A Guide to Godliness, Book 2 · Chapter 4
CAP. IIII.
Of truſt, affiance, and hope in God.
§. Sect. 1 Of affiance in God, & wherein it conſiſteth; and of the reaſons which may mooue vsus vntounto it.
THe ſpeciall duties, whereby we adhere and cleaue vntounto God with all our hearts, are either principall, or thoſe which ariſe out of them and depend vponupon them; the chiefe and principall are affiance, the louelove and feare of God. By affiance wee adhere and cleaue vntounto him, when as knowing, acknowledging, beleeuing, and remembring the omniſcience, omnipotence, all ſufficiency, trueth, and goodneſſe of God towards vsus, we doe put our truſt and affiance in him, for the obtaining of all good, and preſeruation from all euill, both in the preſence and abſence of all inferiour meanes. VntoUnto which affiance the Scriptures exhort vsus. So Dauid, Truſt in the Lord, and Pſal. 37. 3.doe good. And Salomon, Truſt in the Lord with all thine heart, and leane not Pro. 3. 5.to thine owne vnderſtanding. Which if we performe, wee hauehave diuers gracious promiſes made vntounto vsus: as firſt, that we ſhall be greatly rewarded; Caſt not away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward; and be Heb. 10. 35.incompaſſed with all Gods mercies and fauours; according to that of the Pſalmiſt, He that truſteth in the Lord, mercy ſhall compaſſe him about. Secondly, Pſal. 32. 10.that wee ſhall bee ſuſtained and preſerued by his prouidence. Caſt thy Pſal. 55. 22.burthen vponupon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtaine thee; he ſhall neuer ſuffer the righteous to be mooued. And againe, They that truſt in the Lord, ſhall be as mount Pſ. 125. 1.Sion, which cannot be remooued, but abideth for euer. Thirdly, that we ſhall hauehave the good things of the earth for the preſent, and eternall bleſſedneſſe in the life to come; for he that truſteth in the Lord, ſhall poſſeſſe the land, and Eſa. 57 13.ſhall inherit his holy mountaine. So Ieremie, Bleſsed is the man that truſteth in Ier. 17. 7.the Lord, and whoſe hope the Lord is. And the Pſalmiſt, O truſt and ſee, that Pſal. 34 8.the Lord is good, bleſsed is the man that truſteth in him. And thus wee muſt truſt in the Lord for the obtaining of all good, and the auoiding of all euill: vntounto the former, Dauid exhorteth, Commit thy way vntounto the Lord; Pſal 37. 5.truſt alſo in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe. And of the other, we hauehave him for our example: The Lord is my light and my ſaluation, whom ſhall I feare? Pſal. 27. 1.the Lord is the ſtrength of my life, of whom ſhall I bee afraid? Though an hoſte ſhould incampe againſt me, my heart ſhall not feare, though warre ſhould Pſal. 27 1, 3. Pſ. 46. 1, 2. & 23. 4. & 36. 12. Pro. 3. 26. 2. Chr. 20. 20.ariſe againſt me, in this will I be confident. And againe, God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent helpe in trouble: therefore will we not feare, though the earth be remooued, and though the mountaines be caſt into the middeſt of the ſea, &c. And thus muſt we truſt in the Lord, in the preſence and abſence of inferiour meanes. When we hauehave meanes, wee muſt put our affiance in him, firſt, though they be weake and inſufficient, knowing that he is able to giuegive vertue and vigour vntounto them, ſeeing we liue not by bread onelyonly, Mat. 4. 4.but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth. Hee is able in the famine to feede vsus with rauenous birds, which in their owne nature are more fit to take away our meate, then to bring any vntounto vsus; and to make our ſmall pittance, a few pulſe, an handfull of meale, and a cruize of oyle, as ſufficient for our nouriſhment as the greateſt dainties of the worldly wicked. In time of plague he can keepe vsus ſafe vnderunder the ſhaddow of his wings, and though thouſands doe fall at our ſides, and ten thouſand at our right Pſal. 91. 1, 7.hand, it ſhall not come nigh vsus. In time of warre, he is able to ſaue with few, as well as with many, as Ionathan ſpeaketh; and to giuegive victory, not only to 1. Sam. 14. 6.thoſe who hauehave a ſtrong armie, but to thoſe alſo that hauehave no power, as 2. Chro. 14. 