THis dolefull cry I heare but twice repeated in these sa­cred histories, and both times at funeralls. First, this dying Elisha himselfe singeth this burden of lamentation at the funerall of his father Elijah (for it was his funerall, an heavy parting from his son, [Page 2]and from the earth, though with a more glorious transportation in a fiery charet by fiery horses, and through a whi [...]e-wind into heaven) his sonne can doe no lesse at this sudden and admired change, than lament him, O my father, my father the charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof. 2 Kin. 2.12. Se­condly, this honour had the same Elisha at his change, when he was now sicke unto death, from the mouth of Ioash an idolater indeed, but yet a King, who ac­knowledgeth himselfe a sonne also to the dying Prophet; and now comming to visit his father in his sicknesse, and per­ceiving that death was sent for him, and he must loose him, hee weepeth over his face, and cryeth bitterly, O my father, my father, the charet of Jsrael and the horse­men thereof. Heare it once more, and it is the burden of this dayes lamentation, nei­ther untimely, I hope, nor unseemely; not untimely, for it's at a funerall; nor unseemly, it being the funeral of so hono­red an head, by whose death I dare speake it, I would we might not feele it, there is a charet unwheeled, and an horseman [Page 3]throwne this day in Israel. It is true here is neither King nor Prophet to be lamen­ted, yet a father of many sonnes in as great a right as Eliah of Elisha, or Elisha of Ioash, such as a fatherly respect hath made children, and want of this father hath made lamenting orphans; yet a man of God, a righteous soule zealous for the Lord of Hosts, in whom God had pla­ced not a small part of the Strength of Is­rael; blame us not then if we take up this lamentation, and cry, O my father, my father, &c.

The words are the naturall notes of a burdened soule, and the bitter expressions of a mind oppressed, laid out by griefes peculiarAposiopesis. Rhetoricke, outcries, and bro­ken distracted speeches; O my father, my father; and there he stops, O the charet of Israel, and the horse men thereof, and then he stayes; the mind doubtlesse had something else to vent, but griefe smo­thers it, and the weeping passion will not let it out. My defence is from my text, if I [...]be broken and confused, griefe can­not speake otherwise, and mournes like [Page 4]such sermons best, whose companion and preacher I am at this time. Yet if y [...] desire a fuller sense of these distracted outcryes, and a more perfect resolution of these broken speeches, thinke my soule now to be in their soules stead, and let me personate a while El [...]shah to E [...]ah, or I [...]ash to Elisha, not in his wickednesse, but his lamentation, and me thinkes, if geiese would suffer me, I could tell you what they would have spoken. O my father woo is me, my soule is sorely troubled for thee; Alas what shall I doe oh my heart, my heart aketh, and my soules e­ven ready to be powred out, I can have no rest; for my staffe is broken, and my father is quite taken away from me. O my father, What doe I stay behind for a poore forsaken orphan? O how happy should I be, if death would doe me that favour as to bring mee now after thee? O my father, my father; or I would I onely had lost a father and were a mour­ner alone, that I might yet finde others to comfort me; but on which side soever I looke, I see none but mourners, oh my [Page 5]heart is almost broken, All Israel laments and cryeth bitterly after thee, for their charets and horsemen are fallen, because thou art departed from them: brinish teares have besmeared all faces, Israel Gods Church sitteth as a desolate wid­dow, and heavy burdens are sounded in all her coasts, woe is us, how is the glory of Israel this day decayed? how are her charets and her horsemen confounded? how is her strength become feeble? for thou art taken from us. O my father, my father, Melioripsi Israel eratin cratione sua curribus & equitibus. Calv paraph. who wert a greater safeguard unto us then all the charets of Israel or the horsemen thereof: Oh thou strength of Israel, our bowells are turned within us, we are sorely grieved for thee!

That wee may yet speake more profi­tably from the text, it will be good to ranke these out-cries into some method, though indeed griefe be so unruly, that it is no easie matter to keepe it in order; ne­verthelesse we will tye it up a little, and if we can looke with dry eyes upon the text these two things are obvious to our consideration.

• 1 The persō produced in this mourn­full scene.
  • 1 The mourner Ioas [...] King of Israel.
  • 2 The bemoaned Elisha the Prophet now a dying man.
• 2. The lamen­tation it self made over him, wher­of we read
  • 2 The manner of it in the doubled, bro­ken, and distracted repetition, O my fa­ther, my father!
  • 1 The mat­ter of it w^ch was a 2. fold losse.
    • 2 Of a father, ô my father! Of the stay and str [...]gth of Israel, [...] the Charet, &c.

First the persons here presented in this mournefull act are Ioash the mourner, and Elisha the sicke dying and lamented fa­ther; as we looke upon them, and eye them more narrowly, wee will forget them in their more speciall callings ey­ther Ioash to be a king, or Elisha to bee a [Page 7]Prophet, this will be of no great use un­to us; more profit we may expect in the diligent view of their generall conditi­ons, according to the description which the Spirit giveth of them. Of Ioash, who commeth downe to weepe over the face of this departing Prophet, we read,2 Kin. 1 3.11. He did that which was evill in the ssght of the Lord, he departed not from all the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, who made Israel sinne but he walked therein. What could bee said worse of a man? He was as wicked as a­ny, it was his trade to sinne, nay more, he was as bad as the worst, a conspiratour with that Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat the most abominable idolater that ever brea­thed on the earth. Of Elisha againe, who lay now sicke unto death and is here la­mented, we read,1 Kin. 19 16. he was the anointed of the Lord, on whom the Spirit of Eliiah was doubled after his departure,2 Kin. 2.9, 10. hee was a zealous champion for the Lord of Hosts, a righteous soule, an heavenly Saint, and a deadly enemy to Ieroboams sinne and his idolatrous brood; yet this Ioash commeth to this Elisha in [Page 8]his last sicknesse, weepeth over his face a [...] now departing, and cryeth after him i [...] this pittifull lamentation; O my father, my father!Mat 11, 19 [...] It is true that wisedome is iu­stified of her children, and as true th [...] God maketh her to be iustified of her ad­versaries also, even of them that hate her. Doctrine 1 The righteous soule departeth lamented, desi­red, honoured by the very enemies of righte [...]s­nesse: It is a strange sight to see the same man a murderer, and a mourner at the same funerall, or any one to lament that person upon the biere whom he hated to the death, and was ever restlesse untill hee had layd him there, yet nothing more common between the righteous and the wicked. It is the crie of the ungodly a­gainst the inst, while he liveth, kill him, stone him, away with him from the earth, he is not worthy to live; but when hee is dead indeed, the same mouth desireth him, iustifieth him, surely this man was the Son God:2 Sam. 3.27. 31, 3 [...]. Looke upon Ioab but in his treachery, hee hated Abner in his soule, he sendeth good greetings unto him, ta­keth him aside at his returne, smites him [Page 9]and kills him, can yet expect him now before Abners hearse, renting his cloathes, clad in sack cloath, lamenting and whi­ning as a mourner? yet thus wee finde him.

