Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE BEST RETURNE. THE LV. SERMON.

EZEK. 18.23.

Not that hee should returne from his wayes and live? Or, if hee returne from his evill wayes shall hee not live?

Right Honourable, &c.

SAinta 1.1 Austine lying on his death-bed caused divers verses of the penitentiall Psalmes to bee written on the walls of his chamber, on which he still cast his eyes, and com∣mented upon them with the fluent Rhetoricke of his tears. But I could wish of all texts of Scripture that this of the Prophet Ezekiel were still before all their eyes who mourn for their sins in private. For nothing can raise the dejected soule but the lifting up of Gods counte∣nance upon her; nothing can dry her tears, but the beams of his favour brea∣king out of the darke clouds of his wrath, and shining upon her: nothing can bring peace to an affrighted and troubled conscience but a free pardon of all sinnes, whereby shee hath incurred the sentence of death; which the Prophet tendereth in the words of the text. Which are as the very heart of this chapter, and every word thereof may serve as a principall veine to con∣veigh life-blood to all the languishing, or benummed and deaded members of Christ his mysticall body. Returne and live. These words are spirit and life, able to raise a sinner from the grave, and set him on his feet, to tread firmly upon the ground of Gods mercy: as also to put strength and vigour into his feeble and heavie limbes; 1. to creep, then to walke, and last of all to runne in the pathes of Gods commandements. The explication whereof to our understanding, and application to our wils and affections, were the limits of my last Lords-dayes journey. By the light which was then given

you, yee might easily discerne our lusts (which are sudden motions) from Gods desires, which are eternall purposes: and distinguish betweene a sin∣ner who is not purged from all dregges of corruption, and a wicked person who Moab-like is settled upon his lees; between a common infirmity, and a dangerous sickenesse; betweene sin in the act, and wickednesse in the habit. Questionlesse there is more reason to pitty him that falleth or slippeth, than him that leapeth into the sink of sinne, and daily walloweth in the mire of sensuall pleasures. Yet such is the mercy and goodnesse of almighty God, that hee desireth not that the wicked, such as make a trade of sinne, and have a stiffe necke, a hard heart, a seared conscience, that the wretchedst mis∣creants that breathe should either dye in their sinnes here, or for their sinnes hereafter. The former of the two is the death of life, the latter wee may significantly tearme the life of death, which exerciseth the damned with most unsufferable pangs and torments for evermore. Here when wee part life dyeth, but in hell death liveth, and the terrours and pangs thereof are renewed and encreased daily; the former death is given to the vessells of wrath for their earnest, the latter is paid them for their wages. This death is properly the wages of sinne, which God cannot in justice with-hold from the servants of sinne, and vassals of Satan.

For God, whose infinite wisdom comprehends not only the necessity of all effects in their determined, but also the possibility in their supposed causes; foreseeing from all eternity what an intelligent nature, endued with free∣will, left to himselfe, would doe; how hee would fall, and wound himselfe by his fall; and knowing how hee could so dispose of his fall, and cure his wound, that his (the Creators) glory might bee no whit impaired, but ra∣ther encreased by not powerfully hindering it; decreed to create this crea∣ture for his glory: which he appointed to shew upon him by three meanes. 1. By way of generall bounty, in placing the first parents of mankinde in Paradise, and in them giving all sufficient meanes to bring them to eternall happinesse; an end infinitely elevated above the pitch of their owne nature: and after the abuse of their free-will, and losse of that happy estate in which they were created, and bringing themselves into thraldome to sinne and Satan. 2. By way of speciall mercy, graciously freeing, freely justifying, justly glorifying somea 1.2 in and by Christ, viz. the vessels of mercy prepared unto glory. 3. By way of justice, in utterly leaving, or uneffectually cal∣ling, and upon abuse or refusall of some measure of grace offered to them, deservedly hardening, and upon their finall incredulity and impenitency ne∣cessarily condemning, and in the end eternally punishing others, to wit, the vessels of wrath, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, made up, or fitted to destruction. This fabricke of celestiall doctrine, strongly built upon evident texts of Scrip∣tures, may serve for a fortresse to defend this text, and the principall do∣ctrines contained in it, against all the batteries of Heretickes and Atheists made against it. viz.

1. That God approveth not the death of the wicked in his sinne, but on the contrary, liketh, and commandeth, and taketh pleasure in his con∣version.

