172 SERMONS upon the S E R M. XXI. the Children of God, but it doth not appear what we ¡{ball be, but we know when he ¡ball appear we ¡hall be like him, for we ¡hall fee him its he is. The Lord revealeth his Truth to us in the Word, but before we can he convinced of it, we muff be en- lightned by the Spirit ; for Jptritualsthings can only be Jpirtually d f erased, 1 Cor. 2. 14. We may talk of there things by rote one to another, and have an affent to them, which 1s call'd a Non- contradiaion, though not a pofitive underlfanding and Convi &ion of the truth of them : BelieveJi thou this ? °foh. r 1. 26. 2. When we believe it, let us look fir ir, and long for it, and live in the hopefuls expeflation of this bleffed time, when all these things {hall he accomplished. There- fore, if we believe filch a thing, we muff long for it, and live in the hope of it. Ti- tus 2. 13. Looking for the bleffed hope: Hope iheweth its felt, (r.) Partly by frequent and f rions thoughts and delightful Meditations of the thing hoped for. Thoughts are the Spies and Meffengers ofHope, it fèndeth them into the Land of Promife, to bring the Soul tydings thence : 'Tis imposfible a man can hope for any thing, but Ile will be thinking of it ; for'ris the nature of this Atfèftion to kt the Mind a -work, and to preoccupy and forelfall the Contentments we expe&, before they come, by ferióus Contemplations ; and feafts the Soul with Images and Suppo- liitions of things to come, as if they were already prelènt. So fhould we demean our felves, as if the Judgment were fèr, and the Judge upon Isis white Throne, and we heard him Bleftng, and Curling, Abfolving, and Condemning : The Heart will be where the Treafure is, Math. 6. S. As if we law Chrift with his faithful ones about him : If a Beggar were adopted to the Succefhon of a Crown, he would pleafe him - felf in thinking of the Happiness, Honour and Plcalisre of the Kingly Efiate. If you did hope to be Coheirs with Chrift, or to inherit the Kingdom prepared for you you would think of it more than you doe. Our mufings difcover the temper of our Hearts : A carnal Heart is alwayes thinking of building Barns, advancing the Fa- mily higher, our worldly Increafe. Luke 12. 18. I will pull down my Barns, and build bigger, and bellow my fruits. And thole in Yames, ch. 4. 13. To morrow we will go tofuch a City, and continue there a dear, and buy and fell andget gain. 'Tis ufital with men to feed themselves with the pleafure of their Hope : As young Heirs spend upon their Eltate before they poffef it. (2) By hearty Groans, Sighs and Longings : Rom. 8. 23. We. groan in our felves. They have had a talle of the Clutters of Canaan in private Jss rifìcation : They can never be loon enougla with Chrift ; when Ihall it once be ? They are frill looking out, and the nearer to enjoyment, the more impatient of the want : The earnrfl expecta- tion of the Creature, Rom. 8. t9. Stretching out the head to fèe if they can fpy a thing a great way off: As Yudg. 5. She looked through the Lettice, Why if his Chariot Jo long a coming? They would have a fuller draught of Conlòlation, more accefs to him, and Communion with him. (3.) By lively Tafles and Feelings: 'Tis called a Lively hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. not a living hope only, but lively ; becaufe it quickens the Heart, and filleth it with a folid Joy, Rom. 5. z. r Pet. 1.8. Where we have fuels a fruition, the very looking and longing giveth us a talle. 3. Tisis hope fhould put us upon ferions diligence and carnal purfuit after this bleffednefs, t Pet. 1. 13. Partly as it purgerh the heart from Lulls, 1 yob. 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himfelf as Chrift is pure : Tlsefe are the Months of our Purification, wherein the are made meet to be partakers of the Saints in light ; we are a preparing for Heaven, as that is prepared for us, and 'tis a live- ly expeffation which produceth this : That puts us upon Mortification and dili- gence in cleaning the Soul, that we may be counted worthy to (land before the Son of God. Partly as it tvithdraweth our hearts from prefent risings, and minding earthly risings. But our Converfation is in Heaven, Phil. 3. i 8, 1 g, zo, 21. A man that is alwayes looking and longing for the world to come, the prefent world is nullified to him, and he lsath a mean elleem of all fecular Intereffs and contentments, in comparifon of thole other which his Soul looketh after : As a man looking upon the Sun, cannot fee an objea lets glorious ; on the contrary, our overprizing fecular Contentments, neceffarily breedeth an undervaluing of mat- ters heavenly ; and thofe that have fo great a reli{h for the world, and the de- lights of the flesh, they know not what Eternal life meaneth The Ifraelites long- ed for the flesh -pots of /Egypt, before they tailed the clutters of Canaan ; by Faith Mofes refuted the Honours and Pleafures of Pharaoh's Court : We cannot value real
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