asleep while they were stoning of him When he died he prayed and while he prayed he died But what made Stephen die thus quietly Read the 55 verse and you shall see the reason of it Being full of the Holy Ghost he looked stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God Behold saith he I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man slanding at the right hand of God This made him die with such a sweet quiet and calm temper he saw Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to receive his Soul and that made him die with such an extraordinary quietnesse of minde Death in Scripture especially the death of Gods children is often compared to a sleep It is said of David that he slept with his fathers And it is said 1 Thes 4.13 I would not have you ignorant concerning them which are asleep that is concerning them which are dead And 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are weakly and sickly among you and many sleep that is many die This expression is a metaphorical expression and will afford us many rare and precious instructions about Death And therfore the grace of God assisting me I desire to spend the rest of the time in the opening of this Metaphor Doctrin The Observation is this viz. That when a child of God dies though his death be never so unnaturall and violent yet it is nothing else but a falling asleep Or The death of a child of God though stoned to death though burnt to ashes though it be never so violent unnaturall is nothing else but a falling asleep When he had said this he fell asleep Somnus est mortis imago Sleep is the image of Death There are many notable resemblances betwixt Sleep and Death some of which I shall speak to at this time 1 Sleep is common to all men there is no man that can live without sleep a man may live long without meat but no man can live long without sleep So it is true of death death is common to all it is appointed for all men once to die and therfore David said he was to go the way of all flesh Statutum est omnibus semel mort Omnibus est calcanda semel lethi via All men must sleep the sleep of death or else be changed which is a metaphoricall death 2 As sleep ariseth from the vapors that ascend from the stomack to the head tie the sences hinder their operations so death came into the world by Adams eating the forbidden Fruit and by the poisonfull vapor of sin that brought death upon him and all his posterity By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Had Adam never sinned Adam should never have died but in illo die said God in that day thou eatest the forbidden fruit thou shalt die the death Sinne brings omnimodam mortem all kindes of death it brings death temporall death spirituall and death eternall Now because all men are poisoned with the poison of sin therfore all men must sleep the sleep of death it is sin that hath poisoned all mankinde 3 As a man when he goeth to sleep puts off his clothes and goeth naked into bed so it is with us when wee come to die We came naked into the world and we must go naked out of the world As we brought nothing with us into the world so we must carry nothing with us out of the world And therefore Death in Scripture is called nothing else but an uncloathing of our selves 2 Cor. 5.4 Death to a childe of God is nothing else but the putting off of his cloaths The body of man is animae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vestimentum it is the souls cloathing and death is nothing else but the unclothing of the soul it is just like a man going to bed putting off his cloaths St Peter cals it The putting off our earthly tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.14 Our bodies are the souls tabernacle and death is the putting off of this tabernacle Beloved when we come to die we shall be stript naked of three things 1. We shall be stript naked of all our worldly honour riches and greatnesse 2. We shall be stript naked of our bodies And 3. Which is above all we shall be stript naked of our sins And that is the happinesse of a childe of God he shall put off not only his mortal body but the body of sin 4. In the fourth place observe As no man knoweth the time when hee fals asleep a man fals asleep before he is aware So no man can tell the certain time when he must die There is nothing so certain as that wee must die nothing so uncertain as the time when we shall die Death comes suddenly even as sleep comes upon a man before he is aware 5. Observe As children and infants because they do not know the benefit of sleep are very loth to go to sleep many times the mother is fain to whip the child to bed even so it is with most of Gods people because they do not study the benefit of death that death puts an end to all our miseries and sins and opens a door to let us in unto everlasting happinesse and that we shall never see God or Christ before we die I say because Gods people do not study the benefit of death therefore they are like to little children loth to die loth to go to bed And therefore death is called The King of terrors Death is terrible to many of Gods children because they are but infants in grace and because they do not know the benefit of death 6 Observe As when a man is fast asleep he is free from cares and free from troubles Let it thunder as it thundred not long since as you know yet a man that is fast asleep while hee is asleep hee hears it not Let the house bee on fire while the man is asleep he sees it not neither is be troubled at it So it is with the death of Gods children when Gods children sleep the sleep of death they are free from the thunders of this world they are free from all cares from all troubles they goe to their graves as to their beds and rest in quietness and are not sensible of any troubles that are in the world For Abraham knew us not Isa 63.16 So 2 King 22.20 Thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place When a childe of God sleeps the sleep of death hee doth not feel nor is he sensible of any of the calamities or sad providences of God upon the Earth 7. When a man goeth to sleep he goeth to sleep but for a certain time in the morning he awakes out of sleep So it is with the sleep of death
death and that say with dying Stephen Lord Iesus receive my spirit But if ever you would have Christ to receive your souls when you die you must be sure to receive him into your souls whilst you live if ever you would have him to receive you into Heaven you must receive him into your hearts No man makes a will but he saith Imprimis I bequeath my soul unto Jesus Christ my Redeemer But how dost thou know that Jesus Christ will accept of this Legacy If thy soul hath not Christs Image upon it if it be not regenerated and renewed Jesus Christ will never own it Thou maist bequeath it unto Christ but the Devil will claim it if thy soul hath the Devils image upon it if it be a swinish polluted unbeleiving unregenerate soul thou maist bestow it upon God but the Devil will recover it out of Gods hands pardon this expression it is not mine but St Austins Beloved if ever you would reign with Christ when you die he must reign in you whilst you live and if ever you would sleep an happy sleep you must live in Jesus that you may sleep in Jesus Secondly In the second place If ever you would sleep an happy sleep at death then you must take heed of overcharging your selves with worldly cares A man that is full of cares cannot sleep therefore when men would sleep they lay as the Proverb is all their cares under their pillow they labour to shut all cares out of their minde O take heed that you do not murder your souls by the cares of the world Beloved