takes and redeems morgag'd Souls but seldom or never in the hour of death it is then too late usually to treat about so rich and high a piece of merchandice Christ alwaies loves and likes a broken heart in life but he cares not for an heart that is a breaking and yet not broken by a dying pang when men are Spiritless Faithless Prayerless till they come to be even speechless and then think per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei by crying Lord have mercy on them all shall be forgiven no wonder if mercy be then deaf to persons who have been so long dumb Christ seldome sets up bankrupts who break upon such terms or receivs such Souls that never had any acquaintance with him before that only which we freely and frequently give up in life will he chearfully and willingly accept of in death 4. Matter of exhortation to stir us up to 4. duties 3 I shall but briefly touch the last a little more enlarge because it is the principal intended in the Text. 1. It may exhort us to be much in prayer while we live that we may prevail about the main our Souls when we come to dy as certainly Stephen did here upon a former acquaintance with Christ in this duty though not expressed in the Text yet necessarily implyed Prayer is indeed a miraculous producer it brings forth often times before it is conceived as * Dr. Featly a late learned Divine shewes but yet it must be understood with this Salvo if it come not when it is too late God often answers before we call cryes here I am before we cry when holy begging is our constant trade and we are skilfull by practice in this gainfull mystery Yet we read too of foolish Virgins that cryed out earnestly Lord Lord open to us Math. 25.11 Yet in this case the true God was as deaf and dumb to them as Baal the false God to his petitioners late petitioners are welcom at the 11th hour that have been train'd to the work at the 7th hour and Christ best knowes the voice of them dying that have watcht unto prayer living Let us then pray continually and chiefly for our better part or else we run a very sad hazard of praying unsuccesfully in the hour when prayer shall have an end at least as to our own Souls 2. It may exhort us to exercise faith much while we live that our faith may be warmest with Stephens here when we come to dy The faith of this blessed Saint and Martyr in this prayer hath a tincture of the Imperative Mood more than of the Optative as Christ comes with authority to his Father more like an Advocate or Lawyer that pleads for Law and Right than a begger that pleads for an Alms upon charity in his last prayer John 17.24 Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me to see my glory so Stephen in part here speaks with some holy boldness and believing authority to Christ Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Prayer joyned with faith as a Prince prevails with God continually especially in its last petitions and actings Let us be much in the faith of assent to the truth of God and his word in the faith of adhesion to the goodness in the faith of application to the virtue of both frequently in life and this is the way to be much in the faith of assurance when we dy that Christ is really ours that nothing shall separate us from his love not death it self and that then he will certainly receive our Souls Pauls continual life was a life of faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 and how warm was his faith of assurance when he speaks of dying and laying down his Earthly house 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that we have a building in readiness eternal in the heavens and from this life was as a burden to him he groans more under it than many do under the pangs of death 4th verse Generally the believers faith is at the highest when natural life is at the lowest with Stephen here he sees Heaven open when he sees the graves mouth open Act faith much while you live and Christ hath prayed that it shall not fail at any time much less when your bodies begin to fall his hand then will be most under you let it but carry you thorough the Earth while you live and it will carry you through the fire when you come to dy 3. Let it exhort us to fear nothing for Christs sake Stephen here saith * Christologus one obtulit seipsum Christo adhuc calente sanguine Christi gratiâ diffuso he offered himself up to Christ while his blood was yet warm shed for Christs sake and did the Earth swallow up such blood It did naturally the Earthy heavy parts of it but the spirits of it quickly went in unto Christ Who would not bleed for such a Master even to prodigality that hath sweet drops of blood or buttons to deck a garment of a Christians righteousness on the behalf of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will certainly receive such Souls that make more than ordinary haste by Martyrdome to fly into his bosom Who would not pledge Christ in this bitter cup and be baptized with his Baptism of blood that hath confidence so soon as he is dead to sit at the right hand of Christ How many Souldiers of fortune have we that will venture their blood in hope of plunder to reserve and secure some thing against a rainy day should not Christians much more be venturous for Christ who will certainly secure their Souls and hath provided goods for them which will last for many years even longer than the