566 PRIVILEGE OF THE LIVING ABOVE THE DEAD. But there areother occasions also in this life, for the exec. cise of the grace of hope, viz. amidst huge and threatening diffi- culties, that relate to the public, interests of religion. When the feeble and doubting christiansees the affairs ofthe churchof Christ sinking daily, be is almost ready to sink and die too, and to des- pair for Zion ; and it is the languageof his unbelief, by whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small? But the stronger christian, who knows how to live upon a promise, can reply, that the God ofJacob isalmighty, the king of Israel is the true God and ever- lasting king, and the interest of the church shall rise again, even though it were drowning ; for not all the floods on earth, nor even the gates of hell shall prevail against the church that is built upon Jesus the rock of ages : And Jesus himself receives his special tribute of glory from his saints on earth, while they triumph in this hope. There are also some seasons wherein a living saint honours God in this world, by maintaining his hope in the midst of vari- ous trials that attend him in his private affairs, and especially when poverty and distress overtakehim like an armed man, and he hath no other help nor hope left, but in some gracious words of promise, and some unknown appearances of providence in his behalf. Blessed are the poor who can live by faith ! A christian honours God also greatly in the days of sickness, and the hour ofdeath, when he feels nature sinking, and flesh dissolving ; yet thecan look upon his withering limbs without dismay, in the hope of the resurrection, and speak in the language of holy Job, G0 Though after my skin worms devour this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God;" Job xix. 26. I grant that the saints who are in heaven, the spirits of the just made perfect,,wait also and hope for the resurrection of the body, and all the promised blessings of that day ; but they have a bright and sure prospect of it by the light of glory, in which they read all the promises ; and they have a pledge and pattern of it in the bodyofJesus Christ raised from the dead, and glori- fied in the midst of them. Their hope lies under no darkness, no discouragement. The saints on earth therefore, in the exer- cise of this their hope,' give a greater glory to God than those in heaven ; for it struggles with mighty difficulties, andovercomes them all. It is such a hope as Abraham built on the mere pro.. mise of God, that he should have a son when he was a hundred years old, and his wife Sarah was ninety. " He hoped in God who quickened the dead, and called those things which be not as though they were ; who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the Father of many nations, according to that which was spoken ; so shall thy seed be. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith; giving glory to Gód;" Rom. iv. 17, 18-20,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=