1 Pet. i. 8, 9. Whom having not seen, ye love ; in whom, though noiv ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeah- able and full of glory : receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
THE world often wonder that Christians do not conform to the vices of the agen: and are yet more
a 1 Pet. iv. 4.
2382. J THE CHRISTIAN'S HAPriNESS. 145
surprised, that any should be willing to suffer for the sake of their religion. But every Christian is ac- tuated by a principle of love to Christ ; which prin- ciple even gathers strength from the opposition it meets with. The Apostle is writing to those who were in heaviness through manifold temptations. He declares, however, that their trials were promoting their eternal good ; and that they were supported under them by their attachment to their adorable Redeemer.
In his words we may see,
I. The state of true Christians —
Christians cannot be distinguished better by any thing, than by their regard to their Divine Master :
1. They love Christ —
[Once, like the ungodly around them, they were enemies to Christ and his cross15: they " saw no beauty in him, for which he was to be desired0." But now he is truly precious to their souls d: and they claim him as their best friend and
portion e. This is the character of every true Christian f
If any answer not to this character, they are, and must be, accursed g.]
2. They rejoice in Christ —
[They have a good hope, if not a full assurance, of an in- terest in him. They have access to him in their secret duties. They receive strengthening and refreshing communications from him. They rejoice in him, as their faithful and almighty Friend'1. Their joy in him is " incapable of being fully de- clared'." It is a " glorified" joy, such as the saints in heaven possess k. Every Christian indeed does not experience the same measure of joy ; nor is any one at all times alike joyful : but no one is a Christian, who does not esteem the light of the Redeemer's countenance above every other good1.]
That their felicity may be more generally expe- rienced, we proceed to state, II. The means by which they attain it —
[Many suppose, that if they could have a personal inter- view with Christ, such as Paul was favoured with, they should
b Phil. iii. 19. c Isai, liii. 2. <* 1 Pet. ii. 7.
e Cant v. 16. f Eph. vi. 24. s 1 Cor. xvi. 22.
h Phil. iv. 4. • oj'£K\a\»/rw, k SeSo^acrfxei'Tj.
1 Ps. iv. 6. and lxxiii. 25.