him converted There Andrew shall present before the Iudge Achaia Iohn Asia Thomas India converted as Gregorie speaketh O that yee may bee with him in lyke manner with joye at the right Hand of the Iudge in that Day The LORD grant it for CHRIST'S sake To whome with the FATHER and Blessed SPIRIT bee all Prayse and Glorie for ever and ever AMEN A CONSOLATORIE SERMON Preached vpon the death of the R. R. Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES Late BISHOP of ABERDENE By ALEXANDER ROSSE Doctor of DIVINITIE and MINISTER of the EVANGELL in ABERDENE in Saynct NICOLAS Church there Anno 1635. the xv of Aprill DAN xij 2 And manie of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to ever-lasting lyfe and some to shame and ever-lasting contempt IT may perhaps seeme strange that the noyse of my mourning for the death of our late Worthie Prelate was not these dayes by-past with the rest of my Reverend Colleagues heard in publicke This duetie had beene performed ere nowe were not Death fearing that my vnappeased griefe through sense of my great losse should haue made mee to burst out into bitter and Tâ—agicke Invectiues agaynst her and so haue brought you all in hatred with her as with that vvhich the Philosopher saieth is omnium terribilium terribilissimum Of all thinges that are terrible the most terrible did arrest mee by her mightie Herauld Sicknesse to the end that by neare communing with her I might knowe and impart the same vnto you also that shee is not so indeede as her grieslie lookes doe praetende not an enemie to the Godlie as nowe in our mourning shee is holden to be but a friende and herefore in your mourning you should bee comforted For by the death of CHRIST her nature is changed Through death Hee hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill and delivered them who through the feare of death were all their lyfe tyme subject vnto bondage Hebr. ij 14.15 Death is no more death I am sayeth our Saviour the Resurrection and the Lyfe hee that believeth in Me though hee were dead yee shall hee liue And whosoever liveth and believeth in Mee shall never die IOHN xj 25.26 By her the Godlie are bound in the bundle of Lyfe Shee is but the way that all flesh doeth goe to put an ende to their miseries Shee looseth them out of Prison gathereth them to their Fathers maketh them lay downe their tabernacle and putteth them into a sound sleepe from whence they shall bee awakened to ever-lasting Lyfe But because it were endlesse to showe you all the good we nowe obtayn by Death I haue bounded my selfe within the limites of this Text wherin we haue a sweete Cordiall for the reliefe of the heart of Man from two great evils to wit The ignorance of the nature of Death it selfe and the ectate of men after death Feare not to taste therof for it is praescrybed by the Greatest DOCTOR in Heaven or in earth GOD Himselfe the Soveraygne and onlie Physician both of Soule and bodie The Apothecarie by whose hand it was delivered was an Angell who gaue it for a strong Consolation vnto Daniel and hee who hath left it vnto vs for that same vse was this same Daniel Vir desideriorum A man greatlie beloved of GOD A Pen-man of holie Scripture who spake and writ as hee was inspired by the holie Ghost And it is of an immortall and never-fading Vertue flowing from the immortall and all-sufficient Worth and Merit of the death and Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST That Death by the ignorance of the true nature thereof doe not dismay you learne to knowe That it is but a sleepe That the estate after death doe not dishearten you learne that it is but a wakening and such a one as is to Lyfe and such a lyfe as shall haue no death an ever-lasting Lyfe a sweete Cordiall indeede but the comfort contayned in it doeth not indifferentlie concerne all All indeede shall sleepe all shall awake but not all to ever-lasting Lyfe The awakening of some shall bee to shame and contempt for Qualis vita finis ita Lyke lyfe lyke ende lyke awakening Who liveth in the LORD shall die in the LORD rest from their laboures and awake to ever-lasting Lyfe And who liveth in sinne their ende is destruction and their awakening is to shame For this Text hath its own both Extent Restraynt Extent all indeede shall sleepe all shall awake Restraynt Some to ever-lasting Lyfe some to shame and contempt There bee some I knowe doe not allow to it this just Extent in regard it is sayde onlie manie that sleepe in the dust For they thinke that all men shall not suffer death which by sleepe is meant heere Grounding themselues vpon the wordes of the Apostle 1. COR. xv 51 Beholde I showe you a mysterie Wee shall not all sleepe but wee shall all bee changed Hee distinguisheth all men vnto those who shall bee alyue and remayne vnto the comming of the LORD and those that shal be asleepe Which distinction importeth That those who then shall bee alyue shall not die but shall immediatelie or without anie death intenveaning bee caught vp with the rest of the Elect to meete the LORD in the ayre Tyme will not serue mee to speake of this mysterie as Paull calleth it at such length as I would onlie yee shall know that the ancient Fathers of the Church haue bene much divided in their judgemeÌ„ts concerning those whom the LORD at His comming to Iudgement shall finde alyue Chrysostome wryting vpon that place and diverse Greek Fathers following him haue thought that they shall not die but that they shall bee changed from the estate of Mortalitie vnto the estate of Aeternitie Of this opinion also were some of the Latine Fathers in speciall Tertullian and Ierome and diverse moderne Wryters both Papistes as Cajetane and some others led by his authoritie as also Protestantes as Calvine and some others following him But manie haue beene and are yet of another opinion that is they haue believed or at least thought it more probable That even those who shall bee alyue at the LORD His second comming shall truelie and reallie die that they may vndergoe the common punishment of Man-kynde and shall immediatelie thereafter bee raysed vp or quickened that they may compeare with the rest vnto Iudgement Of this opinion were diverse both of the Greeke Fathers as Dydimus one of the Doctors of Alexandria and Acacius Bishop of Caesarea as we may perceaue by Ierome his Epistle to Minerius and Alexander EPIST. 152. vvhere the judgement of them both in this particular is related and Oecumenius in his Commentaries expounding this place and also of the Latine Fathers as the Author of the Commentaries vpon Paul's Epistles attributed to Ambrose in Thes. Cap. 4. Augustine in some places of his workes as Lib. 20. De Civitate DEI Cap. 20. although in other places hee seeme to encline to
Light our State may now bemoane Our Common-wealth her Atlas wants Relligion a sonne His blood amongst the best as borne so was Hee bred But what were those if grace divine had not Dame Nature clad If Learning joyn'd with Wit if Grace with Gravitie If prudent carriage bee in pryce if matchlesse Modestie Then in a word I vow if Vertue lodg'd below Hee was the worthiest wight for one my selfe did ever know Full fourtie yeares and fyue his course of lyfe I kende O let mee liue his holie lyfe and make his happie ende 3. SONG STâ—rne Death now doe thy best or worst and spare not For thee and all thy dreadfull Darts I care not I stand not for thy fead or friendship eyther Short since thou slew my Sonne and now my Father And tho my selfe thou kill thou 'lt not devoure mee I hope to follow them who went before mee Tho for a space thou soule and bodie sever In spyte of thee this Sainct shall liue for ever Whiles hee was heere Nature and Grace contended Whose hee should bee they both their forces bended His vertues liue and shall doe what thou may To his great glore shall after Ages say Loe here intomb'd this marble stone lyeth vnder Wits high Perfection and our Ages wonder Mr THOMAS MICHELL Person of Turreff Sacrat To the Immortall Memorie of that Reverend Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES By the Mercie of GOD Bishop of Aberdene Lord of his Majesties Secret Counsell Chanceller and Restorer of the Universitie Laird of Corse and Baron of Oneill LYke as in May the countrey Sheep-herdling Pulling the paynted Beauties of the Spring Doubts with her selfe whether to make her chose The Pansey Lillie Violet or Rose The yealow red the purple greene the blew Or thousand-thousands of some other hew Even so my Muse when as her selfe shee rayses And bends her selfe to poynt our Prelates Prayses This Field such rare things offers to her view That mute shee stands and bids her Taske Adieu His various Vertues muster in such store Aboundance straynes her more than Want before For neyther Zeuxes nor Apolles can Paynt the perfections of so rare a Man His Majestie his Port his Court his Grace Did liuelie portray foorth his Worth his Race As his Grand-fathers in our Civill Warres Wer formost formost eke in setling Iarres So hee in both did beautifie his Clan Formost in Peace in Warre a valiant Man As for his trueth in whyt let it bee paynted Which never time with spot or stayne once taynted His loue to Learning his delight in Arts Quickned the vigour of his naturall parts Both humane things and heavenly things he knew All thinges were subject to his Soule her viewe Lyke as an other Prelate sayd of late Hee knew not what it could bee to forget Even so from him was hid nothing at all Betwixt the moving and th'vnmoving Ball. This knowledge of the things created mov'd him To loue their Maker so who so had lov'd him That ravisht with His loue hee preacht His Name To his owne Servants much lyke Abraham Not lyke these Barons whose commoditie Makes vp their owne their servants pietie Who sheare their Flocks who slay them but to feed them Who scorne who care not how their Pastors leade them To come heare his wisdom meÌ„ did stryue Lyke Bees contesting for their honey hyue His House a Colledge was of Pietie A Compend of an Universitie Where sweete Ambrosia