A FUNERAL SERMON PREACHED On the Occasion of the Right Honourable the Earl of Sh—y's Late Interment in .  
By W.B. a Godly Minister (though unworthy Servant) of Jesus Christ.  Si quid habent veri Vatûm praesagia, Vivam. 
LONDON, Printed by George Croom, 1683.   
PROVERBS. 10.7. 
The Memory of the Just shall be Blessed, but the name of the Wicked shall Rot.  
I Shall not trouble myself nor you with any tedious Introductions, or long Circumlocutions (as some Divines use) before I come to the business in hand; since I apprehend it altogether fruitless, and unsuccessful. For, (Beloved) what signifies an impertinent preamble? an insipid, foppish kind of Harangue before a Sermon? 'Tis a dull kind of Trick that Baal's Priests (the lazy Levites of the Age) have got to make the Glass hold out; what with the frothy business of Narrations, Exordiums, Paraphrases, the hour is slipped away insensibly. Besides, (my Friends) they raise People's expectations too high, and then it may be Parturiunt Montes, they make a splendid Porch to an ordinary Thatched House: Why I tell you, the People don't approve of such tedious Graces before they come to the substantial Food of Use and Doctrine; they are mad to catch at the Division, like a sharp-set Country Bumpkin, who half devoured a Plumpudding,  a Brother of ours could dispatch his Grace. From whence 'tis easy to infer, that long tedious Preambles before a Sermon, are equally pernicious to men's Souls, as a long wound Grace before Meat is to their Bodies. This Position might quickly be proved, but I intent to be concise, and I shall endeavour to alter this Jesuitical Trick of Introductions: For this Reason I design to fall slap dash upon my Text, and so Anatomize it, and Split it, as the matter will give leave. but (Beloved) before I proceed, I beg your Christian Patience to permit me a little to insist upon the occasions of our gathering together, and to show you the reasons of this great Solemnity. This day (my Friends) is a day of Mourning and Lamentation, of Howling and Wring of Hands; 'tis a day we have chosen to Celebrate the Funeral Rites of our Worthy, and much to be Lamented Patriot, the late King of Poland, who (in spite of Axes and Halters, and other Engines of Mortality) quietly, and peaceably gave up the Ghost amongst the True Republican Boars of Holland. Oh! this was a fatal day, a day of Gloominess and Honour: This Man's unlucky Fate (who was our principal Patron and Benefactor) has struck to the very Roots, and Foundations of the Good Old Cause, It was Strong and Potent, and flourished once to admiration, through the Wit and Conduct of this Great Masterpiece of Politics: I had almost said it was supported by the Breath of his Nostrils; he gave it entertainment, suckled it, nursed it, and almost (curse on the Fates) brought it up to perfection.  
But now alas (with grief and sorrow I speak it) it gins to simper, and dwindle extremely, it drops so (I'm horribly afraid) that All the Quacks and Bunglers in Politics will not be able to recover it. Let us therefore of the Brotherhood lament, and seriously bewail the Death of this much admired Patriot, and in him (I weep to speak it) the Funeral, the total Consumption of our Interest: That my Friends must needs fall to the Ground, unless (in this Critical Juncture of Affairs,) some Grand Politician luckily interpose, and prevent the expected miscarriage.  
But what hopes have we of such an excellent Successor? It must needs sink I say, unless some Honest Man (some Anti-monarchical degraded Statesman, who will be Rebellious out of a Principle of Revenge) bravely vindicate the Holy quarrel, and take up the Cudgels to support a Languishing (if not Dying) Faction, and carry on a drooping, decrepit Plot. Such an one as we must necessarily find, if we hope ever to be successful in our future undertake. But this is by the By; and yet I must needs say, 'tis a necessary Digression. Let me therefore now apply myself unto our Dear Sisters: Be ye likewise in a Mourning Posture, let your Countenances be dejected, your Eyes full of Tears; let outward Sobs and Sighs express the inward Sorrow of your Hearts. Lament ye, I say, (Dear Sisters) for the Death of your Old Friend, he was always a True Friend to you, always kind to your Sex, and a constant admirer of the Feminine Gender, (as the late Salamanca Doctor has been of the Masculine.) Do ye therefore gratefully Celebrate the Memory of this Just Friend of yours, which brings me very pat to my Text, namely, The Memory, etc.  
