Then wilt thou not be loth To leave this Paradise, but shalt poffefs Mr. SPECTATOR, A Milton. S nothing has a greater Influence on the Mind of Man, or more powerfully contributes, to lead away the Affections from the World, and to place them on proper and heavenly Objects, than the Confideration of the Pleasures of Religion, and the Happiness of a Chriftian, both in his present and fu⚫ture Existence; give me leave, Sir, to lay before you, • a fhort and very imperfect Draught of it, and if you fo far encourage and take part with me, in this my • fincere, difinterested, benevolent Defign towards Mankind, as to introduce it to the World, with the Advantage of your Spectatorial Approvement, 'twill be reckon'd both an Honour and an Obligation, by a ⚫ publick Well-wisher to his Fellow-Creatures, and, Mr. SPECTATOR, Your most oblig'd, Moft obedient Servant. IF the Chriftian's Profpects of Felicity and Joy, were bounded in the Limits of the prefent Life, even St. Paul had judg'd him to be the most unhappy of the Human Race. But amidst fuch blissful Circumftances and glorious Hopes, is he plac'd by the Divine Grace, that none can advance fuch juft Pretenfions to every thing that is truly great and blessed, as the real Chriftian. AS for Honour, his Extraction is Divine, Heaven is his native Home, and he is born to a glorious Immortality! tality! The Infinite, Eternal, Incomprehenfible EHOVAH, is his gracious and indulgent Father, and JESUS, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, is his elder Brother! All the bleffed Inhabitants of the celestial Palaces, thofe fpotless and immortal Beings, are but part of the Train of his Spiritual Kindred. Cherubims and Seraphims, thofe Angelick Creatures, those pure and everlasting Flames of Love, fall hereafter be his bright and noble Companions, as they are now his conftant glorious, tho' invifible Guardians. AS by a, ftupendous Condefcenfion, and in an ineffable manner, he is fo intimately related to the glorious MAJESTY of Heaven and Earth, the first Foundation and Sovereign of all Things, the Universe is his, ín her beft Attire, and nobleft Product. That ftately Firmament, that magnificent Canopy of Heaven, adorn'd with so many lovely fhining Lights, and beautiful Planets, does but floor that Celestial Dwelling, which is prepared for his happy and eternal Abode! He confiders the incomprehenfible Glory of his Creator, his Infinite Excellencies and Perfections, as his own proper Portion; triumphs and luxuriates at that rich Felicity, that stable and overflowing Satisfaction, which he fees eternally abounding in the Divine Nature; he views all his bleffed and glorious Attributes, combining to furnish out his confummate and everlafting Beatitude, and behold with Rapture, in his Bufinefs of Effence, an Infiniteness to answer all the nobleft Paintings of his Soul, and to fill up the utmoft Grafp of his vaft and immortal Capacities. AS his Comforts are folid and refin'd, his Pleasures are unmixed, rational, divine, fincere, and everlafting, becoming the Dignity, and fuited to the Nature of a reasonable Spirit. The fecret Tranfports and Elevations of his Soul, proceed from the Profpects and delicious Foretaftes of an approaching Heaven; and juft are his moft exalted Joys, when he knows what he finds in Converfe with his Redeemer here, is as nothing to the actual and complete Fruition of him, in an Eternity hereafter. He fees fuch a Confluence of all attractive Excellencies, all poffible Beauty and Perfection, fhining with eternal uncreated Sweetnefs in that infinite Original, that that his heavenly Mind becomes dead to thefe inferior Charms, and all the doubtful Glimmerings of created Splendors, vanish before that glorious Sun! HE ftands ready and prepar'd for all the various Taftes of this mutable and mortal Life, and regales with divine Repaft, whilft he fees himself in the Embraces of that State, in which all Things have a Command to forward his eternal Happiness. Every Taunt and Infult, and unjuft Reproach, puts a Jewel in his Crown! Every Conflict with his fpiritual Adverfaries, is a Spoil to heighten his Victory, and enhance his Triumphs! If he is plung'd in a Sea of deepest Calamity, and cover'd with the thickeft Shades of Affliction, he knows they can be but of a fhort Continuance, and muft flee before the Day of Eternal Glory! If he enjoys all the agree able Entertainments of Life, and the conftant Smiles of a reconciled Deity, he confiders it but as a Drop to that immenfe Ocean of boundless Joys, that Sea of Light, and Life, and Love, where the fhall fweetly bait to all Eternity. No Events of Providence, no Revolutions in the World, or Prodigies in Nature, can at