less impure in its degree, into which our Lord's first disciples had fallen, in common with the whole nation of the Jews. They had not a hope of a spiritual, but of an earthly kingdom, when they disputed among themselves, who should be greatest; and afterwards, they were still unenlightened with the true knowledge of Christ's kingdom's not being of this world, when they asked the departing Saviour, newly risen from the dead, whether that were the time in which He should restore the kingdom unto Israel." A hope like this is no sufficient principle of Christian practice; and so long as hope is no better than this, will every one who hath it be manifestly inconsistent in his duties, and make no progress in a holy and happy life, either as it affects himself alone, or those various relations in which he stands towards his fellow-creatures.

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We have now seen that a mistaken view of this great Christian virtue of hope, both with regard to its real meaning and due cultivation, will always be a strong obstacle to any man's becoming really happy in himself, wise in practice, or consistently good towards others.

It remains for us earnestly to apply these truths to our own particular case. That we may each know whether this holy virtue of Chris

tian hope be in us or not, let us ask our own conscience what it is that we really hope for, and, so hoping, strive to obtain. By comparing our hope, and the practice which follows up that hope, with the doctrines and precepts of the Gospel, we shall easily see whether ours be a safe and Christian hope; or whether it be nothing more than the mere outward expression of what is not found within. We must see whether our daily life be conducted after the pattern of a Christian life, thus shewing the only real proof of a true Christian hope. If a faithful self-examination enable the conscience thus far to be at peace, we then are advancing in the practice and enjoyment of this heavenly grace. We have only to go on through God's most Holy Spirit, in this lively hope, in faith and practice, and it will be hereafter realized to us in heaven, where we shall receive the end of all our hopes, and hope itself shall be swallowed up in the everlasting possession of the things hoped for, in our eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus.

But if, on the other hand, we are leading a life far otherwise than what real Christian hope would teach, our conscience will quickly tell us, hath already told us, that our hope is vain. If our days and our hours be spent wickedly or carelessly; if we live only or chiefly for the gratification of our own selfish

will, and do not make the will of God the rule of our duty, and the promises of God in the Gospel of His only Son, the foundation of our warmest hopes; if our opinions, our ways, our habits of life unnecessarily and uncharitably wound each other's peace, we have not, we cannot have a Christian hope. No one can live in hope of heaven, who leads a life which is the road to hell. We live without hope, so long as we live in wilful, and determined, and unforsaken sin.

If, then, such be the manifest tendency of our present life, we must not so deceive ourselves as to deem our souls possessed of Christian hope. Hope, like faith and charity, can be known only by its fruits, and if these be not seen in our daily life, we are as yet without hope. Our religious knowledge is not hope; our religious advantages are not hope; our mere outward profession of the Gospel is not hope. Hope is the evidence within, of a desire of things not seen but through the eye of faith ; and this evidence can only be manifested, even to the willingly deceived judgment of the conscience, by a life regulated by that hope. Wherever our affections are, there must be our hope; and if our affections be upon earth, there will our hope, our only real and active hope, be also; and we cannot

but see that we have then no real and active hope of happiness elsewhere,

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Let these things be well considered, and the inference drawn therefrom be conscientiously applied. Then let us form our own judgment, and say whether what was first advanced upon the three great Christian graces of faith, hope, and charity, be not strictly true of the Christian grace of hope. Let us consult our own experience and observation in matters connected with the moral conduct and character of mankind, and say whether it be not manifest to us all, that much of the public evil found in whole nations and communities; that much of the private ill which abounds in a man's own household amidst the closest ties of social and domestic life; that much of the inward and prevailing sinfulness of the daily life and conversation of individuals, are owing to the absence, the misunderstanding, or the want of a due cultivation of this great and necessary grace of Christian hope; a firm and operative hope of the present peace and future glories of our cover nanted relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ.

If that be the clear and unprejudiced conviction upon our minds, this portion of our moral ills, be they more or less, is discovered; and our own reason, our own self-interest,

God's promises, and our past experience, shew us the remedy. If the evil go on and abound, the evil is of our own choosing. Our conscience will tell us where is the guilt and where the punishment. God gives us knowledge, and offers His Holy Spirit to enable us to make it practical for the purposes of wisdom and happiness. But the application of this His undeserved mercy is left to our own choice, in the free exercise of our holy calling. There are many and gracious promises secured to us in Christ; these are safely kept in the unchangeable truth of God; and His own throne is surrounded with the covenant rainbow of His eternal and unchangeable promises. There are terrors revealed in His word; and these, will one day be enforced; there are holy commandments which teach us our duty, and lead to our happiness, and these, our own conscience, the various dispensations of God's providence and grace, and His merciful regard for our eternal salvation, day after day invite and intreat us to fulfil; to shew that we believe in and live and hope in the Lord Jesus in keeping His commandments, while we repose upon His redeeming love.