68.13 that 's cover'd with silver and our feathers like yellow gold Our Jonathan hereby bears the name of a Lucie probably sprung from the Roman Lucins a stemme of that root that was the first Christian King of the world that borrowes his original from the first Orient Light as the morning starre born at the break of day a name given to Christ himself in the song of Zachary and to the newborn Christians Luk. 1. Act. 13.1 Rom. 16.21 Act. 13.1 and Rom. 16.21 descending to Lucius King of England a great favourite to the Roman Emperors especially to Lucius Verus who distributed provinces to his fellowes and friends This Lucius is said to be Baptised by Timothy contemporary with Polycarpus and Martyr Armacanus de primord E. Ang. Bin. Conuc pag. 70. the 7 of Marc. Aurelius Anno 166. A name that in the Roman comes from Lights in the Brittish Isles the same and suites well with the Event that made it so Christian and illustrious as the Verse upon it notes Prima Britannorum fidei lux Lucius esse Fertur qui rexit moenia Brute tua Al. Neckham First Light of Brittish faith was Lucie call'd Who rul'd the Cities which thou Brutus wall'd A name that crowns this Nation more then Mulmutius first Crown of gold our common Law-giver or all the Laurels and Diadems of Kings and Conquerors that did not make us Christian by how much Christian Religion excelleth all these earthly Laws and Powers a name recorded in those ancient coynes one of silver and the other of gold bearing the Image of a Christian King by the signe of the Cross imprest and the letters Luc. name intituled upon it A name famous for eminent and worthy actions and deserts in three Roman Consuls three Christian Bishops of that Sea the first a glorious Martyr Chronic. Noringberg Platina in vitis the two latter inferiour unto him but great advancers of the holy warre against infidels and suppressors of spreading heresies in their times A name sainted in the female sex Saint Lucie who suffered for Christ gave all her rich portion and patrimony to poor widows in charity and rather then violate her chast Virginity chose rather to kisse the stake and to embrace the flames of burning faggots A name illustrious in that Elizabeth Lucie a Lady for her princely vertues and comportment deem'd worthy of the Queenship to Ed. the fourth Speed in Ed. 4. And what shall I say more a name wherein the faith of K. Lucius the zeal of the Bishops the charity of the Saint the worth of the Courtier the vertues of all did translucently shine He was a mornning starre in the midst of a cloud in the late tempestuous times not twinkling betwixt two opinions but constantly appearing in his course and station and a plaine Expositor of his name Let it remaine as his ornament as our instruction and posterities Example never to go out of that name so long as Lucifer ariseth to bring in the morning whiles we bewaile the sad vespers of his setting here Oh Jonathan c. A note of Indignation how wast thou slain in the high places Kalat wounded shot through slaine by a pittiful massacre in a tragical manner this act this passion this direful dispatch David with Indignation doth detest in the persons that did it and curseth the place with barrenness that drank his blood that they might not pleasure God nor profit man Oh ye mountains of Gilboah Vers 21. let there be no dew or raine fall upon you nor field of offering giving a pattern to Alexander and Caesar how to reward the Assassinates of royal blood though in the field they are vanquisht enemies Pet. Martyr no farre Traveller affirms that the place where he took his mortall wound doth stand smitten with barrenness Buntingius Itiner as Aeternum monumentum tanti mali like the figtree accurst by Christ Berchardus an eye-witness saith that as he travelled up that mount there fell such a violent shower that he was wet through his clothes and the water in abundance ran in the valleys and in Anno 1283 sleeping upon this hill on the Eve of all Saints a great dew fell upon his clothes but in many places t is stony and barren T was then a wish of Davids that the heavens and earth might have a kind of sense and consort in this calamity feigning them as fit mourners to grace these funerals This mountain is forty miles from Jerusalem and hath its name from Gil and Bagnah a purchase of joy a bubble of gladness so it might have proved to Jonathan Greg. lex sanct that had been victorious heretofore in such a place but now the Shambles of this noble Heroe here the Archers prest sore upon him and Jonathan fell down slain in mount Gilboah 1 Sam. 31.3 to shew that the Laurel of victory withers at the last and all the atchievements of worldly glory are but a fit of mirth and at last break like a bubble into vanity and then call me no more Naomi but Marah no more Gilboah a purchase of joy but Gaal Boah a purchase to be abhorred or Golgotha a place of dead mens sculs not Kalat but Kallailah God blesse us from it our God forbid Parallel to this somewhat was the place where our Jonathan received the arrow of evil and contagious air that brought him to his long home in that mountainous and uncouth part of Worcester-shire visiting his park there Psal 91. that arrow of death that flyeth by day invisibly fell into his sides which stole secretly to the heart won the Castle of health and let out his life We will not curse that ground but wish that a witness or monument may there stand to attest the losse and fail of so good a Master The Analogie of this high place may serve for a moral to give us caution and instruction that high places are dangerous the exceeding high mountaines whence we may discover the whole glory of the world are devillish tentations the pinnacle