It is our fault, if we suffer Satan with light temptations, ordinarily to interrupt our spiritual mirth, or to detain us in dumps and pensiveness. Did we but carefully maintain our ⟨p. 232⟩faith, it would do away all d stu•bance which is within us against our selves, and tame the rebellion of lust against the spirit of the mind renewed; it would secure us against the power of enemies inward or outward, that they should not be able to hurt us, much less to prevail against us, and repress or vanquish all perturbations, which spiritual wickednesses, unbelief, want of godly contentation, defects in our condition, might occasion: it would expel unquietness, keep under passions, allay fears and griefs, and calm the boisterous storms of discontent. Let us keep our faith, and it will keep our Joy: It will keep it an even ever-flowing current, without ebb & flow, clouds and eclipses: let us increase our faith, it will increase our joy. But to what measure of Joy may a grown Christian attain,1 if he be careful to preserve and stir up his faith? It is a small thing for him to come to an ordinary pitch of cheerfulness, except his joy exceeds the mirth of a worldling in the quality and quantity of it. If his mirth be not a sweeter and more ravishing mirth, of an higher kind, of a more pure nature, of a most constant tenure, then any carnal mans what-ever, he disparages faith. The Christians joy,2 is joy unspeakable and glorious, joy in the Holy Ghost, another manner of Joy then ever entered into the heart of a natural man. So is that text to be construed,3 eye hath not seen, &c. not chiefly of the joys of Heaven, which here the spiritual man himself cannot tell what they shall be, but of the Gospels joy,4 of the wine and fatlings already prepared, and now revealed to the Believer by the Spirit: which if the carnal man scorn and scoff at, it is because he cannot comprehend it. It is a more pure and constant joy, which needs not the support of earthly delights: his joy is within, he joys in the favour of God, which is unchangeable. It beseems not a Christian to be merry in one estate, dumpish in another, as if their joy depended upon their outward condition. No, no, the favour of ⟨p. 233⟩God alone is sufficient to uphold a good mans joy.5 Your joy no man taketh from you, We glory in tribulations also:
It is our fault, if we suffer Satan with light temptations, ordinarily to interrupt our spirituall mirth, or to detaine vs in dumps and pensiuenesse. Did wee but carefully maintaine our ⟨p. 232⟩faith, it would doe away all d stu•bance which is within vs ag•inst our selues, and tame the rebellion of lust against the spirit of the minde renewed; it would secure vs against the power of enemies inward or outward, that they should not be able to hurt vs, much lesse to preuaile agai•st vs, and represse or vanquish all perturbations, which spirituall wickednesses, vnbeliefe, want of godly contenta•ion, defects in our condition, might occasion: it would expell vnquietnesse, keepe vnder passions, allay fe•res and griefes, and calme the boisterous stormes of discontent. Let vs keepe our faith, and it will keepe our Ioy: It will keepe it an euen euer-flowing current, without ebbe & flow, cloudes and eclipses: let vs increase our faith, it will increase our ioy. But to what measure of Ioy may a growne Christian attaine,1 if hee be carefull to p•eserue and stirre vp his faith? It is a small thing for him to come to an ordinarie pitch of chearefulnesse, except his ioy exceeds the mirth of a worldling in the qualitie and quantitie of it. If his mirth be not a sweeter and more rauishing mirth, of an higher kind, of a more pure nature, of a most constant tenure, then any carnall mans what-euer, he disparages faith. The Christians ioy,2 is ioy vnspeakable and glorious, ioy in the Holy Ghost, another manner of Ioy then euer entred into the heart of a naturall man. So is that text to be construed,3 eye hath not seene, &c. not chiefly of the ioyes of Heauen, which here the spirituall man himselfe cannot tell what they shall bee, but of the Gospels ioy,4 of the wine and fatlings alreadie prepared, and now reuealed to the Belieuer by the Spirit: which if the carnall man scorne and scoffe at, it is because hee cannot comprehend it. It is a more pure and constant ioy, which needs not the support of earthly delights: his ioy is within, he ioyes in the fauour of God, which is vnchangeable. It beseemes not a Christian to be merrie in one estate, dumpish in another, as if their ioy depended vpon their outward condition. No, no, the fauour of
- 1To what measure of joy a Christian may attain.To what measure of ioy a Christian may attaine.
- 21 Pet. 1.8. Rom. 14.17.
- 31. Cor. 2.9, 10.
- 4Calu. in 1. Cor. •.9. Jun. par. lib. 2. pa. 31.Calu. in 1. Cor. •.9. Iun. par. lib. 2. pa. 31.
- 5John 16.22. Rom. 5.3. James 1.2.Iohn 16.22. Rom. 5.3. Iames 1.2.
