Chapter 9

Showing the hindrances of mourning.

Question: But what shall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame?

Answer: Do two things. First, take heed of those things which will stop these channels of mourning.

Second, put yourselves upon the use of all means that will help forward holy mourning.

Take heed of those things which will stop the current of tears; there are nine hindrances of mourning.

First, the love of sin; the love of sin is like a stone in the pipe, which hinders the current of water. The love of sin makes sin taste sweet, and this sweetness in sin bewitches the heart. Jerome says it is worse to love sin than to commit it. A man may be overtaken with sin (Galatians 6:1), and he that has stumbled upon sin unawares will weep. But the love of sin hardens the heart, keeps the devil in possession. In true mourning there must be a grieving for sin; but how can a man grieve for that sin which his heart is in love with? Take heed of this sweet poison; the love of sin freezes the soul in impenitency.

Second, despair; despair affronts God, undervalues Christ's blood, damns the soul. Jeremiah 8:12: They said there is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. This is the language of despair: There is no hope; I had as good follow my sins still, and be damned for something. Despair presents God to the soul as a judge clothed in the garments of vengeance (Isaiah 59:17). Judas's despair was in some sense worse than his treason. Despair destroys repentance; for the proper ground of repentance is mercy. Romans 2:4: The goodness of God leads you to repentance. But despair hides mercy out of sight, as the cloud covered the ark (Exodus 39). Take heed of this; despair is an irrational sin — there is no ground for it. The Lord shows mercy to thousands; why may you not be one of a thousand? The wings of God's mercy, like the wings of the cherubim, are stretched out to every humble penitent. Though you have been a great sinner, yet if you are a weeping sinner, there is a golden scepter of mercy held forth (Psalm 103:11). Despair locks up the soul in impenitency.

Third, a notion that this mourning will make us melancholy; we shall drown all our joy in our tears. But this is a mistake. Lose our joy? Tell me what joy there can be in a natural condition. What joy does sin afford? Is not sin compared to a wound and a bruise (Isaiah 1:6)? David had his broken bones (Psalm 51). Is there any comfort in having the bones out of joint? Does not sin breed a palpitation and trembling of heart (Deuteronomy 28:66)? Is it any joy for a man to be a terror to himself? Surely of the sinner's laughter it may be said, it is madness (Ecclesiastes 2:2). Whereas holy mourning is the breeder of joy; it does not eclipse but refine our joy, and make it better. The prodigal dated his joy from the time of his repentance (Luke 15:24): Then they began to be merry.

Fourth, checking the motions of the Spirit; the Spirit sets us a-mourning — it causes all our spring tides (Psalm 87:7): All my springs are in you. Often we meet with gracious motions to prayer and repentance. Now when we stifle these motions, which is called a quenching of the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), then we do, as it were, hinder the tide from coming in. When the dew falls, then the ground is wet; when the Spirit of God falls as dew in its influences upon the soul, then it is moistened with sorrow. But if the Spirit withdraw, the soul is like Gideon's dry fleece. A ship can as well sail without the wind, a bird can as well fly without wings, as we can mourn without the Spirit. Take heed of grieving the Spirit; do not drive away this sweet Dove from the ark of your soul. The Spirit is a tender and delicate thing; if it is grieved, it may say, I will come no more. And if it once withdraws, we cannot mourn.

Fifth, presumption of mercy. Who will take pains with his heart or mourn for sin, that thinks he may be saved at a cheaper rate? How many, spider-like, suck damnation out of the sweet flower of God's mercy! Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners, is the occasion of many a man's perishing. One says: Christ died for me, he has done all; what need I pray or mourn? Many a bold sinner plucks death from the tree of life, and through presumption goes to hell by that ladder of Christ's blood by which others go to heaven. It is sad when the goodness of God, which should lead to repentance (Romans 2:4), leads to presumption. Sinner, do not hope yourself into hell; take heed of being damned upon a mistake. You say God is merciful, therefore you go on securely in sin. But who is mercy for — the presuming sinner or the mourning sinner? Isaiah 55:7: Let the wicked forsake his way, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. No mercy without forsaking sin, and no forsaking sin without mourning. If a king should say to a company of rebels, Whoever comes in and submits shall have mercy — those who stood out in rebellion could not claim the benefit of the pardon. God makes a proclamation of mercy to the mourner; but those who are not mourners have nothing to do with mercy. The mercy of God is like the ark, which none but the priests were to handle; none may touch this golden ark of mercy but such as are priests to God, and have offered up the sacrifice of tears (Revelation 1:6).