a man that eats out his heart with worldly cares will never sleep an happy sleep the cares of the world will choak all the good seed of the Word of God and therefore as men when they sleep lay aside all worldly thoughts so if ever you would sleep an happy sleep take heed of overmuch carking and careing for the things of this world and remember what you have heard this day and that will regulate and moderate all cares Naked you came into the world and naked you must goe out of the world Why should we take care for that wee know not who shall enjoy after us Thirdly If ever you would sleep an happy sleep when you die you must take heed of sucking too much of the pleasures of this life A man that eats a full supper will sleep very disquietly therefore they that would sleep quietly use to eat but light suppers for when a mans stomack is over-charged it takes away his sweet sleep from him So if ever you would sleep a happy sleep when you come to die O take heed of sucking too much of the plesures of this Life take heed of eating too large a meal of worldly delights and of creature comforts these worldly pleasures will make the sleep of death unquiet unto you Oh let not Dalilah's lap deprive you of Abraham's bosom remember that David by Bathsheba's embraces lost the embraces of God I mean the sence of the embraces of God the joy and comfort of them Fourthly if ever you would sleep a happy sleep in death then labor to work hard for Heaven while you live O how delightful is sleep to a weary man when a man hath taken paines all the day as the Traveller that hath travelled all the day or the Ploughman that hath been at work all the day how quietly how soundly doth he sleep in the night O beloved if if ever you would sleep a happy sleep at death then labor to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling and give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure the more you labor for Heaven the better the sweeter will your sleep be when you come to die And remember this that as much sleeping in the day time wil hinder a mans sleep at night so you that idle away the time of your providing for Heaven in this your day you that sleep away the minute upon which Eternity doth depend oh you will have a sad sleep when Death seizeth upon you Take heed therfore of sleeping while you live that so your sleep in the night of death may be comfortable unto you Fiftly and lastly if ever you would sleep a happie sleep when you die then take heed of the sleep of sin Sin in Scripture is compared to a sleep awake thou that sleepest that is thou that sinnest Sinne is such a sleep as brings the sleep of death sin brings the first death and sin brings the second death all miseries whatsoever are the daughters of sin If you would sleep a happy sleep and have a happie awakening at the Resurrection then take heed of the sleep of sin Awake thou that sleepest arise from the dead and Iesus Christ shall give thee life Ephes 5.14 So Rom. 13.11 12 13. with which I will conclude and I pray you mark it well for it was a Text that converted Saint Augustin Knowing the time Beloved that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer then when we believed The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darknesse and let us put on the armour of light Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying but put you on the Lord Iesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof FINIS
is not warrantable for any to wish for Death because of persecutions and afflictions which they do feele or feare Ionah 4.3 This you finde was the fault of Ionah ch 4. v. 3. Now therefore O Lord I beseech thes take away my life from me for it is better for me to die then to live This he said in a pettish humour being displeased and angry that the Ninevits were spared thinking that therein he should be accounted a false prophet Because of affliction or reproach in the world to desire death is a thing that the Scripture doth not warrant 1. Reason why we should not with for deaâ—h And the Reasons thereof are three 1 Because your lives are great blessings and you doe vallue them at too low a rate when you thus rashly wish for death It is true there are some men that doe vallue their lives at too high a rate and they are such as will not lay down their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ his truth and peeple when they are called thereunto Others there are that doe vallue their lives at too low a rate and they are such as wish to be taken out of the world because of troubles and afflictions that they meet withal in the world Now this is a sin this is an undervaluing of your life which is the greatest of all temporal blessings A second Reason is this 2 Reason Because it is a more commendable thing to pray that God would in his due time remove trouble from us then to cry out Lord remove us from trouble to pray that God would sanctify our hearts paciently and thankefully to beare those crosses that he shall be pleased to exercise us withal rather than deliver us from trouble by taking us out of the world for God hath ten thousand wayes to free us from trouble besides laying us in the grave he can put an end to our troubles and yet lengthen out our lives 3. There is more honour to be gained by a patient bearing of our burden then by being delivered from it 3 Reason The Souldier never growes famous for his vallour until he comes to bear the brunt of the Battel in the Field And the Christian never shines in grace untill he comes into the fire of afflictions especially if he suffer in bearing witnesse unto the truth of Christ Therefore we should be content yea rejoyce in our sufferings and not desire death to be rid of the troubles of this life If it be so Vse of Reprehension that it is not warrantable for any man to desire death because of any Affliction he feares or feeles Then hence I draw a Use of Reprehension to many sorts of men in the world But cheifly to you that are of such passionate and peevish spirits froward and distempered soules that if God doth but lay upon you any affliction if he doth but mingle any crosses with your comforts any gall and wormwood with your pleasant things so that it may be your estates are taken away your persons imprisoned and your worldly comforts taken from you oh then in a peevish mood with Ieremy you curse the day of your birth And with Ionah you wish for the day of your death Now this is sinful It is true Good men have failed herein as Job chap. 6. v. 8.9 Iob 6 8 9. O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing I long for even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Here you see Iob wisheth for death yea even longs for death wooes as it were destruction and is an importunate and earnest suiter for the grave and all this was because Gods afflicting hand was sore upon him And we finde him expressing the same distemper in the name of others Iob. 3.2 Job 3 21. Which long for death but it cometh not and digg for it more then for hid treasure There is a sharpnesse and bitternesse in bodily death yet some are so afflicted in body and so oppressed in spirit that they account the very bitternesse of death to be sweetnesse the gall and wormwood of Affliction makes death to such as sweet as honey and as much longed for as the honey comb And they doe not onely long for it but they dig for it and that not in an ordinary way but they dig as for treasure yea as for hidden treasure which shewes the earnestnesse of this desire after death This distemper also seised upon the spirit of the Prophet Elijah â— Kings 19 â— 1. Kings 19.4 He himselfe went a dayes journy into the