persecute you also saith Christ Ioh. 5. 20. And yet againe Luke 9. 23. Whosoeuer will come after mee must take vp his crosse dayly Now no man can bee said to take vp his crosse but he that is patient in tribulation The crosse of it selfe is not the way to the Crowne but the patient bearing of the Crosse. Saint Paul sayes fitly If a man striue for masteries he is not crowned except he striue lawfully 2 Tim. 2. 5. Wherefore if we desire the ioyes of the Kingdome of Heauen let vs be content to walke patiently without murmuring and fretting through the stony lane of tribulation The Israelites liked the Land of Canaan very well but when they felt hardship in the Wildernesse they murmured and the Prophet sayes They prouoked the Lord and he slew them by thousands If we commit the like sinne how shall wee escape the like iudgement when Dauid sent Embassadours to the King of Ammon to comfort him after his Fathers death he euill intreated them and Dauid was exceeding angry Behold afflictions are the Lords Embassadours which hee sends vnto vs for many good ends wherefore if wee grudge and repine if we mourne without measure and fret and chafe at them surely wee shall greatly prouoke the Lords indignation against vs. Let vs therefore hearing these things be perswaded to be patient in all manner of tribulation the rather because God hath promised to bee with vs in all trouble and to help vs to beare it and in very good time to deliuer vs out of all our tribulation This is the fourth Meditation The first clause whereof viz. That God will bee with vs and helpe vs in trouble may be proued First By the promises out of Gods Word Secondly By examples instances and experience The Scripture is full of promises of Gods comfortable presence I will cite onely that of Esa. 43. 1. Thus saith the Lord feare not for I haue redeemed thee and when thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt For I am the Lord thy God the Holy One of Israel thy Sauiour Feare not for I am with thee Here by fire and water we may vnderstand all manner of tribulation into which Gods children fall In all which the Lord promises to be with them and how can they miscarry with whom the Almightie is But perhaps some wil say This is indeed a large gracious promise but it was made only to the people of Israel Answ. Paul speaking to the Romans which were Gentiles as well as wee saith Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might haue hope More plainely Heb. 13. 5. the Spirit teacheth euery one to apply vnto himselfe that promise which was made onely to Ioshua I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee wherby it is sure that what promise soeuer thou findest in all the Scripture made to a beleeuer thou if thou beleeuest hast as good interest in it as he to whom it was made Wherefore when thou fallest into any tribulation comfort thy selfe with the promise of Gods presence because he saith I will not leaue thee Neither hath God onely promised his presence but also afforded it vnto his children Esay 63. 9. It is said of Gods people In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saued them In his loue and in his pittie hee redeemed them and hee bare them and carried them all the dayes of old More particularly how often doth Dauid say That God was with him in the needfull time of trouble and that he was his rock his fortresse his refuge his strong helpe that hee deliuered him out of all his troubles and Psa. 23. 4. he makes this comfortable profession Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me Not to multiply examples how confidently doth Saint Paul say in the name of all beleeuers 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation Againe verse 5. As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. Russinus lib. 1. cap. 36. brings an excellent example of God presence in affliction One Theodorus was for the profession of the Christian Faith wracked and tortured about two or three houres most cruelly yet neuerthelesse that godly man was all the while ioyful and cheerefully sang Psalmes vnto God After hee was let loose some of his friends asked him whether he felt no paine vpon the racke Hee said some small paine he felt but there was with him a faire young man as hee seemed who still wiped the sweat from his face and refreshing him as it were with coole water caused that hee felt lesse paine then when he was let downe All that are in tribulation now adayes doe not behold the presence of the Lord as Theodorus did but all that beleeue are partakers of the Lords spirituall presence whereby he inables them to doe or suffer any thing according to that Phil. 4. 13. I am able to doe all things thorough Christ Iesus that strengtheneth mee Vpon which word Bernard wel notes that man by Nature impotent by Grace is made omnipotent verily hee that beleeues is made able to doe or suffer any thing For all things are possible to him that beleeueth Mar. 9. 23. And no maruell for Faith drawes whom the Lord of Life and Glory and makes him present in euery place in euery affliction and how can there want comfort in his presence where is fulnesse of ioy for euer It was the perswasion or spirituall sight of this presence of the Lord that helped the Saints in all their tribulation This made Moses not feare the Kings wrath Heb. 11. 