Sixth, a notion of the smallness of sin. Genesis 19:20: Is it not a little one? The devil holds the small end of the perspective glass to sinners. To fancy sin less than it is, is very dangerous. An opinion of the littleness of sin keeps us from the use of means. Who will be earnest for a physician that thinks his is but a trivial disease? And who will seek to God with a penitent heart for mercy, that thinks sin is but a slight thing? But to take off this wrong notion about sin, and that we may look upon it with watery eyes, consider:

Sin cannot be little, because it is against the Majesty of heaven; there is no treason small, it being against the King's person.

Second, every sin is sinful, therefore damnable. A penknife or stiletto makes but a little wound, but either of them may kill as well as a greater weapon. There is death and hell in every sin (Romans 6:23). What was it for Adam to pluck an apple? But that lost him his crown. It is not with sin as it is with diseases, some mortal and some not mortal; the least sin without repentance will be a lock and bolt to shut men out of heaven.

Third, view sin in the red glass of Christ's sufferings; the least sin cost the price of blood. Would you take a true prospect of sin, go to Golgotha. Jesus Christ was forced to veil his glory, and lose his joy, and pour out his soul an offering for the least sin. Read the greatness of your sin in the depth of Christ's wounds. Do not let Satan cast such a mist before your eyes that you cannot see sin in its true colors. Remember, not only great rivers fall into the sea, but little brooks; not only great sins carry men to hell, but lesser ones too.

Seventh, procrastination; or an opinion that it is too soon yet to tune the penitential string. When the lamp is almost out, the strength exhausted, and old age comes on, then mourning for sin will be in season, but it is too soon yet. That I may show how pernicious this opinion is, and that I may roll away this stone from the mouth of the well, so that the waters of repentance may be drawn forth, let me propose these four serious and weighty considerations.

First, do you know what it is to be in the state of nature, and will you say it is too soon to get out of it? You are under the wrath of God (John 3:36) — is it too soon to get from under the dropping of this vial? You are under the power of Satan (Acts 26:18) — is it too soon to get out of the enemy's quarters?

Second, men do not reason thus in other cases; they do not say, It is too soon to be rich. They will not put off getting the world until old age; no, here they take the first opportunity. Is it not too soon to be rich, and is it too soon to be good? Is not repentance a matter of the greatest consequence? Is it not more needful for men to lament their sin than to augment their estate?

Third, God's call to mourning looks for present response (Hebrews 3:7-8): Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. A general besieging a garrison summons it to surrender on such a day, or he will storm it. Such are God's summons to repentance: Today, if you will hear his voice. Sinners, when Satan has tempted you to any wickedness, you have not said, It is too soon, Satan, but have presently embraced his temptation. Have you not put the devil off — and will you put God off?