Not to trouble or perplex you with the nice Explication of the Words, nor to ransack old Musty Wormeaten Commentators and Paraphrasers, I shall content myself to satisfy you with the Opinion of some of our Modern Controversiallists. And to be brief, I shall not put the Words on the Rack, to make them confess more than they have a mind to. The Words (in my Opinion) contain in them two Affirmative Propositions. First, The Memory, etc. Secondly, The Name, etc.  
This I shall make out (as plain as the Nose in your Face) by laying down those two Positions. 

1. That a Grave, Serious, Godly, True Protestant kind of Life and Conversation, is the only way to secure a sound and honest Reputation after Death.  
2. That a Ranting, Roaring, Papistical Tory kind of Behaviour here, makes a Man's Name Rot and his Memory odious after Death, to all Sober Godly Christians.    
This (I'm sure) is a substantial Orthodox Piece of Doctrine: But I shall proceed to prove my First Position. (Beloved) Gravity and Seriousness in Behaviour, (though its Profanely called by the Ungodly Formality, Hypocrisy, and preciseness) is a very commendable qualification in any Man of what Age, Size or Complexion. A reserved Face, a good demure sanctified Countenance, challenges a civil respect from any Man. Men generally pay due deference to a Man (though the meanest Person in the World) if his Looks are any ways inclined to Godliness; if he has Religion stamped on his Face, (and if the Marks of Reprobation are not visible in his Forehead) if (I say) his Elevated Eyes discover a fervent Soul within, he must of necessity be wonderfully revered. But alas! we are fallen into a degenerate Age, an Age as sinful and Profane, as Tory-Evil Principles can make it; 'tis Second Sodom without doubt, the People are hardened in Wickedness, they Drink, they Whore, keep strange Women, they Neigh after their Neighbour's Wives. These are the Ungodly (my Beloved) that commit such abominable things; I hope it will ne'er be justly said so of us. We are the Righteous, the Chosen people of God, and we are surrounded with the Protection of the Almighty, Assisted by the careful Administration of his Angels, so that our Tongues cannot falter, nor our Feet slide, or turn into any evil Paths.  
But see the inveterateness of our Enemies, the Spleen, the Rancour, the Malice of the Ungodly, how detracting, how malicious and envious they are. They hate us, because (in truth) we are more Holy than they. If we will not swear, we are precise forsooth; if we refuse to frequent lewd Drinking-houses, we fall under the censure of being Formal, and Starched: All our Righteous deal are evilly interpreted. What? If a Brother, or Sister, through the infirmities of Nature (to which we are all subject) unadvisedly tread aside, and walk in the Ungodly's Paths? Lord! what a clutter is presently made of it, what grinning, and sneering there is amongst the wicked Adversaries. If the Spirit is frail and weak sometimes, and the Flesh becomes too too Predominant, I say, if a couple of our Fraternity should by the powerful influence of Flesh, and Blood, chance to fall, if they should lovingly embrace one another in the Fear of the Lord, and zealously Act that, which indeed is a Great Sin, suppose it be known. Why! you cannot imagine what noise there is made about it. Nothing less than a white Sheet and Wand, a Pilgrimage bore Footed, and bare Legged up to the Parson's Pew. And this is the Antichristian Penance that is so severely destined to our Godly Party, for a trifling miscarriage, a small cracking of one of the Commandments: And yet our Adversaries, (I speak it calmly, and without Passion) are bold in their Wickedness, they can Rant, and whore it away without contradiction. Unless now and then a couple or so is hampered in Bridewell to Play with Hemp a little, only to deter, and frighten others. If the Wicked would but take our Saviour 's Advice, and be ruled by him, we should have a pleasant World. If no one should cast Stones but the Innocent, and Guiltless, a Man might stand with security in the Pillory or Marketplace; Hang Houses of Correction, and the Whipping Posts. There would be no hurling of Stones, or Pelting with Orange Pills, I'll warrant it.  
