AN EPITHRENES: OR VOICE OF WEEPING: Bewailing The want of Weeping.  
A Meditation.  Mat. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Augustin Flevit Christus, fle●t & Homo. Chrysost. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Humphrey Robinson and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Chuch-yard at the Sign of the three Pigeons. 1631.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, My honoured Kinsman, JAMES CHAMBERS, Doctor in Physic, Physician for his Majesty's Person in Ordinary, and for the Prince his Highness.  
SIR,  
AS the Lord in justice will adjudge those to be wicked and slothful servants, 
Mat. 25.26  that improve not his Talents: So in Mercy be graciously accepteth our  offerings, aswell of Goat's Hair and Rams Skins, 
Exo. 25.34  as of Gold and Silver, offered for building his Spiritual Tabernacle; Who is well pleased, not so much with the Extension, as Intention of the Offering: And among the Gentiles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Suid in Who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  It was thought sufficient, if poor men that were not able to sacrifice a living Bull, did but offer a Bull of Me●le. Upon consideration of these, I presume that your worthy & Christian disposition, will not disdain to accept and protect the inarticulate Voice of this Abortive Infant, whose weak and warbling Notes cannot be more disliked by most censorious Criticism or scornful Ignorance, than by his own Author. Which if distraction of my thoughts in other business, and passages of my Function, had suffered me fully to peruse, they might happily have given a more distinct and louder Echo. But the never-enough deplored Iniquities of the Times and place where I live, enforced them to Abortion; and made me cry out with the Prophet, My bowels, 
jer. 4.19.  my bowels, I am pained at my very heart, my heart maketh a noise within me, I cannot hold my peace: 
jer. 20.9.  For the Word of the Lord was in my heart, as a burning fire shut up in my bones, 
Psal. 69.10.  and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. But because when I wept and chastened my soul with Fasting, that was turned to my reproach; 
Aug. Confess. 10.12.  Rideat me ista dicentem, qui ista non sentit, & ego dol●bo ridentem me; Let him that feeleth not these things, scorn me that say these things, and I will weep for him that scorneth me.  
How ever the tongue of most men be like Hanuns Razors, 
2 Sam. 10.4  still cutting off, and disfiguring the most holy intents. My hope is, 
Theed li. 4.26.  that as Aphraates having spent the greatest part of his life in solitary Places, could excuse his unaccustomed walking once in the streets of Antiochia (for which he was admired) by the example of a Maid that all her days had kept herself within her Father's house, until the violence of a sudden Fire constrained her to bewray some Immodesty, to go abroad, and give notice of the imminent danger: So now, my first stepping forth upon the Stage of the World from my retired Privacy, where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Plutarch. Higher de Vitando susp. Contub.  my daily Task is, Praeterita mea plangere vitia, & vitare prae. sentia) to warn wanton Worldlings, delighting only in the Sardonian laughter, to abandon their exorbitant enormities by holy weeping, may be taken in good part; seeing, as sayeth the Schooleman, 
Aquin 2.2 107. 1.2.  Voluntas est mensura actionum. And my endeavour proceedeth from a will to do good. Wherein if I seem to have stirred a course opposite to the liking of the Multitude, or that my Matter be Cynical, and Method Trivial, almost approving the Practical Philosophy (which I disclaim) of Heracli●us in his sullen humour; or that others, 
Erasm. in Adag.  In antro Trophonii vaticinantes, should become irrisible: I have resolved, and do esteem it a part of my Felicity upon Earth, to be accounted a Stoic of all the world, so I be a Peripatetic to Christ: For sensibly spoke he, and fittingly (me thinks) to our Times, who Weeping said, that though we commit no other sin, 
Higher in Apol. contr. Ruffin.   verum tacuisse peccatum est, To conceal the Truth is Sinne.  
A sufficient Apology for my bold adventure of publishing this Essay of my poor endeavours, may be the Rarity or rather Nullity of Orthodox Tractats in this Argument. 
Bellarm de Gemit. Colum. Bessas' Heraclit. Christ.  Two only Popish Discourses, the one of Bellarmine, the other of Bessaeus, I meet with; In which, because (without disparagement to their Learning) their Labours are fraught full of frigid, frothy, superfluous, and superstitious Speculations; I have published this Embryo, though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he may cost me the publication of my Ignorance. As than no motive of this wretched World, but zeal to promote God's glory, and Christ's Gospel, moved me to expose these, to the view of this censorious World: So in humble acknowledgement of your many kindnesses towards me, They do make mention of your Name in the Frontispiece. Where be pleased (I beseech you) to accept my brief and ingenuous Confession, that the Quotations, Quid cuius esset simpliciter confitentes, had these causes: 1. To remove Imputations of Singularity, and Fantastical delight in going alone: 2. To advantage (I hope) the Truth; as Testimonies of very Heathens are inserted by Apostles: 3. 
Hieron. in Epitaph. Nep.  Hierome esteemed it a main argument of Ingenuity in his Nepotian and worthy of imitation: 4. To avoid that forging Trick of jesuitical Legerdemain: 5. I know not better how to confirm what I allege, then by acknowledging whence I had it. Therefore knowing mine own defects (Let others Narcissus like content themselves with their own Conceptions) I do so reverence and admire the rich Compositions of Ancient times, as that I cannot but accord to them, that (in worthy examples) hold Imitation better than Invention. Vouchsafe then (dear Sir) Acceptance of Patronage to this weak Watch▪ word, which feareth the sentence of Weakness, 
Galen. de Nat facul. l. 2. c. 9  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) though less than of Ingratitude: And therefore desireth not so much to expose my Observations to the World, as my Observance to you, for the fatherly care you ever had in cherishing my Labours, and encouraging my Studies. For which, I pray GOD, to prolong your Time with much comfort here, and crown it with Eternity.  Addimus his precibus Lachryma● quoque, verba precāri● Perlegis, & lachrymal finge videre meas. 
Your most bounden Kinsman and devoted in the Lord, JOHN LESLY.   

Synopsis & Series Methodi.  

1. Preface. 

1 Introductive, §. 1.  
2 Cohesive, §. 2  
3 Descriptive, 

1 Object. § 4  
2 Subject. § 6      
2. Parts 

1 exegetical, explicating the Nature of weeping, in the 

1 Pattern of Christ. 

1. Showing the causes. 

1 Efficient, his grief in which 

1 Manner of his grief, Voluntary, §11.  
2 Matter of his grief: in which 

1 Object grieving §. 12  
2 Subject grieved §. 12      
2 Final. 

1 To convince the infidelity of the jews §. 13  
2 To confirm the truth of his Humanity §. 13  
3 To Excite Compassion in Christians §. 13      
2 Assigning four Reasons, why Christ wept in working this Miracle only. § 15.    
2 Practice of Christians. 

1 Feigned, §. 18  
2 Unfeigned, proceedine always from some passion of the heart, as 

1 Indignation and fear, §. 19  
2 Tribulation and sorrow, which is 

1 Corporal 

1 Natural § 20.  
2 Diabolical § 20.    
2 Spiritual    
3 Exultation and joy, § 21  
4 Humiliation in Compunction and Compassion, where are 

1 Cause.  
2 Nature. 

1 Prescribed In the Gospel, §. 12  
2 Promised In the Gospel, §. 12  
3 Practised In the Gospel, §. 12  
4 Performed In the Gospel, §. 12    
3 Attributes 

1 Not bi●●er § 24.  
2 Not difficult § 24.  
3 Not continued, because agreeable to 

1 Nature § 24  
2 Reason § 24  
3 Religion § 24              
2 polemical, illustrating the the necessity of Weeping, by 

1 Scriptures. 

1 Dogmatical, § 28  
2 Allegorical, 29  
3 Exemplary, § 30    
2 Reasons 

1 Apprehension, § 32  
2 Affliction. ●●3  
3 Contrition, 34  
4 Compassion § 35      
3 Pareneticall 〈◊〉 some Use, 〈◊〉 Weep, for 

1 Reformation 

1 Correcting the Contempt of Weeping, by the 

1 Persons. 

1. Rejecting Weep, §. 38.  
2. Practising Weep, 40.    
2 Praise of Weeping, §. 41.    
2 Confuting the Sufficiency of Weeping, 

1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, § 43. & 44  
2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, § 45      
2 Information, moving to Weeping, for 

1 Sins. 

1 Perpetrated by ourselves, § 47  
2 Participated with others, where are noted 

1 Degrees 

1 Antecedent 

1 Counsel 49  
2 Commandment. 49  
3 Provocation 49    
2 Consequent 

1 Consent 50  
2 Conuivencie. 50  
3 Defence. 50      
2 Danger 50, etc.      
2 Punishments 

1 Temporal, §. 57  
2 Eternal, 58      
3 Humiliation, in 

1 Sinning, 

1 Personally by ourselves, §. 60. & 61.  
2 universally by others, 62.    
2 Suffering, 

1 judgements, 

1 Public, §. 63.  
2 Private 64.    
2 Persecutions 

1 Foreign, 65  
2 Domestical. 

1 Verbal. §. 66.  
2 Real 67, etc.          
4 Exhortation 

1 Dissuading 

1 Security, §. 71.  
2 Desperation. 72    
2 Persuading 

1 Observation of 

1 ●●des of Weeping. 73.  
2 Sign in the 

1 Message, of Weeping § 74. & 75.  
2 Messengers of Weeping § 74. & 75.    
3 Times of Weeping 76.    
Direction of means, by 

1 Supplication, 77  
2 Association, 77  
3 Meditation, 77  
4 Mortification, 77    
3 Remotion of impediments 

1 Internal, 78.  
2 Externall, 79        
5 Consolation, 

1 In this life are 

1 Externall Benefits, § 83.  
2 Internal Comforts 84  
3 Protection in Dangers. 85  
4 Remission of Sins. 86.    
2 In the life to come, 87. & 88        
3 Peroration 

1 Apologetical, 89.  
2 Votive. 90.  
3 congratulatory, by 

1 Apprecation, § 91.  
2 Deprecation 92.  
3 Supplication, 93.       
Place this Analysis before Folio 1.   

AN EPITHRENES, OR Voice of Weeping.  JOHN. 11.35. Jesus wept. 

§. 1  
IF Nature only did promise unto a man a Weeping Life, exacting Tears at his first entrance into the world, and suiting his whole life to that doleful Beginning; Weeping (me thinks) should never displease Reasonable Souls. Or if Weeping were only the Smart and Salve of sin, curing those sins which it chastiseth with true Sorrow, and preventing the necessity of any other Care, with hatred of sin; Weeping (me thinks) should never disquiet Religious Souls. But seeing Weep is the strongest voice to call upon God; and our Tears, and sighs, and Groans, though they cannot end our Misery, may begin our Glory; Weeping (me thinks) should never discourage the truly Regenerate. For every true Christian should take Christ for his Pattern, and follow him affectionately, when not only his Word, but his Action is our Warrant. And the rather, because, 
De livore & zelo.  as Cyprian describeth Christ's followers, Sequitur Christum qui, quod Christus & fecit & docuit, imitatur, He followeth Christ, that imitateth, what Christ both did, and taught. In whose example, as we may find a perfectoure for all our Imperfections, and a strait Rule to direct all our Aberrations: So He who is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the true way and the true Guide, hath not only pointed out the Path of Weeping, but trodden every step of it before us: He gave us Instructions to Weep by many others, but none were ever sufficient to be an Example of Weeping, save only himself. Neither needed he so often to Weep upon Earth, but for our Example; which if it were good for him to give, it cannot be evil for us to follow. Therefore jesus Wept.   

§. 2  
This Chapter containeth two main things. 1. A Miracle wrought by Christ in raising Lazarus, who had lain dead four days in his grave. 2. The jews malicious Treachery against Christ, from the 47. verse unto the end. In the Miracle three things are observable 1. The Antecedents. 2. The Concomitants. 3. The Consequents. The Antecedents are Two, 1. Occasions, 2. Preparations; from the beginning of the chapter unto the 43. verse: the Concomitants are Two, 1. Christ's Authority, verse 43.2. The dead man's Obedience, verse 44. The Consequents are Two, 1. Faith in many that believed, verse 45.2. Fraud in some that went to the Pharisees, verse 46. But to return to the Antecedents of the Miracle: The Antecedent Occasions are chief Two, 1. Christ's Invitation, from the first verse unto the 11.2. Disciples Infidelity, from the 11. verse unto the 17. The Antecedent Preparations are twofold; 1. Circumstantial, describing first the Time, when, verse 17.2. the Place, where, verse 18.3. the Persons before whom the Miracle was wrought, verse 19.2. Substantial, containing Christ's Conferences with three sorts of Persons. 1. with Inuitators, Martha and Mary, from verse 20. unto the 33.2. with Spectators, from verse 33. unto the 42.3. with the Animator, his eternal Father, verse 41.42. In our Saviour's Conference with the Spectators (whereof this Text is a part) we may note, that as it is emphatical, 1. by Interrogations, verses 34.37. and 40.2. by Injunction, verse 39 So is it Pathetical, and that two ways, expressing his Grief, 1. Intellectually, by Groaning, vers. 33.2. Sensibly, by Weeping, in this verse: jesus Wept.   

§. 3  
By which words, delivered, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, briefly, but sententiously, we may perceive the sacred fire of our Saviour's sweet affection, so kindled within his bowels, that smothered it cannot be, it must break forth, until it be quenched with bitter Weeping. Yet here, before I proceed to recommend the matter to the entertainment of Christian Affections, I could stay the eye of the Reader, and try the beginning of my strength, in showing the variable Opinions of Authors, concerning the Birth, Education, Conversation, and other Passages in the State, and Condition of Life, which Lazarus, and his Sisters are supposed to have enjoyed and attained upon earth; And the rather, because these Persons seem to be the proper Object, and Occasion (which Rules of Art enjoin us not to omit) of this Text and Weeping. But I mean not to lead my Meditations aside; for beside the Name of Lazarus, and Place of his abode, we find nothing revealed in Scriptures. Perhaps the Holy Ghost knowing, 
Aug. Conf. 10.3.  that Curiosum est genus humanum ad cognoscendam vitam alienam, desidiosum ad corrigendam suam, Man is curious to dive into the life of others, but slow to amend his own; thought it not much material, or pertinent for us to know, whether they were Rich, or Poor, Old, or Young Noble, or Ignoble; seeing the Lord conferreth his Spiritual Blessings promiscuously upon all, 
Act. 10.34.  that we might learn that God is no Respecter of Persons; But in every Age, State, Nation, and Condition, they that fear him, and work righteousness are accepted with him: In which unequal (yet just) dispensation of his benefits, I trust there are none so blinded with Ignorance, as to imagine that the Lord is partial;  he respecteth none for any outward Circumstance or Quality adherent to their Person, neither is he in any man's debt, nor will he have us to value, or esteem his Graces by the dignity of any Person, but by his own Bounty.   

§. 4  
Yet Petrus de natalibus, 
Lib. 1. c. 72.  following (I know not what) Tradition, doth confidently affirm, that they were famous among the jews for their Riches, and Nobility. Antoninus, 
Anton. part 1. Hist. Sua.  writeth that Mary and Martha were Ladies, the one in Magdalis, the other in Bethany; And that Lazarus was Landlord, and Owner of many fair houses in Jerusalem. But these Traditions or rather Fancies, 
Bar. Annal. Tun. 1. p. 139. Epiph count. Manich. Hares. 66. pa. 281. Pelarg in Text.  their own Baronius hath refuted. Epiphanius saith, that he found likewise by Tradition, that Lazarus was Thirty year old when he was raised from the dead, and thereafter lived Thirty years more. Others writ, that Lazarus was made Bishop of Massilia, in the Fiftith year of Christ, when he with his two Sisters, their maid Marcelia, Maximinus, one of the Seaventy two Disciples, Chelidonius a blind man, and other Converts persecuted by the jews, were taken and put into an old Ship, without food, or Ship-furniture, that they might perish by Famine or Shipwreck; But all arriving safe at Massilia, he converted those Barbarians unto the Faith of Christ; And at length after many tortures was beheaded and made a Martyr. Of Mary likewise, some Ancients doubt, whether she were the same mentioned Luk. 7.38. 
Seleve. Orat. ●●.  Or some other: Basilius Seleuciensis saith, she was not that woman mentioned, Math. 26.7. nor that Mary mentioned Luk. 10.39. his reason is, they were, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, notorious Sinners, but this Mary was ever a grave and sober woman. Origen, 
Origen in Mat. Tract. 35. Chrys. in joan Hom. 61. Niceph lib. 1. cap. l. 3. Hierom. in Mat. 16. Cle. Ro. l. 3. Const. Apost Aug. de. Cons Eua. l 2. c. 78.79 Ambr. & Bed. ●● Luc. 7.  Chrysostome, and Nicephorus say, there were three mary's: Hierome, Clemens Romanus, and others say, there were only two mary's: but Augustine, Ambrose, and Beda acknowledge but one Mary only. Yet (due reverence reserved unto their Fatherhood) we may safely think, that the Evangelist in the second verse of this Chapter, doth distinguish Mary the Sister of Lazarus, from Mary the mother of Christ, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Cleophas: Although we may not be scrupulous, curious, nor peremptory in such matters, as make not much for integrity, either of Faith or Manners; lest such subtleties do not only quickly vanish in the judicious thoughts of others, but at length do bring their own Authors to an Apoplexy.   

§. 5  
But because, 
Hierom. contra Heluid.  Nugas terimus dum fonte veritatis omisso opinionum rivulos consectamur, we do but prate, whilst leaving the pure fountain of Truth, we follow the muddy Streams of Opinion: That we then may leave such Seraphical spirits (as they would seem unto themselves) to be censured by Augustine, for that from which they would fain free themselves, even defect of Learning, 
De Ago Christ. ca 4.  Omnis enim Anima indocta curiosa est; For it is the want of Learning that maketh men curious: * let us rather learn how to discharge the bond of this needful duty, then to dive into the Subtleties of curious wits; And frequently, and fervently ask of the Lord our heavenly Father, 
Iosh. 15.19.  the like blessing which Achsah did ask of Caleb her earthly Father, even Springs of waters, and Tears of Weeping, that we may weep, as jesus Wept.   

§. 6  
Weeping then is the sum and Subject of this Text, exprsesed by the Holy Ghost without addition of any other words, or so much as of a Coniunctive Particle; which action of our Lord, related here so punctually by the blessed Evangelist, 
Muscul. in Textum.  Musculus, esteemeth worthy of all observation: As if our Saviour would thereby argue, that as Weeping showeth the desperate case of those, whom we lament, whether of ourselves or others; so it is the last means, by which we can help Souls desperately wicked. For if Physicians, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, administer desperate Remedies to desperate diseases, and that suddenly, Christian Patience (I hope) will admit the Remedy of Weeping, to cure (if it be possible) the desperate desolations of Souls, and that resolutely and briefly. Yet lest brevity should breed obscurity, the declaration of this Subject (if the Lord permit) shall be first exegetical, 
Senec. Epist. 84.  2. polemical 3. paraenetical: And therefore, Cum melius seruentur distincta, I confine my Meditations to prosecute. 1. the Explication of the Nature. 2. the Illustration of the necessity. 3. the Application of some uses of Weeping.   

I. Part exegetical: Explicating the Nature of Weeping.  

§. 7  
E 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, jesus wept, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (to Weep) Etymologists derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To be wounded or bitten, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith the Greek Scholiast, because weeping proceedeth from a wounded spirit. Weep being the Shedding of Tears, that water of the highest price, that shower which cometh from the heart pierced for the most part with Grief, and that Sweat, yea Blood of the Soul labouring in sorrow is then properly and commonly caused, when the Concavities of the Brain, 
Basil Home 4. de Grat. Actione.  filled with the smoky perfume of Sorrow, do vent their Moisture or liquid humour, through the eyes, as their proper channels, and distil it into Tears. But leaving the exact definition of weeping to Physicians, 
Cypr. de discipl. & habit. Virg.  Artists, Anatomists, (lest I should seem rather to confine it, then define it) As Cyprian, described discipline, so we weeping; Custos spei, retinaculum Fidei, dux Itineris salutaris, foams bonae indolis, magistra virtutis, facit in Christo manner semper, ac iugiter Deo vivere, & ad promissa coelestia, & divina praemia pervenire: Weep is the watch of Hope, Anchor of Faith, Guido to Salvation, Mistress of virtue, the nourishment of good Nature, which maketh us to abide in Christ, to live unto God, and ministereth an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord, and Saviour jesus 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 be considered. 1. In the Pattern of Christ: 2. In the Practice of Christians. In the Pattern of Christ, Weep was an action of Christ, in whom as all Graces were transcendent, so the exercise of them was supereminent; Seeing then, 
Cypr. de b●no patien.  Bonum quod amat, Dominus commendat, The Grace which our Lord loveth, he commendeth by his practice, we cannot err if we follow Christ as our Pattern in this Action of Weeping. That all Christ's Actions are to be imitated, no man doth affirm, for such as were personal, or of divine Operation, as his miraculous works; or of divine Prerogative, as his sending for the Ass and Colt without leave of the Owner, or mediatorial, as the works of his Prophetical, Regal, and Sacerdotal offices; none may attempt to imitate: Neither always his Actions Circumstantial, as his Gestures, Vestures, and other Circumstances, which incidentally and indifferently Christ used upon certain Occasions only, and cannot be pressed upon our Consciences, as necessary to be imitated without Superstition, because not contained within compass of divine Prescript, or Institution: But only his Actions moral, as the works of Obedience, Meekness, Humility, Patience, and Weeping, wherein (as Saint Peter saith) He left us an example, 
2 Pet. 2.21.  that we should follow his steps; and to those moral Actions only, 
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 deeds; teaching what should be done, and doing whatsoever he taught, hath tied us to imitate him by his own commandment Math. 11.29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Learn of me. In the Practice of Christians, Weep must be considered, seeing the Lord in the infiniteness of his love hath continually raised unto us many Guides, to direct us not only in words, filling our ears with Holy Persuasions; but also by example, representing Grace most lively to our eyes, and most frequently in this symptom of all Grace, Weep. In which, as Christ himself was a glorious Sun, so were his Saints in all ages, as so many Stars, to light and to lead us (as well by example as by exhortation) through the dark and dangerous passages of his life. That seeing it is the greatest Glory whereto we can aspire, to draw as near unto Christ in likeness of life, as he did unto us in likeness of nature, We might learn to weep, seeing jesus wept.   

Of the pattern of Weeping in Christ. §. 9  
FIrst; As for the Pattern of Weeping in Christ, seeing here, Ad illius exemplum mittimur, 
Hieron. ad Celan. Matr.  quem omnes fatemur imitandum, we are sent to imitate him, whom we all acknowledge most worthy of imitation: That he wept, it needeth no proof, where the Scripture is so plain and plentiful; The only difficulty, is to assign, 1. The Cause, 2. The Reason why he wept. And here to assign the Cause of Christ's Weeping, we had need, for distinctness of Explication, to distinguish the Efficient from the Final: And the rather, because Philosophy teacheth, That the one may be the Cause of the other mutually. To shun therefore Confusion of speech, as the general Cause of every general effect, should be showed; so the Particular Cause of this Particular Effect must be assigned.   

§. 10  
The efficient Cause of Christ's Weeping, 
Arist. Phis 2. Ca 3.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from whence immediately proceedeth this change, was his inward Grief; therefore Bonaventura concludeth, 
In l. 3. Sent Dist. 15. Art. 2. qu. 2  Fletus est signum interioris moeroris, Weep is a sign of inward Grief: For as smoke a sign of fire, is immediately produced by fire, so is Weeping by Grief: But for what our Saviour grieved, and wept, I find it not determinately defined by Interpreters. 
Bulling. in Text.  Bullinger, mentioneth three opinions, That he wept, grieving. 1. At the Malice of Satan, by which death came into the world. 2. At the power of Sin, by which infinite souls were destroyed. 3. At the invincible Incredulity of the jews: And annexeth his own for the fourth, as most probable, and plausible, His great Love to Lazarus, and his Sisters; So that when he saw them Weeping, and the jews also weeping, than jesus wept.   

§. 11.  
Grief then being the Efficient Cause, which immediately caused this weeping, it is requisite we observe here. 1. The Manner, 2. The Matter of his Grief. The Manner was (which may seem, a Monster in Nature, and a Miracle to natural men) Voluntary;  as he assumed none of our Personal, but all our Natural Infirmities, which proceeds not from Sin, nor tend unto Sin; So he was affected with this natural Infirmity 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 be grieved three ways; 1. Besides the Dominion of reason, as with the first motions of Grief, which suddenly do surprise us; 2. Against the Dominion of Reason, when Reason is not only troubled, but disturbed, that is, subdued by Sensuality for a while. 3. According to the Dominion of Reason, when Reason commandeth us to be grieved; and thus in this last sense, our Saviour's Grief produced this Weeping willingly; when he considered his Father's Glory defaced, and man's Salvation endangered, he grieved willingly, Although when he considered the Grief itself, it was against his Will, because painful. Erroneous then is that Doctrine of Stoical Apathy; 
Aug. de Civit. l. 14. c. 9  That a wise man is not troubled with Grief and other Passions; All which Christians must have (for Christ himself had them) lest they turn Stoics: 
Aug in jeaen. Tract. 60.  Qui quemadmodum Vanitatem existimant Veritatem, sic Stuporem deputant Sanitatem, saith Augustine upon the 21. verse of this Chapter; Who as they account Vanity to be Verity; so they esteem Stupidity to be Soundness: Not knowing that the Soul of man, as well as the Body of man, 
Aug. Ibid.  is then most desperately, and dangerously diseased, when most insensible of Grief, saith the Father. For a man not to be grieved when he ought to be grieved, Est durities, non sapientitia, It is Hardness of Heart, and not Wisdom.   

§. 12  
Thus seeing our Saviour grieved, not absolutely against his Will, but only in some respect: That we may Secondly conceive the Matter of his Grief more plainly, here consider. 1. The object, 2. The Subject of his Grief. The Object, or Motive which moved him to Grieve; Aquinas saith, 
Tertia parte 15. a b. in C. 1.2 36. 1. c.  was the Evil which Inwardly he apprehended. For as the Object of outward Pain, is some hurt apprehended by the sense of Touching, so the Object and Motive of Grief, is some evil apprehended inwardly, either Really or Imaginarily. Thus the Soul of our Saviour might inwardly apprehend some things as hurtful, either in Relation to himself, as his Death and Passion; or in Relation to others, as the Sins of his Disciples, Incredulity of the jews, or Misery of his friends. The Subject of his Grief in this perplexity, were all the Faculties of his Soul; Understanding, Will, 
Aquin. 3.15 a. 5. ●n C.  Superior and Inferior Faculties. For seeing his body was passable and mortal, and his Soul had all natural powers, as well as supernatural: when these Faculties of his blessed Soul looked (Largely) not only to God and Man's Salvation immediately, but also to the Means which lead to Eternity, they could not but grieve; howsoever when (Strictly) they looked only to God and Man's Salvation, they were affected with Grief. Briefly Bernard telleth us, 
Bern. Epist. 25.  He was, Turbatus, non Perturbatus, Moved, not Removed from his trust in God, and resolution to work our good; which Divines do thus exemplify. A Physician prescribing a Leper to drink some poison for his Health, the Leper in his understanding conceiveth that Health is a good thing, & so taking the understanding (Strictly) there is no Grief in it; In like manner he willeth his Health, taking the Will (Strictly) neither is there Grief in it: But when he willeth his Health by this Physic, and remembreth he must drink that Poison, than he is grieved & sorrowful. Hence it is evident that they do mightily extenuate the meritorious & unvaluable Sufferings of our Saviour, who affirm that he suffered not immediately in his Soul, but only by Sympathy, that is, that only the Pains that arose from his Body tormented his Soul. Whereas, the Soul of our Saviour being the immediate Object of the wrath of God, his Sufferings are called in the Original, Deaths, Es. 53.9. Because he suffered the First Death, and the Equivalent of the Second Death.   

