fuck in all, and without Squeezing w'ont part with a Drop: In no Care at all, to make themfelves. Friends of the unrighteous "Mammon, that when they Fail here, they may be receiv'd into everlafting Habitations; Nor laying up in ftore any good Foundation against the time to come, that they may lay· bold on Eternal Life.

But amongst all the daily Expences. " and innumerable Items, So much for Riot and Luxury, fo much for Pomp and Gallantry, fo much for Sport and Vanity, if not fo much for Lewdness and Debauchery; So much fquander'd away, to ftrengthen the Hands of the Ungodly, < and fo much Hoarded up, for the Owners hurt, to Harden their hearts against God and all holy Duty; After all fuch 'wild humourfome Difbufements, and fo many Holes digg'd where to bury the reft of the Talents; what a pitiful Diminutive Reck'ning remains, of what has been laid out to the Purposes of Piety, Charity, and Mercy; To feed the Hungry, and cloath the Naked to cafe the Oppreffed, and Relieve the Diftreffed; To make many of Chrift's Members comfortable and glad, and demonftrate themselves to be truly Generous, Great, and Good?

C

"The Children of this World reckon themselves Wifer, than to be Taught even

by the World's Saviour, How to part with their Peny, for Expediting their Paffage to a better Countrey, They count themselves already at H me 'here upon Earth; and will leave it to 'the Chriftian Fools and Followers of Je fus, to take care for another World, and to Lay up their Treasure in Heaven. They have fomewhat elfe to do with their • Time and their Treasure, than to lay it out at the Will and Pleasure of fuch a Mafter. And after all the Politicks (as ⚫ Crafty as ever they are proud to be re'puted,) what Anfwer they will make to Help themselves off at the final Audit, where they muft ftand Naked, to take their laft Trial for their Doom Eternal, If they can tell, I muft confefs I can

not.

And where the Unprofitable Servant, 'the Lazy Truant, the close-fifted Mifer, fhall hear, Depart ye Curfed, and be forever Wretched, O what will become ⚫ of the Scandalous Liver, the Evil-doer, the profligate Offender, the Lafcivious, 'the Riotous, the Blafphemous, and fuch as are too well known even for all m'anner of Vices, the bafeft Carriage, and • the fouleft Abominations? What account ' of his Talents will be given by the Falfe and naught, the Corrupt, and fuch a one as is to every good Good work Reprobate

May

May all, in God's holy Fear, Hear, and

Confider.

CHA P. V.

Of the great Supper.

THE Tsets forth the Saints Felicity, by the HE First Parable, Luke 14. 16. Similitude of a great Supper. And not without a very agreeable Propriety. For in fuch a Supper, be it Nuptial or Royal, You may expect to find all things that are delightful to the Senfes; and fit to demonftrate the Gallantry, as well as Pleafantry of the World. Therefore King Abafbuerus, Esther 1. when he Ruled over a Hundred and feven and twenty Provinces, and had a Mind to flourish off the Riches and Glory of his Kingdom, and the Greatnefs and Splendor of his Power; could not hit upon any fitter Expedient, than to prepare fuch an Entertainment as was every way the moft Magnificent!

For in fuch a noble Supper,

I. The Eyes are feafted with the Rich Furniture, and fplendid Ornaments of all the Banqueting Room; with the Regularity of the Servitors fhining in their gay and coftly

L 3 ·

coftly Liveries; with the Silver and Gold Veffels, in which are ferved up the various fort of Viands; and with the Neatness and Curiofity of all the Utensils, fit for such a Purpose. Next, The Ears are Charmed with the exhilarating Sounds of musical Inftruments, and melodious Voices. The Nafe and

.

The Nofe alfo is Regal'd with fragrant Flowers, precious Unguents, perfumed Waters, and the fweet-fcented Ingrédients, that shed abroad the moft Pleafing Odours. Then the Taft is humour'd and Carefs'd with all the richeft Rarities, dreft accor ding to the exacteft Art and Curiofity: With Choice alfo of the most precious as well as delicious Wines, even from all parts of the Earth.

And further yet, the Touch is eas'd, and pleas'd with fine agreeable Retreats, Chairs, and Couches, where to Reft; and feel nothing but to Content, and Talk of all that may ftill add to the Delight.

Thus in the Royal Supper, All Sweet and Good things that the Earth affords meet together, to fit, and Gratify, and Transport every Senfe. Therefore our Lord, to fet forth (in fuch a Manner as moft takes with Flesh and Blood,) that fupream Felicity which has in it all manner of Goods, refembles it to fuch a great Supper. And Rev. 19. 9. They are pronounced Bleffed, who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

And

And how Excellent above all is that Supper, from hence, may we farther conjecture, That all the Glory of Beatified Bodies will be as the fplendid Table on which the Junkets and Dainties of the Laft Courfe will be ferved. And how Guftful and fweetly Entertaining thefe will be, we may have fome glimmering Apprehenfion, from St. Peter's Out-cry, in an Extafy, Mat. 17. 4. It's Good to be bere; upon one Glimpfe of our Lord's Body fhining forth upon Earth; as all will do in Heaven. For if fuch be the Second Service and Garnish, O what will be the Subftance of that Feaft, which lies in the Fruition of the moft Glorious Deity Blef fed for ever! yea, what are all the Goods of this World, but as poor Shells and Husks of the Fruits of Paradife? And if fuch be the Shells and Husks, that Men, for the Love of 'em, can Lofe even their Wits and their Souls; O what will be the Product and Entertainment of Paradife it felf? Such, no doubt, as without any Cloying, will be fo Enjoyed, as to be for ever Defired.

Nor are we to think only of fuch a Supper in Heaven, as the Grandees of the World ufe to Provide for their Nuptials on Earth. When we shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven, who are above all the Weddings and the Food, that now do ferve to chear and comfort our mortal Life.

L 4.