Tertia parte 15. a b. in C. 1.2 36. 1. c. was the Euill which Inwardly hee apprehended For as the Obiect of outward Paine is some hurt apprehended by the sense of Touching so the Obiect and Motive of Griefe is some evill apprehended inwardly either Really or Imaginarily Thus the Soule of our Saviour might inwardly apprehend some things as hurtfull either in Relation to himselfe as his Death and Passion or in Relation to others as the Sinnes of his Disciples Incredulity of the Iewes or Misery of his friends The Subiect of his Griefe in this perplexitie were all the Faculties of his Soule Vnderstanding Will Aquin. 3.15 a. 5. â—n C. Superior and Inferior Faculties For seing his body was passible and mortall and his Soule had all naturall powers as well as supernaturall when these Faculties of his blessed Soule looked Largely not only to God and Mans Saluation immediatly but also to the Meanes which lead to Eternity they could not but grieve howsoever when Strictly they looked onely to God and Mans Saluation they were affected with Griefe Briefely Bernard telleth vs Bern. Epist 25. He was Turbatus non Perturbatus Moved not Removed from his trust in God and resolution to worke our good which Divines doe thus exemplify A Physitian prescribing a Leper to drinke some poyson for his Health the Leper in his vnderstanding conceiveth that Health is a good thing so taking the vnderstanding Strictly there is no Griefe in it In like manner hee willeth his Health taking the Will Strictly neither is there Griefe in it But when he willeth his Health by this Physick and remembreth hee must drinke that Poyson then hee is grieved sorowfull Hence it is evident that they do mightily extenuate the meritorious vnvaluable Sufferings of our Saviour who affirme that he suffered not immediatly in his Soule but onely by Sympathy that is that only the Paines that arose from his Body tormented his Soule Whereas the Soule of our Saviour being the immediat Obiect of the wrath of God his Sufferings are called in the Originall Deaths Es 53.9 Because he suffered the First Death and the Equiualent of the Second Death §. 13. The Finall Causes of Christs weeping are many which the Learned obserue in which although Hieron iâ— Apol. 〈◊〉 Ruffin Hic sit Commentariorum mos explanantium regula vt opiniones in interpretatione variaâ— persequantur quod vel sibi vel alijs videatur edisserant It bee the custome of Commentators and rule of Interpreters in their Expositions to rehearse divers opinions both of their owne and of others I will relate only three Muscul in Text. 1. To conuince the Infidelity of the Iewes That the Infirmity of his Humanity might be declared to be vhited in one and the same worke vnto the maiestie of his Divinity That whomsoever the maiestie of his Godhead manifested in raising Lazarus should astonish this weeping passion might relieve and conâ—rarily whom the Infirmity of his Weeping did offend his power in raising Lazarus might incite to believe in the Sonne of God â—onauent 〈◊〉 Tent. By his weeing therefore in this short Scripture hee did first demonstrate his Manhood and thereafter by working the Miracle his Godhead 2. To confirme our Faith in the Truth of his Humanity for the Fathers deduced vnanswerable Arguments of his Manhood from this Text against Hereticks Apud Gelâ— in lib. câ—â—tâ— Eutych Nest as Gregory Nyssen against Eunominus proved That neither did Christs Humanity raise Lazarus nor his Divinity weepe for him when he was dead but as Tears are proper to man so to give Life is proper to the Lord of Life Athanasius shewed De fide fua ad Theoph. lib. 9. That Christs Weeping for Lazarus tooke away all suspition of an imaginary and phantasticall body because Teares are the humor of a true body De grat Actione Basil also saith As our Lord was an hungred and weary not that his Divinity was overcome with labour but his Humanity admitted the nature of the passion that followed Nature so hee wept admitting the course of Nature into his naturall body 3. To excite in vs mutuall compassion teaching vs by his owne example to weepe with them that weepe in a moderate manner that neither Isidor lib. 2. Epist 137. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Pelusiota After the manner of mad-men wee should be swallowed vp with overmuch sorrow nor forget Christian Compassion and Humanity toward the dead and distressed as Abraham Iacob Ioseph David and others have done The Poet saith Quis nisi mentis inops Natorum in funere Matrem Flere vetet Nature doth in a sort bidde our Teares though shee barre our immoderation yea God himselfe allowed his holy Priests to pollute themselues in Mourning for their neerest dead friends except the high Priests which was forbidden him in a Figure And it was not without speciall reference to a Iudgement that God telleth Ezechiel Ezec. 24.16 Hee would take from him the desire of his eyes with a stroke yet neither should hee mourne nor weepe neither should his Teares run downe And there want not some Divines which have thought Adam and Eue mourned