A Collection of Sermons Upon Jonah, Sermon 3 – Title page 5
The true Penitent.
LUKE 22. 61.
And wept bitterly.
TWo men doe not more differ one from another, than the-ſelfe ſame man at ſeverall times, differs from himſelfe. Behold a Chriſtian at the High-water-mark, when 'tis Spring-tide of Grace with him, and how full is he fraught with pious Meditations? Good Thoughts, godly Words, gracious Works, ſo that one would think he would inſtantly ſtere from Holineſſe to Happineſſe. (The Top of Grace confines with the Bottom of Glory) and wonders to ſee ſo much Triumphant Sanctity in a Militant Chriſtian. But now look on the ſame Man, at Ebbing Water, when left to himſelfe in the Agony of a Temptation, and how much ſhall we find him diſguiſed from himſelf? All his former good motions dead and buried, and in their room ariſeth another Generation, which never knew Joſeph. Diſmall Thoughts, deſperate Words, damnable Deeds, one would feare he would ſuddenly fall into the Bottomleſs pit, but one Haires breadth betwixt him and Hell. Wofull the ſoul who comes ſo neere, yet bleſſed the ſoule who never comes neerer. We need not go farther for a pregnant proof thereof, than to the Example of S. Peter, in this Chapter. How promiſe-valiant was He, never to forſake his Maſter? And yet in the time of triall, how baſely did he behave himſelfe? Thus every one can conquer a Temptation, but He who is aſſaulted with it, and when it is brought home to our heart, There is the Man, yea, there is more than the Man, yea, there muſt be a God to aſſiſt the Man, to ſubdue and overcome it.
2. But as the ſickneſſe of Lazarus, ſo the ſinne of Saint Peter was not unto death, but for the Glory of God. Rejoyce not over me, O mine enemy; for though I fall, yet ſhall I riſe againe. Soone after the Lord look't, the Cock Crew, and the day dawn'd in the heart of Saint Peter, out he haſts of the High Prieſts Hall; Privacy complyes beſt with Repentance. No ſuch company for a Penitent, as onelyonly himſelf and his God, and now all alone he gives himſelf over to Lamentation. He ſmote the ſtony Rock alſo, and waters guſhed forth; ſo that rivers Ran in deſolate places. Cephas a ſtone, Peter, a rock, ſmitten with the ſence of his ſinnes, flowes with plentifull rivers of Sorrow. O Happy day of his Repentance! day, which had a fair afternoon, but a very rainy morning, And he went out and wept bitterly.
3. And wept bitterly. The Text contains the Cure for the falling ſickneſſe of the Soule, and is ſo ſhort that it needes no diviſion, onelyonly (to avoid confuſion) I will handle it, firſt, in reference to Saint Peter, then in application to our ſelves; meane time let none be offended at me, that clean thorough my diſcourſe, I call him S. Peter, though then in the midſt of his miſery whom ſome will not ſtyle ſo, though now in the heigth of his happineſſe. Sure their taking of the Saintſhip from thoſe in heaven, hath added no more holineſſe to themſelves on earth. But, ſuch Honour have all his Saints, that they are to be mentioned with honour. And ſee the Pattent of Peters Saint-ſhip penned with his teares in my text, written out ſo much the more fairely, by how much it was the more blurred. And wept bitterly.
