Funeral Sermon for Robert Rolle, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF THE Honourable Colonel Robert Rolle of Heanton Sachville in the County of Devon Eſq;
By William Trevethick M.A. and Paſtor of Petrockſtow in the ſame County.
Hier. Ad Marcellam de laudibus Aſſeilae.
Nemo reprehendat quod in Epiſtolis aliquos aut laudamus, aut carpimus, cum & in arguendis malis, ſit correptio caeterorum: & in optimis praedicandis, bonorum ad virtutem ſtudia concitentur.
LONDON, Printed by T. R. for Edward Brewſter at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard, 1661. duplicate page
TO THE Noble and hopefull young Gentleman Mr. SAMUEL ROLLE, the only Son and Heir of the Honourable Colonel Robert Rolle of Heanton Sachville in the County of Devon Eſq late deceaſed.
SIR,
THE honour and eſteem which I have born unto your family, ever ſince I had the happineſs to be acquainted with it, together with the many favours which I have received from it, and eſpecially from your Parents of happy memory; have ſufficiently ingaged me, with all readineſs, to lay hold upon any opportunity, of giving teſtimony thereof in the beſt manner that I can. In order whereunto I was not unwilling to anſwer the call to the performance of that laſt, though ſad office, of waiting on the funeral Solemnities of that worthy Gentleman, your dear father, and my honoured Patron. An account whereof (ſince you could not be a hearer, that you might have a ſight of it) is here preſented to your view. It was hard for me to think any thing of mine worthy of ſuch publick notice; and it was no leſs difficult to withſtand the deſires of ſuch as (with me) are able to command. Such as it is I here humbly ſubmit it to your ingenuity and candor; not doubting (although there were little in it that might merit your acceptance) but that any remembrance of ſuch a father to ſuch a ſon, will …nd ſome favourable entertainment.
And now Sir, (If with your good leave at leaſt upon this occaſion I may uſe the liberty of being your remembrancer) that the Lord in his wiſe and holy providence hath deprived you of both your parents; It is to give you to learn betimes, to have your dependance on him alone, who is your heavenly father, who ever liveth and careth for you; whoſe eye you are alwayes under, where ever you go, and whatever you do; if you cleave unto him, he will never leave you,Pſa. 17 10 Iſa 49 15 nor forſake you, When my father and my mother forſake me, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) then the Lord will take me up.
That you have ſo early (as it were in your firſt ſetting forth) met with the croſs, it may ſeem tedious at preſent, but yet I truſt it will be for your profit hereafter.
Et mage principio grata coronis erit.Martial.
The Lord is a wiſe Father, That ſon whom he loves, Pro. 13.24.he chaſteneth betimes. He knows how apt our minds are to be corrupted (eſpecially in youth) with eaſe and proſperity.
Luxuriant animi rebus plerun que ſecundis
It is therefore good (ſaith the Prophet) for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth. Lam. 3.27Quam utile eſt ad uſum ſecundorum per adverſa veniſſe. Plin. Paneg. ad Trajan.If the Lord begin to teach you in your youth, I truſt when you are old he will not forſake you.
Eſteem that (I beſeech you) the beſt breeding, to be bred up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Account no gain like to the gain of wiſdom and godlineſs, no loſs like to the loſs of the favour of God and your time. Titus the Emperor (who for his humanity and moral vertues, was ſtiled Deliciae humani generis) if any day had paſſed without doing of ſome good,Pezel. mellif. hiſt. part. 2. p. 174. was wont … complain, Amici, diem perdidi, my friends, I have loſt a day.
The eyes of all your friends and relations are upon you, hoping to find their loſs in their honoured and beloved friends, your deareſt parents, to be made up in you. And that their expectations may not be fruſtrated; Now is your time to furniſh your ſelf with thoſe abilities, by which you may become ſerviceable to your God, and your King, an honour and ornament to your Country and family, and a rejoycing to all that love you and deſire your happineſs. Let neither thoſe endowments of nature, nor theſe principles of education and grace which the Lord in a gracious meaſure hath bleſſed you withal, be either loſt or corrupted. The truth is, you are in the midſt of a world of temptations and ſnares, ready to beſet you on every ſide. But alas what is the world with all the pleaſures and allurements thereof, but vanity and vexation of ſpirit, like Creuſa's Ghoſt.
