Weeping and Rejoicing Mixed (2)

How will we know when to cease and leave off mourning? The soul has many things to do and it cannot always mourn nor always rejoice. We have mourned enough, when we have overcome our hearts, and brought them to a temper of mourning, and have complained before God, spread the ill of the times before him, and entreated pity from him, having poured out ourselves in prayer. When we have this done, then we have discharged our duty in mourning and must then look upon causes of rejoicing and thanksgiving. Looking upon God's blessing upon us both in kingdom, state, and our own particular persons, we may be excited to thankfulness.
We have cause of thankfulness when we consider that many churches in other places are invaded by enemies, oppressed with cruelty, and deprived of liberty, while yet we enjoy the liberty and free passage of the gospel, being freed from the destruction of war and pestilence, which devours so many that it makes the land to mourn. He continues to give us liberty to hear the word and gives us many blessings which others have not. We have cause to bless God for freeing us from that terrible judgment of all judgments-which makes both church and commonwealth to mourn—because he does not suffer us to fall into the hands of man, but takes us into his own hand to correct. It is God's infinite mercy that he does not humble us by our enemies. Therefore, let us mourn, seeing we have cause, for ourselves and the states of others; but yet let us be thankful, for if we would be more thankful for God's benefits, we should have them longer continued. For, as prayer begs blessings, so thanksgiving continues them. As the best way to obtain good things is prayer and mourning, so the best way to preserve them is thanksgiving and rejoicing. We have plainly seen that Christians should not always be dumpish and look sourly, instead they must as well rejoice and be thankful, as mourn and weep.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Josiah's Reformation, pp. 112-14 [87-88]
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