Corona Charitatis, THE CROWN OF CHARITY: A Sermon Preached in Mercer's Chapel, May 10. 1625. at the solemn Funerals of his ever-renowmed Friend, of precious memory, the Mirroir of Charity, Mr. RICHARD FISHBURNE, Merchant, And now consecrated as an Anniversary to his FAME;  
By NAT: SHUTE, Rector of the Parish of Saint Mildred in the Poultry, LONDON.  NVM. 23.10. 
Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.  
Si non vacat omnes paginas Scripturarum evoluere, tene Charitatem, & in ea invenies omnem scientiam.  B. AUG. de temp. Serm. 39 
Libri aspecti non placent, sed inspecti,  LIPSIUS Prologue. Politic. 
LONDON, Printed by W. STANSBY for SAMVEL MAN, dwelling at the Swan in Paul's Churchyard, 1626.   

TO HIS MOST WORTHY AND MUCH honoured friend, Master JOHN BROWNE Merchant.  
Noble Sir.  
AS you had a Partner-ship, in service, in estate, nay in the hearts each of other, with that ever-memorable Partner and brother of yours, Master Richard Fishburne, as appeared in health, but most plainly in the time of his sickness, by your mutual tears oftentimes interchangeably answering each other, so so give me leave I pray you to make you Partners still in this Work, for I consecrate this little book to your living Person, and to his living Memory. To cast fresh flowers of Commendation upon him that is gone, and that before you, were but to move you to a new regret, and sorrow for him, nay it were to lend eyes to the Eagle. To tell you that which you knew better than myself. To write of you, not what you deserve, but what I own, I dare not, lest the least suspicion might take you, that I did not write but paint, nay, not paint but daub; For I so fare understand you, that you love not the common varnish of the world, and that you turn in the fairest part of your abilities from the ordinary view; wherein I must needs say, you much honour yourself, and show yourself a true Diamond, which Artists best discern, by shining in the dark, it being as great wisdom in our sufficiency not to know ourselves, as it is in our wants to know ourselves. 
Sicut livoris nota est silere quod noveran, ita crimen est non enarrare quod senseram Fulgent Car. Mytholog. l. 2.  Only herein your modesty disaccomodates your friends, while it will not admit, no not a deserved thankfulness. And I myself while I fear by writing what I might to flatter you, am forced by not writing, in a manner to be unthankful. Yet I consider again, that paper is but a weak reflection of a stronger affection; and no true friend when he writes most, yet hath that gift to write as fully as he love's: therefore instead of my pen I enclose my heart in this small leaf, and present them both together for a token of my sincerity to you; and because I may not be so thankful for that love of yours which is past, my resolution is with me to promise you my best service to come; An instance of which in short (because an Epistle as Seneca saith, 
Sen. Epist. 45.  must not fill the Readers hand) is this little book which I now dedicate to you, the first Commencement and beginning of my labours in this kind, and undertaken not for the burnishing of mine own name (as mine own conscience dictates unto me) but for the lengthening of his memory, who was your deerly-accounted Partner, and my deepely-esteemed friend. Accept it I beseech you, for the arguments sake, it is of Charity, a virtue, I know you love with the very inside of your heart, accept it for his sake whose Character it is, with whom as you were Partner on earth, so I pray you may be Partner with him in heaven. Nay such a claim your own goodness hath given me in you, and such ground have I gotten of you by your favours, that I dare entreat you to accept it for mine own sake, as proceeding from that heart that hath no furrow of dissimulation in it & from him, who vows himself  
Your most observant, and ever affectionate poor friend in life and death. Nat. Shute.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty of the Mystery of the MERCERS of the City of LONDON.  
Right Worshipful,  
I Have not without fair cause inscribed this Sermon unto you. First, It was preached in that sacred Circumference and Assembly, whereof you were a principal part: Secondly, it was preached upon your own ground, even in the bosom of your own bethel, your own Chapel. Thirdly, it was preached for one, who was, not long since a conspicuous member of your Company, and one, who hath laid up his greatest trust, for the decurrence of many great works of Charity, in your faithful hands. As it is then justly consecrated unto you, so I desire you to receive it with the right hand, that it may pass under the Convoy of your worthy names; This is the first time, that ever I set to Sea in this public manner, that ever my Name came into the Printer's stocks.  
And though I have not wanted that, which is now made the common bridge of Pretence under which most Books pass, I mean the Abetting of diverse friends to these Publications; nor yet I thank my God some small thongs of meaner abilities in myself, yet had it not been, out of conscience of my thankfulness to my blessed friend of ever-dear memory, rather to keep up his Remembrance, then to spread mine own, I would still have kept mine own private way, and never have road in the common dust. But so sweet was the thought of his tender affection ever unto me, that I could not obtain rest of myself by erecting him a monument only in mine own heart, but that I must present this walking monument of him in paper to all the World, and first to you. Nay, sooner had this small Bark of mine floated abroad, but that the last year God troubled our waters, and turned them into blood. Howsoever, I hope it is not out of season, for a man that cannot serve the Occasion, and pay at day, to pay a due debt, when the Occasion serves him: though I could not by reason of that storm put out immediately after his death: yet now it comes as an Anniversary, at the end of a year, to kindle his Memory once again.  
Therefore I humbly crave, that you would be pleased to lodge these poor labours in your good opinions, and the rather for his sake, whose goodness yet sparkles in your eyes, and the Image of whose virtues is in this little Codicill represented to you. So shall you bind up his Name in your own names: And further bear a strong obligation of Respect and Humility over  
Your Worship's most devoted poor friend and Servant, NAT. SHUTE.   

THE CROWN OF CHARITY.  The Text NEHEM. 13.14. 
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.  
WHen first mine eye fell upon this Text, no sooner began I to see, then to wonder, much like a Goldsmith, who being to touch some old Coin, first wonders at the stamp, and then tries it; so was it with me; I being to take up this sheckell of the Sanctuary; to satisfy the present occasion, I did long admire the confidence of the words; before I durst once adventure to touch the matter: But after second thoughts, which like good Merchandise ever rise better and better, finding out the works of this Princely speaker, I ceased to wonder at his words, and began to wonder at his works; This Nehemiah the Author of these words, was by birth a jew, by present condition a Captive, in a strange soil; where yet he grew high and flourished in the estimation of the King of those Lands, and became his Cupbearer: 
Neh. 1.11.  upon which preferment, his purpose was not, as many men do, to build his own fortunes, and by regarding his own skin, to neglect the body of the Church and Commonwealth; But like an obedient Child to his own Mother Country, bestowed all his thoughts how he might now refresh and repair decayed jerusalem. To this purpose, he first acquaints Heaven with his intention, 
Neh. 1.5.  and prays to God; Next he spreads his request humbly before the King: no string left he untouched to fetch about this resolution; He undertakes his journey to jerusalem, views, no doubt, with a watery eye, and looks through his tears upon the miserable breaches thereof, 
Neh. 2.14.  and as he found a place, where his beast under him could not pass; so he might now well conceive that he himself might find such a work; as he could not easily pass. Men thought that to build jerusalem was to make burnt stones whole again; 
Neh. 4 2. 1. Cor. 13.7.  Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt; yet Charity thinks nothing impossible: it believes all things; he teacheth his hand to work, and gins it, yea not withstanding the derisions, 
Neh. 4.1.8. & 6.6.12. Cic. pro Sestio.  conspiracies and calumniations of his enemy; nay, the hiring of the tongue of a false Prophet, to forbid men as it were from Heaven; he goes on acri animo, as the Orator's Phrase is with a keen spirit to finish the work; Even with such a tide and current of valour as that neither he, 
Neh. 4.23. & 6.15.  nor his brethren, nor his servants, nor the men of the guard put off there clothes save only for washing, and that for two and fifty days together; I omit and fly over the public administration of his office, as he was Governor of the Land, his care for the Ministers and the service of God: 
Tertull. de pallio. c. 4.  in all which respects I might crown him with the speech of the Father; he was Rex sola gloria minor; a Prince inferior to nothing, but to glory itself; No marvel therefore, if we see such a fiery stream of confidence in his words, and so near a line of familiarity with God; Nulli ita Deo familiares, 
Euseb. Emislen homil. 21. post Pentecost.  sicut boni Reges; None so familiar with God, as good Kings; The clearest blood makes the best spirits, and a good life the greatest confidence; The purest air breeds the greatest agility, and the purest life the fairest hope, of which we have here a full example; Remember me; O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds, that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.  
The Text is a Prayer in which there be two things; 
Divis.  the matter or the things desired, Remember me, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of God and for the offices thereof, Secondly, the manner, familiarly in these terms, O my God, twice expressed: the matter of his request for a reward, delivered in two sorts, first, affirmatively, Remember me, Secondly, by way of negation, wipe not out my deeds; concerning these deeds; first, he mentions one in particular, namely, the provision for the Leuits and Singers of the Temple; Remember me concerning this, Secondly, 
Neh. 13.10:  he mentions them indefinitely, Deeds in the plural number; these deeds are described; first, by their adjunct: They are good deeds, Secondly, by their object, and that is double: first, For the house of my God, Secondly, for the offices thereof. These be the several beams of this divine light shining in this Text, Let us now through God, look upon the first.  