11.Aſa confeſſeth. Or if our meanes be many and mighty, yet we muſt not truſt in them, but vſing them as ſent of God to ſerue his prouidence in our ſuſtentation and preſeruation, we muſt put our whole confidence in him, and reſt alone in his bleſſing vponupon them, without which they ſhall neuer doe vsus any good. For we trauaile in vaine, vnleſſe God bleſſe the houſe; In Pſal. 127. 1. Hag. 1. 6. Eſa. 3. 1. Pro. 21. 31.vaine wee plow and ſow, vnleſſe hee giuegive the increaſe. In vaine are our Granaries and Store-houſes repleniſhed with all plentie, if hee breake the ſtaffe of bread. In vaine is the horſe prepared againſt the day of battell, if ſaluation come not from the Lord. And in vaine doe Gods ſpirituall Husbandmen plant and water, except the Lord doe 1. Cor. 3. 6.giuegive increaſe. Neither muſt we leſſe truſt in the Lord in the vtter abſence of all inferiour meanes, knowing that he is true of his promiſe, and will neuer faile vsus if we put our affiance in him, and in himſelfe alone, all-ſufficient to preſerue and defend vsus in their abſence, as well as in the preſence of them. And thus did Dauid truſt in God, though he walked alone in Pſal. 23. 4.the vale of the ſhaddow of death; the three children in the firie ſurnace, Daniel in the Lyons den, Peter garded with Souldiers, and Paul and Silas Dan. 3. & 6. Act. 12. & 16.when they were in the ſtockes. And thus Abraham hauing Gods promiſe, reſpected not his age, nor the deadneſſe of Sarahs wombe, but truſted in him for the obtaining of a ſonne, and as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, against hope beleeued in hope, that hee ſhould become the father of many Rom. 4. 18.nations.
§. Sect. 2 Of the meanes of affiance.
Now the meanes whereby we may attaine vntounto this firme affiance, are theſe: The firſt is the often conſideration of Gods ſauing attributes, as of his omniſcience, whereby he taketh notice of all our wants and dangers; of his omnipotencie, and all-ſufficiencie, whereby hee is able to relieue and preſerue vsus; of his prouidence, which in eſpeciall manner watcheth ouer vsus who are his ſonnes and children, to diſpoſe of all things to our Rom. 8. 28.good; of his mercy, bounty, goodneſſe, and truth of his promiſes, whereby we may be aſſured of his good will and readineſſe to helpe vsus. The ſecond meanes is, to obſerue Gods mercy and goodneſſe in time paſt, ſhewed both towards others and towards our ſelues, in freeing vsus from euill, and procuring our good. Wee muſt conſider what God hath done formerly to others, aſſuring our ſelues that he is ready to doe the like for vsus, if with them we feare and ſerue him, ſeeing he is no reſpecter of perſons, Act. 10. 34.but is alike to all. So Dauid confirmed his affiance in God, by remembring his goodneſſe towards their anceſtors; Our fathers truſted in thee, Pſal. 22. 4, 5.they truſted in thee, and thou didſt deliuer them; they cryed vponupon thee, and were deliuered; they truſted in thee, and were not confounded. So when he could with no comfort reſt vponupon God in his preſent ſenſe and feeling, he remembred Gods wonders of old, in deliuering his people Iſrael, and drowning their Pſal. 77. 14, 15.enemies in the red Sea. And thus he ſaith, others would confirme their affiance by his example. This poore man cryed, and the Lord heard him, and ſaued Pſal. 34. 6.him out of all his troubles. But much more wil the experience of Gods mercy and goodneſſe towards our ſelues, in prouiding for vsus in the time of want, and deliuering and preſeruing vsus from former dangers, confirme our truſt and confidence in him, ſeeing he is immutable in his louelove, and changeth Mal. …. 3.not, though we be changed. And thus Dauid ſtrengthened his affiance in God, that he would giuegive him victory ouer Goliah, becauſe he had former 1. Sam. 17. 34.experience of Gods goodneſſe towards him, and power aſſiſting him againſt the Lyon and the Beare. And the Apoſtle concludeth, that as the Lord had formerly deliuered him out of former afflictions, ſo he would 2. Cor. 1. 