of the Temple is second to it from hence the scepters and the miters take their rise and fall he had need to be another Saviour that escapes Trust not in Princes nor in preferments to high places Expertus metuit Jonathan the Dove comes hither and gives the Philistims arrow better aime the morning starre is made the fairer mark O Jonathan which ushes in the fourth part a note of Lamentation 4 Tsur lignaleca achi I am distressed or wo is me for thee my Brother the Translations turn it sadly I am quoth David straitened as one besieged with sorrows Grece 70. Lat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not able to tell how sorrowfull a man I am Doleo I am hewed and shaved thin with grief for thee I am straitned and begirt like a vessel that must vent or break many Apostrophes bound and rebound from Gath and Askelon to Gilboah from thence to
wounded not his Liver Eyes or Ears The quiver of Christ puts three better into your hands The 1. is the Light of Scripture in this the Man of God must guide and give you aim 2. Is the Death of Nature this directs you to the life of grace The 3. is the day of Censure which keeps you in the fear of God The three first of Satans arrows he was free from and afraid of The three last he was much exercised in and well acquainted with his Example he hath bequeathed to you The Legacy Dear Mistris he hath left to you is comprised in three Counsels Have Purity in your Religion Erpenius Arab. Prov. Patience in your Condition and Prudence in your Conversation To you all and as many as follow these Rules peace be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 which is in fine the vote of Your loving Countryman and humble Servant in Christ Jesus RICHARD HUNT JONATHANS BOW 2 SAM 25.26 Oh Jonathan thou wast slaine in thine high places I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women IT was a solemn custome of the Hebrews to visit the graves of their Friends thereby to remind themselves of their mortalitie Novarin schedas lib. 5. sect 73. and the Bells of Aarons priestly coat were placed in the fringe and bottome of his garment to signifie to the people Origen in Exod. 28. that their passing-bell was alwayes tolling that they might consider their latter ends the bottome of life to them and the judgement to follow after Death David the sweet Singer of Israel accordingly hath lost a friend and for his commemoration and obsequies is musing on a Funeral Song whose name and title must be new and singular which himself will compose and set and then commit in charge to the men of Judah and their children sons and daughters to sing in the houses and streets all abroad as well as to the Choristers in the Quire This singular friend is Jonathan who deserves to have a Song and Lesson set to himself and that is this the Bow of Jonathan so called not for any surmised meaning to set up Artillery in the Common-wealth of Judah Willet ad locum as it was commonly mistaken but to set up and advance the life and death of Jonathan a master at that art of shooting and so excellent a Bowman that he might without arrogancy compare what all that were past challenge all then present and set a sample to all posterity so famous in their Ages Alex. ab Alex. 2 Sam. 22. as that Sythians Parthians Persians and Roman Emperors at the Bow and unexampled skill of shooting might learn of him From the Blood of the slain and the fat of the mighty the Bow of Jon. turned not back That this is the proper and approved sense and intention of David in this Title and that the men of Judah should learn the tune is the importance of the Hebrew word Chesheth the word Bow set emphatically and independently by it self without relation before or after it Serrar Sancher Cor. a Lap. Mariana and Mr. Greg. on the Plar The Seventy Translation sounds no discord but a Ditty dedicate to Lamentation to the same tune the vulgar Latine the report of Josephus that the Elegie continued to his time the custome of Israel to endite their sonnets in this sort and the consent of Gentile Authors to give some signal name and title to their tracts and poesies This Monodie nene or Lamentation funeral was recorded in the Canon and lest that should miscarry or not be exposed to common view behold it is written in the Book of Jasher where every one might read it a Letanie to be sung and a Legacie entailed to the use and memory of Jonathan and generations after him that bare the Burden of the Song O Jonathan Hence by the way we learn that Interpreters are not all in one tune and the opinions of men are of like authority unless reason and learning shew the difference Titles of Musick Lessons are not to be tampered with by unskilful hands lest they mistake a figure for a vulgar forme and dance a false measure after their own fancy like him that took Orpheus harpe supposing to himself like our unstinted fumblers that he made good musick how unskilfully soever he handled it being as St. Paul says to Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that love to hear themselves to sing or play Next to this we may consider with Solomon 2. Eccles 9.11 that the Race goes not alwayes with the swift as Asahel Mercer ex Midras Ibid. nor the Battle with the strong as Abner nor Bread to to the wise as Solomon nor Riches to men of understanding as Job nor Favour to men of skill as Moses for the swift sahel was overtaken the valiant Abner was slaine the wise Solomon by report beg'd his bread Job the wealthy was wasted to a potsheard and Moses lives not to enjoy a foot of the promised land And Jonathan how art thou made as heire apparent to the fortunes and successes of the most or all of them Proverbs how art thou cut down with the