anon may have your mouths and hearts all full with that of Mary who being asked by the Angels why she wept Joh. 20.13 cries them out this answer They have taken away my Lord. Other families and other persons have their parts in this mourning too and this our meeting makes a Consort of lamentation such an one as may seem to emulate that memorable mourning of Haddadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Zech. 12.11 And now that we had a Jeremy for this place Jeremy in the possession of his wish his head waters and his eyes a fountain of tears For he could broach the eyes and pierce the hearts of after-generations and by the power of his pen make impressions upon pious posterity All the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day and made them an ordinance in Israel and behold they are written in the Lamentations 2 Chro. 35.25 Oh for a David one that had power to his passion who did not only himself bewail the anointed Saul and honorable Jonathan but for their sakes commanded the children of Judah to be taught the use of the Bow not to shoot in as it is ordinarily and easily mistaken but to sigh in the lamenting song called the Bow behold it is written in the book of Jasher 2 Sam. 1.18 But why do I call in mourners we want none We need not hire any Roman Praefica's a custom observed also among the Jews Jer. 9.17 Call for the mourning women that they may come and send for cunning women that they may come sâ—â—h as let out their eyes for hire and set their tears to sale having both a trade and a trick of mourning We have true tears in showers and have more cause to suspect a flood then a drought and the fear is lest so many rivolets met in one confluence like Jordan in harvest should overflow all banks and bounds But to keep us within compass it was expresly provided by the deceased Lord whose honorable remains now lie before us according to the constant tenor of his admirable humility desirous always rather laudabilem esse than laudari to be than to be accounted good That he might be buried with all Christian warrantable decencie without pomp or costly vanity quietly and peaceably without giving offence to any one person or creature if possible Those are the very words of his last Will and Testament By which as it is said of Abel Heb. 11.4 being dead he yet speaketh speaketh against all immoderation and excess speaketh as our Saviour sometimes did to the lan enting followers of his cross and passion Daughters of Jerusalem Lu. 23.28 weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children There 's a black bill of Jerusalem's sins gone up to heaven and given in against her and there 's a black cloud of miseries hangs over Jerusalem's head ready to fall upon her You have sins and are like to have sufferings will set your tears on work and therefore lavish not away such precious eye-water be so thrifty in what you spend upon compassion that you be sure to keep for contrition Thus weep or weep not at all for me but weep all for your selves and for your children But if moderation be intended then what means this great and unusual appearance this sad and solemn Procession these multiplied Blacks that stately Herse those Armorial Ensigns and tricks of Honor those Atrati the Mourners walking about the streets Et non plebeios luctus testata Cupressus Such a question was once put by the Disciples and that with indignation too when they saw the Alabaster-box of very precious ointment poured on the head of Jesus Mat. 26.7 8. To what purpose is this waste S. John seems to take it off in some measure at least from the other Disciples and lay it upon Judas making him the greatest if not the onely murmurer He had the filthiest heart and foulest mouth and so fittest to speak that base objection which he hatched in his bag not his conscience Joh. 12.5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor It is not unlike there may be some of Judas his brood here this day Great sins seldom die issueless who being of the same mind may murmure after the same manner and therefore the same answer will fit them Joh. 12.8 This is for the day of my burying for the poor you have always with you but me you have not always They whom Christ cannot satisfie deserve no answer nor will I trouble my self further with them then to tell them It is more then suspicious that they who have over-slovenly thoughts of Burial have too slender hopes of the Resurrection He lays his clothes by handsomly doth not throw them away carelesly that intends to put them on again in the morning Indeed were our minds after the Heathen Motto Non est spes ulla sepultis There 's no hopes of them that are once buried any burial were good enough any hole will serve no hopes Let lost forlorne carkasses be kicked into corruption the ditch is fittest for that which will never be better then dirt But a body which hath been Animae domicilium it is Origen's word the dwelling-house of a divine soul and whilst in the state of conjunction Eph. 