the Cadmean progeny is revived in our age faecunda vulpa saecula when a cursed Nadab hath dared to throw this strange fire from the Alter Damascenum upon our Alter innatum est omnibus Regibus contrà Christum odium all Kings beare an inbred hate to Christ These are the foxes that spoile our Vine Cant. 2.15 Rev. 9.3 and our tender Grapes these are the Locusts that come saith John out of the bottomlesse pit and have no King Prov. 30.27 saith yet go forth by bands And certainely this self-love coveteousnesse and pride which corrupts the love to the person and countermines to the authority of the King and to do both divides both is a symtome of Gods rejection of a Kingdome and the people Breake an entire looking-grasse that one perfect face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shined in it while it was whole appeares no more but in place of it so many breaches so many puppit phisnomies strive to represent the great face and mock the sight Marcellinus observes that the glory of Rome began to retrograde when the great ones began to seeke every one his owne ends and impropriate to himselfe hinc leges plebiscita coactae Et cum consulibus turbantes jura Tribuni so a private Tricipitina wrought a publique precipitation The Prophet Hosee Hos 10.3.1 when he was to prophesie that now Israell should say I have no King premised this disposition to the Anarchie Israell is an emptying Vine that fructifies onely to it selfe that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luxuriate it selfe but beares no fruit to the dresser a people whose shoulders like the Acephali are aboue the face see what the depravation and deprivation of the love of a King can doe On the contrary the love of men to their King comes from him by whom Kings raigne over men this God imprinted first by nature in that manifest impression which the publique benefit of a King makes in all men quantò discords libertate samentibus utilius sit uâ—um esse an serviant saith Plinie that it is better for men to be subject to one then to be allwaies jangling in untuned liberty who is saith Cyprian pax populi tutamen patriae c. the peace of the people the security of the Countrey the immunity of the Commonalty the joy of men Wherefore before the Emperours gate in Rome was an Oake planted betwixt two Bay-trees signifying that the felicity of the people depends upon the vertue and prosperity of the King The Macedonians were sensible of this who being put to slight by the Illyrians sent the next day for their Infant King into the field in his cradle and then rallying their forces overthrew the Illyrians shewing that the day before they wanted not valour but a King Even a dumbe man had conned this dictate of Nature so perquire that seeing the King assaulted he brake the string of his tongue and cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou beest a man doe not kill a King Againe God confirmed this mandate of love to a King by the Magna Charta of his word God spake once Psal 62.11 twice I heard it once for the matter twice for the manner There went saith the sacred History Sam. 10.26 with the King a band of men whose hearts God had touched but the children of Belial despised him who toucht their hearts â— Sam 9.20 And on whom sayd the Prophet to the King is all the desire of Israel is it not on thee and thy Fathers house 2 Sam. 21 17. The Israelits acknowledged to their King thou art the light of Israel thou art worth ten thousand of us And when the Spirit of God came upon the Generall of the Army of Iudah 2 Sam. 18.3 he said to the King thine are wee David and on thy side thou Sonne of Iesse Peace peace be to thee and peace be to thy helpers for thy God helpeth thee And least yet Lucifers behaviour should incarnate on earth for some turbulent spirits saith Calvine count not Christs Kingdome advanced nor themselves at Christian liberty unlesse they shake off all humane subjection God hath coupled together and fastned to his owne assertion the vindication of Kings and joyned together his owne and their both love and despight The Lord his God is with him Numb 23.21 and the shout of a King clangor victoriae Regis is among them who strove against Moses and Aaron when they strove against the Lord And againe their King shall passe before them and the Lord on the head of them But facing about he cursed God and the King was the high attaindure of any person and the dire curse of a Nation they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God Thus both Nature and Scripture injoyne and knit to the love of the true God the true love of the King even of Iulian the temporall Lord saith Augustine for the eternall Lords sake Nature in Esops last charge to his Sonne Ennus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chvming to the Scripture Peters injunction to all Christians Feare God Honour the King Now if it be impiety not to mourne for their deaths for whose lives it is iniquity not to pray if Samuel mourned for a rejected King and David told the Daughters of Iudah of an evill King that