Know ye, then, that this is the state into which you will be broi'.ght, if only you receive the testimony of God respecting his dear Son. Believe truly, that " in him is life," and that through faith in him your souls shall live ; and then all the fulness of tliese blessings shall be yours : nor shall even the beloved Apostle himself possess a blessing, of M'hich you siiall not, according to your capacity, partake with him.
And here let me say, that, if all the tautology which the Apostle makes use of in my text had been multiplied an himdredfi)ld, it would not have been too much for the occa- sion ; since nothing can exceed the misery of those who reject tliis testimony, or tlie happiness of those who truly receive it.]
Co NT K. MP I, Air. now, I pray you, the object which the Apostle had hi view in all these earnest solicitations —
[" These
" F.i)li. i. 10. k ill. 15. y Heb. xli. 22—24.
' John xiv. 23. "John xvii.21 — 23.
1177.] CONFORMITY TO GOd's IMAGE. 205
[" These things," says he, " I write unto yon, that your joy may be fulP." It was for this end that our blessed Lord himseh" had so strongly and so continually inculcated them : *' These things speak I in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves''." And this is the object which I also would endeavour to attain. Beloved Brethren, consider how unspeakable must be the joy of being brought into fellowship with the Apostles in all that they ever did, or ever shall, possess ! All that access to God, all that intercourse with God, all that sense of Christ's incomprehensible love, all that enjoyment of his presence, and all that fruition of his glory ! it is all yours by promise and by oath, if only you truly believe in Christ ! Oh, put it not from you : defer not to seek it, yea, to seek it with your whole hearts ! Then shall you know what it is to have a heaven upon earth : for, though now ye see not the Lord Jesus with your bodily eyes, yet, shall you, by believing, be brought into such communion with him, that " your joy in him shall be unspeakable and glo- rified d."]
'' ver, 4. *= John xvii. 13. "^ I Pet. i. S.