THE SERVANT'S AUDIT: A SERMON Preached at the Funerals of the Right Worshipful Sr. EDMUND ANDERSON Baronet, in the Church of Broughton in the County of Lincoln, Febr. 15. 1660.
By Edward Boteler, sometimes Fellow of St. Mary Magdalen Colledge in Cambridge, & now Rector of Wintringham in that County, and Chaplain to his MAJESTY.
London, Printed for G. Bedell & T. Collins, and are sold at their shop at the Middle-Temple. Gate in Fleet-street. 1662.
To the Right Worshipful Sir JOHN ANDERSON OF BROƲGHTON, in the County of LINCOLN, Baronet.
I Was in some dispute with my self to whom this Dedication might be most proper: your Lady Mother, or your self; Rom. 16.27. but it pleased God only wise to decide that Question, by translating her into Glory: and leaving you to enter upon your Parentalia, among which this Sermon with your approbation and good leave, may be accounted, and passe [Page]for one. It was preached by your Father's Will, but printed against my own. Pardon me Sir, that I tell you so: It is not that I was unwilling to raise my whole Posse, and offer my utmost Contributions to his memory (The adventure I made of my self in that great and solemn appearance at his Funerals, will assert me against that Suspition:) but because I was sensible of that Torrent of Inke whick broke in upon us during the late lawlesse, and scribling dayes, every one licensing himself to invade the Press, till we were become almost all Books, and no learning; insomuch that if we had held on at that rate, that expression of Saint John had scarce been an Hyperbole with us, Joh. 21.25. Even the world it self could not contain the Books that should be written. You cannot [Page]then blame me, if I was so charitable to my self, as to desire not to be listed among those Supernumeraries. Over, and besides all this: I looked on your self as the fairest Transcript of your Father's vertues, out-doing all Copies that a pen could pretend to, and coming so near the Original, as might justly silence, and Supersede all attempts of this nature: So that what is, or can be written, may be seen exemplified in your self with many advantages. And it is no small help to me, that where I am defective, and come short, I may remit those that know you, to look at you for their Reparations. The world then having the best account of your Father in your self: these Papers, with the Escutcheons, and other their companions in duty for the Rites of that day, might well have gone into privacy [Page]according as every one could get their share, and not have been summoned to this Reviviscence, to stand a second trial, and submit to a further, but it may be, not a more favorable sentence. But I have learned not to consult my self where you command, and have therefore given my self up to your obedience. Please that your Name may give life to this Sermon, the creature of your Father's death: 't will encourage the Reader in the perusal, as it hath done the Writer in the Publication; for, the worth of it will more than abundantly compound for the wants of,
A SERMON Preached at the Funerals Of the Right Worshipful, Sir EDMƲND ANDERSON, Baronet. Febr. 15. 1660.
MAN being in honour abideth not, is a Truth, Psal. 49.12 not more legible in the Psalmist, than in this Solemnity.
Under the Herse is Man, Adam, of the Earth Earthy, the Ruines and Reversions of Man; A dead man (excuse the Expression) is Man drawn to the Life.
Upon the Herse you may see Man in [Page 2]honour: There you have his Insignia, the fair Atchievements of meriting Ancestors, illustrated by a late Access, the Cognizance of His Princes Favour, the Guerdon of his own Loyalty.
And, if you look at the mournful Attendants on his Exequies this day, they tell us, That this Man in honour abideth not: Job 17.1. Eccl 12.5. Superest Sepulchrum, in a nearer sense than Job spake it, The Grave is ready for him, he is going to his long home, and therefore do the Mourners go about the streets.
But though Man abide not, yet his honour (I hope) will be long lived; it will live in his hopeful Son and Successor; it will live in the mouths and memories of the present Age, and grateful Posterity.
I came not hither to paint his Sepulchre, or trick up his Name with any light Embroide yes of Wit, or Art, it is plainness suits best with mourning. Besides, his infinite Fame admits no addition, no cont ibutions of the Orator can better it; his own life hath given him the clearest commendations to the World, and his sickness and death are his best Funeral Sermon.
However being designed to this Employment both by the Will of God, and the Will of the deceased, I shall neither be so faithless to his Merits, or false to your Expectation, as to let him go to the Grave in silence, and not let you know (as King David said of Abner) That there is a great man fallen this day in Israel. 2 Sam. 3 38.
But I must remember he is not my only Text (though the practice of Antiquity would justifie me, should I spend my whole Discourse upon him) I know you will expect another, and I have chosen one, which (I perswade my self) shall have all your Votes for the sutableness of it:
Give me leave to treat your Attentions with it a while. It is written.
His Lord said unto him, Well done, Thou good and faithful servant, Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
THE Righteous perisheth, Isa 57.1. and no man layeth it to heart, was a complaint in Isaiah's dayes, may be so in ours. Thoughts of our own, of anothers death, we strive to keep as far from the heart as we can. To mourn in our cloaths, and laugh in our sleeves, that's fashonable; and familiar it is to be light enough within, so we can but black our selves a little about the skirts and edges, and carry a face of sadness. And, if such an occasion as this do at any time melt us into some seasonable meditations of our mortalities, they may rather be called our Fits, than our [Page 5]Affections. It is with us for the most part, as with the people of Israel, who, 2 Sam. 20.12, 13. when they saw Amasa wallowing in blood, and lying before them in the way, stood still a while, and made a melancholy pause; but when he was removed out of the way, and a Cloth cast upon him, they went on after Joab.
When we come to a Funeral, our thoughts happily are at a stand sometimes, seldom at a stay; we are willing, it may be, to let them visit, but cannot consent they should sit down in the Chambers of darkness. Of all the Providences of God, his ordinary ones are least observed; and among them, this of turning man to destruction, Psal. 90.5. and calling again for the return of the sons of men, is as much slighted as any; though none being of equal concern to it, as standing betwixt both worlds, and influencing upon our everlasting and unchangeable Beings. Dies mortis, natalis Aeterni, the day of Death, is the birth-day of Eternity.
And therefore it is that I have chosen to speak to you out of a Parable, that I may take faster hold on your hearts, and give the present occasion an [Page 6]advantage to gain upon your affections, Parables having the knack of insinuating themselves into the memories, and lodging truths in the minds of the Hearers. They are like plain cut Seals, that leave a fair impression behind them. They are like Threds to string the Jewels of heavenly Truths, that they may not drop off, and be lost. They are a great help to the practice of that Apostolical Exhortation, We ought to give earnest heed to the things which we have heard, Hebr. 2.1. lest at any time we should let them slip.
The Parable you may read at your leasure, and save me the labour. The purport of it, is under the plain and familiar Discourse of a Lord going far from home, intrusting his servants with money, returning, reckoning with them, and remunerating of them; to set before us in a most lively and apposite Representation, our lives and concredited mercies, our deaths and following judgments, our sutable retributions and final rewards.
I shall not trouble my self nor you with a disquisition, whether this be the same Parable with that of Luk. 19. or [Page 7]not. St. Chrysostom in his 79. Homily upon St. Matthew's Gospel, gives us many differences; among the rest, these two, which may serve the turn.
They differ both in the weight of the Trust, and in the number of the Trustees.
In the weight of the Trust, there a pound, here a Talent, which is one hundred, twenty and five pounds.
In the number of the Trustees, there ten, here but three. But I shall leave such discussions to them that have leasure enough, and to spare.
Nor shall I meddle with the Allegory, which does but spend time, and sport with the Text.
The plain English of the Parable is this.
The man travelling into a far Countrey, ver. 14.] is the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, leaving the Earth, Eph 4.10. and ascending far above all Heavens. Psa. 72.11
His servants, ver. 14.] are the Inhabitants of the World, men of all degrees and conditions. Li. 2. ad simpl. qu. 1 Pelarg. Quaest. Evang. [...] 238. All Kings shall fall down before him, all Nations shall serve him.
The Goods given, are called Talents, ver. 15. which are according to St. Augustine, Munus aliquod divinum, some [Page 8]divine kind of charge or employment.
Gratia sine merito, Li. 2. de vnc. Gent. cap. 8. in St Prosper's sense. Grace, and the gift by grace; something freely derived to us, to which no worth of ours could intitle us, nor merit lay claim.
Quaelibet Dei dona, In Regul. brev. Inter. 253. if you'll have it from St. Basil. Any the Gifts of God. All the Goods we hold of him.
Goods of Nature. Wit, Memory, Understanding.
Goods of Fortune; (give leave to the expression) Honors, Houses, Riches, Possessions, Inheritance.
Goods of Grace; Eph 1.3. spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Word, Worship, Sanctuary, seasons of grace, the dayes of the Son of man. These, all these and whatever is dispensed and concredited to us by the Lord, are our Talents.
The diversity of these Gifts. To one, five: To another, two: And to another, one. [...], according to every ones capacity or ability, De vita Christi. P. [...] cap. 49. [...] 3. is, Ne quem gravaret, ne cuiquam deficeret, sayes Ludolphus. That none might have more [Page 9]than he could manage, or less than he could imploy. Or else. Salm. in Par. Tract. 39. n. 7. Ob pulchritudinem Ecclesiae quae ex variis gradibus resultat. For the beauty of the Church, which is a Symmetry, or elegancy of proportion, a comely Result of several parts, each contributing his share to the whole.
The Trading with the Talents, or the committing them to the Nummularii, vers. 16.27. is the expending, and laying out of all receivings, of all our betrusted and concredited mercies; thriving by them, and gathering in the use of them, as if we were driving on a Trade for Heaven, and immortality.
The long time after which the Lord cometh and reckoneth with his servants, vers. 19. is, in general, all the dayes of the Son of man, the Time of his forbearance and long-suffering with the World, from the day of his departure, till the day of his last appearance, when he shall come again in power and great glory, Vers. 31 and all his holy Angels with him.
In particular. The dayes of Man, of every man, the time of natural life, [Page 10] Dies Peregrinationis, as Jacob calls them, Gen. 47.9. the dayes of the years of our Pilgrimage. Eccles. 12.6, 7. the space of our abode on this side the Grave, till the silver Cord be loosed, and the golden Bowl be broken, and Dust return to Earth as it was.
Then, He reckons, reckons righteously, reckons indispensibly with every soul, and then he will bespeak every faithful servant in the language of the Text.
His Lord said unto him, Well done, Thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
So that the Text (as you may see by this time) is the Soul's Audit for another world.
Wherein is observable,
1. The Auditor, His Lord.
2. The Accomptant, Him: His Lord said unto him.
3. The Acquittance, or discharge, which is made,
1. By Applauding him. Well done, good and faithful servant.
2. By Approving him; Thou [Page 11]hast been faithful over a few things.
3. By advancing him; I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
The Particulars are many, and the Time short, I must post through them, please to let your Attentions keep pace with me, and I hope I shall not tire them.
The Auditor. He's first, Col. 1.15.17. and well he deserves it; it is his place. He's the first-born of every creature. He is before all things, and by him all things consist. His Lord.
Lord. That's the Auditor's Greatness.
His Lord. There's the Accomptant's Happiness.
Tolle meum, Tolle Deum, better for him there was no Lord, than not be his. His Lord.
It will be the work of this Lord in the great day of his appearance, (all judgment being committed to him) to summon the dead, small and great, Rev. 20.12, 13. to stand before him, to call to the Sea to give up her Dead, and Death and Hell to deliver up the Dead which are in them, to bring the World to a Reckoning, to [Page 12] Audit the Accounts, state the debentures, and settle the eternal condition of Men and Angels. Isa. 2.11. The lofty looks of Man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
His Lord; the Auditor: He's first.
The Accomptant. He's next. His Lord said unto him. To him that received the Talents: it is he that must account for them.
Whatsoever the servant hath, is, Depositum Domni, they are his Lords Goods, though in his hands (as they are called, vers. 14.) and his Lord will call him to account for them.
Him. This Him is not a third person to exclude the first and second: for it is I, and thou, and all; every man (and woman) in the Congregation, not a man that hath received a Talent, but his Lord will say to Him.
Remember this; remember it often; remember it alwayes; it will convince you into a holy thrift, and make you better Husbands with all your intrustments. Servants that never think of [Page 13]a reckoning, never value their expences. They care not how they debauch, and mis-spend, and lash out, they are secure against Accounts. The evil servant that sayes in his heart, Mat. 24.48.49. [...], My Lord delayeth his coming, grows dissolute upon it, smites his fellow-servants, eats and drinks with the Drunken. Oh! but let the Redde rationem have a room in your thoughts, and keep company with your meditations; it will lay a restraint upon you, and overaw you into a spiritual providence, and Heavenly forecast, to remember that God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness; Act. 17.31. to consider with your selves, that there is an Audit day set down in the decretals of Eternity, a time when the Lord will have a saying with every servant. His Lord said unto him.
And that for the Accomptant briefly, whom I leave to his Lord, and let us now see how he comes off with him upon his reckoning, in the
Third particular, his acquittance, or discharge.
And here we find him
1. Applauded. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
2. Approved. Thou hast been faithful over a few things.
3. Advanced. I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Applauded first; and there we may take notice
1. Of the note of applause. Well done.
2. Of the matter of applause. Good and faithful.
The note of Applause is but one word in the Original, [...]. And Arias Montanus renders it with a benè only. Well, good and faithful servant.
It is vox optantis; so St. Chrysostome is Latin'd, Benè sit tibi. Be it well to thee thou good and faithful servant. Or,
It is vox laudantis; Novarinus Lection. variet. in Mat. 25. so from the Syriack it is given us; Benè est. It is well.
I meet also with Euge, rectè, rectè sanè. All which come to one and the same, praising and applauding the servant for his faithfulness and goodness, Salm. in Par. Tract. 39. & laus in parte mercedis datur: his praise being part of his pay. Well done.
What a Good God do we serve, that maketh the best construction of us, and our performances? What a Candid Interpreter is He of the actions of his people? Not the least endeavour of any servant of his, shall want commendation, though it deserve none; Novarinus in Loc. and all this ad grandia quaeque allicere. To quicken our industry after the highest attainings: encouraging us to do well, by assuring us he will one day say, Well done.
Well done, not well wish'd: then Balaam had carried it: Num. 23.10. Fiant novissima mea horum similia! Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
Well done, not well said: neither will that serve. Then every Running pretended Preacher would thrust in with the foremost. Mat. 7.22. Many will say in that day, Lord, Lord, Bern. have we not prophesied in thy Name? Non legisse, sed egisse: non dixisse, sed vixisse laus erit. It is Action shall have the praise of that day, nothing will do then but doing. Well done.
And that for the note of Applause, it is but a word, and therefore a word of it may suffice.
Let us now proceed to the Titles of Applause: Good, and Faithful servant.
Serve, per propriam humiliationem quoad teipsum: Lud. de vita Christi. p. 2 c. 49. Chrysost. Hom. 79. in Matth. Bone, per divinam assimilationem quoad Deum: Fidelis, per utilem dispensationem quoad proximum; so Ludolphus glosseth upon the words, following St. Chrysostome.
Servant, by self-Humiliation. Good, by Divine Assimilation. Faithful, by provident dispensation.
