But just observe how PETER presents them to the followers of Christ. He does not hide nor soften the terrors of the last day but still, he himself moves amidst the conflagration of the universe, with something of the calm majesty in How do you like this plan of following holiness, which the eternal Spirit moved upon the face of by looking to the character and coming of Christ, the dark waters of chaos; and even leads the as you go forward on your pilgrimage? Will you church along with him singing, as sweetly, amidst rather take your chance of being purified by the melting elements and burning worlds, "We look furnace and the rod, than take the trouble of puri- for new heavens and a new earth," as the angelic fying yourself by a studied imitation of the Sa-morning stars sang in the train of the Spirit at the viour? Will you rather leave your "dross" to be purged by the refining fire of providence, than place it thus, from day to day, under the heat of the Sun of Righteousness, and beneath the light of a hope full of immortality?

True; it is not easy to maintain such a good hope, even through grace! That is not, however, a valid excuse for not forming this habit of "look-out consternation and alarm? Can any heart be ing unto Jesus," for sanctification. For, we do hope, to be with him and like him, at his coming. We never give up this hope altogether, for any length of time. We often forget it, but we cannot

of God:" for we are warranted to look for "new evergreen in any heart, until the things which are heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righte- unseen and eternal are "hoped for." Heb. ii. 1. ousness." Neither the suddenness nor the so- Now this they cannot be, unless they are looked at lemnity of the end of all things, shall overwhelm by faith: but just taking them for granted, or not the spirits, or shake the hopes, of the dead in forgetting them entirely, is not looking at them by Christ, when they awake at the trump of the arch- faith. "Faith is the substance (or gives subsistangel, amid the flaming torches, which, having il-ence in the mind) to the things hoped for." Acluminated the judgment-seat until the opened cordingly, it was to believers as "looking for such books are closed again, shall set on fire the whole things" as acquittals and crowns and glory, on the course of nature. Even then, and "never-theless" last day, that Peter said, "Seeing ye look for such (not at all the less on account of "such things,") things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in shall the saints be able to possess their souls peace, without spot, and blameless." It was to in peace, and fitted to admire and glorify their Christians, as anticipating and realizing the end of Saviour. "He shall be glorified in his saints, and all earthly things, that he made the solemn appeal admired of them that love him," says Paul, "even" What manner of persons ought ye to be in all when he comes with flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not the gospel." 2 Thess. i. 10.

holy conversation and godliness?" And observe, in order to help them to answer this question, he urges them to continue "looking for, hastening Now, mark: it is in connection with this "hope (in thought and hope) unto the day of the Lord." of their calling," that Paul prays for the Thessa- Thus Peter did not think that they could answer lonians that God would "count them worthy of his question well, without a growing habit of conthis calling," by fulfilling in them the good plea-sidering the end of time and the full apocalypse of sure of his will, and the work of faith with power; eternity; a plain proof, by the way, that he had that thus "Christ might be glorified in them" now no fear of saddening or unsecularizing his conas well as at his coming. In like manner, it is in verts by keeping the light of eternity around them. connection with the sublime and soothing prospect of lifting up their heads with perfect composure amidst

"The wreck of matter, and the crash of worlds."

that Peter urges upon all who "look for such things," to be "diligent," that they may be found by Christ, on that day, in peace, without spot and blameless."

Well; you have said to yourself, whilst looking at the Cross, and to the mercy-seat, and to the sacrament, and to the moral law as the rule of life," What manner of person ought I to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" And all these "great sights" of privilege and duty, have "greatly helped" you to bring forth some of the first fruits of holiness unto the glory of God through Jesus Christ. And you will never "bring forth more fruit," if you look away from these motives, You see now how much faith the apostles had or allow yourself to be drawn away by any thing in the sanctifying power of eternal things. They that would displace them. Should you ever withcommend, as well as enforce, the habit of looking draw your eye from the cross or the inercy-seat, to at them as inspiring and constraining motives to fix it upon visions or novelties in religion, there holiness. How, then, can you be "holy in all will soon be an end to your present hope and holimanner of conversation and godliness," if you ne-ness. You may even become such "manner of glect or dread to look at "such things?" persons," as those who listen to "tongues,' which teach no knowledge, or to interpreters of prophecy, who do nothing to fulfil the prophecies, which foretell the spread of the gospel. hope better things of you; even the things which accompany salvation, though I thus speak.”