wilderness and came and saâ—e down under a Iumper Tree and he requested for himselfe that he might die and sayd it is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my fathers The reason of this pettish desire in Elijah was because Iezebel who had slain many of the Lords prophets did threaten also to take away his life It may bee many of you to whom I speak have lost your estates your tradeing now are in poverty and lie under disgrace and therefore you are apt and ready to wish that God would take you out of the world but know that this is a very sinful frame of spirit to long for death only to be freed from the troubles of this life to desire to lie down in the bed of the grave only to ease our bodies and rest our outward man If we think life not worth the continuing in this world unlesse we enjoy our outward comforts ease plenty and prosperitie honor wealth and friends we do hereby much undervalue the great blessing of life This at the best is an infirmity and this Christ here rebuked in his Disciples Again because Christ would not pray for his Disciples to be taken out of the world they desiring death fearing persecution 2d Doct. When it is lawfull to with for death Here it may be intimated That in some cases it is lawfull for a man to desire to die as First when he desires it not because of sufferings but because of sins when a man doth desire to shake off a body of flesh that he might be rid of and freed from a body of sin this is commendable This was Pauls prayer 2. Cor. 5.8 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2. Cor. 56. To desire death not because it doth kill thy person and ease thy paine but because it doth kill thy corruption and put an end to thy sining not as a postern gate to let out thy temporal but as a street door to let in eternal life in this case it is lawful 2. It is lawful to desire death that thou maist thereby have a more full enjoyment of Jesus Christ This the Apostle sets down Phil. 1.23 Phil. 1.23 I am in a streight betwixt two having a desire to depart
and to be with Christ which is far better For a man to desire to be dissolved that he may be without crosses is a sin but to desire to be dissolved that he may enjoy Jesus Christ is a grace Oh thou that sayest I desire to die that I may have the enjoyment of God more perfectly and grace more compleatly not because thy winding sheet shall wipe away all tears and afflictions but because thy winding sheet shall wipe away all sins and pollutions this is a gracious desire We are not to wish for death because our comforts are lessened but that our communion with Christ might be compleated not as a doore to let us out of troubles but as a doore to let us into heavenly mansions But thus briefly passing these things I proceed to another Observation from these words I pray not that you might be taken out of the world why would not Christ make this prayer The cheif reason was because hee had more work for his Disciples to doe in the world Hence observe That it is not the desire of Jesus Christ that any of his servants should die 3d Doctrin so long as he hath any worke for them to doe in this world Not onely your dayes are numbred not only is the number of your Months with God but likewise the work that ye are to doe which he hath cut out for you Sayes God to a Minister thou shalt preach so many Sermons convert so many souls gather in so many of mine Elect and when thy work is done thy life shall be done Thou godly Christian untill thou hast ended thy work thou shalt not end thy dayes This may bee of great comfort unto all that fear God doe not fear Death it is not Christs desire to take you out of the world untill ye have done that work for which God sent you into the world The Use of this is threefold First for Counsel Secondly for Reproofe Thirdly for Comfort 1. A Use of Councel unto you all 1 Vse for Counsell 1. That you would desire to live no longer then that you might doe the work for which God hath sent you into the world Doe not desire to live that you may give the swinge to your lusts and doe that which is right in your owne eyes But desire to live no longer then that you may serve God and doe good to others 2. It should teach you who may be useful in the world that you are bound to desire of God that he would not as yet take you out of the world Luther I remember Luther upon this text hath this note That it is the duty of a Minister more especially then of any man in the world to desire that his life may be prolonged that so he may convert more soules unto God And it was the saying of an old Minister when he lay upon his Death bed Lord if I may be useful to thy people let me live longer I will not refuse more labour and more paines if thou hast more work for me to doe Any of you who may bee usefull in the world are bound to begg of God that hee would lengthen out your dayes and that you may live to doe more good in the place wherein God hath let you 3 Hence let me Counsel you That though you suffer much evil from the world yet if you can doe much good in the world let your doing of good rather provoke you to desire life then your suffering of evil provoke you to desire death We should rejoyce in suffering much evil provided that by suffering much evil we can doe much good Cesaar When Caesar said I have lived long enough whether I respect Nature or Honour Tully Tully answers Sir though you have lived long enough for your selfe yet you have not lived long enough for your Country Art thou a man that dost good in thy generation Acts 13.36 Art thou a useful man though thou art an old man and the infirmities of age abide on thee yet let not this make thee weary of thy life though it may be thou hast lived long enough for thy selfe yet thou hast not lived long enough for others for the good of the Church or Common-wealth in which thou livest Let this Counsell sink into your hearts seeing every mothers Child of you is sent into the world to doe something for God oh Labour therefore that when your dayes shall end your Consciences may tell you that you have done that work which God sent you into the world for to doe It is the commendation of David Acts 13.36 Acts. 13.36 That after he had served his owne generation by the will of God he fell a sleep and was gathered unto his fathers He did his work and then he died O Beloved there is nothing in the world will be a greater solace to your souls when you come to die and we must all sooner or later drink of that cup then this that your consciences can tell you I have served my God in my life I have done my work and the last work I have to doe is to die when it may be thy eye-strings are fallen thy mouth is shut and thou canst not take any cordials to refresh thy decayed spirits then this will be a cordial for Conscience to tell thee that thou hast done thy work which God sent thee into the world for to doe and now thou hast nothing to do but to die and goe to heaven It is an observable expression Iob 5.26 Iob. 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age as a shock of Corne cometh in his season You know that if a man â—hould reap a shock of corn when it is green and but newly eared that corn would be of no use for bread but if he cuts down a shock of corn when it is ripe then it is fit for bread Death cuts off many men when they are green corne unfit unprepared for death unripe for heaven unripe for glory Psal 127.6 when they are like grasse upon the house top that withereth before it is cut down or like the seed which fell on the stony or thorny ground which never came unto perfection But now saith God to the good man thou shalt goe to thy grave when thou art ripe for heaven ripe for God when thou hast done thy masters work then shalt thou goe to thy Masters mansions thou shalt come to thy grave like a shock of Corn in its due season Oh what comfort and solace of heart should this be to you who have done the work for which God sent you into the world The next Use shall be for Reproofe 2 Vse for Reproofe Is it so that Christ doth not desire that any of his servants should die until they have done the work for which God sent them into the world Then this may reprove the wicked of the world who come to die before they begin to do that work for which
