3. It is the pleasure of life; yea, the most rational, pure, and transporting pleasure. What is life without pleasure? And what pleasure is there in the world comparable to this pleasure? For let ⟨p. 198⟩the sealed and assured Believer consider, and compare, and he must needs find a joy and pleasure beyond the joy of the whole Earth. If he consider well what he is assured of, it is no common mercy, but Christ himself, and his love; a mercy incomprehensible by Men or Angels, Eph. 3. 19. Put Christ into the sensible possession of a Believer, and joy is no more under his command for that time; he can no more refuse to rejoice, than he that is tickled can forbear to laugh; and especially when his thoughts are exercised in comparing states and conditions, either his own with other mens, or his own now with what it was, and what it shall be. To think with thy self thus, I am assured of Christ and his love, my interest in him is sealed; but this is a mercy few enjoy besides me. There be millions of souls of equal value with mine by nature, that shall never enjoy such a mercy as this. Yea, the time was when I my self was far from it, in my unregenerate estate. Lord, how is it I had not then been sealed to Damnation? O, 'tis well with me for present, that I can call Christ my own; and yet it will be better and better. My condition will mend every day. I am ⟨p. 199⟩now in Christ, and it is but a little while before I shall be with Christ, and arrive at the full satisfaction of my very heart. O, what pleasure doth every glance backward or forward give to the sealed soul!
3. It is the pleasure of life; yea, the most rational, pure, and transporting pleasure. What is life without pleasure? And what pleasure is there in the world comparable to this pleasure? For let ⟨p. 198⟩the sealed and assured Believer consider, and compare, and he must needs find a joy and pleasure beyond the joy of the whole Earth. If he consider well what he is assured of, it is no common mercy, but Christ himself, and his love; a mercy incomprehensible by Men or Angels, Eph. 3. 19. Put Christ into the sensible possession of a Believer, and joy is no more under his command for that time; he can no more refuse to rejoyce, than he that is tickled can forbear to laugh; and especially when his thoughts are exercised in comparing states and conditions, either his own with other mens, or his own now with what it was, and what it shall be. To think with thy self thus, I am assured of Christ and his love, my interest in him is sealed; but this is a mercy few enjoy besides me. There be millions of souls of equal value with mine by nature, that shall never enjoy such a mercy as this. Yea, the time was when I my self was far from it, in my unregenerate estate. Lord, how is it I had not then been sealed to Damnation? O, 'tis well with me for present, that I can call Christ my own; and yet it will be better and better. My condition will mend every day. I am ⟨p. 199⟩now in Christ, and it is but a little while before I shall be with Christ, and arrive at the full satisfaction of my very heart. O, what pleasure doth every glance backward or forward give to the sealed soul!