filde and never cloyed And blest all those that this sweete foode enjoyed Where who were given to vertuous contemplation Did finde a world of happie contentation Whence sprung that sparke which now succeeds his Syre The brighest laÌ„pe within the Scots Empyre Such Vertue Worth such Wit such Pietie Made Court and Church his Suters both to bee For Court and Church admiring both his fame The Court his counsell crav'd the Church the same Thus hee who rul'd his owne House so of late Did rule his Lords in the Cathedrall Seat And who of late gaue counsell in small things Became the Counsels Counsell Light of Kings The absence of this shyning Light hath made All faythfull Workers in Christs Vineyard sad And makes them all with watrie Eyes to pray That such a Light dispell their Clowds away The absence of this Light as one reported A faythfull man who then in Court resorted Did moue our Soveraygne so that oft hee sayd I know no Worthie worthie to succeede Through absence of this shyning Light wee see Th'eclipses of this Universitie Her Sunne 's gone downe and darkned is her Day Come Phosphor come come driue her clowds away Thus shortly with my countrey Sheep-herdling I pulled haue some Beauties of the Spring But while I looke vpon the Ground alone Pulling this houre mee thinks I pulled none The Field's replenisht as it was before And fragrant Odours wax aye more and more Mr IOHN LVNDINE Professor of Humanitie In the Universitie of ABERDENE In Honour of the Right Reverend FATHER IN GOD PATRICK FORBES Bishop of Aberdene Baron of Corse and Oneill one of his Majesties most Honourable privie Counsell c. IF all the Gifts that Nature could afford If all Perfection Arte could adde to Nature If in high Place to serue and not debord If good workes done what could a creature Could haue procur'd deaths respite or delayes Braue CORSE had past Methusala his dayes M. I. L. P. A. SACRAT To the Immortall and Blessed Memorie of that Honourable and Reverend Father PATRICKE Late Bishop of Aberdene Chancellar and Restorer of the Vniversitie there One of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell c. Who departed this present lyfe vpon the 28 of March 1635. EPITAPH I. YOu sacrad Swans that in Shiloah swim And dip in Dew Divine your candid Quills Which Great IEHOVAH EL and ELOHIM In Silver Showrs and Lectean Streames distills From Sacred Sion and from Hermon Hills Lend me some lurid Lines and wofull Verse To honour this most Honour-worthies Herse Whose Concaue keepes inclosed and confynd The mortall Moold of a most matchlesse Man The Manor late of his immortall Mynd With all great gifts and Graces garnisht then Now in a Sege Coelestiall inshrynd Whose wondrous Worthinesse so playne appear'd That Wisdome wondred the World admir'd What Part perexcellent did anie Sperit Of his Condition Qualitie and Case Possesse expresse here practize and inherite But that this Great DIVINE with wondrous Grace And Pow'r-perswading proov'd in everie Place Most evidentlie exquisite and wyse Unparallell'd here PRELATE PATRICK lyes II. OUr holie HELIE is inhumed heere A pious Prelate prudent sans a Piere So soundlie sage so solid and sublime That Pennes vnpolisht never shall exprime So wyselie wyse wrought with the Word Divine That Faculties profound can not define Perfectlie polisht in the precious parts Of all the humane and the heavenlie Arts That perfect did if that Perfection can Heere bee immured in a mortall Man Who proov'd a Patterne to the Pastors all Conformlie that before
the Altar fall And doe divinelie worship as the Word Clearlie commands the Ever-living LORD His Sentences so sage so sweet and calme Flow'd from him flowantlie lyke Floods of Balme His Proaves and his Pedegree I passe That honourable and ev'r worthie was Yet vnto them and vnto all this Land His Lyfe lent Light and as a Starre did stand Praeshyning still and with so solemne Show That all the World his Christian carriage know Vnto the poynct and period wherein His Soule ascended from this Sinke of Sinne While softlie breathing from his Breast his Breath Hee sleeped sweetlie as disdayning Death And with vs left an Ever-living Fame A notable Renowme and Noble Name III. PASCH-DAY the Sonne of Righteousnesse arose And Hee the day before his course did close T' attend the triumph of that Glorious Day That all the Righteous should remember aye His Soule ascending boue the chrystall Coome While that its Reliques in this terren Tombe Heere lyes it there aye Haheluiah singes To magnifie the Mightie KING of Kinges And prostrate lowe before the Mercies Throne Duelie adores the TRINITIE-TRINE-ONE Enjoying justified the rich Reward To all the Pious promisd and prepar'd A Guerdon Great past Compasse and Compare For their blest Workes that follow them vp there Where Peace and Pleasure haue no period But endlesse are as th'Ever-living GOD And where with Heavēly Hoasts of holy Saincts Hee ev'r and ev'r there Haleluja chants Mr AL. GARDEN ADVOCATE Vpon the much-lamented death of the most Reverend Father in CHRIST BISHOP PATRICKE Late Lord Bishop of ABERDENE c. EPITAPH WIthin this Casket is inshrynd Who now triumphs ov'r Death's Assyze In whom with Skill Grace was combynde To make a Praelate of rich pryze A faythfull Steward hee was still Who sterved none through want of Food Dispensing all his Masters will Rejoycing in the peoples good In Church or Civill-Policie Few could to him bee parallell Day-starre hee was of the Clergie Nay Pillar of the Common-weall VVealth was not his Petition VVith gift of Heritage content Honour without Ambition His worth procur'd and good Descent And to bee short hee nothing wanted To make him Mirrour of this Age This trueth by all men must bee granted Few so victorious left the Stage VVhich makes vs act in mourning Verse Sad Interludes now ov'r his Hearse ANOTHER SOme holde it rare to finde voyde of deceat A wittie States-man or without oppression One bearing rule nay carelesse in conceat Of Coyne to see a Church-man by Profession Loe here intomb'd then doeth a Phoenix lye VVho liv'd all three and did vnspotted dye Mr IAMES GORDON Then Student New Minister of GOD'S Word at Kearne EPITAPH Vpon the death of PATRICK FORBES Late Bishop of Aberdene OF all this All the Universall frame The Beautie BRITANE is and ABERDENE Gives both a Grace and Grandour to the same For all is singular that there is seene But eminent aboue these all is One The chiefe and highest honour of that Towne Late Praelate PATRICK glorie of the Gowne BRITANE this All He grac'd ABERDONE And was an Ornament to all alone MISAKMOS Mr IAMES KEYTH A THRENODIE Vpon the Lamentable and ever to bee deplored death of the most Reverend Father in CHRIST PATRICKE Late Bishop of Aberdene One of the Lordes of Privie Counsell and Right Honourable Laird of Corse and Baron of Oneill HIs Birth sad Muse his lyfe his death passe by And all that follow'd these and doe not pry In these transplendent rayes of Vertues light Which looking to may thee bereaue of sight But in thy passing by take once a glance And make that glance his prayses to advance First in his birth which is but least of all But great indeede but here to mynde I call His vert'ous lyfe by all so still renown'd That with it as a Garland Birth was crown'd His godlie lyfe with glistring Winges of Fame Doeth to all ages eternize his Name As in his mortall lyfe to CHRIST hee liv'd So now with CHRIST vnto CHRIST he dy'd Wee doe our Neighbour misse but his hath found CORNELIUS wee cause for to resound The hills and dales with sorrow hee with joy Wee for our Sheepherds losse not hee for why His Sheepherd hee hath found hee now is crown'd VVhich fills his heart with joy makes ours to sound VVith griefe away from vs to PAUL hath gone Our TIMOTHIE his precepts everie one How hee hath kept to show which makes our heart VVith joy with griefe for him to burst to smart For vs. Ah ABERDENE Ah ABERDONE Thy Light 's eclyps'd from thee thy joy is gone My Muse wold speak but it doth blush for shame Not being worthie to sound out His Fame Mr ALEXANDER WHYT Student in Divinitie ON THE DEATH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND REVEREND FATHER IN GOD PATRICK FORBES BISHOP OF ABERDENE WEE neede not bee lugubrious For this sweete holie One Who now from vs away is reft Vnto that heavenlie Throne For now hee weares the Diademe Of Glorie Immortall For his good workes in Heaven shyne Lyke Starres coelestiall But to the LORD Omnipotent Who him hath princelie crownd Let vs giue thankes and eke His prayse With heart and voyce resound A rarer Man could not bee found As this on earth to dwell For hee in Vertues all but most In WISEDOME did excell His vertuousnesse for to expresse It is but all in vayne Because to all are manifest His Vertues without stayne A Godlier could not bee found All mortall men among Who for his good and godlie lyfe Vnto the Heavens is gone IOHN IOHNSTON Student in Philosophie In the King's Colledge of Aberdene Raban's Regrate For the present losse of his very good Lord Patron and Master PATRICK FORBES Bishop of Aberdene Baron of Corse and Oneill Who most Peaceablie and Godlie departed hence to a Better lyfe vpon Easter-Even about 3 aclocke in the morning at his Pallace in Olde Aberdene adjacent to the Cathedrall Church in the 71 yeare of his Honourable Age and the 17 yeare of his Godlie Governament March 28. Anno 1635. BEholde Alace Here lyeth ONE VVho on this Earth Compare had none A Learned Patron Wyse and Graue A Consull good What would you haue Chiefe Orator of Scotlands North. The World can not afford his VVorth A Prelate and a Pastor good VVho in due tyme gaue Heavenlie Food At Morne at Noone and Evening tyde Vnto His Flocke sweet IESUS Bryde The Poore with Meat Hee fed also None hungrie from His House did goe A CROSSE into His Badge Hee bore And follow'd CHRIST who went before But halfe a day for to prepare For CORSE with HIM an Heavenlie Share Then Death Where is thy Sting Let see And graue Where is thy Victorie Your Honour in the Dust is spred PATRICRE now reygnes with CHRIST His Head Death 's but a Passage to convoy Such Sayncts into their Master's Ioy. The LORD prepare vs lesse and more To follow Him Hee 's gone before Good Sirs I am bihind the rest I
