Sermon Preached 26 May 1608, Text
A SERMON PREAched at Westminster May 26. 1608.
AT THE FVNERALL SOLEMNITIES of the Right Honourable Thomas Earle of Dorset, late L. High Treasurer of ENGLAND.
ISAIAH 40. 6.
A voice sayd, Crie. And he sayd, What shall I crie? All flesh is grasse, and all the grace thereof is as the flower of the field.
7. The grasse withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth vponupon it.
HEe that looketh into this Chapter, shall see it to be a Prophecie of the comming of Christ: of his appearing in the flesh, and his taking of our humane nature vponupon him, so to bring grace and saluation to as manie as should beleeue. And this, touching the comming of Christ, is not nakedly layd downe, but with an intimation also of his fore-runner Iohn the Baptist, the very words being vsed (to make it the more notorious) which are repeated in the third Chapter of Saint Mathew,2Matth. 3. 3. The voice of a crier in the wildernesse, prepare the way of the Lord: make his paths straight. But to fit men so much the more, to embrace that mercy which should be offred by him, this sound reason is brought; that of our selues we are mortall, corruptible and transitorie, and that therefore it is good that we should hauehave something else to rest our soules vponupon. For we consist but of flesh, and that is like vntounto the grasse. And if we should imagine othermen to be better then our selues, yet they are but as we are: for all flesh is grasse, and all the grace thereof is as the flower of the field: Therefore it is best to trust to something els; and that must be the sonne of God, the Sauiour of the world, the Redeemer of mankind, the mighty God of Iacob. I shall not at this time speake any thing concerning the comming of Christ, but shall rather insist vponupon the opening of the reason which leadeth vsus vntounto Christ Iesus. Which that it may bee the more strongly imprinted in vsus, it is not barely deliuered, but with a kinde of Preface, or solemne introduction, A voice said, Cry: And he said, What shall I cry? The whole may be diuided into these two parts, A preparation, and A proclamation. The proclamation is the maine, consisting of the latter words, All flesh is grasse, and all the grace thereof as the flower of the field, &c. In the preparation, are two circumstances: A commandement, what should be done: And the Prophets composing of himselfe to the performance of it. Of all which in their order, as God shall giuegive assistance.
A voice said, Crie.
2 We shall little need to inquire, what voice this is which speaketh to Esay. For that, whereunto the Prophet would hearken, is only the voice of God. That which spake out of the mount, in the twentieth of Exodus, when the law was giuen downe to the people of Israel,bExod. 20. 1. God spake these words and said. That which called toc1. Sam. 3. 4. Samuel, in the dead time of the night, and badde him go, and doe a message to old Eli. That whereof Dauid could say,dPsal. 29. 4. The voice of the Lord is mightie: the voice of the Lord is glorious. The veritie, the authority, the maiestie of that which is vttered, doth declare so much. This biddeth the prophet Crie: not speake only; much lesse whisper; but with an extention of his voice to deliuer his message. This must not be as that was when God passed by Elias, e1. Reg 19. 12.in a soft and still voice: nor as that, where, to describe the mildenesse of our Sauiour, it is said of him;fMatth. 12. 19. He shall not stirre, nor crie, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streets: but it is rather like that of Ionas the prophet, who entring into NiniuegIonah 3. 4. cried and said, Yet fortie daies, and Niniue shall be destroied. Or as that in our prophet Esay,hIsa: 58. 1. Crie aloud, and spare not: lift vp thy voice like a trumpet. Heere must be such a noise, as would mooue a man that were musing, would whet him that were dull, would rowse him that were slumbring, would awake him that were sleeping. So carefull is God, that we should heare this lesson, and lay it vntounto our hearts.
3 Hence we may perceiue the heauinesse and dulnesse of our nature, when in a matter so cleere, we need such a noise to remember vsus of our mortalitie. For set aside the word of God, Philosophy and experience may informe so much vntounto vsus. The Churches and Church-yards thorow which we do passe, the tombes of other men, the going before vsus of our parents and our kinsfolkes, of our friends and acquaintance, might proclaime this vntounto vsus. What should we need any crying? or why should we lacke any speaking? We may see this well enough… So many men as wee meet, so many mortall creatures. X…rxes though but a heathen man, yet could make this vse of his sight: For when he beheld from the top of his high tabernacle, the huge numbers in his armie, as iHerodot, in Polymma.Herodotus writeth, he broke forth into teares, and yeelded this reason of it, that of all that multitude (which was so great, that for ought we reade, there were neuer in the world so many souldiers at once compacted into one armie) within one hundred yeres there should not one person be remaining aliue. And if we would not see it, yet feele it we may. For as we reade in S. Austen, the aches of our bones, the heauinesse of our bodies, the deafenesse of our eares, the dimnesse of our sight, the baldnesse of our heads, the grainesse of our haires, are signes of a house that is ready to fall to the ground.kAugust. de 12. abusionum gradibus. Tom. 9. Dum oculicaligant, aures grauiter audiunt, capilli fluunt, &c. hac omnia ruitur am iam iam que domum corporis citò praenunciant. Hee alludeth to an old house, whereof when the walles doe moulder and fitter away, the roofe is vncouered, the timber is disiointed, it is an euident argument, that it will not be long before this house fall. Such tokens of the mortalitie of our bodies, are those decaies and imperfections. But Sathan doth so deafe vsus, and the world doth so blinde vsus, and our flesh maketh vsus so senselesse, that wee neither heare nor see, nor feele that which lieth so hard vponupon vsus, And therefore Gods voice must call vntounto vsus: A voice said, Crie.
What shall I crie?