But Men are Partial (Beloved) now adays, and Censorious too; if we Preach most powerfully, and press things home effectually to men's Consciences, why, you hear what they say, they say we are Hypocrites, that our Discourses are nothing else but a Gypsie-like-Canting, that the unutterable Groans of the Spirit are mere Satanick Effusions, that our Prayers are the effect of a Distempered Brain, and promoted by Devilish Enthusiastic Raptures: That our Sighs (at the time of our Worship) is an Imposture, a Holy Cheat, an Artificial Sobbing, on purpose to seduce  Women. (Thus are our good Works evil spoken off, by Men of Unsanctified understandings.) If we Pray zealously, and are familiar with God in our Ejaculations, the Wicked say we are saucy, and tumultuous in our Petitions: If we talk of any assurance or certainty that God is on our side, they ask what Intelligence, what Gazettes we receive from Heaven: If we are Transported now and then, and speak that which indeed may be Impertinent, or Incoherent, as to desire God Almighty to Ride Post to help a Sick young Man at Sea, or such like things as these; why, this is no great harm: It would be Interpreted by modest Men, only the Exuberance, (as I may so say) of Fancy, or the over-flowing of Invention, but now 'tis termed Profaneness, and words bordering upon Blasphemy.  
Thus do they pester and tease us, who are the Meek of the Earth, Vexat censura Columbas; if (to be short) a Brother of ours was once engaged in a temptation, which was wholly irresistible (as may be evident by the violent and sudden Insurrection of the unruly Member;) What? Can there be a more charitable piece of Humanity in a Godly Sister, than to strive to allay his eager Appetite, and stroke down the Member that is troublesome, and uneasy? A Bull-like Fortitude must be tamed at moorfield's, or at some other convenient Pastures. But to return to my Text, and tell you the means, and methods how to fortify your Reputation against the virulent attempts, and reflections of evil, and dangerous Tongues, and secure a good Memory after. Death. For in the Words of my Text, The Memory of the Just shall be Blessed, their Name shall flourish in the Earthy their Memories shall smell sweet, and blossom to future Ages. Let malice do its worst, and envy cast all its cutting Darts upon us, yet let us persevere in our Godly resolutions, and then we may bear the indignities of our Enemies without repining. The only way that I can propose to you, is to be unconcerned at their sneering Calumnies, let them laugh, and expose us publicly, we can grin in secret at them, and traduce them likewise. Let us be unconcerned I say, at all their malice, for the only Pillar that can support us (under the present circumstances of affairs) is a Barefaced well compacted Impudence: That's the only guard (that I know) against the lashes, and violent Persecutions of inveterate and malicious Tongues.  
But it's time to recollect myself, and return to Discourse of the Worthy Person, whose Memory we now Celebrate. To be silent in his Praises (I know) will not be resented well, or approved of by the rest of my good Friends. I shall therefore consider this Great Man in a Twofold capacity. 

