Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_500.lzh/D_563.TXT

Text File | 1994-08-25 | 7KB | 131 lines

CHAP. X.                                             OF SPIRITUAL JOY.                                                             563
                        t                                                        7      ; :' ' ""'~'     '   "'    ·         ~t~
....... ,~ ;t ,, w,d~ --~ ~ o-.- pleasant, and unspeakable           happiness of those who are interested in it; it is full of
~;/~tl,,~ ,~,    ~-nit t/l ~ '~,~,
comfort to godly persons." So Calvin {} observes, that               blessings of grace, mercy, and goodness, called, The
"those who search into it rightly and in due order,                  sure mercies of David, which are sure to all the seed; and
as it is contained in the word, fetch choice consolation             of exceeding great and precious promises, which are all

from it." And even Arminius himself says {2}, "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 in
the chain of salvation, to which the rest are fastened,
and by it secured; 14thorn 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, Epb. i. 3, 4. Rom. viii.
30. and xi. 7. from hence springs all the grace of the
Spirit dispensed by him in regeneration and sanctifi-
cation; sanctification of the Spirit is fixed and estab-
lished 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 ordain-
ed 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 conse-
quence,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 condenmation; they that are
written in the Lamb's book of life enter into the new
Jerusalem; and those who are predestinated are glori-
fied. 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 fore-knowledge of God,
and that fore-knowledge 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 exulta-
tion 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

~ Institut. i. 3. c. 24. s. 4.

yea and amen 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; Irejoice at thy word, says David, a word of
promise, as one thatfindeth greatspoil, Psalm cxix. l62.
which suggests a great degree of joy. To which may be
added, that this covenant is free, absolute, and uncon-
ditional: 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 indefieient
source of joy: all, or the whole of salvation is contain-
ed 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 mgl desire; as containing in
it all that was desirable by him, delightful to him, and
that could afford him joy and pleasure.
Second13t, Christ, and things relating to him, are the
objects otthe spiritual joy of saints; this enters into
the very character of true christians and believers in
Christ, who are described as such who rejoicein 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 iueh as relate both
to his person and to his work.
1st, 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 per-
son, 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 per-
fections of deity, the consideration of which yields joy
to believers in him; hence they know and may con-
elude 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 right-
eousness 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 saeri-
flee the sacrifice of himself, and so of a sweet-smelling
sayour 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

a Disput. Public. Thes. 15. s. 14.
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