lxxxvii 2 Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God BUT all the most exalted Encomiums are infinitely below thy deserved Lauds and Praises For What Humane Understanding What created Tongue can be able to comprehend or express thy ineffable Excellencies If this Inferior Orb the Place of our Exilement and a Theatre of inevitable Miseries be so wonderfully delightful that our Eyes are entranced with the Variety of its Objects and can never sufficiently admire the Marvels they behold if the Firmament which is but a Foot-cloth for the Saints to tread on be enamell'd with so many Starry Jewels and imbellish'd with such radient Planets and glittering Constellations How transcendent how superlatively Magnificent are the Inner Appartments and Chambers of that Emperial Palace where the Adorable Deity does vouchsafe to communicate his Essential and Ecstatick Glories II. O DESIRABLE Mansion One Minute's Residence in thy Celestial Courts will make us more than Recompence for all the Afflictions we can possibly suffer in this Valley of Tears And And how conceivably will our Reward be when by a Miracle of Divine Mercy we shall be admitted to an Everlasting Participation of thy Immense and Inexpressible Felicities It was the certain Hope of thy Enjoyment which animated the Primitive Martyrs to sustain the most fiercest Tortures with an undaunted Constancy and to triumph in the mid'st of their Conflagration III. THE comfortable Expectation of thy Fruition was the Grand Motive which induced the Magnanimous Ignatius when threatned by his Persecutors with Extremity of Torments to make this Heroick Replication Fire Gallows Beasts Breaking of my Bones Quartering of my Members Crushing of my Body all the Torments of the Devil together let them come upon me so I may enjoy my Lord Iesus Christ. IV. IT is an undeniable Axiom That all Secular Felicitities are built upon brittle Foundations The most sublime Terrestrial Pleasures even in their greatest Complacencies are but transcient Vanities and conclude in Vexation but the Objects of the Celestial Habitations are refined to such an extraordinary degree of Perfection that they will be able to satiate the most extended Desires of our capacious Souls There we shall possess in lieu of a living Mortality which moves us towards the Grave a Vitality glorious beyond Imagination durable as the Ages of Eternity and whose Enjoyment will entitle us to excessive and inexplicable Satisfactions V. IF we admire Beauty Our ravish'd Eyes in lieu of Corporeal Objects shall behold those Immaterial Glories which flow from the Fountain of Uncreated Light and shall be permitted to contemplate that wonderful Clearness which proceeds from the Beatifical Visage of the Supreme Creator If Riches be the Center of our Affections Gold Pearls Diamonds Rubies Jewels and whatever we account most precious and estimable in the Universe are but faint Metaphors to describe the Inestimable Treasures of the Supernal World VI. IF Honour be the Subject of our Ambition What are Scepters and Crowns but Illustrious Miseries What are the Grandeurs upon Earth but gaudy Shadows in comparison of those Incorruptible Diadems those permanent and Substantial Dignities which flourish Above If we delight in Musick There we shall hear the Panegyrical Anthems of the Seraphick Choir and shall bear a part in the solemn Celebration of that Almighty Being whose only Presence will be sufficient to replenish us with immeasurable Felicity VII TO Conclude Nothing can be ded to that Immensity of Beatitude which we shall there enjoy but we shall be as perfectly Happy as the immediate Vision of the Incomprehensibly Glorious Trinity the Society of Angels the Conversation of Triumphant Spirits and the inexpressible Accommodations of a blissful Heaven can possibly make us And to consummate our Felicity all our Enjoyments shall be invested with Eternal Glory THE CONTENTS SECT I. What Meditation is Page 1 SECT II. That it is a Duty Page 5 SECT III. Rules and Directions for Meditation Page 10 SECT IV. Of the Subject and Method of Meditation Page 14 SECT V. Of being Affected with the Divine Presence Page 17 SECT VI. Of Preparatory Prayer Before Meditation Page 21 SECT VII Of Consideration Page 25 SECT VIII Affections and Resolutions Page 29 SECT IX Of Vows Page 33 SECT X. How to Conclude your Meditations Page 35 Collects to be said Before and After Meditations Page 36 Meditations on Several Occasions MED I. COnfession of Sins Page 38 MED II. That the Cross of the Holy Iesus should excite us to Repentance Page 42 MED III. Of the Fruits of Repentance Page 45 MED IV. Of Man's Salvation