First Epistle of John Applied Part 2, Sermon 8
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN.SERM. 8.
CHAP. I. Ver. 4. part last.
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
I Am now come by divine assistance to the end of the beginning, the conclusion of the Exordium of this Epistle, namely, the last clause of the fourth verse, a close full of sweetness, the subject whereof is that sweet Monosyllable, joy; the sound of which cannot but charm our eares, and ravish our hearts; indeed the thing which this word expresseth, is the wheel upon which all mens projects and motions turn, the mark at which all their designes and endeavours ayme. Those various design…s of men in getting wealth, grasping honour, purchasing lands, building houses, planting vineyards, do all meet in this one center of joy, and contentment; the truth is, this is that prize for which all run, and yet to which few attain, because they miss the way that leadeth to it: would you then, beloved, enjoy that joy you so earnestly desire, and partake of the content you so industriously strive for, turn in hither, follow the Apostles dictates who wrote this Epistle, that it may be subservient to this very end, for so he telleth us himself, These things we write, that your joy may be full.
I find in the Greek Copies a double reading of the pronoun in this clause whilest in some it is foreign in others foreign, in those a pronoun of the second person, referring to them to whom the Apostles wrote, to which accords our translation; your joy, in these a pronoun of the first person, respecting the Apostles who did write, and so may be rendered our joy; both of these constructions are both agreeable to the analogy of Faith, and sutable to the scope of the Apostle, and therefore I shall omit neither.
1. The most and the best Copies read it your, and therefore on this I shall chiefly insist; but before I enter upon the sence of this clause, it would not be passed by, that the phrase is such, as our blessed Lord himself was pleased to use once and again. If you cast your eyes upon that large and excellent valedictory Sermon of Christ to his Disciples; in the Gospel of S. Iohn you shall find this expression twice mentioned. These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you, Joh. 15 11.16.24. Imbibisse mihi videtur plerasque formulas Johannes quibus utebatur Christus. Lorin.and that your joy might be full; and again, ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full: and now as Scholars use to imitate their Masters language, and one freind affecteth those forms of speech which the other is frequent in, so doth this beloved disciple; in that stile in which Christ spake to his disciples, He speaketh to his children: indeed it is not only observable in this, but those other phrases of keeping Christs Commandements, of loving one another, of abiding in Christ, and the like; which as you find them to be Christs in the Gospel, so here they are used by S. Iohn in the Epistle, thus lying in his Masters bosome; he sucked in as it were the phrases which dropped from his lips, and here mellifluously poureth them out.
To let go the phrase, that we may take in the sence and scope of the words: be pleased to look upon them in a double reference either to the end of the third, or the beginning of the fourth verse.
1. Refer this clause to the end of the former verse, and then the choice truth here insinuated, is, that by fellowship with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ; Beleivers have fulness of joy: or if you please, take it thus; the joy which Beleevers have in fellowship with God and Christ is a full joy. For the better explication of which assertion, I shall demonstrate it to be true in a double notion, to wit, de praesenti, & de futuro, both here and hereafter; for of both I find Expositors interpreting these words.
1. The joy which Beleevers have for the present in this fellowship is a full joy. The truth of which will the better appear, if we consider it not only positively, but oppositively; assertively, but exclusively, it being true of this joy, and no other, that it is a full joy. What ever we have in fellowship with the creature, is a false, a vain, an empty joy, a shadow; nay, to use the Greek Poets phrase, a dream of a shadow; reall, substantial, solid full joy, Si gaudeam de rebus s…culi, &c. Vide Orig. Hom. 11. in Num.is onelyonly to be found in fellowship with God in Christ; more particularly to illustrate this truth, be pleased to know that this joy, and this alone is a full joy in respect of its adjuncts, effects, objects.
1. There are two adjuncts peculiar to this joy, which demonstrate its fulness, to wit, the sincerity, and the permanency of it.