Officâ—is Cap. 28. Certè vita potiùs mortali redonandum censuit DEVS illum mortuum quem Elisaei sepulobro illatum necessitas excusare videbatur quaÌ„ permittendum ut super sancti prophetae reliquâ—as humatus jaceret To the Truelie Honourable and vvorthie of Reverence Dr IOHN FORBES OF CORSE Rector of the Universitie of Aberdene and Professor of Divinitie in the same THe Carian Ladie in a statelie Frame Of richest matter with Dedalean Hands Caus'd build a Tombe to vindicate the Fame Of her deceassed Lord from Lethes sands So shall this Treatise to the world declare Thy Father's Honour and thy Filiall Care In it Characters of His matchlesse Worth Are to the Lyfe exprest in measur'd lynes And this ensueing piece is heere set foorth To bee the Usher to these great ingyns Whose quills are deeplie dyv'd in Cyrrha's Streame And so the fitter for this statelie Theame A Dolorous Expression of a wofull Breach made in our Church and Policie By the death of that Honourable Discreit and admirably gifted Prelate PATRICKE FORBES OF CORSE Late Bishop of Aberdene Chanceller and Restorer of the Universitie of the same and worthilie-one of his Majesties Privie Counsell c. Who vnder the hope of a Glorious Resurrection most chearfully layd downe his Tabernacle at his Palace in Aberdene the xxviij of March 1635. COnsider Sacred Nyne the cause why I doe weepe And in this time of publicke Griefe a doleful coÌ„sort keepe Stricke sad vpon your Lyrs Threnodicallie sing And let the torrent of your teares match your Castal'an Spring Send out your sighs with myne as Heralds of our woe To tell the world wee are injur'd by man-kynds ruethles Foe Whose hand alace hath spoyld our Countreys rarest gemme And slayne Minerva's Minion sprung from a statelie stemme Who can abstaine from Teares to see his Shryne enterr'd On whom the Lord with lib'rall hand so many Gifts coÌ„ferr'd And these in mercie were so seasoned with Grace That every eye saw him a man proportion'd for his place And which adorn'd him much and did inlarge his fame Hee clearly taught the wayes of God and walked in the same His thoughts converst with God his lips were Trueth her keys Authoritie and Courtesie were pincell'd in his eyes And what I ever thought my pen shall now proclaime Hee was the splendor of our Church and glorie of his Name Our soveraign Lord our Church our Schools publick Stat Doe all concurre through sense of losse for to condoll this fate For while hee liv'd his gifts were vsefull for them all But GOD for to afflict the earth by death did him recall Leaving his darling Church the Orphane of his care The world the relict of his worth this Sea an emptie Chaire Yet everie place retaynes Characters of his worth VVhich ravisht myndes did oft admire but no hand could set foorth Then Muse bee not asham'd sincerelie to confesse That thou will but obscure his worth if thou preasse to expresse This pearlesse Prelats praise in whoÌ„ we saw coÌ„bynd Minervas wit Apollo's tongue and Phineas zealous mynde An vnrelenting hope firme fayth and daring cowrage A Soule devote a lyfe vnstayn'd a kyndlie-manlie visage A will propense to good a just-divyded eare A marble breast well fortified against th' assaults of Feare A heart enricht with loue a mynde with deepe conceptions A tongue and pen replenished with ravishing expressions His wit vntyed all knots his cowrage overcame All incident difficulties Hee ever was the same But since my slow-plum'd Muse with her vnsassel'd phraises Can not amount the high extent of his deserved praises I will resigne this taske to some Maron'an pen Which can more fitlie celebrate this Quintessence of Men. Yet no Virgilâ—an quill can honour him so much As hee will dignifie the same his worthienesse was such Wherein I dare avow hee hath exceeded all That ever did possesse this Chaire I feare or ever shall But if that Sions Lord who treads vpon the Sphears Shal blesse this Church with such a Guide then I 'll recant my Fears And with a heart enlarg'd praise HIM while I haue breath Who only can fil vp the breach made by our Prelats death Of His Sepulchre IF halow'd Ashes can renowne a place If Relicts of rare Saincts procure respect If sacred Vessels of great gifts and grace Can viants hearts with deepest groanes affect Then none can looke vpon this Prelates Urne But with a due respect must sigh and mourne And for his worth preferre this sleeping rowme To Mausolus his much admired Tombe MASTER DAVID LINDSAY Person of Belhelvie and Moderator of the Presbyterie of ABERDENE AN ECLOG On the Death of the same Incomparable Prelate Written by the foresayd Master DAVID LINDSAY Person of BELHELVIE and Moderator of the Presbyterie of ABERDENE Compraehensor Viator C. SPeake Pastors of this Church with whom I once converst And tell mee whence your teares proceeds Are all your flocks disperst V. Is this our Prelates voyce whom wee enjoyde of late Is 't thy imparadized Soule that doeth condole our state Then giue triumphing ghosts can stoupe to thinges belowe And Condiscend th' afflicted case of Militants to know Wee will vnfolde the cause of our luxurious teares It 's thy translation from this Seat to the coelestiall sphears C. What doe yee grudge my state who haue made gayne by death V. No but lament our losse of thee with sorrow-sounding breath How can wee cease from teares when wee remember now The loving aspects of thy face the terrors of thy brow The first inlyf'd our hearts the nixt did guarde our sheepe Thy zeale thy wit thy actiue care did all in safetie keepe When thou our Center wast wee thy Circumference The Rod of Aaron blossom'd faire by thy wyse influence But now wee languish all our Halcyon dayes are ended And that most justlie wee confesse for happie tyme mispendeâ— Our hands were steel'd by thee thou clear'd our clowdie sight When any thing was out of frame thou joynted all things right The errant wilfull weake thou carefullie observ'd Whom thou reclaym'd constaain'd releiv'd thou all in peace preserv'd Our losse alace is gayne to the Ignatian brood Whose machinations thou forsaw whose practise thou withstood Since thou removedst hence they dare accoast our Flocks The wholesome seede that wee haue sowne there nociue darnell chocks Now at thy emptie Chayre wee stand amaz'd to see So great a Tropicke of our state so suddenlie to bee C. Wmquhill Commilitons why should yee thinke it strange To see a Church that 's militant subjected to a change For neyther tyme nor place is priviledg'd below A Church that wants parallaxes is in the heavens yee know And giue the tymes bee evill preserue your owne soules pure That which yee cannot rectifie with griefe of heart endure Let not your zeale disbend prooue faithfull in your places Communicete with no mans sinne set GOD before your faces Who will your paines at last remunerate in loue And place you with the rest of Saincts
acquire a Kingdome to Himselfe so death is to the Godlie an entrance into that kingdome which GOD hath promised to those that loue Him and everie Godlie man may vvhen hee dieth say with PAVL Hencefoorth there is layde vp for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse Secondlie As for the vnion of Loue or Friendship which the Godlie haue with CHRIST death can not ende or dissolue it for Paul telleth vs That nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of CHRIST and in the wordes following boldlie giveth a defyance to death affirming That it is not able to effectuatâ— this separation Manie yea great and inaesteemable benefits redound vnto the Godlie by vertue of this vnion in the houre of their death For first by reason of it CHRIST IESVS in that most dangerous houre pleadeth for them most earnestlie and effectuallie Our necessitie doeth require this For when wee are arreasted by Death and are going to bee praesented before that dreadfull Tribunall vvhere all our workes of Righteousnesse yea all our sufferings can not sufficientlie pleade for vs wee haue more nor neede that that Blood which speaketh better thinges than that of Abell should pleade for Mercy and favour to vs. His loue also and most tender affection which made Him to ware or bestowe His Blood and His Lyfe for vs can not but make Him to ware His Request for vt in that tyme of our great neede Hee vvho vpon the Crosse prayed for His cruell Tormentors vvill vndoubtedlie nowe vvhen Hee is in His Kingdome remember His Friendes and say Pater ignosce iis Father forgiue them Hee vvho in that last and most dolorous night of His lyâ—e when Hee made as it were His Legacie and declared His latter Will to His Father sayde concerning all the Elect Father I will that they also whome Thou hast given Mee bee with Mee c. Hee I say will particularlie for everie one of them at the houre of their death say Father it is My will that this My Servant whom Thou hast given Mee bee with Me where I am that hee may beholde that Glorie which Thou hast given Mee Secondlie in respect of this Union CHRIST doeth strengthen the Godlie vpon their bed of languishing and maketh all their bed in their sicknesse yea Hee maketh a Bed of inward joye and comfort vnto their soules wherein they may rest and bee refreshed when their bodily payns are most grievous and intollerable For then Hse speaketh to them by His Spirit Wordes of comfort or rather as Peter calleth them Words of aeternall Lyfe He sayth to them as Hee sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradyse Hee sayth to them as Hee sayde concerning Lazarus his sicknesse This sicknesse is not vnto death yea This death is not vnto death but for the Glorie of GOD and also for your glorie that by it yee may attayne vnto aeternall Glorie and Happinesseâ— and as He sayd to Iacob when hee was going downe to Aegypt Feare not to goe downe to Aegypt for I will goe downe with thee and will surelie bring thee vp agayne so