Advice to a Friend, Part 2
II.
NOW that you may the better preſerve in your Soul theſe ardent deſires, and that they may not dye for want of continual fewel to feed and nouriſh them, let me adviſe you, My Friend, in the next place, to repreſent to your ſelf, as often, and as ſenſibly as you can, the incomparable greatneſs of that inviſible happineſs in the World to come. In which that I may aſſiſt you, as much as I am able, I will direct you to ſuch an eaſy way of managing your thoughts that you may purſue this counſel with no great pains and labour. Justin Martyr obſerves in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, that therefore God laid ſuch reſtraints upon that Nation, and forbad them, for inſtance, the uſe of certain Meats, the oftner to put them in mind of himſelf, even in the moſt common actions of humane life; and to make them remember they were under his Government, and ſubject to his Supreme Authority, which they were too prone to forget. And will it not be a great ſhame, if in theſe riper Ages of the World, the free uſe that God hath given us of all things, ſhould not teach us as much as thoſe reſtraints and abridgments of their liberty did them, in the infancy of Divine knowledge? Ill natures are taught moſt by their wants, but the good are beſt inſtructed by their enjoyments. Ingrateful People think of God, when he takes away his bleſſings from them; but ingenuous and thankful minds have a great regard to him, when his favours are in their hands. Nor do they only think it a duty, but feel it a pleaſure to reflect on the bounty of their great Benefactor: which endeares the practiſe of it, and makes it ſtill both more facile and more frequent. In ſo much that in the uſe of all theſe outward and carnal things, a pious heart may ſoon learn to turn its thoughts, and raiſe up its affections, to a more ſpiritual good, and nobler fruitions. Do you not obſerve how the Holy Ghoſt is wont to expreſs the joyes of the World to come, by ſuch pleaſures as are moſt acceptable to us here? What is the reaſon of it, if it be not in compaſſion to the weakneſs of our apprehenſions; and to let us ſee that all bodily delights adminiſter occaſion for pious thoughts, and holy deſires after diviner enjoyments? God would preſerve us from ſinking into a fleſhly ſenſe, by our daily converſation with, and uſe of fleſhly things. He ſhows us how we may lift up our minds, even by thoſe things which are apt to depreſs them; and take an advantage from theſe inferiour comforts, to climb up towards thoſe higher ſatisfactions. Hence it is that the happy enjoyments of the other World are compared ſo often to the pleaſures of eating and drinking, whereby our hunger and thirſt is aſſwaged, and our bodily life ſupported. Yea, to a Feaſt; which is a more liberal entertainment of that kind, and is the meaning of that phraſe in the Goſpel, which repreſents Lazarus carried by Angels into Abrahams boſome; placed, that is, in the uppermoſt Room at that Heavenly Feaſt, and treated as the nobleſt and moſt beloved gueſt. Yea, to a Marriage-Feaſt; which being a time of the greateſt joy, Men are wont to make the largeſt proviſion of good chear, that their friends may rejoyce together with them. And laſtly to a Marriage-Feaſt made by a King; a Royal entertainment, ſuch as a Monarch would make at the Wedding of his Son. All which may ſerve to provoke good minds to look up above ſuch things as theſe, which are moſt enticing in this World, and to be ſo far from being ſwallowed up in ſenſual pleaſures, as to give themſelves thereby a more lively taſte of that exceſſive joy which God will impart unto them, when they ſhall live with him, and be feaſted by him in his Heavenly Kingdom. The like benefit you may reap from all other things which you converſe withall; and though the World will attract your thoughts to it, and imploy a great many of your hours; yet you may draw at laſt ſomething from thence, which will pay you well for the time which you have ſpent upon it. As for Example, when you look about you, and behold the delightful Objects wherewith you are inviron'd on every ſide, which preſent themſelves continually to your Eyes, or your Eares, or your Taſt, or other of your Senſes, you may think with your ſelf,
1. If God have provided ſuch a multitude of pleaſant things for the entertainment of this poor body in this preſent life; What are the joys and delights, which he hath prepared for my better part in the life which is to come? This is the World of Bodies, the other of Souls and Spirits. Therefore if this little Carkaſe, which is but as the Graſs of the Field, be ſo well accomodated, if there be ſo many rare things in the Earth, and the Sea, and the Air for its refreſhment and pleaſure; What may I not expect hereafter for my mind in thoſe Celeſtial, thoſe ſpacious Regions which I ſee above? O the inconceivable felicity which is provided in the Paradiſe of God, for this more wide and capacious Spirit, which beares his own Image, and like himſelf, is to live for ever!
