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

In the first Part we may take notice, and into our consideration these three Points.

1. Provision of a comfortable Song for the people to carry with them, as it were into Captivity, and the fiery Trial; that in the midst of their pressures they might be eased and refreshed with a conceit, that the Day would come, wherein they should joyfully sing the song of enlargement, and salvation, Ver. 1. Though when they sate down by the rivers of Babylon, their hearts would not serve them to sing any Song of Zion, but fell asunder in their breasts like drops of water, yet assuredly, all GODS faithful Ones, who believed His Prophet and Promises, would in the mean time secretly sweeten their sorrows and sufferings, with a patient expectation of this happy Day, and heavenly mirth. 2. The Song it self, Ver. 1, 2, 3. Wherein we may consider, 1. The Time, when the Song shall be sung: In that Day] which we may understand, 1. Historically, literally, typically, of the Israelites deliverance out of Babylon, and the miserable ⟨p. 3⟩slavery thereof. 2. Anti-typically, of the blessed enlargement of GODS Elect out of the snares and bondage of the Devil. 3. And mystically also, as some Divines think, of the joyful coming of Christians out of spiritual Babylon, Rev. 17. 5. and from under the tyranny of Antichrist. 4. Complementally, of gathering the Saints out of this vale of tears, and from the eager pursuit of that great red Dragon, and the powers of darkness, into Jerusalem which is above, where they shall joyfully sing triumphant Hallelujahs in the highest heaven for ever and ever, Galat. 4. 26. 2. The Matter of the Song; which is, Salvation, Ver. 1. Peace; Ver. 3. Holy company, Ver. 2. Pure pleasure, comfort, sound contentment, &c. 3. An Exhortation, or exhortatory apostrophe, to trust in Jehovah. And there is added, for ever; lest upon Gods delay, and respiting relief, we should despair, or have recourse unto the arm of flesh. Reasons to enforce this exhortation are three. 1. In Him is [Greek or Hebrew] rupes saeculorum, everlasting strength, Ver. 3. A rock of eternity, upon which we may for ever sweetly and safely rest and repose our selves, amidst the many furious storms and boisterous waves of this troublesome world. 2. He is able to tame, take down, and trample in the mire, the insolency and pride of the most raging persecutors, Ver. 5.

1. Provision of a comfortable Song for the people to carie with them, as it were into Captivity, and the fiery Triall; that in the midst of their pressures they might be eased and refresht with a conceit, that the Day would come, wherein they should joyfully sing the song of enlargement, and salvation, Ver. 1. Though when they sate downe by the rivers of Babylon, their hearts would not serve them to sing any Song of Zion, but fell asunder in their brests like drops of water, yet assuredly, all GODS faithfull Ones, who believed His Prophet and Promises, would in the meane time secretly sweeten their sorrowes and sufferings, with a patient expectation of this happy Day, and heavenly mirth. 2. The Song it selfe, Ver. 1, 2, 3. Wherein we may consider, 1. The Time, when the Song shall be sung: In that Day] which we may vnderstand, 1. Historically, literally, typically, of the Israelites deliverance out of Babylon, and the miserable ⟨p. 3⟩slavery thereof. 2. Anti-typically, of the blessed enlargement of GODS Elect out of the snares and bondage of the Devill. 3. And mystically also, as some Divines thinke, of the joyfull coming of Christians out of spirituall Babylon, Rev. 17. 5. and from under the tyrannie of Antichrist. 4. Complementally, of gathering the Saints out of this vale of teares, and from the eager pursuit of that great red Dragon, and the powers of darknesse, into Ierusalem which is above, where they shall joyfully sing triumphant Halelujahs in the highest heaven for ever and ever, Galat. 4. 26. 2. The Matter of the Song; which is, Salvation, Ver. 1. Peace; Ver. 3. Holy company, Ver. 2. Pure pleasure, comfort, sound contentment, &c. 3. An Exhortation, or exhortatory apostrophe, to trust in Iehovah. And there is added, for ever; lest upon Gods delay, and respiting reliefe, we should despaire, or have recourse unto the arme of flesh. Reasons to enforce this exhortation are three. 1. In Him is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 rupes saeculorum, everlasting strength, Ver. 3. A rocke of eternity, upon which we may for ever sweetly and safely rest and repose our selves, amidst the many furious storms and boisterous waves of this troublesome world. 2. He is able to tame, take downe, and trample in the mire, the insolency and pride of the most raging persecutors, Ver. 5.

