Page  [unnumbered]Page  191

THE Princes Fall and Funeral; In a Sermon, on

2 SAMUEL 3.38,39.

And the King said unto his Servants, know yee not, that there is a Prince, and a great Man faln this day in Israel?

WHen Harraldus King of Denmark made war up∣on Harquinus, and both Armies were prepared to ingage; a dart was seen flying in the Air, hove∣ring this way, and that way; as though it were seeking and singling out a man upon whom to fall, whilst both parties stood gazing on it, admiring at it, and wondring what should bee the cause, and what would be the product of this strange prodigy, every man dis-spirited, and fear∣ing hee should bee the man; at last it fell upon Harquinus his head, and slew him.

Right Worshipful, and thrice wor∣thy Gentlemen; Honoured and beloved Page  192 Brethren; The fatal, dismal dart of Death hath long been flying over our heads, and hovering over our houses; but now it is fallen, and wee who survive do see on whom; on an eminent and noble Gentleman, whose Funeral wee are met to solemnize, and celebrate this evening: Well may I sigh and say, as David did of Abner: Know yee not, that there is a Prince, and a great man fallen this day in our English Israel? And I am this day weak.

It is an excellent passage of holy Au∣gustin: Funeral discourses, and panegy∣rical Orations are (magis vivorum sola∣tia, quam mortuorum subsidia) rather for the profit and instruction of the living, than for the praise and commendation of the dead:* These solemnities are not done, ad juvandas animas, as the Cardi∣nal would have it; nor are they mortuo∣rum adjutoria, as Lombard asserted: These expressions are but civil indexes of unfained sorrows.

*They who are taken out of this valley of Baca, and carried up by troops of glo∣rious Angels into the highest Heaven, stand in no need of the praise of men, having the fruition of the eternal God; as Chrisostome speaks in that learned o∣ration compil'd upon the death of Phy∣logonius; but wee who remain on earth, have need to hear of their holy lives, and happy deaths, with some seasonable ex∣hortations Page  193 to excite and quicken us to an imitation of them: For this purpose I have chosen this portion of Scripture left upon record for all our instruction, it is without dispute very seasonable; the Lord make it, and my distracted medi∣tations on it, as searching and pro∣fitable.

For the logical resolution of the Text, wee shall answer five Queries.

• 1 Who was that Prince and great man, who fell that day in Israel?
• 2 By whom, and how did that Prince and great man fall that day in Israel?
• 3 Whereabouts fell that Prince and great man that day in Israel?
• 4 What was the cause, and what might the occasion be of that Prince, and great mans fall that day in Israel?
• 5 What was the sequel, the conse∣quent of that Prince and great mans fall in Israel?

First, Who was that Prince and great man, who fell that day in Israel?

It was Abner, the Son of Ner: Cousin germane to King Saul; a man of great quality; not a meer stranger to the blood Royal: A man of great Authority, Princeps vir in Israel, ipse flos rei militaris, as P. Martyr notes upon the Text; a principal man, the very quintessence and cream of the Militia: a Peer and Page  194 Pillar of the Land; Captain of the guard, a kinde of Generalissimo to three Princes, viz. Saul, Ishbosheth, and David, not to wander far, or squander away time; the Text tells you, hee was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sar, a Prince; hence is the word in common use with us, Sir, and hee was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mag∣nus, a great man, a man of great repu∣tation, and estimation, of a noble, reso∣lute, heroick spirit, for prowesse, policy, valour, and magnanimity, not second to any: Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? saith King David to him, 1 Sam. 26.15. This is that Prince and great man who fell that day in Israel.

Secondly, By whom, and how did this Prince and great man fall in Israel?

I answer.

Not as Lepidus and Ausidius, who stumbled at the very threshold of the Se∣nate, and dyed; the blow came in a cloud from Heaven: Not by accessive joy, as Sophocles did; nor by immoderate grief, as Homer, and the Scripture tells us, old Eli did, whose heart was burst, before his neck was broak; hee sate upon a seat by the way side, not like an Athenian, of whom Demosthenes thus writes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. But solicitous a∣bout the Ark of God, inquiring what Page  195 became of it; and upon the sad report, hee was a dead man: Nor yet as Julian, by an invisible stroke from Heaven, nor fell this Prince, as Nero did; but as Agag by the hand of Samuel; and as Asahel by the hand of Abner; so fell Abner by the hand of Joab, vers. 27. Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him; Be∣shel•, quietly, peaceably, or craftily; Ab∣ner little suspected his death so nigh at hand; it is probable hee thought that Joab had Arcana imperii, some secrets of state to impart and communicate unto him, which none but themselves, men of high command and trust might take cog∣nizance of; there most basely and co∣wardly hee stabs him: I confess in the 30. verse it is said, Joab and Abishai his Brother slew Abner: but Abulensis and Sanctius on it say, illi non procul a∣derat Abishai, ut si res exigeret, illi subsi∣dio esset.

Antigonus, a King, was wont to pray to God, that he would protect him from his friends, when one of his counsel asked him, why hee prayed so, hee re∣turned this answer,* every man will shun or defend himself against his professed enemies, but from our professed, or pre∣tended friends, of whom few are faithful; none can safeguard himself, but hath need of protection from Heaven: preg∣nant and pertinent is that of Basil, in one of his Epistles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Page  196 &c. Fools will take heed of their Foes, but wise men will take heed of their friends: For as Theognis said truly,

Thirdly, Whereabouts fell this Prince and great man? I answer, Both as to the place of the City, and part of his bo∣dy, from the 27th. verse; It was in the gate, the place of Judicature, of publick concourse, and solemn meetings: It is probable this bloody, barbarous wretch, thought hee should not bee suspected to bee the man, a man of so much impu∣dence, and imprudence, there to mur∣ther so great a man; well might the King and Courtiers conjecture it was some other man: The wound was given under the fifth rib; the short ribs are in number five, under the lowest, a lit∣tle beneath the Armour is Abner woun∣ded; it is a ridiculous conceit of some Jews which Tostatus speaks of:* As Ab∣ner before had smitten Asahel, a man of a noble heart; and nimble foot: So Joah smites him, out of which wound it is said, his guts came, as Julians did.

Fourthly, What was the cause, or Page  197 what might bee the occasion of this Prince or great mans Fall in Israel?

It was Jobs suspition (may it admit so faire a construction) that Abner would prove an Ambodexter: Abner had re∣volted from Ishbosheth, because hee had questioned him for the familiar usage of one of Sauls Concubines; wee may not conceal the truth: Abner was deeply guilty (if of no more) of a treacherous in∣constancy. If Ishbosheth had no true title to the Crown, Abner sinned in maintaining it; if hee had, Abner sinned in forsaking it: Tostatus saith, that hee knew the Kingdome did not de jure be∣long to Ishbosheth, but to David: Sup∣pose his former undertaking was evil, yet to desert him, eo modo, & hoc ex in∣justo furore (as Tostatus) to withdraw his professed allegiance upon a private re∣venge, was to take a lewd leave of an e∣vil action: In a word, Joab thinks it is no trusting a Turn-coat: Or it was pre∣tended revenge for the blood of his Bro∣ther Asahel, verse 27. Joab was Ish dam∣mim, a man of bloods: Tostatus disputes the question, whether Joab sinned in slaying Abner?* hee concludes positive∣ly; Hee killed the man without a just cause; hee killed the man without a just call; hee had no authority to do it, non erat Judex ad infligendum illi mortem, hee slew him, modo in honesto, and hee broke the peace granted him by the King: Page  198 The pride of Joabs heart put him upon this horrid and hellish fact:* Hee was afraid least Abner by this important ser∣vice, should grow too great in the Kings favour: It was cursed pride that put Zimri on to murther Elah his Lord and Ma∣ster: It was pride that made Athaliah to destroy all the seed Royal of the house of Judah: It was pride that put Herod on to seek the blood of Jesus; and it was pride in which Joab dipt his dagger wherewith Abner is slain: Nebuchad∣nezzars pride ushered in the destruction of the Assyrian Monarchy: Cyrus his pride made way for the overthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy: Alexanders pride was the cause of the Annihilation of the Persian Monarchy: The Roman Com∣manders by their pride, occasioned the subversion of the Grecian Monarchy, as it is by some observed: It was pride that put the Pharisees on to persecute Christ, and it was pride in Joab that cur∣taild Abners daies: Joab would have none so deep in the Kings books as him∣self; no corrivall with him in honours and preferments: Joab suspected his reputa∣tion would bee blasted, his fame eclipsed, his service lesse regarded: If Abners de∣sign bee now accomplished: This Mag∣num Nihil, of Honour, hee is so tender and jealous of, that hee is resolved, Abner shall die. Page  199

Fifthly, What was the fruit, or the sequel of this Prince, and Great mans Fall? I shall hint briefly.

1 Davids vindication of his own inno∣cency, vers. 28. I and my Kingdome are guiltless before the Lord, q. d. I am not to bee accused of, nor charged with this bloody fact: It is lawful for the most humble man, to vindicate, and plead his own innocency, when hee sees others may suspect him: It is lawful for a man to do himself open right, when others do him open wrong: David might say as once Augustin did, Mihi sufficit consci∣entia mea bona, vobis vero necessaria est fa∣ma mea: Sometimes the subjects go mad, and Kings are sent to Bedlam: Though that bee mostly true, Delirant reges, &c. David will have the fault laid at Joabs door; and therefore Apologizeth for himself, as well hee might.

2 Davids fearful Imprecation, verse 28. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a Leper, &c. All sore and heavy Judgements, the Issue makes the body to pine away, the Leprosy makes the body loathsome, both make it unclean, so that it must not come into the Congregation, the Gout, or Palsey make a living man, as if hee were dead: To Fall by the sword of an Page  200 enemy, a sad Judgement, 2 Sam. 24. and so to bee starved to death for want of bread: Tostatus disputes the question; An peccavit David maledicendo Joab, hee answers negatively, and saith, licet male∣dicere, quando ille qui maledicit est Judex, & imponit maledictionem in partem paenae: The Rabbines are too rash, who say, that David was too much carried on with vio∣lent passions in this direful, dreadful im∣precation upon Joab, and all his Fathers house; and therefore say, all these evils fell upon some of his own posterity and race: Rehoboam had an issue, Uzziah was a Leper, Asa was pained in his feet, Josiah fell by the sword &c. It is granted, cursing men are commonly cursed men; but David was not here moved by humane passion, but by a Prophetick spirit.

3 The Declaration of Joabs cowar∣dice, and Abners valour: Died Abner as a fool died? hee died not as a fool, nor as a felon, nor as a fugitive: No, hee was suddenly and treacherously surpri∣zed: Had Joab and Abner tryed it out in open field and fight, Abner no doubt had given evident discoveries of his dex∣terity and activity: of the couragious∣nesse of his heart, and noblenesse of his spirit.

4 Abners honourable Interment, or Incineration, vers. 32. They buried Ab∣ner in Hebron, loco revera honorifico, saith Page  201 P. Martyr. R. Solomon thinks Adam and Eve: Abraham and Sarah,* Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Lea, were buried there: Adricomius, Pererius, Borcardus, and others write much of it: It was the principal royal City belonging to Judah; hereabouts was that great entertainment made, the covert of a Tree was the di∣ning room, the ground the Table, Abra∣ham the Caterer, Sarah the Cook, Veal and welcome the cheer; Angels in the shape of men, Christ in the notion of an Angel, the guests.*

A comely burial is an office of huma∣nity, a duty of charity, a great blessing; it is so promised and prized in sacred writ; the want thereof, as a curse, is threatned, Jer. 22.19.

Tully calls Clodius his body, infoelix ca∣daver, because it was cast out unburied; Abners was not so: Never man was killed more cowardly, and interred more honourably.

5 King Davids, and all Israels bitter lamentation, vers. 31. They lift up their voices and wept: The sweet singer in Is∣rael, is now chief mourner in Israel; To honour Prince Abner, forgetting his royal soveraignty, and Kingly dig∣nity; David himself doth follow the Beere; it is disputed by Interpreters, whether Davids tears were real, or hy∣pocritical, faigned and forced:* I referre them to the learned Martyr, who would Page  202 know more of this, for satisfaction.

6 King Davids commendation of this deceased Prince: Abner in my Text, in which something is spoken to the li∣ving: Know yee not, &c. Something is spoken of the Dead: There is a Prince and a Great man fallen.

7 Davids ingenuous confession: I am this day weak, though anointed King: Of which, now something more by way of explication; no more by way of inquiry.

*To the living, King David directs his speech:

Know yee not,] i.e. as Carthu∣sian rightly; Ignorare non debetis, &c. you who are Chieftains in Israel cannot, ought not to bee such strangers in Israel; our breach is great, like the Sea, who can heal it?

Know yee not? It highly concerns you to know it, to bee much affected with it, and afflicted for it, and with tears of blood to deplore it; Verba sensus conno∣tant affectus.

There is a Prince] The Scripture which speaks no Treason, gives this title to many.

There is the eternal Prince, our Lord Jesus Christ, Isa. 9.6. The Father of e∣ternity; the Prince of Peace: Some of the Rabbines understand that of Hezekiah, wee must of Christ, hee is our peace.

*There is the infernal Prince; Satan so stiled once and again in holy writ: Prin∣ces Page  203 have their Territories, so Satan hath his; they have their subjects, and hee his; Their Thrones, and hee his: they have their homage, and peculiar honour done unto them, Satan hath his, Rev. 13.4. hee is indeed a Prince, but a Captive Prince, under pains and chains of dark∣nesse; hee can neither do what he would, nor shall hee ever do what hee can: po∣testas est, sed sub potestate, as the Father speaks: There is some order even a∣mongst the Devils, the damned spirits in Hell.

There are spiritual Princes, every childe of God is such a Prince: In some Nations all the Kings children are called Princes; the first born only in others, in the Kingdome of grace and glory, eve∣ry Subject is a Soveraign: Every one re∣sembles the child of a King, as Zeba and Zalmunna said to Gideon of his Brethren: consider their original, they are born of the blood royal; his Sons, who is King of Kings.

Or their possessions; All is theirs, Dan. 7.27. Rev. 21.7. all under Hea∣ven, and in Heaven's theirs, fidelibus to∣tus mundus est divitiarum,* as Augustin speaks:

They have the power of Princes; Are guarded as Princes, are adorned as Prin∣ces, entertained as Princes, they feed on Christ cloathed as Princes, with a Stole of Immortality, and garments of praise.

Page  204There are saecular Princes, such are the first masculine branches, which spring from the stem of Majesty: Abner was none such: How then could hee pro∣merit this honourable title of a Prince?

