The Beatitudes, Discourse · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX.
Shewing the hindrances of mourning.
Queſt. BUT what ſhall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame?
Anſw. Do two things. 1. Take heed of thoſe things which will ſtop theſe Channels of mourning.
2. Put your ſelves upon the uſe of all means that will help forward holy mourning.
1. Take heed of thoſe things which will ſtop the current of tears; there are nine hindrances of mourning.
Hindr. 1 1. The love of ſin; the love of ſin is like a ſtone in the pipe, which hinders the current of water; the love of ſin makes ſin taſte ſweet, and this ſweetneſs in ſin-bewitcheth the heart: Saint Hierom ſaith, it is worſe to love ſin, than to commit it: A man may be overtaken with ſin, Gal. 6.1. And he that hath ſtumbled upon ſin unawares, will weep; but the love of ſin hardens the heart, keeps the Divel in poſſeſſion; in true mourning there muſt be a grieving for ſin; but how can a man grieve for that ſin which his heart is in love with? oh take heed of this ſweet poyſon; the love of ſin freezeth the ſoul in impenitency.
Hindr. 2 2. Deſpair; deſpair affronts God, undervalues Chriſts blood, damns the ſoul. Jerem. 8.12. They ſaid there is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart: This is the language of deſpair, there is no hope, I had as good follow my ſins ſtill, and be damned for ſomething; deſpair preſents God to the ſoul, as a Judge clad in the garments of vengeance, Iſa. 59.17. Judas his deſpair was in ſome ſenſe worſe than his Treaſon. Deſpair deſtroys Repentance; for the proper ground of Repentance, is mercy. Rom. 2.4. The goodneſs of God leads thee to Repentance. But deſpair hides mercy out of ſight, as the cloud covered the Ark, Exod. 39. Oh take heed of this; Deſpair is an irrational ſin, there is no ground for it; the Lord ſhews mercy to thouſands, why mayeſt not thou be one of a thouſand? the wings of Gods mercy, like the wings of the Cherubims, are ſtretched out to every humble penitent; though thou haſt been a great ſinner, yet if thou art a weeping ſinner, there's a golden Scepter of mercy held forth, Pſal. 103.11. Deſpair locks up the ſoul in impenitency.
3. A conceit that this mourning will make us melancholy: Hindr. 3 We ſhall drown all our joy in our tears; but this is a miſtake. Loſe our joy? tell me what joy can there be in a natural condition? what joy doth ſin afford? is not ſin compared to a wound and a bruiſe? Iſa. 1.6. David had his broken bones, Pſal. 51. Is there any comfort in having the bones out of joynt? doth not ſin breed a palpitation and trembling of heart? Deutr. 28.66. Is it any joy for a man to be a Magor-miſſabib, a terror to himſelf? Surely of the ſinners laughter it may be ſaid, it is mad, Eccleſ. 2.2. Whereas holy mourning is the breeder of joy, it doth not eclipſe, but refine our joy, and make it better*Homine ad Deum converſo, mutatur ga…dium, non tollitur, Aug; the Prodigal dated his joy from the time of his Repentance, Luke 15.24. Then they began to be merry.
4. Checking the motions of the Spirit; the Spirit ſets Hindr. 4 us a mourning, it cauſeth all our ſpring-tides, Pſal. 87.7. all my ſprings are in thee. Oft we meet with gracious motions to prayer, and repentance; now when we ſtifle theſe motions, which is called a quenching the Spirit, 1 Theſ. 5.19. then we do, as it were, hinder the tyde from coming in. When the dew falls, then the ground is wet; when the Spirit of God falls as dew in its influences upon the ſoul, then it is moiſtned with ſorrow; but if the Spirit withdraw, the ſoul is like Gideons dry fleece; a ſhip can as well ſail without the wind, a bird can as well flie without wings, as we can mourn without the Spirit. Take heed of grieving the Spirit; do not drive away this ſweet Dove from the arke of thy ſoul. The Spirit is res tenera & delicata; if it be grieved, it may ſay, I will come no more; and if it once withdraw we cannot mourn.
