God and his doctrine be evill spoken on through your vain conversation As ye have received this righteousness of Christ so walk as those that are arrayed in these long white robes Get into the number of the righteous Beloved I know that ye desire it at least when you come to die I know there is none in this congregation but could wish with Balaam Num. 23.10 O let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his And if we desire it at our deaths why should not we endevour it in our lives What a folly is it nay do but consider seriously what a desperate madness that we should desire this so seriously at our end and yet never look after it till we come to die that this should be the first the chief in our desires and yet the least the last in our endevours Nay whilest thus we cast off the care of Christ and of his righteousness in our health is it not just with him so to cast off the care of us when we lie upon our beds of languishing Go cry unto the gods whom ye have chosen let them deliver you now in the time of your tribulation Whilest we disown him in our lives have we not just cause to fear that so he will disown us at our deaths Depart from me ye workers of iniquity verily I know you not If there be yet a profane heart in this congregation Oh do not deceive your selves with the righteousness of your faith nor flatter your selves with the hopes of joy As Peter to Simon Magus I perceive thou art yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity and hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Repent therefore of thy wickednesse and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee This is a messe provided only for a Benjamin Rejoyce ye righteous Beloved we have now found out the righteous man I have been long in this discovery So it concerns us A wise builder will be carefull to lay his foundation firm And a steward must be faithfull to give every man his own portion So here lest on the one hand we should take the childrens bread and give it unto dogs or on the other hand lest we should withhold bread from the children Having therefore thus clear'd the way now we may more cheerfully proceed to The joy of the Righteous Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart In these words we finde a Trinity in Unity a trinity of expressions in an unity of sense Be glad and rejoyce and shout for joy all to set forth the greatnesse of the joy of these happy men Yet here not only to word it to the ear but to lay it open to the eye let us look about us Where can we fix our eye but we finde matter of the greatest joy I shall now give the reasons of it 1. While we look above us God is our father and have ye not here Homers Iliads in a nut-shel Heaven in a word 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a father unto you and ye shall be me sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Is not here matter of great joy How did it raise the spirit of David when Saul had given him his daughter Seemeth it a small thing unto you to be the son-in-law of a King But then 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God But farther as God is our Father so Christ is our Saviour The birth of Christ is glad tidings of great joy so it was sung by a whole quire of Angels O ye that are highly favoured climb up into the Sycomore-tree Do ye not hear his voice and it is sweet This day is salvation come unto thy house Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace saith old Simeon for mine eyes have seen thy salvation And the blessed Virgin My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour So the Ethiopian Eunuch when he had got but a glimpse of Christ he went on his way rejoycing Nay 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce even with joy unspeakable and glorious But yet further as Christ is our Saviour so the Holy Ghost our Comforter Joh. 14.16 I will pray unto the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive but ye know him Do we not finde the comforts of this Spirit confirming the Adoption of the Father He hath given us the earnest of the Spirit even the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father So sealing the redemption of the Son Oh grieve not the Spirit by which ye are sealed unto the day of redemption And now do not your hearts leap for joy whilest thus you behold God your Father Christ your Saviour and the Holy Ghost your Comforter the whole Trinity of Persons in the unity of your consolation Perhaps the world frowns upon you And what a poor thing was that of Haman so to vex and fret himself for want of the knee of Mordecai when he had the favour of the King himself But then what a pitifull thing is this in us to vex and torment our selves at the frowns of men whilest we have the love and favour of the Lord himself Why art thou cast down Oh my soul As once Elcanah to his wife Am I not better to thee then ten sons So is not the love of God better to us then ten thousand worlds Psal 4.6 Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us This puts gladnesse in the heart more then in the time that corn and wine and oyle increaseth Oh ye Favourites of heaven be not awanting to your selves If Haman had cause to pride himself in the favour of Ahasuerus that great King of Assyria how much more may it cheer up your spirits that ye have the favour of God the great God of heaven Rejoyce ye Righteous 2. Whilest we look below us Behold the Pit that bottomless pit Are you not affrighted with the horror of it such a fearfull pit So think upon that place of darknesse that blacknesse of darknesse Oh how comfortlesse how frightful to be reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse with the prince of darknesse And think upon those chains those everlasting chains Ah wofull eternity Were it on a bed of down if chain'd upon that bed how wearisome but there bound for ever Oh what heart is able to conceive the horror of this word for ever Nay yet worse Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Do not your sinews shrink to think upon this fire this everlasting fire Oh how afflictive and tormenting
