God wil heare him Moses prayed often for the people and God remoued froÌ„ them temporall plagues But he did neuer forgiue sinne to any man who praied not for himselfe Yea Moses prayed for his sister MiriaÌ„ who for her sin was strucke with leprosie d Num. 12.13 He cryed vnto the Lord saying Heale her now O God I beseech thee and he was heard Did not Samuel mourne for Saul vnprofitably For God sayd vnto him e 1 Sam. 16.1 How long wilt thou mourne for Saul seeing I haue reiected him Did not Ieremiah pray and mourne incessantly for the people of Iuda and was not heard f Ierem. 11.14 Pray not thou for this people sayth God vnto him neither lift vp a crie or prayer for them For g Ierem 15.1 though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this people Cast them out of my sight and â—et them goe forth Doubtlesse Ezechiel prayed for Ierusalem when the Lord said vnto him h Ezech. 14.20 Though Noah Daniel Iob were in it as I liue they shall deliuer neither Sonne nor Daughter Thinkest thou thaâ— God will heare another weeping for thy sins so long as he heareth thee blaspheming his holy Name and seeth thee wallowing with delight and content in the mire of filthy pleasure But if thou weepest and prayest for thy selfe hee will heare thee although all other mens and Angels mouthes were dumble Though all hearts were merry though al cheekes were dry and no vapours ascended from the eyes no tongue darted prayers vp to heauen but thine For i Chrysost in Math. homil 5. tom 2. Namet Deus gratiam non tam alijs rogantibus pro nobis vult donare quam nobis God delightes to giue grace not so much to others which pray for vs as to our selues Take for example Dauid Manasseh the forlorne Son the woman of whom I haue spoken the Theefe on the Crosse and Peter who wept and prayed for themselues when no body that we reade of prayed for them yea saith k Idem homil deprofecta Euangelij tom 3. Chrysostome wilt thou learne that when we pray for our selues we come better speed with God then when others pray for vs. The woman of Canaan cryed l Matth 15.23 and the Disciples came and besought him saying Send her away for shee crieth after vs But he answered to them and said I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel But when she commeth her selfe and holds on her crying and saith Truth Lord yet the Dogs eate of the crummes which fall from their masters table then he gaue her a benefit and said Be it vnto thee euen as thou wilt Yee see how he reiects her when others pray for her and grants her requests when shee prayeth her selfe VII Beloued auditors retaine and keepe in your sanctified memories these three lessons and now euen now put them in practise I beseech you I pray you for Christs sake m Col. 3.12.13 put on as the elect of God holy and beloued the bowels of mercies kindnes humblenes of mind meeknes long suffering forbearing one another forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell against any Euen as Christ forgaue you so also doe yee n Eph. 6.18 Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints Namely take heede that euery one of you pray and weepe this day euery day for your ownselues Which if ye doe with with an vnfained repentance doubt not of the forgiuenesse of your sins for God hath saith that o Esa 1.18 though yâ—ur sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool And I am sent to you of God this day as Paul was to the Iewes of Antioche p Act. 13.38.39 To preach vnto you through Christ the forgiuenesse of sinnes And that by him all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the Law of Moses CHAPTER IV. I THe second comfort and blessednesse promised to them which weepe is deliuerance from the punishment of sinne II. If they suffer for righteousnesse sake the cause of their sufferings is a comfort vnto them III. God deliuereth them in a conuenient time IV. Till that time come he strengtheneth vs with his holy Spirit IV. Apostates which fall away are no true members of Christs Church I Bâ—essed are we if God hath blessed vs with this first and most necessarie blessing forgiuenesse of sinnes for to whom hee forgiueth sinnes he giueth all other necessary comforts And therefore our second comfort is that putting away from before his eyes the iniquitie of our sinnes he will also take away from our backes the punishment of them For when the cause is gone the effect must cease If ye desire a proofe of this truth hearken to David saying in the 32. Psalme q Psal 32.5 I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord And thou hast taken away the punishment of my sinne Did not the Lord say to Hezekiah who had wept and prayed vnto him r 2 Kings 20.3.5 I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares Behold I will heale thee This healing of the body was an effect of the healing of the soule as the good King confessed in his song of thankesgiuing when he said to his God Å¿ Esa 38.17 Thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe So yee reade in the Gospell of Matthew that Christ when hee was to cure one sicke of the Palsie said first vnto him t Matth. 9.2.6 Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes be forgiuen thee And consequeÌ„tly Arise take vp thy bed and goe vnto thine owne house This is the order of Gods blessings the first is the forgiuenesse of sinne The second is the remouing of the punishment of sinne But we put the Plough before the Oxen we weepe and cry desiring to be deliuered of the punishment of sinne are not heard because we haue not sought with teares the forgiuenesse of sinne II. If we be persecuted for Righteousnes sake as many of our deare breathren are now wee haue subiect of comfort in the middest of our sufferings because we know that the cause of our sufferings is not only good and honest but also most honorable So saith Christ bidding vs u Matth. 5.21 reioyce and be exceeding glad when we are persecuted for righteousnes sake and reuiled for his sake So thought his Apostles when x Act. 5.41 they departed from the presence of the Councell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Such brands are rather glorious then disgracefull wherefore then should we
