Commands me and Invites you first to the words I have Read which are parcel of a very Remarkable History of one of the most Signal Works of Christ which stand upon Record in the Sacred Registers The raysing of the Widows Son of Naim and worthily are they ushered in with that quickning incitement of our attention Behold For if single wonders command our rediest notice then much more this which is like Ezekiels Vision Ezek. 1.16 a Wheele in a Wheele a Miracle in a Miracle a miracle of Compassion in a Miracle of Power a miracle of Greatnesse in a miracle of Goodnesse Relieving Pitty meeting dispairing Necessity and preventing even requests as much as exceeding hopes of help Omnia adeo minute narrantur ut fidem augerent Historiae Maldon Many Circumstances offer and almost force themselves upon us tending to the Verifying and Magnifying of the work to manifest both how True and how Great it was but I must resist their importunity in my present hast and fixing this fourfold remarke upon the Whole single out the Branch I am ingaged to persue Observe first the kind of Christs Miracles Healing Inlivening the sweetest Emblems of that Grace and Gospel which they were wrought for Confirmation of Moses the Law was a Minister of death the Letter killeth so did his Miracles Blood and Storms Exod. 7 19.9.22.10.21.12.29 Fire Darknesse Desolation Death were those he wrought He made but one Dead thing Alive which was a Rod before but then became a Serpent In cujus morsu mors Exod. 7.9 10. grew from a Smart Instrument of Correction to a more Nocent one of Destruction as Rehoboams Scorpions were more cruel then the Rods of Solomon Exod. 7.9 10. 2 Kings 12.11 2. This Miracle exemplifies the Strength and Greatness of his Grace as well as the Sweetness and Goodness of it A dead man is the lively Picture of a Sinner Sin is the greatest death Amplius est resascitare semper victurum quam suscitare iterum moriturum Aug. Ser. 4. dever Domi. Initio Tom. 10. it kills the Nobler part the Soul and a dead man carried out is the Coppy of a Sinner not newly such but a good while lying in it ready to stink above ground in his noy some Lusts Yet such can Christ raise up as here Yea them who are Entombed in the customes of Sin and rott and stink with Lazarus Augustinus ubi supra Liberat enim de mala Consuetudine Dominus quatriduanos mortuos 3. This Miracle proclaims the superlative preventing Goodness of him who is found of them who seek him not Isa 65.1 Rom. 10.20 and made manifest to them who enquire not after him Non Rogatus adest Mal. 〈◊〉 Those whom Christ help't while he was on Earth are ranck't into this threefold Order 1. Some upon their own importunate and earnest Prayers as blind Bartimeus Crying Mark 10.47 Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me And the Leper Mark 1.40 who beseeching him and kneeling down to him said Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Blind Sinners let the first be your Letany and the last your daily Collect your unclean ones 2. Some upon the Requests and Intercession of others as him sick of the Palsie Mark 2 3. brought by his Friends St. Luke 7.2 8.41 the Centurions Servant for whom his Master and the Jewes interceded and Jarus's Daughter whom he raised at the humble Importunity of her destressed Father Learn hence you that have Servants Friends Children to go to Christ for them with Faith and Prayer for Spiritual Health and Life and engage Good Christians with you as he did the Jewes and be full of good works that they may not want Arguments to plead before the Lord in your behalf as they Lord he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue St. Luke 7.5 3. Some without other motions made to him then the silent Oratory of their own deep Misery which cryed prevailingly in the eares of his Mercy Ipsa pro miseris miseria vociseratur as this Woman whom he saw and Pittied and Comforted and Helpt and all unask't and how much more will he relieve those who Cry unto him Day and Night Luke 18.7 8. And whose Condition is as sad as hers I tell you he will assuredly relieve them Lastly This Miracle declares the exact watchfulnesse of Divine Benignity which comes so pat so seasonable just when the Corps was carrying out This never comes too soon this never stayes too late but is alwayes ready where and when t is necessary stayes till there 's need that help may be the sweeter but never stayes longer then t is fit and safe Therefore you that wait for help give not over looking nor say Complainingly Mine eyes faile while I wait for thy Salvation Psal 69.3 But though it tarry wait for it Habb 2 3. for it will come and will not tarry longer then is meet and it will speak and will not lye and that in so apposite so sweet so fit a manner time and place that it will make thee cry out with wonder Behold what hath the Lord wrought as the Holy Pen-man ushers in this Narrative Behold Que particula Ecce temporis unitatem loci propinquitatem significat He cannot expresse it without holy admiration that Christ should come so seasonably so pat as we use to speak just then in the very Nick and Article of time When the dead man was carried out who was the onely Son of his Mother and she a Widow and much People of the City was with her And when the Lord saw her he had Compassion on her and said unto her Weep not Which words are Chequer-Work of Black and White like Moses Pillar party per pale Darkness and Light as Davids Song of Judgement and Mercy Exod. 14.20 and we may use St. Pauls Language whilst we view them Psal 101.1 behold the Severity and Goodness of God Rom. 