Fourth, it is a foolish thing to postpone mourning for sin. First, the longer you put off holy mourning, the harder you will find the work when you come to it. A bone that is out of joint is easier set at first than if you let it go longer. A disease taken in time is sooner cured than if it is left until it reaches a crisis. You may easily wade over the waters when they are low; if you wait until they have risen, they will be beyond your depth. Sinner, the more treasons you commit, the more you incense heaven against you, and the harder it will be to get your pardon. The longer you spin out the time of your sinning, the more work you make for repentance. Second, to postpone mourning for sin is folly in respect of the uncertainty of life. How does the procrastinating sinner know that he shall live to be old? What is your life? It is but a vapor (James 4:14). How soon may sickness arrest you, and death strike off your head? May not your sun set at noon? What imprudence it is to put off mourning for sin and to make a long work, when death is about to make a short work! Caesar's deferring to read the letter sent him was followed by his being stabbed in the Senate house. Third, it is folly to put off all until last in respect of the improbability of finding mercy. Though God gives you space to repent, he may deny you grace to repent. When God calls for mourning and you are deaf, when you call for mercy, God may be silent (Proverbs 1:24, 28). Think of it seriously: God may take the later time to judge you in, because you did not take the former time to repent in. Fourth, to defer our solemn turning to God until old age or sickness is high imprudence, because these late acts of devotion are for the most part false and spurious. Though true mourning for sin is never too late, yet late mourning is seldom true. That repentance is seldom sincere which is gray-headed. It is debatable whether these autumn tears are not shed more out of fear of hell than love to God. The mariner in a storm throws his goods overboard, not because he does not love them, but because he is afraid they will sink the ship. When men fall to weeping late, and would cast their sins overboard, it is for the most part only for fear lest they should sink the ship and drown in hell. It is a great question whether the sickbed penitent does not mourn because he can keep his sins no longer. All of which considered may make men take heed of running their souls upon such a desperate hazard as to put all their work for heaven upon the last hour.

Eighth, delay of the execution of justice. Ecclesiastes 8:11: Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. God forbears punishing, therefore men forbear repenting. He does not smite upon their back by correction, therefore they do not smite upon their thigh by humiliation (Jeremiah 31:19). The sinner thinks thus: God has spared me all this while; he has extended patience into long-suffering; surely he will not punish. Psalm 10:11: He has said in his heart, God has forgotten. God sometimes in infinite patience adjourns his judgments and puts off the sessions a while longer; he is not willing to punish (2 Peter 3:9). The bee naturally gives honey, but stings only when it is angered. The Lord would have men make their peace with him (Isaiah 27:5). God is not like a hasty creditor that requires the debt and will give no time for payment; he is not only gracious, but waits to be gracious (Isaiah 30:18). God by his patience would draw sinners to repentance. But how is this patience abused! God's long-suffering hardens. Because God stops the vial of his wrath, sinners stop the conduit of tears. That the patience of God may not obstruct holy mourning, let sinners remember: First, God's patience has bounds set to it (Genesis 6:3). Though men will not set bounds to their sin, yet God sets bounds to his patience. There is a time when the sun of God's patience will set; and being once set, it never returns. The lease of patience will soon be run out. There is a time when God says, My Spirit shall no longer strive. The angel cried, The hour of his judgment is come (Revelation 14:7). Perhaps the next sin you commit, God may say, Your hour is now come. Second, to be hardened under patience makes your condition far worse. Incensed justice will revenge abused patience. God was patient toward Sodom, but not repenting, he made the fire and brimstone flame about their ears. Sodom, that was once the wonder of God's patience, is now a standing monument of God's severity. All the plants and fruits are destroyed; and as Tertullian says, that place still smells of fire and brimstone. Long forbearance is no forgiveness; God may keep off the stroke a while, but justice is not dead, only sleeping. God has leaden feet, but iron hands; the longer God is taking his blow, the sorer it will be when it comes. The longer a stone is falling, the heavier it will be at last; the longer God is sharpening his sword, the sharper it cuts. Sins against patience are of a deeper dye — these are worse than the sins of the devils; the fallen angels never sinned against God's patience. How dreadful will their condition be who therefore sin, because God is patient! For every crumb of patience, God puts a drop of wrath into his vial; the longer God forbears a sinner, the more interest he is sure to pay in hell.

Ninth, mirth and music. Amos 6:5: That chant to the sound of the viol, and drink wine in bowls. Instead of the dirge, the anthem — many sing away sorrow, and drown their tears in wine. The sweet waters of pleasure destroy the bitter waters of mourning. How many go dancing to hell, like those fish which swim pleasantly down into the Dead Sea! Let us take heed of all these hindrances of holy tears. Let our harp be turned into mourning, and our organ into the voice of them that weep (Job 30:31).

Showing the obstacles to holy mourning.

Question: What should we do to bring our heart into this mourning condition?

