HAPPY is the man to whom it is given on the behalf of Christ to believe, He has the blessing of peace. He is reconciled to God through faith in the blood of Jesus; and he is freely justified through faith in the righteousness of Jesus. The Father has accepted him in his beloved Son, and it is the joy of his soul to know it; therefore he loves God, because God first loved him. In the enjoyment of this love he finds his heaven begun. By the same Spirit, who manifested it and shed it abroad in his heart, he is kept seeking for more discoveries of it. In every appointed means he waits. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth his soul after more of the presence of God, and of the light of his loving countenance. Having a command–Seek ye my face–he obeys it from his heart; but his chief view in obedience is to behold the face of the Lord turned to him in love. He wants fellowship with God in duty, which highly enables and also endears it to him. He performs it in faith, and in a free spirit, he goes to it as a beloved child to a most loving parent; and his heavenly Father meets him in it, receives him graciously, speaks to his heart, and makes him sensible that he can deny him no manner of thing which is good. Hence the ways of duty become ways of pleasantness. The farther he advances in them, and the more spiritual he grows in the performance of them, he finds clearer communications of his Father's grace and love, which still increase his joy, and afford him surer earnests, and happier foretastes of joy unspeakable and full of glory.
As for the ungodly, it is not so with them. They are always seeking after joy. They are busy, and weary themselves in the pursuit of it, but they cannot find it. While they are turned in heart from the Lord, they look downwards for it, where it is not. They expect it will spring out of the ground; and if they cannot discover it upon the surface, they will dig into the bowels of the earth for treasures of hidden joy. But they disquiet themselves in vain. It is the sovereign decree of the Almighty, that nothing can make a sinner truly happy but God in Christ: this they will not believe; and, therefore, they go from creature to creature, from object to object, inquiring, "Where is the best joy to be found?" Each promises them, "It is in me." But each disappoints them. And yet they go on, seeking it to-day in that very thing which deluded them yesterday. Yea, their foolish hearts are willingly deluded. They love to be pursuing what it is impossible they should attain. If after many trials they find the emptiness of one creature-comfort, then they turn to another; and they will try the whole compass of beings and things, and will at last die in the trial, rather than seek for joy where it is holy, perfect, and everlasting.
The believer is saved from this vain pursuit. He has been convinced of the insufficiency of the creature to make him happy. He has seen all end of all perfection in it. He can say, with the royal preacher, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,"–all is changeable and imperfect under the sun; for the whole world lieth in wickedness, and under the curse. Deeply sensible of his error in having sought for joy in the way of destruction, he now seeks it in the living God. Here he comes to the supreme good, the spring-head et true joy, and the streams which he receives from thence are always in proportion to his faith. If this be strong, there is great joy in the soul. If this be weak, joy is at a low ebb. The effect is according to the cause which produces it. Joy in God is the effect of faith, according to the apostle's prayer: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy in believing." There is a present fulness of joy which we have by believing, as there is a future fulness of joy, which we shall have by sense. So that joy rises as believing does; fulness of believing brings in ALL joy–present enjoyment increasing as the title to future is dear. The present is the divine pledge of the future, and is therefore given us, that by believing we may now rejoice in the Lord, and be glad in the God of our salvation.
From hence it appears how necessary it is to the believer's walking in joy, that his understanding should be clearly enlightened with the knowledge of the doctrines of grace, and that his heart should be established in the belief of them. Thou canst not, O my soul, review them too much, nor meditate upon them too long, for they enter into the very essence of all true joy. Study the gospel method of making reconciliation for iniquity, which was the work of Immanuel, and of reconciling man to God, which is the work of the Holy Spirit. Has he done this in thee? Art thou reconciled to God? Is thy conscience at peace? Is thine heart happy through faith in the atonement and righteousness of thy Saviour? Art; thou satisfied of thy perfect acceptance in the beloved?
Dost thou, therefore, obey thy Father out of gratitude, and go to duty to meet him, and to have fellowship with him in his love, and to glorify him for it? Dost thou find his presence? Is he with thee in all means, and art thou seeking in them for nearer and more intimate communion with him? Since this is thy case, what return wilt thou make for such inestimable favours? Surely thou wilt be glad in the Lord, and wilt rejoice in the God of thy salvation. Being at peace with him, and a partaker of his love, waiting for the establishing of this peace and love in the way of obedience, and expecting more communion with thy God in the way of duty, who can have greater reason to rejoice?
