The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 27
Sermon XXVII.
Canticles 1. 4.
We will be glad, and rejoyce in thee. We will remember thy loves more then Wine. The upright love thee.
I Am now come to the Fourth thing conſiderable in this Second Petition of the Spouſe. I have done with the Petition, Draw me. 2. With the Argument by which ſhe inforced her Petition; We will run after thee. 3. With the Spouſe's Atteſtation of the quick acceptance of her Petition: The King hath brought me into his Chambers. I have only to conſider the Effect that this Love had upon her, that is expreſt in the words I have now read. We will be glad, and rejoyce in thee,; we will remember thy Loves more than Wine. I have opened the words before: We, I and all Believers, we who being many are yet one body, united by one Spirit, Members under the Government of one Head; we who have taſted and experienced thy goodneſs▪ will be glad. The word in the Hebrew foreign, is expreſſive of the largeſt dilatation of the heart upon union with its object. It is uſed, Iſa. 65. v. 19. Prov. 24. 23. Pſal. 21. 1. Pſal. 2. 11. & 13. 11. Zech. 9. 9. [and rejoyce in thee.] The word again here uſed, is often uſed in the Old Teſtament, Exod. 4. 14. Jer. 31. 13, &c. I ſhall not undertake to juſtifie the Critical diſtinction ſome make betwixt theſe two words, as if one were reſtrained to the more inward motion of the heart, the other more expreſſive of the more external geſtures, or actions, ſignifying that affection [in thee] in Chriſt, as the principal object, and in the ſignifications of thy love to us. The Propoſition is ſhortly this.
Prop.Jeſus Chriſt, and the manifeſtations of his love to believers Souls, particularly in anſwering prayers, are the ſingular objects of their joy, and rejoycing. In order both to the explication and confirmation of this Propoſition, I will guide you a little into the underſtanding of the nature of Joy, 2. Conſider how Chriſt can be the object of the believers joy, and is more the object of his joy, then of another mans. 3. How he is the ſpecial ſingular object of their joy.
Take joy conſidered in itſelf, it is but a natural plant, a power God hath given to every reaſonable Soul, the object of it is ſome good, to which it is in ſome degree united, and it is greater or leſſer, according to the nature of the good, or the degree of the apprehenſion. There is in all joy, ſatisfaction, and reſt, and ſomething of muſick, or melody.
1. There is in all joy a Soul ſatisfying ſuln ſs, deſire ſpeaks ſome emptineſs in the Soul, and is the Souls motion in order to a ſatisfaction, the like might be ſaid of hope, but all joy, ſpeaketh a Soul ſatisfaction, according to the meaſure of the joy, the rejoycing Soul hath alwaies in it a fulneſs, and a pleaſing fulneſs; that is the firſt thing in the nature of it.
2. There is in all joy a reſt that quieteth the Soul; the deſiring, thirſty, hoping Soul is ſtill in motion, being in the purſuit of ſomething which it hath not attained, but the rejoycing Soul is at reſt; David in the hour of his joy ſaith, Return unto thy reſt, O my Soul! For God hath dealt graciouſly with thee. That is a ſecond thing in joy.
3. There is in all joy ſomething of muſick and melody, hence that phraſe of leaping for joy, hence ſinging and ſhouting, are the natural expreſſions of joy; thus joy may be deſcribed to be a natural power, or inclination of the Soul, by which having more perfectly, or imperfectly obtained an union with the object which it deſired, or hoped for, it is in proportion ſatisfied, and well pleaſed, at reſt, and keeps as it were a feſtival within it ſelf.
Two things are required to make an adequate obiect of this joy. 1. The thing muſt be good. 2. We muſt have ſome apprehenſion both of the goodneſs of it, and our union with, and intereſt in it. 1. The object that our Souls rejoice in, muſt be ſomething which either is good, or which at leaſt we apprehend to be ſo, the nature of good lieth in a ſuitableneſs and conveniency of a thing for us, and whatſoever we apprehend ſuited to any of our wants, or convenient for us in any of our circumſtances that we call good, and whatſoever we apprehend under that notion, whether it indeed be ſo or no, we love, and if we want it, we deſire it, if we apprehend it probable to be our portion, we hope for it, if we have it, or apprehend we have it, we delight, and take a complacency, and rejoice in it. 2. So that ſecondly, to make an adequate object of our joy. There muſt be ſome apprehended union betwixt our Souls, and the object we rejoice in. For although we can love, and take a ſecret complacency in an object which appeareth to us as good, yet it is propriety in it that cauſeth our joy and rejoycings. Thus far now I have only conſidered, and diſcourſed of joy, philoſophically, as it is a natural affection, working upon its proper object.
Let us now conſider it as a grace, or ſanctified affection. Grace doth not plant new powers in the Soul of man, it only turns the natural powers to their proper objects.
Our Saviour tells us, there is none good but God, God is the Summum Bonum, the firſt, and chiefeſt good, nor is any thing good, but what deriveth from him. Chriſt is good, ſupremely good, as in him there is found, what is ſuited to the greateſt wants and emptineſſes, that the nature of man is expoſed, and ſubject to. And that the believer more valueth Chriſt then another man, ariſeth only, 1. From his different apprehenſion. 2. From his different relation to him and intereſt in him.
1. From the different apprehenſions of good which the believer hath, from thoſe which are in other men. I told you before, that the nature of good lieth in the ſuitableneſs, or conveniency of a thing to our wants and emptineſſes. Man is a creature made up of two eſſential parts, the Body and the Soul, that which ſuiteth the one, or the other we call good. The Soul is conſiderable, with reſpect to a preſent, or future ſtate, the firſt is that which alone the moſt men are ſenſible of, or concerned for. We have a threefold perception of an object, according to which we judge of the goodneſs, or badneſs of it.
1. The firſt is by the Eye of ſenſe, according to which we judge that good which gratifieth the exteriour ſenſes, this of all is the moſt unmanly judgment of it, thus the man of pleaſure judgeth thoſe things good, which gratify his eyes, ears, taſt, ſinell or touch, and indeed this is the judgment of the greateſt part of the world, when they ſay, who will ſhew us any good? this is all they underſtand by it, who will gratify our ſenſitive appetites? Theſe are the things they deſire, delight, and rejoice in, theſe men rejoice in nothing, but in pleaſures, profits, or honours, ſuch things as either ſerve the luſt of the Eye, or the luſt of Fleſh, or the pride of life.
2. A ſecond Eye by which we diſcern good, and accordingly judge of it is the Eye of Reaſon, God hath indued man with a reaſonable Soul, which hath ſeveral powers and faculties, amongſt the reſt, the underſtanding, by which I underſtand that power in man, by which he apprehendeth things, and the reaſon of them, and takes the impreſſion of notions, that which is ſuited to this we call good, and upon a much truer notion then the other.
Hence is ſome mens thirſt, and deſire of knowledge, and knowledge is as ſweet to them, as Wine is to the Drunkard, they diſcern an excellency in the mind, and Soul, above what is, or can be in the fleſhly part of a man, and delight more in underſtanding, then the voluptuous man doth in pleaſure, or the worldly man in wealth, that is their good, for which they contemn pleaſures, and all ſenſual ſatisfactions.
3. Our third way of apprehending good, is by the Eye of ſaith, which the Apoſtle tells us is the evidence of things not ſeen. There are ſome whom God hath ſo far enlightned by the revelation of his will, as they do not only know that they have bodies, and a ſenſitive part, which requireth ſatisfaction to its ſeveral cravings, and a more noble part, which is the mind, capable of underſtanding things, and the reaſons, and cauſes of them, but Souls (an immortal part) capable of the favour of God, of an union and communion with him, they know that the happineſs of man can lie in nothing beneath the favour of God, nothing beneath an union and communion with him, they have read it in the Word of God to which God hath wrought in their hearts a firm and full aſſent, that no man cometh to the Fathers but by Chriſt. There is no other name given under Heaven, no other way by which they can arrive at a true peace and happineſs, either in this life, or in that which is to come. And from hence it is, that all their deſires are after Chriſt, all their hope in him, and he becometh their chief joy.
2. A ſecond reaſon of their rejoicing in Chriſt more then other mens, lies in their different relation to him, and intereſt in him, or apprehenſions at leaſt of that relation, and intereſt. I told you before, that although an apprehended good be the object of our love, before we enjoy it, the Soul cannot but take ſome pleaſure, and complacency in what he apprehendeth under that notion, yet while the Soul cometh to have ſome relation to it, ſome propriety and intereſt in it, though it may move towards it by deſire, and hope, yet it comes not to a joy, and rejoycing in it, till it comes to have ſome apprehenſion, that it hath obtained it. You may ſee this in other things; ſuppoſe a man of the world to fancy a great eſtate, or a great degree of honour and di…nity to be good, or that an ingenious Child fancieth the like of knowledge, both the one and the other may deſire theſe things at a diſtance; the man of the world may wiſh he had ſuch an Eſtate, and the Schollar may wiſh he had ſuch degrees of learning and knowledge; but till the one and the other have attained what they deſire in ſome degree, they cannot rejoice in it, neither is their mind ſatisfied, nor at reſt. It is the ſame caſe as to a ſpiritual man. He is enlightned to ſee he hath a Soul of a further capacity, then the moſt men underſtand their Souls to be, that he hath ſome further wants, then the moſt underſtand that they have, he believeth the Scriptures, and underſtands that he wants peace, and reconciliation with God, he underſtandeth that there ſhall be a Reſurrection, a day of Judgment, and that he muſt one day be in an happy, or in a miſerable eternity, ſo as he wants the ſecurity of a better life, when this life ſhall be at an end, upon this account he may be pleaſed with the thoughts of Chriſt; as he by whom theſe good things alone can be obtained, he may deſire Chriſt, he may hope in him, but till he comes to apprehend that he hath obtained a part, and intereſt in him, it is impoſſible he ſhould rejoice in him, and according to his apprehenſions of his intereſt, ſo is his joy, and rejoycing in Chriſt. There muſt be ſome union betwixt the Soul, and its object, before there can be any joy and rejoycing.
1. There is an union of contemplation. We cannot ſo much as contemplate a deſirable object, but our Soul muſt have ſome union with it, and there will a proportionable joy attend this; indeed this will be of all other the weakeſt in degree, becauſe this is the loweſt degree of union imaginable. Thus a man may rejoyce in the contemplation of a door of ſalvation opened to Mankind by Chriſt, before he hath made any uſe of it at all to enter in thereat. Thus the Angels at the Birth of Chriſt proclaimed glad tidings, and joy to all people.
2. There is an union of hope, when the Soul doth not only contemplate ſome great and eminent good, but apprehendeth it attainable by itſelf, tho not without ſome difficulty; as this union of the Soul with its object, now is cloſer, and fuller then the other, ſo the joy that reſulteth from it, muſt neceſſarily be more: hence in Scripture you read of the rejoycing of hope, which the Apoſtle would have believers keep firm.
3. There is an union of ſenſible poſſeſſion, or (which is the fame) of faith, and full perſuaſion, which makes things unſeen viſible to us, and as this of all other, is the moſt full, and perfect union, ſo it cauſeth the moſt full, and perfect joy, it moſt ſatisfieth the Soul, and brings it moſt to its reſt, and cauſeth the greateſt triumph, and feſtival in the Soul, even a peace which is paſt all underſtanding.
There is no believer but hath obtained one of the two latter unions with Chriſt: No unbeliever that hath obtained more then the former. An unbeliever may have heard, that Chriſt came into the world to ſave Sinners, to ſeek, and to ſave that which is loſt, and may have a proportionable joy, but alaſs, how little muſt it be, while he neither feeth a need of him, nor yet can have any apprehenſion, that he hath any ſhare or intereſt in him? It can be no more then as the rejoycing of an underſtanding man, to hear that an able Phyſician is come into the Country, before he is ſenſible of any need he hath of him, or hath had any experience of his skill, and ability.
But there is no true believer, but either hopes in his mercy, or hath ſome aſſurance of his love; and from hence it is. 1. That the true believer alone can rejoyce, truly rejoice in Chriſt. 2. That one believer rejoyceth in him above what another can.
