spends himselfe vpon God and man shal at the last haue all the honour that heauen and earth can cast vpon him So Samuel found it so Iacob few men comparable to him in holinesse as few so honourably buried So Asa 2 Chron. 16.14 Hezekiah Iosiah Dauid c but especially for Iosiah and Hezekiah those great reformers those profitable members the text takes speciall notice of their obsequies Iosiah hauing receiued his deaths wound abroad is brought home in his chariot 2. Chron. 35.29 and much honour attends him to his graue he is buried amongst his fathers and friends all Ierusalem nay all Iudah and the neighbouring townes are mourners nay not professors onely but Preachers too as Ieremy is expressed These so mourned as that their lamentation grew into a prouer be Zach. 12. God and man concurred in this that Iosiahs name should neuer die 2. Chron. 32.33 And as for Hezekiah the holy Ghost points vs to his life and death in his life time he was of greatest vse for Church and Common-weale therefore when he died Israel slockes to the buriall and where is he buried in the chiefest Sepulcher of Davids sonnes and how with greatest honour all Israel saith the text and Iudah too met together to doe him honour at his death 2. Chron. 32.33 He studied their good in life they his honour at his death thus a profitable life resignes to an honourable death thus are they honoured of all that minde Gods glory and the common good A matter of lesse marnell if we consider three things First that God hath vndertaken taken it shall be so 1. Sam. 2 30. They that honour me shall be honoured by me saith truth and honour it selfe and in the hands of wisedome is honour as well as wealth Prou. 3. Secondly all matter of disgrace is remoued by death life and sinne in the godly die together when God diuides the soule from the body he separates sinne from both sinne for the punishment he will not smite sinne for the staine that shall not blemish Thirdly he swayes the hearts of men to thoughts of mercy towards his when once departed hauing first couered their sinnes himselfe he wipes the remembrance of them out of the heart of men and presents them with a daily view of grace and vertue Thus Samuel that was so much quarrelled in his life is as much honoured in his death when hee dies mans enâ—…e dies his owne corruption dies God will see none iniquity in Samuel men after God shall doe the like And is this so then here we see what course must bee taken Vse if we will arriue at honour men may dreame to meete with honour in many pathes they may thinke to make their name by other meanes but when they haue tyred themselues in seeking this in by-paths as the young students Elyahs body they must with them seeke in heauen 2. King 2.16 if euer they will finde All honour comes from aboue and there rests where the God of honour places it so that hee must be wonne by a godly life before that honour can bee obtained Beleeue it brethren nothing mends the name but what mendes the soule Nebuchadnezzar may haue wealth Achitophel wit Herod speech Shâ—bna a tombe Ahab all and yet be base and contemptible Doeg may fawne Diotrephes climbe Iezabel paint Absalom plot and yet leaue their name as a curse these these things that grow out of the dunghill or dust will neuer build a name of honour because they will neuer worke any life of grace The onely way to honour is through vertue in the Heathens iudgement a speech as true as truth it selfe if we vnderstand it of the exercise not of morall vertues but of sauing grace A godly fruitfull life hath a fairer prospect towards honour then all the aduantages in the world besides Be one as poore as Onesimus yet if Onesimus that is profitable his name out-liues him be one as great as King Iehoram or Iehoiachim if he idle out his life he dies vndesired he liues vnlamented In the second of Chron. 24 2. Chron. 24. we haue two notable instances in one Chapter to this purpose the men are Ioash and Iehoiadah the difference much betwixt them the one was a king the other a subiect in life this ods the one was truly profitable and godly the other contrary in death therefore thus they are differenced Iehoiadah waxed old the other was rotten before tipe next Ichoiadah died naturally the other by a violent hand Ichoiadah in the loue of all the other in the hatred of his owne men Ichoiadah buried amongst the kings the other denied that honour the reason Ichoiadah saith the text had done good in Israel and towards God and his house Ioash neither what is the inference surely this the memoriall of the righteous is blessed the name of the godly shall remaine for euer God hath allowed both the good and the bad their portion Prou 10. the righteous hath a double blessing the wicked a double curse vpon his name The blessings are these the name of the righteous is blessed his memoriall precious his name a perfume secondly his remembrance is for euer Psalm 112. The curses these the name of the wicked rots it quickly comes to nothing whilest it lasts it stinkes like carrion and at last is left as a curse behind him as Esay saith What we heare spoken we see executed in all ages Consult with your owne experience and tell me whether the names of Idolaters drunkards adulterers swaggerers be not rotten and accursed in despite of all titles offices policies fauours whatsoeuer when in the meane the righteous notwithstanding all slanders clamours imputations and aspersions is of blessed name and memorie and if so feede vpon the wind no longer build Babels no more lay no more foundations in hell whilest you thinke to erect a building by flattery basenesse dependancie lying swaggering c but goe to the Lord of honour for lasting honour pray much reade much heare much honour him in all the passages of his worship and you haue his word for your preferment and as for men bee to them as Iehoiadah was profitable and they shall bee to you as Israel to him mercifull Ah the fruitfull liuer findes mercy in his death his conscience fauours him and hartens him vpon death it selfe the Angels of God those officers of heauen comfort him and fetch him in all state to his crowne the Lord of glory receiues him with all honour and puts vpon him the glory of heauen the Saints departed regard him as a part of themselues of Christ the Saints liuing honour his name and follow him to heauen with their loues and affections the wicked haue a word of commendations for him and the blind Balaam can say O that my end might be like his Numb 23. thus honour and happinesse and nothing else abide vs hereafter if now we can lay forth our selues to God and mans aduantage
