the sight of God and their betters 3. Lastly there was in him a blessed conjunction of those things that rarely meet in any other I mean both an admirable facility easinesse to be intreated with a great yieldingnesse of spirit even to inseriours when any good might be done thereby and yet also a strong resolute unmovablenesse and stedfastnesse of mind in opposing all evil in whomsoever superiour or other in the cause of the Lord so that he was truely that which is reported of Athanasius Magnes Adamas Nazianzen a loadstone for his sweetnesse in drawing on good an adamant for his courage and stoutnesse in suppressing evil In regard of the former I may say as it is said of Titus he was delicia humani generis the delights of mankind and in respect of the latter he was Nathaniel a true Israelite without guile The observation of these things in him rendred him not onely to me but to all that were intimately conversant with him like Chemnitius caput Veneris gloria Christianorum Melchier Ad in zira chem the beauty of grace and the glory of Christianity which as so many precious jewells adorned him and presented him gracious and honourable to all men whilest he lived and being dead as so many redolent flowers stuck upon his herse give such a pleasant and odoriserous savour in the nostrill of all spectatours that the memory of them shall ever remain in the hearts and mouths of all future generations who shall understand thereby how the Lord was pleased to honour him first with a spirituall birth and after with a gracious life and last of all with a most blessed death which now in the next place falls under our consideration And surely if their death be blessed that die in the Lord and rest from their labours their works following them Revel 14. if it be a blessed death to depart in peace with Simeon Luc. 2. our eyes beholding the salvation by Christ if it be a blessed death to die as Paul did Phil. 4. having finished our course and kept the faith or with Jacob blessing our children in the arms of our dearest Joseph then the consideration of the particulars following which attended his death will manifest to all that his death was as blessed as his life was gracious or his birth honourable The first whereof was his carefull preparation thereunto His death blessed for the space of two years before when he made his last will and testament and writ it with his own hand upon this very ground as he there expresses it that after he had so set his house in order he might have nothing in the world to look after or look upon but his blessed Saviour and Salvation by him In which last Testament of his he expresseth so much assurance and confidence of the Lords everlasting grace and love unto him as if at the same time with Simeon he had imbraced the Lord Jesus in his arms In the disposall of the severall portions to his posterity he doth withall annex and twist in so many heavenly counsels and precious instructions tending to their everlasting inheritance that it rather resembled our Saviours Testament conveighing the legacies of the covenant of grace or a heavenly Sermon then any politicall instrument to dispense onely earthly possessions A second observable thing in his death was his gracious welcome of the messenger of it As soon as ever there appeared on his side a small swelling in which none but himself conceived any danger Gracious courage in sicknesse he taking me to walk with him presently fell into discourse of the worth and immortality of the soul of the manner of its subsistence and actings when it was separated of the joyes of the other world and the vanity and emptinesse of all things in this as the things most sutable to his present condition and herewith he was so deeply and spiritually affected that at our parting he expressed himself in this manner unto me Sir I now much wonder that any man that fully believes these things to be realities and not mere notions being in my condition should be unwilling to die for my own part I will not be so flattered with any carnall content as to be desirous to live longer in this world where there is little hope left that the Lord hath any more work or service for me to do except it be to suffer for keeping a good conscience in witnessing against the apostasies and impieties of the times and therefore now it is a great favour of God to be sent for speedily Which passage I note because it was one of the last I had with him before his removall to London and also because I have certain intelligence he made the same profession to others after he came under the Physicians hands Where another thing is remarkable for his pains and infirmities growing so fast upon him that he was thereby debarred the benefit of publick ordinances He one Sabbath morning observing the persons in the Family were he lodged preparing themselves to joyn with the congregation of that place fell into a great passion of sorrow and wept very sore and with David poured out his very heart because he had gone with the multitude and led them to the house of God but now was necessitated to want the benefit of that which his soul so much thirsted for Hereupon he gave himself so much the more earnestly to the exercise of secret reading the Scripture meditation and prayer so long as his strength would hold out but one wave followed another so fast that he was disable thereby to be so frequent and constant in those secret duties of communion with the Lord as he desired for which he made many complaints to his sonnes and others as they came about him The week before he died he was perswaded in respect of the extremity of his pain once or twise to go to bed before Family prayer but the night following being again perswaded to it he told them he would not be intreated to do so any more for he said he was sure that he slept the worse those two nights for the want of it spiritually using that proverb whet it no let The day before his death his children being about him as Jacobs were he blessed them all with his prayers for them and gave these his last counsels unto them First he admonished them to take heed of worldlinesse and vain-glory shewing what a vast difference there was between a gracious humble man and a proud gracelesse man both in the estimation of God and man Secondly perswaded them to live in love and unity together yet so as they should ever count it their duty to watch over one another and never be afraid to tell one another of their faults lovingly and not to be mealy-mouthed as his expression was Thirdly that they should take heed of timorousnesse and shirking from the truth by reason of the oppofitions of the