2. Again, you may think with your ſelf, if there be ſuch pleaſure to be found in a Creature, O what is there then in the Creator of all? If the ſight of the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and all the reſt of the beauties of this World be ſo glorious; What will it be to ſee my God? to be filled with that wiſdom which contrived, and with that goodneſs which produced this vaſt, this goodly and comely Fabrick? If the melodies of Muſick be ſo charming; O what an ecſtaſie of joy will it caſt me into, to hear God himſelf ſay, I love thee, I delight in thee for ever? If the love of a true Friend do ſo much raviſh and tranſport my Spirit; what pleaſure is it that I ſhall feel, when my Soul ſhall love him as much as its moſt enlarged Powers will enable it; and know how much I am beloved by him? There is a delicious Meditation in St. Auſtin, to this effect; who thus ſpeaks to God in one of his Confeſſions.Lib. 10. Cap. 6. I love thee, O my God; thou haſt ſmitten my heart with thy Word and I have loved thee. Nay, the Heavens and the Earth, and all things contained therein, admoniſh me on every ſide, that I ſhould love thee; and they ceaſe not to ſay the ſame to all Men elſe, ſo that they are inexcuſable, if they do not love thee. But what do I love, when I love thee? Not the beauty of a Body; not the grace and comelineſs of time; not the brightneſs of light (and yet, O how friendly and agreeable is that to theſe eys!) not the ſweet melodies of well-compoſed Songs; not the fragrant odors of Flowers, or unguents, or coſtly Spices; not Manna; not Honey; not the embraces of the deareſt, and moſt lovely Perſon: theſe are not the things that I love, when I love my God. And yet I love a certain light, and a certain voice, and a certain grateful odor, and a certain food, and a kind of embracement when I love my God; the true light, the melody, the food, the ſatisfaction and the embracement of my inward man. Where that ſhines to my Soul, which no place can contain; where that ſounds, which no time can ſnatch away; where that ſcents, which no Wind can diſperſe and ſcatter abroad; where I taſte that which eating cannot diminiſh; where I cleave to that, which no fulneſs, no ſatiety can force away. This is that which I love, when I love my God. And what is this? I askt the Earth, and it ſaid, I am not. I askt the Sea, and the Deeps and all living Creatures, and they anſwered, We are not thy God; look above us, and enquire after him, for here he is not. I askt the Air, and all its Inhabitants, yea, the Heavens, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and they confeſſed, We are not him whom thy Soul ſeeketh. And I ſpake to all things whatſoever, that ſtand round about the Gates of my Fleſh, ſaying; Ye tell me that ye are not my God, but tell me ſomething of him. And they all cried out with a loud voice, He made us. Look therefore how great, how goodly, how glorious, how beautiful and pleaſant we are; and he is incomparably more bright, more ſweet, more harmonious, more filling and contenting than the whole World, which is but his Creature.
And having thus a little raiſed up your mind above all things viſible, you may proceed to a new Meditation in this manner.