SAMVELS FVNERALL OR A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FVNERALL of Sir ANTHONIE COPE Knight and Barronnet BY Mr. ROBERT HARRICE PSALME 37. vers 37. Marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace AT LONDON Printed by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater-noster row 1618. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE LADIE ANNE COPE LATE WIFE to Sir A. C. Knight and Barrennet at Brewdene c. MADAM Your right is greatest to this Sermon as being heire to the man though not to his lands what he was I neede not tell your Ladiship nor will I say of you as once one said of a Romane Ladie I know not Hic haeres vxoris at haereditatis alij possessores Hiero. of Pammach and Paulina Valer. of Cornelia Neseis an faeliciorem dixerim quòd talem virâ—… habuerit an miseriorem quòd amiserit l. 4 Nec doleas quòd talem amiseris sed gaudeas quòd talem habueris Ier. to Heliodor for his nephew whether your vnhappinesse be greater in now loosing him then was your happinesse in once enioying him A Christian may be happy in losses and crosses as well as otherwhere and wee in Christs schoole must learne with Iob to blesse God for friends past as well as present and rather praise him for once lending them then ouer-grieue for his calling for them againe The time will be better spent if leauing these impertinencies I call vpon your Ladiship and my selfe for some improuement of this crosse and first Madame let vs obserue the crookednes of our nature which neither feares crosses till it feeles them nor sees mercies till they are out of sight it being with the soule as with the eye that sees nothing that is not somwhat distant froÌ„ it Next be pleased I pray to consider the vanity of this world what is now lest of your Honourable husband more then his goodnes Where is health where is beauty where is honour now In how short a space were two of the chiefest flowers in the Copes garden withered Ah Madame it is grace it is grace and wisedome that will cause our face to shine and name to liue as for the glory of this world it is like a rotten post that shines indeed but it is onely in the darke neuer build vpon it for all its glistering it is but a rotten post Thirdly remember we I beseech you our owne estate indeed it were much if we should forget death Salus corporis patrimonium pauperis Aug. in Psal 76. who are aboue halfe dead For mine owne part the Lord hath already stript me of the poore mans portion health for your Ladiships a great part of your selfe is now turned into dust seeing pareÌ„ts childreÌ„ husbands are gone before you and death hath come very neare you when thrice it hath cut off your head the time will shortly come when you also must yeeld to the stroke of death In the meane I beseech you remember S. Iohns words in an Epistle to another Ladie Looke to your selfe that wee lose not those things which wee haue wrought but that wee receiue a full reward indeed your losse will bee ours too for wee expect a tithe in heauen of our heauenly encrease as well as heere and therefore good Madame husband your soule well sowe much worke much giue much pray much and you and wee shall speed the better at that haruest Thus praying your fauourable construction and acceptance of these rude lines with humble thanks for all your loue to mee especially to those many poore members of Christ to whom it pleaseth you thorough my hands to conuey yeerely so great reliefe I commend you to the Lords grace who abundantly returne all that comfort vpon you which you haue so frankly yeelded to so many naked backes and hungry bellies in this Church From Hanwell Iuly 11. the same day whereon foure yeeres before your worthy husband was there interred Your Ladiships in all Christian services RODERY HARRICE TO THE GODLY READER THis Sermon at it was neuer meant to the Presse so bath it been kept from it almost foure yeeres Now it is constrained to shew it selfe as sometimes Trinces bee lest some counterfeit steale their name and vsurpe their place Whilest Samuels body slept the a So Austen passim immundus spiritus malignus spiritus diuell would be Samuel deceine with b Image Samuelis sumilitudo Sam imaginaria simulatio Samuel c. so others v. D. Rayn lest shewes I had reason to feare some such like ingling with Samuels funerall being fore-threatned In this extremity if I had rather my owne child beare my name then a bastard blame mee not Now thou seest it take me with thee a little before thou readest it Know that the first point onely was enlarged the rest thus briefly as thou findest them touched by reason of hast being tyed to an houre Secondly know that I neuer wrote forth these notes but once and that is the reason of the most of the marginall quotations and references it being now my ordinary practice to referre my selfe in priuate notes to such Authors as haue written within my memory and reading of the same subiect although in publike I quote sparingly Thirdly vnderstand the true reason of my forbearing personall praises in the close my text gaue me occasion of saying somthing before me thought it handsomer to lay al my stuffe vpon the foundation then to set vp a leane-to Secondly I remembred what a wise man said Sapientia non quaerit vocis testimon um sed operum Hierod in Math. lib. 2. Wisdome grounds vpon mens workes rather then words Thirdly and especially I finde the practice though in it selfe lawful exceedingly abused I haue no leisure now to take vp the complaints of worthy Writers against this abuse onely I could wish that our age would distinguish betwixt funerall Orations and funerall Sermons as former ages haue done and not confound so different things It is fit that grace should be followed euen to heauen with honour but oh that euery of Christs messengers would remember his master and before he speakes aske himselfe the question Would my Lord and master speake this himselfe were he now to preach in person but I must not dwell in the porch One thing more before I leaue thee thou seest the guise of this world Printers get copies for their profit Readers buy and reade for their pleasure and perhaps some print too for their credit but where is the man that proiects his owne spirituall good Verily the number of such is small be thou of that number make some vse of others liues of others deaths trifle not as many doe what is this same R. H. c who was this A. C. a good or a bad man c bee thou godly and I care not what thou esteemest of me as for this worthie Gentleman in speech vnderstand that as I neuer flattered him
liuing so will I not deifie him as the Heathen did their Patrones being dead Herodian He had his wants his faults nor did wee concurre in all opinions but I would that thou and I and especially men of his owne rank would follow him in these particulars first in praying most earnestly and particularly against our special sinnes secondly in louing and reuerencing our own teachers and that so much the more by how much the more frecly and plainly they reprone vs. For these things not to speake of other particulars much commend the truth of that Honourable Knight that in his standing prayers with his family hee would shame himselfe most in his confessions for his owne most speciall sinnes And againe as he much respected and greatly countenanced euery learned and vnscandalous Preacher so most of all those that least fauoured his corruptions often blessing God for such teachers as would not giue him rest in sinne and not seldome prouoking them at least my selfe to speake of my owne knowledge onely with such like words Goe on spare vs not though corruption may busle a while yet God will giue vs hearts to come in at length and to submit to the