144 Chap. i t. eÁn Expoftion upon the Book, of J O B. VerI i 8." That hope ":which is right fet is fetling, Our hope is as the objet is upon which we hope, if we hope upon that which is fore, hope it felf is flare , hope in God mutt needs be fare , becaufe God is. So the Apoftle argues : Clod willing more.i bundantly to flew unto the heirs ofpromife the immutability ofhis counfel confirmed it by an oath , that by two immutable things in which it was impoffible for God to lie, wemight have ffrong confolation ; whohave fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope jet before us , which hope we have as an anchor of the foul bath fare and ftedf.ft, (Heb.6. 17,18,19.) God is the Saints anchor. hold , they cannot be removed by any form, when once they have fastened upon him. As every one that bath this hope purifieth himfelf even as God is pure : So e- very one that bath this hope may affure himfelf bcaufe God is fire. lie is the hope of all the ends of theearth : and hope in him Jhall never end but inafall enjoyment ofhimfif in heaven. Obferve, fecondly, That the conditionof agodly man can never be deffierate. Whatfoever he wants in the world he cannot want hope ; he bath fomewhat in hope, though he hath nothing in hand bath much in the promife though little in his purfe : Heltarh plentyofbread in the word, when hehath fcarfe a loaf, or when he bath greateft fcarcity at his table. He may expeEt more of the world then hebath, thoughhe bath much ; and he may look up- on all that is in the world, as his, though none of it be his. He bath a right to all, and he [hall receive as much as he needs : If lefl'e then all will not fupport his needs , he (hail haveall ; God will give every beleevera world by himfelf, rather then notgive him as much as he bath promifed. íf the good things which God bath already made be not enough to make good every word which he hath fpoken, he will fpeak another word which ll,all make more. As the heaven and theearth which-are created fball paff rather then his word ; fo he will create a new heavenand anew earth, that all his words mayHand. There is a textual reading of thefe words, given by fome, which reaches the fenfe of this obfervation ; Be thou ccnfident or ConSdedum fecure while there"is hope, So it is a counfel , not a , An ípes cll. 7"; exhortation, not a doEtrinal affertion, or it is the de of the for- mer datriné, [hewing us what becomes us todoe, when we hear what God bath fpoken. When cod makes as a promife , it is our duty to rift upon him in it : Trotni f s are the pillars, of the foul. Chrift
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