OF THE FIRST.

David, that Man according to Gods heart, lamenteth here for Saul and Iona­than. It might seeme, he had but little reason to lament for Saul, his Enemy, his Persecutor, and a wicked man; though reason enough for Ionathan, whose love he esteemed beyond the love of women: Not­withstanding, he lamenteth Saul, as his Father in Law, his King, and the An­nointed of the Lord, although he dyed in his sinnes. By how much more then have we cause to lament and mourne for those Annoynted of the Lord, who besides their outward annointment of the Priest, had received withall, and were sanctified by the inward of the holy [Page 10] Ghost. The Christian man, as it is his duty to mourne and lament, under any kind of crosse & calamitie God sends upon him; so he is especially obliged herevnto upō the death of his Magistrate, of his King and Prince, whom God had set as Vice­gerent over him. Eccles 3. 4. There is a time of weeping appointed by God; and as fish, flesh, and other creatures are not good nor wholesome to eate out of their sea­son: so is joy and laughter unchristian, if it be unseasonable. Isaac mourned 3. yeare over his mother: Iacob 22. yeares for his sonne. The Rabbines tell us, that Adam mourned 100. yeares for his sonne Abel: The Egyptians raised a monument of their mourning for Iacob at Abel-Mitzraim: The Iewes did the like for Iosias in the vallie of Megiddo: Yea, the Iewes were wont to hire men for to lament their dead, who cut and pricked themselues, that they might weepe in good earnest.

Lamentations and weepings are of three sorts, that are required of Christians, as the Schooles doe divide them out of Gods word. 1. Lacrymae doloris, griefe­teares: [Page 11] 2. Lacrymae compassionis, fellow-fee­ling teares. 3. Lacrymae penitentiae, repen­ting teares; The first are personall; the second for others; the third for both.

1 Lacrymae doloris. Griefe-teares, are those which we shed every one in his private and particular crosse and afflicti­on, when any evill befalls us, as we are never unfurnished of occasions, from the cradle to the grave. Low grounds are commonly moist and waterie: The earth lieth in Centro mundi, in a deepe bot­tome; no marvaile, that it is a Vallie of teares; Hence we have so often cause to wash our couch with teares, to eate the bread of teares, to drinke teares, to cover the Altar of the Lord with teares. Malach. 2. 13. what ever we doe, where ever we are, we have cause of mourning, weeping, and la­menting.

2. Lacrymae compassionis. Fellow-feeling teares, when we see or know others suf­fer, we have likewise cause to mourne, as fellow-members of the same bodie. S. Austine gives a fine reason why we should compassionate others in their [Page 12] misery, by this similitude: For, saith he, in a throng of people, one may easily tread upon another mans foot, & cause him to say, Cur me calcas, why doest thou tread me? The foot, or the toe was hurt, and not the tongue, and yet the tongue complaineth, Cur me calcas? By reason of that amiable sympathie and friendship that is betweene the membets; Thus likewise should it be among Christians, if one suffer, all should be grieved and la­ment for it. It would be an uncomely thing, if one should weare a golden shoe upon one foot, and a woodden upon the other so unseemly it is in the Church of Christ, if there is disparitie of the af­fections, if they have not all one and the same, as they have one God, one Redee­mer, one faith. And therefore Christ, as Paul persecuted the Church tooke it as done to himselfe, saying, Saul, Saul, why per­secutest thou me? Act. 9. 4. Me inquit, non meos, Me, saith Christ, not Mine, as Austine spea­keth.

