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<DATE>2005-01-25</DATE>
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<NAME>Rachel Losh</NAME>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>&THgr;&Rgr;&EEgr;&Ngr;&OHgr;&Dgr;&Igr;&Agr;.</P>
<P>THE CHURCHES LAMENTATION <HI>FOR THE</HI> Good Man his losse: Delivered in a Sermon To the Right honourable the two Houses of Parliament, and the Reverend Assembly of Divines, at the Funerall of that Excellent Man <HI>JOHN PYM,</HI> Esquire, late a Member of the Honourable House of Commons.</P>
<P>Preached in the Abbey-Church of <HI>Westminster,</HI> by <HI>Stephen Marshall,</HI> B. D. Minister of Gods Word at Finching-field in Essex.</P>
<P><HI>Published by Order of the House of Commons.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL>Esa. 57. 1.</BIBL>
The righteous perisheth, &amp; no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.</Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed for <HI>Stephen Bowtell,</HI> and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes head Alley. 1644.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Right honourable THE Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament:</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Right Honourable,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_THis plaine piece, which (were it worthy) should bee <HI>sacred</HI> to this excellent Man, <HI>memory,</HI> comes now also <HI>devoted</HI> to your <HI>service:</HI> It should have been <HI>his picture,</HI> but becomes <HI>your possession;</HI> and let it be <HI>inter</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, and that by your <HI>fourfold interest.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. In <HI>himselfe,</HI> whilest he lived, every one of you deservedly esteeming him as a Friend, a Bro|ther, if not a Father.</P>
<P N="2">2. In <HI>his losse,</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">or rather yours of him) which because I cannot describe, <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span">vaile over with si|lence.</P>
<P N="3">3. In <HI>the worke</HI> wherein hee lived, and by


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which he dyed; which was not so much his as yours; or, yours, as your Countries, your Gods: in which he laboured so much, that he died the soo|ner, that you might have his better helpe toward the finishing of it, who (through the mercy of God) live longer.</P>
<P N="4">4. In this <HI>meane Sermon,</HI> which by your com|mand comes to publike view, and therfore craves patronage in your favourable acceptance: The Lord make it yours by a <HI>greater right;</HI> even by making the commands delivered in it to be so <HI>in|grafted in your hearts,</HI> that you may all not onely with him be cast into the same mold, but that his Spirit may be so doubled upon you all, that you chearfully and without fainting may beare what|ever remaining heat and burden of the day; and at last come to the same blessed evenings-recko|ning, rest, and reward in everlasting life. So prayeth daily</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your most unworthy Servant, in, and for Christ Iesus,
Stephen Marshall.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="approbation">
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<HEAD>Die Veneris, 15 Decembr. 1643.</HEAD>
<P>IT is this day Ordered by the Commons assem|bled in Parliament, That Master Sollicitor doe returne thankes to Master <HI>Marshall,</HI> for the great paines he tooke in his Sermon preached at the Funerall of Master <HI>Pym,</HI> a worthy Mem|ber of the House of Commons; and to desire him to print his Sermon. And it is Ordered, that no man presume to print this Sermon, but whom the said Master <HI>Marshall</HI> shall authorise under his hand-writing.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="license">
<P>I doe authorise <HI>Stephen Bowtell</HI> to print this Sermon.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Stephen Marshall</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
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<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB N="1" REF="4">
<HEAD>A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Right Honourable, the LORDS and COMMONS, and the Reverend Assembly of Di|vines at the Funerall of JOHN PYM ESQUIRE.</HEAD>
<P>RIght Honourable and beloved, Should a <HI>stranger</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Introduction.</NOTE> behold the face of this Assembly, and see the Ho|nourable Houses of Parliament, and the Reverend As|sembly of Divines, and such a great confluence of per|sons of all ranks and qualities, in this <HI>mournefull posture,</HI> they would say as the Inhabitants of <HI>Canaan</HI> did, when they saw the mourning for old <HI>Jacob</HI> in the <HI>floare of Arad, This is a grievous mourning to England;</HI> and would certainly enquire, <HI>What Prince? what great man</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 50. 11.</NOTE> <HI>is this day fallenin our Israell?</HI> But <HI>you,</HI> who knew the worth of this excellent person, whose shadow lies here before you, doe rather wonder that all faces are not covered with blacknesse, and all bodies with sack|cloth, and come hither so fully prepared to mourne, that you even long till something bee spoken of him, that you may ease your hearts a little, though it bee with weeping. But stay a while (I beseech you) till I first deliver an errand from <HI>God,</HI> the ground whereof you shall find, <HI>Micah</HI> the seventh, the first and second verses.</P>
<Q>


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<BIBL>MICAH. 7. 1, 2.</BIBL>
<P>Wo is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage. There is no clu|sterto eat: my soule desireth the first ripe fruit.</P>
<P>The good man is perished out of the Earth.</P></Q>
<P>_THis Text, and two or three verses follow|ing, containes a <HI>sad complaint</HI> of the Pro|phet <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Text ex|plained.</NOTE> in the Churches name, of the <HI>small number of the good,</HI> and <HI>the great multi|tude of evill men</HI> in the dayes wherein he lived. The <HI>paucity</HI> of goodmen is set downe in an elegant comparison: they are as the <HI>scatterings after the In-gatherings of the summer fruit,</HI> as <HI>the grape gleanings after the Vintage,</HI> here and there a berry in the top of a bough, not an <HI>whole cluster</HI> any|where left to eat. She needed full clusters; the worke she had to doe required many able hands, and gratious hearts. There were clusters enough of <HI>vile ones,</HI> whole boughes, whole trees, whole hedge rowes of such were to be found every where. Every Family, every street, Town, and City abounded with them. There were <HI>Princes</HI> that were oppressours, <HI>Iudges</HI> who received bribes, <HI>great men</HI> uttering their mischievous desires, a <HI>world</HI> of <HI>people who lay in wait for bloud, who could hunt e|very man his brother with a net, that could doe evill with both hands earnestly, the best of them as a briar, the most up|right sharper then a thorne hedge;</HI> but such a <HI>thin scattering</HI> of men <HI>willing</HI> and <HI>fit</HI> for the service of God and his Church, that if one searched as diligently as <HI>Diogenes</HI> did in <HI>Athens</HI> at noon day for an honest man, hee was


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hardly to be found. But how comes the Church to be thus empty? had she never any better store? O yes! <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vers. 2.</NOTE> she had <HI>precious Sonnes, comparable to fine Gold; She had</HI> Nazarites, <HI>purer then Snow, whiter then Milke:</HI> At the first <HI>she had her Iudges,</HI> that were upright and wise; her <HI>Prophets,</HI> that taught them the feare of the Lord; her <HI>Priests and Levites pure,</HI> who bore the Vessells of the Sanctuarie: she had her <HI>mighty men,</HI> and the <HI>men of warre; the honourable man and the Counsellor, the cunning Artifi|cer, and the eloquent Oratour:</HI> She had every place furni|shed with men of renown, the <HI>Throne,</HI> the <HI>Campe,</HI> the <HI>Senate,</HI> the <HI>Colledge,</HI> the <HI>City,</HI> but in her greatest need they were well nigh all gone. How gone? Were they apostatised? had they voluntarily left her? No nei|ther; but even <HI>perished,</HI> cut off before their time, and for these things <HI>she weeps, her eyes run downe with teares,</HI> and she cries out, <HI>Woe is mee, because the comforters which should refresh her soul are removed farre from her.</HI> O <HI>Eng|land, England,</HI> I see thy woefull face in this Glasse: this Text holds out a type of thy sad condition. But I pro|ceed to the words, <HI>Woe is me, the good man is perished out of the earth.</HI> Wherein observe these two things. First, <HI>The state and condition of the Church in this Prophets daies, The good man is perished out of the earth.</HI> Secondly, <HI>The Churches sensiblenesse of her present condition, Woe is me for it.</HI></P>
<P>The words need no great <HI>explication,</HI> only let us en|quire what is meant by the <HI>good man:</HI> Secondly, what by the good mans <HI>perishing.</HI></P>
<P>By a <HI>good man</HI> in the <HI>largest</HI> sense is meant a godly man, a holy man, a righteous man, but more <HI>strictly,</HI> here a <HI>good man</HI> is an <HI>usefull man,</HI> such are <HI>instruments</HI> of <HI>good</HI>


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to others, such as are good <HI>Magistrates,</HI> the pillars of a State, who execute judgement and justice in the gate: a <HI>Mordecai,</HI> who seeks <HI>the wealth of his people, and procures</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hest. 10. 3. 2 Chron. 24.</NOTE> <HI>peace to all his seed.</HI> Or good <HI>Ministers,</HI> such an one as <HI>Jehojada, who did good in Israell;</HI> such an one as <HI>Barna|bas,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 11. 24.</NOTE> <HI>a good man and full of the holy Ghost,</HI> by whose Mini|strie <HI>much people were added unto the Lord.</HI> A good <HI>Father</HI> in a Family; as <HI>Abraham, who teaches all his children the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen 8. 19.</NOTE> <HI>feare of the Lord:</HI> Thus some interpret that place, <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 7. <HI>Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye, yet per ad|venture for a good man some would even dare to die:</HI> that though they would hardly die to excuse an <HI>ordinary</HI> man though <HI>godly,</HI> yet some <HI>eminent usefull man,</HI> they would not onely with the <HI>Galathians pluck out their eyes,</HI> but lay downe their <HI>lives</HI> for them.</P>
<P>Secondly, what by <HI>perishing;</HI> how the good man may be said to <HI>perish.</HI> You know to perish in the common acceptation is taken in the <HI>worst sense,</HI> to be cut off from the Land of the living by the hand of God in wrath and fury, and their soules cast for ever into the pit of Hell; but thus the good man perisheth not; though the <HI>wicked be driven away to</HI> Hell in <HI>his wickednesse, yet the righ|teous</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 14. 32.</NOTE> <HI>hath hope in his</HI> death. <HI>But</HI> here to <HI>perish,</HI> and else|where is to dye <HI>immaturely, unseasonably,</HI> to bee cut off from the place where they were <HI>usefull,</HI> and could ill be spared. Many excellent lessons doe these words hold forth unto us: As first</P>
<P>The Prophet makes the Churches condition his own, with <HI>Aaron</HI> bearing them on his shoulders, on his brest-plate, yea in his very heart. If it be ill with the Church, you may discerne it in his countenance, heare it by his speech. If well, by the cheerefullnesse of his


