is as the dying ring bequeathed unto us that nothing but death should pluck off from our fingers or as a sacred relique that posterity should keepe inviolate that when we cannot stand spectatours of our Friends yet we should stand Remembrancers to recount all passages of worth to preserve their graces for where else is the everlasting remembrancer Psal 112.6 Prov. 10.7 where the memory that should be blessed Is not this commended to survivours to take care of Yes that when they sive not yet herein they should be vitall they should have the breath of affection for the breath in their nostrills to continue them alive Doth not David thus chafe the temples of his dead friend Ionathan yes Ionathan is gone but Ionathan shall not thus part he shall breath still in commemoration Woe is me for thee my brother Jonathan very kind hast thou been to mee 2 Sam. 1.26 thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of women c. Doe not Elisha thus call back Elias out of the cloudes My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel 2 King 2.12 and the horsmen thereof he would not quite lose his Father no my Father my Father he would not utterly let the Champion of his Countrey go no the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof he would have his Father still in his eye and the Kingdomes Champion dressed up in bright harnesse before him Do not the Jewes thus preserve their good Iosias still alive yes the memory of Iosias shall be like the perfume of the Apothecary and as Musick at a banquet of wine The smell of this persume shall not out of their nostrills Ecclus. 49.1 the streynes of this musicke shall not out of their cares the taste of this banquet shall nor out of their palates Iosias shall live in memory And this is indeed the right committing of Friends to the earth or the maintaining of familiarity with them in their graves Non ego tumulum floribus aspergam sed spiritum ejus odore persundam Amb. orat funeb de Valentin Olim evisceratus es non tam subito erueris Amb. orat funebri de sat as Ambrose said of Valentinian I will not strew his tombe with flowers but I will sprinkle his spirit with a sweet odour and this is the right enbalming of Friends he is but a formall Friend that parts so soone as nature parts no thou wert long since embowelled into me thou shall not so suddenly be taken out still he remaines though not in sight yet in sense still he is a Friend The use of this serves to reprove them which doe so soone bury their Friends or put them so deepe under-ground or lay them with their faces downwards as if being dead they live no longer to them the affection of the one expectorates with the wind of the other Vse they have both breathed their last zach 11. quod mortuum mortuum that which dy let it dy Being once dead they never pull off the darke muâ—ster to behold the face of their departed Friends they commit all to the earth even the memory they do not onely bury that which nature else would bury the carcase but they bury that which neither nature nor grace should bury they bury the friend they thre away all with the grave spade Priends carry nothing out of the world nor they leave nothing in the world not their memory they are but of short continuance and a man may judge it by the affection of them which they have left behind them nature seemed kinder to them then seeming affection for whereas nature suffered them to live many yeares in the world the other not three moneths scarce three minutes after their funerall then earth to earth one dead friend to another a double Funerall in one day Quanquam separati sumus aspectu non tamen affectibus Amb. Perpetuus animae debitor Prudent Quanquam nobiscum non vivit attamen in nobis Basil But is this affection are these the bands of love such a short stint put to friendship Do the pulse so soon leave beating Hast not one sparke to glow upon the grave of thy friend yes though we be separated in sight ye not in apprehension thou must still be a surety for thy friends reputation yea the perpetuall debtour of his spirit to prize his name to honour his memory to immortalise him to give him a resurrection to love him under ground as well as above ground that though he live not with us yet he must live in us still he must be a friend Christ cannot forget his friend no let us go to Judea for a friend Secondly from hence observe that we must venture for a friend let us go to Judea for a friend 2 Doct. It is a easy matter to say Sir I am wholly yours it is the common complement of the age He loves his friend that exposeth himself to danger for him Facile est dicere totus sum tuus Aug. 4. Ester 16. Cant. 8.6 Certandi laborem non fugit Chris Incus non metuit strepitum Adag Vse as Esther for her countrymen If I perish I perish Love is as strong as death sincere affection shunneth not a skirmish for a friend The anvil of