A PLANT OF PARADISE, Being A Sermon Preached at St. Martin's in the Fields at the Funeral of JOHN-GOODHAND HOLT, The young Son, onely Child, and Hopefull Heir of THOMAS HOLT of Gristlehurst in the County of Lancaster Esq
March the 19th. 1659.
By R. M. Minister of S. Pet. P.W. Lond.
Non amitti sed praemitti videntur, quos non absumptura mors sed aeternitas receptura est.
LONDON, Printed by R. N. 1660.
To the much Honour'd THOMAS HOLT Esq and Mrs. ANNE HOLT, The mournfull Parents of the deceased Heire.
HE best administers words of Comfort, Ordo consolationis est moerendo prius luclui concordare emolliri debet animus ut afflicto congruat, congruens inhaereat, inhaerens trahat; nec ferrum ferro conjungitur, si non utrinqúe [...]ccustione ign [...]s liquetur. Greg. Mor. who first entertains a Sympathy of sorrow; there being much of Consolation in Compassion. And thereforeRom 12 15. [...], O quàm brevi sermunculo totius religionis depinxit insigne! —his uberibus mater Ecclesia loctat proficientes, nutrit perfectos— haec est mammilla compassionis, illa congratulationis. Bern. Serm. de B. Magd. to weep with them that weep, is not to encrease the Stream but cut the Channel, and so not heighten, but lessen the floods of grief. What comforts then are administred you from the Pulpit, accept them commixt with tears over the Hearse; a sympathy in affliction being the surest [Page] testimony of affection. And what affection I have for the surviving Parents, to say it, may seem insinuation and flattery; but what affection I had for the deceased Son, not to say it, were to wrong his merit and his memory. Indeed my just esteems of both, have made me yield to your pressing importunity, for the Impression of these Funeral Meditations; which I here Dedicate as a Memoriae sacrum, to perpetuate the honour of his vertuous hopes, and your Parental loves.
Your Parental loves; not as to those indulgentiae blandimenta, those fond blandishments of a softning indulgence, which degenerate the spirits and effeminate the tempers of very many (otherwise) most generous [Page] plants; no, for though I like not a Lucius Brutus's austere severity, of whom it is said, thatValer Max. l. 5 c 8. Exuit patrem ut consulem ageret, he put off the bowels of a Father, when he put on the gown of a Consull, as if a good Patriote and a loving Father were inconsistent. Though I like not this too austere severity, yet I cannot but condemn that too Mollis illa educatio quam indulgentiam vocemus, nervos omnes & meniis & corporis frangit. Quintil. Ʋna janua & aditus est ad omne scelus. Lips ep. 7. Cent. 1. soft indulgence, which hath laid the first ground to this Ages debauchery and dissolutenesse, so infamously famous for those monstrous Births of Church and State Apostacy's.
But this is the commendation of your parental love, that it was accompany'd with the desire and endeavour of adorning your son with what was most lovely, the principles [Page] of a Christian, the Institutions of a Scholler, and the Accomplishments of a Gentleman. Wherefore, this sprouting Branch being cropt in the blossom of his age, it will remain, Cedro dignum, a record of Honourable fame, that you were the careful Parents of so hopeful a son, and he the hopeful son of so careful Parents. And to stop the current of your tears, look up to Paradise, raise your devotion to the Mountaine of Sion, and there behold flourishing in life, what you bewail as cropt by death, even the blossoming Branch planted in Heaven; who, by how much he was the better son to you by so much he is the fitter soul for God; whose blessed communion of grace, and blisful communion [Page] of glory, is the Divine object of his hearty prayers, whose Devotions answer his affections, in which he is
A PLANT of PARADISE. A Sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields; at the Funeral of John-Goodhand Holt, the young Son, onely Child, and hopeful Heir of Thomas Holt, of Gristlehurst in the County of Lancaster, Esq. March the 19. 1659.
IN Conformity to that ancient practice of the Primitive Saints and the continued custome of Christs Church, we are here met in this present Congregation to perform the Funeral Rites due to the Body and the Memory of a Christian Brotherviz. March 12. 1659. lately deceased; even the young Heir and top-Branch of an Ancient Family, cropt by death in the blossom of his age, not exceeding the number of 12. years.
