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AN ESSAY UPON THE WORKS OF Creation and Providence: BEING AN Introductory Diſcourſe TO THE Hiſtory of Remarkable Providences, Now preparing for the Preſs.
To which is added a FURTHER SPECIMEN of the ſaid WORK: AS ALSO Meditations upon the Beauty of Holineſs.
By William Turner M. A. and Vicar of Walberton in Suſſex.
The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his Handy Work.Pſalm 19.1.
LONDON, Printed for John Dunton, at the Raven in Jewen-ſtreet, and are alſo ſold by Edm. Richardſon near the Poultry Church. 1695.
MY Deſign is not to offer you here any Flattering Encomium, but to acknowledge a Score that I have run upon in your Books for ſome time; to make a little Apology for the ſeeming negligence and forI am alive, but the Favours you have ſomealive in my thoughts too: Only my ſelf lie half-buried in Cares and Books; ſo that I want leiſure to pay my Debts and Devoirs in due time and manner; and faculty to do it in due meaſure. Be pleaſed to contemplate a little while with me here the Beauty of the Outward Parts of Heaven, and thence make conjecture at the Wiſdom of Him that made the World, and the Proviſion He hath made in the Higheſt Heavens, for all that Love and Obey Him in Truth. This is but a Harbinger for a more Compleat Hiſtory of Divine Providence, deſigned e're long for the Preſs. It cannot be improper
Aſcend Piſgah by deHemiſphere; to leave the Stars, whilſt we make enquiry after all the Inviſible Hoſt of the Middle Region, that are emGod of Heaven make your Graces ſhine more and more in the mean time, that they may outſhine and outlaſt the Stars, and you your ſelves be fixed in their room for ever; ſo pray I for you, pray you ſo for,
'TIS the Prerogative of HuLofty Figure and Viſage, but Intellectuals too, far ſuperiour to all the Bruitiſh kind; And this Endowment beſtowed uplive Above it. My Deſign is to
Jacob's Ladder, to ſatisfie a little the Curioſity of my Nature, to inform my ſelf firſt of all; and then my Fellows (ſo far as ſoPhenomena of the Etherial Region: To acquaint my ſelf and others with the Outward Face of Heaven firſt of all, and all the Viſible Furniture of the Outward Court: Thoſe Glorious Spangles of Stars and Planets, thoſe Fiery Meteors, and other Strange Exhalations and Vapours, that occur to our Senſes and common Obſervations.
And this not for Bare Contemplation only; but with a Deſign to make as Natural, Genuine and Reaſonable Deductions for Practice, as poſſible. This is all I aim at in this Treatiſe; but with a full purNew Survey e're long of that Spiritual
and Inviſible World, where thoſe Dii Medioxami, Intermediate Apeep out of our Priſon, and take acquaintance, in what degree lawfully we can, with Angels and Naked Spirits.
Intelligent and Spiritual Miniſters in the Exerciſe of his Providence, if we might not enquire after them, and take acquaintance with them. Is He aſhamed of his Spiritual Train and Family? Or are they ſo mighty ſtrange
Occurrences of Hiſtory, all thoſe conſpicuous Remarks of the Divine Providence, wherein their Footſteps are plainly viScala Coeli; to the Veil that interpoſeth between us and the Inner Court; to the Gate of the New Jeruſalem; and no farther. The Lord Guide us, the Angels Guard us in all our ways, till we are got ſafe into that place, where we ſhall be ſatisfied with Gloſurprized, and bravely entertained with Joyous Company and Glorious Objects, and Tread not only the Moon, but all the Starry Globes under our Feet for evermore, Amen.
IN my Contemplation of this Subject, my Deſign is to take meaſure by the Sublimity of Our Aſpect and the ExcellenOrder and Method of my Thoughts. Both theſe ſeem naHeavens and Heavenly Bodies, and the Appurtenances that are more nearly relaGlobe of Earth, the very Sediment of the
future Thoughts and Medithe Glory of God, I ſhall conſider,
I. The Greatneſs of the Heavens.
II. The Quality of them.
III. Their Scituation.
IV. The Stars and Planets.
V. Other Inferior Appurtenances, Comets, Thunder and Lightning, Air and Winds, Storms and Tempeſts, Hail, Rain, Snow and Froſts, Extraordinary Signs and Apparitions, &c.VI. The Continuation of them.
VII. Their Extenſiveneſs and Univerſality.
And Laſtly, Becauſe amongſt all theſe the Sun is the moſt Admirable, moſt Conſpicuous, moſt Glorious Body, I ſhall Aſſign a particular Meditation upon This Great and Excellent Luminary by it ſelf.
But ſo I ſhall manage my Diſcourſe from the Beginning to the End, as to intermix it all along with Practical Remarks and Inferences; as accounting it (beneath a Chriſtian eſpecially) but a poor Exerciſe to expend our Beſt Thoughts upon Barren Spe
1. THen I ſhall conſider the Greatneſs of the Heavens. By the Heavens, I mean not the Supreme Emperial Part, not the Seat of the Bleſſed, which is out of ſight, and the reach of Human Senſe, but the outward, lower inviſible parts of the Heavenly Orbs; thoſe parts which may be ſeen: And how great theſe are you canvaſt, that they comprehend within the cavity of them the whole Ʋniverſe, beſides all the Earth, Seas, Air, and every thing that belongs to them. Aſtronomers ſay, the Primum
Mobile is 1960 times bigger than the Earth; whatever 'tis, the magnitude is wonderful, paſt our fathom, and enough to fill us with the admiration of Him that made it.
OF ſuch a ſubtile, diaphinous nature, that it will not terminate our ſight, a man may ſee through it, if the diſtance did not hinder; more thin and perſpicuous than the Air it ſelf, clearer than the Chryſtal, or the fineſt Glaſs, Ezek. 1.22. Rev. 21.11. Rev. 4.6. So immutable, that for near upon 6000 years it hath not been impaired, or decayed, or altered with continual exerciſe and motion. Every thing here below the Moon is ſubject to change: The outward and courſer Arches of the Heavens ſuffer no damage; even Stones and Monuments, in this lower World, die with age: The Poſts and Pilimmortal, I mean ſo, that no creature can endamage them, till the God that made them, for
The nearer to God and Heaven, the more pure, firm and laſting the Conſtitution of the Creature is.
If the Outward Heavens are ſuch, what is the Seat of the Bleſſed, which (if termina
The FIG ƲRE alſo is very Wonderful: So vaſtly Great, and yet exCirculus (ſaid the Philoſophers) eſt Divinum quid. And the Egyptians pourtrayed one of their DiviniKneph) as a Beautiful Man, with Feathers on his Head, a Girdle, and a Scepter in his Hand, with an Egg, (the Hieroglyphick of the World) proceeding out of his Mouth. And ſome of them did adore the Circle of the Heavens, as an ex&c. Nor is there any Being ſo perfect as God, withHow great then in Power and Wiſdom muſt this God be, that ſtretched out the Heavens like a Round Canopy, and hung it over this lower World, in ſo exact and Circular a Figure, that no inequality can be found in it!
ALL this Great Body, hung with an Innumerable Number of Stars and Planets, (each Body big enough to make a World of), all this hung upon Nothing; no Material Arches, no viſible Pillars to ſupport it! Nothing but the Power of him that made it. It ſurpaſſes Humane Skill, the Wit of all Men in the World, to hang a little Ball, or an Egg-ſhell in the Air, without ſomewhat material to ſupport it. God hath no only hung the Earth, (but the Heavens alſo) upon nothing. What cannot the God of all the World do! Let Him but ſpeak the Word,
His World is enough for a World to ſtand upon! and ſhall poor ſneaking man be afraid to venture upon his Promiſe! He ſpake the World, and the World was crePeter ſtep forth upon the Sea at the voice of his Saviour, he begins to ſink: And if the ſinner do but eſſay to truſt upon the Word of the Almighty, when no outward ſupply is ready at Hand, his Faith fails him, and he ſinks into Deſpair! So long as we have money in our pockets, or a Remedy in ſight, we can keep our feet, but inpoverty, diſtreſs, and danger, all the promiſes in the Goſpel, ſealedwith the World and Oath of a God, are not ground enough for man to ſet his foot upon!
WHich deſerve to be conſidered, 1 As Many. How many I know not. You have heard the phraſes, as the Stars of Heaven for multitude, and as the Sands upon the Seaſhore, uſed promiſcuouſly, ſometimes one, ſomeHe telleth the number of the Stars, and call them all by their Names, If the Stars of Heaven be ſo numerous, what are the Inhabitants that dwell beyond! I grant 'tis a LittleFlock that goes to HeaAbraham, Gen. 15.5. Look now towards Heaven and tell, &c. The nnmber of them them that ſtand about the Throne, is ten thouſand timesten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands ſtand before him! Rev. 5.11. He keepeth mercy for thouſand of them that
love him, and keep him Commands. And let not any think, that amongſt ſo many Children God will forget or overlook any of them, he knows them all, and will loſe none of them. He calls his own Sheep by name, and leads them out, john 10.3. He counts our wandrings, put our Tears into a Bottle, the very Hairs of our Head are allnumbred: There's not a word in our Mouth, nor a thought in our Heart, but he knows it altogether! Such knowJob c. 9.2. how ſhould men be juſt with God?
2. Their greatneſs: Indeed they ſeem little to us, becauſe they are a great way off: Diſtance of place gives diſadvantage to the proſpect; but lie that ſaith they
Sun was no bigger than his head. The Learned and moſt Skillful Aſtronomers do generally conclude it for a demonſtrative Truth, that the leaſt Star in the Firmament is bigger than the Earth we live upon; And yet theſe ſo great Bodies are carried ſo high, ſupported only with the hand of the AlStars in Heaven, there to ſhine for ever and ever.
4. Dſtance from one another (eſpecially thePlanets) and from the Earth. The Moon is next to us, Mercury next, Venus in the third place, the Sun fourth, Mars the fifth, Jupiter the ſixth, Saturn higheſt; the Fixed Stars abovethemall. Were they all the ſame Orb, they would move together at the ſame time, and make no diſtinction of Day and Night, of Winter and Summer, or not ſo much as would
ſet this World on fire, and ſend us off the Stage, and burn the Univerſe into a Scrole: Should God draw back the hand of his Omnipotence but one moment, the Stars would fall upwhole World into a Hell in the twinkling of an Eye! How neceſſarily do we depend upon the Divine Mercy for our ſafety and ſecurity every hour we live! more ways than one (than a thouſand)doth he keep death and deGlobes as big as Worlds, and moſt of them far greater, hanging over our Heads all the days of our Life, and weſtill walking ſafe under them; how much (methinks) do we owe to the Power and Good Providence of God forſaving our Lives in ſuch eminent danger, were thoſe excellent Bodies ſubDamocles ſat down to Table at a Feaſt, with a naked Sword hanging over his Head, with a Horſe-hair, had no such rouſon of an awful fear upon him, as we have; if he that Govern'd the Stars were a Man, and not God.
5. Their Light. Which is ſo great in all, that if but one of the Stats or PlaMoon, which hath none but borrowed Light) that if they were not kept at a diſtance from us, would certainly dazle our weak Eyes into abſolute blindneſs; or if removed much farther off, would not ſerve our neceſſities.
6. Motion, Incredibly ſwift, inſomuch that as Leſſins ſaith, ſuch Stars as are near the Equinoctial Line, do move every hour 40 millions ofmiles, every million being 1000000, and ſo in one hour move more than comes to 2000 times the Compaſs of the Earth. The Sun (ſaith the ſame Author) in the compaſs of one hour goes in its motion 1000000 miles; whereupon 'tis certain, that in the ſame ſpace of time it equals the Compaſs of the Earth in its courſe above 50 times. What an amazing wonder of Omnipotence is this! Let thoſe
prove the Being of a God. Here's a Miracle, that preſents beWhy, what would men have a God todo, more than this! If he ſhould make a freſh Creations of a World every hour, men might ſtill wink and disbelieve; and ſtill call for freſh MiJehovah had nothing elſe to do, than humour the ſilly Paſſions of hard hearted ſinners, of pitiful ineredulous worm! Well! it will not be long, but God will juſtifie himſelf to theſe men, before Angels and Devils; and ſhew in ſpight of all their ſpightful inſidelity, that he did not leave himſelf without witneſs in the World.
7.Influences, which are divers, and ſome of them not known to us, or diſco
1. Warming theſe Sublunary Bodies, and inſuſing ſueli a heat into them, as is neceſTake away but the Sun out of the Firmament, and no Spring would appear, Man would
Sol & Homo generant hominem. Nay, were the Sun remoEngland would be Ireland, and all our year prove a cold Winter; our very Senſes would prove chill, and our Reaſons follow hard after them, for temperamentum animi ſequitur temperamentum Corpois: What an excellent God have we to deal with, who accommodates us ſo kindly, ſeaſonably, ſuitably with Fire and Fuel from Heaven, not only to fera great Bonefire for the benefit of the Earth, it would not do ſo much good (but would come infinitely ſhort) as the Stars and Planets of Heaven. Beſides, if the warmth of the lower Orbs be ſo friendwhat is the Grace of God that comes down from the Inner Heaven, the Light of his Countenance,
laugh and ſing, ſhall not the Special Grace and Favour of the Almighput gladneſs into our hearts! and make us chearful in the Service of our Maker! If the preſence of the Hoſts of Heaven, the Sun, Moon and Stars be ſo comfortable, what is the preſence of the Lord of Hoſts, the Bleſſed God, the Communion of the Holy Jeſus, the Inmany ſay, who will ſhew us any good, —&c. Beſides, if the Outward Court of this World be ſo comAtrium Gentium ſo pleaſant, and is the Sanctum Sanctorum (the Holy of Holies) devoid and deſolate!
2. The Flux and Reflux, Ebb and Flowing of the Sea; that indeed depends, as geneMoon only: But that is ſuch a Wonder in Nature, that it ſufficiently illuſtrates the Power and Wiſdom of God, Pſalm 107.21, 22, 23. Oh that men would praiſe the Lord, &c.
he turneth mand to deſtruction; again be, &c. Pſal. 90.3, 5, 6. Bſal. 107, 31, 32, &c.
3. Other ſecret Influences and Operations unknown to us, as to Weather, Health, Plenty, and it may be, Wars and Peace, Proſperity and Afflictions, Life and Death: For ſo far Aſtrologers go; but — I would be wiſe unto ſokiety, and not peer too far, leſt I ſhould be taxed for Curioſity; in all this the Glory of God appears.
I Shall here ſpeak of the other Inſevlour Appurtenances of Heaven, I chooſe to range them under that notion, becauſe I intend not ſo much a Lecture of Philoſophy, as a plain diſcourſe of Divinity. I mean the Comets, Thunder and Lightning, Wind and Air, Vapours and Exhabations, Storms and Tempeſts, Hail, Rain and Snow, ſtrange Apparitions and Phenomena. I hope my time will not be quite loſt, nor I cen
1. Comets and Blazing Stars, or whatever elſe of that nature appears in the Heavens above us. I paſs over thoſe Miteors of
leſſer moment, Falling Stars, Burning Launces, Flying Dragons, Skipping Goats, Ignes Fatui and licking Fires, as exhalatiComets are the moſt ſtupendious. I hope, no body aDemocritus, who took them for the Souls of the Saints Trimphing in Glory: Or as others, Fires carried thither by Spirits, only to aſtoniſh the World.
Whatever they are generated of (for I will not meddle here with the Phyſical Conſideration) their meaning is ſomething; the God of Nature, who is ſo Wiſe, as to make nothing in vain, without all doubt puts them in the Heavens for ſome ſign or other: Nor dare I be peremptory, to aſCoeleſtial Hierogliphycks is, that God is going to do ſome great thing in the World; and that at the hanging out of thoſe Flags, it behoves men to enquire into their Lives, and ſearch their ways more narrowly, and prepare — to meet their God, who is coming to judge the World in equity, and maketh theſe Flames of Fire his Harbingers to prepare his way, and give notice of his coming. I ſhall not trouble you with particular Inſtances
Birth of our Saviour a Star appeared, which perhaps was the Comet ſpoken of by Heathen Authors in the days of Anguſtus, of a ſtupendious greatHic Puer Major te eſt, Ipſum adora. Our laſt great Comet, I doubt not, was of extraordinary ſignifiWhat a Gracious God have we, that never ſcarce goes about any great Commotions or Changes in the World, but he gives warning beforehand! as if, not wilſigns in the Heavens above, when he is about to do any great Work in the Earth beneath! And therefore as Darius in the caſe of Daniel, Chap. 6.26, 27. Let men tremble and fear before this God, for he is the Living God and ſteadfaſt for ever, his Kingdom that which ſhall not be deſtroyed; and his Dominion ſhall be even unto the end; he delivereth and reſcueth, and worketh ſigns and wonders in Heaven and Earth.
2. Thunder and Lightning, called by the Pſalmiſt the Voice of God, and by
Trumpet that ſhall ſound at the laſt day to raiſe the Dead, and to call to Judgment.