scepter of his Word howsoeuer it shall bee a Preachers Crowne to be faithfull and to baulke none Thus bee many a time to mee in priuate after that I had been as the world thought sharpe enough with him in publike Oh that we had more such Knights such hearers now But I forget my selfe to remember thee of a dutie Shall I say on thing more in his bonour The Papists neuer loued him and therefore if they in thy hearing now persecute his name say as a Father once said of a cruell persecuter That religion which they so persecute must needs be excellent This I can assure thee his end was most comfortable and his honour no way obscured nor his memorie lost in his owne country by death More then this I haue not now to say to thee onely remember that thou hast gotten one more witnesse against thee in the last day by reading this Sermon vnlesse thou put it to some vse Farewell Thine in the Lord R. H. SAMVELS FVNERALL 1. SAMVEL 25.1 And Samuel dyed and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah And Dauid arose and went downe to the wildernesse of Paran BY this time you see the summe of our now errand and present text the worke in hand is a funerall the partie deceased worthy Samuel the mourners all Israel the place of buriall his owne house at Ramah The whole passage penned either by Gad or Nathan as it should seeme by the Chronicles at Gods appointment whose eye followes euery mourner here and therefore it behoues vs to follow his voyce with our best attentions For my owne part I am very sensible of the difficulties I now sustaine for the subiect of our discourse Samuels funerall is enough to astonish any Israelite for matter it is not easie to say what will be most expediently said and for manner wee haue things almost incompatible to reconcile plainenesse and briefenesse in the same speech the text giues some aduantage by its plainenesse and fulnesse yeelding matter of large vse from three sorts of men of highest qualitie from Samuel dying from Israel mourning from Dauid flying of all whom whilest I speake plainely doe you heare conscionably so God shall haue his end and I my aime And first of Samuel he dies the time is gessed at by men but not expressed by God some knit this story with that next before because of the word And but that particle in the original is sometimes ordinatiue as wel as copulatiue and begins sometimes a new storie a new book sometimes ' Paul is most expresse for the time Exod. 1.1 Ezekâ—… 1. Pâ—… Sam. â—8 Sâ—… Aâ—… Mont. in 〈…〉 V 〈…〉 endaâ—…mp Saâ—… Aâ—… 1â— who gâ—… him a longer time Hâ—…cus yet more 〈…〉 and Iâ—…allus most of all 1. Sam. 3 20.2 Sam 12. Act. 12 where summing vp the reigne of Saul and Samuel he makes the whole 40 yeeres whereof not much aboue two or three if I mistake not falls to Saul the other are Samuels so ancient a Ruler as this worthie yet now he dies what further he was we need not say his name and storie speakes it sufficiently he was begged of God borne of honest parents brought vp in best fashion aduanced to highest emploiments in Church and Common-weale a Prophet approued of God and man a Magistrate to whom heauen and earth in the day of his resignation gaue applause God spake from heauen in his voice of thunder man could not vpon the sharpest challenge charge him with any indirectnesse in gouernment this Samuel so well descended so much regarded so holy in life so high in place a good Christian a good Church-man a good Sates-man now dies and yeelds to nature In his death le ts reade our owne and grow to this conclusion Death is vnauoydable life and death take turnes each of other the man liues not that shall not see death be he a King with Saul a Prophet with Ieremie a wise Salomon a foolish Nabal a holy Isaac a prophane Esau of what sort soeuer hee must be deaths prisoner nay let there bee a concurence of all in one let Samuel be both a good man and a good Minister and a good Magistrate and haue as many priuiledge as are incident to a man yet can he not procure a protection against this officer his mother may beg his life but none can compound for his death Speake we this according to men saith not the Scripture as much Psal 49.10 Wise men die saith Dauid and fooles die rich men die and poore to and therfore he cals both vpon the sonnes of Nobles and of the earth to mind the lesson indeed the Heathens could compare the sonnes of Adam to Counters Chesse Stage-playes in reckoning Counters haue their seuerall place and vse for a time but in the end they are all iumbled on a heape in a game at Chesse so ne are Kings some Bishops c but after a while they go all into the same bagge on the Stage one is in his raggs another in his robes one is the Master another the Man and very busie they bee but in the end the Play ends the brauerie ends and each returnes to his place such and no other is the estate of man euen in their iudgement al are either weeds or flowers both wither all trees good or bad both die as dieth the foole so the wise saith Salomon Eccles 2. In the manner there is some difference for the matter none but why doe I proue what none denies Both liuing and dead giue testimonie to this truth the liuing may take vp Iobs words in another case We are filled with wrinckles which is a witnesse against vs wee weare death in our faces Iob 16.8 and beare it in our bones
we put it vpon our backes and into our mouthes and cannot bee ignorant of it Yea the dead proclaime this lesson and in this respect like Abell are liuing Prophets when dead men Goe to the Word Heb. 11.4 goe to the earth and they that make their beds in darkenesse and sleepe in the dust will tell you that it s neither wisdome nor power nor strength nor friends nor place nor grace nor any thing else that can exempt from this tribute of nature Death as darkenesse could call it our Abel here dead speakes this to all his friends If greatnesse of estate feature of body gifts of mind chastenes of life sobernes in diet diligence in a calling prayers of the Church would haue giuen any aduantage against death darkenesse and blacknesse had not at this time couered vs sith the strong is become weake let vs with Sampson out of the strong gather meate Reason and see first whence this is and next how it may be improued for vse that there is no prescription against death For the first the holy Ghost referres vs to a threefold reason of mans mortalitie each of which hath place in all men as well as any The first of which is taken from the decree of God it s a statute enacted in that highest Court the voyce of heauen that man should once die this statute we reade in Pauls ninth to his Hebrews and in the entrance into Gods booke which as it was laid vpon mankind in Adams so hath it euer hitherto and shall hereafter for euermore lay hold on his posteritie No man as yet hath breathed but he hath had his death or translation no man is yet to come but he must see either death or an alteration so hath heauen concluded it and who can possibly reuerse it The second is taken from the matter whereof all men are made the Scripture compares man to a house whose foundation is laied in the dust whose walles are made of clay the whole is but a tabernacle and that of earth and that of mans building 2 Cor. 5.1 〈◊〉 19. 