1. This joy is a sincere cordial joy: a full showre of rain is that which doth not onelyonly wet the surface, but sink into the ground,Plenum gaudium cujus interiora sunt pacata. Na…gorg. Sen. ep. 23. be-dew the branches, but go down to the root. That is a full joy which doth not onelyonly fill the face with laughter, but the heart with comfort, and such, yea, such alone is this joy. Caeterae hilari…ates non implent pectus sed frontem remit…unt, saith Seneca; worldly joy smooth the countenance, but have no influence upon the soul;Guadulup. in Luc. Prov. 14.13. nay, many times to use Guadulupensis his comparison, as sweet juicy plumbs have stones with a bitter kernell within them, so to give the reddition in Solomons words, even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; wicked & worldly men for the most part, do but counterfeit a mirth,Sen. de consol. ad polyb. c. 24. like a Commander in a desperate battel, (to borrow Seneca his similitude) who lest his Souldiers should run away, sets a good face on it, speaks cheerfully, whilest yet his heart akes: but this joy is such, that it doth not onelyonly with oyle cause the face to shine, but with wine make the heart glad: the blessed Virgins expression is,P…. 104.15. Luc. 1.47. Ps. 4 6. my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour, and David saith, thou hast put gladness in my heart. Indeed,
Hilaris cum pondere virtus.
The Ioy of Religion is not a l…ght joy, which onelyonly swimmeth at the top, but weighty, and sinks down to the bottom of the heart, so as it exhilarateth the inmost parts; it maketh the minde like the upper region of the air, without any clouds of sorrow, or if you will, like heaven it self, where there is nothing but light of joy; in a word, this spiritual fellowship maketh the heart merry,Pro. 15.13. which, as the Wise man saith, is a continual feast.
Laetitia saeculi cum magnâ expectatione speratur ut veniat & non potest teneri cum venit. Aug. tract. 7. in Ioh.2. This joy is a permanent lasting joy, that is most truly said to be full, which doth not fail, and such onelyonly is this Divine joy; other joyes are such as before they come, we make great account of, but when they are come, we cannot keep, nay, we quickly grow weary of, and as the flower often sheds before the leaf fade, so the joy vanisheth, whilest yet the thing remaineth: in this respect, we may say of worldly joy, it is satiating, but not satisfying, glutting, and yet not filling, Quae major voluptas▪ quam fastidium ipsius voluptatis. Tertul. de spectac. c. 29.like some meats which nauseat the stomack, and do not fill the belly, but Christian joy is that which we can never have enough of; of this society, and the joy in it, there is no satiety, and though it be a full joy, yet we are never so full of it here, but we desire more, whilest both the desire obtaineth fruition, and the fruition increaseth the desire; indeed this water quencheth our thirst as to any thing else, all other joyes seeming vain, worthless to him that hath this, but in respect of it self, it is still kindling new flames of love; excellently hath St. Gregory to this purpose observed the difference between corporal and spiritual delights, those when we want them are coveted, Vide Gregor. Hom. 36. in Evang. Et Greg. Nyss. orat. de Mort.when we have them are loathed, those are onelyonly loathed by those who want them, but still coveted by those who taste them.
Besides, other joyes are such as many times end in sorrow, how oft have you seen tears in mens eyes, after the heartiest laughter? nothing more usuall than for the Sun of carnal mirth to set in a cloud, and this serpent of sensuall delight hath alwayes a sting in its tail, that verse,
Vae tibi ridenti, quia mox post gaudia slebisVide Goclen. de Risu.
They say, hath all the parts of speech in it; sure I am, it comprizeth in it the state of all voluptuous Epicures, who sowing in joy, reap in tears, and after all their good chear, are sure to meet with a sad reckoning. Indeed carnall delights, at first glitter like gold, but at last prove heavy as lead; and as one saith aptly, they are wine in the morning, beer at noon, but they are vineger at night; but this joy is a remaining, abounding joy, whereof no man had or shall have cause to repent; carnal joy, like a standing pool, quickly drieth up, and leaveth nothing but the mud of discontent; whereas Christian joy is like a fountain of water, ever running. That, (to take up St. Bernards metaphor) is like a candle, which goeth out in a snuff, Vide Bern. serm. de fallac. praesent. Vitae. Et Bas. hom. de Deo gratiis semper agendis.a stink, a smoak; This, like the morning light, shineth brighter and brighter, unto the perfect day: finally, that like the crackling of thornes under a pot, soon vanisheth, and leaveth nothing but the ashes of sorrow behinde it, whereas this, like the fire under the Altar, never goeth out.
2. Not onelyonly the adjuncts, but the effects commend this joy, it being deservedly called a full, because a strong joy, able to sustain the spirit under, and bear it up against affliction;Heb. 6.18. Neh. 8.10. Solatium quia recreat, fortissimum quia roborat. it is the Apostles Epithete, strong consolation, and it is Nehemiahs assertion, the joy of the Lord is your strength; when any winde ariseth, it bloweth out, when any damp is cast forth, it puts out the candle of worldly joy: but this joy like a torch, burneth clearest in the dark night of trouble; and which plainely bespeaketh its fulness, it is of manifold use, nay, indeed of universall concernment in all calamities: in which respect, the greek father affirmeth of him, that is in communion with God,Cl. Al strom. l. 7. he is foreign, merry in all conditions; other joyes at best, carry in them onelyonly a partial emolument, and therefore it is the joy of wealth is no antidote against sickness; nor can the joy of health cure the sorrow of poverty, but this joy is foreign, the universall medicine, the catholick remedy against all sorts of miseries; it maketh a prison sweet, and pain easie, it maketh a man cheerfull in want, and comfortable in losses, it turneth a wilderness into a garden, teacheth to sing in a cage, and accounts solitary exile a courtesie, finally it supports, in life, yea, and it comforts in death. Thus like the tree cast into the waters of Marah, it sweetens all calamities to us; and as outward afflictions are mitigated, so inward troubles are removed by this joy, those wounds of conscience, which carnal mirth can only skin over, this cureth, and therefore whereas, after sensual jollity, those wounds fester the more; by this joy the very rotten core is eaten out, and we enjoy a spiritual sanity of minde and conscience; the sum is, let conscience accuse, let the world persecute, let the devill tempt, yea, let afflictions of all sorts, (like the waves of the Sea) successively, nay, simultaneously beat against the ship of the soul, this joy like a firm anchor, will be able to stay it.
3. Lastly, the fulness of this joy, chiefly depends on the ground and object whereabout it is conversant. It is an undoubted maxim, that the object of all joy, is good, and therefore such as is the good, such is the joy; if the good be onelyonly so in appearance, the joy must be needs be false and empty, but if it be a reall, full good, the joy must needs be both true and full: now, as for worldly joy, it is onelyonly in vain, empty things. Solomon hath long since passed that censure upon these terrene comforts, all is vanity, Eccles. 1.2. Aug. serm. 37. de verbis Dom.and therefore the joy must needs be gaudium vanitatis, a vain joy; whereas this joy is fixed on God our Creatour, Christ our Redeemer, and so is gaudium veritatis, a true and solid joy, the one is a joy in corn and wine, as David distinguisheth it; but the other in the light of Gods countenance; the one in broken cisterns that hold no water,Ps. 4.6. but the other in the fountain of living waters; and indeed, hence it is, that the fulness of this joy, in those forementioned respects ariseth; therefore doth this joy fill the heart, because it is in God and Christ, who is a proportionable good to the heart; therefore is this joy such, as no man can take from us, because it is in God and Christ, of whose fellowship none can debar us; therefore is this joy able to support us under all troubles, because it is in God and Christ, who is an universal, and all-sufficient good. Alas, other joyes being only in outward perishing things, and such as at best can afford but some particular advantage, must needs be defective, onelyonly God and Christ is such a good, as is of a spiritual nature, everlasting durance, and generall extent; no wonder if this fellowship alone content the mind, and the soul find that in this, which may answer all its wants,Quid quaeris ext…a illum? quid desideras praeter illum? quid placet c…m illo? Bern serm de miser. hum. Quisquis verò percipit quid valeat illa cum Deo societas h…c unâ abundè contentus. Calv. in loc. Posito effecto pro causâ significat ipsam be atitudinem. Illyr, in l…c. Per nomen gaudii pleni significat id quod in re atque pat… pe… ficitur. Lorin. ibid. Ps. 16 11. Aristot Eth. l. 7. c. 12. Rom. 5.3. and satisfie all its desires▪ Excellently therefore St. Bernard, What needest thou seek beside him? what can please without him? what doest thou desire, which thou mayest not finde in him? he made all, he hath all, he is all. Whatsoever good thou wishest, sweet thou cravest, delectable thing thou searchest after, it is all to be found and enjoyed in him, and that by communion with him; good reason hath St. Iohn to wish, that his brethren to whom he wrote, might have this fellowship, even upon this account, that the…r joy might be full.
2. Though this joy we have for the present, be as you have heard, a full joy, in opposition to carnal and worldly joy, yet in comparison of that caelestial joy, it is but empty, and rather filling than full, and therefore some conceive joy here to be by a metonymic of the effect for the cause put for blessedness, because then alone it is that we shall have full and perfect joy, and to this purpose some (as the Phylosopher observes) derive foreign from foreign, only changing the foreign into foreign, as if the word blessedness, did signifie greatly to rejoyce. Indeed, as David saith, in thy presence is fulness of joy; our joy will never be full, till we come to enjoy the beatifical vision: our joy here, is onelyonly in hope and expectation; so St. Paul, we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God: nor can our joy be full, till we come to the fruition of what we expect. Hence it is, that all we have here is but a taste, then we shall drink deep of the river of pleasure: Now we have onelyonly the first fruits, hereafter our joy shall be as the joy of harvest: Finally, now the joy of the Lord enters into us, but then it is we shall enter into the joy of the Lord, Mat. 25.21.and be, as it were, swallowed up in the boundless ocean of that joy; the truth is, according to this foreign, so is the foreign, our exultation answereth our participation, because this fellowship cannot be perfect, till we come to heaven, where we shall fully enjoy sanctity and immortality with God and Christ for ever, therefore then and not till then, shall this be verified, our joy shall be filled.
And now to tell you how full that joy shall be, I want words: St. Peter speaking of our joy which we have in believing, calls it unspeakable, and full of glory; indeed, sentire est cordis, dicere non est oris, 1 Pet. 1.8.the heart feeleth what the tongue cannot express: but oh then, how glorious, and not onelyonly unspeakable, but unconceivable shall that joy be in seeing. Surely, as when Christ miraculated wine, he filled the vessels to the brim, Ioh. 2.7.so shall he fill the vessels of our souls in that day, with the water of joy, to the very brim, so as there shall not be the least deficiency, but an abundance, yea, a superabundance, both over, and everflowing, to make glad the inhabitants of that heavenly City to all eternity.
What then is the inference which we are to draw from hence, but that we learn? what joy to seek after? namely, that which is full, and wherein (to that end) to place it, namely, in fellowship with God and Christ.
Beloved, it is a false slander, an odious calumny, which by black mouths is belched forth against Christianity, as if it were an enemy to all joy, whereas it doth not extirpate, but ordinate our joy, teaching us to place it on the right object; you are mistaken when you think that we would rob you of your comfort, and spoile your mirth; no brethren, our aim in indeavouring to bring you to God and Christ, is (to use Seneca's phrase upon better grounds) that you might never want mirth;Nolo tibi unquam de esse laetitiam. Sen. ep. 23. … Thess. 5.16. or according to St. Pauls expression, that you may rejoyce evermore: Indeed, this is our scope, to confine your carnall joy, or rather refine it, that it may be pure, spirituall, and heavenly. Oh that you would at last be wise, and fix your joy in the right center, by elevating it to the things above; how should you say with that penitent Father, Far be it Lord, far be it from the heart of thy servant, that I should account my self happy by any earthly joy, that is the joy, which is not given to the wicked, but onelyonly to them who serve thee, Vide Aug. conf. l. 10. c. 22.whose joy thou thy self art, and that is the blessed life to rejoyce of thee, in thee, for thee, that is it, and no other; or in words not much unlike those of St. Paul, God forbid that we should rejoyce in any thing, save in fellowship with the Father, and his Son Iesus Christ.Gal. 6.14
2. Refer this clause to the former part of this verse, and then the truth, which is manifestly implyed is, that those things which the holy men of God did write, are able to give fulness of joy. This is the doctrine which I shall endeavour to illustrate, both generally of all the holy writings, and particularly of the Apostolical writings.
