III. The benefits that will accrue to those who duly receive it — St. Paul says of them, that " they were saved by it :" and this benefit we confidently assure to all who embrace the Gospel with their whole hearts.
1. They shall be brought into a state of accept- ance with God —
[When our Lord gave his Disciples their commission to preach his Gospel, he expressly authorized them to declare, that " all who believed it should be saved." And in all the book of God there is not to be found so much as one single w^ord against a penitent believer. " All who believe," says St. Paul, " are justified from all things :" even sins of a crimson dye are so washed as to be made " white as snow."]
2. They shall have the earnest and foretaste of the heavenly glory —
[There is no limit to the blessings promised to the true believer. The Spirit of God shall be poured out upon him, to reveal all the Father's love, and all the glory of Christ, to the soul. " He will glorify Christ, and take of the things that are his, and shew them unto us." He will be in us " a Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry, Abba, Father :" He " will witness to our spirits that we are the children of God :" He will give us " an earnest of our eternal inheritance," and " seal us unto the day of complete redemption."]
3. They shall be brought in safety to the full pos- session of their everlasting inheritance —
[It is here supposed that they " stand fast in the faith ;'' for if they " make shipwreck of the faith," they cannot hope for the blessings which are promised to those only who " endure unto the end." Hence is that caution given in our text ; " Ye are saved, if ye keep in memory (and hold fast to the end) what I have preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." If our faith be only a dead faith, it will be in vain : for in this sense even " the devils believe and tremble." But, if our faith be living and lively, we need not fear. That never shall be exercised in vain. That shall overcome every thing that is opposed to it, and shall remove all the mountains that oppose our spiritual progress. Only live truly by faith on the Son of God as having loved you and given himself for you, and God pledges himself that " none shall ever pluck you out of his hands," and that " you shall never perish, but shall have everlasting life." By the exercise of this " faith you shall be kept by the power of God to a full and everlasting