27. Hee indured as seeing him who is inuisible This supported Dauid when hee was in his enemies Countrey and his owne men spake of stoning him 1 Sam. 30. 6. What was it but the presence of the Lord that strengthened both the three children before the fiery furnace and Daniel in the Lions den This made Peter sleep sweetly in prison the night before hee should bee slaine Acts 12. This made Stephen speake boldly to his fierce enemies Asts 7. This made Paul and Silas sing Psalmes in prison at midnight Acts 16. This made many beleeuers which were tried by mockings scourgings and wrackings despise the paine and the shame Heb. 11. In like manner if wee could perswade our selues that the Lord according to his gracious promise is with vs in all our tribulation it would make vs quiet and strongly comfort vs. O the ioy of the Lords presence is able to bring mighty things to passe what cannot he doe and turne to our good which called light out of darknes made all
the course which God prescribes is to wait patiently the Lords leisure Hab. 2. 4. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry The thing to be obserued hence is that no man must indent with God concerning the time of deliuerance but must patiently indure the Lords leasure and pleasure The best meanes to hasten reliefe in tribulation is to throw thy selfe downe before God saying Here I am Lord doe with mee what thou wilt I am content to wait thy leasure and to tarry vntill thou in thy wisdome seest it fit to release mee Obiect I see no meanes of redresse though I tarry neuer so long I am in great want and debt and weaknesse and haue many to relieue and haue no friends left Marke what the Spirit saith Psal. 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and be doing good so shalt thou dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed Againe vers 25. I haue beene young and now am old yet neuer saw I the righteous forsaken Remember moreouer how the Lord prouided for the widdow of Sarepta 1 King 17. His hand is not now shortned Lastly if thou keepe faith and a good conscience and resoluest that thou wilt not vse any indirect meanes to helpe thy selfe or thine but depend vpon God thou shalt be sure with poore Lazarus to be receiued into the Kingdome of Heauen when thou dyest this will make amends for thy tribulation But me thinks I heare some Rachel complaining that she hath lost a gracious sonne and can haue no more yea as worthy an husband as the world can yeeld how should she bepatient Ans. 1. Thou hast not lost that which God hath found 2. God hath giuen thee his Sonne to bee thy husband will not this make amends for thy sonne and thy husband Is not he better-then ten sons and husbands In a word let thy tribulation be what it may let there be neuer so many impediments neuer so strong aduersaries neuer so weake meanes Nay let thy case be desperate in the eye of man yet if thou canst beleeue and wait the Lord will surely in good time send thee helpe from his holy place as hee hath done to all Saints which did put their trust in him How can it bee otherwise seeing his Name is still wonderful his Power alsufficient his wisdome infinite his Truth infallible his Loue immutable his Promise Grace as large as euer our Mediator Iesus Christ making intercession for vs the same for euer Dauid Ps. 37. 37. bids vs marke the perfect man behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace And it is worth the marking also which Saint Paul saith of himselfe 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. No man stood with mee notwithstanding the Lord stood with mee and strengthened mee and I was deliuered out of the mouth of the Lyon and the Lord will deliuer mee from euery euill worke and will preserue mee vnto his heauenly Kingdome Vpon what ground doth Paul speake this surely because he beleeued So then if wee beleeue Gods promises made in the Word wee also may say as boldly as he The Lord will deliuer vs from euery euill worke and will preserue vs vnto his heauenly Kingdome Seeing then all our tribulation comes from the Lord and he deales with vs most wisely and louingly and neuer sends any tribulation but for some good end as namely his owne glory the example of our weake brethren or our owne good in trying purging quickning vs and heaping more glory vpon vs And lastly seeing hee is with vs in all tribulation and helpes vs to beare it and hath promised to giue a gracious issue wee shall shew our selues to be very vnreasonable men if we wil not from hence forth set our selues to be patient in tribulation I will conclude with S. Iames 5. 10. Take my brethren the Prophets who haue spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience Behold wee count them happy which inaure Yee haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pittifull and of tender mercy Wherefore whatsoeuer your tribulation be Be yee also patient vnto the comming of the Lord. To whom be glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS TEARES OF THE Isle of Wight shed on the Tombe of their most Noble valorous and louing Captaine and Gouernour the right Honourable HENRIE Earle of Southampton who dyed in the Netherlands Nouemb. 