A saved sinner, delivered by mere grace from wrath and hell, entitled to all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, and already admitted to partake of them, may sing and make melody in his heart all the way to heaven. And yet, alas! how often art thou, O my soul, in heaviness, walking in distress, and east down, as if thy hope of rejoicing was in vain. And this is not thy case alone. It is too common. How many of God's children spend their days in a mournful frame, and seem to forget their high calling and undoubted title to the fulness of joy. Meditate a little upon the ingratitude of this behaviour, and may the gospel motives to rejoice in the Lord always be the means of saving thee from an unthankful and mournful temper.
First,–Observe, he requires it of thee. The Scripture speaks much of the ho1y joy of believers, and calls for it. They are in duty bound to be glad in their God, as much as to pray to him; for he is always bestowing mercies upon them, which demand their everlasting tribute of thanks; and they cannot be thankful without being joyful. How closely were these two united in the holy Psalmist. None ever more famous for praising God, or for rejoicing in God. What he felt himself he often exhorts the redeemed to experience: "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; for praise is comely for the upright: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart: Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness." Remember his righteousness and holiness, how great they are, and how great the grace is, which has found out a way to make you righteous and holy: remember those blessings with faith, and your hearts will be glad, and your mouths will praise God with joyful lips.
What a sense had the prophet of those blessings, when he broke forth into this acknowledgment: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." These are the wedding garments, with which the heavenly bridegroom adorns his church, and in which he introduces her to the eternal banquet of love. Blessed are they who are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb. B1essed are they indeed, for they are arrayed in royal robes; their souls are all glorious with the beauties of Immanuel, with his divine righteousness and matchless graces. They have reason now to rejoice greatly: for they shall soon come to Sion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away for ever. These scriptures prove evidently, that believers are called upon to rejoice: it is their bounden duty to be glad in their God, for they are not living like his children, and making up their happiness in their Father's love, unless they are rejoicing in his rich and everlasting blessings: for,–
Secondly,–Joy arises from the sense of some good. Joy in God arises from the sense of his being our chief good, and of our interest in him. And this is the joy of faith; which is not in the least like the light frothy Joy of the sensualist, nor the wanton mirth of the unthinking multitude. It is not drawn, as worldly joy is, from vain perishing things, but from the word of God, which standeth fast for ever. It springs from the revelation of grace and mercy in Jesus, and from giving credit to it. Whoever honours its testimony, as the truth of God, will be convinced, that he, trusting to the atonement of Jesus, shall never perish, and trusting to the righteousness of Jesus, shall have everlasting life. Hence come joy and peace in believing. The conscience is reconciled to God, and is at peace. The heart is made sensible of the love of God, and rejoices in him. This was the experience of the sweet singer of Israel (in the 33rd Psalm): "Our heart shall rejoice in the Lord, BECAUSE we have trusted in his holy name." This is a good reason. Whoever trusts in God will certainly rejoice in God: for by trusting in his word, and by depending upon his faithfulness, he cannot be disappointed of the good things which God has promised.
We have an instance of this in a trembling despairing stoner, who had drawn his dagger, and was plunging ii into his heart. In that moment he heard of Jesus. It was given him to feel his want of a Saviour–"Sirs," says he to Paul and Silas, "what muse I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." And they preached unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and REJOICED BELIEVING. O what a happy change was here, and made by believing! The self-murderer forgets his bloody design, and drops his dagger, he hears of a pardon, and believes. His black despair gives way to sweat peace in God. His misery ends in the knowledge of' a joyful salvation. How blessed are they that believe! God has pronounced them, and God will make them blessed. There is no misery deserved, but by faith they are saved from it; and no good promised, but by faith they may now enjoy it: they have, therefore, all the reason to rejoice that any person can have on this side of heaven. For,–
Thirdly,–This joy is distinguished from the vain joy of the world, by its author. It is the gift of Gad. It is one of the graces of the Spirit of God. St. Paul says, "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy," &c.–love to God, and then rejoicing in God. When the Spirit of adoption enters into any heart, he manifests, by believing, the love or the Father, and thereby excites it into holy joy. He comes to make the soul happy in its return to God. It is the very end for which he is sent from the Father and the Son; and therefore it is called the joy of the Holy Ghost. It is his fruit, produced by his influence, and kept by his power. It is like himself; of a spiritual and heavenly nature–a pure affection–in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. He refines it from creature-delight, and exalts it above sensual pleasure: for it is the result of' nearness to God, and the effect of fellowship with him: which is,– Fourthly,–Another blessed ingredient in the joy of believers. It has God for its object. It is joy in God as their God, their supreme good, known, believed in, and enjoyed. The Holy Spirit has consecrated their hearts for fellowship with him. He has brought a free pardon for past apostasy, and full power to dethrone creature-love: and he abides in their hearts to subdue it. He enlightens their understandings to see the vanity of the creature and the fulness of God, and he enables them to reject everything that promises them happiness, ii they cannot enjoy God in it. Thus he keeps their hearts chaste and fixed upon God. Their joy becomes simple, as their faith is: for this looks at the finished salvation, and resting entirely upon it, sees God perfectly reconciled: thereby it lays a sure foundation for their joy in God; because they now Know him by faith to be their God, and can see their interest in all the blessings of his love in Jesus. This is the fountain-head of joy, from whence flow rivers of pleasure, for evermore. The nearer they live to the fountain-head, the more communion they have with God I their hearts become purer and holier, and their joys are more spiritual and heavenly.
This is the only remedy for the miseries with which the world abounds. Men are uneasy; seek for joy; and cannot find it; because they seek where it is not. They go to broken cisterns, which cannot hold it. They are disappointed and wonder; but still go on, spending their days in this vain pursuit. They do not attain any true joy. It flies from them, and at last they lie down in sorrow. What thanks then art thou bound, O my soul, to return unto thy God, who has saved thee from this delusion! What a mercy is it, that thou hast been led to the fountain of joy! O live near it, and from it derive all thy streams. Seek them all in God, and seek them in faith upon the warrant of the divine promise. He has said, "The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord"–they shall have it, and increase it. The more meek and lowly thou art, the more wilt thou be joyful in God.
Pray then for growing humility, that thou mayest experience the sweetness of this scripture–"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice–there is always a matter of joy in the Lord. What a fulness did he find who testifies of it thus–"My joy shall be in the Lord–God is the gladness of my joy–all my springs are in thee–for thou art my exceeding joy." Happy prince! All his springs came from God, and led him to God. He did not draw his happiness item the brooks, but from the fountain. The brooks dry up, but the fountain cannot. He did not rejoice in his crown and dignity, in his victories and treasures, or in any worldly good. He enjoyed God in them, who was the joy of his heart. He only valued the gifts for the sake of the giver; for he made use of them by faith, and then they were the means of bringing him near to God, and of keeping up communion with God. Whatever does this is a great blessing. And everything should do this to a believer. While he lives like a child of God, he exercises his faith for spirituals and temporals; and his heavenly Father blesses him, according to his word, wherein he hath caused him to put his trust, and gives him continual matter for joy and thankfulness.
This is the portion of the Lord's people, he has entailed to them. It comes to them by inheritance. And thou art bound, O my soul, to make use of it. Thy duty and interest call upon thee to enjoy much of it. Thy gratitude for the exceeding great mercies of the Father's love cannot be so properly shown, as by rejoicing in him; for the thankful heart cannot but be joyful. It feels happy in God. "My meditation of him," says a grateful soul, "shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord." This is a just tribute, which the rather expects, and which the Holy Spirit enables his children to return him. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance: IN THY NAME shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted." These are great privileges, which God has promised and does bestow upon his people. It is true they do not all alike rejoice with great joy; but they all ought. When their faith is weak, their joy is little. But they have the same right to believe, and to rejoice in believing. There is the same provision made for the whole family and household of faith. They are interested in the same covenant, have the same promises, and the same faithfulness to make them good. They have perfect security given them, that they may trust and not be afraid. The people who know the joyful sound of a free-grace salvation, have good reason to believe, without doubt or wavering. By such a faith they will see God perfectly reconciled to them, and will behold the light of his countenance shining on them in love.
A blessed sight! To see it clearly is glory begun; to walk in it is glory increasing. What is it but heaven, to rejoice all the day long? But then it must be in thy name, in the incarnate Word, in Jehovah Jesus; by faith in whose righteousness they shall be exalted as high as a creature can be–being justified freely and fully, they have access into this perfect grace wherein they stand, and they rejoice in hope of the glory of God: and not only so, but they rejoice in the way to glory, in tribulations also, knowing that all things are working together for their present, and for their eternal enjoyment of God.
