Sermons Volume 2, Romans 8 · Sermon 32
SERMON XXXII.
ROM. VIII.24.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen, is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
2. WE must distinguish of hope. There are several kinds of hope.
1. There is an hope in the creature, and an hope in God; all things besides God are false confidences. Carnal men hope for that in the creature which is only to be found in God: dream of an uninterrupted tenor of worldly felicity in present injoyments; therefore their hopes are compared to a spiders web, which is gone with the turn of a besom, Job 8.13, 14. they lay their designs in their minds as curiously as the spiders web is woven; but the besom of providence cometh, and spider and web are both swept away, and trodden under foot. By the prophet Isaiah it is compared to a dream, Isa. 29.8. As when an hungery man dreameth, and behold he eateth, but he awaketh and his soul is empty: or as a thirsty man dreameth, and behold he drinketh, but he awaketh, and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite. A false hope is but a waking dream, which faileth in extremity, and giveth but an imaginary refreshment and satisfaction. This may befal Gods Children, who fall asleep in the midst of worldly prosperity, Psal. 30.6. In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 'Tis hard to keep from sleep when we lean out heads upon a soft carnal pillow, and in our sleep we have many fantasies and dreams; this is hope in the creature. But then there is an hope in God, whose immutable mercy and truth maketh him a fit object for hope, Psal. 130.7. Let Israel hope in the Lord; so Psal. 42.5. Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him. He hath the sovereign command of all things; and in vain do we look for good apart from him; if the creature say yea, and God no, all the promises of the creature prove but a lie; hope in God is that which we press as our respect to him as God; for faith, hope, and love, are duties of the first commandment; negatives include their positives. If no other Gods before him, then we own the true God for our God. The positive duties of the first commandment are cultus naturalis non institutus, such as are our duty to God as God, tho he give no direction about them; if God be our God, then hope in him, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. That is, expect all my happiness from him.
2. Hope in God is two-fold, either irrational and groundless, or a rational hope that is built upon solid grounds.
1. There is a vain and groundless hope, which is irrational, such as is in carnal and careless sinners, who say they hope well; but their hope will one day leave them ashamed, Rom. 5.5. For it is not an hope built on the word of God; tho they live in their sins, yet they hope they shall do well enough, tho they be not so strict and nice as others are; like condemned men in bolts and irons, that dream of Crowns and Septers, when they are near unto, and ready for their execution; so they hope for Heaven with as much confidence as the holiest of them all, tho God hath told them, Heb. 12.14. That without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. This hope is but a vain dream, and an awakening time will come; this hope is not only without faith, but against faith. This hope is nothing else but a confidence that God will prove a lyar; so that 'tis a b…phemy, rather than an act of worship; a believing Satan rather than God; or hoping … God▪ who hath declared the flat contrary in his word, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortiners, shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.
2. There is a rational hope, which is b…t upon solid grounds, probabilities, or certainties.
1. There is a rational probable hope. For hope is sometimes taken for a probable expectation, 1 Cor. 13.7. Hopeth all things It meaneth there, not a Divine, but a charitable prudential hope; we hope well o… others, whose hearts we know not, as long as nothing appeareth to the contrary; charity goeth upon probabilities, therefore hopeth all things, 2 Cor. 1.7. Our hope of … is stedfast as you have been partakers of the sufferings of the gospel, so shall ye be also of the consolation. So towards God, 1 Cor. 9.10. He that plougheth, plougheth in hope: a man hath no promise of a good Crop; but the ordinary providence of God giveth him a probable hope of success. In temporal things, when we know not what the event will be, such a kind of hope we have; there is no express promise, but such is the Lord… Power and Goodness commonly exercised in his provincial government, that we have no reason to despair, and say it shall not be; yea, much reason to believe that God will give success to our endeavours, for his glory in the world, considering what hath usually befallen his servants in like cases; tho we cannot draw a firm and certain Argument from thence, yet 'tis probable, for the most part 'tis so; but in matters that concern eternal life, somewhat of this hope may be observed; as before conversion, when we begin to be serious, and seek after God; we cannot say certainly God will give us converting and saving grace; we must follow God, tho we know not what will come of it, as Abraham did, Heb. 11.8. there the rule in such cases is, I must do what he hath commanded; God may do what he pleaseth. Yet 'tis some comfort that we are in a probable way. Nay, after conversion, such hope men may have as to their own interest in eternal salvation. They cannot say Heaven is theirs, or that God will certainly keep them to his Heavenly Kingdom; yet they dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world, nor cease to walk in the way of salvation; 'tis probable they are Gods Children.