Meet this question fairly. You must look at something, in order to be able or willing to follow holiness. You have looked with some advantage, to not a few things already. You have looked to the law; and said, "What manner of person ought I to be in all holy conversation and godliness:" and this consideration has done you good. You have looked at the gospel; and said, "My life and conversation should be becoming the gospel of Christ, and adorn its doctrines:" and this has done you still more good. You have looked at the great Cloud of Witnesses, who through faith and patience now inherit the promises; and said, "I must try to follow them as far as they followed Christ:" and this remembrance of the dead in Christ, has helped you on in the narrow way which leadeth to everlasting life. But still, all these things, holy as they are in their influence, and useful as you have found them, have not made you so like Christ as you wish to be, nor even as you need to be, in order to "make your calling and election sure." No; you yourself are not quite sure that you shall be "found of him in peace at his coming," even when your hopes are brightest. "The full assurance of hope" is a plant of slow growth, and of great tenderness. Indeed, it never arrives at any thing like maturity, nor becomes an

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"But I

Will you, then, in order to increase your hopes and holiness, try the experiment of looking distinctly at the solemn realities of eternity; plying your heart and conscience with the solemn question, "What manner of person ought I to be, in all holy conversation and godliness?" Will you put it to yourself, just as God puts it to you? It is not, you see, a bare or abstract question in morals. It embraces universal holiness of heart and life, and comes before you enshrined with the two-fold splendors of burning worlds and a bright eternity. Will you meet it, as you wish to meet the grand and awful consummation it is founded upon? Do you hesitate?

Why not look at such things now, since you must see them at last? "Every eye shall see" the descending Judge, and the dissolving universe. You must see them, "for yourself and not for another." And if you cannot bear to think of them, how will ye bear to see them-to hear them-to feel them, when neither rocks nor mountains, if they could fall upon you, would be able to hide

and thus in indecision too; for character will not | penitent's hope, nor the pilgrim's hope, that you settle nor rise, whilst hope is unsettled.

I do not forget, in saying this, that there are some very lovely characters, who say that they have little or no hope. They have, however, more than they imagine. I do not mean that they say one thing and think another: but that they mean by hope, much more than hope itself means.

Hence, in speaking of their own case they use language which, however familiar, misleads themselves and others: "I cannot see my interest in Christ; cannot see my title to the promises; cannot see my election or my calling." Now it would not be altogether unfair nor unkind, to bring down upon such complaints the apostolic remonstrance, "What a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." This refers, indeed, not so much to our hoping in Christ for mercy and grace now, as to the things hoped for when the whole creation, in common with the church, "shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." Rom. viii. 21-25. Still it is true, that hope, like faith, is not "sight," nor necessarily "assurance," and, therefore, it does not follow that an humble, devout, and exemplary woman has no hope, because she says, "I cannot see my interest in Christ or the promises." In speaking thus, she is not thinking of what the gospel warrants her to hope for; but either of what she wishes for, or what she once enjoyed.

This is not a distinction without a difference. It is by far too common to confound hope with rapturous ecstacy, or with perfect peace, or with spiritual and heavenly mindedness: and when these delicious feelings subside, to say, that hope is lost. It would hardly be more unwise to say, that reason is lost. Reason had as much connection with these feelings, whilst they lasted, as hope: but, who suspects that reason is fled, when rapture or holy calm is gone? Neither reason nor hope is intended to keep up high emotion for

ever.

are thinking about, if you say that you can get but little hope from the gospel. What would you have, that the glorious gospel does not promise? Depend upon it, you are seeking some unpromised form of the hope of salvation, or some disproportionate degree of that good hope, if you find it almost impossible to hope for your own salvation. It would be utterly impossible for you to despair or despond, if you wanted nothing but what is promised.