4 The Herald is in readinesse, to doe as he is commanded. And that is the highest part of his dutie. What God enditeth, he writeth: what God will bid, hee will performe. So Ezechiel was taught,lEzec. 3. 17. Heare thou the word at my mouth, and giuegive them warning from me. And againe,mEzec. 33. 7. Thou shalt heare the word at my mouth, and admonish them from me. In like maner in the new Testament, our Sauiour taking his leaue of his Disciples, biddeth them,nMatt. 28. 19. Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, Teaching them to obserue all things, whatsoeuer I hauehave commanded you. And S. Paul to the Corinthians,o1. Cor. 11. 23. I hauehave receiued of the Lord that, which I also hauehave deliuered vntounto you. Thus the Minister should depend vponupon the mouth of his Master. Saint Paul could say to Timothy his scholar;p1. Tim. 6. 20. O Timotheus keepe that which is committed to thee. Whereupon Vincentius Lyrinensis very elegantly doth descant, What is it that thou must keepe,qVin…. contr. haeres. cap. 27. That which is committed to thee, not that which is inuented by thee: that which thou hast receiued, not that which thou hast deuised: a matter not of thy witte, but rather of thy learning. If the Preacher of the Gospell doe keepe him to this rule, he himselfe shall be safe; and as for the speeding of it, let him leaue the euent to God. The Physicians of Egypt, astDiodor. Antiquit. lib. 2. 3. Diodorus Siculus doth report, had this rule prescribed to them, that they should make their practise according to a booke deliuered vntounto them from ancient Physicians, and approued writers. If any followed the rule and prescript of his booke, though his Patient did miscarie, yet hee was not blamed for it. But if any went besides his booke, though his Patient did well, he lost his life for his labour. We that are Physicians of the soule may make some vse therof. We must teach by the booke. The burthen of our song must be with the old prophets, Thus and thus saith the Lord. If he command we must speak; what he willeth, we must cry. So much of the Preparation. And now to the Proclamation.
All flesh is grasse, &c.
5 Heere the speech is so significant, that eueryevery word hath his weight. Flesh it selfe intendeth corruption. When it is likened to the grasse, it more noteth our mortalitie. When the word All is added, it designeth the generalitie of the doome which is giuen. When the grace and beautie is named, it demonstrateth that there is no hope to the contrarie. The spirit of the Lord blowing on it, sheweth the reason of the whole. Of ech of these very briefly. When flesh is named heere, and it is not said, a liuing creature, or a spirit, nay not so much as that which is ordinarie in the Scripture, a man, it implieth a dissolution. For our flesh is propagated from Adam, and of him it was said,fGen. 3. 19. From the earth thou wast taken, because thou art dust, and to dust shalt thou returne. This continueth on his successors, who deriued their flesh from him. It is written of tGen. 5. 8. 11. 14. 27.Sheth and Enosh, and Kenan, and Methuselah, that they liued nine hundred yeeres; but it is added touching ech of them, And he died, And he died. Dauid witnesseth this for othermen,uPsal. 49. 10. He seeth that wisemen die, and so doe the ignorant and foolish. Of all flesh, that is true which Saint Bernard deliuereth, xBern. de gradib▪ humilitat.Nascimur, morimur: We are borne, and then we die. And in another place,yIn festo S. Martini. In terra orimur, interra morimur, &c. In the earth we hauehave our beginning, and in the earth we hauehave our ending, returning into that, from whence at first we were taken. Thus God hath decreed that there should be a succession of one man after another. And as in the greatest shewes, when one hath had his turne, he is to be gone, and to leaue the place to them that follow, and if he should desire to keepe himselfe on the stage, and by no meanes to depart, he should be verie iniurious vntounto those who are to succeed: so it is heere in mens liues; one hath his turne before, another hath his turne afterwards, but the first must yeeld to the latter, when his time is once accomplished; els he shall doe wrong to succession. Yet this going away and departure out of this world, God hath appointed to be the meanes to aduance men vntounto heauen. Our corruption is the way vntounto our incorruption. For God meaning for to crowne with the garland of immortalitie, those that hauehave striuen lawfully, doth not come downe to them to honour them vponupon earth, but calleth them vp to him, so to glorifie them in heauen. Which thing Saint Chrysostome well considered, when he spake in this maner:zChrysost in Ep. ad Philip. Homil. 12. He would hauehave thee to striue below, but he crowneth thee aboue: for the crowne is not in this place, where the striuing is; but in a glorious place. Doe you not see heere, that such champians and cha…et-driuers, whom they doe most honour, are not crowned below in the place of trying masteries, but the King calling them vp putteth on their garlands there. God doth take with his children the verie selfe-same course. Their fight must be on earth, but their reward in heauen. And thither they may not come, till they hauehave put off this body. Their flesh is as a veile which keepeth them from beholding the purity of that secret one.aExo. 26. 31. In the tabernacle which Moses made, there was a veile which was hanged vp betweene the holy place, and the holy of holies. This was made of foure substances, that is, blue silke and purple, and scarlet, and fine linnen, which asbIos. de bel. Iud. Lib. 6. 6. Iosephus telleth vsus, and SaintcHier. Epist. 128. Hierome after him, did represent the foure elements, of whom our flesh consisteth. Such adMatth. 27. 51. veile was afterwards in the temple at Hierusalem, which at the death of our blessed Sauiour did rent from the top vntounto the bottome, at which time a man might hauehave beheld the very Sanctum Sanctorum. So when our flesh, this veile, which keepeth vsus from beholding the inuisibilitie of that mightie one, shall be rent and torne in peeces by dissolution and by death, we shall behold our Creator, but neuer vntill that time.eChrys. Hom. …. in 2. Cor. The old house must to the ground, that so the tenant of it, may ascend vntounto God by a kinde of remooue, till the building be new repaired.
