is guilty of Injustice that give Six-pence to one Beggar and a Farthing to another And though in strictness he is indebted to no Man yet being a God of infinite Goodness and Mercy he vouchsafes to all what is sufficient to Salvation CHAP. III. God gives to all Men Grace sufficient to Salvation ALthough it is Evident both by the Scriptures and by Experience that God gives a greater measure of Grace to one Man than to another yet we cannot tax God with the least injustice He is under no Obligation to us and may do whatever seems him good nor dare any Man say to him why doest thou so Notwithstanding if â—e are not Saved we must not impute â—ur Perdition to God Almighty since â—e gives to every Man a sufficient meaâ—ure of Grace to work out his own Salvation This cannot be denied unless we will deny these words of S. Paul to Titus 2.11 The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation appear'd unto all Men. Those words you see express a Grace universal and sufficient to Salvation Appeared unto all Men there you have Grace Universal given to all Men. Which bringeth Salvation there you have it sufficient Judge I pray you saith God by his Prophet Isaiah betwixt me and my Vineyard what could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it 5.3 CHAP. IV. Our Co-operation with Grace is necessary to Salvation FRom what hath been said already it remains most certain that God gives to all Men Grace sufficient to Salvation And to deny that Truth as too many are wont to do is no less than to accuse God himself of unparallel'd Cruelty For it is as much as if we should say that he hath sent some into the World on purpose to be damned or that he willeth the end but willeth not the means thereto which are Impieties that common sense cannot apprehend as being incompatible with the nature of a God infinitely good and merciful We must confess as is manifest by that passage of St. Paul in the foregoing Chapter that God vouchsafes to every Man Grace sufficient to Salvation Yet notwithstanding the truth of this no Man nevertheless shall be saved unless he Co-operates that is Joyns his own endeavours with that Grace which appears evidently by â—hese two following Texts As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed Act 13.48 If thou wilt be saved keep the Commandments He that made us without our selves will never save us without our selves saith Austin If with St. Paul we could be transported to the third Heavens and there behold all those Saints who were all more or less endued with the Grace of God whilst they were here below we should find that they have arrived to those degrees of glory and happiness which they now enjoy by co-operating and joyning their own endeavours with Gods Grace CHAP. V. Grace works differently GRace is like Fire it acts continually but differently Sometimes it works insensibly as it did in John the Baptist who was Sanctified from his Mothers Womb as it doth in all little Infants who are Baptised and as probably it wrought in Zachary and Elizabeth who being addicted to the practice of Piety from their Youth would have sound it very hard to have told the very time when it was that Grace render'd them Righteous and Acceptable to God. It comes oftentimes like the dawning of the day without being perceived Sometimes it works sensibly as it appeared in Mary Magdalen when she was converted to the Lord and forsook her sins as it befel St. Paul when having a Commission to Persecute the Christians he heard a Voice saying Saul Saul why Persecutest thou me and as it hapned to St. Peter when having denied his Master Thrice and that with Swearing and Cursing he Repented of his fault when he heard the Crowing of the Cock. And thus in this Sense we may compare Grace to the Sun which by piercing a Cloud with its Beams disperses the Mist and becomes visible to our Eyes CHAP. VI. Grace is Resistible WHen God gives us his Grace 't is not to force us but to assist us because of our selves we are not able â—o do any supernatural good we may then resist it And not to speak of our own Experience we have but too many proofs thereof in Holy Writ They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit Isa 63.10 Woe unto thee Corazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sydon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes Mat. 11.21 Ye always resist the holy Ghost Act. 7.51 But some will say Resistance supposes acting against now he that is dead has no power to Act and therefore a Sinner being dead in Sin can have