dispraise which yet are indifferently due to Men for that all their external operations properly called Humane are Voluntary and Free proceeding from a Soul endued with Reason to discern between things morally good and evil proceed we therefore in this our Inquest from the Cabinet unto the Jewel there contained And through this frail House or Tenement of Clay take we notice what a noble Guest lodged once in such a despicable Cottage Now 't is commonly known that our Souls have two parts or Faculties that is our Understandings and our Wills with several Affections inferiour and subordinate thereunto By the first of them we get the knowledge of Truth to distinguish it from Falshood By the second we come to loath and abhor Evil and cleave to that which is Good By the help of this familiar yet necessary distinction we go forward in our search First for his Intellectuals and afterwards for his Morrals According to these different Capacities we may compleat and admire the Wisdom the Goodness and the Power of our infinite Creator manifest in the production of Humane Souls far excelling the fairest and best compacted Fabricks in the World For in their primogenial State of Innocency the parts thereof were set in such good order and Semetry throughout so much beautified with Love and Unity between themselves and so well fitted and prepared for injuries from others that if we do not with Pythagoras affirm them to be nothing else but Harmony yet we may boldly say the wise Master-Builder could be none but God the prime Aâ—thor of Peace and the true Lover of Concord Now that we might guess the better at the pristine State of this goodly Building by the Rubbish and Ruines that remains that we may gain some little prospect of Mans native Honour and Glory being not much lower then Blessed Angels and somewhat like even to God himself I cannot imagine a clearer instance then what is now prostrate in our Eyes An Object which employs our present thoughts and yet exceeds them too doth exercise both our Tongues and Hearts at once But is enough to make one blind with Grief and the other dumb with Admiration for in good earnest here is a large Inventory to be drawn of the choicest Goods that belong to Mortals Goods more precious then Rubies and more to be desired then much fine Gold For when as all these Earthly things wax old and perish the former will endure for ever and continue like the Soul immortal If then you look after Wisdom and good Understanding Behold there 's the Man Blessed with a good Fancy with a ready quick Apprehension a tenacious Memory a sound and clear Judgment These indowments are I confess natural and infus'd at the same instant with our Souls and are afterwards capable of improvement according as they are imployed and you can't be ignorant of his great experience in Civil matters having been exercised in the strangest varieties of Alterations that ever happened in this Church and Kingdom His natural parts were no doubt excellently good that could bring forth such a plentiful Harvest as they did with so little Cultivation being studiously manured but a few years to the best Advantage and that either with private Readings and Contemplations or with publick Business By the first means of knowledge he settled that Foundation which nature laid By the second he finished the superstructure that instilled the Principles of a Civil active Life This made out the Demonstration one of them caused no little skill in Books for that purpose and the other begat in him an accurate knowledge and acquaintance with Men even from the Peasant upwards to the Prince In which respect it may be truly said Non diu fuit sed diu vixit his time was but short not reaching by seven or eight years the common period of Mankind yet he liv'd more then some others of much greater Age For you can bear me witness he took no pleasure to frustrate the designs of his being in the World or of his God who placed him in it he was not ignorant or forgetful of his manifold Obligations neither would prove himself that unprofitable Servant that should hide his Lords Talents in a Napkin or misuse them to the service of his own Carnal pleasure instead of his Creator He sate not in his private Study like Cynical Diogenes in his Tub gaping after Flies impertinently busied about frivolous and unuseful Triffles of none at all or very bad consequence for Almighty God so prosper'd his Endeavours with laudable proficiency and success that from the Schools in Cambridge he proceeded successively to the Courts at Westminster and after a while he was there call'd unto the Barr not as a Criminal to make Answer for himself but as an Advocate which could plead the Cause for others And in his latter days from standing as a Pleader at the Barr he served his Country with sitting as Justice on the Bench for executing of Justice and Judgment in the Land that he might relieve the Oppressed Judge for the Fatherless and Widdows in their distress and see that such as were in need and necessity should have Right For these and all other Civil Offices he was richly furnisht as with right understanding to discern so likewise with a Mind and Will fervent in promoting of Godliness and Honesty His Moral Vertues rooted in his Will and Affections were not inferiour to those of his understanding he was eminent for both and surpassed in each most of his equals for other matters The first prepared him for notable Atchievements to the benefit of other folks the second made him a true Friend or Benefactour to himself For his Temperance and Moderation were commonly