2. That he decreeth not, or desireth the death of any wicked for it selfe, as it is the misery and destruction of his creature; but as a manifestation of

his justice. For heb 1.3 punisheth not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with his heart, or willingly: hee made not death, nor delighteth in thec 1.4 destruction of the living. Thy destruction is from thy selfe,d 1.5 O Israel, but in mee is thy helpe. The wicked after his hard∣nesse and impenitent heart, treasureth up unto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God: who rendreth to e∣very man according to his workes. Upon which texts the Fathers inferre, that not onely the execution, but the very decree of damnation of the repro∣bate passeth upon their sinne foreseene. Sainte 1.6 Austine, The vessels of wrath are wicked men created for the good of nature, but destinated to punishment for their sinnes: And againe, If they are fitted to destruction let them thanke themselves. Saintf 1.7 Prosper: They that fall away from holinesse through un∣cleanness, lye not under a necessity of perishing because they were not predestina∣ted: but therefore were not predestinated, because they were foreknowne that they would be such by voluntary prevarication.g 1.8 Fulgentius: Those unjust men whom God foresaw that they would end their life in sin, hee decreed to punish in endlesse torments: And againe, hee predestinated them to punishment who he foresaw would depart from him by the fault of their evill will: And againe, God foresaw the sinnes of men, against which hee pronounced a sentence in his de∣cree of predestination. And the Fathers in the Synode held ath 1.9 Valentia: The wicked perish not because they could not, but because they would not bee good, remaining in the masse of corruption by their owne fault, originall or al∣so actuall: As likewise in thei 1.10 Synod at Arles.

3. That hee no way desireth, nor decreeth, nor so much as permitteth the death of any of his Elect; though before their calling to the knowledge of the truth, and sometimes after also, they so grievously transgresse his ho∣ly lawes, that they may bee numbred, at least for the time, among the wic∣ked. For how farre soever they goe in the wayes of wickednesse, they will turne at the last; and if a sinner turne from his wayes even at the brinke of destruction and gate of hell, hee shall live: for, Have I any desire at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that hee should

Returne? There are many turnings in the life of a Christian: The first turning or conversion is by a sanctified phrase called regeneration, where∣by wee are mortified in the flesh, but renewed in the spirit of our minde; wee cast off the old man, and put on the new. All after conversions are but so many par∣ticular acts of repentance, and returnes from those courses which wee ordi∣narily fall into, and follow, if Gods preventing grace stop not the motions of our corrupt nature. This first conversion is as it were a generall purgation of all the peccant humors of our soul, & is of that force that it changeth and altereth our temper and complexion. After this, all other aversions from sinne and returnes to God, are but like speciall purgations, prescribed by the Physitian of our soules, to bee taken upon speciall occasion, for the cu∣ring of some particular malady. In the first, non agimus, sed agimur; wee worke not, but are wrought upon, being, as the reformed Divines speake, meer passive: in the other, acti agimus, being wrought upon wee worke, like the wheeles in the vision of Ezekiel, being moved by the spirit we move to God∣ward. At our first conversion the Scripture compareth us to dead men, that

are not able to stirre any joint; but in all later conversions, after God hat breathed into us the spirit of regeneration, to sicke or weake men lying up∣on their bed, that are able to turne themselves with some helpe. This di∣stinction of conversions is not new coyned by us, but beareth the stampe of ancient truth, and is current in the Scriptures: in which wheresoever the faithfull speake thus to God, Turne us and wee shall bee turned, they aime at the first conversion; but where God thus speaketh to his people, Turne yee unto mee, or, turne from your wicked wayes, we are to understand such texts of later conversions.

From his wayes. Not from the wayes of God, and pathes of righteous∣nesse, but his owne wayes, that is, such courses as hee hath taken beside, and against the direction of Gods Spirit. More particularly thus; Have I not a desire that the ambitious should leave his inordinate pursuit of honour, the covetous of gaine, the voluptuous of pleasure, and all of vanity, and that they should turne to mee with their whole heart, with a perfect hatred of their former wickednesse, and full and constant purpose of amendment, and so

