A SERMON, BY THE REV. WILLIAM JAY. PREACHED AT ARGYLE CHAPEL, BATH, ON THURSDAY EVENING, FEB. 13, 1840. "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John xvi. 24. upon them, we must consider the limitation of the exercise, rather than the extensiveness of the subject. I. We are reminded, that there is A JOY BELONGING TO THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THOUGH all Scripture is divinely inspired, and every word of God is true, and though what the prophets and apostles delivered under His authority and influence is both true and important, yet there is something peculiarly interesting and delightful in what our Saviour personally uttered in the days of His flesh. "Grace" "Your joy," says he. The intimation was "poured into His lips;" He was would be absurd, if there was not a joy "full of grace and truth ;" and "never provided for them, and valued by them; man spake like this Man." I envy not to which they were entitled, and of which the sensibilities of that person, who can they are possessed. This accords not, read these three chapters without emotion. indeed, with the opinions of the people of They are the last conversation of our the world. According to them, religion Saviour with His disciples, before He preseribes a joyless course; engaged in ascended to His Father and our Father which, we must bid adieu to every thing -to His God and our God. They show like pleasure. According to them, if it us, that "having loved His own which smiles on eternity, it frowns on time; if were in the world, He loved them unto it renders death safe, it renders life methe end." They fulfilled the prediction concerning Him-"The bruised reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He shall not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto victory" that is, as He shail not abandon His followers for their infirmities, so He will not leave them without assistance under these infirmities; but having begun a good work in them, He will perform it, and work in them effectually, so as to accomplish "all the good pleasure of His goodness." lancholy and gloomy. But where did they learn this? at the bar of reason? As all happiness depends upon God, is it likely that He will allow those who love and serve Him to be less happy than those who hate and oppose Him? If you think so, what a conception have you of God! And how different is this from His own language! "Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty behold, My servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall Our text shows the greatness and the tenderness of His care and His attention. And we see that He was concerned, not only for their safety, but their welfare-howl for vexation of spirit." Where did not only for their preservation, but for their comfort. And in the words which we have read, He says, "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." There is a joy belonging to the disciples of the Lord Jesus: the completion of this joy is desirable: prayer is the medium of obtaining it: prayer, to be effectual, is to be offered in His name. These are the four articles which will come under our review this evening; and in enlarging VOL. XIII. they learn this? at the bar of experience? Go and consult those who have made the trial of His service. They will tell you that they were strangers to every thing like peace and pleasure, while they were strangers to the consolation of İsrael; but that, since they have served Him, they have found "His yoke easy, and His burden light ;" that since He has made them free, they have been "free indeed." Where did they learn this? at the bar of Scripture? Why, this assures us, that religion's "ways are ways of pleasantness, 2 H evermore. and all her paths are peace." What say its commands? "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and shout aloud for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." Rejoice 'Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice." What say its promises? "The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace: they shall sing in the ways of the Lord." What say its representations? "Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. In Thy name shall they rejoice all the day and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted." And what say its examples? Look back to the first Christians, none of whom escaped persecution; yet the apostle Peter says, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Their religion made them sufferers, but it did not deprive them of pleasure and comfort: they took pleasure even in their sufferings. The Thessalonians "received the Word in much affliction, and in joy of the Holy Ghost." And the Hebrews took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance." But does not religion forbid? Oh! yes; it does forbid, the pleasures of sin for a season. But then it brings, in exchange for these, something infinitely better. For the filthy puddle, it gives us the pure blood of the grape; and for the house of pollution, it gives us the house of God and the gate of heaven. Does it forbid the enjoyment of the beauties of nature, and of the bounties of providence? It does indeed forbid all excess in the good things of the world; but is intemperance enjoyment? Is not the moderate use of" every good creature of God" the sweetest? And does religion forbid this? Yea, who will venture to say, there are any who enjoy nature and providence like Christians, who walk with God-who view Him as reconciled in the Son of His love-and who can rise from things seen and temporal to things which are not seen and eternal? Perhaps some of you are ready to say, But how is it, then, that we see and hear so little in Christians of this joy of which we are speaking? Why, be it remembered, that in this cold wintry world, every thing around the Christian is adapted to repel instead of drawing forth the communication. This is meat, which others" know not of;" this is joy, with which "strangers intermeddle not." This joy floats not upon the surface, but dwells deep in the recesses of the heart, making holydays there. And we should remember too, that Christians do not always