IT was a solemn custome of the Hebrews, to visit the graves of their Friends, thereby to re­mind themselves of their mor­talitie; Novarin, sche­das. lib. 5. sect. 73. and the Bells of Aarons priestly coat were placed in the fringe and bottome of his gar­ment; to signifie to the people, Origen. in Exod. 28. that their passing-bell was alwayes tolling, that they might consider their latter ends, the bottome of life to them, and the judgement to follow after Death. David, the sweet Singer of Israel, accor­dingly hath lost a friend, and for his commemoration and obsequies, is musing on a Funeral Song, whose name and title must be new and singular, which himself will compose and set; and then commit in charge to the men of Judah and their children, sons [Page 2]and daughters, to sing in the houses and streets all abroad as well as to the Choristers in the Quire: This singular friend is Jonathan, who deserves to have a Song and Lesson set to himself, and that is this, the Bow of Jonathan, so called not for any sur­mised meaning to set up Artillery in the Common­wealth of Judah, Willet ad locum. as it was commonly mistaken; but to set up and advance the life and death of Jonathan, a master at that art of shooting, and so excellent a Bowman, that he might without arrogancy compare what all that were past, challenge all then present, and set a sample to all posterity so famous in their Ages; Alex. ab Alex. 2 Sam. 22. as that Sythians, Parthians, Persians, and Ro­man Emperors, at the Bow and unexampled skill of shooting might learn of him. From the Blood of the slain, and the fat of the mighty the Bow of Jon. turned not back: That this is the proper and approved sense and intention of David in this Title, and that the men of Judah should learn the tune is the importance of the Hebrew word Chesheth, the word Bow, set emphati­cally, and independently by it self, without relation before or after it. Serrar. Sancher. Cor. a Lap. Mariana. and Mr. Greg. on the Plar. The Seventy Translation sounds no discord, but a Ditty dedicate to Lamentation; to the same tune, the vulgar Latine: the report of Josephus that the Elegie continued to his time, the custome of Israel to endite their sonnets in this sort, and the con­sent of Gentile Authors to give some signal name and title to their tracts and poesies. This Monodie, nene, or Lamentation funeral was recorded in the Canon, and lest that should miscarry, or not be exposed to com­mon view, behold it is written in the Book of Jasher, where every one might read it; a Letanie to be sung, and a Legacie entailed to the use and memory [Page 3]of Jonathan and generations after him that bare the Burden of the Song, O Jonathan.

Hence by the way we learn that Interpreters are not all in one tune, and the opinions of men are of like authority, unless reason and learning shew the diffe­rence; Titles of Musick Lessons are not to be tamper­ed with by unskilful hands, lest they mistake a figure for a vulgar forme, and dance a false measure after their own fancy; like him that took Orpheus harpe, supposing to himself (like our unstinted fumblers) that he made good musick how unskilfully soever he handled it, being, as St. Paul says to Timothy, [...], men that love to hear themselves to sing or play.

Next to this we may consider with Solomon, 2. Eccles. 9.11. that the Race goes not alwayes with the swift, as Asahel; Mercer ex Mi­dras Ibid. nor the Battle with the strong, as Abner; nor Bread to to the wise, as Solomon; nor Riches to men of under­standing, as Job nor Favour to men of skill, as Moses; for the swift sahel was overtaken, the valiant Abner was slaine, the wise Solomon by report beg'd his bread, Job the wealthy was wasted to a potsheard, and Moses lives not to enjoy a foot of the promised land. And Jonathan how art thou made as heire apparent to the fortunes and successes of the most or all of them? Proverbs. how art thou cut down with the helve of thine own wood, how wounded with the feathers of thine own wing, how set in the stocks of thine own making, how taken in thine own toyle, falne in thine own pit, roaring in thine own Bull, slain by the bow of the Philistims thine own master-piece and weapon? how doth time and chance untimely take thee away? O Jonathan how wast thou slaine!

But now my Errand is to bend this Bow another [Page 4]way, to teach the children of this coast and country the use of the Bow. An ancient way of Triumphs was to erect great Arches or Bows of marble to the honour of worthy Patriots who had been Vindica­tors of their country against Enemies, Pancirol. de [...]rcubus tri­um [...]h. part. 1. tit 28. and true de­servers of renown and fame; in these were written and inscrib'd the noble acts and atchievements done in memory of the actors: hereof were thirty six at Rome, and one thousand in the Eastern parts, as in China. This might be the mind of David, and under favour of more knowing judgements, may serve to instruct us that passe by to read and consider the me­rits and noble vertues of our deceased Friend, and countreys Worthy, who after many testimonies of grace and vertue exhibited in his life, was at the last shot by a deadly Philistines arrow, that drank up his Spirits riding a summers progress under the Sun, that Apollo that in the camp of mankinde smites with his darts of Epidemical diseases here and there to Death; Homer. Il. 1. leaving us with David to erect his Arch, to write his acts and publish his memorial; When also all the hearts of the hearers may be so taken like untoucht instruments, to resound and eccho by a loving sympathy to honour and lament him, O Jo­nathan, &c.

The particle, O, is as an herald or chiefe chanter to all the parts of this dolefull song and harasange, and may serve to be applyed to all

• As Oh For exclamation at the matter.
• As Oh For affection to the name of the man; O Jonathan!
• As Oh For indignation to the place; how in the high places,
• [Page 5]As Oh For lamentation for the person, wo is me for thee my Brother Jonathan.
• As Oh In consideration of the loss; very pleasant hast thou been to me.
• As Oh For admiration of the Love; thy love was wonderfull.
• As Oh For the comparison of all; passing the love of women.

