A CEDARS SAD and SOLEMN FALL Delivered in a SERMON at the Parish-Church of Waltham Abbey in Essex By THOMAS REEVE D. D. Preacher of Gods Word there At the Funeral of JAMES late Earl of Carlisle 4 JAMES 14. What is our life it is but a vapour which appeared for a little season and afterwards it vanisheth away 2 SAM 14.14 We must all needs die and are as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again neither doth God respect any Person LONDON Printed for William Grantham at the black Bear in St. Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door 1661. To the Right Honourable Margaret Countess-Dowager of Carlisle my very noble Patroness c. Length of dayes Dayes of gladness the holy Calling the holy Annointing Light in the Lord the Light of Gods countenance the Spirit of the fear of the Lord the Spirit of comfort the height of Honour and eternity of Bliss Right Honorable and graciously-accomplish'd Lady MArriage is an image of heaven for the celestial state is compared to espousals This mystery is great Ephes 5.32 because union of hearts in wedlock doth much resemble the glorious union Then you have had in this kind the heaven upon earth as much as Marriage can afford it you for the dear and entire mutual and reciprocal love which passed between you and your noble Bridegroom was so eminent that it seemed not onely to be affection but passion it was expressed to admiration and it might be presented to the world for imitation But all earthly comforts have their stints and limits They that rejoyce must be as if they rejoyced not 1 Cor. 7.30 There is nothing here so transcendent but it is transitory the sweetest fruit doth corrupt the brightest gemms do lose their lustre that which doth most delight us doth leave us with an heart-gripe we must turn away our eyes from our most enamouring objects with a storm of tears So hath it happened to Your Honour He which lay nearest to Your heart it taken out of Your bosom and the want of him hath caused You to be a true mourner Thus heavenly providence doth order all things concerning our temporary comforts he will have nothing here permanent that we might rely upon him which is unchangeable it is not the wedding-ring that can endow any with lasting felicity constant joy is not to be found in the Bride-bed they are not our embraces that can keep fast our desired delights nor our eager eyes that can fix a face long for us to look upon No death doth pluck many a dear pledge out of our hands and extinguish many a lamp when it is shining before us with the greatest brightness This moth doth fret in pieces our costliest robes this thunderbolt doth cleave asunder our most admired monuments there is no armour of proof against this dart when this blow is given adamantine chains break when death doth give the knock there is no keeping within doors when death doth come with the ground-spade who must not be buried under ground we had need not to fancy any thing too much for the best is but a perishing delight we had need to provide something that is immortal for every thing that we do here enjoy is mortall The wisest head at last will be but a deaths-skull and the kindest husband we may at last take him up in an handful of dust or go lye by him in a bed of clay Death doth but smile when we do call any thing here our own and deride us that we laugh in that face which with a stroke can be made pale and grisly Your Honour therefore hath done well to furnish Your self with that which might comfort You beyond Nature and give You engagements when all the privileges of Nature do fail and indeed Godliness is profitable to all things and hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 these are the great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 How would You have done if You had had nothing above this world to strengthen You against this trial You did but a little if You remember leave Your self to Your self and Your footsteps were well nigh gone You did but conceive Your Husband to be dead when he was not dead and yielding to Natures sad apprehensions what a sad fit did it bring upon You Your own life was in danger but You no sooner left consulting with flesh and bloud and began to take up Religion to be Your director but You were able with more patience and prudence moderation and Christian submission to undergo what God in his high and over-ruling wisdom should appoint and determine You could then speak to the honour of God and conform to the will of God saying Why should You try masteries with God when You knew that A sparrow doth not fall to the ground but by Gods appointment So that noble Lady there is no light like to a beam of Gods Spirit nor no counsellor like to a sanctified heart all the Preachers upon earth all the Angels of heaven can hardly so well informe us as our own regenerate consciences They which fear not God fear all things they which