<PB N="5" REF="6">
spirit. If they be afflicted, he mournes; if they rejoyce, he is cheerefull with them.</P>
<P>Secondly, the Prophet observes all his people, whose faces stand towards <HI>heaven,</HI> who looke another way; who are Saints, who are Children of <HI>Belial;</HI> is diligent to know the state of his flock.</P>
<P>Thirdly, that it is no new thing to find in the Church of God, <HI>many evill,</HI> and <HI>few good;</HI> in Gods field, <HI>many tares, little good Corne;</HI> in his <HI>Barne floar, much chaffe,</HI> and <HI>little Wheat;</HI> in his <HI>great house, many Vessels of dishonour,</HI> and <HI>few of honour; many stones, few precious stones;</HI> in his <HI>drag. Net abundance of weeds,</HI> many <HI>bad Fishes,</HI> and <HI>few good ones;</HI> in his <HI>Vineyard,</HI> many <HI>wilde grapes,</HI> and <HI>few right Grapes.</HI></P>
<P>Fourthly, And this also; that even those few Godly men, which are the Churches Treasure, are subject to Death, even immature and untimely death, as well as others. But, I passe over all these, with a bare mention of them; and confine my selfe to these <HI>two Observations,</HI> as most cleerly held forth in the Text, and suitable to this sad meeting.</P>
<P>First, that <HI>the most excellent and usefull men, are often taken away, when the Church could ill spare them.</HI> The Church at this time did abound (as wee also now doe) with Sons of Belial, compassed about with many Ene|mies, and therefore needed the first ripe fruits, many choise Instruments, and yet those very few Shee had were now taken away; <HI>the good man is perished out of the Earth.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, that <HI>when God doth this, it is a matter of sad lamentation; Woe is mee,</HI> the good Man is perished, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>The first of these, that <HI>God often takes away choisest men,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 1.</NOTE>


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Men more precious then Gold, then the fine Gold of <NOTE PLACE="marg">God oft takes away usefull Instruments; and proved 1. by Exam|ples.</NOTE> Ophir, <HI>When the Church hath greatest need of them,</HI> hath, (alasse) abundance of <HI>sad</HI> evidence; A <HI>whole Cloud of Witnesses</HI> might easily be brought in: A large <HI>Catalogue</HI> of Examples. <HI>Abel,</HI> the first Flower that ever grew in the Lords Garden, cropt off as soone as blowne, and in him all the seed of the Woman devoured by the seed of the Serpent; slain by the eldest sonne of reprobation; So <HI>Moses</HI> and <HI>Aaron,</HI> when the <HI>Israelites</HI> were to take possession of the Land of <HI>Canaan,</HI> to root out thirtie Kingdomes, to set up both <HI>Church</HI> and <HI>Common-wealth,</HI> these long experienced and able <HI>Leaders, Prince</HI> and <HI>Priest,</HI> taken off in the very beginning of the work, and all seem to be left to raw heads and hands, that know not how to manage it: so <HI>Elisha</HI> the man of God <HI>fell sick and died,</HI> when in the judgement even of a wicked King, he was all the <HI>Chariots</HI> and <HI>Horsemen</HI> of <HI>Israel,</HI> all <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 King. 13.</NOTE> the strength they had left: So <HI>Iosiah,</HI> that rare and ex|cellent Prince, who seemed to be created as a new Star, purposely to shine in those darksome times, cut off in the midst of his work, for whose death <HI>Jeremiah</HI> com|posed the whole book of the Lamentations: And in the Christian Church, in the beginning of it, when all the World was to be subdued to the faith of Christ, The Harvest very great and the Labourers but few, <HI>Iohn</HI> the <HI>Baptist,</HI> a greater Prophet then whom was never borne of a woman, comming in the spirit and power of <HI>Elias,</HI> to turn the heart of the fathers to the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal 4. ult.</NOTE> children; and the heart of the children to the fathers, and the disobedient to the instruction of the wise, ta|ken away violently, after but two or three years work, whiles he was making ready a people for the Lord:


<PB N="7" REF="7">
<HI>James</HI> the brother of <HI>Iohn,</HI> one of the Pillars, one of the chief Apostles, cut off by the sword; and <HI>Stephen</HI> a rare man, full of the Holy Ghost, whose wisdom and spirit the enemie was not able to resist, exceedingly fitted to convince the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and to prove that <HI>Iesus</HI> was the very Christ, suddenly taken off, and knocked on the head in a popular tumult and commotion: And now of late, our <HI>Edward the sixth,</HI> another <HI>Iosiah,</HI> when this Land had been long in bondage unto <HI>Antichrist,</HI> o|verwhelmed with the darknesse of Idolatry and Su|perstition, and seemed to be purposely raised up to bring light and salvation to this desolate Land, while he was preparing this wildernes to be the Lords fruit|full Vineyard, planting it with the choisest Vines, and setting up a Wine Presse in the midst of it, walling it, and fencing it about, after five or sixe years labours, suddenly snatched away. So the incomparable King of <HI>Sweden,</HI> brought over the Baltick Sea by the hand of God to restore the ruines of <HI>Germanie,</HI> travelling in the greatnesse of his strength, and working little lesse then wonders for two or three yeares together, and drawing the eyes of all men towards him, as the man that should undoubtfully have delivered that woefull Countrey; in a moment this bright Sun set, soon after his rising: Yea, since this very Parliament, when there was never more work nor fewer hands; Religion to be reformed, Liberties to be recovered, great offendors to be punished, and all the Gates of Hell opened to hinder us, to devoure us, yet of those few how many of our choisest Nobles, Parliament men, souldiers and Ministers, hath the hand of God deprived us of? But what need we seek for more examples, when our bles|sed


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Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ was himself cut off from out of the Land of the living, when he had not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Esa. 53. 8.</NOTE> attained the one half of the age of man.</P>
<P>This is one of the Lords strangest works, a woke <NOTE PLACE="marg">By Reason. Hereby hepro vides for his owne Glory.</NOTE> wherein his enemies often rejoice, and his people mourne, the reason therefore should diligently bee sought out; in which enquiry wee shall find, that he, whose works are all done with unsearchable wisdome and for excellent ends, doth hereby first provide <HI>for his owne glory,</HI> and that manie waies.</P>
<P>As first, he often takes away instruments, that it may <NOTE PLACE="marg">His Power.</NOTE> be known that his Church and Cause is not supported by them, but by himself alone; that the Pillars of the Church are not borne up by any created strength, but by him, <HI>Who measureth the water in the hollow of his hand, and weighs the Mountaines in the Scales, and the Hills in a Ballance;</HI> that men may know, <HI>when the youths faint and be wearie, and the young men utterly fall,</HI> the most active and able Instruments brought to nothing, yet the Church is <HI>carried in his bosome,</HI> and by him alone shall <HI>renew its strength, and mount up with wings as an Eagle, run</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Esa. 40.</NOTE> <HI>and not be wearie, walke and not be faint.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, to set out his wisdome and the aboundance of spirit, in providing varietie of instruments: he pur|posely <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Wisdome.</NOTE> takes some away to make way for others, as in the frame of the world the varietie of the creatures indued with their severall abilities doe all serve for the beauty and good of the Vniverse: and thereby set forth the wisdome as well as the power of the <HI>Creator:</HI> so here <HI>Moses</HI> shall have one part, <HI>Ioshuah</HI> another; And <HI>Ioshuah</HI> shal do as excellently in <HI>Canaan</HI> as <HI>Moses</HI> in the <HI>Wildernesse,</HI> he shall honour God as much in the <HI>Milita|ry


<PB N="9" REF="10">
part,</HI> as the other in the legall: <HI>Elihu</HI> a <HI>youngmen</HI> shall convince <HI>Iob,</HI> and compell him to give glory to God, when other <HI>wise and gracious men, much older then his fa|ther,</HI> had long wrangled with him to little purpose: <HI>E|lisha,</HI> who powred waterupon <HI>Elijahs hands,</HI> shall work <HI>more miracles</HI> then his <HI>Master did:</HI> yea, Christs Apost|les <NOTE PLACE="marg">I<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">h. 14. 12.</NOTE> shall doe <HI>greater works then he himself did,</HI> that the world may know that he hath aboundance of the spi|rit. Other Kings and Princes are compelled to pre|serve their chief Instruments, because when they are gone they know not where to find a supplie, but God (as he needs none so) when he pleaseth to use any, can raise up stones to be children, and children to doe the worke of men, and yet all these empty Pipes, further then he fills them, bubbles, easily broken, further then he supports them. And that is the first reason.</P>
<P>Secondly, As for his own glorie, so herein hee also <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 E<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">r the good of his own, of them who dye.</NOTE> provides for the <HI>good</HI> of his <HI>owne people,</HI> his owne I say, both them that are <HI>thus cut off,</HI> and them that remaine behind. First, of them who dye, for they are henceforth freed from their labours, from the body of sin, from the cohabitation of it, the molestation of it, &amp; the too often prevailing power of it, from the fierie darts of Sathans temptations, from the conversation of the wicked, from their oppositions, persecutions; from the worlds allurements on the right hand, and afflictions on the left hand, from all these they are delivered, with <NOTE PLACE="marg">sa. 53.</NOTE> which hitherto they had bin vexed; yea and oft times taken away from greater evills to come, and they also enter into rest, receiving the full recompence of all their labours, not onely what they have actually done, but even what they were resolved and prepared to doe


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if God had been pleased to employ them any longer in his service.</P>
<P>Secondly, for the <HI>good of them that live,</HI> (though this seem most unlikely) who shall lose nothing by cutting <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Of them who live.</NOTE> the pipes whereby mercies are conveyed, as long as the fountaine of power and goodnesse remaines i<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">tire in God himselfe, who can and will issue it out by other waies and meanes, to as great advantage of his people: yea, I say, he makes them <HI>gainers</HI> by it, and that severall waies.</P>
<P>First, He hereby cures them of one of the most dan|gerous evills which his people are or can be guilty of, and that is, setting up the instruments of their good to be Idols in their hearts, which they are extream prone to doe; and for this very cause doth the Lord often break these bubbles with the touch of his finger, that his people may thinke of them no otherwise then they are, and for this very reason some thinke the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 34. 6.</NOTE> Lord buried the body of <HI>Moses,</HI> and would never let the people know where his grave was, because he fore|saw that they would be ready to worship his dead body.</P>
<P>Secondly, hereby the Lord doth <HI>humble</HI> his people, and <HI>awe</HI> them with the feare of his wrath, making them sensible of it, in these heavie stroakes, and <HI>quic|ken</HI> them more up to <HI>prayer,</HI> and <HI>serious seeking</HI> after himself, as this Church doth in this place; Woe is me, the good man is perished, the Princes, the Judges, the Nobles &amp;c. are all naught, none to be trusted, nei|ther Wife, nor Father, nor brother, ver. 7. then fol|lowes, <HI>therefore will I looke to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will heare me.</HI> And this les|son