1. There is fulness of joy to be had in the holy Scriptures, this was that which David experienced, and therefore affirmeth concerning himself, that the words of God were sweet to his taste, Ps. 119.103.162.and he rejoyced in them, as one that found a great spoyle; and that holy man Ambrose upon those words, breaketh forth into these expressions, I have great cause to rejoyce, for I have found the spoyles for which I have not laboured; Vide Ambros. in Ps. 118.I have found the Pentateuch of Moses, the writings of the Prophets; I have found Christ the wonderfull Counseller, and Paul the prudent builder; for this reason, no doubt it is, that the word of God contained in the Scripture, is compared to light, and wine, and honey, Vide Bern. serm. 64. Chrysost▪ hom. in E…trep.and milk, all which, are of a pleasing and exhilarating nature; indeed the holy Scriptures are a tree of life, whereof every leaf is healing, or according to St. Chrysostom, a pleasant garden, wherein every flower yields a fragrant smell; or to use St. Ambrose his comparison,Ambros. de offic. l. 1. c. 32. a feast, in which every book is a dainty dish, affording both sweet and wholesome nutriment. No wonder if St. Paul, speaking of the Scriptures, maketh mention of the patien…e, Rom. 15.4.and hope, and comfort of the Scriptures, there being no such ground of hope and patience, and therefore no such comfort to be found elsewhere, as in these sacred books.
2. As this is true in general of all parcels of holy writ, so more especially of the Apostolical writings; to this purpose St. Cyril mystically interpreting those words of the Prophet Micah, that every man should sit under his vine, and under his figtree, observeth that wine is an embleme of joy, the figtree of sweetness, Mic. 4.4. Vide Cyr. Al. ibid.and by both is shadowed that joy wh…ch the Evangel…cal doctrine should produce in those who sit under the preaching of it; indeed those doctrines which reveal God and Christ, satisfaction to God by Christ, reconciliation to God in Christ, can only give solid comfort to the soule, since God out of Christ, is a consuming sire, onelyonly in Christ he is a reviving Sun; out of Christ, he is a sin-revenging, onelyonly in Christ a sin-forgiving God: now these doctrines are no where made known but in holy writ, and they are most clearly delivered in the Apostolical writings, what Moses and Esay, and Ieremy, spake obscurely that Paul, and Peter, and Iohn, declare plainly, and therefore though we find joy in those, yet by these our joy is filled. It is not unworthy our obsetvation in the Text, that this clause. These things we write, stands in the middle, between our fellowspip, is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ, and that your joy might be full, as having indeed an influence on both, and by effecting the one, it produceth the other; these things which the Apostles write, reveale God and Christ, and the way of fellowship with them, and by bringing us to this fellowship, they convey unto us this fulnesse of joy and comfort.
To apply this in some short confectaries.
1. How injurious is the superstition of the Papists, and that both to the Scriptures themselves, and to the people.
1. To the Scriptures, Vide Bellarm. de verb. Dei. l 4. c. 3.in that they deny to them a perfect sufficiency containing all things necessary to salvation, and that for this reason that th…y might advance the esteem of their unwritten Traditions: indeed such traditions as are not fictitious but real, not particular but universal, and clearly appear to be s…, we reject not; but withall, we assert there are no such traditions delivering any thing necessary to salvation, which is not to be found either in expresse termes, or by evident cons… quences in the holy Scriptures, and that I may not wander, we meet with a strong argument to this purpose in my text. That which is able to give us full joy, must not be deficient in any thing which conduceth to our happinesse; but the holy Scriptures give fulness of joy, and therefore the way to happiness is perfectly laid down in them; the major of this syllogisme is so clear, that it needs no probation: for who can or will deny, that full joy is only to be had in a state of bl…sse; the minor is plain from this Scripture, and may thus be drawne forth. That which the Apostles aimed at in, may doubtlesse be attained to by their writings, for they being inspired of God, it is no other then the end that God purposed in inspiring, which they had in writing, and either God himself is wanting in the means which he hath designed for this end, or these writings contain in them, what will yeild fulness of joy, and to that end bring us to a state of blessednesse.
Laicis lectionem scripturae permittere est sanctum dare canibus & margaritas ante p…rcos projicere. Hos. de verb. Dei.2. To the people whom they expressely forbid to read the holy Scriptures, esteeming the permission of them to the vulgar eye to be the casting of pearls before swine, and the giving holy things to dogs: hence is it that in a seeming reverence to holy writ, and withall a pretended care of the Laicks, that they may not wrest the Scriptures to their own perdition, they lay upon them a prohibition; but the truth is, as they are but false friends to the Scripture, so in this they are manifest enemies to the people, bereaving them of that comfort which they might have in the reading of those divine books. Certainly the Apostles intended that their Epistles should be read both to and by them, to whom they wrote them: now these you to whom S. John wrote were ordinary Christians, dispersed in several countries, such, whom in the second Chapt. he calls not only Fathers, but young men and children, and the other Apostles express…ly direct their Epistles, to all that are called to be Saints, as well private persons in, as publick officers of the Church; nay yet further, when we consider what singular benefit is to be gained by the reading of the holy Scriptures for correction, …nstruction, and in particular, consolation; surely it is no small injury, that the Church of Rome by this prohibition doth to her members, even as great as if the mother should deny the dug to the tender infant.
2. How odious is the prophanenesse of those Christians who neglect the holy Scriptures, and give themselves to reading other books? How many precious hours do many spend, and that not only on workdays, but holydays, in fool…sh Romances, fabulous histories, lascivious poems? and why this? but that they may be cheered and delighted, when as full joy is onelyonly to be had in these holy books. Alas the joy you find in those writings, is perhaps pernicious; such as tickleth your lust, and promoteth contemplative wickednesse, at the best it is but vain, such as onelyonly pleaseth the fancie and affecteth the wit;Psal. 19 8. whereas these holy writings (to use Davids expression) are right, rejoycing the heart. Again, are there not many who more set by Plutarchs Morals, Seneca's Epistles, and such like books; then they do by the holy Scriptures? it is true beloved, there are excellent truths in those moral writings of the heathen, but yet they are far short of these sacred books; those may comfort against outward trouble, but not against inward fears; they may rejoyce the mind, but cannot quiet the conscience; they may kindle some flashy sparkles of joy, but they cannot warm the soul with a lasting fire of solid consolation. And truly brethren, if ever God give you a spiritual ear to judge of things aright, you will then acknowledge there are no bells like to those of Aarons, no harp like to that of Davids, Olim mihi Tullius dulcescebat blandiebantur carmina Poetarum. &c. Petri Dam Ser. de Christi Natal.no trumpet like to that of Isaiahs, no p…pes like to those of the Apostles, and you will confesse with Petrus Damianus, that those writings of heathen Orators, Philosophers, Poets, which formerly were so pleasing, are now dull and harsh in comparison of the comfort of the Scriptures.
