4192, Chap. 22. An Expofition upon theBook, of JO$. Verf 19. and the aboundance of the goodneffe of God towards them. When the goodneffe ofGod aftedmightily towards us, meets with the Graceof Godafting mightily in us, we are lifted up fo farre out of our felves, that we can fee nothing in our feives, and then in whomor in what canour rejoycing be,but in the Lord the holy one of 'fowl. This joy is not, First, the joyof the Epicure; A fenfuall soy, in wine and belly, cheare, in eating the fat and drinking the fweete,incarnal! merrimentsand mufick; nor is this, Secondly, a cruel joy in the ruin and deftruftion ofmen, which the Prophet rebukes (Obad. V. r2.) Thou fhouldoßr not have rejoyced over the 'children of udab in the day oftheir deflrslion. Nor is this, Third. ly, a proud joy, or a j sy of oftentation, when men tpread their plumes, and publifh their own wifdome, grea.rseffe and power; nor is it, Fourthly, a covetous loy, luch as theirsis whoare glad becaufe they have fill'd their purfes, enriched their familyes, and their hand bath gotten much , Nor is it Laflly. a fecure joy, be caufe when evill men are cart down we hope ro fit warme and well, fafe and quiet upon their ruiner ; But this joy confifts : firft, in high thoughts and valuations ofGod ; whom have 1 in heaven but thee, &c. (Pfal. 73. 25.) who it like unto thee O Lord among the Gods (Exod. r 5. Ix.) It confifts, fecondly, ir, a fweete reft or complacency in God. Return unto thy ref!' 0 my foule ; that- is, turne in to God, liveneerer him faith a Godly man (to hi. foul) in fuch a cafe (°Pjal. 1 t 6.7.) This joy is the reft of the foule in. God ; He who is reft to hirofelf(as God is) may be fo infinitely more to us. Thus, The righteousfee it, and are glad. And the innocent laughthene to [corm. This heightens the fence of the former part of the verfe, not only are the righteous glad when the wicked are defiroy- ed, but they laugh them to 'Cow, The righteous, in the former part of theverfe are the fame with the innocent here; yet we may diftinguifh them. The innocent are taken twowayes inScripture firft the innocent are they who are pure from fin : fecondly, the innocent are they who are pure or free from punifhtnent, oe 1
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