An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

I will comfort my self, I will leave off my heaviness. Some add to their afflictions, and are active to aggravate and increase them: they make their night darker, and obscure the light of counsel that is brought unto them: they join with Satan their enemy, and by the black melancholy vapours of their own hearts, stifle the consolations that are administered them by faithful friends. Like Rachel (Jer. 31.) they refuse to be comforted; when reviving Cordials are offered, they spill them upon the ground, and will not take in a drop: they are so far from comforting themselves, that they will not receive comfort from others. The Prophet seems to be resolved upon the point, he would go on in sorrows, Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me (Isa. 22.4.) As sometimes a man under great affliction bespeaks comfort from others, O, I am in a sad case, come, comfort me, show me how I may get ease from these sorrows. Many beg prayers, and send bills of their afflictions, desiring to have them spread before the Lord in the Congregation, that some comfort may be dropped from heaven into their diseased bodies, or wounded spirits. Others sleight prayers, and care not to be comforted, as if it were an ease to them to mourn, and a refreshing to be in heaviness. There is a two-fold ground upon which comforts are thus put off.

I will comfort my self, I will leave off my heavinesse. Some adde to their afflictions, and are active to aggravate and encrease them: they make their night darker, and obscure the light of counsell that is brought unto them: they joyn with Satan their enemy, and by the black melancholy vapours of their own hearts, stifle the consolations that are administred them by faithfull friends. Like Rachel (Jer. 31.) they refuse to be comforted; when reviving Cordials are offered, they spill them upon the ground, and will not take in a drop: they are so farre from comforting themselves, that they will not receive comfort from others. The Prophet seems to be resolved upon the point, he would go on in sorrows, Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me (Isa. 22.4.) As sometimes a man under great affliction bespeaks comfort from others, O, I am in a sad case, come, comfort me, shew me how I may get ease from these sorrows. Many beg praiers, and send bils of their afflictions, desiring to have them spread before the Lord in the Congregation, that some comfort may be dropt from heaven into their diseased bodies, or wounded spirits. Others sleight praiers, and care not to be comforted, as if it were an ease to them to mourn, and a refreshing to be in heavinesse. There is a two-fold ground upon which comforts are thus put off.