Remains, Part 2 · Section 3
COL. 1.23.
If ye continue in the faith grounded and ſetled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Goſpel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a Miniſter.
WE have ſpoken of a Chriſtians call, by the general indifferent propounding of the Goſpel to every creature without exception; now the effectualneſſe of this call lieth here, that the Lord doth put in a little hope into the ſoul; though the man be one of Gods choſen, he doth not preſently give him faith, but doth open a little door of hope to the ſoul. Firſt, the Lord brings his Law to a man, and layeth him dead in Law, utterly undone, paſt all hope of recovery in himſelf; he is a loſt creature, a miſerable wretched creature, having no hold to ſtay upon, but a fearful looking for of vengeance; he ſeeth nothing but wrath: now when God hath a minde to call a man home at the hearing of the Goſpel of peace, the Lord lets in a little hope into the ſoul, whereby he doth draw the ſoul to ſeek out unto him, and makes it look out with hope of ſalvation; the ſoul ſeeth now that there is mercy in Chriſt, and grace in Chriſt, and eternal life in Chriſt; and he ſeeth this is generally and freely tendred to all that will have it; and out of theſe two branches of general faith ſpirings this hope: now thinks the ſoul, I may have it as well as another, the dole is free, the mercy is free, and why may not I be ſaved? why may not I finde mercy and forgiveneſs, and be ingraffed into the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? before this the ſoul was groaping for hope, if it could have told where to have had it, as Acts 2.37. they were there groaping where to have it, Men and brethren, ſay they, what ſhall we do? they do not ſay there is nothing to be done, there is no hope, but what ſhall we do? as who ſhould ſay, there is ſomething to be done, ſome courſe to be taken, you that are Miniſters of God, is there no way whereby we may be pardoned? whereby we may be ſaved? whereby we may have a new heart, and the favour of God, and be delivered from the wrath to come? but when the Goſpel comes they ſee now a poſſibility, and this breeds this hope, ſo that this is the next point.
That when God doth effectually call a ſoul by his Goſpel, at the hearing of this gracious tender of eternal life and grace in Jeſus Chriſt,Doct. The general tender of mercy workes ſome hope in the ſoul. the Lord doth let in a poſſibility of mercy, and every grace into the ſoule, and this doth help the ſoul with hope, and this doth make the ſoul to trace God in all his wayes, and he hath ſome encouragement that God will be found of him, and that he may attaine ſalvation; this the firſt thing; the Lord puts in hope attaining of it; the Lord deales with his people in this kinde, as he dealt with his people in delivering them out of Babylon, Zech. 9.12. they were priſoners in Babylon; now when God would deliver them out of Babylon, he did firſt put in hope into their ſouls, he made them priſoners of hope; there was firſt a pouring of hope into their ſouls, and then he opened the priſon doors: So the Lord makes his people priſoners of hope, that though they be in the captivity of ſinne and Satan, yet they are priſoners of hope; and the Lord gives ſome hope, that the priſon doores ſhall be opened, and this we have here in the text; for though the Apoſtle means here by hope, the things hoped for; yet we call it hope, becauſe as ſoone as ever they dawn in the ſoul, they breed hope, if they be the ſervants of God; ſo that this Goſpel breeds hope in a mans boſom. Now here be five things I would ſhew unto you; Firſt, what this hope is. Secondly, how it agreeth with that hope that follows juſtifying faith. Thirdly, how it diſagrees with it. Fourthly, the Reaſons of the point. And fifthly, the Uſes.