from this truth to you of his nearest relation Exhortation you have heard it proved that the Lord setteth a higher price upon the meanest believer then all the world besides you have the experience of it in the Lord his honouring your father in his life and death and I believe you esteem it none of your least honours that you are descended from also honourable a root and that upon very good ground for to be heirs of so many promises and prayers which he paâ— up to the Lord for you is an invaluable treasure and portion Moses when it was put to his choice whether he would deny his Hebrew pedegree and he reputed an Egyptian even the son of Pharaoh's daughter and thereby have hopes of a kingdome or on the other side lose all the riches of Egypt by declaring himself of the posterity of Abraham saw cause enough to make choice of the latter rather then the former in like manner I am perswaded you see more ground to glory that you are descended from your fathers loins who was so gracious then if you had been born heirs to the greatest Potentate of the earth if he were gracelesse O therefore that now it might be your great care to see that your behaviour in the world may be worthy of so good a father Beware you do not degenerate from his practise or principles but le your conversation to God and mad be such that you may be a crown to his head that was so great a glory to yours Robora parentum referunt liberi as sickly children argue the parents weaknesse so a gracious posterity like pure streams demonstrate the purity of the fountain from whence they are derived Childrens grace and piety is not onely a comfort to parents whilest they live but also a glory unto them when they are dead so was Eliakim of whom you may reade Isa 22.22 where the Spirit of God affirm that he was a throne of glory to his fathers house I saw a letter which one of you since your fathers death wrote from London to your brother in the countrey wherein was this expression viz. that he ballancing his fathers gain and glory which now he injoyed in heaven against the greatness of his own losse by his death on earth he professed that if he might have him alive again with a wish he durst not desire it I liked the expression exceeding well because it preferred his fathers glory above his own content And therefore as you rejoyce in the increase of your fathers glory in heaven so labour the augmentation of it in earth in being with Eliakim a throne of glory to your fathers house Which you shall effect if with the Rechabites you shall strictly and punctually observe and follow all his holy commands and blessed examples after his departure in so doing both the Lord himself and all his people shall do to you as the Lord Isaiah 22. promiseth they should do to Eliakim viz. hang the glory of his fathers house upon him Abraham was a good father and the Jews did much glory in him but Abraham could not glory in the Jews as his children because they did no the works of Abraham their father In like manner you had an honourable father and you justly glory in him O let him also have cause to glory in you whilest the world may take notice that you both walk in the steps of his faith and do also his works Let me therefore exhort every one that hath any of his bloud in his veins and beareth his name before the world that you would become his representatives the world that he being dead in his own body yet he may live and walk in you Collect the jewells of his graces set them in rows on the breast-plate of your heart and so carry his image about the world in your lives that all spectatours that knew your father when they behold your conformity to him may say Surely this is that renowned Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston or one very like him All this I speak unto you in this day of the sad obsequies of your father that I may ingage you all who are the branches of this noble vine to become fruitfull boughs loaden with such clusters the fruit whereof may glad the heart of God and man And for that end I commend unto you next after the reading of the Bible above all other books the reading and remembrance of the history of your fathers life and graces the volume of his counsels and directions written in your hearts use all diligence in the daily observation of the solid principles and divine rules legible in his example and practise Boleslaus the fourth King of Poland used to hang his fathers picture in a plate of gold about his neck Cromerus lib. 5. and when he was to speak or act any thing or importance did usually pull it out view and kisse it wishing he might do nothing unworthy of his name The like do you in bearing his name for a remembrance before the world untill the reflection on his perfections as so many rich diamond casting forth their beauty upon your actions cause you to answer those great expectations of piety and sincerity which your birth education and profession have raised in the hearts and minds of all spectatours Conceive I beseech you that every one that looks upon you doth speak unto you as the people of Rome used to speak at the creation of their Consuls praesta nomen tuum make good your name By this course you shall in some measure make up the couatreys great losse in the death of your father and make way for your friends to comfort those sorrowfull hearts that mourn for his death Ambros in obit Theo. As Ambrose in his Funcrall oration for Theodosius thus cheared up his mourning subjects my friends said he let his comfort you in the death of Theodosius the father because he lives in his son Honorias so I may say Let this comfort thee O Suffolk in the losse of his worthy Patriot that his graces yet survive in his sonne Nay if you shall severally and joincly second your fathers piety integrity and zeal for the cause of God and your countrey I may then adde that consolation to your lamenting neighbours which Eusebius reports of Constantines children after their fathers departure they lived so holily that the people said they had now may Constantines for one before they had Constantine multiplied so we also hereby may say we have may Sir Nathaniels for one or Sir Nathaniel multiplied and inlarged whilest his children that inherit his lands and estate do also succeed him in his virtues and graces who account it he highest honour of their family that Religion be continued in a succession and multiplication therein And truely Gentlemen if it was esteemed the great honour of the Family of the Curii in Rome Aeliax lib. 3. that there arose out from that stock three excellent Oratours one succeeding
and absolutelie unable to requite yet I hold my self for ever obliged to embrace every opportunitie that is offered to make my acknowledgement thereof unto each of you And therefore have I greedily laid hold on this occasion now offered to me least if I should have neglected this advantage I might never have had the like again by reason of my declining age I cannot therefore but hereby give a publick testimony before the world of my serious apprehension deep sense of those engagements which both you most honoured Ladie also every one of you renowned Gentlemen and Ladies have laid upon me and also declare my self so firmly obliged to this whole Family that I am extreamelie desirous to the uttermost of my power alwaies to approve my self Madam your Ladyships and your posterities Most devoted faithfull servant in the Lord JESUS SAMUEL FAIRECLOUGH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Saints worthinesse And The worlds worthlesnesse A Funerall Sermon on Heb. 11.38 Of whom the world was not worthy THe light of Nature teacheth every man this lesson that due praise and publick acknowledgement of true worth in virtuous agents is a great provocation and a strong inducement with all ingenuous spirits to imitate those actions which are alwayes attended with honour and admiration according to that of the Oratour Laudis studio trahimur omnes we are all forceably drawn by the desire of praise Morality proceedeth further and tells us that an honourable commemoration of laudable actions is not onely a motive and an engagement to the performance of the like by the attentive auditour but is also in great measure the very Guerdon and reward it self which is justly merited by the deserving actour for who knows not that Laus est virtutis praemium honour is the reward of virtue Divinity and the Spirit of God in Scripture ascends higher and imposeth it as a duty leaving it not at our discretion but making it a divine precept in sacred Writ to render to every man that praise and honour which belongs unto him according to that of the Apostle Rom. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Render to every man his due honour to whom honour is due All which being considered I conclude that it is barbarous inhumanity in Nature injurious detraction in Morality wilfull disobedience in Divinity to bury the memory and reputation of those in silence and obscurity whom the Lord by the manifestation of his grace in them hath raised to eminencie and exalted above the standard of the worlds worth and value That I might not be guilty of any of these at this time I have upon this sad occasion of the Lords removing out of the world a person of whom the world was not worthy that Worthy of Worthies Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston chosen these words and made them the subject of my following discourse Wherein you have held forth to you at the first view the Saints worthinesse and the worlds worthlesnesse Both these are weighted as Beza notes upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a pair of Scales and Balances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de iis dicitur quae appensa ejusdem ponderis inveniuntur Beza in Rom. 8.18 the standard and beam at which they are tried is the wisdome and valuation of the Lord himself who layes a Believer naked or clothed onely in a sheeps-skin and leathern coat verse 37. in one scale and puts the world with all its Glories in the other and having most exactly pondered and tried the worth of both of them concludes positively for the believer against the world and openly declares that the worldis not worthy of him The words for the substance of them much resemble that hand-writing on the wall against Belshazzar Dan. 5.25 Mene menetekel perez As if the Apostle had said Mene O world all thy perfections and excellencies are numbred and finished Tekel they are weighed in the balance with a naked believer and found too light Peres and therefore the honour of all thy worth and excellency is taken from thee and given to the believer of whom the world is not worthy In the further interpretation of which words although the narrow compasse of one hour allotted to this duty forbids me to meddle with any discourse of the Analysis coherence or dependance of the words and you to expect any accurate division or prelix explication of them yet before I come to propound that one Observation out of them on which I purpose to insist I shall borrow so much light from the precedent and subsequent words and other Scriptures as may open the text in these three particulars 1. What that world is that is so worthlesse 2. Who are those persons that are so worthy 3. In what respects that world is so unworthy of these persons 1. For the first what world it is that is so worthlesse The Text opened may clearly be understood by the opposition hinted in the text viz. the persons against whom it is weighed which are believers and therefore the world affirmed to be so worthlesse is the world of unbelievers That world out of which the Church is called John 15.18 That world for which Christ doth refuse to pray John 17.9 That world which cannot receive the Spirit John 14.17 Together with the Trinity which that world worshippeth pleasures profits and honours as it is described 1 John 2.16 This is that world which is here affirmed to be so worthlesse and unworthy 2. The persons affirmed to be so worthy are manifestly described in the words before and after the text 1. By their externall gath and condition 2. By their internall worth and disposition For their externall garb and condition it is very low and mean for they are here brought forth in leathern coates foodlesse monilesse easelesse destitute afflicted and tormented yea harbourlesse also for they wander up and down and lodge in demes and caves This and no better is the outward condition of these worthy persons expressed in the verses before and after 37.38 Their internall worth and disposition is set down verse the 39. All these obtained good report for their faith Famous for their precious faith which is much more precious then gold wherein they excelled and were thereby dignified and honoured both whilest they lived and also after their deaths These are the worthy persons 3. We will consider in what respect the world is unworthy of these persons The world is unworthy of these persons in a threefold respect according to a threefold unworthinesse mentioned in Scripture 1. Indignitas dispositionis an unworthiness of disposition either by privative undesert or positive contempt as the Jews Acts 13.46 are said to be unworthy of eternall life and the rich blessings of the Gospel for their despising and contempt of it Thus though the believer like the Gospel comes with fulnesse of blessing wheresoever he comes being a blessing to the family where he dwells as Joseph to Patiphars to the businesse wherein he is
imployed as Jacob to Labans to the nation where he converses and to whom he relates as Abraham to all the nations in the earth blessing them 1. with his prayer as Abraham blessed Abimelech 2. with his presence as Lot the city of Sodom 3. with his example shining amongst them to their conversion as the woman 1 Pet. 3.1 2. yet these blessings the world contemnes and despiseth and persecutes the bringers of them And thus first the world is unworthy of the Saints 2. Indignit as proportionis there is an unworthinesse of proportion by unâ—etnesse and unsutablenesse as 1 Cor. .2 are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters that is unfit unable for such a work and 1 Cor. 11.29 yeeat and drink unworthily that is unfitly unsutably otherwise then is agreeable to the pure fellowship with Christ in such holy mysteries So the world in this respect is unworthy of the Saints altogether unfit unsutable indisposed to live and enjoy society and fellowship with them light and darknesse being no more opposite then the Believer to the Infidel 2 Cor. 6.14 3. Indignit as pratii there is an unworthinesse of price and valuation as Rom. 8.18 I account not the sufferings of this life worthy of the glory to be revealed that is not of equall and proportionable value but of farre inferiour worth and virtue so as they deserved not to be named not to be compared together in respect of their excellencies And in this respect the world is not worthy of the Saints that is it is of farre inferiour price virtue and excellency the righteous even in such a degree is more excellent then his neighbour Which interpretation of the words shall be further verified in that observation which as the result of the whole text thus opened I shall now propound The Spirit of God setteth a farre higher price The Doctrine propounded and valuation upon the meanest believer then the whole world besides for of him the world is not worthy The observation being so diametrically opposite to the judgement practise and that good conceit which the world hath of its own worth and so perfectly contrary to carnall reason and its apprehension will seem but a meer fiction and chimera at first hearsay be accounted a strange paradox impossible to be proved or maintained notwithstanding the Lord hath set his hand to the truth of it in the Text and also hath given plentifull testimony to it in other Scriptures I will therefore in the further prosecution of it 1. expound my meaning in it and 2. demonstrate it both from the testimony and the practise of God himself whose truth it is The meaning and sense of the Point is this Expounded Take a man to whom God hath given but as much true saving faith as a grain of mustardseed and then strip him naked or clothe him but in a sheep or goat-skin turn him out of house and home to lodge with wilde beasts in dennes and in caves of the earth deprive him of money food and estate leave him under all the miserie and torments that Satan and his instruments can afflict him withall and then set by him an unbelieving worldling clothed with Dives in purple and all the bravery of the earth put him in a palace as glorious as great Babek