I ſay, the true believer alone can rejoyce in Chriſt, for he alone is ſenſible of that goodneſs, and excellency that is in him, and he alone is apprehenſive of any relation, that he hath to him, or any intereſt in him; others are without Chriſt, he alone can ſay, my Lord, and my Saviour. And hence I ſay it is that one believer can rejoice in Chriſt more than another, becauſe one mans apprehenſion of his part and intereſt in Chriſt, may be more full than anothers. One hath but the apprehenſion of a good hope, the other may have a full perſuaſion. But though there may be a great difference in the degrees of believers joy, yet they concur all in their object. Chriſt is the object, the ſingular object of all their joy.
After this diſcourſe; I need not enlarge in telling you how Chriſt becomes their object of joy, not meerly conſidered, as God bleſſed for ever, nor meerly conſidered as Mediator betwixt God and Man, and the Saviour of loſt Sinners, if he were not ſo, they could not rejoice in him, but neither doth his being ſo give them any cauſe of rejoycing; but in the notion in which he is mentioned all along this Song. i. e. conſidered as their Bridegroom, as united unto them, and having a particular favour, and relation to their Souls. For though good conſidered abſtractly, may be the object of our love, deſire, and hope, yet only good united to us is the object of joy, yea, and good apprehended by us as our portion; and according to the degree both of our union with the good, and apprehenſion of that union, ſo will our joy be.
And hence again, the moſt perfect joy of believers, muſt neceſſarily be in their glorified eſtate, hence Heaven is called Out Maſters joy, for as our union with God and Chriſt will be there moſt full, and perfect, ſo our apprehenſion of it will be moſt clear, and not interrupted. But that is not the theme of my preſent diſcourſe, I am ſpeaking of the object of believers joy in this life, not in that which ſhall be in that life which is to come, when their joy will be unſpeakable, and full of glory.
I added in the Propoſition, that Chriſt is the ſingular object of their joy. We will (ſaith the Spouſe) be glad, and rejoice in thee; this is …ru…, both excluſively, and incluſively. 1. Excluſively.
1. He will r…joyce in nothing inconſiſtent with the fruition of Chriſt. There is a …m…al rejoycing in the ſatisfaction of mens luſts; this is the joy of an Epicure; the Drunkard ſhouts for new Wine. And you read of ſome whoſe rejoycing was to devour the poor, Hab. 3. 14. I told you before that Joy is nothing elſe but the ſatisfaction that the Soul hath, and the reſt which the Soul takes with the Triumph which it makes in its union with that Object which it judgeth good. Now the gratifying of luſts, and pleaſing the ſenſes, and the concupiſcible, or iraſcible appetite, being that which low-born Souls have choſen as their good; their rejoycing in this ſatisfaction is natural to them. This Joy is but for a moment, Job 20. 5. and ſhall one day be turned into heavineſs; Jam. 4. 9. This mirth, this laughter is madneſs, as Solomon ſpeaks, Eccleſ. 2. 2. like the crackling of Thorns under a Pot, Eccleſ. 7. 6. Sorrow, ſaith Solomon, is better than it, for thoſe that thus laugh, ſhall weep, Luk. 6. 25. The Soul that loves Chriſt cannot rejoyce with this Joy. Charity rejoyceth not in evil, 1 Cor. 13. This is inconſiſtent with the enjoyment of Chriſt, and of his favour, with that ſelf denial, which is neceſſary to thoſe that will be his Diſciples, with that taking up of the Croſs, which is another Law of his Diſcipleſhip.
2. It is excluſive of rejoycing in any thing without him. Though Chriſt, and his Love and Favour, be the believing Soul's ſupreme good, the One thing which he deſireth, yet there are other things which he may and doth account good in their order. God hath not forbidden a man to rejoyce in the Wife of his youth, and in the Children which God hath given him; nor in thoſe providential diſpenſations, by which he accommodateth the lives of his people, and maketh them more ſweet and happy; but the believing Soul cannot rejoyce in theſe things, unleſs at the ſame time he ſeeth reaſon alſo to rejoyce in Chriſt. Men of the world can rejoyce in full Barns, & Coffers, though in the mean time they have no ſenſe, no hope of the pardon of their ſins, and reconciliation with God; the reaſon is, becauſe they have ſet up theſe things as their chief good, and are not affected with the concerns of their Souls, as they relate to Eternity: But neither can the Believer partake of theſe Joys: The Soul can neither rejoyee in any enjoyment excluſive of its chief good, nor yet in any thing in the abſence of its chief good: A believing Soul in any meaſure ſatisfied concerning the Love of God to it, can rejoyce in the Wife of his boſom, in the Children which God hath given him, in the accommodations with which God hath bleſſed him as to the ſweetning of this life, but without ſome aſſurance, or ſome good hope at leaſt (through grace) that Chriſt is his, and he hath the favour of God in and through his blood; he can rejoyce in none of theſe things. It was a peeviſh expreſſion of Haman, Eſth. 5. 11, 12, 13. When he told his friends of the glory of his riches, the multitude of his Children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the Princes and Servants of the King; and how that Eſther had invited him, and none but him and the King to the Banquet which ſhe had prepared; and added, All this availeth me nothing ſo long as I ſee Mordecay the Jew ſitting in the King's gate. Envy ſlayeth the fool (ſaith Solomon.) But every pious Soul, when he thinks how God hath bleſt him with a loving Wife, ſweet and dutiful Children, a plentiful Eſtate, yet ſaith, All this availeth me nothing, ſo long as I ſuſpect, and fear, that I have no part or Intereſt in Chriſt. There be (ſaith David) many who will ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me; thou haſt put gladneſs into my heart, more than in the time that their Corn and Wine increaſed.
3. The Joy of the Soul in Chriſt is ſuch, that it can rejoyce in him alone. It is the expreſſion of the Prophet Habakkuk, ch. 3. v. 17, 18. Although the Figg-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall there be fruit in the Vine, the labour of the Olive ſhall ſail, and the Fields ſhall yield no meat; the Flock ſhall be cut off from the ſold, and there ſhall be no Herd in the ſtalls, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, and I will joy in the God of my Salvation. The believing Soul can rejoyce in nothing without Chriſt, and it can rejoyce in Chriſt when it hath nothing more to rejoyce in. Let a gracious Soul have but the ſenſe of God's Love in Chriſt to his Soul, he can ſay to all the world as Eſau (though not upon ſuch a conſideration) ſaid to his Brother Jacob, I have enough my Brother, I have enough, keep what thou haft unto thy ſelf. Am I juſtified and regenerated? have I peace with God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt? have I the pardon of my ſin, and a righteouſneſs wherein I can ſtand before God? it is enough. If the Lord will not give me Bread to eat, nor Children to continue my name; if I die Childleſs, ſo I do not die Chriſtleſs, it is enough. If I have not Raggs to cloth me, nor an Eſtate to leave Portions to ſix, and alſo to ſeven, yet I have ſaid to the Lord, Thou art my Portion, it is enough. Hence ariſeth a good Chriſtian's contentment in all Eſtates. I have learned (ſaith Paul) in all eſtates to be content, content to want, content to abound, content to have little or much as the Lord pleaſeth. If the Lord will take away ſuch a man's Children, Eſtate, &c. he ſaith with Job, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. If I have my part in Chriſt (ſaith he) I have yet enough. Omnia mea mecum porto, I have my All, as the Philoſopher is reported to have ſaid, when his City was on fire, and his Neighbours reflected on him going out, and carrying nothing along with him, nor concerning himſelf for the ſhare of Eſtate he had in it. If the Believer conſidereth his body, he ſeeth a crazy conſtitution, diſeaſes growing upon him; if he looks into his Family, and ſeeth it empty of Children; if into his Grounds, and ſeeth them bring forth nothing but Weeds, and Thiſtles; if into his Stalls, and ſeeth them empty of Cattel; yet if he looks into his Soul, and finds any evidences of the Love of Chriſt, he can rejoyce in them; this muſt be underſtood, when he ſeeth himſelf ſtript naked, not by his own wicked hands, but (as Job was) by the effective Providence of God, for the loſs of the things of this life, the good things of the common Providence of God, cauſed by our own ſinful hands, and miſcarriages, oft-times hinder this Joy, as they make it difficult to us to ſee the Love of God in and under them.