but thy disciples fast not he said unto them Can the children of the bed-chamber mourne as long as the bridegroome is with them Being asked of fasting hee answereth of mourning because there is no fasting where there is no mourning for to Christ fasting and mourning are all one as hee sheweth by the rest of his answer But the dayes will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast And therefore S. Marke and S. Luke doe set downe Christs answer after this manner d Mark 2.19 Luk. 5.34 Can the children of the bride-chamber fast changing the words not the meaning because hee that mourneth cannot chuse but fast Speake to him of eating and drinking hee shall answer you with David e Psa 102 9. Ashes are my bread weeping is my drinke As also he that hath an empty belly fasteth in vaine and to no purpose if he mourne not which I pray you to observe and heed carefully in this day of your fasting Moreover true repentance and prayers of repentance are seldome without weeping and therfore the Scriptures describe the infamous womans and Peters repentance and prayers by their teares f Luk 7.37 38. That woman came into Simons house where Christ was and weeping washt his feete with her teares g Mat. 26.75 Peter went our of Caiphas house where hee had denyed Christ and wept bitterly h Ambr. de poenit Petri Apostoli lib. 10. Lucae cap. 22. Non invenio quid dixerit invenio quod fleverit ye reade that they did weepe ye read not that they spake ye see their tears ye hear not their words For sorrow when it is vehement and grievous squeeseth teares out of the eyes so fast that it smothereth the words turns them into vexing into groaning into sighing which speake not and yet their voice is heard which aske not pardon with words distinguished by syllables and knotted with letters and yet obtaine it No prayers are so light none take flight to heaven so quickly none comeback so swiftly frō the Throne of grace with grace grants as prayers of teares The prayers of the mouth are oftē but lip-labor false witnesses to a double heart as God saith of Hypocrites i Esa 29.24 Mat. 15 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me But the prayers of teares are true witnesses of a single heart and powre out the soule before GOD as it is said of Hannah that k 1. Sam. 1 10.13 15. shee was in bitternesse of soule and wept sore and powred out her soule before the Lord unto whom shee prayed and spake in her heart for her voice was not heard and her petition was granted Therefore when Christ saith that blessed are they that weepe and mourne hee understandeth them that are of a sorrowfull spirit and who in their sorrow fast weepe mourne pray IV. l Alexand. Aphrodisae problem The Naturalists and Physicians say that originally teares come from the vapors which are condensed in the braine and beeing there dissolved and turned to water fall gently upon the eyes to moysten and refresh them lest they should bee dryed up and wax hard through want of moysture for that effect God hath put in each eye foure kernels two in the upper and two in the lower angle to receive and keepe those humors which drop either by the compression and straining or by the dilation and inlarging of the said kernels that straining and inlarging are the internall and nighest causes of teares there bee other causes which moove them and are externall to wit sorrow choler love joy sundry other affections and agitations of the spirit as also smoake and the spirits of things that are sowre sharpe as onyons are Sorrow and madnesse make us weepe by cooling and squeesing the conduits and kernels of the eyes and by wringing out of them the humors which they containe Ioy inlargeth them and maketh those humours to fall downe namely in such as are tender and delicate and whose constitution is more humid for the kernels of their eyes are soft and slacke wheras they which have them strait and compact or who are not so humid weepe not but seldome and with much adoe Likewise the other perturbations and passions of the soule make such a stirring in the body and in the humors that they glide easily and flow in such abundance that they runne not only thorow the eyes but also thorow the nostrils These teares are called voluntarie Other teares there be which are not volūtary such as are those which proceede either from some disease in the eye as is the inflammation of the uttermost skinne thereof called Opthalmia and the want of those kernells whereof I have spoken or from a great defluxion of humors from the braine upon the eyes or from the debilitie of the retaining force of nature when it is not strong enough to hold in those waters but letteth them slip and trickle He that weepeth thus would bee glad to have dry cheeks for his tears are not voluntary III. Mourning is the highest degree of weeping when the smart is so great and the wound which the heart hath received thereby so deep and sensible that it begets in the whole body wondrous Symptomes Then the hands forgetting their natural office runne to the garments which are the ornament of the body to rent them to the face to scratch deface it to the head to pluck off the haire to the beard which is the glory of man to tear it and if it were possible to root it out Then the feet beat and smite the ground which hath not given any offense Then the aire is troubled and resoundeth with yelling with roaring with bauling with lowd and confused noises of lamenting voices Then ye heare nothing but Alas Alas Then yee see nothing but disfigured faces a dolefull spectacle of great astonishment When m Gen. 50.10 11. Ioseph and the Aegyptians buryed Iacob they mourned with a great and very sore lamētation Which when the Inhabitants of the land saw heard they said This is a grievous mourning to the Aegyptians wherefore they called the name of that place Abel-Mizraim i. The mourning of the Aegyptians n 2 Sam. 18.33 The mourning of David for Absalom is thus described He wept and as he went thus he said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son When o Ezra 9.3 Ezra mourned hee rent his garment and his mantle and pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard sate down astonied IV. p Sen. ep 116 Cic. 1. Academ quast The Stoickes ancient Philosophers held that a wise man must be moved neither with joy nor with grief therefore that he must neither laugh nor weep q Hier. advers Pelag. Omnes affectus tolli posse