4. In reference to S Peter, three pertinent Queſtions muſt be propounded, & anſwered. The firſt, Why did S Peter take on ſo heavily, ſeeing ſo much may be ſaid for leſſening his fault? and though not wholly to excuſe, in great degree to extenuate his offence. For firſt, it was but a ſin of Infirmity, done beſides, yea, againſt his purpoſe and intention. He did not with a high hand tempt a temptation: but alas! his Heart was too great for his Heart, his Will to promiſe too great for his power to perform. Secondly, a forcible Motive moved him thereunto, namely, feare to loſe his life. It was not S. Peter, but S. Peters Paſſion which denied his Maſter, or rather, he did but reſerve himſelf to confeſs him at a fitter opportunity. Thirdly, As the Spouſe in the Canticles ſaith, I ſleep, but my heart waketh; So Saint Peter might ſay, My mouth renounceth my Maſter, but my minde doth retein him. The Deniall is but from the teeth outwards, ore, non corde. Laſtly, the lameneſs of his Lie may be hidden or helped, by lending it the Charitable Staffe of an equivocation, Verily I know not the Man, that is, I know him not with intent to tell you of him; or I know no ſuch meer man as you mean, for my Maſter is both God and Man.
5. The Anſwer to this Objection is eaſie: For, S. Peter did not looke on ſuch Paſſages, as might leſſen his Fault, but onelyonly obſerved ſuch Circumſtances, as tended to the Heightening, Extending, and Aggravating thereof. As for Equivocatiō, that ſluggiſh Piece of Popery, could not be ſo early a riſer, as to be up in the Church in the twy-light, and firſt dawning of the Goſpel. For firſt, S. Peter did conſider, that he was forewarned, and therefore ſhould have been forearmed. He could not plead that he was ſurprized on a ſudden, Chriſt having given him before a Caveat thereof. Secondly, He did it againſt his free Promiſe, and flat Proteſtation; as if Childs play, too mean for men, were good enough for God, faſt and looſe, bind and break, ſolemnly ſay one thing, and preſently do another. Thirdly, He did it Thrice: Once may be imputed to Incogitancy, Twice aſcribed to Infirmity, but Thrice is uncapable of any charitable Comment. So that Favour it ſelf muſt be forced to condemn it for a wilful Offence. Laſtly, It was not a bare Deniall, but a Denial imboſſed with Oaths, and embroidered with Curſes, ſuch is the Concatenation betwixt one Sin and another. The Naturaliſts report of the Providence of the Piſmire, that when ſhe ſtoreth up Grain for the Winter, ſhe biteth off both the ends of the Corn, thereby to prevent the growing thereof. But if we ſhould be ſo unhappy as to commit one Sin, O let us with ſpeedy repentance ſpoile the procreative power thereof, before that One Sin hath begot another: for how quickly did S. Peter adde Swearing to Lying, and Curſing to both?
6. Thus the Eares and Eyes of S. Peter were onelyonly open to heare and ſee ſuch matters as moſt made againſt him: learn we from him, to meaſure the dimenſion of a ſin, and not to liſten to what Fleſh and Blood may prompt us, for the leſſening of our Offences. Mattereth it not then, though we cannot meaſure the Compaſs of the Earth, take the Height of the Heavens, if we can, by the Jacobs Staff of Gods Word, take the true Altitude of our heynous tranſgreſſions: If there be any Circumſtances which tend to the extenuating of our Faults, though we ſhould chance to loſe them, Gods goodneſſe will finde them; and if we ſhould forget them, he would remember them. Let us look ſeriouſly on ſuch things as render our faults the fouleſt; following the Example of S. Peter in my Text, Looking upwards, he ſeeth God threatning, downwards, the Devill inſulting within him, his Conſcience raging without him, Good men mourning, Bad men mocking, that the firſt of the Apoſtles, S. Peter, in the Publick'ſt of Places, the High-Prieſts Hall, before the Prophaneſt of Perſons, the High-Prieſts Servants, at the Weakeſt of Motives, the Summons of a Maid, did the worſt of Actions, Deny his Maſter, Once, and not touch'd thereat, Twice, and not troubled thereat, Thrice, but there he ſtopt, but there he ſtay'd, but there he ſtinted: And he went out and wept bitterly.
7. The ſecond Queſtion here to be demanded, is this, Wherein conſiſted the validity and efficacy of the weeping of S. Peter, that thereby he obtained his Pardon?
