counterfet humor false hypocriticall and externall shewes and showres of Teares all strangers to a wounded Spirit and therefore Hieroâ— ad Celantiam Matr. Turpiora sunt vitia quae virtutum specie celantur the more abominable to God odious to the Godly and dangerous to such as have not their senses exercised to put a difference betweene Good and Evill §. 18 Lest then any should either misconstrue my Meaning in this Di course or mistake a poysonfull Potion for wholesome Physicke to their own destruction Let it bee obserued without further Curiositie that because Weeping is a word Homonymous or Ambiguous and as the Philosopher saith Arist Topie 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every word that is ambiguous is obscure wee distinguish it into Fained and Vnfained Weeping Fained Weeping are the outward and dissimulate Teares shed for fashion only with which the craftie and subtill of heart doe dawbe their Hypocrisie and Dissimulation in the sight of men This the Heathen perceived Lachrimae simulare docentur Hae quoque habent artes quaeque iubentur eunt Thus Sampsons wife wept Iudg. 14.16 17. This weeping is like the Crocodiles weeping externall only and to the shew For as many doe pray from the teeth outward so many doe weepe from the eyes outward whose custome it is according to the proverb Erasm Adaâ— Chil. Cont. 9. â—â—ou 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To weepe at the grave of their Step-dame composing their foreheads to sadnesse and gravitie while they bid their hearts to bee wanton and carelesse within Curt. lib. 5. But if none or few as reporteth the Historian could deceive Antipater by weeping much more are all â—eares Heb. 4.13 naked and open to the eyes of him with whom wee have to doe Vnfained Weeping proceedeth alwayes from the Heart and the Passions therof Some times from Indigna tion and Feare Some times from Tribulation and Sorrow Sometimes from Exultation Ioy Sometimes from Humiliation in Compunction for our selues CoÌ„passion for others §. 19 Weeping proceeding from Indignation produceth Teares of Anger Flendo diffundimus iram By Weeping wee expresse our Wrath and Anger And thus wee see many women and stomackefull Children not knowing how to revenge their supposed iniuries often fret and burst forth into Teares and Children beholding the rod of Correction for Feare of Punishment doe fall a weeping §. 20. Weeping proceeding from Tribulation is prouoked by Sorrow and Griefe of Heart for the losse of any thing may well be called worldly Weeping And is according to the diversitie of Obiects Corporall or spiritual First sometimes for Corporall and worldly things And is either 1. Naturall as for losses and crosses in Goods Health Honour Friends and the like for which moderately to weepe is not simply evill but it is a wickednes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection Thus Samuel wept for Saul David for wicked Absolom and our Saviour over Hierusalem Add. pag. 16 Berâ— super Câ—â—t Serm. 26. Illi flerunt Compatiendo ego Patiendo non audeam They wept in Compassion of others and may not I in Passion of my selfe And heere at the grave of Lazarus Christ neither reproved their Weeping nor prohibited their Weeping but Wept with them that Wept Where as his Teares were Testimonies of his Nature not of Diffidence So our Weeping may not be a signe out of our Infidelitie but present Condition 2. Diabolical when a friends departure into Glory is more lamented then the departure of Christ from the Soule when the fits of some short Sicknesse are more lamented then the anguish of an afflicted Conscience when the losse of a little worldly wealth is more lamented then the losse of our heavenly Treasure in the Lords worship vilifying it in our attendance as if it were only some base Circumstance or outward Complement when none of Gods Threatnings doe cause vs to bewayle our Misery and yet every trifling Inconuenience or disappoyntment Gravius moderamine iusto Nec pro materia fertur doluisse Doth so tyrannically torment our Soules as though wee were vtterly vndone This is worldly Weeping conceived for corporall and worldly things Sometimes this kind of Weeping is conceived for Spirituall things yet in a carnall and worldly manner when the matter is Spirituall but the respect is carnall thus Ahab humbled himselfe 1. King 21.27 Esau wept Genes 27.38 and Iudas Math. 27.3 Heere was weeping yea the Causes thereof were Spirituall Ahab for his Oppression Esau