A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 135 (Question 36 cont.)
SERMON CXXXV.
THE Third of the Benefits here mentioned now follows to be conſidered, viz. Joy in the Holy Ghoſt. And this very methodically follows after the two former, it being a proper fruit or effect of them. For how can that Soul choſe but rejoyce, which is filled with an apprehenſion of the Love of God, and enjoys true inward Peace? This alſo belongs to the ſame Head with the other, viz. Glorification in the Beginning of it. This is called Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14.17. both becauſe the Spirit of God is the Author of it in us, and becauſe the Joy it ſelf, it Spirit not both in the Cauſe and Effects of it in us. It hath Spititual Objects from which it ſetcheth its Conſolation, and they are Spititual Actions by which it doth expreſs it: And in both theſe reſpects it is oppoſed to that carnal joy, that men derive from Worldly things, and diſcover in the frolicks of a mad mirth. We may here in the firſt place take a brief account of the Nature of Joy in General, which may help us in the more diſtinct Confideration of this Spiritual Joy which belongs to the Called of God. Joy is properly one of the Affections, which we put into ſenſitive and reaſonable Creatures. I ſhall not here Diſcourſe of the Affections as they are common to Men and Beaſts, but look upon them as they are in Man, confidered as a rational Being. And ſo they are to be looked on as the poſtures or motions of the Will with reſpect to its Object: or at leaſt as ſubordinare powers in the Soul accommodated to the moſions of the Will in its Elections or Refuſals. They are frequently in Scripture expreſt by the Feet. Eccl. 5.1. Iſai. 53.13. and elſewhere: Becauſe the Will moves upon them to or from an Object, and caries the man upon them. Affections therefore are accountaed the ſpring of Actions. Now it is the good or evil that is apprehended to be in the Object, which do properly come under man's confideration and deliberation, in order to the Wills exerting of it ſelf, which hath a natural propeaſity to chuſe that which is repreſented to it as Good, and refuſe that which it is perſwaded to account Evil. As therefore Good and Evil are contraries, ſo they produce contrary offects in the Will, by the help of the Underſtanding. When therefore the Underſtanding. hath made enquity into the nature of an Object, and conſidered what it is in it ſelf, and what reſpect it hath to the man, it thereupon paſſeth a Judgment, according to the reſentment it hath of it, and brings in a Verdict in which it declares it to be either Good or Evil. Accordingly there is a natural a pritude in the Will, to embrace it or renounce it; to chuſe or refuſe it. The Goodneſs that is commended, is that which moves the Will to make a choice of it; whereas if it be reported to be Evil, that engageth the Will to reject it. Hence ſuch an … preſſion, Iſai. 7.16.— To refuſe the evil, and abuſe the good— Theſe are the Elicit acts of it, which are followed by the Imperate, unto the exerting whereof the Affections ſerve. Theſe carry the man to the Object that is choſen, and from that which is refuſed. Hence the Affections are of two ſorts, viz. the Goſing, and the Seperating. Such as bring us to the Object, or ſuch as carry us away from it: Of theſe Affections. ſome are Primitive, others are De…ative: The Primitive cloſing Affection is Love, the Primitive ſeperating. … Harred. And theſe fimply confide… … reſpect to the Object, meetly confi… … either Good or Evil. The Derivation … as have a reſpective conſideration of the … Evil in the Object. befides meetly … are ſo, or have a regard to the div… … they are in, with regard to it: And … rivative Affections are either ſimple or … it her deſive from one only, or … Now thoſe that do ſimply deſive from … three, viz. Deſire, Hope and Joy: all … are but the ſeveral effects of Love, and … difference between them ariſeth from … verſe fire of the Object, or reſpect … bears unto the Will. If the Object he … ſented as Good, and the Will … choice of it, it is to be confidered. ei… … abſent, and not yet enjoyed, or as in … poſſeſſed. Now the Abſence of is, doth … cauſe this Love to exert it ſelf, in … longing to be poſſeſſed of it, which … the man to purſue it with end … this is Deſire. And when together … abſence of the Object, there is an … prompts and encourageth to a che… … the means, and is Hope. But when … gotten poſſeſſion of it, it is in … actually enjoyed, the Will acts upon … delight, and this is properly … ariſeth from Enjoyment.
