II. How this must be constant and perpetual, ' Kejoice evermore.'
1. In all estates and conditions ; this joy must not be infringed. God's children have or may have cause of rejoicing in God, whatever their outward condition be ; and therefore they should make conscience of it, whether their affairs be adverse or prosperous.
[1.] A state of worldly sorrow and affliction is reconcilable and agree- able enough, or consistent with our rejoicing in the Lord. The scrip- tures abound in the proof of this : 2 Cor. vi. 10, ' As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing ; ' 1 Peter i. 6, ' Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temp- tations ; ' 2 Cor. vii. 4, ' I am filled with comfort, and am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations. So David : Ps. xciv. 19, ' In the multi- tude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul' Paul and Silas sung in the dungeon at midnight : Acts xvi. 25, ' At mid-
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night Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God.' Tribulation disturbeth not the harmony of a well-composed mind. The reason is, because there is more matter of delight in God than can be taken from him in the creature : John xvi. 22, ' Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.' Whatever falleth out, God's all- suf3S.ciency and heaven's happiness are everlasting grounds of rejoicing. (1.) God's all-sufficiency : Hab. iii. 18, ' Yet I will rejoice in the Lord ; I will joy in the God of my salvation.' Your right and interest in God is not made void by the blasting of the creature. So (2.) Hopes of glory remain unshaken : Mat. v. 12, ' Eejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.' Though the world be bent against us with all manner of spite and hatred, yet there is more cause of joy than sorrow. There cannot be more evil in our sufferings than there is good in God and happiness in heaven.
[2.] A state of sorrow and affliction is not only consistent with this holy rejoicing, but doth much promote it ; partly as afflictions conduce to refine, and purge the soul from the dregs of sense, and make it capable of the comforts of the Spirit: Jude 39, 'Sensual, having not the Spirit.' Till our taste be clarified from the feculency and dregs of sense, we cannot relish spiritual comforts, nor know their worth and value. Whilst we flow in worldly comforts, the carnal gust and taste is too strong upon us, and so we have mean thoughts of God's consolations. They do best relish with the afflicted, as cordials are for the fainting, not for those whose stomachs are full of phlegm and filth. Partly as they occasion greater experiences of God : 2 Cor. xii. 10, ' Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.' So Eom. v. 3-5, ' And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh pa- tience, and patience experience, and experience hope : and hope maketli not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.' Partly as they are sanctified, and increase grace ; and an increase of grace will bring with it an increase of comfort : Heb. xii. 11, ' Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous ; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.' Now from all these considerations, though afflictions may a little damp it, yet they do not extinguish it.
2. We must rejoice evermore, because it is not a duty to be done now and then, or which doth only belong to some eminent christians, that are assured of God's love ; but from our first acquaintance with Christ till the last period of our lives it is of use to us.
[1.] Some act of joy our first entrance into Christianity is begun with, before our interest is well settled and cleared. There are general grounds of rejoicing which oblige all ; as that there is a good God, and poor drooping spirits should apply themselves to him who hath comforts for his mourners : Isa. Ivii. 15, ' For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy ; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the hunible, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' That there is a merciful and ablf 'Saviour
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