and the work both of learning, and of conversion, and grace, be timely wrought in them.

Great was the happiness of this city in this particular, while it enjoyed this worthy man, and great the loss in being deprived of him. For though, through God's goodness, there be many excellent men remaining, out of whom some reparation may be made of so great a damage; yet still I look on the departure of this man, as if the middle and most precious stone in a rich jewel should drop out, which, though many others remain in, cannot but be greatly missed and bewailed.

Moses was unto the people of Israel, Pædagogus ad Christum,' as the apostle speaks of the law, (Gal. iii. 25) and of other teachers (1 Cor. iv. 15) And although he were so great a man, as no other prophet (much less ordinary person) could parallel; (Numb. xii. 6, 7, 8) yet there may be resemblance, where there is not equality.

Give me leave to make the comparison in several particulars; three of which we have in the text, Moses was "learned and mighty in word and deed;" in which three consisteth the excellency of a teacher, and therefore the same is noted of Christ, the great prophet of the church. (Luke xxiv. 19. Acts i. 1) Learning qualifieth the teacher; word and work, doctrine and life, institution and example, leadeth and directeth the scholar. And so Homer describeth Phoenix, the master and instructor of Achilles q, μύθων τε ῥητῆρ ̓ ἔμεναι, πρηκτῆρά τε ἔργων.

First; Our dear brother was 'a learned' man, learned in the whole body of learning; not only an excellent linguist and grammarian, historian, cosmographer, artist, but a most judicious divine, and a great antiquary in the most memorable things of this nation. Into whatsoever parts of the land he travelled, he was able to refresh and to instruct his fellowtravellers in the most remarkable particulars of every country. Pausanias was not more accurate in the description of Greece, than he of England. And I have heard, that he had it sometimes in his thoughts to have published something in this kind. He was a man of solid judgement; he always spake 'è sulco pectoris ;' and I have, not without very great satis

Homer.Iliad 94. 43.

faction, heard him give his notions upon difficult places of scripture, and arguments of divinity in ordinary discourse, as if he had elaborately studied them.

Secondly; He was "mighty in word," able, out of a full treasury and store-house of learning, to bring forth both new and old. I never knew any learned subject spoken of in his company, wherein he was not able most dexterously to deliver his opinion. He was a man of a copious discourse; but withal so solid and judicious, as did ever delight his auditors, never weary them. As Livy said of Cato, "Natum ad id diceres, quodcumque ageret;" we may say of him, "Doctum in hoc uno crederes, quodcumque diceret."

Thirdly; He was, as Moses, "a worker," as well as a speaker; he was not a barren fig-tree, that had leaves without fruit; not a tinkling cymbal, noise without love; he taught by his life as well as by his learning. "Verbis tantum philosophari non est doctoris sed histrionis," as He said; and "dicta factis deficientibus erubescunt," saith Tertullian. And indeed he was a man of fixed and resolved honesty, and wondered in his sickness what men did learn Christianity for, if it were not, in every condition, to practise it, and adorn the profession of it.

r

Fourthly; He was, as Moses," a patient" man; patient in his business. Moses was patient in his judicature from morning to evening; (Exod. xviii. 13) and he, patient in his school in like manner. Patient in his sufferings, willingly with Moses bearing the reproach of Christ,' and not fearing the wrath of any man in comparison of the reverence he did bear to his own conscience. Patient in sickness, composing himself with as an unshaken confidence to die, as, in time of health, he would have gone about any other business.

Fifthly; He was, as Moses, a "faithful" man; (Heb. iii. 5) most exactly answerable to the trust of his place: "Opprimi potius onere officii maluit, quam illud deponere,” as once Tully spake. It was hardly possible for any friend, by any importunity, to draw him from a most punctual observation of timely attendance upon the duties of his place. And so tenderly fearful was he of miscarriage herein, and so sensible of any the least defect, that in a former sickness he desired,

Tertul. de Patientia. 1. 1.

if he should then have died, to have been buried at the school-door, in regard he had, in his ministration there, come short of the duties which he owed unto the school. And this we shall ever find true,-the more active, able, conscientious, faithful, any are in discharge of duty, the more humble, the more jealous, the more fearful they are, of coming short of it. The fullest and best ears of corn hang lowest towards the ground; and so those men that are fullest of worth, are most humble, and apprehensive of their own failings.