no power to resist Grace To whom I answer that that Conclusion is not good for in the Antecedent is spoken of a natural Death and in the Consequence of a moral Death A Sinner who is dead in Sin is not dead in all respects for as much as we read in the Scripture that sometimes â—e is like a Man half dead sometimes â—e is like a Man asleep Luk. 10.30 Eph. 5.14 'T is certain that we may â—esist Grace And to make it appear more clearly mark well these following Texts How often would I have gathered â—hy Children as the hen her chickens and â—ye would not I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hands and ye regarded not When I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not hear but did evil before mine Eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not Isa 65.12 it is further evident by that parable of our Lord Jesus Christ in St. Mat. 22.4 where he says that he sent out his Servants saying all things are ready come unto the Mariage but they made light of it And if a Man cannot resist Grace what means the request of St. Paul we beseech you also that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain To what end serve the Exhortations of the Prophets of our Saviour Jesus Christ and his Apostles CHAP. VII Grace doth not destroy Liberty GOD hath made Man after his own Image and Likeness he hath given him a reasonable Soul the use of his understanding and the Liberty of his will. He has given him Power to consider to deliberate to consult and to choose and consequently has given him Authority to govern his own Actions For having made him Lord and Master of the whole World below 't is not to be imagined that he hath made him a Slave to himself To force his Will were to destroy his nature Grace doth not at all compel him but assists and aids him And to prove this truth that Grace does not destroy Liberty Observe well these following Texts God made Man from the begining and left him in the hand of his Counsel Eccl. 15.14 I have set saith he before thee this day Life and Death Good and
Evil Deut. 30.15 and in verse 19. he saith I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you that I have set before â—ou Life and Death Blessing and Cursing â—herefore chuse Life Some may say that Liberty seems â—â—consistent with these words of St. John whosoever is Born of God doth not comâ—it Sin for his seed remaineth in him and â—e cannot Sin because he is Born of God. â—or if he cannot Sin then he is not free â—â—en Grace destroys Liberty for the â—ght understanding of this passage we â—ust distinguish between a Moral and Natural Power when we may not do 〈◊〉 thing we use commonly to say we â—annot do it which is to be understood â—f a Moral Power and not a Natural â—nd thus we must expound those words â—f the Angel where he says that he â—ould do nothing against Sodom till â—ot were escaped into Zoar Gen. 19. â—2 When then 't is said that whosoever is â—orn of God cannot Sin we must not â—elieve that the Natural Power is taken â—way but the Moral 't is as much as to â—â—y that as long as he Acts according 〈◊〉 the Principles of his Spiritual Birth â—nd doth his utmost endeavours to be â—ke his Heavenly Father he cannot â—in which we are to understand as School-men term it in sensu composito but not in sensu diviso CAAP. VIII If no Man Lives in this World without Sin we must not blame the Grace of God for it but the infirmity of his Nature and the Temptations which he is Subject to MAN is subject to so many sorts of Sins that 't is very rare to find one in this World exempt from all Sins Oftentimes we are caught by Sins of ignorance and because they seem matters of little weight we are not sensible of ' em Again Sins of Frailty surprize us all of a sudden and other Sins overtake us very often by reason of the continual Temptations of the Devil the World and the Flesh Therefore what St. John saith if we say that we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us appears but too true but though it is true in an ordinary sense that in this World Man is not without Sin yet by the Grace of God he may Live without falling into it I can do all through him that Comforts me saith St. Paul by saying all he excepts nothing now if he can do all through him that strengthens him then by Grace he can live without committing Sin otherwise that exhortation of St. Peter Be diligent that at Christs coming ye may be found of him in Peace without Spot and Blameless 2 Pet. 3.14 would be vain and to no purpose if by the assistance of Gods Grace