6 In the next place, our flesh is compared to the grasse. Grasse, than which nothing is more common; nothing more vile. Which groweth, and in an instant is cut downe, and then withereth, & is either deuoured as fodder, or if it be of a bigger size,fMatt. 6. 30. is burned in the ouen, as Christ himself speaketh. Dauid vseth the same comparison:gPsal. 103. 15. The daies of man are as grasse: as a flower of the field, so flourisheth he. Which is thus expressed by Gregory:hGreg. in Psa. 5. Poenitent. Man may be compared to the grasse, quia per natiuitatem viret in carne, per iuuent utem candescit in …ore, per mortem aret in puluere: Because by his birth, hee is greene in his flesh, by his youth he is white in his blossome, by his death he is drie & withered in the dust. Such is the shortnesse and vncertaintie of our life. Saint Iames doth liken it to a iIac. 4. 14.vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanisheth away. Saint Peter compareth it to a tent ork2. Pet. 1. 14. tabernacle, which is soone vp and soone downe. The oldlDiod. Sie. Antiq. li. 2. 1. Egyptians called our houses, by the name of Innes, where we lodge for a night, and are gone in the morning. Tully termed our life a mIn Cat. Ma…or.lodging, Ex vita ista discedo, tanquam ex hospitio: I depart out of this life, as out of a lodging. Iob calleth it a nIob. 14. 2.shadow. And in another place,ocap. 7. 6. My daies are swifter than the shuttle of a weauer. Saint Basil doth liken our life vntounto a pBasil. in Hexam. Homil. 5.dreame, where a man seeth glorious shewes, and is wonderfully pleased with them, but after a little while he awaketh, and all is nothing. Homer compareth men vntountoqHomer. Iliad. 5. leaues, which peepe out of the tree, and then grow bigger and bigger; at last they are at the greatest, fresh in shew, and greene in colour; but then they fade and decay, and are driuen off with the winde. Some other say, that a man is but like vntounto an apple, which if it be let alone will at length be ripe, and of it selfe will fall vntounto the ground, but peraduenture before that time, it is shaken off by a blast, or cropped off by a violent hand. Lastly, other hauehave likened our being heere in the world vntounto a game at chesse, where there be degrees of men, Kings, and Knights and common Pawnes, amongst whom, one is caught away, and by and by another: but howsoeuer on the boord they differ in their degree, yet when the game is ended, and they are swept all into the bagge, there is none better than other, the meanest lieth aboue, and the greatest is vnderneath. Thus both the spirit of God, and the iudgement of wise men, by significant similitudes would riuet it in into vsus, and fasten it as with a naile into our cogitations, that our daies are but vanitie, our continuance heere but momentame, our abode on earth but vncertaintie.
7 Now lest it should be said, that with some it may bee thus, but with other otherwise, it is farther added, that All flesh is grasse. Men are all of the same molde, and returne to the same substance. The wise woman of Tecoah could speake in generall to Dauid,r2. Sam. 14. 14. We must needs die, and we are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered vp againe. Heere shee ioineth herselfe with Dauid, My Lord we needs must die, you a man, and I a woman: you a Soueraigne, I a subiect. Dauid himselfe knew this, when lying in his death-bed, he spake thus vntounto Salomon,s1. Reg. 2. 2. I go the way of all the earth. Death is the way of all flesh. So holy Iob,tIob 30. 23. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all the liuing. So S. Paul to the Hebrewes,uHeb. 9. 27. It is appointed vntounto men that they shall once die, and after that commeth the iudgement. Where the indefinite proposition is equiualent to a generall. Death, saith Seneca, is thexSenec. Epist. 70. ad Lucilium. hauen, whither eueryevery ship must go: some come sooner, and some come later, but there they all must ariue. Perhaps when a ship is entring into the mouth of the hauen, there commeth a blast of winde, and driueth it out againe; but that will not serue the turne, it must backe to the same place. The speech is true of all,yInnoc. 3. de cont. mund. lib. 1. Vitaperpetuo auolat, neque potest retincri: mors quotidie ingruit, neque potest resisti. Life alway flieth away, and cannot be held backe: and death daily doth grow on, and cannot be resisted. In this one point all conditions are alike. The yoong may, and the old must. The difference is no more, but thezSen. Ep. 26 one come vntounto death, and death commeth to the other. Death, saith Saint aBern. de conuers. ad cleric. cap. 14.Bernard, non miseratur inopiam, non diuitias reueretur, &c. pitieth not the pouertie of one, nor standeth in awe of the riches of another, it spareth not the parentage of any man, nor his behauiour, nor his age; for the old it standeth ready in the gates, for the yoong it licth in ambush. The Poet could say of death, that it is that,bHorat. Carm. Lib. 4. Ode 7. Quò Pius Aeneas, quò Tulius diues & Ancus, whether Aeneas with his piety, and Tullus with his riches, and Ancus with his valour did go. Puluis & vmbra sumus: we are but dust and shadow. Nay it is a thing so assured, that in a sort a man may say we are more certaine to die, than that euer we were borne, since there is but one way onelyonly to come into the world, but a thousand waies to goe out of it, ascGreg. Naz. orat. 40. Gregorie Nazianzene obserued, as, by fire, and by water, by the teeth of wilde beasts, by famine, or sword, or pestilence, and infinite meanes besides. And as the rule is generall for persons and for degrees, so also is it for places; no one place being exempt or priuileged from death. WhichdXenoph. in Apolog. pro Socrat. Socrates himselfe did rightly vnderstand, when after his condemnation being told by his friends, that if he would giuegive liking thereunto, they would by violence take him from the officers, or otherwise conuey him away; he not onelyonly gaue no consent to that proiect of theirs, but also smiled at them, asking whether they knew any place, without the territorie of Athens, to the which death might not approch. And as pretie a speech was that ofeAmmian: Mercellin. hist Lib. 16. Sigon. de Occid. Imp. lib. 6. Hormisda the Persian, who being by his king sent in ambassage to Constantius the Roman Emperour, was caused by Constantius to walke vp and downe, to view the citie Rome. There hee beheld the glorious monuments of the place, the Capitol, the Pantheon, the Temple of peace, the Forum of Traian, the Amphitheater, and the Bathes, with many other matters of excellent workemanship. But being asked by the Emperour what he thought of Rome, or what was his iudgement concerning it, he replied, that it was the most glorious Citie, that was in the world; and that as hee supposed, there was not such another in all the earth: but this, saith he, doth please me, or as other report it, this one thing doth displease me, that I see men die at Rome, as they doe in other places. The speech was most true, and fitteth all other cities. We all then may resolue, that wheresoeuer we be, or of what calling soeuer, we must come to the gates of death. That we might not hope to auoid this, the Patriarkes and the Prophets hauehave gone that way before vsus: That wee may not dread the sharpnesse of it, the Sonne of God himselfe by sustaining death in his flesh, hath sanctified death vntounto vsus.