a Feast of mourning let everie man NOW drinke to his brother every woman to her sister full cups of tears When the people of Israel were rebuked of Samuel for their sinnes t 1 Sam. 7.6 they gathered together to Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day said there Wee have sinned against the Lord. Lo how busy lo how forward they were to draw water for the clensing of their sacrifices and for the purifying and washing of their bodies or as some Doctors allegorize the words lo how contrite they were making of their harts wels of godly sorrow and going thither with the bucket of faith to draw up to the eyes tears of repentance for bewailing of their sinnes And what had they done They had worshipped strange gods and set up among them ASTAROTH u R. David Kimchi in lib. radicum which was the god of their sheep their fathers had done the like And when the Angell of the Lord rebuked them of that sinne x Iudg. 2 4 5 they lift up their voice and wept and called the name of that place Bokim i. weepers and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. O how many strange gods doe wee worship What are our self-love our ambition our filthy lusts our envie our hatred our pride but strāge gods to whō we offer most abominable sacrifices al the hours of the day Our covetousnes our insatiable desire of cattel of sheep of the Mammon of unrighteousnes is our Astaroth yea an Idoll so much worse than Astaroth in that wee worship it not openly but privately not in the face of the world but in the face of God not in temples of stone but in the temples of our hearts which God hath dedicated to his owne service How many Samuels how many Angels hath GOD sent unto us to reprove us of so many sinnes and wee are heer assembled as Israel in Mizpeh to acknowledge confesse our sinnes O then dear brethren and sisters let us first look up to the infinite Majestie of God whom wee have offended and let us afterwards looke downewards to our selves who are the offenders y Iob 4 19 Wee dwell in houses of clay our foundation is in the dust wee are crushed before the moth Houses of clay earth and dust wormes which are the meat of of wormes sin against God and shall wee not mourne shall wee not draw teares from our hearts shall wee not command our eyes to pour them out NOVV before the Lord shall wee not NOVV wash with them our reasonable sacrifices the calves of our lips which wee are come hither to offer up unto God shall not this House of God bee this day Bokim unto us shall wee not NOVV cry to heaven with weeping mourning Wee have sinned against the Lord David sinned but one night and b Psalm 6.6 hee was weary with his groning every night hee made his bed to swim hee watered his couch with his teares If I say of many of us that we sin every night and every day I thinke that I shall not lie Oh then shall we not weep this one day David when he wept cried to heaven c Psalm 51.1 2 3 Have mercie upon mee O God according to thy loving kindnesse according to thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash mee thorowly from mine iniquitie and clense mee from my sin What moved him to cry so loud and in crying to pray for mercie For saith hee I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me Because he acknowledged his sinne therfore he wept If wee knew how hatefull our sinnes are to God we would weep we knowe them not we feele them not wee cast them still behinde our backs wee never bring them before our eyes therefore we weep not Oh how horrible shall bee that day wherein shall bee fulfilled that which GOD saith d Psalm 50.21 I will reprove thee and set them in order before thy eyes The Lord in his mercy preserve us from the terror and horror of that day Hee will doe it if by the weeping of this day wee prevent the weeping of that day if as Daniel did e Dan. 9 3 c. wee set our face unto the Lord God to seek him by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes if as he did wee confesse that wee have sinned committed iniquity and done wickedly our Kings our Princes our fathers and all the people of the Land if wee acknowledge as hee did that if GOD should deale with us as hee dealt with his people of those daies righteousnesse should belong unto him unto us confusion of face if as hee did we joyne deprecation to the accusation of our owne sins and confession of our owne deserts crying f Ver. 19 O Lord heare O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and doe Where are the women of joy which through grief for their sin wash Christ's feet with their teares as g Luke 7 37 one woman of that kinde did once How many alas how many Publicanes yea worse than Publicanes doe swarme in the Church Shall ye finde one among a thousand who dare h Luke 18.13 not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven for shame who smiteth upon his breast which conceived sin in him who with words interrupted with sighes and carried into heaven with a swift flowing stream of teares cryeth to God God be mercifull to mee a sinner as the Publicane in the Gospell did Wee are all prodigall sonnes what do we all but feed swine but feed upon swines provender but cherish in our selves our filthie lusts but delight in sin Nevertheless which of us all commeth to himself returneth to his Father and saith Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne i Luke 15 15 as once a prodigall sonne did k Mat. 26 75. Peter denied Christ but once and against his heart and yet he excused not his fault but wept for it bitterly Are wee not of the crue of those of whom the Apostle writes that l Tit. 1.16 they professe they knowe God but by their workes they deny him beeing abominable and disobedient and to every good worke reprobate Would to God we were not But we are and yet our hart is glad our faces shine our cheeks are dry our eyes are hardned like Pumice-stones and we weep not Think yee that Saint Paul could write to the Romanes without vehement sighing how m Rom. 7 19 the good that he would hee did not but the evill which he would not that he did We are of a disposition much disagreeing unto his The evill that we would we do not but the good which wee would not that wee doe Through feare of punishment wee abstaine often from the evill which wee like to doe and through love of praise or of some reward we do sometimes the
