feel a sweet repose:
Might pitty all the Griefs we see,
By compassion Anoint every Malady.
While our selves are calm, our Art improve▪
To rescue them and shew our Love,
That we with open Eyes may see
The brightness of Gods Majesty,
And never more in Chains of Darkness lie,
[...] be secure from Bondage and all Iniquity.
That comforts Divine may fortifie and raise the Soul,
To Heavenly Joys where none can controul.
The World's a hurly burly, and the Court
All Tongues were fill'd with Wonder and Report.
The Watch is set, pursute was made about,
To Guard the King and find the Traytors out,
To punish him according to his due,
That did not Peace nor Loyalty persue.
Had Man been Kind, Loving, True, and always Good,
As formerly in the Golden Age they stood;
Then had we lived in all Delights and Glory full of Love,
Blest as the Holy Angels are above.
But now we suffer for evil Deeds,
Reaping the fruit of our ill Weeds.
But thou, O Holy Jesus, who did'st for us Die,
And on the Altar Bleeding for all Men lie;
Bearing all Torment, Pain, Reproach and Shame,
That we by Virtue of the same,
Tho Enemies to God, might be
Redeemed and set at Liberty.
[Page 30] Let us likewise favour to others show,
And live in Heaven on Earth below;
Let's prize their Souls, and let them be our gems,
Our valuable Temples and our Diadems,
Rich Spoils and Trophies, our own Joys
Compar'd to Souls, all else are Toyes.
O let them be such unto us, as they were to thee,
Valued as Vessels of Glory and Felicity:
What would I give, that I might likewise see
The Brightness and true Glory of thy Majesty,
The Joy and fulness of that high Delight,
Whose Blessedness is Glorious, yea Infinite.
And while we feel how much our God doth Love
The Peace of Sinners, how much move,
Sue, and thirst, intreat, lament, and grieve
For all the Crimes in which they live;
And wait, and seek, and call again,
And long to save them from their Pain.
My Memory's like a searce of Lawn. (Alas!)
It keeps things gross, and lets the purer pass,
Which makes me loath my self so vile; O base re­pute,
[...] better starve then eat such empty fruit:
Yet dear Lord, let me ne're Confounded be,
Since all my Hope is plac'd in thee.
True Joys alone contentment do inspire,
I [...]rich, content, and make our Courage higher;
The true fear of God, desire and love
Must in the height of all their rapture move:
For content alone's a dead and silent Stone;
The real lite of Bliss is Glory reigning on a Thro [...]e.
O let me in a lively manner see
Dear Jesus Eternal Joys in thee;
Inable me to Prai [...]e thy Majesty with all my might,
Whose Grace and Favour is Sweet, yea Infinite.
O let me Love thee, since thy Divine care
Hast promised me a share in thy Kingdom fair.
[Page 31] 'A Sea that's bounded in a Finite Shore,
'Is better far, because it is no more.
'Should Waters endlesly exceed the Skies,
They'd drown the World, and all what e'er we prize.
'Had the bright Sun been Infinite, the Flame
'Had burnt the World, and quite consum'd the same.
'That Flame would yield no splendor to the Sight,
' 'Twould be but Darkness, tho 'twere Infinite:
'One Star made Infinite would all exclude;
'An Earth made Infinite could ne'er be view'd:
'But all being bounded for each others sake,
'He bounding all, did all most useful make.
'And, which is best, in profit and delight,
'Tho not in bulk he made all Infinite.
'He in his Wisdom did their use extend
'By all, to all the World from end to end;
'In all things, all things Service do to all,
'And thus a Sand is endless tho but small;
'And every thing is truly Infinite.
'In its relation deep and exquisite.
'O Lord, be thou within me to strengthen me.
'Without me to keep me.
'About me to protect me.
'Beneath me to uphold me.
'Before me to direct me.
'Behind me to reduce me.
'Round about me to defend me.

O Lord, I beseech thee, give me a longing Affection after the Pleasures of thy Holy Spirit, because they are noble, and will advance my Soul to Eternal Happi­ness; make me often Contemplate the Joys of Heaven; the hopes of which is the Joy and Comfort of my Soul.

A short Discourse of the Mor­tality of the BODY, and Immortality, and Excellency of the SOUL.

Isaiah 26. 19.‘Thy dead Men shall live, together with my dead Body shall they arise: Awake, and Sing ye that dwell in Dust: For thy dew is as the dew of Herbs, and the Earth shall cast out the dead. Glory be to God on high, and on Earth Peace, Good will towards Men. Hallelujah.’

1. FIRST, and above all, let us consider how short, and uncertain our lives are, which are subject to a Thousand Frailties and Casualties, and to Death every moment; insomuch that our whole life is but short and trouble­some, and as a Wind that passeth away, and cometh [...]ot again, which is evidently declared by the various [...]nstances of the Mortality of Frail and Mortal Man: That our very sleeping and waking, is but a kind of living and dying; nay, Morning and Evening, is but [...] a Emb [...]em of the representation of Death, and the [...]esurrection. For God hath given every Man but a short time to be upon Earth, so that upon the well [...]enc [...]ing it, our well being in Eternity depends. Where­ [...]ore [Page 33] Divines say, that every Hour or our Life, after [...]e are capable of receiving Laws, and knowledge [...]f Good and Evil, we must give an Account how [...]e spend our Time, to the Judge of Men and Angels: Therefore we must remember we have a great Work to do, many Enemies to Conquer, many Evils to pre­ [...]ent, many Dangers to go through, many Necessities [...]o serve, much Good to do, many Friends to support, many Poor to relief, besides the Needs of Nature, and Relation, our Private and Publick Cares; so that God hath given every Man Work enough to do, that there is no room for Idleness; and, yet there is room for Devotion: Wherefore he spends his Time and Wealth well, that imploys it in the Service of God, by setting a part a great Portion of it for Religion, and the Necessity of Mens Souls, by filling up all the spa­ces of his Time with Devotion; and by taking from Sleep, to imploy in this Exercise.

Secondly, Let him consider that hath but little [...]leasure; that he ought to set a part some solemn Time, for the Venerable Worship of God, Thrice in the Year, at least, tho he buy it at the rate of any Labour, and Honest Art; for the quiting of World­ly Business, let him attend wholly to Fasting and Prayer; in the dressing up of his Soul, by Confession, Meditation, and deep Humiliation; that he may make up his Accounts, renew his Vows, and improve his Time, to the Glory of God, and his own Souls good. Seeing that we know not the Day of our Death, we ought with all Care and Diligence to prepare for it, that if it be our Lot to die Young, we may also die Innocent, before the Sweetness of our Souls are de­floured; that we may attain this favour of God, that our Souls have suffered a less Imprisonment, by being speedily freed form the load of the Body: For at Death our Souls are equal to the Angels, and Heirs of Eternity. For it is observed by some, that after the time that a Child is Conceived, he never ceaseth to [Page 34] be to all Eternity; so that if he dies Young or Old h [...] hath still an Immortal Soul; and laid down his Bod [...] only for a time, as that, which was the Instrumen [...] of his Trouble and Sorrow; for he will certainly hav [...] a more noble Being after Death, than he hath here Seeing these things are so, let us endeavour to stamp Religion on our Souls, that God may deliver us from Unrighteous dealings; may we therefore always hav [...] an Ear open, to hear the just Complaints of the Poor and a Heart full of pitty, to support them; for the Soul must have the Prehemency over the Body, be­cause it is more Noble, and infinitly more to be valu'd than the Body; for the Body is to turn to Dust with­in a little time, but in the mean while, it is nourish­ed by sleep, which refreshes it and revives the Spirit. Wherefore it is said of sleep, it's a kind of Death, and whatsoever we take from sleep, we add to Life.

Thirdly, Wherefore be saith, Awake thou that sleep­est, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light, Ephes. 5. 14. Arise, thou sleepy Soul call upon thy God, Jonah 1. 6. suffer it not to be drowsy or sleeppy, when it stands upon the bri [...]ks of Eternity; but prefer the care of the Soul before all the World, for it is more to be valued than Ten Thousand Worlds: Wherefore take heed to your selves, and be Wise in time, before it is to late; for though you know not what the Soul is, because you see it not, neither can you feel it; yet it is a Particle which came from Heaven, and when it goes out of the Body it goes to God, to Live for ever; it sleeps not, neither doth it die, for it is Immortal and of an Immortal Nature, and so impossible to be destroy'd, for we have our Saviours own Word for it, when he saith, Ye cannot kill the Soul, St. Luke 12. 4. and when he saith, My Fa­ther is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, St. Matt. 22. 32. whereby he plainly shews, that the Soul which is the nobler part of Man, tho it be taken from the Body, is alive, for saith he, [Page 35] My Father is the God of the living, and not of the dead as dead, but of the living that are dead. So that th [...] Souls of all departed people are alive, for althoug [...] their Bodies are crumbled to Dust, from whence the [...] were taken; their Souls are with God that gave them or in some place of Gods appointment, according [...] their lives have been, Because God have prepared ma [...] Mansions for us, St. John 14. 2. and as we have im­proved our Talent, so shall our Station be. St. Pa [...] also saith, That one Star differeth from another Star [...] Glory; and since these things are so, let us not lo [...] a Minutes time, but improve it to the Glory of Go [...] and our own Souls Good, and begg of him to gi [...] us a Heart inflamed with Love, and winged wi [...] Duty, that we may give up our Souls totally to h [...] Adorable Majesty, that he may dwell in the Thro [...] of our Souls for ever: And after this Life we may [...] admitted to the Vision of Bliss, and have free Inte [...]course with all Holy Souls in those beautious Regions.

