Funeral Sermon for Robert Rolle, To the reader
TO THE READER.
THE intent and ſcope of the enſuing diſcourſe, is the comforting of the living, and the commemorating and vindication of the dead. For the former, the grounds are the ſame, which Jeſus Chriſt made uſe of to the ſame purpoſe, being taken from that which is a main article of our faith, and the ſupport and ſtay of our Chriſtian hope; to wit, the reſurrection of the dead, together with the power and intereſt which Chriſt hath in it.
For the latter, that which is here delivered hath not proceeded from any great affection that I bear to Panegyricke or Encomiaſtical Pulpit-diſcourſes in the behalf of the dead. I know well how much they are diſtaſted by many grave and learned Divines, who have judged them prejudicial to the reputation of the Miniſter, in expoſing him to cenſure; to the honour of the dead, in that the forwardneſs of the Son, to celebrate their vertues, may occaſion others, to become the more buſie in diſcovering and publiſhing their vices: and to the edification of the living, many of which may be too apt to take occaſion therehence, to grow the more regardleſs of well doing, preſuming that however they behave themſelves while they live, they ſhall not miſs of praiſes enough when they are dead. Nevertheleſs their cenſure being not ſo general, but that even themſelves admit of ſome exceptions. As where the perſon hath been of eminent deſert, their lives free from manifeſt ſcandal, or where their names either have been, or are apt to be traduced. As for the former reaſons I have moſt uſually in my Sermons upon ſuch occaſions totally forborn them; ſo for the latter I have been moved to make ſome uſe of them in this; and I truſt without offence to any that are ſober minded: for if they conſider what great pains and charge many heathens have been at in embalming and interring the bodies of ſuch of their dead,Herod. Euterpe. as deſerved well of them while they lived, only becauſe they ſuppoſed it a*Su 53. prema officia juſta Vocarunt Latitini, quod juſte fierent lis, qui de nobis bene merentes mortui fuerant. duty of nature and humanity, They will at leaſt bear with us, if (according as we are†Dr. Feat. Cav. myſt. p. 831. taught) we take it to be as much, if not more a duty of Chriſtian charity to keep alive our friends good name as to bury his dead body. And indeed it is of a far more laſting obligation. This is but once to be performed, but that is ever to be maintained. This is the duty but of a day, but that of our whole life.
A good name is that which all good men do much ſet by: as that which is as neceſſary for themſelves in reſpect of others, as a good conſcience is for themſelves. It is better than precious ointment (ſaith the wiſe man.) Oyntment be it never ſo precious, doth but affect the outward ſenſe; but a good name affects the hearts of thoſe to whom it comes. The ſavour of a precious oyntment may fill the houſe, but a good name fills the Countrey. Joh. 12.3. Mar. 6.14.That continues but for a little ſpace, but for a moment, but this for ages, for generations, it out-lives the Owner, is too ſtrong for death, and triumphs over the grave. Precious oyntment may be common to all that are rich, but a good name is peculiar only to ſuch as are good. Therefore it is alſo ſaid, That a good name is rather to be choſen then great riches. Prov. 22.1 Honor hominis praecipuus theſautus eſt, Baldus caſ. conſc. l. 4. c. 1. c 15 Pro. 15.30It is of more value, ſilver and gold cannot purchaſe it. It doth more good to him that poſſeſſeth it, it quiets and comforts the ſoul, and maketh the bones fat: It procures more and better friends; every good man will be a friend to him that hath a good report. It doth more good to others, by provoking and incouraging them to the study and practice of goodneſs, by which only a good name is to be acquired. It is one of thoſe ſpecial bleſſings which God hath promiſed to ſuch as love (and are beloved of) him.Gen 12.2 Pro. 10.7. To do well is our duty, and to hear well a great part of our reward. Heb. 11.39.And therefore by how much the more precious it is, and by how much the more every man is concerned in it, by ſo much the more carefull we ſhould be to preſerve our own,Periculum famae aericulo. vitae & crudelis eſſe putatur qui famam ſuam negligit, Bald. ibid. Exod. 21.24 Levit. 24.20 Deut. 19.21 and by ſo much the more tender of ſtaining or blemiſhing that which is anothers. And if the Lawes of God and of man be ſo ſevere against ſuch as ſpoil their neighbour of any part of his eſtate, or deprive him of any limb or member of his body: There is little reaſon for ſuch as do him a greater injury (as in robbing him of his good name) to expect an eaſier Judgment.
