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Repentant tears purging the Heart from pollutions of Sin•• e. [ 1107]
THere is mention made of a certain King that had an Oxe-stall,* 1.1 which had not been cleansed in many years, and at last was grown so foul, that it was thought all the industry of Man could not clean it in a life time; The King per∣ceiving that, considered with himselfe, that if he could bring the River, which ran hard by his house, to run through it, that then it would quickly be emptied; No sooner was this conceived thus in his mind, but he sets upon the worke, and after much expence both of labour and money, brought the River to run through the Ox stall with a very sw••ft curren••,* 1.2 so that in three dayes the house was clear∣ed, and all the filth removed: Thus the heart of Man, like that Augaean stable, is filled with rottennesse and pollution, but if true repentant tears do but run through it with a forcible current, they will drive down all putrefaction and uncleanness before them; they are of such a purging nature, that as Rain distilling from the clouds, clarifies the air, so they purifie the Heart, insomuch that if the Men of this world were truly perswaded of the great benefit of true Repentant tears, they would not by any means be hindred from weeping.