good which wee love not we serve God in covered dishes yet wee sigh not O how sensible was sin to this holy Apostle when hee cried n Rom. 7 24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of death O how many teares dropping from his eyes washed his hands and blurred his paper when hee writ these words Hee with many sobbing tears desired to die that sinne might die in him o Rom. 6 7 for hee that is dead is freed from sinne We would not live if wee could not sinne for life without sinne is death unto us Wee walke as the Gentiles of whom the Apostle writeth that p Eph. 4 19 being past feeling they have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Therefore being without sorrow in our hearts wee have no teares in our eyes and we weep not What token is this Surely that there is no love no respect to God in us for if wee loved his goodnes if wee respected his Majestie our hearts would cleave asunder for sorrow our eies would breake out into teares when we offend him CHAP. IV. 1 SEcond motive to weeping from the Iustice of God 2 Sinnes are debts whereby wee treasure up wrath to our selves 3 The sinner fighteth against God I. AS we love not his Goodnes as wee honour not his Majestie so we feare not his Iustice though wee be selfe-lovers though apparantly wee love our selves too much yet I may say that wee love not our selves enough because wee hate our owne soules q 2. Sam. 1.17 David wept lamentedâ— when Saul killed himselfe and when his best friend Ionathan was slaine by the Philistins The r Chap. 1 verse 11 author of the book of Wisedome saith that the mouth that belyeth slaieth the soule Say not that the booke is not Canonicall God himselfe saith that Å¿ Ezech. 18 7â— the soule that sinneth it shall dye Neyther is there any of you ignoraÌ„t of the scripture where S. Paul writeth that t Rom. 6 23 the wages of sinne is death Wherefore take heede to your sinnes for so many sins as yee commit against the eternall God so manie mortall blowes give yee to your immortall soules II. u Macrob. l. 2 Satur. c. 4 Habenda est inquit ad somnum mihi conciliandum illa culciâ—ra in qua ille tanto aere alieno obstrictuâ— somnum capere potuit Augustus Caesar wondred how a certain Knight of Rome vvho owed great summes of money farre beyond all his worth slept so securely that hee was no way disquieted with feare of the rigor of Iustice no way grieved with the overthrow of his family and would needes have the Quilt whereon that carelesse man could be at quiet thinking it should have more force to make him sleepe than all the Laudanum of the Apothe-caries shops Wee are that man our debts are our sinns which we pile up so mightily that as David said of his iniquities x Psalm 40.12 they are mo than the hayres of our head neverthelesse wee say with David but not in so good a cause y Psalm 4.8 I vvill lay me downe in peace sleepe neyther call wee to minde when wee are thus hoording and heaping sinnes upon sinnes as the Fables tel that the Gyants laide hills upon hills when they were to fight against God that a Rom. 2.5 through our hardnesse and impenitent heart we treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous iudgement of God This is no tale forged by a Poet but a most true saying come from Heaven for b Ro. 1.31 this is the iudgment of God that they which coÌ„mit such things are worthy of death III. What is it to sinne God saith it is to walke at all adventures with him or as the translation of the text hath contrary unto him that is as if yee should runne your head against a wall of marble stone Heare then what news he sendeth to such adventurers c Lev. 26.27 28. If ye walk at al adventures with me I will also walk at all adveÌ„tures with you in fury and I even I will chastise you seven times for your sins when we fight and bicker and tilt thus with God who shall have the upper hand and which of us shall triumph It were a safer course for us to d Gen. 32.24 wrestle with him as Iacob did e Hosea 12.4 Hee wept made supplication unto him Hee wrestled by weeping hee preuayled by praying it is sorrowing it is weeping for sinne it is praying for forgivenesse of sinnes which giveth us power over God Therefore if we desire to prevayle NOW let us weepe and pray NOW CHAP. V. 1. THird motive to weeping from the passion and death of Iesus Christ considered first in the Garden 2. Next in the High Priests house 3. Thirdly in the Iudgement-Hall 4. Fourthly upon the Crosse 5. Divers examples to moove us to weepe for his death 6. We have crucified him therefore we should weepe because of him 7. As the Iewes did 8. They that weepe not in this world shall weepe in hell I. BUt to leave this let us cast our eyes upon the passion and death of our Lord Iesus Christ f 2. Cor. 5.21 who knew no sinne and neverthelesse was of God made sinne for us Let us looke upon him in the garden there hee said that g Mat. 26 38. his soule was exceeding sorrowful even unto death He was thus sorrowfull for our sinnes and shall not we be sorrowfull for them There h Mark 14.33 he was sore amazed and very heavy And shal not we be amazed for his amazednesse and very heavy for his heavines who was thus amazed thus heavie for us There yee see him wallowing on the ground before the throne of the justice of God there i Luk. 22.44 he is in an agonie there in a cold aire the heate of the agonie openeth all the pores of his sacred body it melteth his flesh like waxe it changeth all his humors into a river of a bloody sweat which piercing and running through his garment imbued and dyed the ground with a crimson colour There yee heare him k Heb. 5.7 offering up prayers supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death death which hee was to suffer not for himselfe but for us O hearts of steele when will the agonie of the Sonne of God for you cast you in an agony for your selves O eyes drier than the dryest bricke when will the bloodie sweate of your sweet Saviour which mollified the hard ground soften you when will the streames of teares running from the glorious and bright-shining eyes of the King of kings change you into fountaines of water when will weeping dig hollow furrowes and gutters in your faces O when will yee begin to shed one teare for your owne