Page 50 MED V. The Youth's Memento Page 53 MED VI. General Rules of a Godly Life Page 58 MED VII The Whole Duty of Man Page 63 MED VIII The Vanity of the World Page 67 MED IX Jacob ' s Ladder Page 72 MED X. Of a Good Conscience Page 76 MED XI Of a Wounded Spirit Page 81 MED XII Of Humility Page 86 MED XIII The Proud Pharisee Page 91 MED XIV The Soul's Delight Page 95 MED XV. True Contentment Page 10â— MED XVI Of Divine Faith Page 105 MED XVII The Canaanitish Woman's Faith Page 109 MED XVIII Of Love and Charity Page 114 MED XIX An Act of Divine Love Page 120 MED XX. Of Chastity Page 126 MED XXI Purity of Heart Page 133 MED XXII Against Covetousness Page 137 MED XXIII A Bad Exchange Page 142 MED XXIV In Time of Sickness Page 148 MED XXV Vpon Death Page 153 MED XXVI Vpon Iudgment Page 160 MED XXVII Vpon Hell Page 171 MED XXVIII Vpon Heaven Page 177 FINIS
Profession only but our daily Practises too that must proclaim us Heralds of this Faith V. ALTHOUGH our Merits can never reach Heaven yet our pious Endeavours may if they are sincere because there is a Mercy hangs over our Heads that will pardon our Deficiency All the Blossoms and Buds of our Piety spring forth from this Stem and he that either believes or loves his Saviour that died for him cannot imagine he is too much industrious to live well This was the Female Sex's Faith here and she had scarce effus'd it out with floods of Tears when the Infernal Fiend in a Consternation forsakes his hold unable to endure the Eccho of that Sound which was repeated by the diviner Accent of our Redeemer's Lips and this Faith must be a Preservative against Sin and by its diviner Charms chase Satan to his Chains of Darkness 'T is this that prepares Heaven for us that makes us survive our Monuments become Immortal in our Graves and promises Eternity to our Dust and Ashes 'T is this that consummates our Happiness and will safely arrive us where the Blessed Jesus shall receive us into His Glory VI. O MOST Divine Omnipotence Thou sentest Thy Son Christ Jesus to die for us that by Believing in Him we might attain to Everlasting Life He under whom Thou hast put all things in Subjection was pleas'd to condescend to level Himself with them and dethron'd Himself to undergo a Crucifixion for our Souls that we might receive the Benefits of His Death and Passion and be Partakers of His Glory Oh let not those Miseries of our depraved Nature which petitioned Thy Mercy and Compassion make us uncapable of it Let not those that plead Ignorance of Thee but by Thy Miracles be more ardous in acknowledging Thine abundant Goodness than we who by the Manifestation of Thy Love claim an Interest in Thy precious Blood VII BUT grant O Lord that we may live in a perpetual Thanksgiving to Thy Merits who camest down from the Bosom of Thy Father to purchase and save our Immortal Souls To this end do Thou inspire into us that Faith without which it is impossible we should please Thee and with which Thou annexes all other Graces Teach us so to rely on Thy Mercies that we may not neglect the Means or imagine that a dead Faith will conduct us to that Life which Thou hast promised to none but them as work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling MED XVII Of Love and Charity 2 Pet. i. 7. And to brotherly-kindness charity TRUE and Sincere Love is an inseparable Property of a Pious Person No Christian can subsist without Faith and where that Vertue is Charity is not wanting Where the Lustre of Charity is extinguish'd the Heat of Faith must consequently be quenched Thou may'st as well rob the bright Luminary the Sun of his Light as deprive Faith of the Gift of Charity Charity is the External Act of the Internal Life of a Christian. The Body is dead without the Spirit and Faith is dead without Charity Jam. 2. 26. He is not a Member of Christ that is not inspired with his Spirit and he is not endued with his Holy Spirit that is destitute of the Gift of Charity II. THIS Theological Vertue is the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by the Goodness of the Fruit the Tree is demonstrated Charity is the bond of Christian perfection saith the Apostle Col. 3. 14. As the Bodily Members are united together by the Spirit so the true Members of the Mystical Body are united by the Holy Spirit in the Bond of Charity Solomon's Temple was all covered with Gold within and without 1 King 6. 