Trouble of the Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, Discourse · Part 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the peculiar Occaſions of weeping that good Chriſtians have more than other men.
1. THE Chriſtian weeps for his own ſins. He is convinced of his own folly, and bewails it; he has by the inlightning of the Spirit a more tender heart than others have; a more diſtinct view of the odiouſneſs and malignity, of the poiſonous nature, and dangerous qualities of Sin; and that which was pleaſant in the commiſſion, he finds by dear experience to be bitas gall and Wormwood afterwards. This weeping is not the effect of mere ſoftneſs, or weakneſs of temper; or from a want of courage: there is nothing more reaſonable, more juſt, or honourable, than to bewail our Offences that we are guilty of, againſt the Law of God. And to what purpoſe hath he given us Innocent Paſſions, but that they ſhould be moved when ſuitable Objects preſent themſelves? He ſays with David, Pſal. 51.3. I acknowledge my tranſgreſſion, and my ſin is ever before me: and ſuch a ſight of an Object ſo diſagrecable, pierceſ and wounds his very Soul, and makes it to diſſolve in a genuine and kindly grief and trouble; ſaying, Oh! what have I done againſt my God, and my Saviour, and the Holy Spirit! Oh! how baſely have I forgot a gracious, and a loving God; a God that has remembred me all my days for good! He has loved me, and I have hated him; He has called me, and I have diſobeyed his Voice; He has provided for me, and I have rebelled: He has been a Father, but I have been undutiful, and prodigal, and diſobedient: and now his ſlighted, his forgotten Love and Kindneſs wounds me to the very Soul. Oh! what did I think of, when I did not think of him! What was it that my vain, fooliſh heart loved, when I loved, not him that is altogether amiable! What was it that I cared for, or in what did I ſpend my time, that I did not care for my Soul, and the pleaſing of my God; who ſpared me, and bore with me with an admirable patience! I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men! Job 7.20. I will put my mouth in the duſt, I will loath and abhor may ſelf for mine Iniquities, if ſo be there may be hope. I have wandred, but my wandrings have coſt me dear; I have been in a ſtrange Land, and with tears will I return home; ſaying, Bleſs me, even me alſo, O my Father! And then the Love of Jeſus conſtrains the poor Chriſtian to be ſorrowful; ſaying, Did he leave his Heaven for me, and for me that many times would not leave a ſin for him; for me, that was a loſt Sheep, a dying Malefactor, an Enemy by my Evil Works! Did he come to reſcue me, when I was in the very jaws of the Roaring Lyon, and at the door of Hell; and ſhall I not be grieved to think, that I have requited him ſo ill for all his Love! they were my ſins that made him aſtoniſht, and troubled, and exceeding ſorrowful even unto death; and yet alas, I have done what I could to increaſe his Agonies by my new ſins: It was my ſin that filled the bitter Cup, that betrayed, that whipt, that expoſed to ſo injurious uſage the Son of God: my ſin that wounded his Breaſt, and raked in his Sides, and nailed him to the Tree, and made him dye; and can I look upon what I have done, and not be troubled? Can my eyes behold him hanging on the Croſs, and not affect my heart? Never was there any Sorrow like to his Sorrow, never was there any Love like to his Love: Never was there Diſobedience more inexcuſable, never was Sin more ſinful, than mine has been? I have often made light of that that preſt him down to the Grave. I have rejoyced at that which made him mourn and weep, but I will do ſo again no more for ever. And then it troubles the good Chriſtian to think how often he has refuſed the motions of the bleſſed Spirit, and how when the Spirit has moved upon his heart with a deſign to do him good, he hath ſent him grieved and vexed away. All this is occaſion of grief, tho it do not always expreſs it ſelf in tears; for there is a rational ſorrow as well as a ſenſitive one; and tho this may be more paſſionate, yet the other is more laſting and durable. Thoſe that are converted in their younger days, the warmth and heat of their glowing and beginning zeal, does more eaſily diſſolve and melt them into tears, and then the rivers flow more than they do afterwards; but yet when the flood ceaſes, the fruitfulneſs appears, and when their tears are dried up, yet their hatred of ſin remains; for theſe outward expreſſions of ſorrow are very much influenced by the temper and conſtitution of the body, 2 Cor. 7.10, 11. As in the firſt, ſo 'tis in the ſecond birth, as ſoon as they are born, they cry. No ſooner are they brought from darkneſs into marvellous light, but they wonder at their folly, and at the grace of God that ſaved them from it, and that wonder does produce love and grief. Firſt their hearts are ſoftned with his love, and then they mourn for their Provocations; tho this wherewith good Chriſtians bewail their ſins, is not a lazy grief, but attended with ſerious endeavours of new obedience, as the Husbandman after the profitable ſhowers of rain ſets himſelf with a renewed induſtry to cultivate the Ground: and it is but reaſonable that our eyes, that are too often the inſtruments of ſin to us, ſhould by tears help us to bewail that ſin, Iſa. 38.15, I ſhall go ſoftly all my years in the bitterneſs of my Soul.