[Page 2]Here, in a just Eulogy and Laudatory Commemoration of the Dead, I might speak much to a vertuous Emulation of the Living; much of him who was but little, for that indeed, little in him was much; even Scintillae gratiae, his sparks were more then others flames; His seeds, then other's fruits; And therefore as Valerius justifies the honour done by the Roman Senate to Aemilius Lepidus when a boy, saying,Valer. Max. lib. 3. c. 1. Injustum esset cum Honori nondum Tempestiuum videri, qui jam Virtuti maturus fuisset; It had been unjust, if he who was ripe for Vertue, should have been thought untimely for Honour; the like I may plead concerning the Deceased, it were injustice done Him, [...]ould he not receive what is Honourable, having done what is Vertuous.
True it is, Dignity of Birth with basenesse of minde, is like [...]; Epichar. a Looking-glasse to him who hath lost his sight; the noble worth of Ancient Progenitours is presented to Posterity as a pattern of imitation, but ignoble mindes do not see it, being sullied with their Demerit.Valer Max. l. 3. c. 5. But this hopeful youth, was none of those Nobilia Portenta, those [Page 3] Monsters of Nobility and Gentry; whose degenerate spirits disgrace their Families. No, he was right of the number of those Prospera Parentum Vota Those happy pledges of Parental loves,Quae efficiunt ut & genuisse juvet & generare libeat Id. l. 5. c. 4. who make their birth a Joy, and their Number a delight.
Yet I must Remember, I am not here an Oratour, but a Preacher, and my business is not a Panegyrick but a Sermon and I may not chuse his Memory for my Text. Only thus far then; that I may bring some flowers to adorn his Hearse, Let me present you the Blossoms this Branch did bear; And know, the fair blossoms of this hopefull branch, were from the Endowments of Nature, and the Gifts of Grace; the endowments of Nature, in a pliable disposition, and a tractable ingeny; fit Metal for good Molds, fit Wax for good Impressions. The gifts of Grace, in a submissive observance and modest humility; not otherwise compatible with his sprightly Genius, but as given him by the spirit of Grace. Which spirit of Grace, I doubt not, hath transplanted him from earth to heaven, from the Valley of tears to the Mountain of Joy, the state and habitation of the Blessed.
[Page 4]True it is, his active spirit did promise a longer life, and therefore his Feaver so suddain and so violent did rather crop then wither this sprouting Branch. So that, it will be a fit Decorum, if in the choice of our Text, we have respect to all these, his Fair Hopes, his Active Genius, his Violent Sickness, and his Present Happiness; To this end, we will keep the Analogy of a Blossoming branch, suddenly cropt in its full sap; yet not cropt eternally to wither, but Transplanted everlastingly to Flourish, even to Flourish in the Paradise of God, and Mountain of Sion. Now for this, attend unto those words of the Prophet, so seasonable to the Occasion, and so suitable to our Designe; even those words in which God speaks concerning Zerubbabel the tender ofspring of Jehojachin, of him God speaks in an apt Allegory, which gives us our intended Analogy, saying,
—I will crop off from the top of his young twiggs, a tender one; and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent.
THe Sacred Scriptures of the Prophets, Introduction. deliver us much of the Evangelical doctrine of Christ, sometimes more darkly shadowed, sometimes more clearly illustrated, by Parables, Allegories, and the like Symbolical expressions; yea, as the spirit of truth dothPsal. 78.2. open the Mouth, so doth he fill the Eye with Parables; witness the Prophet Ezekiels so frequent Visions; in which we have rightEph. 3 10. the manifold wisdome of God; the manifold wisdome, in being a wisdome (as I may so say) of many folds, viz. the sense and meaning of the Prophecies, sometimes in the Letter, and sometimes Moral; sometimes in the Allegory, and sometimes Anagogical.