But as God will not ſuffer his ſervants to want ſuch as ſhall bear witneſs to their graces, and cauſe the ſavour of their good report to ſprend abroad. So Satan (who is the envious one) wants not his inſtruments,foreign 2 Tim 3 3 (communicating with him both in nature and name) are ready to follow them with a flood of calumnies and reproaches.Quanto ille cui invidetur ſucceſſu meliore profecerit, tanto invidus in majus. Prov. 27.4.4 incendium livoris ignibus mardeſcit. Cyprian de zelo et livore. And indeed envy is the ordinary lackey at the heels of vertue, which ever increaſeth with the merit of its object, and wiſheth and deſigneth the worſt evil, to the greateſt good, even to annihilate or to reduce it into nothing. And hence as hatred is one of the worſt of paſſions, ſo envy is one of the worſt and moſt dangerous effects of hatred. Wrath us cruel, and anger is outragious, but who is able to ſtand before envy? ſurely not our firſt parents in their innocency before the envy of the ſerpent, nor Abel in his righteouſneſs, before the envy of Gain, nor Joſeph in his integerity,Prov 14 30. Job. 52 before the envie of his brethren; nor Jeſus Chriſt in his perfection, before the envie of the Phariſees; no northe envious man before himſelf. Envy is the rotteneſſe of the bones. And envy ſlayeth the ſilly one. He is grieved at that good in another which never hurt him, but from which he might receive much good, and by which he might be made much better. Yea he often repineth at that good in another which he loathes,Acts 13 44 45 and hates to receive in himſelf.
And where envy is once conceived in the heart, evill ſpeakings will ſoon breake out in the tongue; and ſecret whiſperings into open backbitings.Rom. 1 29 30 2 Cor. 12 20 1 Pet. 21 Theſe are the ordinary attendants on envy. And an evil report, being uſually at first, but whiſpered in the eare (Parva metu primo ſaith the poet) is readily taken up,Virgit. by ſuch as to whom it is as rare to ſpeake good of others, as to do good themſelves. And being once ſet on foot, it makes a ſhift to ſpread, though it be but reeling from Taverne to Taverne, and from Alchouſe to Alehouſe, (the common ſhops where ſuch wares are vented) Bacchatur fama per urbem. It is an elegant deſcription of Fame which is given by the Poet.
Monſtrum horrendum, ingens,Aeveid. l. 4 cui quot ſunt corpore plumae,
Tot vigiles oculi ſubter,—
Tot linguae; totidem ora ſonant, tot ſubrigit aures.
A dreadfull monſter (ſaith he) that hath as many eyes, and eares, and tongues, as a bird hath feathers. To note how quick ſhe is in eſpying, how curious in liſtning, and how buſy in divulging of evil. He calls her indeed a Goddeſſe, but with all gives her an attribute ſuitable to her deity. Dea foeda, The uncleane Goddeſſe, that pollutes and deſiles every thing ſhe toucheth, the tongues of ſuch as report, and the eares of ſuch as hear, and the hearts of ſuch as give her the readieſt entertainment, and eſpecially the names of ſuch as ſhe traduceth: It being her deſigne, to diſguiſe the faireſt and moſt unblemiſhed names, and ſo to expoſe them to publike cenſure, under the deformed vizor of an evill report.