4. And laſtly, This Soul rejoyceth in Chriſt, Primarily, Emphatically, Supremely. The Child of God is a parta ker of fleſh and blood, and hath a ſenſitive appetite, which when gratified, neceſſarily cauſeth a joy proportionate to the good which it receiveth; hence he rejoyceth in the good things of common Providence, as well as another man, but not as much as another man, not upon the ſame account that another man doth. Chriſt is the Believer's chief Joy; and as his title to the good things of this life differs from the title of another, ſo his joy in them differeth from the joy of another. All men may have a natural, legal title to the good things of this life; Dominion and Title is not founded in grace, but it is mended by grace. Another man derives from God as the Lord of the whole Earth, who by his common Providence diſtributeth portions to the Sons of men, as he pleaſeth, but the believer doth not only derive from God, as the ſupreme Lord, but from Chriſt; all is yours, and you are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſo that while he rejoiceth in the gifts of common Providence, he rejoiceth in Chriſt, becauſe he rejoyceth in theſe things as coming from the hand of a Father, reconciled to him by the blood of Chriſt; he rejoiceth in the good things of this life, as the loving Wife reioiceth in ſome preſent made her by her Husband, not ſo much in the fineneſs, or coſtlineſs of it (though that may alſo pleaſe her humor) as in the kindneſs, and love of her Huſband ſhewed in giving it her. So the believer more rejoyceth in the goodneſs of God ſhewen to him in any diſpenſation of Providence, then in the thing which God hath given him or her; and he ſupremely rejoiceth in Chriſt, whiles he rejoiceth in a lower comfort. Let me ſhew you this in the inſtance of Hannah, whoſe ſtory you have, 1 Sam. ch. 1, 2. She was the Wife of Elkanah, ſhe had no Children, and was paſſionately deſirous of the bleſſing of Children, an affection common to all (of that ſex eſpecially) and for which there was ſome more ſpecial reaſon in that Age and Nation, partly becauſe of the promiſe of a numerous iſſue to Abraham, ſo as the Women that were Barren, lookt upon themſelves as hardly the genuine Children of Abraham, at leaſt not ſharers in his bleſſing; partly, becauſe they knew the Meſſias was to be born of a Jewiſh Woman, and every Child-bearing Woman might have an expectation to be his Mother. Under this great affliction ſhe applies her ſelf to God by prayer (the Key of the Womb is one of thoſe Keys which the Jewiſh Doctors ſay God keepeth in his hand) God hears her prayer, ſhe conceiveth, and brings forth Samuel, as in the firſt Chapter, ſhe names him Samuel, to teſtify her joy in receiving him as an anſwer of her Prayer, upon which ſhe dedicates him to the Lord, 1 Sam. 1. 28. So in the ſecond Chapter ſhe ſings a Song of praiſe; mark the phraſe of it, 1 Sam. 2. 1. Mine heart rejoyceth in the Lord, my Horn is exalted in the Lord. Her Child was the next object of her joy, but how doth ſhe rejoice in him; the primary object of her joy was the Lord, her great joy in Samuel was as God, by giving him to her, ſhewed her his love, and that he had not ſhut out her ſupplications from him. She rejoyced in God, Supremely, in Samuel Subordinately; in God Emphatically, in her Child more remiſsly. Thus doth a good Chriſtian rejoice in Chriſt, thus is he the ſingular object of a believers joy. David calleth God the gladneſs of his joy, (we tranſlate it his exceeding joy) Pſal. 43. 4. The Prophet Iſaiah faith, Iſaiah 29. 19. The meek ſhall encreaſe their joy in the Lord, and the poor amongſt men ſhall rejoice in the Holy One of Iſrael. Yet the proximate cauſe was, v. 20, Becauſe the terrible one was brought to nought, and the ſcorner conſumed, and all thoſe that watched for iniquity cut off. Hence Chriſt commandeth his Diſciples not to rejoice in this, that the Devils were ſubject to them, but that their names were written in the Book of Life; Doubtleſs the ſubjection of Devils to them was true matter of joy; ah! but it was no primary object, no ſupreme object of their joy; ; no otherwiſe the object of their joy, then as it was an evidence of Gods favour. It is a great piece of the Spiritual mans art, to rejoice in God, while he rejoiceth in the creature, to make Chriſt the gladneſs of his joy (as the Pſalmiſt expreſſeth it;) now this motion of a pious Soul will appear to be natural, ſuppoſing him to be firſt enlightned to diſcern, and to be fully perſuaded, that the love of Chriſt to the Soul is the greateſt good the rational Soul is capable of; this will appear to you, if you will but conſider theſe three or four things.
