IT hath beene a common and vsual thing at all times and in al ages ( Right worshipful and vertuous Ladie ) to see many gifts and presentes brought and bestowed vpon the richer and welthier sort , and vpon such as haue had no neede , verifying therby that , in earthly matters , which properly is spoken and meant of the minde , to wit : To him that hath shall be giuen abundantly , &c. Euen so , the abundance of God his good gifts , the humblenesse of minde , the loue of vertue , the zeale of the seruing of God , and the tender bowels of compassion which I haue credibly heard , and partly seene in your Ladishippe , hath often times stirred me vp , by writing to adde some good thing vnto the heape of those your good and excellent vertues . But finding nothing in my selfe wherewith to answere my desire , worthie the learning , what by reason of the want of knowledge and wisdome in me : I in the end resolued with my selfe to giue ouer my purpose and determination , and to finish with prayer vnto God , That it would please his Maiestie to blesse his giftes in you with encrease , so farre forth as it shall be thought good to his heauenly wisedome to appoint : neuerthelesse , spending some time as my leysure woulde serue me in reading ouer diuerse and sundry expositions of the sacred scriptures , I lighted vppon this short paraphrase of DANIELL TOVSSAINE of the holy Lamentations of the Prophet Ieremiah , an apt and fitte peece of worke ( in my poore opinion ) to be euery way applyed vnto these our dayes , aswel for the comforting of all the faithfull children of God that are vnder the crosse & feele their miseries , as also for the awaking and stirring vppe of all those that haue no feeling of their miseries , notwithstanding the great calamities which haue fallen , and are like still to fall vppon this latter age of the worlde . And because ( as I haue alreadie sayde ) I finde nothing in my selfe to further that loue of vertue and zeale of Christianitie which GOD in great mercy hath vouchsafed vpon you , I haue obtayned at the handes of this godly minister and preacher of the word , DANIELL TOVSSAINE , to supply my want , whom , if it shall please your Ladiship attentiuely with good affection to heare : the paine no doubt shall be much lesse than the profite , and you therby shall not faile to reape great fruite . The point of which small trauaile shall soone take ende , and the gaine long remaine and continue . And therefore whatsoeuer here shal be handled in this little treatise : I most humbly beseech your good Ladiship alwayes in some measure to remember . To be short , If the people of the Iewes in Ierusalem hadde made an account of the wordes of the Prophet in forewarning them of their destruction : if they turned not vnto their God , it had not so fallen out with them as it did . But because they beleeued him not , but dealt most cruelly with him , the Lorde in his iust iudgementes requited their obstinacie . For , the verie name of God his word , ought to strike into our heartes great reuerence towardes it , great desire to haue it , great haste to heare it , great loue to read it , and like care to keepe it . If a King or Queene should write vnto vs , Oh , how readie would we be to shore vppe our eares ? What haste would we make to heare the contents of the same ? But beholde , God him selfe hath directed his letters to euerie one of vs , the Secretarie of which , is his owne holy spirite , and his Prophets , Apostles , and Ministers are his purseuauntes and messengers , which bring them vnto vs. And therefore , intollerable is our contempt towardes his Maiestie , that sendeth them , if we do not humbly heare and reade them , and diligently marke and obserue the especiall pointes and contents of them . And as it is written : the very dreadfull wordes of God doe follow such contempt .

1. Prou. O turne vnto my correction , for lo I will expresse my mind vnto you , and make you vnderstand my words . Seeing then that I haue called & you refused ●t , I haue stretched out my hand and no man regarded it , but all my counsell yee haue despised , and set my corrections at naught , therefore shall I also laugh at your destruction , &c.

Nowe then , what promise can be sweeter , than to haue God expresse his mind vnto vs , and make vs vnderstand his will ? And what terror can be greater , then to haue his Maiestie laugh & reioyce in our destruction ? From which dreadfull destruction I beseech him to deliuer vs , & stay vs by his holy word , vntill such time as wee come vnto his happy kingdome . Thus humbly leauing the patronezing of this my poore and simple trauaile vnto your good Ladyshippe I cease .

