THE CHRISTIAN MAN'S TEARS, AND Christ's Comforts.  
DELIVERED AT A FAST the seventh of Octob. Ano. 1624.  
By GILBERT PRIMROSE Minister of the French Church of London.  HIERON. ad Nepolit. Lachrymae auditorum laudes tuae sint. Let the Tears of thy Auditors be thy praise. 
LONDON, Printed for I. Bartlet, at the gilt Cup in the Goldsmith's Row in Cheapside. 1625.   

TO THE RIGHT Honourable and Religious Lady, ELIZABETH, Countess of Anandale, Viscountesse of ANAN, etc.  
MADAM:  
COnsidering it is the custom of those which set out Books, to stamp them with the glorious titles of some person of note and authority, that they may be received as currant money; I have given to this little book the silver wings of your right Honourable name, that flying abroad like a mourning Dove, it may find a quiet restingplace in the favourable allowance of the Reader.  
The matter wherewith it is stuffed, is weeping & laughing, mourning and comforts. The end wherefore it is made, is to exhort all kind of persons to shed tears of godly sorrow, which God may put in his bottles, & the Lamb of God turn into the wine of heavenly comforts, when they shall be called unto his marriage-Supper.  
Such tears were never more necessary; I will not say that they were never less heeded nor cared for, than they are now, because I am a stranger at home: let every man speak to his own conscience; let every conscience ask of its own heart, how it is touched with sin, how affected with the affliction of the Church: let every heart judge itself; and if our heart condemn us, let us all know, that God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  
One thing I know generally, that men when they are exhorted to weep, are accustomed to say, that weeping is more womanish than manly: for women are of a more weak and moist constitution of body, and more sensible of the passions which provoke weeping, than men are. Men blaspheme the glorious and dreadful Name of the Lord our God: Men are more frequent in the Taverns, than in the Church: Men let fly all they have at Cards, at Dice, at other unlawful games, & foolish sports. Where is there deceit, where robbery, where oppression? where, but among men? Who trouble the state? Men. Who undermine, who betray, who dismember the Church by schisms, by heresies, by secret plots? Men. Who persecute the Church? Men. Who forsake it? Men. The most part of the evil that is done in the world, is done by men: Not because they are more, but because they are worse than women, and (for the most part, alas!) have neither wit nor courage, but to do ill. For all this they weep not, because, forsooth, it becomes not men to weep. But when the hand of God is heavy upon them, will they not curse? will they not roar like wild beasts? Is roaring more manly? Is it nothing so womanish as weeping?  
I know not what they call womanish? for many women have been, many in this last age of the world are better than many men. Had not SEMIRAMIS distaff a sharper edge than NINUS her husband's sword? Was not TOMYRIS as martial as CYRUS? did she not find out a more witty stratagem to overthrow him, who was a most crafty and cunning warrior, and his army of two hundred thousand men trained up in wars from the cradle, than he did to entangle her Son who was a beardless Captain? did not the AMAZONS fight, when men fled? did they not subdue their enemies, who had overcome their husbands? Had not ZENOBIA a lion's heart in a woman's breast? How often did she constrain the Roman armies to show her a fair pair of heels? Neither was she overcome, but wearied with the innumerable multitude of new armies sent against her by the Emperor VALERIUS AURELIANNS; who when he had triumphed of her, was fain to be a suitor unto her, for her daughter to be his wife. Though she was a Syrian, she spoke Greek and Latin; she was instructed in all sciences; she writ the Story of the Orient; she had quick eyes, and a man's voice; her teeth were so white, that she seemed to have pearls, and not teeth in her mouth: in all the gifts of the body and of the spirit, she went beyond all the men of her age. Her own husband ODENATUS was the most valiant man of those days: He subdued all the Orient, & the Emperor GALLIENUS was fain to pray him to be partaker of the Empire with him: but she was better than he. PHILE was so wise from her tender nails, that being yet a young girl, her father ANTIPATER, that old and wise Counsellor of ALEXANDER▪ THE GREAT, that worthy King of Macedonia asked her counsel, and followed it: & when she was wife to DEMETRIUS, a man given to many vices, she could manage and govern his passions with such discretion, that she made his government tolerable to his subjects, his person respectable to all men, his power fearful to his enemies. I forbear to speak of CRATESICLEA, the royal mother of CLEOMENES king of Sparte, and of PORCIA the wise daughter of CATO, and the courageous wife of BRUTUS, who, when she had received a great wound, did not so much as shrink.  
To enter into the Church; Was not DEBORAH more meet to be General of an army, than BARAK? did not JAHEL, with a hammer and a nail, teach the great Captain SISERA, that he had a foolish head? One woman in the City of ABEL was wiser than all the men therein. There was no man in BETHULIA to be compared in wisdom with JUDITH: What courage she and her handmaid had, OLOFERNES proud and cupshotten head could best tell. When JUDAS betrayed Christ, when PETER denied him, when the Priests and Elders of the jews accused him, women were faithful unto him: When Pilate condemned him, when men mocked him, and nailed him on the cross, women wept for him: when his own disciples through fear fled away from him, women most courageously followed him.  
PULCHERIA fair indeed, but more wise than fair, was more worthy of the imperial diadem, than her brother THEODOSIUS II. who prospered when he was guided by her; was unfortunate, and turned the empire topsie turvie when he neglected her counsel. FERDINAND king of Spain was a wise and valiant Prince: But his royal wife ISABEL outreached him in all princely virtues. He was hard and sparing; She was liberal and honourable. He was fit to keep and maintain his own kingdom, than to enlarge it: She, She I shall, increased it with the kingdom of Navarre, with the Canary Isles, and with the new world, which we call AMERICA. She never drank wine. When she was sick, when she was in travail, not only she cried not, she mourned not, but she did not so much as change her countenance, as give one sigh. On her daughter's wedding day, news being brought unto her of the death of her only son, she suppresseth her grief, she keeps a merry countenance, lest she should mar the feast MARIUS himself could not have shown a greater courage.  
I could name women yet living, who went stoutly to the skirmish against the enemies, no ways dreading the glistering of swords, the brandishing of spears, the hail of bullets falling thick, and whistling about their ears. When men made head to men with their heels, they ran to the breach, and catching the partisans that fleeing men had fling away, laid their enemy's heads where their feet were, and saved the beleaguered town. The only sons of some of them being killed in that cause, they buried them with dry eyes and laughing faces; calling themselves happy, that God had made them mothers of such children. Neither did they at any time weep, but when they saw men do many things unbeseeming, not only Christians, but men: then, through great displeasure, they wept, because men did neither blush for shame, nor wax pale for fear of eternal disgrace, nor weep for sorrow, that, like JUDAS, they had betrayed jesus Christ; or like REUBEN abode among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleat of the flocks.  
Moreover, the principal passions which provoke weeping, are love, anger, sorrow: If those passions be more vehement in women, than in men, as men say; then, when they are sanctified in women, as they are in all true Christian women, we must confess, that in women there is greater anger against sin, greater sorrow for sin, and for the affliction of the Church, greater love of God, greater zeal of his glory, than men: and therefore that women weep more than men.  
Are they first in weeping? they shall be first in comforts. The more bitter their weeping is, the greater shall their comfort be. Women, not men, wept publicly at the death of Christ: therefore they were first comforted with the delightsome sight of his glorious resurrection, and with the commission given unto them, to be the Apostles of the Apostles, and to preach that their Lord and Master was risen again. S. Peter saith, that women are the weaker vessel. That speech may be turned to their praise: for as a little cup of crystal, though it be frail and brittle, is of more value than a thousand bowls of varnished tin; so one godly and virtuous woman is more to be esteemed, when she weepeth to God in time of misery, than ten thousand brutal men, who can roar, but cannot weep.  
I speak of brutal men; for we find in the Scriptures, and I show in this book, that the most courageous, wise, and godly men, that ever had eyes in their heads, did make of their heads living fountains of tears, of their eyes pipes to convey them to their cheeks; and did weep as much, not only as women, but as little children. And indeed are we not all God's children? why then shall we not weep, when we offend him, and he chasteneth us? Are we not in his Church as new borne babes? why then should we not weep in our necessities, till he take us in his lap, lay our mouths to his breast, & still us with the sweet milk of his spiritual comforts? Can man have a true feeling of his evils, and not weep? Can he know that his help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, and not run unto him, and cry unto him, as the woman of Canaan did, LORD HELP ME?  
Will such men need rules of weeping, & Masters or Preachers to teach them how they ought to weep? No, no: their unfeigned love to the Church of God, their earnest affection to the glory of God, their extreme and godly sorrow for the bruising and crushing of joseph, their passionate hatred and grudge against sin, will be to them a most sufficient and learned Master in that Art. Godly sorrow will be Aarone rod to their hearts of rock, and make them an undrainable spring of sighs, of groans, of cries, of tears, of lamentations, of complaints, of expostulations, of deprecations. Their fervent love will make them most eloquent in devoute praying. The heart wounded to the quick, sendeth up to the eyes rivers of tears, and to the mouth floods of most pithy and signifying words, and easeth itself by weeping and praying. There all the Saints of God, men and women, have in all times found tears enough, and words in abundance, to make their moan to God.  
Not that God, who seethe without eyes, & heareth without ears, and before whom hell itself is naked, and the deep hath no covering, hath need of our tears to know our wants: but because we stand in need of him, he will have us to know & to feel our own miseries, and to acknowledge with sighing, mourning, and praying, that we have no hope but in his help, but in the exceeding riches of his grace, but in the infinite treasures of his mercies. For this cause, doth he exhort us to fast, to weep, and to pray: for the same cause, at a Fast solemnised those days bypast, made I in substance, and so far as two hours of time would permit, and I thought fit for the time and the hearers, this exhortation to weeping; which now I present to you,  
MADAM, as a public testimony of the due account which I make of those excellent gifts, both of nature and of grace, wherewith God hath, with an open hand, enriched your noble and honourable person. ISABELLA the Queen of women, of whom I have already spoken, might have been called the PHOENIX of Queens, if there had not been a ZENOBIA before her in the Orient, and after her an ELIZABETH in England: This Queen was to all women a glistering Mirror of chastity, a rare example of sobriety, a perfect precedent of modesty. She could not abide jesters, Stage-players, Fiddlers, but banished them all off her Court: when she was not distracted with matters of State, she was ever in the midst of her Ladies, sewing with her own hands, and instructing & exhorting them, by word and by example, to godliness and virtue. Every day twice she had her ordinary hours of private prayers. Her daughter MARY, Queen of Portugal, like unto her, was very grave in all her carriage, was as mild as any might be to all persons, was enemy to idleness, and was wont to exhort all her Ladies to MODESTY; saying, that MODESTY IS THE PRINCIPAL ORNAMENT OF A WOMAN. The Chastity and Modesty of a woman; the gracious and courteous gravity of a Lady; the zeal and piety of a Christian; the wisdom and provident care of a virtuous & noble Matron, are the virtues which I have observed in your Ladyship, and which have moved me to bear witness unto them by this dedication.  
furthermore, all who know your Ladyship, and know the perpetual attendance of my Lord, your worthy and right honourable husband, on his Majesty at Court, will bear you record, that you indeed are the virtuous Woman, of whom Solomon saith, that THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND DOTH SAFELY TRVST IN HER; that her children arise and call her blessed; that her husband praiseth her, and saith, MANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE VERTVOUSLY, BUT THOU EXCELLEST THEM ALL. You are the last and most sure receiver of my Lords debts: you are the most faithful keeper of his treasures and Registers: Let it please you then, most virtuous and Noble LADY, receive this obligatory bill, whereby I acknowledge myself indebted to my Lord for his favour and kindness, and do bind me by it, as by a solemn contract, to pour out my soul before the Lord of Lords, day and night; beseeching his divine Majesty to pour down upon your right honourable persons and hopeful issue, all kind of blessings external, internal, and eternal, for Christ jesus his Son's sake; in whom I am, and shall remain for ever,  
MADAM, Your most humble and most affectionate servant, Gilbert Primrose.   

Errata pars primae.  
Pag. 13 lin 13. d. the. p. 44. l. 19 when. p. 56. l. 5. yexing. p. 60. l. 10 sadness. p. 130. l. 6. election. p. 213. l. 13. Dorter, or sleeping place. p 252. l. 1. his. p. 241. l. 15. not.  
Errata pars secundae.  
Pag. 18. l. 15. d. in. l. 18. the. p. 26. l. 6. his.   

THE CHRISTIAN man's Tears: AND Christ's Comforts.  

The first part of the Christian man's TEARS.  MATTH. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. LUKE 6.21. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 

CHAP. I.  
ALl men have a natural knowledge and desire of blessedness.  
2. But no man can tell, without special revelation from God, wherein it consisteth.  
3. Thence is the great diversity of opinions, concerning them who are blessed;  
4. As Kings.  
5. Courtiers.  
6. Rich men.  
7. Voluptuous men.  
8. There is no blessedness in any worldly thing.  
I. AS all men have a natural impression, whereby they acknowledge, that there is one Sovereign and chief God, who should be worshipped with heart, words, and deeds; so they have a natural light, whereby they know that there is a Sovereign and chief good, which should be desired, and sought with much endeavour, and great might; as the chief end of their lives, and the only blessedness whereby they are to be perfected, and wherein all their desires and affections must rest, as in their centre. For blessedness is the perfection of man; and no man can say, that he is blessed, till he say, 
a August. Confess. lib. 10 cap. 20. Vita beata non est mihi, donec dicam, sattest.  It is enough.  
Thence it is, that as all men worship God, so they do all desire to be blessed by the enjoying of the Sovereign good; the only naming whereof rejoiceth the heart, and is unto it a restorative, when it is sorrowful and faint. 
b Ibid. una. voce, fi interrogari possent, utrum beati esse vellent, fine ulla dubitatione, ve●le responderent.  Ask of all men together, (if it were possible); ask of them a part, whether they desire to be happy and blessed: and doubt not but they shall all answer with one voice; that is our desire. whatsoever we attempt, whatsoever we prosecute, whatsoever we bestow our time in, we do it for that end. Blessedness is our great business: all our cogitations are of it, all our cares are for it, all our delight is in it. 'tis not so in other things. Take but two men, and 
c Ibid. ca, 21.  ask of them, if they will go to the wars; it may be, that one of them answers, he will; the other; that he will not. Ask of them again, if they desire to be happy: forthwith they shall answer, what else? neither will one of the two go to the wars, and the other lurk at home, but to be blessed. So deeply is the sense and desire of blessedness rooted in all men's hearts.  
II. But, alas! 
d joh. 1.5  The light shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. For what is the natural knowledge which men have of God, and of the sovereign good wherein their blessedness consists, but as a lightning, which in the twinkling of an eye is extinguished and drowned in the dim cloudiness of a dark night? To speak of blessedness apart, because it is the principal matter of my text: all men know generally, and in gross, that thereiss such a thing which is called blessedness, and have a confused desire thereof; but which of them all can tell what it is, wherein it consists, which is the way to attain unto it? In that knowledge they are as blind as Moles, till they be enlightened with a more excellent light than that which nature doth afford. For 
e Aug. Confess. lib. 10. ca 23. Multos expertus sum qui velint fallere, qui autem falli neminem.  though there be many which like to deceive and cousin others, and not one at all who can abide to be deceived; whatsoever they love beside that which is blessedness indeed, they call it their blessedness, and will have others to think so of it. 
f Et quia falli nolunt, nolunt convinci quod falss sunt.  And because they shun to be deceived, they cannot suffer to be convinced of their error.  
III. Whereof if ye desire to have a clear trial, ye need not to drive your thoughts backward, and to search 
g Idem de Civit. dei, lib 19 cap. 1. & ●.  into the reasons which distracted the ancient Philosophers into two hundred, fourscore and eight opinions, concerning this one and only point of man's blessedness in this miserable world.  
Let us fix them upon those things which our eyes see, and our ears hear, and ask of so many men, which are much busied, walking abroad, going and coming thorough the streets, passing by the high ways, playing, sporting, eating, drinking, trading by sea, by land, sitting in their shops, plotting, musing, meditating in their closerts; what they think of felicity, and which is the blessed end wherabout they spend so much time, and take so great pains: we shall find them to be like unto the builders of Babel, and their language so confounded, that they understand not one another's speech.  
iv Begin at Kings: Ask of the great king Nabuchadnezzar, wherein consists his beatitude. He shall speak and say, 
h Dan. 4.30.  Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majesty? But when his kingdom shall be taken from him, when the heart of a beast shall be given him, when he shall be driven from men, when his Palace shall be changed into a den, his fare and dainties into grass, his wine into muddy water, he shall say to God, as David said in the Psalms to another purpose, When I spoke so, 
i Psal. 73.22.  I was a beast before thee.  
Let 
k Herodot. Clio.  Solon come to Croesus the rich King, and tell him that Tellus, Cleobes, & Biton, poor men, but honest, are more blessed than he, he shall stand amazed, and wonder how such a Philosopher can by any apparent reason bereave such riches, as his, of the glorious title of beatitude, & deck with it three unknown and needy wretches. But when Cyrus shall dispoil him of his mountains of gold, when he shall be tied to the post, when the wood shall be put on the fire; when, in the midst of a smoky flame, he shall be made to his enemies a most pleasant spectacle of a pitiful Tragedy, than he shall cry, but too too late, O Solon, Solon, Solon! then he shall know how truly it is said, 
l job 15 ●1.  Let him not trust in vanity, which deceiveth him: for vanity shall be his recompense.  
When the Emperor SEVERUS was on his deathbed, what availed the memory of all his riches, honours, power, delights, but to make him, upon the treble string of his melancholic hart, tune this doleful Song; 
m Sparta. in Seneio. Hac omnia fui, & nihil expedit  I have been all things, and nothing availeth?  
To return to the Scriptures: Did not 
n Eccles. 2.3.  Solomon acquaint himself with wisdom, and with folly? Did he not give himself to women and to wine? Did he not make great works, build Houses, plant Vineyards, Gardens, & Orchards, gather silver and gold? Made he not silver to be in jerusalem as common as stones? Saith he not, that 
o ver. 10  whatsoever his eyes desired, he kept it not from them? that he withheld not his heart from any joy? Was not that blessedness? Oh no! The Catastrophe, the shutting up of all was, 
p ver. 11  Behold, all is vanity, and vexation of spirit. He saith as Severus said, There is no profit under the Sun.  
V Cannot King's find blessedness in the pleasures, riches, power, glory of a Kingdom? and shall Courtiers, who wade but in shallow water, who dare not adventure to swim in the Ocean of royal pleasures, who eat but the crumbs and leave of their Master's Table, call their life blessedness? Yea that will some of them, I warrant you, as being most like unto the Fly; whereof it is written in the Apologues, that, preferring itself, with much bragging and ostentation, to the Ant, who hath no dwellingplace but in the holes of the earth, it said; I am ever with the King at table, I drink in his cup, I eat of his best dainties, I sleep in his purple gown, I kiss the Queen's face; & considered not, that it was but a troublesome worm, which by and by should be favoured with the cheer which the Emperor Domitian gave to the Flies of his Bedchamber, as the proverb saith; Today glad, tomorrow dead.  
Go to Ahasuerus Court; cast your eyes there upon the King's Minion, Haman: ye see him betimes in the morning waiting 
f Esth. 6.4  at the outward Court of the King's house, to present his suit against Mordecai: ask of him, wherein he placeth his blessedness. 
g Esther 5.11.  He shall make you a long Roll of the glory of his riches, of the multitude of his children, of all the things wherein the King hath promoted him above all the Princes & servants of the Court, of the queen's most special kindness and favour unto him: he will assure you, that blessedness itself goeth to bed, & riseth with his Grace; that nothing is wanting to make it up thoroughly, but the King's command to hang Mordecai, which shall presently be dispatched; not thinking, that the next day all his blessedness shall be hanged with him on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai: as if it had been written of him, 
h job 8.14, 15  Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be as a spider's web. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall build it fast, but it shall not endure.  
VI Go to the rich men of the Land: ask of them, as Croesus did of Solon, Who is the happiest man of the world? They shall answer, as Croesus thought Solon should have answered to him, and if need be fetch their answer out of the Scriptures; Our blessedness is, that 
i Psa. 144.12.  our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a Palace; that our Garners may be full, affording all manner of store; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets; that our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets: happy is that people that is in such a case: After this manner did the rich man in the Gospel bless his soul; saying, 
k Luk. 12.19.20  Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease: eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him; Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: than whose shall those things be which thou hast prepared?  
Go to the Exchange, go to the shops, go to the ships, go to all kind of worldlings; ye shall hear them all saying, It is a good and blessed thing to dwell with goods: They will deaf you with their continual sighing and crying, 
l job 31 24.  Who will show us any good? When their riches are increased, ye shall see them setting up in the Temple of their hearts, 
m Ezech. 8.3.  the Idol of jealousy, 
n job 31 24  making of gold their hope, and saying to the fine gold, thou art my confidence.  
Say thou unto them, that the holy man job, though richer than they are, thought it a most heinous crime to trust in riches; that David, a most rich King, faith to all rich men in the name of God, and with authority from heaven, 
o Psal. 62 10  If riches increase, set not your heart upon them: that the Apostle rendereth a most peremptory reason of this exhortation, taken from 
p 1. Tim. 6.10.  the uncertainty of riches; that either we must leave them by death, as the rich man of whom I have spoken, did; or they will 
q Pro. 23.5  make themselves wings, and fly away as an Eagle towards heaven, and leave us, ere we die: they will answer, There is no such matter; That Solomon, the wisest of all men, said most truly, that 
r Eccles. 10.19  money answereth all things; that therefore 
s Demost. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eat Opus, opus sunt opes: nam sine his nihil fit quod opus.  they must, they must have money, because without money nothing that must be done, can be done: money must they have, and in money will they trust.  
VII. Go, I pray you, to the Comedians, to the houses of gaming, of tippling, and of joy: go to the Unthrifts and Ale-knights of the country: demand in what school they have been brought up. They will answer, In the school of Epicurus, with two royal fellows, Sardanapalus and Heliogabalus; where they have learned a short, but most excellent Compendium of Philosophy, 
t 1. Cor. 15.32  Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die: whereof, the words which Solomon speaks in the behalf of such disciples of riot, are an ample Commentary; 
u Eccles. 3.12  There is nothing better for a man, than to rejoice, and to do good to himself in his life; and also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of his labour, it is the gift of God.  
This was the Philosophy of another rich man in the Gospel, 
x Luke 16 19  who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; and, ere he was ware, was buried in the bottomless pit of hell: where one drop of that sweet water, wherein poor Lazarus doth swim, would be more welcome to him to cool his tongue, than all the deceiving pleasures which he enjoyed during the flying days of his short life. That is the place ordained to all his schoolfellows: where then, if not till then, they shall condemn all their former courses, and with Solomon, 
y Eccles. 2.2.  say of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, what doth it?  
VIII. Oh that the force of reason could move them, if they will not be moved with the authority of Scriptures. How can riches be man's blessedness? 
a Aug. de mor. Eccles. cathol. Hominis optimum deterìus esse quàm ipsae homo, non potest.  Man's blessedness cannot be worse than man himself. Are not the best riches worse than the worst man? What are they but 
b Hab. 2.6  thick clay, as Habacuc calls them? which 
c Bern. Qua possessa, onerant; aemata, inquinant; amissa, cruciant.  if ye possess, they are a heavy load unto you: which if ye love, they defile you: which if ye lose, they are a cross unto you. Surely, if they could speak, they would say, 
d Thom. 12a. q. 2. art. 1. in conclus.  Man is not made for us, but we are made for man: as it is written, 
e Psal. 8.6  Thou hast put all things under his feet. Therefore man is our end and blessedness: but we are not the end, we are not the blessedness of man.  
How can honour be man's blessedness? 
f Arist. 1 Aethic. c. 5  Blessedness is in him who is happy: but honour is not in him who is honoured, it is rather in him who doth honour. Moreover, 
g Thom. ib. art. 2. in conclus.  honour is given to some excellency: there is no excellency to be compared with blessedness, whereof all kind of excellency is a part: wherefore honour is a public testimony rendered to blessedness, & is not so good as blessedness is. The same may be said of glory & of good fame, which follow man's blessedness, such as he may have in this world; but are no part of it.  
How can 
h Ibid. Art. 4.  Power and Authority be man's blessedness? Is it not particular to some few? And among all men, are there any so vexed with troubles without, with cares and grief within, as such men are? In blessedness there is no care, no vexation of spirit, but full content.  
Who will say, that 
i Ibid. 6. Conclus.  man's reasonable and immortal soul cannot come to blessedness, but by wallowing like a sow in the muddy pleasures of the mortal body? They like Scorpions have stinging tails, as Solomon, who knew them better than any man, saith, affirming that 
k Pro. 14.13.  the end of mirth is heaviness?  
I might run through all the faculties and gifts both of body and soul, and show you, that blessedness is not in any of them apart, nor in them all together: but that which I have said, is sufficient to convince all them which hold for Principles and Maxims of their faith, that blessed are they that are rich, that are full, that laugh, etc. and cry, Woe, woe, woe unto them that are poor, that are hungry, that mourn, etc.   

