Why should they labour to be in that state ?
Heason 1. Among many reasons, one is, that God that gives them STich matter of joy, may have glory from them. For what should the life of a Christian be, that is freed from the greatest ill, and advanced to the greatest good ? His life should be a perpetual thanksgiving to God ; and how can a man be thankful that is not joyful ? Joy is, as it were, the oil, the anointing. It makes a man cheerful, it makes the countenance of his soul to be cheerful.
Ileason 2. It makes him active in good, when he is anointed with the oil of gladness. Now every man should have a desire to be good, to be dili- gent and expedite* in all that is good. Therefore we should labour for this spiritual anointing, that we may be ready for every good work, ' Vessels of mercy prepared for every good work,' Rom. ix. 23.
Eeason 3. And then for suflering, we have many things to go through in this world. How shall a man suffer those things that are between him and heaven, with joy, unless he labour to bring himself to this temper of joy ? , Reason 4. And then for others, every man should labour to encourage others. We are aU fellow-passengers in the way to heaven. Therefore even to bring on others more cheerfully, we ought to labour to be in a state of joy. Those that do not rejoice, they bring an ill report upon the way of God, as if it were a desolate, disconsolate way. As the spies brought an ill report upon the land of Canaan, whereupon the people were dis- heartened from entering into it ; so those that labour not to bring their hearts to spiritual joy, they bring an ill report on the w^ays of God, and dishearten others from entering into those ways. Which way soever we look, we have reasons to encourage us to joy, that God may have more glory, and that we may do him more service ; that we may endure afHic- ■* That is, ' active.' — G.
508 COMMENTARY ON
tions bettor, find ononnrago others, and take away the reproach of religion from tliose that thiidi it a melancholy course of life ; which indeed do not understand what belongs to the state of a Christian, for the state of a Chris- tian is a state of joy.
And if a Christian do not joy, it is not because ho is a Christian, but * because ho is not a Christian enough, because he favours the worse principle in him, he favours himself in some work of the flesh.
God in the covenant of grace is all love and mercy. Ho would have uf? in our pilgrimage to heaven to ' finish our course with joy,' Acts xx. 24 ; and ho knows we can do nothing except we have some joy. It is the oil of the soul, as I said, to make it nimble and fit for all actions, and for all sull'crings. It gives a lustre and grace to whatsoever we do. Not only God loves a cheerful performer of duties, but it wins acceptance of all others, and makes the worker himself wondrous ready for any action. This I mention only as a ground. A Christian that hath given his name to Christ, is either in a state of jo}', or else should laboiu' for it.
The second, which is the main, is that —
Doct. 2. The ivonl of God, as it is unfolded, is that that helps this jnjj.
' We are helpers of your joy,' we ministers. St Paul spake of himself as a minister. The word of God is a helper of joy, especially as it is un- folded, considered as it is dispensed in the ministry. You know the word of God it is called 'the word of reconciliation,' 2 Cor. v. 18, because it doth unfold the covenant between God and us. It is called ' the word of the kingdom,' the ' word of life,' &c., which all are causes of joy ; therefore the word breeds joy, Ps. xix. One commendation of the statutes of God is, that ' they comfort the heart,' Ps. xix. 8, and refresh the heart. He follows the commendation of the word at large, ' The statutes of God are perfect, converting the soul ; the testimonies of God are sure, making wise the simple,' Ps. xix. 7, 8, 9. And among the rest of the commenda- tions, as a commendation issuing from the rest, ' The statutes of God are right, rejoicing the heart.' The word of God is a cordial, especially to refresh and solace the heart.
St Paul, Kom. xv. 4, makes it the scope of the word : ' Whatsoever was written aforetime, was written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope,' So likewise, ' He that prophesieth speaketh to men to edification, to exhortation, and to comfort,' 1 Cor. xiv. 3, 4. ' He that prophesieth,' that unfoldeth the word, ' he speaketh to men to edification, to exhortation, and to com- fort.' So the end of the word, and the end of prophesying, the ministry of the word, is to help our joy, our comfort, to support us against all ills either felt or feared, by greater arguments than the ill is. For that is to comfort and rejoice, to make any to joy. It is to support the soul against all grievance, either spiritual or outward, either felt or feared, and that from stronger arguments than the grievances are. If they be equally poised, it is no comfort ; if the comfort be inferior, it is no comfort.