Joy in the Holy Ghost

William MacEwen (The author pastored a church in Dundee in the eighteenth century).

This excellent fruit of the Spirit may be viewed either as that habitual cheerfulness of temper, which the sincere Christian, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, studies to maintain upon all occasions; or it may be considered as importing in it those ravishing sallies of pleasure and delight which an apostle styles joy unspeakable and full of glory; which are only indulged in some happy moments and on special occasions. Let us begin with the first.

It is true, his heart is contrite; and rivers of waters have been known to run down his eyes; in so much that superficial spectators may take him for a man of sorrows, a gloomy, melancholy creature. But could they look into his heart, they would find it full of the oil of gladness; even when his eyes are full of the tears of sorrow. The smile of God from without, of conscience from within, cannot fail to inspire him with such cheering tranquility as could not possibly result merely from the most excellent temperature of body or the most easy circumstances of this world. He thankfully receives the gifts of providence; tastes in them that the Lord is good; but chiefly he rejoices in the word of the truth of the gospel; and that his name is written in heaven; that God is his Father, Christ his Saviour, and heaven his inheritance. Be it so, that sometimes, through the agency of wicked and melancholy spirits without, and the too great prevalence of unbelief within, he gives too much way to a desponding frame; he very well knows that it is neither acceptable to God, glorifying to Christ, pleasing to the Spirit, honouring to the gospel, edifying to his neighbour, or beneficial to his own soul.

Ask you the cordials that cheer his drooping spirits? He meditates on God and rejoices under the shadow of his wings. He reads his Bible and finds it to the joy of his heart. He mortifies every known sin. He pours out unto God the sorrows of his heart. His countenance is no more sad. For God is favourable unto him and he will see his face with joy. Such is the habitual serenity of mind he studies to maintain. Such are the means by which it is promoted.

But in some blessed periods of his life, some happy days which the Lord has made, his joy, like a river swelled by impetuous rains, bursts all its banks and carries all before it; at once the joys, at once the sorrows of the world. When he obtains the most comfortable intimations of the divine favour, of his interest in the Redeemer, and of his title to the heavenly inheritance: O then how his heart exults! How his countenance looks cheerful! How the voice of melody is heard in his tabernacle! Now every object is fit to fill his mind with highest rapture. Every perfection of the divine nature; every purpose of his will; every sentence of his word; every operation of his hand; every privilege of his covenant, whether in hand or hope, is a well of salvation, out of which he draws water with joy. The birds mend their notes, the sun his beams, the outgoings of the morning and evening are made more joyful. All sorrow is turned into joy before him. Every desert rejoices. Every wilderness blossoms as the rose. Every mountain of discouragement skips like a calf: Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. Every cloud is stamped with a rainbow. Death loses his dart; the grave lays aside her gloom; and hell her chosen terrors.

Great is the joy of the bridegroom when he is put in possession of his fair one; of the mother when her pangs are over and a man child is born into the world; of the husbandman when the labours of the year are finished and his barns filled with plenty; of the soldier when a happy victory puts an end to the fatigues of a tedious campaign. But what is the joy of the bridegroom? What is the joy of the child-bearing woman? What is the joy of the harvest? And what is the joy of them that find great spoil? What are any, what are all these joys, to the joy of him that rejoices in the Lord and is glad in the God of his salvation? For who can tell what is included in the epithet of it given by a blessed apostle – ‘unspeakable and full of glory?’ If such O Lord, are the first fruits, what must be the harvest of that light which is sown for the righteous, and gladness which is sown for the upright in heart? If in this vale of tears, thy favourite ones so greatly rejoice: who can conceive what is prepared for them in that state when they shall come into thy beatific presence where there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore?