The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 31
She hath waſhed my Feet with teares.
Teares are the Iuyce of the mind, preſſed with griefe, or a little water diſtilled by the heat of our tender braine through our Eyes.
The Ʋnderſtanding firſt conceiveth cauſe of griefe upon the heart: After which the Heart ſends up matter of griefe into the brain, and the brain doth diſtill it down into tears, ſo that if Griefe be ſharp and piercing, tears follow for the moſt part.
They are tokens of Repentance, and therfore placed in the Eye, for that it is now the moſt ſinnefull ſenſe; It is Proxeneta peccati, the Broaker that goeth between the heart and the object to make up a ſinfull bargain: As ſinne is let in that way, God would have it turned out againe by weeping: For properly that witneſſeth ſorrow. Sometimes we weepe for Ioy, but that is by accident, and as it is accompanied with remembrance of ſorrow.
There are two ſorts of Teares (as ſhews S. Auſtin) Some are Commendable; others are Diſcommendable.Aug de ſanctis Ser. 4.
Commendable Teares, are Naturall or Spirituall: Naturall Teares, as Ier. 31.15. Theſe diſcover naturall Affection, and being well bounded are not to bee blamed. Our bleſſed Saviour wills the Daughters of Hieruſalem to weepe for Themſelves, Luke 23.28.
Spirituall Teares, are either Teares of Paſſion and Contrition, as Math. 26.75. or of Compaſſion and Devotion, as Ier. 9.1, 2. Luk. 19. Thus of Commendable Teares.
Teares culpable or diſcommendable are likewiſe of two ſorts, Temporall or Infernall.
Temporall, are thoſe ſhed in this life by wicked ones. And they are of two Sorts, Worldly or Hypocriticall.
Worldly Teares are thoſe which are occaſioned meerly for worldly loſſes. Of theſe we read, Ezek 8.14. Hoſ. 7.14 Heb. 12.
Hypocriticall Teares are thoſe which are produced from Diſſimulation and Deceit. Of theſe we read,Ʋt flerent oculos erudiêre ſuos, Ovid. See Brights Melancholy. part. 3. Sect. 2. Memb. 2. Subſ. 4. p. 502. Ier. 41. 5, 6. Theſe be Crocodiles teares, ſome call them womens weapons, who are ſaid to have teares at will to deceive others, as he ſpak who had too much Experience of them; but theſe are bad women, not ſuch as Mary at this time vvas.
Infernall teares are thoſe ſhed by the damned in Hell; whoſe teares ſhall be but as oyle to increaſe the flame. Of theſe teares we read, Luk. 13.28. Mat. 24.51. & 25.30. Theſe ſaith, S. Gregory are more to be feared then expreſſed.
They are Commendable teares that we are to ſpeak off, eſpecially; and thoſe not naturall but ſpirituall; and they are teares of Contrition ſhed out of Paſſion in reſpect of her owne ſins, not ſo much out of Compaſſion in the behalfe of others. Our Obſervation from that ſhe wept for ſin is this.
Doct. Where ſinne is repented there it is lamented and bewailed. See 1 Sam. 7.6. Iudg. 2.4. 2 Chro. 34.27. Pſa. 6.6. Math. 26. Still obſerve and you ſhall find the greateſt Penitents have beene the chiefeſt Mourners.
It cannot otherwiſe be; for where ſinne is repented there it is mortified; now that cannot be without pain and crying; a tooth is not drawn vvithout a groane; a Member cannot be cut off without a teare; a Woman is not delivered of the burthen which ſhe hath carried in her womb but nine Months without many Throes and Pains. And can it be expected that any one ſhould be delivered of a man, that old-man, the man of ſin, which hath lyen ſo long within him without ſorrow and teares. S. Paul was a man of a ſtout ſpirit, yet I heare him crying out, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am who ſhall deliver me from this body of Death! And yet theſe pains of his were but after paines.
