Davids Learning, Commentary 10
VERS. 11. Bee glad, yee righteous, and reioyce in the Lord, and bee ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart.
THese words containe the fourth and last vse of the generall Doctrine, and a conclusion worthy the Psalme, to which it is notably fitted: for seeing the whole Psalme hath taught vsus, that hee is a blessed man, whose sinnes are remitted and couered, then may and must that man, who hath this Doctrine sealed vp in his owne heart, reioyce with great and vnspeakeable ioy. And as it notably concludeth the whole Psalme, so is it most aptly knit to the former wordes, which hauehave layd downe the diuers estate, both of the godly and wicked man, and how, when as sorrowes eate vp and consume the vngodly man remedilessely, the portion of GODS people shall bee his owne compassing and infinite merciemercy; and therefore vponupon those premises hee inferreth this sweet conclusion, that the godly hauing so sound cause of Christian ioy, must mind, yea and ouercome all their sorrowes with an holy and Christian reioycing in the LORD.
In the Verse are three things to bee considered: first, the persons to whom this precept is directed, described by two titles, first, righteous: secondly, vpright in heart. Secondly, the Commandement, to be glad, to reioyce, and be ioyfull. Thirdly, the obiect of their ioy, and limitation, In the Lord.
First, of the meaning. Hee that is called in the sixt Verse a godly man, and in the former Verse one that trusteth in God, is here also set forth by two inseparable properties; first, hee is a righteous man. And secondly, vpright in heart.
Who is this righteous man?
A man is righteous by righteousnesse, eyther Legall Quest. Answ.or Euangelicall.
First, Legall righteousnesse is that perfect righteousnesse in nature and actions, which the Law of GOD requireth, euen perfect and full conformitie with the whole rule of righteousnesse, as it was first written in mans heart by the law of nature. By this was neuer man righteous but the first Adam, in the time of his innocencie, and the second Adam the innocent Sonne of God, in whom, besides the righteousnesse of his humane nature and life, wee read of the righteousnesse of God, that is: the same righteousnesse, being in a person that was God, was so farre aduanced, that it was able not onelyonly to fulfill, but to satisfie the rigour of GODS most righteous Law.
Secondly, Euangelicall righteousnesse is that, which the Gospell reueales, and that is, when a man being reconciled to God, iustified by faith, deliuered from all the guilt and punishment of sinne, and inwardly sanctified by Gods Spirit, is accounted of God righteous by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vntounto him, as Saint Paul speakes, 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vntounto vsus of God righteousnesse. And although this bee in part and imperfect in this life, attended with much frailtie and infirmitie of flesh, yet because,
First, they are perfectly iustified euen in this life,
Secondly, hauehave begunne in a righteousnesse, which shall be perfected,
Thirdly, hauehave a will and endeuour, striuing to perfection,
Fourthly, are accepted of God as perfect for Christs sake, in whom all their vnrighteousnesse and defects are couered: therefore they are called eueryevery where righteous.
So our Prophet here calleth such, as according to his former Doctrine hauehave made sure their discharge with God, and gotten euidence of remission of sinne, and reconciliation with God through Iesus Christ.
Secondly, This person is vpright in heart, that is, sound and sincere, without guile, verse 2. and this is, when the heart is set right towardes God in doing all duties of pietie and charitie towardes GOD or men; truely ayming at the pleasing of GOD, and not at byrespects: this is straightnesse of heart, called truth in the inward parts, Psal. 51. 6. Thou louest truth in the inward parts. And although no man is indeed vpright without some crookednesse, and declining from the straight rule, yet because heere is, first, a drawing neere and endeuour to full perfection: Secondly, a comparatiue rightnesse, in respect of the vnregenerate, whose course is wholly crooked:
Thirdly, the acceptance of a mercifull Father: therefore they are called vpright:
And vpright in heart, first, because there is the beginning of soundnesse: for the first worke, by which God distinguisheth betweene man, and man, is the purifying of the heart by Faith, Act. 15. 9. and the worke of conuersion is called the circumcision of the heart, which the Lord promiseth, Deut. 30. 6.
Secondly, because all outward shewes without this ground are vnsound and deceitfull, and whatsoeuer we doe, must hauehave this ground to make it acceptable, euen a sincere and honest heart. 1. Pet. 1. 22. all obedience to the trueth, all louelove to our brethren, must come from a pure heart.
Thirdly, because if the heart be vpright, it will from thence shine into all the actions: for a righteous man must be vpright also in his way, Psal. 119. 1. Now vprightnesse of heart is like a great wheele in a clocke, that sets all the other a mouing, or like a light in a lanthorne that shines through eueryevery side of it. A wicked man may bee vpright in some one action, as Abimelech pleaded for himselfe, Gen. 20. 5. With an vnperfect heart hauehave I done this: but the generall vprightnesse of the whole life is peculiar to Gods people, it must issue from the heart, where if there be a liuing fountaine, the streames will euer runne.
Secondly, the Commandement, enioyning spirituall reioycing, hath diuers branches, as there are diuers words in the originall, which are to be distinguished.
First, Bee glad: the word Shimen comes of Shama…, which properly signifyeth inward and harty ioy, conceiued by the presence, or hope, at least opinion of some good or desirable thing, as Psal. 35. 26. Let them be confounded that reioyce at my hurt: now none of Dauids subiects durst make show of this ioy in his hurt, onelyonly it was conceiued in their hearts.
Secondly, Reioyce: Gila riseth of Gil, which signifieth to expresse our ioy by some outward gesture, sometimes vsed for dauncing, as Psal. 65. 12. The hilles skippe for gladnesse.
Thirdly, Bee ioyful: Harninu of Ranan, vociferatus est prae laetitia. Isa. 35. 6. The dumbe mans tongue shal sing: Vetaron. So as vpright men are commaunded not onelyonly to conceiue and conceale their inward ioy, but to expresse it in their actions, in their speeches, and eueryevery way they can.