Thus the life and death of Jonathan is shortly and sorrowfully descanted on by David, Musathen. Cap. 17. running as all mortals do upon the 7 notes of Musick, with Longs and Shorts, Sharps and Flats; as Putean makes it out, to call mens life here below, untill we ascend a­bove the spheres into heaven, Revel. 14. and there sing our part in the Song of the Lambe, Revel. 14. So I re­sort to the first part of my Text, the Note of Ex­clamation at the matter, O.

The Masters of speech and eloquence observe this particle (ô) to attend all the passions of the mind, Martin. Lex. in O. and in no less then twelve great affects of the soul expresse a full signification and sense of it self; Tesmar de Eloq. Pag. 167. as of joy; Oh! that thou wert as my Brother that suckt the breasts of my Mother, Cant. 8.

Of all at once, as here, ô Jonathan: and thus it is made the Mistris to teach, and the mouth to utter all our affections.

And serves us not to use it, like the braying of an Asse, Use. as Erasmus forbids, but seriously and in ear­nest, when it comes on the hearts errand to witness unfainedly some affection of the mind, as in the for­mer places mentioned, and then it becomes the speaker, as the Bow of Jonathan, and makes a faire impression in the heart as if written with a pen of Steel, Jerem. 9.1. or the point of a Diamond; and thus it is used by David, who in the drawing of this Bow now bent for mourning, fetcheth deep sighs from the bottome of his bowels, and sendeth them forth like arrows sing­ing in the air, and are now come to our use and eares; and so sink into our minds to cry out and complain, to disdain and lament, to consider and admire, to compare and make a parallel with Davids Jonathan slain, and ours deceased, and leads me on to the se­cond part of my text, The affection to the name, O Jonathan!

Lovers are much affected with the names of their Paramours and friends, insomuch that the naming betrayes the guilt and conscience in the pulse and countenance; Heu quam difficile est crimen non pro­dere vultu!

The Arabians have a proverb, he that loves much, makes much mention of his love. 'Tis Davids case, he names Saul but three times in this song, Jonathan foure, Expen. in Prob. Arab. and makes his name to carry the burden of the song, with teares and kisses as the woman in the Gospel, Pouring out her Alablaster box of oyntment on his body, in token that she loved much; or as Christ [Page 7]on Lazarus, Behold how he loved him: and, Luke 7. John 11. Lord he whom thou lovest is dead. Names, saith Luther, are the boxes that the graces of the Spirit of God are preserved in, the Caskets of those Jewels, the cups of the heavenly potions, the combs of the honey, and the baskets that take the fragments of the Di­vine banquet, he that is not acquainted with these handmaids can very hardly come to the speech of that Mistress; Agrip. Occult. Philos. what influence or intelligence doth passe between stars and names, let the curious Arts declare. But sure I am that Saul had no ill Spirit to suggest or vexe him, or ill presage to possesse him when he gave to his Son this name of Jonathan; Lexicon San­ctum by Greg. a name turned into our English, as much as Gods gift, or the Dove comes, Jon-tha, as Bercorius alludes, an heavenly extraction in the first, and a sweet allusion in the last. This in a transcendant way is drawn from God, and the other in a lovely nature and Spirit comes to man; the springs from above, and the springs below, which was Calebs choice gift, Jug. 1.11. do both meet in this name; The Greek [...] of [...], extremely to love, is the name of the Dove that came from heaven, sate upon the Son of God, loves to dwel with man, build in his house, eat and drink with him, brings him fruit and food, and by similitude teacheth as a Domestical Chaplaine, the lessons of faith to look up and ask, of thanksgiv­ing to God above, of innocency, having no gall, of patience without complaint, of charity without re­venge, of concord and joynt assistance, in their building, brood and company: all which David by sweet experience found in Jonathan as the gift of God to him, and a Dove coming still to comfort him, thus [Page 8]

This experience that David had of his noble ver­tues and divine indowments had so ravish'd and tran­sported him, Use. that he is in an holy extasie and a little out of himself, making a speech to a dead man, wish­ing that his name pronounced aloud might raise and awake him to life again; or calling the world to witnesse, that with Jonathan was buried the Mirrour of Love, the Miracle of Nature, and the Darling of Mankind.

In this name, let us with David open the shels that we may find out the pearls, unlock the caskets to come at the Jewels, press and examine the combs that we may suck the honey, open the baskets to feed on the dainties laid up in pious names for the honour of the owners, and the imitation of their manners. The practice of the Church of Rome is not so graceless, as not to teach her children this lesson, and that under Canon of the Councel of Trent, and her Sermons seriously exhorting that pious names be imposed as copies and samplers for posterity to be­hold and imitate: Regerlinck in Fest. circumcis. Tit. 2. Let not Samaria out-do Jerusa­lem; good names may imprint conformity to good manners, and though we have laine with nature and the world like scullions among the pots and coales, yet we may be by Gods grace as the wings of a Dove, Psal. 68.13. thats cover'd with silver, and our feathers like yel­low gold.

Our Jonathan hereby bears the name of a Lucie, probably sprung from the Roman Lucins, a stemme of that root that was the first Christian King of the world, that borrowes his original from the first Orient Light, as the morning starre born at the break of day; a name given to Christ himself in the song of Zachary; and to the newborn Christians, Luk. 1. Act. 13.1. Rom. 16.21. Act. 13.1. and Rom. 16.21. descending to Lucius King of England, a great favourite to the Roman Emperors, especially to Lucius Verus, who distri­buted provinces to his fellowes and friends: This Lucius is said to be Baptised by Timothy, contempo­rary with Polycarpus and Martyr; Armacanus de primord. E. Ang. Bin. Conuc. pag. 70. the 7 of Marc. Aurelius, Anno 166. A name that in the Roman comes from Lights, in the Brittish Isles the same, and suites well with the Event, that made it so Chri­stian and illustrious, as the Verse upon it notes,