for his habitation let his table be dayly furnished for plenty of delicacies attendants as the great king Ahasuerus his feast was Hester 1. put a world of such men together and I affirm that what ever high conceit these men may have of themselves and their own felicities and how contemptible soever the Saints condition in comparison of theirs is reputed in this world yet the Lord setteth a farre higher price and estimation of this believer at his worst then of all them together at their best And this the Lord doth abundantly declare in Scripture holding forth Conformed 1. The verity of it 2. The equity of it The verity is manifest As to the verity 1. From the Lords expressions 2. From the Lords actions relating thereunto The Lords expressions confirming the same are First those terms of infamy and appellations of contempt 1 1. By divine expressions whereby in the Scripture he doth brand and vilifie the men of the world Secondly those titles of honour and names of excellency whereby he doth advance and magnifie the least of those little ones that believe in him For the unbelievers and men of the world Vilifying the world the Lord brands them to their everlasting contempt with these and the like appellations as that they are the seed of the Serpent slaves of Satan children of wrath dogs swine vipers yea davils and all these for this purpose to declare how unworthy and vile they are in the account estimation of God namely more vile then the basest of vermine which they tread upon no creature in the world so contemptible as they are except the devils who are therefore worse then unbelievers because they made these so bad as they are and upon the same account unbelievers are worse then the vilest of creatures because by their sinne they have made the creatures so miserable as they are But on the other side we find in Scripture the Lord intituling the meanest believer with terms of the highest honour and reputation Magnifying the Saints Exod. 19. â— Jer. 31.9 Rom. 8.27 Malach. 8.17 as calling them his Jewels his peculiar treasure his sonnes his first-born his heirs annexed with his Sonne Christ purposely to represent their dignity and his estimation of them Now let it be considered that all these expressions and appellations vilifying the unbeliever and magnifying the Saints were inspired by the Lord himself and penned by his Secretaries enrolled in his eternall word published by his messengers and all by his appointment who as he is greater then the greatest wiser then the wisest and better then the best so he is too great and too good to deny or unsay what he hath spoken or not to maintain the truth thereof against all gain-sayers Secondly as the verity is thus manifest in the Lord his expressions so also by his actions wherein his high valuation of them is declared in his actions relating unto 1. Their redemption 2 2 By divine actions In redemption Temporall Psal 126.15 2. Their remuneration First their redemption may be considered first as temporall secondly as eternall First their temporall redemption from temporall dangers O how precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints God so values their persons and liberties that he will give all the materiall world and the choicest of all the things and persons therein for the purchase of them witnesse the Prophet Isarah 43.4 Because thou wast precious in my sight and honourable I gave Egypt for thy ransome and Ethiopia and Seba for thee which are the places where the greatest abundance of all the worlds riches treasures and pearls were to
then all in the ship with him and Noah better then all in the Ark or in all the world besides in as great degree as the richest diamond doth excell in dignity ten thousand pebbles Unbelievers are not worth one farthing in Gods esteem nay they are worse then nought or a meer non-entity for it had been good for them if they had not been born take them at their best in all worldly excellencies and perfections and if the Lord may set the price of all he tells you they are digni damnatione worth no more then damnation Now then seeing they are so vile and the meanest believer so worthy by reason of imputed and imparted worth into him may not the Lord in equity and justice preferre the meanest Saint before a world of them there being a greater distance in respect of worth and dignity between the meanest and poorest believer in the world and the worldling what confluence of parts honours and other enjoyments soever he enjoyeth then there is between the most glorified Saint in heaven and the weakest believer on earth because the difference between the believer is onely graduall every believer in time will grow up to be such but the difference between the former is essentiall and so they differ in nature and kinde All that now remains is the application and improvement of this truth upon out selves sutable to our present occasion which that I may the better perform I shall first apply it in relation to the person whose Funerall this day we desire to solemnize and then to the rest of the auditory here met on this occasion Use 1 First I shall apply it in relation to that person of eminent worth deceased which that I may do I shall premise as an introduction three things by way of inference 1. If it be so that the meanest Saint is of more worth then all the world thence it follows necessarily that the losse of one of them is a greater losse and more to be lamented then the losse of a thousand others how great soever they be in other respects If the daughters of Israel must weep for Saul 2 Sam. 24.16 well may David say wo is me for thee my brother Jonathan if there be cause to let fall a drop for the one surely there is cause that our eyes should gush forth in a floud for the other 2. If this be one evidence that the Lord values his