First, It is a life from God, and, therefore, must needs be pleasant and joyoiis. Whatever God makes is good and pleasant in its kind. Now life is one of the choicest of God's works, insomuch that the poorest, silliest gnat or fly, in this respect, exceeds the sun in its meridian glory. To every life God hath appointed a pleasure suitable to its kind ; the beasts have a pleasure suitable to the life of beasts, and man much more to his. Now every creature, we know, enjoys the pleasm-e of its life best, when it is in its right temper : if a beast be sick, it droops and groans, and so does man also ; no dainties, sports, or music, please a man that is ill in his health. Now holiness is the dvie temjjer of the soul, as health is of the body; and, therefore, a holy life must needs be a pleasant life. Adam, I hope, in Paradise, before sin spoiled his temper, lived a pleasant life. When the creature is made holy, then he begins to return to his primitive temper, and with it to his primitive joy and pleasure. O sirs, men fall out with their outward conditions, and are discontented at their rank and place in the world ! but the fault lies more inward ! the shoe is straight and good enough, but the foot is crooked that wears it ; all would do well if thou wert well, and thou wilt never be well till thou art righteous and holy.
Secondly, It is a life with God. A gracious soul walks in God's presence, and keeps communion with him. If you would meet a saint, you know his haunt, what company he keeps, 1 John i. 3 : ' That ye may have fellowship with us, and truly om- fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.' See the ingenuity of a holy soul ; truly our fellowship is with God, we tell you no lie. An unholy heart dares not be thus free, I warrant you, and tell what company his soul walks with from day to day. We see there is no danger of going among holy men, they will bring you acquainted with no ill company ; they will carry you to God, where their great resort lies. And tell me now, must not that man live a pleasant life that walks with God ? Let it be but a man you ride with in a journey, one that loves you well, and is able to entertain you with good and cheerful discourse ; doth not the delight you take in his company, strangely, yet sweetly, beguile you of the tediousness of the way? O what joy then must God bring with him to that soul he walks with ! ' Blessed is the people,' saith the psalmist, ' that know that joyful sound : they shall v.alk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance ; in thy name shall they rejoice all the day !' The sound of the trumpet which called them to their religious assemblies is called the joyful sound, because in his worship God did especially manifest himself to his people. The heaven of heavens is to be where the Lord is ; surely, then, that which the saint hath of God's presence here is enough to make the Christian's life joyous. O Christian, is it not sweet to walk with God to God ? To walk with God here below, by his assist- ing, comforting presence, to God manifesting himself in all his glory above in heaven ? O all you that are for pleasant prospects in your walks, and out of your windows, see here one that the world cannot match, — the prospect that a gracious soul hath, walking in the paths of righteousness : he may see God walking with him, as a friend with his friend, and manifesting himself to him, Psa. 1. 23 ; yea, he hath not only the sweetness of God's present company with him, but he hath tlie goodly prospect of heaven before him, whither God is leading him, and in this way of holiness will certainly bring him at last. Whereas the unholy wretch, walking in the company of his lusts, though they sweeten his mouth with a little frothy pleasure at present, that soon is melted off his tongue, and the taste forgotten, yet they shew him the region of darkness before him, whither they will bring him, and where they will leave him, to re- pent of his dear-bought pleasures in toi-ments easeless and endless.
Thirdly, It is the life of God himself. Read the expression, Eph. iv. 18, 'alienated from the life of God ;' that is, the life of godliness. A holy life is the life of God. But how? Not only as God is the Author of it, so he is of the beast's life; thus the wicked are not alienated from the life of God, for they have a natural life which God gave them ; but the expression carries more in it, and that is this : ' The life of God,' is as much as ' a life like the life which God himself lives.' He is a living God, and his life is a holy life ; holiness is the life of his life. Now I pray, friends, do you not think God himself lives a
THE liREASTI'LATE OF lUGIITEOUSNESS. ^^l