[Page 6]Yet still,Ezek. 1.16. one Wheel is within another, the latter interpretation accords with the former; And so, like the frame of the heavenly bodies, such is the Interpretation of holy Scriptures; One involving, not opposing; One enfolding, not thwarting another; A sweet Analogy and consent there is, beyond that of the Caelestial Sphears, to a setting forth a more then Pythagorical Harmony of Divine Wisdome & Truth. Now, that we may the better interpret this portion of scripture, it is requisite that we know what are the diverse scripture-interpretations. And for this, observe, that the Learned Commentators upon Sacred Writ (especially Lyranus in the Prologue to his Commentaries) they give us a fourefold sense of sacred Scripture, Literal, Allegorical, Morall, and Anagogicall; all which Lyranus thus distinguisheth in a Distick more agreeable to Theology then Poetry.
[Page 7]The Letter declares matters of fact, the Allegory mysteries of faith, the Morall doctrines of obedience, and the Anagogy objects of hope. Thus in Gal. c. 4. we have them expresly from S. Paul, where he tells of Abraham havingGalat. 4.22. two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free Woman, this is plain in the Letter; which Literal sense sayes the Apostle hath its Allegory, ver. 24. namely, that the two Mothers are by figure and representation the two Testaments; and to this Allegorical sense he adjoyns a Morall or Tropological saying,ver. 29. that as then, he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the spirit, even so it is now; And lastly, to all these several senses, the Literal, the Allegorical, and the Morall, the Apostle adds a fourth, which is that we name Anagogicall, in matters Heavenly and Eternall; when he sayes, but Jerusalem which is above is free, ver. 26. which is the Mother of us all.
Yea, in the one word Jerusalem does Gorran give the example,Gorran. Comment. in Gal. 4. and that very aptly, of all fower; for that, according to sacred Scripture, Hierusalem, Historically [Page 8] and in the letter, it is, Civitas terrena, the Earthly City; Tropologically and in the Moral it is Anima sancta, the holy soule; In the Allegory it is Militans Ecclesia, the Militant Church; and in the Anagogy it is Caelestis Patria, the Heavenly country. For any other instance or example, we need go no farther then the words of the Text; where we have in one and the same sentence, all those several senses Take we a full view of the words, I will crop off from the top of his young twiggs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high Mountain and eminent,
1. As for the Literal sense of these words it is plain and familiar, that herein, we will give the Gardiner leave to be an Interpreter; and every Husbandman, with Amos, may be a Prophet.
2. From the Letter then pass we to the Allegory, which is this, That God would take Zerubbabel a tender twig of the family of Jehojachin, Zerubabel was son to Shealtiel, and so Grandchild to Jehojachin. Mat. 1.12. who was himself a Branch of that Royal Cedar the House of David; and this tender one, God will so tollere as that he will extollere, so crop him off, as [Page 9] to raise him up; planting him in the high Mountain of Jerusalem, as an eminent Restorer of Israel; being a Prime Leader of the Jews out of Captivity,Ez. 2.2. conducting them from Babylon unto Sion.
Thirdly, upon this sense Allegoricall, there is yet a further sense Anagogicall, Heiron. Theodor. &c. (unless we will have it, with many Expositours, another, and that the chief, Allegory,) namely, that God would take Christ the Messias, who is called the Branch, Zech. 6.12. and the top-branch too of Davids Family; and him cropt off by Death, and that a violent Death, Tenerum excindam. Ar. Mon. Excer. pam. Syr. Int. [...] Septuag. Magnificabe infantem. Chal. paraph. he promiseth so to preserve from corruption, and restore from the Grave, as to plant him in the High Mountain of his Church, eminent in Grace and Glory, above all the inhabitants and habitations of the World.
Now Lastly, what is spoken of Christ as the head, in the Allegorical or Anagogicall sense, may be applyed unto the faithful as the members, in a sense Moral and Tropological; ay, and what is thus Genrally applyed to all believing Saints, may be more particularly applyed to this deceased [Page 10] Heir, the Top-branch of his Fathers house; cropt by Death in the Blossom of his age, whilst tender and young; whom yet God in mercy, hath but removed, from an earthly inheritance to an Heavenly, transplanting him from this Lower valley of tears, the state of the Church militant, to the higher mountain of Sion, the state of the Church Triumphant; therein to enjoy that Blisse wich is infinite, and inherit that Life which is Eternal.