God cannot properly be said to remember, 
Remember me.  as man remembers. There is a double memory in man, first, sensitive, which is common with the beasts, when the representation or species of any object, seen, heard, smelled, tasted or felt, (after the object is gone, and itself vanished out of the fancy, is reduced again into the fantasy, either by the representation of the same individual object, which was before or of some like unto it; as for example, a beast, being well fed in an Inn, when he comes to the same Inn again, or one like it, he remembers it, and there turns in. Secondly, there is an Intellective memory, when not only by a representation of the same, or the like object, we reduce a thing into memory, but by discourse, Ab hoc in hoc, as the Schools say, from one thing to another, which the beasts cannot do, therefore it is called in the beasts, memory, but in man, Reminiscentia, that is, remembrance. Now neither of these memories are properly in God: First, God hath no sensitive memory, for having no sensible organs, he cannot have any sensible representations. Secondly, he hath no Intellective memory by intelligible representations either created, or acquisite, by which Angels and men understand, for he understands by no other mean, but by his own essence.  
But he is said to remember improperly, and according to man's capacity, when he shows mercy to his creature, either without promise, God remembered Noah and every living thing, 
Gen. 8.1. Psal. 105 8. Aug. in Psal. ●7  or with promise, He hath remembered his covenant for ever, Tunc dicitur Deus meminisse quando facit; tunc oblivisci, quando non facit; nam neque oblivio cadit in Deum, quia nullo modo mutatur: neque recordatio, quia non obliviscitur. God is then said to remember, when he doth, and then to forget, when he doth not; for neither forgetfulness is incident to God, because he is no ways changed; neither yet remembrance, because he doth not forget.  
So then, Nehemiahs', Remember me, is no more, then do for me, O Lord, and let me find a reward with thee through thy mercy, even as I have been an Instrument of thy glory, and have wrought for thee; from this exposition shoot forth two conclusions, first, on God's part in the word remember; to remember with God, is to do; when God speaks, he does, He spoke and it was done, 
Psal. 33.9. 1. john 5.15.  when he hears, he grants, If we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know, that we have the petitions, that we desired of him; when he knows, he helps; Take no thought, 
Matth. 6.31.32.  saying what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, for your heavenly Father knoweth; that ye have need of all things: now what comfort could once draw near unto the soul of man, out of this that God knew our wants, if God's knowledge were not a help withal? yea, when he remembers, he doth: 
Luke 1.72.  To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, & to remember his holy covenant; God's performance and his remembrance go together as the light and the Sun; which notes the propension that is in God to mercy, to whom, in giving help to man, it is enough to remember him; whose memory, and mercy are but as it were one act; and again to us it is an example; that our memories may guide our hands to mercy, and that we should in a manner; as suddenly, relieve our brethren's wants, as we do remember them; The second Conclusion, Is, on Nehemiah's part, expressed in this particle me; by which he desires a reward from God for his good deeds. A request, I confess, full of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or liberty, wherein, as the word imports, 
Remember me. Heb. 11.26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Phavorin. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Budaeus v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2. Tim. 4.8.  a man may say any thing to God, in a holy manner; yet for all this, lawful enough.  
It is lawful to think on a reward, yea to think upon it as a recompense. He had respect unto the recompense of the reward. The word signifies to look up in admiration curiously, which we call in Latin Suspicere. Secondly, It is not only lawful to think on it, but to joy in it. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. Thirdly, It is lawful to ask it, yea to ask it daily, 
Matth. 6.10.  Thy Kingdom come, for whatsoever some braine-perisht anabaptistical spirits think to the contrary; the Lord's prayer is to be said every day, it is Quotidiana oratio, 
Enchirid. c. 71.  as Saint Augustine calls it, a daily prayer: thus Ezekiah when he stood in extrema tegula, 
Sen. epist. 12.  as Seneca's phrase is, upon the last tile, ready to leap down into his grave, 
Es. 38.3.  had his Remember me, Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight, If any man's fancy work him another way to think that Ezekiah desired not a reward confidently, because he seemed by his tears to fear death; I recommend this answer to him, he wept not for fear of death absolutely, but because he had no child to succeed him in the throne of his Kingdom. 
Hieron. in Es. 38.  For Manasses his son, upon whose shoulders the staff of government lay next; was borne out of the new lease of fifteen years; which God added even three years after; not having climbed above the age of twelve years, 
2. Reg. 21.1  when he began to reign; jeremy had his Remember me, and that with such a pitch of confidence, that for my part, I think few or none dare pray his words after him O Lord thou knowest, 
jer. 15.15.18  remember me, know, that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke, wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar. If he durst thus far draw out his zeal, in ask a temporal blessing, which is not to be asked but as it were lamely, and with condition, what a rise and advantage will faith take for a spiritual reward? She will beg of God as freely, as ever Bathshebah did of Solomon, 
1 Reg. 2.20.  I desire a petition of thee, I pray thee say me not nay. Even Christ himself, as a man, desired a reward of Glory. 
joh. 17.4 5.  I have glorified thee on the earth, and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, whose example I have reserved like the best wine, to the last, that no man, that hath his brains in his own keeping, or hath his head about him, can now doubt that it is lawful to ask a reward with Nehemiah, Provided always that in some measure or other he be a Nehemiah, that asks it, for this strong meat is not for every novice, neither can a small stream carry so great a wheel; there are that dare not say, remember me for a Kingdom, 
Luke 23.42.  but Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, 
jud. 9.49.  As amongst Abimelechs' soldiers, some cut down greater branches, some less, according to the proportion of their strength, so among Christ's soldiers, some carry a greater, some a lesser confidence. 
Act. 27.44.  Saint Paul's mariners some saved on boards, some on broken pieces of the Ship: so among Christians, some arrive heaven, with one measure of trust, some with another: All the members of the body, are knit unto the head; but some nearer, some farther off; so in Christ's body, all draw grace from him, yet in difference of grace, there is difference of hope. Secondly, That the just themselves that have this transcendent confidence, in ask a reward, do not assume this out of arrogance of merit; for this strong Harness of merit, is only fit for the Son of God; he that said here, Remember me, said no more but Remember me, he said not, reward me, according to my deserving; nay, after he saith, 
Neh. 13.12.  Remember me O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy See how modesty and confidence at one time kiss each other. The Saints that are ascended high in obedience, are like men gone up high upon a ladder; the higher they are gone up, the faster they hold; and they are not without some passages of fear, to slip again. Grace and merit fight like fire and water; the one puts out the other: 'tis a truth I confess, beyond the line of all exception; that, as the Rainbow in the cloud, so peace in the conscience, upon a good ground is a fair sign of reconciliation; but yet withal, with Nehemiahs' remember me, 
Ps. 25.7  David's remember me accords well; According to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake O Lord. And thus much for the depth of Nehemiahs' confidence in ask a reward;  

Wipe not out my deeds.  The second term which conveys his request for a reward, is in these words, and wipe not out my deeds; this being in a negative form, as the other in an affirmative: This word wipe not, hath a direct eye, or reference to that which the Sacred finger of the Scripture points at elsewhere, that a man's good deeds are written by God; 
Apoc. 20.12  The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works whether good or evil: Now there are three things of a good man written by God: first, his fear of God, A book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord. 
Mal. 3.16  Concerning whom, lend me but your eyes a little further, and see what God saith in the next verse, And they shall be mine, 
Verse 17.  saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, These be Gods prime servants, his jewels, the signets of his right hand, whom he did not write in a book, with the rest of his Saints, but made a book as it were, a part for them; and such a book, wherein they should be diligently remembered as the word imports. Secondly, he writes our tears, Put thou my tears into thy bottle, 
Sepher Siccaron.  are they not in thy book; God hath both a bottle and a book for our tears; A bottle to put our tears themselves in, 
Ps. 56.8.  and a book to write down the Number, and the bitterness of these tears. Thirdly, he writes down our good deeds, as in this place, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 70.  nay the word in the Greek signifies as much as if they were not only written but painted, yea, and that in oil, for perpetuity, O the infinite mercy of God, what tongue so rich, that is able to embellish it? He doth not only write our names in the book of life, 
Luke 10.20.  nay, writ and engrave our remembrance in manibus suis, 
Esay 49.16.  in the palms of his hands, with great Characters, even the nails of his Cross, his blood being his ink, his paper his own flesh, yea, our very members are written by him, 
Psal. 139.16.  but writes our works and that so tenderly and favourably, 
job 13.26.  that though our deserts might sway his hand to write bitter things against us, yet he writes for us.  
men's Chronicles, the truer they are, the freer they are in taxing errors: 
2. Reg. 21.17.  as an ingenuous Painter takes out the moles, as well as the fairer lineaments, The rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of judah, but the veins of God's mercy are so large and full, that as he suffers his mercy to triumph over his justice in rewarding, 
jac. 2.13.  so he suffers the same mercy to triumph over his truth in writing; and writes not our sins, but only our good deeds; Gods Book is not like a Merchant's Book of Creditor and Debtor, wherein a man writes, both, what is owing him and what he owes himself; for God in his mercy, wips out that we own him, and writes that only which he owes us, by promise, much like the clouds that receive ill vapours from us, yet return them to us again in sweet raines: that man's brain is yet dark, that doth not duly consider this, for a great mercy; Again, if God writ up our good deeds, this is as a full wind in our sails, to put us on, even to load God's Chronicle with them; writing upon ourselves, by a real profession of his service, as Aaron did, 
Exod. 28.36. Esay 49.4.  Holiness to the Lord. For, Surely our judgement is with the Lord, and our work with our God: What man's heart so dry, that is not moved when he hears that our prayers and our alms goes up for a memorial before God? 
