similitude the Prophets threatnings did not afflict him the offence done against his God did only vexe him I haue sinned against the Lord. And in an other place In te solum peccaui Against thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight Holcoth maketh mention of a certaine bird that hath the face and visage of a man and yet is most fierce and cruell against man and doth only feede vpon mans flesh when it hath killed a man being dry goeth to the brooke to quench his thirst but looking down into the cleare water and beholding his owne countenance considering what it hath done that it hath destroied one of his owne likenesse and image returning presently from the water neither eates nor drinkes afterward but goeth into the wildernesse and their consumes himselfe in displeasure and so endes his daies in sorrow this is the behauiour of euery good and godly Christian considering that by sinne he hath destroied the image of God in him he doth consume away in displeasure what heart is so hardned considering how the sinne of man hath procured the death of the sonne of God would not end his daies in sorrow and lamentation The second cause of their weeping is for that woâ—dly punishment inflicted that now they are sent into banishment When the Lord cannot winne man by his mercies he will turne to his iustice to trie if by affliction hee can bring him to acknowledge his sâ—nne they being in prosperitie at home would neither hearken nor obey but being now in banishment and vnder captiuitie they are drawne to lament for their offences The heauie hand of Gods instice is able to breake and bruise the hardest heart and crush it in peeces nay bring the most wicked and impious man to acknowledgement of his sinne Kames heart is ouerqueld herewith wherefore he mournes grieuously and cries out my sinne is greater then can be forgiuen it was not his hypocrisie the murdering of his brother nor any other sinne that he had committed but onely the great punishment inflicted vpon him that did prouoke him hereunto Pharaoh tooke on greiuously and confessed his sinne it was not for a detestation thereof but because of the plagues that were sent vpon him and vpon his land Saul is very sorrowfull but it is because of Samuelâ— threatning Sunt quos peccasse paenâ—tet propter 〈…〉 displicet euim latroni peccatum quâ—…â—…t vindictareuertitur ad crimma saith Sâ—… Augustine There be many saith he that are greiued for their sinne because of the present affliction vpon them A theife is soâ—â—ie for his offence when he feeles the punishment but it being once ouer he fals to stealing againe This no doubt is the second cause of their weeping because of the heauie crosse laid vpon them The third cause of their weeping is the want of grace both in that they could not preuent the danger before it did assault as also that now they cannot performe those duties which they ought vnto others in distresse for the former Peter doth weepe exceedingly being so forward a little before and so peremptory to stand to his owne strength that now should falter in the performance and become so weake he mournes abundantly Misit legatos pro suis doloribus lachrymas dolorem probantes commissi criminis dolorem Like Rachel that wept for her children because they were not euen so the children of God they weepe for their graces because they are not Dauid doth protest that teares were his meat and drink night and day because he knew the want in him that without his grace he could not stand And the Apostle Saint Peter doth crie out of this want in him The good that I would do that I do not but the euill that I would not do that I do Againe the defect of the duties which in performance they owe to their brethren in distresse is a great cause of their weeping for they seeing the citie spoiled the temple ransacked the people carried into captiuitie and they no waies able to help them they cannot remember these things without great greife flerâ—oportet of necessitie they weepe it is the greatest greife that can come to a kinde soule to see another man in miserie and not able to helpe him this was Iobs greife did not I weepe with those that were in trouble was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore This was Ieremies sorrow for the people being by the iudgement of God destroyed that I might weepe for the slaine of the daughters of Sion Whether it be for their sinnes committed their punishment inflicted or their graces ecclipsed weeping I finde them where I leaue them vntill I enquire after the place of their abiding and I finde it to be Babel The place is ominous for if they had been banished into some priuate place where they might haue had libertie to exercise the duties of Religion and to serue their God although they had been detained for a long space their exile had been the easier but being exposed to Babel that barbarous place their estate