Ezek. c. 17. v. 22. Latter part.

—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.

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.

Littera Geſta docet, quid credas Allegoria, Moralis quid agas, quid ſperes Anagogia.

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 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 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. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 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 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 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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 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 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, Sophocles in Scyr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. 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, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 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. 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 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, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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.

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 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 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 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 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, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 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 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 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, 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 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.

Hallelujah.