§. 13.  
The Final Causes of Christ's weeping are many, which the Learned observe; in which although, 
Hieron. i● Apol. 〈◊〉 Ruffian.  Hic sit Commentariorum mos, & explanantium regula, ut opiniones in interpretatione varian persequantur, & quod vel sibi vel alijs videatur, edisserant; It be the custom of Commentators, and rule of Interpreters in their Expositions, to rehearse diverse opinions, both of their own and of others; I will relate only three. 
Muscul. in Text.  1. To convince the Infidelity of the jews; That the Infirmity of his Humanity might be declared to be uhited in one, and the same work, unto the majesty of his Divinity: That whomsoever the majesty of his Godhead, manifested in raising Lazarus, should astonish; this weeping passion might relieve; and contrarily, whom the Infirmity of his Weeping did offend, his power in raising. Lazarus might incite to believe in the Son of God: 
●onauent. 〈◊〉 Tent.  By his weeing therefore in this short Scripture he did first demonstrate his Manhood, and thereafter by working the Miracle, his Godhead. 2. To confirm our Faith in the Truth of his Humanity; for the Fathers deduced unanswerable Arguments of his Manhood from this Text against Heretics; 
Apud Gel● in lib. c●●t●. Eutych. & Nest.  as Gregory Nyssen against Eunominus proved. That neither did Christ's Humanity raise Lazarus, nor his Divinity weep 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 shown, 
De fide fua ad Theoph. lib. 9  That Christ's Weeping for Lazarus, took away all suspicion of an imaginary and fantastical body; because Tears are the humour of a true body: 
De great. Actione.  Basil also saith, As our Lord was an hungered, and weary, not that his Divinity was overcome with labour, but his Humanity, admitted the nature of the passion that followed Nature; so he wept admitting the course of Nature into his natural body. 3. To excite in us mutual compassion, teaching us by his own example to weep with them that weep in a moderate manner; that neither, 
Isidor. lib. 2. Epist. 137.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Pelusiota, After the manner of madmen we should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; nor forget Christian Compassion and Humanity toward the dead, and distressed, as Abraham, jacob, joseph, David, and others have done: The Poet saith, 
Quis nisi mentis inops Natorum in funere Matrem  
Flere vetet?—   
Nature doth in a sort bid our Tears, though she bar our immoderation: yea, God himself allowed his holy Priests to pollute themselves in Mourning for their nearest dead friends, except the high Priests, which was forbidden him in a Figure: And it was not without special reference to a judgement, that God telleth Ezechiel, 
Ezec. 24.16.  He would take from him the desire of his eyes with a stroke, yet neither should he mourn nor weep, neither should his Tears run down. And there want not some Divines, which have thought Adam and Eve mourned an 100 years for Abel; 
1 Thess. 4.13.  And Paul reproveth not all Sorrow, but Heathenish, without hope or measure. He was not then affected with this passion of weeping, for his own Necessity, but for our Utility saith Brentius: 
Brent. in Text.  For in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, 
Heb. 2.17.  that he might be a merciful, and faithful 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 we are, yet without Sinne. Thus pitying the Impenitency and infidelity of the people, He that changeth our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, changeth also the affections of our Infirmity, 
Aug. Tract. 60. in Io. in.  Compatiens nobis affectu animae suae, having compassion on us with the affections of his Soul, saith Augustine: For although Sorrow did wrest from him many Tears in his passion, whereby he declared his Grief for the Pains which he suffered in himself, yet many more Tears did he shed in Compassion towards us.   

§. 14.  
Wherefore if ever Bellarmine might have sued out a writ of dotage justly in his latter days, surely he seemeth to dote, in that notwithstanding these and many more Interpretations of Fathers, and other learned, he saith that some Writers affirm, 
Bellar. de Gem Columbae, lib. 1. cap. 10.  That Christ when he wept did bewail Lazarus his mortal Life subject unto the miseries of mortality, unto which miserable Life he was to return from Limbo Patrum after his Resurrection. That the Soul of Lazarus was in the State of Happiness before our Saviour raised him, and that thereafter he was to reenter into a miserable Life; we deny not: But because he nameth not one of Ancient and Authentic Authority, to acquit his ridiculous Animadversion (concerning the being of Lazarus his Soul in Limbo Patrum) of an untruth; 
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 Error, and confirmeth our Position, 
Pelus lib. 2. Epist. 173.  his words are, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, Christ spoke in this manner, I bring Lazarus unto the storms and tempests of this Life, who was entered into the Haven of Rest, and had attained the Crown of Glory. But as Antipheron Orietes in Aristotle, thought that every where he saw his own shape and picture going before Him: So in every Text of Scripture where jesuits' walk, they do easily persuade themselves that they see the Image of their own Inventions. And here (if I had not resolved to study brevity) I could show the irreconcilable 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 Philosophy selected what liked them) have confarcinated and gathered somewhat out of all Religions, and blinded the Purity of Christian Religion, with their impure mixtures: That such wavering minds as complain of jars in our Reformed Religion, might satisfy themselves with the answer of Themistius the Philosopher to Valens the Arrian Emperor, 
Socrat. lib. 4 cap. 27.  That as small and few were the differences amongst those ancient Christians, if they had been compared with the diverse Opinions of Heathen Philosophers; So, private and petty are our Divisions, if compared with the almost infinite Controversies amongst Papists. But here I must six a Period.   

§. 15  
To assign the Reason why our Saviour wept here, it is remarkable that He 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 he healed the woman of her bloody issue only with the touch of his garment, He perceived that virtue was gone out of him: But here he groaneth, he grieveth, he weepeth; And that for special Reasons; 1. To show that such (saith Augustine) as have long been dead in Sin, 
August. in joan. Tract. 42.  yea such as upon whom Satan hath rolled the Stone of Custom, and stink in the nostrils of the world through the putrified sores of Sin, as Lazarus in his Grave, should not yet despair, but know that Weeping in Faith can cure diseases past all other cures and hopes. 2. For Examples sake, that no pains should be thought too much, no Sweeting or Weeping spared, nor Life itself esteemed too dear; but in imitation of our Lord's Compassion, we should leave no means untried, in all diligence showing much Pity and Compassion in converting them. 3. To show 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 Pity he worketh by the Ministry of weak and mean Instruments the miraculous work of man's Conversion. 
Melan in Text.  4. Melanchthon, addeth, that because Satan would have hindered him by diverse cogitations, over whom as our Saviour Triumphed in victory, so he wept for the general Misery of man, more palpably expressed in the passages of this Miracle, than any other.   

§. 16.  
But as there is no proportion between his Sorrow and our Sorrow, either in Quantity or Quality, in the Cause or Effect, So there is no Similitude: For we in our State of Corruption are more grieved for that which we suffer ourselves, than we can be grieved for any other; But Christ was more grieved for us, that we were separated from God, than he was for himself in his most bitter passion; Therefore he charged the daughters of Jerusalem, 
Luk. 23.28.  not to weep for him, but for themselves. 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 satisfy for us, but a Charitable Affection, whereby he would voluntarily and of his accord, give evidence of those  Final Causes: And thus it seemeth Aquinas would be understood, 
Aquin. in Text.  when he saith, Hae lachrymae non erant ex necessitate, sed ex pietate, ut docerent hominem propter peccatum sletihus indigere; He wept not of necessity, but Piety; that man might know how much he needeth to weep for Sinne. Thus jesus wept.   

Of the Practice of Weeping in Christians. §. 17.  
HAving dispatched the Pattern of Weeping in Christ, we come next to consider the Practice of Weeping in Christians. Weeping, est triste Ministerin, is a sad Doctrine, and unsavoury to flesh and blood, and therefore most men distaste it, as the Israelites did the bitter waters of Marah; many account it a heavy and troublesome matter, as if they got no good, no benefit by Mourning and Mortification, but deprived themselves of worldly Pleasures. Yea it is esteemed by most Protestants, as Purgatory is by Papists, who make it equal with Hell itself, in Violence, though not in Perpetuity of Torments: For, 
Aug. Confess 7.16.  Palato non sano poena est panis, & oculis aegris odiosa lux, quae puris amabilis; The same bread is distasteful to the sick, that is sweet to the sound Palate, and the same Light is offensive to the sore, that is comfortable to the clear eyes. Yet as there is no passage into Paradise but under a fiery Sword, so if ever we look to enter into that heavenly Paradise, that place of everlasting bliss, where all Tears shall be wiped from our eyes, we must pass through the Purgatory of Weeping, under the sword that cutteth away the branches of our corrupt Nature, 
Cant. 7.4.  and must have our Eyes like the Fishpools in Heshbon, standing full of water, and weep. Voluptatem vicisse, 
Cyprian. de Bone Pudie  maxima est voluptas: Nec ulla 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 we triumph over our own Lusts in Weeping. But Weeping, as all other Services of the Saints, is perverted in a false Imitation. For as the grand Imposture of the world had Sacrifices, Washings, Tithes, Priests, Altars, Oracles among the Heathen, counterfeiting and imitating the like to these in the Church of God, thinking by this means either to disgrace the Ordinances of God by Superstition, or to beset the minds of men with Ignorance, that they should not distinguish between Truth and Error: So by the same Satan's cunning, always skilful to transform himself into an Angel of Light, Weep hath it counterfeit humour, false, hypocritical, and external shows and showers of Tears, all strangers to a wounded Spirit, and therefore, 
Hiero●. 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 between Good, and Evil.   

§. 18  
Lest then any should either misconstrue my Meaning in this Di course, or mistake a poisonful Potion for wholesome Physic to their own destruction; Let it be observed without further Curiosity, that because Weep is a word Homonymous or Ambiguous, and as the Philosopher saith, 
Arist. Topie. 5.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Every word that is ambiguous is obscure; we distinguish it into Feigned and Unfeigned Weeping. Feigned Weep are the outward and dissimulate Tears shed for fashion only, with which the crafty and subtle of heart do daub their Hypocrisy and Dissimulation in the sight of men: This the Heathen perceived 
— Lachrimae simulare docentur,  
Hae quoque habent arts, quaeque iubentur eunt.  Thus Sampsons' wife wept. 
judg. 14.16 17.  This weeping is like the Crocodiles weeping, external only and to the show, For as many do pray from the teeth outward, so many do weep from the eyes outward, whose custom it is, according to the proverb, 
Erasm. Ada●. Chil. Cont. 9 ●●ou. 10.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To weep at the grave of their Stepdame; composing their foreheads to sadness and gravity, while they bid their hearts to be wanton and careless within. 
Curt. lib. 5.  But if none or few (as reporteth the Historian) could deceive Antipater by weeping, much more are all ●eares, 
Heb. 4.13.  naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Unfeigned Weep proceedeth always from the Heart and the Passions thereof; Some times from Indignation and Fear; Some times from Tribulation and Sorrow; Sometimes from Exultation & joy, Sometimes from Humiliation in Compunction for ourselves, & Compassion for others.   

§. 19  
Weep proceeding from Indignation, produceth Tears of Anger, Flendo diffundimus iram, By Weeping we express our Wrath, and Anger. And thus we see many women and stomackefull Children, not knowing how to revenge their supposed injuries, often fret and burst forth into Tears; and Children beholding the rod of Correction, for Fear of Punishment do fall a weeping.   

§. 20.  
Weeping proceeding from Tribulation is provoked by Sorrow and Grief of Heart; for the loss of any thing may well be called worldly Weeping. And is according to the diversity of Objects, Corporal or spiritual. First, sometimes for Corporal, and worldly things; And is either, 1. Natural, as for losses and crosses in Goods, Health, Honour, Friends, and the like; for which moderately to weep, is not simply evil, but it is a wickedness to be, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without natural affection: Thus Samuel wept for Saul, David for wicked Absolom, and our Saviour over Jerusalem; 
Add. pag. 16 Ber●. super C●●t, Serm. 26.  Illi flerunt Compatiendo, & ego Patiendo non audeam? They wept in Compassion of others, and may not I in Passion of myself: And here at the grave of Lazarus, Christ neither reproved their Weeping, nor prohibited their Weeping, but Wept with them that Wept; Where, as his Tears were Testimonies of his Nature not of Diffidence, So our Weeping may not be a sign out of our Infidelity, but present Condition. 2. Diabolical, when a friends departure into Glory is more lamented, than the departure of Christ from the Soul; when the fits of some short Sickness, are more lamented than the anguish of an afflicted Conscience; when the loss of a little worldly wealth is more lamented, than the loss of our heavenly Treasure in the Lord's worship, vilifying it in our attendance as if it were only some base Circumstance, or outward Compliment; when none of God's Threaten do cause us to bewail our Misery, and yet every trifling Inconvenience or disappointment 
— Gravius moderamine iusto  
Nec pro materia fertur doluisse—  Doth so tyrannically torment our Souls, as though we were utterly undone: This is worldly Weeping conceived for corporal and worldly things. Sometimes this kind of Weeping is conceived for Spiritual things, yet in a carnal and worldly manner; when the matter is Spiritual, but the respect is carnal: thus Ahab humbled himself 1. King. 21.27. Esau wept, Genes. 27.38. and judas, Math. 27.3. Hear was weeping, yea the Causes thereof were Spiritual, Ahab for his Oppression, Esau for his Blessing, and judas for his Treachery; but the respect was worldly and carnal, for the danger of their Punishment wrought in their Consciences by the Law; which is the minister of death, and can never work 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 sorrowful Weeping for the avoiding of the Curse. Yea, it setteth before our eyes the rigour of God's precisest justice, and doth in a manner forbidden all Godly Weep; Telling us, it is in vain to seek by Tears and Lamentations any Mercy at his hands, who is a consuming Fire, a God of pure eyes, and cannot behold Iniquity. Thus the Law of itself leaveth such Mourners in utter desperation, than which there is not any thing more contrary to Godly Lamentation: And is no otherwise a Schoolmaster unto Christ, then as the Minister of the Gospel maketh use of it, contrary to it own nature, to drive us unto Christ, by teaching the Sinner condemned in the Law, not to weep so much for the danger of his Punishment revealed to him by the Law, as for the Evil of his Iniquities, for which mercy is offered unto him in the Gospel. Thus many do weep, and yet never are saved.   

§. 21.  
Weeping proceeding from Exultation hath joy of heart for it Cause; For it is the expression of some men's kindness to entertain others with Tears, and to testify their Love and Affection with weeping, as David and his Servants, 
2 Sam. 13.36.  when the King's sons came, who were supposed to be slain at Absoloms Sheepshearing: And joseph entered into his chamber and wept, 
Gen 43 30.  when his bowels yerned upon Benjamin: Thus some men, as Cyprians, Martyrs, express their joy with Tears: and the mutual embracing of Minutius, 
Plutarch. in Fab Maximo.  and Fabius, Maximus occasioned the whole Army of Romans to weep for joy. 
Aquin. 22. cue 82. A. 4.3.  Thus (as Aquinas teacheth) Tears proceed not alwaise and only from Grief, but sometimes also from tenderness of Affection.   

§. 22.  
But my purpose is to treat only of that weeping, which proceedeth from Humiliation, which in compassion layeth to heart the miserable condition of others no less than of ourselves through sin: and may be termed a Godly and Christian Weeping; Being for Sin as it is Sin, a breach of God's Law, a Dishonour and Offence done to his Majesty: whereby not only our eyes do melt into Tears, but our hearts dissolve into sighs, and our Souls languish in Dislikes: Yea all that we are and have, suffer some punishment, that when the Lord is incensed with our Iniquities, he may be appeased with our Weeping; Not because our Weeping in itself is acceptable unto God, but because it floweth from a due consideration of the Lords tender and merciful dealing with us, and our ungrateful and ungracious Carriage towards him: The fear of God's judgements, and Horror of Hell, may strike the heart with astonishment; but it is Grief for displeasing our merciful God, & Sorrow for giving him cause to hide his favour from us, though but for a time that properly causeth this Godly Weeping. Thus this Godly Weeping; 
Cypr. de Bono Pudicit.  Virtus est quae de dono Dei venit, licet se in oculo hominibus ostendat, It is a Grace given by God, though it do manifest itself in the Eye unto men. And that the Soul doth Weep, the Scripture warranteth this kind of speech, for jeremy the 4.14. Jerusalem is exhorted to wash her heart from wickedness; james 4.8. The double-minded must purify their hearts. And jeremiahs' Soul did weep in secret, jer. 13.17. Weeping then is not only an outward action but an Inward Gift of the Spirit, ezpressed in outward Action: For the Lord saith, Zachar. 12.10. I will pour upon the house of David the Spirit of Grace and Supplications, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn; Evidently arguing it to be a Grace of the Gospel, and a Quality or Infused Gift, as Faith, Hope, Charity, are given only to the Heirs of Salvation: For it is prescribed in the Gospel, jam. 4.9. It is Practised in the Gospel, as shall appear; It is promised in the Gospel, Ezech. 39.26. It is Performed in us by the Ministry of the Gospel, whilst it setteth before our eyes Christ crucified, and so causeth us to Weep, as Zach. 12.10. And therefore the voice of Weeping is the sweetest and most musical voice of all other: It is the Trumpet of our true jubilee sounding the Sentence of our Redemption and Adoption; 
Levit. 25 9  for by Weeping the Holy Spirit, 
Laert. in Solon.  not Solon-like publisheth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Law of Redemption, of Lands, Liberties, Livelihoods irrecoverably engaged and indebted unto men; But the Eternal Edict of Grace and Mercy concerning the Redemption of Souls and bodies sold through Sin unto Satan. Neither must it discourage us, that few do Weep; seeing true friends are few, 
Hier. contr. jovin.  few are the Faithful, Just, and Righteous, Semperque virtus rara est, And ever Grace is rare.   

§. 23.  
All which truly apprehended and considered, do evidently prove that Godly Weep is not, 1. So Sour or bitter a thing as most think, but that refreshing Oil, and sovereign Balm of Gilead, which cleanseth the Soul, and that with joy draweth water out of the Wells of Salvation: 
Isai. 12.1.  
Aquin. 22. qu. 123 8. c.  For Weeping is the true Fortitude of the Soul, which delighteth the Soul with the consideration of it owneparticular Acts and Ends, though in suffering some present Sorrow, it somewhat displeaseth the Soul and, Vir fortis nonest minus laudabilis in luctu, quam in bello, The valorous Christian is no less praise worthy in Weeping, than Warrfare. 2. Nor so full of difficulty as most think; For being the Gift of God, and Grace of the Gospel, it hath Grace annexed to it, whereby the same things that are required in the Gospel are also promised, and the Yoke made sweet and easy: 
Note.  Yea weak performance of it is acceptable and accepted by reason that as the Gospel accepteth every little Mite, so a desire to Weep is Godly Weeping; and to Weep, because we cannot Weep, goeth currant for Godly Weeping. 3. Nor so continued a work, as may never be discontinued.   

§. 24.  
For it is (once here, for all, to insert and inculcate the Confutation of Monkish hypocrisy) the Doctrine of Popish Superstition, all the day to bow down the head like a Bulrush, to affect a sad carriage, a demure look, or a dejected Countenance; Because sincere Christians should always Weep. Which immoderate and affected Weep is condemned by Nature and Reason, as well as by Religion. In Nature all the Elements abhor excess of Weeping; The Earth through immoderate rain is overflooded, the Waters bemudded, the Air darkened, the Fire oppressed with water giveth neither Light nor Heat: And the Eye itself (as Anatomists observe) hath six dry skins, 
Vesael 〈◊〉 7. cap. 14. Tolet, 〈…〉 Arist●●●●nim.  to dam up like Sluices the excessive course of Tears, whereas it hath but three moist humours like Channels dissolving into Tears. In reason, even blind Reason, such as the Heathen had, it was a Pythagorean Theorem, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Not to eat the heart; or, as Solomon expoundeth it, As the moth fretteth the garment, and the Worm eateth Wood, so Heaviness doth the heart: Whereupon Heraclitus having soused himself all his life time in Weeping, is reported to have died of a Dropsy, and (as a Selfe-Murtherer) drowned himself in his own Tears. In Religion, we are taught, That it becometh the Righteous to rejoice; 
Psalm.  And we are commanded to Rejoice evermore, 1. Thess. 5.16. But no where to Weep evermore; At the most, Solomon alloweth but a Time to Weep, 
Eccles. 3.4.  as a Time to Laugh: Therefore the very Egyptians when they would describe Weeping, painted those Pearls, which we call Margarites, or Unions, 
Suid.  whence Suidas saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Margarites Hiereglyphically signify the shedding of Tears; For as those Pearls are called Vniones in Latin, because they are found one after another, and never more at once; So Tears must be shed successively one by one, & never poured out all at once. Hence it may in like manner be conceived, 
Note.  that Tears are not always absolutely and necessarily required to manifest true Humiliation; For sometimes the Constitution of body will yield no Tears, neither in Sorrow, for Sin, nor worldly Crosses, which therefore may not be imputed to Corruption of heart, or State of Vnregeneracie; Sometimes abundance of Grief, doth so oppress the heart, that it cannot ease itself by Tears. When Amasis saw his son led to execution he could not Weep, but when he saw his Friend begging he wept, 
Ar●st. Rheter, lib. 2. c. 8  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; For the one was miserable, but the other cruel, saith the Philosopher. Thus many times Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent, Our lesser Griefs may be expressed by Weeping, greater ones by astonishment.   

§. 25.  
And here because I may hap pily seem, either palpably to bewray mine own Oscitancie, or dastarly to betray the causes I have undertaken; as if this were to make Weeping the easiest work in the World, yea a Pander to Sin, and we made no more of it, but Sin and Weep: As if our Weeping could get a Pardon of the Old, and a Licence for the New. And likewise because the Lawyer's rule may in such a case go currant with Divines, 
H●●●man. Quast. Illust. Quast. 23.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That the false colluding Accuser, and the faint-hearted Maintainer of the Truth are alike blame-worthy. Lest therefore any (as Patients oft do of Physician's Bills) should complain of Danger in this case; This Divinity we publish not to profane Ones, that turn every good thing to their own destruction. But as Physicians administer their choicest Cordials only to prepared bodies; So the comforts of these Attributes, can ease only those Weeping Hearts, in whom also they expel Sinful delights and desires; Who when they have appeased the Lord by their Weeping, adjure themselves and others not to offend him again. As for the peevish Multitude (that froward Generation) to them it is not given to know the mystery of Weeping, neither have they any part or portion in the forementioned Attributes of holy Weeping, the sole mundifying water that washeth off the Corruption, stayeth the Infection, cooleth the Inflammation, and healeth by degrees the most inveterate and dangerous Impostumation of our Transgressions.   

§. 26.  
What Cyprian then speaketh of the work of Regeneration, 
Cyprian.  may be truly applied to Weeping in Regeneration, Sentitur priusquam dicitur, It is felt before it can be spoken of. And because it consisteth rather in the Fervour of affections, than moisture of eyes, it is better felt then understood, and yet better understood than can be expressed. Lacbrymae sanguis Anima, 
August.  Tears are the blood of the Soul; Where though there appeareth no external scar to be seen in the flesh, yet wounded the Soul is (like the Dove in the Canticles) with the Darts of divine Love or Grief, and continually bleedeth, but inwardly in Tears of Compassion and Compunction. Hence it is, that the Regenerate in their Weeping resemble the strange Plant in Pliny, which buds inwardly, 
Pli● lib. 21 cap. 16.  and but seldom shooteth forth any Flower, Blossom, or Leaf outwardly: So that the greatest commendation of the Spiritual and Regenerate Mourner, is to be like the Garamantite, 
Pli. l. 37. c. 7  a precious Stone that hath no beauty in the outside, but within the body of it Golden Drops do appear. And thus whosoever Weepeth in Humiliation, is and must of necessity be Regenerate, for he unfeignedly loveth Regeneration, zealously studieth and practiseth Regeneration, hateth and abhorreth all Unregeneration, & endeavoreth every day to be more and more Regenerate. Whence we collect, as naturally flowing from the Text, and without wresting, That  
The most Regenerate are most inclined to Weeping.  
Which is, 
Basil.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The full matter in a few words; the Sum and Centre of all; The Sum of all that hath been said, and the Centre of all that shall be said in this Tract. And so we come to illustrate the Necessity of Weeping, the second part of this discourse, polemical.    

2. Part polemical: Illustrating the Necessity of Weeping.  

§. 27  
ANd truly polemical; 
1. Cor. 15.32  For as Paul fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men, so every poor Planter in the Lord's Vineyard must expect the encounter of unreasonable and wicked men, 
2 Thes. 3.2.  as the Apostle calleth the Gainsayers of Grace and Opposites of Sincerity; 
job. 10.17.  And no less than jobs entertainment, That changes and wars are against him. Wherefore that we may be able to stand in this Combat against the assaults of Satan and Scoffs of his Scavingers, we will brandish, First the Sword of the Scriptures, Secondly the Sling of Reason: Because Duplex est via quam sequimur, 
Aug de Ordine l. 2. c. 5  cum rerum nos obscuritas movet, aut Rationem aut Authoritatem; In unfolding Obscurities, we follow either Reason or Authority: And here we would confirm this Truth by both; And first by Authority.   