for his Blessing and Iudas for his Treachery but the respect was worldly and carnall for the danger of their Punishment wrought in their Consciences by the Law which is the minister of death and can never worke the sense of Mercy or Hope of Pardon Seeing when the Law is violated it requireth the suffering of the Curse not any true Sorrow or sorrowfull Weeping for the avoiding of the Curse Yea it setteth before our eyes the rigour of Gods precisest Iustice and doth in a manner forbid all Godly Weeping Telling vs it is in vaine to seeke by Teares and Lamentations any Mercy at his hands who is a consuming Fire a God of pure eyes and cannot behold Iniquitie Thus the Law of it selfe leaveth such Mourners in vtter desperation then which there is not any thing more contrary to Godly Lamentation And is no otherwise a Schoolemaster vnto Christ then as the Minister of the Gospell maketh vse of it contrary to it owne nature to drive vs vnto Christ by teaching the Sinner condemned in the Law not to weepe so much for the danger of his Punishment revealed to him by the Law as for the Evill of his Iniquities for which mercy is offered vnto him in the Gospell Thus many doe weepe and yet never are saved §. 21. Weeping proceeding from Exultation hath Ioy of heart for it Cause For it is the expression of some mens kindnesse to entertayne others with Teares and to testifie their Love and Affection with weeping as David and his Seruants 2 Sam. 13.36 when the Kings sonnes came who were supposed to be slaine at Absoloms Sheepe-shearing And Ioseph entered into his chamber and wept Gen 43 30. when his bowels yerned vpon Beniamin Thus some men as Cyprians Martyrs expresse their Ioy with Teares and the mutuall embraceing of Minutius Plutarch in Fab Maximo and Fabius Maximus occasioned the whole Army of Romans to weepe for Ioy. Aquin. 22. qu 82. A. 4.3 Thus as Aquinas teacheth Teares proceed not alwaise and only from Griefe but sometimes also from tendernesse of Affection §. 22. But my purpose is to treate onely of that weeping which proceedeth from Humiliation which in compassion layeth to heart the miserable condition of others no lesse then of our selues through sinne and may be termed a Godly and Christian Weeping Being for Sinne as it is Sinne a breach of Gods Law a Dishonour and Offence done to his Maiestie whereby not only our eyes doe melt into Teares
compensandus est fletu Much Laughter must be recompensed with much Weeping And els where that not onely the Inhabitants of the Materiall Hierusalem Hier. in 1. cap. Thren remembring in their afflictions and Miseries all their pleasant things that they had in the dayes of old mourned and Wept But the Members also of the Mysticall Hierusalem repenting and groning for anguish of Spirit must acknowledge they have erred from the way of Truth and wearied themselues in the way of wickednesse and destruction Levit. 1.14 Levit. 5 7. The most frequent Sacrifices among the Iewes were Doues and Pigeons which of all Fowles doe most often lament and therefore the Lord ordained them to bee often vsed in his Sacrifices as the most significant Embleme of Weeping August in Ioan. Tract 6. Wherevnto Augustine elegantly alluding saith that the first visible manner in which the Holy Ghost descended from heaven was like a Dove vpon our Saviour in his Baptisme To teach vs that as in the Arke of Noah ther were a Raven and a Dove So in the Arke of the Church there are Ravens knowen by their Croking and Doves knowen by their Groning the infallible witnesse of the Spirit abiding in them which baptizeth and washeth them with Teares The Lords breaking the Heads of Dragons in the waters mentioned Psal 74.13 is Allegorically expounded by Interpreters to bee the weakening and washing away of our strongest and vilest Sinnes by Weeping The Prophets for the most part received their Commissions to prophecy by Rivers as Ezechiel by the River Chebar Ezech. 1.3 Dan. 10.4 Daniel by the River Hiddekel Matth. 3.6 the Baptist by the River Iordane And all of them preached and prophecyed not so much with words as Weeping Which course of Weeping Greg. de Allog l. 3. c. 34 Gregory requireth as constantly in every constant professor to bee sought for by Prayer from the Lord Iosua 15.19 as Achsah petitioned her father for Springs of waters vnto whom he had given a South-land Mat. 25.44 For many doe feed the hungry lodge the stranger cloth the naked visit the sicke and doe other good workes wherein the Lord hath only given them a dry and South-land With which saith the Father they must not bee contented but must further desire the Blessing of the Springs of water The Vpper Springs that through the love of heaven And the nether Springs that through the feare of Hell they may bewayle the Sinnes they have committed §. 