AS men in times past , vsed to set vppe pillers or stakes , as markes for those whiche trauelled through Champion countries , to knowe the way by , which some men called , Mercuries marks : And as men giue a bunch of keyes to those which would goe into an house to view and see all the chambers and closets of the same : Euen so likewise hath it beene a custome , for the setting of Readers in a right & profitable way of reading any book , to set foorth some preface , for the laying open eyther of the phrase or argument , eyther else of the Methode or order , or of the vse of that book which a man wil take in hande to interpret . Some there are that make much a do in setting forth and aduauncing those authours , vpon whose workes they intende to coment , as Chrysostome , writing vpon Paule his Epistles , hath done . Howbeit , it is a thing of all others , least necessarie , namely when the Authors are sufficiently knowen , & of such note and marke , as that in too too much commending of them , it is but a darkening of their commendacions , as of the ouer commending of the Prophetes , and of the Apostles . And therefore it shall not be needeful , to make any great narration in the commemdation of the Prophet Ieremie , who was a right faithfull seruaunt of the Lordes , and a valiant preacher of his iust iudgementes , and therefore out of all measure , more hated , tossed and tourmoyled , and crossed than any of all the other Prophets euer were , yea euen put to a thousand deathes : who issued and descended from the rest of the stocke of the Priests , that were resiant in Anathoth , belonging to the ligne of Beiamin , descending from Abiathar the high Priest , whom king Salomon , as in the 2. Chap. of the 1. Booke of the kinges , we reade , had banished thether .

It shall suffice therefore at this present , that we aduertise the Readers of foure necessarie pointes to be obserued , in the reading of these Lamentations of Ieremie .

First , of the Title , or inscription of this Booke .

Secondarily , of the occasion , and of the argument , or subiect thereof .

Thirdly , of the Methode , or order which the Prophet keepeth .

Fourthly , of the vse of this Treatise , and how requisite the consideration thereof is , for the dayes wherein we liue .

The first point then that in this litle treatise must be regarded , which the Hebrewes alwayes accustomed to cut off , and separate from the prophesie of Ieremie , and place it after the bookes of Moses , among the holie collections ( as we call them ) that is to say , The Canticle of Canticles , Ruth , Ecclesiastes , the booke of Hester , and such other like , is this , That the Jewes in the bodie of the Bible , called this commonly by none other name , but by the first worde wherewith the Lamentations beginne , which worde is , ECHA , that is to saye , HOWE , And this worde , according to the iudgement of the Hebrewes , is encountered not without some mysterie , thrice in the beginning of three of the Chapters of these Lamentations , to wit , in the beginning of the first , seconde , and fourth : some supposing , that these three encounters of one and the selfe same worde , haue regard vnto the thee persons in trinitie : some others taking it as for a perfect number , haue regard to the perfect , whole , and totall desolation of the citie of Jerusalem , and of the countrey round about it .

Moreouer , when as the Hebrewes make mention of this booke in their commentaries they call it , CINOTH , that is to say , Lamentations or mournings , proceeding from a lamentable voyce , hauing alwaies an vndoubted regarde to the principall argument of the Booke . For , although we finde in this little booke , consolations and prayers mixte together , especially in the fifte Chapiter : yet beareth it iustly and of very right , the name of the chiefe argument , and principall matter , and is a verie feeling sorrowe and griefe , and a most liuely representation of the ignominie and reproch , which at that time lighted vpon Ierusalem , and vpon the whole countrey of Iudah .

The seauentie interpreters vnto whome the Greeke translation is attributed , and the common latine translation also , for the helping of the argument , haue put in these wordes in the beginning thereof : And it came to passe , that after Israell was ledde captiue , that the Prophet Ieremiah sate weeping , and lamenting ouer Ierusalem , with this lamentation , sighing and groning in the bitternesse of his heart ; and saying , as followeth . &c. Howbeit we can finde no such thing written in the Hebrew text .

As concerning the argument , subiect , and occasion of this shorte Treatise of Lamentations , there is no likelihoode , as Rabe Salomon and some others thinke , that it should be the same booke , whereof mention is made in the 30. Chapter of Ieremie his prophecie : which when Ieremie had deliuered to Baruch by worde of mouth , he afterwarde , read to the people : and after , that king Ioachim , had once gotten it into his handes , he foorthwith cut it in pieces with a penneknife , and threw it into the fire . For there expresse mention is made , that there were no Lamentations conteyned within that Booke , but the threatninges of God against Israel and Iudith : yea euen the very same demonstrations , which the Prophet Ieremie had before , liuely made , which Baruch describing , was ouercome with sorrowing and sighing , as in the 45. chapter of Ieremie we may reade .

Neither must we thinke , that that which is saide in the beginning of the third chapter of the Lamentations : I am the man , that hath seene affliction in the rodde of his indignation , and that which followeth , any whit fauoureth the foresaide ●pinion : as though Ieremie would frame a complaint only of his particular aduersities , and of the tormentes which the Jewes had vsed against him before the taking of Ierusalem . For , we knowe well inough , that it is a customarie thing with the Prophets , to represent , and as a man would saye , inuest , and put vpon them the person of the people , aswell , the more to stirre vp the Auditorie , and strike their heartes , as also because it is the nature of Charitie , to appropriate the publike myseries to her selfe , and so take them as if they particularly touched euerie one of vs. Such a great and notable courtesie and faithfulnes was in the Prophet Ieremie , as that although the people of Iudah , had , through their stubbernnesse , and rebellion , heaped vpon themselues such miseries in that they had despitefully , & arrogantly contemned , and trode vnder foote , the holy aduertisementes of this good Prophet : yet would hee not but be partaker of their sorrowe and ruine , as if the whole matter had particularly lyen vpon himselfe . O tr●● and singular strict and straite line of heartie and tender loue . Such a heartie loue also had that excellent Martyr S. Cyprian when writing vpon those , that in the time of persecution had stumbled and slidde , setteth it downe in these termes , I am partaker of the heauie burden of their griefe : J lament with those that lament : I account my selfe among those which are abased and cast downe : A brotherly affection suteth me in the same bunch of my forlorne brethren , &c. And thus much as concerning the foresaide opinion .

Howbeit there are some , and that verie great Clerkes and learned personages , which are of the opinion , that these Lamentations of Ieremie were written immediately after the death of that good King Iosias , and that by reason of the Lamentable discomfyture , in the fieldes of Mageddo . Which they grounde vppon two principall reasons . First vpon that that is recited in the 35. Chapiter of the seconde of the Chronicles , That the Prophet Ieremie lamented the death of Iosias . But this me seemeth to be a verie weake reason . For certes , this is out of all doubt , that Ieremie had manie griefes , and in his dolourous life , made many Lamentations : aswell because of the greeuous sinnes of the people , and their hardnesse of heart : as also by reason of the desolations which he fore sawe : and otherwhile , eyther for the death of Iosias , or else for some other good and va●orous men . Alas , howe this good seruaunt of God powred out sighes and riuers of bloudie and bitter teares , as amonge other thinges in the ninth , 10.12.14 . and 20. Chapiters of his Prophesie appeareth .

But it is one thing to Lament for some particular accidentes , or for the death of a Iosias , for whome all the people , and all the singing men and singing women lamented : and an other thing to bewayle the whole destruction and ouerthrowe of an Estate and Kingdome , yea , and that of the moste famous and Noble Citie that then was in all the worlde , and which was , as it were , the verie Theater of all the most rare and singular fauourers of the Lorde , which verely deserueth an expresse treatise , and such especiall Lamentations as in this booke wee see : and it is , J say , a good thing to see , how the Prophet had hereunto in these lamentations a principall regarde .

The other reason , which they that referre these Lamentations to the dayes of Iosias , is the place in the fourth of these Lamentations , where mention is made of the taking of the annoynted of the Lorde . Vnder whose shadowe , the people sayde , they should liue , among the Heathen . But in this reason there seemeth no probabilitie , because that King Iosias was not taken , but hurt , and foorthwith carried into Ierusalem by his people , where he immediately died .

