as faâ— in Excellency as they do in Cause and iâ— Continuance and so far in Plenty as theâ— do in Place Psal 36. 8. It shall be satisfied with the abundance of God's House anâ— he shall give you drink of his Pleasures as oâ— of a River Lastly It shall be crown'd with Immoâ—tality whereby it shall be assured never tâ— dissolve never to decline but to endure â— long in the same perfect and blessed Estaâ— as the Almighty and Everlasting God shaâ— endure for he that causeth the Heaveâ— to continue without change after so man thousand years since they were created â— by the same Almighty Power and Ouâ— stretch'd Arm shall also cause the glorifiâ— Bodies of the Saints always to flourish â— ven as the Bay-Tree or as the wise Mâ— saith The just shall live for ever and tâ— shall be the accomplishment of all the re for if the Prophet David thought one Day in God's earthly House better than a thousand in another Place the highest thoughts and greatest Imaginations we can conceive is infinitely short of the Blessedness and Gloriousness of this Heavenly House not made with Hands the unspeakable delightful habitation of Almighty God O! be astonished O my Soul at the wonderful Loving-kindness of Almighty God O thou lover of Man O thou that lovest Man in sin altho' thou lov'st not sin in Man what hath our filthy flesh worthy of this Honour it should according to its Deserts be tyed rather in a Stable with Beasts for feeding following and satisfying of its most beastly Appetites than sit in thy Sanctuary among thy Angels Dust should by Nature remain with Dust and not be advanc'd above the Heavens but as thou didst honour Ishmael the Son of a Bond woman because he belonged to Abraham so thou art pleas'd likewise to afford such Favour to this base and wretched brood of Corruption for the dependency thereof upon thy only Son the Parts shall participate with the Head and belike unto it as he had communicated with that in Nature so shall that communicate with him in Glory But how much the Soul is more noble than the Body so much more capable it is of greater Felicities it shall be filled with perfect Wisdom and behold it Face to Face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now I see in part saith the Apostle but then shall I know even as I am known Then shall it behold and know the invisible Nature of the Blessed Trinity the Power of the Father the Wisdom of the Son the Goodness of the Holy Ghost the bottomless Depths of God's Judgments now unsearchable and past finding out shall then be seen even as the Prophet â—â—id Psal 36. 9. In thy Light we shall see Light And in beholding God it shall behold the Causes Natures and Ends of all things which God hath made of Nature to be known because they are more clear and conspicuous in God than in themselves Then shall all Men be known of all neither shall any either Quality or Action be secret to any and this is the end of all ouâ— Endeavouâ—s John 17. 3. This is Everlasting Life saith our Saviour to know thee the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Also it shall be ravished with perfect Love both towards God for the infinite Causes of Love which in him shall appear and towards the Saints for that it shall perceive them to love and to be belov'd of God Both so much as it self and for the same cause it shall love God more than it self because it shall be sensible that God loveth it more than it is able to love it self the Saints it shall love equal with it self as being Members of one Body whereof Christ is Head for if the Spirit of Man hath Power to cause so great Unity as we see between the Members of one Body the Spirit of God which is the Soul of that Body of Saints shall cause so much more perfect Union by how much it is a more noble and powerful Form and giveth a more noble and durable Being Hereupon it followeth First That it shall conceive so many particular Joys as it shall see causes of Love in God which are infinite Secondly That it shall equally rejoice at the Felicity of every one as at that which is proper to it self whereby all the Saints shall partake of one another's Excellencies for in this Union Love shall be in its full Perfection the Nature of which Vertue is to make all things common It shall also enjoy a most sweet Peace and Concord in it self for the Body and Soul of every just Man which in this Life are always in Combat by reason of the Contraries between them the one being Spiritual the other Carnal shall then enjoy a compleat Peace by consent there shall not be any Distraction or Strife any more but they shall be carried one Way and be guided by one Will and that is the Will of God The Will of God shall be the Will of the Saints as they shall give a full and free Consent to the Will of God so shall God in all things consent unto their Will for how can the Head disagree from the Members how can one perfect Spirit be contrary to it selâ— Herewith it shall be advanc'd to a most high and happy degree of Honour for that which here was drown'd in the Putrefaction of the Flesh constantly in Miseries destitute both of Comfort and of Help entangled with Infirmities loaden with loathsome Sins in a word doing nothing but Sin finding nothing but Miseries which are the Reward of Sin God only and alone mov'd by his tender Mercy will take it to himself he will cleanse it he will cure it he will cloath it with perfect Righteousness he will adopt it for one of his Sons and make it a fellow heir of his most glorious Kingdom he will incorporate it with his only Son who is in all things equal with himself In respect thereof that of the Prophet David may be very fitly applied to those Saints Psal 82. 