Who would thinke that Ioash should be a mourner at Eliah's funerall, he a con­spirator with Ieroboam, this a righteous Prophet of the Lord of Hosts? yet here he is, and weeps and cryes with a bitter mour­ning, oh my father, my father! But why weepeth he? and how is it that hee com­meth to doe the Prophet this honour at his death? Is it because he loved him, as Christ wept over Lazarus? I dare not say so, no not so much as thinke so, that a man of Belial could so sincerely affect a Sonne of God, and should not question it, but for some who are yet contrary min­ded.An hic anime st [...]cere honoreus illum prophetae detulerit, ali­qui in quaestio­uem vocant, &c. Mihi ve­ro frustra videtur que­ri, quandonen erat causa qus moveretur ad estentandum, Ioh. Wolph in tex, It is therefore commented by one thus; Some doubt whether Ioash did this honour to the Prophet in his lamentati­on with sincere affection, &c. But it see­meth to me not worth the questioning, when now hee could bee moved by no cause to flattery.

Yet (with good leave) it seemeth o­therwise to other pious and learned iudg­ments, and I thinke upon better reason. Had Ioash beene in Elisha's stead, a dying man, I should think, as the Author do [...], there were then no cause of flattering, but Elisha was now dying, and Ioash lustie & lively; and I doubt not, but an ungracious sonne for a blessing or a portion may flat­ter his father upon his bed of death, nay, sooner then, when most unlikely to bee discovered. But not desire his life as Ioash did; yea earnestly desire it, and bitterly bemoane the losse of it, if his safety and peace depend upon it, as the health of Ioash and his kingdome upon Elisha did; there was then cause enough of flattery. The desperate patient careth not for the man­nay perhaps doth truely hate him, yet heartily desireth his Physitian, loveth his physicke and his skill, and bemoaneth himselfe when he wanteth them; he lo­veth not the man then, but he loves his owne life. Let Ioash looke upon Elisha as a righteous Prophet crying down his sin, and beating downe Ierob [...]ams altars, and [Page 11]he cannot endure him, he hateth him to the death, yet when hee seeth him as a fa­ther on whom all his dependance is, he earnestly desireth him; he loveth not Elisha then, but he loveth his father, & scarce­ly can I beleeve he weepeth for him, be­cause he loveth him, or that this lamen cation is from sincere affection. Why then doth he thus bemoane him, and doe him this honour as to weepe over his face but at the thought of his funerall, while hee was yet alive? Negatively wee have an­swered, it was not because he so intirely lo­ved him, and positively wee now reply, these considerations might move Ioash or such a wretch as he, to bemoane Elisha's losse, or such a soule as this.

First a partiall conviction of some good in the righteous soule commendable and desireable by the very enemy, for howso­ver wicked men are not so farre, nor so fully convinced of righteousnes, as truely to affect it, and earnestly to labour after it, yet such a conviction there is most com­monly which stops their mouths against it, and maketh them to wish for it a [...]aine, [Page 12]when once they want it. It fareth as with the God of righteousnesse, so with the people of righteousnesse in this [...]. His very eternall power and Godhead, the in­visable things of him are so cleer [...]ly seems by meere Naturalists;Rom. 1.20. yea by the whole world, that it is not grievous unto them to confesse him to be God, howbeit all this while they glorifie him not as God, nay,ver. 21.30, they are the very haters of God, so vainely are they convinced of a deity; yet againe when God is departed from them, and executes his iust iudgements upon them, they cannot but iustifie him in his proceedings, and bewaile themselves for the losse of him when hee is gone: Such sparkles of divine knowledge are left in corrupted man, and are kindled some­thing more by education within the bo­some of the Church: God may bee thus knowne by his enemies, but never ho­nourd or desired before hee turne away in wrath and hide away his face in dis­pleasure, then Saul will seeme to honour him,1 Sam. 15.25. though erewhile his rebellion bran­ded him for an enemy. Such entertain­ment [Page 13]and esteeme in the world have his servants likewise; as they partake of the goodnesse of their God, to they doe of his usage also amongst men: Their piety, up­rightnesse, humility, and continuall stu­dy of doing good convince the very ene­my, and force a confession of their good­nesse; yet hate they them to the very death, though afterward their heart smite them, and when they are taken away, they cry for them, alas my brother! The Sonne of God fareth no better, his righteous con­versation doubtles convinced the world of his innocency. Pilate proclaimeth it before iudgement,Mat. 27.23.24. What evill hath hee done! yet hee hath enmity in himselfe a­gainst him, and to doe the Iewes a plea­sure he casts him and condemns him; ne­verthelesse at his death he doth him this honour againe to proclaime his righte­ousnesse, I am innocent of the bloud of this iust person. Its strange to see with what vi­olence and ravenous desire of bloud Saul hunted David, he is convinced of his in­nocency, yet he cannot love him, but pur­sueth him to the death, and after that hee [Page 14]had murdered him in his heart, his con­viction driveth him to this confession. [...] this thy voyce, my sonne David? I have [...], returne my sonne David,1 Sam 26.27. 12, 25. I will [...] more doe thee harme, I have played the soule [...] ­red exceedingly. Thus precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, Psal. 116.15. and such God maketh it to be in the sight of men also. That wretched Balaam, that cursed sorcerer confesseth this to the eternall ho­nour of the Saints, of whom he giveth no other commendation than to wish his soule in their soules stead,Numb. 23.10 Let mee dye the death of the righteous, and let my last and but like his; and yet who a more deadly ene­my to their lives than he? This lamenta­tion therefore of Ioash upon Elisha, might be forced by conviction, not invited by affection.

