Sermon VII - The Folly of Those Who Seek Only Mirth - Matthew 5:4
SERMON VII
OR The Folly of Those Who Seek Only Mirth "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4
Here, we rebuke the vanity and foolishness of those among us who are solely focused on mirth and jollity. They cannot seem to be happy unless they are immersed in worldly joy and merriment. They place their happiness in these temporal pleasures. How contradictory is your judgment compared to that of Jesus Christ! Christ says,
"Blessed are those who mourn." Why? Because they shall be comforted. But you say, "Blessed are those who are merry, who have an abundance of worldly delights." Yet the Spirit of God says in Ecclesiastes 7:2, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting." Now, which of these two shall we believe? Will we believe your base and carnal heart that places all its happiness in joviality? Or will we believe the wisdom of God, who declares that it is better to go to the house of mourning? If a man had said this, you would have considered him a fool. Which of you would choose to find delight in an abundance of creature comforts and worldly company rather than in the house of mourning? But the Holy
Spirit settles the matter. He states that the house of mourning is better than the house of laughter because the heart is made better through sadness. The house of mourning brings much good to the soul that does not come from the house of laughter. Laughter often corrupts the heart, whereas sorrow often improves it.
Consider this: What if this dreadful woe pronounced by Christ Himself, in Luke 6:25, were to be your portion? "Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep." Your time of sorrow is yet to come. When you see men living grandly and merrily in the world, yet offering no service to Jesus Christ, and being unproductive in their positions, you may say of them, "Alas, here are men who rejoice now, but they shall mourn and weep. Their time of mourning is approaching." How much better would it be to mourn now than to have an eternity of mourning? If you give yourself to pleasure and let your heart pursue vanity in your youth, then all your sorrow will accumulate and overwhelm you in despair. You, in your youth and strength, expend your energy on vanity. Know that your sorrow is accumulating, ready to descend upon you all at once and sink you into everlasting despair. How can you expect that God would look upon you with favor when you are so full of sin and wickedness? Will it be well with you in the end? There are so many precious saints in the world who would not knowingly sin against God for all the wealth in the world. They make it their greatest concern and endeavor to honor God in their generation. Even if they are occasionally overcome by weakness, they go on mourning throughout the day. Are these saints kept in a state of mourning while you rejoice? While you find pleasure and allow your heart to be fully satisfied by worldly pleasures? Know that you, too, must mourn deeply.
The mirth that these men experience arises from ignorance. The mirth you indulge in is a result of your ignorance of your true condition. You are in darkness. Woe to the mirth that has no foundation other than ignorance! Furthermore, these men take advantage of their conscience when it is asleep or numbed. It would be impossible for them to be so merry and carefree if they did not take advantage of their conscience when it is dulled and numb. For if their conscience were awake, it would condemn them and say, "You
are engaging in activities that are not rightfully yours." Cursed be any comfort that cannot stand with a clear conscience, and cursed be your joy if it cannot coexist with thoughts of death and judgment.
Such mirth cannot be good. I urge you to consider this. Whenever you have serious thoughts of God, of death, and of eternity, your joy is dampened. Even when you are fully immersed in pleasure, if your conscience reminds you of the eternal condition, you experience secret qualms. Therefore, you have reason to suspect that any joy and mirth which cannot stand with thoughts of God and eternity is sinful. Beware that you do not share the fate of the one who sought pleasure and satisfaction in the creature but found nothing to satisfy him at the time of his death. Take heed, lest that become your portion. Son, remember that in your lifetime you had your good things, but now you are tormented.
The main thing I want to emphasize in this text is the third use, which is for comfort and consolation. I want to fully align with the mind of Christ in this matter and do as He did—to comfort those who mourn. That will be my work for the rest of the time. You are blessed by the Lord if you truly mourn, and I will now speak.
First, I offer comfort to those who truly mourn. Secondly, I will address an objection that may arise. Thirdly, I will provide guidance on how mourners should carry themselves in their state of mourning to find comfort.