Par levibus ventis, volucri que ſimillima ſomno.Virgil. Aenid. l. 2.
What is the pleaſure of Hawks and hounds, but a mungril pleaſure? What are gamings at Cards and Dice, but the firebrands of paſſion, and the conſumption of treaſure and time? What is there in rioting and drunkenneſs, in chambering and wantonneſs, but the impoveriſhing of the Eſtate, the diſtempring and weak…ing of the body, and without repentance the ruine both of body and ſoul unto eternity?
Thoſe that are the firſt with Abner to call forth the young men thus to ariſe and play, will be the firſt with him to cry out at length,2 Sam. 2.14.26. This will be bitterneſs in the latter end. He that will not be warned of them in time, will mourn at laſt, when his fleſh and his body are conſumed, and ſay, How have I hated inſtruction, and my heart deſpiſed reproof, Prov. 5.11 12, 13.and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that inſtructed me?
Let it not ſeem tedious or grievous unto you, that for a time your condition requires, that you be ſubject to Tutors and Governours. It is but to this end that by learning firſt how to govern your ſelf, you may be the better qalified to rule and govern others; and the readieſt way to know how to command, is firſt to learn how to obey. If you perſwade your ſelf (as I am apt to believe you do) that thoſe your worthy friends and relations, to whoſe care and inſpection, the Lord by your father hath committed you, are both faithfull and wiſe, and will omit nothing that in conſcience towards God, and Love towards you, they judge neceſſary, nor adviſe you to any thing inexpedient or ſuperfluous; and that their affections towards you are ſo real and tender, that nothing will be more their grief, then your not profiting, nor rejoycing, then when they ſhall ſee (through the bleſſing of God upon their endeavours) that as you grow in years and in ſtature, ſo (as is ſaid of our Saviour) that you increaſe in wiſdom and favour with God and man. This will incourage you to attend unto them with patience and content, and to obſerve and practiſe their councels and preſcriptions with diligence and delight. Neither will it leſs profit you, or prevail with you, if you obſerve their practice as well as their precepts. It being a great advantage and furtherance to our inſtruction, when God gives us ſuch for our guides, as will confirm and clear up their rules by their own examples.
Non ſic inflectere ſenſus
Humanos edicta valent quam vita regentis.Claud. de 4. Honori conſolatu paneg.
You will find all means little enough, to accompliſh you with thoſe vertues and graces which are requiſite to your condition, though you meet with precept upon precept, line upon line; one precept upon another, and one example upon another. As it is not a common meaſure that you ſhould reſt in; ſo ſhould the means by which you endeavour to attain it be more then ordinary.
To abound only in outward things, is rather exceſs than excellency. If you have only more wealth, and higher titles than others, therein doubtleſs you may exceed many good men, and as many (if not more) bad men, may exceed you. To be rich, and to abound in the things of the world, is no more then is common to the wiſe, and to the fooliſh, to the righteous and to the wicked, to be noble and the baſe. But to be rich in good works, and to excell in the endowments of the mind, is peculiar unto them that are truly vertuous and noble. Let it therefore be your endeavour to make it appear, that as much as you are advanced beyond others in the favours of the world, ſo much you are above them in the favour of God, and in the vertues and graces of his Spirit.
