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I. AS RELIGIOUS PERSONS WE ARE HAPPY. There are various sources of this joy.

1. God Himself. "We joy in God."

2. God's works.

(1)  Their variety, order, beauty, and splendour.

(2)  Because they are His — a temple which He has made for Himself to be worshipped in.

(3)  On account of the figurative instruction which they convey.

(4)  As created and constituted for us to dwell in.

3. His providence. "The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice."(1) It is exercised over nations. By God "kings reign and princes decree judgment." We have joy in a nation's joy. When pestilence disappears, when there is an ample harvest, when there is reviving commerce, it is by God's providence, and as religious men we rejoice therein.

(2) It bears personally upon ourselves. We can lie down upon the everlasting arms, and say, "The eternal God is my refuge."

4. All things that are common to humanity.

(1) The joy of honourable marriage.

(2) When affliction disappears and God turns for us our mourning into dancing.

(3) In the common conditions of human life. Whatever may be the amount of human suffering, the amount of human happiness immensely preponderates.

5. Christ Jesus and His gospel. He came into the world in joy. The angels sang for joy at His nativity; He opened His ministry in joy — "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me," etc.; and He spake very often of His joy. We may have joy —

(1)  In the knowledge of Him.

(2)  In reconciliation by Him.

(3)  In justification through Him.

6. The Holy Ghost. "The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost." There is joy in the gifts of the Spirit. Was not the day of Pentecost a day of joy?

7. The ordinances of the gospel. Happy on the Lord's day, in the reading of God's Word, in the preaching of the gospel, in Christian association and alliance.

8. The prospect of the life to come. "For the joy set before Christ He endured the Cross, despising the shame"; and you and I may have joy set before us in like manner.

II. IT IS OUR DUTY TO ENHANCE EACH OTHER'S JOY. It is clear enough that we can promote each other's sin. We may help forward afflictions; we may do a good deal to make one another miserable. How can we augment one another's joy?

1. By expounding the principles of joy, as our Saviour did. He began His ministry with the beatitudes. Wherever He went there was joy.

2. By removing the causes of infelicity. What makes you unhappy? Is it sin? Go to God in penitence and ask for remission, and you shall have it. Is it anxiety? "Be careful for nothing," etc. A sense of weakness and insufficiency? "My grace is sufficient for thee; My strength shall be perfected in weakness."

3. By reminding of the fact that our religion is a happy religion (Psalm 98.). "The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs."

4. By being examples of this joy. We are contagious, or communicative, beings. "He that sympathises with me in my sorrow divides the stream and takes half of it away; he that sympathises with me in my gladness and my joy, lights his lamp from my lamp, takes nothing from me, only kindles a brighter light, only diffuses a wider blaze."

5. By seizing on the occasions and opportunities of joy, such as the Sabbath and the means of grace.

6. By inciting and stirring one another up to it.

7. By adverting often, as Christ and believers do, to that which is to come.

(J. Stratten.)

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KJV: Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

WEB: But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.