The Division.Now, in the Words thus interpreted and applyed, observe these 2 particulars; a present Subject of Lamentation and mourning; and a firm ground of consolation and rejoycing.
1. The present subject of lamentation and mourning; A cropping off the tender top-branch of a Goodly Cedar; the takeing away by death the hopeful young Heire, of a worthy and ancient Family; so sayes God, by his Prophet in the Moral, I will crop off from the top of his young twigs, a tender one.
2. The firm Ground of consolation and rejoycing, the happy transplanting this [Page 11] tender Branch, into the Heavenly Paradise, the Mountain of Sion, high in Eternity, and eminent in Glory, thus, I will crop off from the top of his young twigs, a tender one; and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent.
Method, Explication and Application.
1.Explication The Present Subject of lamentation and mourning; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs, a tender one. Here observe; we have a Branch, a top-Branch of the tree, one, and a tender one, not withered or broken,de medulla Cedri. Vulg. evertice Cordis. Arab. Interp. but in its full sap cropt off, and taken away; this the ascent of degrees in the letter of the Parable and Allegorical representation; which gives us this accent of sorrow in the meaning of the Morall and Tropological interpretation, viz. That a Son and Heir, the last born of the Family, and first born of his Mother; a Childe, and an only Childe, in the blossom of his youth, and vigour of his strength, not wasted with some lingring [Page 12] Consumption, nor lamed with some dismal Disaster, but suddainly cut off by a most Acute disease; is taken away by the hand of God, from the Land of the living. But what said I? taken away from the land of the Living! Ay, as to an Earhly and Mortal life, and that's our Grief; but yet with correction, not quite taken away, onely transplanted into a better Soile, that of an Heavenly and life-giving Immortality, which is our Comfort.
Now, in Funeral Solemnities which receive their birth from our Death, and had their rise from Mans fall, Pleading their Antiquity from Abels Burial. (For if we will believe the Rabbins, Adam and Eve were chief Mourners for the Death of Abel an 100. years; Ay, and his Panegyrick too, that, still remaines in the lasting records of Sacred Scripture; where the Holy Ghost tells us in a Ludatory Commemoration of his Sacrifice & Righteousnesse, that [...], though he be dead he yet speaketh. Heb. 11.4.) Now (I say) in these Funeral Solemnities, whether attending the eastern Pyle, or the western Coffin, the [Page 13] dolfullest mourning is in the obsequies of a deceased Son, such a Son as is the Fathers hope and the Mothers joy, primogenitus & unigenitus, the first born and the onely born.
Thus, thus the Prophet Zachary to set forth more lively, the sorrows Poènitential, he does it most Pathetically most Emphatically by the sorrows of a Funeral, when the humbled sinner shall mourn, Zech. 12.10. as one mourneth for her onely Son; and shall be in bitternesse of Soul, as one that is in bitternesse of sorrow for his first born; and here then retreat we into our own bosomes, and let Conscience speak how much, or rather, how little, we have been acquainted with true Penitence; seeing the moanes of Penitence must be like the mournings for a Son, even a Funeral sorrow, yea like the mournings for an onely Son, and first born, which is the saddest sorrow of all Funerals. And hinc illae lacrymae, this, oh this is the black cloud of mourning, which dissolves it self into so many showres of tears in the present Exequies.
Whosoever they be then (Beloved) that [Page] either now do, or hereafter shall mourn for the loss of a Son, let them consider what mournings may be sufficient for the loss of a Soul; especially, seeing by the devout Teares of prayer and Penitence the lost soul may be recovered; but the lost Son cannot be recalled,
Sayes the Grecian Sophocles; If we could with cry's recall, or moans recover the dead; O how precious were our tears! more rich then pearles, [...] Ibid. more desirable then gold, more Soveraignly restorative then Elixar it self.
