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CHAPTER VII.

IN HIS JOYS.

"These things I have spoken to you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."-John xv. 11.

HAD "the Man of sorrows" any joys? The gospels, the proper memoirs of his life, make no mention of any. His tears are spoken of, but not his smiles.

When we consider what

He was-holy, pure, divine, eternal; when we consider whence He came- -from the bosom of the Father, from a throne in glory; and what He came for—to suffer the just, for the unjust ; we might conclude that in this unsatisfying, miserable world, the Son of God could find no

thing to enjoy could have no thought of gladness: and yet I think He had. We must look very closely indeed to find the sources of his joy, for they were few, and hidden. Once, and I think no more, it is said in the gospels, that Jesus rejoiced in spirit. (Luke x. 21.) The occasion of his rejoicing is very remarkable:"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes." There could be but one cause for this -Jesus had no pleasure in the blindness of any one-no value for the soul of one above another; but He beheld his Father's glory in it; He knew that had the wise and prudent of this world been chosen to make known his gospel, men would have given to them the glory-perhaps they would have taken it to themselves. But God had chosen the foolish of this world to confound the wise, and Jesus delighted in the preference, because He saw the greater glory that would result from it to God: proving that salvation is of grace, and not of merit;

that divine knowledge is imparted immediately from heaven, and not acquired by human understanding. I cannot help remarking how different a feeling prevails amongst men. There is apt to be great rejoicing in the church when some great one, some wise one, is converted, as if it were more important that such a one should be saved than one who is poor and unknown. A great deal is said about the influence such a conversion may have on others, the power of such a one for doing good, the conspicuousness of a light so elevated. This may be the result if God so pleases, but it is evident that Jesus made no account of all this: He expressly rejoiced that it was otherwise.

I have said, there is in the gospels no other mention of the Redeemer's joy. It is only by inference we can trace them. It may be inferred justly, that He himself rejoiced in that which He declared to be a cause of joy in heaven-the bringing of a sinner to repentance. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied;" entirely, when the purpose of

his travail should be accomplished in the salvation of his church; but prospectively, in the depth of his sufferings. As St. Paul also speaks, "Who for the joy that was set before him despised the shame." As one and another turned to follow him, we must suppose the compassionate Saviour rejoiced in the fruits of anticipated victory, with a joy proportioned to his love-and that was infinite. When, of the ten who were healed, one only returned to glorify God, some pleasure in that one would mix itself with his sense of the ingratitude of the remainder.

And when in the house of Lazarus, Jesus expressed so little satisfaction in the hospitable assiduities of Martha, needless to him, and injurious to herself, we cannot suppose otherwise than that He felt pleasure in the company of Mary, as she sate listening at his feet. And did He not take pleasure in the Magdalen's love and the Centurion's faith? When we consider how dear to him were the souls He came from heaven to save, and how dear the

glory of the Father which He came to vindicate, it cannot be doubted that Jesus felt a joy exalted as his own nature, whenever a sinner gave token of repentance, and God was glorified in his works. And if goodness takes pleasure in the exercise of itself, Jesus must have been pleased whenever He exerted his deity for the relief of human suffering. If we would know more, we must have recourse to the Psalms, those sacred soliloquies of Christ's humanity. I pass over the expressions of triumph in the salvation of his people, so frequent in Isaiah and elsewhere: they seem to be the language of the glorified rather than the suffering Messiah; our inquiry is confined to the period of his humiliation. In referring to the Psalms, I shall cite those only of which the application is unquestionable, because applied to Christ in the New Testament. Let them testify as to the character of the Redeemer's joy. A single quotation will unfold it all. "Then said I, Lo I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy