Ver,í3. the 17thChapter If St. J O HN. 030 Firfl ; What teafons a Chriítians hath to rejoice. The Cáufes of Joy may be re- ferred to his paff Eftate, his prefent iutereff, his future Hopes. r. The Remembrance of his pall Eftate. A Chriftian may ftand wondring at the Change which God bath made in his Soul. 1 Pet. 2. 9. That ye /scald flies forth the Pram of him, who hath called you oat of Darknefs into his marvellous Light. The Light is the more marvellous, becaufe of the foregoing Darknefs. Pail Miferies are fweet in the remembrance. It will be a part Of our happinefs in Heaven to look back ; as Travellers in the Inn difcourfe of the dangers and dirtinefs of the Way. It is matter of renewed Joy, to fee how the Weeds of Sin are rooted out, how the Buds of Grace begin to grow in the Garden of our Hearts. No Man looketh on the Sea with more comfort, than he that hath efcaped the dangers of a Shipwrack ; as the Ifraelites, when they law the Egyptians dead on the Chore, lung a Song of Triumph ; fo doth a Chtiftian rejoice, when he confìdereth his Change, what he was, what he is. 2. His prefent Intereff, Senfe, and Feeling. We have Mercies in Hand, as well as Mercies in Hope, fomething exhibited, as well as promifed ; God's Eternal Love; with all the Blefftngs that iffue thence, of Jutification, Sanctification, t14.c. 'Paul triumphs in this, Rom. 8. 37. Nay, in all thefe things we are more than Conquerors,throùgh him that loved us. God hash adopted them to be Children, Heirs of his Heavenly Kingdom; if the World maketh War again(t them, they have Peace with God, they are in a reconciled Eftate; in frame of Heart they are regenerate, they have the firff Fruits of the Spirit, fweet experience of Grace ; not only the Wine of Canaan, but the Cluffers of Canaan; they have Communion with God, tho banifhed from Men. It is the nature of the Mind, to delight it Pelf in the pofeffton of any folid Good. No Good can fatisfy but the Supream ; this we are in part poffeffed of, as Coon as Grace is wrought in -the Heart. 3. His Future Hopes. Heb. 3. 6. If we bold fall the Confidence, and the rejoicing of Hope firm unto the End ; We are Heirs apparent to the Crown of Heaven. We may rejoice in what we poffefs, we may Glory in what we hope for. This ravilheth the Heart to think of it; we (hall have what infinite Mercy will beftow, infinite Murk pur- chafe, and the ample Promifes of the Reward hath revealed. The Body of Sin will be deftroyed, and we (hall be out of the reach of Temptations. Secondly; By what means it is maintained. God hath appointed Graces and Ordì- nances for this End. r. Graces; Faith, Hope, and Obedience. (t.) Faith : it is a help to Joy, it reprefenteth the Excellency, Truth and Reality of Spiritual Things. That which we rejoice in, muff be good, true, prefent. All Joy arifeth from the pretence of Come good, either in actual Pofiefiion, or firm Expe 1a- tion. Thus doth Faith, lieb. to, 34. Knowing in your feines, that in Heavenye have a better, and an induring Subflance. Faith is not an Opinion, or wild Guets; Heavers is a pleating Fancy to a Carnal Man, but it is a Reality, a Subftance, an induring Sub - ftance tda Believer. The World is a Fashion, perishing, moveable. It is the nature of Faith to make Things abfent, prefent ; it giveth a Being to Hope, it Pets up a Stage in the Heart of a Believer, where God is reprefented aping whatever he bath pro- mifed ; and this not by a naked Fidlion, or empty Speculation, as a Man may frame Idea's of Things that never (hall be ; as in the Dream and Dotage of a diftempered Fancy, they make a Soul as if feen with bodily byes. Faith gives to its Object; not only a naked Reprefentation, but an actual Prefence. (a.) Hope. This dependeth much on Faith ; it is an earneft elevation of the Mind; to look for what Faith counteth real. Now Hope ravifheth the Soul, as if it had its Head above the Clouds; Rejoicing in Hope, Rom. 12. 12. Joy is proper to Enjoy- ment, but Hope ferves in(tead of Enjoyment, they feaft and entertain their Souk with their glorious Hopes. (3.) Obedience. Faith giveth the Title, Hope the Sight, Obedience the Evidence; therefore it is neceiàry to the eftablifhing of Joy. Nay, it hath an effective Influence, it is God's Method ; firfi, he poureth in the Oil of Grace; before the Oil of Glad - nefs. Heb. j. 2. Firfl being by Interpretation King of Righteoufnefi, and after that alfö King of Salem, that is King of Peace. Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink, but Righteoufnefs and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Gholi. Sin taketh away Joy
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