sayeth He to His languishing and dying Servants Feare not to goe downe into the darke and silent Graue for I will goe downe with you and I also will surelie bring you vp agayne These and the lyke comforts Christ Iesus by the inward and secret language or testimonie of His Spirit doeth communicate vnto manie of His Servantes â—pon their death-beds but whether or not He doeth communicate them vnto all the Elect without exception I dare not determine as I sayd before One thing I firmlie belieue That all the Elect are in some measure strengthened by Him vpon the bed of languishing I meane vpon their death-bed yea so strengthened that all the Powers of Hell can not make them to die in that fearfull sinne of Desparation For GOD vvho is not deficient in thinges necessarie for our naturall lyfe and much lesse in thinges necessarie for our spirituall estate hath giveÌ„ vs this sweet promise I will never leaue thee nor forsake thee and consequentlie deoth ever conserue in His owne Children such a measure of Fayth and Hope as is sufficient for salvation Thirdlie As the Godlie in the houre of death are bolde to commende their spirites vnto CHRIST and as it were to breathe out their soules into His Bosome for this is the last sute of a departing Saynct LORD IESVS receaue my spirit so Hee also in regard of this vnion granteth their desire that is He receaveth their spirits He welcoÌ„meth them with this sweet Salve Intra in gaudium DOMINI tui Enter into the joye of thy LORD and Hee praesenteth them vnto His Father saying Beholde I and the Children which GOD hath given mee Iohn I am sure was glad vvhen CHRIST sayde to His Mother Beholde thy Sonne and to him Beholde thy Mother Howe much more shall mee rejoyce when CHRIST bringing our soules into GOD'S Chamber of Praesence shall say to GOD Ecce Filii Tui Beholde thy Children and to vs Ecce Pater vester Beholde your Father The third or last sort of vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ to wit the vnion of influence or reall operation and in speciall that vnion whereby the Godlie are vnited with Christ as members of his mysticall bodie and branches ingrafted in him not onlie continueth or endureth vnto death but in death and by vertue thereof the spirituall lyfe which is communicated vnto the Godlie in their regeneration and the vitall operations of the same are so effectuallie and reallie preserved that the Godlie may be sayd not onlie to liue when they die but also to come by death to a greater perfection of their lyfe For the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that the supernaturall lyfe which wee haue by grace is an everlasting lyfe as lykewyse that it is but imperfect here and shall be perfected hereafter For here we walke by fayth and not by sight and now that is in this present lyfe we see through a glasse darklie but then that is in the lyfe to come we shall see God face to face And therefore holie Augustine sayeth verie well that our lyfe which now is nothing but hope shall hereafter be aeternitie and that the lyfe of this mortall lyfe is the hope of an immortall lyfe Yee haue heard now that the vnion which the godly haue with Christ is not abolished nor yet diminished but rather augmented and perfected by death Whereby ye may learne first how firme and stable that vnion is which wee haue with Christ seeing as I haue shown you death it selfe is not able to dissolue it Happie are these then who count all thinges but dung that they may gaine Christ and that they may be found in him c. For with MARIE they haue chosen that good part which shall not be taken
That noble and valorous Earle ROBERT DEVEREUX Earle of ESSEX who suffred in the yeare 1601 for his rebellion and died verie Christianlie as Historicians report being desired by the Pastors who were present at his execution to laye aside all feare of death ingenuouslie confessed that although hee had beene in manie extreame daungers and consequentlie had looked death oft tymes in the face yet hee had never looked vpon it without much horrour and feare But our worthie Prelate was so wonderfullie assisted and strengthened by the Spirit of GOD agaynst the terrours of death that in all these conflictes and wrastlinges which in his bodie hee had with death hee seemed rather to bee a spectator than an actor And this his more than ordinarie carriage continued still with him vntill hee breathed out his Soule into the Bosome of his Master To conclude then I haue spoken somewhat of this most Reverende Praelate but much short of his worth graces If any of you think that I haue said too much of his vertues truelie I will professe to you that I thinke farre more of them nor I haue sayde neyther dare I speake all that I thinke lest my speaches seeme to these who know him not or loue him not to proceede from a flattering humour I will not say of him as VELLEIUS PATERCULUS sayde of SCIPIO AEMILIANUS that in all his lyfe hee neyther did nor spake nor thought anie thing but that which was prayse worthie a speach not hyperbolicke onlie but impious but as Metellus Macedonicus sayde of the same man to his sonnes when they were going to his Buriall Goe my sonnes and celebrate his Exequies you shall never see the Funeralls of a greater Citizen so I will saye nowe to you Goe celebrate the Funeralls of our Venerable and moste worthie Bishop you shall never see the Funeralls of a worthier Praelate whyle you liue And so I ende beseeching God to giue to vs all as hee gaue to him grace to liue in the LORD to the effect that we also may die in the LORD AMEN A FVNERALL SPEACH In commemoration of the right Reverend Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES of CORSE late Bishop of ABERDENE Chancellour and Restorer of the Universitie thereof one of his Majesties most honorable Privy Counsel a jewell both of Church and State Baron of ONEIL c. Delivered Apr. 12. 1635. by ALEXANDER SCROGIE Doctor in Divinitie and ordinarie Minister of Gods word in the Cathedrall Church of ABERDENE THE beholding of this place over-shadowed with a darke and dolefull countenance vpon this vnacceptable occasion GOD so ordering and disposing the wayes of men by his providence giveth vs just cause of heavines for the losse of that Graue and Reverend Praelate and ever worthie Diocesane a Man of eminent and best place amongst vs whom albeit wee had cum necessitate amittendi and haue lost him cum spe recipiendi and so are comforted with the will of the LORD that must be done yet not to haue feeling of that which so nearlie concerneth vs were not patience but blockish stupiditie contrarie the example of Heathen and Sayncts and the Lord IESUS mourning for Lazarus the destruction of Hierusalem and hard heart of the Iewes This is a praecursorie judgement and punishment So God maketh a way for his judgementes to come vpon a Church or kingdome when insensiblie and graduallie hee eateth out the heart and strength of a State and so by degrees weakeneth and praepareth it for a fatall blow that so without resistance hee may ruine it as pyking out and taking away nowe a prudent and experienced Counsellour and then another out of the way and those that pray for the welfare of the Nation and wrastle mightilie with God for the peace of it the Charets and Horse-men of the land the staffe and the stay and pillars of the house and so by degrees departing himselfe a new judgement in his anger entereth in rowme thereof Then Trueth and Holinesse commonlie depart and Ministers begin to bee corrupt the Prophet is a foole and the spirituall man is mad the power and puritie of the trueth and the good and olde way departeth and so idolatrie groweth and Sects encrease and a perilous desolation and change of all things enseweth What mischiefe followed the death of Samuel David Salomon and Iosias The Gothes after the death of Ambrose made in that same place irruption and setled the seat of their kingdome When Augustine ended his dayes in defence of the grace of GOD the Vandales crueltie and errours succeeded And after the death of blessed Martin Luther the bloodie Spaniards invaded Germanie and tooke Wittenberg And shall wee not wit when GOD departeth but bee as Sampson GOD by death hath taken away within this short space a great number of rare and worthie men both for wisdome and learning which were Ornamentes and Lightes in this Diocie and wee see no great evidenes howe to fill vp this gap It is an ancient proverbe Vivorum oportet meminisse and why then should there not bee made an honourable mention of them who haue died in the Lord because they liue to God Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Sayncts and shall it seeme vnto vs superfluous at such tymes as these are to heare in what manner they ended their lyues he hath so exactly recorded in Scripture in what sort they haue closed their dayes on earth that hee descendeth even to their meanest actions as what meat they longed for in their sicknesse what they spake to their Children or Friendes howe they framed their Testamentes where they haue willed to bee buried yea the verie turning of their faces to this or that side the setting of their eyes the degrees whereby their naturall heate departed from them their cryes groanes breathinges panting and last gasping hee hath solemnlie commended to all generations And GOD by the Prophet hath for ever commended to the Church David his Epitaph and Funerall Song of wicked Saull and Ionathan his sonne He decoreth them as if God from Heaven had said that the Captaynes of the Armies of Israell should not bee convoyed to the graue without honour and teares And no lesse they who haue deserved well of the Church and Common-wealth who haue put to flight the enemies with the sword of their mouth and of the Spirit than they which haue slayne them with the mouth and edge of the Sword and by Armies God maketh an honourable commemoration of them that did assist his service and cause and giveth them their glorie that doe any thing for him Which Christ applyeth to the woman that anoynted him So that it is not onlie lawful but also profitable that the godlie lyfe manners and vertue manner and forme of the death of the faythfull servands of God worthie of aeternall prayse bee recommended to future ages that they may bee acquaynted therewith So the care of the
