the earth in whose daies the righteous should flourish and aboundance of peace be happily established of whom we promised our selues that he should be Isaiahs good King reigning in iustice and ruling in iudgement as an hiding place from the winde and as a refuge for the tempest as riuers of water in a drie place and as the shadow of a great Rocke in a weary land finally one of whom wee hoped what the Aduersary more then feared that treading in the steps of his religious Father our present gratious Soueraigne and going on where he should leaue as Ioshuah after Moses in subduing of the Canaanites he would Iosiah like compell all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord. Behold beloued these and many more not mentioned the conceiued hopes that we had in him who was expected in the succeeding age not without iust reason to become our Crowne The vnexpected losse of whom so suddenly Oh that wee should need so lamentable a document to make vs giue care to the Psalmists counsell Not to put trust in Princes c. Alas how hath it cast vs downe from the hopes which in him we conceiued and forcibly brought vs to acknowledge as in our text The crowne of our head to be fallen Surely not a great man onely in Israel as Dauid sometimes spake of Abner but the very crowne and glorie of our Israel who howsoeuer hee be taken away in Gods great mercy and loue to him no doubt as Enoch of whom is chronicled that hee walked with God and was no more seene for God tooke him away or as Iosiah to Whom was promised as a speciall fauour from the Lord that he should be gathered to his fathers and be put into the graue in peace that his eies might not see the euils which God purposed to bring vpon that place and people yet for ourselues well may wee dread lest this his taking away hath beene in Gods displeasure rather towards vs who were neither worthy of nor yet truly thankfull for such and so great a blessing Whom therefore God according to that threat in Ezelkiel of taking away the Diademe and the Crowne hath taken away from vs by the losse and misse to bring vs to conceiue more rightly of the worth of such a gift The Lord grant wee may take it to heart to make a right vse of it Since for the cause procuring so farre as it concerneth ourselues alas what may we reckon it but our sinnes deseruing iustly so great yea a greater iudgèment as in detestation of our selues therefore wee truely may and wil redily if once throughly humbled acknowledge in our Prophets wailing words Woe vnto vs that wee haue sinned Since if wee also shall more question of the cause or say in our heart wherefore are these things thus come vpon vs leremy our Prophet hath long agone made vs heereto answere Ierem. 13. 22. For the multitude of thine iniquities are thy skirts discouered and thy heeles made bare For surely so as it is generally sin that brings shame and iudgement vpon any people as on the old world on Sodome and the Canaanites c. to the very rooting out of them from the earth so more particularly and for the purpose that it is for the peoples sins that princes are taken away witnesse that testimony Prou. 28. 2. For the transgression of a land there are many Princes thereof often changes of the Crowne being euermore dangerous to a Common-weale as wee may see for instance 1. King 16. In the disioynted state of Israel Yea farther not to vrge many proofes to this purpose looke but in Isaiah 3. How as a maine iudgement the Lord of Hostes threatneth to take away from Ierusalem and Iudah the stay and strength the strong man and the man of Warre the Ruler and the Prophet the Prudent and the Aged Appointing children to be their Princes and babes to rule ouer them But what may be imagined the cause of all this ruine It followeth after Doubtlesse lerusalem is fallen and Iudah is fallen downe because their tongues and works are against the Lord to prouoke the eies of his glory Yea the triall of their countenance testisieth against them they declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not and therefore Woe now vnto their soules for they haue rewarded euill vnto themselues And hee instanceth after in the end of the Chapter in two chiefe euils the tyrannous oppression of their gouernours and their womens want onnesse and pride The fruit of which and all the rest redounding to the ruine and subuersion of the state wee may read concluded in the last verse Therefore shall her gares lament and mourne and shee being desolate shall sit vpon the ground To bring no more for confirmation of this generall truth that it is the sin of the people that mooueth God to take away their Princes a thing which both Nehemiah and Daniel and here and elsewhere our Ieremy and all the faithfull in such cases truly humbled haue acknowledged haue not wee reason in this case to suspect our selues yea to conclude that for our sinnes God Almighty in his displeasure hath sent this losse of losses and made this breach vpon vs It may be to make coniecture for our great vnthankefulnesse in that God hauing affoorded vs heretofore many great and maruellous if not miraculous Deliuerances as to name but two most memorable from the inuasion of our professed enemies and their inuincible Armado in 88 and since from that hellish