for his acts how you that have been faithfull in few things hath he not made rulers over many and if you like stones should hold your peace the Farmes Leases and Estates for life would speak by him granted and confirmed say Sirs for that little model of commands in his courtly service found you not a great appearance of the graces in his rewards he hath put the proverb out of date an old serving-man and a new gentleman in the place how many largesses to his lacquais suites of cloths with Jonathan hath he put off to invest and make known his favorites withal And now may you worthily put on your mourning weeds for Jonathan 1 Sam. 1.24 ye daughters of Sion weep for him that clothed you in scarlet and put ornaments of gold upon your apparel and some whose lives he sought to save with the hazard of his own To speak all in a few words his house was a Bethgerim for hospitality of strangers a Bethlehem an house of bread for the needy bellies the poole of Bethesdah for relief of waiters in her porches Lucius Aci 〈◊〉 both alike and the house of the Lucies joyned to the Spencers was pardon the comparison those two fishes which by the blessing of the Son of God did feed five thousand persons and twelve baskets for the poor If the Bow-song on Jonathan suite not aright in all proportion sure I am that with Davids leave we may properly intitle his praise to the Shoshanim and tune of the Flower de Luce for six leaves in that flower displaying themselves He was a true Flower de Luce to lose nothing of his name which open'd and shut his favours with the Sun of righteousness in a sympathy with his Saviour Christ living and dying about the same age and now following the Lamb wheresoever he goeth His six leaves of mercy to the body exposing themselves Visito Poto Cibo Redimo Tego Colligo Condo I View Drink Feed Redeem Bring home and Bury were accompanied with the six spires of spiritual assistance to complete and answer them Consule Castiga Solare Remitte Fer Ora Counsel Reprove Forgive Bear Pray Makemerry A Flower de Luce. 1 Rooted so fast in his religion that no wind or storm could stir or alter him For his candor and sincerity in which vertue he was so plainly visible and transparent that his bosome was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.8 exposed to the Sun and might be seen thorough sincere with an heart so clear perspicuous and plaine that like Drusus house full of windows all that was contained within might be seen without as the Poet Cui meliere luto Juvenal finxit praecordia Titan. Whom the pure Sun with better clay Made a true heart for yea and na y. 2 So candid and fair conditioned to treat so oyly and soft to handle so innocent and harmlesse to act that Adam seem'd to have lent him little matter to be offended and grace lesse mind to give offence 3 So coole a temper in his nature that as the lilly water allays and cooles all burning sores and apostems so he by example and sweet words loved to asswage heart-burnings swelling and fallingout of neighbours 4 So white and spotless in the virgin and his married life that he esteem'd and made his chastity most odoriferous to all in a bed undefiled and kept whole but if broken or bruised he abhorred as too rank a smel for him and most unsavoury in his family 5 So open and expansed in his love and bounty spreading on every side that his dishes and vessels were as the baskets and bowls of the Lilly full of refreshment ornament and medicine to his friends all graced with such an humble condescent that you might say there was the rose of Sharon Cant. 2.1 and the lilly of the Valleys A Flower de Luce broad in his blowed leaves upwards towards heaven 6. but contracted and narrow in the bottom toward the earth being large and heavenly minded in his contemplation of that land and mansion esteeming all his lands and houses not worth a thought to think on nor a look with Lots wife to reflect upon no nor so much as one sisters tear to fall for the losse of them going as willingly to his grave with his body as to his bed and sending forth his soul as chearfully as Noahs dove flew from the Arke when the flood was past or a prisoner to be enlarged to a palace In a time large enough for him to have lived longer although determined of God whose eternity meets and complies with all times but enforceth none in the Autumn that deadly season and fall of the year when the Sun falls from his height the dayes from their length the Elements from their beauty the Corne under the sickle Flowers from the stalk Leaves from the trees Fruits from the boughs men from their families now the lovely Adonis of all delight is rooting up by the dirty Bore of winter hasting on enough to make women superstitious to weep for this Tamuz Ezek. 8.14 the sweet-heart of the Sun and cause enough for us to take on