And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth him- self, even as He is pure. HOPE LOPE is the main spring of human actions, and the great cordial of human sorrows. Take away hope, and human life would be a dull and miserable blank. Equally necessary is hope to the Christian Life: nay, so necessary, that it is called" the Helmet of Salvation: and we are even said to be "saved by hope."a Christian hope, however, like every other Christian Grace, has its counterfeit. There is a vain, as well as a good hope. While we read of the hope, that "maketh not ashamed," we also hear of "the hope of the hypocrite that shall perish." And many persons talk loudly of their Christian Hopes, who, it is to be feared, have little 'pretensions to the character of Christians. and It is of great importance then, to inquire into this matter; to see what true Christian hope really is, How it differs from every other thing, which takes to a Eph. vi. 17.-1 Thess. v. 3.Rom. viii. 14. itself the name. There is indeed something peculiar in the Foundation of Christian bope: for it is built altogether on Jesus Christ. There can be no true Hope, but what springs from a knowledge of Jesus Christ; for it is only on his Sacrifice and Intercession for sin ners, and on the Promises given in Him, that we can have any confidence towards God, and consequently any true and solid Hope. Hence He is called " our hope," and "Christ in us the hope of Glory :" and in this respect, "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."b Here then should our first inquiries be made. On what is our hope placed? Is it placed on Jesus Christ, and on Him alone; on his merits and mediation, and on the promises of God in him? Or are we building on some other foundation, or joining some other foundation with him? Are we placing our hope on something in ourselves, on our own works, merits, or resolutions? Are we placing it on any outward thing, on our privileges or professions? In this case we need go no farther in the business. It is clear, in the very beginning of our inquiries, that our hope is not a true Scriptural hope; for it is not founded on Jesus Christ.-But on the other hand, it is not every hope, which pretends and appears to be built on Jesus Christ, that is really a good hope. There are other marks by which it must be distinguished. There are other particulars which must accompany it, in order to prove its title to a true scriptural hope. In this view the text may be consulted with great advantage. The Apostle is speaking of Chris b 1 Tim. i. 1.—Col, i, 27.—1 Cor. iii. 21. Han hope; and his words are these, that "every man who has this hope in him, purifieth himself even as He is pure." From which passage we may collect two things respecting Christian hope, which serve clearly to distinguish it from every other hope. These are, I. Its Object; what it looks to. 11. Its Effect; what it leads men to do.. These two points I shall endeavour to explain: And may the Lord so bless the endeavour, that it may be profitable to our souls! 1. Hope must always have some object in view. It! must be looking to something. This is necessary to the very being of hope: for without this there could be no hope. The very idea of hope means the having in view something, which we desire to gain, and which, when gained, we suppose, will add to our happiness. The worldly inan desires to gain money, or ease, or power, or a great name. These are the Objects of his hope; the things, to which he looks for happiness. The Christian has also an Object in view something,. to which he is looking to make him happy. What this is, I shall proceed to shew. 1 66 St. John calls the hope, of which he is speaking, this hope. Every man that has this hope:" a way of speaking which plainly points- at something that had gone before, and shews that the Apostle had been saying something about Christian hope, besides what he says in the text. Let us see what this was. We find him at the beginning of this chapter, breaking out into admiration of the wonderful Love of God, in having brought such sinners, as men, into his favour and fam ily. of God!" "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons This leads him to speak of the great bles sedness of true Christians. "The world (indeed) knoweth them not, because it knew him not.” It neither values, nor sees their worth and privileges. But, adds the Apostle, even "now are we the sons of God.” * True Christians are now the special objects of his fath erly love and care. children, then heirs. provided for them. They are his children; and if There is a glorious inheritance What this inheritance will be, they do not at present exactly know. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be." Enough, however, is certainly revealed to raise their thoughts, and to stir up their desires. "This we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him. as he is." And then follow the words of the text, "And every man that has this hope." What hope then does the Apostle mean? The hope, doubtless, of which he had been speaking: the hope of being like Christ at his appearing. This is the Christian's hope. This is the Object which he has in view; the thing, to which he is looking for happiness.-Let us see what there is. in this object, which distinguishes the hope of the Christian from every other hope. The being like Christ, at his appearing, may signify in the first place, the being like him as to the outward form. It may relate to the state of the body, when it shall be raised from the dead. Great and glorious will be the change, which, at the Day of Resurrection will take place in the body of the Christian. "It was sown in corruption, it will be raised in incorruption. It was sown in dishonour, it will be raised in glory. It was sown in weakness, it will be raised in power; it was sown a natural body, it will be raised a spiritual body." It will be a glorious body, fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body; no longer subject to pain and sickness, to decay and death; but fitted for the heavenly and eternal state for which it is designed. And this is, doubtless, a part of the Christian's hope. He looks forward with joyful expectation, to the time, when death shall be swallowed up in victory; when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality; when he shall no longer groan in this tabernacle, being burdened, but shall be clothed upon with his house which is from heaven." But this explanation of the passage, however true and important in itself, is far from being the only, or the chief thing here intended. The being like Christ at bis appearing signifies, in the second place, the being like him as to the inward man. lt relates to the state of the soul at the day of Christ's appearing. As the body of the Christian will in that day be all glorious without, so his soul will be all glorious within. for in that day it will be perfectly conformed to the Image of the Son."—When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, " for we shall see Him as He is."-Christians now see something of Christ, but they see him not as He is. They see him through a glass, darkly. Yet even They see him by faith, but not by sight. now, a very surprising effect is produced on their souls, |