The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...

DOCT. That dying believers are both warranted,* 1.1 and encouraged by Christs example, believingly to commend their pretious Souls into the hands of God.

Thus the Apostle directs the Faith of Christians, to commit their souls to Gods tuition and Fatherly protection when they are either going into prisons, or to the stake for Christ, 1 Pet. 4.19. Let them (saith he) that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

This Proposition we will consider in these two main branches of it, sc. what is implied and carryed in the souls commending it self to God by Faith, when the time of separation is come. And what warrant or encouragement gratious souls have for their so doing.

First, What is implyed in this Act of a believer his commend∣ing [ 1] or committing his soul into the hands of God at Death?

And if it be throughly weighed, you will find these six things at least carried in it.

* 1.2First, It implies this evidently in it, that the soul out-lives the body, and fails not as to its being, when its body fails. It feels the house in which it dwelt dropping into ruins, and looks out for a new habitation with God. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. The soul understands it self a more noble being than that corruptible body, to which it was united; and is now to leave in the dust. It understands its relation to the Father of spirits, and from him it expects protection and provision in its unbodied state; and therefore into his hands it puts it self. If it vanished or breath∣ed into air, and did not survive the body; if it were annihilated at death, it were but a mocking of God to say when we die. Father, into thy hand I commend my Spirit.

Secondly, It implies the souls true rest to be in God. See which way its motions and tendencies are, not only in life, but in death also. It bends to its God. It rolls, it even puts it self upon its God and Father: Father, into thy hands. God is the center of all gratious Spirits. While they tabernacle here, they have no rest but in the bosom of their God. When they go hence, their expectation and earnest desires are to be with him. It had been working after God by gratious desires before, it had cast many a longing look heaven∣ward before,* 1.3 but when the gratious soul comes near its God, (as it doth in a Dying hour) then it even throws it self into his arms. As a River that after many turnings and windings,* 1.4 at last is arrived to the Ocean; it pours it self with a central force into the bosom of the Ocean, and there finishes its weary course. Nothing but God can please it in this world, and nothing but God can give it content when it goes hence. It is not the amoenity of the place, whither the gratious soul is going, but the bosom of the blessed God who dwells there, that it so vehemently pants after. Not the Fathers house, but the Fathers arms and bosom. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And o•• earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee, Psal. 73.24, 25.

Thirdly, It also implies the great value believers have for their souls. That's the pretious treasure. And their main solicitude and chief care is to see it secured in a sa••e hand. Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit, they are words speaking the believers care for his soul. That it may be safe, what ever becomes of the vile bo∣dy. A believer when he comes nigh to death, spends but few thoughts about his body; where it shall be laid, or how it shall be disposed of: he trusts that in the hands of friends; but as his great

care all along was for his soul, so he expresses it in these his very last breathings, in which he commends it into the hands of God. It is not Lord Jesus receive my body, take care of my dust, but receive my spirit. Lord, secure the Jewel, when the Casket is broken.

Fourthly, These words implie the deep sense that dying believers have of the great change that is coming upon them by death; when all visible and sensible things are shrinking away from them, and failing. They feel the world, and the best comforts in it failing. Every creature and creature comfort failing. For at death we are said to fail, Luk. 16.9. Hereupon the soul clasps the closer about its God, clings more close than ever to him. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Not that a meer necessity puts the soul upon God. Or that it cleaves to God, because it hath then nothing else to take hold on. No, no, it chose God for its portion when it was in the midst of all its outword enjoy∣ments, and had as good security as other men have for the long enjoyment of them; but my meaning is, that although gratious souls have chosen God for their portion, and do truly prefer him, to the best of their comforts; yet in this compounded state, it lives not wholly upon its God; but partly by faith, and partly by sense. Partly upon things seen, and partly upon things not seen. The creatures had some interest in their hearts, alas, too much: but now all these are vanishing and it sees they are so. I shall see man no more, with the inhabitants of the world, (said sick Hezecki∣ah) hereupon it turns it self from them all, and casts it self upon God for all its subsistance. Expecting now to live upon its God intirely, as the blessed Angels do. And so in faith they throw themselves into his arms. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.

Fifthly, It implies the attonement of God, and his full recon∣ciliation to believer, by the blood of the great sacrifice. Else they durst never commit their souls into his hands. For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 12.29. (i. e.) of an absolute God a God unattoned by the offering up of Christ. The soul dare no more cast it self into the hands of God without such an attoning sacrifice, than it dares approach to a devouring fire. And indeed the reconciliation of God by Jesus Christ, as it is the ground of all our acceptance with God; for we are made accepted in the beloved. So it's plainly carried in the order or manner of the reconciled souls committing it self to him;

for it first casts it self into the hands of Christ, then into the hands of God by him. So Stephen when dying, Lord Iesus receive my Spirit. And by that hand, it would be put into the Fathershand.