Answer: Do two things. First, guard against the things that will block the channels of mourning.

Second, actively use all the means that will help foster holy mourning.

Guard against the things that block the flow of tears. There are nine obstacles to mourning.

First, love of sin. Love of sin is like a stone lodged in a pipe, blocking the flow of water. Love of sin makes sin taste sweet, and that sweetness casts a spell over the heart. Jerome says it is worse to love sin than to commit it. A person can be overtaken by sin (Galatians 6:1), and someone who stumbles into sin unexpectedly will weep over it. But love of sin hardens the heart and keeps the devil in control. True mourning requires genuine grief over sin — but how can a person grieve over what his heart is in love with? Beware of this sweet poison. Love of sin freezes the soul in unrepentance.

Second, despair. Despair insults God, treats Christ's blood as worthless, and destroys the soul. Jeremiah 8:12: "They said, 'It is hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.'" This is the voice of despair: "There is no hope — I might as well keep on sinning and be damned for something." Despair presents God to the soul as a judge clothed in garments of vengeance (Isaiah 59:17). Judas's despair was in some ways worse than his betrayal. Despair destroys repentance, because the proper foundation of repentance is mercy. Romans 2:4: "The kindness of God leads you to repentance." But despair hides mercy from sight, like the cloud that covered the ark. Beware of this. Despair is an irrational sin — there is no grounds for it. The Lord shows mercy to thousands. Why might you not be one of those thousands? The wings of God's mercy, like the wings of the cherubim, are spread out over every humble, repentant person. Though you have been a great sinner, if you are a weeping sinner there is a golden scepter of mercy extended toward you (Psalm 103:11). Despair locks the soul in unrepentance.

Third, the idea that mourning will make us miserable — that we will drown all our joy in tears. But this is a mistake. Lose our joy? Tell me what joy a person in their natural, unconverted state actually has. What joy does sin give? Is not sin compared to a wound and a bruise (Isaiah 1:6)? David had his bones broken (Psalm 51:8). Is there any comfort in having bones out of joint? Does not sin produce a trembling and fearfulness of heart (Deuteronomy 28:66)? Is it any joy for a person to be a terror to himself? Surely of the sinner's laughter it can be said: "It is madness" (Ecclesiastes 2:2). Holy mourning, on the contrary, is the producer of joy. It does not extinguish joy — it refines it and makes it better. The prodigal son dated his joy from the moment of his repentance (Luke 15:24): "They began to celebrate."

Fourth, suppressing the movements of the Spirit. The Spirit moves us to mourn — it produces all our spiritual springs (Psalm 87:7): "All my springs are in You." We often experience gracious impulses toward prayer and repentance. When we suppress these impulses — which is called "quenching the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19) — we are blocking the tide from coming in. When dew falls, the ground becomes wet. When the Spirit of God falls like dew on the soul, it is moistened with sorrow. But when the Spirit withdraws, the soul is like Gideon's dry fleece. A ship can no more sail without wind, and a bird can no more fly without wings, than we can mourn without the Spirit. Beware of grieving the Spirit. Do not drive this gentle Dove from the ark of your soul. The Spirit is tender and sensitive. If grieved, it may say: "I will come no more." And if it withdraws, we will not be able to mourn.

Fifth, presuming on mercy. Who will work hard on his heart or mourn over sin if he thinks he can be saved at a lower cost? How many people, like spiders, draw damnation out of the sweet flower of God's mercy! Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners, is the occasion of many people's destruction. Someone says: "Christ died for me — He has done it all. Why do I need to pray or mourn?" Many a bold sinner plucks death from the tree of life and — through presumption — climbs to hell by the very ladder of Christ's blood by which others climb to heaven. It is a tragedy when God's goodness, which should lead to repentance (Romans 2:4), leads instead to presumption. Sinner, do not hope your way into hell. Beware of being damned through a false confidence. You say God is merciful, and so you continue boldly in sin. But for whom is that mercy — the presuming sinner or the mourning sinner? Isaiah 55:7: "Let the wicked forsake his way... and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him." No mercy without forsaking sin, and no forsaking sin without mourning. If a king were to announce to a group of rebels: "Whoever comes in and surrenders shall have mercy" — those who remained in open rebellion could not claim the benefit of that pardon. God offers mercy to those who mourn. Those who are not mourners have no claim on it. God's mercy is like the ark — only the priests were to handle it. Only those who are priests to God and have offered up the sacrifice of tears may touch this golden ark of mercy (Revelation 1:6).

