EZEKIEL'S PROPHESIE PARALLEL'D: OR, The Desire of the Eyes taken away.
DELIVERED IN A SERMON, Preach'd at the FUNERALS Of the most Virtuous Mrs ELIZABETH COLE, Wife to ROBERT COLE Esquire, At Wye in Kent, Nov. 26. MDCLI.
By SAMUEL BERNARD, Doctor in Divinity.
London, Printed for Andrew Crook. 1652.
Gen: Cap. 35—Vt Rachel
Sic mortua est Elizabetha Cole
No. XIV. M.DC L [...]
Cuius est haec
[...] diu Domine.
Gen. Cap. XXXV.—Ʋt Rachel, Sic mortua est ELIZABETHA COLE, Novemb. XIV. MDCLI.
Cujus est haec COLUMNA.
Quam diu, Domine!
HIc dormit ELIZABETHA, U [...] Robti Cole Armri: Timothei Thornhill [...] Filia unica: Quae animam puerpera Creatori suo religiosè reddidit, 14. Novemb. An. Dō. 1651. Aetatis 3 [...] Conjugii 10.
Reliquit Filiam Janam (Annorum oct Filium Richardum, Qui mox Ab ubere raptus, in sinu Matris Conquiescit.
Cujus dulci Memoriae, Sed nec minùs acerbae, (Eo magis acerbae, quia maximè dulci▪ Tristissimus Maritus Sociale marmoravit Mnemosynum.
To my most Honoured Friend, ROBERT COLE (of Addington in Surrey) ESQUIRE.
I Am very sensible, how deep a Wound the taking away of Her, who was the Desire of your eyes, made in your brest; and therefore I have been very unwilling to present you with this Picture, lest the Colours, with which it is drawn, should renew the wound, and make it bleed afresh: This was the only reason, that hitherto, I was so hardly brought to represent it to your view. But now, I begin to call to mind, that though the Originall was an incomparable piece, yet he that drew the Copy: did it with an unskilfull hand: I am content therefore, upon your Importunity, to let you cast your eye upon it, in stead of a Foile: But I am very Confident withall, upon my Importunity, you will more easily suppresse it, and suffer it only to lye within your private walls, among your other Papers. It will be satisfaction enough for you, and for Her friends, to [Page] Know, How much She deserved, how much you desired, and how much the Workman endeavoured, but was not able to perform. For my part, I am easily perswaded both to pardon, and please my self with that of the Poët, ‘In magnis voluisse sat est,—’
In things that are hard and difficult, The Will is to be accepted for the Deed: And if I can but purchase so much favour at your hands, you shall Challenge, what proportion you please, both in the sincerest Affections, and most Earnest Devotions of
A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL Of the Vertuous Mrs ELIZABETH COLE.
MY Sermon is like this Evening, very gloomy and stormy: And indeed, I must be your Petitioner (at this time) as well as your Preacher, That it may be lawfull for me so far to be a Time-server, as to fit my Text unto the time. The occasion of this meeting is sad and sorrowfull, and therefore I have chosen a sad, and a sorrowfull Text to meet it, And in the same kind.
'Tis a prophecie, or a prediction of a great [Page 2] loss, the loss of a precious Pearl, which the prophet had in his Keeping: And though it be dark and obscure, as all Prophecies are at the first sight; yet the Explication of two words, The desire of thine Eyes, and the Stroke, here mentioned, will acquaint you with the sense of the Prophecie, and the reason of the Parallel.
For the first. The Prophet shall be his own Expositor: The Desire of his Eyes was his Wife; and the Stroke, by which she was taken away, was Death: Look but into the 18th verse, and he tells you, He spake unto the People in the Morning, and at Even his wife dyed; and so the Prophecie was fulfilled: Ezekiel is in a sad condition. His Prediction is proved a great Affliction; The loss of his dearest Wife.
For the second, The Parallel, we find even at our own doores: we have too just an Occasion, to pick out this Text. But we must submit to the Stroke, because it stands so with His good pleasure who works all things after the Counsell of his own will, Eph. 1. 11. I opened not my mouth, saith Holy David, because thou Eph. 1. 11. didst it. Psal. 39. 9. So it was in the Text: so it is here, Behold I take away from thee. Psal. 39 9.
My Text is a very Winding Sheet, Or a Coffin, Containing in it, some dead Corps, and ready for the Burial; Let us look into it, and survey those [Page 3] sad Remaines, and we shall find many things very Considerable.
- 1 The Author, God; I.
- 2 The Act, Taking away; I take away.
- 3 The Patient, from whom; from Thee.
- 4 The Object, what; The desire of thine eyes.