whole World shall last 4. The main exhortation is to stir us up to mind nothing in life and death in comparason of our Souls this was Stephens case and care here he begs not for any ease as to his body though now sadly broken and brused nor any mitigation of the rage of his persecutors he is totally silent as to his burial although the less care he took for this the more good took Act. 8.2 devout men were his bearers of whom the world was not worthy and many of the best mourners attended him to the grave that he minded not at all as care at his prayer in the first place was for his Soul holy David was of the same temper and perswasion Psal 141.7 8. Though his bones lay scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth or cleaveth wood he looks upon them as contemptible chips yet still his eyes are upon the Lord c. and he begs that he would not leave his Soul destitute or in a naked uncovered condition Let men cark and care as much as they can for the Body Hebrew they can but have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little to feed them when they live and to bury them when they dye they can carry away nothing else a
others he will say Depart from me I know you not now because I never knew you before Mat. 7.23 a very solemn profession he makes of it How many of us would fain live to our selves yet fain dye in Christ as that dissolute young man who was present at the death of Ambrose cryed out to his companions Libenter vobis cum viverens modò cum illo moriar I would willingly live with you so I might dy with him but Jesus Christ very seldom drives such late bargains with any Soul 4. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The pronouncing hath a great emphasis in it worth the marking and from hence we may observe 2 things Note 1 The godly mans Spirit is his own in opposition to all other Lords and Masters below himself though not above His Spirit is his own he hath not sold it to sin and wickedness as Ahab did who though he was a Prince yet was of the basest mechanick Spirit a hellish huckster as to his own Soul neither hath he morgaged it as Ephraim did hers to Idolatry being a silly dove without heart Hos. 7.11 other Doves as the Naturalists tell us are without gall but she was a Monster in nature without heart because she had pawned it to her wicked paramours and so consequently had though jus ad rem not jus inre no possession of it Neither hath he exchanged his Soul for any part of the World or the whole bulk and body of it as Christ himself uses the expression Math. 16.26 Note 2 The godly man dying can offer up his Soul to God as his own in the former sense It is his own he hath reserved it and saved it for Christ only as Christ hath redeemed it and will save it for the alone enjoyment of himself The holy gracious Soul being once joyned to the Lord by one Spirit 1 Cor 6.17 And married to Jesus Christ by faith the Husbands interest is the Wives or glued the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gluten and the Wives her Husbands what Christ hath he hath and what he hath Christ hath true grace frees the Soul from all base Masters and Lordly Tyrants and a believer in death it self may say to Christ Lord Jesus receive my Soul which since conversion never knew any bonds but thine own service which is perfect freedom that never was under any yoke or burden but thine which is most easie and light Math. 11.30 which was no willing Servant to sin and lust but upon pure force and highest compulsion receive then dear husband now my Virgin Spirit not abused not deflowred since thou hast entred into a conjugal league with me Happy Soul that can thus argue flying from the Body with an all-searching knowing Master 5. Lord Jesus Receive my Spirit By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit here he doth not mean his natural breath for as the body is dust and returns to dust so the breath is ayr and in death the air sucks it up we do then expirate not respirate breath it out into its element not suck it in any more but he means his Spiritual not natural breath which was a divine infusion as he breaths out the one he breaths up the other into its proper center the bosom of Jesus Christ Note A gracious Soul minds not in death his natural but his spiritual part his only care is to secure that to lock it up safe in heaven as in a Noahs Ark when the storms of death drown his body But of this more by and by when the words are handled in their second sense unto which I now hasten 2. to handle the words in a compounded united sense and so to bind up the single flowers in a bundle together and the Lord make them a fragrant posy to your spiritual sense For expedition sake I shall joyn Doctrine and Application both in one and so infer 4. particulars from the whole prayer 1. Matter of Information 2. Matter of Consolation 3. Matter of Examination 4. Matter of Exhortation chiefly the last 1. Matter of Information this shall be double 1. It may inform us that the rage of man cannot drive a gratious Soul from Christ Stephen here in this whole prayer goes to Jesus Christ though many stones not only lay in his way but as a massy weight upon him and not only lay upon him but broke and bruised his body when his enemies eyes sparkled fire at him by reason of rage and malice when they gnashed on him with their teeth when they stopt their