For their encouragement thus to rejoice in the Lord, ho has promised them, that the joy whirls he gives shall not be taken away; which is,–
Fifthly,–Another great privilege. True joy is the gift of God: is a grace of the Spirit of God. It has God for its author, and God for its object: and it has this prerogative annexed to it, that no one can destroy this gift of grace. The Lord Christ declares that he will not suffer any creature to take away what he bestows. What a rich cordial was this to his dejected apostles! They were mourning upon account of his leaving them, and were sadly cast down, as men without hope. But he revives their drooping hearts with a promise–-"I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh from you."
This is indeed strong consolation: for it; is one of the streams which maketh glad the city of God–-a stream that never fails–it runs out of the ocean of free grace, and none can stop its running back into it. "Not as the world giveth, give I unto you," says Jesus. The world giveth empty joys; continueth them by an uncertain tenure, at last takes away all its gifts, and leaves its deluded votary to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. 'Whereas Christ gives what is truly good, solid, and lasting. His gifts are without repentance, he is of one mind in continuing, as well as in giving: for his motives are in and of himself, and always the same. His own mere love, his free grace, and the good pleasure of his own will, dispose him to give and to continue his favours; and his one end is his own glory. Therefore he will not take away the joy which he has given, and he will suffer no one to take it away. He secures by his power what he gives by his love. Such is the believer's right to rejoice in the Lord always. His title is indefeasible. God has freely given him in Christ all the geed that can make him happy; and he enjoys it, and is happy, so far as he lives by faith. While he goes on from faith to faith, his joys increase. Growing faith brings him in a richer harvest of joy. And he is commanded still to proceed, until his joy be full; which is a
Sixth privilege, peculiar to joy in God. Other springs fail: they are often dry; and when they run the fullest, he that drinks of their waters thirsts the more. But joy in God has a satisfying fulness. The fountain is always full, yea, is always running over; and all the streams bring happy peace and holy joy. The more a man drinks thereof, the more sober and spiritual he becomes: for whatever flows out of this fountain is grace, sanctifying grace: the more we partake of it, we grow more like it. There is in it the divine property of conforming and assimilating us to itself: for it weakens the corruption of nature, and strengthens the faculties of the new man; and as these grow stronger, they cleave closer to God, and have more fellowship with him. By which means they partake more of his joy. A happy partaker of it declares–"In thy presence is the fulness of joy," and therefore he prays–"Make me full of joy with thy countenance."
The presence of God with me, and his loving countenance shining upon me, is the fullest joy upon earth. And this comes from the grace of the Holy Spirit, and is received by faith. Our Lord says to his disciples, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might; remain m you, and that your joy might be full." His end in speaking was to give them good reason to rejoice, and to continue rejoicing; and if they received what he spake with full assurance, as they ought to do, it would produce in them a fulness of joy. And this would be so much to his honour, and to their profit, that he commands them to ask it of the Father in his name. "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." To the same purpose the apostle John, treating of the person of God incarnate, through whom we have fellowship with the Father in all the blessings of his love, says, "These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." His design in writing was to lead them to nearer fellowship with the blessed Trinity, and to stir them up to seek in it their fulness of joy: and they have it full, who, satisfied of their title to the Father's blessings, are receiving them freely out of the Son's fulness, by the grace of the Spirit. It becometh them well to rejoice; for in the same blessings there is fulness of joy for eve–more, joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Put all these considerations together, and then see, O my soul, what a rich provision thy God has made for the joy of thy heart. Admire and adore him for his great salvation, for delivering thee from sin and sorrow, and for the free gift of righteousness and life eternal. To pardon, to justify, to glorify such a one as thou art. O what divine and infinite grace! What wilt thou return him for manifesting his love to thee, and for engaging thy love to him? How great is thy debt for admitting thee to fellowship with him, as thy God and Father, and for the gracious communications of his love to thee in Jesus.
What a subject is here before thee for delightful praise! Look at it in any true light, thou hast reason to e glad with exceeding great joy. God the infinite fountain of good, is thy God. He rejoices in thee, therefore thou shouldst rejoice in him. He has loved thee freely: how canst thou be sensible of this without loving him? His love hath blessed thee with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus; whilst thou art receiving them out of his fulness, how canst thou refuse to thank him with joyful lips? He says that he rejoices over thee to do thee good; the belief of this should fill thy heart with joy anti gladness. Indeed there is nothing in God but what should be to thee matter of rejoicing. His faithfulness and justice are on thy side, as well as his never-failing compassion: for he is thy God, thy covenant God. He has given his Son for thee, and his Spirit to thee; by his grace thou hast been called to enjoy fellowship with the Father and the Son, and to partake of their covenant-blessings. It is thy privilege to be improving this fellowship, and even upon earth to be tasting the joys of heaven. May thy faith bring thee in a rich feast, yea a fulness of joy till thy cup run over with the rivers of pleasure, which are at God's right hand for evermore.