Sixthly, And lastly, It implies both the efficacy, and excellency of Faith in supporting and relieving the soul at a time when nothing else is able to do it. Faith is its conduct, when it is at the greatest loss, and distress that ever it met with. It secures the soul when it is turned out of the body. When heart and flesh fail, this leads it to the rock that fails not. It sticks by that soul till it see it safe through all the territories of Satan, and safe Landed upon the shore of Glory; and then is swallowed up in vision. Ma∣ny a favour it hath shewn the soul while it dwelt in its body. The great service it did for the soul was in the time of its espousals to Christ. This is the marriage knot. The blessed bond of union betwixt the soul and Christ. Many a relieving sight, secret and sweet support it hath received from its faith since that; but surely its first and last works are its most glorious works. By faith it first ventured it self upon Christ. Threw it self upon him in the deepest sense of its own vileness, and utter unworthiness, when sense, reason, and multitudes of temptations stood by contra∣dicting and discouraging the soul. By faith it now casts it self into his arms, when it's lanching out into vast eternity.

They are both noble acts of Faith, but the first no doubt is the greatest and most difficult. For when once the soul is interessed in Christ, it's no such difficulty to commit it self into his hands, as when it had no interest at all in him. It's easier for a child to cast himself into the arms of its own Father in distress, than for one that hath been both a stranger and enemy to Christ, to cast it self upon him, that he may be a Father, and a friend to it.

And this brings us upon the second enquiry I promised to sa∣tisfie, sc.

What warrant, or incouragement have gratious souls to com∣mit [ 2] themselves at death, into the hands of God? I answer, much every way: all things encourage and warrant its so doing. For

First, This God upon whom the believer rolls himself at death, is its Creator.* 1.5 The Father of its being. He created, and inspired it, and so it hath relation of a creature to a Creator, yea, of a creature now in distress, to a faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4.19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing; as to a [faithful Crea∣tor.]

It's very true, this single relation in it self gives little ground of encouragement; unless the creature had conserved that integri∣ty in which it was originally created. And they that have no more to plead with God for acceptance, but their relation to him as creatures, to a Creator; will doubtless find that word made good to their little comfort, Isa. 27.11. It is a people of no un∣derstanding, therefore he that made them, will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will shew them no favour. But now, grace brings that relation into repute. Holiness ingratiates us again, and revives the remembrance of this relation. So that believers only can plead this.

Secondly, As the gratious soul is his creature, so it is his redeem∣ed creature. One that he hath bought, and that with a great price. Even with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18. This greatly encourages the departing soul, to commit it self into the hands of God, so you find, Psal. 31.5. Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, thou hast redeemed it, O Lord God of truth. Surely this is mighty encouragement, to put it self upon God in a dying hour. Lord, I am not only thy creature, but thy redeemed creature. One that thou hast bought with a great price. O I have cost thee dear. For my sake Christ came from thy bosom, and is it imaginable that after thou hast in such a costly way, even by the expence of the pretious blood of Christ redeemed me; thou shouldst at last exclude me. Shall the ends both of Creation, and Redemption of this soul be lost together? Will God form such an excellent creature as my soul is, in which are so many wonders of the wisdom and power of its Creator? Will he be content when sin had marr'd the frame, and defaced the glory of it, to recover it to himself again by the death of his own dear Son, and after all this cast it away, as if there were nothing in all this? Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. I know thou wilt have a re∣spect to the work of thy hands. Especially to a redeemed crea∣ture, upon which thou hast been out so great sums of Love; which thou hast bought at so dear a rate.

Thirdly, Nay that's not all; the gratious soul may confident∣ly and securely commit it self into the hands of God when it parts with its body at death; not only because it is his creature, his redeemed creature, but because it is his renewed creature also. And this lays a firm ground ••or the believers confidence of accep∣tec••a, not that it is the proper cause or reason of its acceptance,