he quickned who were dead in sins and trespasses wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the air the spirit that now works in the children of dâ—sobedience amongst whom also we all had our conversation in times past If we look upon times past Oh what a wofull condition was the poor creature in at his very birth all polluted in his bloud and as he growes up so carried away with the course of the world running headlong to his own destruction This was our condition But blessed be God that there is a change It was the joy of Jehotakim Evilmerodach the King of Babylon sent for him out of prison and changed his prison garments and gave him a continual portion before him all the daies of his life So Christ hath made a change and an exchange with us he hath taken from us the rags of sin and put upon us the robes of righteousness his own robes He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him he hath delivered us from that pit of darknesse and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus What a change is here do but compare your condition then and your condition now Is it not the joy of Angels There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth The woman rejoyceth that hath found her lost gâ—oat the man rejoyceth that hath found his lost sheep the father rejoyceth that hath found his lost son bring hither the fatted calf let us eat and be merry shall others thus rejoyce over us and is it not much more the joy of our own hearts Look upon other men how they still wallow in their wickednesse having their understandings darkned through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts and then reflect we on our selves thus it hath been with us if we look upon time past 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither fornicator nor idolater nor adulterer nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall enter into the Kingdom of God And such were some of you but ye are washed Such were some of you O what a joyfull word that we were but such that we are not so now So Paul before I was a persecutor a blasphemer and injurious but I obtained mercy Lord what am I that thou hast brought me hitherto that thou hast loved Jacob and yet hated Esau that he should passe by so many and yet shew this grace and favour to my soul So do but look behinde you and consider how it hath been with you Do but remember the time past and Rejoyce ye righteous 8. Whilest we look before us Consider but the time to come Heb. 12.2 Looking up to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame Do but look upon the joy which is set before you and this will carry you above the crosse Beloved I have spoken something for your present comfort to cheer up your spirits and as the Queen of Sheba It is a true report which you have heard yet behold the one half is not told you As yet we have but the seed-time and some showres they are seasonable our life is but a bitter-sweet Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart But look before you and behold a harvest even the joy of harvest unintermixed joy The time is coming when all tears shall be wiped from our eyes There shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither any more pain Do but look before you and behold a Kingdom Come ye blessed children of my Father inherit ye the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Do but look before you and behold a Throne To him that overcometh saith our Saviour will I give to sit with me on my throne Do but look before you and behold a Crown From henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which God the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not unto me only but unto all that love his appearing The time is coming when we shall be gathered with Abraham Isaac and Jacob into the Kingdom of heaven to the Patriarchs our fathers to the Saints our brethren to the Angels our friends to Angels and Archangels and to all the company of that heavenly host The time is coming when the Lord Jesus shall send for us as once Jacob for his father He that sent us into the world owes us a better turn then to leave us for ever in the world Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory How did it rejoyce the spirit of old Jacob It is enough Joseph is yet alive I will go and see him before I die So here and much more then so It is enough Jesus is yet alive though I cannot go and see him before I die yet Lord let me die that I may go and see him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is the best of all The time is coming when the Lord Jesus shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an Archangel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first to meet the Lord in the air that there they may be ever with the Lord. That they may be with God! Oh what a happy vision to stand continually in his presence Saith the Queen of Sheba concerning the servants of King Solomon Happy are thy servants and happy are these thy men which stand continually before thee but think if you can think how happy they are that stand continually in Gods presence there 's fulnesse of joy and pleasures for ever more A fulnesse of joy because there for ever for ever with the Lord O sweet word for ever And this is that indeed which crowns all our joyes Would it not be a hell in the midst of heaven to think of once losing heaven But Oh joyfull eternity An Eternal joy Whilest we are here and see nothing but what 's present we read nothing but vicissitude and the wheel still turning but when we consult with heaven and look upon that before us then pure and unmixed unchangeable and everlasting joyes Oh how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Goodnesse and great goodnesse but what tongue is able to expresse how great 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entrea into mans heart The eye hath seen much the ear hath heard more the heart of man is able to conceive much more Yet neither hath eye seen nor ear heard nor is the heart of man able to conceive the things which God hath prepared for
