The following quotation is from Hermas and was recorded in the Lost Books of the Bible, which are no longer lost. This Hermas was the one mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:14. He was a bishop of Phillippi and a Grecian convert. Below is a portion of his conversation with the angel or shepherd instructor sent from God.
1. "Put all sadness far from thee; for it is the sister of doubting and anger. How Sir, said I (to the angel), is it the sister of these? For sadness, and anger, and doubting, seem to be very different from one another.
2. "And he answered; Art thou without intelligence that thou dost not understand? For sadness is the most mischievous of all spirits, and the worst to the servants of God; It destroys the spirits of all men, and torments the Holy Spirit . . . .
3. ". . . . . Hear, said he, and understand. They who never sought out the truth, nor inquired concerning the majesty of God, but only believed (as they were told by others), are involved in the affairs of the world."
13. "But they that have the fear (awe or adoration) of the Lord, and search out the truth concerning God, having all their thoughts towards the Lord, apprehended whatsoever is said to them, and forthwith understand it, because they have the love of the Lord in them.
14. "For where the Spirit of the Lord dwells, there is also much understanding added. Wherefore join thyself to the Lord, and thou shalt understand all things.
15. "Learn now, O unwise man! How sadness troubleth the Holy Spirit. When a man that is doubtful is engaged in any affair, and does not accomplish it by reason of his doubting, this sadness enters into him, and grieves the Holy Spirit."
18. "Remove therefore sadness from thyself, and afflict not the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in thee, lest he entreat God, and depart from thee. For the Spirit of the Lord which is given to dwell in the flesh, endureth no such sadness.
19. "Wherefore clothe thyself with cheerfulness, which has always favor with the Lord, and thou shalt rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does well; and relishes those things that are good, and despises sadness.
20. "But the sad man does always wickedly. First he doeth wickedly because he grieveth the Holy Spirit, which is given to man, being of a cheerful nature. And again he doeth ill, because he prays with sadness unto the Lord, and maketh not a first thankful acknowledgement unto Him for His mercies, and obtains not of God what he asks.
21. "For the prayer of a sad man hath not the efficacy to come up to the altar of God. And I said unto him, Sir, why has not the prayer of a sad man virtue to come up to the altar of God? Because, said he, that sadness remaineth in his heart.
22. "When therefore a man's prayer shall be accompanied with sadness, it will not suffer his request to ascend pure to the altar of God. For as wine it is mingled with vinegar and has not the sweetness it had before; so sadness being mixed with the Holy Spirit, suffers not a man's prayer to be the same as it would be otherwise.
23. "Wherefore cleanse thyself from sadness, which is evil, and thou shalt live unto God. And all others shall live unto God, as many as shall lay aside sadness and put on cheerfulness." (II Hermas 10).
The preceding quotations are definitely confirmed by Malachi in chapter two, verse thirteen of his glorious work. "And this ye have done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that He regardeth not the offering any more or receiveth it with good will at your hand."
Also has God given this scriptural admonition to this world of men: "Verily, I say unto you, my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks!"
Or as Christ Himself admonished: "Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid."
Again, returning to the Lost Books of the Bible and to the divinely beautiful Odes of Solomon, that inspired writer has this to reveal: "Joy is of the saints! And who shall put it on, but they alone?" (Ode 23:1)
In the sixth Ode this dynamic revealer proclaimed: "As the hand moves over the harp, and the strings speak so speaks in my members the Spirit of the Lord, and I speak by His love. For it destroys what is foreign, and everything that is bitter (or sad); for thus it was from the beginning and will be to the end, that nothing (of evil vibrations) should stand up against him.
"And the Lord has multiplied the knowledge of Himself, and is zealous that these things should be known, which by His grace have been given to us. And the Praise of His Name He gave us; our spirits praise His Holy Spirit.
"For there went forth a stream and became a river great and broad; for it flooded and broke everything and it brought (water -- even the water of life) to the Temple; and the restrainers of the children of men were not able to restrain it, nor the arts of those whose business it is to restrain waters. For it spread over the face of the whole earth and filled everything: and all the thirsty upon earth were given to drink of it; and thirst was relieved and quenched: for from the most High the draught was given.
"Blessed then are the ministers of that draught who are entrusted with that water of His: they have assuaged the dry lips, and the will that had fainted they have raised up; and souls that were near departing they have caught back from death; and limbs that had fallen they straightened and set up: They gave strength for their feebleness and light to their eyes; for everyone knew them in the Lord, and they lived by the water of life forever. Hallelujah!"
So declared one, who long ago was exalted and lifted from mortality into immortality without tasting death.
In the beginning of his fifteenth Ode the gracious revealer proclaims: "I have put on incorruption through His name; and have put off corruption by His grace. Death hath been destroyed before my face; and Sheol hath been abolished by my word; and there hath gone up deathless life in the Lord's land, and hath been made known to His faithful ones, and hath been given without stint to all those that trust in him."
And again: "I put off darkness (sadness, fear, despair and hate) and clothed myself with light, and my soul acquired a body free from sorrow, or affliction or pain. And increasingly helpful to me was the thought of the Lord, and His fellowship in incorruption!"
Such is God's message to man! Such has it always been! Rejoice! Praise and give thanks! Glorify God in your gladness and you will have power to rend the veil of darkness and will henceforth be clothed in Light.
Worship God! And with every singing thought of devotion praise as you watch the evils melt away and disappear. Worship and adore and let your songs of inner gratitude ascend to Him and you will soon know that you are one of the chosen ones praising at his very throne. These are the ones who have "overcome" by the glory of their love. Your song, as it wings its way forth from the fulness of your own overflowing heart, will be the "New Song." This is the song that none can learn but the righteous. It is not a song of words. It is the song of gratitude and love and praise as it ascends from the opened glory of human hearts. It is the triumphant, singing symphony of creation -- the melodious harmonizing of all the glorious vibrations released from the advancing souls of men. It is the symphony of glory and gladness and love and praise and wondrous gratitude! It is the great creative, exuberant song of eternal triumph.
By learning to participate in the releasing of this unspeakable melody of unutterable glory you may take hold of the powers of creation. And by so doing you need never again know want or despair nor pain and distress for all these things will be done away in you. "For all things will be subject unto you, both the Light and the Life; the Spirit and the Power, sent forth by the will of the Father, through Jesus Christ, His Son!"
Joy, which is the opposite of sadness, is a very spiritual condition. "A fulness of joy" which is promised in the scriptures, is a fulness of life. It is life expressed in its fullest extent. It is the life more abundant, even Life Eternal.
"Fulness of joy" is also used synonomously with the promise of "Fulness of God!" Which is the ultimate completion of all that is glorious and perfect and sublime and powerful.
Singing gratitude and praise brings forth this great gift of joy more speedily and more completely than any other attitude or method possible to apply. Praise and give thanks and rejoice and sorrow will flee from you. It will be dissolved along with the veil of darkness as you step forth into the singing wonder of His divine, holy Light.
Remember always, in the moment of Christ's greatest suffering He was offered the "bitterness and gall." He rejected it. He could have given way to His human heritage and wallowed in the bitterness and the gall of injustice and sobbed in his self-pity. So can you. Or you, like Christ, can reach beyond mortality into the God-given powers of your own soul and reject the law, mortal thoughts of bitterness and gall as you rise triumphant forever over every disastrous calamity or misfortune.