The beatitudes: or A discourse upon part of Christs famous Sermon on the Mount.: Wherunto is added Christs various fulnesse. The preciousnesse of the soul. The souls malady and cure. The beauty of grace. The spiritual watch. The heavenly race. The sacred anchor. The trees of righteousnesse. The perfume of love. The good practitioner. By Thomas Watson, minister of the word at Stephens Walbrook in the city of London.

CHAP. IX.

Shewing the hindrances of mourning.

[Quest.] BUT what shall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame?

Answ. Do two things. 1. Take heed of those things which will stop these Channels of mourning.

2. Put your selves upon the use of all means that will help forward holy mourning.

[ 1] 1. Take heed of those things which will stop the cur∣rent of tears; there are nine hindrances of mourning.

[Hindr. 1] 1. 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-bewitch∣eth the heart: Saint Hierom saith, it is worse to love sin, than to commit it: A man may be overtaken with sin, Gal. 6.1. And he that hath stumbled upon sin unawares, will weep; but the love of sin hardens the heart, keeps the Divel 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? oh take heed of this sweet poyson; the love of sin freezeth the soul in impeni∣tency.

[Hindr. 2] 2. Despair; despair affronts God, undervalues Christs blood, damns the soul. Jerem. 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 clad in the garments of vengeance, Isa. 59.17. Judas his despair was in some sense worse than his Treason. Despair destroys Repen∣tance; for the proper ground of Repentance, is mercy. Rom. 2.4. The goodness of God leads thee to Repentance. But despair hides mercy out of sight, as the cloud covered the Ark, Exod. 39. Oh take heed of this; Despair is an irrational sin, there is no ground for it; the Lord shews mercy to thousands, why mayest not thou be one of a thou∣sand? the wings of Gods mercy, like the wings of the Cherubims, are stretched out to every humble penitent; though thou hast been a great sinner, yet if thou art a weeping sinner, there's a golden Scepter of mercy held forth, Psal. 103.11. Despair locks up the soul in impe∣nitency.

3. A conceit that this mourning will make us melan∣choly: [Hindr. 3] We shall drown all our joy in our tears; but this is a mistake. Lose our joy? tell me what joy can there be in a natural condition? what joy doth sin afford? is not sin compared to a wound and a bruise? Isa. 1.6. David had his broken bones, Psal. 51. Is there any comfort in having the bones out of joynt? doth not sin breed a palpitation and trembling of heart? Deutr. 28.66. Is it any joy for a man to be a Magor-missabib, a terror to himself? Surely of the sinners laughter it may be said, it is mad, Eccles. 2.2. Whereas holy mourning is the breeder of joy, it doth not eclipse, but refine our joy, and make it better; the Prodigal dated his joy from the time of his Repen∣tance, Luke 15.24. Then they began to be merry.

4. Checking the motions of the Spirit; the Spirit sets [Hindr. 4]

us a mourning, it causeth all our spring-tides, Psal. 87.7. all my springs are in thee. Oft we meet with gracious motions to prayer, and repentance; now when we stifle these motions, which is called a quenching the Spirit, 1 Thes. 5.19. then we do, as it were, hinder the tyde 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 moistned with sorrow; but if the Spirit withdraw, the soul is like Gideons dry fleece; a ship can as well sail without the wind, a bird can as well flie with∣out wings, as we can mourn without the Spirit. Take heed of grieving the Spirit; do not drive away this sweet Dove from the arke of thy soul. The Spirit is res te∣nera & delicata; if it be grieved, it may say, I will come no more; and if it once withdraw we cannot mourn.

5. Presumption of mercy; Who will take pains with [Hindr. 5] his heart or mourn for sinne, that he may be saved at a cheaper rate? How many, Spider-like, suck damnation out of the sweet flower of Gods mercy! Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners, is the occasion of many a mans perishing. Oh saith one, Christ died for me, he hath 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 Christs blood, by which others go to heaven. It is sad when the goodnesse of God, which should lead to repentance, Rom. 4.2. leads to presumption; O sinner do not hope thy self into hell; take heed of being damned upon a mistake. Thou sayest God is merciful, therefore goest on securely in sinne. But who is mercy for? the presuming sinner, or the mourning sinner? Isa 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; no mercy without forsaking sinne; and no for∣saking sinne without mourning. If a King should say to

a company of Rebels, Whosoever comes in and submits, shall have mercy; such as stood out in rebellion, could not claime the benefit of the Pardon. God makes a Pro∣clamation of mercy to the mourner; but such as are not mourners, have nothing to do with mercy. The mercy of God is like the Arke, which none but the Priests were to meddle with; none may touch this golden Arke of mercy but such as are Priests unto God, and have offered up the sacrifice of tears.