I will not trouble you with declaring the ſtrange and divers effects of this kind of Meteor, its hurting of things Inward, when the Outward are ſafe; ſhattering the Bones, when the Fleſh is left ſound; melting the Blade of the Sword, when the Scabbard is free; breaking the Veſſel, when the Wine flows not away; exempt&c. It is enough to ſay, that 'tis a ſtupendious Meteor, and may well be called the Voice of the Divine ExcelJob 37.2, 3, 4, &c. Job 26.6, — 14. It is ſaid of Nero, that a Thunderbolt fell upon his Table, and ſtruck the Cup out of the Emperors Hand. And we have known in our Age ſome ſtrong Towers and high buildings demoliſhed to the very gound with Lightning. Some Men ſtruck dead, ſome lamed, ſome blinded; Trees clove aſunder. A LearnKnave Cooper beating of his Tubs; but he had not gone much farther, but himſelf was ſtruck dead. This may teach us to put on a Reverential awe of the Divine MaCaligula) who uſed to brave it out, as if he meant to vye with the Almighty, and cry — &c. Give unto the Lord (O ye Mighty) &c. and Pſal. 97.1, 2, 3, 4. To ſee all the lower World cover'd with thick Clouds, and the Cracks of Thunder ſhake the very Pillars of the Earth, and terrible Flaſhes and Corruſcations of Ligtning, with a ſpeedy pace fly from one end of the Heavens to the other; is ſo like the Voice of God, and a Type or ShaBlack Gloomy Day, which ſhall put a period to the World, that it may well be a Memento of our Duty and Reverence we owe to the Divine MaWho ſhall be able to ſtand, when God appears! When this Great and Terrible God ſhall by the ſound of
Trumpet, or the Voice of an Arch-Angel, ſummon the World to JudgMount Sinai was ſo dreadExod. 19.16. — Chap. 20.18, 19. — What will the Great Aſſizes be, when all the men that ever lived in the World ſhall be called to give up their laſt AcThen Oh! — Come ye Mountains and fall upon us, and ye Rocks cover us, and hide us from the Wrath of the Lamb!
Then Oh! Where will the Heart and Stoutneſs of the PreſumptuPſal. 50.1, 2, 3, 4.
3. Air and Winds, which what to make of, we know not; 'tis ſuch an inviſible, and yet real Meteor, that it will puzzle the Natural Reaſon of the moſt ſubtile Philoſopher to tell the NaThe Wind, &c. If Man be ſo dim in Naturals, with what face can he boaſt his knowledge of Spiritual Objects! We neither know the Air that ſurrounds us every where, nor the Wind that whiſtles in our Ears, nor the Souls that lodge in our own Bodies! We are ſo blind, ſo near home! And 'tis enough to make us bluſh at our own weakneſs; and ſuch ignorance ſhould make us humble; and ſuch humility ſhould make us learn! and till we are thus qualified, we are not fit to learn.
What a pround lump of Clay is fooliſh Man, that cannot comprehend things ſo near him, things meerly natural, things ſo common and ordinary; and yet will call every Point of his Religion, even the ſublimiſt Myſteries to the Tribunal of Mear Reaſon! And edetermine in partiPrivy Counſellour to the Almighty! and judge others cenſoriouſly, unkindly, for differing from him but in the leſſer, doubtful, difficult Points of Religion! and proſecute ſeverely for not knowing and believing with equal clearneſs as himſelf.
But beſides, — We are often wondring at the Nature of God himſelf; and cannot tell how to frame a Notion of a Being every where preſent: Is not the Air and Wind a fit Emblem to ſhadow-forth this Attribute of the Divinity to us! Is not the Air in every Creviſs of our Houſes! in our Noſtrils! in our very Bowels! Doth it not fill the World! and enter into the ſmalleſt pores of our Bodies! and yet 'tis but a Creature, and we ſee it not! Why ſhould we think it ſuch an impoſſible thing for the God of Heaven to fill all places with his Preſence, and yet be limited to no bounds! nor viſible to any Eyes! The ſame word that we uſe to ſignifie Air, is uſed alſo to expreſs the Spirit of God by, in almoſt all the Languages, viz. Spiritus, Latine; &c. And we find the Spirit of God chooſing ſometimes to come down and ſhew himſelf under this repreſentation, as 1 Kings 19.11, 12. to Elijah in a ſtill ſmall Voice, qu. only the whiſtling noiſe of a Calm Air: But Acts 2.2. to the apprehenſion, in the ſound of a ruſhing mighty Wind.
I have one thing more to remark upthis Meteor, as tending very much to ſet forth the Glory of God; and that is, its divers Ʋſes and Effects. 'Tis a woncarries all the Fowls of the Air, (which would no more be able to fly without it, than the Fiſhes of the Sea to ſwim without Water;) it bears up the heavy Clouds, and fans, purges and tranſports them from place to place; ſo that we ſay truly, as Pſal. 18.10. that the Divine Glory doth ride upon the Cherubs, and flies upon the Wings of the Wind: — it is a Faithful Meſſenger in the Hand of the Almighty to bring Tokens of Kindneſs, or Judgments to a People: One while Flies and Caterpillars innumerable, Frogs and Lice; Plagues and peſtilential infections; another while Quails and Manna, Fleſh and Feather'd Fowl, Rain, Plenty and Proſperity: In ſhort, it fans our Lungs, and walks to and fro through our Noſtrils every moment, and we are not able to breath without it: And yet this ſo uſeful, ſo neceſſary, ſo common a Creature we cannot ſee, we cannot comprehend! In God we live, move and have our being, he is within us and without us, and we know him not! and no abſurdity in all this!
Storms and Tempeſts, not as ſpecifically different from them, but yet ſuch as may require a conviolent eruptions of Wind and Vapours, or other watry Exhalations comſuddainneſs or violence, or ſurprizing and contrary motioverturn Trees, Houſes, Cities; overrending ſometimes Rocks aſunder, and carrying them into the midſt of the Sea; ſometimes dividing parcels of Land from the Continent, and carring them into the Ocean, for Iſlands; of which Hiſtories are full of Examples. All that I ſhall remark upon this Particular is, that as the Storms are of God's ſending, ſo they are ſubject to his Government, Nah. 1.3, 4. The Lord hath his way in the Whirlwind, &c. vide Pſal. 107.25, 26, 27, — 29. and Pſal. 148.8. The ſtormy wind fulfilling his word. You know the ſtory Mat. 8.23, 24, 25, 26, 27. But that which I drive at in theſe quotations is this, that he who rules the raging of the Sea,
ſtilleth the violent Storms of the Wind, and Waters, is able alſo to appeaſe the madneſs of a People; to huſh the noiſe and tumult of the World into a deep ſilence; to turn our Spears into Pruning-hooks, and our Swords into Plough-ſhears; to give us inſtead of a Storm a Calm; in our own Breaſts, in our Houſes and Families, in our Churches and Nations! Had not we beſt then in ſuch caſes, ariſe from our ſleep every one and call upon his God — as Jonah 1.4, 5, 6. and if our Lord ſeem to ſleep too, let us go and awaken him, in good earneſt, and ſay, Lord ſave us, or we periſh. And then he that keepeth Iſrael, and never ſlumbers nor ſleeps, will ariſe and ſcatter our Enemies, and ſhew himThis ſhall be the portion of their Cup, Pſal. 11.6. For the righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſs, his Countenance doth behold the upright.
5. Hail, Rain, Snow and Froſts, &c. I will not ſtay now to ſhew the particuKind, Order and Seaſons; nor if I cared to ſpend time upon it, have I skill to do it perfectdiverſe method in manuring of the Earth, and nurſing of Sublunary Bodies. I ſhall conclude this with only that emphatical exhortation of the Pſalmiſt, 147.12. ad finem.
6. To paſs over Eclipſes, Conjunctions and Rain-bows, &c. I ſhall inſtance only in Extraordinary Signs and Apparitions; as that of Angels appearing to Abraham, to Lot, to Jacob, to Manaoh, to David, to divers others; the extraordinary chaſms of Light in the Heavens at our Saviours Baptiſm, his Transfiguration, his AſcenſiApparition exhibited to Saul, to St. Stephen, the Revelations of St. John; the Prodigies before the DeJeruſalem; Armies conflicting in the Air; with a thouſand more ſuch wonders, which I liſt not to relate particuMat. 24. and Act. 2.20.19, and every Age almoſt is witneſs of ſome Miracle or other of this nature; tho not ſo many as many would believe. Even Heathen and Mahometan Hiſtory, as well as Chriſtian, give ſuffrage to this.
From the whole — we have this leſſon briskly intimated to us, viz. if the outward inſenſate Heavens, that are neither endued with Senſe nor Reaſon, but are of a bruitiſh nature, declare to the World the Glory of God, what would be expected from us men, to whom all theſe Creatures are given but as Servants! If theſe mute ſenſeleſs things preach ſo expreſly the Glory of Him that made them, what ſhould not man do, who tho he lives in place below them, yet is endowed with an Excellency far aagainſt us, to upbraid our diſobedience! Hear O Heavens, and give Ear, &c. All the Hoſt of the Inferior Heavens keep their place, and obſerve the Laws of their Creation, the very Clouds and Winds obey him! Only Man is an Ʋnruly; Ʋndutiful, Diſingenuous Obſtinate Thing! that will neither keep his Orb, nor ſerve the ends of his Creation, nor atTho our Feet are upon the Earth, our Heads reach above the Clouds, and we are near akin to the other World, and have very great concernments beyond the Stars; and yet that we ſhould let our Affections ſink into the Earth, and our Souls incline ſo ſtrongly towards Hell! For ſhame, Sirs, let us ſet forth the Glory of God a little better in our Generations, than commonly we do: Let us vye here upon the Earth by the exceltwinkling Lamps that ſhine over our Heads; let it never be ſaid to our diſgrace, that theſe (ſenſeleſs Creatures) glorifie God better in their place than we! Let our Faces, our Graces outſhine the Sun! Let men look on the Humility, Honeſty, Sobriety, Charity, Piety and Patience of our Lives, and give Glory to Him, that hath given ſuch Graces unto Men! and let theſe Graces never be darkned with any unGlorious to the World, and no HypoStars fall from Heaven, — (nor let our Moon be turned into Blood,) and
Grace to Glory, and ſhortly ſhine like Stars in the higheſt Heavens, yea as the Sun in the Firmament for ever. 1 Cor. 15.41. As we ſhine in Grace now,—ſo in Glory hereafter.
DAY unto Day uttereth Speech, and Night unto Night ſheweth Knowledge, (q.d.) one Day informeth another, and one Night gives in freſh evidence to another to prove the Truth of it: Not a Day nor a Night paſſeth over our Heads, but the Heavens preach this Sermon to us: We have a Continual Rehearſal of this Dobeginning of the World to this preſent time. This Preacher is ne
All that I can think neceſſary to be ſaid upon this particular, may be referred to two Heads.
1. Wherein the wonder of it lies.
1. In the multitude of the Bodies concerned. We obſerve of Mechanical Inſtruvery many wheels, or very many Motions, or other parts, are the moſt difficult to be kept in order. An Orchard with many Trees, or Garden with many Herbs and Flowers, require more Culture and dreſſing, or ſome will deThe Hoſts of Heaven are Thouſands, and the Apnone of the Stars out of their Orbs, ſince their firſt coming there.
Some People tell us of ſome new ones; as that in Caſſiopea, which was firſt diſcoSalvo to give
Seaſons, Day and Night, Summer and Winter have kept their times: The Sun its Revolutions, the Moon its due Changes; the Stars their proper Periods and exact motions; the ſtanding ſtill of the Sun in Joſhua's time; and the going back of it on Ahaz Dial, are Mi
2. The Greatneſs of them. Small Bodies are eaſily managed, and apt to motion; but Great Ones move ſlowly, according to the Courſe of Sublunary Nature. But they in the Etherial Orbs are of ſo vaſt a bigneſs, that that Conſideration doth mightily acgreaten the Wonder. That the Sun, Moon and Stars, all of them ſo big, ſhould move continually without diſAccent upon the Mi
3. The various Qualities they are of, and the different motions they make, do yet raiſe the Wonder to a higher Strain, to keep all one motion, eſpecially if all of one nature,
Eaſt to Weſt, from Weſt to Eaſt from North to South, from South to North again, as ſome of them do; and this con
4. Without Period. Flowers wither: Trees rot: Stones decay: Man dies. The very Face of things below will ſhortly ceaſe to be; and another ſucceed. The Day dies, and ſo doth the year: And Stones and Caſtles here decay; every thing here is weary of Motion. The Apoſtle tells us—The whole Creation groans: But here it Groans and Dies; only what is a kin more nearly to Heaven, and borders upon that Court, is of a more laſting ConSince the Fathers fell aſleep, all things (of that kind recontinue as they were from the beginning of the Creation, 2 Pet. 3.4, 7. For the Heavens are by the ſame word of God, by which they were Created, kept in ſtore, reſerved unto Fire againſt the Day of Judgment.
5. Without Interruption. No faulter in their Courſes, no breach of Continuity
6. Without Error, or Miſtake, or Deviation. Tho great and many and various in their Qualities, and incredibly ſwift in their Motions; yet have they committed no remarkable fault in all this tract of years and revolutions. They have all kept cloſe to the Path Chalkt out for them by their Creator, and have never leapt out of their Orbs. Nothing hath been able to tempt them from the Faithful Execution of their Offices and Employments: Who hath ever becken'd the Sun out the Firmapuſht the Moon out of its place? or made the Stars wander into ſtrange courſes? Or amidſt all their divers Motions, Mingled them into confuſion or diſorder? When was ever Day and Night jumbled together; or the Seaſons of the year reIllic juſto foeders rerum, veterem ſervant ſidera pacem.
2. Practical Inferences, Learn we then—
To hold on from day to day, from night to night, in the excellent Offices of a Chriſtian Life; let day to day utter ſpeech, and night to night ſhew knowledg, of our continual goodlucid Spangles, thoſe ſparkling Globes over our Heads, and uſe our Eyes to ſome good purpoſe: Let us make thence ſome Practical Deductions for our imitation, at leaſt emulation; and ſcorn to Truant and Loiter here, at that rate, as uſually we do. Let no Temptation ſoſten our Spirits into an unneceſſary repoſe, nothing proLet us never be weary of well doing. Particularly,
1. Let us never be weary of the duty of Prayer. 'Tis an excellent exerciſe, and ſuch as we ought continually to be intent upon: Our Saviour ſpoke a Parable (Luke 18.1, 2.) unto his Diſciples, that men ought always to Pray, and not to Faint. And the Apoſtle, Col. 4.2. Continue in Prayer and Watch in the ſame with thanksgiving, &c. And 1 Theſ. 5.17. Pray without ceaſing. And let this amongſt many others be one
viz. That God Almighty is continually from day to day, from night to night, ſerving and ſupplying our neceſſities, by the Miniſtery of the lower Heavens, (all the Hoſts of the Etherial Regions are in continual employment for our Good) why then ſhould we diſdain to beſtow ſome few Minutes upon warm and ſerious AddreſSun, Moon, or Stars, for to bear witneſs to our Ingratitude. You know the Story of Daniel, RecordThat three times every day he open'd his Windows, and ſet his Face towards Jeruſalem, and Prayed to the God of Heaven, even then, when pinch'd with the cloſe Temptations of the Court under a Heathen Emperor.
Let us (at leaſt) twice a day do Oa Morning and Evening Sacrifice continually: Let our Altars burn with Incenſe, at leaſt ſo often; and this ſhall not only perfume our Days and Nights, and make our Converſations ſmell ſweeter to our ſelves and Neighbours, but
And pleaſe the Lord better than a Bullock, &c. Job 1.5.
2. Let us Praiſe God continually, as long as we live let us praiſe the Lord; yea, let us ſing praiſes to him, whilſt we have any being, Pſal. 34.1. His Praiſes continue in my mouth, Pſal. 36.9.
3. Let us be continually employed in doing Good to others. And let us remember this, that our God cauſeth his Sun to ſhine, and Rain to Deſcend on the Juſt and Unjuſt. Let us try what we can to be like him; like our Heavenly Father, diffuſing our Rays to as wide a Circuit as poſſibly we can; not limiting our goodneſs to a few individual Perſons, or a Single Party, or a narrow bound, but (as our faculties will extend) to the Church Catholick, and the wide World in general. This is to be in truth—like the God of Heaven. And let our Charity never be diſcouraged, never tired. To do good, and to diſtribute, forget not, &c. To make it plainer yet; God hath given us a Copy of his Infinite Goodneſs in General, to the whole World, in the face of the outward Heavens (as of his ſpecial goodwhole Race of Mankind; and that not for a ſpurt, a ſhort fit of two or three Ages, but of continual Duration; his Patience is Indefatigable, and his Beneficence reacheth to the end of time. Let us then, if we will aim at Perfection, and try to tread in our Father's ſteps, Do good unto all men, without wearineſs, and Communicate the Light of our Graces, to a whole Nation, a whole World if poſſible, and never grudg to lend our Candles to the Aſſiſtance of thoſe that are about us. And as for thoſe narrow Souls that confine their goodneſs to a Canton, or whoſe Light is like that of a flaming Meteor, or an Ignis Fatuus, or a Falling Star, they deſerve to lie down in Darkneſs, and never more riſe up again to Light or Glory. Levit 24.2. Cauſe the Lamps to burn continually.
2. Let us conſider a little the Imployment of the Saints and Angels in Heaven. 'Tis pretty hard to conceive with our preſent
Compleat Happineſs, to the exerciſe of a continual Devotion, and yet this is handſomly reScheme of the Heavenly Bodies; the Sun, Moon and Stars are never weary, never decay, never wander out of their place, but ſtill are exerwhy ſhould we not ſtrike up, and mend our pace at preſent? Why do we often mutter and complain, as if it were a wearineſs to ſerve the Lord? And cry out, When will the Sabbath be over, that we may return to our worldly Cares and Pleaſures again? Is there ſo much difference indeed between Grace and Glory; between the Apprenquick a return from one Extreme to another? To be all Earth and Fleſh, and ſin here, and HeaHeaven'd in our Minds now; and be in a contiHaving theſe things always in remembrance, 2 Pet. 1.15. or as Pſal. 119.112. Enclined to perform the Statutes of the Lord always, or Pſal. 1.2. Exerciſing our ſelves in his Law day and night? And when we can do this, and do it with delight, we are upon the brink of a bleſſed Eternity, upon the skirts of the Holy Land! upon the Borders of Heaven! when our Light ſhines without darkneſs (tho it do Twinkle now and then!) and ſhines continually; when our Devotion doth not Die with the Day, but glimmers through the darkeſt Night—then, and not till then, we are in a fair way to the Life of Angels, and the Spirits of Juſt men made perfect.