CHAP. II.  
1. jesus Christ curseth them which laugh, &c and calleth them blessed which weep.  
2. Three necessary properties required in blessedness.  
3. They cannot be found, but in God alone.  
4. Our blessedness is the vision or fruition of God.  
5. What men are not blessed.  
6. Who are blessed.  
I. SEe now & judge, that God hath not said without a pregnant cause, to such men, 
1 Esa. 55.8.  My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways: for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For our Lord jesus Christ in the Gospel of S. Luke, curseth them whom they do bless: and cryeth, 
m Luk. 6.24.  Woe unto you that are rich: woe unto you that are full: woe unto you that laugh now: On the other part, he blesseth them whom they curse, saying, 
n Luk. 6.21.  Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God: blessed are ye that hunger now; for ye shall be filled: and in my text, Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh: or as the words are in S. Matthew; Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.  
These sentences are paradoxes and giddy conceits to the world: but to the Church, they are Maxims of truth, and propositions more firm than the heaven, which 
o job 37.18.  is strong as a molten lookingglass; and more  than the earth, which 
p Psal. 104 5.  God hath founded upon her bases, that it should not be remooved for ever. For they were conceived in the breast of God the Father, who is wisdom itself: and were pronounced by the Son of God, who is the substantial word of the Father, even 
q 1. joh. 5.20.  the true God, and eternal life. Let us then be deaf to the hoggish sayings of men: but let us, I pray you, let us this day, and all the days of our lives, listen seriously to our Lord jesus Christ, saying, that those which weep and mourn, are blessed: and showing, that their weeping shall be turned into joy, because they shall be comforted. O then give care to the wisdom of God, teaching you by me this day what persons are blessed: that thereafter he may cheer up your hearts with the most comfortable doctrine of the comforts wherein their blessedness consisteth.  
II. Blessedness is to be considered either in the object, or in the fruition and enjoying of it: The object of it, is all good things that a godly man's heart can desire: By good things, understand not any of those visible creatures of God which we now enjoy: for 
r Rom. 14.17.  the kingdom of God, the possessing whereof is our blessedness, is not meat and drink, that is, it consisteth not in any outward thing: but is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, proceeding from things more excellent; as it is written, 
s 1. Cor. 2.9.  Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. This then is their first property, that they are not of this world.  
Moreover, they must be eternal and exempt from all alteration and corruption: we must not, saith the Apostle, 
t 2. Cor. 4.18.  Look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen, are temporal: but the things which are not seen, are eternal: for if we did seek our blessedness in temporal things subject to corruption; they coming to decay, to wax old, and to rot, our blessedness should fail with them.  
Thirdly, reason itself teacheth us, that to make up true & perfect blessedness, all good things must join together: for though a man be enriched with them all saving one, so long as that one is lacking to his desire, he is not throughly blessed: for in a blessed man, there is nothing void, no part empty: all his desires are satisfied, and so full, that he saith, It is enough.  
III. Now where shall we find all good things? where else but in God, who as he is the sovereign God, so he is the sovereign good? as he is 
u Deut. 10.17.  the GOD of gods, and 
x Psal. 8.10.  God alone; so he is the good of goods, and 
y Mat. 19.17.  there is none good but he: In him are all goods, to satisfy all our desires: the goods which are in him, are like unto himself. 
a jam. 1.17  With him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning: he is 
b Esa. 57.15.  the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity; to whom David said with most humble supplication, Thou wilt show me the path of life: 
c Psal. 16.11.  In thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. And again, 
d Psal. 17.11.  When I awake, I will be satisfied with thy likeness.  
iv God, who is all goodness itself, is 
e Boêt. 3. de Consolat. Pros. 10.  also blessedness itself: he is blessedness by his own essence. 
Per essentiam.  Man's blessedness cometh from his by participation, 
Per participationem.  even so fare, as according to our capableness, we are filled with his infinite goodness. He borroweth nothing from any creature, yea though all creatures were brought to the first nothing, whereout of they were taken, as he was from ever, so he should be blessed for ever. We borrow all from him: and our blessedness is nothing but the enjoying of him, which the Scripture calleth, The vision of God: according to the comfortable saying of our Saviour, 
f Mat. 5.8.  Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God.  
O blessed blessedness! when shall we see thee? where shall we enjoy thee, that we may be blessed in thee? 
g B●●t. ibid. Pros. 3. Beatitudo est status omnium bonorum aggregatione perfectus.  Oh blessed blessedness of them that see thee! In thee they see all goodness: in thee they enjoy all good things: they are filled with thee; and thou being with them, they are fully consummated by thee, who art to all thy Elect, 
h Thom. 12a. q. 2. art. 8. Concl. Beatitudo est bonum perfectum quod totaliter quietat appetitum.  their perfect & universal good, satisfying all their desires. O blessed blessedness, which dwellest in them whom thou blessest, without interruption, and who art never weary of dwelling in them, dwell in us who are here before thee: 
i Aug. Confess. lib. 1. cap. 1. Quia fecisti not ad te: Et inquietum est cornostrum, domae requies●at in to.  for thou hast made us to go to thee: and our heart findeth no rest, till it rest in thee. Let us all speak so to our God, that he hearing our prayers, may fill us with his blessedness, and so we may be blessed in him.  
V Ye have heard what blessedness is: thereby ye may judge who is blessed: 
k Idem de morib. Eccl. Cath. cap. 3.  He who hath not that which he desireth, whatsoever it be, is not blessed: neither is he blessed, who hath that which he loveth, if it be hurtful: nor he also who loveth not that which he hath, how good soever it be: for he who coveteth that which he cannot obtain, is grieved: 
Cruciatur.  and he who hath obtained that which he should not covet, 
Fallitur:  is deceived: and he who coveteth not that which should be obtained is sick. 
Aegrotat.  None of these can have place in the soul of man without misery: now misery and blessedness cannot dwell together in one man. Therefore none of those men are blessed.  
VI Who then are blessed? not they 
l Ciecro. Aiunt esse beatos, quill vivunt ut ipsi velint, etc. Velle enim quod non deceat, id ipsum miserimum est.  who live at their own will: for to will that which is not decent, is a most miserable thing. Otherways many wicked men should be blessed. For 
m Psal. 10 3.  the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth.  
He only is blessed, 
n Aug. de Trinit. lib. 13. cap. 5. Beatus non est, nisi qui & habet omnia qua vult, & nihil vuls mal●  who hath all that his heart can desire, and desireth nothing amiss. Such shall be they that weep and mourn now, as jesus Christ saith in my text.   

CHAP. III.  
1. WEeping is often put in the Scripture for fasting, repentance, and prayers.  
2. Of the natural causes of weeping.  
3. What mourning is.  
4. Error of those which condemn weeping, and other natural affections.  
5. Divers examples of courageous and godly men which did weep, namely, of our Lord jesus Christ.  
6. Too great moderation in the things of God, is a sin; excess in them, is laudable.  
7. Some tears are indifferent.  
8. Some are wicked.  
9 Some are good.  
10. First motive to weeping, by the examples of godly men which wept through godly sorrow.  
I. THerefore ye must learn, & with the assistance of God's Spirit, I will teach you what are the natural causes of weeping and mourning: what difference there is between them, how weeping is not unworthy of men, who think themselves the most worthiest of all men, and is no unseemliness in a Christian man: finally, which is the weeping and mourning whereunto blessedness is promised.  
This discourse is fit for this day, which is a day of repentance, of fasting, of weeping, and extraordinary prayers: for where fasting is, there weeping & mourning should be, as ye may learn of the exhortation which God made to his people by the Prophet joel, saying, 
a joel 2.12.  Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.  
Yea they are so inseparably conjoined, that weeping is put for fasting: for the people did ask of the Prophet Zech. 
b Zech. 7 3.  Should I weep in the fift month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? because there is no true fasting without weeping. Ye read likewise, that when the Disciples of john came to Christ, saying, 
c Mat. 9.14, 15.  Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? he said unto them, Can the children of the bedchamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? Being asked of fasting, he answereth of mourning, because there is no fasting, where there is no mourning: for to Christ fasting and mourning are all one; as he showeth by the rest of his answer: But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. And therefore S. Mark, and S. Luke do set down Christ's answer after this manner, 
d Mark 2.19. Luk. 5.34.  Can the children of the bride-chamber fast? changing the words, not the meaning; because he that mourneth, cannot choose but fast. Speak to him of eating and drinking: he shall answer you with David, 
e Psa. 102 9  Ashes are my bread: weeping is my drink: As also he that hath an empty belly, fasteth in vain, and to no purpose, if he mourn not: which I pray you to observe, and heed carefully in this day of your fasting.  
Moreover, true repentance, and prayers of repentance are seldom without weeping: and therefore the Scriptures describe the infamous womans, and Peter's repentance and prayers, by their tears. 
f Luk 7.37, 38.  That woman came into Simons house where Christ was, and weeping, washed his feet with her tears: 
g Mat. 26.75.  Peter went our of Caiphas house, where he had denied Christ, and wept bitterly: 
h Ambr. de poenit. Petri Apostoli, lib. 10. Lucae, cap. 22. Non invenio quid dixerit, invenio quod fleverit.  ye read that they did weep; ye read not that they spoke: ye see their tears, ye hear not their words. For sorrow when it is vehement and grievous, squeeseth tears out of the eyes so fast, that it smothereth the words, & turns them into vexing, into groaning, into sighing; which speak not, and yet their voice is heard; which ask not pardon with words distinguished by syllables, and knotted with letters, and yet obtain it. No prayers are so light, none take flight to heaven so quickly, none comeback so swiftly from the Throne of grace with grace & grants, as prayers of tears. The prayers of the mouth are often but lip-labor, & false witnesses to a double heart: as God saith of Hypocrites, 
i Esa. 29.24. Mat. 15 8.  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is fare from me. But the prayers of tears are true witnesses of a single heart, and pour out the soul before GOD: as it is said of Hannah, that 
k 1. Sam. 1 10.13, 15.  she was in bitterness of soul, and wept sore, and poured out her soul before the Lord, unto whom she prayed, and spoke in her heart, for her voice was not heard, and her petition was granted. Therefore when Christ saith, that blessed are they that weep and mourn; he understandeth them that are of a sorrowful spirit, and who in their sorrow, fast, weep, mourn, pray.  
iv 
l Alexand. Aphrodisae problem.  The Naturalists and Physicians say, that originally tears come from the vapours which are condensed in the brain; and being there dissolved and turned to water, fall gently upon the eyes, to moisten and refresh them, lest they should be dried up, and wax hard through want of moisture: for that effect, God hath put in each eye four kernels, two in the upper, and two in the lower angle, to receive and keep those humours, which drop either by the compression and straining, or by the dilation and enlarging of the said kernels: that straining and enlarging, are the internal and nighest causes of tears: there be other causes which move them, and are external, to wit, sorrow, choler, love, joy; sundry other affections and agitations of the spirit: as also smoke, and the spirits of things that are sour & sharp, as onions are. Sorrow and madness make us weep, by cooling and squeesing the conduits and kernels of the eyes; and by wring out of them the humours which they contain. joy enlargeth them, and maketh those humours to fall down, namely, in such as are tender and delicate, and whose constitution is more humid: for the kernels of their eyes are soft and slack: whereas they which have them straight and compact, or who are not so humid, weep not but seldom, and with much ado. Likewise the other perturbations and passions of the soul, make such a stirring in the body, and in the humours, that they glide easily, and flow in such abundance, that they run not only thorough the eyes, but also thorough the nostrils. These tears are called voluntary.  
Other tears there be which are not voluntary, such as are those which proceed either from some disease in the eye, as is the inflammation of the uttermost skin thereof, called Opthalmia, and the want of those kernels whereof I have spoken: or from a great defluxion of humours from the brain upon the eyes; or from the debility of the retaining force of nature, when it is not strong enough to hold in those waters, but letteth them slip and trickle. He that weepeth thus, would be glad to have dry cheeks: for his tears are not voluntary.  
III. Mourning is the highest degree of weeping; when the smart is so great, and the wound which the heart hath received thereby, so deep and sensible, that it begets in the whole body wondrous Symptoms. Then the hands, forgetting their natural office, run to the garments, which are the ornament of the body, to rend them; to the face, to scratch & deface it; to the head, to pluck off the hair; to the beard, which is the glory of man, to tear it, and (if it were possible) to root it out. Then the feet beat and smite the ground, which hath not given any offence. Then the air is troubled, and resoundeth with yelling, with roaring, with bawling, with loud and confused noises of lamenting voices. Then ye hear nothing, but Alas! Alas! Then ye see nothing but disfigured faces, & a doleful spectacle of great astonishment.  
When 
m Gen. 50.10, 11.  joseph and the Egyptians buried jacob, they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation. Which when the Inhabitants of the land saw & heard, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore they called the name of that place Abel-Mizraim, i. The mourning of the Egyptians. 
n 2 Sam. 18.33.  The mourning of David for Absalon is thus described: He wept; and as he went, thus he said: O my son Absalon! my son! my son. Absalon! would God I had died for thee, O Absalon, my son, my son! When 
o Ezra 9.3  Ezra mourned; he rend his garment and his mantle, and plucked off the hair of his head, and of his beard, & sat down astonished.  
iv 
p Sen. ep. 116 Cic. 1. Academic. quast.  The Stoics, ancient Philosophers, held, that a wise man must be moved neither with joy, nor with grief; therefore that he must neither laugh nor weep. 
q Hier. advers. Pelag. Omnes affectus tolli posse, omnesque corum fibras, etc.  The Pelagians sowed those tares in the field of the church; teaching, that all affections, yea, their smallest fillets, may be taken from man. Now, 
r Lact. Inst. l. 6. c. 15. Laetitiae affectus in spleen est, irae in fells, libidinis in iecore, timoris in cord.  joy is in the spleen; choler, in the gall; lust, in the liver; fear, in the heart: wherefore ye cannot pull those affections from man, except ye pluck from him the milt, the gall, the liver, the heart, & transform him into another nature, yea, forbidden him to be virtuous and honest. for virtue is nothing but an ordering & tempering of the affections to that which is honest and good: take them away, way, and virtue is gone. Without anger, there is no fortitude; without fear, no prudence and advisedness; without lust, no temperance; without joy, no love, no sense & feeling of virtue.  
Therefore other Philosophers said better, that affections are like unto good plants growing in a fertile soil: which if ye neglect, they wax wild; but if they be carefully husbanded, they bring forth most pleasant and excellent fruit. Which doctrine is true: for we must weed our affections, and snip from them whatsoever is irregular and vicious. To pluck them out by the root, is as if, when ye have killed a man, ye should command him to stand on his feet, and live. Yet 
s Plato de Repub. lib. 3. in principio.  the same philosophers, who gave so excellent precepts for the keeping of the affections in a due proportion & measure, thought weeping and mourning to be tolerable in base fellows, and mean women; but uncomely in all men of note, and in women also which are of the right stamp, and desire to be esteemed virtuous.  
V Consider now, what difference there is between the wise men of the world, and God. Philosophers say, that there is much unmanliness and faintheartedness, but no generousness, in weeping: therefore they condemn it as childish, rather than manlike; & many men are still of that opinion. GOD is of a far other mind: for he giveth most earnest commandments to his people to weep, and rebuketh them sharply when they weep not. Christ in my Text blesseth them that weep: and the Scripture ministers unto us many examples of the most courageous men that have been at any time under the vault of heaven, which did both weep and mourn.  
Was not 
t Hos. 12.4.  jacob so stout and hardy, that he wrestled with God, and prevailed? yet then, even than he wept: and he mourned so bitterly for joseph, whom he deemed to be dead, that 
u Gen. 37.35.  he refused to be comforted: for, said he, I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning. Did not 
x 1 Sam. 17.35.  David kill a Lion and a Bear? Slew he not with a sling and a stone the monstrous Giant Goliath? Was there ever in battle a more valiant man, in an Army a more courageous Captain, in a Kingdom a more royal King? yet how did he weep for Absalon! he was not ashamed to tell, that when God's hand was heavy upon him, 
y Psalm 32.3.  he roared all the day long. If I should produce, for an example of bitter weeping, 
a jer. 31 15.  Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, ye would peradventure say, that she was a woman, and that women are not so courageous. But what can ye say to jacob? to joseph? to David? ye must needs confess, that they mourned, not through want of courage, but through abundance of love.  
Zechariah, speaking in typical words of the death of Christ, and of Christians, faith, 
b Zech. 12 11, 12, 13 14  In that day shall there be a great mourning in jerusalem, as the morning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon: and the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, & their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shemei apart, & their wives apart; ALL the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. See the mean in mourning: it shall be without mean; such as was the mourning at Megiddo, where the good King josiah was slain: for, 
c 2 Chro. 35.24.  all juda and jerusalem mourned for him. See the persons that shall mourn; Men and women of all qualities and conditions: First, Kings and their wives; secondly, Princes and their wives; thirdly, all ecclesiastical persons & their wives; finally, all the rest of true Christians & their wives. Where is courage, rage, where generosity, where constancy, if it be not in Christians, who wrestle against the devil, and overcome him?  
Was there ever in the world any man, or in heaven any Angel to be compared with jesus Christ? did he not 
d john 11 33.35  groan in the spirit? did he not trouble himself? did he not weep for Lazarus? If ye seek a Precedent of weeping, who may be to you a true Precedent, here ye have one who is better and 
e Psalm 45.2  fairer than all the children of men. Shall we refuse to follow such a Ringleader? and seeing the Son of God did weep, because 
f Heb. 2 17  in all things it behoved him to be like unto his brethren; shall we think it a disgrace unto us to weep, and to be like unto him?  
VI Surely his holy Spirit sanctifieth in us our natural affections, but abolishes them not. And whereas many Philosophers take them for vices when they exceed mediocrity; God gives them full liberty, when they come from a good cause, and aspire unto a good end: 
g Lact. Inst. l. 6. c. 16. Potest et qui graditur, errare; & qui currit. rectam viam tenere.  For as he that walketh softly, may stray; and he that runneth, keep the high way: so a man may be moderate in his affections, & sin; and let them grow to the highest measure, and not sin: yea, if he should restrain them, he should sinne. No mediocrity is to be praised in ill-doing. If thou be but tickled with joy for the death of thine enemy, thou sinnest: but 
h 2 Sam. 6 14, 20, 23  David, leaping for joy, and dancing before the Lord with all his might when he brought the Ark into Zion, sinned not. Contrariwise, Michol his wife, reproving him for the excess of his joy, sinned, and was punished.  
In things which are truly good, no excess is vicious: for God liketh a man who doth good things with all his mind, all his soul, all his heart, and all the strength of his affections. Who will say, that to leap for joy for the deliverance of the Church, is a sin? 
i Lact. ibid. Nemo dubitat, quin & in illo exiguum laetari, & in hoc parum laetari, sit maximum crimen.  The Church saith, that not to leap for joy in such a case, is unthankfulness, and therefore a most detestable sin. The true moderation of the affections, is to withdraw them from sin, and to apply them unto righteousness: when they are once in the way, lay the bridle on their neck, put the spurs to their sides, and make them to gallop till they run with thee to the Kingdom of heaven. In our discipline, saith Saint Austin, 
k Aug. de eiv. Dei. l. 9 c. 5. In disciplinâ nostrâ non tam quaeritur, utrum pius animus itascatur, sod quare irascatur, etc.  we ask not if a godly soul be angry, but for what cause he is angry; neither whether he be sorrowful, but for what cause he is sorrowful; nor if he fear, but what is the cause of his fear: for, to be angry against a sinner, that he may be corrected; to be sorrowful for him who is afflicted, that he may be delivered; to fear for him who is in danger, lest he perish; who, that is in his right wits, can blame it?  
VII. Let us apply this to weeping and mourning. We must judge of all our affections, not by their mediocrity or excess, but by the causes which set them on work, and the end whereunto they incline, as I have said: this must be the rule of our judgement concerning other men's weeping, & our own.  
For such as are the causes of our Tears, such are they: some causes are indifferent, some ill, some good. All tears naturally come from joy or sorrow. These causes are indifferent in themselves. When 
1 Gen. 29 11  jacob saw his cousin Rachel, he lifted up his voice, and wept: when 
m Gen. 33.4  jacob and Esau met together, they wept: when 
n Gen. 43.30  joseph saw his brother Benjamin, his bowels did yearn upon him, and he wept: When he made himself known to his brethren, 
o Gen 45 1, 2  he wept aloud: when he went to meet Israel his father; 
p Gen. 46.29  he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a goodwhile. Natural love in them begat joy, and joy opening all the pores of the eyes, they could not chufe but weep. Such joy, such love, such tears are not commanded of God; for he is not served by them. Neither hath God forbidden them: for they are no offence unto him, so that they go not beyond their due proportion and measure.  
I say the like of tears which come from sorrow. Agar neither served nor offended God, when 
q Gen. 21.16.  she lift up her voice, and wept, being in distress, because she had no water to give to her son to drink. It was natural to 
r jer. 31.25  Rachel to weep for her children; and in that, she sinned not: but when she refused to be comforted, she sinned. The 
s Act. 20.37.  brethren of Ephesus and Miletus, when Paul was going away, wept sore, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. So we are accustomed to weep, when we lack things which are necessary to our subsistence; as also when those whom we love, die, or go from us to some foreign place. Where we love, if we see any misery, sorrow seizeth the heart, the distressed hart sendeth a cold air to the eyes: the eyes pressed with cold, become like a foggy winter day, and distil tears abundantly. In such tears there is neither offence, nor service done to God. Therefore they are indifferent.  
JIX. But when 
t Gen. 37.38, 41.  Esau lift up his voice, and wept, because his brother had taken away his blessing, he sinned; for he wept through despite, proceeding from the pride of his uncircumcised heart, & from hatred against his brother jacob, whom he vowed to slay. 
u Num. 14.39.  The people of Israel being deprived of entering into the land of Canaan, mourned greatly, not through repentance for their murmuring against God, but through self-love, which is no small sin. What were the tears of Cain, Saul, Achitophel, judas, but stinking waters, flowing from the muddy puddle of discontent and despair.  
In anger a man will weep, not only through displeasure for the offence received, but also through joy for hope of revenge: as the Crocodile weepeth when he hath found his prey. So 
o Spartioni Antonia. Caracalla.  Bassianus wept for joy as often as he saw the Images of his brother Geta, whom he had murdered. Many Robbers & Pirates weep so; woe, woe to such weepers.  
IX. The weeping where of we speak, and whereunto we exhort you this day, is good, because it cometh from a good spring: I may call it godly, because it floweth from godliness. I know that all rears in themselves are indifferent, & no part of God's service; but they take their denomination from the root whereout they grow and blossom. If the root be bad, they are bad; if good, they are good: all good and godly tears come from joy or from sorrow.  
As natural joy made jacob to weep when he saw Rachel: so a supernatural joy 
p Neh. 8.9.  made the jews to weep, when they heard the words of the Law. The love of God made them to rejoice in his Law, & that joy turned their eyes into fountains of tears; which they shed in such abundance, that Nehemiah, and Ezra, and the Levites, were fain to exhort them, not to be grieved, but to abstain from mourning & weeping. The Church needeth not such exhorters, because it hath but few such weepers. Would to God that such a cause might be unto us this day, a cause of crying unto you, as Ezra did then; Mourn not, nor weep.  
But what godly joy doth never or seldom amongst us, will not 
q 2 Cor. 7.10.  godly sorrow do it? Many, many cannot persuade their eyes to weep for joy, whose eyes sorrow will plunge into a river of tears. Let us then, I pray you, let us NOW, let us in this day of godly sorrow weep after a godly manner: let that sorrow which springeth from the love of God, NOW in this day of tears, furnish unto us tears of repentance to God, and tears of charity both to ourselves, & to others, who should be to us, for God's sake, as ourselves.  
X. If there be no sin among us, let joy enlarge our hearts, let laughing clear our faces, let us say to sorrow, Get thee hence: but if that which is written in the Book of job of the natural & sensual man, that 
r job 15 16  he is abominable & filthy, and drinketh iniquity like water, be true of us; if we sin NOW, then let sorrow press our hearts, and make of them a spring of tears NOW: let heaviness cover our faces, as a cloud: let our eyes become rivers; and for so much water of iniquity, or rather for so much wine of sin, wine which is 
s Deut. 32.33.  the poison of dragons; and the cruel venom of asps, wherewith we are every day drunken; let us this day, let us NOW cry Avant to joy, let us NOW welcome weeping, let us NOW run to our eyes, and draw water; let us make of this Fasting, a Feast of mourning: let every man NOW drink to his brother, every woman to her sister, full cups of tears.  
When the people of Israel were rebuked of Samuel for their sins, 
t 1 Sam. 7.6  they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, & said there, We have sinned against the Lord. Lo how busy, lo how forward they were to draw water for the cleansing of their sacrifices, and for the purifying and washing of their bodies; or, as some Doctors allegorise the words, lo how contrite they were, making of their heart's wells of godly sorrow, and going thither with the bucket of faith, to draw up to the eyes tears of repentance for bewailing of their sins. And what had they done? They had worshipped strange gods, and set up among them ASTAROTH, 
u R. David Kimchi in lib. radicum.  which was the god of their sheep their fathers had done the like. And when the Angel of the Lord rebuked them of that sin, 
x judg. 2 4, 5  they lift up their voice, and wept, and called the name of that place Bokim, i weepers, and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.  
O how many strange gods do we worship! What are our self-love, our ambition, our filthy lusts, our envy, our hatred, our pride, but strange gods, to whom we offer most abominable sacrifices all the hours of the day? Our covetousness, our insatiable desire of , of sheep, of the Mammon of unrighteousness, is our Astaroth, yea, an Idol so much worse than Astaroth, in that we worship it not openly, but privately; not in the face of the world, but in the face of God; not in temples of stone, but in the temples of our hearts, which God hath dedicated to his own service. How many samuel's, how many Angels hath GOD sent unto us, to reprove us of so many sins! and we are here assembled, as Israel in Mizpeh, to acknowledge & confess our sins. O then, dear brethren and sisters, let us first look up to the infinite Majesty of God whom we have offended, and let us afterwards look downwards to ourselves who are the offenders. 
y job 4 19  We dwell in houses of clay: our foundation is in the dust: we are crushed before the moth. Houses of clay, earth and dust, worms, which are the meat of of worms, sin against God; and shall we not mourn? shall we not draw tears from our hearts? shall we not command our eyes to pour them out NOW before the Lord? shall we not NOW wash with them our reasonable sacrifices, the calves of our lips, which we are come hither to offer up unto God? shall not this House of God be this day Bokim unto us? shall we not NOW cry to heaven with weeping & mourning, We have sinned against the Lord?  
David sinned but one night, and 
b Psalm 6.6.  he was weary with his groaning: every night he made his bed to swim: he watered his couch with his tears. If I say of many of us, that we sin every night and every day, I think that I shall not lie: Oh then shall we not weep this one day? David, when he wept, cried to heaven, 
c Psalm 51.1, 2, 3  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according to thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions: wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. What moved him to cry so loud, and in crying, to pray for mercy? For, saith he, I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. Because he acknowledged his sin, therefore he wept. If we knew how hateful our sins are to God, we would weep: we know them not, we feel them not, we cast them still behind our backs, we never bring them before our eyes: therefore we weep not. Oh how horrible shall be that day, wherein shall be fulfilled that which GOD saith, 
d Psalm 50.21  I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thy eyes! The Lord in his mercy preserve us from the terror and horror of that day.  
He will do it, if by the weeping of this day we prevent the weeping of that day; if, as Daniel did, 
e Dan. 9 3, etc.  we set our face unto the Lord God, to seek him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes; if, as he did, we confess that we have sinned, & committed iniquity, and done wickedly, our Kings, our Princes, our fathers, and all the people of the Land; if we acknowledge, as he did, that if GOD should deal with us, as he dealt with his people of those days, righteousness should belong unto him, & unto us confusion of face; if, as he did, we join deprecation to the accusation of our own sins, and confession of our own deserts, crying, 
f Ver. 19  O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord hearken and do.  
Where are the women of joy, which through grief for their sin, wash Christ's feet with their tears, as 
g Luke 7 37  one woman of that kind did once? How many (alas!) how many Publicans, yea, worse than Publicans, do swarm in the Church! Shall ye find one among a thousand, who dare 
h Luke 18.13  not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, for shame; who smiteth upon his breast, which conceived sin in him; who with words interrupted with sighs, and carried into heaven with a swift flowing stream of tears, cryeth to God, God be merciful to me a sinner, as the Publican in the Gospel did? We are all prodigal sons: what do we all but feed swine; but feed upon swine's provender, but cherish in ourselves our filthy lusts, but delight in sin? Nevertheless, which of us all cometh to himself, returneth to his Father, and saith, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, 
i Luke 15 15  as once a prodigal son did?  

