The Holy Arbor, Chapter 5 · Section 1 · Commandment 1 · Section 5
§. 5. Of Hope.
HOpe is an infallible and moſt comfortable expectation of all the Promiſes made by God unto the Faithful for Chriſts ſake, and ſo of an allaiment of preſent afflictions, and of a final deliverance from the ſame; and laſtly, an earneſt looking for all thoſe bleſſings neceſſary to ſalvation, according to the good will and pleaſure of God. This Hope ſpringeth from Faith, for he that is certain of the preſent will of God towards him, that is aſſured of his grace and favor, hath alſo certain and aſſured promiſes of the time to come; For God is unchangeable, yea, and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Now when we believe on true, ſound, and undeceiveable grounds that Chriſt is ours, that heaven is ours, that our ſins are pardoned, and that we are the Adopted ſons of God; then comes in Hope, and that paſſionately expecteth that which is to come; yea, though Perſecution, Fire, Sword, Famine, Peſtilence, Bondage, and thouſands of other croſſes and calamities involve us to eclipſe our Faith, this Hope holds us above the Waves, makes us danger-proof, roots us unanchorable, and at length brings us ſafe to our expected haven.
The diverſe Acceptation of Hope in Scripture:
1. For the thing hoped for, Tit. 2.13. Eph. 1.18.
2. It ſignifies the perſon we hope in, Pſal. 46.1.
3. It is taken for the Object of our hope, which is onelyonly good things to come, Col. 1.5.
4. For the certainty of future glory, Rom. 5.4, 5.
5. It is taken for a Theological vertue by which we hope, 1 Cor. 13.13.
Hope is twofold:
1. Counterfeit; as
1. Such as Papiſts have, grounded upon their own Merits, not on God.
2. Deceitful, ſuch as ignorant Chriſtians on their Death-beds preſume to have.
3. Of thoſe who put their hope in men, wealth, &c. or partly in theſe, partly in God.
2. True, ſound and ſaving, which is the gift of God wrought in our hearts by his Spirit, that we being perſwaded by Faith of Gods Goodneſs, Truth, Fidelity and Power, do wait with patience for the fulfilling of his Promiſes, eſpecially that main Promiſe of Salvation in the life to come.
The grounds of Hope are the full perſwaſion of
1. The goodneſs of God, which is
1. General, to all, to juſt and unjuſt, Pſal. 145.9.
1. Special, whereby in a more ſpecial maner he is good to the faithful, which is
1. Unchangeable, Rom. 11.29.
2. Invincible; the Devil nor his Inſtruments cannot hinder it.
3. Everlaſting; becauſe it never fadeth, but endureth for ever.
2. The Truth of God, which is conſidered
1. In God himſelf 3 ways:
1. In his Eſſence, by which he is truly Exiſtent.
2. In Quality, by which all ſpoken of him in Scripture is moſt true.
3. In Operation, by which all his works are agreeable to his Nature, moſt truly good, void of all falſhood, Rev. 15.3. Pſal. 111.7.
2. In his Word, which is moſt pure and holy as himſelf, it is Truth it ſelf, Joh. 17.17. For it is
1. The Word of God who is Truth it ſelf.
2. It containeth no falſhood, onelyonly that which is true.
3. It is a ſpecial means to bring us to the knowledge of the Truth.
3. The fidelity and faithfulneſs of God, Pſal. 89.34.28. Tit. 1.9.
4. The Power and Omnipotency of God, being able to perform his Promiſe, Rom. 4.21.
To the right maner of the exerciſe of Hope, is required
1. Patience towards God and man, Luke 21.19. Heb. 10.36.
2. Aſſurance; it is Faith and Hope's nature to be certain: we muſt hope aſſuredly for the Promiſe. Thus Abraham, Rom. 4.20.21.
3. Earneſtneſs; which is a fervent deſire of the Soul, looking and earneſtly expecting the day of Chriſt, and the accompliſhment of the Promiſe.
4. Chearfulneſs; which is an inward rejoycing in the heart, proceeding from the perſwaſion of participation of Celeſtial glory in the world to come.
5. Continuance and perſeverance, even in the midſt of the moſt dangerous and comfortleſs Afflictions, Iſa. 26.4.
Our Hope muſt be ſtedfaſt, immoveable and continual, for theſe Reaſons:
1. Becauſe the Malice of the Wicked, the Temptations of Satan, the Scoffs in the World, and the Corruption of our Nature, are continually ſeeking our deſtruction, 1 Pet. 5.8, 9.