designe worthy a lasting monument for detestation of the Popish pioners wee haue not rendred according to the reward bestowed on vs but haue had our hearts lift vp for which therefore wee may iustly feare that this wrath is come vpon vs. Or may it not be for yet a farther degree of foule ingratitude that hauing beene blessed by God as much as euer any Nation with aboundance of long peace in a fruitfull Countrey wee haue giuen him cause to complaine of vs as in that song of Moses Deut 32. against his people that we that should haue beene vpright when we waxed fat haue spurned with the heele yea being fatte and grosse and laden with fatnesse haue either quite forsaken God that made vs or not as wee should regarded the strong God of our saluation but haue prouoked him to anger if not with strange Gods yet certainclie with many foule abominations and crying sinnes So that as the widowe of Sarephath when shee saw her childe breathlesse cried out in a passion vnto Elijab 1. King 17 O thou man of God art thou come to mee to call my sinne to remembrance and to stay my sonne So may wee acknowledge with humiliation vnder his hand that God is come vnto vs to call our sinnes vnto remembrance and therefore hath taken away our Prince And whether farther yet his purpose be to proceede against vs except by speedy turning
heart acknowledgeth it that which the Lord seeketh at our hands is that we come downe and humble our selues at his footstoole who goeth about it The only remedy of our woūd is our true repentance and conuersion to him that hath smitten vs how few that mind it To reduce to feeling our benummed hearts God alone is able but to shew the only good and right way I haue endeauoured as by preaching at first to those that heard it so now by writing to so many as God shal direct to read it The Lord grant that the wofull effect may addresse vs to the wo-worthy cause and both of them to the sowre but soueraigne medicine of repentance not to be repented of ISAI 57. 1 The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the cuill to come VOTIVAE LACHRIMAE A VOVVE OF TEARES For the losse of Prince HENRY LAMENTAT 5. vers 15. 16. The ioy of our heart is gone our dance is turned into mourning The crowne of our head is fallen woe now vnto vs that we haue sinned What was vowed in secret before the Lord in the day when first ill tydings as a winged messenger came with the sharpe sword of sorrow to pearce through our soules The publike bewailing namely of our so great and generall Losse that now at length through Gods ouer-ruling prouidence in the most fitting oportunity are we mette in this holy and great assembly purposely gathered on this day of solemne sorrow religiously to performe And for this purpose to mooue our hearts otherwise inclinable inough to follow the fashion of the Court to ioine at this time in this occasion of publike sorrow behold what choise it pleased God at that very first to suggest vnto mine heart that and none other make I bold to offer A text indeed befitting as I conceiue it if any other this mournefull accident and which I doubt not but you also Fathers and Brethren all heere present will so esteeme shall ye not onely marke the wordes like to Ezekiels role all full of Lamentations Mourning and Woe but withall take notice of the speciall cause moouing that holy Prophet Ieremy a man liuing if euer any of the Prophets in times of misery so to complaine For howsoeuer it be manifest that in this booke hee more generally lamenteth the distressed state of the Church of God the ouerthrow of the City Ierusalem and burning of the Temple the spoile and slauery of the whole nation al which he liued to behold yet that this his so bitter wailing was in part at least and that a chiefe part for the death of that Prince of so great proofe and hopes Iosiah witnes what is recorded 2. Chron. 35. And Ieremiah lamented Iosiah and all singing men and singing women mourned for Iosiah in their Lamentations to this day and made the same for an ordinance vnto Israel and behold they are written in the Lamentations that is in this booke which howsoeuer in the Hebrew original it be without any name saue onely that it is stiled by the first word of the booke as are also the 5. Bookes of Moses yet is it in the Hebrew Cōmentaries as Ierome noteth so called and accordingly by the 70. Interpreters Lamentations The Lamentations of Ieremy Wherein as it is generally agreed that hee expresly mourneth for King Iosiahs losse that being the beginning and presage of all their ensuing sorrowes the best Expositors hereto referring that complaint Chap. 4. 