helve of thine own wood how wounded with the feathers of thine own wing how set in the stocks of thine own making how taken in thine own toyle falne in thine own pit roaring in thine own Bull slain by the bow of the Philistims thine own master-piece and weapon how doth time and chance untimely take thee away O Jonathan how wast thou slaine But now my Errand is to bend this Bow another way to teach the children of this coast and country the use of the Bow An ancient way of Triumphs was to erect great Arches or Bows of marble to the honour of worthy Patriots who had been Vindicators of their country against Enemies Pancirol de â—rcubus triumâ—h part 1. tit 28. and true deservers of renown and fame in these were written and inscrib'd the noble acts and atchievements done in memory of the actors hereof were thirty six at Rome and one thousand in the Eastern parts as in China This might be the mind of David and under favour of more knowing judgements may serve to instruct us that passe by to read and consider the merits and noble vertues of our deceased Friend and countreys Worthy who after many testimonies of grace and vertue exhibited in his life was at the last shot by a deadly Philistines arrow that drank up his Spirits riding a summers progress under the Sun that Apollo that in the camp of mankinde smites with his darts of Epidemical diseases here and there to Death Homer Il. 1. leaving us with David to erect his Arch to write his acts and publish his memorial When also all the hearts of the hearers may be so taken like untoucht instruments to resound and eccho
by a loving sympathy to honour and lament him O Jonathan c. The particle O is as an herald or chiefe chanter to all the parts of this dolefull song and harasange and may serve to be applyed to all As Oh For exclamation at the matter As Oh For affection to the name of the man O Jonathan As Oh For indignation to the place how in the high places As Oh For lamentation for the person wo is me for thee my Brother Jonathan As Oh In consideration of the loss very pleasant hast thou been to me As Oh For admiration of the Love thy love was wonderfull As Oh For the comparison of all passing the love of women Thus the life and death of Jonathan is shortly and sorrowfully descanted on by David Musathen Cap. 17. running as all mortals do upon the 7 notes of Musick with Longs and Shorts Sharps and Flats as Putean makes it out to call mens life here below untill we ascend above the spheres into heaven Revel 14. and there sing our part in the Song of the Lambe Revel 14. So I resort to the first part of my Text the Note of Exclamation at the matter O. The Masters of speech and eloquence observe this particle ô to attend all the passions of the mind Martin Lex in O. and in no less then twelve great affects of the soul expresse a full signification and sense of it self Tesmar de Eloq Pag. 167. as of joy Oh! that thou wert as my Brother that suckt the breasts of my Mother Cant. 8. And of griefe Oh waetched man that I am Rom. 7. Of wishing Oh that I had the wings of a Dove Of Indignation Oh faiihlesse and crooked generation Luk. 24. Of Expostulation Oh Inhabitants of Judah judge I pray you Isa 5. Of Exclamation Oh ye sons of men Psal 4. Of comparison Oh man who art thou that disputest with God Rom. 9. Of all at once as here ô Jonathan and thus it is made the Mistris to teach and the mouth to utter all our affections And serves us not to use it like the braying of an Asse Use as Erasmus forbids but seriously and in earnest when it comes on the hearts errand to witness unfainedly some affection of the mind as in the former places mentioned and then it becomes the speaker as the Bow of Jonathan and makes a faire impression in the heart as if written with a pen of Steel Jerem. 9.1 or the point of a Diamond and thus it is used by David who in the drawing of this Bow now bent for mourning fetcheth deep sighs from the bottome of his bowels and sendeth them forth like arrows singing in the air and are now come to our use and eares and so sink into our minds to cry out and complain to disdain and lament to consider and admire to compare and make a parallel with Davids Jonathan slain and ours deceased and leads me on to the second part of my text The affection to the name O Jonathan Lovers are much affected with the names of their Paramours and friends insomuch that the naming betrayes the guilt and conscience in the pulse and countenance Heu quam difficile est crimen non prodere vultu The Arabians have a proverb he that loves much makes much mention of his love 'T is Davids case he names Saul but three times in this song Jonathan foure Expen in Prob. Arab. and makes his name to carry the burden of the song with teares and kisses as the woman in the Gospel Pouring out her Alablaster box of oyntment on his body in token that she loved much or as Christ on Lazarus Behold how he loved him and Luke 7. John 11. Lord he whom thou lovest is dead Names saith Luther are the boxes that the graces of the Spirit of God are preserved in the Caskets of those Jewels the cups of the heavenly potions the combs of the honey and the baskets that take the fragments of the Divine banquet he that is not acquainted with these handmaids can very hardly come to the speech of that Mistress Agrip. Occult. Philos what influence or intelligence doth passe between stars and names let the curious Arts declare But sure I am that Saul had no ill Spirit to suggest or vexe him or ill presage to possesse him when he gave to his Son this name of Jonathan Lexicon Sanctum by Greg. a name turned into our English as much as Gods gift or the Dove comes Jon-tha as Bercorius alludes an heavenly extraction in