And this Commaundement runneth vp these three staires for sundry causes: First, to shew that there is great cause why the righteous should reioyce. Secondly, that where sound ioy is within, it will not be hid, but made manifest. Thirdly, to shew that Christian ioy is not perfect at first, but riseth by degrees, first within conceiued, and then by little and little expressed, as the degrees in our text teach vsus.
So much of the Commaundement. The thing commanded is ioy and gladnesse: Ioy is the soules delight, or solace in the presence of some good thing, in deed or in hope. It is twofold: either naturall and worldly, when the good, of which it riseth, is so: or supernaturall and heauenly, about some spirituall good which is apprehended: This supernaturall ioy is twofold: First, the ioy of grace. Secondly, the ioy of glory: the former is heere meant, which is the inheritance of the Saints here, and a forerunner of that of glory hereafter.
Thirdly, the obiect or limitation of this ioy, In the Lord: the matter of our ioy must be the Lords goodnesse vntounto vsus, especially in keeping his promise faithfully, in pardoning our sinnes, and gracious receiuing of vsus. For so not onelyonly the context, but the word Iehoua puts vsus in minde, properly signifying God hauing being of himselfe, and giuing being not onelyonly to all his creatures, but to all his promises also. And then wee reioyce in the Lord,
First, when our ioy is a fruit of the Spirit of the How we reioice in the Lord.Lord, Galat. 5. 22. therefore called the ioy of the Holy, Ghost.
Secondly, when it looketh to God and acknowledgeth him the true God, and in his Sonne whom he hath sent, his God, reconciled, appeased, and well pleased, as Rom. 5. 1. being iustifyed by faith, wee hauehave peace with God, and reioyce, &c. Our Prophet here cals the righteous to reioyce, vponupon this ground. When a man reioyceth in Gods fauour, forgiuing sinne, and in fellowship with God and Iesus Christ, then hee reioyceth in the Lord. This Dauid calleth the ioy of Saluation, Psa. 51. 12.
Thirdly, when it respecteth the speciall pledges of Gods fauour, as the worke of regeneration, the happy change we finde in our selues, the shining and beautifull graces of Gods holy Spirit, with the daily increase of them: thus to reioyce in the Lords image renewed, is to reioyce in the Lord himselfe.
Fourthly, when our ioy is set vponupon Gods ordinances and word, in which the Lord reuealeth himselfe, and communicateth himselfe more freely vntounto vsus, when in them we get a faster hold of God, and grow vp into further fellowship with him, especially when his gracious promises feede our hearts, and we reioyce in his trueth and faithfulnesse, making them good not onelyonly to others, but also to our owne selues.
Fiftly, when we reioyce in the hope of eternall glory, both in soule & body, Rom. 5. 3. Hoping, and expecting, and reioycing, that we shall fully enioy him as he is, and drinke freely of that water of life, which wee hauehave already tasted.
And thus to reioyce is no easie thing, and therefore he calls on vsus, againe and againe, and the third time, to reioyce in the Lord, as Philip. 4. 4. Reioyce in the Lord, and againe I say, reioyce: for though it be easie to reioyce in a carnall manner, and most men lose themselues in such merriments, yet to reioce in the Lord is not so easie; the obiect, the matter, and manner, and end are hard to force on our selues, which is the reason of such earnest inforcing of the precept. So much of the meaning.
The words being thus expounded, wee come to the doctrine of them, & first from the persons, righteous men and vpright in heart: These are the same persons that are spoken of in the fixt verse, The godly man shal pray vntounto thee; whence we may note, that,
A godly man is an vpright man; that is, of a simple and Doctr.true-dealing and true meaning heart, with God and EueryEvery godly man is an vpright man.man; hauing a minde ready to learne of the Lord both what to doe and for what, and so, doing what hee doth for no other cause in the world, 2. King. 20 3. Remember, O Lord, that I hauehave walked before thee in trueth, and with a perfect heart. Ier. 12. 3. Lord, thou knowest mee, thou hast seene mee, and tried my heart towards thee. Nathaniel, a godly man, was a true Israelite in whome was no guile: so, all other good men are called vpright men in their generation.
First, because Gods image is renewed on them in Reasons. 1.part, a part of which is to bee simple and true, as he is most single and true.
Secondly, because they are daily conformed to Christ, who was the vprightest of all creatures, in whose mouth 2.was found no guile.
Thirdly, because they hauehave receiued the Spirit of Sanctification, who daily heales and impaires naturall 3.crookednesse and hypocrisie; and reneweth the minde, and the man to think and speake, and act things in truth and soundnesse.
Fourthly, they onelyonly are true worshippers, that worship 4.God in spirit and trueth, Ioh. 4. 24. they are that good ground, which brings forth fruit out of honest hearts: a good man must be without hypocrisie, at least reigning hypocrisie.
Let him therefore looke to the vprightnesse of his Use. Reasons to looke to the vprightnesse of our hearts.heart, whosoeuer would hauehave an euidence of godlinesse. None but would be counted godly; not any would be thought an Atheist, or an hypocrite, or a neuter, therefore let men looke to the vprightnesse of their hearts. And it stands vsus in hand so to doe:
First, because such a heart is Gods delight: whatsoeuer 1.comes from vsus, is hence accepted, because it comes from a pure heart, euen the mite of a godly man or woman, when as the wickeds sacrifice is reiected, and his talent accursed.
Secondly, because we can hauehave no other comfort in 2.the workes wee doe; in the world we finde our best duties traduced; Dauid dancing before the Lord is mocked; but hee was sure hee did it before the Lord in the puritie of his heart, and that was his comfort, 2. Sam. 6. 20, 21. Besides,
Thirdly, it is not the quantity of our worke, which we can stand vponupon, but onelyonly the qualitie of it. Peter 3.could not iustifie the quantity of his louelove, when Christ asked him this question; Peter, louest thou me more then these? onelyonly he appeales to Christ of the qualitie of it, Lord, thou knowest that I louelove thee: if wee can perswade our selues that wee doe a thing of a good heart, and according to the proportion of grace receiued, wee may cheare vp our selues, we shall bee accepted by the qualitie onelyonly.
How shall I know the vprightnesse of my heart?Quest.
By these notes or rules:Answ.
First, that is right which is tried so to bee by a right Notes of vprightnesse.line, and stands in correspondence vntounto it: The right line is Gods word, the precepts of the Lord are right, Psal. 19. 8. and then the heart is vpright, when it is made straight by the word, and is squared in all things by it. EueryEvery man boasts of the rightnesse and goodnesse of his heart, that cares but a little for Gods word: but wee must be farre from standing in our own righteousnesse, which is as a filthy clowte, and take the square of Gods word, and lay our hearts and affections vntounto it, that they may be ruled by the line of God.
Secondly, a right line doth euer discouer that which is crooked; a good signe of a right heart is to descrie and discouer, but not without true sorrow and griefe, the crookednesse and hypocrisie of it, and to labour to correct and reforme it. Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes, that I bee not ashamed: a right line shames a crooked; crooked legges are ashamed to bee seene: when a man feares, and is ashamed of his hypocrisie and crookednesse, and euer tendeth to straightnesse, it is a good note of some rightnesse of heart.
Thirdly, consider the things which flow from the heart: if they be single and pure, warrantable and right, then a man may know his heart is vpright; for such as the fruit is, such is the tree; if thou feedest on forbidden fruit, thou art a bad tree, and thy heart farre from vprightnesse; an vpright heart suffereth not rotten speeches in the mouth, idlenesse in the hand, iniustice in the life, drunkennesse in the braine, and disorder in the course.
Fourthly, consider the ends and aimes of our actions; the vpright heart aimeth directly at Gods glory in all things, but the crooked heart propoundeth euer some crooked end and sinister respect vntounto good actions; as many come to Church, get knowledge, and professe Religion for vaine glorie and vaine ends; some thrust among godly persons, and into good companie, not because they are good or would be good, but because they would be thought so.
Fiftly, consider if thy heart be the same in priuate as it would be thought in publike. Psal. 101. Dauid will walke wisely in the perfect way, in the midst of his house: and the conuersation of the Saints hath beene alwayes like it selfe. Abraham walked in vprightnesse before God according to the Commandement, Gen. 17. 1. how did he reforme his house, teach his familie, instruct his seruants, and take God with him in prouiding a wife for Isaac, and in all things? Gen. 24. 63. Isaac was the same in the field as he was in the house, he went out into the field to pray, saith the Text. Daniel was the same after the dangerous Law that he was before, he opened his windowes thrice a day as he was accustomed. So vpright was Paul in his whole course, as he knew nothing by himselfe, 1. Cor. 4. 4.
A good heart sets God often in sight as well in the Chamber as in the Church; Dauid set the Lord euer in his sight, and at his right hand. It is as seuere and zealous against his owne crookednesse as any other; and will not swallow small sinnes no more then great, seeing Gods pure eyes are set vponupon and against both. Vprightnesse is in eueryevery thing alike, without and within; it is not worse in substance then in shew, nay, it is better: It seekes to approue it selfe before God and al men, first to God, whose eye is more respected then if all the world looked on, and then to all men, but so as if none but God looked on them: It desireth to purge it selfe from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, and to grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God.
That man, that findes these notes in him, may be a glad man, nay, he must be a glad man, according as it followes in the Text, Be glad yee righteous:] from the connexion of the persons to this duetie we may note, that
Only the godly man can truely reioyce with sound and lasting ioy. Doct.Isa. 65. 13. My seruants shall reioyce, and yee Only the godly can soundly reioyce.shall be ashamed; my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart, and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart, and howle for vexation of spirit. The stranger shall not enter into his ioy, Prou. 14. 10. and it is called the ioy of Gods people. Thus the Scriptures euer limit this ioy to the faithfull: Psal. 40. 16. Let them that seeke the Lord, reioyce: and Prou. 29. 6. In the transgression of an euill man is his snare, but the righteous doth sing and reioyce. The reasons of this doctrine are these:
First, because none else are commanded to ioy but Reasons. 1.the godly, none else hauehave warrant to reioyce: where doe we reade, that a wicked man is bid to ioy? and indeed, what cause is there, that he should be so bid? What troubles him? his sinne troubles him not, it is his hearts delight; not temptations, for he swallowes them all; not his conscience, for it is asleepe; not the world, for it is his Darling; not the Deuill, for he is not cruell in his owne house; not outward afflictions, for he will not endure any: al things are at peace with him, he mournes not, and therefore needes not be called to comfort: the promise is, Blessed are they that mourne, and are troubled and persecuted for the name of Christ; for they shall be comforted. Nay, he is called from ioy to howling, Iam. 5. 1. he is alreadie glutted and drowned in worldly delights and carnall ioy, from which he is euerywhere called, yea, a woe is pronounced on him, Luc. 6. 25. Woe be to you that reioyce now: for yee shall mourne and weepe.
Secondly, onelyonly the godly hauehave cause to reioyce: 2.for,
First, they only hauehave the presence and fruition of the 1.chiefe good, which is God himselfe; and are in couenant True causes of sound ioy only among godly men.with God, by vertue whereof they are interessed in all the good things of heauen and earth; as a wife in the goods of her husband. Here is a great cause of ioy indeede; a godly man hath gotten this cause of ioy, and therefore he may lawfully reioyce.
Secondly, they only know that their names are written 2.in the booke of Life, which is a truer cause of ioy by our Sauiours testimonie, then if by the gift of miracles they were able to subdue the Deuills, Luc. 10. 20. Reioyce not in this, but that your names are written in the booke of Life. And then the godly know their names to be written in that booke, when they write their owne names in Gods booke by becomming beleeuers; for faith giues them priuiledge to be the sons of God, Ioh. 1. 12.