1. By Scriptures.  

§. 28  
FIrst to demonstrate this Truth, and Necessity of Weeping in the Regenerate; We have the Author and Finisher of our Regeneration, not only once, offering unto us in this Text a Testimony of his Weeping, but in the days of his flesh offering up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears, Heb. 5.7. Whence although we conclude not with Chrysostome that we find our Saviour not only often Weeping, 
Chrys Hom. 6. in Math.  and never Laughing: But not so much as, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lightly smiling, because the Scripture doth not mention it: Nor with Bernard, 
Bern. in Sentent.  That Thrice only in the Gospel he Wept. 1. At his Birth, for the general Misery of Mankind. 2. In this Text, for La●arus. 3. Over Jerusalem, immediately before his Passion: Yet we must consent unto Cyprian? Si ille flens orabat, 
Cypr. de Orat. Dom.  qui sine peccato erat, q●antt magis Peccatores sic oportotlorar●; If he prayed Weeping who was without Sin, how much more must Sinners pray Weeping? Christ's life though it hath a special Excellency to demonstrate this Proposition, because the Light of Truth shined as perfectly in it, as in the Scripture; Yet his Doctrine Math. 5.4. pronouncing those Blessed that mourn, and promising comfort for their reward, doth plainly confirm that as Comfort is properly and only due unto the Regenerate, so they are inclined to Mourn before they be thus rewarded; He foretold his Disciples, john. 16.20. That they should Weep and lament; Having in the foregoing verses promised the assistance of his Spirit, whose Nature is Love, and Name Comforter: Yet he will first see the Weeping effect of our Grief, before we can feel the loving and comfortable supply of his Grace; He will have us first pour out the wine of our Tears, before he pour in the Oil of his mercy. And the Lord, jerem. 31.9. Having established by promise the Covenant of Regeneration, addeth this Proviso, They shall come with Weeping; As if the Promises of Grace and Mercy, were the Whetstones of our Grief; Signs, not Salves of our Calamity; Memorials, not Medicines of our Misery. Be afflicted, mourn, and Weep; Let your Laughter be turned into Mourning, and your joy into Heaviness, jam. 4.9. Were the Apostles most strict and sacred Injunction prescribing to Weep, declareth it to be an inevitable Decree in the Court of heaven, and more inviolable, and inviolated by those that are in the State of Regeneracy, than the Laws of Medes and Persians.   

§. 29.  
We do all profess to be the Servants of the living God, But as of old, 
Levit. 21.20  none that was blind or had any blemish in his eye might serve at the Altar; So now, none can sincerely serve the Lord that are blemished with the want of Weeping; And among many Reasons this may be One, because for that impediment in the eye, we cannot well show our inward Sorrowing by outward Weeping. Which Necessity of Weeping, Hierome positively confirmeth, 
Hier. ad Eustoch.  Concluding, that, Longus risus perpeti compensandus est fletu, Much Laughter must be recompensed with much Weeping: And else where, that not only the Inhabitants of the Material Jerusalem, 
Hier. in 1. cap. Threns.  remembering in their afflictions and Miseries, all their pleasant things, that they had in the days of old, mourned and Wept; But the Members also of the Mystical Jerusalem repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit, must acknowledge they have erred from the way of Truth, and wearied themselves in the way of wickedness and destruction. 
Levit. 1.14. Levit. 5 7.  The most frequent Sacrifices among the jews were Doves and Pigeons, which of all Fowls do most often lament, and therefore the Lord ordained them to be often used in his Sacrifices, as the most significant Emblem of Weeping: 
August in joan. Tract. 6.  Whereunto Augustine elegantly alluding, saith, that the first visible manner in which the Holy Ghost descended from heaven, was like a Dove upon our Saviour in his Baptism; To teach us that as in the Ark of Noah there were a Raven and a Dove, So in the Ark of the Church there are Ravens known by their Croaking, and Doves known by their Groaning, the infallible witness of the Spirit abiding in them, which baptizeth and washeth them with Tears. The Lords breaking the Heads of Dragons in the waters, mentioned Psal. 74.13. is Allegorically expounded by Interpreters, to be the weakening and washing away of our strongest and vilest Sins 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 jordane; And all of them preached and prophesied 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 be sought for, by Prayer from the Lord; 
josua 15.19  as Achsah petitioned her father for Springs of waters, unto whom he had given a South-land; 
Mat. 25.44.  For many do feed the hungry, lodge the stranger, cloth the naked, visit the sick, and do other good works, wherein the Lord hath only given them a dry and South-land; With which (saith the Father) they must not be contented, but must further desire the Blessing of the Springs of water; The Upper Springs, that through the love of heaven; And the neither Springs, that through the fear of Hell, they may bewail the Sins they have committed.   

§. 30.  
But as a Coach drawn with many horses, doth easily run; So the Necessity of this heavy (as it seemeth to some) weight of Weeping, may be tolerated with more ease, if we consider that the Saints in Scripture have begun before us to bear this inevitable burden in the heat of their day. We find jobs face, foul with Weeping, job. 16.16. Paul protested, Act. 20.31. That for three years he ceased not to warn every one with Tears, day and night, knowing well, as Augustin observeth, Plus gemitibus quam sermonibus, plus fletu quam afflatu, There is more good to be done in Popular Sermons with ●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. jacob wrestled with God, and prevailed, Genes. 32.28. Which Wrestling the Prophet showeth was by Weeping, 
Hos. 12.4.  and his Prevailing by Praying. Daniel mourned three full weeks, Dan. 10.2. David made his bed to swim, and watered his couch with Tears Psal. 6.6. Lachrymisque suis ieiunia pavit, And his Tears were his meat day and night, Psal. 42.3. And that Sinful Woman, Luk. 7.38. which, 
— Purgata recessit  
Per gemitum: Proprijque lavans se in gurgite fletus,  
Munda su●● lackrimis redit, & detersa capill●.  Stood at our Saviour's feet behind him Weeping, washed his feet with Tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. And why should I add more. 
Cypr. de. B●n. Poti.  Inspicimus tantum pauca de multis, ut de pauc is intellig antur & caetera: For the time would fail me to tell of Annah, Samuel, joseph, jeremiah, Peter, Mary, Timothy; It were too tedious to insist in the examples of these and other Saints, subject to like Passions as we are; All whom we find, Quod voci deerat, plangore replêre, Where words were wanting have filled up their complaints with weeping. Whose good example we ought the more carefully to observe, for that the same light that shineth forth in the Scripture, shineth also in the conversation of the Saints, and is reflected from them to our eyes, as from a Glass; so that they are said, To hold forth the word of Life, Phil. 2.16. as the hand doth a Torch or Candle, that we in the darkness of this World, might follow them in this Valley of Tears.    

2. By Reasons.  

§. 31.  
NExt we add 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, Natural Reason must then do service & homage to Grace; bringing into captivity, 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, clearly to discern between 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 us the Apprehension of Fear. Although the Lord enlighteneth every one that cometh into this world with the Light of Reason (wherein the very Angels exceed us not, 
Count Aea. dem. l. 2. c. 7.  as Augustine saith confidently, though Acumine sensuum, In quickness of senses they do exceed us) yet hath he apppointed Precepts and Rules to guide Reason, which if man follow, he doth well; But if not, nothing well. The Rules being Spiritual and Supernatural, the Natural man receiveth them not (being the things of the Spirit of God) for they are foolishness unto 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, do know that generally Mankind is in bondage to sensual Wisdom, & commonly frame their lives thereby: Yea that the Sway of this knowledge, is so mighty, that in many plain and evident causes, of good and evil, the poor ruins of reason, which are the remnants of God's Image in the soul, are put out of countenance, in so much that many times, by Men of understanding, for fear or flattery, Evil is embraced for Good, and Good for Evil. Now though this seemeth not strange to the Regenerate, because they know, 
Cypr. a● Demet.  Senuisse iam Mundum, & non illis viribus stare quibus prius steterat, That the World is become weak through age, and is not so strong as it hath been; yet what greater Reason to weep can reasonable men have then this general mistaking of Good and Evil, throughout all most the Passages of this life; And that in those very Instincts, which are left as the Principal Guides of Reasonable man, by which his natural estate is continued, and without which, mankind being yielded up to the guiding of his natural Corruption, must needs have ruined and destroyed itself: Therefore the Regenerate knowing that, 
Aug. contr. 〈◊〉. l. 1. c. 5  Nihil est foedius risu irrisione digno, There is nothing more loathsome than 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 go out, neither knowing, nor caring, nor ask, what they have to do here, nor what is chief good for them while they be here; And that for the most part they do what they see done, or what their own Lust will have done, spending their time in Custom or Concupiscence; It would melt a heart of stone into Weeping to think how the Demeanour or rather Misdemeanour of our present estate, doth declare that we are here met together to no other purpose, then to play the Wretches and Fools; As if it were our appointed task to labour for Vanity, to be imaginarily pleased, but really tormented and eternally.   

§. 33.  
Secondly, the most Regenerate are most molested in this life with continual conflicts; Wherein Preces & Lachrymae arma sunt Christianorum, 
Ambros.  Weeping and sighing, and Groaning are their only Armour of Defence and Offence, the only Weapons of their spiritual Warrefare, by which they obtain both safety and Victory. For the most fiery Anger hath often been quenched with Weeping, the most stony hearts of most cruel Tyrants have been mollifyed with Weeping; And as many drops do soften hardest stones, so many Tears have softened the rigour of severest judges, and tied the Tongues of all Accusers: 
Cypr. ●pist. ●7.  Therefore Cyprian exhorteth, Incumbamus gemitibus assiduis, & de precationibus crebris; haec enim nobis sunt arma caelestia, quae stare & perseverare nos fortiter faciunt; To bend ourselves carefully and continually to Weeping and Praying; for these are our heavenly Armour, which make us stand and persevere unto the end. Weeping in all the suits of the Saints hath proved so strong an Advocate, that sell doom hath it let any suit fall, against whomsoever it pleadeth: Sure I am whensoever with Weeping we sue unto God in our Devotions, though our case seem most perilous and painful to men, it is most pitiful and powerful with God; And when ourselves seem most forsaken, we are most victorious: When we perfume our Prayers with this Water of Life; we purchase the favour of God, and repeal the sentence of his Indignation: Whereas when Weeping ceased, it were easy to give instance, that the Heavens became like brass, at the loss of so precious Waters, and the Earth like Iron, at the absence of so fruitful showers; For as by the Tears of the Godly are declared the first sparks of their Fearing the Lord; So their Tears are Tokens of the Lords Love to them. Till Death therefore close up their Eyes, they never leave Weeping; And then in Weeping are their Souls carried unto the Haven of everlasting Rest; That as by Weeping they first passed from Sin to Grace, so is their Weeping, Mundi melioris origo, Their Passage from Grace to Glory. Thus although, 
Hier. ad 〈◊〉.  Grandis sit labour, grandius tamen est praemium, esse quod Martyrs, esse quod Apostoli, esse quod Christus est, Great be our pains, yet greater is our reward, to be what the Martyrs are, to be what the Apostles are, to be what Christ is, who all Wept in this Valley of Tears. But we should seem to speak swelling words, if we continue in the clouds of Generalities; And if we should descend to some solid particular Examples, it were infinite (though easy) to demonstrate that Weep conquereth most, when it complaineth most, and commandeth most imperiously, when it entreateth most humbly: Therefore our Tears are, 
Cypr. Epist. 26.  Arma divina, & tela quae nesciunt vinci, The armour of God, and Weapons which cannot fail us. For what the Apostle saith of the fruits of Faith, may likewise be said of the Tears of the Faithful, who through Weeping subdued kingdoms, 
Hebr. 11. 3●, 34.  wrought righteousness, obtained Promises, quenched the violence of the fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong; Nay in all things we are more than Conquerors through him that enables us to Weep.   

§. 34  
Thirdly, The most Regenerate, are most replenished with Grace, and therefore most inclined to Weeping. They are filled with all the fullness of the Grace of God, Ephes. 3.19. Though not with the Essence or essential Virtue of Grace, 
Aquin. 3.7.10. O.  (as Aquinas speaketh) which is proper only to Christ, yet with a certain Intention and Extension of Grace, according to their condition and capacity; Therefore as the Faculties of the Soul do proceed from the essence of the Soul; So Weeping doth proceed from that Grace of God, 
Aquin. 12.110.4.1.  which is in the very Essence of their Souls as in it proper Subject, and not in any particular Faculty of their Souls. As Vessels full of liquid substances are aptest to distil the Liquor that is in them; So the Vessels of God's Mercy prepared unto Glory, are readiest to discover the good Treasure of their hearts, by their propension to Weeping. Thus when the Lord poured upon the house of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplications, they poured out Tears for him whom they pierced: But it was the deadly and indelible Iniquity of the jews, That when the Lord called to Weeping, and mourning, and baldness, and girding with Sackcloth; there was nothing but joy and gladness, slaying Oxen, killing Sheep, eating flesh; and drinking wine, Isa. 22.12.13. Sanctified Weep is a washing of Sin, and the Regenerate know, 
Cypr. de Orat. Domin.  that, Opus est quotidiana sanctificatione, ut qui quotidie delinquimus, delicta nostra sanctificatione assidua repurgemus; We have need daily to be sanctified by Weeping. If unfeigned Passions in the Soul of natural men will soon work effects in the body; Because the Soul and Body are so firmly and familiarly united together, that whatsoever joy or Grief happeneth to the one, it is presently communicated to the other: Much more do the Souls of the Elect made free from Sin, 
Rom. 6.18.  impart to their Bodies this service of righteousness, whose Bodies are not Mistresses but Handmaids; Weeping when their Souls are affected, as may be exemplyfied in all the fruits of the Spirit, mentioned, Gal. 5.22. For as Love cansed Abraham to weep for Sarah, Genes. 23.2. As joy caused joseph to Weep, when his bowels yerned upon his brother Benjamin, Genes. 43.30. As Peace moved jacob and Esau to Weep 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 mirror of the mind. And the dumb eyes of the Regenerate show the secrets of their hearts. And it is a part of the Spirits Intercession for us to help our Infirmities with groanings, 
Rom. 8.26.  which cannot be uttered, otherwise he dwelleth not in us: So that without this Weeping, Man is, Nec quicquam nisi pondus iners, Nothing but moving Rubbish.   

§. 34.  
Fourthly, The Regenerate have renewed affections, tenderly taking compassion on the miseable condition of others. For every one knoweth that Tears proceed most from the Fountain of Mercy, but chief in Love, for with the same eyes that we love, with the same we Weep, 
Calpur. Flaceus Declam. 16. Aug. Conf. 4.4.  said one. As many times such is our own Condition, that, In solis gemitibus & Lachrymis est nobis aliquantula requies, Our Weeping only doth diminish the anguish of our miseries, 
Aquin. 12. Q 38. A. 2. c.  because (saith Aquinaes') It is a contentment to man to do an Act befitting the estate wherein he findeth himself, and nothing doth agree better with the condition of a miserable man then Weeping; 
Matar. Hom. 15.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Our very Tears are a comfort to us. And because as by Weeping we cast out that which afflicteth us, and empty that humour which oppresseth our hearts, and thus find ease in our own afflictions: So our Weeping is sweet and comfortable even to those whom we desire to comfort, by Sympathy, fellow feeling, and Compassion; therefore saith the Apostle, Rom. 12.15. Weep with them that Weep; Because even by nature those that groan under any burden of Affliction feel his hand sweet, which laboureth to discharge them. So that in Humanity as well as in Divinity it is true, 
August. Hom. 50.  that, Sicut comes Poenitentiae Dolor est, ita Lachrym● testes Doloris, As Grief is the companion of Remorse, So Tears are testimonies of Grief. And not only every good eye will express his Grief, for those that be in distress, because there is no Accident of humane calamity which is not incident to ourselves; but it is so natural for a man to feel Compassion, when others like himself do suffer, that there is none so wicked, or worthy of death, but men do pity him, when he is at the point to die. Hence it is, that a Friend from whom Pity More 〈◊〉 Lachryma Sol● madentis ount,  
Wresteth Tears as the Sun (melteth the Snow) in the midst of the misery of a comfortless Soul) doth mitigate and mollify his Calamity, how great soever: For, 
Arist. Eth. lib l. 9 c. 11.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The sorrowful are comforted, when friends condole their Sorrows, saith the Philosopher: Whereof he yields two Reasons; One is, for that naturally they who groan under any burden feel his hand sweet, which laboureth to discharge them, or which help to support them; But friends that endeavour by Weeping to ease them (as it were) of the burden, which presseth them down, do sweeten their pain, and make them endure their Affliction, with more Constancy and Resolution: Secondly, for that they seeing their friends participate with their Grief, 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 we desire, if we cannot be relieved, yet to be pitied, to see some who condole our Misery, who wish us well, who want not Will, but power to relieve us. Wherefore these (I hope) or the like Grounds, derived from the Principles of Nature, may persuade us, That the most Regenerate are most inclined to Weeping.     

3 Part. Pareneticall: Applying some Uses of Weeping.  

§. 36.  
THus having Explicated the Nature of Weeping, and Illustrated the Necessity of Weeping; We come in the last place to Apply some Uses of Weeping. In which, because, 
Aug. de Ciu. De●. 10.23.  Nobis ad certam regulam loquendum est, ne verborum licentia impiam gignat opinionem, We must speak after some Method, lest liberty of speech should breed prejudicate opinion: We apply it for Reformation, Information, Humiliation, Exhortation, and Consolation; Seeing it doth naturally follow that this short Scripture, may Reform some in the Scandal of Weeping, Inform others of the Causes of Weeping, Humble many for the Want of Weeping, Exhort all to the Practice of Weeping, and Comfort the best with the Fruits of Weeping. But conscious to mine own Infirmities, Merciful Lord, favourably receive the groans which my Grief sendeth unto thee. That as thou hast infused a Soul into my Body, so thou wouldst infuse thy Spirit into my Soul, to guide all the Actions and Motions thereof; that I may show myself a Workman approved unto thee, rightly dividing thy Word of Weeping. Direct also (Sweet jesus) thy Spirit of Application unto the hearts of all, and every one in particular, that He may incorporate into us (according to our several Necessities) thy Precepts, Promises, and Threaten of Weep, That what is spoken to all, may be in effect applied 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 we cannot see this Grace of Weeping (the Path to Piety and Practice of all Virtue) disgraced without control? But like dumb Dogs men hold their p●ace, or with Solomon's Sluggard fold their hands in their bosoms and give themselves to ease and drowsiness, whilst Satan causeth Contempt and Opinion of Sufficiency, the basest and most noisome weeds, to dam up the flood gases of Weeping, that the choice Plants in the Eden of God may not be watered with this dew of heaven. Ah Lord! 
Aug Conf lib. 1. c. 5.  Miserere ut loquar, Be merciful that I may speak. Thou that fillest all things, why are not thy Servants filled with Power, 
Micah. 3.8.  and judgement, and Might, by thy Spirit, to declare unto jacob this transgression, and to our Israel this Sin: 
Amos 6.1.  Why do they not cry, and spare not, Why do they not lift up their Voices like Trumpets, and cry, and cry again, Woe to them that are at ease in Zion; 
Luke 6.25.  Woe unto them that laugh now, for they shall mourn and Weep? That though some deaf Adders will not be charmed and cured; Yea, though few or none of the swinish herd of habitual Sinners, accustomed to wallow in the mire of wantonness and Security, and deeply plunged into the dead Sea of worldly pleasures; Though none of them will be washed with Weeping, but turn again to their vomit, and trample the Pearls of all Admonition under feet; Yea turn again and rend their Reprovers with Scoffs and Scorns, making jests and songs of them: Yet some, Quos piget imitari, 
Aug. Conf. lib. 8. c. 6.  nolint adversari, That are not with us, may not be against us; And others may be deterred, reclaimed, and awakened to prevent and suppress the spreading Gangrene of Security and Lasciviousness; That thou, O Lord, mayst work thy work in such as belong to thy Grace, for nothing is impossible to the work of thy Grace.   

§. 38.  
Listen not then (you that nourish your hearts in delights unto the day of slaughter) Listen not unto the allurements of your flesh, that corrupt case of flesh and blood, wherein your souls are penned, as Prisoners in a loathsome Dungeon: Which as it shamefully abuseth and abaseth your souls; So your Souls will one day find it not only a Deceiver and a Traitor, but a Forger of false Assurances. Listen not unto the Enchantments of the world, or of your own corrupt hearts, promising unto yourselves Mirth, Pleasures, and jollity, lest Exigua ingentis vestr● solatia lu●tu●.  
For one drop of mad Mirth, you be sure of Gallons and Tons of Woe, Gall, Wormwood here or thereafter. Listen not unto that bewitching Imagination invenoming our Souls with a fond and false conceit, that Weeping is an Effeminateness of mind, or Imbecility of Nature, because in the esteem of Worldlings, Women only and Children through weakness of judgement be most addicted to Weeping. By nature indeed the Woman is the weaker Vessel, 
Theophyl. i● loan. cap. 20. p. 571.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Soon moved to Weeping, and subject to many either passionate Affections, or affectionate Passions. But the Adamantine hearts of such as seldom or never are dissolved by the blood of the Immaculate Lamb into the true Tears of Contrition, or Compassion, Hos non Nobilitas, generesave nomina tangunt,  
May justly cause them to be branded with Baseness of mind, and charged with hardness of heart: Seeing of whatsoever degree or condition they be, those are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the only raven Sots of our time, whose whole employment is to emasculate in themselves the Hereicall vigour of this heavenly Virtue: And (as much as in them lieth) enfeeble the hearts of the Lords people, as the faint hearted Spies of Israel, that they enter not into the promised land by the Sole way of the Weeping Cross, which the Lord hath apppointed and painted out. And therefore some dreadful death and unexpected, doth commonly surprise them, condemning their cruelty, 
Aelian lib. 14 c. 22.  as once the cruelty of the Tyrant Trysus, who when he thought to stop all occasion of Conspiracy against his own Person, first he commanded his Subjects not to speak one with another, cither privately or publicly, so that they were enforced to express their Meaning and Mind by the Motions of their hands and eyes; From which, when likewise he restrained them they mourned grievously with great weeping and lamentation: At length when the Tyrant hastened to inhibit their mourning, they killed him and his Minions with the weapons of his own Guard. These are, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Hom. Iliad. 9  (as the Greek Captain called his companions) the Women not the Men of Greece, the Carpet-knights of our nation, that begin Christianity in the delicateness of Agag, continue it in the Voluptuousness of Herod, and being brought unto a wicked (if not wretched) Death like Nahal, worthy of their miserable life, are buried as jehojakim with the Burial of an Ass, 
jerem. 22.18.  ignobly, ingloriously, without Weeping or Lamentation. But here I must stop, lest like Hipparchion, I be stricken blind, for saying there are Moats in the Sun. Yet it would grieve an heart of stone to see how furiously, 
Aug. Cons. l. 6. c. 4.  Insani sunt adversus antidotum, quo sani esse possunt, Men are enraged against the Physic, whereby they might be cured. For as those Grounds that lie low are commonly moorish, so this base part of the World wherein we live, is the Vale of Tears, that true Bochim, our mourning place; In which it is the Voice of every Man.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
In Anth●ll●. Graec l. 1. c. 13 Epig. 10.   
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
To acknowledge that he beginneth, continueth, and endeth his life with Tears. We begin with Tears; If a child be heard cry, it is in Law a lawful proof of his life; Else if he Weep not, we say he is dead borne, because stillborne: At our end and parting, God will have Tears, which he doth not wipe off, unless we Weep; Or at least, unless we be in that case that David and his people were in, and jeremiah, 
1 Sam. 3●, 4 Lam. 2.11.  and the jews that Wept until they had no more power to Weep. It is our destiny as we are Men, to Weep; But more as we are Christians. To sow in Tears: And God loveth these Wet seed times, and they are so seasonable for us, that here one saith, My belly, my belly, with the Prophet; Another, mine head, mine head, with the Shunamites child; Another, My son, my son, with David; Another, My father, my father, with Elisha; One crieth out of his Sins, as David; Another of his hunger, as Esau: Another of an ill Wife, as job; Another of treacherous friends, as the Psalmist; One of a Sore in body, as Hezekiah; Another of a troubled Soul, as our Saviour in the Garden; Every one hath some Cross, some Complaint or other, to make his cheeks wet, and his heart heavy.   

§. 39  
Why are we not then content to weep here for a while, on condition that we may weep no more? Why are we not ambitious of this blessed ease? Certainly we do not smart enough with our evils, that are not desirous of this rest We can do no other thing (saith the Moralist) not learn, 
Plin. Praf. lib. 7.  not speak, not go, not eat by natural inclination, but Weep: And yet, Your perverse disposition, unto every natural action, save only to this (most necessary) of Weeping: Hence it is that our miseries are like waves, which break one upon another, and toss us the more with perpetual vexations, because we are vain and foolish, and wish not with Weeping to be in our Haven; Because we are sick, and grieve not to think of our remedy; Because we are still dying, and are loath to think of life, therefore before our Tears be dry, they are ready to be overtaken with other Tears, in other particular Afflictions. Oh! our miserable Infidelity, that though we see a glorious Heaven above us, yet we are unwilling to go to it; We see a wearisome world about us, and are loath to Weep that we may think of leaving it. Oh! that the Lord would teach these Men how much they are mistaken, that think to go to Heaven with dry Eyes, and hope to leap immediately out of the pleasures of Earth, into the Paradise of God, insulting over the drooping estate of God's distressed Ones. 
Hierom. &. Beda in Math. 26.75.  But as Peter could not Weep while he was in the High Priests Hall, so these Men cannot Weep where they have offended. Yet let the know, they must have a time of Tears, And if they do not begin with tears, they shalend with them. Alas how are weak & wretched Sinners deceived by their sottish sense: they sweetly swallow without distaste the poisonous pleasures of Sin which bane the Soul; but they cannot relish Weeping, the principal expeller of this poison, they can no ways enforce it down. Whereas a Soul once infected with Sin cannot possibly be recovered to the State of Grace, but it must first be bruised with Weeping, as Corn is grinded with the Millstones: And this bruising maketh a broken and contrite heart, that Sacrifice which the Lord doth never despise. But this Virtue (as other Virtues) is not loved enough, because she is not seen; And her contrary Vices lose much detestation because their ugliness is secret. If in ancient Sacrifices of Pagans, they carefully observed the Generosity of the Beasts that were to be sacrificed; So as their Priest coming to brandish a naked sword before their Eyes, if they were affrighted, were chased from the Altar; Whereas if they stood still without amazement, were esteemed worthy to be sacrificed: Then dejected Spirits, which are affrighted, and do shun the bright Sword of the Spirit when seasonably it would extort Weeping, and cause us to shed Tears, Degeneres animos timor arguit, Their Fear argueth their dastardly Profession of Grace and goodness, and are always worthily contemned of good People, for their Baseness and Hardness of heart. And that Weeping is the effect of a contrite and mollified heart, witnesseth that Encomium of the Heathen Poet 
— Molis●●ma Corda 
juvenal. sat. 15.   
Humano generi dare se Natura fatetur,  
Quae Lachrymas dedit; hac nostri pars optima sensus.    