- 5 The Instrument with which, Death; That was the stroke.
Every one of these, would furnish us with a severall Observation: but I consider the time of the night, and must Remember at this time, the mortality of your hearing, and mine own speaking; and therefore I will rather make bold to set limits to my own Meditations, then presume to tire out your Patience. Give me leave only to Choose out two Doctrines, agreeable both to the Text, and the Time, and with some brief Application, to encourage us to the imitation of those vertues, which we shall learne from this Excellent Patterne, that lies here inclosed in her Coffin; and the rest, I will leave to your meditation: The first shall be this.
Doct. 1 A Mans wife is and ought to be esteemed, the nearest and dearest delight to him, in the world.
The warrant hereof, is in my Text, Where God himself cals her, the Desire of her husbands eyes. There was never any thing dearer to our Saviour then his Church. He Purchased it with his blood. [Page 4] Acts. 20. 28. What expressions of love, and deernesseActs, 20. 28. doth he use to her, Cant. 7. 6? And this is theCant 7. 6 Pattern he commends to the Husband; To love his wife, as Christ loved the Church. Eph. 5. 25.Eph. [...]. 25.
When God would express his love and Regard to the Prophet Daniel, The Angel cals himDan. 10 11. Ish Chamudoth; A man of Desires; Beloved, and deare [...] to God. So here the expression of her dearnesse, is by the Desire of the eye, from Chamod in the Originall, which implies an earnest, and an ardent affection; Ubi amor ibi oculus, Where love is, it fastens the eye; He must desire, He must look upon nothing else under God, with equall delight, with equall Dearnesse.
And dearest she is, in regard of a threefold Obligation;
- 1. In regard of her Originall frame, and Composition.
- 2. In regard of Gods Institution of marriage, and the Covenant between them.
- 3. In regard of a gracious Disposition working in her.
1. For the first, In the beginning she was taken out of man, Gen. 2. 22. And for so curious aGen. 2. 22. frame, to make them male, and female, the whole Trinity enters into a consultation about the composure: Gen. 1. 26. 27. And when all is done,Gen. 1. 26. 27. that Curious piece, is Nothing else but a Piece [Page 5] of his own flesh: Gen. 2. 23. And therefore in LovingGen: 2. 23. his wife, he loves himself; Eph. 5. 28. Dear then in respect of her frame.
Secondly, Dearest she must needs be, in regard of Gods Institution of Marriage; and that mutual Covenant that he made between them. He brought her unto the man; There's the Conjugall Knot, Tyed byGen. 22 2. Almighty God himself, Gen. 22. 2. God is the Author of Marriage. And when he made the Match, He ordained it, by a perpetuall Decree, a neerer Tye, A dearer Relation, even then that of Parents; Therefore, shall a man leave Father, and Mother, and shall Cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh, Gen. 2. 24. Nay, they Two shall Gen. 2. 24. be one flesh, saith our Saviour; Matth. 19. 5.Math. 19. 5. Though Two in person, yet one in flesh, In nearness, and affection; Dear in respect of the Marriage bond, or Covenant.
Thirdly, Dearest she must be in regard of Gracious Dispositions; For where grace moulds, and rules the heart, reformes the will, and sanctifies the affections, This Causes Love indeed;
Goodness, and Grace, is the object of love; whereere we find it, we desire it, we admire it; most of all in a Wife. Favour is deceitfull, and Beauty vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be Prov. 31. 30▪ Praised, Prov. 31. 30.
A Face will fail; But Grace is eternall. Age, [Page 6] or a Disease, will wrinckle the smoothest forehead, and make furrowes in the Cheekes; But the Indowments of Grace, goe beyond the Grave, and are neither subject to rottenness nor to Corruption; Such a woman while alive, the heart of her husband safely trusts in her, Prov. 31. 11.Prov. 31. 11. And even when the body is dead, their souls are still glued together. Goodness is of an attractive Vertue; Et figuram animi magis, quàm corporis, amplectimur, Tacit. in vita Agr. saith the wise Historian; There are imbraces, for the Picture of the mind, as well as of the Body. The Apostle proposes a Catalogue of Holy men, and Gracious women; Heb. 11. 35. Honoured in their lives, to be imitated, remembred, admired after their Deaths.
A Gracious Disposition, is a desireable piece, it deserves love; And then tell me, Is it not pity to part with such a Body, in which dwells such a soul? It is indeed; But there is a time, when the Creator may take in pieces this goodly Frame, of his own making; When he that made the Match, may break the Match; and lose the bond, and Command a Divorce; When the Author of all grace, may Challenge, and call for his own again, and no wrong to any.