2 Thoſe that are good Chriſtians, weep alſo for the ſins of others. The love they have to the name of God, cauſes them to grieve for the reflections and diſhonours that are thrown upon it by wicked men. They cannot without ſorrow, behold or hear of the ſins of men in general; the ſins of Kingdoms, and Provinces, and Towns; the ſins of Families; the ſins of their Fellow-citizens, their Brethren, and their Neighbours: the tears that they ſhed, are tears of compaſſion for the very ſad and miſerable condition of the World. Whilſt others make a mock at ſin, and through the blindneſs of their folly, know not what they do, good men lament their unconcernedneſs and inſenſibility, whilſt they ſee them ſporting on the hole of Aſpes, and touching Firebrands, and Death. They cannot ſee men treat their heavenly Father with inſolence and ſcorn, but their hearts, in a juſt zeal for his glory, riſe againſt them, not with indecent paſſions for their ruine, but in an hearty longing for their reformation; Pſal. 119.138.Rivers of water run down mine eyes, becauſe they keep not thy Law. Thus ſaith the Prophet to his hearers, Jer. 13.17. My ſoul ſhall weep in ſecrew places for your pride; mine eyes ſhall weep ſore, and run down with tears. Our love to our Neighbour, and our zeal for God's glory, does oblige us to this; it muſt grieve us to think what men are doing when they ſin, how great a God they provoke to puniſh them, how great a miſery they are bringing on their own ſouls. It muſt grieve us to think how unſafe a way they go, and what a diſmal end will be to that way, Phil. 3.19. Jer. 9.1. The Prophet wiſhes, Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the ſlain of the daughter of my people. And yet (as one obſerves) when he pronounced theſe ſad words,Duboſe. Sermons, pag. 1. the miſery of the Jews was not arrived. Jeruſalem did as yet ſubſiſt in its Magnificence and ſplendor, its Temple had not loſt thatadmirable Beauty which made it the wonder of the world; its Palaces had loſt nothing of their Pomp, its Walls and Fortreſſes were entire, and the Daughter of Sion was Princeſs among the Provinces; but he ſpoke thus, foreſeeing that their abounding ſins, and their hardneſs and obſtinacy would certainly bring upon them the Judgments of God. We muſt conſider what we were our ſelves when in the houſe of bondage, and ſerving divers luſts, how enſlaved and how miſerable, that ſo the remembrance we have of our former danger may quicken us to do others all the good we can, that they may not fall into hell whileſt we are looking on, and do not all that is in our power to hinder their going thither. To this compaſſionate ſorrow we may be excited by the kind example of our Lord, Luke 19.41. he wept for thoſe that rejoyced, he pityed them that had no pity for their own ſouls; becauſe their hearts were hardned, his was very ſoft and tender. It is matter of mourning and lamentation, to conſider how few there are that profeſs Religion in its ſtrictneſs; and among thoſe few, how many that are ſcandalous or backſliders, or hypocrites. It has been often obſerved, that among the bitter Ingredients of our Lords paſſion, this was none of the leaſt, to foreſee that there would be ſo many, who by their final impenitence and perſevering in wickedneſs, would receive no benefit by it*Norris's Diſcourſe on the Beatitudes pag. 44.. And if we may judg by proportion, the Angels in Heaven, who rejoice at the converſion of one ſinner, do alſo mourn and lament for the Irreclaimable wickedneſs of ſo many Millions in the world: To a zealous Magiſtrate, it is an occaſion of