10. But true religion, or a heart right toward God and man, implies happiness as well as holiness. For it is not only righteousness, but also peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. What peace? The peace of God, which God only can give and the world cannot take away: the peace which passeth all understanding, all (barely) rational conception; being a supernatural sensation, a divine taste of the powers of the world to come: such as the natural man knoweth not, how wise soever in the things of this world: nor indeed can he know it, in his present state, because it is spiritually discerned. It is a peace that banishes all doubt, all painful uncertainty; the Spirit of God bearing witness with the spirit of a Christian, that he is a child of God. And it banishes fear, all such fear as hath torment; the fear of the wrath of God, the fear of hell, the fear of the devil, and in particular, the fear of death: he that hath the peace of God, desiring (if it were the will of God) to depart and to be with Christ.
11. With this peace of God, wherever it is fix’d in the soul, there is also joy in the Holy Ghost: joy wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, by the ever blessed Spirit of God. He it is that worketh in us that calm, humble rejoicing in God, through Christ Jesus, by whom we have now received the atonement, καταλλαγὴν, the reconciliation with God; and that enables us boldly to confirm the truth of the royal Psalmist’s declaration,Blessed is the man (or rather happy) whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. He it is that inspires the Christian soul, with that even, solid joy, which arises from the testimony of the Spirit, that he is a child of God; and that gives him to rejoice with joy unspeakable, in hope of the glory of God: Hope, both of the glorious image of God, which is in part and shall be fully revealed in him; and of that crown of glory, which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for him.
12. This holiness and happiness joined in one, are sometimes stiled in the inspired writings, the kingdom of God, (as by our Lord in the text) and sometimes, the kingdom of heaven. It is termed the kingdom of God, because it is the immediate fruit of God’s reigning in the soul. So soon as ever he takes unto himself his mighty power, and sets up his throne in our hearts, they are instantly filled with this righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is called the kingdom of heaven, because it is (in a degree) heaven opened in the soul. For whosoever they are that experience this, they can aver, before angels and men,
“Everlasting life is won:
Glory is on earth begun:”
According to the constant tenor of scripture, which every where bears record, God hath givenunto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son (reigning in his heart) hath life, (even life everlasting) 1 John v. 11, 12. For this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent, John xvii. 3. And they to whom this is given, may confidently address God, tho’ they were in the midst of a fiery furnace,
“Thee—Lord, safe shielded by thy pow’r,
Thee, Son of God, Jehovah, we adore;
In form of man descending to appear:
To thee be ceaseless hallelujah’s given.