The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Though in evil times we have cause […] praise God, yet so we are, and such […] our spirits (for the most part) that action straitens our hearts. There•re the Apostle thought it the fittest •y in affliction to pray, Is any afflicted ¹[…] him pray; saith James, Is any joyful, let […] sing Psalms, showing that the day rejoicing is the fittest day of prai• God. Every work of a Christian ⟨p. 428⟩is beautiful in its own time, the graces of Christianity have their several offices at several seasons, in trouble, prayer is in its season, in the evil day ²call upon me, saith God: In better times praises should appear and show themselves. When God manifests his goodness to his, he gives them grace with it, to manifest their thankfulness ³to him. Praising of God is then most comely (though never out of season) when God seems to call for it, by renewing the sense of his mercies i• some fresh favour towards us. If a bird will sing in Winter, much more in the Spring. If the heart be prepared in the Winter time of adversity to praise God, how ready will it be when it i• warmed with the glorious sunshine of his favour.

Though in evill times we have cause 〈…〉 praise God, yet so wee are, and such 〈…〉 our spirits (for the most part) that •ction straitens our hearts. There•re the Apostle thought it the fittest •y in affliction to pray, Is any afflicted ¹〈…〉 him pray; saith Iames, Is any joyfull, let sing Psalmes, shewing that the day ejoycing is the fittest day of prai God. Every worke of a Christian