Christs Valedictions, Part 7
The ſeventh and laſt Word.
LUKE 23.43.
Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit.
ANd well might he call him Father, becauſe he had merited the name of an obedient Son, to the laſt minute of his life; and therefore moſt worthy to gain attention. But here a doubt occures, what we are to underſtand by the hands of God? are we with the Anthropomorphites to aſcribe the form and lineaments of man unto God,Theod. l. 4. c. 10. as if he had eyes and ears, and hands, and other parts and faculties like unto us? far be it, for God is a ſpiritual ſubſtance, of an inviſible and indiviſible nature, without body, parts or paſſions, of infinite power, wiſdome and goodneſs: but for the better explanation of this, and the like expreſſion in holy Writ, we muſt make uſe of that known adage of the Hebrew Doctors, Lex loquitor linguam filiorum hominum. That is, the holy Ghoſt in the Scripture deſcends to the capacity of man, ſpeaks man's language, that is, ſo, as he would be underſtood by man; and therefore preſents him in the faculties of the mind of man, and in the lineament of the body of man, not that he hath really either of them, for he is a moſt pure and a moſt ſimple entitie without any corpority, or compoſition. And ſo, the hands of God, do denote unto us, his wiſdom and power, or which fals into one meaning, his intellect knowing all things, and his will enabling all things, for with theſe two, as it were two hands, God did all things. The will of God is his power; for all things whatſoever he would, he did in heaven and earth.
My Spirit, There are divers ſignifications of this word Spirit, in Scripture, which if not rightly apprehended, may occaſion divers errours; it is ſpoken of God, or of Angels, or of men, or of inferiour creatures. Of God, it is ſpoken ſometimes Eſſentially, ſometimes Perſonally. God is a Spirit, Jo. 4.24.and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and truth. So alſo,Iſai. 31.3. So alſo, The Egyptians are men, and not Gods, and their Horſes fleſh and not ſpirit; for if they were God, they were Spirit; ſo, God altogether, and conſidered in his eſſence, is a Spirit: but when the word Spirit is ſpoken not eſſentially of all, but perſonally of one, then that word deſigneth the holy Ghoſt.Matth. 28, 19. Go and baptize all in the Name of the Father, and Son, and the Holy Ghoſt. Rom. 8….6.And the Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſs, &c. And as of God, ſo of Angels alſo it is ſpoken in two reſpects of good Angels, ſent forth to miniſter for them that ſhall be heirs of Salvation. And evil Angels,Heb. 1.14. The lying Spirit that would deceive the King by the Prophet. 1 Kin. 22.22. Hoſea 4.8.The ſpirit of whoredom, when the people asked counſel of their ſtocks: And ſpiritus virtiginis, the ſpirit of giddineſs, or perverſities which the Lord doth mingle amongſt the people in his judgment. Of man alſo, is this word Spirit ſpoken two wayes; ſometimes for the Soul, ſometime for thoſe animal ſpirits which conſerve us in ſtrength and vigour,Job 6.4. The poyſon of Gods arrows drinketh up my ſpirit; and alſo for the ſuperiour faculties of the ſoul, in a regenerate man, as there, My Soul doth magnifie the L…rd, and my ſpirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour. Luke 1.47.And then laſtly, of inferiour creatures, it is taken two wayes too, of living creatures, The God of the Spirits of all fleſh; Num. 16.22.and of creatures without life (other then a metaphorical life) as of the wind often:Ez…k. 1.21. And of Ezekiels wheeles; the ſpirit of life was in the wheeles.