So it pleased God here in the Text; Behold I take away from thee the desire.
So that a second Observation may be this, [Page 7] which shall take in all the Parts.
Doctr. 2 2 God is pleased often times, to deprive his Dearest Children of that, which they love most, which is dearest unto them, and that by some heavy affliction, even Death it self.
- 1 God is he that doth it; The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, I; that is, God.
- 2 Here is Depriving: I will take away.
- 3 His dearest Children; The Prophet was one; yet from Thee.
- 4 That which is dearest unto them: The desire of thine eyes; That must needs be deare.
- 5 By some heavy affliction, A Stroke; and that Stroke was Death.
The Text is full, and fitt; ye shall see it confirmed by Scripture-Proofes. Abraham loved his Sarah dearly; and she deserved it; She had been a dutifull and a loving Wife; So St Peter Commends her, 1. Pet. 3. 6. and shee had brought1 Pet. 3 6. him forth a blessed Son, the heir of the Promise; yet, Death must deprive him of his dearest Sarah. Gen. 23. 2.Gen. 23. 2.
Jacob loved Rachel so tenderly, that his seven years service for her, seemed but a few dayes to him, for the love that he had to her, saith the Text, Gen. 29. 20. Yet he must not carry her into EgyptGen. 29. 20. with him; but she must die in travail; And as soon as she is delivered of her Benoni, The son [Page 8] of her sorrow, his fathers Benjamin, Jacob must lose his dearest Rachel, Gen. 35. 18.Gen. 35. 18.
To instance in other Relations; David a man according to Gods own heart, had a Son whom he Passionately loved, for whom he would have died himself; so dear he was to him; yet he must lose this Dearest son Absolom, 2 Sam. 18.2. Sam. 18. 33. ver. 33.
Look upon Josiah, the good Josiah, the best of Kings; Never any like him before, nor after, 2 Kings 23. 25. The Scriptures stile him the2 Kings. 23. 25. Breath of our Nostrils; yet the Prophet complains there, So good a King was taken in their Pits; Lam. Lam. 4. 20. 4. 20. And that best of Kings, that was so deare to his people, whom that holy Prophet and the people so lamented, 2 Chron. 35. 25. was deprived2. Chron. 35. 25. of his life, and that by a violent death; 2 Chron. 35. 23.2 Chron. 35. 23.
It seems by these Stories, the best of men, the best of Kings, have a share in the greatest afflictions, have lost their Dearest Wives, their Dearest Lives.
The Scripture doth set forth holy Job to theJob 1. 14. 15. life, a chief example, a very Map of misery, Robbed of his Cattell, Bereaved of his goods, Deprived of his servants, Spoiled of his Children, One in the neck of another, and all in a day. Himself exposed to scorn, and Contempt, to [Page 9] Pain, and shame, and none to comfort him, Job 1. 14, 15
I could here tell you of the Martyrs, the Prophets,Heb. 11. 37. Their righteous blood; So the Saviour of the world cals it, Matth. 23. 35. and tells us, it was Matth. 23. 35 shed upon the earth.
The Apostles, I think near and dear to God, Designed to the shambles. For thy sake are we Killed all the day long, and are counted as sheep for the slaughter: Rom. 8. 36. Nay Christ himself, theRom. 8. 36. blessed son of the eternall God, The Captain of our salvation, He was made perfect through sufferings: Heb. 2. 10.Heb. 2. 10.
'Tis a Maxime in the Scripture, Judgement must begin at the House of God, 1 Pet. 4. 17. I 1 Pet. 4. 17. have forsaken my house, saith God himself: I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies, Jer. 12. 7. 'Tis a rule that never failes,Jer. 12. 7. Whom I love, I Correct, Rev. 3. 19. The truth of theRev. 3. 19. Doctrine stands good, and warrantable, God is pleased oftentimes to deprive his Children of that which is dearest unto them, by some heavy affliction, even Death it self.
Reaſ And there is a very good reason for Gods dealing thus with his Children, for depriving them of their delights. Affliction in any kind, is very good Physick in both the Parts, [...], and [...]; 'Tis Restoring Physick and Preventing Physick. [Page 11] First it restores, and sets us right, cures our diseases; Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word: Psal. 119. 67. God isPsal. 119. 67. wont to punish his dearest Children, to bring them home, when they wander out of the way, and forget their duties; In their affliction they will seek me Early: Hosea 5. 15. The best of Gods SaintsHos. 5. 15. have their drosse, It must be purged out; and Tribulation is as the Fire to the Gold, 1 Pet. 1. 7. He shall Purifie the sons of Levi, and Purifie them as 1 Pet. 1. 7. Gold, that they may offer an offering in Righteousness, Mal. 3. 3. No man is so good, but he hath some sin: God will Purge him, and punish him here,Mal. 3 3. that he may pardon him hereafter. When we are Judged, we are Chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11. 32.