3. Lacrymae paenitentiae. Repenting teares, in both cases: Why doth the hand of [Page 13] God lie upon us or others, but because we have sinned, therefore God chastiseth us for our sinnes, and sometimes others for our sake. Many times we draw the rod of God upon us, for, Flagitium & fla­gellum ut acus & filum, sinne and punish­ment follow one another, as the needle and the threed, one makes way for the other. Numb. 32. 23. And as God doth oftentimes punish us in our owne per­sons▪ so doe others eft-soones feele the rod of God for our sakes, and they re­ceive the punishment, that we deserved: God deales herein with us, as with great mens children, who are refrained from evill by seeing punishment inflicted up­on others; or as the Physitions deale sometimes with their Patients, when they have a rheume in their eyes, to open a veine in their necke or armes: Thus God many times chastiseth us in our goods, friends, children, kindred, for our correction and instruction. Many Israelites were put to death by reason of Achan: more for Davids sinne. Abimelechs familie suffred for their Master: And as [Page 14] Theodoret saith, when God tooke away Pharaohs first borne, he open'd a veine in the arme to cure the head, but because it would not be mended, it was destroyed at last it selfe. If then, Beloved, we are alwayes bound to mourne and lament, in one sort or another, how much more is it our dutie now, having those three motives together, to be stirred up to Christian lamenting, and to shed, 1. lacry­mas doloris, griefe-teares, for the incom­parable losse we suffer in our owne per­sons, by the death of those two Kings, who onely were our comfort, our hope, our shelter, our Castor and Pollux, according to whom we steered and go­verned our ships in the vast Ocean of this troublesome world: of whom it is hard to judge, whether the one suffered and endured, or the other endeavoured and did more, for the advancing and fur­thering of Gods glory and religious wor­ship. But as the Poet joyned, Et agere et pa­ti fortia, so we may well pronounce of both, that the beautie of Israel is slaine: How are the mightie fallen? Alas! Beloved, what [Page 15] tongue is able to expresse the greatnesse of our losse, and how grievously. God af­flicts us by it? A losse which heretofore we never feared, and which now we are not able to describe; that those two Christian Kings, should follow one ano­ther in lesse then a fort-night, and be snatched from among us by such imma­ture death, in the Summer of their age, in the midst of their victories, in the en­trance to greater hopes, when we were fully perswaded now was the time, they were the men by whom God would ru­ine the Throne of Antichrist, and save his Israel. But I will rather leave unto you by my silence to consider of this losse, then lessen it for want of requisite expression, This onely I will remember unto you, that, had we as heartily prayed for them whilest they yet lived, as we now hear­tily lament their death, who knowes but God might have prevented our mee­ting here in the Vallie of Bochim, and in­stead of that have filled our mouthes with Alleluiahs.

2. As much reason have we to shed [Page 16] lacrymas compassionis, fellow feeling teares: For as we ought to mourne for the trans­gression of Iacob, Mich. 1. 5. so must we also be grieved for the affliction of Io­seph If our eyes should be so farre blen­ded, and our hearts so much hardned, that we could not discerne nor appre­hend our particular and private miserie, in this common and universall losse of whole Christendome; yet let us at least turne our eyes upon the Church of God, who lost so great, so faithfull nursing­fathers; upon the Kingdomes of Sweden and Bohemia; upon our deare Germanie, and especially upon our poore Electorall Pala­tinate, who lost such Kings, such Friends; Let us but turne our eyes upon those pearles of Pietie, the two uncon­solable Queenes, whose very names we cannot remember without teares and hearts-griefe, upon the Royall, de­solate; and yet tender posteritie, where­of part lost a Father afore they knew him. Can there be any heart so flintie, that would not be moved by the inno­cent teares of those Princely Infants, to [Page 17] condole with them, when he seeth them weeping for their losse, which, though now they comprehend it not so fully, yet they will too too soone be sensible of it. Though we had no particular share and part in the losse, yet we should have out part in the common griefe of whole Christendome, and thus approve our selues living members of Christs bodie. It's but a rotten member, a whithered hand, a woodden leg, that is not sensible of the heads wounding. Assuredly such hard hearts, that are void of fellow-fee­ling and compassion towards others in their adversity, are but glasse eyes, silver noses, lvory teeth, and have nothing but the shape and fashion, fill up a roome, but have no use, and yeeld no profit.

3 Great reason we have to powre out our lacrymas penitentiae, repenting teares; which the Apostle 2 Cor. 7. 10. calleth a godly sorrow, which worketh repentance to salvation, never to be repented off Such as Daniel shed, Daniel 9. And the Church after the death of good Iosiah, e­specially when they sayd in the Lamenta­tions [Page 18] of Ieremie; The Crowne is fallen from our head, for this our heart is faint, for these things our eyes are dimme. Full well may we powre out whole buckets of repenting teares, and by them arraigne our sinnes, as the onely cause and firebrand of our present losse & calamity, saying, The Crowne is fallen off from our heads, woe unto us that we have sinned; we have murthered the Kings with our sinnes, we have bereaved the Queenes of their dearest consorts; the Royall Proge­nie of their Parents, the Countries of their Princes; all this have we done, and for this is our soule perplexed, our eyes are consumed with griefe and waxed old.

But what then were those cut-throat­sins, that committed this hainous mur­ther upon the sacred persons of those no­ble Kings?