Sixth, thinking sin is small. Genesis 19:20: "Is it not a small thing?" The devil holds the wrong end of the telescope to sinners — making sin look tiny in the distance. Thinking sin is smaller than it is is very dangerous. A wrong opinion about sin's size keeps us from seeking the remedy. Who will urgently call for a doctor if he thinks his illness is trivial? And who will seek God with a repentant heart if he thinks sin is a minor matter? But to correct this wrong thinking about sin, and to help us view it with tears, consider:

Sin cannot be small, because it is committed against the majesty of heaven. There is no such thing as minor treason — treason against the king is always a capital offense.

Second, every sin is sinful — and therefore deadly. A penknife or a thin blade makes a small wound, but either of them can kill just as effectively as a larger weapon. There is death and hell in every sin (Romans 6:23). What was it for Adam to pick a piece of fruit? But that act cost him his crown. Sin is not like disease, where some are mortal and some are not. The smallest sin, without repentance, will serve as a bolt to lock a person out of heaven forever.

Third, look at sin through the red lens of Christ's sufferings. Even the smallest sin cost the price of blood. If you want a true view of sin, go to Golgotha. Jesus Christ was forced to hide His glory, lose His joy, and pour out His soul as an offering — for the least of sins. Read the greatness of your sin in the depth of Christ's wounds. Do not let Satan throw such a fog before your eyes that you cannot see sin as it truly is. Remember: not only great rivers run into the sea, but small streams too. Not only great sins carry people to hell, but smaller ones as well.

Seventh, putting it off — the notion that it is too soon to start repenting. When the lamp is nearly burned out, the strength is spent, and old age arrives — then mourning for sin will be in order. But not yet. To show how dangerous this thinking is, and to roll away this stone from the mouth of the well so that the waters of repentance can flow, let me offer four serious and weighty considerations.

First, do you know what it means to be in a state of nature — and do you say it is too soon to get out of it? You are under God's wrath (John 3:36) — is it too soon to step out from under that? You are under the power of Satan (Acts 26:18) — is it too soon to escape from enemy territory?

Second, people do not reason this way in other areas of life. No one says: "It is too soon to become wealthy." They do not put off gaining the world until old age — they seize the first opportunity. If it is not too soon to become wealthy, can it be too soon to become godly? Is repentance not the most important matter of all? Is it not more necessary to mourn over sin than to accumulate an estate?

Third, God's call to mourning demands an immediate response (Hebrews 3:7-8): "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." A general besieging a fortress summons it to surrender by a certain day — or face an assault. God's call to repentance works in the same way: "Today, if you hear His voice." Sinners — when Satan has tempted you to wickedness, you have never said "It is too soon, Satan." You embraced his temptation without hesitation. Have you never made Satan wait — and will you now make God wait?

