684 Chap. 41. an Expojition upon the Bookof J o B. Verf 9, man ,profited , if be ¡hall gain the whole world, and lofe his bon foal ? His . meaning is not only this , that he (hall have no profit at all, but helhall be utterly undone and broke for ever. How vain then is the hope of that man, yea, how vain a man is that, who hopes for profit or gain, in doing that which endangers the lofs of his foul, much more that by which his foul is abfolutely and for ever lo(l.' Thushope is in vain ; Firfl, when we hope for much, and get lirde ; Secondly, when we hope for much, and get nothing ; Thirdly, when we hope for good, and ,tit hurt. Now, in the!fe two latter fnfes we are to take the moaning of God here. A. man may hope by uCe of means to catchLeviathan, yet he gets nothing, yea probably lofeth much, or gets much hurt. Behold, thehype of him is in vain. Hence note, Firfl ; It is hopeof gain that ofually puts men upon at%ion. TheLord fuppofeth that theywho undertake the taking of Le- viathan, hope ro gain much by taking him. ' Tis hopeof attaining, that encouragerh to doing. No man would be (lirring, much lets beak himfeif about any buíinefs, were it not for hope of get- ting. And as it is hope of attaining that puts upon doing, fo it is hope of attaining that puts us upon fuffering. Who would fuffer for Jefus Chrifl, if he had not a hopeof attaining fomewhat bet- ter thanhe can lofe byhis fufferings ? therefore Jefus Chrifi bath fee that hope before us. To fuffer rightly for Jefus Chrifi, is fo honourable, that we fhould fuffer willingly, though we get no- thingby it ; yet he hash fet a reward before us, a crown , by his Crois; he bath allured us all our lotus, even our lofs of life for his fake, (hail turn to our gain and profit. Hope of attaining is the motive to every undertaking. No wife man will meddle with doing that, which is either impoffible to be done, oraltogether unprofitable when it is done. Were it not for hope, the heart would faint. Firfi, in labouring. Secondly, in fuffering. Third- ly, in waiting. Hope is like a Helmet upon the head,.vhen we are in danger of blows (z Thef. s, 8.) and like an Anchor, both fare and fiedfaff, when we are in fiorms (H'e& 6. 19.) Secondly, The Lord having Paid before, Remember the batter anddo no more, adds, The hope of him is invain, Hence
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