1 Peter 1:8-9
8. Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
It is a paradox to the world that the Apostle has asserted, that there is a joy that can subsist in the midst of sorrow; therefore he insists in the confirmation of it, and in all those words proves it to the full, indeed, with advantage, that the saints have not only some measure of joy in the griefs that abound upon them here, but excellent and eminent joy, such as makes good all that can be said of it, cannot be spoken too much of, for it is unspeakable, nor too much magnified, for it is glorious.
To evidence the truth of this, and to confirm his brethren in the experienced knowledge of it, he expresses here more particularly, and distinctly the causes of this their joy which are.
1. The object or matter of it. 2. The apprehension and appropriation of that object, which two conjoined are the entire cause of all rejoicing.
The object is Jesus Christ, verse 8, and the salvation purchased by him, verse 9. For these two cannot be severed, and these two verses that speak of them, require (as is evident by their connection) to be considered together. 2. The apprehension of these: 1. set forth negatively, not by bodily sight. 2. Positively, whereas that might seem to abate the certainty and liveliness of their rejoicing, that it is of things they had not seen, nor do yet see, that is abundantly made up by three for one, each of them more excellent than the mere bodily sight of Christ in the flesh, which many had, which were never the better by it. The three are those three prime Christian graces, Faith, Love, and Hope: the two former in verse 8, the third in verse 9. Faith in Christ begetting love to him, and both these giving assured hope of salvation by him, making it as certain to them, as if it were already in their hand, and they in possession of it. And from all those together results this exultation, or leaping for joy — joy unspeakable and full of glory.
This is that one thing that so much concerns us, and therefore we mistake very far, and forget our own highest interest too much when we either speak or hear of it slightly, and apply not our hearts to it. What is it that all our thoughts and endeavors drive at? What means all that we are doing in the world, though we take several ways to it, and wrong ways for the most part, indeed such ways as lead not to it, but set us further off from it, yet that which we all seek after by all our labor under the sun, is something that may be matter of contentment, and rejoicing to us when we have attained it, now here it is, and in vain is it sought for elsewhere. And for this end it is represented to you, that it may be yours, if you will entertain it: not only that you may know this to be a truth, that in Jesus Christ is laid up true consolation and rejoicing, that he is the magazine and treasury of it, but that you may know how to bring him home into your hearts and lodge him there, and so to have the spring of joy within you.
That which gives full joy to the soul must be something that is higher and better than itself, in a word, he that made it, can only make it glad after this manner, with unspeakable and glorious joy, but the soul remaining guilty of rebellion against him, and unreconciled, cannot behold him, but as an enemy. Any belief that it can have of him while it is in that posture, is not such as can fetch love, and hope, and so rejoicing: but such as the faith of devils produces, only begetting terror and trembling. But the light of his countenance shining in the face of his Son the Mediator, glads the heart: and it is the looking upon him so, that causes the soul to believe, and love, and hope, and rejoice. Therefore the Apostle, (Ephesians 2), in his description of the estate of the Gentiles before Christ was preached to them, joins these together, without Christ, that was the cause of all the rest; therefore without comfort in the promises, without hope and without God in the world. So he is here by our Apostle expressed, as the object. In all these therefore he is the matter of our joy, because our faith, and love, and hope of salvation.
The Apostle writing to the dispersed Jews, many of whom had not known nor seen Christ in the flesh, commends their love and faith, for this reason, that it did not depend upon bodily sight; but was pure, and spiritual, and made them of the number of those, that our Savior himself pronounces blessed, who have not seen and yet believe. You saw him not when he dwelt among men, and walked to and fro preaching, and working miracles. Many of those that did then hear and see him believed not, indeed they scoffed, and hated, and persecuted him, and in the end crucified him. You that have seen none of all those things, yet having heard the gospel that declares him, you have believed.
Thus observe, the working, or not working of faith, does not depend upon the difference of the external ministry and gifts of men: for what greater difference can there be that way, than between the Master, and the servants, between the great Prophet himself, and his weak sinful messengers. And yet many of those that saw, and heard him in person, were not converted, believed not in him, and thousands that never saw him, were converted by his Apostles, and as it seems, even some of those that were some way accessory to his death, yet were brought to repentance by this same Apostle's sermon (Acts 2).