I answer. They were two; Omitting the good, committing the evill; as the Commandements of God are two fold, so are the transgressions The Rabbines, according to their usuall curiositie, have calculated and summed up all the [Page 19] Commandements of Moses, and found 613. wherof 365 are negative and inhibi­tions, shewing us what we ought to shun, in number equalling the dayes of the yeare The rest are affirmative pre­cepts, teaching us what to doe, in num­ber 248. as many as there are bones in a mans bodie; by which division, they would instruct us, that the whole man inward and outward to his very bones, should obserue Gods Commandements; and that not for a while onely, but the whole yeare throughout, all the dayes of his life. But to leave those Rabbines to their speculations, this is undoubtedly certaine; that there are those two sorts of Commandements in holy Writ, wherein God not only teacheth us what to doe, but likewise what to avoide, both which we grossely transgressed, e­specially in two capitall sinnes: The first whereof, is that most common and yet most heavie sinne of Vnthankfulnesse; Ingratum si dixeris, omnia dixeris. The Cen­turiators of Magdenburgh in their Preface make a certaine gradation and degrees, [Page 20] in what order God brings his punish­ments upon us; Ingentia beneficia, ingentia flagitia, ingentia supplicia. If God shewes ex­traordinary mercies & favours to a peo­ple, and yet the same continueth multi­plying its sinnes against God, then God doth likewise muliply his punishments upon it, till it worke either amendment, or utter destruction Now what people or nation is there, to whom God hath imparted so many and so great favours, as to our owne selues? How for a long time hath he blessed us with good Ma­gistrates and Governours, what plente­ous peace have we enjoyed, what ho­nour and reputation had we of other Nations? But when we began to slight those benefits, and would not rest con­tented with them, God tooke the rodde into his hand, and gave us severe cor­rection. Yet, againe did those all-pitty­ing bowells of our good God, yearne towards his poore Church, raising them a Deliverer, a mighty Iosuah, in a miraculous manner, all hope being lost, whereby he so much curbed and broke [Page 21] the Enemie, and so much comforted the disconsolate Church, that it is beyond expression. But how have we in the meane while demeaned our selues to­wards our good God? Alas! we have provoked him more and more, with our pride, haughtinesse, luxurie, envie, ha­tred, and all manner of filthinesse, and given him cause to deale with us as it is at this present. Gods servants have good reason to complaine of their people, say­ing, Deut. 32. 4 God is the rocke, his worke is perfect, for all his wayes are Iudgement; they have corrupted themselues, they are spotted, and are not his children, doe yee thus requite the Lord? This now is the first sinne, we have not beene thankfull unto God, nei­ther in our former peaceable and happy estate for his manifold favours, nor now in our calamitous condition for the De­liverer he sent us, therefore hath God vi­sited us with this sharpe correction.

The other sinne was affirmative, an over­great confidence in impotent man, whom we have Idolized, reposing upon an arme of flesh, bragging and attributing [Page 22] to mortall Kings, the honour that be­longeth to the Eternall, which he can­not brooke or connive unto. Esay 42 8. I will not give mine honour unto another. There­fore hath God taken away our Kings to avenge this dishonour, and to vendicate all the honour unto himselfe, to publish throughout the earth, that he was, he is the Lord, that onely worketh won­ders, and that his Throne abideth for e­ver.

If it be so then Beloved, that we have so much cause of sorrowing, grieving, weeping, and lamenting, for our selues, for others, and especially for our sinnes; Oh! then let us pray with Ieremie, saying, Ier. 9. 1. O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night, for the losse of the daughter of my peo­ple, and for the sinnes of my youth. Our Chri­stian faith allowes no Stoike stupiditie and blockish sencelesnesse, called [...], by the Phylosophers, as that which is averse and repugnant to Christian charitie, which is full of tendrest compassion. Though sorrow be bitter at present, and an unsa­vorie [Page 23] portion, and hath such vehement operation, that it enfeebleth all naturall faculties, yet afterwards it worketh re­pentance never to be repented off Let the world­lings laugh, whilest we are weeping, the turne of weeping will once come to them, when they with grudge shall see us joyfull: let not our hearts be cooled by their coldnesse, but as the bellowes by their cold wind doe blow and kindle the fire, so let their cold affections serue ours as bellowes doe the kindled coales, to enflame them the more, to make them the more zealous & fervent, to ma­nifest our Christian fellow-feeling before the world, but especially to find out and bewaile our sinnes. Thus God shall be honoured, our neighbour comforted, and we restrained and refrained from the wiles and snares of sinne Chiefly let us be frequent and much in conside­ring what we have lost, no trifles, nor such things as we may easily recover else-where; not some children with Ra­hel, or goods with Lot, or health with Iob; but the Beautie of Israel, the Mighties of [Page 24] Iuda, as we shall heare in the second part of our Text, where David saith; The beau­tie of Israel is slaine upon thy high places, how are the Mightie fallen?

