1. The duty itself [What can be more pleasant? It is not to any painful duty we are called, but to rejoice, and to have all the faculties of our souls engaged in the very employment of heaven. What can be more reasonable? If religion furnished us with no grounds of joy, or were as empty and unsatisfying as the world, it would be unreasonable to expect any happiness to flow from it: but it sets before us innumerable occasions of joy; and not only permits, but enjoins, us to bear our part in the felicity of God's chosen. Shall we not then obey the call? 2. The object in whom we are to rejoice [This is none other than our adorable Emmanuel, who combines in himself all the perfections of the Godhead, and all the excellencies of the most spotless manhood. Moreover, the love he has manifested towards his subjects, is such as infinitely surpasses our highest conceptions: he assumed our nature, and died for us, while we were in actual rebellion against him. And, what a delightful sway does he exercise over them! So light and easy is his yoke, that there is not one of his laws, no, not one, which may not be summed up in this, Be happy. What rewards too does he bestow, not on a few favourites only, but on all his subjects! There is not one of them whom he does not make a king like unto himself, and place upon a throne like unto that on which he himself is seated at the right hand of God. Shall we refuse to rejoice in such a King as this?] 3. The persons called upon to rejoice [If this exhortation were addressed to the children of this world, they might reply, We know him not; we see no beauty in him for which he is to be desired; nor have we cause to expect any thing at his hands but wrath and fiery indignation: how then shall we rejoice in him? But the children of Zion know that "he is fairer than ten thousand, and altogether lovely:" they have experienced the virtue of his blood to purge a guilty conscience, and the efficacy of his grace to sanctify a polluted heart. For them he makes continual intercession in the presence of God; for them he every moment exercises his almighty power; and for them he is coming shortly to judge the world, that he may take them to himself, to behold his glory, and participate his blessedness, for ever and ever. Shall they then be reluctant to comply? Surely, if they be, "the very stones must cry out against them."] ADDRESS 1. To those who have never yet rejoiced in Christ [What relation can you have to Zion? How can it be Rev. i. 6. John xiv. 3. Luke xix. 40. said of you, This man was born in her? And what excuse can you urge before God? Your ignorance of Christ? This is your sin, and not your excuse. He is willing to make you happy under his government, if you will submit yourselves unto him. "Kiss him" then, in token of your reverence and subjection, "lest he be angry, and ye perish for ever.""] 2. To those who are going on their way rejoicing [Take care that you make Christ, and not your own frames or feelings, the object and ground of your joy. And guard against pride, self-confidence, and sin of whatever kind, knowing that such things will vitiate, and destroy, all the happiness of the soul. David's advice must ever be attended to, "Rejoice with trembling."m] Ps. lxxxvii. 5,76. IPs. ii. 12. Ib. ver. 11. CCCCLXXIII. THE DUTY OF PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS. Ps. cxlix. 4-6. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand. THE world are ready to account those weak and enthusiastic who abound in the exercise of spiritual duties: but there is nothing in the universe that more accords with the dictates of reason, than such a state. If God have not given us sufficient grounds to love and serve him, then we may doubt whether the supreme affection of our souls be due to him. But we need go no further than the text in order to justify the warmest expressions of our love to him, and the most unreserved dedication of all our powers to his service. The exhortations in the text are full of energy; but they are founded on God's love to us. In order therefore to be duly sensible of their force we must consider 1. God's kindness to us This is expressed both by the internal regard which he bears towards us, and by the outward manifestations of it to our souls. VOL. IV. 3 T 1. The duty itself [What can be more pleasant? It is not to any paiefal duty we are called, but to rejoice, and to have all the faculties of our souls engaged in the very employment of heaven. What can 'e mote reasonable? If religion furnished us with no gron is of joy, or were as empty and unsatisfying as the wor, it would be unreasonable to expect any happiness to flow from it: but it sets before us innumerable occasions or jev; and not only permits, but enjoins, us to bear our part in the felicity of God's chosen. Shall we not then obey the call 2. The object in whom we are to rejoice [This is none other than our adorable Emmanuel, who combines in himself all the perfections of the Godhead, and all the excellencies of the most spotless manhood. Moreover, the love he has manifested towards his subjects, is such as infinitely surpasses our highest conceptions: he assumed our nature, and died for us, while we were in actual rebellion against him. And, what a delightful sway does he exercise over them! So light and easy is his yoke, that there is not one of his laws, no, not one, which may not be summed up in this, Be happy. What rewards too does he bestow, not on a few favourites only, but on all his subjects! There is not one of them whom he does