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is S. Pauls word an habitation of God through the Spirit a Temple of the Holy Ghost one of the dwellings of God and mansions of the most High A body which shall rise in honor 1 Cor. 15.43 put on glory and wear immortality A body which shall be fashioned like unto Christs glorious body Phil. 3.21 let it have some of the fashion of his burial too the honorable attendance the spikenard and spices Mar. 15.43.46 the ointment and fine For questionless had costly linnen solemnities been a sin he who knew no sin would not have made his grave with the rich in his death Isa 53.9 nor should the Sun being under his command have put both himself and the heavens into black Mat. 27.45 to witness their mourning to the world Let them who live and die like beasts be buried like beasts the burial of an ass Jehojakim's curse Jer. 22.15 suits best with them But let not man a good man a good man in honor though he abideth not be thus like the beasts that perish Ps 49.12 Let us give him the honor due unto his name Due indeed For if ever Funerals were called Justa as being a debt to the memory of the deceased these are they in which we do not perform but pay the service of this day Which whilst we are about let me bless you 2 Sam. 2.5 as David did the men of Jabesh-Gilead Blessed be you of the Lord that you have shewed this kindness unto this Lord and are thus come to bury him But before his burial
The Worthy of Ephratah REPRESENTED In a SERMON at the Funerals of the Right Honorable EDMUND Earl of MULGRAVE Baron Sheffield of Botterwic In the Church of Burton-Stather Sept. 21. 1658. By EDWARD BOTELER sometimes Fellow of Magdalen-Colledge in Cambridge and now Rector of Wintringham in the County of Lincoln PSAL. 126.6 He shall doubtless come again with rejoicings and bring his sheaves with him London Printed by T.N. for G. Bedell and T. Collins and are sold at their Shop at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1659. To the Right Honorable ELIZABETH COUNTESS OF MVLGRAVE The Pious Relict of EDMUND late Earl of MULGRAVE and Baron of BOTTERWIC Madam IT suits not with an home-spun garment to be faced with cloth of gold or silver Nor should this poor Piece have presumed to wear your honorable Name to the world were it not that so much of your Ladiships interest is bound up with it You have a right in what was your Lords and behold here an Inventory of his best and choisest Goods Your Ladiship may please to read these Sheets without fear of discomposure without shrinking in or giving back at the suspition of any cutting and doleful expressions in them for they will shew you more White in the gracious Life of your deceased LORD then will chequer all the Blacks of his Death and Funerals Were there nothing but the voice of the Turtle to be heard in the Text Cant. 2.12 and were the Sermon like Ezekiel's Roll Ezek. 2.10 all written within and without Lamentations and mourning and woe I would have sent no such company to knock at the door of your Closet where I know Privacie and Passion would have been too hearty in their entertainment and harbored such Guests till they had becom Inmates I would wound no hearts and melt no eyes but for sin God hath a bottle for such tears and a book for such groans when all the floods of worldly sorrows which wander and run out into other chanels shall be but like those tears in Ecclesiastes ch 4.1 which found no comforter Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 4. the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who hath comforted you in your tribulations so that you are not put to it at the taking away of your Lord as Micah was at the taking away of his gods You have taken away my gods and what have I more Judg. 18.24 God hath taken away one of your Lords and you have another Lord for him long may you have him a Lord of your womb for the Lord of your bosom And how gracious was the method of this mercy God giving you this young Lord in hand that I may so speak for some years before he took tâ—â— other from you How did he seem herein to consult your comfort and establishment providing thereby against all future diffidence and despondencies that you might put your self into a posture of spiritual strength whereby to stand with faith and patience unbroken receiving with courage that shock of sorrows which is come upon you in this day of your rebuke and trouble So that Madam your comfort is exchanged only not taken away and you have great cause freely to trust that God of whom you have had so friendly a trial Ps 9.10 They that know his name will trust in him You cannot