2. There is a firm and certain hope, when we have assurance of things hoped for, by the promises and offers of the Gospel, as Acts 24.15. I have hope towards God, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust. Without this hope, a man cannot be a Christian. We must certainly expect the promised blessing to be given to those that are capable, and duly qualified; and all that are inlightned by the spirit, do see it, and expect it, and positively conclude, that verily there is a reward for the righteous, Psal. 58. last. This hope is the life of Religion, and doth excite us to look after it by due and fit means; their eyes are enlightned with spiritual eye-salve, that they get a sight of the world to come, Eph. 1.18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightned, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and the richest of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And if they believe the Gospel, it cannot be otherwise. I am certain there is such a thing, Col. 1.5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. There this truth is made known; all that close with the Gospel, receive it, and by it is this blessed hope of Glory wrought in us.
3. There is a two fold certain hope, one sort necessary, the other very profitable, but not absolutely necessary to the life and being of a Christian; the first sort is the fruit of faith, the second the consequent of assurance. The first grounded meerly upon the offers of the Gospel, propounding the chiefest good to men, to excite their desires and endeavours; the other is grounded on the sight of our own qualification, as well as the offers of the Gospel; the one is antecedent to all acts of Holiness; the other followeth after it; an antecedent hope there must needs be, before the effect of the Holy Life can be produced; for since hope incourageth and animateth all human endeavours, no man will engage in a strict course, displeasing to flesh and blood, but he must have some hope, and this hope the conditional offers of the Gospel doth beget in us, and all serious creatures have it, that mind their proper happiness. Rejoyceing in hope, is the same with foreign Heb. 3.6, 14. 'Tis the first tast we have of the pleasures of the world to come. Keep up this gust and tast, and you are safe.
But then, there is another hope, that is grounded upon the evidence of our sincerity, and is the fruit of assurance, when we can make out our own claim and title to eternal life, which is not usually done without much diligence, Heb. 6.11. And we desire that every one of you do shew forth the same diligence to the full asurance of hope, unto the end. Much sobriety, and weanedness from the world, 1 Pet. 1.13. Much watchfulness, that we be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, Col. 1.23. That our hopes of eternal life begotten in us by the Gospel, be not weakned and deadned in us; 'tis not enough thankfully at first to embrace the conditional offer, but we must keep up this hope in life and vigour. Much resolution in our conflicts with the Devil, world, and flesh, 1 Thes. 5.8. Lastly, some experience, Rom. 5.4. of Gods favour and help in troubles, and our sincerity therein; when we are seasoned, and tryed, our confidence increaseth; the frequent experience of Gods being nigh to us, and honouring us in sundry tryals, is a ground for hope to rest upon, that he will not leave us till all be accomplished, Phil. 1.20. According to my earnest expectation, and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed; but that with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death. Paul gathereth his confidence for the future, from former experience. Now these two sorts of hope must be distinguished; for the first hope may be accompanied with some doubts of our own salvation, or the rewards of Godliness ex parte nostri, at least; not ex parte Dei, for there all is sure and stedfast; and to doubt there, is a sin; it would detract from the goodness, power, and truth of God; but when our qualification is not evident, this doubting may do us good, as it may quicken us to more diligence to make our title more clear and explicate; especially when we are conscious to our selves of some notorious defect in our duty, and have a blot upon our evidences; indeed the rather, when more Godliness might be expected from us, as having more knowledg or helps, or are obliged by calling and profession to greater integrity and Holiness of life. Doubting is right, when it ariseth from a right and true judgment of our actions, according to the new Covenant; and we cannot truly say, who hath the greatest interest in us, God or the world, Sin or Holiness. Would you have men muffle their consciences, and think that they have more grace than they have, or judg their condition to be better than it is, absolutely safe; when they are not perswaded of their sincerity? Indeed when conscience judgeth erroneously, and a man thinketh he hath not that Godliness which is necessary to salvation, which indeed he hath, he overlooketh Gods work, his judgment of himself is erroneous, and therefore culpable, tho it be not unbelief, or a distrust of Christ.