is more miserable Babel here doth signifie the prouince of Babilon or countrey of Caldea for the City of Babel stood vpon one riuer Euphrates onely but here there is mention of more then one By the riuers of Babilon The country was idolatrous the people sauage so that to dwell in such a place was dangerouse In this place was Bel and Dragon the two Idols of the Caldeans worshipped and the cheife metropolitan Citie Babel accursed His foundation was laide in pride Come let vs builde a tower whose top may reach vnto heauen to get vs a name It was finished by Nabucâ—…zzar that proud puissant in ambition Is not this great Babel which I haue built to the gloris of my maiestie by the might of my power And the end thereof was confusion for afterward it came to be an habitation of vncleane Diuels as before was prophesied of it To dwell in such a place is greiuous to the children of God Dauid â—â—ies out of this miserie Woe is me that dwell â—n Mesech or haue my habitation so long among the tents of Kedar A couetous worldling cares not where he dwelles omne solum est ills patria Euery dominion is a dwelling for him to serue the Market is all he lookes for in any place that he may gaine by his commodity although it bee to another mans great losse but of all greiâ—es it is the greatest to a godly man to dwell in a lewd place where there is no practice of religion no goodnesse exercised but altogether prophanesse and abhomination This doth much vexe the Prophets spirit being constrained hereunto Wo's mee that I dwell amongst a people of pollutea lippes for the Prouerbe most commonly comes to passe in this aliquid mali propter vicinum malum some euill doth happen by reason of a wicked neighbor either they are subiect
your delights if you repent not in time and take heede vnto your waies olim sedâ—… in panis you shall end and consummate your daies euerlastingly in hell torments Diueâ— while he liued fared deliciously euery day and the text tels vs that he was gorgeously apparelled did he take such delight in his decking or did he spend so much time in trimming of his body as the young gallants of these times surely I thinke yes for Abraham doth vpbraid him herewith Recordare mi silt tu bona recepists in vit a tua Remember my sonne that thou in thy life time didst take thy pleasure and Lazarus receiued paine wherefore thou art to mented and he comforted I haue read in a storie of a certaine man named Pambo that on a time looking out at a window and perceiuing a woman spend a great time in trimming of her selfe fell a weeping and being demanded the cause answered haue not I great cause to weepe to see yonder worme consuming so long time in decking of her vglie carkase to the sight of man and I spend so small time in preparing my soule to God If this man were aliue in these daies he would do nothing but weepe and lament for let a man cast his eies euerie where vpon the Clergie and Laytie Priest and people and he shall see all men taken in loue with their foule carkasses but their soules they little regard women will spend the whole halfe day in poudring painting and frizling of their lockes to the lustfull aspect of the passers by and our young Gentlemen scorne that the weaker vessels should out go them in these trickes they will rather spend the whole day in phinifying of their phantasticall phisnomies to satisfie their lustfull Mistris eye and not once a weeke bestow one smoothing of their soules which if they doe by comming to the church once a week it is but for a shew only like their spangled roses and glistering garters it is â—or no profit but let them know that although now they spend their time in pleasure the time shall come that illie sedimus the remembrance of it shall torment them aboue measure as it doth here in this place the Israelites and so I proceede to the second action By their second action their miserie is much aggrauated for although they had been detained for a long time in captiuitie and yet had had all necessaries to comfort them their case had not been so miserable but being depriued of their bodily sustenance remaining in captiuitie and abridged of their soules solace which was the comfort they receiued in Sion they spend their whole daies in lamentation cura dolorque animâ—â— alimenta fuere Teares were their meate and drinke night and day their estate is most pittifull The eye is the mindes messenger whereby wee conceiue the imagination thereof a sorrow bred in the heart can by no meanes be better expressed then by an inundation of teares dum bene se habebant ne lâ—â— hryma quidem ab illis extorqueri poterat While they liued in prosperitie their could not one teare be drawne from them â—gnaui enim stolidi est lachrymas effundere it is the signe of a Dastard to weepe like a childe sed aduersa fortuna facile riâ—ulos emittunt but now being sent into banishment they send forth a