but as it is the souls best evidence that it is accepted with God, and shall not be refused by him, when it comes to him at death. For in such a soul there is a double workmanship of God, both glorious pieces, though the last exceeds in glory. A natural workmanship, in the excellent frame of that noble creature the soul. And a gra∣tious workmanship upon that again. A new creation upon the old. Glory upon Glory. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Iesus, Eph. 2.10. The Holy Ghost came down from heaven on purpose to create this new workmanship. To frame this new crea∣ture. And indeed it is the Top and glory of all Gods works of wonder in this world. And must needs give the believer encou∣ragement to commit it self to God whether at such a time, it shall reflect either upon the end of the work, or upon the end of the workman; both which meet in the salvation of the soul so wrought upon the end of the work in our glory. By this we are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 1.12. It is also the design and end of him that wrought it, 2 Cor. 55. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God. Had he not de∣signed thy soul for glory, the spirit should never have come upon such a sanctifying design as this. Surely it shall not sail of a reception into glory, when it's cast out this Tabernacle. Such a work was not wrought in vain, neither can it ever perish. When once sanctifi∣cation comes upon a soul, it so roots it self in the soul, that where the soul goes, it goes. Gifts indeed, they die. All natural excellency and beauty, that goes away at death, Iob 4. ult. But grace ascends with the soul. It is a sanctified, when a separate soul. And can God shut the door of Glory upon such a soul, that by grace is made meet for the inheritance? O it cannot be.

Fourthly, As the gracious soul is a renewed soul, so it is also a Sealed Soul. God hath sealed it in this world for that glory, into which it is now to enter at death. All gracious souls are sealed objectively, (i. e.) they have those works of grace wrought on their souls, which do (as but now is said) ascertain and evidence their Title to glory. And many are sealed formally. That is the spirit helps them clearly to discern their interest in Christ, and all the promises. This both secures heaven to the soul in it self, and becomes also an earnest or pledge of the glory in the unspeakable joys and comforts that it breeds in the soul. So you find, 2 Cor. 1.22. Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Gods sealing us gives high security. His objective

seal makes it sure in it self, his formal seal makes it so to us. But if over and above all this, he will please as a fruit of that his seal∣ing, to give us those heavenly unexpressible joys and comforts which are the fruit of his formal sealing work, to be an earnest, a foretast and hansel of that glory how can the soul that hath found all this, doubt in the least of a rejection by its God, when at death it comes to him? surely if God have sealed, he will not re∣fuse you. If he have given you his earnest, he will not shut you out. Gods earnest is not given in Jest.

Fifthly, Moreover, every gratious soul may confidently cast it self into the arms of its God when it goes hence, with Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit. For as much as every grati∣ous soul is a soul in Covenant with God, and God stands obliged by his Covenant and Promise to such not to cast them out when they come unto him. As soon as ever thy soul became his by regenera∣tion, that Promise became its own, Heb. 13.5. I will never leave you, nor forsake you. And will he leave the soul now at a pinch, when it never had more need of a God to stand by it than it hath then: every gratious soul is entitled to that Promise, Ioh. 14.3. I will come again and receive you to my self. And will he fail to make it good, when the time of the Promise is come, as at death it is? It cannot be. Multitudes of Promises, the whole Covenant of Promises give security to the soul against the fears of rejection, or neglect by God. And the souls dependance upon God, and hanging upon a promise, its every rolling it self upon God from the incouragement the word gives it, adds to the ingagement upon God. When he sees a poor soul that he hath made, redeemed, sanctified, sealed, and by solemn Promise engaged himself to re∣ceive, coming to him at death, rolling it self upon his faithfulness that promised, saying as David, 2 Sam. 23.5. Though, Lord, there be many defects in me, yet thou hast made a Covenant with me, well order'd in all things and sure; and this is all my salvati∣on, and all my hope. Lord, I am resolved to send out my soul in an act of Faith. I will venture it upon the credit of thy Promise. How can God refuse such a soul? How can he put it off when it so puts it self upon him?

Sixthly, But this is not all, the gratious soul sustains many in∣timate and dear relations to that God into whose hands it com∣mends it self at death. It's his Spouse, and the consideration of such a day of Espousals may well encourage it to cast it self into

the bosom of Christ, its head and husband. It is a member of his body, flesh and bones, Eph. 5.30. It is his child he its everlasting Father, Isai. 9.6. It's his friend. Hence forth saith Christ I call you not servants, but friends, Joh. 15.15. What con∣fidence may these and all other the dear relations Christ owns to the renewed soul beget in such an hour as this is. What husband can throw off the dear wife of his bosom, who in distresses casts her self into his arms! What Father can shut the door upon a dear child that comes to him for refuge, saying, Father, into thy hands I commit my self!