8. To this we anſwer, Firſt Negatively. The vertue of his Weeping did not conſiſt in his Weeping, for by the bare Deed done, did redound neither Good to him, nor Glory to God. If God be thirſty, he will not tell us, nor drink of the buckets of our teares. For all the Rivers of the Field are his, and ſo are the Fountaines on a thouſand Hills. I could both ſigh and ſmile, at the ſimplicity of ſome Pagan People in America, who having told a Lie, uſed to let their tongues blood in expiation thereof. A good Cure for the Squinancy, but no Satisfaction for Lying. And if not Red teares, then much leſſe White teares, are in themſelves, any wayes expiatory of the leaſt ſin. Now, Poſitively, Herein was the vertue of St. Peters Weeping, which procured his Pardon, that his Weeping was waſhed in the blood of his Saviour: In vaine had Peter wept, had not Chriſt firſt bled for Peter. Could the eyes of a Penitent vie moiſture with the Month of April? All were to no purpoſe, without relating by Faith to Chriſt; ſuch Prodigall weeping would ſooner drown the Sinner, than waſh a Sin. It was not the Water, but it was that Sope, Malac. 3. 2. which did rinſe the ſoul of S. Peter.
9. By the way we muſt obſerve, that all people are not bound to weepe for their ſinnes, becauſe ſome cannot, by reaſon of naturall impediment. There is genus ſiccoculum, people, whoſe eyes by nature are like the Pit, into which Joſeph was put, wherein there was no water. Others there be, whoſe grief is too great to be managed by weeping. And as the teares are even ready to ſalley out of their eyes, they are countermanded back again with amazement and ſtupefaction: therefore thoſe Mothers, who want Milk, are not bound to ſuckle their own Children, but either to bring them up by hand, or to provide a Nurſe for them; ſo God expects not that thoſe ſhould weep, whoſe eyes are drie Nurſes, but that ſome other wayes they expreſſe their ſorrow for their ſins. And commonly ſuch people, though they are waterbound, yet will not be wind-bound too, but what they ſpare in teares, they ſpend in ſighs. Such perſons are not to be reproached, but pitied, as lacking an outlet for the exportation of their ſorrow; & it is to be feared, that Grief will wrong the Veſſell the more, for lacking a vent; a favour, which Nature afforded to St. Peter in my Text: For He could go out and weep bitterly.
10. The third and laſt Queſtion to be propounded, is this: Suppoſe S. Peter had died ſuddenly, immediately after his denying of his Maſter, and juſt before his Repentance; What then had become of the ſoule of S. Peter?
11. I anſwer: Firſt, As is the Mother, ſo is the Daughter: an Impoſſible Suppoſition hath begot and brought forth an Impoſſible Concluſion. Suppoſe that the Sun had been quite put out in the laſt Eclips, whence then ſhould the torch of the Moon, and the taper of the Starres be lighted? Suppoſe that Abraham had really ſacrificed Iſaac, when he did but offer him, who then had been the Father of Iacob? To come cloſer to the queſtion. It was impoſſible for Peter to die before his Repentance; not but that he was mortall in himſelf (any Arrow in Deaths Quiver might have wounded him to the heart, a Feaver burn him, a Dropſie drown him, any deadly Diſeaſe ſurprize him) but becauſe his life, as well naturall, as ſpiritual, was hid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3. 3. whoſe wiſdom, as it had permitted his Fall, ſo his goodneſs had decreed his Recovery.
