422 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLI.
mourning after sinners in the entreaties of the gospel ! But that I may vindicate this point more fully, I shall give —
1. Some observations concerning mourning for the sins of otiiers.
2. Give you the reasons of it. The observations arc these five : —
1. That it is an absolute duty to preach this doctrine, not only some high and raised effect of grace. Wiien we produce these instances and examples of the word, David, Lot, Jeremiah, and Christ, many think these are rare and extraordinary instances, elevated beyond the ordi- nary line and pitch of Christian practice and ])erfection. No; it is a matter of duty lying upon all Christians. AVhen God goes to mark out his peo])le for preservation, who are those that are marked? The mourners : Ezek. ix. 4, Go through the midst of the city, and set a mark upon the foreheads of them that sigh and cry for all the abomi- nations that are done in the midst thereof.' None are marked out for mercy but the mourners. The great difference between men and men in the world is the mourners in Zion and the sinners in Zion ; so that it lieth upon all, if we would have God's mark upon us. And the apostle reproveth the Corinthians for the want of this mourning: 1 Cor. v. 7, ' Ye are puffed up, when ye should rather have mourned.' Possibly many of the converted Corinthians disliked the foulness of the fact, but they did not mourn and solemnly lay it to heart ; therefore the apostle layeth a charge upon them. In all the examples that have been produced, that of Jesus Christ only is extraordinary ; and yet we are bound to have the same mind in us that was in Jesus. We must have the same mind, though we cannot have the same measure of affection. Christ had the spirit without measure, but we must have our proportion. If David can speak of floods, certainly we should at least be able to speak of drops. Somewhat of David's and Christ's spirit. Nay, the example of Christ in this very thing is propounded by the apostle : Kom. xv. 3, * For even Christ pleased not himself ; but, as it is written. The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.' The apostle speaketh there of bearing one another's burdens. Christ would bear the burden of all the world. He was moved with a zeal for the dishonour done to God, and compassion to men ; and so undertook the burden upon him, not to please himself, or seek the ease and safety of the natural life. Well, then, it is not some raised effect of grace, but a necessary duty which concerns all ; a frame of heart which all the children of God have. If you love God, and love your neighbour, if you believe heaven and hell, and have any sense of the truth of the promises or threatenings, you will be thus affected in some measure to mourn and grieve for the sins of others.
2, This duty doth chiefly concern public persons, though it lies upon all Christians, magistrates and ministers and officers of the church, because of their public and universal influence. Public persons must have public affections as well as public relations. You shall see in tliat type the church of the Jews is represented in their officers, Zech. iii. 1. When the people were corrupted, and in a calamitous condition, Joshua the high priest is brought in standing before the Lord in filthy garments, the priest is accused by Satan. Certainly public persons are more responsible to God than others, and more concerned than others
YeR. 136.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXTX. 423
in the sins committed in the land, or places where they have a charge. J\.mong private persons, a householder is more responsible than a ■private member of the family, if one under his charge fall into a noto- rious sin. You are responsible for your children and servants, and so ■are we for your souls. Under the law, Exod. xxii. 10, God said jf a man did deliver unto his neighbour an ox, or an ass, or a sheep, or any >beast to keep, and it did die, or was hurt, or was driven away, no man seeing it, or it did miscarry through his negligence, he was to make it good, because it was delivered into his hand. So I may say here, in quoting this law, Hath God a care of oxen ? God hath com- mitted souls to us, he hath put them into the hands of magistrates and ministers to keep them. Now because we do not discharge our duty, he will require their blood at our hands, Ezek. xxxiii. 7-9. Because of our trust and charge, we are bound to have more public affections : -Joel ii. 17, ' Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar.' Ministers should be exemplar for spiritual feeling and tenderness and humiliation. Under the law the measures of the sanctuary were double to other measures, I apply it to this very thing. Our portion must be greater, because of the burden that lies upon us. Paul speaketh as one sensible of the weightiness of his charge, in 2 Cor. xi. 29, ' Who is weak, and I am not weak ? who is offended, and I burn not ? ' Paul trembled to see a weak Christian in the hands of Satan ; and when they had taken offence, and begun tto stumble, this was his trouble and grief Mourning and burning is put for the violence of any affection. So Jeremiah the prophet, ' My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride.'