the first and a sweet allusion in the last This in a transcendant way is drawn from God and the other in a lovely nature and Spirit comes to man the springs from above and the springs below which was Calebs choice gift Jug 1.11 do both meet in this name The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extremely to love is the name of the Dove that came from heaven sate upon the Son of God loves to dwel with man build in his house eat and drink with him brings him fruit and food and by similitude teacheth as a Domestical Chaplaine the lessons of faith to look up and ask of thanksgiving to God above of innocency having no gall of patience without complaint of charity without revenge of concord and joynt assistance in their building brood and company all which David by sweet experience found in Jonathan as the gift of God to him and a Dove coming still to comfort him thus Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis Names oftentimes agree To tell you what the man will be This experience that David had of his noble vertues and divine indowments had so ravish'd and transported him Use that he is in an holy extasie and a little out of himself making a speech to a dead man wishing that his name pronounced aloud might raise and awake him to life again or calling the world to witnesse that with Jonathan was buried the Mirrour of Love the Miracle of Nature and the Darling of Mankind In this name let us with David open the shels that we may find out the pearls unlock the caskets to come at the Jewels press and examine the combs that we may suck the honey open the baskets to feed on the dainties laid up in pious names for the honour of the owners and the imitation of their manners The practice of the Church of Rome is not so graceless as not to teach her children this lesson and that under Canon of the Councel of Trent and her Sermons seriously exhorting that pious names be imposed as copies and samplers for posterity to behold and imitate Regerlinck in Fest. circumcis Tit. 2. Let not Samaria out-do Jerusalem good names may imprint conformity to good manners and though we have laine with nature and the world like scullions among the pots and coales yet we may be by Gods grace as the wings of a Dove Psal
Jonathan from Jonathan to himself from himself to Jonathan drawing this strong bow of sighs and ejaculations to the head and sending them out like arrows I am undone for thee my Brother whose Sister Michol I have married a faire a wise ingenuous and faithful wife more wives may I live to enjoy but never more must I look to see such another Brother as now is dead Let my loss and lamentation for ever warrant against all gainsayers the ancient custome of Epitaphs and mournings at the departure and loss of friends Use our near and dear Relations Let Adam and Eve forbear their frolicks Fonsâ—â—d ex Heb. Ser. 1. and retire an hundred years in mournings to see the wages of sinne so severely paid in the slaughter of Abel in the death of the bodie and the abandoning of Cain for the soul in this Equipage and traine let Abraham and Jacob Joseph and Jeremy the High Priest and the Old Prophet the people for Moses Aaron and Samuel and me for Saul and Jonathan the Subjects for Josias Christ for Lazarus behold how he lov'd him his Sisters for the same the widow for her Son St. Paul for Epaphroditus and the good women and neighbours for Dorcas Let the Barbarous Laughing and cruel revels the profane fidling and the buriall of an Asse be banisht to the Pagans and as farre off our Christian funerals as the Antipodes to be so Stoical or stockish as to stiflle our good afffections and to strangle our winds in our baggs with Aeolus is unnaturall ungracious unchristian Apathy The will of God is not resisted with tears and weeping he barrs not our affections but bids us let them out be of like affection weepe with them that weep Rom. 12. what though we cannot help it yet le ts weep the more because we cannot t is some ease to let these swelling waters out le ts weep with Xerxes beholding this numerous army of mankind for that within one age not one of them survives into such a ruine hath the sinne of one involv'd us all le ts weep for our selves that have sustained that losse and let the losers have leave to speak that our sinne hath bereav'd us one of a father another of an husband a master a companion a patron a friend if he were good let them deplore the Churches countries houses townships losse if evill as Absalom whose gracelesse crime was as the Mule that carried his hairy scalpe to the tree of execution yet bewaile him the more Manass Ben. Israel de Creat â—robl 19. as David is observed 8 times to have cryed out for him O Absalom my son my son seven times for that sin of rebellion containning the seven degrees of evill that accomplish such a sinner as naught Belial perverse sinful wicked impostor scornful proud high-minded which lead to those seven staires of the infernal dungeon Sheol Abaddon Beor Shacah Bor Tait Haijon Thelamoth Arets Ecclus 22.11 12. Tactith Weepe seven dayes for him that is dead but for a foole all the dayes of his life weep for a noble friend thirty forty dayes an year yet not without hope as if all were cast away blame not nature with Electra nor kill our selves with Jocasta become not a stony fountain with Niobe let heathen rites be out of fashion with men of better hopes baldnesse vociferations hired counterfeits slaying slaves young men sent to death making tombs for horses or keeping solemn funerals with Crassus for a Lamprey with Hadrian for a hen Catullus for a sparrow but weep and overweep again each teare till ten moneths put an end to mournings To conclude rather then want