successe to attend their Ministry page 168 3 By comparing our times with the time in which the Gospell was first planted page 169 4 Because in these dayes more people are perverted from the truth of the Gospel then converted thereby page 171 Five Demonstrations that wee are in danger to have the Gospell removed from us It appears 1 By that implacable opposition that is in the professors of the Gospell against the Preachers thereof page 172 2 By the general wantonnesse and wearynesse of people in living under the Gospell page 174 3 By the tolleration of such opinions as are contrary to the Gospell p. 175 4 By the encrease of damnable errors and heresies p. 176 5 By that implacable opposition that is againâ—â— the settlement of Church government p. 177 When the Gospel goeth from a people all goeth 1 Peace goeth p. 178 2 Plenty goeth ibid 3 Safety goeth ibid 4 Civill liberty goeth p. 9 5 The Dignity and splendor of a Nation goeth ibid. Object No man can keep what be heareth p. 180 Answer The Covenant of Grace doth not require a perfect but a sincere obedience page 181 Finis Christ's Prayer The Saints Support Text. 17 Iohn 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the World But that thou shouldest keep them from the evil THis chapter contains in it the last and most solemn prayer which we finde on Record that ever Christ made in the world with and for his Disciples when he was to remove his person from them even then he would leave a prayer behinde him the greatest Legacy that he could bequeath unto them This whole 17 chapter from the begining to the end is made up only of Christ's Prayer unto his Father And in this so sollemn a Prayer and the last Prayer that Christ made with his Disciples There are four things observable 1. The time when he made this Prayer 2. The Gesture he used 3. The Manner how he prayed 4. The Matter for what he prayed The time when he made this Prayer is set down two wayes 1. CircumstaÌ„ce of the â—ime when 1 It was immediately after he had preached a publique Sermon v. 1. Hence observe That it is warrantable and commendable for Ministers to pray after their preaching 1 Observacion This I name the rather because in this age there are a generacion of men who judge otherwise But it is here set down to be the practise of Jesus Christ himself so to do after he had preached he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed And it is Luthers note That a good prayer ought for to follow a good Sermon Luther And here by the way take notice that ye that attend upon the ministry of the Gospel must like wise go to God in prayer after ye have heard his Word when we have done preaching then you must begin your praying It is a good observacion of holy Greenham I am perswaded that one great reason why there is so little good done by all our preaching is GreenhaÌ„ because though there is much preaching in the pulpit yet there is little or no praying in the Closet The other Circumstance of time when Christ made this sollemn 2 CircuÌ„ of the time when and affectionate prayer is this It was the day before he was to die for assoon as he had done this prayer Iudas came with a band of men to betray him chap. 18. v. 1 2. hence observe from Christ's example That Christians should then have most holy 2 Observacion and ardent affections in their brests when they are even leaving of this World Iesus Christ prayed well at all times but he prayed most affectionately a little before he was to die Luke 22 4â— That passage is observable 22 Luke 44. And being in an agony be prayed the more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Iesus Christ when he was in an agony and lay groveling up on the ground sweating drops of blood prayed yet the more earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or he prayed the more vehemently drawing forth his affections to the utmost And the Apostle Paul speaking hereof sayth Heb. 5.7 5. Heb. 7. Who in the dayes of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Christ prayed with strong cries alluding to that earnest Prayer which Christ uttered in the Garden Luke 22.19 Luke 22.19 as appears by these words In that he feared viz. That bitter Cup those unspeakable pains which he endured in his agony when the whole power of darkness set upon him Here you see that lesus Christ prayed with most fervent zeale and holy affection just before he was to die for the Apostle is there treating of Christ's Priesthood and offering up himselfe a sacrifice for sin Now as it was with Iesus Christ Christs practice should be our paern so should it be with you before you come to die you should then have most holy most heavenly and ardent affections in your breasts Let heaven at that time especially posesse your souls when your souls are going to posess heaven O beloved in this regard you should be like the Swan which sings the sweetest songs before its death let your sweetest songs be like Simeons * Luke 2 29. when ye come to die then say Lord let thy servant depart in peace The second Circumstance considerable in this prayer of Christ 2 CircuÌ„ the gesture Christ used is the Gesture he used therein He Lifted up his eyes to heaven and sayd Father c. It is true Gestures are not simply necessary in any duty It is not simply necessary to kneel in prayer yet Gestures may be helpful to us in prayer Christ lifted up his eyes to signifie that his heart was where his eyes were Beloved when ye lift up your eyes towards heaven in prayer it should note that your heart is in heaven I am sure with Christ it was thus though with you it may be otherwise It may be thine eye is towards heaven in a prayer when at the same time thine heart is towards thy shop towards thine evil company towards thy whores or wicked companions Remember O Man to keep thine heart as well as thine eye toward heaven in prayer let your hearts and your eyes be both towards the same place Christ lift up his eyes to heaven in prayer and his heart was there also and so should it be with you The third Circumstance in this prayer of Christ 3 Circuâ— the Maner of Christs praying was the manner of praying and that is expressed three ways in this chapter 1 He did aime at Gods glory 1. Christ aimed at Gods glory as the cheif End of all things he prayed for and this should be a directory for your prayers Iohn 17.1 Glorify thy Son that thy Son
