agree no doubt Though by the way they many times fal our When once Christs harp in th' ears of saints hath sounded The evil spirit shal be quite confounded VVhen to the highest peg of bliss our strings Shal once be wounded up by the King of Kings No discord in our Musick then shal be In heaven there 's a perfect harmony But stay my Muse forbear to prosecute This lofty theame lest thou be strucken mure By th' ne're enough admired depth and height Of heavens bliss transcending al conceit None to the life can limne out heavens glory Although they study nought but Oratory Saint Austin by a Bishop of his time Being requested earnestly to climb Up in his thoughts to the Emperial Court Above and of its joyes to make report VVhile he addrest himself unto the task Attempting heavens beauty to unmask VVhil'st on the wing he soar'd of contemplation And in the depth was of his meditation A voice articulate distinct and clear Arrived at the portal of his ear Saying what mean'st thou Austin dost thou ever Hope to effect what thou dost now endeavour Dost thou th' expanded Ocean in thy hand E're think to measure or to graspe the Land VVithin thy shallow fist Leave altogether The search of heaven till thou commest thither If that bright star was by an heavenly voice Silenc'd and from the handling of so choice A theame prohibited How then may I Into those sacred secrets dare to pry Let it in brief suffice to know that al The Rhetorick of the Quire angelical Is not enough to reach the top and height Of heavens glory pleasure and delight Nor al the bitter sighs and hellish groans Of damned spirits and tormented ones Who labour under an eternal cross Sufficient to bewaile so great a loss Practical Conclusions From the former DISCOURSE THey that expect a glorious translation Must lead on Earth a gracious conversation Of doing wel it never must repent them A common course of life must not content them Their bosome-sins they must est-soon discard Which do their motion heaven-ward retard How pure had they need be who fix their eye Upon a place free from impurity In righteousness they others must excel Who hope for heaven where righteousness doth dwel In Glories famous Universitie They Graduates can never look to be Who are not in the school of grace with store Of Piety well principled before Holiness is heavens happiness a sign Heaven was not built to be a sty for swine No sinful souls may there themselves embark As unclean creatures once in Noahs ark The wine of angels never was nor shal Be pressed out to fill old casks withal Garlands of Glory they shal never wear In whom the flow'rs of Grace don't first appear The Second Practical Conclusion O Let the thoughts of heavens endless joy Bear up thy heart when sorrows would annoy Under temptations let thy soul be glad An interest in heaven and be sad Although the Lead of trouble down-ward move Yet let the Cork of Faith still swim above This worlds afflictions which are transitory Hold no comparison with the weight of glory When melancholy did the scepter sway In Caesar's heart he then was wont to say Remember thou art Caesar and thereby Dethroned that usurping Enemy When outward crosses on thy spirit lye Make a persume of a perplexity By musing often on thine interest In God in Christ and in that place of rest Where swallow'd up all worldly sorrows shal Where in the vision beatifical St. Basil doth of certain Martyrs write Exposed naked in a winters night To the inclemency of wind and weather Being the next day to be burnt together That in this plight they were no whit dismaid But comfortably to each other said Sharp is the cold but sweet is Paradise This torment 's nothing to that pearl of price The Way is thorny and our feet may gall Our journies end wil make amends for al. Let us a while endure the cold and than The Patriarchs bosome warm us shal again Let our feet burn that we may when we dye Dance with the Angels to eternity And so much joy there is in store for me Said blessed Philpot that although I be Up in a place of doleful darkness pent Yet wretched sinner I cannot lament But night and day I am as full of glee As if from crosses I were wholly free Yea ne're was I in al my life before So cheer'd as now I 'm landing at the shore The contemplation of eternity Pulls out the sting of worldly misery It turns the hissing serpent of temptation Into a blossoming rod of consolation It makes the oyl of gladness swim and lye Above the water of adversity It out of ev'ry cross doth take the core It sucks the poyson out of every sore It draws the anguish out of every groan And cutteth each calamity of the stone They cannot chuse but lead a joyful life In whom the thoughts of heaven are most rise That chrystal fountain to perplexed hearts Sweet draughts of consolation oft imparts The Third Practical Conclusion O Let there