11.22 So that my Text is a Tragy-Comedy begins with a mournfull Prologue but ends with a joyfull Epilogue a rayny lowring day breaking up into a bright and pleasant Evening She comes forth weeping and bearing Precious Seed Corpora sanctorum Semen laetae resurrectionis Psal 126.5 6. the seed of the Resurrection and she hath an early sudden unexpected Harvest and carries home a Sheaf in her Bosome which she reapt with ravishments and extasies of joy The whole of the Text may genuinely be reduced to these two heads 1. Mans Misery 2. Christs Mercy Humane Passion Divine Compassion The First in Verse the 12. which presents us with a sad and dolefull Object The Second ver the 13. which gives us an account what impression that object made on Christ who came so seasonably to behold and help Or if you will Observe 1. A Solemn and Mournful Funeral 2. A seasonable and Comfortable Cordiall In the First the
Funerall are presented to us 1. The Herse a dead man carried out 2. The Mourners his Mother the chief and much People with her 3. The process of the whole they carry him forth In the second the Cordiall 1. The Cordiall it self Weep not 2. The Holy Lymbeck from whence t is distilled the tender bowells of Jesus Christ He was moved with Compassion 3. The fire that gives it operation the seeing of this pittifull object a Desolate Disconsolate Mother When he saw her Then he was moved with Compassi n and when he was so moved then he said Weep not I begin with the First the Funeral and in that 1. The Herse 2. Then the Mourners and this order Custome approves Nature Compells Ceremony appoints and Necessity constrains the Herse leads the Mourners follow Our Noble Lord is gone before we must go after 1. The Herse And that as harsh and dark as if the Pall were of the Coursest Hair-Cloath and made more black and Heavy with these six sable Escutcheons which are its load and burden rather then its Ornament 1. A Man dead 2. He a Young Man 3. That young man a Great man 4 That Great man an Only Son 5. That only Son as Childless at his death as his decease did leave his Mother 6. That Mother a Widow like to continue Childless Heirless concluded and shut up under dispaire of having more to comfort and relieve her Solitude Each circumstance calls for an heavy accent and needs a mournful circumflex let 's drop them with our tears in Order that every Escutcheon may be Guttee only suppose those drops of Pearle and Argent to charge the dispairing Sable Field of Death with brighter hopes of an approaching Resurrection 1 Tim. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preco Caduceator predicator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 predicare publice laudare Excuse this phrase a Preacher is properly an Herauld but chiefly so at such a time Each word like a slip of Ciprus sprouts up into a mournful Stem the Blazon of each Escutcheon is a dolefull Sentence in Order thus 1. Man is Mortall 2. Even Young men may dye and often do 3. Great Men must fall as well as others 4. Onely-Children cannot escape 5. Whole Families may fayle in Childless Heirs 6. Former Sorrows do not excuse us from Succeeding Ones She that was made a Widow by her Husbands death may yet be rendred more desolate by the loss of Children One comfort gone secures not the rest By the glimmering light which these six dim and lowring Tapers cast about the Herse you may distinctly read the Impress of each Shield 1. Man's Mortal This truth 's so obvious we cannot suppose the Ecce prefixt to it The wonder is greater that any man out-lives his Mothers travel then that he dyes so soon The many witty Emblems of our frailty devis'd and used by gravest Sages Ethnick and Christian are abundantly excused from all suspicion of Hyperbole's by what the holy spirit speaks so frequently in the same Argument Isa 40.6 7. Psal 103.15 Job 13.25 1 Pet. 1.24 Jam. 4.14 Job 7.7 Psal 144.4 Isa 40.17 comparing man to Grass to Flowers to dryed Leaves and Stubble to Dust to Vapours to Wind to Vanity to less then vanity and nothing And no truth is written in Gods Book with more Indelible and larger Characters then that It is appointed unto all men once to dye A time to be born a time to dye Mark how close they stand together nothing parts them Jos 23.14 1 Kings 2.2 'T is the way of all the Earth an universall Rule that doth admit of no Exception Gen. 5.5 8 11 14 17 20 the constant conclusion of all mens History And he dyed So that the challenge was very safe What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 and shall he deliver himself from the hand of the Grave And the determination as warily made No man can give to God a Ransome for himself or Brother Psal 49.9 that he should still live for ever and not see Corruption 2. And 't is as obvious to common notice we need not Revelation to perswade our Credence they give assent who never saw the Bible and t is become a Proverb nothing so sure as death where seeing is believing there need no other Topicks to make a demonstration 3. And Natural Reason gives its perfect suffrage that must decay whose foundation is i' th dust as ours is who are but the sub-divisions of Adams red Clod crumbled into multiplied Atomes the stream cannot ascend beyond the Altitude of the Fountains Scituation From Corruptible Principles no Product can proceed Incorruptible Man that is born of a Woman is of few dayes it carries its own Evidence because he is so born A Tabernacle patcht together of sappy sticks Job 14.1 and rotten straw and mouldring dirt cannot stand long especially exposed to Storms without and Fire from