Servant, that's the first Title. A Title good enough for the best of us, I wish we may deserve it. We use to say of other services, that they are no Inheritance, God's service is: Not a servant of his, but ha's an Inheritance incorruptible, 1 Pet. 1.4. and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for him. Which made St. Augustine cry out with admiration, Qualis ille Dominus qui omnes servos suos facit Dominos! What a Master is he that makes Lords of all his Servants!
Servant, is a Title may humble us, and honour us.
1. May humble us: allay our heat, and level our height: teach us not to [Page 17] Lord it over one another, since we are but servants: make us see our distance, and acknowledge our dependance upon him, to whose bounty we ow all that we have or are: mind us to wait as becometh servants, Luk. 12.35, 36. having our lights burning, and our loines girded, and being like unto men that wait for our Lord. Let this prick the bladder of Pride when it swells, and take down rampant Greatness, remember we are but servants, Luk. 17.10 and even when we have done all we can, unprofitable servants too. Servant, is a Title may humble us, that's one.
2. May honour us. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour, Joh. 12.26 sayes the fountain of Honour himself. David counted the place of a Nethinim, a Door-keeper, (the lowest of Temple-Officers) no disparagement. And John Baptist, that Grandee of the New Testament, than whom there never was a greater among them which are born of women: Mat. 11 11 Of whom the Father, Quicquid eo plus esset, Augustine. Deus esset, He could not be more, and not be God; whom some (upon what grounds I know not) take upon them [Page 18]to seat in that very place from which Lucifer fell in Heaven; yet He could find no place low enough here on earth, so he might be in service, Mat. 3.11. whose shooes I am not worthy to bear. This was the Honorary Title of Abraham, and other Saints of the greatest Print, and wherever the Word shall be preached, this also, that they were God's servants, shall be told for a memorial of them. Let me raise it one step higher. I am thy fellow-servant, Rev. 22.9. sayes the Angel to St. John; the service of God sets men above men, makes them Peers with the Angels. And that for the first Title of Applause, Servant. Well done, Servant.
Good, that's next. Well done, Good servant: Good, by Divine Assimilation, so is the creature good, only so, and no further. For God is the Standard, the Rule, the Measure of Goodness. Goodness in man, is nothing else but a conformity to God: And Man referres to God as his Exemplar in a double conformity.
1. To his Nature; so much is intimated in that phrase of the Apostle, 2 Pet 1.4. that you might be partakers of the Divine [Page 19]Nature: which is nothing else but Analogically to resemble God, the greatest of Goods, and best of Beings.
2. To his Will; this is the Rule, as his Nature is the Pattern of Goodness, for us to conform to. His internal Will, or voluntas Beneplaciti, the good pleasure of his Will, that's the firstly first Rule; and his external Will; or Voluntas Signi, His Will declared in his Word, that's the secondly first Rule of our goodness, as the Schools speak. So that all our services are either good or evil, as they conform to, or discord from the Will of God. To do good, and to do the Will of God, are one and the same: and there is so much of goodness as of conformity to the first Good in any of our services. He is a good servant, that eyes his Lord as his Standard, and Rule in all his performances, and comes up to him as near as mortality is capable of. Good by Divine Assimilation, let that be enough to have spoken of the second Title. Well done, Thou Good servant.
Faithful, that's the third. A necessary qualification in a servant: which [Page 20]as God will one day requite, Be faithful unto death, Rev. 2.10. and I will give thee a crown of life; so he does now require it, 1 Cor 4.2. It is required in Stewards, that a man be found faithful.
It is required upon a twofold account. Videt Dominus, and Credit Dominus. His Lord sees him, and trusts him.
1. Videt Dominus, His Lord sees him; and that will require the servants circumspection, when he considers that He is a strict and exact Animadvertour upon the Actings and Expendings of his servants. One that will note the least ill Husbandry, and book every extravagancy. One that keeps count of all his receivings, and is by at all his disbursements; this over-awes him into a gracious frugality. This is a commendable eye-service, to set the Lord alwayes before us, Psal. 16.8. and to act as being ever under the command of the all-seeing eye. 1 King. 5.26. Went not mine heart along with thee? sayes Elisha to his cheating servant Gehezi. If Elisha's eye was so near, or could carry so far; Ubi Dominus Deus Elisha? Where is the Lord God of Elisha? [...] [Page 21] [...], as St. Paul speaks, Act. 17.27 He is not farre from every one of us, he is very near us, he is with us, he is within us. Cor Hominis fenestra Dei: The heart of man is God's Window by which he looks into every room, and sees what is doing in every corner of it. He had need carry even then that's thus look'd at; and that is the servant's case here, it concerns him to be faithful, for, Vidit Dominus, His Master sees him.
2. Credit Dominus, His Master trusts him: and He thinks it below the honour of a man, more of a Christian, to betray a trust. He knows all he hath, is concredited to him, and deposited with him; that his whole stock of mercies are upon Trust: that whatever his Lord hath given him, he hath not given from himself; but reserves a soveraign right and interest, and is Supreme Proprietor still. He does not so farre mistake his Tenure, as to call himself Lord of what he is but Steward. A false Title makes men false to their Trust. We misapply our mercies first, and then we misimprove them. Thus Nabal with his surly Possessives, [Page 22] My bread, 1 Sam. 25.11. and my water, and my flesh, did good with never an one of them.
Would we often recognize our Tenure, that whatsoever we have, is ours to use only, and upon loane, (As the Prophet's Sons said of the Ax, 2 King. 6.5 Alas Master, for it was borrowed;) it would make us more Husbandly with our Intrustments, more true to our concredited mercies, that by them we might carry on our everlasting Advantages.
My Time is not mine own, it is my Master's: I will so spend it, as to redeem it, and whil'st this moment lasts, make sure Eternity.
My House and Inheritance, my Riches and Possessions are not mine own, they are my Master's: I'll make to my self such friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, Luk [...].9. that when I fail, they may receive me into everlasting habitations.
My very body of flesh is not mine own, it is my Master's: I will so possess the earthly house of this Tabernacle, 1 Cor. 5.2. that when it shall be dissolved, I may have a building of God, [...], an house not made with [Page 23]hands, eternal in the Heavens. This is that which influenceth so vigorously upon a servant in all his tradings and transactions to make him faithful, Credit Dominus: His Master trusts him.
And be that enough for the first particular in the Acquittance, or Discharge, The servant Applauded from his Titles: Servant, Good, Faithful. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Please now to hear him Approved, for that's next.
Thou hast been faithful over a few things. [...], which in St. Novarinus Lection. varietas in Mat. 25. Augustine's Latin, is, In paucis. In modico, in St. Prosper's. In a few things, in a small matter, in a little.
Great faithfulness is often seen in a little matter. Adam must not eat the fruit. Lot's wife must not look behind her; The matter small, the trial great in both.
It is Gods method to proportion commands, and deposite mercies sutable to the capacities of his servants, All are not of Abrahams growth and bulk, and so not fit for such encounters; [Page 24]to wrestle with seeming impossibilities; to sacrifice a son, an only son, and yet a son of promise too. There are lesser measures, and so to be exercised in lesser matters. There is a Mole-hill, as well as a Mountain faith, graces, the mustard-seed, will fit them for a comparison, and these must be matched with trials, and Talents of their own pitch and size; and even in these few, these little things will appear great faithfulness. Thou hast been faithful over a few things.
I shall not trouble you with many Expositions of these few things, take some few of many.