3. Learn we hence to look for that which is laſting. In this World we have no continuing City, nothing durable, no laſting motion, unleſs it be that of Changes and Vieiſſitudes, Summer and Winter, Day and Night, Peace and War, Health and Sickneſs, Life and Death; even the Earth changes its Face according to the Seaſons; and the Seas tho they flow continually, they are ſupplied from the Clouds above,
found the perpetual Motion, Everlaſting Life; an Houſe Eternal, durable Riches and Righteouſneſs, Rivers of Pleaſure for evermore; there only is a continual Day, a Light that ſuffers no Darkneſs, a Sun always ſhining, an everlaſting Summer, along Eternity of Bliſs and Happineſs. This is eaſily demonſtrable to any one that knows the preſent World, and can but ſee the Skirts of the Holy Land, the very Borders of Heaven. Were it not Wiſdom for us then to leave off building with ſo much anxiety here, to take down our Scaffolds, and get a Jacobs Ladder, and climb up to that place of Angels, to ſend our Hearts before us, and caſt our Anchor ſafe within the Veil, and chooſe that other world for our portion, and think and ſpeak of it, and provide for it, and account it as our own, and pack up all our laſt cares and paſſions for it; that whilſt we live upon Earth, we may have our Converſations above, and then we ſhall be eternally ſafe from Hell beneath.
But eſpecially at the approach of any unkindly ſtop or period in our worldly comWinter, or Poverty, or Shame, or Sickneſs, or Death, — Let us then take the advantage of the opportunity, and look up as high as the Firmament and further, even beyond the Starry Orbs, and ſay with our ſelves, — In thoſe Countries, in that World is no Night, or Darkneſs, or Sickneſs, or Sea or Hell; — let us ſcorn to grovel here as we have done. Let us pack hence our Beſt Goods and be gone: Let that be our Home, and the Lord of that Country, our FaJeruſalem, the Metropolis of both Worlds.
4. Let us live by Rule, as thoſe Coeleſti(upon the ſcore of ſin) that hath ſo enday to day in the exacteſt courſe of a Religious Piety, making no conſiderafrailty of Humane Nature, may not be done, let the blot be preſently waſhed off by the Tears of a ſound Repentance; and then by that means all the crookedLet us try not only to keep pace with the Sun, but to out-vy all the Stars of the Firmament; and let it be accounted no diſgrace to be thus watchful and curious about the keeping of our Orbs, and ob
The Stars and Firmament, the expanded Sky and all the Hoſts of the Etherial Orbs ſpeak expreſly unto all the Nations of the Earth, that there is a God to be worſhipto all the Ends of the Word. Then let us conſider,
1. Whether the darkeſt — Nations — have heard this Voice!
Anſw. Yes, Their ſound hath gone out to all the ends of the World. And it is very eaſily made out. For,
1. They had no other Bible to read in, than that of Nature; and this of the HeaMoſes nor the Prophets, nor Evanword writ upon the Book of the Creation, the DiRom. 1.20. —
2. We find them confeſſing it, making uſe of this Book, reading ſtudiouſly amongſt the Stars, poring with an inquiReligious Philoſophy, and trace the Principles of a Spiritual Divinity. Seneca when he hath placed the Wiſe Man walking to and fro, by the contemplation of his mind, amongſt the Stars — Illic demum diſcit — (ſaith he) quod diu quaeſivit; illic incipit Deum noſſe. And in the beginning of his Book of Natural Queſtions, having unNiſi ad haec (the ſtudy of Divine Things, the Contempla&c.) admitterer, non fuerat operae — pretium naſci: — O quam contempta res eſt Homo, niſi ſupra humana ſe erexerit!
Nay more than this, they had geneoriginal of all their Theology from the Firmament: Their Gods were amongſt the Stars, nay — the Stars were their only Gods.
Homer.
Even the Egyptians themſelves are ac&c. were ſo well-skilled commonly in the Curious Arts of Aſtrology and Divination; which have been ſince derived and diffuſed from them to us, and the reſt of the World. Their Hermes Treſmegiſtus, Ptolomy and Haly, being Authors of great requeſt ſtill with our Aſtrologers and Prognoſti
2. What did they learn from hence? Truly a great deal more than ſome ChriGray-hair'd Chriſtians, for ſeven years toLeſſons they learn'd from the Contemplation and Study of theſe Things. Their Books of Moral PhiloſoAriſtotle, Plato, Cicero, Seneca, Iſocrates, &c. were they preach'd in our Pulpits, were enough to fill ſome number of years with Sermons ſtrong enough for our Auditors of the Lower Form: And convictive enough to ſhame the major part of Chriſtians among us into bluſhing and confuſion. Read over but the Roman Twelve Tables, Plato's Republic. the Laws of the ſeveral Heathen Nations about Religion, Sobriety, Juſtice, &c. And you'l find reaſon to fear left the Queen of the South, and the InhabiTyre and Sidon, the Greek, Scythian and Barbarian will eſcape better, ſome of them at the Day of Judgment, than many of Chriſtendom that have both the Books wide open before them all the days of their life, Rom. 2.14, 15.
What might they learn? Anſw. All the Articles of our Chriſtian Creed, and all the Precepts of our Chriſtian Religion, except thoſe which refer to the Cauſe and Cure of our Miſery; viz. The fall of Adam, and the Interceſſion of the Second Adam: That there was a God, one only Supreme Maker of Heaven and Earth, Infinite in the Attributes of Wiſdom, Power, Truth, Juſtice, Mercy, worthy to be worſhipped with a Holy Life, Prayer, Praiſe, Obedience, and a pure Heart and Affection; one that had a Good Will to ſave us, one that would reward us with excellent Rewards or Puniſhments, according to our Actions, in the other World: All this, and more than this they might have diſcernGlimmering Light of Nature in only the Frontiſpiece of Heaven, if they had but uſed their Eyes. And ſo much many of them did not only learn, but teach, and make a publick and ſtout proThe Exiſtence of one Supreme God, the Divine Governance of the World, the Immortality of the Soul, a Mediation between God and us, and almoſt all the Moral Duties of the Law in Subſtance; the diſtribution of Rewards and Puniſhments after this Life, diſtinct Places
and times of Worſhip, Prieſts and Prieſtly maintenance, and Attonements, and Purifications, and ſomething like the Dedicating of their Infants to God by Baptiſm, with ſecret Devotions, and Family Worſhip, as well as that which was publick in the Temples; All theſe, and much more, were aHeathen Religion: And excepting only ſome few ArTrinity, and eſpecially the buſineſs of our Redemption, and the True Notion of our two Sacraments, and it may be the Reſurrection of our Bodies, it were not very hard, to make out all the reſt of our Religion demonſtrable by the meer Light of Reaſon. The inviſible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made.
4. What Practical Deductions may be made from hence?
How great is God? A Contemplation of the Heavenly Fabrick will directly lead us to this point, viz. an admiration of the Divine Eternal Power of the Godhead. For Rom. 1.19. that which may be known of God is manifeſt to all the World, for God hath ſhewed it to them. He hath ſhewed his Face in the Glaſs of his Works,
Features there appear ſo gloriSplendor of the Divine Attributes gives ſhine to all the World, ſo that now all the Inhabitants of the Round World have ſcope enough for Spiritual Contemplation, and the exerciſe of their Rational Faculties; and the Turk and Pagan both have a book large and voluthe Nature of that God that made the Heavens, how he muſt ſtretch his Compaſs over the whole Ʋniverſe, how he muſt mete out the Heavens with a Span, and comprehend the Duſt of the Earth in a Meaſure, and weigh the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Ballance, and take up the Iſles as a very little thing, and meaſure the Waters in the hollow of his Hand, and make the Clouds his Chariot, and ride upon the Wings of the Wind; and climb up to the higheſt Orbs, and extend every Globe with the preſent thought; and hang not only the Earth, but the Heavens upon nothing; and this in the exacteſt order and perfection, that
no remarkable default ſhall appear in 6000 years in any part of all this Magnificent Building. — Who that conſiders a little the Nature of the Supream Architect, ſhall not be ready to cry out with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 8.1, 9. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth! who haſt ſet thy Glory above the Heavens. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth!
2. What little low worthleſs Creatures are we? That God who is the Author of ſuch excellent Handy-work, that dwells in that inacceſſible Light, in ſuch a glorious Palace, who can make Heagarniſh them in a moment, and fill the whole World with the Beams of his Glory, ſhould yet place his Affections ſo much on ſuch little ſilly things as we are! Pſal. 8.3, &c. Shall I ſpeak my Opinion freely in this matter? I do conceive, that one great Reaſon why God hath laid out ſo much of his Excellency, and beſtowed ſo much of his Infinite Wiſdom and Power upHeavens over our Heads, — was on purpoſe, to aſtoniſh proud man into a Religious Admiration of
his, God, and an humble deteſtation of himſelf; for that's the very frame and temper which diſpoſeth man for the impreſſions of Religion, and the exerciſe of a devout affection. Iſa. 66.1, 2. Thus ſaith the Lord, the Heaven is my Throne.
3. A due conſideration of the Creation of the World, and eſpecially of the HeaOs Homini ſublime — &c. if God doth preach to us by theſe things that are ſeen, and thereby reveal to the World the inviſible properties of the Divinity, then — we ought to hearken to this Voice, and make ſome good uſe of their Language.
In ſhort, the very
The Curious Spectator looks up to the Heavens, and examines every particular there, Quidni quaerat? Scit ill ad ſe pertinere. Tunc contemnit domicilii prioris anguſtias. Seneca. And (as he goes on) what is all the diſtance from the utmoſt Coaſts of Spain to the Indies? But a Voyage of a very few days, if thou fail with a good Wind: But that Heavenly Country above, for ma
4. Let us beware of Idolatry, the fault of the Old Pagan World: Who when they ſaw thoſe Lights hung out at the Windows of Heaven, which ſhould have been but miniſterial to help them in the ſearch of him that made them, ſell down and worſhipped the Servants inDeut. 4.19. yet the Jews themſelves were ſo forburning Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven; and worſhipping the Star Rembecoming vain in their imaginations; and tho they profeſſed themſelves Wiſe, they became Fools, changing the Glory of the Incorruptible God into the Image of his Corruptible Creatures.
5. By this Law, they who want a ſpecial Revelation, ſhall be judged, Rom. 2.12, 13, 14, 15. Let no man then (whethis Voice hath not been heard; the Muſick of the Spheres is ſoft and ſtill, but ſuch as ſhortly will make even both the Ears of the guilty ſinner tingle! The Language wherein theſe Sermons are preach'd to the World, is temperate and equal, it makes no great noiſe at preſent to them, who are buſie digging low in the Bowels of the Earth, but it hath a ſharp and heavy accent at the End. Let no man then upbraid the Almighty, as if he were a Severe Judge for calling all men to the ſame Judgment; for damning men that never had the knowledge of his Laws. Fear not, God will be juſt; he'll vindicate his Righteouſneſs from the foul aſperſiſinned without Law? without Law then thou ſhalt be tried, and a hunRom. 1.29, &c.) all chargeable upon all NaJew and Chriſtian, and Turk and Heathen, and damnable by
unrighteouſneſs, fornication, &c. but that which affects us moſt in all this, is, that not only the poor Infidel is guilty in this Caſe, but a great part of Chriſtendom alſo! Not only they that have no other Law to read in, no other Rule to go by, but the Book of the Creation; but they alſo who have the Bibles in their hands, and the Creed upon their tongues end, and have all the advantages of Nature and Revelation both! When theſe very ſins (and as bad, or worſe) walk bare
There are ſeveral live amongſt us, (it may be in this place now) whoſe ordinary conPoſitive Religion, and that of mere Natural Reaſon too) do abhor and condemn. And yet, which is mighty ſtrange, theſe very men do pleaſe themnever ſo pure, nor the Profeſſion never ſo good, nor the advanCloud of Witneſſes depoſe evidence againſt thee! And yet notwithſtanding all this, we may take up the complaint of the Prophet, Jer 18.13. Ask now among the Heathen, who hath heard ſuch things? the Virgins of Iſrael have done very horrible things. Thy poor men are tenacious of their Superſtitious Vanities; 'tis hard to make a Proſelyte to Chriſtianity amongſt them; they will Diſpute, Fight, die for their meer ſhadow of Faith: But Chriſtians will barter away their Conſcience, their Creed, their Heaven, their God for meer Vanities! Verſ. 14, 15. In ſhort, if it be true, what ſome of the poor ignoGentiles fancied, that the Sun, Moon and Stars do all look upon us, and are
if the Sun were indeed turned into Darkneſs, and the Moon into Blood, and the Stars would leave off their Shining, and the whole Face of the Heavens were reverſed, than thus to ſtand over our Heads and remark our Actions, in order to a SoJer. 2.9, 10, 11.
COnſider we next the SUN.
1. Its Motion, concerning which and the reſt of its Attributes I ſhall have the leſs to ſay now, becauſe I have ſpoken ſo much of it in the General NoHeavenly Bodies. Yet for Or
Its Terms, — or Bounds, — from Whence, and to Which the Sun moves. From the one end of the Heavens to the other, i.e. according to our apprehenſion and common ſenſe of things. For in Truth, the Heavens have neither BeginRound Figure. Indeed this Notion was ſo long hid from the World, that not many hundred years agone, a German Biſhop was excommunicated for broachviz. that there were Antipodes, — and that the Earth in an
2. Its ſwiftneſs. I need ſay little more upon this point, than what I ſaid before, viz. that the Sun according to the JudgGerman miles, in the Judgment of others 261905 — in one hour. Whether either of them are in the right or no, I am not much concernvaſt body, 166 times bigger than the Earth, ſay Aſtronomers, who by the Eclipſes ſay, they have found its Diameter, and
(periphery) and by that its motſon. Indeed its Courſe is ſo ſwift, ſo incredibly quick, that out late Philoſophers would fain find a nearer way to ſolve the Wiſdom of Nature, whoſe Principle it is to doeveit rejoyceth as a Giant, —&c.
3. It's Continuante and Conſtancy. InAs a Giant — running his Race, &c. Pſal. 19.5, 6. his circuit —c. nor need I ſay more upon this particular. 'Tis demonſtrable to evecontinued ſtill in motion, from the begmning of the World to this prefent Age, and ſhall do to the end of time. Itſelf being the Heavenly Clock, the Original Meaſure of all our Times.
Its Light. — As a Bridegroom coming out, of his Chamber, i.e. trim'd and deck'd in ſplendid and glorious. Apperel, maCondus & promus. Lueis, the Spring of Light, a pure Flame
always Burning Torch, a Ʋniverſal Candle, that ſerves the whole World to work and walk by; that makes (with its apInfants themſelves, incapable yet of making diſtinction between other Objects, are pleaſed with this; and Beaſts themſelves can hardly live without it. In a word, 'tis the Eye of Heaven, and the pleaſure of Earth; and that we can as ill ſpare, as the Eyes out of our Head: For take away that, and theſe are uſeleſs, or near upon it.
3. Heat. Nothing hid from the Heat thereof, Pſal. 19.6. Upon this point liketempers the Air, which we ſuck with our Noſtrils, and produceth the Aliments we take
Ʋniverſal Cauſe (under God) of all SubThere is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
I have done with the Natural Conſideration. —Let us now deduce ſomething for our Spiritual Meditation.
1. The Papiſts tell us, — That Images and Pictures are the Lay-mens Books, wherein they may Read (without ever a Letter) the Lives of the Saints. —What if I ſhould ſay —the Sun is a fit Emblem of God, and a Pattern for our Imitati
1. A fit Emblem or rather Adumbration of God, but with an Infinite Diſinter finitum & infinitum — no proper Compariſon. Yet this I ſay, is peradventure as fit an Emken of our ſenſes, and under the cope of Heaven. And methinks
The Lord is a Sun— and Pſal. 4. Cauſe the Light of thy Countenance to ſhine— &c. and Jam. 1.17. The Father of Lights. And the Fathers geneChryſoſtom, Gregory, Bernard, Tertullian, Hillary, &c. Having therefore ſo good footing for my Inference, I ſhall purſue it more clearly The Sun is an Emblem of the Godhead in theſe reſpects.
1. Of his Ʋnity. There is one Sun in the Firmament, and one God in Hea
Ʋnto thee, — &c. Deut. 6.4. The Lord our God is one Lord. Are there any more Suns in the World than one? 'Tis true, there are ſometimes Parelii, or Mock-Suns, two or three or more, which are no other than ſome Images or faint reſemblancies of the Sun, cauſed by the refraction of its Beams in ſome plain, thick, watery adjacent Cloud; and ſo there may be ſome faint ſhaddow or adumbrave Vertuoſo's, ſome Heroic Saints in the World;
Worſhip him all ye Gods. The Gods of the Heathens are but meer Parelii, ſilOne Johova. An Idol is nothing, ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, i. e. of that which it pretends to repreſent. And 'tis a bold piece of preſumption and ſacrilegious Impudence, to ſet up Ruſh-Candles or Wax-Tapers to vye with the Saviour, to put mear Creatures in competition with the God of Heaven. Nay the Moon herſelf is not fit to enter any compariſon (in right Judgment) with the Fountain of Lights, the Sun; for what Light ſhe hath, 'tis dim and unburnt Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven,
Ave Mary's to one Pater Noſter; ſaying with that Supertu ſpes mea — Thou my Hope, my Tower, in whom I have placed the very End of my Salvation.— if (which God forbid) I ſhould like a Man mad and rebrobate, forget my God, vere tui nunquam obliviſcar. — Thy me&c. MeTim. 6.16. to allude to this ſimilitude of the
Ʋnity of the Sun.
2. Of the Trinity. There are three conſiderable, diſtinct affections belonging to the Sun, all which I mentioned but now, — Motion, Heat and Light: They are all of a ſeveral different property, and yet inſeparable one from the other; and yet theſe three all concenter in one Sun. Why may not this be a pretty Tolerable Repreſentation of the TriniFather, Son and Holy Ghoſt? 'Tis a hard Myſterious ArSun for a Natural Advantage to our Faith in the caſe: But I dare ſay—we are allowed to help our Unbelief with all the Aſſiſtances of Nature (as well as Grace) that we can get. And this, if we pleaſe, may be one. Nor am I ſingular here neither! The Ancient Fathers of the Church have ſtarted the Notion before me! Dr. Day in his Lectures cites Juſlin Martyr, Tertullian, Cyprian and Lactantius, making uſe of this Compariſon. I humbly acſtoryed of St. Auguſtin that he endeavoured to found it. He walkt aRiver-ſide; muſing with himſelf, and labouring to conceive it. At length not far off a little Child appeared unAuguſtine draws nearer to him, demands of the Child what he was a doing! Father (quoth
unlade this whole River into this little hole you here ſee.
Auguſtne. That's impoſſible, — &c.
Child. No more will you be ever able to bring to paſs that which you are about. And with that the Child vaniſhed. I relate not the Story for a certain Truth. The thing itſelf in abſolute conſideration is true, viz. that 'tis as impoſſible for us to conceive the Bleſſed Trinity, as with a little Spoon to unlade a Great River into a little hole. The preſent Emblem may ſerve a little to take off our ſuſpicions of the Impoſſibi
FATHER. — The Lord is a Sun, — Iſa. 60.19.
SON. — Mal. 4.2. and vide MarLuk. 1.78. and Mat. 17.2. — Rev. 1.16.
HOLY GHOST. — He ſhall baptiſe with the Holy Ghoſt and with Fire.
— Lead you into the way of all Truth.
Multa ſunt quae dici poſſunt, ſed ſuffioiat fidelibus pauca de Myſterio Trinitatis audiviſſe. Aug. — In die judicii non damnor, quia dicam neſcivi Naturam Creatoris mei, ſi autem aliquid temere dixero, temeritas poenas luit, ignorantia veniam promeretur. Id.
3. Of the Divine Glory and Ʋnſearchableneſs. He that goes about to ſtare long upon the Sun, or approach its Light, and dive deep into the Nature of it, may as Demecritus, — ſtare himſelf Blind, before he can make any near approaches to it. 'Tis not eaſie to bear the inſiuence of the Sun for one whole day, ſuppoſe we could poſſibly be ſo long under the immediate and direct emiſſion of its Glorious Beams, tho up
The Glory of God is ſuch an amain hac mortali vita quicquid ad nos uſque pertingit, aliud nihil eſt quam exiguus quidam rivulus, ac velut parvus magnae Lucis Rivulus. Naz. vide Act. 26.13. 1 Tim. 6.16. — ſo that when we go about to ſearch into the Divine NaRom. 11.33, &c. O the Depth, — &c. ſure I am, tho we ought, as much as any thing in the world, to ſtudy the Nature and Properties of that God we are concerned with, and account it one of the firſt points of True Wiſdom to acquaint our ſelves with that Almighty Being we have to do with, and to pray for more Light and Grace, that we may be able in due time to comprebreadth, and length, and height and depth; and to know the Love of God which paſſeth knowledge: Yet in our higheſt attainwe ſhall know but in part, and propheſie in part; our utmoſt skill will not be ſufficient to
by ſearching to find out, and trace out the Almighty to perfection. Eſt in Deo, quod percipi poteſt; eſt plane ſi modo, quod poteſt, velis: Sicut videre eſt in Sole quod videas, ſi hoc velis videre, quod poſſis; amittas autem quod potes videre, dum quod non potes niteris; it a ut in rebus Doi habes quod intelligas, ſi intelligere quod potes, velis: Caelum ſi ultra quam potes, ſperes, id quod potuiſti non poteris. Hilar. Pſal. 145.3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed, and his greatneſs is unſearchable.
I am loth to leave this Abyſs of Meditation! Pardon me, Sirs, if I ſtrain Courteſie a little in the caſe! This Infinite Being is the Fountain of our Bleſſedneſs, and therefore, notwithſtanding his Excellent Majeſty, can be cooped within no bounds, nor ſcaled by any Humane Apprehenſions, to the height,
behold him thro the Lattices, and ſpend our deepeſt thoughts and adcome to know as we are known? But Oh — when ſhall our finite Natures be exhaled and drawn up with this Sun? And our Souls drawn up into his boundwhom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain, whom Angels all admire and adore, the Nature of whoſe Glory we cannot now graſp with our moſt expanded thoughts: That this God ſhall firſt pardon our ſins, and then ſanctifie our natures, and ſhortly ſend his Angels to fetch our Souls up to that Heavenly
be cloathed inwith the Sun, and tread the Moon under our Feet, and look with a holy ſcorn upon the little ſilly trifling comevery Beam of Light and Mercy darted upon our Souls from that Divine Coun
Of the Divine Omnipreſence: That God ſhould be every where preſent, as our Religion obligeth us to believe that he is, is a pretty hard Article; in Heaven, on Earth, in Hell: In the one by the eſpecial manifeſtation of his Glory, in the other by the continual exerciſe of his Providence, in the laſt by the Execution of his Juſtice; and yet thus he is, as both Scripture and Reaſon oThe Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him, nor the Earth, nor Hell: He tranſcends all the limits of Nature, and ſurpaſſes all thoſe little finite bounds of Man's Conception, Pſal. 139.3, 4, 5, &c. yet even the difficulThe Sun is placed in the heavenly Orbs, there it reſides continually, yet diſperſeth its ſhining rayes to the Firmament above, to the Air, to the Earth below; yea, it traverſeth round the world, and viſits the Antipodes un
5. (Which borders upon it) Of the Divine Omniſcience: The Heathens ſupThe Sun hath looked upon me, Cant. 1.6. 2 Sam. 12.11. In the ſight of this Sun. And there is ſo much ground for this Phanbrings to light the hidden things of darkneſs: As I ſaid but now, it viſits all parts of the World, Air, Earth, Sea, all the corners of the Earth, all the rooms of our Houſes; nay, our very Reins and Heart, the moſt retired parts of our Bodies, are not hid from the Heat of it: Were it poſſible to bar the Pores of our Skin, and ſhut the door of our Breaſts faſt againſt the Beams and warm influence of it, our very Heart-blood
a fair Copy of the Divine Omniſcience, ſo far as an inſenſate Creature can poſſiTuſh, the Lord doth not ſee, nor the God of Jacob regard; can you hide your ſelves from the Sun of the Firmament, and live? If not, ſhall not he that made the Sun ſearch further than an inſenſate finite Creature of his own making? Shall not he that made the Eye, ſee? &c. but ſhall not he that made over your ſecret Debaucheries, and dare to perbefore whom Hell is naked, and Deſtruction hath no covering, Job 26.6. vid. Heb. 12.13.
6. Of the Divine Providence: That God ſhould be ſtill in Heaven, and there ſafe in the enjoyment of a Compleat
lower World, without any Diſturbance to his reſt and quietneſs, is a Wonder which ſome People in the World have not been able to digeſt: I deſire theſe People but to give themexcellently glorious from Age to Age, without any change or ditempering the Air, fanning the Clouds, diſſolving the Snow, and Hail, and Froſt, and Dew, giving light to the Moon, ſhining round the Earth; fecundating the very Mines, Trees, Herbs, Graſs, Fruits, Flowers; influencing upon the Conſtitutions of us Men, our Bodies firſt, and then our Minds; giving light, heat, motion, action, generation, ſenſe and life, to all ſublunary living bodies; and then ſay — Whether it be not very feaſible to beconcurrence of this eminent Planet with the concerns of Nature, the Wonder is at a ſtop: And we muſt ſay at beſt, that Men are Fools for want of thinking, and uſing their Faculties! Men have got a Trick, ever ſince ſin debauch'd their Natures, of looking low, and creeping upon the Earth, and talooks not up to the Tree from whence they fall) — forgetting that the God of HeaIs there evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it! and is there any good amongſt us which comes not from the Fountain of Bleſſedneſs, the Author of every good and perfect Gift! Let Men learn a little from this Topic to raiſe their aſpect, and
climb the Ladder from Orb to Orb, in the tracing of cauſes, 'till they come to the Primum Mobile, the Original Principle of all Motions; and by accuſtoming themſelves to this Method of conſideevery remarkable Contingent of their life to the Head, and at laſt terthe Son of Righteouſneſs.
7. Of the Divine Inviſibility: 'Tis true, we may ſee ſomething of the Sun, but there is ſomething likewiſe in it, which we cannot ſee; who can ſee its Beams or glaring light, or heat, or motion, ſo as to be able to give any competent acnature, ſubſtance, colour, and properties of them? You may ſee the back parts, the Operations, the glimthere ſhall no Man ſee his Face, and live, Exod. 33.20. Can the Owl ſee the Sun, or Batts endure the DayTim. 6.16.
8. Incorruptibility and Immortality: The Sun is the ſame now as he was laſt Year, laſt Age, thouſands of Years ago; he ſuffers no decay, infirmity, old age,
firſt Morning of its Creation. Doth not this ſomewhat rethe Glory of the incorruptible God? the King Immortal, Eternal, InviſiJam. 1.17. Who is the ſame to day, yeſterday, and for ever: All things here wax old, as doth a Garment, &c.
9. Of his Omnipotence: (For all theſe Attributes are reckon'd to the Almighpoint of Providence; I will add a few more: The Sun can parch our grounds, exhale our Waters, make the Earth barren, dea Dearth upon the Land. The Sun can invenom the Air, and ſhed a Poiſon into our ConRain upon the Earth to make it fruitful,
whom no Creature can reſiſt: He only is Omnipotent — Our God is a conſuming Fire, Heb. 12.29. What a mighty Foundation is this Attribute of the Divine Omnipotence to build our Faith and Affiance upon! and what ſtrong Reaſons we have to believe it! and yet we ſhake like a Bulruſh, when we lean upon that ſtrong Arm; the ſtrength of Iſrael, who will not lye, nor deceive; that mighty God, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we (weak Mortals) can wiſh or think of: What Conceptions we are able to frame to our ſelves now of this Attribute, I know not; this I believe, when once the leaf of this ſublunary World is turn'd over, and the Gates of Heaven are open'd, and that Scene of Infinite Glory which lyes yet before us out of ſight, is preſented to our eyes, when the WONDERS of the other World come in view, we ſhall then cry out, Rev. 19.6. The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Purity and Holineſs: The Fire is a clean Element, and one of thoſe that we are wont to purifie Mettals and Veſno uncleanneſs can ſtick to the Sun-beams: Yea, it diſcovers the Spots upon our Garments, the FrecEccleſ. 16.10. What is this, but a lively Emblem of the infiwith whom we have to do? That Refiners fire and Fullers ſoap, whoſe words are all of them purer than Gold tried in the fire, and reus to be pure as he is pure; and rein the ſight of this Sun, and withall, we have reaſon to cry out, — as 1 Sam. 6.20. Who is able to ſtand before this holy Lord God? if the righteous ſcarcely be ſaved, &c. We are apt to pleaſe our ſelves with the Memoirs of the Divine
Goodneſs and Clemency, the ſhining light and warmth of the Sun-beams, but ſelrisk of an extraordinary hazard, and that theſe works muſt be tried by a Jealous God; and whatever is combuſtible muſt be burn'd up, and if the ſinner after that loſs have any ſubſtance of Purity and Holineſs left, he ſhall be ſaved, but ſo as by fire; as a piece of impure Gold or Silver thrown into the Furnace, to prove the Mettal and waſt the Droſs. Our God is a conſuming Fire.
11. Bounty: How beneficial the Sun is to the Earth, I need not ſtay now to tell you; 'tis ſufficient to ſay, the benignity and beneficence of it is ſo great, and its good offices ſo many, that we can as ill ſpare the Sun out of the firmament, as the Breath almoſt out of our Noſtrils; nor can we live, or move, as Men, as Chriſtians, without the mercies of God: His Mercies are over all his Works! and ſhould I go about to exſpaHis mercy is over all his works! He is a gracious God, merciful, ſlow to anger, of great kindneſs, pityful and compaſſionate, of tender bowels, and a long patience, and plenteous in goodneſs; keeping mercy for thouſands of them. In ſhort, the ProMal. 4.2. The Son of Righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe with healing in his wings.
12.
Ʋnchangeableneſs and Everlaſtingneſs: We ſee nothing viſible in the nawhole Elementary World: It neither changes, nor decays, nor dies, it falters not in its motions or influenSo long as the Sun endures, Pſal. 72.5, 17. and in this reſpect likewiſe 'tis an adumbration of the Divine Truth, and Faithfulneſs, and Ʋnchangeableneſs, and Eternity. I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye ſons of Jacob are not conſumed, Mal. 3.6. The Lord ſhall endure for ever, Pſal. 9.7.
I have one thing more, and I have done: The Sun and Moon repreſent a Huſband and Wife; ſo the Heathen Poets fancied, and accordingly gave the names of Phebus to one, and Phebe to the oPſal. 19.5. And tis very certain, the Moon depends entirely upon the Sun for all its light, and attends it in its motiBride; nor am I ſingular in this conceit; Hoſeed of David, Pſal. 89.37. compared there to the Moon, is meant the Church, and as for the Sun, ye have heard already, that God himſelf ſtoops to the Metaphor; the other part is eaſily made out, viz. That this Sun and this Moon are related one to the other, as the Bridegroom and the Bride, Iſa. 62.1, 5. You are this Moon, God hath ſet his Love upon the children of men, with deſign to marry them to himSun of Righteouſneſs, hath died to purchaſe their affections, and preſent them to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, &c. As a man loves his wife, ſo doth Chriſt
the Church; only this, are you willing to accept the Propoſal, or will you diſdain the motion? ſhall this Moon ſcorn to be married to this glorious Sun? or are you willing to take Chriſt for your wedded Husband, to live together after Gods Ordinance, in the ſacred Tye of a Matrimonial Relation? God himſelf courts you, Chriſt hath died for you, the Spirit and the Bridegroom ſay, Come, and we his Embaſſadors and Miniſters ſay, Come, we beſeech you in Chriſt's ſtead; the ComAbraham's to his Servant, Gen. 24.38. And our anſwer may be much the ſame with Abraham's Servant to his Maſter, v. 39. however, our Addreſs to you is the ſame with his to Rebecka, v. 49. If you are willing, God is willing, and all things are ready, and the Match is excellent, and no Dowry on your part is required, only as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal, 45.10. Hearken, O Daughter, &c. And if you are thus far willing, heartily willing, the Eſpouſals may be celebrated now, we will very quickly, God willing, ſolemnize the Contract, (in the Sacrament) and ſhortly the Marriage ſhall be conſumthe Man of ſin is deſtroyed, and the number of the Gueſts are compleatgreat ſolemnity; then, I ſay, the Marriage-day will come, and the Feaſt celebrated, and the Nuptials conſummate, and then Rev. 19.7. Let us be glad, and rejoyce, and give honour to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her ſelf ready.
Meditations UPON THE Beauty of Holineſs.
By WILLIAM TURNER, M. A. and Vicar of Walberton in Suſſex.
Worſhip the Lord in the Beauty of Ho
lineſs, Pſal. 29.2.
LONDON, Printed by J. Aſtwood for John Dunton, at the Raven in Jewen-ſtreet, and are alſo to be Sold by Ed. Richardſon, near the Poultrey-Church. 1695.
HAving broke the Ice already, in daring to appear publickly in the World, I was willing next to pitch my Thoughts upon the level, for the benefit of my Friends and Acquaintance: If perhaps I might with a ſhort Diſcourſe, not too tedious for the Ears of any ſober Perſon, that is at leiſure from the Noiſe of Importunate Cares and Buſineſs, recommend a SubEncomium than I am able to give it. I am not aſhamed of the Theme, but I am aAuthor were ſuch a Glorious and Beautiful Saint as he here recommends to the World? To deal freely and ingeniouſly in the Caſe of ſuch Objections as theſe are, I will openly avow it to the World, that I Admire the Rule we are to walk by; I am aſhamed every Night upon my Knees of my own and others Tranſgreſſions and Prevarications. God forgive us! we live as if we were in love with Deformity, and took a Pride in that which is our ſhame! Mankind is abſolutely the Greateſt Blot of all the Viſible Creation; and 'tis the ſaddeſt Lamentation of all, that the World is growing old, and men no wiBeauty in Cloaths, Faces, Houſes, eveLives and Manners. If this be not an Abſurdity, I know not what is: The Heathens (ſome of them)
Knaves than Fools; but in earneſt, in the AcBridewell or Bedlam. To provoke my ſelf and Reaſolid and brave, to love that which is Truly Lovely, is the ſincere Deſign of
'TIS a laborious Task, to commend unto the ſinful World the Love of our Religion, and requires a more than Humane, an AnCherubims, the moſt ſtrenuous Arguments and ſweeteſt Eloquence in the World: And when we have done all that we can, unleſs we can alſo open blind eyes, and make them ſee a Beauty there, where with their natu
My Deſign at this time is to treat upConſtitution of our Religion in its
Native beauty, and preſented the Figure of it in its moſt amiable Complexion, I muſt leave it at your Cenſures, and deſire you to begg of God the Illumination of your Underſtandings, the opening of your Eyes, that you may paſs a right Judgment in the Caſe.
This will be the drift of my following Diſcourſe, viz.
Firſt, That there is a certain Beauty in the Exerciſe of Religion, and eſpeci
Are all Beautifull.
This I ſhall ſhew firſt of all, and afImpiety and Irreligion.
1. The God whom we worſhip is a Beautiful God: If there be any Beauty in the World, any Comelineſs and Excellency in any Creature, any pleaſant Figures or Shaddows of Decency to be found upon any Being within the Circuit of the wide Ʋniverſe, they are all but borPſal. 27.4. Here he could be content to inhabit all his dayes, to conto gaze and ſpend his Eyes upon the glorious luſtre of this Sun; a thouſand Mouths, and a thouſand Tongues, tho' as fluent all of them as thoſe of Anone Ray of it darted in full vigour upon us now, would be enough not only to ſtrike our
Senſes with blindneſs and aſtoniſhment but even to crack our mortal Tabernacles, and lay us all flat upon the Duſt. Why, the Divine Glory is inacceſſiand refined for Glory; the God whom we worſhip is a God of eminency, of excellent Beauty, of inInferiour Beauties of this ſublunary World, and all the Spangles of the Starry Spheres, put together, would be nothing, compared to this exa little in his Robes of Majeſty, Glory and Beauty, now, as we ſhall hereafter, Face to Face, a glimpſe would be a Charm, Face to Face, a glimpſe would be a Charm, and a ſingle Glance a Spell to all the Cares and Pleaſures of this poor tranſitory World: Then we ſhould dote, as David did, upon the One thing, O Lord — this one thing, I deſire, this I will ſeek after, that I may dwell in thy houſe for ever; that I may ſpend not only the few Minutes of the preſent ſhort Life, but may wear an Eternity in thy houſe, &c. Then with St. Paul after his Viſions, — let the World lye all of
Droſs and Dung, in compariſon of this Beauty, this Glory!
I would, but cannot, ſpeak ſomewhat worthy of that God, and his deſirableTongues, but our Senſes faulter, when we ſoar aloft, and begin to talk of that Infinite Glory! His own Works ſpeak louder for him than our words: All his Works praiſe him. Every Creature hath a Tongue to ſay ſomewhat in the Commendation of him that made them! and can we live in the croud, in the very midſt of his Encomiaſts, and hear and ſee no
I would not, Sirs, that ye ſhould be put into Raptures now, God finds it not convenient to diſtribute our Rewards to us 'till we have done our Work; he hides at preſent his Beauty from us in retirement, within the Vail — but I would not that Men ſhould be ſtark-blind, and not ſee ſomething of his Excellenfills the Heavens, and Mercies extend themſelves over all the World.
The Chriſt through whom we Addreſs our ſelves to God, and by whoſe Interamongſt ten thouſand, fairer than all the Children of Men; his Lips are full of Grace and Truth, his Garments ſmell of Myrrh, Alloes, and Caſſia, out of the Ivory Pallaces: His Incarnation, humble Birth, excellent DoRighteouſneſs and Peace iſſing each other; the Terrors of the Law, and the Bleſſings of the Goſpel met toHe hath no form or comelineſs, and tho' we ſee him, we ſee nothing in him that we ſhould deſire him; Iſa 53.1. If he be deſpiſed and rejected of Men, (as 'tis very true he is by too too many) if this Jewel be a ſtone of ſtumbling, we know the reabecauſe the God of this World
hath blinded their Eyes, and drawn ſuch deep Prejudices over their UnderſtandOwls of the Deſert, they cannot ſee the Noon-Sun. Away then with that unholy Generation, that prize not their Mediator, nor make their Applications to Heaven in his Name, but make a Mock of that Jeſus that dyed in Jeruſalem, and reſolve all the Myſteas if our Jeſus were but a ſhadow, and our Redemption a vanity; and thoſe alſo that place ſo much Perfection in themſelves, as makes the application of Chriſt's Merits impertinent and unnepatch the Merits of their Saviour with their own Works, and to make him more comknow no other Name under Heaven, ſo ſweet, ſo ſalutary, ſo efficaby whom we may expect Salvation, Iſa. 4.2. And is it not ſo far a decent Worſhip, to adore ſuch a God, by the Mediation of ſuch a Jeſus! to Pray to God in the Name of Chriſt! to be uſher'd into the Audience of the Father by the Interceſſion of his only Son! to have acceſs into the Court of Heaven in the Name of the Son of God, who hath loved us, and giHag. 2.7. The Deſire of all Nations.
3. The Miniſters, by the Inſtrumentality of whom, &c. I mean not thoſe Pſeudoes that run before they are ſent, thoſe lying Spirits, that under pretence of Teaching, deceive the People; but thoſe Miniſters of the Goſpel which Preach the Word faithfully, and divide it skilSacramental Ordinances impartially, without addition or diminution; that Preach with zeal, and Pray with fervour, and live well, and ſtudy to approve themſelves honeſt Paſtors, that need not be aſhamcomfort the weak, commending themſelves to the Conſcibeautiful Feet, of pleaſant Countenances, Iſa. 52.7. The very Office it ſelf is an Ornament; thoh' the Church never wanted thoſe Adverſaries, that in deſpite to the Light threw Stones at the Lanthorn. The Miniſter is a Terreſtrial Angel,
To the Angel of the Church, &c. Rev. 2.1. of Epheſus, Sardis, &c. they are Starrs, and ſhining Lights in the dark World; and Starrs, ye know, en
I would not ſay theſe things to puff the Clergy up with Pride and Vain-glory; but I would have the People know thoſe Men that are ſet over them, and admogive double Honour to them that labour faithfully in Word and Doctrine, and acknowledge the beauty of their feet, which run to them upon theſe Evangelical Errands, and pay a due and humble deference to that Sacred FunctiHorſe-men of Iſrael, and the Chariots thereof.
4. The Place where: Whether it be a 'Tabernacle or a Temple, or other place conſign'd to the Holy Service; not that we attribute any inherent Holineſs to ſuch plaBethel, How dreadful is this place! this is none other than the Houſe of God! and lo here the Angels of Heaven aſcending and deſcending as it were upon a Ladder! or as the Prophet David, Pſal. 84.1, &c. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts! 'tis the perfection of Beauty, ſhinning with the light of the Divine Countenance, Pſal. 50.2. 'tis that Zion which the Lord hath choſen, and deſired for his habitation; ſaying, this is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell; — here will I treat my Spouſe the Church with the ſweeteſt Wines, the fatteſt Delicates, the choiceſt OrdinanAngels Food, the Waters of Life, Nectar and Ambroſia, Nouriſhment for Souls to fit them for Eternity! ForSacred Appartment, and all our Employment beſides in compathis is nauſeous and impertiVineyard of red Wine that the Lord himſelf doth keep, Iſa. 25.6.
Taverns, than all the Theaters, than all the Elyſian Camps of the wide Univerſe! Glad then may we be, when they ſay unto us, We will go into the houſe of the Lord, we will worſhip towards his holy Temple! we will go and keep holy-day in the Courts of the Lord's houſe, on the hill of Zion, in the midſt of Jeruſalem! Hallelujah! — Here we have better Company than any where in the World beſides, I mean, in a more eſpeMount Zion in Effigie, the Coeleſtial Jeruſalem, the City of the living God, the Coier of Angels, the Court of Saints, a ſweet correſpondency with the beſt of Spirits in both the Church
5. The People, who: The Holy Church, the beſt of Men, and Angels, and Spiſelect Company called out from the reſt of the World, to adore their Lord, and communicate of his Grace, and prepare for, and partake of his Globut none are real Communicants in this ſweetneſs but real Believers; the reſt feed upthey hew wood, and draw water for the uſe of the Tabernacles; theſe are inveſted in the Communities, Prione Mind, one Mouth, one Hope, one Way and one End! they mutually partake and Communicate together in the ſame Prayers, Praiſes, Promiſes, Priviledges, every thing that is ſweet and ſalutary; and tho' their Faces differ, their Natures do not; tho' in Opinions about ſome leſſer punctillio's they conſent not, in their Charity they are all one: One ſo entirely, that all the Cunning and Violence in the World ſhall not be able to diſſolve the Knot! One ſo entirely, that their Intereſts, their Interceſſions, their Cares and Croſſes are the ſame; the whole Company eſpouſe the ſame Cauſe, all drive at the ſame End, all mean the Divine Glory, and the good of Mankind in general; if one be weak, the other is
weak; if one be offended, the other burns; all the Members of the ſame Body do ſweetly and amicably ſympathize together! Chriſtians as widely diſtant one from the other as the two Poles, meet in their Prayers, in their Euchariſts! even the Angels ſtoop to us, and we aſpire to them! we are all carrying on the ſame Work, we ſhall all receive the ſame Wages, we ſhall all ſhortly together be with the Lord:
Tho' our
The Church is lovely, orderly, unanimous, as an Brains be different, yet our Hearts are not, [Biſhop Hall] nor our Ends ſhall not.Army with Banners. In ſhort, the Churches are the Glory of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 8.23. and therefore may well be accounted the Glory of us, the Beauty of the World, the Jewel of the whole Earth; and tho' it be burnt with the Sun of Temptation and Affliction, tho' it be ſpotted as the Moon, tho' it be black and homely, yet 'tis orderly and comely, and ſhall e're long be preglorious Church, without ſpot, &c. Pſal. 48.1, 2, 3.
6. The Graces wherewith: And here I have a large Field, a pleaſant Garden, full of ſweet odoriferous Herbs, and beautiful fragrant Flowers, to walk in;
Baal-Hamon, and betVineyard, the Eden of the God of Heaven; for he himſelf doth not diſdain to walk in this ParaCant. 5.1. I am come, &c. If ye ask me, What is the Garden of God? Anſw. Iſa. 5.7. Surely the Vineyard of the Lord of hoſts is the houſe of Iſrael, and the Men of Juda his pleaſant plant. The Church of the faithEden, his Habitation, his DiVirtues and Graces of his People. Here upon theſe gracious qualities, theſe holy Habits, I would fain ſpend ſome Praiſes, and ſet them out in a beautiful dreſs to the Eye of the World; but two things hinder: One, that 'tis hard to praiſe ſufficiently things excellent; the other, that if I could do it, yet their Beauty is not to be ſeen with carnal Eyes. We muſt wink upon the Fleſh, if we would ſee Spirits, and we muſt be blind to carnal Objects, when we would ſurvey the beauty of ſpiritual Graces! But really the Graces are the greateſt Embelliſhthe moſt decent wear for rational
and immortal Spirits, and durable and faſhionable to Eternity. Virtues that make Men's Faces ſhine, ConverlaCant. 4.9. Thou haſt raviſhed my Heart, &c. So God himſelf is pleaſed to accept the BeauBonus Vir Caius ſeius, &c. Jewel, I could love thee, wer't thou not an Heathen in thy Opinions, but ſurely thou art an Angel in thy Life and Con
Give me a Man, of a pihis God, his Prince, his Prieſt, his Neighbour, his Enemy, his Family, himſelf, all their due; that keeps up the Rules of Religion, CiA Man of a ſmooth brow, an affable Tongue, a charitable Hand, an honeſt and devout Heart, and an unblameable Liſe: A Man that doth no wrong in the World,
A Man that's good in all Relations, as a Child, Husband, BroMoſes coming down from Mount Sinai, or the DiſciActs took coghad been with Jeſus. I am very confident, might Men be left to their own ſober Thoughts and choice, they could not deſire a HusTrain of Spiritual and Evangelical Virtues, but the braveſt Qualities that fleſh and blood can be cloathed with, the fineſt wear for immortal Spirits, raiment of Needlework, Coronets upon the Head, and Chains
about the Neck! So Solomon deſcribes the univerſal Grace of Wiſdom in his Proverbs. Pagans ſaw this Beauty in Virtue, and admired it. Holineſs carries a MaApoſtles come into a barbarous Nation, their very Enemies in calm mood ſhall make them Garlands, and cry them up for Gods deſcended down from Heaven in the ſhape of Men; one ſhall be Jupiter, and another Mercury: He's worſe than an Heathen that ſees not an excellency in Holineſs, a modeſt loftineſs in ſpiritual Wiſdom, that deſerves both Eſteem and Love: The ſweetneſs of Temper, the Innocency of Deportment, the diſcreet Managery of Affairs, the Love, Mercy, and Condeſcention, that is taught by the Chriſtian Graces, is the greateſt enoblement of Humane Nature, that 'tis capable of on this ſide Heaven.
Theſe Graces ſhed a Beauty upon our very Breaſts and inward Man, as well as upon the outward Life an Actions; they bring us to the beſt way of living we are capable of in this World, both in reſpect of God, our ſelves, and all others; the Graces and Virtues of our Religion are moſt tranſparent beams of Divine Perfection;
on; they make up a Complexion in our Humane Nature, according to what is eternally exiſting in the Holy Nature of God (ſo far as we are capable of a Conformity to it) and that in the Judgleaſt mixture of Idolatry and Superſtition! what ſuperlative Piety and Virtue, withSheeps Wool, and the inward Temper is the Innocency of the Dove: Here's no rebellion or undutifulneſs to Superiours, no contempt and ſcorn offered to Equals, no inſulting and revenge put upon inferiours; but Men are modelled and dreſſed out in a Haoffend weak ones, to look upon all men with a kind Eye, to interpret them in the beſt
to ſhew kindneſs to them that wrong us: In ſhort, we are thoroughly furniſhed to every good work, brought to the beſt way of living, the nobleſt principles of ſufferBeauty in theſe Divine qua
Sure I am, not all the Wit of Man, or Policy of Devils, could reduce the World to ſuch a Poſture, or put Manlet your light ſo ſhine before men, &c. It hath been long ſince obſerved, if a Man ſtanding at a great diſtance ſee a company Dancing, he wonders at their antick geſtures, and ſeemingly ridiculous Motions, and thinks them a company of Mad men, but if he approaches nearer, and comes withharmonious Muſick and Melody, which guides and meaſures all theſe Motions, and obſerves how reguſerious Chriſtians, or ſees them at a diſtance buſily attending all the Duties of their Calling and holy Profeſſion, he thinks of them as Feſtus of Paul & they are beſide themſelves, &c.
But come we nearer to an Intimacy and familiar Acquaintance with the Rule of Holy Living, and Prov. 3.15.17. She is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canſt deſire are not to be compared unto her; her ways are ways of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths are peace.
7. The Ordinances wherein; whether it be the Preaching of the Word — When the Man Preaches with ſuch life and ſeeaſie Methods, and variety of Matter, that the People are never weary of Hearing; or Prays with heavenly life and fervour, as may take the Souls of them that join with him, or Praiſes with that alacrity and joyfulneſs which beſeemeth thoſe that are ready to paſs into glory; or Adveneration and ſolemnity, that Pathos and Devotion, as is due to thoſe Sacred Mylike Heaven in Emblem and ſignification: More particularly,
1. The Preaching and Hearing of the Word: To ſpeak familiarly, 'tis very becoming the Conſtitution of our ReliEzra the Prieſt to bring the Law before the Congregation, and to read therein from the morning till mid-day; and the Tribe of Levi, to cauſe the People to underſtand the Law, to read diſtinctly, and give the ſenſe, and cauſe them to underſtand the reading, Neh. 8.12. to have a Teſtimony eſtabliſhed in Jacob, and a Law appointed in Iſrael, which the FaPſal. 78.5, 6. to go into the Synagogue on the Sabbath dayes, and read and expound there the Will of God concerning our Salvation. 'Tis a pleaſant thing for the Sons of Aaron to diſpenſe the Manna of the Word with a good Conſcience, and in due ſeaſon, and to try what they can by the fooliſhneſs of Preaching to ſave them that believe; to fill the Pulpit with OrthoOffices of Piety, by putting them in remembrance of what God hath left upon record to that pur
And 'tis a comely thing for the Peoſit down in humble poſture at the feet of Gamaliel, to watch daily at the gates, and wait at the Poſts of Wiſglad to go to the houſe of the Lord, and every Neighbour joggs his Brother, and calls friendly upto go in ſociety with him; when the Tribes of Iſrael go up together, with unanimous Conſent, with one Heart, in one body, as an Army with banners, to gather Manna, and eat Angels Food; when they come with revemore willing to learn and practice, than diſpute and cenſure, and contradict and diſobey; when Humility opens the Church door, and Veneration attends their ſeats, and Faith waits upon their Ears, and Devotion hath taken poſſeſſion of their Hearts: When the Fields are ripe for Harveſt, and the Auditors as willing to learn as the Paſtor to teach; when the Lambs cry and bleat with imporbeauty and comelineſs of aſpect in the Divine Worſhip.