THE SECOND PART.

Our Royall Prophet in this part most e­legantly describeth▪ 1. The persons la­mented, whom he calleth The beautie of Is­rael, and the M [...]ghties 2. The manner and fashion of their death, they are slaine and fallen.

For the former, the Originall useth a word signifying Glorie, beautie, or Excellen­cie: Kings, Princes and Magistrates are the beautie and glory of a Land, 1. In their per­sons and qualities, if they are wise and Heroike 2. In their Government, if they undertake and performe such things as may tend to the honour of their Coun­tries; Si quod invenerunt regnum lateritium, re­linquunt marmoreum. And Mighties those are called, whose experience and courage is seene in difficult warres and encounters, as we have examples in Ioshua, in the [Page 25] Iudges, and in the mightie men of Da­vid.

For our better understanding of these words, we will briefly survay, what the principallest qualities and imployments of Kings and Princes are, for which they may be called the Beautie and Glorie of a Land or Nation; Chiefly among the rest these following.

1. Pietie; This must be the leader; A Iove principium: For Kings are called Gods, not onely by reason of their Power and Authoritie, but likewise for the holi­nesse and integritie, that is required of Gods Vice-gerents, and those that shall carrie his character and Image in their persons here on earth; whence it is, that the first commendation, the word of God gives unto good Kings, is, That they did that, which was right and pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

2. Iustice; Suum cui{que} tribuere, to give eve­ry man his due, without respect of per­sons either in punishing evill, or rewar­ding good, for which end God hath put the Sword in their hands.

[Page 26]3. Bountie and goodnesse; mildnesse and hu­manitie. Quâ proximè ad divinam accedunt natu­ram: whereby they doe most neerely ap­proach to the nature of God himselfe: Parcere subiectis, &c.

4. Courage and Magnanimitie: Cass [...]neus observeth that Kings are annointed, as in many parts of their body, so among others upon their armes, as Organs and Instruments of action; They must be going out and comming in before their people, lead, and protect them. Numb. 26. 7.

5. Wisedome; The fountaine from which all good actions must be derived, so needfull and profitable, that when God offered a whole Cornucopiae, a Treasure of all sorts of gifts and graces unto King Sa­lomon, he onely made choice of Wisedome, or rather taking it, tooke all, according to Gods promise: Omnia adsunt bona quem pe­nes est v [...]tus. Kings are annointed in seve­rall parts, but onely the head is crow­ned, as the Throne and residence of Wise­dome. These now are the ornaments, which if a King or Prince have, He is [Page 27] the Beautie, Glorie, and Excellencie of his Land and People.

Now, Beloved, it is needlesse to enlarge my selfe in the application, as that which is notorious to all, that we have a most lively patterne and representation of all those qualities in our two Kings, that now are blessedly resting in the Lord: of each of whom we may well say, Sic ocu­los, sic ille manus, sic ora ferebat. For was not his Majestie of Sweden of happie memo­rie, one of the lewels of the Protestant Princes in those parts, not onely by rea­son of those rare and celestiall endow­ments and qualities, that so illustriously shined in his Person; but also for his matchlesse and imparalell Heroike Acts and Expeditions, whereby he ennobled himselfe and his Countries, throughout the Vniverse. So likewise was not his Majestie of Bohemia an Orient Pearle, and excellent Gemme, among all the Ele­ctours and Princes of the Empire, for his ever praise worthy and vertuous disposition, for his constant and unre­prochable endeavour to propagate the [Page 28] Gospell of Christ, whereby, all unhappie accidents notwithstanding, he hath pur­chased glory and honour both to him­selfe and to our common Country.

1. It is universally knowne, without my instancing of it at large, what may be sayd in the commendation of both the Kings constant Tenour of their Pie­tie and Devotion, both private and pub­like, wherein they have alwayes beene patternes and singular examples to their Subjects and followers; as especially, those are able to witnesse, who had the honour to be much about their Majesties; especially, how carefull and assiduous they have beene in the ob­servation of their pray-and reading­houres, as well in warre, as in peace, as much as possibly they could recover from their infinitely employ'd and bu­sied Time, as it is reported and knowne all the world over.

