Sermons Volume 2, Romans 8 · Sermon 31
SERMON XXXI.
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?
IN this Verse the Apostle giveth a Reason why Believers do groaningly expect the Adoption, the Redemption of their bodies, and so by consequence, salvation; Because yet they had it not; and in this reason, there is secretly couched a Prolepsis, or an Anticipation of an Objection, as if the Apostle had said, If any shall object, We are adopted already, redeemed already, saved already: This I would answer him; We are not actually saved, but in right and expectation only; salvation indeed is begun in the new birth, but is not compleat, till body and soul shall be glorified in the day of judgment; then we are redeemed or saved from all evils, and then do presently enter into the actual possession of the supreme happiness or glory which we expect: He proveth it by the nature of hope, because hope is of a future thing: For we are saved by hope; but hope, &c.
In the Words Two Things.
1. An account of the present state of a believer; For we are saved by hope. 2. The proof of it by two reasons. The first is taken from the nature of hope, For hope that is seen is not hope. 2. The second from the absurdity of the contrary; For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
1. An account of the present state of a believer, We are saved by hope: A Christian is already saved, but he is only now saved by hope, spe, non re; he hath compleat salvation, not in actual possession, but earnest expectation; that's the Apostles drift here; he doth not shew for what we are accepted at the last day, but how saved now; he doth not say, we shall be saved by hope, but we are saved by hope, which expecteth the fulfilling of Gods Promises in our salvation.
2. The Proof.
1. By a Reason taken from the nature of hope; 'Tis conversant about things unseen; Hope that is seen is not hope, foreign is the thing hoped for, the act is put for the object, as also Col. 1.5. The hope which is laid up for you you in heaven. Hope is wrought in our hearts, but the thing hoped for is reserved in Heaven for us. (Is not hope), There 'tis taken for the act of hoping; is not hoped for; the meaning is, things liable to hope are not visible and present, but future and unseen, for vision and possession do exclude hope.
2. From the absurdity of the contrary supposition: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it: that is, things injoyed, are no longer looked for. To see, is to injoy, as also 2 Cor. 5.7. We walk by faith and not by sight. That is, we believe now, but do not injoy. So here, where the thing hoped for is possessed already, it is said to be seen. Otherwise if you take seeing properly, a man may hope for that which he seeth, as the wrestler or racer hath the crown in view, but whilest he is wrestling and racing, he hopeth to have it, but hath not yet obtained it. Well then, the Apostles meaning is, Who would look for that which he hath in his hands? 'Tis foolish to say he hopeth for it, or looketh for it when he doth already injoy it.
Doct. Hope is one of the graces necessary to obtain the great Salvation promised by Christ.
For explication.
1. Hope is a desirous expectation of some promised good. The act is a desirous expectation; The object is some promised good. Of the act, I shall speak afterwards; the object I shall consider now. 'Tis some good; for evil is not hoped for, but feared; and a good promised; for hope, the grace, is grounded upon the word of God, Psal. 130.5. I have hoped in thy word. And the Apostle telleth us, that the heirs of promise being secured by two immutable things, Gods word, and Gods oath, do fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them, Heb. 6.18. The promise doth both declare and assure; declare what we may hope for; the Apostle saith 'tis set before us, not before our senses, or the eyes of the body; but before our faith, the eyes of our minds, in the Gospel; and with all, doth assure us in hoping; for we have the word of God, who is the supream Verity, that neither can deceive nor be deceived; and the promises of the Gospel are ratified by the solemnity of an oath; the more to excite our drowsie mind… …o consider upon what sure grounds we go upon. Well then, there is some word of promise assented unto by faith, before we expect the good promised. Promises are the holdfast we have upon God, and the sure grounds of raising hope in our selves, or pleading with God in Prayer; we may plead them to our selves if we would have strong and solid consolation, Psal. 56.4. In God I will praise his word, in God have I put my trust; I will not fear what man can do unto me. Thus did David rebuke his fears. The fidelity of God in his promises is matter of firm confidence and hope to us. Only we must not make promises to our selves, lest we become false Prophets to our selves, and build upon our own dreams. So in pleading with God, we have free leave to challenge God upon his word, Psal. 119.45. Remember the word unto thy servant, wherein thou hast caused me to hope. Our necessities lead us to the promises, and the promises to Christ, in whom they are yea and amen; and Christ to God, as the fountain of grace; there we put these bonds in suit, and turn promises into prayers.