Saints namely that he honours them and remembers their faith and other graces to their praise many hundred yeares after they are dead and asleep in their graves then surely it is a duty which we also owe to all Saints after they are dead to speak good of their names and to perperuate the memory of their worth and graces in the hearts and eares of others that survive them The anointing of dead corps preserves them from putrefaction a good name is this precious ointment wherewith God hath anointed the corps before us above others and doth therefore call us all forth and warrant me especially to bring true and honourable testimony of his worth this day 3. If God so values the meanest Saints how much more did he esteem this honourable person whose graces made him not onely more worthy then all unbelievers in the world but also more conspicuous and eminent then the greatest number of true believers in the church whereof if any doubt or hath hitherto been ignorant he will now certainly be convinced and assured if he shall please to remember with me 1. His honourable birth 2. His gracious life 3. His blessed death But before I enter the relation of either of them I have a double petition to present to the Auditory And my first addresse is to his Right worshipfull mournfull A petition 1. To his Lady and her children and lamenting Lady with her children who have called me to a work so difficult and so farre above my power as to delineate and represent the effigies and beauty of his life and conversation which indeed was in heaven whilest he was here on earth This must be the work of some divine Apelles and not mine for how can the Sun be inlightned by a starre or the fountain be watered by its own stream And therefore I humbly petition your worships to expect no such thing from me as that I should give either your selves or the Auditory satisfaction in declaring either the greatnesse of your losse or the excellency of his desert Alas you your selves neither do not can yet conceive or understand your own losse much lesse the want which the Church of God will find of him many yeares hereafter And for the expression of his deservings whence is it that when your selves begin to remember and make mention of one or two of them you presently stop and forbear to proceed and after a long pause in the midst of your discourses looking one upon another conclude with sights and sobs and tears in all your eyes but onely to signifie with these gestures what you cannot utter with your words Years I confesse are the best Oratours at Funeralls and speak much more effectually then any verball language can expresse yet you having joyntly expressed what you can thereby still confesse all of you come short in the proportion to his deserts how think you then that 't is possible for me alone to satisfie both you and the whole Auditory also by my words especially considering that it is one property that belongs to things that deserve admiration that they cannot be expressed All that I hope to effect herein is to manifest by what I shall speak that I really intended his honour though I actually perform no more then he that undertook to represent the beams and body of the Sun onely by making a prick or dot of gold with his pen in a fair sheet of paper or that Limner who having undertaken to draw a most beautifull picture finding his skill insufficient cast a vail over the face of it to cover his own ignorance as well as the beauty of the piece My second petition is to the rest of the Auditours 2 2. To the Auditory the summe whereof is that they would not receive the testimony I shall deliver concerning him as arising onely from the strength of mine affection to his person but rather from the conscience of that duty which I owe to the glory of God and the good of his peoples souls therein for although I must ever acknowledge him to have been the Lords great instrument of good to me and all mine and therefore do desire all of you that ever have received any benefit by my poor labours in this place to joyn with the in thankfulnesse to the Lord for him as the chief instrument thereof yet rather then I would speak one syllable in this place which I did not either know to be true on mine own knowledge or believe it to be so from the testimony of unquestionable witnesses
of the same I would have totally stopped my mouth and imposed an absolute silence thereon Onely let me further intreat you to consider that if the most of you by some dayes or houres occasionall injoyment of his presence in his life time discerned so much worth in him Near 200 persons met his corps almost 20 miles from his house and many thousands attended his Funerall that drew so great a company of the chiefest persons in the countrey to go so long a journey before and to come again so farre now to honour his dead corps to the grave then you may easily guesse that I who had the happinesse to be so near him and to be intimately acquainted with him and his family for 30 yeares together must needs have more perfect understanding and approved experience of his faith holmesse and constant gracious temper then others could and therefore what of a truth I know and undoubtedly discerned in him I dare not conceal for veritatem celare est aurum sepelire to conceal truth is to bury gold yea the gold of grace which is much more precious then the gold of Ophir which being truely though sparingly discovered will give us all cause to say of his life and death Euseb in vita constant as is reported of Constantine felix nativitas felicior vita felicissima mers his birth was good his life better and his death most glorious of all Now for the honour of his birth In his relation to his birth I place it not in the the ancient lines of his pedegree or the Antiquity of the Family the continued descent of to many noble