we could not live without being spotted and defiled with Sin and to make it appear by reason thus I argue either the Grace of God is sufficient for the avoiding of Sin or it is not if it be not sufficient Ergo in vain God gives us his Grace for that effect and doth injustly punish our Sins seeing that he Punishes us for a thing which we could not avoid and since we cannot say so of God without Blasphemy we must say that his Grace is sufficient as it appears by these words of Christ to St. Paul sufficit tibi gratia mea and therefore we must conclude that with Grace a Man may live without sin if then we do not live in this World without sin we must not blame the Grace of God for it but either the frailty of our nature or the continual Temptations of the Devil and of the World. CHAP. IX Grace doth not destroy Concupiscence or sensual Lusts BY Grace 't is true we overcome Sin to Grace we are indebted for all the good works we do and for the Victories we obtain over our grand Enemies the Devil the World and the Flesh But tho it cools the Fires of our Lusts yet it doth not totally extinguish ' em Experience convinceth us too often that the Flesh Lusteth against the Spirit and these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5.17 so long as we are here below in the Church Militant although we have the Grace of God on our side yet we must not hope to live without Wars Witness St. Paul he was in the State of Grace and yet his Lusts alarm him he is encountred with the sharp Goads of the Flesh his Flesh Warreth against his Spirit and the good that he would do he doth not and is forced to cry out Oh wretched Man that I am CHAP. X. Sanctifying Grace is incompatible with Mortal Sin. TO prove this assertion we must know the right Definition of Mortal sin and of sanctifying Grace or what are the effects of both Mortal sin is so call'd because it procures death to the soul or deprives it of the Grace of God which is its supernatural Life and sanctifying Grace is so term'd for as much as it sanctifieth the soul and renders it acceptable to God. By mortal sin the soul is in Enmity and hatred with God but through sanctifying Grace it becomes his friend and well beloved By mortal sin it is doomed to the Infernal Lake of Hell but through sanctifying Grace it is made an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven Now the Definition and the effects of mortal sin and sanctifying Grace being opposites they cannot possibly be found at one and the same time in one and the same subject as day and night chase away each other and cannot exist both together at the same time in the same place and subject so mortal sin and Grace cannot cohabit at one and the same time in one and the same soul and therefore the one is inconsistent with th' other CHAP. XI Sanctifying Grace may be lost THere is nothing certain in this fading and miserable Life but Death the most splendent Crowns are tottering and the best established Monarchies are oftentimes subverted And as the health of the Body which we count a great Treasure is too frequently lost so it fares with sanctifying Grace which is the Ornament of the soul this is very Evident in these Texts ye did run well ye are fallen from Grace Gal. 5.4 holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made Shipwrack 1. Tim. 1.19 Some are already turned after Satan having Damnation because they have lost of their first Love 5.12 15. the Dog is turned to his Vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.22 't is that which Experience also proves to us but too often and to our shame David a Man of great Faith and Integrity committed two great Sins Adultery and Murder 2 Sam. 11.4 Solomon who was the beloved of the Lord yet through the Love of strange Women his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel and went after other Gods 1 King 11. Peter the first of the Apostles to whom Christ had given his special