may also glorifie thee v. 1. The End of Christs Prayer was the glorifying of his Father so the End of our prayers should be the glorifying of God Many men will cry Lord give me glory when they do not with pantings of heart say Lord let me give glory to thy name Christ said Hallowed be thy name expressing his respect to the honouring and glorifying of the name of God that was the first peticion in Christs Prayer to shew that the glorifying of the name of God ought to be the first and cheifest thing in our prayers Christ prayed O my father 2. Christ prayed to God his Father to teach you that you must not only pray with an awful apprehencion of God but also with fiducial confidence in God Heb. 11.6 11. Heb. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God for he that comes unto him must beleive that he is and that be is the Rewarder of them that diligently seeke him You must never come to God to ask doubtingly but you must come with fiducial confidence as a Child to a Father 3. 3. Christ prayes for his Disciples with great enlargement Christ prayes with great enlargment for the good of his Disciples I doe not read in above 3. or 4. verses that Christ prayed for himself all the rest of the prayer was for his disciples that God would keep them in unity truth and glorify them and all other beleivers with himself in heaven Here then behold the wonderful affection that Jesus Christ beares unto his Church and people that when he was to die he should pray more for the saveing of their souls then for the saveing of his own life o herein the superabundant love of Jesus Christ is manifested who when he was in expectation to die a painful shameful accursed death under going the wrath of God due unto our sins yet that then he would remember his elect servants in whose stead he stood and for whose sins he died with such enlargement of heart in prayer The fourth Circumstance considerable in this prayer of Christs is the matter for what he prayed 4. Circu The matter for what Christ prayed And that is layd down 2 wayes 1. Negatively who should not be the subject matter of his prayer I pray not for the world v. 9. This is a good argument against those that plead for universal Redemption If Iesus Christ would not spend his breath to pray for them then surely he would not spend his precious bloud to purchase heaven for them Then it is layd down Affirmatively whom he prayed for I pray for them that thou hast given me for they are thine you that are elected you that are regenerated I pray for you He makes many requests unto his Father in the behalfe of his Disciples that God would keep them that they might be one with him v. 11. That God would sanctify them v. 17. That they might come to heaven and be with Christ v. 24. And as in the text I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil The words you see are set down two wayes The words explained 1 Negatively what Christ did not pray for in the behalfe of his Disciples I pray not that thou should est take them out of the world 2. Affirmatively what Iesus Christ did pray for I pray that thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the world Questiō It may be demanded why Christ sayd these words That he would not pray that his Disciples might be taken out of the world Jesus Christ knew that his end was at hand Answer that his houer was comeing that he should depart out of the world 13. Iohn 1. Now before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end when the Disciples heard this they thought thus with themselves Lord if thou wilt leave this world what will become of us when thou art gone we shall be in the world as a ship without a Pilot as sheep without a Shepard and therefore they prayed that they might die with Christ Iohn 11.16 Ioh. 11.16 Then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his fellow Disciples Ioh. 13.37 let us also goe that we may die with him And 13 Iohn 37. Peter said unto him Lord why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my life for thy sake The Apostles were all on fire to die for Jesus Christ Now Christ seeing them so willing to die therefore to check this impetuous mocion he tells them that he would not pray that they should now die but saith he I will pray unto my Father that when I am gone and you remaine behinde me in the world he would keep you from the evil of the World Now if you should aske me what especial Reason there was why Iesus Christ would not pray that they might be taken out of the world Reasons why Christ would not pray that his Disciples might be taken out of the world I Answer 1. If the Disciples had dyed when Iesus Christ dyed then peeple would have thought that they had bin sharers 1. Reason or co-partners with Christ in purchaseing our Salvacion Esa 63.3 Hence it is sayd that Christ did tread the wine-presse of his Fathers Wrath alone and that there was none with him Christ will have the sole honour of our Salvacion There were two common theeves two unworthy persons that dyed with Christ that the world might see that it was Christ's death alone that merited Salvacion for men A second Reason is this 2. Reason Christ did not pray that the Disciples might be taken out of the world because he had further work for them to do here in the world As if he had sayd I have the Gospel for you to divulge and propogate souls for you to convert mine Elect to gather in therefore I will not pray the Father to take you out of the world but to keepe you from the Evil of the world though I will not pray to keep you from the evill of Afflictions and Persecutions which for my namesake ye must expect to meet withal in the world yet I will pray to keep you from the evil of sin that you fall not into sin through the allurements or frownes of the world the malicious temptations of Satan the suggestions and inclinations of your own corrupt hearts when I am gone I will pray that my Father would keep you from the evil of the times and places in which you live 3. The words thus explained I shall draw five Conclusions from them First from Christs refusing to pray to his father to take the Disciples out of the world they desireing to die with Christ for feare of persecution Thence observe Doctrin That it
they came into the world Are there not many that have lived to gray haires and are hastening to the grave who never put their hands to any work which God sent them into the world for to doe Beloved I would leave with you one sad text of Scripture and it is worthy to be engraven in gold Esay 65.20 Esa 65.20 There shall no more thence be an Infant of dayes nor an old Man that hath not filled his daies for the Child shall die an hundred years old but the siner being an hundred years old shall be accursed This is the most dismal text that I know of in the old Testament to wicked men yet comfortable to the godly It is a promise of the conversion and bringing in of the Gentiles I will give you the sence of it There shall be no more an infant of dayes That is A man that hath lived to many dayes to many yeares and yet hath no more Knowledeg of God hath done no more service to God then a very infant There were many such that lived in the time of the Prophets that were men of dayes yet infants in understanding Knowledg Nor shall there be an old man that hath not filled his dayes That is the old man that doth not act grace that doth not serve and glorifie God that doth not fullfill the duty of every day that fills his daies with sin and not with righteousnesse this is the man that hath not filled his daies There are many such old men in the world whose wrinckled faces and gray-haires doe declare them to be fourscore years of age yet in regard of grace and knowledge they are not come to the age of 14 years Now how may this justly be for rebuke to any of you who are infants of daies who have done God no more service and are no more acquainted with God then Children you have lived many daies but they have bin emptie daies your hearts are full of sin no marvell then that they are so emptie of grace Is there not many a man woman who may with shame and sorrow thus reflect upon selfe before God Have not I lived to 40.60 nay it may be 80 years yet Lord thou knowest my daies are emptie daies I have not done any good all my life time In Scripture dialect when good men die they are said to die in a