as practice a true preacher of Repentance 12. In imitation of good old Iacob before he was gathered to his Fathers he gave a blessing to all his Children And farther gave it in charge to his virtuous Consort not to educate his Children so much to learning and other accomplishments as to the knowledge and service and fear of God and that they should be seasoned with those his last principles which by his later experience he found the best Ob. 8. Cal. 7. An. 1658. aet 31. Out of his Funeral Sermon by Mr. Thomas Peirce Dr. WILLIAM LAUD Arch. B. of Canterbury 1. HE was by many suspected and charged not onely as popishly affected himself but as a poisoner of the whole stream and current of the reformed religion in England at last he was treated either as a heretick or a traitor or both to Church and State 2. As to this aspersion of his â—eing popish in his judgment which reflected in the repute and event upon all the Bishops of England truly his own Book may best of any and sufficiently vindicate him to be a great Antipapist great I say because it seems by that learned dispute that he dissented from Popery not upon popular Surmises and easie Prejudices but very learned and solid grounds which true reason and religion make good agreeable to the judgement of the Catholick Church in the purest and best times And in this the Aarch B. doth to my judgment so very impartially weigh the state and weight of all the considerable differences between the Papists and the English Protestants not such as are simple futile and fanatick but learned serious and sober that he neither gratifies the Romanist nor exasperates him beyond what is just neither warping to a novel and needlesse super-reformation wich is a deformity on the right hand nor to a sub-reformation which is a deformity on the left but keeping that golden mean which was held by the Church of England and the greatest defenders of it 3. I am indeed prone to think that he wished there could have been any fair close or accommodation between all Christian Churches the same which many grave and earned men have much desired And it may be he thought himself no unfit Instrument to make way for so great and good a work considering the eminencies of parts power and favour which he had Haply he judged as many learned and moderate men have that in some things between Papists and Protestants differences are made wider kept more open raw and sore then need be by the private pens and passions of some men and the interests of some little parti's whose partial policies really neglect the publick true interest of the Catholick Church and Christian religion which consists much in peace as well as in purity in Charity as in Unity 4. He was neither Calvinist nor Lutheran nor Papist as to any side or party but all so far as he saw they agreed with the reformed Church of England either in fundamentals or innocent and decent superstructures Nor did he esteem any thing as the Voice of the Church of England which was not publickly agreed to and declared by King and Parliament according to the advice and determinate judgement of a National Synod and lawfull Convocation convened and approved by the chief Magistrate which together made up the compleat Representative the full sense and suffrage of this Church 5. After his confinement having occasion to wait on him I heard him protesting with a serious attestation of his â—ntegrity before Gods omniscience that however he might mistake in the mean and method yet he never had any other design then the glory of God the service of his Majestie and the good order peace and deconcy of the Church of England that he was so far from complying with Papists in order to confirm them in their errours that he rather chose such methods to advance the honour of the Reformed Religion in England as he believed might soonest silence the cavils of fiercer Papists induce the more moderate Recusants to come in to us as having lesse visible occasion given them by needlesse distances and disputes to separate from us 6. He added that he had further a desire as much as he could to relieve the poor and distressed condition of many Ministers whom he had to his grief observed in Wales and England where their discouragements were very great by reason of the tenuity and incompetency of their Livings That he found the sordid and shamefull aspect of religion and the Clergy gave great advantages to those that were Popishly inclined who would hardly ever think it best for them to joyn with that Church which did not maintain either â—ts own honour or its Clergy to â—ome competency and comeâ—inesse 7. Doubtlesse this Prelate â—ad more in him of Charity Liberality Munificence and Magnificence as appears by â—he works he undertook to found to build or to repair â—hen ever I saw in any of those who are the having and getâ—ing from not the giving enemies to Episcopacy Aditions of ARCH-BISHOP LAUD 1. HE was born of honest Parents at Reading in Barkshire There he built an Almes-house and endowed it with 200 l. per an As appears by