living to liue and die well is encreased when they know that their death and lyfe shall not bee folded vp in silence They are stirred vp to the imitation of their lyfe and example and are taught to walke in a good conscience as they haue done before them And when they heare how mercifullie God hath dealt with them in the houre of their last neede besides the prayse they giue to God for his graces shyning in them and the joye which they finde in the communion of Sayncts their hope is much confirmed agaynst the day of their last dissolution beholding God delivering his servandes from these miseries and restlesse temptations and receaving them into rest with himself in the heavēs Yea the sound of these thinges doeth not so passe the eares of those that are most dissolute in lyfe but it causeth them sometyme or other to wish in their heartes O that wee might die the death of the righteous and that our ende might bee lyke his And especiallie in these dayes it is needfull that in charitie wee testifie the trueth of our brethren departed and mayntayne their fame and justifie them from the calumnies of the wicked who open their mouthes to prattle agaynst Pastors both living and dead vnthankfullie rendering evill for good and cruellie censuring on bare Rumour agaynst Charitie especiallie them of most eminent place A before the person was wont to beare of manie blowes from the function nowe the function woundeth the person And that which should command respect brandeth them mens inconsiderate zeale breeding monstrous conceptions vncharitable censures and envie of their greatnesse Mortuis leonibus vivi lepores insultant Wee here especiallie who reape the fruit of his laboures ought of duetie of a pious affection and thankfull mynde lament his losse and acknowledge his worth who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sophocles commended Philoctetes and was as Theodor sayde of Irenaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is nowe a glorious starre in the Heavens aboue as hee was a shyning lampe in the firmament of the Church here on earth And what my selfe haue observed by long acquayntance nude nuda loquar neyther for fashion nor flatterie that neyther his just prayse be silenced nor anie thing besides the trueth bee forged I may say with Bernard Doleo quod plenum affectū exili cogor designare stylo brevi chartula latam comprehendere charitatem festine enim ista dicta sunt ob hoc minus festivè As hee was largelie honoured by God in blood in name and descent of an honourable stocke so he honoured it with all the true ornamentes of vertue and wisdome In his private lyfe by his pietie and Religion constant profession of the trueth in the strictest sort by diligent profitable hearing therof and living accordinglie and as a Godlie Christian teaching others by his example and might haue sayde as Gedeon As I doe so doe yee Thereafter receaved to bee a Pastor and Church-man hee was not an ydle shepheard but diligent and paynfull from his entrie in the Ministerie and feeding of the people with sound doctrine powerfullie delivered alwayes resident and never a deserter of that flocke and in that tyme ever vigilant by all meanes to procure the peace of the Church and the staffe of the binders vnbroken but to bee still knit together in God and the Spirit of concord and vnitie Thereafter his calling to the Episcopall dignitie was rare and examplarie without his knowledge or seeking directlie or indirectlie sine ambitu and vsurpation hunting after places and preferment as manie doe thorow ambition and loue of gayne and glorie not awayting the LORD'S calling Onlie this I can not forbeare Our gracious Soveraygne of blessed memorie did not so much honour him as himselfe and the age in the freedome of his noble and vnexpected choyse and that Elogie which Nazianzen giveth to Saynct Basil truelie and properlie fitteth our Bishop hee was promoved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though hee acknowledged a deepe obligation to many great and honourable friendes yet he ought it to no thing to no man but to GOD'S Providence and the King's bountie And thus shall it be done to all them that honour GOD and the King GOD and the King without doubt will honour them Hee beeing preferred to bee a Bishop Over-seer and President of others in the Church and to bee employed in matters of weyghtiest importance and having put on that sacred honour yet was hee never lesse in his owne apprehension what ever he seemed to others not statelie but gentle courteous and effable to all It agreed to him which is spoken of Simon the son of Onias the Priest in the Greeke text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee glorified the sacred Priestlie Garment with Vertue Wisdome and Nobilitie not feeding himselfe nor ydlie and vnprofitablie spending his lyfe but in the worke of the LORD That whereas in others wealth and power furnisheth them fewell to the fire of their lusts in him it furnished greater matter of doing set his vertuous mynd the more on worke as Gregorie Nazian reporteth of Basilius the great the more libertie he had the lesse he challenged to himself remembering what Seneca said Caesari cui omnia licēt propter hoc ipsum multa non licent not languishing with ease and delicacie and enjoying few free houres that beeing over-spent with worke hee often tymes complayned of his change and heartilie wished to haue returned to a private lyfe by reason of the cares toyl◠and vexations which attende that place as Saynct Gregorie did if nothing but earthlie respectes had swayed him But hee followed the calling of GOD to whose service hee willinglie sacrificed himselfe and whose glorie was the ende of his beeing His first and foremost care was for the House of GOD and especiallie of the Cathedrall Church where hee did reside aedifying and reparing the ruines thereof and furnishing it with ornamentes convenient and which had lyen waste and desolate since the Reformation wanting a Preacher because they who sacrilegiouslie had impropriated the Tithes wanted conscience to provyde a Minister and mayntaynance for him And that there might alwayes bee an able and Godlie Ministerie hee caused found a Profession of Divinitie and a Rent for the entertaynment thereof in all tymes comming The Benefit whereof the Countrey hath alreadie with great contentment beholden And in his frequent Visitations of the Churches in his Diocie hee removed from manie places ydle Lubbards and purged out all vncleane and vnprofitable ministers planted Churches where there were none and caused endow them with Land and Living that there might bee mayntaynance in the House of GOD for the Prophets and their sonnes after them Hee dissolved in manie places the vnhappie vnion which was made of Churches and procured severall Plantations of them Ierome sayeth Tanta debet esse scienti◠eruditio Pontificis DEI ve gestus ejus
whom this peaceable departure is had and what is the ground of the Godlie's assurance of the LORD' 's granting the same to wit His Word and Promise And last what is it that maketh the death of the Godlie to bee peaceable and by consequence so appetible to wit even the sight of the LORD'S Salvation For â—yne eyes sayeth hee haue seene thy Salvation First then wee see that as there is an oritur or an entrie into this lyfe by birth so there is a moritur or a departure out of this lyfe by death a Genesis wee haue by the one an Exodus by the other And this is grounded vpon that common Law by reason of Man's transgression Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Wherevnto is agreeable tâ—at which is sayd by the Apostle It is appoynted for all men once to die and after this is judgement Therefore sayeth the Psalmist without anie exception What man liveth and shall not see death For we haue here no continuing citie sayeth S. Paul and our juorney is from the wombe to the worme carried in the swift chariot of tyme vpon the two restlesse wheeles of motion and mutation till we arriue at that innes in ende wherein wee shall say to corruption Thou art our Father and to the worme thou art our brother and our sister And as wee were made of the earth and liue on it so wee shall returne to it to rest in it till wee ryse from it age still wearing vs sicknesse preparing death arresting the graue expecting the wormes at last welcomming vs. Therefore well may it be saide of all as it was wittilie saide to a Grammarian that tho hee could decline a nowne in everie case yet death can not bee by any declined in no case WHENCE WEE LEARNE 1. Seeing our mansion place is not here but as Isai sayeth our age departeth and is removed from vs as a shepheards tent and wee must depart our selues at last and as the Apostle subjoyneth then come to judgement Therefore the rememberance of our departure should ever bee before our eyes and a daylie preparation for the same should ever be our practise praying with Moses Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applye our heartes vnto wisedome acknowledging this only to be true wisedome to worke out the worke of our owne salvation in feare and in trembling therefore sayeth one Mors tibi semper sit in tua cogitatione quia ea semper est in tui expectatione Which moved Abraham to make a buriall place his first possession in the promised land and Ioseph of Arimathea to haue his tombe in his garden of pleasure Nothing being more powerfull than this daylie rememberance to kill sin quell pryd quench concupiscence convince auarice confound luxurie abate vaine-glorie and weane our hearts from all worldlie vanitie and therefore this having bene ever the godlies Arithmeticke the Saincts Geometrie and the Christians Philosophie Seeing we must depart from this world then let not our