Com.t. Of Hope, Ptefuuiption, andIè air. Chap,zO. z4t Philiftine; this is drawn from our experience, than which nothing ufeth tobe more prevalent withus. 4. But the chief means is that which is formerly alledged , the confideration of thePromife of God, and withal that the Promife is fure, becaufe he is faith. Hel.to.í;l ful that hath promifed: And whatfoever is is writen concerning thefe Protnifbsafore: foretime, werewritten for our initruftion, that through patience and comfort ofthe Roth:, 11'44' Scriptures we might havehope. And this hash been the efpecial aimof the Holy Gholt, to ftrengthen our hope, in mentioning it fooften in Scripture. And it is oo ly God whofe dixit is fa4tiens eft, whole word and work go together, therefore his Promife is fo fure, that he fpeaks of 'things to come in the Preter. tenfe, as if they were alreadydone, de futuris in preterite. Therefore Nathan faid to King David,: Seine:;t33 tranJFulit nontrans,ert, God bath taken away, or put away thy fin, not God will put it away. SoSt. Paul,. that he hath (already) raifed us, and made us fit in Heavenly EPIL'=:6 places in Chrift jefus . becaufe though it be not yet come,yet it is as certain in refpeEt of thePromife, as ifit were already come. Now TeeingGod is good and faithful, wç may fafely hope in him. There is one thing remàrkable and true in the blafphemous fpeech of Rabfhaiteh. Thou trujieft in a Kia.tß.=t Egypt, upon theRaftof a bruifed Reed, on which i f aman lean it wilIgo into hishand: fo fareth it wito men that truft in other things betides God. The Wife man faith, Í'ioi::q;r j; confidence in an unfaithfulman in timeof trouble is like abroken tooth and a foot out of joynt tineither of which there is little help ; a waking Dreams as the Hea r Limr.3; then faid. Our hope therefore is called Spei viva, a lively hope ; for the wordlings hope is mortarsdead, hath no life in it ; or at kalt Spas mortalis, a mortal hope ; if we truft to it, it will fail us and either wound us, or ro ake us afhamed , as they in fob, 6.2o. whereas true hope never makes afhamed, Rom. 5 3. And then we may boldly fay with thePropher, Whyart thou fo vexed, Omy Soul,and why art thou fo,pfaL4sa4: difquieted within me e Oput thy trait in God, for he is the healthof my counte- nance and myGod. There are certain fignes whereby we may know, whether our hope be right, for there is fleeting hope, when aman thinks he hopes, but doth not ; as a man may think hebelieves, but doth not. 1. The firft is the fgne which appeared in Ezechias; in his ficknefs, faith he, Ibe. frech thee, OLord, remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfeïf heart. Tohave beenmindful of God in profperity, is a good ground for hope in adverfity. a: The fecond is Saint ?Arts. Every man that bath this hope in him purifteth himfelf; , jolin 3t. keeps a pureConfeience, doth not (as they which prefume) make their Confcience a receptacleof corruption upon hope. For, as the Fathers fay, Confcientia bonaes- ftorfpei, if it be kept cleanour hope is true and right. 3. The third is Davids. Hope in the Lord, and be doing good, it muff be aEtive p¡a4j,; and doing good. The Heathen call labour the husband of hope. There is hope the harlot, andhope the married woman ; now hope the wife may be known from the harlot by:this, that the is always with her husband, accompanied with labour. Saer4cate facrifscium juftitia, ( Iierate in Domino, offer to God the facrifice ofnigh- PTa1.4ta) tedufnefs, and put your truft in the Lord. There mutt be travel and Itrife to do good in d true hope. 4. TheTaft is Saint Paula, who makes good hope to hold out in tribulation. It is that which tries whether it will hold the touch or not,ln filentio& fpei tris fortitudeRmm.S3,4a veftra. in gaietnefsand confidence (hall be your ftrength , faith the Prophet, E e. 31.15. If we faint inadverfity it cannot, be true. The Heathen call hope the bloffom or budof tribulation, 'a,a.i 2y ifthe bud benipt, no fruit can beexpefted, it will be but a baftard hope, but if it blofFom in tribulation, it will bring forth fruit in diïe feafon. Theis&ofour Rules is, that we fhould riotonlyhave this hope in ourfelvcs, but it in othersalto. It was Davids delire, many {hall fee it, and fear, and unit 6:, s in the Lord.That all the people may truft in him. That the houle of Ifrael, the houle r ` s _' of .Aaron, that all that fear the Lordmight truft inhim. To the furtherance whete- 1 O',` of he-promifeth to teach the wicked, and tells the fools that they deal Madly in let 7e.5 tingup their horn, that is, in trufting to themfelves: , And thus much for.hope,.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=