The Bones in the bleſſed body of our Saviour, were frangibilia, but not frangenda; they were breakable in their own nature, but could never actually be broken, as being ſecured from all poſſibility of fracture, by that Prophecy premiſed, A bone of him ſhall not be broken. In like manner, ſeeing God had determined the ſalvation of St. Peter; Heaven and Earth might ſooner paſſe away, than he fall finally, in ſpight of Sickneſſe, and Death, and Sin, and Satan, and Hell it ſelf, he muſt riſe, he muſt ſurvive, he muſt recover. But, not forced with the ſtrength of the Suppoſition, but out of good will, to gratifie ingenious Adverſaries, be it granted, that S. Peter had died ſuddenly, after his ſinne, and before his explicite, actual repentance for this particular fault; yet I ſay, his ſoule had gone to Heaven. For, conſider firſt, Though the Boughs of his ſinnes ſpred wide, and Branches ſprouted high, yet the Root thereof was but humane Infirmity, conſiſtent with ſaving Grace. And though he denied his Maſter Thrice, yet it was but Once in efeffect, All in one continued Hot blood, his ſoule being never cooled, or re-inforced with new thoughts. Secondly, He had in him true repentance, quoad principium gratiae, an habitual Repentance, which through Gods Mercy, and Chriſts Merits, was ſufficient for his ſalvation. If any diſſent from me herein, becauſe I make Habitual Repentance, like Janus, to look as well forward as backward, effectuall for the remiſſion of future, as well as paſt-ſinnes; let ſuch conſider with themſelves, Firſt, they cannot, but muſt die. Secondly, they cannot, but muſt ſin, and it is poſſible they may ſuddenly; guilty of ſins of infirmity, actually unrepented of. In ſuch a caſe their judgement will not allow Purgatory: Their will cannot indure Hell, Heaven is the place which they hope and deſire to go to, wherefore what favour they expect for themſelves, let them charitably allow to S. Peter. But what go we about to do? the Text takes away the ſubject of the Queſtion, whereof we diſpute, Peter did revive, and recover, witneſs his ſighing, his ſobbing, his weeping, his wailing in my Text.
12. The uſe of this might ſerve to confute the cenſoriouſnes of many in this Age, who ſeeing their Brother guilty of a grievous ſinne, preſently condemn him for A Reprobate and Caſtaway. Thus the Poore mans Soule, caſt by his owne ſinnes to Hells Brinke, is throwne down by other mens Cenſures to Hells Bottom. It is reported, of Iohn Duns Scotus, the great School man, that being in a ſtrong fit of an Apoplexy, the ſtanders by conceived him to be dead indeed. Whereupon, out of the cruell kindneſſe, and over-officious forwardneſſe of his Friends and Kindred, he was buried as yet being alive, and afterwards knockt out his brains againſt the ſides of the Coffin. Thus the precipitate haſtineſs of ſome cenſorious people, beholding their brother in a deſperate ſinne, or deep temptation, bring no Cordials, but call for a Coffin, vote him ſpiritually dead, and inſtead of rubbing him, fall a winding him. They conclude, there is no hope, there is no help, he's paſt ſenſe, he's paſt ſaving, he's gone, he's given over to a reprobate minde, no way with him but one, and that is eternall damnation. Thus they bury mens ſoules alive, and (as much as lies in their power) tumble them into the bottomleſſe pit; though the beſt is, ſuch uncharitable carriage more hurteth the Doers than the Sufferers. Whereas men ſhould know, that every wound in the ſoule, which is Mortale, is not mortiferum; And that it cometh to paſs in the Chriſtian Combate, what often happeneth in Bodily Battels. Fames Trumpet kills more than the Sword, and many, reported by People to be ſlain over-night, are found alive in the morning, though (perchance) ſorely wounded, or taken Captives. Sorely wounded! but ſo as they may be cured. Taken captives! but ſo as they may be freed by Gods pardon on their repentance, like S. Peter in my Text, who went out, &c.