live as they ought; they do not always live up to their privileges. This brings us II. To remark, that THE COMPLETION OF THIS JOY IS DESIRABLE. "Ask, and receive; that your joy may be full." For there are degrees in it. There are degrees, indeed, in every thing pertaining to Divine life. In the family of heaven, you see fathers, young men, children, babes. In the field of Christ, you see "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. In the dawn of eternal glory, "the path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." There are some, who tell us, that there is no such thing as growth in grace; for they love to oppose the express language of Scripture. But is not faith a grace of the Spirit? Is not charity a grace of the Spirit? And does not Paul tell the Thessalonians, "Your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one towards each other aboundeth?" Well, so it is with many but some know very little of this indeed. They seem to know the value of it more by the want, than by the experience. Their joy is feeble, stinted, stunted, ever varying. Yet there is a fulness of this joy-a twofold fulness. There is an absolute fulness of this joy; but this is reserved for you, Christians, in another world, when you will be " presented faultless before the throne of His glory with exceeding joy." The other is comparative; and this is attainable even here. The apostle therefore prays on behalf of the Romans. "That you may be filled with all joy and peace in believing." And our Saviour here says, Let us examine this, and take three views of it. afraid of confessing with the mouth what "As, by the light of open day, We all know that a greater enjoyment abolishes the sense of the less. 1. Let us view this joy, this fulness of joy, as the ornament and recommender of religion. And so it is. It is therefore said, that "the redeemed of the Lord shall come to Zion with songs"-which can be heard" and everlasting joy" which can be seen-" upon their heads." "Everlasting joy upon the head" seems a strange expression; rather, we should say, everlasting joy in their hearts. But the prophet knew well what he was expressing. It intimates that the joy of believers, in their march towards heaven, distinguishes them and dignifies them; they are crowned by it: and there is nothing that adorns the doctrine of God their Saviour more, or that recommends religion more to those around them. For all, you know, are seeking after happiness; and therefore if they find that you succeed while all besides fail, why, they may be induced to seek it together with you. Be careful, therefore, to show men that 3. Review this joy, this full joy, as a there is a reality, an excellency, a blessed-supporter in the hour of affliction. And ness in your religion. Take care not to such hours must be our portion; for we hang down your heads, like bulrushes, are "born to trouble as the sparks fly upand not to walk mournfully before the wards." But here says David, "In the Lord, and to "cause the way of truth to multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy be evil spoken of" by your dismal looks comforts delight my soul." Oh! says and sighs and groans. But let every Paul, "He comforteth us in all our trithing pertaining to you partake of the bulation." The believer is "shod with spirit of the invitation, "Come with us, the preparation of the Gospel of peace" and we will do you good; for the Lord for his passage through this wilderness; hath spoken good concerning Israel.' so that while others are pricked and 2. View this joy, this fulness of joy, pierced, "his shoes are iron and brass, as an assistant in duty. Thus Nehemiah and as his days so is his strength." His says, "The joy of the Lord is your religion allows him, indeed requires him, strength." So it is found in experience. to feel in his trouble; but it enables him Sorrow is depressive and unnerving, and to persevere; it enables him "in patience seeks the shade; but joy is an embold-to possess his soul;" it makes him, in a ening, impulsive, communicative thing. Some of you know how long you carried spiritual distress in your bosoms before you made it known to any of your connections; but it was otherwise when joy smiled on you, and said, "I am your salvation," and when He brought you into the spiritual liberty of His children. Then you said, "Come unto me, all ye that fear the Lord, and I will show you what He hath done for my soul." Oh! were this joy abounding, you would not live sneakers in religion: ashamed and measure, independent of events and outward things; so that "his mind is kept in perfect peace, being stayed upon God;" he "casteth all his care upon Him who careth for him." What could have been more distressing than the situation of the Church in the days of Habakkuk? “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet"-says she "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." And what a serious condition was David in, standing upon the brink of life, and taking a farewell of every thing here! Yet, says he, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." We have seen that there is a joy belonging to the disciple of Jesus, and that the completion of it is desirable. Let us remark III. That THE MEDIUM OF OBTAINING IT IS PRAYER. 66 ceive." "Tho' in ourselves we have no stock, The door flies open when we knock; "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy ני gives Him the glory that is due to His holy name; thus honouring His wisdom, His power, and His goodness. And as to yourselves, if you obtained these blessings without ever having been made to feel your need of them, without your ever desiring or seeking after them, the attainment could afford you no satisfaction; you would not then value them, and therefore you would not "call upon your souls and all that is within you to bless and praise God." Fourthly, it will not be denied, that, as He has appointed and enjoined this way, He will always pay regard to it. He always has done so from the beginning of the world: He never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye My face in vain," and He never will, and He never can. For though we could not bind Him, He has bound Himself by promise; and the Scripture cannot be broken. Let us therefore confide in His faithfulness, and pray; for, says He, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." 