A FUNERAL SERMON Upon the much lamented DEATH OF Col. Edward Cook Who died in LONDON Upon January the 29th and was Buried in the Chapple at HIGHNAM near GLOVCESTER on February the 2d 1683 4. By Edmond Thorne Master of Arts and Fellow of Oriel College in OXFORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.21 LONDON Printed by T.B. for Walter Davies in Amen-Corner 1684. A FUNERAL SERMON Upon the much lamented DEATH of Collonel EDWARD COOK c. Revelations 14.13 I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them THE two several readings of this Text in our English Bibles and in the Common Service of our Church for the burial of the dead though different in words yet are the same in sense for let the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be spoken either in Composition or Disjunction place it either at the beginning or end of the proposition to which it most emphatically belongs nevertheless it will have the same signification or importance in the scope and meaning of the words And as for that other seeming difference one Translation of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being that they may the other for they do rest from their Labours there is in truth no real difference at all but only so far as one and the same thing may be rightly stiled either a good effect or a prosperous event This Categorical Assertion that the dead are blessed proceeding from the command or impulse of the Spirit is the first thing which here offers it self and worthily bespeaks a serious observation which may the rather expect a favourable Audience as well for the great Improbability thereof whilst Men of all sorts have itching Ears after novelties as for the good tidings which it brings of eternal happiness for that is indeed the mark at which all Men level their affections though too too many do foolishly mistake and loose their aim Upon this account St. Paul may 't is like be much encountred as he was of old with some Stoicks and Epicureans of our evil days accused and condemned also for a Babler a Setter forth of strange Doctrine because he Preacheth unto them a state of Bliss and everlasting life in the very gates of Death for at first hearing 't is a Paradox incredible tedious and irksome to flesh and bloud contrary to the natural Sentiments of meer human Reason to the tendency of all Creatures and also to the received principles of true Philosophy for by those principles enforc'd with common experience it is every where observed that self preservation is the continual endeavour and one chief end of all things in the World nay the first principles of Religion it self do seem to countenance and abet the Charge for death was first of all threatned afterwards inflicted upon Adam Ro. 5.12 Gal. 3.13 and all his Off-spring as a punishment for their sin a curse only due because of their Transgression For as by one Man Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin so Death passed upon all Men for that all had sinned and therefore 't is affirmed That Christ hath Redeemed us and all mankind from the curse of the Law being himself made a Curse for us And that was compleatly done when he fulfilled the Law by his hanging on a Tree being obedient unto Death even the shamful death of the Cross wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities In Missali Rom. The Romanists to my best remembrance are ingenious even to that impious contradiction of applauding Adams transgression for its happiness in disserving such a mighty Ransom that no Sacrifice but only the Son of God himself could any way redeem the Criminal and expiate for his gilt O faelix Culpa Quae talem ac tantum habere meruit Redemptorem It would surely better become us all sadly to bewail our selves and imprecate with indignation the malicious nature of the fact which hath deserved so great and severe a Judgment so terrible indeed that without infinite Mercy should have rendred all mankind obnoxious to the dismal Curse both of Temporal and Aeternal Death beyond all hopes of any mitigation and releases and certainly be the Scene laid where it will either in the bottomless pit or no lower then the Grave each part will be very tragical grievous and full of horrour there is no question to be made as Origen did once in favour of the Devils themselves concerning the perpetual and insufferable pains of Hell as comprizing all the torments which an Omnipotent angry God is able to bring about or immortal Souls can possibly sustain for in the Scripture language Jude 6. Mat. 25.41 46. Isaiah 33.14 it is the vengeance of Eternal Fire and Everlasting punishment prepared for the Devil and his Angels In this respect Almighty God is termed a consuming Fire and his Judgment upon all impenitent Sinners are set forth in those lively but fearful Emblems devouring Flames and everlasting Burnings nor yet is even the first kind of death however common both to the righteous and the wicked a thing much to be desired but rather avoided were it not for the blessed hope of a future enduring and more happy state for doubtless 't is a bitter Potion a Cup of Wrath being the wages of Sin sharper than a two edged Sword more piercing and corosive to the vital Spirits then Vinegar and Gall And although some heathens have been highly valued by themselves and others for their brutish and almost senseless contempt of Death running first out of their wits and afterwards of their lives yet Aristotle passed a better judgment on it more like a Philosopher and a sober Man when he termed it the frightfullest of all Evils or the King of Terrours And