Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

2. Let us consider in Christ, let us upon good grounds hope our share and interest in the Life of Christ: O this would strengthen our joy, yea fill us with joy unspeakable and glorious; where true joy is, there is first a thinking of the good in our mind; and secondly, an expecting of it in our heart; hence it is that whatsoever doth encourage our hope, the same doth enlarge our delight; the Apostle joins both these together: Rejoice in hope: Hope and Joy go both together; if I have but assured hope that Christ's life is mine, I cannot but rejoice therein: on the contrary,¹ if my hope fluctuate, if I am but uncertain, if I look on the influence and benefits of Christ's life as only possibly mine, and no further; then is my comfort but unstable and weak: sometimes we find Christ compared to a rich Store-house: In him (saith the Apostle) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; but alas, what am I richer for all his treasures,² if I have no claim thereto, or interest therein? or what can I joy in another's riches, when I my self am wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked? Look to this, O my soul; peruse again and again thy grounds of hope as afore laid down; do not slightly run them over; thou canst not be too sure of Christ: thou readest in the Gospel this and that passage of thy Jesus, canst thou lay thine hand on every Line, and say this passage is mine? this Sermon was preached, and this miracle was wrought for me, that I might believe, and that in believing I might have life through his Name? O then how shouldst thou but rejoice? When Zacheus in the Sycamore Tree heard but Christ's voice, Zacheus make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide in thy house. ³O what haste made Zacheus to receive Christ! he came down hastily, and received him joyfully. This offer of Christ to Zacheus is thine as well as his, if thy hope be right; Come down, poor Soul (saith Christ) this day must I abide in thy house. O then what joy should there be in thy heart when Christ comes in, or when thou feelest Christ come in! The friend of the Bridegroom rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice; ⁴how much more may the Bride her self rejoice.