of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion first in the Church on earth but more magnificently in heauen with songs and euerlasting ioy vpon their heades they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall fly away The Prouerbe is Transition Omne tulâ—t punctum c. He is able to accomplish all that mixes profit with his pleasure but our meaning is at this present to ioyne power to profitablenes To speake therefore of the efficacie of teares which was fourth amongst the heads propounded to be treated touching them If you will call them showers or stormes from aboue they hinder the attempts of diuels which besiege the Citie of God quenching all their canon shot for teares are th' effects of faith whose vertue is to quench the enemies fierie darts Ephe. 6.16 Or if you tearine them cataractes or falls of water from the highest mountaines they presse and crush what e're lifts vp it selfe against God 2. Cor. 10.5 of which perhaps a little after he here complaines Psal 42.7 whence is truly said S Bern. festo omnlum sanctorum serm 1. A stubborne horse is tamed by the whippe and a rebellious spirit by shedding teares For riuers and brookes carrying with them what euer lyes in the way at length ouerwhelming the very walls and bays opposed vnto their violence hence that is to them asscribed which is neare vnlawfull to attribute to a creature that by theÌ„ a man in wrestling preuailed with God Hos 12.4 He had power ouer the Angell and preuailed but how he wept and made supplication vnto him Or if we say they are pure waters of some siluer streame in which the letters otherwise vnlegible are perceiued Bern. de Coena ser 12. Lachryme dicant quia voces explicare non queunt Naso Lachryma pondera vo cis habent Flor. lib. 1. c. 22. For if the drooping soule caÌ„not declare her minde teares shall supply where the tongue is tyed Or if that which is intended by weight of arguments must be enforced teares are the weightiest words wherewith Veturia vnarmed Coriolanus her sonne now readie to batter the wals of Rome To Antipater coÌ„plaining grieuously to Alexander of his mother he returned this answer Knowest thou not ô Antipater that one teare of a mother will blot an hundred iniurious letters Will you stile them bathes the hardest ice will speedily resolue being cast therein such as they say Stella in Luke 7. was the heart of the first most sinfull and then most mournfull Mary Magdalen For in these is a hote resoluing quality issuing from the mines not of blacke sulphure or the like but of the precious and celestiall gold of wisedome inspired by God Are they called noble wines and generous that makes men confident Spes iubet esse ratas and they giue great confidence towards God which in one of Dauids words euidently appeares where to the Almighty he dares to say Hold not thy peace at my teares Psal 39 1â— Ephrâ—â—â— de compâ—â—â—ctiâ— ne hoâ—â— 4. What is hold not thy peace at my teares I know saith he O Lord thou art a righteous Iudge none I know can deliuer out of thine hand Iob 10. I know thou wilt iudge the quicke and dead Rom. 2. thou wilt strictly iudge the sonnes of men for euery idle word Mat. 12. vpon euery secret Eccles 12. though lightest thought I know thou wilt come and call the nations from East to West Psal 50. to heauens from aboue and to the earth beneath that thou mayst iudge thy people And I to my selfe am conscious of manifold offences Psal 38. yet this I also know that thou art mercifull I know that teares and troubled spirit are to thee most acceptable Psal 51. because these thou hast commanded and these are sacrifices wherewith thou art pleased Therefore I pray do not remember my sinnes and forget my teares for so should I not be able to stand Psal 130. but rather remember these forgetting those So shall I not feare to come into thy presence when the thrones of Princes are cast downe Dan. 7. and thou art set the Ancient of dayes with garment white as snow and haire like vnto the purest wooll vpon thy throne a fierie flame with wheeles as burning fire from which the fierie streames shall issue and come forth from before thy face when thousand thousands shall minister vnto thee and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before thee when iudgement is set and the bookes are opened out of the which all dead shall be iudged according to the things written therein Then shall be discouered the iniquities of vs all and mine amongst the rest but if for them my teares in thy presence shall appeare Vide efficacissimam his iusmodi deprecationem in Anacreonticis Damasceni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. their accusations shall be void and their guilt vndone Therefore thus confidently I request hold not thy peace at my teares Finally if by art you wil perfect nature and ranke them amongst those which stillers skill makes and cals strong waters Maximus Taurinensis serm hiem de poenitemia Petri