um, indeed, which in a peculiar manner bears the Name of Heaven, is the chief Province, in which do Refide thofe Princes of the firft Rank, who are all of 'em Sons of God, and Heirs of Glory.

Next is the Ather, or Firmament; in which the Stars do Glitter, and (as if they had a Spirit of Life,) exactly Move, at the great Creator's beck.

The Third is the Air, where Wind and Vapour, Clouds charg'd with Rain and Thunder, and alfo the Fowls of all various kinds have the Liberty to Expatiate.

The Fourth is the Watery Region; including Fountains and Rivers, Lakes and Seas; and whatever glides thro' thofe deep and fecret Caverns.

The Fifth is this Terreftrial Globe, where dwell the Inhabitants that might be tempted to Vye ev'n with the Heavenly Hoft, for the Privilege of their Reason, and their Dominion over all the otherCreatures here; but that their Mortality is a Diminution, which fmartly convinces 'em of their Inferiority.

The Last and Lowest Region, unspeakably more difconfolate than any Defart Arabia, not only void of all good Fruits, but full of infupportable Plagues, holds none but fuch Reprobate Spirits, whose Af piring fo high, threw 'em fo Low: And all whom they feduce, to Conspire in their

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Rebellion,

Rebellion, will bear the fad Share in their Condemnation.

But all these ftrange Provinces are the ample Dominions of our Heavenly King; and but feveral Districts of that boundless Kingdom, which he will communicate to them that Love him.

Here then, Chriftian Soul, Enlarge thy Heart, and fuffer not thy felf to be cribb'd up in the narrow Limits of present things. Never Pant and Tire out thy felf, to compafs a Pitiful Particle of that which we call the World; when thou may'ft Inherit All, if thou wilt. O would Mortal Men butEngage in earneft to feek this Kingdom of God, or but apply their Minds, with any Serioufnefs, to Think of it, They could not but be under the greateft Confufion, to go take up Arms, and engage in bloody Wars, for fome poor defpicable Scraps of the Earth, Confider it, Man, when God offers thee even a Co-partnership in his infinite eternal Kingdom, Wilt thou madly run into Rapine, and Slaughter, and innumerable Enormities, only for the Acquifition and poffeffion of a little Town? O where's thy Understanding then, where's thy Counsel? Why don't ye rather take Wrong, and fuffer your felves to be Defrauded? asks the Apostle,

Cor. 6. 7. It cannot be, that he who goes indeed with a Careful heart, to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, fhould ever ufe fuch

Violence, and engage in fuch Wickedness, only for a spot of Clay; but will certainly . find fome Umpire or other to Compromife the Matter; or rather let all go, than ha zard the Lofs of Heaven, to be Master of fuch a contemptible Trifle upon Earth.

CHA P. II.

Of the Multitudes that people the Kingdom of God.

IN the Second place, Well may that High

and Lofty Habitation above be called the Kingdom of God, For the wonderful Frequency and Variety of its Inhabitants: Such as no House or City, but the widest King dom can ever contain. We are told Thousands of Thousands, and the innumeral Company of Angels. To which add all t Spirits of the Fust that die in the Lord, fr righteous Abel, quite down to the Confu mation of all things; together with eve one of their Bodies alfo, which fhall b raised Glorious, to fhine as the Sun in th Kingdom of their Father: And what Imagi nation then is able to reach any worth Idea of fuch an innumerable Affen.

bly?

'Not to dogmatize of what's above our reach to determine, Whether there be Nine Orders of Angels; Seraphims, that flame with ardent Love; Cherubims, that fhine with brightest Wisdom; Thrones, that acquiefce with unfpeakable Joy in the Tranquility of Contemplation; Dominions, that, as the Minifters of the moft High, Govern this Lower World; Virtues, who at the Command of the Almighty Lord, work Signs and Wonders; Powers, who Overrule the Aerial Powers of unclean Spirits ; Principalities, who Prefide over the Kings and Princes of the Earth; Arch-Angels, who are the Co-adjutors and Helpers of Church-Rulers; or laftly, Angels, that are the Guardians and Keepers of particular Perfons all over this World. Without Intruding into thofe things which we have not feen, nor can fee, It may fuffice us < to conceive of the several Names of thofe Holy and Happy Courtiers of Heaven, as fo many Enfigns and Images of the Glory and Greatnefs of God:" The Seraphims reprefenting his boundless Love, whence Angels, Men, and all the World fprang. The Cherubims, as in a Glafs, fhewing his unfearchable Wisdom, who made all things fo exact, in Number, Weight, and Measure. The Thrones, demonftrating his perfect Reft; who in Moving all things, is never Moved; and in Ruling all things,

e

t

Σ never Disturbed. The Dominions, fetting forth his univerfal Lordship, to Preferve or t Destroy,and do every thing as he pleafeth. The Virtues, pointing to him, as the God that alone doesWonders,and referves to himfelf the liberty of renewing and multiplying Signs and Prodigies. The Powers, in their Name fpeaking his Omnipotence, to whom nothing is Impoffible or hard, that ever he has a Mind to do. The Principa lities,fignificant of his Reigning; as the true Prince of the Kings of the Earth; King of Kings,Lord of Lords. The Arch-Angels ha dowing him out, as the true and chief Prefident o're all the Churches. And the An gels, his Emblems, as Father of Orphans and the great Preferver of every Individual in Particular; Who, tho' he give his Angels charge over 'em, Yet himself is ftill Prefent with 'em, to Protect and Keep

'em.

Now, after this innumerable Company of Angels, that help to replenish the Kingdom of God, we have another piece of impoffible Arithmetic, To give any Lift of his Saints, that people the fame Kingdom: Being fuch a Confluence and great Multitude, which no Man can number, of all Nations, and Kindred, and People, and Tongues, Standing before the Throne of God, and before the Lamb; cloathed with Robes, and Palms in their hands. Rev. 7. 9.

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Among