I answer, Persons in great authority, and of great quality: The worthy, the wealthy ones of a Nation in sacred story are stiled Kings and Princes:* It is said of Tyrus, her Merchants were Princes, and her Traffickers the honourable men of the earth.

Thus Abner was a Prince; a Prince and a Great man: A Great man pru∣dentia, strenuitate, ac virtutibus, ad bellatorem spectantibus, saith Carthusian, in four respects, hee deserved the stile of Great man: In respect of his great al∣lyance, In respect of his great influence, In respect of his great attendance, and in respect of his high promotion and of∣fice: We have read and heard of Alex∣ander the Great, and Pompey the Great, and Charles the Great, and of Herod the Great, and here of Abner the Great: Know yee not that there is a Prince, and a Great man fallen. Fallen? i.e. dead: I shall not stand now to discourse of Death: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* as Plotinus speaks; To dye, is for the soul to put off the body, as doth the body put off its cloaths; Da∣vid the Oratour at Abners Funeral calls it a Fall, which came by a fall: Page  205 Fallen this day] Not without an Empha∣sis, it deserves an hand in the Margent.

This day: The design hee had now on foot, the project upon the Anvile was the reduction of all Israel to David, to yeeld subjection to his royal Scepter: a∣bout this work hee was the man imploy∣ed; but in ipso limine impingere, is matter of saddest lamentation: a noble work was now on Abners Loom: Israel must bee reduced: Abner is the instrument, if his skill run parallel with his will, or the event answer his intent, twice happy Is∣rael, thrice happy Abner; but in this nick of time, and juncture of affairs; This Prince and project too are fallen in Israel.

And I am this day weak] Tenellus, as Tirinus renders it: Sicut ramusculus tener de Novo plantatus, as Nichol. de Lyra, like a tender plant, that hath not yet taken root; and therefore stand in much need of Abners help to establish mee in the Throne. The Seventy read it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cognatus, so near allyed to Joab: I cannot do justice and judgement on him: Others read it, (and the original well bears it) weak, i.e. of small power to execute justice and Judgement on Joab, and Abishai the sons of Zerviah, who was the Kings Sister: They were principal men; had a mighty influence upon the tribe of Judah, and the rest of the tribes were not at this time in confe∣deracy: Page  206 It is disputed by Interpreters, whether David did well in delaying the execution of Justice upon those wilful murtherers; They who condemn this act, say, that wilful murtherers should bee taken from the very horns of the Al∣tar, if they flye to it for shelter and san∣ctuary, and bee put to death, and that the guilt of blood lay now upon the King, and Kingdome, during Joabs re∣prieve: There was from God an abso∣lute, preremptory command: Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood bee shed: For demurs there is no warrant in the Word: They who excuse this act, and apologize for the King, say, To have punished Joab immediately, might have been extreamly prejudicial to King, and Kingdome. It is said, when Ho∣norius the Emperour had cut off Stillico his General, that hee had cut off his own hands; hee never did worthy act after: Joabs punishment was not remitted, but respited: The Law of Executing mur∣therers doth binde to take the fittest time, not to all times: Not to deter∣mine, but without further explication of the termes: I shall now pass to such in∣structions or conclusions, as flow natu∣rally from the Text, and are most seaso∣nable for this occasion; they bee in num∣ber three.

• *1 Princes are not priviledged from falling, nor Great men from dying.
• Page  207*2 It is every mans duty to take no∣tice of, deeply to bee affected with, and bitterly to weep over, and lament the falls of Princes, and Great men, especi∣ally if they bee good men.
• *3 It is a lawful and needful thing to speak honourably of Great men at their Falls and Funerals: King Davids expressi∣on affords this position.

Of these in their order: And first, and most of the first:

Doct. 1 Princes are not priviledged from falling, nor Great men from dying.

Indeed, Riches are not for every man; Honours are not for every man, Learn∣ing is not for every man, but death is for every man: This is the end of all men, so saith the wise man, Eccles. 7.3. Death, like the Duke of Parma's sword,* knows no difference twixt robes, and raggs, twixt Prince, and Peasant: In the common bagge of mortality the Rook is check-mate with the King: The mortal Sythe (saith one) is Master of the Royal Scepter, it mows down the Lillyes of the Crown, as well as the Grass of the Field: Though Machia∣vels policy, Catalin's activity, Hectors valour, with the Martial prowesse of Menelaus, and Agamemnon, should con∣center in one man, yet could hee not e∣scape the jaws of death: Notable is that Text, Eccles. 8.8. of which I may say As Chrisostome doth of that, John 5. It is locus multi auri plenus,* non tamen om∣nibus Page  208 in promptu est. There is no man that hath power over the Spirit, to retain the Spirit, neither hath hee power in the day of Death: There is no discharge in that war; in this war the presse is so strict, that no one is exempted, no dis∣pensation can bee procured: If the Te∣nant would go for his Lord: Hee shall not bee accepted, the Lord must serve for himself: it the Father would go for his child (as David would for his Son: Would God I had dyed for thee, O Absalom my son, my son:) Hee will not passe, nor please; the child must go himself; no bribes will here prevail; no protection from the Prince can here bee read.

*Memorable is that of Augustin; Fra∣tres intendat charitas vestra, resistitur ig∣nibus undis, ferro resistitur potestatibus & regibus, venit una mors, & quis ei resistit: If your houses bee fired, by good help they may bee quenched; if the Sea break out, by art and industry it may bee, the breach will bee repaired: It Princes in∣vade, by power, and policy they may bee repulsed; if Devils from Hell shall tempt, by assistance from Heaven they may bee resisted; but death comes into the royal Pallaces, into our meaner Cotta∣ges, and none resists that King of Ter∣rours.

I read of one (and besides him of none) in Scripture,* who had a lease of his life, for fifteen years; but as that ex∣pired Page  209 hee died: Of those worthy Pa∣triarcks before the flood, they who lived longest dyed at last: Of every one it is said: And hee dyed: Enoch is only ex∣cepted, Gen. 5.24. of whom I may say,* hee lived like an Angel, and died not like a man; but privilegia non sunt amplianda; his translation was equivalent to our dissolution, moritur, & qui demutatus est, saith Drusius.*

Death conquered him who was the great Conquerour of the Jews, and though hee querulously accused Heaven that hee must dye, not having deserved it, yet hee escapes not upon that score and plea.

In Scripture you read of one, who was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without Father, and without Mother, having neither begin∣ning of dayes, nor end of life, yet this man dyed; how is it possible that wee should ever live, when such as hee doth dye?

What shall I cry, said the Seraphick Prophet? Cry, All Flesh is Grasse; Cry, Most are deaf on this ear, they will not hear, nor heed: All Flesh, the flesh of Kings and Counsellors, the flesh of Prin∣ces, and Potentates, the flesh of Martyrs, and Confessors: All Flesh is Grasse.

It is disputed in the Schools whether Jesus Christ, so soon as ever hee was born into the world, lay under a neces∣sity of dying? Scotus boldly asserts it: Page  210 Si homo non peccasset, Christum fuisse in∣carnatum, inter homines habitaturum & moriturum, &c. and Estius hath this pas∣sage in answer to it: Si Christus violenta morte occisus non fuisset, tandem tamen se∣nectute defecturus ac moriturus fuisset, &c. I shall wave this, and only acquaint you with that other by them discussed: whe∣ther Adam in Innocency was subject to mortality?* Vossius excellently handleth this,* and will give satisfaction to his rea∣der.

There is a threefold Immortality (as some.)

• A simple, independent, primitive, essential Immortality: This is proper to God alone, 1 Tim. 6.16.
• *A dependent, derivative Immortality, this is peculiar to Angels, and rational souls.
• An Immortality by the power or gift, by the mercy or Justice of God. This is proper to the bodies of the just, and un∣just, after their resurrection:

As for mans body in the state of Innocency; it had a conditional, not an absolute Immortali∣ty:* His life should last as long as his o∣bedience; hee had a possibility not to dye, not an impossibility to dye, as the Schoolmen speak. Si Adam non peccasset, mortem non gustasset: I say with Augu∣stin: It is out of doubt, Adams ingage∣ments Page  211 to God were great, his communi∣on with God was sweet, his knowledge of God was clear, but his injoyment of God was not sure; Hee might fall, and being fallen, must die; but had hee never sinned, hee had never dyed: How ever it was, or would have been with him: It is sure, wee must all dye, and bee as water spilt upon the ground.

Notable is that of Gregory Thauma∣turg, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; none can bee found of that strength and policy, as to divert the Messenger of death; and Pho∣tius in an Epistle to Taracius Patricius his Brother, comforting him mourning for his deceased Daughter, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. and a little after speaking of death, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉:* It is no new thing, no paradox to tell of mens mortality, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

It is one of Solomons sacred Apho∣rism's: The rich and the poor meet toge∣ther; sometimes in the same bed,* and at the same board; ever on the same earth, and in the same world: Kings live not in the highest, Nobles in the middle, poor men in the lowest, but all in one re∣gion: All meet together in the grave; this is commune hominum diversorium, the common Inne of all mankinde; The Scripture and the Sepulchre know no difference.

It is not the royalty of the Pallace; it Page  212 is not the pomp and Majesty of the Prince, nor the piety of the Prophet; it is not the noblenesse of your birth; it is not the pregnancy of your parts, that can exempt you from Death; nor privi∣ledge persons of quality from Morta∣lity.

For all your Princely houses, your vast estates, your high descent, your great authority and command, your fa∣mous victories:* The Grave shall bee your bed, sheets shall bee your shrines, the clods of the vallyes shall bee your cover, the Grasse shall bee your carpet, death will demand his due; from his sentence, there is no appeal, from his ar∣rest no bale.

*It is not Hippocrates, or Paracelsus, not mortal men, nor mortal means, that can keep you an hour in life, beyond the pre∣fixed time of death: What is man? the noblest, wisest, learnedst man? hee is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, regula, ac mensura omnium ani∣mantium; whatever excellencies bee scat∣tered in the other creatures, are summed up in man:* Seneca propounds that que∣stion, and gives the answer: quodlibet quassum vas, imbecillum corpus & fragile, nudum suapte natura ad omnem fortunae contumeliam projectum, cujuslibet ferae pa∣bulum ex infirmis fluidis{que} contextum, &c. what is life?* it is but a vapour, a lit∣tle warm breath (as one saith) tun'd in and out by the nostrils, a very narrow Page  213 passage, and soon stopped: Alas! wee blow away our lives, as often as wee blow away our breathes; who can ad∣mire that men live no longer? rather wee may admire, that wee dye no sooner; wee were old enough to dye, so soon as ever wee began to live.

In the 6th. of the Revelations wee read of four Horses,

• Of a White Horse, on him sate Truth, verse 2.
• Of a Red Horse, on him sate War, vers. 4.
• Of a Black Horse, on him sate Fa∣mine, vers. 5.
• Of a Pale Horse, on him rides Death, vers. 8.

As Men, so Death rides, either for greater pomp, or for greater speed, or for greater strength: Wee are all post∣ing towards Death, and Death is mounted riding towards us: It is not possible but wee shall meet: As there is a Terra, quam terimus, and a Terra, quam quaerimus, and a Terra, quam geri∣mus; so there is a Terra, quae e•imus: Dust wee are, high and low, and unto dust wee must return: Will you have Authen∣tick Testimonies, and clear Instances: Consult, Josh. 23.14. Joshua a worthy Prince, a truly valiant and victorious General, a mirrour of piety, and mag∣nanimity, speaking of Death. Behold, saith hee, I am going this day the way of Page  214 all the Earth; Consult that speech of holy Job chap. 30.23. I know thou wilt bring mee to death; and death will bring mee to the grave, which is the house appointed for all the living, and stored with Myriads of the dead, and Job 3.13,14. Then had I been at rest with Kings and Counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves: Take one for all, Psal. 82.6. I have said, yee are Gods, and the chil∣dren of the most high, but yee shall dye like men.

*Plotinus thinks the stars have eyes, and see us ears, and hear us: It cannot bee thought (saith hee) but that they are Gods; certainly the stars; are not Gods; but those Gods are stars; stars of the first magnitude, but they may bee num∣bred amongst the Sporades, they are wandring stars, they cannot long keep their station: Their daies upon earth are but a shadow, and there is no long abiding.

Hormisda observed, that in Rome (that everlasting City, as Am. Marcellinus cal∣led it) men dyed, as in other places: Where is that Wisdome, which folly hath not tainted? that Honour, which envy hath not stained? that Strength, which sicknesse hath not impaired? where is the body, which bad humours never molested? the beauty, that age shall not, or hath not defaced? The Prince or Great man that is not fallen, Page  215 or shall not fall one day in Israel?

Arguments to convince, I need not sure to urge or inlarge, nor do I purpose to produce, or press many.

The decree is sealed, the sentence shall never bee reversed. Moth Tamuth: yee shall die the death, or in dying yee shall dye; you have tasted the forbidden fruit: Is there not with you, even with you, Yee Princes and Great men: Is there not with you sin against the Lord; were not you sinners as soon as Creatures: It is appointed for all men once to dye: La∣zarus dyed twice, but sure all once.

Alas! you carry death about you every day, and every way; Death in its causes, and in its symptoms; Death runs, rides, and walks hand in hand with you: your sins (in short) will bring you as low as the dust: your sins commonly are not common sins, and it may bee your falls shall not bee common falls; they may bee much sooner and sadder than others: Every man living shall have his fit of dying; God hath ap∣pointed it, his counsel shall stand.

Behold the Rock whence you were digged: Consider your original,* the matter and mettle of which you are com∣posed: Dust yee are, ex pulvere limoso & lutoso; you must bee meat for Worms, Page  216 before you can bee mates for Angels: May not you say of your selves, as did those poor, distressed, oppressed ones, Neh. 5.5. Our flesh is as the flesh of our Brethren, and all flesh is grasse; which in the morning though green and flourish∣ing, yet in the evening cut down, it is withering: Our skins and bloods are much alike, omnis sanguis est concolor, cu∣tem habemus communem, si non vestem: wherein are you from others differenced; only a few chips more are taken off, which makes you something neater, but more tender and weaker: Or is the dif∣ference in your empty Names and Ti∣tles of honour, which are as mortal as your selves.

Notable is that of Seneca, Conditor ille generis humani non natalibus, nec nominum claritate nos distinxit, nisi cum sumus: aequat omnes cinis,* &c.

