Other men’s sins – Thomas Brooks

By other men’s sins, a holy man is put in mind of the badness of his own heart. Bernard makes mention of an old man, who, when he saw any man sin, lamented and wept for him; and being asked why he grieved so, for other men’s sins, answered, “He fell today and I may fall tomorrow!” The falls of others puts a holy man in mind of the roots of sinfulness which are in himself. Other men’s actual sins are as so many glasses, through which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin which are in his own heart and such a sight as this cannot but melt him and break him.

A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself pure from other men’s sins, is to mourn for other men’s sins. He who makes conscience of weeping over other men’s sins will rarely be defiled with other men’s sins.

A holy heart looks upon other men’s sins as their bonds and chains and this makes him mourn. Ah, how can tears but trickle down a Christian’s cheeks, when he sees multitudes, fast bound with the cords of their iniquity, trooping to hell? Who can look upon a sinner as a bound prisoner to the prince of darkness and not bemoan him?

If holy people thus mourn for the wickedness of others, then certainly those who take pleasure in the wickedness of others who laugh and joy, who can make a sport of other men’s sins are rather monsters than men! There are none so nearly allied to Satan as these nor any so resemble Satan as much as these! (The devil always joys most when sinners sin most!) To applaud them, and take pleasure in those who take pleasure in sin is the highest degree of ungodliness!