The crucifying of the world

Though an Enjoying foretaste may now and then afford them a feast, yet is it this Believing, desiring, seeking Joy that must be their ordinary sustentation: And if in this world they have no other, they have cause to be abundantly thankful for this.

To Rejoice in the fruition of God, (especially when it is full) is the part of the Glorified Saints in heaven. To Rejoice in the creature as accommodating their flesh, is the Joy of the Carnal Unsanctified here on earth (A remnant of which is in the imperfect Saints.) To rejoice in mere outward Ordinances and the false conceits of special Grace, is the Joy of hypocrites and common professors. To be without Joy is the part of some of the ungodly under the terrors of their consciences, and of true Christians that know not their own sincerity, or are under some great desertions of God. To be out of all hope and possibility of Joy, is the part of the Devil, and damned men. But to Rejoice in the true mortification of the flesh, and in the holy contempt of worldly things, and in the desires and hopes of the glory to come, this is the part of the Saints on the earth; and the present joy that cometh by believing. And this kind of joy is most suitable to our present condition: as Fruition is suitable to our Heavenly End. The comforts of travellers is not of the same kind with those of a man that is at home. He that is at home would have his wealth about him. But you would not carry your houses with you in your journey, nor would you drive your cattle with you, or carry all your goods and riches with you: A traveller would have as fair a way as he can get, and as good a gui•e, and necessaries for his journey, and no more, but all the rest he would have at home, that he may find it when he comes thither. It is his benefit in the way, to want no more, and to have no more: For the more he needeth, and hath, the more he must be burdened and troubled. Mark the descriptions of our present blessedness that you find in the Scriptures, and you may see that they consist in our present Mortification to things below, and desires and hopes of things to come, rather then in a state of enjoyment here, whether it be of the world or of God. Though still the reason of our Blessedness in a mortified estate, is the tendency that it hath to a glorified estate; because it is the way to that,