with David for our Sun is now gone down of whom the world was not worthy our Adonis is withdrawn by death our Brother Jonathan is in the dust But stay Rachel thy work shall be rewarded his body shall return in the day of Renewing when the great Lapidary shall have ripp'd off the earthy bark of this diamond Mal. 3.7 and shall make up his jewels the righteous and such as do likewise shall see and enjoy him again the stay wil seem no longer than a sweet nights sleep and the time no more to you than the years past before you were born But methinks I see his soul and better part ere this become a gainer by this blessed change The Bow of Death hath not taken this within its reach or distance it is past the stroke or aim of all these earthly Archers and having broken thorough the black colour and cloud of death Rev. 4.3 shines like the Rainbow in the green colour of Gods reflecting grace until both soul and body united shall ascend higher even to the bright Aurora-colour of full glory And in the mean time learn Clergy Laity Widow and Posterity Brethren and Sisters Tenants and Servants Strangers and Familiars Friends and Poor folks not to furnish the pasquils of mens ears with libels jeers or reproches they cannot hang upon his worthy Pillar but fill it with the inscriptions of complaints and praises commendations and Panegyricks and learn the lesson if not to excel or equal yet to aim at or to imitate which was the end of David's Lesson and shall be of mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
by a loving sympathy to honour and lament him O Jonathan c. The particle O is as an herald or chiefe chanter to all the parts of this dolefull song and harasange and may serve to be applyed to all As Oh For exclamation at the matter As Oh For affection to the name of the man O Jonathan As Oh For indignation to the place how in the high places As Oh For lamentation for the person wo is me for thee my Brother Jonathan As Oh In consideration of the loss very pleasant hast thou been to me As Oh For admiration of the Love thy love was wonderfull As Oh For the comparison of all passing the love of women Thus the life and death of Jonathan is shortly and sorrowfully descanted on by David Musathen Cap. 17. running as all mortals do upon the 7 notes of Musick with Longs and Shorts Sharps and Flats as Putean makes it out to call mens life here below untill we ascend above the spheres into heaven Revel 14. and there sing our part in the Song of the Lambe Revel 14. So I resort to the first part of my Text the Note of Exclamation at the matter O. The Masters of speech and eloquence observe this particle ô to attend all the passions of the mind Martin Lex in O. and in no less then twelve great affects of the soul expresse a full signification and sense of it self Tesmar de Eloq Pag. 167. as of joy Oh! that thou wert as my Brother that suckt the breasts of my Mother Cant. 8. And of griefe Oh waetched man that I am Rom. 7. Of wishing Oh that I had the wings of a Dove Of Indignation Oh faiihlesse and crooked generation Luk. 24. Of Expostulation Oh Inhabitants of Judah judge I pray you Isa 5. Of Exclamation Oh ye sons of men Psal 4. Of comparison Oh man who art thou that disputest with God Rom. 9. Of all at once as here ô Jonathan and thus it is made the Mistris to teach and the mouth to utter all our affections And serves us not to use it like the braying of an Asse Use as Erasmus forbids but seriously and in earnest when it comes on the hearts errand to witness unfainedly some affection of the mind as in the former places mentioned and then it becomes the speaker as the Bow of Jonathan and makes a faire impression in the heart as if written with a pen of Steel Jerem. 9.1 or the point of a Diamond and thus it is used by David who in the drawing of this Bow now bent for mourning fetcheth deep sighs from the bottome of his bowels and sendeth them forth like arrows singing in the air and are now come to our use and eares and so sink into our minds to cry out and complain to disdain and lament to consider and admire to compare and make a parallel with Davids Jonathan slain and ours deceased and leads me on to the second part of my text The affection to the name O Jonathan Lovers are much affected with the names of their Paramours and friends insomuch that the naming betrayes the guilt and conscience in the pulse and countenance Heu quam difficile est crimen non prodere vultu The Arabians have a proverb he that loves much makes much mention of his love 'T is Davids case he names Saul but three times in this song Jonathan foure Expen in Prob. Arab. and makes his name to carry the burden of the song with teares and kisses as the woman in the Gospel Pouring out her Alablaster box of oyntment on his body in token that she loved much or as Christ on