10.be a-like gracious ſtill, and deliuer him out of like afflictions in the time to come. Laſtly, if we would confidently truſt in God, we muſt be ſuch as feare and ſerue him, and making conſcience of our wayes, doe walke before him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe; for with ſuch onelyonly hee hath made his Couenant of grace and protection, and ſuch only may challenge a part in his promiſes of prouiſion and preſeruation. So Salomon, The Pro. 28. 1.wicked flee when none purſueth, but the righteous are bold as a Lyon. And againe, In the feare of the Lord is aſſured ſtrength, and his children ſhall hauehave Pro. 14. 26.hope. And the Pſalmiſt appropriateth this confidence vntounto the faithfull only; Ye that feare the Lord, truſt in the Lord, he is their helpe and ſhield. And Pſal. 115. 11.not onelyonly thoſe who are profeſſedly wicked, but the cloſe hypocrite alſo is excluded from it. For the hypocrites hope ſhall be cut off, and his truſt ſhalbe Iob 8. 13. & 18. 14.a Spiders web. His confidence ſhall be rooted out of his Tabernacle; and it ſhall bring him to the King of terrours.
§. Sect. 3 Of hope in God, what it is, and wherein it conſiſteth.
From this affiance in God, ariſeth hope; for when knowing and beleeuing God and his ſauing attributes, wee truſt in him for the accompliſhment of all his gracious promiſes, then doe we by hope expect the accompliſhment of them, euen when they are deferred with patience and comfort, knowing that God is immutable in his louelove, and moſt true of his Word: with which hope we are ſuſtained in all afflictions, that wee doe not faint vnderunder their burthen, ſeeing we hope for deliuerance in Gods due time, are armed againſt all aſſaults of our ſpirituall enemies with this helmet of ſaluation, in expectation of aſſured victory, and ſtayed with this anchor in our Chriſtian courſe, notwithſtanding all the tempeſtuous ſtormes and boyſterous blaſts of trialls and tentations. The which anchor is not faſtened on the fleeting and fayling ſands of our owne worth, workes, and merits, but vponupon the firme ground of Gods immutable louelove, mercy, goodneſſe, power and truth, which will neuer faile thoſe that reſt vponupon them; according to that of the Pſalmiſt, They that know thy Name, Pſal. 9. 10.will put their truſt in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forſaken them that ſeeke thee. And thus Abraham hoped against hope, being fully perſwaded, that what Rom. 4. 18, 21.God had promiſed, he was able alſo to performe. And the Apoſtle exhorteth vsus to hold faſt the profeſsion of our faith without wauering, becauſe hee is Heb. 10. 23.faithfull that hath promiſed. The obiect of this hope, are future good things which God hath promiſed; as fruition of good, and freedome and deliuerance from euill, which are not yet ſeene (for then there were no place Rom. 8. 24, 25.for hope) but certainely expected in Gods good time. But the mayne and Pſ. 62. 1, 2. & 121. 1.principall obiect of our hope, is heauenly happineſſe, which wee ſhall inioy in ſoule and body, at Chriſts comming to Iudgement, whereof it is Tit. 2. 13.called the hope of ſaluation, and the hope of eternall life. The chiefe properties 1. Theſ 5. 8. Tit. 1. 2.of this hope are, Firſt, that it be patient. Secondly, that it be certaine and aſſured: of the firſt the Apoſtle ſpeaketh; If we hope for that wee ſee not, then doe we with patience waite for it: and in this regard calleth it Rom. 8. 25.the patience of hope in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Of which patience, he telleth vsus 1. Theſ. 1. 3.that we hauehave neede, becauſe God oftentimes delayeth to accompliſh his promiſes, as though he had forgotten both vsus and them. Secondly, it Heb. 10. 36.muſt be certaine and aſſured, whereof it is compared to an anchor, which if it fayleth in a tempeſt, it putteth the ſhip in great danger of foundring and periſhing. And therefore the Apoſtle deſireth, that the Hebrewes might hauehave full aſſurance of hope vntounto the end; which if wee hauehave, it will Heb. 6. 11.make vsus neuer to be aſhamed, ſeeing God, vponupon whom we waite, will neuer faile to accompliſh his promiſes. And this is that hope vntounto which the Rom. 5. 5.Scriptures exhort vsus. So the Pſalmiſt, Waite on the Lord, be of good courage, Pſ. 27. 14▪ & 37 7and hee ſhall ſtrengthen thine heart; waite, I ſay, on the Lord. And againe, Reſt in the Lord, and waite patiently for him.