certainly it is no small trouble and vexation of heart when as Christ himself in the substance of our mortal flesh toucht with feeling of our Infirmities hath left it on Record as one part of those bitter Agonies which preceeded his Crucifixion for notwithstanding his perfect innocency being altogether free from sin yet he prayed earnestly three times in the same words That if it were possible that Cup might pass from him insomuch that nothing else but a filial obedience and submission to the good will of his Heavenly Father could make him drink it without reluctancies and regret from which passage two things are easily Collected 1 the certain truth of our Saviours manhood with the malignity of sin that could make so pure a soul exceeding sorrowful even to death atd 2 the truth and reality likewise of his Godhead for without all peradventures it was that alone which enabled him to resist and withstand all the Powers of darkness even to bloud that was it which baffled all the Temptations of the Devil and the World confuted all the oppositions raised by sense
any more then with his own good will So that he which first gave the Soul by the might and power of his bare word may so take it again whensoever he shall please and we need not fear the good will of our Heavenly Father to give his obedient Children the Kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the World 1 Cor. 6.20 Eph. 1.14 For his infinite Goodness Mercy Love and Justice too stand all of them engaged for instating of holy Souls in their purchased everlasting Habitations For we truly suppose Divine Justice to be fully satisfied by that All-sufficient Sacrifice which our Saviour made upon the Cross for the Redemption of Mankind If it were not so then our Preaching would be vain our Faith were also vain we should be still in our Sins without Hope and without God in the World But if divine Justice were duely satisfied and when Christ made his Innocent soul an Offering for sin by which means he perfected for ever them that are sanctified certainly there now remains no more sacrifice nor any future satisfaction to be made for sin for it is not possible with God or any good and honest Men to demand further satisfaction after all their Debts are paid And St. Paul hath affirmed that God in Christ hath forgiven us all our Trespasses Colos 2.13 14. blotting out the Hand writing that was against us and hath takâ—n it out of the way nailing it unto his Cross Moreover it is not in mans power to satisfie God in any measure for the least offence or violation of his Holiness because the demerit of every sin is infinite being a trespass against Almighty God that is infinite in Goodness and in Truth in Righteousness and Holiness of purer Eyes then to behold Evil or loâ—k upon our iniquities Hab. 1.13 but with Indignation and Wrath. For this cause what man soever goeth hence without Repentance for his part and forgivness upon Gods as he hath liv'd without Fear so shall he dye without Favour and void of remedy for Purgatory flames will never extinguish those of Hell where the Worm dyeth not and the Fire is not quencht The time would fail me to tell at large how strangely the Papists have outstript their forerunners the Scribes and Pharisees nay Pagans themselves in folly 't is clear enough how basely they have adulterated the pure Doctrine and Commandments of God with filthy dross of their own absurd inventions Magisterially imposed on the credulous multitude as Articles of their Creed thus crucifying Christ afresh and putting once more the Lord of Glory to Reproach and Blasphemy Let it suffice in short that all the Doctrines which they have taught and obtruded on the World concerning those imaginary pains of Purgatory do make void in great measure Christs real sufferings upon the Cross their propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass with Prayers and Oblations for Souls aggrieved with Purgatory torments do very much diminish and vilifie the price of our Saviours Blood and lastly pardons and indulgences for all Trespasses and Sins past present and to come granted mercinarily from the Popes Chair do throw down the Mercy-seat and exalt the Man of sin to the Throne of God All this Abomination of Desolation craftily brought into that Holy place the Church or Temple of God rightly weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary will prove lighter than Vanity worse then nothing full fraught with Falshoods Contradictions and Blasphemies against God even to their denying the Lord that bought them and the bringing down upon their own Heads very swift and sure destruction That Vexata Questio or Ball of Contention I mean Christs descent into Hell stifly bandied on all sides without any final determination whether it were only Vertual as some Learned men would have it or also â—ersonal real and local as others may be well spared and let alone for once 'T is enough to my purpose that he which descended was the same that ascended the man Christ Jesus and that he was made perfect through sufferings which in truth were all finisht when he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost For he then led Captivity captive in a pompous Triumph spoyling Principalities and Powers and making a shew of them openly And seeing now that Christians are like faithful Souldiers to follow the Captain of their Salvation by treading in the same steps at least in a spiritual sense if they are made conformable to Christ in his death by mortifying their sins or crucifying their Flesh with its Affections and Lusts and also partake with him in the