7. WE must joy in Jesus, as carrying on that great work of our salvation in that Eternity. This joy is a passion arising from the sweetness of the Object that we enjoy. O my soul, dost thou believe? and art thou now cast into a pang of love? how then should thy joy but come on? As Christ said to the 70. In this rejoice not, 1that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven; so rejoice not thou in this, that the world is thine, that riches are thine, that thou hast subdued men and devils; but herein rejoice, that thy name is written in the Book of life. O what a comfortable point is this! that the Father and Christ should transact a bargain from Eternity, concerning thee by name, that the Father and the Son should commune together concerning thy heaven, as if their language had been thus; Father, what shall be given to thy justice to ransom such a one, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Mary, Martha, Hannah, &c. why no more but this, thou shalt dye my Son, and whosoever believeth in thee shall live for ever. Why then saith Christ, I will engage for such, and such a one; I will enter into Bond for such and such a person; Abraham shall believe in time: See, I have writ down his name in the Book of life. And who art thou that readest? art thou a believer? dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Christ said the same of thee, and entered into a bond for thee, and entered they name in the Book of life; See the certainty of this in Phil. 4.3.2 Thou Thomas, Andrew, Peter, Christ knows thee by name, and thy name is written in the Book of life. O go thy way, and rejoice, and take strong consolation! is there not cause? why, I tell thee thy name is in the Book of Heaven, and if this may add to thy joy, know there is none in Heaven or Earth shall ever be able to blot it out again. No, no poor soul,3 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus: God hath decreed thy salvation, and Gods decree shall stand, let Men and Devils say what they will to the contrary,4 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations: it is as possible for God to deny himself, as it is possible for thee a believer to perish.5 We are kept (saith the Apostle) by the power of God through faith to salvation; and therefore rejoice, and again rejoice;
7. WE must joy in Jesus, as carrying on that great work of our salvation in that Eternity. This joy is a passion arising from the sweetness of the Object that we enjoy. O my soul, dost thou believe? and art thou now cast into a pang of love? how then should thy joy but come on? As Christ said to the 70. In this rejoyce not, 1that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven; so rejoyce not thou in this, that the world is thine, that riches are thine, that thou hast subdued men and devils; but herein rejoyce, that thy name is written in the Book of life. O what a comfortable point is this! that the Father and Christ should transact a bargaine from Eternity, concerning thee by name, that the Father and the Son should commune together concerning thy heaven, as if their language had been thus; Father, what shall be given to thy justice to ransome such a one, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Mary, Martha, Hannah, &c. why no more but this, thou shalt dye my Son, and whosoever believeth in thee shall live for ever. Why then saith Christ, I will engage for such, and such a one; I will enter into Bond for such and such a person; Abraham shall believe in time: See, I have writ down his name in the Book of life. And who art thou that readest? art thou a believer? dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Christ said the same of thee, and entered into a bond for thee, and entered they name in the Book of life; See the certainty of this in Phil. 4.3.2 Thou Thomas, Andrew, Peter, Christ knows thee by name, and thy name is written in the Book of life. O go thy way, and rejoyce, and take strong consolation! is there not cause? why, I tell thee thy name is in the Book of Heaven, and if this may adde to thy joy, know there is none in Heaven or Earth shall ever be able to blot it out again. No, no poor soul,3 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus: God hath decreed thy salvation, and Gods decree shall stand, let Men and Devils say what they will to the contrary,4 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations: it is as possible for God to deny himself, as it is possible for thee a believer to perish.5 We are kept (saith the Apostle) by the power of God through faith to salvation; and therefore rejoyce, and againe rejoyce;
- 1Luk. 10.20.
- 2Phil. 4 3.
- 3Rom. 8.1.
- 4Psal. 33.11.
- 51 Pet. 1.5.