the midst of them they have not knowne the Lord. But who vvith Iesus Christ whose actions are our instructions is grieved for the hardnes of their hearts Shall the sinnes of idolaters wring one teare out of our stony heads when our owne sinnes are increased above the haires of our head and are heavier than the sand of the sea and yet wee look on them with dry eyes as if all their muscles were withered and without sap Let us I pray you let us begin NOW to weepe because untill NOW we have not wept let us tune upon the strings of our hearts a dolefull song of heavie mourning because wee have not knowne in this peaceable Kingdome the things belonging to our peace CHAP. VII 1 THey that weep not for sinne are constrained to weep for the punishment of sinne 2 He that weepeth not in affliction is a desperate sinner 3 Godly men weep in affliction 4 In our afflictions wee must weep to God I. FOr x 1. Cor. 11.31 if we would iudge our selves we should not bee iudged If wee could once sorrow if sorrow wrought indignation in us indignation feare fear desire desire zeal zeale revenge by weeping for our sinnes and abstaining from sinne then wee should never weep for the punishmēt of sin but if wee weep not when wee should weep y Gen. 4.7 sinne lieth at the doore and the punishment thereof shall make us to weep when wee would not weep a Eph. 5.4 Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things because of fornication of uncleannesse of covetousnesse of filthy and foolish talking and other vices which are but too too common in our Churches commeth the wrath of GOD upon the childen of disobedience I am not a Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet to say to you as Ezechiel writ to the Iews b Ezech. 7.5 6 7. An evill an onely evill behold is come An end is come the end is come it awaketh against thee behold it is come The morning is come unto thee O thou that dwellest in the land the time is come the day of trouble is neer Yee see it come upon your brethren for whom ye fast should weepe NOW Are they not as honest as godly as religious as ye are Therefore say not with the profane Iews c Esa 28.15 Wee have made a covenant with death with hell are we at agreement When the over-flowing scourge shal passe thorow it shall not come unto us for we have made lies our refuge under falshood have wee hid our selves Apply rather to your selves that which Christ who cannot lie said to the Iewes of d Luke 13.2 the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices and of those eighteene upon whom the Towre in Siloe fell that they were not sinners above all the rest of the people And therefore except ye repent yee shall all likewise perish II. When affliction is comne I need not exhort you to weep for it To that nature will be to you a most perswasive preacher The heart must bee harder than a Stithie if it sorrow not the eyes must be dryer than a potsheard if they weep not in affliction The Iewes were come to the height of sinne when the Lord checked them for hardnesse of heart in their oppression saying e Esay 22 12 13 14 In that day did the Lord GOD of Hostes call to weeping to mourning and to baldnes and to girding with sackcloth and behold ioy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine and ye say Let us eat and drink for to-morrow we shall die Such a sinner in that was their King Achaz who in the time of his distresse did trespasse yet more against the Lord. He was ever king Achaz ever like himselfe never better but rather worse This hardnesse of heart is a neere cousin to the irremissible sinne for God said to these stony-hearted sinners Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die III. I hope there is none so wickedly disposed amongst you all for I deeme there is none amongst you but hee will sorrow weep and mourne when the hand of God is heavie upon him we are all of one metall Iob saith that in his afflictions f Iob 3 24 his roarings were poured out like the waters hee g Iob 30.28 31. cried his harp was turned into mourning and his organe into the voice of them that weep The like wee haue heard of many others with the refutation of the indolence and unsensiblenes of the Stoicks IV. But if ye do nothing but roare but cry but weepe and mourne when yee are chastised what doe yee that your dogges will not doe will they not cry and howle when they are beaten Teares if they bee alone are no more regarded of God than the howling and yelling of beasts which will roare when they are hardly used Weepe then as the Saints have alwayes wept When your eyes run downe with teares and your eye-lids gush our with waters let your prayers runne up to heaven with them to powre them out into the bosome of God Weepe as h 1. Sam. 1.10 Hannah wept who beeing in bitternesse of soule prayed unto the Lord and wept sore Weepe as the children of Israel wept for when the children of Beniamin had destroied of them fortie thousand men i Iudg. 20 23 26. they wept before the Lord. Weepe as Iob wept when k Iob 16.20 his eyes powred out teares unto God Weepe as David wept who when he was swimming in his teares said l Psal 55.17 Evening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud and hee shall heare my voice Weepe as Hezekiah wept m 2. Kin. 20.2 3. He prayed unto the Lord and wept sore n Esa 38.84 Hee chattered like a crane or a swallow hee mourned as a dove his eyes failed with looking upward his praier was O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me CHAP. IIX 1. WE must weepe also for the desolation of the Church 2. As David and Ieremiah did 3. Great desolation of the Churches by the last troubles 4. Their present state most pitifull and lamentable 5. Examples to moove us to weepe for them I WHen yee have thus wept for your selves remember that ye are not for your selves onely consider that yee belong to the mysticall body of our Lord Iesus Christ the mēbers wherof are disperst through the whole world and print in your minds the most reasonable commandement of the holy Apostle o Rom. 12.15 Weepe with them that weepe Weepe for the Church as the holy men of God have wept for it They mourned for the evills past for the evills that were present and for the evills that were to come II. When David heard the tydings of the overthrow of Gods people by the Philistins p 2. Sam. 1.11 12. He and all the men that were with him
