The Fountain of Life Opened

Fourthly, These words imply 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 mere 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 outward enjoyments, and had as good security as other men have for the long enjoyment of them; but my meaning is, that although gracious 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 Hezekiah) hereupon it turns it self from them all, and casts it self upon God for all its subsistence. Expecting now to live upon its God entirely, as the blessed Angels do. And so in faith they throw themselves into his arms. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.

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 enjoyments, 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 Hezeckiah) 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.