Behold the diseases, the sicknesses under which you have sometimes labou∣red; who can enumerate the maladies, the Aches, pains, the Leprosy, Dropsy, Stone, strangury, to which you are ex∣posed? Notable is that of Plutarch, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; the Velvet Slip-shooe Page  217 is sometimes molested with the Gout: the Diadem cures not an aching head, nor the chain of gold the tooth-ach; And are not these Symbola, or singultus mori∣entis naturae?

But I proceed to the Application of this momentous Truth; mine eye is most on that, but how to apply it to per∣sons of quality, I am yet to learn: I may say of this subject,* as Bellarmin did of his book, de Arte bene moriendi, non allicit ad audiendum, absterret potius praesertim viros magnos sive principatu politico, sive sacro, &c. but as Augustin called on his, so shall I on my godly hearers;* orate pro nobis fratres, ut quod videndum est bene videamus, & quod dicendum est, bene di∣camus.

I shall reduce what is in my thoughts to two heads: Some practical Inferences, and an use of comfort.

I begin with practical Inferences.

Are not Princes priviledged from fal∣ling? Must they dye? Then

First, Let this bee your greatest care, and most earnest prayer, that your souls may live; Then life, nothing is more de∣sired: Then the life of the soul, no∣thing is lesse regarded: It was Davids humble petition, Psal. 119 & 175. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee: What if your bodies fall, what though you dye? If your souls live, you shall do well; O bee more solicitous about the Page  218 lives of your souls: with what Argu∣ments shall I excite, and quicken you, Right Worshipful, and Beloved, hereun∣to? bee pleased solemnly and seriously to consider,

That you never more indeavour the prolonging of the lives of your bodies, than when you are most studious and so∣licitous about the lives of your souls.*

That there is nothing below Heaven so precious, and noble as your souls: I confesse your bodies in some respects are very precious; quid invenire potest majo∣ri magisterio erectum & fabricatum, quam corpus humanum? Consumitur quasi natu∣ra in fabrica operis tam excellentis, as Bar∣tholdus excellently: But speaking of the soul, saith hee, quid est Deus nisi anima in∣creata, quid est anima hominis, nisi Deus creatus, &c. The preciousnesse of it will appear, if you consider three things.

1 Satan is most busy about your souls; he hath an envious eye, and aching Tooth at them: Non nisi magnum bonum a Nerone damnatur.

2 God principally requires the soul: My Son, give mee thy heart.

3 Soul-murther is the greatest, next to the blood of Christ; the blood of souls is most precious.

3 There is no life like to the life of the soul: The life of grace is the grace of life; it is the sweetest life, it is the secu∣rest life, it is the most honourable, Page  219 comfortable, and durable life.

4 The life or death of the body fol∣lows the fate and state of the soul to all eternity; and therefore it concerns you much to look after the lives of your souls.

5 Till your souls bee enlivened, they cannot bee saved.

6 Till your souls bee enlivened, no duty shall be accepted; they are all dumb and dead services.

7 Till your souls bee enlivened, the Lord cannot bee praised, or glorified, Psal. 119.175.

8 Till your souls live, indeed you do not live; the Father of the Prodigal da∣ted his sons life from his return; This my Son was dead, and is alive: If my words be of any weight with you; if your own souls bee of any worth with you, Honoured and Beloved, then let this bee your care and prayer: Your bodies shall fall; I dare not undertake to tell you precisely where, nor how, nor when: Utiliter Deus latere voluit illum diem, ut semper sit paratum cor ad expectandum, quod esse venturum scit, & quando ventu∣rum scit, nescit, saith Augustin;* but this is certain, fall you must: Thrice happy are you, if your souls bee transported in∣to Heaven, before your bodies bee laid in the bowels of the earth.

Secondly, Learn hence the vastnesse of that distance, and infinitenesse of that Page  220 disproportion twixt God and you; who can measure the disproportion twixt an ever-living God,* and an ever-dying crea∣ture? The Nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted (when duly e∣stimated) as the small dust of the bal∣lance: All Nations before him are as nothing, lesse than nothing, and vanity: Hee cannot dye, nor lye: Alas! wee are all lying and dying creatures, and cannot live: When Moses desired to know what was his name,* hee only receives this an∣swer, I am that I am, i.e. I am a being of my self; and truly wee cannot say so of any creature; The Angels cannot say so, nor men; hee is an eternal being, wee are all of yesterday; hee is the Al∣pha and Omega, wee are neither: Before the world was, hee was, what now hee is, and shall bee to eternity; wee all fade as a leaf, Isa. 64.6. are shaken as a reed, Matth. 11.7. wither as a Rush, Job 8.11,12. Fade as a Rose, which is blasted almost as soon as budded; our lives like winds, Job 7.7. or fomes, Hos. 10,7.

Hee is an unchangeable being, with him there is no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, no parallax, no revolution, no declination, nor shadow of turning: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: How variable and changeable is frail man? we dwell in houses of clay, our foundation is in the dust; no food, no physick can keep us long from washing, and wasting away.

Page  221Thirdly, Whatever your hands finde to do, do it with all your might,* remem∣bring that you must fall, and that there is no knowledge, nor wisdome, nor working in the grave whither you are hastening: Reges non creantur ut in otio vitam agant: Kings and Princes are not created to live unprofitably: It is not for you who are persons of quality to spend your lives, your strength, and estates, in doing what is worse than nothing; there are generous, ingenuous, liberal imploy∣ments, sutable to your high births and educations; Your noble Ancestors, and renowned Progenitours rais'd their fa∣milies to this pitch of Gentility, not by tipling, carding, dicing, hawking, &c. Delay not the doing of that which if once done, all is done, and if not done, you are for ever undone: Speedy in∣deavours are very necessary, where de∣lay is full of danger: Some live as if this life should never have end; the other no beginning: I am now going to dye, and yet have not begun to live, was the dole∣ful lamentation of Carolus, King of Sice∣ly, as hee lay upon his death bed.

Alas! your lives, like shuttle-cocks, are kept up a while twixt two Battle-doors, at last they fall to the earth, for all your skill: Let not this dis-spirit, or dis-ani∣mate you, but excite and quicken you to fall on with double diligence, to dispatch the work cut out for you by your Lord Page  222 and Master: It is a great truth which Seneca writing to Paulinus hints at; It is the complaint of all mortals (saith hee) and that because of natures malignity, that gives to man so short a life, but the truth is, satis longa est vita, & in maxima∣rum rerum consummationem large data est,* si tota bene collocaretur; and vita, si scias uti longa est, non accepimus brevem vitam sed fecimus: O squander not away your Haleyon seasons, your golden op∣portunities, as if you were not to bee re∣sponsible for time; what rich and rare opportunities have you of doing good, if the Lord gave you inlarged hearts: The Persian King had one about him, whose office it was to minde him every morning of his charge: Arise O King, and have an eye to those affairs for which the great God hath made you King, and dispatch them.

Work, O work out your salvation with fear and trembling; with much accurate∣nesse and careful∣ness:* Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found: Now you have tenders and offers of Christ and grace: If you neglect the day of grace, Know, it may expire before your lives expire, it cannot possibly last longer; then you may weep with Esau, and not bee pitti∣ed, Page  223 and pray with Dives, and not bee heard.

It was Chrysostomes wish,* that while men are supping and dyning, eating and drinking, washing and playing, mention were made of Hell, and Death, and Judgement; this would awaken idle wretches, this would rouse and raise them.

Let no day pass without a line: Know God will bring you to death, and to the house appointed for all the living, thence you cannot return to dispatch undone work, to amend, or reform your selves, nor to advise and councel others.

Fourthly, Learn hence, to put your hearts, and houses too in order: Though Princes, and Great men, yet you must fall: Distraction and confusion follows when persons die, and have not put their houses and estates in order; but infinite and unspeakable is the Terrour, confu∣sion, and horrour which seizeth upon the soul at death; which was not prepared for Heaven and glory.

Logicians that regard not their premi∣ses, infer wild conclusions, so Christians too.

Lord teach mee to know mine end, and the measure of my dayes, what it is; was the Prayer of a Prince and great man, ex∣actly calculated for our Meridian.

The measure of my Daies; not the measure of my months, or years: No, Page  224 No, The life of man is not measured by the Yard of years, nor by the Ell of Months, but by the Inch of dayes.

This is a main end of your lives, to make a good end of your lives, which can never bee without preparation for it: Unhappy man, whose life is like the lake, of which Plutarch speaks; which runs pure in the morning, but muddy in the evening; sweet at first, bitter at last.

If we prepare to dye, before wee come to dye, then when wee come to dye, surely wee shall not dye: Let not that deceiving, and soul-destroying hope of living long, make you secure and care∣lesse of living well: I have read of one (who deferring repentance till his old age, and then going about it) heard a voice from Heaven, saying, Des illi fur∣furem, cui dedisti farinam: It is your wisdome now to learn this Art of dying well; this saith Bellarmin truly, is the Art of Arts,* in it all are comprized: Mors interea est, quae facile negligi non possunt, said Seneca, I shall close this with that of Augustin: Quid in hac terra certum est, nisi mors? Considerate omnia omnino, quid hic certum est nisi mors: Speras pecuniam, incertum est an proveniat: Speras uxorem, incertum est, an accipias, vel qualem ac∣cipias:* pauper es? incertum est an dites∣cas, imbecilis es, incertum est an convales∣cas, Natus es? Certum est morieris: or that Page  225 of Bartholdus: Omnes res hominis in du∣bium vocantur,* concipitur homo an nascitu∣rus? oportet ut responde as, forte sic, Forte non: is a child conceived, shall it bee born into the world? it is answered, perhaps it may; Now it is born, shall it come to manhood? (or dye in infancy) perhaps it may: Shall hee be famous in his Coun∣try, a grave Senatour, a great Scholar? perhaps hee may: But shall hee dye: (sic, sic, sic, morietur, nullum hic forte, nullum hic dubium reperitur:) There is no per∣adventure to bee used here: It is certain hee shall dye; O then prepare for it: Never did any repent themselves when they came to dye, that they began so ear∣ly to seek God, to serve, fear, or love God, or to prepare for death: thou∣sands have repented that they began no sooner; Augustin did so, sero te cognovi lumen verum, sero te cognovi:* Job never cursed the day of his new birth; that proverb was hatched in Hell; a young Saint, an old Devil; if thou beest a young Devil, thou wilt in time become an old Beelzebub: O remember your Creatour in the dayes of your youth; I speak chiefly un∣to the young gallants, In diebus electio∣num tuarum, Pagnin renders it so: In the day of your chusings, your younger daies are your golden daies, your choice and chusing daies:* You read of a young man, Matth. 19.16.20. It is said, Christ began to love him, why? or for what? Page  226 hee was but a young man, and a great man:* hee was now in his youth, inqui∣sitive after the salvation of his precious soul, and eternal life: O it is a lovely thing in young gentlemen, in any, to minde the one thing necessary in their juvenility: The Devil is very hardly cast out of such, whom hee hath posses∣sed in their youth, Mark. 9.20. But I proceed,

Fifthly, Bee much in the praemedita∣tion of your frailty, mortality, and dis∣solution: It was Seneca's complaint of some in his time; tanquam semper victu∣ri vivitis,* nunquam vobis fragilitas vestra succurrit, &c. Moses is to ascend, then hee should die; would you so die, that your souls may ascend, then meditate much on death: It is a strange saying in Lipsius;* the names of all good Princes may easily bee ingraven, or written in a small ring: A serious meditation of Death (if any thing) would work in you an holy fear of offending God in any thing, an holy care to please God in every thing: Hee is a sinner in grain, that will sin and look death in the face: It was (saith one) a wild meditation of one, but proved well in the conclusion: Suppose (said hee) I should thus say with my self; Ile drink, and bee drunk, Ile swear, and roar, Ile cheat, and do what I list; and what then? Ile quarrel, and kill, and care for no man; and what then? Page  227 Ah! Could I say, Ile go to Heaven then, and bee saved too;* Ile have bliss and hap∣piness after all this; This were some∣thing, but then I must die, I must come to Judgement, and hold up my hand at the bar of Gods Tribunal, and after∣wards pay dear for all my short and mo∣mentany pleasures; such a meditation by the blessing of God might in the conclu∣sion free you from confusion: The Text is Apocryphal, but the Truth is Canonical; Remember thy latter end, and thou shalt never do amiss: Let every Tombe bee your Teacher, and every Monument your Monitour: Let not the thoughts of your latter end, bee put off to the latter end of your thoughts: Thus Jerusalem sinned, for this shee suffered,* Lam. 1.9. They who guide or steer the ship stand in the hinder part of it: They who would order their conversation a∣right, should think of the up-shot and heel of it, viz. Death: I remember Je∣rome reports of Plato, hee left that famous City of Athens, and chose to live in a little ancient village, almost overturned with Tempests and Earthquakes,* that by being often minded therein of his ap∣proaching dissolution, hee might get more power over his strong lusts, and learn to live more vertuously.

When you sit down at your boards think on death, let the creatures provi∣ded for you, which even now were liv∣ing, Page  228 but now dead, put you in minde, that you shall dye anon,* though now a∣live: This will not hasten, but sweeten your dissolution: This may procure an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an easier, nay, it will procure an happier passage and egresse out of this world: Augustin dictates, and pens his Enarrations on the 39. Psalm, at St. Cyprians Table in Carthage; and it is an excellent Psalm, For Items of our Mortality and Vanity: I shall not stay to tell you, how Severus the Empe∣rour caused a Marble Urne to bee set at the gates of his Palace,* to remember him of his mortality; nor of Philips boy, with his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, on certain daies, and at certain times there was one appointed to salute Ferdinandus Cae∣sar, a Roman Emperour, with a vive me∣mor lethi Ferdinande: When Pausanias asked Simonides to deliver some grave Apophthegm, by which he might appre∣hend his great wisdome, for which hee was so famed and renowned: Simonides smiling at him,* delivered this; do not forget thy self to bee a man: Pausani∣us puffs at this, but suddenly after, being almost pined to death with famine, be∣gun to think of Simonides his saying, and cryes out,* O Cee hospes, magnum quid∣dam erat oratio tua, sed prae amentia esse nihil opinabar: Death is like a Dial, on which Sun never shines, few look on that, or this; as if it were not best of all Page  229 to bee with Christ, who is all in all: I could tell you of Philostrates, who lived seven years in his Tombe, before hee dyed, that his bones might bee the better acquainted with the grave at his disso∣lution: Dye daily, and you shall not die eternally.

