Chap. 2 3 . An Expoftionupon the Bookof T O B. Vert 2. world. Many a good man h, th carryed his afiáion withhim ro thegrave. If any (hall ob,e& ; how then is that of David true, ('P(al. 30 5.) weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, I anfwer ; Firft, That Scripture fpeakes of that which is often experienced, but not alwayes ; fecordly, It is mciit true alto that all our weeping is but for a nighr,yea but for aMo- ment (as the A poftle fpeakes, 2 Cor. 4. 17,) compared with that morning of oy when the day of our bleffed eternity Thal! begin. Thirdly, the P/aline bath this fcope chiefely, to fhew, that the troubles of the Saints arenot everlafting,not that they are never latting;or to fhew that thenight ofweeping fhall at laft conclude in a morningof joy to theGodly,uot that their night of weeping (hall prefently conclude.For as fogne have only a Summers night, or a (sort night of forrow, fo othershave a wintersnight, or a longnight of forroe. And this night of furrow, may be a, long not only as many naturali dayes or as tome yeares, but as long as all the natural] dayes and yeares of this prefent life., Themor- ning of joy is not to be underttoodof the next morrow after the forrow began, for how long foever our weeping conci;;ues, it is night with us, and whenfoever joy comes (though at midnight) 'tis morningwith us. For lureenough as thole fons of pleature are defcri;ed(Ifa.56. ra.) promífir:g themfelves the continu- ance of their joyes;(To morrowfhall be as this day,and much more abundant, therefore comefetch wine and let us drinke to day, there will be wine enoughfor to morrow too, thus they promifed them - felves that their pleafures fhouldcontinue in a fucceffìon ofmany morrows, now as thefe fonnesof pleafure promifed themfelves the continuance of their delight)fo many ofthe tons &daughters of forrow have found and Rill finde a continuance of their trou- bles,and have caufe to fay,this day is even as bad as yef4erday was; yea our bitter cup, our wineof aftonifhment is much more abun- dant, our borrow is greater this day then it was yefterday, that was a blacke sad gloomy day, and this is a day more blacke, fad, and gloomy then that was Fifthly, From thefe words ; 114) flroake is heavier then my groaning. Obferve ; That the offliflions oflone of the preciousfervantsof God,exceed, andfurpa f fe all ;heir complaints andgroans. The groansof Tome are heavier then their Itroake, and the ftroakes 309
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