an 100 yeares for Abel 1 Thess 4.13 And Paul reproveth not all Sorrow but Heathenish without hope or measure Hee was not then affected with this passion of weeping for his owne Necessitie but for our Vtilitie sayth Brentius Brent in Text. For in all things it behoved him to be made like vnto his brethren Heb. 2.17 that hee might bee a mercifull and faithfull high Priest for them in things pertaining to God Heb. 4.15 therefore he was touched with the feeling of our Infirmities and in all things tempted like as wee are yet without Sinne. Thus pitying the Impenitency and infidelity of the people He that changeth our vile bodie that it may bee like vnto his glorious body changeth also the affections of our Infirmitie Aug. Tract 60. in Io. in Compatiens nobis affectu animae suae having compassion on vs with the affections of his Soule sayth Augustine For although Sorrow did wrest from him many Teares in his passion whereby hee declared his Griefe for the Paines which he suffered in himselfe yet many more Teares did hee shed in Compassion towards vs. §. 14. Wherefore if ever Bellarmine might have sued out a writ of dotage iustly in his latter dayes surely hee seemeth to doate in that notwithstanding these and many more InterpretatioÌ„s of Fathers and other learned he saith that some Writers affirme Bellar. de Gem ColuÌ„bae lib. 1. cap. 10. That Christ when hee wept did bewaile Lazarus his mortall Life subiect vnto the miseries of mortalitie vnto which miserable Life he was to returne from Limbo Patrum after his Resurrection That the Soule of Lazarus was in the State of Happinesse before our Saviour raised him and that thereafter hee was to reenter into a miserable Life we deny
to abide in Christ to live vnto God and ministreth an entrance into the everlasting kingedome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And therefore Et sectari salubre est aversari lethale To practise it is profitable and to despise it is damnable §. 8 Yet for more Elucidation and Explication of the Text Weeping is to bee considered 1. In the Patterne of Christ 2. In the Practise of Christians In the Patterne of Christ Weeping was an action of Christ in whom as all Graces were transcendent so the exercise of them was supereminent Seeing then Cypr. de bâ—no patien Bonum quod amat Dominus commendat The Grace which our Lord loveth hee commendeth by his practise wee cannot erre if wee follow Christ as our Patterne in this Action of Weeping That all Christs Actions are to be imitated no man doth affirme for such as were personall or of divine Operation as his miraculous works or of divine Prerogative as his seÌ„ding for the Asse and Colt without leave of the Owner or Mediatoriall as the workes of his Propheticall Regall and Sacerdotall offices none may attempt to imitate Neither alwayes his Actions Circumstantiall as his Gestures Vestures and other Circumstances which incidentally and indifferently Christ vsed vpon certaine Occasions onely and cannot bee pressed vpon our Consciences as necessary to be imitated without Superstition because not contained within compasse of divine Prescript or Institution But onely his Actions morall as the workes of Obedience Meekenesse Humilitie Patience and Weeping wherein as Saint Peter sayth He left vs an example 2 Pet. 2.21 that wee should follow his steps and to those morall Actions onely Cypr. de Lapsis Dominus in verbis doctor consummator in factis docens quid fieret faciens quodcunque docuisset our Lord who is our Teacher by his words and Accomplisher by his deedes teaching what should bee done and doeing whatsoever hee taught hath tyed vs to imitate him by his owne commandement Math. 11.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Learne of mee In the Practice of Christians Weeping must bee considered seeing the Lord in the infinitnesse of his loue hath continually raised vnto vs many Guids to direct vs not onely in words filling our eares with Holy Persuasions but also by example representing Grace most lively to our eyes and most frequently in this symptome of all Grace Weeping In which as Christ himselfe was a glorious Sunne so were his Saints in all ages as so many Starres to light and to lead vs as well by example as by exhortation through the darke and dangerous passages of his life That seeing it is the greatest Glory whereto wee can aspire to draw as neere vnto Christ in likenes of life as he did vnto vs in likenesse of nature We might learne to weepe seing Iesus wept Of the patterne of Weeping in Christ §. 9 FIrst As for the Patterne of Weeping in Christ seeing heere Ad illius exempluÌ„ mittimur Hieron ad Celan Matr. quem omnes fatemur imitandum wee are sent to imitate him whom we all acknowledge most worthy of imitation That hee wept it needeth no proofe where the Scripture is so plaine and plentifull The onely difficulty is to assigne 1. The Cause 2. The Reason why hee wept And heere to assigne the Cause of Christs Weeping we had need for distinctnesse of Explication to distinguish the Efficient from the Finall And the rather because Philosophie teacheth That the one may be the Cause of the other mutually To shun therfore Confusion of speach as the generall Cause of every generall effect should bee shewed so the Particular Cause of this Particular Effect must bee assigned §. 