Remember, O my soul, it is thy duty and thy privilege thus to rejoice in God: it is thine interest and thy happiness. Thy God requires it of thee, as the grateful acknowledgment of Ins favours; they are all of grace, inestimably rich, and everlasting, he would have thee to honour him for the gifts by rejoicing in the giver. Joy is the sense of his goodness to thee; and canst thou receive the present, and live in hopes of the eternal blessings of his goodness, and yet be without a joyful sense of them? Examine well; and try thyself. How is thy heart? Is it happy in God? Is it happy in nothing but God? Whatever a man puts his trust in, from that he expects his happiness. In what then dost thou trust? Certainly thou wilt say, My trust is in the mercy of God for ever and ever. And should not he be the only matter of thy joy, who is the only ground of thy faith? If he be, then why art thou so often cast down, O my soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? How many dejections, what great sorrows, and what frequent heaviness dost thou experience, from whence come they? Joy is sown for thee. The sower is the Son of man. The Father has promised it, and bestowed it on thee for thy portion: thou hast been called by grace, and the joy m believing is thy birthright. What is the reason thou art not happy in thy God, and rejoicing in him always? Search diligently for the cause. Depend upon it, there is a great mistake somewhere. The Scriptures cannot be broken, which treat of continual joy in God. The promises cannot fail. The promiser is faithful; and yet thou art not always a partaker of the promised grace. How is this? O try to come to the bottom of this error. May the Spirit of wisdom lay it open to thee, and may thy sorrow be turned into joy.
Perhaps thou art seeking for some reason to rejoice in thyself. This rejoicing is not good, although it be very common. It has a bad motive: it comes from pride. The end is bad: it is to exalt and aggrandize SELF, which was man's sin and ruin. It is forbidden in Scripture–He that rejoiceth, let him rejoice in the Lord. If thou couldst find something in thyself to be pleased with, thou wouldst then rejoice in thy pride. Sorrow for not finding it may bring thee right; because it may be the means of showing thee that thou hast nothing of thine own to look at with self-complacency. What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received it, why wouldst thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Hast thou anything of thine own but sin? Who gave thee grace, and made thee to differ from others? Was it not God? Did not all come from the good pleasure of his own will? He saw nothing good in thee at first to move him to be gracious, and what he continues is to the praise of the glory of his own grace.
If thou hast lost the sight of these truths, no wonder thou shouldst go mourning. God will not vouchsafe his joy to them who sacrifice to their own net, and burn incense to their own drag. He humbles and fills the humble with good things, but he sendeth the rich empty away. The rich rob him of his glory, arid he refuses them his grace. Watch therefore over thy proud legal heart. Be jealous over it with a godly jealousy; and entreat the Holy Spirit to bring down every high thought in it, that thou mayest exalt God and he may exalt thee. Remember the promise,–"The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord." Seek the fulfilling of this; for joy in him is the death of self-seeking and self-pleasing. O beg of God then to keep thee meek and lowly, that thou mayest be willing to live upon Jesus by faith, and to receive all the joy out of his fulness of joy.
Perhaps thou art mourning under a sense of thy sinful nature, and groaning under the burden of indwelling sin, as holy Paul did, and as all the dear children of God do, when they are in their right mind. This is godly sorrow, which worketh repentance not to be repented of. It is the true poverty of spirit, to which the Lord hath promised his blessing. Indeed, every one that has it is blessed, because it is not only consistent with the truest joy, but also is the very proper temper of mind in which t is preserved and increased. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Self-knowledge is the breaking up of the fallow-ground, and is the ploughing and harrowing, of it, thereby making it fit for the good seed, and to receive the enlivening influence of the heavens.
The more any man knows of himself, the greater reason will he have to seek the harvest of his joys in God; and seeking by faith he will find them. If he be in the deepest humiliation, he will be then best disposed to rejoice in God. This holy joy generally rises highest, when self is lowest: as the highest tide is always after the lowest ebb. Remember this, O my soul, in the most abasing views of thy fallen nature, and it will lead thee to seek, and in believing to find, that in God which thou hast not in thyself. The empty, and none but the empty, may be filled with his joy. Let every discovery of thine emptiness lead thee to trust more in the salvation of God, and to enjoy more of its blessings; and then thou mayest be, with Paul, always sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Sorrow for self is the greatest friend to joy in God. Self-loathing is accompanied with the sweetest delight in God. May the apostle's experience herein be thine: "We are of the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." O pray for the same grace, and thou wilt find that the less confidence there is in the flesh, the more rejoicing there will be in Christ Jesus.
Perhaps thou hast been tempted to seek for joy in some creature-comfort, and hast not received it as the gift of God; nor enjoyed it by faith, nor returned him his glory. Thou wast looking below God for happiness, and expecting it from some other object. The world had herein ensnared thy heart. There is not a greater enemy to the children of God: because it has objects suited to their senses, and capable of gratifying them: by which the world is always trying to engage their affections, and always succeeds, when they are not living by the faith of the Son of God: for this is the only victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. See, whether thy sorrow did not spring from some worldly disappointment? Thou hadst dropped thy shield, and wast falling asleep in Delilah's lap: but awaking didst find the pleasure turned into pain. This pain may be very profitable. It should convince thee of thy dreadful mistake in leaving God for the world, and should stop up thy way for the future. Now thou seest the need of being cautioned–Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; for all things out of Christ are under the curse. There can be no blessedness in them. The whole world lieth in wickedness; it cannot make thee happy any more than hell can. But it is thy privilege to be delivered from this present evil world, and to be saved from the love of it. This is a blessed part of thy salvation. Expect it by faith. the victory is obtained; see thy share in it. "I have overcome the world," says Jesus. Almighty Lord, overcome it in me, as thou hast overcome it for me.
But remember, O my soul! whatever be the real cause of thy sorrowing, there is joy in God, and for thee: because he is thy God, in whom there is nothing to make thee sorrowful, but everything which can possibly give thee true joy. The blessed Trinity are in covenant for thee and for thy salvation. And it is thy bounden duty, trusting to the finished work of the Son, to rejoice in the love of the Father. In the peace of thy conscience, and in the love of thy heart, thou art required to have fellowship with the Father and the Son, and to be always giving thanks to the Holy Spirit for this fellowship. Every enjoyment of their covenant-blessings on earth is a foretaste of heaven, and a pledge of joy unspeakable. What thou hast now by faith, thou shalt certainly have in everlasting possession: for there is a sure foundation laid in the covenant for thee to build thy hopes upon of rejoicing evermore.
Thy Father has chosen thee, and accepted thee in his Son. He has set his heart upon doing thee good, and he changeth not. His loving-kindness is like himself. He has drawn time by his Spirit to believe in his love, and he has promised to love thee unto the end. He has freely given thee all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, and he reserves the full enjoyment of them for heaven. Nothing can rob thee of them; because he keeps them by his power for thee, and thee for them. How should this help to flu up the measure of thy joys! The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort is thine, with all that his love can do to make thee happy. What canst thou want but more faith? The Lord increase it, that thy heart and conversation may be more with him. As thine affections are set more on things above, the temptations to the love of the things below will be weakened. The sweetness of heavenly communion will deaden thee to the charms of the world: yea, the world will be to thee as nothing, while God is ALL.
And is he not all in all to thee? Consider his nature, his personality, his covenant, his works, his graces, and his blessings: view them in their greatness and goodness; thou hast an interest in them all. His wisdom contrives for thee; his providence watches over thee: his love waits to be gracious to thee; his holiness and justice and truth are thy friends; all his attributes have engaged his power to bring thee to glory. The perfect salvation of Jesus is thine. His rather is thy rather in him, and has nothing in his heart but love to thee: the Holy Spirit has manifested it to thee in believing, to be a perfect, unchangeable, and everlasting love. Whatever the Godhead has promised to give of happiness is promised to thee: and thou dost believe it, although thou art sometimes in heaviness, through manifold temptations. But even then there is joy laid up for thee in God. Joy enough in the fountain It is always full: only thy faith draws out of it sparingly. Enough in Goal to 'turn thy sorrow into joy, if faith did its perfect work. O for more faith, that thou mayest have more joy in believing.