A name that crowns this Nation more then Mulmutius first Crown of gold, our common Law­giver, or all the Laurels and Diadems of Kings and Conquerors that did not make us Christian, by how much Christian Religion excelleth all these earthly Laws and Powers; a name recorded in those ancient coynes, one of silver and the other of gold, bearing the Image of a Christian King, by the signe of the [Page 10]Cross imprest, and the letters Luc. name intituled upon it: A name famous for eminent and worthy actions and deserts, in three Roman Consuls, three Christian Bishops of that Sea; the first a glorious Martyr, Chronic. Noringberg. Platina in vi­tis. the two latter inferiour unto him, but great advancers of the holy warre against infidels, and suppressors of spreading heresies in their times; A name sainted in the female sex, Saint Lucie, who suffered for Christ, gave all her rich portion and pa­trimony to poor widows in charity, and rather then violate her chast Virginity, chose rather to kisse the stake, and to embrace the flames of burning fag­gots. A name illustrious in that Elizabeth Lucie, a Lady for her princely vertues and comportment deem'd worthy of the Queenship to Ed. the fourth. Speed in Ed. 4. And what shall I say more? a name wherein the faith of K. Lucius, the zeal of the Bishops, the charity of the Saint, the worth of the Courtier, the ver­tues of all did translucently shine. He was a morn­ning starre in the midst of a cloud, in the late tempe­stuous times not twinkling betwixt two opinions, but constantly appearing in his course and station, and a plaine Expositor of his name; Let it remaine as his ornament, as our instruction and posterities Example, never to go out of that name, so long as Lucifer ariseth to bring in the morning, whiles we bewaile the sad vespers of his setting here; Oh Jo­nathan, &c.

A note of Indignation, how wast thou slain in the high places! Kalat. wounded, shot through, slaine by a pittiful massacre in a tragical manner; this act, this passion, this direful dispatch, David with In­dignation doth detest in the persons that did it, and [Page 11]curseth the place with barrenness that drank his blood, that they might not pleasure God nor profit man: Oh ye mountains of Gilboah, Vers. 21. let there be no dew or raine fall upon you, nor field of offering: giving a pat­tern to Alexander and Caesar, how to reward the Assas­sinates of royal blood, though in the field they are vanquisht enemies.

Pet. Martyr, no farre Traveller, affirms, that the place where he took his mortall wound, doth stand smitten with barrenness, Buntingius Itiner. as Aeternum monumentum tanti mali, like the figtree accurst by Christ. Ber­chardus an eye-witness saith, that as he travelled up that mount, there fell such a violent shower that he was wet through his clothes, and the water in abundance ran in the valleys: and in Anno 1283 sleeping upon this hill on the Eve of all Saints, a great dew fell upon his clothes, but in many places tis stony and barren. Twas then a wish of Davids, that the heavens and earth might have a kind of sense and consort in this calamity, feigning them as fit mourners to grace these funerals. This mountain is forty miles from Jerusalem, and hath its name from Gil and Bagnah, a purchase of joy, a bubble of gladness; so it might have proved to Jonathan, Greg. lex. sanct. that had been victorious heretofore in such a place, but now the Shambles of this noble Heroe; here the Ar­chers prest sore upon him, and Jonathan fell down slain in mount Gilboah, 1 Sam. 31.3. to shew that the Laurel of victory withers at the last, and all the atchievements of worldly glory are but a fit of mirth, and at last break like a bubble into vanity, and then call me no more Naomi but Marah, no more Gilboah, a pur­chase of joy, but Gaal Boah, a purchase to be abhor­red, [Page 12]or Golgotha, a place of dead mens sculs, not Kalat, but Kallailah. God blesse us from it, our God forbid.

Parallel to this somewhat was the place where our Jonathan received the arrow of evil and conta­gious air that brought him to his long home, in that mountainous and uncouth part of Worcester-shire; vi­siting his park there, Psal. 91. that arrow of death that flyeth by day, invisibly fell into his sides, which stole secret­ly to the heart, won the Castle of health, and let out his life. We will not curse that ground, but wish that a witness or monument may there stand to at­test the losse and fail of so good a Master; The Analogie of this high place may serve for a moral, to give, us caution and instruction that high places are dangerous; the exceeding high mountaines, whence we may discover the whole glory of the world, are devillish tentations; the pinnacle of the Temple is second to it, from hence the scepters and the miters take their rise and fall; he had need to be another Saviour that escapes. Trust not in Princes, nor in preferments to high places, Expertus metuit Jona­than the Dove comes hither and gives the Philistims arrow better aime, the morning starre is made the fairer mark; O Jonathan: which ushes in the fourth part, a note of Lamentation.

Tsur lignaleca achi, I am distressed, or wo is me for thee my Brother; the Translations turn it sadly, I am (quoth David) straitened as one besieged with sor­rows, Grece. 70. Lat. [...], I am not able to tell how sorrow­full a man I am: Doleo, I am hewed and shaved thin with grief for thee; I am straitned and begirt like a vessel that must vent or break: many Apo­strophes bound and rebound from Gath and Aske­lon [Page 13]to Gilboah, from thence to Jonathan, from Jo­nathan to himself, from himself to Jonathan, draw­ing this strong bow of sighs and ejaculations to the head, and sending them out like arrows; I am un­done for thee my Brother, whose Sister Michol I have married, a faire, a wise, ingenuous and faithful wife; more wives may I live to enjoy, but never more must I look to see such another Brother as now is dead.