Other later learned interpreters seeme to followe an opinion betweene both , that they might reconcile both the one and the other , saying , that in very deede the beginning and first occasion of the myseries of Iudah and Lamentations of Ieremy , was the death of the valiant king Iosias , but that notwithstanding these Lamentations extended euen to the going forwarde of the calamities which continued vnto the captiuitie of Babylon , and the vtter ouerthrowe of all Iudah . As in verie deede after the death of Iosias , there was no great quietnesse in Iudah , but that great and huge billowes of all sortes of myseries arose one in an others necke , because , as in the 34. chapter of the seconde of the Chronicles we reade , that hardly could the horrible furie of God his iustice , which Manasses , Iosias his predecessor , had prouoked , be appeased : such a fearefull thing it is once to fall into the hands of the Almightie , and to force his patience .

Ioachas , the sonne of Iosias reigned only three monethes . After him , the king of Aegypt established Ioachim , king : whom Iechonia succeeded and in his dayes , the Babylonians spoyled the citie , and soone after destroyed it , by reason of Zedechia his rebellion . Thus we see that after the death of Iosias there was nothing , as it were , but a full and through continuance of miseries .

But seeing J am freely to speake my minde , which of their opinions is most likely , J willingly yeelde to them , that thinke these Lamentations of Ieremie not to bee so much a prophesie , or a denunciation , or portrayture of a thing to come , as a sorrowing , greeuing , and complayning of a most notorious and euident extreame present calamitie : whether it was that Ieremie wrote them in pryson , whiles the citie was a sacking : or whether it was that he put them in writing sythence , whiles he was with Godoliah in Masphat .

For , at the verie first entrance , Iere . 40. and beginning of euerie Chapter , hee lamenteth not any particular accident , but a generall ruine and deluge of myseries , which fell vpon the whole countrie : to be short , a totall turning vp side downe as well of the citie of Ierusalem ( which Plinie himselfe hath placed in the ranke among the chiefest Cities of the East ) as also of the whole seruice and worship of God : likewise of the ciuill policie , and of the whole gouernement both spirituall and temporall : a thing , which is able mightily to wounde true setled heartes , to see the couenaunt of GOD , as it were frustrated , and the right religion derided and reproched , whiche hath mooued the Prophet to aggrauate , and engraue within this notable Booke , for Posteritie to come , all these disorders , and confused dealinges : to the ende to cause the people that then were , and the generation that should come after , feele the wrath and furie of God his iust vengeaunce , and howe foolishe they are , that giue their mindes to hearken vnto priuie deceauers and false Prophetes , which lulle worldlinges asleepe in their sinnes , and fourde them on in a vaine hope , as though God for the loue of the outwarde temple , for the loue of ceremonies , for the loue of an outward profession , and for the loue of the name of the Church , should surcease the execution of his iudgementes , The common reward for plaine and sound dealing . as the people of Iudah were oftentimes too too much falsely deceaued by these enchauntments : wishing to good Ieremie , that dealt plainly and faithfully with them an euill death , because hee soundely and roundly tolde them of the mischiefe which hunge ouer their heades , and because also , that for their daily exceeding in all kindes of sinnes , they must looke for none other paiment but vtter desolation . Thus wee see the matter , J saye , which the Prophet Ieremie heere handled in these Lamentations .

Nowe hee handeleth , and setteth it downe in such manner , as that the whole Booke seemeth rather to bee his Historie , than a foretelling of a thinge to come : hee so liuely and earnestly pictureth out and setteth before our eyes all sortes of calamities , or else all the occurrauntes and circumstaunces of this Lamentable destruction of Ierusalem , which the Assyrians shall bring to passe , and of the captiuitie aswell of the Princesse , as of the people . True it is , because hee right well knewe , that this shoulde not bee the last destruction , and that in the ende of 70. yeares , the Lorde God would restore againe the captiued people vnto their pleasaunt countrey and restablish both them-selues and the religion within their Citie : hee entermedleth as it were all ouer holy prayers and consolations , to comforte the heartes of good menne with-all , to the ende they shoulde not bee vtterly discouraged , and hopelesse . Nowe , the like comfortes and promises the Jewes had not in the laste siege and destruction , when Titus and Vespasian came against them : For at that time , the Prophetes of GOD gaue them cleane ouer , because their wickednesse was come now to the full ripenesse , when as they vtterly reiected and crucified the great Prophet of Prophetes , and the Doctor of Doctors , Christ Iesus our Lorde , banished , murdered , and persecuted his Prophetes : and to be short , would not vnderstande the time of their visitation . And thus much as touching the argument of the Lamentations .