Now in this place, the Spirit of Chriſt may be taken either for his ſoul, which is the ſubſtantial form of the body, or for life it ſelf; becauſe ſpiration is a ſign of life; and they that breath, live, and when the leave off to breath, they leave off to live. If by the ſpirit, we underſtand his ſoul, this caveat muſt be had; we muſt not imagine that danger impending to it, by leaving the body, as is uſual to dying men, who commend their ſouls in penſive ſupplications, becauſe they go to the Tribunal of the Great Judg, to receive glory, or puniſhment. Such a commend his ſoul needed not, becauſe it was bleſt from its creation, as well in regard of its perſonal conjunction to the Son of God, as becauſe it left the body in a glorious triumph, being a terrour to whole Legions of devils. So that in this ſenſe, the words imply no more, then that his ſoul which was formerly in the body, as in a Tabernacle, ſhould be depoſited in the hands of his father, until he be reſtored, when the time of reſtoring ſhould come; but it is more credible, that by the ſpirit, is here underſtood the corporal life, as the meaning may be this; I do now deliver the ſpirit of life, by which I do leave off to breath, and leave off to live, and this ſpirit, this life, Father I commend to thee, that thou mayſt ſhortly regive it to my body; for with thee nothing periſheth, but all things live, who by calling thoſe things which are not, giveſt them a being, and thoſe things which do not live, giveſt them a life.
And this conſtruction is moſt agreeable to the Pſalmiſt: Pull me out of the net,Pſal. 31.4. that they have laid privily for me; for thou art my ſtrength, into thy hands I commend my ſpirit. Where by ſpirit is meant life, for he humbly beſeecheth the Almighty, not to ſuffer him to periſh by the malice of his enemies, but that he would preſerve his life; the like is evidenced out of thoſe Apoſtolical words.Heb 5.7. Who, in the dayes of his fleſh, when he had offered up prayers and ſupplications, with ſtrong crying and tears, unto him that was able to ſave him from death, and was heard in that he feared. Theſe words cannot be referred to his prayer in the garden, as ſome interpret, for theſe,Mark 14. the Lord prayed not with a loud voice, neither was he, nor would he be heard, that he might be ſafe from death, but to ſhew that he had a natural deſire not to die, thereby demonſtrating himſelf to be a true man, whoſe nature abhors death; but they rather ſignifie that he deſired not to be ſwallowed up by death, and that he might only taſte of it, and ſo return to life. And in that he was heard; for he was not long detained in the black vaults of the grave, but had a ſpeedy and a glorious reſurrection; So, that here the Lord was not troubled for his ſoul, for he knew that to be ſafe, as being beatified from its creation, by a viſion of God face to face, but he was ſolicit ous concerning his body, which ſeemed by the ſting of death, to be diſappointed of life, and therefore prayes that it might not long remain under its tyranny, and in that his requeſt was fully obtained.
Here then we may ſatisfy thoſe Hereticks (ſuch as the Cerdonites, the Euticheans, & the Manicheans were) which brought Chriſt upon the ſtage to play a part, and ſay he was born, and lived, and dyed in Phantaſmate, in apparence only, and repreſentation, and not really. For if he dyed not, where is the contract between him and his father, that Chriſt ought to ſuffer all this, and ſo enter into his Glory? is that contract void, and of none effect? where is the ratification of that contract in all the Prophets? wherefore doth Eſay ſay,Eſay. 5 3.4 9 Surely he hath born our ſorrows, and he made his grave with the wicked in his death: where is the conſummation, and the teſtification of all this? doth not the Goſpel here ſay, And he bowed his head, and gave up the Ghoſt, immediately after this his laſt prayer? is that fabulous? God forbid; in vain had we all been created, if we had not a regeneration in his true death. Chriſt truly dyed ſo as was contracted, ſo as was prophecied, ſo as was related. But this I may boldly affirm, that he did not die ſo, as other natural men dye; for there is this diſtinction between them. Chriſt dyed becauſe he would dye; other men admitted to the dignity of Martyrdome are willing to dye, but they dye by the torment of the executioners, they cannot bid their ſouls go out, and ſay I will dye, as he did: I lay down my life for my ſheep, …. 10.15, 17, 18.