THUS far have we traced the … Affection of Joy: Now, it is the … Affection, corſidered as Sanctifyed by … God, in which this Benefit is reated, … conſidered as the Subject of it.
AND that we may take a partion … count of it, I ſhall eſſay to lay, it … the following Deſcription; Joy in … Ghoſt, is one prece of Inchoated Glory, … the Souls of the Children of God take … Satisfaction in the Appre…ſion and … have of God's Love and their own …
THERE are ſeveral things … this Deſcription, that are to be di… ſeved for our better Conception of …
1. WE have the General Nature … is a piece of inchoated Glory. And … agrees with the two former. For … that it is rooted in and ſlows from … being the operation of the Spirit of … in the Soul of Believer, yet is … part of Adoption, but a fruit of … ſultancy from it. It is the … which the Soul injoys in God, … Promiſes, and therefore can in it … thing leſs then Glory. The Man … happy in the activity of it. For … Happineſs, but the fruition of, … upon an happifying Object, and ſuch … poſed to be in this Joy, as will …spans… peat. It is an Heaven upon Earth, … … ment of the felicity of thoſe th… … the Place of Bleſſedneſs. But it is … begun Clory, it is but gradual, … higher degree, and more perfect, … th… remain for the People of God in another Life: But theſe are the beginnings, ſoretaſles, … thereof; and therefore the preſent …ing of the Children of God, is ſaid to … of Glory, 1 Pet. 1.8.
2. THE proper Subject of this Joy it the Children of God. We obſerved that it is a … flowing from Adoption, and ſo there … done that can lay claim to it but God's …epted. It is Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, and then … can have it, but thoſe in whom he dwells, … it is a reſultancy from his indwelling …ce. It is a Joy that no ſtranger inter… with, Prov. 14.10. There is indeed a … which unregenerate men have, and make agreat ſhew withall, they laugh & are merry, … …ing Care away. We are told of them, … 21.12, 13. They take the timb…el & harp, … as the found of the organ. They … their days in wealth, and in a moment go … the grave. But it is carnal joy, and … it derives from their preſent enjoyment … thoſe things which they call Good, and … ſo in their kind, yet all things conſidered, it is a cauſeleſs groundleſs Joy: For the ſtate … are in, notwithſtanding all the common … of God that they partake in, is a …ful ſtate, and would be ſo to them, if … knew it, and enough to marr all their … for now they are God's Enemies, and … Peace. Iſai. 57.21. There is no peace, … God, to the wicked. Nay, the very … of God, before they are Converted, and … Adoption, have not this Joy; for, … they are appointed to it, yet they know … of this deſignation, nor can till they … …ectually Called; and in the mean … they are Children of Wrath even as others, … 3. And this every inch…ate Happineſs … only in reverſion; and that remains …
3. THE Seat of is, in this Subject; and that … Soul of a Child of God. And this points … depth or deep rooting of this Joy. … Chage and phyfical ſenſe the Souls of … men may be ſaid to rejoyce in their … in as much as Joy is an Affection roat… … Soul, … exerted by the command of … which is the principal P…lty, in the … … in a more reſtrainerſ, and Divinity … Joys of ungodly men are ſenſual. … the fancy, they are raiſed by the … of the ſ…ſes, and affect the men, meetly … degenerated, and become b…itiſh in … …tions: And he dares … ſeriouſly … rational Powers in examining the … of it, leaſt he ſhould looſe it. It is … deep Joy, and there is Sorrow lies … at the heart mean while. Prov. 14. … in laughter the heart is for…ful: … and of that mirth is heavineſs. Yea, … things themſelves that give activity … are ſenſeal, all the be… he both … is for his outward man, and his Soul …lly bette…d by them. He was a … ſung that Requiem to his Soul, Luk. … Soul, take thine eaſe, Be…, the Joy before us, is that which is ſuited for the Soul, and throughly affects it, Luk. 1.46, 47. And Mary ſaid, My ſoul doth n…gnify the Lord. And my ſpirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. Pſal. 33.21. It hath Comfort from that, not only becauſe of the other, and a redundancy flowing from them, but it affords matter of Joy, when the outward man is encompiſſed and oppreſſed with matter of trouble and moleſtation. Hab. 3.17, 18. Although the-figtree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the vines: the labour of the clive ſhall fail, and the fields ſhall yield no meat, the fleek ſhall be cut off from the ſold, and there ſhall be no berds in the ſtalls: Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will Joy in the God of my ſalvation. It is a Joy, which the more a man employs his Soul in ſearching into, the more reaſon he ſee; for it, and is the more fortifyed and eſtabliſhed in it.