known of all men that were not altogether ignorant of his person or of his Conversation he was no such Glutton to fare deliciously like him in the Gospel every day nor at any time to be overtaken with Excess it being his good purpose rather to repair the necessary decays of Nature then to beget more with indulging that evil Genius of Riot and Excess He never sottishly mistook his Dining Room for a Temple his common Table for an Altar and himself to be the God which he must needs adore and Worship like some Gourmondizers who feed themselves as Heathens do their Beasts till they fall a Sacrifice to stench and Rottenness No no he knew right well the true God whom he deligently serv'd and thereupon used the good things of this World without injury to the Creature himself or his bountiful Creator His choice of Dyet was not Superstitious by counting it any part of his Religion like the Pharisees of old that were very precise and exact in some little things of no Moment Nor was he curious like some Epicures of our dayes who busie themselves exceedingly to please and carress their vitious Pallates Nourishing Diseases by the Remedies themselves to the loss of their Health and at last of their very Lives For
from the lusts and affections of human flesh and made stiff nature yield and submit her self to God Seing now That our merciful and faithful High-Priest hath given up his Innocent holy Soul an Offering and a Sacrifice for all our Sins by suffering that ignominious Death of the Cross and since he victoriously routed all the Forces and loosed all the pains of Death and of Hell triumphing over them at his Resurrection first and Ascension afterwards all true Christians may for that Cause readily bear a part in St. Paul's joyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Song of Triumph composed it seems for those very solemn Festivals O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory And forasmuch as the Merits of Christ the second Adam are as mighty to save Mankind as the Transgression of the first was powerful to condemn we may repeat the same words again with comfort of hope and in full assurance of our Faith in a cheerful Eccho to that heavenly Voice Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them These Words do plainly contain two general Parts 1. The first Part is a perfect express and affirmative Proposition wherein is peremptorily asserted The blessed unalterable State of all those Men who depart hence in the Lord Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord or according to the Grammatical Order of the Words The dead which dye in the Lord are blessed 2. The Second general Part affords the strongest Reasons imaginable to prove and confirm the aforesaid Assertion This Confirmation thereof is twofold 1. From the best Authority that may be for 't is evidenced by the most infallible Testimony of the blessed Spirit full of Grace and of Truth 2. From Reason which is double The dead which die in the Lord are blessed 1. Because They rest from their Labours and 2. Because their Works do follow them For the clearer manifestation of the Truth now laid before us in the Method and Demonstration of the Spirit the Terms of the Proposition would be first of all explained in our Answers to these two Questions 1. What sort of men they be which the Spirit reckons to be dead in the Lord And 2. What is here understood by their being Blessed To the 1. Question What sort of Men they be which the Spirit reckons to be dead in the Lord Our Answer is briefly thus They are such Men as have not lived unto Themselves nor to the World but like Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth having their Conversations and Hearts in Heaven That have mortifyed the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts being renewed in the Spirit of their Mind That have truly repented of all their Sins and subdued all the proud high Thoughts of their carnal minds in Obedience to Christ That have resisted and repelled the Devil in all his Attempts either by secret Suggestions or with open Force and have likewise renounced and overcome the World with all its Adherents Pomps and Vanities Now this Victory which all true Christians must obtain both over Themselves the Devil and the World before they can dye in the Lord is not otherwise to be gained than by sincere unfeigned Repentance manifest in all the Duties of self-denyal and mortification a lively persevering Faith in Christ and a constant hearty though not perfect Obedience to Gods Holy Commandments And seeing the best Men living are not able to perform that intire and exact Obedience which the Law requires at their hands to make them appear justifyed in the sight of a righteous holy God being judged of him according to their own Works but unprofitable Servants whosoever thinks to depart this Life in Peace with God with consolation to themselves must loath detest and abhor their past Wickedness like pious Job in dust and ashes and Jâ—b â—â—â— with S. Paul Phil. 3.9 cast off the polluted rags of their own imperfect Righteousness according to the Law to put on Christ by Faith and be found at last in the white robes of his Righteousness that was made perfect through Sufferings And there is no doubt but those Men who thus live unto the Lord by faith and perseverance in good works even unto their end may be sure of dying so too because they have discharged their whole duty so far as to render it an acceptable service unto God by Jesus Christ for having so duly testified both Repentance towards God and Faith working by Love