CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Fourthly, This Christian Joy requireth some kind of possession, at least in some degree of Christ, or those good things we long for. Propriety and possession is requisite to joy. To know of never so many excellencies, if a man have them not, it doth but increase his misery. The famished Lepers knew there was food enough abroad, but till they were replenished, they could not rejoice in it. What joy hath a poor man to hear of many others that are rich; the sick man of many others in health? If they have not such things in peculiar possession, it advanceth them not at all. Hence full and completed joy is only in Heaven, because there is full and complete fruition of God; Then we are come to our journeys end, we cannot go further, or desire more then we have: But in this life, our joy may be daily filling our hearts; There be many vacuities to be ⟨p. 410⟩filled up; There be many desires still to be satisfied; so that we are to grow in our joy, as well as in knowledge and in grace. But yet because even in this life, God is the God of his people, and they are said to have him, and to enjoy him; and so Christ is said to dwell in their hearts; yea the Father and the Son are said to be in them, to sup with them, to take up their mansions with them, to dwell amongst them. Hence it is that even in this life they may have unspeakable joy. Therefore when the soul hath left the presence of God, or is under many sad and black temptations thereby, as we see sometimes in David, and in the Church: Oh the anxieties, and perplexities that it is filled with! Therefore in the Devils there is no capacity of any joy: For although they have a self-love, and though their wicked desires be many times successful in tempting of men, and destroying of their souls, yet they cannot rejoice, because the state of misery they are in, cuts off all hopes from them: If therefore the godly would live joyfully, let them take heed of interrupting their communion with God; see you do nothing to eclipse this Sun; If God hide his face, all your comfort will presently wither.

Fourthly, This Christian Joy requireth some kinde of possession, at least in some degree of Christ, or those good things we long for. Propriety and possession is requisite to joy. To know of never so many excellencies, if a man have them not, it doth but increase his misery. The famished Lepers knew there was food enough abroad, but till they were replenished, they could not rejoyce in it. What joy hath a poor man to hear of many others that are rich; the sick man of many others in health? If they have not such things in peculiar possession, it advanceth them not at all. Hence full and compleated joy is onely in Heaven, because there is full and compleat fruition of God; Then we are come to our journeyes end, we cannot goe further, or desire more then we have: But in this life, our joy may be daily filling our hearts; There be many vacuities to be