of other things to the hand of Providence Iudgement did master opinion and by earely accustoming his taste to the truth of spirituall pleasure hee contemned the false and abhorred the filthy pleasures of the worlde lust or pride could not fasten vpon him a desire to spend nor avarice a thirst to spare feare or favour could not cause him to preferre shaddowes or neglect draw him from rewarding the meanest deservers Ambition drew him not to hasty adventures nor daunger ever put him to distrust the sunne beames of his morning were most radian yet his thoughts calme and a heavenly peace in all his passions his blessed minde was never racked with desire or feare nor ever troubled with the sad burthens and consuming CANKERS of this life never afflicted with the surbate of cares or surfet of riots froathy praise he avoided as infectious goodnesse was his aime which being the cause led him on in the course of all those most honourable actions he entended in all which he was free from the taint much more from the staine or sting of ill Sophocles his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophoc Xenoph. or Xenophon in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay with al reverence to holy records Salomō or Iosias so soone did not so much the later and the better of these began but in the 16th yeare of his age in the 8 yeare of his raigne 2. Chron. 1.3 but blessed PRINCE HENRY as if he had beene consecrated from the wombe in the morning watch of his life was a morning starre in his lustre and considered that the Feare of God which the preacher made to bee the ende of all things in the end of his Ecclesiastes the same is the beginning of wisdome in the beginning of his Proverbs Eccles 12.13 Prov. 1.7 Neither differring nor dissembling had place in him or power over him no excuses no refulals staid him he Remembred his Creator in the daies of his youth he thought it good for him to beare the Lordes yoake in his youth Lam 3.27 he studied wherewith a young man might cleanse his waies louely Isaac loving Ioseph Princely Iosiah true harted David beloved Daniel holy Samuel faithful Timothy were his patternes Psal 119.9 to consecrat his first best endeavours to God Not only his Martiall Scholastical exercises did honour him with that title which Livy gaue to M. Cato Si arma sumpsisset in armis natū crederes T. Livius Dec. 4. lib. 1. si se ad studia convertisset inter liter as educatum but his dayly holy conversing with God in the path of goodnesse his spirituall progresse in grace and favour testified that from his youth vp his conversation was in heaven this was the grace of his childe hood and garland of his youth this blessed his life cōforted him at death and shall commende him to all posterity 4 Learne hence yee young Gallants that put farre from you the day of the Lord yee that neither in the morning nor meridian of your liues Prepare your selues to meete the Lord or care that when he commeth he may finde you watching and working To die well is a long art of a short life and a speedy beginning is the shortest method to this longest art Salomon telleth of a time Eccl. 3.2 2. Cor. 6.2 Eccless 3.2 Tempus mortis But as if that were too generall Paul confineth that time to a day 2. Cor. 6.2 dies salutis and Christ limiteth the time of that day to an howre Mat 25.13 Mat. 25.13 Hora acceptationis In the Revelation Babylon is lamented that in one howre her iudgement is come Rev. 18.10 that in one howre so great riches came to naught vers 17. and that in one howre shee was made de solate vers 19. But times daies howres are scantled yet shorter 1. Cor. 15.52 by the Apostle Iudgement shall be in a moment in the twinckling of an eie in the last trumpe that as God gaue his law with the sound of a trumpet Exod. 19.16 So hee shall call for account of it with the sound of the Trumphet Ex 19.16 1. Cor. 15. Hieron 1. Cor. 15.52 How shrill should this trumpe be still in our eares as S. Hierome witnessed of his owne ever sounding and ecchoing this that the surest way to a good life is to beginne betimes considering that though Gods mercies oftentimes affords vs many yeares to repent yet his Iustice affordeth not an howre to sinne Greg. Peccanti Crastinum non promisit saith Gregory hee promiseth not to morrow to the offendour who is alwaies ready to receiue the penitent How should this consideration draw vs on Trahit enim non cogit Deus Austin lead vs along by the waters of comfort and admonish vs all if hitherto we haue neglected to fasten vpon the first opportunity of seasoning our souls with that blessed spirit of Janctification while they be fit for impression and that by a gracious meditation