This the christian religion teaches us, but the light of nature could never tell us so: for if the light of nature and reason could have proceeded so far as to acquaint us with pardoning grace in all the extent of it, yet it could never have presumed to assure us _that he should make the rebels he had pardoned his favourites for ever_. We might have been forgiven, and then annihilated. But the scripture teaches us, whom God forgives he makes favourites too. And Christ Jesus has laid the foundation of this double blessing; for he has not only made an _end of sin_, but _brought in an everlasting righteousness_; Dan. ix. 24. He has fulfilled the law in all the commands of it, as well as borne the penalty; he has purchased all the blessings of divine love, as well as bought a freedom from divine vengeance. _If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life_, Rom. v. 10. And in ver. 1, and 2, he saith, _Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God_. Thus you see there is not only _reconciliation_ but _full salvation_; not only _peace with God_, but the _hope of glory_ to be obtained by believing on the Son of God. Many are the instances of saints here dwelling in flesh in a day of grace, that have been raised to a good degree of eternal life in this respect, that have had a joyful sense of the love of God shed abroad in their souls, and upon solid grounds have hoped for glory, such as no other religion could pretend to furnish them with; and this is a witness to the truth of christianity. No mere human religion can pretend to tell how this special love of God may be attained, no human religion can ever tell us how long this love of God shall continue; but the word of God gives us full evidence and assurance that the worst of sinners who apply to Jesus Christ the Saviour, in the way of humble faith and hearty repentance, shall not only be forgiven and released from the guilt of sin and punishment, but also shall be beloved of God for the sake of Christ, and that this divine love is everlasting. Read Acts iii. 19. _Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out._ Acts xvi. 31. _Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved._ And when persons are interested in these promises, who shall lay any thing to their charge? Who shall condemn them when God justifies? Who shall separate them from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, famine or sword? No, by no means; _for in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that has loved us_; and we are _persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord_; Rom. viii. 38, &c.