564 PRIVILEGE OP THE LIVING ABOVE THE DEAD. is the only begotten Son of God, the Maker and the Saviour of the world, to- believe that he now lives and governs all things at the right-hand of his Father, and to trust in him Who died upon the cross to give us, a crown of eternal life 'these are such exer- cises of the grace of faith, as have no place in the world of sight; where every saint beholds him face to face : Such acts as these, areonly suited to our present state of absence from the Lord, and yet they are highlyhonourable to Godáñd our Redeemer, whom havingnot seen we love, and in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy un.spealtable: -2 Pet. i. 8. To believe that there is a heaven of glory far above the clouds, where our Lord Jesus Christ has dwelt in his human na- turealmost two thousand years, and where ten thousands of his blessed saints and angels are for ever enjoying divine consolati- ons ; to maintain a firm belief that there is a reward for the right- eous laid upon high, while they are here to'the'dust 4 to believe there is 'a hell; an unseen world of misery and torture, where damned' spirits are punished for their rebellion against the great God, and 'shall for ever `suffer'the weight Of his indigna- tion ; and towalk through`this world with'a holy negligence and contempt of it udder the influenceof these future invisibles, these eternal joys and eternal sorrows : This is a faith that gives much glory to God, while we live, and speak, and act, while we sutÌer and endure, as seeinghim who is invisible, and firmly believing all the joysand terrors of another world, which are 'hidden from us by the veil of flesh'and bleed. This Was the faith of the ancient patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; this was the faith of Noah and Moses, and many other heroes, whose names shine with honour in St. Paul's epis- tle to the Hebrews ; and the great and blessedGod received daily honours fromthis their faith. In heaven all these invisibles are seen, all these futurities become present, and they are no longer matters of faith. 'O that this faith might overspread the earth, as sight is found all over heaven ! II. Hope and expectation of future blessings, either here or hereafter, under all present darkuesses and discouragements, is another grace which may be exercised by the living saints ; but among the saints that are dead' there is no room nor place for it; for in heaven our hope is turned into enjoyment';' hope that is seen or enjoyed, is riot hope; what it man seeth, why loth. heyet hopefor ? But f' we hope for that which we see not,, thew do we with pati- ente wait for it;' Rom. viii'. 24'. ' And 'this patient and chearfiil expectation tuider discouraging difficulties, is a glorious ho- mage paid to God, such as the saints in-heaven cannot pay him; The living christian knows not What honour he brings tohis God, when his hope for promised mercies bears itself up, while
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