be within thy soul a dearth Of worldly thoughts lest doting on the earth Thou forfeit those refined sweets which lie Safe in the bosome of eternitie Cold comfort is in creatures to be found Contentment grows not in such barren ground Heaven is the spring from whence a lone doth flow Sweet satisfaction to the faints below Where others set their hearts there set thy feet Such counsel for a christian is most meet Spend not thy coin for that which is not bread But with disdain on earths enjoyments tread Fasten thine eyes upon that glorious state For which the saints with expectation waite Part not with that invaluable treasure For a few drops of moment any pleasure O hazard not thy self to endless woes For things that are as fading as the Rose What fruit hath Dives of his rich attire Or dainty fare in the infernal fire Of her dissolved Gems what pleasing tast Hath Cleoparra now her life is past What sweetness now finds Heliogabalus In the Elixars of his various And costly Cates VVhat pleasures now arise From his unheard of sensualities O toy not then with beggarly delights Divert thine eye from earths inchanting sights Relish no earthly joyes nor highly prise The gilded pompe of worldly phantasies What cares and fears gripe those who thus excel Rich discontent is but a glorious hell Though thou to so journ here on earth art driven Yet let thy Faith be breathing still in heaven O fix thine eye upon thy future station Let that be floating on thy meditation The matchless glory which thy present state Succeedeth time shal never antiquate Let all thy studies to that center tend The blessedness of heaven knows no end Be sure to make eternity the sphere Of all thy thoughts even while thou livest here And let thy contemplation often be Prying upon thy future dignity Be ever thinking thus Oh when shall I Take up my
to be had In any other if they be not clad VVith his unspotted robes of righteousness They can't be sav'd in any other dress There 's no name under heaven that can ease us Of sins enthralment but the name of Jesus Saints by his merits only do attain Eternal life which is the greatest gain Good works to heavens kingdom are the way The cause of reigning that we dare not say Christ is the Door and there 's no entring in But by his bloud which clonseth from all sin He is the curtain the refreshing screen Us and Gods scorching ire that stands between The deluge of his wrath no man can shun Unless with speed into this ark he run They lose themselves for ever who assay To go to heaven any other way The Fourth Mark THeir souls oft soar above the spangled sky And unto Heaven in contemplation fly Mount Tabor they do frequently ascend To eye the glory that may there be kenn'd They heaven alwayes have within their eye VVhich makes them earthly trifles to defie Their hearts are only fix'd on things above These are the chiefest objects of their love The blessed God their thoughts still dwel upon An eartely saint's a contradiction Though they to so journ here below are driven Yet is their conversation still in heaven There is their treasure there their chief estate From which no wile their hearts can separate How to be great on earth is not their plot They use the world as though they us'd it not The pleasures of this life they little heed Their thoughts upon the fairest objects feed They 'r alwayes pressing forward tow'rds the mark And long to taste the Manna in heav'ns ark The Fifth Practical Conclusion O Long to be installed in the throne Of endless glory let thy spirit groan After a full and plenary possession Of blessedness transcending all expression Pant after that unparallell'd estate One mite whereof surpasseth all conceit Be like the Bird of Paradise which they say Being intangled in the snare straightway Begins to strive and never giveth o're Till she enjoy her freedom as before Sing Simeons swan-like song at his decease Lord let thy servant now depart in peace Welcome the messenger of death which brings Most joyful tydings from the King of Kings Which tells the saints of an approaching crown Of matchless glory honour and renown Death is the chariot which without delay Saints to their Fathers house soon bears away Death lodgeth souls i' th' twinckling of an eye In the sweet bosome of felicity Death is to humble penitents no less Then a short entrance into happiness Their nasty loathsome rags death frees them from And gives them change of raiment in their room Death is the saints ascension day to bliss Their marriage day with Jesus Christ it is Death is the Charter of their liberty The period of their pain and misery Death gives them an immunity from sin And frees them from the fears they once were in Death is the bane of woe the grave of vice The portal opening into Paradise Where grace that in the bud was here below Into the flow'r of glory