the joy of the just with the signs of such. A discourse tending to…the ioy of the iust vvith the signes of such. A discourse tending to…
the joy of the just with the signs of such. A discourse tending to the comfort of the dejected and afflicted; and to the trial of sincerity. Being the enlargement of a sermon preached at Black-Friars London; on Psal. 95. 11. By Thomas Gataker B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.the ioy of the iust vvith the signes of such. A discourse tending to the comfort of the deiected and afflicted; and to the triall of sinceritie. Being the enlargement of a sermon preached at Black-Friers London; on Psal. 95. 11. By Thomas Gataker B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.
Thomas Gataker 1574–1654London: printed by John Haviland for Fulke Clifton, 1623London: printed by Iohn Hauiland for Fulke Clifton, 1623
[12], 163, [1] p. · 43k words · STC 11665 · ESTC S120494
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To them it is promised: 1mThe righteous shall be glad and rejoice before God; yea they shall exceedingly rejoice: And, nThe Righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in him: and all that be upright in heart shall rejoice.
To them it is promised: 1mThe righteous shall be glad and reioyce before God; yea they shall exceedingly reioyce: And, nThe Righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in him: and all that be vpright in heart shall reioyce.
To them it shall be performed:1oThey that sow now in tears, shall reap in Joy.p The redeemed of the Lord shall return unto Zion: and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. Yea when the wicked shall mourn and howl, they shall sing merrily.
My servants shall rejoice, when you shall be abashed: my servants shall sing for joy of heart, when you shall cry out for anguish of heart, and shall howl again for vexation of spirit.
To them it shall be performed:1oThey that sow now in teares, shall reape in Ioy.p The redeemed of the Lord shall returne vnto Sion: and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads. Yea when the wicked shall mourne and howle, they shall sing merrily. qMy seruants shall reioyce, when you shall be abashed: my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart, when you shall crie out for anguish of heart, and shall howle againe for vexation of spirit.
To them it is in part made good for the present. 1rThere is a snare, or a cord, saith Solomon, in the sin of the wicked to strangle their joy with: but the righteous sing and are merry. And, sThou hast turned my mourning into dancing, saith David, thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girt me with gladness.
To them it is in part made good for the present. 1rThere is a snare, or a cord, saith Salomon, in the sin of the wicked to strangle their ioy with: but the righteous sing and are merry. And, sThou hast turned my mourning into dancing, saith Dauid, thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girt me with gladnesse.
Unto it they are exhorted. 1Rejoice in the Lord, saith the Psalmist, ye righteous, as telse-where, so *in the very next words to my Text. And, uBe glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright of heart. And, xFinally, saith the Apostle, brethren, rejoice in the Lord: And, yRejoice evermore: And again, zRejoice in the Lord always: and yet again, I say, Rejoice. Nor would the Holy Ghost thus incite to it, if there were not good ground for it.8
Vnto it they are exhorted. 1Reioyce in the Lord, saith the Psalmist, yee righteous, as telse-where, so *in the very next words to my Text. And, uBe glad in the Lord, and reioyce, yee righteous: and shout for ioy, all yee that are vpright of heart. And, xFinally, saith the Apostle, brethren, reioyce in the Lord: And, yReioyce euermore: And againe, zReioyce in the Lord alwayes: and yet againe, I say, Reioyce. Nor would the Holy Ghost thus incite to it, if there were not good ground for it.8
Now the Godly have a twofold cause to rejoice: aIn regard of what they have; and in regard of what they hope for:
Now the Godly haue a twofold cause to reioyce: aIn regard of what they haue; and in regard of what they hope for:
aEt res plena gaudio & spes. Gaudium in re; gaudiū in spe. Gaudium de possessione, gaudium de promissione. Gaudium de praesenti exhibitione; gaudium de futura expectatione, Bern. de temp. 15.Et res plena gaudio & spes. Gaudium in re; gaudiū in spe. Gaudium de possessione, gaudium de promissione. Gaudium de praesenti exhibitione; gaudium de futura expectatione, Bern. de temp. 15.
