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 blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ was himself cut off from out of the Land of the living when he had not attained the one half of the age of man This is one of the Lords strangest works a woke 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 for his owne glory and that manie waies As first he often takes away instruments that it may 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 Who measureth the water in the hollow of his hand and weighs the Mountaines in the Scales and the Hills in a Ballance that men may know when the youths faint and be wearie and the young men utterly fall the most active and able Instruments brought to nothing yet the Church is carried in his bosome and by him alone shall renew its strength and mount up with wings as an Eagle run and not be wearie walke and not be faint Secondly to set out his wisdome and the aboundance of spirit in providing varietie of instruments he purposely 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 Creator so here Moses shall have one part Ioshuah another And Ioshuah shal do as excellently in Canaan as Moses in the Wildernesse he shall honour God as much in the Military part as the other in the legall Elihu a youngmen shall convince Iob and compell him to give glory to God when other wise and gracious men much older then his father had long wrangled with him to little purpose Elisha who powred waterupon Elijahs hands shall work more miracles then his Master did yea Christs Apostles shall doe greater works then he himself did that the world may know that he hath aboundance of the spirit Other Kings and Princes are compelled to preserve 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 Secondly As for his own glorie so herein hee also provides for the good of his owne people his owne I say both them that are thus cut off 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 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 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 if God had been pleased to employ them any longer in his service Secondly for the good of them that live though this seem most unlikely who shall lose nothing by cutting the pipes whereby mercies are conveyed as long as the fountaine of power and goodnesse remaines iâ—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 gainers by it and that severall waies First He hereby cures them of one of the most dangerous 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 Lord buried the body of Moses and would never let the people know where his grave was because he foresaw that they would be ready to worship his dead body Secondly hereby the Lord doth humble his people and awe them with the feare of his wrath making them sensible of it in these heavie stroakes and quicken them more up to prayer and serious seeking after himself as this Church doth in this place Woe is me the good man is perished the Princes the Judges the Nobles c. are all naught none to be trusted neither Wife nor Father nor brother ver. 7. then followes therefore will I looke to the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will heare me And this lesson the Lord taught his people by Josiahs death Lament 5. ver. 16. c. The Crown is fallen from our heads good King Josiah is dead Woe unto us that wee have sinned for this our heart is faint for these things our eyes à 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 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 death which can procure this is like to be more advantageous then any mans life Thirdly Hereby the Lord makes his Church more sensible of his power goodnesse and faithfullnesse when they shall find all these constantly continued even when the instruments are taken away Thus Moses 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 who was their dwelling place in all generations from everlasting to everlasting a God all-sufficient Thirdly though he doth this for the good of his owne glory and the good of his owne Saints both the living and the dead yet hereby he makes way for his wrath upon others
spirit of His was accompanied with three admirable properties wherein he excelled all that ever I knew and most that ever I read of First such singlenesse of heart that no by respect could any whit sway him no respect of any Friend He 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 Magis amica Respublica And he used to say 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 Yea no self-respect no private ends of His owne or family were in any degree regarded but Himself and His were wholly swallowed up in the care of the publike safety insomuch that when friends have often put Him in mind of his family and Posterity and prest him that although he regarded not himself yet he ought to provide that it might be well with his Family a thing which they thought he might easily procure his ordinary answer was If it went well with the publike his family was well enough Secondly such constancy and resolution that no feare of danger or hope of reward could at any time so much as unsettle him How often was his life in danger vvhat a World of threats and menaces have bin sent Him from time to time Yet I challenge the Man that ever saw Him shaken by any of them or thereby diverted from or retarded in His right way of advancing the publike good nor could the offers of the greatest promotions vvhich England could afford in any measure be a block in His way in that He was