Fourthly, 'Tis evident, that Spirits fill no roo [...] tho they could see all things, which point is ve [...] dubious and unsertain; for that Holy Souls can beho [...] the visible Actions of Mortal Men, to us is altogeth [...] uncertain; tho we doubt not but they do behold wha [...]soever is Acted in those Regions where they dwe [...] in those Infinite Dimensions, or Heavenly Habitations tho they are inriched with Liberty, and made brig [...] by Knowledge, derived from the Illustrous and Illum [...]nated Power of the Omnipotent God, who is infinit [...] Communicative to be Good, and to do Good to [...] Mankind; and hath made the Soul of Man on purpo [...] that it might see him in his Kingly Country, whe [...] St. Paul saith, We shall be like him, for we shall [...] him as he is not, as we now behold him darkly throug [...] a Vail in deep Obscurity, but Face to Face in Unva [...]ed Glory. And if the Eye of the Body that was ma [...] for the World, being so little a Ball of Earth a [...] [Page 36] Water, can take in all and see the visible World, i. e. [...]hat part of it, on which the sight of the Eye can be [...]resent, much more is the Soul able to see and be pre­ [...]ent with all that is Divine and Eternal; tho the Soul [...] unhappily divided from God, is a weak and in­ [...]onsiderable Creature; but when United to God, 'tis [...] Transcendant and Celestial Thing, God being its Life, [...]reatness, and Power; for as the Apostle saith, he [...]hat is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit, for his Omni­ [...]resence and Eternity fills the Soul, and makes it able [...] contain all hights and depths, and all things may [...]e in it as it were by Thoughts and Intellections; and Magnanimous desires are the Natural result of such [...] Magnanimous Capacity: Such a Soul then in respect [...]f its Capacity is an Immovable Sphere of Power and [...]nowledge, and by imagination is able to pass [...]rough the Centre of the Earth, and through all [...]xistencies; for it is most Capacious and Swift. Com­ [...]and it then by thought to go into India, and sooner [...]en thou canst bid it, it will be there; not as passing [...]om Place to Place, but by Thought and Immagina­ [...]on, suddenly, in a moment, as you may send it to [...]eaven by the slight of a Thought, as you may at any [...]me command it to fly, tho not by the assistance of [...]ings in a Bodyly manner, but after the manner that [...]ouls pass from Place to Place, not locally, but after [...]e manner of Spirits: For the Soul of Man is said to [...] an Immutable Essence, his Power of Reasoning is [...]ive, even when 'tis quiet, and the Body unactive. [...]is one and the same for Nature in all Men, tho not [...]r Indeuments, of it self equally inclined to Great [...]ransendent Things; tho in most Men 'tis misguided, [...]ffled and suppressed; but where it has the common [...]ssistances that God has prepared for it, it is a Miracu­ [...]us Creature and of near alliance to the Divine Ma­ [...]sty. For a Man being Wise and Holy, his Soul is, [...] it were, in the Heavenly World; and it's no trivial [...]jury can make him contend being Liberal and Mag­nanimous, [Page 37] he is prone to do Heroical Things, and to make himself Venerable to his very Adversary; being averse to all Wroth, Clamour, and Anger scarcely in any thing being defective, and becomes a great Man by contemning Danger, having an Infinite felicity in his Dayly view, and may justly strengthen himself in the hopes of Divine assistance, knowing the Infinite value of his Soul, and believing the Blessedness that is in reserve for it, by reason of the greatness of interiour Bliss; and is therefore environed with the bright Beams of his own injoyments, and always beggeth of God, that as Sin hath abounded, so may Grace super­abound; that all Souls may receive the Blessed ad­vantages of the Divine Forgiveness; that all may have the Blessed Assistance of Grace, to lead us into all Virtues, which are themselves our Aids to bring us to Glory: For these acquire good Habits, and infuse [...] Grace, causing us to incline to the secret Study of Fe­licity, that we may be even now possessed with sin­cere and pure delights; for Godliness is a kind of God-likeness, a Divine Habit or Frame of Soul, that may fitly be accounted the fulness of the Stature of the inward Man. For 'tis an Inclination to be like God, to please him, and injoy him; and he may be said to be God-like, that is High and Serious in all his Thoughts, Humble and Condescending in all his Actions, full of Love and good Will to all the Crea­tures, and bright in the Knowledge of all their Na­ture, Covering all the Treasures of God, and Breaths after the Joys of Heaven. Recollecting all his broken and scattered Thoughts, nothing less than the Wisdom of God will please the God-like Man, for God-likeness is the comment of Amity betwixt God and Man, Eternity and Immensity are the Sphere of his Acti­vity, and are often frequented and filled: With his Thoughts he must injoy God, or he can enjoy no­thing, nor himself; for nothing will satisfie him but the Glory of his great Creator, the great Counsellor [Page 38] of Nature, and the perfect Beauty of the whole Uni­verse. And to be exalted to this frame is a very su­blime and glorious perfection; and Blessed are all those that are thus Beautified in their Minds, and are Blessed with such an Angelical Soul, and are thus curiously acquainted with these things: I heartily wish, that all that shall happen to peruse these things, may be a little higher elevated with the true inward Sense of what is here described, and with the secret Perfecti­on of the Decrees of God, and the Nature of his Di­vine Essence, that they may be worthy to partake of his sublimity; and hereby aspire to dwell with him for ever, and covet the Treasure of his Immensity, and be able to expaciate therein, by being Blessed with the Wisdom of an Angel, in being as Divine and Heaven­lly, by being truly eminent in inward and outward Worth; not being either weak or defective: For Virtue is base and not Virtue while it is remiss, or not carried to the highest pitch 'tis possible, for then it is that their Glory shall su [...]mount the rage of their Ene­mies; and their true worth continue Immortally shi­ning throughout all Kingdoms and Ages for ever, In­heriting the benefits of their own Virtues, in the Peace and Tranquility of their own happy Conditi­on; and this because they have been prepossed with true gratitude and felicity; and in all their actions been Cloathed with Meekness, and a condescending beha­viour, having been highly kind and serviceable in their Generation, free from the spots and blemishes of the World; having frequently arrived to an universal Ap­plause, and truly deserved to be exceedingly Honour­ed by all People; for it's a very hard matter to Hate a very excellent Person. No Man was ever uppraided for being a Wise and Gallant Man; but it often happens that for some Infirmity that a good Man have, he may suffer the misfortune of being censured; but meerly for being Good or Wise, 'tis not usual to suffer re­proach, contempt, or slander, for it would be cruel, [Page 39] for being Wise and Good, Holy and Chast, Just and Liberal, Honest and Merciful, Meek and Couragious to be vilified: Perhaps he may be censured and ha [...] at his first setting out, but when he have made a goo [...] proficiency in Goodness, he will be sure to overcome the rage and malice of his Enemy, because he have made himself Eminent and Conspicuous, and there­fore is admired by all that love Virtue; because he is a Man of intire and approved Virtue, well known for a Person of Honour and Worth, and therefore the first envies and censures abate, because he hath long exercised Virtue and Goodness, with great Activity and Courage, Prudence and Wisdom: Thus Moses after his long Meekness and invincible Fidelity to the Jewish Nation, was in the close of his Life most exceedingly Honoured by all People, and injoyed a veneration of high Degree; for his Glory surmounted the rage of his Enemies; and he will for ever continue Immortally, shining throughout all Kingdoms and Ages. All good Men delight in his Eternal Praises; for he is now glori­fied and admired for his Sanctity: He therefore is a full and adequate Object of our early humble Imitation not in working Miracles, but in Meekness, Love and Magnanimous Actions, enriched with Liberality, and made bright by Knowledge, guided by Wisdom to the highest end; every action being mixt with Gravity and Chearfulness, for in the due use of these means we may actually injoy all Blessedness and Glory, Righteous [...]ness, Holiness and Goodness, Love and Christian Cha­rity are the true Lineaments and Colours of suchy Men [...] Minds; for these are the true Ornaments of every Blessed Soul, they shine upon the Face and make him Glorious in the perfection of Beauty. This Man is [...] Humility, and yet all injoyment amazed at its ow [...] nothingness and vileness; yet, at the same time, ravished with wonder at the height of his Felicity, and yet this is no Paradox, for the whole System of Religio [...] is Mysterious; for the lower the Man is in his ow [...] [Page 40] Eyes, the more doth the goodness of God appear in [...]im, and the more transcendently Sweet is his Adorati­ [...] and Satisfaction; by his gratitude he Sacrifices him­b [...] to the Deity. Pride aimeth at the utmost height of Esteem and Honour, and is feed by its own Beauty and Glory, yet Foolishly undermineth the Person it would advance, with the greatest baseness and shame imaginable; it devours the Beauty which ought to feed it, and destroys the Glory in which it delights. The higher the greater, the more perfectly Glorious and Blessed the Person is that is exalted, is the baseness and ingratitude of Pride, and is therefore the dregs of Impiety; and forfits and renounces all delights, and blackens whatsoever might appear auspicious, which provokes detestation in all that delight in the Truth, for this turns the brigthness of Seraphims into the abo­minations of Devils.

Fifthly, Some Men imperfectly Virtuous abhor o­thers, for being more excellent than themselves, at [...]east for being more Honourable and more Prospe­rous; but this proceeds from a naughty and a vitious Heart, unacquainted with the Truth of Goodness, and the true A [...]mity of real Virtue: For true Goodness is excellent from the quality of its Object; and all that have true Goodness dwelling in them, will undoubted­ [...]y venerate it, and all those in whom they find it; for whosoever is so happy as to be truely Good, will with Moses, wish that all the Lords People were Prophets, and that every Soul were a Fountain of Delights. For it's a Beautiful thing to be exceeding Good, for there [...]s an infinite and eternal force in true Goodness, it [...]ideth Luster and Beauty to all that are Blessed there­with; for it's Beautiful thing to be exceeding Good, or every degree hereof have exceeding Sweetness in it; and these are filled with hope Divine, and have infi­nite Felicity in their Daily view, they know their Du­ [...]y, and their Master, and the infinite value of their Souls, and have a fore tast of interior Bliss: Being [Page 41] acquainted with the true Habits of Divine Grace, and are as it were, prone to Celestial Epicurisme, (if may be premitted so to speak) by being really en­gaged in the true Study of Felicity. A Pious Man hath great Treasures, high Honours, pure Pleasures, having a true tast of infinite Delights; but is not ra­vished with Temporal Pleasures nor Treasures; not melting with these nor flinching at any Temporal di­stresses; for neither of these can move the fixed Mind of a true good Man, for his Thoughts Divine are up­on higher Objects, for his inward Stature is miracu­lous, and his Complexion Divine; he pities poor viti­ous Princes, that are oppressed with Heavy Crowns of Vanity, whether of Gold or Emralds, whose Souls ought to be endued with Generous and Noble Prin­ciples, that they may be worthy the infinite perfecti­ons of the great God, who giveth liberally to all Men, and uppraideth not; and would have all Men en­dued with Divine and deep Delights, that they may be eminent and conspicuous in the true exercise of every Virtue, and be Cloathed with great Activity, Courage and Prudence, to overcome their Enemies, and in­herit the Benefits of their own Virtues, in the Peace and Tranquility of a happy Condition; by being Liberal and Kind, Humble and Chearful, Rejoycing and Trusting exceedingly in God; then shall their Soul [...] be even now as happy, as if they had taken Possess­ [...]on of Heaven. Having taken that City, as it were Violence or Force, by carrying Virtue to the highe [...] pitch humane frailty could exalt it to. God havin [...] given us many Lights, to assist our Souls in the compleating more allurements, to provoke our desir [...] after more of Heaven, and its Glorious Injoyment [...] so that all our Inclinations may now become Puri [...] and Praise, that we may hereby be able to reconci [...] Men to God, who were formerly Enemies to Gra [...] and Virtue, by putting Embroideries on Religion, [...] moving in a Sphere of Wonder: In that his Life is [Page 42] [...]ontinual stream of Miracles, for such a Man carries [...]. Light whereever he goes, for he is Cloathed like [...] Son in his Raies, and Reigns like a King by the sole Power of Virtue and Goodness, in Beautifying Religion in the due exercise hereof, making himself great by inriching others; being full of Musick in the Words of his sweet and pleasing behaviour: This be­ing conducive to his own Ease and Honour; the want therefore of the abovementioned Virtues is pernicious and destructive, for these Holy Works and Wise Dis­positions of Soul are absolutely necessary to qualifie us for Heaven; For all the Fathers teach us. both An­ [...]ient and Modern, that good Works are inseparable attendants upon a justifying Faith; and no Heretick hat is either Grave or Serious, can deny this sequel: For this must consequently follow upon the Premises, [...]or good Works are absolutely necessary to Salvation, tho [...]hey can in no wise merit it; for far be it from us [...]om decrying good Works or the due use of them, but [...]he merit of them. For that there is any real or per­ [...]onal merit in them, we do indeed d [...]ry; not but [...]hat high induments of [...] is a greater Blessing to [...]ll that are so highly [...] by the Hand of Heaven, [...] to be in [...]iched by them; and good Works are cer­ [...]inly conditional to Life Eternal, for in the great Day [...]f Mercy, 'twill be said. Come for ye have done them; [...], God for ye have not done them. So that tho they [...] not meritorious, yet they are undoubtedly condi­onal to Bifs, for the more of these any Man have a [...]ue share in, the more happy Eternally will he un­ [...]oubtedly be; so that what the Church of England in [...]is and in all points do Teach, is most assuredly pure [...]d refined, and in all points Conformable to the Pri­ [...]tire Times; neither is She pure in Doctrine only, [...]t in Charity most Catholick, and in hearty Practise [...]ost refined, for She admonishes her Children, that [...]yey may not be Strangers to any point of Doctrine [...]at is of moment to Salvation, unless they should [Page 43] unhappily be Aliens to Felicity, by being Foreigners to the Truth; but that they may in [...]is Light learn to see the true Light, that enlighten every one that cometh into the World: 'Tis this Beauty of Truth that maketh Knowledge of such infinite value, as to repair the Divine Image in us, in which consists the perfection of our Nature, renews us in the Spirit of our Minds, purging our Consciences from dead Works, securing our Minds from that restlesness and unquiet­ness, which Minutly attends both the Dominion and Guilt of Sin, which racks the Mind with dreadful ex­pectations, and fills the Consciences with dismal hor­ror and direful Confusion, and lays them obnoxious to the dreadfulest denunciations imaginable, not only Temporal Improsperity, but Eternal Punishments in the dismal Shades of the other World. But to avoid the danger of these, let us convince our understand­ings, that we ought to aspire to live Angelical lives, such as becomes a reformed Religion built upon the Doctrines of the Apostles, and have all the Marks of a true Church; so that every one may prove and try himself, whether he be in the right; for by trying the Spirits we may know them, if we observe their Fruits; may we therefore perswade our Affections to stick close to this refined Religion, that is certainly the true Path to Heaven, and conducive to Life and Bliss: For this Church agreeable to the Holy Scrip­tures directs to the Treasures of Divine Wisdom and [...]uch Oracles, to which, it is safe to resort, for saving Knowledge to rule and guide us to a Holy Life; there­fore we ought Studiously to imbrace whatsoever we [...]earn from her, since She is now refined and purged from all Error and Corruption, Superstition, and whatsoever is contrary to Divine Truth; for in her Preaching She observes the Method of Christ, by un­ [...]ailing the very Truth to her Disciples, making Christs Word to us, as it is in it self, the Power of God to Salvation. So that now the Gospel with Noon Day [Page 44] brightness, does cearly shine amongst us, for She gives us cautionary Advices, and to them subjoins plain Directions, sheving us how to detect Error and to love Truth; so that her Counsel may be of the same effect to us, as the Oral Word was to our Progenitors, who lived their own Doctrine and Preached their own Experience, and gave up themselves without re­serve to the guidance of Gods Word, inwardly reve­rencing every Paragraph of it, as an immediate mes­sage from the Almighty: For every thing in Scripture is sublimely Divine. ‘Its Doctrine are most accom­modate, to the refreshment and building up of our Minds, and in all respects so ordered, that eve­ry one may draw thence what is sufficient for him, provided he approach it with Devotion, Piety and Religion.’ For the things of God are Spiritually descerned, as the secret Word of God was fi [...]st dicta­ted by the Holy Spirit; so still it must owe its effects and influence to its Cooperation, for by this its Power and Energy, insinuatively perswades the Heart to be led by the Power of it; and to invoke the Divine aid, by darting Ejaculations up to God, that we may tru­ly understand the sense and meaning of his Divinely Inspired Word, by ke [...]ping our Minds fixt and attent upon what we either hear or read that refin'd Thoughts ma [...] [...]ways poss [...] our Minds to convince our Under­standing, and perswade our Affection, and intirely rule our Imaginations; that Divine Meditations may always prepossess our Minds, and refresh and revive our Souls; turning out of our [...]reast all distracting Phansies, lest our Chr [...]stianity should vapor away and disappear, by a pi [...]ing to too high degrees of Specu­lation; and neglecting to practice plain Truths, for the practice of [...] Truths are infinitely of more use, then to Study curious or critical Remarks upon those Mysteries, on which God have spread a vail. ‘I mention this not to divert any from aspiring to the highest degrees of Perfection, but to reprove that [Page 45] preposterous course many ta [...] est weight upon those things [...] least; and have more Zeal for [...] then for express downright Comm [...] the one to commute for the contemp [...]’ For some Men are apt to scruple small thi [...] not startle at Injustice or Oppression; which [...] to be rectified, that Men may have an equa [...] to all the Commands of God, not letting any [...] slip their Observation: For he that breaks the [...] command is guilty of all, not but that he that brea [...] them all is guilty of more severe Punishments, then he that breaks but one. But the meaning is, he that breaks one shall not go Unpunished, being deeply guil­ty of Disobedience. God having required an equal regard to all his Precepts, and who so gives him not their whole Heart, offers to him but a lame and unac­ceptable Sacrifice; for any thing less than the full power of our Wills cannot please God, who is of pu­rer Eyes than to behold any the least Evil with appro­bation; for his Wisdom being so pure a Majesty, can­not be pleased with any thing that is impure of Heart: Necessary is it therefore, to give him the full of our Mind, Will and Soul; or, as our Catechism expresses it, To serve him with all our strength, in every Centure of our Lives. For the more we serve him, the more and better shall we be regarded, honoured and reward­ed, by him the searcher of all Hearts.