not make a king like unto himself, and place upon a throne like unto that on which he himself is seated at the right hand of God.h Shall we refuse to rejoice in such a King as this?] 3. The persons called upon to rejoice [If this exhortation were addressed to the children of this world, they might reply, We know him not; we see no beauty in him for which he is to be desired; nor have we cause to expect any thing at his hands but wrath and fiery indignation: how then shall we rejoice in him? But the children of Zion know that "he is fairer than ten thousand, and altogether lovely:" they have experienced the virtue of his blood to purge a guilty conscience, and the efficacy of his grace to sanctify a polluted heart. For them he makes continual intercession in the presence of God; for them he every moment exercises his almighty power; and for them he is coming shortly to judge the world, that he may take them to himself, to behold his glory, and participate his blessedness, for ever and ever. Shall they then be reluctant to comply? Surely, if they be, "the very stones must cry out against them."] ADDRESS 1. To those who have never yet rejoiced in Christ [What relation can you have to Zion? How can it be Rev. i. 6. John xiv. 3. Luke xix. 40, said of you, This man was born in her? And what excuse can you urge before God? Your ignorance of Christ? This, is your sin, and not your excuse. He is willing to make you happy under his government, if you will submit yourselves unto him. "Kiss him" then, in token of your reverence and subjection, "lest he be angry, and ye perish for ever."] 2. To those who are going on their way rejoicing [Take care that you make Christ, and not your own frames or feelings, the object and ground of your joy. And guard against pride, self-confidence, and sin of whatever kind, knowing that such things will vitiate, and destroy, all the happiness of the soul. David's advice must ever be attended to, "Rejoice with trembling."m] Ps. lxxxvii. 5,76. Ps. ii. 12. Ib. ver. 11. CCCCLXXIII. THE DUTY OF PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS. Ps. cxlix. 4-6. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand. THE world are ready to account those weak and enthusiastic who abound in the exercise of spiritual duties: but there is nothing in the universe that more accords with the dictates of reason, than such a state. If God have not given us sufficient grounds to love and serve him, then we may doubt whether the supreme affection of our souls be due to him. But we need go no further than the text in order to justify the warmest expressions of our love to him, and the most unreserved dedication of all our powers to his service. The exhortations in the text are full of energy; but they are founded on God's love to us. In order therefore to be duly sensible of their force we must consider I. God's kindness to us This is expressed both by the internal regard which he bears towards us, and by the outward manifestations of it to our souls. VOL. IV. 3 T 1. He loves his people [They who fear God are considered as "his people,” in contradistinction to those who belong to Satan. He esteems them as "his peculiar treasure.”a He has pleasure" in their persons, notwithstanding all their vileness; for he views them as "complete in Christ." When they are mourning and weeping for their extreme sinfulness, he looks on them with heart-felt complacency, and delight. Even when they are doubting his love towards them, he marks them as the objects of his tenderest affection, and incessant care. He takes pleasure also in their services. Their prayers are his delight: their tributes of praise are esteemed his glory; their alms, a sacrifice with which he is well pleased:h their every grace is in his sight of great price. Their holy purposes, though not suffered by him to be carried into effect, are noticed by him with approbation, nor are even their fainter inclinations, or their transient thoughts suffered to pass without a suitable reward.] 2. He makes them lovely [The distinguishing characteristic of the Lord's people is, that they are "meek:" their hearts being humbled, their proud impetuous passions are hushed to silence. These the Lord "beautifies with salvation" now. The lion becomes a lamb:" instead of the brier and thorn, the fir an myrtle-tree spring up: and even blood-thirsty murderers become humble and loving saints. The very countenances of God's people often bear a visible mark of the change wrought in them; so that we may almost literally say, "They have the mark of the Lamb in their foreheads." There is a beautiful symmetry discernible in all their conduct. "The beauty of the Lord their God is upon them:" and as that consists, not in the exercise of any one perfection, but in an union and harmony of all, however opposite to human appearance; so their beauty is seen, not in the exercise merely of meekness or fortide, of fear or confidence, but in the just temperament, and combination, of every Christian grace. In a word, they are renewed after God's image;s and have the change carried on from one degree of glory to another by the Spirit of the Lord.t But in an infinitely higher degree will they be beautified when their salvation shall be complete. Then they shall have * Exod. xix. 5. b Col. ii. 10. Isaiah lxvi. 2. Jer. xxxi. 18, 20. d Prov. xi. 20. e Isaiah xlix. 14-16. f Prov. xv. 8. b Heb. xiii. 16. i 1 Pet. iii. 4. Ps. 1. 23. * 1 Kings viii. 18. 1 1 Kings xiv. 13. n Isaiah xi. 6. Rev. xxii. 4. t 2 Cor. iii. 18. • Isaiah lv. 13. Ps. xc. 17. |