Secondly, tis preventing Physick: It preserves1 Cor. 11. 32. us from sins to come; Tis good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learne thy statutes, Psal. 119. 71. [...], saith the Greek Proverb: EveryPsal. 119. 71 affliction is our instruction, saith Divine Bernard. Tis like Myrrh, that preserves from Putrefaction; and like Salt, that prevents Corruption.Bern. So Affliction keeps men exercised, and sweet, affraid to entertain any sin.
Thirdly, God wil thus demonstrate his Impartiality. Those that are nearest to him shall smart, and taste of the rod, shall have their losses, that [Page 10] they may not presume of Impunity: You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities. Amos 3. 2.
I will now make some Application.Amos 3. 2.
Ʋse 1 The first shall be; for Conviction of the wicked. They must needs be convinced, and Confesse, That if God deale thus with his Freinds, then surely he will not spare his Enemies.
If Judgment begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God! Tis the Apostles inference: and it is a strong one, 1. Pet. 4. 17. If he be so sharp to those in his favour, how much sorer will he be to those in his displeasure?1 Pet. 4. 17.
You shall see them threatned to the purpose, Jer. 46. 23. and indeed, it is an argument of an heavierJer. 46. 23. doom: I wil go no farther then my Text for a Confirmation; This of Ezekiel, is a signe to the house of Israel of a farther meaning; And they demand it of him, v. 19. and at the 21 verse ye may see his Application, Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will Prophane my Sanctuary, the excellencie of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities, and your sons, and yours daughters, whom ye have left, shall perish by the sword.
Now it is not only, the poor Prophet that shall be punisht; but the Judgment is more generall and more grievous; They had mocked the [Page 12] messengers of God, despised his word, and mis-used his Prophets; 2 Chron. 36. 16. When he had sent his 2 Chro. 36. 16 Messengers, rising up betimes, and sending, 2 Chron. 36, 15. When they had more means of salvation then all other nations: A Glorious Temple, Righteous Judgments, and Statutes, Deut. 4. 8. whichDeuter. 4. 8. if a man doe, he should live in them, Ezek. 20, 11.Ezek. 20. 11. Yet all those they neglected, and rejected, though they boasted of them: And therefore their Religion, their Chiefest glory, shall be taken away, their Temple Prophaned, their Churches dishonourd, their Sacraments disgraced, and all in a Confusion.
Ʋse 2 Secondly, If God spare not his dearest servants, if he punish them with the losse of what is Dearest unto them: this may serve for Caution, and Counsell; Not to passe our censure presently, and condemn all for Reprobates, upon whom God laies his hand; Jobs freinds were too forward in that kind, and therefore justly blamed; Job 42, 7. Right good men, as you have heard,Job. 42 7. have had their losses; their heads full of sorrow; their hands full of hurts; Many a good woman made a wofull widow, and lost her dearest husband; Many a good man, lost his dearest wife; Ezekiel a Prophet for one: Parents rob'd of their Children, Holy men spoyld of their Goods; Heb. 10, 34▪ God dothHeb. 10. 34. not distinguish the Righteous from the Reprobates, [Page 13] neither by prosperitie, nor adversity in this life: Eccles. 9, 2. Ezekiel hath his share, aEccl [...]s. 9. 2. Righteous Prophet, in a grievous affliction, a great losse.
Ʋse 3 Thirdly, Doth God deale thus with his Children, subject them to losses? then this may serve for direction in all Changes, and Chances, in all our Crosses, and Losses, to looke unto him from whence the stroke commeth: to submit all to the good pleasure of our good God.
He sends us what ever we enjoy, Parents, Children, Husbands, Wives, Health, and Wealth, Lands, and Life; David refers us to the fountain; All of his bounty, 1 Chron. 29. 12, 16. And he1 Chr. 29. 12. 16. may call for any, or all again, when he pleaseth; whatever we doe, let us doe this, Resign all without repining; so did Job: We return but his own, The Lord giveth, and The Lord taketh away, Blessed be the name of the Lord; When he had lost all, nothing out of his mouth, but Submission and Benediction, Job 1. 21.Job 1. 21
So did old Eli; when he was threatned with the destruction of his house, and Posterity, he submits with patience, and kisses the rod with an humble return, It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good, 1 Sam 3. 18.1 Sam. 3. 18.
