power of Satan unto Gode." But there is an expression of St. Peter's that deserves particular attention. He represents men as " called by the Gospel out of darkness into marvellous light f." And marvellous indeed it is. It is such light as not all other books in the universe can impart ; — a light proceeding immediately from " the Sun of Righteousness;" — a light that exhibits every thing in its true colours ; sin, in all its malignity ; human nature, in all its corruption ; the world, in all its vanity ; yea, and God, as a reconciled God, in all his glory : " it shines into the heart, and gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." " The dark- ness being passed, and the true light shining into the heart," the soul is "delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God g."]
2. Of peace and joy —
[The first effect of the Gospel, or rather, of the law as preparing men for the Gospel, is, to alarm the conscience, and to make men sensible of their just desert : but the moment they embrace the promises of the Gospel, their fears are dis- sipated, and the whole soul is filled " with peace and joy in believing." This effect cannot be better seen than in the con- verts on the day of Pentecost. When they assembled in the morning, they were under the influence of every hateful and malignant passion : and, on their first conviction of their guilt, they cried out with great distress of mind, " Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" But, as soon as they received the Gospel into their hearts, behold, what an astonishing change was wrought ; they were all penetrated with love, and peace and joy, " and ate their meat with gladness, blessing and praising God " with one heart and one soul.
What was intimated before respecting the light imparted by the Gospel, may be said also of the peace and joy which it communicates : they are truly " marvellous ;" the peace is a peace that passeth all understanding," and the "joy is unspeak- able and glorified." The natural man has no conception either of the one or of the other : they are such as never were, nor ever can be, derived from any other source. Some little idea of them may be formed from the exalted language in which they are depicted by the prophets. The heavens and the earth, even universal nature, are called upon to sing and shout for joy on account of that glorious redemption revealed in the Gospel h: and this is but a faint expression of that felicity which is the assured portion of all that believe1.
e Acts xxvi. 18. f 1 Pet. ii. 9. e Rom. viii. 21.
h Ps. xcvi. 11 — 13. Isai. xliv. 23.
' Ps. lxxii. (5, 7. Isai. lv. 12. and xxxv. 1, 2, 5, 6, 10.