3. If a Soul incloſed in this Body can ſee and apprehend ſo much of God; O what a ſight of him ſhall it have, when it is freed from theſe Chaines? If whilſt we look out of theſe Windowes of Senſe, ſuch a glorious Majeſty preſents it ſelf before us; in what an amazing ſplendor will the Divinity appear, when there is nothing to interpoſe between us, and its incomparable beauty? If whilſt there are ſo many other things to imploy our thoughts, he diſcover ſo much of himſelf to us, What will he do when we ſhall be alone with Him, and ſeeing face to face, ſhall know as we are known? Is it not a Miracle to ſee ſo much light conveyed to us, through ſo little a hole as that of the eye? to behold ſo much of the Heaven and the Earth at once, and ſuch a company of beautiful objects crowding in together at ſo narrow a paſſage without any diſturbance or diſcompoſure? O what an admirable pleaſure then (as Seneca diſcourſes with himſelf) will the Soul be ſurpriſed withall, when it ſhall come into the Region of light? when it ſhall be all ſurrounded with this glorious Body? when on every ſide, as we may conceive, it ſhall take in light, and be adorned and clothed with it, as with a Garment? And may we not with greater reaſon meditate on this manner, when we think of God the Creator of light, and of all thoſe goodly things which it diſcovers to us? Ought we not to ſay to our ſelves; O what wiſdom, what greatneſs, what riches of goodneſs is this, which ſhowes it ſelf in all his works of wonder? What a World of things hath he compriſed in this one little Being, which calls it ſelf Man? whoſe mind is circumſcribed, and yet extends it ſelf beyond the limits of this ſenſible World? which remaining in this body, ſwiftly runs and takes its circuit, and views all Creatures in Heaven and Earth? and united to theſe Senſes, abſtracts it ſelf from them, and goes to the Father of Spirits; whom it meets with every where? Is it thus active, thus buſie, thus capacious & diſcerning, whilſt it is thruſt up in ſuch a cloſe and little Room, as this poor Body, and ſhall it not be more vigorous, more piercing, more inlarged, when it is ſet at liberty from this impriſonment? It will then ſure ſtretch it ſelf to receive more of him; it will ſee him more clearly, and comprehend him more fully, & admire him with more improved and extended thoughts, and love him with a more ardent flame, and feel more of his wiſdome, more of his goodneſs preſſing in upon it, and filling of it with infinite joy and ſatisfaction.
4. Again, you may think with your ſelf, if God beſtow ſo many goodly things even upon the wicked, then what ſhall be the portion of the juſt? Do not the worſt of men poſſeſs great plenty of his bleſſings? Doth he not entertain them here with ſtrange variety of delicious enjoyments? Are they not ſo liberally and abundantly provided for, that Silver and Gold and Jewels are theirs? and all Creatures in the Earth, and the Air, and the Water are preſſed for their Service? O what Treaſures, what Riches of Glory, what exceſs of Joy then will God confer on thoſe who are moſt dear unto Him? If he treat his Enemies in this manner, how ſumptuouſly will he entertain his Friends? If he let ſuch Rebels live in a Palace ſo ſtately, ſo richly furniſht, as this great World is, which he hath built for good and bad; what Manſions may we think are thoſe, which are peculiarly prepared for them, who live in faithful obedience to him?
5. And think again, if God hath made this Building wherein we dwell ſo ſumptuous, though it be to continue but for a time; O how glorious are thoſe Manſions which are Eternal in the Heavens? If he hath beſtowed ſo much coſt on that which waxeth old, and ſhall vaniſh away, what are the Ornaments of that which ſhall never decay? Is not this very mortal Body which we inhabit very fearfully and wonderfully made? Is it not contrived with admirable art, and curiouſly wrought in the lowermoſt parts of this little World? O how beautiful then will that Body be which is from Heaven, and ſhall never be diſſolved, but remain Immortal there? With what luſtre ſhall we ſhine when this vile Body ſhall be changed, and made like to the glorious Body of Chriſt our Lord?
6. And cannot you eaſily make your ſelf believe the inconceivable ſplendor of that place where God himſelf more particularly dwells, ſince he hath made for us ſo fair and goodly an Habitation? Heaven you know, is called his dwelling-place; and our bleſſed Lord calls it his Fathers Houſe, where there are many Manſions for all his beloved Ones. O how beautiful, how glorious, how full of Majeſty muſt this needs be; ſeeing we, and other of his lower Creatures live in a World which is ſo richly adorned, and ſo fairly beautified both above and beneath? Do you not ſee how the roof of this Palace (if I may ſo ſpeak) wherein we are, is all gilded with innumerable Stars? how the Floor of it is overlaid with wonderful variety of pleaſant Plants and lovely Flowers? O how gliſtering, O how refulgent then is that place, may you think with your ſelf, in which the Lord of Heaven and Earth himſelf is pleaſed, in a ſpecial manner, to reſide? where he keeps his Court; where all the Angels miniſter to Him; where he ſhows the Greatneſs of his Glory, and where our bleſſed Saviour ſits at the Right Hand of the Throne of that Majeſty on High?