20. The breath of our nostrels the annointed of the Lord was taken of whom we said vnder his shaddow we shall bee preserued aliue among the heathen So in more particular touching the very words of my text I see not why wee should not take them also as a part of the Lamentation if not wholly yet chiefely for that losse the phrase of the falling downe of the Crowne so rightly fitting Since howsoeuer I am not ignorant that some Interpreters vnderstand to bee meant heereby the defacing and decay of the Temple and seruice of God with other things wherein that people gloried as in their crowne and others as if hereby were signified onely that the garlands and other ornaments of delight vsed in their nuptials and other times of ioy were now laid aside as if the Prophets purpose were hereby only to expresse their wailing and wofull state yet is there no interpretation that can bee giuen comming neerer to the nature of the Metaphor heere vsed then to vnderstand it of that which hee had before vnder other termes lamented the fall of their Soueraigne Prince wearing the Diademe according as of the setting vp of such an one is else where spoken in the like phrase Thou didst preuent him with liberall blessings and didst set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head Against which Exposition if any shal except that heere the Prophet speaketh of the fall not of the Kings crowne but of the peoples rather The Crowne of our head is falne which may seeme more generally to signifie the decay and fall of all their honour wealth and beauty all the glory of both their Church and Common-wealth wee will not sticke to grant that more generall extent so this particular of the Princes fall bee therein especially conceiued As it needes must bee since as the wise Salomon hath told vs that in the multitude of the people is the honour of a King so is it certaine on the other side that the peoples crowne and honour is in their Prince or King especially if a good Prince such as Iosiah was For the sal of whom therefore how well might they lament as for the falling downe of their crowne vnto the ground crying out as heere in bitter griefe The crowne of our head is fallen especially since this fall of the Prince did presage if they did not with speed preuent it Gods farther iudgement vpon the people whose sinnes had doubtlesse prouoked him thus farre already as therefore the humbled Prophet in their name acknowledgeth with a prefixed note of sorrow in the last words Woe now vnto vs that wee haue sinned Vpon which subordinate causes of sinne and iudgement depend those two consequents mentioned in the former verse First the inward sorrow affecting their hearts whereof hee complaineth The ioy of our heart is gone or ceased Secondly their Lamentation or humiliation outwardly expressing that inward sorrow and vsed for remedy to preuent farther iudgements which hee thus Emphatically expresseth Our daunce is turned into Mourning And in this order obseruing first the causes and then the consequents The meaning of the whole complaint being a part of the Prophets praier in the behalfe of the Church afflicted and by affliction now humbled what is it in effect and summe but this briefly That alasse now they see by lamētable proofe by the fall of their Crowne the taking away of their Prince
how he had warned them here of before that if any would not worke being able hoe should not eat Howbeit I would to God there were not others guilty of this Sodomsinne of Idlenes that would be accounted as their place requireth of farre better reckoning yea euen of the greater ones the Nobles and gentrie of our Land especially yonger brothers liuing without any calling carelesly not a few who as those in Amos against whom God denounceth a fearefull woe liuing at ease in Sion and therefore putting away farre from them the euil day doe stretch themselues on beds of Iuory eating the lambes of the flocke and the Calues out of the stall singing to the sound of the Violl c. and drinking wine in bowles no man being sorrie for the affliction of Ioseph As if they had beene placed by God on earth to doe nothing else but what Leuiathan is made to doe in the sea euen to play and sport themselues as those rich ones in Iames against whom we read that indicement inough in the last day if there were none other to condemne them yee haue liued in pleasure vpon the earth Fourthly that there is amongst vs notwithstanding many wholsome lawes better then which no kingdome euer had in that behalfe cruelty and miserable oppression of the poorer sort insteed of strengthning their hands practised for maintenance of riot and Idlenes in the rich for idlenes must haue maintenance from others labors as in those idlers in Saint Iames that are noted to haue kept backe the Laborers hire and to haue condemned and killed the righteous that were not able to make their partie good against them let the racking of rents and raising of fines turning out of Tenants and decay of titlage by inclosures the greedines of hard-hearted Vsurers c. with the teares of many an oppressed fatherlesse and widdow beare witnes who if they bee not heard and their wrongs redressed God that alwaies hath an eare open to such complaints will come neere in iudgement and bee himselfe a swift witnesse against such wrong doers who shall receiue for the wrong that they haue done of him with whom there is no respect of persons Adde hereto finally that luke-warmnes both in profession and in practise ouer-spreading our Church sometimes reproued in Laodicea whiles we conceit but too well of our owne perfections and that conniuence and suffering too much as in Thyatira of the woman lezabel and her seducing shauelings together with the little reckoning and light regard that most make not onely as Manasses in his prosperity of instructions from the word of God but also as those in Isaiah of the