power of his Resurrection by rising again to newness of Life in a constant course of Grace and Holiness to their end what shall hinder them from Ascending triumphantly to the same Kingdom and seat of Glory For be sure the Almighty God is more just and righteous then to demand any thing more of sincere Converts in requital for their Trespasses and Sins then what Christ once paid when he was delivered for all our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 Eccl. 9.10 5.6 To conclude the point in this difficult case betwixt an offended God and poor guilty Sinners how can they possibly relieve either themselves or others For there is no work nor device nor knowledg nor wisdom in the Grave whether then goest therefore whatsoever thy hand findeth to do be sedulous and careful in doing it with all thy might 2 Cor. 6.2 Jo. 9.4 Ps 115.17 For the dead have no more a Reward nor any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun But now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation before Night cometh when no man can work For the dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence To day then if you will hear the voice of God and live harden not your hearts but repent in time and return unto the Lord with Oyl in your Lamps before the doors are shut Isa 55. Seek the Lord whilst be may be found call upon him whilst he is near Come now to Christ in this time of Visitation labouring and heavy laden Mat. 11.29 with broken contrite Hearts and having on the clean Wedding garment that is the Righteousness of Saints that when the Bridgroom shall appear ye may go into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and there take refreshment or find rest unto your Souls For those men who so live in the true faith and fear of God shall die with comfort and be really blessed in their end Because thâ—y shall rest from all their labours Rom. 8.2 being free both from the law of sin and of death which can have no more dominion over them for the guilt of sin as also the condemning power of the Law will be quite and clean abolisht by the righteousness of Christ Rev. 21.4 which by faith is imputed unto them and abundantly rewarded as if it were their
he seldom or never would eat or drink but when 't was Necessary and an Habitual Abstinence for 24 hours bred in him a nauseous dislike of those Meats which other Men have made almost natural by the contrary Custom From his knowledg of the true God whom he constantly worship'd with a great deal of Reverence and Devotion both in publick and in private He took his measures of this Evil World and then made the best use of it imaginable not like a Proprietor but a Steward that waits patiently for his Lords coming and hopes to give up his Account with joy He may be thought to be of the same Opinion with Plato esteeming his Body no better then a prison to the Soul He therefore used it not for his Mansion but his Inn looking upon himself as a stranger in the Land or like a wafering Man which tarryeth but for a Night Briefly neither his Meat nor Drink no nor Sleep were at all superfluous or exceeding the bounds of that Soberness which becometh Christians For he never so clog'd and stupified the Stomach and the Brain as to become indisposed for Action exemplifying the Truth of our Souls being one continued Act whilst our Bodies are but the dull Engines to those nimble Spirits And he thereby testified also that man is to live here like the Israelites in the Desert having no resting place no continuing City before he comes up to Canaan the good Land of Promise Upon this account he vertuously contemn'd and slighted all the Pomps and Vanities of this fading sinful World and learned with Saint Paul to count their temporary things not better then dung in comparison to that life of Grace which after all our Tribulations will end in Glory Real Godliness like Almighty God the Spring and Fountain of it is exhaustible restless and impatient of constraint before it flows over with all imagninable Freedom to enrich and beautify the Neighbouring Fields and Meadows Thus we see the Clouds do liberally spend themselves in dropping fatness both on the barren Hills and more fertile Vallies the Rain makes no difference and the Sun too sheds Light and Influence both on the Righteous and the Wicked High and Low Rich and Poor one with another And is it any way probable that Man should be wonderfully made for himself alone Can we think that ever infinite Wisdom ever intended that he should live at his own pleasure and so take his pastime and sport himself upon Land as the Leviathan doth at Sea but much more unreasonably to the Reproach of his being in the World and in open defiance both of his own Conscience and his God This Honourable Person here departed was I am sure of another mind more sensible of Gods undeserv'd Munificence and more conscientious in making all possible returns of Gratitude in proportion to those engagements which accomplished his Blessings His Godlike Soul was endued in good measure with all the Virtues that could represent him once more in his Makers Image If you pause a while and impartially reflect on the former passages of his life both in respect of himself his Neigbour and his God I believe you 'l readily acknowledge that God was in him of a Truth for he had learnt of that grand Exemplar his Lord and Master to be meek and lowly of heart full of Contentment in every Condition choosing tranquility of Mind with a good Conscience void of all offence both towards God and Man before abundance of Wealth and Riches Honours and Preferments with trouble