From whatever cause then, O my soul, thy sorrow arose, it certainly did not spring from anything which faith discovered to be in God. Be assured of this: and learn to improve thy sorrow about other things, so as to see thy need of trusting more, and of rejoicing more, in God. If thy sorrow be lawful, coming from a sight and sense of thy sinfulness, there is good reason thou shouldst abhor thyself, and repent in dust and ashes. But this is also a good reason for joy in thy God: because the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and sayeth such as be of a contrite spirit, he gives to them the knowledge of salvation, and makes them glad with the joy of his countenance. Thus he delivers them from their sins and sorrows. He continues his loving-kindness: surely his goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days of their lives. When they are under temptations to seek for joy in other things, he hedges up their way, that they cannot attain the expected good; or if they do, he embitters the enjoyment, and will not let them find anything in the creature but vanity and vexation: by which means he would teach them to derive all their joys from him, and from nothing but him.
Wait, O my soul, and read, and hear, and pray; be diligent in all means for thine improvement in this 'divine lesson. Seek the presence of God, wherever thou art. Expect his blessing upon all that thou doest. Account his love thy chief happiness, and be sure nothing can make thee happy in which thou canst not enjoy his love. If riches increase, the world smiles; health be granted thee, relations are kind, and all things go well, set not thy heart upon them. Look at the bountiful hand which gives, and depend on the grace which sanctifies those things. They are not worth having but as they come from and lead to God, and so may be spiritually improved. If thou canst live by faith, and enjoy God in them, then they are real blessings: for then thou wilt receive them as his gifts, and use them to his praise; thou wilt eye his goodness in them, and admire him for them: and while he continues them, thou wilt be dependent on his grace to keep thy heart from idolatry, that thou mayest love the gifts only for the sake of the giver.
Whatever thou art going to do, ask thyself, How can this be the means of my rejoicing in God? If it cannot, avoid it. If it come with all the world's flatteries, and make thee the greatest offers of joy, fly from it: there is deadly poison under its gilded outside. Lay it down as an invariable rule of thy walk, that nothing can do thee geed but what thou canst enjoy God in. He is the only source of good; and everything is to thee what he makes it: not what it is in itself; as such, all is vanity: but it is good when God makes it so. True joy is from him and in him. It is the gift of his grace, and does not stop at any of the streams, but goes up to the fountainhead, from whence they flow, and there finds its comforts, O my God, teach me thus to seek my joss in thee, and to make the my crown or rejoicing.
For thine encouragement, consider, O my soul, what he did to the travellers gone before thee in the way to Sion: how he comforted them, and made them glad with the joy of his countenance. He led them indeed through the valley of Baca (of mourning), the only highway to the kingdom; but they found a well in it, a fountain of living waters: they went on sorrowing for their departure from God, but were made glad at their hearts in being, brought back by his grace: therefore they wept rejoicing. Happy mourners! And hast thou not the same reason as they had to sorrow for thyself, and yet to be exceeding glad in God? Is not this also the case with all thy fellow-travellers now upon the road? Their hearts are with God. He is their portion. His heaven is their home. They would not make up their happiness in the accommodations by the way, but in God, their treasure, their supreme good, and their everlasting joy. Neither would they be stopped by the inconveniences which they may meet with: these, improved by faith, will tend to make them long more to be at home: for these will lead them to feel more of the true joy there is in God, and will thereby inspire them with higher strains of praise and thankfulness. So that everything they meet with on the road will be sanctified to them, and will dispose them to make melody in their hearts unto the Lord. Their Father and our Father, out of the riches of his grace, has not only given them matter of thanks, but has also provided the very words to be used by them. Many a weary traveller has found them a rich cordial. His spirits have been raised, his soul and all within made happy, while he was singing the sweet and heavenly hymn. The gospel prophet, who had seen the glory of Immanuel, and who was the honoured penman of this divine poem, has left us a direction, when any one has a right to sing it, and to make it his own (Isa. xii. 1):–"And in that day thou shalt say."
By looking at the context, the time here mentioned appears to be the day of the Lord's power, when the Spirit of life enters into the sinner, and he is quickened from a death in trespasses and sins. A happy, eternally happy day. The same Spirit will be his comforter, will bring him to the knowledge of his salvation through faith in the gloriously complete work of Immanuel, by which he shall find himself freed from guilt and fear, and in Jesus made a partaker of grace and glory. Then the joy of the Holy Ghost is felt in his soul, and his heart is in tune to bless the Lord his God–"O Lord, I will praise thee, though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and ray song, he also is become my salvation: therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."
