1When such a faith possesseth the hart, and the Gospel is so received in deed, then God appeareth sweet & altogether loving, neither feeleth the hart any thing but the favour & grace of God, it standeth with a strong and bold confidence, it feareth not lest any evil come unto it, it being quiet from all fear of vengeance and displeasure, is merry, and glad of so incomparable grace and goodness of God given unto it freely and most abundantly in Christ. Wherefore there must needs forthwith proceed from such a faith, love, joy, peace, gladness, giving of thanks, praise, & a certain marvellous delight in God, as in a most dear and favourable father, which dealeth so fatherly with us, and poureth forth his gifts so plentifully and in so great a measure, upon them that do not deserve them. Behold of such joy Paul speaketh here, which truly where it is, there can be no place for sin, or fear of death or hell, yea nothing is there but a joyful, quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his favour. Wherefore it is called joy in the Lord, not in gold or silver, gluttony or drunkenness, in delicates or singing, health, knowledge, wisdom, power, glory, friendship, favour, no nor in good works, holiness, or whatsoever is without God. Of these thou shalt take but a deceitful and vain joy,2 which can not pierce the hart, or enter unto the bottom thereof, whereof thou mayst rightly say that which is wont to be spoken as a proverb among the Germans: This man rejoiceth, but he feeleth not any joy in his hart. There is one full & perfect joy, which the believers take of and in the Lord, which is nothing else, then to commit them selves unto him, and of him alone to rejoice, trust and presume, as of a most favourable and loving father. Whatsoever joy is not after this sort, the Lord doth contemn and reject it, whereof Jeremiah speaketh chap. 9: Let not the wise man rejoice in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, neither the rich man in his riches: but whoso will rejoice, let him rejoice in this, that he understandeth and knoweth ⟨p. 257⟩me. And Paul 2. Cor. 10. saith: Let him that rejoiceth rejoice in the Lord.
1When such a faith possesseth the hart, and the Gospell is so receiued in deede, then God appeareth sweete & altogither louing, neither feeleth the hart any thing but the fauour & grace of God, it standeth with a stronge and bold confidence, it feareth not lest any euill come vnto it, it being quiet from all feare of vengeance and displeasure, is merie, and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnes of God giuen vnto it freely and most aboundantly in Christ. Wherefore there must needes forthwith proceede from such a faith, loue, ioy, peace, gladnes, giuing of thankes, prayse, & a certaine meruelous delight in God, as in a most deare and fauorable father, which dealeth so fatherly with vs, and poureth forth his giftes so plentifully and in so great a measure, vpon them that doe not deserue them. Behold of such ioy Paule speaketh here, which truely where it is, there can be no place for sinne, or feare of death or hell, yea nothing is there but a ioyfull, quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his fauour. Wherefore it is called ioy in the Lord, not in gold or siluer, gluttonie or drunkennes, in delicates or singing, health, knowledge, wisedom, power, glory, friendship, fauour, no nor in good workes, holines, or whatsoeuer is without God. Of these thou shalt take but a deceitfull and vaine ioy,2 which can not pearse the hart, or enter vnto the bottom thereof, whereof thou mayst rightly say that which is wont to be spoken as a prouerbe amonge the Germanes: This man reioyceth, but he feeleth not any ioy in his hart. There is one ful & perfect ioy, which the beleeuers take of and in the Lord, which is nothing els, then to commit them selues vnto him, and of him alone to reioyce, trust and presume, as of a most fauourable and louing father. Whatsoeuer ioy is not after this sort, the Lord doth contemne and reiect it, whereof Ieremie speaketh chap. 9: Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedom, nor the stronge man in his strength, neither the rich man in his riches: but whoso will reioyce, let him reioyce in this, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth ⟨p. 257⟩me. And Paule 2. Cor. 10. sayth: Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord.
- 1The believing hart rejoiceth in the Lord.The beleeuing hart reioyceth in the Lord.
- 2Vain joy.Vaine ioy.