10 The efficient Cause of Christs Weeping Arist Phis 2. Ca. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 froÌ„ whence immediatly proceedeth this change was his inward Griefe therefore Bonaventura concludeth In l. 3. Sent Dist 15. Art 2. qu. 2 Fletus est signum interioris moeroris Weeping is a signe of inward Griefe For as smoke a signe of fire is immediatly produced by fire so is Weeping by Griefe But for what our Saviour grieved and wept I find it not determinately defined by Interpreters Bulling in Text. Bullinger mentioneth three opinions That hee wept grieving 1. At the Malice of Satan by which death came into the world 2. At the power of Sinne by which infinite soules were destroyed 3. At the inuincible Incredulity of the Iewes And annexeth his owne for the fourth as most probable and plausible His great Love to Lazarus and his Sisters So that when hee saw them Weeping and the Iewes also weeping then Iesus wept §. 11. Griefe then being the Efficient Cause which immediatly caused this weeping it is requisite wee obserue heere 1. The Manner 2. The Matter of his Griefe The Manner was which may seeme a Monster in Nature and a Miracle to naturall men Voluntary Seing as hee assumed none of our Personall but all our Naturall Infirmities which proceeds not from Sinne nor tend vnto Sinne So he was affected with this naturall Infirmitie of Weeping not by Necessity of Generation but by the free and voluntary dispensation of his Mediator-ship It may be collected by that which Bonaventure teacheth Vbi supra Art 2. qu. 2 That a man may bee grieved three wayes 1. Besides the Dominion of reason as with the first motions of Griefe which suddenly doe surprise vs 2. Against the Dominion of Reason when Reason is not onely troubled but disturbed that is subdued by Sensuality for a while 3. According to the Dominion of Reason when Reason commandeth vs to be grieved and thus in this last sense our Saviours Griefe produced this Weeping willingly when hee considered his Fathers Glory defaced and mans Saluation indangered hee grieved willingly Although when hee considered the Griefe it selfe it was against his Will because painefull Erroneous then is that Doctrine of Stoicall Apathy Aug. de Civit l. 14. c. 9 That a wise man is not troubled with Griefe and other Passions All which Christians must have for Christ himselfe had them lest they turne Stoicks Aug in IeaeÌ„ Tract 60. Qui quemadmodum Vanitatem existimant Veritatem sic Stuporem deputant Sanitatem sayth Augustine vpon the 21. verse of this Chapter Who as they account Vanity to be Verity so they esteeme Stupidity to bee Soundnesse Not knowing that the Soule of man as well as the Body of man Aug. Ibid. is then most desperately and dangerously diseased when most insensible of Griefe sayth the Father For a man not to bee grieved when hee ought to bee grieved Est durities non sapientitia It is Hardnesse of Heart and not Wisedome §. 12 Thus seing our Saviour grieved not absolutely against his Will but onely in some respect That wee may Secondly conceiue the Matter of his Griefe more plainely here consider 1. The obiect 2. The Subiect of his Griefe The Obiect or Motive which moved him to Grieve Aquinas sayth
it hath bin yet what greater Reason to weepe can reasonable men have then this generall mistaking of Good and Evill throughout al most the Passages of this life And that in those very Instincts which are left as the Principall Guides of Reasonable man by which his naturall estate is continued and without which mankinde being yeelded vp to the guiding of his naturall Corruption must needs have ruined and destroyed it selfe Therefore the Regenerate knowing that Aug. contr 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 5 Nihil est foedius risu irrisione digno There is nothing more lothsome then laughter worthy to be laughed at and that most men follow the worst things insomuch that as they come into this world blind so they goe out neither knowing nor caring nor asking what they have to doe here nor what is chiefly good for them while they bee here And that for the most part they doe what they see done or what their owne Lust will have done spending their time in Custome or Concupiscence It would melt a heart of stone into Weeping to thinke how the Demeanour or rather Misdemeanour of our present estate doth declare that wee are here met together to no other purpose then to play the Wretches and Fooles As if it were our appointed taske to labour for Vanity to bee imaginarily pleased but really tormented and eternally §. 