1. As he was a Public Man, and an Eminent Minister of State.  
2. As he was a Private Man, and an extraordinary Christian.    
And Thirdly, I shall show how justly he may challenge this word Just in my Text. (But pray, let not this be Interpreted a Punn.) As to his public concern in the World, and his making so considerable (though crooked) Figure in it, I must needs say, that all these Advancements and Dignities therein, were the Purchase of his own Wit, and extraordinary Qualifications. That he was a Person highly Descended, and wonderfully (if not miraculously) qualified for public Administration of Affairs, is I hope generally confessed. That he had a vast Gigantic Soul crowded up, and Cooped in a Pigmy's Tabernacle, yet so Brisk and Active, that Prometheus stole half the Fire from Heaven to enlighten it. He had such a Soul so bold, and daring, that he became (as the Elegy has it) the Dread of the Crown, and yet the Friend of it too. He was a Strenuous Defender of the Royal Prerogative, witness those many excellent Speeches of his in his Chancellorship. And yet not so stiff neither, but (when after his Degradation) he began not to love the Court so hearty as before, he then adhered to the Majesty of the People, and defended the High and Mighty Plenipotentiaries, the Multitude; then he wisely consulted with the  Rabble, to support Magna Charta, Liberty, Property, etc.  
From this, solicitous Care of the Nations Good, sprung that never to be forgotten Model of the Association, the Spawn of the Holy League and Covenant. Who therefore can sufficiently Lament this Worthy Person, the public Pillar of the State, the Moses, the Conductor of the People, nay (without Profaneness) the Puny Saviour of the Nation? What, could I repeat concerning his worth? the Exaltedness of his Fortune, the High and Meritorious Dignities conferred upon him, his Prudence, Magnanimity and Height of Spirit, his Proving, and Zealous Prosecution of the Late Plot, and faithful Adhaesion to the Crown, when the Crown was kind to him, and Promoted him? But why should I thus descant on the wonderful perfections of this Man, who was as Eminent for Religion, as for his Politics. He was a Faithful Zealous Man in Holy Worship, (which is a strange unheard of thing in a Statesman.) And yet notwithstanding all these extraordinary Endowments of the Mind, the Wicked of the World take occasion to traduce him, and detract very injuriously from his Worth. His Religion is termed Atheism, his way of Worship Sceptical and Profane, the droppings of his Tap, occasioned by his Hydropic Distemper, is rendered as the miserable consequence of a young Debauch; his Care for the Welfare of the Nation is reckoned Treason. And is it not strange that this great Person (the desire of Mankind while living) should be so miserably Crucified after his Death? Is it not a Paradox to a Wise and Understanding Man, to find a Person so disingenuously abused, when he is not in a capacity to vindicate himself? How wonderfully is he exposed to the scorn and contempt of the World in Doggrel, Ballads, Visions, Dialogues, etc. with a number of Pamphlets that circulate the Gown in Derogation of his honour? But I think 'tis time to leave off, lest I'm thought too fulsome a Panegyrist.  
We'll therefore descend to the Second Position, and show you: Secondly, That a Tory-ranting, Roaring kind of Behaviour here, makes a Man's Name Stink, and Rot (as my Text has it) after Death. When People are Debauched in Principles, and have wickedly forsaken the True Protestant Interest (which word True-Protestant is miserably ridiculed by young Tory Whifflers, or (as the Ingenious Historian Mr. Care has it) Dull Nosed Tories.) I say then, their Reputation sinks in the World, and their Names (when they are Dead) are as nauseous to Mankind, as their Putrified, and Rotten Bones. When People follow strange Devices, and Worship false Gods, what the Devil can become of their good Names? They must suffer in their credit after Death, that in their Life time commit such vile Abominations.  
They blindly frequent their Hallowed Steeple-Houses, and Persecute us, because our tender, and squeamish Consciences will not permit us to Conform with them. They tease us with their Spiritual Bumms, and Religious Kidnappers, the Informers Carp and Crow over us, and expose us publicity in Courants, Dialogues, etc. but I shall not be censorious as the wicked are. The end of such Men will be Tragical, and their Memories hateful to future Ages. Let the wicked (Beloved) tickle and please themselves, and laugh at our Persecutions (as the cunning Observator does) the time will come, when the Wind and Tide is on our sides (when Almighty Parliaments shall again flourish) that we shall handle them for their Insolence, in setting forth so openly the Practices of our Party. I doubt not but this slurring Observator (I say) will be dealt with by some of our Ingenious Youngsters of the Neighbouring Academy; the young Men of Newington are profound found Sophisters I can assure him, and can handle an Argument most dextrously. They'll Confute his Dissenters say, they have read Divine Milton, and Knox, and know how to settle the State, and Reform the present Irregularities of the Government, they are Popular Men, and have the very Hearts of the People of God: They can match him with their Philosophical Windmills, and Flying Chariots, in opposition to his screwed Guns and Pistols, and his scurrilous story of our Brother at Bath, (though it may be true I grant you.) Such Men as these, I say, who expose the Righteous, and endeavour to make their Names odious in this World, will by a strange (though just) course of Providence be made wonderfully ridiculous themselves, and their Names (in the Words of my Text) will Rot, and (as I may say) Putrify. But, Beloved, I would not willingly transgress on your Patience too much, to go beyond the decent limits of a Sermon. I shall therefore make Application of what has been said, and enforce some practicable business to your consideration.  