righteous 2. A Direction The way to solid and true joy is the way of the righteous Beloved we all desire solid and true joy This that which we all long after to lead a cheerfull and a comfortable life and to make a joyful and a happy end My Text directs you to the means Get into the number of the righteous This is that which will give you joy in the end joy without end and this only You think to finde it some in one way some in another some in a third one pursues it in a way of riches a second in a way of honours a third in a way of pleasures They do but please themselves in their own fancies and embrace meer shadowes Either you must finde it in a way of righteousnesse or you shall never attain to solid and soul-satisfying joy I shall first shew you where you cannot finde it and then where true joy is to be had 1. Do not seek it in the way of riches Many men think if they had but wealth enough they should have joy enough It is true perhaps if they had enough but we see it by experience Eccles 1.8 The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear fill'd with hearing So Eccles 5.10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase As the dropsie to the body so is covetousnesse to the minde Mille meis errent in montibus Agni Oh that I had a thousand lambs upon the mountains And when we have got a thousand then pauperis est numerare pecus he is but a poor man that can number his cattel The more we have the more we crave And how shall we quench his thirst which is increased by drinking Besides though we could have enough yet we are not sure to hold it Prov. 23.51 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not For riches certainly make themselves wings they flie away as an Eagle toward heaven And then the more our joy in the fruition the greater our sorrow in the losse However when death comes such as our entrance such is the exit Naked came we into the word and naked must we go out of the world We do but imbrace the cloud in stead of Juno Whilest we think to hug a happinesse in abundance Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years eat drink and be merry Death comes and our joy goes Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken from thee and then whose shall these things be 2. Do not seek it in the way of honours Many please themselves in the way of eminency Oh quam pulchrum est digito monstrari dicier Hic est what a brave thing it is to be pointed at There goes such a man So if they can but climb up into such an office or get the praise and applause of men especially the favour of such great ones Haman invited to the Queens banquet then went he to his home joyfull and with a glad heart It is true indeed a good name is as a precious oyntment and more to be desired then gold and silver yet as good as it is remember it is bonum sine sera aut clave a good without lock and key It is a thing scarce in our own keeping We stand much at the courtesie of others for it And can we chain up the winds The multitude who but yesterday would have crown'd our Saviour to day Away with him crucifie him And Haman in that height of favour with King Ahashuerus how suddenly is the wind in another corner and whilest yet at the banquet the Kings countenance is changed and he sees that evil is determined against him by the King So Herod whilest loud in the acclamations of the people The voice of God and not of man presently the Angel of the Lord smites him and Herod is eaten up of wormes He became a prey to those base flatterers so Josephus seems to give the sense though I conceive he comes short in the story and those who so applauded him were his devourers 3. Do not seek it in the way of pleasures Many go this way and think themselves the only men Whilest others are toyling in the earth of riches or swearing in a throng of offices and honours these enjoy the world at will and feast themselves upon the sweat of other mens labours Thus one sports away his time in gaming And when he hath conquered his neighbour and made himself master of anothers purse is not the box the only gainer So they shall finde it when they come to the last game when the soul lies at stake they have lost their time and now hell it sweeps all away A second swils away his time in drinking Let us fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant But doth not the aking pate and empty purse chide them to an after reckoning We to them that rise up early for strong drink that continue untill night till wine inflame them A third beastiates himself in goatish lechery Come let us take our fill of loves And when Amnon hath got his will of his sister Tamar the hatred wherewith he hateth her is more then the love wherewith he loved her And what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed A fourth perhaps of more heroick spirit he is for high atchievement and more noble action So Nebuchadnezzar pleases himself in the contemplation of his works Is not this great Babylon which I have built And whilest the word was yet in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken the Kingdome is departed from thee And when Alexander hath conquered the whole world his fathers fall from his horse into the dust if he view the print of his body it will shew him that as little earth contains him as another man A fifth perhaps more contemplative of a clearer intellect he sees the folly of the world whilest so very throng and busie as Ants upon the mole-hill and he delights himself in his study to discourse with forein languages to view Natures secrets to consult with former ages This man seems to come the nearest for so the Scholar findes a pleasure in it more pleasure in his books then either the covetous in his bags or the voluptuous at his board or the lecherous in his bed or the pragmatical in the noise and tumult of his most heroick actions Yet remember though we could speak all languages yet if we speak not the language of Canaan we are amongst Gods people but as a Barbarian Or as the Apostle Though I speak with the tongue of men and Angels yea though I understood all mysteries and all knowledge yet if I have not charity I am but as a sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymbal If there be not the sap of grace in this tree of knowledge it bears nothing but