33. Secondly the most Regenerate are most molested in this life with continuall conflicts Wherein Preces Lachrymae arma sunt Christianorum Ambros Weeping and sighing and Groning are their only Armour of Defence and Offence the only Weapons of their spirituall Warrefare by which they obtaine both safetie and Victory For the most fiery Anger hath often beene quenched with Weeping the most stony hearts of most cruell Tyrants have beene mollifyed with Weeping And as many drops doe soften hardest stones so many Teares have softened the rigour of severest Iudges and tyed the Tongues of all Accusers Cypr. â—pist â—7 Therefore Cyprian exhorteth Incumbamus gemitibus assiduis de precationibus crebris haec enim nobis sunt arma caelestia quae stare perseuerare nos fortiter faciunt To bend our selues carefully and continually to Weeping and Praying for these are our heavenly Armour which make vs stand and persevere vnto the end Weeping in all the suites of the Saints hath proved so strong an Aduocate that sel dome hath it let any suite fall against whomsoever it pleadeth Sure I am whensoever with Weeping wee sue vnto God in our Devotions though our case seeme most perilous and painefull to men it is most pitifull and powerfull with God And when our selues seeme most forsaken wee are most victorious When wee perfume our Prayers with this Water of Life we purchase the fauour of God and repeale the sentence of his Indignation Whereas when Weeping ceased it were easie to give instance that the Heavens became like brasse at the losse of so precious Waters and the Earth like Iron at the absence of so fruitfull showres For as by the Teares of the Godly are declared the first sparkes of their Fearing the Lord So their Teares are Tokens of the Lords Love to them Till Death therefore close vp their Eyes they never leave Weeping And then in Weeping are their Soules caryed vnto the Haven of everlasting Rest That as by Weeping they first passed from Sinne to Grace so is their Weeping Mundi melioris origo Their Passage from Grace to Glory Thus although Hier. ad 〈◊〉 Grandis sit labor grandius tamen est praemium esse quod Martyres esse quod Apostoli esse quod Christus est Great bee our paines yet greater is our reward to bee what the Martyrs are to be what the Apostles are to bee what Christ is who all Wept in this Valley of Teares But wee should seeme to speake swelling words if wee continue in the clouds of Generalities And if wee should descend to some solid particular Examples it were infinit though easie to demonstrate that Weeping conquereth most when it complaineth most and commandeth most imperiously when it entreateth most humbly Therfore our Teares are Cypr. Epist 26. Arma divina tela quae nesciunt vinci The armour of God and Weapons which cannot faile vs. For what the Apostle saith of the fruits of Faith may likewise bee said of the Teares of the Faithfull who through Weeping subdued kingdomes Hebr. 11 3â— 34. wrought righteousnesse obtained Promises quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong Nay in all things wee are more then Conquerours through him that enables vs to Weepe §. 34 Thirdly The most Regenerate are most replenished with Grace and therefore most enclined to Weeping They are filled with all the fulnesse of the Grace of God Ephes 3.19 Though not with the Essence or essential Vertue of Grace Aquin. 3.7.10 O. as Aquinas speaketh which is proper onely to Christ yet with a certaine Intention and Extention of Grace according to their condition and capacity Therefore as the Faculties of the Soule doe proceed from the essence of the Soule So Weeping doth proceed from that Grace of God Aquin. 12.110.4.1 which is in the very Essence of their Soules as in it proper Subiect and not in any particular Facultie of their Soules As Vessels full of liquid substances are aptest to distill the Liquor that is in them So the Vessels of Gods Mercy prepared vnto Glory are readiest to discover the good Treasure of their hearts by their propension to Weeping Thus when the Lord powred vpon the house of David and Inhabitants of Hierusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplications they powred out Teares for him whom they pierced But it was the deadly and indelible Iniquitie of the Iewes That when the Lord called to Weeping and mourning and baldnesse and girding with Sacke-cloth there was nothing but Ioy and gladnesse slaying Oxen killing Sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Isa 22.12.13 Sanctified Weeping is a washing of Sinne and the Regenerate know Cypr. de Orat Domin that Opus est quotidiana sanctificatione vt qui quotidie delinquimus delicta nostra sanctificatione assidua repurgemus We have need dayly to bee sanctified by Weeping If vnfained Passions in the Soule of naturall men will soone worke effects in the body Because the Soule and Body are so firmely and familiarly vnited together that whatsoever Ioy or Griefe happeneth to the one it is presently communicated to the other Much more doe the Soules of the Elect made free from Sinne Rom. 6.18 impart to their Bodies this seruice of righteousnesse whose Bodies are not Mistrisses but Handmaids Weeping when their Soules are affected as may bee exemplyfied in all the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5.22 For as Love cansed Abraham to weepe for Sarah Genes 23.2 As Ioy caused Ioseph to Weepe when his bowels yerned vpon his brother Beniamin Genes 43.30 As Peace moved Iacob and Esau to
