The works of Mr. Richard Hooker (that learned and judicious divine), in eight books of ecclesiastical polity compleated out of his own manuscripts, never before published : with an account of his life and death ...

A REMEDY AGAINST Sorrow and Fear, DELIVERED IN A FUNERAL SERMON.

JOHN 14. 27.

Let not your Hearts be troubled, nor Fear.

THE Holy Apostles having gathered themselves together by the special appointment of Christ, and being in expectation to re∣ceive from him such Instructions as they had been accustomed with, were told, that which they least looked for, namely, That the time of his departure out of the World was now come. Where∣upon they fell into consideration: first, of the manifold benefits which his absence should bereave them of; and secondly of the sundry evils which themselves should be subject unto, being once bereaved of so gracious a Master and Patron. The one consideration over-whelmed their Souls with heaviness: the other with fear. Their Lord and Saviour, whose words had cast down their hearts, raiseth them presently again with chosen sentences of sweet encouragement. My dear, it is for your own sakes I leave the World. I know the affections of your hearts are tender, but if your love were directed with that advised and staid judgment which should be in you, my speech of leaving the World, and go∣ing unto my Father, would not a little augment your joy. Desolate and comfortless I will not leave you; in Spirit I am with you to the Worlds end, whether I be present or absent, nothing shall ever take you out of these hands: my going is to take posses∣sion of that, in your names, which is not only for me, but also for you prepared; where I am, you shall be. In the mean while, my peace I give, not as the World gi∣veth, give I unto you: Let not your hearts be troubled, nor fear. The former part of which Sentence having otherwhere already been spoken of, this unacceptable occasi∣on to open the latter part thereof here, I did not look for. But so God disposeth the wayes of men. Him I heartily beseech, that the thing which he hath thus order∣ed

by his Providence, may, through his gracious goodnesse turn unto your com∣fort.

Our Nature for coveteth preservation from things hurtful. Hurtful things being present, do breed heaviness; being future, do cause fear. Our Saviour to abate the one, speaketh thus unto his Disciples: Let not your Hearts be troubled, and, to mo∣derate the other, addeth Fear not. Grief and heaviness in the presence of sensible Evils cannot but trouble the mindes of men. It may therefore seem that Christ requi∣red a thing impossible. Be not troubled. Why, how could they choose? But we must note this being natural, and therefore simply not reproveable, is in us good or bad, according to the causes for which we are grieved, or the measure of our grief. It is not my meaning to speak so largely of this affection, as to go over all particu∣lars whereby men do one way or other offend in it, but to teach it so farr onely as it may cause the very Apostles equals to swerve. Our grief and heaviness therefore is re∣proveable, sometime in respect of the cause from whence, sometime in regard of the measure whereunto it groweth.

When Christ, the life of the World, was led unto cruel death, there followed a number of People and Women, which Women bewayled much his heavy case. It was a natural compassion which caused them, where they saw undeserved miseries, there to pour forth unrestrained tears. Nor was this reproved. But in such readiness to lament where they less needed, their blindness in not discerning that for which they ought much rather to have mourned; this our Saviour a little toucheth, putting them in minde that the tears which were wasted for him, might better have been spent upon themselves. Daughters of Ierusalem, weep not for me, weep for your selves, and for your children. It is not, as the Stoicks have imagined, a thing unseemly for a Wise man to be touched with grief of minde: but to be sorrowful when we least should; and where we should lament, there to laugh, this argueth our small wisdom. Again, when the Prophet David confesseth thus of himself, I grieved to see the great prosperity of godless men, how they flourish and go untoucht, Psal. 73. Himself here∣by openeth both our common and his peculiar imperfection, whom this cause should not have made so pensive. To grieve at this, is to grieve where we should not, be∣cause this grief doth rise from Errour. We erre when we grieve at wicked mens impunity and prosperity, because their Estate being rightly discerned, they neither prosper nor go unpunished. It may seem a Paradox, it is truth, That no wicked man's estate is prosperous, fortunate, or happy. For what though they bless them∣selves, and think their happinesse great? Have not frantick Persons many times a great opinion of their own wisdome? It may be that such as they think them∣selves, others also do account them. But what others? Surely such as themselves are. Truth and Reason discerneth far•• otherwise of them. Unto whom the Jews wish all prosperity, unto them the phrase of their speech is to wish Peace. See∣ing then the name of Peace containeth in it all parts of true happiness, when the Pro∣phet saith plainly, That the Wicked have no peace, how can we think them to have any part of other than vainly imagined Felicity? What wise man did ever ac∣count Fools happy? If Wicked men were wise, they would cease to be wicked. Their Iniquity therefore proving their Folly, how can we stand in doubt of their misery? They abound in those things which all men desire. A poor happinesse to have good things in possession,* 1.1 A man to whom God hath given Riches, and Trea∣sures, and Honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his Soul of all that it desireth, but yet God giveth him not the power to eat thereof; such a felicity Solomon esteemeth but as a vanity, a thing of nothing. If such things adde nothing to mens happiness, where they are not used, surely Wicked men that use them ill, the more they have, the more wretched. Of their Prosperity therefore we see what we are to think. Touching their Impunity, the same is likewise but supposed. They are oftner plagued than we are aware of. The pangs they feel are not always written in their forehead. Though Wickedness be Sugar in their mouths, and Wantonness as Oyl to make them look with chearful Countenance, nevertheless if their Hearts were disclosed, perhaps their glittering state would not greatly be envied. The voyces that have broken out from some of them, O that God had given me a heart sensless, like the flints in the rocks of stone? which as it can taste no pleasure, so it feeleth no wo; these and the like speeches are