ostiaria hom 3. Qui etiam est inter sermones diui Ambrosij nec non S. Augustini sed faliò illius enim noÌ„ câ—iusuis horuÌ„ stiluÌ„ redoleâ— able to breake through that which hammers lightly do not burst for Weeping hath some preheminence of praying which Peter conuerted by his Lords lookes taught others by his owne experience breaking forth in teares without request of words For we see his teares but do not heare his voice we reade his weeping but no mention of his speaking Iustly indeed Peter wept in silence because that which is bewailed is not wont to be excused and what cannot be defended yet may be washed away for teares can cleanse the offence which shame forbids vs to confesse so teares are carefull both of credit and saluation not ashamed to seeke and sure to obtaine in asking Teares I say are silent and yet effectuall prayers they aske not pardon and yet obtaine it they make no plea but finde mercie This difference there is the prayers of teares are more auailable then of words for speech in prayer perhaps doth lie which teares cannot speech oft times doth not vnfold the whole businesse but alwayes teares declare the entire affection Therefore now Peter vseth not speech Inuertio quod fleuerit non inuenio quid dixerit lachrymas eius lego satisfactionem non lego wherewith he had sinned wherewith he had lyed wherewith he had denied the faith lest thereby he be not beleeued in confession which erewhile denying he had abused Therefore had he rather lament then pleade his cause and confesse with teares what he had denied in words And yet see further what Peter hath profited in teares He fell before he wept Ibid. paulò infra
Iewes he was glad for the Disciples because by the resurrection of Lazarus their faith in Christ shold be confirmed he wept for the Iewes incredulitie because neither when Lazarus was raised they would beleeue in Christ the Lord. To which purpose may be referred his charge by Ieremie Weep not for the dead Ier. 22.10 for the dead in bodie alone neither bemoane him but weepe for him that goeth away fioÌ„ the communion of the Church which he seemed to haue for he shall returne no more nor see his natiue country The heauenly kingdome whereof the people of God are all citizens Lastly we may ought to weepe for the affliction of Gods people as Ieremie and many others for Iosias dead 2. Chr. 35 25. 2. King 8.12 Elisha foreseeing in spirit the desolation of Israel by Hazael Iob. 2.12 and Iobs friends astonied at his calamitie For so shall we make our selues partakers of their ioy partaking in their griefes not being indifferently affected much lesse reioycing or insulting ouer them that are in miserie as is the miserable maner of some The eye inflamed Simon Magister â—at 12 â—n fine is something pained by the softest medicine and indifferent words may oppresse the mind that with other calamities is already troubled The daughters of Israel by a custome went yearely to lament the daughter of Iepthah the Gileadite Iudg. 11.39.40 foure dayes in a yeare euen after she was dead for her solitarie life being addicted to perpetuall virginitie by her fathers vow much more ought the Saints for with one another in their life who are by spirituall coagmentatioÌ„ one anothers members These are last in order which are but ought not to be least in vse The heathen man hath truly said Tullius ad Heren l. 2. n. 50 Partitionsbus or aetorijÌ„s 〈◊〉 57. Nothing dries sooner then a teare especially in anothers calamities These are the things for which healthfully fruitfully teares are shed Conclusion wherefore let vs sow them not in the barren wildernesse but in ground receiuing raine rendring much increase For the world is wont to weep for the losse of worldly friends Hugo Victo tâ—â— 2. ser 28. as father and mother son and daughter brother and sister kindred or acquaintance after the flesh but weeping for their dead they weep not for themselues they lament the losse of earthly things but neuer a iot bemoane their spirituall damages Is any sicke in body or dyes out of it His friends mourne He sinnes damnably liues incestuously calls his brother foole his eyes behold strange women and lusts after them not one bewailes him O vnhappy health blinded sight dead life for those things they mourne that ought not to be moaned and greuously lament that for which a little were enough but those things they do not lament at all which of all most worthy are Yea oftentimes laugh because of such of whom Esaias Woe vnto them that call euill good Esay 5. and good euill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Let vs lament my brethren moderately the losse of friends but more our want of good workes our want of vertues Let the vnchaste lament the losse of his or her integrity the proud the losse of humility the wrathfull the losse of inward quietnesse the couetous the losse of bountifulnesse the drunkards the losse of sobernesse the dead of heart the losse of