Sixthly, Bee contented with what the Lord shall bestow on you,* or cut out for you: In the grave it is all one, who hath had all, and who had none: you may make a good use of that expression of a vile wretch: Behold I dye, and what good will my birth-right do mee? Were you Masters of all the Indian Mines, and the gold of Ophir, it could nothing advantage, or avail you in the day of Gods wrath, nor in the hour of your death: What folly is it to lay up goods for many years, when wee can∣not lay up one day for the injoyment of our goods: Christ (who never mis-cal∣led any) calls him fool, who talked of enlarging his barns, and building more, when the building within was crazy, and about to bee demolished.

Worthy Gentlemen; Do not minde this earth, as if there were no Heaven; nor these things below, as if they were more durable and profitable, than those good things which God hath laid up for them that fear him:* Wee may seek the things below; but in the least place, and in the last place, not more, nor be∣fore Page  230 the things of Jesus Christ: Had you as much of the world in your hands, as you could desire in your hearts, one dram or grain of grace will afford you more comfort when you come to dye:* It is true, wee may not trust in the strength of our graces, nor rest on the worth of our graces for acceptance with God, yet grace gotten in life, will afford comfort at death, when riches can∣not.

Had you all the world (never was any man so rich as to have all things, and where is one so poor as hath nothing?) yet had you all the world: Know this, God that gives it to you, can with-hold the comfort of it from you: hee can suspend the vertue of the creatures, and make that to bee a drie breast, a bar∣ren womb to you, which is full to o∣thers, if hee lay his restraint upon the fire, it shall not warm you; on your food, it shall not refresh you; on your treasures, they shall not enrich you. Creatures (beleeve it) are better or worser to us, according to the nature and vertue of Gods Warrant and Commission, to them.

Had you the whole universe at your dispose, if the Lord let one drop of his wrath fall, or set the guilt of sin upon the conscience, what good will the whole world do you?

I remember a speech of Augustins up Page  231 on that speech of Dives, desiring A∣braham to let Lazarus give him a drop of water; Tanta est du•cedo coelestis gaudii, ut si una gut•ula deflueret in infernum,* totam amaritudinem inferni absorberet: If one drop of Heavens joyes should be let fall into Hell, it would swallow up all the bitterness and misery that is in Hell: should one drop of wrath from an incen∣sed Majesty fall upon thy soul, I may say,* it would swallow up all the sweet∣nesse thou expectest in or from thy crea∣ture-comforts.

Worthy Gentlemen! You are the men, who have the world in a string; swim in rivers of pleasures, and rowe in Treasures; but know, how much soever you have of the world in your hands, it is not good to have any of the world in your hearts: Know, that men of most wealth, are not alwaies men of most worth; I mean not the most worthy men: Have not some said; had they ne∣ver been so happy, they had never been so unhappy.*

These things below, were they the best things, Jesus Christ had had more of them, and the Devil would not so freely have offered them: All these things will I give thee, &c. These things below, they are more deceitful, than delightful: si aliqua hujus saeculi prosperitas arriserit, nonne deceptoria est,* nonne fluxa & caduca est, nonne plus habent deceptionis quam de∣lectationis, Page  232 saith holy Augustin.

If you make the world your God, while you are in the world, what wil you do for a God when you go out of the world?

*O love the world, my Brethren! as if you were ever about to leave the world: Make not your portion, your God, let God bee your portion.

The world is like water, the more ea∣gerly you grasp at it, the lesse you hold of it: Riches, like witches, are most hurtful to them, who are most conversant with them; or as sands in your hands, the faster you gripe,* the faster it goes: If you have the whole world, pusilla res mundus est, &c. God, and all that a man hath, is no more, than God, and no∣thing that a man hath: God is all in all, doth all by all; and is All without all: Remember, I beseech you, that you are dying men, you live in dying times, in dying places; you have dying relations; get dying affections; Remem∣ber you must die, and when you die, you shall carry nothing away, Psal. 49.17. on which words Augustin excellently; vi∣des viventem, cogita morientem quid hic habeat attendis, quid secum tollat, atten∣de: Quid secum tollit? multum auri ha∣bet, multum argenti, multum praediorum, multum mancipiorum; moritur, remanent illa, nescio quibus; Wee bring nothing with us into this world, saith that bles∣sed Page  133 Apostle, 1 Tim. 6.7,8. Nothing of the world comes with us into the world; wee are not born with gold rings on our fingers, nor with silver-spoons in our mouthes; nothing but sorrow and sin; and it is certain, wee can carry nothing out: In that question propounded to the Rich man, Luk. 12.19,20. Whose shall these things bee? it is implyed, that his they shall not bee; Hee had the provision of them, but can no longer have the pos∣session of them, your works may, and will; your wealth cannot follow you, when you flit hence.

A bundle of staves will hinder a man in his journey, one helps him:* A little of the world will serve to bring thee to thy bed: Let not the Heathens shame us: Elurus could say, Da mihi popicentam & aquam,* & ipsi Jovi de faelicitate controversi∣am faciamus: and Seneca excellently in his eighty and sixty eight Epistles, speaks to this purpose; but I must pass those pas∣sages: Chrysostome propounds the que∣stion, and gives the answer: Was Job miserable when hee had lost all that God had given him? No, hee had still that God, who gave him all; this is enough: I shall conclude this with that of Cardi∣nal Barbarinus.*

Seventhly, Let this Meditation teach you a lesson of Humility: Though you bee Elohims, yet you shall die like men: and fall as this great man this day in Is∣rael: Oh what frail, mortal, sickly, sin∣ful bodies do you and I carry about us! Our bodies are the Anviles of pains and diseases; our mindes the Hives of innu∣merable cares and sorrows; and when wee are extolled highest, wee are but those painted spots, against which envy and death direct their fatal darts.

Let not your hearts swell at the thoughts of your honourable pedigree, or that you are the progeny of Noble Ancestors: Remember that you are all base born, till born again: Juvenal could say of Moral vertue,* Nobilitas sola est at{que} unica virtus: It is grace alone that makes you noble; it is the righte∣ous man that's the excellent man, Psal. 16,2,3. Plutarch could tell the great ones of his age: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and give mee leave to tell you, that how nobly soever you are descended, unlesse you bee virtuous your selves, you disparage your An∣cestors, discredit your selves, and shame your posterity; Let not your Honours cause you to look high; the lofty looks Page  235 of man shall bee humbled, and the haugh∣tinesse of man shall bee bowed down; the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable ones of the earth; and shall not his counsel stand? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* saith Plutarch in his book de Educandis liberis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, glory and honour is venerable, but not stable; are you high in worth? bee humble in heart; the way to bee truly honoured, is to bee thoroughly humbled.

Let not your vast estates, or great riches make you proud, it was Absoloms saying, What are all these to mee, except I see the Kings face: say you unto your souls, what are all these to mee, except I have saving grace: The whole Turkish Empire is but a crust, that God casts to a dogge, as Luther said, Nugas King of Scythia asked the messenger who brought him those rich presents and Or∣naments from the Emperour of Constan∣tinople; whether those things could drive away calamities, diseases, or death; if not, those were not worth thanking for, they are Dei ludibria, as a Heathen calls them,* like a Tennis-ball tossed hither and thither from hazard to hazard; and anon out of the Court: Notable is that of Plutarch, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Let not your power, your policy, your command, or magnanimity puffe Page  236 you up: Insitum est humanis ingeniis imperio insolenter uti,* said Lipsius, as great men have been carried about in an Iron cage: The blood which now is warm shall freeze anon in your veins, the marrow shall drie up in your bones, your sinewes shall shrink, and eye-strings crack, within a short space you shall not bee able to help your selves.

Let not your beauty or bravery make you ambitious, supercilious or haugh∣ty: Your bodies are vile bodies; not God, but sin hath made them so, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;* beauty is a thing desirable, but it is not durable: it is but skin deep, a raise with a pin, or a daies sicknesse may spoil you of it.

Let not your Rings, your Ornaments raise your spirits; they are but badges of your sin, and shame: It argues a vain frothy heart to bee so proud of such pet∣ty things; a naughty heart to bee proud of any thing: If thy out-side be thy best side, thou art poor, miserable, wretched.

Worthy Gentlemen! when God lifts up your heads, let it be your care to keep down your hearts; all the world cannot keep that man up, that doth not keep down his spirit: Remember the doleful Catastrophe of Herod the great, of Agrippa the great, of Alexander the great you are all in his hand, who touches the moun∣tains, & they smoak, who bindes Kings in chains, and Nobles in fetters of Iron; you Page  237 are in his hand, who will bring you to death, and to the house appointed for all the living: I shall close up this with that of Bernard; Quid prosunt Divitiae, quid Ho∣nores? Divitiae non liberant a morte, nec delitiae a verme, nec honores a faetore; nam qui modo sedebat dives & gloriosus in thro∣no, modo jacit pauper in tumulo; qui prius delitiis oblectabatur, modo a vermiculo consumitur; qui paulo ante in aula princi∣pium honorandus efferebatur; modo in se∣pulchro ignominiosus jacet.

Eighthly, Labour to get sin pardo∣ned: No sooner did iniquity enter into your souls, but mortality seized on your bodies: The parcels of dust which were bound together in Adam by a bond of In∣nocency, were shaken loose upon the commission of his first sin; and are not you of his posterity? Death like an Archer sometimes shoots over the mark, and takes one away that was above you; sometimes short of the mark, and takes one away that was below you; some∣times on the right hand, there falls a friend, anon on the left, then dies a foe, but the game is never done till you fall; and therefore it concerns you to impor∣tune the sin-forgiving God to wash your souls in the blood of Jesus; to free you from the guilt, and filth of sin.

Notable is that of Job c. 7. ult. And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? Observe the im∣portunity Page  238 of this holy man, what's the matter that Job so expostulates with God for the remission of his sin?* what need of so much speed and expedition? hee gives you the ground and reason: For now shall I sleep in the dust, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: I shall go into the earth; I shall die; thou shalt seek mee in the morning, but I shall not bee.

It was Chrysostomes complaint, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* &c. (it is in that ex∣cellent peece of his, which Aquinas pro∣fessed hee had rather have, than to bee chief Lord of Paris.) Every mans care is, and labour is about this present life, but about pardon of sin,* assurance of Gods love, and things to come, Death, and Judgement; Not, a word is spoken: O that the Lord would make his own discoveries unto you of the excellency and necessity of pardoning mercy: without pardon of sin you can neither live well, nor die well: It is a mercy which God ever gives in mercy; it is a mercy which makes way for the obtain∣ing of eternal mercies; it is a mercy which makes all other mercies to look like mercies, taste like mercies, and work like mercy; it gives liberty to the soul in prison, ease in bonds, life in death; sense of pardon takes away the sense of pain: It is bonum comprehensivum, in the bos∣some of it,* all the riches of Heaven and Page  239 Earth too are treasured up: It is the souls Sanctuary, as Augustin speaks; The one thing necessary in the day of adver∣sity, then there is plus periculi, and then it is suavius beneficium: How few Prin∣ces and great men have you heard upon their knees confessing and praying, with that man after Gods own heart: For thy Name sake, O Lord, pardon our iniquities,* for they are great: Most miserabley on will bee, though now honourable, wretched you will bee, though now rich, if you go out of the world, as you come into the world, with the guilt of sin upon your consciences:* It is not imaginable that your resurrections shall bee to glory, if you die in your iniquity, your graves shall bee but the suburbs of Hell: You shall bee digged out of those burrows, and dragged out of those nasty dens, to answer for all your wicked pranks and practises done in your mortal bodies. Petitions for pardon speak the Petitio∣ners dependence on another; great men will not close with this, they would bee thought to have all others to depend on them; themselves on none; petitions for pardon suppose guilt, and guilt the breach of a divine Law, Princes and great men would bee reputed guiltlesse, lawlesse: Petitions for pardon intimate a power in God to punish delinquents, penes quem facultas remittendi, penes •um potestas puniendi, this is not much re∣garded.

Page  240The God who multiplies pardons, as wee multiply provocations, open our eyes to see the sinfulnesse of our sins, and the dolefulnesse of our state; Anon there will bee no place left for repentance, nor remission, neither in Christs heart, nor ours: Anon wee shall have no more comfort from that promise of pardon, Prov. 28.13. if now wee neglect it, then now the Devils have; the gates of mercy shall bee shut eternally, and nei∣ther Christ in a capacity to give, nor your selves in a capacity to receive a par∣don: Remember, O remember this! lay not the greatest burden upon the weakest beast, leave not the greatest work for your sick-bed: It is no begin∣ning to caulk the Ship, when in a storm it is tost hither and thither with waves and billows: It is no time to begin to sue out a pardon, when the pains of death arrest you: To get sin pardoned, and a soul trimmed for glory, is too great a work to bee done ex tempore, and in an hour of death: when the thoughts of dying will (and no wonder to unpardo∣ned wretches) more affrighr, than that clap of thunder did Pyrander, King of Egypt.

Ninthly, Learn then, not overmuch to love your lives: Man is a life-loving creature,* 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Da∣vid propounds the question, what man is hee that desireth life? Augustin returns Page  241 this answer: Interroga, nonne omnis in vobis respondet, Ego? an quisquam est in vobis qui non diligit vitam? Thou, and I, and every one; but as that Father further:* Hee that desireth life (bonam rem desiderat, sed non in regione illam, quaerit, &c. desires a good thing, but seeks it not in the right place: This life is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; it is life in name, but death in deed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quid est aliud diu vivere, nisi diu torque∣ri, saith Augustin.

Consider this life in its Best and Worst, and you'l say with Job in the Paroxysm of his sufferings; I loathe it, I would not live alwaies, Chap. 7.16. it is as much to bee loathed, as to bee loved: It is as de∣testable, as desirable: Were you called to give your judgement of an horse, you would enquire concerning his breed, and speed, his age, in whose hands, how used, with many things more;* but the case is altered, when wee speak of life; the va∣nity, uncertainties of it, the sins and sor∣rows, the calamities that do attend it, are not ballanced: Till you bee with∣out sin, you cannot be free from sorrow: When all sins are washed from your souls, then shall all tears bee wiped from your eyes: Eternal life is the only true life, and eternal death the only true death; no other life but that, or which is in order to that, is much to bee desired; nor other death feared; non est diu quod Page  242 habet extremum, that is not, said Augustin, to bee deemed long, which shall have an end; this shall, that life cannot.