Sixthly; He was, as Moses, "a constant," resolved, steady man. Moses would not bait Pharaoh a hoof; kept close to every tittle of his commission. (Exod. x. 9, 26) So was he punctual and unmovable from honest principles. "Vir rigidæ innocentia," as Livy said of Cato. He was of Polemo's judgement in this point, "debere inesse quandam moribus contumaciam;" that men, having proved all things, should hold fast the best, and be pertinacious in goodness.

Seventhly; He was, as Moses, "a wise" man. Moses was often put to the use of his wisdom, to compose the distempers of a froward people; and a masculine prudence is requisite to tame and calm the wild and unswayed humours of young children. children. It is noted as a special piece of Socrates' wisdom, that he did, by his institution, fix and reduce the wandering and vicious inclinations of Alcibiades.' I might go on in this parallel, and instance in the authority, gravity, meekness, and zeal for the truth, which were observable in this our dear friend, as they were eminent in Moses. But I shall add only this one thing more; the great care which he had of the school at his last, that there might be an able successor chosen. Of Moses's care in this particular we read, Numb. xxvii. 15, 16, 17: and this good man, the evening before he died, with great earnestness commended it to the company, (by a member thereof who came to visit him) that they should use their uttermost wisdom and care to choose an able, learned, religious, and orthodox man into the place; naming one, of whose fitness, both he, and the company, and school, had had, before, great experience. And

Diog. Laert. 1. 4.

t Vid. Greg. Tholos. de Repub. 1. 15. c. 1.

so much were they pleased to honour the judgement and integrity of this worthy man, that presently after his death they pitched upon that excellent learned man, whom he had so providently commended unto them.

I might add one parallel more, in the death of this good man, to Moses. The Lord bid Moses " go up to the Mount and die;" (Deut. xxxii. 49, 50) and he did so. (Deut. xxxiv. 1, 5) This worthy friend of mine, the Friday and Saturday before his own fit, was pleased to visit me, lying at that time under a sore fit of the stone. It pleased the Lord, the Monday following, to bring a like fit upon him and sending to inquire of his condition, he sent me word how it was with him, and that he looked on this fit as a messenger of death from God unto him. And accordingly, though in obedience to God's appointment, he made use of means, yet he still insisted upon it, that his time of dissolution was now come; and accordingly, with great composedness and resolvedness of spirit, waited for death as a man doth for his loving friend, whom he is willing to embrace. I assure myself that he had with Moses a sight of Canaan, which made him so undauntedly look death in the face.

I shall conclude with that exhortation,-" Let us go up to the Mount, and by faith look into our heavenly country: let us have our eyes fastened upon Christ our salvation; and then we may, with old Simeon, sing our Nunc Dimittis;' with the apostle, be willing to depart and to be with Christ, which is best of all: and, with Moses, die not only patiently but obediently, as knowing that we have a city which hath foundations made without hands, eternal in the heavens, whose builder and maker is God."

THE

COMFORT AND CROWN

OF

GREAT ACTIONS.

In a SERMON preached December 4th, 1657; before the Honourable East India Company.

TO THE HONOURABLE

THE GOVERNOR AND COMMITTEE

OF THE

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

In the first entrance upon great actions, it hath been the use of good men to begin at the Sanctuary, and there to seek of the Lord a right way, as knowing that whatever be the services of men, yet the success and blessing must be from God alone. A course which honourable persons amongst the heathens have sometimes used, as Scipio, in consultations of state, went first to the Capitol, and then to the senate. You were pleased in the great work which you have undertaken, thus to do; and what businesses you are to prosecute by the concurrent counsels and services of men, to commend first to the favour and blessing of God. Wherein having used my poor service, you were pleased so far to accept of it, as to desire to have it made more public. Hereunto I was the more easily persuaded, that the great and good example of Nehemiah might be still before your eyes, both to direct you in your