k Mat. 26 75.  Peter denied Christ but once, and against his heart, and yet he excused not his fault, but wept for it bitterly. Are we not of the crew of those, of whom the Apostle writes, that 
l Tit. 1.16.  they profess they know God, but by their works they deny him; being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate? Would to God we were not. But we are, and yet our hart is glad, our faces shine, our cheeks are dry, our eyes are hardened like Pumice-stones, and we weep not.  
Think ye, that Saint Paul could write to the Romans without vehement sighing, how 
m Rom. 7 19  the good that he would, he did not; but the evil which he would not, that he did? We are of a disposition much disagreeing unto his: The evil that we would, we do not; but the good which we would not, that we do. Through fear of punishment, we abstain often from the evil which we like to do: and through love of praise; or of some reward, we do sometimes the good which we love not: we serve God in covered dishes, yet we sigh not. O how sensible was sin to this holy Apostle, when he cried, 
n Rom. 7 24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? O how many tears, dropping from his eyes, washed his hands, and blurred his paper when he writ these words! He with many sobbing tears desired to die, that sin might die in him: 
o Rom. 6 7  for he that is dead, is freed from sin. We would not live, if we could not sin: for life without sin, is death unto us. We walk as the Gentiles of whom the Apostle writeth, that 
p Eph. 4 19  being past feeling, they have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Therefore being without sorrow in our hearts, we have no tears in our eyes, and we weep not. What token is this? Surely, that there is no love, no respect to God in us: for if we loved his goodness, if we respected his Majesty, our hearts would cleave asunder for sorrow, our eyes would break out into tears when we offend him.   

CHAP. IU.  
1 SEcond motive to weeping, from the justice of God.  
2 Sins are debts, whereby we treasure up wrath to ourselves.  
3 The sinner fighteth against God.  
I. AS we love not his Goodness, as we honour not his Majesty; so we fear not his justice: & though we be selfe-lovers, though apparently we love ourselves too much, yet I may say, that we love not ourselves enough, because we hate our own souls. 
q 2. Sam. 1.17  David wept & lamented● when Saul killed himself, and when his best friend jonathan was slain by the Philistines. The 
r Chap. 1 verse 11  author of the book of Wisdom saith, that the mouth that belly, slaieth the soul. Say not that the book is not Canonical: God himself saith, that 
s Ezech. 18. 7●  the soul that sinneth, it shall dye. Neither is there any of you ignorant of the scripture, where S. Paul writeth, that 
t Rom. 6 23  the wages of sin is death. Wherefore take heed to your sins; for so many sins as ye commit against the eternal God, so many mortal blows give ye to your immortal souls.  
II. 
u Macrob. l. 2 Satur. c. 4 Habenda est, inquit, ad somnum mihi conciliandum illa culci●ra; in qua ille, tanto aere alieno obstrictu●, somnum capere potuit.  Augustus Caesar wondered, how a certain Knight of Rome, who owed great sums of money, fare beyond all his worth, slept so securely, that he was no way disquieted with fear of the rigour of justice, no way grieved with the overthrow of his family; and would needs have the Quilt whereon that careless man could be at quiet; thinking it should have more force to make him sleep, than all the Laudanum of the Apothecary's shops. We are that man: our debts are our sins, which we pile up so mightily, that, as David said of his iniquities, 
x Psalm 40.12  they are more than the hairs of our head: nevertheless we say with David, but not in so good a cause, 
y Psalm 4.8  I will lay me down in peace, & sleep; neither call we to mind when we are thus hoarding and heaping sins upon sins, as the Fables tell that the Giants laid hills upon hills, when they were to fight against God; that 
a Rom. 2.5  through our hardness and impenitent heart, we treasure up unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. This is no tale forged by a Poet, but a most true saying come from Heaven: for 
b Ro. 1.31  this is the judgement of God, that they which commit such things, are worthy of death.  
III. What is it to sin? God saith, it is to walk at all adventures with him; or, as the translation of the text hath, contrary unto him: that is, as if ye should run your head against a wall of marble stone. Hear then what news he sendeth to such adventurers, 
c Leu. 26.27, 28.  If ye walk at all adventures with me, I will also walk at all adventures with you in fury: and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins: when we fight and bicker, and tilt thus with God, who shall have the upper hand, and which of us shall triumph? It were a safer course for us to 
d Gen. 32.24.  wrestle with him, as jacob did: 
e Hosea 12.4.  He wept, & made supplication unto him. He wrestled by weeping, he prevailed by praying: it is sorrowing; it is weeping for sin, it is praying for forgiveness of sins, which giveth us power over God. Therefore if we desire to prevail NOW, let us weep and pray NOW.   

CHAP. V.  
1. THird motive to weeping, from the passion and death of jesus Christ, considered first in the Garden;  
2. Next, in the High Priests house;  
3. Thirdly, in the judgement-hall;  
4. Fourthly, upon the Cross.  
5. Divers examples to move us to weep for his death.  
6. We have crucified him, therefore we should weep because of him;  
7. As the jews did.  
8. They that weep not in this world, shall weep in hell.  
I. BUt, to leave this, let us cast our eyes upon the passion and death of our Lord jesus Christ, 
f 2. Cor. 5.21.  who knew no sin, and nevertheless was of God made sin for us; Let us look upon him in the garden: there he said, that 
g Mat. 26 38.  his soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death: He was thus sorrowful for our sins: and shall not we be sorrowful for them? There 
h Mark 14.33.  he was sore amazed, and very heavy: And shall not we be amazed for his amazedness, and very heavy for his heaviness, who was thus amazed, thus heavy for us? There ye see him wallowing on the ground before the throne of the justice of God, there 
i Luk. 22.44.  he is in an agony, there in a cold air: the heat of the agony openeth all the pores of his sacred body, it melteth his flesh like wax, it changeth all his humours into a river of a bloody sweat; which piercing and running through his garment, imbued and died the ground with a crimson colour: There ye hear him 
k Heb. 5.7  offering up prayers & supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death; death which he was to suffer, not for himself, but for us. O hearts of steel! when will the agony of the Son of God for you, cast you in an agony for yourselves? O eyes drier than the driest brick! when will the bloody sweat of your sweet Saviour, which mollified the hard ground, soften you? when will the streams of tears, running from the glorious and bright-shining eyes of the King of kings, change you into fountains of water? when will weeping dig hollow furrows and gutters in your faces? O when will ye begin to shed one tear for your own sins? Is it not time to begin NOW, if ye have not begun till NOW?  
II. Behold 
l Luk. 22.48.  judas betraying him with a kiss: behold 
m joh. 18 12.  the Officers binding him, as if he had been a male factor: behold them in the high Priests house, 
n Luk. 22 63, 64, 65.  mocking him, smiting him, blindfolding him, and afterwards striking him on the face, & ask him, Who is it that smote thee? behold them speaking many other things blasphemously against him: 
o Mat. 26.59.65, 66.  behold the chief Priests, & Elders, and all the Council, seeking false witnesses against him: behold them all, with the high Priest, pronouncing against him their award and last sentence, He is guilty of death. Now hearts burst, Now eyes weep; NOW Christians, if there be any love of Christ, if there be any bowels of compassion in you, mourn and lament. The Son of God was bound for you who were slaves, that ye might be set at liberty. The Lord of glory was mocked for you, who were the devil's mocking stock, that ye might be honoured of God, who is your glory. The light of the world was blindfolded for you who were darkness, that ye might be enlightened. The righteous was outrageously beaten for you, who were unrighteous, that ye might be spared. The Innocent was condemned for you, who were guilty, that ye might be absolved. Christ suffered all this for you, and yet ye weep not.  
III. Fellow him into the judgement-hall: Canst thou, with an unbroken heart, and dry eyes, see him 
p joh. 19.1, 2.  scourged there, and his flesh mangled, and torn in pieces for thy sake? Behold his naked head begirt with a crown of sharp thorns: O let us, us I say, who profess to be members of his body, 
q Pudeat membrum deliciarisub capite spinis coronato.  O let us be ashamed to sport, and to make merry under a head crowned with thorns.  
iv Go to the Cross: heed the soldiers nailing to the unfruitful tree his hands and his feet; behold them giving him vinegar mingled with gall to drink, in stead of wine: consider how they stripped him, ere he die, that he may dye with more shame: listen to all those that pass by, and look on him; ye shall see them wagging their heads, ye shall hear them reviling him, and railing on him most outrageously. There he yielded up the ghost: there his side was pierced: there he was made a woeful spectacle, and the principal actor of a bloody and pitiful Tragedy.  

r Mat. 27 45, 51.  The Sun could not look on it; it covered itself with a black mourning weed, and was darkened: but our faces shine, as if we had no cause of mourning. The earth did quake; but we tremble not. The rocks rend: our hearts are harder than flint stones, yea than the most hard Diamonds, and cannot be broken. The graves were opened: our throats, alas! are open Sepulchers, breathing out all filthiness, and rotten words; but our souls are graves sealed and shut to all good. The dead rose again: we lie dead in trespasses and sins without any spiritual motion, any feeling of the wrath of God, which Christ in the passion of his death suffered for us. For 
s 1. Pet. 2.24.  his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree. There 
t Esa 53.5  he was wounded for our transgressions: there he was bruised for our iniquities: there, there, the chastisement of our peace was upon him: with his stripes which he received there, we are healed. He, whom the ignominious passion of Christ, whom the shedding of his blood, whom his cursed death will not wound with a pricking remorse, and sting of sin; he out of whose eyes the bruising and crushing of his body, the sorrow and agony of his soul, will not thrust a flood of tears, shall never be moved by any other argument, to mourn and to weep.  

u Plin. hist. nat. l. 37. c. 4 I lla invicta vis, duarum violentissimae naturae rerum, ferri ignísque contemptrix, hircino rumpitur sanguine.  The blood of a Hee-goat will beat in pieces the diamond, which no heat of fire can melt, no hammer of steel can break. What fire will melt, what hammer will break our hearts of diamond, if the blood of the Lamb of God will not do it?  
V judas a Reprobate, 
x Mat. 27 3  jud is which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repent, and wept: and we, who brag of our elation, weep not.  
The Centurion, an ignorant Pagan, when he saw what was done, when he considered all the circumstances of his death, glorified God, saying, 
y Luke 23 47  Certainly this was a righteous man: we that are called Christians, we that boast of the knowledge of God in Christ, acknowledge not his righteousness as we should, seeing we weep not because he 
z 1. Pet. 3 18  suffered for our unrighteousness.  

a Luke 23 48  All the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts. We know all the things that were done: every day 
b Gal. 3.1  Christ is evidently set forth, & crucified among us, by the preaching of the Gospel: and yet none of us smiteth his breast.  

c Ezech. 8.14  The idolatrous women of jerusalem sat weeping for TAMMUS, 
d Plut. de Iside & Osiride.  called by the Greeks' OSIRIS, the false god of the Egyptians, whom Typhon slew: and we weep not for jesus Christ, who 
e 1 john 5.20.  is the true GOD, and eternal life, whom the jews slew.  

f Plut de cessatione Oraculorum.  The Devils themselves, which were in the Isles of Paxes, did mourn at his death, when Thamos the Pilot of the ship, which was sailing by, cried, The great Pan is dead. Who is the great Pan, but he who is all in all, our Lord jesus Christ? The Devils mourned, because 
g Heb. 2 14  through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil their master, and them also: we mourn not, we, I say, who were the causes of his death.  
VI It is written in the Revelat. that 
h Rev. 1.7  every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Why shall they wail because of him? because they pierced him. O God have we pierced him? are we guilty of his death? was it not judas which betrayed him? was it not the Council of the State & of the Church, which sent to take him? was it not the highpriest which accused him? was it not Pilate which condemned him? were they not Pilat's soldiers which scourged, crowned, nailed, stripped, and pierced him? What ye ask, is true. But why did he suffer mortal men to exercise such cruelties on his innocent person? He stood there in our room; and what we deserved, that he suffered: Our covetousness betrayed him; Our anger laid hold on him, and tied him; Our lust mocked him; Our envy accused him; Our pride delivered him; Our worldly fear condemned him; Ou●●nhumanitie scourged him; Our ambition crowned him with thorns; Our profaneness and atheism spit upon him, smote him, and abused him; Our causeless oaths nailed him; Our intemperancy in drinking gave him vinegar and gall to drink; Our blasphemies, our horrible execrations, our cursings, pierced him to the heart: and yet we weep not. God was made a worm for us; and we weep not. Blessing itself was made a curse for us; and we ●eep not. Life itself is dead for us; and we weep not.  
VII. When the jews heard, that he whom they denied, whom they delivered, whom they crucified and killed by wicked hands, was 
i Acts 3 14.15  the Holy One, the Just, the Prince of life; 
k Acts 2 37.  they were pricked in their hearts, although that 
l Act. 3.17  through ignorance they did it. O how bitterly did Saint Paul weep, when he recorded how he had been 
m 1 Tim. 1.3.  a blasphemer, a persecuter, and an oppressor of Christ's Church, although he did it ignorantly in unbeleef! we 
n Heb. 6.6  crucify him, we put him to an open shame every day; if not wickedly, at least wittingly and willingly: nevertheless, we are not pricked in our hearts; and therefore we have no tears in our eyes to weep and wail, because of him whom we have pierced.  
VIII. Will we defer the accomplishment of St. John's Prophecy till Doomsday; when 
o Rev. 6.15, 16  the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and all the rabble of wicked men, shall cry to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; when their crying shall avail them nothing; when the irrevocable Doom shall be pronounced, and they shall be cast into utter darkness, where 
p Mat. 22 13  there shall weeping, and gnashing of teeth; because then shall be fulfilled the threatening of Christ; 
* Luke 6.25  Woe be to you that laugh now, for ye shall wail and weep? That weeping will be unfruitful, because it shall be a weeping of despair; such as judas weeping was when he hanged himself.  
Let us then, my beloved & dear brethren, begin to weep NOW, and to shed fruitful tears; 
q Aug de Temp ser. 66. Duplicem habere debet fletum in poenitentiâ omnis peccator, five per negligentiam bonum non fecit, seu per audaciam malum perpetravit. Quod enim oportuit, non gessit; & quod non oportuit, egit.  tears for our sins of omission, tears for our sins of commission: for, through negligence, we have not done the good we should have done; through rashness, we have done the evil which we should not have done. Let us join to that weeping, a resolution to sin no more: let us after that manner, according to the exhortation of S. john, 
r Mat 3.8  bring forth fruits answerable to amendment of life. 
s Aug. ibid. Fructus dignus est poenitentiae, transacta flere peccata, & eadem iterum non agere.  To bring forth such fruits, is, to weep for our sins past, and not to commit any sin, for which we shall have need to weep again.   

