A little while
This whole process, both of mourning for an absent God and of recovering the joy of his face, seems to be sketched in what our Lord spoke to his apostles the night before his passion. Do you ask about what I said, a little while and you shall not see me (John 16:16), and again a little while and you shall see me? Truly, truly, I say to you that you shall weep and lament, namely when you do not see me, but the world shall rejoice. It shall triumph over you, as though your hope had now come to an end. And you shall be sorrowful, through doubt, through fear, through temptation, through intense desire. But your sorrow shall be turned into joy, by the return of him whom your soul loves. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come. But as soon as she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. And you have sorrow now. You mourn and cannot be comforted. But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice with calm, inward joy, and no one takes your joy from you.
1771 text
5. This whole process, both of mourning for an absent God, and recovering the joy of his countenance, seems to be shadowed out in what our Lord spoke to his apostles, the night before his passion. Do ye enquire of that I said, a little while and ye shall not see me, and again a little while and ye shall see me? Verily verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, namely when ye do not see me; but the world shall rejoice, shall triumph over you, as though your hope were now come to an end. And ye shall be sorrowful, thro’ doubt, thro’ fear, thro’ temptation, thro’ vehement desire: But your sorrow shall be turned into joy, by the return of him whom your soul loveth. A woman when she is in travail, hath sorrow because her hour is come. But as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now have sorrow: ye mourn and cannot be comforted. But I will see you again: and your heart shall rejoice, with calm, inward joy, and your joy no man taketh from you.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 21 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:1-4.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.