They write of Helena, that, having found the materiall Crosse of Christ, and the nayles wherewith hee had beene nailed upon it, shee caused one thereof [Page 29] to be inserted into the Crowne of Con­stantine the Emperour, and the other lin­ked unto his bridle, minding him there­by, that Christ was not onely his chie­fest honour, but likewise his bridle and directour. But wee may truely say of our deceased Kings, that Christ was their chiefest glory and Diademe; the onely Rule and Compass [...] of all their Life and Actions We need no further proofe of their Pietie, least we should seeme to make it doubtfull.

But because Kings especially, are not borne for themselues alone, but for all theirs and for their Subjects, as Gregorie the Great speaketh, Reges in orbe fecit Do­minus, ut terrestre regnum famuletur caelesti. God hath given Kingdomes unto Kings, that they should bring their Subjects to the Kingdome of Heaven, and shew them the way unto it. This was like­wise a principall care of their Maje­sties; We have the effect of this godly care of his Majestie of Bohemia, be­fore our eyes, in the nursing up of the young Princes and Princesses in all Pietie [Page 30] and Christian Vertues: and we beare yet in fresh memorie the fatherly care in this kind which he manifested to all his Sub­jects in Bohemia and in the Palatinate; an infallible argument of sincerest pietie: the like his Majestie of Sweden ever care­fully and praise-worthily intended and furthered to his uttermost. Lastly, if it be an undoubted marke of Christianitie and godlinesse, to fight and suffer for God and his Truth, what then shall we say of those two Kings, who partly lost, partly hazarded all their Possessions and Countries, to doe service to God, his Church, and the grievously oppressed Christians, and to spread and extend the sweete Gospell of Christ? In a word, we may well and deservedly give them this Encomium and commendation out of Gods Word, That they have done what was right and pleasing in Gods eyes. 2 King. 18. 3.

2. Iustice, was another Iewell, where­with our two Kings were gloriously a­dorned. How just and impartiall they ever shewed themselues, as well in the publike administration of Iustice, as in pri­vate [Page 31] cases in their owne Courts, is more cleare and manifest then the light of the Sunne, one may as soone disprove one as the other; insomuch, that we may well apply this sentence of Gods word unto them, that The wisedome of God was in them to doe iudgement 1 King. 3. 28.

3. Bountie and Humanitie; The third Ie­well of both their Majesties: the which was seene and praysed in his Majestie of Bohemia with admiration, how lovingly and how amiably, yea in a manner fa­miliarly he carried himselfe to all, even of the lower sort, to his immortall com­mendation. Which as another excellen­cie was likewise observed and highly commended in his Majestie of Sweden; how friendly, mildely, and courteously he demeaned himselfe, not onely to those of lower ranke, but towards his very enemies; with whom he could so comport himselfe, ut Pyrrhus unà fuerit & Cyneas, that he conquered almost as ma­ny and great Cities with his loving be­haviour, and heart-breaking eloquence, as he did by his valour and courage: [Page 32] whereof Elbing in Borussia, Frankfurt upon the Mayne, and Augsburg, are evident and fresh examples.

We read indeed in the Histories of many Kings, qui alienae facundiae egue [...]unt, aut illâ vsi sunt, who either were to be sup­plyed by the eloquence of others out of necessitie, or used it out of pride, And so we read of Leo, that he had alwayes Maiorian at his elbow, to interpret his minde, Cuius dignatur ab ore, Caesar in orbe loqui, as Sidonius speakes of him. But God had bestowed this singular gift upon the Majesties of these Kings, that they had no need, as Moses of an Aaron, to be their spokes-man, but ex tempore, and without premeditation they were able fully, wisely, and elegantly to expresse their mindes upon any occasion, which often put the hearers into admiration: So that we may say of both, that They knew to speake from the Cedar that groweth in Lebanon, to the Isop that sprouts out of the wall.