have learned God are taught against all exigents therefore the fear of the Lord is the treasure Es 33.6 I know that it shall be well with them that fear the Lord and do reverence before him Eccles 8.13 Natural perfections are a scant and fickle livelyhood therefore the Saints fee-simple is free-grace then have we something to rejoyce in and rely upon when he in heaven according to his godly power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 This is the stock that is to be preferred before Rubies yea of greater value than all the treasures of Aegypt The Carbuncle of high birth is nothing like to the jewel of new-birth all Academical Arts are nothing like to the eye-salve of the Spirit There is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Job 32.8 Here is the mind which hath understanding Rev. 17.9 The most solid judgment is that where there is a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord Es 11.3 Through Christ I can do all things saith the Apostle but without Christ we can do nothing or very little The heart of the wicked is little worth There is not such a faint-heart as an unregenerate person he doth flee when none doth pursue the least trial doth cause in him astonishment of heart yea the sound of a shaken leaf doth chase him Lev. 26.37 he is like a silly Dove without heart Hos 7.11 We see it in Haman who wanted nothing for outward pomp and potency and yet the least check of neglect doth make all that he was worth a burthen yea a very loathing to him for What doth all this availe me And the like is to be seen in Achitophel who had greatness enough and pusillanimity dastardlinesse enough for being
greatest glory is subject to the stroke of death the Cedar is fallen The magnificence of this world is but an apparition the sweetest Musick but a semibrief Are not my dayes few what should we talk of the pomp and Minstrilsy which the flesh doth afford for thy pomp shall be brought down to the grave and the noyse of thy Viols Death will strip us out of our pompous robes and case up our Viols though thy windows be close shut and thou hast mured up thy self in hewen stone yet Death will come up into the windows and enter into the palaces Jer. 9.21 Let thy veins eyes and heart-strings be never so quick and lively yet thy eyes will be turned into thy head thy veins will be broken and thy heart rent asunder with sorrow Oculi vertentur in capite venae rumpentur cor scindetur dolore Bern. Sit voluâ—tâ—rium quod est necessarium Chys Prima quae vitam dedit hora carpsit Seneca Thou hadst as good yield up thy self cheerfully to death for maugre all thy resistance death will force thee into her back-room her blind room dark room rotten room carcase-hole therefore let that be voluntary which is necessary Thou tookest thy poyson in the womb and it will never leave working till it hath brought thee to the grave the first hour which gave that life took it away for if thou beest in thy young age thou art beginning to dye if thou art in thy middle age thou art half dead if thou beest in thy old age thou art at the point of death and wilt ere long be quite dead These Chimes will soon leave going this Lottery will be soon drawn forth this Comedy will soon be acted out to the last Scene sleep will enter into our eyes the Voyder will be brought upon the table these shop-doors will be shut these buzzing flies will betake themselves to their Winter-rooms these swelling torrents will be dryed up the fair fruit will drop the loftiest Cedar will fall The Cedar is fallen Application 1. First this doth shew that Nature hath her casualty Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere vivam It is not believe me the part of a wise man to say I will live Fools may thus chatter but wise men will use no such Solecisms yet how many of these Lunaticks have we that talk of nothing but of long life let things happen here tanquam in choro as it were in a fit of Musick yet they think the tune will never alter nor the dance be done Naz. We have many a Deaths-head worn upon our fingers but when shall we find this Deaths-head in our ears eyes tongues or hearts We see many a dead corps but we do not think that this flesh of ours shall ever be carcase-strong we behold many a Grave-spade yet we are confident that it will be a long time ere that shall dig for us But O be not Fanaticks beware of illusions Moriendo obliviscatur sui qui vivens oblitus est Dei Caesarius admonit 6. Quid perdidit homo quid invenit Anselâ—r in med thou which wilt not mind death perhaps at last shalt not mind thy soul If thou must part with life it were good beforehand to think of the separation lest thou dost meet with a general damage and a general curse together such a careless wretch doth know to purpose both what he hath lost and what he hath found Simple men ye that cannot hide your selves from death why do ye not endeavour to kill death by