A30241:1923
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, This heavenly Joy surpasseth worldly in the pure and unmixed Nature of it. It's joy without sorrow; It's honey without any gall, called The fruits of Gods Spirit, because of the sweetness of it, as the Apostle saith, Perfect love casts out fear, tormenting fear. Thus joy from Christ, and in him, expels dejections, troubles of heart. No sooner doth this Sun arise, but all black and noisome vapours are dispelled. Here is a joy that is like the Elementary fire they speak of, pure and unmixed, here are no mixtures to debase it, or allay it: But as for those worldly delights, it's as a mad man that teareth his own flesh, and yet laugheth while he doth so; So thou eatest and drinkest, and makest merry, while thou damnest thy own soul.
Secondly, This heavenly Joy surpasseth worldly in the pure and unmixed Nature of it. It's joy without sorrow; It's honey without any gall, called The fruits of Gods Spirit, because of the sweetnesse of it, as the Apostle saith, Perfect love casts out fear, tormenting fear. Thus joy from Christ, and in him, expels dejections, troubles of heart. No sooner doth this Sunne arise, but all black and noisome vapours are dispelled. Here is a joy that is like the Elementary fire they speak of, pure and unmixed, here are no mixtures to debase it, or allay it: But as for those worldly delights, it's as a mad man that teareth his own flesh, and yet laugheth while he doth so; So thou eatest and drinkest, and makest merry, while thou damnest thy own soul.
Thirdly, It surpasseth in dignity; for this Joy is in God himself, it is in the highest good that can be. There cannot be a greater cause or motive to rejoice in; but as for the creatures, they are broken cisterns, they are limited in their comforts, they have their vexations as well as their delights, but above all they are below man; He debaseth himself, when he taketh delight in these sublunary things; they were made for him, not he for them: It is as ridiculous, as if a man should delight in children's baby-clouts: Oh ⟨p. 411⟩