21. So our Bodies and Souls which are the Almighty's Spiritual Temples ought in like manner both within and without to be beautified with Love and Charity Let this regent Vertue exercise its Efficacy in moving thy Heart to Compassion and thy Hand to Contribution For one without the other is not effectual III. FAITH receiveth all from God the Fountain of all Goodness and from that Stream Charity as a Channel conveys it to her Neighbours By Faith we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature who is Love 1 Joh. 4. 8. Therefore where Charity manifesteth not Externally Faith Internally doth not inhabit No Man believes in the Lord Jesus which doth not express Affections of Love to Him and none can fulsil that New Commandment except he loves his Neighbour None can really apprehend the Benefits of Christ with a Heart unfeigned which has not Bowels of Compassion to the distressed IV. CHARITY is the Seminary of all Vertues and nothing can be of good growth which proceeds not from that Root And this Vertue truly delineated is the Soul 's Spiritual Relish for unto it alone are all things dulcified all Adversity Pain Anguish Trouble nay even Death it self And And the Wise Man confirms this That Love is as strong as Death Cant. 8. 6. And indeed I think I may invert the Wise Man's Text and with Assurance proclaim That Love is stronger than Death For Love brought down a Saviour to die for us Sinners that the Sting of Death might be removed from us He when he had overcome the sharpness of death did open the kingdom of heaven to all believers Oh let us then embrace this Love and die unto Sin daily that we may live unto Righteousness V. ALL the Works of the Most High proceeds from this lovely Attribute even Punishments Denunciations and Judgments The Two great Luminaries and the Constellations of Heaven illuminate not themselves but us wretched Creatures Fire Air Earth and Water were created for our Necessity The Beasts Herbs Plants Trees Birds Fish and Fowls were all for our Use. And as God has been so gracious to give thee Plenty of these Blessings so do thou distribute to thy Neighbours according to their Necessities And this must be done freely with true Amity Affection and Compassion else all our Charity is nothing worth but will prove like sounding Brass or a tinkling Symbal VI. CHARITY is patient 1 Cor. 13. 4. For no Man is easily enraged with those whom he truly affects Charity likewise is bountiful And he who has been so liberal as to resign his Heart to his Friend will without all question not with-hold from him any temporal Enjoyments for the Relief of his Necessity Charity envieth not it thinketh no Evil is not puffed up and behaveth not it self undecently Next she seeketh not those things which are her own neither is she provoked to Anger she imagineth no Mischief nor rejoyceth not in iniquity but she beareth all things believeth hopeth and endureth all things she refuseth not to do unto others as she desires them to perform unto her Tongues and Prophecies shall cease and Arts and Sciences be destroyed but Charity shall never be extinguished VII LET us then study this Lesson of Love and Charity and howsoever thy Friend or Neighbour be qualified towards thee yet remember
THE Whole Duty OF DIVINE MEDITATION Described In all its various Parts and Branches WITH MEDITATIONS ON Several Places of Scripture By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man Psal. cxix 16. I will meditate on thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways London Printed for Iohn Back at the Black-Boy on the Middle of London-Bridge 1694. LICENSED Decemb. 20. 1693. THE PREFACE THE Whole Duty of Prayer having met with so good a Reception in the World I have at the Request and Importunity of some Friends recommended to the Press this remaining Tract bearing the Title of the Whole Duty of Meditation by that Reverend and Worthy Author of the Whole Duty of Man The Subject I need not commend for it carries its Worth along with it and to every Christian will appear both pleasant and profitable For by Meditation the truly Religious may converse with the Almighty and from the Throne of Grace find Help and Comfort in time of Need to those which are Aery and are the Darlings of the World this Gift may procure a well-compos'd Mind For if he who by often looking on a Ring with a Death's Head at last grew sober who knows but by often Meditating their Hearts may be brought into a more serious and heavenly frame The Royal Prophet stiles Meditation the Food of the Soul Psal. 63. 4. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness while I meditate on thee The Heart never willingly fixeth upon Heaven till the Almighty is the Treasure of it for where any Man's Treasure is there will his Heart be also Now it cannot easily meditate but where it doth delight Psal. 119. 