17. Such is the ground and the nature of that joy, whereby an adult Christian rejoiceth evermore. And from all this we may easily infer, first, That this is not a _natural_ joy. It does not arise from any natural cause: not from any sudden flow of spirits. This may give a transient start of joy. But the Christian _rejoiceth always_. It cannot be owing to bodily health or ease; to strength and soundness of constitution. For it is equally strong in sickness and pain; yea perhaps far stronger than before. Many Christians have never experienced any joy, to be compared with that which then filled their soul, when the body was well nigh worn out with pain, or consumed away with pining sickness. Least of all can it be ascribed to outward prosperity, to the favour of men, or plenty of worldly goods. For then chiefly, when their faith has been tried as with fire, by all manner of outward afflictions, have the children of God rejoiced in him, _whom unseen they loved_, even _with joy unspeakable_. And never surely did men rejoice like those, who were used as _the filth and off-scouring of the world_; who wandered to and fro, being in want of all things; in hunger, in cold, in nakedness: who _had trials_, not only _of cruel mockings_, but _moreover of bonds and imprisonments_: Yea, who at last _counted not their lives dear unto themselves, so_ they _might finish their course with joy_.
18. * From the preceding considerations, we may, secondly, infer, That the joy of a Christian does not arise from any _blindness of conscience_, from his not being able to discern good from evil. So far from it, that he was an utter stranger to this joy, till the eyes of his understanding were opened! That he knew it not, until he had spiritual senses, fitted to discern spiritual good and evil. And now the eye of his soul waxeth not dim. He was never so sharp-sighted before. He has so quick a perception of the smallest things, as is quite amazing to the natural man. As a mote is visible in the sun-beam, so to him who is walking in the light, in the beams of the uncreated Sun, every mote of sin is visible. Nor does he close the eyes of his conscience any more. That sleep is departed from him. His soul is always broad awake: no more slumber or folding of the hands to rest! He is always standing on the tower, and hearkning what his Lord will say concerning him: and always rejoicing in this very thing, in _seeing him that is invisible_.
19. * Neither does the joy of a Christian arise, thirdly, from any _dulness_ or _callousness of conscience_. A kind of joy, it is true, may arise from this, in those whose _foolish hearts are darkened_; whose heart is callous, unfeeling, dull of sense; and consequently, without spiritual understanding. Because of their senseless, unfeeling hearts, they may rejoice even in committing sin: And this they may probably call _liberty_! which is indeed mere drunkenness of soul: a fatal numbness of spirit, the stupid insensibility of a seared conscience. On the contrary, a Christian has the most exquisite sensibility; such as he could not have conceived before. He never had such a tenderness of conscience as he has had, since the love of God has reigned in his heart. And this also is his glory and joy; that God hath heard his daily prayer.
“O that my tender soul might fly The first, abhorr’d approach of ill: Quick, as the apple of an eye The slightest touch of sin to feel.”
20. To conclude. Christian joy, is joy in obedience: joy in loving God and keeping his commandments. And yet not in keeping them, as if we were thereby to fulfil the terms of the _covenant of works_; as if by any works or righteousness of ours, we were to _procure_ pardon and acceptance with God. Not so: we are already pardoned and accepted, through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus――Not as if we were by our own obedience to _procure_ life, life from the death of sin. This also we have already through the grace of God. _Us hath he quickened, who were dead in sin._ And now we are _alive to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord_. But we rejoice in walking, according to the _covenant_ of _grace_, in holy love and happy obedience. We rejoice in knowing, That _being justified through his grace_, we have _not received that grace of God in vain_; That God having freely (not for the sake of our willing or running, but through the blood of the Lamb) reconciled us to himself, we run in the strength which he hath given us, the way of his commandments. He hath _girded us with strength unto the war_, and we gladly _fight the good fight of faith_. We rejoice, through him who liveth in our hearts by faith, to _lay hold of eternal life_. This is our rejoicing: that as our _father worketh hitherto_, so (not by our own might or wisdom, but through the power of his Spirit freely given in Christ Jesus) we also work the works of God. And may he work in us, whatsoever is well-pleasing in his sight! To whom be the praise for ever and ever!