ancestours Although it be true that from his progenitours he was one of the Top-branches amongst our Suffolkcedars and although I acknowledge to be thus descended and better both then the commonalty is a singular blessing of God to the persons upon whom it is conferred as appears by the Lords own words to David in 2 Sam. 7.9 I have made thee a name like the name of the great men of the earth yea if they be gracious great men are a great blessing to others also as Solomon's words import Eccles 10.17 Blessed art thou O land when thy prince is the some of nobles and not of an upstart Family Yet this is no other blessing but what is common to the worthlesse world as well as to the worthiest believe and so it can have no great excellencie in it all noble bloud without grace being tainted Gain was of the elder house and Abel of the younger It is my purpose therefore to shew how the Lord honoured him in his birth more then any unbeliever which was by his second birth Genere nobilis sanctitate nobilior whereby he received soul-nobilitie and became heir to the second Adam whose hens are born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 1.13 And this his second birth was eminently honourable and remarkable above other in three particulars 1. In the time of his conversion 2. In the matter of his humiliation 3. In the foundation of his faith 1. For the time of his conversion it was when he was young 1 1. The time of his conversion the Lord began to cast in the seed of regeneration when he was at school the very time when others of his ranck and quality give up themselves to the greatest degrees of licentious wantonnesse and immoderare excesses pretending that the heat of nature and strength of the lusts of youth are their discharges for the same but at that very time did the Lord sease on him who from that day with Abel did offer his first-fruits unto God O how eminently and emphatically excellent it is for young Gentlemen to bear Christ's yoke in their youth when the world haunts them and nature prompts them and Satan baits the flesh and bloud of such men with most desireable things O then to be crucified and mortified is glorious Lam. 3.27 2. The matter of his humiliation was eminently remarkable 2 2. Occasion of his humiliation for whereas usually in the conversion of young men the Lord humbles them by charging upon their consciences some notorious actuall sinne it was otherwise with him for living more innoceutly then for the most part young Gentlemen do upon a time hearing that Text opened Psal 51.5 Behold I was born and conceived in sinne c. where the greatnesse and odiousnesse of originall sinne was pressed it pleased the Lord so deeply to affect his heart thereby as that ever after it was a means to abase all high thoughts of himself through his whole life and he was much more solidly and constantly broken for it then for all the fruits of it yea hereby much preserved from them for as they that are once stung with scorpions Plin. nat hist 1.7 are ever after priviledged from being stung with wasps and hornets so he that is first deeply humbled for the root mother and nurse of corruptions shall feldome have cause after to be wounded with the guilt of actuall transgressions 3. For the foundation of his faith 3 3 Foundation of his faith it was more remarkable then the rest for whereas most men ground their faith upon that which can onely be the proof of it I mean the evidences of their love so God and others being better taught upon the discovery of the all-sufficiency of Christs merit revealed in the Gospel and a third sort upon the generall offer tendering Christ unto them his faith was not onely built generally upon the evidences of Gods love to him but particularly upon the Gospel as it is the law of faith held forth unto him in that Text John 3.22 This is the command we have received from him that we believe in the name of his Son whence the preacher urging that in the Gospel there was not onely granted a liberty to believe in Christ if we pleased but a necessity imposed that required us to believe whether we will or no it pleased the Lord so to overpower his heart with the authority of the precept that he durst not refuse it but submitted unto it and so his confidence was in pure obedience to God which being the most evangelicall and sublime reception of Christ namely upon no other ground but the Lord his authoritative will was that which produced this honourable second birth in him wherein his faith was more established then most believers usually are all the dayes of their lives Secondly In relation to his life that his life was as gracious as his birth was remarkable you will certainly conclude if you compare the most exact descriptions of a gracious life mentioned in the Scripture with his practise after his conversion Whether you define a gracious life in Davids words Psal 119.1 Blessed are they that are undefiled in their way c. or in the practise of Zacharias Luc. 1.74 Serving God in
