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The points considerable in this clause are these:

I. THAT JOY IS THE STATE PROPER TO CHRISTIANS. Either they do rejoice, or they should labour to come to it. God requires it at their hand as a duty (Philippians 4:4). Consider —

1. The ills they are freed from — sin, the wrath of God, the sting of death, etc.

2. The state that God brings them to by believing (Romans 14:17).

3. Why should they labour to be in that state?

(1) That God, who gives them such matter of joy, may have glory from them. Their life should be a perpetual thanksgiving to God; and how can man be thankful that is not joyful?

(2) It makes him active in good when he is anointed with the oil of gladness (Romans 9:23).

(3) And then for suffering; we have many things to go through in this world. How shall a man suffer those things that are between him and heaven unless he labour to bring himself to this temper of joy?

(4) And then for others — every man should labour to encourage them. We are all fellow-passengers in the way to heaven. Therefore, even to bring on others more cheerfully, we ought to labour to be in a state of joy. And if a Christian do not joy, it is not because he is a Christian, but because he is not a Christian enough.

II. MINISTERS ARE HELPERS OF THIS BLESSED CONDITION.

1. By acquainting people with the ill estate they are in; for all sound comfort comes from the knowledge of our grief, and freedom from it. For they must plough before they sow, and the law must go before the gospel. The law shows the wound, but the gospel heals the wound.

2. By showing the remedy which is in Christ; then they open the riches of God's love in Christ, the sweet "box of ointment." Thus did St. Peter, after he had brought them to, "Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved?" point them to Jesus Christ.

3. By advice in cases of conscience what people should do. So their office is to remove all hindrances of spiritual joy. We know that light is a state of joy. The ministry of the gospel is light. Spiritual freedom makes people joyful. But the end of the ministry is to set people more and more at liberty. Victory is a state of joy. Now the ministers of God teach God's people how to fight God's battles, how to answer temptations, and at length how to triumph.

4. By forcing it as a duty upon them (Philippians 4:4). They are as guides among the rest of the travellers, that encourage them in the way to heaven, "Come on, let us go cheerfully."

5. In death itself. The end of the ministry is to help joy, to help them to heaven by a joyful departure, drawing comfort out of the Word for this purpose. But you will say true Christians are ofttimes cast down by the ministry. If so, yet it is that they might joy (2 Corinthians 7:8). We say of April that the showers of that month dispose the earth to flowers in the next; so tears and grief wrought in the heart by the ministry frame the soul to a joyful temper after. A physician comes, and he gives sharp and bitter purges; saith the patient, "I had thought you had come to make me better, and I am sicker now than I was before." But he bids him be content; all this is for your joyfulness of spirit after; you will be the better for it.

III. MINISTERS ARE HELPERS OF JOY, AND BUT HELPERS. They do but propound matter of joy, grounds of joy from the Word of God; but it is the Spirit of God that doth rejoice the heart (John 16:5).

(R. Sibbes, D. D.)

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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.