Secondly, self-love might reach him this mournefull note, himself was like to be the greatest looser by Elisha's death and no wonder then if he make the grea­test lamentation. If we observe the story, Ioash was at this time sorely distressed, be­cause of the Syrians; they had made the [Page 15]people of Israel in the dayes of Jehoahaz his father like the dust by threshing, and were yet domineering over them, Ioash had no great strength lest him of his fa­ther to defend himselfe or offend his ene­mies, and now Elisha is departing too, his father, his oracle for aduice, and counsell, his strength and safeguard of himself and kingdome; the charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof were now falling, and now he and his people in all likelihood exposed to the tyranny of the mercilesse Syrians; can he love himselfe so ill, think we, as not to mourne and weepe, and cry, O my father? A parallel no this we reade betwixt Saul and Samuel, a wicked King, and a righteous Prophet; Samuel may de­clare the word of the Lord unto him, but Saul reiects it, and in his heart disdaineth both the Prophet and his message: he har­boureth an enmity against God and him in his flesh, and careth not how little hee seeth him, he being now his greatest eye­sore: yet when Samuel is gone indeed;1 Sam. 28.3.6. 14, 15. grie­vous distresse befalls him, and now hee wants him, Oh what shall hee doe for [Page 16]his Samuel? more worth were he at [...] time than his crowne unto him; [...] he beshreweth himselfe, he honour [...] him and desires him: nay when he was sore distressed, the Philistines made wants against him, God was departed from him and answered him no more neither by Prophets, nor by Vrim, nor by [...], then would he scrape Samuel out of his grave: yea rather than faile, he goeth to the divell for him, and when he seeth him he stoupeth, & boweth himselfe to do him honor, though in the event he was mista­ken, worshipping the divell, & not Samu­lel) yet all this while he loveth not the Pro­phet but himselfe. This honour have all Gods Saints,Prov. 11.30. that they be trees of life, not onely living themselves, but also giving life and diffusing their good wheresoever they come; & though they are [...] by-words and signes of contradiction, the very markes, whereat the scornes and scoffes of worldlings are bolted for their abode in this theatre, yet whence they are transplanted, they are missed, and wished for, not for themselves, but for the good [Page 17]which followeth them. Selfe-love is e­nough to make a man act the friend, though otherwise in his heart he bee a deadly enemy, and so doe the wicked be-friend the godly, honour them and desire them, because they love themselves.

I have now but two words to speake to each party, Ioash and Elisha, the mour­ning king, and the lamented Saint, then they goe out, and we proceed.Vse 1. First I have a message to thee oh king, not a dagger for a private stabbe, but a word to smite thee with in the open sunne,Iudg. 3.20.21. even before the face of all Israel. Is this the voice of Ioash over Elisha, O my father, my father? Whence learnedst thou this note, thou painted Sepulchre? Doest thou con­spire with the wicked against the Lord? content and delight thy selfe in Ieroboams life? and commest thou to be a mourner at Elishas death? God will iudge thee, thou cursed hypocrite. Oh how doth the fire of the Lord burne within me, and the zeale of the Almighty kindle against these wicked wretches? Woe unto you, ye vi­perous generation of hypocrites: what [Page 18]make ye at the righteous mans sepulchr [...] what aileth you to rent your cloath [...], to walke in sackecloath, to weepe and la­ment before his biere? Doe ye loath, dis­like, and hate his life? and yet [...] him at his death? Doe ye honour, hove, and desire his end? yet his life and graces discommend? Doe ye build and paint, and guild his tombe? and yet your hands imbrued in his righteous bloud? ye are witnesses against yourselves;Mat. 23.17.33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? For ye well deserve it, that hate the God of righteousnesse, and his righteous servants, notwithstanding ye are convinced, that ye should glorifie him, and honour them, ye are your owne iudges, that your condemnation is iust.

Secondly,verse 2. I have an errand to Elishas al­so, the dying Saint, and the righteous soule,Isa. 3.10. Psal. 37.37. Phil. 1.21. and it is a message of peace, Say un­to the righteous it shal be well with him; his end is peace, and as his life was Christ, so now his death is his gaine. Comfore your selues then ye people of righteousnesse, ye holy nation: what [Page 19]though for a while Balaam conspire a­gainst you, Shimei curse you,Num. 31.16. 2 Sam. 16.5. 1 Sam. 22.9. Act. 26.24. Ioh. 15.19. Doeg accuse you, slander you, Festus think you mad mē, because ye are Christians, and the world iudge you to death as the worst of men not worthy to live; yet wait but a little, Balaam shall wish your happinesse, Shimei shall blesse you, Doeg shall iustifie you, Festus shall bee convinced of your wisedome,Heb. 11.38. and the world shall desire you againe, of whom it shall not be worthy. Onely ex­pose not your selves to Balaams conspira­cie by sinning and forsaking the God of righteousnesse; stand not still, neither goe backe for Shimeis cursing; Feare not to walk with thy God for all Doegs slanders, Thinke not worse of your selves for Fe­stus his rash iudgement; and fall not down before the wicked, though the world condemne you; Patience and Resoluti­on now become the Saints: Armed with these ye shall stand stedfast, glori­fie your God, and honour your selves in the face of all Israel; The eye which see­eth you, shall blesse you, and the eare which heareth you shall give witnesse [Page 20]unto you nay yet farther, that very mouth that curseth you, shall blesse you, that heart which hated you surviving, dying shall lament you, and that soule which abhorred you, shal desire you again [...] my brother, or as Ioash here cryeth after [...] lisha, O my father, my father! This is the honour of Gods Saints, whose losso [...] lamentation now follow.

O my father, my father! I have done with Ioash, this lamentation is none of his by right, his heart did never beget it, though his tongue had learned to speake it; the is indeed Elisha's owne, which he [...] heavily at the parting with his father E [...] ­iah, and is here taken up by Ioash [...] himselfe, but sounds more harshly from such a iarring instrument. He [...]e wee [...] then from the Authours mouth and [...] how he acts it, we shall see the lively em­bleme of a perplexed soule; though we heare the voyce onely, it is enough to make us conceive the dolefull gesture of the Actour, though we see no body; such distracted outcries, oh my father, my father and then to stop; O the charet and the [Page 21]horsemen; and to say no more, can pre­sent no other shape unto us than torne cloathes; wringing hands, swollen eyes, besmeared face, and sobbing heart, a man full of sorrow, and overburdened with griefe unspeakeable. It is a woefull spe­ctacle to looke upon, and enough to moove a flint, that would but view it se­riously, to weepe for company: and I confesse, it is not easie to forbeare while I relate it. That we misse nothing which may concerne us to make us fellow-mourners with this distressed soule, the la­mentation implyeth 2. things remarkable.

• 1 The manner of it, It is doubled di­stracted and broken, the naturall symptomes of a soule overcharged with griefe.
• 2 The matter of it, about which it was, a double losse.
  • 1 The losse of a fa­ther, O my, &c.
  • 2 The losse of strength, charet, and horsemen.

