Use, of exhortation : —
1. Look upon the new covenant as it is in itself, as containing the only solid grounds of rejoicing ; the blessings of it are real, certain, stable, and suitable to the great necessities of mankind. The blessings are pardon and life ; they are real, no fancies or chimeras. The gospel is not a dream or well- devised fable, but the greatest reality in the world ; it speaketh much for itself, commending itself to the conscience by rational evidence : 2 Cor. iv. 2, ' By manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God ; ' but more by the authority of the Son of God, who came from heaven to show us the way thither ; and if it had not been so, he would have told us, John xiv. 2 ; for he used great plainness of speech and fidelity ; and is more fully ratified by the Spirit : John xvi. 8-11, ' He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.' They are stable and unchangeable, as appeareth by the covenant form, in which the conveyance is so strong and firm as will make a plea in law : 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, ' He hath made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and sure/ in which is all my hope and desire, and suitable to many necessities. Here is a cure for our great sore by pardon, and satisfaction to our desires by a fit happiness.
2. Let it be so to you ; do you fulfil the duties required ; if there be any room for doubting, it must be of your qualification ; therefore that must be made more explicit : 1 John iii. 19 ' Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' We miss much of this everlasting consolation, because we are upon such loose terms with God : never hope to have peace upon cheaper terms than clear and undoubted holiness. You are not to model God's covenant
156 THE SIXTEENTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. IG.
and new make it, and bring it down to your humour and liking. No ; the covenant is unalterable and eternal ; so the duties, as well as the privileges. You must take it as you find it, and choose the things that please (iod, Isa. Ivi. 4. There is your claim ; follow that close: ' Ilence- forth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but to all them that love his appearing.'
3. Carry it so as those to whom God hath given grounds of everlast- ing consolation. We are up when we have the world with us, but dead in the nest when Our temporal dependences are broken. The covenant is the same still ; and there should be your hope and your joy : 2 Cor. i. 20, ' All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us ; ' 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, ' Although my house be not so with God, yet lie hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure ; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.' Heaven is where it was ; the world cannot make void your interest in it ; therefore you should rejoice in the Loid always: Phil. iv. 4, ' Rejoice in the Lord always ; and again, I say rejoice.'
SERMON XVL
And good hope through grace. — 2 Thes. II. 16.
We now come to the third ground of audience and acceptance. He hath given us ' good hope through grace.' This showeth how we en- tertain the everlasting consolation offered in the gospel — with good hope, and this wrought in us by God. Here is —
1. The gift : good hope.
2. The moving cause : through grace.
Doct. That it is a great advantage, when we pray for consolation and confirmation in holiness, to consider that God hath already given us the hope of eternal life.
Here I sliall— I. Open the gift.
II. Show what encouragement this is in prayer.
I. In the opening the gift, let me inquire : —
1 . What is this good hope mentioned, and what are the properties of it?
2. That this is the free gift of God. ]. What is this good hope ?
[1.] Hope is sometimes ])ut for the object or thing hoped for ; as Prov. xiii. 12, ' Hope deferred raaketh the heart sad ; ' that is, the delay of the good expected is very tedious and troublesome to us. So in Christian hope : Col. i. 5, ' For the ho[)e which is laid up for you in heaven ; ' where hope is put for the object of it, the blessed and glorious estate which is reserved for us hereafter. The great objects of hoi)e, which yet do not exclude intervening blessings, are these : —
2 ThES. II. IG.] THE SIXTEENTH SEKMON. 167
(1.) The coming of Christ to our comfort : Titus ii. 13, ' Looldngfor the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; ' 1 Peter i. 13, ' Gird up the loins of your minds, and be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.' Hope is there described by its singular object, the coming of Christ, called there the revelation of Christ. Christ is now under a veil, his bodily presence being removed, and his spiritual glory seen but darkly, as in a glass ; but then he shall appear in person and in his glory. When Christ withdrew out of sight, our comfort seemed to be gone with him ; but he will come again. He is not gone in anger, but about business, to set all things at rights against the day of solemn espousals ; and then he Cometh to possess what he hath purchased, and to carry the church into the everlasting place of her abode. This is the great hope of Christians, and a blessed and good hope it is indeed.