Rachel wept, and would not be comforted; she gave so much way to weeping, that she would not give the least way to comfort: and so 'tis many times with the choicest Saints. My soul refused to be comforted. 1'Tis not my purpose at present to insist on the several ways, whereby the people of God refuse comfort, and fall short of those strong consolations▪ which God is ⟨p. 226⟩willing that they should receive. The Sun may operate where it doth not shine, and a man may be in a state of salvation, and yet want consolation, a man may fear the 2Lord, and obey the voice of his servant, and yet walk in darkness and see no light. There is no Christian but may sometime have trouble in his conscience, and grief in his heart, and tears in his eyes, and fears and questionings in his soul, whether God be his Father, and whether Christ be his Redeemer, & whether Mercy belongs to him, yea, whether any Promise in the Book of God belongs to him? &c. Joy and comfort are those dainties, 3those sweet-meets of heaven, that God doth not every day feast his people with; every day is not a wedding day, nor every day is not a harvest day, nor every day is not a summers day. The fatted Calf is 4not killed every day, nor the Robe & the Ring is not every day put on; every day is not a festival day nor a dancing day. As there is a time ⟨p. 227⟩to sing, so there is a time to sigh; as there is a time to laugh, so there is a time to weep; and as there is a time to dance, so there is a time to mourn; All tears will never be clear wiped from our eyes, till all sin be quite taken out of our hearts. But notwithstanding all this, yet gracious •ouls have always sure and choice grounds of consolation, they have the promises, they have the first fruits of the Spirit, they have union with Christ, and they have right to eternal life, though they have not always sensible comforts. The 5children of God have always cause to exercise faith and hope on God in their darkest condition, though they have not always actual joy and consolation; The comforter always abides with the Saints, though he doth not alway actually comfort the Saints. John. 14. 16. The Spirit many times carries on his sanctifying work in the soul, when he doth not carry on his comforting work in the soul; the Spirit many times acts in a way ⟨p. 228⟩of humiliation, when he doth not act in a way of consolation;
Rachel wept, and would not be comforted; she gave so much way to weeping, that she would not give the least way to comfort: and so 'tis many times with the choicest Saints. My soul refused to be comforted. 1'Tis not my purpose at present to insist on the several wayes, whereby the people of God refuse comfort, and fall short of those strong consolations▪ which God is ⟨p. 226⟩willing that they should receive. The Sun may operate where it doth not shine, and a man may be in a state of salvation, and yet want consolation, a man may fear the 2Lord, and obey the voice of his servant, and yet walk in darkness and see no light. There is no Christian but may sometime have trouble in his conscience, and grief in his heart, and tears in his eyes, and fears and questionings in his soul, whether God be his Father, and whether Christ be his Redeemer, & whether Mercy belongs to him, yea, whether any Promise in the Book of God belongs to him? &c. Joy and comfort are those dainties, 3those sweet-meets of heaven, that God doth not every day feast his people with; every day is not a wedding day, nor every day is not a harvest day, nor every day is not a summers day. The fatted Calf is 4not kil'd every day, nor the Robe & the Ring is not every day put on; every day is not a festival day nor a dancing day. As there is a time ⟨p. 227⟩to sing, so there is a time to sigh; as there is a time to laugh, so there is a time to weep; and as there is a time to dance, so thereis a time to mourn; All tears will never be clear wip'd from our eyes, till all sinbe quite taken out of our hearts. But notwithstanding all this, yet gracious •ouls have alwayes sure and choice grounds of consolation, they have the promises, they have the first fruits of the Spirit, they have union with Christ, and they have right to eternal life, though they have not alwayes sensible comforts. The 5children of God have alwayes cause to exercise faith and hope on God in their darkest condition, though they have not alwayes actual joy and consolation; The comforter alwayes abides with the Saints, though he doth not alway actually comfort the Saints.
- 1Psal. 77. 2.
- 2Isa. 50. 10. 2.
- 3Psal. 30. 6, 7.
- 4Luke 15. 22, 23. Eccl. 3. 4. Rom. 12. 15.
- 5Job 13. 15. Psal. 42. 5.