Live? That is, escape eternall death, the due wages of sinne, and attaine everlasting life, the undue reward of righteousnesse. If the feare of hellish torments cannot make a separation betweene us and our beloved sinnes: nor hope of heavenly joyes winne us unto God, it will bee to small purpose to goe about to scare any with temporall plagues threatened in Gods law a∣gainst sinne, or pricke them with the sting of conscience, or confound them with shame, or amplifie upon the losses of spirituall graces, which can ne∣ver bee recovered but by speedy and hearty repentance. The Spye of na∣ture, in his booke of the length and shortnesse of life, demonstrateth natu∣rall heat and radicall moisture to bee the sole preservers and maintainers of life, and the store of both in due proportion to bee the cause of longer life. As life is compared in Scripture, so it is resembled in sculpture to a light or lampe burning; the fire which kindleth the flame of this lampe is naturall heat, and the oyle which feedeth it is radicall moisture: without flame there is no light, without oyle to maintaine it, no flame: in like manner if either naturall heat, or radicall moisture faile, life cannot last: and as in a lampe, if by reason of the thicknesse of the weeke the flame be too great, it oversoon sucketh up the oyle; if the oyle be poured in in too great abundance, it choa∣keth the light: so in us, if naturall heat or radicall moisture exceed measure or proportion, the lampe of our life burneth dimly, and in a short space is ex∣tinguished. Answerable to the naturall life in the body is the spirituall life of grace in the soule: for as that is preserved calido & humido, by heat and moisture; so is this also by the heat of love, or zeale of devotion, and the moi∣sture of penitent teares. Teares are the oyle which feed this flame: for when wee pricke deepe the tenderest veines in our heart with remembrance of our manifold and grievous transgressions, whereby wee have dishonoured God our Father, displeased Christ our Redeemer, and grieved the Spirit of grace our Comforter: when wee take kindly to heart how that the better God hath beene unto us, the worse wee have proved unto him; the more grace hath abounded, the more sinne hath super abounded; when our hearts melt with these considerations, and our eyes resolve into showres of teares;

then we perceive that as salt water cast into fire increaseth the heat, so the salt water of our teares inflameth our devotion, kindleth our zeale, and quickeneth all our spirituall exercises of piety.

To nourish and maintaine this oyle, that our lamp goe not out, I will endeavour to open two springs in my Text; the one a higher, the other a lower: the one ariseth from God and his joy, the other from our selves and our salvation. That the conversion of a sinner is a joy and delight to God, I need not to produce arguments to prove, or similes to illustrate; he that spake as never man spake, hath represented it unto us by many exquisite emblemes: Thek 1.11 joy of a woman for her lost groat found, of a shepheard for his wandering sheep recovered, of a father for his prodigall child returned and re∣claimed. Saint* 1.12 Austine yeeldeth a reason hereof, The more danger there is in the conflict with temptation, the greater joy in the triumph. Such was the joy of the Church forl 1.13 Castus and Aemilius, who though at the first upon the sight of fire prepared for them, they gave backe, and were at a kind of stand, yet afterwards, beyond all hope and expectation, made a noble pro∣fession of their faith, and gloriously endured the fiery tryall. To whom did our Saviour ever more honour, than to Zacheus the converted Publicane, to whose house he came being not invited, and brought with him the glad∣dest tidings that ever were heard there, Thism 1.14 day salvation is come to this house: and to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he cast sevenn 1.15 Divels, to whom he first appeared after his resurrection, whose spikenard he mingled with the ointment of the Gospel, in such sort that whosoever smelleth the savour of life, hath a sent also of the boxe of sweet perfume which she brake upon our Saviours head? Scipio (as Livie writeth) never looked so fresh, nor seemed so beautifull in the eyes of his souldiers, as after his recovery from a dangerous sicknesse which he tooke in the camp: neither doth the soule ever seem more beautifull, than when she is restored to health after some dangerous malady. The Palladium was in highest esteem both with the Trojans and Romanes, not so much for the matter or workmanship, as be∣cause it was catched out of the fire when Troy was burnt. And certainly no soule is more precious in the eyes of God and his Angels, than that which is snatched out of the fire of hell and jawes of death. As the woman in the Gospel more rejoyced for her lost groat after she found it, than for all the groats she had safe in her chest: and as the shepheard tooke more delight in his lost sheepe after, he found it, than in the rest which never wan∣dered; so saith our blessed Saviour,o 1.16 There shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.

