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THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION
TO be sincerely and eminently religious is considered by the world as a symptom of weakness and folly. But the Scriptures represent such a life as characteristic of true wisdom. Upon such “wisdom” Solomon bestows the highest commendations [Note: ver. 13–16. That this is the true meaning of “wisdom” and “understanding.” is evident from Job_28:28.]: he speaks of it as incomparably more precious than gold, or rubies, or any earthly good whatever: he paints her as a queen disposing of riches, honour, and longevity to all her subjects: and, because we are more captivated by the idea of pleasure than of any thing else, he commends her to us in the text as productive of it in the highest possible degree.
We are naturally led to shew from the words before us, that the duties of religion are,
I. Pleasant in their exercise—
In confirmation of this truth, let us consider religion,
1. In a general and comprehensive view—
[Religion, as our Lord informs us, is comprehended in two things; the love of God, and the love of our neighbour.
Let us then inquire into the love of God. Suppose a person filled with admiration of the divine perfections as exhibited in the works of creation, must not that be a pleasant exercise of mind? Suppose him rising yet higher to the works of redemption, and contemplating the justice and the mercy, the truth and the love, the wisdom and the goodness of the Deity, as united, and harmonizing, and glorified in the cross of Christ; suppose him, I say, contemplating these with rapture, till he burst forth in songs of praise similar to those uttered by the angels at the birth of Christ, or those which are now sung around the throne of God: would there be no pleasure in such an employment? Suppose him yet further meditating upon the mercies of God vouchsafed to himself in particular, and adoring the triune God for all the wonders of electing, redeeming, sanctifying grace: must not such a frame be pleasant?
Inquire, next, into the love of our neighbour: suppose one to be exercising all those dispositions towards him which his relation to us or his situation demand: suppose one to be rejoicing with him in his prosperity, or to be weeping over his adversity in tender sympathy: suppose one to be stretching out the hand of charity for his relief, or administering consolation for his support;—is there no pleasure in all this? Surely he has not the heart of a man, who can question this obvious, indubitable truth.]
2. In its most difficult and painful duties—
[Repentance is a principal duty of religion: but can we find, it may be asked, any pleasure in that? We answer, Yes: only view repentance in its proper light, and we will affirm that it is pleasant. Suppose that one of us had by mistake swallowed somewhat that was poisonous: that we felt the deadly venom preying on our vitals; and that our medical attendant informed us, that, unless removed from our stomach, the poison would destroy us in a few hours; should we deem the exertions necessary for the removal of it a painful task? Should we not gladly renew them, till we had accomplished our end? Should we not, instead of regretting the pain occasioned by them, feel thankful that we had an opportunity to use them? And would not the success that accompanied our efforts turn our pain into a pleasure? Such then is repentance; it is a painful exertion to get rid of sin, which, if not expelled from our hearts, will utterly and eternally destroy us: and, though we do not say that pain can ever be pleasure, yet we affirm, that the very pangs of contrition, considered in a complex view, as consonant with our wishes and conducive to our good, are really pleasant: and for the truth of our assertion we will appeal to all who ever experienced those pangs: we will ask whether the seasons of their deepest humiliation have not been the sweetest seasons of their lives? We fear no contradiction upon this point, unless from those who are wholly ignorant of the matter.
Self-denial is another, and a very important, duty. But this, it should seem, precludes, in the very nature of it, the idea of pleasure, because it is a thwarting our own inclinations. We must however include this also among the ways that are ways of pleasantness. That the gratifying of a corrupt inclination is pleasant to flesh and blood, we cannot deny: but that the mortifying of it is abundantly more pleasant, we do not hesitate to affirm. Suppose a person tempted to yield to the solicitations of lust, or to gratify a no less keen appetite for revenge; would not a victory over his evil passions afford him more pleasure than a compliance with them? would not the mortifying of an unchaste desire be attended with a pleasure more pure and refined than could be attained by the indulgence of it? And, granting that the overcoming of evil with evil would be pleasant, (for revenge, they say, is sweet,) would not the “overcoming it with good” afford him incomparably sublimer happiness [Note: Rom_12:21.]? Let us illustrate each of these positions by an example. Joseph, we know, resisted the importunity of his mistress: but were his sensations less pleasing when he had got out of the reach of temptation, than they would have been if he had consented to her wishes? David, when enraged at the ingratitude and insolence of Nabal, went to avenge himself by his destruction: but when stopped and pacified by Abigail, did he regret the loss of any satisfaction which he would have felt in executing his cruel designs? No: he blessed her, and blessed God for her; and found infinitely more delight in the exercise of a forgiving spirit than the completest revenge could ever have afforded him [Note: 1Sa_25:31-33.]. We maintain it then, that the self-denial which religion calls for, is a source of real pleasure to the soul.