Pauca bona quibus utimur: pauca supplicia quae patimur, so St. Gregory. Few are the goods we enjoy; few the evils we suffer in this life: Ro. 8.18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. No, compare them, and there is no comparison; joy is incomparably beyond whatever we can do or suffer, so far that St. Paul cannot reach it with a [...], mount Hyperbole upon Hyperbole, and heap one exceeding upon [Page 25]another, and still it comes short, it is such a superexcessive, 2 Co. 4.17. a far more exceeding weight of joy and glory. Novarinus.
Pauca sunt omnia praesentis vitae, si aeternis Patriae bonis comparentur. We may have here some competent accommodations for our Pilgrimage, but they are nothing to our immortal stock, to the goods of our Countrey, that treasure in heaven which faileth not. What God is laying out upon us now, is little to what he is laying up for us. Quam magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae?
O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee? Psa. 31.19.
I find two Trods most beaten by Expositors; give me leave to make a step into them, they are not out of our way.
Few things, are either our Temporal, or our Spiritual Talents, both are few.
1. Temporal Talents. The fatness of the earth, the lower springs, the blessings of the left hand, the good things of this life, these are few, little, nothing. The great Lords of the [Page 26]earth may take a view of their Estates in a Map, where a Title is big enough to express a Town, an Iota will serve a Lordship. Or to give you the World in that proper language of the Prophet, Take the Nations of it with all their additaments and advantages, and they are but Stilla Situlae, Isa. 40.15. Momentum Staterae, Pulvis exiguus: A drop of a Bucket, the small dust of the Balance, a very little thing. Luk. 16.10 In the Parable of the unjust Steward, they are called [...], the least of all things: Nothing is less than they (or as the Prophet) they are less than nothing and vanity. Isa. 40.17. Worldly enjoyments are positively little, comparatively nothing; nothing to the glory to be revealed, nothing to the exceeding great reward. Look what earth is compared with heaven, such is the proportion of their stock and furniture. The furniture of heaven is like it self great, and glorious: It is glorious in the skirts and suburbs, what is it then in the heart and center? There is a world of splendour and brightness in the floor and pavement, what is there then in the walls and roof? And the little earth is sutably provided: The Inhabitants [Page 27]thereof are as Grashoppers, nay, Isa. 40.22. they are but grass, and all their goodliness as the flower of the field, Vers. 6. the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, Ps. 103.16. and the place thereof shall know it no more. The earth is little, and all earthly comforts are few. Thou hast been faithful in a few things.
Level thy thoughts then thou highflying nothing! Thou aspiring piece of vanity! Thou, whose mind can tread no ground but Mountains! Thou hast made a shuffle in the World, and got a good deal of creatures, and now thou trustest in the abundance of thy riches, Psal. 52.7. and hast need of nothing. Alas! thou hast nothing, thou miscountest thy goods; a carnal eye (like a multiplying Glass) makes thy few things seem many; whereas in truth, hadst thou the rifling of both the Indies, and the spoils of whatever is called creature; couldst thou overlook as much wealth of thine own as the Sun doth, and take the whole World into thine own hands, all's but little; and thou that hast but little of that little, but few of those few things, hast little reason to look high.
And thou that art over-hot in pursuit [Page 28]of the things of this life, let this give thee check, & set thee at a stand. I pray you why so great pains for so little matters? why so many troubles for so few things? I may say to an immortal soul hunting after the transient toyes of the World; as David did to Saul, when he followed him with three thousand men: 1 Sam. 24.14. After whom doth the King of Israel pursue? after a flea. O be ashamed then to act upon such disadvantages; lose not the great, the many things of heaven, for the little, the few things of earth. Temporal Talents, they are the first of these few things.
2. Spiritual Talents, they also are little; they are few things, compared with the numerous glories of the other life. Grace is but Infant-glory, and glory will be grace made perfect. A Believer is a man of great incomes and receivings now in this life, if you look at his spiritual stock, and the riches of grace; but these are little to his hopes and expectations; his greatest riches are in reversion. His main estate lies in his glorious Debenturs, and the blissful increases of the life to come. We are now the sons of God, 1 Joh. 3.2. but it doth not yet appear what [Page 29]we shall be. He is often with God now, he shall then be with him alwayes; his light now is but a dawning to the great day, a glimpse of that eternal brightness. His clearest apprehensions now are but praeludia gloriae, the ante actings of his after-estate. He sees now but through a Glass darkly, then face to face; 1 Cor. 13.12. he now knowes but in part, he shall then know even as also he is known.
Spiritual Talents, they are the second of the few things, and shall close the second particular in the discharge or acquittance, the Servant approved.
Thou hast been faithful over a few things.
I hasten to the third and last, The Servant advanced: I will make thee Ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
I, and who but he? Christ is the Fountain of honour. Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell, as of wisdom and knowledge, of power and strength, of grace and holiness, so of Honour and Majesty. He is [...], Rev. 1.5, 6 the Prince of the Kings of the earth, and he makes Kings and Priests to God and the Father. I, it is I.
I will make thee Ruler. They are right Rulers that are of Gods making: We know by sad experience, what it is for men to make themselves Rulers; we have had too many of them: Pro. 28.2. For the transgression of a Land, many are the Princes thereof. They come honestly by their Power, that have it by Commission from God. We know who sayes elsewhere, By me Kings Reign; and here, Ego constituam, I will make thee Ruler.
I will make thee. Salm. in Par. Tract. 39. Qui fuit in meritum, erit in praemium. He that helped to be faithful, honours him for his faithfulness. He rewards his own works, and crowns his own gifts. Thus is grace the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the Author and finisher of our faith and salvation. Thus is life eternal, not so properly, Merces operantis as munus largientis. It is not wages, Rom. 6.1. but largesse. The gift of God is eternal life. Satan once asked it of Job, Job 1.9. and we may ask it of every one, Doth any man fear God for nought? Psal. 119.122. Rev. 22.12. He will be surety for his servants for good (in the phrase of the Psalmist) His Reward is with him, and they shall not [Page 31]be without it; their former Truth shall be overplus▪d with future trust. Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things.
Ruler. [...]. I will set thee above, and appoint thee over. I will set thee on high because thou hast known my Name. I will make thee Ruler. Psa 91.14.
When the Saints rise they shall Rule. Mat. 19.28 Dan. 7.18. In the Regeneration they shall sit upon thrones. The Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom, and possesse the Kingdom for ever, Luk. 12.32 even for ever and ever. It is their Father's good pleasure to give them the Kingdom, [...], (as the Apostle commends it) A Kingdom that cannot be moved, Heb. 12.28. That, violent, and tempestuous men cannot tosse, and roll hither and thither, as the winds do the Sea; which is the import of the word.
I shall not discourse the manner of their Rule, it can only discover it self. Only thus.
You must not look on it as an Univocal Rule, wherein Kings and Subjects perform mutual protection and obedience each to other; after the manner of Earthly Kingdoms; But it shall [Page 32]be a Rule aequivocal, an Exaltation, or setting up on high; As the Sun is a kind of Monarch in the World, and Rules the day: Mat. 13.43 so shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.
Let me make use of this Expression to perswade to a double duty, and i'll ha' done with it.
You that shall be Rulers hereafter, I pray you
1. Be Rulers here, over your lusts, (I mean). Let not sin Rule over you, Rom. 6.12 let it not reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Be not sin-troden you that shall tread the Moon under your feet. Pro. 26.1. Honour is not seemly for a fool: It is an unseemly sight to see foolish lusts (as the Apostle calls them) set up for themselves, and exercise supreme authority in the soul. Enter then upon command, take the sword into your hand, call for your corruptions, Luk. 19.7 Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. Fortior est qui se quàm qui fortissima vincit, maenia— It is the greatest command in the [Page 33]world, and that which the greatest Commanders seldome attain to, to command corruption, and be Governour within. He that can Lord it over his own lusts hath a great Empire. Turn all your ambitions after this conquest. This is a command worthy of you. Thus Rule now, you that shall one day be made Rulers. I will make thee Ruler.