Weepe at their meeting Gen. 33.4 So every Grace is manifested by Weeping Eyes Hierom ad Fursam for Speculum mentis est facies taciti oculi cordis fatentur arcana The face is the mirrour of the minde And the dumbe eyes of the Regenerate shew the secrets of their hearts And it is a part of the Spirits Intercession for vs to helpe our Infirmities with gronings Rom. 8.26 which cannot be vttered otherwise hee dwelleth not in vs So that without this Weeping Man is Nec quicquam nisi pondus iners Nothing but mooving Rubbish §. 34. Fourthly The Regenerate have renued affections tenderly taking compassion on the miseable condition of others For every one knoweth that Teares proceed most from the Fountaine of Mercy but chiefly in Love for with the same eyes that wee love with the same we Weepe Calpur Flaceê° Declam 16. Aug. Conf. 4.4 said one As many times such is our owne Condition that In solis gemitibus Lachrymis est nobis aliquantula requies Our Weeping onely doth diminish the anguish of our miseries Aquin. 12. Q 38. A. 2. c. because saith Aquinaes It is a contentment to man to doe an Act befitting the estate wherein hee findeth himselfe and nothing doth agree better with the condition of a miserable man then Weeping Matar Hom. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our very Teares are a comfort to vs. And because as by Weeping wee cast out that which afflicteth vs and empty that humour which oppresseth our hearts and thus finde ease in our owne afflictions So our Weeping is sweete and comfortable even to those whom we desire to coÌ„fort by Sympathy fellow feeling and Compassion therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 12.15 Weepe with them that Weepe Because even by nature those that groane vnder any burden of Affliction feele his hand sweete which laboureth to discharge them So that in Humanitie as well as in Divinitie it is true August Hom. 50. that Sicut comes Poenitentiae Dolor est ita Lachrymâ— testes Doloris As Griefe is the companion of Remorse So Teares are testimonies of Griefe And not only every good eye will expresse his Griefe for those that be in distresse because there is no Accident of humane calamity which is not incident to our selues but it is so naturall for a man to feele Compassion when others like himselfe doe suffer that there is none so wicked or worthy of death but men doe pitie him when hee is at the point to die Hence it is that a Friend from whom Pitie More 〈◊〉 Lachryma Solâ— madentis ount Wresteth Teares as the Sun melteth the Snow in the midst of the misery of a comfortlesse Soule doth mitigate and mollifie his Calamitie how great soever For Arist Eth. lib l. 9. c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sorrowfull are comforted when friends condole their Sorrows saith the Philosopher Whereof hee yeeldeth two Reasons One is for that naturally they who groane vnder any burden feele his hand sweete which laboureth to discharge them or which helpe to support them But friends that endeauour by Weeping to ease them as it were of the burden which presseth them downe doe sweeten their paine and make them endure their Affliction with more Constancy and Resolution Secondly for that they seeing their friends participate with their Griefe know thereby that their Affections are sound and that they love them entirely which is the sweetest thing that may happen in this life For by Nature wee desire if wee cannot bee relieved yet to bee pitied to see some who condole our Misery who wish vs well who want not Will but power to relieve vs. Wherefore these I hope or the like Grounds derived from the Principles of Nature may perswade vs That the most Regenerate are most inclined to Weeping 3 Part. Pareneticall Applying some Vses of Weeping §. 36. THus having Explicated the Nature of Weeping and Illustrated the Necessitie of Weeping We come in the last place to Apply some Vses of Weeping In which because Aug. de Ciu. Deâ— 10.23 Nobis ad certam regulam loquendum est ne verborum licentia impiam gignat opinionem We must speake after some Methode lest libertie of speech should breed preiudicate opinion Wee apply it for Reformation Information Humiliation Exhortation and Consolation Seeing it doth naturally follow that this short Scripture may Reforme some in the Scandall of Weeping Informe others of the Causes of Weeping Humble many for the Want of Weeping Exhort all to the Practise of Weeping and Comfort the best with the Fruits of Weeping But conscious to mine owne Infirmities Mercifull Lord favourably receive the groanes which my Griefe sendeth vnto thee That as thou hast infused a Soule into my Body so thou wouldest infuse thy Spirit into my Soule to guide all the Actions and Motions thereof that I may shew my selfe a Workeman approved vnto thee rightly dividing thy Word of Weeping Direct also Sweete Iesu thy Spirit of Application vnto the hearts of all and every one in particular that Hee may incorporate into vs according to our severall Necessities thy Precepts Promises and Threatnings of Weeping That what is spoken to all may bee in effect applyed by every one And all may receive some Light and Life from thee who art the Way the Truth and the Life Amen 1. Reformation §. 