(1.) They are said to receive the first-fruits thereof; or as the apostle styles it, _The first-fruits of the Spirit_, Rom. viii. 23. that is, the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost, which are the first-fruits of that blessedness, that they are said to wait for; which is called _the adoption_, viz. those privileges which God’s children shall be made partakers of; or, _the glorious liberty_ which they shall hereafter enjoy. This is styled, the _first-fruits_, as alluding to the cluster of grapes, which they who were sent to spy out the land of Canaan, were ordered to bring to the Israelites in the wilderness, that hereby they might be encouraged in their expectation of the great plenty that was to be enjoyed when they were brought to it. Or, it has reference to the feast of ingathering, before the harvest, when they were to bring the sheaf which was first to be cut down, and _wave it before the Lord_, Lev. xxiii. 10, 11. compared with Deut. xxvi. 10, 11. with thankfulness and joy, in expectation of the full harvest, which would be the reward of the industry and labour of the husbandman. Thus believers are given not only to expect, but to rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (2.) This is also called an earnest of glory. Thus believers are said to be _sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance_, Eph. i. 13, 14. and elsewhere it is said, _God hath given us the earnest of his Spirit_, 2 Cor. i. 5. An earnest is a small sum, given in part of payment; whereby they who receive it, are encouraged hereafter to expect the whole: So a believer may conclude, that as sure as he now enjoys those spiritual privileges that accompany salvation, he shall not fail of that glory which they are an earnest of. In this respect God is pleased to give his people a wonderful instance of his condescending love, that they may hereby be led to know what the happiness of the heavenly state is, in a greater degree than can be learned from all the descriptions that are given of it, by those who are destitute of this privilege. Heaven is the port to which every believer is bound, the reward of all those labours and difficulties which he sustains in his way to it; and to quicken him to the greater diligence in pursuing after it, it is necessary that he should have his thoughts, meditation, and conversation there. The reason why God is pleased to give his people some foretastes thereof, is, that they may love and long for Christ’s appearing, when they shall reap the full harvest of glory. Now this earnest, prelibation, or first-fruits of the heavenly blessedness which believers enjoy in this life, is considered in this answer. [1.] As it is included in that glory which Christ is possessed of as their head and Mediator. [2.] As they have those graces wrought in them, and comforts flowing from thence, which bear some small resemblance to what they shall hereafter be made partakers of.