within and such is mans body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyss Orat. de Mortuis tost and consumed with dayly strife of hot and cold moyst and dry and which soever Conquers leads life it self a Captive to its Victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyss ubi supra And Dust returns to dust 4. And there is a Moral cause i th' Soul as mortall as any Natural one i th' Body Eze. 18.20 Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23.5.12 the Soul that sinneth it shall dye In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye the death death is the wages of sin which shall be surely paid By one man Sin entred into the World 1 Kin. 8.46 and death by sin And in as much as no man liveth and sinneth not you may conclude that no man liveth Mors interficit omnes quos natura presentem perducit ad vitam ducit Reges trahit Populos gentes impellit non divitiis redimi non flecti precibus non lachrimis molliri non viribus potuit illa unquam superari Chrysologus Serm. 118. and dyeth not With what words then shall we bewaile or upbraid rather the Atheistical security and stupid madness of those men who will not be perswaded of this truth or which is ten times worse under convictions and confessions of it live here as if they should live here for ever and tempt us to believe they judge their Souls are Mortal they take so little care to save them and their Bodies Immortal they heap up so long provisions for them 2. Even young men may dye and often do Ours in the Text is expresly called so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the ver next following your common saying is Old men must dye and Young men may Senibus mors in januis Juvenibus in obsidiis sayth St. Bernard T is very remarkable how the Scripture Records the Death of Haran And Haran dyed before his Father Tera Gen. 11.21 in the Land of his Nativity Most Children dye before their Parents not one of an hundred
that are born lives to be old and consequently far the greatest part of men dye young Death passeth upon them who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams Transgression Rom. 5. that is actually and therefore dye whilst young Rachells Children are not while she remains to bewaile them because they are not Death keeps no turns observes no order that they should go first who came so but in this t is often The last shall be first and the first last Not only man but man in his best Estate is altogether vanity T is an Arabian Proverb Psal 39.5 the old Camell often carries the young Camells Skin to Market And the Jewish Scholler told his Master as an Argument to urge him to teach him betimes the Art of dying well that there were little graves in Golgotha When Jonahs gourd was fresh and green Jon. 4. fullest of sap and verdure then the worm smites it and t is gone And no wonder for their less confirmed constitution is sooner discomposed and out of temper Their fresher blood is more susceptive of Infection their warmer and agile spirits more easily blown up into a Feaverish heat and flame and in a word are so much less safe from death by how much they are the fairer marks for him to Levell at Awake then presumptuous Youths Sleep not so soundly in the Lap of Dalilah without the thoughts and care of rest in Abrahams bosome Put not the evil day far from you upon such slight and slender grounds Make no agreements with the Grave nor covenants with death and Hell Isa 28.18 least he forbid the banes and disanull it in whose hands your breath is but Remember your Creatour in the dayes of your youth Eccl. 12.1 and learn to live betimes yea and dye too for you may dye betimes and seek God early while he may be found knowing they are most welcome who come soonest and remembring the young Disciple was the best beloved Disciple Put not off no not a day Nescis quid serus vesper trabat Adag a work of such concernment because thou knowest not what a day may bring forth least thou be put to worse complaints then his who bitterly bewail'd his stay Too late O Lord did I begin to Love thee Nimis sero te amare caepi and least if thou think the Morn and Flower of thy age too good to give God judge the dreggs and twigh-light of it too bad to be accepted and take no pleasure in those dayes Of which thy self shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccl 12.1 O know in this thy day the things that concern thy peace Vide Gr. Nyss Contra Bap. delat Sed dices tu qui es Juvenis nondum consenui Noli ergo decipi non definitur mors certo tempore aetatis neque timet eos qui sunt in ipso flore aetatis in solos autem senes obtinet dominium Hujus enim accipe magistrum quotidianam experientiam Vides enim quo mortui efferuntur feretrum quam in aequaliter ut contingit omnem effertae tatem hodie senem cras florentem elegantem adolescentem paulo post cui caeperat lanugo apparere russus virum robustum valentem viribus russus vetulam simul virginem Si non nunc quando 3. Great Men must fall as well as others this in our Text was such an one his Mother is termed Primaria Civitatis Matrona one of the Chief Ladies in the City where she dwelt We dye as Men as Sinners and what makes them greatest makes them not more then men nor less then sinners Therefore he who calls them Gods yet saith that they must dye like men Psal 82.6 7. The lofty Cedars of Lebanon and goodliest Oakes in Bashan must down as sure as the Sycamors in the Vally or Willowes by the Water-Brookes Job told us long agoe Job 34.19 20 that God accepteth not the Persons of Princes nor regardeth the Rich more then the Poor for they are