Thirdly, they only hauehave escaped, and are set free from the infinite euills, and sorrowes of sinne, with which all 3.other besides themselues are beset, and bound ouer to damnation: And therefore as Israel, hauing escaped the Sea, the Mountaynes, and Egyptians, and gotten out of Egypt it selfe, sang and reioyced, Exod. 15. 1. so hauehave all the Israel of God, being set free from hell and sinne, and sinners, and the curse of sinne, iust cause of ioy and gladnesse, which all but they want.
Fourthly, only they hauehave the Spirit of God, the Author 4.and Preseruer of this ioy, which is therefore called the ioy of the Holy Ghost: only they are anointed with the oyle of gladnesse, and clothed with the garment of gladnesse; and hauehave the Spirit of comfort sent into their soules, who is the Moouer of this ioy; and not so much maketh our Spirits reioyce, as himselfe reioyceth in vsus; as he is said, not to make vsus make requests, but to make requests in vsus, Rom. 8. 26.
Fiftly, only they know, that Christ is theirs with all his merits, and thus attayne the ioy of beleeuing. He 5.that sold all to buy the field, went away with ioy that he had gotten the field: So he that knowes he hath gotten Christ, and groweth vp in him as a member in the head, and liueth and moueth by him, will reioyce in his purchase of naked Christ. How did Simeon reioyce, when he had Christ in his armes? How much more will a sound Christian, who carries him in his heart?
Sixtly, only they sucke and draw their ioy out of the 6.Wells of sound consolation, Isa. 12. 3. that is, out of the Scriptures, which are written, that their ioy may be ful, 1. Ioh. 1. 4. The priuiledge of Gods testimonies, is, that they reioyce the heart, Psal. 19. 8. These make knowne to vsus, the things giuen vsus of God, these contayne the glad tydings of saluation, and the precious promises of grace and glorie, which belong only to godlinesse: here be the deedes and conueyances of their eternall inheritance, only bequeathed to children; these be the Chariot of the Spirit, who yeeldeth no argument of ioy and comfort but from the Word, and all ioy elsewhere sought is carnall and presumptuous.
Seuenthly, only they enioy the sweet peace and ioy 7.of a good conscience, excusing and acquitting them in the sight of God, which it selfe is a continuall feast; and makes them glad and cheerefull, Prou. 15. 15. This was the true cause of the heauenly ioy, which the Apostles in their labours and persecutions enioyed, euen the testimonie of a good conscience, 2. Cor. 1. 12.
Eighthly, only they hauehave the hope of glorie in soule 8.and body, which is a fruit of iustification, Rom. 5. 3. and a sound cause of ioy; We reioyce, saith the Apostle, vnderunder the hope of the glory of God, and hope maketh not ashamed. And not only this, but a grounded assurance also, that all things in earth, which may seeme to darken their hopes, shall be turned to the best, Rom. 8. 28.
All this may be a meanes to bring godly life in request, Vse 1.seeing it is the only ioyfull life, and none hauehave indeede any sound cause of reioycing, but the godly. And here we are to meete with two obiections, which terrifie men from godly life that lyes now a dayes like refuse wares, vnaskt for and vnregarded.
First, that the world accounteth the slate of Gods Obiect. 1.children most lumpish, heauie, and solitarie, yea, most vncomfortable; it thinkes that no ioy, nor mirth, nor pleasure of their liues belongs vntounto them, but if once a man beginne in truth to liue godly, he must bid a dieu to all mirth and gladnesse, and betake himselfe to a mopish heauinesse and sadnesse.
But this is a grosse and foule deceit of the father of lyes, whereby he hath much aduantaged his Kingdom, Answ.and by a supposed want of ioy, exceedingly puts godlinesse out of countenance. Yet, first, true it is, that God helpeth and draweth Christian ioy out of godly sorrow; and no man can attaine this sound ioy, but hee that is soundly humbled at the sight of his sinnes; and herein the World sticketh; not seeing the powerfull worke of GOD, who out of this darknesse bringeth light; who soweth light to the righteous, and out of this sorrowfull Seed-time brings forth a white Haruest of ioy.
Secondly, because now the heart being regenerate cannot carnally reioyce as before, nor in carnall things, hauing better obiects and causes of ioy, on which it feedeth, the stranger that cannot enter into this ioy, thinkes he hath no ioy at all, onelyonly because worldly ioy is vnsauourie to him in comparison of spirituall.
Thirdly, the World and wicked men set themselues to vnsettle the peace of the godly, and doe often disquiet them, and will let them hauehave as little ioy as may bee. Yet;
Notwithstanding all this: First, the godly, euen when they doe not reioyce, hauehave iust cause to reioyce; else our Sauiour would not hauehave pronounced the mourners blessed, euen for the present: Blessed are they that mourne; nor hauehave said to the Disciples, In the world ye shall hauehave affliction, but in mee yee shall hauehave peace, Ioh. 16. 33.
Secondly, if they sorrow, they shall out-grow their sorrow, and their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy, as Christ promised the Apostles, Ioh. 16. 20. The redeemed of the Lord shall returne, and come to Sion with praise, and euerlasting ioy shall be vponupon their head, they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse, and sorrow and mourning shall flye away, Isa. 35. 10. So Isa. 61. 3. Christ hath appointed vntounto them that mourne in Sion, beauty for ashes, the oyle of ioy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse.
Thirdly, our Text teacheth, that God would not hauehave the hearts of his children at any time so possessed with sorrow, no, not for the most iust causes, but that they must support themselues, and rise out of it with heauenly and spirituall ioy, to which end serue all these commandements so thicke (as we say) and threefold, which were all idle and to no purpose, if their liues were still to be led in a lumpish and sowre manner.
