his heart, Zech. 12:11. Gracious souls use to mourn for other men's
weeps in secret for Judah's sins, Jer. 9:1; and Paul cannot speak of the belly-gods with dry eyes, Philip. 3:18, 19. And Lot's righteous soul was burdened, vexed, and racked by the filthy Sodomites, 2 Peter 2:7, 8. Every sinful Sodomite was a Hazael to his eyes, a Hadadrimmon to his heart, Zech. 12:11. Gracious souls use to mourn for other men's sins as well as their own, and for their souls and sins who make a mock of sin, and a jest of damning their own souls. Guilt or grief is all that gracious souls get by communion with vain souls, Ps. 119:136, 158.
In the 6th verse, he shews that the punishment that was inflicted upon the incestuous person was sufficient, and therefore they should not refuse to receive him who had repented and sorrowed for his former faults and follies. It is not for the honour of Christ, the credit of the gospel, nor the good of souls, for professors to be like those bloody wretches, that burnt some that recanted at the stake, saying, 'That they would send them into another world whiles they were in a good mind.'
In the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th verses, the apostle stirs up the church to forgive him, to comfort him, and to confirm their love towards him, lest he should be 'swallowed up with over much sorrow,' Satan going about to mix the detestable darnel, Mat. 13:25, of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart. It was a sweet saying of one, 'Let a man grieve for his sin, and then joy for his grief.' That sorrow for sin that keeps the soul from looking towards the mercyseat, and that keeps Christ and the soul asunder, or that shall render the soul unfit for the communion of saints, is a sinful sorrow.
In the 11th verse, he lays down another reason to work them to shew pity and mercy to the penitent sinner, that was mourning and groaning under his sin and misery; i. e. lest Satan should get an