The manner is the doubling,Repetitivest deloris oftensie des [...]paratione. Carthus, in 2 Reg. 2. distra­ction and abruptnesse of these cryes, all undoubted notes of an unexpressible [Page 22]griefe; and in relation to the matter [...] ground expressed, it readeth us this [...] ­son.Doctrine 2 The losse of the righteous is very grievous, and their lamentations very bitter. The ioy of the City is not so great, when it goeth well with the righteous, and they prosper: but their griefe surpas­seth when they are cut off and taken a­way.Prov. 11.10. It is true that when the wicked pe­rish, there is shouting: but when the righ­teous man falleth, there is bitter weeping, doubled cryes, and pitifull exclamations, Alas our father, or our brother, we are sorely distressed for thee. It may be [...] cast in, Eliiah and Elisha were famous Prophets in Israel, and this bewailing see­meth rather to be for such than for righte­ous men. To cast this out againe as easi­ly, It is confessed indeed, that the Prophets were accounted fathers in Israel, yet de­nyed that they were thus lamented be­cause Prophets; Righteousnesse onely ad­deth this honour, that the losse of them should be so bewailed, whilest many o­ther Prophets die both undesired and [...] ­lamented. Dignities may command [...] [Page 23]forced service and a formall honour from inferiours, yet all this while they are a burden under which they groane, and die they may, yet be never missed, and not a mourner for them unles in a gowne or cloake. It is neither king nor Prophet, but righteousnesse that maketh the losse so heavy, and the mourning so bitter; one­ly these bring their additions to the la­mentation; the losse of a righteous man, the City doth bewaile as a mother, the deceased child, who yet is comforted by her husband, that is better then ten chil­dren unto her, but at the losse of a righ­teous King, or a righteous Prophet, she sits as a widow or as an orphan, rents her cloathes, teareth her haire, and cryeth o­ver them, as a wife over her husband, or a poore child after its dearest father, that cannot be comforted. It is true,1 Kin. 14.19. 1 Kin. 1.22.37 Ierem. 22, 18. when Ie­roboam, Ahab, or Iehoiakim wicked Kings were cut off, we see no great losse, and therefore we have no great lamentation, the City is quiet and no whit mooved, none cryeth so much as alas my brother!1 Kin. 14.13.1 [...]. But Ab [...]ah, Ieroboams son, though a child, [Page 24]is lamented of all Israel, because [...] found some good thing towards the Lord, [...] when good Josiah falleth, Ierusalem [...] ­teth wringing her hands like a [...] widow, and Ieremiah and al [...] bitterly after him:2 Chr [...].35.24 25. yea such a [...] it is, that unto it the Prophet makes [...] al o [...] the Convents mourning, It [...] us the mourning of [...] in the [...] ­ley of Megiddo, Ze [...]h, 12.11. where that good King I [...] ­ah was slaine. When Hananiah, [...] Amaziah, false Prophets die, all is stil, [...] is no wailing for them, nor mention [...] them, unlesse to curse them, for the [...] is eased of a tedious burthen with them but when Samuel, Eltiah, or Elisha [...] ta­ken away,1 Sam. 25.1. 2 King. 1.12. 2 Kin. 13.14. heaven heareth the sighes and sobs, and groanes of mourners, all [...] bemoane the losse of these, oh our father our father! Once more, when a curs [...] Shimei, or a wicked Shebua, or a churli [...] Nabal are cut off, there is no misse of them nor weeping for them: But when an in­nocent Abuer, or good Barzillas, or a faith­full Imathan depart, their funeralls hat [...] troupes of mourners, and many sad cryes [Page 25]after them, Ah woe is me!2 Lam, 3.33.38. Dei [...] Abner [...] dyeth? Alas, there is a great man [...] this day in Israel: Or els,2 Sam. [...] [...]5, 26. O Ionathan [...] the high places, I am distres­ [...] [...], my brother Jonathan. All this depends upon the succeeding matter, the [...] of the lamentation about which [...] all these cryes are not about nothing, but there is a father, or a charet, or horse­men fallen, for which these pitifull excla­mations are doubled: In the text, the whole matter of the lamentation fell un­der a twofold consideration, Good Elisha, [...]ither as a father to Ioash, or els as the cha­ret and horsemen of all Israel; the losse of these may deserve a woefull lamentation, and because they lie in this subordinati­on to the precedent mourning,Flebat loas de lens se ac regula suum tanto pa­trono privend [...] tan [...] [...]ilia­ri [...] & auxilia­rie destituen­dum, tam san­ctissimo & fi­dilissimo mox cariturum tu­tore, prophetae, ac patre. Car­thus in tex [...] I shall lay them downe in their order the sufficient grounds thereof, and then close up al with a usefull application.

O my father: my father! Blame not the mourner, if you heare him passionate, it is his father whom he bewaileth, the nee­rer the relation, the more sensible the losse, and more heavy needs must the la­mentation [Page 26]be. [...] Whilest I [...] father, [...] or brother, or friend [...] it may touch my [...], and perhaps my heart too so farre as to bid my [...], I am sorry for it, and [...] over; but when my friend, my brother, my father it taken off my head, I the [...] [...] the stroake, and [...] mourne [...] was Shiah to Elisha, and Elisha to [...] blow which cuts off the father, cannot but make the childs heart doe, no [...] then,Doctrine 3 if it cry, O my father, my father [...] are the righteous, even fathers [...] Ci­ties and places of their abode: needs must the City then [...] that fatall stroak which cuts them a sunder; and when they smart, it is likely we shall heare them cry, and weepe bitterly,Isa. 57.1. unlesse that heavy [...] have befallen them, that no man [...] to heart, when the righteous perisheth.

But upon what ground hath Ioash this relation to Elisha? was it not from his calling, that he was a Prophet, rather then from his righteousnesse that hee was so good? whence then is this relation given to the righteous? or he might be a father [Page 27]to Ioash onely; how then ariseth it, that the righteous are such to then Cities?