And as this Part of Repentance cannot be without tears and cryings, no more can that other of living unto God. Our Lawyers define life by weeping: If a child be heard to cry it is a lawfull proofe of his living. If he be dead we ſay he is Still-borne. Whilſt the Infant lyeth in the darke priſon of the Mothers wombe, it weepeth not, but as ſoone as ever it commeth out of the vvombe into the light, it knits the browes and wrings the eyes and cryes: Thus whilſt a man lives in an unregenerate eſtate he weepeth not for ſin, nor cryeth he to God for Grace, but as ſoone as the light ſhineth on him, he bewaileth his miſery and never thinketh that he hath filled his cup full inough of teares.
And as it is in a diſeaſed body or with ſome old ſoare, if in the dreſſing of the wound no paine be felt, we conclude the fleſh is dead, but when the Patient begins to complaine of the paine and is ſenſible of the ſmart, then it is taken for a good ſigne that the cure is in a good forwardneſſe. So we find it was with S. Peters Auditors, Act. 2.37. They were ſo ſenſible of the prick that the Apoſtle gave them at the heart, that they cried out, What ſhall wee doe? And thus you ſee that neither part of Repentance can be without pain: Therfore we conclude the Point, Who have repented truly have lamented unfeinedly.
Vſe 1 If Sorrow and Contrition be Repentances Companions and trickling teares Griefes chiefe Teſtimony (as s. Auſtin ſaith) why then we have cauſe to grieve for the want of grief, and mourn for that men mourn no more for ſin: For,Comes paenitentiae dolor eſt, & teſtes doloris ſūt lachrymae defluentes, Aug. Tom 2. Serm. 18. no greater cauſe of weeping (ſaith Seneca) is miniſtred then where Teares are aboliſhed, as (may be feared) they are amongſt us.
Baronius in an old Manuſcript ſaith, he found that this Penitent Mary came with Lazarus and her ſiſter Martha into Brittaine. If it were ſo, her Example is the more proper for us of great Brittaine; but ſure ſhe came not hither, we dwell in a thirſty and dry Land, where no water is: Wee are dry eyed by Nature (as the Heathen ſometime ſpake of their kin) and cannot weepe.Quis dabit capiti meo aquam & oculis meis fōtē lachrymarū ut praveniam fletibus fletum, & ſtridorem dentium, Bern. in Cont.
O for a Moſes to fetch waters from our dry Rocks, Teares from the Eyes of ſinners; that God would be pleaſed to turne the Rocke into a water-poole, and the flint into a river of waters; that the ſtony heart of man after ſo long obduring and hardning would give, yea melt into teares, there is cauſe enough.
If we looke Ʋpward there is a God offended: If Downewards, there is a Hell deſerved:Lachrymae nobi… deerunt antequā cauſae dolendi. Senec de brevit vitae. If Backward many horrid ſins (we may behold) which we have committed: If Forward the dreadfull ſentence of Judgement to be feared: If without us, the wicked world we have loved: If within us our conſciences polluted and defiled. Which way ſoever we turne the Eyes of our ſoule, there is matter enough of Lamentation: So that were Ieremiah again alive, and lived amongſt us, he would once more fall a wiſhing, O that my head were a well of water, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep day and night for the ſlaine of the daughter of my people, yet we mourne not.
Vſe 2 But if Compunction of heart be the true not of a Penitent; Compunctio eſt humilitas mentis cum lachrymis, veniens de recordatione peccati, & timore Iudicij;, Iſidor in verb, compunct.and that Dejection of the mind (with tears) cauſed by the rememberance of ſin, and feare of Judgement, (which was found in this Penitent) be that compunction (as Iſidore) defines it) then let the Eye of the ſoule look into our hearts, and ſee whither we find it there; the Eye of Mary glazed thus with Teares ſhould be our Looking-glaſſe: If we find it, we have cauſe to take Comfort in it: If we find it not, how can wee thinke wee are true Penitents.
Caſe But muſt every one that repents of ſin do as this Penitent here did? Is ſhedding of teares abſolutely neceſſary in godly Sorrow? May not the heart be drowned, and yet the Eyes dry?
Reſp. Teares and Additions and neceſſary Appendences of true Repentance, but not alwayes neceſſary and true tokens of it: Some have repented truly, who have not wept, and ſome have wept bitterly, who have not repented truely.