10 20 at Bergen-vp-Zone As also the true Image of his Person and Vertues IAMES the Lord Wriothesley Knight of the Bath and Baron of Titchfield who dyed Nouemb. 5 15 at Rosendaell And were both buried in the Sepulcher of their Fathers at Tichfield on Innocents day 1624. They were louely and pleasant in their liues and in their death they were not diuided 2 Sam. 1. 23. Quis tali fando Temperet à lachrymis Honoris Amoris Doloris Ergô HENRYE IAMES WRIOTHESLEY Anagram HERE I SEE MANY WORTHIES LY. Here yee see two but two's not all for why In these two Worthyes many Worthyes dye O what a generation's here surprized Of Noble bloud which was in them comprized Printed at London by William Iones dwelling in Red 〈…〉 TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS EARLE OF SOVTHAMPTON All Peace and Happinesse My very Honourable good Lord IT hath pleased God to make your Lordship Heire vnto your most Noble Father and therefore I thinke you haue most right to these Teares which were shed for him and your renowned Elder Brother If I did not know by mine own obseruation that your Lordship was a diligent Obseruer of all your Fathers Vertues touching which also you haue a daily Remembrancer I would exhort you to behold the shadow of them delienated here by those which much admired him liuing and shall neuer cease to honour his Memory and loue those that doe any Honour vnto him The Lord increase the Honour of your House and reioyce ouer you to doe you good vntill hee haue Crowned you with Immortalitie Your Lordships at command W. IONES TO THE READER COming lately to London I found in publike priuat many Monuments of honor loue and griefe to those Great Worthies the Earle of Southampton and his Sonne which lately deceased in the Low-Countries whiles they did Honour to our State and Friends And because it cannot be denied but wee of the Isle of Wight of whom that Noble Earle had the speciall Charge and Care were most obliged vnto his Honour I thought it very meet to publish these Teares which for the greater part were shed in the Island long since for priuate vse and adiudged to darknesse but that my selfe being bound by particular duty to doe all Honour to these Gracious Lords intreated that they might still liue which not without importunitie I obtained And now they are set forth neither for
cure two such in whose know'n valour lay Your Countries weale For whom you should haue show'n The vtmost of that Art that e're was know'n Or practiz'd amongst artists and haue stroue T' haue turn'd the course of Nature and t' haue droue Things to their pristin state reducing Men Meerly to Elements and thence agen Moulding them vp anew preseruing life In spight of death and sharpe diseases strife Dull leaden Doctors Leiden is too good For you poore men that neuer vnderstood More wayes of Physicke than to giue a drench To cure the big-swolne Dutch or wasted French Pardon you neighbour Nations what I had Of reason's yours but griefe hath made me mad How durst you to such men such boldnesse show As t' practise with those parts you did not know Or meddle with those veines that none should strike But those that had beene practiz'd in the like Alas you knew not how their bodies stood Their veines abounded with a Nobler blood Of a farre purer dye and farre more rife VVith actiue spirits of a nimbler life Than e're before you practiz'd on May all The sicknesses that on our nature fall And vex rebellious man for his foule sin Seize on you all throughout without within For this presumptuous deed and want of skill And may such potions as haue pow'r to kill Be all your physicke yet corrected striue To weare you out and keepe you long aliue But O mee think's I raue 'T is time to end When 'gainst the rules I loue I so offend Pardon you learned Artists well I know Your skill is great and you not spar'd to show The vtmost of it Yet when all 's assay'd The debt to God and nature must be pay'd You precious Vrus that hold that Noble dust Keepe safe the wealth committed to your trust And you deare Reliques of that ample worth That whilom through your crenices shin'd forth That now haue put off Man and sweetly lye T' expect your Crowne of Immortality Rest there repos'd vntouch't and free from care Till you shall meet your soules with them to share In that rich glory wherein now they shine Disdaining all that 's not like them Diuine Where I assur'd againe to see and greet you Resolue to weepe till I goe out to meet you Ità non cecinit at verè pijssimeque flevit Ille dolet verè qui sine teste dolet Certaine touches vpon the Life and Death of the Right Honourable HENRIE Earle of Southampton and his true Image IAMES the Lord Wriothesley his eldest Sonne TO THE READER REader beleeue me 't is not Gaine nor Fame That makes me put in my neglected Name Mong'st learned Mourners that in Sable Verse Doe their last Honour to this dolefull Herse Nor did these Lords by liuing bountie tie To Them and to their Heires my Poetry For to speake plainly though I am but poore Yet neuer came I knocking to their doore Nor euer durst my low obscuritie Once creepe into