Three centuries before Desiring God there was The Pleasantness of a Religious Life. Clearly the former has a better title, but Matthew Henry’s book is in some ways better than John Piper’s. While it is much shorter, it is tougher reading in that venerable Puritan style that is so different from our dumbed down prose. The sentences are longer and more complex. For those who stumble over such things this book is a worthy investment of time and energy.
J.I. Packer wrote a brief introduction to the book, in part, to explain the change in meaning of “pleasantness” over the centuries since Matthew Henry wrote this book. It had a much deeper, richer and more significant meaning that we typically give it today. We think of a pleasant day as one with nice weather, few distractions, some good conversation. They saw far more joy involved. We’d say a great day or an awesome day. The meaning of pleasant has weakened over the centuries. And of course there is the problem of “religious” in our day and age. It seems quite the dull prospect this book, but Packer wants to set us straight.
“Henry’s aim is to make us see that real Christianity is a journey into joy, always moving us from one joy to another and that this is one of many good and strong reasons for being excited and wholehearted in our discipleship.” J.I. Packer
This book, while not exegetical (he’s not expounding particular verses), it is filled with references and allusions to Scripture. He wants us to see life thru the lens of Scripture, not human wisdom and knowledge.
“There is an abundance of real pleasure and satisfaction in the ways of religion and godliness.”
In his introduction Henry, like Piper, acknowledges that interest drives our choices. We choose according to our desires (and Edwards would remind us, our nature). Christians are people who find Christ and all His benefits, present and promised, to be more desirable than that which the world promises us. As a result, Christianity, in part, is a pursuit of joy (as well as glory among other things). This does not mean that all of life is full of joy. Some of our joy is postponed, or future joy (and future glory). It is a life of wisdom, choosing the best means to the best ends (or greatest joys).
“Interest is the great governess of the world; which, when men are once convinced of, they will be swayed by more than by any thing else. Every one is for what he can get, and therefore applies himself to that which he thinks he can get by.”
Chapter 1 is an explanation of the doctrine. He spends time explaining that the greatest joys are for those who know God the best and that these are the best and most substantial joys. I understand this is a hard sell in any age, but particularly ours with the distractions of technology, entertainment and access to sensual pleasures of all kinds. This is one area in which Piper excels Henry.
“But the pleasure of religion will abide, they wither not in winter, nor tarnish with time, nor doth age wrinkle their beauty…”
In the second chapter he examines the pleasurable nature of true religion. He returns to the power of pleasure. He also works to define religion, in part, as “to return to God, and repose in him as the rest of our souls” and for “our affections to fasten upon the enjoyment of him; it is to love God as our chief good, and to rest in that love…” His understanding of religion is vastly different from that of the average person on the street. He agrees with Piper that we also “enjoy God in all our creature-comforts.” We partake of them by His providence, and experience His goodness by them. They point us back to Him. As a result, we see he is not opposed to earthly pleasures but rather seeking our life in them.
He notes as well the commands to rejoice in the Lord, to find, experience and express joy in God. We come to a fountain of joy that can never be exhausted or stopped. It is a fountain that wells up in eternal life (John 7). Therefore worship is an essential part of the Christian life. He will explore this more fully later. Worship is not all “happy, happy, joy, joy” but it certainly is no less. If we truly are people whose sins, which provoke God to wrath, have been forgiven and we’ve been given every spiritual blessing in Christ we have great cause for joy.
“… the promises of that covenant are the wells of salvation, out of which they draw water with joy- the breasts of consolation, out of which, they suck and are satisfied. … for the design of the gospel was to make religion a more pleasant thing than it had formerly been, by freeing it both from the burdensome services which the Jews were under, … and by enlarging the privileges of God’s people, and making them easier to come at.”
Henry reminds us that not only did the Father send the Son for our joy, but that they sent the Spirit to give us the comfort of the salvation Christ won for us. The Spirit works in us thru the Word: “we must not only attend to the word of God speaking to us, but submit to the Spirit of God working upon us with the word.” It is by Word and Spirit that God comforts us, and by which Christ becomes a fountain of life to us. Therefore, there is great joy in the Word and we delight in the Word.