8 A man would hauehave thought, that by this time sufficient had beene sayd. But yet farther to imprint all into our cogitation, the Prophet speaketh on, All the grace thereof is as the flower of the field. The grasse withereth, the flower fadeth. As if he should hauehave subioyned, that if in the life of man there be any thing more faire, more amiable, more goodly, more specious, more illustrious than the common qualitie, yet this is but like to the flower. The flower is more sightly than the grasse, more pleasing vntounto the eye, more fragrant vntounto the smell: yet it endureth the common qualitie of withering and fading. Yea many times the fairer and the gayer the flower is, the sooner it is gathered and cropped off by the hand. So it is with those things which this world esteemeth most glorious. Authority, estimation, youth, beauty, pompe, strength, all the delights of this earth are transitorie and vaine. Dauid setteth men as high as possibly they may go,fPsal. 82. 6. I hauehave sayd, Ye are gods, and ye all are children of the most High: but he bringeth them downe as low, But yee shall die as a man: and ye Princes shall fall like others. There be many things in this world of high esteeme with men, goodly houses, glorious clothes, daintie fare, curious gardens, musicke, baths, plate and possessions: yet of these S. Austen sayd truly,gAug. de catechiz. rudibus cap. 16. Quamuis insana gaudia non sint gaudia: Although these mad and foolish ioyes are in trueth no ioyes, yet be they as they are, and let them delight as much as possibly they can, aufert omnia ista vnafebricula, if there come but one fit of an ague, the comfort of them is gone. To the same purpose Saint Basil: for when hee hath described the glory and the ornaments of Princes and great persons, he addeth: hBasil. in Hexam. homil. 5.That if there come but one ill night, one little touch of a feuer, some paine of the side, or imperfection in the lungs, abijt illa vniuersa scena, all the play is marred, the shew is quite disgraced. Where wee may note, that Saint Basil doth terme our life but a play: And so also doth SaintiChrys Con…. 2. de L…zaro. Chrysostome, likening men vntounto stage-players, among whom one is a King, a second stands for a Captaine, a third serues for a Mariner, and other hauehave other parts; but this is only while they are vponupon the stage: for the shew being ended, they are then but themselues, all fellowes, and all alike. Euen so in life there is difference, there be degrees of callings; but in rottennesse and the graue the best and worst are equall. There no difference may be found betweenek2. Sam. 14. 25. Absason with his beautie, andlLuc. 16. 20. Lazarus with his blaines. There it is true whichmLucian. in Necromant. Lucian causeth one to report, that when he came amongst the dead, he could there see no difference betweene Nireus the faire, and Thersites the foule: betweene Irus the begger, and Vlysses the Prince: betweene Pirrhias the cooke, and Agamemnon the king. Now if these things be so, why doe men set their hearts on the glory of this world? Nay, why do Christian men embrace it, and admire it, and adore it, and doat vponupon it, since Heathen men hauehave discouered the vanitie thereof, and done strange things about it? ThatnA…n. Syl…. … Blond. Decad. 2. 6. Platin. in Caelest. 3. Saladine who was so great an enemie to the Christians, and wan from them the Holy land, lying vponupon his death-bed, gaue charge that his inner garment, his shirt as it may be thought, or rather his shrowd, being put on the end of a speare, should be carried before his coarse now going to be buried, and that a Herald should crie, that Saladine the great Lord and Gouernour of Asia carried nothing away with him but that shirt or that shrowd. Where if it should be obiected that he grew to this contemplation, when immediatly he was to leaue the world, I may tell you of other persons, who in their strength and vigor hauehave had as good meditations.oDion. Histor. lib. 66. Titus that Romane Emperour hauing set out shewes and spectacles for a hundred daies together, to demonstrate the magnificence of that Empire, on the last day of those sights, in the presence of all the people did breake foorth into teares, vponupon a consideration, that all that pompe was vanished and dissolued into nothing. It is sayd ofpPlutarch. in vit. Aemil. Paulus Aemilius, that when he had his triumph for three whole dayes together, he ioyed no way apparantly; as neither on the other side, he gaue testimonie of griefe for the death of one of his sonnes, who died a very few dayes before the time of his triumph; with which patience he also tooke the death of another of them within a few dayes after. But albeit in all that, he did beare himselfe with great constancie, yet in another case hee had other cogitations. ForqTit. Liu. lib. 45. hauing ouerthrowen in battell Perseus the king of Macedonia, and hauing chased him vp and downe, so that there was small hope to escape, Perseus writeth letters to him, that he would yeeld into his hands his kingdome and his person; which when Aemilius had receiued, he could not stay from weeping, remembring the inconstancie and mutabilitie of all states and conditions. So did that noblerTit. Liu. lib. 25. Marcellus in his entrance into that rich citie Syracusae, when he had long besieged it, and at last by composition it was surrendred vntounto him; the teares trickled from his eyes, to see so woorthy a place now brought into captiuitie.sAppian. de bellis Puni…is. Scipio another Romane, when he saw the citie Carthage raced downe vntounto the ground, though it had beene enemie to his countrey, yet could not forbeare to weepe, to thinke that empires and nations were so subiect to ouerturning. Thus did the grauest and wisest men that were among the olde Romans, in the happiest and most glorious things that euer did befall them while they were heere amongst men. Such meditations as these were, would well become Gods best seruants, to lay it vntounto their heart, that the heigth of earthly felicity being taken in it selfe, is but store of the lightest vanitie. Grasse is no better than grasse, and flowers are no better than flowers: these fade, the other withereth.
9 The reason of the whole now followeth: The spirit of the Lord bloweth vponupon it. God dissolueth all at his pleasure; and marke with what facilitie this matter is brought about; but as with a puffe of the winde, or as with the blast of the mouth. That breath which made the world, can marre a man in a moment. The Lord sayth of himselfe,tDeu. 32. 39. I kill, and I giuegive life: I wound, and I make whole: neither is there any that can deliuer out of mine hand. Hanna the mother of Samuel, in her song remembreth this;u1. Sam. 2. 6 The Lord killeth, and maketh aliue: bringeth downe to the graue, and raiseth vp. And my Prophet in the same Chapter whence my text is taken,*Isa. 40. 23. He (speaking of God) bringeth the Princes to nothing, and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanitie. These things teach vsus the Lords power, and his sway ouer men. Hee setteth them in a standing place like sentinels in a watch, and when he list he dischargeth them: When he calleth for the greatest, there is no way of auoiding, there is no meanes of withdrawing, there is no place for absenting, there is no course of resisting. And so I end this Proclamation.
