5. If we do find and feel no benefit by the conquest of Christ, it is through our own corruptions. God hath not left us for the present with- out some sense of it. You will have some rule over your hearts and spirits, more grace to resist Satan, more comfort against the fear of death, and less trouble about the difficulties of obedience : 1 John v. 4, ' Whoso- ever is born of God overcometh the world.' Thus you see we have gone through the third part, that is, a complete victory, even to the spoiling and triumphing over Satan, who shall be totally subdued.
Fourthly, The next and last tiling proposed was the fruits and efiects, or what special benefit we have by the conquest of Christ.
I an.swer — It is hard to mention all the rich communications of grace that we enjoy by it. Those that ai-e most proper are these : —
1. The banishment of distracting fear : holy fear remaineth, but that natural fear which would distract and per})lex the soul is gone. The apostle speaks, Heb. ii. 15, of some ' who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.' There is a natural fear in us ; though not always felt, yet it is easily awakened, so as we could not think of death, or hell, or judgment, but it filled us with a great deal of terror. But now a child of God hath a great deal of courage and boldness ; he may remember it to increase his joy and praise ; he can play upon the hole of the cockatrice ; death and hell may aggra-
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vate his mercies, but cannot increase his fears ; so that they are fitted for the worst condition and the greatest duty: Ps. xxiii. 4, 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.' They are fitted for the sorest suffering and the greatest service. In the sorest affliction they may be comforted ; hell-gates are shut, and Christ hath locked them up. So for the greatest service : Luke i. 74, 75, • That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.' It is a mighty weakening to the hands of the soul in duty, when we ponder upon the clanger and difficulties, and the l)owerful opposition we shall meet with in the ways of grace. Ay ! but now we may serve him without fear ; Christ hath conquered death and hell, lusts and fears. We can the better bear afflictions now they are unstinged, and their venom taken away. We can the better go through duty ; the joy of the Lord may be our strength ; the enemies are fallen before us.
2. It is an encouragement to the spiritual conflict. The difficulty of things amuseth ^ the heart, and causeth the spii'it to faint and melt within us. Thus vigorous opposition within, without giants and the sons of Anak, Satan and wicked men, our own hearts and all are against us. Oh ! but be not dismayed, 3'ou are sure to overcome; you fight against a manacled enemy, a naked enemy, a vanquished enemy. Mice may trample upon a dead lion, and the feeblest creatures insult a dead carcase. AVill you fear Satan in chains ? He is bound up ; he was let loose upon Christ, and hath been bound up ever since. ' Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might,' Eph. vi. 10. God is at our right hand, and he will assist us in our endeavours against Satan ; you may go on with hope and resolution : Ps. ex. 5, 'The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.' Hope of success is a strength and encouragement to an undertaking.
3. Here is joy unspeakable and glorious. Christ's triumphs are our joy. Oh, what a triumph, even to exaltation, is it to see Satan despoiled and trampled upon, sin disarmed, and hell locked up! Luke i. 47, ' My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.' Oh, you may triumjih over the powers of darkness: Isa. li. 11, ' Therefore the re- deemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head : they shall obtain gladness and joy ; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.' AVhy ? because the Lord hath smote Kahab, and wounded the dragon. Spiritual enemies being destroyed, we may make our boast of Christ all the day long.
4. Hopes of glory : we shall conquer with him, and we shall reign with him. There is nothing that can be noxious and hurtful to our salvation. Christ will not leave till he hath settled us upon his own throne : Eev. iii. 21, ' To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne.' We shall have fellowship with Christ in his glory, as Christ as Mediator had fellowship with the Father's glory ; we shall have the throne of Christ, as Christ has that of his Father. He led captivity captive, and then ascended ; so he will cause us to conquer and overcome : Eph. ii. 6, ' He hath raised