Learn then to look above the outward ministry and any difference that in God's dispensation can be there, and know, that if Jesus Christ himself were on earth, and now preaching among us, yet might his incomparable words be unprofitable to us, not being mixed with faith in the hearers. But where that is, the meanest despicable conveyance of his message received with humility, and affection will work blessed effects.
Whom not seeing, yet believing] Faith elevates the soul not only above sense, and sensible things; but above reason itself, as reason corrects the errors that sense might occasion; so supernatural faith corrects the errors of natural reason, judging according to sense.
The sun seems less than the wheel of a chariot: but reason teaches the philosopher, that it is much bigger than the whole earth, and the cause why it seems so little is, its great distance.
The naturally wise man is as far deceived by this carnal reason in his estimate of Jesus Christ the [reconstructed: Son] of Righteousness, and the cause is the same — his great distance from him, as the Psalmist speaks of the wicked (Psalm 10:5): "Your judgments are far above out of his sight." He accounts Christ and his glory a smaller matter than his own gain, honor, or pleasure, for these are near him, and he sees their quantity to the full, and counts them bigger — indeed far more worth than they are in truth. But the Apostle Saint Paul and all they that are enlightened by the same Spirit know by faith, which is divine reason, that the excellency of Jesus Christ far surpasses the worth of the whole earth and all things earthly (Philippians 3:7-8).
To give a right assent to the Gospel of Christ is impossible without divine and saving faith infused in the soul — to believe that the Eternal Son of God clothed himself with human flesh and dwelt among men in a tabernacle like theirs, and suffered death in the flesh; that he who was Lord of Life has freed us from the sentence of eternal death; that he broke the bars and chains of death and rose again; that he went up into Heaven, and there at the Father's right hand sits in our flesh, glorified above the angels. This is the great mystery of godliness, and a part of this mystery is that he is believed on in the world (1 Timothy 3:16). This natural men may discourse of, and that very knowingly, and give a kind of natural credit to it, as to a history that may be true; but firmly to believe that there is divine truth in all these things, and to have a persuasion of it stronger than of the very things we see with our eyes — such an assent as this is the peculiar work of the Spirit of God, and is certainly saving faith.
The soul that so believes cannot choose but love; it is commonly true that the eye is the ordinary door by which love enters into the soul, and it is true in this love — though it is denied of the eye of sense, yet (you see) it is ascribed to the eye of faith. Though you have not seen him, you love him, because you believe, which is to see him spiritually. Faith indeed is distinguished from that vision that is in glory, but it is the vision of the kingdom of grace — it is the eye of the new creature, that quicksighted eye that pierces all the visible heavens and sees above them, that looks to things that are not seen (2 Corinthians 4:18), and is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1), that sees him that is invisible (v. 27). It is possible that one may be much loved upon the report of their worth and virtues, and upon a picture of them lively drawn before sight of the party so commended and represented; but certainly when they are seen and found answerable to the former, it raises the affection that first began to a far greater height. We have the report of the perfections of Jesus Christ in the Gospel — indeed, so clear a description of him that it gives a picture of him; and that, together with the sacraments, are the only lawful and the only lively pictures of our Savior (Galatians 3:1). Now this report faith believes and beholds this picture, and so lets in the love of Christ to the soul; but further it gives a particular experimental knowledge of Christ and acquaintance with him. It causes the soul to find all that is spoken of him in the Word, and his beauty there represented, to be abundantly true, makes it really taste of his sweetness, and by that possesses the heart more strongly with his love — persuading it of the truth of those things, not by reasons and arguments, but by an inexpressible kind of evidence that they only know who have it. Faith persuades a Christian of these two things that the philosopher gives as the causes of all love — beauty and propriety: the loveliness of Christ in himself, and our interest in him.
The former it [reconstructed: effectuates] not only by the first apprehending and believing of his excellencies and beauty, but by frequent beholding of him and eyeing him in whom all perfection dwells, and looks so [reconstructed: often] on him until it sets the very impression of his image (as it were) upon the soul, so that it can never be blotted out and forgotten. The latter it does by that particular uniting act which makes him our God and our Savior.
