The truly blessed man

3 It is a very pleasant and desirable thing. Joy is the very life of a mans life, without that it doth but hang before him: it carries the man comfortably through his work; the want of it makes his life a burden to him: if natural joy be so beneficial, ⟨p. 643⟩Prov. 17.22. What then is spiritual joy, which reacheth the very soul, and hath an object transcendently glorious to act upon? this will make heavy burdens light, hard work easy, and carry you comfortably through an evil world under all changes of Providence.

3 It is a very pleasant and desirable thing. Joy is the very life of a mans life, without that it doth but hang before him: it carries the man comfortably through his work; the want of it makes his life a burden to him: if natural joy be so beneficial, ⟨p. 643⟩Prov. 17.22. What then is spiritual joy, which reacheth the very soul, and hath an object transcendantly glorious to act upon? this will make heavy burdens light, hard work easy, and carry you comfortably through an evil world under all changes of Providence.

4. You are never without abundant matter for this. It leaves not a Child of God at any time to say, What should I rejoice for! and yet how often do such words break out? hath not that man reason to rejoice for ever, who was dead, and is now alive; who was a prisoner of Justice, held fast by Guilt to suffer everlasting wrath, and is now set at liberty; who was once an enemy, and is now a Son; of whom when he was perishing, God said, Save him from going to the pit, I have found a ransom; whose interest in heaven is secured, and is himself kept by Gods power to salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5