the Grace of God but the infirmity of his Nature and the Temptations which he is Subject to c. viii p. 29 Grace doth not destroy Concupisence or sensual Lusts c. ix p. 33 Sanctifying Grace is incompatible with Moral Sins c. x. p. 35 Sanctifying Grace may be lost c. xi p. 37 The Righteous Man falls sometimes and Dies in his Sins c. xii p. 41 By Repentance a Man may recover his lost Holiness c. xiii p. 45 Repentance after we have often rejected Gods Grace is not in our Power c. 14. p. 46 Men make fair promises to God and break them very often c. xv p. 53 All vows made unto God of any thing whih is not in our Power are void c. vxi p. 57 Marriage ought to be permitted to all Men and Women indifferently c. xvii p. 6 Holiness consists in the practice of all Vertues an Commandments of God. c. xviii p. 7 Of Predestination and Reprobation c. xix p. 8 Several Impietis do proceed from the Doctrinâ— of Prdestination and Reprobation as they aâ— both believed maintain'd and Publish'd by Calvin and his Followers First Impiety It destroys the whole Ministry of the word of Goâ— c. xx p. 9 Second Impiety It Abolishes Prayer Faith Repentance the uâ— of the Sacraments and the keeping Gods Commandments c. xxi p. 9 Third Impiety It destroys that Doctrine of ours that God will havâ— all Men to be saved and none to Perish anâ— that he hath no Pleasure on the Death of a Sinner c. xxli p. 10 Fourth Impiety It makes God Cruel and Tyrannical c. xxiii p 11 Fifth Impiety It makes God the Author of Sin. c. xxiv p. 11 Sixth Impiety It causes and Nourishes Vice and is Enmity to good Government c. xxv p. 12 Seventh Impiety It takes away all Comforts c. xxvi p. 12 David and St. Paul did not believe Predestinatiâ— and Reprobation as they are above explain'd the 19th Chapter c. xxvi p. 13 How Predestination is to be understooâ— c. xxvii p. 1â— How Reprobation is to be understood c.xxviii p. 143. Gods Works are necessary to Salvation c. xxix p. 151 Images are of great advantage to instruct us and inflame our Devotion c. xxx p. 159. Bad Companions are rather to be avoided than the Plague it self c. xxxi p. 163 The Sinner being to die shortly and knowing not when nor how ought not to delay his Conversion c. xxxii p. 169 How the Married Woman that is desirous to be happy after Death and in a good Reputation among Men in this World ought to Live. c.xxxiii p. 273 A great comfort to the scrupulous Woman shewing that all the little Children that dye without Baptism are sav'd c.xxxiv p. 179 The condition of a Sinner near Death c. xxxv p. 185 The condition of a Sinner after Death c. xxxvi p. 191 The Condition of a Holy Soul near the Separation from its Body by Death c. xxxvii p. 192 The Condition of an holy soul after She is separated from her Body c. xxxxviii p. 199 The World is a Cheat. c. xxxix p. 205 Mistrust the World trust in God only c. xl p. 211 Nothing is able to satisfie our Soul but God alone c. xli p. 215 The Covetous Man is always poor and miserable the Liberal always Rich and Happy c. xlii p. 219 We must submit our Flesh to the Spirit c. xlii p. 225 Idleness ought to be avoided c. xliv p. 229 Riches ought to be contemned and how c. xlv p. 233 We must avoid the smallest Sins c. xlvi p. 239 We must Obey Kings and Magistrates c. xlvii p. 241 How Men ought to behave themselves in their troubles c. xlviii p. 249. A necessary Preparation to every one that desires whorthily to receive the Lords Supper c. xlix p. 257 Certains signs to know whether you have the qualities that St. Paul requires worthily to receive the Lords Supper c. L. p. 269 De la GRACE CHAP. I. Dieu presente sa Grace à tous CE que le pain est au Corps lâ— Grace l'est à l'Ame caâ— comme le Corps ne peut pavivre sans aliment ainsâ— l'Ame ne sçauroit subsister de la viâ— surnaturelle sans la Grace Nôtrâ— bon Dieu qui le sçait qui ne veuâ— pas qu'aucun perisse mais qu'il viveâ— ne manque pas de nous la presenterâ— comme il paroist clairement par ceâ— textes suivants La Grace de Dieu salâ— taire est clairement apparue à tous hommeâ— Tit. 2 11. Dieu ayant suscité son fils Jâ—sus l'a envoyé pour vous benir en retiraâ— un chacun de vous de vos iniquitez Acâ— 3.26 I l illumine tout homme venant au monde John 1. Car comme il fait luire son soleil sur les Justes injustes ainsy presente-il sa Graceâ— Ã tous sans faire distinction de personnes Il se comporte comme le Laboureur Le Laboureur jett esa semence dans son champ une partie tombe en bonne terre apporte bon fruit l'autre partie tombe parmi les ronces les Epines les pierres sur le grand chemin elle est ou étouffée ou les oyseaux du Ciel viennent qui l'emportent Dieu seme sa Grace dans le coeur de tous les hommes ceux qui la reçoivent sont la bonne terre ils portent bon fruit sont aymez de Dieu Ceux qui la rejettent sont la terre remplie de ronces d'épines de pierres ils sont sterils hais maudits de Dieu Quand je dis que Dieu donne sa Grace à tous je ne parle pas seulement de cette Grace universelle qui selon Calvin gist en la predication enterieure par laquelle le Seigneu invite à soy tous les hommes indifferemmenâ— voire même ceux aux quels il la propose eâ— odeur