30. But as a Coach drawen with many horses doth easily runne So the Necessitie of this heavie as it seemeth to some weight of Weeping may bee tolerated with more ease if wee consider that the Saints in Scripture have begun before vs to beare this inevitable burden in the heate of their day Wee find Iobs face foule with Weeping Iob. 16.16 Paul protested Act. 20.31 That for three yeares he ceased not to warne every one with Teares day and night knowing well as Augustin obserueth Plus gemitibus quam sermonibus plus fletu quam afflatu There is more good to be done in Popular Sermons with â—ighing then speaking with Weeping then Words And that Si vis me flere dolendum est Primum ipsi tibi In Weeping our Precepts must be exemplified by our Practice Iacob wrestled with God and preuailed Genes 32.28 Which Wrestling the Prophet sheweth was by Weeping Hos 12.4 and his Prevailing by Praying Daniel mourned three full weeks Dan. 10.2 David made his bed to swimme and watered his couch with Teares Psal 6.6 Lachrymisque suis ieiunia pavit And his Teares were his meate day and night Psal 42.3 And that Sinnefull Woman Luk. 7.38 which Purgata recessit Per gemitum Proprijque lavans se in gurgite fletus Munda suâ—â— lackrimis redit detersa capillâ— Stood at our Saviours feet behind him Weeping washed his feet with Teares and wiped them with the haires of her head And why should I adde more Cypr. de Bâ—n Poti Inspicimus tantum pauca de multis vt de pauc is intellig antur caetera For the time would faile me to tell of Annah Samuel Ioseph Ieremiah Peter Mary Timothy It were too tedious to insist in the examples of these and other Saints subiect to like Passions as wee are All whom wee finde Quod voci deerat plangore replêre Where words were wanting have filled vp their complaints with weeping Whose good example we ought the more carefully to obserue for that the same light that shineth forth in the Scripture shineth also in the conuersation of the Saints and is reflected from them to our eyes as from a Glasse so that they are said To hold forth the word of Life Phil. 2.16 as the hand doth a Torch or Candle that wee in the darkenesse of this World might follow them in this Valley of Teares 2. By Reasons §. 31. NExt we adde Reasons not for Confirmation but Manifestation of this Truth For seeing Grace doth not abolish Aquin. 1 1 8 3. 2 Cor. 10.5 but perfect Nature Naturall Reason must then do seruice homage to Grace bringing into captivitie as every thought to the Obedience of Christ so this also That the most Regenerate are most inclined to Weeping §. 32. First because the most Regenerate have a renewed Apprehension cleerely to discerne betweene the best and the worst things For being purified by Faith Aquin. 2 2 7 A. I. C. Per fiaem fit in nobis Apprehensio timoris Faith worketh in vs the Apprehension of Feare Although the Lord enlightneth every one that cometh into this world with the Light of Reason wherein the very Angels exceed vs not Cont Aea dem l. 2. c. 7. as Augustine saith considently though Acumine sensuum In quicknesse of senses they doe exceed vs yet hath he appoynted Precepts and Rules to guide Reason which if man follow hee doth well But if not nothing well The Rules being Spirituall and Supernaturall the Naturall man receiveth them not being the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him 1 Cor. 2 14. neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But the Regenerate having received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God doe know that generally Mankinde is in bondage to sensuall Wisedome commonly frame their lives thereby Yea that the Sway of this knowledge is so mighty that in many plaine and euident causes of good and euill the poore ruines of reason which are the remnants of Gods Image in the soule are put out of countenance in so much that many times by Men of vnderstanding for feare or flattery Evill is embraced for Good and Good for Evill Now though this seemeth not strange to the Regenerate because they know Cypr. aâ— Demet. Senuisse iam Mundum non illis viribus stare quibus prius steterat That the World is become weake through age and is not so strong as