Seventhly, and Lastly, The unchangableness of Gods love to his people gives confidence they shall in no wise be cast out. They know Christ is the same to them at last, he was at first. The same in the pangs of death, as he was in the comforts of life. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end. Ioh. 13.1. He doth not love as the world loves, only in prospe∣rity. But they are as dear to him when their beauty and strength is gone, as when it was in the greatest flowrish. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whe∣ther we live, or die; we are the Lords, Rom. 14.8. take in all these things and weigh them both apart, and together and see whe∣ther they amount not to a full evidence of the truth of this point, that dying believers are both warranted and incouraged to com∣mend their souls into the hands of God. Whether they have not every one of them cause to say as the Apostle did, 2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have believed, and am perswaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day. The improvements of all this you have in the following practical Didu∣ctions.

Diduction 1.

* 1.6Are dying believers only warranted and encouraged thus to com∣mend their souls into the hands of God. What a sad straight then must all dying unbelievers be in about their souls? Such souls will fall into the hands of God, but that's their misery, not their prive∣ledge. They are not put by faith into the hands of mercy, but fall by sin into the hands of justice. Not God, but the Devil is their Father, Iob. 8.44. Whither should the child go, but to its own Father? They have not one of those forementioned encouragements

to cast themselves into the hands of God, except the naked relation they have to God as their Creator, and that's as good as none, with∣out the new creation. If they have nothing but this to plead for their salvation, the Devil hath as much to plead as they. It's the new creature that brings the first creation into repute again with God.

O dismal! O deplorable case! A pool soul is turning out of house and home and knows not where to go. It departs and im∣mediately falls into the hands of justice. The Devil stands by waiting for such a soul whom God will throw to him, as a Dog for a crust. Little, ah little do the friends of such a one think whilst they are honouring his dust by a splendid and honourable funeral, what a case that poor soul is in that lately dwelt there; and what fearful straights, and extremities it is now exposed to. They will cry indeed, Lord, Lord, open to us, Matth. 7.22. But to how lit∣tle purpose are their vain cries. Will God hear him when he cries Iob. 27.9. It's a lamentable case.

Diduction 2.

Will God gratiously accept,* 1.7 and faithfully keep what the Saints commit to him at death, how careful then should they be to keep what God commits to them, to be kept for him while they live. You have a great trust to commit to God when you die, and God hath a great trust to commit to you whilst you live, you expect that he should faithfully keep what then you shall commit to his keeping; and he expects you should faithfully keep, what he now commits to your keeping. O keep what God commits to you, as you expect he should keep your souls when you commit them unto him. If you keep his truths, he will keep your souls. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee, &c. Rev. 3.10. Be faithful to your God, and you shall find him faithful to you. None can pluck you out of his hand, see that nothing wrest his truths out of your hands. If we deny him, he also will deny us, 2 Tim. 2.12. Take heed lest those estates you have gotten as a blessing at∣tending the Gospel, prove a temptation to you to betray the Gospel. Religion (saith one) brings forth Riches,* 1.8 but the Daughter de∣vours the Mother. How can you expect acceptance with God, who have betrayed his truth, and dealt perfidiously with him?

Diduction 3.

* 1.9If believers may safely commit their souls into the hands of God, How confidently may they commit all lesser interests, and lower con∣cernments into the same hand. Shall we trust him with our souls, and not with our lives, liberties or comforts? Can we commit the treasure to him, and not a trifle? Whatever you enjoy in this world, is but a trifle to your souls. Sure if you can trust him for eternal life for your souls, you may much more trust him, for the daily bread for your bodies. I know it is objected that God hath made over temporal things to his people upon conditional promises, and an absolute faith can never be grounded upon conditional promises. But what means this objection? Let your faith be but suitable to these conditional promises, that is, believe they shall be made good to you, so far as God sees them good for you. Do you but labour to come up to those conditions required in you, and thereby God will have more glory, and you more comfort. If your prayers for these things proceed from pure ends the glory of God, not the satisfaction and gratification of your lusts. If your desires after them be moderate as to the measure, content with that proportion the infinite wisdom sees fittest for you. If you take Gods way to ob∣tain them, and dare not strain Conscience, or commit a sin, though you should perish for want. If you can patiently wait Gods time for enlargements from your straits, and not make any sinful haste. You shall be surely supplied. And he that remembers your souls will not forget your bodies. But we live by sense and not by faith. Present things strike our affections more powerfully than the invisi∣ble things that are to come. The Lord humble his people for this.

Diduction 4.

* 1.10Is this the priveledge of believers, that they can commit their souls to God in a dying hour, then how pretious, how useful a grace is faith to the pleople of God both living and dying!