All who ſhed teares are not ſtrait way Penitents; Pet. Martyr. loc com. claſ 10. ca. 10. Jer. 15.18. Addidit & lachrymas tanquā mandaſſet & illas, Ovid Metam. l 6. Lachryma nibil citius areſcit, Eraſm. Adag.the hardeſt Marble againſt ſome weather may weepe. And how often do we ſee the Dew to ſtand on the blasted Corne or Graſſe: There are Eying waters ſpoken of by Ieremiah, as well as Clouds without Water ſpoken of by S. Iude. It is an eaſie matter to give you inſtances. Gen. 27.3, 4. 1 Sam. 24.17. Mala. 2.13. Teares are deceitfull things, nothing ſooner dryed up that a Teare, and therfore not to be truſted too far: For a man may as well go to his Graves-end by water as by Land.
Nor are all thoſe who weepe not, ſtraight wayes to be judged impenitent. There may be true Sorrow never to be repented off, where no Teares are ſhed. As was in the poore Publicane, Luk. 18. and in the Theefe upon the Croſſe, neither of them ſhed a teare (for any thing we read) yet who dares condemne their Repentance.
Two Reaſons may be rendered for this. Firſt, the Conſtitution of ſome mens bodies makes them more unapt to weepe then others are; they cannot weepe for any worldly thing, or very hardly: In ſuch a caſe teares are not ſhed for ſin.
2. Extremity of Griefe may ſometimes ſo oppreſſe and overwhelme the heart, as that it can eaſe it ſelfe no more by Teares than Words. Thus, 1 Sam. 30.4. It is ſaid of David and his company, They had no power to weepe, and Pſal. 143.4. David ſaith of himſelf, that his Spirit was overwhelmed within him, his heart within him was deſolate; as if he had neither a Prayer nor a teare to accompany it. So we do read of one that did mourne much for the loſſe of a Servant, when hearing of the loſſe of his Sonne whom he dearly loved, he was ſo ſtruck, as that he could neither Speake nor Weepe.
In a deepe or freſh wound in the body, there is not firſt that paine felt, nor ſo much blood ſeene, as is in a little cut of the finger, becauſe the part is aſtonied for the time; ſo is ſometimes with the ſoule. The wine Veſſell (you know) without vent runs not, though it be ready to burſt.
Notwithſtanding this, he that can weep for other things and doth not at one time or other weepe for ſin (if God let him live any time in the world after his converſion) that man may conclude with himſelf that his eſtate is not good nor his Repentance ſound.
I do not ſay that all that do weepe for ſinne, do weepe in their firſt Converſion. God …a…h reſpect to the temper of his children, and doth not repreſent at firſt the odiouſneſſe of ſinne to all alike. Nor do I ſay that all the godly are humbled alike in their firſt Converſion, nor do they ſhed teares in the like meaſure. You know how it was with Lydia and with the Eunuch mentioned in the Acts, their Converſion was with much Joy, nor do I think that they ever attained to Davids, Peters, or Mary Magdaiens ſcantling in weeping.
Caſe. But ſeeing Teares are not alwaies ſignes of true Repentance, how may a man take comfort in them or diſcover them to be ſound?
Reſp. Thus: Firſt, by looking to the Fountaine from whence they flow.Sanguis vulnerati cordis, Aug Epiſt. 199. Vulnerum animi tanquam ſanguis lachrymae ſunt (ſaith a Greeke Father) Teares are as it were the blood of the wounds of the ſoule, or (as S. Auſtin hath it) they are the blood of a wounded heart: If then thy heart weepes as faſt as thine Eye, they are right. When Teares come from the Teates of a broken heart, than as Milk is to the Infant, ſo are teares to a Penitent.
2.Lachrymae lavant faciem cō ſcientiae, clarificant intellectum humectant cor devotione, &c. Savanor. in Pſa. 80.5. The Effects of Teares diſcover their ſoundneſſe or unſoundneſſe. There are divers qualities in the teares of the Body, and ſundry effects in the teares of the Soule.