ſayes he: No man taketh it from me, I lay it down of my ſelf: And De facto, he did lay it down, he diddye, before thetorments could have extorted it from him: Many crucified men lived many dayes upon the Croſs: the theeves were alive, long after Chriſt was dead; and therefore Pilate wondered that he was already dead: his ſoul did not leave his body by force,Mar. 15 44. but becauſe he would, when and how he pleaſed. Beſides Chriſt was not ſubject to the law of death, which appertained only to them, who were derived from Adam, by carnal and ſinful generation, he being miraculouſly conceived of a virgin, by the overſhadowing of the holy Ghoſt, and being he was not involved in a general rebellion, and ſo had not incurred Gods diſpleaſure, it follows, that he was not involved in the general penalty, and ſo needed not to have dyed by the rigour of any law, as we muſt. And then when out of his own pleaſure; and to advance our ſalvation, he would dye, yet he dyed ſo, as that though there were a diſunion of body and ſoul (which is truly death) yet there remained a nobler and faſter Union, the Hypoſtatical Union of the Godhead, to his body and ſoul: to this I add death hath that dominion over men, that they have no power to raiſe themſelves from it; Chriſt had, for even in ſpight of death he retained in Almighty power, and delivered his body and ſoul by a Victorious and Triumphant Reſurrection. So then, as it is true, Chriſt Jeſus dyed, elſe none of us could live; ſo he dyed not as others dye: not by the neceſſity of any law, not by the violence of any executioner, nor by the ſeperation of his beſt ſoul, (if I may ſo call it) the Godhead, nor by ſuch a ſeparation of his natural and humane ſoul, as that he would not, or could not, nor did not reſume it again From what hath been premiſed, thou maiſt learn, O man, Firſt, How that Chriſt ſhewed his Power, his Wiſdom, and his Charity even then, when he ſeemed to be infirm and void of all conſolation. They who naturally dye, do by degrees looſe their voice and ſtrength, but he in the laſt paſſage of his diſſolution, uſed a louder acclamation then formerly. And not only that, but as arguments of his further power, he cauſed the baſis of the univerſe to tremble, the ſtones to be cleft, the Sepulchres to be opened, and the vail of the Temple to be diſjoynted. All which want not their ſeveral myſteries; as the earthquake and the Sciſion of the Rocks, ſignifieth that by the paſſion and death of Chriſt, men ſhould be moved to repentance, and the obdurate hearts of the obſtinate ſhould be cut in pieces, as it appeared by thoſe who went from this ſad ſpectacle,Luk. 23. ſtriking their breaſts; the apertion of the ſepulchres, denote the glorious reſurrection of the dead bodies, which were to be raiſed by vertue of his: The renting of the vail of the Temple, whereby the Sanctum Sanctorum did appear, did imply, that for the merits of Chriſts death, the Caeleſtial ſanctuary ſhould be opened, and that the holy ſhould be admitted to enjoy the beatifical viſion.
Neither did he ſhew his wiſdome only, in theſe ſhadowy Myſteries, but alſo in that he produced life out of death, which was typified by Moſes, when he made the water flow from the flinty rock: And Chriſt for the ſame cauſe compared himſelf to a grain of wheat,Numb. 20.8, 9. that dying fructifieth abundantly,Jo. 12.24. for, as from the corruption of that grain ſprouts a living ſtalk and eare, ſo from his death on the Croſs iſſued a life of grace to many nations; as the firſt man being gull'd with the ſweet apple, infected his whole poſterity with death, ſo the ſecond man ſwallowing the moſt bitter apple of death, brought all, who were in him reborn, to eternal life. And what ſhall we ſay of his charity, which was divers wayes wonderfully demonſtrated at the inſtant of his death: His life, which was the moſt precious of all lives, the life of a King, the moſt powerful of all, the life of the wiſeſt, and beſt of all, the life of Godman, he voluntarily laid down for his enemies, for the wicked, for the unthankful. From the flames of hell he frees them, that he might make them his brethren, and Co-heirs, and empale them within the bleſſed territories of heaven. Is there any then ſo tranſported with cruelty to himſelf, and ſo inſenſible of his own good, as not to enboſome Chriſt with a thankful love? Is there any ſo negligent of his own eternity, as not to embrace him with a ſweet recordation of his mercies? Lord melt our ſtony hearts, that they may take the impreſſions of ſuch divine and unſpeakable favours.