1. What is this hope?For the firſt, what this hope is, and it is an hope that ariſeth out of the faith of poſſibility, when the Lord lets in a poſſibility of faith, and makes the ſoul believe that his ſinnes may be forgiven, and he may attaine everlaſting life; and he may come to be a Saint, and one of Gods dear and faithful children; he lets in ſuch a poſſibility into the heart, and this hope flows out of this faith of poſſibility; and this faith of poſſibility is another-geſſe thing then people take it for; every drunkard will ſay he beleeves that it is poſſible to be ſaved, and to finde mercy with God; but you will finde it is a greater matter then ſo; it is ſpoken as a great commendation of Abraham, that he did beleeve that God was able to raiſe up his ſonne Iſaac, Heb. 11.19. ſo our Saviour Chriſt ſpeaking to the blinde man, asks him this queſtion, do you believe that I am able to do this for you? Mat. 9.23. it was a great matter for him to believe that he was able to do this for him. Sarah, though an excellent woman for faith otherwiſe, yet ſhe ſtuck mightily here, and thought it was impoſſible for her to have a childe; nay, Moſes as faithful a man as he was, he could not believe that all the people could be fed in the wilderneſſe; it is a greater matter then you think for, for every ſinful wretch thinks it is an eaſie matter to believe that Chriſt died for ſinners, and that they may be ſaved; it is an eaſie matter for the faith of preſumption, but if a mans eyes be opened, and his conſcience awakened, and he comes to have a ſight of his ſins; now Cain will ſay, his ſinnes are greater then can be forgiven; and Judas is not able to flie unto Chriſt to believe a poſſibility of pardon, but goes and hangs himſelf, and deſpairs totally of the buſineſſe; this faith of poſſibility, it comes within the compaſſe of a definition of faith, it is the evidence of things not ſeen, it is far above our nature, and fleſh & blood cannot reveal it; that there is ſalvation in Chriſt, and that there is ſuch a thing as a pardon to be had at Gods hands, let a man have his underſtanding enlightned to ſee what a wretch he is, and how fearfully he hath provoked Gods wrath againſt him, and it is not in his power to beleeve that there is a poſſibility for him to finde mercy, or any hope of pardon, it cannot be attained to without the work of God; a weak ſhelfe is able to hold, when a man lays but a book upon it, but if a man lay a great weight upon a weak ſhelf, it will break under it; ſo it is with the faith of men, when there is no weight laid upon it, the burthen of the Lord is not laid upon them; then they may think it is an eaſie matter to have ſalvation and their ſinnes pardoned; but if this weight ſhould be laid upon them, their faith would burſt, unleſſe the Lord ſhould be pleaſed to put in a better faith then this; it is not in a mans power to look beyond the power of juſtice, for a man to beleeve that there is mercy in God contrary to the ſentence of his own Law, and contrary to the ſenſe and feeling of a mans own ſoul; and therefore when the Lord is pleaſed effectually to call a man, though he lay a bleeding bleeding before in the ſight and ſenſe of his miſery, he opens a door of hope to the ſoul, he lets in a light of poſſibility, that he may yet come to be quickened, and be a new creature, and obtaine mercy at the hands of the Lord; as the Lord dealt with his people, Hoſ. 2.14. there ſaith the text, I will give them the valley of Achor for the door of hope; ſo when the Lord doth caſt a man into the valley of Achor, of ſtoning and aſtoniſhment, then he opens a door of hope that he may look in, and ſee at a crevis ſome hope for him to ſpeed; though yet I have an hard heart, yet ſuch a thing may be, if I come to Chriſt; I ſee God may afford mercy to whom he will, and hath propounded it to every man that will have it, therefore I may have mercy; the Lord begins to ſtir and move the heart, and now the ſoul begins to have a door of hope; you ſee then what this hope is, it is ſuch a thing as flowes from the faith of poſſibility, I do not ſay that it is a juſtifying faith, but it is the forerunner of it, to make way for it.
The ſecond thing is; how this hope agrees with that which proceeds from a juſtifying faith?2. How it agrees with that which followes juſtifying faith. I anſwer, it agrees in five things.
Firſt, both are of God,1. Both are of God. all the hope a creature hath, if it be a true hope, it is of God, therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, the God of all hope, &c. Rom. 15.13. God is the God of all hope; I do not ſay that all hope abſolutely is of God, for the vaine hope of wicked men is of the Devil, and is not of God; but I ſpeak of a true hope and courage that the ſoul gets to ſeek God in his wayes, and fear him.
Secondly, they are both wrought by the Goſpel,2. Both are wrought by the Goſpel. Rom. 15.4. All things were written for our learning (ſaith the Apoſtle) that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope; Thus it is with a believer though he hath nothing in preſent poſſeſſion, though he be perſecuted, and afflicted, and forſaken in the world, though he hath never ſo many miſeries here below; yet when he looks into the Scriptures, and ſees what promiſes God hath made, he comes to have ſome hope; it is thus with a man that is not yet a believer, but is in the way to be a believer, the Lord works with him this way, though he ſee himſelf a miſerable and wretched ſinner, and undone man, caſt off, and there is no hope in himſelf; yet when he looks into the Scriptures, and ſees what a gracious tender of mercy there is to any man that will have mercy, it is not the wretchedneſſe of a mans heart that caſts him off, but the not coming to Chriſt, and receiving of him that damnes him; for the fountaine of mercy is open for every one that will receive Chriſt; thus the Scripture gives hope.