§. 40.  
For Weeping may not be esteemed base (without manifest Impiety and Blasphemy) which is so highly esteemed of the Lord, lest we condemn the Generation of the Just, and frequent practice of our Saviour. How much our Saviour regardeth Weeping, he evidently declareth, in that it was his pleasure not only to Weep so often for our example, but that the often Weeping of his Servants should be every where registered 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 Gospel; 
Luke 23.27  and the shedding of their Tears mentioned with the shedding of his own Blood. Certainly when he would not (as observeth a Divine Lawyer) so much as speak to Herod, nor answer Pilate, although he were urged, yet without request he spoke to those that We●t after him. Seeing then he did more at the silent tears of poor women, then either at the entreaty or command of powerful men; And, if it were only for that we are bound in all things we say or do, to have respect to his Example, We must not once think aught that may disparage so holy a Virtue. Wherefore as Leonidas said, it was better to go into the field with an Army of Hearts, a Lion being their Captain, then having but one Hart for the Captain, the whole Army consisting of Lions; So it should be our heart's desire and prayer to God, that the Masters of our Assemblies, Magistrates and Ministers (in whom to stir up this Grace of God, I principally intended this Weeping Treatise) might be furnished and endued with this Lion-like Virtue. And justly may it be called a Lion-like Virtue, for as it is the Nature of the Lion, Parcere subiectis, & debellare superbly.  
To spare the prostrate, and to devour the obstinate; So it is the nature of Weeping to obdurate the proud that Weep not, and to proncure Grace unto the Humble that Weep: Without which likewise even Faith in God's Promises may prove Presumption. But forsomuch as Rulers and Governors of others have plentiful matter above others to exercise their Weeping: Seeing (as the Historian hath well observed) Men are more bitter and troublesome unto their Governors, 
Xenophon in Praefat. Hist.  than any flocks of Sheep or Herds of Cattles unto their Keepers or Leaders: I thought with the Prophet, 
jerem. 5.5.  I would get me unto the Great Men, and would speak unto them, for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgement of their God, They know that Weeping is the most infallible Sign of a broken and contrite heart; They know that, 
Ezech. 24.16.  not without special reference to a judgement, did the Lord say to Ezechiel, that when he took away his Wi●● he should neither Mourn nor Weep, They know that, 
Cypr. Epist. 6.  Recedente hac disciplina dominica recedit & Gratia: When the sacred chastening of ourselves departeth, Grace departeth: And would to God those Great Ones did not presage that the constitution of too many of their Souls is exceeding defective, dangerous, and desperate in this respect. And therefore seeing, Nulla major flendi est causa, 
Seveca lib. 4 Controu. 1. P.  quam flere non posse, There can be no greater cause of Weeping, then when we cannot Weep; Not unto us, or the best Tears of the best of us, may we sacrifice as to our own nets; Blessed only be that Divine Providence evermore, which hath made our Dread Sovereign to cry down this universal Wantonness by his own Example, Whose Weeping in public and Private Devotions, like Hezekiah or josiah, as it may be said to procure our present Peace and Plenty, so will it be chronicled in ever Blessed memory till the days of our mourning be ended. But because a King is praised, Sentiendo copiosius quam loquendo; By silence more than by Speech, I leave it to the Hearts of all, to comment upon my Silence, and do only pray, 
O utinam n●citura tíbi, mitissime Regum,  
In medio nixu viscera rupta forent.   
That the Lord of Heaven and Earth would consume his Enemies, like a Snail that melteth, and that the Heart of every one may speedily whither in the midst of his bowels, 
Socrat. lib. 7 c. 22. & 41  who hearty and unfeignedly prayeth not for the peace of so meek, so mild, so merciful a Theodosius, and preferreth not his prosperity before his own.   

§. 41.  
Know we not that Weeping is the surest form of Supplication to obtain any thing of the Lord? With whom. — Lachryma pondera vocis habent.  
Tears are words, and more than words; For the multitude of words is not so persuasive, as a few Tears are prevalent, because words may proceed from the Tongue only. But Tears commonly from a broken Heart possessed either with Fear or Love; Weep may seem a Serpent to devour us, but if we step boldly unto it, we may take it by the tail (as Moses his Rod) and it will forthwith turn into a Rod of Comfort. 
Psal 23 4.  Why then should we be so afraid of Weeping, which is so highly commended, so straightly commanded, and so indifferently communicated to all that love the Lord jesus; Who loveth accepteth, preserveth, honoureth, blesseth, and never forsaketh them that Weep? 
Euseb de Vita Const. l. 1. c. 22.  If the Inscription of Constantine's Cross could assuredly persuade him of Victory, much more may we through Instruction of the Weeping Cross, fully believe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To prevail with all and in all. If Weeping argueth both the Magnanimity of the Saints, for, Vir fortis non est minus laudabilis in luctu, quam in bello, Our Courage is no less praiseworthy in Weeping then Warring, saith, devout Bernard; 
Bern Serm. 10, de m●do viven.  And excellency of the Saints, as the very Heathen by nature did maintain, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Zenob. Cent. 1. Prou. 14.  They affirmed that the most excellent were most inclined to Weeping. If Weep (I say) argueth the only true excellency and generous Magnanimity of the Saints, Servants, and Soldiers of the Lord upon earth, unjustly and undeservedly do Wanton Worldlings condemn it, because they affect it not. Alas, they do not know, neither consider that Weep overcommeth the invincible God, appeaseth the intractable Man, and tormenteth the Devil more than Hell-fire. For, 
Aug. Him 50.  Nec Vehementius Satan prosternitur, nec acriores dolores insligimus, quam quum plagas peccatorum plorand● sanamus; Satan is never more shamefully vanquished, or cruelly tortured, then when we cure the wounds of sin with Weeping. Alas! They know not that Weeping only is the water that quencheth the heat of God's anger, that qualifieth the force of his justice, that recovereth the loss of his mercy, and exciteth in our hearts, the spring of all his comforts. Chrysostome called it, 
Chrys ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 5.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Medicine which is able to cure the eyes; But we add further, that this Sovereign Medicine hath virtue in it to excerebrate all Cares, to expectorate all Fears, to evacuate all Griefs, to exhaust all Passions, and to exhilarate the whole Man. If we should part with all we have, all our delights, all our desires, we part with no more than nothing, for the enjoying of this Grace, which doth more sweetly refresh us, more abundantly satisfy us, and more fully assure us of the favour of God, than all that we are able to part from; For so much as Weeping doth infallibly prove our Union with God, 
Chr●s. Hom. 6. in Matth.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Nothing combineth and so fast uniteth unto God, as tears, saith Chrysostome. Weeping then is a sign that two Extremes, the Mourner and the thing mourned for are combined into one. For as they that Weep for Earthly things are earthy; So they that Weep for Heavenly things are Heavenly and united unto God, Though not Naturally, yet Spiritually; Not transformed in Nature, but changed in Affections and whole manner of life: That as Iron cast into the Fire, showeth that it hath taken the Qualities of the Fire, and yet ceaseth not to remain Iron; So he that Weepeth is partaker of the Purity and Sanctity of God, though still he abide Man. Weep then, O Christian, and vilify the false Imputation of Pusillanimity; 
Cypr. ad Demet.  Esteeming it more modest and Religious, Errantium imperitiam silentio spernere, quam loquendo dementium Insaniam provocare, Tovilifie their Ignorance by silence, then to provoke their frantic madness by replying; for Weeping is the Language of Heaven, and the strongest voice to call upon God. Howsoever, Lord grant, I may not only be permitted, but enabled to Weep.   

§. 42.  
And the rather, because none of the most Regenerate in their greatest abundance of Tears and proneness to Weeping, do we ever read to have been satiated or satisfied with Weeping, but (as a thirsty land) to have desired more of this Heavenly Moisture. For, so fare are we from Superfluity, that with much labour and watchfulness attain we to Sufficiency of any Grace in this State of Mortality. It is a ruled Case in Divinity, That Faith or any other Grace, cannot be consummated in this Life; In which we see through a Glass only, and darkly; Until it do terminate in Glory, and that which is imperfect be done away. Not that Weeping can be continued, where our main Comfort is, that all Tears are wiped away: But that, as Faith then shall be turned into fruition; So Weeping into the accomplishment of joy eternal. Great then is the Forgetfulness, that I may not say the Impudence of Bellarmine, 
Bellar de Com. Colum. in Epist. ad jesuit.  who in the Epistle to his Fraternity boasteth of such superabundant Weeping in his Ignatius & Xaverius, that they were constrained, A Domino temperamentum petere. To pray God to restrain their weeping. Which Excess of Weeping, never happened (for aught I find) unto jeremiah, David, or other true Saints, though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Infallibly inspired of the Lord; But rather wished for fountains, and gloryed in Rivers of Tears. By which Incredible and False Assertion, as we may conjecture, what wide Difference there is, between the (not Superstitious only, and Supererogating, but) Blasphemous Saints of Rome, and the truly Sanctified Saints of God, Canonised in the book of Life; So 
— Insidas & crimine ab une  
Disce omnes.—   
We may perceive how fare we may trust his judgement, and what credit he deserveth in Matters of Faith, when as he so intolerably luxuriateth in the Morality of Weeping, flatly contradicting the Tenor of Scriptures, and common Currant of purer and Primitive Fathers, which to avoid Tediousness I spare to insert.   

§. 43.  
That his Assertion is Incredible, the Person of whom it is affirmed, confirmed it. For in Ignatius by Profession and Education abloody Soldier (which were enough for Confutation) our Weeping and his Warring habituated in wickedness, can no more subsist, then Light and Darkness together. Mistake me not, for a Transgressor of any common Place. The Lord (I acknowledge) may have his Saints among Soldiers. But Ignatius his Conversation is not so superannuate as the Story of Pope jone which hath gained by the Age of it, now scarcely to be believed; being (as it were) but a Matter of yesterday: And from whom the issue of blood hath run ever since, and can never, neither will be ever stopped, so long as his jesuitical Locusts are alive, the only fiery Pyracmeus, and Masters of all Villainies in the world; neither can all their Indices Expurgatorij be able to blot out the memory of their cruel and bloody Facts, or free them from these attributes Attributes. But this Assertion is one of those many things, which Aut nequiter dissimulat, aut turpiter ignorat, The Cardinal either foolishly dissembles, or was grossly ignorant of.   

§. 44.  
The Falsehood of his Assertion may easily be perceived, if We consider that the Fountain, Form, and Fruit of Weeping are not Moral, but Theological Virtues, in which there is no Excess. 1. The Fountain of Weeping is Faith, Love, Repentance, in which, 
Cyr. Epist. 76.  Spiritus Sanctus non de mensura datur, sed super Credentem totus infunditur; The Holy Ghost is not given by measure unto the Regenerate, 
Aquin. 37.10 c.  even when we enjoy these according to our condition, state, and end prefixed unto us by the Lord, and therefore no Weeping; For as Streams do resemble the Nature of those Fountains whence they spring; So Tears do express the Property of those Graces whence they proceed. 2. The Form of Weeping (which giveth it Being) is Sorrow, which the Apostle approved. 2 Cor. 7.11. When it increased not exceeded, therefore so consequently the Form, 
Aquin. 1 80. 1 6.  Weeping: For, Quamlibet Formam sequitur aliqua inclinatio, quae est appetitus rei habentis illam formam, Every form hath some Inclinarion which is the appetite of the thing Form; Therefore as to Increase, is the Inclination of Godly Sorrow (as reaches the Apostle) so it is the Property of Godly Weeping. 3. The Fruit of Weeping is joy, 
Psal 126.5.  They that sow in Tears shall reap in joy, 
1 Pet. 1.8.  Even joy unspeakable and full of Glory; In which as there is no Mediocrity, so neither in Weeping: For here (me thinks) if any where, so fare as nice Restrictions will permit, that Philosophical Axiom hath place, Propter q●od unumquodque est tale, id ipsum est magis tale. Qualities in the Cause, are proportionable in the Effect. Worldly Weeping (I confess) may exceed and become vicious; For being a Moral Virtue; it should consist in a Mean or Mediocrity, limited by Prudence: But Godly Weep is a Supernatural Grace, inseparably attending & accompanying all other Graces (Gratum facientes) as hath been proved; Look how the Rational Soul implieth the Animal, so doth Godly Weeping lustifying Graces, being Individual.   

§. 45.  
But Bellarmine might have learned, not only in Scriptures, but in Schoolmen, 
Bonau. in 4. Sent-Dist 16. P 1. A 4. Q. 1. & 2. Aquin. in Suppl. Q 3. A. 2.  That Contrition must be augmented and increased; And, That Contrite Weeping can never so displease rectified Reason, as to exceed for Sin: Unless as one of St. judes' Sensual Separatists, or teachers of Sensuality, he would delude the Simple with Sensual Wisdom, That Whorish Tears of every Hypocrite and Reprobate, are Tears of true Contrition; which hath been showed to be no other than worldly Weeping for Sp●●●●ll things, commonly in the outward senses, or in a sensual respect, and no Godly Weeping in inward Humiliation, wh●ch is the very Essence of Co●trice Weeping, 
Bonau. in 4 Sent Dist. 16. P. t. A. 1. Q.  whereby the Will disliketh and dissenteth from Sin, And is not to be taken for the bare outward Effect of true Contrition. As it is true, 
Eras in adag. Ch●●. 4 Cent. 9  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, There is nothing sooner dry than a Tear, so there is nothing sooner out of season then Worldly Weeping; Which if it be fresh, finds some to commiserate it; If stolen, is rather entertained with scorn then commiseration: But Tears of Repentance come never out of time: They can never be shed either too soon, or too late, or too much. But the Demeanour of their Pope Nicholas the Third seemeth more Religious and Devout then that of Igmatius or Xaverius, 
Plate in Vit. Nich. 3.  Qui semper d●m solennia ageret, Lachrymas funderet; Who always Wept, when he worshipped, saith the Antiquary. Finally we read of a Stone in Arcadia called Asbeston, 
Aug. de Civi● Dei. l. 21. c. 5.  which being once made hot can never be cooled. A●d why may not every blessed Mourner be like the Salt in Sicily, which in the fire swimmeth like Water? Or like the stone Asbeston, which once being hot cannot be cooled? 
Aug de vera & fall. Penit. c. 13.  But Augustine is punctual in this point, Non est saetis quod doleamius, sed non semper doluisse do eamus, It is not sufficient to Weep, but we must Weep● that we have not always Wept. 
Pel●s l 2. Ep. 76.  And Isrdore observeth, that the Lord in judgement doth afflict them with divers diseases that quench this Motion of his Spirit. But lest any should think the Matter not Tanti; For me, Firmiter valeret, 
Cypr. Epist. 30.  si ab Eva. gelica Lege non dissonaret, This doctrine should ●a●e gone for currant if it had not gone awry from the Gospel. And were not openly professed by the Mock Grace Civility of many Moral Protestants. 
Lactant. Instit. l. 3.6.4.  For as Arcesilas having considered the Contradictions and Oppositions of Philosophers among themselves, in the end contemned them all, Et constituit novam non Ph●losophandi Philosophiam, And invented a new Philosophy not to study Philosophy: So Worldlings and Atheists expending the differences in Weeping, have resolved not to Weep. But I have done: Yet all may conceive by this little, That no jesuite, quà jesuite, ever Wept with jesus, 
August. Conf l. 12. c. 32.  Gracious God, Verbo tuo pasce nos, ne error illudat, Feed us with thy Word, that Error deceive us not in Weeping with jesus.    

2. Information.  

§. 46.  
AS Internal and Spiritual joy, arising from Peace of Conscience, Assurance of Remission of Sin, and Testimonies of the Favour of God, are the Inheritance of the Regenerate; So Weeping is and must be their Portion in this Vale of Tears. 
Aug. Conf. l. 10. c. 21.  For in them, Contendunt laetitiae flendae cum letandis moeroribus, Mournful Mirth striveth against joyful Sorrow. Their Life is tempered with Sweet and Sour, and therefore they must look for a mixture of both; — Vsque ad●o nulla est sincera volup●as  
Never is Assurance of true joy sealed to Man without Weeping. The wicked indeed hunt after nothing but Mirth, never caring how lawless it be, so it be pleasant; For where the World is the God, there Pleasure is ever the best Devotion: But mortified Souls have learned to scorn Sinful joys, and affect either  delights or none; And had rather Weep for want of Mirth, then be transported with Wanton Pleasure. As in Eliah his Sacrifice there was both Fire and Water, 
1. King's 1●. 38.  where the Fire consumed the Water on the Altar; So in the Sacrifice of a Contrite Heart, there must be both the Fire of Believing, and Water of Weeping; And in the end▪ the Fire of Faith will dry up the Stream of Tears. The whole course of Nature in the innumerable and several changes thereof, instructeth us daily, that Rejoicing and weeping have such intercourse in this Life, that our inward thoughts do often breed an outward shower, and that shower a Sunshine; So that although to day we Weep not, yet to Morrow perhaps we cannot but Weep; To day, we may read Salomons Song of Songs, to morrow perhaps we must point out the Lamentations of jeremy. This variable Condition in the Regenerate, evinceth not always misery threatened against them, neither giveth it any being of Misery unto them, or in them; But rather worketh both Sense and Cure of all their miseries. Now if we would know, Moveat tantos quae causa dolores, What may be the Causes of their so much Weeping; 
Bern de Mode Viven. Serm. 10.  Bernard showeth us four causes. 1. Our own Iniquities. 2. Worldly miseries. 3. Compassion of others. 4. The Love of eternal Glory: For the First, 
Psal. 6.6.  David made his bed to swim, and watered his Couch with Tears; For the Second, 
Psal. 120.5.  Davia likewise bemoaned his woeful Sojourning in Mesech, and dwelling in the Tents of Kedar; For the Third, our Saviour Wept over Jerusalem; For the Fourth, 
Luke 19 41  
Psal. 137.1.  The Church by the Rivers of Babylon sat down and Wept: All which more compendiously w● reduce to this dichotomy, Sin and Punishment, Hinc illae Lachrymae, Hence proceed all our Tears. For Sin (being the cause of the Lords hatred & hostility against us, the Seed out of which all misery groweth, and the Debt, for which we should be cast into perpetual Prison, were it not pardoned) doth no less make us miserable, than the Punishments of Sinne. Seeing then, so long as, — Manent Sceleris vestigia nostri.  
Sin is the first Cause why the Regenerate do Weep, their Weeping would be easily excused, if it could be perceived how their Thoughts are justly distempered, First at the Corruption of Sin in themselves, Next at the Dominion of Sin in others: Were it but for these two only, I know not why any, whose understanding is enlightened with Grace, should have Pleasure or Liberty (almost) to do any thing, but only to Weep.   

§. 46.  
And first, who but a stranger to a wounded Spirit, can with dry eyes humble himself before the Lord in Affliction of Conscience for his own Sins, when as, if but in the end of one day he should examine his Thoughts, Words, and Works, from his waking in the Morning to that hour, when he beholds the spots of his Soul, his Decays of Grace, his Neglect of Duties, his Coldness in Religion, his Fall from his first Love, and the many breaches of his Conscience; Surely, such a one is (though a Monarch in this World) more to be pitied then a Galleyslave, that in such Misery pitieth not himself with Weeping. Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum? There is none in (Augustine's judgement) so miserable as that Man that commiserateth not himself. 
Aug. Conf. lib. 1. c. 13.  But if he find himself lapsed with Peter● into Perjury, with Manasseh into Idolatry, with David into Adultery, with Paul into Blasphemy, or the like grievous and scandalous Sins, then do they know that, 
Cypr.  Magnum peccatum magnâ deleri vult Misericordia, Great Sins must be wiped away with great Mercy, and great Mercy must be sued for with great Weeping: Therefore nothing but Chattering like Cranes, Mourning like Doves, or making beds to swim with Tears can be sufficient to expiate the heinousness of these iniquities. 
Aug. de Nupt. & Concup. l. 2. c. 2.  Our daily conflict with Sin, Etiamsi non sit damnabilis, quia non perficit iniquitatem, est tamen miserabilis, quia non habet pacem, Howsoever it be not damnable, because it accomplisheth not sin, yet it is miserable because not peaceable. Thus also enclosed in the horrible pit (as the Prophet speaketh) of terror in Conscience for our Sins, besides outward Vexations from the Dragons and Ostriches of the World, the immediate Malice of Satan, and in a manner the Floods of God's Indignation, going over our Heads and Hearts, there must be in us a great Mourning, as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon, before we can be truly reconciled to God: And in this case, Hoc ipso sunt Majores tumores, quo minores dolores: The lesser our Weep, the greater is our Wickedness. For so much as we could neither see our sins nor sorrow for them, did not the Lord both enlighten our understandings and soften our Hearts in Weeping; the Regenerate can and do forget all things, and among all things themselves also, to find the Favour of the Lord, and to seek it by Weeping. As the highest Heaven draweth all the inferior Orbs with the Circumference thereof, although they have naturally a contrary course or motion, so our Reason enabled by Grace, draweth all our Appetites, to this service and Sacrifice, although they have properly an Inclination clean contrary to Weeping. Where then were our judgements? Where were our right Wits? Nay, Where were our Inordinate Self-love, which is always careful to avoid both loss and harm; If when the Lord enlighteneth our understandings, we should drown our Sins in Wantonness and not in Weeping? In all things we are bound after Repentance, to seek nothing but the Honour of God, and the Contempt and Abnegation of ourselves; Which we do most, when we Weep most: therefore the more Tears we shed for our Sins, the more we do both loath and lament the service we have done them, the sooner seek we to withdraw our desires from their subjection, and the surer are we to find the Favour of God: What then should Penitent sinners do? But live in Lamenting the Errors of their life, and consume all their days which are to come, in bewailing every part thereof, which is past, and watching against the depraved Passages to come; Rejoicing chief, when they can be sorrowful for their sins, even when all Dishonours and Punishments do run upon them for the same. Repentance being absolutely necessary to Salvation (for except we Repent, 
Luke 13.3.  We must perish) and there can be no true Repentance without Mourning and Sorrowing, 
2 Cor. 7.10  in respect that it is a Godly Sorrow that worketh Repentance to Salvation. Since it is then either Weep on Earth, or Weep in Hell, Woe unto us if we defer our Weeping, woe unto us if we Weep not for our deferring it, Woe unto us if we Weep not as soon as we can, And Weep not for this, that we wept no sooner.   

§. 48.  
As for the Dominion of Sin in others, what Heart, unless it be in danger of Final Hardening, may not be provoked to Weeping in Indignation: When especially it beholdeth Wanton Worldlings to rejoice in that condition of life, for which they can never sufficiently lament. For they Rejoice in their Sins, which will eternally ruin their Bodies and Souls. Exitus auspicio gravior; Their end is much more horrible than their Beginning; They begin in Pleasure, but they end in Pain. When Dolphins leap and play in the Sea, it is a sure sign of some Tempest approaching; And when the Wicked sport and Solace themselves in their Sins, it is an infallible Argument of their ruin at hand. Of which ruin all they likewise are Partakers, that Weep not for the Sins of others, because their not Weeping showeth, 
1 Tim. 5.22  they are guilty, and do presumptuously Partake of those very sins which others commit. For of sins some be Fautors, some be Authors, Of both, the Heathen wittily, 
Seneca.  Nihil interest faveasne Sceleri, an illud facias, It is in a manner all one, to commit and to commend a Villainy. But Divines say more, Non caret scrupulo occultae Societatis, 
Gregor.  qui manifesto discrimini non occurrit; He is suspected to be an Abettour of evil, who endevoureth not to abandon evil. For so much then as, 
Seneca.  Vitia serpunt ad vicinos, & Contactu nocent, Sins of others are like Plague-sores, which breath out an Infectious savour to all that approach them: For the fuller Explication of this Truth, it will not (I hope) seem tedious, if I insist a little, and consider two things in our Participation of other men's sins; 1. The Degrees, 2. The Danger of our Participation; The more to inform and enforce our Weeping.   

§. 49.  
For the First: As Lawyers make two Degrees of Accessuries, or Participatours, One Antecedent before the Offence committed, Another Consequent after it is committed; So in Divinity we may be Partakers of other men's sins, both before they be committed and after: For Sin is like the Serpent Amphisbaena which hath one Sting in the Head, and another in the Tail, and poureth out Poison at both ends, and that, o'er trisulco, With a Threefold sting. For first, before the Working of any Wickedness, others may be Partakers of it, 1. By Counsel, 2. By Commandment, 3. By Provocation, 1. Other men's sins may be made ours by Giving evil Counsel, 
2 Sam. 16.21.  and so sinned Achitophel in advising Absolom to unnatural Lust: 2. By Commanding, and that, either Directly, Commanding by direct Precept of Word, as the Murder of the Lords Priests is imputed to Saul, 
1 Sam. 12.21.  because he commanded Doeg to fall upon them; Or of Writ as the kill of Vriah is imputed to David, 
2 Sam 12 9  for that he wrote unto joab to set him in the Forefront of the battle: Or else Indirectly, by indirect authorising of others to work Wickedness, 
Prou. 26.8.  And thus as he that bindeth a Stone in a Sling, to be discharged at all adventure; So is he that giveth honour to a Fool, setting him in place of Authority; For he that putteth a Sword into a madman's hand, is guilty of the mischief committed by him. 3. By provocation, as it were even by daring of others to any Sin, 
1 Kin. 217.  
2 Kin 9.36  as jezebel urged Ahab to oppress Naboth for which offence, as the Dogs licked Naboths' blood, so they devoured her flesh; In like sort the common Provocations to needless Oaths, 
Prou 1.14.  frivolous Contentions, excessive Drinking, and the like, 
Prou. 7 18.  fall within the compass of this Fault; Or by alluring enticements to Profit or Pleasure.   

§. 50.  
After a Sin is committed, others may be guilty of it, 1. By Consent, 2. By Connivency, 3. By Defence. And first Consent maketh us guilty of other men's Sins, whether it be Expressed in Deed, 
Psal. 50.18.  as when thou sawest a Thief than thou consentedst with him, and hast been Partaker with the Adulterers; Or in Word, as he that biddeth an Heretic God-speed, 
● john 11.  is partaker of his evil deeds, Or else if it be by Suppressed Consent, for there is, Consensus Silentij, A Consent of Silence, When Sin is not rebuked by those, that are warranted thereunto by special calling, according to that Commandment, Leviticus 19.17. Thou shalt in any ways rebuke thy Neighbour, and not suffer Sin upon him: The reason hereof is, for that as, Malum Consilium inducit in Peccatum; Sic Malum Silentium relinquit in peccato, evil Counsel leadeth unto sin, so evil silence leaveth in sin; And it is a great want of charity to deny that favour to a Man, which must be afforded to a Beast, yea to an enemy's Ass: 
Exod. 23.24  But if a Man want warrant to reprove, 
Ezech. 9 8.  than he must mourn for the offence, and Pray for the offender, so happily he may escape the general scourge when it cometh. 2. Connivency, when we wink at sins committed by others, and this especially is the common Sin of Superiors, to whom the Sword of Authority is committed, 
Rem. 13.4.  for cutting off Malefactors; Therefore, Qui tolerat aliena peccata, cum tollere possit, sua facit. He that tolerateth the sins of others, when he may take them away, maketh them his own: This was it, which the Apostle so sharply censured in the Corinthians, 
1 Cor. 5.1.  who neglected the rod of Discipline against the incestuous Person; 
1 Sam. 2.17  And this was it, that pulled down an endless judgement on Eli his house. 3. By Defence, when we defend the sins of other men by Lessening, Excusing, justifying, or Countenancing of them; When men are blinded or besotted with violent Passion, to extenuate or justify their own sinful actions, 
jona. 4.9.  as jonah did his anger, is usual; but to become a Proctor or a Patron of other men's Sins (seeing every one is naturally prone to mislike that evil in others which they allow in themselves) this bewrayeth an Affection strangely depraved and poisoned with Wickedness: Solomon casteth these two into an equal balance of Abomination before God, 
Prou. 17.15  To justify the Wicked, and to condemn the just; And therefore this kind of iniquity is branded with a double curse, one of God, 
Isa. 5.10.  Woe unto them that call evil good; Another of Man, 
Prou. 24.24  He that saith to the Wicked thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, Nations shall abhor him.   