So did Holy David, when he was in danger to lose a kingdome, and was driven from the Desire [Page 15] of his eyes, the Ark of God, and his Chiefest City: He commits himself, and his cause to Gods disposall: If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it and his habitation; But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; Behold here I am, let him doe unto me as it seemeth good unto him, 2 Sam. 15. 25.28. m. 15. 25.
So did Davids Lord, our blessed Saviour, when he was to take down that bitter cup, to undergoe the Pain, and shame of the Crosse; though it was bitter to swallow, and heavy to bear; he complies with his Fathers decree, Not my will, but thine be done, Luke 22. 42. Perdidit vitam, ne perderet Luke 22. 42. obedientiam, saith St August. He was content to lose Augustine. his life, rather then lose his Loyalty, and bis obedience to his Father; And when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; 1 Pet. 1 Pet. 2 23. 2. 23.
I confesse the parting of a man from his Wife, is like the parting of the soul from the body; And there is a time when a man must leave Father and Mother for his wife; But here is a neerer tye between Christ and thy Soul, then between a Man and his Wife; why? he must leave his wife, and all for him; Mark 10. 29. and shall never repent it, Mark 10. 30.Mar. 10. 29, 30
Ʋse 4 For Comfort therefore in the last place, to the [Page 14] Children of God amidst all their losses: yee have heard, His dearest ones, his favorites he doth excercise under the Crosse, and uses to the rod; Why so much the better: It is an argument he hath the more care of you, as his Children: No son he doth receive, but he chastens, Hebr. Heb, 12. 6, 8. 12. 6. Nay, we are no Children but Bastards, without it, Heb. 12. 8. Nay it brings us neerer to God: All things work together for their good that love God, Rom. 8 28. Rom. 8. 28. [...], saith St Chrysostome; ourChrys. in Rom. 8. very Greviances, and afflictions: though Tribulation, and Poverty, and fetters, and famine, and death, or whatsoever else, saith the Golden-mouthed Doctor, He makes no exception. Never think they are tokens of his displeasure, of separation: They are Pignora amoris, Pawnes of his love; I report me to St Paul for a witnesse; 'Tis the Challenge of that great Doctor of the Gentiles; Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8. 35. shall Tribulation, or Distresse, or Persecution, Rom. 8. 35. or Famine, or Nakednesse, or Perill, or the Sword? Nay in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us; And therefore in this Comfort and Confidence he triumphs; I am perswaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor any other Creature shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Rom. 8. 39.Rom. 8. 39.
Well then; Hath he taken away thy goods? why he can restore them double, as he did to Job, Job 42. 10. Hath he taken away thy Children? why, God can give thee more, or preserve them to thy Comfort with himselfe, so that thou shalt say, they are not lost; And indeed, I remember St Gregory Gregor. Moral. 35. cap. 11. gives the reason, why God Almighty, when he doubled Jobs substance in his sheep, and his camels, and his oxen, yet he gave him but just so many Children as he had taken from him; because his dead Children were not lost, but in Gods Keeping, in a better life.
Hath he taken away thy Parents? why, when my Father and my mother forsake me, the Lord takes me up, Psal. 27. 10. Hath he taken away thy Husband? Psal. 27. 10. He is the Father of the Fatherlesse, and the Judg of the widows, Psal. 68. 5. Hath he taken away thyPsal. 68. 5. Wife, thy Comforter, and thy Companion? Why, God is all in all; Thy Wife, Thy Husband, Thy Father, Thy Comforter, and thy Companion; Our best refuge, Our greatest strength, a very present help in time of trouble, Psal. 46. 1. Let that comfort thee.
And now I have done with my Text, and the generall application, give me leave to apply more particularly, and as I told you in the beginning, to find it at our own doores; What ye have heard with your ears, you see here presented to your eyes; Fixe them upon that Coffin, upon those Blacks and [Page 17] Eschutcheons, and they will lead you from the Thesis to the Hypothesis, from the Prophecie to the Parallel.
That Death, which you heard of in the Text, you see in her proper Colours: Behold the Stroke she gave, The wounds she made, yet bleeding fresh, and I fear nothing so much, as that while I seek to close them, the Commemoration of those Vertues, which did shine in this Deare deceased, should make them Wider.
You heard, a Wife was the neerest, the dearest delight to her husband in the world; The desire of his eyes: So it was here; And that will be your joy. Again you heard, it pleaseth God oftentimes to deprive his dearest Children of that their dearest delight, by the Stroke of Death; as he uses to do, so he hath done here; And that will be your sorrow.