Thirdly, both ſet a man on work;3. Both ſet a man on work. as ſuppoſe a man hath an hope that proceeds from juſtifying faith, as he believes in Chriſt, ſo this ſets him a work, 1 John 3.3. He that hath this hope purifies himſelf as Chriſt is pure; it makes him labour to be humble and meek, and to be made partaker of the Spirit of Grace; it makes him labour after the things that are above, and to be fitted and diſpoſed to every good work, and to purge himſelf, and cleanſe his conſcience more and more; and ſo a man that hath not this juſtifying faith, but hath only this branch of effectual calling begun in him; he that hath this hope I now ſpeak of, it ſets him a work to ſeek after Chriſt, and to labour hard for the enjoying of him, and to ſeek him in all his Ordinances in his manner, though he cannot pray and performe duties as others do, yet he will do it in that manner he is able.
Fourthly, both are the anchor of the ſoul;4. Both are the anchor of the ſoul. as it is with a believer, though he be a godly believer, and hath intereſt in Chriſt; yet what with temptations from hell, and his own heart, he will be toſſed to and fro were it not for this hope which is as an anchor to the ſoul;Heb. 6.19. ſo it is with a man that is not come thus far, but is only under the ſame firſt branch, though his toſſings be fierce, and his temptations be violent and his caſe be doubtful and full of hazard; yet notwithhanding when this hope comes into the ſoul, it doth marvelouſly ſtay the heart though it ſee nothing but hell, and damnation, and miſery, and his conſcience is not purged, and his life renewed, and his ſoul ſanctified and wrought upon in Jeſus Chriſt; though he ſees there is no way but hell and damnation, yet when this hope comes into the ſoul, though he can ſee neither ſtarlight, nor Moon-light, nor nothing, it doth ſtay him much, and prop him up much, and doth encourage him to go on without diſmay.
5. Neither of them ſhall make a man aſhamed.Neither of theſe two hopes ſhall make a man aſhamed, if a man hath this true hope, he ſhall never be aſhamed, Rom. 5.4 Hope maketh not aſhamed; ſo it is with a man that is truly wrought upon, the Lord never deceives him; there is a working of grace for grace, before grace it ſelf comes into the ſoul, which carries a man beyond a reprobate, and this hope the ſoul hath, will never let him be in this caſe, that he ſhall need to be aſhamed.
3. How this hope differs from that which followes juſtifica…ion.The third thing is this, how this hope differs from that hope which proceeds from juſtifying faith, and they differ in two things.
The firſt is, that this hope I now ſpeak of, it ariſeth out of the ſeeds of grace, the other out of grace it ſelf;1 This ariſeth out of the ſeeds of grace, the other out of grace it ſelf. there are the ſeeds of grace which are ſomething of grace in the ſoul, before grace it ſelf comes; and though we have not any place of Scripture to ſhew this, yet there are abundance of places that aime at, and include this. As it may be referred to the woeings of Chriſt, Hoſ. 2.14. when the excellency and neceſſity of Chriſt woes the ſoul, and the poſſibility of having Chriſt, theſe things allure a man; here is this work, when the ſoul begins to be a neuter, before the ſoul believes, yet there is a kinde of bending of faith, as the man in the Goſpel, when Chriſt asked him, if he believed in the Son of God; he ſaith, Lord what is he that I may believe? as who ſhould ſay, I am ready to believe if I could, I am ready to reſigne my ſelf to believe, do but ſhew me how I may believe?