97. Love is the Weight of the Soul it readily moves to its beloved Object Mary will not depart from the Sepulchre where Christ had lain before she had made Enquiry where she might see him whom her Soul loved It is the Duty of every good Christian to observe the Prophet David's Rule Psal. 16. 8. to set the Lord always before him that he may be in his fear all the day long There is nothing more unstedfast than the Mind of Man and therefore nothing can so well compose it as True Sanctity which brings such great Advantages that with holy Job it makes the Soul both serious and willing to acquaint it self with God that it may be at peace Iob 22. 21. He is the Rest of the Soul and the more it knows of him the more desirous it is to reside with him that it may know more The more it tasteth of his Favour the more it longeth after his Glory as Moses did Exod. 33. 17 18. What the Philosopher said of all Knowledge is true only of the Knowledge of God that it is Quies Intellectus And therefore our Saviour calleth it Eternal Life Iohn 17. 3. in which alone the Soul doth rest Now one excellent Means of fixing the Heart on God is Meditation whereby the highly Pious summons together all that is within them to bless his Name Psal. 103. Meditation is the Wing of the Soul which carrieth the Affections thereof to Things Above By this with Moses it goeth up to the top of Mount Pisgah to take a Prospect of the Promised Land It is as Clemens Alexandrinus saith of Prayer a Conversing with God And as St. Chrysostome saith of Faith so may we of Meditation it makes God and Christ and Precepts and Promises ours by giving us a fuller Possession of them Hereby we hold fast what we have learned we awaken our Faith inflame our Love strengthen our Hope revive our Desires encrease our Joys in God we furnish our Hearts and fill our Mouths with Materials of Prayer we slacken our Affections from the World we pre-acquaint our selves with those Glories which we yet but hope for and get some knowledge of that Love of Christ which passeth Knowledge The Necessity Excellency and Usefulness of this Christian Duty the Reverend Author of this Tract hath Elegantly described which is therefore worthy Perusal of such as desire to acquaint and furnish themselves with so excellent a part of Christian Skill whereby we may be filled with the Fulness of God and be always able continually to say My Heart is fixed O God my Heart is fixed I will sing and give Praise G. B. Advertisement THere is lately publish'd The Whole Duty of Prayer Containing Devotions for Every Day in the Week and for Several Occasions Ordinary and Extraordinary By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man Necessary for all Families The Third Edition Printed for Iohn Back at the Black-Boy on the Middle of London-Bridge THE Whole Duty OF DIVINE MEDITATION SECT I. What Meditation is FIRST Divine Meditation differs from Occasional by these Examples When you hear the Hour of the Day or Night think with thy self What Thoughts O my God have I had of thee this Hour I am now nearer the silent Grave and know not how soon I may be arrested by the Hand of Death THESE are like Ejaculatory Prayers which tho' they are as Parenthesis in our Worldly Employment yet they signifie more than all the rest of the Business we are employed in but Meditation is of longer Duration than solemn Prayer upon Ordinary Occasions II. SECONDLY It differs from Study For Study consists of those things that are most knotty and difficult and generally such as afford little Spiritual Nourishment but the Subject of Divine Meditation concerns our Eternal Happiness The End of Study is Knowledge but the End of Meditation is Sanctity III. THIRDLY It differs from Contemplation For Contemplation is applicable to the Beatifical Vision where the Angels behold the Face of the Almighty Now Meditation is like Fire kindling and Contemplation the flaming of it when fully kindled The one is like the Spouses Seeking of Christ and the other like her Enjoying of him IV. FOURTHLY To conclude Meditation is a a serious and solemn considering of Heavenly Things to the end we may understand how much it concerns us and that our Hearts thereby may be raised to some holy Affections and Resolutions Now there are Four kinds of Solemn Meditation according to their several Subjects V. FIRST Some Solemn Meditations are upon the hearing of Sermons which is a very useful and necessary Practice amongst Christians and it is better to hear one Sermon and meditate on it than to hear two and meditate of neither Now to prescribe a Method for Meditating on Sermons is neither necessary nor possible since the Methods of Sermons are various therefore the Mediatours are to observe the Method of the Sermon they meditate upon and the Fruits of such Meditations is to work those Truths Advices and Motives c. upon our Affections that are propos'd to us in the Sermon VI. THE Second kind of Solemn Meditation is when upon some Providential Occasion spiritual Distemper or Temptation we retire and pour out our Souls in Prayers Soliloquies c. Which connot but in a very large sence be styled Prayer