For the first, I must tel you, I shall present you with a shadow, with a Picture of a most heavenly Soul; which though it dwelt in an earthly body, was right dear indeed, unto her Husband; and that body though now a liveless Corps, I may boldly say, The desire of his eyes, in all three respects.
First in respect of the Originall frame and Composure. God had made her of the same mould, so that he look'd upon her as a piece of his own flesh▪ And the great workman of heaven and [Page 18] earth, had done his part so well, that there needed no Art to perfect Nature, or supply any defect; But her own Beauty, and lovely Proportion, had power both to procure, and Continue her Husbands Affection. To make her the more desireable, she was of no base mettal, but Extract, and derived from a Noble and an ancient family, the memory of some whereof was precious in this Place. But I remember withall what the wise Roman hath upon record,
Our pedigrees, and Noble bloud, we are beholden to our fore-fathers for, rather then our selves. I passe them over, and come to the next.
Secondly therefore, she was deare unto him, The desire of her husbands eys, In respect of the marriage Knot, the mutuall Covenant between them, Gods own Institution, under which condition, as they had chosen one another out of mutuall Affection, so they did look upon one another no longer as two, made of the same mould, as all mankind are in generall; but they two one flesh: Their wil [...]s one, their desires the same; Their souls linkt together: That's true love indeed: To chuse, and refuse the same things: Idem nolle et velle ea demum Salust. Conjur. Cat. perfecta est Amicitia. This is the true nearness, The [Page 19] only dearness, saith the Historian.
And indeed I have often heard the Husband say, which I cannot but mention, That there was never any contention or Controversie between them, but only one; But it was a very heavenly one, a most blessed and happy one; And that was this, Which of the Two should love one another most. 'Tis worthy your imitation, And that which makes the state of marriage a Comfortable life.
3. But to come to that which is the Crown of all the rest: She was the desire of her husbands eyes, and of his heart too: very dear unto him, in regard of her Gracious disposition. And here I shall take the boldnesse to tell you, that I shall deliver nothing upon the Information of others, or uncertain reports, but what I have observed upon mine own knowledge, and long acquaintance; And I well remember the Place where I stand, and the Person that I sustain; And though I am a Stranger, yet I beseech ye, beleeve my Profession.
I never loved to Prostitute either my tongue or the Pulpit to flatter the living, or praise the dead, that were unworthy in their lives.
But truely, Beloved, when Gods graces are eminent, and exemplary in his Children; they are not to be concealed, that Posterity may be [Page 20] encouraged in the imitation of such virtues, and God, the Author, glorified in such Saints.
Thus St Ambrose honoured Theodosius; Thus Gregory Nazianzen remembred Athanasius, Cyprian, and St Basil; Thus St Jerome commended Marcella, Blesilla, and other holy and Religious Ladies at their Funeralls.
And we doe it not without good warrant; A woman that fears the Lord, she shall be Praised, Prov. 31. 30. 'Tis Scripture; Blessed are the Dead, which Prov. 31. 30. dye in the Lord: and we may beleeve the witness; Even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them: they follow her indeed,Rev. 14. 13. and praise her in the gates, Prov. 31. 32.Prov. 31. 32.
First, as there had been great care in her Education, so God had endowed her with a great measure of Grace, both to approve and apply all outward accessories, to the attaining of the great and Principall End, The Knowledge of God, and Salvation of her soul.
It is a great argument of a most heavenly mind, and I observe it to her honour. I never came to see her, either in the City or Country, but as St Hierom writes of that noble Lady Blesilla, Semper Hier. T. 1. de. abit. Bles. aut prophetam, aut Evangelium in manibus; I found her with a Bible, or some good book in her hands, of which shee was able readily to give you a good accompt of her reading.
Secondly, Where the fear of the Lord is seated in the heart, there can be no Virtue, no Grace wanting; And truely, Religion had so furnisht her with all kind of goodnesse, that she made her life desired, and her death honoured; She was not contented with a narrow scantling of grace, or a single Virtue, but I must tell you, There was a sweet conjunction, and a Cohabitation of all, moral Virtues, and Divine Graces in her brest. Religion that I named before, the root of all, had taken Possession of her Heart; Charity of her Hands; Those fruits of the spirit, Joy, and Peace, and long-suffering, Gal. 5 22. heavenly Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, had fitted her for the Company of the Lambe; Modesty, the Grace of women, and the honour of the sexe. was one of her naturall endowments. Ye might easily know her to be one of the daughters of Sarah, by her very dress, her inward adorning her self, as St Peter cals it. Her Chast conversation coupled with fear, 1. Pet. 3. 2. The Ornament of a meek and a1 Pet. 3. 2. quiet Spirit. The Ornament of those Holy women, that trusted in God; as the Apostle again, 1. Pet. 3. 4, 5. The Ornament of obdience, of4, 5. subjection, the wives Ornament, 1. Pet. 3. 5. 6. That5, 6. if there were nothing else, she must for this be the desire of her Husbands eyes, The Joy of his Heart.