37. ANd first What end or number is there of the Vanities which our Eyes are weary of beholding and are worthy of Weeping Hath a Spirit of Slumber put out our eyes that wee cannot see this Grace of Weeping the Path to Piety and Practise of all Vertue disgraced without controll But like dumbe Dogges men hold their pâ—ace or with Solomons Sluggard fold their hands in their bosomes and give themselues to ease and drowsinesse whilst Satan causeth Contempt and Opinion of Sufficiency the basest and most noysome weedes to damme vp the flood gases of Weeping that the choice Plants in the Eden of God may not bee watered with this dew of heaven Ah Lord Aug Conf lib. 1. c. 5. Miserere vt loquar Bee mercifull that I may speake Thou that fillest all things why are not thy Seruants filled with Power Micah 3.8 and Iudgement and Might by thy Spirit to declare vnto Iacob this transgression and to our Israel this Sinne Amos 6.1 Why doe they not cry and spare not Why doe they not lift vp their Voices like Trumpets and cry and cry againe Woe to them that are at ease in Sion Luke 6.25 Woe vnto them that laugh now for they shall mourne and Weepe That though some deafe Adders will not bee charmed and cured Yea though fewe or none of the swinish herd of habituall Sinners accustomed to wallow in the mire of wantonnesse and Securitie and deeply plunged into the dead Sea of worldly pleasures Though none of them will bee washed with Weeping but turne againe to their vomite and trample the Pearles of all Admonition vnder feet Yea
Second which they may if they get their part in the first Resurrection by Weeping Whence it commeth to passe that heere also they bewaile not their owne estate onely but as Christ knowing that Cypr. de Discipl Hab. Virgin Qui cupiunt esse Christiani debent quod secit Christus imitari Who desire to bee Christians should imitate the deeds of Christ They weepe for others and lament the stupiditie of infinite sorts of People that see one another like silly fish taken out of the Pond of this World by Death but thinke not of the Fire into which they come They see Atheists and Epicures boldly and beastly sitting downe as Israelits in the wildernesse to eate and to drinke and rising vp to play neuer caring to consider nor hauing any mind or power to thinke of that horrible Monster neuer enough feared that dreadfull Page and follower of death Sicque tenent Lachrymat quia nil lachrymabile cermunt Thus they weepe not now because they see not with whom they haue to beginne when they haue done with Death which is but the beginning of their Weeping In which Tanto quisque tolerabiliorem habebit damnationem quanto hic minorem habuit Iniquitatem Aug in Enchir. cap 39. Their Damnation as Augustine proueth pithily will bee more tollerable by how much their iniquity hath bene the lesser in this life Whereas nature euen meere Nature and not only the Platonists and other wise and learned Heathen amongst Grecians and Romans but the Vnlettered Sauages and Scythians also haue and doe out of Natures Instinct and Diuine Impression know and admit of a Place of euerlasting well and ill beeing after death for the soules of men But these Monsters of men though they willfully shut their owne eyes and blot out the Principles of Nature doe make the regenerate to shed many Teares because they feare not the wrath to come Cypr. de vnit Eccl. Quod metuerent si crederent quia non credunt omnino nec metuunt Si autem crederent et cauerent si cauerent euaderent vvhich they would feare if they beleeued But because they beleeue not they feare not For if they beleeued they would regard it And if they regarded they would auoid it They consider not how fearefully they will finde themselues deluded when their seared Consciences awake worse then Ionas in the Tempest even in a Gulfe Horresco referens of Fire and Brimstone Where no rocke nor mountaine nor arme of flesh nor army of Angels can protect them from the irresistible Indignation of the Almighty But Plura dolor prohibet No more of this It is then for these Considerations that the Regenerate are enclined to Weeping and tha their hearts are so often as Limbecks Sometimes distilling their Weeping out of the Weedes of their owne Offences by the fire of true Contrition Sometimes out of the bitter Hearbes of others Iniquities by the heate of tender Compassion Sometimes out of the Gall and Wormewood of Temporall and Eternall Iudgements by the Flames of Spirituall Contemplation 3. Humiliation §. 