de mort pour matiere de plâ— grieve condemnation J'entend une Gracâ— interne qui est une lumiere dans l'en tendement un movement dans la volonté par laquelle Dieu nous faisant connoitre le bien le mal nous incite à embrasser la vertu à fuir le vice à laquelle si nous correspondons nous obtiendrons infalliblement le salut eternel Plussieurs assurent que Dieu ne donne pas cette Grace à tous Ils disent que Dieu sans aucune autre raison que son bon plaisir a determiné les uns pour être sauvez les autres pour être damnez consequemment ils font Dieu injuste quand il punit le péché Car puisque nous ne pouvons pas éviter le peché sans la Grace s'il est vray que Dieu ne Donne pas sa Grace à tous il s'ensuit que tous ne sçauroient pas éviter le péché purtant quand il punit leur peché il les punit pour
Remember that shortly we must follow ' em The hour glass runs without ceasing and it may be Death to Morrow will lay our Bodies in the Dust This Sermon that we have heard to day this Godly Book which we read now may be the last we shall hear or Read. Our Years Months and Days are counted we cannot prolong them who knows whether we shall live till to Morrow how many do we see every day who go and lye down in perfect Health and in the Morning are found Dead in their Beds that which happens to others may happen unto us A Tile from the top of a House falling down upon your Heads may destroy you a fishes bone a Stone of a plum or a bit of bread may choak you Therefore your Life being so short and uncertain you ought not to delay your Conversion You must prevent the day which is wont to prevent you You must not stay till you be old or near Death you must serve God in your Youth you must turn to him without any delay As soon as Achaâ—â— had heard the words of Eliah he rent his Cloths and put saccloath upon his Flesh and fasted and lay in Saccloth and went softly 1 King 21.27 CHAP. XXXIII How the Married Woman that is desirous to be happy after Death and in a good Reputation among Men in this World ought to Live. ABove all things she ought to Fear and Love God the Fountain of all goods She ought to keep his Commandments and Worship him with a deep Humility and avoid the Pomps and Vanities of this World Remembring that she promised in her Baptism to Renounce them as well as to resist the Temptations of the Devil and Flesh She ought to obey her Husband and be taught by him both in matters as well belonging to Religion as his own Family to Love him and be Faithfull unto him till Death But because chastety is the Ornament of Women she ought to have a great care of her Reputation remove the least Sins contrary to pudicity and to avoid the Company of indiscreet and lacivious Women whetheir it be in their Discourses or in their Countenance looks or Garments she ought to delight only in her Husbands Company for the married Woman out of her Husbands Company should be like a Fish out of the Water as the Chich strugled from without the Hen or as a lost sheep exposed unto Woolfs She ought to have so great a care of her Family as she might give an account of all things that are done in her House which ought to be to her what the shell is to a Snail She ought often to hear the word of God keep Company with those that are of a Holy and Exemplary Life read good Books abstain from lascivious because the Reading of them by little and little infects our Souls corrupts good manners and brings us to a shamefull end She ought often to meditate that she is once to die and perhaps sooner than she thinks that she shall be Judged to everlasting Pains or Joyes to an Eternal shame or Glory and this frequent and serious meditation will make her refrain from all unlawfull Pleasures and render her diligent in the practice of Vertues and Remember that as in the harvest we reap but what we have sowed before even so in the other World we receive the Fruits of what we have sowed in this CHAP. XXXIV A great comfort to the scrupulous Woman shewing that all the little Children that dye without Baptism are sav'd BY little Children I mean those that have not yet the use of their reason and I say though the contrary be asserted by a great many that if they dye without Baptism they are saved notwithstanding For our Salvation doth not meerly depend upon an Element which is not always in our power The Baptism that saves us saith St. Peter is not that that puts away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 he that sinneth shall be punished Every one shall dye for his own iniquity Therefore the