and vexation of Spirit He was sober grave and temperate in all things even amidst many powerful Temptations to the contrary Vices He was obliged I suppose more than ordinary To keep his Tongue from evil and his Lipps from uttering any thing of deceit and Guile For you may remember no corrupt Communication proceeded out of his Mouth but only such manner of Discourse as would Minister grace or knowledge for his attentive Hearers His familiar Conversation was affable courteous pleasant facetious both from scurrilous or obscene Language and also from a Stoical morose Taciturnity He could seem angry sometimes but still in imitation of his God rather with the faults then persons of Men with due regard unto the Christian precept of being in Wrath but without Sin For Love and Charity that Bond of perfectness commanded all his Passions possest his whole Soul and crown'd all other Vertues with good success Being once Master of that most excellent spiritual Gift exceeding both our Faith and Hope he was truly Rich and Honourable too these things were indeed his beloved inheritance fairer in his Eyes then stately Buildings and large Mannours dearer unto him then many thousands of Gold and Silver sweeter also then Honey and the Hony Comb He seem'd by the course of his life to have taken Moses or much rather Christ for an example in renouncing the good things in this World and in suffering Evil for he did always highly prize the Christians Ornament of a meek and quiet and inoffensive Spirit above all the glittering Honours and ensnaring Gayeties of an usurping Tyrants Court choosing rather to suffer Afflictions then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season Godliness with Contentment he judged rightly to be the most real Gain having the promise of this life and of that which is to come and it s therefore much greater and more lasting Riches then all the Treasures in Egypt and cannot be purchased with all the Gold of Opher Thus he lived and thus he dyed in the true Faith of Christ and in stedfast Hope of a good Reward in the Resurrection of the Just for he is now made free from Sin Death has no more Dominion over him for that he hath fulfill'd the Royal Law by loving his Neighbour as himself he frankly forgave his Enemies and likewise did the best he could for men of all sorts whether Friends or Foes without any distinction of Sects or Countrys In this charitable course he followed the precept and Example of his Master Jesus Christ forgiving all men their Trespasses either in words or deeds For it was no part of his Religion or his practice to repel injury with wrong to resist and recompence evil for evil he never so learn'd of Christ as to retaliate and revenge himself otherwise then by those harmless defensive weapons a patient silence and magnanimous contempt His great proneness to pity and compassion by forgiving other men their Trespasses produc'd in him remorse of Conscience and hearty sorrow for his own thus Charity began at home demonstrating to the World the soundness and sincerity of his heart by the streight line of his Conversation As the Sun being always one and the same Agent produces very different effects In like manner Charity bestows her Boons with one and the same hand but in very different ways of Dispensation according to the manifold Exigencies it meets with among the wretched Sons of miserable Men It cloaths
which the Primitive Christians endured from Heathenish Bloud-thirsty Persecutors as if the good Spirit of Grace moved with Compassion foretold of those perillous times to come and then pronounced them happiest which endured to the end or otherwise died first But for all that he doth not exclude the future and everlasting State of Bliss or Misery but rather supposeth it as principally there intended and implied for to cite no more Evidence in so plain a Case in his Paraphrase on the 2 Chap. of the Revel 11 vers To hâ—m that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God it is briefly said he shall have deliverance here and eternal Life hereafter And again upon those words in the 10th Vers of the same Chapter Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life he gives you this Note that however some Christians in those dangerous times of Tryals and Temptations were overcome and prevailed upon to renounce their Faith and Professions for the saving of their Lives yet others who continued constant and faithful unto death were plenteously requited with a Crown of Life having received the honour of Martyrdom first and then of never ceasing Bliss Let us once more consider the word as it stands in relation to the Rest and then it cannot be so properly joyned in this manner to the former part of the Text I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write from henceforth As if the Subject whereof the Spirit therein spake were some new piece of Doctrine but just then brought into the World for certainly 't was made known long before even from the beginning Almighty God having annexed Blessing and Cursing Life and Death in Paradise it self to the violation or observance of his Laws which Laws and their Sanctions too were engraved by Gods own Hand upon two Tables of Stone to be duly promulged by Moses and the Prophets And there is no doubt but those holy Men of God under the Law that spent their Lives in being faithful unto death were accordingly blessed in the promise of an eternal inheritance But then are Christians upon harder terms with God then all their predecessors Will the Sunshine of the Gospel prove more troublesome and offensive then all the