Of the excellent Qualification of the Soul, from its high Extraction.

ALthough Men do not know the Soul, neither can they see it, because it is like the Eyes of our Bodies, it sees every thing but it self; but it self [Page 46] [...] assuredly know that by it we [...] inabled to do actions of Piety [...] Consciences dictates to us what is [...] done, for that is a good and faith| [...] that whensoever we do amiss, we do, [...] our Souls, and stupifie our Consciences, [...] Evil or cause others so to do. But to a| [...] let us begg of God, to give us a chast Spi| [...] is the Crown of faithful Souls: Wherefore [...] said of Virginity, that it is the Life of Angels, [...] animal of the Soul, the advantage of Religion, which is a mutual, a strong, and voluntary inclination to the Worship of God; for it is empty of Cares, and ought to be full of Prayers, which are fed with Fastings; it is very advatagious to Devotion and Re­tirement, for whosoever is careful of his Time and Be­haviour shall not be robbed of his reward, for his good intentions.

Secondly, Then fail not of being eminent in your Generations, for Virtue and Piety, by being burning and shining Lights, unmingled with any manner of Evil, that you may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth: But above all be Humble, for that is the Or­nament of our Holy Religion, and it makes you to differ from the Wisdom of the World. For our Learn­ing is then best, when it teaches us Humility, for to be proud of our Learning is the greatest Igno­rance in the World; for our Learning is so long in get­ting, and so very imperfect, that the Learnedest per­son in the World knows not the Thousandth part of that which he is Ignorant of; so that he cannot at­tain to any Maturity of Knowledge, proportionable to that of Angels. No Man therefore has any cause to boast of his excellency, for what thou hast, thou hast received from God, and art the more Obliged to re­turn him Thanks for it; and thou art bound to im­prove the Grace that he hath given thee to his Glory. Consider then that thou wer't nothing before thou [Page 47] as Born, and what wer't thou in the first Regions of [...]y dwellings before thy Birth, but uncleaness. What [...]ast thou for many Years after, but Weakness and [...]ailty? As the Psalms expresses, It even as the smoak [...]at vanisheth away, Ps. 102. 3. A great debtor then [...]t thou to God, to thy Parents, to the Earth, and all [...]e Creatures. For all Men that have ever been, were [...]ressed with Hunger, and the Frailties of human Na­ [...]re; so that the best and wisest Persons are subject [...]o the Necessity of Nature; wherefore there is great [...]ause of Humility, for the Spirit of Man is light and [...]oublesome, his Body is bruitish and sickly, he is con­ [...]ant in his Folly and Errour, inconstant in his Man­ [...]er and Good Purposes; his Labours are vain, intri­ [...]ate and endless, his Fortune is changeable, but sel­ [...]om pleasing, his Wisdom comes not till he be ready [...] die; or at least, till he have spent great part of his [...]me in wast: His death is certain, always ready at [...]he Door, but never far off, upon these or the like Me­ [...]itations. If we dwell on them, or frequently retire [...] consider them, we shall see nothing more reasonable [...]an to be Humble, and nothing more foolish than to [...]e Proud; Humility consists not in railing against our [...]lves, or wearing mean Cloaths, or going softly, or [...]bmissively; but in a hearty and real mean Opinion [...]f our selves.

Thirdly, Believe thy self then an unworthy Person, [...] heartily as thou believest thy self to be Hungry, Poor, [...] Sick; when thou art so, love to be concealed and [...] esteemed off. Be not troubled when thou art [...]ighed and undervalued; and when thou hast done [...]ny thing worthy of praise return it to God, who is [...]e Giver of the Gift, and Blesser of the Action; and [...]ive him thanks for making thee the Instrument of is Glory. Secure a good Name to thy self, by being [...]irtuous, Pious and Humble; and when People have [...]n occasion to speak well of thee, take no content in [...]raise when it is offered thee, but let thy rejoycing [Page 48] be in Gods Gift, but let it be alay'd with Fear, lest th [...] Good bring thee to Evil. Pray often for Gods Grac [...] with Humility of gesture and passion of desire, tha [...] God may be Glorified by thy Example of Humility which may be as well in a low condition as in a ric [...] Begg God [...] irri [...]h thy Soul with all Graces, an [...] when thou had attained them, give God thanks [...] them. P [...]ide hinders the acceptance of our Prayer [...] Humility pierceth the Clouds, and will not give ove [...] till God accepts; neither will it depart till the mos [...] high regards: For he resisteth the Proud, but [...] Grace to the H [...]mble, St. Jam. 4 6. Then begg G [...]ac [...] and Pardon, that it may be a remedy and relief a [...]gainst Misery and Oppression, and be content in [...] conditions; begg Tranquility of Spirit, Patience i [...] Affliction, that we may gain Love abroad and Peac [...] at home. Co [...]sider the blessed S [...]iour of the World [...] who left the [...] of his Father, the Lord of Glory [...] who took upon him the li [...]e of Labour, and came t [...] a State of Poverty, to a Death of Mal [...]f [...]ctou [...]s, to th [...] Grave of Death, and the intolerable Calamiti [...]s which we deserved: Therefore it's but reasonable, that w [...] should be as Humble in the mid [...] of our greatest Im [...]perfections and [...] [...]ins, as [...] was in the [...] and fulnes [...] of the Spi [...]it, g [...]eat Wisdom, perfect Life▪ and most admirable Virtue. Wherefore be cont [...]te [...] with all Thing [...] that shall happen [...]to you, and seek [...] after the Spirit of Peace, which will make you shin [...] like Angels, or the [...] above; and in so doing you will not fear Death, [...] [...]ther fear a dishonest Acti­on, and think Im patience far worse than any Disease. Be ready to do Go [...]d to the destr [...]yers of your Fam [...] for the re [...]ards of [...] doing is very certain, and do te­stifie that you have a most no [...]le Soul within you, which is a Particle of the Divine R [...]ys.

Forthly, Dress up your Souls, that they may be fit to appear before the Majesty of Heaven; for you can die but once, and if you do not die well, you will [Page 49] Perish undoubtely for ever: And yet there is no Wise or Good Man to Perish, for God have ordained an ex­pedient help for all Men that they should not Perish, for he gives us Pardon for our past Offences, and Grace to prevent us for the future, even the due disposition of his Holy Spirit, that we may delight in that which his Majesty delights in; that is, true Virtue and W [...]s­dom, which will cause us to injoy the Blessings that God sends us, and to bear patiently with Meekness our Calamities which our own Sins have brought upon us, may we th [...]refore consider this Day is only ours, for we are dead to yesterday, and we are not Born to too morrow; these considerations will make us to bear Poverty, with Nobleness, Patience and Meek­ [...]ess, and not blame the Providence of God for placing us in a low F [...]rtune, but in all Troubles and sad Ac­cidents, let us take Sanctuary in Religion, and by In­nocency cast Anchor for our Souls, to keep them from Shipwrack, though they be not kept from Storms: By these means we may fill our Cup full of pure and unmingled Joys, for no Wise M [...]n did ever describe F [...]licity without Virtue, no Good M [...]n did ever think Virtue to depend upon the Vari [...]ty of good or bad Fortune; 'tis no Evil to be Poor, but to be Virtuous and Impatient; therefore be Patient under Affl [...]ctions, and begg God to give thee a happy deli [...]erence out of them, and be content with Poverty, for that adds Lustre to thy Person, and may make thy Virtue more excellent if thou improve it wisely, for there is but [...] things that we feel is so bad, as that we fear. Many eminent Scholars have been eminently Poor; some by choice, and more by chance and the invin­cible decrees of Providence; wherefore the Rich may support the Poor, by his Wealth; and, perhaps the Poor may instruct the Rich in Learning and Expe­rience; for it may be observed, no Man had all Excel­lency and Felicity in this one Person or Power: Therefore there is but few Wise and Good Men that would change [Page 50] Conditions entirely with any Man in the World, for though some there are that would desire the Wealth of one Man added to himself, or the Power of another, and the Learning of a third; yet, still he would re­ceive these in his own Person, because he loves that best, and therefore esteems that most, tho we desire the Wealthy to Inrich us, the Powerful to Pro­tect us, and the Witty to Delight us. Let us con­sider, that in the Fortune of a Prince, there is not the course Robes of Beggary, but there is infinite Cares, Fears and Dangers; therefore the State of Affliction is a School of Virtue, wherein there is the Exercise of Wisdom, the Tryal of Patience, and the wining a Crown; for this may be said to be the Gate of Glory.

Fifthly, Therefore we may not expect to be better treated than the Apostles, and Saints; nay, than the Son of the Eternal God, the Heir of both the Worlds. Affliction is oftentime the occasions of Temporal ad­vantages, as well as Spiritual; and if we imploy our Grace and Reason well it will deliver us from extream Necessitys, and if you will not otherwise be Cured: If you improve your time w [...]ll, God will deliver you in his due time, if it be for his Glory and your Good, for his Power can Sanctifie Poverty to you, and make it become as necessary as Riches; for tho Poverty makes a Man dispised, and contemptable, and exposed to a Thousand Insolencies of evil Persons, and leaves t [...]em defenceless; yet, it may make them look up to God, and trust more firmly in him the Rock of their Strength, who will most certainly deliver them from the cruelty of all Wicked Persons: Wherefore it is said of Poverty, that it is the Sister of a good Mind, the Parent of sober Councel, the Nurse of all Virtue; and this is really true, a great Estate has great Croses, and a mean Fortune has small ones; for Riches often bread a Disease in the Souls of them that long after them, and admire them with too much egar­ness [Page 51] when they have them, for Riches are great dangers to the S [...]ul, not only of them that covet them, but al [...] to most that have them; wherefore let us trust in Ch [...]ist, [...]ho have promised, that we should have suf­ficient for this Life, who have said, that his Father takes care for us; and we are sure that he knows all his Fathers Counsels and Kindnesses towards us, for if [...] Wisdom gives but a very little, he will make it [...] a great way; for if he sends thee but course Diet, he wi [...]l [...] it and make it Healthful to thee, and can cure a [...]l the Anguish of thy Poverty, by giving thee [...] and the Grace of Contentment; for the Grace [...] God [...] you of Providence, and, yet the Grace of God feeds and supports the Spirit even in the want [...] Providence. And if a thin Table be apt to infeeble the Body, or Spirit of one used to feed better; yet the cheerfulness of the Spirit that is [...]essed with dew from above, will make a thin a Table become a deli­cacy: If the M [...]n be but as well Taught, as he is Feed, by Learning the Duty, when he receives the Reward, Poverty is therefore in some sense eligible, and to be preferred before Riches, but in all senses it is very to­lerable.

Sixthly, But to return to a further inquiry into the Excellency of the Soul, let us consider the various spe­culations that the Soul of Man is capable of entertain­ing her self withal, and we shall see that there is none of greater moment, or closer concernment to her than this of her own Immortality, and independance on this Terestial Body; for hereby, not only the in­tricacies and perplexities of Providences are made more easie and smooth to her, and she becomes able by unraveling this clue from end to end, to pass and repass safe through this Labyrinth, wherein many, both anxious and careless Spirits have lost themselves▪ But also which toucheth her own Interest more parti­cularly, being once raised to the Knowledge and Be [...]lief of Good and Evil, so weighty a conclusion [...] [Page 52] may return to this most certain and most compendious way to her own Happiness, which is to be acquired by bearing Affl [...]ction patiently, and endeavouring to overcome whatever tempts her, during the time of this her Pilgrimage, [...]ith a careful preparing of her self, for her future Condition; by such Noble Actions, and Heroick Qualifications of Mind, as shall render her most welcome to her own Country; which belief and [...]u [...] ­pose [...] in an utter in c [...]pacity of e [...] ­ther [...] at nothing but what is not in the Power of M [...]n to confirm upon her; with C [...]urage she [...]ets upon the main Work, and being still more [...]aithful to her self, and to that light that asi [...]s her, at lasts she tasts the Fruites of her Future Harve [...], and does more then pre­sage that great Happiness that is accrewing to her, and quits her from the troubles and anxieties of this pre­ [...]nt World stays with it in Tranquility and Content, [Page 53] [...] at last leaves it with Joy. Therefore let us fur­ [...]er consider, that the Soul has Four Qualities, be­ [...]use her Faculties are Fourfold: The First, is Un­ [...]erstanding: The Second, is the Will: The Third, [...] the Memory: The Fourth, is the Affections [...] Heart, which is the principle Seat of the Rational [...]. The Mind is the inward Act. The Thoughts [...] the Mind, the Fountain of Counsel, the soul of Life: [...] understand by the Mind, and live by the Soul. [...]

A Deceision, or a Demonstration, of the Mutual and Reciprocal Relation betwixt the Soul and the Body.