in our Lord Jesus Christ they become thereby justifyed and obtain their peace and Reconciliation with God Whereupon they may safely cast the Anchor of their Hope on the promises which God once made unto their Fathers and then depart in peace according to his word in full assurance of an happy Resurrection from the Dead And having this hope what shall hinder Men from spending all their time their care and pains in exerting vigorously the powers and faculties of their Souls to purifie themselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and of the World that so they may grow still in Grace perfecting Holiness in the fear of God As the chased Heart pants after the Water Brook so these refined Spirits being wearied and heavy laden with all the frailties of their own Flesh tempted by Satan hated and persecuted by the World pant and groan earnestly for deliverance breathe and are athirst for their appearing before the presence of God where Mortallity shall be swallowed up of Life To the second Question what is here understood by their being Blessed who die thus in the Lord You may take this very plain yet apposite Solution notwithstanding Mens opinions about their Felicity present or to come have been as different numerous and irrational as concerning their very Gods themselves because one doth naturally presuppose and infer the other Felicity being nothing else but a close intimate Fruition of God in the notion of an All sufficient Immense Being that is absolutely good of himself and in his Nature and relatively too being the Fountain of all the goodness and pefection that can be met with amongst all the Creatures and Workmanship of his hands yet according to the common use and import of the word there have been always two things implied First a deliverance from evil and then a possession of something which is good And with regard unto the many kinds of good or evil which may befal the Sons of Men either in this present Life or in that which is to come so their happiness or misery doth both encrease and multiply And because every Man is naturally compounded of the Flesh and Spirit of an immortal Soul united with an earthly fading Body which nevertheless are by Gods infinite Power made capable of Life Eternal in dispight of Death or Hell it self therefore he may be counted happy 1 In respect of this present world and 2 with relation to the next and
any more then with his own good will So that he which first gave the Soul by the might and power of his bare word may so take it again whensoever he shall please and we need not fear the good will of our Heavenly Father to give his obedient Children the Kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the World 1 Cor. 6.20 Eph. 1.14 For his infinite Goodness Mercy Love and Justice too stand all of them engaged for instating of holy Souls in their purchased everlasting Habitations For we truly suppose Divine Justice to be fully satisfied by that All-sufficient Sacrifice which our Saviour made upon the Cross for the Redemption of Mankind If it were not so then our Preaching would be vain our Faith were also vain we should be still in our Sins without Hope and without God in the World But if divine Justice were duely satisfied and when Christ made his Innocent soul an Offering for sin by which means he perfected for ever them that are sanctified certainly there now remains no more sacrifice nor any future satisfaction to be made for sin for it is not possible with God or any good and honest Men to demand further satisfaction after all their Debts are paid And St. Paul hath affirmed that God in Christ hath forgiven us all our Trespasses Colos 2.13 14. blotting out the Hand writing that was against us and hath takâ—n it out of the way nailing it unto his Cross Moreover it is not in mans power to satisfie God in any measure for the least offence or violation of his Holiness because the demerit of every sin is infinite being a trespass against Almighty God that is infinite in Goodness and in Truth in Righteousness and Holiness of purer Eyes then to behold Evil or loâ—k upon our iniquities Hab. 1.13 but with Indignation and Wrath. For this cause what man soever goeth hence without Repentance for his part and forgivness upon Gods as he hath liv'd without Fear so shall he dye without Favour and void of remedy for Purgatory flames will never extinguish those of Hell where the Worm dyeth not and the Fire is not quencht The time would fail me to tell at large how strangely the Papists have outstript their forerunners the Scribes and Pharisees nay Pagans themselves in folly 't is clear enough how basely they have adulterated the pure Doctrine and Commandments of God with filthy dross of their own absurd inventions Magisterially imposed on the credulous multitude as Articles of their Creed thus crucifying Christ afresh and putting once more the Lord of Glory to Reproach and Blasphemy Let it suffice in short that all the Doctrines which they have taught and obtruded on the World concerning those imaginary pains of Purgatory do make void in great measure Christs real sufferings upon the Cross their propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass with Prayers and Oblations for Souls aggrieved with Purgatory torments do very much diminish and vilifie the price of our Saviours Blood and lastly pardons and indulgences for all Trespasses and Sins past present and to come granted mercinarily from the Popes Chair do throw down the Mercy-seat and exalt the Man of sin to the Throne of God All this Abomination of Desolation craftily brought