59. AND now what Dolefull Complaint may wee not iustly pant forth for that wee neither See the iust Causes of our Weeping nor Sorrow for them As if the Lord had neither enlightened our Vnderstandings nor softened our hearts for this Worke But concealed in this our day the things which belong vnto our Peace and hide them from our Eyes Aug. Confess lib. 8. cap. 9. But alas oh Lord Vnde hoc Monstrum quare istud How long will it be before our secure Soules be awakened to Weepe that the Causes of our Weeping may be weakened Thou that hast hitherto in Patience expected our Weeping we beseech thee now in Pitty call vs effectually to Weeping Oh! Amos 5.1 That we would heare as the Prophet chargeth The Word which is taken vp against vs euen a Lamentation before the Lord turne our Feasts into Mourning and all our Songs into Lamentations Amos 8.10 and before hee bring vp Sackcloath vpon all loynes and baldnesse vpon euery head And before hee make it as the Mourning of an onely Sonne and the end thereof as a bitter day How ought wee to humble our selues in this our want and Defect of Weeping Wee may as iustly pleade as euer Cyprian Cypr. Epist 2 Scelus non tantum geritur sed docetur Sinne is not only wrought but taught And euery where wee may see with this same Father Quod dolori sit pudori What may make vs both Weepe and blush For the fore-mentioned Causes of Weeping and all other Causes may as palpably be found among vs as euer Onely wee want Grace to lay them to heart Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Behold and see where is that Place ouer which wee may not Weepe as once our Sauiour Wept ouer Hierusalem That the impenitent Multitude which vilifie all other meanes of Grace might be moued if it were possible by Weeping to bring forth fruites meete for Repentance And who seeth not Indignation is come forth from the Lord who hath so often set his Trumpet to the mouth of his Prophets Crying An Eagle commeth against the house of the Lord because the People haue transgressed his Couenant and trespassed against his Law May not euery one see Ieremiahs Almond rod and seething Pot in the heauie Messages and Iudgements of the Lord vttered against vs touching all our wickednesse What then remaineth but that we take heede Ne sit minor Medicina quam vulnus Cypr. Epist 31. That our Cure be no lesse then our wound That our VVeeping be no lesse then our wickednesse Ezek 22.6 That wee VVeepe if not as Ezekiel to the breaking of the loynes and melting of the heart Amos 5.16 Yet as Amos VVailing in all our streets and saying in all our high wayes Alas Alas Calling the Husbandman to Mourning and such And yet we alwayes want either Remembrance or Disposition to Weepe For sometimes Satan doth stupifie and benumme our Soules and then wee haue little or no feeling of our Sinnes Sometimes we are so sensible of our Sinnes so apprehensiue both of the Number and Deformity of them that wee become thereby either ashamed or affrayed to bewayle them That the Shame and Feare which Satan tooke away when wee committed Sin hee restored againe when wee should Lament them And not onely doth Commission make vs sinfull but wee are guilty of euery Sinne wee hate not For though wee cannot auoide all and euery Sinne Yet wee should hate all and euery Sinne. §. 61. And thus hauing totally polluted our Liues in Thought Word and Worke with the Incestuous brood of Actuall transgressions Wee passe ouer a great part of our Liues in doing nothing a greater in doing things to little purpose but the greatest part in doing euill VVe do either through Ignorance not knowing God or Negligence not following God Or through Malice resisting God liue as without GOD in this world
who among vs can dwell in the devouring Fire Who among vs can dwell in everlasting Burnings What therefore Augustine said of the Damned in Hell the same let vs say of the obdurate in heart Aug de 〈◊〉 Des. lib. 21 c. 2. Mirabile est ardere in ignibus tamen viâ—ere Sed mirabilius vinere inigâ—ibus nec dolere Si autem hoc creditur cur non illud It is wonderfull to burne in fire and yet to liue But more wonderfull to liue in fire and not to Weeâ—e If we beleeve the one why not the other Let vs then fixe the eyes of our Soules vpon the vnvaluable pretionsnesse of our Conformity to the Image of God that the false represenâ—a ions of this flattering World may not frustrate the Lord of his End and draw vs from Weeping Which emplanteth in the Sanctified Soule by the Spirit of all Comfort such vnconquerable Comforts as are able to keepe vs in resolution against all Malice and Cruelties whatsoever And truely perswadeth vs that after the approaching Period of a few and evill dayes having beheld the face of God in Righteousnesse Psal 17.15 we shall be satisfied when wee awake with his likenesse §. 