soules bee insnared and intangled with the loue of the world let vs eschew the serpents curse to bee still cleaving to the dust of the earth or with Esau to content with the fatte of the same let vs not bee so base as to be filii terrae onlie earth wormes who are borne anew to be children to God citizens of Heaven but in tyme separate our selues in affection therefra vsing the same as if wee vsed it not that our separation by dissolution therefra may bee the fruition of a better inheritance and considering that a little earth must once containe whom the whole earth can not content Seeing we must depart from hence and that wee know not how soone as the Lord sayde vnto Abraham Exi de terra tua we be in lykemanner charged to goe out of this earthlie tabarnacle let vs forecast with our selues and thinke of our after-estate which is not to bee for a short tyme but eternall for ever and therefore let vs be like that wise steward spoken of in the Gospell make friends to our selues with the mammon of iniquitie that when wee fayle wee may be receaved into everlasting habitations Prospice praemitte must bee the practise then of a prudent Christian that so he may know the reason of his cupio dissolvi to bee with the Apostle this confidence of his after-estate esse cum CHRISTO else dolefull will bee the sight of death lyke Iehues march be towards him when hee can onlie say this or worse with that heathen wretch Animula blandula vagula quae nunc abibis inloca And if it please the Lord in this lyfe to exercise vs with crosses or discontentments yet let vs not grudge with our lot but possesse our Soules with patience remember that our tyme of bearing the crosse after our Saviour is but short a tyme draweth neare wherein wee shall depart from them they in lyke manner giue an eternall farewell to vs the Canaanite shal no more be in the land the rod of the wicked shall be no more vpon the backe of the righteous the godlie shall no more sowe in teares but it shal be sayd to the soule by her blessed Bryde-groome as wee haue in the Canticles Aryse my loue my faire one and come away for loe the winter is past the raine is over and gone The flowers appeare on the earth the tyme of singing of birds is come and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our Land Vespera quos flentes ducit sata sancta ferentes Fasciculis gravidos aurora reducet ovantes Secondly this Text intimateth vnto vs that death or this bodylie departure is common to Gods servants as well as to the wicked therefore sayeth old Simeon Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace and accordingly doeth the Psalmist inquire without any exception saying What man is hee that liveth and shall not see death for which cause wee see that this is ever the common clausule of that record of the lyues of all those worthies from Adam to Noah Gen. 5. and â—ee died Howsoever then that Abraham bee commended for fayth Isaac for pietie Iacob for integritie Ioseph for chastitie Moses for meeknesse Samuell for vprightnesse David for zeale Salomon for wisdome and Iob for patience c. yet deaths sythe mowed them all downe as grasse and they slept with their Fathers The reasons of which the Lords doing are 1. For the manifestation of his trueth in that threatening of Adam and all his posteritie Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne 2. For declaration of his power 1. over sinne which brought in death wherein Gods wonderfull power is seene that hee maketh death which sinne brought in vtterlie to abolish sinne which bred and brought in the same so that thereof it may bee sayde Filia devoravit matrem and that sinne which in vs grace maketh moribundum death killeth out-right and maketh it to bee
tossing the mynde cares torturing the heart paines pinching the bodie pensiuenesse possessing the soule feares fretting crosses consuming and death at last consummating And wherein there is not any houre wherein we are not eyther in the remembrance of calamities by-past or the sense of some present or vnder the feare and foresight of some that are to come So that it is most true which Iob sayeth of man in this lyfe Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and full of trouble Curasque subiisse molestas Sors homini connataetulit velut edita prunis Scintilla ignitis tenues vaga scandit in aâ—ras O then as sayeth Moses That men were wyse aâ—d would consider their latter ende and would thinke on the worlds vanitie to despyse it lyfes frayltie to contemne it deaths certayntie to expect iâ— judgements severitie to prevent it hells miserie to avoyde it and heavens felicitie to attayne it Seeing the death of the Godlie is a parting not a perishing a delyverie and not a destruction an annalysing not an annihilating In qua potius miseria Christiani quam ipse Christianus moritur Therefore the same is not to be feared by them who die nor yet excessiuelie deplored by vs who surviue praemitâ—untur enim non amittuntur oriuntur potius quam moriuntur eorumque funera sunt iis maximâ— foenera So that death vnto them is rather premiall nor penall lyfe nor losse and the day thereof lyke a birth-day to bee celebrated in respect of them rather with mirth nor mourning Therefore they rather desire nor dread the same saying with David My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Or with S. Paull I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Or with Simeon here Lord now let thy servant depart in peace Or with the Sayncts saying How long O Lord which art holie and true Come Lord Iesu come quicklie And good reason they haue for doing so because three things concurre to them which are matter of great joye to vs in this lyfe a glad marriage a glorious triumph and a solemne coronation the marriage with Christ the triumph over all their enemies the coronation with a crowne of righteousnesse If poore Esther then and all her kinred were glad when shee was assumed by king Assuerâ—s to bee his Queene If David rejoyced when hee came backe triumphing after the slaughter of Goliah and if the earth it selfe rang for joye with the acclamations of the coronation of Salomon O how joyefull a day is that wherein the poore soule of a Christian is married gloriouslie with Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords and at the sight of that blessed Brydegroome as at Elizabeth's hearing of the blessed virgines salutation the Baptist did how doeth that soule spring and leape for joye O with what joyefull acclamations also doe these glorious spirits welcome the triumphant soule that is victorious over the enemies of Gods glorie and man's good and who so rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner much more shall they not at the coronation of a Saynct assumed vp to heaven associate to the Patriarches made equall with the Angels and conformed to Christ The fourth thing which this Text offereth to our consideration is the difference betweene the death of the Godlie and the death of the wicked the one is in peace the other not therefore sayeth the Prophet There is no peace to the wicked sayeth my GOD. But on the contrary Marke the Godlie and the vpright man sayeth the Psalmist For the ende of that man is peace for according to his soules estate as sayth Isaias hee entereth into peace and according to his bodie he resteth in the graue as a sweet sleeping bed so that hee may say with David I will lay mee downe in peace and sleepe And when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy lykenesse The cause of which death in peace is the lyfe of grace and because they lived the lyfe of the righteous therefore they die the death of the righteous But as for the wicked they depart not in peace because their life was destitute of grace both which the Apostls joyne as inseparable in their salutations grace and peace therefore sayth the Prophet of them The way of peace they haue not knowne and there was no vprightnesse in their goings but they made them crooked pathes wherein whosoever goeth hee shall not know peace wherefore they shall be in death as Balthassar was in his agonie seeing nothing but their guiltie conscience wryting bitter things against them sorrowing for their sinnes bygone being in anguish for their present miserie and in terrour for torments to come Satan now accusing them the conscience convicting them the lawe condemning them the Gospell forsaking them the Heavens debarring them and lyke Ionas whale hell gaping to swallowe them O dreadfull perplexitie when feare is so on everie syde a wrathfull judge aboue vnquenchable flames beneath a gnawing worme within a dreadfull dittie before fearfull fiends about and a dolefull doome at hand Whereas on the contraire the death of the Godlie hath peace for perplexitie solace for sorrow and for dreadour desire of dissolution their sinnes are silent their conscience calme the Law absolveth them the Gospell comforteth them their Saviour attendeth them Heaven is open to them the Angels accompanie them their good workes doe follow them O comfortable is the clayme that the soule maketh in that houre to God as a reconciled Father to Christ as her bryde-groome and Saviour to his blood as her ransome to his sufferings as her satisfaction to his promises as the covenant to Heaven as his purchase for her and to the societie of the Sayncts and Angels as fellow-citizens in eternall glorie with her 1. Seeing then that this is onlie the priviledge of Gods servantes to depart in peace let not Satan's slaues in their senselesse securitie clayme or expect the same For such a Pearle is not for swyne nor this Bread of God's Children is not to be given to doggs Therefore it may be sayde to them as Iehâ— sayd to Ioram What hast thou to doe with peace so long as thy impieties are so manie and thy impenitencie so great Or as the Lord sayth to the wicked What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant of peace in thy mouth that thou shouldest expect to die the death of the righteous who wilt not liue the lyfe of the righteous Seeing that Qui in vita moritur per vitiâ— certò in morte transire oportet ad aeterna supplicia 2. Seeing the departure of the Godlie is in peace that as the Prophet sayeth in that houre they enter into peace or into a joyfull and peaceabe estate resting from their labours it followeth then that they depart not with the terrifying expectation of a fyrie purgatorie wherein