4. As for Courage, Valour, and undaunted Magnanimitie, another Iewell againe of the Crownes of those Kings, and which [Page 33] made them esteemed as the only gemme of the world, consider we their Heroi­call resolutions, and that height of cou­rage they have manifested in so many occasions, Countries, Times, and Sea­sons, even admiraculum us{que} as the whole world cannot but know, and those doe witnesse, that were oculati testes, the pre­sent and constant beholders of it. And we need no other proofe then the many hundred Cities, Forts, Castles, the se­verall bloudie battells and victories, the frequent and dangerous skirmishes, and innumerable other warlike expeditions, which were practised onely in Germanie, within these two yeares, under the commaund and government of his Ma­jestie of Sweden. So that wee may well summe it up all with this part of Davids Elegie, 2 Sam. 1. 22. From the bloud of the slaine, from the fat of the mightie, the bow of Io­nathan turned not backe, and the sword of Saul returned not emptie. And out of Gen. 49. 9. Iudah is a Lyons whelpe; from the victorie thou art exalted; Hee couched himselfe as a Lyon, as an old Lyon, who durst rouze him up? But what [Page 34] doe we endeavour to commend that in his Majestie, which neither present, nor future ages can sufficiently and answera­bly to desert extoll and magnifie, al­though they shall never cease to ring and trumpet his noble fame and memo­rie.

5. There is yet Wisedome, that Royall Plant, which seemes was the Master­piece of all the endowments the heart of those Royall Princes were adorned withall. For, Beloved, we may say this with out the least touch of pleasing flat­tery, that God had endowed those two Kings with such understanding and wisedome, that they were admired a­broad, and joyfully honoured for it at home, and among their owne: And we could well have applyed to them, what Plinius saith of another; Nihil est omnium quod discere velles, quod illi tedocere non possent: You could have devised nothing to learne, but you might have learned it of them. Witnesse, the great concourse heretofore to Heidelberg from all parts of Christendome, as to the Delphik Oracle, and [Page 35] afterwards to his Maiestie of Sweden, for counsell, helpe, redresse, and reliefe. In a word for the brevitie of Time, we may without blasphemie, pronounce of their Maiesties that the Heavenly wisedome had built her a house in the hearts of those Kings, Pro. 9. 1. which will preserue the Remembrance of their Names to perpetuity.

And now I had almost made this ge­nerall conclusion of both Kings, with that of the Scripture, 2. Chron. 1. 12. that, scarce was any the like before them, and hardly will such come after them as were themselues: but that the Phylosopher puts mee in minde of his, Ante obilum nemo, suprema{que} [...]ata beatus: And therefore it is requisite that according to the subdivision of our Text, we consider with David the manner and fashion of the death of our deceased, and with all how happie our Kings were in the same. I shall not be long in this matter, it toucheth too neere to the quicke: would to God we had never had occasion to heare or speake of these, to us, most dolefull deaths But as with all good Kings, so went it with these, Venit [Page 36] summa dies & inevitabile fatum The beauty of Isra­el is slaine upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen? I [...] is remarkeable how that royal Pro­phet describeth their death; though they were slaine, yet doth he add they were but fal­len; Cadunt, non occidunt, abeunt, non obeunt, prae­eunt, non pereunt, which though it could not be applyed to Saul, yet of Ionathan it was certaine; They are fallen! So these, but they will rise againe, they are gone, but not pe­rished, they are gone before, but not lost: they will not come to us againe, well we may goe to them. Beloved, it would breake not onely the tenderest, but the hardest heart, to consider how resolvedly, and quietly both Kings have left this mise­rable Wildernesse, and how, as Ambrose speaketh, regnum non deseruerunt, sed mutârunt: They have not put off their Crownes, but onely changed them. His Majestie of Bohemia, did so holily and comforta­bly resolue and fit himselfe divers dayes before with reading, praying, & singing e­specially the last night against the approa­ching death; in the presence of divers of his Courtiers & Ministers, till death came [Page 37] which seemed rather to be a sleepe, his life failing and spending as the light of a dying candle. How resolutely and cou­ragiously likewise his Majestie of Sweden hath encoūtred his death, none is able to expresse sufficiently, as we easily may con­clude, if we waigh but a little one of his last discourses, praying that none would giudge him the honor God would bestow upō him, that he should loose his life for Gods word, & shed his blood for the German Liberty: exhorting withall the Princes and Commanders, to go on couragiously w^th the Worke they had begunne, that none should looke upon him, an Instrument & Minister, but upon God the Mover & Master who doubtlesly would blesse their ende­vour, if their aime be & continue sincere, & that they onely would seeke the mag­nifying of his glory; that hitherto he had done what he could, hoping none could lay any evill to his charg, that could have beene prevented by him. And thus both Kings blessedly departed in the Lord & as the Scripture phrase is, obd [...]rmierunt, they fell a-sleepe, leaving behind them as Pliniu [...] [Page 38] words are, duas Reginas & mille virtutes, Two disconsolate Queenes, and a thou­sand Heroicall vertues. Therefore wee conclude in the words of David 2. Sam. 1. 23. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided, they were swifter then Eagles, they were stronger then Ly­ons.

