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freely give us all things?' All things that concern maintenance, pro- tection, food, raiment, safety during onr service; all things tliat con- cern life spiritual, 2 Peter i. 3 ; to keep alive grace in the heart, to express it in the conversation. For the other world we have eternal life, 1 Tim. iv. 1. All things here hath a subserviency to that life, Eom. viii. 28.
[2.] More particularly, there are many choice and excellent fruits which believers receive from him.
(1.) The pardon of all our sins: Eph. i. 7, 'In whom we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of sins ; ' sin, which is such a mischief to us, such a wrong to God. The wrong done to infinite justice was so great that the Son of God must come and shed his blood befoi-e there could be a sufficient ransom given to keep up the honour of God's government. We cannot be sufficiently apprehensive of so great a benefit. So Acts xxvi. 18, ' We are turned from the power of Satan to God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified.' Is not this a sweet fruit, to have a free and full forgiveness of ail our sins and daily failings? Isa. Iv. 7. What is it that troubled us before we were acquainted with Christ but sin ? What is it that made God terrible to us but sin? that clogged our consciences, disabled us from serving him cheerfully, but sin? that rendered us sliy of God's presence, but sin ? that damped our hearts in all our afflictions, but sin ? that stood in the way of all onr mercies and hopes, but sin ? Surely, if we can get rid of sin, this is a benefit that is not lightly to be parsed over.
(2.) Peace with God: Eom. v. 1, ' Being justified by faith, we have ])eace with God.' God, that was formerly an enemy, is now a friend; the war between us and heaven ceaseth. Tyre sought peace with Herod, because they could not subsist without him, Acts xii. 20. Certainly ' in him we live, move, and have our being.' He could destroy us every moment. He hath sent messengers to tell the world of this peace, Acts x. 36, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. God's messengers come to you with an olive branch in their mouths, proclaiming and offering this peace to all that are willing to enter into it, and cast away the weapons of their defiance.
(3.) Adoption into God's family, John i. 12, and 1 John iii. 1. David could say, 'Seemeth it a light thing to you to be a king's son- in-law ?' So may I say, to have the blessed God, whom we had so often offended, to become our reconciled father in Christ ; and it will not be an empty title, but justified and filled up with answerable privileges as to us : Mai. i. 6, ' If then I be a father, where is my honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?' God, that dis- liketh empty titles on our part, will not put us off with an emptv title.
(4.) The heirs of glory : ' For if children, then heirs, co-heirs with Jesus Christ,' Rom. viii. 17. Children shall have a child's portion : ■ He hath begotten us to a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,' 1 Peter i. 3, 4 ; and Titus iii. 8, ' Being justified by faith, we are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.' All God's children have an ample inheritance kept for them ; it is secured to them by the
364 SERMONS ON THE SACRAMENTS.
promise of the faithful God, and possessed hy Christ ia their name, and in due time is bestowed on themselves, Rom. vi. 8.
(.5.) The Holy Ghost is given, not only to sanctify us at first, but to dwell in our hearts as a constant inhabitant, as in his own temple, 1 Cor. vi. 19, to maintain God's interest in our souls, to conquer the devil, subdue the flesh, and overcome the world; to resist the devil, 1 John iv. 4; to subdue the fliesh, Rom. viii. 13; to overcome the world ; for, 1 Peter i. 5, ' We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.' The Spirit succoureth us in all our extremities — that is, by the power of his Spirit dwelling in us. By this Spirit we are cleansed more and more from all filtliiness of flesh and spirit, sanctified throughout, and fitted more and more for the enjoyment of that eternal happiness we are appointed unto.
(6.) Peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost ; for this is a great privilege of Christ's kingdom, Rom. xii. 17. The Spirit, indeed, is not so necessarily a comforter as a sanctifier ; and yet this is part of his work, to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, Rom. v. 5. To assure us that we are his children, Rom. viii. 16 ; and to be the earnest and fore-pledge of our everlasting happiness : 2 Cor. v, 5, ' Who hath given us the earnest of his Spirit.'