THE SAINT'S REST. 29 their comforter ; he multiplies promises ; he discovers their future happiness, " that their joy may be full "(x) He opens to them the fountain of living waters, that they may thirst no more, and, that it may "spring up in them to everlasting life.(y) He chastens them, that he may give them, rest.(z) He makes it their duty to "rejoice in him alway, and again" commands them "to rejoice. "(a) He never brings them into so low a condi tion, wherein he does not leave them more cause of joy than sorrow. And hath the Lord such a .care of our comfort here. Oh, ,what will that joy be, where the soul being perfectly prepared for joy, and joy prepared by Christ for the soul, it shall be our work, our business, eternally to rejoice ! It seems the saint's joy shall be greater than the damned's torment, for their torment is the torment of creatures "prepared for the devil and his angels ;"(b) but our joy is the joy of our Lord.(c) "The same glory which the'Father gave the Son, the Son hath given them, "(d) "to sit with him in his throne, even as he is set down with his Father in his throne. "(e) Thou, poor soul, who prayest for joy, waitest for joy, complainest for want of joy, longest for joy ; thou then shalt have full joy, as much as thou canst hold, and more than ever thou thoughtest on, or thy heart desired. In the mean time, walk carefully, watch constantly, and then let God mea- sure out to thee thy times and degrees of joy. It may be he keeps them till thou hast more need. Thou bast better lose thy comfort than thy safety. If thou shouldst die full of fears and sorrows, it will be but a moment, and they are all gone, and concluded in joy inconceivable. "As the joy of the hypocrite," so the fears of the upright, " are but for a moment. God's anger endureth but a moment ; his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy corneth in the morning. "(.f) . O blessed morning! poor, hum- ble, drooping soul, how would it fill thee with joy now, if a voice from heaven should tell thee of the (x) John xvi. 24. (y) John iv. 10,, 14. (z) Psalm xciv. 19, 13. (a) Phil. iv. 4. (b) Matt. xxv. 41. (c) Matt. xxv. 21. (d) John xvii. 22. (ç) Rev. iii. 21. (f) Job xx. 5. Psalm xxx. 5.
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