Let not the bounty of God towards you in the things of this life, be abuſed to ſerve either the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, or the pride of life. Leſt while you take and uſe them, rather as a poſſeſſor of that which is your own, then as a Steward and Diſpencer of that which is anothers; you ſhould be numbred among the men of the world, which have their portion in this life.Pſalm 17 14 Luke 14.25. Luke 6.2. How ſadly will it fare with him, to whom it ſhall be ſaid, Son remember that in thy life time, thou receivedſt thy good things. Wo unto you that are rich, for ye have received your conſolation. Yea rather let it be your reſolution, whenſoever the Lord ſhall bring them into your hands, to uſe them as becometh a faithfull and wiſe Steward, even as the inſtruments and ornaments of vertue and grace. And then you ſhall be ſure to be bleſſed when the Lord ſhall come and find you ſo doing. In the mean time the ſeaſon and opportunity of giving glory to God, and gaining honour to your ſelf, by doing of good, is but ſhort and uncertain. Neither is it ſo much a long life, or a laſting Name, as a good life, and a good name that is deſirable. And that not to be attained by a far fetcht pedigree, or by the Blazon or diſplay of Heralds, but by noble & vertuous actions; even your Orators and Poets being Judges. Non perpetua fama, Plin. ubi Sup. 47.ſed bona concupiſcenda eſt, ea porro non imaginibus & ſtatuis, ſed virtute ac meritis prorogatur.Virgil.
Breve & irreparabile tempus
Omnibus eſt vitae,Aeurid. l. 10 ſed famam extendere factis,
Hoc virtutis opus.
A mans whole life is but a day, and youth is but the morning of that day, and how ſwift are the wings of that morning? how ſoon will your Sun aſcend to its miridian? And aſſoon decline and haſten towards its ſetting. Ars longa, vita brevis; there is much work to be done, and but a little time to do it. He that will do his dayes work had need begin in the morning.
Let your beſt time be ſpent in doing of your beſt works. Think not the prime and flower of your youth too good, to be conſecrated to God and his ſervice. It is no way becomming a noble and generous ſpirit, to offer up that which is worſt to God, to beſtow the beſt and choiceſt wine upon the ſervice of ſin, and to reſerve nothing but the dregs for God. Let not your youth be ſpent in making works for repentance in age. That is the ſeaſon which Satan moſt eſpecially layes hold on to ſpread his nets, and to lay his ſnares, with utmoſt craft and ſubtilty, and to preſs on his temptations with greateſt violence; becauſe therein he finds the greateſt ſucceſs, and ſtill promiſeth himſelf the eaſieſt victory It was young Amnon, whom he prevails with, and draws to luſt.2 Sam. 13. beg. v. 28. & ch. 15. And young Abſolom whom he wrought to murder and rebellion.Prov. 7.7. It was a young man over whom the harlot prevailed.Mat. 19. And it was a young man that would follow Chriſt no farther then he could carry his poſſeſſions with him. And hence it is that the Apoſtle ſees cauſe to warn young Timothy (though a very good man) to fly youthfull luſts,2 Tim. 2.22. and to mind Titus, Tit. 2.6.to exhort young men to be ſober minded. That you may be the better able both to diſcern and to avoid ſuch dangers: Let the Word of God wherein you have been inſtructed, dwell in you richly (or plenteouſly) in all wiſdom, Col. 3.16.and that will make you rich in wiſdom, even wiſe unto ſalvation,2 Tim. 3.15.17, 17. and throughly inſtructed to every good work.Pſalm. 119 9. When the Pſalmiſt puts the queſtion, Wherewith ſhall a young man cleanſe his way? His anſwer is, by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Non erit hoc artis, ſed pietatis opus.
Let no day paſs without conſulting the Oracles of God.Prov. 20.29. The glory of young men is their ſtrength: May it be your glory to be ſtrong in the Lord,Epheſ. 6.16. and in the power of his might, and to be ſtrengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Thus ſaith the Lord, Let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſedome, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, &c. This was it that incouraged the Apoſtle to write unto young men,1 Jo. 2.13, 12. becauſe they were ſtrong, and the word of God abode in them, and they had overcome the wicked one. It was no leſs an honour then a comfort to good Obediah, 1 Kin. 18.2.that he could ſay, that he feared the Lord from his youth.