mourners for so noble Jonathans let the widowed Swans in the River and the Turtles in the wood the flowers in the Garden and the fruits of the Trees let the groves and the walkes the chambers and the walls let the bowels of the poor and the backs of his compliants the towns round about and this Church and Pulpit bear a part in this lamentation and say wo is me for thee my brother Jonathan and that for good consideration in the fifth place Magnentha ti meod 5. Very pleasant hast thou been to me pleasant in thy person very beautiful pleasant in thy expression bountiful beautiful the first born son of Saul the properest man in all Israel 1 Sam. 18.4.14.49 50. and bountiful for Jonathan stript himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle His beauty is presumed as begotten in the prime of his fathers abilities of Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz whose name signifies my fair sister Jonathan was then a bird of that Eagle and a whelpe of that Lion both Father and Son so renowned in ver 23. Swifter then Eagles stronger then Lions the Kings of birds and of beasts fortes creantur fortibus grapes grow not out of thorns nor figs of thistles David praiseth in them decorem formae constantiam animi Lyra in loc for outward beauty amiable persons for inward bravery of gallant properties The way to the Temple of Honour was through the Temple of Vertue and a fair step to it is to be the son of Nobles a true born Eaglet looking on the sun of gallantry and a princely Lion scorning the affronts of low-bred-currs and whiplets Pearls are begotten of the Orient dews and the fair bed of Whitspar the Spaniards call el madre del ore the mother of gold Dion Chrysostome tells of a family at Thebes that had hereditarily a lance branded in their flesh as a mark of honour by nature See Causinus Eabl Tiraquel de leg con lib. 9 Arsen de Conjug without which they were reputed illegitimate and Bastards nobleness goes by Blood and the word of God itself thrives not but upon good ground an honest and noble heart Doves delight in white houses and the Dove-like Spirit of God takes up her lodging in the fairest coats A Bishop of Millain retained none into his family but the fairest he could choose his reason was Improbitas in egregio corpore vix comperta foule conditions are scarcely found in faire complexions St. Chrysostom notes it of the beggars of his time that from beauteous persons they would expect a bounteous almes God Man and Nature give the preeminence and principality to the fairest even among Blackmores and who will not choose to eat out of the clean dish to lodge in the fairest linnen and his companion to be as Joseph or Jonathan of a sweet complexion What an increase of grace is it to come from a gracious deportment Causâ—â— Embl. and how grand an imposture to behold a fine Gentleman like the Caspian Bird stalk forth and turn him about stately like a Crane with a scarlet back and a green breast a white neck powdered here and there with spots of yellow and to the disgrace of all to come off with a
weak smal head-piece a black foule Bill and a note as churlish as a Frog in a fen a fair outside sham'd and belyed with a foule degenerous mind and language Happy our Jonathan and he that enjoyed him a sweet and alluring condition Plutarch like the Dove perfumed in his feathers as a harmlesse decoy draws all good natures to follow him and entertains them in his houses very pleasant hast thou been to me and more then so thy love was wonderfull A note of Admiration and my sixth part Niphleatha ahavatheca li 6. Thy love to me was wonderful and what 's that a thing wrought extraordinarie by the rare work of God Aug. ad Honorat cap. 16. above the common order of nature such was the love of Jonathan to David an holy fire that came from heaven and fell upon the altar of Jonathans heart kindling his affection to David an Heroick motion that God put into his minde which like the touch of a loadstone drew the needle of his thoughts to fix upon this pole-starre in a word when that gallant passe was made by little David upon that formidable Goliah the Philistim his head presented to Saul and his account of himself and sonship made unto the King the next word tells us how suddenly Jonathan fell in love with him and the soul of Jonathan was knit unto the soul of David 1 Sam. 18. Nichserah as if the finger of God had woven and knit two souls into one curious piece of work or tyed up two hearts into a ribband or bracelet All that the Moralists can prescribe make not out the perfection of this friendship not begotten with profit which is mercenary nor with pleasure which seeks her own end and interest sordid considerations that are won and lost for a triflle with the turning of an hand this is friendship at bowles with a self-bias But the vertue of Davids acts the grace of his sayings was the allective the own-sake and service to do David good was the end and God was the Author To neglect his own profit and apparant inheritance to a crown and the hope of a kingdome to hazard the evil will and displeasure of a King his father and to cleave so fast to an aspiring Rival and competitor against himself was wonderfull To see a souldier part with his armes 2. a courtier with his complements a Prince with his apparant expectances a politician with his pretences against his honour against his profession against hls fortunes against his family against his father against himselfe to a shepherd to plain country-swain a to divest his whole family and advance David this was divine friendship that had God to the father and Jonathan the performer 't was wonderfull For a man of his quality to covenant three times and keep