straight shal blow Where saints immortal souls made more divine Shal with the Di'monds of perfection shine Where they to their unspeakable delight Of God himself shal have a perfect sight VVhere in their wills there shal a likeness be To God in holiness and purity VVhere having shot the gulph of Death they shal VVear on their heads a crown imperial VVhere the rich caskets of their souls shal be O'relaid with glories best embroiderie VVhere in the river they of pleasures shal Be bath'd whose sweetness is perpetual VVhere no contaminating tincture e're Shall their unspotted purity besmear VVhere God himself unto the saints shall be A spring of life to perpetuitie Where they shal in the fragrant bosome liâ— Of their beloved to eternitie Where saints by vertue of their Saviours merit Shal alwayes have fresh in-comes of the spirit VVhere the enammel of their glory shal Never wear off nor soiled be at all VVhere they shal have a rich redundancy Of peace joy comfort and serenity Where they their safety shal behold from all Insulting foes and their eternal thrall VVhere they a glorious kingdom shal receive Of which no power on earth can them bereave VVhere they shal be partakers of that joy VVhich will them satisfie but never cloy VVhere Baca into Beracha shal be Converted mourning into melody VVhere brinish tears shal never dim their eyes Nor shal their ears be frighted more with cryes Where sorrows ne're shal damp their hearrs again Nor shal their senses be disturb'd with pain VVhere they no more shal persecuted be By Satans imps for their integrity VVhere saints with sparkling Gems of glory shal Be deck'd and not be envi'd for 't at all VVhere length of years without the least decay Of strength they shal enjoy yea where for ay They shal be blessed with the love of many And need not fear the jealoufie of any VVhere for their labour a Quietus est Each saint shal have and ever be at rest Where life and immortality they shall Have for their death in Christ and Christ for all The Conclusion of the whole THe Glory that within the curtain lies Can't measur'd be by our capacities There 's more within the vaile than by the best And most sublimed saint can be exprest Grace may believe 't but Reason cannot sound The bottom of 't though never so profound In fathoming this rich inheritance What 's all acuteness but meer ignorance He cannot reach this glory that 's indu'de VVith knowledge in the largest latitude If Natures secretary did not know The cause why Euripus did ebbe and flow O how then would his Reason puzz'led be To sound the Ocean of Eternity VVhat the inspired Pen-man doth relate Of natural men and unregenerate Respectively to spir'tuals that they are Not able them to comprehend or bear The same more truly may asserted be In reference unto Eternity 'T is with the prospect of eternity As to the Ocean it is with the eye It may its surface not its bottom see And so some dark and glimmering knowledge we May have of heaven but no mortal eye Into its in side able is to pry The blind-man half restored to his sight Said Lo I see by this imperfect light Men walk as trees So may a pur-blind eye Glance at the riches of Eternity Some few weak parcels of the knowledge we May of it gain but not its Centre see He that was carri'd up above the sky To see a Landskip of Felicity To take a view of those transcendencies Heaven was enrich'd withal what there his eyes Had seen to their ineffable content At his return with what astonishment Doth he relate it Yea he doth confess Words were too weak his Vision to express The ravishing and beatifical Sights which his eyes had blessed been withal VVere not to be pourtrai'd in all their glory By th'
that holy ground Indeed on Earth of sin few stand in awe Men set up Wickednesse oft by a Law And wicked men devour O cruel Elves Their neighbors far more righteous than themselves Here Just ones are maligned ' cause they 're just And won't be Bandogs to some great ones lust More Justice there in the infernal Den Is to be found than 'mong the sons of men Hell doth oppress none that are innocent But here ' gainst righteousness the world is bent Holiness is the White at which the Divol His fiery Darts doth principally level But Heaven is a place of Equity No wronged persons there for Justice cry There are as sacred Scriptures do express The Sun the Robe the Crown of Righteousness Heavens Amplitude SPacious enough that Heavenly structure is To entertain the souls ordain'd to bliss It is a Garner wide enough to hold Those blessed Grains whose number can't be told How ample is the New Jerusalem Where every Saint's deck'd with a Diadem Though myriads of Saints inhabit there Yet every Saint doth move in his own sphere 'T is not a place so narrow or so strait But sublime spirits may there expatiate Heavens Brightness THat Royal Palace which