To answer these quaeries, and to cleare the truth. First, that Prophets had the ap­pellation of fathers it is not doubted, false as well as true might be so called by their bastard brats (as the Romish ghostly fa­thers are at this day by those whom they have begotten to be limbes of Antichrist, and children of perdition) and yet be such fathers whom the children may bee bound to curse for the inheritance which they have left them, but have little or no cause to weepe and bemoane the losse of them. Gray heads also are fathers, and a crown of glory, much to bee honoured, if it be found in the way of righteousnes. Prev. 16.31. Righteousnes onely addeth this to the Prophet, that it maketh him a desired father: Kings, Pro­phets, and Magistrates that speak and rule in righteousnes are more properly indeed the nursing fathers of Kingdomes and Churches, yet can it not be denyed but a poore wise man also may proove the fo­ster father of the City; and so all the gene­ration of the righteous, if not so properly [Page 28]called fathers, yet are they in very [...] relation, brothers and faithfull [...] friends, and brothers may be in [...] of fathers, and a friend [...] [...] ­ther, Prov. 18.24. whose losse cannot [...] heavily afflict the City, and make them mourne. Againe, though Elisha [...] called father of Ioash, yet of Ioash as a king who should be the father of his subject, nay of Iaosh as a wicked king, and there­fore Elisha father of his kingdome also; and such are the righteous to their habi­tations, yea to the very wicked also. But how doth Elisha proove himselfe to been father? Surely in these three particulars, though not in all to Ioash himselfe, yet to some soules in Israel, 1. In Generation, 2. In Counsell. 3. In Providence; as the righteous also doe unto their neigh­bours.

First, he was a father in generation, I meane, not naturall, but spirituall, by which he begat, though not Ioash, yet others doubtles to be the sonnes of God; and these sticke so close, that when God strikes their father off their head, they [Page 29]weepe bitterly indeed, and are hardly comforted. This honour God doth to his Saints on earth, that though the Spirit onely beget again to God, yet the instru­ment is called the father. It is Saint Paul that claimeth this of his Corinthians; Though ye have 10000 instructers in Christ yet have ye not many fathers; 1 Cor, [...], 15, for in Christ Ie­sus have I begotten you through the Gospel. Primarily God thus honoureth his Pro­phets, and ministers of the Gospel, yet not exempting any Christian from this instrumentall begetting againe to God; [viz. by their private Christian admoni­tions and instructions, & their godly life] which doubtlesse maketh a most neere tye betweene the soule begetting, and the soule begotten, that will not bee loosed without bitter mourning.

Secondly, he was a father in counsell, and that to Ioash, though it tooke but lit­tle effect with such an ungracious sonne; yet he leaveth not to do it upon his dying bed; He adviseth Ioash to shoote the ar­row of the Lords deliverance, and hee shootes, to smite the Syrians and hee [Page 30]smites, but very foolishly, onely [...], and the man of God was [...] with him.Gen 45.8. Such a father did God [...] Ioseph to Pharaoh; and such maketh he [...] righteous to their neighbours: they [...] counsellers for the peace and good of them among whom they live; and this maketh a knot not easily broken with­out groanes.

Thirdly, he was a father in his carefull providence for his sonnes safety and his kingdomes security. It was a worthy in­heritance which he left behind him; had his sonne had so much grace as to have made good use of it; and other precious blessings, no question, he left to him o­ther children, which kept the witnesse of a loving father Iosephe providence proves him a father indeed, which kept Pharaoh and his Court, and his kingdome, and his neighbours alive through so many yeeres of famine. Saint Paul notes it as the pro­priety of fathers,2 Cor. 12.14. by which also he desireth to approove himselfe to his Corinthians, I will not bee burdensome unto you, though I am your father, for the children [Page 31]ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children; and so he did [...]ay up many a prayer, and many a blessing for them, which they were yet ignorant of. So do the righteous also proove them­selves fathers, by getting many good blessings together temporall and spiritu­all, and leaving them behind to many naughty children which they little thought on, lesse fought for; It is remark­able therefore when Israel grieved the Lord, and Iudah oft times provoked him yet he shewed mercy unto them, and did them good, for his covenant with Abra­ham, Isaac, and Iacob their fathers, who had intreated him long before: and this must needs so unite them to their posterity, that they cannot bee divided, but even their heart strings cracke beeing overbur­dened with sorrow, because they are not To summe up these parcells in one, and use it, as it is an argument to inforce these lamentations at the iust mans funerall. If the breach that God made upon Vzzah, 2 Sam. 6.7. a servant of the family troubled all Israel, and made Davids heart ake; alas what [Page 32]trembling and mourning shall there [...] when God shall cut off the friends, the children, the brethren, the fathers of it [...] [...] have a father cut off from the head of a child, none knowes the losse, but an [...] ­phan, and hee can bewaile it, from [...] sense of the breach of that naturall [...] betweene them: and spirituall orpha [...] can doe no lesse, their losse being no wh [...] inferiour, thus the very thought of the [...] fathers departure,Act, 20, 37, 38. maketh Saint [...] [...] ­phesian children to make great [...], they wept sore, and sorrowed much to thinke they should see his face no more. To loose a faithfull, wholesome coun­sailour, a carefull provident father, on whom ones life depends,Isa. 3. [...]. is no sleight iudgement, no small losse, and therefore deserves no little lamentation: Such are the righteous, such their losse, and such may wee expect should their mourning be. This is the first part of the burden, the second followeth.