10 9 13.12 c. as Paul after Iob tels vs this is the estate of man of all men some are more painted then some but all earthen vessels some more cleare then some but all glasses all built of earth all borne of women and therefore all short of continuance Chap. 14. as Iob inferres The third is taken from the proper cause of death Sinne sinne is poyson to the spirits rottennes to the bones where it comes and where doth it not come who can say his heart is cleane 1 Epist chap. 1. ves 8.10 Nay who can wash either heart or hand Iohn answers the question negatiuely no man can acquit himselfe from sinne if growne either actuall or originall and therefore not from death Shall wee then summe vp all and conclude all vnder death with the same breath thus it stands It is impossible for any liuing wight to frustrate the voyce and sentence of God to be a man or earth and not to haue a body of earth to be borne of the vncleane and not to bee vncleane therefore it s impossible for him to auoide death Indeed had Christ vndertaken our freedome from all deaths as well as from some or were there any power counsell c against the Lord or could any place priuiledge any from being borne of women or made of dust or tainted with sinne then such might contest with death and impleade corruption but sith the former is impossible the latter must be deemed vnauoidable And theâ—efore now what 's to be done Surely as men that must trauell Vses stand not to dispute but arme themselues for all weather so must we die wee must that 's alreadie concluded young and old good and bad c. Whatsoeuer wee bee now wee must bee dead anon so saith God let vs say the same and prepare for it nay let 's not say it but think it nay not think it but conclude it with greatest affirmations you will thinke strange perhaps my paines in this kind whilest I perswade a mortalitie but the argument is both needfull and vsefull needfull in regard of our insufficiencie to assume and vnwillingnesse to apprehend death in our selues for howsoeuer wee can all say in the generall we are mortall nothing so suer as death yet when it comes to our owne particular we dreame of an immortalitie in nature we neuer set any bounds to life we do not resolutely conclude I must die shortly I may instantly this day may be the last that I shall see this hower the last that I shal spend this word the last that I shall speake this deed the last that I shall performe this place the last that I shall breathe in and so liue by the day by the hower but wheÌ„ we enter the hower the eldest of vs thinks to end it nay the day nay the week nay the yere Hence the most haue a yeeres work to do when they haue not an howers space to liue needefull then it is to force this meditation of death vpon our harts and as needful so most vseful this will mind vs of the wofulnes of sin which turnes strength into weakenesse beautie into ashes life into death a breathing man into a liuelesse carcasse this will assure vs of the iustice and truth of God who is so pure that he cannot but threaten sinne so true that all the world cannot shift his threats this wil worke humilitie when the goodliest man must be twice a childe and runne in a round beginning with the earth and ending in the earth being at last what he was at first not able to dresse himselfe to feede himselfe to helpe himselfe or speake for helpe this in a word wil work repentance towards God modestie towards man diligence in our callings patience vnder crosses watchfulnesse in all places moderation in all cases and therefore this this must be thought vpon Nor must our thoughts be as most mens be short and sudden fleeting and vncertaine but we must be daily in these contemplations particularly we must consider what it is to die what goes before it what comes with it what followes vpon it for first before we come to the very gate of death we are to passe through a very strait long heauie lane Amariâ—…ita quam moâ—s Amb. de bono mortis cap. 7. sicknesse first tameth vs which many times is worse then death it selfe that renders vs vnfit for all religious seruices prayer repentance c as being a time not of getting but of spending that cleaues the head and paines the heart and wounds the spirits and leaues vs so distressed that meate is no meate the bed no bed light no light to vs that makes vs catch at death for help but alas what help in death if not fore-thought of Oh the miserie of a poore creature that is so pained that he cannot liue so vnprepared that he dares
glorie his peace his ioy his comforts his contentments all his portion is onely in this life Psal 17. saith the Prophet all the sweet he hath foregoeth death after he hath a portion indeed but it is a portion of fier and brimstone Psal 11. of stormes and tempests of anguish and tribulation of shame and confusion of horror and amazement in a firy lake from the presence of God in the middest of cursed spirits Thus death must needs be terrible to him but as comfortable to the godly for it makes his crosses as short as the others comforts the wicked cānot promise to himselfe comforts of an howres length nor may the godly threaten himselfe with crosses of an howres continuance death in an instant turnes the sinners glory into shame Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur Ab. de bono vit e. c. 8. pleasure into paine comfort into confusion death in an instant easeth the godlies body of all paine his soule of all sinne his conscience of al feares and leaues him in an estate of perfect happinesse Let then the godly comfort himselfe in those thoughts which kill the wicked euen in thoughts of death let him for outward troubles resolue that death will be to him as Michal once to Dauid a meane to rid him of the hands of sorrow so that afflictions shall meete with none other then Sauls messengers did a dead trunke in stead of a liuing Dauid let him comfort himselfe in the thoughts of his owne death as once Esau in the thoughts of his fathers The dayes of mourning said he will shortly come then I will slay my brother but the day of refreshing let the Christian say wil shortly come and then I will slay my enemies pride vnbeliefe selfe-loue yea all corruptions all tentations all miseries which stand some aboue vs some about vs as the insulting Philistimes about Samson shall end with the same blow and fall with the same clap with our selues happie they whose miserie is no longer then life but woe be to the wicked whose iolity ends when death enters and whose torments suruiue death it self and so we leaue Samuel to his rest Well Samuel is well himselfe but in what case doth hee leaue his poore neighbours at Ramah that the Text now speakes and it is my trouble yet better one then al troubled that I must speake it so briefly Israel saith the Text Iacobs issue Gods people all Israel distributiuely taken that is of all forts some were gathered in great troopes either by publike command or of their owne voluntarie or both waies first to lament according to the then custome in most solemne manner Samuels end and their owne losse and next to