(Ist.) Our reconciliation with God through Christ, if we will enter into his peace. This is that which we only are capable of here, and the good we are now admitted into : Rom. v. 1, ' Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' As soon as ever we turn to him by faith and repentance, he giveth us the pardon of all our sins, and accepteth us in the Beloved, to the praise of his grace ; and thereby the sentence of death is reversed ; we are delivered from wrath to come, 1 Thes. i. 10, ' and not only so, but being justified by faith,' we are ' made heirs according to the hope of eternal life,' Titus iii. 7. We have a right, though not the possession. And there is a long train of blessings which we enjoy for the present by virtue of this right ; only we have them not but as we verify and make good the reality of our first faith and repentance by a constant holy walking and obedience ; as audience of our prayers : 1 John iii. 22, ' Whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his com- mandments, and do the things which please him.' The presence of the Spirit, assuring us of the love of God, John xiv. 21, 23. Peace in our own souls. What pleasure like the testimony of a good con- science ! as no torment like that of an evil one : heaven is begun in the one, and hell in the other : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' This is our rejoicing.' Having this, you may look God in the face in duties, 1 John iii. 21 ; in death, Isa. xxxviii. 3. This peace of a good conscience supposeth a walking according to God's counsel and direction in a course of holiness ; for it is an approbation of the discharge in our duty. There is some trouble while good acts are a-doing, as there is a slight pleasure while sin is committed ; but as soon as the mists and clouds of passion are over, conscience will accuse or excuse. Besides, we are under the con- stant care and providence of God : Ps. xxxiv. 15, ' The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry : the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.' All necessaries are vouchsafed, Mat. vi. 32, 33. Afflictions are moderated, 1 Cor. x. 13 ;
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sanctified, Rom. viii. 28. Enemies are awed or bridled, 1 Peter iii, 13, Prov. xvi. 7, All these blessings are consequent upon the state of reconciliation, when our repentance is not a fancy, nor faith a naked opinion or cold assent, but such a lively sense of God's love and grace as luaketh us faithfully return to a love of God, and a care of and delight in his ways.
(2d.) The vision and fruition of God in heavenly glory. That is the great good offered to us when our nature is perfected, and by its most perfect acts is employed about the most perfect object, and God is all in all, giving out the fullest communications of his grace to us, and that for ever, the soul being perfect, without spot or blemish, and. this vile body like Christ's glorious body. And we shall ever remain in the sight and love of God ; and what is sweeter than his presence? Ps. xvi. 11, 'In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand })leasures for evermore.' And this without fear of change, 1 Thes. ii. 17. If anything be good, this is good, to live for ever in the sight of God, and to love him and be beloved of him.
(2.) The duties it requireth of us both to God and man.
{1st.) As to God, the great duty of love, that we should love God in Chiist, with all our souls, and with all our hearts, and with all our strength : Dent. x. 12, ' What doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to love him with all thy soul, and to walk in his ways, and serve him with all thy heart ? ' It obligeth us to seek after this happiness, the vision and fruition of God, with such affections as do become it ; to begin our happiness in our duty, to train up ourselves in a way of loving God, and receiving the com- munications of his love to us, that the consummation of the spiritual life may be like the whole progress of it; and so in our very work we have a foretaste of our reward and end. Oh ! then, what a good religion is this, where our principal work is love and delight in him whom we serve and worship ! And is that any hard task ? What is the object of love but good ? And the acts of love ai-e sweet and ])leasant. And should we stick at this, to love a good God in the highest manner ? Is not the object good ? Is he not good to us ? What fioweth from him but goodness ? And what do we expect from him but such good as our hearts cannot sufficiently conceive of ? And since our whole religion is nothing else but an art of loving God and enjoying God, surely that which he hath showed us is good.