Let us (who are the Meek of the Earth, the Sober and Godly Party) endeavour to live up to those excellent Rules that are Weekly prescribed to us by our Godly Ministers; let us persevere in our holy Resolutions; let neither Persecution, Reproach, or Contempt any way deter us from meeting and serving God in Private, and then (there's no doubt of it) we shall have success proportionable to our hopes, and in the Scripture Phrase, we shall Inherit the Earth. What though we are miserably discomfited by late unhappy disappointments? What though the Patron of our Cause be Deceased, and has left the  Multitude without Order, all things at Random and Confusion? Who knows but some cunning Politic Person of Quality (as the Remarquer on Jovian, or the Author of the Elegy on Stafford) may interpose, and vindicate our Cause in the Declension of its Age: Such as these, both good Logicians, Historians, and profound Politicians into the Bargain, would manage the concern bravely, if they would but take the Reverend Mr. John— n (in the room of that sottish Bestial satire of Salamanca, who has Debauched our Cause) to be their worthy Chaplain, and Mr. Hunt their Secretary. Lord! what a Blessed Reformation might suddenly follow? All our concerns would again flourish, and spread into every corner of the Land, and then we should see the Blessed Revolutions of Forty One again; then true Piety would flourish, and grow in fashion once more; there would be no Swearing and Blaspheming, no Adultery, and no complaining in our streets, Fast ye therefore (my Beloved, but not as the Wicked do) and pray ye to the Lord for this happy change, for our deliverance is nigh, and the Salvation of his People is at hand.  
Lastly, Let me put before your Eyes, the great Example of our late Deceased Patriot, consider how industriously zealous he was for the True-Protestant Interest, what Indignities and Shame he underwent, purely on the account of Religion, what difficulties he passed through, to reduce this Haughty Monarchy into Order, and Subjection, if possible, and to settle it on the solid Foundations, and firm Establishments of a Commonwealth: He left no means unattempted to make the Nation flourish, for he condescended to men of low Degree, he Conversed with Carpenters and Bricklayers, that he might carry on the work of the Lord powerfully and successfully. All this he did to keep a good Consciences, as some think, and to purchase a good Name for many Generations: Let the Wicked (my Friends) talk of his Fatal descent into the Regions of darkness, of his Congratulations with the Joiner, and the black Catalogue of the damned Fraternity; we ought charitably to put good Constructions on men's actions, and hope, (at least) that he is at rest, and that his Memory will be Honourably Celebrated amongst True-Blue-Protestants. I am sure his Heroic Achievements, and Noble Actions, deserve to be faithfully Registered, and to be carefully transmitted to Posterity. Let the Wicked and Perverse talk of stinking Guts and Garbage, and say, That his Name shall Rot, and be odious to future Ages: Yet let us follow his Blessed steps, and stand stiff, and firm in our Holy Resolutions, to cherish the True-Protestant Cause, and never leave it, and forsake it. Then our Names shall be famous here on Earth, and we shall sit down at last (I hope) with St. Stephen, with our Friend Deceased, and with Bradshaw, Ireton, and Hewson in the Kingdom of H—  
FINIS.