2. When they join in Prayers, with that Unanimity and Concord, that Faith and Sincerity, that Devotion and Zeal, as if all the Congregation had a mind to climb Heaven in a fiery Chariot, to attach the Heavenly Jeruſalem with a Volley of Prayers; to take the Holy City with a ſacred Violence, to Pray the Gates open
Holy Jeſus is the Fore man, the Interceſſor, our High Prieſt, to carry our Petitions within the Veil, and to offer them there incenſed with the Preſenee of his own Merits and Mediation; and we are reſolved not to riſe off our Knees without our Errand, 'till we find ſin bleeding upon the ground, our Hearts melting in a gentle thaw under the benign influence of the Divine Clemency, and we our ſelves claſping faſt into the Embraces of the Almighty; when the Breaſt pours out; Prayers, the Eye tears, the Body kneels down, the Soul lies in Paraphraſe, and the Man conſiders that Eternity depends upon the grant, and is reſolved to wreſtle it out with the Angel of the Covenant 'till the dawning of the day, the day-ſpring from on high does viſit him.
3. When they join in Praiſes and Thankſgivings to the God of Heaven, with that chearfulneſs and alacrity as if they would ſend their Hearts alſo in their Euchariſts, and praiſe God, not with the Calves of their Lips, but the beſt Inſtrument they have, their very
Hearts and Souls: When there are no Mutes in the Alphabet, no jarring ſtring in the whole Aſſembly, no particular MemPſal. 66.1. Pſal. 76.11. Pſal. 81.1, 2. Pſal. 92.1. 95.1. Pſal. 96.1.
4. When they all join in a ſerious and ſolemn Commemoration of the Death Paſſion, Love and Merits of our dying Lord; when like Brethren of the ſame Society, and of the ſame Family, they ſymbolize together in Celebration of the Holy Euchariſt, eating at the ſame TaCroud of Paſſions, and cruweeping Eyes and wondering Hearts, Faith, Gladneſs, and great Delight; and with one Conſent enter our ſelves afreſh under his Banſinful Powers of
the World, and promiſe faithfully to be all for the time to come better Servants, and more faithful in the precedure of our Lives. When we ſolemnize the Meloving Diſciples, with an inmutual Love to one another. When Humility, Faith, Obedience, and Charity, all meet at the Paſſover together, and we are in quarSin and Hell, Pſal. 96.6.
8. The Glory for which we worſhip, is exceeding beautiful: If we conſider,
1. The Deſcription given of it in Sacred Scripture, under the Moſaic Oeconomy, it was repreſented by Types and Emblems, and figurative Expreſſions; for in truth the Intellectuals of Mankind were then ſo groſs and cloudy, that they had need of Pictures and ſenſible Ideas to make things ſpiritual, inviſible, and future, innow, tho' the World be grown older, yet not much wiſer: We have ſtill need of Material Inſtruments and Opticks to help us forward in Queſt of the World to come. The Land of Canaan,
Infancy of Reaſon and JudgA ſight of Life everlaſting and the World to come, in a piece of clear Landskip in this World: But a Brighter diſcovery was reſerved to theſe laſt times of the World, when Men were come to ſome maturity of Age and Judgment, and able to lay aſide their Feſcues, and throw away their Pictures and ruder Elements they had been acfull a Diſcovery and Deſcription of the future Glory revealBeauty is ſo dazling, the Apprehenincuriouſneſs about the things of this World. Life and Immortality are brought to light
thro' the Goſpel; but ſuch a light as we are able to receive, and no more.
2. The Nature of it, collected from the chief Topicks of Conſideration:
God himſelf, the Object and Author.The Deſign and Intention.
(1.) God himſelf, the Object and Author: Of which I ſhall ſay but little; for when we ſtare long upon ſuch Tranwhatſoever is more than this, is more than meet. Can we think, that that God who made the World, and made us with ſo much Wiſdom, and exerciſed a contiReward of that Creature which was made the top of all the viſible Creation! For my part, I expect to ſee, and I think upon excellent Reaſon too (the God of Mercy admit me in favour to that Enraviſhing ſight that
was, or will be in the
Ʋniverſe. There and then I hope to ſee, what will be the product and effect of that Infinite Wiſdom, Power and Goodneſs, that firſt made and now maintains this World: Then the Glory of all his Attributes will be made known, and expoſed to open view! and Oh! the Beauty of that Proſpect! and therefore,
2. The Deſign and Intention of it, befull of Beauty: As the Caſe ſtands with us now, a little, a lighter kind of HappiOur Bodies are very frail, our Intellectuals very infirm, our Natures ſo bemired with ſin and viMahomet's PaElyſian Field, or a good Conſtitution of Body, and a pleaſant Soul, and ſome cheerful Company, and a full Purſe or Barn, would go a great way with us — But when the Body is raiſed incorruptible, and all the Man's Faculties renewed and repaired, we ſhall not be content with that Draff we feed on now, but call for Manna, Angels food, more glorious Objects and refined Notions, and a clearer Medium for the Conveyance of Idea's, and Communion
with Spirits; and then every thing will be and appear in its due place and orGod, Angels, Men, every ſenſe and faculty ſuited and filled with its meet Object. All things full of beauty and Glory, without any intermixture of Deſupream Being in his Throne of Majeſty, and all his Creatures in their proper places of Subjection and Glory, reciBleſſed Eſtate the Lord grant that both he that writes, and he that reads theſe Lines, may be admit
We ſhall now in the next place come to conſider,
Firſt, The Deformity of an unholy life — oppoſita juxta ſe, &c.
1. Sin is full of Deformity of its own nature: 'Tis all of it an Ireegularity, a di
2. It renders us uncomely and deformed in the ſight of God, Good Angels, and Good
Men: They look not upon us with that loving eye, that liking and approbatiAbomination, and that which his ſoul abhors; ſo is all injuſtice, diverſe weights and meaſures, proud looks, and hypocritical prayers, and in a word, all the kinds of ſin; nay, the Prophet tells us, His Eyes cannot endure to look upon iniquity; and beCourt of Heaven, nothing that hath any ſpot, or blemiſh, or wrinkle, muſt come into that Holy Quire. All the dogs, and all the imNo unclean thing ſhall enter there, &c.
Good Angels are diſobliged by the imgood Men are ready to ſay — David, Pſal. 101. 3. Depart from me, &c. It leaves a blot of deformity upon our Reputation. Sin is a diſhonourable thing, it brings ſhame to us for its real effect, it brings ſhame to us for its real effect, and puts our Names into a dark Eclipſe; Whoſe glory is their
ſhame, Phil. 3. 19. What fruit had ye in theſe things, &c. The Name of the wicked ſhall rot, Prov. 10. 7.
In ſhort, almoſt all the ſins that men are guilty of, renders their Actions deScheme of our own Societies, our preſent age expoſed to open view in the preſence of the Graveſt Catoes, the Wiſeſt Senators, the Holy Angels, the Bleſſed Jeſus, the Almighty God, the Searcher of Hearts, and the Book of all Mens Actions unclaſped, and laid open to the eye of the whole World (as they will ſhortly be, without any hopes or poſſew leaves together, to fain Excuſes, to hide in rocks, to cover their ſhame, to veil over their deformity! — In the mean time, what makes the proare drunken, drunk in the night? and they that commit fornication, do it within the
wickedneſs in its own Colours, and will plead for vice, and profeſs Deprove Truth and Vertue on their ſide; and they dare hardly ſpeak with their mouths what they would willingly enThat there is no God, nor Heaven, nor Hell, nor Vertue, nor Vice, in the whole World: The fool hath ſaid in his heart there is no God.
Secondly, I would perſwade, — to worſhip the Lord in the Beauty of Holineſs.
1. Beauty is an amiable thing: 'Tis lovely and inviting, and as the Orator ſaith, if we deſire to obſerve a Decorum in thoſe things that relate to our Boſecret things ſhall ſortly be broughtly into Cogniſance before the whole World, Turpe quid — &c.
2. All things that are true, wiſe, and good, are beautiful: Indeed there is nodares abide the examen of the Light, and the Tryal of a ſearching eye. Ignorance, Error, and Vice, are apt to ſneak, and the guilty ſinner hates the light, becauſe his deeds are evil. OnNoon ſun: And thereBeauty and Commendation belonging to them, if it be a pleaſant thing to pour out the Soul in Prayer, to offer EuchaKing of Heaven, to fing his Praiſes upPhil. 4. 4, 8.
3. This Beauty of Religion commends it to the Approbation of the World, and makes the Church ſhine to thoſe that are without: It repreſents it lovely and into make our light ſhine before men, and our Graces give a luſtre to our Principles, that if it be poſſible, and as much as lies in us, we may charm Proſelytes, court the Love and Embraces of the incredulous world, ſtop the mouths of contradicting ſinevery inſtance of our lives impreſs'd with
a tincture of Grace, Holineſs, and Heaven, and then our faces will ſhine, and our light extend it ſelf round a'Tis a pleaſant thing to behold the Sun, but 'tis much more ſo to behold the Son of Righteouſneſs, in his full glory ſhining in the Church, and commuMount Zion; to ſee the Prieſts cloathed with righteouſneſs, and the Saints ſhouting aloud for ioy, Pſal. 132. 9, 16. To ſee the Diſciples of the Holy Jeſus in their Wedding Garments, cloathcommon wear, and their heads anointed with Oyl, the moſt coſtly Ointtheir feet ſhod with the preparations of the Goſpel of Peace! to ſee all Orders and Ranks of Men among us, keep up Order, and Decency, and Love in their full ſtrength and vigour, to ſee the Husband loving the Wife, and
Parents providing carefully for, and inſtructServants obedient to their Maſters with fear and trembling, in the ſingleneſs of their heart, with good will doing ſerMaſters again doing the ſame things unto them, forbearing threatning, knowPrince ruling in juſtice, as a faithPaſtor and his flock reciproliving ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in their proper Orbs, all the Wheels of the ſame work performing office muthis is Beauty, and this is inviting even to the Enemies of our Religion.
Let us not be aſhamed then of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, but Glory in our Proprohaneneſs, and hypocriſie, all rioting and drunkenneſs, chambering, &c. Covetuouſneſs, Adultery, Idolatry, Pride, and Vain-glory, Malice and Revenge, and all Ʋncharitableneſs — Let them not be once named amongſt us, as becomes Saints.
1. See we then what actions become Religion: Every thing that is unbeautiful, unſeemly, is to be ſuſpected as no part of Chriſtianity.
Whether it be the Scabs and Leproſie of a vicious Life, or the Rottenneſs of Hypocriſie, or the Dawb and Paint of Superſtition and Idolatry, the aſcilitious and counterfeit Beauty of humane Invenſlovenly Addreſſes in the Divine Worſhip, or whatis holy, juſt, and good, i. e. In our Language comely, decorous, and beautiful, and apt to ſet all Mankind in a handſome and pleaſant dreſs: Perhaps 'tis not convenient to name the partiAnalogy of Faith; but this I am ſure of, that many, even well-meaning perAliens to the Common-VVealth of Iſrael, and have no affinity at all with the Goſpel of our Saviour; and beſides theſe, even the beſt of us all ſometimes through the imperfection of our holineſs, the weakneſs of our GraArtificial Embelliſhments which the ſuperſtitious Votary makes uſe of to curl his Religion with, let us remember how we take upon us to add with our Inventions to the naked purity of Divine Inſtitution, and let us be aſraid of being ſhortly asked by the Dreadful and Jealous God, that QueWho hath required theſe things, &c.
2. This may ſeem to reprove thoſe, who are ſo far from aiming at any Beauty in Religion, that they are in good earnfo, &c. The Scum and Sweepings, the Botches and Leproſie of the Churches of God; which make, as the Patriarch ſaid of his Sons, — the very Name of Religion ſtink in the Noſtrils of the Inhabitants of the land; that lye like Mountains and Affirghtments in the way of coming Proſelytes, to terrifie and deterr men from coming into the Church, and eſpouſing Holineſs, and falling in love with our Religion; and I will not ſtick to ſay, that almoſt all
Schiſms amongſt us are owing to theſe ill Men, theſe Judas's, that betray their Saviour; theſe Spots in our Feaſts, in our Feaſts of Charity; theſe Scanmake a blot upon your Creed with the Careleſneſs of your Lives! to defile your own Souls, and make your Names rot, and (more than that) to expunge them quite out of the Book of Life! and which is a yet greater aggravation to your ſin, to do what ye can to render Religion odi
3. Let us be exhorted, if we have contracted any blemiſh or deſilement upon our Souls by ſin, if we have in any reſpect marr'd the Beauty of our Religion, let us make haſt to waſh in the Blood of that Immaculate Lamb that takes away the ſins of the World, &c. to purge our Conſciences, and rinſe our Souls, and
Directions to this purpoſe:
1. Let us often look our Faces in the Glaſs of God's Law, James 1. 23. elſe we may be deformed, and not know it: St. Paul — I had not known ſin, but by the Law, &c. Let us ſearch our Beauties with a curious Eye, and take heed leaſt we take Spots, black Patches, Moles, and Morphew, for any parts of our BeauYe do err, not knowing the Scripture. This is the only Rule to judge aright of Beauties by.
2. Let us often go into the Company
of thoſe that excell in Spiritual Beauty: Let the Excellent of the Earth be our Companions, and the beſt of Men our deareſt Aſſociates: Let us ſay with the Bleſſed, Pſal. 101. 3, 4, &c. and if we do ſo, by keeping Company with wiſe Men we ſhall learn Wiſdom, and by often converſing with Holy Men we ſhall underſtand mor eof Holineſs and Sanctity than we did before; we ſhall learn by their dreſs how to dreſs our ſelves better, and by their defects be admoniſhed to beware.
3. Let us beware of any thing that may ſoil our beauty: Let not the Sun look upon us, the Sun of Temptation, Sin, the World, and Vanity, which have too much influence upon us; and of AffliBeauty, and make our Servi
4. Let us acknowledge with thankfulneſs whence all our Beauty is derived, Pſal. 149. 4. 'Tis He that gives us all our fine Robes, that decks our Souls out with the Graces of his Spirit, that pours his Goodneſs and Mercy upon us, and makes
Beauty of his own Countenance; and therefore let us be ſtill humble, and give him the Praiſe of all that little good that appears in us — Not unto us — but to his Name give Glory, &c. let us Pray ſtill for more Grace to be poured out upon us, that our Light may ſhine every day clearer and brighter, 'till it come to a perfect day; 'till we arrive at that bleſſed ſtate where our Faces ſhall ſhine as the Sun in the Firmament, and all our Graces, which be now but in the bud, veil'd over with the Infirmity of Humane Nature, and clouded with the remainders of our old Man, be ripen'd into a Compleat Glory, an accompliſh'd and unfading Beauty: And then ſhall that Song be ſung in good earneſt, Iſa. 59. 1. Awake, awake, put on thy ſtrength, O Zion, put on thy beautfiul Garments, O Jeruſalem, the Holy City, for henceforth there ſhall no more come into thee the uncircumciſed and the unclean.
A SCHEME OF THE HISTORY OF Remarkable Providences, Now preparing for the Preſs, viz.
This foregoing Scheme (of the Hiſtory of Remarkable Providences.) is only a Scheme of the firſt part of that work the Reverend Mr. Turner is engaged in and is the firſt draught of the ſaid Scheme ſo that the Reader may expect it much larger and more correct when the work is finiſht. — As the Firſt Part of this work will contain all the Remarkable Providences which have happened in this preſent age, &c. So the Second and Third Parts will comWords of Nature and Art, — of which ſecond and third part the Reverend Author is now drawing up two diſtinct Schemes that ſo the Reader may have at one View a clear Idea of the whole undertaking.
A FURTHER SPECIMEN OF THE HISTORY OF Remarkable Providences: WITH PROPOSALS At Large, For Printing the ſaid WORK By way of SUBSCRIPTION.
A Work of this Nature was ſet on foot about 30 years ago, by the Learned Mr. Pool, Author of the Synopſis Criticorum; but, for what Reaſons we know not, it was laid aſide, and nothing has ſince apEſſay, to inT ƲRNER (whoſe late Hiſtory of all Religions hath met with good acCourſe of his Reading, and Miniſtry, for near 30 years, and finding that it is not attempted by any other Hand, is reſolved to go on with it, as being fully ſatisfied, that a Work of this kind, muſt needs be of Great Ʋſe; eſpecially to ſuch piCREATION and PROVIDENCE; the former are ſufficient to render thoſe who have no other Inſtructors inexcuſable, as we are taught by the Apoſtle, Rom. 1.20. and the excellency of the latter conſiſts in this, that they are the Real accompliſhments of his written word, ſo that to Record Providences, ſeems to be one of the beſt methods that can be purſued againſt the abounding ATHEISM of this Age, for by works of Providence, the Confeſſion of a God, and the truth of his word have been extorted from thoſe very perſons who have boldly denied it; MEMORABLE is that paſſage of Aeſchyles the Perſian in Tragedy, who relating his Countreymens diſcomfiture by the Greeks, gives us this obſervation, that when the Grecians purſued them furiouſly oStrymon, which was then frozen, but began to thaw, he did with his own Eyes ſee many of thoſe Gallants whom he had heard before maintain ſo boldly that there was no God, every one upon their knees, with eyes and hands lifted up, begging for mercy; and
The Scepticks of this age, may poſſibly call ſuch a paſſage in Queſtion, but what can the moſt Obdurate Atheiſt ſay to thoſe Providences about the Jews, which were ſo clearly foreRevealed Will; and that Chriſtianity is the only true Religion. We doubt not but thoſe men who are able to hold out againſt ſuch a convinflout at this undertaking, and expoſe all they can, but they may remember the Conqueſt which Truth made over their great Champions, Mr. Hobbs, My Lord Rocheſter, and Sir Alan Broderick, prodeſign in hand: It being certainly an incumPſalmiſt, for one Generation to praiſe the Works of the Lord to another, and to declare his mighty Acts, Pſal. 145.4.
