 |
Saint Stephen was a holy man |
Saint Stephen was a holy man
Endued with heavenly might,
And many wonders he did work
All in the people's sight;
And by the holy Spirit of God,
Which did his heart inflame,
He spared not, in every place,
To preach God's holy name.
O man, do never faint nor fear,
When God the truth shall try;
But mark how Stephen, for Christ's sake,
Was willing for to die.
Before the elders he was brought,
His answers for to make,
But they could not the spirit withstand
Whereby this man did speak.
While this was told, the multitude
Beholding him aright,
His comely face began to shine
Most like an angel bright.
O man, do never faint nor fear,
When God the truth shall try;
But mark how Stephen, for Christ's sake,
Was willing for to die.
Then Stephen did put forth his voice,
And he did first unfold
The wond'rous works which God had wrought
Even for their fathers old;
That they thereby might plainly know
Christ Jesus should here be
That from the burden of the law
Should quit us frank and free.
O man, do never faint nor fear,
When God the truth shall try;
But mark how Stephen, for Christ's sake,
Was willing for to die.
But, oh! quoth he, you wicked men,
Which of your fathers all
Did not the prophets persecute,
And keep in woeful thrall?
But when they heard him so to say,
Upon him they all ran,
And there without the city gates
They stoned this holy man.
O man, do never faint nor fear,
When God the truth shall try;
But mark how Stephen, for Christ's sake,
Was willing for to die.
There he most meekly on his knees
To God did pray at large
Desiring that He should not lay
This sin unto their charge;
Then yielding up his soul to God,
Who had it dearly bought,
He lost his life, and his body then
To the grave was seemly brought.
O man, do never faint nor fear,
When God the truth shall try;
But mark how Stephen, for Christ's sake,
Was willing for to die.
Singers and musicians: Magpie Lane