6. I have said that ye are Gods and that ye are all the Children of the most High To these shall be added great Ability for whatsoever they shall have a will to do they shall have Power to perform because he that is Omnipotent shall in all things consent to the Will thereof To these also Security shall be added for as it shall enjoy all things it can desire so shall it not fear to lose any thing it shall enjoy because neither it shall be willing to lose them or God deprive them of them against their Wills neither can any Power take that away which God wills they shall retain Lastly it shall be filled with perfect and unspeakable Pleasure and Joy which no Understanding is able to apprehend and this shall proceed from the clear Vision of Almighty God in beholding of him Face to Face 1 Cor. 13. in beholding of him as he is wherein consisteth the Essential Glory of
short Joys linked together â—ur seven years of plenty are past no mentiâ— no memory remaineth of them your â—â—ry is vanish'd your felicity is swallow-up in the Sea of Sorrow your Pleaâ—es are turn'd into Serpents in your â—â—es into Bellows which blow up the â—e to torment you And altho' this Fire be of one only sort â—t doth it not in one sort torment the â—mned but yieldeth to every Sinner a deâ—ee of Punishment answerable to the deâ—ee of his Transgression even as when â—ny stand under the scorching Sun all are â—t vexed with Heat alike but as their Boâ—es are differently disposed so doth one â—mplain above another and therefore that which is a property of our material Fire by reason of diversity of Bodies is proper also to the Fire of Hell by reason of diversity of Sins for as the same material Fire burneth not Straw Wood and Iron a like so the same Hell fire perplexeth different sinners in a different sort because not so much the Persons as the Sins of Men are the proper subject of this burning the eternal Fuel of these Flames But this Pain of Sense is far surmounted as Divines hold Opinion by another Pain which they term the Pain of Loss because that which the Damned do feel in Hell iâ— nothing comparable to that which they forego and that is to be deprived both oâ— the Society and Sight of God wherein consisteth the Essential Glory of the Saints for the more good a thing is the greater Pain and Grief doth it cause in being either not attained or lost And therefore seeing that God is infinitely good noâ— only comprehending but exceeding the perfection of all things and therewith the last end of our desires and the perfect Rest of a reasonable Soul it followed that all the other Torments of Hell do noâ— so much afflict the Soul as to be deprived for ever of him It cannot be expressed it cannot be conceived as how excellent and glorious is the â—ight and enjoyment of God so what Punishment it is to be deprived thereof Mâ—â—y are so weak in judgment that they deâ—ire no more than to escape Hell but there â—s a far greater Torment than the Torment of Hell it is a greater Torment to be shut â—ut of Heaven than to be perpetually imprisoned in Hell Hell is intolerable but â—uch more intolerable than to be depriv'd â—f the Glory of Heaven than to be hated â—f Christ than to have him turn away his â—oul-satisfying Countenance than to shut is amiable Eyes than to say unto us Dâ—â—art from me ye cursed I know ye not O â—weet Jesus suffer us not I beseech thee â— taste of these Torments suffer us not seâ—ure Souls lightly to esteem it at least sufâ—er us not with a high pace to hasten unto â— So much as thy Glory and Beauty doth â—â—ceed the Torments of Hell so much is â—e Torment greater to be deprived of the â—â—e than to be possessed with the other And besides these common Torments â—â—ery Offender shall have his particular â—ains according to the difference of his â—ns either in quality or kind The Proud shall be abased and beaten under foot the Covetous shall be crushed with the weight of their want the Gluttonous shall be devoured with ravenous hunger the Drunkard shall be dried up with scorching thirst the Lascivious and Unchaste shall be wrapt up in the Embrace of stinking stinging and scorching Flames they that regarded not the Poor crying tâ— them for a crumb of Bread shall becomâ— there both endless and successless Beggaâ— for a drop of Water they that would noâ— in this Lifeonce think on these Pains therâ— by to bridle their Affections shall there bâ— reason of their extensive sense of them bâ— able to think upon nothing else and in liâ—â— manner the rest by weight and measure so that according to the Glory and Plesure they did enjoy Misery and Tormeâ— shall be proportioned to them whereâ— as well the Beauty and Order of God's â—stice as also both the manner of their Eâ—cess and the measure of it shall perfectâ— appear All this doth the