we consider the race we are to run and the many encombrances which alwaies crosse vs That delay augmenteth difficulties and more do perish by this Temptation then by al the toiles guiles of Sathan the longer we persist in sin the more God plucketh his grace and assistance from vs our good inclinations are the weaker the vnder standing more darkned the will more perverted the appetite more disordered the passions are more strengthned that at length the stupid and benummed soule may loose the spirituall light of grace naturall light of reason and retaine only the sensuall twylight of affections common with bruit beasts so the the youth being il spent Sathan wil plead possession in age therefore the dawning springing morning time of life must bee consecrated to God it was not only the piety of Iob to rise vp earely in the morning of everie day to facrifice and sanctifie his sonne Iob. 1.5 Iob. 1.5 But his owne practise in his owne young yeares in the morning of his life in the daies of his youth the secret of God was vpō his Tabernacle Iob. 29.29.4 For this is the time as S. Ambrose describeth it Iob. 29.4 Ambros wherein the elemēt of fier predominateth in the sonnes of men calore corporis feruente estu sanguinis vapor antis ignescente viribus invallida consilijs infirma vitio calens illecebrosa deliciis est Adolescentia This is the spring of life and how easily may a spring-tide drowne all the summer hopes of youth the time of strength and beauty both easily inflamed by heate of vanity the time of growth activity both soone nipped with the frost of mortality Aug. now visus acutior auditus promptior incessus rectior vultus iucundior now the sunne of the vnderstanding doth most appeare and the starres of the senses most gloriously shine then the 4. humors resembling the 4. Elements the liver as the sea the veines as the rivers are in their most
acknowledgements of deliverance from the paw of the beare the Iaw of the Lion the Iauelin of Saul Goliahs speare Achitophels trappe Absolons treason Doegs slāder Shemei his curse from the mouth of the sword the murren of his people the horrours of his sinnes the rebellion of his owne sonnes S. Austin in his meditations on the Psalmes asketh the question vpon Davids speech Quaerite faciem eius semper Si semper quaeritur quando invenitur Aug. in Psalm inventus est tamen quaerendus est Seeke his face evermore why if he must bee sought evermore when shall he be found is he found and yet is he to be sought and answereth himselfe thus Deum invenit fides adhuc eum quaerit spes charit as autem invenit eum per fidem eum habere quaerit per spem faith hath found God and hope seeketh him but charitie both hath found him by faith and seeketh to haue him by hope According to the measure of which methode our now Immortall then mortall Prince did seeke the Lord being stedfast in faith ioyfull through hope rooted in charitie hee hath passed the waues of this troublesome world and is come to the Land of everlasting life and there hath found the Lord. 6 Learne hence then from the Cedar yee fir trees and shrubs of the forrest yee that ever lived vnder his shadow or now are in the sunshine and countenance of greatnesse learne to seeke the Lord this is the whole duty of man the summe of all Gods will revealed in his word Yee may see in the naturall agents whether they be to beare rule as the Sunne and Moone which are placed in the firmament or be ruled as the Elements and parts of this lower world they all worke as if they knewe what they wrought and in their severall courses seeke to performe his will as if they were acquainted with his wil. How much more doth it cōcerne men whom in a maner hee hath made partakers of the divine nature to seeke his glory seeing that by his glory they seeke their own good The Orbes Arches of heaven with their starres and planets and the whole fabricke of nature were ordained to finish their course by motions and operation and so man as hee was created to a more nay to the most happy and blessed ende should attaine therevnto not by sloath and idlenesse which as the worme in the guord be the devourers of goodnesse but by endeavour which is the spirit and by ambition the spurre should stirre on in the waies of grace being in the glorious liberties of the sonnes of God How commonly knowne be those notions that our life is but a iourney a race a votage a combat we are but travellers souldiers workemen in the vineyard c. All which are with many more notes of seeking and labouring which should edge a good minde to wish as Heathen Seneca did Seneca that hee might ever bee in action Malo enim saith he vt me fortuna in castris suis quà m in