5. Preſumption of mercy; Who will take pains with Hindr. 5 his heart or mourn for ſinne, that he may be ſaved at a cheaper rate? How many, Spider-like, ſuck damnation out of the ſweet flower of Gods mercy! Jeſus Chriſt who came into the world to ſave ſinners, is the occaſion of many a mans periſhing. Oh ſaith one, Chriſt died for me, he hath done all; What need I pray or mourn? Many a bold ſinner plucks death from the tree of life; and through preſumption goes to hell by that ladder of Chriſts blood, by which others go to heaven. It is ſad when the goodneſſe of God, which ſhould lead to repentance, Rom. 4.2. leads to preſumption; O ſinner do not hope thy ſelf into hell; take heed of being damned upon a miſtake. Thou ſayeſt God is merciful, therefore goeſt on ſecurely in ſinne. But who is mercy for? the preſuming ſinner, or the mourning ſinner? Iſa 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; no mercy without forſaking ſinne; and no forſaking ſinne without mourning. If a King ſhould ſay to a company of Rebels, Whoſoever comes in and ſubmits, ſhall have mercy; ſuch as ſtood out in rebellion, could not claime the benefit of the Pardon. God makes a Proclamation of mercy to the mourner; but ſuch as are not mourners, have nothing to do with mercy. The mercy of God is like the Arke, which none but the Prieſts were to meddle with; none may touch this golden Arke of mercy but ſuch as are Prieſts unto God *Rev 1.6., and have offered up the ſacrifice of tears.
6. A conceit of the ſmalneſſe of ſinne, Gen. 19.20. Is Hindr. 6 it not a little one? the Devil holds the ſmall end of the Perſpective-glaſſe to ſinners. To fancy ſinne leſſe than it is, is very dangerous: an opinion of the littleneſſe of ſinne keeps us from the uſe of means. Who will be earneſt for a Phyſitian that thinks it is but a trivial diſeaſe? and who will ſeek to God with a penitent heart for mercy, that thinks ſinne is but a ſlight thing? But to take off this wrong conceit about ſinne, and that we may look upon it with watry eyes: conſider,
1. Sinne cannot be little, becauſe it is againſt the Majeſty of heaven; there is no treaſon ſmall, it being againſt the Kings perſon.
2. Every ſinne is ſinful, therefore damnable: a Pen-knife or Stilletto makes but a little wound, but either of them may kill as well as a greater weapon: there's death and hell in every ſinne, Rom. 6.23. What was it for Adam to pluck an Apple? but that loſt him his crown. 'Tis not with ſinne as it is with diſeaſes, ſome are mortal, ſome not mortal; the leaſt ſinne without repentance, will be a lock and bolt to ſhut men out of heaven.
3. View ſinne in the red glaſſe of Chriſts ſufferings; the leaſt ſinne coſt the price of blood. Would you take a a true proſpect of ſinne, go to Golgotha. Jeſus Chriſt was fain to vail his glory, and loſe his joy, and pour out his ſoul an offering for the leaſt ſinne; read the greatneſſe of thy ſin in the deepneſſe of Chriſts wounds. Let not Satan caſt ſuch a miſt before your eyes, that you cannot ſee ſin in its right colours. Remember, not only great rivers fall into the Sea, but little brooks; not only great ſinnes carry men to hell, but leſſer.
Hindr. 7 7. Procraſtination; or an opinion it is too ſoone yet to tune the penitential ſtring. When the Lamp is almoſt out, the ſtrength exhauſted, and old age comes on, then mourning for ſinne will be in ſeaſon, but it is too ſoone yet. That I may ſhew how pernicious this opinion is, and that I may rowle away this ſtone from the mouth of the Well, that ſo the waters of repentance may be drawn forth, let me propoſe theſe four ſerious and weighty conſiderations.
1. Doſt thou know what it is to be in the ſtate of nature, and wilt thou ſay it is too ſoone to get out of it? Thou art under the wrath of God, John 3.36. and is it too ſoone to get from under the dropping of this Vial? Thou art under the power of Satan, Acts 26.18. and is it too ſoone to get out of the enemies quarters?
2. Men do not argue thus in other caſes; they do not ſay, It is too ſoon to be rich; they wil not put off getting the world till old age; no, here they take the firſt opportunity: Is it not too ſoone to be rich, and is it too ſoon to be good? is not repentance a matter of the greateſt conſequence? Is it not more needful for men to lament their ſinne, than augment their eſtate?
3. Gods call to mourning looks for preſent entertainment, Heb. 3.7, 8. To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. A General beſieging a garriſon, ſummons it to ſurrender upon ſuch a day, or he will ſtorme it. Such are Gods ſummons to repentance, To day if ye will heart his voice; ſinners, when Satan hath tempted you to any wickedneſſe, you have not ſaid, It is too ſoone Satan, but have preſently embraced his tentation; have you not put the Devil off, and will you put God off?