thousandes saying with a loude voyce Worthie is the Lambe that was slayne to receaue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glorie c. And as th'Apostle witnesseth 2. Cor. v. 8 being absent from the bodie they are present with the LORD And Phil. j. 23 his desire was to depart and to bee with CHRIST And expresslie Augustine sayeth Lib. 13. de Civitate Dei Cap. 8. In requie enim sunt animae piorum à corpore separatae impiorum autem poenas luunt donec istarum ad aeternam vitam illarum ad aeternam mortem quae secunda dicitur corpora reviviscant The soules of the Godlie sayeth hee being separated from the bodie are at rest and the souls of the wicked are punished vntill that tyme the bodies of the one bee awakened to aeternall lyfe and the bodies of the other to aeternall death which is called The second death The bodies then onlie of the Godlie doe sleepe in the dust of the earth The souls of men may haue and haue their owne actions without commerce with the bodies For in that the death of man is called a sleepe it evidentlie signifieth That the soules of men are not as the souls of other creatures who lose beeing with their bodies their death being no other than a destruction of both But as when the bodie sleepeth the soule will bee then thinking meditating and discoursing so when the bodie is lying asleepe in the graue the soule then is exercysing its owne heavenlie and spirituall functions That nowe then wee may knowe the nature of the death of the Godlie we haue to learne wherefore speciallie it is resembled to sleepe This appellation it getteth in Scripture is to testifie what good what happinesse the Godlie gayne by Death And to omit manie other resemblances betwixt them I will show it in this Even as a man all the day long wearied with toyle and travell when the night commeth laying aside all traffique of the world hee vncloatheth himselfe goeth to bed willingly yeelding to Nature where the senses beeing tyed vp by sleepe hee resteth from all his travels and sense of evill by which rest hee is more enabled agaynst his awakening for better exercyses as the Poët sayth of it Pectora duris Fessa ministeriis mulces reparasque labori So the Godlie when the night of death commeth or when death approacheth they lay aside all worldlie thinges and prepare themselues for it with Ezekiah they set their house in order knowing that they must die they yeeld to the God of Nature saying vnto them Returne yee children of men Psal. xc 3 They vncloathe their souls and put off their earthlie tabernacle Then their bodies are layde downe in the dust as in a sweete sleeping bed and as Iob sayeth as the waters fayle frrom the sea and the flood decayeth and dryeth vp So man lyeth downe and ryseth not till the Heavens bee no more they shall not awake nor bee raysed out of their sleepe Iob xiv 11.12 Where they are delivered from all cares all toyle and sense of evill wherevnto before they were subject and therin they are fitted and prepared for all Happinesse By this resemblance we may perceaue first that the death of the Godlie putteth an ende to all miseries For by it wee are delivered both à malo culpae and à malo poenae from sinne it selfe and from the punishment of sinne After death the Godlie doe not sinne anie more Howe great Happinesse this is may bee easilie vnderstood by that groaning petition vttered by the Apostle Rom. vij 24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death By death they are delivered from it for he that is dead is fred froÌ„ sin Rom. 6.7 delivered froÌ„ the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD Rom. viij â—1 Yea from all occasions and temptations to sinne Desiit peccare desiit jactari desiit miser esse He ceasseth to sinne or to bee tossed with anie winde of temptation to sinne In a word Hee ceasseth to bee miserable and therefore I sayde also that hee is fred à malo poenae In this lyfe man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble Iob xiv 1 And Salomon acknowledgeth That there is nothing vnder the sunne but trouble and vexation of spirit The bodie of man is morborum seminarium a seed-plot of all diseases No sooner yea before wee begin to bee borne wee begin to bee sicke Quis ille qui non aegrotat in hac vita Quis non longum languorem trahit nasci hic in corpore mortali incipere aegrotare est Aug. in Psal. cij ante med Who is hee sayeth hee that is not sicke in this lyfe Who is hee that languisheth not To begin to bee borne in this mortall bodie is to bee sicke The mynde and soule of man is subject vnto griefe and anguish which is an intollerable miserie David compareth it to arrowes Psal. xxxviij 2. For thyne arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore Consonant wherevnto is that of Iob Chap. xvj 13 His archers compasse me round about hee cleaveth my reynes asunder and doeth not spare And A wounded spirit sayd Salomon who can beare The sense of it made CHRIST Himselfe say My Soule is exceeding sorrowfull even vnto death Matth. xxvj 38 The estate of man is subject to Povertie and Want a grievous punishment for ridiculos homines facit the poore are the object of mockerie Salomon sayeth Prov. xiv 20 The poore is hated even of his owne neyghbour And Prov. xix 7 All the brethren of the poore doe hate him howe much more doe his friendes goe farre from him Hee persueth them with wordes yet they are wanting to him The name of man is subject to shame and contempt which even evill men abhorre more than death Saul did rather choose to fall on his owne sworde than to bee matter of sporte to his enemies The wicked at the day of Iudgement ere they endured the indignitie of this evill would rather that hills and mountayns should fall vpon them Yea besides to howe manie miseries daylie is man lyable to hunger thirst heate colde inaccommodation in dwelling much travell vaine hopes c. howe manie are his private crosses his publicke calamities and evils which wee bring vppon our selues injuries done to vs by others Yet when Death commeth it freeth vs of all these By Death wee lye still and are quyet wee sleepe and are at rest Iob iij. 13 And Blessed are the dead that die in the LORD they rest from their laboures Rev. xiv 13 Before Death come there can bee no perfect freedome from these evils for as Bernard speaketh Liberatio plena atque perfecta ante diem sepulturae esse non poterit quod maneat jugum gravè super filios Adam à die exitiuâ— de ventre matris ipsorum vsque in diem sepulturae in matrem omnium In
Ioanne Walker Rectore de Kinkell Testibus ad Praemissa vocatis et requifitis Ita est Georgius Mercer Notarius Publicus in Praemiss rogatus requisitus ad haec manu propria Ita est Thomas Davidson Notarius Publicus ac Testis in Praemissis ad haec rogatus requisitus manu propria Letter of a most Reverende Father in GOD Iohn Spotswood Arch-bishop of Saynct-Andrewes To Patrick Forbes of Corse Bishop of Aberdene in the tyme of the sayd Patrick's sicknesse To my verie Reverend good Lord and Brother My Lord the Bishop of Aberdene My Reverend good Lord and Brother I Never thinke of your Lordship nor haue occasion to wryte but my griefe encreaseth for want of your L. assistance and counsell in these necessarie tymes for our Church But wee must submit our selues to the will of GOD which I pray may bee done by vs patientlie and willinglie The Chancellar came this morning to me in Leith c. I rest with my Prayer to GOD for your L. Leith 16 May 1633. Your L. most assured Brother SAYNCT-ANDREWES Letter of a most Reverend Father in GOD and most honourable Lord Iohn Spotswood Arch-bishop of Saynct-Andrewes Primate and Lord high Chancellar of Scotland To Doctor Iohn Forbes of Corse vpon the report of the Godlie death of his Father Patrick Forbes of Corse late Bishop of Aberdene To my Reverend and loving Brother Doctor Iohn Forbes of Corse MOST DEARE BROTHER IF it bee true which is commonlie sayd and I verilie belieue that great sorrowes are lessened when others partake of the same then may your griefe bee much eased considering the numbers that beare a part with you in this great losse In so necessarie a tyme to bee bereaved of such Counsell and Comfort as GOD had furnished him with I meane your worthie Father for the directing of some and strengthening of others I know not what it portendeth to our Church When Bishop Elphinstone the Founder of your Colledge was layde in Graue the tradition is that a voyce was heard cry Tecum Gulielme Mitra sepelienda and that the Pastorall Staffe brake in pieces Hee was certaynlie an excellent man and I may truely say since him vnto your Father there arose not the lyke in that Church What say I in that Church Everie man can speake of that hee hath knowne and seene and for my selfe I speake trueth So wyse judicious so graue and gracefull a Pastor I haue not known in all â—ny tyme in anie Church Not to speake of his learning in all sortes of Divinitie of his prudencie in Church-governement of his solid advysses in matters of State or of the manie gracious conferences I haue had with him in private I shall never forget the answere hee gaue to some Brethren who desired of vs a Letter to his Majestie for dispensing with their obedience to the order praescribed in the ministration of the holie Sacrament when all had consented to wryte as they desired And Will you sayd he justifie the doctrine of these men who haue called the reverend gesture which we vse Idolatrie raysed such a schisme in our Church Till they bee brought publicklie to confesse their Errour or Heresie rather I shall never bee yeelding for my part It was before indifferent nowe I esteeme it necessarie in regard of the false opinions they haue dispersed