10 What I hauehave spoken all this while touching the maine of my text, is verified in that spectacle which is now before our eyes, which can not chuse but be vntounto vsus a memoriall of mortalitie. For heere we are to celebrate the funerall solemnitie of an honourable personage, a graue Counseller of Estate, a great Officer of the Crowne, a faithfull seruant vntounto his Maiestie. Touching whom, since you expect that something should be sayd, I shall draw the beginning of that which I must deliuer, from a witnesse beyond all exception; and that is the late Queene of euerlasting memorie. Her Maiestie not long before her death being pleased, as … seemeth, with some speciall piece of seruice which his Lordship had done vntounto her, grew at large to discourse touching this Noble man, as an honorable person, and a Counseller of Estate, in writing hath aduertised me. Her Highnesse was then pleased to decipher out his life, by seuen steps or degrees: The first was his yoonger daies, the time of his scholarship, when first in that famous Vniuersitie of Oxford, and afterward in the Temple, (where he tooke the degree of Barrister) he gaue tokens of such pregnancie, such studiousnesse and iudgement, that he was held no way inferiour to any of his time or standing. And of this there remaine goodxThe life of Tresilian in the Mirrour of Magistr. Epist. pr…fix. Aulic. Barth. Clerke. tokens both in English and in Latine published vntounto the world. The second was his trauell, when being in France and Italy, he profited very much in the languages, in matter of story and State: (whereof this Common-wealth, found great benefit in his Lordships elder yeeres, in the deepest consulations that belonged vntounto this kingdome.) And being prisoner in Rome for the space of foureteene daies, (which trouble was brought vponupon him by some who hated him for his louelove to religion, and his dutie to his Soueraigne) he so prudently bare himselfe, that by the blessing of God, and his temperate kind of cariage, he was freed out of that danger. The third step which her Maiestie did thinke good to obserue was (vponupon returne into England) his comming vntounto her Court, where on diuers occasions he bountifully feasted her Highnesse and her Nobles; and so he did to forren Embassadors. At that time hee entertained Musitians the most curious, which any where hee could hauehave, and therein his Lordship excelled vntounto his dying day. Then was his discourse iudicious, but yet wittie and delightfull. Thus he was in his yoonger daies, a scholar, and a traueller, and a Courtier of speciall estimation.
11 The fourth step of his life, noted by her most sacred Maiestie, was his imployment of higher nature, in Embassages beyond the seas. As first, when his Lordship was sent to the French King Charles the ninth, partly to congratulate his mariage with the daughter of Maximilian the Emperour, and partly about other weighty affaires touching both the kingdomes. At which time his Lordship was so honorably attended with Gentlemen of choice qualitie; and was so magnificent in his expence, as was admirable to the French, honorable to his countrey, and gaue much contentment vntounto his Soueraigne. *Holinshed An. 13. Eliz.The Chronicles at large relate the maner of it. Secondly, when afterward in a seruice of tickle nature, he was imploied into the Low Countries, where notwithstanding the sharpe sight which by some was caried ouer him, yet his Lordship behaued himselfe so warily and discreetly, that no blame could be fastened on him. The fift time obserued was, his temper and moderation after his returns from thence, when her Maiestie to giuegive contentation to a great personage, in those daies of high imploiment, was pleased to command him vntounto his owne house, there priuately to remaine till her farther pleasure was knowen. Where his Lordship did beare himselfe so dutifully and obsequiously vntounto her Highnesse command, that in all the time of his restraint, for nine or ten moneths space, hee neuer would endure either openly or secretly, either by day or by night to see either wife or childe. A rare example of obedience, and obseruance vntounto his Soueraigne. The sixt degree which was noted by that most renowmed Ladie, was the time that his Lordship was Counsellor, before that he was aduanced to that high office, which afterward he bare, in which time he daily shewed great diligence and sound iudgement, in her weightiest affaires. The last of all was that space, wherein he held the roome of Lord High Treasurer of England, in which place she noted the continuall and excessiue paines, and care which his Lordship did take in her businesse, his fidelitie in his aduices, his dexterity in aduācing of her profit. Thus it seemed good to that Queen of blessed memory, in particul… discourse touching her faithfull seruant. This was while his Lordship liued: and since his death, his Maiestie that now is, the most religious, the most learned, the most iudicious King, that this land euer enioied, (as I hauehave beene aduertised from persons of high qualitie) hath beene pleased diuers times to giuegive many excellent speeches before the Lords concerning him, as his Highnesse had done formerly, while this noble man did liue. Heere, may I not say with the Poet?
yHorat. lib. 1. Epist. 17.Principibus placuisse viris, non vltima laus est:
To please great Princes is not the least commendation.
Nay I may change the verse, and alter it in this fashion:
Principibus placuisseistis, ter maxima laus est.
To please such Princes as these, is a very great commendation.
And indeed, these were most gracious testimonies of two such Soueraignes to their seruant, who desired much to please them with loyaltie and fidelitie, with vigilancie and care, with industrie and diligence, incredible, but vntounto those who did know it. And neuer was there any Noble man, who with more humble agnising, with more feeling and affectionate gratefulnesse did entertaine the fauours of his Soueraignes, than this honorable person did, as may fully appeare by many w…ds in his last will, recommending to his posteritie, a speciall grace of his Maiestie, in sending a Ring vntounto him, which he wisheth his to keepe, as a iewell of highest value, thorowout all generations. The words are worth the reading, but they are too long to rehearse in this place.
