The virgins pattern, in the exemplary life and lamented death of Mrs. Susanna Perwich, daughter of Mr. Robert Perwich, who departed this life ... July 3, 1661 published at the earn[est] request of divers that knew her well, for the use and benefit of others / by John Batchiler, a neer relation ...

XIX. DECAD.

181. Whether hardness of heart, and final impenitency, be not of all Judge∣ments the most dreadful? and whether the serious consideration thereof, would not damp the joy of the most riotous sinner in the world, and make

him tremble every moment, for fear of his dropping presently into Hell? Rom. 2.5. Psal. 7.11, 12, 13. Job 21.12, 13, 23, 24, 25.

182. Whether that conviction which ends not in true conversion, doth not still leave a man under the power of sin, in the gall of bitterness, and the state of damnation? and whether con∣vinced sinners should not look well to this? Mat. 18.3. Act. 3.19. & 8. 22, 23.

183. Whether he that never knows any more than one birth, that is, a meer natural birth only, be not sure to dye three deaths, viz. a natural, spiritual, and eternal? and whether he that passeth through two births, and so is born again, shall not be sure to escape the two later deaths, and find the o∣ther also upon the matter, no death at all, properly so called, but a sweet sleep rather? Joh. 3.3. Rev. 20.6. 1 Thess. 4.14, 15.

184. Whether the death of Infants,

be not an unanswerable Argument to prove that they have sin in them, at least Original Sin, as well as those of grown age, for how else could they be subject to death, which is the wa∣ges of sin only? Rom. 3.22, 23. & 5.12. & 6.23.

185. Whether a Believer, standing on the mount of a Promise, may not from thence take a pleasant prospect of Heaven, and particularly of the glorification of his own humane nature, sitting at Gods right hand, in the per∣son of his Saviour? and whether after such a fight as this, all things here be∣low will not look dim and duskish, as colours do through Church-win∣dows, when the Sun shines bright up∣on them? Act. 7.55, 56. Heb. 11.1, 13, 14, 15. 2 Cor. 5.1, 2, 3, 4.

186. Whether the same flowers, that ere while were seen under a warm and a shining Sun, to display them∣selves with great beauty and cheer∣fulness, may not hang dangling soon

after with drops of rain, and be vio∣••••ntly dashed with stormy showers, ••om a black and tempestuous Heaven ••ver them? and whether such a ••hange may not possibly befal the Graces and Comforts of Gods dearest Children, and yet they remain his Children still, as the other remain flow∣••rs? Psal. 88. throughout, Esa. 63.7, 8, 9. Jer. 31.18, 19, 20.

187. Whether in times of greatest afflictions, and inward seeming deser∣tions, the Graces of holy hearts may not smell sweetest, as Flowers do after showers of rain, Spices, when most bruised, Rose-waters, in the Limbeck, and Juniper-wood, in the burning flames? Psal. 51.17. Cant. 2.14. & 5.5, 6. & 8.6, 7.

188. Whether the very excellen∣cy of holy gratitude, consists not in this, viz. as fast as our mercies grow fresh and new upon us, in what kind soever, to present them as so many new-blown flowers to God, to have the

first smell of them? Esa. 18.7. Psal•• 72.10. & Psal. 76.11.

189. Whether Christ, and the Spi∣rit of Grace, are not two great Com∣forters, as well by the appointment o•• God the Father, as their own free con∣sent, in which Believers only have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 special interest? and whether for this reason, among others, the four Occu∣menical Councils of Nice, Constantino∣ple, Ephesus and Chalcedon, in cleering and establishing the Doctrines of Christ his Divine Person, the distin∣ction of the two natures subsisting in it, and the Deity and Personality of the Spirit, against Arrius, Macedo∣nius, Nestorius, and the rest of the Hereticks of those times, did not eminent service unto the Gospel? Joh. 14.16, 17, 18, 26.

190. Whether it be not a most no∣torious absurdity and contradiction to affirm, that the Spirit of Grace, which is supernatural, and altogether invince∣able in it self, can ever be so far resist∣ed

or quenched, as to be totally ex∣••elled out of that heart, where it hath ••een once received in truth? and ••hether the heart of man, being de∣••eitful above all things, full of imagi∣••ations, which are only evil, and that ••ontinually, & so desperately wicked, that ••one can know it, can be supposed to have any the least power to fetch in saving Grace of it self? and whether he that asserts these two dangerous points, doth not, implicitly at least, deny the absolute freeness and un∣changeableness of Gods love, and make his Acts of Grace vallid or in∣vallid, according to the will of his own Creature? Gen. 6.5. Jer. 17.9. 2 Cor. 3.5. Joh. 15.5. compared with, Rom. 9.15. Mal. 3.6. Ezek. 36.31, 32.