Now followeth , that we consider of the Methode or order , and artificiall handling of this writing : which no man can sufficiently admire , if he looke well to the argument . For , although the Orators haue nerely found out and inuented many wayes and mean●s , eyther for the highly commending of any great and excellent thing , eyther else for the bewayling or lamenting of certaine sorrowes and griefes , which kinde of speaking and writing Tully in the 3. of his partitions , reputeth to be the most rich and copious , and most profitable kinde of order for common-weales : yet the fardle of mans eloquence , commeth nothing neere the nature and dexteritie of the Lamentations , which the spirite of God hath framed in Ieremie his heart , and vttered foorth by mouth to the vse of all the Hebrewes . And although in this Treatise , the Prophet enterlaceth prayers and exhortations to repentance , & withall consolations : yet they are all so patheticall , or of such notable feeling as is possible : and it is the principall scope whereat he aimeth , to discouer , in lamenting the geatnesse of God his wrath , and so consequently , the greatnesse of the iniquities and sinnes of the people , that they might serue him , as it were for matter and woode , to set such a fire on a light flame . Moreouer , the Prophet so Lamenteth the case , as that hee keepeth him-selfe still within his limites , without soaring a-loft in the ayre in long discourses , which haue not the grace , so liuely to touch mens heartes , as graue , natural , and short sentences , proceeding from out of a sorrowefull and wounded heart , which is vnmeete for long or affected speaches : as this Romaine Oratour Tullie also testifieth , It is an hard matter , sayth he , to keepe men long while in a very passioned beholding of any myserie , because it is a thing that sooner dryeth vp , than the teares of a mans eyes . And such are the stile , and words of the Prophet Ieremie in these Lamentations , that is to saye , graue , and feeling ,

Beautified with liuely portraytures , and verie fitte comparisons , which lead the Readers euen vnto the behoulding of the verie same thinges that are spoken of . If then by the art Oratorie , mens heartes are made flexible to compassion , when as there shal be tould and figured out vnto them , the suddaine chaunges and reuolutions from great prosperitie to extreame beggerie , from an high estate , vnto a base and myserable condition : then of verie right ought a man to be mooued by these Lamentations of Ieremie : which art is aswell practized here , as any Oratour in the worlde is able . And it is a great deale lesse suspected , because hee lamenteth not any particular mishappes , but the spoyling of an whole countrey , and the verie ruine thereof . And this J say , Ieremie so artificially and orderly handleth , as that it is no maruel that Gregorie Nazianzene wrote as he did , when he sayde : That hee neuer reade the Lamentations of Ieremie without teares . And to say the truth , who would not be mooued to see these holy Lamentations , proceeding from the loue of God : the loue of a mans Countrey : the loue of pure and holy Religion : the loue of order and policie : the loue of his fellowe Citizens , and of so many & so many families , who with a worlde of young children are seene lead in exile , or else to the shambles , and euerie estate turned vpside downe . For , the greater , the more surpassing , and the more singular that the benefits of God were vnto the Citie of Ierusalem , the more lamentable was her destruction . And therefore it was verie well sayde of Tully , when he sayde , That there was nothing more to be pitied , then to see a man that hath beene in great prosperitie , and aduaunced to high degree of honour , to be cast downe into great myserie and pouertie .

Nowe , although in verie deede , a man shal here and there meete with many mourninges and lamentations in the holy scripture , as among the rest , with that which we reade in the first of the 2. of Samuel , where Dauid hartely and tenderly mourned and lamented for the death of King Saul : most affectionately bewailing the lamentable discomfiture which came to passe in the mount Gelboa : yet shall we finde nothing so ample , serious , and enriched with all sortes of excellent comparisons , neither yet grounded vppon so great and manifest reasons , as are the Lamentations of Ieremie : about which , are fiue whole Chapters spent without any superfluous kinde of matter in them , but diuersely handled with manie excellent and straunge protractions , rauishing sometimes mens mindes with astonishment , and casting them downe , as it were , into a bottomlesse depth , & sometimes againe raysing thē vp , into an hope of Gods grace and fauour , bringing them thereby , vnto true and vnfeyned repentance . But all set out with a most comely grace : representing first of all in generall , the miseries of Ierusalem , vnder the person of a poore desolate widdowe , or of a Princesse , suddenly throwen downe from the highest degree of honour , into a most miserable seruile estate . And after all this , there are liuely represented the tryumphes and braueries of the aduersaries , by which they thought to breake euen the very heart stringes of these miserable afflicted people .