the luster of their die Yet since I am a Christian and suppose My selfe obliged both with Verse and Prose Both with my Pencills and my Pens best Art With eye tongue heart and hand and euery part In each right Noble well-deseruing Spirit To honour Vertue and commend true merit Since first I breath'd and liu'd within the Shire That giues a Title to this honoured Peere Since twelue long Winters I my little Flock Fedin that Isle that wal'd with many a rock And circled with the Maine against her shore Hear 's the proud Ocean euery day to rore And sitting there in sun-shine of his Glory Saw his faire Vertues read his lifes true Story Who see 's not I haue reason to make one In this Isle's Churches Countries common mone Or thinks that in his losse I haue no part When the whole Kingdome seems to feele the smart Let him that list his griefs in silence mutter I cannot hold my plaints I needs must vtter I must lament and sigh and write and speake Lest while I hold my tongue my heart should breake W. PETTIE I. To the Right Honourable HENRY Earle of Southampton THe changing World and the Eternall Word Nature Art Custome Creatures all accord To proue if any doubted that we must Since All haue sin'd all die and turne to dust But deare SOVTHAMPTON since deserued praise Came thronging on Thee faster then thy dayes Since thy Immortall Vertues then were seene When thy graue head was gray to be most greene VVe fooles began to hope that thy lifes date Was not confined to our common fate But that thou still should'st keep the worlds faire Stage Acting all parts of goodnesse that Each Age Succeeding ours might in thy action see What Vertue in them dead did liue in Thee II. BVt oh vaine thoughts though late we find alas The fairest flowers that th' earth brings forth are grass Wealth Honor Wisdome Grace nor Greatnesse can Adde one short moment to the life of Man Time will not stay and the proud King of feanes Not mov'd by any Presents Prayers or teares Doth trample downe fraile flesh and from the wombe Leads vs away close prisoners to the tombe III. To both the Lords ANd you braue Lords the glorie of your Peeres More laden with your Honors then your yeeres Deare to Your Soueraigne faithfull to the State Friends to Religion ill men's feare and hate Death as his Captiues here hath laid full lowe And left your friends long legacies of woe Griefe to your Country to your house sad losses T' our Armies dread to our designements crosses IIII. To the Liuing TEll me yee liuing wights what marble heart Weying our wants doth not with sorrow smart To see those glorious Starres that shin'd so cleere In our disconsolate darke Hemisphere To see these Pillars whose firme Basies prop't Our feeble State the Cedars that oretop't The ayric clouds yeelding to Birds a Neast Shadow and shelter to the wearied Beast Now by Death's bloudie hand cut downe defaced Their Light ecclipsed and their height abased V. To Death YEt boast not cruell Tyrant of thy spoyle since with thy conquest thou hast won the foile For they O happy Soules diuinely armed Could not though hit be with thine arrowes harmed Thus robbed not of Beeing but of Breath Secure they triumph ouer stinglesse Death And while their pure immortall part inherits The heauenly blisse with glorified Spirits Their dust doth sleepe in hope and their good name Liue's in th' eternall Chronicles of fame VI. To the Hollanders vpon the returne of the Lords Corpes HOlland t' is knowne that you vnto our Nation Haue long bin linc'kt in friendlie Combination T' is knowne that we to you haue daily duly All offices of loue performed truely You still haue had protection from our Forts Trade to our Townes and harbour in our Ports When big-swolne Spaine you threatend to deuour We to your weaker ioyn'd our stronger power And our old souldiers willingly vnprest Ran to your wars as fast as to some feast We
things of nothing if we would but giue glory to his Word which sayes Hee is with vs in trouble and alwaies at hand to helpe vs in all our tribulation Feare not for I am with thee saith the Lord to euery one that is in trouble For the confirmation of this difficult point That God is with them that are in tribulation mark what Christ saith Iohn 16. 33. These things haue I spoken that in mee yee might haue peace In the world yee shall haue tribulation But bee of good cheare I haue ouercome the world Againe he sayes Matthew 28. 20. Loe I am with you alwayes euen vnto the end of the world which wordes by Hieronym and Chrysostome are vnderstood of Christs presence to all beleeuers vnto the worlds end But the manner of his presence is spirituall viz. He is present by his Spirit of this Spirit it is that hee sayes Iohn 14. 16. I will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for euer Euen the Spirit of Truth which dwelleth with you and shall be in you Againe Ioh. 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you By these places it is euident what kind of presence Christ promised to his Church and euery beleeuer vnto the worlds end Euen the presence of his Spirit which is the Comforter and if any aske how Christ by his Spirit doth comfort beleeuers in tribulation and make them patient I answere three wayes First The Spirit teacheth them to apply vnto themselues the precious promises of presence and assistance as Esay 43. 