4. THE Subject Matter of this Joy; and that is, the Love of God, and their own Happineſs; and theſe two things have a proper relation each to the other, as Cauſe and Effect; and on theſe is this Joy built. They are the Object, or at leaſt that in the Object from which this Joy derives, and ſo are the reaſon of it. Joy always reſpects the Good it apprehends in the Object: Spiritual Joy hath Spiritual and Divine Good; for that which is Carnal, and that which is Spiritual, are mainly denominated from their Objects. There is a double Goodneſs conſiderable in a thing, its Goodneſs in it ſelf, and its Goodneſs for us; which latter, Joy hath a reſpect unto; becauſe it can no farther advance our Happineſs, then as it communicates in Goodneſs to us, and we are bettered by it: and ſo only can it attract our Love to it, and acquieſcence in it. Now a thing may do us Good, either with reſpect to our outward, or our inward man, either meerly for the preſent time, or for Eternity. And here lies the difference of the carnal, and ſpiritual man's Joy; the former is only concerned for his Body, at the preſent time, and values his happineſs according to it: Hence he rejoyceth in Corn, and Wine, and Oy…, and may he have enough of that, he is content: But the Spiritual man is concerned for his Soul and Eternity, that he may be happy now and for ever. And hence his Rejoycing is in the Light of God's Countenance, Pſal. 4.6, 7. The Bellever knows that he … once miſerable and ſo cannot take true content in any thing, ſo long as He apprehends that miſery to abide. He is re…efs affet Felwi…, and the enjoyment of it is his rejoicing. Luk. 10.20. Rejoyct, …tenſe your … are written in heaver. Anh he knows that he happineſs is rooted in the Love of God. If God he his Enemy, nothing can make ſo on better then miſerable: If God be his Friend and Father, he is happy in deſpire of all that would abridge him of it, … Favour is better than Life it ſelf. Hence, the Spiritual Joy hath this Love as that from which i… derives all its Conſolation & Refreſhment; and what ſoever contributes to i…, … either as a fruit or evidence of it. If a carnal man have theſe things, it is enough, he asks not whence they come: But the true Joy of a Child of God ſixeth not on theſe things, but rejoyceth in them, only as they derive from God to him through Chriſt in the New-Covenant, and are Witneſſes of his Fatherly care for the preſent, and made ſerviceable to further his Eternal well being. And hence, one beam of Love darted into the Soul, hath more raviſhing in it, then if he had the whole World in poſſeſſion.
5. THAT which draws forth this Spiritual Joy into Act, is the Apprihenſion and Taſte the Soul hath of theſe things. There is a double confideration to be had of this Joy, with reſpect to the Believer, viz. either as he hath the … and ground of it in him, and ſo every Child of God hath it at all times, and cannot be robbed of it, for he is in a ſtate of Aſſurance of God's Love, he is reconciled and a favourite, and ſhall never be removed from it, whatſoever Anger he may meet with from God as a Father: And he is in a ſtate of Peace, though he meet with never ſo much of preſent Trouble: Or as he hath the activity of it in him, in which his happineſs by reaſon of it, is made to appear: And this is it which is under preſent conſideration: And as we obſerved, that Joy is a Reſultancy from preſent Enjoyment, ſo the activity of it requires a knowledge that we do enjoy the thing; for how can a man take delight in being owner of a thing, that he knows not himſelf ſo to be? Now this preſent Joy differs herein from that which is to come, in that it hath the Good in reverſion, and not full poſſeſſion, which it muſt wait for, and of which it here but ſips and foretaſtes: According to Pſal. 34.8. Taſts, and ſee that the Lord is good. It is therefore called the Joy of Hope, Rom. 12.12. which is very imperfect compared with that of Sight which is hereafter. And the ground of this Joy is becauſe the Life of the Children of God here is a Life of Faith, and that which is to nouriſh this Faith is laid up in the Promiſes, which it is to ſuck out of them, and thence receive its Comfort; which are therefore called Breaſts of Conſolatin, Iſai. 66.11. Now this Faith gives a preſent Subſiſtence to theſe things, Heb. 11.2. And ſo by exerciling Hope it draws preſent Joy from them. Becauſe, tho' this Good is future as it is hoped for, yet it is preſent in the Promiſe. And becauſe be hath thoſe firſt fruits of it, which are in themſelves delicious, and more ſo, in as much as they are the earneſts of the greater Glory which is behind, and ſecure it to them, they cannot but rejoyce in it. The Law of God is ſhed abroad in their boarts, Rom. 5.5. They have the Fatneſs of God's Houſe, Pſal. …6.8. God is at preſent their Partion, Lam. 3.24. Their Sins are now Pardoned, and God's anger is tu… away from them. Iſal. 12. begin. They are now the Children of God, 1 Joh. 3.2. And can cry Abba Father, Rom. 8.15. The Kingdom is now ſ…wed to them, Luk. 12.31. Now theſe things have matter for abundant Joy; ſo fat therefore as they apprehend them, and have not only the witneſs of their own …, but the teſtimony of the Spirit to … in them, they muſt needs rejoyce.