3. Lastly, let us so diligently read, stedfastly beleive, and obediently conform to these writings, that our joy may be full by them. It is very observable, what the Prophet Ieremy saith concerning himself. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was to me the joy and rejoycing of my heart;Ier. 15.16. Ede Scripturarum coelestium cibos & ede ut permaneant tibi in vitam aeternam, &c. Ambros. in Psal. 118. Habeant sibi caeteri si velint suas opes gemmâ bibant. serico niteant, &c. Hieron. Ep. 155. Non excedat tibi lex de ore cordis tui, volve, revolve, versa reversa, ac tunc intelliges quid sapiat manna, &c. Drog. Host. de sacram. Dom. pass. l. 1. Vide Ambros. l…d. Petr. Sim. Tilet. the word caused in Ieremy joy and rejoycing, that is, a full joy, but by what means; it was by eating it, so must we get comfort in the Scriptures by eating, that is, reading, meditating, and applying them to our selves. Let then that counsel which St. Ambrose giveth, be acceptable to us; Eat, and eat daily of this heavenly manna, that thy hunger may be satisfied, and thy soul nourished to eternal life: remember the advice which St. Hierom giveth, Whatever joyes and pleasures others may take, let our delights be in the law of the Lord. Finally, hearken to the exhortation of Drogo hostiensis. Let not the Law depart from thy heart, read and ponder again and again, that thou mayst find the savour of this manna, & with the Bee suck the sweetness of these heavenly flowers: And yet more particularly, when thou art cast into any danger, labourest under any affliction, make use of these writings for thy comfort, which are as St. Ambrose truly styleth them, the onelyonly refuge in all temptations. Excellently to this purpose is that even of a Roman Bishop, in his exhortation to the Clergy? Doth any one labour with ignorance? these writings are a light to the feet, and a lanthorn to his paths; do we weep in this valley of tears? here we may find that which will dry our eyes, and revive our spirit; doest thou thirst after righteousnesse? here is a fountain of pure water? art thou spiritually hungry? here is the bread which came down from heaven: indeed there is no condition that can befall a Christian,Vid. Rivet. Isag. p. 406. to which these holy writings do not afford a sutable and proportioned consolation. I end this therefore with allusion to that expression of the Prophet Esay, Is. 12.3. Hier. Pr…cop. ibid.With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. These wells of salvation, are Evangelical truths: so St. Hierome spiritual sayings; so Procoptus, Oh let us by the bucket of faith draw the water of comfortable doctrine out of those wells, to the joy and solace of our hearts.
I have now dispatched the first and most genuine reading of this pronoun, Oecumen. in loc.the other (which the Greek Scholiast taketh notice of) would not be altogether passed by, which is foreign, a pronoun of the first person, since not onelyonly some Greek copies, but the Syriack version also so renders it, that our joy might be full.
And thus as venerable Bede observeth upon these words, it lets us see what is the joy of a godly Minister;Gaudium doctorum fit plenum cum multos ad sanctae Ecclesiae societatem perducunt. Bed. ibid. Senec. ep. 24. namely, when the people by his declaring, preaching, writing, are brought to fellowship with God and Christ, and the more they gain to this fellowsh…p, the more is their joy enlarged and filled up. Indeed (that I may borrow Seneca's similitudes) if it cannot but delight the husbandman when he seeth his plants grow, his trees flourish, his fruits ripen, if it must needs rejoyce the Shepheard to behold his Sheep sound, fat, and fruitfull; if it glad the heart of a Schoolmaster o… Tutor to observe his Schollers thrive in learning,Cum gaudere in hoc omnes fratres oportet tum iu gaudio communi, major est Episcopi portio. Cypr. …p. 7. ad and increase in knowledge, it must needs be matter of abundant joy to the Ministers of the Gospel, when they reap the fruit of their labour in the conversion and confirmation of their people. This is that which this holy Apostle John, as here, so elsewhere expresseth to be his temper, when writing to the Elect Lady, the saith, I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in the truth;Joh. Ep. 2. v. 4.3. v. 4. and when writing to the well-beloved Gaius, he saith, I have no greater joy then that my children walk in truth, Ep. 3. v. 4. Phil. 4.1. 1 Thes. 2.19.20.the same spirit lodged in that blessed Apostle Paul, who calls the Philippians his joy and his Crown, and the Thessalonians his hope, his joy, his Crown of rejoycing, his glory and his joy, by which phrases is intimated an exceeding joy, glorying being the height of rejoycing; nay Emperours cannot take greater joy in their crownes, then he did in those of whose conversion God had made him instrumental: nay as if he knew not how enough to be thankful, he breaketh forth into that pathetical question, what thanks can we render to God for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes. 3.9.To this purpose was that pious speech of an holy Bishop to his flock,Euseb Vercell. Episcop. implestis viscera mea, cum implestis mandata divina; your fulfilling Gods precepts is the filling up of my joy. We read in the parable, of a woman, who having found her lost groat, called her neighbours and friends to rejoyce with her; that finding the lost groat, Luc. 15.9.is an embleme of a lost sinner gained to Christ, and the woman represents the Minister who cannot but greatly rejoyce at his being the means of converting any sinner; indeed as we find afterward in that Chapter, V. 7.There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth; the truth is, there is joy both in heaven and in earth, whilest both the Angels those heavenly Ministers, and Ministers those earthly Angels, rejoyce at the winning of soules to Christ.