good old age But an old Drunkard an old Adulterer or an old Swearer dieing in an old age it is a bad old age not a good old age When you come to dâ—e then Conscience will reflect upon you and say I am an old man but I have not done the work which God sent me in to the world for to doe I have read of an old Disciple who was 90 years of age and being asked the question how old he was he said he was 45 years of age they answered your gray-haires discover you to be much more saith he if that you reckon number of years I have lived fourscore and ten but if I compute how long I have lived a devoted life to God then I am but 45 for the other halfe of my time I lived a dead man O how many are there in the world that have lived as dead men all their dayes There is a passage in Eccles 7.17 Ecles 7.17 Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldest thou die before thy time Some Interpreters carry it this way A man walking in drunkenesse excesse and riot doth as it were shorten his daies Others That he that thus lives is dead whilst he lives before his time of death and when death comes he is twice dead Indeed a man cannot die before Gods time Iob 14.5 Iob 14.5 Seeing his dayes are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that hee cannot passe Now though thou canst not die before Gods time yet thou maist die before thy time that is when thou comest to die before thou art prepared and fitted to die before thou hast done thy worke thou art the man that dost die before thy time And that I take to be the meaning of those words O think of it Though thou canst not die before Gods time yet thou maist die before thy time before thou art fitted for death before thou hast done the worke for which God gave thee thy life If Iesus Christ did pray that his Disciples might not die before they had done their work then what blame are they worthy of from whom if they should live till Doomes day God should have no more service then now he hath and in whom he should then see as much sin as now he doth The next Use is a use of Comfort 3 Vse for Comfort If it be so that Jesus Christ doth not desire that his People should be taken out of the world untill they have don their work Then all you that are Gods people know that as long as God doth continue you here in the world he hath work for you to doe Suppose thou art thrown into Prison consider that is a part of thy work thou must doe for Iesus Christ If thou art a Minister of the Gospel and art under Poverty Repoach or cruel Persecution for Righteousnesse sake consider that this is part of the service that thou art to do for God Christ will not take you away when you have halfe your work for to doe but when you have finished your work then you shall go for to receive your wages I remember a saying of Mr Bolton Bolton when hee was on his Death-bed saith hee O Lord this is my comfort that though I have ended my dayes yet I have done my worke before I die This is comfortable indeed to a godly heart but dreadful to you that are wicked who when you have ended your daies have not begun your work have not begun to serve your God O this will be great gauling of Conscience unto you another day O this will be the worm that will gnaw upon you in hell to all eternity to remember that God set you out your work for to do in this world and vouchsafed you both time and meanes for the accomplishment of it but you trifled away your time sinned away many heavenly opportunities of grace and mercy played all the day long when you had so much work for to doe so that when your daies were at an end you had not begun your work As it was with Charles the King of Sicily Charles King of Sicily who cried out with consternation of heart I have not begun to live and yet I am now going to die O let not this guilt lie upon your Consciences let not this be the worm to gnaw you in Hell to remember that you lived long in the world yet did not the work for which God sent you into the world Now I proceed to the fourth Observation out of these words 4 Doctrin I pray
not that you might be taken out of the world Hence observe That no man dies but God doth take him away Were our lives in our own hands we should live too long and were our lives in our enemies hands wee should not live a day longer but our lives are in Gods hands and therefore wee cannot die but God must take our lives away And this may shew a Christian his shelter under divine protection a wicked man cannot thrust thee out of the World before thy time God must take thee out of the World It may be enemies may beare thee a grudge and those that hate thee may wish thee a thousand deaths yet here may bee thy comfort thou canst not die before God doth take thee out of the world In Scripture language when men die they are said to be gathered unto their fathers thou shalt live untill God shall think fit to gather thee to himselfe having made thee fit for glory And thus I have opened the first Branch of the Text I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world Now I come to shew what it is that Christ doth pray for in the behalfe of his Disciples But I pray that thou wouldest keep them from the Evill that is I doe not pray that thou wouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest keep them from falling into sin from falling finally away from thee here is my prayer that thou wouldest keep them from the Evill of the world Hence observe 5 Doctrin That it may be a great comfort to the people of God that they have the prayers of Iesus Christ to keep them from the Evill whilst they live in the world Though Jesus Christ doth not pray for you that you should be taken out of the world yet hee doth pray for you that you may not sinne in that manner and at that rate as the world sins that you may not yeeld â—o the Devils temptations in such sort as the world doth this is the great prayer of Jesus Christ Now there are two Queries that I shall answer Two Queries resolvâ—d Query 1 It is true may a perplexed heart say I doe believe that Jesus Christ did pray for his eleven Apostles that God would keep them from the Devils temptations and from sin in the world but doth Christ pray for me that have lived so may hundred of yeares since that time Answer Jesus Christ knew that this Objection would arise in the hearts of people in following ages therefore Christ himself resolves this Objection â—ohn 17 20 Iohn 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Christ doth not say I pray for all he should then contradict his former Assertion in the ninth verse where he saith I pray not for the World but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine 1. All that God the Father hath given to Christ all believers are within the compasse of Christ's prayer but not all the world 2. Again hee doth not say I pray for all that do believe for then it might have been confined to the believers of that time wherein Christ lived upon earth but I pray for them that shall believe so that the prayer of Jesus Christ for keeping from the Evill of the World doth extend to all believers to the Worlds end 3. Again he doth not say I pray for all Jewes that shall believe but he saith for all in generall whether Jew or Gentile Barbarian or Sythian bond or free what or whom soever they be I pray for all that shall believe This prayer of Christ is not impailed or confined to the Apostles alone but the Efficacy and benefit thereof is transfused to all believers to the worlds end It is a good Observation of Ierome Ierome saith he Christ doth not say I pray for all that have shed their blood for me then only the Martyrs should have benefit by Christ Neither doth