times ftand her in no other ftead, than hugely to fwell her Acounts, to inflame her Reckoning, and to increase her Damnation. They, that had their Pastime with the Fowls of Heaven, fays Baruch, i. e. with towring, high, and lofty Contemplations; That play'd with the Soaring Eagle, and delighted themselves in her strong, acute Sight; these Men are come to nought, and gone down to Hell. But Charity is impregnable against all the Arrows of Death, being by the Eternal and immutable Laws of Heaven,exempted from the Frailties and Imperfections of Mortality. Heaven is her Birth Place, thence (like a Courteous Angel) the came down to the Soul, and thither the joyfully returns with her again. She fecures her in her way through the Dominions of the King of Terrours, from the Affaults of Wicked and Malignant Spirits, leads her triumphantly into the Manfions of Bleffed nefs, the Paradise of God, the City of the Great King, where fhe is no fooner entred, and beholds the Glory of the Place, but (not to mention the Joyous Congratulations of triumphing Angels) the hears this most ravishing Voice from the Throne: Welcome Good and Faithful Servant, enter into thy

Masters

Masters Joy to be happy with him for

ever.

This is the Condition of the Charita ble Soul, as foon as the efcapes from the Body. She is immediately receiv'd into the Bofom of Jefus, and lodged in the Circles of Everlasting Love. But tho her Fetters are thus knockt off, and the enters at present upon a State of Liberty and Glory; yet the does not yet receive her Final Reward. Her Labours indeed are all at an End, and the Sings before the Majefty of the Lord even joyful and Everlasting Thanksgivings unto her God: But he is not yet array'd in her most Glorious Apparel; her Wedding-Garment, her immarceffible Crown, and her triumphant Palms being still preparing, tho the breaks forth into Singing. She still bears the Marks and Badges of Sin, being depriv'd of half of her Self, the Body; and therefore thines' only like the Moon in Eclypfe, when one Part of her is.fhaded with the dark Mantle of the Night, the other cloath'd with Light and Glory The Confummation of Blef fedness, the Meridian of Glory, the Elevation and Exaltation of all her Facul ties, fhall then be receiv'd, when the Lord Jefus fhall be reveal'd from Heaven with

his mighty Angels. Then fhall fhe defcend in his glorious Train to receive her Dear Confort into the Partnership of her Joys: That Body, which now lies flumbering in the filent Chambers of Corrup tion, but then by the Voice of the Archangel, the Trump of God shall be awaked and Sing: Death is Swallowed up in Victory. Then at last shall the whole Man recover upon the Wing, and, like a fair and fpotlefs Dove, fly away with Songs of Joy and Triumph in his Mouth to the Prefence of his Saviour, who with a gracious and pleafing Countenance will receive and place him amongst the Elect on his Right Hand, inviting them all, for their great Mercy and Pity to Himself in his Poor Brethren, to the Perfection of Happiness, the Fruition of his own Joy, the Eternal Comprehenfions of Celestial Glory. Since you have fed the Hungry, fays he, and gave Drink to the Thirty: Since you have entertain'd the Stranger, and cloath'd the Naked: Since you have adminiftred to the Sick, and Vifited the Imprifon'd: Come ye Blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared. for you from the Foundation of the World.

SER

1

SERMON VII

Τ'

JOEL 2.15.

Sanctifie a Fast.

HE affiduous and feverer Exer ciles of Mortification and SelfDenial, conducing infinitely more to the healthful and vigorousConftitution of the Soul, than the conftant and uncorrected gratification of her Lower Appetites, the great Enemy of Mankind hath been perpetually labouring to represent them as things in their own Nature fupervacaneous and infignificant, and confequently as the Performances only of injudicious, weak, fuperftitious Perfons. He accordingly is always tempting us to change our Stones into Bread, our Sadneffes into Sensual Comforts, our Drineffes into Inundations of Fancy and exteriour Sweetneffes. He would oblige us to believe, that the Wicked may repent well

enough

enough without putting himself to the Trouble of rending either Heart or Garment, and the Unrighteous Man turn to the Lord, tho' he loose not a Meal all the Year long. In difcourfing therefore upon these Words, I fhall endeavour to shew these three things,

1. That 'tis the Duty of the Servants of God fometimes to fanctify a Faft.

2. After what manner they are to do this. And,

3. At what Times.

But before I enter upon these Topicks, I fee it neceffary to explain what 'tis to fanctify a Fast. And in fhort, 'tis this : Not to Faft (as Rebels and Hypocrites do) for Strife and Debate, and to make our Voice to be heard on High. Not to Fast as the Phyficians enjoyn, for the Recovery of our Health; nor, to keep the Sense fine and fubtile, as the Moral Philofophers; nor, nor, as the Statists, to preserve the breed of Cattle. Not to Fast out of Sorrow or Mourning for the Dead, to fave the Charges of eating, or to be the better able, or more at leisure to tranfact Business of the World: But to Fast for some truly pious

and