XXXIV 



certain uncertain state of mortality in a moment 

 breaks up and terminates in death. And ifs re- 

 quisite it be so, since the body's solution displays 

 the soul's glorious ascension out of this elemen- 

 tary tabernacle of earth and clay ; whereby with 

 more vivacity she may elevate her self on the wing 

 of faith, by divine attraction) to those glorious and 

 invisible exaltations: which beatifical vision no 

 mortal tongue can well express, nor can mortality 

 conceive nor enjoy here, save only by a divine faith, 

 and a holy and heavenly speculation. 



Now, how necessary is the study and practice 

 of Christianity, the true, noble, and the heavenly 

 birth ! For a Christian is such by regeneration, 

 and to be regenerate is a child of God ; and a 

 child of God is a saint here. For militant saints 

 in grace here, shall be triumphant saints in glory 

 hereafter, made beauteously to shine in the Neiv 

 Jerusalem, and ivear the royal badg of heaven, 

 and that's an immortal angelical crown ; to which 

 is affix 'd the diadem of the Divinest, in legible and 

 intelligible characters of the Cross. God in love 

 with his own image, beautifies and adorns the 

 soul with immortality, Ifs true, Heaven knows 

 no limit nor dimension ; but earth has periods. 

 With what circumspection, therefore, ought we to 

 travel through this mortal pilgrimage, to the sa- 

 cred temple of piety and devotion, where the bless- 

 ed sweets of eternity, are perpetually tasted by 



