serve to confirme us in the Faith of Christ and in dependance upon Christ with full assurance of undoubted safetie unto all those that shall so doe For if Christ be God as undoubtedly he is and he be with us as he hath promised to be for ever with all those that be his then may we well say with the Apostle If God be with us who can be against us They must overcome God himselfe that prevaile against us saith Augustine and with the Psalmist Though I walke through the vale of the shadow of death I will not feare as long as thou art with me for Where can any be either well without him or but well with him saith Bernard And upon this very ground doth our Saviour give assurance to all his that they shall never any of them miscarry maugre the might and malice of all their adversaries whatsoever My Sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them life eternall and they shall never perish nor shall any be able to pluck them out of my hand my Father that gave me them is greater then all nor is any able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Secondly in that Steven here calleth his Soule his Spirit we might hence observe the dignitie eminencie and excellencie of the Soule above the Body in that whereas the Body is but Flesh common to us with the Beasts and made of the same matter and mould that they were the Soule it is a Spirit common to us with the Angels who are also tearmed Spirits Yea by it we come as neere to the very essence of God as the creature is able to approach the Creatur Since that as God is said to be a Spirit so the Soule is likewise tearmed a Spirit as by Steven here so by Solomon and others elsewhere That which should teach us to esteeme higher of our Soules to make more account of them to have more regard to them then the most commonly have For The better part justly challengeth the greater care saith Eucherius And this should we be the more carefull of since that as we see in S. Stevens example here the Soule may subsist and doe well without the Body whereas the Body cannot subsist or doe well without the Soule As also it may justly reproove the foolish sottish and preposterous practise of those whose whole care is for Back and Belly as we say for the Body with a totall disregard and neglect of their poore forlorne Soule many even of those that professe themselves Christians so living as if they knew not that they have a Soule the most as not knowing or at least not considering what a precious piece the Soule is Thirdly in that S. Steven here freely rendreth up his soule unto Christ it may informe and minde us what the dutie of every Christian man is to wit willingly to give up his soule to Christ when he calleth for it Since that as the Heathen man well saith It is one part of well dying to be willing to dye and to render up our soules readily when they are called for away from us Yea to be readie and willing with blessed Stephen here not to give up our soules onely in an ordinarie way but to lay downe our lives as he did here for Christs cause if God shall please at any time to call us thereunto And thus in some sort as Bernard also well observeth every Christian man or woman eveâ—â— member of Christ may be yea must be a Martyr For speaking of those words of our Saviour to the two Brothers Iames and Iohn You shall drinke of the Cup that I drinke of the Cup of Martyrdome he meant How was this fulfilled saith he when as S. John never suffered death for Christ but died as the stories of him tell us a naturall death And hereunto he maketh answer that there are two sorts of Martyrs there are Martyrs in worke and Martyrs in will Martyrs in action and Martyrs in affection Martyrs in dispatch and Martyrs in disposition Martyrs in execution and Martyrs in resolution Iames was one of the former Iohn of the latter In the former respect the Apostle Paul was but once a Martyr in the latter respect he was oft yea every day a Martyr I dye saith he every day to wit in regard of disposition propensâ—tie purpose readinesse and resolution so to doe expectation of it and preparation sor it And the same doth our Saviour himselfe require of all those that be his If a man saith he will follow me he must hate his owne soule his owne life he meaneth that is be as willing to leave it and part with it if occasion be for my cause as if he were wearie of it and out of love with it or he cannot be my disciple And againe If any man will come after me he must renounce himselfe and take up his crosse every day not take it up and not dye upon it That is the manner and guise of hypocrites saith Bernard but be content and readie every day to be crucified to dye dayly for Christ as the Apostle did in will in disposition in heart and affection in readinesse and resolution at least But the maine Point that I shall pitch upon and desire to insist most upon at present is this to wit that It is the usuall practise of Gods people in times of danger or distresse and especially at point of death to commit and commend their soules unto God and unto Christ. So David in time of distresse and danger Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit So our Saviour on the Crosse at point of death using also the same words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit So blessed Steven here drawing now his last breath Lord Iesus receive my spirit So S. Peter exhorteth all good Christians to doe Let them in well-doing commit their soules unto God And so S. Paul professeth that he had done I know whom I have trusted to wit with my Soule and to whom I have committed it And it is as a point of great equitie so a point also of good policie for Gods people so to doe Reasons hereof the very places before produced afford not a few For first he is their Father It is our Saviours ground Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and Father save me from this houre And indeed whom should children in distresse and danger resort and seeke to for succour reliefe support and protection but to their Parents Or whom should Gods children commend their spirits unto in the like cases but to him that is Pater Spirituum the Father of their spirits their spirituall Father Secondly he