§. 51.  
Next the Danger and Damage that cometh by this Contagion is exceeding great: Yet the slight regard and slender conceit that most Men have of their own misdeeds, wherein they be sole and principal Agents, doth evidently show that they make small or no Conscience of being Accessaries to Sins wrought by others. But it is the voice of Heaven, That those that be Partakers in Sins, 
Reuel. 18.4.  shallbe Partakers in Plagues: Yea it is a Rule of Equity, approved both by Natural and Civil Reason, that, Accessorium sequi congruit Naturam Principalis, It is meet that the Accessary be esteemed of the same nature with the Principal: And according to the Practice of all Nations in the best governed States, Agentes & consentientes pari poena plectuntur, Actors of Sin and Consenters to Sin are punished alike. Now as the Execution of this justice in temporal Causes restraineth Multitudes from much Mischief: So ought it to curb us much more in Cases of Conscience, & that for these two Considerations.   

§. 52.  
First, because as in humane Laws, there be no Accessories in some offences, but all Principals, as in Treasons or Attempts against the life of the Prince, and wilful Murders; So it is to be judged of all sins whatsoever; For in true Construction of Divinity, every Sin is a wilful Murder of the Soul; And it is attempted against the life of the King of Kings, because the Redemption thereof, cost the Son of God his life. And this Consideration, though it concerneth all Men most nearly, yet especially the Masters of Assemblies, whether Civil or Ecclesiastical, because the Neglect thereof, is such a kind of Idolatry, as transformeth them into Idols themselves, making them to have Eyes that see not, Ears that hear not, Hands that handle not the works of Righteousness: But above all it boreth out the Eyes, and maketh them as blind as ever was Samson or Zedekiah. And every inferior Man's participation of other men's Sins, is most usually laid to the charge of the Superior: Insomuch, that as in the body Natural, when we see one go or do amiss, though his feet or hands be the next Actors of his Error, we say not, Are you lame? But, Have you no eyes? or Can you not see? So what ever Swervings be in the Body either Politic or Ecclesiastical, the blame lighteth not commonly upon the Immediate Delinquents, but upon the Principal Optic Pieces in Church and Commonwealth; Whence Men say, Have you no Magistrate? Have you no Minister? Because these being as Guides and Guardians of the rest, should either prevent or reform their Aberrations: And it is an old Saying, and a true one, Qui non corripit, corrumpit, He that reproveth not, reformeth not.   

53.  
Secondly, the equal Punishment and danger of all delinquents, as well of Consenters to Sin, as Actors of sin, should make us every way most watchful in this Participation of other men's sins; Because as Voluntary Escapes among Men are punished Lege Talionis, By the Law of Requital, as the Gaoler wilfully suffering any Prisoner to escape committed to his Custody, suffereth as in case of the Party escaped, be it for Debt, Felony, or Treason; so likewise in God's justice, when Magistrates suffer Malefactors to pass unpunished or uncontrolled, that come within their compass. As it was threatened to Ahab for letting Benhadad go, 
1 King. 20.42. 1 King. 22.34. 1 Sam. 3.13  whom the Lord had delivered into his hand to be put to death: And as it was threatened to Eli, for not restraining his Sons, when they made themselves vile: The like Sentence may all Men justly fear, who neglect the abandoning and punishment of offences in their several places; For, 
Aug. Epist. 182.  Illicita non prohibere Consensus Erroris est, Not to restrain Sin is to maintain sin: Especially being tied thereunto by solemn oath, which wrappeth men into a double danger; One, of the Sin, which they suffer uncensured, Another, of Taking Gods Name in vain, which can never escape a fearful Affliction. And therefore Augustine searching out the special reasons, 
De Civit. l 1. c. 9  why in common Calamities of War, Famin●, and Pestilence, Good Men often perish with the Bad, saith, jure vitam istam cum ijs amaram sentiunt quibus peccantibus amari esse noluerunt, They justly taste the bitterness of God's wrath, who would not be bitter in rebuking the transgressions of his Will.   

§. 53.  
And thus, if we consider the degrees and danger in Participation of other men's sins, Lord! With what bitterness of Spirit may the Godly groan; How should they charge their Eyes with Tears, their Breasts with Sighs, Their Tongues with Complaints, and their whole Bodies with Disquiet? How ought they not to double the force of their Weeping? When they see Sin so audacious, when Esavisme, Hypocrisy, Irreligion, Iniquity, and the love of the World so abound? When delayed and perverted justice is turned into Hemlock, and turneth some men out of their wits, maketh others ready to destroy either themselves, or their adversaries, yea sometime their judges? What man unless he be a Cain, or of the brood of Cain, can deny himself to be his brother's keeper seeing he cannot otherwise keep his own Soul from the pollutions and punishments of other men's sins in a froward & crooked generation?   

§. 54.  
But here if (inverting our Saviour's speech) I should somewhat strain at Camels, 
Mat 33.24. Exod. 9.16.  and swallow Gnats; Complaining with the Prophet; The Leaders of this People cause them to err, and they that are led of them, are destroyed, both City and Country would (I fear) quickly report, that my Complaint were causeless. For mine own part I profess and protest that no Child of the Prophets should be less troubled with jonahs' Passion, would the Lords Mercy make me in this mat an Ignorant, and the great Ones Innocency my words all impertinent. Yet who can but Weep, when he seethe that such as are, In seculo primi, in Christi Familia ultimi, 
Hiereny ad 〈◊〉.  Placed nearest on Earth unto the Lord, either most Opposite to the ways of Grace and works of Godliness in themselves, or wanting all courage in defence of the Lord; servants, and Opposition of his Enemies; or when he seethe their cruel Pity toward the Wicked like water poured upon Lime in stead of quenching to kindle the rage of their iniquity. 
Eccle. 8.11.  When we see Men armed every way with Gods own Authority, 
Isay 26.10.  and knowing the judgement of God (that they which commit such things, 
Rom. 1.32.  are worthy of death) yet not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them; When we see such as with David should fight the battles of the Lord, 
Oba. 11.12.  yet with Edomites in the Prophet, either standing on the other side, in the day that Strangers and Foreigners cast lots upon Jerusalem, and are as one of them, or looking on in the day of oppression, if not speaking proudly in the day of our distress; o at the best, more charitable and merciful, th●n the God of Mercy hath allowed or commanded them; When we see (I say) these and the like Abominations committed by Great Ones in Authority (Patrons of profaneness and Persecutors of Godliness) what can we do but Weep and Wail, beholding such Men (for some private interest or base engagement) Which in all likelihood entered into their Places and Offices, 
Plutar.  like Stratocles and Dromiclidas, as into an harvest of Gold) corrupting or interrupting public justice, whereby their superiors are abused, Inferiors oppressed, Religion discountenanced, and the Righteous discouraged, by their murdering Example, or forbearance of the Wicked.   

§. 55.  
I know how well mercy becometh the mouth of God's Minister, and that we should not be Whetstones for Rigour and Severity: But withal, I resolve with Augustine, 
Aug. de Fide & operib.  Saevire nolumus, dormire nolumus, As I would not persuade to Cruelty, so I would rouse up from Security. Though We have not so learned Christ in his Word; Yet the indelible Notions of Nature have (I am sure) imprinted this in our hearts, that most People are like Sheep, easilier following example, then led and driven by laws and Statutes, and therefore 
— Immedicabile membrum  
Ense recidendum est, ne pars sincera trahatur.   
The incurable Member must be cut off, if it were only for fear of further infection; for a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump of a Church or Commonwealth; and Sin the more it is spared, the more it spreadeth. When then We are daily vexed with the sense and sight of Sin, Nos flendo ducimus horas, We do Weep, and must Weep, and in Weeping may fear to presage concerning the Abettors (and such as should be suppressours of Iniquity) what may become of them and theirs; 
judg. 5 23.  The Angel of the Lord cursed Meroz, and the inhabitants thereof with a bitter curse, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. 
Esth. 4.14.  Only thus much the righteous be persuaded with Mordecai: That help and comfort shall appear unto them out of another place, when Weeping they open their grievances unto an higher judge, whose sentence is no dead Letter, 
2 Kin. 8.12.  but Direful Revenge Can Elisha Weep, when he foresaw what evil Hazael would do unto the children of Israel, And should not the Regenerate Weep foreseeing the inevitable evil, which by the toleration and conversation of the Wicked cannot but ensue? The Regenerate therefore are no less grieved at the sins of others, then at their own; seeing, the Lord is alike dishonoured and offended by both: Not as fearing to feel some evil procured by our own sins, but out of true Love to God in seeing and hearing the unlawful deeds of others, We must Weep and vex our righteous Souls from day to day. Thus as Samuel mourned for Saul, 
1 Sam. 15.35. jere. 13.17. Luk. 19.41  jeremiah. for the pride of his times, Our Saviour for the security of Jerusalem, and as Rivers of waters ran down David's eyes, 
Psal. 119.130.  because Men kept not the Law: So none can be assured that his heart is sincere before God, if in the like cases he be not disposed to Weeping. Vae tacentibus de te, quoniam, Domine, loquaces muti sunt; Woe to the Tongue-tied in thy Cause, O God, for the most Talkative are too silent. He beareth no dutiful respect to the Lord, that can behold Transgressors, and is not grieved. It grieveth a friend to hear or see the disgrace of a Friend, but the Regenerate (who are called Christ's Friends, john 15.15.) should show but poor friendship, if they should not be affected at wrongs done to his Majesty. He cannot be truly Religious that in comparison bemoaneth not, when he considereth the fiery jealousy of the Lord will break forth suddenly and inevitably with Storms and streams of Indignation upon such swarms and Millions of People, as in his sight and to his knowledge, for some Wretched Vanities of this momentany life, heap up wrath against the day of Wrath, even all the horrors and tortures of which any created nature can be capable everlastingly.   

§. 56.  
Secondly, Punishments of Sin cause the Elect to Weep more excessively both in Number and Measure than others; Although they fear them not, but daily expect them, because they daily deserve them. Knowing that they daily offend, they know also that Divine justice will not suffer sin to be unpunished: And often, 
Hier. ad Eustoc.  Secura eorum scit Conscientia, quod non propter peccata patiantur, Their secure Consciences know well, that they suffer not for their Sins. Yet, it is an infallible mark of Hypocrites, to discern the face of the Sky, and not to discern the Signs and times, in time of their visitation, and not to know the things which belong unto their Peace, but then to have them hid from their eyes. It argueth desperate hardness of heart, particularly in Ahaz, 
2 Chio. 28.22.  that he was not humbled by Afflictions, but in the time of his distress he trespassed yet more against the Lord; And generally in every Reprobate, that, though they be smitten, 
jere. 5.3.  yet they will not sorrow, though they be consumed, yet they refuse to receive Correction. When the Regenerate Weep; 
Bern. super ●ant. Serm. 26.  Non quia percussi plorant, arguunt ferientem, sed provocant Pictatem, Severitatem flectere sataguni. Being smitten they Weep, not because they accuse the Smiter, but they implore his Mercy, because they would appease his justice. It is then the Symptom of a Sanctified and Mollified heart to Weep as David, 
2 Sam 24. ●7.  when he saw multitudes swept away with the Pestilence; 
jere. 9.1.  and as jeremiah wished his head were waters, and his eyes a fountain of Tears, that he might Weep Day and Night for the slain of his people. Though we have no cause of dejection for our own particular Grievances, we have more than cause to Weep, for the Miseries of others, for whom the Lord reserveth heavy hammers of wrath, to break their Obstinacy, to bridle their boldness, and to beat down their Rebellion against him, that so, if it be possible, he may draw them to an higher, or drive them to a deeper Consideration of themselves.   

§. 58.  
Lastly, Where the Spirit of God worketh a thorough Meditation of misery, he maketh the very Horrors of Hell to be a mean of Mourning; And to speak unto us, 
Indg. 16.20  as Dalilah to Samson; Up and arise, for the Philistines be upon thee Hell, even Hell itself, in the worst sense, not the Grave of the body, but of the Soul, is at the door, nay behind the door. For, 
Aug. de Gen. cont. Manich. l. 2. c. 28.  Nihil sic revocat no● a Peccato, quemadmodum inhiantis Gehennae Cogitatie, Nothing so powerfully draweth us from Sin, as the Meditation of the Horrors of Hell; In which as Popish writers presumptuously make Maps of Hell, as if they had surveyed the Regions of it; So Protestants on the other side, are (me thinks) too brief in their writings and meditations of it, though it be as impossible to apprehend the horrors of it by Contemplation, as to bepaint the Situation of it by Description. Yet the Regenerate, not confounded (as ordinary Professors) with a short fit or flashes of Hell in their Consciences, Omnia soliciti plena timoris habent.  
Do always fear, and take no rest, before in their perplexed Agonies they get pardon in Christ, even by Weeping; Giving all diligence to make their Salvation sure, and to escape so great Condemnation. They suppose not that God created Hell-fire only, to punish the Devils and Damned Souls, but rather to keep sinners from Damnation, to incite them to Mortification, and to raise them to Glorification: For, so much as a Man feareth the punishment that he hath deserved, so much more carefully will he both Weep and avoid those faults which he hath committed. 
Senecae.  Non cito perit ruinâ, qui ruinam timet, He that feareth destruction is neither easily nor often destroyed in it. Thus they awaken and arouse themselves to foresee Hell in it own shape, and to fore appoint themselves, not against the first Death, which they cannot avoid, but against the Second, which they may, if they get their part in the first Resurrection by Weeping. Whence it cometh to pass that here also they bewail not their own estate only, but as Christ (knowing that, 
Cypr. de Discipl & Hab. Virgin  Qui cupiunt esse Christiani, debent quod secit Christus imitari, Who desire to be Christians should imitate the deeds of Christ) They weep for others, and lament the stupidity of infinite sorts of People, that see one another, like silly fish, taken out of the Pond of this World by Death, but think not of the Fire into which they come; They see Atheists and Epicures boldly and beastly sitting down (as Israelits in the wilderness) to eat and to drink and rising up to play) never caring to consider, nor having any mind or power to think of that horrible Monster, never enough feared, that dreadful Page and follower of death.  Sicque tenent Lachrymat, quia nil lachrymabile cermunt. 
Thus they weep not now, because they see not with whom they have to begin when they have 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 proveth pithily) will be more tolerable, by how much their iniquity hath been the lesser in this life. Whereas nature, even mere Nature, and not only the Platonists and other wise and learned Heathen amongst Grecians and Romans, but the Unlettered Savages and Scythians also, have and do out of Nature's Instinct, and Divine Impression, know and admit of a Place of everlasting well and ill being after death, for the souls of men. But these Monsters of men, though they wilfully shut their own eyes, and blot out the Principles of Nature, do make the regenerate to shed many Tears, because they fear not the wrath to come, 
Cypr. de unit. Eccl.  Quod metuerent, si crederent, quia non credunt omnino, nec metuunt; Si autem crederent et caverent, si caverent evaderent; which they would fear, if they believed; But because they believe not, they fear not, For if they believed, they would regard it; And if they regarded, they would avoid it. They consider not how fearfully they will find themselves deluded, when their seared Consciences awake, worse than jonas in the Tempest, even in a Gulf, (Horresco referens) of Fire and Brimstone; Where no rock, nor mountain, nor arm 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 inclined to Weeping, and than their hearts are so often as Limbecks; Sometimes distilling their Weeping out of the Weeds of their own Offences, by the fire of true Contrition; Sometimes out of the bitter Herbs of others Iniquities, by the heat of tender Compassion; Sometimes out of the Gall and Wormwood of Temporal and Eternal judgements, by the Flames of Spiritual Contemplation.    

3. Humiliation.  

§. 59  
AND now, what Dolefull Complaint may we not justly pant forth, for that we neither See the just Causes of our Weeping, nor Sorrow for them? As if the Lord had neither enlightened our Understandings, nor softened our hearts for this Work; But concealed in this our day, the things which belong unto 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 Souls be awakened to Weep, that the Causes of our Weeping may be weakened? Thou that hast hitherto in Patience expected our Weeping, we beseech thee now in Pity call us effectually to Weeping. Oh! 
Amos 5.1.  That we would hear, as the Prophet chargeth, The Word which is taken up against us, even a Lamentation, before the Lord turn our Feasts into Mourning, and all our Songs into Lamentations, 
Amos 8.10  and before he bring up Sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; And before he make it as the Mourning of an only Son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. How ought we to humble ourselves in this our want and Defect of Weeping! We may as justly plead as ever Cyprian, 
Cypr. Epist. 2  Scelus non tantum geritur, sed docetur, Sin is not only wrought, but taught; And every where we may see with this same Father, Quod & dolori sit & pudori, What may make us both Weep and blush: For the  Causes of Weeping (and all other Causes) may as palpably be found among us, as ever; Only we want Grace to lay them to heart. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see, where is that Place, over which we may not Weep, as once our Saviour Wept over Jerusalem; That the impenitent Multitude, which vilify all other means of Grace, might be moved (if it were possible) by Weeping to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance? And who seethe not, Indignation is come forth from the Lord, who hath so often set his Trumpet to the mouth of his Prophets, Crying, An Eagle cometh against the house of the Lord, because the People have transgressed his Covenant, and trespassed against his Law? May not every one see jeremiahs' Almond rod and seething Pot, in the heavy Messages and judgements of the Lord, uttered against us touching all our wickedness? What then remaineth, but that we take heed, Ne sit minor Medicina, quam vulnus, 
Cypr. Epist. 31.  That our Cure be no less than our wound; That our Weeping be no less, than our wickedness; 
Ezek 22.6.  That we Weep, if not as Ezekiel, to the breaking of the loins, and melting of the heart; 
Amos 5.16.  Yet as Amos, Wailing in all our streets, and saying in all our high ways, Alas, Alas, Calling the Husbandman to Mourning, and such And yet we always want either Remembrance or Disposition to Weep. For sometimes Satan doth stupefy and benumb our Souls, and then we have little or no feeling of our Sins; Sometimes we are so sensible of our Sins, so apprehensive both of the Number and Deformity of them, that we become thereby either ashamed or afraid to bewail them; That the Shame and Fear which Satan took away when we committed Sin, he restored again when we should Lament them. And not only doth Commission make us sinful, but we are guilty of every Sin we hate not; For though we cannot avoid all and every Sin, Yet we should hate all and every Sinne.   

§. 61.  
And thus having totally polluted our Lives in Thought, Word, and Work, with the Incestuous brood of Actual transgressions; We pass over a great part of our Lives in doing nothing, a greater in doing things to little purpose, but the greatest part in doing evil. We do either through Ignorance, not knowing God; or Negligence, not following God; Or through Malice, resisting God, live as without GOD in this world. We are so void of love, that we are hard and severe to our neighbour, as if we had no sense of his sorrow, or Sorrow for his sufferings: We are so perverse in our Conversations, that we abuse our Superiors by Flattery; Our Inferiors by Contempt; our Equals, by extreme Disdain. Oh how little do we either desire or discern that which is Good; How little do we see or shun that which is Evil! We may find ourselves in the passages of all our Actions, not only foolish, but senseless; Whence it is, that as a beastly and savage Life seemeth Civil to them, who have been continually brought up in the same, because Custom changeth into Nature; So we esteem not our condition miserable, because we never knew what it was to be happy: Thus through continual Use we confirm our Impudence, and our Impudency taketh from us all Opinion of Sinning. In a word; That it fareth thus with us, we have (if we search our souls) our own judgements for judges, our own Thoughts for Witnesses, our own Consciences for Executioners, our own Memories for Registers of our Iniquities. Now how little we do Weep for all our Personal Sins (Although no man can be privy to the private Wail of other, yet) our little Reformation doth testify; For Godly Weeping ever proceedeth from Displeasure against Sin; and Displeasure against Sin is accompanied with Hatred of Sin; and Hatred of Sin bringeth forth Reformation: So that the Argument is unanswerable from the First to the Last, That where is no Reformation, there can be no holy Lamentation, although the Head were Waters, and the Eyes a daily fountain of Tears. Whereupon we conclude with Anselme, Quid ergo restat, 
De. Mister. hom. l. 1.  O Peccator, 
D● Miser. bominu l. 1.  nisi ut in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuam, What then should a Sinner do throughout his whole life, but Weep for the Sins of his whole life.   

§. 62.  
Next, if we consider the Sins of others, we may see that as our Age is the last of all Ages,, so it is the Sink of all their Sins, and the Puddle of all Profaneness. 
Cypr. Epi. 2.  Admonetur aetas omnis auditu, fieri posse, quod factum est; Nunquam aevi senio delicta moriuntur, nunquam temporibus Crimen obruitur, nunquam Scelus oblivione sepelitur; Exempla fiant, quae esse iam facinora destiterunt. Succeeding Ages are taught, that that may be done which hath b●ene done; Sin never dyeth, but becometh exemplary unto us; And what was Execrable unto others, is our example. Corruptions are bred in our Civil Bodies, as Diseases in our Natural Bodies: At first they be not discerned easily, but they proceed insensibly, till that come to pass, which Livy observed in the Roman Senate, 
Decad. 1. lib. 10.  Nec vitia nostra, nec remedia ferre possumus, We can neither endure the Malady, nor the Medicine. But few can, or (at least) will be persuaded that our Sins which threaten our desolation, are so incomparable or transcendent, that they have not been parallelled in former Ages: Yet if they consider, 
john 3.19,  First that as this is the Condemnation of the World, that Light is come into the World, and Men love darkness rather than light; So there was never more Light of Knowledge then now, and never more darkness of Impiety then now; For there could not be such darkness of Sin, if there were not such Light of Grace: But in that we openly reject all Goodness, we give height to our Sins; And therefore are worse than predecessors in ancient times, because we might be better. Next, if they consider, 
Isa. 5.2.  that as no Man ever planteth a Vineyard, but he will look for fruit from it; So by how much our Means of Grace are greater, by so much are our Defects greater: But search we all Records, and compare such helps, such Care, such Cost, such Expectation, with our unfruitful Works and Wickedness, and see whether any ancient times did ever parallel our times in Iniquity. Lastly, the Ancient of times, to whom all times are present, hath told us that these last times shall be worst; And our Experience doth justify him with all, but the wilful, that the Filthiness of the People hath filled our Land from corner to corner: that now Atheism, Blasphemy, Ignorance, Infidelity, Impenitency, Hypocrisy, Intemperancy, Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Drunkenness, Sacrilege, Slandering, Simony, lukewarmness and neutrality in Religion, Linger after Super stition and Idolatry, Falsehood in Deal and Friendship till all burst again, Vanity in following the Fashion without shame or medestie; Unto all, and above all these; we add Covetousness, and Wantonness, especially in Sabbath-breaking, the very scum of all Impiety, the Dregges and Lees of our Nationall Impurity, that now, Flagrant vitio Gentisque suoq:, above all Nations upon the earth our People burn and boil in these iniquities, more than ever Sodom in Lust, or Samaria in any Lewdness, that now the rest of the works of Darkness, which like hateful Night-Birds, were wont to seek Corners, to avoid the wonderment of the World, do declare themselves as the sins of Sodom, and Men never blush to commit them openly. Which if they be not speedily affronted and confronted, what can be expected, but that these iniquities be not purged from us till we dye? But, Lord, Des meliora pijs, erroresque hostibus illos.  
So let all thine Enemies perish, 
judg. 5.31.  but let them that love thee, be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might. How little we do Weep for these Abominations in others, is too too manifest, (Nisi nos manifesta negemus) by our little care that we take for the Reformation of others. When the Heathen Solon was demanded, what City or Country was best governed; That (said he) where the not wronged, as well as the wronged do punish Vice and persecute. Wickedness. But now, Videntur peccata aliorum, 
Hier. ad Gauden.  sed non planguntur, quia non vindicantur, We see apparently the Sins of others, but bewail them not, because we reform them not. As if for this Duty, namely to reform others, the Magistrate did not bear the Sword, the Minister should not sacrifice his dearest blood, and all Men were not bound to pull others out of the fire by discreet Admonition, or fervent Prayer, that the Lord would be pleased to show them their Misery and his Mercy; That so by this good Endeavour of all sorts of Men, 
Cypr. de bono pudicit.  Vitia castigentur, ut odiantur, Sin may be reproved, that it may be hated. But alas! as the chief Rulers confessed not Christ, lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue, 
joh 12.42.  For they loved the praise of Men, more than the praise of God; So the Fear or Love of Men, whose breath is in his Nostrils, have taken away courage from our hearts, and our hearts (I fear) from the Lord. And yet lest any should be discouraged with Singleness in this kind of Sincerity, as though, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, One were none to do any good; A Father teacheth us, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Chrys●●t.  One Man truly Zealous sufficeth to reform a whole multitude. Now if we neglect in our Several Stations and Vocations, to reform Sin in others, it cannot be perceived that we pity them, or truly Weep for their Sins. But our careless Consideration of the fearful condition, and wretched end of Impenitent Sinners where we live, working in us so little or no care to reform them, giveth but small testimony that our stony Hearts or Leaden Eyes can yield any Tears; When as all things do Weep for them, because these Wretches forsake the common Lord, use all means to betray and crucify him again, regard Man and the deceitful allurements of the Devil, more than ei●her the Benefits or Threats of the Almighty; And fasten their thoughts upon the cretures, contemning the power, Wisdom, and Goodness of the Creator. Therefore the Heaven Weep for them, the Angels Weep for them, the Saints Weep for them, all Creatures Weep for them, and Christ Weepeth more for them, than ever he did for the desolation of Jerusalem, because their Sins defile others, deform the Creatures, and depress themselves into the deepest Gulf of Woe.   