6. WE have the Act of this Joy, or that … in it exerts it ſelf, viz. they take preſent … ſection in this. For Joy is nothing el… … the abundant ſatisfaction which we … in the enjoyment of an Object. Th… … Pſalmiſt ſets forth his Joy in the Co… he hath with God, Pſal. 36.8. They … abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of … and them ſ…k make them drink of the … thy pleaſures. And Pſal. 63.5. My ſ… … be ſa…ſfied as with marrow and f…eſs; … mouth ſtall p…ſe thee with joyful hope; … we muſt obſerve the difference between … ſatisfaction which the Children of God … in this Life, and that which they ſhall … when they come to another: Their Joy … now bet begun, whereas it ſhall then … … fected. And this may be confidened … Things.
(1.) THEY are now ſatisfied in the … and ſufficiency of their P…tion. They … enough in it, they are ſet down, … no further for an Object that may … happy, whereas Worldly men are ſtill … Pſal. 4.6. But they have found their … place; they have all. As Jacob ſaid … 11. And can ſay with the Pſalmiſt, … 25. — It is good for me to drew …. They are not indeed ſatisfyed in th… … fures of Enjoyments, but are ſtill … word, Pſal. 3.14. In … they are … Content which the Glorified enjoy. … they are ſatistfyed in their Object, and … that it is enough, and will go no whi… … becauſe they have Eternal Life in …
(2.) THEY are alſo ſatisfied in their … …atereſt. They not only conclude, … is enough in God to fill their moſt … deſires and c…vings of the Soul, but … ſay, as Pſal. 48. …. For God is ou… … ever and over; he will be our g… … death. They have a property in this … are able to lay claim unto all the God … he hath made over to them in the … They know both that the Promiſed … Inheritance, and that they are ſ… … fail; and that therefore all the … that is ſ…led upon the Children of … them, is …, and they ſhall as … poſſeſs them, as if they were now … fruition of them. Hence, a Gor. … know, that if our earthly houſe of … were diſſ…, we … of … houſe …is … with hands, eternal in …
3. HEREUPON they apply their … and recr… & delight whom ſel…s in … count themſelves happy, they bleſs th… … in their Portion: they make themſelves … in it, and boaſt themſelves in it all … long. They call upon … or … 116.7. Returns unto thy reſt, O my … the Lord hath dea… … …th all the fatigues of their Pilgrimage in the … World, and makes them after Chriſt … endure the Croſs and deſpiſe the Shame; they can joy in the Lord when they have nothing elſe to rejoyce in, yea, in the midſt of all the Tribulations which do encounter … in their Jounrey, Rom. 5.3. We glory in …. Only their Joy here is aſſaulted … Trials but that which is in another World, is gotten above, and triumphs over all; and this is running down into that as faſt as it …. This is one of the Benefits or Priviledges …ging to God's Called in this Life, Pſal. ….11, 12. Lag…. … ſown for the righteous, and …ſs for the upright in heart. Rejoyce in … Lord, ye righteous: and give thanks at the … of his holineſs. But if it be here …ded, Whence their is it that Believers … more of this Joy? How is it … we ſee them ſo often mourning, doubt… ſeeking, and at a loſs in themſelve…? To … let me reply in general, That the Sove… God may diſpenſe himſelf in what Mea… be pic…ſeth to his People. And his Infinite … proportions thoſe Benefits which be… to the way, ſuitably to their need, a…d ſo as ſhall beſt ſerve to bring them to the … they are appointed to in the end of it. … are therefore the Reaſons why they … at a loſs in the exerciſe, or … of this Joy: In ſam, This Joy … ſtrong Cordial, and they cannot bear 100 … …f it. There are other Graces to be … on in them in conjunction with this. … is Sorrow for Sin, and this Joy is not …guiſh it, but to keep it from being …. They ſometimes by their Sins and … provoke God to hide the Light of his …nce from them, and when he ſo …aws, their fight fails them, and tho' … ſtill the Subjects of his Love, and … of