fall by leaning upon him He will keep them in perfect peace Isa 26.3 whose minds are stayed on him Thus your Ladiship by frequent removals of your mind from a dead Lord to the living God will happily lose your losses in such delightful and comprehensive thoughts and at length see little or nothing of your sufferings for the pâ—enty and superabundance of your reparations Alas Comforts in the Creatures taste of the cask and are tainted with mortality at least in God they are sweet and living like waters in their fountain And those fading excellencies which lie scattered in them Honor in one Wisdom in another are all immassed and laid up in him as in their treasury Some sprinklings of happiness may a while sojourn in them but in him all fulness dwells Whatsoever is good in it self or in others is advanced to a better being is best in him Make him your strength and you have Allsufficiencie lay up your life in him and it is Immortality Affect his beauty and you are in love with Majesty Match your soul with him and they are the espousals of Eternity Madam I am neither worthy to counsel or comfort you I know you are better provided Only I presume being first commanded by your Honor to this undertaking to be your humble Remembrancer that you will make use of those graces which are now especially in season useful most at such a time as this and most proper for the conjuncture Resignation of your will is your great work Be in subjection to the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 and live Live in patience die in peace lie down in hope rise in honor and reign in glory Your HONOR' 's most obliged humble Servant E. BOTELEâ— Illustrissimum Dominum Dominum EDMUNDUM COMITEM Mulgravium Insobili funere raptum publicis hisce exequiis iterum elatum Unà cum BOTELERIO suo comitatur atque ex animo deflet Johannes Merryweather FUnere Mulgraviensi denuò prodeunte fletus denuò planctúsque posci haud immeritò videmur Liceat per te Heroina pientissima lachrymis penè tandem aegritudine confecta liceat suavissime nobilissiméque Comes praesentis saeculi palà m deliciae futuri future decus vulnus illud infandum longéque acerbissimum animo saltem cogitatione lugubri aliquantisper retegere ut nè Justis unquam suis destituantur Mulgravienses exequiae Atque hìc sanè est ubi linguas omnium quicquid uspiam est Chrysostomorum StentorÃsque alicujus latera mihi dari velim ut omnibus quid perdiderint ritè edoctis universos undecunque Anglos ad luctus conciam ut publicè nunc demum elato MULGRAVIO publicitùs adveniat luctus publici summittantur gemitus Commune dum vixit bonum fuit commune cùm moritur damnum Sed benè quod nec linguis nec lateribus opus est Nôrunt jandudum satis superque omnes quae damna fecerint nec quenquam arbitror in Israele hoc nostro tam insolenten reperiri hospitem qui moerendi scitetur causam Nôrunt Proceres AnglÃque Patricii priscam pectoris morúmque integritatem priscam fidem fortitudinémque ac genuinum adeò avitae Nobilitatis exemplar in MULGRAVIO spirâsse sed expirâsse Justum strenuúmque decessisse Rei communis Vindicem eúmque qui publicè tantum vixerit ut publicè prodesset nôrunt Plebeii Nôrunt eum dum vixit vixisse aliis sibîque soli mortuum Nôrunt afflicti miserique sibi raptum Patronum nôrunt scilicet plorantes aestúque publico adhuc pallentes Naufragi fortem fidelémque desiderari Hospitem Nôrunt qui
novissimis hisce nequissimÃsque temporibus spectaculum Angelis Hominibus facti tanquam purgamenta mundi sunt omnium Peripsema usque adhuc periisse sibi Fautorem Cultorem Nutritium Patrem Quid loquor veram animi virtutem niveam vitae per omnia sanctimoniam morúmque puritatem emendatissimam Sed quas res ago miser aut quò feâ—or siquis forte erit qui quem virum quem heroa lugeamus nesciat adeat licet Orationem istam Funeream luculentissimam sanè eam fragrantissimámque in quâ ita Nardo Pistico perfusus obdormit Comes MULGRAVIUS ita suavolentissimis omne genus aromatis delibutus componitur ut in ipsis etiam Parcarum amplexibus vivus adhuc spiret legentiúmque oculis contemplandus simul suspiciendus obversetur Hìc inquam nec tamen hìc tantùm vivit vivitúrque MULGRAVIUS Vivit adhuc in piis Propinquorum gemitibus lachrymis Vivit in Clientum suorum hoc est in bonorum omnium luctuosis animis Vivit in Procerum suspiriis in Popelli planctu In quocunque denique Veri RectÃque cultus in quocunque generosum Honestum pectori incoctum micat in eo particulam aliquam Mulgraviam etiamnum superesse dixerim Atqui in te si uspiam alibi totus simúlque in te inquam seorsim victurus est ô Auree SHEFFELDIORUM Manipule in te aureo resurgit culmo quodcunque in Patre de … ssum querimur in te regerminat … ulgravii nominis decus Ità quaeso lucidissima Sheffeldiani stemmatis Gemma id esse stude quod Natales praestant Paternásque virtutes maturè occupa Jus tibi