§. 63.  
But because for mine own part, 
Aug Conf. l. 3. c. 2.  M●●gis misercor gaudentem in flagitio, quam dura perpessum detrimento perniciosae voluptatis, aut amissione miserae faelicitatis, I pity more a great deal impenitent Sinners rejoucing in sin, then others howsoever grievously afflicted with Crosses or Calamities: If we consider, First, the public punishments of Sin, which are always infallible evidences of the Lords displeasure against sinners; We may perceive that though the Lord hath smitten us more than the Men of Bethshemesh, yea then the Assyrians, 
1 Sam 16.19. 2 Sam. 19.35.  at one time; Yet we rejoice rather in our Sins, then lament them. Verily we have seen with our Eyes, even those judgements which may be abundant matter of Weeping, and are very near forerunners of the great and terrible day of the Lord. We have seen prodigious Apparitions in the Air, incredible Inundations in the Sea, we have had incomparable Earthquakes, fearful Fires in our Houses, Extraordinary Plagues in the most Populous parts of this Kingdom, grievous and pining Famines, unseasonable Seasons, and many more Visitations, all which we have felt in such extremity and vehemency, of which these parts of the World are not naturally capable: So certain it is that the Finger of God hath been in them. 
Ezek. 21.9.  And even now, the Sword is sharpened, and also furbished; It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; It is furbished, that it may glitter; Should we then make Mirth? Or should we not rather Mourn and Weep? May we not come plain. 
Cypr. ad Demet.  Ecce irrogantur divinitus plagae, & nullus Dei metus est; Ecce verbera desuper & flagella non desunt, sed trepidatio nulla, nulla formido est. Si non intercederet rebus humanis vel ista censura; Quanto ad hue Major in hominibus esset audacia facinorum, impunitate secura? Behold, Behold, We feel the judgements of the Lord, yet we fear not the Lord; What if Man were not thus punished, how much more secure would his boldness be, through the impunity of his Sins? Death and Bloodshed, Strife and Sword, Calamities, Famine, Tribulation, and the Scourge, these things the Lord hath created for the Wicked to punish them. For there is no Evil (of Punishment) but the Lord hath done it: 
Amos 36.  And every such evil is inflicted for Sin; 
Lam 3.37.  So evident it is that whatsoever common Punishments do befall us, they are from the Lord, and likewise for sin. 
Esth. 4.3.  If Mordecai then and the jews had cause to Weep, at the bloody Decree of an Earthly King; 
Isa. 22.4.5.  how much more cause have we to Weep at the Revelation of the Righteous judgements of God? And with the Prophet, to Weep bitterly, and not be comforted, because of the spoiling of the daughter of our People. For now is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of Perplexity by the Lord God of Hosts. What shall we then think or say of these punishments, 
Numb. 16.46.  but as Moses and Aaron of one sudden Pestilence, There is Wrath gone forth from the Lord, and the Plague is begun. 
Hos 4.1.  For the Lord hath a Controversy with the Inhabitants of our Land, because there is no Truth, nor Mercy, nor Knowledge of God in the Land; By Swearing, and Lying, and Killing, and Stealing, and committing Adultery, they break out, and Blood toucheth Blood; Therefore shall the land Mourn. And therefore doth our Land Mourn, and yet we do not Mourn, for all these Signs of our displeased God.   

§. 69.  
Yet the Terror (if there were any tenderness left in our hearts) the Terror that hath taken hold of some amongst us, should undoubtedly have made us, Mittere legate pro doloribus nostris Lachrymas, 
Cypr. Epist. 31●  To send our Tears as Messengers of our Sorrows: Yea the Tragical ends and events of others, should have sounded in our Ears, — Lachrymosa poemata Puppi.  
And have affrighted us, astonished us, and so moved us to Weeping. For some of us hedged about with increase of all outward blessings, yet having abused them, though they bred security for a while, we have seen their fear at length seize upon them most violently and suddenly: Some of us enjoying strength of body, yet having abused it to Intemperance, the Lord practised martial-law, and did present Execution upon them, turning the height and Pride of their Strength into Lameness, Blindness, Deafness, Diseases innumerable, Though he deferreth most of them until that solemn day of judgement to come: Others amongst us having knowledge, but thereby elevated and puffed up in their Souls, we have seen them like Angels of Light fall from on high into the Darkene, of Ignorance, Error, Curiosity, Inconstancy, Discontentment, Passions. We have heard of Theft, Perjury, Robbery, Murder, Parricide, Fratricide, Homicide of all sorts, as perpetrated, so plagued (and what can be more horrible?) in the very act of Sinning. And yet we are fare from Weeping, that we continue fearless and careless of the like untimely shameful Ends: Never blessing the Lord that in Mercy and Patience suffereth us, and giveth us all good things. Thus when the Connivance of our Heavenly Father, like the Indulgence of Eli towards his Sons, hath made so many of us wanton and disobedient, we never fear though he work extraordinary and rare judgements on others in our Israel, whereat our Ears should tingle, and our Eyes Weep, lest when he beginneth with them, he likewise make an end with ourselves: 
job 18.19.  Consuming all Wamons with a total Destruction, without any dispensation, not leaving the least remembrance of them upon Earth: And Rooting out Houses as well as Inhabitants, 
Zachar 5.4  Making the Stones at every joint to Weep, the Beams and every Pin to Weep. And both Stone out of the Wall, and Beam and every Piece of Timber may Weep; yet We, more insensible than the senseless Creatures, never Weep with them, never join with them in their mournful Anthems.   

65.  
Great is our Privilege, through the great Mercy and Patience of the Lord at this hour toward us, in that we hear neither noise of War, nor news of an Enemy: Deus nobis haec otia fecit, The Lord hath turned our Swords into Mattocks, and every man sitteth under his own Vine. Yet behold, 
Cypr de Lapsis.  Lachrymis magis quam verbis opus est, ad exprimendum dolorem; We have more need of Tears than Words, to express our graceless & grievous Lack of Weeping, void of natural compassionateness, and pangs of common humanity, whereby we are bound to commiserate the Miseries of afflicted joseph in foreign Nations, though this Christian Duty be often enjoined us by Authority. When Alexander saw the dead corpse of Darius; and julius Caesar, the head of Pompey; and Marcus Marcellus, Syracuse burning; and Scipi●, Numantia sporled; and Titus, Jerusalem made even with the ground, they could not abstain from Weeping; although they were Heathen and Mortal Enemies. And if we were not hewn out of the hardest rocks, if the Image of GOD but in a mean measure were repaired in our Souls, Tum mea cum multis iuncta querela foret.  
Then we, and others, and all men professing the same Faith which is in jesus Christ, could not but groan and grieve to hear the insolent Depopulations, Oppressions, and Persecutions, which cruel Might and Malice have wrought in other Countries (beyond hope of recovery) which heretofore were Seminaries of Piety and true Religion, and Sanctuaries for the distressed members of Christ. And yet for all this, we do not shed one Tear, let fly one Sigh, or troubled groan, nor abate any of our Pomp or Prodigality; But rather like corrupted flesh, we swell higher for these strokes; And as senseless limbs, we feel not the cutting and cauterizing of our own members. Oh! that we had Grace as well as Space, to Weep (at least) in Humility and Sincerity, and to learn by the stripes of others, not to dream of stability in our present Peace and Security, when as our Iniquities are thus at the highest pitch! To Weep (I say) and Learn by others more righteous than we, before the Lord do bring the Doctrine of Desolation upon ourselves, and make us Weep with many bitter Tears, when our Cities and Countries are made Habitations for Dragons, and Courts for Ostriches, and ourselves deprived of Lands, Liberties, 
Higher, ad Geront. V●duam  and perhaps Life's too. Sed nostri temporis mala periculosa sunt tam loquentibus quam audientibus, ut ne gemitus quidem liber sit; Nolentibus; i●● nec audentibus nobis flere quae patimur; But the Sins of our Times are dangerous, both to the hearers & speakers of them; So that as some will not, so others dare not Weep for our Sufferings. Yet as the Lord in jeremiah saith, 
jerem 7.12.  Go to Shiloh; So let us go to our neighbour Nations, and behold and see, what the Lord hath done to them, for the Wickedness of his People there; Whose Wickedness, our Wickedness may as truly be said to justify, as ever Samaria did Sodom; And the Lords justice then, is his justice now.   

§. 66.  
Furthermore, is it not high time for every true hearted Christian, to rend their  with joshua, to fall down, and Water the Earth as well as their cheeks with Tears? Whereas, if they consider the present condition of the sincerest Servants of GOD at home, they may see that, 
Cypr. ad Demet.  Excogitat novas poenas ingeniosa Crudelitas, They in our own Israel are intolerably persecuted both by the unrighteous words, and works of the Wicked. In Primitive Times, as Augustine often observeth, Satan like a roaring Lion persecuted with insatiable Cruelty, drinking up the blood of the Saints; But now like a crafty Serpent, he vexeth them in as high a degree, with all indignities and disgraces; for the Sword of the Tongue woundeth a generous Heart, as deep as the Sword in the hand doth the Body. It is strange to see in such a reformed Church as ours, how they that, 
Hier. in Apolog adu. Ruff.  Coniuncti de perfidia, ad maledicta confugiant, Are convinced of sin, Fly to slanders; How they that sit in the seat of the scornful, should so boldly, impudently, and (which confirmeth their Impudence) with Impunity, fill their hearts and mouths with disdainful, malicious, and enraged preiudices against the Simplicity of the Servants of God. 
Cypr. Epist. 42.  jactare gestiunt, quae probare non possunt, No scoffs, no Taunts, no Slanders, no Reproaches, no uncharitable Censures, can Malice invent, or Tongue utter, which hath been dipped in the Fire of Hell, that is not now a days discharged with Gnashing of teeth against their practices and Profession, as against their proper Object. Vbicunque viderint Christianum, 
Hieron ad Furian.  statim illud de trivio, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wheresoever they see an Israelite indeed, in their bas st proverbial Scommes, they condemn downright both the manner and matter of his Conversation. Which work of Satan, though the same holy Cyprian adviseth us the rather to vilify, 
Cypr. Epist. 52.  because it is their lot, Qui Conscientiae suae luce clarescunt, ut alienis rumoribus sordiaentur, whose consciences are clear and cleansed, to be defiled with the Scourge of tongues: Yet for so much as by our Office, Men have their Christendom, 
Hieron, ad Holiod.  their Communion with Christ, their Absolution from Sin, their Marriages consecrated, yea the Salvation of their Souls, and whatsoever Grace accompanieth Salvation; And were without it, no better than Bastards, Pagans, and Vessels of wrath; Let it be our Wisdom and Christian Resolution, to think as basely of men (though the greatest in our several Charges) thus abasing us, 
2 Cor. 11.22. Phil. 3.4, 5, 6.  who upon the search may be found, nothing inferior to themselves, either in birth or breeding: Considering withal that we are entrusted of the Lord with the most precious Treasures of the Gospel of his Son, and Souls of his People. Oh the honour that hath been formerly done by Heathens, to them that had but the false face of Prophets! I shame and grieve to compare the Times and Men. Only, oh God, Be thou merciful to the Contempt of thy servants. This (I confess) hath been the Complaint of the Godly, 
Hier. ad julian.  almost in all Ages; Because, Difficile est pressam malis innocentiam non dolere, It is hard for Innocency oppressed with Misery not to grieve: Yet as sin never so much abounded, so Sinners were never so much transported with embittered and implacable Opposition to Sincerity, as now; When as, 
Aug. Epist. 64.  Hostis nostri vires sentit nemo, nisi qui ei bellum indixerit, none feel the Power, of Satan's Virulency, and Malice of his members, but they that War against him. To evidence or exemplify this Truth, were too long, neither is it needful: so that now, for this Sin, the Reader Quascunque aspiciet Lachryma fecere lituras.  
What B●otts or Errors soever he findeth here, may impute them justly to my Tears: Resolving hereafter to content myself either to cast down my heart in Pitying, or to lift it up in Praying: 
Bernard. de Considerate. l. 3. c. 2.  Seeing our Complaints for this Sin are laughed out of Courts authorized to punish it, with a Plus facetiae— quam justitiae; Or no more regarded than the humming of Bees. Sometimes than we may deplore the extravagant Hypocrisy of the Times, gauled and grieved at the Conscionable Conversation of the little Flock of Christ, because it condemneth their outward Formality, and Temporising, and maketh it plainly appear, that their present Case without Conversion is wretched. Sometimes we may implore the help of Heaven, either to restrain the Hellish Virulency of railing Shimeis, 
Mich. 7.9.  and malicious Doegs': Or to give us Grace and Patience, To bear this Indignation of the Lord, because we have sinned against him; Until he plead our Cause, and execute judgement for us: Knowing that, 
Hier. contr. jovinianum. l. 2.  Amara est veritas, & qui eam prae dicant replentur amaritudine, The Truth is bitter, and they that Preach and Profess it are filled with Bitterness. For, that of Hezekiah his Song, according to the Vulgar Translation, may fitly be appropriated to our Age, and is verified in our Nation, Ecce in pace amaritud● mea amarissima; Which according to the Hebrew, our Translation readeth, Behold for Peace I had great bitterness; But the Vulgar, 
Isa. 38.17.  Behold in Peace my bitterness is most bitter: 
Bern. supper Cant Serm. 35.  Whereupon Bernard playeth no less Elegantly then Morally; Amara prius in niece Martyrum, amarior post in conflictu Haereticorum, amarissima nunc in moribus Domesticorum; Bitter first in the death of Martyrs, more bitter thereafter in Conflicts with Heretics, most bitter now through malice of Professors. Thus it was foretold of old, but now fulfilled. Howsoever, Quae venit indignè, poena d●lenda venit.  
We cannot choose but Weep, in all our Indignities & wrongs Yet our Comfort is, that a Day will come, in which the high and everlasting judge, with the brightness of his Coming, will then at furthest, before Men and Angels, bring forth our Righteousness as the Light, and our judgement as the Noon day. In which — (Scelesta tanta est iniuriae Lingu●)—  
Those Doggish Tongues and barking Dogs that now domineer over the Lambs of Christ, will be everlastingly cashired from the presence of the Lord, and joys of his Eternity: For the Reviler, no more than the Drunkard, Adulterer, 
1 Cor. 6.10.  and the rest of that impure and impenitent Crew, shall never inherit the Kingdom of God. 
Cypr. de Vnit. Ecclesia.  Quid facit in pectore Christiane Luporum feritas, & Canum rabbiss? What doth Woolfish cruelty, and Dogged Fury in the mouth or heart of a Christian? Wherefore, as the meek Spirit of God, never abideth with their untamed Affections; So shun thou, Oh my Soul, their cursed Anger, for it is fierce: And hate thou their Wrath, for it is cruel.   

§. 67.  
Lastly, if we would consider our Real and Actual Grievances, we could not but Weep in a general Humiliation, before the Lord come upon us, with his Wrath never more to be appeased. 
Cypr. Epist. 34.  If there were any, Thomae similis, qui minus auribus credat; nec ocuiorum fides deest, ut quis quod audit, & videat, Like Thomas the Apostle, who believeth not our report; What our report cannot, his own sight and senses may persuade him. I am sure, the Ministers and Men of God (of inferior degree) the more Experience they have in their holy work, the less Reward and Respect they find in the World. Which misery, though Christ & Paul foreseeing, 
Luke 10.7.  enacted as the Law of Heaven in more than Mede and Persian irrevocability, 
1 Tim. 5.18  That the Labourer is worthy of his hire. Yet that brief Statute (so ample and strong in itself, that the very Metaphorical Phrase, not only determineth the Quantity and Quality, but yields an imperious Reason of the strict performance thereof) is of no force, and counted a strange thing in our People's estimation. If the meanest Drudges (bv precepts both levitical and Evangelicall) may not be unrewarded, 
Deut. 24.14  
jam. 5.4.  unless Men will incur inevitable Condemnation in their Consciences here, and in the last judgement hereafter: Then much more barbarous is their Injustice, and Iniquity heinous, (Est aliqua ingratin meritum expr●brare voluptas)  
That feed the Ministers of the Lord with the Bread of Affliction, and the water of Afflction, that is, That withhold earthly Food, from that mouth that feedeth them with Heavenly Food; That depriveth him of his due Apparel, that adorneth them with the righteousness of Christ. How fitly Cyprian his Complaint, comparing Primitive Times, with Succeeding Times, may be accommodated to our Times, 
Cypr. de Vnitate Ecclesia.  let all Men judge. Domos tunc & fundos venundabant, & Thesauros sibi in coelo reponentes, distribuenda in usus indigentivas pretia Apostolis offerebant; At nunc de Patrimonio, nec decimus damus; They sold their Houses and Lands, and laying up Treasure in heaven, they brought the Price thereof to the Apostles to be distributed to the Poor; But now out of our large Patrimonies, we pay not so much as the due Tenth. Whereas then, now a day's Men, by detaining sacrilegiously Gods portion from God's Servants, against all Equity both Divine and Humane, do certainly pull down upon their Souls, Bodies, Goods, and Posterity, (which if I would run into Particulars, could plainly prove, by special and almost infinite Instances in this Kingdom) that heavy and horrible Curse. Malachi 3.8.9. In robbing the Lord of Tithes and Offerings. Where the Lord himself fighteth not with shadows, 
Cypr. Epist. 75.  nor is so zealous for a Ceremony. But whereas, Aliquandiù erratum est, non ideo semper errandum est. We have for some long time thus sinned Sacrilegiously, we must not therefore continue in that Sin. It is high Time therefore to beseech our Improper Lay-Impropriatours, for God's sake who commandeth our Maintenance, for their soul's sake, which reap the fruit of our Maintenance, for the Words sake by which we are warranted to demand our Maintenance, and for Christ's sake in whom we deserve our Maintenance, that they would have his Ministers in due account, that the Worship of the Lord, which they magnify in word, but repute indeed to be little worth, may not be so meanly and sordidly maintained. That they would consider our Maintenance doth claim and include all necessaries: 
Lege, Quos nos hosts 234. the ver●. Signif.  For, Alimentis legatis, cibaria & vestitus & habitatio debentur, By the Civil Laws, He that bequeathes a man Maintenance and Nourishment, intends he should have Bed and Board, Apparel and dwelling. And therefore that it is not some poor part of our maintenance in most Parishes, 
1 King. 12.31.  (with which our bare reading Predecessors, like jeroboams' Priests, made of the lowest of the People, and most of them taken from their Shops and Trulls were contented) which heretofore hath been paid by Custom more than Equity unto others before us. Is the Reward of our Work due unto us, which we would willingly bestow amongst Stationers every year That we may find that our Preaching hath, as delivered them from Sin, Sorrow, and Servitude, so likewise seasoned them with the Power of Godliness. Lest not only the Superstition of Papists, but Idolatry of Heathen Muffians rise in judgement, and condemn them, because they Repent not; But whilst we informed their Understandings, Satan perverted their Aff●ctions with Irreverence and Irreligion.   

§. 68  
And here, because, justo desunt sua verba dolori, I want words sufficiently to bewail this grievous Sin; I know not how it cometh to pass, that Ministers are ever worst Orators in their own Cause; either too Modest to Plead for themselves, Or too Timorous, contenting ourselves at every Balaks beck, 
Num. 23.25  neither to Curse nor Bless, where the Lord hath cursed; And threatened to make them (though Princes) like Orch and like Zeeb; 
Psal. 83.11.12.  yea, all their Princes like Zeba and Zalmunna, which have said, Let us take for our possession the habitations of God. And all men may know, that all the miracles of the Apostles were saving Miracles, save only in Ananias and Saphira; 
Act 5.5.  their Sacrilegious Alienating church-good. And the Son of God did never work any Miracle by force and violence, 
Mat. 21 12.  save only when he met with this Sin of Merchandise in the house of GOD, then, and only then in all his life did the Lamb of God play the Lion of the Tribe of judah. Therefore although now, Noscanimus surdis, We have small hope that our Maintenance may be augmented; Yet this barbarous and Sacrilegious Outrage, not only causeth Lamentation, Weeping, 
Math. 2.18.  and great Mourning, like unto the Voice heard in Ramah, penetrating the clouds, and Horrendâ graviter c●●lum pulsante querelâ  
Knocking at the Gate of Heaven, entereth into the Ears of the Lord of Sabbath; But likewise the most Imperious and Impious Church-Robbers that ever have been, or ever shall be, will never be able to stop the mouths, or stay the pens of them that having wearied their bodies, wasted their Spirits, spent their Patrimonies, and worn out their Hopes in that Sacred Function; Which declare their Grievances of all sorts unto the World, as Athanasius wrote his, 
Socrat l. 2. c. 1.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Books in which he complained of his Abuses and Afflictions; which may tell these inexcusable and self condemned (Legom enim Dei scriptam in Cordibus hominum, 
Aug Confess. l. 2. c. 4.  ne ipsa quidem delet Iniquitas) Blood Suckers, that our Maintenance, the Church's Patrimony, like the unseen coal of Fire in the Apologue, burneth up the Sacrilegious eagle's Nest, and consumeth all their own Patrimonies: So that by their unjust Purchases of Parsonages, they Purchase Aceldama to them and theirs.   

§. 69.  
And whilst we thus Complain of intolerable Inhumanity, wherewith the Inferior sort of the Clergy is daily broiled, and beggared, and abused: Doth the Laiety think to be exempted? Certainly true ever, as well as wise and grave, hath that saying of the Ecclesiastical Historiographer been found, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Socrat, l. 5. in Proamto.  There is always an inseparable Conjunction and Communion in Church and Commonwealth; For if the one do Mourn, the other either doth or shall shortly groan. And what shall I say? I should be censured either as insensible of Digression, or transported with Passion, if I would stand to fill up an Induction, with our jewish and Injurious Bargains, our fraudulent Conveyances, our Disapoyntments of Trusts, our wrongful Detrusions of Money, Goods, and Lands, our more than Turkish Couzenages, and Oppressions, 
Aug. Confess lib. 3. c. 3.  for which, Ho laudabilior, quo fraudulentior, A man is more praised, the more he is Perfidious. And which may cause us to yield the juice of our Tears, as well as exhibit Bills of Complaints, whilst we are content quietly to be racked, crushed, and spoiled: But these I purposely omit, for Haec animus meminisse horret, luctuque refugit.  
My Soul sigheth at the Sight and Sense of these Sins, and shuneth them in sighing.   

§. 70.  
Yet all this battery doth not serve to make a breach into our Souls, and to cause us the more to abhor our Sins; Or at  to conceive some fear in committing them, which being fully apprehended, might in time draw us all together to forsake them. Assuredly we are possessed with the Spirit of Fury, we are filled with the Poison of Serpents, we are like the deaf Adder (as David said of Wilful Sinners) in stopping our Ears against the Voice of the Charmer; 
Psal 58.4. Mic 6.9.  for we hear not the rod, nor him who hath appointed it. Thus we declare, 
Mat. 17.17.20.  that we are as Christ called the jews, Not only a Perverse, but a faithless Generation. For if we had Faith as a Grain of Mustard seed, we would Weep; For Mustard feed hath it name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Because it maketh the eyes to weep. So that, he that hath Faith as a Grain of Mustard seed, hath so much Grace as to make his Eyes to Weep. But, Credere se in Christum quomodo dicit, 
Cypr. de unitate Eccles.  qui non facit quod-Christus facere praecepit, How can that man say he believeth in Christ, who doth not what Christ commandeth him to do; And no Duty more frequently doth he command then to Weep; Therefore where is no Weeping, there can be no great evidence of Faith.    

4. Exhortation.  

§. 70.  
Go to now, 
jam. 5.5.  ye that live in pleasure on Earth and are Wanton; ye that nourish your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Weep and howl, before Misery and Mischief come upon you. Take the advantage of this acceptable Time, and make much of this day of Salvation, and blessed opportunity. For this, Gird thyself with Sackcloth, Oh Sinner, Lament, 
jam. 4.8.  and howl before the Lord, Qui iuvet, & molius, quam tu tibi, consulat, opto,  
Whom I beseech to be more merciful unto thee, than thou art mindful of thyself; That the fierce anger of thy God, 
jerem. 7.29  may be turned back from thee. Let us cut off our hair, and cast it away, and take up a Lamentation on high places before the Lord reject us, and forsake us, as the Generation of his Wrath. Oh let us not be so dull and flow to believe all that is written in the Law and the Prophets; 
Cypr. Epist. 31.  For there is fire, as well as water; There is Death as well as life; And there is hell, as well as Heaven? Shall all go to heaven? Or is hell only prepared for Turks, jews and Infidels, whose Hearts being hardened in Sin, know not how to Weep for their present Misery and future Indignation? And not much rather for Christians not touched with Sorrow; When insensate with Sin, they call not to mind, that the Lord will afflict them in the day of his fierce Anger. Quia qui non flevit, 
Bern. Serm. de Miser. Human.  quando erat tempus flendi, aeterno luctu lugebit, sed sine fructu, For he that Weepeth not, when the Time is to Weep, shall Weep Eternally, but irrecoverably. Feign would I free mine own Soul from the Blood of Souls, with some Weeping; And I should think my Weeping some part of my Happiness, If, — Alijsque d●lens sim causa del●ris,  
It might work in any, a Godly Weeping to Repentance. But as how much the longer any filthy liquor standeth in a Vessel, so much the more is the Vessel fouled and stained, and so much the hardlyer can the fowl stains be washed away; So the longer time that Sin remaineth in our hearts, with an uncontrolled Custom, the more are our unhappy Souls soiled with the stains thereof, which are the more hard to be washed away by Weeping. And seeing after our Baptism, 
Titus 3.5.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Which is the Laver or Washing of Regeneration, Our Life is nothing else but a Fowling of that which was washed; We must wash and Baptism our Souls with Tears, Lachrimae enim paeni●entium pro Baptismate reputantur apud Deum, 
Bern. Serm. 10. de Modo bene Vin.  For the Tears of the penitent are accounted as Baptism with the Lord. As death depriveth a Man of natural Life, So Mourning destroyeth the Body of sin, which is the Sensual Life: 
Aug. de Temp. Serm. 141.  Oh therefore, Moriamur, ne moriamur, Lachrymemur ne Damnemur, Let us Die for a time in this Life, lest we due for ever in the next Life; And let us Mourn for a season, lest we be damned for ever.   

§. 71.  
And although it be vain to Weep for worldly desires and crosses, yet true Tears for sin, and the smart of Sin, are never forceless nor fruitless. For if Alexander, 
Quint. Curt.  when he had read a large Letter written to him by Antipater, wherein were diverse accusations against his Mother Olympas; Answered, that Antipater knew not that one Tear of a Mother would blot away many Accusations: Much more may we be assured that the Tears of Repentance will blot away the memory of many sins, though they be written like the Sins of judah, With a Pen of Iron, and graven with the point of a Diamond. Oh say not then, Thou canst not Weep, For if not, it is because thou lovest not Christ, 
Bern in Cae●a Dom. Serm. 9  Lachrimae enim testes amoris sunt, For our Tears are tokens of our truest Love to Christ. And if thou Weep not for the Love of Christ, yet Weep for the fear of Hell; And if neither for this, thou canst Weep, Nec times Mortem nec amas Vitam, Verily thy state is dangerous, for thou neither fearest Death nor lovest Life. Who therefore hath Ears to hear, 
Matt. 13.9.  let him hear; Let all learn of our Saviour to require and yield, in this most serious Matter, their best Affection and heedful Attention. For what shall Men do with their Ears and hearts, if they Harken not to these things, and affect them not? 
Aug. de Verbis Dom Serm. 25.  Seeing we Ministers, Quod admonemur, admonere debemus, What we are Taught, are bound to Teach others. Oh! Let us See, Hear, and Understand, lest we be such as have Eyes and see not, Ears and hear not, Hearts and understand not the Importance of this Fire, which our Saviour hath sent down for ever into his Church to be taught, Herd, and believed. From which, Quia aversi sumus, 
Aug. Conf. lib. 4. c. p. 16  perversi sumus; Revertamur, ne Evertamur. Because we are averse, we are therefore Perverse: Let us return lest we be destroyed: Lest our Weeping be without relief, because without Repentance. Many indeed, we know, 
Chr●s. Hem. 6. in Alath.  Weep when they bury their Friends or Children, yet Weeping doth not raise them from the dead; others Weep when they lose their wealth, yet Weeping doth not recover it; others weep when they are wronged, yet Weeping doth not right them; Some Weep like Haman, when their proud Purposes be Crossed; Some like Ahab, when their covetous Designments are not effected, Heu, quantum insano iuvat indulgere doleri!  
Oh the great delight we take in our wretched Weeping! But what Man, Woman, or Child doth not deserve to be cast both Soul and Body into that Sulphureous Tophet, where is nothing but everlasting Weeping and Gnashing of teeth? And who almost Weepeth for it? This (I know) is an ordinary Notion, and this we know all, and understand it, Sed Doctrinaliter, non Disciplinaliter, (as saith the Schoolman) But by way of Doctrine to disprove an Erour, not by way of Discipline to ditect our Lines.   