ſorrow to ſee in his Dominions the great King and Ruler of the world ſo little valued; and his grief will ſtir him up to uſe all the wholſome methods he can, by good Laws, and a neceſſary ſeverity, to keep the Divine Laws and Authority from being ſcorned and trampled on by profane and blaſphemous ſinners: To a good Parent, it is an occaſion of grief to ſee the undutifulneſs and miſcarriages of his children; and very cutting to think that he has brought forth ſuch as ſhall be his torment, and factors for the Devil. To a Miniſter, it is an occaſion of grief, when he meets with a careleſs Auditory, or with an unfruitful people, that he is like to ſee them periſh under the means of ſafety, and that he is like to be their accuſer in the great day, and that they are like to be ſeparated for ever when the judgment comes; it is with an heavy heart, and many a tear that he thinks of their forlorn ſtate, Rom. 9.1, 2. Ye know after what manner I have been with you at all ſeaſons, ſerving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, Act. 20.19. For the ſpace of three years I ceaſed not to warn every me night and day with tears, ver. 31.
3. They weep for the manifold tribulations and perſecutions they meet withal. When God is pleaſed for their chaſtiſement to let looſe the paſſions and the fury of wicked men, whoſe tender mercles are cruelty. Cant. 2.2. As the Lilly among the thorns, ſo is my love among the daughters. She is beautiful and glorious, but ſurrounded with difficulties and tribulations. Pſal. 84.6. Paſſing through the valley of Baca, they make it a well the rain alſo filleth the pools. They are ſatisfied, indeed, to endure in the hope of Heaven; but yet their ſorrows and torments make them go weeping thither. They have ſenſe as well as Religion; and their ſenſible nature, Whether they will or no, will be affected, they cannot be ſick but they muſt groan and ſigh as well as others; they cannot feel tortures, racks, tedious Impriſonments, and flames, without ſhrinking a little at them; even the Apoſtles, thoſe great and couragious believers, were troubled, and perplexed tho they were not overthrown, 2 Cor. 4.8. In times of Perſecution there is a general licenſe of doing miſchief, a bold oppreſſing of the poor, a ſcornful deſpiſing of the affilicted and the deſolate, as they complain, Pſal. 123.4. Our ſoul is exceedingly filled with the ſcorning of thoſe that are at eaſe, and with the contempt of the proud; and the ſcorn of evil men is ſo baſe a thing, that the moſt patient cannot but be ſomewhat concerned at it, Pſal. 42.11. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually ſay unto me, Where it thy God? when I remember theſe things, I pour out my ſoul in me. 'Tis true, the ſervants of Chriſt eſteem it abundant matter of joy when they fall into divers tribulations; their minds are quiet, and very well ſatisfied; they love their Maſter, and they will never leave him; they will follow him to the Croſs, and die with him there; but inaſmuch as they are compoſed of fleſh and blood, and have a nature that is tender and ſoft, and averſe to ſuffering, as well as that of others, and that has ſeveral things that engage it to the world, ſeveral Relations and Friends to part withal, they cannot with reſpect to theſe, leave this Earth without ſome grief and ſorrow; as the Hearers of Paul wept that they ſhould ſee his face no more; and it was even like to break his heart that he was to leave friends ſo affectionate, ſo loving, and ſo kind. And we muſt think they did not part at laſt without flowing eyes on either ſide, Act. 21.13.
4. Chriſtians, however eaſie in their own Circumſtances, have ſtill occaſion of ſorrow from that ſympathy that they have with their brethren that are in diſtreſs. The ſpirit of our compaſſionate Lord dwells in their heart; and as he is afflicted with all the afflictions of his people, ſo are they; they are all the members of the ſame body, and one part of the body cannot rejoice whileſt another part thereof is in pain. Thus they weep with them that weep, Rom. 12.15. To hear of the deſolations of others, is extremely grievous to them; nor can they laugh and be merry whileſt others ſigh and groan, ſee Jer. 4.31. Ch. 8.21, 22. Jer. 14.17, to the 20. They cannot chear themſelves with Muſick, when the Harps of others are hanging on the Willows, Lam. 1.12, 16. Ch. 2.11, 12. And this Book of the Lamentations is ſo very lamentable, that it very well deſerves to be read and conſidered by us; that ſo the miſeries of our Neighbours may affect us as they ought to do, Job 30.35. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my ſoul grieved for the poor? It muſt be a temper very Helliſh, that has no relentings for the ſufferings of others, even ſuch a Diabolical temper as reigneth in France at this day; where by the encouragement of a Cruel King, and as Cruel a Clergy, the poor Proteſtants have undergone barbarous and more than Heathen ſeverities; if they had any thing humane left, they could not have uſed thoſe poor Harmleſs and Innocent people as they have done. But they have long ſince degenerated into Wolves, and to this day retain their brutal and ſavage nature, tearing to pieces the ſheep of Chriſt without any provocation; and tho ſome have had ſuch a brazen impudence as to ſay they have all along uſed with them nothing but ſweet and gentle methods, yet there are Witneſſes enough, and too many, (if it pleaſed God) in all parts of Europe, that tell us Melancholy ſtories of their Hilliſh Cruelties; had there been the loweſt degrees of Chriſtianity left in that Execrable Country, they could not, they durſt not have proceeded to ſuch barbarities as they have done, where neither the Gray hairs of the moſt aged and venerable, neither the Tears of Widows, nor the Sighs of Priſoners could ever yet prevail for the leaſt mitigation. They have exceeded the worſt of former Ages in the cruelty of their torments; any other eyes would weep but theirs, to ſee what they inflict on their fellow-creatures; any other hearts would ſoften at the groans and the crys of ſo many miſerable people; but nothing can make an Impreſſion upon them, their Dungeons, Gallies, and Racks, and Gibbets, are the only things they can think of wherewith to vex ſuch as are better than themſelves, ſuch as have been guilty of no crime, unleſs it were an exceſs of Loyalty to a King, who is an enemy to mankind, as well as their enemy. By whoſe allowance the vileſt of men are permitted to do all thoſe villanous and wicked things which raiſe a juſt horror in all that have any zeal to the glory of God. To ſee ſuch ſeeding their cruel eyes with woful ſpectacles of the diſtreſſed and ſorrowful, whom they have made to be ſuch. The moſt pathetick melting expreſſions have not been able to draw the leaſt pity from the breaſts of theſe inhumane Monſters. Will men never be aſhamed of their Antichriſtian barbarity?Paſtoral Letter 2d. will they never know that it is the Beaſt in the Revelations, who makes himſelf drunk with the blood of Saints, devours their fleſh, makes war upon them, and overcomes them; and is therefore called Beaſt, Lion, Bear, Leopard; for he muſt have renounced Reaſon and Humanity, and be tranformed into a Savage Beaſt, that behaves himſelf towards Chriſtians as the Church of Rome behaves it ſelf towards us. Thoſe French Perſecutors are ſo bad, that they cannot be reproached; we cannot if we would, beſpatter or throw dirt upon them, they are already ſo defiled; 'tis impoſſible to create in the minds of others, any Idea of them that ſhall be baſe enough; and it is our ſhame, the ſtain of our Country, and a diſhonour to the Name of an Engliſh man, that in our Country, in ours that is naturally inclined to pity and compaſſion to the miſerable, there ſhould be found any that wiſh well to a Tyrant ſo tyrannical, and to a people ſo nouriſhed, and ſo fed with blood, as his Soldiers and Creatures are; 'tis our judgment that we are ſo blinded, and ſo much ſtupified, and thrown into ſo deep a ſleep that we do not perceive our own blindneſs. But I ſhould be very ſorry if I ſpoke to any ſuch; I hope, and I believe that there are none here ſo much under the Curſe of God; a Curſe the more terrible, as it is contrary to all that love of God, our Neighbour, and our Country, that we ought to have; and if we are any way curſt, 'tis becauſe we have had no more compaſſion for our Brethren that have ſuffered ſuch grievous things; that we have wept no more at the ſight of their ſorrows, but that we have ſtill too many among us of the Complexion of thoſe in Amos 6.6. Men are generally unaffected with the miſeries of others; they are like the Prieſt and the Levite that left the poor wounded perſon without any help; they fix not their eyes or their minds on ſad objects, for they find them to be very diſagreeable.
