An epithrene: or Voice of vveeping bewailing the want of vveeping. A meditation.

§. 61.

And thus hauing totally pol∣luted our Liues in Thought, Word, and Worke, with the In∣cestuous brood of Actuall trans∣gressions; Wee passe ouer a great part of our Liues in do∣ing nothing, a greater in doing things to little purpose, but the greatest part in doing euill. VVe do either through Ignorance, not knowing God; or Negligence, not following God; Or through Malice, resisting God, liue as without GOD in this world. VVee are so voyde of loue, that wee are hard and seuere to our neighbour, as if wee had no sense of his sorrow, or Sorrow for his sufferings: VVee are so peruerse in our Conuersations, that wee abuse our Superiours by Flattery; Our Inferiours by Con∣tempt;

our Equals, by extreame Dis∣daine. Oh how little doe we ei∣ther desire or discerne that which is Good; How little doe wee see or shunne that which is Euill! VVe may finde our selues in the passages of all our Acti∣ons, not onely foolish, but sense∣lesse; VVhence it is, that as a beastly and sauage Life seemeth Ciuill to them, who haue beene continually brought vp in the same, because Custome changeth into Nature; So wee esteeme not our condition miserable, be∣cause wee neuer knew what it was to be happy: Thus through continuall Vse we confirme our Impudency, and our Impuden∣cie taketh from vs all Opinion of Sinning. In a word; That it fareth thus with vs, wee haue (if wee search our soules) our owne Iudgements for Iudges, our own

Thoughts for VVitnesses, our owne Consciences for Executi∣oners, our owne Memories for Registers of our Iniquities. Now how little we do VVeepe for all our Personall Sinnes (Al∣though no man can be priuie to the priuate VVailings of other, yet) our little Reformation doth testifie; For Godly VVeeping euer proceedeth from Displea∣sure against Sinne; and Displea∣sure against Sinne is accompani∣ed with Hatred of Sinne; and Hatred of Sinne bringeth forth Reformation: So that the Ar∣gument is vnanswerable from the First to the Last, That where is no Reformation, there can be no holy Lamentation, although the Head were VVaters, and the Eyes a dayly fountain of Teares. VVhereupon we conclude with Anselme, Quid ergo restat, * 1.1 O Pec∣cator,

* 1.2 nisi vt in tota vita tua deplo∣res totam vitam tuam, VVhat then should a Sinner doe throughout his whole life, but VVeepe for the Sinnes of his whole life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De. Mister. hom. l. 1.
• * 1.2

  D•• Miser. bominu l. 1.