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
living Mole can do more than a dead Alexander for he can stir the ground when the other cannot but the Soul must live for ever we had need lay up in store for that we had need have whole treasures in readiness for that laid up in the highest Heavens But a little to enlarge this use by answering two or three questions because it seems to be the main and chiefest scope of the whole prayers 1. What the Body is in comparison of the Soul 2. What the Soul is positively in it self 3. Wherein we should discover greater care both in life and death for the Soul than the Body 1. What the Body is in comparison of the Soul Let me briefly open this by a few emblems 1. the Body it is but the shell of the Soul it is but as the husk to the Corn as the skin to the Apple as the nutshell to the kernel the husk is neglected the skin or paring of the Apple thrown away and the nutshel cast into the fire that we may enjoy the Corn the Apple the Kernel so should the Body be despised in competition with the Soul Dr. Prest A late reverend Divine tels us that the Body is but the Souls shell and as the shell breaks and becoms altogether uselesse when the Chicken is hatched and coms to maturity so must our Bodies when the Soul hath done its work on Earth and is ripened for Heaven so the Egg is not meat for the Eater till the shell be crackt nor the Soul fit for Christ till the Body be broken to pieces by death 2. The Body it is but the sheath or Scabberd of the Soul what is the sheath in comparison of the knife or the scabberd in comparison of the sword so worthless and useless is the Body in comparison of the Soul 3. The Body is but the house of the Soul animi domicilium a poor contemptible cottage it is the Soul is the Tenant as Christ is the Landlord of both and indeed the Body is but a very weak slender house a poor mud wall as the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 compares it with Heaven so may I with our Heavenly part the Soul he calls the one an house the other a building the first is a place we make a shift to sleep in the other a rare Fabrick a curious structure indeed and he likewise alters the Epithites he calls the one an * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthly house nothing but clay and mud the other an * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal house which all the storms cannot beat down no nor the waves of death of it self but Caput inter nubila condit it is above the reach of any terrene or humane casualties passions may batter it but nothing can break it down 4. The body is but the vessel of the Soul take it for a floting vessel on the Water the Soul is the merchandice the Body but the Ship to vvaft it up and dovvn or take it for a standing vessel in the house the Body is but animi tecta the cask of the Soul the invvard part that is the pretious Liquor When Anaxarchus a poor Heathen vvas sadly tormented by a Tyrant he cryed out tundis vasculum Anaxarchi non anaxarchum you do but knock and break the Cask and vessel of Anaxarchus you cannot reach or hurt him as the veins in the Body are the vessels of the blood which contains the vital spirits and is the life outwardly so the whole is but the vein or vessel of the Soul which is the highest life of Man 5. The body it is but the casket or chest of the Soul the Spirit is the jewel the treasure which lies within it In a fire that takes an house no great matter if the Chest be burnt so the Writings Evidences be safe when thieves break in if they steal away the Casket but the Jewels are safe in neither the loss is not undoing so if the soul be saved though as by fire our darling preserved from sin and Satan two cruel thieves no great matter is it though the body be burut to ashes and rob'd of all its outward strength and beauty by the hand of death 6. The Body it is but the prison of the Soul the Spirit is animus in carceratus but like Jeremiah in the Dungeon while it is in the flesh the Bird in a Cage is a fit emblem of the Soul in the Body The Turks after great preservations among other of their Charities go into the market and buy Birds in Cages and so release them which they judge a charitable work when God releases the Soul of a good man from the Body we may and must look upon it as a piece of divine charity and holy love Fleshly fetters do envolve our hampered hearts saith one the Soul hath â—â—clog upon his foot our clods of clay are but clogs of clay upon our feet as the foot is the meanest part of the Body so the whole Body is but the meanest part of a man and truly comforts for the Body are but * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sandals or shooes for the Feet Soul-refreshments are as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crowns about out head Lastly The Body it is often but the tempter tormentor of the Soul it Acts Satans part the eyes and the ears are but the back-doors to let in Thieves and Murderers Hellish lustings which rob and wound the Soul the Senses by tempting to sin bring in many torments sicknesses diseases distempers to the Body and these raise up many tempests and storms and violent passions in the mind such as fears and grief and anger c. which hurt hurry the Soul up and down that it can have no rest nor ease by reason of its inward maladies and mutinies Thus is it often insteed of being a great help a sad hindrance to the Soul as Eve was to Adam who was but newly taken as a rib out off his side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as * Basil an antient expresses it the rib newly taken near his heart was shot back again by Satan as a dart into his heart so too often the Body is to the Soul Why then should we so much mind our bodies to take inordinate care for them both alive and dead since of themselves they are positively vile bodies Phil. 3.21 but in comparison of our Souls much more vile 2. Consider in the next place what the Soul is positively in it self this is a large Orchard for the Fruit of spiritual discourse but I shall only pluck down 2 or 3 Apples 1. Remember its curious composition the rare Art put forth in the making of it so choice a watch should be very warily kept and minded so noble a vine planted in us calls for much serious attendance so choice a silver lamp cals for much trimming In minimis aliquid magnum there is something of grandure and greatness in the least things much more in the greatest The
special command and warning given by the best Preacher that ever was in the world except Jesus Christ I mean by Solomon Prov. 4.23 That we should keep our hearts with all diligence because out of them are the issues of Life and it is one of the sore complaints of the Church Cant. 1.6 that she was so tyed up and tyred with keeping the Vineyards abroad that she had no leisure to keep her own Oh what ever you omit find time to look to to watch over your own Spirits the greatest Merchant in the World or highest whole-sale Shopkeeper is but an errand Pedler if he engages so deep in other businesses that he neglects this A sleepy Centinel that undoes a whole Garrison through his slothfullness yet this man doth a meritorious Act in comparison of him who ruines his own single Soul or the Sonl of any relation for want of watchfulness a short nap in security now may break thy rest and sleep in Hell to the days of Eternity 3. Let us be often qustioning our Souls about their welfare they are more to be minded than the Body As you cast up your shopbooksonce a yeer so you should examine your Souls once a day If the Body be feavorish or distempered you lay your finger upon your pulse to see how it beats but oh how silent generally is Conscience the pulse of the Soul and we are very willing to give it a writ of ease Questions which engender strife have been much started of late it were better to be exercised at home in the heart about questions which concern our own eternal peace Our Souls are then sick at Heart when we never fear nor question them about any sickness David was communing with his own heart often about its spiritual temper and by it gained this blessed encomium from the Father of Spirits that he was a man after his own heart Timidi mater non flet the Mother of a fearfull Child seldome weeps is proverbial among the Latines and truly a trembling Soul and a self-questioning creature very rarely lies down in everlasting sorrow 4. Let us still fear the worst as to the condition of our Souls Generally doubtings and fears may be compared to nettles which though they sting and trouble us proclaim a fat and good soil where they grow a naughty heart is but seldome troubled with them Fear of badness is usually a sign of some goodness As the Man is blessed that fears God alwaies and this is the beginning of wisedome Prov. 1.7 yea a very full and choise treasure Esa 33.6 so the Man is very near blessedness that fears his own state spiritually and this is an introduction to holy wisdome yea that man hath some treasure in his house and heart that is suspiciouas of his house and heart the empty traveller will sing and whistie before the Thief when the person loaded with mony is laden likewise with fear if it grow but a little dark thus is it usually with a suspicious complaining Christian Faith charges it self often with much unbelief and the perfect love casts out fear imperfect doth not because it is sensible it is imperfect Where despair ruines one presumption destroys a thousand Better to go doubting to Heaven than cheerfully and securely to Hell Highest expectation brings greatest disapointment and that poor Soul is double damned when he falls into Hell that never suspected such a fall even Stephens full assurance of Faith in his death was undoubtedly the Child of much holy fear in his life and usually those Christians dy most couragiously that have walkt most tremblingly 5. Provide for thy Soul more carefully than for thy Body True it is that without food and raiment for the flesh we cannot well be contented it were well if we could be contented with it when it is competent and convenient but with all we must remember that the Soul must be fed and clothed as well nay before the Body but alimentum sit simile nutrito the nourishment must be like the thing nourished Different kinds must have different food and different persons in the same species have a different diet the Soul may fast when the Body feasts and the Spirit be naked and hunger-starved as Dives was though the outward carkass be clothed with purple and fine Linnea and fare sumptuously every day the Soul of Dives wanted a drop of water at last though undoubtedly he solaced his natural appetite with the richest wine contiuually Christ had meat to eat which his disciples knew not of and so the Soul must have meat to eat which the Body knowes not of Our Saviour commands and commends idleness comparatively though positively in it self it be a great sin even in comparison of Soul transactions the body must live a very sedentary life as to its own affairs the meat which perisheth must not be laboured for in competition with much less opposition against the meat which endures to everlasting life John 6.27 even the food which only Christ himself can give to the Soul who is sealed by the Father for this end Every day and hour is prodigally wasted in which we do not lay up something for our Soul which is our glory in order to eternity Natura paucis cententa naturc is satisfyed with a little glutted oppressed with too much but the desires of the Soul are endless it is continually hungring and craving only Christ spiritual objects can satisfie it and yet even in them it hath not satiety though it have satisfaction thou mayest as well then quench the Leviathans thirst and the Behemoths which sucketh up the River of Jordan with a cockel shell full of water as think to feed thy Soul to contentment which Gold and Silver and delicious banquets and pleasures in the World where the appetite is infinite the aliment and food must not be finite Yet one thing will satisfie it though many things cannot even he who is the giver of all things Let but thy Soul feed continually by faith and love on him and then it will return to its rest Psal 116.7 as the sucking Infant when its belly is full 6. Keep thy Soul pure and clean thus mind it more than thy Body It is Gods advice to Jerusalem Jerem. 4.14 Wash thine heart from wickedness in this we should be most punctual exact Carefull we are most of us to keep our Bodies sweet and clean to wash our feet and face and hands to shift and change our linnen that our Bodies may be sweet carefull we are about our houses to wash sweep evety Room but in the mean time we little consider that cleanliness of the heart is the best huswifery truly God is good to Israel to them that are of a clean heart Psal 73.1 Paul enjoyns Timothy to keep himself pure to wit the whole man 1 Tim. 5.22 the Body in subordination and in order to the Soul the earthly cask and vessel in order to the holy liquor and the heavenly treasure
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