as another Moses th' only man whom God went about to bribe who desired that Hee and his might never swim if the cause of God and his people did ever sinke His spirit was not so lovv as to let the whole World prevaile with Him so far as to hinder his vvork much lesse to be his Wages Thirdly such Vnweariablenesse that from three of the Clock in the morning to the evening and from evening to midnight this vvas his constant employment except only the time of his drawing nigh to God to be some wayor other helpfull towards the publike good burning out his Candle to give light to others Who knows not all this to bee true who knevv this Mans conversation not onely since the time of this Parliament but for many yeers together hath He 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 permitted this rare Workman to be overthrown and that 's all I meane to say of His Life And as His life such was His Death enjoying all the time of his sicknes the same evennesse of spirit which he had in the time of his health with an addition of a more cleare evidence of Gods love in Jesus Christ and most ready subjection to Gods will to live or dye at Gods choice professing to my self that it was to Him a most indifferent thing to live or dye if Hee liv'd Hee would doe vvhat service He could if Hee dyed Hee should goe to that God whom He had serv'd and who would carry on his worke by some others And to others He said that if his Life and Death were put into a paire of ballances He would not willingly cast in one dram to turne the ballance either way This was his temper all the time of his sicknesse but as He drevv nigher to his end the swifter His motion was to God-wards enjoying more abundant comfort in His spirit more frequently pouring out His heart in prayer and whereas formerly his Soliloquies and private devotions were only betwixt God and his own Soule now out of the abundance of his heart his mouth was compel'd to speake and that so audibly that such of his Family or Friends who endeavoured to bee neere Him lest he should faint away in his weaknesse have over-heard Him importunatly pray for the Kings Majesty and his Posterity for the Parliament and the Publike Cause for Himselfe begging nothing but that if His worke were done He might bee received into his Masters joy And a little before His end being recovered out of a swound seeing his friends weeping about Him he cheerfully told them hee had look't death in the face and knew and therfore fear'd not the worst it could doe assuring them his heart was filled with more comfort and joy which hee found and felt from God then His tongue was able to utter and soon after whilsta Reverend and godly Minister was at prayer with Him He quietly slept in the Lord It may bee some of you expect I should confute the Calumnies and Reproaches which that generation of Men who envied his Life doe already begin to spread and set up in Libels concerning his Death ' as that hee dyed Raving crying out against that Cause wherein he had beene so great an instrument Charging him to die of that loathsome Disease which that accursed Balsack in his Booke of slanders against Mr Calvin 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 World against such slanders that no lesse then eight Doctors of Physick of unsuspected integrity and some of them Strangers to him 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 But now to leave this tell me all you that passe by the way have we not great cause of Mourning in the fall of such a Man May I not say as David to the People Rent your Clothes and gird you with Sackcloth and mourne before Abner Verily when I consider how God hath followed us with breach upon breach taken away all those Worthy Men I before mentioned and all the other things wherein the Lord hath brought us low and now this great blow to follow all the rest I am ready to call for such a Mourning as that of Hadadrimon in the valley of Megiddon But mistake me not I do not meane that you should mourne for Him You his deare children You Right Honourable Lords and Commons who esteeme him little lesse then a Father I mean not that you should mourne for Him his worke is done his warfare is accomplished He 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 him Nor secondly would I have you mourne out of any such apprehension as the Enemies have and for which they rejoice as if our Cause vvere not good or wee should lose it for want of hands and heads to carry it on No no beloved this Cause must prosper and although we were all dead our Armies overthrown and even our Parliaments dissolved this Cause must prevail out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings will God ordeine strength to quell all the Enemies of it even the great Enemy and the Avenger Nor should we much mourne because the Enemies rejoyce I confesse it is as a Sword in our Bowels to heare their blasphemies but as in relation of the Cause their blasphemies need not trouble us Let my enemy said Job be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the ungodly Let them fill up the measure of their wickednesse God will the sooner take a course with them and the more eminently and speedily plead our Cause but let us mourne that we have thus farre provoked the Lord God to displeasure and to manifest it by such heavy stroakes that wee are deprived of such an Excellent Godly man such a Patriot such a Light such an Example such a Store-house of good such a Jewell snatch't out of our bosome as we all knew him to be and that we