VeE. 13.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 359
. Use 4. Eeproof to two sorts : —
1. To tliose that are always sad. Christians do not live up to that care and provision which Christ hath made for them. In scripture it is, 'Rejoice evermore,' 1 Thes. v. 16. And they live as if God had said. Weep evermore. It is verily a fault, however disguised ; in some it deserveth pity ; in others chiding and rebuke. In some pity, that are under penal disturbance ; when God putteth any into the stocks of conscience, they cannot come out at pleasure ; these are irresistible chains ; a poor creature lieth bound till God saith, Go forth. Those chains of darkness in which the devils are held are their own everlast- ing horrors. It is God's prerogative, ' to create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace/ Isa. Ivii. 19. Joy is his immediate dispensation. We wonder, considering the comforts of the gospel, that there should be any such thing as trouble of conscience, because we know not what it is to lie under God's mighty hand, to be cast into the prison, shall I say, or the hell of our consciences. Alas ! poor creatures ! We can- not break prison when we will. It is easy for those that stand upon the shore to say to those that are tossed upon the waves, Sail thus. They are tugging for life, the cause is beyond our direction and their choice. But these persons are to be pitied, yet counselled. Besides God's power, we mingle much of our own obstinacy and peevishness, as Eachel would not be comforted, Jer. xxxi. 15. We are to invite them to Christ, and they are bound to hearken. Their present duty is to come for ease : Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' That is the only gracious issue of soul-troubles ; as Christ cried, ' My God,' on the cross, they are not exempted from believing. But others are to be chidden. It is a sad thing that christians should not have the wisdom to make use of their own felicity. We often hug a distemper instead of a duty, as if God were better pleased with dolorous impressions : Lam. iii. 33, ' He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.' Not with his heart, so it is in the Hebrew. It argueth ill thoughts of God. Baal's priests gashed themselves to please their idols ; but God delighteth in the prosperity of his saints. Men think there is more of merit and satisfaction in what is afflictive ; it is a kind of revenge they take upon themselves. God hath required sorrow to mortify sin, but not to satisfy justice ; he would have us triumph in Christ whilst we groan under the body of death. Oh ! consider, sour- ness is a dishonour to God, a discredit to your profession, a disadvan- tage to yourselves, a grief to the Spirit, because you resist his work as a comforter. Besides, there is much of ingratitude in it ; complaints and murmurings deface the beauty of his mercies. As a snail leaveth a frothy slaver upon the fairest flowers, so do unthankful christians leave their own slaver upon the rich mercies of God vouchsafed to them in Christ ; when they are always complaining, and never rejoicing in God, they leave the slaver of their murmurings upon them, as if all were nothing. If a king advance a man, and he always is sad before him, he is angry : Neh. ii. 3, ' Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick ? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was sore afraid.' Because men are prejudiced against godly joy, let me tell you it is a fruit of the Spirit : Gal. v. 22, ' The fruit of the
3G0 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXI.
Spirit is love, joy,' &c. In the garden of Christ there groweth other fruit besides crabs. It is a great privilege of Christ's spiritual king- dom : Rom. xiv. 17, ' The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' It is a help in the spiritual life: Neh. viii. 10, ' The joy of the Lord is your strength.' It is as wings to the bird, that makes you fly higher ; a sad christian hath lost his wings.
Well, then, consider these things. Besides your unfitness hereby for your duty, the uncheerfulness of professors darkeneththe ways of God, and brings a scandal upon Christ's sjiiritual kingdom. What cause have you to be always sad ? It must be either your afflictions or your sins. For afflictions, if 3'our eyes were opened, and eartlily affections mortified, you would see no cause of grief. It can never be so ill with a christian but he hath matter of rejoicing. Nothing can deprive you of God, of your interest in Christ : Job xv. 11, ' Are the consolations of God small,' that they cannot counterbalance worldly afflictions ? Your discontent cannot be greater than your grounds of comfort. It is true nature will work ; afflictions are bitter in the root, but the fruit is sweet to a spiritual palate : Heb. xii. 11, ' No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous ;' it doth but seem bitter, carnal sense is not a fit judge. But then for your sins. I con- fess, joy is proper to God's children, behaving themselves as children ; but what shall we do when we have sinned ? I answer — There is a time to mourn, and this is the season of it : ' If her father had spit in lier face, should she not be ashamed seven days ? ' Num. xii. 14. It is good to be sensible of the displeasure of a father. Ay ! but in this heaviness there should be a mixture of joy. Though there be a time to mourn, yet ' Rejoice evermore.' Great heaviness, without a mixture of joy, is sinful. In this sense we should not mourn without hope. We have to do with a God that is not implacable ; he mixetli love with his frowns : ' In the midst of judgment he remembereth mercy ;' and therefore we should mix joy with our sorrows : Jer. iii. 14, ' Turn, O backsliding Israel, for I am married to you.' God doth not forget his relation to us, and so should not we. Come again, and I will make up all breaches between you and me. A believer may fall grievously, but not finally. He doth not fall so but that God takes hold of him ; and we should learn to take hold of God. Labour to recover your former condition, that you may freely rejoice again ; by this means love is renewed and strengthened.