honour him at his buriall in his Ramah Here you see we haue farre to goe and little time to spend the faster I hasten the more you will hearken and then I runne the points which in a passage or two must be touched from this part are two the first is this Samuel a publike and prositable man dieth Israel publikely mourneth you see what followeth Doct. 1 Great and publike losses must bee entertained with great and publike sorrowes sorrow must be suited to the losse as a garment to the bodie a shoe to the foote when the cause of griefe is great the measure of griefe must bee answerable This is one principle when a good man and neighbour dies there is cause of great sorrow this is another the inference will soone follow and result hence and that is our conclusion Good men of publike vse and place Doct. 2 should neuer passe to the graue vnlamented their death should be considered and be wailed Shall we proue this God complaines when it is not so in Isaiah The righteous perish Isaiah 57.1 and no man considereth it Next the Church hath practised euer this when Iacob died hee was lamented so Ioseph so Iosiah so Stephen Thirdly wicked men haue performed this for good men as Ioash for Elisha O my Father my Father 2. Kings 13.14 the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen of the same Fourthly good men haue performed this for wicked men when vsefull Gouernours as Dauid for Saul 2. Sam. 1.19 Lastly 2. Sam. 1 19. Lastly reason calls for it we must mourne in respect of the cause of such mens deaths not priuate but publike sinnes too Reas 1 God neuer beheads a State a Countrie but for some treason If Samuel die it is because God is angrie with the people the sheepe be not thankfull nor fruitfull therefore the shepheard is smitten Secondly in respect of the consequents take away good men and good Magistrates and secret sinners grow open desperate the State lies open as a field vnfenced the godly either mourne with Israel or hide themselues with Dauid The righteous is taken away from the euill to come saith Isaiah Isay 57.1 ther 's a storme comming so soone as he is housed Thirdly in respect of the losse it selfe righteous men in the time of peace are the pillars of a State they vphold the Iland saith Iob In time of warre and peace the horsemen and Chariots of their Israel like Salomons waiters for safety and honour as needeful in a State as the head in the body a stake in a hedge Now should it be thus when vsefull persons die Vse what then shall we say to these times wherein men haue not put off pietie onely but nature also No maruell if the Prophet complaine the righteous perish and no man considereth it in heart The wife perisheth and the husband doth not consider it the parents perish and the children do not consider it the children perish and parents do not consider it few such brethren as Dauid to Ionathan such husbands as Abraham such children as Isaac Blind Polydor could taxe this de iuuen l. 6. c. 9. in vs of England such fathers as Iacob These long and long felt the losse of their dearest friends but now one month is enough to weare out al thoughts of a brother nay of a child nay of a mother nay of a wife nay in the nearest tyes one in that space may bee buried a second woed a third married Now when nature dies shall we looke for any life of grace When these so neere be forgotten can we hope that the righteous shal be remembred The righteous said I nay his death is some mans life they sit like Ahashuerosh and Haman drinking when all Israel is lamenting ◅st 3.15 they shoote with Gath and Askelon as in the day of haruest like impure Philistimes sport themselues with others miseries But stay your selues prophane mockers died Samuel like a foole as Dauid speakes of Abner or is his death any aduantage to you No his death is his owne gaine but your losse his death tels you that you must die those soules of yours must bee torne from your bodies those bodies of yours must be mangled by death after death you must be iudged after
Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes nemo it cusat Senec. no man should shrug at euen in the Poets iudgement who quarrels summer for some heate or winter for some cold a thorn for pricking or a brier for scratching who is angry that he is framed like other men subiect to like hunger like thirst like sleepe and why I pra'y should not our friends resemble others in their death as well as in their birth we would not haue them haue more eyes or hands then others v. Greg. Nyssen synod de dormientibus and why more dayes what doe we make of life what of death surely to the godly life is but a prison death is an aduantage Say our friends were tied in prison would wee begrudge them liberty say tost on the seas would you enuie them the hauen say doubtfull in the skirmish would you bee sorie for their victorie nay say but beaten with a tempest would you not wish them at home Beleeue it Brethren this world is but a sea a prison this life a iourney a warfare if God hath preuented our wishes shall he bee returned frowardnesse shall wee trouble the ayre with needlesse cries my husband my husband my father my father as if wee were the first widowes and Orphans in the world no let them mourne without hope whose life and death is without hope as for Christians who die liuing and liue dying they loose nothing by death but what may well bee spared sinne and sorrow they meet with nothing in heauen worthy teares they goe not from but to their friends not from but to their home not from but to their ioyes a change indeed they haue but to their gaine For first so soone as death arrests them the world is well amended with them especially for the soule howbeit the full accomplishment of their happinesse is reiourned to the last day that day of refreshing that day of reioycing that day of marriage of solemnity then a full a blessed change shall euidence it selfe to the whole world and this change if wee speake in generall is onely in qualities as all alterations be not in substance the mettall is the same onely it is refined the stuffe the same only it is trimmed the body and soule the same onely it is newly clothed If we descend to particulars the change will bee found to bee in these following in body soule estate place company for the body that is stript of all sinfull and naturall defects the abortions of sinne and filled with all heauenly complements of mortall it becomes immortall of corruptible incorruptible of naturall spirituall that is not needing naturall helpes or props there is no vse of meat apparell sleepe beds of dishonourable glorious like in its measure to the body of Christ which is the standard In short whatsoeuer might make to the annoying blemishing dishonouring disquieting of the body is remoued whatsoeuer might make it amiable actiue honourable glorious comfortable is added the glory of the Sunne will be but darknesse to it For the soule that is first eased of all the rags and reliques of sinne deliuered of ignorance pride selfe-loue c Generally all whose obiects are either future or euill deliuered next of all the consequences of sinne griefes guilts feares accusations yea deliuered