thy Folly thou be cast headlong into the deep abyss of Sin and Misery And now having consider'd the Detestableness of this Sin of Pride and the Amiableness of this Virtue of Humility let us earnestly endeavour to abandon the one and embrace the other and with all Sanctity invoke the God of all Spirits to infuse into us his heavenly Grace that this Tumour of Pride may be asswag'd in us that his Meekness and Humility may be our perfect Pattern to guide us in this Life and conduct us to the Life to come MED XIII The Proud Pharisee Luk. xviii 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican SEE how Ingratitude is radicated in this proud Pharisee that he so imperiously thanks Heaven How prodigiously hath Pride metamorphos'd him He that accustom'd himself to prolix Prayers intends now to use brevity His devoutest Posture is Standing and he comes not to Pray but to Boast not to Worship his Creator but to Extoll himself He is not qualify'd to be highly Pious being so opinionated and transported with his own Virtues that he is destitute of either Time or Patience to remember the sole Author whose Benignity he would pretendedly seem to acknowledge but 't is so luke-warmly 't were better he were ungrateful still II. TRUTH had a lucky chance to proceed from such graceless Lips He did indeed far excell others even to the Superlative degree of Audaciousness But had he been acquainted with himself better he would have proved more Grateful and not so Arrogant How amply doth he disturb the Ear of Heaven with these Ostentations of his singular Value but for his Pride and Arrogancy makes not the least Apology Indeed he Thanks the Almighty but 't is after a modish Carelessness and rather an airy Complement than a solid Prayer III. HE may plead Ignorance but be found guilty of the breach of the Second Commandment in the First Table For he knows he is forbid to Worship Idols or Images yet thinks it no Sin to Idolize himself and therefore dares presume to offer to the Almighty a Schedule of his own Merits How many apt Scholars is there in the World that hath perfectly learn'd this Lesson and imprinted it in their Memory See how the Roman Pharisees charm and puff up themselves with Pride by their sanctimonious Acts of Supererogation and think to scale Heaven by a Ladder of their own forming magnifying a superabundant Piety and triumphing in a meritotious superfluity of performing more than their appointed Task IV. WITH how much Agility do our trembling Enthusiasts follow their Generals Path in a sanctimonious Pride by a supercillious Purity of Intention presuming it their Prerogative to reform the Universe and create it again a-new That Canonize themselves according to their mode and with the proud Pharisee not only thank the Almighty but tell him positively they far excell other Men That outragiously and loudly proclaim themselves the great Luminary of the World and in a devout lunacy wou'd croud in new Notions extravagantly decrying all Religions but their own These malecontented Pretenders immure themselves a-part from others and by a morose Piety are become so prodigiously Divine that they have always extinguish'd their Humanity V. NOW if the Pharisee were not as other Men yet these resemble him having been such exact Proficients in his Nature and Religion So apt and prone O Lord are we to be seduced even in our best Performances and whil'st we vainly imagine our selves not only to excell others but so meritorious in Thy sight as to be elevated into Presumption T is Humility must Crown all our Graces and put a Lustre on our Requests whil'st the presuming Assurance of our own Merits does not only deface but seclude us from Thee VI. TEACH us therefore O Lord with such Expressions of Gratitude to use Thy Gifts that we may not be stupified so as to be forgetful of our selves or Thee Whil'st others arrogantly boast themselves in meritorious Acts of Supererogation let us earnestly endeavour humbly to acknowledge confess and bewail our many Imperfections Let not a sanctimonious Pride seize upon our Immortal Souls that may any ways hinder us from being innocent from the great Offence MED XIV The Soul's Delight Psal. xciv 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. GOD the bountiful Provider of all the World hath prepared a great Feast Mat. 22. 