The teares of the Body are hot and moyſt; and ſo the teares of the Soule: For they comfort the cold Conſcience, as David found: And they mollifie the hardneſſe of the heart.
The teares of the Body are Salt and Wet; ſo the teares of the Soule. For they both ſeaſon it and waſh it clean from the filth of Iniquity. Iſa. 1.16.
The teares of the Body are (in a ſort) bitter and ſweet. So the other: For they weane the godly from the love of the world, (as Wormewood doth the Infant from the Dug) And turne our Sorrows into Joyes in the end. Bitter they are for the abſence of good, Sweet for the aſſurance of finding it. For they that ſow in tears ſhall reape in joy. Thoſe teares which produce theſe Effects we need not doubt.
Vſe. Can we not find that ſuch teares have ever bin ſhed by us? (if any ever were ſhed at all) Labour than to bring thy heart unto it:Nunc locus eſt flendi, locus & peccata luendi. Qui modo non flebit, flendicum tempus babeb it. Aeterno luctu lugebit, ſed ſine fructu, Beda. Ploret hic, ne ploret in aeternum, condol…at hic, ne doleat in aeternum. Si nolet plorare, ploret. Si nolet dolere, doleat. Si velit ſalvari, ſuſpiret. Si velit delectari, ingemiſcat, Bed in Exhort▪ Now is the Time to waſh away thy ſins with the floods of Repentance: If here thou wilt not ſayle to Heaven in the river of Contrition. thou mayeſt feare to be drowned (which thou wouldeſt not) in the Ocean of Perdition. Grieve heere (ſaith Beda) that thou mayeſt not grieve heereafter; ſigh for thy ſinne that thou mayeſt be ſaved. If thou deſireſt celeſtiall benediction, ſhun not thou this terreſtriall affliction; for who ever heard or read of any that went from mirth to mirth, from joy to joy.
The Preaching and Proclamation of Iohn the Baptiſt in the Wilderneſſe of Iudaea, was of a ſtrange kind of Baptiſme (not ſo much in the Waters of Iordan, as in theſe waters of our Eyes) the Baptiſme of Repentance.
It was a Sermon firſt preached in Paradiſe, and continued till the almoſt diſcontinued generations of all the ſons of men by the Flood: Nor ceaſing there (but like the Raine-bow in the Firmament, then commanded to remaine, as an everlaſting Covenant betweene GOD and the ſonnes of men: For, that former world, which through ſinne was drowned in a Flood of Waters, Gen. 7.hath ever ſince preached to the ſucceeding and this latter world, that it cannot be ſaved but in a flood of teares.
And if it be true, that the Hebrews have no word for eyes but what ſerves for ſprings; it ſeems that all the eyes the holy language ſpeaks off ſhould be like ſprings, wherwith they ſhould bewaile their ſins.
Object. But it is womaniſh and childiſh to fall a weeping: Who doth it beſides a Mary?
Reſp. Even thoſe who have had greateſt magnanimity, as Iacob, Ioſeph, David, Paul, &c.
S. Chryſoſtome ſeldom preached, but he waſhed his Cuſhion in his Pulpit with his teares.
Bradford ſeldome eat his Meat, but the tears fell from his Eyes in an abundant manner.
Yea our bleſſed Saviour wept, and wept, and wept againe: As we read, Luk. 19, 41. Ioh. 11.35. Heb. 5.7. To ſay than no more to theſe Objectors but this; it is a temper well befitting any one, who hath to do with an Almighty God: A carriage not unbeſeeming the greateſt King. And if it be Childiſhneſſe to Weepe for ſinne, unleſſe we become ſuch children, we ſhall ſcarce ever enter into Heaven▪ For he that hath gon on in the waies of pleaſure and delight, bringing nought els, but the blaſted ſheaves of ſin with him, muſt return back by another way, even the way of Weeping bearing forth better ſeed.
To ſtirre you up the better to labour for a Weeping Heart, even a heart that can raine downe teares as Maryes did, and that in time too: Conſider, firſt the Fruit and Profit that doth accrew unto us by them. Secondly, the great danger our ſelves are in through the neglect of them.
