Ver.24. the 8th Chapter to the ROMAN S. 227 g. It informeth us of the excellency of hope ; faith faveth, Eph. 2. 8. and hope faveth, as in the text; which is to be regarded, becaufe our thoughts run fo much upon faith, that we overlook hope; and we do fo altogether regard our prefect reconciliation with Cod through the merits of Chri(t, that we forget our Eternal fruition of him in glory, and what is neceffary thereunto, as if the whole drift of the new covenant were only to comfort us againft the guilt of fin. Now a Chrifiian Ihould mind both, not only his peace with God, but his going off from the world; and mull believe, not only to the pardon of fins, but alto to Eternal life; 1 Tim. z. 16. For this caufe I obtained merey, that in me !di Jefiss Cbrifl might 'hew forth all long fufering for a' pattern to them that fhould afterwards believe on him to everlafling life. There is the final and ultimate object of faith, which mull be firft thought of for all things are influenced by the loft end; when we are invited to Chrifl,we are invited by thismotive, That finners (hall not only be par- doned, but glorified. Therefore a true and well grounded. hope of Eternal life, is a more weighty point than we ufually think of, and a great part of Religion lyeth in drawing off the heart from things vifible and temporal, to thofe that are invifible and Eternal. The great effeûs of faith, which are love to God, and viftory over the world, are more eafily produced, when faith hath the affiftance of hope, or this lively expeCtation of the world to come. Therefore we mull not only confider the death of Chrift as it bath procured for us the pardon of fin, or the promife of pardon ; But as he dyed for us, that we might live for ever with him, i Thef g. 9. that fo the foul may more direftly and exprefly be carried to God and Heaven. 4. It informeth us, That none can be faxed without hope of falvation. A Chriftian as Coon as he is made a Chriftian,hath not the good things promifed by Chrift 5 but as foon as he is made a Chriftian, he expefteth them: As an heir is rich in hope, though he both little in poffeffion.- Take any notion of applying grace, as loon as we are juflified we are made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life, Tit. 3. 7. as Coon as we are converted and re- generated, we are begotten to a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. and as foon as we are united to Chrift, Col. 1. 27. Chrift in you the hope of glory. And without hope how can a man aft as a Chriltían ; fine the whole bufinefs of the world is done byhope, certainly the whole fpiritual life is quickned by this grace. Titus 2. 12, 13. For the grace of Godthat bringèth falvation,hath appeared unto all men,teachiug us,that denying all ungodlinefi andworldly lulls, the fhould live foberly, righteoufly, godly,in the prefent world : !Doping for tie bled hope, and the glorious appearing ofthe great God, and our Saviour'efus Chriff. And Phil. 3. 2o, 2 t. for our converfation is in Heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord fefus Chri fi, who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fafhioned like unto his glorious body, But then here arifeth a great doubt, how far every man is bound to hope for falvation ? Forthòfe that have no affurance of their own.fincerity, and cannot unqueftionably make out their propriety and interest, how can they hope for falvation ? Answer. To folve this doubt, we mull confider a little the feveral (fates of men is they flood concerned in everla(ting life; Come have but a bare pebility, others have a probe- bilâty 5 a third are gotten fo far as a conditional certainty; others have an a/fualcertainty, or firm perfwafon of their own right and intere(l. 1. To fome the hope of Heaven is but a bare poifibility,as to the carelefs G'hriftian who is yet intangled in his lulls ; but God continueth to them the offer of falvation.by Chrifl, they may be faved if they will `accept this offer ; 'cis brought home to their doors, and left to their choice. 'Tis impoffible indeed in the (fate in which they are ; but their hearts may be changed by the Lords grace.Mark i0.27.With men'ti, impoffible,but not withGod,for with Godall things are paJble.He can make the filthy heart to become clean and holy,the fen - fual heart to become fpiritual and heavenly. There are many bars in the way, but grace can break through and remove them. This potiibility checketh fcruples, and aggravateth their evil choice; for they forfake their own mercies, yonah 2. 8. by their vain courfe of life they deprive themfelves of happinefs, which might be theirs ; 'cis their own by offer, for God did not exclude them;but not their own by choice,for they excluded themfelves, judge themfelves unworthy of eternal life, Ms 13. 46: This poffibility is an incourage- ment to ufe the means, Ails 8. 22, Pray,if perhaps, or if it be pofûble, the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 2. Others have a probability, or a probable hope of Eternal life; as when men begin to be ferious,or in fome meafure to mind the things of God, but are confcious to fome no- torious defeâ in their duty, or have not fuch a foundnefs of heart as may warrant their claim to everlafting bleffednefs a as we read wfalmofl Chriflians, Ails 20. 28. and not far front the lfingdom of Heaven, Mark io. 24. and fuch are all thofe which have only the 9 F 2 greet:
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