Wherefore let those Parents whom Gods hand hath made Childless, especially in the loss of a first born son, and hopeful Heire, let them make this holy use of their heavy affliction, even a penitent Humiliation. So shall their sons death, further their Souls life, and a spiritual Communion, repaire the breach of a temporal separation; and whom they have lost for a while as to an earthly presence [Page 15] they shall enjoy for ever in an Heavenly fellowship; Father and Son, Mother and Child, all through an Obedience of Faith being made joynt heirs with Christ of the everlasting inheritance; which Inheritance Christ hath purchased by his righteousness, promis'd in his Gospel, and gives full possession of it, at his second coming in Glory.
Which is that very thing administers comfort here in sorrow, to dry up the Tears of mourning; even the firm ground of consolation in the Text; that, though God hath cropt off the Top-branch of the Family, a Son and Heir, tender and young; Yet he hath planted him in Paradise, the mountain of Sion, high in dignity, and eminent in glory; For so says God of Zerubbabel in the Allegory appli'd by us to the deceased in the Moral, I will crop off from the top of his young twigs, a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent.
This then our second particular,2. Part. The firm Ground of Consolation and Rejoycing, I will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent. [Page 16] In which high mountain of Heavenly Sion, the transplanted branch enjoys a perpetual Spring, without any return of Autumn's falling leafe, or Winters nipping frost; Neither does the Moon's motion measure out its moneths, or the Suns course determin its years, nor does the night press upon the day, to mask its light; but, to keep this Plant fresh and flourishing, the bright beams and sweet influence of the Sun of Righteousness are continually upon it,Malach. 4.2. in the souls Beatifical Vision of God in Christ.
It was of the earthly Sion that David said it, and therefore much more to be said of the Heavenly;Psal. 87.3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God! some of those Glorious things are spoken by S. Augustine, S. Aug. de Civit. Dei. that, in this City of Heavenly Sion, Rex est Veritas, Lex charitas, pax felicitas, vita aeternitas; the King thereof is truth it self, the law thereof is love it selfe, the Peace thereof is felicity it self, and the life thereof is Aeternity it selfe. The whole blessedness and glory is such, as Eye (mortal Eye) hath not seen, 1 Cor. 2.9. nor ear [Page 17] heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive.
In cor hominis non ascendit, so the Vulgar Latine, and that according to the Original Greek, [...], it hath not gone up into the heart of man to conceive; The word is Emphaticall, to intimate, that they who have had the most lofty conceptions, the most raised devotions, the most elevated affections, even they, they have not been sufficient to comprise in their thoughts, or comprehend in their desires, the good things; the heavenly and the happy, the spiritual and eternal good things, which God hath prepared for them that love him.
[...] which he hath prepared, this hath its emphasis too; not only made in the greatness of his power, or laid up in the riches of his grace, but even order'd too in the Councel of his will. So that the Blisse and Glory of Sion, is not to be consider'd or conceiv'd, such as befits pittifull and poor man to receive, but such as becomes so great and glorious a God to give.
[Page 18] S. Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 12.And therefore, Fide non capitur, spe non attingitur, charitate non apprehenditur, desideria & vota transgreditur; It is not to be contain'd by faith, not compris'd by hope, nor comprehended by love; its height transcends our desires, and its fulness outvies our wishes; Acquiri potest, aestimari non potest, it may be attained in its enjoyment, it cannot be aestimated in its worth.
So that as S. Augustine divinely si in cor hominis non ascendit, cor hominis illuc ascendat; If the Bliss of Sion, hath not gone up into the heart of man in his Comprehensions of knowledge; let the Heart of man go up unto it, in the Contemplations of Faith. And such indeed is S. Bernards devotion when rais'd in contemplation;Bern. Serm. O Beata Regio Deliciarum! ad quam suspiro de valle lachrymarum; O blessed Region of delights! after which I breath in sighs, and long in desires, whilst I walk in this valley of tears.
O Blessed Region! In which alone is found this blissfull condition; Wisdome without ignorance, memory without forgetfulness, Truth without falsity, Reason [Page 19] without obscurity, Fullness without scarcity, all joyous and glorious to Eternity. O Blessed region! in which alone is found this blissfull condition; Health without the least Qualme of sickness, Beauty without the least black spot of ugliness, Plenty without the least pinch of want, Safety without the least start of fear, Glory without the least foyle of shame, and Immortality without the least taint of corruption.