How was the Apoſtle filled with joy, when he called to remembrance the unfained faith that was in Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.5which dwelt firſt in his Grandmother Lois, and in his mother Eunice? And Timothy by his ſtedfaſt perſevering in the faith, procured this honour unto his parents, to have their names made as laſting as the Scriptures. A ſerious profeſſion of religion and godlineſs hath been derived upon you through more generations. To mention the honour and dignity, the wealth and greatneſs of any of your Progenitors: what rich purchaſes they have made, what ſtately ſtructures they have raiſed, what Titles of honour they have atchieved, were but vanity, and apt to occaſion evil rather then good. Abraham (who is ſo much renowned in the book of God for his faith and obedience) is remembred for no other purchaſe then of a place to bury in;Gen. 22.15 for no other buildings, then of Altars to the Lord; and for no higher Titles then ſuch as might ſerve to ſet forth his ſpiritual relations: Abraham the father of the faithfull,Chap. 23. Gen. 17.5 Rom. 4.17 Gen. 26.24. 2 Chr. 20.7 Iſa. 41.8. the ſervant and the friend of God. It ſufficeth, if with your patience I may mind you, that as God by your Progenitors hath conveighed riches and honour in a large meaſure unto you: ſo that it may be your care to leave them with a bleſſing to your progeny. That which may add much to your contentment in the enjoying of them, and to your encouragement in the uſing of them well, amongſt many other reaſons this may be one, That whatever they are, they are not ſuch, as have been either haſtily gotten, or increaſed by uſury or unjuſt gain, which would have left them without a bleſſing.Pro. 20.21. & 28.8. I received it from that worthy Knight and your honoured Grandfather, Sr. Samuel Rolle: when he was about to leave the world, that he acknowledged it (with thankfulneſs to God) as an eſpecial bleſſing that neither he, nor his father, nor his Grandfather, (notwithſtanding their many and great tranſactions in the world) had ever borrowed or lent upon uſury. And indeed it is no leſs a bleſſing to be kept from being tempted with the gain of lending, then to be delivered from the neceſsity of borrowing upon uſury. What pity it were that an inheritance ſo juſtly acquired and accompanied with ſuch a bleſsing, ſhould ever be miſuſed or miſpent.
Let the Juſtice, Temperance, Sobriety, Meekneſs, Moderation, together with thoſe other vertues which were eminent in your Anceſtors; become yet more eminent in you. Their hatred of vice, and love and practice of vertue, hath rendred their memory gratefull and bleſſed.Prov. 10.7 The very inſtruments and occaſions of evil were an offence unto them. Amongſt other diſorders, againſt which they teſtified their diſlike, gamings at cards and dice, have not been ſo much as tolerated in their families (as I have been credibly informed) for well near, if not for more then a full century of years. The religious order obſerved by your great grandfathers father (Henry Rolle in the government of his family, eſpecially in the ſanctification of the Lords day, hath been long ſince made publick to the world. I hope the mentioning of theſe things, will not be unto others an occaſion of envy, nor to you of vain-glory. My only aim is to offer them as incitements to godlineſs and vertue, and as examples worthy of imitation, and chiefly to you, with whom I truſt they will not be unapt to prevail. The beginning and continuance of them, was their honour, and the perfecting and propagating of them will be yours. It is no leſs honourable, than eaſie to add unto that which hath been well begun. And it is a far greater diminution of honour to poſterity to come ſhort of the vertues of their Anceſtors, then of their outward eſtate or ſplendor in the world. Quanto majorum vita praeclarior, tanto poſterum ſocordia flagitioſior. But I truſt (through grace) that there will be no cauſe to that thoſe things which have been ſo happily begun, and ſo long continued, and that with ſuch remarkable teſtimonies of the favour and bleſsing of God, ſhall receive either an end or an abatement in you. It was cauſe of rejoycing to hear, how affectionately you received the wiſe and holy admonitions and counſels of your dying father. I hope they will ever live with you, and you in them. I ſhall add no more, but that which David by inſpiration from God, when he was a dying, ſpake unto Solomon his Son, and which the Lord by him ſpeaks unto every ſon of a religious parent, Know thou the God of thy Father, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts; and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou ſeek him he will be found of thee; but if thou forſake him, he will caſt thee off for ever.
That the Lord may be the guide of your youth, the ſtrength and ſhield of your life, and in life and death your exceeding great reward, is the hearts deſire, and prayers to God of him, who is,
SIR, Yours, moſt affectionately and humbly to ſerve you for your ſouls good. William Trevethick.