spirituall reioycing the enuious the losse of charitie for happie are those that now in repentance weepe for they shall laugh obtaining pardon next being clothed with righteousnesse and last and most receiued into glory Which God graunt vs all by his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen In the eight and last place of our proposall concerning this subject The diguitie of â—â—ares remaines to speake after our little holding measure something of the dignitie and praise of this grace of teares which euen by the witnesse of them that are without Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chry soft Pieriâ—s hievoglyphicorâ—Ì„ l. 4. cap. 43. Visus eâ—am â—iâ—â—eos manibus tract are lapillos Vnio in his latis gemma inimica viris are precious vnions For the diuiners haue said that those gems seene in dreames portend the shedding of teares Whereto some of the Church also do accord specially Chrysostome whose elogie is of them What is more beauteous then those eyes which glister with the frequent showers of these celestiall waters No purple dye of Iesabels painting 2. Kin. 9.30 or renting of the face as God himselfe doth tearme it none of Herods pretious stones mixing colours with gold and siluer set about how euer resplendent reflecting the Sunne beames Ier. 4 30. are any way saue by contrary to be compared with these Act. 12. Euseb histor l. 1. for those how euer together with his oration they drew from the fickle peoples mouth a word of admiration and commendation as The voyce of God yet could they not preserue him yet aliue from the fretting and eating of wormes and present stench vntollerable But these most fitly are resembled by the sweet smelling myrrhe dropping from the spouse her fingers Cant. 5. whose vertue is to preserue euen the dead from putrefaction The penmen of the holy Scripture to shew vs their esteeme from teares and weeping haue giuen names to diuers places celebrious in the Scriptures as men are wont to call new found landes by the names of their much respected and loued Princes of which number are Abel Mitsraijm Gen. 50 11. The mourning of the Ægyptians Iud. 2.5 2. Chr. 35.25 and Bochim weepers because of Israel Zach. 12.12 Esay 16.9 Ier. 48.32 The mourning of Hadadrimmon in the vally of Megiddo Gen. 35.8 and elsewhere the weeping of Iazer and at Deborah Rebekahs nurse her graue Allon Bachuth the oke of weeping Here from the holy Scripture not onely commends men but also sometime argues their religion in Paul thus writing to his Timothie I thanke God 2 Tim. 1. whom I serue from my forefathers with pure conscience ver 3.4.5 that without ceassing I haue remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day greatly desiring to see thee being mindfull of thy teares that I may be filled with ioy when I call to remembrance the vnfained faith that is in thee For the honestie of his teares implyed the sincerity of his faith The excellent esteeme that Christ himselfe hath of them is the cause why he doth compare his spouses eyes vnto the fish pools in Heshbon Cant. 7.4 vnfitly were her eyes compared to pooles if they were not much bewet with teares So great their glory is that in regard of the sweetnesse of those streames amidst which the Church on earth is plaÌ„ted for certaine respect one prefers it before the high pure hill of Angels habitation for the ioy that springs from teares
of the Lord went out from Mizpeh where he had slaine him that began to gouerne in the feare of God weeping all along as he went and as if he would haue ioyned his supplications with theirs or rather in religion haue preuented them intreated them to come with him to Gedaliah the gouernour but when he had brought them whither he would into the midst of the citie then slue them and cast them into a pit like in resemblance to that which Iob saith Iob 6.27 his friends digged for him sparing onely those that had in the fields treasures to disclose vnto him To perfection of number was wanting but the seuenth kind of teares in vain altogether or most part employed here behold the backsliding daughter of Rome shewes her foolish forwardnesse presenting as vaine if not so wicked a sort as any of the rest of her owne inuention namely of those which are shed not willingly but by compulsiō wherewith they are tasked who for plenary satisfaction for their sinnes to God are adiudged to an outward and forced lamentation for some part or the whole residue of their life within monasteries or abroad of which teares well speakes father Isac in Iohn of Cassia Collat. 