The Christians two chief lessons viz. self-denial, and self-trial. As also the privilege of…The Christians tvvo chiefe lessons viz. selfe-deniall, and selfe-tryall. As also the priviledge of…

First mark, in regard of the original, it springs from the due and advised consideration of the fatherly love of God manifested in Jesus Christ: the meditation of those unspeakable mercies that are manifested to him, is the very fountain from whence springs evangelical sorrow: for when we throughly consider what a loving Father we by our sins provoke, what a gracious and most affectionate Saviour we do by our iniquities, as it were, crucify again; this must needs make our stony hearts dissolve, and even melt like wax in ⟨p. 259⟩the midst of our bowels, Zach. 12.10.¹ they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they sh•ll mourn, as one mourneth for his only son: on the other side, the legal sorrow is occasioned by the fearful curses of the law, by the horrors of the vengeance to come, by the grisly face of eternal death; these pierce the hearts of natural men, and make them as one that travelleth continually with child, whence it is, that the Apostle makes the difference of the spirit of the law, from that of the Gospel, Rom. 8.15.² We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the spirit of adoption, crying, Abba Father; so that godly sorrow is a child-like sorrow, whereby we are grieved that we offend a Father that is kind and loving unto us.

First marke, in regard of the originall, it springs from the due and advised consideration of the fatherly love of God manifested in Iesus Christ: the meditation of those unspeakeable mercies that are manifested to him, is the very fountaine from whence springs evangelicall sorrow: for when wee throughly consider what a loving Father wee by our sinnes provoke, what a gracious and most affectionate Saviour wee doe by our iniquities, as it were, crucifie againe; this must needs make our stony hearts dissolve, and even melt like waxe in ⟨p. 259⟩