many a dying thought before it doth come to kill you O that this whole Congregation should not be full of dying men O that this whole Congregation hath scarce three dying men in it How many of you do that now living that ye would do at last dying how many of you do kill those corruptions now which being here unmortified will kill you in another world what can ye feel nothing till the Pursivant hath arrested you what do ye put off all your souls work to a deaths pillow it is to be thought so for weak men have not misery enough about them to apprehend this learned men have not wit enough to apply this what is the reason can any of you escape death have any of you a writ of privilege to be freed from death no death hath you in her black roll and every one of you shall be called forth in order O therefore have an expectation of death and a preparation for death or else I shall say that there is a great deal of Knowledge but little Vertue a great deal of Profession but little Conscience Tell not me of your skill in the Metaphysicks get skill in the Physicks this same state of Nature be well versed in generation and corruption I shall conclude that ye are some Conjurers and addicted to familiar Spirits and much given to Necromancy if your knowledge of death do not teach you to dye but onely to tell tales or death and to prophesie of accidents in this world they that study the Black Art do thus and I doubt ye do little better Would to God I could draw you with the Magicians to burn your books of curious Arts and to turn this book of the Expiring art the large Treatise of Corruption as small a book as ye do account it I tell you it is more voluminous than the Pandects or than all the Codes To study this book well it will exercise the best wit to the height ye will find more Aenigma's and Postula's in it than in the Mathematicks yea more difficulties in it than in learning all the Eastern Languages A crafty politician for all his Mercurial brain will be Lard put to it to unfold this State-riddle a Doctor of the chair may be posed in this intricate book I tell you it hath so many branches in it and is so copious in Canons and Axioms and Aphorisms that it may be called the book in Folio or the Library of the world or a general History Annal Ephemerides It doth discourse of all things from the Artique to the Antartique Pole from the Creation to the later day of Judgment it doth contain the state of all Mankind Ye must not go to any Stationer for it for it is sold onely in Tomb-street at the sign of the Deaths-head and thou canst not buy it for any money but onely laying down a mortified heart for it Amongst all thy pamphlets or most classical Authors it were good for thee to get this book and to peruse it seriously and to begin to be skilled in it betimes for I tell thee it is a necessary book an hard book and a large book thou canst not read it over in an hour in a year no the Saints are learning it from the first hour of their conversion to the last gasp If thou wilt not get this book of thy self Death at last will thrust it into thy hand it will force thee to read it If
souls Though ye cause others to abound yet let not your souls want your devout Forefathers did thus and be ye their religious charitable children yea I beseech you by your progenitors eleemosynary Wills and by their soft bowels by their gracious hearts precious dust by their generous spirits illustrious names by their glorious remains their honoured memories their bright crowns and their ravished souls that ye would prove your selves to be right-born uphold the honour of their families exemplifie the copies which they have set you to write grave your selves to be their true progeny in letters of gold stay behind them to shine in their beams to cast a smell abroad with their odours to shew their charitable hearts stirring quick in your bosoms to follow after them with a cluster of their fruits to carry in your hands a transcript of their compassionate works to settle their good foundations in another world yea to be attended upon with such a glorious train of alms-deeds as ye find waited upon them in bright liveries when they entred into heaven If your old Protestant Ancestors or their old Protestant Faith their glorified souls or your souls which may be glorified by their fruits can stir your heart-strings enlarge your bowels infuse the like communicating sympathizing spirit into you O give their rich portions feed the world with their bread sacrifice their Offering of a fair eye stretch out their distributing hand preserve their records write out your selves worthy by their inscriptions leave behind you their monuments enter heaven by their golden key purchase a crown at their rate If by all this you do find your selves prompted to the work apprehend your opportunity make use of your minutes hear now the clock doth strike see how the glass doth