Part 13 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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Part 14 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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[1.] A holy heart mourns for sin AS SIN, he weeps over the very nature of sin. He grieves for sin as it is the breach of a holy law, and as it is a dishonor to a holy God, etc., and therefore he cannot but mourn for other men's sins as well as his own. [He who hates a thief as a thief, will hate a thief in another man's house as well as in his own. He who hates a toad as a toad, will hate a toad in other men's bosoms as well as his own; he who hates poison as poison, will hate poison in another man's hand as well as his own. Just so, he who hates sin as sin, will hate it wherever he sees it; and he who mourns over sin as sin, cannot but mourn over sin wherever he observes it.
[2.] By other men's sins, a holy man is put in mind of the badness of his own heart. Bernard makes mention of an old man, who, when he saw any man sin, wept and lamented for him; and being asked why he grieved so for other men's sins, answered, "He fell today, and I may fall tomorrow!" The falls of others puts a holy man in mind of the roots of sinfulness which are in himself. Other men's actual sins are as so many glasses, through which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin that are in his own nature, and such a sight as this cannot but melt him and break him.
[3.] A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself pure from other men's sins, is to mourn for other men's sins. [1 Tim. 5:22; 1 Cor. 5:1-3; Eph. 5:11.] He who makes conscience of weeping over other men's sins--will rarely be defiled with other men's sins. He who mourns not over other men's sins is accessory to other men's sins: and first or last may find them charged upon his account. He who mourns not for other men's sins, is in danger of being ensnared by other men's sins. And how then can a holy man look upon other men's sins with dry eyes?
[4.] A holy man looks upon other men's sins as the crucifiers of his Savior. He looks upon the proud man's pride, as that which set a crown of thorns upon the sacred head of Christ—and this makes him sigh. He looks upon the swearer's oaths as the nails which nailed his blessed hands and feet to the cross—and this makes him grieve. He looks uponscorners as spitting upon Christ, and worldlings as preferring Barabbas before Christ—and this makes him groan. He looks upon hypocrites as kissing and betraying of Christ, and he looks upon drunkards and wantons as giving gall and vinegar to Christ—and this makes him mourn. He looks upon other men's sins as having a hand in all Christ's torments—and this puts him upon the rack, and makes his very soul heavy, even to the death.
[5.] A holy heart knows that by mourning for other men's sins, he may be instrumental to keep off wrath, Ezek. 9:4, 6. How often did holy Moses by his tears—quench the wrath of an angry God! However, if wrath should break forth upon a nation—yet those who mourn for the abominations of the times, they shall be hidden in the day of God's public visitation, Isaiah 26:20. When the house is on fire, the father has a special care to provide for the safety and security of his children. When the lumber is on fire, a man will be sure first to secure his box of jewels. In times of common calamity, God will be sure to look after his jewels, his mourning ones. Though the lumber, the wicked, be burnt up on every hand in the day of God's wrath—yet he will be sure to preserve his jewels in the midst of the flames. [Isaiah 43:2-3; Dan. 3:17-28.]
Augustine, coming to visit a sick man, found the room full of mourners; he found the wife sobbing, the children sighing, and the kindred lamenting; whereupon he suddenly breathed forth this short—but sweet ejaculatory prayer, "Lord," says he, "what prayers do you hear—if not these?" So in times of common calamity, holy hearts may look up and say, "Ah, Lord, whose sighs, whose groans, whose tears will you hear—if not ours? Who are mourners in Zion, and who will you save and secure, in this day of your fierce indignation—if not we who have labored to drown both our own and other men's sins in penitential tears?"
[6.] A holy heart looks upon sinners' sins to contribute very much towards the bringing in of sore and sad changes upon a land and nation, Psalm 107:33-34. He knows that sinners' sins may turn rivers into a wilderness, and water-springs into dry ground, and a fruitful land into a barren wilderness. He knows that sinners' sins may have a deep hand in provoking God to rain hell out of heaven upon a sinful nation, as he did of old upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and this sets him a-mourning. If one sinner destroys much good, as Solomon speaks, Eccles. 9:18, "Ah!" says he, "what a world of good will a world of sinners destroy then!" The serious thoughts of this makes him sigh. [Witness Achan, Manasseh, Jeroboam, Saul, Herod, Ahab, etc.]
[7.] A holy heart looks upon other men's sins as their bonds and chains, Acts 8:23, and this makes him mourn. When Marcellus, the Roman general, saw the multitude of captives that were taken in the city of Syracuse, the tears trickled down his cheeks. Ah, how can tears but trickle down a Christian's cheeks when he sees multitudes, fast bound with the cords of their iniquity, trooping to hell? Who can look upon a sinner as a fast-bound prisoner to the prince of darkness, and not bemoan him?
If holy people thus mourn for the wickedness of others—then certainly those who take pleasure in the wickedness of others—who laugh and joy, who can make a sport of other men's sins—are rather monsters than men! There are none so nearly allied to Satan as these, nor any so resemble Satan as much as these! (The devil always joys most when sinners sin most!) To applaud them, and take pleasure in those who take pleasure in sin—is the highest degree of ungodliness!
Doubtless are they unholy—who tempt and entice others to be unholy. Neither are they holy who only talk of other men's sins—but never sigh for other men's sins. Neither are they holy who insult over the iniquities of others—but never mourn for the iniquities of others. Neither are they holy who can rail, reproach, and revile others for their sins—but have neither skill nor will to lament over others' sins—and yet this age is full of such wretches! Certainly that man's holiness will be found to be of the right stamp at last, who can evangelically mourn for other men's sins as well as his own. But,
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Part 14 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
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