into that Holy place the Church or Temple of God rightly weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary will prove lighter than Vanity worse then nothing full fraught with Falshoods Contradictions and Blasphemies against God even to their denying the Lord that bought them and the bringing down upon their own Heads very swift and sure destruction That Vexata Questio or Ball of Contention I mean Christs descent into Hell stifly bandied on all sides without any final determination whether it were only Vertual as some Learned men would have it or also â—ersonal real and local as others may be well spared and let alone for once 'T is enough to my purpose that he which descended was the same that ascended the man Christ Jesus and that he was made perfect through sufferings which in truth were all finisht when he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost For he then led Captivity captive in a pompous Triumph spoyling Principalities and Powers and making a shew of them openly And seeing now that Christians are like faithful Souldiers to follow the Captain of their Salvation by treading in the same steps at least in a spiritual sense if they are made conformable to Christ in his death by mortifying their sins or crucifying their Flesh with its Affections and Lusts and also partake with him in the power of his Resurrection by rising again to newness of Life in a constant course of Grace and Holiness to their end what shall hinder them from Ascending triumphantly to the same Kingdom and seat of Glory For be sure the Almighty God is more just and righteous then to demand any thing more of sincere Converts in requital for their Trespasses and Sins then what Christ once paid when he was delivered for all our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 Eccl. 9.10 5.6 To conclude the point in this difficult case betwixt an offended God and poor guilty Sinners how can they possibly relieve either themselves or others For there is no work nor device nor knowledg nor wisdom in the Grave whether then goest therefore whatsoever thy hand findeth to do be sedulous and careful in doing it with all thy might 2 Cor. 6.2 Jo. 9.4 Ps 115.17 For the dead have no more a Reward nor any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun But now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation before Night cometh when no man can work For the dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence To day then if you will hear the voice of God and live harden not your hearts but repent in time and return unto the Lord with Oyl in your Lamps before the doors are shut Isa 55. Seek the Lord whilst be may be found call upon him whilst he is near Come now to Christ in this time of Visitation labouring and heavy laden Mat. 11.29 with broken contrite Hearts and having on the clean Wedding garment that is the Righteousness of Saints that when the Bridgroom shall appear ye may go into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and there take refreshment or find rest unto your Souls For those men who so live in the true faith and fear of God shall die with comfort and be really blessed in their end Because thâ—y shall rest from all their labours Rom. 8.2 being free both from the law of sin and of death which can have no more dominion over them for the guilt of sin as also the condemning power of the Law will be quite and clean abolisht by the righteousness of Christ Rev. 21.4 which by faith is imputed unto them and abundantly rewarded as if it were their
Israel The Stars 't is very probable were at that time very propitious and fortunate in their Aspects for thrice happy was the day when he receiv'd like Saul a light from Heaven for the Conviction of his Error and acknowledgment of the Truth and heard a voice from Heaven too something like to that Saul Saul why persecuteth thou me Thereupon his illuminated Mind scattered those cheating Mists that were cast before his tender Eyes by the Juglers of those times and his understanding well informed wholy vanquisht nd put irreversibly to flight all impeteous and juvinal passions then he clearly discovered how basely the Laws Liberties and Religion it self had been deceitfully worn as a Cloak of Maliciousness and all kind of Wickedness and Vice all manner of impieties appearing like the Prince of Darkness under the form of Godliness and in the shape of an Angel of Light He could plainly distinguish the Shrines from the Goddess Diana that was there inclosed which our Silver-Smiths and Extortioners had set up like those of Ephesus and would have to be worshipt as their God their Profaness and Hypocrisies were noted with indignation just and reasonable for he beheld Gods Holy Temple abominably prophaned into an Exchange the Law tun'd a Pander to Sacriledge and Murder Liberty loudly voic'd up into Licentiousness Religion took up as a Trade or Occupation and Gods House of Prayer made a Den a Refuge for Theives and Robbers The same God whose Hand is not shortned or Goodness abated that he cannot or will not save pluckt him at first as a Firebrand out of those devouring Flames that have justly fallen upon their Heads who prepared them first of all for others and the same infinite Goodness and power have preserved him ever since what his Majesty lamenting for his great loss affirmed of him a real and true Convert For in the latter part of this Life even to Death he was a true Son of the Church and a subject very dutiful to the King for both in Opinion and Practice he trod in the strait middle path which the Church of England