ears at all his complaints and were desperately united together in their thoughts and Actions of blood and mischief when they cast a shower of stones upon his body and shot a whole volley of cruelty at his naked brest yet all could not stop his mouth nor that heap of stones dam up his passage to heaven but in a moment he flyes thither by prayer to God his Rock his Ammunition of Rocks to Christ his precious corner stone Thus may all the Saints do when their adversaries are set upon the fire of hell they may yet run to the gates of heaven as all the gates of Hell in Hell cannot prevail against their persons so all the gates of Hell on Earth cannot obstruct their petitions they may see their Father their Saviour through the thickest cloud of humane rage and fly to him as with the wings of a Dove by faith and prayer 2. It may inform us that Souls do not sleep in the grave they are received so soon as we dy either by Christ as Stephens here or else by Satan they do not fortuitò vagare wander uncertainly as some sick-braind Philosophers did dream nor pass from one body to another by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pythagoras his foolish Scholars thought much less sleep in the grave with the Body till they are awakened by the found of the great Trumpet at the day of judgment as some now among us have sinfully held forth to their Auditors This very prayer to say no more at present abundantly confutes this fond opinion Our Souls are no sooner out of the vessel and ship of the body but presently they are landed and set on shore in Heaven or in Hell An Heathen could say of death Seneca profectio est quam putas mortem it is but a passage from one Town to another or a removal from one house to another This total Soul-sleeping is a worse opinion than Popish purgatory or limbus patrum and their dream of Abrahams bosome in the for old-Testament Disciples until the coming of Christ in the flesh is not so absurd as this of lodging in the bosome of the grave for new-Testament discpiles till the second coming of Christ And truly it seems to be a great encouragement to profaness and discouragement to godliness for an antient * Ambrose Father tells us Angustae mentes irritantur promissis excitantur speratis mercedibus
they were worse than their parents for of the Messias himself that holy and just one they themselves had but lately been the betrayers and murderers 52 verse Last He lays at their dores the guilt of high treason against the Law of Moses in every part and parcel of it though they seemd so much to cry it up and wore broad Phylactories of it upon their Garments in their dayly Garb and he circumstantiates this guilt by their breaking of the Law * Theophilact Occumenius though received by the disposition of Angels Some refer this to Moses and Aron * Lorinus Calvin alii Some to the Angel that appeared to Moses in the burning bush * Lorinus Calvin alii Some to many Angels which were testes internuncii Witnesses and Messengers betwixt God and Moses in giving the Law 2. For the Jewes ill resentment of this close application it is expressed by divers cross and curst gestures 1. they were cut to the heart not savingly prickt but maliciously pierced and gall'd verse 54 2. They gnashed on him with their teeth this stridor dentium the action of damned Friends enraged against the Lord. 3. made a great outcry 57 verse with an unanimous tumultuous rage 4. They stopped their ears to hear no more either of his Counsel or complaints 5. They ran upon him with one accord in the same verse united in malice 6. They cast him out of the City not only out of the Synagogue but they look upon him as such an Anathema not fit for humane society 3. For their cruelty against the Preacher that is fully expressed in the 58 59 verses they stone him to death * Augustine ad dures duriores being more hard with cruelty than the Stones they cast at him a sad course they took and made most vile Application casting stones at the Preacher insteed of casting the first stone at their own hard and stony hearts Thus their rage brings Stephen to his Martyrdome his name in Greek signifies a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crown from hence * Lorinus one alluding tells us that he was at this time Crowned with pretious stones lapidibus ' preciosis coronatns est and * Arator another that he was joyned closer to Christ the corner stone Et per tot lapides petrae conjungitur uni But see now the sweet and gratious deportment of this blessed Deacon Saint and Martyr as before he had faithfully preached to them so now he as servently prayes before them and for them as he imitated the death of Christ so Christ in his death Calvia in locum turning himself to God and truly it was now high time satis verborum apud homines perdiderat meritò ad Deum convertit he had lost too much time in speaking to malicious man he therefore now directs himself to the mercifull God by prayer And in his dying supplications he imitates his dying Saviour those 2 petitions which he put up to his Father on the Cross he sends up to God now only inverting Christs Order Luke 23.34.46 Christ prayed first for his enemies then for himself but Stephen first for his own Soul and then for his enemies And surely there may be good reasons given for it 1. The Servant must be below the Master Christs love to enemies was the