it was he that cloathed them with scarlet and delights and put the Ornaments of gold upon their apparell if the word of God that injoynes love of the living justifie sorrow for dying Kings quod defles illud amasti How could the man whose eies were open which heard the words of God which saw the vision of the Almighty who was not ignorant that a people is in better condition under an evill King then without all government who perceived that in their Kings untimely death the Lord of Hostes called to weeping and mourning who was both Priest and Prophet how could he but lament for Iosiah Yea lament he did yea lament ausus potuit though Pharoah were in the Land yet warme with the Royall blood Yea he durst not but lament greatly and professe sorrow for his Kings death least the peoples slighting or soone forgetting it might be imputed to his example tali dedicatore nostri gemitus gloriamur but that rather they might say with Tertullian in the like case his love rejoyceth in sorrow and triumphs in black as the devotion of those that preferred the pitty in burning Steven before the feare of their owne lives He durst mourne for his King yea mourne he did for Iosiah tanquam pro unigenito saith Zachary as for an onely sonne tanquam pro primogenito as for a first borne Sonne the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo was like the mourning for the great shepheard Christ saith the same Zachary Zach. 12.11 who now in Josiahs death had broken both his staves Beauty and Bandes For Josiah as for Jesus for Josiah dying among them as for Jesus
mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse thus are we taught in the first place by mourning in Jeremiah and dying in Josiah how well mourning becomes an holy soule repente ut emoriantur humani loves how suddenly death unthrones our mortall Gods Mourning and Death were our first lesson and the second is like unto it mourning for the dead Which mourning for the dead in the Text takes hold by this connexture and of burying the dead in the verse before and he was buried among his Fathers Tombes and they mourned for him This testimony of the spirit of God gives sufficient weight and reverence to the Doctrine Howbeit in these miserable times under colour of reforming superstitious abuses decent and allowed expressions of devotion are so endangered to be extirpated that the piety heere enjoyned must so far enjoy the impiety of the age as to have a few words bestowed upon the poynt Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fatall debt which wee owe to nature for living after our Father Adam and mourning a naturall debt which our children owe to us for dying before them deny the living to mourne and deny the dead are dead The rude Laconian more reproved the indolency of the Stoick when he answered him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My sorrow is the flux of Nature For the God of Nature is so carefull not to have this piety in mourning for the dead obliterated that he hath twisted it upon those tender strings of our naturall relations and affections which wee feele to crack within our selves when our friends heart strings breake and then our bowells towle their last knell The first dyer was Abel Abel the just and his Father Adam mourned long for him till by the birth of Seth he was comforted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by a mortall resurrection type of an eternall saith Nissen noting that Abel that is mourning must continue with Adam till Seth Achates must attend upon Æneas till the resurrection when saith Iohn Rev. 21.4 there shall be no more death nor sorrow Those Timons that will neither retaine humanity in themselves nor indure it in others what thinke they of the Sonne of God Whom this slinty wisdome of theirs and abstracted Divinity could not withold from sorrowing for the dead No he was Mediator betwixt the living and the dead and therefore as in his person he assumed our infirmities so by his practice he justified this sympathy of the living with the dead He groaned in the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he troubled himselfe he wept Jo. 11.33 both in complyance with Martha and Mary his mourning and for destitution of Lazarus his dying Friend Job 39.14 This was the spirit of our Dove not like the Ostrich that is hardned against her owne as if they were not hers and leaves them in the dust quia privavit eam Deus sapientiâ saith Iob. because God hath deprived her of wisdome These vaine glorious contemners of sorrow for the dead would they wash their horny eyes with teares might see how death while they deny him one thing sorrow takes from them two both their piety and their Friend Truely these buryers of Nature alive are of the same veines with the Donatisticall Circumcellions though they have not so much of the bloud in them and of the same dye though they be not yet so deepe dipped But they are not farther from humanity that are offended with mourning for the dead then they are from Christianity that quarrel with their burialls and