2. Becauſe the Lord hath given us the Victory over Sin, Death and Hell, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.17, 18.
3. Becauſe the Promiſe is made to none but thoſe that endure and hold out unto the end, Mat. 24.13.
4. Becauſe unleſs our hope be conſtant, we are none of Gods children, none of his Spiritual Temple, neither doth God dwell in our hearts by his Spirit, Heb. 3.6.
Hope is the Helmet of Salvation, 1 Theſſ. 5.8. which is thus applied to Hope for theſe Reaſons:
1. Becauſe Salvation is the main end of our Hope, that which above all other things we wait for: when we come to the poſſeſſion of it, then hath Hope her end and period.
2. Becauſe it is a ſpecial means of attaining to Salvation: we are ſaved by Hope, Rom. 2.24. This is that Cord whereby we hold faſt to all Gods Promiſes, which will not be let go until we enjoy Salvation.
3. Becauſe it herein differs from the Hope of Worldlings, which reacheth no further then to the things of this life: therefore when they dye, their hope periſheth, Prov. 11.17.
The two ſpecial and principal Properties of Hope; viz.
1. Aſſurance, in regard whereof Hope maketh not aſhamed, Rom. 5.5. Diſappointeth not; therefore it is worthily termed The Anchor of the Soul both ſure and ſtedfaſt, Heb. 6.19.
2. Patience, for if we hope for that we ſee not, we do with patience wait for the accompliſhment of it, Rom. 8.25. 1 Theſſ. 1.3.
Some men have neither Faith, Hope nor Fear, as
1. Atheiſts, that have ſome vain Hope, but no Fear.
2. Devils and deſperate men, that have ſome Fear, but no Hope.
3. Preſumptuous men, who have but a ſhadow of Faith.
How Hope is gotten preſerv'd and well uſed:
1. It is gotten by the ſame means that Faith is: for it is the Daughter of Faith. The means which beget Faith, do immediately hereupon beget Hope.
2. It is preſerv'd
1. By a due conſideration and full perſwaſion of Gods Promiſes: As
1. His Free-grace.
2. His Infinite Power.
3. His Infallible Truth.
4. His Unſearchable Wiſdom.
2. By a faithful Remembrance of Gods former dealings, ſpecially with our ſelves, whereof we have two notable Examples, one of Jacob, Gen. 32.10. the other of David, 1 Sam. 17.37.
3. It is well uſed
1. By caſting the Anchor of Hope on a ſure ground, Heb. 6.19. which is Gods Promiſe revealed in his Word.
2. By faſt fixing it on that ſure ground; that is, when his Promiſes are ſtedfaſtly believed.
3. By often ſetting and fixing it anew, by oft renewing the hold; that is, by meditating again and again in thoſe Promiſes, which we have known and believed, and oft calling to minde Gods former benefits, and performance of his Promiſes.
Hope is very neceſſary in theſe four reſpects:
1. In regard of the time which God hath ſet down for the accompliſhment of his Promiſes, which time is oft both unknown and long dated; though the time be of God certainly determined; ſo as it cannot be prevented, Joh. 7.30. nor ſhall be over-paſſed, Heb. 2.3. yet it is not always made known unto us, Mat. 13.32. Acts 1.7.
2. In regard of thoſe many troubles and perplexities which do fall out betwixt the making and accompliſhing of Gods Promiſes. Iſrael may be a ſad witneſs hereof, ere they enjoyed the promiſed Canaan.
3. In regard of the Scoffs and Reproaches of the wicked, as when the accompliſhment of the Promiſes is deferred, 2 Pet. 3.4. alſo in time of Affliction, Pſal. 42.10. and in the extremity of Affliction, Pſa. 3.2.
4. In regard of our own weakneſs: for we are very prone by Nature to think, That God remembers not his Promiſes, eſpecially if he delay their accompliſhment, or bring us to any ſtraights, and ſeem to hide his face.
God draweth the Will to Take Chriſt, and ſo the Mind to Hope in the Promiſes, by theſe 3 means; viz.
1. By being perſwaded what the miſerable condition of man is, that is not yet come to Chriſt, that is not yet in him, nor partaker of his Benefits.