all the work of his hands In a moment they shall dye and the Mighty shall be taken away without hand Man though in Honour abideth not Psal 49.12 when God takes away the breath of Princes even they returne unto their dust and their thoughts perish Though the Rich Mans Wealth be his Tower Pro. 10.15 and a strong hold in his conceite yet Death can scale his Walls and storm his Fort or pick his Locks and creep in at his Windows or slide in at a Loop-hole and Riches cannot bribe him nor a Golden Shield bear off his darts That Rich Fool in the Gospel who blest himself with Barnes-full as if nothing would destroy but starving was confuted with a vengeance when the summons came Stulte hac nocte Thou Fool Luke 12.21 this night thy Soul shall be required of thee Solomon and Craesus Alexander and Caesar Constantine and Charles and all the Magni Maximi are such loud Instances of this it were superfluous to weary you with more Be wise now therefore O Ye Kings Psal 2.20 be Instructed Ye Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with Fear Kiss the Sun least he be angry and when you dye as dye you must you dye again and perish Everlastingly Know ere it be too late Prov. 11.4 that Riches will not profit in the day of wrath or be accepted as your Ransome and therefore trust not in them Psal 62.10 and when they encrease set not your hearts upon them I shall shutt up this with those Golden Words of St. Augustin which conclude the third Tome of his Works Thou pridest thy self in thy Riches and the Nobility of thy Ancestors thou boastest of thy Country and the Beauty of thy Body and the Honours conferr'd upon thee But consider thy self that thou art Mortal that thou art Dust and must return to dust Look upon them who before thee glistered with like gayeties Where now are those who were incircled with a traine of Citizens Where the Inconquerable Emperours Where those who called and could appoint Publick Assemblies and Solemn Meetings Now all is Dust all 's Ashes Now a few Verses comprehend their story Look now into their Graves and see which was the Servant which the Lord which the Poor Man which the Rich distinguish if thou canst the Captive from the King Divitiis floribus majorum Nobilitate te jactas exultas de Patria pucritudine corporis Honoribus qui tibi ab hominibus deferuntur respice te quia mortalis es Terra es in terram ibis Circumspice eos qui ante te similibus spendoribus fulsere Ubi sunt quos ambiebant Civium Potentatus Ubi in Superabiles Imperatores Ubi qui conventus dishonebant Festa Ubi equorum spendidi invectores Ubi exercicituum duces Ubi Satrapae Tyrannici Nunc omnia pulvis nunc omnia favillae nunc in paucis versibus eorum vitae
memoria Respice Sepulchra vide quis Servus quis Dominus quis Pauper quis Dives Discerne si potes Vinctuma Rege Fortem a Debili Pulchrum a Deformi Memor sis itaque ne extollaris aliquando Memor autem eris si te ipsum respexeris the Strong from the Weak the Comly from the Deformed think of this and it will keep thee humble and thou canst not but remember it unless thou forget thy self 4. Onely Children cannot escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnigenitus Quod plus est quam unicus quem solum genuerat The onely begotten on her that bare him these are our Darlings as we translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnicam meam Psal 22.20 No Argument moves pitty more then when those are taken from us yet Death knows none to spare them to us the Widow of Sarepta's Onely Son dyes 1 King 17.17 and so doth Jarus's Onely Daughter St. Luke 7.42 and Abraham must Offer up his Onely Son Isaack whom he Loved Gen. 22. and Jephtha his Onely Daughter Jud. 11.39 Death aymes so right hee 'l hit a single mark and needs not shoot at Herds and God often guides his Darts this way 1. Because they are Over-loved and stand so full betwixt their Parents heart and Him He cannot be Lov'd Himself till they are Removed out of'th way 2. To Try their Obedience Faith and Patience Gen. 22.1 as He Tempted Abraham 3. To Honour them before the World and make it known how quietly they 'l part with any thing He pleases to call for though never so dear Lastly to fit them by so deep a sorrow for some more Excellent and lasting Good and Joy He hath in readiness to give them in Exchange It being Gods usuall Method as Luther Observes when He hath some Eminent Comforts to bestow or some Signal Service to imploy us in to Vsher them in with some great Tryal and Temptation Oh therefore let not those whose Store is so Compendious too fondly hug those dearest Pledges least God grow jealous and be forc't to deal with them as he is used to do with his Rivalls and those who stand in Competition with Himself 5. Whole Families may fail in Childless Heirs Death takes root and branch and doth not onely deal by Retale Tota cum Regibus regna populique cum gentious tulere satum futum Sen. but slayes by Whole-Sale and with compendious and stupendous stroaks mowes down a Family at one blow and sweeps away the hopes of all Posterity as if he gap't for the Inheritance and all and had resolved with those bloody Rebells St. Mat. 21.38 Come this is the Heir let us slay him that the Inheritance may be ours Thus fayled the two Young Sons of Greatest Alexander Heirs of their Fathers Conquests all the World Thus half the Provinces Escheated into the hands of the People of Rome when they were Lords-Paramount of the Earth Vespasian Antoninus Philosophus Severus Valerian Domitian Commodus Bassianus Gallienus and of Forty Emperours from Julius Caesar to Constantine the Great but