February 10

Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. - Psalms 119:136.

IT is the surest evidence of the renewed mind to which we can refer, when we are weeping for the sins of others, as they do not expose us to condemnation, and with it, if we mourn over them, it must be from a religious principle. God knows this; and God is so pleased, therefore, that we read in Ezekiel that the executions were stayed till the man with the inkhorn had impressed a mark on the foreheads of all who mourned and sighed for the abominations that were done in the land at Jerusalem. Wherever the Christian sees sin, he sees something that dishonours God-something that destroys a soul-something that crucifies the Lord of life and glory; and he can say, with David, “I beheld the transgressors and was grieved.” He cannot see God’s law trampled upon-hear God’s name blasphemed-witness the contempt thrown upon the sacred day and upon the glorious gospel of his Lord and Saviour-without feeling aggrieved.

The people of the world often reproach the Lord’s people with being mopish and melancholy. Ungrateful beings! to reproach them for this, when they themselves are the cause of a great deal of their distress and sorrow. They weep because others never weep; they mourn, because others never mourn. They know the dangers to which sinners are exposed, though they themselves are not aware of it. They see that “their damnation lingereth not- that their destruction slumbereth not:” and when these things come near home-when they regard their own immediate connections- how can they help saying, with Esther, “How can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”

In the West of England, a pious man and woman resided, who had a son,-a favourite son, too; but he was of an infidel turn. A minister, who had some reputation for eloquence, was to preach in the place. They persuaded him to attend; and, as he was fond of good speaking, he complied with their invitation. The subject was the happiness of the heavenly world. All seemed charmed: but when he looked into a comer of the pew he saw his mother weeping and when he looked into another corner of the pew he saw his father weeping. When they arrived at home they asked him how he liked the preacher. “Oh,” he said, immediately, “this is good natural speaking: but what in the world could induce you to weep, while all the rest seemed so delighted?” “Oh,” said the mother, “I wept not because I feared I should lose this blessedness, but at the thought, my son, of your being deprived of it.” “Ah,” said the father, “seeing your mother weep, I wept also at the same thought.” They said no more, (and nothing is ever gained by noise and wordiness:) he immediately retired, and in his chamber said, “I have made my dear father weep and I have made my dear mother weep long enough: it is now time to weep for myself. God be merciful to me, a sinner.”