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went to his house, we are told, displeased. There is also a sorrow which ungodly men feel under the various afflictions of life, when persons or objects which they love are taken from them, and, impatient of the loss, they refuse to receive consolation, and indulge in secret, if not avowed complaints, against God himself as the author of their woe. Thus it was with the rebellious Jonah when his gourd was withered; and such the discontent he yielded to in consequence that he wished within himself that he might die, that he did well to be angry, and that it would be better for him to die than to live.

then, to his followers that he addressed himself; and to their sorrows, therefore, we conclude, it was that he made the declaration of our text.

Let us, then, for a short time direct your attention to the notice of those occasions of grief which Christians do generally, I think I may say, almost universally, meet with; so shall we obtain a distinct idea of the characters intended under the description-" they that mourn."

And here I am sure that the feelings of many that hear me will anticipate the first occasion of a Christian's grief which I shall namedeep and serious sense of his own individual sins. Now I do not wish to im

Now, my brethren, of sorrows such as these or like them; and of per-ply that all true Christians go through sons who mourn after this ungodly precisely the same course, so that sort, I need not say, it was not our the extent of their feelings on the Lord's intention, in the text, to speak. same points shall be always alike. Oh, if our griefs are only of such a This is not the case; yet, while there kind they cannot be said to make us may be a difference in the extent, blessed; nay, rather, they are the certain it is, there is no difference as worst of griefs, for they do but close to the reality of their feelings. For and harden the heart against the re- instance, they do not all experience ception of that holy word of GOD the same measure of sorrow on acwhich is the only true comfort for count of sin, yet, that sorrow is what a mind distressed, the only balm they all feel. No one ever came to which can really heal a broken heart: the cross of Jesus indeed, who came they are but those griefs of which not by the power of penitential grief. the Apostle Paul declares: "The "They shall look on him," it is said, sorrow of the world worketh death.""whom they have pierced and shall It cannot, then, be of every kind mourn." And if, dear brethren, we of mourning that the assertion of our have not been led thus to contemtext is made; it must refer to some plate sin in the light of a suffering peculiar class of sorrow. And I Saviour's cross so as to be truly think it will not require much argu- abased and ashamed and grieved at ment to prove to you that it was to the recollection of our guilt, we cannot the sorrows which belong to Christ's have felt as all true followers of own followers, to Christians, as Chris- Christ do feel that godly sorrow tians, that he refers in our text. And worketh repentance unto salvation." this the Evangelist St. Luke seems Such a state of mind is, indeed, among especially to mark to us in the man- the first indications of a sincere conner in which he recorded the text; version of the heart. When a man for he tells us that as the Saviour is brought to look back on his past spake, he lifted up his eyes on his life, and to mark the way in which disciples and spake, blessed are ye- it has been spent, the carelessness blessed are ye, that weep." It was, which he has shown towards the will

and command of his Father and his GOD, the indifference he has discovered towards the claims and obligations of his gracious Lord and Saviour, nay, the positive rebellion of which, in heart and life he has been guilty, the actual sin he has committed, the wishes or inclinations he has indulged in known and direct opposition to the authority of his GOD and Redeemer-when I say he marks all this, and allows his mind to dwell on the recollection of it, oh, he feels overwhelmed with shame and grief, and, like the returning prodigal, he is ready to exclaim-“ Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son."

Beloved brethren, has the thought of all your sins ever awakened in your hearts any such feelings as these? Of this be assured, more or less, they are feelings which are shared by all true Christians. And this is that peculiar kind of mourning which belongs to them, and to them alone, it is a sorrow known to all whom the Lord makes sad.

will bear witness to the truth of the statement, when I say, that this is a cause of constant pain, and heaviness of spirit, to every real follower of Christ, a cause of continually renewed contrition, and self-abasement before his GOD. Day after day he examines himself, calls to remembrance the manner in which he has gone through the occupations and duties of the day, observes the secret motives which have influenced him, and the silent expression of feelings warring within his breast, and heard only by GoD and his own conscience. And thus, alas, how many points does he see in which he has come short of what he should have done, in how many instances has he, where even what seemed to be done aright, by the evil which has mixed itself up with his motives in doing it; and sometimes, also, how has he to confess actual departures, in heart at least, if not in word and deed, from GOD. And, in all this, oh, how great occasion does he see for selfcondemnation-how much to wound and grieve his heart-how much to render him, in the contemplation of his end, like a man of a sorrowful spirit. And, were it not for that ever flowing stream which issues from the Saviour's cross, a fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness—were it not that he knows how welcome he is, with all his infirmities and guilt,