<PB N="11" REF="11">
the Lord taught his people by <HI>Josiahs</HI> death, <HI>La|ment.</HI> 5. ver. 16. &amp;c. <HI>The Crown is fallen from our heads,</HI> good King <HI>Josiah</HI> is dead. <HI>Woe unto us that wee have sin|ned, for this our heart is faint, for these things our eyes &agrave;re dim, but thou (O Lord) remainest for ever, thy throne from generation to generation. VVherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time. Turne thou us, O Lord, unto thee, and we shall be turned.</HI> Now this is one of the greatest blessings in the world, to be put into such an humble, penitent, praying, seeking temper as this is, his <HI>death</HI> which can procure this is like to be more ad|vantageous then any mans life.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Hereby the Lord makes his Church more <HI>sensible</HI> of his <HI>power, goodnesse, and faithfullnesse,</HI> when they shall find all these constantly continued, even when the instruments are taken away. Thus <HI>Moses</HI> the man of God taught the people upon the meditation of all the Sons of men returning to dust, to stay themselves wholly upon God, <HI>who was their dwelling place in all ge|nerations, from everlasting to everlasting, a God all-suf|ficient.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, though he doth this for the good of his owne <HI>glory,</HI> and the good of his owne Saints, both the <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. For judg|ment and <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> upon o|thers.</NOTE> <HI>living</HI> and the <HI>dead,</HI> yet hereby he makes way for his <HI>wrath upon others,</HI> who injoied th<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">m, and either opposed them, or under-valued them, or improved them not as they might have done, this God threatens, <HI>Isa. 57. The righteous perisheth, mercifull men are taken away, none con|sidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to com<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">:</HI> by their removal the <HI>Lord</HI> opens the Sluces to his judg|ments, as men pluck away the props or Pillars of an house when they are willing it should fall downe, as in


<PB N="12" REF="12">
<HI>Noahs</HI> time, as soon as God had housed him in the Arke, he presently sent in the flood upon the World of the ungodly: and in <HI>Lots</HI> time, as soon as the righteous man, vexed with the unclean conversation of <HI>Sodome,</HI> was removed from them, presently God rained fire and Brimstone from Heaven, and destroied those five Ci|ties: <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 King. 23.</NOTE> thus was it in <HI>Iosiahs</HI> time, as soon as he slept with his fathers, all that fierce wrath of God wherewith his anger was kindled against <HI>Iudah</HI> and <HI>Ierusalem,</HI> which was kept in all the while <HI>Josiah</HI> lived, brake out to the removing of <HI>Judah</HI> and <HI>Jerusalem</HI> out of his sight.</P>
<P>Give me leave now to make a brief application of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vses.</NOTE> this: First, Is this so, <HI>doth God often times take away the most usefull men, when his Church hath most need of them;</HI> then let all the Church learn <HI>never to rest on men, how excellent so ever.</HI> I begin with this first, because it is our great and generall sinne, that we either <HI>vilifie</HI> or <HI>deifie</HI> all Gods instruments, either respecting them lesse or more then God will have us: if God give us any pre|cious jewels, we deal as the <HI>Israelites</HI> did in the wilder|nesse, turne our golden Eare-Rings into an Idol, and thereby change our glory into our shame and misery, offering infinite injury unto God, who gives us these meanes to use, but not to depend upon; to bring us neerer to him, not as we sinfully make them occasions to draw us further from him; this is a very great sinne, whereby we <HI>lose the taste of Gods goodnesse,</HI> while wee choose to respect the stream rather then the Fountain, and even take our <HI>heart off from God,</HI> and stay too much upon the creature, making our comfort to ebbe and flow according as these weak props doe break or hold, and <HI>even compell God to deprive us of them,</HI> as <HI>Ezekiah</HI> u|used


<PB N="13" REF="12">
the Brazen Serpent, reserving it in an honourable shrine so long as it was but looked upon, as a monu|ment <HI>of Gods deliverance;</HI> But when once they went a <HI>Whoring</HI> after it, he <HI>brake it in pieces;</HI> and that they might know, it was but <HI>Ne<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ushian,</HI> a piece of Brasse: thus doe we break our staves in leaning too hard upon them. It is confidently reported that the King of <HI>Sweden</HI> a little before his death told some in ward friends, that he ve|rily feared God would not use him long, because the people attributed more to him then was due to a mor|tall man; and I feare this sinne costs us deare at this day, we have over-valued our Parliaments, our Armies, our Treasures, our interests in the hearts of the people, leaned too much upon them, looked too little unto God, who hath therefore brought us low in most of these. To my owne knowledge, some good men have said of some choise Instruments, whose hearts were right with God, and zealous in his cause, <HI>These are the men who must do the deed;</HI> God will certainly deliver us by their hands: Who when they have heard of the sud|den and unseasonable cutting off of those men, have bin forced to lay their hand upon their mouth, and to say, <HI>What fooles are we to expect any great things from Man,</HI> whose breath is in his Nostrils. God hath sadly broke all our carnall confidence, some excellent men he hath took away by <HI>death;</HI> some, whom we over-highly valu|ed, have beene permitted to <HI>discover the falsnesse of their own hearts;</HI> others, little lesse then blasted by peoples <HI>mistake,</HI> although their hearts remaine upright to God and his cause. And I verily fear, left our <HI>relying too much</HI> upon the assistance of our brethren from <HI>Scotland</HI> by their Armies, may more <HI>prejudice</HI> theirs and our successe,


<PB N="13" REF="13">
then the strength of the <HI>Enemies</HI> can do. Let us ther|fore be perswaded in the feare of God, to <HI>use</HI> men, as Gods instruments, but <HI>build</HI> nothing upon them, lest our expectation prove that of <HI>Cesar Borgia,</HI> who built infinite projects upon his interest in the Pope, and when newes was brought him of the Popes sudden death, cried out, This I never thought upon, now my designes are all lost! Certainly, whoever lookes for much from men, how excellent soever, will prove like men who go to lotteries, with their head full of hopes, and returne with their hearts full of blankes.</P>
<P>Let therefore every one whom God hath fitted for <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vse 2.</NOTE> any service, <HI>doe what their hand findes to doe with all their power:</HI> this is Solomons counsel, <HI>Eccles.</HI> 9. and upon this verie ground, whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe, doe it with all thy might, for there is neither worke, nor de|vice, nor knowledge, nor wisdome in the Grave, whi|ther thou goest; as if he should have said, thou knowest not <HI>how long</HI> God will use thee, lay not up thy Talent in a Napkin, thy Master may suddenly call thee to an ac|count for it. This made our <HI>blessed Lord</HI> take so much paines, <HI>Iohn</HI> 12. &amp; 13, 14, 15, 16, &amp; 17, <HI>Chapters,</HI> delive|ring all that excellent matter in one evening; because hee was to leave them the <HI>next Day;</HI> This made <HI>Paul</HI> continue his Preaching at <HI>Troas</HI> untill mid-night, because hee was the <HI>next Morning</HI> to bee gone from thence: this very Argument was thought upon and ap|plied by our <HI>blessed Saviour</HI> unto himself, <HI>Iohn</HI> II. who when his Disciples would have perswaded him not to hazard himselfe among the <HI>Iews,</HI> who lately sought to stone him, answered, <HI>Are there not twelve houres in the day, must I not doe the worke of him who sent me, while it is called


<PB N="14" REF="13">
to day,</HI> when night comes no man can work: God hath fitted thee with many <HI>Excellent Talents,</HI> with <HI>Wisdome</HI> and <HI>Vnderstanding;</HI> with place of <HI>Office</HI> and <HI>Authority;</HI> with <HI>interest in Friends;</HI> with <HI>strength of Body,</HI> and <HI>courage of Spirit,</HI> and by all these put some beames of his owne excellency upon thee, which is the greatest favour in the World: To be a usefull man, is at least equall with being a saved man; ply this work diligently, doe as it is recorded of a famous Minister, who wrote upon his Study doore, <HI>Minister verbies, hoc age;</HI> Thou art a Mi|nister of the Word, attend to this worke; and thinke often how uncomfortable it would be to thee, if GOD should take thee off in the midst of thy race, when thou hast burnt out much of thy Candle in play, wherein thou shouldest have done much of thy Masters worke. And Secondly, let the thought of this keep thee from being high minded, thinke not <HI>too much</HI> depends upon <HI>thee,</HI> it may bee thou imaginest what great need the Church or State, the City, Parish, or Family, hath of <HI>thee, or thy parts</HI> and <HI>abilities.</HI> Suppose they have, are these things <HI>thy owne,</HI> are they not thy <HI>Masters Talents,</HI> for which thou must be countable, and for which thou wilt be condemned as a Thiefe, for withholding that which was <HI>their due</HI> and <HI>none of thine;</HI> but I tell thee, God hath no need of thee, <HI>thou art obliged to him</HI> for using thee, he is not <HI>obliged to thee;</HI> he can do his work with|out thee, and raise up them whom thou thinkest mean|ly of, to doe greater things then thou-canst imagine: therefore whatever hee pleases to imploy thee in, bee faithfull in it, follow his businesse, and do it diligently, and with an humble heart.</P>
<P>Thirdly, doth God often take away the choisest In|struments <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vse 3.</NOTE>


<PB N="16" REF="14">
of our good after this manner, then let all learne to <HI>make use of them, and improve them to the best ad|vantage while we have them:</HI> this our Lord teacheth upon the same ground, <HI>Iohn</HI> 12. 35. when his hearers had pro|pounded a needlesse question, how he could say <HI>Messiah</HI> should be <HI>lifted up,</HI> that is, <HI>crucified,</HI> whereas the Scrip|ture saith, that Christ abides for ever, instead of giving a solution to this doubt, he replies, <HI>Yet a little while the light is with you, walke while you have the light, lest darknes come upon you:</HI> as if he should say, <HI>you frivelously lose your time in making no better use of the light which shines among you, which is given you for another end, even to guide you to doe that work which alone is necessary; to get sound evidence of your being children of the light; to enable you to lead Gos|pel lives, under Gospel light; you spend your time in needlesse questions, and neglect this which most concernes you, as if it were in your power to doe it at your leasure: but be not decei|ved, this Market will not long last, after a little while the Gospel will be taken from your Nation, and whoever then is to seek in this great work, will miserably wander in the darke, and lye down in sorrow. Let me therefore perswade you to give all diligence while this light shines, to get your calling and e|lection made sure.</HI> Thus Christ there presseth it upon <HI>his hearers,</HI> and let us urge it upon our <HI>own souls,</HI> neg|lect no opportunity of drawing out from good and use|full men, what God hath put into them for our good, because we know not how long they shall abide with us: If any of us have any choice or excellent book which is our owne, we commonly read it at leasure, now and then a leaf or two, but if it be borrowed, and we know not how soon the owner may call for it, we sit up <HI>night and day,</HI> till we have gathered all the flowers out of it;