1. THE true Love of God raises the Soul to the highest Perfection; the purest and fullest Love shall wear always the weightiest Crown of Glo­ [...]y: Where this Love is, if it meet with hard Precepts it desolves it into sweet promises, and fills the Heart with the shining Beauty of Soul, ravishing delights by Divine Respiration, giving it true Repose, causing the [Page 54] Delights and Pleasures to be as Capacious as the Soul, that lovely Creature of God, whom his Majesty is al­ways pleased to fill with an Ineffable Pleasure; in per­petually extending their Knowledge of Intellection, by Consequences and Lights always New, which they draw from their Light and their Knowledge, always acquired, they always find something to be discovered in the Immense Spaces of Truth, they always find some-Shing to be enlightned with of the Perfection of the aupream Essence, which they always see all entire, and ill exposed to their Eyes, and, which they never knew so perfectly; but that there always remains something further to be known and discovered, they always Drink of this Lively and Eternal Spring, and are always a Thirst; they drein from thence every moment, by a full and entire Knowledge of the in­tuitive Vision, but they always find it full and inexhau­stable to Reason and Intellection, which they always make a further Progress into, and further still find something to be known in the Fountain of its infinite Incomprehensibility. The Reprobate Souls do also find by the exercise of their reasonings, a Thousand; and a Thousand New dispairs in their State of Re­probation and Misery: The Prophets say, they al­ways remain awake to the End; they may always see their Misery and Woe, which does express the ex­ercise of the active Faculty in Unhappy Souls, which proves that all Souls have out of the Body, the exer­cise of the Faculties, of Perceiving, of Imagining, and of Recollecting, which they do not exercise here, but dependent upon the Body: For thus we say, with­out difficulty, that they may compare one thing with another, that they Conceive the Nature of Bodies by pure Intellection, by which they form Universal Notions; from whence they draw Consequences, and frame Ideas; but these Ideas do not cause us to Be­lieve, that the Body and the Soul can be united like two Liquors, or like two Metalls, which are melted [Page 55] one with the other, which are made either by an Un­ctuous or Viscous Humor, which binds the Parts of them together, nor by Nails, Pegs and Joynts. We may not imagine here any thing material, for we are to cut off every thing that presents it self Corpo­real to our Spirits, for we are to conceive precisely only a mutual and necessary Dependance, in such a manner, as God has directed and disposed; which is the way to conceive the manner how our Souls are in our Bodies, as well as we are capable to compre­hend: They are not in us by a Local and Corporeal Circumscription, they are not there as Liquor is in a Vessel, or as a Bird is in the Nest or Cage, or as the Body is in the Air, which environs it; but they are in us as God is in the World, in which we must con­ceive him, as saith St. Augustin, Much more contain­ing than contained; for we may remember, that tho the Nature of the Soul is a Spiritual Nature, which doth as Essentially exclude Local extention, and by Consequence all sorts of Ideas of Local Presence, such as we commonly conceive under Corporeal Images of Immediation, of Preportions, and of Co­extention, of Substances, as it doth Essentially include the Grounds and the Acts of the knowing Faculty. Bodies have their proper Fashion of being within Places, and Spirits have theirs likewise; there is no­thing of likeness betwixt one and the other, for to think otherways, were to subvert and destroy both Corporeal and Spiritual Nature; for it is with the manner how the Soul is in the Body, as it is with the Soul it self: We cannot comprehend it as oft as we conceive it by Imagination, what Corporeal Image so ever we make of it, or under what material Form soever we may conceive of it; for the manner how the Soul is in the Body is altogether as Spiritual, as is the Substance of the Soul; if it be demanded af­ter this, in what Part of the Body the Soul is, or whether she is in all the Body; the Question will [Page 56] be difficult to resolve: However, the Learned say, that all the Soul is in all the Body, and all of it in the Essential and Integral Parts of it, as God is in all the World, and in all the Parts of the World; not by that Co-extension and Local Chimerical Pre­sence, which gross Spirits do imagine, but by the in­timate Presence of his Essence, Essentially operating in all the World. We must say the same of the Soul, that it is in all the Body, by relation of its dependance and activity; but this does not hinder, but that we may say she is more properly, and more particularly in the Brain, since it is by that Part, that the action of the Soul upon the Body imme­diately Commences; and that all the actions of the Body upon the Soul termin [...]tes wholly in that Part, as it sensibly appears, by that which interrupts and suspends the action of the Soul upon the Body, and the action of the Body upon the Soul; for as often as it happens that the action of the Body upon the Soul is interrupted, it is because there is some relaxa­tion, or some obstruction in some of the Nerves, which hinders the motion from being continued in the Part affected of the Body, as far as the Brain, which is the Seat and Organ of the Senses, because the impression have some palpable let or hindereance, and cannot be carried, or arrive through the exterior Senses of the Brain, which are called Internal. But our Souls Naturally, like other-Created Spirits, ought not to have any dependance upon our Bodies, for to have the Ideas of things, they ought only to have immediately dependance upon God, and by Conse­quence ought only to have Union with him; but this Supreame Spirit having been pleased, for the reasons we have said, and for many others which we con­ceive, and for more, yet apparently, perhaps, which we do not conceive, that our Souls should have their Thoughts and their Sentiments, their Desires and Af­fections upon the occasion of the Body, to the end, [Page 57] that they should be a continual Subject of Victory, and Meritorious Exercise, by the assistance of Divine Grace, which is of it self Victorious over the Im­pure delectation of Concupiscence; whereof it invin­cibly suspends the Charm, by the Heavenly and in­ward Taste, which it gives us of God, of our Duty, and of Eternal Happiness; for Divine Grace causes [...] to love Order and Duty, in spight of our selves, making us sensible that we owe to God an infinite [...]ve of Complacency, wholly disinteressed, and whol­ly pure; for which we ought to love his Eternal and Sovereign Beauty, with all the strength and motions [...] our Hearts; for this alone will convey to us true [...]asure, for this will furnish us with Order, Truth and Justice, which will undoubtedly prevent all Irre­gularity. Which Order is to be beloved by all Spi­ [...]its, and all upright Hearts in all the Parts of the World; for this have some affinity to the Sovereign Beauty of Nature, and of the Supreame Essence, who [...]s the Lively and Eternal Source of Order, Equity and Duty, the Eternal and Substantial Truth, which do not discover it self but by Rays, by degrees escaping [...]ut from God, clearing the obscure Clouds of our disorderly Desires, that we may Love and Adore our Sovereign Creator, who gives us the weak glimmer­ing of his Ineffable Beauty, in that Virtue and Duty which he causes us to Love; which is as it were, the Charm of the Supreame Being. For all that we love in the abstracted Idea of our Duties, or in the real Charms of the Creatures, is nothing but the Splendor and the Rays, or the Shadow of that Charm of Sove­reign Beauty and Perfection, which Gloriously shines [...]n the Supreame Nature; from whose Beams it is, that Nature Commences equally in us the love of Complacency, and the love of Union; that we may be filled with Contentment, with Pleasure and Love, Truth, Justice and Equity, and all other Graces and Virtues whom we love invincibly, under the Ideas, [Page 58] and under the Names of Truth, of Justice, of Beau­ty, of Virtue, of Duty, or of Equity, which shine in all Places of the World, and makes it self seen loved and adored invincibly by all Hearts, in all Ages for these all preceed from the glimmering and glan­ces of Gods Original Beauty, which is so amicable by it self, that as Corrupt as we are, we cannot hin­der our selves from loving it, because it flows from the Sovereign Nature of God.

2. The Soul of Man have no Power of giving i [...] self, neither the Idea, nor Knowledge, nor Sentiment of any particular thing, but it is God, who hath al [...] Perfections dwelling in him, that Instructs and In­lightens the Souls of Men; for his Majesty alone is the Life of every thing that Lives, and the Light of every thing that is Enlightned; who gives us all the Sentiments and all the Ideas which we receive, or have from the occasion of our particular Bodies, and from others which environ us. Tho to clear this point [...] be obscure and difficult; and, yet is very Important and Necessary, in Order to make us comprehend our dependance upon God, who is alone the All-know­ing Being by himself, as he is an existent Being by himself: For it's God alone who hath Essentially of himself, and by himself, his Eternal and Subsistent Idea, by which he can distinctly see all things pos­sible, present and to come. The Created Spirits who are not Thinking Beings of themselves, much less Spirits knowing by themselves, or in themselves, the things which are exterior to them; and, therefore they have need to receive the Ideas of particular things from God, that they may have a knowledge of them: For if they had the Idea of one sole parti­cular thing out of themselves, there would not be any Idea which they might not have; neither would the Soul of Man have been Ignorant of any thing, if she had had a Power by her self to Form and Idea of the least thing, but by Consequence would have had [Page 59] the Idea of all things: But since, of her self [...] cannot form any one Idea; by Consequence she cann [...] form many: For to imagine she could, would be no sensical and trivial. Our poor Soul goes grop [...] through all the Bodies, who environs it, searching [...] a Pleasure and Contentment, which should satisfie i [...] but no Pleasure nor Treasure can give the Soul tr [...] satisfaction, but God, who is the alone Soverei [...] Pleasure, which makes the Soul thus search after hi [...] and him allone it is we ought to regard, with all o [...] Strength, Might and Motion, seeing his Majesty r [...] gards our Soul by all the Rays of his Infinite Essen [...] For his Wisdom, it is who is our Satisfaction, our [...] and Contentment, yea, our Sovereign Felicity. O [...] Bodies then are, but as it were, our Souls burden, at best but a House upon the Road of Eternity: Whe [...] fore we ought to seek for a lively Idea of our d [...]pe [...]dance upon this Supreame Being, and upon all Divine Attributes, that we may the better apprehe [...] his Sovereign Perfection whose Nature is Supream and yet is graciously pleased to operate continual in us, and rules over us in all our ways, and in divers operations. Our Souls do not make the dig­s [...]ion in us, the Circulation of the Blood, the Natu [...] and pure [...]y Animal Respiration in us; the Soul bei [...] altogether Spiritual, have no Power to act this wa [...] but there is nothing which we certainly know, b [...] the Soul is the active cause and principle of it, which she have gain'd the Empire, either to do not do, as she pleases; we may therefore reflect up her Faculty, which she have of thinking, of willin [...] and determining her self, which are the two o [...] active Faculties that we know in her, for the oth [...] passive and receptive Faculties, of which she ha [...] essentially the Empire, as well as the certainty of th [...] double Faculty, and of all the Acts that precee [...] there from; and we may see that she suspends [...] Thoughts, and her Reasonings puts them by determ [...] [Page 60] and applies them as she pleases to new Matters, which always present themselves; and thus she is Mistress of [...]er Will, without the motion that carries her to­wards God in general. If she be not preoccupy'd [...]nd transported with some Passions or other, but the [...]oul can by no means be the formal or physical Cause of the heat which is in our Bodies, for it is impossi­ble to conceive that a Spirit should produce heat; yet [...]y their Virtue and Operation they make the Body move, by Empire and by Will, and yet this the Soul is [...]aid to do out of it self; but whatsoever is done in us Physically, is done by the act of our Body and its Life, for there is in us a material principle of vegeta­ [...]ion, or a vegetative Life, which the Soul doth not [...]ause; so there is likewise a certain kind of acts of [...]eeing, of Hearing, of Tasting, of Smelling, of [...]ouching, of Self-moving, or of Sensibility in the [...]ody, in which the Soul hath not any part, to which [...]e doth not Influence any thing, and to which she [...]ath not so much as a Sentiment.

3. To think and know is the Life of Spirits, who [...]eceives Being from the first of Beings, or the prin­ [...]ple of Beings, the Great Almighty, from whom [...]ery thing that is, receiveth without ceasing its [...]eing, by a perpetual and never interrupted Communi­ [...]n of the Supreame Essence, by reason that he is the [...]rinciple of Life, or the Essential and Original of [...]ife: It must needs be that every thing that Lives, [...]eceives continually a Life from him by a like In­ [...]uence, and by a like Communication of Life, and by [...]onsequence every thing that thinks and knows, [...]hinks and knows by him, since to think and know the Life of Spirits. This is the solid Metaphysick [...]f St. Augustin, and the Theology of others, who [...]ith, agreeeble to the Scriptures, that an Angel and Man differ without doubt; for an Angel is a Spirit [...]hich God makes tryal off out of the Body, and [...]hose Thoughts and Affections he hath not subjected [Page 61] to the dispositions of a Body; and a Man is a Spirit [...] which God makes tryal off in the Body, to which he subjects it before he Crowns it with Eternity: But the Soul of Man if God had not disposed of it, after that manner, would have had no need of a Body, where­fore the Union of Souls with Bodies is a hard and difficult Empire, which God doth exercise over them, and which if his Majesty would not sweeten the rigo [...] and difficulty of it, by the Pleasures of agreeable Sen­timents, which he hath annexed to the Acts and Operations of Souls in Bodies. It could not be a tryal, but a Misery; nay, the Fathers maintain, that if God should not Spiritualize Bodies, that is to say, take away from Souls the dependance which their present State gives them upon Bodies, they could not have so firm a hope of being raised again, as now they have, because he would not put the Just Souls, whose ap­proved Fidelity deserves to be Crowned into Bodies that should constrain them, and which enslaved their Thoughts; which is what Spiritualized Bodies can­not bear, because Spiritualization of Bodies will con­sist in this precisely, that they should no longer exer­cise an Empire over the Souls, and that they should be no longer a Charge, an Obstacle and an Incum­brance to them; for the Body cannot in any manner act upon the Soul, so as to Illuminate it, or Affect it Physically, or Immediately by it self; for the Body cannot subject the Soul to be United to it, nor can the Soul be willing to submit to the Body, which humbleth and constraineth it. It is therefore God the Author of universal Nature, that is the Immedi­ate and Efficient Principle, and Cause of the Union of Souls and Bodies; for his Wisdom acteth as universal Cause in the whole frame of Nature; 'tis evident then that none but God alone can give the Soul the Sen­timents and Ideas which she hath, from the occasi­on of the Impressions which are made upon the Body, for 'tis the Author of Nature which enlightens [Page 62] us, by the Ideas which we receive upon the occasion of the Impression, of exterior Objects; and who af­fectionates to the Conversation of the Body, by the agreeable or disagreeable Sentiments which he gives us, to make us know by way of instinct, that which is profitable or hurtful, for the Conver [...]ation of our Bodies and of Humane Species. This action he joyns to that, by which he moves our Bodies, when our Thoughts and Wills require it, and is properly the action, by the which he Unites our Bodies to our Souls, and our Souls to our Bodies. This is the active or actual Union, which the Schools call the Unitive action of God, which is joyned to the Immutable De­cree and Will▪ by the which he hath determined to continue it, so long as the structure of the Body shall subsist, and makes in the Soul and▪ in the Body that Estate of Union, which is called Passive and Formal Union; and this the Almighty doth by the Essential act of his Supreame Nature, for his Essence and Nature is infinitly pleased to act thus continually, esteeming it his Pleasure and his Glory, by which, also he is the occasional Cause of all the Eneffable Ple [...]sure of Holy Souls, and so much the rather, be­cause the Analogy of the Divine conduct Inspires us to acknowledges an occasional Cause of all our Joy and F [...]icity. As there is an occasional Cause of the Tor­ments of the Reprobates, for each of these he is pleased to make tryal off in the Body, by their Obedience or Disobedience, annext to each of which, is Felicity or Misery, for these shall go into Life Eternal, but the Wicked into endless burnings.