run behold how the shadows go off from the dial consider the naked skin and bare hand which ere long ye will have look into deaths Inventory remember that at last ye will be left nothing worth but coffin-reliques worms-leavings stench gelly sappyness for when we are dead all power and purpose sufficiency and efficiency means and mind fruit and freedom enjoyment and enterprise possession and possibility asfluency and ability will be taken away from you O! death is the old rifler the grave the grand plunderer what shall then be the end of you O ye Cedars where shall your tops then be ye shall be hewen down or blown down to purpose not worth stock or branch root or rind pith or leaf the tree is then at the mercy of the axe a pitiful Cedar when a fallen Cedar all the glory is thrown down to the earth every one then will make spoil of it it is subject to a general waste for the Cedar is fallen Thus much of the Herse the dead corps under it in this word fallen PART III. Now let us come to the Mourner the Firre-tree Why is the Firre-tree called upon to consider the fall of the Cedar to shew that Inferiours ought to bemoan the fall of their Superious From hence observe then that the death of eminent men is to be lamented Shall such be carried out of the world without solemnity no the Mourners ought to go about in the streets Eccles 12.5 The bearers do but carry them out upon their shoulders but these carry them out in their breasts their sad hearts bear the weight of their Coffin Others may make it a vulgar day but these make it a a bitter day Amos 8.10 others may not alter a posture bur these bow down heavily Psal 35.14 others may remain dumb but these cry Alas Alas Amos 5.16 others may have their delicious fare but these have a diet by themselves they eat the bread of Mourners Hos 9.4 yea eat ashes like bread Psal 102.9 others may spruse up themselves in rayment but these have a dresse by themselves they will not so much as put on ornaments Exod. 33.4 nor bind a tire upon their heads or put on shooes Ezech. 24.17 but they sprinkle dust upon their heads Job 2.12 rend their clothes Esther 4.1 yea expresly wear mourning apparell 2 Sam. 14.2 others may have pleasant gradens the frolicks of joyous times but these have postures by themselves they put their mouths in the dust Lam. 3.29 they cover their lips Mich. 3.7 they make their selves bald Ezech. 27.31 they cut their beards Es 15.2 they taber upon their breasts Nah. 2.7 they teach their daughters wailings and every one her neighbour lamentation Jer. 9.20 There is a time for all things and as others have their time for lawfull delights as to plant and gather stones and heale and sew and dance and embrace and speak out and sing out so these have their time according to sad accidents to pluck up that which is planted to cast away stones to wound to rend to mourn to be far from embracing and to keep silence O that there can be a bright corner within that Hemisphere where the Sun is in an Eclipse that there can be a chearfull look to that place where an eminent man doth die wringing hands blubbered cheeks and doleful outcries are as proper for the Funeral of a famous Patriot as scornes and taunts and clapping of hands are for the herse of a tormenter of his Country let the one be buried with the burial of an Asse saying Rot thou bruit beast Let the other be buried with the burial of an Heroe saying O that such precious flesh should ever come to waste under-ground The fall of a cedar should be the anguish of the firre-tree living man look disconsolately the mirrour of the age is departed firre-tree shake thy top to the ground-ward the Cedar is fallen Funeral mourning is a lamentable plaint for the decease of dead men worthy in esteem Luctus est planctus pro mortuis adâ—matis Aq in Ps 34. Luctus est animi aegritudo ex acerbo conceâ—â—u interitus â—jus qui nobis charus fuit Fran. pat de reg l. 5. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. yea it is a fever upon the spirit out of a sad apprehension for the death of him that was dear to us They are men of no bowels which can part with deserving friends without teares and troubled bowels for as Quirinus said when can any rather shew themselves to be true men then at such a time and at such an accident It is pity upon such an occasion as Demonax said that there should be three men found that had not water enough to sprinkle upon such a grave they are fit their selves to be buried who stand not true Mourners at the burial of a Country-ornament such a Firre-tree doth not deserve to have had such a Cedar grow by him With how much sorrow and sadnesse were Jacob Moses Samuel Josiah Christ St. Stephen Justin Martyr Ignatius Polycarp and Cyprian Gregory Nazianzen Constantine the Great Justinian the Great Theodosius the Great Artemius Procefius Venanitus Agathon Mascalon Vsthazarus Pontianus Hilarius Florentius Pregentinus