It shall be wrought in all who heartily desire it —
[One of the most important lessons which the Gospel teaches us, is, that we should be ever " looking for that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of the great God and onr Saviour, Jesus Christ^." We should not only be looking for it, but *' hasting unto it," even " to the coming of the day of Chrisf^:" and the character given to all Christians is, that they do thus " love his appearing ^" But, if we have not a well-grounded hope of glory, how can we delight ourselves in the prospect of that day? It is our taste of the grapes of Eshcol that assures to us the full enjoyment of the promised land : and it is our partial entrance on our rest in this world, that assures to us the complete possession of " the rest that remaineth for us'." Let us therefore seek the first-fruits, and we need entertain no fears respecting the full harvest.]
From hence we may learn,
1. How desirable it is to have the evidences of our conversion clear —
[Though the earnest of the Spirit is itself both a seal and evidence of our conversion, it must not be found alone ; much less must it be supposed to exist, where any habitual or allowed sin attests the contrary. The witness of the Spirit is in per- fect harmony with the written word : and though it may for wise and gracious reasons be withheld from a person who is walking uprightly before God ; (for a man may " fear the Lord, and yet walk in darkness and have no light" ;") yet it never is vouchsafed to any one who is not serving God in sincerity and truth : and the man who imagines that he has the earnest of the Spirit, and the witness of the Spirit, whilst yet he is not unfeignedly and unreservedly devoted unto God, deceiveth his own soul. Some imagine that to speak of evi- dences is to encourage legahty : but it is impossible to read the Epistles of St. John, and not to see, that he lays down, I had almost said, a system of evidences, whereby a man should try his state before God. Feelings, however strong, and whatever confidence they may generate in the soul, cannot be depended on, if separated from the dispositions and actions produced by them : and therefore I cannot but earnestly recommend every one to examine carefully the state of his own soul, lest he dream of heaven and awake in hell."]
2. How light all trials should be to the believing soul —
1 Tit. ii. 11—13. ' 2 Pet. iii. 12. ^2 Tim. iv. 8.
t Heb. iv. 3, 9. " Isai. 1. 10.
2017.1 THE christian's PROSPECT OF GLORY. 507
[Well does the Apostle in the words before our text call them "light and momentary;" so light, as to be " lightness" itself^. Of what moment are the accommodations of an inn, where the traveller stops an hour in his journey to his father's house? Such travellers are we; and the period of our stay is at the utmost an hour, or rather, the twinkling of an eye. I may ask too, of what moment are his little inconveniences there, in comparison of the great and permanent felicity that awaits him ? This is the true way to estimate our sufferings, of whatever kind they be^. You who are most tried, fix your eyes upon the glory that shall be revealed: think of " the grace that shall be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Think especially too of your trials as loosening the pins of your present tabernacle, and hastening forward your entrance into that tabernacle that is prepared for you : view them, I say, in this light, and you will be so far from complaining of them, that you will rejoice and glory in them as the wise appoint- ments of a gracious God : and " the trial of your faith will be precious, because it will be foiuid to his praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ^."]