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

§. 62.

Next, if wee consider the Sinnes of others, wee may see that as our Age is the last of all A∣ges,, so it is the Sinke of all their Sinnes, and the Puddle of all Profanenesse. * 1.1 Admonetur aetas omnis auditu, fieri posse, quod factum est; Nunquam aeui senio delicta mo∣riuntur, nunquam temporibus Cri∣men obruitur, nunquam Scelus ob∣liuione sepelitur; Exempla fiant, quae esse iam facinora destiterunt. Succeeding Ages are taught, that that may bee done which hath b••ene done; Sinne neuer dyeth, but becommeth exemplary vn∣to vs; And what was Execrable

vnto others, is our example. Corruptions are bred in our Civill Bodies, as Diseases in our Naturall Bodies: At first they be not discerned easily, but they proceed insensibly, till that come to passe, which Livy observed in the Romane Senate, * 1.2 Nec vitia nostra, nec remedia ferre possumus, We can neither endure the Ma∣ladie, nor the Medicine. But few can, or (at least) will be perswa∣ded that our Sins which threa∣ten our desolation, are so incom∣parable or transcendent, that they haue not beene parallelled in former Ages: Yet if they con∣sider, * 1.3 First that as this is the Con∣demnation of the World, that Light is come into the World, and Men loue darkenesse rather then light; So there was never more Light of Knowledge then now, and never more darkenesse of

Impietie then now; For there could not bee such darkenesse of Sinne, if there were not such Light of Grace: But in that we openly reject all Goodnesse, we giue height to our Sinnes; And therefore are worse then prede∣cessours in ancient times, because we might bee better. Next, if they consider, * 1.4 that as no Man e∣ver planteth a Vineyard, but he will looke for fruit from it; So by how much our Meanes of Grace are greater, by so much are our De∣fects greater: But search wee all Records, and compare such helps, such Care, such Cost, such Expectation, with our vnfruitfull Workes and Wickednesse, and see whether any ancient times did ever parallel our times in In∣iquity. Lastly, the Ancient of times, to whom all times are pre∣sent, hath told vs that these last

times shall bee worst; And our Experience doth justifie him with all, but the wilfull, that the Filthinesse of the People hath filled our Land from corner to corner: that now Atheisme, Blas∣phemy, Ignorance, Infidelity, Impe∣nitency, Hypocrisy, Intemperancy, Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Drunkennes, Sacriledge, Slaundering, Simonie, Lukewarmenesse and Neutralitie in Religion, Lingering after Super sti∣tion and Idolatry, Falsehood in Dea∣lings and Friendship till all burst againe, Van••ty in following the Fashion without shame or medestie; Vnto all, and aboue all these; we adde Covetousnesse, and Wan∣tonnesse, especially in Sabbath-breaking, the very scumme of all Impiety, the Dregges and Lees of our Nationall Impurity, that now, Flagrant vitio Gentis{que} suoq:, aboue all Nations vpon the earth

our People burne and boyle in these iniquities, more then euer Sodome in Lust, or Samaria in any Lewdnesse, that now the rest of the workes of Darkenes, which like hatefull Night-Birds, were wont to seek Corners, to avoide the wonderment of the World, doe declare themselues as the sinnes of Sodome, and Men never blush to commit them openly. Which if they bee not speedily affronted and confronted, what can be expected, but that these iniquities be not purged from vs till we dye? But, Lord,

Des meliora pijs, errores{que} hostibus illos.

So let all thine Enemies pe∣rish, * 1.5 but let them that loue thee, be as the Sunne when hee goeth foorth in his might. How little wee doe Weepe for these Abominations in others, is too too manifest, (Nisi nos manifesta

negemus) by our little care that we take for the Reformation of others. When the Heathen So∣lon was demanded, what City or Countrey was best governed; That (said he) where the not wronged, as well as the wron∣ged doe punish Vice and perse∣cute. Wickednesse. But now, Videntur peccata aliorum, * 1.6 sed non planguntur, quia non vindicantur, We see apparantly the Sinnes of others, but bewaile them not, because wee reforme them not. As if for this Duty, namely to reforme others, the Magistrate did not beare the Sword, the Minister should not sacrifice his dearest blood, and all Men were not bound to pull others out of the fire by discreete Admoniti∣on, or fervent Prayer, that the Lord would be pleased to shew them their Misery and his Mer∣cy;

That so by this good En∣deavour of all sorts of Men, * 1.7 Vitia castigentur, vt odiantur, Sinne may be reprooved, that it may be ha∣ted. But alas! as the chief Rulers confessed not Christ, lest they should bee cast out of the Syna∣gogue, * 1.8 For they loved the praise of Men, more then the praise of God; So the Feare or Loue of Men, whose breath is in his Nostriles, haue taken away cou∣rage from our hearts, and our hearts (I feare) from the Lord. And yet lest any should bee dis∣couraged with Singlenesse in this kinde of Sincerity, as though, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, One were none to doe any good; A Father teacheth vs, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.9 One Man truely Zealous suffi∣ceth to reforme a whole multi∣tude.

Now if we neglect in our Severall Stations and Vocations, to reforme Sinne in others, it can∣not bee perceived that we pitie them, or truely Weepe for their Sinnes. But our carelesse Con∣sideration of the fearefull condi∣tion, and wretched end of Impe∣nitent Sinners where wee liue, working in vs so little or no care to reforme them, giveth but small testimony that our stony Hearts or Leaden Eyes can yeeld any Teares; When as all things doe Weepe for them, be∣cause these Wretches forsake the common Lord, vse all meanes to betray and crucifie him a∣gaine, regard Man and the de∣ceitfull alurements of the Devil, more then ei••her the Benefits or Threats of the Almighty; And fasten their thoughts vpon the cretures, contemning the power,

Wisedome, and Goodnesse of the Creator. Therefore the Hea∣ven Weepe for them, the An∣gels Weepe for them, the Saints Weepe for them, all Creatures Weepe for them, and Christ Weepeth more for them, then ever he did for the desolation of Hierusalem, because their Sinnes defile others, deforme the Creatures, and depresse them∣selues into the deepest Gulfe of Woe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cypr. Epi. 2.
• * 1.2

  Decad. 1. lib. 10.
• * 1.3

  Iohn 3.19,
• * 1.4

  Isa. 5.2.
• * 1.5

  Iudg. 5.31.
• * 1.6

  Hier. ad Gauden.
• * 1.7

  Cypr. de bono pudi∣cit.
• * 1.8

  Ioh 12.42.
• * 1.9

  Chrys••••t.