12 Now for other parts of morall vertues, how many rare things were in him? Who more louing vntounto his wife, that Honorable Ladie, the mirrour of all true vertue? It is a most worthy testimonie, that he hath giuen thereof, and hath left it to be1The words which his Lordship in his last will vseth of his Ladie are these: Inprimis, I giuegive, will, and bequeath vntounto the Ladie Cicely Countesse of Dorset, my most vertuous, faithfull, and dearely beloued wife, not as any recompence of her infinit merit towards mee, who for her incomparable louelove, zeale, & hartie affection euer shewed vntounto me, and for those her so rare, many, and reuerent vertues, of chastitie, modestie, fidelitie, humilitie, secrecie, wisdome, patience, and a mind… repleat with all pietie and goodnesse, which euermore hauehave and do abound in her, deserueth to be honoured, loued and esteemed aboue all the transitory wealth and treasure of this world, and therefore by no price of earthly riches can by me be valued, recompensed or requi…ed: To her therefore my most vermous, faithfull and intirely beloued wife, Not, I say, as a recompense, but as a true token and testimony of my vnspeakable louelove, affection, and estimation, and reuerenc… long since fixed and setled in my heart towards her, I giuegive, will and bequeath, &c. recorded for those that shall come after. Who more kind vntounto his children, and to his Grand-children? Who more fast vntounto his friend? who more moderate to his enemy, if truth were once found out, and staining imputations were wiped away from the integritie of his Honor? Who more true of his word? It was a noble testimonie, which a most Honorable personage gaue of his Lordship since his death, in a right worthy assemblie, that in much conuersation and concurrence in many causes, of great waight and importance, hee neuer heard him speake, or in earnest affirme that which he found to be otherwise. What noble man in our time was more giuen to hospitalite, and keeping of a great house? Hauing liued, seuenty and two yeeres (for so was his age accounted) and being married more then fifty and three yeeres, vntounto one and the selfe same Lady, he kept house for fortie and two yeeres in an honorable proportion. For thirtie yeeres of those, his family consisted of little lesse in one place or another, than two hundred persons. But for more then twentie yeeres, besides workmen and other hired, his number at the least hath beene two hundred and twenty daily, as appeared vponupon checke-rowle. A very rare example in this present age of ours, when house-keeping is so decaied. Who more magnificent than than his Lordship in solemne entertainments? as (besides other particulars) was manifested not long since abundantly to the world, when his Maiestie with the Queene and Prince together with a great part of the Nobilitie, spent diuers daies at Oxford. Who was euer more desirous to doe wrong vntounto none? His Lordship bought no land, but hee commonly paid more for it, than it was worth, yeelding this reason of it, that it would the better prosper and continue in his name and posteritie. In his Will how carefull was he, that all debts should be paid? yea though there were no specialty whereby it might be challenged, yet if it might appeare that ought was due vntounto any man, his charge is to his Executors that they should giuegive satisfaction. The like also for wrong done to any one whatsoeuer (whereof he protested before the eternall Maiestie that he did not remember any.) And if there should grow difference betweene his Executors and any person demanding, his hearty praier and desire is to the Deanes of Windsore, Westminster, and Pauls (for so his Lordship doth ranke them) to heare, order, and determine all controuersies depending. Which if they refuse to doe, which he hopeth they will not, or if the partie claiming shall not obey their award, he leaueth them to the ordinarie course of law, but chargeth and requireth his Executors to answer them in all Courts of Iustice immediately, without all delaies whatsoeuer. VntoUnto those honorable parts, I may adde a great many more: As his good and charitable disposition toward his Tenants, of whom ordinarily, he tooke lesse fines by a third part, than by other Lords is vsually accustomed; and his Farmers held his Farmes, as is well knowen to the world, but at reasonable rents: As his releefe to the poore in pinching times of dearth.aFrom the 28. of May to the 15. of August, so much as cost 154. li. 14. s. 7. d. In the yeere 1597. which was a time of the greatest scarcitie that euer we did know, his Lordship sent into Sussex of his free gift vntounto six parishes store of Danske Rie bought at Billingsgate. Diuers other yeeres, and namely this present yeere 1608. his Lordship hath caused weekely certaine quarters of Wheat, to be caried from his owne Granary at Lewes in Sussex, and to be sold in the market to the poore, at a farrebAfter 26. s. 8. d. the quarter, when other men ordinarily sold for 40. s. the quarter. lower rate than the price which commonly men did take. And that this his Lordships bountie might continue after his death, by his last Will and Testament he hath bequeathed a thousand pounds for the erecting of a Granarie at the place which last I named, for the vse and benefit of poore people in those parts: And two thousand pounds as a stocke for the storing of that house against times of dearth and scarcitie. VntoUnto this he hath also ioined a thousand pounds to be bestowed on the building of a Chapell c…where his ancestors doe lie, and where his Lordship desired that his bodie might be enterred. These are fruits of a liuely faith, and so must be reputed.
13 But because a right beleefe and religion toward God is the highest point of all, I may not heere omit to say something touching that. There are arguments most euident to demonstrate vntounto all men, that his faith was agreeable vntounto the word of God, and according to the profession of the renowmed Church of England. In that famous Vniuersitie of Oxford, where his Lordship for more then sixteene yeeres was our Honorable Chancellor, it was his speciall care to substitute such vnderunder him as were most sound for Religion, which the wiser sort did obserue, although common men did not marke it. As he kept downe with the one hand all nouelties, and humours in opinions, which laboured to set trouble in the Church and Common-wealth, so with the other hand to the vttermost of his power he depressed the Priests and Iesuits, which hauehave vsed too much to that place; not to the Vniuersitie, which God be praised is free from all such imputation, but to some few of the Citie, who embrace their old superstitions. In that place this I can witnesse, that his Lordship neither openly nor secretly did euer giuegive countenance vntounto any that was backward in religion. And on the other side, that there was neuer any thing soberly and wisely proposed which might forward true pietie, which his Lordship did not further; as I could by many particulars make plaine to whomsoeuer. Touching the education of those honorable plants his grand-children, his Lordship was euer carefull that they should be trained vp in the trueth of religion, farre from Poperie and idolatrie. His charge was vntounto their Tutour (as I well knew in his life time) that as he would answer him in the day of the last iudgement, before the face of Christ, that he should traine them vp in the trueth of the religion professed now in England. How angry would he be, when he was at his Countrey house, if they came not duly to praiers? He neuer could endure that they otherwise should be matched, than where was sound religion. Concerning his owne soule, when the last yeere he was sicke, besides ordinarie praiers, he composed himselfe to God bydAt Horseley. receiuing the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper, when he looked to depart the world. But two daies before he died, deuoutly and religiously he heard a Sermon at home in his Lordships owne eAt Dorset house.Chapell. Nay to let all other things passe, how holily and Christianly in his last Will and Testament doth he commend his soule vntounto God! I must professe when I saw it first, it did very much affect me. And because it cannot chuse but giuegive very full contentment to all reasonably minded, yea perhaps may doe much good vntounto other by the example, I thinke it not amisse to read the very words, that his owne hand hath deliuered. These they are: First therefore as a liuing creature most bound thereunto, I heere throw downe and prostrate my selfe in all humility and thankefulnes, at the foot of my Creator, Redeemer, and Sauiour, rendring vntounto his diuine Maiestie my most lowly, hearty and infinite thanks, in that he hath vouchsafed to create me a man indued and infused with soule and reason, and fashioned like vntounto the image of his owne eternall Sonne, that might hauehave made me a brutish and soule-lesse beast, to hauehave fed and grased vponupon the earth, like vntounto those irrationall liuing creatures of the field. But especially in that he hath pleased to make me a Christian man, whereby in this life I may ioy and reioice with the sound and badge of that glorious name, and when I goe from hence I may thereby, and through the mercies and goodnesse of Iesus Christ depart and die in assurance and comfort of my soules and bodies saluation and resurrection, and to rest at his right hand, in the fruition of those celestiall and vnspeakable ioies and blessednesse that neuer shall hauehave end. To him therefore my most mercifull and omnipotent God, and into the hands of his inexplicable and eternall goodnesse, I giuegive, will and bequeath my soule, firmely and assuredly trusting, beleeuing and freely confessing, That by the death and passion of his Sonne Iesus Christ, and by his onelyonly mercy, meane and mediation for me, and by none other, and not by any good worke or merit of mine owne (although I must acknowledge, that I am bound vponupon paine of damnation, to doe as many good works as possibly I can or may; all which when I hauehave done, yet am I but an vnprofitable seruant, and a sinfull creature full of all iniquitie) I shall liue and partake with his Saints in his heauenly kingdome, of that eternall and inexplicable blisse and happinesse which he hath prepared for his elect, of which number (through his infinite mercy and goodnesse) I doe confidently and stedfastly hope, know and beleeue that I am one.