Scripture in diveâ— places declare in that it saith In Hell Hunger and Thirst wailing and gnashiâ— of Teeth Two-edg'd Swords Wornâ— Serpents Scorpions Hammers Worâ— wood Water mingled with Gall tempestuous Spirits and Spirits created for Revenge By all which Expressions as well the greatness as also the multitude and variety of Torments are signified which the damned shall for ever endure Finally then shall be poured upon the damned the full Flood of God's Wrath which he hath gathered together upon all the Sins that have been committed since the beginning of the World and all the Torments that possibly can be imagined shall then be heaped upon their Heads Nay all the Torments which in this Life either have been invented or can be imagined do stand in no comparison whether for sharpness or continuance with the Torments of that place which altho' they shall be common to many yet they shall be most heavy upon those that have had the best Means and Opportunities to avoid them And not only all these Pains but any one of them shall be so grievous and so intolerable as that it is impossible for the Wit of Man either to express or imagine for so much as the least Torment of Hell â—hat can be conceived is more than we can possibly conceive and yet shall no Creaâ—ure be griev'd for them and endure they must be without any hope First of Intermission And Secondly of Abatement Thirdly of Change without which things not only painful and indifferent but thingâ— pleasant as appeareth by the Manna God sent down to the Children of Israel become insupportable Fourthly of the pooâ— Comfort of Calamity Pity but on the contrary the Devils shall upbraid them the Damned curse them and the Saintâ— deride them Lastly of End for nothing is perfectly great which hath anâ— End If there might be any End of these Torments altho' it should be after so many millions of Years as there are drops of Water in the Sea as there are Motes of Duâ— upon the Earth as there hath been Moments of time since time began it woulâ— be some comfort to those that do enduâ— them but Eternity is intolerable untâ— them infinite Eternity breaketh theâ— Hearts Eternity is the very Hell of Helâ— If all the Punishments in Hell were nâ— greater than the stinging of Ants or â—â— Fleas Eternity is enough to make them in tolerable the present sense of Pain is no so grievous to the Damned as it is grievoâ—â— to think that after many Millions of Agâ— they shall be as far either from End or Ease as they were at the first day of their beginning It is certain that a thousand Pleasures make no satisfaction for one exquisite torment because the torment is without ease and pleasures are not without Composition and Allay and if they do not make satisfaction for one Torment much less infinite
this Celestial City for assuredly if there be much Joy in Heaven at the conversion of Sinners much greater will the Joy be when they come to be glorified O how sweet will then be the Fruit of Vertue whose Root in this World is esteem'd so bitter how pleasant will that Peace be after this troublesome Warfare after great variety of Perils that eternal Security after this Weariness that sweet Rest The Children of Israel went up armed out of Egypt Exod. 13. 13. but when they came into the Land of Promise they laid down their Weapons they forgot their Fears 1. Kings 4. 25. Every Man sate securely under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree Here we are set in the State of Strife there our War shall be at an end there shall they sit secure from so much as the Fear of the fiery Dart of the Enemy There they shall not dread his Stratagems or his Strength thither the Sighs do not pierce there the hissing is not heard of the poysonous Basilisk but the Glory of God doth enlighten that Region and the soft and sweet Breath of the Holy Spirit doth refresh it O pleasant Peace O sweet Security what can be sufficiently said of thee Job 4. I acknowledge with the Woman of Samaria not only that this Well is very deep but that I want a Bucket to draw Thou canst not be understood of those that enjoy thee not thou canst not be prais'd enough of those that enjoy thee O ye Sons of Adam O blind and perverse Generation miserable lost Sheep if this be your Country whether do you range if this be your Pasture whither do you stray whither do you wander if this be your home What do you Wherefore stand ye looking about wherefore will ye lose these Joys the least whereof are greater and more lasting than any this World can afford Assuredly if we should endure the Torments of Hell for a long season to enjoy these Felicities but for a short time our Pains wou'd be abundantly satisfied with this exceeding weight of Glory And if thou enquirest O Man what thou must do to attain to the enjoyment of these Everlasting Joys give an attentive Ear to what thy blessed Saviour hath said Matt. 11. 11. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force If thou canst violently break off with all thy beloved and darlings sins thy Dalilahs which would ruine thy immortal Soul and if thou canst but do justly love Mercy and walk humbly with thy God and thou canst set thy whole desires after this Kingdom thou shalt certainly enjoy it and that for evermore O weak Man wherefore art thou troubled Christ hath taken all the pains and he hath paid the Price and a dear one too no less than his own precious Blood hear what he saith unto thee Mat. 13. 41. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Treasure hid in a Field which when a Man hath found he goeth and sells all that he hath and buyeth that Field Lo here the Purchase â—s laid before thee it is worth all that thou â—ast it is valued to thee as thou valuest thy self therefore make away all thy desires in things of this Life and let all thy joy be fix'd upon that Kingdom and thoâ— shalt have it Christ hath given himself to purchase this Kingdom for thee thereforâ— let not sin reign in thy Body but give up thy self in Love to him and he will givâ— himself and his Father's Kingdom unto thee But alas O my Soul where arâ— thou what dost thou where is thy Joy â— where is thy Love wherewith thy thoughâ— shou'd be inflam'd how art thou chain'â— with the Inchantments on this ugly Earthâ— How art thou drown'd in drowsiness O my Soul that thou art so careless and senselesâ— of true Spiritual Pleasures and so fonâ— upon the vanities and vexations of thiâ— Life Tell me dost thou believe there is â— Kingdom of Heaven wherein thou art inroll'd a Citizen whereto thou art adopted an Heir and hast thou not a longing Love to be possess'd of the same Alas how faint is thy Faith how unbelieving 〈◊〉 thy belief Tell me I pray thee what Entertainment hath intangled thee into thâ— Love of this Life What dost thou finâ— therein but wanting and wishing froâ— whence ariseth two Tortures of the Mind Hope and Fear how art thou busied there in as the Spider that consumeth her owâ— Bowels in weaving curious Nets only to catch Flies O my Soul it is not any true contentment or satisfaction that thou findest in any of the Pleasures of this Life but â—t is thy own Heaviness that holdeth thee down it is thy own Dulness that doth undo thee There is no difference between doubting of this Happiness and not desiring of it If then thou hast any Sparkles of Faith shake off this sleepy Sloath away with this Unchearfulness away with this dead Dulness away with all the profane Earthly Pleasures those Lime twigs of the Devil which cleaving to the Feathers of thy Devotion make thee unable to â—â—ount upwards O my God! O that I could so free my Affection O that I cou'd so heave up my heavy Heart unto thee O that I were in desire as I am indeed a Sojourâ—er a Traveller a Stranger upon Earth O that I cou'd travail like a Woman in Childbirth to be delivered of this lumâ—ish Load of Sensuality and to solace my self only in Desire Hope and in Assuâ—ance of thee This do I desire O Lord or rather weakly wish for I am so fetter'd with Flesh and Blood that I am so far froâ— performing it that I cannot desire it iâ— such sort as I should It is Nature thaâ— drowneth me in this dead Sea of Worldliness I cannot endure to think upon much less desire a Dissolution If thâ—â— Nature be not O Lord over-rul'd and chain'd down by thy Grace I shall bâ— neither able to do nor desire but like Lot I shall be loath to depart out of Sodom therefore O Lord let me grow iâ— thy Grace and in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord that I may live to thy Praise here and be glorified with thee hereafter in those Glorious Mansions have had a short View of SOME HOLY PREPARATIONS To a Worthy Receiving of the BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE LORD's SUPPER The Necessity of this Duty pressed from several Portions of Scripture FIrst by the Express Commands of our Blessed Lord and Saviour who is the Chief nay the Sum and Substance of what this blessed Ordinance representeth unto us as in Matt. 26. 26. 27. And as they were eating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave to the Disciples saying Take eat this is my Body And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave to them saying drinkye all of it And for this good and beneficial Reason to all Mankind as Ver. 28. This is my blood of the New Testament which was shed for man for the remission of their Sins
And St. Marâ— 14. 22 23. And as they did eat Jesus tooâ— Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave tâ— them and said Take eat this is my Body Anâ— he took the Cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them and they all drank of it Luk 22. 19 20. And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying this Cup is the New Testament of my Blood which is sheâ— for you And by St. Paul we have a hint oâ— it 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. For I have receiv'â— of the Lord that which also I have delivereâ— unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night that he was betrayed the same night took Bread And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you This do in remembrance of me And the reason that is given is For as often as ye eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come How we ought to examine and resolve with our selves before we Communicate in this great Ordinance WE are Exhorted to it by the Apostle St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let â— Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. The