vessel, &c. wish to know the least measure of grace; are satisfied with bare hope of safety, satisfied with being religious themselves, chiefly concerned to have their children great in this world, treat worldly riches as the chief good for themselves or families; happy are they who can say, "So did not I," &c.

Oh inquire, wherein have you denied yourselves for God? What is the indulgence from which you have abstained, merely on a religious account? What is there concerning which you may say, I felt temptations, but I fell not in with them; I might, and should have done so and so, but for the fear of God.?

XIV.

THE JOY OF THE LORD THE BELIEVER'S STRENGTH. NEH. viii. 10.

For the joy of the Lord is your strength.

We have, in this chapter, an account of a most solemn assembly of the Jews at Jerusalem, after their return from captivity; when they met together, and desired Ezra to bring forth the law of the Lord, and read it to them; which he did from morning till noon, in a broad street of the city, the courts of the temple not being sufficient to contain the concourse of the people. So they read, Ver. 8. &c. And, as probably many of the people in their captivity, had not had an opportunity of being so well acquainted with the law of Jehovah before, they were much affected therewith, and almost overwhelmed with sorrow. But Nehemiah and Ezra endeavoured to restrain and moderate their grief, as excessive, and not seasonable at a time, when they were assembled to keep a holy feast to Jehovah, who had showed them peculiar mercies.

As they increased in the knowledge of the divine law, they increased in the knowledge of their sins, and became more sensible of their guilt and danger, and were excited to mourn for their transgressions. This was a proper and salutary

effect, if kept within due bounds; but they must not so indulge their grief as to overlook their mercies, and forget the chief design of the present festival, which the Lord would have them observe with joy and gladness. Hence they were exhorted to repress their grief, and turn their thoughts to the divine mercy, as having abundant cause to hope and rejoice in Jehovah. On this occasion they might lawfully enjoy the bounties of providence, as far as consistent with temperance and sobriety, and in connexion with charity to the necessitous. And particularly they were encouraged to indulge a holy cheerfulness of mind, which was recommended as a happy means of invigorating and strengthening their souls. "The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

This observation is doubtless as applicable to the people of God under the New-testament dispensation, as under the former economy; and the provision now made for the strong consolation and spiritual joy of believers is much more abundant. Let us therefore attend to three inquiries. FIRST: What are we to understand by the joy of the Lord; and what is the nature of that joy?

By the joy of the Lord we are to understand joy authorized by the Lord. He has given his people leave, yea, given them commandment, to rejoice. See Deut. xii. 18. Ps. xxxiii. 1. xcvii. 12. Phil. iii. I. iv. 4, &c.

well with them, in the worst of times.

He has said it shall be

Whereas, sinners are

The joy of the

commanded to be afflicted, weep, and mourn. James iv. 9. v. 1. "For it shall be ill with them," &c. Lord is joy in the Lord. God himself is the object and ground of it. Ps. xliii. 4. God is the saints' exceeding joy. We joy" in God." Rom. v. 11. The joy of the Lord is joy given by the Lord. God is the author of it, by his gracious influence on the soul. The fruit of the Spirit is joy. Gal. v. 22. The kingdom of God is joy. Rom. xiv. 17. God fill you with all joy. xv. 13. The joy of the Lord is somewhat of the same kind with the felicity of the Divine Being. The believer enters into the joy of his Lord. Matt. xxv. 21. He rejoices in that wherein Christ rejoiced on earth. Luke x. 21. In that joy which is founded on his word. John xvii. 13. In that wherein Christ now rejoices in the

presence of his Father. Acts ii. 28. Yea, in that which is ground of everlasting joy to the most happy God.

The nature and properties of this joy, abundantly distinguish it from carnal mirth. It is founded in knowledge and truth; and not, like the joy of the wicked, in ignorance and delusion. The more the believer has just ideas of all things around him, the more cause he finds for joy; as the knowledge of truths the most humiliating and alarming, need not interrupt his joy, if other truths are but realized at the same time. Rather they will add to it. can neither give nor take away. poral blessing cannot produce it. cannot annihilate it.

It is joy which the world The greatest influx of temThe lowest ebb of adversity It is not transitory and vanishing; but

its grounds are permanent and enduring; though its exercise is not equal. It is not intoxicating, ensnaring, and debasing but ennobling and sanctifying; raising up the soul to God, and producing conformity to him.