dark shadows of the Law Is the second Covenant or Ministration of Grace and Truth of less advantage then was the first which could work nothing but wrath and condemnation If the Souls of Christs good and faithful Servants do not reap the blessed fruits of their Labours upon relinquishing their Bodies and have their just Wages according to their Works in a repose and rest with God what could be the meaning of Saint Stephens devout Ejaculation When falling asleep he cryed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And can we think St. Paul was much beside himself when he desired earnestly to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Or when he shewed such servent zeal for his being absent from the body and present with the Lord When he groaned so vehemently to put off his earthly Tabernacle for a building of God an house not made with hands 2 Cor. 5. eternal in the Heavens Or lastly shall we say that Wise and Learned Apostle was very much deceived in promising himself at the time of his departure a Crown of Righteousness for that he had fought a good Fight 2 Tim. 4.7.8 finisht his Course and kept the Faith Nay further yet shall we dare to question Chriâ—s own words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 And if not is there any Cause at all to suspect his woâ—d and promise to the penitent Thief upon the Cross Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise There be no Papists I trow so blasphemous v. 43. and irrational as to deny Christs humane Nature actual possession of bliss in Heaven when he left his abode on Earth having then fully conquer'd all the power and malice of this present evil World and victoriously triumphed over the Prince and the Dominions of Darkness For they dare not presume I think to put our blessed Saviour in a worse Condition then all their canonized Saints which they religiously worship and adore as blessed Martyrs and I am sure his bloud was infinitely more precious and spoke far better things at the Throâ—e of Grace then a Campions or a Garnets a Benedictines or a Jesuites neither again is it probable on the other side that such a Malefactour as our Thief who died not for his Religion or his Faith wrongfully but justly for his evil deeds worthy of death should be reckon'd above the common pitch of all true Christians and yet this very person was to be the same day with Christ in Paradise having literally suffer'd with Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 he was to reign with him too Latro primitiae Derclictoâ—um introducit asseriente Christo in regnum â—â—lorum Ibi Latro locatur ubi Lucifer corruit non ad loca purgatoria flammosque peccatorum Vltrices confitens destinatur c. Arnold Carnotens inter St. Cypr. Opera Oxonii Edit And if all true Members do run the same fortune as the head in being either miserable or happy this Conclusion follows both from a parity of Reason and from example too that whosoever goes forth of this world with repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and by consequence in the true love and favour of God they are no sooner delivered from the burden of their flesh then admitted into the joy of their Lord For we may further add as testimonies to the truth of our position the general consent of the most Orthodox Fathers in the Christian Church by name Justin Martyr St. Cyprian St. Chrysostom St. Ambrose St. Austin St. Jerom and many more such men that were the glory of their times famous in their Generations who being dead yet speak in those admirable works that are now the living Monuments of their worth Vid. Phil. mornaeum de Euchar. Lib. 3. cap. 9. Besides the distance between Earth and Heaven will not stand our Adversaries in any stead or prejudice our selves because Mans rational Soul is an immaterial and spiritual Being all whose natural Motions are not confined like Bodies to the differences of time and place But whether it is in or out of the Body nevertheless it subsisteth and moveth too secundum se totam simul semel all at once and in a moment No question therefore but those who die in the Lord are actually Blessed For as no passible Reason can be given to the contrary from the specifical nature of the Soul it self being yet capable of returning into Gods hand again as quick as ever it came out so there is nothing on Gods part which may be reasonably said against it His Power is no such Argument for that is absolute still and unlimited
own All tears will then be wiped from their eyes there will be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor any more pain for the righteous men are in peace at the last being taken away from all Evil that is to come either of Sin or Judgment Death is then swallowed up in Victory the powers of Hell are all vanquisht and overcome and albeit they cease from all their Labours yet their works do follow them For amongst their Acquaintance of all sorts Enemys or Friends their Memories will survive their persons and preserve the Fruits of their own hands to praise them in the Gates And above all God Almighty will then call to Remembrance all their good works and recompence them for all their pains with full wages and above their deserts in those Heavenly Mansions where they shall for ever celebrate his holy Name with Hallilujahs or Songs of Triumph Honour Praise and Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost one God World without end ALthough I have already wearied your Attention with a tedious very jejune Discourse and may therefore presume on your forgiveness of the Sermon for want of its Application Yet I will rather