This is a preposterous grief, to weep, to sorrow, to sigh for sins in others; and not to weep for the sins of our own souls: and this is want of the true love of Gods word, To be grieved when we our selves do sin, and to be nothing grieved for the sins of others. 1Wherefore if we be in place, where we want time and opportunity openly to rebuke sin and reform it, at the least let us labour to be grieved, which grief must sit so near our hearts, that when any time or opportunity serveth, we cease not, nor stay to utter it with our mouths. For they that are throughly grieved at the heart, will at one time or other burn, until they have uttered it with their mouth. Wherefore we must labour, whatsoever sin we mislike in judgement, to be grieved for the same in affection: for many can mislike sin, and it is an easy thing; but few are grieved for sin, for it is an hard matter. If ever we had need to mourn for the sins of others, we had need at this day, that our grief of sin in time of prosperity may show us, what faith we shall find in trouble. But no marvel though we be no more grieved with sins in others, because we are so little grieved with sin in our selves▪ For if we were throughly and sincerely grieved with sins in our selves, we should also be grieved with it in others, wheresoever we found it: Which grief we shall not truly have, until we can devour all private injuries. And seeing this is the joy of a true Christian, to see the Gospel have free passage; and this is the sorrow and grief of the child of God, to see this Gospel hindered: they who rejoice not at ⟨p. 575⟩the one, nor sorrow for the other, have either the love of the word cold in them, or altogether none.
This is a preposterous griefe, to weep, to sorrow, to sigh for sinnes in others; and not to weepe for the sinnes of our owne soules: and this is want of the true loue of Gods word, To be grieued when wee our selues doe sinne, and to be nothing grieued for the sinnes of others. 1Wherefore if we be in place, where we want time and opportunitie openly to rebuke sinne and reforme it, at the least let vs labour to be grieued, which griefe must sit so neere our hearts, that when any time or opportunitie serueth, we cease not, nor stay to vtter it with our mouthes. For they that are throughly grieued at the heart, will at one time or other burne, vntill they haue vttered it with their mouth. Wherefore we must labour, whatsoeuer sinne we mislike in iudgement, to be grieued for the same in affection: for many can mislike sinne, and it is an easie thing; but few are grieued for sinne, for it is an hard matter. If euer we had neede to mourne for the sinnes of others, we had neede at this day, that our griefe of sinne in time of prosperitie may shew vs, what faith we shall finde in trouble. But no marueile though we be no more grieued with sinnes in others, because we are so little grieued with sinne in our selues▪ For if we were throughly and sincerely grieued with sins in our selues, we should also be grieued with it in others, wheresoeuer we found it: Which griefe we shall not truly haue, vntill we can deuoure all priuate iniuries. And seeing this is the ioy of a true Christian, to see the Gospell haue free passage; and this is the sorrow and griefe of the childe of God, to see this Gospell hindred: they who reioyce not at ⟨p. 575⟩the one, nor sorrow for the other, haue either the loue of the word cold in them, or altogether none.
- 1Note.