Lazarus Behold how he loved him and Luke 7. John 11. Lord he whom thou lovest is dead Names saith Luther are the boxes that the graces of the Spirit of God are preserved in the Caskets of those Jewels the cups of the heavenly potions the combs of the honey and the baskets that take the fragments of the Divine banquet he that is not acquainted with these handmaids can very hardly come to the speech of that Mistress Agrip. Occult. Philos what influence or intelligence doth passe between stars and names let the curious Arts declare But sure I am that Saul had no ill Spirit to suggest or vexe him or ill presage to possesse him when he gave to his Son this name of Jonathan Lexicon Sanctum by Greg. a name turned into our English as much as Gods gift or the Dove comes Jon-tha as Bercorius alludes an heavenly extraction in the first and a sweet allusion in the last This in a transcendant way is drawn from God and the other in a lovely nature and Spirit comes to man the springs from above and the springs below which was Calebs choice gift Jug 1.11 do both meet in this name The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extremely to love is the name of the Dove that came from heaven sate upon the Son of God loves to dwel with man build in his house eat and drink with him brings him fruit and food and by similitude teacheth as a Domestical Chaplaine the lessons of faith to look up and ask of thanksgiving to God above of innocency having no gall of patience without complaint of charity without revenge of concord and joynt assistance in their building brood and company all which David by sweet experience found in Jonathan as the gift of God to him and a Dove coming still to comfort him thus Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis Names oftentimes agree To tell you what the man will be This experience that David had of his noble vertues and divine indowments had so ravish'd and transported him Use that he is in an holy extasie and a little out of himself making a speech to a dead man wishing that his name pronounced aloud might raise and awake him to life again or calling the world to witnesse that with Jonathan was buried the Mirrour of Love the Miracle of Nature and the Darling of Mankind In this name let us with David open the shels that we may find out the pearls unlock the caskets to come at the Jewels press and examine the combs that we may suck the honey open the baskets to feed on the dainties laid up in pious names for the honour of the owners and the imitation of their manners The practice of the Church of Rome is not so graceless as not to teach her children this lesson and that under Canon of the Councel of Trent and her Sermons seriously exhorting that pious names be imposed as copies and samplers for posterity to behold and imitate Regerlinck in Fest. circumcis Tit. 2. Let not Samaria out-do Jerusalem good names may imprint conformity to good manners and though we have laine with nature and the world like scullions among the pots and coales yet we may be by Gods grace as the wings of a Dove Psal
Solomon compares her love to the mans cistern as delightful as fresh water to bath in to a loving Hind as a pleasant Roe in his own Park Prov. 5.15 19. to take his delight this love shews it self most of all by the loss and made the very heathen resign their lives as captives to it Gracchus finding two serpents in his chamber See Valer. Max. was told kill the Male and you shall die first the Female and your wife shall die to save the last he killed the first and dyed A mans wife of Naples was taken by the Mores and shipt away French Acad. he swam after her and by the power of such love overcame the taker that sent them both home Pedro Maxio lib. 5.14 to weare out their loves together Three noble Romans for love of their ravisht wives made an end of themselves Orpheus his wife dying on the wedding day he never loved other but left the world to be a companion to his deceased wife A great Don of Spaine having sustained this losse that was his bed his board his pillow slept a years space in his clothes eat not on any Table-cloth nor sate down in a chaire Herod was so enamour'd on Mariamne Josippus that having embalmed her dead body he us'd it as his living bed-fellow Few men of our age out-do these affectionate examples but I have shewn them the most excellent way 1 Cor. 12. Now Michal Sauls daughter and Davids wife is a rare and onely example of lovingnesse to an husband 1 Sam. 20. by an officious feigning and counterfeit image suborned and invented to further his escape Otherwise the Scripture is silent and leaves women to speak for themselves yea Jonathans mother had not his fathers good word and theirs but one single example of love to their husbands among the Jewish wives the more Jews you will say for that