fountaine of teares Saint Ambrose doth very well note the greatnesse of Peters griefe in that hee did weepe and vtter no words curâ— lâ—ues loquuntur ingentes stupent The greater our griefe is the more silent we are they weepe vncessantly but not a word they do vtter to expresse theiâ— fulnesse of griefe fleuimus is sufficient to set it forth There be three sorts of teares obserued of the auncients which may be well exemplified by the authority of Scripture Deuotionis Compassionis Et contritionis That is Of deuotion Of compassion And of contrition Teares of Deuotion wee haue in Dauid who out of an holy deuotion did water his couch night and day with his teares Teares of compassion we haue in Ieremie that doth compassionately weepe for the miseries of other men O that mine head were a well of water and my eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the staine of the daughters of Sion Likewise in Dauid mine eies gush out with riuers of water because men keepe not thy law Teares of contrition we haue in Peter who after he had remembred the error of his imbecillity went out of the place and wept bitterly All which three sorts if we consider their teares aright we shall finde them to relish of deuotion I am sure they are for it was an holy consideration of blessed Sion that did moue them hereunto dum recordaremur Sionis doth expresse it of compassion no doubt they are for they are surely mooued by the griefe of others according to that of Saint Paul weepe with those that weepe omnes in vno peccant omnes in vno plâ—…ntur omnes simul lachrymas emittunt they all offend in one transgression they are all punished with one affliction and all together send foorth teares of lamentation fleuimus doth shew it And of contrition doubtlesse they are remembring their sinnes to haue been the cause of this their great miserie But right honorable right worshipfull and welbeloued if we diue in more deepely into this riuer of teares arising from the deaw of their deuotion drawen out from the weedes of their offences by the fire of contrition that we may cause some droppes thereof to fall vpon our faces whereby we may shine gloriously before the lambe that sits vpon the throne the cause thereof wee shall finde threefold Propter peccati commissionem Propter mundanam afflictionem Propter virtutum defectionem That is For their sinne committed which was the cause of their miserie For the punishment inflicted being in captiuitie And for their graces ecclipsed that before had not grace to preuent this danger And now hauing not the abilitie to performe those Christian duties that are required in releiuing those that are in miserie and necessitie The first cause of their weeping is a chiefe cause of sorrow and alwaies proper to the children of God which respecteth more the offending of so gratious a God then the punishment inflicted vpon them this is that which the Apostle Saint Paul calls a godly sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sorrow towards God being grieued only that they haue offended so gratious and louing a father which was the prodigall childes greatest greife I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Estque paâ—â— paenans quam meruisse minus To an ingenious nature it is more greife to deserue then to suffer punishment an instance of this likewise we haue in Dauid when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him and did lay before him his sin by a
braies and weepes to him for releife and so is taken Which let euery Christian man learn to follow this example that seeing himselfe beset with innumerable enemies wearied with the burthen of sin let him turne to the man Iesiu who is able and will deliuer him from all dangers O that we had mindes to consider our misdeeds hearts truly touched with a greife for sinne that they might relent and eies of a spongie humor that by the distillation of our teares we might bedeaw our faces that as Naâ—… was clean sed from his leprosie by washing in the riuer Iordan so wee being bathed in the pure fountaine of teares of a contrite heart may be thoroughly purged from the filthinesse of sinne There is a certaine riuer in Cecilia that if blacke sheepe be bathed in it there wooll shall turne white immediately such surely is the true nature of the fountaine of teares for if thy sinnes were as red as scarlet in them if thou bath thy selfe they shal be as white as wooll When Pharaohs daughter did di'cent into the riuer she found a babe lying among the flagges if thou discend into the riuers of teares thou shalt finde the babe Iesus comfortable to thy soule Lachryma enim lauat quod peccatumpolluit Teares will wash that which our sinneâ— hath defiled Teare are silent praiers they craue not and yet they obtaine pardon they plead not a mans cause and yet they receiue mercy saith Saint Ambrose Peter by weeping was remitted Susanna by weeping was