For the firſt,Rom. 3.1, 2. As Saint Paul ſpeakes of the Profit of Circumciſion: So I of theſe, It is much every way. Evill is remooved by them, and much good obteyned.
The Evill, that they do remoove, is firſt, that of ſinne. The heads of Dragons are broken in theſe Waters, Pſal. 74.13. The teares of the Vine (ſaith Plinie) cure the Leproſie of the skin: So the teares of true Repentance doe the Leproſie of ſin. The Guilt of ſin is remooved by them, Iſa. 1.16. Every teare ſhed daſheth as it were one out of the ſcore.D Balcanqual tus Serm at S Maries Spittle, … Pſ. 126.5.
And (as is well obſerved by a Iudicious Divine) comes it ſelfe in the place of it: So ſhewes the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 56.8. Thou telleſt my wanderings, put thou my teares into thy bottle, are they not in thy Booke? Before we mourne for ſin, our wanderings are upon record, they ſtand regiſtred in Gods booke: But after our ſighs and teares daſh them out and ſtand in their place; as one colour laid upon another doth away the former and remains it ſelf.
In this reſpect our teares are called by the Fathers our ſecond Baptiſme, and compared to the Waters of the red Sea, in which Pharaoh and his Hoaſt were drowned, and to the waters of Iordan in which Naaman was purified, and to the poole of Siloam wherein the blind man was cured, Iohn 9.7. But underſtand this delivered rightly: do not think that all this is done for the worth or dignity of our teares, but through the blood of Chriſt, wherin our teares are waſhed, and through whom they are accepted.
As the Evill of ſinne is remooved by them, ſo likewiſe the Evill of Puniſhment. This we read,Sepe per has flecti Principis traſolet. 2 Chron. 32.26. Hezekiah humbling himſelfe for the pride of his heart, he kept back the wrath of the Lord, ſo that it came not upon Hieruſalem▪ in the dayes of Hezekiah; God ſets a marke upon ſuch to keep them from deſtruction even in a common overthrow, Ezek. 9.4. Where wealth, wit, ſtrength, and all other helps faile a man, teares do not faile.
And to aſſure us what true teares will do you may remember what Scriptures tell us counterfeit teares have done: When Rehoboam humbled himſelfe, the wrath of the Lord was turned from him, 2 Chron. 12.12. And Ahah (a worſe King than he) humbling himſelfe with teares before the Lord, God ſaid he would not bring that evill which he intended on him in his dayes, 1 King. 21.19. Thus you ſee (as Alexander ſaid to Antipater complaining of his mother Olympias) one true teare will blot out many complaints, and prevent many Judgements.
As Teares remoove Evill from us, ſo they procure Good unto us;Lachrymae taci tae queadam preces ſunt, non poſiulant, ſed merentur, cauſam non dicunt, ſed conſequuntur Amb. in loc. Ʋincunt invincibilem, ligunt omnipotentem, & inclinant filium virginis, Hieron. by the meanes of them we obtain much at Gods hands, both for our ſelves and others. Theſe were the weapons Iacob uſed, He wept and made Supplication, and ſo had power over the Angell and prevailed, Hoſ. 12.4. His Prayer did much, but his teares did more the one did Moove, the other did Compell. Hold not thy peace at the voice of my Teares (ſaith David, Pſal. 6.8.)
Teares have a voice with them, nay they are not only vocall, but importunate: What do you Weeping and breaking my heart (ſaith S. Paul, Act. 21.13) You may remember how the Teares of Moſes (whilſt he was floating in an Arke of Bulruſhes on the water) prevailed with Pharaohs Daughter. The Babe wept (ſaith the Text) and ſhe had compaſſion on him, Exod. 2.6. Yea a rogue at the dore moves us when he begs weeping, much more do they move the Lord.
Thus Hezekiah obtained a leaſe of life for fifteene yeares longer: I have heard thy Prayers and ſeene thy Teares (ſaith God) Behold I will adde unto thy Dayes fifteene yeares, Iſaias 38.5. And the Prayers of Monicha St. Austins Mother ſaved him from looſing.
In ſhort, Teares further us in Grace here, and in Glory hereafter. By the helpe of Teares we become more gracious, for that corruption is thereby ſubdued, and Grace quickned.
When the Amalekites had ſpoyled Ziglag and taken all their wives and children Priſoners, They wept (ſaith the Text) till they could weepe no more. Then David asked counſell of the Lord, and upon Gods direction followed them, and ſmote them from the twilight till the Evening of the next morrow, ſo that there eſcaped none ſave 400. young men that fled upon Camells. Conceive our Luſts to be theſe Amalekites, they ſpoile our Ziglag, ſacke our City, captivate our wives and children (our ſenſes and Affections) Let us weepe till we can weepe no more, and then purſue theſe Amalekites, ſo ſhall we conquer and recover our wives and children; ſome young men (ſome unbrideled words and untamed thoughts) will remaine, but for the old Amalekites (groſſe and foule faults) thoſe we ſhall ſubdue to our comfort.
De interioribus fontibus egrediuntur torrentes, & ſuper omnes de licias lachrymis nectareis anima delectatur: Non illos imbres procelloſae tempeſtates deponunt, ros matutinus eſt de caeleſtibus ſtillans, & quaſi unctio ſpiritus mentem delmiens, & poſt affecto ſe abluit & lachrymis baptizat Chryſ foreign, Pind od. 1.By Teares likewiſe Grace is quickned: They are not like Well-water ſpringing out of the bowels of the Earth, nor like Raine diſtilling from the Clouds, which cleare the ayre, but they are as the Dew. of Hermon, which makes all herbes to flouriſh. Such as mourne for ſinne, Grow up as the Lillie, and faſten themſelves in Grace like the Trees of Lebanon: They are like the former and the latter Raine, they make the heart fruitfull in all good workes, as you ſee here in Mary; it is a Soveraigne Water and will fetch the ſinner againe to the life of Grace though never ſo farre gon.
As for Glory hereafter: It is concluded by the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 126.5. They that ſow in Teares ſhall reap in Ioy, ſuch a ſeed-time, ſuch a Harveſt: after we have bin married to a blear-eyed Leah, beautifull Rachell ſhall be given us.
Thus as the Sunne drawes up vapors from the Earth, not for it ſelfe, but to reſtore them backe againe: So doth God our Teares: The Bag God hath is for the ſinner, in that he ſeales up their tranſgreſſions againſt the Day of Judgement, Iob 14.17. But the Bottle ſpoken of, Pſal. 56.8. and the Ʋioll, Revel. 5.8. are for the Saints both: In them he preſerves both their Teares and Prayers: Not a drop of their Eye-water will he ſuffer to run in waſte,Sic paucis lachrymis gaudia magna dabit. He catcheth every Teare before it comes to the ground, and till death cloſe up thoſe two Fountains Ior and Dan (flowing from mount Lebanon) they ſhall never faile running, but then ſhall our foules be wafted in them from Grace to Glory, as they were firſt tranſported by them here from Sin to Grace.
If in caſe what hath bin ſaid of the Good which our Teares procure for us, prevaile not, then give me leave to adde a word of the great danger which followes upon the neglect of them, and it ſhall be only by way of Alluſion to that we read, 2 Sam. 12.27. Ioab having taken the City of waters, he ſent to David and willed him to come quickly to take the City it ſelfe, well knowing that it could not hold out, the City of waters being cut off before: Thus when Satan hath taken the Eyes and cut off the Pipes: Can you think your ſoule can long hold out againſt his temptations, I ſay no more,Chryſ. in Hom. ſap Math. but yet S. Chryſoſtome would be heard, Non dolere quia peccaveris magis indignari at que iraſci facit Deum quam idipſum quod ante peccaveris. Not to grieve that thou haſt ſinned doth more provoke GOD to be angry with thee, than the ſinne which thou haſt committed. Wherefore as under the Law they who could not offer a Lambe, were to offer unto God two young Turtles at their Purification: So ſeeing the Lamb hath bin wanting, an innocent and holy life, let us now bring a paire of Turtles, two mournfull Eyes; and ſo ſend out ſinne that way we let it in; which is the Reaſon (as ſome conceive) why God hath placed Teares in the Eyes, rather than in any other ſence or part of the body. (As before I noted.)
