A discourse concerning the Redeemer's dominion over the invisible world, and the entrance thereinto

And, Madam, who could have a more pleasant Retrospect, upon former days, than y•u? recounting your Antrim Delights! the delight you took in your excellent Relations, your Garden Delights, your Closet-delights, your Lords-days delights! But how much a greater thing is it to ⟨p. 28⟩serve God in your present Station! as the Mother of a numerous and hopeful Offspring? as the Mistress of a large Family; where you bear your part, with your like-minded Consort, in supporting the Interest of God and Religion! and have opportunity of scattering Blessings round about you!

And, Madam, who could have a more pleasant Retrospect, upon former days, than y•u? recounting your Antrim Delights! the delight you took in your excellent Rela•ions, your Garden Delights, your Closet-delights, your Lords-days delights! But how much a greater thing is it to ⟨p. 28⟩serve God in your present Station! as the Mother of a numerous and hopeful Offspring? as the Mistress of a large Family; where you bear your part, with your like-minded Consort, in supporting the Interest of God and Religion! and have opportunity of scattering Blessings round about you!

But our Business is not recurring, or looking back. God is continually calling us forward. Time is a stream, running on, towards the vast Ocean. Tending backward, is vain striving against the Stream. And as it is the Course, and Method, of Nature, of Providence, and Grace, to tend forward, and carry us from less to greater things, in this World. So do all these conspire, to carry us on, because our [Greek or Hebrew], our highest pitch, cannot be here; to ⟨p. 29⟩yet far greater things in the greater World. Of which vast World, it is the Design of the following Discourse to give you some account; tho, God knows, it is but a very imperfect one. Such as it is, if God only make it an occasion to you, of fixing your Minds and Hearts upon that mighty Theme, you will find it easy and pleasant to you to amplify upon it, and enlarge it to your selves. And thereby, through God's Blessing, I doubt not, arrive to a fullness of Satisfaction, concerning this late Dispensation, which hath a gloominess upon it; but is in very deed only gloomy, on one side, viz. downwards, and towards this wretched World, this Region of Sorrow and Darkness: but on the side, upwards, and towards that other World, which casts its lustre upon it, its