Acts 10.4.  not to be remembered, as it were with one sole act of his memory, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  but as the word carries it, to be a standing monument and remembrance of us for ever in his presence: Shall our good works be like Esai's trees, 
Esay 10.19.  so few, that a child may write them, when we have such a God, for whom we work, will not only think upon our works, but writ them up in such royal paper as his own Book. Let no fear invade us, as if that paper could sink, and so we should lose our works, for if men lose not small deeds sometime, 
2. Sam. 1.18.  and saul's teaching but of the use of a bow, deserved a room in a Chronicle; certainly better deeds shall never be blasted, but God will write them and seal them up for all eternity. Secondly, as this word wipe not out implies, that our good deeds are written by God, so again it tells us, that though they be written, yet they they may be wiped out again, else had it been in vain for Nehemiah, and a dead request, to have commended such a petition to the ears of God, that his works might not be wiped out actually, had he not first presumed a possibility of wiping them out; For not to touch the skirts of the fiery hill, I mean the question, of falling or not falling away from justifying faith, or imputed righteousness; A man may fall away from some part of sanctification, by a sin of profaneness, for he that so sins, cannot be holy and unholy in the same respect. As it is granted by all, 
Enormibus peccatis pij reatum mortis incurrunt Synod. Dordracena, c. 5. artic. 5.  that good men may fall into grievous and ennormous sins, so this instance following shows that a contrary act of profaneness must needs wipe out some part of sanctification. David chaste before, falls into adultery, we must needs say he lost that part of his holiness, except we say his adultery was holy, which no man of the leanest understanding will affirm.  
Now how fare, not one mortal sin, perchance originally proceeding from infirmity, or precipitancy may quite eat out sanctification, and so faith, as some say, (considering probably, that an habit of faith is not easily lost, but may seem to stand with some true acts of inward Sanctification, some being lost, as in another case, the foundation may stand, when the roof or a pillar of the house is fall'n) but many several acts of foul and wilful sinning, without repentance, 
jude, verse 20.  not only efficienter. by acts directly contrary to the habit of faith, but demeritoriè, by acts contrary to the habits of other virtues; when a man doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sends away or casts fare from him a good conscience, as the word imports; how fare, I say, these sins may make, or not make na●fragium fidei, the shipwreck of faith, 
1. Tim. 1.19.  I will lean upon the bosom of the Church, till it be determined; only I desire leave to add my poor judgement, which is, that if this question and some others were not so rigidly stated, the division had not grown like Ahabs' cloud from the bigness of a man's hand to a storm. But no more of this, because my text is properly of wiping out deeds of sanctification. Secondly, because I can no more contract the whole discourse of this argument within an hour, than all the beams of the Sun within a ring.  
Thirdly, because in gathering herbs, I am loath to touch the wild Vine, or if I touch it, 
2. Reg. 4.39.  I will not gather my lap full, or if I gather it, I will not shred it into the pot of the Sons of the Prophets; I wish from the centre of my heart, that the Church of England may not have a wrinkle in her garment, not the least contention; for, there is a fear beats upon my heart; that when we have stretched all the sinews we have in these difficulties; we shall make but a Flemish reckoning of them. 
L. 8. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.  Sozomen saith, that always in the dissension of the Church, the Commonwealth was also troubled; Therefore for my part, in my poor way, I shall be ready to offer still to God's people the staff of bread, I mean the weightier things of the Law, and to keep their brains from burning, with such subtle lightning, as this is.  

My good deeds.  Now in this phrase, wipe not out my good deeds, there doth further rise up before our consideration what deeds these are; 
Neh. 13.10.12.  First, he speaks of one in particular, Remember me concerning this, which was the sustentation of the Leuits by the tithes of Corn, Wine, and Oil, a work of that grace and favour with God, that Nehemiah dares beg a reward for it alone in particular. 
Cum decimas dando & terrena & coelestia possis munera promereri quare per avaritiam duplici benedictione te fraudas? Aug. de temp. ser. 215.  Remember me concerning this, Seeing by giving of Tithes, thou mayst obtain both earthly and heavenly rewards, why dost thou by covetousness defraud thyself of a double blessing? saith Saint Augustine, But because this particular is drowned in the general clause of his mercy, To the offices of the house of God. I only thus fare salute it, and next invite you to his good works in general.  
And first I bespeak your attention to the name of them; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. miserationes meas. Vulgata misericordias meas. Pagnin. pietates meas, Munster. in loc.  The word in the Hebrew signifies as much as my mercies, and so doth the Greek and Latin render it, with others, because he did it with a free heart, as Caietan saith, and not for humane favour, but for God's glory, as Lyra hath it; Every mercy is a good work, but every good work is not a work of mercy. Two things make a good work a work of mercy: The first, is in subiecto, or him that worketh, when he doth it freely without respect of glory or carnal profit to himself, or others; and this is properly Grace. 
Gratia.   
The seccond in the object, or the matter, upon which we transfer our Charity, whether it be on men, or things belonging to God or men, 
Misericordia.  when they are in the jaws of Necessity; and this is called Mercy. Both which conditions were in Nehemiah's works, for he did them freely sine rimula Ostentationis, without tha least chink of Ostentation; and he did them mercifully, in case of necessity; therefore his works are not every sort of works, but works died in a deeper grain, they are mercies; but I cannot stand to view every several room in my Text: Time is my Master, I must subject myself to him. And so I give out from the name of these deeds, in the Original, and come upon the second thing which is their Attribute, They are Good deeds.  
The works of good men are good indeed, first, 
Gal. 5.22. Nihil à Deo non bonum quia divinum, Tertull. de fuga in persecut. cap. 4.  in regard of their efficient, God: who not only commands them, but produceth them: The fruit of the Spirit is Love, joy, Peace; Now God, neither commands nor produceth any thing that is faulty. Nothing from God, but it is good, because it is from God, saith Tertullian. Secondly, they are good in regard of the object and matter, 
jac. 2.19.  Thou believest that there is one God, thou dost well; Thirdly, in regard of the form, whence they proceed, 
Mat. 7.18. 2. Sam. 18.27.  from a good heart purified by true faith, A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, as David said of Ahimaaz; He is a good man and cometh with good tidings; so a good man hath good works. Fourthly, in regard of the end; because by them men intent God's glory, their brethren's good, 
Mat. 6.22.  and their own salvation, If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light; Even as a good eye is the glory of the face, so a good intention is the glory of the action, 
Ipsa iustitia nostra vera est propter veri boni finem ad quem refertur, Aug. de Ciu. Dei, l. 19 cap. 27. Bell. de iustific. l. 4. cap. 10. Stapl. de iustif. l. 6. c. 7. & alii.  Our righteousness, saith Saint Augustine, is a true righteousness, because of that end of true goodness, to which it is referred.  
Our Adversaries then of the Church of Rome, show but the Canker in their mouths and pens, to say and write, that we hold good works to be sins, nay, mortal sins. For that we say may be put up into these three conclusions. First, that Good works done according to the conditions forenamed, are in the truth and substance of their nature, and of themselves, good, yet by accident, they are, though not sins, yet mingled with sin in that they pass through this channel of our corruption, these graves of our concupiscence, even as water, of itself clear, contracts corruption by running thorough a foul pipe.  
Secondly, They are truly good, but they are not perfectly, absolutely, or meritoriously good, whereby a man may fulfil the law or deserve heaven, as our adversaries would blazon it, for, for meritorious works in the stiff sense of condignity, it was never embraced of old, 
Pueri. meritorij Cic. in Philip. 2.  nor yet can be, except it be in one sense, that we call works meritorious, as boys or harlots are called meritorious, which deserve rather shame or death, than a reward. Thirdly, yet doth not this accidental mingling of our works with sin, nor want of this absolute perfection take away the kind or essence of our good works. For the first: Though that Concupiscence, which blisters our good works, be by the law moral and in it own nature, yet under Christ, a mortal sin (for Christ destroyed no part of the moral law, quoad obligationem obedientiae & reatus, in regard of the obligation of obedience and guilt) yet quoad obligationem poenae in regard of the obligation of punishment; That which is mortal in it own nature, is now not mortal, by effect through Christ's death. 
Rom. 8.1.  There is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ jesus, 
Gal. 3.13.  who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: And Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the law, being made a curse for us; a part of which curse was, 
Gal. 3.10. D. john White Way to the true Church. Digress. 37. Docet hoc tantùm ad quam perfectionem contendendum sit, sed non obligat. Staplet. de justif. l. 6. c. 1. Soto de iustit. l. 2. q. 5. a. 4. co. 2  that the law bound us to bear the punishment of every inconformity to her, in thought word and deed; Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them; but now sins of ignorance, infirmity, and inconsideration, are not through God's mercy in Christ imputed to God's children; and so do not extinguish the works of our true righteousness, neither make the works lose the name of good works, nor put the doers into a state of damnation, as a reverend Divine of late hath it. For though it is true that we are bound still to a general perfection of obedience, whatsoever our Adversary's blab to the contrary, who still gather where it is not straw; 
Mat. 22.37.  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and withal thy mind, and that he that is bound must needs incur a guilt by breaking his bond, yet doth not that guilt in smaller things, now through the death of Christ and God's mercy apprehended by faith, put him into a state of damnation, because one man at the selfsame time cannot be in a state of salvation in regard of his faith and works that please God, and in a state of damnation, in regard of his necessary imperfections; Water mingled with Wine doth not tollere substantiam vini, but diluere, doth not take away the substance of wine, but weaken it; so our smaller sins take not away the nature of good deeds, but do weaken them, and make them less perfect. 
Malum per accidens non destruit bonum per se.  Black sprinkled upon white doth not take away the whole colour of white but only darkens it: so our good works are not rooted up by our infirmities, but only defaced and obscured. The law is like Samson, 
jud. 16, 20.  with his hair cut off, it goes out to shake itself as before, but it hath in this case no strength to rise against us.  