You Love] The distinctions that some make of love need not be taken as of differing kinds, but different actings of the same love, by which we may try our so much pretended love of Christ, which in truth is so rarely found. There will then be in this love, if it be right, these three qualities: goodwill, delight, and desire.
1. Goodwill — earnest wishing and (as we can) promoting God's glory and stirring up others so to do. They that seek more their own things than the things of Jesus Christ, more their own praise and esteem than his, are strangers to this divine love — for it seeks not her own things. This bitter root of self-love is most hard to pluck up; this strongest and sweetest love of Christ alone does it actually, though gradually. This love makes the soul as the lower heaven — slow in its own motion, most swift in the motion of that first that wheels it about; so the higher the degree of love, the more swift. It loves the hardest tasks and greatest difficulties, where it may perform God's service, either in doing or in suffering for him. It is strong as death, and many waters cannot quench it. The greater the task is, the more real is the testimony and expression of love, and therefore the more acceptable to God.
2. There is in true love a complacency and delight in God — a conformity to his will, loving what he loves, and studious of his will, ever seeking to know more clearly what it is that is most pleasing to him, contracting a likeness to God in all his actions by conversing with him. Frequent contemplating of God and looking on his beauty — as the eye lets in this affection, so it serves it constantly and readily looks that way that love directs it. Thus the soul that is possessed with this love of Jesus Christ has its eye much upon him, thinks often on his former sufferings and present glory; the more it looks upon Christ, the more it loves, and still the more it loves, the more it delights to look upon him.
3. There is in true love a desire, for it is but small beginnings, and tastes of his goodness that the soul has here, therefore it is still looking out and longing for the day of marriage, the time is sad and wearisome, and seems much longer than it is, while it is detained here. I desire to be dissolved (says St. Paul) and to be with Christ.
God is the sum of all things lovely, thus excellently Greg. Nazian expresses himself, Oration 1. If I have any possessions, health, credit, learning — this is all the contentment I have of them, that I have somewhat, I may despise for Christ, who is totus desiderabilis, and totus desiderabile. And this love is the sum of all he requires of us, it is that which makes all our meanest services acceptable, and without which, all we offer to him is distasteful. God does not only deserve our love by his matchless excellency, and beauty: but by his matchless love to us, and that is the strongest loadstone of love. He has loved me, says the Apostle (Galatians 2:20). How appears that? In no less than this, he has given himself for me. Certainly then, there is no other character of our love than this, to give ourselves to him, that has so loved us, and given himself for us.
This affection must be bestowed somewhere, there is no man but has some prime choice, somewhat that is the predominant delight of his soul, will it not then be our wisdom to make the worthiest choice? Seeing it is offered us, and is extreme folly to reject it.
Grace does not pluck up by the roots and wholly destroy the natural passions of the mind, because they are distempered by sin: that were an extreme remedy, to cure by killing, and heal by cutting off, no, but it corrects the distemper in them, it dries not up this main stream of love, but purifies it from the mud it is full of in its wrong course, or calls it to its right channel by which it may run into happiness, and empty itself into the ocean of goodness. The Holy Spirit turns the love of the soul towards God in Christ; for in that way only can it apprehend his love; so then Jesus Christ is the first object of this divine love, he is Medium unionis, through whom God conveys the sense of his love to the soul, and receives back its love to him.
And if we will consider his incomparable beauty, we may look on it in the holy Scriptures, particularly in that divine Song of Loves, wherein Solomon borrows all the beauties of the creatures, dips his pencil in all their several excellencies, to set him forth to us, who is the chief of ten thousands. There is an inseparable intermixture of love with belief, and a pious affection, receiving divine truth, so that in effect, as we distinguish them, they are mutually strengthened the one by the other, and so though it seem a circle, it is a divine one, and falls not under censure of the school's pedantry. If you ask how shall I do to love? I answer, believe. If you ask how shall I believe? I answer, love. Although the expressions to a carnal mind are altogether unsavory, by gross mistaking them, yet to a soul taught to read and hear them by any measure of that same Spirit of love, with which they were penned, they are full of heavenly and unutterable sweetness.