It is an excellent thing to comfort mourners. In the 29th chapter of Job, it is said that finding one who can speak a word in season to the weary is as rare as finding one out of a thousand. This is part of the office of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Christ, and it brings glory to humanity. Surely, it must be a great and glorious work to be part of the office of Jesus Christ and the Spirit. The Spirit is not only a
convincer but also a comforter (John 16:18), and this brings glory to humanity. While some people rejoice in causing others sorrow, that is a cursed thing. It is even more wicked to bring someone into sorrow and then rejoice in it. Pericles, on his deathbed, had friends who spoke of his virtues, the authority he held, and the victories he had won. But he remarked that they had forgotten to mention the best and most noble thing about him—that no Athenian had ever worn a black gown because of him. That was his glory, and we should be cautious not to bring others into a state of mourning, so that we can say that we have never made anyone sad or heavy.
If we have done so, we should humble ourselves and confess it to God, seeking His forgiveness. God delights in comforting people, not in grieving those who mourn. If God does not take pleasure in grieving them, then surely we should not either. They cannot wrong us to the extent that we should be provoked to grieve them, especially considering how often we wrong God. God Himself says
(Lamentations 3:33) that He does not delight in causing grief to the children of men. Now, let me speak more directly to you who are spiritual mourners. Take comfort in these points:
First, if your mourning is sincere, your tears and sorrows are far better than the wine of the worldly. Your tears are more pleasing to God than the mirth of wicked men could ever be. It is better to be in your condition than in the condition of others. Your tears are precious to God, especially if they arise from a genuine godly sorrow.
There is nothing more precious to Him, second only to the blood of Jesus Christ, than tears that come from a right principle of godly sorrow.
Secondly, consider this for your comfort: If you had not been mourning, you might have been sinning. You could have been
engaged in activities that would darken the glory of God. Now, which is better? Judge for yourself. The curse of all your afflictions has been taken away by Jesus Christ. The bitterness of sorrow has been removed from you. Your mourning is based on a misunderstanding.
You have a right to comfort, even if you do not perceive it. You mourn because you do not realize your right to it. So, what is there to discourage you or prevent you from finding comfort? The curse of every affliction and the evil of sin have been eradicated.
Thirdly, consider that all your sorrows are measured out by God, who is your Father. You are not at the mercy of wicked men, who determine how much you should mourn or when you should mourn.
You are under the care of God, your Father. If you, as parents, had the power to deliver your children from anything that could harm them, wouldn't you do it for their good? Now, you are under God's care, and you will not sorrow or weep one tear more than your Father deems necessary for your well-being. God takes note of all your sorrows. He collects all your tears in a bottle, and He Himself is afflicted in all your afflictions (Isaiah 53:9). God is aware of all our miseries, even if others may overlook them. Often, when any of the saints are under dark clouds and in an afflicted condition, they are frowned upon, even though they were previously favored. But God does not act that way. You may not be fully aware, but God is even more sensitive than you are. He is more aware of your sufferings and takes care of you.
Fourthly, find comfort in the fact that Christ himself experienced sorrow. By sharing in your sorrow, you are becoming more like Jesus
Christ. So why should you consider it a burden when you are being conformed to His likeness? In fact, Christ's sorrows were meant to sanctify your own. He sorrowed so that your sorrows could be sanctified. If God ordained Christ, His beloved Son, to be a man of
sorrows, then your condition is not as bleak as you think. You are, in fact, conforming to Christ in this. So why should we hesitate to be like Christ? Didn't God think it worthwhile to make Christ a man of sorrows for your sake? And yet, you consider it too much to bear sorrows in order to be conformed to Him.
Fifthly, take comfort in knowing that you have a stake in the God of all consolation. The darkness of your condition cannot hinder your connection to God. You have comfort in the promise, which is as certain and sure as if you already possessed it. You will undoubtedly receive it in the future, and there will come a time when you will have full consolation. God will hold the wicked accountable for their merriment. They will answer for causing others to be sad, and they will have to give an account for all their joyful hours. Their mirth will become a bitter portion when God charges the weight of guilt upon their souls. Oh, what a difference there will be between you and them on that day! You have mourned for a few days and will find comfort in the end, while they have rejoiced for a few days but will face an eternity of sorrow.
Sixthly, it may be that some of you are saying, "It's true, there is great comfort and precious consolation in these words. But my afflictions are immense. They are greater than others. If I were afflicted as soand-so is, I could bear it. If I had the burden that someone else carries, I could be content and submit to it." For your comfort, know that this perspective may arise more from the disorder of your spirit than from the weight of the affliction itself. The disorder of your spirit may be great, and that causes the burden to feel heavy. The affliction itself may not be as great, but your heart is unwilling to surrender to it. If your heart were willing to submit to the hand of God, the affliction would become easier to bear.
