J.C. Ryle a Christian Hedonist?

I’ve been enoying J.C. Ryle’s book, Practical Religion. I’ve posted once before about some of the encouraging things I’ve read. Now I’m finding that maybe Mr. Ryle is a Christian Hedonist. In his chapter regarding happiness he brings to bear upon his reader what true happiness really is. He writes:

To be really happy a man must be able to look on every side without uncomfortable feelings. He must be able to look to the past without guilty fears; he must be able to look around him without discontent; he must be able to look forward without anxious dread. He must be able to sit down and think calmly about things past, present, and to come, and feel prepared. The man who has a weak side in his condition – a side that he does not like looking at or considering – that man is not really happy.
Talk not to me of your happiness, if you are unable to look steadily either before or behind you. Your present position may be easy and pleasant. You may find many sources of joy and gladness in your profession, your dwelling-place, your family, and your friends. Your health may be good, your spirits may be cheerful. But stop and think quietly over your past life. Can you reflect calmly on all the omissions and commissions of by-gone years? How will they bear God’s inspection? How will you answer for them at the last day? – And then look forward and think on the years to come. Think on the certain end towards which you are hastening; think of death; think of judgment; think of the hour when you will meet God face to face. Are you ready for it? Are you prepared? Can you look forward to these things without any alarm? – Oh, be very sure if you cannot look comfortably at any season but the present, your boasted happiness is a poor unreal thing! It is but a whitened sepulchre, – fair and beautiful without, but bones and corruption within. (pg 235-236)

He goes on to say how a man can be happy in all the areas of his life. That in Christ man not longer can have the guilt of the past haunting him or the dread of the future weighing him down. He answers that the happy man is the Christian man because that child of God can look within and find no room for continual guilt which once dwelt in the heart prior to receiving Christ.

The true Christian is the only happy man, because he can sit down quietly and think about his soul. He can look behind him and before him, he can look within him and around him, and feel, “All is well.” He can think calmly on his past life, and however many and great his sins, takes comfort in the thought that they are all forgiven. The righteousness of Christ covers all, as Noah’s flood over-topped the highest hills. – He can think calmly about things to come, and yet not be afraid. Sickness is painful; death is painful; the judgment day is an awful thing; but having Christ for him, he has nothing to fear. — He can think calmly about the Holy God, whose eyes are on all his ways, and feel, “He is my Father, my reconciled Father in Christ Jesus. I am weak; I am unprofitable yet in Christ He regards me as His dear child, and is well-pleased.” Oh, what a blessed privilege it is to be able to think, and not be afraid! I can well understand the mournful complains of the prisoner in solitary confinement. He had warmth, and food, and clothing, and work, but he was not happy. Any why? He said, “He was obliged to think.” (pg. 249-250)

I appreciate this chapter because Ryle echoes much of what I’ve absorbed this past weekend at the John Piper conference held here in my own backyard of Sacramento. As Ryle warned 200 years ago of pursuing pleasures that do not last, so does John Piper who says to pursue your pleasures but in our happy God.