Lastly, it is worth observation, that as Samson slue more Philistines in his death, then all his life time; so the two Kings have obtained nobler victories in their Death, then even before; and thus en­tred the new Ierusalem, as it were in a Chariot of Tryumph, as it is apparant, out of that strange and miraculous vic­tory the dead King of Sweden obtained, and out of the rendring up of the Citie and Fort of Franken [...]all, into the hands of the dead King of Bohemia. Thus have we viewed a patterne and lively contra­fact, of a pious and Heroike Prince, in the example of those two excellent Kings; to passe by many other and most commendable vertues, wherewith as Christians, they were endowed and ador­ned. [Page 39] But now some malicious scoffers may rise up and say, what, had those Kings nothing but perfections, that all this while we have nothing rehearsed but their praises and vertues. I answer; Alas! Beloved, Homines fuerunt. They were men, as we are; they had their infirmi­ties, as we have; who lives and sinnes not? But as Apelles, when he drew the picture of Antigonus painted onely the one side of his face, thus to hide and cover his infirmitie, he wanting an eye upon the other hidden side: So must we doe with our Princes; remember and propound unto the view of the World, whatsoever of theirs was praise-worthy and commendable, to adde spurres and incouragements unto us to follow and imitate their example in all Christian ver­tues. As for the faults and infirmities, the Apostle tells us, that Love doth cover a multi­tude of sinnes, Iam. 5. 20. Especially, where the multitude and excellencie of vertues doe cover and excell the imperfections, the which we can and doe truely averre of our deceased Kings. What remaineth [Page 40] then, but that with the Centurion having seene their death, wee comprehend all their commendations in one word: Of a truth those have beene the sonnes and children of God. Mat. 27, 54,

OF THE THIRD PART.

Now for conclusion, How ought we to behave and demeane our selues after this fall and losse of ours? The Time be­ing alreadie past, and the season cold, I will onely intimate some few rules, how we shall profit our selues upon this mournefull accident, and so con­clude.

1. Telt it not at Gath, Publish it not in the streetes: of Askelon, &c. Why? I trow the Israelites would send no Messengers to Gath, to bring the newes to the Philistines, that they had lost Saul their King. O no, Beloved, but we tell bad nevves at Gath, by our excessive complaining and cry­ing, if we cast off all comfort, and doe as if we would despaire. Then we tell our Enemies as it were, that all our hope [Page 41] is gone, that we are quite undone, we give them occasion to tickle and sport themselues, to grow proud and insolent upon our losses; And therfore we ought to moderate our lamenting and mour­ning, and to shew by it unto the world that God is still continuing in heaven, on whom we depend. The Kings are dead indeed, but God lives for ever; his hand is not shorter, his arme is not weaker. At least, let us shew our confidence in the eyes and presence of the wicked and scoffers, and though our heart lies blee­ding, as it cannot but bleed for a long time yet, the wound being so fierce and deepe; yet let us so order our comport­ment and conversation, that we mani­fest our dependance and confidence in God, and make no sport and pastime to the wicked by our immoderate grieving and lamenting.

2. Withall let us looke once somewhat more seriously upon the Nature of sinne, what infinitenesse and greatnesse of evils it hath brought upon all the children of Adam. Sorrow and griefe is one of those [Page 42] herbes and simples the earth yeeldeth not, afore it was dunged with sinne. It is a weed, that sprouted immediately out of that bitter roote of our first Apostacie. And as it came into the world with sin, so it will ever remaine with it, till sinne and world be both destroyed and pe­rish. As much therefore as we desire to prevent those naturall griefes and sor­rowes, so let us take heed of sinne; Let us often thinke of sinne, and that which followes sinne at the heeles, and then we will shunne sinne, to shunne the in­evitable after-claps of sorrowfull misery and grievous punishments. Thus, as thornes and thistles are good to hedge in a pleasant garden, to keepe out wild and wasting creatures, so will sinne like­wife be good, to be rooted in our me­morie, to remember both it, and the grievous consequents of it, but not good to plant any in our hearts, to feed and harbour it there, to spoile and cumber the ground. Let us therefore now seri­ously repent us of our sinnes, acknow­ledge, confesse, bewaile, denie, con­demne, [Page 43] forsake, avoid, and hate them, and be assured God will make up the breach hee made in Israel, perfect the building of the Walls of Ierusalem, and wipe off those teares from our eyes, and turne them into joy and gladnesse.