Secondly, 
Gradus non mutat speciem,  Neither doth the want of the degrees of absolute perfection take away the kind or substance of good works, no more than the want of a finger the being of a man; or the want of a fringe the substance of a garment. The imperfection of the worker is to be distinguished from the substance of the work. A man that is in cutting down a tree, with an ill axe, cuts it down in the end, though not so neatly; and a good man is still destroying the body of sin by obedience, though it be with some hacking and imperfection, but I will put out this lamp and conclude. Good works are not sins formally and properly taken, much less mortal: but of themselves and in their nature good; only by accident mingled with evil, as appears, even by this one thing; 
Heb. 13.16.  that they please God; To do good, and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Now it is a thing against the grain, if not blasphemous, to say that a work which is properly a sin, should, though, by the indulgence of God, be pleasing unto God. But to turn mine hand from our adversaries to ourselves, If our good deeds be good indeed, I cannot but deeply censure them, that under pretence of advancing faith, do devance good works; and because good works are mingled with evil, therefore to make them cheap and contemn them, as if a man should persuade a beaten traveller to seek an unknown way, and to leave the high way, because there is a little dust in it. What is this but to do with Religion as josephs' brethren did with him, 
Gene. 37.23.28.  strip her of her particoloured coat, her robe of righteousness, and sell her away to the Midianites. Let us banish this spiritual idleness; Though we receive grace freely, and without labour at the first, yet we cannot preserve it without labour: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Concil. Nicaen. 1. part. 2. cap. 31. A. Gell. l. 5. c. 6.  say the blessed Fathers of the first Nicaene Council. Thy labours proceeding from a sincere faith and to a sincere end, are not only good in themselves in the truth of their nature; but notwithstanding their smaller cracks and imperfections, God will entertain them as perfectly done; yea, crown them in the end, even as the Romans when they gave the Obsidoniall Crown to one that had delivered a City from the siege of the Enemy; made him a Crown of that grass, and those flowers, where the City was besieged, so will God give us a reward of those works, which we have done well, for the glory of his name, and the good of our brethren; Though perchance our gold want some few grains. 
Which I have done for the house of God.  But all this while my Sun hath shone through a cloud in general, let us now fasten our thoughts upon the good deeds of Nehemiah in particular.  
These are of two sorts, or have a double object, First, those good deeds which he did for the house of God: Secondly, those which he did for the offices thereof. First, for the house of God.  
The Temple of Jerusalem was called the house of God. First, in a wider or larger sense, ab efficient, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we say, because God commanded it to be built; Thy son whom I will set upon thy throne, 
1. Reg. 5.5.  in thy room, he shall build an house unto my Name. Secondly, more pressely and in a closer sense, in regard of the end, or use of this house; and that was double, First, in respect of God, who dwelled in this house, and had possession of it, that is, testified his presence more clearly there, then elsewhere, both in the Ark of the Covenant and the Cloud; The Lord hath chosen Zion, 
1. Reg. 8.6.11. Psal. 132.13.  he hath desired it for his habitation. Secondly, in regard of his Service, Sacrifices, and Prayers, and other holy exercises being performed there by God's people, therefore it was called the place: where his Name should be, 
1. Reg. 8.29.  I might here bury a great part of my time, about the distinction and dignity of the house of God above other places, not consecrated or made over, to God's service; but I must draw in my sails. So I travel on from the term of the house of God, to place mine eyes upon the liberality of Nehemiah to this house.  
Upon this house, besides his flaming zeal in repairing it, and the wall about it, he gave with a full hand to the enriching of it a thousand dams of gold, 
Nehem. 7.70.  fifty Basins. five hundred and thirty Priests garments; a rich example for every able man to put up unto his consideration, it being a holy good work, to do good to God's house: Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers, 
Ezra 7 27.  which hath put such a thing, as this in the King's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. They that built only the walls of Jerusalem, yet are curiously registered in the Scripture, by the places which they repaired, by their names, 
Neh. 3.5, 8, 9, 17 22, 32.  yea, by their conditions; for some were Noblemen, some Governors, some Leuits, some Priests, some Apothecaries, some Goldsmiths, some Merchants.  

Sulpit. Severus, hist. sac. l. 2.  Darius had three Hebrew young men, the Squires of his body, one among the rest, by his wisdom drew both the King's affection and admiration upon himself; whereupon Darius bade him one day, Ask of him what he would and he should have it, He answered, that he desired nothing, but that Jerusalem might be rebuilt again.  

Egnat. exempl. l. 1. c. 1. Baron. ann. 324. num. 62. exactis Siluestri.  And Fame reports of Constantine, that in the erecting of a Church at Rome, he himself carried out twelve baskets of earth upon his own shoulders, as appeareth by the foundation of the Church.  
What strangers then are they to this Charity of Nehemiah, who either demolish holy places, or through sloth and covetousness suffer them to fall? Sure this is no Christian, 
Psal. 79.1.  but a right heathenish trick. O God, the Heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy Temple have they defiled, they have laid Jerusalem on heaps, nay, the Heathen would never do that to the Temples of the false Gods, 
Plut. in Timoleonte.  that we Christians do to the houses of the true God, for they hated and fled from all sacrilegious persons. Were the Church leprous, we could do no more, then pluck out the stones, as they did in the old Law; 
Leu. 14.40.  in a Leprous house, nay, they would not, even in such a house pluck out all the stones, as they do in Churches, 
Conueniat me janus iratus qua velit front Tertull. Apollog. c. 28.  but only such as were Leprous; Well let janus in his anger look upon me with either of his faces; (to borrow Tertullians' words) yet I will ever proclaim, that, Next to the injury done against the temple of man's body, there can be no greater injury then that which is done against the body of the Temple: And I wish that all sacrilegious persons, might feel the whip upon their conscience, which sometime Celsus felt, who after the robbing of many Churches, hearing one day that place of Esay read, Woe unto them that join house to house, 
Es. 5.8. Gregor. Turon. lib. 4. cap. 24.  that lay field to field, till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth; cried out immediately, Vae mihi & filits meis, woe be to me and my children.  
Secondly, Neither can they find in their hearts to be on Nehemiahs' side, who, in their hearts regard no Temple, nor any public place consigned to God's service, 
1 Reg. 14.23.  but build them as it were groves on every high hill, and under every green tree; Or if they be in the Temple, behave themselves there as reverently, as in a Stable, 
1 Reg. 7.25.  worse than ever hiram's brazen Oxen; whose hinder parts were not to be seen in the Temple for modesty, but these men's Religion is rudeness; as if Religion were best clad in a fool's coat; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Chrys in. 1 Cor. 14. hom. 36. Exurge veritas & quasi de patientia crump, Ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare, quas non novit consuetudo. Tertull. develand. virginibus cap. 3. Psal. 102.14. And the offices thereof. Neh. 7.1. & 13.10.  justly may we complain with Saint Chrysostome, In the Primitive Church houses were Churches, but now Churches are as houses, nay, worse than houses. But manum de tabula, I will put up my pencil and conclude this point with that of Tertullian. Rise up O Truth, and break from thy patience, and interpret thyself, thy Scriptures, which custom knows not; Never can that man's hand be liberal to the Temple, that doth not first in his heart, favour the dust of the Temple.  
But now as the fairest house without a light, is worth little, nay hath no room in our estimation, so the fairest Church without a Minister. Therefore Nehemiah was not only liberal to besprinkle the house of God, but the Offices thereof with his mercy: He appointed the Porters, the Singers, and the Levites, yea a maintenance for them, without which the Priesthood can no more stand then a plant without juice. And here we have found another fresh spring of his bounty: It is one of his good deeds, and our precedent, to let part of our mercy fall upon the Ministers of God; were not this work a welcome and an acceptable work to God, he would never have set so strong a guard upon the contrary. Take heed to thyself, 
Deut. 12.19. Mat. 10.41.  that thou forsake not the Levite, as long as thou livest upon the earth. Christ saith, He that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, that is, as the Father expounds it, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Jsidor. Pelus. l. 4. ep. 135 2. Chr. 31.4.  not for indirect ends, but with a naked heart, looking to religion and goodness shall receive a Prophet's reward.  
Thus Hezekiah commanded to give the portion of the Priests, the schedule or reason is annexed That they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. It is a laudable Charity and such as deserves the silver pen, to still the crying bowels of the poor; yet if we will lend credence to Aquinas; 
Quae sunt ad finem, quanto ei propinquiora tanto meliora. Aqu. 22. qu. 81. a. 6.  That of those works which are ordained to one end as the glory of God, those are best which draw nearest to the end, then must it needs follow, and weigh down this consequence, that the works whereby God's worship is maintained, because they do more directly and immediately tend to God's glory, do deserve a larger table of commendation, then ordinary charity to the poor. They that anoint the skirts of Aaron's Garments, and they that anoint Aaron's head, do both repose their charity in God's hand; only those repose it in Gods left hand, these in his right; pardon my zeal I pray you, if I seem to scorch one side more than an other, 
Num. 17.8.  that Aaron's rod may, if not flourish above the rest of the rods of Israel, yet flourish together with the rest. I speak not to take away the least thread from the poor; but as it happens sometime, that even the fairest coats of Arms may have some bar or defect so may charity to the poor (if it be with a contempt of the maintenance of God's service) lose, if not the Principal, yet some part of the Interest of her commendation. Neither do I here serve our own cause, to call upon the maintenance of our persons, without the service of God; but it is God's cause that gives fire to this discourse, For I could wish that the ark of God's worship might never shake, but God forbidden that it should be overthrown. In God's cause, I dare throw a stone of reproof against the face of such as care not for the demolishing of Gods public worship, 
judg. 17.10.  so every Micah may have a wand'ring Levite in his own house.  