tuum ocyùs assere omnibúsque hunc aliis honorem invidus praeripe ut nemo magis SHEFFELDIUM quà m SHEFFELDIUS referat Facito Veneres istae Gratiaeque dulcissimae quibus quasi agmine facto circumvolitantibus tum vultus tibi tum pectora renident quibusque quicunque spectator accedit quasi perculsus irretitus stupet omnes tandem originem suam simulátque adoleverint prodant nec aliud demum quicquam comperiantur quà m Nativae dignitatis praeludia proseminatae virtutis emicantes scintillulae Sic tandem fiet ut moerorem eum luctúmque quem nondum aut fas erit deponere aut facile non nobis longa dies ut alià s solet sed MULGRAVIUS redivivus minuat To the READER Reader THough I do not call thee Courteous yet I pray thee be so be liberally so Many failings and such as mine will make work for much courtesie The Press and I have hitherto been strangers nor did I ever intend my Pen should scrape acquaintance with it but the desires of some which carry the force of commands and the importunity of other Friends calling for more Copies then I had list or leisure to transcribe have over-ruled those thoughts and driven me out of my recesses and most desired privacie Nor yet could I ever look the world in the face with more confidence and less fear of blushing having in all this Discourse kept close â—â—â—pany with Truth which needeth not be ashamed And if I had so little integrity that I would my Lord of Mulgrave had so much excellency that I could not flatter I am innocent from that great offence which is the reproach and almost ruine of these Sermons It is too much known how the glozing tongues of some mercenary Orators have preached themselves and this kind of Preaching out of credit the rank flowers of whose unsavory Rhetorick sprinkled upon rotten Names have not only distasted some sick-brained and silly ones but even turned the stomacks of sound and sober persons So that the Preacher of a Funeral-Sermon may find his fittest Text in that complaint of the Prophet Isa 53.1 Quis credidit auditui nostro Who hath believed our report And an Here lyes may as truly be inscribed on the Pulpit of the Preacher as the Grave or Monument of the Deceased As if the business of such Solennities was to garnish a Dish for the Worms to make a Trimming for the Grave and Paint for the Chambers of darkness But wise men know the vanity of such Varnish and Colors thus laid on give no complexion to a judicious eye And how miserably wall this Paint melt and drop away and leave some faces horribly appalled in that great Day of fire and flames which will mingle the stars of the Heavens and the dust of the Earth together Then shall the mouth of all wickedness be stopped Funeral-Sermons shall be shut Rev. 20.12 and those other Books shall be opened Books that know no Errata's and which cannot lye and the Dead shall be judged out of those books 1 Cor. 4.5 Then shall every man have praise of God My sincerity in the following Discourse will I hope make it Judgment-proof and abide the test of the searching day Read it and a blessing from Heaven be upon it and thee and Thy Servant EDW. BOTELER A SERMON Preached at the Funerals of the Right Honorable EDMUND Earl of MULGRAVE Baron SHEFFIELD of BOTTERWIC Sept. 21. 1658. Right Honorable Right Worshipful Men Brethren and Fathers IT cannot be said of this great Assembly as of that Act. 19.32 that it is confused and the greater part know not wherefore they are come together We all know and but that God only wise hath set our price should sadly complain that we pay too dear to know the cause of our meeting this day A day Job 3.5 as ill as Job could wish Darkness and the shadow of death stains it a cloud dwells upon it and the blackness of the day terrifies it A day as sad as Zechary could prophesie Zech. 12.12 influencing upon several families and cutting them out their mournfull parts This Family from whose heads the Lord hath now finally taken their Master this day have parts so sad no expressions of mine can reach them I must borrow for them all The honorable and elect Lady 't is S. John's word and I hope rightly applied hath Naomi speaking her condition Ruth 1.20 Call me Marah for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me Or the widow Church if she can be a widow whose Husband fills heaven and earth with his presence Lam. 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the … d hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger The young Lord that florid hopeful and honorable blossom may sigh out his sorrows in that of Elisha 2 King 2.12 My father my father And we taking in the publique loss may all subjoin One of the chariots of Israel and one of the horsmen thereof You who were somtimes his happy Attendants and Followers David hath cut you out your parts see how they will fit you 2 Sam. 1.24 Weep over him who clothed you in scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel All his whole Family when you come home