SECONDLY: What are the principal grounds which God's people have for joy?

They have reason to rejoice in the very nature and perfections of God. It is ground of joy to know that an absolutely perfect Being exists, and that he is at the head of the universe. They may justly rejoice in the peculiar discoveries he has made of himself in his holy word; that he has condescended to reveal his will to us. Especially they rejoice in the declarations of his grace and mercy to sinners, through Christ Jesus. Rom. v. 11. Else what would it avail to know our duty, when we could never make the least amends for past sins? They have ground for joy in the tenderness, compassion, and faithfulness of our Great High Priest, to all those who return unto God by him;-in the high privileges conferred on all true believers, as adopted, justified, sanctified, sealed to the day of redemption, and having evidence of interest in eternal, unchangeable love. They have reason for joy in the exceedingly great and precious promises contained in the word of God ;-in God's providential care for his whole church, and his attention to the concerns of every individual;—in the provision made for his people in the upper world. Rom. v. 2. They rejoice in hope

of glory;-in the expectation of the happy and glorious issue of all the affairs of the universe.

THIRDLY: In what respects is the joy of the Lord the strength of his people?

The joy of the Lord is our strength, as the consolations of the gospel are necessary to enable us to attend upon duty with cheerfulness and alacrity, and thus greatly endear divine ordinances. It tends to excite and encourage holy activity in every good work, as well as in immediate acts of devotion. It enables the believer to escape the snares of prosperity, and sustain the pressures of adversity, thus living above the smiles and frowns of the world. It greatly fortifies the soul against temptation, and enables the believer to withstand the manifold attacks of his spiritual enemies. It particularly assists him to recommend religion to others around him. Zech. viii. 23. It encourages him to face the last enemy, death; and enables him to vanquish the king of terrors.

How groundless are the suspicions which some entertain of a religious life, as if it were the way to absolute melancholy; and required us to bid farewell to every enjoyment: when it only calls us off from rejoicing in a thing of nought, to joy in God.

It is true, that at present, the Christian has his sorrows as well as his joys. Religion occasions new pains, as well as new pleasures. But sin must justly bear the blame of the former. Sometimes, through temptation, imperfect views of the gospel, defect of faith, or careless walking, his sorrows may be greatly multiplied: otherwise the most humiliating views of ourselves would not prevent our joy in God; but rather increase our admiration of the riches of grace, and of God's great salvation.

At the same time, let us remember that, if our joy in God be genuine, it will strengthen us to do and suffer the divine will; it will excite to holy obedience, and to benevolence and beneficence towards man.

The higher hope and joy are raised, the more will tenderness of conscience be increased. The banishing of servile fear will increase reverential awe, humility, and watchfulness.

XV.

THE BENEFITS OF AFFLICTION.

JOB V. 17, 18.

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

THOUGH Eliphaz, as well as the other friends of Job, was inclined to great severity, and indulged suspicions of his sincerity, for which he had an insufficient ground,—and unjustly inferred his former hypocrisy from his present affliction; yet, in this chapter especially, he offers much good advice, and evidently admits such premises as might well have rectified his own erroneous conclusions. It is hard for us, in critical circumstances, to act in perfect consistency with our own acknowledged principles; and harder still, for persons, in severe trials, to take the best advice which is mingled with unkind reflections. The best of us would be badly off, if God had not more patience with us, than we have with one another,

The language here used would lead us to conclude, that the happiest persons in our world, are not those that are always or generally exempt from trouble; but those who have a certain refuge, sufficient to afford them relief in time of trouble; who have learnt those lessons which are often taught in the school of affliction; and whose successive trials are overruled to make them more perfect in those lessons.

All good men have not an equal measure of affliction; much less are all bad men exempt from it. But all men are liable to it, good men as well as others, who often have a large share. Neither affliction nor the want of it, will prove our interest in God's favor; but the sanctified improvement of affliction will go far towards evincing that we are his peculiar people, and truly happy; nor has it been unusual for God to make use of affliction, in first bringing them to make him their refuge, who had not before realized their need of him.

FIRST, Men in general, especially in time of ease and prosperity, are apt to indulge many erroneous notions, and neglect many important truths.