3. Thirdly, As it is seasonable, so it is profitable ; for godly mourning it never hurts, it alway helps. Carnal sorrow leaves a man worse than it finds him. It makes him more sick, and more weak, than it finds him. Spi- ritual sorrow leaves him better. He that can pour forth his heart before God, he that can go charged and loaden to heaven, with his heart full of fear and full of grief and full of sorrow, as ever it can hold, that man shall return back again loaden with joy, and peace, and comfort. Thou shalt never in thy life go before the Lord in sorrow and grief, and there spend but one quarter of an hour in tears, and prayer, and lamenting before the Lord, but thou shalt find thy heart somewhat lightened, somewhat eased and refreshed in so doing. Well then, since it is profitable for us, let us do it. As it is profitable for the soul, so it is for the body. This is the only means that is left to save ourselves. In Ezek. ix. 2, you know one was sent, with a pen and inkhorn, to mark out the mourners, that they might be saved in the common plague and judgment ; and that God might be gracious and merciful to them. It is the only thing that is now left us. We must betake ourselves to prayer, and tears, and to lamentation, if we would not have judgments to fall upon us. This is profitable for the whole state, if there be some righteous men. If there had been but ten of these mourners in five cities of the plague, f they had been upheld all for their sakes. The
* Cf. Memoir, Vol. I. pp. Ivii.-lix.— G. f Qu. ' plain '?— Ed.
278 SPIUITUAL MOURNING.
righteous man upholds the laud and nation ; they do beat back the judg- ments ; and therefore, for the common good, let us mourn.
4. Lastly, It is very comfortable. It doth wondrously refresh a man. It is that that kills a Christian man, when he remembers many times the com- forts he hath had heretofore when his heart was enlarged ; and if he could pour forth himself, and weep as once he could have done before the Lord, he would part with all the world for an heart so tender, and so soft, and so enlarged. There is no comfort to this in a Christian, he prizeth it above all other comforts in this world. Then he thinks himself in a safe estate, in the best case, in a comfortable estate and condition, when he can mourn best, when he can weep and sorrow for his sins, and weep over Christ.
Well, my brethren, let us consider these things, and now apply them to ourselves, and say, 0 my heart, thou hast need to mourn, it is time for thee to mourn ! 0 my soul, it is profitable for thee to mourn ! 0 my soul, it is comfortable for thee to mourn ! If thou desire thine own profit, thine own ease, thine own comfort and safety, if thou desire life and salva- tion, betake thyself to this course ; gather thyself from company ; go alone, and set before thee thy sins thou hast committed, how bad thou hast been to God, how good he hath been to thee, what a kind Father he hath been, and what a froward child thou hast been. Lay these together till thou hast provoked thyself to some sorrow and tears. Thus if we could do, we should find comfort more than worldlings find in laughter, and in their merriment and sports ; we should find more comfort this way than we shall in cold and comfortless weeping for crosses, and lamenting for afflictions ; but, for that and other uses of the point, I am enforced, whether I will or no, to defer till next time.
SPIRITUAL MOURNING.
THE SECOND SERMON.
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. — Mat. V. 4.
The lesson here is thus much, they that mourn in an holy manner, they are in an happy case. The proof of this doctrine is this,- i they shall be com- forted.' We heard the last day, he is an happy man that can mourn in an holy manner ; he is happy in his judgment. A holy afi'ection argues an holy understanding. He is happy in his heart and inward temper, for holy mourning comes from a kind of spiritual softness and tenderness. He is happy in the effect of his mourning. Holy mourning will keep out carnal and worldly sorrow. It is a sorrow that a man needs never to sorrow for again ; it is such a sorrow that tends to life and salvation. Worldly sorrow tends to death. He is happy in the issue of his mourn- ing, for mourning makes way for rejoicing. He that now weeps shall one day laugh. Nay, for the present, the more he mourns in an holy manner, the more solid and substantial is his present comfort.
It is our folly and misery both, therefore, that we so utterly mistake the matter. We give way to a sorrow that will hurt us, and keep possession against that which will do us good. We see reason, as we imagine, why we should grieve in a passionate manner ; we can see no reason why we should mourn in a spiritual manner. It is our unhappiness we can find time and leisure for the taking in of poison, that tends to death ; we can find no place fit, no time, no opportunity for the receiving of a preservative that will bound and keep the heart against all poison. Of this point we have already said something too. What remains to be spoken of it in further uses we will gather in anon, and touch upon it in the prosecution of a new point if we can.