deliuered from the false accusation Ezechias by lamenting was restored to his former health and his life prolonged let vs weepe then with Peter lament with Mary Magdalene mourne with Manasses that our soules may be cleared from Satans false accusation and our liues prolonged in that celestiall kingdome euerlastingly And lastly I come to the last obseruation betweene the behauiour of the godly and wicked The Citizens of Sion mourne for the want of it but the Citizens of Babilon neither remember Sion nor regard The wordly man may perhaps somtime weep but his â—e the tears of Esau only for want of the blessing because he cannot get some great bargaine to the vndoing of his poore brother The carnall man may sometimes be sorrie but it is the greife of Ammon because he cannot fulfill his lust with his sister Thamar The Enuious man may perhaps greiue but it is because of his brothers prosperous estate inuidus alteriâ—s rebus macrescit opimis the griefe of the wicked is only that they cannot do mischeife but the sorrow of a godly soule is when he wants some peaceable comfort to his soule Sion is his solace The remembrance of Sion in respect of the depriuation thereof is a great vexation vnto them The comfort that a godly man receiues by the word of God preached vnto him cannot be expressed of which when he is depriued like these Iewes in captiuitie what a heauinesse brings it to his tender heart Dauid being in banishment accounts this his greatest losse therefore he esteemes the sparrow and swallow happie because they had libertie to lay their young neere vnto the altar of God not that hee thought the birds did receiue any benefit hereby but that he out of his compassionate affection being rauished with a desire thereafter doth vtter this patheticall depriuation that he did want that which the birds did inioy when the minde of man by an heauenly contemplation is rapt into the heauen of peace to consider mans miserable estate in Babel and his ioyfull and happie estate in Sion he cannot expresse his greife without great lamentation herefore wee sigh and groane desiring to be dissolued and be with Christ Iesus da amantem sensit quod loquer euery soule that sighes for Sion and hath his cogitation there doth conceiue what I say O sancta Sion vbitotum stat nihil defluit O blessed Sion where there is no penurie no leading into captiuity nor no complaining in her streetes but peace and plenty within her borders for euermore happie shall he be that shal be admitted into her gates to pertake of her solace that hee may sing Halelutah vnto the lambe that sits vpon the throne for euer and euer Hauing ended my text right honorable right worshipfull and welbeloued it followes in the next place to speake of their iniquitie which was the cause of their miserie and to paralell them with the sinnes of these times wherein wee liue such as Idolatrie shedding of innocent blood pride drunkennesse lasciniousnesse and want of charity as the scripture doth set them downe vnto us but because the time hath preuented me I will only leaue them to your godly consideration first because I know these things haue been spoken against out of this place many times and therefore you are not ignorant of the heinousnes of them As also I speake vnto Christians that haue the word of God daily preached vnto them to diswade them from those and the like sinnes and therefore a shame for such to bee tainted with them it shal be easier for Sodome and Gomorah nay and Babel in the day of the Lords appearance then for this Citie because the word of God is so plentifully preached in it You right Honorable and worshipfull Magistrates of this Citie qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cooperatores dei estis Gods vicegerents or assisters vpon earth weigh diligently the charge that is committed vnto you remember that you are exalted to that place of dignitie to represse iniquitie let not your too mild meek spirit encourage the wicked to do euill for foolish pittie may mar the City Consider that the sword is not giuen vnto you in vaine but to take vengeance on them that do euill the daies are dangerous the people impious they will hardly obey but by constraint let sin be your subiect to suppresse it and the glorie of Sion the obiect of all your labors knowing that you stand alwaies in Gods sight from whose presence nothing can be hid I would to God that you had the spirit of Elias and zeale of Phineas to suppresse sinne in the action I would to God that the Magistrates of this City were like vnto the watchmen of Israel to search about the Corners thereof and finde out the abhominations therein to the oppressed be mercifull to the wicked fierce and terrible that you being faithfull in a little when your Lord and Master doth appeare he may make you rulers ouer great and exalt you to that blessed Sion to remaine with him for euermore And you honorable Iudges that are ordeined to determine the cause of the oppressed and to releiue the poore from wrong let not the greatnes of the person nor superiority of place cause you to haue any regard but only to the sinceritie of the cause But let all iust iudges that wish to inhabite blessed Sion haue only a respect vnto the truth of iustice quia non