excels in height Is called an inheritance in light The splendor of it doth the Sun 's out vie It far surpasses its resplendency Were every star a sun without all doubt Heavens lustre they could never shadow out Light is a glorious creature what were all The world if Darkness should the same enthral Alas What beauty is there in the sun When it is vayl'd and hath a muffler on Light actuates the colours and doth shew Each Herb and Flower in its most verdant hew 'T is Natures smile the Universes gloss Who wants the light doth need no greater cross Light beautifies the creatures with its rayes It is on bodies a bright paraphrase Whether i' th modesty of a morning blush It self it doth discover or doth rush In with more spriteful beams whither in a star It twinckles or doth in a Comet glare Whither in a Gem it frisketh in the night Or in a Glow-worm playes the hypocrite Whither in a Lamp it doth epitomize It self or in a spark it self comprize How e're 't is pleased it self to manifest Or in what form soever it is drest Such a commanding lustre in its face It alwayes carries as it self doth grace Yet O how dark doth Light it self appear When to the fountain it of Light drawes near The place of rest that in the world to come Remains for saints is a diaphanum It is not like the Element o're head That 's here and there with stars enammelled No 't is a Body wonderfully bright Being all o're embroidered with light The glory of the Sun is needless there Christ is the Sun that shineth in that sphere A Sun that no Eclipse can over-shrowd A Sun that can't be masked with a cloud A Sun which rising on the saints that reign With God in glory never sets again Whenas the sacred scriptures would express The glorious majesty and blessedness Of God himself unto the very height They make 't consist in this He dwells in light Heavens Permanency HEaven is a place subject to no decay An Heritage that fadeth not away No wonder saints are with it so much taken It is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken The great and mighty Monarchies on earth Have had their dying times as well as birth Their ruins were as certain as their rise But as for the Celestial paradise Venices * Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur Motto you may on it write No winds nor waves can stir't with al their might The tabernacle wch was transient Did transitory comforts represent But Heavens joy and happiness no doubt Were by the fixed temple shadow'd out The saints shall bath themselves in bliss for ever Nothing shall them and their Redeemer sever Their Lease of Heaven perpetual shall be Stamp'd with the broad seal of Eternitie Eternity's a Day that hath no Night A Spring that hath no Autumne joy at height O happy man who being freed from thrall Enjoy the vision beatifical HEAVENS GLORY FURTHER SHADOWED OUT BY ITS NAMES TITLES AND EPITHITES THe Titles Names and Epithites that are Ascrib'd to Heavenly joyes do yet declare And further to our relish represent Their sweetness even to astonishment A Kingdom HEaven is a Kingdom and a Kingly throne Is held the top crown and perfection Of sublunary bliss the highest aime Of mans ambition that which doth inflame His aspiration most a confluence It is of Riches and magnificence Of glory pompe and royal majesty Of pleasure and delightful bravery Or what the heart of man can more desire To make his outward happiness entire What stirs and stratagems what pulling down Of one another to climbe to a crown What Machavillian depths what strange adventures What stretching of mens brains upon the tenters What cunning Plots what rowling of each stone To be installed in the regal throne Witness our York and Lancaster nay all Earths habitable parts both great and small Which have from time to time prov'd as we find In story bloody Cock-pits in this kind An heavenly Kingdom AN Heavenly Kingdom 't is to intimate That it in excellency pompe and state As far transcends all earthly Kingdoms as The Empyrean Heaven doth surpass The Earth with all its bravery and store Of choice delights and infinitely more The Kingdom of God GOds Kingdom 't is a Kingdom of his own Framing and beautifying 't is a throne Erected by his power who like himself Doth all things make not deek'd with worldly pelt But with ineffable transcendencies Embellish'd and such rare felicities As best beseem the Maker of all things The glorious residence of the King of Kings An Inheritance IT is no tenement at will to be Possest or left at th'Landlords libertie But an Inheritance to us convey'd And seal'd by th' highest price that e're was paid Which will as orient and as pretious be After as many thousand years as we Can possibly conceive as 't was the first Day that it poured out was and disburst An incorruptible inheritance THe Ponderous weight of that felicity And blessedness