2. The promises do concern either this life or that which is to come. 1 Tim. 4.8. Godliness is profitable to all things, having the promise of this life that now is, and that which is to come. There are supplies necessary for us during our pilgrimage; therefore God hath undertaken not only to give us Heaven and happiness in the next world, but to carry us thither in a way best pleasing to himself, and conducible to our good; that we may serve him with comfort and peace all the days of our lives. Therefore there is an hope in Gods promises for what we stand in need of by the way, and God delighteth to train us up in a way of faith and hope in expecting our present supplies, that by often trying and trusting him for these things, we may the better hope for the great salvation; as men practice swimming in the shallow brooks before they venture in the deep ocean. But temporal things are only promised so far as it may be for Gods Glory and our good; we must not set God a task to provide meat for our lusts, or imagine that his providence will lacquey upon our humours and vain fancies. 'Tis the ordinary practice of his free grace and fatherly love, to provide things comfortable and necessary for his Children, Matth. 6.32. For your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. There is a common bounty and goodness which reacheth to all his creatures, even to the preservation of the smallest worm; how much more will he provide for us whom he hath Adopted into his family, and to whom he hath made promises that he will never leave us to insupportable difficulties? You would count him an unnatural Father that feedeth his dogs and hawks, and lets his Children die of hunger. Certainly we may hope in God that he will do what is best, all things considered.
3. The great promise, and so the principal object of our hope, is salvation by Christ, or eternal life, 1 John 2.25. This is the promise which he hath promised us, eternal life. Christ hath promised other things, but this is the promise. 'Tis the great end of Christs mediation, to bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. For Christ also hath once suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. And that is not fully done till we live with him in Heaven; this is the end of our faith, 1 Pet. 1.9. This is the prime benefit offered to us in the Gospel, to which all others tend. By Justification our incapacity is removed, by Sanctification eternal life is begun; by the mercies of daily providence we are preserved in our duty and motion towards this happy estate; Kept blameless to the heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim. 4.8. From hence we fetch our comfort during the whole course of our Pilgrimage. This we look upon as the recompence of all our pains and losses, and upon the hopes of it the life of grace is carryed on, and the temptations of sense defeated; and therefore hope is described in Scripture by this object more than any other thing. Called thence, The hope of salvation; and all other hopes are in order to this, Rom. 15.4. Whatever things were written afore time, were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope; that is, by submiting and waiting upon him in variety of Providences here in the world, we might still keep up the hope of eternal life.
4. Eternal life must be expected in the way God promiseth it. We must not take that absolutely which God promiseth conditionally; God promiseth it to them that believe in Christ, John 6.40. This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Those that saw him with the eyes of the body, and were not offended at his despicable appearance, but could own him as the Messias, as Lord and Saviour: Those that see him with the eyes of the mind, see such Worth and Excellency in him, as to be content to run all hazzards with him, and count all things but dung and dross, that they may be found in him, that they may venture their souls and all their interests in his hands. Sometimes to the obedient, Heb. 5.8. Sometimes to them that persevere notwithstanding temptations, Rom. 2.7. Sometimes to the mortified, Rom. 8.13. Now you must consider not only the grant or the benefit contained in the promise, but the precept, the condition required; the benefit or priviledg offered, expresseth Gods Grace; the condition required points out your duty, and by consequence your right; for we are not duly qualified according to promise; and the gift is suspended till we fulfil the condition; but when you have done that which the promise requireth, then your Title to Heaven is incomparably more sure than any mans Title to his Possessions, and the Inheritance to which he was born; and you will find the Saints in fixing and raising their hopes, do not only look upon what is promised, but their own qualification, Psal. 119.166. Lord I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. So Psal. 33.18. The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, that hope in his mercy. So Psal. 147.13. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, that hope in his mercy. They so believe in God, as they fear to offend him; and the hope of salvation goeth hand in hand with a care of keeping the Commandments; we must not look to one side of the covenant only, the priviledges and benefits; but also to the duties and qualifications of those that shall be saved, the penitent Believer, the mortified Saint, the heavenly-minded, self-denying Christian. All this is shewed, that 'tis not enough to expect eternal life, but it must be expected in Gods way.
