Chap. 29. An Expofition upon the Book of Jo B. Verf. 24, 6i 5 but qualifie and corre our mirth (Phil. 4. 4.) Reyoyce in the Lard alu?ay, and again 1 fay rejcyce.But faith not Chrifi (Luke6. 5.) Woe urto them that laugh now ? and faith not Solomon (long before, Eccl, 2, 2.) of laughter, it is mad, of mirth what dour it ? I anfwer there is indeed a finful mirth, and a mad laughter; mirth and laughter are fo, when they rife any of there four wayes, Firfi, From unb:leif , when Sarah heard the Angel prophe- cying to Abraham from the Lord that (he fhould have a Son (Gen, I S. .I i, ta.)- Therefore Sarah laughed within her,felf, fay- ing,after I amwaxed old ,fhall shavepleafure myLord tritg c(á alfo ? Shee did not beleive the promise, and fo fmiled at ir. Her laughter was Gnful,and fhe was reproved for ir. when Abra- ham heard that good news before fromGod (ÿen. r7. 17.) He . fell urn his face and laughed,and faid in his heart, (hall a ...kidbe born tohim that is an hundred years old ? and (hall Sarab that is ninetyyearsold bear? Abraham laughed not, doub:ing or fiagger- ing at theperformance of that promife through unbeleif(Rom.4 2n.) but admiring the gcodnefs of God to him in ir. Whereas Sarah, though fhe did nor Iaugh in derision, as the wicked do, yet (he laughed with Tome mixture of diffidence ; elfe the Lord had not rebuked her for ir, nor fhould fhe have had any reafon to deny it, had fhe laughed only in faith, rejoycing at the mercy, as Abrahamdid. Secondly,There is a laughter proceeding from carnal fecurity. When that good King Hezekiab rent his Meffengers throughout all Jfrael, raying , Tarn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, ¡faac, andlfrael, and he will return to the remnant ofyou that are *aped outofthehand ofthe Kings ofAffyria, &c. and ferve the Lord your God,,that the fiercenefa of his wrath may turn a way from you, they laughed them to fcorn,andmocked them (s Chron: 30. i o.)Theÿ thought therewas no danger, all was well ¿with them, and they prefumed things would fo continue, why fhould they trouble themfelves with fuch foolifh fears, or go a- bout fo needlefs a work as they fuppofed themfelves invited to. Thirdly, There isa laughter that proceedsmeetly from levi- ty. Some (as we fay) will laugh at the wagging of a feather, or the flirting of a firaw, this is afro vanity and madnefs. Fourthly, 'erc is a laughter, that proceeds-from Epicurean rem-,
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