9. ca. 30. saying By their straining they more abase and drowne the soule of him that prayeth pulling it downe from that heauenly height wherein the suppliants mind should vnremoueably be fixed and so compell him losing the prime intention of deuotion to be sicke in seeking fruitlesse and constrained drops of teares Where we reade the valley of mulberrie trees 1. Chro. 14.14 Saint Ierome renders ex aduerso flentium Tradit Hebr. in Paral. ouer against them that weepe whereon he thus commenteth saying The Philistins had an Idol whereto they sacrificed with mens teares Betweene which Idoll and our God I would know what difference they put that for diuine and spiritual worship vrge teares and like exercise of constraint as though in them for themselues he were pleased The eight and onely at all times laudable kind of teares are those of sincere religion contrition compassion and heauenly desire whereof we haue next to speake For onely these we obserued before Dauid calls his owne teares My teares Obseruatiō 4 and that not onely in kind but also in number not onely that they were his that is godly such as he vsed but also they were those which onely himselfe did shed Proposition confirmed For not indifferently the teares of any but of our selues must make request to God for vs. So of the Church it is said Lam. 1.2 Her teares are on her cheekes And our Lord to the daughters of Ierusalem Luk. 23.28 Weepe for your selues and for your children So the Lord to Hezekiah the King giues testimonie I haue heard thy prayer Esa 38.5 I haue seene thy teares Application Which against them is to be noted who if they commend themselues to the prayers of some deuout persons if happily they build some Hospitals for those that in age solitarinesse and sicknesse shall lament meane while themselues be resolued into all lasciuiousnesse are fully perswaded God is with them well appeased which if it be righteousnesse I know not wherein Simon Magus attempting to buy the holy Ghost with mony Act. 8. hath at all offended Such other offence is that when in the morning vnblest going to mingle strong drinke Isa 5. to vse the Prophets words or else about vngodly merchādise they hire with a little mony some shaueling to say their prayers in certain Aues and Paters and Credoes by a rate It was easie for Israel to say to Samuel 1. Sam. 12.19 Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not while as themselues ate the calues out of the stall Amos 6. and chanted to the sound of the viole It was easie for Simon of whom we spake to intreate the Apostles Pray yee to the Lord for me Act. 8.24 that none of these things which yee haue spoken come vpon me but no heart he had to ioyne his owne voice with them It is like Dauid who wept and chastened his soule with fasting Psal 69.10 was not ignorant of the Gentiles prouerbe Weeping becometh not a King Euripides yet being a King he counteth it no shame to sorrow a little for the burden of the King of Princes Hos 8.10 Caution Yet say I not it is vnlawfull to request or vnprofitable to haue the prayers of the Lord his seruants The aduenturous Hester putting her life in her hand for her peoples cause Hest 4.6 bids Mordecai gather together all the Iewes that were present in Shushan and fast yee saith she for me And Amos preacheth Amos 5.16 They shal call the husbandman to mourning and such as are skilfull of lamentation to wailing And in Ieremie Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Ier. 9.17 Consider yee and call for the mourning women that they may come and send for cunning women that they may come and let them make haste and take vp a wailing for vs. But most agreeing is his precept by the Prophet Ioel Ioel 2.17 Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the porch and the altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thy heritage to reproch that the heathen should not rule ouer them And Hezekiah to conclude by messengers saith to Esay 2. King 19.4 Lift vp thy prayer for the remnant that are left In all which places we may perceiue the holy people allowed accustomed to vse the prayers of others with their owne yet so as alwayes appeares the concurrence of their owne with others Obseruatiō 5 In this wise as many as here sow in teares hope for increase whereof they shal not be deceiued Greg mor. l. 5 c. 7. Luctu suo anima pasci tur adde sicut vrsae boreales sugentes pedes suos i. vltima sua meditantes the which their future expectation euen in their teares procures a present consolation This is that vse of teares which Dauid implies whereas he saith they haue bin my bread for teares oft times both feed and ease the minde Proposition Ambr. de obitu Valentin Est enim pij̄s affectibus quaedam etiā flendi voluptas plerūque grauis euaporat dolor Weeping saith one cooles the stomacke and solaceth the troubled spirit In weeping holy affections haue their proper pleasure and so most part surcharging melancholy is expelled Therefore the Prophet requests Turne away from me Esa 22 4. that I may weepe bitterly Now we know delight is presupposed to follow whē the desire is obtained So the people in Babylon remembring Ierusalē in bitternesse find no sweeter leniment then this Psal 137.1 Vpon the riuers of Babylon there sate we downe yea we wept when we remembred Sion Wherefore else doth Ieremie wish so earnestly Ier. 9.1 O that my head were