delitijs habeat hee had rather bee fortunes warriour then her wanton rather dwell in her Camp then in her Court Erasmus professeth that hee had no time to be sicke or opportunitie to take Physicke and the former Seneca that he had scarse leasure to sleepe Nullus mihi per otium dies exit partem noctium studijs vendico Sen. Ep. 8. non vaco somno c. neither day nor night eating or sleeping could withdrawe him from studies the devise of Aristotle who by letting a ball fall into a bason kept himselfe waking Which starre-light of good in them should stirre vs vp who are in the sun-shine of grace lead vs on to the search and discovery of Immortalitie These meditations should lead vs on further to the Queene of the South 1. King 10. seeking by a long iourny to come to heare Solomon shee and the Ninivits Gen. 2. and other Heathens may iustly arise in iudgement against this generation and condemne vs Christians For not to flatter our selues in a matter of so great importance wee cannot plead ignorance neither can we excuse negligence in the care of our searching and maner of our seeking The devouring sword terrible shot wounds outcries alarmes groanes of the dying danger of the surviving cannot keep the valiant war riour from seeking the lawrell of victories The vntamed Sea and tottering ship the stormes or calmes or rocks or sands or shipwracke of others cannot detain the Marriner from seeking for his hoped for commodities And yet the one in the height of his honour maketh his way through blood and the other as if borne vnder Aquarius wasts his life in the waters whereas many whose whole life never partakes of any painful interruption whose bellie God hath filled with treasure and satisfied with all maner of content haue not begunne to seeke nor cared to finde the God of their Fathers thinking it then time enough when the cloud of sicknesse portendeth the Tempest of death which like a dāpe puts out al the light of pleasure How deere therefore ought that counsell to bee Seeke the Lord while he may be found i to seeke him while we may seeke him for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time is fixed on a wheele Athe. that incessantly whirleth and draweth with it vs all our actions And our lease of life is as the ancient Hebrewes haue by calculation of the yeares observed so short that if wee would with all our forces and studies endeavour to atchieue some matter of worth wee should bee in daunger of wanting day light For if the daies of our age be threescore yeares and ten or if men bee so strong that they come to fourescore which was the longest date of yeares that Moses afforded Psal 90.10 deduct first the time of eating and sleeping which is the greater moetie of mans life then deduct the daies of childhood which is an ignorant folly and innocent simplicitie then deduct the daies of youth which is no better then and indiscreet heat rash and heady and as Solomon calleth it an inconstant vanitie deduct yet the daies of age which is lifes wast and mans winter a hoare frost cold and vnhealthy and when wee thinke this Survey and substraction is ended and we haue seene all the travel that God hath giuen vnto the Sonnes of men to bee exercised therein yet deduct the daies of Sorrowe the souls feaver an eating viper a fainting miserie a little colde to pinch vs a little heat to parch vs the aking of a tooth or finger able to distract our studies or sports or labors in sicknesse weake in discontent withered and all these houres of childhood youth age sleepe sicknesse sorrowe substracted where is that life of man threescore yeares ten Which if it were ful it were but the number of the yeares of Babylòs captivity Nay where is the yeare the day the houre that man
bee thy anger for it was fierce and thy wrath it was cruell Didst thou mistake Iehoshaphat for Ahab 1 King 22.32 this holy Prince for some Idolatrous Pagan or was thy aime onely at this beautie of the world Why hadst thou not gorged thy hollow hellish appetite with some blasphemous Rabshaked or cursed Sanballat with some aspiring Haman or Church-robbing Nebuchadnezzar Ioseph lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 5. Hosp de Grig fist pag 48. Novemb 12 November was the dismall time death fitted for this Tragedy a time noted by the Orator dysastrous It would rather fill a Library then a volume to descend to particulars It was the Month of the Flood as Iosephus among the ancient Hospinian among the moderne doe affirme and if ever a second Cataclysme fell vpon the earth the Teares shed in the sorrow of this losse may deserue a Chronicle many expectations were sunke and some Gallants went to heave thy water sorrow killed