The Joy of Church Fellowship Rightly Attended
The sermon emphasizes the joy and singing of the Saints in Christ's Coach as they journey to Glory.
Edward Taylor preaches about the joy and praise of the saints who are on their journey to Heaven in Christ's Coach, singing sweet melodies of worship and offering their hearts in divine acts. Those who are not in the Coach yet are like travelers on foot, tracing the road to eventually join in the heavenly singing and ride to glory.
Text
In Heaven soaring up, I dropt an Eare
On Earth: and oh! sweet Melody!
And listening, found it was the Saints who were
Encoacht for Heaven that sang for Joy.
For in Christs Coach they sweetly sing,
As they to Glory ride therein.
Oh! joyous hearts! Enfir'de with holy Flame!
Is speech thus tasseled with praise?
Will not your inward fire of Joy contain,
That it in open flames doth blaze?
For in Christs Coach Saints sweetly sing,
As they to Glory ride therein.
And if a string do slip by Chance,
They soon Do screw it up again: whereby
They set it in a more melodious Tune
And a Diviner Harmony. For in Christs
Coach they sweetly sing,
As they to Glory ride therein.
In all their Acts, publick and private, nay,
And secret too, they praise impart.
But in their Acts Divine, and Worship, they
With Hymns do offer up their Heart.
Thus in Christs Coach they sweetly sing,
As they to Glory ride therein.
Some few not in; and some whose Time and Place
Block up this Coaches way, do goe
As Travellers afoot: and so do trace
The Road that gives them right thereto;
While in this Coach these sweetly sing,
As they to Glory ride therein.
Sermon Outline
- The Saints' Joyful Singing
- The Characteristics of the Saints' Singing
- The Saints' Continuous Singing
- The Contrast between the Saints and Others
- Some few are not in Christ's Coach
- Some are blocked from entering Christ's Coach
Key Quotes
“For in Christs Coach they sweetly sing, As they to Glory ride therein.” — Edward Taylor
“Their inward fire of Joy contain, That it in open flames doth blaze;” — Edward Taylor
“In all their Acts, publick and private, nay, And secret too, they praise impart.” — Edward Taylor
Application Points
- As believers, we should strive to express our joy and praise to God in all aspects of our lives.
- Our inward fire of joy should be contained and expressed openly through our words and actions.
- We should offer up our hearts in hymns and praise to God in our acts of worship and devotion.