7. And when was it that he brought you into this delightful Dwelling; ſo rarely furniſh'd and richly adorn'd? Was it not as ſoon as you were born; before you could know to whom you were beholden, or could give him any proof of your love and fidelity? Think with your ſelf then, and ſay, If God hath granted us ſuch a World of good things by way of gift, O what is that which he will beſtow, when he ſhall come to reward? If before we do our duty to him, I mean, he is ſo bountiful, nay, opens his Hand ſo wide, and fills every living thing with good, though they cannot acknowledg him; what bleſſings will he pour forth, what liberality will he expreſs, when he comes to recompence our faithful ſervices, and give us according to our works? For we ſee that gracious Princes, who grant many immunities, and priviledges to their ſubjects, only becauſe they are their ſubjects, do not fail to raiſe and advance their good and valiant ſubjects, who have performed ſome noble acts in their ſervice, to eminent Honours and High Places. Now ſince that which God will beſtow in the Life to come, though it be a free gift, yet, is called a Reward and Recompence, praiſe and commendation, you may well think it will be very illuſtrious; when you conſider how rich in mercy he hath been to us, before we could do any thing praiſe-worthy.
8. And you may conſider again, how that excellent Princes, when they give rewards, are not wont to have reſpect ſo much to the Perſons on whom they are conferred (who may be but mean, and of low condition) as to the greatneſs of their own Perſons, by whom they are beſtowed, whom it doth not befit to give any thing mean and below the name and the Authority which they bear. From whence you may conclude, how inconceivably great that reward will be, which the Majeſty of Heaven and Earth will honour us withall. If a Prince do but ſend his Charity to the Poor, it is not like one of us, but like himſelf; and therefore ſuch will the favours of God be, which he intends to deal to all his Servants. Though they are but ſervants, though they are but unprofitable ſervants, and have done no more than was their duty to do; yet he will reward them like a King, like the King of all the World, like the bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality. He will feaſt and entertain them ſutably to the excellence of his own Infinite Majeſty, and not proportionably to the poverty of their Perſons, or of their deſerts.
9. For you may conſider again, that it is the reward which the Lord Jeſus hath received, to give us, for all his pains, and tears, and ſweat, and blood. It is the purchaſe of the blood of the Son of God, the recompence of his obedience to the death; and therefore muſt needs be of great and ineſtimable price.
10. Nay, it is the glory of Chriſt himſelf, the ſame happineſs which he enjoys; according to his own words, The glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, and enter thou into the joy of thy Lord: and according to that of St. Paul, We are Heirs of God, Co-heirs with Chriſt Jeſus; who is gone into the Heavens, as he told his Apoſtles, to prepare a place for us. To prepare a place for us, you may ſay? How long will it be a fiting? When ſhall we come to it?
11. Truly, from thence you may take ſome eſtimate of it; by conſidering the time you muſt ſtay and wait till your happineſs be compleated, and that is till the Day of his appearing again unto Salvation. They are great things, which are long in preparing. And therefore the longer your Life is hid with God in Chriſt, (as St. Paul ſpeaks) the more glorious will it appear, when it ſhall be manifeſted. The longer your body ſleeps in the duſt, to the greater dignity ſhall it be raiſed. God will pay us (if I may ſo ſpeak) principal and uſe, and all. The Treaſure multiplies, the longer it lies in his hands. If he ſhould give us our reward now it could be but little: but it increaſes infinitely, beyond all our thoughts by being depoſited with him, till the Lord Jeſus ſhall come from Heaven, with all his mighty Angels, to be admired in his Saints, and glorified in all them that believe.