doing in time will be our undoing for ever The servant who hid his talent is charged not for misdoing but for not doing for not acting his share in the Commission Negotiamini dum venio Lu. 19.13 Be doing till I come It will be long enough ere we talk our selves into heaven Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven No question but if talking would do it it would be a general plea Many have been full of tongue for him and will say Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name Yes it may be so But where are the hungry which you have fed Mat. 25.42 43. the thirsty you have given drink to the strangers you took in the naked you cloathed the sick and prisoners you visited You have been all tongue and winde and nothing you have done Hos 8.7 you have sown the wind and now you shall reap the whirlwind Behold the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury Jer. 30.23 a continuing whirlwind it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked in the latter days ye shall consider it Oh that men were wise that they would consider this before the latter day The last day will be a late day When the cry is made Behold the Bridegroom cometh Mat. 25.6 providing of oil and trimming of lamps will be out of date I will therefore close this with that suitable exhortation of the Preacher preached upon in this place the last day that ever the deceased honorable Lord was a hâ—â—rer Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest That for the Agendum Do. 2. Here is Modus agendi the rule and measure of doing worthily Do but no more haste then good speed as good do nothing as nothing to purpose Do but be advised how Do worthily Worthily how is that Nobly so some read it Gild thy actions with honor let thy large heart appear in thy liberal hand 1 Sam. 1.6 Elkanah gave Hannah partem honorabilem a worthy portion Do honorably and do worthily Worthily that is ingenuously 1 King 1.52 if we follow others Si fuerit vir bonus says Solomon of Adonijah If he shew himself a worthy man if he deal fairly and ingenuously And such a signification we meet with Mat. 10.11 Into whatsoever city or town you shall enter enquire who in it is worthy who keeps an open heart to entertain the Gospel and is so ingenuous to give a free welcom to those precious guests that bring it Do ingenuously and do worthily We shall contract all the several expositions of Doing worthily into four particulars To do worthily is 1. To do decently to do suitably and beseemingly To act in a proportion to our natural selves to do as men to our civil selves to do as such men to our religious selves to do as Christians Thus our Saviour exhorts to bring forth fruits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lu. 3.8 worthy of repentance that is meet for repentance suiting with that contrition and consternation of poor broken Penitents those Doves of the vallies mourning for their iniquities Ezek. 7.16 Act. 26.20 Col. 1.10 Eph. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is S. Paul's expression works worthy of repentance And so To walk worthy of the Lord worthy of the vocation denotes every where Decentiam quandam convenientiam a certain suitableness and becomingness Davenant in Col. as the Learned observe And one place for all the rest so renders it in plain English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro. 16.2 as becometh Saints Men and brethren did we always consult this suitableness it would give check to folly and keep us from unworthy actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.28 Joh. 14.2 Col. 1.5 2 Pet. 1.4 Col. 3.4 1 Pet. 1.4 Ro. 8.18 Remember your selves you that are born of God and do nothing unworthy so high a birth Remember the calling wherewith you are called the mansions prepared and the hope laid up in heaven for you the great and precious promises the rich reversions of the life to come the inheritance incorruptible and the glory to be revealed And do in some proportion to these to all these do as becomes persons of such pregnant hopes and expectations Do decently and do worthily 2. To do deservingly Worthy and deserving are terms of equivalencie The laborer is worthy of or deserves his hire So the Elders of the Jews being sent to invite the help of Jesus for the sick servant of the devout Centurion that Rarity of his profession for he was a Church-building Soldier they speak his deserts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is worthy for whom Christ should do this Luk. 7.4 5. for he loveth our nation and hath built us a synagogue There is no worth but what deserts bring in That Honor is too cheap to be good that was purchased without atchieving that cost