Here therefore I would aduise such as feare God, to looke to two things: First, to prepare their hearts by fulnesse of godly sorrow to be filled with ioy; seeing it riseth out of serious sorrow for sinne, and out of a broken heart: we tune our harpes and musicall instruments to sweete musicke, by wresting the strings: neither must we (as we are too ready to) conceiue these two as enemies destroying, but rather as constitutiue and conseruing causes one of another. Then, secondly, let Gods people bee aduised to looke into their priuiledges, which are such as may well, not onelyonly affect, but rauish them with ioy; and consider of their happie estate and translation into the fellowship of GOD and his Saints: and that for these causes; first, that they may yeelde obedience to Gods commandement, both here and elsewhere: secondly, manifest the presence of the Spirite in their hearts, who brings with him peace and ioy, and settles the Kingdom of the euerliuing God in the heart, which consisteth in these: thirdly, that they may not onelyonly take away this scandall, which Satan and the wicked make aduantage of, but also encourage others to get part in the same grace, which keepes them in a cheareful and constant course of wel-doing; when they see that no trouble nor affliction can interrupt their ioy: fourthly, without true ioy wee can neuer praise God heartily, or serue him chearefully; for no ioy in God, none in his ordinances, none in our dueties of either of our callings; but we must needes be lumpish, and heauie, and soone weary of our prayers, and hearing the word, and the speciall actions of our calling; wherein if we had delight, we would not easily be pulled from them, but count much time imployed therein, as Iaakob did an hard prentiship of many yeeres, but a few dayes, because of his affection of louelove and reioycing in his Rahel.
Another obiection, which terrifies many from godly life, Obiect.is, that the godly are so beset and compassed with troubles, sometimes inward and sometimes outward, in themselues and theirs, in their goods, names, and persons, as they cannot see what ioy they can hauehave in their liues.
No maruell if the world can see no cause of ioy in the godly estate, especially when the Sunne and heate of Answ.persecution tanneth and discoloureth them, seeing the godly themselues are often out of louelove with their owne condition.
For, First, they hauehave a true sense of sinne, and rather then they should not hauehave it, God himselfe will hide his face from them, and they are troubled. Psal. 104. 2…. So Dauid in the 51. Psalme had by his grieuous sinnes lost the ioy of his Saluation, which hee desires the Lord to restore vntounto him once againe.
Secondly, the Church sometimes forfeits in a manner 2.Christs presence, and by vnkinde answeres makes him goe away in displeasure, and then her beauty and ioy is faded; and seemes blasted, as plants are in the absence of the Sunne or farre distance of it.
Thirdly, sometimes presence of naturall corruption, and strength of rebellion in the heart carryes a godly 3.man as a slaue to execute the lusts of the flesh, whereby the Spirit is grieued, and quenched, and seemes quite gone; and this is a great cause of sorrow and heauinesse of heart; as we may see in Paul, crying out, O miserable man that I am! &c.
But in all this there wantes not some cause of ioy:
First, Seeing Christ goes not away, but he leaues some Godly in sorrow, want not cause of ioy.pledge of his comming againe; he puts his hand by the hole of the doore, that the heart of the Church may bee affectioned towards him, Cant. 5. 4. and this is that, which makes her in his absence sicke of louelove; which argues some delight in him while he is farre off; and this delight and desire after him giues her no rest till she find him againe, and then shee layes better hold, and makes more of him then euer before. Neither doth Dauid so lose all ioy by his sinne, but that hee still desires and longs after it: which argues the Spirit not to bee quite gone; who onelyonly worketh such vnspeakeable groanes after himselfe in the hearts of such as he hath once taken for his mansion.
Secondly, the ioy of the godly is often ouercast with the mist of affliction, and this dazles their owne eyes, that sometimes their ioy is hid from themselues, and much more from others: But as it is in the heauens when a cloud hinders the sunne-beames; or the interposition of the earth makes an eclipse for a time, but afterward the Sunne shal breake out and shine gloriously: so is it heere: first, the promise is, Yee shall weepe for a time, but your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy, and your hearts shall reioyce, Ioh 16. 20. Secondly, afflictions from the world for well-doing cast not ioy out of a godly heart, but feede it Iam. 1. 2. My brethren, count it all ioy when yee fall into diuers afflictions: and 1. Pet. 1. 6. Wherein yee greatly reioyce, though now for a season (if neede bee) yee are in beauinesse. The Apostles therefore reioyced, when they were whipt and set in the stockes and vsed like rogues for Christs sake: and the Saints reioyced in tribulation and suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods, Hebr. 11. Thirdly, those afflictions were comfortlesse and iustly to be sorrowed for, which could separate vsus from God, and from Christ the onelyonly fountaine of our true ioy, but all afflictions helpe the godly neerer vntounto God and Christ, working repentance, feare, shame, and remorse for sinne, and reconciliation, and so helpe our ioy.
Thirdly, the godly hauehave oftentimes lesse comfort of Why the godly hauehave lesse ioy in their estate then they neede.their life then needes, because they mistake their estate, two wayes especially: First, when they are not able to distinguish between nullytie and imperfection of grace: Oh they finde no faith in their hearts, no feare, no brokennesse of heart, when they (I will not say, belye the Spirit, but) vnthankefully deny his worke in themselues: I grant heere is imperfection of these graces, but, that they are quite shaken out where euer they were in trueth, is not to be graunted. Secondly, when they will measure their estate by sense, and not by faith, whereas faith stands not by sense and feeling, but is a secret force beyond these. A man in a swoone or in a sleepe feeles not his life, and yet is a liuing man, and a sounder man if the qualme or sleepe bee ouer: it is one thing to hauehave grace, another to feele grace; one thing the life of faith, another the life of sense.