2. Be Ruled here, you that shall one day Rule. Submit to the Scepter, obey the Commands, conform to the Laws and Edicts of Jesus Christ. Gal. 4.1. The Heir whilst a child, differeth nothing from a servant, but is under Tutors and Governors: You are Heirs, but as yet must be under government. This life is the time of the Saints Minority, and Pupillage, they are yet in their Childhood, and must be in subjection till the time appointed of the Father. Subject your selves then to the King of glory, Psa. 110.3. be A willing people in this day of his power.
Be subject to your Lord, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. and to every Ordinance of men for the Lord's sake, to the King as supreme; and to Governors, as unto them that are sent by him. We [Page 34]have a company of unruly spirits amongst us of late, that will needs be Ruling before the time: a number of sick-brain'd Sectaries: people that have neither wit to rule, nor will to be ruled. And if such Brambles could get to be Kings, nothing could be expected from them, but fire to devour the Cedars of Lebanon. Judg. 9.15 But those that will rule, must first learn to be subject; be faithful in your few things first, and then your Lord will advance you; then, I will make thee ruler over many things. Which is the next particular I now come to,
The extent of this Rule, Over many things. I will make thee Ruler over many things.
Many things. Salmer. in. Parab. Tract. 39. Super multa, that is, super omnia; minus dicit, & majus significat, He means more than he speaks. Other Lords say more than they intend, Ostentant dum ostendunt: All these will I give thee, Mat. 4.9. sayes Satan, when he could not make good the least of them. It is the goodness of God, that he will be better than we can believe him, he will give us more than he tells us of, words cannot express [Page 35]what he will do for us. I will make thee Ruler over many things.
Many things, many more than I can now meddle withal, my time is short; So many, that if I had all time, even till time shall be no more, and the tongue of an Angel to boot, I could not tell them, they would still be too many for my undertakings. Only for a Scantling, I may say to you, as God did to Abraham, when he would give him a ghess at his infinite posterity, Gen. 15.5. Suspice Coelum, Look now towards Heaven, and tell the Starres, if thou be able to number them; So, more than so, many more than so, shall thy many things be.
Oh the happy difference betwixt this, and that other life! here we have but few, there many things. Here we have Racemos only, some gleanings of comforts which lie scattered up and down in creatures; there we have Vindemiam, the whole Vintage, those lovely clusters of joy and peace, the reaping whereof, shall be the delightful and unwearied employment of the Saints to all eternity. Psa. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none [Page 36]upon earth that I desire besides thee: It is have in Heaven, and desire on earth. On Earth we are all wants, in Heaven we shall be all possession. Here our souls are craving and thirsty, there they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, Psal. 36.8. and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures. Here is desiderium quietis, there quies desiderij; here desire of rest, there rest of desire. In short, Acquiri possunt, aestimari non possunt: They may be obtained, they cannot be told, and therefore let these few things have fewer of our thoughts, and let us set many thoughts, many desires upon these many things. If they be our treasure, let them have our hearts. Set your affections on things above, Col. 3.2. all your affections; the things above are enow for them all, for they are many, I will make thee Ruler over many things.
I am now come to the last clause of the Text, which illustrates the Servant's Advance, with a second expression to the same purpose, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Intra, Ena [...]rat. in Ma [...]. p. 223 est res arcana. Gaudium, est res jucunda: Domini tui, est res dignissima: [Page 37]as Nicolaus de Gorran glosseth.
Enter, that intimates it is secret.
Joy, that tells us it is pleasant.
Of thy Lord, that speaks it eminent.
Or if you please, (that we may contract) here is, Magnificentia, & Excellentia Gaudij. The good servants joy illustrated, by the magnificence, and by the excellence of it.
1. The magnificence, Enter; for so Salmeron and others, make it an allusion to the Entrance of some Stately Structure, some beautiful building graced with an Elegant coming in. Your fairest houses commonly have some Porch to Preface to them. In Parabol. Tract. 39. Intrat in Gaudium tanquam in cubiculum, sayes he: He enters into this joy, as into some spacious and delightful room, gilded and made shining above with the Vision of God, below by the glory of the body, within by peace of Conscience, without by the Company, and communion of just men made perfect. And what do those multiplyed Gates of the New Jerusalem, which shall not at all be shut, Rev. 2 [...].12, 2 [...]. but bear this [Page 38]inscription on their front, in great and legible Letters? Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. In loco praedict. Modò intrat in nos gaudium (sayes the fore-named Author) quia parvum est: in coelo, intrabimus in gaudium, quia nos parvi & gaudium immensum. Now joy enters into us, because it is little: but then we shall enter into joy, because we are little to that joy which will be so immensely great. Now with the Behemoth, Job 40.23 in Job, we can draw up Jordan into our mouths; then like the Leviathan in David, Ps. 104 26 we shall play, and take our pastime in the Ocean. The soul may easily take in the little Rivulets of Sublunary pleasures: but the joyes of Heaven, like the great Deep, will swallow him up. He casts himself into this joy (as Aristotle is said to have done into the River Euripus, when he could not understand the mystery of the strange Flux and Reflux seven times a day) Quoniam ego non capio te, tu capies me, since I cannot conceive thee, thou shalt receive me: I cannot take in thee, and therefore, take thou me. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
But this Ocean is too deep for us: It will drown both mine and your thoughts to go any further. Enough therefore of the first expression, illustrating this Joy to us in the Magnificence of it. Enter.
2. Here is the Excellence of it, The joy of thy Lord. It is no less, and it can be no greater. It is excellent upon a twofold account.
1. The joy of thy Lord, (that is) Quo ipse Dominus gaudet: The same joy in the which thy Lord himself is: One and the same joy for both. Which certainly is the meaning of that promise, Luke 22.30. [...], That you may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom. The Saints shall have the same fare with their Saviour; their joyes are all of a piece. The joy of thy Lord.
2. The joy of thy Lord, (that is) Quod per seipsum Dominus praestat: That joy which God makes by himself, by communication of the light of his own countenance, and not by creatures. This is that rich, choice, and overpowering joy the Psalmist celebrates, Laetificabis eum in gaudio cum [Page 40]vultu tuo: Thou hast, or, Thou shalt make him exceeding glad with the joy of thy countenance. This is joy of the best, for it is of God's own making. Redemptor census, August. de Salutar. doc. c. 10. & haereditas dignatur esse ipsa Divinitas (sayes the Father,) Here God rejoyceth us by proxy, there in person: now he derives joy to us by creatures; he will then make it himself. The joy of thy Lord.
It is observed, when the Scripture would express some thing more than ordinary, it intitles God to it. So those Lapides praegrandes, Ezek. 13.11 are called God's hail. And that sound sleep which seized upon Saul and his Guard, is said to be Sopor Domini, 1 Sam. 26.12. a deep sleep from the Lord. And those lofty and tall Cedars of Lebanon are stiled, The Trees of the Lord. Ps. 104.16. God's Name heightens every thing, this joy of the servant here, is the joy of his Lord. The Lord makes all joy: His presence is the complement and perfection of all things desirable. When Ezekiel had made a large description of his Visionary Jerusalem, in the last of his Prophecy, he closeth all with this, which [Page 41]indeed is all, and after which, nothing more can be said. The Name of the City from that day shall be, Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Where the Lord is, there is nothing wanting: he is the height, and top, and excellency of every thing: it is that in which this joy excells. The joy of thy Lord.
