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about divine things; not disdaining to receive instruction even from inferiors; thus Aquila and Priscilla expounded in a private manner the way of God more perfectly to Apollos, a public teacher; which he attended to.-6. By exhorting and stirring up one another to the several duties of religion, both public and private.

Iv. There are various arguments and motives which may be made use of to excite to the exercise of this grace of love.

1. It is Christ's new commandment; so he says, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; which yet, as the apostle John says, was both old and new, an old commandment, being founded upon the original law of God; a new commandment, being not only an excellent one, especially as now delivered out, since excellent things in Scripture are often called new ones, as a new song, &c., but because of the new edition of it under the gospel-dispensation, and being given forth anew by Christ the lawgiver, in his house, called therefore, The law of Christ, which is the law of love; and having a new pattern and exemplar of it, and a new motive and argument added to it, mentioned by Christ himself: As I have loved you, that ye also love one another, John xiii. 34, and xv. 12. -2. The love of God and Christ should engage unto it; the love of God in the mission and gift of his Son to die for us, and become the propitiation for our sins; Beloved, says the apostle, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, 1 John iv. 11; and the love of Christ in giving himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, to atone for our sins; Walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, &c. Eph. v. 2.-3. The relation the saints stand in one to another, is a reason why they should love one another; they are members of the same body, and should have an affection and sympathy for one another; as the members in a natural, so they in a spiritual way; they are children of the same Father, and belong to the same family, and are all brethren; this is the argument Moses used with the Israelites at variance, Acts vii. 26.4. The comfort and joy of ministers should be an argument with saints to mutual love; it is with the greater pleasure they pursue their studies and labour in their ministrations, for the good of souls, when peace and love are cultivated among them; but when it is otherwise, it is greatly discouraging and distressing to them, and they go on heavily in their work; for where envying and strife are, there is confusion, and every evil work; which is very disagreeable, and makes uncomfortable; yea, the comfort of the saints themselves, and their edification, are hereby greatly hurt; wherefore both with respect to ministers and people, the apostle exhorts to love and unity, Phil. ii. 1, 2, and 2 Cor. xiii. 11; and that brotherly love continue; for the love of God and Christ continues; nothing can separate from it; they love to the end; the relation of saints continues; being once the children of God, and brethren of Christ and of one another, they always remain such, and in the family, in the house of God, where they abide, and from whence they are never removed; and if brotherly love continues not, churches cannot continue ong; a house divided against itself cannot stand; the church at Epheus was threatened with a removal of the candlestick, or church-state, unless they repented, because they had left their first love.

OF SPIRITUAL JOY.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, which follows love; The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, Gal. v. 22; it attends faith and hope; and as these graces are in exercise, and increase, so does spiritual joy; hence we read of the joy of faith and the rejoicing of hope, Phil. i. 25, Heb. iii. 6; it enters very much into the Christian's character and experience, and is peculiar to saints and believers in Christ.

I. The objects of it.

1. Not a creature, nor creature-enjoyment, nor outward privilege, nor duty; but Jehovah himself, the Lord and God of all; therefore called by David, God, his exceeding joy; that is, the object of his great joy and gladness, Psalm xliii. 4. To glory in riches, wisdom, and strength, and to boast of them, is not right; and to rejoice in such boastings, all such rejoicing is evil, James iv. 16; to rejoice in any thing of this kind, is to rejoice in a thing of nought, in a nonentity, and in what is of no account, and so to rejoice in youthful pleasures and vanities, and indulge in them in the highest degree; such joy is not spiritual, or the fruit of the Spirit; but is carnal and sensual, and but for a season; and to glory, and boast of, and trust in fleshly descent, in birth-privileges, and in the duties of religion, and in a man's own righteousness, and please himself with such things, is only the joy of an unregenerate man, and of a hypocrite, which is but for a moment; but the Lord himself is the proper object of joy to rejoice in him is what is exhorted to, both in the Old and New Testaments. So the prophet Habakkuk did, and resolved to do, in the worst of times, when all creature-mercies failed; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation! Hab. iii. 17, 18; not in him merely as the Creator, from whom are had being, life, and breath, and all things, which yet is matter of joy, nor in him merely as the God of providence, and a kind benefactor, the preserver of men, and gives them all things richly to enjoy, so that they have reason to rejoice in every good thing, which the Lord in his providence gives unto them; but more especially saints rejoice in him as their covenant-God; I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, says the church; My soul shall be joyful in my God! Isa. Ixi. 10; as her covenant-God, which is the sum and substance of the covenant, and includes and secures every blessing of it, and always continues; who, as such, is the God of all grace, and blesses with all spiritual blessings, and gives both grace and glory, supplies all the wants of his people out of his riches in glory, by Christ; and causes all grace to abound towards them, and will never suffer them to want any good thing; he is their portion now, and will be for ever; and as such they rejoice in him; and particularly,

