efficacie in operation and odoriferous sauours are to bee accompted very pretious and profitable Yet saith the Preacher A good Name is better then a good ointment Eccles 7.3 and it standeth wyth reason for oyntments may preserue and pleasure such as liue but they cannot benefite a man when his body is dead A good Name is better then long life WHat more desired amongst men thâ—â— length of dayes vita incundissima a 〈…〉 all he hath to prolong his life aâ— appâ— by the diseased womâ—n which spâ—nt all thi◠〈…〉 â—tions Mark 5.26 And certes although the 〈…〉 ashes Ice congealed of 〈…〉 conuert to 〈◊〉 and man made of earth must dissolue 〈…〉 for omni aetati mortem esse communem And albeit the best Pippâ—◠〈…〉 then the Crab the swéetest flower sooner 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and the better man shall sometime sooner die thâ—◠〈◊〉 despâ—rate Abel was cut off when Cayn was permitted 〈◊〉 liue to his reproach Yet commonly in the Sâ—riptures the benefite of a long life is accompted a great blessing so a mans déedes be aunswearable to his dayes otherwise the more old the more â—â—ible Prou. 16.31 there is nothing more reprochfull saith Seneca then an old man which hath none other argument to prooue he hath liued long but onely his yeares for it is saide of the godly hee shall goe to his graue in a full age as a ricke of corne commeth in due season into the barne Iob. 5.26 The Lord promised the people of Ierusalem this blessing there shall yet olde men and olde wemen dwell therein and euery man with his staffe in his hand for very age Zach. 8.4 It is said of Abraham he died in a good age an old man and of great yeares Gen. 25.8 Isaack hee died and was gathered vnto his people being old and full of dayes Gen. 35.29 Dauid hee died in a good age and full of dayes 1. Chron. 29.28 Iob he died being old and full of dayes Iob. 42.17 Now it is said concerning the wicked that he shall not liue out halfe his dayes Psal 55 23. but shall bée cut off before his tyme Iob. 15.32 We haue example in Saul when hee killed himselfe and in Iudas when he hanged himselfe the Lord layeth this as a iudgement vpon Ely there shall not bee an old man in his house 1. Sam. 2.31 Yet a good Name is better then a long life the Wiseman sheweth a reason A good life hath the dayes nombred but a good Name endureth for euer Eccles 41.13 the common state of life as Dauid saith is 70. or 80. yeares but say that none liuing euer saw any should attaine the age of Methushelah 979. yéers yet his dayes are definite and determinable but his Name remaynes memorable to all posterities A good Name better then a Frend. WHat man can want the societie and solace of a true frend the Whale must haue his fish to direct him and man his frend to delight him Without a frend to participate withall there is nothing so delightfull to the eye so delectable to the eare so ioyfull to the hart that could procure vs any pleasure What more necessary then a frend in wealth to accompany in wo to comfort in any estate to communicate with Dauid was often in daunger of his life but for Ionathan Onesimus was a great frend to Paul in his distresse the wounded man had béene dead but for the Samaritane What is comparable to a true frend if we search into all sectes and sortes of people Amongst the common sort THeir loue is more light then loyall in crosses like the Marigold which close with euery cloud in wealth like the Drone which draweth from the Bée in both like the Pâ—lipe which chaunge with euery obiect such as gaue Christ good entertainement at his comming to Ierusalem could cry Crucifâ—â— to haue him to the crosse Amongst neighbours THeir frendship is more 〈◊〉 then faithfull if they bée rich they can hardly dâ—ell together Lot could not away with Abraham because their riches were so great If rich and poore dwell together then the 〈…〉 to the wâ—ll Diues could not abide Lazarus because he was poore If artificers and tradesmen dwell together then they be 〈◊〉 according to the common saying Figulus figulum odit Amongst kinsfolkes THere goodwill is as commonly cold as kinde like the Colewort which fléeth from the vine though it bee planted neuer so néere for the common prouerbe is verified Many kinsfolkes few frendes Saul could not abide Dauid for all he married his daughter nor Laban loued not Iacob Amongst Brothers ALas it is lamentable that those which bée nighest in bloud should bée furthest from beneuolence some carry malice till oportunity may effect it as Esau did toward Iacob because his father was liuing Gen. 27.41 Some conspire death as Iosephs brethren did against him because his father loued him best some commit murder as Cayn did to Abel because his sacrifice was better accepted of God Gen. 4.4 such is the loue of brethren that it may well be true that Salomon saith A frend is neerer then a brother Prou. 18. Amongst parents and children IT is horrible to expresse the vnnaturall practises of such whome nature hath appropriated