Fifthly, Again, if it be spiritual pleasantness, it 1will bear up the heart in the want of all outward pleasantness, and though all outward content be taken away. Habak. 3. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. When ⟨p. 193⟩all is dark abroad in the world, the soul does rejoice in God alone: A soul that hath but natural pleasantness of spirit, is all amort and down when any affliction befalls him. You that have the most delightful spirits, when you have friends, and all that you like, you are jocund and merry, but when affliction comes, how quickly are your spirits down? and how are you vexed and troubled? whereas if there were this spring of pleasantness in the heat, it would bear up the heart joyful in affliction; though servants and friends should cross, this delightfulness of spirit within would carry the heart on cheerfully: But those that are delightful when they are well pleased, yet every little thing that crosses them, makes them dumpish. This is another argument, it is not spiritual pleasantness their hearts are filled with, it is not from the delight they have found in the ways of God that makes them so merry. This by way of Caution.
Fifthly, Again, if it be spiritual pleasantness, it 1will bear up the heart in the want of all outward pleasantness, and though all outward content be taken away. Habbak. 3. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labor of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. When ⟨p. 193⟩all is dark abroad in the world, the soul does rejoyce in God alone: A soul that hath but natural pleasantness of spirit, is all amort and down when any affliction befals him. You that have the most delightful spirits, when you have friends, and all that you like, you are jocund and merry, but when affliction comes, how quickly are your spirits down? and how are you vext and troubled? whereas if there were this spring of pleasantness in the heatt, it would bear up the heart joyful in affliction; though servants and friends should cross, this delightfulness of spirit within would carry the heart on chearfully: But those that are delightful when they are well pleased, yet every little thing that crosses them, makes them dumpish. This is another argument, it is not spiritual pleasantness their hearts are filled with, it is not from the delight they have found in the ways of God that makes them so merry. This by way of Caution.
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