Be not offended nor surprised, if I suspect you of wanting more. I do so, because I think favorably, upon the whole, of your motives and spirit, in attaching a very high meaning to Christian hope. This is far wiser than taking low views of it. You are, indeed, quite right in feeling quite sure, that there should be a very great difference between natural hope and spiritual hope. That kind of hope which you could keep up without much difficulty, whilst you were careless or formal, ought not to satisfy you, now that you know the evil of sin, and the infinite value of the soul and salvation. That "great salvation" deserves and requires a "good hope," in more senses than the goodness of either its practical influence or its humble spirit: it ought also to be gratefu! and joyful. Well; it may be both, without being all that you mean by "a good hope through grace."

Let me explain myself freely on this point. We are very prone to fix the meaning of hope from our first taste of the joy of salvation. But this, however well meant, is unwise. It is unwarranted. This is more than hope, in the relief which is usually obtained from the first sight of the glory and grace of the Saviour. The Holy Spirit often renders that discovery of the cross so cheering, or so charming, that the whole soul is absorbed and transported with it. We can think of nothing else. We can wish for nothing more. It is heaven on earth. We could take an eternity

of it.

"That holy calm within the breast,

Seems the dear pledge of heavenly rest.”

Thus we ought to be very careful how we speak and think about the hope of salvation. It is, remember, a sinner's hope,-a penitent's hope -a pilgrim's hope: and, therefore, it must not But although this be hope, it is also much more be expected nor desired in such a degree, as than hope. It is that joy of salvation, by which would banish all painful feelings. We are fully God revives and wins the heart of the contrite warranted, and quite welcome, to hope in Christ ones. It is that manifestation of Himself, by for present grace and future glory: but we are which he proves to us that he "giveth grace to not warranted to expect such grace as would the humble." It is that "demonstration of the leave nothing in our nature to humble us; nor Spirit," which places beyond all doubt, both the such foretastes of heaven, as would render us in-reality and the blessedness of vital godliness. In sensible to trials or temptations on earth. We a word; it is the strong consolation of a dying may be really happy, notwithstanding outward saint, given to a sinking penitent, that she may trials, and inward struggles; but the perfect hap-know and never forget the worth of Christ. piness of being without any of them, does not belong to time; it is the bliss of eternity.

Now we ought to be very thankful for this timely and complete discovery of the all-suffiI am not contradicting nor forgetting myself, ciency of the atoning sacrifice. It is a fine secuby thus guarding you against hoping for too much. rity, for ever after, against false doctrine and suI repeat, with more confidence than ever, that perficial experience. It is not, however, a secuyou are not hoping enough in Christ, if you are rity against practical error. Accordingly, one of unhappy in your mind, when you think of judg-two errors is often fallen into, when this high state ment or eternity. You have too little hope, if of enjoyment falls away. It does subside: and either your spirits sink, or your efforts relax, in then, we either count nothing hope, which does following holiness. I must go still further, and not come up tc it; or we do no more in religion, say, it is not exactly the sinner's hope, nor the than just enough to be somewhat in the way, or ( 14)

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not exactly out of the way, of finding it again. And thus it is, that some sink into despondency, and others into heartless formality. One becomes sad, and another inconsistent and both from the same cause, they cannot hope as they once did. The hope (as they call it) which first cheered the spirits of the one, and inspired the diligence of the other is gone: and because they cannot get it back, they both go back; the one into the region of doubts and fears, and the other into the region of declension.

Now, which of these states are you in? Which ever it be, there is but one remedy. You must regard something else as the hope of salvation, than a return of the precise kind and degree of joy which you first called hope. I do not say, that that joy will never revisit your spirit. I do not think (as Sheshbazzar would have said) that the candle of the Lord will never shine upon you again, as it did when it was first lighted. But I do both say and think, that it will not do so, whilst you are merely waiting for it. You must be humble enough to begin with the sinner's hope, and to go on with the pilgrim's hope, if you would be happy in your own mind again. And, why not be thus humble and content? What right has any one to make terms with God, for faith or obedience?