But, it is not merely the remembrance of past sin, sin committed in an unconverted state, which is the occasion of grief to a Christian's heart. A second source of sorrow, and one which too often causes us to go mourning all the day long is the discovery he has of his own imperfections; so many sins and infirm-to resort thither to wash and be clean, ities clinging to him still; such want of a hearty and unreserved devotion of spirit to his Lord, as fills him with shame and confusion and fills him with sincerest grief, and constrains him again and again to cry out-"Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death!"—" when I would do good, evil is present with me." My brethren, I believe that the secret chamber of every real Christian

there is not a day which closes that would not leave him overwhelmed with such convictions of sin as would sink him to despair. Now he is rescued from this by the gracious assurance of God's word that “the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin." Still he cannot but mourn to think of the hardness of his heart, and the coldness of his love, even at his best seasons; and to recollect too many instances of sad proneness to

forget and disobey his Gop. Now, here, again, is a cause of grief which the Christian only understands. The sorrow which arises hence is peculiar to him, it is a sorrow universally experienced by all who are Christians; but by them alone. So that as long as they abide in this their present state, they are a people who have reason, too much reason, alas, in this respect to mourn.

grievous. And seasons there are in the history of most christians, when, in consequence of the troubles arising from these causes, their souls are greatly cast down and disquieted within them. Temptations arise so many and so powerful, so constantly present to their minds, that they scarcely know how to hold on their way; they are almost ready to say that they can resist no more, and must yield to the enemy; they are so hard pressed, and day after day their condition only seems so much worse and worse, that while they dare not, they wish not, they cannot go back, yet to go forward seems almost impossible.

This, however, though frequently the case, and that principally through the man's own want of faith and confidence in GOD, this, I say, is not the habitual state of the christian's mind. The more prevailing characteristic of his condition is successful, but incessant struggling, he is not vauquished, he does not despair, but he is always combating: first from one quarter, and then from another, temptation assails him, and he feels that he must never hope to put off his armour until the end of his jour

A third, and a constant source of trouble and grief to every true follower of Jesus, is, the number of those temptations arising, partly, from the assaults of his great enemy, and partly from the remaining sins of his own corrupt inclination, with which he has incessantly to contend. So soon as a man really enters on the way of life, so soon does he begin a conflict never to terminate this side of the grave. Resistance to evils from within and from without, this is the employment of every day, in which all faithful soldiers and servants of Jesus Christ find themselves compelled to engage. It is true they have the ever-present aid of their Saviour promised to them, and he who calls them to the fight, engages to sustain them in it, and give them in the end the victory; but this, al-ney through this dangerous wilderness though indeed it encourages them to enter on the warfare-although it cheers and supports them in every time of need, yet it does not exempt them from experiencing all the reality of the conflict; they have still to meet their foe, they have still to keep up a constant opposition, and maintain a struggle of which, although the issue, as they know, shall be their triumph; yet, while the conflict lasts, it is always painful, and some times exceedingly distressing; and whatever the result, through the mercy of their GoD, shall prove till no such state of spiritual warfare is for the present joyous, but

is gained; and he is carried across the waters of that Jordan whose farther side he knows is a region of holy and eternal peace.

But so long as he is here he must engage in unceasing warfare. And hence, therefore, another source of sorrow which cannot but vex and grieve his spirit. The very approach on sin in any form is grievous to him; temptation to sin cannot be otherwise than distressing to him; but it is that which he has continually to meet. Just in proportion as he is growing in holiness and love to his Saviour, just in that same proportion will he be pained by the

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evil thus presented to his mind; and, busines and pursuits of this present have constant occasion for such sor-life, that they have no time to think row as will cause him, indeed, to be of GoD, no room for Jesus in their one of those that mourn. hearts, and no desire to seek him. Again, he meets with others, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, whose only care seems to be how they may giddily and gaily hurry down the road which runs to destruction, without thinking of the consequences, while GoD, in all his majesty, holiness, and truth; and Christ in all his tenderness and grace, dying for them, pleading with them, arguing, entreating, inviting them to come to him that they may have life, are passed undeeded by. Oh! how painful is all this to one who knows the reality of eternal things, to one who sees by faith the vanity of such courses sinners themselves see the dishonour they are putting on GOD, and the destruction they are bringing on their own souls. And sometimes, too, the ungodliness of worldly men assumes a form directly and immediately trying to such as follow Christ. Ridicule, hatred, and persecution is commenced against them; and all manner of evil is thought of them, and said of them; and perhaps, done to them for their Master's sake. But, whether this be the case or no, still the mere witness of those other forms of enmity towards GOD, which meets the eye in every direction, in all the varied forms of iniquity which this world presents, this alone is quite enough to occasion such sorrow to all who truly love and follow Christ, as renders them always mourners on this account, as they make their pilgrimage through a land of sin.'

