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⟨in⟩ Scripture, yet I verily believe, that the ſouls ⟨of⟩ the elect go presently to the kingdom of glory, ⟨and⟩ not that they ſleep in the body, as ſome do ⟨imagine⟩." Very well, ſaid one ſtanding by, why ⟨do⟩ the Scriptures then ſay, I Sam. v. 9. that God ⟨brings⟩ down to hell, and raiseth up? Seeing it ⟨cannot⟩ be meant of the ſtate of the ſoul after ⟨death⟩, which, as thou ſayest, either goeth to ⟨heaven⟩ without change, or to hell without redemption; it muſt be underſtood of the ſtate of ⟨the⟩ ſoul in this life, like that wherein thou art ⟨at⟩ present. And oftentimes we ſee, that God ⟨suffers⟩ men to fall into the jaws of despair, and ⟨yet⟩ raiseth them up again. And therefore despair not, but hope; it ſhall be even thus with ⟨thee⟩ in his good time.
This is the work, quoth Spira; this is the ⟨labour⟩! For, I tell you, when I at Venice did ⟨firſt⟩ abjure my profession, and ſo, as it were, ⟨drew⟩ an indenture, the Spirit of God often admoniſhed me. And when at Citadella, I did, ⟨as⟩ it were, ſet my ſeal; the Spirit of God often ⟨suggested⟩ to me, "Do not write!-Do not ſeal!” Yet resisted I the Holy Ghost, and did both.- And at that very present I did evidently feel ⟨a⟩ wound in my very will. So, altho' I can ſay, ⟨I⟩ would believe, yet I cannot ſay, I will believe. God hath dnied me the power of will; and it ⟨befalls⟩ me in this my ſtate, as one that is faſt in ⟨irons⟩, and his friends coming to ſee him, do pity ⟨his⟩ ſtate, and perſuade him to ſhake off his fetters, ⟨and⟩ come out of his bonds, which, God knows, ⟨he⟩ would fain do, but cannot. This is my very ⟨ease⟩; you persuade me to believe; how fain would I do it, but cannot. O now I cannot!- Then violently grasping his hands together, and ⟨raising⟩ himself up, Behold! ſaid he; I am ſtrong,