74. Let it not seeme grievous to Weepe for never in any especially Halcyon dayes of the Gospell was more barbarous Inhumanity perfidious Treachery and exorbitant Impiety studied exercised practised among Christians then now a fearefull Presage of the fiery Triall I say not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to emendicate Attention For it hath been formerly shewed that our Sins are so traÌ„scendent that they have not beene parallelled in former ages And I wish vnfainedly Adherbal apud Salust Vt haec vana potius forent quam mise ria nostra meis verbis fidem faceret That these things were false farre rather then our misery should finde them true But Experience as well as Obseruation teacheth mee to Complaine Hieron ad Châ—omatun In Patria nostra rusticitatis vernacula Deus Venter est Sanctior est ille qui ditior est In our Nation the Slave of Inhumanity their Belly is their GOD and the Richest are accounted most Religious Wherefore let it not seeme tedious to the Adulterers and Adulteresses of the World that hunt after the Love and friendship of the World to cause their beds to swimme with Teares For as Dauid when hee had defiled his bed with Adulterous Embracements Psal 6.6 therefore chiefely Wept vpon his bed So let every one plentifully powre forth his Teares for as much as every one commonly maketh in these dayes of Peace and Rest his Bed the Place where his particular and Personall Iniquities are first hatched and enacted Mica 2.2 For it is vpon their beds that Men devise Iniquities and worke evill that when the morning is light they may practise it because it is in the power of their hand To hinder the course of Divine Iustice by mortall meanes will be more impossible then for a man to beate the Lightening backe againe into the Clouds with his breath Luk. 12. There is nothing covered that shall not bee revealed neither hid that shall not bee knowne Sooner or later the madâ—esse of Sinners shall bee mâ—de evidenâ— â—f not in the Sin as Zambri and Gozbi their fury Num. 25.8 Yet as Dauids in the punishment hee did it secretly saith Gody 2 Sam. 12.12 but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne Thus will the Lord of Hosts be famous in every Sinners Infamy I say therefore in the word of the Lord Ioel. 1.5 as the Prophet Awake yee Drunkards Weepe and howle I say it not onely to the Drunken with wine and strong drinke but with Sin and Affliction And without Presumption I hope I may confidently say with Cyprian Cypr. de lapsis Sacerdotem Dei nec occulta vestra crimina fallunt That the true Minister and Servant of God cannot be ignorant of your secret Sins Hee that disclosed vnto Elisha the Counsell of the King of Syria doth often reveale the Secrets of the People vnto his Servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 howsoever it seemeth mervailous and incredible in our eyes Yet it is wonderfull to see how the Wisedome of the children of this World beareth with and performeth all things in obedience to their Masters save only to their Ministers which in the Spirit of Truth teacheth obedience onely to the Faith which is in Christ Iesus The Marchant sendeth his Factours to Sea and no danger doth stay them The Husband man sendeth his Hindes into the Field and no weather must hinder them The Captaine leadeth his Souldiers into the Battell and no Death must terrifie them Rich men displace disgrace nay devoure and destroy and they are suffered patiently Thus wee see that in this latter age of the World we are so rebellious to all that is of God that nothing seemeth more bitter and grievous then spirituall Obedience We can be contented to abide any Truth but not heavenly Truth Any Wisdome but not Godly Wisdom Any Lawes but not Holy Lawes Any Crosse but not the Weeping Crosse through which wee must enter if ever into the Kingdome of Heaven Oh let vs not still be infatuated with a Reprobate Minde to yeeld all Obedience vnto any Direction and so much to bee scandalized at the Word of Exhorcation as if every word were a blow levelled to vndoe vs For Aug. Epist 166. Nulla est peior Mors animae quam libertas erroris No death of the Soule is more dangerous then Liberty to Sinne. And yet none seeme to Worldlings greater Sinners then such as are cloathed with Weeping Garments Their faire wedding garments doe not onely cover many a foule sinne in themselues and enwall them from all Dangers Disgraces Distresses and Disasters in this life to all which they are exposed and hastened which want them But much more embolden them to execute all Extremity and severity both in Word and Worke against those that are rude and rough in the out side bruised with Labours wasted with Miseries which could never weare soft rayment because of their heavie burthens Yet those I could humbly beseech to remember that though Apocryphall which most renowned Fathers both Greeke and Latine have frequently inculcated in their Writings Wisd 6 6. Mighty Men shall be mightily tormented §. 75. And therefore seeing the signes of the Figge-Tree doe bud amongst vs and the Messengers of the Lord as once Cato shewed a greene Figge from Carthage in the Senate signifying that Carthage was too neere Rome for the Romanes to be secure doe put vs in minde how neere we are to the Gulfe where is nothing but Weeping and Wailing when wee are least enclined to Weeping Let vs pray the Lord that these things bee not the beginning of euill And as our sinnes haue often occasioned some Men as Miraculously I dare say to open their mouthes as those Christians in Lybia