And now, if any ask what this joy is: he must never expect a satisfying answer in this life. As one returned answer, when he was asked what Death was; Si Scirem mortuus essem, If I knew, I should be dead; so may I say of those joyes of Heaven, I shall know them when I am with them: and I'll tell you when I meet you there. Till then, as well may we think to grasp the spheres of Heaven within our arms, as take in the joyes of Heaven with our apprehensions.
Speranza observes, Script. Select. punct. 144 P. 29 [...] l. B. (give me leave to borrow the observation from him) that St. Paul makes use of three large measures, and yet none of them can hold out with this joy. 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things [Page 42]which God hath prepared for them that love him. The eye commands a great way, can reach the Starres, which, Philo (laughing at the folly of the Jews) sayes, are so high, that a Millstone would be some years in falling from them to the earth. And yet this eye comes short here. The ear hath a larger command than the eye; the eye sees only present objects: the ear takes in things past, recovers the lapse of time, and represents them as in being: Rome in her glory, Saint Paul in the Pulpit, Christ in the flesh, (Saint Augustine's three wishes) And yet this ear is not open enough here. The heart is larger than both, sees not only things present, and conceives of them when past: but deals with past, present, and to come, and by a kind of Divinity can make things that are not, as though they were; And yet this heart of man, in its highest, sublimest, most reflex, and abstracted conceptions, is not able to frame a Notion which may entertain these joyes; more unsuited to such an undertaking, than his hand is to span the circumference of the world, the convex and extimate superficies of Heaven and Earth.
Hence it is, that the Fathers, and those Divines who have dealt most in Meditation; when they have screwed their souls to the highest, have yet been infinitely below, and drooping, and left us still to ghess only, not know what these joyes are. However we are beholden to them for their adventures, and they have in this obliged us; that our souls being in this life of Zacheus's pitch, low and dwarfish; they have lent us their Sycamore-trees, their boughs and branches, upon which we may climb and see Jesus. Sometimes we run to Negatives, which express it by not expressing it; The tears of Hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of the joyes of Heaven; And then, I am sure our Positives must needs be scant; And yet such as they are, take a few of them.
They are, Certa securitas, secura tranquilitas, tranquilla jucunditas, jucunda faelicitas, faelix eternitas, so Saint Prosper. A certain security, a secure peace, a peaceable pleasure, a pleasant happiness, a happy eternity. Festicitas sine tabe, Tranquilitas si [...] labe, serenitas sine nube, A [Page 44]feast and no consuming, a peace and no confounding, a clearnesse and no over-clouding, so Saint Bernard. Perenne solstitium, (sayes the same Father) ubi nec longitudo terminum, nec claritas occasum, nec satietas fastidium habebit: An everlasting stay of the Sun of Righteousnesse, where he cannot decline, where the length hath no end, the brightnesse no fall, the fulnesse no loathing.
But to leave these descants of the Fathers, the laudable essayes of their parts and piety: Let me only tell you there shall be, Nicol. de Gorran. Elucid. in Ep. ad Philip. p. 442. Expulsus omnis inquietudinis, & amplexus summae dulcedinis; (as I find an Author glossing upon this Subject) Nothing to interrupt joy; every thing to encrease joy; and I shall then hasten to a conclusion.
Nothing to interrupt joy: No sin, no suffering.
1. Luk. 15.7. No sin. Joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth: And if remission make joy, what shall abolition do? Hereafter shall be no time for sin, as Heaven shall be no place for it. Sin is that which now vails and skreens the joyful face of God from the [Page 45]soul; It is that which now cramps a Believers comforts, seizeth on, and deads all his joyes; Comprehendêrunt me iniquitates meae: Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, Psa. 40.12. so that I am not able to look up. Sins do often now cloud the light of God's countenance, and overcast the Heavens; but then, Delevi ut nubem, Isa. 44.22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins. Then the time is determined to finish transgression, Dan. 9.24. and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, to cut off these sinful dayes, and begin those joyful dayes in which men cannot sin. No sin, that's first.
2. No suffering. Suffering puts joy out of tune: Psa. 137.4. How shall we sing the Lord's Song in a strange Land? But a Saint in joy may say to sufferings, as our Saviour to the Pharisees, Joh. 7.34. Where I am, thither you cannot come. Piety is no protection here: but Heaven gives indisputable security.
1. Against all Losses; David shall there no more lament Jonathan, 2 Sam. 1.26. Jer. 31.15. a friend: nor Rachel her children: Jacob [Page 46]shall no more complain that Joseph is not: Gen. 42.36. Joh. 11.21 Nor Martha, that if Jesus had been there, 2 Chron. 35.25 her brother had not died: Israel shall no more lament the losse of Josiah, a peaceable, a pious, a peerlesse Prince? Mat. 9.15. for the dayes of mourning shall be over. Nor shall the children of the Bridechamber fast, and mourn, because the Bridegroome is taken from them: Rev. 19.7, 9. for they shall rejoyce, and be glad, because they are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb, Ch. 14.4. and shall follow the Lamb whither-soever he goeth.
2. Against all pain; For when the vile bodies of the Saints, shall be changed, Phil. 3.21. and fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body, they shall be impassible. And as Philosophers ascribe the strength, and vigor of the Heavens to their Quint-essence: there being no Elementary quality strong enough to encounter them: they are above the assaults of heat and cold, and so incorruptible; so shall the joyes of Heaven be above the reach of all contrarieties, not to be troubled by any pains, if any could get out of Hell, where all shall be shut up. 1 King. 15.23. 2 King. 4. Now Asa is diseased in his feet. And the Shunamite's child complains, [Page 47] My head, my head! But then the bodies of the Saints shall be united to Christ their head, and as soon may their head ake, as they feele any pain.
3. Against death; Death shall be then out-dated. The streets of the new Jerusalem are swept clean from all these evils; Rev. 21.4. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. Thoughts of death take off from joy. The great General was so farre from glorying in his puissant Army; Xerxes. that he is said to have wept, to think that death in so few years should clear the field of so many thousands. But here Corruptible shall put on incorruption; 1 Cor. 15.53, 54. and mortal shall put on immortality; and then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Then shall that promise be made good, Hos. 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave I will be thy destruction. And that for the first particular, which advanceth this joy: there shall be nothing to interrupt it; It shall secure against Losse, Pain, Death.
2. There shall be every thing that can increase this joy. Externa societas, Interna satietas, Aeterna jucunditas, them three: And I am beholden to Saint Bernard for them.
1. Externa societas, good company, no inconsiderable advantage. Alcibiades, when he sold an house in Athens, set the greater rate upon it, because it had good neighbours; it will hugely inhance the price of heavenly joyes that those many Mansions are possessed by such desirable Inhabitants. There are the Saints of all ages, of whom such excellent things are spoken: The ancient Patriarchs: The goodly fellowship of the Prophets: The glorious company of the Apostles: The noble Army of Martyrs: The holy Church that ha's been throughout the world: Heb. 12.23. The communion of Saints: The general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven: God the Judge of all men: and the spirits of just men made perfect: The pure loyal and unspotted Angels: Who if they rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner, what will they do at the consummation of a Saint? Salm. in Loc. praedict. Si de initio gaudium est, quanto [Page 49]magis de termino? If there be joy among them to see a soul brought in to God, what will there be to see soul, and body brought up to God, and glorified with him to all eternity? How great must that joy needs be, which is made up of so many parts, Rev. 21.24, where the Nations of them which are saved walk in light; following the Lamb, and having the harps of God being triumphant, and singing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb, Saying, Great, and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints. Society without, that's the first.