O the charet of Israel and the horse [...] thereof. This is the very sting of the lamen­tation, and it pricks to the heart indeed [Page 33]Israel was now like to lose her charet, and her horsemen, and then lying open to the mercilesse tyranny of the Syrians, could expect nothing but bloudy mas­sacres, and woefull desolation; [...] oh what a bitter lamentation doe we thinke would be in the coasts of Israel, when crueltie breathed forth nothing but death, and there could be no resistance? The vul­gar reading shall not stay mee (the charet of, Israel and the driver thereof) though it be a faire occasion for the Cardinals cor­rupt glosse (a charet to carry Confessours, and a Dr [...]ver to pricke on the sluggish cattle.) Currus Confes­sorum supper­tetione, Auriga discreta pigr [...] ­rum stimulati­one; quasi sibi­lo blandae exci­tationis. Hug. Card, in tex. In hebras ha­b [...]tur C [...]rrus Israel, & mili­tia eius, i.e. potentior ad defensionem Is­rael quam mi­litia cum cur­ribus bellicis. Ex Rab. Sal. citat Lyra in 2 Reg. [...]. 12. It liketh me better to keepe close to the ori­ginall, and that Lyra confesseth it to bee more consonant to the Hebrew text (the charet of Israel and the horsemen or soul­diers, or the Artillery thereof because he was more for the defence of Israel, than their military troupes with warlike cha­rets. Having this helpe from an adver­sary, we shall not stick long in searching for truth here: It is cleare in histories both sacred & profane, what strength of people ancient time placed in charets, and how [Page 34]weake they accounted themselves [...] out them;Iosh. 17.16.18 The children of Ioseph [...] therefore fearefull to encounter with the Canaanites in the valley,Iudg. 1.19. because they [...] charets of iron; and Iudah could [...] drive one the inhabitants of the [...], because they had charets of iron; The whole strength of Syria for the most [...] consisted in these warlike instruments [...] Iabi [...] king of Canaan with these terrified the children of Israel,Iod. 4.3. [...]. Xenoph. for he had [...] cha­rets of iron. In succeeding time Israel learned this strength of these nations, and they make charets also to ioyne battel with their enemies:1 Kin. 10.26. Salomon had a thousand and foure hundred charets, and twelve thousand horsemen,1 Kin. 22.34. and Ahab dyed in his charet at Ramoth Gilead: Happy had it beene for them if they had not put too much confidence in this strength. The same were in great account with the inha­bitants of Asia and Africa; and as these, so horsemen were in little lesse esteeme, of whom we reade two sorts were for­merly in use.Equites cata­phrasti, Some were so covered and overclad with armour, that, as David in [Page 35] Saul [...] harnesse, they could scarcely move with it, unfit for any exploits of activity, and yet of good use to breake rankes and disorder the battell, and put the enemy into a confusion: Others were of lighter burden, more nimble & active for fight,Equites levi [...] ­ris armatura. and these were the speciall and [...]ine combatants, by whose agility or heavi­nesse the honour of the field most com­monly was either got or lost: so that in a pitcht field or a place capable of their march, a great army of foot have beene accounted weake without them. In short, charets and horsemen have been thought the very sinewes, and strength of States, and Kingdomes; such was this holy man of God to Israel, the very pillar & strength of Church and nation; blame them not then if they so heavily cry after him. Such honour likewise have all Gods Saints; Doctrine 4 The righteous are the chiefest strength of Church and Kingdome, whose they are, and amongst whom they live. It is a doctrine which the heavenly Preacher readeth from his owne experience.Eccl. 9.13.14, 15, 16. This wisedome J have seene under the sunne, and it [Page 36]seemed great unto me: There was a [...] [...] ­ty, and few men within it, and there [...] great King against it, and [...] built great had works against it [...] found in it a poore wise man, and he by the wisedome delivered this City, yet no [...] that same poore man; Then I said, wisedome is better then strength. A conclusi­on very firmly gathered from the premis­ses; ponder we them a little, and we shall see it. Salomon giveth us this not as a com­mon observation, but as a thing notable and very remarkeable above most things in his experience, the benefit and yet the neglect in the world of this godly wise­dome, which is our righteousnesse, or the feare of the Lord, It is great unto we. And it deserves no lesse than a serious note, marke we but the opposition (I here was a little City) and (a great King came against it, &c.) this no small disproportion, againe (there were but a few men within it) and yet (he built great bulwarks against it) this was greater, and little hope could the City have to subsist long upon such unequall tearmes; yet now in this great improba­bility of safety (there was found in the City [Page 37] [...] poore righteous godly wise man) and hee defeateth this great king and his great bul­warkes, he delivered the City, not by wea­pons of warre, but by his wisedome. or righ­teousnes; therefore however the world esteem of it, the wise Preacher concludes, wisedome is better then strength, or it is the strongest defence of all; this hath its undeniable truth, whether we reade it as a parable, or an acted history. In the map which the Prophet draweth of Iudah, Gods holy place, hee thus deciphers the strength of it,Isa. 26, 112, 3, 4 We have a strong City, salva­tion will God appoint for walls and bulwarkes; and what surer defence than Safety it selfe? its Canon-proofe and a wall impregna­ble? but who the inhabitants? Surely the righteous nation which keepeth truths entreth in and dwelleth there, and their Iehovah is their rocks of ages, or everlasting strength. This is very strange, and who almost be­leeveth it? may a man aske, where lyeth this strength of Sampson in the righteous? their faces promise as little or lesse than o­ther men.Reason It will not betray them to dis­cover it: it standeth mainly in their uni­on [Page 38]with God through Christ, which [...] it were possible for the world to [...], they would become weake, & [...] other men; but whilest this lasteth, [...] theirs, heaven is theirs, they have [...] of angells for their assistance, and to [...] more punctually, their strength is [...] in these particulars.

First in the power and wisedome of their Captaine, their reconciled God; his counsell shall stand though all the [...] ­phels in the ea [...]h conspire against him, and his power is irresistible, though all the kings of the earth bandy themselves to fight with him; and how safe must the holy ones be,Prov. 18.10. when hee is their Sanctua­ry? The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe, or set a­loft; free from gun shot, where they may sit and laugh, and the enemy cannot hurt them. This tower goeth with them whi­thersoever they move, where they abide, the very name of that place is,Iehovah Shā ­mab, Ezek, 48.33. The Lord is there; and in whomsoever the strength of Israel is, they must needs be a strong de­fence and guard to their City, their [Page 39]Church and state.

Secondly, in the spirituality of all their forces and munition, whereby they of­fend and grieve the enemy, yet are not discerned, that they should bee avoided, or repelled: Their Captaine is a Spirit, and therefore mocketh his enemies in his intermination of the perfidious Iewes; Wee unto them that goe downe to Egypt for help, Isa. 31.1.2, 3. and stay on horses, and trust in charets, be­cause they are many, and in horsemen, because they are very strong, but they looke not to the holy one of Israel, neither seeke the Lord: yet hee also is wise and will bring evill, and will not call backe his word; but will arise against the house of evill doers, and against the help of them that worke iniquity; Now the Egypti­ans are men and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit, when the Lord shall stretch forth his hand, he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall downe, and they all shall faile to­gether. For there can be no resistance, a spi­rit fighteth against them, and alas they cannot see either to offend him or defend themselves. Againe, their souldiers and ministers are spirits,Heb. 1.7.14. the Angels which [Page 40]serve them,2 Kin. 19▪ [...]5. and are for guard about [...] one of them went out in a night and [...] in the camp of the Assyrians an hundr [...] foure score and five thousand men, [...] was never perceived; It is a pittifull [...] to be smitten, and never know whence the blow commeth, help or defence can­not bee had against such an adversary. Once more their weapons are spirituall, and therefore cannot bee warded off faith and prayer powerfull instruments, wher­by the weakest women have beene the greatest conquerours:Heb. 11.34. Through faith the A­postle witnesseth the righteous haue put to flight the armies of the aliens, or forrei [...] enemies; this is a sure weapon which they were never able to strike out of the belee­vers hand, and this was his victory, or conquering peece.Ezod. 17.11, 12 [...] 13, 14, 15. By prayer also Moses kept off the blowes of Amalek from Isra­el, and gave them a fatall overthrow; so that God commands him to write it for a memoriall in a booke, not onely the conquest but the meanes and weapon which Moses doth, and erecteth also an altar, whose name he called Iehovah [...] [Page 41] [...]he Lord my banner, as a pillar for the eter­nall memory of faithfull prayer. In this the Paraphrast put the strength of Elisha, Thou art better by thy prayer to Israel than charet or horsemen. Melior erat Is­ratioratione sua, &c. Cald. Paraph Spirituall forces are thus irresistible, therefore they are very strong; and such is the strength of the righte­ous.