have such a sad prediction in his death of the increase and prolongation of our Calamâ—ties But especially right Honourable Lords and Gentlemen let me prevaile with you to make such use of him that with Abel though he be dead he may still speak unto you that as a graine of corne he may prove more fruitfull when buried under the ground then while he lived with us upon earth And certainly if God sends us to the Pismire to consider her waies and thereby to learne wisdome it can be no disparagement to any of you to consider his worth and thereby to grow better I shall therefore make bold to propound him as Bishop Mountacuâ—e did Master Perkins in his Funerall Sermon To be the Man that taught England to serve God and Ministers to preach Jesus Christ so Master John Pym to be the Man whose example may teach all our Nobles and Gentlemen to be good Christians good Patriots good Parliament-men You all knew him well and knew That he was not 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 drinking whoring c. Take heed none of you be such He was not a man who prov'd a Traitour to God and his countrey and the cause of Religion which he had solemnly protested to maintaine Take heed none of you be such Hee was not a man who though hee appeared often in the Parliament house yet neither promoted good causes himselfe nor willingly permitted others to do it Take heed there be none such among you He was not a man who own'd the good cause so long as it was like to thrive and then tackt-about when it seemed to decline resolved to secure himselfe what ever became of the publike Beware none of you be such He was not a man who would feed himselfe or feather his owne nest or provide for his family or friends out of the publike Stocke or treasure of the Kingdome Take heed none of you be such He was not a man who would favour the cause of his friend or presse too heavily against his enemy he was no respecter of persons in any cause or judgement Take heed none of you doe so He was not a man who would consider how far any publike service would stand with his owne private designes and promote the one no further then the other could be driven on â—ith it Beware this be none of your condition He was not a man who for maintaining or propagating any private opinion or way of his owne would hazzard the publique safety Take heed none of you be such He was not a man who feared to promote the Reformation of Religion lest himselfe should be brought under the yoke of it Take heed that none of you doe so Not a man living I beleeve could justly taxe him 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 ruine your sinnes will finde you out But in stead of these things he was the holy man the good man adorned with that integrity constancy and unweariablenesse in doing good which I before told you of Goe and doe likewise 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 closer to it Set selfe and selfe-respects aside Drive 〈◊〉 designes of your owne Count it reward enough tâ— spend and be spent in this cause Esteeme the workâ— more worth then all your lives â—mitate him in theiâ— things So might you make him as another Sampson more advantagious to the cause of God in his Death then ever he was in his whole Life You have done well thus to follow his Corps with honour to his Bed of rest you have done well to appoint a Committee 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 endevour to be like him to set him up for your Patterne and not to rest till a double portion of his spirit might be found in you This were the greatest honour you could possibly doe unto him So should we all blesse God for his example and your imitation so should you be Repairers of our breaches so should you be even Saviours unto us so should you doe worthily in Ephrata and be famous in Bethlem Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS Introduction Gen. 50. 11. The Text explained Vers. 2. Hest. 10. 3. 2 Chron. 24. Act. 11. 24. Gen 8. 19. Prov. 14. 32. Doct. 1. God oft takes away usefull Instruments and proved 1. by Examples 2 King 13. Mal 4. ult. Esa. 53. 8. By Reason Hereby hepro vides for his owne Glory His Power Esa. 40. 2. Wisdome Iâ—h. 14. 12. 2 Eâ—r the good of his own of them who dye sa 53. 2. Of them who live Deut. 34. 6. 3. For judgment and 〈◊〉 upon others 2 King 23. Vses Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Esa. 26. Psal. 125. Doct. 2. 1. God requires it 2. The Saints practising it Gen. 50. Deuâ—. 34. 2 Chron. 35. 24 25. Zechar. 12. Isa. 24. 13. 16 Act. 8. 2. 2 Kiâ— 13. 14 3. Scripture-reason inforâ—eth it Because God is then displeased 〈◊〉 10 8 2. Because the dead are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalme 122. Ier. 22 18. Gen. 50. 2 Samuel 3. Acts 9. 39 3. Because we our selves are hereby endammaged Pro. 10 21 Pro. 15. 7 Mal. 3 Psal. 106 Num. 16. 46 Iob 22. Iam. 5. 17 18 Esa. 45 11 Mal. 3. 17 2 Kings 3 Gen. 19. 13. 22 2 Kings 14 Luke 19 Vse 1. For reproofe 2 Sâ—m 1. 1â— c. Esa. 56. ult. Esa. 52. 1. Hos. 7. 9 〈◊〉 Obad. 2. Ezech. 26. 2 Rev. 11. 10 〈◊〉 3. Ier. 9. 1â— Chrys. hom de laudib. Paul Percepimus gaudia magna solatia magna fomenta maximè quòd et gloriosas Martyrum non dicam mortes sed immortalitates gloriosis et condigâ—is laudibus prosequutus es Tales enim excessus talibus vocibus personandi sunt ut quae referebantur sic dicerentur qualiter facta sunt Cypri Ep. 26. Exod. 32. 10. Num. 14. 12. 1 Sam 3. 31. Zach. 12. 11. Iob. 27. 7. Mat. 23. 32. Heb. 11. 4. Iohn 12. 24. Prov. 6. 6. Esa. 58. 12. Obad. 21. Ruth 4. 11.