written that they may be destroyed6." They still, as formerly, are a sect that is everywhere spoken against; nor is there " any manner of evil which will not be laid falsely to their charged" But God does often, in a wonderful way, interpose for them, to the vindicating of their character, and the confu- sion of all their enemies g. Indeed, the very people who most bitterly traduce them, often venerate them in their hearts ; even as " Herod feared John, from an inward conviction that he was a just and holy manh." But, however God may suffer his people to be treated " as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things1" even to their dying hour, there is a time coming when he will appear in their behalf : and, if man have his day, God will have his day alsok; and will bring forth their righteousness as the light, and their judgment as the noon-day1."]
3. Justification from all sin —
[In two ways will God justify his people : the one is, by an authoritative attestation from the mouth of their Judge ; the other, by putting upon them that very righteousness whereby they shall be justified. The Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, has wrought out " a righteousness which shall be unto all and upon all them that believe111:" and when they are arrayed in this, " God sees in them no iniquity11," because he has "blotted it out from the book of his remembrance," and " cast it all behind him, into the very depths of the sea0." " If it be sought for ever so diligently, it cannot be found p ;" for they are before God without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, yea, holy, and without blemish q." " This is the blessed heritage of all God's servants ;" and all of them in due time shall possess it.]
That we may the better estimate their felicity, let us notice,
II. Their security for the possession of it —
It is altogether " of God," as our text declares ; and all the perfections of God are pledged for their ultimate possession of it. It is secured to them by,
1. The power of God —
e Esth. hi. 8, 9. f Matt. v. 11. el Sam. xxiv. 17.
h Mark vi. 20. i 1 Cor. iv. 13.
k 1 Cor. iv. 3 — 5. See the Greek.
1 Ps. xxxvii. 5, 6. Isai. lxvi. 5. m Rom. iii. 22.
n Numb, xxiii. 21. ° Mic. vii. 19. and Isai. xxxviii. 17-
p Jer. 1. 20. 9 Eph. v. 27.
980.] the saint's heritage. 453
[Respecting this, there is particular mention made in the preceding context. God warns his people that they must expect persecution from an ungodly world. " Behold ! they shall surely gather together, but not by me : whosoever shall gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake." But how shall the conspiracy of God's enemies be defeated ? How ? God himself tells us : "I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth his instrument for his work : and I have created the waster to destroy." Has He then created both the man who made the weapon, and the man that uses it; and can he not controul both the one and the other, so that the weapon shall effect only what he sees fit to permit? Let the servants of God, then, consider this: their enemies are all in the hands of God, even of their God ; and " they can have no power whatever, except that which is given them from above." What need then have the saints to fear ? Who can get access to those whom God " hides in the secret place of his tabernacle?" or, "Who can, with any effect, be against them, when He is for them?" " His name is a strong tower ; and the righteous, who have run to it, are safe."]
2. The goodness and veracity of God —