1. For the time present, when believers ⟨p. 121⟩are under excessive grief, whatever is the cause of it; whether sin or affliction, in your persons, or relations. Believers, as well as others, are subject to many afflictions, in this life, Psal. 34. 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and, not of some one kind only, but of divers kinds. Job saith of every one, his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn, Job 14. ult. Herein two things are to be cleared. 1. That it is our duty to grieve under affliction, proportionately to the cause. It is dedolency, stupidity, not to grieve for afflictions, Jer. 5. 3. it is therefore our duty to grieve, when God afflicteth us, but more for Gods displeasure apprehended therein. 2. It is our duty to grieve more for sin then for affliction. 3. More for sin in our selves than in others, And 4. For sin in our near relations more than in others more remote; yet it is unlawful to let grief exceed the proportion allowed by the rules of Gods Word, as all do, who have not this hope, 1 Thess. 4. 13. The spirit ⟨p. 122⟩of man is, by corrupt nature, unstable, as water, Gen. 49. 4. always running forth, unless (as water is bounded by the bank or vessel, into which it is put, so) our spirits be bounded, and kept within Compass, by the Spirit of God. Would you know, when grief exceeds, or is immoderate? You may know it by the effects. 1. If it distempers and hurts the body. Godly sorrow, as such, hurts no man, it is healing to the soul, and not hurtful to the body, unless, by accident, the body being before under painful distemper, which is apt to be increased by any grief. Worldly sorrow causeth death, 2 Cor. 7. 10. Worldly sorrow is, not only, that which is for worldly things, but also that which is for sin, upon worldly respects, as the principal motives of it. And that sorrow hurts the body, and doth no good to the soul, as David found, when guile prevailed in his spirit, Psal. 32. 2, 3, 4. 2. If it hinders you from, or in, the performance of any duty. 1. From it. The good •hief, on the Cross, was in great ⟨p. 123⟩grief; yet that did not hinder him from honouring Christ, nor from minding his own salvation, nor from rebuking his fellow, Luke 23. 39. to 43. Nor did Christs sorrow on the Cross, which was far greater than that thieves, take him off from minding the future good of his Mother, Joh. 19. 26. 2. In duty.
1. For the time present, when believers ⟨p. 121⟩are under excessive grief, whatever is the cause of it; whether sin or affliction, in your persons, or relations. Believers, as well as others, are subject to many afflictions, in this life, Psal. 34. 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and, not of some one kind onely, but of divers kinds. Job saith of every one, his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn, Iob 14. ult. Herein two things are to be cleared. 1. That it is our duty to grieve under affliction, proportionately to the cause. It is dedolency, stupidity, not to grieve for afflictions, Jer. 5. 3. it is therefore our duty to grieve, when God afflicteth us, but more for Gods displeasure apprehended therein. 2. It is our duty to grieve more for sin then for affliction. 3. More for sin in our selves than in others, And 4. For sin in our near relations more than in others more remote; yet it is unlawful to let grief exceed the proportion allowed by the rules of Gods Word, as all do, who have not this hope, 1 Thess. 4. 13. The spirit ⟨p. 122⟩of man is, by corrupt nature, unstable, as water, Gen. 49. 4. alwayes running forth, unlesse (as water is bounded by the bank or vessel, into which it is put, so) our spirits be bounded, and kept within Compasse, by the Spirit of God. VVould you know, when grief exceeds, or is immoderate? You may know it by the effects. 1. If it distempers and hurts the body. Godly sorrow, as such, hurts no man, it is healing to the soul, and not hurtful to the body, unlesse, by accident, the body being before under painful distemper, which is apt to be increased by any grief. Worldly sorrow causeth death, 2 Cor. 7. 10. VVorldly sorrow is, not onely, that which is for worldly things, but also that which is for sin, upon worldly respects, as the principal motives of it. And that sorrow hurts the body, and doth no good to the soul, as David found, when guile prevailed in his spirit, Psal. 32. 2, 3, 4. 2. If it hinders you from, or in, the performance of any duty. 1. From it. The good hief, on the Crosse, was in great