6. A conceit of the smalnesse of sinne, Gen. 19.20. Is [Hindr. 6] it not a little one? the Devil holds the small end of the Perspective-glasse to sinners. To fancy sinne lesse than it is, is very dangerous: an opinion of the littlenesse of sinne keeps us from the use of means. Who will be earnest for a Physitian that thinks it is but a trivial disease? and who will seek to God with a penitent heart for mercy, that thinks sinne is but a slight thing? But to take off this wrong conceit about sinne, and that we may look upon it with watry eyes: consider,

1. Sinne cannot be little, because it is against the Ma∣jesty of heaven; there is no treason small, it being against the Kings person.

2. Every sinne is sinful, therefore damnable: a Pen-knife or Stilletto makes but a little wound, but either of them may kill as well as a greater weapon: there's death and hell in every sinne, Rom. 6.23. What was it for A∣dam to pluck an Apple? but that lost him his crown. 'Tis not with sinne as it is with diseases, some are mortal, some not mortal; the least sinne without repentance, will be a lock and bolt to shut men out of heaven.

3. View sinne in the red glasse of Christs sufferings; the least sinne cost the price of blood. Would you take a a true prospect of sinne, go to Golgotha. Jesus Christ was fain to vail his glory, and lose his joy, and pour out his soul

an offering for the least sinne; read the greatnesse of thy sin in the deepnesse of Christs wounds. Let not Satan cast such a mist before your eyes, that you cannot see sin in its right colours. Remember, not only great rivers fall into the Sea, but little brooks; not only great sinnes carry men to hell, but lesser.

[Hindr. 7] 7. Procrastination; or an opinion it is too soone yet to tune the penitential string. When the Lamp is almost out, the strength exhausted, and old age comes on, then mourning for sinne will be in season, but it is too soone yet. That I may shew how pernicious this opinion is, and that I may rowle away this stone from the mouth of the Well, that so the waters of repentance may be drawn forth, let me propose these four serious and weighty con∣siderations.

1. Dost thou know what it is to be in the state of na∣ture, and wilt thou say it is too soone to get out of it? Thou art under the wrath of God, John 3.36. and is it too soone to get from under the dropping of this Vial? Thou art un∣der the power of Satan, Acts 26.18. and is it too soone to get out of the enemies quarters?

2. Men do not argue thus in other cases; they do not say, It is too soon to be rich; they wil not put off getting the world till old age; no, here they take the first oppor∣tunity: Is it not too soone to be rich, and is it too soon to be good? is not repentance a matter of the greatest con∣sequence? Is it not more needful for men to lament their sinne, than augment their estate?

3. Gods call to mourning looks for present entertain∣ment, Heb. 3.7, 8. To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. A General besieging a garrison, summons it to surrender upon such a day, or he will storme it. Such are Gods summons to repentance, To day if ye will heart his voice; sinners, when Satan hath tempted you to any

wickednesse, you have not said, It is too soone Satan, but have presently embraced his tentation; have you not put the Devil off, and will you put God off?

4. It is a foolish thing to adjourn, and put off mourn∣ing for sin; for 1. The longer you put off holy mourn∣ing, the harder you will finde the work when you come to it. A bone that is out of joynt, is easier set at first than if you let it go longer. A disease taken in time is sooner cured than if it be let alone till it comes to a Paroxysme. You may easily wade over the waters when they are low, if you stay till they are risen, they will be beyond your depth. O sinner, the more treasons thou committest, the more dost thou incense heaven against thee, and the harder it will be to get thy pardon; the longer thou spinnest out the time of thy sinning, the more work thou makest for repentance. 2. To adjourn, and put off mourning for sin, is folly, in respect of the uncertainty of life; how doth the procrastinating sinner know that he shall live to be old? What is your life? it is but a vapour, James 4.14. how soone may sicknesse arrest thee, and death strike off thy head? may not thy sun set at noone? Oh then what im∣prudence is it to put off mourning for sin, and to make a long work, when death is about to make a short work? Caesar deferring to read the Letter sent him, was stab'd in the Senate-house. 3. 'Tis folly to put off all till last in respect of the improbability of finding mercy; though God give thee space to repent, he may deny thee grace to repent. When God calls for mourning and thou art deaf, when thou callest for mercie God may be dumb, Prov. 1.24, 28. Think of it seriously, God may take the latter time to judge thee in, because thou didst not take the for∣mer time to repent in. 4. To respit our solemn turning to God till old age, or sicknesse, is high imprudence, be∣cause these late acts of devotion are for the most part dis∣sembled

