A mixed condition – Thomas Brooks

The condition of God’s people in this life is a mixed condition. In this life they have . . .
their rejoicing times and their mourning times,
their laughing times and their weeping times,
their singing times and their sorrowing times, etc.

It is true, in heaven there is . . .
all joy and no sorrow,
all gladness and no sadness;
and in hell there is . . .
all sorrow and no joy,
all grief and no gladness,
all howling and no singing,
all madness and no mirth.

But in this present life it is otherwise, for if there would be nothing but joy, many would look for no other heaven; and if there should be nothing but sorrow, most would look for no other hell. If men should have nothing but joy how sadly would they be puffed up! And if they should have nothing but sorrow how easily would they be cast down! But now, by a divine hand, our sorrows being mixed with our joys our hearts come to be the more effectually weaned from the vanities of this life, and to long more earnestly after the pure and unmixed joys in the world of glory.