(2.) In their own glorified estate : 1 Peter iv. 13, ' Rejoice inas- much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.' So Jude :
456 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SSR. XIIL
1 Now unto him that is able to keep )rou from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy.' The fulness of our joy is suspended till then, that we may long much for that day. It will be a glad day to all faithful ones. Joy is quies animi in bono adepto ; there is an aggregation of all good for soul and body. If the hope of this blessed estate breedeth joy, what will enjoy- ment, what will fruition do ? If a glimpse or taste be so sweet, what; will the full enjoyment be ? Kom. v. 2, In deep troubles, yet ' we rejoice in hope of the glory of God ;' 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom having not seen ye love ; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' Their hearts are now and then filled with such a joy as they can hardly contain and keep within doors, when they have but a well-grounded hope, or assurance of the full possession of it.
(3.) In the company of the blessed. It is comfortable to meet with the saints of God now, though it be but in a mourning duty ; but the communion of saints there is quite another thing ; they are our ever- lasting companions ; they are free from all sin and weakness, Heb. xii. 23. Especially it will be a delight to them whom we have been a means to bring home to God : 1 Thes. ii. 19, 20, ' For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye, in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? for ye are our glory and joy ;' and Phil. ii. 16, ' That I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not laboured in vain, nor run in vain/ The glory that shall be put upon gracious souls at the day of judgment will add to the glory and joy of those faithful ministers by whose labours they have been gained to God.
[2.] It is called the 'joy of the Lord ;' that is, either provided by him — called 'my joy,' by Christ, John xv. 11; this by way of pur- chase, allowance, and gift, dignified as one of those whom the Lord delighteth to honour, Esther vi. 6 — or such as he himself possesseth. Jesus Christ himself had his 'joy set before him,' Heb. xii. 2, that happy and glorious estate that happened upon his sufferings : to this he inviteth us, into his own joy. Men are not wont to treat their servants so as to let them enter into their joy : Luke xvii. 7, ' Which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go, and sit down to meat?' No ; but, Make ready. But Christ, Luke xii. 37, ' will make them sit down to meat, and he will come forth and serve them.' In the civil law, Accubitus servi a domino invitati, it was a token of manumis- sion. Now Christ will bring us into his joy, Luke xxii. 30, ' That ye may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel;' John xvii. 24, 'Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me may be where I am, and behold my glory;' Rom. viii. 17, 'If we suffer with him, we may also be glorified together ;' 2 Tim. ii. 12, ' If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him.' We are sharers in all the happiness that he enjoyeth, and are partakers of the same glory, and the same kingdom, and the same joy.
[3.] We enter into it. It is a Hebraism such as that, Ps. lxix. 27, ' Let them not come into thy righteousness ;' that is, be partakers of
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it. So Ps. lix. 11, 'Not enter into my rest;' that is, partake of it. So the servant entereth into his Lord's joy, id possessor sit gaudii, non tantum spectator. However, it notetli the highest and fullest participation ; they enter into the blessed state of eternal joy, and it abideth for ever with them, in a full, constant, uninterrupted joy. We shall have as much as we can hold, and we shall hold more than now we do.
Use 1. It inforraeth us that it is good to be Christ's servants, and to be faithful in his work. See how ready the Lord is to reward our little sorry service. Come and receive the fruit of my bounty, and the reward of your fidelity. Who would not serve such a master ?
2. Consider it, this doth make up all the shame and disgrace that can be in our trials. We have enough in hand for all the pains and shame that we suffer for his service ; the inward peace that we have, and the sense of his approbation : but our great reward, when we and he meet together, should strike all discouragements dead, and be enough to allay all the sorrows of this life, and the censures of men.