Furthermore, remember that your afflictions are mixed with many blessings. None of you can claim to have purely afflictions. They are always mixed. God could have brought upon you pure afflictions, absolute miseries, and deprived you of any glimpse of mercy. But even in your darkest hours, you have some consolations—more mercy than affliction. I am confident that no one here in this gathering, even if their afflictions seem the greatest, has a shortage of mercies.
And then consider that God suffers more from your sins than you can suffer from His hand in your afflictions. Even the slightest dimming of His glory is a greater evil than any affliction you can endure. This should strengthen your spirit, knowing that God suffers more.
Therefore, you should not be unwilling to endure something when God Himself suffers more than you.
Seventhly, if you desire comfort, consider this: God comforts His saints in a way that may not be sensed but can be embraced through faith. Exercise your faith and draw comfort through it. Place your faith in the promise and let that bring forth the comfort of the promise. Sensory perception is not the means by which God comforts
His people, and if we seek comfort in a sensual manner, we deceive ourselves. Therefore, strive to derive comfort from the exercise of faith. In fact, we should value the comforts that arise from the exercise of our own graces more than those that come from tangible experiences. When you cannot find comfort in the created things, know that it is God you are dealing with, and that is your comfort.
God has not appointed the creature to be the object of your comfort, but Himself. Therefore, when you seek comfort in the creature rather than in God, you undervalue Him and go astray in your search for comfort. In Isaiah 51:12, God says, "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man?" Consider that
God speaks to you in this way: "I am the one who comforts you. Why are you troubled? Look to God saying this to you. Why are you downcast, O poor soul? Is there not more comfort in My word, in My power, than in anything that causes your distress?" In Isaiah 57:19,
God says, "I create the fruit of the lips—peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near." You may not see how you can be comforted, and therefore, because you cannot see it, you think it is impossible. But when you cannot see comfort, remember that God can create comfort for you. Look upon God as the Creator of comfort and do not succumb to discouragement. God would rather recreate
His first work of creation than let you, a true mourner, lack comfort.
He will create comfort for you. This should strengthen your faith and sustain your soul in the darkest times of despair. There is nothing too difficult for God. Just as He created all things out of nothing by the power of His word in the beginning, do you think He is unable to create comfort for you now? If God begins His work, do not fear your comfort.
Lastly, suppose your condition is such that no one in the world has ever been in a similar situation. Yet, you can still find comfort. I suppose there is not a single person in this congregation who has experienced the same level of spiritual or physical trouble as you, or perhaps even worse. But even if it were true that no one has ever been in the same condition as you, there is still comfort for you in this Scripture: "Since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside You, what You have prepared for him who waits for You"
(Isaiah 64:4). If you have a heart to wait upon God in your mourning condition, He has mercy and comfort prepared for you, beyond what anyone can comprehend. Oh, this should encourage you to wait upon God. Even though we may not know the nature of the comfort, God
does. And thus, I have endeavoured to open this box of consolation within this section, which is the first aspect of this use.
The second is to answer a question that may be raised: But you may ask, the promise here says, "They shall be comforted." But I fear this doesn't apply to me. I have mourned for a long time and yet cannot find comfort. I have been in a state of sadness, and I cannot see the promise being fulfilled for me. How should I sustain myself in this situation?
First of all, have you truly mourned? Perhaps you have sinned more than you have sorrowed. Examine your heart carefully. Have your sins outweighed your sorrows? Therefore, do not be disheartened.
What is this sorrow compared to eternal sorrow? What is this small measure of mourning compared to an eternity of misery? Remember that you are delivered from the peril of eternal perishing. Let this thought sweeten all your sorrows. Although your condition may be sad, you are saved from eternal damnation.
Secondly, consider that faith makes future comforts present to you.
This is the glory of faith and its essence. It has the power to make a promised mercy that seems distant appear present. Just as Abraham, by faith, saw the day of Christ in the distant future, faith can bring a mercy to your soul, making it present even if it seems far away. Just as despair makes hell and the impending wrath appear present to the wicked who have enlightened consciences burdened with the weight of their sins, so faith can make a promised mercy certain, even though it may not be possessed yet. If you have no comfort, no glimpse of love in your communion with God, search your spirit to see if there are any clusters of Canaan's grapes within your soul. This is a sign that you will have more if you have any at all. Even if you only have a spark of divine love, know that you will have more. But if
you cannot discern any hint of God's presence, remember that we now have the Word and the ordinances. Why do we have these if not to support our spirits? This was what David relied on to sustain his heart. In Psalm 119:49-50, he said, "Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life." The Word of God is sufficient to uphold the soul even in the darkest times of sorrow.