Copy his the transcript Mat. 5.44 48. In loving enemies and praying for them we must strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father it is honour enough for us to follow 2. Christ and Stephen so other Christians too in this walk by distinct rules we must love our Neighbours so our Enemies as our selves Christ loved them better than himself in this commended his love to us to imitate not equalize Rom. 5.8 3. Christ needed no prayer for himself but Stephen did and so do we as * Calvin one observes Christ prayed but for example sake as to himself but upon a real need for his crucifiers now needfull workes should allwaies be done first and therefore Christ observed this method but not Stephen for it was more needfull for him to secure his own Soul first by prayer and then to intercede for his Enemies These 2 prayers of his proclaimed him a right Christian in his death the first discovers fidei constantiam the constancy of his Faith in his petition for himself the second contains summam charitatis the substance of his love and charity even to enemies which 2 graces and duties contain the marrow of Christian Religion for which and in which he dyed The Text is Stephens first Prayer for himself in which we have part of the last words of the first Martyr after Christ and the holy gratious farewell-breathings of a dying Saint the words may be called morientis cygni cantilena the last sweet note of a milk-white innocent dying Swan his petition is short but sweet when totum pro vulnere Corpus the whole body was but one wound little leisure he hath to speak much and therefore he speaks fully and fervently much in a little as Homers Ileads in a nutshel There are two parts of the Text 1. parts of Text. The great person or Prince petitioned the Lord Jesus 2. The sum and substance of his petition Receive my Spirit * Calvin De corpore minime sollicitus animam in Christimanus deponit he minded not his Body his whole care was for his Soul I shall handle the words two wayes 1. In sensu divise every word by it self for there is a weight in every single word 2. In sensu composito taking the substance of the whole prayer together 1. In a divided sense here are 5 words in the prayer every one is praegnant with holy matter Note 1 1. Lord in death he turns himself to the Lord hence observe Good men should shut up their lives with prayer we should begin and end with it at all times and in all employments this duty should bring up the front lead up the rear in all the actions of our life which is a warfare he who is the Alpha and Omega in himself should be the beginning and the end of all our services but chiefly when we begin to draw to an end of our time and work we should be sure to clasp up the book with most serious calling upon God As the Arabian Phoenix makes her self a nest of spices and is burnt to death in it so should we dy in in the spyced bed of prayer an Emperor should dystanding in the Court of Judicature so Vespatian a Minister should dy Preaching in the pulpit so Doctor Jewel and a Christian should dye praying so holy Stephen in the Text and thus our dear Mediator Note 2 We should dy with prayer to the Lord who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Master of our Souls and lives to fly to Saints and Angels at any time in this duty is very illegal we ow this homage and debt only to
our great Lord and Master and we must not pay it to the servants except they can shew a warrant or letter of Atturney for it from their and our Master as Mr. Herbert hath an excellent poem to this purpose Much less in death should we pay this tribute due only unto God to them for as they are the great Lords menial servants and must not share in their Lords Rents so they are in many offices the Saints Servants too both in life so 1 Heb. last ministring spirits to the heirs of Salvation and in death the bearers of the Saints souls into Abrahams Bosome Luke 16.22 poor Lazarus being dead had these honourable bearers Note 1 2. Lord Jesus Stephen directs his dying prayer to the Lord Jesus rather than to the Lord Jehovah Christ is coaequal with his Father in glory not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only in glory the nearest to him but one with him Stephen asserts this clearly in his death not only dying in Christ and for Christ but praying to Christ in his death acknowledging hereby his divinity by giving him divine worship And to avoid this clear demonstration we read of on Franciscus David an Arrian heretique who reads this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text in the genitive case insteed of the Vocative and so would fain give us this sense Lord of Jesus insteed of Lord Jesus but this blasphemous shift is sufficiently confuted by the Antients as * Lorinus a Learned man though a Jesuite upon this place discovers All power is given to Christ in Heaven and Earth Math 28.18 and holy Stephen dying virtually in this last prayer acknowleges it Note 2 In the Gospel we must chiefly run to Christ in prayer asking all in the Sons name and this is now the way to speed our selves and to glorifie the Father together John 14.13 These 2 glorious persons in the blessed Trinity have not 2 distinct interests but one and the same the glory of the one is the glory of the other yea now the glory of the Father is chiefly deposited in the hands of Christ at