CHAP. VI  
1. Tears of repentance are fruitful, but they are not honourable.  
2. Tears of charity, which we pour out for the sins of our brethren, are both fruitful and honourable.  
3. In this charity, there is a duty to God,  
4. And to man.  
5. Examples of godly men which wept for other men's sins, are accusations of the hardness of our hearts;  
6. Namely, the examples of jesus Christ.  
I. SUch fruits are fruitful, such tears are profitable, but they are not honourable. 'Tis shame to a man to sin: and therefore it is not honourable unto him to have need of pardon, to beg it, to weep for it. 
t Quem liberat, notat.  A remission is a disgraceful brand to him that opposeth it to the hands of justice: and amongst the Nobles of the land, those are most esteemed, in whose family there is no pardon, no letters of remission: But u it is the glory of a man, 
v Pro. 19.15.  and namely of a King, to pass over a transgression, and to forgive it. It is even so between God and us. 
x Pro. 25.2.  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, and to give pardons to great sinners: But they which receive such pardons, must confess as Daniel did, that 
y Dan. 9.8.  to them belongeth confusion of face, and say with jeremiah, 
a Lam. 3.2.  It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  
II. As we must have fruitful tears of repentance, to weep for our own sins NOW: so must we have honourable tears of charity, to weep NOW for the sins of our brethren, whereof we are not guilty. As it is honourable to 
b Luk. 15.10.  the Angels to rejoice over the sinners that repent, because they themselves are without sin: so it is a glory to us to mourn for those sins wherewith we are not blemished.  
III. In this glory there is a duty: if we honour God, if we fear his glorious Majesty, if we be zealous of his glory, can we hear his great and fearful name blasphemed, can we see his word despised, his law transgressed, his glory turned into shame, and not be commooved? If our dearest friends uttered in our ears but one word of discommendation and reproach against our fathers and mothers that begat us, what noise would we not make? up would all friendship go, no exhortation, no submission, no satisfaction would be able to bridle our impatience, and to restrain our passionateness & fury from vengeance.  
If great men who are above our reach, if our Magistrates, if our Princes, if our Kings speak disdainfully of them, at the least we would weep, at the least we would show, by all kind of tokens of sorrow, that such disgracing checks are grievous unto us. The living God, the Father of spirits is every where vilipended, dishonoured, reviled by great and small, by our inferiors, by our superiors, by our equals, by our friends, by our foes. And shall not we, which profess to be God's children, be sensible of such contumelies?  
iv A great many, yea many millions, yea, the greatest part of men give themselves over unto lasciviousness, and run headlong into the dark gulf of death & eternal damnation. Are they not created to the image of God, as well as we are? Are they not our own flesh? are they not our brethren? where then is our charity, where our bowels, where our mercy, if we seek not to rescue them, if we endeavour not to pull them out of the fire; if all helps being impossible to us, we weep not for them?  
V 
c 2. Pet. 2.7, 8.  Let a poor stranger, in the midst of a town swarming with wicked men, when he could do no better, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their filthy conversation and unlawful deeds. Is not Christendom as filthy as Sodom? and shall we find amongst us all one Lot, whether out-lander or homebred, that is vexed therewith? When David lived a private life, and had not the power in his hand to repress wicked men; what he might, that he did. 
d Psal. 119 53, 136.  Horror took hold upon him, because of the wicked that had forsaken God's law: rivers of waters ran down his eyes, because they kept it not. The forsaking of God's Law is an indifferent thing unto us: we discourse, we eat, we drink, we take pleasure in wicked men that transgress it. O how was that holy man moved with blaspheming and cursing, when he said to his God, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up: 
e Psal. 69 9, 11.  the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me. Therefore I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, and that was to my reproach! The air is infected with blaspheming and cursing: who is eaten up with the zeal of the house of God, and of his glory, to refrain it? At the least, who fasteth, who weepeth when he cannot refrain it?  
If God should send his Angel through the midst of this City, as he did 
f Ezech. 9.4.  the man clothed with linen, through the midst of jerusalem, to set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof; I doubt not but he should find some sighing, and shedding tears abundantly. For whersoever the visible Church is, God hath there one or another that belongeth to his election: but I fear that the number would be very scant and few.  
Where justice hath erected her sea, where Lawyers plead at the bar, there is prevarication and bribery: where there is a crowd and many halls of trafficking men, and of diverse societies of tradesmen; there must needs be Monopolies, engrossing, cozenage, forswearing and robbery. Where there are so many Taverns, so many Alehouses, there is idleness, unnecessary wasting, and lechery: where every where ye see nothing but pomp, but sumptuousness, but riot, but gorgeousness and bravery, ye shall not lie, if ye say that there is too much pride and vanity. As a big and well-fed body is full of ill humours: so in a great City, such as this is, there are many irregular and careless Citizens. And as standing waters turn into mud, and breed frogs and toads; so a long peace begets a crew of ugly and noisome vices, and a pack of base and lewd fellows.  
If we could 
g Ezec. 8.8, 9, 10.  dig in the wall, as Ezechiel did, how many creeping things, how many abominable beasts should we see, not purtrayed, but living and moving in the Temples of many men's hearts, who have a far show in the flesh, and seem to our charitable judgement the honestest men that ever are bread. Oh! if we could know them, we would, or at least we should mourn NOW, as 
h Ezra 9.3. Neh. 13.23.  Ezra did once for the unlawful marriages which they had contracted with the women of Ashdod, even with strange and beastly affections: We would NOW weep in secret places for their pride, as jeremiah did: and that which was commanded to Ezechiel, 
i Ezech. 6.11.  to smite with his hand, to stamp with his foot, and to say, Alas! for all the abominations of the house of Israel; that would we, or should we do NOW for all the enormous and most wicked sins of the reformed Churches.  
The holy Apostle 
k 2. Cor. 12.21.  Paul was humbled among the Corinthians, & bewailed many which had sinned, and had not repent of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they had committed. If this Church were but one Parish, if we might know every man's and woman's carriage in it, I think that we should rather want tears in our eyes, than matter to provoke them to weep for such sins.  
The same Apostle rebuked sharply 
l 1. Cor. 5.2.  the Corinthians, because they mourned not, that the incestuous man might be taken away from among them. Alas! alas! what is riot, what is pride, what is taverning, what is lasciviousness, but committing of spiritual incest with the devil? There was but one incestuous of that kind in Corinth; there are NOW too many of this kind amongst us, and we weep not Now.  

m 2 Cor. 2.7.  That incestuous man sorrowed, repent, & wept; yea he was almost swallowed up with overmuch sorrow: these incestuous persons will seem honest men, and weep not: for 
n Hosea, 4.11.  whoredom and wine, yea, the excellent wine, take away the heart.  

o jer. 6.23, 24.  jehoiakims' Courtiers are threatened with great plagues, because when the King had cut the roll wherein the word of God was written, and cast it into the fire, they were not afraid, rend not their clothes, & wept not: My heart quakes, my soul shakes, my flesh faints, my hair stairs, my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and words are dried up in my mouth, when I begin to complain that not the word of God, but his glorious body is most cruelly & ignominiously dismembered, that no word is spoken by many without an oath, and no oath without wounds, passion, body, pocks, etc. that at each of those blasphemies, God is most vilely named; and none, yea not one of those that stand by, open their mouths to reprove it, yea, yea, do not so much as sigh, as frown, as shiver, as thrust one, one drop of tears from their horny eyes to condemn it.  
VI O sweet jesus! thou seeing the malice of the jews, 
p Mark. 3.5.  lookedst round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts: O most glorious Son of God Thou, who art 
q Rom. 9.5.  over all, God blessed for ever, didst 
r Luk. 19.41.44.  weep over jerusalem, because she knew not the time of her visitation. O zealous and blessed Apostle! when thou wast at Athens, 
s Acts 17.16  thy spirit was stirred in thee, seeing the City wholly given to Idolatry. If ye were beyond sea, yea if ye could enter into a Recusants' closet, ye should see so many Idols, that ye would wonder, that men, men calling themselves Christians, should be they of whom it is written, that 
t Rev. 9.20, 21.  they repent not of the works of their hands; that they should not worship Devils, & Idols of gold, and silver, & brass, & stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. More would ye wonder, if ye did see them worshipping, in stead of jesus Christ, a piece of dough roasted upon a pair of tongs. But alas! whose spirit would wax eager at it? That which is written of the Priests, People, & Princes of Israel, is true of them: 
u Hos. 5.4  Their doings will not suffer them to turn unto their God; for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, & they have not known the Lord. But who, with jesus Christ, whose actions are our instructions, is grieved for the hardness of their hearts? Shall the sins of idolaters wring one tear out of our stony heads; when our own sins are increased above the hairs of our head, and are heavier than the sand of the sea, and yet we look on them with dry eyes, as if all their muscles were withered, and without sap? Let us, I pray you, let us begin NOW to weep, because until NOW we have not wept: let us tune upon the strings of our hearts a doleful song of heavy mourning, because we have not known, in this peaceable Kingdom, the things belonging to our peace.   

CHAP. VII.  
1 THey that weep not for sin, are constrained to weep for the punishment of sin.  
2 He that weepeth not in affliction, is a desperate sinner.  
3 Godly men weep in affliction.  
4 In our afflictions we must weep to God.  
I. FOr, 
x 1. Cor. 11.31.  if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. If we could once sorrow: if sorrow wrought indignation in us; indignation, fear; fear, desire; desire, zeal; zeal, revenge, by weeping for our sins, and abstaining from sin, than we should never weep for the punishment of sin: but if we weep not when we should weep, 
y Gen. 4.7  sin lieth at the door; and the punishment thereof shall make us to weep when we would not weep. 
a Eph. 5.4  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for, because of these things, because of fornication, of uncleanness, of covetousness, of filthy and foolish talking, and other vices, which are but too too common in our Churches, cometh the wrath of GOD upon the childen of disobedience. I am not a Prophet, nor the son of a Prophet, to say to you, as Ezechiel writ to the jews, 
b Ezech. 7.5, 6, 7.  An evil, an only evil, behold, is come. An end is come: the end is come: it awaketh against thee: behold, it is come. The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near. Ye see it come upon your brethren, for whom ye fast, & should weep NOW. Are they not as honest, as godly, as religious as ye are? Therefore say not with the profane jews, 
c Esa. 28.15.  We have made a covenant with death, & with hell are we at agreement. When the overflowing scourge shall pass thorough, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, & under falsehood have we hid ourselves. Apply rather to yourselves that which Christ, who cannot lie, said to the jews of 
d Luke 13.2  the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices; and of those eighteen, upon whom the Tower in Siloe fell, that they were not sinners above all the rest of the people: And therefore, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  
II. When affliction is comen, I need not exhort you to weep for it: To that, nature will be to you a most persuasive preacher. The heart must be harder than a stithy, if it sorrow not; the eyes must be drier than a potsherd, if they weep not in affliction. The jews were come to the height of sin, when the Lord checked them for hardness of heart in their oppression; saying, 
e Esay 22 12, 13, 14  In that day did the Lord GOD of Hosts call to weeping, & to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: and behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and kill sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; and ye say, Let us eat and drink: for tomorrow we shall die. Such a sinner in that was their King Achaz, who in the time of his distress did trespass yet more against the Lord. He was ever king Achaz, ever like himself; never better, but rather worse. This hardness of heart is a near cousin to the irremissible sin: for God said to these stonyhearted sinners, Surely, this iniquity shall not be purged from you, till ye die.  
III. I hope there is none so wickedly disposed amongst you all: for, I deem, there is none amongst you, but he will sorrow, weep and mourn, when the hand of God is heavy upon him; we are all of one metal. job saith, that in his afflictions, 
f job 3 24  his roar were poured out like the waters: he 
g job 30.28, 31.  cried: his harp was turned into mourning; and his organ, into the voice of them that weep. The like we have heard of many others, with the refutation of the indolence and unsensiblenes of the Stoics.  
IU. But if ye do nothing but roar, but cry, but weep and mourn when ye are chastised, what do ye that your dogs will not do? will they not cry and howl when they are beaten? Tears, if they be alone, are no more regarded of God, than the howling and yelling of beasts, which will roar when they are hardly used.  
Weep then as the Saints have always wept. When your eyes run down with tears, and your eyelids gush our with waters, let your prayers run up to heaven with them, to pour them out into the bosom of God. Weep as 
h 1. Sam. 1.10.  Hannah wept, who being in bitterness of soul, prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. Weep as the children of Israel wept: for when the children of Benjamin had destroyed of them forty thousand men, 
i judg. 20 23, 26.  they wept before the Lord. Weep as job wept, when 
k job 16.20.  his eyes poured out tears unto God. Weep as David wept, who when he was swimming in his tears, said, 
l Psal. 55.17.  Evening and morning, and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. Weep as Hezekiah wept; 
m 2. Kin. 20.2, 3.  He prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. 
n Esa. 38.84.  He chattered like a crane, or a swallow: he mourned as a dove: his eyes failed with looking upward: his prayer was, O Lord I am oppressed, undertake for me.   

CHAP. JIX.  
1. WE must weep also for the desolation of the Church,  
2. As David and jeremiah did.  
3. Great desolation of the Churches by the last troubles.  
4. Their present state most pitiful and lamentable.  
5. Examples to move us to weep for them.  
I WHen ye have thus wept for yourselves, remember that ye are not for yourselves only: consider that ye belong to the mystical body of our Lord jesus Christ, the members whereof are dispersed through the whole world: and print in your minds the most reasonable commandment of the holy Apostle, 
o Rom. 12.15.  Weep with them that weep. Weep for the Church, as the holy men of God have wept for it. They mourned for the evils passed, for the evils that were present, and for the evils that were to come.  
II. When David heard the tidings of the overthrow of God's people by the Philistines, 
p 2. Sam. 1.11, 12.  He and all the men that were with him, mourned, and wept, and fasted until even. Made not jeremiah lamentations for the desolation of jerusalem? and when his eyes were dried up, when his eyelids were so withered, that heaviness and sorrow could find no water to squeeze out of them, did he not then wish, did he not then cry, 
q jer. 9.1.  O that my head were waters, & mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people.  
III. Dear brethren, there is no man beyond seas, in those places where the war was, but he may say as truly as jeremiah said in his Lamentations, 
r Lam. 3.1  I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of the Lords wrath: who as 
s jer. 15.3.  he had appointed over his Churches their four kinds, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, the fowls of the heaven to devour, and the beasts of the earth to destroy; so hath he brought those fierce and pitiless executioners of his justice upon his people. 
t Lam. 2.21.  He hath slain in the day of his anger, he hath killed, he hath not pitied.  women and honest matrons were defiled and murdered; shamefaced and pure virgins were most vilely deflowered; the young men were put to death by the sword; sucklings were pulled away from their mother's breasts, and cast into the rivers, or dashed against the stones; the principal men of towns were hanged; the faces of Elders were not honoured; their bodies, which had been Temples of the Holy Ghost, were given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and unto the beasts of the earth, as if they had been dead dogs. Populous towns are now heaps of stones: where defenced and strong cities were, nothing is to be seen but ruins. That which was thought impossible to be achieved in fifty years by all the sleight and might of the enemies, was begun and finished in fifty days.  

u Esa. 4.26.  The Lord hissed unto them, and they came upon the Churches with speed swiftly. None was weary, none stumbled amongst them: their horses hooves were like flint, the wheels of their chariots were like a whirlwind. Their roaring was like a Lion; they laid hold of the prey, and carried it away safe, and there was none to deliver: So on them was accomplished that which Isaiah prophesied once against the jews, and which was fulfilled. The head of those armies might have written about the Emblem of his unlookedfor victories, the posy which julius Caesar carried graven in the table of his triumph of the Parthians, VENI, VIDI, VICI: I came to them, I saw them, I overcame them. Is there any head so frozen and hardened with unsensibleness, but it will NOW melt and flow over with tears, at the naming only of the great breach which hath been made in the Church of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ?  
iv There was never wound so weil healed, but the cicature remained: O how great is the scar of this wound! Alas! alas! when shall it be closed up? Behold and consider the present state of the Churches of the Palatinate, of Bohemia, and of many more: Is it not NOW most miserable, and a sorrowful subject of a tragical lamentation? and shall we not weep NOW?  
V 
x job 30.25.  Did I not weep, saith job, for him that had evil days? was not my soul grieved for the poor? O how evil are Now the days of our distressed brethren! and shall not we weep for them NOW? O how many rich men have been turned into their shirts! how many are now poor, that were wont to relieve the poor! and shall not our souls be grieved for them NOW?  

y 1. Sam. 4.20, 21, 22.  Phineas wife was not so gladded, because she had borne a son, as she was deadly wounded with displeasure, because, the Ark of God was taken: At that tidings, she called her son Ichabod, that is to say, Where is the glory? and nothing at all regarding him, she said in her mourning and lamentation, The glory is departed from Israel: for the Ark of God is taken. So weeping, so mourning, so bemoaning, not so much the death of her beloved husband, as the taking of the Ark, she gave up the ghost. The true Ark of God is the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ; Gospel which 
a Rom. 1.16.  is the power to every one that believeth. The Philistines have taken the Ark: Antichrist hath again smothered the Gospel: the glory is departed from the Churches: the abomination of desolation is alas! alas! set up again in the houses of the Lord: swarms of drones humming and buzzing make an unknown and most unpleasant noise; where the word of the Lord was wont to be preached, his Name to be ta●●ed upon, his praises to be sung. If men, hearing NOW these woeful tidings, will not weep NOW; shall not women, who are more sensible of injuries, and sooner pricked with sorrow, mourn and weep NOW, even NOW?  
Nehemiah was more sorrowful for the desolation of the City of jerusalem, than he was joyful for all his credit and favour with the great King. When he heard, that the people of God, which was returned from the captivity of Babylon, 
b Neh. 1 3, 4.  was in great affliction and reproach, that the wall of jerusalem was broken down, & the gates thereof burnt with fire; he sat down, & wept, & mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven. The king wondered to see his countenance; thinking his royal favour more than sufficient to cheer him up, and to make his heart glad. But he answered, 
c Neh. 2.3.  Why should not my countenance be sad, when the City, the place of my father's sepulchers, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? This is the present state of many brethren: where they are suffered to live, they live in so great affliction and reproach, that death would be welcomer unto them than life. Their towns are dismantled: their houses are turned into cottages: they that had something, are, by the oppression of garrisons, brought to little or nothing. If there be not at Artaxerxes Court a Nehemiah to weep a few days; let us, who are no Courtiers, weep this one day for them: let us weep NOW.  
David said of his enemies, that 
d Psal. 35 12, 13, 14.  they rewarded him evil for good, seeking to deprive him of his soul. But as for me, saith he, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom: I behaved myself as though he had been my friend and brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. Was that holy man's charity so fervent, that he wept for his foes? and shall ours be so cold, that we cannot find one tear to shed NOW for our friends?  

e john 11 35, 36  jesus wept for his friend Lazarus, who was dead and stinking. Then said the jews, Behold how he loved him. Our dear friends are like unto Lazarus: they are in a worse plight, than if they were dead: when they walk abroad they look like a ghost. Their goods are become a booty: their houses are desolation: their enemies are roaring Lions & ravening wolves, who have left nothing on them but skin and bone. If we had charity in our hearts to love them, would we not have tears in our eyes, to weep for them NOW; words in our mouths, to pray for them Now; our hands in our purses, to secure them Now? would we not remember the exhortation of the Apostle, and practise it? 
f Heb. 13 3.  Remember, saith he, them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.   