Love feareth not the greatest stroke of envy and opposition Jonathan will venture to have a javelin cast at his head for his dear friend David Abraham will march through pikes and speares to rescue his vowed friend Lot we must jeopard for a friend let us go to Judea for a friend The use of this serves to reprove them which give over the venturous point which run a way from the stone heap though hands be never so fastly joyned together yet if perill be threatned they unclose pull back withdraw there is neither hand nor heart then left no let the friend then shift for himself if they can love a man u pon safe termes they will stand by him but if the stones begin to fly Fugiunt nee noscitur ulli Agminibus comitum qui modo cinctus erat they flee away and he is not known of any that seemed before to carry the crowd at his back Men are then weary of friendship sick of their friend they will not come at him look upon him but leave him to his own chance But oh beloved a stranger an enemy might do thus much that is but delicate friendship therefore that followeth onely the felicity of the friend Sive in vita sive in morte passionate love like Ittai accompany a friend whether in life or death The name of a friend should call thee out to all hazards make thee to draw up towards him though thy passage lay by the stoneheap Let vs go to Judea for a Friend 3. Doct. Pignus naturae Avg. Omnis cogitatio taedium tota vita peregrinatio est Plut. Rom. 12.18 Thirdly from hence observe that mans honour is to be of a friendly
ordered Vse The use of this serves to reprove the inconsiderate charity of these times for how many are bountifull yea perhaps prodigall but how little droppeth to heaven-wards Christs want his Friend his members look lanke his little ones are not battened for all the large expences that are amongst us yet religion tasteth little of the delicacies of the times grace finds not the age much charged with her But whatsoever she spends upon others it is but for her fame Quicquid pro anima tua feceris hoc tuum est Chris in Mat. 6. but whatsoever she spends upon the Saints is for your consciences and that which thou dost for thy soule is onely thine Let them then be thy sable fellows which thou lookest to have to be thy coheirs that thou maist have some living Saint to pray for thee upon earth that thou maist have some dying Saint to carry newes of thy charity into heaven endear thy self to God and ingratiate thy self chiefly to Christ Jesus that there may be Amicus Amicus noster A Friend and Our Friend because a Friend to Christs person Secondly a friend to his cause from hence observe that religion ought to have a portion in our affections Doct. 2. Thes 2.10 Luke 19.27 Acts 5.39 Mat. 12.30 for the love of Christ is the love of his truth the rest are accounted enemies and fighters against God For he that is not with me is against me We ought therefore to be printed Christs as Ignatius was said to have the name of Christ written in his heart in golden Letters Aurcis literis Stricto ense Plut. yea as Scipio sware all his souldiers upon the edge of a naked sword to the State of Rome so we should all be sworn to profession Can any man endure to have his cause forsaken no he that will not insist in that his love is suspected and he will never be owned as a friend Christ liketh a feast well and will accept of a feast but it is not a feast that will perfect friendship no the Pharisees often feasted Christ and they were but Charger-friends therefore the main thing is to close with Christ in profession and to stand firm to him in point of honour they are said to receive Christ who receive his testimony Acts 22.18 that is those that subscribe to Christs cause and enter plea for him Heb. 2.10 Christ is called the Prince of our salvation and wherefore to signifie that there is some allegeance to be taken of us and what greater then to maintain Christs crown and dignity those are Christs loyall subjects which seek to enlarge Christs territorie and will draw their swords for their Prince to fight the good fight of faith 1 Tim. 6.11 which endeavour to make Christ great and even walk with his princely robe upon his back and to sit in his imperiall throne these are those which are true to Christ which are his fast friends The use of this serves to examine whether we have aâ—y of this love glowing in our bosomes no Christ Jesus is even friendlesse we are not much taken with our Prince his scepter-point the Kingdome of heaven suffers little violence we do not gather parties and draw adherents to Christ Christ is little the better for us his friend do not pleasure him much we do not furnish his banquet nor enter fellows into his service to weare his livery not bring men to repentance out of the snare of the Devill 2 Tim. 2.26 We plant no colonies nor procure our Masters feet to tread upon new territories