of the Sonne of God wherein he washt by faith and was made cleane of the incurable leprosie of sinne So then if ye aske by whose satisfaction merits ye obtaine eternall life the Scripture answereth absolutely that it is by the onely satisfaction and merits of our Lord Iesus Christ o Act. 4.12 Neither is there Saluation in any other for there is none other Name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued VII But if we aske to whom this saluation is giuen That is another question where vnto the Scripture maketh another answere and faith as Elizabeth said to the Virgin Marie p Luk. 1.45 Blessed is she that beleeued q 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God in Christ are Yea and in Christ are Amen vnto the glory of God And r Gal. 3.14 we receiue the promise of the Spirit through faith Neither haue we any other hand to receiue Christ who is promised vnto vs but faith Therefore it is written that ſ Eph. 2.8 by grace ye are saued by faith And because our last and principall blessednesse is our saluation it is also written that they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham t Act. 15.9 The hearts are purified by faith Therefre it is written u Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart The heart by faith is broken and bruised with the sense of sinne and with x 2 Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow for sinne Therefore it is written y Math. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit Faith looketh vp to heaven with a weeping eye Faith calleth vpon God with prayers steeped in teares Faith stretcheth soorth to the throne of grace hands dipped in the bitter and salt waters of repentance And therefore it is written Blessed are they that mourne If faith did not repent sigh weepe pray repentēce weeping sighing prayer should be sinnes For a Rom. 14.23 whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne So the teares of Esau were sinnes So when David prayeth against the wicked man b Psal 109.7 Let his prayer become sinne he teacheth vs that prayers of wicked and vnbeleeuing men are sinnes for to such men c Tit. 1.15 nothing is pure but euen their mind and conscience is defiled And what can come from such a puddle but filth and stincking putrefaction h Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by loue and is rich in good workes Therefore it is written l Psal 1.2 blessed is the man whose delight is the Law of the Lord m Psal 119.1 Blessed are the vndefiled in the way n Psal 128.1 Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord c. Yee see what persons are blessed And what qualities are required in you if you desire to be partakers of blessednes The first must be faith For o Heb. 11.6 without faith it is impossible to please God From faith springs forrow for sin repentance weeping prayers good workes p Eph. 2.10 which God hath prepared that we should walke in them All those which are adorned and inriched with those good qualities are blessed but the cause wherfore they are blessed is the merite of Christ Iesus in whom they beleeue by whom they pray for whom they weepe and by whose spirit they are lead in the way of the Lord doe good workes For to them q Zech 12.10 that mourne in Ierusalem Zechariah saith that r Zech. 13.1 there shall be a fountaine opened for sinne and for vncleannesse what are not their eyes a fountaine To weepe for sinne they may be To blot out and abolish the slaine of sinne they cannot be The only side of Christ which was pierced in his death was made a fountain of bloud to wash in it the sinnes of all them which to weepe for their sinnes make of their heads a fountaine of teares VIII Therefore when ye read in the Homilies of the Doctors of the Church either auncient or moderne that teares are a satisfaction for sinne that they wash it away and blot it out and many such hyperbolicall speeches yee must vnderstand them f Cum graeno salis with a graine of salt as the Iurisconsults speake of some sayings of their Doctors and know that either they speake of satisfaction giuen to the Church or attribute to the effect that which is proper to the cause which is frequent amongst orators and in speeches gilt and beautified with Rhetoricke Consider that in my text blessednesse is attributed to them which weepe not to weeping to the tree not to the fruit to the worker not to the worke And when yee seeke the causes of your blessednesse looke not downeward to your selues but vpward to the mercie of God and with a sincere heart and true mouth follow the holy Apostle and say t Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with al spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ u Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things To whom be glory for euer Amen If yee remember this distinctiō betweene the qualification of the persons which are to be saued the causes wherfore they are saued as also the chāging of attributions when the effects are honoured with the glorious titles which belong to their causes ye wil not easily be seduced with Papistry nor troubled with som speeches which the Doctors vttered hyperbolically which the Papists wrest vnlearnedly which ye must vnderstand x Rom. 12.6 according to the proportion of faith soundly CHAPTER II. I. ALl our comforts are called Life and wherefore II. Item wherefore that life which is our onely comfort is called euerlasting III. What eternall life is IV. T is imperfect in this world and perfect in the world to come V. He that hath not the beginnings of eternall life in this world shal neuer come to the perfection thereof in the world to come I. BVT to leaue of disputing against Papists which is not fit for this day wherin we are assembled to dispute against our owne sinnes and to let alone the hyperbolicall speeches of Doctors let vs come to Christs comforts wherin our blessednesse consisteth Our Blessednesse in holy Scripture is called Life Euerlasting T is called Life not because we shall act liue and moue by it as we doe now during our abode in the earthly tabernacles of our mortall bodies but because it is a most glorious happie and blessed estate our soueraigne good and felicitie the full perforformance of all our desires the longed-for wish of our vnsatiable hearts the center and last resting place of all the agitations of our stirring and vnquiet soules There is nothing that man loueth better then life For how can he loue what can he loue if he liue not Life is the spring of loue life is the enioyer life is the vser of all the things which we loue As we cannot loue without life So life
