Now for the words. There are, you see, two things in this verse.
1. A point. 2. A' proof.
Our Saviour's point shall be our point of doctrine at this time, because we would not speak one thing twice. Therefore we will lay down the point in our Saviour's own words, and that is this, that spiritual mourners are blessed men. He is an happy man that is a good mourner. He that can mourn for his sins, he is in an happy case. That is the point.
Now in the prosecution of this, we must first expound it ; secondly, prove it ; and then apply it to you, as our Saviour doth to his hearers, Luke vi. 21,
* Blessed are ye that mourn.'
1. For the first, I may expound the point and the text both under one. You see the proposition what it is, every good mourner is in an happy con- dition. Here let us consider a little the terms to exphcate them. Who is the party in speech ? * Blessed is the mourner,' saith Christ in Matthew ;
* Blessed,' saith he in Luke vi. 21, ' are the weepers.' Both these, mourn- ing and weeping, they are fruits of the same tree and root. The root is sorrow and sadness, opposite to joy ; the bud mourning, opposite to mirth ;
* The reference is probably to ' Rich. Poverty,' from Zephaniah iii. 12, in the present volume. — G.
2C8 SPIRITUAL MOURNING.
the blossoms weeping, opposite to laughter. The matter then is this, that they that are spiritual mourners are happy men ; that is, those men that have not only cause and matter of sorrow and mourning, for so all have, but have also a heart to mourn. There is in them a disposition of mourn- ing, they can do it, they will do it occasionally, they do perform it inwardly, they bleed, which is termed mourning outwardly, they demonstrate it, as our Saviour instanceth in weeping. These be the parties here spoken of that are mourners. Now what is the thing that is affirmed of them ? that is, blessedness and happiness ; the mourners are blessed and happy. As mourning is in [itjself, it is not simply good, but because it makes way for happiness. To call mourning happiness simply, were to speak a contra- diction, to term misery felicity, and to make felicity misery. But he that mourns aright, is happy in a sense, he is in a happy estate and condition. A mournful state is a happy estate ; happy, because this mourning is an argument of some happiness and goodness for the present, and a pledge of more for the future. It makes way for comfort and future happiness, and therefore he is happy.
Obj. You see the proposition now, how it is mournful men are happy men. But now for the quantity and extent of this proposition. Is this, will some men say, universally true ? Are all men that mourn blessed men ?
A)is. Nothing less. There is a carnal mourning, when a man mourns for the presence of goodness, and for the absence of sin, because he is restrained and cannot be so bad as he would be. There is a natural mourning, when a man mourns upon natural motives, when natural losses and crosses are upon him. There is a spiritual mourning, when a man mourns in a spiritual manner, for spiritual things, upon spiritual motives, as afterwards we shall shew ; when he mourns, because good things that are spiritually good are so far from him, and spiritual ills are so near to him. This is the mourner that Christ here speaks of, and this is the mourning that hath the blessing. Other mourning may occasion this through God's blessing, and may give some overture to this mourning, but the blessing belongs to the spiritual mourner and the spiritual mourning. Mourning must be expounded as poverty. Eveiy poor man is not a blessed man, except his outward poverty bring him to spiritual poverty. So every mourner and every weeper is not therein blessed, except his outward losses, and crosses, and occasions, be an occasion through God's blessing and a means to bring him to spiritual sorrow and mourning. Thus now j'ou see then the meaning of the proposition ; it is thus much, that he that mourns spiritually and holily, why he is in an happy estate and condition. This is the meaning of the point.
2. Now let us proceed to the second thing, the proving of it. For proof we need go no further than our Saviour's own testimony ; yet we have besides his testimony some proofs and some reasons to give. For his testimony : ' Blessed,' saith our Saviour's own mouth, * are they that mourn ;' and Luke vi. 21, ' Blessed are they that weep.' This weeping and this mourning must be understood of spiritual weeping and spiritual mourning, as we told you, and then the testimony is very clear, every man that so mourns is an happy man. Our Saviour doth not only speak this, but prove it, 1. By an argument drawn from the contrary : Luke vi. 25, ' Woe be to you that laugh now.' These carnal mirth-mongers are in a miserable estate, and therefore spiritual mourners are in an happy estate. 2. He confirms and backs this by a reason here in the text : ' Blessed are