of all things which may any way import an imperfect state though an vpright heart as faith repentance hungring after righteousnesse c and then in a second place it is filled with the image of Iesus Christ First all the powers and faculties therof are perfected and aduanced aboue the ordinary straine of nature next all those vessels are stuffed with knowledge loue and all things else that are there requisite and not only so but the soule is furnished with all the attendances of Christs image euerlasting ioy perpetuall peace a constant correspondency and communion with God and in briefe whatsoeuer might offend staine blemish the soule is remoued and whatsoeuer may enrich it ennoble it and make it blissefull is according to each mans measure added And thus of the person The rest we dispatch with all speed for the estate thus there shall be nothing that shall be wanting that shall trouble distract or discontent there shall bee nothing that the soule shall then desire but there it is For the place thus there shall bee nothing lesse then what shall bee desired nothing more that can bee desired what it is the Word no where for ought I know tels vs. The Church on earth is more tich theÌ„ gold more precious then pearle more bright then the Suaue more glorious then the Moone Read 21.22 but what is there to be seene Paul could not vtter wee cannot conceiue onely this we know that none shall be euer weary of it or willing to alter it Lastly for the companie there bee of three sorts first Angels who shall not then terrifie but attend the worst and lowest seruant there shall bee as an Angell 2. All the famous and godly men that euer liued Illic Apostularum 〈…〉 Pro â—…tarum c. Cypr. de mort ad fratres there shall we meete with Adam abraham c there shall we be acquainted with Dauid Paul c. 3. The blessed Trinity there shall we see him who hath done and suffered so much for vs him whom the Fathers before and since his incarnation so much longed to see Iesus Christ the blessed all which considered and beleeued what can wee lesse doe then abandon all fruitlesse and fleshly teares for friends departed what way are they gone but the way of all flesh with whom doe they liue but with Samuel with God where are they but in better place and case with better friends then euer before In stead of carking therefore doe two other things first whilest friends bee present Our vulgâ—… seldome 〈◊〉 for friends till gone doe the part of a friend in praying for them in calling vpon them and in fitting of them to death that so thou maiest haue peace in thy selfe and hope of them in their departure Else when thy conscience shall say vnto thee Wretched man thy wife thy child thy charge is now dead and for ought thou knowest in hell if not no thankes to thee for thou wast neuer the man that would call vpon theÌ„ pray with theÌ„ or mind them of their departures when I say thy coÌ„science shall thus greet thee thou shalt not tell how to take it Secondly when they are gone to bed and fast asleepe awake them not with thy cries but make ready to follow after so the time shall be best redeemed the losse and crosse best improued and Satan who loues to fish in such troubled waters most preuented and so farre this vse We will touch vpon a third as we passe and that is this must we all die then here is a cooler for the wicked and comfort for the godly The wicked holds all his comforts onely for tearme of life death ends his wealth his
iudgement plagued a 1000 yeres when that 's done then another then another and another and another so long as God liues so long your plagues shall last His death tels you Exod. 32. that you are left as Israel in Moses absence naked The righteous being remoued you lie open to all sinnes snares tentations sorrowes and haue none to case and helpe you by his prayers Your secret ioy at his death shewes you to be secret hypocrites for what true member can part with a fellow member without some sorrow your reioycing at calamities presages your owne miseries as Salomon tels you and therefore tremble and mocke not mourne and iest not say if not in loue to the righteous yet to your selues My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen of the same But let vs affoard them a little mirth here that haue none else-where and for our selues sith God complaines that the righteous perish and no man considereth his death le ts spend some thoughts vpon that point That the righteous perish who seeth not Nay alas who seeth it The Lord hath been vpon vs these many yeeres and comes not in fauour to weede out the worst but in displeasure to gather the ripest amongst the sonnes of Maieslie hee hath smitten at the chiefest amongst our Nobles he hath taken of the best Come to the gentâ—…e and the best goe Nay what shall we instance any farther Death hath been at the Court in the Citie in the Countrie in the Vniuersitie in places of highest marke of greatest zeale and hath fetcht away the best of Princes the best of Nobles the best of Magistrates the best of Captaines of Scholars of Christians of all sorts all most the best and should not this be considered But there is more then this in the Egipt of this world we haue hitherto found a Goshen hitherto in hardest pressures worst measures Dauid could go to Samuel in Ramah and there meete with good counsell and comfort but now both Samuel himselfe dies and poore Dauid must flie Shall I beloued speake as the thing is In the fall of one Cedar of Ramah wee haue lost much shade and shelter in the splitting of one vessel of price wherein we had all our interesses and aduentures we are all loosers what we haue lost we shall better see seuen yeeres hence then now but loosers we are all loosers Wife Children Neighbours Friends Minister People all loosers so that here that is verified which was anciently vttered of another in one we haue lost many a chaste Husband a tender Father a religious Magistrate a kind Neighbour a good Church-man a good States-man in few a Samuel Speake I this after the flesh to please No I speake it for vse to profit I report my selfe to your hearts You tell me that you haue a publike losse your mouthes haue vttered it your faces speake it my eares and eyes haue receiued it from you and if so then see what followes if we haue Israels losse we must make Israels lamentation if with them we haue lost in one many at once much we must be much and many in bewailing this losse Sâ—…th 1.20 Is our case Naomies say with Naomi call me pleasant no more call me bitter for God hath fed me with bitternesse and witnessed against me by denying mee this comfort he testifies my vnthankfulnesse for it Is our place Dauids let vs take vp Dauids words with Dauids affection I am distressed for thee brother Ionathan 2. Sam. 1.26 very pleasant hast thou been to me thy loue to me was wonderfull passing the loue of women Are we as Dauid to Saul Isaac to Rebekah sonnes Are we as Ieremiah to Iosiah Prophets As Dauid to Abner Kinsmen are we by any name intituled to this losse mourne then mourne not as the infidell desperately nor bitterly as doth the froward but soberly as did Dauid when Abners death put him to a fast As