them 3. of his relation to digest that disparagement to his father Saul his thousands but David his ten thousands to have the opportunity of Michal to make him away and would not be of the councell the command to kill him and to treat for his security and life to acquaint him with the danger and swear to do for him what his soul desired to hazard his mothers reputation and bring himself her within the misprision of high treason 1 Sam. 20.30 to yield to David the first title to the crown and content himself with the only hope of a second to quit himself in the next capacity and to designe it for anothers head this is a work of more then a man and a very wonder wrought in him by Almighty God Come all the paires of friends and twinnes of Amity recorded in divine or humane writings of Moses and Aaron of Joseph and Benjamin of Castor and Pollux c. The mirrors of love and friendship kissing each other in the mount clipping and entertaining in a farre different condition not accepting immortality if left without a second engaging body for body and life for life refusing honours and resigning Empires quitting lives and surrendring dear contracted spouses and put the fairest colours of all into one masterpiece and picture and Jonathan to David shall outshine them all Let the great Moralist limn and all his Commentators lay on colours to the life yet all will come too short of that love whose Original is Loves fountaine God whose subject is a Prince whose object is onely vertue whose effects are sincerity without hypocrisy charity without counterband secresy without impeachment resignation without consideration acquittance without payment continuance without revocation Beloved Use the old Picture of friendship was revived and a â—ed in our new deceased Jonathan A young man as Jonathan taking divine affection to a poor shepherd as was David young as never grown too old faire as alwayes in his flower Pagius Pâ—â— Aboâ—h bare-headed and open-fac'd as not ashamed of his friend in course clothes suited to serve you and yours to povertie it self his side open just against his heart without dawbing or dissembling his finger pointing to his bosome as ready to do from his heart whatsoever lies in his hand to do On his forehead is written summer and winter on the fringe of his garment in Life and Death and besides this posie yours at length and at hand Farre and near So you may learn to act and copy out this Jonathan of Davids and this Lucie of ours to the life So I come to my last part the Comparison Meahavath Nashim passing the love of women Nashim is taken in the best sense 7. of Nasha to forget because the name and house of their fathers is forgotten in exchange for their husbands In the worst of Nasah to deceive as if their loves were of no other use or matter then the Ignis fatuus a fire set forth to infatuate men and mock them from their wits but in the better sense it is as the moon that forgets her own shape to follow her husband the sunne The love here is interpreted passively Lyra. Serrar A Lap. in loâ— for the love men bear to women or actively as of women to men the first not so likely to be intended by David in the praise of a man yet that the man may not lose his commendation or the living their incouragement Gen. 2 let the love of Adam to the woman Eve appear in the first place when he embraced her body as the flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone loving her so farre that he lost the love of God himself and all Eden to pleasure her ne contristaret delicias suas that he might not displease his darling Aug. 2 Sam. 12. What adventures Jacob made for Rachel Shechem for Dinah Uriahs affection to Bathsheba the lamb that lay in his bosome is movingly set forth by the Prophets parable and Ezekiel was put hard to it Ezeâ— 24 15. when the desire of his eyes must be taken away and his eyes must not weep for the losse
Solomon compares her love to the mans cistern as delightful as fresh water to bath in to a loving Hind as a pleasant Roe in his own Park Prov. 5.15 19. to take his delight this love shews it self most of all by the loss and made the very heathen resign their lives as captives to it Gracchus finding two serpents in his chamber See Valer. Max. was told kill the Male and you shall die first the Female and your wife shall die to save the last he killed the first and dyed A mans wife of Naples was taken by the Mores and shipt away French Acad. he swam after her and by the power of such love overcame the taker that sent them both home Pedro Maxio lib. 5.14 to weare out their loves together Three noble Romans for love of their ravisht wives made an end of themselves Orpheus his wife dying on the wedding day he never loved other but left the world to be a companion to his deceased wife A great Don of Spaine having sustained this losse that was his bed his board his pillow slept a years space in his clothes eat not on any Table-cloth nor sate down in a chaire Herod was so enamour'd on Mariamne Josippus that having embalmed her dead body he us'd it as his living bed-fellow Few men of our age out-do these affectionate examples but I have shewn them the most excellent way 1 Cor. 12. Now Michal Sauls daughter and Davids wife is a rare and onely example of lovingnesse to an husband 1 Sam. 20. by an officious feigning and counterfeit image suborned and invented to further his escape Otherwise the Scripture is silent and leaves women to speak for themselves yea Jonathans mother had not his fathers good word and theirs but one single example of love to their husbands among the Jewish wives the more Jews you will say for that But among the Gentiles go we to their reports and their Story