corrections and rod of God that God may now despaire of vs and say as to his people Wherefore should yee be smitten any more for ye fall away yet more and more So dangerously are wee ouer growne with that roote bringing forth gall and wormewood that whether wée heare the words of Gods curse wee blesse our selues in our he iris saying we shall haue peace though we walke after the stubbornes of our owne hearts thus adding drunkennes to thirst till the Lord statly refuse to be any longer mercifull or whether wee feele the stroke of his hand smiting vs as hee hath done with pestilence famine inundations drought tempestuous weather and the rauening teeth of those wild beasts pernicious Pirates I meane who haue gathered head so that the seas are at this day like tho high waies of Israel in the daies of Shamgar and Iael unoccupied in manner and Trauailers forced to seeke out by-waies for their safetie wee are so farre from returning to him that hath smitten vs that wee rather seeke to enter couenant with death and with hel that vnder the refuge of falshood wee may auoid the scourge or howsoeuer persisting with branded Ahaz in the time of tribulation to trespas yet more against the Lord. All these laid now together vpon the heape alasse men and brethren what thinke you that wee may iudge of our selues or thinke you that it is not high time for vs as the Corinthians are aduised by the Appostle to iudge our selues that we be not yet farther iudged of the Lord yes verily neither shall we neede as Ioshua brought the tribes families and housholds of Israel so to bring forth and as it were cast lots vpon these our sinnes to find out the Achan that hath troubled Israel since all these sinnes where euer they house or harbour within the wauy confines of this I le they be the wretched Achans euery kind and one of them that haue by prouoking against vs Gods displeasure beene thus farre troublers and quenchers of the light of this our Israel Neither yet were it not for the Neuer failing compassions and faithfulnesse of the Lord might wee hope for future peace or safety whiles these witchcrafts and whoredomes of that Iezabel of naturall corruption are yet in so great number that if we as the adulterous woman should wipe our mouth and say we haue done none iniquity yet could the Lord of heauen earth euen the Iudge himselfe beare witnesse and reproue vs saying as in Amos I know your manifold trāsgressions your mighty sins To which therefore to conclude at length this second point let vs without either blaming supposed second causes or accusing God of too strict iustice in this behalfe learne in true humility to referre all our losse crying as heere our humbled Prophet Woe now vnto vs for we haue sinned and therefore loe the Crowne of our head fallen With which fall if yee desire to heare how wee ought to bee affected it commeth now to bee considered from the first words of the 15. ver The ioy of our heart is ceased For this being an vndoubted consequent of the feeling apprehension of their present calamitie accompanied with feare of farther miserie hence to 〈◊〉 enlarging may wee take direction how we also with our losse should bee affected how but as the holy Virgiue to whom the many sorrowes for her blessed son were as old Simcon compared thē a sword that should pearce through her soule A dangerous wound and deadly if not to the life yet to the ioy and comfort of the heart For verily those hearts must needs bee armed with stony yea adamantine hardnesse which are not pierced with this sword of sorrow which melt not as Iosiah his heart at the apprehension of Gods iudgement yea which with Ieremy wish not the head a cesterne of water and the eies as fountaines of teures to weepe day and night for the fall of their crowne The greatest cause of sorrow and most important losse excepting that one if that were greater which was so soone and graciously by God himselfe repaired of our last renowned Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth that euer in our age befell this flourishing state kingdome able
Votiuae Lachrymae A VOVV OF TEARES For the losse of Prince HENRY IN A SERMON PREACHED in the Citie of Bristol December 7. 1612. being the day of his Funerall By E. C. Batchelar in Diuinitie and publike Preacher to that Citie 2. Chron. 35. 25. And Ieremiah lamented Iosiah and all Singing men and Singing women mourned for Iosiah in their Lamentations to this day and made the same for an ordinance vnto Israel and behold they are written in the LAMENTATIONS AT LONDON Printed by W. H. for William Welby and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church yard at the signe of the Swanne TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCES The most illustrious and hopefull Prince CHARLES Duke of Yorke the most renowned and vertuous Princesse the Lady ELIZABETH her Grace together with her espoused happy Husband the thrice-noble and worthy Prince FREDERIKE Count Palatine of Rheine and Prince Elector TO whom vnder God should these vowed teares humbly addresse themselues but vnto you three thrice excellēt Princes the neerest partakers and most hopefull repairers of the great and common losse that caused them A losse indeed common to vs the members of this State