§. Sect. 4 Of the meanes of hope.
Which that we may labour after, let vsus conſider, that it is moſt profitable and neceſſary vntounto all that will leade a godly and Chriſtian life. For it is not onelyonly a part thereof, as being one of the three principall vertues which the Apoſtle commendeth vntounto vsus, but a notable meanes, whereby 1. Cor. 13.we are mooued and inabled to labour after all other vertues, and to put in practice all other duties, becauſe we are aſſured of the fruit of our labour, and hopefully expect the obtaining of it; without which hope we would be vtterly diſcouraged, ſit ſtill and doe nothing. Againe, this hope maketh vsus not to bee aſhamed, in middeſt of all reproches and diſgraces which we ſuffer for Chriſts ſake, and cauſeth vsus with him to runne with patience Rom. 5. 5. Heb. 12. 1, 2.the race which is ſet before vsus, in expectation of that ioy which is ſet before vsus. It maketh vsus not onelyonly patient, but ioyfull in afflictions, yea euen to glory Rom. 5. 2, 3.in our reioycing, in hope of the glory of God, in all our tribulations. It confirmeth our faith from which it ſpringeth, and maketh vsus cheerefull in all Chriſtian duties. It quickeneth and reioyceth our drooping hearts, and not onelyonly maketh the way of godlineſſe delightfull vntounto vsus, but vsus alſo pleaſing and accepted of God. It is an helmet of ſaluation, to defend vsus Pſal. 147. 11.againſt our ſpirituall enemies, yea it ſelfe ſaueth vsus, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1. Theſ. 5. 8. Rom. 8. 24.becauſe it moueth God to ſaue vsus: for as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, He is the Sauiour of them that hope in him. Finally, it maketh vsus bleſſed in the aſſured Pſal. 17. 7.expectation of our bleſſedneſſe. For happy is hee that hath the God of Iacob Pſal. 146. 5. Ier. 17. 7.for his helpe, and whoſe hope is in the Lord his God. Whereas contrariwiſe, without this hope, we are as the Apoſtle telleth vsus, of all men moſt miſerable, 1. Cor. 15. 19.hauing neither the comforts of this life, which worldlings inioy, nor expectation of better in the life to come. Let vsus therefore labour after this hope, and vſe carefully all good meanes whereby we may attaine vntounto it. And ſeeing it is the gift of God, and grace of his holy Spirit, let vsus in the 2. Theſ. 2. 16.firſt place beg it at his hands, by frequent and feruent prayer, aſſuring our ſelues, that he who is the God of our hope, will not deny to giuegive it vntounto Rom. 15. 13.vsus. Secondly, let vsus meditate often vponupon Gods ſauing attributes, of power, mercy, goodneſſe, truth, &c. and ſo our imperfections and vnworthineſſe will not make vsus deſpaire, nor weaken our hopes in expectation of his promiſes. Thirdly, let vsus often heare, reade, and meditate in the holy Scriptures, which were purpoſely written, that wee through patience and Rom. 15. 4.comfort of them might hauehave hope. Fourthly, let vsus, in all the ſeruice which we offer vntounto God, auoid hypocriſie, and ſerue and worſhip him in ſincerity and vprightneſſe of heart. For the hypocrites hope ſhall periſh, and Iob 8. 13, 14.be cut off like a Spiders web, as Bildad ſpeaketh. Laſtly, if wee would hauehave hope in God, let vsus leade a godly life, and ſerue him all our dayes in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe; for the fleſh of Gods holy ones ſhall reſt in hope: Act. 2. 26.whereas when a wicked man dieth, his expectation ſhall periſh, and the hope of Pro. 11. 7.the vniuſt men periſheth, as the Wiſeman ſpeaketh.