Well then, as to these two Hopes:
1. That hope which ariseth from faith, must every day be more strengthned: for tho there be no fallibility in Gods promise, yet our faith may be weak or strong, according to our growth and improvement; and in some temptations Gods Children for a while may question articles of religion of great importance, and the eternal recompences, not their own interest only; as David, Psal. 73.13. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. As if he had said, What reward is there of Holiness, Mortification, Patience, and self-denyal? In the lower world where God is unseen, our great hopes yet to come, the flesh being importunate to be pleased, and the things of the world necessary for our use, and present to our imbraces, Christians are not certain, and past all doubts of the truth of their everlasting hopes; else there would be no weak faith, nor faint hope. Did not the Disciples in a great temptation doubt of an Article of Faith, Luke 24.21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And v. 25. O ye fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. To doubt of what the Prophets spake, was not to doubt of their own Salvation, but of the constant state of their Souls; all the Godly are perswaded of the truth of the Gospel, that ordinarily they have no considerable doubts about it, but that still they resolve to cleave to God and Christ, looking for their reward in another world, whatever it cost them here; and in some measure can fell all for the pearl of price.
2. As to the hope which ariseth from your assurance.
1. Make your sincerity more clear and unquestionable, and every day your hope and your confidence will increase upon you; to believe and hope, that you your selves shall be saved, is very desirable and comfortable: but then you must do that which assurance calleth for, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, abound in the love and work of the Lord, grow more indifferent to temporal things, venture all in Christs hands; for while your faith and repentance is obscure, you will not have such full comfort, tho you are confident of the truth of Gods promise to all penitent believers.
4. This latter or consequent hope which dependeth on the assurance of our interest, admits of a latitude, it may be full or not full, Heb. 6.11. To the full assurance of hope. That is full which casteth out all fear; that is not full, which is accompanied with doubts; but the certainty prevaileth, Mark 9.24. Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief. Cant. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart waketh. Now we should labour to go to Heaven with full sails, or abound in hope, Rom. 15.13. and 2 Pet. 1.11. For so an enterance shall be ministred unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. With hearts full of Comfort.
5. When 'tis full, it may be interrupted, or continued to the end; or at sometimes it may be full, or nor full at another, 1 Pet. 1.13. Hope to the end; If we continue in our duty with diligence, affection and zeal, our full hope may be continued; if we abate our fervour, grow remiss, and cold in the spiritual life, we lose much of the comfort of our hopes.
6. The hope which followeth after experience, and much exercise in the spiritual life, may result from an act of ours; and from an impression of the comforting Spirit.
1. From an act of ours. From our considering the truth of Gods promises, or his wonderful mercy in Christ; and his grace inabling us in some measure to fulfil the conditions of the new Covenant, when thereupon we put forth hope, Phil. 3.20, 21. For our conversation is in Heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.
2. Or some impression of the comforting spirit, supporting and relieving us in our distresses, or rewarding our self-denial, and obedience; as Rom. 5.5. Hope leaveth not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost, given unto us. The one is an act of Godliness, the other one of Gods internal rewards; the one is a duty, the other a felicity.
2. VSE, Is to press us to get, and act hope. Hope implieth two things:
1. Certain Perswasion.
2. An earnest Expectation. The certainty is seen in the quiet and pleasure of the mind, for the present. The earnestness in the diligent pursuit after the thing hoped for, by all holy means. Now we must look to both acts of Hope.
1. To strengthen the certain expectation. There we must often revive the grounds of hope, which are these.
1. The mercy of God, which hath made such rich preparation for our comfort in the Gospel. The first ground of hope to the faln creature, is the undeserved grace, mercy, and goodness of God, 2 Thes. 2.16. He hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. And therefore it is our great invitation to hope, Psal. 130.7. Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption. Apply your selves to God, as a God of mercy; otherwise such were our undeservings, and our ill deservings, there were no hope for us; so Psal. 13.5. I have trusted in thy mercy; my soul shall rejoyce in thy salvation. Let others trust in what they will, I will trust in thy mercy. The serious remembrance of Gods mercy, maketh hope lift up the head; so Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus, unto eternal life. There's our best and strongest plea, to the very last: Therefore the Heirs of promise are called, Rom. 9.23. Vessels of mercy. Because from first to last they are filled up with mercy.