hominis sed deiiudicium exercetis because it is not mans cause but Gods which you take in hand would to God that euery Iudgo that sits vpon the bench of iustice would consider before he did determine the charge that is laide vpon him if but once the rrmembrance of righteous Sion would come into his consideration then would he feare to giue sentence contrary to the right of the cause the want whereof causeth much confusion to be wrought in the land let your scarlet robos put you in minde of righteous Iudgement Remember that one day indicata râ—iudic abitt Deus those things which now you shusle vp without dexterity shal be opened again iudged with sinceritie then neither your dialecticall distinctions nor your phinicall fine phrases nor your Masse of gracelesse coine shall any whit releiue you for you shall be adiudged without mercy that had no regard vnto the right of the cause sed si rectam proseratis sententiam videbitis Sion but if you haue been conscionable in giuing true sentence according to your vpright iudgement you shall enioy peaceable Sion ioyfully for euermore And to conclude You my beloued brethren that heare mee this day take heede vnto your selues that you be not inueigled with glorious Babel and taken with the delights thereof least you perish in her confusion let not the loue of any earthly thing withdraw you from the loue of Sion Weepe and lament for your sinnes whereby you haue offended the Maiestie of your Maker take vp a new resolution to reforme your liues by an holy conuersation in all your actions possesse your soules with a hope of enioying peaceable Sion that at the end of your captiuitie you being deliuered from all the miseries of this life and translated into that happie Citie of eternall blessednesse to raigne with Christ Iesus for euermore vnto which place the Lord for his mercy sake through the merits of his sonne our Sauiour bring euery one of vs to whom with his blessed spirit the tri-vn-God be ascribed all glory dominion and power for euermore Amen Ouid. 2. Meta Act. 2. 1. 2. In Missa prâ— aâ—e Collect vpon Wâ—…muâ—day Luke 19. 41. Gen. 24. 15. Mâ—â—h 9. 15. Psal 144. 14. Gen. 41. â—6 1 Cor. 10 12. I â—…ain locum Agâ—… 〈◊〉 Tresser 3. 1. King 12. 28. 18. 23. 37. Deut. 15. 32. 2. King 24. 25. Ier. 22. 9. Esa 8. Esa 9. 9. 1. Macab 1. 〈◊〉 2. King 24. 3. â—…anu◠〈…〉 Agâ—… 1. Cor. 10. 11. Diuision or parts 〈…〉 od 12. 〈…〉 Ierem. 25 11. Sâ—… Cor. 1. 10. 7. Esa 16. 6. Esa 3. 26. Apo. 18. 7. Luke 〈…〉 Vâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 par quâ—sium 〈◊〉 〈…〉 second 〈◊〉 a mouâ—â—â—…â—…our Ambros â—n lathrymas Petri. Labrymarum 〈◊〉 generâ— 1. 〈◊〉 Psal 6. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 â—â—rem 〈◊〉 1. 2. Psal 119. 136. 3. 〈◊〉 Math. 16. 75. Rom. 12. 15. Causa â—…marum 〈◊〉 The cause of 〈◊〉 weepâ—◠〈◊〉 Prima causa lament â—…s The first cause Tropter 〈◊〉 comâ—…m For their sinne committed Cor. Luke 15. 18. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Psal 51. 4. Holcoth in lib. Sapâ— Se 〈◊〉 caâ—… lâ—meâ—…s The second cause is 〈…〉 For their râ—…ent inâ—…ted Gen. 4. 1â— Exod. 9 27. 1 Sam. 15. 2â— August 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Câ—prian lib. 2. Psal 41. 3. Iob. 30. 25. Iâ—r 9. 1. 3. locus generalis The place is 〈◊〉 Gen. 11. 〈◊〉 Dan. 4 27. Psal 120. 5. Esa 6. 6. Gen. 14. â—…d Gen. 41. 15. 〈…〉 Io. 4 19. Gen. 16. 9. The second part is their affection Luke Herod 〈◊〉 1. Io. 11. Gen. 16. 7. Luke 16. Aâ—g Pâ—il 3. 20. August in 〈◊〉 〈…〉 For 〈…〉 there of Straâ—… Math. 4. 8. 9 Luk 18. â—9 For their affection August in 〈◊〉 Luke 12. 19. Wis 2. 6. 3 For their affliction Ioh. 16. 33. 2. Cor. 11. 23. Moler in loâ— 4 For the confusion of all thing In quad Hist Mal. 3. 8. Esay 42. 8. Apoâ— 1. Sam. 8. 3. 〈◊〉 â—ita Dionis Psal 45 The things of this life like vnto the riuers of Babel Herod Greg. lib. 33. Mâ—ral cap. 7 2. Sam. 14 14. Luke 12. 20. Ierem. 17. 11. In 〈◊〉 mâ—nto Arlet quod diu â—râ—sâ—ebat ligeuÌ„ 1. Ioh. 2. 17. 1 The different behauiour of the godly and wicked Simâ—… Eccles 31. 〈◊〉 2 The second disteren câ— Iob. 21. 13. Heb. 11. 29. Eccles 7. 4. 〈◊〉 Math. 5. 4. Aug. deâ—… 〈…〉 Amb. s Ser. 46. Luke 13. 3 Diog Laâ—r 〈◊〉 â—it Plâ—l Iob. 1. 19. Ioel. 1. 5. 1. Cor. 6. Luke 16. Auicen lib 8. 2. Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—xod 1. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 The thâ—d difference 2. Sam 13. 2. Nulla pax improbis sed visâ—o Sion◠〈◊〉 grata Psal 84. 3. Bernard in Ca 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 Rom. 135 Deut. 16.