nothing And that Fame deserves to starve that cannot live but at the charge of anothers actions Win then the honor you intend to wear deserve of the place the persons where and among whom you live Bid for a Name in doings and pay for it in deserts Please not your selves with the petty thoughts and pitiful dreams of posthume honor not only born but begotten after death That the Poet and Artificer shall contrive a fair though false Remembrance of you That you shall have a Marble to mourn over you and a Monument to tell some golden Lye for you when you are gone But work your selves into the hearts and out of the mouths of men make every breast your monument and every tongue your epitaph Do deservingly and do worthily 3. To do exemplarily And in this I follow the Vulgar Latine which renders this worthily an example of vertue as before It is worthy doing to do exemplarily Men can do unworthily without a pattern but they must be good indeed that make others good by the convincing power of their examples Few leaders in our expedition for the other world we are so far from being leaders that it were well if we could follow examples In our walkings abroad do we not stumble upon the husbandly provident Ant And yet who considers her ways to be so wise as in summer to forecast for winter and in time to provide for eternity In our sittings within and recesses does not the Swallow sing a confutation in our ears whilst she is an example of observing an appointed season Jer. 8.7 and we will not know the day of our visitation Men and brethren As it is your shame not to follow so it will be your honor to make examples Tit. 2.7 in all things shewing your selves patterns of good works cuting out work for the imitation of others
here I might speak of him in his several capacities Lord Landlord Husband Father Friend In which he has not miscarriages to bewail like him that cried out Omnia fui nihil profui I was every thing and did nothing For he made every station an advantage to do good by All his Relations were as so many cuts and channels for his goodness to run and flow in But this would lay more load upon them that groan under the burden of their loss and give them more gashes whose wounds are deep enough already it may suffice to have named it We shall go on beginning first as he began every day with his Devotions God was next his heart he gave him his morning-thoughts yea and his evening too Ps 55.17 Evening morning and at noon did he pray four times a day twice in his family and twice in his closet was his course to which he was faithfully constant say they that were near him God was first and last in his mind and meditations Te veniente die te decedente canebam He entred and ended every day with him His honor neither made him so high but he could bow down nor so stiff but he would worship and kneel before the Lord his Maker Ps 95.6 Nothing on Earth could make him neglect sending to Heaven a sign and evidence that he had great concerns where he held such daily intelligence No question but he had a Bank of Glory going on which made him send and seek so often so earnestly after it his treasure was in Heaven and his heart was there also Another excellencie which will come in as a good second to this was his Constancie to the truths of Religion the more commendable because in such bogling and starting times So that it may be said of him as of Trajan He was Melior pejori aevo Good and the better for being so in a worse age He was fixed in flitting times in lubrica aetate that 's S. Hierom's word And he stood his ground in a time of universal apostacie and revolts He was no miscellaneous Samaritan no temporising Any thing Every thing No thing He was not Nobilis Mobilis like the Courtiers of the Heathen Tyrants at the first entry of Christianity into this Nation who measured out their Profession by the Sword liking the longest always best and being Christian or Pagan according to the humor of the Conqueror Naaman is for the God of Israel but he must have a toleration for the house of Rimmon Great ones commonly move as they say the Planets do they will have their Epicycles 'T is Constancie commends the deceased Lord It 's choise fruit that keeps sound at the core in a rotten age And I might tell you as he was stayed in himself so he was a stay to others I dare not say as of Athanasius that the Church leaned on him in her persecution but I may say that he was a refuge from the storm Isa 25.4 Bless God for this Lord O house of Aaron let the house of Levi say that he was good And I 'll say no more of this I know not where to be next I have such choice His Wisdom let us look at that a while To this he had a good title whether we look at it as Science or Prudence It was great in him but not loud Deep streams slide away in silence whereas shallow rills