Mr. Bolton's last and learned work of the four last things death, judgement, hell,…Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things death, iudgement, hell,…

Lord it is prodigiously strange and lamentably fearful, that so noble and excellent a creature as man, prince of all other earthly creatures, by the privilege of reason and enlightened with the glorious beam of understanding, nature should be so furiously madded with its own malice, and bewitchedly blindfolded by the Prince which rules in the Air; as, for the momentany enjoyment of some few glorious miseries, bitter-sweet pleasures, heart-vexing riches, or some other worldly vanity at the best, desperately and wilfully to abandon and cast himself from the unconceivable pleasures of its joyful place where GOD dwells, into an infinite world of everlasting woefulness. For let a carnal man consider in a word his prodigious madness in this point. He might not only in this vale of tears be possest with a peaceful heart, which is an incomparable preciousness surpassing all created understandings: For I dare say this, I know it to be true: One little glimpse of Heaven shed sometimes into the heart of a sanctified man, by the saving illumination of the comforting spirit, whereby he sees and feels, that in despite of the rage of devils, & malice of men; let sin and death, the grave and hell do their worst, his soul is most certainly bound by the hand of GOD in the bundle of the living, and that he shall hereafter everlastingly inhabit the joys of eternity: I say this one conceit being the immediate certificate of the spirit of truth doth infinitely more refresh his affections, and affect his heart with more true sweetness and tasteful pleasure, then all carnal delights, ⟨p. 241⟩and sensual delicacies can possibly produce, though they were as exquisite and numberless, as nature, art, and pleasure it self could devise, and to be enjoyed securely as long as the world lasts. Besides this heaven upon earth, and glorious happiness even in this world, he might hereafter go in arm with Angels, sit down by the side of the blessed Trinity amongst Saints and Angels, and all the truly worthy men that ever lived, with the highest perfection of bliss, endless peace, and blessed immortality: all the joys, all the glory, all the bliss, which lies within the compass of heaven, should be poured upon him everlastingly:

Lord it is prodigiously strange and lamentably fearefull, that so noble and excellent a creature as man, prince of all other earthly creatures, by the priviledge of reason and enlightned with the glorious beame of understanding, nature should be so furiously madded with its owne malice, and bewitchedly blindfolded by the Prince which rules in the Aire; as, for the momentany enjoyment of some fewglorious miseries, bitter-sweet pleasures, heart-vexing riches, or some other worldly vanity at the best, desperatly and wilfully to abandon and cast himselfe from the unconceivable pleasures of its joyfull place where GOD dwels, into an infinite world of everlasting woefulnesse. For let a carnall man consider in a word his prodigious madnesse in this point. He might not onely in this vale of teares bee possest with a peacefull heart, which is an incomparable pretiousnesse surpassing all created understandings: For I dare say this, I know it to bee true: One little glimpse of Heaven shed sometimes into the heart of a sanctified man, by the saving illumination of the comforting spirit, whereby he sees and feeles, that in despight of the rage of divels, & malice of men; let sin and death, the grave and hell doe their worst, his soule is most certainely bound by the hand of GOD in the bundle of the living, and that hee shall hereafter everlastingly inhabite the joyes of eternity: I say this one conceit being the immediate certificate of the spirit of truth doth infinitely more refresh his affections, and affect his heart with more true sweetnesse and tastfull pleasure, then all carnall delights,