4 Our Body is a Structure full of Harmony, where­by all the Parts are United to one common Center, which is the Brain wrapt up in Membranes, and di­stributed and divided into divers Compartments, pro­per to receive and retain the Traces and Impressions which the Divine Image shall in [...]amp upon it: We say, also that the Soul is [...]n the Body, but we take [Page 63] care not to conceive it. For all that as truly and pro­perly contain'd in the Body, it is United to the Body; but we may not conceive her as poured into, and mingled with the Body; or, as adjusted to its extent by a co-extention and immediation of Greatness, of Figure, or of Substance; but they have the greatest part of their Thoughts, and of their Ideas, and of all their Sentiments of Pleasure, and of Pain, by the oc­casion of their Body, because they act upon the Body by the action of the Will, which removes them and moves them, in the manner as have been already said. The Learned say, that they are no otherways in the Body, therefore every thing we conceive beyond this, will be false, contradictory and extreamly dubious. That which we call good Sense and Judgment, is nothing but the Power and Faculty which the Soul hath, to Order and Regulate our Thoughts, to sus­pend and stay them, that she may consider and main­tain their Connexion and Dependence: But she is said, sometimes to loose this Faculty and Power, when the Motion of the Blood, Humours, and of the Ani­mal Spirits, or of the Fibres of the Brain, which is the Organ of the Internal Sense, which are annexed the Species of things, that is to say, the Impressions which remains of the Objects, are disordered and em­broiled in such sort, that the Natural Order and Con­nexion of these Species cannot be observed and kept, but are confusedly and tumultuously excited and stir­ed up, by a tumultuous and irregular agitation of the Organ, in which they reside; from whence comes necessarily, that kind of Folly which consists in a disorder and a fantastick Confusion of Thoughts, without Order and Dependance, or Connexion, be­cause the Fibres of those Parts of our Bodies ar [...] scorched up, on which the Soul usually acts; and to say this may not shake a Truth so well Establishe [...] and Proved, that it needs no further Illustration therefore let it be our Care and Study to seek th [...] [Page 64] Kingdom above, rather than to puzle our selves in the nicities of Nature, or the manner how our Soul acts in our Body; for better it is that the Soul and Body be free from pollution, than to understand all the know­ledge our Nature is capable of being enlightned with; for 'tis not he that understands al Myst [...]ies or all Se­crets, but he that is Obedient and Dutiful to the Di­vine Laws, that shall be filled with Joy in the Heaven­ly Ierusalem, that Place of spotless Purity, where no Impure thing can dwell: Wherefore our Lord chose rather to Suffer any Indignity, than that we should continue in the Guilt of Sin; because any pollution unquallifies us for his Kingdom, and Robs us of the Happiness of being meet to be Citizens thereof. For since Fruition is the end of Knowledge, it is of great moment to us so to demean our [...] as not to be unfit for the Union of Glory; and amongst other aspiring Knowledge, the due Knowledge of a M [...]s self is highly conducive to attain to this Happiness, for such a Knowledge shews him the Humility of the Frame he ought to be in, to qualify him, to be wor­thy to enter into this Glorious City, where every Holy Soul will be beloved of Ang [...]ls, and admired of Men: Such qualified Persons be [...]g the true Friends of God, seeing they have defined to W [...]ship God in the in­ward Court of their Souls, as well as in the out Court of his Sanctuary, and in the admiration of him in all his Works of Wonder; for there is nothing of more concern to us, than to be truly sensible of his ex­ceeding Mercy, which ought to be deeply It graven in all ou [...] Minds, so as to raise our Sons to a high pitch of Gratitude, for all the benefits we have mo­mently received from him, the rememberance of each of which are reviving Comforts, and are able to cheer the Hearts of the most dejected Penitents; for the true Sense of this assures them that they shall be for ever Blessed, even to such a Perfection, as to be Perfect Sovereigns in his Glorious Kingdom, where [Page 65] every one will be a Sovereign Prince, being Blessed with infinite Injoyments, such as the beholding the unvailed Vision of God, and the sweet Society of Saints and Angels, where God Essence and Works will satisfie all Holy desires, all Blessed wishes and eager Thirst after Purity, and every Heavenly In­joyment.

5. ‘The Will which is that Invincible and Insur­mountable movement, which pusheth on all knowing Natures towards God, is without doubt, and Operates perpetually in Just Souls, and in Reprobated Souls; but it is there, and Operates there very diversly. The Just Souls have found the good they sought, they are arrived to the term they have so long persued; they imbrace it; they possess it; they lose them­selves; they plunge themselves; drown and ingulph themselves in it.’ When they are arrived to the Place of their repose, to the Center of their Desires, to the port of their Wishes, they have nothing more to follow, to search after in this Fortunate State they p [...]ssess, because they taste with an inexplicable Tran­quility, and an incomprehensible Satiety the Sove­ [...]eign good, and therefore are fully satisfied, content and quiet: But this Tranquility and this Satiety does [...]t lull them to Sleep, nor ever cloy them the Will [...]atisfied, and arrived to its term does not cease pro­ceeding on always. It Operates and Sturs up it self Eternally; in a most happy repose these Holy Souls are always satisfied, and always a Hungary, always at quiet, and always sturred up they Will and Desire always, that which they have and would always have more; for they are immediately United to the Sovereign good, and to all his Joys, and are always till vehemently desirous of being more United to [...]im. Thus the Will hath its Excellency and Per­ [...]ection in Holy Souls, without any of the Imper­ [...]ections, it is at present subject to; for now it's not [...]ble to ballance it self betwixt True and False good, [Page 66] for at present it's sotting and wavering betwixt the False Images of good, which the Immagination and the Senses presents to it in the present State, and be­twixt the true and solid goods which Instinct and Reason, Philosophy and Religion preposses to it: It is happily drawn in by the Presence and Injoyments of the Sovereign good, whose Immensity draws them and carries them by force, and fastens them to his Sovereign Beauty and to his Soverig [...] Delights; for it's his Wisdom in whom they see the Source of good and as it were, all the true Treasure and Foundation of Life giving Excellencies, and, therefore cannot be turned aside by any False good; but there is a vast difference betwixt these happy Souls, and the Souls o [...] the Reprobate, as to their final State; for as to the latter of these, the Fountain of good repulses them, and throws them back from the Vision o [...] Glory, and in the same time, wounds and transperce [...] them with a Thousand deadly Darts; they are Et [...]rnal­ly thirsting after Pleasure, but have Eternally nothing but Grief, Pain and Dispair, for their Portion: So that the Will placed in them, to be the beginning and seat of their happiness, is found to be the Eternal principle and seat of their unhappiness and dispair; for as all the agreeable Passions will be in Holy Souls so all the Afflicting ones will be in Reprobate Souls. The Dispair of the Soul lies in the seeing and perceiving the Impossibilities of a voiding Evil, and the not be­ing able to attain the good she persues, which must needs be a dejection and a discouragement, accom­panied with profound sadness, because of this crue Sentiment of Privation, and yet by some is called truly and properly Voluntary, because the Will is tha [...] Motion, by which the Soul is driven on invincibly to [...]wards God, to Unite her self, and to be United to him, which is the Love of God in general, and ma [...] be called properly Voluntary; for when the go [...] which is aspired after cannot be acquired, Dispair b [...] [Page 67] consequence succeeds; for the resentment of the Ap­petite preceeds from the dismal Thoughts, that 'tis impossible to acquire the good so much wished for; for we should not be afflicted, penetrated and over­whelm'd with the Privation of good if we did not Love it, which made St. Augustin say, That the Eternal Dispair of the Reprobates in Hell, is a true Love of the Sovereign good; but this being a nicity that concerns us not, we may not with saifty dive into it, or amuse our selves about it; but strive to be Cloath­ed with the true Love of God, whereby we are sure we may be qualified to enjoy the full Bliss of Heaven; the true hopes of which fills every Holy Soul with exceeding Joy, even such reviving Joy as may give him some small glimmerings, even in this Life; of what hereafter will undoubtedly be his Portion in those Glorious Regions above, where every true Penitent will be a Favorite of that great tremendious King, who is the searcher of every Heart and observer of every Action here, and the Infinite rewarder of every Virtue hereafter. To him therefore be Glory and Praise, Might, Majesty and Dominion ascribed by us, [...]nd all the whole Creation, now and for ever.

A Recapitulation of the moral con­sequences, drawn from what have been established concerning our Souls, and for the Conviction of our Duties, and the Condemnation of Disorder.

NO Man of Reason can believe that Ingratitude is an Ornament to Nature; or, that Injustice Me­ [...]s a reward, nor that Treachery is a Virtue, or an [Page 68] Honest and Commendable Quality; nor on the con­trary that Justice, Fidelity and Gratitude are things Condemnable and Wicked. Men make Laws according to their Fancy, they make themselves Obey'd, for fear of Punishment, when they have the Power in their Hands. But it's remarkable, that Men who make Laws cannot make themselves Obey'd, nor be Beloved or Beleived, when they act things disagree­able: For Unjust and Tyrannical Laws, People pay only an exterior Obedience to their Commands; but the Heart and the Spirit cries out and demand [...] Justice, from him whom all Men naturally feel over their Heads, as a Protector of Justice, and an avenge [...] of Oppression and Unjust Authority. We sometime receive Unjust Laws, but we do not believe them to be Just for all that; but, as to the natural Laws o [...] Duty and Consciences all Men receive them, and be lieve by an invincible Determination of a Superio [...] Light, which equally perswades them alike; for Na­tural Light convinces us with invincible force; and this is an Infallible Character of Natural Light. Conscience is then in us undoubtedly Natural, and as cer­tain as it is an Essential Companion of our Nature and a Propriety inseparable from our Soul: From hence arises in us, by the help of Grace, all Mora [...] and Christian Virtues; because it is impossible to conceive that Corporeal Nature can be the subject o [...] Magnanimity, of Justice, of Fidelity, of Continenc [...] and of Truth; for a Corporeal Nature alone canno [...] have the Light of Order, or of Duty, or the Inclination, or Determination of Duty, or the Pleasure o [...] Performance, or the Pain of the Violation of Duty for Duty, Order and Justice have no Bodies, they ar [...] things totally Spiritual and Intelligible; and, there fore without the assistance of the Soul cannot hav [...] the Idea or the Sentiment of them, because it is by the Soul that they are Ingrafted, and poured into ou [...] Corporeal Nature. God having assembled togethe [...] [Page 69] both these in one single whole, not as one; but act­ing by this Indubitable Method God have prescribed, by reason of their dependance one upon another, or to say better, the Union betwixt each other, and are all animated with one and the same Influence of Di­vine Life, and marked with one and the same re­semblance, and equally Impelled by the same Love of Duty: For which reason we are obliged to Love and to Accomplish all the extents of Justice, of Truth, of Charity, and of Civility, and of Mutual or Reci­procal respect towards all Men, upon the considera­tion that this Life is short and troublesome, and all things in it are frail and perishable, and the noblest Pleasures in it are essentially false, as well as empty; they leave the Heart, even during this Life, Sick and Famished, and if not retired from before Death, they will leave the Soul Eternally, deceived by a cruel Pri­vation, and an insupportable desolation of regret. For the best injoyments of this Life are a perpetual al­ternativeness of real Cares and Torments, all things here being but false shadows of Repose and lucid In­tervals of Reason, a Theater of Eternal Mutations, a Chain interlinked with short and transitory Felicities, and long and durable Miseries, a vehement and impe­tuous Whirl-wind of Hurry and Ambition, which af­ter having much tormented and agitated the Body and Soul, having raised a Thousand snares in the Heart and Spirit, it disappears into Air and Smoak; for so it is that this Life doth not exercise it self, but upon the false and perishable Objects of Time, and [...]s deceitful and deceiving Oeconomy; whereas the n [...]ture Life exercises it self upon Objects wholly True, and wholly Solid; because the future Life is [...]ut, as it were, one Day, all Uniformity; for there very Holy Soul will Eternally be United to ever­sting Triumphs and Felicities, for there every Soul [...]ill be Essentially Living, infinite Happy and Joyous; no here it have been exercised in Trouble, in the future [Page 70] Life it shall rest in Glory and endless Felicities, as the Apostle saith, Such as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor Heart conceived, 2 Cor. 12. 4. Much less can the feeble Eloquence of Man express, by any description that his Idea or Sentiment can conceive to put into Method to declare, or so much as describe.