1. In the attributes of God; which are all on the side of his people, and are exercised for their good, and they receive benefit and advantage from; and not only his power, wisdom, truth, and faithfulness, his goodness, grace, and mercy, are matter of joy; but even his justice

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and holiness, in which he is so glorious; Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, Psalm xcvii. 12.2. The everlasting love of God is matter of joy to the saints; as the Lord rests in his love, and rejoices over them with joy, so they rejoice in his love to them; it is that river the streams whereof, the blessings which flow from it, make glad their hearts; a view of interest in it puts more joy and gladness into the hearts of the Lord's people than the largest increase of worldly things; it makes what they do enjoy blessings indeed; for there is no curse in their blessings; a little, with the favour of God, is better than the riches of many wicked; mean fare, a dinner of herbs, where the love of God is enjoyed, is preferable to the most delicious dainties without it; and greater reason there is for a man to boast of and rejoice in this, that he knows the Lord as exercising loving-kindness in the earth, and delighting therein, than to rejoice and glory in the greatest outward attainments of body, mind, and estate; a sense of the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Spirit, supports under all the trials and exercises of this life; and even causes to glory in tribulations, and to rejoice in hope of the glory of God; since neither tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, nor sword, can separate from it; yea, the loving-kindness of God is better than life itself, than which nothing is dearer to a man; yea, when men are influenced by this love, they love not their lives unto the death; it is death to them when they are without a sense of this love; but, in the favour of God, and the enjoyment of it, is life, it revives and comforts, Psalm xxx. 5; and what makes the love of God greater cause of joy is, that it is everlasting and unchangeable; though God may be displeased with his people, and chastise them because of their sins, yet he never takes away his loving-kindness from them; and though he hides his face from them for a moment, yet with everlasting kindness he has mercy on them; nor shall it ever depart from them; it is more immoveable than hills and mountains, and is established both by the promise and oath of God; and there is nothing in heaven, earth, and hell, that shall ever separate from it: every thought concerning it, meditation upon it, and discovery of it, fills with joy unspeakable : a thought of it is with the greatest pleasure and delight; meditation on it is sweet; and whilst musing upon it, the fire of divine love is inflamed, and burns within, and breaks forth in expressions of joy and gladness; and nothing can yield greater satisfaction than to be remembered with the favour God bears to his own people; and the love of God is to be remembered more, and is more exhilarating to the soul, than wine is to the animal spirits, Cant. i. 2, 4.-3. The saints' election of God is matter of joy unto them; that their names are written in heaven, Luke x. 20; in the Lamb's book of life, in the book of divine predestination to the adoption of children, and to eternal life; and therefore it cannot be such a gloomy and melancholy thing, as some who are strangers to it, and ignorant of it, represent it; but is, as the xviith article of the church of England expresses it, "full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons." It serves to comfort afflicted consciences. It is the foundation blessing