I have opened the first spring, and we have tasted the waters thereof: I am now to open the second, which is this, That as our repentance is joy unto God and his Angels, so it is grace and salvation to our selves. As repentance is calledp 1.17 repentance from dead workes, so alsoq 1.18 repentance unto life. For God pawnes his life for the life of the penitent: As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that hee should returne and live.r 1.19 Pliny writeth of a fountaine in Africa, in which torches that are blowne out being dipped are kindled againe: such is the fountaine of teares in the eyes of a penitent sinner; if the light of his faith be extingui∣shed

to his sense and all outward appearance, yet dipped in this fountaine, it is kindled againe, and burnes more brightly than ever before. The Scrip∣ture furnisheth us not with many examples in this kind, lest any should presume; yet some we find that none might despaire. A man could hardly runne a more wicked race than the theefe upon the Crosse, who lived both in caede and ex caede, maintaining his riot and wantonnesse by rob∣bery and murder; yet hee holdeth on his course even to the goale, and there taketh a greater booty than ever before: for hee stealeth a celestiall Crowne. And behold this theefe nailed hand and foot to the Crosse, yet comming to our Saviour by faith, and embracing him by love, and re∣ceiving from him, together with a discharge from the prison of hell, a faire grant of Paradise,s 1.20 This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise. It should seem they were ill imployed either all or the greatest part of that day, who came in but at the last houre into the Lords Vineyard, yet they who came in then, received their full hire. The Divell occupied a large roome in Martes heart, and found there good entertainment, else hee would have never taken sixe other inmates with him to dwell and lodge there; yet Christ cast allt 1.21 seven out of her, and a whole legion out ofu 1.22 another: and though this were a great miracle, yet to cheare up the drooping lookes, ••nd comfort the fainting spirits, and strengthen the feeble knees of all ••hat bow to h••m for pardon and forgivenesse, he wrought farre greater. For he raised three dead men; the first* 1.23 newly departed: the secondx 1.24 brought out, and lying upon the beere: the thirdy 1.25 buried, and stinking in his grave. A man may be ill a long time before he take his bed, and lye long in his bed before hee feele the pangs of death, and be long dead before hee be bu∣ried, and a good while buried before he putrifie: yet to shew that no time prescribeth against Gods mercy, nor excludeth our repentance from dead workes, Christ by miracle raised two that were dead, and a third stinking in his grave. To comfort those that are wounded in conscience, the goodz 1.26 Samaritan cured him that was wounded between Jerusalem and Jericho, and left halfe dead: to comfort them that are sicke in soule, hee recovered* 1.27 Peters wives mother lying sicke in her bed: to comfort them that have newly as it were given up the ghost, hee raised Jairus daugh∣ter: to comfort them that have been sometimes dead in sinnes and trans∣gressions, he raised the widowes sonne: to comfort them that have been so long dead in sinnes that they begin to putrifie, hee raised up Lazarus stinking in his grave. God forbid that any one Divell should get possessi∣on of our hearts, yet seven, nay a legion may be cast out by fasting and prayer. God forbid that any of us should be long sicke of any spirituall disease, yet those that have been sicke unto death have been restored; yea those that have been long dead have been raised. God forbid that wee should forsake our heavenly Fathers house, and in a strange countrey waste his goods, and consume our portion; yet after we have run riot, and spent all the gifts of nature, and goods of this life, and lavished out our time the most precious treasure of all, yet in the end if we come to our selves, and looke homewards, our heavenly Father will meet us, and kill the fat calfe for u••. Therefore if wee have grievously provoked Gods justice by pre∣sumption, let us not more wrong his mercy by despaire; but hope even