Fourth, putting off mourning for sin is plain foolishness — for four reasons. First, the longer you delay holy mourning, the harder the work will be when you finally come to it. A dislocated bone is easier to reset right away than after time has passed. A disease caught early is more easily cured than one allowed to develop into a crisis. You can wade through a river when the water is low — wait until it has risen and it will be over your head. Sinner, the more offenses you pile up against heaven, the harder it will be to receive your pardon. The longer you extend your season of sinning, the more work you create for repentance. Second, putting off mourning for sin is foolish in light of the uncertainty of life. How does the procrastinating sinner know that he will live to old age? "What is your life? For you are a vapor" (James 4:14). How quickly may illness arrest you, and death cut you off? May not your sun set at noon? What foolishness it is to postpone mourning and stretch out the process when death may make short work of everything at any moment! Caesar's failure to read a letter of warning before entering the Senate house cost him his life. Third, it is foolish to put everything off until the last moment, because mercy at that point may not be available. Though God gives you time to repent, He may withhold the grace to repent. When God calls for mourning and you turn a deaf ear, when you finally call for mercy, God may be silent (Proverbs 1:24, 28). Think on this seriously: God may choose to execute judgment at the end of your life precisely because you refused to repent at the beginning of it. Fourth, saving your solemn turning to God until old age or sickness is deeply unwise, because such late acts of devotion are most often false and hollow. Though genuine mourning for sin is never too late, late mourning is seldom genuine. Repentance that comes with gray hair is rarely sincere. It is a fair question whether those autumn tears are shed more out of fear of hell than out of love for God. The sailor in a storm throws his cargo overboard — not because he doesn't value it, but because he fears it will sink the ship. When people finally break down weeping late in life and try to cast their sins overboard, it is usually only out of fear that those sins will sink them into hell. The genuine question is whether the deathbed penitent mourns because he can hold onto his sins no longer. All of this should make people think twice before running their souls into the desperate risk of leaving all their preparation for heaven to the final hour.

Eighth, the delay of God's judgment. Ecclesiastes 8:11: "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil." God holds back punishment, so people hold back repentance. He does not strike them on the back with correction, so they do not strike themselves on the thigh in humiliation (Jeremiah 31:19). The sinner reasons: "God has spared me all this time. He has stretched out His patience. Surely He will not punish." Psalm 10:11: "He has said to himself, 'God has forgotten.'" God sometimes, in infinite patience, postpones His judgments and extends the day a little longer. He is not eager to punish (2 Peter 3:9). A bee naturally produces honey — it stings only when provoked. The Lord wants people to make peace with Him (Isaiah 27:5). God is not like a harsh creditor demanding immediate payment. He is not only gracious but waits to be gracious (Isaiah 30:18). God uses His patience to draw sinners to repentance. But how terribly this patience is abused! God's long-suffering hardens people. Because God restrains the bowl of His wrath, sinners shut off the flow of their tears. So that God's patience does not become an obstacle to holy mourning, let sinners remember: First, God's patience has limits (Genesis 6:3). Though people refuse to set limits on their sin, God does set limits on His patience. There is a point when the sun of God's patience will set — and once it sets, it never rises again. The lease of patience will soon expire. There is a moment when God says: "My Spirit will strive no longer." The angel cried: "The hour of His judgment has come" (Revelation 14:7). Perhaps at your very next sin, God may say: "Your hour has now come." Second, to be hardened under God's patience makes your situation far worse. Provoked justice will take revenge for abused patience. God was patient with Sodom — but when Sodom did not repent, He sent fire and brimstone raining down on them. Sodom, which was once a monument to God's patience, is now a permanent monument to God's severity. All its plants and fruit are destroyed. And as Tertullian says, that place still smells of fire and brimstone. Long forbearance is not forgiveness. God may hold back the blow for a time, but justice is not dead — only sleeping. God has slow feet but an iron hand. The longer God takes to strike, the harder the blow when it falls. The longer a stone falls before hitting, the heavier the impact. The longer God is sharpening His sword, the sharper it cuts. Sins committed against patience are darker-colored than other sins. They are worse in some ways than the sins of the demons — the fallen angels never sinned against God's patience. How terrible will be the condition of those who sin precisely because God is patient! For every crumb of patience God extends, He adds a drop of wrath to His bowl. The longer God waits for a sinner, the more interest that sinner is certain to pay in hell.

Ninth, entertainment and pleasure. Amos 6:5: "Who improvise to the sound of the harp... who drink wine from sacrificial bowls." Instead of laments, people sing. Many laugh away sorrow and drown their tears in wine. The sweet waters of pleasure wash away the bitter waters of mourning. How many go dancing their way to hell — like fish that swim pleasantly into the Dead Sea! Let us guard against all these obstacles to holy tears. "Let my harp turn to mourning and my flute to the sound of those who weep" (Job 30:31).