those waters that is of the vnformed matter so void as yet and yet so capable of any forme as water Whether not absurdly by certaine maner of expounding that of the Psalme is drawne He causeth his wind to blow and the waters flow Psal 147.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirituâ— For Spirit and Winde in the noblest languages haue a languages haue a common name As God enioynes and the Spirit moues so fit obiect exceedingly prouokes the mind to mourning and the eye to weeping Cape apud exteros lachry marum bierogly phicuÌ„ vnde Bias inuitanti ad amicitiam tetricè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à clandedu oculu It may be fitly compared to musterd or onions or other like which by naturall austeritie and tartnesse stirre the humours whence next to the imploring of Gods furtherance and entertaining of the Spirits motion we had need to frequent those outward helpes that find such hardnesse in our selues That obiect for distinctions sake let vs call Presentatiue or Subiectiue that subiectiue which may in its owne consisence be set before our outward eyes such as are others sufferings and what else by sight occasions sorow Ioh. 11. such as was Lazarus his tombe vnto his sisters Ioh. 20. and Christs to the other women So the afflictions specially of the Saints scarce is credible how easily they cause to weepe so many as with affection do behold them For mans mind by nature is inclined to mercie vpon the sight of that which is in miserie Whence rightly Iohn Chrysostome aduiseth each man to be his owne almner Tom. 5. Serm. Quod dispensatio tuarum rerum non sit alteri committenda For they who commit vnto their seruants or burden their Ministers with the distribution of their goods vnto the poore not onely depriue themselues of the recompence of that ministerie for it is one thing to empaire thy substance Act. 6. another to officiate Saint Stephen and the holy Deacons their office in distributing but also of the fruite of compassion and grace For this I may affirme of all godly Christians ioyfully bearing their maisters crosse which hee spake of the true Monks that is the retired solitary ones of that age they are as lampes of light in quiet hauens in their cottages I meane or couches or where euer they lye vnder the hand of God holding out as it were torches and in their owne abasement with blazes of heauenly light directing all those that daine for to approach them that they may not split on the rockes of pride or sinke in the shelfes of fleshly lusts and earthly desires Therefore it is the Wise man saith It is better to go to the house of mourning Eccl. 7. 24 then to go to the house of feasting And again Vers 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth For as we laugh with wantons so shall we weepe with theÌ„ that weep hauing put on the bowels of pitie The most certaine seates of teares saith he are monasteries but to touch this by the way not of begging Friers For euen there he saith They are such as cannot beg Neither were they rich and wealthy persons able to sustaine themselues and others of whom he speakes Act. 20.34.35 2. Thess 3.18 Eph. 4.28 Vide Basil constitus monasticaruÌ„ c. 5. item in regulis breuioribus Responsio â—1 Item Macharium in honrilȳs August ad fratres passim alios It is a great work and laudable to visite and consider the poore but of those that laboured with their hands working that which good is as the Apostle requires of all Christians and all writers of those times can giue witnesse to the ancient monasteries that they sustained themselues and relieued others This by the way Next helpe of this kind is that we call for those that skilfull are in mourning of whom we may learne our selues to weepe For as it is a worke of charitìe to go our selues to those that mourne so it is a cause of spirituall profit to call for them who by their example can teach others this affection Thus God himselfe giues counsell in the Prophet for Thus saith the Lord of hoasts Ier 9.17.18 Consider ye and call for the mourning women that they may come and seeke for cunning women that they may come and let them make haste and take vp a wailing for vs that our eyes may runne downe with teares and our eye-lids gush out with waters And a little after Heare the word of the Lord V. 20. O ye women and let your eares receiue the word of his mouth and teach your daughters wailing and euery one her neighbour lamentation In which words the Prophet teacheth both that those women could by example teach to weepe and that others learned by their companie Lib. 2. coÌ„muâ— in Jerem. Varroni Nounie Mar cello dicuntur praefica quiâ— praeficisbantur ancillis quas flere dâ—cebant fuerà s he cantatrices 2. Paral. 35.25 tibicines Mat 9.