2. Here offers it ſelf alſo to our conſideration the great obedience of our Saviour to his heavenly father, in this recommendation of his ſpirit, to his paternal protection, whereby is verified, what the Apoſtle ſayes,Phil. 2.8. That he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs. It was ſo admirable, that it had its imitation from his very conception, and without intermiſſion (like an indiviſible line) laſted to his very death. Neither was it determinated to one kind of work, but extended to all thoſe things, which it pleaſed his Father to command; to this do thoſe expreſſion of his tend,Jo. 4.34. Jo. 6. It is my meate to do his will that ſent me, and to finiſh his work. I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but his that ſent me. And becauſe (Quia per victimas aliena Caro, per obedientiam propria voluntas muctatur. Gregor. mor. l. 35. c. 11.) Obedience is the beſt of ſacrifices, therefore as many works as he did, during his peregrination on earth, ſo many moſt pleaſing ſacrifices he offered to God Almighty. Hence ſuch varieties of them; that ſometimes we find him faſting in the deſart, and lodging with wild beaſts; ſometimes in the frequency of men, eating and drinking; ſometimes at home obſcure, and ſilent, and that not for few years; ſometimes glorious, as well in wiſdome. as eloquence; and unclapſing his power of doing miracles; ſometimes with great indignation, throwing the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple: ſometimes (as it were) weak, declining from the company of the multitude; all which did require the noble qualities of an excellent ſoul, which ſhewed him no way ſubject to the ſwayes of any paſſionate will of his own. And as he practiſed, ſo he taught the rule of perfect Obedience. He that will follow me, Mat. 16.24.let him deny himſelf. Man muſt renounce his own, before he can ſubmit to the will of Chriſt. The Celeſtial orbs do not reſiſt the Angels that move them, whether they be driven to the Eaſt, or to the Weſt, becauſe they have no proper propenſitie, either to one part of the heavens, or to the other, and the Angels themſelves are at Gods beck, to obſerve all his mandates, becauſe there is no repugnancy between their wils and his but ſeem to be ſo happily conſolidated to him, as if they and he were but one ſpirit. And certainly if we will become Chriſts true diſciples, we muſt disband our own deſires, and natural affections, and wholly reſign our ſelves to his diſpoſe, and ſo become one with him.
3. And laſtly, We may make this benefit of this laſt prayer of the Lord, to uſe it, as a holy Ejaculation upon all emergencies, more eſpecially at the hour of death; for if the ſoul, then leaving the body, fals into the clutches of the Devil,Ab inferis nulla redemptio. there is no poſſibility of its redemption (for as the felicity of the Saints, ſo the torments of the damned are eternal) but if it happily comes into the paternal hands of God, the potency of enemies is not to be feared; but it will be re-united to the body, and (both of them) ſhall in the end enjoy a bleſſed and a glorious reſurrection; And herein lyes an ocean of comfort to all believers, for as Chriſt the head did riſe, ſo ſhall every member of his myſtical body be raiſed from corruption to incorruption,1 Cor. 15. 42, 43. from diſhonour to glory. It is ſtoried of an Indian King, that when he had been Catechiſed ſo far in the articles of our Chriſtian Religion, as to come to the ſuffered, and crucified, and dead, and buried, impatient of proceeding any father, asked only, is your God dead, and buried? then let me return to the worſhip of the Sun, for I am ſure, that will not die, whereas if he had but the patience to learn the following Article, he might hear of his Triumphant Aſcenſion into heaven, and ſitting there in Majeſty and power on Gods right hand, all the conſolation of a Chriſtian conſiſts in this principally, that after a troubleſome warfare here, he ſhall be carried to Abrahams boſome, the Celeſtial Paradiſe, to the durable Jeruſalem to his Maſters joy, to an inheritance immortal, undefiled, reſerved in the heavens, to a reſt from his labours, and to behold the glory of God. O how it behoves