4. It is a fooliſh thing to adjourn, and put off mourning for ſin; for 1. The longer you put off holy mourning, the harder you will finde the work when you come to it. A bone that is out of joynt, is eaſier ſet at firſt than if you let it go longer. A diſeaſe taken in time is ſooner cured than if it be let alone till it comes to a Paroxyſme*Sero medicina paretur, cum mala per longas invaluere moras. You may eaſily wade over the waters when they are low, if you ſtay till they are riſen, they will be beyond your depth. O ſinner, the more treaſons thou committeſt, the more doſt thou incenſe heaven againſt thee, and the harder it will be to get thy pardon; the longer thou ſpinneſt out the time of thy ſinning, the more work thou makeſt for repentance. 2. To adjourn, and put off mourning for ſin, is folly, in reſpect of the uncertainty of life; how doth the procraſtinating ſinner know that he ſhall live to be old? What is your life? it is but a vapour, James 4.14. how ſoone may ſickneſſe arreſt thee, and death ſtrike off thy head? may not thy ſun ſet at noone? Oh then what imprudence is it to put off mourning for ſin, and to make a long work, when death is about to make a ſhort work? Caeſar deferring to read the Letter ſent him, was ſtab'd in the Senate-houſe. 3. 'Tis folly to put off all till laſt in reſpect of the improbability of finding mercy; though God give thee ſpace to repent, he may deny thee grace to repent. When God calls for mourning and thou art deaf, when thou calleſt for merciemercy God may be dumb, Prov. 1.24, 28. Think of it ſeriouſly, God may take the latter time to judge thee in, becauſe thou didſt not take the former time to repent in. 4. To reſpit our ſolemn turning to God till old age, or ſickneſſe, is high imprudence, becauſe theſe late acts of devotion are for the moſt part diſſembled and ſpurious. Though true mourning for ſin be never too late,*Sera poenitentia raro vera. yet late mourning is ſeldome true†. That repentance is ſeldome true-hearted, which is gray-headed; 'Tis diſputable whether theſe Autumn-tears are not ſhed more out of fear of hell, than love to God. The Mariner in a ſtorm throws his goods over-board, not but that he loves them, but he is afraid they will ſink the ſhip; when men fall to weeping-work late, and would caſt their ſins over-board, it is for the moſt part only for fear leſt they ſhould ſink the ſhip and drown in hell; 'Tis a great queſtion whether the ſick bed penitent doth not mourn becauſe he can keep his ſins no longer. All which conſidered, may make men take heed of running their ſouls upon ſuch a deſperate hazard as to put all their work for heaven upon the laſt hour.
Hindr. 8 8. Delay of the execution of juſtice. Eccleſ. 8.11. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſonnes of men is fully ſet in them to do evil. God forbears puniſhing, therefore men forbear repenting. He doth not ſmite upon their back by correction, therefore they do not ſmite upon their thigh by humiliation, Jer. 31.19. The ſinner thinks thus, God hath ſpar'd me all this while, he hath eeked out patience into long-ſuffering; ſure he will not puniſh, Pſal. 10.11. He hath ſaid in his heart, God hath forgotten. God ſomtimes in infinite patience adjourns his judgements, and puts off the Seſſions awhile longer; he is not willing to puniſh, 2 Pet. 3.9. The Bee naturally gives hony, but ſtings only when it is angred. The Lord would have men make their peace with him, Iſa. 27.5. God is not like an haſty creditor, that requires the debt, and will give no time for the payment; he is not only gracious, but waits to be gracious *Poenitentiam expectat tuam, dum patientiam exercet ſuam.. Iſa. 30.18. but God by his patience would bribe ſinners to repentance; but alas how is this patience abuſed; Gods long-ſuffering hardens; becauſe God ſtops the Vial of his wrath, ſinners ſtop the Conduit of tears. That the patience of God may not (through our corruption) obſtruct holy mourning, let ſinners remember: 1. Gods patience hath bounds ſet to it, Gen. 6.3. Though men will not ſet bounds to their ſin, yet God ſets bounds to his patience; there is a time when the Sun of Gods patience will ſet; and being once ſet, it never returns any degrees backward; the Leaſe of patience will ſoon be run out: There is a time when God ſaith, My Spirit ſhall no longer ſtrive. The Angel cryed, the houre of his judgement is come, Rev. 14.7. Perhaps the next ſin thou committeſt, God may ſay, Thy houre is now come. 2. To be hardned under patience, makes our condition far worſe; incenſed juſtice will revenge abuſed patience; God was patient towards Sodom, but not repenting, he made the fire and brimſtone flame about their ears. Sodom that was once the wonder of Gods patience, is now a ſtanding Monument of Gods ſeverity; all the plants and fruits are deſtroyed; and as Tertullian ſaith, that place ſtill ſmels of fire and brimſtone*Olet adhuc incendio terra.. Long forbearance is no forgiveneſs; God may keep off the ſtroak a while, but juſtice is not dead, but ſleepeth. God hath leaden feet, but iron hands; the longer God is taking his blow, the ſorer it will be when it comes; the longer a ſtone is falling, the heavier it will be at laſt; the longer God is whetting his Sword, the ſharper it cuts; ſins againſt patience are of a deeper dye; theſe are worſe than the ſins of the Divels: The lapſed Angels never ſinned againſt Gods patience; how dreadful will their condition be, who therefore ſin, becauſe God is patient; for every crumb of patience, God puts a drop of wrath into his Viol; the longer God forbears a ſinner, the more intereſt he is ſure to pay in hell.
