Duct. 5. That it is the duty of every 'Christian to take to heart the threaten- ings of God against the place and people where he doth live ; to take to heart the afflictions and miseries of the church and commonwealth, the grievances of others as well as his own. The mourning and weeping of Josiah was for the estate of the church, when he heard the judgment threatened against the place and inhabitants thereof. There be tears of compassion for our- selves and for others. There were both of them in Josiah ; for no doubt but he wept for himself and his own sins, and over and above his own had special tears of compassion for his people. Thus then it becomes a Chris- tian that will have the reward of Josiah, to abase his heart as he did for the estate of the church. Good Xehemiah took to heart the grief of his country. The joy of his own preferment did not so much glad him, as the grief for his nation the Jews cast him down. What joy can a true heart have, now the church of God is in affliction ? We are all of one house. When one part of the house is a-fire, the other part had need to look to itself. There were many things wrought upon the heart of Josiah, which caused him to weep ; so there are many causes should move us, as the seeing of the sins that are committed in the land ought to make us grieve, and to express our grief one way or other. And the love of Christ, were it in us, would make us mourn ; as when we hear God blasphemed, and his name dishonoured, and when we see the people bent to idolatry ; how can this but break even a heart of stone, nay, a gracious heart will mourn and weep for the judgment of God upon wicked men, considering them as men, and as the creatures of God. Thus Christ wept for the wicked Jews in Jerusalem, though they were his enemies : ' 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem,' &c., Luke xix. 41 ; and so good Jeremiah, though he were ill used, and exceedingly abused by the people, yet he saith, ' Oh that my head were water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for them,' Jer. ix. 1. Though they had wronged, persecuted, and counted him a contentious fellow, only because he taught the truth of God ; yet such was the affection of tender-hearted Jerehiiah, that he desired that he might weep day and night for them. But continual weeping must have a lasting spring affording continual issues of tears, which Jeremiah not find- ing in himself (such is the dryness of every man's heart, that it is soon emptied of tears), and thereupon fearing he should not weep enough, he doth earnestly desire it, and if hearty wishes may obtain, he would have it to be supplied with a plentiful measure of tears in his lamentation for the ensuing calamity of his people : ' 0 that mine head were a well of water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people ! '
VOL. VI. s
66 THE ART OF MOURNING.
Quest. But wli}' did not Jeremiah rather pray that they had a fountain of tears to weep for themselves ?
Ans. Because he, knowing the hardness of their hearts, thought it to no end to entreat them to weep for themselves. Their hearts were harder than the nethor millstone. They never desired it, yet he weeps for them. Thus we sec how godly men have been formerly aflected, and [that] it is our duty even to weep and mourn for the very wicked. We have matter enough of lamentation and weepings at this day, if wo look abroad ; and at home, if we look to judgments felt and feared, we have cause to weep, before the decree come out against us. Therefore we should meet God beforehand. It is no thank for a man to be humbled when the judgment is come upon him ; but when we can weep before the judgment is come, it is a sign of faith. Happy were we if faith could make us do that which sense makes wicked men to do. If the believing of the judgment before it come would make us seek unto God, Oh how God would love such a one ! This should teach us every one to mourn ; and indeed a Christian Boul cannot but do it, and that for divert; reasons.
1. First, Because nf that si/wpathij between the Head and the members. A Christian hath the spirit of Christ, who takes to heart the miseries of the church. Now, can that spirit of Christ be in any, and he not affected as Christ in heaven is affected ? Surely no.
2. Again, It must needs be so in regard of the communion tvhich is between the members of the bodi/. We are all a part of one mystical body, whereof Christ is the head. What member can he be of this body that doth not take to heart the miseries of the other members ? There is want of life where there is no sense of misery.