(3.) When resolute and incorrigible. Resolute ; we have, and we will : Jer. xliv. 16, 17, ' As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee ; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goetli forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink- offerings unto her, as we have done, we and our fathers.' And incorrigible : Jer. v. 3, ' They have refused to receive correction, they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return.'
(4.) When bold in sinning: Isa. iii.9, 'The show of their countenance <3otli witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.' When men commit sin without shame or fear, break over all banks of love, moderation, or civility.
[2.] In respect of judgments felt or feared. When the day of the Lord is near, or already begun, when the smoke foreshoweth the fire is a-coming, and the decree ready to break forth, these are mourning times.
Secondly, The reasons why this is the duty and property of God's children ; they do it out of obedience, it is their duty ; and they do it out of an innate disposition, it is their property.
1. It is their duty i)ecause God hath commanded it. Now all God's commands are equal, and full of reason ; and there is a great deal of reason why God should lay this kind of duty upon the creature.
[1.] That it may be an allay to zeal. That is an excellent and well- tempered zeal when grief is mixed with anger : as it is said of Christ,
VeR. 136.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 427
he looked about with anger, and was grieved at the hardness of their hearts ; when we are angry at the sin, and mourn for the person, and mourn over him. Zeal against the sin, that shows our love to God ; and our commiseration of the person, that shows our love to man. Samuel spared not Saul in his sin, yet mourned for him. And all the prophets of God you shall find, when they were threatening the people for their sins, were grieved lest their threatenings should be accom- plished. False zeal hath malice and mischief; it mourns not for the. person, because it coveteth his shame and destruction. Now it is the great wisdom of God he would have this temper mixed. There must be anger for the oftence done to God, and a grief that our brother hath offended. The world is apt to cry out ujion the children of God, as persons peevish and rancorous ; but this is a rare vindication, when they see you as apt to mourn as to chide, that all your expostulations with them come rather from conscience than interest ; it is an excellent allay and praise to public zeal.
[2.] God would have us mourn for the sins of others, to engage us to seek redress and reformation. We should soon neglect the duty that we owe to the age and place where and when we live, were it not for this, that the want of it would be burdensome to us, and the abounding of iniquity will cost us bitter tears upon God's command, and upon zealous endeavours to get a public reformation. Ezra first mourns bitterly, then reforms zealously : Ezra ix. 6, 7, ' I plucked off the hair of my head, and rent my garment, and said, 0 my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, 0 God ; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens,' &c. Zealous actions, which few practise in their own case ; yet sins of others, you see, work an afflictive grief and shame in those that fear God. These were the actions of Ezra when he was bewailing the sins of others, and this made him so resolute and active in the reformation that is described in the next chapter. Their love begets sorrow, and their sorrow care. Who would not seek to redress the evil which is burdensome to him ? Many times the world is angry, because we are so clamorous for reformation and repentance. You have liberty enough, say they, and may serve God in your own way, and go to heaven quietly ; why should you trouble yourself about others ? }3ut can a man that grieveth for the abominations of the times be silent till they be redressed ? A Christian is troubled about the salvation of others, to see so many thousands of souls carried to hell by droves, and hurried to their own destruction. Caa pity and remorse behold this, without care and endeavours with God and man to get it remedied ? Certainly, the children of God are not impertinently active and pragmatical. Public reformation is not only a relief to their souls, but to their bowels. They are troubled, therefore thirst and long to see it redressed : 2 Cor. vii. 11, ' Godly sorrow,' saith Paul, * what carefulness it wrought in you 1 ' He speaketh of their public church sorrow. Till they mourned, they neglected the discipline of the church, and let incest go without censure. 0 my brethren ! until vv^e mourn for public disorders, we shall not mourn over one another. We think it is enough to keep ourselves free, and to make a little conscience of our own ways. Always private sorrow will beget public