Many directions, and means of begetting and increasing this love of Christ may be here offered: but they that delight in number may multiply them, but sure this one, will comprehend the greatest, and best part, if not all of them. Believe, and you shall love; believe much, and you shall love much, labor for strong, and deep persuasions of the glorious things that are spoken of Christ, and this will command love. Certainly did men indeed believe his worth they would accordingly love him; for the reasonable creature cannot but affect that most, which it firmly believes to be worthy of affection. O this mischief of unbelief, is that which makes the heart cold, and dead towards God. Seek then to believe Christ's excellency in himself, and his love to us, and our interest in him, and this will kindle such a fire in the heart, as will make it ascend in a sacrifice of love to him.
Many signs likewise of this love may be multiplied, according to the many fruits, and workings of it: but in them all, it itself is its own most infallible evidence. When the soul finds that all its obedience, and endeavor to keep the commands of Jesus Christ, which himself makes its character, do flow from love, then it is true and sincere: for do, or suffer what you will, without love, all passes for nothing. All are ciphers without it, they signify nothing (1 Corinthians 13).
This is the message of the Gospel, and that which the ministry aims at, and therefore the ministers ought to be suitors, not for themselves, but for Christ to espouse souls to him, and to bring in many hearts to love him. And certainly this is the most compendious way to persuade to all other Christian duties, this is to converse with Jesus Christ; and therefore where his love is, no other incentive will be needful. For love delights in the presence and converse of the party loved. If we are to persuade to duties of the second table, the sum of those is love to our brethren resulting from the love of Christ, which diffuses such a sweetness into the soul that it is all love, and meekness, and gentleness and long suffering.
If times be for suffering, love will make the soul not only bear, but welcome the bitterest afflictions of life, and the hardest kinds of death for his sake. In a word, there is in love a sweet constraint, or tying of the heart to all obedience, and duty.
The love of God is requisite in ministers, for their preaching of the word, so our Savior to St. Peter (John 21:15): Peter, do you love me? Then feed my lambs. It is requisite for the people that they receive the truth in the love of it, and that Christ preached be entertained in the soul, and embraced by faith, and love.
You that have made choice of Christ for your love, let not your hearts slip out, to renew your wonted base familiarity with sin. For that will bring new bitterness to your souls and at least for some time will deprive you of the sensible favor of your beloved Jesus. Delight always in God, and give him your whole heart; for he deserves it all, and is a satisfying good to it — the largest heart is all of it too narrow for the riches of consolation that he brings with him. Seek to increase in this love; for though it is at first weak, yet labor to find it daily rise higher, and burn hotter, and clearer, and consume the dross of earthly desires.
Receiving the end of your faith:] Although the soul that believes, and loves, is put in present possession of God, as far as it is capable, in its sojourning here — yet it desires a full enjoyment, which it cannot attain to, without removing from here. While we are present in the body, we are absent from the Lord, says the Apostle. And because they are assured of that happy exchange, that being united, and freed of this body, they shall be present with the Lord, and that having his own word for it, that where he is, they shall be also — this begets such an assured hope, as bears the name of possession. Therefore it is said here, receiving the end of your faith.
This receiving likewise flows from faith. Faith apprehends the present truth of the divine promises, and so makes the things to come, present; and hope looks out to their after accomplishment, which if the promises be true, as faith avers, then hope has good reason firmly to expect it. This desire, and hope are the very wheels of the soul that carry it on, and faith the common axis on which they rest.
In the words there are two things. 1. The good hoped for in Christ, so believed on, and loved. 2. The assuredness of the hope itself, indeed as sure as if it were already accomplished. As for the good hoped for, it consists: 1. in the nature of it, namely, the salvation of their soul; 2. in a relative property of it, the end of their faith.
The nature of it is salvation, and salvation of the soul — it imports full deliverance from all kind of misery, and the safe possession of perfect happiness, when the soul shall be out of the reach of all adversaries, and adverse accidents, no more subjected to those evils that are its own properly, namely the conscience of sin, and fear of wrath, and sad defections. Nor yet subject to those other evils it endured by society with the body — outward distresses, and affliction, persecutions, poverty, diseases, etc.
It is called salvation of the soul, not excluding the body from the society of that glory, when it shall be raised and reunited to the soul — but because the soul is of itself an immortal substance, and both the more noble part of man, and the prime subject both of grace and glory, and because it arrives first at that blessedness, and for a time leaves the body in the dust to do homage to its original. Therefore it is only named here. But Jesus is the Savior of the body too, and he shall at his coming, change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body.