young Children before they can use their reason being not able to commit sin ought not to be punished for God hates and punishes nothing but sin and consequently if they dye are saved But some will say there is an actual sin and an other call'd original 'T is true that young Children before the use of their reason are not capable of the former but by the transgression of Adam they are guilty of the latter and ought to be punished for it I answer it is true that the young Children have encurred the original sin but it is true also it was forgiven unto them for as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of life Rom. 5.18 they shall say no more the Fathers have eat a sower grape and the Childrens teeth are set on edge but every one shall dye for his own iniquity Every Man that eateth the sower grape his teeth shall be set on edge Jer. 31.29 the original sin is remitted not as concerning temporal death and other afflictions in this life which are the consequences of that sin but as concerning eternal death and other torments in Hell that did deserve that same sin If any is now damn'd and suffers in the other world 't is for his own sin Suffer little Children to come unto me saith Christ and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God. Mark that Christ spoke to young Children not Baptized of such saith he is the Kingdom of God therefore they are saved though they dye without Baptism the promise is not onely made to our Fathers but to our Children also God is the God of the one as well as of th 'others and to damn little Children meerly because they have not received the Baptism which was not in their power it would be in God a kind of Cruelty CHAP. XXXV The condition of a sinner near Death REpresent to your selves any wicked Man ready to dye he fears sweats becomes pale his eyes are chang'd his tongue stammers and his heart looses all courage The thought that he shall shortly be separated from his body and appear before the Judgment-Seat to receive his Sentence of Life or Death of eternal Happiness or Misery troubles him so much that he knows neither what he saith nor what he doth He wishes but in vain that God would be pleased to restore his health and let him live some few years or months longer that he might in good earnest practise vertue and keep Gods Commandments which he hath so often transgressed Whilst he entertains these vain desires in his troubled mind his Conscience accuses him of all his former Crimes the Devil clearly represents them unto him aggravates them and endeavours as much as he can to cast him into despair Sometimes he sighs desires God to
help him and calls upon the name of Jesus but he receives no comfort On the contrary he hears his Saviour speaking thus unto him I did oftentimes speak to thy heart I gave thee a thousand inspirations to avoid sin and thou wouldst not hear me I sent Prophets Apostles good Ministers to declare my will to instruct and perswade thee to embrace vertue I did upon a Cross dye like a Criminal to save thee and manifest the excess of my Love. Then I did open my Arms to embrace thee and bow my head to kiss thee and thou hadst rather fall into the Arms of a lascivious Woman and take more pleasure in her kindness than in mine begone depart from me now when thou callest upon me I will not hear thee Thus this poor Soul finding neither help nor any inward comfort full of fright She shall say unfortunate that I am why did I not make a better use of the Grace of God And of the time allowed unto me to work out my eternal Salvation Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said there is a Man-child Conceived Why dyed I not from the Womb Why did I not give up the Ghost when I came out of the Belly Why did the Knees prevent me or why the Breast that I should suck Cursed be the Man that shewed my Father saying a Child is born unto thee and comforted him Job 3. in that lamentable condition being enraged and in despair she will say Mountains and Rocks fall on me and hide me from the face of him that setteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.16 CHAP. XXXVI The Condition of a Sinner after Death THE Wicked and Criminal Soul being separated from its Body hears the Sentence of her Condemnation whereof she cannot appeal to any other Depart from me thou Cursed into Everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was a Hungry and thou gaveth me no Meat Thirsty and thou gaveth me no Drink Stranger and thou didst not receive me in Naked and didst not cloath me Sick