2. In what manner he M'ould have it received, TreTrXrjpcofjbevrjv, ' ful- filled in them.' The joy is full because the object is infinite ; we can desire nothing beyond him. Desire answereth to motion, joy to rest ; when we can go no further, there we rest. What can we desire beyond God? Acts xiii. 52, ' The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost ;' their hearts could hold no more. Narrow vessels are soon filled with the ocean. It is a full joy, not in itself, but with respect to worldly joy. Worldly joy is scanty, unstable, and vanish- ing ; it cannot satisfy nor secure the heart. Take away the creatures from the worldling and you take away his joy ; the object lieth with- out him. But, John xvi. 22, ' Your joy shall no man take from you ;' they cannot plunder you of peace of conscience and joy in the Ploly Ghost. This ravisheth the heart: 1 Peter i. 8, 'Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory ;' Phil. iv. 7, ' The peace of God, that passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.' It is better felt than expressed ; a creature worketh it not, but a divine operation. Paul heard in heaven, apprjra prj/xara, ' unspeak- able words.' So this, being a foretaste of heaven, cannot be conceived and expressed ; you cannot imagine how sweet it is, and still it increaseth till we come to heaven, and lose ourselves in these eternal ravishments.
3. It is inward for the quality of it, ivJavToU, it is wrought in the midst of afflictions; there is sweetness within when bitterness round about us ; like the wood that was thrown in at Marah, it maketli bitter waters sweet, Exod. xv. 25. Saints are fed witli hidden manna, Kev. ii. 17. Their life is hid and their joy is hidden : 1 Peter i. G, ' Wherein ye greatly rejoice ; though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.' Without there are perse- cutions, temptations, afflictions from Satan and the world, and within joy ; they have meat and drink which the world knoweth not of; the world seetli it not, and therefore the world will not believe it.
Secondly, How much Christ's heart is set upon it. It appears by the provision he made for them ; when he departed he left the Com- forter : John xiv. 19, ' I will not leave you comfortless ; I will come unto you ;' John xv. 11, ' These things have I spoken to you, that my joy might remain in ^'ou, and that your joy may be full.' He doth not
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XYU. 355
say, that my authority may remain over you, but my joy ; and if we would make Christ's heart glad, or our own, we must obey his com- mandments ; for when he enjoineth obedience to his disciples, it is that he may rejoice in our J comfort. In his instructions he teacheth them how to pray: John xvi. 24, ' Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full ;' and now he prayeth himself, ' That they have my joy fulfilled in themselves.' Christ maketh this to be his main work and aim, that in this life we might have peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost, and in the life to come joy for evermore. Now lest ye should think this was only for the twelve apostles, you shall see it was the end of the whole word. The scriptures were written, Eom. xv. 4, * That we through patience and comfort of them might have hope.' The whole ministry of the church serveth to the fulfilling of this joy. Thirdly, Eeasons why Christ was so solicitous about this matter.
1. Because of the great use of it in the spiritual life, to make us to do and to suffer : Neh. viii. 10, ' The joy of the Lord is your strength.' This is as oil to the wheels. It is a question which is most useful, godly joy or godly sorrow : sorrow maketh us serious, joy active. But why should I divide what Grod hath joined ? Gaudium ineffahile cum suspiriis encwrahilihus. Both are wrought by the same Spirit ; he is a comforter, and he descended in the form of a mourning dove. But certainly joy doth more quicken us in well-doing ; it rendereth the functions of body and mind free and vigorous, that we may walk with alacrity and good conscience. The joy that we press you to is not a wantonness by which we cast away all care and labour, and give ourselves up to ease and lusts, as those do that make their life to be nothing else but a recreation ; but such a joy as maketh us go about our duties and callings with comfort. This is sweet, when a man, out of the refreshings of the Spirit, can go about the business which God hath given him to do with delight : Acts xx. 24, ' Neither count I my life dear to me, so I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.' As the eunuch ' went his way rejoicing,'. Acts viii. 39. Not like slow asses that go by compulsion, but like generous horses, that delight in their strength and swiftness ; to take pleasure in pray- ing, in hearing, in suffering, in doing good, in following the duties of our calling. Most men count sorrow to be a virtue, land joy to be an indecent presumption. When men are sluggish, carnal, careless, that they may flow in worldly delights, this is naught.