A care-cloth

Again, I propound this question to every of your consciences: Art thou able to take up Davids ⟨p. 232⟩words here, and with the good leave of thine own conscience to affirm, as he affirmed, Rivers of waters, &c. Doubtless there are but very few, if at all there be any of us, that may affirm thus much of himself, without a manifest accusation of falsehood in his own soul. If we lament our own sins, we think it abundantly sufficient, though we lend no tears at all to bewail our neighbours faults. Indeed it must not be denied, that the greater number of tears, and those the most earnest and bitter, must be bestowed by every man, in lamenting the sins of his own heart and life: but yet seeing God is dishonoured also by the faults of others, and the souls of our brethren, as well as our own souls, ought to be dear unto us; neither can it be denied, that it is a sin, and a fruit of our not sufficiently hating sin, and loving God and our brethren, that we are so exceeding defective in sorrowful tears for their misdeeds, and cause enough there is, that each of us should take up a grievous complaint against himself, and say, O Lord, how unlike have I been to thy servant David? No floods, no drops of tears, scarce half a score tears, scarce five, scarce two, scarce one, scarce half an one, doth proceed from mine eyes for the many and heinous transgressions, that I do daily see with mine eyes. Where was my love to thee, Lord? Where mine hatred of sin? Where my charity to my brethren? O how justly mightest thou sweep me away with the Besom of the common ⟨p. 233⟩destruction, and bring thy fearful plagues upon all of us, even my self amongst the rest, because they sinned, and I wept not for their sins? We are bound, brethren, even to be angry, and to fall out with our selves, when we find in our selves a manifest neglect of a plain duty, so evidently enjoined by God, by others so plentifully practised, and grounded also upon so good, and undeniable reasons as this is: and therefore now charge thy soul before the Lord, with a great sin of omission, in that thou hast forgotten, or nor regarded to weep in secret for the public sins.

Againe, I propound this question to euery of your consciences: Art thou able to take vp Dauids ⟨p. 232⟩words here, and with the good leaue of thine owne conscience to affirme, as he affirmed, Riuers of waters, &c. Doubtlesse there are but very few, if at all there bee any of vs, that may affirme thus much of himselfe, without a manifest accusation of falsehood in his owne soule. If we lament our owne sinnes, we thinke it abundantly sufficient, though wee lend no teares at all to bewaile our neighbours faults. Indeed it must not bee denyed, that the greater number of teares, and those the most earnest and bitter, must be bestowed by euery man, in lamenting the sinnes of his owne heart and life: but yet seeing God is dishonoured also by the faults of others, and the soules of our brethren, as well as our owne soules, ought to be deare vnto vs; neither can it be denied, that it is a sinne, and a fruit of our not sufficiently hating sinne, and louing God and our brethren, that we are so exceeding defectiue in sorrowfull teares for their misdeeds, and cause enough there is, that each of vs should take vp a grieuous complaint against himselfe, and say, O Lord, how vnlike haue I been to thy seruant Dauid? No flouds, no drops of teares, scarce halfe a score teares, scarce fiue, scarce two, scarce one, scarce halfe an one, doth proceed from mine eyes for the many and hainous transgressions, that I doe daily see with mine eyes. Where was my loue to thee, Lord? Where mine hatred of sinne? Where my charitie to my brethren? O how iustly mightest thou sweepe me away with the Besome of the common