First,1 for the present: they areb freed from Gods wrath: they arec reconciled unto God; they ared at one again with him; yea they aree in special grace and favour with him.
First,1 for the present: they areb freed from Gods wrath: they arec reconciled vnto God; they ared at one againe with him; yea they aree in speciall grace and fauour with him.
First, they are freed from Gods wrath. 1Which ⟨p. 6⟩the more heavy and dreadful it is, the greater joy it must needs be for a man to be freed from it, that was before obnoxious, as we are all naturally, unto it.f The wrath of a King, saith Solomon, is as the roaring of a Lion:(g who when he roareth, who trembleth not?) andh as the messengers of death. And what is the wrath then ofi the King of Kings, the sovereign Lord, not of mens bodies only, but of their souls too, able ask he made both, sol to destroy both in hell fire, mwhere the worm never dieth, and the fire never decayeth, andn the torment consequently is never at an end? Now what greater joy can there be to a poor Prisoner, a condemned person, that lieth in hourly expectation of being drawn forth to execution, That through daily fear of death, odeath daily before he die, andp leadeth by means thereof an anxious life, little better, if notq more bitter, than death; What greater Joy, I say, can there be to such an one, than to have tidings brought him that his Pardon is procured? We read in our own Chronicles, ofr some who have been so surcharged and transported with joy thereupon, that they have even surfeited of it, (as persons that have been long famished, feeding over greedily upon good victuals, when they ⟨p. 7⟩come at first again to them) and have died with it: Their joy hath been more than they were ables to digest. And what greater joy then can there be to a poor distressed soul, especially having lien some space of time under the heavy apprehension of Gods wrath, and so having had some kind of* Hell here out of hell; than to havet the pardon of his sins sealed unto him by God, to haveu tidings hereof brought him by the Ministry of Gods word, and some “assurance of it given him by the testimony of Gods Spirit? To which purpose David having upon his experience both of the one estate and the other, pronounced them to be in a most happy andx blessed estate, that have their iniquities forgiven, and are eased of their sins; concludeth his discourse with an incitement of all such toy joy and to great joy; as none having better or greater cause than suchz to rejoice.22
First, they are freed from Gods wrath. 1Which ⟨p. 6⟩the more heauy and dreadfull it is, the greater ioy it must needs be for a man to befreed from it, that was before obnoxious, as wee are all naturally, vnto it.f The wrath of a King, saith Salomon, is as the roaring of a Lion:(g who when hee roareth, who trembleth not?) andh as the messengers of death. And what is the wrath then ofi the King of Kings, the soueraigne Lord, not of mens bodies onely, but of their soules too, able ask hee made both, sol to destroy both in hell fire, mwhere the worme neuer dieth, and the fire neuer decayeth, andn the torment consequently is neuer at an end? Now what greater ioy can there be to a poore Prisoner, a condemned person, that lieth in hourely expectation of being drawne forth to execution, That through daily feare of death, odeath daily before he die, andp leadeth by meanes thereof an anxious life, little better, if notq more bitter, than death; What greater Ioy, I say, can there be to such an one, than to haue tidings brought him that his Pardon is procured? Wee reade in our owne Chronicles, ofr some who haue beene so surcharged and transported with ioy thereupon, that they haue euen surfetted of it, (as persons that haue beene long famished, feeding ouer greedily vpon good victuals, when they
nApoc. 14. 10, 11. Ubimors sine morte, finis sine fine, defectus sine defectu: quia & mors semper vivit, & finis semper incipit, & defect desicere nescit. Greg. mor. l. 9. c. 47.Apoc. 14. 10, 11. Vbimors sine morte, finis sine fine, defectus sine defectu: quia & mors semper vivit, & finis semper incipit, & defect desicere nescit. Greg. mor. l. 9. c. 47.