first God was only known by his name of Almighty afterwards by his name Jehovah Exod. 6.3 but now by his name Jesus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in not at the name In whose name every knee under the Gospel must bow to the Glory of God the Father 2 Phil. 10.11 Augustine tells us how much he did delighted in the works of Tully for the elegancy of the Latine before his conversion but not a whit after because he could not read the name of Jesus there Paul desired to know nothing else but Christ crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 and he discovers God the Father to be only in him the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations 1 Cor. 1.3 to the Judge of all flesh then by an Advocate we must now run at all times Note 3 We must chiefly run to Jesus Christ by prayer in an hour of death to him who dyed for us we must go when we come to dy for he alone hath the keys of Hell and of Death Revelation 1.18 he alone is the dore and the gate of Heaven John 10.9 He is via vita veritas the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 He is our journeys end the Life and he is the way to it and the truth to guide us in the way no man can come to the Father but by him he also is the great reconciler of God and Man Col. 20. he only can make us * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than conquerors over all the forerunners of death and over death it self Rom. 8.36 37 38 39. He only can pull out the sting of death and destroy this last Enemy as the Apostle fully shewes 1 Cor. 15. To whom should we go both in life and death but to him who hath the words of eternal life John 6.68 3. Lord Jesus Receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a relative word Relations as the Logician tels us are double either relata secundum dici or secundum esse in name or in nature this is a relative word in name now omne relatum implicat suum correlatum every relative must have some word or thing to answer it receiving hath 2 usual correlates it implies either giving something or paying it implies both here in the Text. Observe Note 1 We ow our selves and Souls to Christ in life and death when we live to him dy for him he doth but receive his own de jure it should be so it is our sin and shame if de facto it be not so Rom. 14.7 9. For Christ dyed as the Apostle shewes there that he might be the Lord and master both of the dead and of the living When we come to dy then we do nothing else but pay debts we do but pay then 5 debts 1. A debt to nature the corruptible part must put on corruption and worms must feed upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we feed upon other Creatures 2. A debt to sin for the wages of sin is death or the breakfast and food of it Rom 8.23 3. A debt to posterity for one generation must pass away that another may come in its stead Eccless 1.4 the generat on of one must be the corruption of another that the Earth may not be pestered and crowded too much with inhabitants 4. A debt to divine Justice for the same Soul that sins must dym point of equity 5. To Christ and our own Souls when we dy for Christ it is but lex talionis for he dyed for us when we dy naturally by the appointment of Christ we pay a debt to our own Souls which cannot be refined and calcined but by fire by melting down the whole mass of the Body Every righteous man will be willing to pay his debts so should we be to dy our lives are lent to us by God but for a time and must be restored to the lender or owner the Spirit shall return to God that gave it so Solomen Eccles 12.7 the anima animus the natural life and spiritual Soul of due right belong to God Note 2 God will certainly take and receive in death what is sincerely offered up in life Our hearts must be his living if we desire that our Spirits should be his dying so Augustine paraphrases on these words Tibi vixi tibi morior c. accipe spiritum meum è manu eorum qui oderunt tuum he represents Stephen in this prayer thus speaking to his dear Saviour Lord Jesus to thee I have lived and to thee I now dy receive my Spirit from the hands of cruel Enemies who have hated thy spirit Our acquaintance with Christ must not be to begin when we are just at our end To such as have been friends Christ will say Come in my friends I will receive you I will give you house and harbour but to
our narrow hearts are much quickned to duty by hopes of reward and so consequently frighted from sin by fears of punishment both which hopes and fears if of things at a great distance have slender impression upon the heart you shall not discourage your child from any untoward action by threatning to whip him for it a yeer hence or quicken him to obedience in doing any good by promising him a new Coat or a fayring seven years hence Hope deferr'd makes the heart sick and the hand lame no wonder if men be hold in sin if confident their sin shall not find them out till the day of Judgement God threatens sudden destruction to awaken us out of sin and tells us that he that comes shall come quickly and bring his reward along with him Rev. 22.12 to awaken us unto increase in holiness The first Martyr after Christ though he dyed not for yet he dyed in this truth That Spirits speedily are received by Christ in death if they dy well 2. Matter of consolation this prayer affords comfort to all holy