4. And those which hunger and thirst after Righteousness are freely invited He that tasteth not is not sensible of the Sweetness of this Divine Banquet and he that has lost his Appetite is not expected a Guest at this Table If thou believest on the Lord Jesus obey the first Summons and approach with chearfulness to this Royal Repast None can acquire a Credulity unless with Contrition he confess his Sins and repent of the same in Dust and Ashes And as Contrition is the spiritual Hunger of a Soul surrounded with Sin so Faith is the spiritual Food that revives and nourishes it to Everlasting Life II. GOD gave the Israelites in the Wilderness Manna the Food of Angels Exod. 16. 15. And in this Entertainment of the New-Testament the Almighty exhibits to us the Celestial Manna yea he is there present himself who is that spiritual bread which came down from heaven to give life unto the world Joh. 6. 51. He which had a desire to see his Field refused to come Luk. 14. 18. From whence we may inferr That they which set their Affections on the Pleasures of this Life cannot approach to this Holy Table When the rich Gallant in the Gospel heard that he must forsake all his Goods of Fortune for Eternal Life he went away sorrowful Mat. 19. 22. III. CHRIST the Celestial Elisha infuses not the Oyl of his Loving-kindness but into Vessels which are empty 2 King 4. 4. And his Divine Love never inspires any Soul except the Love of the World be extracted from it whereby it may become a fit Receptacle for so Divine a Guest For where our treasure is there will our heart be also Mat. 6. 21. Temporal Enjoyments hath its attrrctive Allurements but Divine Love hath that Energy to unite us to the Deity Terrestrial Treasures consists in the Goods of Fortune but in these the Soul can acquire no Satisfaction for it is beyond what this World can afford and therefore seeks for far greater Excellencies than transitory things IV. DID we but seriously consider the Duration of all Temporalities we would not fix our Hearts so fervently upon them For upon our Bed of Mortality no Relief can be expected from 'em and what an absurdity is it for us to place our Affections on those things which are so frail and inconstant Our First Parents when they rebelled against the Most High would have attempted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil but before they could
Christ vouchsafed to lay down his Life for him Therefore refuse not to relieve that Soul whom Christ hath so dearly purchas'd Let us not while upon Earth live in Discord but observe the Psalmist's extolling of Tranquillity Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal. 133. 1. We are all the Servants of One Lord all Members of One Body we have all One Father that Created us One Saviour that Redeemed us and One Holy Ghost that Inspires us Should thy Neighbour prove thine Enemy yet love him for in so doing thou obeyest the Will and Pleasure of the Almighty VIII TAKE no cognizance of what Trespasses Man commits agrinst thee but consider what thou standest guilty of against Omnipotency Observe not what Injuries are offer'd to thee by thy Enemies but remember the Benefits conferr'd on thee by thy Redeemer who commanded thee to love thine Enemies We are Neighbours by the State of our Earthly Nativity and Brothers by the Hope of our Celestial Inheritance Let us therefore fervently love one another And do Thou inflame in us O God the Fire of Love and Charity by the Inspiration of Thy Blessed Spirit MED XIX An Act of Divine Lov. Luk. ix 57. Lord I will follow thee whither soever thou goest HE was not ignorant but knew it was the happiest Resolve he ever entertain'd Nor can any check him for his Confidence when it was his Glory to have been so presumptuous he might have travell'd longer and far remoter and not have happen'd with such Celestial Company Now the Query is Whether his Boldness or his Love to Christ prompted him to this Heroick Action Behold with how devout an Importunity he salutes Him whom perhaps he had never known seen or heard of before except by his Miracles only And that Purity of Life which so amaz'd the Eyes of the Universe could not but attract his Eyes and inure his Heart too And therefore thinking it no great Presumption to use all Arts of improving himself nor willing to let slip so fair an Opportunity of being Happy ambitious of an Admission into his Service he breaks out into Raptures without any other Oratory than aâ— humble Earnestness resolutely gives