2. The benefit of this conformity —
[If a person be walking unfeignedly and progressively in the study of God's will, and in obedience to it, he possesses two great and unspeakable benefits; namely, commimioiL iviih God, and accept ance before him.
lie has communion with God^. God loves the humble, diligent, obedient servant : " He will come to him," and " lift up the light of his countenance upon him," and " manifest himself to him as he does not unto the world." He will
" shed
•» Col. iii. lO. ' Epb. iv. 24. * Heb. x. IQ, 20.
' Ps. xciv. 20. "2 Cor. vi. 14,
■* The opposition between ihc (ilh and /th verses shews that ver. 7 does not TL-laie to the communion of ihe saints with each other, but to their (cllowsliip with God.
1176.] CONFORMITY TO GOd's IMAGE. 209
" shed abroad his love in his heart," and " give him a spirit of adoption, whereby he shall cry, Abba, Father." The person himself may not be very conversant with raptures : but, whether he be more or less sensible of God's favour to him, it is manifest that he has fellowship with God : his know- ledge of the Gospel proves that God has taught him ; and his experience of its sanctifying power proves that God has strengthened and supported him.
He has also acceptance before God : he is not like an unpar- doned sinner : Jesus Christ has washed away his sins in the fountain of his blood ; yea, every day, every hovu-, every mo- ment, is he cleansing him from, the pollution that adheres to his best services. This cleansing is a continued act of Christ y : and through it the soul maintains its peace with God, and is regarded by God " without spot or blemish ^" Cleansed by Jesus from " the iniquity of his holy things," he is presented " faultless before the presence of God's glory with exceeding joy^"
Such are the benefits of cleaving to Christ, and " walking as he walked :" and a life devoted to God is not so properly the means of obtaining these benefits, as it is the evidence that toe already possess them.J
From this most instructive subject we may learn,
1 . The connexion between Jaith and works — [One man hopes to be saved by his works, while he dis»-
regards faith in Christ : another hopes that his faith will save him, though it never produce good works. But both of these deceive their own souls : for no man can do such works as the Gospel requires, unless he embrace the truths which it reveals : and, if he could do them, they would be utterly insuflicient to justify him before God. On the other hand, " the faith that is without works, is dead :" and as it differs not from the faith of devils, so will it bring us no better portion than theirs. Knowledge is necessary to produce holiness ; and holiness is necessary to evince that oiu* knowledge is truly spiritual and saving. It is not by separating them from each other, but by uniting them together, that we are to " walk in the light as God is in the light."]
2. The connexion between duty and happiness — [The greater part of the world expect happiness in the
ways of sin : but God has warned us that there is " no peace to the wicked." There is no real happiness but in fellowship with God: and there is no fellowship with him, without a conformity to liim. If then we would be happy in this world,
we
» " Cleanse/A" ' ' Eph. v. 26, 27. " Jude 24. ,