Fourthly, the godly are often too hastie, and loth to stay their time of preparing to their glory; this troubles them much that God delayes them so long, they feare he hath vtterly forgotten them: But hee that beleeues makes not haste: and, Marke the iust man, his end is peace; not alwayes his beginning: If God delay long, yet he will come at last; let thy faith grow in strength, and thy ioy shall be abundant; thou shalt not feare but that (as in Sampsons Parable) out of the eater shall meat come, and out of strong afflictions sweetnesse. By all which we may see the blindnesse of the World, that can see nothing at all in the godly life worth the taking vp, and who to auoyd the troubles of godly men, refuse to partake in their ioyes, which are so sure and sweete as that no affliction or sorrowes can befall them, in which they may not reioyce, if it be not by their owne default. But let the godly themselues reioyce in their portion, that God hath seuered them from the base brats and Ismaels of the World, whom hee sends away with some gifts, but hath bestowed the peculiar liueli-hood of his owne Isaacs vponupon them: Let them bee glad in the euils they hauehave escaped, in the good procured them, within and without them, here and hereafter, the least dramme of which hath more true cause of ioy in it, then if they were heires of the World.
Secondly, see hence the vnhappy estate of vnrighteous men, Use 2. Wicked men hauehave often some ioy, but neuer any sound cause.seeing they are without all found ioy, or cause of it: for,
First, what ioy can he hauehave, that is, a dead man, dead in sinne, without the life of God, without Christ the fountaine of life and ioy? surely, a dead man that lyes rotting in his graue, hath as much cause of ioy in that estate, as he that is dead in sinne hath in his.
Secondly, what ioy can hee hauehave in GOD, whose conscience continually vexeth and accuseth him; in whom the spirit of feare and bondage ruleth; which keepes and barres out peace with God; and much more the ioyes of the Holy Ghost? A sound of feare is euer in his eares, Iob. 15. 20. True it is, a wicked man may labour to forget the troubles that haunt him, or to brawne his heart, not to feele them, and set himselfe on some merrie pinne: to face out the matter, as if hee were at good ease; when all this is eyther a senselesse estate, more void of comfort then of feeling; or a laughter in the face, when the heart is heauie; or the laughter of fooles, (as Salomon sayth) whose propertie is to laugh most, when they hauehave least cause.
Thirdly, what true ioy, or cause of ioy can he hauehave, on whom the sentence of condemnation is passed, the execution of which sentence hee may daily expect? Surely, the greatest Monarch aliue, if hee were in chaines vnderunder his greatest Enemie, and condemned to dye, could take no ioy of his wealth, greatnesse, or of any earthly delight: but wicked men are in the chaines of the Deuill, and abide vnderunder the sentence of death, euer readie to feed vponupon them. Baltazer indeede was merrie, and in his Reuels with his Princes: but what cause had hee, when the Hand-writing appeared on the wall? So Amnon was merry in his brother Absoloms House, but what cause had hee, seeing men were appointed presently to kill him? Let a wicked man be as merry as hee will, sure it is, his estate giues him no leaue.
Fourthly, what can minister true ioy to him, that hath no part in any of Gods Ordinances, which begin and perfect the ioy of Gods people?
First, for the Word of God, hee refuseth the ioyfull tydings of his saluation; the doctrine of free Remission of sinnes, which onelyonly bringeth lasting ioy, he hath no part in, nor in that Redemption purchased by Christ, and published in the Gospell: thus the word is a bill of Inditement to him.
Secondly, the Sacraments seale nothing to him, but are as seales set to blankes: for, hauing no part in the Couenant, hee hath nothing by the seales; onelyonly hee makes himselfe guilty of the bodie and bloud of Christ, as Iudas did, and for want of faith eates and drinkes his owne damnation.
Thirdly, Prayer from him is not onelyonly not heard, but euen abominable: besides, hee hath no helpe of Christs intercession (for he prayes not for the World:) nor of the Prayers of Gods people, because he is not of that communion.
Fourthly, the duties of his calling are sinne to him, To the impure all things are impure, euen his best actions exclude him out of heauen, neyther can a man hauehave any ioy of his actions, till he can reioyce that his person is a member of Christ.
Fiftly, the creatures of God hee can no more truely reioyce in, then a Thiefe can of a true mans purse: neyther can that be true ioy in the creature, that riseth from the creature, resteth in the creature, and goeth no higher then the creature; but such is the wicked mans ioy.
Sixtly, lesse ioy can hee hauehave in his sufferings or sorrowes, because, their nature being not altered, they are no tokens of louelove, nor tend to their good (as in the godly:) but are punishments in part and in hand, and flashes of Gods euerlasting wrath, and beginnings of Hell.
In the Lord.] from this limitation, which is the third part of the verse, we may learne this instruction, namely, that
All the reioycing of godly men ought to bee in the Lord, Doct.that is, spirituall and Christian, a ioy worthy the Lord. All the reioycing of godly men ought to be in the Lord.And then it is spirituall and Christian, when it hath two conditions:
First, when it is in the Lord, as the authour and fountaine of all the good wee can enioy, or ioy in, yea the matter of our ioy.
Secondly, when it is in the Lord, that is, according to the will of the Lord, and not against it: so the phrase is vsed, 1. Cor. 7. 39. Let her marry, onelyonly in the Lord, that is, according to Gods Word and direction, and not against it.
First, God must be the authour and matter of our ioy, as Dauid made the Lord his Song all the day long: for, First, how great reason hauehave wee to make him the matter of our ioy, of whom wee are all that wee are, both in our first and second Creation? He is the Potter and we are the Clay: nay, we are his new Creation and workemanship, regenerated, iustified, sanctified, and saued: are become his by a new couenant in which hee accepts vsus as children, reconciled by the death of his Sonne, in whom wee may reioyce as in a mercifull Father: yea as a wife married to a most louing husband, by vertue whereof she hath interest into his person and whole estate. Of this the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 5. 11. Wee reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom we hauehave receiued the atonement.
Secondly, this ioy is most perfect, which riseth of the presence of that which is most perfect; and the greater the good enioyed is, the greater is the ioy: and therefore in Heauen it shall be most perfect and glorious, because wee shall perfectly enioy God, and see him as hee is, in whose face is fulnesse of ioy.