5. The expectation is certain and desirous: 'Tis certain, for it goeth upon the promise of the Eternal God: 'tis desirous, because the thing promised is our chief happiness; all the Pomp and Glory of the world, is but a May-game to it. With respect to these Two Properties, different effects are ascribed to hope: First, 'Tis patient, and earnest; patient, 1 Thes. 1.3. Remembring without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope. And in the Verse next the Text; And if we hope for it, then do we with patiente wait for it; and earnest v. 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God: The Emblem in the resemblance of it is the earnest expectation of the creature; and 2 Pet. 3.12. Looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the Lord. 'Tis patient, because 'tis sure; 'tis earnest, because 'tis good: When the soul therefore is possessed with the truth and worth of these things which we hope for, it looketh and longeth, because they are such glorious blessings; but tarrieth Gods leisure, because his word is sure, tho he doth delay our happiness, and how smart and heavy soever his hand be upon us for the present.
2. There is another pair, rejoicing and groaning; rejoicing, Rom. 5.2. Rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God: and groaning, 2 Cor. 5.2. In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven. We groan because of present burdens, and our desire is delayed; but we rejoice, that our affection may be somewhat answerable to the greatness of the thing hoped for, which is the Vision and Fruition of the ever blessed God. When we seriously consider what we shall have and do hereafter, how can a Christian chuse but rejoice? it must needs possess his mind with a delight. 'Tis questionless, a comfortable thing to him to think that he shall see the glory of God, and be filled with his love, and be exercised in loving, lauding and praising him for evermore: Where this is soundly believed and earnestly hoped for, it will breed such a joy as supports us under all discouragements, fears, cares and sorrows; and on the other side, weigheth down all the pleasures and riches of the world. In short, sweetneth our lives and maketh Religion our chiefest delight.
2. Reasons to prove that hope is a necessary Grace: I shall prove,
1. For the state of a believer in this world. We are not so saved by Christ as presently to be introduced into the heavenly inheritance, but are kept a while here upon earth to be exercised and tryed; now while we want our blessedness, and there is such a distance between us and it, in the mean time we encounter with many difficulties, there is need of hope: Since the Believers Portion is not given him in hand; he hath it only in hope; things invisible and future cannot else be sought after: As our understandings are cleared by faith to see things to come, otherwise invisible, our wills are warmed by love, that we may be earnestly carryed out after the supreme good; so our resolutions and inclinations must be fortified by hope, that we may seek after it, and not be diverted either by the comfortable or troublesome things we meet with in the world: This is the difference between the children of God in their warfare, and in their triumph; in their way, and in their home; they that are at home, are rejoicing in what we expect, and are in possession of that supreme good which we hope for; they are entred into the joy of their Lord; and have neither miseries to fear, nor blessings to desire, beyond what they do enjoy; they see what they love, and possess what they see; but the time of our advancement to these is not yet come, and therefore we can only look and long for it; the glorified are distinguished from us by fruition, and we are distinguished from all others by hope; we are distinguished from Pagans who have no hope, Eph. 2.12. Having no hope, and without God in the world, 1 Thes. 4.13. Sorrow not as others, which have no hope. We are distinguished from Temporaries, Heb. 3.16. If we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope firm to the end. The Temporary loseth his tast and comfort, and so either casteth off the profession of Godliness, or neglecteth the power and practice of it; the other is diligent, serious, patient, mortified, heavenly, holy, because he keepeth the rejoicing or his hope; the end sweetneth his work.
