them, with an humble confeffion of their unworthinefs: And they were justified when they spoke, and cleared when they thus judged [of themselves]. Pfalm Thus you fee, inftead of the fins of the juft being exposed, he brings forth every work of righteousness; every fruit of faith and labour of love. V. 4. Thus I have answered three things in your queftion. And I fuppofe Satan has been tempting thee to think that thou fhalt be covered with fhame and confufion, either at death or at thy entrance into heaven, or at the great and terrible day; and his temptations have driven thee to make this earnest inquiry; which is eafily answered: for if there be in the word of God any thing relating to your inquiry which I have not brought forth, this text is fufficient to answer it, either at an hour of death or at the day of judgment: But Ifrael fhall be faved in the Lord with an everlasting falvation; ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded, world without end. Ifa. xlv. 17. The laft part of your question is, What is meant by every man receiving according to the works done in the body, whether good or bad? Here are two forts of works, good and bad; which Paul calls the fruits of the Spirit, and the works of the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against futh there is no law. Gal. v. 22, 23. Now the works of the flefb are manifeft, which are thefe, Adultery, fornication, lafcivioufnefs, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, émulations, wrath, ftrife, feditions, herefies, &c. &7: they that do fuch things fhall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. v. 19, 20, 21. Thus you fee the world is divided into two claffes-fheep and goats: and there are two forts of fruits-thofe of the flesh and thofe of the Spirit fo likewife there are two covenants-one of grace, and the other of works: fo alfo there are two fentences-that of justification, and that of condemnation. The effect of justification is the bleffing of God; and the effect of condemnation is the eternal curfe of God. A bleffing and a curfe will clofe the fcene in the great day, and finally conclude the mystery of God. Rev. *. 7. As a juft God and a Saviour the Judge will appear, and both claffes will be judged according to their works: thofe that fow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; and they that fow to the Spirit, fhall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal. vi. 8. Thus every man fhall receive according to the things done in the body; according to that he hath done, whether good or bad. 2 Cor. V. IO. If he be a believer, he is blessed with faithful Abraham; if he be a hoping foul, he fhall not be ashamed of his hope, but shall enjoy his expected inheritance, after his patience is tried in looking for that beffed hope and the glorious appearing of the great Ged and our Saviour Jefus Chrift. Titus ii. 13. O how thankful ought a foul to be at the thought of the bleffed Lord's appearing to give a reward reward to his fervants the prophets, and to all that fear bis name, fmall and great. Rev. xi. 18. While, on the other hand, he that dies in the flesh is not one of the children of God; for he dies in his fin, not in the Saviour, and dying in unbelief, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. For my part, I know of no other forts of fruits or works but thefe two; and all the human race are bringing forth one or the other, according to the ftate they are in, and the covenant they are under; nor is there any middle ftate between them. Abimaaz. For my part I am fatisfied. Bless the Lord, O my foul! and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my foul! and forget not all bis benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy difeafes; who redeemeth thy life from deftruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindnefs and tender mercies. Pfalm ciii. 1, 2, 3, 4. Pray now go on with the defcription of the bleffed inheritance. Cufbi. That is more than man or angel can do: but the book of God mentions it: God the Father hath promised to be our God: At that time, faith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Ifrael, and they shall be my people. Jer. xxxi. 1. This implies that God will be the portion of his people. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy fhield and thy exceeding great reward. Gen. xv. 1. Thus the Lord is the portion of his people, and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. Deut. xxxii. 9. This glorious portion is to be known, and to be enjoyed by every believer at laft. For he is, as the fcriptures witnefs, an heir of God, and a joint heir with Chrift. Rom. viii. 17. The bleffed Saviour is the believer's portion alfo: God fo loved the world that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting life. And again, I will keep him, and give him for a covenaut of the people. Ifa. xlii. 6. The fight of this made Paul dung that he might win Chrift, Phil. iii. 8, whom he ftyles our life. Col. iii. 4. count all things but The Holy Ghoft alfo is the portion of a believer, and an earneft in his heart of all that he has in hope: I will send you the promise of the Father. And again: I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. John xiv. 16. Thus God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, are the believer's everlasting portion; and fo he will find it in the end, when he comes to be filled with all the fullness of God; the whole of which is couched in these words: That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they alfo may be one in us. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. John xvii. 21, 22, 23. Thus much for the portion. But a dwelling-place is likewife included in fcripture, as well as the enjoyment of God; for the the inheritance of the faints confifts of a place as well as a glorious ftate: I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also. John xiv. 2, 3. We, according to his promife, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Peter iii. 13. Abimaaz. This is an inheritance indeed! and bleffed be God, it is in a measure enjoyed in this life; for when God fheds abroad his love in our hearts, upon our receiving the atonement, the Holy Ghoft fills us with joy and peace in believing; and we feel union and fellowship with the Father and the Son, 1 John i. 3, and enjoy the communications of the Holy Ghoft. And I believe this is what Paul means when he fays, The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. all. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Cufbi. It is Paul's meaning: and thus the bleffed Trinity is experimentally and favingly known by every real believer in this world. The above inheritance is the inheritance promised to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob:--I am thy fhield, and thy exceeding great reward. And it is faid that they fought a country better than that which they left, namely, an beavenly one. Heb. xi. 16. Abimaaz. But pray, how is this inheritance. fecured to the heirs thereof? because some people fay that an heir of it may fall from grace-be difinherited N 2 |