§ 8. (6.) A farther excellence of this rest is, that it will be seasonable. He that expects _the fruit of his vineyard at the season_,[152] and makes his people _like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season_,[153] will also give them the crown in season. He that will have _a word of joy spoken in season, to him that is weary_,[154] will surely cause the time of joy to appear in the fittest season. They who _are not weary in well doing, shall, if they faint not, reap in due season_.[155] If God _giveth rain_ even to his enemies, _both the former and the latter in his season_, and _reserveth the appointed weeks of harvest, and covenants that there shall be day and night in their season_;[156] then surely the glorious harvest of the saints shall not miss its season. Doubtless he that would not stay a day longer than his promise, but brought Israel out of Egypt on _the self same day when the four hundred and thirty years_ were expired;[157] neither will he fail of one day or hour of the fittest season for his people's glory. When we have had in this world a long night of darkness, will not the day breaking and the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, be then seasonable? When we have passed a long and tedious journey, through no small dangers, is not home then seasonable? When we have had a long and perilous war, and received many a wound, would not a peace with victory be seasonable? Men live in a continual weariness; especially the saints, who are most weary of that which the world cannot feel. Some weary of a blind mind; some, of a hard heart; some, of their daily doubts and fears, some of the want of spiritual joys; and some, of the sense of God's wrath. And when a poor Christian hath desired, and prayed, and waited for deliverance many years, is it not then seasonable? We grudge that we do not find a Canaan in the Wilderness; or the songs of Sion in a strange land; that we have not a harbor in the main ocean, nor our rest in the heat of the day, nor heaven before we leave the earth; and would not all this be very unseasonable. [Footnote 152] Mark xii, 2. [Footnote 153] Psalm i, 3. [Footnote 154] Isaiah i, 4. [Footnote 155] Galatians vi, 9. [Footnote 156] Jeremiah v, 24. xxxiii, 20. [Footnote 157] Exodus xii, 40, 41.