Happineſs, yet they do not now ſo … it, as to be able to rejoyce in it. …es they grow wanton and carnal, and … their Hearts too much upon empty …, of are proud of their Comforts, and … them down, and puts them to trou…, … they are diſcouraged. As he, Pſal. … didſt hide thy face, and I was trou… ſometimes, for their Trial he brings … upon them, and their ſhort Spirits … them, they make too much of them, … Love and their Intereſt in queſtion. … there are many ſuch things as theſe, … the diſcovery of their Joy: But … have a right to it, which they never … If it be actually ſuſpended at any … that is but … order to its breaking … …ore ſtrongly. As Pſal. 112.4.. Unto … there a…ſeth light in the darkneſs. …, the Joy of a Child of God is of …uature, and expreſſeth it ſelf after … manner than the Worldlings Joy. It … it makes no great noiſe, it goes …nd with godly Sorrow and daily …, it is ſober and regular. No … then, if ungodly men, who know … of it, nor count any to be glad, but thoſe that are ma…, take no notice of it, and think them to be ſad and melancholly. Whereas, could they but know what inward Satisfactions they mean while enjoy, they would envy and not deſpiſe them.
USE. I. LET this then take off the common Prejudice of men at the Christian Religion. All Men would lead a merry Life. Hence when they are invited to forſake their Sins, and give themſelves up to the Service of Chriſt, they ſtand off, becauſe they are made to think, they muſt abandon Mirth, and devote themſelves to a ſevere and ſorrowful Life. And this hath a peculiar influence on Young Ones. They ſee Sinners merry and jocund, but the Godly not ſo, as they think, and they are frighted. But be not ſo put off. You here ſee, Joy is the Godly man's Portion. It is one of the Benefits which Chriſt hath purchaſed for his. If then Worldly men do rejoyce, they are ſtolen Waters, their Mirth is without Reaſon. Know it then, here is Joy that you are invited to. And ſuppoſe wicked men do rejoyce, yet conſider the difference, and then ſee what you have to do. This Joy hath a more excellent Object, as much as God is preferable to the Creature. Pſal. 4.6, 7. It hath a greater depth and rooting: That is but ſenſual, whereas this is Spiritual; that is but the hypocriſy of Mirth at beff, but this is real and ſubſtantial Joy: It is Cordial, Luk. 1.46. It hath a deeper fixedneſs and ſtability: That only comes and goes, and exerts it ſelf in tranſient acts, and hath no certainty; but this is a ſettled Habit in the Soul, it is a Grace of the Spirit that is created in us. It is therefore called the Fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. It is of a more laſting duration: That, tho' it makes a great noiſe and blaze, yet it preſently goes out, having ſpent its ſubſtance. Eccl. 7.6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, ſo is the laughter of the ſool. And concludes in mourning, Prov. 14.13. But this will endure and never end, but being, here begun, ſhall be perfected in the Kingdom, and abide to Eternity. Iſai. 35.10. They ſhall obtain joy & gladneſs, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away. Be not then deceived or abuſed, but make Expetiment, and it will not repent you.
USE. II. LET this call upon the Children of God to be much in the Exerciſe of this Joy. Remember, it is your Portion, and you ſhould live on the Revenues of it. If any in the World have reaſon to rejoyce, you are they. It is a ſhame, to ſee an Heir of Damnation jocund. and a Child of God diſconſolate. You hinder your ſelves of that Comfort which elſe you might enjoy in an evil World, if you do not thus rejoyce. And you do not a little diſhonour God, and prejudice others againſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by frightning them from ſuch a Religion as you ſeem to count it. Joy will be your Everlaſting Employmens herealter, begin it then now, and ſo anticipate the Felicities of the Eternal Kingdom.
[AUGUST 1. 1699.]