VER. 2.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 467
ances we see him, but darkly, as in a glass : 'His kingdom cometh not with observation,' Luke xvii. 20. It was not set up as other kingdoms are, with warlike preparations and visible power and glory ; his people were hated, scorned, reproached, but then he shall appear himself in all his glory.
2. Then we have our solemn absolution from all sins : Acts iii. 19, ' Kepent, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refresh- ing shall come from the presence of the Lord.' And our pardon is pronounced by the judge sitting upon the throne. It is great mercy now that he is pleased to pass by our many offences, and take us into his family, and give us a right to his heavenly kingdom ; but then it is another manner of grace and favour indeed when our judge shall acquit us with his own mouth, and own us as his faithful servants. Christ himself shall then appear to reward them. There were many that never had a sight of his glorious person ; his bodily presence is withdrawn from us for wise reasons, and is contained within the heaven of heavens ; and though this doth not hinder his spiritual influence, but we feel his operations ; yet at his second coming, then shall his people be pro- nounced blessed by their king, sitting upon the throne in all his royalty.
3. Then shall we have glorified bodies restored unto us, wherein Christ shall be admired : 2 Thes. i. 10, ' When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe.'
4. Then Christ will present us to God by head and poll, and give an account of all that God hath given him, that they may be introduced into their everlasting estate, not one wanting : John vi. 40, ' And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life ; and I will raise him up at the last day ; ' and Heb. ii. 13, • Behold I and the children which God hath given me.' Man by man he will confess and own them before his Father : Luke xii. 8, ' Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall also the Son of man confess before the angels of God.' This is one of mine : these are those in whom I have been glorified upon earth ; and then followeth the eternal kingdom.
III. The apprehension that we should have of it for the present : ' We know.' Knowledge signifieth both acts of the understanding, apprehension and dijudication. It is usually said that truth is the proper object and good of the understanding. Now when any truth is propounded to the understanding, there are two acts about it ; we ap- prehend the nature and tenor of it, and we judge of it whether it be true or false. Now the first act is usually called knowledge, and when we are sufficiently informed of the nature of anything ; the second is called faith and assent, either upon the natural evidence of the thing or the fidelity of the witness ; but faith is not so void of evidence as not to be called knowledge also : Job xix. 25, * I know that my Kedeemer liveth ; ' and 2 Cor. v. 1, ' We know that if this earthly house of our tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ; ' 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Wherefore, my beloved, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour shall not be vain in the Lord.' Invisible things revealed by God are certainly known, though we never saw them. Well, then —
4C8 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. III.
1. It is not a bare conjecture, but a certain knowledge ; it is not only we think, we hope well, but we know. No man calleth that know- ledge which is but a conjecture. It is not a may-be or a bare possi- bility ; it is possible there may be a heaven and happiness hereafter ; but it is true, it is as true as the word of God is true ; we have his own hand and seal and earnest for it.
2. It is not a probable opinion, but an evident and infallible truth, as sure as if we saw it with our eyes. How cometh the believer to have such a sure prospect of a future estate ? An unseen world is an unknown world ; how can we be so sure of it ? It is set before us by his pre- cious promises who cannot lie : ' And if we receive the witness of man, the witness of God is greater ; ' Heb. vi. 18, ' That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us ; ' Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' That word is not only confirmed by his oath, but also by his seal or miracles, Heb. iii. 4 ; and fulfilled prophecies : 2 Peter i. 19, ' For we have a more sure word of prophecy.' The old testament con- firmed the kingdom of the Messiah and the privileges thereof long before it came to pass. The doctrine of the scripture, which assureth us of this estate, bears God's image and superscription, which every- thing doth that hath passed his hand, even to a gnat and pile of grass ; and so shineth to us by its own light, if men were not strangely depraved and corrupted by worldly affections : 2 Cor. iv. 2-4, ' But by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost : in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.' Besides, God hath blessed that doctrine to the converting, comforting, and quickening of many souls in all ages and places of the world : Col. i. 6, ' The word is come to you,_ as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.' That doc- trine which bringeth forth the fruit of a holy life, and breedeth a hea- venly mind in all that hear it and receive it, that is the truth of God. In the first age Christ did swiftly drive on the chariot of the gospel ; for within a few years after his death it obtained its effect in all parts of the world ; and ever since it hath held up its head against all en- counters of time and revolutions of the world. Well, therefore, since we do not build upon the promise of a deceitful man, but the word of the everlasting God, why should not we be confident ? ' We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is.'