I. We have conſulted many, and deſign to peruſe all Authors that we can meet with, Ancient and Modern, who have writ on this ſubThe Treaſury of Ancient and Modern Times, Camerarius, Beard, Clark, Wanly, &c. and others lately publiſht;) and make a ColChoiceſt Paſſages, in order to the PARALLEL betwixt ancient and modern inſcarce, who recorded the providences
of former ages; and that there are mulpreſent age, ſcattered in ſo many Books, which its hardly poſſible for any one man to have all of 'em by him.
II. We our ſelves have already collected, and received from Credible Hands, many remarkable Paſſages, which were never yet printed; and deſign to collect as many more as we can relating to this Preſent Age.
III. We do hereby invite all men, eſpeciDIVINES, to impart unto us any ſuch Remarkable Providences as they have recorded, or remember to have befallen themſelves, or others, either in Mercy or Judgment.
IV. We deſire, for the Improvement of the Collections which we have already made, that ſuch as have any by them, would ſend to us their ObſerExtraordinary Deliverances by Sea or Land, — Earthquakes, unuſual Thunders, &c. Inundations, — ſtrang Apparitions, (but let theſe be well atteſted) — Witchcrafts, — Diabolical Poſſeſſions, — Appearances in the Regions of the Air, — remarkable Meteors, — Exhalations iſſuing out of the Earth, or Prodigies of any ſort, — Strange Beaſts, Sheep, Horſe, — of any unuſual Quality, or mixed Generation, or wonderful Bigneſs, or any other Animal attended with any unuſual Circumſtances — You are alſo deſired to ſend us accounts of any ſtrange accidents that have befallen men or women, — remarkable Diſcoveries of Murther, — any prodigious Births, — Numerous Off-ſprings, — Perſons of extraordinary ſtature, remarkable either for Exceſs or Defect, — of prodigious Memories, — any that have ſtrange Antipathies to Meats,
Drinks, Animals, parts of Animals, — of unuſual Sleep or Watchings, — Night-Walkers (in their ſleep, we mean) — Predictions that have ſtrangely come to paſs, — of men of extream age, — of ſudden Deaths (extraordinarily Circumof any reputed dead that have ſtrangely come to life again, — any thing remarkable that attends a Family, or ſingle perſon, in their Lives or Deaths, as Lights or Noiſes, &c. — Dwarfs, with their age, and place of abode, — any Improvement in any of the Liberal or Mechanick Arts, — any valuable Manuſcripts, — or what elſe you have remarkable of any kind, the publiſhing whereof may be either a Service to the publick, or to particular perſons; which if ſent, ſhall not fail to be inſerted in its pro
Theſe are the HEADS we deſire the inaccounts of as many of them as fall under his own proper Experience and Knowledge, directed to John Dunton, at the Raven in Jewen-ſtreet; whence, with all convenient ſpeed, they ſhall be tranſmitted to the Preſs, in the manner already deſcribed, with ſuch Improvements on the different Heads, as the Reverend Author (who is to compile this work) can make, either from his own Experience, or the beſt Writers. But always remember, that what you ſend be circumſtanName of the County, Town, and Place, you ſend it from, and of the particular perſons concern'd, when the caſe requires it, (for we ſhall not take notice of any thing that is trifling, or uncertain) and that you pay the Poſtage of all Letters (relating to this Work)
uſeful attempt, which we have now a fair opportunity to accompliſh, having received promiſes of aſſiſtance from perLearning and Curioſity; (We have alſo the promiſe of a Folio Manuſcript, written by the Famous Mr. Selden, containing the moſt Memorable Things which have hapObſervations to us, that they ſhall be received with all Candor and Gratitude imaginable, and the Names of the Authors publiſhed, if peruſeful Work.
As the MERCIES and J ƲDGMENTS of God are not confin'd to any particular parall well atteſted Relations, from Chriſtians of what Denomination ſoever, provided they have not a Tendency to reflect upon any ſubdiviſions of Proteſtants; for we will not inſert any thing that favours of Faction or Animoſity amongſt Brethren, but will endeavour to make the Work as unex
Seeing it hath pleaſed God to manifeſt much of his Glory in the Works of Creation, and much of his Goodneſs to men by inſpiring them with uſeful and delightful Inventions, we deſire, that ſuch as have made any Choice Collections, or Obſervations, relating either to NAT ƲRE or ART, (Upon which TWO GENERAL HEADS, we have the Promiſe of a Large
Collection made by an Honourable Perſon, who has been a MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY many years,) would be pleaſed to ſend them to us, and particularly any thing that may contribute to the Natural Hiſtory of the Three Kingdoms, or advance the Reuſeful Arts or Things they have either invented or improved (as any rare or curiEngine, &c.) By means whereof the World will be made acquainted with the Perſons eminently curious in any Handicraft, and wherein their Excellency lies.
We do alſo invite all Divines and others, to communicate to us any Remarkable EPITAPHS in Church-yards, &c. becauſe many of them contain a ſhort Hiſtory of the Perſons upon whom they are made; which is not to be found elſewhere, as we are fully ſatisfied by ſuch Collections of that ſort as we have made already.
Moreover, That nothing might be wanting to render our Work perfect, we have been at the charges to purchaſe what we found for our purpoſe in Mr. WILLIAM MILLER's Catalogue lately publiſh'd, (which being a curious Collection of Papers and Pamphlets of all ſorts, from the year 1600 down to this day) we have been there accommodated with ſeveral Relations from divers parts of the Three KingModern Inſtances upon Atheiſm, Murder, Adultery, Theft, Drunkenneſs, and other Subjects, no where elſe to be found, which will be no ſmall Entertainment to the
We deſign alſo to conſult the Prerogative Office in London, &c. for the WILLS of ſuch Atheiſtical Wits as Hobbs and others, who be
The Method propoſed to be followed, is to rank every thing under its proper Head, with ſome little Introduction to each, and to cite our Authorities in the Margin, as in the following Specimen; only we ſhall be more particular in our Collections than any that have preceeded us, as to the FEMALE SEX, who are generally too much flighted in Works of this Nature, tho' there have been as reVertues and Vices of that Sex as of our own, as well as of ſome cuPeices of Art performed by them, of which the Queens
Green-Court in the Old Jury.
Effigies, and other CuGoldſmith, is an undeniable argument. — So that this HISTORY of PROVIDENCE, &c. will not onTopicks of Reproof and Exhortation, but may ſerve as a Monitor to Perſons of all Ranks and Qualities, in their Cloſets and Families. And this particular advantage may be reapt by this Undertaking, that thoſe who have obſerv'd any remarkable Providences, either as to themſelves or others, or have by 'em in Writing, the DYING WORDS of their Friends, — or the account of their Converſions, (if very remarkable) may have them recorded in this Work: So that their own Poſterity, and ſuc
In the LAST PLACE, we think fit to acwhole Work ſhall be perus'd by ſome Eminent Divines before it be put to the Preſs, whoſe Sentiments thereof under their Hands, ſhall be publiſh'd at the Beginning of the Work.
That the publick may be able to form the better Idea of our Deſign, we have thought ſit to ſubjoyn the following Specimen.
☞ Propoſals and Specimens are to be had of the
Ʋndertaker, JOHN DƲNTON, at the Raven in Jewen-ſtreet, as alſo of EDM. RICHARDSON, near the Poultrey Church, and of moſt Bookſellers in London and the Countrey.
I. THAT this Work, as near as we can judge, will contain about Three Hundred Sheets, Printed in large Folio and upon a fair Letter, and on Paper of the ſame goodneſs with the Folio Propoſals lately publiſht by the Undertaker.
II. For the Encourgement of thoſe that Subs.
a Book in Quires, 15
s.
to be paid in hand, and 15
s.
at Delivery; and if it happens to make above Three Hundred Sheets, the Subſcribers ſhall have it, paying onadditional ſheet.
III. For a further Encouragement to thoſe that Promote it, any Gentleman who will ſubGratis, which will reduce the Three Hundred Sheets to 1
l.
5
s.
8½
d. per Book in Quires, which, conſidering the vaſt Expence for Materials requiſite for carrying on, and compleating ſo great a Work, and the extraordinary fineneſs of the Paper, cannot but be thought very rea
IV. To thoſe that do not ſubſcribe by the firſt of September next, the ſaid 300 ſheets ſhall not be ſold under 35
s.
in Quires.
V. All Gentlemen who ſubſcribe ſhall have their Names and Titles, &c. (if permitted) annexed, when the whole is compleated.
VI. The firſt Volume ſhall be ready to be delivered to Subſcribers next Hillary Term, and the Second with all poſſible Expedition.
VII. Thoſe that deſire the Publication of this uſeful Work, and expect the benefit of theſe Propoſals, are requeſted to ſend their firſt payment with what ſpeed they can to the
Ʋndertaker, (who will give a receipt for the ſame) for nothing but the backwardneſs of the Subſcri
THE Conceſſions of Adverſaries is always reckoned a good Argument for the Confirmation of a Controverted Truth, nor does Omnipotence ever maConfeſſion of Gods over-ruling providence from Wicked Men and Devils; what Emphaſis is there in Nebuchadhezzar's acknowledgement that the moſt high doth according to his will in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can ſtay his hand; or ſay unto him what doſt thou? Dan. 6.35. And tho' our bleſſed Saviour diſdain'd ſuch a Teſtimony, yet the power and Majeſty of God was mightily ſeen in that Confeſſſion, which we find ſo often extorted from the Devils in the Goſpel, that he was the Holy one of God, and the Son of the moſt High, and when we conſider thoſe paſſages, and that Divine Air, which ſounds in the declaration of the falſe prophet Balaam, Num. 24. I ſhall ſee him, but not now, I ſhall behold him but not nigh, there ſhall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter ſhall riſe out of Iſrael. We have no reaſon to doubt but that the Lofty Rapture of the Oracle of Delphos may be true.
Which I find thus Ingeniouſly tranſlated into Latin and Engliſh.
Upon the return of which Anſwer from that Oracle, the Emperor Auguſtus cauſed an Altar to be erected in the Capitol with this Inſcription,Julian the Apoſtate dies, acChriſtian Religion.
haec eſt ara primogeniti Dei. And the famous Acknowledment of Julian the Apoſtate when mortally wounded by an Arrow, Viciſti tandem Galilee, is another remarkable Inſtance of the power of God in extorting a confeſſion of the Truth of Chriſtianity from one of its moſt implacable Enemies.
This we think ſufficient as a Taſte of what may be proConfeſſions of God and Chriſt, which have been extorted by Remarkable Providences in preceding Ages; and we have reaſon to bleſs his Holy Name, that he hath not leſt us without Obſervable Atteſtations of the ſame Nature in this preſent Age.
The firſt we ſhall mention are the Earl of Marlbourgh's Letters from on Board the Fleet, April 24. 1665.
The Earl of Marlbourgh, whoſe two moſt Devout and Penitential Letters are herewith Publiſh'd, was a perſon of great Underſtanding and Wit: The Scene of his Life lay chiefly in Voyages and Expeditions by Sea, whereby he made many laborious Attempts to repair the Collapſed Eſtate of his Anceſtors; but it pleaſed not God to give him the Succeſs he hoped for therein.
It is wholly unfit for any Writer to touch upon any ir
Mr. Roger Coke in the ſecond Volume of his Detection, p. 142, mentions, That the Fight wherein the Duke of York beat the Dutch, and Opdam was blown up, was the 3d. of June, 1665. and that in this Fight the Engliſh loſt the Renown'd Earl of Marlbourgh, who tho' Admiral in K. Charles the firſts time, died here a private Captain.
But it pleaſed God, in that Naval Expedition, to work in him ſuch a ſenſe of his Sins, as did infinitely make a
The Date of his firſt Letter being the 24th. of April, and that of the Second, the 23d of May following, will ſapangs and efforts of great ConſideDeath-bed Repentances, which are ſo juſtly ſuſpected by our Practical Divines of all perſwaſions.
And here it is neceſſary to acquaint the Reader that theſe two Letters of diſtant Dates were ſent by his Lordſhip from the Royal Navy, incloſed in other Letters to Mr Tredewy, his Lordſhip's Agent in London; with a particuHugh Pollard, and that to Mr. Glaſcok, that each of them was to be delivered when Mr. Tredewy was credibly inform'd of his Lordſhips Death. His deſign being, that his Pen ſhould Preach Repentance to the World, in caſe he lived not to be a perſonal Adviſer thereof himſelf.
The Publiſher hereof aſſures the Reader, that both the Letters had a happy influence on the lives of the two perſons, to whom they were directed, and that Sir Hugh Pollard having lent the Original Letter which was ſent to him, to Sir W. Davenant, to ſhew it to whom he pleaſed, Sir William ſhew'd it to the Publiſher among many others: And that Mr. Glaſcock permitted the Publiſher to take a Copy of that Letter directed to him. The Reader may then awaken his moſt ſerious Thoughts to conſider the two following Letters.
I Believe the goodneſs of your Nature,Loyd's fair warning to a careleſs world for a Copy of this Letter of the Earl of Marlbourgh to Sir Hugh Pollard.
Religion, Dreſt and Preſented Phantaſtically, and to purpoſes bad enough, which yet by ſuch evil Dealing, loſeth not its Being. The great and good God hath not leſt it withI retired my ſelf from the noiſe and deceitful Vanities of the world, I found no true comfort in any other Reſolution, than what I had from thence: I commend the ſame from the bottom of my Heart, to your (I hope happy) uſe. Dear, Sir Hugh, let us be more generous than to believe
I beſeech you commend my love to all my AcquainGlaſcock may have a ſight of this Letter, and as many of my Friends beſide, as you will, or any elſe that deſireth it. I pray grant this my Requeſt.
IN caſe I be called away by God in this preſent EmGlaſcock was never printSpecimen.
Laſtly, I Pray ſhew theſe few Lines to my Lord of Portland, by which I in like manner, and for the ſame cauſe crave his pardon, wiſhing you both the bleſſed peace and content of a good Conſcience towards God, and a happy end of your Lives.
My Lord Marlbourgh's Letter to Sir Hugh Pollard having been diſperſt throughout the Kingdom, this Remarkable Penetence of his Lordſhip was the Subject of general Diſcourſe for a long time after, and 'tis not doubted but that his Lordſhip's Letter to Mr. Glaſcock (which was never printed but in this Specimen) will be as well received; and 'tis hoped, may have the ſame good Effect as the former had.
The Gentleman who hath communicated to us theſe Letters ſent by the Earl of Marlbourgh to Sir Hugh Pollard and Mr. Glaſcock, is a Perſon of Quality, now livLondon, and if any one hath the curioſity to be ſatisDarker in Bullhead-Court, near Cripple-gate, he will be always ready to bring any Gentleman to ſpeak with him for further con
It muſt needs be obvious to every conſidering Reader, that the ſame holy ſpirit who breath'd from the mouth of Solomon, the wiſeſt of men, That all things in this World are Vanity and Vexation of Spirit, did make this Great Man ſenſible of the Truth thereof by his own Experience, and to expreſs it accordingly; and how obſervable is it, that that very Truth which he ſo ingeniouſly confeſſes himſelf to have neglected and diſpiſed, did at laſt make an entire Conqueſt over him, and force him to ſubmit, as if God would thereby let us ſee, that though not many Noble, and not many Wiſe are called, yet he does not leave the Goſpel without a Teſtimony, even from ſuch, but obliges them to confeſs, That the Wiſdom of this World is meer Fooliſhneſs with God, which will appear yet more by the following Inſtances.
It's taken notice of that SirIn Sir AFuneral Sermon by Nathan Resbury Miniſter of WandſAlan Broderick, who was a Gentleman of Extraordinary Learning and AccompliſhSports and Follies of Sin, that he had ſometime purſued a Pagan and abandon'd way, Scepticiſm it ſelf not excepted, wherein the poinancy of his Wit, and the ſtrength of his Reaſoning, even in that very Argument, the uſing of which proclaims a man in the Language of the Holy Scriptures, a Fool, may have been the occaſion of a great deal of miſchief towards ſome that are already gone to their Accounts.
Yet ſome years before his Death, the bent and tendency of his Life and Actions was Devout and Religious, and in
Private Converſation with his Miniſter, he would alway be Diſcourſing ſome Caſes of Conſcience about Retir'd Cloſet-prayer, or the Nature and Neceſſity of True Religion—and in his laſt Sickneſs he thought himſelf under a mighty Incumbency to Pray, but was much haraſſed and anxious what to do, becauſe of his fear of not perform
For look you, ſaith he, my Conſcience is now as tender as wet Paper, torn upon every apprehenſion of the leaſt guilt before God—And as he had much ſtudied the Nature of Repentance, he would frequently complain, That he had a great jealouſie upon himſelf, leaſt he had not yet conceiv'd an horror anſwerable to his paſt Exorbitancies of Life, and had not made thoſe ſmart and pungent Reflections upon himſelf, that might become one that had ſo long, and in ſuch Exalted Degrees violated the Laws of his Maker, and made himſelf ſo Obnoxious to the Vengeance of his Judgcutting off one of his Hands with the other, were but a proper or likely way through the angreateſt pleaſure of Life.—He alſo ſaid that by the grace of God, he had ſuch a ſenſe of the Conviction, and folly, and unreaſonableneſs of Sin, that no Argument, no Tentation ſhould prevail upon him to do the like again.—Having taken notice that all my Lord Rocheſters Religious breathings were accounted by ſome, the Raves and Delirancies of a ſick Brain, he did reſolve to have given the World a publick Account of the ſentiments he had of Religion, both as to the Faith and Practiſe of it, but was prevented.