so néere was not Senacherib slayne by his owne children and did not Nero murther Agrippina his owne mother Betwene man and wife THis of all other is the néerest coniunction and yet a man is crost with a collop of his owne flesh What a torment was Iobs wife to him in his trouble was not Ahab brought to confusion by Iezebels counsell did not Delilah séeke Sampsons destruction when he satisfied her desire I know there be many els God forbid that perfourme all the dueties of loue and nature within the former described kindes but they are vsed and executed not by those which are enemies but Frendes for a frend saith Salomon loueth at all times Prou. 17.17 and without loue there is none so néere ingraffed by nature but liue disseuered and at discord by enmity therefore a frend is most to be preferred What is hée will doe so much as one frend for an other Some brothers are very naturall Ioseph did kindly nourish his brothers in their age which would cruelly haue killed him in his youth Gen. 50.21 and Iudah did offer to stay in a strange countrey as a pledge for his brother Beniamin and was in great daunger of displeasure Gen. 44.23 Yet one frend hath done more for another then this I haue read of Damon and Pithias how the one béeing condemned to die and crauing some liberty to sée his countrie before his death the other staid behind as a suertie for his safe returne and to receiue his punishment if the other broke promise Some children are very duetifull yet they will sometime doo as much for their frend as their father Ionathan loued Saul well yet he loued his frend Dauid as his owne soule though his father could not abide him A frend wil sometime do more for
a man then his owne child Was not Hushai Dauids frend true to him when Absalon his sonne was a traytor to him A man loues his child well yet hée had rather sometyme haue his children iniuried then his frendes Lot had rather haue his daughters defloured then his frendes abused Gen. 19.8 Some wemen loue their husbandes so intierly that they had rather die then depart with them Admetus hauing a disease running vpon him which could not be cured without the death of an other could find none that would gladly dye for his sake but his wife Alcesti Arthemisia did drincke the ashes of hir husband after his death because shée would haue her owne body 〈◊〉 bee her husbands graue In the country called Getica the weâ—â—n desire to die on their husbandes bodies and to bée buried with thâ—â— and because their custome is to marry many wemen there is great striuing which shal haue the preferment and prâ—â—se herein Yet one frend hath done for another as much as this I haue read of Orestes and Pylades how Orestes was conâ—eâ—â—ed to dye and the Iudge not knowing one from another Pylades sayd his name was Orestes to saue his freâ—â—â—s life Tanta est vis amicitiae that as Tully saith a true frend is tanquam alter idem Quod difficile dulce as a 〈◊〉 rare to find so it is a great treasure to attaine one as no doubt a true frend is the 〈◊〉 of earthly ioy Yet a good Name is fâ—r better then the best frend for the best frendes of all will forsake vs when we dye but a good Name will remaine after death Post fatum fama triumphat Sithence a good Name is more excellent then any thing Wée must not looke to get it by sinister but by singular meanes not by vile but by vertuous actions not by vayne but by valiant attemptes The Philosopher saith well Nec vero clarorum virorum post mortem honores permanerent si nihil eorum ipsorum animi efficerent quò diutius memoriam sui teneremus for it is the commendable actions of a man in his life that makes his Name renowned and memorable after death As for example if a good man die what will the people report of him If he be a godly Maiestrate THey will thus commend him He was in the common wealth like Ioseph prouident in foreséeing in geuing iudgement like Samuel iust without bribes in cases of counsell like Salomon prudent in aduising amongst his inferiours like Saul little in hys owne sight Hée stood not vpon the countenance but accomplishment of his office he was full of piety much pitifull nothing parciall he was obeyed more for loue then feare his blessed death bewrayed his godly life and our bad desertes were meanes to abridge his dayes If he be a good Minister THey will report of him He was a good Phisition for hée not onely fed our soules with many good sermons but hee refreshed our bodies with many good meales hee was beloued and honoured of all not so much for his title as integrity He was right Pauls successor for hee was plaine in his habite without pride painefull in his calling without repyning A pastor for deuiding the woord A patterne for direction of life He might boldly reproue vs for our sinnes because he liued blamelesse in our sightes If he be a vertuous rich man THey will thus describe him He was not onely rich by reason of his wealth but well doing his house was an Inne for the straunger