Let my loss and lamentation for ever warrant a­gainst all gainsayers the ancient custome of Epitaphs and mournings at the departure and loss of friends, Use. our near and dear Relations; Let Adam and Eve forbear their frolicks, Fons [...]d ex Heb. Ser. 1. and retire an hundred years in mournings to see the wages of sinne so severely paid in the slaughter of Abel, in the death of the bodie, and the abandoning of Cain, for the soul: in this Equipage and traine let Abraham and Jacob, Joseph and Jeremy, the High Priest and the Old Prophet, the people for Moses, Aaron and Samuel, and me for Saul and Jonathan, the Subjects for Jo­sias, Christ for Lazarus, (behold how he lov'd him) his Sisters for the same, the widow for her Son, St. Paul for Epaphroditus, and the good women and neighbours for Dorcas. Let the Barbarous Laugh­ing and cruel revels, the profane fidling, and the buriall of an Asse, be banisht to the Pagans, and as farre off our Christian funerals, as the Antipodes: to be so Stoical or stockish as to stiflle our good af­ffections, and to strangle our winds in our baggs with Aeolus; is unnaturall, ungracious, unchristian Apathy. The will of God is not resisted with tears and weeping, he barrs not our affections, but bids us let [Page 14]them out, be of like affection, weepe with them that weep: Rom. 12. what though we cannot help it? yet lets weep the more because we cannot; tis some ease to let these swelling waters out: lets weep with Xerxes, beholding this numerous army of mankind, for that within one age not one of them survives, into such a ruine hath the sinne of one involv'd us all; lets weep for our selves that have sustained that losse, and let the losers have leave to speak, that our sinne hath bereav'd us, one of a father, another of an hus­band, a master, a companion, a patron, a friend: if he were good, let them deplore the Churches, countries, houses, townships losse; if evill, as Absa­lom, whose gracelesse crime was as the Mule that carried his hairy scalpe to the tree of execution; yet bewaile him the more, Manass. Ben. Israel de Creat [...]robl. 19. as David is observed 8 times to have cryed out for him, O Absalom, my son my son! seven times for that sin of rebellion, contain­ning the seven degrees of evill that accomplish such a sinner, as naught, Belial, perverse, sinful, wicked, impostor, scornful, proud, high-minded; which lead to those seven staires of the infernal dungeon, Sheol, Abaddon, Beor, Shacah, Bor, Tait, Haijon, Thelamoth, Arets, Ecclus. 22.11, 12. Tactith; Weepe seven dayes for him that is dead, but for a foole all the dayes of his life; weep for a noble friend thirty, forty dayes, an year, yet not without hope as if all were cast away; blame not nature with Electra, nor kill our selves with Jo­casta, become not a stony fountain with Niobe; let heathen rites be out of fashion with men of better hopes, baldnesse, vociferations, hired counterfeits, slaying slaves, young men sent to death; making tombs for horses, or keeping solemn funerals, with [Page 15] Crassus for a Lamprey, with Hadrian for a hen, Ca­tullus for a sparrow; but weep and overweep again each teare, till ten moneths put an end to mour­nings. To conclude, rather then want mourners for so noble Jonathans, let the widowed Swans in the River, and the Turtles in the wood, the flowers in the Garden, and the fruits of the Trees, let the groves and the walkes, the chambers and the walls, let the bowels of the poor, and the backs of his compliants, the towns round about, and this Church and Pulpit bear a part in this lamentation, and say, wo is me for thee my brother Jonathan; and that for good consideration in the fifth place.

Magnentha ti meod. 5. Very pleasant hast thou been to me, pleasant in thy person, very beautiful; plea­sant in thy expression, bountiful: beautiful, the first born son of Saul, the properest man in all Israel; 1 Sam. 18.4.14.49, 50. and bountiful, for Jonathan stript himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. His beauty is presumed, as begotten in the prime of his fathers abilities, of Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz, whose name signifies my fair sister; Jonathan was then a bird of that Eagle, and a whelpe of that Lion, both Father and Son so re­nowned, in ver. 23. Swifter then Eagles, stronger then Lions, the Kings of birds and of beasts: fortes creantur fortibus, grapes grow not out of thorns, nor figs of thistles: David praiseth in them, decorem formae & constantiam animi, Lyra in loc. for outward beauty a­miable persons, for inward, bravery of gallant pro­perties. The way to the Temple of Honour was through the Temple of Vertue, and a fair step to it [Page 16]is to be the son of Nobles, a true born Eaglet look­ing on the sun of gallantry, and a princely Lion scor­ning the affronts of low-bred-currs and whiplets. Pearls are begotten of the Orient dews, and the fair bed of Whitspar the Spaniards call, el madre del ore, the mother of gold. Dion Chrysostome tells of a family at Thebes, that had hereditarily a lance branded in their flesh, as a mark of honour, by na­ture, See Causinus Eabl Tiraquel. de leg. con lib. 9 Arsen. de Conjug. without which they were reputed illegitimate and Bastards: nobleness goes by Blood, and the word of God itself thrives not but upon good ground, an honest and noble heart; Doves delight in white houses, and the Dove-like Spirit of God takes up her lodging in the fairest coats. A Bishop of Mil­lain retained none into his family but the fairest he could choose, his reason was, Improbitas in egregio corpore vix comperta, foule conditions are scarcely found in faire complexions. St. Chrysostom notes it of the beggars of his time, that from beauteous per­sons they would expect a bounteous almes: God, Man and Nature, give the preeminence and prin­cipality to the fairest, even among Blackmores; and who will not choose to eat out of the clean dish, to lodge in the fairest linnen, and his companion to be as Joseph or Jonathan, of a sweet complexion? What an increase of grace is it, to come from a graci­ous deportment? Caus [...]. Embl. and how grand an imposture to be­hold a fine Gentleman, like the Caspian Bird, stalk forth, and turn him about stately like a Crane, with a scarlet back, and a green breast, a white neck pow­dered here and there with spots of yellow, and to the disgrace of all to come off with a weak smal head-piece, a black foule Bill, and a note as churlish as a [Page 17]Frog in a fen, a fair outside sham'd and belyed with a foule degenerous mind and language. Happy our Jonathan, and he that enjoyed him, a sweet and alluring condition, Plutarch. like the Dove per­fumed in his feathers, as a harmlesse decoy, draws all good natures to follow him, and enter­tains them in his houses: very pleasant hast thou been to me, and more then so, thy love was won­derfull; A note of Admiration, and my sixth part.