<PB N="17" REF="14">
thus did <HI>Elisha</HI> the servant of <HI>Elias,</HI> when he once knew that his <HI>Master was shortly to be taken from him,</HI> he would not part a <HI>moment from his presence,</HI> but endeavoured earnestly to get as much of his spirit as was possible: O, if this wisdome were in us! that considering the Prophets, and other servants of God, doe not live with us for ever, we might use them as <HI>Iacob</HI> did the <HI>Angel,</HI> not let them depart till we have got our blessing from them.</P>
<P>Fourthly, but above all, <HI>because the most useful men are</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vse 4.</NOTE> <HI>often taken away in an ill time from us, let us make sure of God,</HI> whose yeares, power, goodnesse, faithfullnesse, and truth, never faile, but are alwaies present and everlast|ing helps in time of trouble: this use the Lord teacheth his people upon the same ground, <HI>Psal.</HI> 146. 2. <HI>Put not your trust in Princes, nor in any sonne of man, in whom there is no help; his breath goeth forth, he returnes to the earth, his thoughts perish: but happy is he which hath the God of Ia|cob for his God; whose hope is in the Lord his God, which made heaven and earth, the Sea and all that is therein; which kee|peth truth for ever: the Lord shall raigne for evermore, even thy God, O Sion, unto all generations:</HI> This use the afflicted Church made of it, <HI>Isaiah.</HI> 63. 18. When they had considered the daies of old, and how all instruments and means of mercie had but their time, and how the Lord was alwaies the same, they sit down with this meditation, <HI>Doubtlesse, O Lord, thou art our fa|ther: though</HI> Abraham <HI>be ignorant of us, and</HI> Israel <HI>acknow|ledge us not,</HI> wee are past receiving any benefit from them, <HI>thou O Lord art our Father, our Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting:</HI> This use did <HI>Asaph</HI> also make of it, <HI>Psal.</HI> 73. when he had considered not onely the <HI>worlds


<PB N="18" REF="15">
vanity,</HI> and <HI>worldly mens vanity,</HI> but the vanity of what|ever <HI>earthly thing</HI> was most like for to comfort him; <HI>his flesh failed, and his heart failed:</HI> and how that the Lord alone was the <HI>strength of his heart, and his portion for ever,</HI> he concludes all with this, <HI>ver. 28. It is good for mee to draw nigh to God, and put my trust in the Lord God.</HI> And ve|rily, so long as we are strangers to this, wee shall be as Saint <HI>Iames</HI> his double-minded man, <HI>unstable in all our waies;</HI> as the <HI>weeds,</HI> which are driven every way where the <HI>ebbing and flowing Sea</HI> doth carrie them; and as the topps of Trees, which are driven with every wind, this way and that way: but if once we had learned to make the <HI>most high our stay and strength, to trust in the Lord</HI> Jeho|vah, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Esa. 26. Psal. 125.</NOTE> we might possesse our souls in <HI>perfect peace; for in the Lord</HI> Jehovah <HI>is everlasting strength:</HI> We might bee as a Rock in the midst of the Sea, not moved with any tempest; as <HI>Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but stan|deth fast for ever.</HI> Now what argument could be a <HI>great|er spurre</HI> to this, then to know the <HI>brevitie vanity, insta|bility,</HI> of all other helps; look upon whatever is <HI>deare,</HI> and thought to be advantagious to thee, without which thou knowest not what to doe, thy <HI>father, husband, Pa|stour, friend, estate, life,</HI> &amp;c. of all these thou must ac|knowledge, they are but <HI>grasse,</HI> the <HI>glory</HI> of them is but like a <HI>flower</HI> in the field: but in God thou maiest find <HI>all the same things sufficiently, eminently, everlastingly;</HI> an ever|lasting <HI>Father,</HI> an everlasting <HI>Husband,</HI> an everlasting <HI>Friend,</HI> an everlasting <HI>Sheepheard,</HI> an everlasting <HI>Porti|on,</HI> an everlasting <HI>Life.</HI> Let thy soule therefore waite upon the Lord, make him thy onely helpe and shield; let thy heart rejoice in him, and trust in his holy name alone, <HI>and let thy mercy O Lord be upon us all, who desire


<PB N="19" REF="15">
to feare thy name, and to hope in thee alone.</HI> And thus much of the first observation, That God often deprives his Church of most usefull men, when they could ill bee spared. The second followes, which is,</P>
<P>That <HI>when God doth take away such usefull instruments,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 2.</NOTE> <HI>it is a matter of sad lamentation:</HI> for proofe hereof wee have first <HI>God</HI> himself <HI>requiring</HI> of it; 2. <HI>Examples of the Saints practising,</HI> thirdly, strong <HI>Scripture-reason in|forcing it.</HI> First, you have God himself so far calling <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. God re|quires it.</NOTE> for it, that in <HI>Esaiah</HI> 57. hee charges it upon them as a great sinne, and the fore-runner of a great judgement, that the <HI>righteous dye, and mercifull men are taken away, and no man considers it.</HI> Secondly, we have plenty of examples, the whole Church crying out, <HI>Psal. 12. helpe</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. The Saints practising it.</NOTE> <HI>Lord, for the Godly man ceaseth: for the faithfull faile from amongst the children of men.</HI> You all know the great la|mentation made at the death and buriall of old <HI>Jacob;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 50. Deu<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">. 34. 2 Chron. 35. 24, 25.</NOTE> at the death of <HI>Moses,</HI> of <HI>Samuel,</HI> of <HI>David;</HI> especially at the untimely death of good <HI>King Josiah, how all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him; how</HI> Jeremie <HI>the Prophet lamented for him, and all the Singing Men, and Singing Women, spake of</HI> Iosiah <HI>in their lamentations to this day: and made them an ordinance in Israel, &amp; behold their lamentati|ons are written in the book of the</HI> Lamentations: insomuch that the greatest mourning that ever should be in the world, is by the Lord <HI>compared to the mourning of Ha|dadrimmon</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zechar. 12.</NOTE> <HI>in the valley of Megiddon,</HI> which was the bit|ter lamentation of the Church at <HI>Josiah</HI> his death: so in the 24. of <HI>Esaiah,</HI> you shall find, that among the <HI>songs that were heard from the uttermost parts of the Earth; even glory to the righteous,</HI> rejoycing in that remainder of Godly men, who were found amongst them, the


<PB N="20" REF="16">
Church <HI>cryeth out, My leannesse, my leannesse, Woe unto me,</HI> because the good men were but as the <HI>shaking of an</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Isa. 24. 13. 16</NOTE> <HI>Olive-tree, and as the gleaning Grapes when the Vintage is done:</HI> And when the Martyr <HI>Stephen</HI> was so barba|rously murthered, when devout men carryed him to his Buriall, <HI>they made great lamentation over him.</HI> The time would faile to name particular instances: I will <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 8. 2.</NOTE> adde but one more, of a King, and hee none of of the best; <HI>Ioash the King of Israel,</HI> who when <HI>Elisha was fallen sicke of his sicknesse whereof he dyed, came downe unto him,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Ki<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">. 13. 14</NOTE> <HI>and wept over his face and said, O my Father, my Father, the Chariot of</HI> Israel, <HI>and the horsmen thereof.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, wee have also strong reason out of Scrip|ture to enforce it. <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Scripture-reason infor|<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">eth it.</NOTE></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><P>Because God is then displeased.</P></NOTE>First, in <HI>regard of God,</HI> there is required sorrow, fear and trembling, at such evident <HI>manifestation of his wrath</HI> in these remarkable judgements. When <HI>Nadab</HI> and <HI>Abihu</HI> fell untimely by fire, which issued out from the Lord, and devoured them, though they dyed in and for their sinne, yet being the Lords Priests, from whom better things might have been expected, God commanded that <HI>the Whole house of</HI> Israel <HI>should bewaile</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word">. 10 8</NOTE> <HI>the burning which the Lord had kindled:</HI> Assuredly if God would have the death of these men lamented (in whose fall his displeasure was manifested, not against his peo|ple, but against themselves onely) much more doth he expect it when he taketh away our jewells, our com|forts, our meanes and instruments of good; not in wrath to them who die, but in sore displeasure to us who remaine alive: when our heavenly <HI>Father thus spitteth in our faces,</HI> should we not be humbled and asha|med before him?</P>
<P>

<PB N="21" REF="16">
Secondly, From the <HI>hon<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ur due to them who are</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Because the dead are <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word">. Psalme 122.</NOTE> <HI>thus taken away.</HI> God threateneth in his word, <HI>that the name of the wicked shall rot, but the memoriall of the just shall bee blessed: the righteous shall bee had in everlasting remembrance:</HI> now it is one great degree of rotten|nesse to the name of the wicked, as to live <HI>undesired,</HI> so to die <HI>unlamented:</HI> which was <HI>Iehojakim</HI> his portion, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 22 18.</NOTE> concerning whom thus saith the Lord, <HI>they shall not la|ment for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, ah my sister! They shal not lament for him saying, Ah Lord! or, ah his glory! He shall be buried with the buriall of an Asse, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of</HI> Ierusalem. But now this is a great glory and honour which God putteth upon his servants, to have their death honoured with the sighs of his mournefull people, and embalmed in their teares. Was it not a great honour to the <HI>Patriarch Ja|cob,</HI> to have all the <HI>Princes and Nobles of Egypt,</HI> and all the <HI>Elders of Israel,</HI> lament his death <HI>threescore and ten</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 50.</NOTE> <HI>dayes together?</HI> Was it not a great honour to <HI>Abner,</HI> to have <HI>David</HI> and <HI>all his people</HI> following the Beere, lift|ing up their voices and weeping over him, &amp; saying, dyed <HI>Abner</HI> as a fool dieth? <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Was it not a great ho|nour to <HI>Elisha</HI> the Prophet, to have the <HI>King of Israel</HI> to <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Samuel 3.</NOTE> acknowledg that the <HI>Chariots and Horsmen of Israel</HI> all fell in his death? The like may be said of <HI>all</HI> mentio|ned before, and of <HI>Dorcas,</HI> about whom the Widdows stood weeping, <HI>mournfully shewing her Coats</HI> upon their <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 9. 39</NOTE> Backs. I have read of <HI>Lewes</HI> the eleventh, King of France, that he counterfeited himselfe to die, to try whether his death should be honoured with the tears of his Court: and somewhat to this purpose, of <HI>Pau|lus Aemilius,</HI> whose Son died just when he was himself to triumph; that hee more joyed to see their mour|ning