§. 73.  
Oh that we were not so stiffnecked and obstinate in the customs of our licentious Lives! Thus to be carried with the Sway of App●tits, rage of Sensuality, tempests of Affections, without any discourse, Rule, or Restraint of Reason. Then should we know, that the End for which the Lord exerciseth us with Weeping, is to renew his defaced Image, that is to beget a right understanding in us. We are all bound to declare that Difference, whereby Nature hath distinguished us from bruit Beasts; Which consisteth not in outward appearance and behaviour, but chiefly in disposition of Mind and Understanding: Which is so near a resemblance of the Lord, that it is his Image in us, and that nothing in all his Creatures can so clearly express him. 
Aquin. 1. Q. 39 A. 2. c.  For, as God understandeth and loveth himself, so Man by his Intellectual Faculty, is apt, and inclinable to understand him and love him: And the more perfectly, Man understandeth and loveth God, the more lively doth he express his Image. But where is the Image of God? Where is our Understanding? If we understand not our estate, if we understand not our dangers: Which did we understand, we would express some care and diligence how to avoid them. For assuredly they want understanding that believe not their Dangers, and with all care and diligence, endeavour not to avoid them. In Scriptures, the dangers of our sin full estate are frequently exprested by Fires and Flames, by Scorching and Burning, and the like: which if we duly did consider, we would often ask our own hearts, 
Isa 33.14.  who among us can dwell in the devouring Fire? Who among us can dwell in everlasting Burn? What therefore Augustine said of the Damned in Hell, the same let us say of the obdurate in heart, 
Aug▪ de 〈◊〉 Des. lib. 21 c. 2.  Mirabile est ardere in ignibus, & tamen vi●ere; Sed mirabilius vinere inig●ibus, nec dolere; Si autem hoc creditur, cur non & illud? It is wonderful to burn in fire, and yet to live; But more wonderful to live in fire, and not to Wee●e. If we believe the one, why not the other? Let us then fix the eyes of our Souls, upon the unvaluable pretionsnesse of our Conformity to the Image of God, that the false representaions of this flattering World, may not frustrate the Lord of his End, and draw us from Weeping: Which emplanteth in the Sanctified Soul by the Spirit of all Comfort, such unconquerable Comforts, as are able to keep us in resolution against all Malice and Cruelties whatsoever; And truly persuadeth us, that after the approaching Period of a few and evil days, having beheld the face of God in Righteousness, 
Psal. 17.15.  we shall be satisfied, when we awake, with his likeness.   

§. 74.  
Let it not seem grievous to Weep, for never in any (especially Halcyon) days of the Gospel, was more barbarous Inhumanity, perfidious Treachery, and exorbitant Impiety, studied, exercised, practised among Christians, than now, a fearful Presage of the fiery Trial. I say not this, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to emendicate Attention: For it hath been formerly showed, that our Sins are so transcendent, that they have not been parallelled in former ages; And I wish unfeignedly, 
Adherbal apud Sallust.   haec vana potius forent, quam mise ria nostra meis verbis fidem faceret, That these things were false, fare rather then our misery should find them true: But Experience as well as Observation teacheth me to Complain, 
Hieron, ad Ch●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 seem tedious to the Adulterers and Adulteresses of the World, that hunt after the Love and friendship of the World, to cause their beds to swim with Tears. For as David when he had defiled his bed with Adulterous Embracements, 
Psal 6.6.  therefore chiefly Wept upon his bed: So let every one plentifully pour forth his Tears, for as much as every one (commonly) maketh in these days of Peace and Rest, his Bed the Place where his particular and Personal Iniquities are first hatched and enacted; 
Mica. 2.2.  For it is upon their beds that Men devise Iniquities and work evil, 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 justice by mortal means, will be more impossible, then for a man to beat the Lightning back again into the Clouds with his breath. 
Luk. 12.  There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known: Sooner or later the madness of Sinners shall be m●de evident, ●f not in the Sin as Zambri and Gozbi their fury; 
Num. 25.8.  Yet as David's, in the punishment, he did it secretly, saith Gody, 
2 Sam. 12.12.  but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the Sun: Thus will the Lord of Hosts be famous in every Sinners Infamy. I say therefore in the word of the Lord, 
joel. 1.5.  as the Prophet, Awake ye Drunkards, Weep and howl: I say it not only to the Drunken with wine and strong drink, 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: He that disclosed unto Elisha, the Counsel of the King of Syria, doth often reveal the Secrets of the People, unto his Servants the Prophets, 
Amos 3.7.  howsoever it seemeth marvelous and incredible in our eyes. Yet it is wonderful to see, how the Wisdom 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 only to the Faith which is in Christ jesus. The Merchant sendeth his Factours to Sea, and no danger doth stay them; The Husband man sendeth his Hinds into the Field, and no weather must hinder them; The Captain leadeth his Soldiers into the Battle, and no Death must terrify them; Rich men displace, disgrace, nay devour and destroy, and they are suffered patiently. Thus we 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 spiritual Obedience. We can be contented to abide any Truth, but not heavenly Truth; Any Wisdom, but not Godly Wisdom; Any Laws, but not Holy Laws; Any Cross, but not the Weeping Cross, through which we must enter (if ever) into the Kingdom of Heaven. Oh let us not still be infatuated with a Reprobate Mind, to yield all Obedience unto any Direction, and so much to be scandalised at the Word of Exhorcation, as if every word were a blow leveled to undo us! For, 
Aug. Epist. 166.  Nulla est peior Mors animae, quam libertas erroris, No death of the Soul is more dangerous, than Liberty to Sinne. And yet none seem to Worldlings greater Sinners, than such as are clothed with Weeping Garments: Their fair wedding garments do not only cover many a foul sin in themselves, 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 Work, against those that are rude and rough in the out side, bruised with Labours, wasted with Miseries, which could never wear soft raiment, because of their heavy burdens. Yet, those I could humbly beseech to remember, that (though Apocryphal) which most renowned Fathers, both Greek and Latin, have frequently inculcated in their Writings, 
Wisd 6, 6.  Mighty Men shall be mightily tormented.   

§. 75.  
And therefore, seeing the signs of the Figtree do bud amongst us, and the Messengers of the Lord (as once Cato shown a green Fig from Carthage in the Senate, signifying that Carthage was too near Rome, for the Romans to be secure) do put us in mind how near we are to the Gulf, where is nothing but Weeping and Wailing, when we are lest inclined to Weeping; Let us pray the Lord, that these things be not the beginning of evil. And as our sins have often occasioned some Men, as Miraculously (I dare say) to open their mouths, as those Christians in Lybia, 
Euagr. lib. 4 cap. 14.  whose tongues Onorichus King of Vandals cut out for the Gospel's sake, and yet spoke plainly and distinctly in Constantinople: So, — Nosperne mea praesagia lingua.  
Think it not strange, that not only the Voice of the Preacher turneth Exhortation into Lamentation, but that the Pen of the Scribe doth expostulate our want of Weeping: Seeing it can and will be but poor Comfort for any Watchman or Messenger of the Lord on his death bed, 
Hieron. ad. Nepot.  that remembreth Hieromes charge to Nepotian, if as Pericles the Heathen rejoiced on his death bed, for that none of his Citizens in Athens had ever worn a Mourning Gown through his occasion; So he be persuaded that none ever mourned in Spirit through his Preaching whom Theodorus the Tragedian will condemn, who said, That, 
Plutarch. desus land  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Not to make others laugh but to make them Weep and Mourn is only wonderful; for we may not think that Vengeance, no more than Wickedness can have an end. That the Lord taketh in hand to root out or destroy us, no Man can affirm; but to say that which we see and hear, the Sword is Drawn, Sharpened, 
Ezek. 22.2.  and furbished, and why not against us, as soon as against others, our Sins being as (if not more) exorbitant except we repent, and as the Ninivites, 
Luke 13.3. jona. 2.8.  we turn from our evil ways in Mourning and Weeping, that the Almighty may turn from the Plagues he hath devised against us. As it is curious and above our reach to search whether the Almighty intendeth to waste us or any other Nation, so it is Ridiculous in the multitude of so many apparent Signs of our displeased God, not to be afflicted, mourn, and Weep; Unto which we are so frequently exhorted, where our Warchmen are not asleep, or our Seers blind. Oh! Let us well consider, how dangerous our case is, how inexcusable our folly, and how damnable our Security: That the Messengers of the Lord may not seem, Tormenta quaedam adhibere; To torment Men before their time, because they tell them of the wrath to come; Observing, Searching, Urging, Pressing, Applying, Preaching in season and out of season, compare Scriptures with Scriptures, Sins with Sins, and People with people, whence they may most firmly conclude, Qui junguntur in culpa, 
Cypr. Epist. ●8.  nec in poena separantur, That Companions in Sin must be Companions in suffering. If Leonidas when he saw his Soldiers dining after too sumptuous and superfluous a manner, desired them so to Dine as they that were to Sup in their Graves; It is not amiss to exhort a Luscious and Lascivious Gentry, a Covetous and carnally minded Commonalty, to Rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and to awake the compassion of the Almighty by. Weeping, before dread and amazement do dull our senses, distract our thoughts, and leau● us no liberty but only to Weep.   

§. 76.  
Think we then of these, that we may redeem the Time we have misspent, if not in Hours, yet in Tears, That the Lord our God beholding our Contrition, may accept our Tears in lieu of our Times. The Lord keepeth an account of all our idle hours, how idly we have consumed our Days, in the Works of vanity: 
Aug. de Catechiz ruidb. c. 14.  Oh then, Flectamur, ne frangamur, Let us bow, lest we be broken! Oh that we would Redeem the Time with Weep! For which some hope of Comfort yet is left in us; In as much as the Lord hath a Book of Accounts, wherein our Sins are set down, So, we know he hath a Bottle wherein our Tears are put, if we be wise for our own good, and learn of the  Steward, 
Luke 16.1.  to make the best of our Opportunities. Yea, but when must we Weep, that the children of this World may not always be wiser in their Generation, than the Children of light? Say not in thy Heart, What are the appointed Times of Weeping? Which we conceive to be either General, the whole Time of our Life, therefore called the Valley of Tears; In which as there is no Time, in which we either Sin not, or suffer not for sin in ourselves or others; So there is no time of our Life, which (if it were possible) should be free from Weeping. Or Particular, as 1. After special Sins, whether Palpable or Secret, as Peter after his Denial went forth and Wept bitterly: 
Mat. 26.75  2. In special Afflictions, when the Lord by Crosses correcteth our dulness and sharpeneth us, 
2 King. 20.  as Hezekiah in his sickness: 3. Before our special Services to the Lord, 
Luk 7.39.  as that Sinful Woman which Wept, before she washed our Saviour's feet: 4. In Prayers for special blessings, as Hanna for her son Samuel. 
1 Sam. 1.10  Oh the glorious Crowns of those blessed Mourners! That daily purchased a Pardon of course for their ordinary infirmities, that washed and scoured their Souls every Morning and Evening with Weeping, more duly than our ordinary Professors their Face and Hands with water; And every day, as they run into arrearages, had the black debt of their sins crossed with the red lines of the blood of Christ by Weeping. Therefore, (as Bernard beseecheth us) let us remember our sins with Tears, 
Bern de moào vivend● Ser. 10.  Quia qui non habet cordis contritionem in Lachrymis, non habet mundam Orationem, For he that hath not Contrition of heart in Tears maketh no pure or accepta le Prayer. Let us pretermit no day upon the forementioned Occasions without Weeping, whereby we may make our Peace presently with our Lord and Consciences, and so enjoy his wont favours; I, a Favour (I dare say) including all other favours. But oh the woeful and dangerous condition of those Souls which weep not! but shutting their eyes against so clear a Light, either willingly sit down in palpable Darkness, or fall back from the sincerity of their Weeping: Never fearing, lest the Lord strip them naked, and set them as in the day they were borne, I, make them as a Wilderness, set them as a dry land, and slay them with Thirst. 
Hos. 2.3. Aug. de Bapt. cont. Donat. lib. 2. c. 6.  For, Quis dubitaverit hoe esse sceleratius peccatum, quod est gravius vindicatum, Who will doubt that to be the more grievous sin, which is more severely punished? But because it is not for me to judge them; That I leave to the high and impartial judge. For us, as we would save our Souls, let us Weep, that we may carefully preserve our Souls from the universal Contagion of Wantonness and Profaneness. In other duties the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Hieron. ad ●emet●●●dem. ●ccle●, 7.16  and solomon's overmuch, may have place; But let us never fear that our diseretion can hate Lasciviousness too much; Let us awaken our Zeal to a ferquent Opposition and daily Reclamation of such Wickedness: No man may sit still, and think to avoid the judgement of God, if he be but a bare spectator of sin, as hath been proved. For the most private or Common Christian is an Actor and not a Witness only of Public, Common, and crying Sins, unless at least he Weep for them. Must all israel be smitten for one achan's secret Theft; And will the Lord spare us in the multiplied multitude of our public Iniquities? Verily in this alone they are enemies to Christ, that are not enemies to Sin, and love to do nothing. But briefly, if we find any otherways minded, let us hate their Opinions, strive against their Practice, pity their misguiding, neglect their censures, labour their recovery, pray for their Salvation, and Weep because they Weep not.   

§. 77.  
Let not the Salvation of our Souls be so little esteemed or regarded, as not to Weep for our present Misery, Especially when our present Misery, doth threaten us with present Mortality. I do of set purpose pass over the just, though miserable occasions of our Weeping; Which are as monstrous as miserable, yea Miraculous; seeing, 
Aug. de Ciut. Dei l. 10. c. 12.  Homo maximum est miraculum, Man himself is the greatest Miracle that Weepeth not: For who is there that seethe them not, or hath not his part in them? Wherefore then should the evil that is suffered be reported? Or wherefore should the Evil that is foretell be neglected, more than the Evil that is suffered? Whence we may infallibly conclude, the Day of our Visitation is come already, seeing 〈◊〉 ●orning of our Evils hath appeared: The Morning even of the Evils of our Sufferings, as well as of our Sins. It is not a Comet or an Eclipse that we stand upon: We see a Morning, or rather a Day of Evils, in which whosoever are most secure, 
Isa 30.13.  are as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant: Or, stand but like the Walls of a ruinous house yet untouched, which in all likelihood must be pulled down, as well as the rest: The Lord grant the Ruin thereof be not so fearful, as it is like to be certain. Which that we may prevent, let us be exhorted and persuaded. 1. To beg of the Lord with all importunity and continuance in prayer this mercy, that he would melt and soften our hea●● in Weeping; Resolving ●●●er to appear before the Lord, but still to remember the Petition of the Prophet, 
jerem. 9.18.  That our Eyes may run down with Tears, and our Eyelids gush out with weeping. 2. 
Eccles. 7.2.  To go more often into the house of Mourning than we do, that is, Not only to converse with the humble & tender hearted Christians, which in Sorrow for the hand of God upon them, and Affliction of Spirit do Weep; But to resort to the house of God, where the Law as a Sword may shed, and the Gospel as a Sun may thaw thy heart into rears, by the continual Preaching of the Word. 3. To look much & often upon him whom we have pierced; Remembering the Passion of our Saviour, The Poverty, Banishment, Ignominy, Temptations, Apprehension, Arraignment, and Death, which he suffered for us; Considering him on the Cross, how he was digged, his side with a Spear, his hands and feet with Nails, 
Socrat. l. 1. c. 13.  and those so big, that Constantine made thereof an Helmet and a Bridle for his own use in War: This Meditation and Application of his bloodshed will dissolve more easily the hardest heart into Weeping, than the hottest blood of Goats can the Adamant. 4. To set some time a part by Fasting for the afflicting and humbling of our Souls, when we perceive the Lord displeased with us: For in all our Afflictions the Lord intendeth our Weeping, not that, as Esau, we should Weep only, and still keep Revenge, or other bosome-Sinnes within; But put away the froward heart, hate and abhor the Sin, that doth so easily beset us; Unto which Action, Fasting is a special Means to help it forward. As a Rider breaketh his horse, that he may travel him, both the way and the Pace which he shall think fit; So a Mourner must beat down his own Inclinations, and tame his flesh by Fasting.   

§. 78.  
But I may not, nay I would not seem to prescribe, only give me leave to Exhort; For, Non est tenuitatis meae dictare vobis, etc. as said Bernard; It suiteth not with my mean Knowledge to direct you the Means, but with my Conscience to rub your Memories. We exhort and beseech you therefore, 
Cypr. de lapsis.  Cum lachrymis nostris vestras lachrymas jungite; Add your Tears unto our Tears, that all of us, Quam magna deliquimus, tam granditer defleamus, May Weep as bitterly, as we have sinned grievously. Oh therefore! before the Lord shake off the dust of his feet against us, and turn to some other Nation more worthy, let us open the doors of our hearts, that he may come in and sup and stay with us: Let us labour, our Souls may Weep in Secret, as jeremiah, for that is the right Method in the Practice of Weeping. The Heart is. Originally evil, the Treasury and Storehouse of Wickedness; therefore as it was first Deformed with Wickedness; so let it first be reform with Weeping. For many we see whose Weeping is not from the heart: Si de cord procederent illa lachrymae, 
Bern. in Sent.  non tam facile soluerentur in risum, If their Tears proceeded from the heart, they could not so easily be turned into laughter. But away with that Sycophanticall Hypocrisy, that adviseth men to begin with outward Abstinence from Sin as the more easier, and so by degrees to come to inward Mortification. The heart, as our Saviour teacheth, is surcharged with the superfluities of all wickednesses, and thence floweth Corruption, which hath continual Eruption, into corrupted Action. So that it is impossible, our outward Actions should be Reform, while as the heart remaineth unpurged with Weeping. 
jerem. 4.14.  Listen we then to the Prophet's Counsel, O Jerusalem, wash thine heart: 
jam. 4.8.  And to the Apostles, Cleanse your hands you sinners, and purify your mind you double minded: which both Washing and Purifying must be by Weeping. Let none think they do Lament enough, when they have brought their outward man to some Weeping; Their hearts yet inwardly swelling with abundance of Abominations. For, the heart, as it is the Fountain of natural Life, and of a Sinful Life; so must it be the Fountain of Spiritual Life by Weeping: For so much as Weeping always bringeth with it a wonderful change and palpable alteration of Heart and Life. 
Chrysost. de job. Serus. ●.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, &c, For always and  Weeping changeth the form and fashion of our Life, faith Chrysostome. All other Weeping, is but the Visor of Weeping, not the face; Or if the face, not the Heart. It may be a Weeping for the judgement, not for the Sin; As the very Devils do Weep and Howl to be tormented. Every Weeping is not a Sign of Grace; Happy only is that Weeping, for which the heart is the holier.   

§. 79.  
But as my Purpose is not to flatter any one (though it be a main Sin in our days, 
Hier. ad Celan. Masron.   qui adulari nescit, aut invidus aut superbus putetur; To esteem every one either Proud or Envious, that cannot flatter) so my earnest desire is, that none should flatter or deceive themselves, to think that by the external Act of Mourning and Weeping, they may either turn the Wrath of God from them, or be reconciled to his Mercy and Favour: Unless where is a Fire of Evil as of Malice and Envy, we seek to quench it; Where is a Sink of Evil, as of Uncharitableness and covetousness, we seek to cleanse it; Where is a Root of Evil, as of Pride and Hypocrisy, we seek to extirpate it; Where is a Storm of Evil, as of Oppression and Cruelty, we seek to assuage it. Against these and the like Sins the Lords Messengers have cried both late and early in all Ages, but more importunately in our Age, than ever: — Sed quid decuisse iuvabas?  
Yet their labour hath been for the most part as Water poured upon the Earth; As a Fire kindled, where no man warmeth, himself; As meat dressed, when the Guests refuse to come; Or as when a deaf man is taught, or a dead man is cured, so our Message is rejected and despised. 
Cypr. Epist. 30.  Thus, Animus aegrorum Medentium respuere solet industriam, Our Sick think they have no need of the Physician; In so much that nothing may seem now to remain for us to do, but only to Weep. For in this case it is, that the good Samaritan said unto the Host, Take care of him; 
Luk. 10.35.  In which words (as Bernard excellently) Petitur ● te cura, 
Ber. de Consider. lib. 4.  non curatio, He enjoineth not the Minister to Cure, but to take Care for the Wounde● man: If the Wounded man, as Babylon, will not be Cured, 
jerem. 51.9. Ezek. 33.9.  he shall die for his Iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy Soul. Seeing then, Dolendum à Medico, quod non delendum à Medicina, The Physician may bewail; where his Physic cannot prevail; In these our desperately obstinate Times, we have done our part when we Weep, and we shall assuredly recvive our reward. If we cannot turn the Stream, yet if we endeavour to Swim against it, it shall be out glory: For even without Conquest, it is glorious to have resisted. Therefore as Paul told the Philippians, 
Phil. 3. 1●.  So let all Faithful Pastor's tell the Enemies of Christ, even Weeping, that howsoever neither their words, nor Works, nor writings prevail with them; Yet they must Exhort to Weeping, that all may be inexcusable, that even Idiots, Women, and Children, may not justly say in their deepest Desolations, Nun haec praescîsse oportuit nos antea, Should not these things have been told us before? Wherefore though Israel play the Harlot, 
Hosh 4.15. Isa. 61.6.  yet let not judah offend; Seeing the Lord hath set Watchmen upon her Walls, which shall never hold their peace day nor night; But like the Valiant Ones of the Lord shall cry without, 
Isa. 33.2.  and as it becometh Ambassadors of peace, shall Weep bitterly. Certainly, if we could be persuaded of these things, we should not much need to be exhorted to Weeping, but as the Israelites, when the Angel had rebuked them, for disobeying the Voice of the Lord, 
judge 2.5.  lifted up their Voice and Wept, and called that place Bochim: So our Weeping would turn our Churches into Bochims'; And make our Sermons and Supplications in all Places, 
Ezech. 2.10  as Ezechiel his Roll of Prophecy, wherein was written Lamentation, and Mourning, and Woe.    

5. Consolation.  

§. 80.  
AND now, Oh Sacred Weep! What shall I say of thee? Shall I say thou art an honourable Virtue? Or shall I term thee some heavenly Deity? Verily it seemeth thou art a Deity, and that God hath imparted some part of his Dominion unto thee: That he hath made thee his Vicegerent upon earth, and invested thee with his own Authority to Bless and Comfort. As the Lord doth comfort in heaven, so doth Mourning upon Earth; And as only the Lord maketh the Righteous blessed in heaven, so Mourning (by his Blessing) maketh the Unrighteous blessed upon earth: For, 
Math. 5.4.  Blessed are they, not, Blessed shall they be that Mourn; Because after Sin none are blessed, but Mourning Sinners. Whom then may we esteem Blessed in this Life? The Rich? The Witty? The Wise? The Mighty? The Honourable? Alas! Miserable Comforters are they unto others, and Miserable Comforters are they to themselves, who esteem themselves or others blessed, by being any, or all of these, in which is neither trust nor taste of true Felicity: Blessed are they that Mourn. It cannot be denied, but Mourners are almost always corrected, yet we may see them always comforted; In that their Correction proceedeth from the Love and Favour of GOD, either as a Bridle restraining them from the Licentiousness of Sin, or as a File and Hammer consuming the Dross or Rust of Sin. Neither doth the Lord abridge Mourners of these earthly comforts, which dare weigh with our discontentments in this life. His greater Light of Spiritual Comforts, doth not extinguish the lesser of earthly Comforts: Health, Wealth, Friends, Reputation, Competency, as they may occasion, but not limit our Rejoicing; So they cannot be Comforts if they delight us not.   

§. 81.  
Behold then, this Corrasive Divinity may be a sole Sovereign Cordial of Comfort, to those that in the Time of their troubles go out of themselves, and with Weeping eyes look upward to the God of all Consolation, 
Psal. 30.5.  Whose anger endureth but for a moment, and in whose favour is life: For their Weeping may endure for a Night, but joy cometh in the Morning's Behold, 
Isa. 30.19.  the Lord doth wait that he may be gracious unto them, at the voice of their cry; For when he shall hear it, he will answer them. Oh happy hand which is so heavy upon mournful Sinners, that it suffereth them not to lie senseless in their Sins, heaping to themselves wrath against the day of wrath. It may be a Comfort above all comforts, that this heavy hand raiseth them by Weeping out of the order of their sins: For he that hath so loved them, will not leave them; He that hath begun his work in them, will accomplish it, even as every Natural cause leaveth not the work unfinished, which it beginneth; As the Virtue of the Seed ceaseth not in the blade, not in the Ear, not in the Leaf, not in the Flower, until it bring forth fruit to perfect ripeness; As the Bird never forsaketh her young, until she see them able both to fly, and to provide for themselves: So the Supernatural Cause of all Causes is moved by his infinite goodness and Love, to finish the work which he hath begun. Fear not then, Oh Weeping Soul, The works of the Lord are perfect works; 
Deut. 32.4.  He who hath begun to love thee, will never change, but will persist to perfect all his Gifts and Blessings upon thee, that thou mayest rejoice after thy Weeping. For wherefore did he turn thy heart from Sin? Wherhfore did he provoke thee to Weeping? But because thou shouldest Wash and be clean, and Rejoice in thy cleanness. The Eagle feeling his Wings heavy, 
Aug. in Psal. 103.  is said to plunge them in a Fountain, and so reneweth his strength; And every Christian that feeleth the heavy burden of Sin, bathing himself in a Fountain of tears, becometh lively and lusty like the Eagle: And as the Rainbow in the Cloud, 
Gen. 9.15.  denounceth a present Shower, yet withal assureth, that Waters shall no more become a Flood to destroy the earth: So the Rain bow of Sorrow in the heart of a Sinner, may extort Tears from the eyes, yet never showreth down the overflowing waters of Confusion unto Death, but the everflowing streams of the everlasting Covenant of Grace, Mercy, 
2 Cor. 7.10  and Repentance unto Salvation not to be repent of. The cause then of our Dullness and Discontentment's in the days of our distresses, 
Isa. 36.6.  is our dependence upon the Reed of Egypt, or worldly means, whilst we neglect the Principal means of Weeping. Our corrupted Nature and Carnal Friends, will direct us in Crosses and Calamities to Company, Music, Discourse, Gaming, and the like, which are but as the drinking of hot Wines to qualify a burning Fever, a little pleasing to the taste, but much increasing both the Pain and Danger of the Disease; And like the Fire, which Queque magis tegitur, tantò magis astuat Ignis.  
The more it is covered, the more it burneth. Whereas all blessed Mourners may well assure themselves, that as after their Mourning they find some preparation and beginning of all and every Grace they want or Weep for: So what ever Grace by Weep is prepared and begun in them, it will be perfected and perpetuated. The Lord in Wisdom — Curis aevit m●rtalia corda.  
Suffereth Corrasives, Cauterizes, Cuttings, and Lance to be our Portion in this life; that we Weeping may be both comforted and defended by his mercy, that we Weeping may be prepared and guided to his Glory, that we Weeping may be delivered from the Plagues which the Wicked shall endure.   

