(2.) It is most pleasing to God, the life that he is best pleased withal God, that loveth a cheerful giver, loveth a cheerful sufierer, a cheerful practiser of godliness. Men love a thing done cheerfully, because it
486 SERMONS UPON I THESSALONIANS V. 16.
betokeneth love in tlie party that doeth it. Surely this rejoicing ever- more is very pleasing to God, because he doth so often call for it : Ps. xxxvii. 4, 'Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart ; ' Phil. iv. 4, ' Eejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Eejoice ; ' Ps. Ixviii. 3, ' Let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice before God ; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice ; ' and in many other places. Surely that which God calleth for so often and so earnestly should be more cared for by a christian. Be sure of this, that a cheerful spirit is more pleasing to God than a troubled, discon- tented spirit. When Isaac longed for savoury meat, such as his soul delighted in, a profane Esau taketh his bow to get it for him. When God hath told us how much this is pleasing to him, should we not make more conscience of it ?
Thirdly, I must direct you how to perform this great and necessary duty.
1. Be prepared for it. The precept belongeth to the renewed and reconciled : Ps. xxxi. 1, ' Eejoice in the Lord, ye righteous ; for praise is comely for the upright.' Delight is not forced by arguments, but drawn forth by inclination ; therefore till we have a nature and heart suited to it, we shall never perform it. Canticicm novum, et vetus homo male concordant — The new song and the old man do not well agree. Well, then, be prepared. It is easy to rejoice after a natural and worldly manner, but not easy to rejoice in the Lord. We are never prepared till our state be altered, heart altered, and life altered.
[1.] Our state must be altered. For naturally we are children of wrath, condemned by the sentence of the law, and under the curse ; ind doth it become condemned men to rejoice, and go to their execu- tion dancing ? No ; you must take hold of another covenant, the hope that is set before you, and then you provide matter of joy, yea, of * strong consolation,' Heb. vi. 18. By taking sanctuary at the Lord's grace, the heirs of promise have strong consolation. When the eunuch was solemnly admitted into God's covenant by baptism, ' He went on his way rejoicing,' Acts viii. 39. By repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we enter into the new covenant, and that is a state of peace, life, and joy. In the new covenant God offers himself to be your reconciled Father, Christ your Saviour, and the Holy Ghost your sanctifier ; are you willing to consent to this ? And then, why should not you rejoice in the Lord ? for you have enough in God.
[2.] Our hearts must be altered ; for every man's relish and com- placency is according to the temper and constitution of his soul : Eom. viii. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.' Know his complacency, what it is that a man is pleased with most, and you know the man. An old corrupted heart and mind cannot delight itself in God : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' But those that have a divine nature put into them cannot satisfy themselves in the world : 2 Peter i. 4, * Ye may be partakers of the divine nature, hav- ing escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.' They
SERMONS rPOX I THESSALONIANS V. 16. 487
can easily spare the pleasures of tlie flesh, and leave these husks for s\vine to feed on. A change of heart inferreth a change of delights and pleasures ; for the new heart is nothing else but new desires and delights ; when vou have a new understanding and a new heart, then you will discern and relish spiritual things.
[3.] The life must be altered. For holy walking and fruitfulness in obedience raiseth the greatest joy : John xv. 10, 11, ' If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have
1 spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full ;' Acts ix. 31, ' Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.' The godly life is the only sweet life :
2 Cor. i. 12, "For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world.' If you will but learn what it is to live in the love of God, and the belief and hope of life eternal, and in universal obedience to the laws of Christ, you will soon see what it is to live in a state of joy and comfort. If you fall into great and wounding sins, no wonder if your rejoicing in God be disturbed. Surely a tender heart cannot make light of sin, but it will cost them broken bones and broken hearts.