Doct. 2. The taking of God's testimonies for our lieritage breeds joy and rejoicing in the heart.
Now this joy ariseth partly from the portion itself, partly from the disposition of the saints, and partly from the dispensation of God.
1. From the portion itself It is a portion that deserves to be re- joiced in, it is so full, and God cannot be possessed without great joy. A man cannot think of a little pelf and worldly riches that is his own without some comfort ; and can a man think of these great things without comfort ? Consider both what we have in hand and hope, and still it is matter of joy. In hand, there is reconciliation with God, Oh, to have God in amity with us ! Rom. v. 1. If one have but a great man to his friend, it comforts him that he hath such a prop and stay. Oh, but now to have God reconciled ! And then to have the care of providence, to have God engaged as a father — God caring for us — -to be under a promise that he will never foil us till he hath brought us to heaven. And then to have heaven kept for us, those glorious things : ' We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.' Joy is pitched upon our hopes in many places, something in possession, and something in reversion ; this must needs breed a joy in our soul : Heb. iii. 6, 'The rejoicing of hope;' and Rom. xii. 12, 'Rejoice in hope.' A Christian hath cause to rejoice for what he hath in hand. God is at peace with him, he can go to him as a friend, as a God in covenant with him; he is bound to provide for him as a father; and then, at the end of all, a glorious happiness that is to be enjoyed.
2. It ariseth from the disposition of the hearts of God's people ; partly from their esteem, their faith, their assurance ; they take it for their heritage, they esteem it as their portion, they believe it, and re- flect upon their own interest; and all this causeth joy. It comes from
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tlieir esteem; that which I esteem I will delight in: Mat. vi. 21, 'Where the treasure is, there will the heart he.' Affection follows esteem, and above all the affection of delight. A man may desire a thing that is nothing worth ; when he comes to enjoy it, then he slights it. We are not acquainted with the imperfection of all worldly things until we come to enjoy them ; hut delight, that is an argument of esteem, the choicest affection. And then it comes from faith. Many hear of such great promises, but they hear like men in a dream. But now a believer, that hath a piercing sight, that seeth the reality and truth of them, his heart leaps within him. Heb. xi. 13, it is said, ' These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them/ When a man is persuaded of the truth, the reality, and goodness of the promise, oh ! his heart leaps. They hugged the promises. Here is a promise that Avill yield glory, heaven, and happiness, and all that I stand in need of. Spiritual sight makes way for spiritual persuasion, and spiritual persuasion for holy rejoicing ; that is the order : ' In whom believing, we were filled with joy.' Faith is the immediate ground ; and that is the reason why carnal men do not feel such lively joy, they do not be- lieve it. Then it comes, too, from assurance and reflection upon their own interest, when they can challenge it as theirs, when it is made over to them. The rejoicing of faith is not only good in common, but propriety is a ground of rejoicing, and delight is nothing but a com- placency in our portion :. 1 Sam. xxx. 6, ' David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.'
3. It comes from the dispensation of God ; for when we esteem the promises and delight in them, then the Lord fills the heart with sweet- ness : Kom. XV. 13, ' The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.' The Lord rewards delight with delight. Thou shalt ' call the Sabbath thy delight' in one place, then, presently 'Thou shalt delight thyself — there is the promise. There is a delight and rejoicing that is our duty, and a delight and rejoicing that is God's dispensation. God loves to reward grace with grace. Look, as in a way of judgment he punisheth sin with sin, as when security is punished with sottish obstinacy and hardness of heart ; so it is a sweet mercy when grace is rewarded with grace, when our delight in the promises is rewarded with a sweetness and taste of the promises.
Use 1. The portion of God's children and religion is no dark gloomy thing. The people of God have hidden joys. As the sun shines many times when it rains, so, though they be under affliction, yet they have the shine of God's face, the comfort of God's promises. Let me show the excellency of the spiritual heritage above the carnal. A carnal heritage, alas ! that is a poor thing ; there is no strong consolation in it. The comforts of wicked men are poor, weak comforts, they can- not comfort us in any affliction, poor things soon overcome;, but to God's people their heritage affords strong consolation, in overcoming worldly lusts, in spoiling the relish of other pleasures, overcoming worldly care and worldly sorrow, in bearing us out in all afflictions ; nay, the strength of it is seen in overcoming the terrors of the Lord, death, hell, judgment to come, the fears and doubts of our own conscience. It will not only swallow up the sense of poverty, dis-