surely tokens of the curse which Zophar in the Book of Iob poureth upon the head of the impious man, He shall suck the gall of Asps, and the Viper's tongue shall slay him. If this seem light, because it is secret, shall we think they go unpunished, because no apparent Plague is presently seen upon them? The Judgments of God do not always follow crimes, as Thunder doth Lightning; but sometimes the space of many Ages coming between. When the Sun hath shined fair the space of six dayes upon their Tabernacle, we know not what Clouds the seventh may bring. And when their punishment doth come, let them make their account, in the greatness of their sufferings to pay the interest of that respite which hath been given them. Or if they chance to escape clearly in this World, which they seldome do; in the Day when the Heavens shall shrivel as a scrowl, and the Mountains move as frighted men out of their places, what Cave shall receive them? What Mountain or Rock shall they get by intreaty to fall upon them? What covert to hide them from that wrath, which they shall neither be able to abide or avoid? No man's mi∣sery therefore being greater than theirs whose impiety is most fortunate; much more cause there is for them to bewail their own infelicity, than for others to be trou∣bled with their prosperous and happy estate, as if the hand of the Almighty did not, or would not touch them. For these causes, and the like unto these, therefore, Be not troubled.

Now, though the cause of our heaviness be just, yet may not our affections herein be yielded unto with too much indulgency and favour. The grief of Compassion, whereby we are touched with the feeling of other mens woes, is of all other least dan∣gerous: Yet this is a le•••• unto sundry duties, by this we are apt to spare sometimes where we ought to strike. The grief which our own sufferings do bring, what temptations have not risen from it? What great advantage Satan hath taken even by the godly grief of hearty contrition for sins committed against God, the near approaching of so many afflicted Souls, whom the conscience of sinne hath brought unto the very brink of extreme despair, doth but too abundantly shew. These things, wheresoever they fall, cannot but trouble and molest the minde. Whether we be therefore moved vain∣ly with that which seemeth hurtful, and is not; or have just cause of grief, being pressed indeed with those things which are grievous, our Saviour's Lesson is, touch∣ing the one, Be not troubled; not over-troubled for the other. For, though to have no ••eeling of that which meerly concerneth us, were stupidity, never∣theless, seeing that as the Authour of our Salvation was himself Consecrated by affliction, so the way which we are to follow him by, is not strewed with rushes, but set with thorns; be it never so hard to learn, we must learn to suffer with pa∣tience, even that which seemeth almost impossible to be suffered, that in the hour when God shall call us unto our trial, and turn this honey of peace and plea∣sure wherewith we swell, into that gall and bitterness which Flesh doth shrink to taste of, nothing may cause us in the troubles of our Souls to storm, and grudge, and repine at God, but every Heart be enabled with divinely-inspired courage, to inculcate unto it self, Be not troubled; and in those last and greatest Conflicts to remember, that nothing may be so sharp and bitter to be suffered, but that still we our selves may give our selves this encouragement, Even learn also patience, O my Soul.

Naming Patience, I name that vertue which onely hath power to stay our Souls from being over-excessively troubled: A vertue, wherein, if ever any, surely that Soul had good experience, which extremity of pains, having chased out of the Tabernacle of this Flesh, Angels, I nothing doubt, have carried into the bosom of her Father Abraham. The death of the Saints of God is precious in his sight. And shall it seem unto us superfluous at such times as these are, to hear in what manner they have ended their lives? The Lord himself hath not disdained so ex∣actly to register in the Book of Life, after what sort his Servants have closed up their dayes on Earth, that he descendeth even to their very meanest actions, what meat they have longed for in their Sicknesse, what they have spoken unto their Children, Kinsfolks, and Friends, where they have willed their dead Carkas∣ses to be laid, how they have framed their Wills and Testaments: yea, the ve∣ry turning of their Faces to this side or that, the setting of their Eyes, the