When you find little comfort in your senses, turn to the Word and retrieve it through faith.
Thirdly, consider that it is not strange to be without comfort for a long time. Even the most precious saints, who have served God faithfully, have been kept in darkness for extended periods without comfort. Though they have rendered much service to God, their hearts have been distant from Him in terms of comfort. We see this in the words of Heman in Psalm 88:7, 14-15, "Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. The terrors of the Almighty overwhelm me; Your terrors have brought me to the brink of destruction." Heman was truly a man of sorrows. This is the experience of a godly and wise person. Similarly, David expressed his longing for comfort in Psalm 119:81-82, saying, "My soul faints for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. My eyes fail from searching
Your word, saying, 'When will You comfort me?'" Even though you may read the Scriptures that have comforted others, if you cannot find solace for yourself, if they do not bring you peace, do not think that God has never dealt with anyone like you. No, the Scriptures testify to the experiences of others who have faced similar trials.
Fourthly, consider that all this time, while comfort may seem distant, your sorrow is actually working to bring about greater consolation.
Your afflictions are laying the groundwork for even greater comforts.
When comfort finally arrives, you will see why it was worth the wait.
You will have no reason to complain but rather to thank God for the delay, knowing that you would have been undone had comfort come earlier. It was the sentiment of Mr. Bates, while in prison, to bless
God for not being in his own or his enemies' hands in terms of sorrow and affliction. If he were in his own hands, he would have come out of trouble too soon. If he were in his enemies' hands, they would have kept him in trouble for too long. But he knew that he was in God's hands, and God knows when it is best to deliver him.
Therefore, patiently wait on God, even if comfort may tarry. When it does come, you will see that it was worth waiting for. Even if you must wait until death, even if you do not experience comfort until the last hour, eternity will compensate for the delay.
Fifthly and finally, consider that this is a time for mourning, and we know that things are reasonable and best in their appointed time.
This is a Christian's planting season. In the world, we will face trouble, and through many tribulations, we will enter into Heaven.
Just as a farmer is willing to endure storms and hardships during the planting season with the knowledge that the harvest is forthcoming, so even though you now sow in tears, there will be a time of reaping in joy.
But here is something that troubles many souls. I would be willing to wait until God comes if I were assured that this promise applies to me. This would truly uplift my heart. I would gladly serve God to the best of my ability, endure any affliction, and consider myself fortunate if He would employ me in anything, if only I were certain that the promise is mine. However, I fear that this promise belongs to others and has nothing to do with me.
In response to this, we should strive to have our mourning in a gracious disposition, and then we can be sure to receive comfort.
This leads me to the third point I mentioned regarding the guidelines.
The third point in this context is as follows: How can we order our mourning in such a way that it brings us comfort? How can I conduct my sorrow in a manner that brings me the assurance that the promise is meant for me? How can our consciences affirm that we are blessed by this promise? Even though others may see us as sad and heavy-hearted, how can we carry ourselves in such a way that they may say, "These individuals are blessed, even though they are in a sorrowful state"? Now, I urge you to take note of these guidelines.
First and foremost (which I particularly want you to focus on), in your mourning, make sure to maintain good thoughts about God. No matter what troubles you face, do not let them give rise to doubts or harbor resentment towards God. The saints have always endeavored to restrain their hearts from falling into this state. In Psalm 43:5, observe how David reproaches his own heart and admonishes it. He secretly checks and reins it in, saying, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God." It is beneficial when we have any reasoning within our hearts about the sadness of our circumstances to lay this conclusion at the foundation: "Yet God is good to Israel; yet God is good." Although I am in misery and sorrow, God is good to His saints, to those in a sorrowful condition.
Those who are in such a condition tend to reflect and meditate on their sorrows and afflictions in their thoughts. But when you do so, be sure to establish this foundation first: "Yet the Lord is good."