most solemn and tender manner, "Take the sinner's hope for as a backsliding child, no line of the scarlet thread' of adoption will save you, like Rahab, now that the ark of the covenant is sounding its ram's horns around your walls." I say, in plainer_terms, "The hope set before you in the gospel,' may well suffice you. It would ill become you to stand out or stipulate with God for your first joy. He deserves your first love,' and your first works' too, for the hope still before you in the gospel. And it is this, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' This is hope enough to make any one happy, who believes it: yes, and holy too: for what could bind you to follow holiness, if the assuring promise of salvation, from the lips of a God who cannot lie, do not?

thus thrown upon the eventual answer of earnest "Do you dislike to have your hope of salvation prayer? If so, you are not humble enough yet, to welcome salvation by grace alone. You will, self more intimately." Thus I should address however, be glad to do so, when you know yoursuch a woman, who was still "prefessing godliness," and yet unwilling to take up hope by prayer.

Look now at another case. There is a woman, Just look at such conduct in two cases. What not worldly minded; not exactly averse to devowould you think of a woman who could say in tion or diligence; and not at all wishing for any words,"I have not that comfort in religion, assurance of hope or faith, which would be a pilwhich I had at one time; and, therefore, I have low to sloth or inconsistency. But she has lost neither heart nor motive to be very devotional in all her hope; as she calls her first enjoyment at my closet, or very exemplary in my family, or the cross and the mercy-seat. She can neither very liberal to the cause of God, or very much glow nor melt, think nor feel, there, as she once attached to the means of grace? I was all this, did: and just because she cannot, she says, that whilst my comfort lasted: but, as that is gone, it she cannot see one ray of hope for herself. The would be a kind of hypocrisy on my part now, fact is, she means by a ray of hope, a beam, if not were I to do all that I used to do, just as if no- a burst, of that joy which shone upon her soul, thing had happened to discourage or disconcert when she was first enabled to commit her soul me. I know very well, that I am not doing right into the hands of Christ: or she wants a degree at present: but I know too, that I am quite wil- of hope which would put down at once all the ling to return to my 'first love,' and to my 'first plagues of her heart; and keep out all temptaworks' too, whenever God returns my first hopes tion and vain thoughts; and make all duty deto me. He has only to shine and smile upon my light, and all trials easy. She says, indeed, that soul as in the days of old, in order to my becom- she would be thankful for a single and the slightest ing again all that I was in the days of old. This, ray of hope. But, tell her that God is sure to I am waiting for; and I hope it will come in answer her cry for mercy; and that, although a course of time. Accordingly, I do not go alto- fixed day-star of hope does not cheer her. It is gether out of the way of meeting with it. I do not that form of hope which cheered her formally. not pray much in secret, certainly but I still It does not warm or melt her heart at a glance, keep under a faithful ministry, and keep up my as her first believing views of the Lamb slain did. connections with the church and sacraments of She is also too agitated, or too depressed, to grasp Christ. This, indeed, is my chief reason for hop- with her understanding, the sublime_fact, that ing at all for if God do not meet with my soul God's command, "Call on me," is God's comagain there, I am not likely to find him again at mand to hope in him. He means "hope," when home. I have no heart to seek him at home he says, "Pray;" he means, "Pray," whenever now; but, could I only get such another strong he says, "hope." But the very simplicity of this impulse from the sanctuary, as that which first way of setting hope before us, seems mystery, if sent me to my closet and my Bible, I make no not mockery, to a sad spirit, when sadness has doubt but I should go on again as well as ever. been long indulged. "Would not God show some And, is not this new impulse likely to come?token for good' at once, (it is said) if he intended Surely, my soul will not be 'required' of me, whilst to be gracious? But he sealeth up even the it is in this unprepared state, nor before God has stars!" Yes; but just that the desponding may healed my backsliding! If it should be required of me this night'or this yearwhat?"

What would you say to a case like this? Sheshbazzar would have said at once, and that in his

look at the sun. It is not breaking a "bruised reed," to say so. She will never hope, who does not see that the command to pray, is a sun "shining in its strength." How truly Paul says, “We are saved by hope!"