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saith Saint Ierome there are wont in weeping with dolefull voice and striking their armes with their hands to prouoke the people to wailing This custom saith he againe as yet remaines in Iudea that the women with haire about their eyes and maked breasts and voice tuned to that purpose prouoke all to weeping And this as I conceiue is the chiefe if not the only cause why the Lord in solemne fasts assembles not onely Elders and such as vnderstand but also bids Gather the children Ioel 2.16 and those that sucke the breasts yea and otherwhere enioynes the beasts their fast Ionas 3.7 not that the seruice of such vnsensible or vnreasonable creatures is pleasing vnto God who delighteth onely in our reasonable seruice but because by sight of such Rom 12.1 those that are endued with actuall reason are the more themselues affected Now if you aske who are these so skilful of lamentation as to teach others Who else say I but those that by the hand of God haue learned themselues Those with whom God according to their measure deales after the maner of his onely Son who was a man of sorrowes Esay 53.3 and acquainted with griefe Those who at length by constant exercise haue put on Pauls affection saying Who is weake 2. Cor. 11.29 and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not Those that can say with Dauid Psal 73. â—4 All the day long haue I bene afflicted and chastened euery morning The presentatiue obiect of teares is such as cannot in the present with bodily eyes be seene but presented by the mind vnto her selfe this besides the miserie of our present case whereof before vnder the head of necessitie is of death or day of iudgment That houre of death now imminent let neuer depart out of the spirits sight remember now
farre as euer you can that so you may depart farre from the perturbations and fluctuations of all visible things breaking through into that inward silence where nothing interrupts the search of thoughts we must exclude the images of outward things which into the soule as into a pump the senses carrie I meane not quite shutting the senses or depriuing them of vse but turning their intentions vnto supernall things Like as some graue matrone and seuere mistresse being about to make some precious ointment awakes her maides and calls them her selfe and hauing shut her selfe and them within enioynes one to hold the scales that with due weight and measure each spice with other may be mixed knowing the compound will proue vnprofitable wherein due proportion is not kept another she sets to breake and bruise the seuerall kinds lest any hardnesse or asperity should hinder the mixture she appointes a third which serues to separate the grosse and finer from one another The fourths employment is to mixe all and make one masse she commands a fift to stand by with some boxe of alabaster or the like and so restraines the rest each one vnto her taske not suffering their senses any whither to stray abroad lest the intended worke should be hindred Thus plainly it behooueth euery one to do that will prepare this precious oyntment and grace of teares Admonition Being straitned here of time hastening to my more proper employment and place I do but mention three other places now coming to mind yet obserued by experience to giue great furtherance First a containing euen of the body so much as may be in one place this Seneca hath commended to his Lucilius to be first preparatiue for his morall wisedome and others shall find if serious purpose make vse of it it is as needfull so very helpeful to deuotion The other is fasting and the third silence so vsefull that he who hath not learned to charge himselfe therewith hath scarce from a farre saluted the most retired inward and spirituall workes of religion The ancient Christians write of these at large specially of the two last from them if leasure had serued I would haue borrowed what I should haue found best fitting our present subiect but must for this time remit the learneder to the authors them selues and pray the vnlearned to accept with patience what God hath enabled me to do for the present Diuision Now for methods sake shall follow the diuision of teares into their kinds which by diuers authors diuersly are parted To Bernard they are threefold Bernard Epiphaniae serm 3. in fine of Repentance of Confortation or strengthening when the soule burnes with desire of heauenly things and of compassions Hugo puts three kinds of them Tom. 2. ser 28 who walke mournfully and fruitfully before the Lord of hoastes Isay 58. Some for remission of sinnes others in the sweetnesse of grace the last in desire of glory Tom. 3. ad imitationem prouerbiorū in fine Ephrem the Syrian comprehending the euill sayes well Some are for the losse of present things culpable others of pietie commendable a third sort of impenitencie vnremediable to wit as the Scripture speakes in vtter darknesse Others yet part them otherwaies and I thus speaking only of the right religious Teares are cither for Gods cause or mans for Gods cause