his own Diary which he constantly kept of all the passages of his life 2. He was very plain in apparel and sharply checkt such Clergy-men whom he saw go in rich or gaudy clothes commonly calling them of the Church triumphant At a Visitation in Essex reproving a Minister for his finenesse shewing his own plaine apparel he received this answer My Lord You have better clothes at home and I have worse 3. His munificence appears chiefly by St. Iohns Colledge in Oxford where he was bred beautified enlarged and inriched by him and by St. Pauls Church the Master-piece of his designes One Satyrically said He pluckt down Puritans Property to build up Pauls Prerogative But now that Church formerly approacht with due reverence is entred with fear of the falling of it and is so far from having its old decayes repaired that it is daily decayed in its new reparations 4. An. 1645. Ian. 10. He was brought to the Scaffold which he ascended with a chearfull Countenance as rather to gain a Crown then lose a head He made a Sermon-Speech on Heb. 12. Let us run with patience c. Protested his innocence and integrity as never intending any subversion of Laws and Liberty declared his inward comfort had his head stricken off at one blow while he prayed Lorâ— receive my Soul Out of Dr. Gaudens Ecclesiae Ang. Suspiria B. 4. ch 23. III. ARCH-BISHOP USHER 1. Dr. Iames Vsher latâ— Arch-bishop of Armagh and Lord Primate of Ireland I reckon as ours because not onely his ashes and mortaâ— remains are deposited with us but he lived his last years oâ— Exile and ended his mortality amongst us in England Wherâ— besides his constant pains iâ— preaching even to his last hâ— hath left as many of
the City but his cause was heard in the Countrey Here he sickned there he languished and died there In his sicknesse there those that assisted him are witnesses of his many expressings of a religious a constant heart towards God and of his pious joining with them even in the holy Declaration of kneeling then when they in favour of his weaknesse would diswade him from kneeling I must not defraud him of this Testimony from my self that into this place where we are now met I have observed him to enter with much reverence and compose himself in this place with much declaration of devotion 7. In his sicknesse he had but one dayes labour and all the rest were Saboths one day he converted to businesse thus he called his Family and Friends together thankfully he acknowledged God's manifold Blessings and his own sins as penitently And then to those who were to have the disposing of his Estate jointly with his Children he recommended his servants and the Poor and the Hospitals and the Prisons which according to his purpose have been all taken into consideration And after this which was his Valediction to the World he seemed alwayes loath to return to any worldly businesse 8. His last commandement to Wife and Children was Christ's last commandement to his Spouse the Church in the Apostles To love one another He blest them the Estate devolved upon them unto them and by God's grace shall prove as true a Prophet to them in that Blessing as he was to himself when in entring his last Bed two days before his death he said Help me off with my earthly habit and let me go to my last Bed Where in the second night after he said Little know ye what pain I feel this night yet I know I shall have joy in the morning And in that morning he died 9. The form in which he implored his Saviour was evermore towards his end this Christ Iesus which diâ—d on the Crosse forgive me my sins He have mercy upon me And his last and dying words were the repetition of the Name Iesus And when he had not strength to utter that Name distinctly and perfectly they might hear it from within him as from a man a far off even then when his hollow remote naming of Iesus was rather a certifying of them that he was with his Iesus then a Prayer that he might come unto him Out of his Funeral Sermon by Dr. Donne Decemb. 23 1626. IV. Sr. THOMAS BODLEY 1. I was born at Exeter in Devonshire 2 Mar. 1544. descended both by Father and Mother of worshipful Parents My father in the time of Queen MARY being noted known to be an enemy to Popery was so cruelly threatned and so narrowly observed by those that maliced his Religion that for the â—afeguard of himself and my Mother who was wholly affected as my Father he knew no way so secure as to fly into Germany 2. My Father fixed his abode in the City of Geneva where as far as I remember the English Church consisted of some hundred persons I was at that time of twelve yeares of age but through my Fathers cost and care sufficiently instructed to become an Auditour of Chevallerius in Hebrew of Beroaldus in Greek of Calvin and Beza in Divinity and of some other professors in that University which was newly then erected besides my domestick Teachers in the House of Philibertus Saracenus a famous Physitian in that City with whom I was boarded where Robertus Constantinus that made the Greek Lexicon read Homer to me 3. In the