<PB N="22" REF="17">
for his Sonne, then in all the other glory of his Triumph: <HI>nature</HI> in these men did draw them to breath after that, which free Grace casts-in to them even in this World, who do worthily in the service of God, be|sides their eternall reward in heaven: that as they are <HI>desired in life, so they shall be lamented at their death.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, in regard of <HI>our selves,</HI> there is then great cause of mourning in divers respects: First, because we <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. <HI>Because we our selves are here|by endamma|ged. Pro.</HI> 10 21 <HI>Pro.</HI> 15. 7</NOTE> are hereby <HI>deprived of so many means of our good,</HI> of their <HI>counsell</HI> and <HI>direction; the lips of the righteous feed many, and disperseth wisdome and knowledge:</HI> their <HI>examples</HI> are as a <HI>tree of life;</HI> they are the <HI>lights of the world,</HI> their very <HI>presence</HI> every where a blessing: they are a <HI>blessing in the midst of the land,</HI> where-ever they goe God is with them; God will <HI>give Kingdomes for their ransome; hee'll rebuke the devourer for their sake:</HI> they may <HI>stand in the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mal.</HI> 3 <HI>Psal.</HI> 106</NOTE> <HI>breach, to turne away Gods wrath, when it's ready to breake|in to devoure people:</HI> they may run with their Censers, and stand between the dead and the living, and make an at|tonement <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Num.</HI> 16. 46</NOTE> for a whole Congregation when wrath is gone out from the Lord against them: <HI>the innocent</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iob</HI> 22.</NOTE> <HI>men may deliver the Iland, and it is delivered by the pure|nesse of their hands:</HI> they are the very <HI>chariots and horse|men</HI> of the places where they live; their <HI>Prayers</HI> are exceeding powerfull, which can open and shut heaven it selfe. What is it that the God of mercy will deny to <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iam.</HI> 5. 17, 18</NOTE> their prayers, who saith, <HI>Aske me of things to come, con|cerning my sonnes, and concerning the worke of my hands</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Esa.</HI> 45 11</NOTE> <HI>command ye me?</HI> In a word, they are very <HI>store-houses and granaries</HI> of good to the places where they live; <HI>fruit|full trees,</HI> affording both <HI>food</HI> and <HI>shelter,</HI> the only <HI>excel|lent men</HI> of the world, they are <HI>wholly medicinable:</HI> and


<PB N="23" REF="17">
should not such a losse as this be felt and lamented?</P>
<P>Secondly, And as their death <HI>deprives</HI> us of <HI>much good,</HI> so it often <HI>presages and pregnosticateth wrath to come upon those they leave behind,</HI> Esa. 57. <HI>The righteous perisheth, and no man layes it to heart; mercifull men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.</HI> So it proved in this place, <HI>The good man is peri|shed, the vile are left behind;</HI> then followeth, vers. 4. <HI>The day of thy watchmen and thy visitation commeth, now shall be their perplexity:</HI> It's true, as I said before, to them who are godly, the Fountaine remaines when the Pipes are cut; and there is ten thousand times more cause of joy in their God who lives, then of sorrow for their friends who die; but to <HI>others</HI> it's a sad prediction, that when <HI>God makes up his Jewels,</HI> and carries them away, <HI>he hath a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mal.</HI> 3. 17</NOTE> <HI>day comming that shall burne as an Oven, and all the wicked shall be as stubble, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.</HI> And indeed they are the very <GAP DESC="foreign">, the onely meanes to keep off wrath and judgement from the places where they live: Every mercie saith to such a people, as <HI>Elisha</HI> to <HI>Jehoram, Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat, I would not looke toward</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Kings</HI> 3</NOTE> <HI>thee, nor see thee:</HI> and the devouring judgements say to these godly ones, as the Angel said to <HI>Lot, We are come to destr<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">y this place, up get thee out, hast thee, escape hence,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 19. 13. 22</NOTE> <HI>for we can doe nothing till thou art gone.</HI> When the Hus|band-man thus p<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span">s up the fence, and gathers in his crop, it is a signe that shortly you'll have wild beasts in the field: This, <HI>Jeroboam</HI> and his <HI>whole family</HI> found to be true, who had <HI>Abijah,</HI> one child in his family, in <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Kings</HI> 14</NOTE> whom some good thing was found toward the Lord, and as soone as he was taken away, the judgements of


<PB N="24" REF="18">
God broke in upon his house, <HI>and cut off him that pist a|gainst the wall, and him that was shut up and left in Israel; and took away the remnant of the house of Ieroboam, as a man takes away dung, till it be allgone.</HI> This the <HI>old world</HI> found true in <HI>Noah;</HI> and <HI>Sodome,</HI> with the rest of the Cities, in <HI>Lot:</HI> this the <HI>Iews</HI> found true, when the <HI>Christians</HI> (admo|nished from heaven) left <HI>Ierusalem</HI> &amp; fled to <HI>Pella;</HI> soon after their departure the enemies <HI>made a trench about them, and laid their City even with the ground, and their chil|dren</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 19</NOTE> <HI>with them, not leaving one stone upon another:</HI> Thus fared it with the City of <HI>Hippo</HI> in <HI>Africa,</HI> where Saint <HI>Augustine</HI> was Bishop, which, as soone as ever he was dead, was taken and sackt by the <HI>Goths</HI> and <HI>Vandals: Luther</HI> was no sooner <HI>translated</HI> to a better life, but the <HI>Smalchaldick war</HI> begun in <HI>Germany,</HI> wherein all the Protestants were almost wholly wasted: No sooner was old <HI>Paraeus</HI> taken away from <HI>Heidelberg,</HI> but <HI>Spinola</HI> entred the Towne. These, and many other instan|ces of Gods wrath breaking in upon the departure of godly men, abundantly manifest, that we have cause to weep and lament (not for them who thus dye, but) for our selves, and our children, because of the miseries which we may then justly feare are comming upon us.</P>
<P>Take a briefe <HI>Application</HI> of this Lesson, and I have <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vse 1. <HI>For reproofe.</HI></NOTE> done my Sermon. First, Would God have his people <HI>thus to mourne,</HI> when usefull men decay and faile, how sadly then doth this <HI>reprove our generall stupidity:</HI> the Lord hath made many great and lamentable breaches amongst us in this kinde, he hath broken all our car|nall confidences; our Parliament is weakned, our Ar|mies wasted, our treasure is exhausted, our enemies increased; and of those few able hearts, heads, and


<PB N="25" REF="18">
hands, who abode faithfull to this great cause and worke in hand, it might even stab us to the very heart to thinke how many of them the Lord hath even snatcht away, in the middest of their worke, and our greatest need! That excellent spirited Lord, the <HI>Lord Brooke;</HI> that rare man, Master <HI>Iohn Hampden;</HI> that true-hearted <HI>Nathaniel,</HI> Master <HI>Arthur Goodwin,</HI> (pardon me, I beseech you, though I mention them a|mongst these friends, who cannot thinke of them without bitterness<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">) <HI>How are these mighty men fallen in</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>S<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">m.</HI> 1. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> <HI>the midst of the ba<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">tell, ana the weapons of warre perished! the beauty of our Israel is slaine in the high places:</HI> Whose heart wou<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> not b<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">eed, and cry out, as <HI>David</HI> at <HI>Iona|than</HI> his death, <HI>Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">skelon, lest the daughters of the Philistins reioyce, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised tri|umph!</HI> But now which of us laies these things to heart? who considereth the bitter things which God writes against us? No, we are rather like that wretched peo|ple, who when <HI>the righteous perished, and mercifull men were taken away</HI> (though it were from the evil to come) were so farre from laying it to heart aright, that they banished all serious thoughts from them, <HI>every one looking to their owne way;</HI> some to their <HI>gaine,</HI> others to <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Esa.</HI> 56. <HI>ult. Esa.</HI> 52. 1.</NOTE> their <HI>pleasure: Come ye,</HI> say they, <HI>I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drinke, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant;</HI> and this <HI>even when the righteous perished.</HI> Verily this is our car|riage; the Lord deprives us of these excellent men, and we (it may be for a moment) bewaile their losse in some passionate expression, saying, <HI>There is a brave man lost! I am sorry such a man is dead! &amp;c.</HI> and then


<PB N="26" REF="19">
every one goeth on againe in his owne way: As I have seen a Hen (pardon an homely similitude) goe clocking and scraping in the midst of her Chickens; then comes the Kite, and snatcheth away first one, then another, then a third, till all are gone; and the Hen brustles and flutters a little when any is snatched away, but returns instantly to her scraping and pick|ing, as if she had lost nothing: Even so doe wee, pre|sently forgetting our great losses, but no man sitting alone by himselfe, to enquire <HI>What God hath done?</HI> and <HI>what He meanes to doe with us?</HI> or, <HI>what we have done to provoke him thus far against us?</HI> thrusting such thoughts far away from us, passing by on the other side of the way, as the <HI>Priest and Levite did by the wounded man,</HI> as if it nothing concerned us: O, Beloved, this wofull security and regardlesnesse of ours, is one of the sad|dest tokens of Gods purpose still to bring us lower; It was the Prophet <HI>H&oacute;sea</HI> his complaint against Isra|el, a little before their utter ruine, <HI>Strangers have de|voured</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hos. 7. 9</NOTE> <HI>his strength, and he knew it not; gray haires were here and there upon him, and he regarded it not:</HI> The <HI>losse of good men</HI> was one of his <HI>gray hairs,</HI> which argued his <HI>declining;</HI> and his <HI>not-regarding it</HI> was the <HI>saddest evi|dence</HI> of his <HI>incurablenesse;</HI> the Lord in mercy make us sensible of these heavie strokes before it be too late, lest we prove like them of the old world, <HI>who did eat and drink, marry and give in marriage,</HI> and would know nothing, <HI>untill the flood came, and swept them all away.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, but how exceedingly doth this discover <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> the <HI>wickednesse,</HI> the <HI>divellishnesse</HI> of the spirits of a ge|neration of men amongst us, who are so far from <HI>be|moaning</HI> and <HI>lamenting</HI> the losse of good men, that