the other what height of excellency must it needs be thought that the power of Regligion and holinesse is made successive in your stock from generation to generation The next application is to those in the Auditory whom the Lord by his providence hath raised by their birth 2 2 Use to Gentlemen breeding and education estate parts or offices above the rest Gentlemen I mean that account themselves and are also accounted by others of an higher ranck and quality then other whose presence here is occasioned by their respect and estimation of his noble Knight now to be interred To you I have a word of instruction from the doctrine already proved which I am not willing to omit because I see the greatest prophet that was born of woman John the Baptist when he perceived such Auditours come unto him which were not usually before him took then occasion to apply himself unto them Matth. 3. His practise shall be my warrant and incouragement to addresse my speech unto you at this time Gentlemen I would instruct and direct you how you may be good as well as great and become honourable before God hereafter as you are before men already and the onely way is this to adde the nobility of grace to the nobility of nature for seeing the meanest believer is of more reputation with God then all the world besides it doth follow that the way to true honour is to become a true believer By faith the elders obteined a good report not onely a crown of glory after their death but estimation and honour from God whilest they lived as is manifest the whole chapter before my Text. Faith makes the meanest believer of more worth than an Emperour Jacob a plain man by faith became a Prince yea a Prince with God Deo servire est regnare to serve God is to be a King You therefore that would be esteemed worthy precious must become gracious Oh how excellent precious doth godliness make those men in the eyes of the Lord whom birth and estate have made honourable in the estimation of men Religion doth ennoble their spirits and advance their mind unto the heavens as a precious Jewell set in gold makes that much more conspicucus which was beautifull before so holinesse addes to the splendour of birth and estate the enemelings of grace and glorie Be therefore humbly intreated to crowne the emmency of your biâ—th and fortunes with the glory of spirituall excellencies I am the more carnest and serious at this time because the present pattern before you shewes it possible and seasible for you and oh that his death might cause you to imitate him whose lâ—â—e was a light to guide you in the way I know that many Gentlemen think that a strict and holy life is onely for such as have little to do or to take to in the world He onely is to live by faith that hath nothing else to live on but for those who are born to great things in the world it is too low for them to stoop to Christs yoke Nay some of them who are not ashamed of their oaths blasphemies beastly uncleanness swinish excesses but glorie in them yet account sanctification of Subbath hearing the Word constancie in prayer to be their disgrace and esteeme it a disparagement to their credit to be accounted godly and religious and therefore purposely act that which they know is profane and impious lest they should be esteemed holy or conscientious Thus Augustine in his Confessions lib. 2. cap. 19. pudebat me non fuâ—sse impudentem c. I was ashamed of my modest and blushed that I was not past blushing And Salvian even with teares complaines of the Gentlemen of his time Oh! Deprov lib. 4. saith he such contempt and disgrace is put upon religion ut cogantur esse mali ne vide antur viles they are compelled to be evil least they should be esteemed base for religions sake I wish that this sin of contempt and scorn put upon religion had been buried in Salvian's dayes but are there not very many still of these great ones that think that their attendance upon the Lord Jesus in his Ordinances is a condescension of their greatness and abstain from religious performances merely in point of honour as too low a service for their Lordships Ladyships and VVorships The CENTVRION thought his house too meane and unworthy to receive Christ into it but these men think Christ house too meane and unworthy to receive them Doe any of the rulers believe do the Knights Esquires and Gentlemen follow the Lord Jesus and why do they not oh it is not for their place credit reputation so to do Oh! accursed pride and hellish loftiness is it the highest honour of the glorified Angels to be Christ his servants and ministring spirits to attend his members and is it the highest glory of the Trinitie to be accounted holy gracious pure abundant in goodness and shall sinfull dust and ashes because of a little precedency in birth or estate account holinesse purity goodness their dishonour and disparagement It was the saying of Ignatius antiquit as mea nobilitas mea solus Christus Christ is my only nobilitie and antiquitie but these say my nobility and antiquity is mine onely Christ and therefor think the only way to cast down themselves is to exalt Christ whereas you may throughly be convinced by the truth proved unto you that he only way to exalt your selves is to exalt Christ above your selves who raiseth the meanest of his saints to a greater worth then all the world besides You see Gentlemen that neither the Lord Jesus nor his servants do envie your honour or greatness much lesse disparage it but rather desire the advancement of it in the true way of preferment to glory without which it had been better for you to have been born and brought up in a cave or den and layn all your to have lived in your Palaces and been sed at your fullest tables for 1. Motives All your births and high estates at the best are no better things then the Lord bestowes on his greatest enemies and if not accompanied with grace and improved for God they are greatest miseries For these expose you to more temptations then poorer men as our Saviour Mat. 19. and the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. affirmeth they are nothing else then fewel to feed your Justs and provocations to a more impudent and uncontrouleable course of sins Who would boast in such a garment which how rich and pompous soever it appears without yet within fills the body with adayly brood of nastie sores and crawling vermin Such are most mens estates 2. The higher your places are the more notorious and conspicuous are your vices Greâ—mens offences are no more hid then the spots in the Moon or a sore in the face which is a greater deformitie then a wound or sore in another part of the body Nazianz. orat 1 de fug saith