first of Queen Elizabeth my Father returned settled his dwelling in the City London It was not long after that I was sent away from thence to the University of Oxford recommended to the teaching and tuition of Dr. Humfrey In the year 1563 I took the degree of Batchelor of Arts within which year I was also chosen Probationer of Merton Colledge and the next year ensuing admitted Fellow Afterwards in the year 1565 by special perswasion of some of my Fellows and for my private exercise I undertook the publick reading of a Greek Lecture in the same Colledge Hall without requiring or expecting any stipend for it Neverthelesse it pleased the Fellowship of their own accord to allow me soon after four marks by the year and ever since to continue that Lecture to the Colledge 4. In the year 1566 I proceeded Master of Arts and read for that year in the School-streets natural Philosophy After which time within lesse then three yeares space I was won by intreaty of my best affected friends to stand for the Proctorship to which I and my Collegue were quietly elected in the year 1569 without any competition or counter-suit of any other After this for a long time I supplied the Office of University Oratour and bestowed my time in the study of sundry faculties without any inclination to professe any one above the rest insomuch as at last I waxed desirous to travel beyond the Seas for attaining to the knowledge of some special modern Tongues for the encrease of my experience in the managing of affairs being wholly then addicted to employ my self and all my cares in the publick service of the State 5. After my return in the year 1585 I was employed by the Queen to the King of Denmarke and to the German Princes Next to Henry the 3 King of France After this in 88 for the better conduct of her Highnesse affairs in the Provinces United I was thought a â—it person to reside in those parts and was sent thereupon to the Hague in Holland where according to the Contract that had formerly past between her Highnesse and the States I was â—dmitted for one of their Counâ—il of Estate taking place in â—heir assemblies next to Count Maurice and yielding my sufâ—rage in all that was proposed During all that time what apâ—robation was given of my â—ainfull endeavours by the Queen Lords in England by the States of the Country there and â—y all the English Soldiery I reâ—er it to be notified by some oâ—her's Relation 6. I received from her Maâ—esty many comfortable Letters of her gracious acceptance of my diligence and care and among the Lords of the Counâ—il had no man more to friend â—hen was the Lord Treasurer Burleigh For when occasion had been offered of declaring his conceit as touching my service he would alwayes tell the Queen which I received from her self and some other Earâ— witnesses that there was not any man in England so meet as my self to undergo the Office oâ— the Secretary And sithence his son the present Lord Treasurer hath signifi'd unto me in private conference that when his Father first intended to advancâ— him to that place his purpose was withall to make me his Collegue But that the dayly provocations of the Earl oâ— Essex were so bitter and sharp against him and his comparisons so odious when he put 〈◊〉 in a ballance as he thoughâ—
when the Dean boasted of their care in preserving the Colledgevestments and Treasure the Arch-Deacon of Oxford answered Ye have done so indeed but ye have wilfully lost one Ornament and great Treasure far more precious then any of these alluding to the saying of Cornelia Mother of the Gracchi Hâ—â— sunt ornamenta mea shewing her Sons to another Lady that shewed her pearles and costly attire 12. At this time the University chose him for their Oraratour in whose name he curiously penned a gratulatory Letter to Queen MARY consisting of exclamations of grief for the Funeralls of King EDWARD and acclamations of joy for her happy Coronation By which Letter it seemeth Mr. Iewell others conceived good hope that Queen MARY would not altogether change Religion Which hope stayed him so long in Oxford till the Inquisition caught him and urged subscription under pain of prescription and torture 13. Here Iâ—well brought into a strait having no other Counsellours but horrour without and frailty within saying to them Do you desire to see my hand and will you try how well I can write took the Pen and hastily writ his name whereby he seemed to approve some Articles of Popery But this subscribing procured not his safety for he had been taken again had he not by Gods providence gone a wrong way to London and so escaped their hands that waited for him in the usual way as St. Austin by the errour of his guide escaped the Donatists 14. Pope Marcellinus washed out his stian of Idolatry with tears of repentance and blood of Martyrdome Cranmer purged the polluted hand that had subscribed with fire before he was made an Holocaust Origen and Iewell repealed their publick subscription by publick confession and contrition After he came to Frankford he made an excellent