JaS. IV. 0.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 375
of them, but high aims and attempts in duty will do you no hurt. He that shooteth at the sun, though he come far short, will shoot higher than he that aimeth at a shrub ; it is best to eye the highest and worthiest examples. Again, it showeth how little of a Christian is found in them that are strangers to godly sorrow, that bathe and steep their souls in fleshly delights. Christ was ' a man of sorrows,' and the Spirit is a ' mourning dove.' I confess some Christians are of a sadder temper than others ; the Spirit acteth with difference and variety ; in some more mournfully, in others more raisedly. Some men's lives are spent in the silence of meditation, others in the heat of service, in doing and suffering for God. The one makes use of Christ's love, like holy Niobes, to dissolve and melt away their souls in tears ; the other to quicken themselves to action and more reso- lution for God. But certainly every Christian is of tender bowels, and they will find frequent occasions of mourning; and unless we be well humbled, we can hardly do well or suffer well.
Obs. 3. The next reason of this multiplication of words is to show that we must continue and persevere in it. We would soon turn over our hard lesson, and love not to dwell upon sad thoughts ; therefore the apostle returneth the duty again and again to our care : ' Be afflicted,' and then ' mourn,' and then ' weep.' Sorrow doth not work till it be deep and constant, and the arrows stick fast in the soul. David saith, ' My sin is ever before me,' Ps. li. 3. We must be held to it; slight sorrows are soon cured. Mourning is a holy exercise, by which the soul is every day more and more weaned from sin, and drawn out to r«ach after God. Well, then, it checketh those that con- tent themselves with a hasty sigh, and a little blowing upon the matter: judge you, is this being afflicted and mourning and weeping ? Check such a vain heart as would presently run out into the house of mirth again. But you will say, Would you have us turn HeracUtes, to be always weeping ? I answer — (1.) True it is that sorrow befitteth this life rather than joy. Now we are ' absent from the Lord,' under the burden of a ' vile body' and vicious affections ; it is our pilgrimage ; we have only a few ' songs,' God's statutes, Ps. cxix. 54. The com- munion that we have with God in ordinances is but little. Grace is mixed with sin, faith with doubts, knowledge with ignorance, and peace with troubles. Now ' we groan,' Rom. viii. 23. We are waiting and groaning for a full and final deliverance. We are as they that ' pass through the valley of Baca,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 6 ; the Septuagint read BaKpvoiv, tears. (2.) There are some special seasons and occa- sions of mourning, as chiefly in the time of God's absence : ' When the bridegroom is gone, then shall they mourn,' Mat. ix. 15 ; when we have lost the comforts and refreshings of God's presence, or the quickenings of his Spirit. The absence of the sun maketh the earth languish ; when you have lost the shine of his countenance, you should cry after him. So in times of great guilt, public or personal: ' Deep calleth on deep, and floods to floods ; ' the deluge of sins upon the flood of holy tears. So in times of great distempers, and the growing of carnal lusts. The persons to whom the apostle speaketh were envious, proud, covetous, ambitious, and he biddeth them 'weep and mourn,' &c. Salt water and bitter potions kill the worms ; so doth.
37G AN EXl'USITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. IV. [).
bitter weeping fleshly lusts : the exercises of repentance are the best means for the mortif3'in,2: of carnal desires. So in times when judg- ments are threatened. Thunder usually causeth rain ; and threaten- ings should draw tears from us. So in times of calamity, when judg- ments are actually inflicted : Isa. xxii. 12, ' Then the Lord called to sackcloth, and baldness, and ashes.' So also in times of great mercies, it is a fit season to remember our unkindness ; the warm sun melts : she wept much, because she was pardoned much, Luke vii. 38, with 47. When Christ had washed her soul with his blood, she washed his feet with her tears.
Let your laughter he turned info mourning. — He mcaneth their carnal rejoicing in their outward comforts and possessions, they being gotten by rapine and violence, as in the context. Observe hence : —
Ohs. 1. That it is a good exchange to put away carnal joy for godly sorrow; for then we put away a sin for a duty, brass for gold; yea, we have that in the duty which we expected in the sin, and in a more pure, full, and sweet way. God will give us that in sorrow which the world cannot find in pleasure; serenity, and contentment of mind. When the world repenteth of their joy, you will never repent of your sorrow, 2 Cor. vii. 10. Solomon saith, Prov. xiv. 13, ' The end of that mirth is heaviness.' Worldly comforts in the issue and close grow burdensome ; but who ever was the sadder for the hours of repentance ? Job ' cursed the day of his birth,' but who ever cursed the day of his new birth ? In this exchange of laughter for sorrow, you give that which is good for nothing for that which is useful to your souls. Eccles. ii. 2, 3, ' I have said of laughter, thou art mad ; ' that is, it bringeth forth no solid comfort or profit. When we turn our laughter into mourning, God will turn our mourning into laughter : John xvi. 20, ' Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.' Out of these salt waters God brewcth the wine of spiritual consolation. It is the curse of wicked men that their joy will be ' bitterness in the issue:' their wine proveth at length to be like ' the gall of as})S ;' a cu]) of deadly drink to their conscience. Well, then, be not prejudiced against g'xlly sorrow. Planctus lugen- tium are better then plansus thcafrorum, the saddest duties are sweeter then the greatest triumphs, and the worst and most afflicted part of godliness is better than all the joys and comforts of the world. It is better to have your good things to come, than here : Luke xvi. 21, he lived in jollity, but his good days wei-e ])ast. Do not measure things by the present sweetness, but by the futiue profit ; that which droppeth honey may prove wormwood. See Luke vi. 2;"), ' Woe unto you that langli now, for you shall weep,' &c.