Joyfulness.] A Christian estate is a joyful and comfortable estate. Saving knowledge makes a man live joyfully and comfortably. True joy is one of the fruits Gods Spirit beareth in the heart of a Christian; yea, it is a chief part of that kingdom that God bestoweth on his people on earth. None have cause of joy but the children of Zion, and none of them but have great reason to shout for joy, to rejoice and be glad with all their heartss, Zeph. 3.14. Is it not a great Mercy to have all the judgments due unto us for sin, taken away? and the great enemy of our souls cast out? Is it not a great honour that Jehovah, the King of Israel, should be in the middest of us? and that our eyes should not see evil any more? What sweeter encouragement then that the Lord should cause it to be said unto us, fear not? and again, Let not your hands be slack? If we have great crosses, enemies, dangers, wants, temptations, &c. we have a mighty God; if there be none to help us, he will save; yea, he will rejoice to do us good; yea, he will rejoice over us with joy; yea, he so loves us, that he will rest in his love and seek no ⟨p. 96⟩further. Shall man be sorrowful when God rejoiceth? Shall the Lord rejoice in us, and shall not we rejoice in Godt, &c. And if these reasons of joy be contained in one place of Scripture, how great would the number of reasons grow, if all the Book of God were searched? such a joy and contentment is the joy of Christians that crosses cannot hinder it. Life is not dear to a child of God, so that he may finish his course with joyu. They suffer the spoiling of their goods with joy, knowing that in heaven they have a more enduring substancex. Yea, in many crosses they account it all joy to fall into tentationy. They seem as sorrowful, when indeed they are always rejoicingz.
Ioyfulnesse.] A Christian estate is a ioyfull and comfortable estate. Sauing knowledge makes a man liue ioyfully and comfortably. True ioy is one of the fruits Gods Spirit beareth in the heart of a Christian; yea, it is a chiefe part of that kingdome that God bestoweth on his people on earth. None haue cause of ioy but the children of Sion, and none of them but haue great reason to shout for ioy, to reioyce and be glad with all their heartss, Zeph. 3.14. Is it not a great Mercy to haue all the iudgments due vnto vs for sinne, taken away? and the great enemy of our soules cast out? Is it not a great honour that Iehouah, the King of Israel, should be in the middest of vs? and that our eyes should not see euill any more? What sweeter encouragement then that the Lord should cause it to be said vnto vs, feare not? and againe, Let not your hands be slacke? If we haue great crosses, enemies, dangers, wants, temptations, &c. wee haue a mighty God; if there be none to helpe vs, he will saue; yea, he will reioyce to doe vs good; yea, he will reioyce ouer vs with ioy; yea, he so loues vs, that he will rest in his loue and seeke no ⟨p. 96⟩further. Shall man be sorrowfull when God reioyceth? Shall the Lord reioyce in vs, and shall not we reioyce in Godt, &c. And if these reasons of ioy be contayned in one place of Scripture, how great would the number of reasons grow, if all the Booke of God were searched? such a ioy and contentment is the ioy of Christians that crosses cannot hinder it. Life is not deare to a childe of God, so that he may finish his course with ioyu. They suffer the spoyling of their goods with ioy, knowing that in heauen they haue a more enduring substancex. Yea, in many crosses they account it all ioy to fall into tentationy. They seeme as sorrowfull, when indeed they are alwayes reioycingz.
- sZeph. 3.14.
- tZeph. 2.14. &c.
- uActs 20.24.
- xHeb. 10.34.
- yJames 1.2.
- z2 Cor. 6.10.