Our Soul is said to commence when it goes out of the Body. That which we call time is taken either by relation to the duration of the abode of every Soul in its Body, or by relation to the duration of the whole present Oeconomy of the visible World, destined to the Tryal of the Souls in the Bodys; and in whatsoever signification we take Time, in op­position to Eternity, it signifies precisely a State of Instability, of Change and Vicissitude, i. e. a State which ought to have an end; for these are two things which enter Essentially into the Idea, which is called Time Vicissitude, and End; the space of the duration that our Souls are in our Bodies, is called Time, for these two Reasons. First, because it is to have an end. And Secondly, because in the interim, so long as it endures, it holds us exposed to a Thou­sand Chainges and Vicissitudes; and, which is to be lamented, that Vicissitude of being obnoxious to pass from Good to Evil, from Virtue to Sin, to Crimes or Vice; but on the contrary, Eternity is Immutable and an Interminable State and Order of things: As much as Time includes Instability and End, so much does Eternity excludes both; Time speaks Change [...] and End, Eternity speaks the Being always the same and never ending. Thus as our present State in the Body is Time, so our future State out of the Bod [...] is Eternity, the due consideration of which ought to Penetrate us, and cause a General and Universa [...] Change in our Ideas, that now in time we may s [...] prepare for Eternity, that we may be Eternally hap­py when Time shall be no more. Now of these tw [...] States, the one appears infinitly Precious and Essen­tial, [Page 71] and the other infinitly despisable: We ought therefore earnestly to endeavour, to render our selves worthy of being rewarded by him, to whom the se­crets of all Hearts are at present unclosed; and now immediately relate our selves to him, by our Confes­sion of our dependance upon his Supereminent ex­cellency over us, and over all the World, that we may [...]el indubitably the Pleasures and Delights which he contains; for his Goodness is ready to discover the Charms and Beauty of his Sovereign Nature, to all [...]ho desire to be united to him, by shewing Love and Charity to all their Christian Brethren; that when God [...]hall make up his Jewels, they may be found worthy of [...]eward at the end of the present Oeconomy, when his M [...]jesty shall put an end to the Vicissitudes of Time, when [...]e shall fix all things in an immutable and an eternal Or­ [...]er, when he will give a beginning to the New World, [...]nd when he will re-establish all the Bodies, and re­ [...]nite every Soul to that Body which she animated, [...]pring this present life; this will [...]e do who calls [...]mself the Resurrection and the Life, the first born [...]mongst the dead, the Father of Ages to come, he [...] whom we are all raised up again, in a Mistery and [...] a Figure, and will undoubtedly raise us effectually [...] the last Day: For then we shall be even in our [...]odies like Angels, disfranchised from the businesses, [...]d the inclinations which we have upon the occa­ons of the Body. St. Paul also teaches us, that our [...]odies shall be Spiritualized, and we may upon this [...]inciple decide with certainty, that the re-union of [...]odies doth not at all change the Foundation of that [...]ate of the Soul out of the Body; the manner and [...] cumstances, whereof we have been illustrating: [...]r when our Bodies shall be Spiritualized by the [...]surrection, they shall be no more a charge to the [...]; tho the Learned say, That the Nature of our [...]dies shall not be chainged, so as to become know­ [...] Natures, or cease to be extended Substances; [Page 72] but that the Body shall be no more an obstacle, o [...] hinderance in any thing to the Soul; but our Bodies will serve to do Honour and Glory to the God of Nature Our Bodies after they are raised, will have a perfect and sovereign agility, that is to say, an intire indiffe­rence for all sorts of motion, which will cause them without any resistance to be carried every where whether the Souls would have them; for then they will have neither Levity nor Gravity, but will be a [...] light as the Air, and as swift as a Thought; th [...] Bodies of themselves have not either lightness [...] weight, so as to ascend or descend; but being afters they are raised from the Grave Spiritualized, the [...] will by the Almighty Power be able to do this, whe [...] our Bodies shall be replaced with our Souls; and ou [...] whole Man will be replaced in a much purer stru­cture than ever it was at first, before it was defile by Sin. From whence we may see the excellen [...] train of the Divine System of Religion, which without doubt clear and certain, that the Univers [...] Resurrection will be a Circumstance of that Glorious Solemnity of Justice, which God will make at th [...] consummation of Ages, for the consecration of h [...] Eternal Temple, for the overture and commenc [...] ment of his Immortal Reign, for the solemn Corona­tion of his Royal Majesty, and for the compleat Tr [...]umph of Man-God, for the justification of his Pr [...] ­vidence, and the full Declaration, and Ma [...]festatio of his Glorious Will, at the end of this prese [...] Oeconomy of Time. The Scripture speaks of Ho [...]Souls, as if they had the Pleasure of walking on th [...] Globes of the Heavens, and to be in the midst of th [...] Stars, to walk upon the Sun and the Moon after t [...] manner of Spirits; it accommodates it self to o [...] ross manner of speaking, and of conceiving t [...] most Spiritual things under Corporeal forms, whic [...] may be called a clear distinct Idea of the visib [...] World, which God gives to Just Souls; they wa [...] [Page 73] after their manner upon the Arches of Heaven; they are capable of being at the same time at both the Poles of the World; they are said to fill its whole extent; they are in both the Hemispheres. Their Ho­rizon is not at all a limited Horizon, which never per­mits us to see here but a little portion of the Universe; it is not bounded. But by the bounds of Nature, We do not at present see these Heavenly Bodies, but only these parts of them, which reflects the light upon us: We do not see the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and the Terraqueous Globe of the Earth and the Seas, but only one side of them. But the pure Souls immediately [...]nlightned by God, as they are, they see at the same [...]ime the whole Globe of the Sun, all the Face of the Moon, both the Hemispheres of the Earth; there is [...]o Antipodes to them, they all see at one view all the [...]air prospects of Nature, and all the beautiful Table of [...]he visible World; for besides that, their Knowledg, universal in this respect; so it is not at all successive, [...]ut all full and clear at once, so that they see all things, least by reflection, by which we compare one [...]hing with the other, to observe diversities and sin­ [...]arities, by which we pass on, from that we know that we do not as yet know, which may be called [...]e proper species of reasoning, which brings into the [...]orld all the Arts and Sciences as proper means to tend Knowledge, as is an effort and agitation of [...]hought; but this is to be understood of the pre­ [...] Life; But what we spake before, we spake of [...] future Life, i. e. of pure Souls made Glorious by Majesty on high, who presides over all our Know­ [...]ge, and over all our Sentiments, and causes them us, in spite of us; and all this by the assistance of [...] admirable and illuminating Wisdom, which are [...] Ess [...]ntial Character and Attributes of that which [...] call Divinity, or Supreame Nature, so that a re­ [...]e and an attentive Man cannot be ignorant of [...] excellent Truths, by the assistance of the pro­vident [Page 74] Wisdom of our great Creator; for he it is that teaches us, that the Luminous Body of the Sun with the Firmament shews perpetually his Glory; every thing sympathysing with each other in the mistaken Miseries, which Men call good, till their Spi­ritual Eyes are open, and they see they are deluded by great mistake, when the sensation, by which one Man doth see and understand an other, is made with a confus'd sentiment of Pleasure, and with a certain agreement which carries a desire of being united to him, and which makes one Man pleased with another, that is called sympathy. And, when on the contra­ry, this sensation is made with confused sentiments o [...] disagreement and straingeness, that is called antipa­thy. And this is the general Idea of sensation, which are the Knowledges that we have by the determina­tion of present Objects, by which we are able to chuse to do Acts free and voluntary, tho there is [...] distinction to be made betwixt free Acts and volu [...]tary Acts; for every thing that is free is voluntary but every thing that is voluntary is not free; but no thing is voluntary in us but what is made by the determination of the Will; for this is a necessary and i [...]vincible motion of our Souls towards God, causing [...] invincibly to love Good in general, with a full dete [...] ­mination of our Mind and Will, by the which also w [...] shun Evil, and every thing that hurts and afflicts [...] and we persue some times one particular Good tha [...] an other, as they more or less immediately concer [...] us; for Liberty is always accompanied with the Wil [...] Now Liberty is precisely that Empire which we ha [...] of being able to determine our selves, which to chu [...] and which to refuse, when the Objects are present [...] to the perceptive faculty of the Soul. We m [...] easily shut our Eyes, and not let that reflective Lig [...] to enter in, from the superficies of the Object, whi [...] Ingraves it in our Retina: But, yet we cannot hind [...] the Impression of Light, if once it be entred into [...] [Page 75] Eyes, nor that ordor of savor, if they have affected those Nerves which are proper to carry the Impressi­on of them to the Brain. But our Soul cannot see the Objects in those passages of the Brain, nor the species, as in Pictures as we have endeavoured to [...]llustrate in our former presuppositions: This is a thing which we know by an indubitable sentiment. We may then presuppose that it is not all these Ta­ [...]les, whereon the Soul sees the Object; she being for­mally knowing, having in her self a lively representa­tion, or an inward sentiment of the Objects which [...]ders themselves present by the material Impression, [...]hich is received in the Body by the assistance of the [...]ctive faculty of Thinking, which is sometimes cal­ [...]d the faculty of Reasoning; for by these the Ob­ [...]cts which strike the Senses are lively represented to­be passive, or the active faculty of the Thinking Soul, [...]hich come from the diversity of the temperament, [...]nd from the material Structure and Harmony of the [...]ody, by which the Understanding, the Judgement, [...]d the Memory, with all the other Natural Quali­ [...] receives advantage, to act every one its part [...]hen occasion shall present in its proper season; for [...]e Soul is inclined to all great and transcendant [...]ings: The Mind is sometimes said to be the Soul, [...]erting its Power into Heroick Actions, wherefore great Soul is Magnanimous in effect, i. e. when our [...]nd is applied to mighty Objects; and such a one said to be the Son of Eternal Power, and the Friend infinite Goodness, a Man whose inward State is raculous, and his Complexion Divine, because he lights in the Celestial way of true Bliss, he turns his [...]mporeal Riches into Obligations, by wining Souls God, and thus gaining the Affections of the [...]se. For to be rich in the Hearts and Affections Good People can be no deformity, and every such [...]n is, as it were, his own end, while he considers it [...]; for nothing is more conducive to the [...] [Page 76] Honour of the Holy Man, than to be bountiful and munificient; for this proves true Riches to his own Soul, and puts a double lustre upon that noble Jewel, for this beautifies it, and makes it truly aimable and Praise worthy; all these being shut up in Good­ness. For these Men make themselves truly great by Enriching others, for the Eccho of their Works are sweet, and pleasing in the Ears of all that are surrounded with them; and may be said to be like the Sun in the Rays of his Glory, and Reigns like a King by the sole Power of Virtue, and thus beau­tifies their Religion; for these delight in the felicity of all that accost them, and thus puts Embroiderie on Religion by the chearfulness of their Spirits, and the Heroick Actions of their Souls, and thus carries a Light wher [...]ever they go, and attracts the esteem [...] of every Good Person; so that these Men move in a Sphere of Wonders; their Lives are a continua [...] strem of Miracles, for they are always sacrificing their Persons and Possessions to the benefit of th [...] World. Benifits and Blessings are their Life-guard, fo [...] that they live Holy and Temperate, and strive to i [...]mediate the Wisdom of Angels, whose guardian Sh [...] is never wanting to their assistance; so that their i [...]ward House is a Habitation of Joy and Felicity, an [...] so brightens their outward behaviour, that almost a [...] their Actions yields a spectacle of Contentment [...] every beholder: There is a generous confidence d­coursed in all their Actions, and some glimps of He [...]ven in all their Behaviour: Therefore a Life beautifie with Virtues is the greatest Gift that can be give to Man. For the return of it in Holy Actions is a [...]ceptable to God: For when all things shall be r [...]vealed, the Life of these secret Persons shall perfect appear in all their perfections. May we therefore careful to adorn our Persons and Palaces with th [...] kind of Riches, seeing they are so Delectable a [...] Pleasant: For these Men have a Love within the [Page 77] Souls, that is willing to impart all these incompre­hensible Treasures and Glories to every Soul, for such a Mind and such Affections must Perfume and E [...]rich our Sacrifices: For the Greatness and Goodness of our Souls consists in such inlargements; for a Will inlarged with an infinite Fancy is a prodigious depth of Goodness; for infinite Desires and Intentions of pleasing God are real Objects to his Eye, for such a Soul being all Love, would do Millons of things for [...]ts Object: For infinite Love puts an infinite value on the Gift, wherefore it must needs be Magnificence to give a Gift of infinite value; and infinite valuable every Good and Pious Action, in the Eyes of him, who have told us, that no Thought or Action shall [...]emain uncovered, but every Thought, Word and Action shall be seen clearly by all for ever: And all [...]hall be admired for their inward Piety and Holiness, [...]nd every discovery of Virtue in one shall be an oc­casion of Joy in each other; so that every secret Vir­ [...]e that have been long concealed, but only to those [...]ho have enjoyed the benefit of it, shall be a new [...]ause of Eternal Joy to all, when in Heaven it shall clearly discovered. For our Actions in passing, pass ot away, but in the Sphere of our Life abideth for [...]; so that a Good Man's Life all at once is a My­erious Object, interwoven with many Thoughts, [...]ccurrences and Transactions; and ought to be pre­ [...]ted to God like a Ring, a Garland, or a Jewel to a [...]agnificent Benefactor: Therefore we had need to be [...]ry choice in the mixture of our Flowers, and cu­ [...]ous in the enammel of so rare a Present, that it may [...]ove to us a Royal Diadem, to adorn our Souls for [...]: Therefore to let any dirt or blemish be in it, [...]ould be inconsistent to our Felicity: Therefore [...]ight and clear apprehensions, Divine, and Ardent [...]ffections are highly necessary to this Compleatment, [...]eing upon the sincerity of the affections and inten­ons depends the Honour of the Work, it concerns [Page 78] every one therefore to cleans his Heart from all Im­purity and Insincerity, that his whole Man may be an acceptable Present to God, that his infinite Im­mensity may graciously accept him, and all his Works; for his Wisdom never rejected the sincere, but endews them with inward and outward Ornaments, such as an infinite clesi [...]e and delight in Goodness, enabling them always to Love his Eternal Majesty, with an in­finite Love, and Deiight, greatly Thirsting to be fully satisfied with him, and him only; for the Soul is to Noble a thing to be satisfied with any thing less than his Transcendent Majesty, whose Goodness extends to all, even to the Unthankful: But he is most the Friend of those who delight most in him, for infinite Love and eternal Blessedness are near ally'd; for all Delight springs from the satisfaction of violent de­sires, for which cause, when the desire is forgotten the Delights are abated. ‘The coming of a Crown [...] and the Joy of a Kingdom, is far more quick and powerful in the surprize and novelty of the Glory, than the length of its continuance.’ The greate [...] part of our Eternal Happiness consist in a greatfu [...] recognition, not only of our Joys to come, but o [...] Benefits already received. True contentment is th [...] full satisfaction of a knowing Mind, i. e. a long habi [...] of solid Repose, after much Study and serious Consi [...]deration, or a free and easie Mind attended with Plea [...]sure, that naturally ariseth from ones present Cond [...]tion; yet to be content without a true Cause, is t [...] fit down in our Imperfections, and to seek all on [...] Bliss in ones self alone, and, as it were, to scorn a [...] other Objects, which is in it self a high piece of Pride that renders a Man good for nothing, but makes him Arrogant and Presumptious in the midst of his Blind [...]ness; whereby he leads a living Death by shuting u [...] his Soul in a Grave, in that it tramples under Fo [...] the Essence of his Soul, which in Truth turns his F [...]licity to Malevolence and Misery, or in other Word [Page 79] Disorder and Confusion: Therefore Man is an unwel­come Creature to himself, till he can delight in his pre­sent Condition, provided his Condition be such as is plea­sing in the sight of God; for this must be the Con­dition that can make our pleasure exquisite: For otherways we shall be tormented with the contriety of our desires. The happiness of a contented Spirit consists not only in the fruition of its Bliss, but in the Fruits and Effects it produceth in our Lives, which makes every Virtuous Man truly Great within, and Glorious in his retirements, Magnanimity and Con­tent are very near aly'd, they spring from the same Parents, but are of several Features. Fortitude and Patience are Kindred too, to this incomparable Vir­tue, for these fill a Man with true Pleasure and great Treasure, which makes him Magnanimous and truly Great, not in his own Thoughts but in the sight of God: The Magnanimous Soul is always awake, the whole Globe of Earth is but a Nut-shel in comparison of his Injoyments; for God alone is his Sovereign delight and Supreame complacency: So that nothing is great if compared to a Magnanimous Soul, but the Sovereign Lord of all Worlds. But Man divided from God is a weak and inconsiderable Creature: But every Soul united to God is a Transcendent and Celestial thing, for God is its Life, its Greatness, and its Pow­er, its Blessedness and Perfection; for he that is joyn­ed to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 20. His Omni­presence and Eternity fills the Holy Soul, and makes it able to contain all heights, and depths, and lenghts, and breadths whatsoever. In a Word, it's the desire of every such Soul to be filled with the fulness of God. Magnanimous desires are the Natural results of a Magnanimous Capacity, the desire of being like God, of knowing Good and Evil. But in a grosser sence, this was the destruction of the Old World: Not that it is Unlawful to desire to be like God, but to aspire to the Perfection in a forbidden way, by [Page 80] Disobedience and following our own Inventions, by seeking to the Creatures in opposition to the great Creator. A Magnanimous Soul if we respect its Capa­city, is an immovable Sphere of Power and Know­ledge, far greater than all Worlds, by its Virtue and Power that it passeth through all things, the Centre of the Earth, and through all existencies; and all­such Creatures as these he counteth but Vanity and Trifles in comparison of his true Object, the great Almighty, whose Transcendent Goodness desendeth in full Showers upon all Men, by his communitive Goodness which is freely extended to every Man.