SAINT STEVENS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT A FVNERALL SERMON ON ACTS 7. VER 59. Preached at the Enterrement of the Remaines of M ris JOICE FEATLY Together with the Testimonie then given unto her By THO. GATAKER B. of D. and Rector of ROTHFRHITH LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicolas Bourne and are to be sold at his Shop at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange 1638. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL His very kind and much honoured Friend DANIEL FEATLY Doctor in Divinitie WORTHY SIR YOur earnest request to have a Transcript of this rude and raw Discourse sodainely conceived and sorrily cemented out of your affection to the partie whom in speciall manner it concerned could not but prevaile with me to recollect it while it was yet fresh in memorie and to commit that to writing as well as I could call it againe to mind whereof I had no more then some generall heads and briefe notes scribled in a loose paper before mine obligations to you and your interest in me of right affording you power to command from me a greater matter then that your request amounted unto And how powerfull requests are backt with such engagements it is both commonly well knowne and generally acknowledged But since your request therein satisfied I have received it backe againe from you with signification of the importunitie of divers friends who out of that respect they bare to the partie deceased while she lived and desire of the continuance of the memorie of her with them have beene no lesse earnest suiters unto you to have Copies from you of the same Which being a worke over-troublesome to make so many Transcripts your second request was that with my consent it might be made more publike To which purpose also you had remitted it to me that I might if I were content to condescend thereunto upon review of it adde or alter in it what I should thinke fit ere it came out Now howsoever it was never intended by me for the Presle nor indeed have I at present any desire or purpose to adde ought in this kind to those things that I have published alreadie nor did your former motion to me concerning it extend it selfe any further then to have it as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as I understand it a private Monument to lye by you as a memoriall of her whom not without good ground you so entirely affected nor can I yet deeme it being so indigested a Piece such as may be exposed to so publike view without some kind of censure yet to give satisfaction to your selfe whom I owe so much to and those friends of yours that seeme so much to desire it I have layd a Law upon my selfe setting all disswasives aside to give way thereunto if your mind shall continue still bent that way And upon occasion hereof I have indeed reviewed it but altred nothing at all of moment in the maine body of it that those who were present at the deliverie in the Pulpit might not reade any other then what they then heard Onely the quotations of Scripture and such shreds or parcels of exotike Language as might be some rub to an English Reader but had beene indifferent to your selfe I have removed into the Margine and set on a little more Lace there to make the Piece somewhat sutable to the rest of my Works that are in hands abroad alreadie So onely fourbished I returne it againe entire to you as by free donation your owne formerly to be disposed of by you either for your owne private use which would best like me or for the publike as your selfe shall please And thus with heartie wishes of all health and happinesse to you as well in your present condition as in the alteration of it also if any hereafter shall ensue I take leave and rest Yours ever much obliged THO. GATAKER SAINT STEVENS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT ACT. 7. VER 59. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit THIS Text may not unfitly be tearmed Saint STEVENS last Will and Testament made by him at the Stake being at point of death for the Faith of Christ whom he therein bequeatheth and commendeth his Soule unto And it is conceived in forme of an humble Petition and supplication preferred unto Christ entreating him that he would be pleased to receive and accept of that that he did therein bequeath to him and entrust him with In it observe we may these particulars 1. The Legator or the partie bequeathing blessed Steven now suffering for Christs cause 2. The Legacie his Soule my Spirit 3. The Legatee or the partie to whom it is bequeathed Christ Lord Iesus 4. A request to him for the acceptance of it receive my Spirit Lord Iesus receive my Spirit Now hence in the first place in that S. Steven here thus invocateth Christ for so the words fore-going precisely tearme it we might well against the Arians observe the Deitie of Christ. A point whereof very pregnant and plentifull proofes might be produced and pressed out of Gods Word 1. From the Titles given unto him He is called God The Word was God Elohim Thy Throne O Elohim is for ever and ever by the Apostle expounded of him Adonai The Lord said to Adonai my Lord expounded likewise of him as by himselfe so by the Apostle also Iehovah the peculiar name of the onely true God and that more then once Iehovah Tsidkenu Iehovah our Righteousnesse He is called the true God or very God the great God the mightie God God above all to be blessed for ever 2. From the Workes ascribed unto him The Worke of Creation By him all things were made the Worke of Supportation By him all things are upheld the Worke of Sanctification Ye are sanctified in the Name that is by the Power of the Lord Iesus the Worke Of Salvation Who saveth us from the wrath to come 3. From the Trust reposed in him as by Steven in this place so by other of the faithfull elsewhere exhorted and encouraged by himselfe also so to doe Ye trust in God saith he trust ye also in me And whereas they are denounced all accursed that trust in any but God they are pronounced all blessed that trust in him 4. From the Honour exhibited unto him First of Adoration and that not from the meanest onely but from the most eminent creatures not some but all of them Worship him all ye Gods that is all ye Angels of God so explained where it is also by the Apostle applyed unto him Secondly of Invocation it being in Scripture made more then once the description of a Christian one that calleth upon the Name of Christ and practised by blessed Stâ—ven as we see in this place Which as it overthroweth that pestilent Doctrine of Arius who denyed the Deitie of Christ so it may