The bearing of the cross is another duty inculcated on all the followers of Christ [Note: Luk_9:23. 2Ti_3:12.]. And can this be pleasant? Yes, we must affirm that this also is a source of pleasure to the true Christian. Doubtless the contempt and hatred which we must expect from an ungodly world are not pleasant in themselves: to be shut up in prison, and scourged, and put to a cruel and lingering death, are not pleasant in themselves: but, as endured for the sake of Christ, they are pleasant. To ascertain this, inquire of those “who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods [Note: Heb_10:34.];” or those who, with their feet in the stocks and their backs torn with scourges. “sang praises to God at midnight [Note: Act_16:23-25.]:” or those who, after their imprisonment, “rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the sake of Christ [Note: Act_5:41.].” Ask what our Lord meant, when he taught his followers to “rejoice and be exceeding glad.” whenever they should be called to suffer [Note: Mat_5:11-12.]? and inquire of all the primitive saints who had learned. through grace, to “glory in tribulation [Note: Rom_5:3.].” Inquire of him, who suffered more than any other of the Apostles, and who, speaking of his expected martyrdom, exults in it as a matter of the warmest congratulation [Note: Php_2:17-18.]. The experience of all true Christians is the same at this day: they “count themselves happy when they are called to endure [Note: Jam_1:2; Jam_5:11.]:” and look upon it as a special honour conferred upon them, when “it is given them to suffer any thing for their Redeemer’s sake [Note: Php_1:29.].” In a word, religion raises us so much above earthly pains and pleasures, as to render us altogether independent on them for our happiness [Note: Hab_3:17-18.].
Seeing then that even the most painful duties of religion are sources of pleasure, we may confidently affirm the same respecting “all” her ways.]
To this blessed account of wisdom’s ways, we may add, that they are,
II. Peaceful in their issue—
Mark the influences of religion on all who walk in her ways: mark them,
1. In life—
[None know any thing of “peace,” except the true Christian. As God has said, so experience proves, that “there is no peace to the wicked [Note: Isa_57:21.].” The cisterns to which they go for refreshment, are polluted: or rather, they are “broken cisterns that can hold no water [Note: Jer_2:13.].” All that they possess is more “vanity and vexation of spirit.” “Even in laughter their heart is sorrowful; and the end of their mirth is heaviness [Note: Ecc_2:2. Pro_14:13.].” But is it thus with the true Christian? Has not he peace in his soul, and “joys, with which the stranger intermeddleth not [Note: Pro_14:10.]?” Yes, he “has already entered into rest [Note: Heb_4:3.]:” he has a tranquillity arising from the subjugation of his passions: he has a holy composure of mind springing from the testimony of a good conscience [Note: 2Co_1:12.]: he has many sweet manifestations of God’s love to his soul: he has that within him which mitigates every sorrow, enhances every enjoyment, and supplies his every want. In a word, from committing his soul, and all his concerns, to God, he has “a peace that passeth all understanding.” This peace, we say, flows from the very exercises of religion, and is, more or less, an inseparable attendant on them. To this effect the inspired writers uniformly speak. The Psalmist observes, “Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them [Note: Psa_119:165.].” To the same purpose Isaiah also says, “The work of righteousness is peace, and the effect of righteousness is quietness and assurance for ever [Note: Isa_32:17.]:” and St. Paul confirms their testimony, saying, “To be carnally-minded is death; but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace [Note: Rom_8:6.].”]