them What hopes were shipwrackt in this storme and what a generall deluge over streamed all honest hearts will never be forgotten while that blacke day the 6th of November shall appeare in our Kalender Quintus intendit Sextus intulit The 5. day was by the Sonnes of Beliall a day dedicated to our destructiō a day by Hesiod and Virgil and all the heathens as Hospinian collecteth most ominous but the Lord was more carefull in the prevention then wee thankfull for preservation herein therefore what was but threatned on the fift day was showred downe the 6th day at which time the storme fell vpon vs. It was a strange prodigie that on the fift day at night about the houre of 8. a Rainebow appeared seeming as it were by the sight and Iudgement of some to cōpasse the house of S. Iames. I referre the Learned to those that haue written of prodigies for my own part I haue learned that lesson In pluribus Domini operibus non esse curiosum Eccl. 3.22 not to be over curious and inquisitiue in many workes of the Almightie Lactantius much inveigheth against those De fals sap lib. 2. c. 20. whose chiefe delight was Inconcessa crutari to search for vnlawfull things and I knowe that Iacob striving with an Angell got the shrinking of a sinew yet that the covenāt of the flood sould so dysastrously appeare in the month of the flood in the night beyōd the rules of Nature and course of custome did certainely portend somewhat Indeed after the flood God hung vp his bowe in the Clowd in token of reconciliation vnto men and the bend and arch of the bowe is turned from vs Lib. de operibus creat cap. 3. as Zanchius observeth But he hung vp his bow saith Ambrose Arcus habet vulneris indicium non vulneris effectum the bowe maketh a shewe of hurting but it doth not hurt it is the arrow that woundeth But now God seemeth for our sinnes to haue taken downe his bow againe it was an arrow he shot with the fervency of his furie the Court was wounded the Commōwealth the Church the whole Protestant world receaved a wound in the death of Gods deareling the Renowned Prince now in heaven 13 Let all the world stand in awe of their pow erfull commander that shooteth his arrowes of desolation among the Children of men All the trees of the Forest must know that the Lord hath brought down the high tree hath exalted the lowe tree hath dried vp the greene tree and hath made the dry tree to flourish as he threatneth Ezek. 17.24 and that all the sonnes of men are vnder one common conditiō Our liues are short in all things except miseries and troubles our continuance is only certaine in vncertaintie God hath reserved our times vnknowne because wee should bee alwaies ready Quò propior quisque est servitque fideliùsaegro In partem laethi citiùs venit By how much the neerer men come about dying persons by so much the sooner should they consider their owne deaths Wherefore Noble and worthy Gentlemen who were sad spectators of the blessed passage of his Princely soul sequester all humane wisdome and policy all Court vanitie or glory looke vpon the Glasse of mortalitie the more yee are intangled either in the delights or affaires of this life the more grievous death will bee to you It will be vnseasonable when the paines and perplexities of the soules departing from two friends of so long familiarity the body and the world shal draw your powers from true repentance Seeke therefore the Lord while he may bee found blowe the dying fire of your devotion Looke backe and esteeme the whole race which yee haue runne as a short steppe looke foreward and behold the infinit space of eternitie wherein by grace yee may continue here yee haue no abiding city your service is no inheritance Lift therefore your mindes to heaven and discover the most bright and beautifull glory your life is your candle wast it not in idle play it was allowed you only to light you to ed. Finally whosoever of you beholdeth the present Princely family and saw it in her first glory doubt not but God will make good his word to this house which he promised in Haggci The glory of this later house shall be greater then the former Hag. 2.9 saith the Lord of hosts Lord make this promise good Blesse our most hopefull Charlemaine with all thy choise graces Let the enimie haue none advantage of him nor the wieked approach to hurt him but for ever let thy mercies compasse him giue vnto him the doubled spirit of his now blessed and immortall brother indue him with the hand of Gedeon the heart of David and the head of Solomon Grant him in health and wealth long to liue that at the length hee may attaine everlasting ioy and felicitie through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS