vengeance vpon Israel for Iosias sake holy and reuerend be his name for euer I haue numbred and weighed the words hastily and in the Scales of sighes and sorrow let vs see what measure of them commeth to our share Vse And first was sinne the cause of smiting the Shepheard Indeede Sinne is the ouerthrow of Iudgement the staine of Conscience the roote of all peruersitie infection of all actions affections but is it so harmefull to vs so hatefull to him that is the all-seeing all-being all-pure and sacred Maiestie that not onely his owne Sonne blessed for euer and euer was smitten Esay propter scelus populi as Esay speaketh but also those excellent and choise and blessed Instruments of his glory Kings and Princes are often-times taken away for the sins of the people Let vs all then looke into the Calender of these dayes wee haue seene and found and felt their effects and let vs obserue whether the sinnes of this Land and especially this Citie and Court be not equall to any of any Land see whether the sins now be culpable or damnable winckt at onely by the eyes of men or crying in the eares of Heauen You shall finde them to be aspiring mounting towring sinnes Sinnes of the highest eleuation and those sins now committed which in times past durst not be named Men like women women like Diuels common to salute and stab kisse and betray common cheating whoring drinking swearing as common as breathing Neuer were such varnishes put vpon rotten causes or Lawes made such quirkes for mercenary wits or goodnes so deformed Iustice so guilty Vertue so needy Religion so scorned or Whoredome so painted In a word to let passe the Couetousnesse of the rich idlenesse of the poore want of age wantonnesse of youth prophanenesse of all I aske the honest Religious Soule that mourneth for the misery of Zyon Is it not strange that after so long preaching of the Gospel there should be such an inundation of Popery this generation of Vipers seeming to multiply in our time as the Arrians did encrease in the time of the ancient Fathers who preached and wrote against them Ezekiels Prophecie may seeme fulfilled the Idol of indignation is among vs there be some Ancient Idolaters some idolatrous women some idolatrous Priests in our Land These be causes why our Iosias was smitten our sinnes opened that Vena Basilica Secondly would no other Sacrifice serue but the death of Iosias No. Zeph. 1.7.8 The former Prophet Zephany maketh it plaine in his 1. Chapter 7. and 8 verses The Lord hath prepared a Sacrifice and in that day of the Lords Sacrifice he will visit the Princes and the Kings Children No other sacrifice will serue but the branches of the Oliue tree the blossomes of the Figge tree the beautifull young Cedar the glory of the Forrest the beauty of the Garland the Coronet of succession the Patron of Religion the ioy of the olde hope of young comfort of all Nothing would serue but that precious Iewell which Nature only shewed the world and so put vp againe that happy New Starre new eye of Heauen of whose station and influence while we argued it went out againe Nothing must serue but Iosias Si sic in viridi quid fiet in arido what shall become of the negligent ignorant windy emptie shadowy Creatures who liue to eate and eate to play the Beasts He was taken from the euill to come vpon such to the ioy he enioyes Hee is gone to rest with more tokens of Gods fauour then euer Iosias had his precious Soule is bathed in the precious bloud of his blessed Sauiour Patience did here comfort him Confidence did hence crowne him annointed Cherub blessed Angell gracious Master thou art now in glory though wee poore scattered sheepe haue lost thee Teares blind me and sighes chooke and here I cease sorrow doth silence me Correct vs no more in thy fury O Lord let not thine arrowes sticke so fast in vs northy hand presse vs so down lest we be consumed and brought to nothing Magnifie thy arme of Mercy as thou hast exalted thine arme of Iudgement and let neuer the like losse come vpon vs againe till thy Sonne our Sauiour come to vs againe Amen The second Sermon Matth. 26.31 The Sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered WHen Elias was departing the Whirlewinde mouing the fiery Chariot mounting and Elias in his transmigration neque inter viuos nec mortuos as Bias spake of Saylers being not gone vp into the aire as Moses on the Mount or rapt vp into the third heauens for a time as Saint Paul in his Vision but as Henoch before so he vnder the Law caught vp into the heauens for euer 2 King 2.14 Elisha the Prophet lamenteth Elias with the same wordes that afterwards Ioash the King lamented Elisha 2 King 13.14 O my father my father the Chariot of Israell and the horse-men thereof A lamentation sitting our losse who haue lost our Father our Maister the Cedar of Lebanon and Chariot of Israel In the 16. of Numbers it was an heauy Numb 16.49 weighty iudgement that in so small a time so great a number as 14700 should die Moses then cryeth out as if with sorrow shaking his head wringing his hands There is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun Wee will borrow the words of him it is miserable men that we are I say it is our case Wrath is gone from the Lord the plague is begun Now is a time of mourning of cloathing our selues in sacke cloth and ashes nay in dust and ashes and in the shadow of death that as we spent our first dayes in sinne so wee may spend our last dayes in sorrow Is not wrath come from the Lord when our Lilly of the vallyes is blasted our Rose of the field is blemished I say not that our Oliue branch is cut off but the Doue with the Oliue branch is fled from vs. We are the men whom Ieremy mentioneth in his Lamentations we haue seene the affliction in the rod of indignation the breath of our nosthrils the blessed of the Lord is taken from vs our daunce is turned into mourning and the crowne of our head is fallen Lam 5.15 Woe vnto vs that euer we sinned our heart is heauy and our eyes are dimme because this Mount of Zion shall be desolate My Text doth epitomize what euer my sorrow can conuince The Shepherd is smitten and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered I haue gathered so much dew of Meditation from the first part as a day and night could yeeld my sorrowfull head and heart to receiue that was our Maisters part this next ours The sheepe shall be scattered In speaking whereof as that wonder of misery the vnhappy Mother in the besiege of Ierusalem hauing eaten one part of her Childe could not thinke of eating the other without vnspeakeable sorrow so assure your selues my sobs and throbs and throwes
LAMENTATIONS FOR the death of the late Illustrious Prince Henry AND the dissolution of his religious Familie Two Sermons Preached in his Highnesse Chappell at Saint IAMES on the 10. and 15. day of Nouember being the first Tuesday and Sunday after his decease By DANIEL PRICE Chaplaine then in attendance MICAH 7.8 Reioyce not against me O mine enemie though I fall I shall rise againe LONDON Printed by THO. SNODHAM for ROGER IACKSON and are to be sould at his shop neere to Fleetstreet Conduit 1613. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE PRINCE CHARLES THE IOY OF OVR SORROW AND THE HOPE OF SVCCESSION ENGLANDS CHARLEMAINE DANIEL PRICE WITH THE DEDICATION OF THESE HIS TWO MITES WISHETH THE ACCRVMENT OF ALL HAPPINESSE WITH THE DOVBLING OF THE SPIRIT OF HIS BLESSED BROTHER VPON HIM TO THE HONOVRAble Religious and worthy Gentlemen the great Officers to the late renowmed Prince To the Ho. worthy Gentlemen of the Bed-chamber to his Reuerend Brethren the Chaplaines and to all the rest of the Gentlemen and Officers of that Princely familie THe importunity of some the expectation of many and the kinde acceptation of all of you hath caused me to cast these two Mites into the Treasure of the publike sorrow and to present that now to your hands which in my attendance in this woefull time J prouided for your hearts They are plaine both because sorrow dislikes descant and plaine stuffes are fittest for Mourners they are passionate for in my meditation by the riuers of sorrow I sat downe wept and hanged my Harpe vpon the willow trees for euer tuning it to comfort or melody againe and when ye required this song of mee in my heauinesse I knew not how to sing any song of the Lord but a song of sorrow in this strange land strange for the sinnes strange for the iudgements They are yours they once breathed with you and now euer shall liue with you a pledge of that hart that neuer reioyced in any sublunary obiect more then to see while our Sunne did shine such an happy friendly aspect of so many principall Planets and sweet plants in this place let Charity interpret me and none will be offended that vpon impetuous importunity I publish these last offices to the memory of that illustrious Prince our Maister for whom the sound of all tongues and applause of all hands testifie neuer was any more honoured in his life neuer any more lamented in his death that euer beheld the light of heauen in this land My best deuotion faithfulest seruices are presented with these and so I remaine Yours in all Christian dutie Daniell Price The first Sermon Matth. 26.31 I will smite the Shepheard and the Sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered A Great Prince is falne in Israel 2 Sam. 3.38 1 Sam. 4.21 Zach. 11.2 Aust de Pas the ioy of the Christian world is deceased Ichabod the glory of Israel is departed Howle ye poore Firre Trees your Cedar is fallen Lachrimis non verbis miserationibus non orationibus opus est I know it is contrary to the grounds of Art presently at the first entrance to hoise vp sayles in such a sea of lamentation and sorrow But miserie obserues no rules of Oratory and therefore without any further Proeme wee should all take vp that Elegy of Dauid 2 Sam. 1. 2 Sam. 1. O noble Israel he is slaine vpon thy high places Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in Ascalon least the daughters of the vncircumcised reioyce O ye Mountaines of Gilboa vpon yee be neither dew nor raine there the shield of the mighty was cast downe Ionathan was lonely and pleasant in his life swift as an Eagle strong as a Lyon ye sonnes of Israel weepe for Ionathan which clothed you in Scarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of Gold vpon your apparell All of you of what condition soeuer heare with silence what you feele with sorrow the very thunderbolt of heauen I will smite the Shepheard and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered Take vp a lamentation Ierem. sayth the Lord to the Prophet A lamentation such as was not in the daies of our fathers Alas no lamentation will sit our losse a deluge of teares is little enough to beare the arke of our sorrow Austin is sayd to weepe a shoure of teares Ambrose a flood of tears but you will tell me Doct. Swale Rhetorie intur Patres I am sure Ieremy wished for a fountaine of teares and my sorrowing louing brother hath brought you a Saboath dayes iourney towards this Fountaine him I follow with paces of lamentation and loue and with as faithfull as sorrowfull obseruance to his memory for whom we are commanded to continue these our last accomplishments of attendance we shall both endeuor to teach you that last lesson of our Sauiour Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues I haue at this time setled the foundation of my meditations vpon the farewell of Christ to his Disciples A prophecy found in Zachary 400. yeeres before it was vsed heere Zach 13.7 Mark 14.28 Ioh. 16.27 repeated in Matthew in Mark and Iohn in all these places prophecying of the death of the lord of life Hypocrisie is a true Pharisie but griefe is a bad Scribe expect neither order nor matter sorrow hath deuided such shares among vs the scattered sheepe and flocke of this fold that our soules are euen deuided within vs. The words themselues without any descant be words of amazement and astonishment I will smite the shepherd and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered Rom. 1.16 Ier. 23.29 Heb. 4.12 Eph. 6.17 Euery word of the Lord is a power a fire a hammer a Pyoner to ouerthrow strong holds a sword to deuide the reynes and the marrow But this an extraordinary word it is the alarum to a battel the voice of a Trumpet an Earthquake shaking the Pillars of the Earth I will smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered I will smite vox furoris doloris sayth a Glosse the voyce of fury in God Gloss Bern. Leu. 27. Deut. 28. Reu. 3.19 the voyce of misery to man It had beene more milde if as in Leuiticus I will punish or in Deuteronomy I will correct or in the Reuelation I will chastise But who is able to beare his blow who is able to stand before him if he be angry by the least of his blowes wee are cut downe dryed vp and withered I will smite the Shepheard not the sheepe of his Pasture not the Ewes great with yong not the Lambes of the Fold if the sheepe onely had bin smitten Psalme Dauids prayer had serued how long wilt thou proceed in anger against the sheep of this pasture But the stroke is greater more grieuous it is falne vpon the shepheard the guider the glory the Prince of the people I will smite the shepheard And the sheepe shall be scattered his poore followers haue no better phrase
then the sheepe of his flocke silly simple innocent creatures Wolues haue dens Foxes holes Birds of the heauen nests but Sheepe wander out of the way in the wildernesse Errant in montibus agni they haue no Citie to dwell in If the seruants of our Sauiour had no more misery then they may collect out of the condition and consideration of being called sheep it is much Poore creatures when they are strongest together they haue no meanes to withstand the incursions inuasions of the Wolues but the Text stirreth vp more sense of sorrow The sheepe shall be scattered Be scattered it were as if they were scattered consumed Be dispersed it is as if they were destroyed Lorinus Psal 119. di-sperdere is bis-perdere they shal be as Dauid speaketh either gone astray like the sheep that perished or as Christ speketh as sheepe prouided for the slaughter Scattered they must be I wil smite the shepherd the stocke shal be seattered Diuisio The parts are two Part. 1 first the death of the Shepheard secondly the dispersion of the sheepe The death of the shepheard plainely in these words I will smite the Shepheard wherein because I will not trouble you with vnnecessary fractions Looke vpon first The person smiting I will smite secondly The person smitten I will smite the Shepheard Secondly in the dispersion of the sheepe in these words and the sheepe shall be scattered obserue first the denomination of Christs Seruants The sheepe secondly the desolation of these sheep The sheep shall be scattered I will smite Nazianzen Non nisi coact us percuitis saith Nazianzen it is neither the Nature nor pleasure of God to be smiting Abaddon Apolluon be the names of Sathan in the Reuelation Reuelat. but the Lord is a gratious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse repenteth him of the euill Gloss Ord. Ioel 2. Exod. 34.6 Benignus affectu misericors effectu saith the Glosse vpon the second of Ioel Moses in the thundring and lightning heard no other attributes vpon the Mount Dauid in his sorrowes acknowledged no other Ionas in the belly of the Whale bottome of hel among all the waues and surges remembreth no other Ioel in his day of darkenesse and blacknesse repeateth no other affections of the Lord Ioel 2. but these the Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse repenteth him of the euil Psal 145. The Psalmist giues God these titles the Lord is strong and patient there is hony in the Lyon sweetnesse in strength he is not onely strong and patient but strong in patience he doth foreslow his vials and forbeare his vengeance till the cart-roapes of sinne doe hurry downe his iudgements It may be he will vpon long expectation cut away the lappe of our garment as Dauid did by Saul but it is a rare example that hee proceedeth againstany as Satans motion was against Iob to stretch out his hand Iob 1.11 August touch all that he had There were foure ages of the Iewes in all foure the people continued sinfull the iudgements expected were fearefull In the first age of the Patriarkes he promised a blessing to their posteritie in the second age of Iudges he setled their Common-wealth and Policy in the third age of Kings he built them a Citie to dwell in in the fourth of Prophets he built them a temple to pray in hee might haue blasted them in their Spring but he suffereth them to come to their Autumne nay further hee endured them till their owne loosenesse brought them to the fall of the leafe It is the most vile and base condition of man that when as God hath no other Fountaine then the fountaine of Grace in Zachary Zach. 4. nor other riches then the riches of his mercy in the Psalmes nor other bowels then the bowels of compassion and that the vnlimited extent of his gracious affection is beyond all imaginable proportions yet notwithstanding man will vnsheath Gods sword will violently force him to his armory to put on his habergion and brigandine as Esay speaketh to whet his sword 〈◊〉 59 1◠to bend his Bow and to prouide him deadly weapons to ordaine his arrowes against them that persecute him as the Psalmist threatneth Psal 7.13 that Heauen shall afford millions of Angels Hell legions of wicked spirits Orbs and Arches of Heauen Stars to fight in their order Elementary regions Haile Frost Snowe Stormes Tempests Mildew Blastings and the earth his great artillery-yard to send out Lice Mice Flyes Wormes the very Nissets Palmerwormes Locusts Caterpillers Cankerwormes small creatures yet great armies as he calleth them in Ioel hereby causing Iordan to runne backe Ioel 2.25 his mercy to retire yea constrayning him to alter his owne desire and nature and tenor of speech as in this place I will smite not onely so but as before they cause the stroke so afterwards they neglect the stroke Pliny as if the iudgements of God were like to those Bruta fulmina among the Romanes which because they fell vpon the beastes neuer came to obseruation So wicked and beastly men neuer obserue neither why hee striketh nor who it is that striketh A father hath no ioy in the continuall chiding or scourging or cursing of his sonne nay his very bowels yearne within him for sorrow his affection can be no lesse Prou. 31.1 then of the mother of Lemuel O my sonne O the son of my wombe O the sonne of my desires The compassion of the Lord can be no lesse whose mercies be aboue all his works yet if a man will not turne he will whet his sword and bend his bow Chrysost in Psal 7. acerbitatem poenae gladius celeritatem designat arcus saith Chrysostome In vaine doe any attribute the inuentions of swords to the Lacedemonians Plin. lib. 7. Nat. Histor Ludolph or of bowes to the Scrythians God hath prepared them eius sunt arma cuius sunt verba ego percutiam Obseruation First The obseruation collected from the words I will smite is this that in all iudgements we ought truly to iudge of the true author he that being asked his name by Moses answered I am that I am Exod. 3.14 he it is that afterwards threatens I will bring famine I will bring the sword I will bring the pestilence In the ten plagues of Egipt in the beginning of them his words be In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord Exod. 7.17 Exod. 15.3 I will smite He is a man of War in the same booke Nay the Lord of hosts and armies often called in his own booke Murraine of cattell is called his hand Pestilence his sword Exod. 9.3 1 Chro. 21 Psal 91. sicknesses his arrowes his bow hangeth in the cloud his sword is euer in his hand his axes hammers be in readines he it is that doth hurt and shoot wound and strike and
spoile and ouerturne Hom. Odys He is not Iupiter inermis as one thought but as another spake his weapons be innumerable his hands vnresistable The religious Saints of God acknowledged this Dauid shal speake for all O Lord thy anger thy heauy displeasure Psal 38. thy arrowes sticke fast in me thy hand presseth downe sore The rebellious children of Israel acknowledged this when Ierusalem as we finde in the old Testament had bin 7. times assailed by Shishak King of Egipt in Rehoboams dayes 1 Kin. 14. 2 Chro. 25 23. Isa 7.1 2 Kin. 18. 2 Chro. 33 2 Kin. 33. 2 Kin. 25. by Ioas King of Israel in Amaziahs time by Rezin King of Aram in the raigne of Ahaz by Zenacherib King of Ashur in the time of Hezekias by the captaines of the Assyrians who tooke Manasses captiue by Pharaoh Necho that carried away Iehoas prisoner lastly by the Chaldeans who burnt the Temple and defaced the Citie and that they had enemies round about them on the East the Moabits Ammorites Assyrians on the west side the Philistines on the North the Syrians on the South the Aegiptians Arabians and Idumeans all most infestuous to them yet still cry out in their vexations vnto God thou hast couered vs with wrath thou hast made vs the off-scouring of the people Nay superstitious heathens haue acknowledged this Lam. 2.43 Exo. 8.19 the Enchanters that the plague of Lice was the finger of God Tiberius that Thunder was the power of God Homer that the plague was the arrow of God Hip. in prog Hypocrates that a great plague among them was a punishment sent from God Nay blasphemous reprobates haue confessed this for the damned at what time the storme fell vpon them in the Reuelation they blasphemed God Reu. 16.24 because of that plague of Haile Vse A doctrine to confute those that put the iudgements of God farre from themselues by putting them far from the true author of them God himselfe Naturall beastly men who make naturall causes the reasons of supernaturall euents who to the wantonnesse of wit adde wickednesse of will Psal 73 9. and belike to those spoke of in the Psalmes that talke presumptuously and set their mouth against Heauen making the power of God to be circumscribed by the power of reason who because they beleeue no more then they see and feare no more then they feele they goe no further then the presence neuer goe into the priuy-chamber of Gods iudgements second causes must remoue it from the first author But I aske as the Apostle doth O thou man who art thou that disputest with God or rather who art thou that deniest the prerogatiue of God seeing he hath sayd I doe strike I will smite Applic. In this our incomparable losse of which though I shall neuer thinke or speake without an indiuidual companion sorrow sorrow attended with the vtmost remembrance and reuerence limited vnder heauen I may vrge this one part of my Text vnto them who neuer looking vp to heauens vnresistable stroke doe complaine that eyther the want of care or skill in the Phisitians shipwrackt all our hope in that blessed Arke the Prince I stand not heere to dawbe with vntempered Morter neither to feare nor flatter any I doe beleeue that they were both sorrowfull beholders and faithfull helpers so far as Art Vigilance and diligence could extend But when ego percutiam is once proclaimed no Phisitian can cure Asa his legs or lay a plaister vnto Fzekias botch or cure the Shunamites child crying my head No balme in Gilead can help the feuers dropsies or bloody issues which Christ healed though the patient Patients bestowal they haue vpon those honorable instruments for so the son of Syrach calleth Phisitians And therefore as those in the Prophet cryed a Conspiracie a Conspiracie so these Poyson Poyson How probable soeuer that may be let them looke vnto the poyson of their owne soules the onely infection that brought this heauy affliction vpon vs. And whatsoeuer second causes there might be let vs leaue the consideration thereof to them to whom they belong and let vs which doth only concerne our selues with feare and reuerence and humilitie confesse it was Gods hand Greg. Mar. lib. 1. as both Gregorie confesseth vpon the affliction of Iob Ambrose before him of all such punishments Cum Diabolus vulnerat Domini sunt sagittae Whatsoeuer the second causes be yet the supreme rule of all is in Gods hand But while I am thus informing others my owne soule becomes a sceptick and questions thus Could God forget to be gratious would he in displeasure so smite Him that was our ioy hope Yes that he might more fully settle our hope vpon the true obiect God himselfe But would he so smite as to take him away in the Sunne-shine of his time yes that he might bestow farre greater brightnesse vpon him Alas he was in the flower and splendor of his youth he was lesse taynted lesse blemished His death was the vndoing of many his poore seruants but God is able to prouide for them better then he could Psal 37. Let them trust in the Lord and verily they shall be fed He was taken away in this solemne expectation of Nuptiall-ioy and triumph He is gone to greater ioy to the Marriage of the Lambe to those ioyes triumphs Angels Quire Songs to which no burden nor no end belongs He was taken away as it were somewhat sodainly and vnexpectedly yet not so sodainely as the fiery enemies of God and the King entended in that furious sulphureous plot to haue blowne him vp 2 King 23. neither so sodainely as Iosias the dearling of God who had no more warning then while an arrow made a doore in his breast for Death 2 Chro. 35.20 But our Iosias was taken away in a seasonable comfortable visitation when he was full of beautie full of glory full of pietie full of Religion full of admiration full of lamentation Beloued in a word as the Apostle speaketh Comfort your selues one another with these words Iob 1. Ionas 2. The Lord gaue him and the Lord hath taken him and as Ionas Marriners acknowledge Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee As it followeth Thou hast smitten the Shepheard Cir. 2 To haue smit a Wolfe deuouring the sheepe had bin mercy to haue smitten one sheepe of the fold had bin iudgement with mercy but to smite the shepheard may seeme iudgement and fury In this houre time of mourning now we sit as in the shadow of death it is fitter for you to feed on the tree of life then on the tree of knowledge therefore I desire to confine my speech only vpon meditation but the word shepheard leades me forth further then I thought besides the waters of comfort A shepheard was the first tradesman though the second son of all the children of Adam Gen. 4.2 and after Abel many shepheards were in
Psalme knappeth the speare in sunder casteth the arrowes in the fire I say why would he let the Archers shoot at King Iosias 1 King 22 It was the voyce of the King of Aram to his Captaines concerning wicked King Ahab fight ye neither against great nor small but against the King but that the Lord should direct that fatall arrow to be the death of his darling Iosias this arrow strikes vs with admiration I cannot but beare part with those mourners in Megiddo Alas for this great day Alas for that good Prince Alas that Iosias is smitten When Dauid numbred the people the people dyed they suffered for his sinne 1 Chro. 21 plectuntur Achiui and Dauid cryeth What haue they done it is euen I that haue sinned Is it not I that haue commanded to number the people but these sheepe what haue they done O Lord my God I beseech thee let thine hand be on me and on my fathers house and not on thy people for their destruction There the people were plagued for the offence of the Prince but heere the Prince is smitten for the offence of the people I finde especially two causes why Iosias was smitten First for the sinnes of the time The first cause of the death of Iosias the sinnes of those dayes I collect out of Zephany to be strange and horride In the front of the Prophecie you may see that he prophesied in the dayes of Iosias Zeph. 1.1 in the second verse of that Chapter there is a fearefull destruction pronounced such as in so few wordes is not to be found in all the Prophets It is a generall obseruation that where we heare some strange desolation threatned there is some strange abhomination committed Obserue both here first the desolation thretned I will surely destroy all things from the Land Zeph. 1.1.2 saith the Lord I will destroy man and beast I will destroy the fowles of the heauen and the fishes of the sea and ruines shall be to the wicked and I will cut off man from the land saith the Lord c. It is so terrible as if that in the Psalm were fulfilled Destructions are come to a perpetuall end Psalm 9. a deluge and Cataclisme a deuastation desolation vnspeakable The greatest plagues that euer came on the world were either the particular in the Iudgements on Egipt or the generall in the drowning of the World In Egipt besideâ— flyes and lice and frogs and darknesse there was the killing of the first-borne Murraine of Beasts death of Fishes by the water turned into bloud but I find no where that their fowle of heauen were destroyed In the drowning of the World all mankinde was not destroyed eight Soules were preserued and although the beasts of the field and fowles of the ayre perished yet I can no way collect the destruction of the fishes those watry creatures kept their Colonyes In Egipt beasts and fishes were destroyed not the fowles In the floud beasts and fowles not the fishes but in this Man and Beast Fish and Fowle all things threatned to be destroyed from the earth Secondly therefore consider the abhomination committed in those times you may at first sight collect them out of the following verses In the 4. verse Zeph. 1.4.1 there was a remnant of Baall in the land resembling our Papists Secondly Priests and Chemarims fit parallels to our Priests and Iesuits Verse 5 Thirdly in the 5. verse there were some that sware by the Lord and sware by Malcham equalling the false-harted halfe hollow-harted Hipocrites of two Religions in these dayes Verse 6 Fourthly in the 6. verse some that turned backe from the Lord like to our Ephraimitall Apostaticall reuolters Fiftly some that sought not the Lord nor inquired after him shadowing the Atheists of our land Verse 8 Sixtly in the 8. verse such as were cloathed with strange apparell the characters of the guls and gallants of our dayes Verse 9 In the 9. verse some that daunced vpon the threshold so proudly the note of the quaint Crane-paced Courtiers of this time Lastly those that filled houses by cruelty and deceit the brand of the sinfull and couetous Citizens of this Citie Now measure with the cubit of the Sanctuary whether desolation be not fitted to abhomination Runne to and fro through the streete of that Chapter and see and heare and feare and tremble Sinnes were the cause of that threatned destruction sinnes were the Cart-ropes Engines Pioners the Earthquakes Whirlewindes Thunderbolts finall downefall and funerall and deuastation of that State In the time of the Iudges Iudg. 20.44 the Lord almost extinguished the Tribe of Beniamin eighteen thousand at one time 1 King â—2 In the time of the Kings ten Tribes fell from Israell But this misery is more Roote and Branch head and tayle as the Prophet sore-told Man Beast Fish and fowle are destroyed For sinnes he doth stretch out his hand vpon Iudah and vpon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinnes he doth worry the Sheepe and smite the Shepheard This is the first reason why Iosias is smitten The second cause of smiting Iosias The second reason that Iosias was smitten was that hee might not see the misery threatned to be brought vpon Israell his eyes should not see that euill Euill must come but not in the dayes of Iosias The word of the Lord is good saith Hezekias onely let peace be in my dayes The Israelites must be bond-slaues in the land of Egipt Genesis but not till the Patriarkes sleepe in peace Tenne Tribes shall be diuided from the twelue yet Salomons eyes shall first be shut Ierusalem shall be destroyed but not till they who mourne in Zyon be marked Ezek. 9.4 Al Italy grieuously troubled but Ambrose must first be at rest Africa shal be spoiled but not till Austine decease Germany was distracted but Luther first must peaceably honourably be buryed England was persecuted and fiered but blessed King Edward must first be receiued into Abrahams bosome God reserueth his iust determinate plagues and stayeth his Vyals till his appointed times All the States of the World haue their Criticall dayes and Climactericall yeeres beginnings setled stations declinations and dissolutions at Gods appointment Certo veniunt ordine Parcae Seneca It was a speech that commands admiration from vs that God should say to Lot Get thee hence I can doe nothing till thou art gone hence Was the power of God limited by himselfe he did actiuely limit his power it was not passiuely limitted by Lot God did limit his wil Genesis or rather both were determinated then limited or terminated It exceedes our thoughts that he in so fauourable a Compassion will forbeare for his loue to some particular Seruant the great wrath he hath laid vp in store for a Nation Gen. 39 5. Gen. 30.27 He doth not onely blesse Potiphar for Ioseph and Laban for Iacob but hold his hand stay his Vials forbeare his
will be many before I am deliuered of this part which will part vs all the dispersion of the Sheepe I will smite the Shepherd and the sheepe shall be scattered The sheepe Silly simple creatures yet decent innocent creatures quietly feeding in the Field hearing the voyce of the Shepherd yet fearing their rauenous Enemies though they be together though they haue both a shepherd and a fold but when they shal be scattered their case is more miserable hauing no defence no hope no helpe no safetie Put both together a shepheard but he smitten Sheepe and they scattered then you will say this Text and our state is the same that the Proclamation was in the Army after the death of the King of Israel Get euery man to his Citie 1 King 22. and euery man to his own country for the shepherd is smitten and the sheepe shall be scattered The parts be already opened In this remainder of the former worke these two particulars fall in sunder First the denomination of Christs seruants sheepe Secondly the dispersion of these sheepe they shall be scattered And first for sheepe they be creatures neither noysome nor fulsome I will borrow but one authoritie for them out of the list and limit of the Sanctuary Tonsa tacet Carne iuuat pelle vellere lacte fimo In Sacrifices no creature so frequently offered in the Sinne offring Peace offring Burnt offring Passe ouer Saboth offring and especially in the daily offring euery day they offered a Lambe at morning Num. 28.9 Lorinus in 8 Act. Apost and a Lambe at euening Lorinus obserueth it out of Chrisostome Euthimius dustine Origen Cyrill and others Aug. 4. tract in Ioan. Orig. hom 24. in Num. Chris hom 37 in Math. mact abant agnum iugis nostri sacrificij typum And so not onely these but Gaudentius Paulinus and Cyprian giue that common knowne reason why a Lambe was so continually offered namely as a type of the offring of Christ who in 28. seuerall places of the Reuelation is called the Lambe of God For the name of Sheepe Notatissima est dicendi forma saith a Writer In the 34. of Ezekiel the Prophets are 13. Buc. Ezek. 34. times called shepherds and the People 21. times also called sheepe and in the last verse the Lord expresseth himselfe thus Ye my sheepe ye the sheepe of my pasture are men Ezek. 34.31 and I am your God saith the Lord God The 23. Psalme is plaine to this purpose Lor. in Psal a Psalme truely called Dauidis Bucolicon there you haue shepherd sheep greene fields still waters wayes pathes vallyes shadowes yea the rod and shepheards crooke The Lord is my shepheard Psal 23. hee shall rest me in greene pastures he leadeth me by the stil waters bringeth me into the pathes of righteousnes c. The Chalde Paraphrase vnderstands this Psalme of Israels deliuerance out of Egypt Cald. Par. Athanasius Athanasius of their returne out of Babilon here prophesied some interpret this leading resting guiding feeding to be the power of the Word so Lyranus some of the sacraments so S. Austine Lyranus Aug in Ps Athanas some of the Ascension of Christ so Nyssenus Athanasius wisheth Marcellinus when he did enter into consideration of the Lords gracious direction bountiful feeding then thankefully to sing this Psalme And Saint Ambrose much grieued in his time Ambros lib. 5 de Sacra cap. 3. that men not considering the blessing they receiued by being named the sheepe of Gods flocke did so often heare and so little regard the blessing of this Psalme I leade you further then may seeme necessary in this Psalme but it is the sweetest Pasture and the aptest proofe in Scripture for my purpose Eli. Scho. Nazian in Orat. 2. de Filio A Scholiast vpon Nazianzen expoundeth those greene fields to be the Church the grasse the Word the waters the Sacraments the Pastor God the flocke the people the rod and staffe instruction and correction denique as hee concludeth Deum esse Pastorem amissos reducentem confractos obligantem correptos corroborantem God is that Shepherd bringing backe the lost as Paul strengthening the weake as Peter binding vp the broken in hart as Matthew that followed him Magdalen that annointed him the Theefe that confessed him Gods sheepe sometimes feeding as in this Psalme sometimes trauelling as Iacobs flocke sometimes suffering as our Sauiour foretold as sheepe appointed for the slaughter The sheepe in my Text be the Disciples Matthew implieth so much Ioh. 16.32 Marke expresseth it but S. Iohn more plainly thus yee shall be scattered the speech being appropriated to the Disciples whom in that Gospell he calleth his sheepe his flocke his fold yet it is but pusillus grex a little little flocke little indeed because so few the number but twelue as of Patriarkes and Prophets as of the twelue Tribes of Israel twelue fountaines of Elim twelue foundations of Ierusalem twelue signes of Heauen They be Pauci pauperes pusilli Poore sheep poore silly soules to be sent our among those rauenous blood-seeking blood-sucking Wolues It was the last Sermon that euer Christ preached on earth to his Disciples it was as his farewell the night before he suffred the last glimpse of a Candle is often most bright the last glance and lustre of the Sunne somtimes most cleere They should now haue expected some ioyfull newes all their life before was sorrowfull now they might looke for some Legacie that Christ would haue blessed them as old Iacob did But our Sauiour who had formerly told them there was no comfort for them in the world because they were not of the world that they were but as sheepe among Wolues giueth them no other title in his last Legacie but sheepe Obser 1 Whence this obseruation ariseth that the seruants of Christ ought to be cleane quiet simple and peaceable in the world for they are but sheepe Origen In sheepe saith Origen is described Cogitationum munditia cleane honest sanctified cogitations ought to be in Christs seruants In sheepe saith Gregory is obserued Actionum innocentia Greg. righteous religious innocentactions ought to proceede from Christs sheepe I could multiply and increase fathers sonnes for the manifestation of this point but this onely reason shall serue Christ himselfe was such a sheepe and therefore such ought we to be He was not ouis but tanquam ouis for he was agnus Dei saith Lorinus Lor. in Act. Ap. And another wondereth hereat Hoc mirum est Christum et agnum esse et ouem esse et pastorem esse Christ indeede was so and neuer any other so Which is easily made plaine for though wee should not speake without admiration nor thinke without adoration of all the mysteries of our Redemption yet in the deepe well of this mysterie euen hee that hath nothing to draw may vnderstand it As in the Kingly Priestly Propheticall offices of Christ hee did communicate
two of those offices to some but neuer all the three to any Melchisedech was a King and Priest not a Prophet Moyses was a Priest and Prophet as the Psalme speaketh Moyses among his Priests but was not a King Dauid was a King and Prophet but not a Priest So the same Dauid was a shepheard Psal 78.72 and a sheep Psal 78.72 Psal 119.176 but he was neuer called a Lambe Psal 119.176 this name was neuer giuen to any but to our Sauiour vntill the day of his Ascention when he commanded Peter to feed his Lambes and yet not they neither were called lambes in the same sense and meaning that our Sauiour was It is obserued Gen. 49. in the Emblematicall blessings that Iacob left his children Iudah as a Lyon Dan as a Serpent Issachar an Asse Nepthali a Hinde c. hee giueth none the motto tanquam ouis none of them is called a sheep or a lambe and yet out of Iuda whose Embleme was the Lyon Christ came who was both the Lyon the Lambe Our Sauiour in the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper among other miracles wrought these two he blessed the fowles of heauen in Baptisme by the Doue that descended on him hee blessed the beasts of the field in the Paschall lambe at the last supper eaten by him But the vnspeakable blessing whereby he hath blessed not onely his Disciples Chrisost and their successors but all his seruants is this that they are his flocke his fowle his lambes and his sheepe Vse 1 Is it so then be the seruants of Christ his sheepe First then how ought they to liue an honest simple innocent life in these last and worst and abominable dayes Christ was the Lambe and he hath left vs an example to follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. as S. Peter exhorteth but alas how farre are we from his example from his steps Passibus aequis none can follow him I confesse were all the righteous spirits of the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints put together in one man yet it were impossible to follow him with equal paces I will not prescribe his misery his pouerty to you I know you will not follow it you esteeme it a heauy yoke his misery his pouerty was vnsupportable he was Lord of all things yet inioyed nothing he had not a house to be borne in he borrowed a stable not a bed to be laid in he borrowed a cratch not a vessell to drinke in he borrowed a pitcher not a roome to eate his passeouer in he borrowed a parlour not a graue to be layd in he borrowed a sepulcher Of these things you will aske me as the Poet quis legit who can read these things or rather as Esay quis credit in speaking of these who will beleeue our report I doe not forbeare to presse the imitation of this I prescribe his chastitie he was the Virgin-Son of the Virgin-Mother Aug. de Temp. imitate this Cum Virginis filio non erit tua luxuria Chastity becomes his sheepe I prescribed his charitie hee healed Malchus eare though he drew vpon him he saluted Iudas by the name of friend when he betrayed him he prayed for his enemies when they crucified him Cum charitatis authore non erit malitia tua Charity becomes his sheepe I prescribe his meekenesse and humility all the practise of his life was humility and his lesson was humility Aug. de Temp. Learne of me to be humble and meeke Cum humilitatis doctore non erit superbia tua Humilitie becomes his sheepe It was not long before Christs death that the Disciples did propose a strange question among themselues striuing for prioritie Marke 9. they disputed who should be the greatest among them A wonder that two such ambitious twinnes should be among the Disciples I pray God there neuer hath beene any such question of contention and opposition among any of you Sure I am we were all growne proud and placed our strength in the arme of flesh and that for this and other sinnes the Lord hath taken our sweete and blessed Master from vs. Vse 2 Secondly are ye sheep of one flocke O then be of one minde in vnity amitie vnanimitie the places are frequent where Christ his seruants are called members of one bodie sheepe of one fold branches of one Vine how is it then that Caine will seeke to kill Abell or Ismaell to iest at Isaac 1 Ephes 2 Ephes Iohn or Esau to hate Iacob or Ioab to stab Amaga Children Brethren dearely beloued be the phrases of Saint Iohn to those that are Christs seruants It is well worth the obseruation that one noteth vpon our Church Lyturgie in euery article of deuotion that we come to performe in the Church the salutation still is Dearely beloued a phrase vsed in the very beginning of the Communion the administration of Baptisme the solemnizing of Marriage at the buriall of the Dead at the generall Commination How shall your conscience beare you witnesse that the Church speaketh to you as Dearely beloued if there be an enuious malicious scandalous slaunderous pining repining vncharitable spirit amongst you Remember branches must grow together members agree together sheep feede together Vse 3 Thirdly is it so that ye be Christs sheepe then heare Christs voyce it is one of the true notes of Christs true sheepe Audiunt vocem meam saith Christ Audiunt vocem mea Audiunt that is a necessitie of hearing Rom. 10.14 Matth. Psalm 119. Faith commeth by hearing knowledge commeth by hearing comfort commeth by hearing They that stop their eares and wil not heare are not Christs sheepe Though thou be lame as Mephibosheth or blinde for a time as Paul or dumbe as Zachary Mark 9.25 yet thou mayst be in Christs fould but if the deafe diuell haue possessed thee if thou stop thy eares thou art none of his flocke What ioy had Dauid in hearing but of going to Church Psalme It did me good saith he when I heard them say we will goe to Ierusalem Audiunt vocem suam not onely they must heare but heare his voyce therefore our Sauiour gaue a double caueat quid quomodo In Marke Mark 4.24 Luke 8.18 Take heed what ye heare there is quid in Luke Take heed how ye heare quomodo If euer it were a time to set a watch at those open ports of our eares these be the dayes wherein some like the souldiours of Gastro are armed with the aduersaries arguments as they were with the enemies armour Some coyning inuentions of which saith Dauid I haue hared inuentions others with traditions of which Christ forewarneth others with infallible notes of seasoning the sense of Scripture which notes howsoeuer they seeme to haue warrant out of Vincentius Lirinensis Vine Lirin yet of the three he acknowledgeth that Heretikes haue claimed two of them the Arrians vniuersalitie and the Donatists antiquitie and denies not but that the
third may be challenged by inueterate heresies also and I ad further that the Diuels may pleade for it Consent and not Heretikes onely for Sathan is not diuided against Sathan wherefore let not any voyce be here to be beleeued but that one voyce vnam regulam Scripture as worthily Vincentius in his 41 Chapter doth plainly deliuer Vine Lirin Fourthly be ye all Christs seruants Christ sheepe by honest liuing heartie louing and diligent hearing So much of the first part The second part Psalme The sheepe shall be scattered Dissipentur inimici let his enemes be scattered Quid meruere oues what haue his poore sheep deserued Misery enough to be such helplesse creatures as sheepe but scattered Lorinus disperdere is bis-perdere this is a greater wane of misery poore disciples now they might sit sobbing day and night breaking their breasts with beating wearing their hands with wringing their hearts aking with sighes and their eyes streaming with sorrowes bruised reeds the staffe of their comfort taken from them the Children of the Bride chamber mourning for the absence of the Bridegroome Lambes sent out into the vast world among Wolues poore soules discouraged discomforted creatures hearing their woe feeling their want solitary are they now to be left that had beene his dayly waiters that had been the witnesses of his miracles Looke vpon the Mother the neere kinsewoman of our Sauiour leading her two sons to be preferred to our Sauiour his seruice did they thinke of this scattering Looke vpon his Disciples disputing for prioritie who should be greater did they thinke of this scattering Looke vpon those two Disciples in Luke trauelling to Emaus Luk. 24.13 how were they deiected when they remembred this scattering they trusted it had beene He that should haue deliuered Israel All the life of his Disciples was a scattering iourneying troublesome life they were stil in progresse our Sauiour had no standing house but heauen He promised them in the Gospell Matth. 19. Quando sedebit filius hominis Bernard vos sedebitis But when did he sit saith Bernard He had no ease no place to rest on These his sorrowfull and as it were forlorne followers had heard Christ oft that he was the light of the world and the bread of life that he had ouercome the world yet shall they bescattered It had beene enough to haue caused their hope to vanish like smoake and their Faith to wither like grasse death to sting them to the death Hell to triumph ouer them but they were sheepe therefore silent they expostulate not but obediently and patiently heare their insuing miserie The sheepe shall be scattered Obser The obseruation collected from the world scattered is that the seruants of Christ must be content to be seuered from their fellowes and friends and comforts whatsoeuer One must be like a Pellican in the wildernesse another like a Storcke in the desart some like the Turtle on the house-top others like Doues in the holes of the rockes they cannot be together but like grapes after a vintage here one there one The indorsement of God to his Saints is like that of S. Peter to the Iewes 1 Pet. 1.2 To the strangers dispersed These Apostles were dispersed and translated into diuers countries Peter into Antioch Euseb Iames to Ierusalem Iohn into Asia Andrew into Scithia Philip into Gallia Bartholomew into Armenia Mathew into Ethiopia Thomas into India Iude into Aegypt and Simon Zelotes into Mesopotamia There was a dispersion and dissolution more horrid then this for in this there was a blessing but the scattering I meane was of the Iewes was a full measure of misery that when the Iewes had bin assailed oft as may be found sixe times in the old Testament at the length their vtter destruction their finall downefall and funerall came vpon them the desolation of their country detestation of their Nation abhorring of their Names the scattering fettering consuming of their Citie Temple peace prosperitie and of all blessings sodainly ouer-tooke them Christ his Prophecy of them was fulfilled Behold your house shall be desolate vnto you for neyther the aged for their gray-haires found reuerence nor the suckling reliefe for his infant innocentage nor Matrone nor Priest nor Virgin nor Senatour for Modestie or order Iudolph found any pitie But this is no such scattering There is dispersio tegumenti Bern. and dispersio Tritici the winde scattereth the chaffe the Husbandman scattereth the Wheate the Wicked are the chaffe as in the Psalmes Prophets frequently Osca Ier. Ezek. the Godly are the Wheate sowen reaped threshed ground to powder yet howsoeuer scattered Gods promise was still Capillum de capite iusti non periturum Psal 1. nay more Quodcunque faciet prospere faciet he not onely careth for the bones that the bones which he hath broken may reioyce but the shadow of Peter shall recouer the sicke the handkercher of Paul deliuer the diseased the Cloake of Elias diuide the Waters and the Bones of Elizeus reuiue the dead and as Saint Paul spake by his experience 2 Cor. As vnknowne yet knowne as dying yet behold we liue as chastened yet behold not killed as sorrowing and yet reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet enioying al things in a word as scattered yet comforted The first name that euer was giuen the name Adam was a name of scattering Aug. in Ioan. it contaynes saith Austine in foure Letters the foure Parts of the World East West North South yet the Lord promiseth to gather together the scattered flocke of Israel from the East West North and South Vse I haue ended my weake weather-beaten Mediatations vpon this Text. Application must begin where Meditation ends When our Sauiour entered into the Synagogue vpon the Saboth day Luke 4.18 hee opened the Booke vpon those wordes of Esay The spirit of the Lord is vpon mee he hath sent me that I should heale the broken hearted c. And he shut the Booke and said this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares Beloued if euer Scripture were fulfilled in your eares if euer Scripture made your hearts to ake and your eares to tingle this is the day this the Text if euer any Scripture did take downe the crest of Pride and abate the edge of Reuenge to moue you throughly to leaue and loath the World this is it I will smite the shepheard and the sheepe shall be scattered Oh why is there not a generall thaw through-out all mankinde why in this debashed Ayre doe not all thing expire seeing Time lookes vpon vs with watry eyes disheueld lockes and heauie dismall lookes now that the Sunne is gone out of our Firnament the ioy the beautie the glory of Israel is departed Applic. Honourable Worshipfull worthy Gentlemen who either in the greatnesse of your Offices or in the neerenesse of your attendance liued vnder the Branches of our Princely Cedar to you