Thirdly, to make God the matter of our ioy, is to perpetuate our ioy, and make choise of that which shall neuer faile vsus: for as GOD himselfe is euerlasting, so shall the ioy of his people bee like a streame, which continually runs & knoweth not the yeere of drought: yea it shall hold out in dangers, troubles, and persecution, Romans 5. 3. as the Martyrs reioyced in the verie flames.
What? may wee not ioy in outward things, as meat, Quest.drinke, wife, children, wealth, honour? &c.
Yes, but neuer out of God, or without reference vntounto Answ.him, neyther in outward nor inward things: we hold all in capite, and must bee Homagers of all vntounto him; hee must hauehave the glorie of all, as Ier. 9. 23. 24. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches, nor the wise man in his wisedome, &c. but herein let him glorie, that he knoweth mee to be mercifull and righteous: this must be the chiefe pleasure, honour, riches, and wisedome of a Christian, to know God reconciled, and to hold all in this tenure.
We may also reioyce in the meanes of saluation, but, if wee reioyce not onelyonly in Gods fauour, but desire to bring something of our owne towards it, as the ignorant or wilfull Papists doe, This is not to reioyce in the Lord, but in our selues. We must reioyce in our Prayers, but onelyonly because God is a God hearing Prayer, in our hearing, reading, and receiuing of the Word with ioy, but in this respect to God, that hee teacheth and speaketh to the soule: in the duties of our callings, but because we are in Gods Worke: in the duties of louelove, but because we lend to the Lord, and feed and cloath Christ: in all the comforts of life, in the wife of our youth, in gracious children, in prosperitie, &c. but because and so farre as these are pledges and fruits of Gods fauour in Christ. Yea more, we must reioyce in aduersitie and tribulation, because it is that estate, which God sees best for vsus: yea in death it selfe, but as it is a going to GOD, to enioy him more immediately then wee can in this present World.
Thus enioy all things in God, and God in all things, and ioy as much as thou canst: for all this while wee reioyce in God performing his holy promises vntounto vsus.
Secondly, wee must reioyce in the Lòrd, that is, according to the will of the Lord: now God's will measures and limits our ioy, first, in respect of the matter, secondly, of the manner, thirdly, of the measure: For the matter, it restraineth our ioy from all vnlawfull things: For the manner, our ioy in lawfull things must not be vnlawfull: For the measure, the best things must How Gods wil limiteth our ioy.hauehave the best measure of our ioy.
For the first: it suffreth not men to reioice in sinne or such things as chase God and his spirit away; as in swearing, excessiue drinking, vncleane and filthy speeches, 1. For the matter.cursed and blasphemous language, in wantonnesse and whoring; this is the deuils mirth and musicke, a mirth and laughter which is madnesse, like the laughter of a thiefe vponupon the ladder ready to be turned off. The like may bee said of such as reioyce in railing, reuenging, quarrelling, disgracing and reproching of Gods children: Can such men reioyce in the Lord? nay, there is none of all this cursed crue, or the former rabble, that can be glad, but when God is furthest off, or forgotten and set out of sight: For let a man now put them in minde of God, and the true causes of ioy in him, by any sauoury word, they presently with the deuils in the Gospel thinke, and perhaps crie out, They are tormented before their time.
For the second; Gods will permitteth not men to reioyce in the most lawfull things vnlawfully, whether 2. Manner.necessary or indifferent.
First, Indifferent things are meate, drinke, recreation, wealth, prosperitie; in all which, and the like, if God be not still kept in sight, the ioy in them is vnlawfull. And if God be in the eye, then first, hee will be inuocated to blesse all the comforts, euen the least: Secondly, men would know measure and moderation; that is, they durst not sit at the wine, nor be brought vnderunder the power of the creature; durst not be louers of pleasure more thē of God, durst not spend out so much precious time in pastime, and so little in priuate exercises of pietie: no man hires a seruant to doe nothing but play all the weeke and yeere: and thirdly, if God be in the eye, in the end of all the ioy in the creatures he would be acknowledged to be he that giues power to get and vse substance; hee should hauehave the praise of his merciemercy returned him, as Dauid did, Psal. 23. 5. It is thou that feedest me, spreadest my table, fillest my cup, and anointest mine head. The most ioy in the world is in those things wherein men are most excessiue, because they diuorce the ioy in the creature from that in the Creator: And a generall error poysoneth the common reioycings of men, who thinke they cannot bee merrie and serue God too. But of all such mirth as is seuered from Gods feare, our Sauiour saith, Woe be to you that now laugh, that is, carnally, excessiuely, without God or his word: remember the Apostles Canon, Reioyce with trembling.
Secondly, Things lawfull, and necessary, must not take vp our hearts so, but that we reserue the chiefe roume for God, and ioy in him: as for example, Many reioyce in their callings and diligent exercise of them (which is good and commendable:) but herein they faile, that they bury themselues in earthly businesse, and forget their generall calling of Christianity, Gods Kingdome, Word, Workes, and Sabbath; whereas, were the ioy in the calling sound, it would be herein, that suppose thy calling were neuer so base, yet thou art in Gods worke, and in thy way, yea, in a course, which must bee so farre from hindring thee in pietie, as wherein thou mightest (as thou oughtest) hold God alwaies in thy sight.
For the third, namely, the measure of our ioy, Gods word and will is, that our chiefe ioy bee on the chiefe 3. Measure.good; and as things in the degree of their goodnesse approach vntounto, or decline from that, so must our ioy be to them in greater or smaller measure: and here,
First, God must be our glory and our ioy all the day 1.long, that the blessed Father is our Father, the beloued Sonne of God our Sauiour, and the holy Spirit our Sanctifier and Comforter.