And to raise His, though never so low and languishing, to set them upon a Rock of safety and salvation for ever, and to give them the necks of their enemies to tread upon, Verse 6. 3. He weighs and watches over ⟨p. 4⟩the ways of the just, Verse 7. See Jeremiah 17. 7.

And to raise His, though never so low and languishing, to set them upon a Rocke of safety and salvation for ever, and to give them the neckes of their enemies to tread upon, Verse 6. 3. Hee weighes and watches over ⟨p. 4⟩the waies of the just, Verse 7. See Ieremie 17. 7.

DOCT. It is an holy wisdom, and happy thing to treasure up comfortable provision against the Day of calamity.

DOCT. It is an holy wisdome, and happy thing to treasure up comfortable provision against the Day of calamity.

It is good counsel, and a blessed course, to store up comfort against the evil Day.

It is good counsell, and a blessed course, to store up comfort against the evill Day.

He that gathereth in Summer, (saith Solomon) is a son of understanding: But he that sleepeth in Harvest, is a son of confusion, Prov. 10. 5. If not by an immediate sense, yet by a warrantable analogy and good consequent this Place will bear this Paraphrase.

He that gathereth in Summer, (saith Salomon) is a sonne of understanding: But he that sleepeth in Harvest, is a sonne of confusion, Prov. 10. 5. If not by an immediate sense, yet by a warrantable analogy and good consequent this Place will beare this Paraphrase.

That man which now in this fair and seasonable Sun-shine of his gracious visitation is lulled asleep with the Siren-songs of these sensual times upon the lap of pleasure; swims down the temporizing torrent of these last and lewdest days with full sail of prosperity and ease, against the secret wastes and counter-blasts (as it were) of a reclaiming conscience, as thousands do, to their utter undoing for ever; mis-spends his golden time, and many goodly opportunities of gathering spiritual Manna, in grasping gold, gathering wealth, growing great, greatening his posterity, clasping about the arm of flesh, satisfying the appetite, and serving himself: In a word, he that while it is called To day, turns not on Gods side, and by forwardness ⟨p. 5⟩and fruitfulness in His blessed ways, treasures up comfort and grace against his ending hour, shall most certainly upon his bed of death, and illumination of conscience, find nothing but horrible confusion and fear, extremest horror, and insupportable heaviness of heart: his soul must presently down into the kingdom of darkness, and bottom of the burning lake, there to lie everlastingly in tempestuous and fiery torments, the sting and strength whereof doth not only surpass the pens and tongues of Men and Angels, but the very conceit of those that suffer them, which if a man knew, he would not endure one hour for all the pleasures of ten thousand worlds: His body (the pleasing and pampering whereof hath plunged him into such a sea of calamity and woe) must descend into the house of death, an habitation of blackness and cruelty: lie down in a bed of dust and rottenness covered with worms, guarded and kept full sure by the Prince and powers of darkness unto the judgement of the great Day: and then the whole man must become the woeful object, of the extremity and everlastingness of that fiercest and unquenchable wrath, which, like infinite rivers of brimstone, will feed upon his soul and flesh, without remedy, ease, or end.