Beda in Math. 26.75 But as Peter could not Weepe while he was in the High Priests Hall so these Men cannot Weepe where they haue offended Yet let the know they must haue a time of Teares And if they do not begin with teares they shalend with theÌ„ Alas how are weak wretched Sinners deceived by their sottish sence they sweetly swallow without distast the poisonous pleasures of Sinne which bane the Soule but they cannot rellish Weeping the principal expeller of this poysoÌ„ they can no wayes enforce it downe Whereas a Soule once infected with Sinne cannot possibly bee recovered to the State of Grace but it must first bee bruised with Weeping as Corne is grinded with the Milstones And this bruising maketh a broken and contrite heart that Sacrifice which the Lord doth never despise But this Vertue as other Vertues is not loved enough because shee is not seene And her contrary Vices loose much detestation because their vglines is secret If in ancient Sacrifices of Pagans they carefully observed the Generositie of the Beasts that were to be sacrificed So as their Priest comming to brandish a naked sword before their Eyes if they were affrighted were chased from the Altar Whereas if they stood still without amasement were esteemed worthy to bee sacrificed Then dejected Spirits which are affrighted and doe shunne the bright Sword of the Spirit when seasonably it would extort Weeping and cause vs to shed Teares Degeneres animos timor arguit Their Feare argueth their dastardly Profession of Grace and goodnesse and are alwayes worthily contemned of good People for their Basenesse and Hardnesse of heart And that Weeping is the effect of a contrite and mollified heart witnesseth that Encomium of the Heathen Poet Molisâ—â—ma Corda Iuvenal sat 15. Humano generi dare se Natura fatetur Quae Lachrymas dedit hac nostri pars optima sensus §. 40. For Weeping may not bee esteemed base without manifest Impiety and Blasphemy which is so highly esteemed of the Lord lest wee condemne the Generation of the Iust and frequent practise of our Saviour How much our Saviour regardeth Weeping he evidently declareth in that it was his pleasure not onely to Weepe so often for our example but that the often Weeping of his Servants should be every where registred in his Word And that the Weeping of those Women that followed him to his Passion and in his Passion should be recorded in his Gospell Luke 23.27 and the shedding of their Teares mentioned with the shedding of his owne Blood Certainely when hee would not as observeth a Divine Lawyer so much as speake to Herod nor answere Pilate although he were vrged yet without request hee spake to those that Weâ—t after him Seeing then hee did more at the silent teares of poore women then either at the entreaty or command of powerfull men And if it were onely for that wee are bound in all things wee say or doe to haue respect to his Example We must not once thinke ought that may disparage so holy a Vertue Wherefore as Leonidas said it was better to goe into the field with an Army of Harts a Lyon being their Captaine then having but one Hart for the Captaine the whole Army consisting of Lyons So it should be our hearts desire and prayer to God that the Masters of our Assemblies Magistrates and Ministers in whom to stirre vp this Grace of God I principally intended this Weeping Treatise might bee furnished and endued with this Lion-like Vertue And iustly may it be called a Lyon-like Vertue for as it is the Nature of the Lyon Parcere subiectis debellare superbâ—â— To spare the prostrate and to devoure the obstinate So it is the nature of Weeping to obdurate the proud that Weepe not and to proncure Grace vnto the Humble that Weepe Without which likewise even Faith in Gods Promises may proove Presumption But forsomuch as Rulers and Governours of others haue plentifull matter aboue others to exercise their Weeping Seeing as the Historian hath well observed Men are more bitter and troublesome vnto their Gouernours Xenophon in Praefat. Hist then any flocks of Sheepe or Herds of Cattell vnto their Keepers or Leaders I thought with the Prophet Ierem. 5.5 I would get me vnto the Great Men and would speake vnto them for they haue knowen the way of the Lord and the judgment of their God They know that Weeping is the most infallible Signe of a broken and contrite heart They know that Ezech. 