The Helmet of Sallutìon. 43 5 true ; and Hope faith, I fee them, and I waitfor the enjoyment of thole things that are referred for me : Thus Faith, and Hope, are woven one in another : Thus'the aithful, are the hopeful: we have Hope. That's the firft Point. The fIfe ofthis Point briefly, it hhall be but this; Firít,to teachus to leek and to Vfn, find out thisHope in ourfelves. And fecondly to firive and to fight against Tome impediments that oppofe themfelves, and are hindrances ofthis Hope. Firft,thou muff go andPeek thyfelf,andfearch out and find,whether thouhaft this Hope in thee,yea,or no ; and thoumuff be lure, that thou beeft fo far from beinga defperare part-hope, like Celia; that rather thou believe, and hope above bope,with Row: 4, It,. Abrah.:m; nor prefuming, butbelieving as he did. Now then, how a man may know whether he have this Hope in himor no ; I think he may find it out thus, in few words. There are divers temptations,and efpecially three of a mansfaith : (not to enlarge my felffurther) in everyof which, Hope if it come in and play its part,then it cloth appear to be prefent, to be there. As for example. The firft temptation,that is a kind ofbattery againsttheftrongholdof a mans faith, it is the prorogation ofGods promifes : He is pleafed to putthem off longer, and tó difpofe ofthem many times other wayes than we look for: Hereupon, we that are weak in Faith, we thimble at it; and we would haften them on apace, though we know what the Prophet faith, He that believeth niaketh not hafte: But we are fuels Uzi ar. t6. fáithlefs perforas, that we haften on too much, and would have God to comeapace to make good his promifes. Now when God defers thefe promifes, ifa man com- eth in with his hope, and faith ; The vegan is yetfor an appointedtime, thoughit Heb,.. 3. tarry, wait: for that that fhall come,`tüUcome,and he will not tarry : and thoughthe Ifa. s. try, LordBoth hidehimfelf, (as it is in the Prophefie of]faiah ) yet hewill return again : IfHope will prompt Faith, and tell it that the Lord is notflack.asfame countflack_ pet. ;.y. nets, but he will make lure his promife in the end ; then this is a manifeft fign to 'a man that hath his faith thus fupported, that Hope isprefcntthere. Heré is then One fearch of it. Another time, there is another temptation that betideth a faithful man, and that domes to pals, by Godsappearing in a manner an enemy, by vifiting him inhis foul, by wounding his confcience, by letting him ils a kindoffight ofHell, when he is di- ftreffed in fpirit t as ifGodwere now come out an a manof war againfi him, and pfai. 73. wouldnot have mercyupon him. Now if Hope can come in and fay, that Godcan- not forget to begracious, nor cannot Phut up his loving k i.ndnef in diifleafure; and therefore I will endure, and I will flayon the Lord, for He willappear, and He will have mercy upon ion ; I, when the time, the appointedtime cometh, I will flay this Pfal, hod. t1. time. If 1 fay, Hope thus perfwadeth the faithful manof thisgoodnefs of God that all be revealed to him, here is amanifcft fign, Hope is prefent There is a third temptation that Faith meets withal, and that is concerning the mockinfs of men in the World, when they deride the profeffion ofChriftians and faithful men; and will fayas chofeprofaneand profufe fellows in the Epiftle ofSaint Peter, where is thepromife of his coming ? it wfo long fine his promifewas made; a pct I. 3: and yet there is noneof his coming, Wìl ïh.'órì ffillretain thine integrity ? (right job s, q, lobs Wife, as the fpeaks to him) wilt thduRill retain thy truft? to what purpofe is it ? ltos invain toferve the Lord, (aschafe wicked ones. (peak in Malachy.) Now Mal. ifHope will come in and fay, notwithftanding all three things, yet pafs by badreports ìCme. s, andgood report ; be ofDavido mind, !willyet be more vile beforethe Lord,thai chofe a Sato: 6,18° me beforethee and thy fathers houfe ; and I will fland it out, notwithftanding all the mockings ofmen. Here is a manifeft fignthat thereis Hope. Thus youmay leek to find this grace inyour felves ; andyouíhallfänd it bymany fuchkind ofaffaults, as thole which Faith meeteth withal. Now as youare tofind it, foyou acetofight againih rhehindrancen of thisHope. Ziff a: And thehindrances ofa mans hope, arefometimes flaw' hfear; fometimes an impa- tientffierit, and fometitnes even Deathit felf,,and thatis a tedious affront indeed that Hope meetethwithal. Firf} Fear,a kind ofpafforäandperturbation ofthe fpirit ofa Man, ti atmal es his tündtantes of hOPe° t. Trial of Hope.
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