Secondly, this may be referred to the forming of Chriſt in the heart, Gal. 4.19. before the babe is organized, there is ſeed, ſo there is a ſeed of God in the ſoul, and he that hath this ſeed cannot ſin, becauſe he is borne of God; as there is a ſeed of generation, ſo of regeneration; as the prodigal before he came home to his Father, he ſaith with himſelf, I will go home to my Father, and ſay, Father I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and before thee, &c. Luke 15.16. What made him do this? they are nothing elſe but the effects of the ſeeds of grace; So the Jaylor, Acts 16.13. that cried out, Sirs, what ſhall I do to be ſaved? what were theſe but the expreſſions of the ſeeds of grace that were in him? the next newes we heare, he did believe; now the Lord ſowes ſeeds of grace in the ſoul, and theſe break forth into hope, and deſires, and waitings for grace, theſe are the ſeeds of grace, and from thence comes this hope, but the other hope comes from grace it ſelf, it is true, that theſe ſeeds of grace are grace in themſelves, they are the work of grace for grace, but they are not gracefully and compleatly wrought in the ſoul.
2. They come from ſeveral apprehenſions.They come from ſeveral apprehenſions, the hope we now ſpeak of apprehends nothing but a poſſibility of pardon, that he may be pardoned, and have power over his ſins, he may attaine to be a new creature, and to be one of the redeemed of the Lord; and this is that which ſends him after God, and makes him trace him up and down, till the Lord doth it for him, but the other apprehends that he hath it already, or elſe reſts upon God for it, and hopes undoubtedly for the accompliſhment of it; this hope I now ſpeak of was in the King of Niniveh, Who knows but the Lord may repent, and turne from his fierce anger that we periſh not? I cannot tell, but there is hope it may be, and who knows but God will do it? And this hope made him humble himſelf, and ſeek to God, and there was a publike kinde of reformation outwardly. So it is here, the Lord lets in ſome hope; who knows but the Lord will yet ſhew mercy? and it is not only an imaginary hope, ſuch a hope as vaniſheth and leaves a man in the lurch, but this hope doth ſtir up a mans ſoul, and provoke a man to look out to God for that mercy, whereof he ſees a poſſibility of attaining.
I come now to the reaſons of the point, why the Lord doth work this hope in the ſoul, and the firſt is this; Leſt a man ſhould lie all along in deſpaire,Reaſ. 1. To prevent deſpaire. when the Lord ſhews a man his ſins and his miſery in regard thereof, if the Lord ſhould not put in this hope, a man would altogether deſpaire; it is impoſſible a man ſhould be able to ſtand, as Solomon ſaith, A wounded ſpirit who can beare? So, when the Lord chargeth a mans ſins and iniquities upon his conſcience, and aggravates all his ſinfulneſſe, a man would ſink under this burthen, and never be able to hold up his head, were it not for this hope, as we uſe to ſay; were it not for hope, the heart would break; ſo this is the reaſon why God puts in this hope, he doth it to ſtay the ſoul, that it may not ſink under the hand of God. I will revive the heart of the contrite ones, I will not contend with them for ever, Iſa. 57.16, 17. Leſt their ſpirits faile before me; as who ſhould ſay, if I ſhould let my wrath into their ſouls, and ſhould not put in this hope and reviving into their hearts, their very ſpirits would faile before me, and ſink under me, they would be at their wits end, and be utterly overwhelmed; therefore God puts in this that he may help their ſoules; if God ſhould ſhew a man his ſins as they are in his ire, and ſhew him all the corruption of his nature, and his filthineſſe from the womb, till now, and reckon with him for this in his ſoul, and conſcience, and let him ſee what a curſed creature he is, his ſpirit would faile before Almighty God, and the ſtouteſt creature under Heaven were not able to ſtand under it, but would rather take an haltar and hang himſelf then undergo it; now, when the Lord deales with a man, he puts in this ſupporting hope to ſtay him up, otherwiſe the ſoul were not able to hold.
Secondly,2. That a man may not be diſabled from looking after heaven. if the Lord ſhould not put in this hope it would utterly diſable a man from looking after Heaven; when a man conceives no hope, this breaks the neck of all his endeavours, a man will not toile for nothing, and lay out his ſtrength and all that is in him, when he conceives he hath no hope at all; He that plowes, plowes in hope, &c. 1 Cor. 9.10. therefore when a man can hardly ſee any hope, this doth ever vale a man, it makes a man rather deſpaire; it makes a man do as commonly people do when they ſee they muſt go to hell, they fill their ſouls with pleaſures and delights, there is little hope for them to come into the ſtrict way, that they will ever be able to beare it, that they may have mercy like thoſe wretches, Jer. 2.25. There is no hope, &c. there is no hope, we have loved our own luſts, and after them we will go; When people have not hope to get through, this makes them deſperate, they care not what they do, and they grow careleſſe and negligent, many a man hath ſaid ſo, I was of the minde once to be preciſe, but the further I pried into it, the worſe I was; and theſe Preachers will make a man mad; when people finde humiliation ſo hard a thing, they think they are not able to wade through and ſo leave it, when they have no hope to go on, they grow remiſs, and looſe, and careleſſe in this kinde, it makes a man deſperate when this hope is gone; therefore when the Lord hath a minde to do good to a man and encourage him to go on in the wayes of holineſſe, he puts ſome hope into the ſoul; and when a man ſees ſome hope, then he will pray and faſt, and humble himſelf, the Lord lets in this hope, and ſo prepares a man for himſelf.
Thirdly, becauſe he will not do all at once,3. Becauſe God will not do all at once. but work upon a man by degrees, the Lord could put faith into the ſoul at firſt, but the Lord will firſt make a man a probationer of faith, the Lord will firſt have the ſeed ſowen, and then quicken in the ground, and then have a blade, and then an eare, and then harveſt.
Again,4. That he may be ſought to for every mercy. the Lord will ſo do it, that he may be ſought to for every mercy; and therefore firſt the Lord gives a man natural parts, that he may come to Church and hear the Word, and then the Lord knocks him down that he may be abaſed; and then he ſhatters him all to pieces, that he may look out for hope; and then when he hath gotten hope, the Lord makes him ſeek out for faith; and when he hath gotten faith, to ſeek out for other graces; and when he hath them, to ſeek for the accompliſhment of them; the Lord will be ſought to for every thing, and it is fit we ſhould ſeek to him; though the parent doth not engender the reaſonable ſoul in the babe, but God doth create it immediately, yet none of us do count marriage ſuperfluous; ſo though God doth give this grace of faith only, yet we are not to account the uſing of means in vain, the Lord doth not power in humane wit into ſtocks and ſtones, but into a body fitted and ordered for a reaſonable ſoul; ſo it is in reſpect of faith and grace, the creature ſhall be firſt ordered and fitted for grace; there muſt be preparation and a foregoing work; it is his manner of working, he will ſo work as he will ſtill be ſought unto of all his people, though they have not faith, if they have hope, they ſhall ſeek to him for faith; as it is with a Scholar, if he will be a Scholar or Fellow of a Colledge, he muſt ſit for it; ſo the Lord will have a man ſit for it, he will have a man ſit at the pool of grace, and ſeek to him for it before he ſhall have it.
Uſe 1. To ſhew the graciouſnes of God.This ſhews us the graciouſneſs of our good God, that when he takes us to do for our ſins, He remembers us when we are in our low eſtate, for his mercy endures for ever, Pſal. 136.53. when we are at the brink of hell, at the very bottome of deſtruction, and in the belly of damnation, when we know not which way to turne our ſelves; then he remember us, for his mercy endures for ever; thus the Lord deals with his people for their good, as he opens the caſement, that his juſtice may look out upon us, ſo he ſets his mercy in the window that we may ſee it through the glaſſe, that we may not be overwhelmed, this is the goodneſs of God, and were it not for this, no man ſhould be able to abide his look, nor bear his diſpleaſure when he breakes out upon a man, this is the infinite goodneſs of our gracious God, to deal thus favourably with his people; therefore you that have gotten this hope, know, that the Lord might have held you down to this day, and he had juſtly ſerved you if he had done ſo; therefore whoſoever of you are in the briars do not repine and grumble, becauſe you are not refreſhed as others are; if you have but the leaſt cranny of hope to hang upon, make much of it, it is more then God owes you; how eaſily might the Lord teare the ſoul all in pieces, when he comes to deal with a man, when he ſhews a man his ſins and abominations? he might make them as heavy as rocks and mountaines unto him, and break him all to powder, it were juſt if he did ſo; now when the Lord puts in this hope, what a wonderful mercy is this? When God told Hezekiah, Behold thou ſhalt die, he preſently bade him take a lump of Figgs and healed the diſeaſe; ſo what a mercy is this, that God ſaith, Thou ſhalt die, thou art a damned creature, and bids him preſently take a plaiſter, and ſo recovers him.
Uſe 2. Comfort for believers.For comfort to all thoſe that are the Lords, though it be a poor faith, a poor hope that flowes from poſſibility only, yet I tell you that even believers may have need ſometimes to have reſort unto it, for how often hath the Devil been let looſe upon poor ſouls, even thoſe that are of God? as ſometimes he doth tempt them to preſumption, that ſo they may neglect their watch over themſelves; ſo it is his practice to drive us from one extreame to another, and hurry us to deſpair, and urge upon us that we have no faith, we have no grace, and are as ſure to be damned as if we were in hell already, David (Pſal. 31.22.) ſeems to be out of all hope to be ſaved, as if he were utterly undone, the ſervants of light many of them have found this too too true; how fearfully they have been perplexed and galled in minde, ſeeking releaſe, but could finde none, and pronouncing againſt themſelves bitter things, as if they had nothing of God in them, the devil dazling their eyes that they cannot ſee, and putting out of their minds all the ſweet paſſages of the Goſpel, and preaching nothing but the terrible paſſages of the Law, he that doubts is damned, and he that wavers is like a wave of the ſea, and he urgeth them with every vain thought, with every omiſſion, with every failing, and every ſin they have committed; it is ſtrange to ſee how ſome of Gods own people have reaſoned againſt themſelves, as if all the devils logick were in them, and all mercy were gone; thus the devil ſometimes deals with Gods people, that they cannot tell where to hold; they can ſee nothing to give any comfort or ſtay, they are ready to let go all and give over all hope; now what an excellent thing is this, if a man have this hope, that he may be never driven from God, that there is eternal life and forgiveneſſe in him, and all theſe things are attainable, I tell you, it is a great help to a man when he can ſay with the Church, Joel 2.13. Who can tell whether the Lord will turn, and leave a bleſſing behind him? a man that hath but this hope in him, it will never let him go off from God, and be quite overcome by Satan; ſo that though it be but a poor thing, yet it is worth a Kings ranſome in time of trouble.
To ſhew unto us how God doth work this hope,Uſe 3. Informe how God works this hope. and he works it, firſt, by rooting out of the heart all vaine hopes,1. By rooting out all vain hopes. and bringing in a better hope, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 7.19. The Law made nothing perfect; when God brought in Chriſt, he brought in a better hope; when God brings Chriſt to the ſoul, he brings a better hope into the ſoul; the ſoul before had a vaine hope, he prayed and came to Church, and was civil and well brought up, and had many good gifts, and many terrours and affrightments, all theſe are nothing but legal works; a man can never have hope in this; but when God brings in a better hope, he throws out all the other, he ſhoots his Law like a great Ordnance into the ſoul, and ſtrikes him dead, and makes him ſee there is no hope, all his vaine hopes are nothing, and ſtill the ſoul will be gathering falſe hopes, and returning to them, but the Lord throws them out ſtill, and puts in a better hope.
By ſetting a look upon the Goſpel,2. By ſetting a look upon the Goſpel. as the Goſpel tenders this to every creature to one as well as to another, ſo the Lord puts a particular look upon the Goſpel, as Peter ſaid to the lame man, look upon me, and this made him expect to receive an alms from him, Acts 3.4, 5. So the Lord makes a man look upon the Goſpel to minde the Goſpel, and regard and take notice of it, what it ſaith, for people let theſe things ſlip, but when God works this hope in the ſoul, he makes a man to mind the Goſpel, and makes as if it looked at him, and ſo he comes to have ſound hope in the Goſpel, as a beggar when a Gentleman puts his hand into his purſe, though he ſees nothing, yet he thinks he will give him ſomething; ſo the Lord puts his hand into his purſe, as it were, he lays his hand upon mercy, and lets the ſoul ſee him tendring of mercy, and this makes him hope he ſhall have mercy, he caſts a look upon him, and ſo affects and draws the ſoul, and he finds the Lord moving the ſoul, and inclining the heart, and weaning the ſoul from the world, and quickning him to ſeek after the things that are above.