an hospitall for the poore a repast for his neighbours his purse was prostrate for euery good purpose hee imitated Iob for integrity Abraham for hospitality Moses for humility hée was louing to his equals lowly to his inferiors liberall to all men We might well forbeere many misers that be about vs but we haue a great misse of such a man to liue amongst vs. If he be any other of what practise profession faculty or function so euer he must expect like commendation according to his conuersation obseruing the dignities degrées giftes and graces of euery one for as the Cedar trée is further séene then the shrub so the higher a man be in place the greater is his report the more noble the more notorious is the Name like a lampe which is further séene vpon a tower then in a trenche I will for breuity omit millions of woorthy men whose Names are famosed by their apparant workes and writings and because as Cicero saith the actes and not the same should first be considered I referre you to their actions to iudge the worthinesse of the Authors If I should enter into authenticall examples how many haue left renowned Names to the world as it is recorded in the word it were too prolixious and néedelesse because they be very perspicuous yet I will infer a few as an introduction to the rest It is written of Ioshua that hée was 〈◊〉 through all the world Iosh 6.27 Samuel that he 〈…〉 and nâ—â—e 1. Sam. â— 26 Dauid that his Name was mâ—â—e grâ—â—◠〈◊〉 vnto the Name of the great 〈…〉 2. Sam. 7.9 Salomon that he 〈…〉 1. King 10. Iob thâ—â— there was 〈◊〉 like hym iâ— the earth Iob. 2.3 If I should 〈…〉 of such as 〈…〉 worthy Names in this 〈…〉 them Yet amonâ—â—â— many 〈…〉 then any respâ—â—â—â—â—g 〈◊〉 â—â—bility of the sexe what a rare report hath our Souerâ—â—â—â—â— Lady Queene Elizabeth deserued Whose patience in 〈◊〉 crosses whose piety in mainetayning the Gospell whose prouidence in foreséeing for her Countries whose pitty dispersed to all her subiectes hath made her Name so renowned that it is not onely carryed into the South for Saba to woonder at but into most partes of the world for all to admire at Her fame maketh forrayners to stand in feare of her her Maiesty maketh the Pagans to be amazed at her her Regiment maketh all nations to maruaile at her Blessed is she that hath so many blessinges happy are we that haue so rare a Phenix Accursed be they that wish ill to such a creature As shée hath deserued an admirable Name by her life Sic tandiu laudabitur dum memoria rerum Anglorum manebit If a good Name gotten by laudable meanes doth magnifie a man an ill Name procéeding of misdemeanor must néedes infamize him For as the same tallow which doth cherrish the light doth extinguish it if it be turned downeward so the same mouth which dooth praise one dooth depraue him if his actions bee odious as for example if an ill man die what will they say of him If he be an vngodly Gouernour They will thus report The Towne hath a happy turne by his death for it had no dâ—â—â—â—te by his life he did conuert the publike commodity priuately into his owne coffers he was ready to hang a man like Haman for bowing of a knée or moouing a cap he stood so much vpon his Magistracy that hee cleane forgot himselfe to be a man In his Office he would many wayes
May not the Poets words be verified in some Iudges Sic volo sic iubeo stat pro ratione voluntas Wee haue a Law and by our Law ought he to die Iohn 19.7 May they not be corrupted of malice because they cannot effect their owne mindes as the two Iudges were against Susanna because they might not haue their filthy desires on her May they not be blinded with bribes to peruert Iudgement as Ioel and Abiah were 1. Sam. 8.3 May they not be carried with letters to deale iniuriously as the Elders and Nobles of Izreel were by a letter sent from Iezebel 1. king 21.11 May they not deale partially either for feare of offending their frendes as Pilot delt with Christ to please Cesar Iohn 19 12.13 or for loue of their frendes as Herod delt with Iohn Baptist for Herodias daughters sake We haue many good Iudges at this day God continue and increase them but I am the more ample in this matter because we may not onely sée what corruption hath béene in all ages and estates of persons but that we may perceiue how we may be deceiued in censuring him that hath receiued sentence For Scoffers Scorners Mockers and such like monsters IT is a straunge thing to note the iniquity of these times if a man fall into some crosse as the best hath his procliuity to prauity how ready the light and lewd people are to reproch him Iob complained of this Thou hast made me a by-word of the people and I am as a tabret before them and now I am their song and their talke Iob 17. When his owne frendes and kinsfolkes came to visite him they did nothing but vexe him If a man were derided onely by his ennemies yet Periander willeth to hide our misfortune that our ennemies reioyce not his might the better beare it