above hope in him, whose mercy is over all his workes. Against the num∣ber and weight of all our sinnes, let us lay the infinitenesse of Gods mercy, and Christ his merits, and the certainty of his promise confirmed by oath: As I live, I desire not the death of a sinner; if hee returne, he shall live. Oh (saith Sainta 1.28 Bernard) that mine eyes were springs of teares, that by my wee∣ping here I might prevent everlasting weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell. What pitie is it that we should fret and grieve, and disquiet our selves and others for the losse of a Jewell from our eare, or a ring from our finger, and should take no thought at all for the losse of the Jewels of Gods grace out of our soules? We are overwhelmed as it were in a deluge of teares at the death of our friends, who yet are alive to God, though dead to this world: but have we not a thousand times greater reason to open those floodgates of salt waters which nature hath set in our eyes, for our selves, who are dead to God, though alive to the world? St.b 1.29 Cyprian hath a sweet touch on this string; If any of thy deare friends were taken away from thee by death, thou wouldst sigh, thou wouldst sob, thou wouldst put on blacks, thou wouldst hang do••ne thy head, thou wouldst dis-figure thy face, thou wouldst let thy haire hang carelesly about thine eares, thou wouldst wring thy hands, thou wouldst knock thy breast, thou wouldst throw thy selfe downe upon the ground, thou wouldst expresse sorrow in all her gestures and postures: O wretched man that thou art, thou hast lost thy soule, thou art spiritually dead, thou survivest thy selfe, and carriest a dead corps about thee, and dost thou not take on? dost thou not fetch a deepe sigh? hast thou not a compassionate teare for thy selfe? wilt thou not be thy owne mourner? especially considering that all thy weeping and howling for thy friend cannot fetch him backe againe, or restore him to life; whereas thy weeping for thy selfe in this vale of tears, and seriously bewailing thy sinnes, may and by Gods grace shall revive thy soule, and recover all thy spirituall losses, and that with advantage. Expe∣rience teacheth us that the presentest remedie for a man that is stung in any part of his body by a Scorpion, is to take the oile of Scorpions, and therewith oft to annoint the place: sinne is the Scorpion that stingeth our soules even to death, if we apply nothing to it; yet out of this Scorpion sinne it selfe, and the sorrow for it, an oile or water may be drawne of pe∣nitent teares, wherewith if we annoint or wash our soules, we shall kill the venome of sinne, and allay the swelling of our conscience.c 1.30 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, It is a most soveraigne water which will fetch a sinner againe to the life of grace, though never so farre gone. It is not Well water springing out of the bowels of the earth, nor raine powred out of the clouds of passion, but rather like ad 1.31 dew falling from heaven, which softeneth and moisteneth the heart, and is dried up by the beames of the Sun of righteousnesse.

Have not I a desire that the wicked should turne from his wayes and live? When a subject hath rebelled against his naturall Soveraigne, or a servant grievously provoked his master, or a sonne behaved himselfe ungraciously towards his father, will the Prince sue to his subject, or a master to his ser∣vant, or a father to his sonne for a reconciliation? Will not an equall that hath a quarrell with his equall hold it a great disgrace and disparagement

to make any meanes that the quarrell may be taken up? will he not keepe out at full distance, and looke that the partie, who (as he conceiveth) hath wronged him, should make first towards him, and seeke to him? Yet such an affection God beareth to us, that though we (silly wormes of the earth) swell and rise against him, yet he seeketh to us, he sendeth Embassadours toe 1.32 treat of peace, and intreate and beseech us to be reconciled unto God. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himselfe, not imputing their tres∣passes unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are Embassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be reconciled unto God. Stand not out, my deare brethren, resigne the strong holds of your carnall imaginations and affecti∣ons, deliver up your members, that they may serve as weapons of righte∣ousnesse, and yeeld your selves to his mercy, and yee shall live.

Turne and live. Should a prisoner led to execution heare the Judge or Sheriffe call to him, and say, Turne backe, put in sureties for thy good be∣haviour hereafter, and live; would he not suddenly leap out of his fetters, embrace the condition, and thanke the Judge or Sheriffe upon his knees? And what think ye if God should send a Prophet to preach a Sermon of re∣pentance to the divels and damned ghosts in hell, and say, Knock off your bolts, shake off your fetters, and turne to the Lord and live? would not hell be emptied and rid before the Prophet should have made an end of his ex∣hortation? This Sermon the Prophet Ezechiel now maketh unto us all here present,f 1.33 As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wic∣ked, but that he turne from his wayes and live: turne ye, turne ye from your evill wayes, for why will yee die? Repent, and turne your selves from all your transgressions: so iniquity shall not bee your destruction. Cast away all your transgressions, whereby yee have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye perish? Shake off the shackles of your sinnes, and quit the companie of the prisoners of death, and gally-slaves of Satan, put in sureties for your good behaviour hereafter, turne to the Lord your God with all your heart, and live, yea live gloriously, live happily, live eternally: which the Father of mercy grant for the me∣rits of his Sonne, through the grace of the Spirit. To whom, three persons and one God, be ascribed all honour, glorie, praise, and thankes now and for ever. Amen.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Possid. in vit.
• a 1.2

