and the ring, and the shoes, he comes into his
father's house. Our first apprehensions of God will be happy beyond our
present comprehension. What an image have we, in these words, of a man
helping a child, by the hand, through a dangerous or dark way: "For I
the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not;
I will help thee." If "I will be with thee," is the reason, which he
himself assigns why we should not be afraid, why should we fear to come
into his presence?

As to a consciousness of guilt, there is no doubt that he who falls
asleep in Jesus, with reliance on his blood and righteousness, will
immediately, at death, receive such a consciousness of being purified
from all taint of sin, as now is beyond our conception. In the language
of Scripture, we shall be presented faultless before the presence of his
glory with exceeding joy. For the sake of Christ, in whom we trust, we
shall be received and treated as though we had never sinned; we shall
say, in the full assurance of pardon, righteousness, and peace with God,
without waiting for the question to be asked in our behalf, "Who is he
that condemneth?" "It is Christ that died."

And if this be so, as it surely is, why may not Christians in this world
before they die, nay, from the first hour of justification by faith in
Christ, triumph thus in him? Why should their remaining sinfulness,
their poor, frail, erring nature, which they must carry with them to the
grave, prevent them from having the same joy in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom also we have received the atonement? Every true
believer in Jesus Christ is warranted in having the same consciousness
of pardon and peace with God, now, as after death; the justifying
righteousness of Christ is as powerful now as it will be then. Some tell
us, "Live a sinless life, and you may have this perfect peace." That is
self-righteousness. It will not be a sinless life which, in the moment
after death, will make us to be openly acknowledged and acquitted; it
will be the righteousness of Jesus Christ which is by faith; and he who
has faith in that righteousness may, living as well as dying, here as
well as in heaven, say, 'There is, therefore, _now_ no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the spirit.'

There are several things which may reconcile us to the thought of dying:

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All the people of God s