assigneth not blessednes vnto them but vnto the forgiuenesse of sins Therefore let vs cry after him with sweet Bernard i Bernard in Cantica Ser. 23. O solus vere beatus cui non imputauit Dominus peccatum O the onely O the true blessed man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne For who is without sinne None no not one ALL haue sinned and come short of the glory of God Neuerthelesse who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect T is sufficient to me in stead of all righteousnesse to haue God alone propitious vnto me because to him alone I haue sinned What 's oeuer he hath decreed not to impute vnto men is as if it had neuer beene non peccare Dei iustitia est Hominis iustitia indulgentia Dei Not to sinne is the righteousness of God The righteousness of man is Gods indulgence Gods mercifull fauour whereby hee forgiueth sinne is my blessedness IV. This was the iudgement of a man who had beene an adulterer and a murtherer Such also was the iudgement of a woman whom the Scripture calleth k Luk. 7.37 A Sinner She came to the Pharisees house where Christ was The Pharisees of all men were most affectionate to the Law l Gal. 3.24 The Law is a pedagogue to Christ m Rom. 10.4 who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth See the wisedome of the woman when shee is in the Pharisees house shee goeth not to him who taught who beleeued that man is saued by the righteousness of the Law She said in her heart with David n Psal 51.3 I acknowledg my transgression my sinne is euer before mee I haue transgressed the Law I find no good workes in my life which hath bin so lewd that I dare not trust in it Therefore O Pharisee I am come to thy house but not to thee Thou speakest of perfection of righteousnesse thou preachest of rewards thou bragst of merites I cry to my God o Psal 130.3.4 If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquitie O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest he feared My misery is my sinne my blessedness is his mercy I haue need of forgiuenesse I come to craue mercy I haue hoised the sailes of my faith towards the only haven which God hath ordained for sinners I flie to the port of Salvation where the stormie windes of the law tearing asunder the mountaines and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord blow not where the still and small voice of the Gospel refresheth the conscience which thirsteth after thee O my God like a drie land I am come ô Pharisee to him who p 1 Tim. 1.15 is come into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe He is in thy house He is not of thy house So she thought so hâ—â— hart spake Out of hand she runneth to her Sauiour And to apply to her with the alteratioÌ„ of two words that which S. Chrysostome hath written of the woman of Canaan * Chrysost tom 2. Ex varijs in Matthaum locis homil 16. See the wisedome of the woman Shee intreats not Iames shee prayeth not to Iohn shee goeth not to Peter shee looketh not to the company of the Apostles shee sought not a Mediatour In stead of them all she tooke repentance with her for companion which was to her in stead of an aduocate and so she goeth straight to the Soueraigne Spring for this saith she is he come downe from heauen for this hath hee taken our flesh for this was he made man that I may be bold to goe vnto him In the heauens aboue the Cherubims tremble before him the Seraphims feare him and here below a Whoore goeth vnto him She speaketh not she cryeth not with her mouth as the Woman of Canaan did q Mat. 15 22. Haue mercy on mee O Lord thou sonne of David Her humility spake for her She stood at his feet behind him Her godly sorrow for sinne cryed aloud vnto him She washt his feet with teares and wiped them with the haires of her head Her loue was a most ardent prayer She kissed them she anointed them with oyntment each of those actions was a sensible prayer O Lord O sweet Iesus haue mercy on mee Thou art come into the world to haue mercy on sinners O sonne of God haue mercy on me Thou hast taken our flesh thou art become that which I am to haue mercy on sinners O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee Thou art still that which thou wast thou art become that which thou wast not Now thou art both in one person O Immanuel O God and man haue mercy on me Woman what ayles thee What cause hast thou to weepe Iudge by Christs answer to her weeping prayers what was the cause of her praying teares r Luk. 7.48.50 Thy sinnes saith he are forgiuen For her sinne she wept because her sinne was her misery Her sin was forgiuen her because forgiuenesse of sinne was her felicitie Simon the Pharisee made vnto him a feast of flâ—sh filled vnto him cups of wine The Lord had no stomacke for Simons meate no thirst for his drinke This woman like vnto Å¿ Gen. 27.9 Rebecca who could make sauourie meat to Isaac such as he loved knowing that t Ioh 4.34 his meat and drinke was to comfort and to saue repenting sinners filleth vnto him a bowle of teares mingled with faith and he pledgeth her in u Psal 116.13 the cup of salvation saying vnto her Thy faith hath saued thee Goe in peace Deare brethren if this day wee weepe as this sinner did our fasting will bee feasting to Christ our teares will be his drinke If we cry to God as David did x Psal 6.1.4.8 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger Returne O Lord deliver my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake The Lord will come and speake to our soules and wee shall returne home saying with David Depart from mee all ye workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping V. I say if ye pray so the Lord will heare you If ye weepe so the Lord will comfort you If yee trust not in the prayers one of another If ye rely not vpon the prayers of the Church but if euery one pray for himselfe Heed what I say I doe not forbid you to pray and to weepe one for another for I haue taught you that the Saints did weepe and pray when their brethren sinned did not God say to Iobs friends y Iob. 42.8 Goe to my servant Iob and offer vp for your selues a burnt offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept He commanded them to goe to Iob whom they had offended and to require his prayers He commanded them also to offer vp for themselues a burnt offering to teach vs three most profitable lessons The first that
