by Thomas Boston
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf format
ROM. 5:1, 2.—Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
THERE are three sorts of benefits belonging to the justified, adopted, and sanctified. (1.) Some in this life they partake of. (2.) Some at death. (3.) Some at the resurrection. As for those in this life, we are told what they are in that question, 'What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? Ans. Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.' These are divided into two sorts. (1.) Some that flow from the sense of our justification, &c. (2.) Some from the being of it. Of the former, the Catechism takes notice of three, viz. assurance, peace, joy. All which are held out in the text as benefits coming through justification. Here observe,
1. Justification as a spring of other benefits. It is a leading mercy, it brings many others along with it. In it guilt is removed; and that being removed, a stream of mercies flows from heaven into the soul.
2. The benefits flowing from it.
(1.) Peace with God, or towards God; i. e. not only reconciliation with God, the cause of the quarrel being taken away; but peace of conscience, peace within, when we look towards God, arising from the sense of our justification and reconciliation. But all this is owing to Christ, who brought us into the state of reconciliation, called this grace wherein we stand.
(2.) Assurance of eternal happiness: Rejoice in hope of the glory of God; i. e. in the glory of God we hope for. They are so sure of that happiness, that they rejoice in the view of it, as if they were actually carried into it. And assurance of God's love, ver. 5.
(3.) Spiritual joy: We rejoice in hope of the glory of God; that is, We glory or joy in the Lord, upon this hope.
The text evidently affords this doctrine, viz.
DOCT. 'Assurance, spiritual peace, and joy, are benefits flowing from a state of justification.'
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
OF ASSURANCE
OF PEACE OF CONSCIENCE
OF JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST
OF INCREASE OF GRACE
OF PERSEVERANCE IN GRACE
OF THE BENEFITS WHICH BELIEVERS RECEIVE AT DEATH
OF THE BENEFITS AT THE RESURRECTION