is their Creator That is one of S. Peters grounds Let them commit their soules saith he to God the Creator It is he that gave the soule at first from him they have it And to whom then should it be returned againe but to him from whom it came The Spirit saith Salomon returneth to God that gave it Thirdly he is their Redeemer Thou hast redeemed it saith David He hath redeemed it he hath payd deere for it and hath therefore best right to it Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle and ye are not your owne Christ hath bought it with his bloud And whom is the Soule fittest to be recommended unto but to him who hath most interest in it having payd such a price for it Fourthly he is their Saviour So importeth the Name Iesus that S. Steven here useth It is his Office his undertaking to save And whom then may the Soule better for safetie betake it selfe to then to him that hath undertaken to save it The rather since that no safetie can be had for it by any other For there is no salvation by any Name but by this alone Fifthly he is able to keepe and to save whatsoever in this kind he shall be entrusted with I know saith the Apostle Paul whom I have trusted and that he is able to keepe that that I have committed unto him his Soule he meaneth which he had trusted him with It is said of our Saviour that he sought unto him that was able to save him And well and wisely doe the Saints and servants of God in commending their soules to him that is able to save yea alone able to save both themselves and their soules Sixthly he is as able so willing as powerfull so faithfull That is another of Saint Peters grounds He is a faithfull Creator Not one that createth and careth not for what he hath created saith Augustine And as a faithfull Creator so a faithfull Redeemer Thou hast redeemed it saith David O Lord God of Truth one that never failed any of those that reposed trust in him The Lord saith the Psalmist redeemeth the soules of his servants and none that trust in him shall perish Seventhly it is their onely safetie so to doe For as Bernard observeth speaking of those words The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evill spirit molested him Whom God leaveth the Devill taketh so here Whom the Lord receiveth not those Satan surprizeth to their endlesse woe to their eternall undoing Lastly it is not in vaine or without good ground that they so doe but with assured hope of good successe they have good assurance of faith that they shall speed in this their suit The Lord saith David will save me from the hand that is the power of Hell for he will receive my soule And The Lord will succour them and deliver them he will deliver them from the wicked from that wicked one especially he will save them because they put their trust in him By all which layd together it may evidently appeare that the people of God doe as well wisely and safely as justly and equally in the committing and commending of their soules unto God Now this may first serve to controule and condemne the vaine fond and inconsiderate course of those of the Romish Synagogue who in such cases of danger and distresse or when they lye a dying are wont passing by God and Christ whom the blessed Saints and servants of God as you have heard use to seeke unto to commend their soules to the creatures to the Virgin Mary to this Saint and that Saint as if they either were better able to save them then Christ or had better interest in them then he But thus they forsake the fountaine of living waters and betake themselves to broken Cisternes that cannot affoord any while they seeke for safetie to those who themselves needed a Saviour being not able to save themselves and of whom we may well say as those sometime of Saul How shall this man save us How should such persons be able to save others as had not might enough to save themselves Secondly this may give encouragement and heartiegrace to Gods people against feare of danger and distresse yea even of death it selfe since that they have a Christ a God an Almightie Saviour a most powerfull Protector whom they may commit and commend their soules unto in such case and upon such occasions Indeed the rich mans wealth is a strong tower in his conceit saith Solomon But alas this his imaginarie Fort faileth then when he hath most need of it when it should stand him most in stead For Riches availe not in the day of wrath and much lesse at the houre of death No then it utterly faileth them and their hopes fall to ground with it For howsoever the wicked and so the worldly man may nourish hopes and feed himselfe therewith while he liveth yet when he dieth his hopes perish and die together with him being founded wholly upon worldly things that then at least if not before faile But what finde we in the same place and in the very next words The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower indeed the Righteous have recourse to it and are saved and the Righteous man therefore hath hope even in death because he hath one even in death to entrust with his soule and to undertake the charge of it who is able not to save it onely from death but to save it in death to give issues even in death against death to make death no death but a remedie against death and an entrance into life Thirdly it may serve to approve and justisie that received course of Christian people in making of their Wills of bequeathing of their soules to God and to Christ it being warranted as you see both by the approved practice of the faithfull recorded in Scripture and by sundry incitements and encouragements therein given thereunto But because with many yea the most part this is done rather of forme and fashion then of faith and that many that so doe yet miscarry for all that and are never a whit the neerer for the attaining of their desire in this kind if they doe at least desire what they would seeme to doe in it the last Vse shall be for Caution unto every one of us to admonish us so to carry things while we live that we may doe so with assured hope of good successe when we die And here I instantly and earnestly for it is a matter of no small moment but as much as your soule is worth beseech every one of you for Gods sake for Christs sake for your owne soules sake seriously to consider