our prayers are not accepted of God till we be reconciled to our brethren This is Christs lesson saying z Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the altar there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leaue there thy gift before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift The second that we must forgiue them which trespasse against vs This Lesson also hath Christ our good Doctor taught vs not onely * Mat. 18.32 by the Parable of the wicked seruant who was punished because he shewed no mercy to his fellow but also in proper words when he giueth vs this warning * Luk. 17.3.4 Take heed to your selues If thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgiue him And if he trespasse against thee seauen times in a day and seuen times in a day turne againe to thee saying I repent Thou shalt forgiue him Protest wee not that we doe this when according to our Masters direction wee cry to God in our daily prayers Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs If we forgiue them from our heart we will pray to God for them as God said that Iob would pray for his friends Therefore St Iames sayth both to them who giue offence and to them which suffer it a Iam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another And pray one for another that yee may be healed for the effectuall feruent prayer of arighteous man avayleth much VI. In all the congregations of the Primitiue Church Iustin Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precibus finiâ—is mutuis nos inuicem osculis salutamus Tertull de Oratione cap. vlt. the brethren had a most vsefull and laudable custome to seale and close vp their prayers with mutuall imbracings and kisses which they called Orationis signaculum the seale of Prayer And so they went to the Table of the Lord. They kept this Custome principally in their fasting dayes as a publike testimony that they did forgiue one another were assured that God would heare their prayers which they had offered vp vnto him with single and meeke heart purified of all inward grudge and rankor and indued with brotherly charitie according to his holy and righteous commandement If any man withdrew this kisse from his brother he was rebuked and hissed of the whole congregation which being an assembly of holy true louers could not abide a brother who bewraied the ill-will and hatred of his heart when he refused the kisse of his mouth This custome was grounded vpon the custome of the Iewes who at their meetings did kisse one another and vpon the expresse commandement of the Apostles For S. Paul exhorteth the Romans Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 2 Cor. 13.12 1 Thes 5.26 1 Pet. 5.14 the Corinthians the Thessalonians to greete one another with anâ—hâ—â— kisse And S. Peter exhorteth the brethren to greet one another with a kisse of charitie Not with the kisse of religious homage which is due to God alone and him whom he hath sent our Lord Iesus Christ Psal 2.12 as it is written Kisse the Sonne not with the kisse of superstitious homage to idoles as the Israelites kissed Baal 1 Kings 19 18. Hosea 13.2 and the calues Not with the kisse of naturall affection onely such as is vsual among those who are of kinred and nigh friends as when Isaac kissed his Sonne Iacob Gen. 27.27 and Iacob kissed his kinswoman Rachel Gen. 29.11 Not with the kisse of humanitie and ciuilitie such as were frequent among the Iewes when they did meet one another or when they invited a friend to their houses whereof Christ spake when he said to Simon the Pharisee who had invited him Luke 7.45 Thou gauest me no kisse Plin. lib. 14. c. 13. Ideo propinquos foeminis osculum dare vt scirent an â—emetumolerent Not with the kisse of triall such as was much vsed among the Romans who kissed their wiues and kinswomen to try if they had drunke wine nonnius ex Cicer. 3. de Repub. Carent remetâ— omnes mulieres Gellius lib. 10. cap. 23. and if they did sent of it killed them for amongst theÌ„ it was a crime in a woman to drinke wine Farre lesse with the kisse of treacherie and treason shadowed with the cloake of friendship loue as when Ioab kissing Amasa killed him 2 Sam. 20.9.10 Luke 22.48 and Iudas betrayed our Lord Iesus Christ with a kisse Pro. 27.6 Faithfull are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemie are deceitfull In no case with the vncleane and vnchast kisse of wan tonnesse whereof it is written that the Harlot met a yong man Pro. 7.13 caught him Origen ad Roman cap. 16.16 Osculum fidele primum castum sit dâ—inde pacem simplicitatemque habeat in chari taâ—â— non ficta and kissed him but with an holy kisse wherein there is no vncleannesse and with a kisse of charitie wherein their is no dissembling but a cleare demonstration of a peaceable and loving heart Where such holy kisses were vsuall were there thinke ye any iarres any alterations any cousenage any contentions at law Or if any were they not presently smothered and extinguished in the very eyes of the congregation I know the precept of the Apostle is not vniuersall and that we are not tyed by it to the custome of kissing But this ye must all know that he thing signified thereby to wit coÌ„cord peace charitie is a law both vniuersal and perpetuall And therefore as our fasting giueth wings to our prayers that they may mount vp to the throne of grace swiftly so let vs this day by an vnfained reconciliation if there be any iarres amongst vs and with christian charity grace imbellish them that coÌ„ming there they may be welcome and accepted VII The third is that euery one weepe and pray for himselfe as Iobs friends were coÌ„manded to offer vp for themselues a burnt offering This lesson is implyed in my text For to whom doth Christ promise that they shall be comforted To them which mourne Salomon bids vs b Pro. 31.6.7 giue strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish and wine vnto those that be of heauie hearts Let him drink and forget his pouertie and remember his misery no more This Christ doth He maketh glad with the wine of his comforts the hearts which are heauie for sinne for who that is not witlesse will giue wine to him who is already too merrie Let not any man be deceiued Though this whole Church though all the Churches of God Though all the Saints all the Angels of heauen should pray for one of you if that one weep not if he pray not for himself God wil not heare them to forgiue him his sins c Iam. 5.17 18. Eliah may fast and pray for raine when wicked Achab feastes