and spurious. Though true mourning for sin be never too late, yet late mourning is seldome true†. That repentance is seldome true-hearted, which is gray-headed; 'Tis disputable whether these Autumn-tears are not shed more out of fear of hell, than love to God. The Ma∣riner in a storm throws his goods over-board, not but that he loves them, but he is afraid they will sink the ship; when men fall to weeping-work late, and would cast their sins over-board, it is for the most part only for fear lest they should sink the ship and drown in hell; 'Tis a great question whether the sick bed penitent doth not mourn because he can keep his sins no longer. All which con∣sidered, 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.

[Hindr. 8] 8. Delay of the execution of justice. Eccles. 8.11. Be∣cause sentence against an evil work is not executed speedi∣ly, therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evil. God forbears punishing, therefore men forbear repenting. He doth not smite upon their back by correction, therefore they do not smite upon their thigh by humiliation, Jer. 31.19. The sinner thinks thus, God hath spar'd me all this while, he hath eeked out patience into long-suffering; sure he will not punish, Psal. 10.11. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. God somtimes in infinite patience adjourns his judgements, and puts off the Sessions awhile longer; he is not willing to punish, 2 Pet. 3.9. The Bee naturally gives hony, but stings only when it is angred. The Lord would have men make their peace with him, Isa. 27.5. God is not like an hasty creditor, that requires the debt, and will give no time for the pay∣ment; he is not only gracious, but waits to be gracious. Isa. 30.18. but God by his patience would bribe sinners to repentance; but alas how is this patience abused; Gods

long-suffering hardens; because God stops the Vial of his wrath, sinners stop the Conduit of tears. That the patience of God may not (through our corruption) ob∣struct holy mourning, let sinners remember: 1. Gods patience hath bounds set to it, Gen. 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 Gods patience will set; and being once set, it never returns any degrees backward; the Lease of patience will soon be run out: There is a time when God saith, My Spirit shall no lon∣ger strive. The Angel cryed, the houre of his judgement is come, Rev. 14.7. Perhaps the next sin thou com∣mittest, God may say, Thy houre is now come. 2. To be hardned under patience, makes our condition far worse; incensed justice will revenge abused patience; God was patient towards Sodom, but not repenting, he made the fire and brimstone flame about their ears. Sodom that was once the wonder of Gods patience, is now a standing Mo∣nument of Gods severity; all the plants and fruits are de∣stroyed; and as Tertullian saith, that place still smels of fire and brimstone. Long forbearance is no forgiveness; God may keep off the stroak a while, but justice is not dead, but sleepeth. God hath 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 whetting his Sword, the sharper it cuts; sins against patience are of a deeper dye; these are worse than the sins of the Divels: The lapsed Angels never sinned against Gods 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 Viol; the longer God forbears a sinner, the more interest he is sure to pay in hell.

[Hindr. 9] 9. Mirth and Musick: Amos 6.5. That chant to the sound of the Viol, and drink wine in Bowles; instead of the Dirge, the Antheam, 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 down pleasantly into the dead Sea! Let us take heed of all these hindrances of ho∣ly tears: Let our Harp be turned into mourning, and our Organ into the voyce of them that weep, Job 30.31.

Notes

• Homine ad Deum converso, mutatur ga••di∣um, non tollitur, Aug
• Rev 1.6.
• Sero medicina paretur, cum mala per longas invaluere moras
• Sera poeniten∣tia raro vera.
• Poenitentiam expectat tuam, dum patienti∣am exercet su∣am.
• Olet adhuc in∣cendio terra.