2. The promise of God, which cannot fail, Titus 1.2. The hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, hath promised before the world began; he promised it to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption; and he hath promised it to us in the Covenant of Grace; that before time, this in time: now God will not fail to do what he hath promised; when he made the promise, he meant to perform it. For what need had God to court his creature into a false hope, or to flatter him into a fools paradise? to tell them of an happiness he never meant to give them; and if he meant it, is he not able to perform it? Men break their word out of weakness; they cannot do all that they would, their will exceedeth their power. Or out of imprudence; they cannot foresee what may happen; or out of levity and inconstancy, for all men are lyars; but none of these things can be imagined of God. We have Gods Word and Oath, Heb. 6.18. We have his Seal, the spirit, who hath wrought miracles without, to confirm this hope, and ass…re the world, Heb. 2.4. God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles▪ and gifts of the holy ghost. Within, preparing the hearts of the faithful for this blessed estate, Eph. 4.30. And grieve not the holy spirit, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption. And giving them some beginnings of it, as an earnest, 2 Cor. 1.22. Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the spirit. Now since we go not upon guesses, but sure grounds, the promise of the eternal God, thus sealed and confirmed, should not …e hope?
3. Our relation to God; He is our God and Father, John 20.17. I ascend to my father, and your father, and to my God, and your God. As our God, he will give us something like to himself; something better than the world yeildeth, something fit for a God to give; or else he could not with honour take that title upon him, Heb. 11.16. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a cit…. As our Father, he will give us the Heavenly inheritance, Luke 12.32. Fear not, little … 'tis your fathers pleasure to give you the kingdom. If God were a Judg only, we … fear how it would go with us in the day of tryal; but if he will dignifie … with … title of Children, we may expect a Childs portion, Rom. 8.17. And if children … heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so we suffer with him that we … be also glorified together. Be sure that you be Adopted, Justified, taken into the Family.
4 Christs merit and passion, Rom. 5.10. For if when we were enemies, we were reco…iled by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. … the …ood of God was given for some other thing than that little happiness and … of comfort which we injoy here. Do men that understand themselves, … for trifles? when wise men lay a broad and large foundation, we expect a …. If Christ be abased, we may be exalted; if he was apparell'd with … flesh, we may be cloathed with his Glory; that which keepeth hope alive, is the considerations of that ransome which Christ paid to reconcile us to God, that we might be capable of the highest fruits of Christs Death, an assurance of his love, even eternal ….
5. His Resurrection and Ascention, 1 Pet. 1.21. God hath raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Christ confirmed his Mediatorship and herein he is a pattern to us; taken possession of Heaven in our … and nature; he did in our nature rise from the dead, and ascend into Heaven, to give us a red and visible demonstration of a Resurrection, and a life to come; that we might look and long for it, whilst we follow him in obedience and sufferings; Christ is entred into his Glory, and shall we be kept out? Some saw him after he was risen, and some saw him ascending; we have certain testimony of it, that he is gone to Heaven before us; he that came to be an example of duty, is also a pattern of felicity.
6. H… potent intercession. He is sate down on the right hand of Majesty, that he may apply his purchase, and bring us into possession of that happiness which he hath procured for us; We have a friend at Gods Right-hand, who cannot satisfie himself to be there without us, John 17.24. Father, I will, that they whom thou hast given me, may be where I am, and may behold my glory. He is gone to Heaven, as our forerunner. Heb. 6.19.20. Which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entre… into that within him the vail, whither the forerunner is for us entered; even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Gone ashore, whither we seek to Land, Micha 2.13. The breaker is come up before them. He hath taken all impediments out of the way; and prepared a safe landing-place for us.
7. All our former experience of God; He hath ever born us good will, never discovered any backwardness to our good; he purposed it in Christ before the world was: sent his Son to die for us, before we were Born, or had a being in the world: called us when we were unworthy, warned us of our danger when we did not fear it, offered this happiness to us, when we had no thought of it; and left we should turn our backs upon it, followed us with an earnest and uncessant importunity, till we came to have anxious thoughts about it, till we began to make it our business to seek after it; by the secret drawings of his spirit, inclined us to chuse him for our portion; how many contradictions and struglings of heart were there, ere we were brought to this, ever since he hath been tender of us in the whole conduct of his providence, afflicted us when we needed it, delivered us when we were ready to sink; he pardoned our failings; visited us in ordinances, supported us in troubles, helped us in Temptations, and is still mindful of us at every turn, as if he would not lose our hearts; and shall we not hope in him to the last? Hath he forgotten to be gracious? As they said, Judg. 13.23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat offering at our hand, neither would he have shewed us these things. So if God had no mind to save us, he would not use such methods of grace about us.