four left Heirs of Lineal Descent and all of them the Worst which ever wore the Roman Purple Their Fathers Vomicae Carcinomita Soars and Ulcers as Augustus called his Daughters Faelix Infortunio qui caret liberis Sen. three of whom had been happy unto Envy had they dyed Childless as Augustus wisht he had Lived Oh! therefore let not your Inward thoughts be that your Families shall continue for ever and your Dwelling-Places bear your Names to all Generations Their way is their folly who do so Psal 49.13 But know that Riches are not for ever neither doth the Crown Endure to all Generations Prov. 27.24 And let not such blows too much deject those on whom they Light because nothing is befallen them but what is common to Man 1 Cor. 10.13 6. Former sorrows do not excuse us from succeeding griefs The poor Mother in the Text whom the last Funeral made a Widow is made Childless too by this All thy Waves and Billowes are gone over me Psal 42.7 one in the neck or on the back of another troubles are often born out of the Womb of Providence as Esau and Jacob came from Rebecca linckt together and holding each other by the heel Take we heed then we flatter not our selves nor say with Agag The bitterness is past nor listen to a Desperate and Blasphemous suggestion now let him do his Worst Not wickedly as the Poet wittily Nil quod istic agat tertia tussis habet Mar. Mich. 6.9 I have no more Marks left for his angry Arrows nor other Blots to hit but with Submisse and Humble Reverence le ts hear the Rod at present and fear it for the Future and by the first lash be warned to prepare for or to prevent the second and so to stand in awe that we sin not Psal 4.4 John 5.14 least a worse thing come upon us and what we judge the worst prove but the beginning of our sorrows I might have added and the rather because the case is Paralel 7. That this Great Young Man dyed not i' th Country in some Remote Obscure Ville the Relatives of them who dye so 2 Chron. 16.12 being ready with Asa's Spirit to say to some Great Physitian as Martha did to Christ Sir John 11 21. If thou hadst been here my Brother had not dyed But in the City Inter Turbam Medicorum where probably no Ayd was wanting which Able Skilfull Physitians could afford And 8. In his Mothers House and Bosome who now was his Nurse the second time her self and therefore he wanted not most Carefull looking too t is not for want of Physick or good Nurses that Men are cast away or lost as some too often speak but where ever they be and whatever help they do enjoy whom Death comes for he will not go without them but will force them out of the most Skilfull Faithfull Painfull Carefull Loving and Tender hands and all the Strongest Guards which those can set about them Thus have you seen the Herse passe by and heard its Scutcheons Blazoned wee 'l view the train of mourners with a quicker glance And that deep mourner following next-the Beir is his Distressed Mother close-hooded with a Cloud of thick and blackest sorrow and over that a vayle of Love of Womans Love of Mothers Love of Mothers Love unto an Onely Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyss in func Palch the truest Mourning dress and over all a dark Vmbrella made of the Shaddow of Death supported by the fatal Sisters She 's the Chief Mourner not in Pomp and Cerimony but in deep Anguish and bitterness of Soul She brings him forth And this is the second time she Travells of him and no Travells so difficult as of dead Children he came from her Womb before but now and never untill now he comes from her Inmost Bowells St Luke 2.35 A Sword
shall pierce through thy own Soul her former Pangs might rend her Flesh these smarter throws do Rack and Tear her very Heart and Soul and as before he was born for her Ease though with her Paine so now doth she bring him forth for her Safty though with great Danger she is in danger to weep to death at parting yet must they part If she 'l not send out him he 'l sent out her one House cannot hold them now such is our sad necessity Gen. 2.34 We must bury our dead out of our sight and smelling but she 's resolved to see him Hous'd and Lodg'd in his Long home and while he passes thither the Mourners go about the Streets Much People of the City was with her T is a Custome without date and might have urged prescription many Ages since Antiquorum pâ—…storum 〈◊〉 curati sunt exequiae celebratae sepultura provisa Aug. de cura pro murt for Friends to give attendance at the Obseques of their disceased Worthies this we read practised and approved both in Sacred and Common Story thus at the death of Abraham his Sons are said to bury him so Isaac so Jacob of whom it is Recorded Gen. 25.9.25.29 50 7 8. that Joseph went up to bury his Father and with him went up all the Servants of Pharaoh and the Elders of his House and all the Elders of the Land of Aegypt And all the House of Joseph and his Brethren and his Fathers House and they went up with Chariots and with Horse-men and it was a very great Company and they Mourned with a very great and sore Lamentation 2 Sam. 25.1 1 Kings 14.13 2 Chron. 24 15 16. Acts 8.2 So all Israel Lamented Samuel and buried him so David and Jeroboams Young Son and Jehojada and Josiah 2 Chron. 