Chapter 10

Showing some helps to mourning.

Having removed the obstructions, let me in the last place propose some helps to holy mourning.

First, set David's prospect continually before you. Psalm 51:4: My sin is ever before me. David, that he might be a mourner, kept his eye still upon sin. See what sin is, and then tell me if there is not enough in it to draw forth tears. I know not what name to give it bad enough; one calls it the devil's excrement. Sin is a complication of all evil; it is the spirits of mischief distilled. First, sin dishonors God; it denies God's omniscience, it derides his patience, it distrusts his faithfulness. Sin tramples upon God's law, slights his love, grieves his Spirit. Second, sin wrongs us. Sin shames us (Proverbs 14:34): Sin is a reproach to any people. Sin has made us naked; it has plucked off our robe and taken our crown from us; it has spoiled us of our glory. Not only has it made us naked, but impure. Ezekiel 16:6: I saw you polluted in your blood. Sin has not only taken off our cloth of gold, but has put upon us filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3). God made us after his likeness (Genesis 1:26), but sin has made us like the beasts that perish (Psalm 49, last verse). We are all become brutish in our affections. Nor has sin made us only like the beasts, but like the devil (John 8:44). Sin has drawn the devil's picture upon man's heart. Sin also stabs us; the sinner, like the jailer, draws a sword to kill himself. He is bereaved of his judgment, and like the man in the gospel possessed with the devil, he cuts himself with stones — though he has such a stone in his heart that he does not feel it. Every sin is a stroke at the soul; so many sins, so many wounds. Every blow given to the tree helps forward the felling of the tree. Every sin is a hewing and chopping down of the soul for hell-fire. If then there is all this evil in sin, if this forbidden fruit has such a bitter core, it may make us mourn; our hearts should be the spring, and our eyes the rivers.

Second, if we would be mourners, let us be petitioners. Beg a spirit of contrition; pray to God that he will put us in mourning, that he will give us a melting frame of heart. Let us beg Achsah's blessing (Joshua 15:19): Springs of water. Let us pray that our hearts may be spiritual alembics, dropping tears into God's bottle. Let us pray that we who have the poison of the serpent may have the tears of the dove. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of mourning; let us pray that God would pour that Spirit of grace upon us, whereby we may look on him whom we have pierced, and mourn for him (Zechariah 12:10). God must breathe in his Spirit before we can breathe out our sorrows. The Spirit of God is like the fire in a still, that sends up the dews of grace in the heart, and causes them to drop from the eyes. It is this blessed Spirit whose gentle breath causes our spices to smell, and our waters to flow. And if the spring of mourning is once set open in the heart, there can be no lack of joy; as tears flow out, comfort flows in. Which leads to the second part of the text: they shall be comforted.

Showing some practical helps toward mourning.

Having cleared away the obstacles, let me now offer some practical helps toward holy mourning.

First, keep David's view of things constantly before you. Psalm 51:3: "My sin is ever before me." David, in order to remain a mourner, kept his eye fixed on his sin. Look at what sin truly is — and then tell me if there is not enough there to draw out tears. I can hardly find a word bad enough for it. One writer calls it the devil's excrement. Sin is a combination of every evil. It is the concentrated essence of every kind of harm. First, sin dishonors God. It denies God's ability to see all things. It mocks His patience. It distrusts His faithfulness. Sin tramples on God's law, treats His love with contempt, and grieves His Spirit. Second, sin harms us. Sin shames us (Proverbs 14:34): "Sin is a disgrace to any people." Sin has left us naked — it has stripped our robe from us and taken our crown away. It has robbed us of our glory. And not only has it made us naked, but filthy. Ezekiel 16:6: "I saw you wallowing in your blood." Sin has not only stripped off our fine clothing but has put on us dirty rags (Zechariah 3:3). God made us in His image (Genesis 1:26), but sin has made us like the animals that perish (Psalm 49:12). We have all become brutish in our desires. And sin has made us not only like the animals but like the devil (John 8:44). Sin has stamped the devil's image on the human heart. Sin also stabs us. The sinner, like the jailer, draws a sword against himself. He has lost his right judgment, and like the demon-possessed man in the Gospels, he cuts himself with stones — though the stone in his own heart is so hard he cannot feel it. Every sin is a wound to the soul. As many sins, so many wounds. Every blow dealt to a tree helps cut it down. Every sin is another stroke hacking down the soul for hell's fire. If then there is all this evil in sin — if this forbidden fruit has such a bitter core — it ought to move us to mourn. Our hearts should be the spring and our eyes the rivers.

Second, if we want to be mourners, let us become petitioners. Beg for a spirit of genuine sorrow. Pray that God will put us in a posture of mourning and give us a softened heart. Let us pray for Achsah's blessing (Joshua 15:19): springs of water. Let us pray that our hearts may be spiritual distilling vessels, dropping tears into God's bottle. Let us pray that we who carry the poison of the serpent may also have the tears of the dove. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of mourning. Let us pray that God would pour that Spirit of grace on us, so that we might look on Him whom we have pierced, and mourn (Zechariah 12:10). God must breathe in His Spirit before we can breathe out our sorrows. The Spirit of God is like the heat under a distilling vessel, which draws up the moisture of grace from within the heart and causes it to drop from the eyes. It is this blessed Spirit whose gentle breath makes our graces give off their fragrance and our tears begin to flow. And once the spring of mourning is opened in the heart, there will be no lack of joy — as tears flow out, comfort flows in. Which brings us to the second part of the text: "They shall be comforted."