find it to consist in a firm belief of the life to comein delightful contemplation of its glory-and in confident expectation of its enjoyment.

1. In a firm belief of the life to come.-There is an assent to what the Scriptures have declared concerning the world to come which is attended with no deep impression on the heart. A man believes that this life is as a shadow that departeth; a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then is gone; a mere span and moment of time; and that there is another world, altogether glorious, in which the blessed persons who are permitted to enter will dwell for millions of ages;and yet he is as anxious about this life, and as indifferent about that which is to come, as if he had believed the very reverse; as if this life were eternal, and that which is to come were a mere shadow. Shall we say that such a person has a true belief of the world to come? No: "faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." That is, true faith gives a subsistence in the mind to things hoped for: they remain there the objects of joy and hope; and it renders things invisible as if they were evident to our sight. Faith opens, as it were, to us the gates of the blessed regions above: it shews to us in a lively manner, the glory of the heavenly mansions; we contemplate the order, the harmony, the happiness of the blessed spirits of the just made perfect; the presence of the great Mediator; the favour of God; his wisdom, power, and goodness uniting to form an assemblage of all that will tend to make his creatures perfectly happy. The prospect which true faith gives, realizes heaven to our view; and in comparison of it, this earth appears very poor and mean: all its honours fade, all its pleasures wither, all its pomp disappears, all its sufferings seem to be but for a moment, and the soul is swallowed up in the contemplation of that eternal weight of glory which is set before us. Faith must thus give us a bright and clear view of the life to come; so that

it must be, in a manner, present with us ere we can really "rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

2. This hope supposes delightful contemplation.There is a cold, uninterested manner in which many think and speak of heaven; they feel no delightful glow of affection, no grateful emotions to him who formed it for man, no transporting impressions of its glory and felicity. They who can thus think or speak of heaven will not "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." This supposes that it is made the subject of frequent and delightful meditation, that we rejoice in it, that we contemplate its glory. It is called by way of eminence "the glory of God;" as if the glory of God which shines through the whole universe, were there collected, as the light is in the sun. In heaven, the glory of God is fully displayed. His wisdom is there openly manifested and revealed, without a cloud to obscure it, or any defect in the view of the blessed inhabitants there assembled to behold it. There is the power of his glory seen in removing every evil, in creating every good, in enlarging the capacities of his creatures to enjoy perfect happiness, in uniting them and assimilating them with each other, that there shall be no possibility of jar or discord. There is the glory of his goodness displayed, pouring out mercies in rich profusion; mercies and blessings unknown before, and so numerous as to manifest the infinite bounty of his love. In a word, there all the attributes of the Deity meet together, in all the resplendent lustre of glory, and give a denomination to the place from the communication of the fulness of the Perfections of the Divine Presence. Now, the Christian hope of this glory implies, that the soul is often transported into those happy regions, and there walks with God-there imbibes somewhat of the spirit and temper of that blessed place, one glimpse of which can afford more real delight to the soul than all the pleasures put together which are to be found in this transitory life.

3. But, above all, to rejoice in hope of the glory of God, implies confident expectation.-What signify to me all the glories of heaven, unless I can entertain a well-founded hope that I shall enjoy them? To rejoice in them, therefore, supposes that I have a good hope, through grace, of being admitted into the kingdom of heaven. The clear view of the glory of heaven would only tend the more to depress the spirits of those who could not entertain a hope, that they should be admitted there. But it is the peculiar glory of the Gospel, that they who truly receive it may attain the "full assurance of hope," that, through the infinite mercies of the Saviour, they shall be admitted to that glorious abode. They know in whom they have believed. They well understand his character, and entertain no doubt that he is equally able and willing to pardon their sins, and to admit them into his kingdom above.

I would hope, that this description of rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, has awakened in the breasts of some amongst you fervent desires and aspirations to become partakers of it. But, methinks, I hear some mournful heart reply, "Oh that I could possess this joyful hope! My breast has long been a stranger to such delightful sensations! I have met with little but sorrow and disappointment in this world, and I can now anticipate little else: but when I turn to the contemplation of another state, there all seems to be dark and uncertain. My fears exceed my hopes! Oh that I could indeed obtain such a hope! How gladly would my life then pass away! How light would all my present sufferings then appear!"

To such an inquirer I would first answer, that if he would obtain this hope, his heart must be wholly devoted to God. They who are divided between God and mammon, can never attain this joyful confidence. It is reserved for those who have a faithful and true heart. A worldly spirit is the great obstacle to peace in God. You must form your decision. You must choose for your portion God or the world. If the

world-then relinquish all expectation of happiness in God, in another state or in religion. These things will but poison your enjoyments. Your maxim must be, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." The world is a good master to those only whose hearts are entirely given to it. But if you revolt at this; if you say, Let my portion be in another world; then you must learn to place little dependence upon this-you must form no expectation of happiness from it-you must guard against worldly mindedness. "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit." If you wish to obtain the hope of glory, let this be made exclusively your aim. Give yourself up wholly to the Divine direction-pray earnestly to God. Study his word diligently, follow implicitly its directions. Hitherto, perhaps, other things have been the object of your pursuit; now the one thing needful must occupy your attention.

I would further exhort you to seek the holy hopes you desire, in God's appointed way; that is, by faith in Christ Jesus."Being justified by faith," saith the Apostle, "we have peace with God, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Study, therefore, the Gospel, which is the grace of God in Christ. There you will see how wonderfully gracious and full of mercy our heavenly father is to all who believe in his Son. There you will read the precious promises which God has given to all who approach him in that name. There you will see Divine justice satisfied by the oblation of Christ, once offered on the cross, "as a full, perfect, and complete satisfaction for the sins of the whole world!" There you will learn that God can be glorified in the salvation of a sinner, through Christ; and that he delights to pour out his blessings on all who trust in the mediation of his Son. There you will see the full security of all who trust in him; the promise of God confirmed by an oath "that so by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we

might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to the hope set before us." I cannot better describe the Gospel than as a dispensation expressly intended for the comfort and peace of mankind, in which nothing is omitted to strengthen their hope, to encourage their confidence in God: and to assure them, that those who come to him he will in no wise cast out. You have the hope of consolation set before you in the office of the Holy Spirit, who, from the Divine consolations he affords to those who live under his blessed influence, is by our blessed Saviour expressly styled "the Comforter." "The Spirit," saith the Apostle, "witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also live with him."

See, then, the care which our heavenly Father has taken to dispel all doubt and anxiety in the minds of his real disciples. Can any thing be more clear than his willingness to save you? Is there any reason for doubt or hesitation? "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand of God interceding for us."

Yet, while I describe this rich and full provision for peace and hope, which God has made in the dispensation of the Gospel, let it not be thought that the Holy Spirit will seal these blessings to the careless, the worldly, or the sinful professors of his religion. No! if you value the hope of glory, you will walk according to the vocation with which you are called. "He that hath this hope purifieth himself, even as he is pure. This the scriptural guard against a presumptuous abuse of this doctrine. If you do enjoy a hope of glory while your tempers are unsanctified, while you are living under the dominion of sin, know that your hope is presumption. "If our hearts condemn us not," says the Apostle, "we have confidence towards God." Indeed,