Here because it is the mutual courtesy of contraries, the one to illustrate the other; It Will the better set off our contemplations of Heavens happiness, if we give you one meditation of Hells miserie. Imagine we then a black Abysse of horrid darkness, in which black Abysse there is a burning Lake of scorching flames, and a naked man chain'd in the midst of the burning Lake, with a Viper in his bosome gnawing his heart, and stinging his soule. Again Imagine, he still frightfully hears the Divels and damned Ghosts yelling and calling one upon another, to strike, to rend, to lay on blows, to heap on coals, to pour on brimstone. Do not these thoughts startle your [Page 20] soules? oh that they did awake your consciences!
And yet this is not all, but further Imagine, that boyling brimstone being poured upon his head, at once the heat scalds him, the smoak stifles him, and the stench choaketh him. Yea, Imagine him weeping and wailing, wringing his hands, gnashing his teeth, amazed with terrours, wearied with torments, and yet is there not the least hope of ease or end. Dolores torquent animam, non extorquent, puniunt Corpus, non finiunt, sayes Prosper right, the tormentors do not faint, the tormented do's not fail; they are implacable in their malice, and he is immortal in his misery He is alwayes in Death and yet cannot dye, he is still perishing and yet without all Period. O miserable immortality! O immortal misery!
This, this is something, and but something of the doleful and direful estate of an impenitent wretch in infernal torments: This, this is something, and but something of that dreadful doom of the withered Branch, John 15.9. Heb. 6, 8. whose end is, to be burned, even in the Abysse of Hell. Which [Page 21] does the better set off the joyful bliss of our Cropt Branch, whose end is to be planted even in the Paradise of Heaven; that mountain of Sion, high in dignity, and eminent in Glory; According to the moral of the Prophets Allegory; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs, a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent.
1. A twofold admonition, 1.Application. That in the Exequies of our Deceased friends we still turn the stream into the right channel, our Funerall sorrows, into Penitential mournings; and with our contrition of heart joyn we reformation of life Vitam Aeternam speras? vitam temporalem corrigas, Petrarch. Dialog. 122. is a good hint which Petrarch gives us; Dost thou, O man! hope for eternal Life? Why, then amend thy life Temporal; for what!Luk. 16.8. art thou not so wise in thy generation? as therein to chuse to thy self what is good? Good wine, good chear, good cloths, good house, good lands, good aire &c. and what! all good but thy self? not considering, that thy self being evil, all these in the end shall do thee no good. Think then [Page 22] where is thy good heart, thy good Conscience, thy good life, which alone will do thee good, when cropt off by Death; as preserving in thee that Spiritual Sap, and quickning Grace from Christ, which shall fit thee for a Planting in the Paradise of God.
Philip. 4.5.2. That of the Apostle; Let your moderation be known unto all men, by the restraining and regulating your passions, as in Temporal affairs, so in your Funeral sorrows; and this upon the Apostles argument, [...] the Lord is at hand; at hand, if patient to reward you, if unpatient to punish you; if humbly patient and truely Penitent, the Lord is at hand, to bring you to your children, ay, and your children to you, in a blissful Communion of a blessed Resurrection; but if repiningly impatient and carelesly impenitent, your children may come into your sight but not into your enjoyment; you may indeed in the day of judgement behold them in joy, which yet will not be to your comfort, but to the encrease of your Torment because you shall not enjoy them; this [Page 23] being the main part of Hells misery, that the damned loose all the parts of Heavens happiness.
Oh! consider this, whosoever thou art, that at any time here grievest for losing an hopeful Heir; consider, what will be they grief to loose the Heavenly inheritance; if shut out from the communion of thy Son, because thou hast cast off the Commands of thy Saviour; there being then no enjoyment of Heavenly blisse but in the communion of Holy Love.
