Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 4
Verse 4. Blessed are they that mourn]
For sinne, with a funerall foreignex morte … ….sorrow (as the word signifieth) such as is expressed by crying and weeping, Luk. 6. 25. such as was that at Megiddo, for… of Naim, as Iacob … Ioseph, as `David … his …. the losse of good Josiah: or as when a man mourns for his only sonne, Zech. 12. 10. This is the work of the spirit of grace and of supplication: for till the windes doe blow, these waters cannot flow, Psal. 147. 18. He convinceth the heart of sinne, and makesThere … was …, … for. Isa. …. …. it to become a very Hadadrimmon for deep-soaking sorrow, upon the sight of him whom they have pierced. When a man shall look upon his sinnes as the weapons, and himself as the traitour,…. 12. 10. that put to death the Lord of life, this causeth that sorrow according to God, that worketh repentance never to be 2 Cor. 7. 10.repented of.
For they shall be comforted.]
Besides the comfort they finde in their very sorrow (for it is a sweet sign of a sanctified soul, and… 12. …. seals a man up to the day of redemption, Ezek. 9. 4.) they lay up … themselves thereby in store a good foundation of comfort against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternall life, as the Apostle speaketh in another case, 1 Tim. 6. 19. These April showres bring on May flowers: they that here so we in tears shall reap in joy; they that finde Christs feet a fountain to wash in, may…. …. 1. expect his side a fountain to bath in. Oh how sweet a thing is it to stand weeping at the wounded feet of Jesus, as that good woman did! to water them with tears, to dry them with sighes, and to … them with our mouths! None, but those that have felt it, can tell the comfort of it, The stranger meddleth not with this joy. When our merry Greeks, that laugh themselves fat, and light a candle at the devil for lightsomenesse of heart, hunting after it to hell, and haunting for it ale-houses, conventicles of good fellowship, sinfull and unseasonable sports, vain and waterish fooleries, &c. when these mirth-mongers (I say) that take pleasure in pleasure, and jeer when they should fear, with Lots sonnes-in-law, shall be at a foul stand, and not have whither to turn them, Isa. 33. 14. Gods mourners shall be able to dwell with devouring fire, with everlasting burnings, to stand before the sonne of man at his second comming. Yea, as the lower the ebbe, the higher the tide: so the lower any hath descended in humiliation, the higher shall he ascend then in his exaltation. Those that have helped to fill Christs bottle with tears, Christ shall then fill their bottle (as once he did Hagars) with the water of life. He looked back upon the weeping women, & comforted them, that would not vouchsafe a loving look, or a word to Pilate, or the Priests. Not longJoh. 16. 20, 1. before that, he told his Disciples, Ye shall indeed be sorrowfull, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. And further addeth, A woman when she is in travell, hath sorrow, &c. comparing sorrow for sinne, to that of a travelling woman. 1. For bitternesse and sharpnesse for the time, throws of the new birth. 2. For utility and benefit: it tendeth to the bringing a man-childe forth into the world. 3. For the hope and expectation that is in it, not only of an end, but also of fruit; this makes joy in the midst of sorrows. 4. There is a certain time set for both, and a sure succession, as of day after night, and of fair weather after foul. Mourning lasteth but till morning: Though I fall, I shall arise; though Psal. 30. 5.I sit in darknesse, the Lord shall give me light, saith the Church.Micah 7. 8. Jabes was more honourable then his brethren, saith the Text, for his mother bare him with sorrow, and called his name Jabes, that1 Chron. 4. 9. 10. is, sorrowfull. But when he called upon the God of Israel, and said, Oh that thou wouldst blesse me indeed, and enlarge my coast, &c. God granted him that which he requested. And so he will all such Israelites indeed, as ask the way to Zion, with their facesJer. 50. 4, 5. thitherward, going and weeping as they goe, to seek the Lord, their God, he shall wipe all tears from their eyes (as nurses … from their babes that cry after them) and enlarge, not their coasts (as Jabes) but their hearts (which is better) yea, he shall grant them their requests, as him. So that as Hannah (when she had praid, and Eli for her) she looked no more sad: yea, as David when he came before God in a woe-case many times, yet when1 Sam. 1. 16. he had poured forth his sorrowfull complaint there, he rose up triumphing, as Psal. 6. &c. So shall it be with such. They … Psal. 126. 6.forth and weep, bearing precious seed, but shall surely return with rejoycing, and bring their sheaves with them; Gripes ofM. …. gladnesse (said that Martyr) when Abraham the good housholder shall fill his bosome with them, in the Kingdome of heaven. Then as one hour changed Iosephs fetters into a chain of gold, … rags into robes, his stocks into a charriot, his prison into a palace, his brown bread and water into manchet and wine: So shall God turn all his … sadnesse into gladnesse, all their sighing into singing, all their musing into musick, all … into triumphs,… Hist. Luctus in laetitiam convertetur, lachrymae in risum, saccus in sericum, Christi.cineres in corollas & unguentum, jejunium in epulum, … retortio in applausum. He that will rejoyce with this joy unspeakable, must stirre up sighes that are unutterable.