1. That the preſence and e…joyment of ſome good, of which the Soul ſtands in need, and in the purſuit of which it is, is the true and natural cauſe of the motion of that affection which we call joy. This is evident both to ſenſe and reaſon; we rejoice not in evil, but in good, not in an abſent, but in a preſent good, in the ſenſe, and manifeſtation, and apprehenſion of it.
2. That the loves of God and Jeſus Chriſt, are the greateſt goods in the world, and therefore the preſence, and ſenſible manifeſtations of them, are the enjoyments and manifeſtations of the ſupreme good. The very light of nature ſhewed the Heathen, that the happineſs of man lay in his union with the greateſt good, thus far they were agreed by their common reaſon, though they could not ſo well agree what that chief good was, & nothing hindred them from agreeing this truth, but their want of true knowledge of God and Chriſt, and of the poſſibility of a poor creatures, having an union with him, or any kind of enjoyment of him, or underſtanding the need their Souls ſtood of the loves of Chriſt, for agreeing that the happineſs of man lay in an union with the ſupreme good, they wanted but the revelation we have of mans wants, and the poſſibility of this bleſſed union with, and fruition of God, but they muſt have agreed this truth.
3. It is but natural to the Soul to rejoice more in the obtaining of a greater good, then in the obtaining of what is leſſer, and to rejoice moſt in a good, moſt comprehenſive of other particular goods, though it wanteth thoſe particular good things. Who is there who doth not naturally more rejoice in the getting of five hundred pounds, than of five? becauſe the five hundred pound is a greater good then five; who doth not more rejoice in a great ſtock of mony by him, then in a great quantity of Bread, or a great Wardrobe of Cloaths? the reaſon is, becauſe Mony is comprehenſive of theſe, he that hath Mony, can buy Bread and Cloths.
4 Laſtly, It is but natural to us to rejoyce in nothing, which we apprehend incompetent with that good wherein our chief happineſs doth lie: Nor in the having of any thing which we enjoy, whiles we want that which we look at moſt of all. Rachel was a good Woman, Jacob was her Husband, to whom ſhe was exceeding dear, he had a plentiful eſtate, 'tis hard to ſay what good ſhe wanted, ſave Children only, that bleſſing her heart was upon, Jacob, was nothing, his eſtate nothing to her; ſhe goes to her Huſband, and cries, Give me Children, or elſe I die. Now admit a believing Soul to be firmly perſuaded, that it muſt live for ever, either in eternal happineſs, or in eternal miſery, and again to be perſuaded, That it can never live in eternal happineſs, without an union with Chriſt, without his love manifeſted to it in the pardon of its ſins, and the imputation of his righteouſneſs, admit the Soul to be fired in the purſuit of theſe things as its chief good; how is it poſſible that it ſhould rejoice in any thing incompetent with it, or that it ſhould rejoice in any thing with an equal joy, as it rejoiceth in this? Hence it followeth, that Chriſt muſt be the ſingular object of the believing Souls joy.
1. Becauſe it is impoſſible the Soul ſhould rejoice in what is incompetent with the ſruition and enjoyment of what it rightly judgeth its chief good. Such are all ſenſual prohibited ſatisfactions.
2. Becauſe it is impoſſible it ſhould rejoice in what it judgeth a leſſer good, more then in what it judgeth a greater, and tranſcendent to it.
3. Becauſe it knoweth Chriſt and his loves are comprehenſive of all other good, for if he hath given us Chriſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhall he not alſo with him give us all things?
Thus I have opened, and ſhewed you the reaſon of the Propoſition, why the Soul rejoyceth in Chriſt. I added, and in the manifeſtations of his love, particularly, in hearing and anſwering its prayers; I ſhall give you ſome reaſons of that, and then apply the whole diſcourſe. But, &c.