All the graces have done excellently, but faith excels them all. Faith is the Phoenix grace, the Queen of graces. Deservedly is it stiled pretious faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. The benefits and priviledges of it in this life are unspeakable; and as there is no comfortable living, so no comfortable dying without it.

First, While we live and converse here in the world, all our comfort and safety is from it, for all our union with Christ the foun∣tain of mercies and blessings is by faith. Eph. 3.17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. No faith, no Christ. All our communion with Christ is by it. He that cometh to God must be∣lieve. Heb. 11.6. The souls life is wrapt up in this communion with God; and that communion in faith. All communications from Christ depend upon faith; for look as all communion is founded in union, so from our union and communion, are all our communica∣tions. All communications of quicknings, comforts, joy, strength, and whatsoever serves to the well-being of the life of grace are all through that faith which first knit us to Christ, and still maintains our communion with Christ, believing we rejoyce. 1 Pet. 1.8. The inner man is renewed whilst we look to the things that are not seen, 2 Cor. 4.18.

Secondly, And as our life and all the supports and comforts of it here are dependent on faith; so you see our death as to the safety and comfort of our souls then depends upon our faith. He that hath no faith cannot commit his soul to God, but rather shrinks from God. Faith can do many sweet offices for your souls upon a death bed, when the light of this world is gone, and all joy ceases on earth. It can give us sights of things invisible in the other world, and those sights will breathe life into your souls amidst the very pangs of death.

Reader, do but think what a comfortable foresight of God and the joys of salvation, will be to thee, when thine eye-strings are breaking. Faith cannot only see that beyond the grave which will comfort, but it can cling about its God, and clasp Christ in a pro∣mise when it feels the ground of all sensible comforts trembling and sinking under thy feet. My heart and my flesh faileth, but God is the strength (or rock) of my heart and my portion for ever. Reeds fail, but the rock is firm footing. Yea, and when the soul can no longer tabernacle here it can carry the soul to God, cast it up∣on him, with Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. O pre∣tious faith!

Diduction 5.

Do the souls of dying believers commend themselves into the hands of God.* 1.11 Then let not the surviving relations of such sorrow as

men that have not hope. A Husband, a Wife, a Child, is rent by death out of your arms, well, but consider into what arms, into what bosom they are commended. Is it not better for them to be in the bosom of God, than in yours? Could they be spared so long from Heaven as to come back again to you but one hour, how would they be displeased to see your tears, and hear your cries and sighs for them! They would say to you, as Christ said to the daughters of Ierusalem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves and your children. I am in a safe hand, I am out of the reach of all storms and troubles. O did you but know what their state is, who are with God, you would be more than satisfied about them.

Diduction 6.

* 1.12Lastly, I will close all with a word of counsel. Is this the pri∣viledge of dying believers to commend their souls into the hands of God. Then as ever you hope for comfort or peace in your last hour, see that your souls be such as may be then fit to be commend∣ed into the hands of an holy and just God. See that they be holy souls. God will never accept them, if they be not holy. With∣out holiness no man shall see God. Heb. 12.24. He that hath this hope, (viz. to see God) purifieth himself even as he is pure, 1 Joh. 3.3. Indeavours after holiness are inseparably connected with all rational expectations of blessedness. Will you put an un∣clean filthy defiled thing into the pure hand of the most holy God? O see they be holy, and already accepted in the beloved, or wo to them when they take their leaves of those tabernacles they now dwell in. The gratious soul may confidently say then, Lord Iesus, into thy hands I commend my spirit. O let all that can say so then, now say,

Thanks be to God for Iesus Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct.
• * 1.2

  Q••isquis in Co••••stum credet, non efflabit in aerem animam morieas, sed ad fid len desposi∣tarium co••fugi∣et, qui tuto con∣servet quiequid s••bitraditum est. Calv.
• * 1.3

  Ru••re in an∣pl••xus.
• * 1.4

  Locus ne ••uic∣quam val••••, ne∣que coeli amoeni∣tas ipsa, per se b••a••o••um spi••i∣tuum b••atudi∣nem auget; ni∣si quâ Dei ha∣bi atio est, Park••r de de∣scensu. L••b. 2. p. 132.
• * 1.5

  Haustus ex di∣vi••o O••igine.
• * 1.6

  Diduct. 1.
• * 1.7

  Diduct. 2.
• * 1.8

  Religio peperit divitias, sed fi∣lia devo avit matrer.
• * 1.9

  Diduct. 3.
• * 1.10

  Diduct. 4.
• * 1.11

  Diduct. 5.
• * 1.12

  Diduct. 6.