The Seven last WORDS our Saviour spoke upon the Cross.

I. FATHER forgive them, for they know not what they do.

O Lord, forgive me, wherein I have forgot thy Presepts, and done that which is Evil.

To the good Thief, II. This Day shalt thou be with me in Paridise.

O God, say to my Soul, in the Day when thou takest it from my Body, This Day shall thou be with me in Heaven.

III. Woman behold thy Son.

In Futurity let me behold the Vision of Bliss.

IV. Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.

Forsake me not in my greatest Afflictions.

[Page 81] V. I thirst.

Grant that I may thirst for thee the Fountain of Li­ving Waters.

VI. Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit. Receive my Soul when it is returning unto thee.

VII. It is finished.

Finish my Course with Joy, and grant O Jesus, that I may be worthily qualified to receive that sweet Voice of thine, Welcome to the Kingdom prepared by my Father.

Meditation for the Sick.

THEY that Glory in their Ancestors, in the Nobleness of their Birth and Blood, must make their Beds in the dark, and acknowledge Corruption for their Father, and the Worm for their Mother and Sister, they that are already Dead, and crumble away, to make room from us that must come after them, are secluded from Men, but live with Angels: Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, Gen. 3. 19. What Man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death, Psal. 89. 48. Our Bodies shall return to the Earth from whence they were taken, but our Spirit shall return to God that gave it, Eccl. 12. 7. It is appointed for all Men once to die, Heb. 9. 26. We must needs dye, and are as Water spilt upon the Ground that can­not be gathered up again, 2 Sam. 14 41. Then let not the place of thy Death trouble thee, for the Earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof; Death lost her Sting in the Side of our Saviour: The Day [Page 82] of Death is the Day of Jubilee, and frees us from all these Evils; God kisseth the Righteous in their Deaths, and, as it were, sucks in those Souls, which he breathed into them, Deut. 34. 15. It is certain that the Soul so soon as it is separated from the Body, is presented to God, and receives an irrevocable Doom, either of Woe, or Weal; Those that Honour me, I will Hon­our, saith the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 30. Blessed and hap­py is he that hath part in the first Resurrection, on such the second Death hath no Power, but they shall be Precious with God and Christ, and shall Reign with him. The Angels which kept not their first Estate, he hath reserved in everlasting Chains of Darkness, unto the Judgment of the great Day, Iude 6. The Joy of our Heart is ceased, and the Crown is fallen from our Head, Lam. 5. 15 16. In the Days of his Flesh, when he had offered up Prayers and Sup­plications, with strong Crying and Tears unto him that was able to save him from Death, and was heard in that he feared, Heb. 5. 7. The Heavens shall be opened, and those everlasting Doors shall be lift up that the King of Glory may go forth with his An­gels to Judge the World, and return back again with his Saints, when he hath Judged it. In the Day of Judgment a good Conscience will stand us in more stead, than a Mint of Treasure; therefore with St. Ierome, let us make it our business, That whether we Eat or Drink, or whatsoever we do, we may think we hear the last Trumpet sounding in our Ears, saying, Arise ye Dead, and come to Judg­ment; let us therefore appeal from the Bar of Gods Justice, to the Bowels of his Mercy, beseeching him in that Day to deal with the Souls of his Servants, not as a severe Judge, but as a Merciful Jesus. Amen.

Prayers for the Sick.

O Lord, look down from Heaven, behold, visit and relieve this thy Servant, look upon him with the Eyes of Mercy, give him Comfort and sure Confidence in thee, defend him from the Danger of the Enemy, and keep him in perpetua [...] Peace and Safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

HEar us Almighty and most Merciful God and Saviour, extend thy accustomed Goodness t [...] this thy Servant who is grieved with Sickness Sanctifie we beseech thee this thy Fatherly Correction to him, that the sense of his Weakness may ad [...] Strength to his Faith, and Seriousness to his Repentance, that if it shall be thy good Pleasure to restore him to his former Health, he may lead th [...] residue of his Life in thy Fear, and to thy Glory or give him Grace so to take this thy Heavenly visi [...]tation, that after this painful Life ended, he may dwell with thee in Life everlasting, through Jesu [...] Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Father of Mercyes, and God of all Consolation, lay no more upon him (or her) ther [...] thou wilt inable him to bear with Patience Courage, and Contentment; either asswage his Pain [...] or increase his Patience; bless all those means tha [...] have been, or shall be used for his recovery; eithe [...] shorten his Sickness, or else give him Grace, an [...] Strength to bear it; deliver him from the bitte [...] Pangs of Eternal Death, and from the Gates of Hel [...] take from him the Sting of his Consciences, and th [...] extremity of Sickness, Anguish, or Agony, that [...] [Page 84] withdraw his mind from thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

DEliver him from all Dangers and Distress, from Pain and Punishment Bodily and Ghostly, and from all the Sins and Misdeeds, which by the Ma­ [...]ice of the Devil, or his own Frailty he have at any time committed against thee. That it may please thee not to lay to his Charge what in Concupiscence of the Eye, Pride of Life, Vanity, or Superfluity, he hath committed against thee. That it may please thee not to lay to his Charge what in the Fierceness of his Wroth, or in the eagerness of an Angry Spirit he hath committed against thee. That it may please thee not to lay to his Charge what in Vain and Idle Words, in the Looseness and Slipperiness of the Tongue he hath committed against thee. That it may please thee to make him Partaker of all the Mercies, and Promises in Christ Jesus. That it may please the to vouchsafe his Soul the Estate of Joy, Bliss, and Happiness with all thy blessed Saints in thy Heavenly Kingdom. That it may please thee to give him Peace, and a part in the blessed Resurrecti­on of Life and Glory; we commend his Soul into thy Hands beseeching thee that it may be pretious [...]n thy sight. O let not the Blood of Christ that was [...]shed for all Men, be spilt in vain to any, but let it be effectual to the Salvation of every Soul, for thy own Bowels and Compassion sake. Amen.

IN the midst of Life we are in Death, Of whom then may we seek for Succor, but of thee O Lord? Who for our Sins are most justly displeased with us; yet O Lord most Holy, O God most Mighty, O Holy and most Merciful Father, deliver us not over to the bitter Pains of Eternal Death. Thou knowest Lord the Secrets of our Hearts, O shut not up against us the Ears of thy Mercy, but spare us O Lord most [Page 85] Holy, O Saviour most mighty, O Immortal and mos [...] Merciful Redeemour. Thou most Worthy Judge Eternal, suffer us not in our last Hour, for any Pains of Death to fall from thee, though he hath Sinned, yet he seeketh thee; and thou Lord never failest them that seek thee. Let not the Guiltiness of a Sinne [...] more prevail to condemn, than the Gracious Good­ness of a most Merciful Father, to Aquit and to Par­don. O let not the Unrighteousness of Man make th [...] Goodness of God of none effect, O Lord, no not so remember not the Unkindnesess of this thy Child so as thereby thou forgottest the Compassion and Kindness of a Father. Do not so think on our Sins▪ that thou thereby forget thine own Nature and Pro­perty, which is always to have Mercy and Forgive. Do not so remember our Sins, that thou thereby re­member not thy own Name, which is Jesus a most Loving and Kind Saviour. Lord is thy Life in our Life hath not sufficiently appeared, yet let not thy Death lose the full Power and Effecacy thereof. Suf­fer not, O Lord, in both so great a price to perish, lose not that O Lord which thou hast redeemed since thou comest to redeem that which was lost, that which was so dear to thee to redeem, suffer not to be lost as a thing of no Value.

OH! Most Merciful and Blessed Saviour, have Mercy upon the Soul of this thy Servant; re­member not his Ignorance, nor the Sins of his Youth; but according to thy great Mercies remem­ber him in the Mercies, and Glories of thy King­dom. Thou, O Lord, hast opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers; let the Everlasting Gates be opened, and receive his Soul; let the Angels who Rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner, Triumph [...]nd be Exalted in his Deliverance and Salvation, make him partaker of the Benefits of thy Holy Incarnation, Life, and Sanctity, Passion, and Death, Resurrection, [Page 86] and Assension, and of all the Prayers of the Church, of the Joy of the Elect, and all the Fruits of the Blessed Communion of Saints; and daily add to the number of thy beatified Servants, such as shall be sa­ved, that thy coming may be hastned, and the ex­pectation of the Saints may be fulfiled, and the Glo­ry of thee our Lord Jesus be advanced; all the whole Church Singing Praises to the Honour of thy Holy Name, who Livest and Reignest ever one God, World without end. Amen.

OH! Most Merciful Jesu, who didst die to re­deem us from Death and Damnation, have Mer­cy upon this thy Servant, whom thy Hand has visited with Sickness, of thy Goodness be pleased to forgive him all his Sins, and Seal his hopes of Glory with the refreshments of thy Holy Spirit. Lord give him Strength and Confidence in thee, asswage his Pain, repel the assaults of his Gostly Enemies, by thy Mercies, and a Guard of Holy Angels pre­serve him in the Unity of the Church, keep his Sen­ses intire, his Understanding right, give him a great measure of Contrition, true Faith, a well grounded Hope, and abundance of Charity, give him a quiet and a joyful departure, let thy Ministring Spi­rits conveigh his Soul to the Mansions of Peace and Rest, there with certainty to expect a joyful Resur­rection, to the fulness of Joy at thy right Hand, where there is pleasure for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer for a Penitent.