Tenthly, And what follows, chiefly concerns us of lower sphears and orbs: Learn wee hence, Not to confide in these Princes and Great men; they are not im∣mortal, though they bee stiled Gods: Miserable is that man, whose God is mortal: These Great men cannot sup∣port themselves, nor succour you when death comes; like Absoloms Mule, they run from us when they should relieve us? Herod the great, for all his pride and Royalty, could not shun the silly worms: Two things commonly curtail the lives of our great ones, their slighting and contemning; their despising and abu∣sing of the Lords Prophets: I could make this out, would time permit, 2 Chron. 16.10,12. 2 Chron. 24.21. & 25.*

Our overmuch dependence upon them, and trust in them: Gustavus A dolphus told his souldiers no lesse, a little before his death; These both are of ma∣lignant influences:* Excellent is that counsel of a great Prince: Trust yee not in Princes, why so? because they are the Sons of men; suppose they bee, may we not trust in the Sons of men? No, be∣cause there is no help in them: Is it possible? how can that bee? alas! when their breath goeth forth, they return a∣gain Page  243 to their earth: Suppose all this bee true, shall not their counsels stand? No, in that very day their projects perish with them: Si dicendum est aliquid mira∣bile, said one of the Ancients: If I might speak a word which all the world may justly wonder at, then I would say; Trust yee not in Princes, because they are Princes: Notable is Augustins glosse upon that Text, Divina vox est, & de super nobis sonat nescio qua infirmi∣tate humana anima quando tribulata hic desperat de Domino, & vult praesumere de hominibus, &c. and a little after, vere misera & magna mors est in magnis.

Old age, and healthful bodies are sel∣dome made the appendages to great Honours and Houses: Study my be∣loved that soul-humbling Text, Psal. 39.5. Verily, Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity, Selah: Verily lets that in, and Selah shuts that up: Verily every man; Man Gods master peece, Miraculum magnum, animal adorandum & honorandum, spectaculum admirandum,* as Trismegist and Plato call him, Col. Adam, Col. Hebel; every man is every vanity, and wee may not let passe that which is not least considerable in the text; Every man at his best estate: In the o∣riginal, it is, every man standing, stand∣ing Page  244 (as some improve it) upon his Tip∣toe, in his beauty and bravery, in his pomp and Majesty, is but vanity; is hee a thing then to bee trusted in? No, No, To do so is both irrational, and irreli∣gious.

O say with that man of God, My soul wait thou only upon God,* for mine expecta∣tion is from him, and my trust is in him: Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is a lye: Whom have wee in Hea∣ven but thee, to call upon? or to relye upon? or to trust in but thee? Thou art our best friend, when it is at best with us, and our only friend, when it is at worst with us: Let our trust bee only in him, for in the Lord Jehovah is strength, Strength: Trust in him at all times, yee people, God is a refuge for us: Surely men of low degree are vanity,* and men of high degree are a lye, to bee laid in the ballance they are alike, lighter than vanity.

Eleventhly, Learn hence; Not to fix overmuch of your affections. upon Prin∣ces and Great men: There is a vanity upon all the whole Creation, upon them especially: Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for whereof is hee to bee ac∣counted;* bee they never so potent, so prudent, so politick, their pomp shall bee brought down unto the grave, the worms shall feed on them, and the clods of the valley shall cover them; Love Page  245 them, but as ever about to leave them; or as if they were ever about to leave you: Do not make your Lords your Gods. Let God bee your Lord:* It is good that Machiavel hints: Non ex sta∣tu fortune metienda virtus hominum, sed ex animi dotibus & qualitate; strip your great ones of all their titles of honour, their noble Parentage, their rich and royal Vestments, their Troops and Trains: what is truly vertuous and ami∣able in them? for that love them: Yet know, it is not safe to love any thing ve∣ry much, but that which you can ne∣ver love overmuch, viz. Jesus Christ: Notable is that of Seneca, and Epictetus, two grave Philosophers:* Equum emptu∣rus solvi jubes stratum, detrahis vesti∣menta venalibus, ne quae vitia corporis la∣teant, hominem involutum aestimas; si per∣pendere te vel alium voles, sepone digni∣tatem, domum, pecuniam, intus te ipse ali∣osve considera: When wee go to buy an Horse, wee prize him not by his rich saddle, Trappings, and goodly furniture, wee strip these off, and then judge of his worth; so should wee by men.

Boetius relates a passage of a Philoso∣pher, if a man (saith hee) had Linceus his eyes, or could see into the body of Al∣cibiades, though it bee very comely, and his feature admirable, yet how filthy and nasty would it appear: And I remember Epictetus his counsel in his Enchiridion, Page  246 cap. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Remember what that is which thou settest thine affections on, begin with the least, and lowest things: Is it a fine glasse, an Horse, or what? is it a man, a child, or what: Remember a glasse is brittle, and may bee broken: an Horse may bee pricked, or stollen; a man may dye; certainly shall dye; if so, bee not troubled, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Who was greater than Alexander? I shall not tell you how hee lived, what hee had, nor what hee did; but rather how hee died; his pomp and solemnity at Babylon was great to admiration; within a few daies after, hee could scarce obtain the honour of Burial, but lay many daies a∣bove ground,* at or before his Funeral some Philosophers meeting, spoke thus of him, as P. Alphonsus relates it.

Yesterday all the world would not suf∣fice Alexander, now a few yards will serve his turn, and spare.

Yesterday (said another) Alexander commanded all men, now any man may command him.

Yesterday Alexander could deliver thousands, how hee cannot deliver him∣self from death.

Yesterday Alexander with his troops pressed the earth, now it shall presse him.

Yesterday all Nations feared Alexan∣der, now all contemn him.

Page  247Yesterday Alexander had no superi∣our upon earth, now every man of us is something above him: Beloved, Con∣sider what you fix your hearts, and your affections on; Love not your Lords, as if there were no other: It is easier to love them into their graves, than to bring them thence by all your doleful Lamentations: But I shall proceed.

Twelfthly, Envy not the prosperity, the honour and majesty of these Princes and great men; high seats to many are uneasy, and the downfall's terrible: All the Kings of the Nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house: Latemur ad ascensum, timeamus lapsum, non est tanti gaudii excelsa tenuis∣se, quanti terroris est de excelsis cecidisse: It is not a matter of so great joy to have been high and honourable, as it is of grief, anguish, and vexation, to bee af∣terwards despicable and contemp∣tible.

Lazarus envyed not the Rich man, for hee was much happier himself; though hee was sine domo, yet not sine Domino; without food, yet not without faith: hee had not terrene goods laid up for many years, but a stock of grace for an eterni∣ty: Though hee had no Physicians for his body, but Dogs to lick his sores, yet dying, hee had a guard of Angels to trans∣port his precious and heaven-born soul into Abrahams bosome: Let mee rather Page  248 bee a beggar of bread with Lazarus on earth, than a beggar of water with Di∣ves in Hell.

Friends, would you bee great men? Know, greatnesse without goodnesse is but like the greatnesse of a man with a dropsy, which is his disease, not his hap∣pinesse, a crosse, and not a comfort: Know, your greatnesse could not ex∣empt you from falling; and by how much you are the higher, your fall by so much will bee the greater, if not shortly; yet surely, perhaps signally and mise∣rably, you shall down to the house of rot∣tennesse: have not some wished, when they have been breathing out their last, that they had never been Kings, nor Queens, nor great ones: where is there one of a thousand, who are advanced, and thereby any thing bettered: Solus Im∣peratorum Vespasianus in melius mutatus: you will not beleeve, beloved, what vex∣ations lye under the Princes pillow; Da∣mocles highly extolled Dionysius his con∣dition; Dionysius, to convince him of his mistake, provides a royal Feast, in∣vites him to it, commands his servants to attend him; no meat, no mirth, no mu∣sick is wanting, but withall hee caused a sharp sword to bee hung over his head by an horse-hair, which made Damocles tremble, and to forbear both meat, and mirth, such, even such, saith the Sicylian Tyrant, is my life which thou deemest Page  119 so pleasant and delicate: It is true of Riches, Honours, and all, what Euripi∣des speaks of man.

Saint Pauls coat with his heavenly graces, is infinitely better than the purple of Kings with their Kingdomes: Argue your selves, beloved, out of this sinful distemper, check your souls as David did his, once, and again:* Do not grudge them their grapes, their honours, and a∣bundance, they will cost some of them dear, you would bee loath at last to have them at the rate which they must pay for them.

Thirteenthly, Learn hence, Not to fear these Princes, and great men; who art thou, Christian,* that thou shouldest bee afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of man, which shall bee made as grasse.

It is a notable saying of that Stoick Philosopher: Kill mee thou mayest,* hurt mee thou canst not: Nihil mag∣num nisi magnus Deus: Let the Lord bee your fear, and your dread: the fear of man works a snare, it is extremely preju∣dicial. Moses feared not the wrath of the King, though hot; nor the looks of the King, though feirce; nor the words of the King, though terrible: Wee are commanded to beware of man, but in Page  250 the same chapter,* and thrice in the com∣pass of six verses, commanded not to fear man; An Deus est in mundo pro nihilo? is his heart full of love, and is not his head as full of care? Wee may lose much for Christ, wee cannot lose any thing by Christ; wee cannot lose so much for him, but wee shall finde more in him: is it life? liberty? are not these ensured us? hath not hee promised to pay us an hundred-fold: whether they fawn or frown▪ resolve with him, I will not fear what flesh can do unto mee, Psal. 56.4. Once more.

Fourteenthly, Learn hence, Not to bee afraid of death: It is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Philosopher hints; yet another of them saith, mors inter illa est,* quae mala quidem non sunt, &c. If death bee evil to any man, it is mans fault, not deaths fault: It is a peece of folly to fear what cannot bee avoided,* nor evaded by any, Prince, or Peasant: Good education may free you from ab∣surdities, grace may free you from Hell, neither can exempt from the arrest of death: Certainly there is not so much reason for you, who have part in God, peace with God, and well-grounded hopes of fruition of God, to tremble, as Lewis the eleventh of France did at the naming of Death: Death will do that for you in a moment, which all the Or∣dinances of God, the graces of his Spirit Page  251 yet never did: It will set you free from sin, sufferings, and sorrow: At the death of your bodies, you shall bee fully deli∣vered from this body of death.

Why should men disgust their own felicity, and cherish an antipathy against that, which so much conduceth to their eternal blisse: It was more difficult to perswade some of the Heathens to live out their daies, than it is to perswade thousands of us Christians to die: Were Death so great an evil, as is imagined,* Ambrose amongst the Fathers had not writ so much, de bono mortis, nor Plotinus and Seneca amongst the Philosophers.

Take but the pomps of death away (saith one) the disguises and solemn bug∣bears, the Tinsel,* and the actings by Torch, or Candle-light, and then to die is easy, and quitted from its trouble∣some circumstances: The troublesome∣nesse of it is owing to our fears,* as E∣pictetus speaks truly; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉:* Death cures us of all our maladies, determins all our miseries; Good men gain this by it, that their calamities are not eternal: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death, yea the dust of a Saint: Christ hath taken away the death, that was in death; whatsoever is an evil of punish∣ment (though not death) from the Page  252 Saints; It is now but a sleeping in Jesus, a putting off of the old raggs of frailty and mortality, that they may bee deck∣ed with garlands, and stoles of glory.

For Consolation.

*1 Though Princes and Great men fall, and die; yet solace your selves in this, Their souls are immortal; it is the body only that's laid in the dust: The Romans when their Emperours and great ones died, and their bodies were burned, they caused an Eagle to mount on high, thereby to signifie, the souls immortality and ascent.

Socrates told Chiton, asking him how hee would bee interred, or what should bee done with him when dead:* I think (saith Socrates) I shall escape from you, and that you cannot catch mee, so much as you feize and lay hold on, use it as you see cause.

I could never yet bee moulded into their opinions, who maintained the tra∣duction,* the propagation of the soul, and consequently the mortality of it: Aquinas and Gerson both call them Here∣ticks; who deny the creation of it; mee∣thinks it is absolutely impossible for any simple and uncompounded (viz. essen∣tially) nature to bee subject to death and corruption:* Contarenas argues thus (to omit all others) Nihil potest perdere esse, quod non perdit actum per quem est; Istae Page  253 autem formae simplices non possunt perdere actum per quem sunt, quia sibi ipsis sunt actus, nihil autem potest seipsum perdere: Ergo;* The Scripture also is clear in my opinion, for its immortality, Phil. 1.23. Matth. 10.28. Eccles. 12.7. the Hea∣thens had some glympses of its immorta∣lity, as Plato, Tully, and most, or all of their Philosophers.

In a word, as Cato Major said, so I: If I do erre in this, I erre willingly; nei∣ther will I ever suffer this errour in which I delight, to bee wrested from mee as long as I live.

2 Again; Solace and comfort your selves in this also: Though Princes and great men fall, yet they shall rise again: If a man die (saith Job) shall hee live a∣gain? yea, as sure as death hee shall live again: There is a double certainty of the resurrection of their bodies.

• 1 Certitudo infallibilitatis, ratione di∣vinae praedictionis; there is a certainty of infallability in respect of divine predicti∣on: Heaven and Earth shall passe away, before one of his words fall to the ground.
• 2 Certitudo immutabilitatis, ratione di∣vinae praedeterminationis; a certainty of immutability, in respect of Gods decree and eternal purpose; and his counsel shall stand:

This staid up the drooping spirit of holy Job; See his Creed, Job 19.25,26. I know my Redeemer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, my Kinseman liveth, and that hee shall Page  254 stand at the last day upon the Earth, and though after my skin worms destroy this bo∣dy, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for my self, and mine eyes shall be∣hold, and not another: How confident is this holy man of his resurrection in the same individual body? It is disputed in the Schools,* whether the resurrection of the body bee quid cognoscibile lumine na∣tura; It is said, Theopompus, Zoroastres, and Plato (whom none of the Ancient Gentiles contradicted) taught the resur∣rection of the body; and Plato thought that after the revolution of some years, hee should live again, and teach his scho∣lars in the same chair hee sate then in; but resurrectio mortuorum est fides Chri∣stianorum; as Augustin, Tertullian, and others more solidly:* Those Eagle ey'd Philosophers mocked at the Doctrin of the Resurrection, Act. 17.32. divine mysteries are above humane reason's shallow capacitie; from that principle of nature, and axiome amongst Philoso∣phers. A privatione ad habitum non datur regressus; they argued against this fun∣damental truth; but know it to your comfort, that you and yours too shall rise again; this Prince and Great man shall return from his grave again, not by the power of nature, nor by the help of the Creature, but by the power of the Creator; As for mee (saith David) I will behold his face in Righteousnesse; I Page  255 shall bee satisfied, when I awake, with thy likenesse, it is meant of the awaken∣ing of his body from the sleep of death in the day of the resurrection, Psal. 17.15. the Jews call the grave Beth Chaiim, the house of the living; as they return from funerals, it is said, they pluck up the grass, and cast it into the air, re∣peating those words of the Psalmist, They shall flourish, and put forth as the grasse of the Earth: Amongst the Romans it is said, it was an usual saying of a dead friend; abiit & reversurus est; Hee is gone, but will come again. Beloved,* This Great man shall rise again, comfort your selves in this, you shall see him a∣gain, and know, and love him better than ever: As Augustin spoke to the Lady Italica, and Luther at his last supper.