How much the name, and repute of this worthy gentleman, (upon whoſe account, this is tendered to thy view) hath ſuffered in this way, is more then enough known already; and how unjuſtly may in part appear, by that which followes in the cloſe of this diſcourſe: what is there delivered is (as hath been ſaid) much more then I uſe, but yet far leſſe then he deſerved. The truth is, however in ordinary converſe he was most affable yet in affaires of conſequence he was ſufficiently reſerved. It was his uſe when his occaſions did require it, to have recourſe to ſuch as by reaſon of their callings and employments were most likely to give him ſatisfaction. He was not wont to conſult his Phyſitians in matters of Divinity, nor his Miniſter in matters of Phyſicke, nor either in matters of State. He knew well what influences was like to proceed from ſuch ſtarres as moved beyond the sphere of their own activity. All that I can pretend unto is little more then was obvions to common obſervation. Only the experience I had of him, and the opportunity of converſe for many yeares, may inable me to adde this much, for the farther confirmation of that which hath been ſaid, That he was a perſon (as far as I could diſcerne) no way biaſſed by private or ſelfe interest. Places of profit he neither needed, nor diſired at all; and places of power, or truſt, not ſo much as was wiſhed. He was ſenſible of the vanity and danger of popular applauſe, and therefore willingly declined it. Not but that he highly prized the affections of his country of which he had frequent and large experience, and was willing to ſerve them. But that he might not be raſhly hurried on upon deſignes, where he ſaw neither rationall nor probable grounds to hope to accompliſh them. He knew well that men are apt to be eſteemed: not according to their undertakings or endeavours, but ſucceſſe. And the ſame men who are moſt prodigall in praiſing the courage of ſuch as are bold and forward in attempting, will be no more ſparing to upbraid them with raſhneſſe and folly, if in the iſſue, or event, they anſwer not their expectations. The taunts, and reproaches of light and inconſiderate perſons, he valued at a low rate, ſuppoſing them to be promoted by ſuch as rather envied then deſired his happineſſe; and it may be, were angry becauſe they could not do him a greater diſpleaſure. It is the eaſieſt way of blunting the edge of Calumny, to ſlight and to neglect it.
But what need I ſay more? Since the Lord in his most wiſe and gracious providence hath, in a good meaſure, removed that which was one maine cauſe, of all theſe evils, (to wit our civil broiles) and that in ſuch a way, as who would ever have expected, that after all thoſe miſerable diſtractions and confuſions, that were grown ſo generall, and dreadfull, throughout the Chriſtian world; to the diſhonour of God, the ruin, and destruction of Chriſtian poople, and to the infinite reproach of our Chriſtian profeſſion; even when they were at their very height, and when (according to humane apprehenſion) nothing was to be expected (at leaſt in theſe nations) but utter deſolation: The Lord himſelf in zeal to the glory of his own name, and in compaſſion to his people ſhould ſend us help from his holy place. And that alſo in ſuch a way of love and peace, as became him who is the God of love and peace, which if duly conſidered according to all its circumſtances, was ſuch a miracle of mercy as our progenitors never ſaw, and our poſterity will not believe. Sufficient (if any thing may be ſufficient) to provoke us to be at love, and peace, amongſt our ſelves. The ſeaſon, and inſtruments, which he had appointed for this work, he reſerv'd to be diſpoſed of by himſelf; that he alone might appeare to be both the Auther and the finiſher of it. When his time was come, and his inſtruments were ſet on work, all things ſucceeded without let, or interruption. The leſſe there appeared of man, the more of God: and he that aſcribes all the glory to him, Shall have never the leſſe himſelf. For he hath ſaid, thoſe that honour him, he will honour.