35.25 So St. Stephen in the New Testament Whom devout men buried and made great Lamentation for him Not that this avails them any thing as to their state in the other World For Corpori humano quicquid impenditur non est presidium salutis sed humanitatis officium But 1. Is for their Honour here being a decent Respect we pay to their Name and Memory it being a favour to live Desired and dye Lamented and a Curse and Reproach to be buried Jer. 22.19 with the burial of an Ass as was threatned against Jehojakim and others They shall not be lamented nor buried Jer. 6.4 but be as dung upon the face of the Earth which is an Earnest that their Names shall Rot. 2. Charitatis ergò In Charity to the Living for their Comfort and alleviating of their sorrow while their burden is made lighter by many helping them to bear it as the Jewes came lovingly to Comfort Martha and Mary because of their Brother Lazarus Curatio funeris John 11.31 conditio Sepulturae pompa exequiarum magis vivorum solatia sunt quam subsidia mortuorum August Ubi Supâ—ra 3. Pietatis ergò For their own advantage and increase of piety T is good to go to the House of Mourning Eccl. 7.3 for by the sadness of the Countenance the heart is made better while the living lay it to their heart The House of Mourning is the School of Wisdome the Grave hath a Teaching as well as a Devouring mouth and the Coffin is a Pulpit from whence the Dead yet speak and warn us to behold our mortality in their frailty and to prepare to follow them to dye to this uncertain World to mortifie our sins that they may dye before us and to make sure of the first Resurrection that as we must dye once we may dye but once 4. Fidei testisicandae ergò Propter fidem resurrectionis Astruendam to testifie our Faith in that great Article of the Resurrection of the dead which is the Basis of a Christians Comforts Tota spes Christianorum Resurrectio mortuorum For 1 Cor. 1â— if in this life onely we have hope we are of all men most Miserable Now in this Solemn Equipage these Mournfull Friends bring forth this Corps Hinc collâ—ge â—…deos Sepulchâ—… sua habuisse non in Urbe sed extra Urbem idque tum obnitorem tum obâ—…nâ— cadaâ—era sâ—…o foetore puâ—…dine aâ—…â—…cerent 〈◊〉 Lap. are carrying him out of the City both as the Jewes and Romans used to bury Ob nitorem sanitatem legalem munditiem 1. For Decency and Splendour that the Graves and Sepulchers might not deface the comliness and beauty of their Cities 2. For Safety and Health that the fetent exhalations and noysome and noxious vapours of the Graves might not infect the ayre and hazzard the health of the Living 3. For legal purity and cleaness that neither themselves nor habitations might be defiled by the dead and our present custome of burying in or about our Churches and places of our Solemne Assemblies for Gods Worship was brought in upon Opinion that it would advantage the dead to be buried near some holy Martyr over whose Graves usually those Basilicae Stately Edifices were Erected and the answering of that case propounded to him by Paulinus Bishop of Nola Vtrum prosit alicui pest mortem quod corpus ejus apud sancti alicujus memoriam sepelitur gave occasion to St. Augustin to Write that Book De Cura pro Mortuis gerenda in the 4th Tome of his Works where he resolves it in the Negative Thus have you past the cloudy side of the Text which hath besprinkled you with showers of sorrow whilst you were viewing of the Herse the Mourners and their Solemn March while they attend deaths Chariot that 's carrying home his prisoner to the house of darkness And now we have compast it so long untill the brighter side begins to glimmer and appear for Behold yea behold and wonder at the seasonable mercy the Lord of Life and Death most unexpectedly appears Jansenius in Loc. Christ Cujus occursus obtutus semper faelix est faustus Comes and meets them at the very Gate and brings relief and rescue and gives a cordial to the fainting Mother Weep not The Order is thus 1. He meets the Object seasonably both the Course and Mourners He saw her 2. That moves his heart effectually He was moved with compassion 3. That commands his tongue to speak good words and Comfortable Weep not Observe Affectum cordis affatem oris effectum operis commitatur Bonivent 1. The Lord is near and ready in our greatest streights 2. Christ was exceeding full of tenderest humanty and Bowells 3. Christs compassions are active and relieving full of help He pitties then He speaks 1. The Lord is near not in his essence only in which respect he 's never far from any Acts 17. For in him we live and move and have our being but in his gracious compassions willing to meet us in our moans and plaints Yea ready to prevent us and before we call to answer Our
's lay'd to rest with Honour and his Vnstain'd Ashes are shrined in immortall Vrns whose Gold no rust can cancker and which will Try and Vex the teeth of Time it self to injure and the most spitefull Malice dares nor attempt once to besmear his Marble Weep not He 's taken from an Evil World which is very full of sin and therefore cannot be void of sorrow Evasit omnia vitae incommoda Though he hath left some good Quis divinat an mors inviderit an consulucrit he hath escap't more evills and Death did consult his Ease and Safety more then Envy his Felicity With the wings of a Dove he is flown away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyff. and is out of the reach both of Temptation and Trouble and shall no more offend a Good God nor be offended by bad men He is taken from the Evil to come and shall not hear or see what may make our hearts to ake and our Eares to Tingle to hear the Relation of Si bene computes plus illi remissum quam ereptum Non miser quod amisit sed Beatus quod non desiderat If you reckon right you 'l find him gainer by his loss 'T is better not to need then to injoy whatever he hath left to be above them then to have them Weep not for