This is the joy of godly Ministers for the present, and shall be, yet much more at the last day, in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ, Greg hom. 17. in Evang.at his coming, when (as St. Gregrory aptly) Peter shall appear with his converted Iews, and Paul with his converted Gentiles, and all Pastors, with their reduced sheep, when they, who have received any spiritual profit by us, shall give in evidence for us, and be as so many pearls set in our Crown of glory.
Oh then, how should we that are the Ministers of Christ, double, yea,Jo. 21▪15.16.17. treble our diligence in feeding the flock, according to Christs threefold mandate? how should we bestir our selves in all the wayes, by all the means we can, by preaching, writing, and that in exhorting, reproving, comforting, that we may bring men to this fellowship, since it will be the filling of our joy? Indeed, a lazy careless Minister, is not more the peoples, than his own enemy, since as he hindreth their good, so his own comfort: for if it be uncomfortable when we sow much, and reap little, the success not answering our pains, it must needs be much more doleful, when conscience giveth in testimony against us, that we have sowed but little, having been careless and negligent in the discharge of our duty, since whereas the other is but onelyonly a cross, this is a curse, according to that of the Prophet Ieremy, cursed is he, that doth the work of the Lord negligently.Jer. 48.10.
But further, oh that you who are the people, would upon this consideration labour to profit, by what we preach and write to you, that hereby you may fill our joy. Many of you pretend a great deal of love and respect to us: oh my brethren, if you love us, do not grieve us by your unprofitableness: By your presence, you fill our Churches, by your maintenance, you fill our purses: but what is this, if by your obedience you do not fill our joy? many of you seem to pitty us, when you see us exhausting our spirits, wasting our bodies, weakning our strength in preaching to you: oh then, why do you not refresh our minds, revive our spirits, rejoyce our hearts in requiting our pains, with your fruitfulness? it is true beloved, our work in it self is difficult, but your hard hearts, are an heavier burden to us, than our hard work. Truly if our hearts deceive us not, to finde good wrought upon you by our pains, is the best cordiall you can give us, as that godly Father said to his people of Antioch, I feel not the weight of my labour, because I am revived by the gain of you that are my Auditors.Chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. hom. 9.
Let me then bespeak you my dearly beloved parishiners and auditors this day, in the same language St. Paul bespoke his Philippians, Phil. 2.2.fulfill you my joy in your endeavour, to profit by my Ministery: why shall we, who are Evangelical sowers, be forced to complain that we sow our seed, if not among bryars and thorns, which scratch and tear (the usage that too many have found in these dayes) yet among stones, so as it yields no fruit? why do you force us with our preaching and praying, to joyn tears in weeping for, and over you, because of your barreness? nay, why should we come in at the last day of Iudgement as witnesses against you, and be forced to give up our account with grief?
I end all, if on the one hand, you will not be won to Christ by our Ministery, know that as it is our sorrow, it will be your misery, our heaviness, your unhappyness, if it be uncomfortable to us, it will be unprofitable to you, and if you put us upon a woe of condoling, you will meet with a woe of condemning: and on the other hand, if our Ministery be effectual to bring you into fellowship with God and Christ, know that it will not only be ours, but your joy (for so we may put both the readings of this clause together) we shall have some, and you will have much more cause of comfort in it. For this end it is my brethren, that we shew and declare, and write. Oh do not disappoint us of our hopes, and frustrate our desires, but for this cause do you hear, beleive, and obey, that both your and our joy may be full.