§. 82.  
Now that we may have Life and Comfort in Weeping, that we may neither be beguiled through Infidelity and Uncertainty of our Hopes, nor benumbed through Deadness and dulness of out Hearts; Let us first ground our Faith in Christ through his Word and Spirit; And then set often before our eyes our everlastingly joyful Estate and Condition. And for the first, Consider,   

§. 83.  
1. The Weeping Soul draweth the Lords special Love and Favour to it, in most special manner; for though the Lord beholdeth all things, yet his more special Eye is to the Mourning Spirit. God hath a general care of all things, 
Isa. 66.1, 2.  but the grieved Soul is his particular Treasure. 
Hier. ad Ocean.  O faelix fletus, qui Dei oculos ad se trahit, Oh happy Weeping which draweth the Eyes of God unto it! Great then should be our Comfort when we are enabled to Weep, forsomuch as it draweth the Lords special Favour to us. And here (because it is no shame to learn Wit of Heathens, neither is it material, in whose School we take out a good Lesson) the Graceless Gentiles observed that Weeping ever portended prosperity, and fore-signified Felicity. 
Arrian de Expeditione Alexandri.  When Alexander began his Persian Wars, the Marble Statue of Orpheus i● Pieria, is said to Weep: Which so wonderfully astonished all the King's Sorcerers and Soothsayers, that only Aristander the Telmissean Soothsayer could interpret it to prognosticate all prosperous event, and good success unto the King. And that we might the more fully be assured of the Lords Favour, he promiseth unto all sincere Mourners the assured Comforts of outward Blessings, 
1 King. 21.29.  which Ahabs' Hypocritical Weeping wanted not. 
Isa. 1.19.  For if we be willing and obedient, that is, willing to obey the former Commandment (mentioned Verse 16.) of Washing and making ourselves clean with Weeping, we shall care the good of the Land, that is, we shall not only have the blessings of Heaven, but the blessings of the Earth also. Thus when we feast the Lord with the Water of our Weeping, he will fill us with the Wine of his Blessings, and pour down a Blessing without measure, when in any good measure we Weep for our Sins.   

§. 84.  
2. That for all Blessed Mourners are already prepared and now revealed so pure and constant delights, so Noble, so Generous, yea so Angelical that Heaven itself hath no better, but only in degree and manner of fruition; For so transcendent are the Objects of their thoughts above all other Men, that the Excellency of their justification, the Sweetness of their Recanciliation, the Glory of their Adoption, the Assurance of their Salvation, and their Freedom from the Fear of Death and Hell, do breed in their Hearts, Pleasure and joys, so fare exceeding the Mirth of any Worldling or professed Epicure in Quantity or Quality, that a sweeter or more ravishing mirth never entered into the Heart of Man, as testifieth the Apostle: 
1 Cor. 2.9.  Which cannot be understood of the joys in Heaven, for the most Regenerate here cannot tell what they shall be, 
Math. 5.4.  but of those joys, with which all Spiritual Mourners are comforted in this Life. In which respect the Gospel is truly said to be the tidings of great joy, and indeed of so great joy, as the Heart of Mortal Man cannot receive: Yet true right, title, and sweetness thereof belong only to those that Mou●●e; For the Spirit of God applieth and Preacheth those g●●d Tidings, To the Poor, 
Luk. 4.18.  the broken hearted, and those that Mourn, etc. Therefore as the inward Faculties of the Soul are capable of greater Pleasure than the outward senses, partly because they are more Noble and Divine, and partly because their Object is more excellent which is God himself and all Goodness: So the more perfect those Faculties are, the more perfect Pleasure they apprehend in their proper Objects. But Mourners have the inward Faculties of their Souls, more perfect and clear then other Men; Because nothing either defileth or defaceth the inward Faculties of the Soul, but only Sin, which they constantly wash away with Weeping. Hence it must needs follow, that Mourners only enjoy pure Pleasure in this Life, as proceeding from the purified and sanctified Faculties of their Souls, washed by Weeping from Corruptions of Sinne. In our Mourning then, 
Cypr de Immort.  Deus non sanguinem nostrum sed fidem quaerit, The Lord seeketh not our Blood, but our Belief, Not our Death, but our Faith: For by Faith only are the Comforts of the Gospel then plentifully dispensed, when we are most uncomfortable, and do Mourn most for Sin: And if we truly Mourn for any Grace of the Spirit, the Gospel assureth us of it, in some competent measure. It is then (after a sort) ingenerate and natural unto the Regenerate to Weep: Which Action of Weeping because some would violently and by force restrain, 
Pelus. lib. 2. Epis. 176. & l. 3. Epist. ●.  a Father telleth us, they fall into divers and dangerous diseases in stead of joy and Comfort. Mourners therefore are filled with the good things of the Gospel, 
Luk. 1.53.  and have the Spirit of Consolation. Woe therefore and thrice woe is unto that Soul, whom the desire of this Blessing draweth not to Weeping.   

§. 85.  
3. That the Lord maketh special Provision in all Dangers and Distresses, for the safety of those that Weep: So that Weeping may be truly called, 
Na●. in laud Hieron.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The greatest and safest Guard of Man's Life. For Mourners are never forsaken, but in the midst of their Miseries, Mercy doth compass them about; They are never cast off, but are always by the Mercies of God safely guarded; The Mercies of God do defend them for the present, and will deliver them in the time to come. For the present, it doth enable them, not only willingly, but joyfully, and desirously to suffer the Momentany Afflictions of this life: For the future time, it prepareth for them an eternal Crown of Glory, to which all the wail and Weep of this Life, are an Ordinary and almost necessary passage: As therefore when the six Angel, 
Ezech. 9 2.  like Men were come down against Jerusalem, with every one his Weapon in his hand to destroy it, first there was a course taken to set a mark on the foreheads of them, that sigh and Weep for all the Abominations that were done in the midst thereof. The reason may be, By Weeping we are united unto God (as is formerly showed) and so we possess God, and have God. 
Cyprian de Orat. Dominica.  And therefore, Cum Dei sunt omnia, habenti Deum nihil deerit, si Deo ipse non desit, Seeing all things are Gods nothing can be wanting to him that hath God, if Man himself be not wanting to God, In the want of Weeping. And the Sword of Vengeance is never drawn, till particular order be taken for the safety of Spiritual Mourners: And if it come to pass that they be swept away in any common Calamity, yet their death is so precious in the sight of the Lord, 
Isa. 57.1.  that it is their happiness to be taken away from the Evils to come. But to strengthen us under all burdens, we have one joy (that were all our Sorrows doubled) could make us lightly bear them: And this is, the Truth of God's Promises. Of which we have an experimental Knowledge, 
Theodoret. l. 5. c. 24.  like that of Theodosius the Elder, who, when he Wept, had the weapons of his enemies turned into their own bowels: 
Socrat. l. 7. cap. 18.  And like that of Theodosius the Younger, who, while he Wept, and Prayed, had an hundred thousand Saracens drowned by Angels in Euphrates. Therefore the only way. 1. Either to keep back those Punishments our Sins have deserved, is to Weep; For God's Anger in Scripture is often compared to Fire which no Water, but the Water of Weeping can prevent or extinguish. 2. Or to take away Punishments when they are inflicted; As Manasseth, — Scelere ante ali●● immanier omnes 
2 Chron. 33.13.   
Who did more evil than the Nations did before him; His Weeping having broken the fetters of his Sins, broke likewise the setters which detained him in Prison. 3. Or to sanctify our Afflictions, and mitigate the Pain and Poison of them, when they cannot be removed; Thus Crosses often are as no Crosses, 
1 Cor. 7.36  and they that Weep as though they Wept not: When we through fear do Weep in Confession, Deprecation, or Supplication for Mercy, — Nostra est timer iste Volupta●s  
Our crosses cannot affright or grieve us so much as our Tears do cheer us in Weeping.   

§. 86.  
7. That Mourners are in a most happy State, for they have assurance of the Remission of their Sins. Our Sins are written in a Book, in the Book of the Lords Remembrance; Unto which our Tears are like unto a Water-Spunge. If we Weep, than our Sins are blotted out of that Book of Remembrance; 
Chrys. hom. 2 in Psa. 51  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For our tears are the great Sponge of our Sins. 
Hier●●. ad julian.  So that Peccatores pristinum recipiunt gradum, si sordes fletibus lavarint. Sinners are sure to have their Sins pardoned, if they have washed them with Weeping. The Mourning Sinner only Ille verus vitium purgas in am●e no●●.  
Washeth away his old Sins with the new Water of Tears. If we can then but unfeignedly Weep for our Sins, we are safe. When the Stream of our Sins, and the Stream of God's wrath for our Sins, come against our Souls, if we can get the Stream of our Tears, to meet with the stream of Christ's blood, the Streams of our Si●● and of God's wrath are either dried up, or turned another way: Because our Weeping maketh our Sins both seen and not seen; Seen unto ourselves, and so amended; Not seen unto the Lord, and so remitted. As the Tears of Vine-branches do cure the Corporal Leprosy; 
Plin. lib. 23 in Proaemio.  So the Tears of those Vine-branches graffed into the true vine jesus Christ, do cure our Souls of Sin that Spiritual Leprosy. And we have the Lords infallible Promise, Zachary 13.1, That, Then, that is, whensoever we do Mourn for our Sins, as for our Firstborn, We shall have a Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness. The Reason is, Non Vindicabit Dominus bi● in id ipsum, 
Hieron. ad Castratium  The Lord will never punish one Sin twice: For what we punish in ourselves with Tears, the Lord will never punish with Torments, according to that of the Prophet, 
Nahum. 1.9  Affliction shall not rise up the second time. Thus if our heads be Fountains of Tears to bewail our Sins, Christ's heart will be a Fountain of blood to wash away our Sins. Not that Weeping meriteth Remission, nor that it apprehendeth it, for so only Faith bringeth Remission of Sins, but as it is a necessary and inseparable Attendant of Faith in apprehending Remission. For when we hold out the hand of Faith to receive God's Mercy, we do it with Weeping eyes, lamenting our Misery. And therefore though it be Faith that apprehendeth Mercy and Pardon, yet because this Faith is (in a manner) a Weeping Faith, yea even then most of all Weeping, when it most of all apprehendeth Mercy: 
Math. 5.4.  Therefore is the Promise of Comfort and Remission of sins so often in Scripture made unto Weep.   

§. 87.  
Secondly, As for the eternally joyful estate of blessed Mourners, as it is incomprehensible, so unexpressible. For all Comforts and Graces our souls can have here, in this time of Regeneration, are in Comparison not only mixed and dilute, but short and sudden flashes of comfort, to our never ending joys in Glorification. Here our Knowledge is darkened with Ignorance, there God himself is Fullness of Light to the Understanding; Hear our Memories are clouded with forgetfulness, there is continuation of Eternity without intermission; Here our Wills are vexed with Distractions, there they shallbe without disturbance; Hear our Affections are tossed with Passions, there the superior part of the soul pleaseth itself in the Vision of God, and the inferior is satiated with the fruition of his pleasures. And thus though the comforts of Mourners in this Life be greater than they can either ask or think, yet are they still soiled and stained with Thoughts, Fantasies, Forgetfulness, Infirmities, Affections, which can never be removed, till after this Life we be perfected in our Virtues, and freed from our Frailties, never Mourning, but ever Praising our Creator without Defatigation or satiety. These and the like incomprehensible and unexpressible Comforts, although they be delayed for a while, 〈…〉 si nondum res, 
Au●ust de doct. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 22  tamen spes nos hee tempore consolatur, If not their Help, yet their hope doth comfort us in this Life. They are sure, though secret Comforts, and such as by Reason of the hiddenness of them, make many to think it is the most perplexed life in the world, to turn our careless Living into holy Mourning. Yet when the day of our Refreshing shall come, all these and many more Comforts shall we suck, 
Isa. 6●. 11.  and be satisfied with the breasts of our Consolations. Now our Tears are as Veils upon our faces, overshadowing our Happiness, that it cannot be seen: But when they shall be wiped away, then at last shall be a Day of full and final Refreshing; In which, as they whom their Mother's comfort, the Lord will comfort us, and we shall be comforted. Our Sun shall no more go down, neither shall our Moon withdraw itself; For the Lord shall be our everlasting Light and Life, when the days of our Mourning shall be ended.   

§ 88  
But for so much as we are so far from Understanding the full Felicities which Mourners shall enjoy, as we are from enjoying them; For no man doth understand them, but they who do enjoy them. And because it is the Confession of blind Philosophy, that our Understanding of heavenly things, is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, As the eyes of Owls that cannot behold the Sun; I conclude unto Mourners, 
1 Reg. 10.16.  as the Queen of Sheba unto Solomon. It was a true report that I heard in mine own Land, of thine Acts & thy Wisdom; Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came and mine eyes have seen it, and behold the half was not told me. Thus, we are further from heaven, than the Queen of Sheba was from Solomon; And we hear of our joys there as she of Solomon; And our report of them is true, as their report of Solomon; But our report is not believed, no more than the report of the wisdom of Solomon, But when they shall enjoy those Comforts, they will confess, that not half the Good & Glory was reported on earth, which they find in heaven. Where likewise, 
Cypr. d● M●rt.  Dominus est daturus eis Gloria sua ampliora praemia, qu●ru circa se fuerint desideria maejora, The Lord will reward with greater Glory, those that with greater desire, longed after his presence in Weeping, 
Isa. 61.7.  When everlasting joy shall be unto all Spiritual Mourners. * ⁎ *     

Conclusion.  

§ 89.  
BUT oh Lord, Who believeth our Report? Or to whom is the Comfort, Benefit, and Excellency of this Grace of thine revealed? Oh Lord, To whom shall we speak, and apply what hath been spoken? For the Sons of men have lost th●ir hearing. Charm we never so wisely, exhort we never so earnestly, men despise us Ministers and our Admonitions, as if we spoke only out of Choler and Passion, out of Fashion and Formality. Yea, as among the jews, there was not one Hangman, but every one wa● Executioner, so now among us every one almost is a Carping Censurer. Therefore it was my endeavour to submit to the Philosopher's grave and strict precept, 
Arist Top● ● Cap 14 sect 4.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That the authorities, Examples, Testimonies, and other Evidences alleged, should convince such Critics, that, 
Scalig in R●sp●●erar.  Nos Novatores non sumus, licet illi sint Veteratores, That we teach no new Doctrine, though they corrupt, contemn, or abuse true Doctrine. And because the general Complaint of the world is, that there is No end of making many Books, 
Aug. Epist. 101.  for, Laborant homines in discendo, & brevia non valent intelligere, pro lixa non amant legere, There is little or no fruit in those that read them; As slenderly slighting them, as ever julian the Apostata did the Books of Primitive Christians. To whom though St. Basils' rejoinder to the same disdainful Apostata, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Sozom. l 5. c 17.  To read and not to understand, is to condemn or contemn, may fitly be retorted; Yet, Oh that I could stir up some Weeping Intentions and Affections in some Readers, whose eyes may happily be cast upon this Advise! Then would they also endeavour to work the like in others, and so a small number by multiplication might prove a great. Yet that I may not be censured as one, Who, Dum alienos errores emendare nititur, 
Higher add Lucin.  ostendit suos, Whilst he would amend faults in others, publisheth his own. Only Duty herein excuseth me from Presumption; Seeing, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, In doing our Duties, our faults are excusable. For the present I know & acknowledge ingenuously, that I have violated many Rules of Art, and omitted not only many Circumstances, but much more Substance, whilst it hath been my desire to prosecute the Defect of Weeping, without exact Method or Rhetoric: And the rather, seeing in Complaints, it is the best Method to observe no Method, and the best Rhetoric is sincere Profession and Confession of the Truth. In which, my heart-broke Elegies have given an harsh and broken Harmony, a sullen Style as well as sacred▪ And being tuned heavily to sighs and lamentations, it could not b●● abhor the strong Lines of Descant and Division. Yet in all these, where Intellecta parum, confusaque verba fuerunt, I have failed, God (I hope) and good People will pardon me, because of my unfeigned Desire to incite all to this Duty of Weeping; And yet both Freely and Sparingly: Freely in regard of true Weepers, lest unto them I should seem Cynical, in saying too little; Sparingly, in regard of our Wantoness, lest unto these I should seem Satirical, in saying too much.   

§. 90.  
Endeavouring therefore myself, Accipiat lachrymas utraque turba meas, To be made all things to all men, 
1 Cor. 9 22.  that I might by all means gain some to Christ, I humbly and hearty beseech the great Lord of our harvest, to touch the heart of some learned Zenas, some skilful Apelles, some Practical Divine, with a Coal from his Altar, who may teach us the Art of Weeping. The Art of Weeping, which is more necessary to be taught and learned in our days, than any of all the Liberal Sciences. Oh that this Art were seriously studied, taught, & practised! then would the Beauty of Weeping more orieutly blaze in the eyes of all, the Name of it more pleasantly sound in the Ears of all, and the Contraries of it be more odiously censured of all. We have (I confess) the use of Weeping, although it be not taught us, as men had the use of Logic before the Art was penned: Yet none can deny, but that Rules and Directions orderly collected, to acquaint us with the Name, Nature, Subject, Object, Kinds, Properties, Causes, Effects, Ends, Means, Marks, Canons, and Motives of it, would much conduce to a more lively and certain Practice, then wild and unguided Affections: And such helps God's Spirit in Ordinary despiseth not. All that I, upon this sudden, and (as I conceive) extraordinary and necessary Occasion of Weeping, undertook (intending only Sanctisication, and no Matter of Controversy) was to be at least like the Whetstone in the Poet, 
Horat de Ar●e Poet  Which can sharpen the Knife, though itself cannot cut. And the rather, because it better beseemeth my years to warn, then to teach; To enkindle Affections, then to inform judgement (Though, 
Aug count. Cres●on. Gramm. lib. 4. c. 65.  Arrogantia non sit, vel quaerere vel asserere Veritatem, It be no Presumption in any man, either to search or Teach the Truth.) And out of this short Text of Weeping, to bring some Light to the Grace of Weeping.   

§. 91.  
Let me (in the mean while) Congratulate thee, Oh Christian, whosoever thou art; That running after thy only Pattern jesus Christ thy Redeemer, dost follow this Affection of his Weeping, that all Gracious Effects may follow thee: That art become (as it becometh thee) an humble Suppliant in the lowest degree of Sorrow and Shame: That powredst out thy Soul at his feet with Tears, and, 
Aug. Confess. lib. 8. cap. 8.  Tam vultu quam ment turbatus, Makest thy abject Countenance and dejected Gesture, unfeigned Messengers of thy distressed Thoughts: For thy Mournful Elegies shall be turned into joyful hallelujahs, when the Laughing Humour of every Democritus, will prove but a doleful Dorion. Well knoweth thy mild Ph●sitian, that, Mors ista Criminum, 
Cypr. Epist. 2.  est vita virtutum, This sharp Corrosive of Weeping, angreth thy tender and wounded heart with great bitterness. Yet — Dabit Deus his quoque finem.  
Thy God will assuredly apply a sweet Lenitive to assuage thy pain; By which also thou mayest acknowledge thy Calamity to be rather a fatherly Chastisement, than a severe Punishment. 
Plin. l 12. c. 15.  For doubtless as that Myrrh is more precious which drops from the Tree of it own accord, then that which issueth enforced by Incision, o● other ways: So those tears are more acceptable to the Lord, which earnest desire of Grace in Love and Humility causeth to distil. And, as when the Eagle brood's, the Chick that cometh of the Egg lying nearest her heart is best beloved of her; 
Plutarch.  So the Tears of thy humble and contrite Heart are no less acceptable unto the Lord, than the blood of Martyrs: Yea every true Mourner is a true Martyr, for, 
Basil.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The whole life of the Just Man is a Martyrdom. And therefore, He that is both Commander and Spectator of thy Combat saith in a word behind thee, Luctare, Adiwabo: 
Isai. 30.21.  
Aug. in Ps. 4. ●.  Vincito, Coronabo: Be of good courage, thy God is both judge and Rewarder of thy Conflict: Who admitteth thee so often into his Presence, and affordeth thee space to embrace the sacred Ordinance of his Word and Sacraments, the Conduits of his Grace, and Seals of thy Redemption, by which he reneweth the evidences of his unchangeable Love, and accepteth all thy Sacrifices. Thus thy Gracious Lord, who is ever a Merciful Father to forsaken Wretches, an easy judge to repenting Sinners, and a God of comfort to sincere Mourners, will not only stint thy Weeping, but perfect thy joy, and make the end of thy Weeping and Sorrows, the beginning of thy never-ending pleasures.   

§. 92.  
Let it not then be tedious or troublesome unto thee to weep, seeing unto none doth thy Lord impart his Love, but unto whom he imparteth his Labour: And with none doth he communicate his Grief, but therewith also he communicateth his Grace. We are caught with Sin, as Fishes are taken with a bait: Therefore as the Fish Scolopendra, 
Plin. lib. 9 Cap. 43.  having sucked in the Fisher's hook, instantly doth rid her from it by vomiting up all her guts: So let it not be tedious to pour out thy Soul before God by casting up, and casting out in Weeping all the sinful baits of Satan within thee. Be not then (as most be) of so effeminate and soft disposition, that they are ready to swoon at the very name and first Alarm of Weeping: Seeing in the troublesome Sea of this World, 
Aug. Trac. 1. in to 〈◊〉  Non portum sed planctum iwenimus, We find no Haven but howling, that we should employ ourselves in seeking to redress by weeping and sorrow, what we cannot avoy the in sin. Stand not gazing on others in thy greatest dangers, expecting aid from God, but not remembering, that thou must, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Add ●hy own Industry to the In vocation of Divine assistance: For Mercy and Grace are not gotten by wishing, it is by weeping and Watching that they gain a good and Godly success. 
Origen Hon in jerem.  A tristibus semper sednecessarijs inchoat Deus, deinde progreditur ad hilariora, God ever beginneth at necessary discontentments, and so proceedeth unto things more pleasing; First he woundeth, than he maketh whole; First he plucketh up, than he planteth; First he mortifyeth, than he vivifyeth. 
Cant. 2.2.  As thy Beloved is called a Lily among Thorns, so he cannot be attained with idle ease: Thou must endure not only labour but pain likewise, If thou wilt enjoy him. If thou would have his Head to comfort thee, it is crowned with Thorns; If his Heart to pity thee, it is pierced with a Spear: If his Hands or Feet to help thee, they are struck through with Nails; And if his Eyes to watch ●uer thee, behold! they are Lymbecks of Tears. Wherefore, Recusas esse in Corpore, 
Aug. Tract 87. 〈◊〉 joan.  si non vis pati cum Capite, Thou refusest to be a Member of the Mystical body of Christ, if thou wilt not suffer with thy Head and Saviour. Know then, Oh Sin full Soul, that Sinners may be forgiven if their Sins be lamented For the Poison of Sin is not like the Poison of Tarantula, It must be cured with Mourning, and not with Music. Therefore as that Holy Bishop spoke concerning Augustine before his Conversion, 
Aug. Conf. 12. l. 3. c. 3.  Fieri non potest ut Filius istarum Lachrymarum pereat, So may it be spoken concerning thee before thy Consolation, Fieri non potest ut in Fluvio istarum Lachrymarum pereas, It is impossible, that in the Flood of thy Tears thou shouldest perish. For every Grace and good Gift, which no other Mortal Force, Favour, or Policy can procure, the continued Tears of Godly Weep are able to obtain. And as it is undoubtedly true, that he never leaveth those that love him, and ever loveth those that Weep with him; So thou shalt undoubtedly find him Liberal above Measure, and Comfortable beyond Expectation, not for any Merit of thy Weeping, but for his own Mercies sake.   

§. 92.  
Wherefore, Oh Blessed Saviour, thou alone that knowest how little account I make of this unworthy Service I have done unto thee, and yet am Confident that thou acceptest this poor Mite, because it came of thee, that I should have the least Will or Skill to do it; Be pleased, I beseech thee by all thy Mercies and Merits, to give me Grace to Weep with thee. And in taken of thy Grace, Give me a Flood of Tears, that I may pour them forth before thee, with Reverence, bewailing my Miseries, and begging thy Suppertance and Supply. And to this effect, Mollify my Stony Heart, Illuminate my Misty Mind, Subdue my Sensual Affections. Subdue, O Lord, my Body to my Soul, my Soul unto Reason, my Reason unto Faith, that I may joy only in Weeping with thee, who hast promised to all such Mourners, in thy presence Fullness of joy, and at thy right hand Pleasures for evermore. AMEN.    GRATIAS TIBI DOMINE JESV. 
FJNJS.   

Errata.  
In Epist. Pag. 4 l 18, r. T●n u●s p●s l. vlt. 〈◊〉 the first ha' fe of a Parentnesis before, (Wh●●e & p 11. l. 5. before (O●●8 p 8. l. 8 r. m●●e.  
In Lib. Pag 1 l. 9 r unto man p 2 l 8 r C●re p. 37. l. 18, blende l p 47 l. 7, r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p ●8 l. ●, r No●●ov. p 64. l. 8, r cause p 7 ●. l 18, r. Where p 84. l 10, r. all almost p. 107 l. 1, r. poieted p 11 ●. l. 14, r Oh our. p. 130. l. 1, r. confinneth. p 140. l 16, r pant out p 207. l 4, r ●o fare p 224 l 8, r indigentium: ibid. l 10, r. decimas p ●38. l. 20. r. lachrimemur. p 257. l 5, r. Comparing. p 261. l. 16, blot out (l) p 26●. l 5, r and make. p. 296. l 17, r. 4. p. 297 l. 8, r lauer●●t. p 301. l 19, r. Praising.  
In Sect. §. 34. iterated p 90. & 94 § 46 iterated p. 138. & 143. § 53. iterated p 161 & 163. §. 69, r 64. p 205. § 70. iterated p. 2, 3 & 235.  
I Will not accuse the Readers discretion, to tell him of false Points, or smaller Errors: I entreat only to amend these, and pardon all.