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338 the christian's work of dying daily.
body and soul, but destroy our being, so that we shall be no more to eternity? So some would have it; for it is their interest it should be so. Is the soul going into a state of wandering in the air, under the influence of more powerful spirits? — which was the opinion of the old pagan world, as that which caused appearances of the dead so frequently upon the earth.
And this persuasion was taken into purgatory by the Papists ; from whence they concluded that there were great appearances of them that were departed continually. And you have a thousand stories of them, which we know to be all the actings and deceits of evil spirits. And such is our darkness as to the invisible world, that the greatest part of Christians have feigned a third state, that is not in it, but the fruit of superstition and idolatry. For this is superstition, to invent things ' in religion suited to men's natural affections, or to gratify their lusts for their own profit; both which were designed in this case. For when persons thought the souls of men that were gone into an eternal condition were lost, and that for ever, — " No, there is another venture for them," say they; and so they pacified them, that if they were the worst of men, yet there might be hope for them after death. Nor has it a less tendency to gratify men in their lusts, and encourage them to live at their pleasure. And the whole of this they turn to their own profit who invented it. This by the way, — only to manifest the darkness that mankind is in as to this invisible world. To proceed, therefore: —
Doth the soul go into a state wherein it is capable of no joy, no consolation ? Brethren, let men pretend what they will, he that never received any joy or consolation in this world but by his senses, or his reason exercised about the objects of his senses, doth not know, nor can believe, the soul itself should be capable of any consolation in another world. He alone who hath received immediately into his soul spiritual comfort in this world, can believe that his soul is capable of it in another. But, however, this is certain, no man can undertake any thing about the conduct of his soul in another world.
What is your way, then, in this state and condition? what is your wisdom ? Truly, to resign this departing soul unto the sovereign wisdom, pleasure, faithfulness, and power of God (which is the duty we have in hand), by the continual exercise of faith. So the apostle tells us, 2 Tim. i. 12. " For I know," saith he, " whom I have be- lieved, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." It is a mighty thing to keep a separate soul to the day of the resurrection. Why, saith the apostle, "'I know whom I have trusted with it;' I trust it with almighty power." The Lord help us to believe that there shall be an act of almighty power put forth in the behalf of these poor souls of
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ours, when departed into the invisible world, to keep them to that day when body and soul shall be united, and come to enjoy God.
We have a glorious example for this duty and exercise of faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ died in the exercise of it. It was the last act of faith Christ put forth in this world, Luke xxiii. 46, " When Jesus had cried with a loud voice" (this was the voice of nature, but now he comes to the words of faith), " he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (my departing soul): " and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Here was the last exercise of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in this world, — the committing of his departing soul into the hands of God. And to what end did he do it? We are told, Ps. xvi. 8-11, " I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." These are the words of David, which our Lord Jesus Christ made use of himself, when he said, " Into thy hands I com- mend my spirit." And the psalmist adds, " Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth," Ps. xxxi. 5. An experience of the work of redemp- tion, communicated to us by the truth of the promise, is the greatest encouragement to commend a departing soul into the hands of God.
This, to me now (considering the vanishing of all these shadows and appearances, and the eternal dissolution of all relation to things below, and the subsisting of a soul in a separate condition, which we are not acquainted withal), is one of the first things we have to con- sider, if we will die cheerfully and comfortably, — namely, how Ave can resign a departing soul into the hand and sovereign disposal of God.