36 Funeral Sermon. of a Chriftian : whereupon when I defred her, that if any particular Icruple did trouble her thoughts, and lay heavy upon her fpirit, thewould pleafe to cafe her mind of it, and let me know it, that I might the better he and order my ap- plications to her : To which the returned me this anfwer ; that file had been very faithful in her examination of her confcience, and had defaced God to aflìft and dire& her in that (earth, and yet could not find out any one particular fin which did afffi& her fpirit more then other : but however confefed her felf a great firmer before God. What an heavenly (perch was here ? not one particular fin more then another, and yet a great finner ; jail in St. Faul's words for all the world, I Cor. 4.4. 1 know nothingby myfelf, yet am 1 not hereby trill;pd. She was (it Teems) very defirous to take as much (hame and guilt to her as was pof able, that fo file might leave the more glory for the free grace and pardon of God. And accordingly, Rill as the can down one eye upon fin at any time, The was ever careful to keep the other firmly and Redfaftly fixe upon her Saviour, the infinite price of his Bloud, the alfuf icient merit of his Satisfailion : neither could any either clamours of fin, or temptations of Satan, or agravations, and con cience of unworthinefs in her felf, draw her at any time out of this flrofng hold of Faith, or pluck her out of the arms of her Saviour, or force her to let go her hold of the horns of this Altar ; refolving (it feems) with haly Job, ch. 13.s 5.Tea though he flay me,yet will I trufl in him. Andwould veryoften repta: over to her Pelf the Apoflles melancholyQue(lion, Rom. 7. 24. But then with his comfortable refolution annexed to it. O wretched man that I am, who ¡ball deliver me from the body of this death ? 1 thank God through 3efue Chrifi our Lord. And this was the right complexion and conflitution of her piety; an equal mixture and temperament of fear and hope, of humility and con- fidence ; as her hope was evermore a fearing hope, fo was alto her fear always a believing hoping fear : She carried too deep a fenfe of fin in her confcience, to be proud of any vertue or worthinefs of her own, and was always (even under her greaten confli &s and agonies) too good a Chriflian, to defpair of pardon. Toward the latter end of her ficknefs, for the better feeling and flrength- ning of her Faith, She twice received that heavenly viaticum, the bleffed Sacrament of the body and blood of Chrifl and both times with mar- vellous expreffions and fignifications of devotion and reverence ; and parti- ticularly the fire time, which was Tome while before her decumbency ; whin, (though her Rrength was very much decayed, and her pain at the fame time very fierceand (harp upon her yet) would the not otherwife be per- (waded, but would needs receive upon her knees, refolving (as The told me) fo long as God lent her the ufe of her knees, to ufe them in that folemn ferviee, as a teflimony of her unfeigned humility and reverence of the maje/y and dreadful- nefs of chafe faredmyfderies. During the time of her decumbency, though the had conflantly (eut for me before, yet then The more frequently repeated her metfages to me : She now Taw and felt the time of her departure drawing nigh, and fo was very loth and unwilling to lofe any time, but be continually dreffing and fitting her (elf for her change. Three days beforeher departure, She defired, and accordingly received the Churches tan comfort and bleffing, the comfort of abfolation : which She took with very great thankfulnefs and fatisfa&ion; and I could Tenably perceive in her a prefent return of moli heavenly comfort and perfe& quietnefs of mind thereupon. This I add the rather for the example and pra&ice of others : Theft great Offices of holy Church, have doubtlefs more virtue and efficacy in them, then ordinary apprehenfions do rate them at; and though (living) we do contemn them, and fee light by them; yet dying peopledo feel the benefit, and receive the comfort of them. And quenionlefs that peremptory promife, fohn,
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