2. Interna satietas; inward satisfaction: which is never to be found on this side God. Caeterae hilaritates, Senec Ep. 24. ad Lucil. non implent pectus, sed frontem remittunt, All things else leave the Cantons, and Corners of the Soul empty: the joyes of Heaven are only a commensurate object to a capacious soul; which made Saint Augustine cry out, Fecisti me Domine pro te, & inquietum est Cor nostrum donec perveniat ad te, Thou hast made this heart of mine for thee, [Page 50]and it can never finde rest till it comes to thee. This the ground of Philip's request, Joh. 14.8. Shew us the Father and it sufficeth: and of David's resolution, Psa. 17.15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousnesse: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likenesse. Here you may (as the father speaks) Videre ad voluntatem, habere ad voluptatem, See as much as you will, and enjoy as much as you please. Satiety within, that's the second particular to increase joy.
3. Which is the last, but not the least, Aeterna jucunditas; This joy shall be interminate; as boundlesse as infinity, as endlesse as Eternity. Your joy no man taketh from you, Job. 16.22 sayes our Saviour. It is the great abatement of Earthly joyes, that they lye open to the hands of rapine, the hands of men may take them from us; And if they scape the hands of men, the hand of Providence will one day seize them: and though we may rejoyce in the dayes of our youth, Eccl. 12.1. yet the years draw nigh, and the evil dayes will come, when we shall say, we have no pleasure in them. It is the excellency [Page 51]of Heavenly joyes, that they shall ever continue at the same height and fulness. And as it is the extremity of a damned condition to be out of hope of relief: so it is the priviledge of a glorified estate, to be above the fear of loss. The joy of the servant here, is the joy of his Lord, made by the light of his Countenance, and the display of the beams of his face and favour, who is God and changeth not. Mal. 3.6. If the Sun did alwayes look with the same face upon the Moon, which it doth at the full, the Moon would never change: The Lord, the brightness of whose Majesty does infinitely surpass that of the Sun: who shall put out the Sun by his lustre at his appearance, as the Sun now does a Candle: (which is, not improbably, Chrysost. Hom. in Mat. thought to be the way of darkening the Sun at the great day) will ever keep the same aspect to the Saints, without variableness, or shadow of change; and therefore it is, that the joy of the Saints shall ever be at the full, and know no declension: Shall be as interminate as the everlasting God, the fountain and source of all joy; [Page 52] In whose presence is fulness of joy, Psa. 16.11. and at whose right-hand there are pleasures for evermore.
I have now quit my hands of the Text: and shall have recourse to it no further, than to help us a little, to revive some memorials, of that eminent, and meriting person, whose Remains yet lie before us, ere they be disposed of into darkness, and the Land where all things are forgotten. Psa. 88.12.
I have some flowers to strew on his Herse, they are but few, and I would hide them too, if I thought there were any Spiders here that would suck poyson out of them.
He was, (that I may keep in with the Metaphor of the Text) A Servant of great, and singular intrustments: His Lord had concredited [Page 53]many Talents to him; and he was very provident, and faithful in trading with them, and discharge of them. Not like those whom Parisiensis complains of, Qui majores terras possident, minores Census solvunt: Holding most at the hands of God, and paying him little, or no Rent. God's greatest, are commonly, his worst Tenants. But as he received much, so he returned not a little. Take this brief account of him, and his Talents.
1. Natural Talents. The Holy Ghost often comparing our bodies to buildings, I may say of his, it was an Elegant Structure, a polite and well composed frame. It is said of the crooked, and ill-shaped Emperour. Ingenium Galbae malè habitat, Galba's wit ha's an unhansome dwelling; His had a lovely seat. His Wit, and Art, and Grace, had terse, and comely lodgings. There was, Lauta supellex, & laetum domicilium, The furniture was rich, and the rooms rare. The Jewel in a fair Casket: And, which made it a mercy, and was the rarity of it, it was not [Page 54]abused to pride, and vanity, to wantonness, riot, and luxury; which too frequently, undermine, batter, and are the ruine of the fairest walls of earth. I have heard him often speak of disorderly, [...]nd intemperate persons, in that ph [...]se of the Psalmist, Non dimidiabunt dies, they live not half their dayes. Psa 55.23. And this comeliness of his diffused a complacentious, and grateful kind of lustre, and takingness, through his whole demeanor: his words and actions came from him with a grace. ‘—Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus.’ He had a quick, Liv. and a ready wit: Ingenium ad omnia versatile, in the Historian's phrase. And it was ever well set on work, inventing, and adding to his fair stock of knowledge: so that it was hard to say whether he was, Scientior, or sitientior, More knowing, Crescit amor nonmi, &c.— or more craving. The riches of his soul, as these outward riches do with others, made him more covetous. Hence the increase of his knowledge, [Page 55]and experiences, was admirable, I had alm [...]st said [...]redible. And this m [...]d [...] [...] prize to his friends, a [...] [...] to all that had [...] to share [...]. I am perswaded that if a Man wanted, or had lost his skill in any ingenuous Profession, he might have found it, or renewed it here. And, which was the Emphasis of his great knowledge and acquirings, it was well guided, accompanyed with a sweet proportion of sobriety, and meeknesse: whereas great wits are commonly unruly, exercised too often in jesting upon Scripture, devising new fashioned Oaths, defending error, opposing truth, and disturbing the Churches Peace. Such that unhappy wit, who dying, cried out, Heu quantus Artifex pereo!
He had a faithful, and trusty Memory: the rich Reconditory of such eminent treasure as his active soul had brought in. He did not misuse it in laying up trash, and folly, wrongs, and injuries, (which good men write in water:) but even that Omne Scibile, which (the Philosopher saith) is the [Page 56]object of the humane Intellect, whatever was knowable, or at least, worth knowing, was in a great measure, here reposited. And especially, that [...], Phil. 3.8. That excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and his Gospel, he was well stored with. The Word of God, shut quite out by many, and dwelling poorly in most, dwelt richly in him in all wisdom. Those words of the wise, Eccl. 12.11 which the Masters of the Assemblies fasten with so much difficulty upon others, were indeed Clavi in altum defixi, with him: they took deep hold presently. So that like a well- instructed Scribe, he could bring out of his treasure, Mat. 13.52 things new and old. He had a Croud of Memorables of all sorts, and yet disposed into such a method, and to such advantage, that one did not disturb, much lesse thrust out another. But to proceed.
2. Temporal Talents; Among them take these few of many.
1. He had a large estate, and a large heart to do good with it; if the poor, whom he kept constantly in work, and are competent Witnesses, [Page 57]may be believed. Chrysost. He was of the Father's judgement, Eleemosyna est ars quaestuosissima, Almesdeeds are a thriving and gainful Art, and the surest way to improve an estate. I know he was looked on as tenacious, and have heard some say, here was the fly that spoyled the box of ointment; But what cause there was to object this, I could never see, unlesse it may seem reasonable, both disponere, and bis ponere, to give, and over give, by giving over again. He was but a Steward, and it deserves a pardon, to be a good Husband with that, for which he knew he was to give so strict an account. He was of Bishop Andrews his mind, who was wont to say, Ful. Church Hist. of Brit. Cent. 17. B. 11. Paragr. 47. Psa. 112.5. That Good Husbandry, was good Divinity. I am sure, he was like that good man, which the Psalmist describeth, who sheweth favour and lendeth: and guideth his affairs with discretion: A truth that wants neither wax nor witnesses, to confirm it.
2. Authority; That's another temporal Talent: which, we may be confident he would have managed with [Page 58]care, because he refused it with conscience. And that when courted to it by the late pretended Authority, which to deny could not want danger: He looked on them as Parties with those Conspirators, Wisdom forewarns him of, Prov. 1.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. and therefore followed her counsel, in declining their wayes, and company. So that you may see what he was, by what he would not be. That which had neither the image nor superscription, of God, nor Cesar, would not pass with him; and his faithfulness was great in rejecting, because it could not be so in trading with such adulterate Talents.