<PB N="27" REF="19">
they have no greater joy or content, then to heare of their fall; who, with the <HI>Edomites, rejoice</HI> over the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Obad.</HI> 2.</NOTE> Church in the <HI>day of their destruction,</HI> and <HI>speake proudly in the day of their distresse;</HI> who say with <HI>Tyrus, Aha, now</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ezech.</HI> 26. 2</NOTE> <HI>I shall be replenished, since they are brought low;</HI> who, with the inhabitants of the earth, <HI>Rev.</HI> 11. <HI>reioiced</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 11. 10</NOTE> <HI>when the two Witnesses were killed, and sent gifts one to an|other,</HI> because those Witnesses tormented them with their prophesying whilest they lived. But stay, pro|fane and wicked man, (if any such be here) and let me a little reason with thee: What such cause is there of thy rejoicing? art thou a <HI>gainer</HI> by their deaths? dost thou imagine to rest more <HI>safely,</HI> because the <HI>pil|lars</HI> of the house which covers thee are <HI>taken away?</HI> hast thou any <HI>surer footing,</HI> because the bough is <HI>cut</HI> whereupon thou treadest; because the <HI>thread</HI> is cut|ting asunder, whereby the <HI>sword</HI> hangs which is over thy head, art thou therefore <HI>further</HI> from danger? or dost thou conceive that God hath taken them away to gratifie <HI>thee?</HI> is it possible for thee to thinke that they who are thus precious in his eyes, who are to him as the apple of his owne eye, are by him removed for any advantage to thee, whom his soule <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ateth? I tell thee nay; I tell thee, if thou weighest things seriously, thou shalt finde their <HI>life</HI> was thy <HI>gaine,</HI> and their <HI>death</HI> thy <HI>losse;</HI> because it assures thee, <HI>first,</HI> chat thou art now <HI>deprived of them,</HI> who put up many a <HI>prayer for thee;</HI> who stood in the gap, to turne away wrath from <HI>thee;</HI> for whose sake <HI>thou</HI> faredst the better every day, God delighting to doe good to the place where his chil|dren lived. And secondly, their death assures thee, <HI>that thou also must dye: If the greene tree be cut downe, the


<PB N="28" REF="20">
dry must not long escape;</HI> &amp; not <HI>only die,</HI> but after thy death <HI>thou must come to judgment,</HI> and their soules whom thou thus hated'st will give most terrible evidence against thee, of <HI>all the ungodly deeds which thou hast ungodly com|mitted; and of all the hatred, spite, and hard speeches,</HI> which thou hast thus long exercised and spoken a|gainst them: the very sight of whom at that day will be more dreadfull to thee, then the most terrible Lyon, at terrible as Death, or hell it selfe.</P>
<P>Thirdly, and lastly, would God have the death of <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> 3.</NOTE> his Saints thus to be lamented; then <HI>(Right Honoura|ble and Beloved)</HI> learne the <HI>right and onely way</HI> to attain that which (I know) all your Soules <HI>desire,</HI> even to be <HI>desired</HI> whilst you <HI>live,</HI> and <HI>lamented</HI> when you <HI>dye:</HI> a thing so naturally engraven in the heart of every man, that nothing can be more; to have an Eternall and Honourable Memoriall; <HI>Ego si bonam famam ser|vavero sat ero felix,</HI> said the heathen man. You have read of <HI>Herod,</HI> that Monster of men, who perceiving the ap|proaching of his death, caused the flower of all the <HI>Jewes</HI> to be apprehended, imprisoned, and to be mur|thered at the instant of his death, that he might have lamentation to accompany his death and Funerals: nor was there, amongst the Heathens, any thing estee|med a greater plague, then to <HI>dye</HI> unlamented, and their <HI>Memoriall</HI> to be buried in obscurity, or remain in infamy: And I believe there is not a man in this great Assembly, who would not esteeme himselfe ex|tremely miserable, to be, with <HI>Jehojakim,</HI> buried with the <HI>Buriall of an Asse;</HI> to <HI>live undesired,</HI> and to <HI>dye un|lamented:</HI> Now know for certain th'only way to pre|vent this, and to bee truely honour'd in life, and be|wail'd


<PB N="29" REF="20">
in death, is to bee <HI>good</HI> men, to serve God and his Church faithfully in your generation. It may be some of you <HI>as yet</HI> doe not think so, being accustomed onely to bee flatter'd and daubed up, and made to be|lieve that you are as great in other mens eyes, as you are in your owne; that because (with <HI>Dives)</HI> you swim in pleasure, we are soft Raiment, fare delitiously every day, &amp; enjoy the worldly accomplishments of health, wit, honour, friends, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> though in the meane time you be strangers from God, and it may be, enemies to him, his wayes, his servants, and his ordinances: but could you know how meanly you are <HI>now</HI> esteemed by them who are best able to judge of things that differ, even by <HI>God,</HI> his <HI>Angels,</HI> and <HI>Saints:</HI> and couldst thou guesse the discourses will bee of thee when thou art dead, thou wouldst certainly think otherwise. Do but listen abroad in the world, and thou maist discerne what is spoken of them, who in their life time blest themselves as much as thou canst doe: Is such a <HI>No|ble Man dead?</HI> blessed be God, who hath rid his <HI>Church</HI> of a great enemy: Is such a <HI>rich Mandead?</HI> the world is well rid of a <HI>griping Usurer,</HI> a <HI>cruell Oppressor,</HI> a <HI>Mammonist,</HI> who had his portion in this World: Is such a <HI>great Schollar</HI> dead? God bee praised for it, his learning and parts were imployed onely for the hurt of the Church of Christ: Is such <HI>an one</HI> gone? then ther's a cursed blasphemer, a profane swearer, an un|cleane adulterer, a swinish Drunkard, a dangerous stumbling blocke, out of the way of the Saints happi|ly removed: This or the like talke will be of thee when thou art gone, if thy life bee such a one: and, which is worst of all, thine immortall soule for ever


<PB N="30" REF="21">
sunke into a lake, burning with fire and brimstone, where is nothing but <HI>weeping, wayling, and gnashing of teeth for evermore:</HI> but couldst thou with a single heart, give up thy selfe to <HI>bee good,</HI> and <HI>doe good,</HI> every one who hath interest in Heaven would beg thy <HI>Life;</HI> and when thy worke is done, and thou gathered to thy Fa|thers, every godly Mans <HI>eye</HI> would <HI>lament</HI> thee, every one of their <HI>tongues</HI> would <HI>praise thee;</HI> thy memoriall should be Crowned by them all: Yea, God himselfe would make thy Funerall Oration, rather then thy work should not praise thee in the Gates; and, which is best of all, thy <HI>soule</HI> shall enjoy the fruit of all in <HI>Everlasting life and glory.</HI></P>
<P>ANd now the more particular Application of all this, brings me directly to the sad occasion of this present meeting; even to lament the fall of <HI>this</HI> choice and excellent man, in whose death the Al|mighty testifies against us, and even fills us with gall and wormwood. I know you come hither to mourn, so fully prepared for it, that although <HI>I</HI> am but a dull Oratour to move passion, I may serve well enough to draw out those tears, wherewith your hearts and eyes are so big and full: there is no need to call for the <HI>mourning women, that they may come; and for cunning women, that they may take up a wailing,</HI> to helpe <HI>your eyes to run downe with teares, and your eye-lids to gush out with waters:</HI> the very looking downe upon <HI>this Beere,</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 9. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> the naming of <HI>the man</HI> whose corps are here placed, and a very little speech of his worth, and our misera|ble losse, is enough to make this Assembly (like <HI>Ra|chel)</HI>


<PB N="31" REF="21">
not only to lift up a voice of mourning, but even to refuse to be comforted.</P>
<P>I know, large encomiasticall praises of the dead, unlesse their lives were eminent in goodnesse, and free from any notable blot, are much condemned by the most judicious and godly <HI>Divines,</HI> as a thing of very evill consequence: first, to the <HI>Minister</HI> himself, who hereby is evill spoken of, as a man who for a re|ward, or some other base respect (like unworthy He|ralds) will give greatest badges of honour to any ig|noble person. Secondly, to the <HI>deceased,</HI> whilest it occasions some others, who haply knew them better, to <HI>rake</HI> into their lives, and lay open their former faults, which otherwise had been buried in oblivion. Thirdly, but the worst of all is, that wicked men make this a fearfull <HI>stumbling-blocke;</HI> who when they heare such men highly commended, in whom peradventure they knew such and such enormities, doe hereupon conclude, that our preaching for abandoning of all evill is of no great necessity, even in the Preachers <HI>own</HI> judgement; who sends men to heaven in his Funerall Orations, who yet <HI>lived,</HI> and (for ought they know) <HI>dyed</HI> in the practice of such things as the Minister u|seth to declaime against. But I am called to speake of a man <HI>so eminent</HI> and <HI>excellent,</HI> so <HI>wise</HI> and <HI>gracious,</HI> so <HI>good</HI> and <HI>usefull,</HI> whose <HI>works</HI> so <HI>praise him in every gate,</HI> that if I should altogether hold my tongue, the chil|dren and babes (I had almost said, the <HI>stones)</HI> would speak: upon whose Herse could I scatter the sweetest flowers, the highest expressions of <HI>Rhetoricke</HI> and <HI>elo|quence,</HI> you would thinke I fell short of his worth; you would say, <HI>this very name, JOHN PYM,</HI> ex|presseth


