CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Now to all this may be Objected, That it cannot be a Christians duty to be always rejoicing, for many times they lie under sad Temptations, especially there are times and seasons when God calls to mourning; Is any man afflicted, let him pray? Is any merry, let him sing Psalms? And Solomon of old said, There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; David also saith, Psa. 126.5. Such as sow in tears shall reap in joy, which implieth a time of tears only. To this Consider these things.

Now to all this may be Objected, That it cannot be a Christians duty to be alwaies rejoycing, for many times they lie under sad Temptations, especially there are times and seasons when God cals to mourning; Is any man afflicted, let him pray? Is any merry, let him sing Psalms? And Solomon of old said, There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; David also saith, Psa. 126.5. Such as sow in tears shall reap in joy, which implieth a time of tears only. To this Consider these things.

1. It may not be denied but that there are some times wherein God doth in a peculiar manner call to the duty of mourning, fasting, and humiliation; Insomuch that the Prophet Isay complaineth that when God called to mourning, ⟨p. 415⟩they went to their mirth and jollities, Isa 21.12. And thus when God shall plainly afflict thee for any sins thou hast committed, as David with the loss of his Child for his Uncleanness; In such cases it is our duty to be humbled and to mourn under his hand; But these humiliations and fastings lie in the abstinence of that natural and lawful joy we might take in the Creatures, not in spiritual Joy: In days of humiliation it's a duty to rejoice in the Lord, and such joy will like fire melt and thaw the heart; This joy that is so useful must not be laid aside; But then that joy in the Creatures which at another time would be lawful, is in such a season sinful; It's not lawful then to joy in Wives, in Children, in outward comforts, but to mourn before God, as those who by their sins have deserved the loss of all; So then there may be a time when this outward worldly though lawful joy is to be denied; and in this sense Solomon saith, It's better to go to the house of mourning then of laughter, because such sad objects may be sanctified to spiritual meditations.