Secondly, next to God, we must reioyce in his Image 2.for his sake; and first, because Christ is the expresse Image of his Father, wee must reioyce in him aboue all men and Angels, euen as the chiefe of 10000, but especially that we conceiue him in our hearts, as the blessed Virgin did in her wombe, for which shee is bidden reioyce: Secondly, his Word carries his image, in trueth, holinesse, light, eternitie; we must therefore with Dauid reioyce in the Word, because there God and Christ, and the blessed Spirit meete vsus with light and abundant comfort. The wise men seeing the Starre, that led them to Christ, reioyced with exceeding great ioy: The Word is to vsus this Starre, which leades vsus to Christ, first, in the Manger and on the Crosse in his humiliation, and then to his Crowne and Throne in his aduancement and exaltation: Thirdly, The Saints of God carrie his image, and therefore all our delight must be in them that excel in vertue, Psa. 16. 2. and Psa. 137. 5, 6. Dauid considering the Church as the collection of the Saints, wisheth his hand to forget his cunning, and his tongue to cleaue to the roofe of his mouth, if hee preferre not Ierusalem to his chiefe ioy.
Thirdly, next to Gods image, wee must reioyce in 3.such things, as by which God is most glorified; as first, when the Church inioyes prosperitie, when the Kingdome of God is magnified, his Scepter lifted vp, and set vp in the hearts of men, Psal. 122.
First, I reioiced (saith Dauid) when they said vntounto me, Let vsus goe vp to the house of God. We reade of Iethro, that seeing all that God had done for Israel, he reioiced Exod. 18. 9.much, and so must wee when the Gospel hath free passage, the ministerie established and entertained, and the ruines of the Church are repaired, more then when we growe rich and wealthie in the world: therefore Christ teacheth vsus first to pray, Thy Kingdome come.
Secondly, when men are conuerted from their wicked wayes, when the lost sheep, the lost groat is found. If the Angels in heauen reioice when a sinner repenteth; much more must we, who are in more entire fellowship one with another, then the Angels are with vsus. So the parable teacheth, Luc. 15. 32. It was meete we should be glad and make merrie; for thy brother was dead, but is aliue, was lost, but is found. How did Paul reioice, and wish Philemon to reioice with him, when his runnagate seruant Onesimus was conuerted?
Thirdly, when our selues or others increase and grow in grace: The Apostles in all their Epistles, breake out into exceeding ioy and thankesgiuing, for graces bestowed vponupon beleeuers, that their faith was published abroad, their louelove abounded, &c. 1. Thes. 1. 3, 4. and the Rom. 1. 8. Philem. 4. 5. Col. 1. 3. Phil. 1. 4.Apostle Iohn reioiced greatly to see the elect Ladies children walking in the trueth, 2. Ioh. 4.
If a man thus bestow his ioy for matter, manner, and measure, hee shall finde little roume left for carnall and vaine ioyes, which are not more short in holding, then bitter in forgoing them.
All this admonisheth vsus to rectifie our ioy, and thus to Use.order it, by which onelyonly wee put difference betweene our selues and the brute beasts, who reioyce in fulfilling their appetite, but can reioyce in nothing higher then themselues. Accursed is all that ioy in the creature, which is not begun, continued, and ended in the Lord and for the Lord. Diues enioyed wealth and pleasure, went in Purple, and fared deliciously eueryevery day, but he is now in hell, and his tongue that called for nothing but pleasure, calleth now for a drop of cold water, but cannot hauehave it.
By what markes may I try my ioy, whether it be spirituall Quest.and in the Lord, or no?
Know it by these rules: First, thy person must bee in Answ.Christ, thou must bee a beleeuer; if thy name bee written Markes of spirituall ioy.in heauen, thy ioy is godly ioy: no part in Christ, no part in this ioy.
Secondly, thou gettest and holdest it by the right hand of faith, and therefore it is called the ioy of faith, Phil. 1. 25. Christ for the confirming of his Disciples ioy, commaunded them to beleeue in him, Ioh. 14. 1. and 1. Pet. 1. 8. After yee beleeued, ye reioyced with ioy vnspeakable and glorious: more faith, more ioy; no faith, no ioy, small faith or desire to beleeue, small ioy.
Thirdly, diligent study in Gods word: for faith finds not ioy eueryevery where, but onelyonly in the Word. Iohn 15. These things hauehave I said, that my ioy may abide in you. The two Disciples going to Emmaus, and Christ conferring with them, said afterward one to another, Did not our hearts burne within vsus, while he talked with vsus? Heere then is a plaine difference betweene Gods word and the writings of men: all the words of Philosophers are legall, and knew no Euangelicall ioy; for, which of them euer taught concerning remission of sinne or saluation by Christ? Therefore accursed are such blasphemous hell-hounds as hold the word of God as a policy, and say there are as good sentences in Poets and Philosophers as in it.
Fourthly, examine what thy conuersation is, Righteous and vpright men must reioyce: for sinne grieues the Spirit and extinguisheth ioy, but piety and care of good conscience not onelyonly cheareth him, but also is a sweet feast within, and that continuall.
Fistly, and lastly, examine thy proceeding in mortification: for as it is 1. Cor. 15. 31. By our reioycing which I hauehave in Christ Iesus, I die daily: the ioy of faith makes a man labour and long to bee disburdened of sinne the cause of sorrow, and willing to goe to God, at whose right hand is fulnesse of ioy for euermore.
Thus hauehave wee by Gods grace finished this worthy Psalme, which begun with sorrow, but ends in solace; we went foorth mourning, carrying out our seede, but now we bring in our sheaues with reioycing; wee hauehave sowed in teares, now wee reape in ioy. For which blessed fruit, the forerunner of our full haruest of ioyes, at Gods right hand for euermore, and for all other comforts accompanying the same; To God the Father and Fountaine; and to Iesus Christ the Meriter and restorer; and to the holy Spirit of consolation, the immediat applyer, and sealer of it to the hearts of the Elect: be all praise and honour, in all Churches for euer and euer. Amen.
FINIS.