God in life so let vs in death put a difference betwixt Samuel and Iehoiachim Ier. 12.18 let the one be buried in silence without an Ah my brother Ah sister as Ieremiah describes it in his 22. Chapter but for the other all Israel must mourne with an holy mourning Let his dearest yoke-fellow say Ah mine vnthankefulnesse and vnfruitfulnesse let children say Ah our disobedience and stubburnesse and seruants Ah our idlenesse and vntrustines and all Ah our folly and frowardnesse Who could not see vertues through frailties and corne through chasse til we had lost all These sinnes of ours haue stript vs of a Samuel and couered vs with darkenesse He is gone the arme and shoulder is fallen from this our little body the sooner for our sins let vs see it or else what abides vs. In the body what medicines cannot doe cutting must what that cannot burning must or else nothing saith the master of Physick Hippocrat It is so in the soule to Oh that we could see it In our friends sicknesses we haue been medicined in priuate distresses launced but in the losse of publike persons the Lord proceeds to burning If these wounds vpon the very head of vs strike vs not downe What shall next bee smitten but our heart it selfe Well Israel laments and he hath cause what doe they next that next we must heare They burie him and the place and manner bee obserued For the place they bury him at his house in Ramah the ancient and the Manner house his father dwelt there before him 1. Sam. 1 1. Sam. 1.19 where also you may bee informed touching the towne Whereas there were of Ramahs foure or fiue v. Adrichom of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was Ramah Zophim in Mount Ephraim which borrowes his name from the situation of it it stood high and the name importeth no lesse In this Ramah Samuel sometime liued as a Magistrate and here hee is interred For the solemnity of the Funerall it is such as argues Israels loue and Samuels worth they doe him all the honour that is possible First Israel the first borne of men the glory of the world comes to the Funeral all Israel all at once in the same place they come from far they come vpon the wings of the wind they come to lament al mourners they come to burie him to bury him in his owne towne at his owne house what can be done more in Samuels honour To bee buried is an honour buried in ones owne countrey much in his owne place more but to bee so buried as Samuel was in such a place by such a people with so many teares so great a solemnity this is Samuels happinesse and the Saints honour You see then our third doctrine An holy and profitable life ends in an happy and honourable death Doct. 3 life is deaths seeds-time death lifes haruest as here we sowe so there we reape as here we set so there we gather of holinesse happinesse and of a blessed life a death as blis-full He that
But for the wicked who bestow themselues in the world like drones in the hiue who either haue no calling or doe no seruice and towards God so demeane themselues as if they were his betters scorning his children scoffing at his Word trampling vpon his Name his Sabbaths his Worship let them neuer deceiue themselues their names shall rot they shall find no fauour in death their consciences shall brawle them out of all quiet men shall risle into their hues their whoredomes treacheries villanies shall flie through the world euery drunkard shall sit vpon them euery rake-hell iudge them censure them libell them In the meane whilest that the name is thus torne below the soule is brought before the Iudge conuicted committed to hell couered with shame deliuered vp to euerlasting contempt O then be not cursed but blessed be happy be honoured bee well thought of in life well spoken of after death be righteous be humble be seruiceable this is the way as heauen tells vs a Samuels life will draw on a Samuels death nothing else In a second place let this afford a double comfort to fruitfull members and faithfull Christians First for themselues let them know that the world will change ere long the wicked who haue now the applause must downe the godly who as yet are vnder shame shall shine Franzius in his histor Sacra The wicked as one speakes are like hawkes of great esteeme whilest liuing but after nothing worth the godly on the other side are compared to tamer fowle which are husht forth and little heeded whilest liuing but after death are brought into the Parlor Semblably in the dayes of life impietie hath the hand after death the difference is as much betweene Saul and Samuel Ioash and Iehoidah as betwixt the Faulcon and Capon Hauke and Hen. Yeeld then beloued to the worlds sonnes let them haue the place giue them leaue to speake the time will come when honour shall know its home and innocencie haue its crowne all the wiles in the world shall not keepe the wicked from contempt nor all the wits in hell the godly from honour Samuels name may be ouer-cast and clouded for a time but in the end his light will shew it selfe Whilest he is present hee is not valued his sonnes were naught his place meane his gouernment vile but this is Samuels honour when gone he is mist when dead he is lamented all Israel striues to doe him all honour blessed bee that life that ends in so glorious a death thrice happie that man whoÌ„ Angels God and all men do striue to honor Next for the godly friends they haue wherin to comsort themselues for as much a holy life empties if selfe into an honourable death A true Christian may trauell in life vnder troubles and contempts but marke his end and you shall find as peace so honour When he is buried a true and honourable funerall is solemnized euen mourne not in the face but in the heart respect him not in shew but in truth their coÌ„sciences reuerence him their soules find a misse of him the Angels of heauen man him in a goodly traine to heauen the Saints on earth follow him with greatest affections to his graue seuen nay thrice seuen yeeres after the funerall he is not forgotten Thus are the men whom the great King loues honoured if any of ours haue performed such a life that he hath attained to such a death there is no place for repining If God slay Aarons Leuit. 