all dafh his Comforts, nor fhake the Bafis of his eternal Hope. Should the Sun be not only totally eclips'd, but utterly extinguish'd, and an univerfal Darkness prevail, not to be expell'd, but by the Splendor of CHRIST's fecond Appearing, his Profpects would remain unclouded, lying far beyond the Reach of this mortal State. If he is loaded with Difgrace, and treated with the utmost Contempt, and has a thoufand Indignities and pointed Reflexions thrown upon him by his Fellow-Creatures, he knows they fhall one Day be wip'd off by an Almighty Hand, in the Face of the univerfal World. He fmiles at the Thoughts, and with Joy anticipates the folemn Tranfactions of that Day; and meditates without Terrer, yea, with a pleafing Transport, the unspeakably awful and majeftick Brightness and Glory of that enlightened Tribunal ! AND at Death, his precious and immortal Soul, incomparably the nobleft Part of his Conftitution, fhall be receiv'd and convey'd, by an Heavenly Band of Guardian Angels, to the Paradife of eternal Blifs! where the fhall be clothed with high and angelical Endow-, ments ments, enrich'd with the most admirable and exalted Abilities, her created Nature is fufceptible of! She shall be illuminated and ravish'd with the largest Comprehenfion of both natural and divine Knowledge, and how illiterate, contemptible, and inglorious foever the feem'd here, fhall then far out-foar all the celebrated Divines, Rabbins, and Philofophers upon Earth. With unutterable Ravifhments fhall the immediately contemplate the Divine Perfections! be fashion'd in all her noble and hea→ venly Powers, to an exact Refemblance of her blessed Creator! and clafp'd in her Redeemer's Arms, fall eternally feaft upon the Joys of beatifick Vifion! His Body fhall remain the tender Charge of an Almighty Providence; and watchfully shall his Duft be kept, to fhine in an happy and glorious Refurrection! When, being rais'd Impaffible and Immortal, gladden'd and infpir'd with unfpeakable Foy and heavenly Vigour, grac'd with an eternal Bloom of Youth, and moft exquifite Beauty, and clad all anew with spiritual and celeftial Glory, fhall, with Wonder and Rapture, reunite and reimbrace its glorified Soul! and fo enter upon that Bliss Eternity, which shall be spent in the most delightful Difcoveries and Admirations of divine Love! And in the Fruition of all that Glory, Felicity, and Joy, those ineffable, incomprehenfible Entertainments, which fhall be the ultimate Result of creating and redeeming Goodnefs! AND if this be the Portion of the meanest and most neglected Chriftian, (and it belongs to him, whether he apprehends it, or not,) and fuch the final and glorious fue of all his Conflicts and Trials in this military State, 'tis meet, fure, to be faid to a Redeemer, 'tis but just and equal to confefs to him, • That his Yoke is easy, and his Burden is light. His Ways are Pleafantness, and his Paths Peace; leading to Bleffedness both in this Life, and that which is to come! Happy are the • Tendencies of true Religion! Admirable its present Supports and Refreshings! its future hopes are inexplicable Ravishing, and glorious are its eternal Re• wards! M Monday, N® 669. Monday, May 2. Fundis ornate multa incedunt per vias, Que vefii quotannis nomina inveniunt nova, Tunicam rallam, tunicam fpiffam, linteolum cæficium, Indufiatam, patagiatam, caltulam, &c. To the SPECTATOR. Plaut. The bumble Petition of a great Number of opprefs'd Ladies, in and about Bedford, fheweth, That, W HEREAS neither our Inclinations nor Occafions afford us the Opportunity of feeing London, above once or twice in a Summer; fo we wou'd not be wanting in any moderate Industry or Expence to keep in tolerable Conformity with the elegant and modifh Part of the Nation; but we are fo defperately overreach'd, by the insatiable Ambition of fome few, who, befides a conftant Trip to London, at least. once a Month, always keep the most noted Tire-women on the Exchange in Penfion for giving Intelligence, and, by the Advantage of appearing firft in a new Mode, attract the Eyes of all publick Affemblies, which we can by no means grant due or attainable by any peculiar Charms of their Perfons; we cannot fay, whether we were more affected with Surprise or Indignation, to see Madam Flippery in the new-fashion'd Head-dress the very next Sunday after the Princess's happy Arrival; we are also fenfibly touch'd with the Apprehenfion of the ill Confequence of thefe Proceedings, that we intreat you, by all the candid Declarations you have made in Favour of the Afflicted, as well as the more worthy Part of our Sex, that you wou'd affift us in propofing to Authority a Scheme on the following Heads: • IMPRIMIS, |