The end:] End, or reward, for it is both. It is the end, either at which faith aims, or wherein it ceases; it is the reward, not of their works, nor of faith, as a work deserving it, but as the condition of the new covenant, which God according to the tenor of that covenant first works in his own, and then rewards, as if it were their work. And this salvation, or fruition of Christ, is the proper reward of faith, which believes in him unseen, and so obtains that happy sight. It is the proper work of faith to believe what you do not see, and the reward of faith, to see what you have believed.
This is the certainty of their hope, that it is as if they had already received it — if the promise of God, and the merit of Christ hold good, then they that believe in him, and love him, are made sure to salvation. The promises of God in Christ are not yes and no — but they are in him yes, and in him Amen. Sooner may the rivers run backward, and the course of the heavens change, and the frame of nature be dissolved, than any one soul that is united to Jesus Christ by faith and love can be severed from him, and so fall short of salvation hoped for in him. And this is the matter of their rejoicing.
You rejoice with joy unspeakable.] The natural man (says the Apostle) receives not things of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he adds the reason why he cannot know them — for they are spiritually discerned. He has none of that faculty by which they are discerned; there is a vast disproportion between those things, and nature's highest capacity — it cannot work beyond its sphere. Speak to the natural man of the matter of spiritual grief, the sense of guiltiness, and the apprehension of God's displeasure, or the hiding of his favor, and the light of his countenance from the soul — these things stir not him, he knows not what they mean. Speak to him again of the peace of conscience, and sense of God's love, and the joy that arises from it — he is no less a stranger to that. As our Savior speaks, mourn to him and he laments not, pipe to him and he dances not (Matthew 11). But as it there follows, there is a wisdom in those things though they seem folly, and nonsense to the foolish world, and this wisdom is justified of her own children.
Having said somewhat already of the causes of this spiritual joy, the Apostle speaks of here. It remains now, that we consider those two things: 1. How joy arises from those causes. 2. The excellency of this joy as it is here expressed.
There is here a solid sufficient good, and the heart made sure of it, being partly put in present possession of it, and in a most certain hope of all the rest. And what can be more required to make it joyful? Jesus Christ the treasure of all blessings received, and united to the soul by faith and love and hope.
Is not Christ the light and joy of the nations? Such a light as Abraham at the distance of many ages, of more than two thousand years, yet saw by faith, and seeing rejoiced. Besides this brightness that makes light a joyful object, light is often in Scripture put for joy. Christ this light brings salvation with him, He is the Sun of Righteousness, and there is healing under his wings. I bring you, said the angel, good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all people. And their song has in it the matter of that joy, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will toward men.
But to the end we may rejoice in Christ, we must find him ours, otherwise the more excellent he is, the more cause has the heart to be sad, while it has no portion in him: my spirit has rejoiced (says the Blessed Virgin) in God my Savior.
Thus (1 John 1:3) having spoken of our communion with Christ, he adds these things I write that your joy may be full. Faith works this joy by uniting the soul to Christ, and applying his merits, and from that application arises the pardon of sin, and so that load of misery which was the great cause of sorrow, is removed, and so soon as the soul finds itself lightened, and unloaded of that burden that was sinking it to Hell, it cannot choose but leap for joy in the ease, and refreshment it finds. Therefore that Psalm that David begins with the doctrine of the pardon of sin, he ends it with an exhortation to rejoicing. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered (Psalm 32:1). Thus he begins, but he ends verse 11: Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice you righteous, and shout for joy all you that are upright in heart. Saint Peter speaks to his hearers of the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and verse 41 it is added, they received his words gladly, and our Savior joins these two together, be of good comfort your sins are forgiven you. Thus Isaiah (61:1) good tidings of liberty to captives is proclaimed, and a notable change there is of their estate who mourn in Zion, giving them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Think with what joy the long imprisoned debtor drowned in debt receives a full discharge, and his liberty; or a condemned malefactor the news of his pardon, and this will somewhat resemble it; but yet fall far short of the joy that faith brings, by bringing Christ to the soul, and so forgiveness of sins in him.