Apostle's reason is Because he that eateth and drinketh Unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's Body O Dreadful that any shou'd be so careless so heedless and presumptuous to go to this Table of the Lord and not be fitted and prepared for it when they that run may read the fatal Consequence of Unworthy Receiving Therefore that you may not come to this Ordinance and go away in a far woâ—se Condition than you came fit and prepare your self for it First by examination examine thy own Heart which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it and try your own ways see what you are doing whether serving of God or the Devil or your self And if you have been serving your self or the Devil do so no more but turn from all your wicked ways with a full resolution and purpose of heart and ceaâ— from doing evil learn to do well Examine and see what God hath saiâ— concerning those that break his Statuteâ— that observe not his Commandments tâ— keep them that are stubboâ—n careless anâ— unconverted Sinners that will not havâ— God for their Portion nor none of hâ— ways but will walk after the imaginatioâ— of their own Hearts striving as it werâ— with all their might to make sure of Eternal Burnings which will be the certaiâ— Portion of all the Workers of Iniquity a God himself hath declar'd that cannoâ— Lye Ask thy self the Question whether thoâ— art one of those head strong Sinners or noâ— Why shouldst thou be afraid to ask thiâ— Question when no less than eternal Joyâ— or eternal Woes depend upon it I am not afraid to look over my Estate to seâ— whether I am a rich Man or a poor anâ— why shou'd I be afraid of seeing whetheâ— I am a wise Man or a Fool a Friend â—â— an Enemy to God and whether the blesed Portion of the Righteous or the cuâ—sed Portion of the Wicked will fall to mâ— Share What means my living in so many known Sins and be contented to perform some formal Ceremonies in the Service of God and now and then put up a dead â—ull heartless Prayer and put him off with â—he world's leaving O dreadful poor deâ—uded Soul that I am to think that the All-wise God maker of Heaven and Earth and the Fountain of Waters will be conâ—ented with these false hypocritcal and indifferent Actions No God is not such a â—ne as my self he is of purer eyes than to behold such Wickedness with any approbation Therefore take heed O my Soul and â—heat not thy self any longer but turn to â—he Lord with singleness and uprightness of Heart and serve him with a ready and â— thankful Mind and take as much nay more pleasure in obeying his Commandments in doing his Will in observing his â—tatutes and Judgments as ever thou didst â—â— thy most darling Sin in deceitful Daliâ—h's which will certainly bring thee to â—verlasting Ruine and Destruction if thou â—ost not leave them and forsake them and â—eave to the Lord and fear his dreadful â—ame and love him with all thy Heart â—â—d with all my Soul and with all thy Mind â—â—d with all thy Strength and thy Neighbours as thy self and love mercy and do justly and walk humbly with thy God and then thou wilt be fit and prepared for this Heavenly Banquet whereby thy Soul will be infinitely refreshed and the Souls of all those that are Receivers in the true Faith Fear and Love A Prayer to be used before the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament MOst Holy Lord God and Everlasting Father who out of thy infinite loving kindness to Mankind gavest thy only begotten Son to make satisfaction to thy Justice for the Sins of the whole World O Lord thy Mercy is very great towardâ— me and all Men in that we have sinned and thou hast appointed thy only Son to bear the Burthen of the Punishment foâ— them O Lord do thou fit and preparâ— me by thy Heavenly Grace for this thy great Ordinance and so grant me by thy Strength as that I may perform my paâ— of it with that holy Fear and Reverenâ— as I ought And Lord Grant I may râ—ceive that benefit by it thou designest â—â— in it which is that Soul-satisfying Cordiâ— the fresh stream of thy Everlasting Lovâ— Lord make me more and more sensible by it of thy great Loving-kindness towards me O Lord grant this and abundantly more than I am able to ask or think for thy dear Son's sake to whom with thee O Father and the blessed Spirit be all Honour Praise and Glory from this time henceforth and for ever At the time of Receiving you may use these Ejaculations BLess the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name for his wonderful Mercy and Loving-kindness to me is very great Magnifie the Lord O my Soul and sing Praises to the most high God for he hath visited and redeemâ—d his People with his most precious Blood At the Receiving of the Bread say THis is that Bread which came down from Heaven That whosoever eateth â—hereof shall never hunger Thou hast dealt â—â—y Bread to the Hungry O feed me with â—is Bread of Life O strengthen my Faith â—nd open my Mouth with fervent desires â—at I may eat not to satisfie my Bodily â—unger but Spiritual and to the refreshâ—ent of my Immortal Soul O let my Soul feel the Efficacy of thy Grace that may not eat unworthily O Lord I beseech thee to direct me by thy holy Spiriâ— to receive it worthily