Niphleatha ahavatheca li, 6. Thy love to me was wonderful, and whats that? a thing wrought ex­traordinarie by the rare work of God, Aug. ad Hono­rat. cap. 16. above the common order of nature, such was the love of Jo­nathan to David; an holy fire that came from hea­ven, and fell upon the altar of Jonathans heart, kin­dling his affection to David; an Heroick motion that God put into his minde, which like the touch of a loadstone drew the needle of his thoughts, to fix upon this pole-starre: in a word, when that gal­lant passe was made by little David, upon that for­midable Goliah the Philistim; his head presented to Saul, and his account of himself, and sonship made unto the King: the next word tells us, how sud­denly Jonathan fell in love with him, and the soul of Jonathan was knit unto the soul of David: 1 Sam. 18. Nichserah. as if the finger of God had woven and knit two souls into one curious piece of work; or tyed up two hearts into a ribband or bracelet. All that the Moralists can prescribe, make not out the perfection of this friendship; not begotten with profit, which is mer­cenary, nor with pleasure, which seeks her own end and interest, sordid considerations that are won and lost for a triflle, & with the turning of an hand; this is [Page 18]friendship at bowles with a self-bias; But the ver­tue of Davids acts, the grace of his sayings, was the allective, the own-sake and service to do David good, was the end, and God was the Author.

To neglect his own profit and apparant inheri­tance to a crown, and the hope of a kingdome, to hazard the evil will and displeasure of a King his father, and to cleave so fast to an aspiring Rival and competitor against himself was wonderfull.

To see a souldier part with his armes, 2. a courtier with his complements, a Prince with his apparant expectances, a politician with his pretences, against his honour, against his profession, against hls for­tunes, against his family, against his father, against himselfe, to a shepherd, to plain country-swain, a to divest his whole family, and advance David, this was divine friendship, that had God to the father, and Jonathan the performer; 'twas wonderfull.

For a man of his quality to covenant three times and keep them; 3. of his relation, to digest that dispa­ragement to his father, Saul his thousands, but David his ten thousands; to have the opportunity of Michal to make him away, and would not be of the coun­cell; the command to kill him, and to treat for his security and life; to acquaint him with the danger, and swear to do for him what his soul desired; to hazard his mothers reputation, and bring himself & her within the misprision of high treason, 1 Sam. 20.30. to yield to David the first title to the crown, and content himself with the only hope of a second, to quit him­self in the next capacity, and to designe it for ano­thers head; this is a work of more then a man, and a very wonder, wrought in him by Almighty God.

Come all the paires of friends and twinnes of A­mity recorded in divine or humane writings, of Mo­ses and Aaron, of Joseph and Benjamin, of Castor and Pollux, &c.

The mirrors of love and friendship, kissing each other in the mount, clipping and entertaining in a farre different condition, not accepting immortali­ty if left without a second, engaging body for bo­dy, and life for life, refusing honours, and resigning Empires, quitting lives, and surrendring dear con­tracted spouses; and put the fairest colours of all into one masterpiece and picture: and Jonathan to David shall outshine them all.

Let the great Moralist limn, and all his Commen­tators lay on colours to the life, yet all will come too short of that love whose Original is Loves foun­taine, God; whose subject is a Prince, whose ob­ject is onely vertue, whose effects are sincerity without hypocrisy, charity without counterband, secresy without impeachment, resignation without consideration, acquittance without payment, con­tinuance without revocation.

Beloved, Use. the old Picture of friendship was revi­ved and a [...]ed in our new deceased Jonathan. A young man as Jonathan, taking divine affection to a poor shepherd as was David, young, as never grown too old, faire, as alwayes in his flower, Pagius P [...] Abo [...]h. bare­headed and open-fac'd, as not ashamed of his friend, in course clothes, suited to serve you and yours to povertie it self; his side open just against his heart, without dawbing or dissembling, his finger pointing to his bosome, as ready to do from his heart whatsoever lies in his hand to do; On his [Page 20]forehead is written summer and winter; on the fringe of his garment, in Life and Death; and besides, this posie, yours at length and at hand, Farre and near. So you may learn to act and copy out this Jona­than of Davids, and this Lucie of ours, to the life. So I come to my last part, the Comparison, Me­ahavath Nashim, passing the love of women.

Nashim is taken in the best sense, 7. of Nasha to forget, because the name and house of their fathers is forgotten in exchange for their husbands; In the worst, of Nasah to deceive, as if their loves were of no other use or matter then the Ignis fatuus, a fire set forth to infatuate men, and mock them from their wits: but in the better sense it is as the moon, that forgets her own shape, to follow her husband the sunne.

The love here is interpreted passively, Lyra. Serrar. A Lap. in lo [...]. for the love men bear to women, or actively, as of women to men; the first not so likely to be intended by David, in the praise of a man: yet that the man may not lose his commendation, or the living their in­couragement, Gen. 2 let the love of Adam to the woman Eve, appear in the first place, when he embraced her body as the flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, loving her so farre that he lost the love of God, himself, and all Eden to pleasure her; ne contristaret delicias suas, that he might not displease his darling. Aug. 2 Sam. 12. What adventures Jacob made for Rachel, Shechem for Dinah? Uriahs affection to Bathsheba, the lamb that lay in his bosome, is movingly set forth by the Prophets parable: and Ezekiel was put hard to it, Eze [...]. 24 15. when the desire of his eyes must be taken a­way, and his eyes must not weep for the losse; So­lomon [Page 21]compares her love to the mans cistern, as de­lightful as fresh water to bath in; to a loving Hind, as a pleasant Roe in his own Park, Prov. 5.15, 19. to take his de­light; this love shews it self most of all by the loss, and made the very heathen resign their lives as cap­tives to it.