But this is not all. This believing soul, is not only a debtor acquitted, and set free, but enriched besides, with a new and great estate, not only a pardoned malefactor, but withal highly preferred and advanced to honor, having a right by the promises to the unsearchable riches of Christ, as the Apostle speaks, and is received into favor with God, and to the dignity of sonship, taken from the dunghill, and set with princes.
As there is joy from faith, so also from love. Though it is in itself the most sweet and delightful passion of the soul, yet as we foolishly misplace it, it proves often full of bitterness, but being set upon Jesus Christ the only right, and worthy object, it causes this unspeakable delight and rejoicing.
1. It is matter of joy to have bestowed our love so worthily, and though our Savior seems to withdraw himself, and sometimes sadden the soul that loves him, with absences, in regard of sense, yet even in those sad times, the soul delights to love him, and there is a pleasure in the very pains it has in seeking after him. And this it knows that his mercies are everlasting, and that he cannot be long unkind; but will return and speak comfortably to it.
2. Our love to Christ gives us assurance of his to us, so that we have not only chosen worthily, but shall not be frustrated and disappointed, and it assures us of his, not as following, but preceding and causing ours: for our love to Jesus Christ is no other but the reflex of his on us. Wine makes glad the heart; but your love is better than wine, says the Spouse. And having this persuasion that he has loved us, and washed us in his blood, and forgets us not in our conflicts: that though he himself is in his glory, yet that he intercedes for us there, and will bring us there, what condition can befall us so hard, but we may rejoice in it? And in them so far as we are sure to arrive at that full salvation, and fruition of him who has purchased it, then there is the third cause of our rejoicing, namely, our hope.
Now hope is our anchor pitched within the veil, that stays us against all the storms that beat upon us in this troublesome sea, that we are tossed upon. The soul that strongly believes, and loves, may confidently hope to see what it believes, and enjoy what it loves, and in that rejoice. It may say whatever hazards whether outward, or inward, whatever afflictions and temptations I endure, yet this one thing puts me out of hazard, and in that I will rejoice, the salvation of my soul depends not upon my own strength, but is in my Savior's hand, my life is hid with Christ in God, and when he who is my life shall appear, I likewise shall appear with him in glory. The childish world is hunting shadows, and gaping and hoping after they know not what, but the believer can say, I know whom I have trusted, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day. Now we have not only right to those things; but withal there must be frequent consideration of them to work joy. The soul must often view them, and so rejoice: My meditation of him shall be sweet, says David, I will be glad in the Lord (Psalm 104). And the godly failing in this, deprive themselves much of that joy they might have, and they that are most in these sublime thoughts, have the highest and truest joy.
The excellency of this joy the Apostle here expresses by these two words, unspeakable, and full of glory.
That it is unspeakable, no wonder, seeing the matter of it is inconceivable, it is an infinite good. God reconciled in Jesus Christ, and testifying, and sealing his love to the soul, and giving assured hope of that blessed vision of eternity, what more unspeakable than this? And for the same reason it is glorious, or glorified joy, having the highest and most glorious object, for it derives all its excellency from there.
Unspeakable] The best worldly joys are easily speakable, they may be expressed to the utmost, indeed usually more is spoke of them than they are indeed. Their name is beyond their worth, they are very seldom found upon experience equal to the opinion and expectation that men have of them. But this spiritual joy is above the report any can make of it, say what they can of it who are of happiest expression, yet when a man comes to know it in his own breast, he will say (as that Queen said of Solomon's wisdom) the half was not told me of it.
Again earthly joys are inglorious. Many of which, men are ashamed of, and those that seem most plausible, yet are below the excellence of the soul, and cannot fill it, but the joys that arise from union with Christ, as they are most avowable, a man needs not blush to own them, so they are truly contenting, and satisfying, and that's their glory, and the cause why we may glory in them — My soul shall make her boast in God, says David.
For application of all this. If these things were believed we would hearken no more to the foolish prejudice that the world has taken up against religion, and with which Satan endeavors to possess men's hearts, that they may be scared from the ways of holiness, it is, that they think it a sour [reconstructed: melancholy] life, that has nothing but sadness and mourning in it, but to remove this prejudice.