Having therefore ſuch an inſtance of the kindneſſe and love of God,1 Sam. 2 30 towards ſuch a people as were living in malice & envy, hatefull or hated, and hating one another. I may conceive the better hopes, that ſuch as do deſire to approve themſelves to be like unto God, and are not utterly void of that moſt Christian grace of Charity, will be the more apt to accept of that which is here tendered for their ſatisfaction in the behalf of the dead. And for others, who being little studious of doing good themſelves, are beſt at leiſure to find faults in others, as Hierome speakes, Qui ſua non ornant, aliena carpunt, My prayer ſhall be, that God will give them better mindes, and then, and not till then, will they effectually know it to be their dutyaMat. 7.12 to do to others as they would others ſhould do to them; and to ſet as much by the esteem of others as they would that others ſhould ſet by theirs. In the meantime Let all Chriſtians mind that it is their duty,bJam. 4.11 not to ſpeak evil one of another, cPſ. 15.2no nor to hear evil either ne auribus caluminiari. They are ſaid to be far from good men, who givedPro. 17.4 1 Pet. 2.17 heed to falſ… lips, or a naughty tongue. Let us make conſcience of the contrary duty.
We oweeJob. 31 13.14 15 honour to all men. What man ſo deſpicable, that hath not ſomething in him, that is worthy of honour. He hath communion with us in the ſamefPro. 22.3 nature, and is capable of communion with us in the grace and glorygRo. 14.4 vid. Ameſ. de conſ. l. 5 c. 13.. It is true wicked men are not to be honoured as they are ſuch, nor ſo as may confirm or incourage them, or others to have fellowſhip with them, in their evill ways. Yet we may not deny them a teſtimony of that vertue which is in them; nor deprive them of that honour which God hath put upon them; Leſt we ſhould reproach the Almighty, or deſpiſe the wayes of his providence, as if he might not do with his own as he pleaſed.Mat. 20.15 Rom. 13.7 Shall our eye be evil becauſe he is good? We muſt render unto all their dues, even honour to whom honour is due. Alas if this be all that wicked men ſhall have, it is but a ſlender portion, and ſuch as affords but ſmall matter of glorying unto them, or of envy unto us. In a word A good name is that depoſitum or pledge, Peccat qu audit ſugillantem, ſeu detrahenetem, aſſentiendo, vel non reſiſtendo, quam id facere deberet Azpilcueta manual. confeſ. c. 18. n. 37.wherewith every man is intruſted in the behalf of his neighbour; and it is a crime of an high nature to be unfaithfull in a common trust.
That I might not offend either by aſſenting to, or not reſiſting of ſuch an evil, (as a learned caſuist ſaith I might) I have endeavoured in ſome meaſure to right the wronged, and to rectify the wrong-doer. And it is not unlikely but that ſuch as have offended through evil affection will be impatient of being contradicted. Where a thoſe that have failed through miſtak or inadvertency, will take it in good part to be better informd, the proofe whereof I ſhall leave to ſuch as think it worth the obſervation.
Being ſomewhat ſenſible, that while I have been pleading for others, I may be thought to need an Apology in the behalf of my ſelf, for that I have preſumed ſo far upon the patience of the reader, who may be apt to blame me for making the porch too large for the houſe, or for prefixing ſuch large Epiſtles to a ſingle Sermon. But for this I ſhall ſay, That the ſin of uncharitableneſſe is great and spreading, and we cannot lightly raiſe the feuce too high againſt it. And for both, I ſhall ſay, no more but this. That when we ſpeake, or write, or hear, or read for God, or our ſouls, to caution againſt ſin, or to quicken to duty; we ſhould not eaſily ſuffer our ſelves to complain of tediouſneſſe. The Apoſtles of Chriſt though their Epiſtles be not very ſhort, yet ſay they had written breifly & in few words; as to ſhew the excellency of the matter, and their zeal to their duty; ſo alſo, to intimate, that as themſelves had not been weary in writing,Hebr. 13 22 1 Pet. 5.12 ſo neither ſhould they to whom they had writen, be weary in reading, If that which is here tendred thou ſhalt receive and uſe with profit, neither of us ſhall have cauſe to repent of our labour. And that it may be ſo, I ſhall make this my only requeſt,Iſa. 48.17 that we may mutually commend each other to him who hath ſaid that he is the Lord our God which reacheth us to profit.
Thine in the ſervice of Chriſt William Trevethick.