True it is, as St. Hierome of his Dear and deceased Nepotian, Avulsa sunt viscera mea, & non sentiam? my very bowels are rent from me and shall I not feel it? Thus, not to be sensibly affected with the loss of a Son, and such a son, as is here lost, it were to put off the bowels and love of a Parent; and yet to be dejectedly afflicted with the loss, when so great is his Gain, is to cast off the heart and faith of a Christian. Wherefore know, that Love is but carnal, whose sorrow is immoderate at a Funeral; for, whom we loose in deaths dissolution, we yet retain in the Churches [Page 24] Communion; and so the breach of nature is repaired by Grace, and what grace repaires, Glory consummates. Let not, oh! let not then your teares of immoderate grief, so blinde the eyes of your holy faith as not to see in the Comfort, what you believe in the Article of your Creed, the Communion of Saints.
2. Exhortation. That, considering what we have heard of the Mountain of Sion, and State of the blessed; what we have heard spoken in praise, Christ hath given in promise, and shall be hereafter made good in reward;St. Aug. de civit. Dei. considering this, Vilescant omnia quae habentur in terris, Let these earthly things be the objects of our holy contempt, not our hearty delight; Center we our souls upon Heaven, six we our aimes upon what is everlasting, and will outlive the triumphs of Death. See the Emperour Justinian's Funeral, and that will tutour us to this instruction; see his Royal Pall a rare piece of Phrygian Arras, Baron. ad Ann. Justin. 39. richly wrought with the lively Representations of vanquish't armies, conquered Kings, Ruined Cities, captived [Page 25] people; all these the Tropheys of his Triumphs, he delivers up as a Spoil to Death.
Wherefore, most certainly he hath but a mean soul, who mounts no higher in his affections then to what is mortal. Look we up then, Groveling Mortals! look we up in our desires and in our devotions, to Heaven our Countrey, Heb. 11.10.16. to Jerusalem our abiding City; There, there is the society of Saints, the Communion of the Blessed. Dull souls! why do we not hasten to that Home? Know we not, that a glorious company of Patriarchs and Prophets, of Kings and Priests, of Apostles and Evangelists; an whole army of valiant Martyrs, constant Confessors and devoted Virgins; yea a numberless multitude of Parents and Kindred, and Friends, and other holy Saints, all desire and long for our coming?S. Cypr. tract de mortal. de sua incolumitate securi, de nostra salute soliciti, secure as to their own safety, but solicitous as to our salvation.
Why do we not then speed our pace, in a quickned zeal of Holy Devotions and devout affections? Why do not we thus1 Pet. 1.13. gird up the Loyns of our mind, and hasten, [Page 26] Ibid. ad horum conspectum & complexum venire, to come into their sight and into their society, their Presence and their Embraces? And this, to communicate in those joys, and in that inheritance which is common to all. Here we are troubled to get Heirs for our inheritances, and to get inheritances for our Heirs; but in Heaven, there is one inheritance and all Heirs; and yet, non minuitur copiâ Possessorum, S. Aug. in Psal. 49. nec fit angustior numerositate Cohaeredum; the number of Heirs does not lessen the Inheritance, nor the multitude of Possessours straiten the bounds of our Possession;Ibid. No, Tanta est multis quanta est paucis, Colloss. 1.12. Gen. 3.24. tanta singulis quanta omnibus; The Inheritance of life is an Inheritance of light, and therefore, as is the light of the Sun, so is the life of Christ, as great to many as to few, and as much to each one as to all. To close.
3. Consolation. O what comfort then must this needs be in the thoughts of the deceased! That he hath left us, but we have not lost him; unless we first lose our selves, our Souls; For in the Mountain of Sion it is that we shall find him, in [Page 27] the Paradise of God it is that we shall meet him; unless like guilty Adam, Gen. 3.24. the Cherubims flaming sword do keep us out; even Gods fiery wrath of avenging Justice exclude us from the society of the blessed.
To shut up all then. This hopeful Branch, the deceased Heire was not cropt to be wither'd away, but to be Planted anew; and planted in the Mountain of Sion, high in dignity and eminent in Glory; and this, this is the great comfort in his mournfull Solemnity; which seasonable Consolation is administred from the Text, in its Morall Interpretation, the Letter whereof is this, I will crop off from the top of his young twiggs, a tender one; and will plant it upon an high Mountain and eminent.