2. From the new nature, which is not intire without hope. This is one of the constitutive graces, which are essential to a Christian, 1 Cor. 13.13. And now abideth faith, hope and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity. He opposeth the abiding things, the necessary graces, to the arbitrary gifts, and among these he reckoneth hope. 'Tis the immediate fruit of the new birth, 1 Pet. 1.3. Begotten to a lively hope. The new nature presently discovereth its self by a tendency to its end and rest; which is the fruition of God in Heaven; now the new creature cannot be maimed and imperfect, because it is the immediate production of God.
3. From the use for which it serveth.
1. It is necessary to quicken our duties: Hope sets the whole world a work; the Husbandman plougheth in hope, and the Soldier fighteth in hope, and the Merchant tradeth in hope, so doth the Chrstian labour and serve God in hope, Acts 26.7. VntoUnto which promise our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. Certainly a man that hopeth for any thing, will be engaged in the earnest pursuit of it, and follow his work close day and night; but where they hope for no great matter, they are sluggish and indisposed; the principle of obedience is love, but the life of it is hope, Acts 24.15, 16. I have hope towards God, that there shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust. foreign. And herein, or thereupon, or in the mean time, do I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards men.
2. To vanquish temptations: Which are either on the right hand, or on the left, but both are defeated by hope; on the right hand, when some present delight is ready to invite us to sin; on the left hand, when some present bitterness is likely to draw us from the ways of God; in both cases the hopes of future joys outweigheth that pleasure, and allay that bitterness: If the temptation be the comforts of the world, or the delights of sin, he that sincerely hopeth for Heaven, dareth not think so slightly of it as to lose it, or put it to hazzard for a little carnal satisfaction; 'tis noted high prophaneness in Esau to sell the birth-right for a morsel of meat, Heb. 12.16. Sin cannot offer him things so good, but he must forego better, and so the heart riseth in indignation against the temptation; Shall I leave my fatness, my sweetness, to rule over the Trees? If the temptation be some grievous inconvenience or affliction, Rom. 8.18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us; and 2 Cor. 4.17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. This is the language of one that hopes for salvation; all is but a flea-biting to him that hath his heart in Heaven.
3. To comfort us in all our tribulations. There are many difficulties that intervene and fall out between hope and having; between our first right to eternal life, and our full possession of it; in our journey to Heaven, we meet with tryals and sufferings by the way; now 'tis hope carryeth us through, and therefore 'tis compared to an Anchor, Heb. 6.19. To an Helmet, 1 Thes. 4.8. As we would not go to Sea without an Anchor, nor to War without an Helmet; so neither must we think of carrying on the spiritual life without hope; nothing else will compose the mind, or keep it stable in the floods of temptation; therefore 'tis an Anchor; nothing else will cause us to hold up head in our daily conflicts and encounters with afflictions, but this Helmet; without this Anchor we are in danger of spiritual shipwrack; without this Helmet, our Heads are exposed to deadly blows from sin, Satan, and worldly discouragements.
4. That we may dye peaceably, and with comfort. We need hope while we live, but we most need it when we come to die, and shoot the gulph of death. They that are destitute of the hope of salvation, are then in a dangerous, woful, and most lamentable case, Job 27.8. What is the hope of the hypocrite, if he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? They may be full of presumption and blind confidence while they live, but what hope have they when they come to dye? All their worldly advantages will then yield them no solid comfort. We live in a presumptuous dream, that all shall be well; but then they dye stupid and sensless, or else despairing; and their hopes fail when they have most need of them; but then a lively hope of eternal life sustaineth the hearts of the faithful; they are going to possess what they expected; and when they resign their souls to Christ, they can commit their bodies to the grave in hope, Psal. 16.9, 10. My flesh shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption. God will not utterly forsake that dust that is in covenant with him, nor suffer his servants totally to be extinguished, or finally to perish.