24.16 not without speciall reference to a Iudgement did the Lord say to Ezechiel that when hee tooke away his Wiâ—â— he should neither Mourne nor Weepe They know that Cypr. Epist 6. Recedente hac disciplina dominica recedit Gratia When the sacred chastening of our selues departeth Grace departeth And would to God those Great Ones did not presage that the constitution of too many of their Soules is exceeding defectiue dangerous and desperate in this respect And therefore seeing Nulla major flendi est causa Seueca lib. 4 Controu 1. P. quam flere non posse There can be no greater cause of Weeping then when we cannot Weepe Not vnto vs or the best Teares of the best of vs may we sacrifice as to our owne nets Blessed onely be that Divine Providence evermore which hath made our Dread Soveraigne to cry downe this vniversall Wantonnesse by his owne Example Whose Weeping in publicke and Private Devotions like Hezekiah or Iosiah as it may bee said to procure our present Peace and Plenty so will it be chronicled in ever Blessed memory till the dayes of our mourning be ended But because a King is praised Sentiendo copiosius quam loquendo By silence more then by Speech I leaue it to the Hearts of all to comment vpon my Silence and doe onely pray O vtinam nâ—citura tÃbi mitissime Regum In medio nixu viscera rupta forent That the Lord of Heaven and Earth would consume his Enemies like a Snaile that melteth and that the Heart of every one may speedily wither in the midst of his bowels Socrat. lib. 7 c. 22. 41 who heartily and vnfainedly prayeth not for the peace of so meeke so mild so mercifull a Theodosius and preferreth not his prosperity before his owne §. 41. Know we not that Weeping is the surest forme of Supplication to obtaine any thing of the Lord With whom Lachryma pondera vocis habent Teares are words and more then words For the multitude of words is not so perswasiue as a few Teares are prevalent because words may proceede from the Tongue onely But Teares commonly from a broken Heart possessed either with Feare or Loue Weeping may seeme a Serpent to devoure vs but if we step boldly vnto it we may take it by the tayle as Moses his Rod and it will foorthwith turne into a Rod of Comfort Psal 23 4. Why then should we be so afraid of Weeping which is so highly
not But because hee nameth not one of Ancient and Authentick Authority to acquite his ridiculous Animaduersion concerning the being of Lazarus his Soule in Limbo Patrum of an vntruth August Epist 50. See how fully that of Augustine is verified in him and his Associates Qui divina testimonia non sequuntur pondus humani testimonij perdiderunt Who follow not divine Testimonies have lost the weight of humane testimonies See likewise how Isidorus Pelusiota refuteth his Errour and confirmeth our Position Pelus lib. 2. Epist 173. his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Christ spake in this manner I bring Lazarus vnto the stormes and tempests of this Life who was entered into the Haven of Rest and had attained the Crowne of Glory But as Antipheron Orietes in Aristotle thought that every where hee saw his owne shape and picture going before Him So in every Text of Scripture where Iesuites walke they doe easily perswade themselues that they see the Image of their owne Inuentions And here if I had not resolued to study breuitie I could shew the irreconcileable Contradictions of learned Papists in this point Diog. Laers lib. 1. cap 1. who like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Philosophers that out of every Sect. of Philosophie selected what liked them have confarcinated and gathered somewhat out of all Religions and blinded the Puritie of Christian Religion with their impure mixtures That such wavering minds as complaine of Iarres in our Reformed Religion might satisfie themselues with the answere of Themistius the Philosopher to Valens the Arrian Emperour Socrat. lib. 4 cap. 27. That as small and few were the differences amongst those ancient Christians if they had beene compared with the divers Opinions of Heathen Philosophers So private and petty are our Divisions if compared with the almost infinit Controversies amongst Papists But here I must sixe a Periode §. 