Enchiridion judicum, or, Jehosaphats charge to his judges, opened, in a sermon before the Right Honourable, the judges, and the right worshipful, the sheriffe of the county palatine of Lancast. Together with Catastrophe magnatum, or, King Davids lamentation, at Prince Abners incineration. In a sermon meditated on the fall, and preached at the funeral of the Right Worshipful John Atherton of Atherton Esq; high-sheriffe of the county palatine of Lanc. / By John Livesey minister of the Gospel at Atherton.

A Postscript to the READER.

THis is an age, in which many are more forward to drink in new opini∣ons, and belch out asper∣sions, than pay their old debts: Praise and publick honour is a debt owing to every good man; yea, as Nazianzen speaks, it is (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) a debt that of all debts is most due and just; Commemorative Orations are not uselesse, when the per∣sons interred were very useful; why should wee not embalme the memories of our Worthies: I remembred that saying of Nicias an exquisite Painter, (Artis pingendi non minimam partem in eo esse positam, ut argumentum•• eligatur pingi dignum, & quod spectantium oculos idone∣um

sit tenere, and that other of R. Sal. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and therefore I was the more copious in the commendation of this deceased Gentleman; and yet not so full as others might, and would have been, had they been the Oratours: That some snarled (I was informed, while I was transcri∣bing this short Sermon) cannot much bee admired, nor is it at all regarded, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Truth is tart, and unpleasant to fools, &c. I see the Arabick proverb verified: Justus in patria sua est tanquam aurum in fodina sua; nullius fere pretii aut valoris; and that of Tacitus; Non minus periculum ex magna fama, quam ex mala; a great fame is not lesse dangerous, than a bad one: and that of Quintilian, Nemo eodem tem∣pore asse qui potest, magnam famam, & magnam quietem; No mortal wight can in••oy a great fame quietly.

I must say of him, that hee was a man subject to like passions as other men, and not without his infirmities: The present tense in Grammer is accompa∣nied with the imperfect; the future with the praeterpluperfect tense; such is the condition of our present and future sanctity; Our future is more than per∣fect, our present is really imperfect, yet real; the frailties of others are to bee ob∣served,

as well as their excellencies; but not with a partial, envious, malicious, curious, censorious, wanton eye: I drew his picture, as Amelius, and Carterus did Plotinuses, without his command, or consent; they did it as hee was disputing in the Schools: I did it, as hee lay dead, and at a distance: David drew no line in Abners portraicture with a black coal; why should I in HIS? Davids service is noted, and for that hee is praised; his sin is not mentioned, Act. 13.38. Jobs patience recorded, his murmuring and impatience not remembred, James 5.11. Rahabs Faith is mentioned, not her lye, Heb. 11.31. Thou art all fair my Love, there is no spot in thee, saith Christ of his Spouse; yet shee had her blots, spots, in∣firmities, and deformities: Too much is said by way of Apology: The best answer to words of reproach and petu∣lancy, is silence and patience: It is thy best course (Good Reader) to let Bucers and Fagius his bones lie where they are interred; if digged up, they shall bee more solemnly honoured: Cato was, (and this Worthy shall bee) as often cleared as accused: No more, Ne duplo te oneret minus suavis oratio, si & longa fuerit.

Notes

• Orat. Funeb. pro Caesario fratre.
• Benignitas quae exeretur ••rga mortuos est benignitas veritatis, quia n••n expecta∣tur retributio.