It is matter of much joy then for a man to be freed from Gods wrath. But the Godly are not so only. They are not freed from Gods wrath alone, but they are received into special grace and favour with God. And ifa the favour of a King, ba mortal man, whose breath is in his nostrils, be (it is Solomons comparison) as the dew upon the grass, or the green herbs, that refresheth, and cheereth, and maketh all to thrive: What a benefit is it then to be in favour withc God, in whose favour there is life? yead whose favour is better than life? Since the Godly therefore are egirt about, as the Psalmist speaketh, with Gods ⟨p. 8⟩favour, they may well bef girt about with joy. And the assurance of it alone being better than life, may well serve sufficiently to cheer up their hearts even amidst those afflictions that are gmore bitter than death.
It is matter of much ioy then for a man to be freed from Gods wrath. But the Godly are not so only. They are not freed from Gods wrath alone, but they are receiued into speciall grace and fauour with God. And ifa the fauour of a King, ba mortall man, whose breath is in his nostrils, be (it is Solomons comparison) as the dew vpon the grasse, or the greene herbs, that refresheth, and cheereth, and maketh all to thriue: What a benefit is it then to be in fauour withc God, in whose fauour there is life? yead whose fauour is better than life? Since the Godly therefore are egirt about, as the Psalmist speaketh, with Gods ⟨p. 8⟩fauour, they may well bef girt about with ioy. And the assurance of it alone being better than life, may well serue sufficiently to cheere vp their hearts euen amids those afflictions that are gmore bitter than death.
Secondly, the righteous have just cause to rejoice, as in regard of what they have, so in regard of what they hope for and expect.* Rejoicing in hope, saith the Apostle: a second Ground of their Joy. For they live in hope and expectation ofh a Crown, ofi a Kingdom; kof an incorruptible Crown, 5ofl an everlasting Kingdom: of a most happy, a most blissful, a most blessed estate.m Hope, we say, is the very Heart of the Soul, and the very Life of a Mans Life. It is that that putteth Spirit into our Spirits, and maketh our Life to be Life. nAn hopeless Life, is an heartless Life: And he is a most forlorn man that hath no Hopes. oIt is that that is wont to support mens Souls, and not to stay them only from fainting, but to cheer up their hearts, and to fill them with joy, amidst many sore crosses and occasions of much grief. And if worldly hopes can do so much, being so vain, sop uncertain: How much more may a Christian mans hopes; (for there isq no man that liveth more by hope than he; nor hath any man better, or greater, or surer hopes than he hath:) being so great, that he cannot possibly ⟨p. 9⟩hope for so much, but he shall receive much more; and he shall find, when he cometh to it, as the Queen ofr Saba told Solomon, sthat the one half was not told him: so certain; that he is as sure of what he hopeth for, as if already he had it; (for thist hope never faileth: and uthose that God hath justified, those he hath glorified; they are as sure to be glorified, as if already they were) How more, I say, may* these hopes of the godly, being so good, so great, so sure, so certain, fill their hearts with joy amidst all occasions of grief?x Rejoice, saith our Saviour, your names are written in heaven. And ywhen men persecute you, and put out your names, and revile you, and speak all the evil that may be of you; even then rejoice ye, and be glad; for great is your reward in heaven. And,z Being justified by faith, saith the Apostle, we are at peace with God, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God: yea we rejoice in tribulations. And, wherein (that is, in the hope whereof) ye greatly rejoice, saith S. Peter, though for a season ye be in heaviness by means of manifold afflictions.
Secondly, the righteous haue iust cause to reioyce, as in regard of what they haue, so in regard of what they hope for and expect.* Reioycing in hope, saith the Apostle: a second Ground of their Ioy. For they liue in hope and expectation ofh a Crowne, ofi a Kingdome; kof an incorruptible Crowne, 5ofl an euerlasting Kingdome: of a most happie, a most blissefull, a most blessed estate.m Hope, we say, is the very Heart of the Soule, and the very Life of a Mans Life. It is that that putteth Spirit into our Spirits, and maketh our Life to be Life. nAn hopelesse Life, is an heartlesse Life: And he is a most forlorne man that hath no Hopes. oIt is that that is wont to support mens Soules, and not to stay them only from fainting, but to cheere vp their hearts, and to fill them with ioy, amids many sore crosses and occasions of much griefe. And if worldly hopes can doe so much, being so vaine, sop vncertaine: How much more may a Christian mans hopes; (for there isq no man that liueth more by hope than he; nor hath any man better, or greater, or surer hopes than hee hath:) being so great, that he cannot possibly ⟨p. 9⟩hope for so much, but hee shall receiue much more; and he shal finde, when he commeth to it, as the Queene ofr Saba told Solomon, sthat the one halfe was not told him: so certaine; that hee is as sure of what he hopeth for, as if already hee had it; (for this
m[Greek or Hebrew] Antiph. de cboret. Spes duleissima oblectamenta. Sen. ep. 23.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Antiph. de cboret. Spes duleissima oblectamenta. Sen. ep. 23.