CHAP. IX.  
1. We must weep, to divert greater calamities, wherewith we are threatened.  
2 Most excellent precedents of such weeping.  
3 Of them which weep when they should not weep.  
4 It is lawful to weep for the dead,  
5 With moderation, and without ostentation:  
6 As it is comely to Christians.  
7 Custom of the ancient Church in Funerals.  
8 They which weep for sin, and leave not off to sin, weep not as they should weep.  
1. AS the last of GOD'S visible works were the best: so the last of the works of the Man of sin, who entitleth himself, Summum Numen in terris, the Sovereign God on earth, are the worst. The ill which he hath done, is like unto 
h 1. Kings 12.11  salomon's whips: but the ill which he is minded to do, is like unto Rehoboanis scorpions. He playeth now with sundry of our brethren, as the Cat doth with the Mouse: but if he may take all with his great Armies, he hath laid his plot to destroy, to cut off the churches, to tread them down like the mire of the streets. He hath already ingulfed the Palatinate: he hath swallowed up the Kingdom of Bohemia: he hath set his foot on the neck of France are under his hand: of all the reformed Churches which God hath erected in the Continent & main land of Europe, none have escaped his claws, but those of the Lowe-Countries. Now when he is assured of all the rest, he seeks to grasp them; making his account, that to us from them there is but a short passage. Therefore this day we fast, we weep, we mourn, we pray for them.  
II. The man of God, Elisha, settling his countenance steadfastly on Hazael, wept; because, said he unto him, 
i 2 Kings 8.12  I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: Their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, & wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. Our Lord jesus Christ 
k Luke 19 41, 42, 43  wept over jerusalem, because the days were coming, that she should be laid even with the ground, and one stone should not be left in her upon another. This is the humanity that our neighbours and we must look for, if our neighbours be oppressed, and Antichrist prevail. Therefore let us NOW, NOW, I say, cry to heaven with weeping & mourning, that they may fall from their counsels, and their mischief return upon their own heads.  

l 1. Sam. 15.35  Samuel wept for Saul, whom God had rejected. Shall we not weep for our brethren, whom God hath elected? Isaiah saith, that 
m Esay 15.5  that his heart cried out for Moab, that 
n Esay 21 3, 4  his loins were filled with pain; that pangs had taken hold upon him, as the pangs of a woman that traveleth, that his hart panted, that fearfulness affrighted him, that God had turned the night of his pleasure into fear, because of the fall of Babylon, which was near. Are the Saints so tenderhearted, that they weep for the ruin which is to come upon God's enemies? Are we so hardhearted, that we cannot weep NOW for the evil wherewith GOD's servants are threatened? was 
o joel 2 12  fasting, weeping & mourning, indicted to God's people, for Armies of Locusts and Caterpillars, which could do no more but eat up the fruits of the earth, and destroy the glory of the trees? Now when great Armies of unmerciful men, whose mind is to destroy both the land and the inhabitants, rise up against our brethren, and seek to overwhelm them; shall we not NOW, even NOW, with fasting and weeping cry unto God, as jehoshaphat did, 
p 2. Chro. 20.12  O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.  
III. O how great is our crossness! O how untractable is the hardness of our hearts! We weep when we should not weep: we weep not as we should weep: we weep not when we should weep.  
As little children are angry when ye throw out of their hands the knife wherewith they would have killed, themselves; or take from them their puppets, that they may go to schools, and weep when they should not weep: so when God pulleth from one his riches, from another his health, from some their honours, from others the pleasure of their bellies, which are but painted trifles, and to the most part of men's souls are more dangedangerous, than sharp knives in their throats; they weep beyond all measure, and ye cannot still them. Whereas if they knew why God strips them of their childish delights, they would say as the French men did, after that julius Cesar had brought them under the yoke of obedience, 
q Perieramus, nisiperij ssemus.  We had perished, if we had not perished. God's children, after they have been schooled and nurtered with such losses, think and speak so, and say with David, 
r Psal. 119.67.71.  Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept thy word: It is good for me, that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.  
As worms, which breed in children's stomaches, and gnaw their guts, cannot be killed but by wormwood, or some other bitter potion, which ye cannot persuade them to drink without weeping: so the vanity, the pride, the covetousness of riches, the contempt of the Gospel, the horrible security of many men, can not be cured but by the wormwood of tribulation; whereof the great Physician of the soul filleth to them great bowls, and compels them to drink thereof, till their heads be dizzy, that they may be healed; and they are so childish, that they weep: whereas as 
s jam 1.2.  S. jam. teaches them to count it all joy, when they fall into diverse tentations. I say then, that such men weep when they should not weep.  
iv Others weep when they should weep, but they weep not as they should. Christian Religion transformeth not men into stocks and stones: and grace abolisheth not natural affections, but sanctifieth them. When the Apostle, speaking of them which are asleep, saith, that 
t 1. Thes. 4.13.  ye should not sorrow, even as others which have no hope, he forbiddeth you not to be wail your dead: for it is impossible to fight against the motions of nature. Did not 
u Gen. 23.2.  Abraham, the father of the faithful, mourn and weep for Sa●ra? Did not 
x Gen. 50 1.10.  joseph weep upon his dead father, and kiss him? did not all his sons bury him with a very great and sore lamentation? Did not 
y Num. 20.29.  all the congregation of Israel mourn for Aaron thirty days? Did 
a Deut. 34.8.  they not weep for Moses as many days? Did not David weep for 
b v 2. Sam. 1.17.  Saul, for 
x 2. Sam. 3.32.  Abner, and for his son 
y 2. Sam. 18.33.  Absalon? and did not our Lord jesus Christ 
a joh. 11.35.  weep for Lazarus? Did not 
b Act. 8.32.  the devout men of jerusalem make great lamentations over Steven? Did not 
c Act. 9.39.  the Christian widows of Lydda weep for Dorcas when she was dead?  
V The thing which the Apostle forbiddeth, is weeping; such as is the weeping of the Gentiles, which is immoderate, because they have no hope. One of them, seeing he must needs pay the last tribute to nature, & go the way of all the earth, as he was dying, made an heavy moan for his soul, saying 
d Spartiani Adrianus. Animula, vagula, blandula, Hospes comesque corporis; Quae nune abibis in loca Pallidula, rigida, nudula? Nec, ut soles, dabis iocos.  O my restless, my gentle, my sweet soul, soul, which hast been a friendly guest and companion of my body? O how won, how cold, how bare and empty is the place whither thou must now go! neither shalt thou hereafter make me merry. The rest had no better hope; if they spoke not so, they thought no less. But we know, that 
e joh. 5.24.  he that believeth in Christ, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life: therefore we must not weep for our dead immoderately, as Gentiles do; but moderately, as Christians do.  
In 
f Ier 9.17, 18.  jeremiah his time, there was an heathenish custom among the jews, 
Praficae mulieres.  to hire mourning women, who were accustomed to take up a wailing for their dead: and that 
g Chrysost. ad Popul. Antiochen. homil. 69. & 70.  profane custom was in the Church in S. Chrysostom's days. It is now banished out of the Church: But that w eh we do, is not much unlike unto it: we tear our faces with our nails, we pull the hair out of our heads, we rend our clothes, we yell, we roar, we howl like beasts, and show indeed, that we are without hope, & so great hypocrites; or that we consisider not what we are doing. Chrysostome said, that 
h Ex ostentatione potius, & ambitione, & inani gloria sunt, etc.  there is more ostentation, ambition, and vain glory, than true sorrow in such weeping: for a man may weep bitterly in his closet, and not make such a show. Yea, in such weeping there is great shame and great offence offered to our most holy religion. For how shall we speak of the immortality of the soul to them which believe no such thing? how shall we persuade them to believe 
i Tertull. de Resurrect. Carnis. Fiducia Christianorum, resurrectio mortuorum.  the rising again faith of Christians, when by such yelling, we make them to believe that death is as horrible unto us, as unto them? for they heed not what we believe, but what we do. And how shall we ourselves contemn death, if we show so great impatience when our friends die?  
iv Harken then, and learn how to weep for the dead: do ye consider death as it is 
k Rom 6.23.  the wages of sin? Weep. Consider it also as it is through Christ, 
l joh. 5.24.  a passage to life, and weep not.  
Do ye consider how your dear friend, whom ye loved so tenderly, is by death become so ugly and loathsome, that ye are constrained with 
m Gen. 23.4.  Abraham to bury him out of your sight, lest he become suddenly a stinking carrion? Weep. Consider also, that through Christ his grave is made a Doctor unto him, and weep not.  
Doth experience make you to say, that by and by he shall be dust and ashes? Weep. But send for faith, and it will tell you, that though he sleep now in the dust of the earth, 
n Dan. 12.2  he shall awake to everlasting life: according to the comfortable saying of Christ to Martha, 
o john 11 25, 26  I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never dye. For in that blessed day of the resurrection of the righteous, Christ 
p Phil. 3.21  shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Here is the comfort of your faith. The Pagans, speaking of a dead man, were wont to say, 
q Scal. Castigat. in Festum verbo. Abitionem.  FUIT, He was, because they were without hope for the time to come. But your 
r Rom. 5 5.  hope, which maketh not ashamed, teacheth you to say, ERIT, He shall be. They said also, 
m Tert. de testimonio animae. adver. Gent. c. 4. Abijt iam, sed reverti debet.  He is gone, but he will come again: not showing, that they had any hope of the resurrection, as Tertullian deemed, but seeking Euphemisms & fair words, having a sense repugnant to their mind; to show, that they esteemed all dead men to be lost. In that same sense they said, VIXIT, He did live: and therefore they called him 
n Ibid. Cúm alicuius defuncti recordaris, misellun vocas cum.  miserable. If ye consider your dead brother as departed out of this life because of sin, say, He did live; and weep: but know ye not, that 
o 1. Sam. 25.29.  his soul is bound in the bundle of life with the Lord his God? Therefore say, VIVIT, He liveth: say, He is blessed; and weep not. 
p Rev. 14 13  For, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Believe ye not, that they are passed from death to life? Wherefore then weep ye? Will ye be injurious to our Lord jesus Christ? Will ye deny the virtue of his death? Will ye forsake the merit thereof? Know ye not, that his death is to us which believe, the death of our death, and the life of our life? Then weep not.  
O but he was my loving husband: she was my virtuous wife: thou hast had some loss; weep: but thy loss is their gain. They are gone to the marriage-supper of the Son of God: and it is written, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb. These are the true sayings of God. Therefore weep not.  
Alas! he was mine only son, the heir of all my goods: and now (alas!) to whom shall I leave them? Thy loss is great; weep: his advantage is greater. He is gone to his heavenly Father: he is now his heir. Thou couldst give him but earthly goods: those which he enjoyeth, are celestial. Thine are perishable, & death would have constrained him to leave them to another: those which he now possesseth, are everlasting, and are not subject unto loss. If thy son were in credit with the King, I think thou shouldst laugh, and not weep: he is in credit with the King of kings, and in great felicity in his presence; and if he could send thee tidings from heaven, he would admonish thee to leave thy goods to thy poor kinsmen; and, according to the commandment of the Apostle, 
q 1. Tim. 5.3  first to show piety at home; and next, to strangers that are needy. Therefore weep not.  
He was a godly man, and (well-away!) I am bereft of his godly and fruitful conversation. That affliction is great to thee; weep: but thy cross is his crown. And therefore, if thou lovedst him as much as thou lovest thyself, thou wouldst rather rejoice for him, than weep for thyself. Weep for wicked men: for they are with the devil; yea, saith 
r Ad pop. Antioch. hom. 69. Nam si lugendum est, diabolum oporteret lugero, etc.  Chrysostom, If ye would weep, ye should weep for the devil himself. Rather let the devil weep for himself, because he is damned: let wicked men weep for themselves, because they are tormented. But let us rejoice for good and godly men, because they are with God, and are saved.  
VII. This hath ever been the doctrine of the Christian Church; which, to withdraw those of the Gentiles that believed, from mourning & crying at funerals, was accustomed to celebrate the funerals of Christians with singing of psalms: 
s Chrysost. ibid. hom. 70.  and the words which they sung, were, 
t Psalm 23.4  I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: Item, 
u Psalm 32.7  Thou art my hiding-place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble: as also, 
x Psalm 116.7  Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. Consider now, and behold: God calls death a benefit; why then dost thou weep? Thou wilt weep for the welfare of thine enemy, because thou hat'st him; wilt thou make thy friend his companion, and weep also for his weal?  
The Apostle, forbidding us to weep as the Gentiles do, biddeth us 
y 1. Thes. 4.18.  comfort one another with these words of the resurrection: If, notwithstanding, we weep as the Gentiles do; I say, that, weeping when we should, we weep not as we should.  
VIII. I say the same of all those, which when they are rebuked of sin, will weep; and yet leave not off to sin. The Scripture saith, that 
a 1. King. 21.25, 26, 27.  there was none like unto Achab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. Yet when he heard the judgements of God denounced against him, he rend his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. O how bitterly he wept! O how dolefully he mourned! To look on him, ye would have said, This is a penitent man. But immediately after, 
b 1. Kin. 22.6.27.  he giveth heed to false Prophets, he casteth Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord in prison, and surceaseth not from sinning, till God kill him. Doubtless, Cain wept & mourned, when he said to God, 
c Gen 4.13.  My iniquity is greater than I can bear: Nevertheless he did not forbear to sin, but waxed worse and worse.  
Such men, saith 
d Greg. Pastoralis Curae 1. parte. Flendo inanit●r se mundant, qui vivendo se nequiter inquinant.  Gregory, Wash themselves in vain with tears, because they bewray themselves by their naughty lives, and practise that which is said in a Proverb, 
e 2. Pet. 2.22.  The dog is turned to his own vomit again: and the sow which was washed, to her wallowing in the mire: what is such weeping, but increasing of sin? Thou weepest for sin, because thou knowest that it is an evil thing. And yet thou goest back unto it again, as if thou soughtest to shed tears to steep in them the dirt of thy sins, that as a sow thou mayst wallow with full content in miry water: As when Balaam wished with sighing, 
f Numb. 23.10.  Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his: yet after that, he sought to curse the righteous, and gave a pernicious counsel to the King of Moab against them, what did he but heap sin upon sin, and aggravate his own condemnation?   

CHAP. X.  
1. OF them that weep not when they should weep for their own sins,  
2. Nor for the sins of other men,  
3. Nor for the afflictions of the Church.  
I. BUt how, alas! how are they increased that weep not! How many see we before our eyes every day benumbed with a spirit of slumber, who 
g Cypr. de Laps. Quando debuerant stare, iacuerunt: quando iacere & prosternere se Deo debent, stare se opinantur.  when they should stand, fall; and when they should fall, stand! who when they should resist sin, and stand fast for their souls against the wiles of the devil, fall into sin: and when they should fall on their faces, with sad hearts and moist eyes, before the throne of the mercy of God, stand strait like Idols in Popish Churches, & are no more moved, than if they had done nothing amiss; 
h Ibid. Ante admissum facinus improvidi, post facinus obstinati, nec prius stablles, nec postmodum supplices.  neither careful to stand before they sin, nor to pray and weep after they have sinned.  
jeremiah poured out his heart like water before the face of the Lord, his tears did run down like a river, day and night, he gave himself no rest, the apples of his eyes ceased not to weep for the ruin and destruction of the Temple builded with stones, 
k Heb. 9.4  wherein was the Ark of the Covenant, the golden Censor, the golden pot that had Manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the Tables of the covenant: 
l Chrysost. ad Popul. Antiochen. homil. 22. Si morientibus compa●imu●, quis tam sine misericordia est, qui animam suam morientem non deploret?  And they weep not for their souls which are more holy, and have dwelling in them the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, even the holy Trinity. They will weep for a dead man, though a fremme body, if they know him. And they are so desperate, that they cannot weep for the death of their best friend, of the guest and companion of their body, of their immortal soul which is dead in sin. 
m Rom. 8.22.  Every creature groaneth, and traveleth in pain together until now for the vanity of man: and man, even he that calleth himself a Christian man, is a dullard, and unsensible of his own iniquity.  
II. They weep not for their own sins: look not that they should weep for the sins of other men. What S. Cyprian said of the sins of the Churches of this time, I may say truly of those of this time. 
n Cypr. de Lapsis Studebant augendo patrimonio singuli: non in sacerdotibus religio devota, non in ministris fides integra, non in operibus misericordia, non in mori bus disciplina, etc.  Every man is given to augment his patrimony. There is no devotion in Priests, no fidelity in Ministers, no mercy in our works, no discipline in our manners. Men have disguised beards, women have painted faces: the eyes, disdaining to be as God made them, are counterfeited: the hair is died with a lying colour: To deceive the hearts of simple ones, what see ye but crafty dealing? To entrap & oppress the brethren, but deceitful desires? For all that, there is no weeping.  
III. For such sins, many plagues are come upon foreign Churches. Ye see nothing there but remarkable spectacles of calamity, of misery, of the folly, or rather fury of men, of the vanity of the world. That toucheth not the hearts of a great many of us. 'Tis a great pity that they should be without pity: I have compassion on them, that they should be without compassion. Nothing can penetrate their hardness: no commiseration, no Christian charity can sink into their hearts. Apply to them the words of the Prophet, 
o Amos, 6.3, 4, 5, 6.  They put far away the evil day, they cause the seat of violence to come near: they lie upon beds of Ivory, they stretch themselves upon their couches, they eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall: they chant to the sound of the viol, & invent to themselves instruments of music, like David: they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of joseph. I will not apply to them the words following, because I hope God shall give them repentance.   

CHAP. XI.  
1. EXcuses of those which weep not.  
2. Men loaden with sorrow, will not weep.  
3. Difference between the weeping of Hypocrites, and of sincere Christians.  
4. Exhortation to those which cannot weep, to imitate the example of Zacheus.  
5. If we can weep for our worldly losses, and not for our sins, we are Hypocrites.  
6. Exhortation to join weeping with fasting.  
7. Christian weeping is a a gift of God.  
8. Prayer for the gift of weeping.  
I. I Hear their excuses: they say, that many honest and godly men cannot weep: That many Hypocrites will weep: that Zacheus dry repentance was as acceptable to Christ, as the whores & Peter's weeping repentance.  
II. I know that the heart is sometimes so loaden and overwhelmed with sorrow, that it cannot ease itself by weeping. A man will shed many tears for the death of his dear friend, and shall not find one tear in his eyes to weep for the death of his only son. 
p Lam. 3.28, 29.  He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, he putteth his mouth in the dust, he is filled with sorrow. 
q Mediocres dolores lugent, ingentes stupent.  Mean griefs will make a man weep and mourn: but those which are exceeding great, will drive him into a dump, and make him senseless: As the Fables tell of Niobé, the rich and fair mother of 6 sons and 6 daughters, that after she had lost them all in one day, she was hardened into a stone, because 
s Cicero. 3. Tuscul. Niobé fingitur in lapides, propter aeternum credo in luctu silentium.  she was so dismayed with that sudden & heavy affliction, that she could neither speak, weep, nor lament. Those of whom I speak, are not of this kind. As there are no tears in their eyes, so there is no sorrow in their hearts: for there is no token of amazedness in their countenance: they have a laughing face: the beautiful red of their cheeks is a clear token of the joy of their hearts: they are lusty: they are merry: their delight is to make good cheer: although they are ashamed not to fast when the Church fasteth, yet they like feasting better than fasting.  
III. I know also, that an hypocrite will easily weep, namely, at the preaching, when he hears a pathetical and persuasive Preacher, who can bow and turn the minds of ●●e hearers to any affection: yea, he will rather rub his eyes with an onion, than he should not weep when godly men weep; and make art to do that which nature will not do. Such were the hypocrites of whom Christ said, that 
t Mat. 6 16  they disfigured their faces, that they might appear unto men to fast. When they fasted at home, they sought to make it known abroad. Hypocrites weep before men: but in their Closets, in their Couches, their eyes are drier than dry sticks: they cannot say with David, 
u Psal. 6.6  All the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears: nor with jeremiah, that 
x jer. 13 17  they weep in secret places for the sins and affliction of the Church. This is a sure mark of an hypocrite: If thou canst weep abroad, not at home; in the Church, not in thy Couch, for another man's misery, or for thine own iniquity, thou art an hypocrite.  
Image-makers, Statuaries, and Painters, will draw, with most lively and resembling colours, the feature of the face, the hands, the feet, and of other outward parts; but they care not for the inward parts, neither can their art and skill attain to the resembling of them: they will set out in quick colours a fair flower; but they cannot so much as delineate the virtue thereof. The hypocrite is such a cunning Painter: 〈…〉 counterfeit true devotion, by sighing, by sobbing, by weeping, by such outward shows of sorrow, and set a mourning face on a glad heart; the reformation whereof he heeds not.  
But nature begins with the heart, and first forms the inward parts; which afterwards it begirdeth with bones, tieth together with sinews, clotheth with flesh, covereth with a fair skin, and fashioneth by little and little the outward parts: So the blessed man, 
y Psalm 32.2  in whose spirit there is no guile, offereth first to his God 
a Psalm 51.17.  the sacrifice of a contrite and broken hart; which by and by, and unawares, bursts forth into sighing, sobbing, weeping, mourning, and all external shows of sorrow, because the body cannot choose but sympathise and jump in all kind of affections and passions with the soul, by reason of the straight union that is between them.  
iv Now, if there be any of you whose eyes are of horn, and cannot weep; is his heart of stone, that it cannot sorrow, nor show by outward tokens, that it sorroweth indeed? Ye say, that 
b Luke 19.2  Zacheus wept not, because ye read not that he wept. Then rejoice as he rejoiced: He was little of stature, but he was great in faith. By faith, he ran: by faith, he climbed up into a tree to see jesus: by faith, he made haste: by humility, he came down: by charity, he received Christ into his house joyfully. Rejoice after that manner, and receive Christ into thy house: that rejoicing will be as acceptable to Christ, as weeping. By true charity, he gave half his goods to the poor; yea, if he wept not, he sorrowed to repentance after a godly manner: he gave fourfold to them whom he had cozened. If thou wilt not do as much as he did, do as he did: restore unto thy neighbour that wherein thou hast deceived him: in this day of thy devotion, give a charitable devotion to the poor: make that their feasting, which thou hast spared by fasting: and seeing thou canst not weep for thyself, make them which weep for themselves, laugh; that they, rejoicing for themselves, may weep and pray for thee. Alms excels weeping.  
V But I fear this is a shift. If we can shed tears enough for the loss of our goods, let us not excuse the constitution of our bodies: rather let us accuse the corruption of our souls if we cannot also weep for offending God. For he that forroweth indeed to repentance, will be more deeply & feelingly troubled with the loss of the favour of his good God, than of all the world beside.  
VI Now, what grief and vexation a worldly loss is unto us, we know all. Let us lay aside all frivolous excuses; and let us now, in the face of the blessed Angels, and of this holy Assembly, pray and sigh to GOD with tears and lamentations of true repentance: let us not seek to assuage our mourning: let us seek to increase it, that this day our hearts may groan, and our eyes weep sore, & run down with tears for the distressed members of the Church of Christ jesus. Let us join our hearts with their hearts, our eyes with their eyes, our tongues with their tongues; that all together, with one heart, and one mouth, we may sigh, weep, mourn, pray for their deliverance, & for the continuation of this happy and long peace amongst us.  
VII. Such weeping is a gift of God. As waters came not out of the hard rock, 
c Numb. 20.10  till Moses with his rod smote it twice; so the rivers of tears will never flow & from our hearts of stone, till the Lord jesus smite them often with the rod of his mouth, & soften them with the mighty and powerful blows of his holy Spirit. 'Tis the spirit that bruiseth our rocky hearts: 'tis the heat of the spirit that melteth the ice of our frozen eyes, & maketh the waters flow: 'Tis the Spirit of Christ jesus, 
d Rom. 8 15  whereby we cry Abba, Father: 
e Rom. 8.26.  'Tis the Spirit itself which maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered. 
f Ambros. in Lucam, c. 22. v. 61, 62. Quos Iesus respicit, plorant, etc.  He, he only upon whom Christ looketh, weepeth. Peter denied him once, & wept not, because the Lord looked not. He denied him the second time, and he wept not, because the Lord looked not. He denied him the third time: the Lord looked upon him, and he wept bitterly.  
VIII. O Lord jesus! O sweet jesus! we have once, twice, thrice denied thee: Look now upon us: O Saviour of mankind, now the cock croweth; now look upon us. 
g Veni, Creator, Spiritus, & insunde coelitus lucis tuae radium.  O holy Spirit, Creator & reformer of mankind, come and create in us a new heart: send from heaven into our congealed hearts an hot beam of thy comfortable light, to break and melt them; that now, at least now, we may know our sins, and the afflictions of our brethren▪ that knowing them, we may feel them; that feeling them, we may weep to thee for them▪ that weeping to thee▪ we may be comforted by thee, according to thy promise which thou hast made to us by thy dear Son jesus Christ.  
FINIS.    

The second part OF THE CHRISTIAN MAN'S TEARS. Containing CHRIST'S Comforts.  

CHAPTER I. The Argument of the first Chapter.  
I. AS there is a time of weeping and of mourning, so there is a time of comfort and of joy.  
II. Our comfort is spiritual. N  
III. Gods own self is our comforter.  
iv Thence is the certainty of our salvation.  
V The cause of our comforts are not in the merits of our tears.  
VI There is no merit nor satisfaction but in our Lord jesus Christ.  
VII. Blessedness is given to godly men: but not for their godliness.  
VIII. How we must understand some sp●●ches of the Doctors concerning Tears.  MATH. 5. 5. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. LUK. 6.21. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 
I. EXperience teacheth us, & the scripture joining hands with experience saith, that 
a Eccles. 3.1.4.  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens: Amongst orther things, that there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to maurne, and a time to dance: A time to weep, as Christ hath said, Blessed are ye that weep now: A time to laugh: For, saith he, ye shall laugh: A time to mourn: because Christ saith, Blessed are they that mourn: A time to dance, because he saith also that they shall be comforted.  
I know not where 
b Cicero. 4. Tuscul.  HERACLITUS could find such abundance of tears; and what could move him to weep always: was there no blessing of God in the world to make him laugh? Was not DEMOCRITUS a vain man to laugh perpetually at the vanity of the world, and never to weep for it? CATONS' heart was made of steel and could neither be moved to laugh for joy, when God blessed the State; nor to weep for sorrow, when it was afflicted.  
But DAVID who was better than any of them, 
c 2 Sam. 6.14.  danced for joy, when the Ark of the Lord entered into his house; and wept for sorrow when he sinned against the Lord. JESUS who was the best of all, 
d Luk. 10.21.  rejoiced in spirit when he considered the wise dispensations of the blessings of God: He was also sorry and wept when he saw men's incredulity and obstinacy in their sins. And he saith to all Christians, that they shall weep, for the causes whereof we have spoken: as also that they shall laugh, for the causes whereof we are to speak.  
II. Laughing is an effect of joy. Such as the joy is, such is the laughing. Our joy is such as we are, or should be; Inward, celestial, spiritual: for it cometh from the faith and hope of heavenly things, as Christ said to them which are persecuted; 
e Mat 5.12.  Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For our laughing is spiritual, heavenly, and inward, flowing from an inward and spiritual joy: The Spring of our joy, is comfort; whereof Christ saith, that they which mourn shall be comforted.  
III. Our comfort is our blessedness: and all blessedness is of God, to whose praise we cry aloud with the holy Apostle; 
f Eph. 1.3.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ. So all our comforts are of God, who 
g Isa. 51.3.  shall comfort Zion. For he is 
h 2 Cor. 1.4  the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation.  
He comforteth us by his dear Son jesus Christ, who saith that the Lord hath sent him 
i Isa. 61.2.  to comfort all that mourn, and as he came into the world for that end, so he doth that wherefore he came, as he said to his Disciples. 
k joh. 14.18.  I will not leave you Orphans, that is, comfortless: I will come to you.  
He cometh to us by his Spirit, who is the true Comforter. For he ascended into heaven, & thence he 
l Tertull. de prescript. cap. 11. Misit vicariam vim spiritus sancti qui credentes agate.  hath sent in stead of himself the power of the holy Spirit, by whom the believers are led, according to his promise, 
m joh. 14.16.  I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.  
iv Here is the certainty of our comforts God hath promised that we shall be comforted: 
n Heb. 10.23.  He is faithful that promised, and 
o 1 Thes 5.24.  also will do it. He giveth not that charge to another: His own self doth it. 
p Isa 46.10.11.  My counsel, saith he, shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass I have purposed it, I will also do it. He doth it by his owno Spirit: As 
q joh. 3.8.  the wind, so the Spirit bloweth where it listeth. If he will comfort us, who can grieve us? Men will do what they can to make us weep. But saith Christ, 
r joh. 16.25  Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you: If we hold our eyes upon ourselves, we see our own weakness, and we know we may lose our joy. But Christ hath prayed, that 
s joh. 17.13.  we may have his joy full filled in ourselves: And the Comforter himself abideth in us: who then shall take the fruits of our tears from us?  
O most precious pearls of your eyes! O tears most acceptable to God The French Virgin is not so curious to keep the tears of the vine, wherewith 
a Plin. l. 23. cap. 1. Cutem in fancy mulierum purgant. Ibid. Vitia cutis in fancy, varosque & lentignes emendant.  she takes away the speckes, and pimples, and other spots of her face and hands, & keepeth their skin soft and fair; As God is careful to keep the tears which trill from the spiritual branches ingraffed into jesus Christ, who 
b joh. 15.1.  is the true Vine: 
c Psal. 56.8.  He putteth them into his bottle. Are they not in his Book?  

d Ctesias in Indicis.  When the tears distilling from the Indian tree, called Siptachora, fall into the river Hyparchus, they are congealed there, and turned into most excellent Amber, So when our tears fall into the river of the mercies of God, they become there a most precious jewel: And as the Sun drawing salt vapours out of the Sea up into the air, turneth them into pleasant showers of rain, 
e Isa. 55.10.  which watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sour, and bread to the eater; So 
f Mala. 4.2.  the Sun of righteousness our Lord jesus Christ draweth up to heaven our sighs, our groans, the salt vapours of our devotion, the bitter tears of our godly sorrow, which we pour out before him, and keepeth them in his bottles till being all gathered together, he pour them down upon us again in a mos sweet and welcome shower of all kind of heavenly comforts, which are our blessedness both in this world, and in the world to come.  
V Be not deceived with the error of Papists. Imagine not that there is any merit in tears, as that word is taken by Papists, that in them there is any satisfaction, as Papists speak of satisfaction, that they wash out the blots of the soul, which are our sins, as water cleanseth and taketh away the spots of the body, as Papists dare too boldly and ignorantly affirm: they have not in themselves any such efficacy: neither hath God made unto them any such promise. Nothing can satisfy the wrath of God, but the death of the son God: Nothing is of worth and value before his eyes to be rewarded with glory, but the obedience of the Lord of glory. No water can purge and take away sins, 
g joh. 1.29.  It is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.  
VI If ye ask who hath satisfied the wrath of God? I answer with Isaiah: Christ 
h Isa. 53.5.  was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, iquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, & with his stripes we are healed. If ye ask again, by what means, by what deserts ye obtain eternal life? Christ himself answereth. 
i joh. 14.6.  I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. i.e. The true way to eternal life. And the Apostle faith, that 
k 1 Cor. 1.30.31.  of God ye are in Christ jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Finally if ye ask, which is the river, which is the pool wherein we are cleansed of all our sins, so perfectly that there remaineth no spot, no blemish in us? The Disciple which lay in Christ's bosom, & was privy to all his secrets, faith, that 
l 1. joh. 1.7.  the blood of jesus. Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all sin. He only is the river of jordan wherein the leprosy of sin is cured: 
m 2 Kings 5.14.  The river jordan in the land of Canaan did never cleanse any man of the leprosy of the body, but Naamans' the Syrian: This jordan of the heavenly Canaan cleanseth perfectly all leprous sinners which wash and dip themselves in it. At 
n joh. 5.4.  the pool of Bethesda he only was made whole of his disease who first after the troubling of the water stepped in. But when soever a sinner shall repent of his sins that he hath committed, and cast himself into this undraynable pool of the blood of the son of God his sickness shall be cured, and his soul shall be healed. Ye read in the Legends that Constantine the great being leprous, was counselled to wash in a bath made of the blood of little children, that he might be made clean. That bath was nothing else but the blood of the Son of God, wherein he washed by faith, and was made clean of the incurable leprosy of sin.  
So than if ye ask by whose satisfaction & merits ye obtain eternal life, the Scripture answereth absolutely, that it is by the only satisfaction and merits of our Lord jesus Christ, 
o Act. 4.12.  Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  
VII. But if we ask to whom this salvation is given? That is another question, where unto the Scripture maketh another answer, and faith, as Elizabeth said to the Virgin Marie, 
p Luk. 1.45.  Blessed is she that believed. 
q 2 Cor. 1.20.  All the promises of God in Christ, are Yea, and in Christ, are Amen, unto the glory of God. And 
r Gal. 3.14.  we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith: Neither have we any other hand to receive Christ who is promised unto us, but faith. Therefore it is written that 
s Eph. 2.8.  by grace ye are saved by faith: And because our last and principal blessedness is our salvation, it is also written that they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham.  

t Act. 15.9.  The hearts are purified by faith. Therefre it is written, 
u Math. 5.8.  Blessed are the pure in heart: The heart by faith is broken and bruised with the sense of sin, and with 
x 2 Cor. 7.10.  godly sorrow for sin Therefore it is written. 
y Math. 5.3.  Blessed are the poor in spirit: Faith looketh up to heaven with a weeping eye: Faith calleth upon God, with prayers steeped in tears: Faith stretcheth soorth to the throne of grace hands dipped in the bitter and salted waters of repentance: And therefore it is written, Blessed are they that mourn.  
If faith did not repent, sigh, weep, pray: repentemce, weeping, sighing, prayer should be sins; For 
a Rom. 14.23.  whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. So the tears of Esau were sins. So when David prayeth against the wicked man; 
b Psal. 109.7.  Let his prayer become sin, he teacheth us, that prayers of wicked and unbelieving men are sins: for to such men, 
c Tit. 1.15.  nothing is pure: but even their mind and conscience is defiled: And what can come from such a puddle, but filth and stinking putrefaction? 
h Gal. 5.6.  Faith worketh by love, and is rich in good works. Therefore it is written, 
l Psal. 1.2.  blessed is the man whose delight is the Law of the Lord, 
m Psal. 119.1.  Blessed are the undefiled in the way, 
n Psal. 128.1.  Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, etc.  
Ye see what persons are blessed: And what qualities are required in you, if you desire to be partakers of blessedness: The first must be faith: For 
o Heb. 11.6.  without faith it is impossible to please God: From faith springs forrow for sin, repentance, weeping, prayers, good works, 
p Eph. 2.10.  which God hath prepared, that we should walk in them. All those which are adorned and enriched with those good qualities, are blessed: but the cause wherefore they are blessed, is the merit of Christ jesus, in whom they believe, by whom they pray, for whom they weep, and by whose spirit they are lead in the way of the Lord, & do good works.  
For to them 
q Zech 12.10.  that mourn in jerusalem, Zechariah saith, that 
r Zech. 13.1.  there shall be a fountain opened for sin, and for uncleanness: what? are not their eyes a fountain? To weep for sin, they may be. To blot out, and abolish the slain of sin, they cannot be. The only side of Christ which was pierced in his death, was made a fountain of blood, to wash in it the sins of all them, which, to weep for their sins make of their heads a fountain of tears.  
VIII. Therefore when ye read in the Homilies of the Doctors of the Church, either ancient, or modern, that tears are a satisfaction for sin, that they wash it away, and blot it out, and many such hyperbolical speeches, ye must understand them 
f Cum graeno salis.  with a grain of salt, as the jurisconsults speak of some sayings of their Doctors, and know that either they speak of satisfaction given to the Church, or attribute to the effect that which is proper to the cause, which is frequent amongst orators, and in speeches gilded and beautified with Rhetoric.  
Consider that in my text blessedness is attributed to them which weep, not to weeping; to the tree, not to the fruit; to the worker, not to the work: And when ye seek the causes of your blessedness, look not downward to yourselves, but upward to the mercy of God, and with a sincere heart and true mouth follow the holy Apostle, and say, 
t Eph. 1.3.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. 
u Rom. 11.36.  For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: To whom be glory for ever. Amen.  
If ye remember this distinction between the qualification of the persons which are to be saved, & the causes wherefore they are saved, as also the changing of attributions, when the effects are honoured with the glorious titles which belong to their causes, ye will not easily be seduced with Papistry, nor troubled with some speeches which the Doctors uttered hyperbolically, which the Papists wrist unlearnedly, which ye must understand 
x Rom. 12.6.  according to the proportion of faith sound.   

CHAPTER II.  
I. ALl our comforts are called Life, and wherefore.  
II. Item, wherefore that life which is our only comfort, is called everlasting.  
III. What eternal life is.  
IU. 'tis imperfect in this world, and perfect in the world to come.  
V He that hath not the beginnings of eternal life in this world, shall never come to the perfection thereof in the world to come.  
I. BUT to leave of disputing against Papists, which is not fit for this day, wherein we are assembled to dispute against our own sins, and to let alone the hyperbolical speeches of Doctors, let us come to Christ's comforts wherein our blessedness consisteth.  
Our Blessedness in holy Scripture is called Life Everlasting. 'tis called Life, not because we shall act, live, and move by it, as we do now during our abode in the earthly tabernacles of our mortal bodies; but because it is a most glorious, happy, and blessed estate, our sovereign good and felicity, the full perforformance of all our desires, the longed-for wish of our unsatiable hearts, the centre and last resting place of all the agitations of our stirring and unquiet souls.  
There is nothing that man loveth better than life. For how can he love, what can he love, if he live not? Life is the spring of love: life is the enjoyer, life is the user of all the things which we love. As we cannot love without life: So life is loathsome unto us without the fruition of those things which we love. The Devils and the damned live in hell. But that life is called Death, because all the evils which they would gladly shake off, fall thick, and lie close together upon them, and all the goods which they desire most earnestly with groans and sighs, flee away from them.  
'tis a living death, & a dying life. Therefore David asketh, 
a Psal. 34.12.  what man is he that desireth life? And loveth many days that he may see good? Take good from life: And men will choose death to be freed of life.  
In the state whereof we speak, we see good, because in it we see God, 
b Psal. 36.9.  with whom is the fountain of life, and in whose light we see light. 
c August. de verbis Apostoli. Serm. 6. Omnino non mesatiaret Deus, nisi promitteret mihi seipsum. Deum. etc.  Certainly God could never satisfy me, if he promised not to give himself unto me. For whatso ever God promiseth unto thee, 'tis of no value without himself: what is the whole earth? What is the whole Sea? What is heaven? What are all the stars? What is the Sun? what is the Moon? what the Hosts of Angels without him? I know him to be the creator of all those things. 
Ipsum sitio, Ipsum esurio, Ipsi dico, quoniam apud te est sons vitae.  I thirst after him, I hunger after him. To him I say, with thee is the fountain of life. 
d Bernard deproemio patr. coelest. Esse cum deo, esse in deo: Vivere cum Deo, vivero de Deo. etc.  To be with God, to be in God: to live with God, to live by God, to have God who is the sovereign Good, is sovereign blessedness, is life itself.  
II. This Life is called Everlasting, because as it cometh of God and is nothing but the enjoying of him, so it is like unto him 
e jam 1.17.  with him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 'tis so with their life. It may grow better, and shall be better in the resurrection: It knoweth no interchangeable course of seasons. 'tis all at once the spring time of most pleasant sights, the Summer all kind of pleasures, the harvest of all blessings, which fear no withering by the biting frost of a cold & misty winter. God is eternal by nature: This life is eternal through his grace: God is eternal without beginning, & without ending: 
f Reu. 1.8.  which is, and which was, and which is to come. This life hath a beginning, but shall never have an end. 'tis rather everlasting then eternal.  
So is the death of the wicked, to whom the great judge shall say at the last day, 
g Math. 25.41.  depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil, and his Angels. O happy would they think themselves, if death could cut the thread of their life! Woe, woe, be unto them. 
h Reu. 9 6.  In those day's men shall seek death, and shall not find it: And shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. This shall be the fullness of their misery, that they shall disire to die, and know that they shall never die. But in this shall be the fullness of our felicity, that living in God, we shall know that we shall live with him for ever and ever 
* Barnard. de modo bene vivendi. Serm. 69. Atterna vitaest vitalis, ista est mortalis. Idem. in Psal Qui habitat. Serm. 17. Est finis sine sine.  This life whereby we live in in those houses of clay is mortal: But eternal life is vital and lively: 'tis an end without end.  
III. For eternal life, is a full and everlasting possession and fruition of all things which God hath promised unto us in jesus Christ his Son: ye may reduce them all to this one, 
i Reu. 21.3.  Behold, the Taber nacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, & God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Or as S. Paul saith in fewer words, 
k 1 Cor. 15.28.  God shall be all in all.  

l August. de Verbis Apostoli. Serm. 16. Quicquid hic quaerebas, quicquid hic promagno habebas, ipse tibi erit &c  What is that all in all? Whatsoever thou didst seek here, whatsoever thou didst make great account of here, his own self shall it unto thee. 
m Idem concio 1. in Psal 36.  That which is gold, cannot be silver unto thee: That which is wine, cannot be bread unto thee: that which is light, cannot be drink unto thee. Thy God shall be all unto thee. Thou shalt eat him that thou hunger not, thou shalt drink him, that thou thirst not: thou shalt be enlightened by him, that thou be not blind, thoushaed be holden up by him, that thou faint not Posssidebit te totum integrum, totus integer; He entire and whole shall possess thee entire and whole: he shall be all in thee all: thou shalt be all in him all. Totum habebis: Totum & ille habebit; quia tu & ille unuus eritis. Thou shalt have him all: he shall have thee all: because thou and he shall be one.  
iv This eternal life, which is the possession of all good in God through jesus Christ, and the only comfort of them which weep and mourn, though it be always one and the same, and not of sundry sorts, yet it hath some degrees: we are now in this land of the dying, Viatores, Travellers and way-faring men, and in it we have the beginnings of eternal life. In heaven, which is the land of the living, we shall be Comprehensores, Owners and peaceable possessors of the entire and whole felicity, which GOD hath prepared for his dear ones.  
The Lord jesus hath he not said in his prayer to his Father, 
n joh. 17.3.  This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and jesus Christ whom thou hast sent? If eternal life be in the knowledge of God, as Christ saith: And if 
o 1 Cor. 13.9.10.  we know in part, as the Apostle saith, we have already eternal life, but in part only, till that which is perfect come, and that which is in part, may be done away, or rather swallowed up in that profound Ocean of perfect blessedness. Now we 
f Rom. 8.23.  have the first fruits of the Spirit: Then we shall have a most plentiful harvest. Now we have 
g 2 Cor. 1.2.  the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, as a part, and therefore a most assured pawn, of the total sum which shall be given us then. Now we say one to another, 
h Psal. 34.6.  O taste and see, that the Lord is good. Then 
i Cyprian. de Laude Martyrij, Ibi non gustabunt quamsuanis sit Deus, sed implebuntur et satiabuntur dalcedine mirificâ. Nihil deerit, nihil oberit. Omne desiderium eorum Christus praesens implebit.  we shall not only taste how sweet God is, but we shall be filled and satisfied with a wonderful sweetness: then nothing shall be wanting unto us: nothing shall hurt us, because Christ by his presence shall fill all our desires.  
V Be not therefore deceived: for if ye have not the beginnings of eternal life in this barren wilderness of your pilgrimage, ye shall never come to the compleatness thereof in the pleasant and fruitful land of your rest, whereof it is written, 
k Ps. 25.13.  His soul shall lodge in goodness, and his seed shall inherit the earth.  
Object not the words which we read in the first Epistle of S. john, 
l joh. 3.2.  It doth not yet appear what we shall be: for he speaketh of the full manifestation and fruition of our blessedness, of the beginnings whereof he writeth in that same Chapter, 
m Vers. 14.  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. Even as Christ affirmed, 
* Ioh: 5.24.  Verily, verily, I say unto you: He that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Consider and see, how by faith in Christ, by love to our brethren for Christ, we have already eternal life, and bless God who hath given you faith and love.   

