Just as surely as happiness is the attendant of holiness, so misery is the certain result of sin. The sorrow of the world is not occasioned by mourning over sin, as sin, but over the punishment which sin brings. The sorrow of the world does not arise from just views of sin, nor does it proceed from any concern that God has been offended. It does not lead the soul to God in true penitence, nor to turn to Him for consolation.
When the worldling's dream of earthly happiness has been dispelled by misfortune, he feeds only on the sour bread of self-pity. The sorrow of the world debilitates the body, disturbs peace, and brings complaining and despair. There is no contrite seeking of God on the part of the suffering one, but only a fretting and murmuring against him.
Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
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