But the next inſtance of the E. of Rocheſter, is ſtill more convincing, who as it appears by his Funeral Sermon, did with very much abhorrence exclaim againſt that abſurd and fooliſh Philoſophy, which the World ſo much admired, and was propagated by the late Mr. Hobbs, and others, which had undone him and many more of the beſt parts of the Nation.Rocheſter's Funeral Sermon preached by Mr. Parſons Aug. 9. 1680.
My Lord Rocheſter being awak'd from his ſpiritual SlumSickneſs, as appears by his Funeral Sermon Preached by Mr. Parſons, Augufl 9. 1680.
Upon the Preachers firſt viſit to him, May 26. My Lord thank'd God who had in Mercy and good Providence ſent him to him, who ſo much needed his Prayers and
Order of men, reproaching them that they were proud, and Propheſied only for rewards; but now he had learnt how to value them, that he eſteem'd them the Servants of the moſt High God, who were to ſhew to him the way to everlaſting Life.
At the ſame time, (continues our Author,) I found him labouring under ſtrange trouble and conflicts of Mind, his Spirit wounded, and his Conſcience full of terrours. Upon his Journey he told me, that he had been arguing with greater vigour againſt God and Religion than ever he had done in his Life time before, and that he was rePaul, he found it hard to kick againſt the Pricks, for God at that time, had ſo ſtruck his heart by his immediate hand, that preſently he argued as ſtrongly for God and Vertue as before he had done againſt it; that God ſtrangely opened his heart, creating in his mind moſt awful and tremendous Thoughts and Ideas of the Divine Majeſty, with a delightful Contemplation of the Divine Nature and Attributes, and of the Lovelineſs of Religion and Vertue. I never, ſaid he, was advanc'd thus far towards happineſs in my Life before, tho' upon the commiſſions of ſome Sins extraordinary, I have had ſome checks and warnings conſiderable from within, but ſtill ſtruggl'd with them, and ſo wore them off again. The moſt obſervable that I remember, was this: One day at an Atheiſtical meeting, at a Perſon of Qualities, I undertook to manage the Cauſe, and was the principal Diſputant againſt God and Piety; and for my performances, receiv'd the Applauſe of the whole ComGood God! That a man that walks upright, that ſees the wonderful Works of God, and has the uſes of his Sence and Reaſon, ſhould uſe them to the defying of his Creator! But tho' this was a good beI had a ſecret value and reverence for an honest man, and lov'd morality in others. But I had form'd an odd Scheme of Religion to my ſelf, which would ſolve all that God or Conſcience might force upon me; yet I was not over-well reconcil'd to the buſineſs of Chriſtianity; nor had that Reverence for the Goſpel of Christ as I ought to
Chapter of Iſaiah was read to him, and ſome other portions of Scripture, by the Power and Efficacy of which Word, aſſiſted by his Holy Spirit, God ſo wrought upon his heart, that he declar'd that the mysteries of the Paſſion apſo much delight in his Teſtimonies, that, in my abſence, he begg'd his Mother and Lady to read the ſame to him frequently, and was unſatisfied notwithſtanding his great pains and weakneſs, till he had learn'd the 53d. of Iſaiah without Book.
At the ſame time diſcourſing of his Manner of Life from his Youth up, which all men knew was too much devoted to the ſervice of Sin, and that the Luſts of the Fleſh, the Eye, and the Pride of Life had captivated him, he was very large and particular in his acknowledgments about it; more ready to accuſe himſelf than any one elſe could be, publickly crying out, O bleſſed God! Can ſuch an horrit Creature as I am, be accepted by thee, who has denied thy Being and contemn'd thy Power; asking often, Can there be mercy and Pardon for me? Will God own ſuch a Wretch as I? and in the middle of his Sickneſs ſaid, Shall the unſpeakable joys of Heaven be conferr'd on me? O mighty Saviour, never but through thine Infinite Love and Satisfaction: O never, but by the purchaſe of thy Blood; adding, that with all abhorIf that God who died for great as well as leſſer Sinners, did not ſpeedily apply his infinite Merits to his poor Soul, his wound was ſuch as no man could conceive or bear; crying out, That he was the vilest Wretch and Dog that the Sun ſhined upon, or the Earth bore; That now he ſaw his Error in not living up to that Reaſon which God endued him with, and which he unworthily vilified and contemned; wiſh'd he had been a ſtarving Leper crawling in a Ditch; that he had been a Link-Boy or a Beggar; or for his whole life time confin'd to a Dungeon, rather than thus to have ſinned againſt God. How remarkable was his Faith in a hearty embracing and devout Confeſſion of all the Articles of the Christian Religion,
Hobs, and others, had undone him and many more of the beſt Parts of the Nation. He caſt himſelf entirely upon the mercies of Jeſus Chriſt, and the Free-Grace of God, declared to repenting Sinners through him, with a thankful ReLord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.
His mighty love and eſteem of the Holy Scriptures, his reſolutions to read them frequently, and meditate upon them if God ſhould ſpare him, having already taſted the good Word; for having ſpoken to his heart, he acknowreceive the Truth in the love of it.
How terribly did the Tempter aſſault him by caſting upon him wicked and lewd imaginations, But I thank God, ſaid he, I abhor them all, and by the power of his grace, which I am ſure is ſufficient for me, I have overcome them;
'tis the malice of the Devil becauſe I am reſcued from him; and the goodneſs of God that frees me from all my ſpiritual enemies—
He was greatly rejoiced at his Ladies Converſion from Popery, which he called, a Faction ſupported only by Fraud and Cruelty. He was heartily concernpious education of his Children, wiſhing that his Son might never be a Wit, that is, as he explain'd it, One of thoſe wretched creatures who pride themſelves in abuſing God and Religion, denying his Being or his Providence; but that he might become an honeſt and a religious Man, which could only be the ſupport and bleſſing of his Faall his prophane and lewd Writings, as being only ſit to promote Vice and Immoobſcene and filthy Pictures which were ſo notoriouſly ſcandalous. I muſt not paſs by his pious and moſt paſſionate exclamation to a Gentleman of ſome Character who came to viſit him upon his Death-Bed. O remember that you contemn God no more; he is on avenging God, and will viſit you for your ſins; will in mercy,
I hope, touch your Conſcience ſooner or later, as he has done mine. You and I have been Friends and Sinners together a great while, therefore I am the more free with you. We have been all miſtaken in our Conceits and Opinions. Our Perſuaſions have been falſe and groundleſs, therefore God grant you repentance. And ſeeing him again next day, ſaid to him, Perhaps you were diſobliged by my plainneſs to you yeſterday, I ſpake the
and ſtrikwords of truth and ſoberneſs to you,I hope God will touch your heart.
He commanded me, (continues our Author) to Preach abroad, and let all men know, if they knew it not alreaSufferings were moſt juſt, tho' he had laid ten thouſand times more upon him; how he had laid one ſtripe upon another becauſe of his grievous provocations, till he had brought him home to himſelf; that in his former Viſitations he had not that bleſſed Effect he was now ſenſible of. He had formerly ſome looſe thoughts and ſlight reſolutions of reforming, and deſignſentiments of things, and acted upon other Principles. He was willing to die, if it pleaſed God, reſigning himſelf always to the Divine Diſpoſal; but if God ſhould ſpare him yet a lonwhole courſe of his Life; and particularly, by his endeavours to convince others, and to aſſure them of the danger of their condition if they continued impeniThe time of his Sickneſs and Repentance was just nine Weeks, in all which time, 30 hours about the middle of it exceptMaſter of his Reaſon, and had ſo clear an underſtanding, that he neI ſhall Die, but Oh, what unſpeakable Glories do I ſee? What Joys beyond Thought or Expreſſion am I ſenſible of? I am aſſured of God's mercy to me, through Jeſus Chriſt. O! how I long to die, and to be with my Sa
For the benefit of all thoſe whom I may have drawn into ſin by my example and Encouragement,Rocheſter's dying Remonlaſt Declaration, which I deliver in the preſence of the great God, who knows the Secrets of all Hearts, and before whom I am now appearing to be Judged.
That from the bottom of my Soul I deteſt and abhor the whole Courſe of my former wicked Life, that I think I can never ſufficiently admire the Goodneſs of God who has given me a lively ſenſe of my pernicious Opinions and vile practices by which I have hitherto Liv'd withUtmoſt deſpite to the holy Spirit of Grace, and that the greateſt TeſtimoGreateſt of Sinners, do yet hope for Mercy and Forgiveneſs. Amen.
To this we ſhall add two Penitential Letters, the one of Sir Duncomb Colcheſter, late of Weſtbury in Glouceſterſhire, a Gentleman well known to have been a perſon of Wit and Parts, whoſe Repentance and Reformation may deſerve a more perticular Relation then is proper for this place and occaſion. For the truth and certainty of it, that is beyond all doubt, there being Copies of it in many hands both in City and Country long before his Death, and ſeen and perlittle before he dyed, &c. He continued his Repentance and Reſolution to
Horror he had ſuffered in his Soul, for his ſinful life paſt far exceeding all that he ſuffered in his Body, which was very great; his ſenſe of the Wonderful Mercy of God to him; and that he would die rather than commit the leaſt wilfull Sin. He dyed 25th. May, 1694. in his return from London toward Glouceſterſhire.
SInce it hath pleaſed Almighty God of his great and undeſerved Mercy and Goodchiefeſt of Sinners,
Sir Dunpenitential Letter.
Declare, that I am heartily ſorry for all the Sins of my paſt life, the remembrance whereof, however pleaſant they formerly ſeemed to be, is now Grief and Bitterneſs to my Soul. More particuRioting and Drunkenneſs, my Chambering and Wantonneſs,
encouraging and drawing others to Exceſs, which has made me partaker (O ſad thought!) of other Mens ſins, and lyable to anſwer for more than mine own: I am ſenſible, that as it hath been my Practice, ſo it is ſtill of too many Gentlemen; and that they, as I did, reckon exceſſive Drinking ſo far from a Fault, as to be rather one of the beſt Indications of a hearty Reſpect and true Affection to the PerMen, and ſend them out of their Houſes Beaſts. I wiſh from the bottom of my Soul, that any thing I could ſay, would make all thoſe, whoſe Conſciences accuſe them of Guilt in this particular, to loath and abhor this wicked Practice as I do. And I do alſo heartily lament my great Neglect of putting the Laws in execution againſt common Drunkards, Swearers, and ſuch like ſcandabeſeech all ſuch as are in Authority, and whoſe buſineſs it is to ſee the Laws executed, if any ſuch come to hear this Paper read, that they will be more careful in that particular, and conſider, that as their Power is a Talent entruſted in them, whereof they muſt give a ſtrict AcReformation amongſt us, and then with confidence
God's Bleſſing to reſt upon us. And as I abhor my ſelf for my Neglect in this parPurpoſe and Reſolution, if it ſhall pleaſe Almighty God (with whom all things are poſſible) to reſtore me to Health, or prolong my days, by his ſpecial Grace and Aſſiſtance (without which I ſhall be able to do nothing) to lead a New Life in all Holy Obedience to his Will and Commands; and deſire that this Declaration of mine, if I fail to do ſo, may be produced as a Teſtimony againſt me, to my Shame and Reproach. But ſince my Recowarn and beſeech all Sinners, eſpecially thoſe whom my Example has at any time encouraged, (the remembrance whereof ſtill ſills me with ſhame and ſorrow) to repent of all their ſins and provocations, leaſt God's Vengeance overtake them in their Security, and there be no Remedy. And I beſeech them farther to take Notice, that if this Warning be ſlighted, the wilfull neglect and Refuſal thereof will at laſt be charged upon them as a heinous Aggravation of all their Sins they ſhall hereater commit, will encreaſe their Condemnation, and make their Doom more dreadful and terrible: But that it may have a contrary effect, and be a means to reduce 'em from their Sins to a Holy and Religious Life, that ſo their Souls may be
The other Letter is written by a Woman,
J. H.
inferior in her Repentance. It was that, and the Grace of God in her Heart, which moved her to do it long before it wasdone; and it was the pure effect of that, when at laſt it was done; and all her own compoſure, we are aſſured by a credible perſon who hath moſt reaſon to know it, who gave her abſolution, approved her purpoſe in it, and peruſed it when ſhe had done it; and hath ſeen other Letters of her writing, by which he could eaſily diſcern the Compoſure of this, if there had been any other hand in it, or any reaſon to ſuſpect it. It is publiſhed with her conſent, who is very ready to embrace any Motion tending to the Honour and Service of God or her own Humiliation. Her Letter was directed to Mr. — Miniſter in Portſmouth, and is as follows, viz.
I Have put Pen to Paper, humbly beſeeching you to hear me of your Charity a few Words. The Enemy of my Soul hath raiſed
intended purpoſe; and I have been almoſt perſwaded to give it over; but now having the advice of a Pious Holy Miniſter of God, who ſays it may be of great uſe, I deſire to take ſhame to my ſelf, and to give Glory to the Majeſty of Heaven, who in great Love and Pitty hath pluckt me as a Firebrand out of the Fire, and I am this day a Living Monument of Mercy. I cannot but be grieved at the many ſad Examples I have given at Portſmouth. My Sins have have encreaſCompanions in evil may hear and fear, and do no more ſuch wickedneſs. About 9 or 10 years agone, I came a young Woman (if I deſerve that name) to P—, my Husband Cook of a Ship in that Harbour, a very ill Husband, (no extwo ſinners to come together to plague one another; and whilſt he acted the part of a Drukard, with ſhame and confuſion of face be it ſpoken, I acted the part of a Harlot, giving my ſelf ouncleanneſs with greedineſs; inſodefile my Marriage Bed;
Mother, I was very thankful for the Mercy, and was much reEvil of ſin, and did put pen to pabad as ever, living at Service in the very midſt of Temptation at Porthridge. I continued there but a ſhort ſpace, for the good hand of Providence brought me to London, where I had time and opportunity to reflect upO that I might improve the mercy! O that I could tell you what God hath done for my Soul! He hath brought me out of Darkneſs into his marvellous light: O that I could prevail with my Companions in evil to ſeek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near! Some of them are old Sinners, grey hairs are upon them, and they know it not, I could be content to ſtand in a white ſhet in your Church if I might but prevail with any one Soul to ſee the heinouſneſs of my ſin: Nay, I could be conſtoned without the walls of the Garpureſt Blood! I am grieved for the Diſhonour I have done to God by my abominable ſin, and heartily wiſh my Head were
Waters and mine Eyss were a Fountain of Tears that I might weep day and night for abuſing mercy. O Sir, you live in a place relating to Sodom, cry aloud, ſpare not to tell the Flock over which the Holy Ghoſt, hath made you Overremembred in your Prayers; and I humbly beſeech the Almighty, that this poor paper may have its deſigned effect, that God may be glorifi'd, and our Souls ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus, Amen and Amen.
To this SPECIMEM we deſigned to have added ſeveRemarkable Instances of this nature never yet in Print, but for want of room cou'd not inſert 'em here —
But though this Specimen will not allow of instances under every head; (for if it wou'd, we had added Specimens upon the Works of Nature and Art, as we have done here upon Providence, having prepared materials for that end); yet b y what is here exhibited, the ingenious Reader may eaſily perceive the uſefulneſs of our deſign; and as a far[Attestations given to Religion by dying Princes,] who acknowledg'd the ſame to be preferable to all things elſe: We ſhall (from the beſt Authorities) Record the last ſayings of our never enough Lamented Soveraign, the late Q. Mary, as a Noble Teſtimony to Religion, from one whoſe Parts and Endowments were as high as her Dignity, as if Providence would not leave the prophane Age room to ſay that Religion was only pretended to by the mean and ignorant, but convince them by the dying Breath of a Princeſs every way ſo Glorious and Great.
Under the Head of [Signal Deliverance] we doubt not but the Reader will eaſily be convinc'd that the Relation of the Miraculous Deliverance of the Proteſtants in Ireland, from the Cruelties of Q. Mary I. As alſo the Account of Sir Henry Wyat's wonderful Preſervation in the Tower, will deſerve a place; the Firſt being Atteſted by Biſhop Uſher, and delivered to the Publiſher by a Perſon of Quality, now living in London; (and is wholly omitted by Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments,) and the other being drawn up by a Learned Gentleman, and never Printed before.—Of theſe things we ſhall treat more at large in the Body of the Work, but think this ſufficient to whet the Readers Curioſity, and to give him a taſt of what Entertainment he is to exother Heads, as well as theſe mentioned.—
AN Eſſay upon the Works of Creation and Providence, be[Hiſtory of Remarkable Providences] now preparing for the preſs: To which is added a SCHEME of the ſaid Undertaking, — as alſo a further SPECIMEN of the Work it ſelf, in which is inſerted the Penitential Letter written by Sir DUNCOMB COLCHESTER (late of Weſtbury in Gloceſterſhire) with other remarkable Inſtances of that Nature. Price bound 2 s.
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2 The Learned Spanhemius's Funeral Oration, which gives an account of ſome remarkable Paſſages in the LIFE of the QUEEN (not hitherto made Publick) having met with an extraordinary Reception, it has encouraged the Undertaker to a ſpeedy Publication of — A Collection of the Funeral Orations made in Holland upon the Death of the QUEEN of Great Britain, by Dr. James Perizonius, Profeſſor of Hiſtory, Eloquence, and the Greek Language. The Learned Grevius of Utrecht. The Reverend Francius of Amſterdam. And Mr. Ortwinius of Delph. And by the Learned Author of the Collection of Curious new pieces lately publiſh'd. To which which will alſo be added the Funeral Oration upon the QUEENS Death, pronounc'd
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