3. Relations; They may come in for a third: And to them he was most remarkably faithful,
Witness his Conjugal affections; great, and ardent, which, meeting with the pious accomplishments of a suitable Consort, made him fruitful in good works; So that what was wanting in natural, was abundantly supplyed in vertuous, and Religious productions.
Witness his Parental Care in the education of a numerous off-spring, whereof many instances might be given. One I cannot omit; malice cannot hear it without blushing: it will undeceive any who have either conceived, or taken up any unworthy thoughts of him. It was his repeated charge to a deserving person, Mr. J. M. intrusted with the conduct and oversight of some of them beyond the Seas: That above all, He should intend to fortifie, and secure them in the Reformed Profession; as well-knowing the vanity of youthful excursions; how apt our giddy and unstable Gallants are, to make an Indian Trafique, and for the gold and silver of the Protestant Religion, to bring home in exchange, some of the Rattles and Feathers of the Church of Rome.
Witness his Oeconomical Prudence, and Circumspection: Living as if he had that resolve of David alwayes before his eyes, Psa. 101.2. I will behave my self [Page 60]wisely in a perfect way: I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. Here might you have seen the very Method of Liberality; Vertue fairly and equally seated betwixt the extreams, of unhansome parcimony, and foolish prodigality. There was such a constant harmony, and universal Decorum throughout his domestical Discipline, that I may say of him, (what is said of Moses in another reference,) He verily was Faithful in all his House. Heb. 3.5.
To these, I might add his Friendship, which was choice, and of the best. I might tell you how affable he was in his behaviour: How decent in his apparel: How temperate in his diet: How moderate in his recreations: How excellent, and exemplary in every thing. But I have named five already, the number of the Talents committed to the servant in the Text; And let that suffice for his Temporal Talents.
Let us now look a little at his Spiritual Talents, and their management; they are the other sort of the Few things mentioned in prosecution [Page 61]of the Text: and I shall detain you no longer, for some are come from far.
And here, be it first remembred to his honor, that he was A man for both Tables. The world is too full of hypocritical, false first-Table men: great pretenders to Godliness, and yet not having one Scrap of moral Righteousness. As if with Agrippa, they were but half, or it may be not so much, [...], Act. 26.28 (that's the word there,) but a little perswaded to be Christians. They make no scruple of leaving out half those requisites of St. Paul, which tell us of living Righteously, Tit. 2.12. as well as Godly in this present world. These daring Impostors, feared not to part, Fear God, 1 Pet. 2.17 and honour the King; As if a rotten, pretended owning one for Scripture, would scaffold and hold them up till they expunge and blot out the other. But He was a second-Table man, as well as a first, and loved not to part God's conjunctions. He knew that, God spake, Exod. 20.1. in the Preface, went through both Tables, and reached to the end of the Commandments. He had respect, with [Page 62] David, Psa. 119.6. to all Gods Commands, and could not sin against, That first Commandment with promise. Eph. 6.2. And if he did contract any dirt, and soil'd his name at the beginning of the late unhappy differences: I hope he hath wiped it off in the close, and his late actings have more than compounded for it: when his Zeal for His most Excellent Majesty's restitution, was such as transported him beyond his ordinary temper; and he was like one of the men of Judah, 2 Sam 19.43. whose words at the bringing back of King David, are said to be, fiercer than the words of the Men of Israel.
And let me tell you further: As he was a Loyal Subject to His Majesty, so he was a very observant and dutiful Son of the Church of England. He durst, and did own her for a Beauty, even in her blackest dayes: and gave a charitable ear to that Apologetical desire of the Spouse, Cant. 1.6. Look not upon me because I am black, because the Sun hath looked upon me. The first time that ever I had the happiness to hear him speak, it was in her defence; and his Arguments were of that force, that [Page 63]they did no little execution. I have heard him an Assertor of her Rites and Ceremonies, even then, when to acknowledge her a Mother, was the next way to be disinherited.
And to this let me add: He had a singular, and peculiar kindness for the Liturgy of this Church. He looked on it with admiration, and loved it as that which was indited by the Spirit of God, Rev. 17 6. and written with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus. This devout, and rare composed piece (as the judicious Doctor Hamond evinceth it to be in the whole frame, Pract. Cate. and all the particulars of it) rather gathered than lost in his esteem, by all the decryings, and deluding artifices, of empty and pernicious men. He was herein as fixed, and immovable, as St. Paul: Act. 24.14. After the way which they call heresie, so worship I the God of my fathers.
But, that we may look towards a Conclusion: give me leave only to instance in some Graces, some spiritual Talents, which he had so improved, as to serve and bestead him in his sickness and death, and I ha' done.
1. Humility, and self-denial; He [Page 64] humbled himself under the mighty hand of God: 1 Pet. 5.6. And would often acknowledge himself less than the least of mercies, and deserving the greatest of punishments. He was much of that penitential temper with those in Ezra, Thou, Ezra 9.13. O Lord, hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve. He was frequently taking a comparative view of his sins and sufferings, and still blessing God for the disproportion: that he suffered so little, who had sinn'd so much: Job 42.6. He abhorred himself in dust and ashes, subscribing to the equity of that penal Statute, All must die, for that all have sinned; Rom. 5.12 and owning every thing out of hell for mercy.
2. Contempt of the world; which in its abundance, and beauty, could not court his affections to over-love it. His thoughts were so abstracted from it, as is rarely seen in a person of his condition. O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions, Eccl. 41.1. unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things? He had many smiles from the world: his estate was a very Oglio of outward happiness: and [Page 65]yet his heart was much above them all; knowing he was shortly to array himself, Ch. 12.1. like the woman in the Revelation, and put on the Sun: he easily trod the Moon, and all sublunary excellencies under his feet.
3. Patience, Invincible patience; keeping in an even and equal temper of spirit in some extremities. His sickness gave him a hot charge, which he received with as much courage, without the least ruffling of spirit, or disorder of the inner man. The assault was sharp, yet not short neither; it was of some continuance, a dying life for some months together, Hor. Car. l. 1. Od. 37. Deliberatâ morte ferocior — Such a Trial would have borne down a hansome sort of Resolution, and been an over-match for more than an ordinary patience. He was in Hezekiah's condition, Isa 38.12. Dum ad huc ordirer succîdit me. He will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even till night wilt thou make an end of me. His patience and himself ended both together.
4. Resignation of spirit; In that he was very free: not like the rich fool in the Gospel, Luk. 12.20 that must have his soul taken [Page 66]from him, otherwise he would never have parted with it. Out of the depths he called unto God, Psa. 130.1. and in the depths of his sorrows, when the waters were going over his soul, He called with Peter, Mat. 14.28 Lord bid me come unto thee on the water. I was often with him, and often saw him, as it were, with his Life in his hand, ready to make a surrender of it into his hands that gave it. He was a Good Servant, and feared not to come to a reckoning: his faithfulness made him willing to account, which I doubt not, but he hath now done with joy, and is treated with the welcome of the Text.
Vers. 12. Collaudabunt multi Sapientiam ejus, & usque in seculum non delebitur.
13. Non recedet Memoria ejus, & Nomen ejus requiretur à generatione in generationem.
In Luctum Broughtoniensem,
Concionemque funebrem ab ornatissimo, mihique amicissimo, Domino
Edoardo Botelerio, habitam, in funere nunquam satis complorato praestantissimi viri, Domini
Edmundi Anderson, Baronetti.
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