degrees whereby their natural Heat hath departed from them, their Cryes, their Groans, their Pantings, Breathings, and Last-gaspings, he hath most solemnly commended unto the memory of all Generations. The care of the living both to live and dye well, must needs be somewhat encreased, when they know that their departure shall not be foulded up in silence, but the ears of many be made acquainted with it. Again, when they hear how mercifully God hath dealt with others in the hour of their last need, besides the praise which they give to God, and the joy which they have, or should have, by reason of their Fellow∣ship and Communion of Saints, is not their hope also much confirmed against the day of their own dissolution? Finally, the sound of these things doth not so passe the ears of them that are most loose and dissolute of life, but it causeth them some∣time or other to wish in their hearts, Oh, that we might dye the death of the Righte∣ous, and that our end might be like his! Howbeit, because to spend herein many words, would be to strike even as many wounds into their mindes, whom I rather wish to comfort: Therefore concerning this vertuous Gentlewoman, onely this little I speak, and that of knowledge, She lived a Dove, and dyed a Lambe. And, if a∣mongst so many Vertues, hearty Devotion towards God, towards Poverty ten∣der Compassion, Motherly Affection toward Servants; towards Friends even ser∣viceable kindness, milde behaviour, and harmless meaning towards all, if where so many Vertues were eminent, any be worthy of special mention, I wish her dear∣est Friends of that sex to be her nearest Followers in two things: Silence, saving on∣ly where duty did exact speech; and Patience, even then when extremity of pains did en∣force grief. Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. And concerning the dead which are blessed, let not the hearts of any living be over-charged, with grief over-troubled.

Touching the latter affection of Fear, which respecteth evil to come, as the other which we have spoken of doth present evils; first, in the nature thereof it is plain, that we are not of every future evil afraid. Perceive we not how they, whose ten∣dernesse shrinketh at the least rase of a Needle's Point, do kisse the Sword that peirceth their Souls quite thorow? If every Evil did cause Fear, Sinne, because it is Sinne, would be feared; whereas properly Sinne is not feared as Sinne, but onely as having some kinde of harm annexed. To teach men to avoid sinne, it had been sufficient for, the Apostle to say, Flye it. But to make them afraid of committing sinne, because the naming of Sin sufficed not, therefore he addeth fur∣ther, That it is as a Serpent which stingeth the Soul. Again, be it that some no∣cive or hurtful thing be towards us, must fear of necessity follow hereupon? Not, except that hurtful thing doe threaten us either with destruction or vexa∣tion, and that such as we, have neither a conceit of ability to resist, nor of ut∣ter impossibility to avoid. That which we know our selves able to withstand, we fear not; and that which we know are unable to deferr or diminish, or any way avoid, we cease to fear; we give our selves over to bear and sustain it. The evil therefore which is feared, must be in our perswasion unable to be resisted when it co∣meth, yet not utterly impossible for a time in whole or in part to be shunned. Nei∣ther doe we much fear such evils, except they be imminent and near at hand; nor if they be near, except we have an opinion that they be so. When we have once conceived an opinion, or apprehended an imagination of such evils prest, and ready to invade us; because they are hurtful unto our nature, we feel in our selves a kinde of abhorring; because they are thought near, yet not present, our nature seek∣eth forthwith how to shift and provide for it self; because they are evils which cannot be resisted, therefore she doth not provide to withstand, but to shun and avoid. Hence it is, that in extream fear, the Mother of Life contracting herself, avoiding as much as may be the reach of evil, and drawing the heat together with the spirits of the Body to her, leaveth the outward parts cold, pale, weak, feeble, unapt to perform the functions of Life; as we see in the fear of Baltha∣sar King of Babel. By this it appeareth, that Fear is nothing else but a perturba∣tion of the minde, through an opinion of some imminent evil, threatning the de∣struction or great annoyance of our Nature, which to shun, it doth contract and deject it self.

