(2.) It bewrays itself by hearty sighs, and groaniugs, and longings after this happiness : Eom. viii. 23, ' And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body.' They that have once tasted of the clusters of Canaan, that have the first-fruits of the Spirit, have tasted of the goodness and sweet- ness of God in Christ, think they can never be soon enough with him in heaven. AYhen shall it once be ? They are still looking out ; and the nearer they come to enjoyment, the more impatient they are of the want. As natural motions are swiftest in the end — a stone, the nearer it is to the centre, it moves the faster — so the longer a christian lives in Christ, the more he sends forth his desires and heart after his happi- ness, and therefore groans, waiting for the revelation of the sons of God, and for this blessed hope. The apostle says, ' The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God,' Eom. viii. 19. The word utto KapaSoKta signifies a lifting up of the head, as we are wont to put out our head to see if we can spy a thing a great way off j as Judges v. 28, Sisera's mother and the ladies ' looked
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 177
out at the window, and cried through the lattice. Why is his chariot so long in coming ? ' as if they would spy him afar off. So the soul is still looking out : When will the change come ? when will it once be ? They would have a fuller draught of the consolations of the Spirit, more freedom from sin, and a more entire love of God : they have had some taste already, therefore they long for the increase and full perfection of it.
(3.) By lively tastes and feelings. It is said of a believer, ' He hath eternal life,' John iii. 36 ; that is, in the beginnings of it , he hath some taste here upon earth. Hope is called not only living, but ' lively hope/ 1 Peter i. 3, because it quickens the heart, and fills it with a solid spiritual joy ; and Kom. v. 2, ' We rejoice in hope of the glory of God/ It is a joy that is for enjoyment and possession. In worldly things there is pain and travail, and burdensome expectation till we come to enjoy a thing ; but a christian rejoiceth in his hopes. So 1 Peter i 8, ' In whom believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' It is true all feel it not in such a degree ; it depends on a sense of grace, which all believers have not always ; but all believers, whenever they meditate upon heaven, they find sweetness shed abroad in their hearts when they think what is provided for them by Christ. Worldly hope is only as a dream of a shadow ; there is pain and travail in expectation, and there is no satisfaction when we come to fruition ; but our hopes in Christ fill the soul with this lively joy. Look, as the patriarchs that> waited for the coming of Christ, the consolation of Israel, they hugged the promises : oh ! here is a sweet promise that will yield a Messiah at length, that shall save the world ! Thus they rejoiced in what they foresaw concerning Christ in vision, type, and figure. So christians that wait for happiness and blessedness to come, how do they find a great deal of sweetness shed abroad in their hearts by meditating upon their hope.
II. To show the influence it hath upon the spiritual life.
1. It purgeth the heart from lusts and the filthiness of sin : 1 John iii. 3, ' Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.^ How doth this hope make him purif}' himself ? Thus ; the things we look for are all holy and pure , it is a great part of our portion in heaven to be freed from sin, to be consorts of the immacu- late Lamb. Now the soul will say thus, Do I look upon this as my happiness ? Do I hope to be like Christ hereafter, and be freed from the burden of corruption, and can indulge and allow these lusts in my heart ? A man hopes for nothing de futuro which he would not pre- sently compass were it in his power. We do not look for a sensual paradise, but for a pure and blissful estate, that is made up of sinless- ness and purity ; and therefore, whoever hath set his heart upon the hopes of Christianity, the vision of God, and fruition of Christ, he must needs begin here, especially since God hath required preparation ; here we are to be made meet, seasoned and qualified, to accomplish the months of our purification, to prepare ourselves more and more for these glorious hopes.
2. It withdraws our hearts from present things : Phil. iii. 20, ' Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' A christian lives in the earth as if he were in the