14 These things did God prouide should be in his Lordships lifetime, that those who did louelove and honour him (of whom I must euermore acknowledge my selfe to be one, and so bound by due desert) might hauehave the more comfort, in, and after his death. Which must needes be confessed to hauehave beene on the sudden: and yet such as hath befallen many good and godly men; yea choice persons amongst Gods seruants. I need not giuegive example, how many in a moment hauehave beene drowned at sea, or in other riuers; or hauehave beene slaughtered in the warres; or murthered by their enemies; or stifled in their beds; or passing thorow the streets, hauehave beene beaten downe with a tile, or slaine with a stone throwen from afIustin. li. 25. wall, as some write that Pyrrhus was, or hauehave had some such matter as the tower ofgLuc. 13. 4. Siloah to fall vponupon them. I need not runne tohPli…. …at. hist. lib. 7. 7. Anacreon the Poet, who in an instant was choaked with the kernell of a raisin, or toiIbidem. Fabius, who drinking milke was strangled with an haire. Neither need I flie tokTull. in L…lio. Scipio that admirable Romane, who being ouer night so honored by his countrey-men, that the Senators and the people of that citie, together with the Latines and other their confederates, in solemne fashion brought him home to his house, the next day he was found dead. I may speake of our owne age, wherein many persons of honour, men of learning and of great reuerence hauehave suddenly beene called out of the world; touching whom for any man to giuegive a bitter censure, standeth not with any rule of charitie or pietie, yea of common Christianitie. And for the ages past, I might tell you of PetruslNich. Hospital. in Tumulis. Castellanus, Bishop sometimes of Orleans, who being preaching in the pulpit, fell suddenly downe and died. I might remember you of that woorthy and most renoumed Emperour,mMatth. Paris in Richard. Frederike Barbarossa, who going for Palestina, to recouer the Holy land out of the hands of the Saracens, which he thought to be a seruice most acceptable to Christ, and for effecting whereof, he left his countrey and friends, yet by the way as he passed, in the presence of many of his armie, was suddenly drowned in the riuer Sapheth. I might mention the yoongernHier. Epist. 19. Tom. 9. Marcellin. Lib. 30. Valentinian an Emperour indued with many most rare qualities: yet being on a time much offended that the Sarmatae and Quadi, two barbarous nations, had broken in vponupon the Empire, and speaking loud and passionately concerning that matter, he brake some veine or some thing els within him, and presently so died. Notwithstanding Saint*Ambros. de obit. Valentinian. Ambrose making a funerall Oration or Sermon for him, giueth him most singular commendation, and doubteth not but that his soule was in peace and rest with God. Yea albeit at that time Valentinian had not receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme, yet Saint Ambrose is resolued that propter voluntatem & votum Baptismi, for his desire and wish that he had to be Baptised, the Lord had receiued him to mercy. Where I may not forget a speech which he vttereth in that Sermon, Iustus quacun que morte praeuentus fuerit, anima eius in refrigerio crit: The righteous man, by what kind of death soeuer he be ouer taken, or hastily caught away, his soule shall be at rest. I might rehearse the example of Iouian another famous Emperour, who was the man that freed the Roman armie from the danger whereinto Iulian the Apostata going against the Persians had brought it. In theoSocrat. Hist. Eccl. li. 3. 19. midst of their perill, the Captains and souldiers assured both of his vertue and his valour, proclaimed him for their Emperour. But he being a zealous and most resolute Christian, and knowing that they not long before, (to giuegive contentment to Iulian) had turned Heathens and Infidels, made answer that himselfe professing for Iesus Christ, would neuer take vponupon him any gouernment ouer Gentiles; which made them by and by returne to the Christian faith. Yet this holy and worthy Emperour,pTheodor. Hist. Eccl. Lib: 4. 4. like to the Sunne breaking foorth after a fearefull storme, was presently caught away, and taken out of mens sight. For going in health to bed, he was found dead in the morning; and no reason of that hastie change could be imagined, but that either he had taken tooqSolon. Hist. Eccl. Lib. 6. 6. liberall a supper, or was choaked with the sauour of new lime on the walles of the house where he lay, or with the smell of bad coles,rHier. Epist. 3. ad Heliod. foetore prunarum, as Saint Hierome doth deliuer it. Nay I might tell of Iosiah, whom Ieremy did terme, the breath of their s…am. 4. 20.nostrels, the Anointed of the Lord, yet saith withall, that he was taken in their nets, that is, was caught away suddenly.*2. Chron. 35. 23. He went into battel against Pharao Necho, and there was wounded and slaine. Iustine Martyr speaking of this most godly king, and the maner of his death doth make this obiection,tIustin. Martyr. Quaest. 79. why the wicked did not say that Iosias was so slaine, and died in such a fashion, because hee ouerthrew their idols and their altars. Whereby he doth intimate, that the maner of men is to giuegive a hard iudgement on the good as well as vponupon the bad, if any thing extraordinarie, especially in their death, do befall them. SaintuHieron. in Psa. 93. …om. 7. Hierome noteth the same, where hee writeth thus: Solent aliqui dicere, Some men vse to say, He who was slaine had not beene killed vnlesse he had beene a fornicator, or had committed some sinne. The house had not fallen vponupon him, vnlesse he had beene a malefactor. He had not suffered shipwracke, had hee not beene an offender. But see what saith the holy Scripture, Et sanguinem innocentem condemnabunt: They shall condemne euen innocent bloud. Though the person be innocent, yet God sometimes doth suffer the euill man to condemne him. This may well be a lesson to men in our time, that they be not too quicke, nor nimble in giuing vp their verdicts or censures of other men. Especially since God disposeth all at his pleasure. Since he hath said, that*Eccl. 9. 2. All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not. Which is to bee vnderstood of externall and outward things; since the parties that speake this, hauehave their owne breath in their nostrils, and it may be their owne case, if God should so determine it: it being true that this noble man spake in another cause, the very houre that he died,xEccl. 38. 22. Heri mihi, hodie tibi. Hodie mihi, cras tibi: It is my turne to day, and it may be yours tomorrow. I might amplifie this point much farther, but I end it with that saying of the Apostle Paul, What yRom. 14. 4.art thou that condemnest or iudgest another mans seruant? He standeth or falleth to his owne master.