12. And now in Concluſion, think with your ſelf, what a pleaſure theſe ſhort and little thoughts have given you; how delightful that minute is, in which you have had a glance of your future happineſs; and ſay to your ſelf, if a ſmall taſt be ſo ſweet, O what will the full draughts be, when he makes me drink of the Rivers of his Pleaſure? Are not Men of contemplation wonderouſly tranſported with ſome few diſcoveries, which they have made, of the ſecrets of nature? Are they not perpetually thirſting and ſeeking after more? Do they not ſpend their time and their eſtates in ſuch enquiries, though they never hope to find out all? What would not theſe Men give, (were it in their power) if the earth, or any other part of this world, would reveal all the Treaſures that are hid in it? What a ſatisfaction would they eſteem ſuch a vaſt diſcovery, when ſome little ſcraps of knowledge are ſo ſurprizing? The ſame you may think of the other World; and raiſe your ſpirit by ſuch Meditations as theſe, to expect an inconceivable joy, when all the glory of that ſhall be opened, which now darts ſuch chearful Rayes of Light into your mind. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, ſaith St. John, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God. Beloved, we are now the Sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be. But we know that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; for we ſhall ſee him as he is. What that will be we cannot tell: but we feel now how delicious it is to reſemble him, though but a little, in his Wiſdome, in his Goodneſs, in his Love and Charity, in his Meekneſs and Patience, and ſuch like Heavenly qualities: And if in a drop of Honey, that diſtills from above, there be ſuch ſweetneſs, what ſatisfaction, what fulneſs of joy ſhall we find, in an Ocean of pleaſure? If the morning ſtar be ſo bright, then what is the Sun it ſelf, in its greateſt luſtre? It is one of the Meditations of St. Auſtin; O God, if thou doſt ſuch great things for us in the Priſon, what wilt thou do for us in the Palace? If thou granteſt ſuch ſolace in the day of our tears, what wilt thou give us on the day of our marriage? When we ſhall not only behold Jeſus in all his glory; but live with him, and live with him for ever, and receive the utmoſt effects of his mighty love, and be preferred to ſit with him in Heavenly places, and have a Crown of Righteouſneſs ſet on our Heads, which he the righteous Judg will give to all thoſe, who love his appearing.
And is there not great reaſon, My Friend, that we ſhould love it, and ſet our hearts on this, as the moſt deſirable good; which ſo far ſurpaſſes all others, that they have no power at all to tempt us from it, while we keep in mind its incomparable greatneſs? Perſwade your ſelf therefore as ſtrongly as you can, that Jeſus lives; and that becauſe he lives you ſhall live alſo; and that you ſhall live with him in inconceivable bliſs, according to his gracious promiſes. Believe them heartily, fix them deeply in your mind, and by ſuch arts as theſe repreſent to your ſelf, as ſenſibly as you can, how exceeding precious they are: for it is neither the certainty, nor the goodneſs, nor the greatneſs of any thing, but the lively faith which we have of it implanted in our Souls, that will make us ſeek and labour for it. If our faith be ſuperficial, we ſhall be no more moved by it, than if it were a thing of little moment, or but a deviſed tale, and ſome idle fancy. You muſt ſettle in your Soul therefore, I ſay again, an unmoveable belief of Chriſts great and precious promiſes, and preſent them to your heart, that it may be affected with them, and value them, according to their worth. Then you will not be unwilling to do, nor backward to ſuffer any thing, that he would have you. This will give you a great ſpirit and courage and joy in both. You will take a great pleaſure in godlineſs, which hath ſuch a recompenſe of reward. Nay, all the afflictions of this preſent time will ſeem inconſiderable, in compare with the glory that ſhall be revealed. Can any heart think much to abſtain a while from ſinful pleaſures, when he believes, nay taſtes the pleaſures he ſhall ſhortly enjoy at Gods right hand? Will not any covetous deſires be content to be denied, when you ſee it is for a Kingdom, and a Crown of Life? Of what ſhould a Soul be ambitious beſide whoſe deſires are pitcht upon ſo noble a good, as honour, glory, and immortality with Chriſt? Who would not watch and pray unweariedly, that he may come to this Celeſtial Reſt with the People of God? Can there be any higher pleaſure, than to lift up our mind to our heavenly Country, and to think of the happineſs which there expects us? In what can we better ſpend our time, than in meditating of the great love of God, which hath prepared ſuch excellent things for thoſe that love him? It is a good thing ſure to give thanks unto the Lord, and to ſing praiſes unto his high and holy Name. There can be no more delicious life than this, which will conclude in his everlaſting praiſes. And ſuppoſe we muſt ſometime take up a croſs, where is the miſchief of it, what ſhould render it intolerable, if we look at Jeſus, who for the joy that was ſet before him endured the Croſs, and deſpiſing the ſhame, is ſet down at the right hand of the Throne of God? From thence he ſtretches forth his hands to call us; there his Armes are open to embrace us; and there he would gladly ſee us. Out of that glorious place he holds forth a crown of life to us, ſaying; Follow me, and let none of theſe things diſmay you. Behold the Majeſty, wherein I am enthroned; ſee the glory to which I am promoted; Do not faint in your mind, nor be weary of well-doing; but preſs on towards the mark, for the prize of the high-calling of God, in me your Saviour.