  Rom. 9.23.
• b 1.3

  Lam. 3.33.
• c 1.4

  Wisd. 1.13. Fulgent. ad Mon. Mortem morienti non fecit, qui mor∣tem mortuo justè retribuit.
• d 1.5

  Hos. 13.9.
• e 1.6

  Ep. ad Sixt. Vasa irae ho∣mines sunt propter naturae bonu n creati, propter vitia s••pplicio desti∣nati; & si vasa sint perfecta in perditionem, sibi hoc impu∣tent.
• f 1.7

  Prosper ad object. 3. Gal. Qui à sancti∣tate vitae per immunditiem labuntur, non ex eo necessita∣tem pereundi habuerunt, qui∣a praedestinati non sunt, sed quia tales fu∣turi ex volun∣tariâ praevari∣catione praesci∣ti sunt.
• g 1.8

  Fulgent. l. 1. ad Mon. Ini∣quos quos prae∣scivit Deus hanc vitam in peccato termi∣naturos, decre∣vit supplicio interminabili puniendos; & illos ad suppli∣cium praedesti∣navit, quos à se praescivit vitio malae volunta∣tis discessuros, & peccata ho∣minum Deus praescivit, quib sententiā prae∣destinatione di∣ctavit.
• h 1.9

  Valent. can. 2. Nec ipsos ma∣los ideò perire, quia boni esse non potuerunt, sed quia boni esse noluerunt; suo{que} vitio in massâ damnationis, vel merito originali, vel etiam actuali permanserunt.
• i 1.10

  Concil. Arelat. 3. Lucidi habetur confessio his verbis: Profiteor aeternales flammas factis capitalibus praeparatas.
• k 1.11

  Luke 15.4, 8, 10, 32.
• * 1.12

  L. 8. confes. c. 3. Quantò majus pericu∣lum fuit in proelio, tantò majus gaudium in triumpho.
• l 1.13

  Cyp. de lapsis. Fortiores igni∣bus facti, qui anteà ignibus cesserunt; & unde superati, inde supera∣runt.
• m 1.14

  Luke 19.9.
• n 1.15

  Mat. 26.13.
• o 1.16

  Luke 15.7.
• p 1.17

  Heb. 6.1.
• q 1.18

  Acts 11.18.
• r 1.19

  Plin. l. 2. c. 103 In Dodone Jo∣vis fons, cum sit gelidus, si extinctae faces admoveantur, extinguit. Causs. in Parab. hist. l. 10. In Epiro esse fe∣runt fontem, in quo faces accenduntur extinctae.
• s 1.20

  Luke 23.43.
• t 1.21

  Marke 16.9.
• u 1.22

  Marke. 5.9.
• * 1.23

  Mat. 9.25.
• x 1.24

  Luke 7.12.
• y 1.25

  John 11.44.
• z 1.26

  Luke 10.30.
• * 1.27

  Mat. 8.14.
• a 1.28

  Bern. in Cant. Quis dabit ca∣piti meo aquam & oculis meis fontem lachry∣marum, ut praeveniam fle∣tibus fletum & stridorem den∣tium?
• b 1.29

  De laps. Si quem de tu∣is chatis mor∣talitatis exitu perdidisses, in∣gemisceres do∣lenter, & fleres, facie incultâ, veste mutatâ, neglecto capil∣lo, vultu nubi∣lo, ore dejecto, indicia moero∣ris ostenderes; animam tuam miser perdidi∣sti, spiritualitèr mortuus es, su∣pervivere hic tibi, & ipse am∣bulans funus tuum portare caepisti, & non acritèr plangis, non ••ugitèr in∣gemiscis.
• c 1.30

  Pind. od. 1.
• d 1.31

  Cyp de card. Chris. op. De interioribus fontibus egre∣diuntur torren∣tes, & super omnes delicias lachrymis ne∣ctareis anima delectatu••: non illos imbres procellosae tempestates deponunt, ros matutinus est de coelestibus stillans, & quasi unctio spiritus mentem deliniens, & post affe∣ctio se abluit, & lachrymis baptizat.
• e 1.32

  2 Cor. 5.19, 20.
• f 1.33

  Ezek. 33.11. & 18.30.31.