of grace, and the standard according to which all others are dispensed; God blesses his people with all spiritual blessings in Christ, according as he hath chosen them in him before the foundation of the world; this stands at the head of them, it is the first link of the chain of salvation, to which the rest are fastened, and by it secured; Whom he did predestinate them he also glorified; it always obtains; or those who are chosen certainly enjoy every blessing of grace, life, righteousness, and salvation, Eph. i. 3, 4, Rom. viii. 30, and xi. 7; from hence springs all the grace of the Spirit dispensed by him in regeneration and sanctification; sanctification of the Spirit is fixed and established in the decree of election as a mean, and is as certain as the end, salvation; holiness of heart and life is what men are chosen to, and what certainly follows upon their election of God; and so belief of the truth, or faith in Christ; and as many as are ordained unto eternal life believe; hence true faith is called, the faith of God's elect: eternal glory and happiness is secured by it; they that are chosen, are chosen to the obtaining of the glory of Christ; and which, in consequence, they most assuredly enjoy; they cannot finally and totally be deceived, and come short of that glory, no charge can be brought against them; and should any, it would not issue in their condemnation; they that are written in the Lamb's book of life enter into the new Jerusalem; and those who are predestinated are glorified. This is the foundation which stands sure; the seal of which is, The Lord knows them that are his; men are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, and that foreknowledge never fails; and therefore the purpose of God, according to election, stands sure; not upon the will and works of men, but upon the sovereign will, certain knowledge, and everlasting love of God; all which lay a solid foundation for joy and gladness. - 4. The covenant of grace God has made with his chosen in Christ, is another thing which yields abundance of joy to the believer, both in life and in death; in a view of which, with what joy and exultation does the sweet singer of Israel express himself among the last words he uttered! 2 Sam. xxiii. 5: what makes this covenant so desirable, pleasant, and joyful is, that it is everlasting; from everlasting to everlasting from everlasting, for so early was Christ set up as the Mediator of it; blessings of grace were given, and grants of grace made, to the elect in Christ, before the foundation of the world; and eternal life was promised before the world began; nor will it ever be broken, made null and void; nor be antiquated, and succeeded by another covenant; but will always remain in full force; and so administer constant and perpetual joy to the covenant-ones. It is also ordered in all things, to secure the glory of the divine persons; and for the display of the divine perfections; and for the good and happiness of those who are interested in it; it is full of blessings of grace, mercy, and goodness, called, the sure mercies of David, which are sure to all the seed; and of exceeding great and precious promises, which are all yea and amnen in Christ, and suitable to the cases and circumstances of the Lord's people; which, fitly spoken and applied, are as pleasant and delightful as apples of gold in pictures of silver, and give inexpressible joy and delight; I rejoice at thy word, says David,

a word of promise, as one that findeth great spoil, Psalm exix. 162; which suggests a great degree of joy. To which may be added, that this covenant is free, absolute, and unconditional: its promises do not depend on conditions to be performed by men; but run thus, I will, and they shall; I will be their God, and they shall be my people; I will put my fear into. their hearts, and they shall not depart from me, &c. This covenant is also said to be sure, its matter, its blessings, and its promises; it is confirmed of God in Christ; it is established by the oath of God, and ratified by the blood of Christ, the blood of the everlasting covenant; it is as immoveable as hills and mountains, and more so; they may be removed, but the covenant of peace shall never be removed; it is what God has commanded for ever; so that there is no fear of its ever failing; and affords an indeficient source of joy all, or the whole of salvation is contained in it, and secured by it, salvation spiritual and eternal; in it Christ is appointed and settled as the author of it; the blessings of salvation are provided, and the persons for whom they are designed, given to Christ in it, the Israel that shall be saved by him with an everlasting salvation. So that David had great reason to say, This is all my desire; as containing in it all that was desirable by him, delightful to him, and that could afford him joy and pleasure.

II. Christ, and things relating to him, are the objects of the spiritual joy of saints; this enters into the very character of true Christians and believers in Christ, who are described as such who rejoice in Christ Jesus, even with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Phil. iii. 3, 1 Pet. i. 8. The things relating to him, which are matter and ground of joy, are such as relate both to his person and to his work.

First, That relate to his person, as the Word and Son of God, equally a divine person with his Father, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, Heb. i. 3. As,-1. The greatness of his person; the great God, God over all blessed for ever, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God, having all the perfections of deity, the consideration of which yields joy to believers in him; hence they know and may conclude that all he did and suffered in human nature united to his person, answered the ends for which they were done and suffered; his righteousness is the righteousness of God, and so unto and upon all them that believe; his blood the blood of the Son of God, and as such has a virtue to cleanse from all sin; his sacrifice the sacrifice of himself, and so of a sweet-smelling savour to God, and of efficacy to atone for sin; and his salvation a great salvation, plenteous and complete, he being the great God and our Saviour; hence also they are satisfied that they must be safe in his hands, out of which none can pluck them; that he is able to keep what they have committed to him, and that he is able to keep them from falling, and to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.-2. The fitness of his person; having taken the human nature into union with his divine person, he is very proper to be the Mediator between God and man, and to be a day's-man to lay his hands on both, to take care of things pertaining to the law and justice of God, and the honour of them; and to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; a work which neither

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