[b]A tear dropping from the eye of faith[/b]
(Thomas Watson, "The Beatitudes" 1660)
"Blessed are those who mourn." Matthew 5:8
It is a sign that the Sun of Righteousness has risen upon us, when our frozen hearts thaw and melt for sin. Weeping for sin is a sign of the new birth. As soon as the child is bornit weeps. Mourning shows a 'heart of flesh' (Ezekiel 36:26). A stone will not melt. When the heart is in a melting frameit is a sign the heart of stone is taken away.
"Let your tears flow like a river. Give yourselves no rest from weeping day or night." Lament. 2:18
Tears for sin, are blessed tears.
Tears poison our corruptions. Salt-water kills worms. Just so, the brinish water of repenting tears will help to kill that worm of sin which would gnaw the conscience.
Mourning also fences us against the devil's temptations. Temptations are called 'fiery darts' (Ephesians 6:16), because indeed they set the soul on fire. Temptations enrage anger, and inflame lust. Now the waters of holy mourning, quench these fiery darts! Wet gunpowder will not easily catch fire. Just so, when the heart is wetted and moistened with sorrowit will not so easily catch the fire of temptation.
Penitential tears are precious. Tears dropping from a mournful, penitent eye, are like water dropping from the rosesvery sweet and precious to God. A fountain in the garden makes it pleasant. That heart is most delightful to Godwhich has a fountain of sorrow running in it. 'Mary stood at Christ's feet weeping' (Luke 7:38). Her tears were more fragrant than her ointment. The incense, when it is broken, smells sweetest. When the heart is broken for sin, then our services give forth their sweetest perfume.
Surely, God delights much in tearselse He would not keep a bottle for them. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book." Psalm 56:8. Tears are powerful orators for God's mercy. Tears melt the heart of God. When a man comes weeping in prayer and smites on his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"this melts God's heart towards him. Tears, though they are silentyet have a voice, "The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping!" (Psalm 6:8). Tears in the child's eye sometimes move the angry father to spare the child. Penitential tears melt God's heart and bind His hand. Tears have a mighty influence upon God.
Repentant tears are sweet. Mourning is the way to solid joy. A Christian thinks himself sometimes in the suburbs of heavenwhen he can weep. Sugar when it melts is sweetest. When a Christian melts in tears, now he has the sweetest joy. When the daughter of Pharaoh descended into the rivershe found a babe there among the reeds. Just so, when we descend into the river of repenting tearswe find the babe Jesus there, who shall wipe away all tears from our eyes.
Tears water our graces and make them flourish. Where the springs of sorrow runthere the heart bears a fruitful crop. The tender-eyed Christian usually brings forth more of the fruit of the Spirit. A weeping eye is the water-pot to water our graces!
If there is so much profit and benefit in gospel-sorrow, then let every Christian wash his face every morning in the laver of tears.
Our mourning for sin herewill prevent mourning in hell. Hell is a place of weeping (Matthew 8:12). The damned mingle their drink with weeping. God is said to have His bottle for our tears. Those who will not shed a bottle-full of tearsshall hereafter shed rivers of tears. "Woe to you who laugh nowfor you shall mourn and weep!" (Luke 6: 25). You have sometimes seen sugar lying in a damp place, dissolve into water. Just so, all the sugared joys of the wicked, dissolve at last into the water of tears!
There is but one way to blessedness, and that is through the valley of tears. If you do not go this way, you will miss Paradise. "I tell you, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish"' (Luke 13:3). There is only one way leading to heaven, and that is a tear dropping from the eye of faith. A man may have a disease in his body, which twenty medicines will heal. But only the medicine of repentance, will heal the mortal disease of sin.
Think what a sinner you have been. You have filled God's book with your debtsand what need you have to fill His bottle with your tears!
He who weeps here is a blessed mourner. He who weeps in hell is a cursed mourner. If God's bottle is not filled with tearsHis vial will be filled with wrath!
Repentant tears are but finite. It is but a short time that we shall weep. After a few showers fall from our eyes, we shall have a perpetual sunshine. "God shall wipe away all tears!" (Revelation 7:17). When sin shall ceasetears shall cease! "Weeping may endure for a nightbut joy comes in the morning!" (Psalm 30:5)
_________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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