3. In the view of the final judgment —
[The bar of judgment is no longer an object of dread and terror to his soul. " He knows in whom he has believed ; and is persuaded that he is able to keep that which he lias committed to him'1." He has no fear that God will forget his promises, or that the Saviour who bought him with his blood, and furnished him with continual supplies of grace, will give him up to that destroyer, from whose power he has rescued him at so great a price. He looks on that day as the time appointed for his complete deliverance. He knows that then the body, which has here been such a clog to his soul, shall be made a partaker with the soul in all the glory and felicity of heaven. He looks forward therefore to it with joy. It is as much the object of hope to him, as the first advent of the Saviour was to the Jewish Church. How delightful is it to him to contemplate the wonders of that day ; to behold the Saviour coming in all the glory of his Father, and all his holy angels with him ; to behold him seated on his judgment-seat, and, ordering to either hand the sheep and the goats ; to hear him pronounce the sentence upon each; and then to ascend with him in sweet anticipation to the realms of bliss ; to be seated on his throne ; to behold his glory in all its brightness ; to hear his voice, to taste his love, to participate his glory ; and to spend eternity in songs of praise ! All this is delightful to the believer's soul ; and in the anticipation of it he already possesses a foretaste of the heavenly bliss.
With these views " his peace is great .-" yes verily, he has " a peace that passeth all understanding x :" and " rivers of it flow into his souly," being " filled with all joy and peace in believing, and abounding in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost2."]
See then, Brethren,
1. What blessings are treasured up for you in the Gospel —
[It is to " Zion's Children" that these blessings are limited: and how are you to be brought into that relation to her, but by the Gospel '( Know that, if you submit yourselves truly to the voice of God in his word, all these blessings are yours : you shall have that " unction of the Holy One that shall teach you all things a;" and you shall possess the consolations of the Spirit, which are neither few nor small1'. But remember, that " God will be inquired of," before he will impart them to youc :
u 2 Tim.i. 12. * Phil. iv. 6. y Isai. xlviii. 17, 18.
z Rom. xv. 13. a 1 John ii. 20, 27.
b Job xv. 11. Jer. xxx. 19. c Ezck. xxxvi. 37.