each man then, to ſecure his intereſt in thoſe felicities, and daily and hourly commend his ſoul to that God that made it. We are all careful enough when death approaches, to put our houſes in order, and diſpoſe of our temporals, but few take a thought for that which is ſpiritual. We had rather with King Aſa ſeek to the Phyſitian, then to the Lord,2 Chr. 16. when ſeized with ſickneſs; or with the Phariſees tithe mint and cummin, and leave the weighty Matters of the Law undone; but ſo we do but preſent God with maim, not perfect, with dead, not living ſacrifices: Nothing can enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but what is pure and immaculate, and therefore our chiefeſt care ſhould be, if we deſire to have admiſſion there, to prepare our ſouls by true faith, and timely repentance, without which our prayers and tears will nothing avail; for without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee the face of God. He made our ſouls ſpirits, let us not then make them carnal, by feeding on corrupt luſt: He made them immortal, let us not murder them with our ſins, and deprive them of eternal life. He made them noble and after his own image, let us not make them brutiſh and earthly, by doting on the pleaſures, and vanities of this tranſitory world. For what ſhal it profit a man to gain the whole world and loſe his own ſoul? or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul?
TO thee therefore, O thou Father of our Spirits, do we make our humble addreſſes, that thou wouldſt be pleaſed to be a Protector of our ſouls and bodies, both here and to all eternity.
Thou art our Rock, and our Fortreſſe, therefore for thy Names ſake defend and guide us.
We have no confidence in ſaints or Angels, for thou haſt charged the beſt of them with folly, but in the multitude of thy mercies, for thou alone haſt redeemed us, O Lord God of truth.
Thou that didſt ſhew thy power in weakneſs, and ſhake the foundations of the earth, when ſuffering on thy Croſs, make us to tremble through the horror of our ſins, and to fear thy judgments for them, which we juſtly merit.
As thou didſt then cleave the Rocks, and rend the vail of thy ſanctuary, ſo melt our ſtony hearts with the beams of thy grace, that they may receive the impreſſions of thy favors, and that we may enter into the Holy of Holies above, which thou haſt prepared for thy choſen.
The height of our love is but to lay down our lives for our deareſt relations, but thou didſt depoſe thy precious life for thy enemies that rebelled againſt thee.
Lord who by thy active and paſſive obedience, wouldſt leave nothing undone or unſuffered for our ſalvation, O teach us to obey thy word, to embrace thy metions & to practiſe what thou commandeſt
Let our wills be wholly reſolved into thine, and make us conformable to thee; as thy ſaints and angels in heaven are.
We confeſs, Lord, that the wages of ſin is deaeth, and that we juſtly deſerve to be reduced to our firſt nothing, but O let not death, which is the work of the divel, have dominion over thy creatures, who are the work of thine own hands.
Before we receive a ſummens to our end, we pray thee furniſh us with all requiſite graces, that we may be clothed with the wedding garment of holineſſe and righteouſneſs, to meet thee the ſweet Bridegroom of our ſouls.
Let us not commend unto thee foul & ſinful ſpouſes, but clean and ſorrowful ſpirits; for thou deſpiſeſt not, Lord, humble and contrite hearts.
At the hour of death, Lord, ſpeak comfortably to our ſouls, and ſeal in our hearts by thy holy Spirit, the pardon of all our ſins.
Aſſiſt us with thy preſence againſt all the aſſaults of our ſpiritual adverſaries for if thou wilt be with us, we ſhall neither fear nor feel any evil, though we walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death.
And grant, that though our ſouls and bodies be ſeparated by death for a ſhort ſpace, they may be re-united at thy great day, and by vertue of thy Reſurrection, be raiſed to live in thy ever bleſſed eternity.
Grant this for his ſake who lived and dyed, and roſe again for our ſalvation, Jeſus Chriſt. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Jenkin Lloyd, Christs Valedictions (1658)