funeralls consult the Scriptures whereas burying is simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rich man dyed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 16.22 Gen. 50.2 was buried the word which both the Septuagint useth of Jacob in the old Testament and Mathew in the new of our Saviour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 26.12 which signifies not onely buriall but decent funeralls and is compleated in that word which Luke useth of those devout men who lamented greatly for Stephen and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.2 tooke care and order for his funerall Paul in joines that all things should be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 14.40 decently Ma. 15.43 and Marke appropriates to Joseph of Arimathea the stile of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honourable Joseph because of the solemne inhumation decoravit honesto funere Mat. 26 10. this care of burialls and charge of funeralls is by our Saviour called a good worke by Iacob a deed of mercy by Luke an Act of devotion Gen. 47 29. Act 8 2. and Paul makes Ioseph's charge concerning his bones an effect of faith then not to be needlesly long in shewing that buriall refers to the hope of the resurection and was ordained from God from the beginning In Act. 8.2 saith Calvin in honour to the body to which the resurrection is promised and which even after seperation is candidatum resurrectionis saith Tertullian our owne Iosiah in his reformation of both Kingdomes was so religiously respective hereof 2. King 23.18 that he lookt among the tombes carefully and would not suffer the bones of the Prophet to be disturbed yea Iesus the blessed yesterday to day and for ever the same justified the costly and therefore envied Mat. 26.12.13 anoynting of his body under the name of Sepulchralis a Funerall charge I am sure for the charge of that Funerall Oyntment her Funerall Sermon shall last till the generall houre glasse of the world be run and shall outlive all the long windy Sarments and Canons are bolted against burials and Funerall Sermons vae tibi miser sayd Augustine of Iudas bonus odor occidit te The odour of a decent funerall is to a Iudas like the smell of the Angels perfume that drove the Divell away from Tobias Tob. 8.3 Doth any startle at this illustration as Apocryphall Let him looke into the Canonicall Scripture he shall finde that at Moses death God himselfe preacht the Funerall Sermon Josh 1.2 Deut. 34.6 Jude v. 9. and he that buryed the body he saith the Text was at least an Angel though the Devill contended against it and disputed about it O miserable abusers of the name of Christians Indeed uncircumcised Iewes whose soules are too narrow to comprehend the relation of their owne bodies which unfortunate vessels as long as they have the salt in them they can put to any lustful or sensuall use still reserving in themselves spirituality forsooth as Irenaeus saith the Valentinians did but as soone as they are parted from their soules they count them no more then dust and corruption and the slight burialls they afford them but an humane formality done in the remembrance of the naturall relation they had to the party alive Thus they proceede from Stoicisme to Epicurisme first Pharisees then Saduces But you beloved conceive rightly of the mystery which is your hope the seperation and dissolution of
departing from them pro Christo Domini ac pro Christo Domino Wherefore the Spirit of God who enrolled in the booke of Jasher and bad teach the children of Judah the staves of Sauls funerall song called the Bow hath also eternized among his owne dictated manuscripts Jeremiahs lamentations for Iosiah In which Lamentations that particular or rather generall verse Lament 4.20 The breath of our nostrills the Anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits may be called the nave of the wheele whose severall beames integrate that whole booke Calvin upon this place taunts the reverend Hierom with grosse errour for saying that this booke of Lamentations was Ieremiahs funerall song for Iosiah and addes that the cited verse is wrested to Iosiah And yet the same Calvin himselfe in another place of his Comments saith in 12 Zach. 11. and justifies it against his owne exposition upon the place from Scripture that Jeremias in hoc lugubri carmine respexit propriè ad Josiam sicuti testatur sacra historia in this mournefull song did ayme properly at Iosiah as the holy History of the Bible testifieth Then coting particularly the foresaid verse he adds after Iosiahs death in cujus animâ vivebat anima populi in whose soule the one soule of the people lived that people was a meere carcase and the taking away of Iosiah was an evident signe of Gods wrath against them and that Gods favour was extinct with that King quia felicitas populi because the happinesse of the people depended upon the King Regia dignitas and the Regall Dignity was a sure pledge of Gods favour to them Thus this word Josiah is dead was to Iudah another Ichabod where is