no an outward league we are contented to maintain with Christ a civill combination to uphold correspondencies but for Religion to prosper or decay to flourish or languish to keep life or to draw home it is all one to us But oh beloved as Valerius was called Publicola for his love to the common-wealth so we should be called Christicolae for our faithfullnesse to the common cause Plutarch 1 Cor. 16.22 For if any man love not the Lord Jesus and what greater love then in seeking to preserve the purity of the faith and endeavouring to propagate the faith let him be Anathema Maranatha accursed that is bitterly accursed pitty it is that thou shouldst bear the name of Christ if thou wilt not be a helper in Christ Rom. 16.9 Col. 4.11 a work-fellow to the Kingdom of Christ Oh therefore be inward with Religion deare to Christ sick of love to thy well beloved justify his cause vindicate it from reproaches every way endeavour to have soules added to the church to have numbers of beleevers turned unto the Lord Act. 2.41 Act. 11.21 for this is the cause of Christ and they which love Christ love his cause look therefore to the disposition look to the relation to be a friend and Christs friend a friend to his cause that it may be said Amicus Noster Our Friend But why doth Christ say Amicus noster Our friend and not Amicus meus my Friend because Christ was not contented to esteem him a Friend himself but he would have his disciples to own him he would draw them into the bands and have a joynt respect shewed to him Doct. From hence observe that whom Christ loveth we should love also He which doth service to Christ the whole profession is engaged to him A righteous man honours them that feare the Lord Psal 15.5 not onely honour the Lord but honour them that feare the Lord not onely honour the Master but honour the servants for as Alexander said of Hephestion This is also Alexander Et hic Alexander est Plut. Deifici Cypr. 1 Ioh. 5.1 so this is also Gods for godly men are particles of God and God will be honoured in his particles He that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten also Gods Friends must not walk up and down as if they had none but their master to take them by the hand but the whole fraternity must acknowledge them for all my delight is in the Saints Psal 16.3 and such as excell in vertue we should blesse their expressions and desire their acquaintance if they be Christs they should be ours The use of this serves to reprove them Vse which leave Christs friends to himself for generally none are acknowledged but upon particular respects if they have pleasured us then are we bounden to them we are at their dispose we are their servants but religion carries no such strict obligation with it Christs relation is none of ours for let a man be never so rarely gifted and singularly endowed the very reflex of Gods face the print of his purity yet for his meere sanctity he is lightly respected precious he may be in Gods eye but man hath no eye for him or it is a very supercilious one but oh true friendship is for Gods sake for a good man will love in man nothing but God that is the evidence of his
nature for this is the pledge of nature Wherefore camest thou into the world but to be a companion if thou wilt not be a friend every though is irksomnesse and the Whole life a pilgrimage What more worthy in man then humanity and wherein can humanity better be expressed then in friendship wherefore saith the Apostle As much as in you lieth have peace with all men keep the world quiet distast no man no 1 Pet. 3.8 be ye courteous one towards another Let serpents sting men embrace Let wild beasts be savage men be courteous The courteous man draweth the sweet breath upon earth giveth to the world the faire touch he is the pleasure of life the geinme of conversation the right hand of familiarity the link of society Dorice canere Adag he makes men sing the Dorian tunes upon earth Love brotherly fellowship saith the Apostle brotherly fellowship rather brotherly commerce brotherly fellowship rather then unbrotherly frowardnesse This brotherly fellowship is the free tenure of the parish the rest hold in villenage the best town stock the rest is but a picklock to steale away the common treasure for a litigious person is the great boot haler or harpy amongst men 1 Pet. v. 17. Sive irascatur siverideat Aug. Vse whether he be angry or laugheth he is not to be trusted for he is gendring of mischiefs to forrage the country and to pill the neighbourhood a man can never be secure in his presence for he is no friend The use of this serves to lament a sad casualty a great misfortune is happened upon earth the world hath lost her friend We live in a froward age a troublesome corner the times are set upon jangling how hot soever the age be in spirituall fervour yet it warmeth not the Nation with affection