CHAP. III.  
I. Our first comfort and blessedness in this world, is the forgiveness of our sins.  
II. Which is declared by the example of David.  
III. Who affirmeth that man's blessedness is the forgiveness of his sins.  
iv The same is verified by the example of a woman which was a Sinner.  
V To obtain this first degree of blessedness, we must be reconciled with our brethren.  
VI Laudable custom of the Primitive Church to end their public prayers with a kiss.  
VII. We must weep and pray to God, one for another & for our ownselues.  
VIII. Exhortation.  
I. Our first comfort, & therefore the first degree of eternal life, or of our blessedness in this world, is forgiveness of sin: Because our first misery is sin. Ye have heard that eternal life is in God; & ye hear Isaiah saying, 
a Isa. 59.2.  Your iniquities have separated between you and your God: And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. If then a man be separated from God, as he is by sin, his life is gone, his blessedness is lost, misery is become his portion, and death his inheritance: wherefore he cannot be restored to his blessedness, but by forgiveness of sin, whereby he is reconciled with God, received again into his favour, enlightened with the brightness of his countenance, quickened with his life, blessed with his grace, graced with all his blessings. This is the first gate of heaven: This is the first entrance into the kingdom of glory.  
Blessed should we be, if we could be without sin. Seeing that cannot be, because 
b jam. 3.2.  in many things we offend all, blessed are we, if our sins be forgiven us. This is known of them only that know what sin is, and whose eyes godly sorrow changeth into fountains of tears making their hearts to sigh, their eyes to weep, their tongues to cry incessantly for forgiveness of sin, which was never refused to any that did ask it with a contrite and broken heart Can ye name me one among so many millions of sinners, who did weep before God, and lost his tears? Who did offer his supplication to the Father of mercies with a sound and single spirit, and was rejected? Saith he not, that 
c Isa. 66.2.  He will look to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit? He hath said it; and who will say that he must not, or will not do it?  
II. Which of you is ignorant of David's sin? Was it not most heinous in itself? Was it not exceeding sinful, & horrible above measure in such a man, who was so many ways beholden unto his God?  
Who can tell us better than himself, how hateful it was? He confesseth in the fifty and one Psalm, that by it he had lost the favour of his Saviour, and fallen from the heaven of all felicity, into the hell of all misery: and therefore feeling the damnation wherein he was ingulsed, and desiring to recover the salvation which he had lost, he maketh with moaning and mourning this true confession to Nathan, whom the Lord had sent to rebuke him, 
d 2 Sam. 12.13.  I have sinned against the Lord. And knowing that a confession made to a mortal man, was not sufficient to repair one offence committed against the immortal God, he runneth strait to the throne of grace, he covereth his body with sackcloth, he sprinkleth dust and ashes upon his head, he taketh the apparel, the countenance, the words of a prisoner at the Bar, of a malefactor condemned to die; He cryeth with many tears to his judge, 
e Psal. 51.1.  Have mercy upon me, O God.  
Scarcely is the word out of his mouth, when God, who knew the desire of his heart, blessed him with this comfortable answer, uttered by a man, but proceeding from the bowels of mercy, from mercies own self; The Lord also hath put away thy sin: Thou shalt not die. Then his heart was filled with joy, than his bruised bones were healed, and moistened with the marrow of gladness: then his face shined, than his eyes were two glistering diamonds between his brows: Then he leapt, than he triumphed, than he sang, When I sinned, I was miserable: Now my sins are forgiven me, and I am blessed.  
III. Then 
f Rom: 4.6.7.8.  he described the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, 
g Psal. 32.1.2.  Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, & whose sins are covered: Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.  

h August. in Psal. 31. Conc. 2.  He saith not blessed are they in whom no sins are found, but whose sins are covered. Sins are they covered? They are abolished. If God hath covered our sins, noluit advertere, he would not behold them: Si noluit advertere, noluit animaduertere, If he would not be hold them, he would not take notice of them: Si noluit animaduertere, noluit punire: if he would not take notice of them, he would not punish them: Noluit agnoscere, maluit ignoscere, He would not know them, he choosed rather to forgive them.  
Oh consider, I pray you, this example, and this saying of David. He had great store of riches, he was mighty in force, he overpeered all men in wisdom, God had put on his head a crown of fine gold: he was peaceable at home, victorious and triumphant abroad; he had wise Captains, valiant Soldiers, faith full Sergeants, obedient Subjects: His children were like Olive plants round about his Table; no worldly Commodities were wanting to his desires, and lo they are dung unto him; Lo he assigneth not blessedness unto them, but unto the forgiveness of sins. Therefore let us cry after him with sweet Bernard, 
i Bernard. in Cantica. Ser. 23. O solus vere beatus, cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum.  O the only, O the true blessed man, to whom the Lord imputeth not sin: For who is without sin? None, no not one. ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Nevertheless who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect: 'tis sufficient to me, in stead of all righteousness, to have God alone propitious unto me, because to him alone I have sinned. Whats;oeuer; oever he hath decreed not to impute unto men, is as if it had never been: 
non peccare, Dei iustitia est: Hominis iustitia, indulgentia Dei.  Not to sin, is the righteousness of God: The righteousness of man, is God's indulgence God's merciful favour, whereby he forgiveth sin, is my blessedness. iv This was the judgement of a man who had been an adulterer and a murderer: Such also was the judgement of a woman, whom the Scripture calleth, 
k Luk. 7.37.  A Sinner. She came to the Pharisees house, where Christ was. The Pharisees of all men were most affectionate to the Law, 
l Gal. 3.24.  The Law is a pedagogue to Christ, 
m Rom. 10.4.  who is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth. See the wisdom of the woman: when she is in the Pharisees house, she goeth not to him, who taught, who believed that man is saved by the righteousness of the Law; She said in her heart with David, 
n Psal. 51.3.  I acknowledge my transgression, my sin is ever before me: I have transgressed the Law, I find no good works in my life, which hath been so lewd, that I dare not trust in it. Therefore, O Pharisee, I am come to thy house, but not to thee: Thou speakest of perfection of righteousness, thou preachest of rewards, thou brag'st of merits: I cry to my God; 
o Psal. 130.3.4.  If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest he feared. My misery is my sin, my blessedness is his mercy: I have need of forgiveness, I come to crave mercy, I have hoist the sails of my faith towards the only haven which God hath ordained for sinners, I fly to the port of Salvation, where the stormy winds of the law tearing asunder the mountains, and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord, blow not; where the still and small voice of the Gospel refresheth the conscience, which thirsteth after thee, O my God, like a dry land: I am come, o Pharisee, to him who 
p 1 Tim. 1.15.  is come into the world, to save sinners, of whom I am chief: He is in thy house: He is not of thy house.  
So she thought, so h●● hart spoke. Out of hand she runneth to her Saviour: And, to apply to her with the alteration of two words, that which S. Chrysostome hath written of the woman of Canaan; 
* Chrysost. tom. 2. Ex varijs in Matthaum locis homil. 16.  See the wisdom of the woman: She entreats not james, she prayeth not to john, she goeth not to Peter, she looketh not to the company of the Apostles, she sought not a Mediator: In stead of them all she took repentance with her for companion, which was to her in stead of an advocate, and so she goeth strait to the Sovereign Spring: for this, saith she, is he come down from heaven: for this hath he taken our flesh, for this was he made man, that I may be bold to go unto him. In the heavens above the Cherubims tremble before him, the Seraphims fear him, and here below a Whore goeth unto him. She speaketh not, she cryeth not with her mouth, as the Woman of Canaan did, 
q Mat. 15 22.  Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. Her humility spoke for her. She stood at his feet behind him: Her godly sorrow for sin cried aloud unto him, She washed his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head: Her love was a most ardent prayer. She kissed them, she anointed them with ointment: each of those actions was a sensible prayer, O Lord, O sweet jesus, have mercy on me. Thou art come into the world to have mercy on sinners, O son of God have mercy on me: Thou hast taken our flesh, thou art become that which I am, to have mercy on sinners: O son of David have mercy upon me. Thou art still that which thou wast, thou art become that which thou wast not; Now thou art both in one person, O Immanuel, O God and man have mercy on me.  
Woman what ails thee? What cause hast thou to weep? judge by Christ's answer to her weeping prayers, what was the cause of her praying tears? 
r Luk. 7.48.50.  Thy sins, saith he, are forgiven. For her sin she wept, because her sin was her misery: Her sin was forgiven her, because forgiveness of sin was her felicity. Simon the Pharisee made unto him a feast of fl●sh, & filled unto him cups of wine: The Lord had no stomach for Simons meat; no thirst for his drink: This woman, like unto 
s Gen. 27.9.  Rebecca, who could make savoury meat to Isaac, such as he loved, knowing that 
t joh 4.34.  his meat and drink was to comfort and to save repenting sinners, filleth unto him a bowl of tears mingled with faith, and he pledgeth her in 
u Psal. 116.13.  the cup of salvation, saying unto her, Thy faith hath saved thee: Go in peace.  
Dear brethren, if this day we weep as this sinner did, our fasting will be feasting to Christ, our tears will be his drink: If we cry to God as David did, 
x Psal. 6.1.4.8.  O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger: Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercy's sake. The Lord will come and speak to our souls, and we shall return home, saying with David, Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity: for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.  
V I say, if ye pray so, the Lord will hear you: If ye weep so, the Lord will comfort you: If ye trust not in the prayers one of another: If ye rely not upon the prayers of the Church; but if every one pray for himself. Heed what I say, I do not forbid you to pray, and to weep one for another; for I have taught you, that the Saints did weep and pray when their brethren sinned: did not God say to jobs friends, 
y job. 42.8.  Go to my servant job, and offer up for yourselves a  offering, and my servant job shall pray for you: for him will I accept? He commanded them to go to job whom they had offended, and to require his prayers: He commanded them also to offer up for themselves a  offering; to teach us three most profitable lessons.  
The first, that our prayers are not accepted of God, till we be reconciled to our brethren: This is Christ's lesson, saying, 
z Mat. 5.23 24.  If thou bring thy gift to the altar, & there remember'st that thy brother hath aught against thee: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.  
The second, that we must forgive them which trespass against us; This Lesson also hath Christ our good Doctor taught us, not only 
* Mat. 18.32.  by the Parable of the wicked servant, who was punished, because he shown no mercy to his fellow; but also in proper words, when he giveth us this warning; 
* Luk. 17.3.4.  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him: And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; Thou shalt forgive him. Protest we not that we do this, when according to our Master's direction, we cry to God in our daily prayers; Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us? If we forgive them from our heart, we will pray to God for them, as God said that job would pray for his friends: Therefore St james saith both to them who give offence, and to them which suffer it, 
a jam. 5.16.  Confess your faults one to another: And pray one for another, that ye may be healed: for the effectual fervent prayer of arighteous man availeth much.  
VI In all the congregations of the Primitive Church, 
justin. Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Precibus fini●is mutuis nos invicem osculis salutamus. Tertull de Oratione. cap. vlt.  the brethren had a most useful and laudable custom, to seal and close up their prayers, with mutual embrace and kisses, which they called, Orationis signaculum, the seal of Prayer: And so they went to the Table of the Lord. They kept this Custom principally in their fasting days, as a public testimony, that they did forgive one another, & were assured that God would hear their prayers, which they had offered up unto him with single and meek heart purified of all inward grudge and rancour, and endued with brotherly charity according to his holy and righteous commandment: If any man withdrew this kiss from his brother, he was rebuked and hissed of the whole congregation, which being an assembly of holy & true lovers, could not abide a brother, who bewrayed the ill-will and hatred of his heart, when he refused the kiss of his mouth.  
This custom was grounded upon the custom of the jews, who at their meetings did kiss one another, and upon the express commandment of the Apostles. For S. Paul exhorteth the Romans, 
Rom. 16.16. 1 Cor. 16.20. 2 Cor. 13.12. 1 Thes. 5.26. 1 Pet. 5.14.  the Corinthians, the Thessalonians, to greet one another with an●h●● kiss: And S. Peter exhorteth the brethren, to greet one another with a kiss of charity. Not with the kiss of religious homage, which is due to God alone and him whom he hath sent, our Lord jesus Christ, 
Psal. 2.12.  as it is written, Kiss the Son not with the kiss of superstitious homage to idols, as the Israelites kissed Baal, 
1 Kings 19 18. Hosea. 13.2.  and the calves: Not with the kiss of natural affection only, such as is usual among those who are of kindred, and nigh friends, as when Isaac kissed his Son jacob, 
Gen. 27.27.  and jacob kissed his kinswoman Rachel. 
Gen. 29.11.  Not with the kiss of humanity and civility, such as were frequent among the jews, when they did meet one another, or when they invited a friend to their houses, whereof Christ spoke, when he said to Simon the Pharisee who had invited him, 
Luke 7.45.  Thou gavest me no kiss: 
Plin. lib. 14. c. 13. Ideo propinquos foeminis osculum dare, ut scirent an ●emetumolerent.  Not with the kiss of trial, such as was much used among the Romans who kissed their wives and kinswomen to try if they had drunk wine, 
nonnius ex Cicer. 3. de Repub. Carent remet● omnes mulieres. Gellius. lib. 10. cap. 23.  and if they did sent of it, killed them; for amongst them it was a crime in a woman to drink wine: Fare less with the kiss of treachery and treason shadowed with the cloak of friendship & love, as when joab kissing Amasa killed him, 
2 Sam. 20.9.10. Luke 22.48  and judas betrayed our Lord jesus Christ with a kiss. 
Pro. 27.6.  Faithful are the wounds of a friend: but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. In no case with the unclean and unchaste kiss of wan tonnesse, whereof it is written that the Harlot met a young man, 
Pro. 7.13.  caught him, 
Origen. ad Roman. cap. 16.16. Osculum fidele primum castum sit, deigned pacem simplicitatemque habeat in chari ta●● non ficta.  and kissed him: but with an holy kiss, wherein there is no uncleanness; and with a kiss of charity, wherein their is no dissembling, but a clear demonstration of a peaceable and loving heart.  
Where such holy kisses were usual, were there, think ye, any jars, any alterations, any cozenage, any contentions at law? Or if any, were they not presently smothered and extinguished in the very eyes of the congregation? I know the precept of the Apostle is not universal, and that we are not tied by it to the custom of kissing: But this ye must all know, that he thing signified thereby, to wit, concord, peace, charity, is a law both universal and perpetual. And therefore as our fasting giveth wings to our prayers, that they may mount up to the throne of grace swiftly, so let us this day by an unfeigned reconciliation, if there be any jars amongst us, and with christian charity, grace & embellish them, that coming there, they may be welcome and accepted.  
VII. The third is, that every one weep, and pray for himself as jobs friends were commanded to offer up for themselves a  offering. This lesson is employed in my text. For to whom doth Christ promise that they shall be comforted? To them which mourn. Solomon bids us? 
b Pro. 31.6.7.  give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts: Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. This Christ doth: He maketh glad with the wine of his comforts the hearts which are heavy for sin: for who that is not witless will give wine to him who is already too merry? Let not any man be deceived. Though this whole Church, though all the Churches of God, Though all the Saints, all the Angels of heaven should pray for one of you, if that one weep not, if he pray not for himself, God will not hear them to forgive him his sins? 
c jam. 5.17 18.  Eliah may fast and pray for rain, when wicked Achab feasts, & God will hear him. Moses prayed often for the people, and God removed from them temporal plagues; But he did never forgive sin to any man, who prayed not for himself.  
Yea Moses prayed for his sister Miriae, who for her sin was struck with leprosy, 
d Num. 12.13.  He cried unto the Lord saying, Heale her now, O God, I beseech thee, and he was heard. Did not Samuel mourn for Saul unprofitably? For God said unto him. 
e 1 Sam. 16.1.  How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him? Did not jeremiah pray and mourn incessantly for the people of juda, and was not heard? 
f jerem. 11.14.  Pray not thou for this people, saith God unto him, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them. For 
g jerem 15.1.  though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: Cast them out of my sight, and ●et them go forth. Doubtless Ezechiel prayed for jerusalem, when the Lord said unto him 
h Ezech. 14.20.  Though Noah, Daniel & job were in it, as I live, they shall deliver neither Son nor Daughter Thinkest thou tha● God will hear another weeping for thy sins, so long as he heareth thee blaspheming his holy Name, and seethe thee wallowing with delight and content in the mire of filthy pleasure?  
But if thou weepest and prayest for thyself he will hear thee, although all other men's and Angels mouths were dumble. Though all hearts were merry, though all cheeks were dry, and no vapours ascended from the eyes, no tongue darted prayers up to heaven, but thine. For 
i Chrysost. in Math. homil. 5. tom. 2. Namet Deus gratiam, non tam alijs rogantibus pro nobis vult donare, quam nobis,  God delights to give grace, not so much to others which pray for us, as to ourselves: Take for example David, Manasseh, the forlorn Son, the woman of whom I have spoken, the Thief on the Cross, and Peter who wept and prayed for themselves, when no body that we read of prayed for them yea, saith 
k Idem, homil deprofecta, Euangelij, tom. 3.  Chrysostome, wilt thou learn, that when we pray for ourselves we come better speed with God, then when others pray for us. The woman of Canaan cried. 
l Matth 15.23.  and the Disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us: But he answered to them, and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel: But when she cometh herself, and holds on her crying, and saith, Truth Lord, yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table, than he gave her a benefit; and said, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Ye see how he rejects her, when others pray for her, and grants her requests when she prayeth herself.  
VII. Beloved auditors, retain and keep in your sanctified memories these three lessons, and now, even now put them in practice: I beseech you, I pray you for Christ's sake, 
m Col. 3.12.13.  put on, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy's kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering, forbearing one another, & forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 
n Eph. 6.18.  Pray always with all prayer, and supplication in the spirit, and watch thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all Saints. Namely take heed that every one of you pray and weep, this day & every day for your ownselues.  
Which if ye do with with an unfeigned repentance, doubt not of the forgiveness of your sins: for God hath saith, that 
o Esa. 1.18.  though your, sins be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. And I am sent to you of God this day, as Paul was to the jews of Antioch, 
p Act. 13.38.39.  To preach unto you through Christ the forgiveness of sins: And that by him all that believe, are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.   