And to this purpose it is, that they seek out stains in our coats, and in the public Officers of the Church (as it is an easy thing to find a spot in black) and being found, they wash them so oft in Nitre and Fuller's Soap, that in the end these garments are almost worn to rags. Well I say, If he that neglects to hear the Church, 
Matth. 18.7.  must be unto us as a Heathen man, or a Publican, he that robs the Church is worse than a Heathen or a Publican; to curtail the garments of the servant of the most high God, deserves no better a reward; 
Fulgos. l. 1. c. 2.  than that which Bambas the King of the Goths gave to Paulus Graecus the Churchrobber to crown him with a Crown of Pitch. Let such men convent themselves before their own understanding; and they shall plainly see a direct tract of just fear in these sacrilegious actions, namely, that he that altars God's Decree concerning his service, many times rowles himself into the same judgement, which He incurred, that altered Cyrus his word, concerning his bounty to Jerusalem, which was; 
Ezra. 6.11.  that a piece of timber out of his own house should be his ruin. But now to seal up this point. In Spain of old, 
Ammian. Marcell. l. 16.  they that brought in the Evening Lights, cried Vincamus, Let us Overcome; as if the very light should inflame them unto Victory: so now have we Nehemiah for a Light, I as your Servant present this Light unto you, and exhort you with all the blood I have Vincaemus, Let us overcome, Let us overcome, I say, our Hardness with Liberality to God's service, that God may remember us concerning this, and never wipe out the good deeds we have done to the house of our God, and the offices thereof.  
Thus having lodged the colours and run out the matter of Nehemiahs' Prayer, the manner of it, now attends your consideration, wound up in this familiar term, My God. But the hour is declined; and seeing I have already compelled you a mile, I will not compel you twain; And the rather not in this point, because the matter of the Prayer, was the principal Landmark or Beacon at which I aimed at this time, the manner, at least wise, this manner of familiar Prayer, is no ingredient into the essence of Prayer, but a degree of perfection in Prayer. Therefore praeternavigabit oratio I will sail by it, and only now retrieve some few things spoken by way of conclusion, unlade my ship perfectly, and put her up into the creek.  

Conclus. Plin. l. 10. c. 3.  Your ears have received this day the steely confidence of Nehemiah, how like a true Eagle, he durst look upon the Sun of righteousness, and ask a reward, I have led you likewise to the golden anchor of his confidence, His good deeds: which with her two teeth, layeth fast hold upon his Charity to the house of God, and to the offices thereof. No sweeter friend, no better companion, than a good conscience; nor no better deeds in the World to warm the conscience with a comfortable hope, than these two.  
Micah the Idolater treasured up to himself a sweet content, by but an appearance of one of these actions; Now know I that the Lord will do me good, 
jud. 17.13.  seeing I have a Levite to my Priest, what then remains, but that we transform ourselves into this example? Let not our Adversaries grind the face of our Religion, to say Religion and Charity were at one time thrust out of this Kingdom: Though we have sent them their Religion, yet we have kept (and my hope yet life's) shall keep their Charity. For what is wealth, without the true use of it? no more than those ornaments about the necks of the Midianitish Camels; 
jud. 8.24.  the poor beasts possessed them without understanding, and strait-skind rich men possess their wealth without true comfort. If there be any difference, here it is, that those jewels were bound to the Camels, but rich men more basely are bound to their wealth. Again, how quickly may death snatch us away, as in a whirlwind, as he snatched away the rich man in a night, from his barn doors, who sung a requiem to his own soul, but never asked himself, in what posture other men's states stood. Even as a brook, with a fall of rain waters, swells, and as if it were proud of his late increase, makes a noise, nay, runs here and there, 
Sicut torrens aquis plwialibus redundat perstrepit, currit & currendo decurrit: sic est omnis iste cur suo mortalitatis, Aug. in Psal. 109.  to show itself till by running it hath run out all that ever it had: Even so some rich men, upon some fall of wealth begin to swell, as if they were little Seas; then make a noise of ostentation, and because they have but one tongue of their own, they get the Echo of Flatterers; they overflow the lower grounds, that is the poor, and spread their names in text Letters of blood; in the end, after some short noise, as the brook leaves nothing, but mire; so leave they nothing at their death to themselves, but confusion before God and men. And now to bury all the ashes of this Sacrifice at the foot of the Altar, and to end my text, This is the common Sewer into which all humane vanity runs: as julian said when he was taken in to be Emperor with Constantius, 
Nihilo se plus assecutam quam ut occupatior interiret Amm. Marcel. l. 15.  and some unexpected mischief dropped upon him. That he got nothing by his advancement, but only to dye with more trouble; so this estate follows many times those that have estate, namely that Wealth abused yields no better crop then sour weeds of discontent; to make a man's death bitter; Whereas the good man's death, is like Music, though it consist of Sharps, yet it ends in a Diapason, and with a sweet close; 
Pro. 14.32.  The righteous hath hope in his death, Nay both in life and in death as the Prophet speaketh, 
Hos. 14, 2.  dareth to take words with him, and say, Remember me, O my God, concerning this; and wipe not out my good deeds, which I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.  
And so I fall down from the Text to the occasion.  
In all that whole row of solemnities, which men observe on earth, there is none more powerful to let down the heart of man, than the solemnity of funerals; our Churches mourn; our houses mourn, we ourselves mourn, yea the very air by a kind of repercussion of blackness, seems itself to be black; and mourns.  
The death of man in general, is able to make our Sorrows run; what pity is it that he that even now was Monarch of the air; to breathe where he listed, should by and by have his lungs stopped with dust, and be locked up well-nigh for ever, in the breathless earth? That he that had God's candle shining upon his head even now, 
job. 29.3.  should presently lay his head upon the sable pillow of the bed of darkness? That he that kept the best company with men, 
Buxtors. Sina jud. c. 11.  should by and by have no other company but with worms? If the jews in the feast of reconciliation think the swealing of a candle ominous; what may we think of the dying of a man? Certainly, if we blow up this powder into our heads, it will awake us from our Lethargy; specially such, who take up this consideration withal, that the same death that slew their brother, may next tread upon their heels.  
But above all things my judgement runs this way, that the death of good men, should make our veins cold; when an ordinary man breaks rank and dies, there falls a vapour, but when a good man dies, there falls a Star: when the Israelites shaken off Egypt, and departed, they robbed the Egyptians; and when a good man shakes off the world he robs the world. Such was the death of this thrice-worthy and ever-renowmed Gentleman, Master Richard Fisburne, whom death too soon for us, though too late for himself, hath with an Habeas corpus, removed into another world; So sour is the remembrance of it that my Prayers are rising still, that his death with other good men, may not be a lightning, before a great thunder, and that the losing of such corner stones may not perish the whole building. But before I spin out the particulars of his virtues, I must first shape some Apology, for myself and my dead friend of neverdying memory: On my part, some men's thoughts may bubble up within them, and imagine that I speak for my fee. Others out of a gloomy suspicion may conceive, that there might some desire start from him, to have his Sepulchre whited after his death; and this commendation painted upon it, but I will put in mine answer. First, for that imputation that may be rolled upon me; I do profess with an untainted heart, that though I have as good a cause, as a poor man can have to dote upon the remembrance of my friend, yet shall not any sinister end, set my tongue on work; further than the truth commands me.  
For him having now no relic of him, but only his Remembrance, (which is no more to a friend himself, than a shadow to the body) I will ever defend it, and keep his name bright, from the rust of contradiction; yea, I should slay mine own conscience, if I should not wipe out the least imputation that is cast upon him. He did diverse times, both in the beginning of his sickness and towards the end, grate upon the abuse of this custom of over-spicing the dead in large commendation; and entreated me, yea, with some flashes of importunity that I would perform this last office of Preaching for him, but speak nothing of him; And indeed had it not been, that by my silence I should have maimed the common expectation, his honour, and your example; I had turned these words into sighs, and have imposed this duty upon mine eyes, and not upon my tongue. But who can part with so good a man, so sweet a friend, in so rude a manner, as to say nothing? If I must needs therefore err one way (as in these occasions commonly the wind stands in our faces, and our actions return upon us again) I will rather be immodest in denying the modesty of my friend, then unthankful in denying mine own duty; And so I break away from the Apology to the matter.  
This brother of ours deceased, was by birth a Gentleman of the Town of Huntingdon, cut out of no mean quarry, borne of a good house, what the strength of his education was, and how he was translated out of Nature, into Grace, shined clearly in the virtues, lent him by God when more years fell upon him. Commonly the heat of good institution which is put into a child young, glows in him little or much, while he hath a day to run through in this life; And as many times the Husbandman, that hath the eye of experience, will give a fair guess of the whole day, by the morning: so many times to a man of a fresh sight youth is an Optick-glasse to discover afar off, the sequel of many years; After that he was well inlaid by his education, God having endowed him with excellent parts of Nature, he was transplanted into the service of a Noble Countess in this Kingdom, where (as the fairest flowers have oftentimes the faintest smells) he did not long like the candied happiness of the Court. From thence therefore he took his way into the Ciite, and became servant to a Gentleman of full esteem and credit Sir Baptist Hickes, now Knight and Baronet, from whose own mouth I heard it with what diligence and faithfulness, even for many years together, he disindented and discharged himself of that service.  
For his understanding, so much as might lie within the compass of an ordinary brain:  
Fame itself could scarce lie of him; which knowledge of his he often watered with assiduous reading professing in his sickness, the large comforts he had culled to himself out of those hours laid by for his private studies. And this was ascertained afterwards, by a Book in folio, which bore the collections which he had fished out of diverse Books of Divinity, History, and the like. 
Pet. Martyr. M. Perkins, etc.  Besides by the voice of reason, it is commonly true, that he that is provident in his youth, is rich in his age; so he that is studious of good things in his former years, is all comfort in his death.  
He wsa an affable man, He that looked but upon his face, might have seen goodness and courtesy look out of his eyes. If a poor man, whose hopes perchance, lay a bleeding, had, had any request to have advanced unto him; he carried such a dew in his lips, and answers, that he would have breathed, as it were another life in his face. His gestures so without all specks of offence, & injury, as that he deserved the name which Nicholas the third had for his modesty, to be called Compositus, 
Volateran. Anthropolog. l. 22.  A man well composed, This was that which made him Lord of so many hearts. Scarce was there a man within the compass of our memory, that ever won himself more love in his health, more Prayers in his sickness, more lamentation after his death. He was a just man in his words, yea, in his actions (for his actions did second his words) He professed upon his last bed, even on his deathbed where every man speaks, with an unmasked conscience, that to his knowledge, he had not gotten any part of his goods injustly. O blessed example! O rare precedent! In the large list of many Ages, but one man, even Aristides, reached the name of a Just man; I could wish that the Emblem, which sometimes Ferdinand Count Palatine of Rhine, 
jac. Typot. symb. Princ. tom. 2.  made, might be set upon our shop-wals, and Counting-houses, which was, The Picture of justice, taking her leave of the World, and sitting upon a Dolphin, with a Balance in her hand, and these three words written about her, Cognosce, Elige, Matura, Know, Choose, Make haste, Know that justice is incorrupted, Choose that which is just, Make haste, lest by a momentany sin, thou bind thyself in everlasting punishment. He was a religious man in private, His manner was, Before he would dip his hand in any public worldly action, his Prayers should first lead him out of doors. For his understanding favoured him so fare, as to know that it was Prayer, that like Rahabs' Scarlet Thread in her window, gave defence to our houses, our persons, and all.  
He was religious in public, He was a frequent, reverend, attentive, and impartial Auditor of the Word. He was none of the Peripatetic Professors, who have a walking Religion, from one Church to another: and from their own ordinary Pastor to a worse; much like the silly-hearted Doves, that for no reason leave the common Dove-house, and build perchance in the next place they see, Barn or Steeple. O the strangeness of these times! Religion, which was wont to have but one face, is now a monster; and hath many. Nay, there are some Ministers, that have so much stout blood in their veins, that they start not, to give the people this sour milk, some indirectly, some directly, that this Sin to leave their own Pastors, is a part of Religion. Indirectly at men's tables, where every Chair is a Pulpit, they play under board and teach by it, by casting a foam upon their brethren's names; and so draw all the water to their own Mills. Nay directly, even in the sacred ground of Pulpits, some dash through all manner of waters, and by brinish declamations against others, wind all the best Thread upon their own Clues; Insomuch that the Prophet's words whip our times, 
jer. 5.31.  as well as his own, The Prophets prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule, by their means, and my people love to have it so, and what will ye do in the end thereof? I sweat not now, in hatred of any man's person; nor to besmoake the weakest labours of any man, with the least prejudice, specially when they fall from a sincere heart, But yet I hate Hypocrisy, as Hell itself; when a man for an ell of Lawn, more or less, or a silver Cup at a Christening, or hope of some Legacy at a man's death, shall unwind his tongue, this way and that way, and even rock any cradle, as we say, though of a bastard, to fill his own Cistern with some water.  
Shall the Disciples in a private house eat any temporal food set before them, 
Luc. 10.7.  and shall not the people in God's House eat the spiritual food that is offered them?  
Shall every man have his own set house, 
1. Cor. 21.22.  to eat and drink in, and shall Religion have no certain house to dwell in? I ask a man (if he have the temple of his soul in his conscience, not in his fantasy) will he say with a broad forehead that a Minister is bound to preach, and can he say with narrow lips that the people are not bound to hear? Is it the ordinance of God, even in the court of their own judgements, that a Minister should preach, and doth not the same impregnable Ordinance lay hold on the people to yield their ears? Let them wove this web a little closer; It is a bookcase in the Scripture, They that resist the ordinance of God, 
Rom. 13.2.  sta●● receive to themselves damnation. Yea but they gruntle and say they cannot edify, and what then? Shall we do evil that good may come? 
Rom. 3.8.  Again, to cut a little nearer the hoof, it wants scarce a hair's breadth of blasphemy to say this, that they cannot edify; For edification, being a work of the spirit, is clasped to no certain persons or gifts; how powerful soever in working upon the affections; but to the Ministry in general, The Gospel in general, in whatsoever Minister it is, it is the power of God to salvation, 
Rom. 1.16.  as the light in the Sun is the same, in a cottage, as in a Palace. And Saint Paul saith, Notwithstanding every way, 
Phil. 1.18.  whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached, I therein rejoice and will rejoice. Thirdly, thou brayest yet, and sayest, thou canst not edify, perchance the fault lies in thine own bones; either thou hast not prepared thyself by prayer and repentance, or else thou art laden with a prejudice against the Preacher or else thou resignest thyself over to wand'ring thoughts and then no marvel, if he that is stopped at the heart, cannot breathe freely, and he that hath an unprepared, a prejudicial, and an unstable soul, cannot edify. Lastly, though God hath opened the people a door of liberty, to judge of the doctrine of the Prophets, by the Scriptures, in things fundamental and plain, yet from what coast came their power or art to judge of the gifts of the Prophets; whether by them they are able to edify or no. Specially in one thing I am sure, that their judgement breaks not even, who set a price on every Preacher, not by his knowledge but by his zeal.  
If edification be no more than building, surely, he that hath least skill is the worst builder, but I crave pardon, that I have thrown away so much time to cut this weed so near the ground. Let every man look to his own hearth that the Sun put not out his fire, nor his zeal his knowledge. To me, it sounds all one, for a man to leave his Pastor, and for a child to leave his Father. So to resalute the occasion again, He was a charitable man, charitable in his life time, while his health followed him, charitable when sickness arrested him, charitable in private. He washed the feet of many poor and was ready as occasions were put up unto him by others, to rear up all the children of Necessity with his mercy; Nay he was not drie-handed to some Hospitals in private before his death, but blessed those dead bones with his charity, and obtained the name of a merciful man, 
Act. 22.28.  as the chief Captain obtained his freedom with round sums of money? O beautiful charity! The closest day the greatest heat, and the water that runs under the earth is ever the purest; secret charity open virtue, Thy Father which seethe in secret, 
Mat. 6.6.  shall reward thee openly.  
He was charitable in public, and that not in handfuls, but in sheaves, I shall remonstrate to you not a table only, but a field of mercy, not a paper, but a book of good works; even so large, that without the help of a Catalogue, my memory would stagger in the rehearsing of them. It is ordinary, that no man almost doth all the good which another man remembers, but it is rare that a man should not remember all the good which another man doth. I might here enterlace the Legacies of Nature, which he poured into his kindred's laps; 
Ruth 3.15.  as sometimes Boaz poured into ruth's veil six measures of corn: for, even for this one principal beam of charity, I may translate that saying of the Canticles from thence, to this place; We have a little sister and she hath no breasts; 
Cant. 8.8, 9,  what shall we do for our sister in the day, when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a Palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of Cedar.  
One thing there is, the remembrance of which I cannot leave hehind me; and (to behead all unnecessary circumstances) it was thus, A friend of his one day infused into him this particular, that in such a place, there was a Gentlewoman attending upon a Lady of good quality, who by mere chance hearing the name of Fishburne in discourse at that time, presently conceived, that he was her kinsman, and with a winged desire instantly addressed herself to know the place where he dwelled; and so for that time put up her desires again. This Narration arriving with Master Fishburne, he with a strong gale of affection, 
Vne vogue de saveur. Proverb Gallic.  bears now toward the place of this Gentlewoman's abode; and there descrying this truth by lively circumstances, that she was a stem of the same tree of alliance with himself; for that time most courteously entreated her, after, presented her with no mean present, shortly gathered her home to his own, and while breath was with him, nourished her with respect and bounty; and when he was with the good Samaritane to leave the Inn of this body, placed that care of her upon his dear and worthy Partner, and Executor; and with a blessed hand cast a thousand pound upon her. But I must sup up many things with a short breath.  
I might here likewise dish out his Legacies of thankfulness to his Master, and all his Masters chief Allies, and to many other friends, and that not with a narrow hand, which very thing is not barren of his praise neither; For he that is unthankful is not a Christian, is not a man, no not so good as a beast; but a very dunghill, on which if you cast never so sweet odours, yet it will send you evil for good: I might here add more links to this discourse; and speak of his Legacies of love, which he derived upon his servants; his memory not over-leaping one that had been with him, even from seven years before his death. Giving to some ten pounds, to some fifty pounds, to some an hun-hundred pounds, to some two hundred pounds apiece, a work that hath the face of Charity upon it, as well as the other; But I must drive on a little faster, to his weightier works of mercy. To the Poor, and to the Church.  
First, he laid his hands upon the poor, and gave,  
To the poor of Christ's Hospital a thousand Marks.  
To the Hospital of Bridewell, two hundred pounds.  
To Saint Bartholomewes' Hospital, a hundred pounds.  
To Saint Thomas his Hospital, a hundred pounds.  
Item, To the Mercers a thousand pound for five young men of that Company, two hundred pounds apiece for five years together gratis, & so from one to another for ever.  
Item, To the Poor of Saint Bartholomewes' where he lived, five hundred pounds to purchase five and twenty pounds a year for ever,  
Item, To Saint botolph's Bishopsgate, To Saint Giles Cripplegate, To Saint leonard's Shoreditch, To Saint Mary Whitechapel, To Saint Sepulchers Parish, twenty pounds for sixty poor men.  
Item, To the Mercers a thousand pounds more, to purchase fifty pounds per annum, for thirty poor brethren, or Widows of that Company, to be bestowed in Gowns; Shirts, Hose, and Shoes, every Michaelmas for ever.  
Item, He gave to the poor of Huntingdon; where he was borne, two thousand pounds for Almshouses, Lecture, or School, which they most needed, one hundred pounds per annum, for ever.  
Item, He gave to the poor of Coxall in Essex, fifty pounds.  
He gave to Prisoners, To Ludgate, the two Compters, Bedlam, and the Fleet, a hundred and fifty pounds, thirty pounds apiece.  
To the King's Bench and Marshallsea, forty pounds, twenty pounds apiece.  
He next turned the right eye of his Charity upon the Church and God's Service: As for Sermons at Mercer's Chapel, from the first Sunday in Michaelmas Term, every Sunday, to the first Sunday in Lent (except those that fall out in the twelve days of Christmas) five hundred pounds to purchase five and twenty pounds per annum, for ever.  
Item, He hath given five hundred pounds to purchase five and twenty pounds a year for ever, for a Lecture to be read at Saint Bartholomewe's where he lived, on the Week day.  
He hath given two thousand eight hundred pounds, to buy in certain Impropriations, in some Northern Counties, where there is least preaching.  
Next his Charity came upon the Ministers, first, he gave to six by name, the sum in all three hundred and thirty pounds.  
Item, He gave twenty Preachers beneficed in London, whose Live were of small value, four hundred pounds, twenty pounds apiece.  
Item, He gave to twenty unbeneficed Preachers in London, four hundred pounds, twenty pounds apiece.  
Here is a fair bank of Charity; In all it amounts to the sum of 10726. pounds thirteen shillings and four pence. Besides that which he conferred upon his Company, Kindred, Friends, and Servants, which runs out to well-nigh five thousand pounds more. O the large arms of Charity! And withal, one notable thing which stays my consideration upon it. That in all this Magazine of bounty, he hath not made Usury his Executor as some do; He would not that his Works of Charity should grow out of the black root of Usury, but that Land should be purchased for the perpetuating of them.  
But to turn in again one short turn to these Mercies, 
Orator est vir bonus dicendi peritus, Isidor. Etymol. li. 2. c. 3. Acts 9.39.  what cost of words is able sufficiently to express them? I confess, I want one part of an Orator which is words, yet I want not altogether the other, which is goodness; therefore, I must needs with Dorcas her Widows, at the least show the Coats & Garments of mercy which he gave. Nay, I will blow this coal a little more, and add, If God made houses upon earth for the Midwives of Egypt, for their mercy, 
Exod. 1.21.  surely God hath made him a house in Heaven for his mercy; and we have cause to build him some Monument of his memory. Blessed be that mercy which betakes itself into the Bowels of the Poor, to lodge there! Happy those hands, 
Cant. 5.5.  which drop such Myrrh! Let the Poor be your Altars, whereon these Sacrifices are to be offered; 
Iosh. 2.18.  And as Rahabs' house was saved by the Scarlet Thread, so shall your works be the means of the saving of you, they shall be as the Angels were to Lazarus, to receive you into everlasting habitations. Let your Charity shine upon the sick; Get you within the shadow of this example, 
Bibulam animam salsugo ambitionis occupat, Cypr. prolog. in sermons. Proximorum aperuit sauces Constantinus, saginavit Constantius, Ammian. Marcell. lib. 16. Quid tam populare quam libertas, quam & à bestijs expeti videmus, Cic. de lege Agraria orat. 2. Isidor. Etymolog. lib 6. cap. 10.  as sometimes they did within the shadow of Peter, and there cure that over-salt desire, You have in getting; that as Fame gave out of Constantine, that he opened men's mouths, but Constantius filled them; so may this honour ever dwell with you, you worthy Citizens, that your Fathers opened the mouth of the poor, but you filled them.  
Let the Prisoners likewise feel the soft hands of your mercy. Liberty is a thing which the very beasts desire: A Prisoner hath few friends, scarce his own Parents are his friends. Therefore, as curious gravers look sometimes upon green Flies, to recollect their scattered sight again: So let the sighs of the poor Prisoners come before you and place your eyes upon them, that you may work out that curious work of your salvation with more comfort.  
And let the Ministers coats have a little more wool upon them; too often brushing makes them threadbare, This deceased Gentleman, he gives you aim; scarce any man within the list of our memory, who shown more true life of affection to the Ministers than he. I will demonstrate unto you the whole Picture of his mercy in this kind by one line.  
A certain Minister in this City, making suit to the worthy Society of the Mercers, for the renewing of a Lease of a house, in which the said Minister dwelled; The Company allowed him this answer, that he should have his desire, with condition of paying fifty pounds for a fine. The grave Minister professing his inability to this sum, the heart of this deceased Gentleman did so run over with compassion that presently he suggested into the ear of a faithful friend of that Ministers, that he out of his own purse would pay that fine for him: which being not suddenly accomplished, through some other occasions interleaping, at his death he firmed it, and gave him fifty pounds for that purpose.  
But I haste to that Princely work of his Charity, in recalling Impropriations to the Church, where because words are many times like smells, which do not nourish, but only refresh; and that we speak often to the wind, not to the hearts of men. I desire you in our Saviour's own accent, Who hath ears to hear let him hear.  

Matth. 13.9.  Shall we provide for men's bodies and not for their souls? Shall we look to the roof and not to the Principal? Will we not commit the cure of a finger to an unskilful Surgeon, and shall we commit men's souls to unlearned Ministers? hath Christ redeemed the souls of men with his heart blood (one drop of which carries more worth than a thousand worlds) and have we such broad and wide consciences as to suffer a man that hath but four pounds a year, to sell a thousand souls to the Devil, for scarce so many pence? I will not open the wrong vein, 
Potiùs ne non scriberent, quam ut vera scriberent.  to dispute now the civil right that Laymen have to Tithes; Neither can I now dispute the divine right of Tithes, against which some have written rather, lest they might not write at all, then writ the truth and have thrust their flesh-hooks into other men's pots. I dare trust the records of mine own reading in one thing there is no divine right to put holy flesh into every garment, nor to give Tithes to Lay men; Therefore I could wish to lay this burden upon my friends, nay my enemies not to snatch these coals from off God's altar, but to let the Seraphims only do this.  
And if such a man have this consecrated gold in his tent that he cannot, being over-mastred by Necessity well leave it; I would be his Author to persuade him to wave the tenth sheave of his tenth, and to pinch himself rather then God, in providing a sufficient Minister; yea I would to God I could persuade some rich men, though they have not wet their feet in this sacred oil, yet not to take up their standing there only, to do no harm but to help by their mercy, that the Church may run upon her own wheels again. As God breathed counsel on David when he should hear the sound of a going in the tops of the Mulberry trees, 
2. Sam. 5.24.  then to bestir himself against the Philistines, so I upon you, that you by the sound of the feet of this Gentleman and others (the remembrance of their charity in this kind) would rank your thoughts in that file, to root out this Ark-robbing Philistine, Sacrilege. If robbery of a common house, and piracy of a ship of ordinary fraught, make our blood boil within us; what may the robbery of God's house, and the piracy of the Ship, where Christ is, do? But now to steer my discourse to you of this worthy and famous Company of the Mercers, whose care this Gentleman hath borrowed, as the Prophet's widow did her vessels to receive this oil for others; let me return you his own words in his own will, which he bequeathed you, together with his Charity. And I hearty entreat the said Wardens, and Commonalty for God's sake that they will be careful from time to time, to make choice of such as be well known to be honest, discreet, and learned men, fearing God, and painful in their Ministry, that by their life and doctrine they may win many souls to Christ jesus. Oh what words are here? not words but goads. What heart so hard-skind where these words cannot enter? I am already seasoned with an opinion of this Society, that you will do all this. If he had only said, for his own sake and not for God's sake, yet you would never have wounded your reputations to have neglected his desire. As there was a double mercy reigned in him, not only to give, but to be careful that that which he had given, might run in the right Channel, so let a double care ever accompany you in your meeting about this occasion, 
1. Sam. 6.9.  that the Ark may go by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh; Mine own experience chatters thus much to me, that when the presentations of these newborn Benefices shall be devolved upon you, that many wand'ring Doves will fly to your Ark; and that the Fountains above and below will be moved, Power from great ones, and friends among yourselves, moulded on purpose, for some private ends. Therefore then look upon the Picture of this Gentleman, I mean his Will, Let neither Might nor Partiality blow away that care he entrusted you withal. And though many lines be requisite to make a fair Image, and many gifts to make a Preacher; yet principally I would set forward one request unto you, that you would adorn your Election, not with men too young, and of the first head, but with men of temper, whose brains were settled long since; For a Minister without discretion is like Samson without his eyes, fit for a Mill, than a Church, and so I resign the rest to your wise considerations, and join myself again to my former argument.  
If any shall turn the point of this Objection against this Mercy, and say that this Gentleman was a single man, and had no children; therefore his Charity bore the less price (having no ways else so fair a way to direct it) I now answer for his ashes: First, Many a single man leaves the World as the Assyrians left their Camp with a noise and a tumult, and out of confusion dispose just nothing. Secondly, Though he had no children, yet he wanted not these of his name, and kindred, one of which he might have adopted, and have poured all this Oil into one Vessel; if he would have hunted as many do, after a worldly continuance of his name; Whatsoever men blatter to the contrary; I shall still send out my Prayers unto Heaven, that this Mother of Israel, this Honourable City may bring forth many such Children.  
But enough for his life. If I have broken my limits and banks with too long a discourse, I crave pardon, because, though I may have overrun myself in affection to his person, yet I have not overreached in the truth of the cause.  