he is not Extinguisht but Removed Non amissus sed praemissus He ceaseth not to be Ciprian but to be here The House indeed 's pull'd down in order to repairing and raysing up more glorious and splendid But the Inhabitant was neither crushed with its Ruines nor soyled with its dust The Bird the Angell flew away at the disturbance of the Nest And the Immortall Man made his escape when Death unlock't the Prison Doors The Spirit is return'd to God 'T is a good Observation one of the Ancients makes upon that passage of God's rewarding Job Chap. 42.10 The Lord gave Job twice as mâ—ch as he had before or as 't is in the Hebrew Adâ—ed all that had been unto Job unto the double for hâ— had Fourteen Thousand Sheep for his Seven Thousand and Six Thousand Camells for his Three Thousand Job 1.3 with 42.12 and a Thousand Yoake of Oxen and a Thousand Shee-Asses for Five Hundred of Each But He gave him but Seven Sons and Three Daughters the even Number which he had before Greg. Nyss Oratione fuâ—eb pro pulcheria in fine Compare Chap. 1 2. with Chap. 42.13 And he gives the reason of it because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave him twice as many Cattle as he had before but only the Even Number of his Children because they perish't not as did the Cattle though they dyed and so the Equal Number prov'd Double in Effect and Job had twice Ten Children half in another World and half in this at the same time though in so distant place I need not heap Arguments to prove the Souls Existence after Death St. Luke 12.4 St. Mat. 10.28.22.32 when Christ hath so plainly told you It cannot be killed And that He who is the God of the Living not of the Dead is still the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob who therefore do still live 1 King 17.21 The Prophet pray'd that the Childs Soul might return again into him not a new one be made for him And St. Paul speaks most expresly that when we are absent from the body we shall be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 and therefore desires to be dissolved that he may be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Which were a most absur'd Argument if the Soul should bear the Body company in dying And the Souls under the Altar call for vengeance against them who shed their blood De consolatione ad Marti Cap. 24. Seneca could tell disconsolate Mercia Imago duntaxat Filii tui periit Effigies non similima ipse quidem aeternus meliorisque nunc Status est despoliatus oneribus alienis sibi relictus The Image only of thy Son is perished and the Picture which was not very like him neither is defac'd But he himself is Eternall in a better state eas'd of his uneasie burden and now at freedom to injoy himself Arguments for the Souls imortality and Existence after death And if I may suggest an Argument or Two It would be a Chasma and Hiatus in Nature if some Creatures being wholly Immortall others wholly mortall there were not one made up of both Fibula utriusque mundi the Button and the Buckle of both Worlds which knits and clasps them into one Connubium visibilis invisibilis The Beast and Angell mixt into one which makes a medium betwixt both and containeth both Doth the Image of the King Perpetuate his Coyne and render it Treasonable to Melt it down And shall not Gods Image much more preserve what that is stamp't upon from perishing It acts without the body and above it here that is an Earnest it can be without it afterwards It is a Spirit consists not of Contrarie's of Corruptible of Self-destoying Principles therefore abides for Ever Hath Vast and Everlasting Expectations which Nature would never have imprest if they had been in vaine Lastly consent of Nations Seals to this Truth These if neither most nor best are such as lay uppermost amongst my sudden thoughts and may suffice Weep not for He shall Rise again Non solum representata sed expectata resurrectio luctum nobis minuere debet ob mortuos Grotius He shall not continue Death's Everlasting Captive or the Graves Eternall Prisoner Thy Husband Son and Friend is but asleep he shall do well and wake The Grave hath been forc't and broken up and our True Sampson hath carried away the Gates the Bars and Posts of this Philistian Gaza O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory And when that glorious Morn draws back the Curtains and dispells the Night then shall he wake Refresh't and Rise and Dress himself and be re-married to his Flesh Each Mornings Sun each Summers Verdure is a loud instance and presage of this both Testaments the Old and New confirm it as well in Examples as Predictions Christ is risen as a Man to shew 't is possible as an head to assure 't is certain And God is Just therefore the dead must Rise that what hath been so much a amiss in this Life may be amended and better ordered in the Next where it shall be Bonis Benè Malis Malè They that need more to satisfie their reason or confirm their Faith let them consult the 1 Cor. 15. Chap. at their leisure where they shall find good measure Prest and Heapt and Running over Illud te non minimum adjurerit si cogitaveris nihil profiturum dolorem tuum nec illi nec tibi percamus lachrimis nihil proficientibus Sen. Weep not Your sorrows now are fruitless wherefore should I fast Now he is dead can I bring him back again Was
