11. Consider how dear our sins cost Christ
11. Consider how dear our sins cost Christ Considering how dearly our sins cost Christ may cause tears to distil from our eyes. Christ is called the Rock (1Cor 10.4). When his hands were pierced with nails, and the spear thrust in his side, then this
Rock was struck, and water and blood came out. And all this Christ endured for us: "the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself"
(Dan. 9.26). We tasted the apple, and he tasted the vinegar and gall.
We sinned in every faculty, and he bled in every vein: Cernis ut in toto corpore sculptus amor.
Can we look upon a suffering Savior with dry eyes? Will we not be sorry for those sins which made Christ a man of sorrow? Will not our enormities, which drew blood from Christ, draw tears from us? Will we play any more with sin and so scrape Christ's wounds? Oh that by repentance we could crucify our sins afresh! The Jews said to Pilate,
"If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend" (Joh 19.12). If we let our sins go and do not crucify them, we are not Christ's friends.
12. This is the purpose of all afflictions which God sends, Whether it is sickness in our bodies or losses in our estates, God would awaken us from our sins and make the waters of repentance flow. Why did God lead Israel on that march in the wilderness among fiery serpents except to humble them (Deu8.2)? Why did he bring
Manasseh so low, changing his crown of gold into fetters of iron except that he might learn repentance? "He humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was
God" (2Chr 33.12-13). One of the best ways to cure a man of his lethargy, is to push him into a fever. Likewise, when a person is stupefied and his conscience has grown lethargic, God puts him under extremes. He brings one burning calamity or another to cure the person of this disease – to startle him out of his security and make him return to God by repentance.
13. The days of our mourning will soon be ended After a few showers that fall from our eyes, we will have perpetual sunshine. Christ will provide a handkerchief to wipe off his people's tears: "God will wipe away all tears" (Rev7.17). Christians, you will shortly put on your garments of praise. You will exchange your sackcloth for white robes. Instead of sighs you will have triumphs;