1. This slightness proceeds : —
First, From want of consideration. There can be no patience where there is no sense of evils. They will not give their thoughts leave to work upon such objects. I do not say we must make it the cause or object of our mourning, yet I say we must make it the occa- sion ; this must awaken sad thoughts in us about our own sins or others' sufferings, but they will not think of it. These are such as are described by the prophet to ' put far away the evil day,' Amos vi. 3 ; that is, all consideration of God's dealings with them or others.
Secondly, From indulging pleasure. A voluptuous spirit is an insensible spirit : Eph. iv. 19, ' Who, being past feeling, give them- selves over to work uncleanness with greediness.' So it is said, Hosea iv. 11, 'Whoredom and wine do take away the heart;' that is, all smartness and quickness of affection. When the soul is sleeping in pleasure, there is a brawniness brought over it. Pleasure is the drunkenness of the soul, and a drunken man'feeleth nothing: Prov. xxiii. 35, ' They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick ; they have beaten me, and I felt it not.'
Thirdly, Vain thoughts : Jer. iv. 14, ' How long shall vain thoughts dwell within thee ? ' Evil workings of spirit, either seeking a wayhow they may get out, or contriving how it maketh for their worldly advan- tage. The devil darts evil thoughts in us, how a cross by some sinful course may work for our temporal good, our state be augmented thereby, or capable of further contentment and advancement in the world.
2. Christian patience cometli from this ground ; it doth not exclude a sense of evil, but a quieting of the heart against evil. These are the grounds and workings of the thoughts.
First, It seeth God in it : 1 Sam. iii. 18, ' It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth him good ; Ps. xxxix. 9, ' I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it.'
1 ' That he had never been reconciled with his mother ; ' implying that he had never disagreed with her. — Ed.
430 A FUNERAL SERMON. [1 CoR. VII. 30.
Secondly, It seetli God acting with sovereignty : Dan. iv. 35, ' None can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou ? ' Joh ix. 12, ' Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder hira ? who will say to him What doest thou ? ' Joh xxxiii. 13, ' What, dost thou strive with him ? he giveth no account of his matters,'
Thirdly, This sovereignty mollified with attributes; as —
[1.] A\ ith infinite justice: Dan. ix. 14, 'The Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he doeth ; ' just and righteous in all his ways. It is just because God doeth it ; his will is the measure of his actings: Deut. xxvii. 15, ' All the people to say, Amen;' it is just, Lord.
[2.] With infinite wisdom : Isa. xxviii. 29, ' He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.' He knoweth what is better for you thani you yourselves; for God hath the bowels of a mother, so the wisdom of a father.
[3.] With infinite love. It looketh upon God as a father : John xviii. 11, ' The cup that my Father hath given me, shall I not drink of it ? ' though a bitter cup, it is from my Father.
[4.] AVith infinite faithfulness : Ps. cxix. 75, ' I know thy judgments are right, and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.' It looketh upon afflictions as a means in God's hands. I proceed to the second point : —
Doct. 2. That Christians ought so to sorrow under the sense of their afflictions as if they did not sorrow.
Their affections must be moderately exercised. Having in the former point showed what sorrow may be allowed, or is required of a Christian, I shall show you here what sorrow is disallowed or unlawful.
1. Such as overwhelmeth and dejectcth the spirit, so as you are not your own man. This is called a fainting, or a sinking of the soul under affliction : Heb. xii. 5, ' Faint not when thou are rebuked of the Lord.' As we must not slight it, so we must not faint under it. Fainting hquando anima dejicitur de statu, when the soul is put out of the condition of a free soul, and delivered over to the possession of another. God hath given every man this fee-simple, to possess him- self. Now we are not ourselves when we are overcome with grief and sorrow ; and therefore it is said, Luke xxi. 19, ' In patience possess your souls ; ' implying that a man hath not the use and command of his soul when he is overcome with grief ; it doth as it were dispossess a man of himself. You know, of a drunken man we say, he is not himself, because he hath not the free use of his reason. Now this being over- whelmed with sorrow is expressed in scripture by this very term, being drunk ; as Isa. Ixiii. G, ' I will tread them down in mine anger, I will make them drunk in ray fury ; ' that is, bring such affliction as tliey shall not be able to enjoy themselves under it, to have the free use and exercise of their reason.