2. When thou passest through the water I will be with thee Psalme 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him Psa. 37. 5. Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust also in him and he will bring it to passe These and many such promises doth the Spirit teach beleeuers to apply vnto their own soules declaring also how God hath made good such promises from time to time to al that trusted in him Secondly Christ by his Spirit helps beleeuers in tribulation by powring into their hearts the gifts and graces of the Spirit whereby they are made patient as namely joy courage patience confidence peace of conscience the spirit of supplication yea the Spirit helpes all our infirmities and makes intercession vnto God for vs Rom. 8. 26. Thirdly The Spirit workes patience in vs By bearing witnesse to our spirits that wee are the children of God if children then heires heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ so that if wee suffer with him we shall also be glorified together Rom. 8. 16. These be strong comforts able to make any man patient wherefore if we loue our soules let vs now whiles wee haue time get these comforts about vs that when we fall into any tribulation wee may haue comfort at hand They that are of abilitie will alwayes haue in a readinesse hot waters and cordialls against qualmes and sudden fits How much more ought we to be wise in prouiding against the qualmes of our soules considering that wee are daily subiect to some tribulation or other Now the principall cordiall for the soule in all distresse is the comfort of the Holy-ghost which Chriss hath promised to all beleeuers Let all beleeuers therefore soundly stay their hearts in all tribulation vpon this Comforter which as hee is inuincible in himselfe so is he able to ouercome all euill whatsoeuer to which we are subiect If this Comforter be with vs wee need not feare what befalls vs whether tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword in all these we shall be more then conquerors Yea we need not feare pouertie reproch sicknesse desolation torment death this Comforter hath consolation in store which will comfort vs in despight of all these euills in their greatest extreamitie Nature and Art can worke onely by meanes But the Spirit which is the Comforter of beleeuers in all tribulation can work with meanes and without meanes yea and against meanes Psal. 112. 4. Vnto the vpright there ariseth light in darknesse I may adde ioy in sorrow peace in trouble abundance in want life in death VVhen any beleeuer is called out by God to be tried by tribulation the Spirit forthwith either furnishes him with sufficient strength or abates the strength of the affliction as we see in Ioseph Moses the three children the Prophets Apostles Martyrs in all ages Let vs therfore hearing these things out of the Word of Truth labor daily to find them verified in our selues that we may be patient in tribulatiō Now followes the latter clause of the fourth Meditation viz. That God in all tribulation will giue a seasonable and gracious issue If their were no end of tribulation it were in vaine to perswade to patience But nothing is more often mentioned in Scripture then an end of trouble Psal. 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all Ioh. 16. 20. Yee shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shal be turned into ioy How often doth Dauid confesse that the Lord deliuered him out of all his tribulation Ob. Yea but Dauid and others complain that it is very long before the Lord helps them and the same complaint doe many in these dayes take vp insomuch that they begin to faint vnder the burden of sicknesse want disgrace c. before they be deliuered Ans. This is true the Lord sometimes deferres long before he helpes vs in tribulation but he doth it in wisdome if we had eyes to see it To some he defers to grant their suit that he may make them more earnest in prayer which is an exercise wherein he greatly delights Secondly He deferres some to make them more sweetly taste the benefits when it comes whereas if it were presently granted it would be quickly forgotten Thirdly God delaies to send help in trouble to put vs in mind how we haue put off from day to day to turn to him Fourthly Most commonly God prolongs the time of our tribulation because it hath not fully accomplished the worke for which he sent it Our vaine imaginations are not cast downe our rebellious lusts are not mortified our minds are not humbled our compassion towardes others in affliction is not stirred vp our hearts are not weaned from this world wherefore if the hand of God at any time be vpon thee presently enter into examination with thy selfe and deale impartially with thy soule and humble thy selfe mightily if thou expect deliuerance For God delights not in thy tribulation but delayes only vntill thou art prepared for deliuerance Obiect I haue examined all my wayes and humbled my selfe greatly and beene very earnest in prayer long and yet I see no end of trouble Ans. Perhaps thou dost make too much hast whereas