66 IV. We observe, that PRAYER, TO BE AVAILABLE, MUST BE IN HIS NAME. "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name: ask"-that is, now ask-now "ask in My name, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” Four things will hardly be denied by Some suppose that this was a gentle any one here this evening. First, it will rebuke for their contractedness in their not be denied, that God has prescribed this prayers; as if He had said, 'Hitherto ye course, and made prayer in His Word have asked nothing in My name comthe channel of His influence and compared with what you might have asked, munication. "For all these things," says and what you ought to have asked, had He, "I will be inquired of by the house you considered your duty or your priviof Israel, to do it for them.' Secondly, lege.' But it is an intimation of their ig it will not be denied, that He had a norance as to the proper mode of prayer; right to determine the way in which He for, as the apostle says, "at this time the should be gracious. For grace must al-way into the holiest of all was not fully ways be free, or "it is no more grace.' made manifest." It had been typified He is a great King above all gods," and and prefigured from the beginning; but we had no claim upon Him: yea, we were the disciples themselves did not perfectly unworthy of the least of all His mercies; understand the thing designed. Their we lay entirely at His displeasure, and as views of His death, as to its nature and children of disobedience we deserved that design, were as yet undistinguishable and His wrath should come upon us. Thirdly, obscure; and therefore Peter recomit will not be denied, that the way He has mended Him not to suffer, and referring chosen must be the best, whether we con- to the cross He said, "That be far from sider His glory or our own welfare. Prayer Thee, Lord." Hence they had not expressly humbles man, and it exalts God: it ex-prayed in His name; neither did it seem presses our dependence upon Him, and necessary while He was yet always with them. But now, says He, "if ye ask | teousness, submitting yourselves to the any thing in My name, I will do it." righteousness which is of God, acquiescing "Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in in this mode, placing all your dependence my name, He will do it for you." "What-upon it, and even glorifying also in it. soever ye shall ask in My name, He will Without this, if you seek, ye will “have give it you. ." "At that day ye shall ask in not, because you ask amiss." My name." So it is. It is to be feared, that there are some, who are, like the disciples; ignorant here. But their ignorance is much less excusable than that of the disciples; for now revelation is complete; and nothing can be more decisive, more expressive, than the designs of the Scriptures concerning the nature and availableness, and the only availableness of our Saviour's mediation. Can any thing be stronger or clearer than this? "He once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us unto God." "Now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ." We have boldness to enter into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus." We come unto God by Him." Through Him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." And be it observed, that our asking in His name is not, as the Socinians explain it, our asking by His authority, and as His people, resembling Him, according to those words of the apostle" Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus." But it means that we are to pray through His mediation-imploring for His sake, pleading His incarnation, His sacrifice, His intercession. Abel was heard and accepted, because of the excellency of His sacrifice. Under the law, no penitent was ever pardoned in any other way; for "without shedding of blood," there never was any remission. The Jews were always in their prayers to turn their faces towards the temple. This was an emblem of what Christians should do in all their prayers. They should turn their minds towards Him, who is the temple, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." You should learn, therefore, from hence, that your prayers, to be available, must be Christian; to be Christian, they must be in His name; that is, you must be sensible, not only of your unworthiness, but of your guilt; not only of your wants, but of your desert; not only renouncing your own sufficiency, but your own righ On the other hand, says the Saviour, "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My name : ask now, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." How necessary is it, therefore, for us to be acquainted with the Saviour! What an excellency there is in the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord! What a dignity there must be in Him!-since to be in Him, insures every other gift; and "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" And how dear must He have been to the Father, since, when we come to Him, all unworthy and undeserving as we are, as soon as ever He hears us mentioning His Son's name, He can withhold nothing from us, but immediately pardons; and not only so, but enriches and glorifies! What a source of encouragement, Christians, have you here, under a sense of your unworthiness and your guilt! And while you are compelled to say, 'I am vile,'-you have no name of your own to come in, you have only a bad one in heaven-the name of sinner, or traitor, or transgressor, and this is not a name you can come in-you have no name of your own, and you need none; here is "a name which is above every name;" here is a name which "is like ointment poured forth;" which ought to be always on the lips and in the heart. Come to God and say, "Look on the face of thine Anointed;" and then you may “draw near,' as the apostle says, "with humble boldness, in full assurance of faith. Then you may pray, "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." Amen. |