There is nothing ſure can hinder us, or pull us back, unleſs we ceaſe to look at Jeſus, and turn away our Eares from hearkning to his gracious voice. For do you not ſee what power a worldly faith hath over Mens hearts? How faſt one rides to take poſſeſſion of an Eſtate, of which he hears he is left the Heir? How another ſailes through dreadful dangers, becauſe he believes he ſhall arrive at a rich Country; which will ſend him home laden with precious Commodities at the laſt? Why ſhould we think then the Chriſtian Faith is leſs powerful, or fancy that we are in truth indued with it, unleſs our belief of the other World have the ſame effects? Let it lay its commands upon all the powers of our Soul, and engage them to do their ſeveral works. Let it excite our minds, and our wills, and our affections, and our endeavours, to a conſtant purſuit of theſe Heavenly enjoyments; that we may know indeed, that we believe to the ſaveing of the Soul. Look upon that faith which was built on weaker grounds and leſſer evidences, and darker promiſes. See how it wrought in Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and in the reſt of the ancient Patriarchs; whoſe belief of the Word of God made them forſake their own Countries, quit all their Poſſeſſions, when he required it, live as Pilgrims and ſtrangers in the Earth, and depend meerly on the love and care of his never failing providence. By faith they ſlighted the pleaſures of Kings Courts, the Honour of a Throne, and the Riches of Egypt. By Faith they wrought Righteouſneſs, ſubdued Kingdomes, ſtopped the mouths of Lyons, indured all reproaches and afflictions, would not accept of deliverance, and life it ſelf, that they might obtain a better Reſurrection. Now ſince the Chriſtian Belief relies upon better Promiſes, a clearer Revelation, and ſtronger grounds of hope, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus from the dead; what a ſhame will it be, if we do nothing worthy the name of Men, much leſs of the Diſciples of Chriſt, and of the Sons of God? To what cauſe can it be imputed, but becauſe there is no Faith in the Earth, or it reſts only in the brain, and floats in the imagination, but never deſcends to touch the heart and affections. Bring it down then, My Friend, and ſtir up your ſelf to a ſerious and affectionate belief of the life to come. Spare no pains to conſider, and lay to heart (that which is the greateſt comfort of your life) all the glorious things which you read of in the Goſpel of Gods grace; which Chriſt hath ſealed by his blood, and God confirmed by his Reſurrection, and hath been atteſted by ſigns and wonders of the Holy Ghoſt, and by the Life and Death of a number of great Souls; who have followed Jeſus even to his Croſs, and declared their belief of thoſe things by ſacrificing all that was dear unto them here, to win his favour in another World. Look often upon their conſtancy, upon their zeal, upon their contempt of Riches and Pleaſures, and Life it ſelf, when it came in competition with the will of Chriſt; for whoſe ſake they rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer, eſpecially ſince he had aſſured them, their preſent troubles ſhould work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And then in imitation of them, you will put on their reſolution; and lifting up your Eyes to Heaven, will be moved to ſpeak to this effect. O bleſſed God, how much am I beholden to thee, that thou haſt ſhewed me ſuch things as theſe! How much am I beholden to thee, that thou haſt inclined my heart to make them my choice! I would not be as I was before, for all the World. Away you frivolous temptations; you vain delights, you unprofitable labours: Never renew your importunities, for I will not hearken; I tell you, I will not liſten to you any more. I am reſolved to proceed in this holy courſe to the end of my days. You will but make me meditate the more; and pray the more; and lay to heart the more the love of my God: I ſhall but fix my Eyes the more ſtedfaſtly on that bleſſed place where Jeſus my Saviour is at Gods right hand. At his will I hold my riches, my honours, yea, and my life alſo. Let him diſpoſe of them as he pleaſes. And let it pleaſe the Lord of life and glory to accept of this moſt hearty oblation which I make of all I have unto him. Let it pleaſe him to ſtrengthen me in my holy reſolutions, to open my eyes, that I may ſtill ſee more of that wonderful love which he hath diſcovered in his Goſpel, and to accompany me with his grace, till I arrive at his heavenly Court. O let his good Spirit breath upon me, and carry away my Soul in holy deſires towards him. Let it guide my courſe through this troubleſome Sea wherein I am toſſed: Let it ſhine upon me, and proſper my endeavours: Let it bring me ſafely to a quiet haven in Eternal Reſt and Peace.