2. In death—
[Even in the time of health the ungodly cannot bear to think of death: conversation upon that awful subject is irksome and disgusting to them: they avoid it, because it makes them melancholy. If they be attacked with any fatal disease, their friends do all that they can to abate their fears, and to hide from them the real state of their disorder. When at last they come to feel their danger, then they are full of alarm and terror; and, however much they despised the duties of religion before, will then begin to pay attention to them. There are some indeed so blinded by their own delusions, that they believe themselves safe; while others are so callous as to be altogether insensible of their awful condition. But if men are not wholly blinded by conceit, or hardened by wickedness, they cannot but tremble at the approach of death: and then the hopes which they once fondly entertained, give way to painful forebodings, even to “a fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indignation.” On the contrary, he who hath walked in wisdom’s ways, is enabled in the midst of life to look forward to death, (like a bridegroom to his approaching nuptials,) as to the period, when all his desires shall be fulfilled, and his joys consummated. As he beholds death approaching, he rather chides its tardiness, than deprecates its advent. He “knows in whom he has believed;” and, in the hour of his departure, commits his soul with confidence into the hands of his ever-living and adorable Redeemer. Thus Stephen [Note: Act_7:59-60.], thus Paul [Note: 2Ti_4:6-8.], and innumerable others, have died: and David tells us, that it is the privilege of all true believers to expect and enjoy such a death as this: “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace [Note: Psa_37:37.].”]
3. In eternity—
[As soon as the ungodly enter into the eternal world, whether they were conceited or callous, whether confident or trembling, they know the truth of all that God’s word has declared. The Rich Man that fared sumptuously no sooner breathed out his soul, than he understood and felt the evil of neglecting his eternal interests; he then found his misery irremediable, and incapable of the smallest alleviation. He knew his five surviving brethren were living in the same thoughtless way, and hastening to the same fatal end: and wished that they might be apprised of their danger, ere it were too late: he knew by bitter experience that to those who lived and died in sin, nothing remained but unintermitted everlasting misery; “they drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night [Note: Rev_14:10-11.].” How different is the state of true Christians! They enjoy “the rest which here remained for them:” they rest in the bosom of their Saviour, free from all sin and temptation, from pain and weariness. The peace which they enjoyed in this world, was but a taste of that banquet on which they feast continually, a drop of “those rivers of pleasure which are at God’s right hand for evermore.”]
Address—
1. The votaries of pleasure—
[There are two fatal mistakes under which you labour: the one is, that you think religion according to the Scriptural representation of it, will afford nothing but pain: the other is, that it will consist with an enjoyment of all the pleasures of the world. With respect to the former of these, we hope that nothing need be added to what has been already spoken: we hope that religion, if it have a dark and gloomy side, has also, like the pillar and cloud, a bright and cheering aspect: it is only on God’s enemies that it casts a gloom: to his friends it affords a reviving light, a refreshing shade, a sure and safe directory to heaven. With respect to the latter idea, namely, that of its countenancing worldly pleasures, surely no one can deliberately put such a construction on our text. If Religion’s ways be pleasant, must therefore Pleasure’s ways be religion? If so, what can be meant by St. Paul, when he says, “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth [Note: 1Ti_5:6.]?” What could St. John mean, when he said, “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him [Note: 1Jn_3:15-16.]?” And what could our Lord mean, when he said, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world [Note: Joh_17:16.]?” Be not deceived, as though carnal and worldly pleasures were the only sources of enjoyment; but be assured, that the renunciation of them will contribute more to your happiness than the indulgence; and that real pleasure is to be found in God alone.]
2. The disciples of Christ—
[The wicked know that you profess to find more pleasure in religion than they can obtain in the world: give them not then any reason to think that you are disappointed in your expectations. If they see you lukewarm in religion, will they not conclude that it has not charms sufficient to allure you, or benefits sufficient to reward your labour? And if they see you joining in their company and vain pursuits, will they not, however they may encourage you in such a conduct, suppose that religion is not able to make you happy, and that you are forced, after all your professions, to come and borrow of their carnal pleasures, in order to eke out the scanty pittance that religion has bestowed? O bring not such disgrace upon your holy profession. Shew that you despise the vanities of this world, and that you have no appetite for husks after living upon “the bread that is in your Father’s house.” Our Lord has said, “My yoke is easy, and my burthen is light;” show therefore that you feel it so; and let it be seen by your zeal in religious duties, that they are not a weariness to you, but a delight. Thus will you recommend to others the paths you tread, and prove to them that “your feet are guided into the way of pence.”]