3. Let us learne to put all our Confi­dence in God alone, and build all our com­fort upon that sure rocke: Ah! how often doth he repeate and inculcate this lesson unto us in his blessed word. Psal. 146. 3. 4. 5. Put not your confidence in Princes, they are men and cannot helpe, their breath goeth forth, they returne to earth, in that very day their thoughts perish. Yea he hath confirmed this truth unto us by our woefull and dole­full experience, and convinced us of it to our cost and griefe; But hoppie is he, that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe, whose hope is in the Lord his God; The Lord doth raigne for e­ver, even thy God O Sion to all generations. This should alwayes bee our comfort to up­hold us, especially in our present mournefull condition; God hath taken away our Kings and gracious Sove­raignes, yet He is not taken away but a­bideth [Page 44] for ever. Hee will supply their places, He will be the Governour of the desolate Countries, a gracious King to the destitute Subjects, a Generall to the faithfull Souldiers, a Husband to the Royall Widdowes, a Father to the Roy­all Progenie, yea all in all to all. He will raise up other Ioshua's and Iosia's, that shall finish his worke, if we will but learne and practice this good lesson, to trust & relie wholy and onelly upon him. Saint Ambrose comforted the people after the death of Theodosius in this manner; Disce­dit, sed non totus; reliquit enim liberos, in quibus ipsum cernamis; He is gone, but not whol­ly, for he left children, in whom we may see him still. Yea, but say they, the chil­dren are young? No saith he, they are not young: aetas est perfecta, ubi virtus est perfecta: the age is perfect, when vertue is perfect. To the Kingdome of Sweden, God hath left a Queen, of the seed of that glorious King of theirs; And so hath the Electorall Palatinate a true Heire and Suc­cessour, who shall goe in and out before his people; in whom, God continuing [Page 45] his grace and favour, wee shall find a change of the person, but not of the roy­all vertues and endowments; Tu Marcel­lus eris: what great cause have we yet further to depend upon God, who alrea­dy doth give us such hopes of happie af­ter-times.

4. For our Conclusion, let us discerne the vanitie of all outward things, and the hap­pines of them that died in the Lord; Let us not grudge them their blessed estate, but endeavour, how we may follow them. The Scripture hath very elegant expressi­ons of the death of the godly, that God gives them rest from their sorrowes, and from their feares, and from their hard bondage, wherin they were made to serue, Esay 14. 3. There is no­thing in this world but labour and paine sorrow and hearts griefe, as we have seene it in the example of our deceased blessed Kings, whose whole life was circumscribed with Dolor & Labor, paine and travell, miserie and calamitie. If we take any thing in hand to doe, we grow wearie; if we sit idle, the very idlenesse is tedious and irkesome unto us: who then [Page 46] would be in love with this life, whose Prologue is weeping, whose Act is weeping, whose Epilogue is weeping. Here cryeth one, My head, my head, with the Widdowes sonne of Sunem; There moanes another, My belly, my belly, with the Children of the Prophets; Yonder is a third lamenting, My Sonne, my Sonne, with David; There stands a fourth calling, My Father, my Fa­ther, with Elisha. One bewailes his chil­dren with Rachell, another faints for hunger with Esau, a third mournes for his sinnes with David, a fourth groanes under his sicknesse with Hezekiah. Nothing but cry­ing, weeping, mourning and lamenting: And yet how loth we are to leave this wretched World: The reason is, we have not yet sufficiently tasted the bitternesse of it; and therefore, that we may not love, but loath it, God must fill us another cup. What strange conditioned people are we, that we have beene willing and ready to follow both these Kings to any Country, battell, danger, hazard, yea whi­ther not, as long as they were here on earth; and now none cares nor thinkes [Page 47] how to follow them into Heaven, per­petually to live and triumph with them. Let us then live as they lived, if we will die, as they dyed; yea, if we will live, as now they live. No question, if we doe follow their example, Christ will alwaies be our Life, and Death our Gaine: and after our Worke done here on earth, we shall sit downe to Supper with Abra­ham, Isaac, and Iacob, and with the blessed Quire of Angells, sing perpetuall Hallelu­iahs to the Lord, and partake of that joy, which is at the right hand of God forever and ever. Whereunto God graunt and helpe us to be advanced, for our blessed Redeemers sake, to whom, together with the holy Ghost, be glorie and thankes for evermore. Amen.