Men may mourn and lament their sins and troubles, that they suffer for sin: as we may see how the Psalm of the Prophet,1 containeth the bewailing and weeping of the people, that sate heavily and lamentably by the river side in Babylon. And the like may ye read in the Lamentations of Jeremiah. But this mourning was without desperation and quarrelling, as the letters and books do record. Besides these things, the cause of their bewailing and lamenting, whiles their souls waited upon the Lord, differeth from the most forte of ⟨image 45⟩mourners and bewailers now a days. For we may see now a days, if the wife bewail the death of her husband: it is most commonly, because she hath taken from her a loving head and governor.2 If the husband lament the departure of his wife: it is because he is bereaved of a faithful helper. If the son mourn for the death of his father: it is because there is taken from him, not only his father, but also his patron and defender. If the parents be sorry for the taking away of their children: it is because they want their dalliance, sport and pastime with them, or such other worldly affections. If the prince take grievously, the calling away of his subject from this world: it is because he lacketh a trusty soldier, a faithful captain, a wise counsellor, or profitable officer. If the subject lament the death of his prince: it is because he hath lost his advantage, authority, or estimation. If the servant weep for his master: it is because with his master is departed his commodity, and trust of worldly riches and friendship. If the master mourn for his servant: it is because there is taken from him, a skilful, a diligent, or a faithful doer of his business. And such like causes, as men grievously of every sort feel and lament. If the Parson lament his parishioner: it is most commonly because he seeth the breach of an honest household decayeth his tenths and profit. And if the parishioner mourn for his pastor: most commonly it is, because he loss a good companion or profitable friend. If the Bishop bewail the death of such as die in his diocese: it is most commonly because he is destitute of such a one, as favoured much affection, to set fourth and do such things as he worldly desired should go forwards:
Men may mourne and lament their sinnes and troubles, that they suffer for sinne: as we may sée howe the Psalme of the Prophet,1 conteineth the bewailing and wéeping of the people, that sate heauily and lamentably by the riuer side in Babylon. And the like may ye reade in the Lamentations of Ieremie. But this mourning was without desperation and quarelling, as the letters and bookes do recorde. Besides these thinges, the cause of their bewailing and lamenting, whiles their soules waited vpon the Lorde, differeth from the moste forte of ⟨image 45⟩mourners and bewaylers nowe a dayes. For we may sée nowe a dayes, if the wife bewaile the death of her husbande: it is moste commonly, because she hath taken from her a louing head and gouernour.2 If the husbande lament the departure of his wife: it is because he is bereaued of a faithfull healper. If the sonne mourne for the death of his father: it is because there is taken from him, not onely his father, but also his patrone and defender. If the parentes be sorrie for the taking away of their children: it is because they want their daliaunce, sport and pastime with them, or such other worldly affections. If the prince take gréeuously, the calling away of his subiecte from this worlde: it is because he lacketh a trustie souldier, a faithful capteine, a wise counseller, or profitable officer. If the subiect lamente the death of his prince: it is because he hath lost his aduauntage, authoritie, or estimation. If the seruaunt wéepe for his maister: it is because with his maister is departed his commoditie, and trust of wordly riches and friendship. If the maister mourne for his seruaunt: it is because there is taken from him, a skilfull, a diligente, or a faithfull doer of his businesse. And such like causes, as men gréeuously of euerie sort féele and lament. If the Parson lament his parishioner: it is most commonly because he séeth the breach of an honest housholde decayeth his tenthes and profite. And if the parishioner mourne for his pastour: most commonly it is, because he loss a good companiō or profitable friend. If the Bishoppe bewaile the death of suche as dy in his diocesse: it is most commonly because he is destitute of suche a one, as fauoured much affection, to set fourth and doe suche thinges as he worldly desired shoulde goe forewardes:
- 1Psal. 137.
- 2Note.