in respect of others or our selues Of others namely those by whom he is dishonoured of our selues in that he is not so honoured as he ought and we desire For who that loues the Lord Psal 119.158 can behold the transgressors and not be grieued because they keepe not his word Is there any drop of Christs bloud that heares without offence the reproach thereof and rending of his wounds Or is he a member of the spirituall bodie that seeth with patience the whipping by reproaches and tearing by oppressions of the rest The vessell of choyce cannot mention without teares Philip 3.18 the enemies of the crosse of Christ We know what befell good Heli though too indulgent to his sonnes and to his daughter in law the godly wife of a godlesse Priest and husband because the glory was departed from Israel 1. Sam. 4. v. 18.19.20 the Arke of God was taken and how often it fares with the religious in heart vpon such occasions Yet haue we no smaller reason from our owne failings in the performance of his seruice vnlesse we will be rather censurers of others workes then dischargers of our owne duty This makes the Apostle with bitter lamentation to bemoane himself Rom. 7. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death The conscience hereof causes so many confessions and fasts of the peculiar people when God vouchsafed them religious gouernors exciting and going before them in such workes of pietie grieuing most themselues that by themselues their fathers their Princes and their Priests his name had bene dishonoured among the Gentiles For instance whereof are Hezekiah Iosiah Ezrah Daniel and Nehemiah And experience witnesseth what sorrow godly men haue in heart when they cannot by the workes of mercy so liberally nor by prayers and thanks so chearefully magnifie as they would him whom alone they loue saying Whom haue I in heauen but thee alone Psal 73. and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee The cause of shedding teares on mans behalfe is either common to wit the iniquitie and misery of all our kind whereof I haue already spoken or speciall and this againe twofold either it is from our selues or others Our owne cause of weeping yet is double namely of sorrow or great ioy which some of the Ancients by a figure gather of Calebs answer to the suite of his daughter Achsah she asked springs of water and be gaue her the vpper springs and the neather springs For spirituall teares shed in ioy are for the abundant grace descending from on high but in sorrow for sinnes committed here below As for the former it is no wonder if for ioy of finding him that was lost the father wept Luke 15. the sonne that was dead now reuiued be thus affected that wished of late to be accepted as a seruant but is now more entertained then a sonne by the superabounding fauour of a most tender father August de sanctis ser 45 Lachryma exigit bonum opus lachryma commendat bonum opus Thus do all the people of God giuing thanks for the grace of liuing well whence one truly saith By teares good workes are obtained of God by teares againe they are commended vnto God Teares of griefe are either from the sense of afflicting euill or from the want of good desired euill againe commonly is knowne to be of sinne or punishment sorrow for sin is either for the act or for the guilt that is either from the trouble of present and doubfull combate which we haue therewith or from the conscience of former and knowne
offences Who knowes what bitter griefe to be fighting euery houre of life and yet neuer haue the crowne till death to conquer and quell the enemie a thousand times and yet to feare as strong assaults as euer before so that the wrestler though conquerour being wearied Iob 7.15 Chuseth death rather then life as his cryes imply who prayes Deliuer me out of the mire and let me not sinke let me be deliuered from them that hate me and out of the deepe waters let not the water floud ouerflow me c. And a little before Saue me ô God V. 1.2 for the waters are come in vnto my soule I sinke in the deepe mire where there is no standing I am come into deepe waters where the flouds ouerflow me And in another place of the enemy Psal 56.1 He fighting daily oppresseth me The other kind of godly sorrow which is for sinne is that wherein the sinners heart is pierced with the stings of former negligence or euil done whereof he saith Psal 32.5 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Psal 6.23 And again O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is also sore vexed V. 6. And a little after I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swimmâ— I water my couch with my teares And in another Psalme Psal 38.3.4 There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bonet because of my sin for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as an heauie burden they are too heauie for me So the Ladie Paula deuout indeed not as almost the best of this age scarce