<PB N="32" REF="22">
more then all my words could doe, should I say of <HI>him,</HI> as they of <HI>Titus,</HI> that he was <HI>Amor &amp; deli|ciaegeneris humani:</HI> should I say of <HI>his</HI> death, as once the <HI>Sicilians</HI> upon the <HI>Grecians</HI> departure, <HI>Totum ver periit ex anno Siciliano:</HI> should I say, he was not onely as <HI>one of Davids thirtie Worthies,</HI> but one of the <HI>three,</HI> one of the <HI>first three,</HI> even the <HI>first</HI> and <HI>chiefe</HI> of them, the <HI>Tachmonite</HI> who sate in the seat: should I say, our whole land groaneth at <HI>his</HI> death, as the earth at the fall of a great mountaine, I might doe it without envie in this Assembly: Yea, should I write a whole booke in <HI>his</HI> commendation, and publish it, many of you would say as a <HI>Philosopher</HI> once did, who falling on a booke enti|tuled <HI>Encomium Herculis,</HI> said with indignation, <HI>Et quis Lacedaemoniorum eum vituperat?</HI> he thought it time ill spent, to praise him whom none could blame: and I beleeve your selves are resolved to make some such monument of your high esteeme of <HI>him,</HI> that after|ages, as well as the present, shall know you valued <HI>him</HI> above my words. But I am well pleased to be <HI>impar huic negotio: Est hoc maximum laudis genus, quum oratio|nis</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chrys. hom. de laudib. Paul.</NOTE> <HI>copiam virtus exuperet &amp; magnitudo laudati; sicque vinci nobis est multo gloriosius quam saepe vicisse.</HI> And for that I am able to say, I am presently at a losse, ha|ving in my serious thoughts viewed <HI>him</HI> in <HI>his naturals,</HI> in <HI>his moralls,</HI> in <HI>his graces,</HI> in <HI>his relations,</HI> in <HI>his pub|licke and private behaviour, inopem me copia fecit.</HI> I know I could not speake long, but you would be wea|ry of such a speaker; and I remember <HI>Salusts</HI> speech, when he was to speake of <HI>Carthage, Praestat tacere quam pauca dicere,</HI> then I wisht seriously that it had fallen to the lot of some such able tongue, to have so characte|rized


<PB N="33" REF="22">
and deciphered <HI>him</HI> before you, that you who now mourne for <HI>his</HI> losse, and knew <HI>his</HI> worth, might say, <HI>This is the very image of the Man;</HI> and might once at least be refreshed to see His lively picture represented to your eyes, by such a tongue as was suitable to His worth, and <HI>this present Auditory;</HI> that that might have been your refreshing, which was once <HI>Cyprians</HI> Audi|tors, to heare the Martyrs praised by such an Oratour as <HI>Cyprian</HI> was.</P>
<P>I spare to English what was <NOTE PLACE="marg">Percepimus gaudia, magna solatia, magna fomenta, maxim&egrave; qu&ograve;d et gloriosas Martyrum, non dicam mortes, sed immortalitates gloriosis et condig<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">is laudibus prosequutus es; Tales enim excessus talibus vocibus personandi sunt, ut quae referebantur sic dicerentur qualiter facta sunt, <HI>Cypri. Ep.</HI> 26.</NOTE> spoken of the holy Martyr his Eloquence, because to doe the like, is above <HI>my Sphere,</HI> I want such a tongue, and therefore must study to be short, and shall confine my self to that rule which <HI>Basil</HI> (worthily cal|led the great) observed in the praise of <HI>Gordius</HI> the Martyr. Its the custome of the World (said he) when they would praise a man, to speake of his <HI>Family,</HI> to derive his <HI>Pedigree</HI> through many discents, to open to the full his <HI>education, parts,</HI> and <HI>learning,</HI> and such other <HI>accomplishments: Sed Ecclesia haec tanquam supervacua dimittit: The Church lookes onely at those things which may glorifie Christ in his Saints, and thereby do good to them who remaine alive.</HI> According to this rule, I shall for|beare to speake any thing of his <HI>Family, Education, na|turall endowments,</HI> His <HI>cleare understanding, quick ap|prehension, singular dexteritie</HI> in dispatch of busines: His other <HI>moralleminences,</HI> in His justice, patience, tempe|rance, sobriety, chastity, liberality, hospitality: His extreme humanity, affability, curtesie, cheerfulnesse of spirit in every condition; and (as a just reward and


<PB N="34" REF="23">
just fruit of all these) the high and deare esteeme and respect which <HI>hee</HI> had purchased in the hearts of all men of every ranke, who were acquainted with <HI>him;</HI> such onely excepted, of whom to bee loved and well reported, is scarce compatible with true vertue: All men who knew <HI>him,</HI> either lov'd or hated <HI>him</HI> in ex|tremity: such as were good, extremely delighted in <HI>him,</HI> as taken in a sweet captivity with his matchlesse worth; the bad as much hated Him, out of their an|tipathy against it.</P>
<P>But, all these things (though most desirable and ex|cellent in their place) I passe over, and shall insist only upon <HI>two things,</HI> which alone are desirable in any man, which indeed make a man <HI>more precious then Gold, then the fine gold of Ophir: First, he</HI> was a <HI>true Christian man,</HI> a faithfull servant of <HI>Iesus Christ,</HI> one who long since <HI>was borne againe of Water and the Holy Ghost,</HI> engratted into <HI>Christ,</HI> adopted to be the Childe of God justified freely by his grace, renewed in the spirit of his mind, sanctified throughout, in spirit, soule and body: one who had made God his portion, and Gods word his guide: who in his whole course had left off to fashion himselfe according to the World, but in all things studied to know (as his rule) what was the good and perfect will of God: in a word, He <HI>was a true Na|thaniel, in whom there was no guile.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, <HI>Hee</HI> was a man of a <HI>publike spirit,</HI> a most usefull man; <HI>He was the good Man of this Text,</HI> whol|ly laid out for the publike good: the publike safety was written in <HI>His</HI> heart, as men report, <HI>Queen Ma|ry said, that</HI> Callis <HI>was in hers:</HI> it was <HI>His</HI> meat and drinke, <HI>His</HI> worke, <HI>His</HI> exercise, <HI>His</HI> recreation, <HI>His</HI>


<PB N="35" REF="23">
pleasure, <HI>His</HI> ambition, <HI>His</HI> all: What <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"></HI> was, was onely to promote the publike good: in and for this <HI>Heliv'd,</HI> in and by this <HI>He</HI> died. And this excellent usefull spirit of <HI>His,</HI> was accompanied with <HI>three</HI> ad|mirable properties, wherein he excelled all that ever I knew, and most that ever I read of: <HI>First,</HI> such <HI>single|nesse of heart,</HI> that no by respect could any whit sway <HI>him;</HI> no respect of any Friend: <HI>He</HI> regarded them in their due place, but knew neither Brother, Kinsman, not Friend, Superior nor Inferior, when they stood in the way to hinder his pursuit of the publike good: <HI>Magis amica Respublica:</HI> And he used to say, <HI>Such a one is my entire friend, to whom I am much obliged, but I must not pay my private debts out of the publike stock.</HI> Yea, no <HI>self|respect,</HI> no private ends of <HI>His</HI> owne or family, were in any degree regarded, but <HI>Himself</HI> and His were whol|ly swallowed up in the care of the publike safety; in|somuch that when friends have often put <HI>Him</HI> in mind of his family and Posterity, and prest him, that al|though <HI>he</HI> regarded not <HI>himself,</HI> yet <HI>he</HI> ought to provide that it might be well with <HI>his</HI> Family; (a thing which they thought <HI>he</HI> might easily procure;) <HI>his</HI> ordinary answer was, <HI>If it went well with the publike, his family was well enough.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, such <HI>constancy and resolution,</HI> that no feare of danger, or hope of reward, could at any time so much as unsettle <HI>him.</HI> How often was <HI>his life</HI> in dan|ger? vvhat a World of threats and menaces have bin sent <HI>Him</HI> from time to time? Yet I challenge the Man that ever saw <HI>Him</HI> shaken by any of them, or thereby <HI>diverted from,</HI> or <HI>retarded in His</HI> right way of advancing the publike good: nor could the offers of


<PB N="36" REF="24">
the greatest promotions (vvhich <HI>England</HI> could afford) in any measure be a block in <HI>His</HI> way: in <HI>that He</HI> was as another <HI>Moses</HI> (th'only man whom <HI>God</HI> went about <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 32. 10. <HI>Num.</HI> 14. 12.</NOTE> to bribe) who desired that <HI>Hee</HI> and <HI>his</HI> might never swim, if the cause of <HI>God</HI> and his people did ever sinke: <HI>His</HI> spirit was not so lovv, as to let the whole World prevaile with <HI>Him</HI> so far as to hinder <HI>his</HI> vvork, much lesse to be <HI>his</HI> Wages.</P>
<P>Thirdly, such <HI>Vnweariablenesse,</HI> that from three of the Clock in the morning to the evening, and from e|vening to midnight, this vvas <HI>his constant</HI> employment, (except only the time of <HI>his</HI> drawing nigh to <HI>God)</HI> to be some wayor other helpfull towards the publike good; burning out <HI>his</HI> Candle to give light to others. Who knows not all this to bee true, who knevv <HI>this Mans</HI> conversation? not onely since the time of this Par|liament, but for many yeers together hath <HI>He</HI> beene a great pillar to uphold our sinking frame; a Master workman, labouring to repaire our ruinous house; and under the weight of this worke hath the Lord per|mitted this rare Workman to be overthrown: and that's all I meane to say of <HI>His</HI> Life.</P>
<P>And as <HI>His</HI> life, such was His Death, enjoying all the time of <HI>his</HI> sicknes <HI>the same evennesse of spirit</HI> which he had in the time of <HI>his</HI> health, with an addition of a more <HI>cleare evidence of Gods love in Jesus Christ,</HI> and most ready <HI>subjection</HI> to Gods will, to live or dye at Gods choice; professing to my self, that it was to <HI>Him a most indifferent thing to live or dye:</HI> if Hee liv'd, Hee would doe vvhat service He could; if Hee dyed, Hee should goe to that <HI>God</HI> whom <HI>He</HI> had serv'd, and who would carry on his worke by some others: And to o|thers