ones in such an hour when they need it most even in an hour of death all that dy in Christ and for Christ have a free and speedy passage by death to Christ who is really to them pater spirituum custos animarum the Father of Spirits and the keeper of their Souls This comfort is double both as to themselves and to their Christian Relations when they dy 1. As to themselves they need not fear death but look upon it with an eye of comfort this prayer of Stephens was oratio fidei a prayer of Faith we read Chap. 6.8 that he was full of faith and power and at this time he had a strong exercise of it as we may see verse 55 56. he looked up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at his right hand this believing vision was when his tragedy was beginning and certainly as the rage of his enemies grew stronger his faith incresed and in this last prayer for himself he acted and spake undoubtedly with full assurance of faith fervently believing that the Lord Jesus would receive his Spirit as now he begd that he would from hence * Calvin one observes even from this faith of Stephens haec fiducia instituere nos debet ad placidam mortis tolerantiam this confidence should instruct and strengthen us which calmness and comfort to bear the stroke of death * Calvin Seneca An Heathen could say si quid incommodi morientis vitium est non mortis if death do us any hurt or prejudice the fault is in the person dying not in death it cannot then hurt a godly man Christ tels the Good Thief this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise though it were then about the ninth hour of it and Lazarus his Soul was carried by Angels into Heaven surely as for honour so for expedition 2. As to their Christian relations here is matter of great comfort in their death the Lord Jesus takes care of their Souls when an Husband or dear Relation dies in Christ the Jewel we loved is but taken away from us and lockt up in a surer Cabinet we are content to part with our Children and send them sometimes far from us when we marry them for their preferment sake Death marries our dear Christian Relations to Christ as faith in life contracts them and so carries them home to their Bridegroom Ambrose Cyprian the dead in Christ do but abire not obire are but praemissi non amissi they do but depart from us not dy they do but go before not go quite away they are not lost we shall meet them again the next style what we lose Christ receives and is this a loss we do but hide our Talent in Christs Napkin and should we too much bewail such a breach Luges Corpus à quo recessit anima Augustine luge animam à qua recessit Deus Dost thou bewail a Body from whence the Soul is departed rather bewail the Soul from which God is departed hinc illae lachrymae this is matter of sorrow indeed to see Abner dying as a fool to hear of a dear Absolom took off in the height of his sins and of his Rebellion against God and Man this is a Soul-rending heart-breaking spectacle but to see a Stephen dying the Church may make great lamentation for her own loss but the matter is not worth a tear as to such a Martyr though he should ascend to Heaven in a fiery Chariot Heaven is perfect happiness after the sharpest manner of dying In such cases then let us rather save our tears for our own sins than to weep as persons without hope for the dead in Christ 3. Matter of examination Whether we have given up our Souls to Christ in life that he may receive them in death Christ takes his Spouse by contract not by rape they willingly give up themselves to him in life or else he will not as old Elies Sons take away their Spirit by force when they come to dy As our bodies must be offered up to God as a reasonable Service while we live Rom. 12.1 so much more our Souls or else it will be an unreasonable petiton to beg that Christ would receive them in death when we can keep them no longer As our dying Saviour cryed out Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and dying Stephen here prayed Lord Jesus receive my Spirit so living David in his health and strength cryes into thine hands I commit my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Psal 31.5 take thine own Lord both by Creation and by Redemption And truly if we lock God out now out of our own heart which should be his possession continually while we live no marvel if he lock out Spirits out of Heaven which is our hope when we dye Calvin therefore from this place infers quotidie spiritum in Dei manus commendemus quia mille mertibus obsessi sumus let us continually be commending our spirits into the hands of God because we are dying daily as to weakness and distempers in our bodies There are two wayes whereby we should commend our Soules to God daily as the Apostle shewes us 1 Pet. 4.19 1. Mala patiendo by suffering the will of God this is passive obedience 2. Bona agendo we must commit the keeping of our Souls to God in well doing as unto a faithful creatour this is active obedience and without commending them thus to God dayly we shall commend them with little success to Christ when we walk in the dark valley of Death The old Poets feigned Pluto to be the God of wealth as well as the God of Hell to shew us that we may go to Hell when we dy for all Wealth Let us therefore faithfully examine whether we have given up our hearts and lives to God now Christ in the second birth