n[Greek or Hebrew]. Miscrrimum est timere, cum speres nihil. Sen. Troad. 3. Itaque postquam adempta spes est, lassus cura confec•us animus stupet. Ter. And 2. 1.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Miscrrimum est timere, cum speres nihil. Sen. Troad. 3. Itaque postquam adempta spes est, lassus cura confec•ꝰ animus stupet. Ter. And 2. 1.
o[Greek or Hebrew]. Electra apud Nonnum d•onys. l. 7. [Greek or Hebrew]. Theophyl. ep. 24. [Greek or Hebrew]. Greg. Naz. pro pa•per. Sola spes ••minem in miserijs consolari sotet. […] Ca•il. 4. […] de Ponto 1. 7.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Electra apud Nonnum donys. l. 7. . Theophyl. ep. 24. . Greg. Naz. pro paper. Sola spes minem in miserijs consolari sotet. Cail. 4. de Ponto 1. 7.
So that if either the enjoyment of Gods present favour, 1or the assurance of future glory, may either of them alone severally, and much more both of them jointly, well and sufficiently countervail & over-weigh all matter of grief whatsoever; then it is apparent that the godly being presently possessed of the one, and as sure to have, as if they were already possessed of it, ⟨p. 10⟩the other, can never want, if they could see it, much matter of joy.
So that if either the enioyment of Gods present fauour, 1or the assurance of future glory, may either of them alone seuerally, and much more both of them ioyntly, well and sufficiently counteruaile & ouer-weigh all matter of griefe whatsoeuer; then it is apparent that the godly being presently possessed of the one, and as sure to haue, as if they were already possessed of it, ⟨p. 10⟩the other, can neuer want, if they could see it, much matter of ioy.
aLet the Saints therefore rejoice, 2saith the Psalmist. But,b Rejoice not thou, Israel, saith the Prophet Hosea, so long as thou goest a whoring from thy God. The godly may well joy, but *The wicked can have no true joy;5 the ungodly have no cause at all to rejoice.
aLet the Saints therefore reioyce, 2saith the Psalmist. But,b Reioyce not thou, Israel, saith the Prophet Hoshe, so long as thou goest a whoring from thy God. The godly may well ioy, but *The wicked can haue no true ioy;5 the vngodly haue no cause at all to reioyce.
bHosh. 10. 1. Etiansi leta tibi obveniant omnia, nō est tamen quod laeteris. Riber. ibid.Hosh. 10. 1. Etiāsi leta tibi obveniant omnia, nō est tamen quod laeteris. Riber. ibid.
*Non potest gaudere nisi sortis, justus, & temperans. Sen. ep. 59. Stulti ac mali non gaudent. Ibid.
First, the wicked can have no true Joy, because they have not Gods Spirit. For truec Joy is a fruit and an effect of the Spirit. Now where the root is not, the fruit cannot be:d there may be a root without a stock, as whene a tree is hewen down, or a bush cut up; and a stock without leaf or fruit, as in winter time; but neither fruit nor stock where the root is not. But wicked men fhave not the Spirit. Asg they are none of Christs that have it not; so none have it that are not Christs. And wanting the root therefore, they cannot have the fruit, which springing from it, cannot possibly be without it. Forh how can an effect be without the cause of it?