Additionally, in an area overlooked by Piper and most evangelicals, the “holy ordinances” or sacraments were “instituted for the furtherance of our comfort, and to make our religion pleasant to us.” In its knee jerk reaction to Roman Catholicism, evangelicalism often makes little of the means of grace we call sacraments. There is much heat over the subjects and modes of baptism, but little about the sacrament we celebrate (or should) regularly- the Table. It was given, in part, to further our joy and comfort in Christ. Henry does not limit himself to the sacraments but mentions other aspects of public and private worship: prayer and praise. Prayer was given that we might “fetch in not only sanctifying, but comforting grace.” The singing of songs of praise was given “not only to express, but to excite, and increase our holy joy.”
God also appoints gospel ministers to further our joy in true religion rooted in Christ. The point is that God not only calls us, or invites us, to seek our joy in Him but also provides numerous means to further that end. We are not left to figure it out, but recognize that the ordinary means of the Christian life are the appointed means for maintaining and growing our holy joy in Christ.
In the next chapter he further proves the doctrine by experience. This was probably the weakest chapter, but still had some important material. For instance, he points to the experience of Solomon. He also reminds us that many have been sustained thru earthly affliction by the holy joy of biblical religion. There are times when we do not experience the consolations of our faith. Often those are the times when we have wandered out of the way, experiencing fatherly discipline. We don’t want to spend a thousand days in the tents of the wicked, just a few minutes or hours.
“But if we turn aside out of the ways of God, we are not to think it strange, if the consolations of God do not follow us.”
The 5th chapter is the doctrine illustrated by the similitude of a journey. He talks about the 12 things that make for a good journey: a good errand, strength & ability for it, daylight, a guide, a good guard, a known path, good company,provision on the way, fair skies, accommodations, songs on the way, a good prospect. We have Christ, who has gone before us as the Author of our Salvation, the gospel to light the way and the Spirit as our guide. The promises of God protect us as we walk thru enemy territory. We enjoy the company of fellow saints, or at least should. The gospel removes the storms of guilt and shame that can hamper us.
“And all that walk in the light of gospel-conduct, cannot fail to walk in the light of gospel-comforts.”
The sixth chapter seeks to vindicate the doctrine from objections. For instance, “God is sometimes pleased for wise and holy ends, for a time, to suspend communication of his comforts to his people … to try their faith..” There are also instances of fatherly correction. God works to deepen our faith to develop greater dependence. So, we should not think that the Christian life is all joy and bliss in this life. Sometimes Christians can refuse to be comforted or seek the appointed means for comfort. As a result they suffer a loss of gospel comforts. Others are melancholy by temperament, struggling to experience joy. Additionally we remember that all of the Christian life is one of repentance, and at times we mourn for our sin. These instances of “unpleasantness” do not nullify the truth, but can be understood to fit within the larger truths Henry’s understanding of the gospel puts forth. On the far side of these experiences we experience a fuller joy. We appreciate that joy more fully as well.
“… to be religious, is to deny ourselves in many things that are pleasing to sense; and yet wisdom’s ways are pleasantness for all that. … There are forbidden pleasures that must be abandoned, and kept at a distance from; the flesh must not be gratified, nor provision made to fulfill the desires of it…”
The last chapter is the application of the doctrine, as though it hasn’t been applied already. Much of the chapter is Henry pleading with people to enter into the journey and partake of the gospel comforts offered. He invites them to abandon the pleasures of the flesh, and taste the pleasures of meditating on the Word of God. Let us dwell much on the promises of God that our faith may grow and our joy increase as we contemplate not the present so much as the future. Praise is the food of joy, so let us engage in this means of grace. He provides other encouragements to seek your joy in Christ.
Matthew Henry is quite thorough. You expect such things from a Puritan. The picture he presents is far more than me and Jesus. There if far more emphasis on community and corporate worship than you find in most books today. This is one of the strengths I appreciated and we need to hear. This is not simply a doctrinal book but a practical one. You are not left with abstracts, but pointed to how you should live as a result of the doctrine.
Cavman Considers 
Leave a Reply