babble in their passage and cannot roll down their channels without a noise He was very reserved and no wonder if so much treasure was under a lock of which he kept the key himself and when he did open it it was to good purpose so that when the ear heard him it blessed him Job 29.11 By this wisdom of his I do not mean a crafty cunning which prostrates and lays down honor and honesty and conscience and religion and all to tread on and climbs up to greatness by any steps But that gracious gift which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above Ja. 3.17 and is pure and peaceable and gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good works without partiality without hypocrisie For which he hath a place among those the Son of Sirach speaks of The people will tell of their wisdom Ecclus. 44.15 and the congregation will shew forth their praise As a branch of this Prudence I may speak of his Providence not for this life only which was discreet and commendable but chiefly for that which is to come knowing he could not be happy on this side glory Job 14.14 2 Tim. 4.6 Therefore did he wait for his change and the time of his departure which he looked on as at hand and foresaw at some distance and laid in for it Parum viae multum viatici When he had but a little way to go he made great provision for it And though he did build Ps 49.11 it was not with those inward thoughts that his house should continue for ever and his dwelling-place to all generations He was well acquainted with that observation That great Builders are seldom long Possessors And therefore carried on a Building for Heaven and Earth both together and did so little rely on this foundation in the dust as that he was still careful to lay up in store for himself a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.19 that he might lay hold on eternal life Another grace and another evidence of his wisdom was his Meekness So runs the Apostles rule Ja. 3.13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom He shewed it shewed it notably shewed it always That which would have raised a storm in some breasts would not stir in his Seneca Inferiora fulminant He was calm and clear like the upper region of the air whilst all tempests and blustrings are below I am perswaded he had outlearn'd most that lived since our Saviour gave out that lesson Learn of me Mat. 11.29 for I am meek and lowly in heart And now takes part in the annexed promise You shall find rest unto your souls We must not overlook that low but high-prized grace of Humility He was eminent in it this was his schola scala coeli a school to teach a scale to reach heaven He was an high Star and appeared little yet it was not in the eyes of others but in his own which made him great in God's Isa 57.15 I dwell with him that is of an humble spirit This lying low made him a rich soil for graces to grow in fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 The vallies stand so thick with corn Psal 65.14 they laugh and sing So have you seen a fruitful Tree with its laden boughs stooping to the earth when some proud aspiring Plants have run up all into branches and exalted their fruitless tops Nor may we
there 's a box of ointment which a skilful hand would open but I must break that the place may be filled with the odor of it And that it may be the sweeter let us mingle it with some Scripture-ingredients We shall be better furnished to speak of the dead when we have a while consulted the Book of life in that portion of it which is written RUTH 4.11 Do thou worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem A Scant and a short Text to accompany so great a Person to so long an home But non est huic alter similis as David said of the sword there is none like that ◠Sam. 21.9 give it me A fitter could not be found I could not miss it he was so much the Comment on it look at it and you see him The persons the place the actions the fame all agreeing and what was there voted is here verified it is now the praise of the dead what was then a prayer for the living Do thou worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem The words are the gratulatory votes and hearty wellwishes signified by the general acclamations of the Ephrathites and people of Bethlehem-Judah to the great and noble Boaz a Prince of the Assembly famous in the Congregation a man of renown one that sate chief in the gate of his place and was the honor of his people He was of good descent and extraction great Grandfather to David in the right royal line of Judah whose fair pedigree is to be seen from Adam the son of God to Jesus the son of man Luk. 3. And which heighten'd his height and made his greatness yet greater he was good too there were apples of gold set in those pictures of silver Wisdom Justice Mercy Love Pro. 25.11 Good