First, the wicked can haue no true Ioy, because they haue not Gods Spirit. For truec Ioy is a fruit and an effect of the Spirit. Now where the root is not, the fruit cannot be:d there may be a root without a stocke, as whene a tree is hewen downe, or a bush cut vp; and a stocke without leafe or fruit, as in winter time; but neither fruit nor stocke where the root is not. But wicked men fhaue not the Spirit. Asg they are none of Christs that haue it not; so none haue it that are not Christs. And wanting the root therefore, they cannot haue the fruit, which springing from it, cannot possibly be without it. Forh how can an effect be without the cause of it?
h[Greek or Hebrew]. Aristot. analyt. post. l. 2. c. 11. & r•et. l. 2. C. 22.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Aristot. analyt. post. l. 2. c. 11. & r•et. l. 2. C. 22.
Secondly,i there is no joy to the wicked; 2because there isk no peace to the wicked. For there can be no true joy, where there is no inward peace; (l Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: and,m The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace: and,n The fruit of the Spirit is joy and peace, saith the Apostle.) no sound and solid joy, where there is nothing but disquiet and distraction, nothing but terror and horror, nothing but apprehension and expectation ⟨p. 11⟩of wrath. Buto the wicked, saith Job, is like a woman that is always in travel; there is a noise of fear ever in his ear. pThey are as the raging Sea that casteth up mire and dirt, saith the Prophet Isaiah: There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. A seemingq uncertain peace they may have; but they are never safe, no where sure, seem they never so secure.r It is but,11 saith the Heathen man, like the calmness of the sea, that seemeth sometime so smooth that men may play upon it at pleasure, but if there arise but some sudden flaw or gust of wind, as there doth oft in an instant, all is turned topsy turuy, and where men were pleasantly sporting themselves a little before, there whole ships are now swallowed up. The wicked therefore having no sound or sure peace, they can have no serious or settled joy.
Secondly,i there is no ioy to the wicked; 2because there isk no peace to the wicked. For there can be no true ioy, where there is no inward peace; (l Righteousnesse, and peace, and ioy in the Holy Ghost: and,m The God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace: and,n The fruit of the Spirit is ioy and peace, saith the Apostle.) no sound and solid ioy, where there is nothing but disquiet and distraction, nothing but terror and horrour, nothing but apprehension and expectation ⟨p. 11⟩of wrath. Buto the wicked, saith Iob, is like a woman that is alwaies in trauell; there is a noise of feare euer in his eare. pThey are as the raging Sea that casteth vp mire and dirt, saith the Prophet Esay: There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. A seemingq vncertaine peace they may haue; but they are neuer safe, no where sure, seeme they neuer so secure.r It is but,11 saith the Heathen man, like the calmenes of the sea, that seemeth sometime so smooth that men may play vpon it at pleasure, but if there arise but some sudden flaw or gust of wind, as there doth oft in an instant, all is turned topsie turuy, and where men were pleasantly sporting themselues a little before, there whole ships are now swallowed vp. The wicked therefore hauing no sound or sure peace, they can haue no serious or setled ioy.
i[Greek or Hebrew]. Sept. Esai. 57. 21. Gandere non est impijs. Aug. de Civil. l. 14. c. 8 & in Psal. 96.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Sept. Esai. 57. 21. Gandere non est impijs. Aug. de Civil. l. 14. c. 8 & in Psal. 96.
pEsai. 57. 20, 21. Nihil stultitia pacatum habet. Tam superne illi metus est quàm infra: ad utrumque trepidat latus. Sequ•ntur pericula & occurrunt. Ad omnia pavida, imparata est: & ipsis terretur auxilijs. Sen. ep. 92.
qPax infida, pax incerta. Uti de Romana cum Samnitibus transactione, Liv. hist. l. 9.Pax infida, pax incerta. Vti de Romana cum Samnitibus transactione, Liv. hist. l. 9.
1574–1654
PuritansEngland
Rector of Rotherhithe; member of the Westminster Assembly.