which is possessed by The saints who there the royal scepter sway Shall ne're be subject to the least decay Much less shall their illustrious condition Obnoxious be to any abolition But their unspeakable beatitude All diminution wholly â—hall exclude And alwayes be as fresh and full as at The first it was their glorified estate Shall ne're decline but without spot or stain Through all eternity entire remain An Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory HEaven an exceeding and eternal weight Of Glory stiled is its pompe and state Crowns kingdoms jewels and most orient Pearls can to us but weakly represent And darkly shadow out it is saith one A phrase superlative and such as none Of all the Heathen in their Or atory Could ever reach unto because heavens glory Is
Pencil of the rarest Oratory The riches that attend Eternity Transcend the reach of any mortal eye They are a sphear above the apprehensions Of humane understandings or inventions 〈◊〉 though height'ned much with industry And Grace their worth and value can't descry Eternal glory to our weaker eyes Is an estate vail'd o're with mysteries Much like to pictures whose rare artifice By Curtains from our eyes concealed is The lanthorn of our shallow intellect Us to the knowledge of it can't direct VVhile grace is of so low a stature we Can't look that knowledge should giganticke be None can of Glory have a perfect sight Till they from earth to heaven take their flight The winter of our life must first be past E're we the summer fruits of glory taste VVhen saints out of the cage of earth shall flye Into the Region of eternity Their pondrous weights of glory they shall find To nonplus all conceptions of the mind Till that time come they must contented be VVith the first fruits of that felicitie VVith those sweet crums their craving stomacks they Must pacifie till their ascension day The fuller knowledge of our future state Concealed is our Faith to animate VVho dig in Mines where store of Gold doth lye Their hopes of wealth do whet their industry Many Reserves there are in heaven which Magnetick are to draw out all the rich And orient Graces of the saints and these VVarm their endeavours that are apt to freeze VVhat in the dark remains doth grace excitâ— And scrue it up unto a greater height Such a desire of knowledge natural VVas that ingenious Romane edg'd withal That while the cause he of Vesuvius His flaming Vomits with a vigorous Enquiry sought to know he in the wombe Of those ejections did himself entombe And how doth this lend Grace a wing to fly And with more vigorous conquest it supply That he whose eye of Faith most piercing is Can't see the end of his eternal bliss Nor sum up what the int'rest of his Glory Amounts to by the light of sacred story This portion which our intellects can't see To tell out while they vail'd and clouded be Is a most rich and rare encouragement VVhereby our graces with a stronger bent Are carri'd heaven-ward this Faith enflames And makes our hope rise higher in its aims This plumes a saint and makes him higher flie In contemplation of eternitie Faith's Triumph ST and not my soul upon a sinners leggs But with all speed relinquish thine own dreggs Into the arms of thy dear Saviour flie There only mayst thou find securitie Endeavour to beleeve what thou art never Able to purchase by thine own endeavour Thy debt acknowledge and then by and by Thy Jesus will the payment justifie Confide not in thy self or what thou hast Lest by thy self thou be deceiv'd at last Wouldst thou the precious Grace of Faith acquire Renounce thy self cast off thine own attire Wouldst thou in purity preserve thy Faith Condemne thy self heed not what Reason saith Do misty clouds obscure and dimme thy sight Faith will dispel them by its radiant light Is Heaven gate fast up against thee blockt The Key of Faith will open and unlock't Is there in Heavens high-way a roaring Lion Faith will o're com't and lead thee unto Sion Doth fear surprize thee Faith will courage bring Doth Death affright thee Faith pulls out the sting Is' t hard and difficult to gain the crown Faith bear'st away with honour and renown Be faithful to the death and thou shalt haâ—â— An heavenly garland though an earthly gâ—â—ve It shall not be to thee the Scripture saith According to thy works but to thy faith If before Faith good works can't work salvation After Repentance bad ones can 't damnation As he that crowns thy good works doth thereby Crown his own gifts so doth he magnifie His own free Grace that pardoneth thine evil Works which enslaved thee unto the Devil Cast anchor here my soul let nothing e're Remove thee in thy Faith still persevere And when the waves of thy corruptions beat Into thy leaking vessel and do threat Thine utter ruine and eternal bane By true Repentance pumpe them out again FINIS