produceth numbers of most loving and adventurous wives Some putting on armes and playing the man in wars for their husbands company to hazard life or bring them off some choosing death according to the Oracle See F◠Acad. to save them alive some changing apparel to convey them out of prison and to stay and answer in their place winning the hearts of conquerors by love of the first to become their second husbands killing their living bodies to lye by their corpes drinking their ashes to interre them in their bowels at the sight of their bloody coat swooning travailing lying eating hot coles to consume thē for want of other weapons in banishment becoming slaves and exiles keeping their house and children at home notwithstanding all their abuses and indignities abroad not enduring life if husbands must die opening a veine to bleed and die with them in the bath forsaking rich fortunes to go barefoot for a Scholars fancy embracing both bodies to precipitate themselves in the sea to end an incurable consumption refusing Queenships and preparing poisons for joy-sops rather then marry to their husbands murtherers keeping their chambers for a years space and not so much as looking out at windows striving for precedence to be buried alive with their dead husbands Calvis in Conrad 2. in a siege carrying them on their backs for their best goods ingeniously deluding the intent and winning the consent of conquerors bearing their beloved over the snow lest his footsteps should betray their meeting and avenues bearing each others burden and fulfilling the law of Love Gal 6. Who desires more examples of the love of women may find in every age and climate some to country some to parents some to children and some to husbands I hope good store of company But I will end at home with one an example of Queen Hellen whose pillars and statues deserve to stand as Mary's boxes but unbroken to the end of the world to witnesse her work and preach by the way her memorial who suckt with her lips the poisoned wound received in wars Speed in Ed. 1. to save her husband Edwards life We have lately had one more at home whom t is hard to say who loved most but these are parted and I know not how to apply to them the active or the passive sense implyed in my Text. I have been long on this Bow of love bent on both sides but I trust the women will not think it so as long as t is in commendation of that sex nor the men to gruge them this garland so long as here is but one in their sex to exceed them all whose love surpassed the love of women Use 1. Let this stand as to this use for a monument to the men husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them for Juno's marriage-sacrifice expels the gall and to the women be it as the pillar of salt to season their manners and to keep them sweet and lovely to their husbands to both to set one another interchangeably as seales upon their hearts Cant 8.6 7. and signets on their armes for love is stronger then death and more hardy then the grave her coales are of fire breaking out into a vehement flame much water cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it This is the love that past betwixt Jonathan and David that like Hippoc. twins did impart joys and sorrows one to another and which I have endeavour'd to recommend to you in this masterpiece of love in the old Testament which is the character of a true disciple of the new Saint Pauls most excellent way and Saint Johns all-sufficient exercise who in age not able to ascend the pulpit and carried to Church used to say no more but my little children love one another and being askt by his disciples the reason of so frequent repetition of these words Perald To. 1. cap. 8. answered Quia praeceptum Domini est si solum fiat sufficit T is the Lords command if this be done then all is done Where also I might seasonably shut up my sayings were it not where Jonathans part goes out as acted there onr second Jonathan this much lamented person should come in on whom deaths sable mantle here hath overspread it self and on whom this lesson of the Bow with David-like affection may be playd wept anew I'arallels as being with little variation fit parallels in circumstance of life and some similitude of death names answering in manners and natures all agreeing for which let me bespeak your eares and affections for some spare minutes and so an end For their descent and family Parallel 1. Solomon tells us that the glory of children are their fathers Jonathan was of the tribe of Benjamin unattainted for treason or apostasy Saint Paul could boast of this if that Christ had not been in the ballance and our Jonathan of the ancient family of the Lucies whose loyalty to my report was never yet impeacht but as Jonathan
to Saul Artabanus to Cinnamus Sir Tho. Eâ—iol lib. 3. cap. 6. or Ferdinando the Protector to the Castilian Princes faithfully rendred and performed For religion as Jonathan profest and maintained the faith of Abraham and Israel his fathers so he the Church of England eldest daughter to Rome planted here by the Apostles of Christ confirmed and propagated by King Lucius without a license from the Pope making some suite for his counsel but owing none to his court which religion came along though lesse visible in her professors like those rivers that runne under ground or as the Orinoque thorough the salt sea retaining still her fresher water untill at last it brake forth again and was conspicuous to the world in the confession of Augusta and the protestation at Spiers and the Apologies of the Church of England A religion like Christ it s own Law-giver the first and the last the true and pure Elixar Rev. 1.17 drawn out of the new Testament