15 Yet, that truth may not be concealed in the matter which now I handle; as God dealt with this noble person somewhat extraordinarily in taking him from among vsus, so it may be well supposed, that he gaue him more than an ordinarie coniecture, or suspicion, that his death was not farre from him. The last yeere when he returned after his greeuous sicknesse, he spake it more than once to his honorable friends, that he had setled his soule and composed it to another world, whensoeuer God should call for him. Soone after he began to dispose of all those worldly things, which the Lord had lent vntounto him. Of late it was his common speech, I am now an old man, therefore this, or therefore that, as I my selfe can witnesse. The day before he died, writing with his owne hand to one of his grand-childrē, he more than once in that letter vsed this or the like phrase, After my death: and, when I am dead and gone. The last morning of his life, it was noted by those who were neerest about his Lordship, that he was apparently longer at his priuate meditations, then commonly hee did vse. But the words of his will, written with his owne hand may giuegive great satisfaction to a man of a hard conceit, that he did fit himselfe to mortalitie, whereof in the former yeere he had had a warning peece. I will read his Lordships owne words, in which letech man iudge, whether it may not bee thought that there was some instinct more then ordinarie. Thus then his will beginneth: The eternall God of heauen and earth, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, guide and prosper this mine intent and purpose, which in their name I heere take in hand and begin. Because it is a trueth infallible, such as eueryevery Christian ought not onelyonly perfectly to know, and stedfastly to beleeue, but also continually to meditate and thinke vponupon, namely, that we are borne to die; That nothing in this world is more certaine then death, nothing more incertaine then the houre of death, and that no creature liuing knoweth, neither when, where, nor how it shall please Almightie God to call him out of this mortall life: So as heere we liue eueryevery houre, nay eueryevery instant a thousand waies subiect to the suddē stroke of death, which ought to terrifie, teach and warne vsus to make our selues ready as well in the preparation of our soules to God, as by the disposition of all our earthly fortunes to the world, whensoeuer it shal please the heauenly power to call vsus from this miserable and transitory life vntounto that blessed and euerlasting life to come: Therefore, &c.
16 Yet to all this I may adde, that by vsus who are liuing, there is an vse to be made of these th…ngs: For Exempl. …mori…ntum sunt documenta viuentium; The examples of men dying are the instructions of the liuing. When in this present spectacle wee may sensibly beholde, that life is so vncertaine, that we may say with Plinie,zPlin. Nat. Hist. li. 7. 51. Whereas there be in men innumerable signes of death, there is no assured signe of safetie and of securitie in the yongest or the strongest: let vsus remember the counsell of our Master and Sauiour,bMatt. 24. 42. Wake therefore: for yee know not what houre your master will come, either by death, or by the last and generall iudgement. Let vsus be like the wisecMatth. 25. 4. virgins, euer readie with oile in our lamps; the oile of faith and good life. Let vsus say to our selues as God sayd tod2. Reg. 20. 1. Hezechiah, Put thine house in an order, for thou shalt die and not liue. Let vsus speake thus to our soules. Let vsus not weaue the spiders-web; that is, bestow all our labour vponupon that which is but vaine, but weake, and of no profit. Let vsus not fasten our selues to this transitorie world, making that to be our ioy, our comfort and delight; but let our minde be setled on some thing of higher nature. Let vsus daily pray to God as Moses sometimes prayed,ePsal. 90. 12. Teach vsus so to number our daies, that we may apply our hearts vntounto wisdome: which must be the wisdome spirituall, celestiall and eternall. And this is so much the rather to be desired in this life, because as we reade in Salomon,fEccle. 11. 3. if the tree doe fall toward the South or toward the North, in the place that the tree falleth, there it shall be, that is, asgOlymp in Eccl. 11. Bern. Sermon. paru. 49. Olympiodorus, and Saint Bernard do expound it, as a man doth die, either in the fauour or the disfauour of God, so he must remaine immutabiliter & irretractabiliter, without changing or recalling. Therefore men while they doe liue should cary themselues warily, as being euer assured, that they are in the eye of God, and that he is among them in their greatest consultations, and most honourable assemblies.hPsal. 82. 1. God standeth (sayth Dauid) in the Congregation of Princes; he is a Iudge among Gods. A Iudge to see and examine them, a Iudge to strike and call vntounto him, whom and when it pleaseth him. Let him euer be before our eyes, that when he shall send for vsus, we may appeare with readinesse, with alacritie and with confidence before the Throne of his Grace. Which God the Father grant vsus for his Sonne Christ Iesus his sake: to both whom with the Holy Ghost be laud and praise, and glorie, now and euermore.
Amen.