Gracchus finding two serpents in his chamber, See Valer. Max. was told, kill the Male, and you shall die first; the Female, and your wife shall die; to save the last, he killed the first and dyed. A mans wife of Naples was taken by the Mores, and shipt away, French Acad. he swam after her, and by the power of such love, overcame the taker, that sent them both home, Pedro Maxio lib. 5.14. to weare out their loves together. Three noble Romans for love of their ravisht wives, made an end of themselves.

Orpheus his wife dying on the wedding day, he ne­ver loved other, but left the world to be a com­panion to his deceased wife. A great Don of Spaine, having sustained this losse, that was his bed, his board, his pillow; slept a years space in his clothes, eat not on any Table-cloth, nor sate down in a chaire.

Herod was so enamour'd on Mariamne, Josippus. that having embalmed her dead body, he us'd it as his living bed-fellow. Few men of our age out-do these af­fectionate examples: but I have shewn them the most excellent way, 1 Cor. 12.

Now Michal, Sauls daughter and Davids wife, is a rare and onely example of lovingnesse to an hus­band; 1 Sam. 20. by an officious feigning and counterfeit image suborned and invented to further his escape. Otherwise the Scripture is silent, and leaves women to speak for themselves; yea Jonathans mother [Page 22]had not his fathers good word, and theirs but one single example of love to their husbands among the Jewish wives; the more Jews you will say for that: But among the Gentiles go we to their reports, and their Story produceth numbers of most loving and adventurous wives.

Some putting on armes and playing the man in wars for their husbands company, to hazard life or bring them off; some choosing death, according to the Oracle, See F [...]. Acad. to save them alive; some changing ap­parel to convey them out of prison, and to stay and answer in their place, winning the hearts of con­querors by love of the first to become their second husbands, killing their living bodies to lye by their corpes; drinking their ashes to interre them in their bowels; at the sight of their bloody coat swooning, travailing & lying, eating hot coles to consume thē for want of other weapons; in banishment, becom­ing slaves and exiles, keeping their house and children at home, notwithstanding all their abuses and indignities abroad; not enduring life, if hus­bands must die; opening a veine, to bleed and die with them in the bath; forsaking rich fortunes to go barefoot for a Scholars fancy, embracing both bodies to precipitate themselves in the sea to end an incurable consumption; refusing Queenships, and preparing poisons for joy-sops, rather then marry to their husbands murtherers keeping their chambers for a years space, and not so much as looking out at windows; striving for precedence to be buried alive with their dead husbands; Calvis. in Con­rad. 2. in a siege, carrying them on their backs for their best goods, ingeni­ously deluding the intent, and winning the consent [Page 23]of conquerors, bearing their beloved over the snow, lest his footsteps should betray their meeting and avenues, bearing each others burden, and fulfilling the law of Love, Gal 6. Who desires more exam­ples of the love of women, may find in every age and climate some to country, some to parents, some to children, and some to husbands, I hope good store of company. But I will end at home, with one an example of Queen Hellen, whose pillars and sta­tues deserve to stand as Mary's boxes, but unbro­ken, to the end of the world, to witnesse her work, and preach by the way her memorial, who suckt with her lips the poisoned wound received in wars, Speed. in Ed. 1. to save her husband Edwards life. We have lately had one more at home, whom tis hard to say who loved most; but these are parted, and I know not how to apply to them the active or the passive sense implyed in my Text.

I have been long on this Bow of love, bent on both sides, but I trust the women will not think it so, as long as tis in commendation of that sex; nor the men to gruge them this garland, so long as here is but one in their sex to exceed them all, whose love surpassed the love of women. Use 1. Let this stand as to this use, for a monument to the men hus­bands love your wives, and be not bitter unto them, for Juno's marriage-sacrifice expels the gall; and to the women, be it as the pillar of salt to season their manners, and to keep them sweet and lovely to their husbands: to both, to set one another inter­changeably as seales upon their hearts, Cant 8.6, 7. and signets on their armes: for love is stronger then death, and more hardy then the grave; her coales are of [Page 24]fire breaking out into a vehement flame: much wa­ter cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it.

This is the love that past betwixt Jonathan and David, that like Hippoc. twins did impart joys and sorrows one to another, and which I have endea­vour'd to recommend to you, in this masterpiece of love in the old Testament, which is the character of a true disciple of the new; Saint Pauls most ex­cellent way, and Saint Johns all-sufficient exercise; who in age not able to ascend the pulpit, and carried to Church, used to say no more, but my little children love one another; and being askt by his disciples the reason of so frequent repetition of these words, Perald. To. 1. cap. 8. answered, Quia praeceptum Domini est, & si solum fiat sufficit, Tis the Lords command, if this be done, then all is done.

Where also I might seasonably shut up my say­ings, were it not where Jonathans part goes out, as acted, there onr second Jonathan, this much lamen­ted person should come in: on whom deaths sable mantle here hath overspread it self, and on whom this lesson of the Bow with David-like affection, may be playd & wept anew, I'arallels. as being with little va­riation fit parallels in circumstance of life, and some similitude of death; names answering in man­ners, and natures all agreeing: for which let me be­speak your eares and affections for some spare mi­nutes, and so an end.

For their descent and family, Parallel 1. Solomon tells us that the glory of children are their fathers; Jona­than was of the tribe of Benjamin, unattainted for treason or apostasy: Saint Paul could boast of this, [Page 25]if that Christ had not been in the ballance, and our Jonathan of the ancient family of the Lucies, whose loyalty to my report, was never yet impeacht, but as Jonathan to Saul, Artabanus to Cinnamus, Sir Tho. E [...]iol. lib. 3. cap. 6. or Fer­dinando the Protector to the Castilian Princes, faith­fully rendred and performed. For religion, as Jona­than profest and maintained the faith of Abraham and Israel his fathers, so he the Church of England, eldest daughter to Rome, planted here by the A­postles of Christ, confirmed and propagated by King Lucius, without a license from the Pope; ma­king some suite for his counsel, but owing none to his court: which religion came along, though lesse visible in her professors, like those rivers that runne under ground, or as the Orinoque thorough the salt sea; retaining still her fresher water, untill at last it brake forth again, and was conspicuous to the world in the confession of Augusta, and the protestation at Spiers, and the Apologies of the Church of England.

A religion like Christ its own Law-giver, the first and the last, the true and pure Elixar, Rev. 1.17. drawn out of the new Testament, and into that (casting off all scum and froth of corrupt times contracti­on) at last resolving it self; for when death calls the adversaries to the bar, and gives them the book to attest the whole truth, & nothing but the truth, then Bellarmine untwists with Penelope his laborious webb of workes, and makes up the whole piece with the onely Tutissimum of trust in Gods mercy, for fear of vain-glory and uncertainty of mans righte­ousness; and in this mind and religion he makes his last wil, with Lord have mercy on me, not as a rewarder [Page 26]of Merits, Geor. D. of Saxonic. but as an almoner of Pardons. Another great Lord, a great Anti-protestant in his life, is per­swaded at his death by his Chancellor, to the truth of his own usual saying: he is the best Bow-man that shootes next to the mark; and so rejecting all other aimes given by his Priests dies Protestant, See [...]enrad. Dieteric. Dom. pass [...]p. 2. obs. 1. fixing the arrow of his faith in the onely and pure white of Christs merits: A religion which Father Sherer commends to his penitent at last, without mention of his former ambageous trifles; the Confessor confessing to the sick, Sir, we use to deal one way with the sound and well, but another with the sick and weak. Thus the wounded Fowl betakes her self to firm land and leaving her vagaries in the water, as Balaam, all his Essayes against the truth of Israel, Num. 23.10. cries out, Let me die the death of the the protestant righteous, and let my last end be like unto his.

Of this religion was the generation of our wor­thies fathers to three or foure ascents; whose no­ble examples have watered these parts, as the four rivers falling from the mountaines of the Moon watered Paradise. In this religion, to see and ob­serve his Bow, and bent, his practise in his timely readiness like a morning starre, or Lucifer, resorting and calling out his family to the publick service of God, how have I been comforted and cheared! and for the order and harmony in private and at home, Jerom [...] I may say with Jerom, Videbar mihi interesse choris Angelorum, Methought I was among the Quire of Angels: and when the bow of death gave him that lamentable blow, of which though he left his life, yet he took his religion away with [Page 27]him, what time he made his compellation to the witnesses round about him, that as in the profession of the Church of England he had lived, so he re­solved to die; and in that mind he departed. To adde a testimony of his own, (not setting aside the brethen of the Allobrogick plat-form) good God, how didst thou incline his heart with Jonathan to Samuel, and the men of God, to the Clergy con­stant to their order, and of the Orthodox affection! Let the house of Aaron now confesse, what signal loves they have received, as if his house had been a Naioth or Colledge for the entertainment of scho­lars, and an Academy for their resort, his nature be­ing composed as Daniels, Ish chemdoth, a man of de­sires, or a desirable man; as Cymbalum mund, Dan. 10, 11. Palamed. to in­vite them, and his various expressions, [...], the Nightingal of the Muses to detaine them, received with such lowly greeting, entertained with such smiling and lovely embraces, Theodaret. 5.7. fed with such wholesome dishes, lodged in the choicest chambers, accompanied with so gratefull a pre­sence, dismist with such courteous adieus; as if Jo­nathan had strived to ingratiate David, or Samuel; Theodosius the B. Ambros. in ob. Val. Meletius with kissing his eyes or lips, or Valentinian Saint Ambrose, Quem Salutem sibi quandam venturam arbitrabatur, whom when he saw, he thought some special healthfulness was coming towards him.

And when maturity invited him to mariage, who was the choicest pearl in his eye, but the vertuous Margaret, allyed collaterally to that mother of pearle, his late deceased parent? To which choice he was not invited onely by the eyes for beauty; that [Page 28]Moon is soon clouded, changed or Eclipsed; nor by the fingers, which values a woman no higher then her portion; nor by the eares, which by credu­lity is often cheated with reports; but by Solomons character, [...] 1.10, [...]. Her price is farre above pearls, and let her own workes praise her in the gates: In this his choice he seems to have had a mindful reflection on that name and merit in his mother, who like another Rachel, Ruth 4 [...]. did build the house of Israel, and did fa­mously in Bethlehem that house of bread.

Here the armes of Lucie and Spencer were en­quartered and enclasped in one coate, the Pike­fish taken in a net or knot.

Eros and Anteros, love and relove, so lively acting interchangeably their parts, that (oh the pitty they were so soon parted!) the fight would have made a wise mans heart rejoyce to see it; so little or no gall was there in this Junoes sacrifice, but all the water turned into wine, John 2. and may she bear also his religion, name, love, and just interest in estate, as his coat of armes, in honour and memo­rial of such a Jonathan.

And could my speech reach to the ears of all his brothers and sisters, I would appeal to their report, whether the losse of their late loving and provident parents was not much eas'd and lightned by his sup­porting hand, becoming a second father in perfor­mance, and a second mother in compassion; how did this Lucifer send light, morning-influence & motion to fortifie their matches, & improve their fortunes [Page 29]in all proceedings, so long as he appeared oriental, Lord of the house, and in a right aspect or conjuncti­on with those of lesser magnitudes; exceeding the examples of this age, as much as Jonathan did of his, or the morning starre, the scarce appearing twink­lers of the times.