8. The greatness of the Gospel Covenant: For that allayeth a great many fears, to remember that we are to interpret our qualification according to the Covenant of Grace, and the sweet terms thereof; and tho there be many failings, we may be accepted with the Lord, who will not impute to his people their frailties and sins of infirmity; not perfection, but sincerity, is our claim; we have indeed a faith too weak, and mingled with doubtings, too little love to God, and self-love too prevalent: Our desires of grace too cold, our thoughts often distracted; but yet where the heart is set to seek the Lord, he will accept us, and our infirmities shall be forgiven us for Christs sake, When he justifieth, who shall condemn? Rom. 8.23. He will answer for the imperfection of our holy things; every sin is not a sign of death, some are consistent with a state of grace, and hopes of glory; there are some sins which every one that truly repenteth, ceaseth to commit them, Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sins, shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. There are other sins, which they that repent do hate, but they too frequently return, Rom. 7.15. What I hate, that do I. As the imperfection of our graces, many vain thoughts and inordinate passions, too much deadness and coldness in holy duties, these are forgiven, and consist with life; these are causes of childlike humiliation, but not of judging our selves ungodly, or cast out of the Favour of God.
2. To breed earnestness, and this desirous expectation.
1. Think often of the sinfulness and misery of the present evil world: Even the better p…rt of it, that which is incident to the people of God, which are to be considered either singly or collectively: Singly; Each Saint and Servant of God findeth enough to drive him off from the world, and to make him long for Heaven, a great deal of sin to make him long for his perfect estate. Here in many things we offend, all of us, and the best of us, Jam. 3.2. But above, there are the spirits of just men made perfect. A great deal of misery, unless we are in love with distress, and prefer vanity and vexation of spirit before our rest and quiet repose; why should we not desire to be at home with the Lord, which is much better for us? Phil. 1.23. We had been more in danger to forget Heaven, if all things had suited to our desires, and our way had been strowed with worldly flowers and delights; but God hath more wisely ordered it, that our temptation to abide here, should not be too strong; or when the world appears to us in too tempting a garb and posture, a valley of tears and snares, a world full of sins, crosses, and pains, should make us look out after a better estate. Consider them collectively, as a Church, here 'tis quite different from what it will be hereafter: Alas! how often is it like a ship in the hands of a foolish guide, who knoweth not the right art of steering; spotted with calumnies of adversaries, or the stains and scandals of its own children, sometimes rent and torn with sad divisions, every Party impaling and inclosing the common salvation, and confining it to their own bounds, unchristianing and unministring all the rest, and many times in the pursuit of these contentious unmanning themselves, while they seek to bear down all that stand in their way; tho 'tis better to dwell in the Courts of the Lord, than in the terms of wickedness, yet truly a tender spirit will groan under these disorders, and long to come to the great council of souls, to the spirits of just men made perfect, who with perfect Harmony are landing and praising God for evermore.
2. Remove impediments; Which are, sensuality, and addictedness to worldly things; some seek all their delights and happiness in the things of this world, and so set more by earth than Heaven, and will do more for it. Certainly when we fall into the snare of worldly hopes, and are laying designs for greatness here, 'tis a troublesome interruption to think of a remove, and their great change cometh upon them unawares, unthought of, and unlooked for; Luke 21.34. Take heed to your selves, lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. See also Luke 12.17, 18, 19, 20. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room to bestow all my fruits and goods? and he said, This I will do, I will pull down my barns, and build bigger; and say to my soul, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; but God said unto him, This night thy soul shall be required of thee. Psal. 146.4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish. Certainly the cares and pleasures of this world, steal away the heart from the life to come; worldly delights make us unwilling to remove.
3. Meditate often on the worth of this blessedness, Col. 3.1. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Are you unwilling to come to God, the object of your everlasting joy and love? to Christ your blessed Redeemer and Saviour, who hath done so much for you, to bring you home to himself? To the innumerable company of Saints and holy Angels, and those peaceful Regions that are above? Surely if you hold your eye open upon the mark, you will press on with the more diligence. Phil. 3.14.
