46 BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. not able to kill the soul. Indeed, if the soul were not immortal, 'the resurrection were impossible. It might be a new creation of another soul, but not a sesurreçtion of the same, if the same be annihilated. It is certain that the Jews believed the immortality of the soul, in that they believed theresurrection and future life of the same man. 6. And Christ's own soul was commended into his Father's hands, (Luke xxiii. 46.) and was in paradise, when his body was in the grave, to show us what shall become of ours. 7. And he bath vromised, that where he is, there shall his ser- vants be also ; John xii. 26. And that the life here begun in us is eternal life, and that hethat believed? in lüm shall not die, but shall live by him, as he liveth by the Father, for he dwelleth in God, -and God in him, and in Christ, mind Christ ím him ; John xvii. 3. and vi. 54. and iii. 16.36. and vi. 47. 50. 56, 57. 1 John Iv. 12, 13. Luke.xvii. 21. Rom. xiv. 17. 8. And accordingly, Stephen that-saw heaven 'opened, prayed the Lord Jesus.to receive his spirit ; Acts vii. 55. 59. 9. And we are come to Mount Sion, &c., to an innumerable company of angels; and to the spirits of the just made perfect; Heb.' 10. And Paul here desireth to depart and be with Christ, as far better. And tobe absent from the body, and be present with the Lord ; 2 Cor. v. 8. - 11. And the dead that die in the Lord are blessed, from hence- forth, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them. 12. And if the disobedient spirits be in prison, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah suffer'the vengeance of eternal -fire, (1 Pet. iii. 19. Jude 7.) then the just have eternal life. And if the Jews had not thought the soul immortal, Saul had not desired the witch to call up Samuel to speak with him. The rest I now pass by. We have any great and precious promisès, on, which a departed soul may trust. 13. And (Luke xvi. 9.) Christ expressly saith, that when we fail, (that is, must leave this world,) we shall be received into the everlasting habitations. VII. And it is not nothing to. encourage us to hope in him that . hath made all these promises, when we find how he heareth pray- ers in this life, and thereby asstireth his servants that he is their true and faithful Savior. We are apt, in our distress; to cryloud for mercy and deliverances, and when human help faileth, to promise God, that if he now will save us, we will thankfully acknowledgeit his work ; and yet, whenweare delivered, to return not only to secu- rity, but to ingratitude, and think that our deliverance came but in
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