And a cause, and a last cause of sorrow, peculiar to the christian, is the sight of the wickedness which surrounds him in this our fallen world. We read in the prophet Ezekiel, that in that day when almighty GOD would single out and separate his own servants from their fellow-men around them, he gave this as a description by which they should be recognised: " the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations which are done in the midst of the land." And, surely, brethren, that is a description which will apply to the servants of GOD now, as truly as it did then? and it does apply. I am certain no one who really loves GOD, and desires to glorify Christ, his redeemer, no such man can ever be free from pain and sorrow. So Christ as he sojourned here and witnessed, as he is called continually to do, the evil which fills the world, "lying" as the scriptures speak, “in wickedness." How constantly does he experience a most distressing sensation as he leaves the chamber of secret communion with GOD, or the sanctuary where he has been waiting upon the Lord, or the place where, meeting with his associates in christian fellowship, he has tasted the joys of holy converse and sociality; as he leaves, I say, such scenes and goes out into the world again, what a distressing sensation does the contrast excite: for when he looks round him what does he behold? Here he sees some whose very actions and language proclaim them enemies of the GoD he loves; despisers of the Saviour whom he follows; servants of sin led captive by him at his will. Then he beholds others, engrossed so entirely in the

Now, the several considerations which have been thus suggested, as to the feelings of the christian in this his earthly state, put them altogether and say whether it must not be considered, that, just so far as he is a christian indeed, he must constantly

find cause for mourning here. The recollection of his own sins in time past, and imperfections, and infirmities, that attend him still, the painful conflict with corrupt propensities within, and evil temptations from without, and the sight, and the knowledge of so much in the world around him, which is offensive and dishonourable to GOD; and ruinous and destructive to the souls of men; these are things which none but a christian is alive to: but they are things which he so feels that assuredly he can never say that he has not abundant cause for sorrow and pain. Nay, rather, he, and all whose hearts like his, are really converted unto God, cannot but be mourners so long as they live here.

And now, brethren, it will be a useful exercise for you to carry away these several points that have been made the occasions of grief, which all true christians know, and to make them the test of your own state; examining your hearts, and asking of yourselves the question, whether there is to be found in your breasts any sorrow like unto their sorrow. GOD grant we all may know what that sorsow is.

Grief, as I remarked at first, is not, generally speaking, desirable, but griefs, such as these, are much to be desired; for they mark the followers of Jesus, they mark those to whom belonged the blessedness promised in our text:-"blessed are they that mourn."

In order, therefore, that we may feel the importance of being brought to such a state of mind, and in order, also, to point out, to such as may need it, the consolation provided for those who mourn as christians, do let me direct your attention, in the close of this discourse, to the reason which our blessed Lord assigns for his declaration" blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."

And, first, let me remind you what comfort there is for those who mourn in the remembrance of their sins. Oh, if there are any for whom, above all others, the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel are prepared it is for them. What was the declaration of Jesus himself, as to the very object for which he came into this world? Was it not just this, to bind up the broken heart, to comfort all that mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of holiness? It is to them he speaks: "come unto me and I will give you rest;" it is on them he loves to bestow a Saviour's benediction-"go in peace; thy sins are forgiven thee;" it is for them he has prepared a place in those mansions of bliss; where their song shall ever be one of praise to Him that has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood.

Then, brethren, are any of you mourning by reason of sin? Guilty, wretched, and undone, yon are full of distress and disquietude and fear; you tremble perhaps for your soul, you are afraid to seek forgiveness; you feel so deeply the recollection of the past, that you scarcely presume to cherish any hope for the future. To them, then, the Saviour's message is, "come unto me and I will give you rest." And, oh, will you be afraid to turn to one who has so tenderly addressed you? God forbid. Oh, believe his word, approach him in earnest prayer, confess your guilt, cast yourselves on his mercy, and you shall be comforted; your "heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Jesus delights to restore comfort unto you, and to all such mourners : comfort now, in the sense of that pardon which his blood has purchased for you, comfort hereafter in those realms

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