and in Prison and didst not visite me And then shall she say unto him when saw I thee an Hungred or Thirsty or Stranger or Naked or Sick or in Prison and did not Minister unto thee then shall he answer her saying Verily I say unto thee in as much as thou didst it not to one of the least of these thou didst it not to me Mat. 25.42 43 44 45. Then she seeth her self for ever separated from the sweet presence of God from the pleasant Company of all Blessed Souls from those unspeakable delights and Soverain honours that are in Heaven She seeth her self environ'd with an innumerable number of Devils and with them precipitated into an Everlasting Fire wherein she shall weep sigh and lament perpetually and endure an intolerable stink pain and fear without any hope of the least assistance The cries of Korah Dathan and Abyron when they saw themselves swallow'd up in the Earth are not to be compared with hers and that which grieves her the more is because she seeth no Remedy for her Torments and hath deserved all these Pains for few worldly pleasures that are rather Imaginary than true She knows that in that place of darkness horror and confusion she shall be forced to spill more Tears than there are drops of Water in the Sea that after she hath endured and cried as many Years as there are sands on the Sea shore or Leaves on the Trees in the Summer-time she is no nearer to the end of her Torments than at the first day and this consideration is the cause of her rage and despair for as often as she thinks that her Pains shall never end this consideration of never is to her an other Hell in the middle of Hell. CHAP. XXXVII The Condition of a Holy Soul near the Separation from its Body by Death REpresent to your selves any Holy Man or Woman whose Conversation was always honest and who did always strive to Answer Gods Inspirations fulfill his Will in all things and obey his holy Commandments When Death presents it self unto him and seeth that by sickness or otherwise his Soul shall be separated from his Body he doth not grow pail for fear on the contrary he seems to be very glad of such a news bearing this Testimony in his Conscience that he is going to rest from his Labors and be for ever united to the Object of his Love. He is assured he is going to his Heavenly Father into that new Hierusalem the City of his God wherein he is to taste Everlasting Pleasures and enjoy for ever the sweet presence of his beloved and the lovely Company of all blessed Souls In the mean time he orders his business and disposing himself to forsake this World he leaves to his Family and Friends this Holy Counsel to serve Love and Worship the true God all the Days of their Life When his Body is dying and grow weak when his tongue begins to stammer and his Eyes to change then the Spirit of God enlightens and fortifies his Soul she sighs and saith with St. Paul Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo sometimes with David she utters these words as the Heart panteth after the Water brooks so panteth my Soul after the O God. Othertimes she Sings with Simeon now let thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy word Sometimes with St. Stephen Lord Jesus receive my Spirit and very often with her Saviour into thy hands O Lord I recommend my Spirit And as soon as her Soul is separated from her Body then the holy Angels take and carry her into Heaven as they carried that of Lazerus into Abrahams Bosom CHAP. XXXVIII The Condition of an holy Soul after She is separated from her Body AS soon as the Holy Soul is gone out from her Body She is as I have said just now carried into Heaven by the Holy Angels then in the presence of all Blessed Souls Friends and Relations dead in the Grace of God she hath this comfort to hear these words Come thou Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom which is prepared for thee from the beginning of the World. Well done and well come good and faithfull Servant enter into thy Masters Joy receive the Crown of Glory promised to them that are faithfull till death If for the maintaining the truth of the Gospel she hath endured in this world several Torments she shall receive the Crown of Martyrdom If she did overcome the lusts of the flesh and submit her concupiscence to the law of the Spirit she shall obtain the Crown of Virginity If in Marriage she were always faithfull and did never defile her Conjugal Bed she shall receive the Crown of Chastity If she did always give good example relieve the needy preach the word of God convert