And blessed be God who hath made it my duty
to hope for his salvation. Hope is the ease, yea
the life of our hearts, that else would break, yea
die within us. Despair is no small part of hell.
God cherisheth hope, as he is the lover of souls;
Satan, our enemy, cherisheth despair, when his way
of blind presumption faileth. As fear is a fore-
taste of evil before it is felt, so hope doth anticipate
and foretaste salvation before it is possessed. It is
then worldly hypocrites' hope that perisheth; for
all that hope for true or durable happiness on
earth, in the pleasures of this perishing flesh, must
needs be deceived. But happy is he that hath the
God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the
Lord his God, which made heaven and earth, which
keepeth truth for ever."1 "Woe to me, were my
hope only in the time and matters of this fleshy
life; but the righteous hath hope in his death;"
' and hope maketh not ashamed.'* 'Blessed is the
man that trusteth in the Lord, whose hope the
Lord is.' 'Lay hold then, O my soul, upon the
hope which is set before thee;' 'it is thy firm and
steadfast anchor without it thou wilt be as a ship-
wrecked vessel. Thy foundation is sure; it is
God himself: our faith and hope are both in God."
It is Jesus, our Lord, who is risen from the dead,
and reigneth in glory, Lord of all.' 'Yea, it is the
Christ who by faith doth dwell within us, who is
our hope of glory.' 'In this hope, which is better
than the law that Moses gave, it is that we draw
nigh to God.'1o It is the Holy Ghost that is both

10

1 Psalm, cxlvi. 5, 6.
21 Cor. xv. 19.

3 Prov. xiv. 32.

4 Rom. v. 5.

* Jer. xvii. 7.

6 Heb. vi. 18, 19.

7 1 Pet. i. 21.

1 Tim. i. 1.

9 Eph. iii. 17; Col. i. 27.
10 Heb. vii. 19.

our evidence and the efficient of our hope. 'By him we hope for that which we see not, and therefore wait in patience for it.' By hope we are saved :' it is an encouraging grace, which will make us stir, whereas despair doth kill endeavours: it cureth sloth, and makes us diligent and constant to the end, and by this doth help us to full assurance: it is a desiring grace, and would fain obtain the glory hoped for: it is a quieting and comforting grace. The God of hope doth fill us with joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Shake off despondency, O my soul, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Believe in hope, though dying flesh would tell thee that it is against hope.' · God, that cannot lie, hath confirmed his covenant by his immutable oath, that we might have strong consolation who are fled for refuge to the hope which is set before us." What blessed preparations are made for our hope! And shall we now let the tempter shake it, or discourage it? The abundant mercy of God the Father hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. Grace teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this world, as looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour. We are renewed by the Holy Ghost, and justified by grace, that we should be made heirs

4

Gal. v. 5; Rom. viii. 16, 23, 24, 25. 2 Heb. vi. 11, 12.

* Heb. vi. 18.

Tit. ii. 12, 13.

3 Rom. xv. 4, 13; v. 2; iv. 18.
5 1 Pet. i. 3.

i

5

according to the hope of eternal life. We are illuminated that we may know the hope of Christ's calling, and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. The hope that is laid up for us in heaven is the chief doctrine of the gospel, which bringeth life and immortality into clearer light. It is for this hope that we keep a conscience void of offence, and that God is served in the world: wherefore, gird up the loins of thy mind; put on this helmet, the hope of salvation : and let not death seem to thee as it doth to them that have no hope. The love of our Father and our Saviour have given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, to comfort our hearts, and establish them in every good word and work." Keep therefore the rejoicing of hope firm to the end; continue grounded and settled in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.8 'And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.' Uphold me according to thy word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.' Though mine iniquities testify against me, yet, O thou that art the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, be not as a stranger to my soul!' Thy name is called upon by me, O forsake me not!' 10 Why have our eyes beheld thy wonders, and why have we had thy covenant and thy mercies, but that we might set our hope in God. Remember the word of thy servant,

7

I Tit. iii. 6, 7.

3 Col. i. 5; 2 Tim. i. 10.
4 Acts, xxiv. 15, 16; xxvi. 7.
5 1 Thess. v. 8; iv. 13;
7 Heb. iii. 6.
9 Psalm, xxxix. 7;
10 Jer. xiv. 7, 8, 9.

2 Eph. i. 18, 19.

6 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17.
8 Col. i. 23; 1 Pet. i. 13.
cxix. 116.

upon which thou hast caused me to hope.' 'If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who should stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayst be feared. I wait for the Lord; my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. I will hope in the Lord, for with him there is mercy and plenteous redemption.' For he taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." Though flesh and heart fail, the Lord is the rock of my heart; he is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good to them that wait for him; to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that I should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for me that I have borne the yoke in my youth, and that I keep silence and put my mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.*

God need not flatter such worms as we, nor promise us that which he never meaneth to perform. He hath laid the rudiments of our hope, in a nature capable of desiring, seeking, and thinking of another life. He hath called me by grace to actual desires and endeavours; and some foretastes he hath vouchsafed. I look for no heaven, but the perfection of divine life, light, and love, in endless glory with Christ and his holy ones. And this be hath begun in me already. And shall I not boldly hope, when I have the capacity, the promise, and the earnest, and foretaste? Is it not God himself that hath caused me to hope? Was not nature, promise, and grace from him? And can a soul miscarry and be deceived, that departeth hence in a hope

Psalm, lxxviii. v. 7; cxix. 49; cxxx. 3, 4, 5, 7; cxlvii. 11. 2 Psalm, lxxiii. 26; Lam. iii. 24, 25, 26, 27, 29.

of God's own causing and encouraging? Lord, I have lived in hope; I have prayed in hope; I have laboured, suffered, and waited in hope; and by thy grace I will die in hope! And is not this accord

ing to thy word and will? And wilt thou cast away a soul that hopeth in thee by thine own command and operation? Had wealth, and honour, and continuance on earth, or the favour of man, been my reward and hope, my hope and I had died together. Were this our best, how vain were man! But the Lord liveth, and my Redeemer is glorified and intercedeth for me! And the same Spirit is in heaven who is in my heart; as the same sun is in the firmament which is in my house: and the promise is sure to all Christ's seed: and millions are now in heaven, that once did live and die in hope; they were sinners once, as now I am; they had no other Saviour, no other sanctifier, no other promise than I now have: confessing that they were strangers here, they looked for a better country, and for a city that had foundations, even a heavenly; where now they are. And shall I not follow them in hope that have sped so well? Hope then, O my soul, unto the end;' from henceforth and for ever hope in the Lord. I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more: my mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and salvation. The Lord is at my right hand, I shall not be moved: my heart therefore is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall dwell confidently and rest in hope, for God hath showed me the path of life; in his presence is fulness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore.2

1 1 Pet. i. 13. 2 Psalm, cxxxi. 3; lxxi. 14, 15; xvi. 8—11.