with their friends, rejoice before God^ Thus the Christian brings his temporal comforts into the divine presence, that he may enjoy God both in and with them. By rehgion, all his joys are greatly enhanced; nor does he ever enjoy his food or his friends or any blessing in life so much, as when he is led to God by them, and glorifies his God in them. But the most delightful seasons are those wherein he can go to his God in secret, and pour out his soul before him. One hour spent in communion with his Lord is more to him than a whole life of carnal joy : it is a feast of fat things, an antepast of heaven.]
2. An exalted joy —
[The Christian's joy is compared to that of a successful husbandman, and a victorious warrior. In every age, the in-gathering of the harvest has been an occasion of joy^: the seizing also of the spoil from a vanquished enemy has ever been considered as a ground of triumph. There is indeed on both these occasions too much of what is merely carnal : still however the spirits of the people are raised far beyond their usual pitch. In this respect the Christian's joy resem- bles theirs. When he begins to see the fruit of his painful labours and his dubious conflicts, he cannot but rejoice that he has not laboured in vain, or fought in vain. Yes, his soul is joyful in his God, and " he rejoices with a joy that is unspeak- able and glorified."]
To this the Gospel contributes, by crowning its converts with, III. Victory —
As natural men are blind, so are they also under sore bondage —
[The Egyptian or Babylonish yoke was light in comparison of that which Satan has imposed on all the human race. He holds them fast in his chains, and " leads them captive at his will" ]
But through the Gospel they are effectually deli- vered from it —
[When the Jewish nation was oppressed by the Midi- anites, God raised up Gideon to effect its deliverance. But how was the deliverance wrought? by arms ? No : God would not suffer him to employ the army he had raised, but first released all of them except ten thousand, and then dismissed all of those except three hundred. And how were those three hundred armed? with sword and spear? No : but with earthen pitchers, and lamps, and trumpets : and with this little army so
f Deut. xvi. 9 — 15. s Isai. xvi. 9, 10.