O Thou who still remainest the same Richfulness in thy self, and the same bright Glory to all the Blessed, have Mercy upon me, and all Mankind, in the [...] and full Pardon, and forgiveness of all our Sins that [Page 87] ever we have committed, from our Infancy to this present Moment; and indue us with thy preventing and assisting Grace, that we never fall into those Sins of the which we have Repented; but fill us with thy Holy Spirit, that we may increase in all Goodness in the Spirit, of Might, of Wisdom, and Counsel, Knowledge, Piety, and thy Holy Fear, that we may do all such good Works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in, by the assisting Power and Might of thy Holy Strength, which we beseech thee constantly to afford us to our last Breath, that when we shall breathe out our Souls, they may be received instantly to Glo­ry: And this we begg for thy sake, who didst begin to Bleed and Suffer for our Sin, even thee O Blessed Jesus, who tookest that Heavenly Name, thy Blessed purpose to Proclaim. Oh! may we bow our Heart [...] and Knee bright King of Names to Glorious thee who thus beginest our Bliss, thus carriedest on our Happiness, to thee all Praise be paid, O Great Misterious Three for ever Live, and ever be Obeyed▪ Beloved, Adored by Men, and Angels all abroad▪ Hallelujah.

O Lord, make us eminent Examples of Per­fect Christianity; and kindle in our Hearts Zealous Emulations of thy Grace, that here immi­tating thy Life O Christ, we may be constant in the Truth to our last Breath, that in our Mouths there may not at any time be found a lie, that we may be worthy to be presented without spot, before thy Throne O God; and thou maiest exalt us to thy Kingdom, and there admit us to tast of thos [...] Glorious Joys which incurcel thy Blessed Thron [...] above, to which we are Intituled by the Suffering o [...] Christ our Lord. Oh, give us true Repentance, that w [...] may not fail of attaining of them, though I have no [...] been strong enough to be perfectly Innocent: Yet mak [...] me Humble enough to be truly Penitent, make m [...] [Page 88] Heartily sorry that ever I have done amiss, and never again dare to do that for which I am sorry; but per­petually Watch, and Change my Thoughts, to more diligent and concerning Cares, how to redeem my mispent Time with Sighs, and Tears, and Prayers; and prepare our Understanding to assent to thy Truths, and our Wills to follow thy Divine Inspirations; that thou O God maiest fill our Memories with innumera­ble Mercies, and our whole Souls with the Glory of his adorable Atributes; that thy Blessed Spirit may come and breathe thy spacious Odor into our Hearts, in these dull Regions here beneath, to fill our Souls with thy sweet Grace, and Inspire us to give all pos­sible Glory to that secret Three, One ever Living So­vereign Lord, as at the first still may be, Beloved Praised, Feared and Adored. Hallelujah.

O Lord, open the Eyes of our Understanding, and shew us thy clear and supernatural Light, even [...] thou didst to the Apostles, together with the whole Army of Martyrs; that we may confidently [...]ffirm to others what we know so Infallibily cer­ [...]ain our selves: And be pleased to infuse into all [...]ens Hearts the fulness of thine own Divine Charity, that every one may instruct his Family; and with Courage and Patience overcome their Oppressors, that being thus Illuminated with a pure and clear [...]ight, and inflamed with the ferver of Grace, [...]hey may mightily shew forth thy Glory, and Con­ [...]ert many Souls to thee, that thy Grace may run [...]nd be Glorious over all the World, and thy Holy [...]pirit be aimable in the Hearts of every Creature, [...]hat all dulness may be removed from them, and they [...]nay with swift Glances understand the sweet Will [...] their Divine Master, that they may Daily more and [...]ore increase in Virtue, and be inebriated with thy [...]eavenly Wine, and filled with an Heroick Spirit, [...]at may keep alive in their Hearts the Primitive [Page 89] Grace. Grant this O God who art still the same, and with an equal Spirit Governs the World; re­plenish us all we beseech thee with the Holy Ghost, which warms without scorching, and shines without dim [...]ess, and inlightens without consuming: Kindle in every one of our Hearts this Holy Spirit of Meek­ness, Peace, and Unity, that all the World may know that we belong to thee. That exercising those Virtues of Meekness, Long Suffering, Patience, Con­tentedness and Charity; thou maiest difuse thy Holy Joy into our Breast, that may fill our Hearts with Strength and undaunted Courage, that may duly qualify us to ascend to those satisfing Joys above, where all our Faculties shall be exercised in Adoring and Worshiping thee O Lord our God, who wilt fill our Souls full of Joy, and Ravish our Hearts with over­flowing Pleasures, and make us ever give Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the undivided Three One equal Glory, one same Praise, from henceforth and for ever be. Hallelujah.

A Prayer for the Rich and Noble.

O Lord, I beseech thee, make the Great and Hon­ourable become Good and Just, O suffer them never to consent, nor combine with the Counsel of the Wicked, but teach the Rich and Noble to lear [...] to wait for thy Kingdom, cause them to im [...]ploy their Wealth and Power in Piety, for Religio [...] and Charity, for the Poor; let them not loos [...] their Courage in thee O King of Kings, for any diffi [...]culties they meet with in their way, but increase thei [...] Faith, and support their Hope, that they may go o [...] cheerfully in their Duty, firmly trusting in thee with [...]out being removed from the Hope of a Blessed acce [...]tance and a sure Reward. O make them diligent [...] [Page 90] all their indeavours, by removing all lets and hinde­rances of Piety, cause them Religiously to trust in thy never failling Goodness, which will rather work a Mi­racle, which thy Power can do: Then forsake or slight thy Servants which thy Goodness cannot, let the firm assurance of this support them in every Centre of their Lives, that they may always dedicate themselves to thy Service, striving to be beneficial to the Poor, that so at [...]ength both Poor and Rich may meet together in the Kingdom of Glory, to Praise the Eternal King for ever and ever. Amen.

A Charitable Prayer for the Conversion of all Hereticks.

O Thou all-knowing Being, have Mercy upon the Church of Rome, bless her with the choicest and [...]he richest of thy Blessings, power on her a double Portion of thy Spirit, illuminate her with thy Truth, [...]urge out of her all Errors, Heresie and Superstition, [...]nd whatsoever is contrary to Truth; make her such [...]s she once was, a Pure, Spotless, and Holy Church, [...]ee her from all those Abominations which now she [...] involved in, illuminate her once again with the [...]right Beams of thy pure Truth, that she may see [...]er Errors, and forsake them, and cleave only to thee, [...] God, that she may become such as thou canst not [...]huse but love, and be delighted with; take from her [...]hatsoever displeaseth thee, make her Pure, Spotless [...]nd Innocent, full of Charity and good Fruits, free [...]er from all those Superstitions and Corruptions she [...]ave of late imbrac'd. With her, be merciful to all [...]ther Churches, which differ from the Ancient Truth, [...]ake us all one Sheepfold, under one Shepherd Christ [...]sus, that we may all give thee Honor and Praise is most justly due; compleat that Promise of gi­ving [Page 91] thy Son the Heathen for his Heritage, and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possessions. Bless the King's Most Excellent Majesty, JAMES, by thy Grace, of Great Brittain and Ireland, Supream Governor, bind up his Soul in the Bundle of Life, give him a long and prosperous Reign, with abundance of Peace and Plenty, and when, at length, it shall please thee to gather him to his Fa­thers, Crown him with Immortal Glory. And with him, bless his Queen, with Queen Dowager, their Royal Highnesses William and Mary, the Prince and Princeses of Orange, and the Princess Anne of Den­mark, make them Instruments of much Good to the Church of England, and these Nations, and give them a Crown of Immortal Glory in thy Heavenly Kingdom. Bless all the Nobility, the Judges, and the Gentry, with the whole Commonalty of these Nations, give them all True Faith and Fear to thee their God, Loyalty to our Gracious Sovereign, and Brotherly Love and Charity one towards another; and Bless with the choicest of thy Blessings the Clergy of this Nation, the Most Reverend the Arch-Bishops, and the Right Reverend the Bishops, with all Priests and Deacons: Grant, we beseech thee, that thy Grace may illustriously appear in them, that by the Holiness of their Lives, and the Soundness of their Doctrine, they may bring many Souls to the Obedience of our Most Holy Faith; and be­cause no Man's Greatness or Wisdom can secure him from the Grave. We beg thee, bless all Schools and Nurseries of Piety and Learning, especially the two Universities of our Land, that from thence may pro­ceed Men able and willing, to tell Judah of her Sins and Israel of her Transgressions, and be mindful o [...] those who suffer Affliction with Joseph; comfort all those who in this transitory Life, are in Trouble, Sor­row, Need, Sickness, or any other Calamity, suppor [...] them under, and give them a happy Issue out of al [...] their Troubles, bind up their Souls Wounds, and fi [...] [Page 92] their Spirits with Joy and Gladness; be with all those that are going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, let thy Holy Angels conduct them safe to thy Eternal Kingdom, let the Blood of Jesus bespeak their Peace with thee, appoint those blessed Spirits to bring their Souls safe into Bliss and Glory; make us all, we pray thee, mindful of our Departure, that from thence­forth, we may be for ever happy: Mean time, make us all truly thankful to thee, for all Spiritual and Temporal Mercy to us, for the blessed Use of thy Word and Sacraments, for Food and Nourishment, and for all the Blessings we daily injoy, Health, Peace and Liberty, for all the Conveniencies of this Life, and for the Means and Hopes of a better. O impress in our Minds, the lovely Idea of thy Majesty, that we may seek to worship and adore thee according to thy excellent Greatness, who art infinitely worthy of all Praise, Honour and Glory. O inlarge our Souls to pay thee such Praises, as may be in some degree wor­thy of thee, or at least, such as thou wilt be graci­ously pleased to accept. These Mercies we beg of thee, for Jesus Christ's sake: To whom with thee, O Father, and the Eternal Spirit, be all Honour, Glo­ry, Power and Praise, Might, Majesty, and Dominion, now henceforth and for ever. Hallelujah.

O Lord, I beseech thee, to magnify thy Power in my Preservation, that my feeble Knees fains not; preserve me from all unconstancy and deceitfulness of Heart, that I may be presented to thee, pure and un­blamable: Be not wroth with us very sore, neither remember our Iniquities for ever; but cause thy Face to shine upon thy Sanctuary, which is in danger of being desolate. Give Ease to those that are in Pain, Supplies to all that are in Want. Give presumptious Sinners a deep Sense of their Sins, and a true Sight of thy Mercies to all that are in despair, that they may [...]ot cast away their Confidence in thee, nor place it any [Page 93] where but in thee: Abhor them not, nor cast them away in displeasure; but wean all our hearts from the love of this World, and dispose of us as thy all-wise Counsel have determined, but c [...]use us to set our Af­fections above, where thou, O King of Glory, seteth at the Right Hand of thy Father, to interceed for us, that all our Weaknesses may be pitied, our Sins par­doned, our Graces strengthened, and our Souls eter­nally saved. In all our Pains of Body, and Agonies of Spirit, give us thy refreshing Comforts, endew us with Patience and Courage, Fortitude, and a full mea­sure of Faith, to bear, to undergo and to overcome; Look, with Compassion, upon all poor Creatures that draw near the approaches of Death, open the Gates of thy everlasting Mercy to them, and receive them to thy Favour; cause Death to be to them a Joyful Gate of Glory, and an Entrance into everlasting Bliss, for thine own bowels and compassion sake. Amen.

A Prayer for a Member of the Church of England.

O Lord take not off thy afflicting hand, till I am reformed, and my Sins consumed; suffer me ne­ver to receive the least check against, nor disaffection to the True Religion Established in (the Church of) England: Let me return an humble denial to all that shall propose such an unreasonable Question to me; but if my denial will not suffice in this case, give me cou­rage rather to part from my Life, than to forsake my Faith; and if my case be so happy, give me Grace, with chearfulness, to pray for my Persecutors, though dying by their Cruelty, that I may deeply impress constancy and true courage in the hearts of all my Spectators, that we all may sacrifice our Wills to God before our Bodies, and both, whenever it shall please him to require them at our hands; assist us in the do­ing this, by the powerful Operations of thy Divine Grace, which we beseech thee, always plentifully to supply us with, for thy Mercy sake. Amen.

[Page 94] O Lord have Mercy upon our Parents, let th [...] Souls be bound up in the bundle of Life grant them Grace to live a quiet and peaceable, just and honest Life here, that when they come t [...] die they may live with thee, and thy Christ in th [...] Heavenly Kingdom. Look not upon their Merit but pardon their Offences, for thy Bowels an [...] Compassions sake, to whom be all Honour and Glor [...] World without end. Amen.

A Prayer at receiving the Holy Sacrament.

O Lord and Heavenly Father, we thy humble Se [...]vants beseech thy Fatherly Goodness to loo [...] down from Heaven, thy Holy Habitation, th [...] Throne of thy Glory, with an Eye of Pitty and Compassion upon us thy Servants, let not our Sins hinde [...] our Prayers from ascending up unto thee, or preven [...] thy Mercies coming down upon us; but come we pray thee, and Sanctifie these Souls and Bodies o [...] ours, and make them fit Habitations for thy Holy Spi­rit to dwell in; and come Sanctifie these thy Crea­tures, to the end, for which we receive them, that the receiving the Blessed Sacrament may be unto us, for the Conformation of our Faith, for the Strengthning our Hope, and for the Pardoning of all our Sins, and for the increase of all thy Graces in us, that the Pal­ [...]ate of our Souls may be so changed thereby, that we may relish nothing besides thee; but Hunger and Thirst after this Bread of Life, and Cup of Salvation, till we change this place of Misery, to enjoy thy Pre­sence in thy Heavenly Kingdom, for ever and ever. Amen.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAge 1. line 6. for whose, read what. p. 7. l. 21. r. the Judge of. p. 24. l. 2. r. nor repine. p. 70. l. 29. [...]. exclude.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.