Before you even contemplate your sorrows, affirm that the Lord is good, and His counsels are sure and steadfast. David was deeply troubled in his spirit in Psalm 73:1, yet see how he establishes this conclusion: "Truly God is good to Israel." Therefore, you should also
say, "Yet the Lord is good to my soul," regardless of what your senses, temptations, or Satan may make you believe. Yet God is good to Israel, yet God is good to my soul. Similarly, in Jeremiah 12:1, the prophet declares, "Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments." Notice how he affirms God's righteousness before he reasons with Him about his circumstances. He justifies God by saying, "You are righteous, O
Lord." Only then does he proceed to discuss the matter. Therefore, when thoughts arise in our hearts about our sorrowful conditions, when we ponder and reflect on them, let us be sure to say, "You are righteous, O Lord." We can then consider our afflictions and weigh them in the balance, but this principle must be firmly established at the core. In a similar vein, consider the psalmist in Psalm 89, from verse 38 to the end. It recounts a somber tale, yet he begins by praising the mercy of God and exalting it above all. After lifting his faith to the heavens in the exaltation of God's mercy, he then delves into his own sorrows and the sorrows of the Church. When the heart is firmly grounded in God's love, in the covenant, and in His mercy, then we may freely express our sorrows. But before you allow your heart to indulge in sorrow, make sure you first contemplate the love of God. Conclude with the acknowledgment of God's goodness. In the final verse of the psalm, after the account of the sorrowful story, the psalmist concludes, "Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen." He emphasizes it with two asseverations, as if to ensure that it is duly noted: God is good from the beginning, and even though there is a bitter part in the middle, he concludes, "Blessed be the Lord." Let us adopt the same reasoning. Even though my condition is very sad, and I hardly know what to think of myself, God forbid that I should hold negative thoughts about Him. No, I will say, "Yet the Lord is righteous." Perhaps you have witnessed the saints enduring difficult trials for the sake of God and His cause, and your spirits may begin to rise, leading you to question God's faithfulness and love
towards His people. May this never be the case for any of you.
Remember these Scriptures and let them be the conclusion of your hearts in the most sorrowful state you may find yourself in: "Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen."
Secondly, be sure to acknowledge all the mercy you receive from God in the midst of your afflictions. Do not let any affliction overshadow the mercy bestowed upon you. It is disheartening to see how often a few afflictions hinder the recognition of the many mercies that the saints experience. Just as a small object can obstruct the sight of the eye, like a penny placed upon it preventing one from beholding the sun or the sky, a minor affliction can darken the soul and hinder it from perceiving a multitude of mercies. Every little trouble obscures
God's mercies. We should be cautious of this and make sure to include our mercies alongside our afflictions. Whenever we recount our sorrows, we must number our mercies alongside them. In Psalm
103:2, even while David was fleeing for his life, we see the wondrously sweet disposition of his spirit, full of praises. He exclaims, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." Offering praise to God in a sad condition is a melodious song to the Most High.
Thirdly, beware of adopting a sullen and ill-tempered disposition, whether towards God or others, in your sorrows. It is quite common for individuals in troubled conditions to add stubbornness to their mourning. However, we must strive to avoid this, recognizing it as a great evil, and instead cultivate a peaceful and gentle spirit. When people are pleased, they are merry, cheerful, and of good temperament. But when they are afflicted, in pain or sorrow, they become rough and ill-tempered, making it difficult for others to speak with them. This disposition is highly undesirable, and God does not approve of it in times of sin or trouble.
Fourthly, refrain from determining that comfort will never come during sorrow simply because you do not presently experience it. Do not say that comfort will never come because it is absent in the present moment. Moreover, when comfort does arrive, many are so obstinate that they refuse to accept it, as they wish to prove their own determination right. God says to such a soul, "Peace be to you," but the soul responds, "This news is too good to be true; I will not receive it because I want to uphold my determination." Similar to Rachel, who refused to be comforted, many individuals reject comfort from the Word in their spiritual distress. This is unkind treatment towards
God. In Job 15:11, "Are the consolations of God too small for you?"
Know that the Lord expects you to gratefully accept even a crumb of mercy that He offers. Consider your unworthiness, acknowledging that you are undeserving of God's comforting word. However, if the Lord brings His consolations of free grace, welcome them. Bless God that you can receive mercy on any terms. Like the woman of Canaan who said, "Even the dogs eat the crumbs," say, "I am but a dog, yet Lord, let me have a portion as a dog, and I will gratefully accept it from Your hands." Oh, be thankful for the smallest mercy, for it is the surest way to receive more. In His own time, the Lord will bestow further mercy upon you.