But among the Gentiles go we to their reports and their Story produceth numbers of most loving and adventurous wives Some putting on armes and playing the man in wars for their husbands company to hazard life or bring them off some choosing death according to the Oracle See F◠Acad. to save them alive some changing apparel to convey them out of prison and to stay and answer in their place winning the hearts of conquerors by love of the first to become their second husbands killing their living bodies to lye by their corpes drinking their ashes to interre them in their bowels at the sight of their bloody coat swooning travailing lying eating hot coles to consume thē for want of other weapons in banishment becoming slaves and exiles keeping their house and children at home notwithstanding all their abuses and indignities abroad not enduring life if husbands must die opening a veine to bleed and die with them in the bath forsaking rich fortunes to go barefoot for a Scholars fancy embracing both bodies to precipitate themselves in the sea to end an incurable consumption refusing Queenships and preparing poisons for joy-sops rather then marry to their husbands murtherers keeping their chambers for a years space and not so much as looking out at windows striving for precedence to be buried alive with their dead husbands Calvis in Conrad 2. in a siege carrying them on their backs for their best goods ingeniously deluding the intent and winning the consent of conquerors bearing their beloved over the snow lest his footsteps should betray their meeting and avenues bearing each others burden and fulfilling the law of Love Gal 6. Who desires more examples of the love of women may find in every age and climate some to country some to parents some to children and some to husbands I hope good store of company But I will end at home with one an example of Queen Hellen whose pillars and statues deserve to stand as Mary's boxes but unbroken to the end of the world to witnesse her work and preach by the way her memorial who suckt with her lips the poisoned wound received in wars Speed in Ed. 1. to save her husband Edwards life We have lately had one more at home whom t is hard to say who loved most but these are parted and I know not how to apply to them the active or the passive sense implyed in my Text. I have been long on this Bow of love bent on both sides but I trust the women will not think it so as long as t is in commendation of that sex nor the men to gruge them this garland so long as here is but one in their sex to exceed them all whose love surpassed the love of women Use 1. Let this stand as to this use for a monument to the men husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them for Juno's marriage-sacrifice expels the gall and to the women be it as the pillar of salt to season their manners and to keep them sweet and lovely to their husbands to both to set one another interchangeably as seales upon their hearts Cant 8.6 7. and signets on their armes for love is stronger then death and more hardy then the grave her coales are of fire breaking out into a vehement flame much water cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it This is the love that past betwixt Jonathan and David that like Hippoc. twins did impart joys and sorrows one to another and which I have endeavour'd to recommend to you in this masterpiece of love in the old Testament which is the character of a true disciple of the new Saint Pauls most excellent way and Saint Johns all-sufficient exercise who in age not able to ascend the pulpit and carried to Church used to say no more but my little children love one another and being askt by his disciples the reason of so frequent repetition of these words Perald To. 1. cap. 8. answered Quia praeceptum Domini est si solum fiat sufficit T is the Lords command if this be done then all is done Where also I might seasonably shut up my sayings were it not where Jonathans part goes out as acted there onr second Jonathan this much lamented person should come in on whom deaths sable mantle here hath overspread it self and on whom this lesson of the Bow with David-like affection may be playd wept anew I'arallels as being with little variation fit parallels in circumstance of life and some similitude of death names answering in manners and natures all agreeing for which let me bespeak your eares and affections for some spare minutes and so an end For their descent and family Parallel 1. Solomon tells us that the glory of children are their fathers Jonathan was of the tribe of Benjamin unattainted for treason or apostasy Saint Paul could boast of this if that Christ had not been in the ballance and our Jonathan of the ancient family of the Lucies whose loyalty to my report was never yet impeacht but as Jonathan