hath in all Respects very judiciously prescribed neither inclining to the dissenting Sectaries upon this hand nor to the Superstitious Papists upon that he could not see Christs beloved Spouse overlaid with a needless and unprofitable Dress that would exhaust her vital Spirits with Excrementitious humours nor stript altogether Naked that might expose her upon reproach profanation to the danger of her life His Behaviour in time of Divine service whether it were at Home or in the Church was in all points conformable to the Rights and Customs that are establisht by the Laws Humble Devout and Pious performing his part in all Offices with Reverence and Godly Fear with all possible Meekness and Humility both of Soul and Body His Judgment concerning the Church of England as it is now Legally settled is fully delivered in his Last Will and Testament wherein he prosesses the Doctrine to be pure and Canonical the Discipline Decent and Agreeable to the same And the Book of Common Prayer he most heartily embraced as the best Form of publick Prayers ever yet composed by Men earnestly desiring that wheresoever he should happen to be buried it might be done by that Book I forbear any further mention of these things being already prevented by the interposal of another Hand The Religious and very necessary Duties of Prayer and Supplication with Thansgiving unto God he most carefully performed in all the Course of his Life to the very Moment of his Expiration when with great submission he resigned up his Soul into Gods merciful Hand who gave it Bidding this World Adieu in those comfortable words I am well I am well which words I believe he spoke in a joyous and thankful remembrance of our Saviours Exit upon the Cross who cry'd there It is finished then bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost Beloved in the Lord you heard now this melancoly and gloomy Character of a Person greatly good and generally beloved a man after Gods own Heart denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts to lead a Godly Righteous and sober Life A man that was Master of himself and a good friend of all besides A Father to the Fatherless an Husband to the Widdows You have heard a description of a Primitive Christian even in our late Antichristian days one Orthodox in his Faith Regular and Conformable in his Practice I have set before you the Portraicture of a Son obedient and submissive to that spiritual Mother the Church of Christ here establisht of a Subject Loyal to his Prince and above all things of a Servant very just and faithful sincere and constant with his God And seeing that your deceased Friend hath so well fought the good fight so finisht his course and kept the Faith your Tears now should be dried up with the Sunshine of joy and gladness your Sighs and Groans be silenced with Hymns of praise and thanksgiving for you must needs know that immoderate sorrow for the Dead is against your own Reason because it is in vain 't is against the Faith and Hope which you profess in the Resurrection of the Dead Nay further 't is against that very Love which you think to manifest by such unlikely means for you seem to begrudg him that Felicity which he partakes of with Christ in Glory Lastly 't is against the Common Principles of Justice also because you seem desirous even to rob God himself of those things which are his What then remains upon your part But that you Religiously keep the Memory of this Just Man your dear friend as a thing sacred and precious in your sight That you make your own Heart become his Monument and your good life his most legible and lasting Epitaph That ye would embalm his Ashes with Practical Commemorations of his Vertues and Enshrine those Reliques in the Temples of your Hearts not as Objects of your Adoration but as Holy Charms and Exorcisms for the casting out of those unclean Spirits your Sins and healing the diseases of your Souls What Remains But that in the midst of all the Winds and Waves of this Troublesome yet fading World you take the course of his life as the compass to steer out your own That so passing through the streights of Repentance and self denial Faith and Obedience we might arrive with him at the Land of Promise that Heavenly Jerusalem where you shall be for ever Bless'd in the Perpetual Rest and Joy of your Souls through the Infinite Merits of Jesus Christ the Righteous To whom with the Father and the Blessed Spirit be rendred and ascribed all Honour Praise and Glory both now and for evermore Amen FINIS
which the Primitive Christians endured from Heathenish Bloud-thirsty Persecutors as if the good Spirit of Grace moved with Compassion foretold of those perillous times to come and then pronounced them happiest which endured to the end or otherwise died first But for all that he doth not exclude the future and everlasting State of Bliss or Misery but rather supposeth it as principally there intended and implied for to cite no more Evidence in so plain a Case in his Paraphrase on the 2 Chap. of the Revel 11 vers To hâ—m that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God it is briefly said he shall have deliverance here and eternal Life hereafter And again upon those words in the 10th Vers of the same Chapter Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life he gives you this Note that however some Christians in those dangerous times of Tryals and Temptations were overcome and prevailed upon to renounce their Faith and Professions for the saving of their Lives yet others who continued constant and faithful unto death were plenteously