<PB N="37" REF="24">
<HI>He</HI> said, that if <HI>his Life</HI> and <HI>Death</HI> were put into a paire of ballances, <HI>He</HI> would not willingly cast in one dram to turne the ballance either way. This was <HI>his</HI> temper all the time of <HI>his</HI> sicknesse; but as <HI>He</HI> drevv nigher to <HI>his</HI> end, the swifter His motion was to God|wards; enjoying more abundant comfort in His spirit, more frequently pouring out <HI>His</HI> heart in prayer: and whereas formerly <HI>his Soliloquies</HI> and private de|votions were only betwixt God and <HI>his</HI> own Soule, now, out of the abundance of <HI>his</HI> heart, <HI>his</HI> mouth was compel'd to speake, and that so audibly, that such of <HI>his</HI> Family or Friends, who endeavoured to bee neere <HI>Him</HI> (lest he should faint away in <HI>his</HI> weaknesse) have over-heard Him importunatly pray for the <HI>Kings Majesty, and his Posterity,</HI> for the <HI>Parliament,</HI> and the <HI>Publike Cause;</HI> for <HI>Himselfe</HI> begging nothing, but that if His worke were done, He might bee received into <HI>his Masters joy:</HI> And a little before His end, being recovered out of a swound, seeing <HI>his</HI> friends weeping about Him, <HI>he</HI> cheerfully told them, <HI>hee</HI> had look't death in the face, and knew, and therfore fear'd not the worst it could doe; assuring them, <HI>his heart was filled with more comfort and joy, which hee found and felt from God, then</HI> His <HI>tongue was able to utter;</HI> and soon after (whilsta Reverend and godly Minister was at prayer with Him) He quietly slept in the Lord.</P>
<P>It may bee some of you expect I should confute the Calumnies and Reproaches which that generation of Men who envied his <HI>Life,</HI> doe already begin to spread and set up in <HI>Libels</HI> concerning his <HI>Death';</HI> as that hee dyed Raving, crying out against that Cause wherein he had beene so great an instrument: Charging him


<PB N="38" REF="25">
to die of that loathsome Disease, which that accursed <HI>Balsack,</HI> in his Booke of slanders against <HI>Mr Cal|vin,</HI> charged him to dye of. But I forbeare to spend time needlesly, to wipe off those reproaches, which I know none of you believe. And this will satisfie the <HI>World</HI> against such slanders; that no lesse then <HI>eight Doctors</HI> of Physick, of unsuspected integrity, and some of them <HI>Strangers</HI> to <HI>him,</HI> (if not of different Religion from him) purposely requested to be present at the opening of his Body; and well neere a thousand people, first and last, who came many of them out of curiosity, and were freely permitted to see his Corps, can, and doe abundantly testifie the falshood and foulnesse of this Report; the Disease whereof he dyed, being no other then an Imposthume in his Bowels.</P>
<P>But now (to leave this) tell me all you that passe by the way, have we not great cause of <HI>Mourning,</HI> in the fall of <HI>such a Man!</HI> May I not say, as <HI>David</HI> to the People, <HI>Rent your Clothes, and gird you with Sackcloth, and mourne before Abner?</HI> Verily, when I consider how <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam: 3. 31.</NOTE> <HI>God</HI> hath followed us with breach upon breach, ta|ken away all those Worthy Men I before mentioned, and all the other things wherein the Lord hath brought us low; and now <HI>this great blow,</HI> to follow all the rest, I am ready to call for such a <HI>Mourning,</HI> as that of <HI>Hadadrimon in the valley of Megiddon.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zach. 12. 11.</NOTE></P>
<P>But mistake me not; I do not meane that you should mourne for <HI>Him, You</HI> his deare children; <HI>You,</HI> Right Honourable Lords and Commons, who esteeme him little lesse then a Father; I mean not that you should mourne for <HI>Him, his</HI> worke is done, <HI>his</HI> warfare is ac|complished;


<PB N="39" REF="25">
<HI>He</HI> is delivered from sin and sorrow, and from all the evils which wee may feare are comming upon our selves: Hee hath received at the Lords hand a plentifull reward for all his Labours. I beseech you, let not any of you have one sad thought touching <HI>him.</HI> Nor secondly, would I have you mourne out of <HI>any such apprehension</HI> as the <HI>Enemies have,</HI> and for which <HI>they</HI> rejoice; as if <HI>our Cause</HI> vvere not good, or wee should lose <HI>it</HI> for want of hands and heads to carry it on: No, no, beloved, this Cause must prosper; and although <HI>we</HI> were all dead, our <HI>Armies</HI> overthrown, and even our <HI>Parliaments</HI> dissolved, this Cause must prevail; out of the <HI>mouth of Babes and Suck|lings, will God ordeine strength to quell all the Enemies of it; even the great Enemy, and the Avenger.</HI> Nor should we much mourne, because the <HI>Enemies rejoyce:</HI> I con|fesse it is as a Sword in our Bowels, to heare their <HI>blas|phemies;</HI> but as in relation of the <HI>Cause,</HI> their blasphe|mies need not trouble us; <HI>Let my enemy</HI> (said Job) <HI>be as</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 27. 7.</NOTE> <HI>the wicked; and he that riseth up against me, as the ungodly;</HI> Let them <HI>fill up the measure of their wickednesse,</HI> God <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 23. 32.</NOTE> will the sooner take a course with them, and the more eminently and speedily plead our Cause: but let us <HI>mourne</HI> that we have thus farre <HI>provoked the Lord God to displeasure,</HI> and to manifest it by such heavy stroakes, that wee are <HI>deprived</HI> of such an <HI>Excellent Godly man,</HI> such a <HI>Patriot,</HI> such a <HI>Light,</HI> such an <HI>Example,</HI> such a <HI>Store-house of good,</HI> such a <HI>Jewell</HI> snatch't out of our bo|some, as we all knew him to be, and that we have such a <HI>sad prediction</HI> in his death of the increase and prolon|gation of our Calam<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ties.</P>
<P>But <HI>especially</HI> (right Honourable Lords and Gentle|men)


<PB N="40" REF="26">
let me prevaile with you to make such <HI>use</HI> of <HI>him,</HI> that with <HI>Abel,</HI> though he be dead, he may still speak <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 11. 4.</NOTE> unto you; that, as a <HI>graine of corne,</HI> he may prove <HI>more fruitfull</HI> when <HI>buried under the ground,</HI> then while he <HI>li|ved</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 12. 24.</NOTE> with us upon earth. And certainly, if God sends us to the <HI>Pismire,</HI> to consider her waies, and thereby to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 6. 6.</NOTE> learne wisdome; it can be no disparagement to any of you to consider <HI>his</HI> worth, and thereby to grow better; I shall therefore make bold to propound him, as <HI>Bishop Mountacu<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">e</HI> did Master <HI>Perkins</HI> in his Funerall Sermon, <HI>To be the Man that taught England to serve God, and Mi|nisters to preach Jesus Christ;</HI> so Master <HI>John Pym</HI> to be the <HI>Man,</HI> whose <HI>example may teach all our Nobles and Gentle|men, to be good Christians, good Patriots, good Parliament|men.</HI> You all knew him well, and knew</P>
<P><HI>That</HI> he <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man, who when he was called to the publike service of his countrey, lay here to satisfie his lusts, spending his time in riot and wantonnesse, in gaming, drink|ing, whoring, &amp;c.</HI> Take heed none of you be such.</P>
<P>He <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man who prov'd a Traitour to God and his countrey, and the cause of Religion, which he had solemnly protested to maintaine.</HI> Take heed none of you be such.</P>
<P>Hee <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man, who (though hee appeared often in the Parliament house, yet) neither promoted good causes himselfe, nor willingly permitted others to do it.</HI> Take heed there be none such among you.</P>
<P>He <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man who</HI> own'd <HI>the good cause so long as it was like to</HI> thrive, <HI>and then</HI> tackt-about <HI>when it seemed to</HI> decline; <HI>resolved to secure himselfe, what ever became of the publike.</HI> Beware none of you be such.</P>
<P>He <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man who would feed himselfe, or feather his owne nest, or provide for his family or friends out of the</HI> pub|like


<PB N="41" REF="26">
Stocke <HI>or treasure of the Kingdome.</HI> Take heed none of you be such.</P>
<P>He <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man who would favour the cause of his friend, or presse too heavily against his enemy;</HI> he <HI>was no re|specter of persons in any cause or judgement.</HI> Take heed none of you doe so.</P>
<P>He <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man who would consider how far any</HI> pub|like <HI>service would stand with his owne</HI> private <HI>designes, and promote the one no further then the other could be driven on <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ith it.</HI> Beware this be none of your condition.</P>
<P>He <HI>was</HI> not <HI>a man who for maintaining or propagating any</HI> private opinion, <HI>or way of his owne, would hazzard the</HI> publique safety. Take heed none of you be such.</P>
<P><HI>He was</HI> not <HI>a man who feared to promote the Reformation of Religion, lest himselfe should be brought under the yoke of it.</HI> Take heed that none of you doe so.</P>
<P>Not a man living (I beleeve) could justly taxe <HI>him</HI> for any of these; God grant none of you may be found guilty of any one of them in the day of your account. If you be such, or should prove such, let me tell you, it's most probable you do but dance in a net; All good men are not Fooles, some of them will discover you: however, though we may possibly suffer a while by your wickednesse, yet soone enough to your owne ru|ine your sinnes will finde you out.</P>
<P>But in stead of these things, <HI>he</HI> was the <HI>holy man,</HI> the <HI>good man,</HI> adorned with that <HI>integrity, constancy,</HI> and <HI>un|weariablenesse</HI> in doing good, which I before told you of: <HI>Goe, and doe likewise:</HI> Get such an upright heart to God; Lay out your selves wholly in the publike cause; Put both your hands to this worke, and the smaller your number is, be the more diligent, and fall the clo|ser


<PB N="42" REF="27">
to it; Set selfe, and selfe-respects, aside; Drive <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> designes of your owne; Count it reward enough, t<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> spend, and be spent in this cause; Esteeme the work<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> more worth then all your lives; <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">mitate him in thei<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> things: So might you make him, as another <HI>Sampson</HI> more advantagious to the cause of God in his <HI>Death</HI> then ever he was in his whole <HI>Life.</HI></P>
<P>You have done well thus to follow his <HI>Corps</HI> with honour to his Bed of rest: you have <HI>done well</HI> to ap|point a <HI>Committee</HI> to consider his debts, and how hee hath wasted his estate as well as spent his life in the publike service, that so his Family may finde he did not all this to an ungratefull State; The Lord reward this faithfulnesse into your bosomes: But would you ende|vour to be <HI>like him,</HI> to set <HI>him</HI> up for your <HI>Patterne,</HI> and not to rest till a double portion of his spirit might be found in you, <HI>This</HI> were the <HI>greatest honour</HI> you could possibly doe unto him: So should we all blesse God for <HI>his example,</HI> and <HI>your imitation;</HI> so should you be <HI>Re|pairers of our breaches;</HI> so should you be even <HI>Saviours</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Esa. 58. 12. Obad. 21.</NOTE> <HI>unto us;</HI> so should you <HI>doe worthily in Ephrata, and be fa|mous</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ruth 4. 11.</NOTE> <HI>in Bethlem.</HI> Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="27">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