13. So much of the Text, in reference to S. Peter: Come we now to the application unto our ſelves. The Pope pretendeth to be the onelyonly Succeſſor of S. Peter, but in this reſpect we all are his Succeſſors; we all have followed him, we all have ſate in his Chair, we all have denied our Maſter, though not Formally, totidem verbis, yet Equivalently, and it is to be feared, ſome of us Tranſcendently. There be divers degrees, and different manners of denying of Chriſt; ſome deny him Totally, as Apoſtates; ſome Partially, as Prophane people; ſome in his Eſſence, as Atheiſts; ſome in his Deity, as Arians; ſome in his Humanity, as Neſtorians; ſome in his Merits, as ſome Proud Papiſts; ſome in his ſpirituall Dominion over them, as all Licentious People. If I be a maſter, where is my fear? ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: Mal. 1. 6. ſo that they who call God Maſter with their mouths, and do not honour him in their hearts by their lives, doe in effect Deny him, and Un-maſter him, as much as lieth in their power.
14. Saint Paul complaineth, (Titus 1. laſt ver.) of ſome who profeſs that they know God, but in works they deny him. And S. Peter comes cloſer (ſecond Epiſt. Cap. 2. ver. 1.) even denying the Lord that bought them. And the ſame reproof is ecchoed by S. Jude, ver. 4. turning the grace of God into laſciviouſneſſe, and denying the onelyonly Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The beſt of us all, in ſome meaſure, have been guilty hereof, and have abuſed our Chriſtian Freedome, the more freely to abuſe Chriſt who gave it us. Wherefore, as we have been like S. Peter in Sinning, let us be like S. Peter in Sorrowing, let us go out, not with outward Moving, but inward Mending; not ſhifting our Place, but changing our Practiſe, go out of our Sinnes, goe out of our Selves, go out to our Saviour, go out and weep bitterly.
15. Yea, but may ſome man ſay, I never could, nor ſhall weep bitterly for my ſins. I am affected for outward afflictions, like Rahel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted. If I have a Ship ſunk in the Sea, I can almoſt again drown it in my weeping. But alas! when I am to ſorrow for my Sinnes, no Teares, as Voluntaries, profer themſelves to my ſervice. And I have much adoe to Preſs any to bewaile my Wickedneſs, yea, I have grieved more for one Temporall Croſs, than for all the Sinnes I ever Committed: which makes me to feare, that for want of bitter weeping here, I ſhall go to the place of weeping and wailing hereafter.
16. If any penitent Soule doth ſtagger with this Objection, let him ſtay himſelfe with theſe following Meditations. Firſt know, that Sorrow for Sufferings muſt of neceſſity be more Violent and Paſſionate, than our Sorrow for our Sins. Firſt, becauſe it is not only a Pure, Virgin, & Delibated Sorrow, but hath much of the mixture of Impatience, Diſcontentment, and Rebellion againſt Divine Providence. And theſe make the Sorrow more Vocall, Clamorous, and Obſtreperous. Secondly, becauſe we Sorrow for our Sufferings, with the whole man; and for our Sins, but with half the man, onelyonly our Regenerate Part, our Sanctified Moity. For our Fleſh, all the while, laughs at Sin, and delights in it. Thirdly, becauſe Sorrow for our Sufferings makes an immediat impreſſion upon our bodies, whereas ſorrow for our Sins works directly on the Soul, and on the Body, but by the by, and at the ſecond hand, Now, although all Sorrow doth flow from the Soul, as the Fountain; yet becauſe it runneth through the Body, as the Channel, and from thence is furniſhed with outward Expreſſions (as Teares, Sighs, Cries, rending the Haire, wringing the Hands, and the like) hence cometh it to paſſe, that Sorrow for Sufferings is beſt ſtored with plenty and variety of outward lamentations.