The time will not suffer me to tell you of her sweet and winning behaviour, her kind and Courteous Carriage; No Rancour in her heart, no Revenge in her hands; The Language of her tongue was Blessing, and the fruit of her lips, were Prayers and Devotion.
And as she was a Saint her self, so it was her study to make more; Especially, her dear and only daughter, whom she did so season with the same liquor in those tender years, that I beleeve she will savour the better of it ever after; Prove another Saint.
I shall not acquaint you (though she was but little) of her sweet taking Carriage; Habituated (as it were) in her by her Parents Pattern, and Prudent regards of her; for that was the observation (with great applause) of every eye; and spake her a woman, while yet a Child.
But I must go higher, and tell you, such was her mothers Religious care, in her Education, that before she was eight years old, she had made her read so perfectly, that she exceeded both her equalls, and very many of far greater age; yea (I am confident) even most of her own sexe.
But above all, her chiefest endeavour was to make her skilfull in the Book of Books, Gods own Book; which (though so young, and tender, as she was) she had read through more then once [Page 23] or twice, besides several other Books, which to name, were too great a Labour, and a wasting of the time. So that we may say of her as Saint Paul of Timothy, 2 Tim. 3. 15. That from a Child 2 Tim. 3 15. she hath known the Scriptures. And that she might understand them the better, This Pious Mother had laid a good foundation, instructed her in the Principles of Religion, and made her expert in both the Catechismes.
And now though she be taken away from her daughter, yet she hath left her a perpetuall Remembrance. Her own Precepts, and Pattern; To take God for her guide, and make Religion her Glory. 'Tis her honour indeed to be born of such a Mother, whose Life was an Example, and whose Example deserved to bee Remembred, and may justly both incourage and Command her Imitation.
These are the Chief Colours in her Arms, though she wants not others to Grace her Funeralls (as ye see). Those Blacks and Eschutcheons that are before your eyes, she needs not, to adorn her Herse.
Would ye have any Flowers (as the Custom is)? Why, she hath provided some her self, as ye hear; I have but tied them together, to throw them upon her grave.
Would ye have any Oyntments, or sweet Odours? [Page 24] Why, she her self hath prepared them against her Buriall, to perfume her Corps, as Mary did our Saviours. A good report is better then a Precious Matth. 26. 12 Oyntment, Eccles. 7. 1. I doe but powre it out, andEccl. 7. 1. sprinkle it among you; I hope we shall all smell the better for it.
But is it not pitie we should part thus? Give me leave to look back again, and to propose the question anew: Is it not pitie that such a Frame should be taken in pieces? that such a Knot should be untied? Is it not pitie such a Gracious Disposition should be subject to Dissolution? It is indeed, if we look no higher then our own Designes. But if we look into the Text, 'Tis the Lords doing; He it is that may Challenge his own; As I told you in the beginning, He made this goodly frame, and may unmake it; He made this Match, and may Break this Match; He gave those Graces, and may call for a return of those Graces; His dearest Children must suffer the loss of all, without repining; Behold I take away from thee the desire.
And is shee taken away? Hath Death seised upon her by a Stroke? was shee snacht away, and surprized as it were, before we thought upon it? 'Tis true, Beloved, We might be surprized, but so could not She. Ye heard of her Life; She could not be unprovided for [Page 25] Death; She that lead such a blessed life, must needs be Blessed in her death. You must therefore know, That she died in Child-bed, and while she brings another Saint to life, within few dayes after, she resignes her own.
The Throws of a woman in travail, are dangerous, and threaten death, in the best condition, and will make those that are most secure, look about them: But a Religious woman, ever expects Death in it, and is never unprepared for it. Sure I am, this worthy Gentlewoman, as through the whole Course of her life, you could never heare any vain, or idle discourse proceed from her blessed mouth: So now more especially, it was ever filled with heavenly language, and breathed out nothing but Devotion.
For that purpose, she desired my self, not long before the time of her travail, to make her partaker of the Pawns and Pledges of her salvation, in the blessed Sacrament, that whatsoever befell her, in that great conflict, she might have her Viaticum, her heavenly provision, as the Fathers call it, the food of her soul, to witnesse her faith, and her hope, and to give us assurance of her preparation: And certainly, she that prepared her self for the Sacrament, so neer the time of her danger, did also by the Sacrament, prepare her self for Death.