but oftentimes such as professe great frendship and be familiar with him will abuse hym behynde hys backe Dauid had experience hereof for he saith Mine enemy did not defame me for I could haue borne it but it was thou O man euen my companion my guide and my familiar Psal 55.13 Yea my familiar frend whome I trusted which did eate of my bread hath lifted vp the heele against me Psalm 41.9 Iob and Dauid were godly men yet they were subiect to the burthen of obloquy As the troubles of the righteous are many so they are most spighted and afflicted when they fall many prophane persons shal be countenaunced and supported in their faultes be they neuer so criminall as the children of Ely were when the more reformed man shal be persecuted and reproached in his fall bee it neuer so light but if so rare men as these were mocked their inferiours must not thincke much although mocking and derision will penetrate the most patient man It is so repugnant from nature that many more regard it then Gods glory as Zedekiah did Iere. 38.19 It is so importable that it is tearmed persecuting in the Galathians When Sara was mocked by Hagar it is so intollerable that the Children were deuoured by beares for mocking Elisha Good God where is this vnity of brethren and concord of Christians become when in stéede of loue they vse laughter mocking in stéede of mourning despising in stéede of pitying exclamation in stéede of consolation When Abraham the most religious man in the land had sinned whereof might haue ensued many euils Abimelech did not twit him either by his religion or cast him in the téeth with his lying but he was so farre from deriding him as he pittied him and so far from hurting him that he bestowed many presents vpon him this heathen king will condemne many Christians at this day When the Iewes brought the Adulteresse woman before our Sauiour Christ he was so far from vpbrayding her for her fault that he reproued them for reioycinge in her fall He bode him that was frée from sinne to throw the first stone and her to depart and sinne no more Tristitia dissoluit cor saith S. Augustine trouble strikes a terror into the mind of a good man and is sorrow inough of it selfe without this miserable torment of mocking and therefore we ought to comfort and not crosse such as be corrigible in their fall but to be fellow-féeling members in their afflictions Paul willeth the Romaines to wéepe with those that wéepe and Iob sayth Did not I weepe with him that is in trouble Iob. 30.25 What if thy brother offend of infirmity is hée the first or like to bée the last or art thou thy selfe frée or maist thou not fall consider thy owne case and thou shalt haue small reason to bee rigorous to an other If we sinne all in many thinges Iam. 3.2 art not thou culpable in some thinge then rather take warning by an other then wonder at him Is his sinne made notorious by the malice of enemies and thine concealed by the meanes of frendes or had in suspition or spéech by many violent presumptions Si non castè tamen cautè or hast thou not someway deserued reproach by thy life though it be not brought to light howsoeuer it be say the best of thy brother without scoffing or scorning least he from whome nothing is hid doth bewray thy sinnes to thy shame There are difference of misdoers some are but touched others taineted wyth notorious crimes although taineting is not common to euery transgressor many sinnes are priuate others more publike yet we ought to haue this respect that we measure some not according to the quality of his offence but the disposition of the offendor therefore saith Iude Haue compassion of some puttinge difference Iud. 22. and because the penitent ought to be pitied S. Paul willeth the Galathians to restore such as haue fallen by occasion into a fault and least any should insult and reioyce at hys fall he put in this memento by the way as a perfect reason drawn from humane imperfection Least thy selfe be tempted Gal. 6.1 What should moue thée to deride thy brother when he falleth Doest thou take him for an abiect then I accompt thée a reprobate for the best that euer were being but men haue fallen Search throughout the whole course of Scriptures and how many shall you finde that were euer so high for theyr calling so holy for their conuersation so renowned in Name that haue not offended either priuately or publikely If thy brother rise by repentance as his predecessors haue done why shouldest thou thinke hys fall more infamous then theirs or his soule lesse pretious then thine séeing whome God crosseth here he crowneth in heauen What should make thée disdayne the company of thy brother when hée falleth Is it thy integrity If thou standest remember Pauls counsell to the Corinthians Take heede thou doest not fall yet thy contempt cannot excuse but rather accuse thée of euill for those which did say Stand apart come not neere mee I am holier then thou Esay 65.5 they were no better then hypocrites