the love of many wax cold Whatsoever a sparkling coal there be in the Temple yet there is but a dead ash in the streets burning zeale doth not kindle kind respects amongst men Many men have no other spittle under their tongues then malice their mouthes are furred with variances Mites sunt donec nihil dicitur vel agitur ni si pro eorum arbitrio Aug. they are gentle creatures so long as nothing be either sayd or done but according to their owne wills but then they rage and swell He is a wise man which can tell in what brest truth of affection lyeth and that can weigh out to himselfe a dramme of unfeigned friendship for generally men can pronounce all their Friends with a breath Circuitu unguis and write all their Friends as that wise man said within the compasse of a nayle Oh these lippes of ours speake a great deale of false English these armes of ours give many false embraces these browes of ours have many false smiles hanging upon them if the Friend be common what is the reason that peevishnesse and policy and perfidiousnesse are so common if the Friend be common why are suits and spights so common From whence come these tares Vnde-haec Zizania Matt. 13.27 from whence come these dissentions If the world be at peace why are there so many Javelins and Speares Sacres and Demiculverins I meane so many unkindnesses and shrewd turnes doubtlesse these things shew the flagge of defiance hung out this is the drawing age men fight at sharpe Armati coeunt in vulniera fratres Brethren meet for wounds there is bickering as in a pitched field But oh beloved why abuse ye neighbourhood why make ye life a torment chide out the friend 1. Pet. 1.22 frowne out the friend no love one another with a pure heart fervently Be not thou of a discourteous much lesse of a vexatious disposition but use the world gently give it a taste of thy good nature Be a Friend But further a Friend 4 Doct. because helpfull for this party was a great Feast-maker From hence observe that the helpfull hand is the true tryall of Friendship hee that never parteth with any thing we account but a close Friend A man may know whether the Friend dwelleth at thy house Si proximus non extit vacuo situ Amb. namely if thy poore neighbour goeth not over thy threshold with an empty bosome He is not a Friend which maketh himselfe the sole Owner of his estate use for thy necessity Vtere necessariis da superflua Aug. Quicquid ventria subtrahis tribuae esurienti Naz. orat de paup amandis but give of thy superfluity Whatsoever thou sparest from thine owne belly distribute to the needy He is reall with the world that turneth Benefactour which hath his spread table to witnesse his affection when a man may smell out the Friend in a Cooke roome and get a taste of him in his messes whose almesdeeds are the pawnes of his affection and the seales of his friendship Therefore the Apostle being to teach the world the duty of the Friend saith Be ready to distribute sow liberally 1 Tim. 6.17 2 Cor. 9.6 Rom. 12.13 bee given to hospitality This same hospitality is a better argument of thy friendship then a hundred congies and cringings He loveth the world that feedeth the world not which filleth the ears of it with discourse but the bowels of it with dainties the worlds great Friend is a great House-keeper Therefore Iob eateth not his morsels alone Ioh 31.7 Gen. 18.1.5 Neh. 17 18. Abraham sitteth at his tent dore to invite strangers Nehemiah prepareth Oxen and Sheep and Fowles and Wine in abundance this is serious affection these are the worlds fast Friends The use of this serves to reprove the hungry affection Use and starved friendship of these times the Friend is not known by the hand no men are fettered to their estates Divitiis aligantur Cyp. Auram respicis fratrem vero non aspicis Basil Ser. 1. in div avar Tu phasianos attagenas turtures omnia volutilia coeli devoras sed quod pauperis repleat ventrem non largiris Chrys hom 10 de divite paupere Thou lookest onely upon thy cankring gold and not thy perishing brother Thou eatest Phesants and Quailes and Turtles and thy mouth is a lover to receive all the fowles of heaven but thou givest not fragments to the needy There is an aboundance of complement in these dayes but little nourishment thou maist be a consort but no guest thy friend may breake his mind to thee but he will not breake his bread to thee our affection reacheth not to belly cheere friendship is not Cauldron-deep No such Friends we had once which were knowne by the. Dresser they provided a Carver for the Country the chiefe furniture of their houses was the presence of neighbours and the chiefe burnishing of their roomes was hospitality this they accounted better then stately chimney-peeces curious hangings a goodly Balconey for Monsier to jet upon or a rich Cabinet for Madam to lay up her powders and complexion-waters crisping-pinnes