trespass more upon your patience then expect your pardon For however I am conscious of many Failings in this weak performance yet I don't fear the Censure nor seek the savour of this illnatur'd captious World but am sure of comfort and satisfaction to my self in that I have done it in Obedience to some irresistable Commands with singleness of heart as unto God and out of good will to the vindication of the Truth Everlasting Happiness consisting in a full immediate fruition of Almighty God the Cause and Author of every good and perfect Gift is a subject so very suitable and pleasing to the natural desires and propensities of our immortal Souls that whoever stupidly neglect the Message and like the deaf Adder stop their dull Ears to those ravishing Charms will prove themselves to be men of little understanding nothing better nay worse than the Beasts that perish And because ordinary prudence will engage Men upon the use of those means which appear most likely for obtaining of their ends whilst every one at his departure out of this World earnestly seeks for an Assurance of being ever Blessed in the next I see no cause to fear a kind reception of wholsom Exhortations to the practice of a good life at present so long as it is accounted a reviving Cordial at the hour of Death and the day of Judgment For I suppose there is no man of sufficient sense and reason to believe the Joys of Heaven or the wofull conditions of damned Spirits in Hell and is perswaded also that both sorts are Eternally decreed by the most Righteous Judge of all the Earth to be the certain Wages of all those good or evil Deeds which are transacted in the Flesh but he could wish with all his heart like Balaam to dye the death of the Righteous and that his latter end may be like his But alas what can such faint wishes avail without answerable Endeavours in the progress of our Lives For whoever yet won the prize before he set out upon the Race or else hath tired and sluggishly thrown himself down upon the way What Souldier yet hath gain'd the Victory with honour and good success which hath not held out and maintained the Fight unto the last Now that all Christians might happily finish the Race here set before us and accomplish their designs in that Holy War obtaining a Brabeum or Crown of Righteousness for all their pains and everlasting Rest after all their Travails in the ways of Holiness and Righteousness the Scripture abounds with Precepts and Examples Admonitions Promises and Threats for that purpose And seeing the Precepts of the Gospel seem difficult and grievous to the men of this World that walk by sight more than Faith and are sooner carried away with some Visible Example then with any troublesome Commands I cannot think of a readier way to beget their good liking to the Christian Precepts then by giving them some instance of their practice nor can I possibly remember for several years a better Example that what lies now before us Wherefore that we may take this Worthy persons Upright Life as a pattern for the well-framing of our own I most humbly beseech your leave to present some Lineaments thereof in this rude imperfect draught such as it is for want of a more skilful Hand that would polish and compleat the piece If Hercules could be seen at full stature by the demensions of his Foot and Historians are not thought much the worse for describing vast Empires with all their Periods in a few sheets 'T is hop'd you 'l pardon the Composer of these Lines though very short of that ample subject whereunto they do pretend And also that you will supply those defects you cannot choose but meet with from your own better knowledge or at least with a charitable interpretation of his audacious but well intended enterprize And if you please to cast a favourable Eye 't is believ'd the full measure of a Man will soon appear in the Perspective-glass that is here put into your hands 'T is true the person whose Funeral we are come hither to celebrate was enriched with many rare Accomplishments not easie to be discern'd by vulgar Eyes and hardly to be matched by those of greater advantages and higher stations in the World nor can they be set forth to their highest pitch by those mean parts that have undertook so difficult a task For which cause they must needs appear like the Stars twinkling and obscure by reason of their distance or like to the Sun it self when it strikes the silly Gezar blind with too much Light Nevertheless we may chance make some Discoveries by tracing out the course of his life in a few passages thereof in regard both of Himself his Neighbour and his God As for his own Person his Body was of a temper and constitution most healthy vigorous and active the strength whereof was not so much the good effect of Nature though descended from the Loins of Honourable and Virtuous Ancestours as the product of his better temper'd Mind which govern'd as Queen Regent of that little World and manfully subdu'd all his carnal Affections and Lusts to move in their proper Sphere and serve like Handmaidens unto Reason The sensitive Appetites that Beast with many Heads could never so much prevail as to dismount his Reason from the Saddle or so ride the Man as it often does in some others till they become like Brutes for Intemperance and Lust Now 't is truly said Animus cujusque is est quisque The Mind is indeed and effect the man because it is that alone which makes an essential difference betwixt him and the Beasts of the Field which being void of Reason do live and Act without knowledge or discretion and are uncapable of Commendation or