requited with a Crown of Life having received the honour of Martyrdom first and then of never ceasing Bliss Let us once more consider the word as it stands in relation to the Rest and then it cannot be so properly joyned in this manner to the former part of the Text I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write from henceforth As if the Subject whereof the Spirit therein spake were some new piece of Doctrine but just then brought into the World for certainly 't was made known long before even from the beginning Almighty God having annexed Blessing and Cursing Life and Death in Paradise it self to the violation or observance of his Laws which Laws and their Sanctions too were engraved by Gods own Hand upon two Tables of Stone to be duly promulged by Moses and the Prophets And there is no doubt but those holy Men of God under the Law that spent their Lives in being faithful unto death were accordingly blessed in the promise of an eternal inheritance But then are Christians upon harder terms with God then all their predecessors Will the Sunshine of the Gospel prove more troublesome and offensive then all the dark shadows of the Law Is the second Covenant or Ministration of Grace and Truth of less advantage then was the first which could work nothing but wrath and condemnation If the Souls of Christs good and faithful Servants do not reap the blessed fruits of their Labours upon relinquishing their Bodies and have their just Wages according to their Works in a repose and rest with God what could be the meaning of Saint Stephens devout Ejaculation When falling asleep he cryed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And can we think St. Paul was much beside himself when he desired earnestly to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Or when he shewed such servent zeal for his being absent from the body and present with the Lord When he groaned so vehemently to put off his earthly Tabernacle for a building of God an house not made with hands 2 Cor. 5. eternal in the Heavens Or lastly shall we say that Wise and Learned Apostle was very much deceived in promising himself at the time of his departure a Crown of Righteousness for that he had fought a good Fight 2 Tim. 4.7.8 finisht his Course and kept the Faith Nay further yet shall we dare to question Chriâ—s own words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 And if not is there any Cause at all to suspect his woâ—d and promise to the penitent Thief upon the Cross Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise There be no Papists I trow so blasphemous v. 43. and irrational as to deny Christs humane Nature actual possession of bliss in Heaven when he left his abode on Earth having then fully conquer'd all the power and malice of this present evil World and victoriously triumphed over the Prince and the Dominions of Darkness For they dare not presume I think to put our blessed Saviour in a worse Condition then all their canonized Saints which they religiously worship and adore as blessed Martyrs and I am sure his bloud was infinitely more precious and spoke far better things at the Throâ—e of Grace then a Campions or a Garnets a Benedictines or a Jesuites neither again is it probable on the other side that such a Malefactour as our Thief who died not for his Religion or his Faith wrongfully but justly for his evil deeds worthy of death should be reckon'd above the common pitch of all true Christians and yet this very person was to be the same day with Christ in Paradise having literally suffer'd with Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 he was to reign with him too Latro primitiae Derclictoâ—um introducit asseriente Christo in regnum â—â—lorum Ibi Latro locatur ubi Lucifer corruit non ad loca purgatoria flammosque peccatorum Vltrices confitens destinatur c. Arnold Carnotens inter St. Cypr. Opera Oxonii Edit And if all true Members do run the same fortune as the head in being either miserable or happy this Conclusion follows both from a parity of Reason and from example too that whosoever goes forth of this world with repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and by consequence in the true love and favour of God they are no sooner delivered from the burden of their flesh then admitted into the joy of their Lord For we may further add as testimonies to the truth of our position the general consent of the most Orthodox Fathers in the Christian Church by name Justin Martyr St. Cyprian St. Chrysostom St. Ambrose St. Austin St. Jerom and many more such men that were the glory of their times famous in their Generations who being dead yet speak in those admirable works that are now the living Monuments of their worth Vid. Phil. mornaeum de Euchar. Lib. 3. cap. 9. Besides the distance between Earth and Heaven will not stand our Adversaries in any stead or prejudice our selves because Mans rational Soul is an immaterial and spiritual Being all whose natural Motions are not confined like Bodies to the differences of time and place But whether it is in or out of the Body nevertheless it subsisteth and moveth too secundum se totam simul semel all at once and in a moment No question therefore but those who die in the Lord are actually Blessed For as no passible Reason can be given to the contrary from the specifical nature of the Soul it self being yet capable of returning into Gods hand again as quick as ever it came out so there is nothing on Gods part which may be reasonably said against it His Power is no such Argument for that is absolute still and unlimited