Him this Salutation Lord I will follow thee whither soever thou goest II. NOR could our Saviour's Indigency obstruct or deliberate his Resolution or dishearten his Purpose being not only satisfied but ambitious to partake of the Afflictions of so good a Master in whose very Necessities he should find a Felicity beyond all Temporal Enjoyments And is not this Person a fit Example for the whole World to imitate He that will not run after Jesus affectionately yet let him not be so scandalous as to permit a Iew or Publican to circumvent him in the Journey Are the Felicities of Eternal Bliss of so small a Value that they are not worth approaching too Or shall we imagine every step too tiresom that conveys us to Everlasting Glory III. Were the Path to the New Ierusalem but spread with fragrant Roses or millions of odoriferous Scents and Pleasures to prevent Carnality the bruitish Sensualist would divert himself constantly and strive to be a Precursor in those Walks The Miser cannot follow a Crucified Saviour for his extortionated Lumber and rather than relinquish it will make no Essay towards it The riotous Epicure will not embrace that Religion that exhorts him to Temperance for although perhaps sometimes Prayer may be agreeable to him in case of Necessity yet Fasting is a Stranger to his Constitution IV. THE Celestial Way is too streight for proud Ambition whose lofty Edifice affects not to be squeez'd in its full carreer but must post it away swiftly in a Road of as vast an extant as the Universe or the Infernal Pit can provide him wherein his Troops of sinful Splendours may as his Concomitants attend him in a rank So difficult a Task it is to abandon the World even for Celestial Mansions and contend against the Adulation of Sense for an Inestimable Bliss as if all our Hopes all our Felicity were wound and wrap'd up in Transactions of this Life only and no future Expectation for us besides the Delectablenes on this side Mortality V. AND yet how numerous are they that imposterously pretend to follow Christ but must plead Ignorance to his Divine Steps that pursue Causeys not of his proposing but of their own shallow seeking that beaten Path which so many Persons of Sanctity have walked before us is too Vulgar too Atheistical for them to trample in they have by their indefatigable and diabolical Industry found out a nearer Way of their own and imagine they shall arrive at the Celestial Countrey sooner by shunning of that Way they think so difficult So inauspicious is that eclipsed Zeal which hotly pursues an Ignis Fatuus which misguides 'em and scorns the legal steps to the Sacred Temple but shrinks it self in the obtuse and obscure Labyrinths of Enthusiasm VI. THE Way to the Heavenly Canaan is not thorough dark Corners and how streight soever it is its Passage to all Believers is kept open 'T is a serene Path from whence may be viewed a Prospect of Eternal Happiness nor need he be timerous of losing his Way that doth not absurdly forsake it The poor sinful Mortal here mention'd in an Ecstasie hastes to Jesus and joyning Humility to Resolution will admit of no Denial but in a Mendicant Petionary style and fortify'd with Confidence thus proclaims his Mind Lord I will follow thee whither soever thou goest VII AND now who would not run with Alacrity through Adversity wild Woods Desarts and Wildernesses nay even wade thorough Seas of Blood to arrive safe at the Port of the Heavenly Cannaan He that strives to follow after Jesus shall never repent his undertaking so happy a Journey He shall acquire such infinite Treasures in religious Poverty such multiplicities of Celestial Joys and Satisfaction in the apparent Miseries of a Life of Sanctity that he will not require any great Perswasions to excite him to this Resolution cheerfully to forsake all and follow Jesus whither soever he goeth VIII BUT 't is Thou alone O Lord that can'st raise our Souls from the World and make them ambitious in searching after Thee and those Things which are Above Thou art ascended to Thy Throne of Majesty in glorious Splendour attract our Souls after Thee in Divine Raptures of Amity and Spiritual Exaltation that we may effectually make the Vertues and Perfections of Thy Life the Golden Rule of ours And grant that we may not be so allured with transitory things as to be void of Affection for Thy Glory but enable us to walk with Alacrity in that Path which Thou hast trod and fix'd before us that as we continally live by Thy Goodness we may live to Thy Glory and as we move in Thee we may indefatigably be ever moving towards Thee till we shall enjoy the Happiness of an Eternal Rest in