15 To assigne the Reason why our Saviour wept here it is remarkeable that Hee never wept in working any Miracle save only this He did no miracle without some great commotion of mind Melan in Text. Luk. 8.46 saith Melanchthon for when hee healed the woman of her bloody issue only with the touch of his garment He perceived that vertue was gone out of him But here he groaneth he grieveth he weepeth And that for speciall Reasons 1. To shew that such saith Augustine as have long beene dead in Sinne August in Ioan. Tract 42. yea such as vpon whom Satan hath rowled the Stone of Custome and stinke in the nostrils of the world through the putrified sores of Sinne as Lazarus in his Grave should not yet despaire but know that Weeping in Faith can cure diseases past all other cures and hopes 2. For Examples sake that no paines should bee thought too much no Sweating or Weeping spared nor Life it selfe esteemed too deare but in imitation of our Lords Compassion wee should leave no meanes vntryed in all diligence shewing much Pittie and Compassion in conuerting them 3. To shew that his Weeping being an Action of his Manhood which is but the Instrument of his Godhead might lively declare the presence of his Godhead even then when out of Pittie hee worketh by the Ministry of weake and meane Instruments the miraculous worke of mans Conuersion Melan in Text. 4. Melanchthon addeth that because Satan would have hindred him by divers cogitations over whom as our Saviour Triumphed in victory so hee wept for the generall Misery of man more palpably expressed in the passages of this Miracle then any other §. 16. But as there is no proportion betweene his Sorrow and our Sorrow either in Quantitie or Qualitie in the Cause or Effect So there is no Similitude For wee in our State of Corruption are more grieved for that which wee suffer our selues then wee can bee grieved for any other But Christ was more grieved for vs that wee were separated from God then hee was for himselfe in his most bitter passion Therefore hee charged the daughters of Hierusalem Luk. 23.28 not to weepe for him but for themselues Yet his Compassion declared in the Passion of this weeping was no part as I conceive of that Obligatory Satisfaction wherein he was bound by Obligation to satisfie for vs but a Charitable Affection whereby hee would voluntarily and of his accord give evidence of those fore-mentioned Finall Causes And thus it seemeth Aquinas would bee vnderstood Aquin. in Tex◠when he saith Hae lachrymae non erant ex necessitate sed ex pietate vt docerent hominem propter peccatum sletihus indigere He wept not of necessitie but Pietie that man might know how much he needeth to weepe for Sinne. Thus Iesus wept Of the Practice of Weeping in Christians §. 17. HAving dispatched the Patterne of Weeping in Christ wee come next to consider the Practice of Weeping in Christians Weeping est triste Ministerin̄ is a sad Doctrine and vnsavory to flesh and blood and therefore most men distast it as the Israelites did the bitter waters of Marah many account it a heavy and troublesome matter as if they gott no good no benefit by Mourning and Mortification but deprived themselues of worldly Pleasures Yea it is esteemed by most Protestants as Purgatory is by Papists who make it equall with Hell it selfe in Violence though not in Perpetuitie of Torments For Aug. Confess 7.16 Palato non sano poena est panis oculis aegris odiosa lux quae puris amabilis The same bread is distastfull to the sicke that is sweete to the sound Palate and the same Light is offensiue to the soare that is comfortable to the cleare eyes Yet as there is no passage into Paradise but vnder a fiery Sword so if ever wee look to enter into that heavenly Paradise that place of everlasting blisse where all Teares shall bee wiped from our eyes wee must passe through the Purgatory of Weeping vnder the sword that cutteth away the branches of our corrupt Nature Cant. 7.4 and must have our Eyes like the Fish-Pooles in Heshbon standing full of water and weepe Voluptatem vicisse Cyprian de Bone Pudie maxima est voluptas Nec vlla maior est victoria quam ea quae de cupiditatibus refertur Our greatest Pleasure is to abandon Pleasure Neither is there any greater victory then that by which wee triumph over our owne Lusts in Weeping But Weeping as all other Seruices of the Saints is peruerted in a false Imitation For as the grand Imposture of the world had Sacrifices Washings Tythes Priests Altars Oracles among the Heathen counterfeiting and imitating the like to these in the Church of God thinking by this meanes either to disgrace the Ordinances of God by Superstition or to beset the minds of men with Ignorance that they should not distinguish betweene Truth and Errour So by the same Satans cunning alwayes skilfull to transforme himselfe into an Angel of Light Weeping hath it