i8$ SERMONS upon Sean.2l. Heart. Then I was fore afraid. Becaufe Men are prejudiced againft Godly Joy, let me tell you, it is a Fruit of the Spirit: Gal. 5. 22. The Fruit of the Spirit is, Love, yey, &c. In the Garden of thrift there groweth other Fruit betides Crabs. It is a great Privilege of ChrifYs fpititual Kingdom ; Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and joy in the Holy- Ghofi. It is an Help in the fpiritual Life. Nehem. 8. to. The Joy of the Lord is yams Strength. It is as Wings to the Bird, that makes you flie higher ; a fad .Cbrii ian bath loft his Wings. Well then, confider thefe things : Betides your unfitnefs hereby for your Dnty, the Unchearfulne1 of Profeffors darkneth the Ways of God, and brings a Scandal upon Chrifi's fpltitual Kingdom. What caufe bave you to be always fid ? It mutt be either your Affüetions, or your Sips. For Affections, if your Eyes were opened, and earth- ly Affections mortified, you would fee nocaufeof Grief. It can never be Co ill with a Chrillian, but he hash matter of rejoycing : Nothing can deprive you of God, of your Intereft in thrift. Job 15. is. Are the Cenf lotions of God fmall, that they cannot counterballance worldly Affiietions ? Your DiCcontent .eannoe be greater ,than your grounds of Comfort. It is true, Nature will work; AVi &ions are bitter in the floor, but the Fruit is fweet to a fpiritual Palate. Heb. 12. i r. No Chafiening for the prefect feemeth to be joyows, but grievorco ; it doth but fsem bitter, carnal SenCe is not a fit Judg. But then for your Sins. I confefs, Joy is proper to God's Children, behaving them - felves as Children ; but what (hall we do when we have finned ? I anfwer; There is a Time to mourn, and this is the Seafon of it. If her Father had fpit in her Face, fhonld fie not be *anted feven days ? Numb. 12. 14. It is good to be fenfible of the difplea- furF of a Father. Ay, but in this Heavineli there thould be a mixture of Joy : Tbo there be a Time to mourn, yet ?ejoyce evermore. Great Heavinefs, without a mixture of Joy, is fitful. In this fence we fhould not mourn without hope : We have to do with a God that is not implacable ; he mixeth Love with his Frowns. In the midit of judgment he remembreth Mercy ; and therefore we Ihould mix Joy with our Sorrows. ter. 3. 14. Titre, 0 bacl¿fidinglfrael, for I am married to ;mi. God doth not forget his Relation tp us, and fo Ihould not we : Come again, and I will make up all Brea- ches between you and me. A Believer may fall grievoufly, but not finally: He loth not fall fo, but that God takes hold of him ; and we thould learn to take hold of God. Labour to recover your former Condition, that pan may freely rejoyce again : by this means Love is renewed and ftrengthned. 2. The other Sort are thole that would rejoyce, but do not provide matter of Joy: C,hrift faith, That my joy may be fulfilled in theryfelves : But in whom ? He had pleaded their Intereft, They are thine; he had fpoken well of them to the Father, I an: glorified in them. Alas! the Joys of others are but fioilen Waters, and Bread eaten in fecret, Frisks of Mirth, when Confciençe is afleep. A Man cannot rejoyce in God, till he bath fome Intereft in him. 1 Sam.3p. 6. David encouraged himfelf in the Lord his God, when all was loft at Ziklag ; pray mark, his God. Tolle menm, 6. tolle Deum; Take away mine, and take away Crod. God is better known in pnedicamento Relations, quänt in pr edicamento Subilantiae. God in his Nature is terrible, God in Covenant is fweet. Habbak. 3. 18. Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation. When all things fail, a Child of God runneth to his Intereft. The Objeet of Joy is Good, but not Gaol in common, but my Good ; Excellency and Propriety are the two Con- ditions of the Object of Joy. Therefore holy Joy is not every ones Duty, but theirs that have an interefl in God. There are tome Duties proper'to the Saints, that fup- pofe fuch a State and Intereft. Prayer and Hearing are common Duties, the Obligation lieth on all the Creatures, it is the Homage they owe to God 5 but now they are not immediatly bidden to rejoyce. All are bound to provide matter for Joy, but not all to rejoyce. Carnal Men are for the prefent under Wrath, liable to Hell, Bondage is their Portion ; therefore dear up your Intereft, if you would rejoyce in God. Men delight in their Children, becaufe they are their own. 7..1fe 5. To raife your Minds to the exercife of this Joy. We flìould be more careful than we are, to maintain our Peace and Joy. To help you, 1 (hall thew, Firft, What Reafon a Chriftian hatb to rejoyce. Secordly, By what means he may get, keep, and maintain it. Firfi
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