The saints everlasting rest

Come forth, O my drooping soul, and lay aside thy winter, mourning robes; let it be seen in thy believing joys and praise, that the day is appearing, and the spring is come; and as now thou seest thy comforts green, thou shalt shortly see them white and ripe for harvest; and then thou. who art now called forth to see and taste, shalt be called forth to reap, and gather, and take possession. Shall I suspend and delay my joys till then? Should not the joys of the spring go before the joys of harvest? Is the heir in no better a state than the slave? My LORD hath taught me to rejoice in the hope of his glory, and to see it through the bars of a prison, and even when I am persecuted for righteousness-sake, when I am reviled, and a•l manner of evil said against me f•r his s•ke, then he hath commanded me to rejoice and be exceeding glad, because of this my great reward in heaven. How justly is an unbelieving heart possessed by sorrow, and made a prey to cares and fears, when itself doth create them, and thrust away its offered peace and joy! I know it is the pleasure of my bounteous LORD, that none of his family should want comfort, nor live such a poor and miserable life, nor look with such a famished dejected face. I know he would have my joys exceed my sorrows; and as much as he delights in the humble and contrite, yet doth he more delight in the soul as it delighteth in him. Hath my LORD spread me a table in this wilderness, and furnished it with promises of everlasting glory, and set before me angels food, and broached for me the side of his beloved Son, that I might have a better wine than the blood of the grape? Doth he so importunately invite me to sit down, and draw forth my faith, and feed, and spare not? Nay, hath he furnished me to that end with reason and saith, and a rejoicing disposition? And yet is it possible that he should be unwilling ⟨p. 389⟩I should rejoice? Never think it, O my unbelieving soul; nor dare charge him with thy uncomfortable heaviness, who offereth thee the foretaste of the highest delight that heaven can afford, and GOD can bestow. D•th he not bid thee delight thyself in the Lord? and promise to give thee the desires of thy heart? Hath he not charged thee to rejoice evermore? Yea is sing aloud, and shout for joy?

Come forth, O my drooping soul, and lay aside thy winter, mourning robes; let it be seen in thy believing joys and praise, that the day is appearing, and the spring is come; and as now thou seest thy comforts green, thou shalt shortly see them white and ripe for harvest; and then thou. who art now called forth to see and taste, shalt be called forth to reap, and gather, and take possession. Shall I suspend and delay my joys till then? Should not the joys of the spring go before the joys of harvest? Is the heir in no better a state than the slave? My LORD hath taught me to rejoice in the hope of his glory, and to see it through the bars of a prison, and even when I am persecuted for righteousness-sake, when I am reviled, and al manner of evil said agaist me fr his ske, then he hath commanded me to rejoice and be exceeding glad, becase of this my great reward in heaven. How justly is an unbelieving heart posssed by sorrow, and made a prey to cares and fears, when itself doth create them, and thrust away its offered peace and joy! I know it is the pleasure of my bounteous LORD, that none of his family should want comfort, nor live such a poor and miserable life, nor look with such a famished dejected face. I know he would have my joys exceed my sorrows; and as much as he delights in the humble and contrite, yet doth he more delight in the soul as it delighteth in him. Hath my LORD spread me a table in this wilderness, and furnished it with promises of everlasting glory, and set before me angels food, and broached for me the side of his beloved Son, that I might have a better wine than the blood of the grape? Doth he so importunately invite me to sit down, and draw forth my faith, and feed, and spare not? Nay, hath he furnished me to that end with reason and saith, and a rejoicing disposition? And yet is it possible that he should be unwilling