That man which now in this faire and seasonable Sun-shine of his gracious visitation is lull'd asleepe with the Syren-songs of these sensuall times upon the lap of pleasure; swims downe the temporizing torrent of these last and lewdest daies with full saile of prosperity and ease, against the secret wasts and counter-blasts (as it were) of a reclaiming conscience, as thousands do, to their utter undoing for ever; mis-spends his golden time, and many goodly opportunities of gathering spirituall Manna, in grasping gold, gathering wealth, growing great, greatning his posterity, clasping about the arme of flesh, satisfying the appetite, and serving himselfe: In a word, he that while it is called To day, turnes not on Gods side, and by forwardnesse

But that happy man, which in the short summers day of his miserable and mortal life, gathers grace with an holy greediness, plies the noble trade of Christianity with resolution and undauntedness of spirit, against the boisterous current and ⟨p. 6⟩corruptions of the times; grows in godliness, GODS favour, and fruits of good life; purchases and preserves (though with the loss of all earthly delights) peace of conscience, one of the richest treasures and rarest jewels that ever enlightened and made lightsome the heart of man in this world: I say that man, though never so contemptible in the eyes of the worldly wise; though never so scornfully trod upon and overslowne by the tyranny and swelling pride of those ambitious self-flattering Giants, who, like mighty winds, when they have blustered a while, breathe out into naught, shall most certainly upon his dying-bed meet with a glorious troupe of blessed Angels, ready and rejoicing to guard and conduct his departing Soul into his Masters joy. His body shall be preserved in the grave by the all-powerful providence, as in a Cabinet of rest and sweetest sleep, perfumed by the burial of our blessed SAVIOUR, until the glorious appearing of the great GOD. And then, after their joyfullest re-union, they shall both be filled, and shine through all eternity, with such glory and bliss, which in sweetness and excellency doth infinitely exceed the possibility of all humane or Angelical^* conceit.

But that happy man, which in the short summers day of his miserable and mortall life, gathers grace with an holy greedinesse, plies the noble trade of Christianity with resolution and vndauntednesse of spirit, against the boisterous current and ⟨p. 6⟩corruptions of the times; growes in godlinesse, GODS favour, and fruits of good life; purchases and preserves (though with the losse of all earthly delights) peace of conscience, one of the richest treasures and rarest jewels that euer illightened and made lightsome the heart of man in this world: I say that man, though never so contemptible in the eyes of the worldly wise; though never so scornfully trod upon and overslowne by the tyranny and swelling pride of those ambitious selfe-flattering Giants, who, like mighty winds, when they have blustered a while, breathe out into naught, shall most certainly upon his dying-bed meet with a glorious troupe of blessed Angels, ready and rejoycing to guard and conduct his departing Soule into his Masters joy. His body shalbe preserved in the grave by the all-powerfull providence, as in a Cabinet of rest and sweetest sleepe, perfumed by the buriall of our blessed SAVIOVR, untill the glorious appearing of the great GOD. And then, after their joyfullest re-union, they shall both be filled, and shine thorow all eternity, with such glory and blisse, which in sweetnesse and excellency doth infinitely exceed the possibility of all humane or Angelicall

Thus you see in short, what a deal of confusion that miserable man heaps up for his precious Soul against the Day of wrath, which spends ⟨p. 7⟩the span of his transitory life after the ways of his own heart: and how truly he is a son of understanding, who in the few and evil days of short abode upon earth, treasures up grace and spiritual riches against the dreadful winter night of death.

Thus you see in short, what a deale of confusion that miserable man heapes up for his precious Soule against the Day of wrath, which spends ⟨p. 7⟩the span of his transitory life after the waies of his owne heart: and how truly he is a sonne of understanding, who in the few and evill daies of short abode upon earth, treasures up grace and spirituall riches against the dreadfull winter night of death.

For I would have you understand, that by comfortable provision] I mean not,

For I would have you understand, that by comfortable provision] I meane not,

Lands, livings, or large possessions; I mean not wealth or riches: Alas! These will not profit in the day of wrath, Prov. 11. 4. They certainly make themselves wings, and in our greatest need, will fly away as an Eagle toward heaven, Prov. 23. 5.

Lands, livings, or large possessions; I meane not wealth or riches: Alas! These will not profit in the day of wrath, Prov. 11. 4. They certainly make themselves wings, and in our greatest need, will flie away as an Eagle toward heaven, Prov. 23. 5.

I mean not silver or gold: they shall not be able to deliver in the Day of the Lords wrath, Zeph. 1. 18. Will he esteem thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength, Job 36. 19.