And so I come to his death, which was like Sampsons' death, no less famous if not more famous than his life: for ever as the premises are, so is the conclusion; and a good life draws after it a good death.  
Shall I colour out unto you his devout and comfortable receiving of the Sacrament in his sickness? the use of which howsoever now some Opiniasters after so long a dissent of practice, arraign at their own bars, 
An iustitia & fortitudo fuerint animalia. Sen. ep. 113.  (for this is an age to question any thing, even whether virtues be Creatures) yet lies it so fair to the eye; if we will not ride all Antiquity and Reason, that they that will kick at this, 
Nec fi solem ipsum manibus gestemus, fidem commodabunt. Lactant. l. 7. c. 1.  will not lend us their faith, though we should carry the Sun in our hands.  
Shall I set before you that judicious confession of his Faith, which he made at that time? I cannot unrip every piece, thread by thread, the time forbids me.  
Shall I conduct you to the desire he had to the absolution of the Church, which was accordingly performed I know there are some, who would have Religion to be like a coat without shape or decency; who think it fit to break  heaven gates with an vntempered violence, 
Non clavae, sed clavo.  then to open them with a key, and these with their Iron horns push at this practice of the Church, as if it were some Syrian, some Popish rag. But I crave passage for a word or two. First, I do not believe that there is the same power in the Minister, as in God, authoritatiuè by original and prime power to expiate and purge sin, 
Verè tanquam dei ministriab solvunt id quod deus ipse efficit Catechis. Rom. pa. 2. c. 5. vum. 15 Haec soluendi & ligandi potestas non minor est in Ecclesia, quam in Christo Cusan. epist. 2. ad Bohemos.  nor yet the same in substance, and differing only in degree of eminency in God, and ministry in man; as our adversaries aver; for if it were the same in kind with God's power, whether originally or by derivation to forgive sin, it must needs be always effectual, as it is in God, and the keys should never err, which the Papists themselves will not defend, for the key of our absolution may sometimes bend or turn round, and not open the gate of heaven, Secondly, if that proper and never-erring power of forgiving sins be not in the Minister, than reason binds us to believe that it is some other act, improper, and indirect, which is only attributed to man, in forgiving sins, as, first by disposing a man in the use of the word, public or private, to repentance, and so to make him capable of remission of sins. Secondly, upon probable signs of repentance, to pronounce such a man penitent, absolved. Thirdly, by actual absolution of him; as in a Patent the Conditions are first drawn. Secondly the Patent is sealed. Thirdly, it is delivered and applied: so doth Christ attribute to the Ministers for the honour of their Ministry, a nearer act of remission of sins; and saith, Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. 
Joh. 20.23.  for he that only disposeth a man to forgiveness, or pronounceth him forgiven, is remotely said to forgive. Yet this actual absolution is not a proper act of forgiving neither, namely such a one as hath a direct necessary and physical influence into the effect of absolution; but only it is causa moralis or concilians, a cause moral, whereupon God is stirred up, seeing the preparation of the Penitent, and the absolution of the Minister, that is his own ordinance, to concur with that act of the Minister and to forgive sins. And this doth neither too much Idolise this power of forgiving sins with the Papists, nor yet too much tread it underfoot with others, whom the false fire of their own Imagination leads to think, that the Absolution appointed by the Church and confirmed with other things by Act of Parliament, is a superfluous and Popish observation; 
Statut. Eliz. 1.  and that God hath lent no power at all to it. But I will draw in my breath. One thing I am sure of, that after the receipt of this Sacrament, and the form of absolution, God blew upon that Garden of Spices, his heart, and raised him a great deal of comfort; as others can bear a part with me in this testimony. Shall I bring forth all his religious sayings which passed from him, during all the time of his sickness? Amongst many others, He did bless God, that he was to die in such a Religion, where the Ministers gaped not after dying men's goods, as the Popish Priests do, but after their souls. For indeed they do not so much give the sick oil, as take from them; and ungendo emungunt, by anointing them they unskrew the more easily their charity. There were four Ministers of us with him in his sickness, and I dare say with a clear forehead, though we had a yielding subject to work upon; yet not one of us parted our lips, to exhale the least gift from him for our own particulars. As his stomach ever kicked against Popery, so was he a true woven Protestant, and a natural son of the Church of England; insomuch that though he wanted not the Chariots of Israel, (the prayers zealous, and frequent of many for him) yet he desired the blessing of the Church; I mean the common prayers to be read to him before he should tradere lampada, resign his last breath: to testify the spiritual delight he sucked from them in his life; and that comfort which he assuredly hoped to borrow from them at his death. Shall I lay out his comfortable speeches to others, when he saw their eyes run over with tears for him, he would often say: Trust in God; for his own heart taught him, that seeing all the pleasures of this life must be rolled together, and all should be filled upon that file of Solomon, 
Eccles. 1.2.  Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity, it was the truest wisdom to hang upon God.  
Shall I encroach so fare upon your patience as to show you his Patience towards God? All the time that fatal sickness fed upon him, even till death, He lowed not under the hand of God, as the Kine did under the Ark, 
1. Sam. 6.12.  as if he were unwilling to leave this world, as they were to leave their Calves, but was willing to bear that hand in adversity, that had borne him in prosperity; 
Quadratus lapis Christianus, quocunque verteris, stat. Aug. in Ps. 86. homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  like a four squared stone, which way soever you throw it, it rests; so did he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casts his passions asleep, as Saint Basil saith, and was content what way soever God came upon him, whether from the North or the South, in judgement or in Mercy.  
Shall I bedew you with his tears? Never any man, at whose death I have been, drew more tears from his eyes then he. Those Limbecks of his never ceased distilling. These Fountains above were almost always open; Surely as Saint Augustine saith, 
Procella ingens magnam vim ferebat lachrymarum, Aug. Confess. l. 8. c. 12  There was some great storm within him, against sin, that brought down such a flood of tears, yet not without some beams of joy, for he would say himself, See you these tears? These shall be all bottled: And certainly we saw that upon his weeping a wonderful assurance of comfort came upon him: even as the fire from Heaven followed the water poured upon Elias his Sacrifice.  
Lastly, for his faith and hope, which did assist him, till his last hour; mine eyes were never witnesses of a greater confidence in any dying man, his comfort never so much as once shaken. If he had had any broken fancies in his sleep, that might seem to have over-shadowed his hope; he would chase them away still, as he waked. Indeed his confidence was so high-built that I began to look at the foundation; fearing that there might be some bog of presumption; and that all was not built upon the firm Rock. To that purpose, doubting he might be too forward, I set him backward to consider the many snares and temptations of this life, which lie as thick as the rind in Autumn before our feet; and the many sins which oftentimes men of the best fame are gored with. He answered me, I confess I have been a great and grievous sinner; but yet I thank God; I did ever labour privately to make my peace with God again. Nay, this he sealed again, with a fairer stamp, for being asked by me often, why, finding such comfort, he wept so much; He regested this answer, 
Ipsa obmutescit facundia, si aegra sit conscientia, Ambros. in Psal. 118. Octonar. 6.  many times together, Poor Fisborne shall be a Saint. Thus as the Sun cannot be without light, no more can goodness be without hope; And as after showers of April rain, the air is the sweeter: so after these tears of his, was his joy the more sensible, as on the contrary, If the conscience be sick, the tongue is dumb; as Saint Ambrose saith; Nay, that it may appear, that with this very hope he took Heaven, the very last word that he spoke in this World testify aloud; when, it should seem, revolving with himself, the Passion of Christ (a cordial meditation for all dying men) he crowned his death with these Golden words, I am now hasting to Mount Caluary to my Saviour: and so after a little more sand run out (his glass never to be turned again) in peace and in a good old age, rendered himself into his hands, with whom he now rests in that bosom of glory, and shall so rest for ever and ever. Only he hath left the World, as Lot left Sodom, in smoke and combustion. He that made God heir of his goods; himself the heir of God, and the earth the heir of his body; he hath made many friends, the sorrowful heirs of his memory. As the long looking upon the Sun, makes our eyes water: so the serious remembrance of his Goodness must needs fetch out tears; If some men's eyes be dry for the present (for many times the deepest wounds bleed not soon, nor the greatest sorrows weep soon) yet my heart whispers to me, their hearts are not dry. Nay, our sorrows for him will yet rise to a higher tide, when we come hereafter more to want him; we now bury him in the earth; we shall then bury him in our hearts. Time will tell them that loved him without a false bottom, that in this I have now said, my tongue strooke not on both sides, I confess, I distrust not God's power, nor hath my hope forsaken me, of any man's goodness, but yet mine eyes despair, almost ever to see a man, with such a retinue of graces: so wise, so loving, so just, so religious, so charitable, so hopeful in his death; even all these beams contracted into one Glass. 
Per eandem lineam serram reciprocare. Tertull. de Corona militia, cap. 3.  But I must not draw my Saw the same way again, as Tertullian's phrase is. I will only sound mine hoarse Trumpet once again, and so end.  
Farewell, a Lustre to this City; Farewell, a glory to his Company; Farewell, a beauty to the Merchants; Farewell, a credit to the place where he lived; Farewell, an honourer of the Church; Farewell, a Patron of the Poor; Farewell, the joy of all his Acquaintance; And if any man have a part in this sorrow, I have not the shortest; Farewell, the noblest, lovingest, and faithfullest friend that ever poor man had; Farewell, once again thou second Nehemiah; Farewell Text; Farewell Time. Finally, brethren far you well. Be ye good Nehemiah's, like him; underprop God's service. And God Almighty remember you; and never wipe out the good deeds which ye shall do to the house of God, and the offices thereof; From this time forth and for evermore. Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.