“The godly man is a happy man” by Jonathan Edwards

“The godly man is happy in whatever circumstances he is placed because of the spiritual privileges and advantages, joys and satisfactions, he actually enjoys while in this life.

How great a happiness must it be to a man to have all his sins pardoned and to stand guilty of nothing in God’s presence; to be washed clean from all his pollutions; to have the great and eternal and almighty Jehovah, who rules and governs the whole universe, and doth whatsoever He pleases in the armies of heaven and amongst the inhabitants of the earth, reconciled to him and perfectly at peace with him.

How great a pleasure and satisfaction must it be to him to think of it, and not only that God is reconciled to him or has nothing against him, inasmuch as all is pardoned.

But also that this same almighty being who created him, who keeps him in being and who disposes of him and all other things every moment, loves him, and that with a great and transcendent love.

And that He has adopted him and taken him to be His child, and given Himself to him to be his Father and his portion, and that takes care of him as one that is very dear to Him, continually guides and directs him, and will lead him to the fountain of living waters.

And how joyful and gladsome must the thoughts of Jesus Christ be to him, to think with how great a love Christ has loved him, even to lay down His life and suffer the most bitter torments for his sake,

Who also now continually intercedes for him at the throne of grace; to consider that so great a person as the eternal Son of God, who also made the worlds, is his lord and master, and is not ashamed to call us brethren,

Who will come in and sup with him, and he with Him, and to see His arms expanded to embrace him and offering Himself to be embraced by him.

And beside, what a satisfaction and pleasure must it give to his mind to think that he is now sanctified and made holy, adorned and beautified with those lovely graces that make him lovely in the sight of God and excellent in the sight of saints and angels.”

–Jonathan Edwards, “Christian Happiness,” in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 10, Sermons and Discourses 1720-1723. Ed. Wilson H. Kimnach (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992), 299-300.