V. Another occaſion of weeping to good Chriſtians, is both from the Duties of Religion, and the more than ordinary Providences and Diſpenſation of God, that call them to it. There are ſeveral things, which though in the conſequence they are very pleaſant, yet are in themſelves very ſorrowful; as that which I have already mentioned, the bitterneſs of repentance; the trouble for the afflictions of others; and alſo the Duties of ſelf-denyal and mortification; of crucifying the fleſh with the affections and luſts thereof; of dying daily, and of keeping our hearts weaned from an inordinate affection to the Enjoyments and Comforts of the World. All good Chriſtians are to be in heavineſs for a ſeaſon, and to ſow in tears: And to theſe may be added the Calls we have to more publick and ſolemn Humiliations, by the neceſſity of our own Affairs, the Judgments of God, and the Pride, and Rage, and Succeſs of his and our Enemies; and this is the Duty to which we are now called; and let us take care that our days of Faſting and Prayers, may be mingled with the Tears of a true Repentance and Contrition, that ſo God who has been for us hitherto, may not be againſt us; and that we may not ſmart under Spiritual Judgments, which of all others are moſt formidable and ſevere, according to that in Iſa. 22.12, 13. Thus good Chriſtians have many juſt ſubjects of weeping; they weep to ſee themſelves as in Exile, and at a diſtance from their beloved Countrey; They weep to ſind themſelves compaſſed about with many infirmities, and unbecoming paſſions, that cauſe them to be engaged in continual War; They weep that they are expoſed to ſo many furious aſſaults of the Devil, and that they have ſo little ſtrength wherewith to reſiſt him; They weep when they conſider that their Good and Gracious God, is ſo much diſhonoured and forgot in his own World.
Inf. 1. What need all good Chriſtians have of Faith and Patience; of Faith, to conclude that God does all very well in Holineſs and Wiſdom, tho he ſuffer the World and the Church to groan under ſo many miſeries, and tribulations; and of patience, to ſubmit to what he appoints for our Lot, and not in the leaſt to repine or murmur at it. Without Faith we ſhall be apt to be ſtumbled at theſe ſeeming diſorders, and the inequal diſtributions of his Providence; and without Patience, we ſhall be apt to ſtruggle under the neceſſary Croſs, to be tired, and to ſay, It is in vain wait upon the Lord.
Inf. 2. Good Chriſtians have great Reaſon quietly to leave the World, and to dye when God ſhall be pleaſed to call them: It is a World of miſery, of ſorrows and vexation. We ſhould not be fond of our Chains, nor delight in Tears, nor embrace our Griefs; but remember we ſhall leave all theſe troubleſome things behind us, when we come to lye down in the quiet Graved: For there the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and there the weary be at reſt, Job 3.17. We do not ſure eſteem this ſtrange Land to be better than our Father's Houſe; we do not think that the Vale of Tears is better than the Joys of Heaven; to that Heaven then, let us often lift up our weeping eyes; with the hope of that let us comfort our ſad and mournful hearts; thither let us haſten, there let us long to be; into that Haven let us ſteer our diſtreſſed and weary Souls; Let us breathe after that Paradiſe that ſhall not be moleſted with the Poyſonous venom of the Serpent, and where no Thorns or Bryars grow: Let us not be fond of a perpetual Storm, nor be ſo fooliſh, as to think our Sighs better than Praiſes and Hallelujahs. Let us haſten in our deſires from this diſeaſed World, which by its low ſcituation is apt to ſuffer an inundation of innumerable miſeries; and prepare for that World, where there is an Eternal Health and Joy.