Christ say I pray for all that convert soules unto me then only Preachers should have benefit by Christ But I pray for you that doe and shall believe in me And thus every Christian hath a share and benefit in the prayer of Jesus Christ Query 2 A second Querie is this It is true indeed may some say that when Christ was upon the Earth his prayer then was of use but can I imagin to have fruit and benefit by that prayer which Christ made then on Earth To this I answer 〈…〉 that the Efficacie of Christs prayer did continue after Christs time as may appeare by this illustration If Stephens prayer be came efficacious for Saul's conversion 〈…〉 after Stephen was by his consent stoned to death for Stephen as hee was dying 〈…〉 prayed to God to forgive them then shall not the prayer of Christ himselfe become efficacious after his death Again Christ himselfe saith that his Prayer on Earth should be for all those that should believe afterwards so that this very Prayer of Christ to God the Father to keep them from Evill is as efficacious in this generation and will be to the worlds end as it was at the very hour when it was made Secondly suppose it were true that the Prayer of Jesus Christ was not efficacious now yet there is no doubt to bee made but that Christ's intercession now in Heaven is efficacious for he sits at God's right hand making intercession Rom. 8.34 Who is hee that can condemn it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us So Heb. 9.24 Christ is entred into Heaven it selfe now to appear in the presence of God for us And Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that is perpetually and perfectly that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us So that here is thy comfort that though it should be true that the Efficacie of this Prayer did not continue to this generation yet it is undoubtedly true that the Efficacie of Christ's intercession now in Heaven doth continu for you to the worlds end Christ lives for ever to make intercession for you Now I shall handle 6 practicall inferences which this Doctrin doth afford unto us 6 practical inferences from this Doctrin Is it so that Jesus Christ doth pray for all his people viz. Disciples then and Believers now that they should be kept from Evill whilst they live in this World Then hence I infer Inference 1 1. That therefore wee our selves should entreat God Christs prayer should not exclude our prayers to keep us from Evill Jesus Christ's Prayer for us should not exclude our own praying for our selves Christ did never so intend to pray to his Father to keep us from sin that wee should be carelesse never pray to keep our selves from sin Although Christ praies to keep
and therefore death is called a sleep because we must all awake in the morning of the resurrection We are in the grave as in our bed and when the trumpet of God and the voice of the Archangel shall sound wee shall all rise out of our grave as out of our beds Death is but a sleep for a certain time 8. Sleep is a great refreshing to those that are weary sick and when the sick man awakes he is more lively chearful then he was before he fell asleep and therefore sleep is called Medicus laborum redintegratio virium recreator corporum The great Physician of the sick body the redintegration of mans spirits the reviver of the weary body And so it is with death when Gods people awake out of the sleep of death they shall bee more active for God then ever they were before when you lie down in the grave you lie down with mortal bodies It is sown a mortal body 1 Cor. 15.42 43. but â—t shall rise up an immortal body it is sown in dishonour but it shall rise up in honour it is sown a natural body but it shall rise up a spiritual body 9. As in the morning when wee arise out of our beds we then put on our clothes So in the morning of the resurrection wee shall put on a glorious body like to the glorious body of Iesus Christ we shall put on Stolam immortalitatis the garment of immortality 10. As no man when he layeth him down to sleep knoweth the direct time when he shall awake So no man can tell when the resurrection shall be They do but cozen you who say that the general resurrection shall bee such or such a year for as no man can know the minute when he shall awake out of his natural sleep no more can any man know when we shall arise from the sleep of death 11. As it is a very easie thing to awake a man out of sleep it is but jogging of him you wil quickly awake him So it is with the sleep of death it is as easie for Jesus Christ to awake us out of the sleep of death as it is for me or you to awake a man out of sleep in bed Nemo nostrûm tam facilè excitat dormientem de lecto quà m Christus jacentem in sepulchro 12 As when a man ariseth in the morning though he hath slept many houres nay suppose he could sleep twenty yeares together yet notwithstanding when hee awaketh these twenty yeares will seem to bee but as one houre unto him So it will be at the day of judgment all those that are in their graves when they awake it will be tanquam somnus unius horae but as the sleep of one houre unto them 13 Lastly and most especially As sleep seizeth only upon the body and outward senses but doth not seize upon the soul the foul of man is many times most busie when the man is asleep and God hath heretofore revealed most glorious things to his children in Dreams when they have been asleep God appeared unto Abraham and many others in Dreams the body sleeps but the soul wakes So it is with the sleep of Death the body that dies but the soul doth not die There are some men that are not afraid to teach you That the soul sleeps as well as the body and that when the body dies and fals asleep the soul likewise continues in a dull Lethargy veternoso somno correptus neither capable of joy nor sorrow untill the resurrection Beloved This is a very uncomfortable and a very false Doctrine They endeavour to prove it from my Text they say That Stephen when he died fell asleep It is true in regard of his body he fell asleep but his soul did not fall a sleep that which was stoned fell asleep which was his body only for when he was stoning he saw Jesus Christ standing ready to receive his soul into Heaven Lord Jesus saith he receive my spirit Stephens soul could not be stoned though his body was stoned So when Jesus Christ was crucified his soul was not crucified I mean when his body was killed his soul was not killed indeed he did endure torments in his soul which made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But yet his soul did not die So when Stephen died his soul went to Christ It is true when a childe of God dies the soul goes to sleep How is that The soul goes to sleep in a Scripture sense that is it goes to rest in Abrahams bosom O blessed sleep it goes to rest in the embraces of God it goes into the armes of its Redeemer it goes into the heavenly Paradise it goes to be alwayes present with the Lord. But take heed of that wicked opinion to say that the soul sleeps in an Anabaptistical sense that is That itlies in a strange kinde of Lethargy neither dead nor alive neither capable of joy nor forrow untill the resurrection Though Stephens body fell asleep yet his soul did not fall asleep but immediatly went unto Jesus Christ in heaven Thus I have given the Explication of the words Now give me leave to make some Application of all unto our selves Vse 1 If the death of Gods children bee nothing else but a falling asleep then let this comfort us against the deaths of our godly friends though they die unnatural and violent deaths though they be stoned to death though they be burnt to ashes though