they have a Hope of the heavenly Glory and that this Hope, in Proportion as it prevaileth is a Source of pure and facred Joy. Hope in general is the Expectation of fome Good which we defire, but which we are not at present in the actual Poffeffion and Enjoyment of. When there appears to be but a fmall Probability of obtaining it, our Hope is weak and languid; when the Probability is, or appears to us to be, ftrong, our Hope is lively and vigorous; and, when it arriveth to fuch a high Degree, that it may be called a moral Certainty, this produceth a confident Expectation or Affurance. Mighty is the Influence of Hope upon the human Mind : It is this that is the great Spring of Action. That which chiefly animates and invigorates Men's Endeavours and Pursuits, even with regard to their temporal Affairs, is the Hope of Something to be obtained and enjoyed, which hath to them the Appearance of Good: But the Hope we are. now confidering doth not terminate in the Things of this present tranfitory Life and World. The proper Object of the Chrifian's Hope is that everlasting Felicity which is revealed and promifed in the Gospel, and which good Men fhall be made Par taker . takers of in a future State. Hence it is called by the Apostle the Hope of eternal Life. Tit. iii. 7. And, in the Paffage before us, the Hope of the Glory of God; even that Glory which shall be revealed, and to which the Sufferings of this prefent Time are not worthy to be compared. Rom. viii. 18. It is elsewhere called eternal Glory: God is faid to have called us to his eternal Glory by Chrift Jefus. 1 Pet. v. 10. 2 Tim. ii. IO. And furely the Hope of this, where it is strong and vigorous, muft needs fill the Soul with a fincere and folid Joy. But, that this may appear in a more convincing Light, let us distinctly confider, First, The Greatnefs and Excellency of that future Glory, which is the Object of the Chriftian's Hope. Secondly, The folid Foundation of this Hope, or the just Grounds that a good Man and fincere Chriftian hath for his Hope of that future Glory: And this will naturally lead us to confider the foy which arifeth from this Hope, and the happy Influence it hath upon the Chriftian Life. First, Let us confider the Greatness and Excellency of that future Glory and Felicity which is the Object of the Chriftian's Hope. It is to convey to us an exalted Notion of the future heavenly Happiness X 2 that 1 that it is called Glory: And, when it is here called the Glory of God, this tendeth ftill ftill more to heighten the Idea. It is a Glory worthy of God, and of which he is very eminently the Author: For the Gift of God is eternal Life, which is only another Word for that future Glory. Rom. vi. 23. It is a Glory and Felicity in some Measure refembling that of God himself, as far as the Capacity of our limited Natures will admit. The facred Writers feem to be as it were at a Lofs for proper Words to defcribe it: They call it a Crown of Glory, Riches of Glory, an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory. They intimate to us that it far tranfcends the higheft Conceptions we are at prefent able to form concerning it: It doth not yet appear what we shall be. Yet several Things are told us, with Relation to it, which may affift us in forming fuch a Notion of that future Blessedness as is fufficient to raise our Defires, and quicken our Afpirations after it. It is reprefented as a State where we fhall be abfolutely freed from all the Evils to which we are now exposed: It is therefore called a Reft: There remaineth a Reft for the People of God. Heb. iv. 9. And it is declared, that blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord, that they may reft from their Labours, and their Works do follow them. Rev. xiv. 13. They shall reft from all their prefent Toils and Troubles, out of the Reach of the Pride of Men, and the Strife of Tongues. There fhall be nothing to annoy them, or to disturb their peaceful Tranquillity: For God fhall wipe away allTears from their Eyes, and there fhall be no more Death, nor Sorrow, nor Crying, neither fhall there be any more Pain; for the former Things, i. e. all the former Evils, are paffed away. Rev. xxi. 4. As to the pofitive Notion of that beavenly Felicity, it includes the full Perfection of our intire Nature, Body and Soul, in the Enjoyment of all that Good which is neceffary to complete our Satisfaction and Happiness. The Spirits of juft Men fhall then be made perfect. Heb. xii. 23. They fhall be free from all the Remains of Corruption and moral Defilement which cleaved to them here on Earth, and their Faculties and Powers fhall be opened and enlarged to a wonderful Degree: Their Understandings fhall be irradiated with the Light of Divine Knowledge; their Wills wholly conformed to the Will of God; their Affections regular, hamonious, and pure; in a Word, they shall be X 3 holy holy as God is holy; fo that they fhall have an inward never-failing Source of Divine Satisfaction and Joy. And even their Bodies themselves fhall be raised in Incorruption, in Power, and in Glory. 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43. So wonderfully fhall they be refined, that the Apostle calls them fpiritual Bodies. They fhall no longer be Clogs and Incumbrances to their Souls, but the ready Inftruments of their nobleft Operations, and arrayed in celeftial Splendor like the glorious Body of Christ himself. Phil. iii. 21, And, as their Natures fhall then be raifed to a high Degree of Perfection and Excellence, fo they fhall be converfant with the nobleft Objects, and their Exercises and Enjoyments fhall be fuch as are fuited to their perfected Natures and enlarged Capacities. Nothing can poffibly give us an higher Idea of the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven, than that they fhall there be admitted to the beatifick Vifion and Fruition of the Deity: Bleed are the Pure in Heart faith our Saviour, for they shall fee God. Matt. v. 8. And Oh how delightful will it be to behold the adorable Jehovah in all that harmonious Variety of Perfections and Attributes which belong to his infinite Nature! To behold almighty Power, unerring |