In the seconde chapter , the Prophet beginneth to particularize euerie charge , and to descifer by piece meale , the notablest losses that that countrey of Iudah had , vpon which the Egyptians at that time , furiously entred , and chiefely and aboue all the rest he bewayleth , as a man would saye , the losse of the two eyes , and two perles of the countrey , which are Religion , and politicke gouernement , The order of Priesthoode and kingly state : dolefully lamenting their sclauerie , and the rest of the thinges depending vpon them as the ruine of the Prophetes , Nazarites , fortresses , castles , and such other like thinges .

Jn the thirde chapter , the Prophet taking vpon him , the person of the people , very fitly expresseth & representeth the spiritual conflictes , which the poore afflicted soules in their great distresses were wont to suffer together with the issue & victorie , which the faithfull through faith obtayned .

The fourth Chapter setteth out the remedies , and layeth open a way and meanes to heale the wound , by setting down a forme of free confession of sinnes . For , the first beginning to heale a wounde , it to haue a through feeling of the griefe and paine , and after to seeke the remedie . The Prophet also in this chapter , addeth a propheticall foretelling of the destruction of the enemie : thereby continually to ease the wounde and sore of the Jewes , and aduaunce their hope .

Jn the fifte Chapter , wherein the Prophet Ieremie concludeth & endeth his lamentations , there is a verie fitte and necessarie prayer , to keepe all the poore people at once , in all humilitie and true contrition : and likewise in a sure trust and hope of their deliuerance . Thus we see , that after he had throughly lamented and sorrowed , yet that he must at last be driuen to this point , euen in the middest of these extreamest desolations , to bring our heartes and mindes together vnto this great God , that quickneth the dead , and who indeed is such a Surgeon , as that there is no wound nor sore but he can heale , when as in a true and liuely fayth , he is sought vnto , and called vpon . Moreouer , we are here especially to note one thing , that whensoeuer the Prophetes summon the people to repent , or appease the wrath of God , they neuer sende men to their owne satisfactions or merites , but to the only free mercie of this good God : And S. Ambrose writing vpon Luke , rightly speaking of S. Peter ; sayth in this sorte : I reade ( sayth he ) in the Gospel of Peters teares , Peter repented and made amendes in teares , and not in merites . but nothing of his satisfactions . Thus wee some what plainly see , what is to be noted touching the order and continuation of the Chapters of these Lamentations .

Some greatly maruell why Ieremie after this sort made these Lamentions , seeing the Lorde God in the 16. Chapter of his prophesie , ver . 5. sayde thus vnto him : Thou shalt not enter into the house of mourning , neyther shalt thou goe to lament for them ; for I haue taken my peace from this people , saith the Lord : and so haue I also my mercy and compassion , &c. But here we are to note in the first place , that the Lorde forbiddeth him not simply to lament : but yet so lament , & to such an ende , as that the iudgementes of god against the people might not take effect : As if God should haue sayde thus : Thou hast lamented fairely but it will not serue , for this people must needes be chastized . Secondly , our God in this place alleaged , meaneth not vtterly to take away hope of grace from his people : But speaketh of that that should generally fall out vnto the people , and to the obstinate and rebellious multitude , who altogether hardened their hearts against the Lorde , So that the Lamentations of Ieremie were not written so much for him , as they were written to serue the peoples turne , & to be vnto them as a glasse to beholde their miseries in : and a paterne of true and pitifull mourninges , following true repentance and conuersion vnto the altogether good and almightie God .