10. he must be silent If he honour ours shall we murmur What shall Bethuel part with a daughter Laban with a fister for an Isacks sake Shall Barzillâ—i in his age part with his staffe 2. Sam. 19. his sonne when he is to liue in Dauids Court Shall men and women beare with patience the absence of dearest friends when it is for their outward preferment and when Christ would marry a child preferre a friend aduance our acquaintance should wee stand off No if this bee the worst that death can doe to the godly to strip him of his raggs and clothe him with robes to free him from all contempts and possesse him of greatest honours to redeeme him from all shame and to crowne him with glorie in the harts mouthes consciences of men in the face of heauen and earth lets neuer frowne vpon friends departure but rather see if possible the messenger of this good ridings and blesse the Lord for our aduaÌ„cemeÌ„tsin theirs Indeed beloued we weep too fast when teares denie fight of mercies in the death of Samuel there is game to him as well as losse to vs both should be remembred I know many present sensible of the one I shall be wrongfull to conceale the other Truth it is there is fallen a great man in Israel But how fallen like Abner vpon a violent hand or died he like a foole Was he vnsensible of his estate Were his hands his mouth his heart tied Was his end without honour No brethren he died in a full and ripe age when the Lord had made the most of his life he died in peace he died with hopes of life in his heart with words of grace in his lipps and his Sunne did set in the highest point Vt esse Phaebi dulcius lumen solet iam tam cadentis in greatest brightnesse time place manner company men Angels God and all conspired together to doe him all honour in his death Blesse the God of all spirits for this all ye that are interessed in the same profession and religion Blesse the Lord for this that hee so died in such a place in such a time in such a sort as the diuell hath receiued a foile and religion grace and honour by it And thus Israel hath done his part in mourning in burying Samuel at his house in Ramah Now where is Dauid soone after Samuels death you find him in the Wildernesse of Paran and this clause is like a corner stone of double vse it closes one course and beginneth another This Paran was a Wildernesse vast and fearefull mountenous and rockie hither Dauid eft soones repaired when by Saul he was persecuted But why at this time truely now hee hath fewer friends then before Samuel hee much vsed before as the storie sheweth vs but now Samuel is gone Now againe hee hath more enemies then before Saul will be more bitter false friends will bee true enemies yea now Ramahs refuge perhaps will yeeld persecutours and Samuels sonnes as like to hurt as harbour him so that it is time for Dauid to flie I should doe you the greatest wrong to pursue my meditations at large giue me leaue to mind you of my thoughts and I will fauour your patience What a shame is it for Israel for Ramah for Samuels house that when the Old man is gone Dauid dare stay no longer amongst them O what a shamefull change is this what a blemish to Samuels successors to all the Countrie you that be
in Israel suruiuing Samuel take vnto you the heart spirit courage of Samuel when persecuted Dauid comes vnto you for succour driue him not into the Wildernesse and let the friends of Samuel continue the life of Samuel in their houses and behauiours Ramah was a Citie of refuge for distressed stressed persons an habitation for the Leuites a Colledge for the Prophets thither Dauid was euer welcome for Dauid to be thrust out by Doeg to be coursed frō Ramah into the wildernesse of Paran is such a blemish to the place as can neuer be washed out But why to goe on feares Dauid more now then before good reason Saul and all like Saul will now shew themselues and turne the inside outward Samuels death is twice mentioned and either time a shrewd pranke of Sauls first hee persecutes Dauid as here secondly hee runnes to Witches 1. Sam. 28.3 7. In Samuels life-time Witches went downe but when Samuel was dead Saul can relish sorcerie well enough Thus the thoughts of many hearts will be discouered vpon a Samuels death let Iehoiadah be buried and Ioash will come to his bent againe Let Salomons head be once laid good men wife men a fathers friends will be neglected greene heads worthlesse persons shall bee entertained Rehoboam would not haue done so in Salomons dayes but he is dead Looke to it looke to it my brethren all yee that haue professed loue zeale religion in Samuels daies that now you shew not Sauls spirit be setled be resolute still for God for the Word for profession sith the precept and the promise and the promiser and heauen promised stands as they did If now any of you shall steale from God and flie to the enemie shal giue ouer his profession and turne persecutor scoffer hee proclaimes his owne hypocrisie God from heauen proclaimes him a traitor and will follow him with a crying conscience and restlesse heart till he hath laid him as low as hell But whither flew Dauid a poore refuge he hath yet some though Samuel be dead yet he hath a shelter such as it is Dauids life hangs not wholly vpon Samuels The sinners of Sion now opened vpon him and followed him with full crie Now his friend is gone now his God is dead now wee will bee vpon him Vpon him foolish men his God dead Dauids God liues though Samuel bee dead His friend he hath lost indeede but not his father hee must no more to Ramah but in Paran there be rockes houses in heauen there is a rocke that will neuer faile blessed be the Lord for this comfort when the diuel rores and the wicked rage his Dauids are carried vpon wings into the wildernesse where they find a place What shall I say more Samuel goeth to heauen Dauid must abroad both must from Ramah see what death can doe it maketh a diuorce betwixt dearest friends What of that Therefore trust not in friends therefore dote not vpon friends therefore call vpon friends whilest present and say this child must cease to be my child this father to be my father we must be to one another as if we had neuer been with one another and therefore thinke of a departure Therefore in the second place make sure Gods loue get him to be thy friend and that friendship is impregnable Children thou maist loose and wife and parents and friends death can sweepe away these but thy God thou canst neuer loose if once at league with him come what will come he will be euer for thee euer with thee if in prison he will be there if in exile there if in the seas there where thou art with prayers he will be with comsorts And therfore if a seruant get this Master if a child this Father if a widow this Husband and then though all friends die yet thou shalt liue so long as the heauens last and Christ Iesus liues and liue in peace and die in hope and rise with ioy and reigne in glorie Thus Israel and we haue brought two Samuels theirs and ours to their lodging both faithfull in their places honourable in their deaths both so neare in agreement that in the storie of the one you may reade the life of the other My Text here ends it selfe and proceedes no lower into a particular commendation of Samuel and therefore if I follow my Text rather then the times it will not be offensiue Indeede Samuel is like to such fruit as is ripe and good when it is gathered yet better if it lie a while let him haue a time of mellowing now hee is gathered and his owne worth and our want will set lum farre beyond all verball praises In the meane le ts turne our selues from praising man to praise that God to whom the praise of all that is praise-worthie is only due c. FINIS Postser I Was requested to enlarge and refine these points but I find so much written of these arguments alreadie that were is not more to satisfie others then my selfe thou shouldest not Reader haue been troubled thus long If thou canst get any thing by these broken notes as they be do if God euer make mee able to doe thee a better turne in any other kind I will In the meane the blessing of God be vpon vs and our Church FINIS