17. For a ſecond Comfort take this. Though Sorrow for Sufferings be more Paſſionate, Sorrow for Sinnes is more Permanent. David ſaith, Pſal. 51. 3. And my ſinne is ever before me. As the Sin, ſo the Sorrow of a Saint is ever before him, morning, evening, early, late, day, night; he may go away with it, but cannot run away without it. Again, Sorrow for Sin doth grieve more, though it doth complain leſſe, which will appeare by comparing of Two ſick Perſons, one having the Tooth-ach, the other the Conſumption: He that hath the Tooth-ach, cries out moſt, even to the diſturbing of the ſtanders by; and no wonder, if where the mouth be Plantiff, it complaineth aloud of its own grievances: and yet all know the Tooth-ach not to be mortall; it hath raiſed many from their Beds, ſent few to the Grave, hindred the ſleep of many, haſtned the death of few: Whereas he who hath the Conſumption, doth not roare, nor rage, nor cry out, and the little breath left in his bad lungs, he layeth out, rather than in living, than in ſighing. And yet ſure his grief is the greater, as knowing that he carrieth, though the eaſieſt, yet the ſureſt death about him. And ſuch is a Saints Sorrow for his Sins, low and ſilent; the leſſe grieving he keeps, the more grieving he keepes; the leſſe he expreſſeth the more he retaineth. It is a continuall dropping, and you know it is the ſober rain which maketh the earth drunk.
18. Third and laſt Comfort. Know, that our Sorrow for our Sins, though little in it ſelfe, is great in Gods acceptance and Appreciation. Well doth any wiſe earthly Prince know how to value the liberality of his loyall Subjects, who ſhall aſſiſt him in his great want with a ſmall ſumme of money, eſpecially if he knoweth that they are deeply impoveriſhed & ſtruggle with their neceſſity, which makes his gracious goodneſſe to interpret a ſmall gift a great one, comming from a large Heart, confined to a narrow Eſtate. But farre better doth the King of Heaven know how barren we are in Grace, how beggarly in Goodneſſe, ſo that ſorrow for our Sinnes comes from us with great difficulty and diſadvantage, we are faine to ſtrive and ſtruggle againſt our corruptions, before one teare be extracted.
Spigellius in his Booke of Anatomy, telleth us, That many Engliſh Mothers and Nurſes have a fooliſh cuſtome to ſwaddle the breaſts of their new-borne Babes over-hard, and ſo ſtraiten their ſtomacks, that their lungs cannot dilate themſelves in breathing: and this (by the way) doth he ſay is the cauſe why more die of the Conſumption in England, than in any other Country. Sure I am, that by the wilfull folly of our firſt Parents, Adam and Eve, before we had our Birth, when firſt we had our Being, we were ſo ſoule-bound with ſin, and hard tied with the bands of Originall Corruption, that it hindreth the ſpirituall breathing of all our affections. Yet God is pleaſed to take our Widows Mite of Sorrow in good worth, knowing it proceds from poverty; yea, which is more, Heaven can ſmile to ſee a ſinner grieve, that he cannot grieve for his ſins; and God is pleaſed to ſee him ſqueeze the bottles of his eyes, though he can wring no moiſture out of them. Twiſt theſe ſeverall Cords together into one Cable of comfort, which tied to the Anchor of hope, will keep the penſive ſoule from ſinking in deſpaire, though he cannot weep ſo bitterly for his ſinnes, as he doth for outward afflictions.
19. However, ſeeing it is the bounden duty of all, to endeavour to ſorrow for their ſinnes; this ſerves to confute the jollity of this Age. Wherein, inſtead of weeping bitterly, we have laughing heartily, and quaffing conſtantly, and faring daintily, and talking wantonly, and lying horribly, and ſwearing hideouſly, and living lazily, and dying deſperately. In thoſe dayes the Lord began to cut Iſrael, ſhort, 2 Kings 10. 23. And God now begins to cut England ſhort, ſhort in men ſhort in meat, ſhort in money, ſhort in wealth, ſo that it is to be feared, that Great Britain will be Little Britain, and remain great onelyonly in her Sins and Sufferings. And is this a time for men to lengthen themſelves, when God doth ſhorten them! Is this a time for people to affect fond faſhions, when it is to be feared we ſhall be all brought into the ſame faſhion of Ruine and Deſolation? A ſtrange People! who can dance at ſo dolefull muſique, as the Paſsing-bell of a Church and Common-wealth? Take heed, Atheiſme knocks at the doore of the hearts of all men, and where Luxury is the Porter it will be let in. Let not the multiplicity of ſo many Religions as are now on foot, make you careleſſe to have any, but carefull to have the beſt.