CHAPTER IU.  
I THe second comfort and blessedness promised to them which weep, is deliverance from the punishment of sin.  
II. If they suffer for righteousness sake, the cause of their sufferings is a comfort unto them.  
III. God delivereth them in a convenient time.  
iv Till that time come, he strengtheneth us with his holy Spirit.  
IV. Apostates which fall away are no true members of Christ's Church.  
I B●essed are we, if God hath blessed us with this first and most necessary blessing forgiveness of sins: for to whom he forgiveth sins, he giveth all other necessary comforts. And therefore our second comfort is, that putting away from before his eyes the iniquity of our sins, he will also take away from our backs the punishment of them: For when the cause is gone, the effect must cease.  
If ye desire a proof of this truth, harken to David, saying in the 32. Psalm, 
q Psal. 32.5.  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord: And thou hast taken away the punishment of my sin. Did not the Lord say to Hezekiah who had wept and prayed unto him, 
r 2 Kings 20.3.5.  I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: Behold I will heal thee? This healing of the body was an effect of the healing of the soul, as the good King confessed in his song of thanksgiving, when he said to his God, 
s Esa 38.17.  Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.  
So ye read in the Gospel of Matthew, that Christ when he was to cure one sick of the Palsy, said first unto him, 
t Matth. 9.2.6.  Son, be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee: And consequently, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine own house.  
This is the order of God's blessings: the first is the forgiveness of sin: The second is the removing of the punishment of sin. But we put the Plough before the Oxen, we weep and cry desiring to be delivered of the punishment of sin, & are not heard, because we have not sought with tears the forgiveness of sin.  
II. If we be persecuted for Righteousness sake as many of our dear brothers are now, we have subject of comfort in the midst of our sufferings, because we know that the cause of our sufferings is not only good and honest, but also most honourable. So saith Christ, bidding us 
u Matth. 5.21.  rejoice and be exceeding glad, when we are persecuted for righteousness sake, and reviled for his sake. So thought his Apostles, when 
x Act. 5.41.  they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name. Such brands are rather glorious then disgraceful: wherefore then should we not rejoice in them?  
III. If we had no other share lotted unto us, but afflictions, how could we subsist, and what should become of our hope? Therefore jesus Christ said to his Disciples; 
y john 16.20.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrow full: but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. Consider how turned into joy.  
First the Apostle saith, 
z 1 Cor. 10 13  God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. And how often hath God made such a way to his afflicted Church? How often hath been fulfilled that which David saith, 
a Psal. 34.6.  This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles? How many examples might I produce of Gods most wonderful deliver ances, whereby the sorrow of his children was turned into joy, and the day of their mourning and fasting, into a good day of feasting, and of gladness; as in 
b Ester 9.19 22.  the time of Queen Esther?  
Leaving other examples, whereof I have spoken else where, let us consider one which cannot be yet worn out of our memories. I speak of the Churches of France. The wind with most horrible noise blowed upon us whole storms of bullets and fiery rain: The sea wrought, and of a plain became high mountains which we could not overswim: Her floods swelled, her billows roared, her proud and outrageous waves gavesuch blows against the small skiff wherein jesus was asleep, and redoubled them with such swiftness & violence, that neither could the shipper direct, nor the steeresman stand at the rudder, nor the mariners resist. Then our ears and our eyes having nothing before them, but monstrous cries of roaring voices, but ugly darkness, but terrible images of desolation and death; Then seeing our little boat ready to be driven upon the Rock of destruction; Then nothing being left us but fear, but dismaidnes, but despair of safety, but expectation of a loath some end, we ran to the Lord who was a sleep; and awoke him, crying as the Apostles did, when upon the tempestuous Sea they were a type of the Church. 
c Matth. 8.25.26.  Lord save us, we perish. Then 
d Fsal. 121.4.  the keeper of Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, arose: Then he spoke to the winds, and they spoke no more: he rebuked the waves of the Sea, and they leveled their mountains, they sleeked the furrows of their angry brows, they changed their wrinkles into smoothness, their crookedness into evenness their roughness into a fair plain? He made the storm a calm, and when we could not be in a harder plight, as being without hope to escape, he directed our course to a more safe & pleasant haven, then that which is nigh unto the City of Lasea, called 
c Act. 27 8.  the Fair havens. So we arrived to the harbour of grace, to the port of peace, to the unlooked for, but much desired haven of tranquillity and quietness. This was the fruit, this was the effect of our humiliation, of our fasting, of our mourning and prayers in France.  
Undoubtedly the same cause shall bring forth the same effect in the Palatinate, and other parts of Germany. They have a longer winterthen we had. 'tis now their sowing time, and now they sow in tears: Their harvest shall come, then shall be accomplished that which is written, 
f Psal. 126 5.  They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. 
g Psal. 147.9.  God heareth the voice of the young Ravens which cry, and will he not hear the voice 
h Luke 18.7.8.  of his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you, saith Christ, that he will avenge them speedily. 
i Psal. 14.7.  O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Zion: when the. Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.  
IU. Secondly, God hath a time ordained for his deliverances, which the scripture calleth 
k Ps. 69.13. Isa. 49.3.  an acceptable time. Till that time come, the Lord sweeteneth the bitter gall of bodily tribulations, with the honey of his spiritual comforts: As Christ said to his Disciples, 
l joh. 16.22.  Now ye have sorrow, but your joy no man taketh from you. For even then the comforter, 
m Rom. 8.16.  the Spirit of adoption beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And that comfort is so great, that when we weep, we weep for joy, and say with the Apostle, 
n 2 Cor. 1.5.  As the sufferings of Christ abound in un, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.  
'tis a wonder to behold the true Christian in the time of his trouble and distress: Men seek to bring him down to the ground, but hope lifts him up above the sky: As when David said, 
o Psal. 94.18.19.  My foot slippeth, the experience of God's wonderful assistance made him to say forth with, Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up: In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul. When men have done what they can to overcome him with bitter jests, with sharp stripes, and cruel tortures, he overcometh them with patience; And in him is verified that which the Apostle said, 
p 2 Cor. 4.8.9.  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed: we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.  
As 
q Plin. histor. natural. l. 12. cap. 25.  the Balm, which of all liquors hath the sweetest and most pleasant smell, distils not from the Balsam tree till it be pricked: So the most precious graces of the Spirit of GOD, wherewith the fowls of truly religious Christians are beautified, their faith, their zeal, their patience, their constancy, their contempt of the world, their earnest desire of heavenly things flow never so abundantly, as when the sword of pierce cution makes in them a deep incision. Therefore the Lord hath trodden the Virgin, the daughter of judah as in a Winepress, and he hath pressed and wrung out of her the most excellent liquor of her faith, hope and charity, which before was hid in the grapes, and under the fair skin of a peaccable profession.  
V On the other part, 'tis a monstrous spectacle to behold then the fickleness and inconstancy of counterfeit professors, who fearing the weight of GOD'S Winepress, convey themselves away from under it, and do even as if one who desires to be esteemed an honest man, when he seethe robbers and way-layers coming to the company where he is, did troop and join hands with them, to take his friend's purse, or life from him, to save his own; 
r 2 Pet. 2.21.  It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. I will not compare the true Christian to a tree in the kingdom of Congo, called by the Portugalians, 
f Arbour tristis.  The sorrowful tree, because it neither buds, nor blossoms, nor brings forth fruit, but in the night, and in the day is without fruit, flowers, or leaves, as if it were dead: for the Christian is like unto the Palmtree, which is green both day and night; though his godliness shineth more brightly, like a Diamond, in the night of his adversity, then in the day of his prosperity. But well may I compare those painted Christians to the herb called Heliotropium or Turnesol, be cause it turneth with the Sun both arising and going down; For so long as prosperous days shine upon them, they follow Christ, who is 
t Mal. 4.2.  the Sun of righteousness: But if to put his children to a trial of their faith, he hide himself for a little while in a dark night of persecution, forthwith they turn their backs unto him, and forsake him.  
Great and wailful is their loss: Nevertheless, the Church findeth in it a great gain, & in weeping for them matter of joy for herself. For what are they but supper fluous and unprofitable 
u Ezech. 5.1.2.  hair of the mystical body of Christ, which he burns with fire or scattereth in the wind, when he taketh a razor to trim the head and the beard of his Church? but 
x Ezech. 22.18.  brass, tin, iron, lead, drosses which are evaporated & vanish away in stinking & pestilent smoke, when 
y Mal. 3.3.  the refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi, taketh his gold and his silver to melt and purge them in the furnace of trial? but the scum which the Cauldron of the Church casteth out, when it seethes and bubbles at the fire of persecution? but 
a Psal. 1.4.  chaff which the wind driveth away, when the Lord taketh 
b Mat. 3.12.  his fann● in his hand, & a broom to sweep and purge throughly his floor? but 
c joh. 15.1.  the fruitless branches of the true vine, which the heavenly Vine-dresser takes away, and casts into the fire of his indignation? but 
d August in Epist. johan. tract. 3. Non de carne mea praecisi sunt, sed pectus mihi premebant, cum inessent, etc.  ill humours which lay heavy upon the stomach of the Church? but noisome and rotten deiections which she avoids into the iakes of the world, when the Physician of the soul hath given her to drink a bitter potion in the cup of tribulation? When such filthy excrements are evacuated she is not so gross, so swollen and puffed up as she was, but she is more healthful. Finally, what are they but like unto wooden legs, or to a Creple-mans' staff, which, when he is cured of his disease, he casteth away, and not only looseth nothing of his own, but also receiveth a benefit, and thanks God, that they are not more behooveful unto him?   

CHAP. V.  
1 Our first comfort in heaven, is, that we shall be without sin;  
2 The second, that we shall be free from all misery;  
3 The third, that our faith and hope shall be changed into the real possession of the thing believed and hoped for.  
4 What shall be then the blessedness of our souls,  
5 And of our bodies.  
6 Eternal life more fully described by seven circumstances.  
7 Then the wicked shall see the glory of God's children; who also shall see the torments of the wicked, and praise God incessantly.  
8 Exhortation & prayer.  
I. AS at the marriage 
e joh. 2.10  in Cana of Galilee, all the wine was good; but that which was given last, was the best: so all those comforts whereof I have spoken, are most excellent; but the last, which God giveth to his children at the last day of their lives, and which he shall fill to them in the unmeasurable bowls of his infinite mercies at the last day of the world, surpasseth them all.  
Our comfort and our blessedness is now, that our sins are forgiven us: our comfort, our blessedness shall be then, that we shall be without sin. 
f Rev. 14.13  Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: they rest from their labours. Their first, their last, their most continual and toilsome labour, is their sin: from it they rest. And therefore the holy Apostle 
g Rom. 7 24  desired to die, that his blessedness, which consisted only in forgiveness of sin, by death might be changed into the blessedness of abolishment of sin: for then there shall be no sin, because there shall be no enticement, no allurement to sin. 
h Rev. 21 27  There shall in no wise enter into the holy City, any thing that defileth. Nothing is able to defile us, but sin: and therefore to it we shall say in that day, Get thee hence, stand without. 
i Rev. 22 15  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. What is sin, but a lie? What is a sinner, but a lover, but a maker of lies? But within are they of whom it is written, 
k Esay 60.21  Thy people shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. O Lord, 
l Psalm 118.9, 20  open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.  
II. Our comfort and our blessedness is now, that when 
m Rev. 17 4  the Whore of Babylon drinketh unto us, in the cup of her abominations and fornications, not the health, but the death of our souls, God strengtheneth us with 
n Esa. 11.2  the spirit of might, which maketh us to say to him, 
o Psalm 73.27, 28  Lo, they that are fare from thee, shall perish. Thou hast destroyed all them that go whoring from thee: but it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.  
Our comfort and our blessedness is now, that when our enemies make us to drink great bowls of salt tears in stead of wine, we drink stoutly, and are not drunk, and stagger not any way from our profession: when they bait us, they cannot abate us: when they press us, they cannot oppress us: when they cut the thread of our mortal life, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, because we know that God will knit and fasten our souls to the thread of immortality, which his own hands have spun.  
Our comfort, our blessedness will be then, that 
p Rev. 21 4.  God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. 
q Rem. Felice's lachrymae, quas benignae manus Conditoris abstergunt!  O blessed tears, which the merciful hands of the Creator wipe away! Then 
r Rev. 20 14  death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire. Then we shall with triumphing voices defy death, and say, 
s 1. Cor. 15.55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  
III. Our comfort & our blessedness now, is our faith. 'Tis our blessedness, that Christ dwells in us: and 
t Eph. 3.17  he dwelleth in our hearts by faith. Now, by faith; u Now, 
n Aug. de verb. Apost. ser. 16.  as long as we are in the way; now, as long as we are in our pilgrimage; now, 
x 2. Cor. 5.6, 7  whiles we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: for we walk by faith, not by sight. Now we are in the world, besieged on all sides with Armies of enemies: and 
y 1. john 5.4  this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  
Then we shall dwell 
a Cant. 8.14  in the mountain of spices, in the Country of Eden, in the Paradise of felicity, of glory, and of joy. 
b Greg. in 7. Psalm poenit.  Vbi est lux sine defectu, gaudium sine gemitu, desiderium sine poenâ, amor sine tristitiâ, satietas sine fastidio, sospitas sine vitio, vita sine morte, salus sine languore: Where there is light without any defect, gladness without mourning, desire without pain, love without sorrow, fullness without loathsomeness, safeness without imperfection, life without death, salvation without any languishing feebleness: where we shall enjoy all felicity with 
c Heb. 12 22, 23  the innumerable company of the Angels, with the general Assembly & Church of the firstborn, with the spirits of just men made perfect. For than we shall be citizens of heaven, fellows to all the Saints, like unto the blessed Angels, heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ.  
Now our comfort & our blessedness is our hope. Hope is necessary unto a wayfaring man: hope comforteth him in the way. A man who is on his journey, endureth all kind of travel, so long as he hopeth to come to his journeys end: 
d Aug. de verb. Apost. ser. 16. T●ll● illi spem perveniendi, continuò franguntur vires ambulandi.  Take from him that hope, by and by ye shall see him discouraged, his strength weakened, his journey broken off. We are all travellers, all on our journey to heaven. The staff which upholdeth us, the spur which setteth us forward in the way, is our hope: 
e Rom 8.24, 25.  for we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen, is no hope: for, what a man seethe, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 
f Aug. ibid.  In this patience the Martyrs were crowned: 
* Desidorabant quod non videbant, contem●ebant quae forebant.  they desired the things which they suffered: in this hope they said, 
g Rom 8.35.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? O the strength! O the power of hope!  

i 1. joh. 3.2.  Beloved, now we are the Sons of God, now we are predestinated, called, justified, adopted: and it doth not yet appear, what we shall be: therefore we hope: for we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is, i. e. we shall enjoy him, 
k Bern in fes●o omnium Sanctor. serm. 4.  1. in all his creatures: 2. in ourselves: 3. in his own self: for than we shall know the blessed Trinity in its own self: then, with the pure eye of our heart, we shall behold that incomprehensible, that unspeakable glory, not 
l 1. Cor 13.12.  through a glass in a riddle, as now in his works, in his Word, in his Sacraments; but face to face. Then we shall no more walk by faith, but by sight. And 
m Aug. eod. Spes tam non erit, quia erit res.  hope shall be no more, because we shall enjoy the thing hoped for. Now 
m Col. 3.3, 4.  our life is hid with Christ in God: when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye appear with him also in glory. O how glorious is that glory! who shall give me words to utter it aptly? Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, what brightness, what sweetness, what pleasantness, what glory God hath prepared for them that l●ve him: This is that 
n Phil. 4.7  peace of God which passeth all understanding: 
o Bern. ibid. Quod ergo nulli datum est expertri, nullus conetus affari.  wherefore that which no man is able to understand, let no man go about to utter.  
iv Yet, if ye will suffer me to fumble, and to speak of such things as I can; since I cannot speak of them as I would, I'll make to you a short description, and draw rudely, as it were with a coal or black ink, the first lineaments of the bright-shining light of that glory.  
Man, as ye know, is framed of two parts: of a soul, and of a body. The wise men of the world say, that in the soul there are three faculties or natures, which they call reasonable, sensual, and choleric. By the first we reason and discourse: by the second, we covet meats, drinks, all sorts of delights: by the third, we are angry. In the first, so long as we are in this world, there is knowledge and ignorance; for 
q 1. Cor. 13.9.  we know in part: In the second, there is desire and disdain: In the third, there is joy and anger. But in that day, 
r Bern. ibid.  implebit Deus rationale nostrum luce sapientiae: implebit concupiscibile nostrum fonte iustitiae, etc. God will fill our reasonable part with the light of wisdom: our sensual part with a fountain of righteousness: our choleric part with perfect tranquillity. Then we shall know God with all our mind, as we are known of him: then, being filled with his righteousness, we shall ever love him with all our hearts, and still desire him; ever be satisfied with his likeness, and still hunger after him; ever rejoice in his goodness, and never be weary of rejoicing in him. Nihil quippe aut deest semper videntibus, aut superest semper volentibus: For there nothing is wanting to them who see God always; nothing is overmuch to them who desire always. This is the blessed comfort wherewith Lazarus is comforted in Abraham's bosom; as Abraham said, 
t Luk. 16.25.  Now he is comforted.  
V Man's body is made of the four Elements; of earth, water, air, and fire. 
u Ex Bern. ibid.  Habebit Terra nostra immortalitatem, Aqua impassibilitatem, Aer agilitatem, Ignis perfectissimam pulchritudinem: Our earth shall receive immortality, and shall not return unto earth again. Our water shall be glorified with impassibility, and shall not be subject to any passion or sufferings, which may hurt and grieve us. Our air shall have such agility and promptness, 
* Aug, de Civit. dei, lib 22. cap. 30.  ubi volet Spiritus, ibi protinus orit & corpus.  that it shall quickly carry the body wheresoever the soul will have it to go. Our fire shall be beautified with the most wonderful light of all fairness.  
If the 
x Exod. 34.29, 30.  skin of Moses face, after he had been forty days with God in Mount Sinai, shone so brightly, that the people was afraid to come nigh him: how brightly, I pray you, shall shine the bodies of the Saints, when they shall be transported by the holy Angels unto Mount Zion, and enlightened with the glorious light of the face of God shining upon them night and day, world without end!  
The Lord jesus himself saith, that 
y Mat. 13.43.  the righteous shall shine forth as the Sun, in the kingdom of their father. And the holy Apostle saith, that 
z Phil. 3.20, 21.  we look for the Saviour, the Lord jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. In his transfiguration, which was but a praeludium of his glorification, 
a Mat. 17 2.  his face did shine as the Sun, & his raiment was white as the light.  
If such was the glory not only of his body, but of his raiment also, when he was upon earth; how wonderful and glorious is his body now in heaven! And if our bodies are to be like unto his in glory, what hart can conceive, what speech can express the greatness of that glory! How radiant & glittering shall then be the beams of the glorious bodies of all the Saints together, when each of us shall be so glorious! So then saith S. Bernard, allegorising the words of the psalm, 
a Psalm 72.19  The whole earth shall be filled with his glory: 
b Bern. ibid.  So will GOD fill our souls, when in them shall be perfect science, perfect righteousness, perfect joy: So the whole earth shall be filled with his glory, when the body shall be incorruptible, impassable, nimble, and fashioned like unto his glorious body.  
VI But what is all this that I have said, or can say of eternal life? It is as if I should paint the fair light of the Sun with the blackest coal. O the last comfort of the Christian man, how blessed art thou! o blessed life of them that hunger and thirst after thee, how comfortable art thou for the thing which we shall enjoy in thee, for the means, for the measure, for the time, for the certainty, for the place, for the companions of that comfortable blessedness, of that blessed comfort!  
The thing shall be God himself; 
c Ber. Deus omne bonum, & summum bonum.  God, who is all goodness; God, who is the sovereign good. Now we make our moan with David, and say, 
* Psalm 42.2, 23.  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before GOD? But as Lyranus saith upon the sixth chapter of S. john, Is status est vita aeterna, ut faciat tunc Deus, ut videamus quod credidimus, manducemus quod esurivimus, habeamus quod amavimus & desideravimus: Eternal life is a state wherein God will make us to see that which we believed, to eat that for which we were hungry, to have that which we loved and desired.  
The means shall be no means: we shall enjoy him by himself immediately: As Saint john saith, that 
d Rev. 22 22, 23  he saw no Temple in the heavenly jerusalem: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it; and the City, saith he also, had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, & the Lamb is the light thereof.  
The measure shall be 
e Luke 6 38.  good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, given into our bosom. For 
f Bernard.  Deus futurus est intellectui plenitudo lucis, voluntati multitudo pacis, memoriae continuatio aeternitatis: nam quicquid olim inchoavit & praeparavit gratia, tunc absolvet & perficiet gloria: God shall be to our mind fullness of light; to our will, multitude of peace; to our memory, continuation of eternity: than whatsoever grace hath begun in us, glory will make it perfect.  
The time shall not be 
g Aug. in Mat. sor. 17Vbi sunt dies bow, nec multi, sed u●●s. Dies ille nescit ortum, nescit occasum: illi di●● non succedit crastinus, quia non pracedit tum besternus.  many days, but one; A most wonderful day: A day which hath no rising, no setting; A day which is not followed by another, because another day is not gone before it. 
h Psalm 30.5.  Weeping sojourneth in the evening, but singing cometh in the morning. We are now in the evening of our misery, and therefore weeping sojourns journes with us: we shall be then in the morning of our felicity. Then 
i Mal. 4.2  the Sun of righteousness shall arise unto us; Sun whereof the Prophet saith, 
k Esay 60 20.  Thy Sun shall no more go down; neither shall the Moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, & the days of thy mourning shall be ended.  
The place shall be new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. If this heaven, which we see enameled with so many bright & glistering stars, be so glorious; if this earth, which is diapered with such a pleasant and profitable diversity of so many creatures, and is inhabited by sinners, be so fair: how glorious will the new heavens be, how fair will the new earth be, which are prepared to be the blessed habitation of righteous men!  
The certainty shall be most certain: 
l Aug. do civ. Doi, l. 12 c. 13. Quomodo enim vera beatitudo est, de cuius nunquam aeternitate confiditur?  for that cannot be true blessedness, of the eternity whereof we are not assured.  
The companions shall be all the blessed Angels, and all the Elect; who then shall know one another, even as in the transfiguration 
m Mat. 17 4  Peter knew Moses & Elias, whom before he had never seen: & the 
n Luke 16 23  rich man being in hell, knew Lazarus in Abraham's bosom.  
VII. O wonderful dispensation of the justice and mercies of the Lord our God 
o Chrysost in ep ist. 3. ad Cyriac. Episc.  The tyrants and persecuters shall see & know God's dear children whom they martyrized, and 
p Sap. 5.4, 5.  whose life they accounted madness; and their end, disgrace & infamy? Seeing and knowing them, they shall groan with anguish of spirit, and say with the sobs of too too late repentance, 
q Psal. 144.15.  happy is that people that is in such a case: happy is that people, whose God is the Lord; But woe and alas is to us now and for evermore.  
The Church also shall see and know all her persecuters, and having all tears wiped from her eyes, shall sing 
r Rev. 5.9.  a new song, which shall never wax old, even 
s Rev. 15.3. Exod. 15.  the song of Moses, the servant of God, which shall be continually in their mouths, to praise God & the Lamb, who hath guided them by his strength thorough the red sea of bloody persecution, and planted them in the mountain of his inheritance, in the Sanctuary which his hand hath established.  
JIX. Dear brethren, what shall we render unto the Lord our God, for so many comforts which he hath already bestowed upon us, and for this last comfort which he hath prepared for us? 
t Aug. de verbis Apost. s●●th. 16.  Praedestinavit antequam essemus, vocavit cùm aversi essemus, iustificavit cùm peccatores essemus, glorificavit cùm mortales essemus: He did predestinate us, before we were: he called us when our backs were turned unto him: he justified us when we were sinners: he glorified us when we were subject to death. This last benefit is but begun in us in this world, we look for the accomplishment thereof in the world to come, where God shall be unto us 
u Bern. in Vigil. nativit. Domini, s●●m. 5.  omne iucundum; omne utile, omne honestum; whatsoever is delectable, profitable, and honest, and therefore whatsoever our hearts can desire. 
x Aug. ibid.  In his quae iam habemus, laudemus Deum largitore: In his quae nondum habemus, tenemus debitorem: Let us then, I pray you, praise God for that which we have received, and trust in him as in a most sufficient debtor of the rest which is to be received. Debtor enim factus est; non aliquid à nobis accipiendo, sed quod ei placuit promittendo: for he is become our debtor, not by receiving any thing from us, but by promising that which of his own good pleasure he is willing to give us.  
And because 
y Idem de Symbolo, ad catech lib. 3. cap. 11. Si in cor hominis non ascendit, cor hominis illuc ascendat.  the things which he hath prepared for us, cannot ascend into our hearts, let our hearts ascend unto him with whom they are. For that effect, let us now, even now purify our hearts: for every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure, 1. joh. 3.3. Yea, let us lay down willingly this present transitory life, that we may attain to the other which is eternal: for by the small loss of this life, we enter into the glorious & joyful possession of the other.  
O God, 
z Idem Confess. lib. 10. cap. 22.  Ipsa est beata vita, gaudere ad te, de te, propter te: ipsa est, & non est altera. The only blessed and eternal life, is to rejoice to thee, in thee, of thee, for thee: there is no other life. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. O eternal God, 
Psal. 106.4, 5.  O Father of mercies, hear our prayers which we pour out before thee, that we may from henceforth, and for evermore sing unto thee David's song; Thou hast turned from me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. 
Psal. 30.11.  O Father of Christ hear us for Christ thy Son's sake; to whom, with thee and the holy Ghost, be all glory, honour, and praise, both now and for evermore, Amen.    
FINIS.