Thirdly, (To conclude this) The Lord hath a special care of your dead relations: Keeps their very bones, Psal. 34.20. Hee leaves not his in the dust; Rizpah watched over the bodies of the sons of Saul, and guarded them against the fowles of the air, 2 Sam. 21.10. but the Lord hath greater care of his chil∣dren, living, dying, and dead.*

It is every mans duty to take notice of, and to lay to heart the death of great men; especially if they bee good men: Know yee not?

How was Sauls death lamented; Saul,* (for whose salvation wee have nothing Page  256 to say, Nullum uspiam extat vestigium verae paenitentiae) yet David and all with him rent their cloaths, and wept, hearing of his, and Jonathans death: The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places; how are the mighty fallen? Jonathan was a chief Patient in this woful tragedy, but not the only subject of this doleful ele∣gy.

*Moses was a gallant man; an excellent Philosopher, more ancient than Socrates or Trismegist: A notable Poet, the Pen∣man of eleven Psalms, as Hierom thinks, from the eighty eight to the hundreth; though De Dieu, saith, some think Adam penned, and sang the ninety second, the morning after his creation; how was Moses his death lamented in the Plains of Moab?* was not a book of Lamenta∣tion writ upon the occasion of Josiahs Death? It is thought that that sad Poem, or doleful ditty (which Nazianzen could never read without tears & lamentation) was composed by the Prophet Jeremiah,* upon the fall of that most incomparable and unparalleld Prince, whereof menti∣on is made in the sacred Annales: Jere∣miah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men, and singing women speak of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day, and made them an Ordinance in Israel, &c. 2 Chron. 35.25.

During the Captivity, sundry Fasts were observed, on set daies, and on sad Page  257 occasions: The Fast of the fourth month, the Fast of the fifth,* the Fast of the se∣venth, and of the tenth.

Gedaliah, the Protectour of the rem∣nant of the Jews (after their King was carried away captive) was slain on the seventh month; therefore they fasted and mourned: Wee may write down this day; this very day, and mourn for the Death and Fall of this Prince and Great man; the children yet unborn may also observe it, when wee shall bee laid in dust.

Notable to this in hand, is that of King Joash, 2 King. 13.14. Mark his pathetical exclamation, and his plausible acclamation: O my Father! My Father, the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof; observe what lamentation hee makes, though a wicked King.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him; the Syriack reads it,* Gibre Mehe∣mene; Faithful men carried Stephen to his bed, they wept for him bitterly, or vehemently.

The Priests, and sometimes Prophets too, were not allowed (upon special con∣siderations in the Old Testament) to mourn, Ezek. 24.16. Thou shalt not weep, nor mourn, nor shall thy tears run down: make no mourning for the dead, forbear to cry, &c. but if wee bound our sorrows within the precinct of that Apostolical Page  258 precept; not mourning, as men without hope;* wee may bee afflicted, wee ought to weep and mourn, our laughter should bee turned into mourning, and our joy into heaviness: Christ himself wept o∣ver dead Lazarus; wee may over this Prince and Great man, who was so use∣ful an instrument, both to Church, and State, grandis in eum est pietas, as Jerom speaks of another.

Why are wee to take notice of, and to lay to heart the Falls of Princes and Great men?

First, Because when such men are taken away by death, then Judgements hasten, and post on apace: Their disso∣lution is an evident demonstration of the Lords indignation; upon the death of Crassus, such miseries befel the Roman State (saith the Oratour) that life was not so much taken from him, as a pu∣nishment, as death bestowed on him, as a reward.

In 2 Chron. 34.24. I will bring evil upon this place, saith the Lord (who owns all paenal evils) and upon the Inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are writ∣ten in this book; why so? see verse 25. Because they have forsaken mee, and have burned incense unto other Gods:* Sin is the foundation of punishment, God doth not punish, nor afflict ordinarily, but in case Page  259 of sin. Read on; But as for Josiah the King of Judah, say you unto him, because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thy self before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the Inhabitants thereof, and humblest thy self before mee, Behold I will ga∣ther Thee to thy Fathers, thou shalt bee gathered to thy grave in peace; neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the Inhabitants thereof.

The Philosopher speaking of the Stars, hath this passage, when they shoot, it is a sign of high winds following: When zealous Magistrates,* and faithful Mini∣sters shoot and slide into the earth; such as survive may sadly conclude, They are taken away from the evil to come, Isa. 57.1.

Methusalem that great and godly Pa∣triarch died, Eo anno quo caepit diluvium,* the very year the flood came: I know some have asserted that hee lived four∣teen years after it, and others say, hee died seven daies before it: His very name signified a messenger of death, his death presaged that fearful Inundation, the causes whereof I shall not now so mu•h as hint at.

Augustin that great Ornament and Muniment of Hippo, was taken away by death, immediately before the barba∣rous Goths and Vandals sacked that City in which hee lived: Ambrose his death Page  260 was afore-runner of Italies ruine; as Chy∣traeus reports, and Luthers death, accor∣ding to his prediction, was a fore-run∣ner of the German wars.*

I can do nothing saith God, till thou bee come thither, Gen. 19.22. non posse se dixit, quod sine dubio poterat per potentiam, non poterat per justitiam; saith one of the Ancients:* Non posse praetenditur, non velle in causa est: No sooner was Lot in Zoar, but the Lord rained down fire and brim∣stone upon Sodome: Such stand in the gap to turn away the Lords wrath; but when they are removed, what remains to stop the current of divine vengeance? when the precious fruits of the earth are gathered into the barn, the hedges are broken down, the beasts over-run all: When the Jewels are taken out of the Trunk, the courser things are thrown over-board; when Noah is housed in the Ark, his Pella, the fountains of the deep are broken open: Woe is mee, saith the Prophet Micah, The Good man, (the Great man) is perished out of the Earth:* and Da∣vid cries and praies, Help Lord! as if the Heavens had been falling on him: Heinsius reports, that the Sun with-drew its shine, and was eclypsed when Joseph Scaliger dyed. Darkness seizeth upon us in these parts, wee have had many of quality lately taken from us; it is well if the Lords wrath bee not comming upon us.

Page  261Secondly, Because when they fall, the persons with whom they conversed,* the places in which they lived are exceeding∣ly weakened: As in the Text; And I am this day weak: And are not wee this day weak? Behold the Family; is it not a weak Family, a disconsolate Widdow, tender, sickly children: A weak Town, hee was under the most high, our strength and munition, our defence and protection: Should wee unite our hearts and hands, our power and policy? Alas what can wee do! Our strength is weak∣nesse, our wisdome foolishnesse; As Je∣hosaphat said, so wee say, O Lord wee know not what to do, but our eyes are towards thee: In uno Caesare multi insunt Marii; There are many men in one Great man: One Josiah in a Kingdome, one Lot in a City, one Paul in a Ship, is of more value and vertue, than many thousands: Labans family fared the better for Jacobs sake, Pharaohs Court and Kingdome fared better for Josephs sake, and hath not this Town, these parts of the Country, fared much better for this great mans sake? Every great man, if hee bee a good man, is a great blessing and strengthening to the place in which hee lives; a blessing by his presence, a blessing by his prayers, a blessing by his example, which is as a Looking-glasse for others to dress them∣selves by; a blessing by his counsels: The death of faithful Ministers weakens won∣derfully; Page  262 the weapons of their warfare are mighty with God,* and mighty through God: The death of zealous Magistrates weakens infinitely; but I must not expatiate.

*Thirdly, Because when such fall; sin commonly increaseth exceedingly: Not only the Laws, but the lives of great men, it truly godly, give a shrewd check to daring impieties and prophanesse; ma∣ny whose hands only were chained but their hearts not changed, may break our, and fall off, returning with the dog to his vomit, and the Sow to wallow in the mire again: It is not unknown to hundreds of us within these walls, that this great mans countenance had special influence upon all the vile wretches that came nigh unto him: Hee could do ve∣ry much with a look: I could not in that compare him to any other but Lu∣ther,* Melchior Adams reports of him, that hee had such a Leonine aspect, ut ocu∣lorum suorum intentionem rectâ aspiciendo non omnes ferre possunt.

How was the prophanation of the Lords day prevented; Travellers accord∣ing to Law punished; drunkennesse sub∣dued, &c. Tremble godly souls to think how the eye of Gods glory is like to bee provoked; let rivers of waters run down your eyes.

Is there not matter of lamentation, when the winds are rising, the Sea swel∣ling, Page  263 the Heavens lowring, and the ene∣my approaching? to behold the souldiers gasping, the Pilots and Steers-men dead upon the deck: How shall the little flock bee kept out of the jaws and paws of the wild boar, and Beasts of prey? O pray, Lord remember thy Lilly amongst the Thorns, thy Lambs amongst the Wolves, thy love amongst the daughters; The Saints are as speckled birds, Jer. 12.9.* All about them are enemies to them.

Fourthly, Because otherwise they cannot make a right use and improve∣ment of their death and dissolution: It is the Lords will that wee should make a right, good use of his rod upon o∣thers, and of the fall of others.

Quest. What use should wee that survive, now make of this Princes dissolution?

Answer, A threefold Use.

• An Honourable Use.
• An Charitable Use.
• An Profitable Use.

An Honourable Vse, in relation to God, acknowledging his power and su∣premacy, his soveraignty and authority over man, to kill or make alive, to de∣liver from death, or to death.

A Charitable Vse, in relation to them who are afflicted, or taken away by death; not concluding them the greatest sinners, because they are the greatest sufferers; or that it is for some notorious impiety that they are cut off in the midst Page  264 of their daies: Their death may bee in mercy to them, in judgement to us.

A Profitable Vse, in reference unto our selves; wee should learn thence to walk humbly, to put our hearts in order, to see what the bitter fruit of sin is, &c.

Though the occasion of our comming together this evening bee very sad, yet the opportunity is sweet, if wee can learn rightly to improve this great mans fall: I remember Plotinus hath this passage: Men should so live, and so die, that o∣thers might learn some good from them, both living, and dying: Anatomists and Physitians advantage themselves by dissecting dead bodies, and prying into the inward parts, wee may spi∣ritually profit our selves by a serious consideration, and observation of his dis∣pensations in the Fall of Princes and Great men.

Fifthly, Not to take notice of, not to lay to heart the death of such men, is a God-provoking sin, a fruit of sin, and the cause of many horrid iniquities, and grievous transgressions: This inconsi∣deratenesse is that which the Prophet checked and much lamented, Isa. 57.1. None considereth that they are taken a∣way from the evil to come; none pon∣dered it in their hearts; they did not search into it; what should bee the minde and end of God in it; God laies it to mens charge, that they lay not those things un∣to Page  165 their hearts; as if personal mortality were not sometimes a presage of publick misery: This is a direct violation of a divine injunction, Eccles. 7.3. The living shall lay it upon their hearts: Is not the hand of God in this sad providence? It is hee that helps us into the world, and it is hee that helps us again out of the world: the key of the womb, and the key of the grave are in his hand alone: The actions of Princes and Great ones in the world, every eye almost observes; and shall wee slight the operations of his hand; the Lord complains of this, and severely punisheth it Isa. 5.12. Isa. 4•.25. Jer. 5.3, &c. Once more.

Sixthly, This argues our due,* and true estimation of them, according to the charge. Hold such in reputation: It is otherwise a clear demonstration wee nei∣ther loved them, nor prized them; if they dye unlamented, it is strongly pre∣sumed, they lived undesired how can wee say wee love them, when their lives are not worth our prayers, nor their deaths our tears? A good man is a common good, a common treasure, wherein every soul hath a share, that man hath a hard heart that can hear of such mens deaths with a drie eye.

In the eleventh of John you have Christ weeping at Lazarus his funeral: it is observed, that hee wept thrice, but never laught: Ter flevisse legimus, ri∣sisse Page  266 nunquam legimus: why wept hee now? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Andreas Cretensis gives this for the rea∣son; hee thinks Christ lamented not o∣ver Lazarus, but over the Jews, because of their infidelity, that although they should see the miracle, Lazarus raised from the dead, yet they would not be∣leeve in him.

The tears of others (as others) who were by-standers did draw tears, even from Christ himself, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

I shall passe by the reasons given by Cyril, Rupertus, and others, and only ac∣quaint you with Augustins, and Maldo∣nats: Christ therefore wept, saith the Fa∣ther, that by his example hee might teach us to weep at the funerals of reli∣gious and useful persons.

Christ therefore wept, saith the Je∣suit, as the Jews interpreted it, non pessi∣mi in hac re authores; because hee loved him, you can apply it: I passe it.

The Application of this Observation, In two Uses.

*For Correction, This checks such, if there bee any such, amongst us, as take no notice of, and lay not to heart the falls of great ones, eminently useful in their Generations: I hope there are none such with us in this throng Assembly, of whom it any bee said, as was of those Widdows of the Priests, Psal. 78.64. Page  267 Their Priests fell by the sword, and their Widdows made no lamentation: Yet if there bee such elsewhere, that are glad in their hearts, that they can see with their eyes, such Great men laid in their graves; let such tremble: Now they may drink, and bee drunk, stagger, and fall, quarrel, and braul, now they may pro∣phane the Lords day without controule or contradiction; they are as good as the best, who now survive; they may swear, and swill, and swagger, and fill them∣selves with Wine and strong drink, and sin securely; O miserable, vain man! Nullum pejus malum libertate peccandi; Thou hast the most reason to lament the death of such; if thou didst but appre∣hend thine own condition: It is a fearful character of a gracelesse man to rejoyce on this account, in the death of great, good useful men: Paulinus reports of Ambrose, that hee would weep bitterly when hee heard of any godly Ministers death: Are not good Magistrates Gods Ministers? Heirs of restraint? The bet∣ter they bee to us in their lives,* the more bitter to us should bee their deaths; as while they live, they are much to bee honoured; so when they dye, they de∣serve much to bee lamented: There is no strong rod to bee a scepter to rule us:* This is a lamentation, and shall bee for a lamentation.