These wells are the fountains of grace, from which the heavenly travellers draw their holy comforts, and with which refreshed they go on from strength to strength, praising Jehovah, and ascribing to him all the glory of their salvation. He was angry with them, and justly. The fire of his wrath might have burned to the lowest hell: and his law, his justice, his holiness, and his truth would have been glorified for ever in their destruction. Bat admired be his mercy, adored be his sovereign grace, he himself found out a way to magnify every divine attribute in their salvation. This was the wonderful contrivance of the Three in covenant. The Father accepted his co-equal Son in the place of his people, and his obedience unto death ill their stead: he is now perfectly reconciled unto them in Jesus; his auger is turned away from them. And when it is given unto them to know it, and they receive the comfort of it, when they have joy and peace in believing, O what a day of light and glory then breaks in upon their souls–a day sometimes clouded with the rising mists and vapours of the body of sin, but often so bright and serene, that the warm beams of the Sun of Righteousness shine directly into their hearts. These are times of great refreshing from the presence of the Lord The communications of his love are then felt with pure delight; and the soul is made sensible that it is in Jesus a happy partaker of the fulness of joy. The man cannot contain his mighty bliss, bat breaks out aloud into thanks, and calls upon the bystanders to admire the marvellous goodness of God.
Behold, see here a miracle of grace–God is my salvation. Wonder with me at the exceeding riches of this love. Why me? What am I, that the most high God should be my Saviour? I am sure he never set his love upon one more unworthy, nor plucked any brand out of the burning that was fitter fuel for hell fire. O help me, then, angels and men, to praise and adore that infinite mercy which contrived, wrought out, and has now applied to mo this salvation, with all its blessings. My debt increases, and I want to praise him more; for in that unspeakable gift of his Son he gave me all things, and he has now given me faith, and has put me into possession. I have his word for it, and I believe it–a word of infallible truth, confirmed by promise, ratified by the covenant oath of the blessed Trinity. These engagements cannot be broken; therefore "I will trust and not be afraid."
On the part of the divine covenanters all is sure. They have given me the fullest security that can be, and I may take the comfort of it. They will never leave me nor forsake me, and my faith shall not fail. Blessed promise! I shall be kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. Glory be to "the Lord Jehovah, who is my strength."–his almighty arm holds me up, and therefore "he is my song:" the same arm will carry me safe to the end; therefore my heart rejoiceth in him, and with my song will I praise him. I will make my boast of his strength; all the day long will I be telling of his salvation. How can I mention too often these infinite mercies of my God? I love to dwell on the delightful theme. It warms my heart, it inflames mine affections, and raises my soul to heaves. My joys are all in this one: "He also is become my salvation." He is my present salvation, for he has opened the fountain, and has opened my heart to receive the life-giving streams. How can I but bless and adore his holy name while I am "with joy drawing water out of the wells of salvation?"
O ye blessed of the Lord, who have received the same salvation out of the infinite fountain of divine grace, assist mc to praise. Your rejoicing with me will increase my joys, and improve my thankfulness. So it follows in the prophet: "In that day shall YE say"–YE; not one only, as before, but the many partakers of the same mercies will sing in chorus. They will join in social worship, and with one heart unite in the common tribute of praise: "Praise ye the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things–this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Sion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."
Great he is, indeed; infinitely–everlastingly great in himself, and to be admired for his excellent greatness in saving sinners. This is his greatest work, and it demands of them their highest praise; and they are glad to give it him. Happy are they now, when humble and poor in spirit they can exalt their Saviour God: but who can tell how happy they shall be when he shall exalt them, and make them partakers of his own happiness? Eternal salvation will demand the tribute of their eternal praise; and they will be most blessedly employed in paying it, when they shall return to Sion with songs, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. Crowned heads may well sing, for their coronation-day will last forever; and the King of kings will put such honour upon his royal friends that all heaven will ring with his praises. They will with one heart and one voice adore God the Lamb, whose gracious hand wiped away all tears from their eyes, and made sorrow and sighing flee away for ever; and who gave them his joy and gladness, such as are, even in heaven, inexpressible, and will be to eternity full of glory.
O my God, accept of my poor mite. I desire to join all the redeemed in earth and heaven hi blessing and praising them at all times. I would give thee praise continually, with my heart and with my mouth. I would rejoice in thee, and in nothing but thee: for thou art my God, my supreme good, and mine everlasting portion. Let me, then, for thy mercies' sake, glory in praising thee henceforth and for ever. I ascribe it to thee now with a glad heart, rejoicing in hope that my praise will be better ere long, and never-ceasing. Thou art worthy of all that angels and men can pay. To thee, holy Father, with the Son and Spirit, the Three in one Jehovah, be equal and endless praise. To this I give my hearty Amen.