they bee sawn asunder c. Here is a message of rich consolation which as a Minister of Christ I hold out unto you this day viz. That the death of a child of God let it bee after what manner soever it will it is nothing else but a falling a sleep he goes to his grave as to his bed and therefore our burying places are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dormitoria our sleeping houses A childe of God when hee dies hee lies down in peace and enters into his rest And as a man when he is asleep is free from all the cares and troubles that he hath in the day time So the people of God when they are fallen asleep they are free from all the miseries crosses losses and afflictions that we are troubled withall There fore give me leave to say to you as Christ did to the women that followed him to the Crosse bewailing and lamenting of him O daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children So say I O weep not for those that are dead in the Lord that are fallen asleep in Jesus Christ they are at their rests they do not know the troubles that wee are troubled withall Abraham remembers us not they are not sensible of our miseries and afflictions let us weep for our selves and for the miseries that are coming upon us and let us know that when Gods children die they doe but lie in their beds untill the morning of
the resurrection and then they shall put on Stolam immortalitatis the garment of immortality and their bodies shall be made like unto the glorious body of Jesus Christ And know one thing more which is all in all viz. That when the body of a childe of God fals asleep his soul immediatly goes into the arms of Christ and there lives for ever in the embraces of Jesus Christ though the body falls asleep yet the soul is received into Abrahams bosom I beseech you comfort one another with these words Vse 2 Let me beseech the people of God that they would look upon death not as it is presented unto us in Nature's Looking-Glasse but as it is set down in a Scripture-dresse Nature presents death in a very terrible manner and it is true death is very terrible to a man out of Christ but to you that are in Christ the sting of death is taken away death is nothing else but a quiet and placid sleep a putting off of our clothes and a going to bed till we awake in the morning of the resurrection Death to a childe of God is nothing else but a putting off his earthly tabernacle a going from an earthly prison into an heavenly palace a hoising up sail for Heaven the letting of the soul out of prison as a bird out of the cage that it may flee to Heaven a change from a temporary hell to an eternal heaven a going out of Egypt into Canaan and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.15 It is not mors hominis but mors peccati not the death of the man but the death of his sins It is Sepultura vitiorum It is the pilgrims journeys end the sea-mans haven an absence from the body and a presence with the Lord. Let all Gods people look upon death through Scripture-spectacles and consider it as it is sweetly represented in this Text Remember blessed Stephen stoned to death and yet falling asleep And remember also that excellent saying of Austin That a childe of God should be as willing to die as to put off his cloaths because death is nothing else to him but a sleep and a departure from misery to everlasting happinesse Vse 3 To beseech you all every night when ye go to bed to remember this Text and especially to remember these four things First When you are putting off your cloaths remember that you must shortly put off your bodies And Secondly When you go into your beds remember that it will not bee long before you must go down into your graves And Thirdly When you close your eyes to sleep remember that it will not be long before death must close your eyes And Fourthly When you awake in the morning remember that at the resurrection you must all arise out of the grave and that the just shall arise to everlasting happiness but the wicked to everlasting misery It is a saying of an Heathen man That the whole Life of a man should be nothing else but meditatio Mortis but a meditation of Death And it is the saying of Moses Deut. 32.29 O that men were wise that they understood this that they would consider their later end Beloved it is the greatest part of wisdom every day to remember our later end That man is the only wise man and happy man in Life and Death that is ever mindfull of his Death Quest But before I make an end I must answer one Question v z. Whether the death of the wicked be not in Scripture compared to a sleep as well as the death of the godly Answ I answer That in Scripture wicked men are said to fall asleep when they die 1 Kings 1â—â— 28. It is said of idolatrous Ieroboam that he slept with his fathers of Baasha and Omri those wicked Kings that they slept with their fathers But then the Question will be In what respect is the death of the wicked compared to a sleep Even as a man which is asleep sometimes hath no benefit rest nor ease thereby when the sick man awakes he is many times more sick then hee was before hee went to sleep Some men are much disquieted in their sleeps by hideous and fearful dreams Nebuchadnezzar when he was asleep had a most scaring dream and when he awoke he was amazed therewith So it is with a wicked man Death to a wicked man is a sleep but it is a terrifying sleep the soul that goes immediatly to hell where it is burned with fire that never shall be quenched and where the worm that never dies is alwayes gnawing upon it The body that indeed lies in the grave asleep but how even as a malefactour that sleeps in prison the night before he is executed but when he awakes he is hurried and dragged to execution so the wicked man fals asleep in death but when he awakes he awakes to everlasting damnation But a childe of God when he sleeps the sleep of death he sleeps in his Fathers house when he awakes he awakes to everlasting happines Vse 4 And this makes way for the fourth and last Use which is a Use of very great consequence And it is to beseech you all that you would labour so to live that when you fall asleep you may sleep an happy sleep There is the sleep that the wicked man sleeps when hee dies and there is the sleep that the godly man sleeps when he dies Now I beseech you labour so to live that when you fall asleep your sleep may be an happy sleep unto you that when you awake in the morning of the resurrection it may bee an happy awakeing unto you Quest But then the great Question will bee How shall I doe this I shall give you five helps for this Answ First If you would sleep an happy sleep at death then you must labour to sleep in lesus Christ It is said 1 Cor. 15.18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ And 1 Thes 4 14. If we beleive that Iesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him What is it to sleep in Jesus To sleep in Jesus is to die in the faith of Jesus Christ 2. To sleep in Jesus is to die with an interest in Jesus Christ to die as a member of Christ united to him as our head For you must know that the dust of a Saint is part of that man who is a member of Jesus Christ and every believer when he sleeps in the dust he sleeps in Jesus Christ that is he lies in the grave and his dust is part of Christ mystical and Christ as an head will raise it up and cannot bee compleat without it Now then if ever you would sleep an happy sleep labour to get a real interest in Christ labour to live in Christ while you live And then when you fall asleep you shall be sure to sleep in Jesus There are many would have Christ to receive their souls at