Secondly, 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. vi. 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 ix. 21), ' Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief;' Cant. v. 2, ' I sleep, but my heart waketh.' Now we should labour to go to heaven with full sails, or ' abound in hope,' Kom. XV. 13 ; and 2 Peter i. 11, ' For so an entrance shall be ministered imto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,' with hearts full of comfort.
Thirdly, When it is full, it may be interrupted, or continued to the end ; or at some times it may be full, or not full at another : 1 Peter i.l3, ' Hope to the end.' If we continue in our duty with diligence, affec- tion, and zeal, our full hope may be continued ; if we abate our fervour, grow remiss and cold in the spu'itual life, we lose much of the comfort of our hopes.
Fourthly, The hope which followeth after experience and much
VOL. XIL O
210 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXXIT.
exercise in the spiritual life may result from an act of ours, and from an impression of the comforting Spirit. (1st.) From an act of ours. From our considering the truth of God's promises, or his wonderful mercy in Christ, and his grace enabling us in some measure to fulfil the condi- tions of the new covenant, when thereupon we put forth hope : Phil, iii. 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. (2d.) Or some impression of the comforting Spirit supporting and relieving us in our distresses, or rewarding our self-denial and obedience ; as Rom. v. 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 God's internal rewards ; the one is a duty, the other a felicity.
Use 2. Is to press us to get, and act hope. Hope implieth two things —
First, Certain persuasion. Secondly, 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.
First, 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 fallen creature is the undeserved grace, mercy, and goodness of God : 2 Thes. ii. 16, ' He hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace.' And therefore it is our great invitation to hope : Ps. cxxx. 7, ' Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption.' Apply yourselves to God as a God of mercy ; otherwise, such were our undeservings and our ill deservings, there were no hope for us ; so Ps. xiii. 5, ' I have trusted in thy mercy ; my soul shall rejoice in thy salvation ; ' let others trust in what they will, I will trust in thy mercy. The serious remembrance of God's mercy maketh hope lift up the head ; so Jude 21, ' Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life ; ' there is our best and strongest plea to the very last. Therefore the heirs of promise are called, Eom. ix. 23, ' vessels of mercy ; ' because from first to last they are filled up with mercy.
2. The promise of God, which cannot fail : Tit. i. 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 fool's paradise ? to tell them of a 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 liars ; but none of these things cau be imagined of God. We have
VbR. 24.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIH. 211
God's word and oath, Heb. vi. 18 ; we have his seal, the Spirit, who bath wrought miracles — without, to confirm this hope and assure the world : Heb. ii. 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. iv. 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. i. 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 we hope?