I Answer, Yes; for howsoever it be or not alway sensible, yet it is alway a seal: though we have not always the joy of the Spirit, yet we have the Spirit of joy; a Christian hath not the joy of the Spirit at all times, for that is moveable, but he hath always the Spirit of joy, which Spirit though it be not known by joy, yet it is known by operation and working: there is the work of the Spirit, where there is not always the joy of the Spirit: and therefore when that fails, go to the work of sanctification, and see what ⟨p. 480⟩stamp and resemblance of Christ there is: see if thy heart be humble and broken, if thou have a loving disposition in thee like to Christ, that thou hatest that which Christ hateth, that thou seest a division in thy self: I say, when the joy of the Spirit ceaseth, go to the work of the Spirit, and to this work of the Spirit, viz. the voice of the Spirit, canst thou cry to God with prayer and supplication? and if thou canst not pray with distinct words, canst thou mourn and groan to God? this sighing and groaning is the voice of Gods Spirit, and God knows the voice of his own Spirit. But for the question propounded: the soul of a Christian knows that when it finds not extraordinary comfort from Gods Spirit, that Gods love is constant: It can reason thus, Though I find not the comfort of the Spirit, yet I have the Spirit of Comfort, because I had the Spirit in former times, and Gods Spirit is unchangeable, and therefore though it be not with me now as in those ravishings of the Spirit, yet the love of God is the same, though my feeling be not the same; because though I be off and on, and my feeling ebb and flow, yet his love is not so: and here upon the extraordinary feeling of the Spirit, which is superadded as an extraordinary seal, it may be a sound seal of Comfort from the constancy of God who gave it, and he gave it for this end, that we might have recourse and retire back in our thoughts, and argue, it was thus and thus with me; then we remember the times of old, as David saith, Psal. 77. and help our selves with our former feelings: he that alway hath life, is not always alike stirred; Christ may be begotten and live in us, but he stirs not always alike: so though the Spirit of sanctification be in us, and stir in us, yet his stirring is not alike so sweet;
I Answer, Yes; for howsoever it be or not alway sensible, yet it is alway a seal: though we have not alwaies the joy of the Spirit, yet we have the Spirit of joy; a Christian hath not the joy of the Spirit at all times, for that is moveable, but he hath alwaies the Spirit of joy, which Spirit though it be not known by joy, yet it is known by operation and working: there is the work of the Spirit, where there is not alwayes the joy of the Spirit: and therefore when that fails, go to the work of sanctification, and see what ⟨p. 480⟩stamp and resemblance of Christ there is: see if thy heart be humble and broken, if thou have a loving disposition in thee like to Christ, that thou hatest that which Christ hateth, that thou seest a division in thy self: I say, when the joy of the Spirit ceaseth, go to the work of the Spirit, and to this work of the Spirit, viz. the voice of the Spirit, canst thou cry to God with prayer and supplication? and if thou canst not pray with distinct words, canst thou mourne and groan to God? this sighing and groaning is the voice of Gods Spirit, and God knowes the voice of his own Spirit. But for the question propounded: the soul of a Christian knowes that when it findes not extraordinary comfort from Gods Spirit, that Gods love is constant: It can reason thus, Though I find not the comfort of the Spirit, yet I have the Spirit of Comfort, because I had the Spirit in former times, and Gods Spirit is unchangeable, and therefore though it be not with me now as in those ravishings of the Spirit, yet the love of God is the same, though my feeling be not the same; because though I be off and on, and my feeling ebb and flow, yet his love is not so: and here upon the extraordinary feeling of the Spirit, which is superadded as an extraordinary seal, it may be a sound seal of Comfort from the constancy of God who gave it, and he gave it for this end, that we might have recourse and retire back in our thoughts, and argue, it was thus and thus with me; then we remember the times of old, as David saith, Psal. 77. and help our selves with our former feelings: he that alway hath life, is not alwaies alike stirred; Christ may be begotten and live in us, but he stirs not alwaies alike: so though the Spirit of sanctification be in us, and stir in us, yet his stirring is not alike so sweet;