*For Exhortation; Weep, yea, weep Page  268 bitterly, yee persons of quality; Yee Noble Collonels, yee valiant Captains of his acquaintance and allyance: Your number is lessened, your hands are weakened: There is a Prince and a Great man fallen, who adventured him∣self in the high places of the field; a man of an Heroick undaunted spirit: Weep, yea weep bitterly Reverend Fathers and Brethren in the Ministry: Know yee not that there is a Prince and a Great man fal'n this day in Israel, whose paternal care was manifested in his provision for you, and protection of you?

O Leigh! O Lancashire lament thy losse; with trembling hands and bleed∣ing hearts may wee remember the year 1655. Three Suns set, Three Stars of the first magnitude, shot, Three great men in one year, two of them in one month; Holland, Ashurst and Atherton.

That thrice, worthy, and deservedly honoured Gentlemen, Mr. Edward Hol∣land, a man admired by all who knew him the Phaenix of Lancashire, of whom I may say, having had more special oc∣casions and opportunities to know him intus & in cute: For depth of learning, especially in Philosophy, and the Ma∣thematicks; for solidity of judgement, strength of memory, quicknesse and acutenesse of conception, and which is the Ornament of all, Holinesse of life, fervency in prayer; for Humilitie and Page  269 Affability, his fellow is not easily (if at all) found in the North of England;* if any suspect my partiality, let him read his praise in print by Reverend Mr. Case; if learning make a man (as it doth, not naturally, but morally; not essentially, but accidentally; it is the beauty, the lustre, the Ornament of a man) then I may say, hee was one: If grace make a good man (as it doth without dispute, no man can have it, but hee shall bee like it) then hee was one; of him I may say (and I shall say no more) as Nazianzen did of Athanasius, Hollandum laudare est i∣dem ac virtutem ipsam laudare.

The second I mentioned is Mr. Willi∣am Ashurst, of whom all that knew him (and hee was known by the most knowing and worthy men in England, Scotland, and Ireland) may say as Nehe∣miah did of Hananiah,* hee was a faithful man, and feared God above many: hee was the glory of his Country; it is Scripture language; they that are truly godly and noble, they are the blessings of a Kingdome, Eccl. 10.7. the glory of a Kingdome, Isa. 5.13. Their honourable men, (or their glory) are men of famine, an incomparable man; did you ever know so good a head, so well hearted; or so good a heart, so well headed? I shall say no more of him, but as one did of Her∣cules. Page  270

And before our teares were wiped from our eyes; another of Jobs Messen∣gers, as it were, brings us tidings of sor∣row, and bitter lamentation, of this Prince and Great mans fall this day in Israel: Wee are the men who have seen affliction, and still do see: and I am fearful, shall see more; the dart of death (I doubt) is not removed from this af∣flicted, shattered family: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not; and must Benjamin go too; Holland is not, and Ashurst is not, and Atherton is not; and shall the hopes of these worthy Families go too? all these things are against us.

Shall I call on you, Worthy Gentle∣men of his dear Relations, to take notice of this sad providence; this invaluable, and almost irreparable losse; it is your wisdome to study these dispensations, and to bee sensible of the Lords displea∣sure; weigh your losse in the ballance of the sanctuary.

*Weep! O Weep yee Inhabitants of Atherton: As Augustin did by Davids penitential Psalms, even so do you by the words of my Text: Hee caused them to bee drawn upon the walls of his chamber, that hee might read them as hee lay in bed; hee read and wept, and wept and read: it may bee our iniqui∣ties, have provoked the most high in much displeasure to take him from us, Page  271 and put a period to his daies that so hee may bring upon us the judgements long since deserved, and now much feared: He was a Star of the most benigne influence that hath risen in our Horizon within the memory of any now alive; the more therefore by us to bee lamented; let not that bee our sin which was their Judge∣ment, Jer. 16.5. Ezek. 24.23.

I remember Seneca reports of Senecio Cornelius, that hee was a tenacious,* co∣vetous man, care who would for their souls, hee was only solicitous about his body, and his mony; when hee had all the day long waited on his dying friend, and his friend was dead, hee returns to his house, sups merrily, comforts him∣self quickly, goes to bed chearfully, his sorrows ended, and time of mourning expired, before his friend was interred: Let none of us follow his example and practise: Let us lay this Great mans Death close to, and keep it long on our hearts; let us lament over him, saying, Ah Lord! Ah his glory! let us fall down upon our faces, as Ezekiel did, when Pe∣latiah the son of Benajah died; and depre∣cate the processe of his Judgements, that no more breaches bee made upon us; In wrath; O Lord! remember mercy.

3 Observation.

It is a lawful and needful thing to speak honourably of Great men at their Falls and Funerals. We may say good of Page  272 when dead, whose constant work and practise it was to do good while they lived.

It is lawful thus to do; the practise of the Spirit of God is warrant enough; it was the Holy Ghost who writ Jehoia∣daies Epitaph; They buried him in the City of David,* among the Kings, be∣cause hee had done good in Israel, both towards God, and towards his house: It is said of Josiah in his commendation, like unto him there was no King, 2 King. 23.25. Moses and Mordecai; Heze∣kiah, Saul, and Jonathan, with Abner in the Text, after their deaths have their due praises.

*It is useful thus to do, plane quod eo∣rum memoriam veneramur nostra interest, non ipsorum, as Bernard speaks; E• sancto∣rum commemoratione gestorum ad omnes provenit utilitas.

*Let this silence the detractours of our times and territories; no sooner is dust cast upon the heads, but they throw dirt in the faces of our Worthies: Augustin fitly compares such to Dives his Dogs, they lay licking, and sucking Lazarus his sores, his sounder parts they never med∣led with.

It was one of Solons Laws, that none should dare to speak evil of the dead, and Plutarch tells us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;* it was highly commended, and Page  273 duly observed: It is not so with us in this censorious age: veterum mos fuit (saith one) neminem sepelire, nisi prius lau∣datum, &c.* It was the custome of old to lay none in their graves, till some O∣ratour had given the by standers a full account of the deceaseds virtues; but tempora mutantur, & nos: It is recorded to Vespatians honour, that hee was more ready to conceal the vices, than the vir∣tues of his friends; such commonly are best acquainted with others infirmities, who are least observant of their own ini∣quities, and irregularities: To trample upon the reputation, and stain the glo∣ry of the dead, argues thee to bee a kin to Fleas, who bite most, when men are asleep; or as the Poet speaks,

Rectus ordo requirit, saith Bernard in his Epistle to Bru•o, ut prius propriam, deinde alienas curare studeas conscientias: The charge is, *Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise reprove him, by no means reproach him: Observable is that of our blessed Sa∣viour, Luk. 7.37. * There was a woman in the City which was a sinner; no won∣der, what woman is not? wee may guess both who the woman was, and what the sin was, and which City it was; but hee neither names the City, nor the sin, nor Page  274 the sinner; seeing her reformation, hee consults her reputation: Go and do like∣wise: Omit no opportunity of speaking well of others; do not ever speak evil of others, when you have opportunity and just occasion, it is a greater commenda∣tion of your goodnesse, that you might, and would not: Posse & nolle nobile est.

For us to bee ill spoken of, and not de∣servedly, is neither our fault, nor our case alone;* it is a comfort that ill tongues cannot make ill men: Nemo est tantae faelicitatis, qui dentes semper evadet ma∣lignitatis: It was said, Christ was a wine-bibber, and Paul mad: It is an ill property, never to requite any courtesy, ever to revenge an injury upon men li∣ving; it is basest when dead; but to con∣clude this Use, let the Motto which was fixed upon the door of a certain Senate-house,* bee in every detractours eye, Si quem laudare non potes, ne vitupera: It was matter of sharpest censure to the Grammarians, that they were better ac∣quainted with the evils of Ulysses, than with their own.

*Let mee exhort you all, high and low, to know, and do your duty; Give unto Cae∣sar the things that are Caesars: Render to all their dues, honour to whom honour belongs: To practise my self what I presse on you, is your expectation: I shall do in this what I can, though I can∣not Page  275 do what I would: And not only at this time, but when ever just occasion is offered; I shall do it of others: Foolish and sottish people snarle at the Painter, if the Portraicture bee not in all parts very beautiful, and comely, when as the effi∣gies is drawn unto the life, and exactly resembles, or represents the person in all parts: bee it your indeavour to do well while you live, if you would have others to speak well of you being dead: Augustin blamed some Ministers for com∣mending such in their Pulpits, whose souls, probably were frying in Hell: Of Julian the Pelagian hee said, Idoneus erat dicere panegyricum Satanae; hee was a man fit enough to make an Oration in commendation of the Devil, as Bruno an Italian did.

It shall bee my care to say what I know is true; and not to leave a lye behinde mee, nor draw the guilt thereof upon mee: All the Princes in Europe will not do mee so much good, as a ly may do mee hurt: I remem∣ber that of Zenophon,* 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: If I answer not the expectations of Relations, culpetur ingenium non voluntas: If I seem to others exuberant, let them pardon mee; I may know more of him than others do: I confesse my unfitness for this present task; neither is my heart, nor head, nor hand inured to Panegyricks, or Page  276 such funeral Encomiasticks: I fear (as Na∣zianzen did) speaking of his Sister Gor∣gonia) I shall speak below, not above the truth, nor his worth: I shall however bee short in the Narrative, and give you Ho∣mers Iliads in a Nut-shel: Ezekiel pour∣trayed the City of Jerusalem upon a Tile: deep sorrows (such is your posture) will hear no long orations, they never make long speeches, as hee said of Psan∣nenitus: Leves loquuntur curae, ingentes stupent.

Shall I then come to this Prince and Great man, whose sad Funerals you are now celebrating; neither his person nor his actions can bee hid; hee was a City built on a Hill; his story is yet fresh and lively in all your memories, and the stage whereon hee acted, is yet warm: Shall I say of him, as Scaliger did of Strisset, the Calculatour: I very well may, Dignus erat, quem nec senium se∣nem faceret, nec naturae lex vita privaret; but more distinctly: And

First, Concerning his original, the pe∣digree or Parentage of this worthy Gentleman; it is so generally known to bee Noble, that to say much were su∣perfluous in a thing so conspicuous; but to divine providence, and his worthy An∣cestours, hee was most beholding, for that hee was sprung of such an ancient and venerable stemme: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Phi∣losopher Page  277 speaks in the fourth of his Po∣liticks, chap. 18. yet that's true of Plu∣tarch before hinted▪ it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Men are not born of noble Progenitours by hap-hazzard:* Notable is that of Se∣neca; Si possent homines sibi sortem fa•ere, nascendi nemo esset humilis, nemo egens, &c. Had men it in their power, who would not spring from a royal root? Hee was not of a low and base extra∣ction, as some of the Grandees of our times: It was the Churches lamenta∣tion, that they who were brought up in Scarlet, embraced Dung-hills;* it is a la∣mentation, and may be for a lamentation, that they who were brought up on dung∣hills, are now cloathed in Scarlet.

Hee was no reproach to his Parentage, nor was his Parentage a reproach to him: As hee was the Head, so hee was the Honour of that ancient Family: Its Ornament and Muniment: In his youth hee was accounted worthy of com∣mand, in a valiant, victorious Army: with Adino the Ezrite hee deserved to sit in the chief seat among the Captains, 2 Sam. 23.8. Hee never trailed the pike to come to preferment: Hee was not a Lion before many Harts, nor an Hart before many Lions; but a Lyon before many Lions: Another Scanderbeg, or Zisca, so prudently and valiantly did hee deport himself: Seldome was such a man so caused, or such a cause so man∣ned, Page  278 as that which hee mannaged, and in which hee was ingaged: For his Magnanimity, all that knew him, much admired him: This David commends in Abner, and wee in him; in a word, hee was stirpe & ingenio bellicosus.

Providence now puts him on to change his condition: Though there bee some truth in that of the Heathen.

A single life is not so sorrowful, yet there is a truth in this.

A vertuous wife, is the life of life, which hee was blessed with above many; a Gentlewoman of honourable descent; one of rich and rare qualifications; from her infancy dedicated to,* and educated for God; a child of many prayers, of unparrellel'd prudence, providence, pie∣ty, humility, modesty, and beauty: To say no more, remembring that of Sal∣vian in his fourth book Ad Ecclesiam Ca∣tholicam: Praise cannot bee safe there, where life it self is not safe: while per∣sons are subject to mutability, they can∣not bee praised with security: It is matter of lamentation to see persons of quality, so degrading and disparaging themselves by their base carriages, and Page  279 marriages: But I shall passe on.

Now must hee serve his Generation and Country in another way; and therefore is authorized and impowred to act, as, Conservator del peace,* a Justice of Peace, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: In which hee preferred the publick good, be∣fore his own private gain and inte∣rests: Hee consulted the welfare of Re∣ligion and Justice, not his own case, or safety: O that all in Authority were more negligent in things belonging to themselves, and more diligent in such things as concern the glory of God, and the Churches good: Faithful Ministers were incouraged, the Fatherlesse and the Widdows righted, Justice duly exe∣cuted; his equity and impartiality was very exemplary.

Paulo majora canamus: Higher ho∣nours were yet prepared for him, and appointed to him, viz. the Shrevalty: which hee neither sought, nor bought, but shunned, as far as modesty and safe∣ty would allow: Concerning his de∣portment, the noblenesse of his spirit, the unanimous and honourable atten∣dance of the Gentry, &c. I shall crave leave to bee silent; many of you saw, or heard, that his disposition ran parallel with his elevation.

Nor shall I leave him thus; something more remains.

For his Temperance and Sobriety; Page  280 hee was a coppy for others to write af∣ter; a Looking-glasse for them to dresse by: And this was the more memorable, because hee lived in Lubrico loco & aeta∣te: A virtue this is of special influx; of a sober man I may say as Apollonius did of Vespasian for his early rising, and time∣ly stirring, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: It is a rare virtue in some persons of quality, whose vivere is bibere, as Scaliger speaks of the Ger∣mans, both in pronunciation and practice: It is a good quality in a spunge to drink up much, but not in a Prince: as De∣mosthenes told Aeschines, commending Philip of Macedon, for a jovial man, and one who would drink freely.

For his Humility and Affability I might say much; hee was in honore, sine tumore, in elatione, sine praelatione, &c. hee knew when to stoop and stand up, and did both; it is rare to see one so high, so lowly: so well descended, so free from morosity and superciliousnesse, and humble-hearted; hee knew that pride was the badge of an ignoble spirit, a stinking weed, that's wont to grow and thrive most in the worst soils and souls: hee knew hee might easily bee too high, but could never bee low enough; hee would not passe by an excellency in o∣thers without observation.