in countenance and words and gesture in continuall prayers ioyning night and day filled as the Father writes S. Hieron in epitaph Paulâ— circamed that alledged lately of the Psalme All the night long c. For in her you would haue thought there were wels thereof so she lamented the lightest sins as though she had bene guiltie of the greatest Who being often admonished by them of like purpose that were about her to spare her eyes and saue them for reading of the Gospel was wont to say That face is worthy to be fouled which contrary to diuine precept I haue often painted That bodie shall be afflicted which hath bene giuen to much voluptuousnesse long laughter must be equalled with continuall mourning the soft lawnes and precious silkes be changed into rougher cloth of haire I haue pleased my husband and the world and now desire to be pleasing vnto Christ As for sinnes we mourne past and present so for punishments present and to come For feeling the one and fearing the other of euil suffered he complained whose is that Prayer intituled Psal 102. title of the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed and powreth out his complaint before the Lord as the context thereof doth tell and otherwhere testifies his weeping on this behalf in these words Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction Whence also Ieremie though sanctified in the wombe Ier. 1.5 complaines Wherefore came I forth out of the wombe Ier. 20.18 to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame From which words another inferres the bitternesse of that other griefe in feare of hell in this maner If he thus spake of himselfe whom God sanctified in the wombe Innocentius de vilitâ—te conditionis humanae What then shall I say of my selfe whom my mother conceiued in sinne Woe is me my mother would I say why hast thou borne me a sonne of griefe and sorrow why died I not in the wombe come out of the belly why did I not perish presently Why did the knees preuent me or the breasts affoord me milke that am borne for burning and to feed the fire Would I had died in the wombe and it had bene my graue for euer so had I bene as not bene carried from birth to buriall From which feare we may vnderstand that deprecation to proceed Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified This feare how euer it ought to be by loue expelled yet now and then it solicites euen the best and though of their weaknesse yet by the diuine grace for their good For as saith the Father ' Augustin ad fratres ser 11. Timor qui poenitentiaÌ„ concuâ—iscit contritioneÌ„ parit Esa 38.3 The feare that lusts for conuersioÌ„ breeds contrition Thus Hezekiah wept fearing death that time it seemes not assured of a better life The good desired for want bewailed is either the grace of good workes or glorie of free reward Teares for obtaining or retaining the rule of rightly liuing are those whereof it is written Psal 120. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy And those whereof it is said I wept Psal 69.10 and chastened my soule with fastâ—â—g Of this sort is the weeping of all repenting sinners as the Lord speakes of the Churches gathering Ier. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I leade theÌ„ This promise of being led implies those teares were ioyned with supplications that they might be led the right way Psal 139.24 The way euerlasting as the Prophet cals it In hope and feruent desire of future glorie doubtlesse Dauid in this same place especially lamenteth as also father Simeon Luk. â— howeuer patiently bearing the delay yet earnestly desiring the well of life Phil. 1. so Paul but our Lord especially being about to lay downe his mortall life Ioh. 17. This is it that Gregorie saith Gregor in Ezek. boâ—n 10. Ex intolerantia gâ—udijÌ„ ait Cassiaâ—us câ—lâ—â—â— 9. c. 28. Some weepe for feare some in loue that is in griefe for deferring of glorie promised which for this cause most wisely God deferres that while desiring long we long the more louing and enioying we may the more esteeme Weeping for others is because either of the wicked their destruction or affliction of the godly Of the former kind are Dauids teares 2. Sam. 1.17 for both his aduersaries Saul and Absolon dead in sinne 2. Sam. 18.33 our Lords ouer Ierusalem ready to be lastly ouerthrowne Pauls ouer the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12.21 that had sinned but not yet repented and other the enemies of the crosse of Christ Phil. 3.18 Samuels for Sauls abiection 1. Sam. 16.1 Finally after this kinde wept our Sauiour ouer the Iewes Ioh. 11.35 Ver. 15. raising Lazarus to life that had reioyced for the Apostles in Lazarus his death De Tempore ser 104. What meanes it saith Augustine that the Lord is said first to be glad in the death of Lazarus and after to haue wept in the death of Lazarus But obserue we the cause of ioy and the cause of teares he was glad for the Disciples he wept for the