Theſe pious aſpirations you may ſtill purſue at the end of theſe Meditations, in ſome ſuch Prayer as this.
A PRAYER.
I Praiſe Thee; I magnify thy wiſe and mighty Goodneſs, O Lord, who haſt made this great World, the Heavens and the Earth, with all things contained therein, to the everlaſting honour of thy Name. I thank Thee, with all my Soul, for bringing me into it, and for advancing me ſo much above the reſt of thy Creatures here below, that I ſee the glory of thy Majeſty ſhining every where, and hear thy Name proclaimed and praiſed by all thy works of wonder. But above all I acknowledg thy bounty, with the moſt admiring thoughts, and the devoutest affections of my heart, for ſending Jeſus Chriſt upon Earth, to open unto us the Kingdom of Heaven, and to ſhow us the glories of another World. O the exceeding greatneſs of that love which gave him to dye for us, and rewarded all his ſufferings with a bleſſed Reſurrection, and then tranſlated him to Heaven, and appointed Him Heir of all things, and ſetled his Throne for ever and ever, on the right hand of thy Majeſty on high. From thence he hath ſent the Holy Ghoſt, to be witneſs of the fulneſs of his Royal Power and Love, and hath ſhown himſelf ſometime in Majeſty and Glory above the Sun, when it ſhineth in its ſtrength; that we might hope in thee for the like Reſurrection to a glorious immortality in the Heavens. No tongue can utter, nor heart conceive, what Honour, Glory and Peace, what joy and gladneſs of heart, thou haſt prepared there for thoſe that love Thee. But bleſsed, for ever bleſſed be the riches of thy grace, whereby I underſtand ſo much, as to feel moſt earneſt longings in my Soul after a fuller ſenſe of that, which thou haſt made me taſte and reliſh beyond all the pleaſures of this Life.
O raiſe and inlarge my Spirit unto clearer & more comprehenſive thoughts of that ſupreme bleſſedneſs. Thou who entertaineſt all thy Creatures with ſo much liberality; who cauſeſt thy Sun to ſhine upon the good and the bad, and the ſhowers of Heaven to fall on the juſt and the unjuſt; deny not to ſatisfie the pious deſires of a Soul, in whom thou haſt excited an ardent thirſt after its proper and eternal good. But inlighten the eyes of my underſtanding, that I may know more and more, what is the hope of thy Heavenly calling, and what the riches of the glory of thy Inheritance in the Saints, and what the exceeding greatneſs of thy power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of thy mighty power, which wrought in Chriſt when thou raiſedſt him from th dead, and ſet him at thy own righ… hand in the heavenly places. O life up my mind to that high and holy place, where thou dwelleſt, and where Jeſus is inthroned, and where the Angels and Saints continually behold and praiſe, with joyful hearts, the Majeſty of thy glory, and where our Lord hath promiſed all the faithful ſhall live and reign with him for ever.
Help me to climb up daily by all thy Creatures, on which thou haſt ſet ſuch marks of thy Greatneſs, Wiſdome, and Goodneſs, to the contemplation of that Celeſtial Bliſs: And poſſeſs me with ſuch a conſtant ſenſe and deſire of it, that nothing here may ingage my heart, which will indiſpoſe me for the happy company and ſociety of the bleſſed. Aſſiſt me, good Lord, by ſuch Meditations as theſe, to diſcern more and more the incomparable and ſurpaſſing greatneſs of that felicity, which thy Royal bounty will beſtow upon our advanced ſpirits and bodies, in the world of rewards and recompences. Affect my heart more powerfully with it; and fill me with love and joy unſpeakable and full of glory, when I turn my eyes towards it. Stir me up thereby to prepare my ſelf with diligence and care, by a lively reſemblance of the Lord Jeſus, for the day of his appearing: and to wait with patience for that bleſſed Hope, when I ſhall not ſee, as now, through a Glaſs darkly, but face to face; and be made compleatly like him, by ſeeing him as he is. Enable me always to live upon this Hope, and according to it; that growing in all goodneſs, by a chearful obedience to his holy commands, I may be found of him in peace, and be ſo happy as to hear at laſt thoſe gracious words of his; Well done, good and faithful Servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Amen.