A ſecond thing we muſt take notice of in this part of Maries Repentance is the greatneſſe of her ſorrow, both for Meaſure and Continuance. She did not onelyonly ſhed Teares, but ſhe did rigare lachrymis, ſhowre downe teares, and that ſo aboundantly, as ſhe made a bath of them for her Lord: Her heart was ſo deepely pierced, as that it afforded teares enough to waſh the Feet of our bleſſed Saviour. And for the continuance of this her ſorrow; when ſhe began we read, when ſhe made an end we read not. She began (ſaith the Evangeliſt before, ver. 38.) She hath not ceaſed, ſaith our Saviour here. Her Example teacheth us,
Doct. To anſwer the greatnes of our ſin with the greatneſſe of our ſorrow. According to the proportion of the one, ſhould the other be proportioned. Looke how grievouſly we have ſinned, ſo greatly ſhould our ſins be bewayled and lamented. A deepe wound muſt have a large plaiſter, and our Repentance (as ſheweth S. Cyprian) muſt not be leſſe than our fault.Quam magna deliquimus, tam granditer defleamus, alto vulneri diligens & longa medicina non deſit, paenitentia crimine minor non ſit, Cypr. Serm. 5. de lapſis. Secundum peccatorum proportionem ſint tibi lachrymae, nam ſi magnus eſt lapſus tuus major lachrymarum tuarum torrens eſſe debet (ſaith S. Chryſostome) which may be conſtrued in the words of David, One deepe calls upon another, Pſal. 40.7. And in theſe deepes was he: I am come into deepe waters, and the ſtreames runne over me, Pſal. 69.1, 2. Out of the deepes have I called unto thee O Lord, Pſal. 130.1. He grieved and wept for his ſmaller ſins, his heart ſmote him for cutting off Sauls skirt, and he condemned himſelfe exceedingly for numbering of the people, but theſe were but ſhallowes in compariſon of the Deepes which his great tranſgreſſions brought him into. Thoſe Billowes that followed upon his murther and adultery were breaking Billowes. All the night (ſaith he) I cauſed my bed to ſwim with my teares, yea I watered my pallat: Pſal. 6.6.In which words though there be an Hyperbolicall exceſſe of Speech, yet it argues an Hyperbolicall and exceſſive ſorrow. I cauſed my bed to ſwim, and not onelyonly ſo, but my Pallate that lyes beneath my Bed (as ſome underſtand it) Implying that if his Head could containe ſo much water, the griefe of his heart could furniſh it.
Thus we find it was with Manaſſes; 2 Chron. 32.he was a great ſinner (as the Text ſheweth) and he humbled himſelfe greatly, ſaith the Text. And ſuch was S. Peters ſorrow,Mat. 26.75. Luk. 22.62. he ſinned greatly in denying of his Lord and Maſter, and he wept bitterly for it, ſaith the Evangeliſt.
Vſe 1 The unſoundneſſe of the Sorrow, which moſt in the world truſt too may by this be diſcovered: It is neither Great nor Proportionable to the ſinnes they have committed: Of all Sorrowes, Si quem de iuis charis mortalitatu exitu perdidiſſes, ingemiſceres dolenter, & fleres, ſacie in…ultâ, veſte muta…â, neg. lecto capillo ore dejecto, indicta maeroiis oſtenderes: animam tuam miſer perdidiſti ſpiritualiter mortu… es, ſuperv…v re hic tibe, & ipſe am bu…ans fu…us tuum portare caepiſti & non acriter plangis, non ſugiter ingemiſcis, Cypr. de lapſ.ſorrow for ſinne ſhould be the greateſt, theſe be waters of Mara, which flow from the Eyes of Repentance, bitter waters, like thoſe which are ſhed for the loſſe of a Sonne, yea for the loſſe of a firstborne. Zach. 12.10. But their Sorrow for ſin is the leaſt and ſleighteſt: For worldly loſſes they howle and cry (and expreſſe ſorrow in all her Poſtures, ſaith S Cyprian) but a ſigh and away ſhall ſerve in this caſe. And wheras Sorrow ſhould be proportioned to ſin, they have but one degree for every ſin; let it be Blaſphemy Murther, Whoredome, or any ſuch like hainous crime that they ſtand guilty off before the Lord: Or ſins of a leſſe Nature, all is o…e with them; a blow on the breaſt, or a God forgive ſhall ſerve the turne: But let ſuch tel me, whither he who fals into the middle of a Pond muſt not labour more for his life than he who fals in at the very brink.