Consider, 1. Religion bars not the lawful delights that are taken in natural things, but teaches the moderate, and regular use of them, which is far the sweeter, for things lawful in themselves, are in their excess sinful, and so prove bitterness in the end, and if in some cases it require the forsaking of lawful enjoyments as of pleasure, or profits, or honor, for God and for his glory, this is generous, and truly more delightful to deny them for this reason, than to enjoy them. Men have done much this way for the love of their country, and by a principle of moral virtue, but to lose any delight or to suffer any hardship for that highest end, the glory of God, and by the strength of love to him, is far more excellent, and truly pleasant.
2. The delights and pleasures of sin, religion indeed banishes, but it is to change them for this joy that is unspeakably beyond them, it calls men from sordid and base delights, to those that are pure delights indeed, it calls to men, drink you no longer of the puddle, here are the crystal streams of a living fountain. There is a delight in the very despising impure delights, as he said, how pleasant is it to want these pleasures. But for such a change, to have in their stead such delights, as in comparison, the other deserve not that name, to have such spiritual joy, as shall end in eternal joy, it is a wonder we hasten not all to choose this joy; but it is indeed because we believe it not.
3. It is true the godly are subject to great distresses, and afflictions; but their joy is not extinguished by those, no nor diminished either: but often sensibly increased. When they have least of the world's joy, they abound most in spiritual consolations, and then relish them best. They find them sweetest, when their taste is not depraved with earthly enjoyments, We rejoice in tribulation, says Saint Paul, and here our Apostle insists on that, to verify the subsistence of this joy in the midst of the greatest afflictions.
4. Spiritual grief that seems most opposite to this spiritual joy prejudges it not, for there is a secret delight and sweetness in the tears of repentance, a balm in them that refreshes the soul, and even their saddest kind of mourning, namely the dark times of desertion, has this in it, that is some way sweet, that those mournings after their Beloved, who absents himself, is a mark of their love to him, and a true evidence of it, and then all these spiritual sorrows of whatever nature, are turned into spiritual joy, that's the proper end of them, they have a natural tendency that way.
5. But the natural man still doubts of this joy we speak of; because he sees and hears so little of it from them that profess to have it, and seem to have best right to it. If we consider the wretchedness of this life, and especially the abundance of sin that's in the world, what wonder though this their joy retire much inward, and appear little abroad, where all things are so contrary to it, and so few that are capable of it, to whom it were pertinent to vent it. Again we see here, it is unspeakable, it were a poor thing if he that has it could tell it all out. And when the soul has most of it, then it remains most within itself, and is so inwardly taken up with it, that possibly it can then least of all express it. It is with joys, as they say of cares, and griefs, Leves Loquuntur, ingentes stupent. The deepest waters run stillest, true joy is a solid grave thing, dwells more in the heart, than the countenance; whereas on the contrary, base and false joys, are but superficial skin-deep, (as we say) they are all in the face.
Think not that it is with the godly, as the Prophet says of the wicked, that there is no peace to them — and the LXX reads it, no joy. Certainly it is true. There is no true joy to the wicked, they may revel and make a noise; but they rejoice not, the laughter of the fool, is as the crackling of thorns under the pot, a great noise but little heat, and soon at an end. There is no continuing feast, but that of a good conscience. Wickedness, and real joy cannot dwell together, as the very moralist Seneca has it often, and at large: but he that can say the righteousness of Jesus Christ is mine, and in him the favor of God, and the hope of eternal happiness, has such a light as can shine in the darkest dungeon, indeed in the dark valley of the shadow of death itself.
Say not you, if I betake myself to the way of godliness, I must bid farewell to gladness, never a merry day more, no, on the contrary, never a truly joyful day till then, indeed, no days at all, but night to the soul, till it entertain Jesus Christ, and his kingdom, which consists in those, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. You do not sacrifice Isaac, which signifies laughter, as Saint Bernard says, but a ram. Not your joy, but filthy sinful delights that end in sorrow.
Oh seek to know in your experience what those joys mean, for all describing and commending it to you will not make you understand it, but taste, and see that the Lord is good, you cannot see, and know it, but by tasting it, and having tasted that goodness, all those poor joys you thought sweet before, will then be bitter and distasteful to you.
And you that have Christ yours by believing know your happiness, and rejoice, and glory in it. Whatever is your outward condition, rejoice always, and again I say rejoice: for light is [reconstructed: sown] to the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