20. O Beloved, take the Fruit, though you ſhould throw away the Basket though you ſhould ſlight the Preacher, embrace his Counſel. Think not that Chriſt will call each of you immediately from Heaven as he did, Saul, Saul, why perſcutest thou me? or that with S. Auſtin, you ſhall here a voice ſaying to you, tolle & lege, take up thy book and read: or that with St. Peter, before wee repent, the cock muſt literally crow, and Chriſt Corporally look upon us. Every reproofe of the Preacher, is the crowing of the Cock, every check in your Conſcience, is the crowing of the Cock, every ſpectacle of Mortality preſented before you, every affliction inflicted upon you, every motion to Repentance ariſing within you, is the crowing of the Cock. Theſe you muſt liſten to, and obey. And yet we read of the Sybarites, a luxurious people in Graecia, who, that they might better enjoy their caſe, and quiet, commanded that no Cocks ſhould be kept in their City, that ſo they might ſleep the more ſoundly, not having their heads troubled with the proclamations of thoſe Heraulds of the Morning. So I am afraid there be ſome that could wiſh, that there were no more Preachers in England, then at one time there were ſmiths in Iſraell, no Cocks to crow, no wayes to waken them out of the ſleep of their carnall ſecurity.
21. But I hope better things of you, and ſuch as accompany ſalvation. Neitherneed I to uſe any other motive to incite you to ſpirituall ſorrow, then the very words of our Saviour, Mat. 5. 4. Bleſſed are thoſe that mourn, for they ſhall be comforted. Peter was comforted afterwards, yea, he had an expreſſe of Comfort diſpatch'd and addreſſed to him in particular▪ Mark. 16. 7. But goe your way, and tell his Diſciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Gallilee.
22. Yea, all Gods Saints ſhall taſte of ſpirituall comfort. As Joſhua when he entred to Jericho was carefull to ſpare her houſe, at whoſe window the Red Lace did hang out, ſo God will be carefull to preſerve ſuch, at whoſe windows, at whoſe eyes, Redneſſe made by their mourning, as a ſigne of their ſorrow doth appeare, and at the laſt day, as it is Iſaiah. 25. 8. The Lord God will wipe away teares from all their faces. The Papiſts have a tale, that as our Saviour ſweated with carrying his Croſſe, a worthy woman, one Veronica met him, and gave him a handkerchief therewith to wipe his face. Which ragge (they ſay) ſtill remaines at Rome, fit therein to wrap up the reſt of their Apocraphal Traditions. Grant it a tale that this Saint gave a handkerchief to him, it is a truth, that he will give one to every good Saint, to take away their teares, and he will wipe the face of that Magdalen, who wiped his feet.
23. It is reported of Ariſtotle that great Philoſopher, that being unable to unriddle that myſtery of nature, the motion of the Sea, impatient of his ignorance, he wilfully drowned himſelfe in that water which Poſed him, with theſe words, Quid ego non capio te, tu capias me, becauſe I cannot conceive thee, thou ſhalt containe me: no little fooliſh deed of a great carnall wiſe man. But ſeeing that the happineſſe Heaven mounteth ſo High, that it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive it, let us labour ſo to live here, that in due time going hence, we may enter into thoſe Joyes, which cannot enter into us, and be received by that Bliſſe, which cannot be conceived by our braine, Where amongſt many other worthy Saints we ſhall meet with S. Peter, though not in the Penſive posture wherein we find him my Text, then Singing ſweetly, who in my Text went out and wept bitterly. Amen.
FINIS.
THE BEST ACT OF OBLIVION.
ECCLES: 12. 1,
Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth.
LONDON. Printed for JOHN STAFFORD at Fleet-bridge. 1655.