And you his Tenants and servants, whom he might say with Pyrrhus, he never sent away to wear black clothes in sorrow for his acts, how you that have been faithfull in few things, hath he not made rulers over many? and if you like stones should hold your peace, the Farmes, Leases and Estates for life would speak, by him granted and confirmed; say Sirs, for that little model of com­mands in his courtly service, found you not a great appearance of the graces in his rewards? he hath put the proverb out of date, an old serving-man and a new gentleman in the place; how many lar­gesses to his lacquais, suites of cloths, with Jonathan, hath he put off to invest and make known his favo­rites withal? And now may you worthily put on your mourning weeds for Jonathan: 1 Sam. 1.24. ye daughters of Sion weep for him that clothed you in scarlet, and put ornaments of gold upon your apparel: and some whose lives he sought to save with the hazard of his own.

To speak all in a few words, his house was a Bethgerim for hospitality of strangers, a Bethlehem, an house of bread for the needy bellies, the poole of Bethesdah for relief of waiters in her porches; Lucius & Aci­ [...] both a­like. and the house of the Lucies joyned to the Spencers, was, pardon the comparison, those two fishes which by the blessing of the Son of God, did feed five thousand persons, and twelve baskets for the poor.

If the Bow-song on Jonathan suite not aright in all proportion, sure I am that with Davids leave, we may properly intitle his praise to the Shoshanim, and tune of the Flower de Luce, for six leaves in that flower displaying themselves.

He was a true Flower de Luce, (to lose no­thing of his name) which open'd and shut his fa­vours with the Sun of righteousness, in a sympathy with his Saviour Christ, living and dying about the same age, and now following the Lamb wheresoe­ver he goeth.

His six leaves of mercy to the body exposing themselves; Visito, Poto, Cibo, Redimo, Tego, Colligo, Condo, I View, Drink, Feed, Redeem, Bring home, and Bury, were accompanied with the six spires of spiritual assistance to complete and answer them;

Consule, Castiga, Solare, Remitte, Fer, Ora;

Counsel, Reprove, Forgive, Bear, Pray, Make­merry.

A Flower de Luce.

1 Rooted so fast in his religion, that no wind or storm could stir or alter him.

For his candor and sincerity, in which vertue he was so plainly visible and transparent, that his bo­some was [...], 1 Cor. 5.8. exposed to the Sun, and might be seen thorough, sincere, with an heart so clear, perspicuous and plaine, that like Drusus house full of windows, all that was contained within, might be seen without, as the Poet,

2 So candid and fair conditioned to treat, so oyly and soft to handle, so innocent and harmlesse to act, that Adam seem'd to have lent him little matter to be offended, and grace lesse mind to give offence.

3 So coole a temper in his nature, that as the lilly water allays and cooles all burning sores and apostems, so he by example and sweet words loved to asswage heart-burnings, swelling and fallingout of neighbours.

4 So white and spotless in the virgin and his mar­ried life, that he esteem'd and made his chastity most odoriferous to all in a bed undefiled and kept whole; but if broken or bruised, he abhorred as too rank a smel for him, and most unsavoury in his family.

5 So open and expansed in his love and bounty spreading on every side, that his dishes and vessels were as the baskets and bowls of the Lilly, full of refreshment, ornament and medicine to his friends, all graced with such an humble condescent, that you might say, there was the rose of Sharon, Cant. 2.1. and the lilly of the Valleys.

A Flower de Luce broad in his blowed leaves up­wards towards heaven, 6. but contracted and narrow in the bottom toward the earth; being large and heavenly minded in his contemplation of that land and mansion, esteeming all his lands and houses not worth a thought to think on, nor a look with [Page 32] Lots wife to reflect upon, no nor so much as one si­sters tear to fall for the losse of them, going as wil­lingly to his grave with his body as to his bed, and sending forth his soul as chearfully as Noahs dove flew from the Arke when the flood was past, or a prisoner to be enlarged to a palace. In a time large enough for him to have lived longer, although determined of God, whose eternity meets and com­plies with all times, but enforceth none; in the Au­tumn, that deadly season and fall of the year, when the Sun falls from his height, the dayes from their length, the Elements from their beauty, the Corne under the sickle, Flowers from the stalk, Leaves from the trees, Fruits from the boughs, men from their families, now the lovely Adonis of all delight is rooting up by the dirty Bore of win­ter hasting on, enough to make women superstiti­ous to weep for this Tamuz, Ezek. 8.14. the sweet-heart of the Sun; and cause enough for us to take on with David, for our Sun is now gone down, of whom the world was not worthy; our Adonis is with­drawn by death, our Brother Jonathan is in the dust. But stay Rachel, thy work shall be rewarded, his body shall return in the day of Renewing, when the great Lapidary shall have ripp'd off the earthy bark of this diamond, Mal. 3.7. and shall make up his jewels, the righteous, and such as do likewise shall see and enjoy him again: the stay wil seem no longer than a sweet nights sleep, and the time no more to you than the years past before you were born. But methinks I see his soul and better part ere this be­come a gainer by this blessed change: The Bow of Death hath not taken this within its reach or di­stance, [Page 33]it is past the stroke or aim of all these earthly Archers, and having broken thorough the black colour and cloud of death, Rev. 4.3. shines like the Rainbow in the green colour of Gods reflecting grace, until both soul and body united shall ascend higher, even to the bright Aurora-colour of full glory.

And in the mean time, learn Clergy, Laity, Widow and Posterity, Brethren and Sisters, Te­nants and Servants, Strangers and Familiars, Friends and Poor folks, not to furnish the pasquils of mens ears with libels, jeers, or reproches they cannot hang upon his worthy Pillar, but fill it with the inscriptions of complaints and praises, commenda­tions and Panegyricks; and learn the lesson, if not to excel or equal, yet to aim at, or to imitate; which was the end of David's Lesson, and shall be of mine.