28o Epheflans,Chap. z, V ER.>IZ. out the means of falvation ; and that he doth fo, not giving them his Word, much leffe giving his Son to dye for them, or willing their falvation : And moreover, that the Gentiles hadnot the Cove- nant, the Tables, the Doó'rine of it, or confederacie in ir, it was the Prerogative of Ifrael. z. Secondly, if the pofterityof Abraham (in regard of the flefh) were fecluded , how can we dreamthat the Gentiles fhould be admitted! But Ífiaelites, Madianites, Edomites were excluded. No outward thing can ground our hope. Without hope.] Obferve what is agreat mifiry,eventhis, to be without hope. The Gentiles were without the thing hoped for , without any expetltation of it, utterly hopeleffe: Now this is a pitifull condition, whenwe are without hope for hereafter. Hope is the anchor ofthefoal, Heb.6.19. So that as a fhip on the main fea,toffed and hoifted up and down, in continual! danger of fhipwrack; fo is the foul without hope. Again, it is the fpur of all diligent endeavour; He that hashthis hope, purged, himfelf i Joh.3.3. Again, it is the groundofall Joy and peace, and but for hope the heart wouldburrf. Their heads were uncovered, fo that every wound was deadly to them; The helmet of (alvatioa is hope, Ephef. 6.17. Now then we muff examine our felves, for fuch werewe; which muffbe remembred : What wasthen our effate, whenour fouls wa- ved up anddown without an anchor; when we in evils had no hope ofparticular iffue,or of that generali redemption; when wewere com- fortleffe, andwithout any prick to incite us e Again, we muff lookwhether we have hope, for elfe we are mife- table: Thehypocrites hope (hall'trig', Job 8.13. He may boaft that he looketh for life, but his hope is tryed in the dayof adveruty; lab27.8. What hope bath the hypocrite, when he bath heapedup riches, ifgod take away his foul ? Everyman may fwim, whilehe is held up bythe chin. Nounbeliever can have hope, for this loth as a hand-maid follow faith : After the meafure of belief, is hope proportioned ; c fiy fiefb cloth refl inhope, Pfal. 16.9. If thoukill me , yet will I hope in thee, Job r r Without god.] Three wayes ,a man may be Paid to be with -. out God: a. By profane Atheifme. z. By falfeWorfhip. 3. By want of fpirituall Wor[hip. For a man may be Paid in roue fenfe to have God,that bath an ac- knowledgement of a divine power : Again, a man may be faid to have God , and the true God outwardly , who doth make outward profeflion and worfhip, fuck as is taught of God : And man cometh truly to have God, when heknoweth him in Chriff, when he loveth him, fcareth him, trufteth in him. Now be fpeáketh here of the Ephefians, that both outwardly and inwardly, in regard of outward and inward worship , were without God ; for otherwife they had confcience Doa: Amifery,to be withouthope. z. TLxewayes one is without Gud. 'Nr r
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