Ver. t 3, the 17th Chapter of St. JOHN: ì ffi Laughter of the Foal: Thin alfo is Vanity; a flight fupeificial thing. Vain Men and catched with every light PleaCure ; as a Fire Coon taketh in Thorns. Thorns burning under a Pot, make a great Noire ; and fo carnal Mirth niaketh much Noire : Worldly Men promife themfelves a great deal of Pleafure and Contentment ; but this Fire is loon out, fo worldly Joy is foon gone. Let us not delight in flefhly Liberty ; the Pleafures of Sin are fhort-lived, and carnal Pleafures leave bitternefs and remorfe be- hind them. 'Prow. t4. t3. Even in Laughter the Heart is forrowfel; and the Endof that Mirth is Heavi iefi . As Laughter, through dilatation of the Spirits, maketh us fad afterwards. The Fuel of carnal Pleafures is grofs, burdenfom, opprefi-ive to Reafon; it hindreth the free Contemplation of the Mind, and latter] but for a little while ; we need to be refreshed with other Pleafures. But God in Chrift is full and frefh to all E- ternity ; Angels are not weary of him. Befides, carnal Mirth is but Madnefs. Ec- clef. 2.2. I have f id of Laughter, it is mad ; and of Mirth, what doth it ? It is good for no ferious Purpofe. Solomon challengeth the Mailers of Mirth ; what doth it but difplace Reafon, and give way to Vanity and Lightner? I know there is a lawful ufe of inoffenfveMirth ; but when we take Pleafures, they should not take us. Eph. 5.4- NeitherFilthinefs, nor foolijhTalking, nor yeting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of Thanks. Verfe 19. Speaking to your (elves in Pfalms, and Hymns, and firitual Songs; Singing, and making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord. There is a Mirth becoming the Gravity of a Chriffian. (Jfi 4. Reproof to two Sorts. 1. To thofe that are always fad. Chriftians do not live up to that Care and Novi-, lion which Chrift hath made for them. In Scripture it is, Rejoice evermore, t Theft 5. 16. And they live as if God had faid, Weep evermore., It is verily a Fault, how- ever difguifed ; in fome it deferveth Pity, in others Chiding, and Rebuke. In fame Pity, that are under penal Diftutbance ; when God .putteth any into the Stocks of Confcience, they cannot come out at pleafure : There are irreuftible Chains ; a poor Creature lied.' bound, till God faith, Go forth. Thofe Chains of Darknefs in which the Devils are held, are their own everlaftingHorrors. It is God's Prerogative, to create the Fruit of the Lips, Peace, Peace. Ifa. 57. 19. Joy is his immediate Difpenfation. We wonder, confrdering the Comforts of the Gofpel, that there should be any Inch thing as Trouble of Confcience, becaufe we know not what it is to 'lie under God's mighty hand, to be cart into the Prifon, (hall I fay, or the Hell of our Confciences : Alas ! poor Creatures ! we cannot break Prifon when we will. It is eafy for thofe that Rand upon the Shore, to fay to thofe that are toad' upon the Waves, Sail thus : They are tugging for Life, the Caufe is beyond our Dire &ion, and their Choice. But there Perfons are to be pitied, yet counfelled. Betides God's Power, we mingle much of our own Obflinacy and Peevifhnefs, as `Nachel would not be comforted, f er. 31.15. We are to invite them toChrift, and they are bound to hearken. Their perlent Duty is to come for Eafe 5 Mat. t 1. 28. Come unto me, all ye ,that are weary, and heavy-laden,. and ye (hall find Reff for your Souls. That is the only gracious Ißùe of Soul -Trou- bles; as Chrift cried, My God; on the Crofs, they are not exempted from believing. But others are to be chidden. It is a fad thing, that Chriftians fhould not have the Wifdom to maké ufe of their own Felicity. We oftenhug a Diftemper inftead of a Duty, as if God were better pleafed with dolorous Im refhons.' Lam. 3. 33. He dots not aflibf willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men i Not with his Heart, fo it is in the Hebrew. It argueth ill thoughts of God. Baal's Priefts garbed therfelves, to please their Idols; but God delighteth in the Profperity of his Saints. Men think there is more of Merit and Satisfaftion in what is afflíftive ; it is a kind of Revenge they take upon themfelves i God hath required Sorrow to mortify Sin, but not to fatisfy Juftice g' lie would have us triumph in Chrift, whilft we groan under the Body of Death. O confider, Sowrnefs is a Difhonour to God, a Difcredit to your Profeffion, a Difadvan- tage to your felves, a Grief to the Spirit, becaufe you refill his Work as a Comforter. Befides, there is much of Ingratitude in it Complaints and Murmurings deface the Beauty of his Mercies. As a Snail leaveth a frothy Slaver upon the faireft Flowers; fo do unthankful Chriftians leave their own Slaver upon the rich Mercies of God; vouch- fafed to them in Chrift 5 when they are always complaining, and never rejoycing in God, they leave. the Slaver of their Murmuritts upon them, as if all were nothing. If a King advance a Man, and he always is fad before him, he is angryy. Nehem. 2. z. Why, is thy Countenance fad, feeing thou art not lick? This is nothing elfe but Sorrow of A a a a a Heart.
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