and so work upon it that it may be approved of thee who madest it. As for men, it shall be alike to me, whether they spend their breath or save it.

The Works of God unsearchable.

LORD God, what a world of treasure hast thou hid in the bowels of the earth, which no eye of man ever did, or shall, or can see! What goodly plants hast thou brought forth in wild and unknown regions, which no man ever beheld. What great wits hast thou shut up in a willing obscurity, which the world never takes notice of! In all which thou shewest, that it is not only the use and benefit of man which thou regardest, in the great variety of thy creation, and acts of administration of the world; but thine own glory, and the fulfilling of thine own good pleasure. And if only the angels of heaven be witnesses of thy great works, thou canst not want a due celebration of thy praise. It is just with thee, oh God, that thou shouldest regard only thy blessed self, in all that thou doest or hast done; for all is thine, and thou art all. Oh that I could sincerely make thee the perfect scope of all my thoughts, of all my actions; that so we may both meet in one and the same happy end, thy glory in my eternal blessedness.

The Evening of Life.

INDEED, Lord, as thou sayest, the night cometh when no man can work. What can we do when the light is shut in, but shut our eyes and sleep. When our senses are tied up, and our limbs laid to rest, what can we do, but yield ourselves to a necessary repose. Oh my God, I perceive my night hastening on apace; my sun draws low, the shadows lengthen, vapours rise, and the air begins to darken. Let me bestir myself for the time, let me lose none of my few hours, let me work hard awhile, because I shall soon rest everlastingly.

Vileness of the Human Body.

THOU Seest, Lord, how apt I am to contemn this body of mine. Surely, when I look back upon the stuff whereof it is made, no better than that I tread upon, and see the loathsomeness that comes from it, and feel the pain that it often puts me to, and consider whither it is going, and how noisome it is above all other creatures upon its dissolution; I have much ado to keep on good terms with so unequal a partner. But, on the other side, when I look up to thy hand, and see how fearfully and wonderfully thou hast made it; what infinite cost thou hast bestowed upon it, in that thou hast not thought thine own blood too dear to redeem it; that thou hast so far honoured it, as to make it the temple of the Holy Ghost, and to admit it into a blessed communion with thyself; and hast decreed to do such great things for it hereafter, even to clothe it with immortality, and to make it like unto thy glorious body; I can bless thee for so happy a mate, and with patience digest all these necessary infirmities. And now I look upon this flesh, not as it is, withered and wrinkled; but as it will be, shining and glorified. Oh Lord, how vile soever this clay is in itself; yet make me, in thine interest and my hopes, so enamoured of it, as if I did already find it made celestial. Oh that my faith could prevent my change, and anticipate my ensuing glory!

Elijah's Translation.

LORD what a dreadful favour was that which thou shewedst to thy prophet Elijah; to send a fiery chariot for him, to convey him up to heaven! I should have

thought, that the sight of so terrible a carriage would have fetched away his soul beforehand, and have left the body grovelling on the earth. But that good Spirit of thine, which had foretold that fiery rapture, had doubtless fore-armed thy servant with an answerable resolution to expect and undergo it. Either he knew that chariot, however fearful in appearance, was only glorious, and

not penal; or else he cheerfully resolved, that such a momentary pain in the change would be followed with an eternity of happiness. Oh God, we are not worthy to know for what thou hast reserved us. Perhaps thou hast appointed us to be of the number of those whom thou shalt find alive at thy second coming; and then the same case will be ours; we shall pass through fire to our immortality. Or if thou hast ordained us to a speedier dispatch, perhaps thou hast decreed that our way to thee shall be through a fiery trial. Oh God, whatever course thou in thy holy wisdom hast determined for the fetching up my soul from this vale of misery and tears, prepare me thoroughly for it; and do thou work in my heart so lively a faith in thee, that all the terrors of death may be swallowed up in an assured expectation of speedy glory; and that my last groans shall be immediately seconded with eternal hallelujahs, in the glorious choir of thy saints and angels in heaven. Amen. Amen.

THE

INVISIBLE WORLD.

As those who leave their old home and betake themselves to another country where they are sure to settle, are wont to forget the faces and fashions to which they were formerly accustomed, and apply themselves to the knowledge and acquaintance of those with whom they shall afterwards converse; so it is here with me. About to remove from my earthly tabernacle, in which I have worn out the few and evil days of my pilgrimage, to an abiding city above, I have desired to acquaint myself with that invisible world to which I am going; and to know something of my good God, and his blessed angels and saints, with whom I hope to pass a happy eternity. And if by often and serious meditation I have attained, through divine mercy, to any right apprehension of them and their blissful condition; I thought it might be profitable to my fellow-pilgrims, to have it imparted to them. Knowing also that we can never be sensible of our happiness, unless we know our own dangers and the woeful miscarriages of others; nor so fully bless our eyes with the sight of heaven, if we cast not some glances upon hell; I have held it requisite to bestow some thoughts upon that dreadful region of darkness and confusion; that by the former of these, our desires may be whetted to the fruition of their blessedness, and by the other we may be rendered careful to avoid those paths that lead down to that second death, and to a continual thankfulness to that merciful God, whose infinite goodness hath delivered us from that pit of horror and perdition.

BOOK I.-OF GOD AND HIS ANGELS.

SECTION 1.

Proofs of an Invisible State.

WHO can think but that the great God of heaven loseth much glory by our ignorance; for how can we give him the honour due to his name, while we conceive too narrowly of him and of his works? To know him. as he is, is beyond the capacity of our finite understanding we must have other eyes to discern that incomprehensible essence: but to see him in his divine emanations and marvellous works, which are the back parts of that glorious Majesty, is both our duty and our interest; neither is there any thing in this world, that can so much concern us, for wherefore serves the eye of sense, but to view the goodly frame and furniture of the creation? Wherefore serves the eye of reason and faith, but to see that lively and invisible power, which governs and compre

hends it?

Even this sensible and material world, could we conceive of it aright, is enough to amaze the most enlightened reason for if this globe of earth, in regard of its immensity, is justly accounted a world, what shall we say of so many thousand stars, that are for the most part larger still. How can we but admire so many thousand worlds of light, rolling continually over our heads; all made by omnipotent power, all regularly guided by infinite wisdom. How poorly must that man think of the workmanship of the Almighty, who looks upon all these but as so many torches, set up in the firmament every evening, only so big as they seem! On the contrary, with what awful regard must he be carried towards his Creator, who knows the vastness and never-varying movements of those lightsome bodies, ruled and upheld only by the mighty Word that made them!