Lastly,3. in their unexhausted provisi­on, which continually maintaineth their strength, that they need not feare a decay thereof. The righteous alwayes pitch by that little river, whose streames make glad the City of God; of which,Psal 46.4. though they bee faint and weary, if they doe but drinke, their strength returnes as Sampsons, Iudg. 15.19. and they grow mighty and strong againe. This river is no other, but the water of life, the word and Gospel of Iesus Christ, it is meate and drinke to the beleeving soule; and if he chance to faint, hee getteth strength from thence to his faith, and if his hands grow feeble, he drinketh, and stretcheth them forth againe mightily in prayer; and so long as he is able to winde his weapons, his strength will bee unresi­stable. [Page 42]Happy that City, that nation, that Church, that hath such mighty men [...] champions, their strength is admirable, and they shal not be ashamed to [...] the enemy in the gate. Such souldiers, such champions, such walls, such bulwarks are the righteous to their places, our con­clusion then is necessary, their losse must be very grievous, and their lamentation deservedly very bitter. I have now but three words to speak to Ioash, to Israel, and to Elisha, to the wicked to the Church, and to the righteous, and I close with the text.

O Ioash thou art a mourner at Elish [...] death,Vse 1. but who, thinkst thou, will lament at thine? The righteous indeed fall, and the City is mooved, all cry after him, and the streets ring with their lamentations; but the wicked are cut off, and all is still, they are neither missed, nor desired, nor lamented. We will not crosse he proverb, yet may we limit it,Eccl. 2.15. So dyeth the wise man, even as the foole; so dieth he indeed for the nature of his death, his soule is separated from his body, but not so for the manner, [Page 43]issue, and consequents of his death; hee dyeth a wise man, but this a foole, he like a Saint expecting to rise againe glori­ously, but this as a beast which perisheth for ever, he dieth and is lost as a pearl, this and is never missed, like carrion, he is ta­ken away and bitterly lamented, but this is cut off, and not so much as desired. Will ye see how they use him when he is gone? It was Iehoiakims case sonne to Iosiah king of Iudah, a wicked wretch whom God thus cursed, when he was dead.Ier. 22.18, 19 Non plangent eum vae ob fratrem meum, vae ob sororem, non plangent eum, vae ob re­gem, vae ob reg­num eius; Si­cut proiiciunt cadaver asini, sic proiicient cadaver eius, lacerabitur & proiicietur, ul­tra portas Ie­rusalem. Calv. paraph. They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother, or ah sister, they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord, or ah his glory, He shall he buried with the buriall of an asse, drawne and cast forth be­yond the gates of Ierusalem. Reade here and see your doome, ye generation of evil do­ers, though ye be the sonnes of kings and children of Princes, yet your iniquities make you stinke, ye die and are dragged, and tumbled out like carrion; this is your sentence from heauen. It is the curse of folly to be buried like an asse.

Secondly,Vse 2. O Israel how art thou behol­ding to Elisha? Thy child indeed; yet thy [Page 44]father, thy guide, thy counsellour, thy charet and thy horsemen, thy sinewes, thy very strength and safety: and [...] this why doest thou not love him? oh how would I weepe over thee with Ieru­salems lamentation? O Israel, Israel, thou that keepest the oracles of God, and callest thy selfe by the name of his Church, why art thou weary of thy righteous Princes, thy righteous Prophets, thy righteous sol­diers, and righteous people? thou seemest not to regard though they be persecuted, killed, and stoned; oh that thou wouldst consider in this thy day the things which concerne thy peace, before they bee taken from thine eyes; thy peace, thy safety, thy strength is in thy righteous members, & doest thou so slight them, while thou now inioyest them? Woe is thee, thou wilt be feeble when they are gone, then shalt thou weepe bitterly, and they will not be. How is it that thou art become unnatu­rall? thou forsakest thine owne, and thou harbourest strange children: can salvation be thy walls, when unrighteousnes and oppression are among thy rulers, profane­nes [Page 45]among thy Prophets, strange altars in thy temples, and idolatry in thy habita­tations? Alas thy leannesse, thy leannesse! thou art become weake and feeble, and thy destructions are now upon thee. Were I worthy to counsell thee (yet I may call to thy remembrance Gods counsell unto thee) O that righteousnes might abide & rule in thy habitations, that thou woul­dest ingrave it on thy Nobles, on thy Iud­ges, on thy Prophets, on thy Captaines, and on thy Souldiers, that in thee might dwell only a people of righteousnes, then shouldst thou be as the strong City which the Lord hath founded, salvation should be thy wals, the name of Iehovah thy to­wer, thy rereward, and thine everlasting strength; thou shouldest be built as on a rocke that can never be shaken, and be e­stablished as mount Sion, Gods holy place, which shall never be remooved.

Lastly, is Elisha among the sicke,Vse 3. and maimed, and cripples, and feeble? what doest thou heere Elisha? How commest thou thus tyred and weak and faint, thou righteous soule, thou strength of Israel? [Page 46]hast thou bin dallying, & playing the wā ­ton in the harlots lap? are thy locks sho [...], oh Sampson? and hast thou betrayed thy strength into the hands of thine enemies? Hast thou lost thy Captain, thy Assistance, thy weapons? where is faith now? where is that Almighty praier that openeth and shuts heaven, that calleth for legions of Angels? Alas thou hast sinned, & thy God is hidden from thee, and thy confederates dare not come neere thee, thou canst not hand before the enemy, nor wind a wea­pon for thy defence; thy strength is be­come weaknes, and thou hast made thy selfe a scorne to the adversaries, whom thou hast sometimes wounded? Shouldst thou thus tempt God and fall? this is thy rebuke; yet let me advise thee too. Come shelter thy selfe a little under the wing of thy redeemer, stay there while thy locks are growne, thy Captaine will come that way, then lay hold on him, thy for­ces goe along with him, gather them to­gether, draw out thy weapons again, and begin to use them, let faith pitch it selfe upon thy God through thy Christ, tell [Page 47]him, thou wilt throw thy selfe upon his power, and faithfulnes to preserve thee, let thy prayer set upon him mightily, and give him no rest, untill hee come againe, and renew tsty strength like the Eagles. Then comfort thy selfe (oh thou charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof) the eyes of all Israel are upon thee for their strength, thou mighty man of God, they weepe with bitter lamentation when thou art taken from them, and shouldest thou quaile for any adverse power? Con­sider thy strength, thou hast power to combat with hell and overthrow it, to grapple with death, and to defeat it, to make the grave tremble, and open unto thee, that thou maist arise againe & come forth a conquerour. Death may humme about, but it is a drone, it hath no sting, sinne may make a bluster, but it hath no strength, hell may belch foorth great words, but it is already vanquished to thy hand, and the grave may threaten much, but it can doe nothing against such a mighty man as thou art; thou hast now nothing to doe, but resting in Jehovah [Page 48]thine everlasting strength sit downe and sing; Death is swallowed up in victory, [...] death where is thy sting? oh grave or [...] where is thy victory? The sting of death is [...], and the strength of sinne is the law; But th [...]nk [...] be to God, who hath given me victory through our Lord Iesus Christ.