Now because, not in this place onely, but otherwhere often, we hear it repeated, Fear not; it is by some made a question, Whether a man may fear destruction or vexa∣tion without sinning? First, the reproof wherewith Christ checketh his Disciples more than once, O men of little Faith, wherefore are ye afraid? Secondly, the pu∣nishment threatned in Revelat. 21. viz. the Lake, and Fire, and Brimstone, not onely to Murtherers, unclean Persons, Sorcerers, Idolaters, Lyers, but also to the fearful and faint-hearted: this seemeth to argue, That Fearfulness cannot but be finne. On the contrary side we see, that he which never felt motion unto sinne, had of this affection more than a slight feeling. How clear is the evidence of the Spirit, That in the days of his Flesh be offered up Prayers and Supplications, with strong cryes and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared, Heb. 5.7. Whereupon it followeth, that Fear in it self is a thing not sinful. For, is not Fear a thing natural, and for mens preservation necessary, implanted in us by the provident and most gracious Giver of all good things, to the end, that we might not run head-long upon those mischiefs wherewith we are not able to encounter, but use the remedy of shunning those Evils which we have not ability to withstand? Let that People therefore which receive a benefit by the length of their Prince's days, the Father or Mother which rejoyceth to see the Off∣spring of their Flesh grow like green and pleasant Plants, let those Children that would have their Parents, those men that would gladly have their Friends and Bre∣threns dayes prolonged on earth (as there is no natural-hearted man but gladly would) let them bless the Father of Lights, as in other things, so even in this, that he hath given man a fearful heart, and settled naturally that affection in him, which is a preservation against so many ways of death. Fear then, in it self, being meer Nature, cannot, in it self, be Sin, which Sin is not Nature, but thereof an accessary depri∣vation.

But in the matter of Fear we may sin, and do, two wayes. If any man's danger be great, theirs is greatest that have put the fear of danger farthest from them. Is there any estate more fearful than that Babylonian Strumpet's, that sitteth upon the tops of seven Hills, glorying, and vaunting, I am a Queen, &c. Revel. 18.7. How much better and happier are they, whose estate hath been always as his who speaketh after this sort of himself, Lord, from my youth have I born thy yoke: They which sit at continual ease, and are settled in the lees of their security; look upon them, view their countenance, their speech, their gesture, their deeds, Put them in fear, O God, saith the Prophet, that so they may know themselves to be but men; Worms of earth, dust and ashes, frail, corruptible, feeble things. To shake off security therefore, and to breed fear in the hearts of mortal men, so many admonitions are used concerning the power of Evils which beset them, so many threatnings of calamities, so many descriptions of things threatned, and those so lively, to the end they may leave behind them a deep impression of such as have force to keep the heart continually waking. All which doe shew, that we are to stand in fear of nothing more than the extremity of not fearing.

When fear hath delivered us from that pit, wherein they are sunk that have put farr from them the evil day; that have made a league with death, and have said, Tush, we shall feel no harm; it standeth us upon to take heed it cast us not into that, wherein Souls destitute of all hope are plunged. For our direction, to avoid, as much as may be, both extremities, that we may know, as a Ship-master by his Card, how farr we are wide, either on the one side, or on the other; we must note, that in a Christian man there is, First, Nature: Secondly, Corruption perverting Nature: Thirdly, Grace, correcting and amending Corruption. In fear, all these have their several operations: Nature teacheth simply, to wish preservation and avoidance of things dreadful; for which cause our Saviour himself prayeth, and that often, Father, if it be possible. In which cases, corrupt Nature's suggestions are, For the safety of Temporal life, not to stick at things excluding from eternal; wherein how farr, even the best may be led, the chiefest Apostle's frailty teacheth. Were it not there∣fore for such cogitations as, on the contrary side, Grace and Faith minisheth, such as that of Iob, Though God kill me; that of Paul, Scio cui credidi, I know him on whom I do rely; small evils would soon be able to overthrow even the best of us. A

wise man, saith Solomon, doth see a plague coming, and hideth himself. It is Na∣ture which teacheth a Wise man in fear to hide himself, but Grace and Faith doth teach him where. Fools care not to hide their heads: but where shall a Wise man hide himself, when he feareth a Plague coming? Where should the frighted Childe hide his head, but in the bosom of his loving Father? where a Christian but under the shadow of the Wings of Christ his Saviour? Come my People, saith God in the Prophet, Enter into thy Chamber, hide thy self, &c. Isa. 26. But because we are in danger; like chased Birds, like Doves, that seek and cannot see the resting holes, that are right before them; therefore our Saviour giveth his Disciples these encouragements before-hand, that Fear might never so amaze them, but that always they might remember, that whatsoever Evils at any time did beset them, to him they should still repair for comfort, counsel, and succour. For their assurance whereof, his Peace he gave them, his Peace he left unto them, not such Peace as the World offereth, by whom his name is never so much pretended, as when deepest treachery is meant; but Peace which passeth all understanding, Peace that bringeth with it all happinesse, Peace that continueth for ever and ever, with them that have it.

This Peace, God the Father grant, `for his Son's sake; unto whom, with the Holy Ghost, three Persons, one Eternal, and Everliving God, be all Honour, and Glory, and Praise, now and for ever,

Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ecclus. 6. 2.