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come at first againe to them) and haue died with it: Their joy hath beene more than they were able
to digest. And what greater ioy then can there be to a poore distressed soule, especially hauing lien some space of time vnder the heauie apprehension of Gods wrath, and so hauing had some kinde of
assurance of it giuen him by the testimonie of Gods Spirit? To which purpose Dauid hauing vpon his experience both of the one estate and the other, pronounced them to be in a most happie and
. Quotidiè moritur, morte qui assiduè pavet. Perit ante vulnus pavore, cui spiritū rapuit timor. Sen. Herc. fur. 4. Si quod ab homine timetur malum, eo perinde dū expectatur quasi venisset urgetur: & quicquid ne patiatur timet, jam metu patitur. Sen. ep. 74.
Hebr. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 31. Quotidiè moritur, morte qui assiduè pavet. Perit ante vulnus pavore, cui spiritū rapuit timor. Sen. Herc. fur. 4. Si quod ab homine timetur malum, eo perinde dū expectatur quasi venisset urgetur: & quicquid ne patiatur timet, jam metu patitur. Sen. ep. 74.
pMort mori potius quàm vitā ducere mortis. Morsq, minus poenae quàm mora (quàm metus) mortis habet. Maximin. eleg. 1. Quid enim hujus vivere est, nisi diu mori? Sen. epist. 101.Morte mori potius quàm vitā ducere mortis. Morsq, minus poenae quàm mora (quàm metꝰ) mortis habet. Maximin. eleg. 1. Quid enim hujus vivere est, nisi diu mori? Sen. epist. 101.
qInsidias semel subire satius est quam cavere semper. Jul. Caesar. Sueton. c. 86. Incidi semel est satius quàm semper premi. Nem• tam timidus est, ut malit semper pendere quàm semel cadere. Sen. epist. 22. Graevius est aliquem spem raortis expectare, quàm tormentorum crudelia sustinere. Cassiod. epist. var. 7. 6.Insidias semel subire satius est quam cavere semper. Iul. Caesar. Sueton. c. 86. Incidi semel est satius quàm semper premi. Nem• tam timidus est, ut malit semper pendere quàm semel cadere. Sen. epist. 22. Graevius est aliquem spem raortis expectare, quàm tormentorum crudelia sustinere. Cassiod. epist. var. 7. 6.
rViscount Lisle in Hen. 8. Francisc. Landav•in Annal. l.1. & Holinsh. in Hen. 8. an. 34.Vicount Lisle in Hen. 8. Francisc. Landav•in Annal. l.1. & Holinsh. in Hen. 8. an. 34.
sQuomodo de Tantalo Pindar. Olymp. 1. [Greek or Hebrew].Quomodo de Tantalo Pindar. Olymp. 1. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
*Quomodo Bern. ad illud Psal. 55. 15. Descendam in infernum viventes. Descendant viventes, ut non descendant morientes. Ad fratr. de mont. Dei. Sed & Anselm, in deplor. & Gers. super Magnis. 9.
when men persecute you, and put out your names, and reuile you, and speake all the euill that may be of you; euen then reioyce yee, and be glad; for great is your reward in heauen. And,
Being iustified by faith, saith the Apostle, wee are at peace with God, and we reioyce in hope of the glory of God: yea we reioyce in tribulations. And, wherein (that is, in the hope whereof) yee greatly reioyce, saith S. Peter, though for a season yee be in heauinesse by meanes of manifold afflictions.
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pSpes incerti boni nomen est. Sen. epist. 10. Fallitur augurio […] bona saepe suo• Ovid. epist. 16. Multa quidem praeter spem scio multis bona evenness. •t ego […] spem decepisse multos. Plaut. Rud. 2. 3.Spes incerti boni nomen est. Sen. epist. 10. Fallitur augurio 〈…〉 bona saepe suo• Ovid. epist. 16. Multa quidem praeter spem scio multis bona even•sse. •t ego 〈…〉 spem decepisse multos. Plaut. Rud. 2. 3.
rNoli huic tranquillitati consider. Momento temporis mare evertitur; & eadem die ubi luserunt, sorbentur navigia. Sen. epist. 4.Noli huic tranquillitati confidere. Momento temporis mare evertitur; & eadem die ubi luserunt, sorbentur navigia. Sen. epist. 4.