Where Sins are great, think it not enough that your Sorrow be ſleight: If thy ſins be ſmall and little, thy ſorrow may be the leſſe, but if great thy griefe muſt be ſutable. A Garment that is deepely ſoyled cannot without much rubbing and many Lavers become clean: Where there is a deep pollution, and of a skarlet tincture, there muſt be not only, Ablutio, but Balneatio, a ſoaking and bathing in the Teares of contrition, as is required, Iſa. 1.16.
Queſt. But may not a man exceed in ſorrow, may he not grieve over much?
Reſp. A man cannot exceed in the diſpleaſure of his will againſt ſin, yet he may in the Teſtification of his diſpleaſure by weeping and macerating of his body. Too much moyſtning choakes a P…ant, when moderate moyſtning quickens it: Too much Raine gulls the Earth, and standing Waters on low grounds breed nothing but flags and ruſhes: So it is with our hearts when they prove ſtanding Pooles.
The Iſraelites could not hearken to the good newsExod. 6.9. which Moſes brought them, becauſe of the anguiſh of their ſpirits: In which reſpect S. Paul takes order for the i…ceſtuous Perſon that he might not be ſwallowed up of too much heavineſſe, 2 Cor. 2.7, 8, 11. That weeping is not good which blinds the Eye of our Faith, but that which quickens it. The end of our Sorrow is not matter of Merit, but to make us value the Grace and Mercy of God in Chriſt: which where it is found, we may know that griefe for ſin hath enough poſſeſſed the ſoule.See the Soules Conflict by D. Sibs, p. 478. If our griefe hath brought us to the Foot of Chriſt, as it brought this Penitent, and cauſed us with her to lay hold on him, we have cauſe to rejoyce in it, and dry our Eyes.
Queſt But what ſhall we think of thoſe, who weep more for worldly things than for their ſins? are theſe to be condemned for Hypocrites?
Reſp It is S. Auſtins rule, that we ſhould judge of things not ſo much by number as by weight: More Teares may be ſhed for worldly things, then for our ſins, and yet our griefe be greater for ſinne than for worldly loſſes. For, firſt
Greatneſſe of Griefe is to be meaſured either by the violentneſſe of the intention, or by the conſtant Continuance and Duration. A child of God may for the time be more violently perplexed and afflicted for outward croſſes then for his ſins, but what is wanting in his griefe for ſin this way is made up the other. David cryed out for Abſolom very vehemently, O my ſonne Abſolom, my ſonne Abſolom, my ſonne, my ſonne; he cryed not out after that manner for Ʋriah, and yet his griefe for Ʋriahs death was more than for Abſolom…; for that it was more ſetled and conſtant and a continuall griefe, that ſin of his was ever before him. A Torrent may run faſter for the preſent than a continuall Current, Pſal. 51.but the Current is to be preferred and hath more water in it than the Torrent: One keeps open houſe at Chriſtmas, but all the yeare after the Gates are ſhut, he hath taken up a Cities Refuge: Another keeps a conſtant and full Table all the yeare, though at that time he may not be compared with the other for aboundance, which of theſe two now would you count the beſt Houſ-keeper? I ſuppoſe you will grant the latter; ſo is it here.
Secondly, In worldly griefe there is both Sence and Nature to further, which (when they meet with the Spirit) carry all before like a ſtrong ſtreame; as when the Windows both of Heaven above were opened and the foundations below were broken up, Gen. 7.11.there followed a great and mighty flood. But in grieving for ſin the grounds are meerly ſpirituall, and therfore it cannot be expected it ſhould be ſo violent as the other.