Whilest we are nowe in speaking of the Lamentations , wee are to note by the way , that the foure first Chapters are written according to the Hebrewe alphabet , saue that in the 3. Chapter , there are sometimes moe verses contained in euerie letter . This order of the Alphabet , is kept also among some of the Psalmes . S. Ierome thought it was because of the poesie , and trauelled to define what kinde of verses they were , and in the ende he tooke the lamentations to bee such kinde of verses , as are called Saphique , alleaging for testimonies Origene , & Philo the Jewe : and yet he himselfe in his preface vpon Isaiah affirmeth , that the Prophetes wrote in plaine prose . And although in very deed the Iewes vsed poesie , which Reuchlin and Munster in our time , haue verie carefully and painefully laboured to confesse : yet the moste parte of the learned and wiser sorte say , that no man is able at this day certainely to shewe any poesie , or kinde of verse which the Jewes vsed , although they may as yet haue their poeticall accentes . And it should seeme , that when the harmonie of their commonwealth and estates was dissolued , their fine musicque and poesie , withall their excellent singing notes , were eftsoones lost and quite ouerthrowen with the temple of Jerusalem . Thus we see what a thing it is , not to agree and be at one with the great God of heauen , and to withdrawe our selues from his seruice and obedience . Jt should seeme that this order of beginning the verses with the Alphabet , is obserued for breuities sake of the graue sentences entersuing , which are of maruelous weight , and for the better imprinting of them in memorie , and the making of those sentences to be as familiar as the Alphabet it selfe : without some wrangling companie will start vp and saye , that the Prophet , by running through the whole Alphabet , ment to shewe the great continuance of the miseries that then were .

It remayneth now , that we speake of the latter point of this preface , which concerneth the vse of the Lamentations of Ieremie , and the fruit and commoditie which all the faithfull may gather out of them . For , their opinion is not to be receaued , which thinke that such writinges are but olde womens tales , which only concerne the people of olde time , and vs no whit at all : seeing we are taught by the scriptures , Rom. 15.4 That what soeuer things were written afore time were written for our learning , that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope : And that whatsoeuer came to passe vnto our fathers , are euen so many examples for vs , and that such things are written to admonish vs vppon whom the endes of the worlde are come . In verie deede as it is not a gift giuen to euerie man to knowe howe to reioyce as hee ought ( according to the saying of the Prophet Dauid in his 89. Psalm ver . 15. Blessed are the people that can reioyce in thee , &c. ) no more is it common to all men , to knowe howe to lament : J meane , so to lament , as that their Lamentations bee not made in the ayre , but to good purpose , and such as please this good God . For S. Augustine in his Epistle which he wrote to Victorian sayth , The difference be : tweene the mourning of the faithfull , and of the vnfaithfull . that there is as great difference betweene the mournings and Lamentations of the faithfull , as there is betweene sweete clarified oyle , and the Lees thereof : Because the faithlesse ( as the Prophet Oseah in his 7. Chapter ver . 14. sayth ) cry not truely vpon the Lorde with their hearts : but lie howling and lamenting vpon their beds for the losse of worldly thinges . Wee reade sufficiently in the Heathen histories of very passioned Lamentations and mourninges : yea and so pitiful , as that the Poetes make mention of them , as if the toppes of the houses , and the houses themselues had melted into mourninges : some lamenting the death of their friendes , and other some the destructions and desolations of certaine Noble and famous Cities : as the Cities of Troy , Thebes , Carthage , Rome , and such other like : And therefore it may well be saide that that went somewhat neere vnto the Lamentations of Ieremie . But it is an other manner of of spirite that guideth and pusheth forward Ieremie in his Lamentations , and it is also an other maner of argument when he lamenteth this peerelesse and royall Citie of Ierusalem , a Citie , whereas the Lorde had , as it were chosen and set vp his throne : a citie which was a figure and type of the Church of God : And againe , Ieremie aimed at an other maner of marke , than did either the heathen Poets , or historiographers , because he did it to this end to make men tremble vnder the iust iudgments of God , and hange downe their heads before his Maiestie , that hee might bring them vnto true repentance . To be short , he squared & seasoned his Lamentations with an assured faith and hope of Gods fauour , and with verie excellent and well knit and conioyned prayers , thereby to pricke men forwarde to returne vnto the Lorde , whome they had offended .