For his disposition in relation to the poor and needy, it was generous and liberal: I seldome, or never sound his Page  181 ear or hand shut against charitable mo∣tions: Hee knew that those that did good to the poor and needy, for Christs sake, God would do good to them for the poors sake; sure for his Sons sake: Hee knew, that hee who promised, they should have that asked, had first com∣manded such to give unto them that asked: I might call on you hono∣rable and beloved, and plead the cau∣ses, and spread the cases of the distressed before you; in the words of Augustin: Tu contemnis egentem tui? Deus non con∣temnit, egentem sui, &c. why dost thou give them childish or churlish answers, gives God such unto thee? or as Nazi∣anzen, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, why shouldest thou treasure up for Theeves, or Moths, or mutability of times?* Look upon the necessities of others, not as strangers, but as members, as you would have the Lord to look upon yours: Bee good to all, God is so: especially to the houshold of Faith: Vnmercifulnesse is a sin which least becomes, and worst beseems one that hath tasted of the Lords gracious∣nesse: Date obolum Bellisario, may bee the cry of such as are now in pomp and Majesty.

For his Judgement, It was not Epis∣copal, nor Congregational, but Presby∣terial: as conscience-bound, hee freely submitted to examination, the great Page  280 Rock of offence: His opinions such as might save him, rather than raise him; and therefore hee truly and duly ob∣served the Lords day: His diligent at∣tendance upon divine Ordinances, was very exemplary; with what reverence and fear, so far as man could judge, would hee attend unto the word dispen∣sed by the Lords Ministers; when by reason of the weaknesse of his body hee could not come to the solemn publick assemblies; wee saw the willingnesse of his mind, that wee should come to him, and therefore had his Invitation (to us a command) to come often to pray with him, and preach to him every Lords day evening at least, till the Lord had ei∣ther restored him to health, or removed him out of the Land of the living by death; which was done, not without te∣stifications of his thankfulnesse. And

This was further memorable; There was not that omission of that family-perfuming and preserving Ordinance of Prayer, reading of the Word, &c. in his house, as is I fear in many families of quality: It is true: His house was not so with God, as was desired; nor was holy Davids,* nor any of ours: yet it was not without calling upon God, nor without the special blessing of God:* It was Salvians sad complaint, Si honora∣tior quispiam religioni se applicuerit, illico honoratus esse desist it: Si fuerit sublimis, Page  283 fit despicabilis, si splendissimus fit vilissimus, si totus honoris, fit totus injuriae, &c. Blessed bee our God, our times are not such: O that you would bee more frequent, and fervent in your addresses to God! You may bid farewel to all good daies, when you bid farewel to all good duties: If you send up no prayers to God, no desires to God, sure, you have no de∣sires of God, nor after God? Are not the least of his blessings (if there bee any little) worth praying and staying for? whence doth this omission arise? From a principle of ignorance, or negligence; of carelesnesse, or covetousnesse, or from a principle of forgetfulnesse, or fearful∣nesse? sure I am, if you and your houses serve not God, God will neither save you, nor your houses; Read and tremble, Prov. 3.33. Jer. 10.25. Psal. 9.17.

In reference to his Relations, I may give this character of him in short.

To his precious Consort, hee was a loving Husband; they liv'd some, and might have many years together, many more had the Lord spun out his thread, as Rubenius Celer and his wife did, with∣out reconciliation; they did never need it: Erant duo in carne una,* & duo in voce una; they were not one in many things, and two in some things, but one in all: There was no cause of crying,

To his children, a tender-hearted Page  284 Father: Not many (if any) more: O that you and I could manifest more spi∣ritual love to our little ones: The love which wee bear unto their bodies, is but the body of our love; the soul of love, is that love which we bear unto their souls; Let us pray more for them; Gods good∣nesse, their Ancestours prayers, and their own lives, every day growing bet∣ter: Were the three Advocates which (Grotius saith) the Israelites had: Come∣liness in children, is riches, if nothing else bee left them, said a learned Knight; It is more true of godlinesse:* Si nil ora∣rem, nil curarem, said Melancthon: Should I not pray for my children, I should not care for my children: Your prayers may do them much more good, than all the portions you can leave them: Before the flood children died not before their Fathers, unlesse by a violent death (as some of the learned say) they ground it on, Gen. 11.28. Hanan (say they) is the first that's noted to die before his Father: Not much to build on this: Pray wee for our children con∣stantly, and instantly, and when-ever they bee taken from us, wee shall resign them up more chearfully;* and though they die before us (as wee see many do) yet our consciences shall bee much quieter, and our comfort greater.

To his Tenants hee was very respect∣ful, by them highly honoured and reve∣renced: Page  285 And his death is, and will bee much lamented: Though tears from such bee no commendation to a living, yet they are credit to a dead Lord: Such another in his room, and of his name is, I am confident, the desire of their hearts, and will bee the delight of their eyes.

To the Neighbour-hood very useful: Causinus reports of one, that whatsoever question was propounded to him, his answer still was Love: whence commest thou? from Love; and whither goest thou? to Love; and where wast thou? with Love: It was the design of this worthy, in all matters, as I have been in∣formed, to preserve Peace, and Love.

To us of the Ministry hee was very dear, and deservedly precious: Salvus est Artifex; is all wee can solace our selves in: Hee had a great room in our hearts, a great share in our prayers; hee was a man of many prayers and tears: How were your hearts inlarged, and assistance from Heaven vouchsafed, both in pub∣lick, and private, with him, and from him, as if deliverance from death had been the Lords intendment: But his prayers for himself, and your prayers for him, I hope are not lost; though in this they were not answered: The prayers of dying persons are living,* last∣ing prayers; Stephens were so: God knows how to lay us by, and our prayers up: Hee spared no pains, hee Page  286 used all means to incourage us in our work, and to provide for us, riding ma∣ny a mile, writing many a letter; Wee never wanted his counsel, nor his coun∣tenance: His heart, nor hand, Ano∣ther Hezekiah, Josiah, or Nehemiah hee was to us, you have heard it, wee experi∣enced it.

As Ulysses said of Achilles: Could our prayers, or tears have prevailed with the most High for the prolonging of his life, wee might have had him with us to our comfort, whom hee hath taken from us, to our smart and sorrow: But hee is fallen, hee is fallen: Shall I tell you how? Not as Cornelius Gallus the Prae∣tor, not as Tegillinus, Nero and others; to the stories of whose shameful, sinful falls, I presume you are not strangers, they fell; as if their real design had been to dwell with Devils to eternal ages.

Hee lost not his life for treachery, as some within our memory; hee dyed not violently, not sordidly, nor suddenly; as this great man in my Text, his sicknesse was long, his disease lingring, his pa∣tience great, his resolutions religious, his tears many: It is said of Adam, that hee would turn his face towards the gar∣den of Eden and weep often.

For his disease I cannot say much, nor Page  287 is it very much material: The Clocks never smote all at once; nor did the learn∣ed Physitians agree in their opinions, or prescriptions: Wee see hee is fallen by it, and left all that knew his worth,* mourners: una dies interest inter mag∣num virum & nullum; as Seneca said of the City.

It was conceived, and by most con∣cluded to bee a Phtisis, an ulcer of the lungs, a consumption; of this the first man that ever lived, dyed▪ Tirinus saith so: If his assertion or te∣stimonie bee with you of any validity;* Caepit mori corporè (eodem quo peccavit mo∣mento) longa illa Phtyseos, seu internae cor∣ruptionis morte, Agustin, Pererius, Gre∣gory, and others are of his Judge∣ment.

To say no more at present; Hee fell in the Meridian, in the very Zenith of his Honour: Shall I say of his death, as Philip did of Hipparcus's: It was in a good time for himself, but for mee too soon: Wish I could, and thousands more, had the Lord so pleased, that like the Sun in Joshua's time hee might have stood still amongst us; or if by some degrees hee had gone back (as the Sun in Hezekiahs time) by this sicknesse, yet that hee might have recovered his daies and health again; But the will of the Lord is done, and ours in his.

I have but one word more by way of Page  288 humble Advice, and it is to the Town of Atherton: Study this black, this afflictive providence,* which gives the occasion of this sad and solemn convention, there is much in it.

Look upon the death of this your wor∣thy Lord and Master, as a said progno∣stick of some approaching Judgement: his death it is feared will make way for the Lords wrath;* Quando Luminaria patiuntur Eclypsin, signum malum est mundo: The Jews have a saying; The death or fall of one Great man is the rise of another: pray that it may bee so in this ancient Family: Moses was solici∣tous about a successour, and beggs an im∣mediate choice from Heaven, but one under his own roof, within his own walls is to bee the man:* There is within the walls of this worthy Family a pair of hopeful, goodly children to repair this breach, and recruit this losse; pray that they may bee double comforts to that Family, and blessings to this Town: O pray! pray, the power of prayer is wonderful.

Labour to see your own mortality in his death;* and since you must die, do not sin; so live, while you live, that when you die, your death may lead you to a bet∣ter life: Desire not long life much; Page  289 the longer you wish to live, the longer you wish (if godly) to bee out of Hea∣ven; let your death-bed rather finde you fit, than fit you for God: measure not your lives by the years which are gone, but by the good which you have done: Notable is that of Seneca, Respice celori∣tatem rapidissimi temporis,* cogita brevita∣tem hujus spacii, per quod citatissimi curri∣mus; and elsewhere; nec ulla res magis proderit, quam cogitatio mortalitatis,* stat super caput fatum & pereuntes dies impu∣tat, propius{que} ac propius accedit; I have not time to english them.

Live more to God, and more upon God, since this Cisterne is broken:* Ad∣dresse your selves to him, in whom all your fresh springs are: In the Summer season, viz. the day of prosperity many springs are drained and dried up, which in the winter of adversity are fresh and full.

Take heed how you suffer your affe∣ctions to wander abroad, and about ter∣rene Objects; the stars which have least circuit, are nearest the pole, and men who are least perplexed with worldly mat∣ters, are commonly nearest God: Is not he an unreasonable wretch, whom Heaven will not satisfie?

Notable is that of Chrysostome, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* &c. All these sublunary Page  290 things are full of vanity, insufficiency, mutability, deceit (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) they are but phantasies, they have no solidity nor congruity to your spirits.

Preserve that peace and unity amongst you, which is so fresh and fragrant: It is your glory, your beauty, your safety; quod in cantu harmonia,* in civitate concor∣dia; Let there bee amongst us no strife, nor contention, unlesse, which shall bee furthest from strife and contention; is there any heart-burnings? let them bee turned into heart-breakings; Let all em∣nities and animosities (if any amongst you) bee laid aside, and not resumed till you have another Lord of Atherton, who can (as this could) reconcile or re∣move them with a word: Remember how legions of Devils have agreed in one man: Shall not the Christians of, and in one Town? when sheep But much one against another, a storm is approaching: Divisions are dangerous, disadvantagi∣ous, and scandalous; the windes are very high, when the armes of a tree knock one against another.* O how good and pleasant a thing is it for brethren to live together in unity! so sweet is this, saith Augustin, that those who could never read the Psalter, yet can sing this verse: Bee of one minde,* live in peace, and (though this Worthy bee taken from you) the God of love and peace shall bee with you.

Page  291Preserve the Ministry of the Word a∣mongst you;* it is anima pabulum ad vi∣tam aeternam; it is vita, victus, virtus, & custodia: Luther could live better in hell (as hee thought) with it, than in para∣dice without it: You have done much, no Town in England (I am perswaded) more for it, repent not of your good works, as Pharaoh did, In all places where I record my name, Exod. 20.24. I will come unto my people, and I will blesse them; Precious Promises, Hear and your souls shall live: There is not so much of duty in the Precept, but there is as much of bounty and mercy in the Promise: The Ministry of the Word is bonum inestima∣bile, a good never enough prized: I would not have you know the worth of it (as many do) by the want of it: I might say of its excellency and necessity, as the Rabbines say of liberty; If the Heavens were Parchment, the Sea Ink, and every pile of grasse a pen, the praises of it could not bee comprized, or expres∣sed: There are some things which for their transcendent worth, and usefulnesse, are said to surpasse all humane under∣standing; As The Love of God, Ephes. 3.19. The Peace of God; Phil. 4.7. The knowledge of Christ, Phil. 3.8. The Joyes of Heaven: If the joy of Faith bee un∣speakable, and full of glory,* what then shall the joy of fruition bee: without the Ministry of the Word, how can you Page  292 come to know Jesus Christ, and him crucified? O lay not violent hands up∣on your own souls: Turn not your backs upon the Lords Ordinances, they are of divine institution, not of humane invention: Expect not mercy without respect had to duty, lest you perish eter∣nally; some say they are above Gods Or∣dinances; the truth is, Gods Ordinances are above them, these are spiritual, they are sensual, carnal, &c. I know better things of you, though I thus speak; were ever premonitions prejudicial? I give you this advice (My Beloved) for no by or base ends: My trust is in that God who never failed his poor servant. If I live,* some place may need mee (though an unprofitable, despicable, obscure crea∣ture) If I dye, I shall need no place: My Son, God will provide should uphold this base unbeleeving heart: A little served Luther, can I look for much? But this is my fear, Brethren, this is my fear, the removal of the Ministry from you; and others too: Magistracy and Ministry commonly fall together; they are like Hippocrates his twins; See Isa. 3.2. Lam. 2.6,7.* Our sins have provoked the Lord to remove our Magistrates, the breath of our nostrils; and they will re∣move Ministers too, if not timely and truly repented of: It is for the peoples sins that God sometimes strikes their faithful Ministers dumb, and dead too, Page  293 Ezek. 3.26. I shall leave one Scripture with you, and then commit you to God; It is that of Salomon the Master of the sentences; where there is no vision,* the people perish, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 this is inter loca tremenda.

Some render it thus;* the people will keep holy-day; they will have nothing to do, but weep, and wail; or they will do nothing that is good.

Others thus;* The people shall bee stripped naked, left as a City without walls, exposed to the fury of the enemy, as a body without cloathes open to wind and weather.

And some,* The people shall bee dis∣covered; it will then appear, what is within, grace, or sin, what paintings, breathings after God in his Ordinan∣ces, &c.*

Pagnin thus; The people will grow barbarous, rebellious; and doth not ex∣perience and observation prove it.

Others thus,* The people shall bee of no esteem or repute, others may pitty them, but few prize them.

And some,* The people shall bee dis∣persed, scattered; and are not families strangely and sadly shivered and shatte∣red, Congregations broken in minutula frustula?

And others;* They shall bee drawn a∣way with errours; either starved or poi∣soned.

Page  294Once more:

*The people shall bee destroyed, or perish.

All conclude, it shall go ill, very ill with that people.