4. The more earnestly you look for these things, the more doth heaven come to you, before you come to it, Phil. 3.20. but our conversation is in heaven; living for heaven, or upon heaven here, by earnest hope, the joy of the Lord entreth into you, Rom. 15.13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy, in believing; the more our hearts are exalted to look after it; but usually we are taken up with toys and trifles.
3. USE. Have we this hope? You may be contented with a presumptuous conceit, or idle expectation, and call it hope; 'tis not a slight thinking of heaven; no, but a certain and desired expectation of the promised blessedness, according to the terms of the New Covenant; the true hope is neither groundless nor fruitless.
1. A groundless hope, is a false hope, which buildeth on false promises; you cannot render foreign or an account of it, 2 Pet. 3.5. as David asked the reason of his doubts, so we of our hopes, Psal. 42.15. hope thou in God; they think if they have confidence, though without holiness, they shall see God; they hope to be saved without regeneration, and so hope for that which God never promised; think to be saved, while unsanctified; these build on false evidences; Jam. 1.21. build on the sand, Matth. 7.24. build on false experiences, Gods patience, the blessings of this life, deliverance only; their cry from eminent danger. Psal. 78.38. vanishing tasts, Heb. 4.5.
2. 'Tis not fruitless.
4. USE, Is direction in the Lord Supper; this duty was appointed to raise and confirm our hope, for 'tis a seal of the Covenant, and the principal Covenant; blessing is eternal life. Three things are considerable, The acting of hope, The receiving new pledges of Gods love, The binding our selves to pursue everlasting life.
1. The acting of hope. We come to take Christ and all his benefits, which are Pardon and Life. He is drinking new wine in his Fathers kingdom, Matth. 26.29. We come to think of the happiness of the blessed; some are gotten to heaven already; we are of the same family, Eph. 3.15. of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named. 'Tis but one houshold; some live in the upper, some in the lower room; those on earth are of the same society and community with them in heaven. Heb. 12.23. To the general Assembly, and the Church of the first born, which are written in heaven. They have gotten the start of us, and are made perfect before us, that we may follow after; we are reconciled to the same God, by the same Christ, Col. 1.20. we expect our portion from the bounty of the same Father; Luke 12.32. He that hath been so good to that part of the family which is now in heaven, will he not be as good to the other part also, that remain here upon earth? Therefore, they that are working out their salvation with fear and trembling, may, and should incourage themselves, and look upon this felicity, as prepared for them, though not enjoyed by them, and will one day be their portion, as well as of those others who have passed the pikes, and are now triumphing with God. The Apostle telleth us, 1 Cor. 11.26. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shew forth the Lords death, till he come; and he cometh to bring us up to those blessed mansions which are in his Fathers house; when we shew forth the Lords death, we are to think of those that are in our fathers house, John 14.3. I will come again, and receive you to my self, that where I am, there you may be also. To keep a foot this promise in the Church, and to keep it alive in our hearts, we come to the Lords Table.
2. Our business is to receive new pledges of Gods fatherly love, and our blessed inheritance, which are represented under a double notion; as an earnest to shew how sure; as first-fruits, to shew how good.
1. Earnest. Hope is not built upon promises alone, but we have earnest also; The promise is given us in the word, the earnest is given in our hearts, 2 Cor. 1.22. though God be truth it self, and promiseth nothing but what he meaneth to perform, yet he will give us earnest of his promises; the outward pledges are the elements; The inward pledge is the earnest of the spirit; his comfort and graces are a part of the promised felicity; he would not weary and burden us altogether with expectation, but giveth us somewhat in hand, light, life, grace, joy, peace; one dram of these, is more precious than all the world, yet these are but an earnest; this is the confirmation that we have in the midst of our doubts and fears, they expect the full sum.
2. First-fruits. We come to get a taste of these things, to deaden our taste of other things, which would divert us from these hopes, which are vain delights of the flesh; 1 Pet. 1.13. bodily pleasures are put out of relish by these choice and chaste delights. These are our songs in the house of our pilgrimage.
3. To bind our selves to the more earnest pursuit of these hopes; our journey is not ended, nor our warfare and conflicts: Therefore here we bind our selves to continue our race, and finish the good fight of faith; as the Israelites in their first, passover had their loins girt, and their slaves in their hands, as resolving on a journey to Canaan, the land of rest; so we profess our selves strangers and pilgrims, let us therefore resolve on our journey towards heaven, and bind our selves to the performance of it.