Hindr. 9 9. Mirth and Muſick: Amos 6.5. That chant to the ſound of the Viol, and drink wine in Bowles; inſtead of the Dirge, the Antheam, many ſing away ſorrow, and drown their tears in wine; the ſweet waters of pleaſure deſtroy the bitter waters of mourning. How many go dancing to hell, like thoſe fiſh which ſwim down pleaſantly into the dead Sea! Let us take heed of all theſe hindrances of holy tears: Let our Harp be turned into mourning, and our Organ into the voyce of them that weep, Job 30.31.
CHAP. X.
Shewing ſome helps to mourning.
HAving removed the obſtructions, let me in the laſt place propound ſome helps to holy mourning.
1. Set Davids proſpect continually before you. Pſal. 51.4. My ſinne is ever before me. David, that he might be a mourner, kept his eye ſtill upon ſin; See what ſin is, and then tell me if there be not enough in it to draw forth tears. I know not what name to give it bad enough; one calls it the Divels excrement; ſin is malorum colluvies, it is a complication of all evil; it is the ſpirits of miſchief diſtilled. 1. Sin diſhonours God; it denies Gods Omniſciency, it derides his Patience, it diſtruſts his Faithfulneſs; ſin tramples upon Gods Law, ſlights his Love, grieves his Spirit. 2. Sin wrongs us. 1. Sin ſhames us: Prov. 14.34. Sin is a reproach to any people; ſin hath made us naked, it hath plucked off our Robe, and taken our Crown from us; it hath ſpoiled us of our glory; nay, it hath not only made us naked, but impure. Ezek. 16.6. I ſaw thee polluted in thy blood. Sin hath not only taken off our cloth of gold, but it hath put upon us filthy garments, Zach. 3.3. God made us after his likeneſs, Gen. 1.26. but ſin hath made us like the Beaſts that periſh, Pſal. 49. ult. We are all become brutiſh in our affections; nor hath ſin made us only like the Beaſts, but like the Divel, John 8.44. Sin hath drawn the Divels picture upon mans heart. 2. Sin ſtabs us; the ſinner like the Jaylor, draws a Sword to kill himſelf*Acts 16.27.; he is bereaved of his judgement, and like the man in the Goſpel, poſſeſſed with the Divel, he cuts himſelf with ſtones *Mark 5 5.; though he hath ſuch a ſtone in his heart that he feels it not. Every ſin is a ſtroak at the ſoul; tot vitia, tot vulnera; ſo many ſins, ſo many wounds; every blow given to the Tree, helps forward the Felling of the Tree: Every ſin is an hewing and chopping down the ſoul for hell-fire; if then there be all this evil in ſin; if this forbidden fruit hath ſuch a bitter Core, it may make us mourn; our hearts ſhould be the Spring, and our eyes the Rivers.
2. If we would be Mourners, let us be Orators: Beg a ſpirit of contrition*Da Domine Deus cordi mee poenitentiam, oculis lachrymarum fontem. Auſtin.; pray to God that he will put us in mourning, that he will give us a melting frame of heart; let us beg Achſahs bleſſing, Joſh. 15. Springs of water, Joſh. 15.19. Let us pray that our hearts may be ſpiritual limbecks, dropping tears into Gods bottle. Let us pray that we who have the poyſon of the Serpent, may have the tears of the Dove; the Spirit of God is a Spirit of mourning; let us pray that God would poure that Spirit of grace on us, whereby we may look on him whom we have pierced, and mourn for him, Zach. 12.10. God muſt inſpirare, before we can ſuſpirare; he muſt breath in his Spirit*Velle bonum niſi gratiae adminiculo non poſſumus. Aug. de grat. & lib. arbit., before we can breath out our ſorrows; the Spirit of God is like the fire in a Still, that ſends up the dews of grace in the heart, and cauſeth them to drop from the eyes. 'Tis this bleſſed Spirit whoſe gentle breath cauſeth our ſpices to ſmell, and our waters to flow; and if the ſpring of mourning be once ſet open in the heart, there can want no joy; as tears flow out, comfort flows in; which leads to the ſecond part of the Text, they ſhall be comforted.