1. VSE is Information.
1. That the great reward of a Christian, lyeth not in things seen, but unseen: Not in the good of this world, but of another; because hope is one of the graces requisite to his constitution, and hope is about future things. Much to blame then are they, who place all their happiness in present things which are so transitory: God hath reserved us to a future estate, because he bestoweth graces that suit with it, and nothing so opposite to it as the spirit of the world, 1 Cor. 2.12. For we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God.
2. The Cognation and kin that is between faith and hope. The one is the evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11.1. The other is the earnest desire and expectation of things not seen. The one is an Assent, the other an Appetition. Faith differeth from hope,
1. In the order of nature. Faith goeth before, as the cause is before the effect: First, There is a firm perswasion of good things to come, and then a certain expectation of them in the way which God hath appointed: Faith assents to the truth of the promise; and hope looketh for the accomplishment of it.
2. In the object there is some difference: First, in the latitude of the object; The object of faith is larger; Faith is of things past, present and to come; as by faith we believe the Creation of the world, Heb. 11.4. The present existence of God, Heb. 11.6. And the truth of heavenly joys, Heb. 11.1. Hope is only of things to come: So again, we believe some things that we hope not for, as the Torments of the damned; For hope is an expectation of good to come; and the pains of hell are matter of fear, not of hope. Secondly, In the formal consideration of the object: Faith looketh to the word promising, verbum rei, hope to the thing promised, rem verbi; Faith considereth the veracity or truth of God in making the promise; hope the benignity and goodness of God in making so great a promise as eternal life and salvation by Christ: Faith respects the person giving, his fidelity; hope, the persons receiving, their benefit: Faith perswadeth us there is salvation; hope, that we shall, or at least may obtain it.
3. There is a difference in the subject: Faith as 'tis an assent is in the mind, hope is in the affections, as reflecting upon the goodness of the thing promised; so that tho there be some difference between faith and hope, yet they are much of a like nature.
3. It informeth us of the excellency of hope; faith saveth, Eph. 2.8. and hope saveth, as in the text; which is to be regarded, because our thoughts run so much upon faith, that we overlook hope; and we do so altogether regard our present reconciliation with God through the merits of Christ, that we forget our Eternal fruition of him in glory, and what is necessary thereunto, as if the whole drift of the new covenant were only to comfort us against the guilt of sin. Now a Christian should mind both, not only his peace with God, but his going off from the world; and must believe, not only to the pardon of sins, but also to Eternal life; 1 Tim. 1.16. For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe on him to everlasting life. There is the final and ultimate object of faith, which must be first thought of; for all things are influenced by the last end; when we are invited to Christ, we are invited by this motive, That sinners shall not only be pardoned, but glorified. Therefore a true and well grounded hope of Eternal life, is a more weighty point than we usually think of, and a great part of Religion lyeth in drawing off the heart from things visible and temporal, to those that are invisible and Eternal. The great effects of faith, which are love to God, and victory over the world, are more easily produced, when faith hath the assistance of hope, or this lively expectation of the world to come. Therefore we must not only consider the death of Christ as it hath procured for us the pardon of sin, or the promise of pardon; But as he dyed for us, that we might live for ever with him, 1 Thes. 5.9. that so the soul may more directly and expresly be carried to God and Heaven.
4. It informeth us, That none can be saved without hope of salvation. A Christian as soon as he is made a Christian, hath not the good things promised by Christ; but as soon as he is made a Christian, he expecteth them: As an heir is rich in hope, though he hath little in possession. Take any notion of applying grace, as soon as we are justified we are made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life, Tit. 3.7. as soon as we are converted and regenerated, we are begotten to a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. and as soon as we are united to Christ, Col. 1.27. Christ in you the hope of glory. And without hope how can a man act as a Christian; since the whole business of the world is done by hope, certainly the whole spiritual life is quickned by this grace. Titus 2.12, 13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, godly, in the present world: looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And 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 body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.
But then here ariseth a great doubt, how far every man is bound to hope for salvation? For those that have no assurance of their own sincerity, and cannot unquestionably make out their propriety and interest, how can they hope for salvation?
Answer. To solve this doubt, we must consider a little the several states of men as they stand concerned in everlasting life; some have but a bare possibility, others have a probability; a third are gotten so far as a conditional certainty; others have an actual certainty, or firm perswasion of their own right and interest.
1. To some the hope of Heaven is but a bare possibility, as to the careless Christian who is yet intangled in his lusts; but God continueth to them the offer of salvation by Christ, they may be saved if they will accept this offer; 'tis brought home to their doors, and left to their choice. 'Tis impossible indeed in the state in which they are; but their hearts may be changed by the Lords grace. Mark 10.27. With men 'tis impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible. He can make the filthy heart to become clean and holy, the sensual heart to become spiritual and heavenly. There are many bars in the way, but grace can break through and remove them. This possibility checketh scruples, and aggravateth their evil choice; for they forsake their own mercies, Jonah 2.8. by their vain course of life they deprive themselves of happiness, which might be theirs; 'tis their own by offer, for God did not exclude them; but not their own by choice, for they excluded themselves, judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, Acts 13.46. This possibility is an incouragement to use the means, Acts 8.22. Pray, if perhaps, or if it be possible, the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
2. Others have a probability, or a probable hope of Eternal life; as when men begin to be serious, or in some measure to mind the things of God, but are conscious to some notorious defect in their duty, or have not such a soundness of heart as may warrant their claim to everlasting blessedness; as we read of almost Christians, Acts 20.28. and not far from the kingdom of Heaven, Mark 10.24. and such are all those which have only the grace of the second or third ground; they receive the word with joy, but know not what tryals may do; they have good sentiments of Religion, but they are much choaked and obstructed by voluptuous living, or the cares of the world, Luke 8.14. yea some such thing may befall weak believers: They dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world, but cannot actually lay claim to it, and say 'tis theirs. Now probabilities must incourage us till we get a greater certainty; for we must not despise the day of small things; and 'tis better to be a seeker, than a wanderer.
3. A conditional certainty, which is more than possible or probable. That is, when we adhere to Gods covenant, and set our selves in good earnest to perform the conditions required in the promises of the Gospel, expecting this way the blessings offered; as for instance, the hope is described by Paul, Acts 24.15, 16. And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust: and herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men; there is such a dependance upon the promise, as breedeth an hope, and this hope puts upon strict and exact walking; such a conditional certainty is described in Rom. 2.7. Who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, honour, immortality and eternal life. I am sure to find salvation and Eternal life, if I self-denyingly and patiently continue this way, and by the grace of God I am resolved so to continue. Now there is much of hope in this; partly, because this is the hope which is the immediate effect of regeneration; The hope, that is the fruit of experience, and belongeth to the seasoned and tryed Christian, who hath approved himself; hearsay is another thing, Rom. 5.4. and partly, because this suiteth with Gods covenant, or the conditional offer of Eternal life, according to the terms of the Gospel, where the benefits are offered to invite us to walk in the way of life. Now here is faith believing, hope expecting, and resolution to take Gods way, even to deny our selves, sacrifice our interests, and heartily to exercise our selves unto godliness; and partly, because much of the life of Christianity lyeth much in this conditional hope and certainty; it being absolutely necessary to all acts of grace; and partly, that we may have much comfort by it, for we are making out our claim; I do not doubt, or considerably doubt, of the reward of godliness ex parte Dei; no, I know they are sure and stedfast by the promise; but my own qualification is not so sensible and clear, that I can positively determine my own right, but I have support and comfort in this way, 1 Cor. 9.26. run not as one uncertain; for I have reward in my eye.
4. There is actual certainty of our interest, as being qualified, which admits of a latitude; for it may be full or not full, firm or not firm, Heb. 6.14. and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end; it may be interrupted or continued; the full hope removeth all doubts and fears; that which is not full, hath some doubts accompanying it; but the certainty prevaileth, and is more than the doubting. This is comfortable; To sail to heaven with full sails, rather than make an hard shift to get thither by many doubts and fears; and 'tis a blessed thing when we can say, 2 Cor. 5.1. for we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. In short, The more we address our selves to our duty, the more we put our selves in the way to receive the promise.