and Church with all the faithfull inhabitants of the Christian world But to expresse the greatnesse of it What shall wee take to witnesse for it what shall wee compare to it Whereto shall wee liken it A breach great like the sea who can heale it who can comfort vs in it But blessed bee the Father of mercies and God of all comfort that hath not onely preserued vnto vs of this age the royall root and stemme but also in you the princely branches reserued a treasury of hope comfort for the generations ensuing Only being taught by so heauy an hand that the hope of the hils and multitude of mountaines is but vaine except the Lord be sought vnto as the only health of Israel What shall we say but the Lord giue vs hearts so to repay vnto your Excellencies the arrerages of praiers and thanks wherein wee are behind hand to your Princely Brother that God may be pleased to repaire by you the losse that in him we haue sustained So may wee hope that the God of mercy the strength of Israel will answer vs with words of peace and truth saying Vnto our Soueraigne your royal father I haue laid help vpō one that is mighty I haue exalted one chosen out of the people c. Vnto you illustrious Prince Charles Thou sbalt beare rule ouer men being iust and ruling in the feare of God Vnto you gracious Lady I will blesse thee and thou shalt bee the mother of Nations Kings also of people shall come of thee Finally vnto you happie Prince and sent of God to increase our happinesse Come in thou blessed of the Lord for whom the choisest pearle in the Christian world is by God himself prepared The Lord make her like Leah and like Rahel which two builded the house of Israel Let her grow into thousand thousands and let her seed possesse the gate of his Enemies What remaineth most gracious Princes but that with humble suite for pardon of this boldnes and acceptance of this poore seruice offred in the name of this famous and loiall Citie vnto the honorable memory of your triumphant Brother and patronage of your Princely Graces I tender vnto your Highnesses two requests of an heart zealously deuoted both to your present honour and euerlasting blisse The first that you would alwaies set before your eies the Princely patterne of vertue and pietie so happily expressed in the example of that blessod Soule whom the world was no longer worthy to enioy who beginning as Iosiah did from his tender yeeres to seeke after the God of his fathers hath now left a sweet though mournefull memory of his graces amongst vs like the composition of the perfume made by the art of the Apothecary The second that you would often and seriously meditate vpon that hoauenly counsel giuen by the holiest King that euer raigned that man after Gods own heart vnto his sonne the wisest Prince that euer liued and therefore well be fitting your graces Greatnesse And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Father serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Which if your Graces shall please to apply as spoken by God himselfe to each of you I haue all which my soule herein affecteth which shall neuer cease to call vpon the Lord for the continuance of the sure mercies of Dauid vpon our dread Soueraigne with our gracious Queene your roiall Parents and vpon your excellent Highnesses that you may long remaine the comfort of their roial Maiesties and crowne of vs their well affected subiects Your excellent Graces in all Christian seruice most humbly deuoted EDVVARD CHETVVIND ¶ To the Christian Reader IT was an old complaint vttered by a Prophet Thou haste smitten them but they haue not lorrowed would to God it were not verified in vs or that wee had learned to listen to that other Prophets counsell Heare yee the rod and who hath appointed it Then might our endeauour for reuiuing sorrow seeme at this present needlesse and impertinent were our hearts wrought to awfull feare at the lions roaring and not rather hardned as the Adamant stone against both the voice and rod of the Almightie But as on the one side the terrours of the Lord inforce so on the other side the loue of Christ and of his Church constraineth vs to be instant in season and out of season vpon this secure and sencelesse generation The Lord hath spoken who can but prophecie yea the Lord hath begun to strike who when hee beginneth will make an end and bring forth iudgement vnto victory whose eares can now but tingle or whose heart but tremble This may bee defence inough for a man otherwise well pleased to liue amongst his owne people to put the trumpet to his mouth if it may be to awaken such as sleepe secure in Sion of whom it cannot now bee said because they haue no changes therefore they feare not God but rather as of the desperate Iewes in vaine saith God haue I smitten your children they haue receiued no correction To speake plainely an heauie stroake of Gods hand is now vpon vs for our sinnes but that which giueth cause to feare that the same hand is stretched out still is that to our many other sins we adde this aboue all not to take to heart so grieuous a visitation A maine proppe and limme is rent from the body of this Church and state who considereth it Our sinnes haue vndoubtedly brought this maime vpon vs who finding the plague in his owne