I meane not silver or gold: they shall not be able to deliver in the Day of the Lords wrath, Zeph. 1. 18. Will he esteeme thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength, Iob 36. 19.

I mean not top of honour, or height of Place: this (without religion) serves only to make the downfall more desperate and remarkable. They are raised on hie, saith the very Poet, that their ruin may be more irrecoverable. But what do I meddle with the Poet? the Prophet is plain and peremptory against the pride of ambition: Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart: O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord, Jer. 49. 16.

I meane not top of honour, or height of Place: this (without religion) serves onely to make the downfall more desperate and remarkable. They are rais'd on hie, saith the very Poet, that their ruine may be more irrecoverable. But what do I meddle with the Poet? the Prophet is plaine and peremptory against the pride of ambition: Thy terriblenesse hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart: O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocke, that holdest the height of the hill: Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence, saith the Lord, Ier. 49. 16.

I mean not the arm of flesh, or Princely favours. Assuredly, that man which gratifies great Ones to the wounding of his conscience by the ⟨p. 8⟩formal slavery of baseness and insinuation, or any ill offices of ambitious servitude in feats of irreligious policy, in justice, cruelty, turning Turk and traitor to those that trusted him, &c. shall at last receive no other recompense of such abhorred villainy, when divine vengeance begins to take him in hand, than that which justly fell upon Judas (in the extremity of his anguish and sorrow) from the chief Priests and Elders, Matth. 27. 4. If ever great men, or earthly Potentates did take their flattering slaves out of the hands of GOD, at that highest Tribunal, or were able to free a guilty soul from eternal flames; it were something to grow rich, and rise by vile accommodations, and serving their turn in the mean time. But such a man s•all certainly (in the day of his last and greatest need) be cast with horrible confusion of spirit, and […] grief of heart, upon Wolsey's rueful complaint, and cry out when it is too late: Had I been as careful […] serve the GOD of heaven, as my great Master on earth; he had never left me in my grey hairs. Favours of greatness may follow a man in fair weather, and shine upon his face with goodly hopes and expectation of great things, but in shipwrecks even of worldly things, where all sinks, but the sorrow to save them; or especially upon the very first tempest of spiritual distress, they steer away before the Sea and Wind, leaving him to sink or swim; without all possibility of help or rescue, even to the rage of a wounded conscience, and gulf many times of that desperate madness, which the Prophet describes ⟨p. 9⟩Isa. 8. 21, 22. He shall fret himself, and curse his King and his GOD, and look upward. And he shall look unto the earth: and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish, and he shall be driven to darkness.

I meane not the arme of flesh, or Princely favours. Assuredly, that man which gratifies great Ones to the wounding of his conscience by the ⟨p. 8⟩

By comfortable Provision therefore, I mean treasures of a more high, lasting, and noble nature: The blessings of a better life, comforts of godliness, graces of salvation, favour and acceptation with the highest Majesty, &c. They are the riches of heaven only which we should so hoard up, and will ever hold out in the times of trouble, and Day of the Lords wrath. Amongst which, a sound faith, and a clear conscience are the most peerless and unvaluable jewels; able by their native puissance, and infused vigour, to pull the very heart (as it were) out of Hell, and with confidence and conquest to look even Death and the Devil in the face. There is no darkness so desolate, no cross so cutting, but the splendour of these is able to enlighten, their sweetness to mollify.

By comfortable Provision therefore, I meane treasures of a more high, lasting, and noble nature: The blessings of a better life, comforts of godlinesse, graces of salvation, favour and acceptation with the highest Majesty, &c. They are the riches of heaven onely which we should so hoard up, and will ever hold out in the times of trouble, and Day of the Lords wrath. Amongst which, a sound faith, and a cleare conscience are the most peerlesse and unvaluable jewels; able by their native puissance, and infused vigour, to pull the very heart (as it were) out of Hell, and with confidence and conquest to looke even Death and the Devill in the face. There is no darknesse so desolate, no crosse so cutting, but the splendor of these is able to illighten, their sweetnesse to mollifie.