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 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
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
Body of man as it came out of the hands of the holy great and wise Artist is a choice piece David falls a wondring not from pride or vanity but spiritual thankfulness and observation of Gods works at the curious structure of his Body Psal 139.14.15 considering how exactly it was wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth he means the womb in which this rare workmanship was carryed on invisibly in a very dark shop or sellar how much more wonderfull is the Soul nihil in mnndo admirabile praeter hominem uihil in homine praeter animam saith one The spirit of God significantly express its rarity in the Creation of it it is called Imago Dei Gods own Image Gen. 1.27 and the expression is double that it might be the better minded and it is added Male and Female were thus created contrary to that fond opinion of Theophilact and that Mahumetan dream of the Turks who suppose that the Souls of Women are of a lower and baser Metal than the Souls of Men God made no difference Augustine discourses largly of this Image of God in the Soul of Man in 10. or 11. particulars which I cannot now name it is enough for me to assert and affirm that the representation and effigies of the highest glory must needs be ful of glory A sad thing then it is to change this glory into the Image of a Beast by any bestial courses pejus est comparari jumento quam esse jumentum it is worse to be compared to a Beast morally than to be a Beast naturally Let the rare composition of thy Soul after the image of God cause thee to mind and prize it above all things next to thy God 2. Consider the price and value of it both as to Christ and as it should be also to our selves 1. To Christ it cost no less than the blood of the Son of God the whole World at first was created verbo pronuntiato by bare speaking of a word here was only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Soul could not be new created but only verbo incarnato by the word made flesh here must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if I may so allude to our Logical distinction in the first God only did much in the second he did and suffered much Silver and Gold which the World so much adore are as corruptible so contemptible things and could never make a purchase this way Psal 49.8 The redemption of the Soul is too pretious and it ceaseth for ever had there been no beter or richer commodity to have bought out the morgage Davids water of Bethlehem which was the price of blood of the blood of the choicest Heroes and worthies in Israel is but a dark shadow of the Soul of Man 2. As to our selves the Soul should be of more worth to us than the sublumary World our Saviour who best knew the worth of them as he was a co-worker in the making of them and a Master builder in the repairing and re-edifying of them he himself tells us Math. 16.26 That to make an exchange for the soul by taking the whole World in the room of it is to drive a most foolish sad losing bargain he that thus sells his commodity shall certainly dy a begger as idleness saith Solomon shall cloath a man with rags so more certainly will such a kind of trading and trafficking And yet generally such is the madness of the most of men that they will exchange their Souls for a little of the World for a very remnant for the very coarse list of it to cover their nakedness they will transgress for a morsel of bread for a pair of shooes as if they look upon their Souls as upon a sorry stained commodity which they long to be rid of upon any termes 3. Consider the infinite use of it as to the Body as it is much above the Body In other things those are not alwaies the most usefull that are most precious jewels do not cloth and keep us warm though they are very rich but the Soul is very eminent for both By viewing the natural and animal Soul as to its use and reference to the Body we may by a Climax see the greater use of the more refined and spiritual part the natural Soul in us common with plants and beasts it is the salt of the Body to keep it from stinking from rottenness and corruption Lazarus dead but 4 days noisomness followed the natural Soul is the guide of the Body as the light of the Body is the eye so the light of the eye is the life and natural Soul of it besides it is the strength and beauty of the Body and what not let but the Spirit naturally depart and the strength ceases the beautifull flower is cropt and withered and looks so gastly that we cry out as Abraham of Sarah bury my dead out of my sight surely then much more is our spiritual part which is but a little lower than Angels the very salt of the Body eminently the guide of it the strength the beauty the all of it and in it next and immediately under God who is the all in all 3. I come briefly to answer the third question and so to finish this discourse What we must do to discover greater care with holy Stephen in the Text over our Souls than over our Bodies 1. Begin betimes to trade for your Souls before you begin to trade for your bodies * Aristotle The Prâ—nce of Philosophers tells us that man first lives the life of a Plant then the life of a Beast then the life of a Man the first in the Womb by nourishment and growth the second in Infancy by operation of common senses the third afterward by the exercise of reason and undestanding and this too rises up by degrees we are not fit for any considerable business till we come to be of some considerable Age. Our most considerable business is this of our Souls and therefore we should begin with it and teach our children this trade first how to lay up provision for them I read of one Bensyra a Jewish child that desired of his Parents to be instructed in the Law of Moses they replyed to him it was yet a little too soon for him but he returns them this answer that he had been at play in the Church-yard and there he saw little childrens graves as well as the graves of Elder persons and he urged this I may dy so soon and sad it will be with me if I have not the knowledge of God Oh let us therefore labour to know and to serve the God of our Fathers betimes to mind the good of our Souls early in the morning of our age seeing they are our better part 2. Let us most carefully watch over our Souls though the Lord hath appointed us peculiar watchmen for this purpose Heb. 13.17 yet this must not make us the less industrious Every one of us have a