works a right Retinue for Nobility This was the Temple which sanctified the gold and the Altar which makes pleasant the offering This person thus great thus good is best for our purpose For it was not every one that would have made a parallel for my Lord of Mulgrave but he must be great Not every Great one neither For many like mushroms and children of the earth are sprung up and grown to their greatness since yesterday and made but a step out of the dirt into honor like those Giants which the Poets tell us were simul sati editi sown and grown in the same instant But he must be one the spring of whose honor is to be found rising in remoter ages and his Ancestors the acquaintance of History ennobled in blood great by derivation from greatness Satus sanguine Divûm Not every Great and Noble one neither If he have no evidences to shew for it but the Houses and Inheritance the Lands and Lordships the Escucheons and Seal of his Family if he be descended by as many degenerations from the worth and vertue as generations from the loins and blood of atchieving progenitors But he must be one who hath brought in his share of Honor hath illustrated old Dignities by new additions and by doing worthily acquired fame Such the person presented in the Text and represented in the Occasion Do thou c. In the Text you have Nobility advanced betwixt two Supporters Facts and Fame Facts give fame a bottom to stand on and Fame gives Facts a top to stand up Facts get Fame and Fame gilds Facts To do good is the way to be great and to be great is the reward of doing good Worthy actions command honorable commemorations Do I find several readings and I 'll name that first which I like worst Pro. 3.10 Compara opes Ephrathae Get thee riches at Ephratah have servants and cattel and flocks and herds let thy garners be filled with plenty Eccl. 2.8 and thy presses burst out with new wine Bring Ophir to Ephratah gather silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of Kings and of the provinces Some will like this well enough because it makes wealth the gage of worth and so it is by the rate of the world where look what a mans estate is that commonly is said to be his worth But to make this Worth were to make the camel a passage through the needles eye Quidam scribunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the great beast it self and not the Seaman's rope only as some contend upon that expression Mat. 19.24 To make wealth the standard of worth this were to offend against the generation of Gods children and to cast out those as vile and worthless among men of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11.38 Lam. 4.2 This were to esteem the precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold as earthen pitchers the work of the hands of the potter Nor can I think the votes of the Ephrathites ran so low as wealth the last and least in the inventory of good things a blessing of the left hand and not always a blessing neither Riches being sometimes kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Eccl. 5.13 It is but the fatness of the earth at best which many have their full of who shall never taste of heaven And therefore I like the vulgar Latine better which reads it Exemplum virtutis saving that their sit in stead of sis seems to incline that part of the words to Ruth which other Copies and so our Translation applies to Boaz and speaking to him it speaks to purpose voting him to that which is the ornament of great persons an Exemplarity The highest lines are the writers copy and therefore thou that art high make an advantage of thy place prescribe those that be under give a copy to others to write after But I shall speak to this when I come to apply Text and Occasion and shall now follow our English reading word for word Do thou worthily in c. In which words please to observe with me that there is 1. Agendum Something to be done Do. 2. Modum agendi the rule or measure of doing worthily Do worthily 3. Motivum actûs the motive of such deeds taken 1. From the person on whom such doing is incumbent Thou Do thou worthily 2. From the place where such a person is resident Ephratah Do thou worthily in Ephratah 3. From the name which is attendant on such a person in such place doing so worthily it is famous And be famous in Bethlehem First for the Agendum Do. Men must be active for heaven in their generations Souls are high metall'd and it is a shame to rust them in their scabards They are Inanimates or ill thriving Vegetables that gather moss A torpid life misbecomes any man most a Christian We came not on the Stage as Cato on the Theatre who is said to have entred only ut exiret that he might go out again But we have our parts to act something is to be done by us whilst we live in the world As vertue is the lustre of action so