I have now done with my Text.

I mistooke, I have not yet done, I must have one cursory more over it for this heavy and sad occasion, then I close up indeed: yet the corrupt custome of our dayes maketh mee almost afraid, when men of corrupt minds, enemies to godli­nes, and children of their father the di­vell must bee made Saints at their fune­ralls, and though all their life time they have beene tracing downe to hell, yet at their death they are posted from the pul­pit in a charet into heaven, but it is a windy one that breaketh in pieces, and lets them fall downe againe, before they come halfe way thither. Neverthelesse, I see the holy Fathers have used to give re­cord of the graces of the Saints deceased, [Page 49]and to spread their names as a sweet oint­ment among their brethren, and it is ve­ry commendable, if faithfully perfor­med, and not abused to paint divells; with this care I shall proceed by Gods helpe to performe this last duty for this honoured brother, and it must bee with care: for there are two eyes upon me very extreamely opposite, Envies and Affecti­ons, that, would have nothing said, this perhaps too much; I shall not feare to dis­please either, so I may please my God, by whose blessing I now begin, You will pardon mee if I keepe not the common method, to begin from his descent and parentage though that of worthy and ho­nest ranke, not to be neglected (if I should keepe that order;) but me thinkes, it is [...]proper praise from anothers worth,Sedgenus & proav [...], & quae non f [...]ci­ [...]sus ipsi vix ea nostra voc [...]. I desire to let him have his owne, and to [...] him, where he commeth within my [...] as a righteous soule, and nothing [...]ere certaine than that he was borne a [...]. His transplantation therefore into this City is my beginning,M^r. Richard Stocks. and his fruit­full growth under the labours of a Reve­rend [Page]Minister now with God, [...] gave full testimony, that he was a [...] of righteousnes indeed; thence [...] up to shew forth the power of righteous­nesse in the places private and publicke whereunto God called him.

He was a righteous husband, I [...] no more of this, lest I provoke bitter la­mentation. He was a righteous master [...] his servants feele it, from whose heads, God hath taken off their master this day. He was a righteous father, not to his [...] alone, they are too little to have experi­ence of it, but to orphans and fatherlesse was he father, a guide, and counsellor; my owne losse is with theirs, beare with [...] if in the sense of it I bewray my infirmi­ties; as David for his sonne, O my father, my father, would to God I had [...] thee, O my father, my father! Hee was a righteous friend to many, I give but [...] instance of it, his reconciling difference almost every day, his hands were [...] ever out of an arbitration, which [...] without partiall respects to any that [...] him a iudge over them, I know I [...] [Page]many witnesses to this, who now want him.

In his more publike offices, hee was first a righteous souldier squared by Saint Iohns rule, hee would doe violence to no man, nor put any man in feare;Luk. 3.14. in this condition he tooke a good degree, he was a Captaine and a righteous Commander; the vertues of a Commanders maiesty, wisedome, meeknes and love surely made him one; disorder, as there must bee a­mong souldier sometimes, could never make him passionate; hee was a man of such admired moderation, He crossed the rule of that rash commander, (Jt is folly to intreat, where a man hath power to compell) [...] Hesiod p. 41. He found it better governing by love: this made the flower of the Cities, yea, of the kingdomes Artillery, so unanimously subiect to his command. Let me minde you (ye worthy souldiers) know ye not that God hath taken away your Captaine from off your heads this day? and can yee doe lesse than cry after him (O our charet and our horsemen?) I know sorrow hath fil­led your hearts; yet, by the way let mee [Page 52]advise you, be not overcharged, that you forget your calling; but when yee [...] weepe over this your honoured head, and lamented before his hearse; Ah our fa­ther, ah his glory; wipe your faces, [...] and to worke againe for God, pray for [...] double portion of his spirit upon some of your brethren, and choose him, who may goe before you in wisedome, and courage, and the feare of the Lord.

I am now at a stand, An arma, A [...] [...]g [...] cedat? whether he were better souldier, or bet­ter Citizen? His wisedome, his courage, and his impartiall carriage in the City affairs, which might concerne him, beare re­cord, that he was not onely a good man, but a good Citizen; his worth provoked the City,Quid in illa virtutum, quid, ingenii, quid sanctitatis, quid puritatis invenerim ve­re [...] dicers, ne fidem creduli­tatis ex ceda [...] & tihi mai [...] ­rem delorem intutiam re­cordanti quan­to bon [...] caru e­ris. Hier. Mar. ep. tem, 1. not only to call him to her com­mon counsell, but to designe him to a more honorable place in the High Court of Parliament, where he manifested him­selfe to be a righteous servant to his King to his Country, and to his City, I must stay, least (as S. Hierome writes to Princip [...] of Marcella a widow) if I should tell all, I should either seeme to hyperbolize, or [Page 56]oppresse your hearts the more; when ye see what a great good ye have lost. In this honour for his last time he lived, and di­ed. Ye may expect now in my hand a ca­talogue of good deeds: but I have none, the reasons these. 1. It was his his care to give to God in his poore and in his mi­nisters, the portion of his estate while he lived; yet dying he hath given as well as living. 2. It was his mind not to have a trumpet sounded at his death, and I ful­fill it. I must leave him, he will be gone; it was my portion to commend his soule in the last breath into the hands of his faithfull redeemer; and his body I must commend to the earth, in the assuted hope of his ioyfull resurrection; Onely two things I would commend to you, and then your selves to God. 1. The honour of his name, let it be as a sweete ointment among you in everlasting remembrance; he was your strength, your charet and horsemen. 2. The imitation, his righteousnes, his wisedome, his god­ly courage; ye see his reward, he is now with God at rest, his worke is done: our houre [...]