But if there be any that would finde fault with vs and say , An obiection . that the Prophet Ieremie himselfe once passed his limites , when a● ( as in the 20. Chapter of his Prophesie ver. 14. we reade ) He cursed the day wherein he was borne : wee aunswere him with the wordes of that auncient Doctor S. Hylarie writing vpon the 119. Psalme , who properly sayth , that he did not then curse the day of his birth , because he right well knew that he was sanctified from his mothers wombe , and ordeyned to the office of a Prophet : but rather by reason of the long continuance of so yrkesome a charge , and the consideration of the hatefull times , that then were . But be it that we did graunt , that Ieremie was sore troubled in mind , and that he sustained some temptation : yet it appeareth that hee was not swallowed vp therof : but kept such a temperaunce in his lamentations , as that he grieued no man , neyther shewed any despite against the Lorde : but rather all reuerence vnto his Maiestie .

And as for that which the Lord commandeth in the 9. of Jeremie , ver . 17. 18. That they should call for the mourning women , and sende for the skilfull women to take vp a lamentation , and cast out teares vnto the people : No whit fauoureth vaine and fained worldly lamentations and hired mourners , whom the very Heathen themselues laughed to scorne : howbeit these phrases of speech ; are vttered as it were scoffingly , to awaken the people , and to depaint out the wonderfull hardnesse of their heartes , which was such as that they were faine to hire , and cause come , all the mourning men and women of the worlde , to make them shed teares .

In verie deede it is good that a meane be kept in all things , as on the one side to keepe vs from hypocrisie , and from fayned and excessiue sorrowing : & on the other side , from that Stoike blockishnesse . And to be short , wee must all rule and season our passions , which this great Creatour hath not in vaine engrauen in euery of vs : For , there is a time to be merie , and a time to be sorie : and all thinges haue their certaine limites and rules : and aboue all , it is meete that both the one and the other be moderately , and to good purpose done . For they that looke for nothing else , but for happy and merrie daies in this worlde : they are they whom the Lord chiefeliest meaneth , and whom he in the 8. of Amos . ver . 10. in very deede threatneth , A sharpe threate . That he will turne their songes of ioy and pleasure , into lamentation and mourning . And therefore ( as Aristotle himselfe in the 3. chapter of his 2. booke of his Ethickes maketh mention ) it was verie well saide of Plato , that men in their youth should be so brought vp , as that they should knowe how and when to be merie , and howe and when to be sorie , because sayth Aristotle , it must needes be , that they greatly are deceaued , which thinke vertues to be nothing else but senselesse & blockish benummednesse : so that a man may be merrie and sorie as he will , and when he will : so it be with such a proportion and temperance as is seemely and meete . To be short : let no man thinke so to leade his life here in this world , as to be voide of paine and griefe , Sinne the cause of all our miseries . seeing we carr●● 〈◇〉 vs the verie matter and substance of all 〈◇〉 sorrowes , which is sinne , and is the cause of all the tormentes that we suffer in this miserable life . Nothing more displeaseth God , then when he by his chastisements calleth vs to repentance and we wil not cut off the least iot of our pleasures . And there is nothing in the whole worlde that more displeaseth God , then when he by his notable chastisements , calleth vs to mourning and weeping , we in the meane while , in a brauerie to despite him withall , bath our selues in all our delightes , and will not once cut off anie of our least pleasures and follies , to winne him vnto vs againe . For which great vnthankfulnesse , the Lord God in the 22. of the Prophet Isaiah most sharpely reproueth the people of the Iewes .

Thus then we see the first vse of these Lamentations of Ieremie , which learne vs Christianly to lament , and teach vs what the very occasion of Lamentations & mourninges is : which is to be sorrowfull when we offende the Maiestie of God , when we see the Church vnder the crosse , and his pure seruice turned vpside downe : and not lament and weepe like children for apples or nuts : who are more afraide , as Chrysostome saith , Of such kind of men it is to be seared ther are ouer many in these daies euerie where . of their owne shadowes , and of visers , than of a sworde or of the fire : euen such kinde of men are they , which sorrowe for the losse of a fewe temporall & transitorie goods and for a handfull of money , neuer greatly troubling themselues for the ouerthrowe of k●ngdomes , of iustice , of pietie , of schooles of learning , and of all holy discipline , no not for the sacking and spoyling of their owne countrey , so it touch not themselues any way particularly .