Sermon and confessed his fall and was received there and embraced as amost dear Brother nay as an Angel of God 15. From Frankford he was invited by the kind Letters of Peter Martyr to Argentine where he conversed with Grindal Sandys Cheek and other English Exiles for Religion and assisted Martyr in the Edition of his Commentary upon Iudges In whose house he spent the greatest part of his time as a Companion of his studies endeavouring also sometimes to coÌ„pose the contentions among his Brethren somtimes to comfort them in their afflictions repeating usually these words Haec non dur abunt aetatem 16. After his return he was sent for to a Disputation at Westminster The Theses were 1. That it is repugnant to the Word of God and custome of the Primitive Church that Church-service and Liturgy should be performed in an unknown Tongue 2. That every Church hath power to alter Rites and Ceremonies for her better edification 3. That the propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse for quick and dead hath no warrant in the Word of God But the Disputation was broke off Religion settled by the Parliament 17. Iewell was appointed for the Visitation of the Western Churches and so it fell out very fitly that he presented his first labours in the Ministry after his return in Devonshire and parts adjacent there first breaking the bread of life where first he received the breath of life After which Visitation he was consecrated Bishop of Sarisbury with much reluctancy often repeating the Apostle's words Qui desiderat Episcopatum desiderat opus 18. And surely if ever to any then unto him was his Bishoprick a continual work such was his care that his Church should sustain no losse such his pains in Governing and in Preadhing that abuses might not grow by the negligence or corruption of Officials He sate often himself with his Chancellour and was president in his Consistory where though he were a strict executor of Ecclesiastical Lawes yet no doubt he temper'd severity with that lenity which he exhorted B. Parkhurst to in a certain Letter Let your Chancellour saith he be harder but you easier let him wound but do you heal let him lance doe you plaister Wiseclemency will doe more good then rigid severity One man may move more with an Engine then six with the force of their hands 19. When his friends admonished him to lighten his over-heavy burden of ruling instructing every particular Church in his Diocese by Substitutes and Coadjutors he replyed Vnlearned men can doe me no good and to the Learned I can doe no good I have no Benefices in my gift to maintain them Capon my predecessour hath devoured all This Capon unhappily understanding that of St. Paul as one is said to have read it Qui desider at Episcopatum bonum opes desider at made havock of all the good Livings in his Diocese enriching himself leaving the Bishoprick poor 20. In all the time of his Bishoprick scarce any year passed which was not made noble and illustrious by some work of his The year 1560. began with his noble challenge at Paul's Crossâ— and ended with his confutation of Dr. Cole His Apology begun in the year 61 and perâ—ected 62 was made so much of by all Protestants that it was translated almost into all Tongues The years 64 and 65 were renowned for his and Mr. Harding's contentions about the forenamed challenge In which time also he was solemnly created Doctor and bare the part of a Moderatour in those famous Acts concluded with a divine speech of Queen ELIZABETH His Defense fell in the years 66 and 67. After which time divers Learned Books were dedicated to him by Martyr Bullinger and others and himself intended divers other excellent Works but death prevented the birth of them 20. He recreated himself at his meals a Chapter being first read with School-disputes of young Boyes whom he maintained at his Table After dinner his doors and eares were open to all suits and causes After businesses dispatcht he retired to his study About nine he called all his Servants to account how they had spent the day and after prayers admonished them accordingly Then to his study again oft-times till midnight and so to Bed wherein after some part of an Authour read unto him by the Gentleman of his Bed chamber commending himself to the protection of his Saviour he took his rest 21. His memory was admirable raised by Art to the highest pitch For he could repeat faithfully any thing he had penned as he had penned it after once reading and therefore usually at the ringing of the Bell began to commit his Sermons to heart Many barbarous hard names and strange words after once or twice reading and short meditating he could repeat backward and forward This Art of Memory he taught his old Tutor Mr. Parkhurst beyond the Sea so that in a short time spending but one hour in a day at it he learned all the Gospel backward and forward by this artificial Memory 22. His continual labours brought his body so low that as he rode abroad to preach a Gentleman advised him to return home for his health sake saying it was