Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Chap. 21. An Expofition xpon the Bookof J o Ii. Verf 1 2. 669 ÌÍ my muficke and my fong. And though in the good providen- ces of God to him,he called for the Timbrel, and awakenedhis mufical Inftruments; yet he adds; I my felfe will awake right earely ; his was not bare rej )ycir,g in the creature, but in God. A godly man can rejoyce when hehash noneof thefe creature comforts, he can then rejoyce in the Lord ; then the Lord is to himmore then an Organ, Tabret, or Harpe, infinitely more .then all thefe; he can rejo}'ce in the Lord more then in all man- ner ofmulicke even then, when he wants not onely muficke but meate. (Flab. 3. 17.) Thetegh the labour ofthe Olive [ball faile, ec yet will Ijoy in the Lard, and rejoyce in the Clod of my falvation,.and the Lord is myfi'rength,and he is my tong. Thus he . rejoyceth when ftript of all thofe things, which alone occafion theworldly mans joy. God is a feat' to him in famine,andwhen there is not any thing of the world to be had,, he bathall in God ; and how much toever a godly man bath of the world, he rejoyceth not in that but in God, the creator, difpofer and giver of it. He rejoyceth whenhe bath the creaturesbuthe re- joyceth not in the creature ; his joy is in the Lord. He rejoy- ceth to fee the good hand ofGod with him, but he rejoyceth not becaufe his hand path gotten good. We finde this holy man 7617 prof(ffing, that he had not, and ufing a ftrong impre- cationupon.himfelfe if he had done fo (Chap. 31. 24, z'.)If I bavemade gadmy loopedIhave rejoyced becaufe my wealthwa . great, and becaanfe mine hand bath gottenmuch,then,d-c. ob was not amanof a darke fpirit, he knew how to rejoycewhen the candle of God !hone upon him, but faith he, whatfoever my' worldly estate was Fny rejoycing was inGod, it was not inmy worldly eftate. But the carnal! man rejoyceth in the world it felfe ; and indeed he bath nothing more to rejoyce in ; he bath not a God, ca a Chrift to rejoyce in,hebath not pardon of fin or the grace ofGod to rejoyce in. Before I paffe this poynt I fhall adde.fomewhat, moredi- ftinetly, concerning oúr rejoycing, in ath about the things o this life. We doe not cenfure all joy, they it needs be wicked who rejoyce and live comfortably in'aprofpe- rous outward condition. There is a threefold joy fpoken ofin Scripture ; fi li, a fpirituall ; fecondly,`a.fenttive- ornatural'.: thirdly,. a fenfual joy.. Spiritual!.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=