And indeed, the Lord had prepared her, for Himself; and though death were able to divide her from her dearest Husband, and her nearest friends, yet it could not divide her from her God: Even in the hour, and Pangs of death when strength and senses seemed to fail, when she knew no body, her heart was fixt upon her Creator, his name only was in her mouth, and her last words, that were heard fall from her, sweetly warbled forth this heavenly Note, Lord, where am I? I am here, Lord. As if she were seeking her Saviour, to resigne her soul into his hands, where she might find rest from her Labour.
Thus she lived, and thus she died, carrying with Her those Graces and goodness, that were the Ornaments of her life; But leaving us, the grief for so great a loss, and those sad Remaines that we are about to carry, and lay up in her Grave.
Now if my words and testimony may add honour to her Funerall, give me leave to expresse the hopes that I have of Her happinesse, in an heavenly desire,
Thus would I live, and when I die, I wish my soul may be a companion with Hers.
And now I would call for your tears, but that I [Page 27] see them trickling down your cheeks already: Mourning is seasonable, and is an argument of of love, and affection: Flebat et Jesus Lazarum, Hierom. super obitum Blesi [...] saith St Jerome: Our Saviour wept himselfe for Lazarus, for he loved him; He wept at hisJohn 11. 35. Grave.
But now I remember, Weep not for Her so much, as for your selves, and your friends.
Weep ye women, for ye have lost the Glory of your sex.
Weep ye Husbands, for ye have lost the Pattern for your Wives.
Weep ye of the Kindred, for ye have lost the honour of your Blood.
Weep ye that were her Friends, and Acquaintance, ye have lost a Companion, and a Comforter.
Weep ye that were poor, and in want, ye have lost a nurse and a Reliever.
And if I had any tears left, not yet powr'd out from those eyes that were witnesses of her worth, I would even now empty them into her Grave, and bemoan my own loss also.
Death comes too neer us, when it comes to take away a Portion of our selves, of our eyes, of our hearts: The desire of both. It is coming to us too: it, let us prepare for, and let it come when it will.
But now to wipe away those tears, which fall from your eyes, This heavenly soul, whose [Page 28] dead body, we are about to carry to her resting Place, to lay her by her Mothers side (that noble and worthy Lady, sometimes the Honour of this Place) Though her body, be to be buried there, and Covered with earth, yet she is not lost: H [...]r name lives for ever; There is amends made, for all the spoiles, that death can make. And I may truly say of Her, as that great Historian did sometime of the Noble Roman Agricola. Tacit in vita Agricola. Quicquid ex Agricola amavimus, quicquid mirati sumus, manet; mansurumque est in animis hominum, in aeternitate Temporum, fama rerum. What ever we did love in her deceased, That which we admired, and honoured▪ in Her remains; and so will remain in the minds of men in continuall succession of times, in fame and renown.
As she was like Rachel, in her Death, andGen. 35. 18. while she gave life to another, in a few dayes after she lost her own; so shall she have Rachels Pillar: The Monument of her vertues, more lasting then Rachel's, The goodnesse and graces of her mind, that never die, that are never subject to rottenness or Corruption, to mouldring or consuming.
I will go a little farther, and joyn altogether. Those three Relations, or obligations, That made her the delight of her Husbands eyes. First, Her originall frame: That shall be restored; This corruptible [Page 32] must put on incorruption; and this mortall must put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15. 53. Secondly, Her marriage 1 Cor. 15. 53. Covenant, That shall be renewed; The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hathmade her self ready, Rev. 19. 7. The soul is the LambesRev. 19. 7 wife. Christ and his Church are married together, Eph. 5. 32. Thirdly, Her gracious disposition, Eph. 5. 32. that never dies: Virtus clara aeternaque habetur; Riches and Beauty fade and perish, Virtue is eternall, saith the wise Heathen man; Their Salust. Consur. Cat. works follow them, Saith the Spirit of God, Rev. 14. 13. The graces and goodnesse of Her mindRev. 14. 13. continue for ever; And as the Apostle speaks of Abel, so may I of her; By them, she being dead, yet speakes, Heb. 11. 4.Heb. 11. 4.
For conclusion of all; That which remaines for us to doe, is, to Remember Her Graces, To imitate Her goodnesse; when we are taken from the earth, they will accompany us to heaven; when our Saviour sees us clothed with the robe of his righteousness. He will welcome his own Graces into his Fathers Glory, with a Venite Beati, Come yee blessed of my Father, inherit the Matth. 25. 34. Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world; She is gone before; Now that we may follow after, and find the same entrance, let us first pray, that we may follow Her Practise, And at last, find Her Reward.