and into that casting off all scum and froth of corrupt times contraction at last resolving it self for when death calls the adversaries to the bar and gives them the book to attest the whole truth nothing but the truth then Bellarmine untwists with Penelope his laborious webb of workes and makes up the whole piece with the onely Tutissimum of trust in Gods mercy for fear of vain-glory and uncertainty of mans righteousness and in this mind and religion he makes his last wil with Lord have mercy on me not as a rewarder of Merits Geor. D. of Saxonic but as an almoner of Pardons Another great Lord a great Anti-protestant in his life is perswaded at his death by his Chancellor to the truth of his own usual saying he is the best Bow-man that shootes next to the mark and so rejecting all other aimes given by his Priests dies Protestant See â—enrad Dieteric Dom. passâ—p 2. obs 1. fixing the arrow of his faith in the onely and pure white of Christs merits A religion which Father Sherer commends to his penitent at last without mention of his former ambageous trifles the Confessor confessing to the sick Sir we use to deal one way with the sound and well but another with the sick and weak Thus the wounded Fowl betakes her self to firm land and leaving her vagaries in the water as Balaam all his Essayes against the truth of Israel Num. 23.10 cries out Let me die the death of the the protestant righteous and let my last end be like unto his Of this religion was the generation of our worthies fathers to three or foure ascents whose noble examples have watered these parts as the four rivers falling from the mountaines of the Moon watered Paradise In this religion to see and observe his Bow and bent his practise in his timely readiness like a morning starre or Lucifer resorting and calling out his family to the publick service of God how have I been comforted and cheared and for the order and harmony in private and at home Jeromâ— I may say with Jerom Videbar mihi interesse choris Angelorum Methought I was among the Quire of Angels and when the bow of death gave him that lamentable blow of which though he left his life yet he took his religion away with him what time he made his compellation to the witnesses round about him that as in the profession of the Church of England he had lived so he resolved to die and in that mind he departed To adde a testimony of his own not setting aside the brethen of the Allobrogick plat-form good God how didst thou incline his heart with Jonathan to Samuel and the men of God to the Clergy constant to their order and of the Orthodox affection Let the house of Aaron now confesse what signal loves they have received as if his house had been a Naioth or Colledge for the entertainment of scholars and an Academy for their resort his nature being composed as Daniels Ish chemdoth a man of desires or a desirable man as Cymbalum mund Dan. 10 11. Palamed to invite them and his various expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nightingal of the Muses to detaine them received with such lowly greeting entertained with such smiling and lovely embraces Theodaret 5.7 fed with such wholesome dishes lodged in the choicest chambers accompanied with so gratefull a presence dismist with such courteous adieus as if Jonathan had strived to ingratiate David or Samuel Theodosius the B. Ambros in ob Val. Meletius with kissing his eyes or lips or Valentinian Saint Ambrose Quem Salutem sibi quandam venturam arbitrabatur whom when he saw he thought some special healthfulness was coming towards him And when maturity invited him to mariage who was the choicest pearl in his eye but the vertuous Margaret allyed collaterally to that mother of pearle his late deceased parent To which choice he was not invited onely by the eyes for beauty that Moon is soon clouded changed or Eclipsed nor by the fingers which values a woman no higher then her portion nor by the eares which by credulity is often cheated with reports but by Solomons character 〈◊〉 1.10 〈◊〉 Her price is farre above pearls and let her own workes praise her in the gates In this his choice he seems to have had a mindful reflection on that name and merit in his mother who like another Rachel Ruth 4 â—â— did build the house of Israel and did famously in Bethlehem that house of bread Here the armes of Lucie and Spencer were enquartered and enclasped in one coate the Pike-fish taken in a net or knot Here Lucie with his match is met As taken with a Spencers net Eros and Anteros love and relove so lively acting interchangeably their parts that oh the pitty they were so soon parted the fight would have made a wise mans heart rejoyce to see it so little or no gall was there in this Junoes sacrifice but all the water turned into wine John 2. and may she bear also his religion name love and just interest in estate as his coat of armes in honour and memorial of such a Jonathan And could my speech reach to the ears of all his brothers and sisters I would appeal to their report whether the losse of their late loving and provident parents was not much eas'd and lightned by his supporting hand becoming a second father in performance and a second mother in compassion how did this Lucifer send light morning-influence motion to fortifie their matches improve their fortunes in all proceedings so long as he appeared oriental Lord of the house and in a right aspect or conjunction with those of lesser magnitudes exceeding the examples of this age as much as Jonathan did of his or the morning starre the scarce appearing twinklers of the times And you his Tenants and servants whom he might say with Pyrrhus he never sent away to wear black clothes in sorrow