whose Converse he should be alwayes Hearing and Seeing what might promote his Everlasting Good Now God we hope hath taken him to Better Company the Family of the First-Born in Heaven And as a loud Testimony how little Worldly things were to Him He Sacrificed his Youthfull Friends which usually are the dearest pieces we possesse which he Exprest with such an Emphasis and Force as is too hard to imitate I now well see what little good my Feathered-Friends can do me and what they signifie It was the Law for Sacrificing Fouls that the Feathers should be cast beside the Altars Levit. 1.16 by the place of the Ashes and full so low he laid the Vanity and Gayness of himself and others Saint Anselme us'd to compare the Soul into the Body to a Bird with a string about its legg and a weight tyed to it His String 's uniyed His Snare is broken and as a Bird he is escaped yea like a Dove whose wings are of Silver and her Feathers of Yellow Gold He 's hastned to the winged Cherubims to sing for ever in the Lords presence and to be sheltred under the most immediate Protection of his Feathers 'T is true his hopes were very modest somewhat verging upon fears and doubts which his Sollicitous inquiries discovered Whether his delaying for he bewail'd his not conforming sooner and more throughly to his Good Mothers pious Admonitions could be forgiven and whether God would accept his late Repentance and the Resolv's made on a Bed of Sickness And when these and the like were Answered with Prudent and Faithfull Caution and then with such Incouragements as the manner and heartiness of his Expression seem'd to Intitle him to He Answered Well! Then I will Cast my Self on God And he is a God who casts not them away that do so in good Earnest Therefore with Him we 'l leave him and Conclude Beseeching you to bear from him what possibly you would not bear from me the free discovery of your Vanities and let this pull down your Plums and make you serious And You that survive Him do Him the Kindness and Your Selves the Right to Act what He Resolved Spend every day some good Proportion of your time as all Good Men and Wise shall spend Eternity Delay not your Return to God Submit to wholesome Councils Early Delight in Company may make you Better Sue-out most Earnestly the Pardon of your sins Solicite those who are the Favorites of Heaven to assist you in it Adorn as he all your Relations Study his Herse and listen what he whispers thence and when you se 't Remember that be'st thou Young or Great or Darling of thy Dearest Parents Stem of thy Family or whatever else that 's Man thou certainly must dye therefore prepare for Ex Hoc momento Aeternitas Upon this moment do Depend The Joyes or Woes that never End LORD Teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to saving Wisdome And forgive us our many sins at and against the frequent Funeralls we attend that so many warnings may not be lost and leave us unprepared least they aggravate our guilt beyond excuse Write upon our hearts the word we have heard and Sanctifie this awakening Example to us all And most Eminently to those Right Honourable Personages most nearly Concerned in it whose Wound and Breach we Beseech thee who ar't Able to do above all that we can Aske or Think of Thy Infinite Goodness to repair and bind up with Thy All-Healing hands in Thine own Time and Way And all for his sake who dyed far our sins and rose again for our Justification and sits at thy right hand making Intercession whereby he is Able to save to the uttermost all those who come to Thee by Him To Him with Thy Majesty and Blessed Spirit be Adoration Submission of our Selves and Ours to be at Thy Dispose Praise and Everlasting Glory AMEN EPITAPHIUM WIthin this Marble doth Intombed Lye Not One but All a Noble Familie A Pearle of such a Price that soon about Possession of it Heaven and Earth fell out Both could not have Him So they did Devise This Fatall Salvo to divide the Prize Heaven Share 's the Soul and Earth his Body take's Thus We lose all whilst Heaven and Earth part stakes But Heaven not Brooking that the Earth should share In the least Attome of a Piece so Rare Intends to Sue Out by a new Revize His Habeas Corpus at the Grand Assize JOHN FLOWRE Frontispicii Speculum The Mind of the Frontispiece WOuld'st thou Amazed Friend a Reason have Why Squalid Death is Trim'd so Gay and Brave This is her Nuptial Day That is the Bed To which Great Warwick 's Heir is Captive Led But 't was Rude Woeing and a Stolen Match An Uncouth Rape in which the She did catch The Male who though persu'd by wanton Death Was Chast and Yielded not till out of Breath On 't this retrive the Banes No! 't will not do She Got a Licence And they 're Bedded too But to disguise th' unfitness and prevent Just scorne to paint alone she 's not content But steal's His Colours for 't and all she can To make Him like Her-self halfe-Na'kt and Wan And yet ' cause Guilty fearing an Assault With His Own Shields She Guarded hath the Vault But She 's past blushing and will not Confesse Her Wrong His Right to Cornet Coat or Cross Cry's All 's mine Own and if You proof require For the Left Crest The Serpent was my Sire And for the Dexter one That venom'd wing Feathers my Arrows And his Tayle 's my Sting The Coronet without dispute's mine Own For She that Conquers may Command the Crown The Coat 's may Proper bearing from such Losses Your Selves Blaze me to be The Cross of Crosses And for the Motto You dare not Deny That none Keeps Faith more Firm then Destiny Yet those who Keep the Faith of Christ toth ' Last Will Be too Quick for Thee for all thy hast And when the Glorious Morn Restores them Light Bid Thee with Scorn Eternally Good-Night Aliter Our Text in Mottoes is display'd 〈◊〉 Motto in a Text obey'd A. Walker GARDE LA FOY JÃY GARDÉ LA FOY 2. Tym 4 7. Ex Hoc momento Aeternitas 1664