to retayne constantlie the forme wee haue receaved With such a zeale and courage did hee in that matter expresse himselfe as they that made the motion were strickeÌ„ dumbe Surelie I my selfe that never behelde him without reverence did heare him that day with wonder To remember these things it doubleth my sorrow But hee was come to yeares and this Age not worthie to enjoye him anie longer Let mee say this without flattrie Our losses are some way recompensed in your selfe GOD hath given you both Grace and Learning and the expectation is great which the Church hath of you Goe on therefore and bee comforted Nothing in lyfe I coÌ„fesse hath troubled my selfe so much as the death of them I loved the death of your worthy Father in particular But wee must yeeld to that Great Ruler and knowe that Hee disposeth most wyselie both of persons and of thinges Hee is gone from vs to a better Societie vnto which I wish wee may all bee gathered in GOD His good tyme. I rest Dairsie the 2. of Aprill 16â—5 Your faythfull and assured Brother SAYNCT-ANDREWES Letter of a right Reverende Father in GOD Iohn Guthrie Bishop of Murray to Iohn Forbes of Corse in recordation of his Father Patrick Forbes of Corse late Bishop of Aberdene To my Reverend and deare Brother Iohn Forbes of Corse Doctor in Divinitie REVEREND AND DEARE BROTHER THE tydinges of the departure of your most Reverend Father put a sore knell to my heart and doubtlesse that wound had gone deeper if with Iob the thing that I was afrayde of had not come vnto mee At my last loosing from him which yee remeÌ„ber was fewe days or rather houres before his dissolution I had no small wrastling in my Breast betwixt Ioye and Griefe Griefe I say and no wonder beeing to parte from One who was to mee in place of manie and see his face no more Yet had I beene vnthankfull to GOD and vnduetifull to him with whose soule my soule was so nearlie knit if I had not rejoiced in that grace of GOD which I saw so aboundantlie in him made manifest by the gracious speaches which at that tyme dropped froÌ„ his lips These two evills which haue bene accustomed in extremities to affect the strongest moved him not at all not acerbitas doloris Sleepe had departed from his eyes appetite to meat or drinke was gone thus nature had fayled Medicine could no more worke yet all so patientlie endured yea so kyndlie and graciouslie accepted as was wonderfull Neither did the feare of Death which is omnium terribilium terribilissimum vexe him Hee was not at that tyme to begin his acquaintance with It as he at that instant professed to our great comfort who heard him and therevpon called to mynde a memorable storie which he deduced at length to our great admiration Death was become familiar to him and esteemed to bee in lucro He was not as a tree hewen down by violence but as a sheafe of corne comming in due season into the barne Having served his Master aboue 70 years hee could say with Hilarion Egredere anima mea quâ—modo mortem formidabo quae me meo creatori sit redditâ—ra What the renowned Arch-bishop of Canterburie Lanfranck prayed often for That hee might die such a death as hindered not his speach was granted to your most Reverend Father more having his speach articulate and distinct as ever memorie and judgement aboue all that could haue bene expected His last trust to me which was his greatest care on earth coÌ„cerning the filling of that Sea with a man furnished as the necessitie both of tyme place requyreth
hath bene in part alreadie and shal yet more fullie when occasion shall offer by the grace of GOD be discharged by me A great Prelate is falleÌ„ in our Israell The hole wherein that Cedar stood argueth his greatnes will not be easilie filled The Lord in His mercy provide In calling these things to mynde I may be readilie thought a miserable comforter but having to do with a man of vnderstanding I am confident to obtayne leaue to fixe my tabernacle here a little and communicate with you what haue bene the thoughts of my heart concerning him who was your Father mine the man on earth I must acknowledge whose counsell availed me most in the manifold distresses which were commoÌ„ to vs both I had a reverend estimation of him while he was living know well how steadable he was both in Church and Common-wealth but now being dead I knowe howe it is that my affection is more bended than when he was living Dulciora videÌ„tur omnia careÌ„tibus said Nicolas de ClamaÌ„gis vpon the death of his deare friend They who haue bene in their lyfe profitable to others and by whose lyfe much more good may be expected no marvell if they be still lamented But he is gone Abiit noÌ„ obiit we haue somewhat of him that remaines after death the bodie gone to the earth there to rest vnder the hope of that blessed Resurrection Illo mane the spirit returned to Him who gaue it his good name better than a good oyntment remayneth with vs and what he was and hath done shall be spoken of throughout the worlde for a rememberance of him both for his commendation and incitation of others who shall heare of him His memorie is blessed Those who truely feare GOD speak of your most Reverend Father with all respect they speake of him to the great joy of my heart what hath bene observeable in him from his verie first beginning A Chyld of God One who earlie sought Him a Man of God who being planted in the House of God and flowrishing in His Courts hath continued to bring foorth fruit even in his old age Ye will excuse mee if falling on this subject I enlarge my selfe a little and make faythfull relation to you of that which I haue receaved froÌ„ the mouthes of those of best Note in the kingdome and whereto I my selfe in the most part haue bene privie That blessed Apostle S. Paul served God from his Elders from them he tooke his being from them his pietie Religion Timothie the first Bishop of Ephesus had the lyke from his grand-mother Lois and his mother Eunice And was not this a great mercie of God towardes your most Reverend Father that hee was the sonne of your Grand-father whose name is great in the Church for his zeale towards God his Religion his coÌ„versation being answerable thereto His care in the education of his children of whom God hath given good store was not the least or last part of his coÌ„mendation Herefrae it came that your Rev. Father who as his first-borne had right to the double portion spent not the most greatest part of his younger years in trivialibus juvenilibus which being the case of that great Basile was frequentlie deplored lamented by him But I remember when I was yet of verie tender yeares to haue seene him at Saint-Andrews folowing the studie of Divinitie with great approbation Then was he laying a good foundatioÌ„ for the time to come God Almighty had shapeÌ„ him for another course of life than he intended who loved alwayes to be exercised in reading writing informing instructing others by declining all publik charge That could not be The Church had need of him therfore he could not be hid HerefroÌ„ came his emploiments publick first at the Church of Keith to the which hee was in a manner forced by the earnest entreaties yea obtestations of those of the Ministry of most respect in the Diocesse of Murray where that Church lieth and Aberdene who had no smal eyther losse or gain by the plantation therof His labor there in the Lord was not in vain Res ipsa loquitur and the posterity shal retain the monumeÌ„ts But there might he not stay howbeit as vnwilling to leaue as hee was first to vndergo that charge He persued not Honour but Honour persued him as Nazianz. said of S. Basil or as Cyprian of Cornelius Bishop of Rome Episcopaâ—uÌ„ ipsum nec postulavit nec voluit nec vt caeteri quos arrogantiae superbiae suae tumor inflat invasit sed quietus et modestus quales esse consueverunt qui ad hunc locum divinitus eliguÌ„tur And a little after Ipse vim passus est vt Episcopatum coactus acciperet The lyke is recorded of S. Cyprian himselfe others who haue done most good in the Church of God I think in his translation to Aberdene I see the worthie Emp. Theodos. taking Nazianz. from the strayt and little Church wherein he taught and putting him in a more large and famous with these wordes Pater tibi sudoribus tuis DEVS per nos Ecclesiam tribuit What joye was to all honest minded men in his promotion who thought no lesse of him than the great Constantine was accustomed to speake of Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea Foelicem Eusebium qui non vnius vrbis sed orbis propè totius Episcopatu dignus esset In him was the viue vpset of the Ancient Renowned Bishops Ambrose Augustine c. No dumbe dogg but endewed with the tongue of the Learned He could speak a word in season And it was seene in him what S. August observed of S. Ambr. In populo verbuÌ„ veritatis rectè tractanteÌ„ omni die Dominico Wherin your most Rev. father was so instaÌ„t that notwithstaÌ„ding of his great age multitude of effairs for which scarcely any one man was sufficient yet could he not hearkeÌ„ to them who pittying him wisht him to forbear preaching piâ—ie himself Preaching was not all he preached viva voce that is vita et voce The course of his life all his coÌ„versatioÌ„ was such as the devil himself speaking aganst him shall be quickly detected With what wisdome care authority he governed that Sea there is none who knoweth not Bonis amabilis improbis formidabilis vtrisque admirabilis It must be truelie sayd of him as of that worthie Iehojada He hath done good in Israel towards God and His House As there was no vertue requisite in an accomplished Prelate which was not in an eminent degree to bee found in him So was there no state or person within his reach which did not partake of his good That Bishopricke which by injurie of tyme wickenesse of some and negligence of of his Praedecessours was almost brought to the last cast had him a Restorer Your worthie and famous Vniversitie founded by Bishop Elphinstone and Hospitall by Bishop Dumbar may vaunt of him as of a second