A25241:1097
Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…
Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last / by Isaac Ambrose ...
London: printed for Richard Chiswel, 1680
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. They object, the Saints themselves feel no such things, for ought appears to the World; whose spirits are more heavy and sad? as it is said of Christ himself, that he never laughed, and as David said of himself, Why art thou cast down O my soul, 1and why art thou disquieted within me? So it may be said of some Christians, if they are strict, that they are seldom merry, or pleasant.—
But I answer—1. Christians that keep indeed close to the rule, are for the most part serious, and the word may suppose them, as sad.
2. It may be they are not in their element, in the acts of Religion, and therefore they cannot express their spiritual cheerfulness; a fish cannot delight it self on the Earth, but when it is in the water; a Bird doth not sing on the ground, but when it is got up into the air; Gods people cannot rejoice in sin, as drunkards and revellers do; but when their hearts are in Religious exercises, and in communion with God, they are merry and pleasant.
2. It may be they are not in their element, in the acts of Religion, and therefore they cannot express their spiritual cheerfulness; a fish cannot delight it self on the Earth, but when it is in the water; a Bird doth not sing on the ground, but when it is got up into the air; Gods people cannot rejoyce in sin, as drunkards and revellers do; but when their hearts are in Religious exercises, and in communion with God, they are merry and pleasant.