the glory The beauty of Israel is stayned by thy waters O Megiddo with Iosiah vale Lex vale Moses farewell the Arke farewell the milke and honey of the promised Land upon the setting of this Sunne the Manna in the pot melts the blossomes on Aarons red blast and the Almonds become bitter Almonds From Iosiahs death the Prophet dates the fall of Hierusalem By the violation of Iosiahs head Hierusalem her selfe is become sacrum caput and her Epitaphe is prepared in this word Iosiah is dead that is as Chrysostome expoundes that of the Angel to the blessed Virgine Luke 1.31 They shall call his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people and the successe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall finde and verifie that Iosiah is dead O Ieremy would thou hadst been onely a mourner here and not a Prophet but I finde thee no where more a Prophet then in mourning heere The Prophet knew that in Gods purpose Hierusalem was now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devoted to ruine that the Temple was already demolished in her patterne in the Mount that the Angels had deserted the Sanctuary and the people were casheered in the High Counsell in Heaven yet was it enough for deploring HierusaleÌ„ Temple Sanctuary people all to lament one Iosiah even divine providence so disposing that so pretious an head should not be violate till God had rejected the whole body Luke 23.31 si haec in viridi quid fiet in aridâ if this be done in the greene tree what shall become of the dry one Needes must the people be outlawed when their King is thus rapt from them in whom they had truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose arme was a measure and whose religious minde was a Law to them and what but epidemicall death could be expected when the devotion of so zealous an head could kindle no fire in the paraliticall body He that delivered Abrahams Couzen vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 knew how to deliver Davids owne and reserve a rebellious Generation to emminent judgement Wherefore to the soule of Iosiah the Angel called as once to Lot the husband Gen. 19 22. Escape thou and flye away to bright Zoar the mountaine of the vision of God and leave thy unbelieving wife who of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made to all Nations a monument of rejecting the Law and not hearkning to her King and husband what panegiriques would the heathen who knew not God onely had naturall love of loyalty and vertue have made had they had a King that would have suffered losse of power estate glory liberty wife and children yea whatsoever stupified Subjects prefer before a King rather then consent to the prophaning of Gods service and the enslaving the persons and estates of his people nothing could make their misery more miserable nor more convict them of their rebellion then that their best King was made their last Indeed this honour was due to Iosiahs piety and this solace to his Funerals that none should succeed him whom none could second and that by the sequell of Iosiahs death all Kingdomes might learne how much the weale of a State depends upon the life and how close the ruine of it followes upon the want of a religious King All were defective saith the sonne of Syrach but David Hezechiah and Iosiah Our Posterity will reade a Chronicle of England not Apocryphall that will make them as much wonder at us as admire the story till this day all were defective but Elizabeth Iames and Charles when of three vertuous and religious Kings the third is untimely taken away the people that by having the two first would not learne to appretiate a King are by the losse of the third taught what it is to have none Daughters of Hierusalem Ieremy weepes not for Iosiah but weepes for you and your children for sinne the Mother and desolation the broode lest the dayes come lest the lamentable dayes come in which they shall say blessed are the Inhabitants that have no possessions and the parents that are not indebted to children for education The Spirit of God testifieth heere the blood of Iosiah and the teares of Ieremiah to the end that the people should trace the teares of the Prophet through the bloud of the King first to their owne impending punishment and thence to their past sinnes For if you looke O Daughtet of Iudah to the acts of Jeremiah himselfe he had already lived long if to your owne aggravation of wrath too long if to your neede of such a King to stand in the gap he dyed too soone if to the honour of his owne remembrance he shall never dye but all Posterities shall copie out from Josiah Compositum vis fasque animi sanctosque recessus Mentis inâ—octum generoso pectus honesto And the remembrance of Josiah shall be like the composition of the perfume made by the art of the Apothecary sweet as honey in all mouthes as musick at a banquet of wine Eccles 49.1 For that name that entred before his mortall life goes not out with it and that which attended not for his birth will not waite on his death But as it was imposed by