By removing of all impoſſibilities that lie upon the ſoul,3. By removing all impoſſibilities. you know there is abundance of impoſſibilities that appear, as for a man to live in his ſinnes, a man then hath no heart to Chriſt, no heart to heavenly things, no mind to pray and to ſtrict courſes; it is impoſſible for a man in this caſe ever to attaine theſe things, when he hath no heart to them; now the Lord takes away that impoſſibility, and makes the ſoul ſee it is poſſible to attain theſe things; therefore there is a kinde of ſeed of regeneration going along with this, 1 Pet. 1.3. as there is a ſeed before regeneration it ſelf, before that hope that proceeds from juſtifying faith, ſo theſe ſeeds of regeneration are before this hope I now ſpeak of; the ſoul hath ſomething wherby it ſeeth a poſſibility, and the Lord ſhews him a way of recovery, and ſets up a ſtandard to guide him in the way, and takes away all impediments that hinder him in the way; and now the ſoul ſeeth it is poſſible to attain unto theſe things.
Uſe 4. Labour not to diminiſh this hope.If we have any ſuch hope as this, let us not labour to diminiſh it; but let it grow in us, it is an excellent mercy of God to begin this hope; if we have the leaſt crevis or cranny of it, let us make much of it, let us tender it, cheriſh it, for it will help us to pray and ſeek God, and let go our corruptions; it will enable us to do many things, when a man hath gotten this hope once; therefore, if we have it, let us put it on, as the Apoſtle ſaith, if you mean to go to heaven, you ſhall be ſure to meet with blows, therefore you ſhould have your helmet on; the devil will ſay, have you any hope to go to heaven, having ſuch a vile curſed heart? you were better give all over, for your betters have miſſed it; now we had need of this hope to be nouriſhed and cheriſhed in us; nay, though a man hath never ſo much faith, he ſhould cheriſh this more and more.
Queſt. How may this hope be cheriſhed.But how ſhall a man cheriſh it?
Anſ 1. Look to the power of God.I anſwer; firſt, look to the power of God; do not ſay, how ſhall I be able to do this and that? how ſhall I get my luſts to be mortified, and how ſhall I get my heart to ſubmit to God? but look unto the power of God, and do not limit the holy one of Iſrael; the Lord may pardon thy ſins and renue thy heart, therefore look unto the power of God. When Chriſt told his Diſciples, Mat. 16.24. that it is eaſier for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven; they were all aſtoniſhed, O ſay they, who then can be ſaved? Oh ſaith Chriſt, look unto God; 'tis true, with men it is impoſſible, for the heart and affections of a man are ſo glued to the things of this world; and he hath ſo much pleaſure and delight in the things of this life, that his heart cannot look after mercy with zeal and fervency; it is as impoſſible as for a cable to go through a needles eye, but ſaith he, look to the power of God, he is able to work it; a rich man may be ſaved for all this, if a rich man be touched with the ſence and feeling of his ſinnes, and have a heart to come to God, though he meet with never ſo many difficulties in his way, let him look unto the power of God, to whom nothing is hard.
2. Look to the freeneſs, indifferency and univerſality of the promiſes.Secondly, look to the freeneſſe of Gods promiſes, the indifferency and univerſality of the tender of them, whoſoever thirſteth, let him buy wine and milk without money, Eſay 55.1. when a doale is tendred to all at the doore; Why may not every beggar hope to receive it? ſo if mercy be free for every one that comes to Gods door for it; why mayſt not thou look up with hope? if thou haſt an heart, to it thou mayeſt; if thou haſt not an heart, thou art none of Gods; but if thou haſt an heart, look up to God, and be not diſmayed, but ſee the infiniteneſſe of Gods mercy, that as the heavens are higher then the earth, ſo his mercies are far above our thoughts and apprehenſions, and where ſinne abounds, grace abounds much more; there are many poor ſouls that would come to Chriſt, but thorough their daily diſtempers and untowardneſſe, and the temptations of Satan, they are repelled; they would come to God, but know not how; they have hardly any hope, theſe things are ſpoken for ſuch poor creatures.
Thirdly,3. Send often unto God by prayer. ſend often unto God, call upon his Name, as it is ſaid of Felix, when he hoped to receive money of Paul, he ſent often for him to commune with him, Acts 24.26. So ſend often to God, and be often communing with God, and calling upon his name; above all duties under heaven, there is no Ordinance helps a man more with communion with God then frequent prayer doth, or that the heart is more againſt then that; not pray out of formality, or in a perfunctory manner, but to pray indeed; of all duties I commend unto thee that, go to God and pray often, if thou wouldeſt hope to receive mercy at his hands.