2. By the good that we ſhall get by it.
3. That he ſhall not loſe his labor if he do attempt it: Now Faith onelyonly applies the Promiſes with boldneſs; but we are not affected with Spiritual Priviledges, becauſe we look on them with a general eye, as matters of fancy and ſpeculation, becauſe we ſee no ſuch thing, we have no feeling of them. And the Promiſes of God are always to be underſtood with an Exception of the Croſs of the godly, and of the puniſhments and chaſtiſements of ſuch as depart from God and Sin, or with a condition of perſeverance in Faith and godlineſs.
When thou ſeeſt that thou haſt put thy Seal to the Truth, that thou believeſt the Promiſes, and hopeſt in them, then conſider whether God hath put his Seal to thee. Now we muſt know that there is a double Seal:
1. Secret; that is, the Secret Witneſs that God gives to every mans heart, as a Privy-Seal that God ſets on it.
2. A more Open one, in life and converſation, whereby he enables us to depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.29.
Hope and Faith differ
1. In their Order: Faith is firſt, for it bringeth forth Hope; Faith is the ground of things hoped for, Heb. 11.1.
2. In the kinde of Object: Faith is of things paſt, Heb. 11.3. and preſent, Joh. 20.19. Hope, onelyonly of things to come.
3. In their Nature: Faith believeth the very Truth of Gods Promiſes, and ſealeth that God is true; Hope waiteth till God manifeſt and accompliſh his Truth.
In like maner Hope and Preſumption differ: Now Preſumption may be theſe four ways:
1. When men live in their ſins without Faith and Repentance, preſuming of the Mercy of God; and becauſe God is merciful, they take occaſion to ſin more freely.
2. When men perſwade themſelves they hope in God, when indeed they do not; perſwading themſelves upon no ground, That they live in expectation of the life to come, being deſtitute of ſaving Knowledge, Faith and Repentance.
3. When men live in ſin, thinking afterwards to convert themſelves when they liſt.
4. When men preſuming too much on their own power and ſtrength, even after Converſion, think they ſtand ſo faſt they cannot fall.
The Signs of found Hope:
1. A purging of our ſelves to reſemble God in purity, 1 Joh. 3.3.
2. True filial fear of God, Pſal. 147.11.
3. A weaning our ſelves from the moſt deſireable outward things of this life: and that for theſe Reaſons; viz.
1. They cannot poſſibly fill the unlimited deſire of the Soul.
2. They cannot ſecure the Conſcience, diſtreſſed with the apprehenſion of the Wrath of God, or prevent his Judgements.
3. They cannot ſtretch themſelves unto Eternity.
4. A Rejoycing for the Salvation in the laſt day, and in this Joy a Delight in the means, as the Word and Sacraments, Prayer, good and godly men, &c.
Motives to labor for true Hope; viz.
1. The Commandment of God, and the Admonition to Hope ſo frequently multiplied in the holy Scripture, Pſal. 42.5. & 43.5. & 37.34, 7. & 27.14.
2. The Excellency of Hope, for God himſelf is called The God of Hope, Rom. 15.13. it is alſo called Bleſſed Hope, Tit. 2.13.
3. The Profit of this Grace of Hope; as Piety, 1 Joh. 3.3. Comfort in affliction, Phil. 1.21, 23. Bleſſedneſs, Pſal. 146.5.
4. The Neceſſity of it, for without it we Chriſtians were of all men the moſt miſerable, 1 Cor. 15.19.
The means to attain unto Hope viz.
1. Diligent and fervent prayer to God, Eph. 1.18.
2. We muſt labor for a full perſwaſion of the Goodneſs, Truth, Fidelity, and Power of God towards us, Rom. 15.13.
3. We muſt labor to have a true experience of Gods love and favor towards us, 1 Sam. 17.31 unto 51.
4. We muſt put upon us the whole Armor of God, Eph. 6.11, 12, &c.
5. We muſt be often converſant in Reading, Hearing, Conferring and Meditating on the Scripture, Rom. 5.4.
The Vices repugnant to Hope, and forbidden in this Commandment; viz.
1. Deſpair, which is to eſteem our ſins to be greater then the merit of the Son of God, and to refuſe the Mercy of God offered in his Son the Mediator; and therefore not to look for thoſe Bleſſings which are promiſed unto the godly, but to be tormented with an horrible ſenſe and feeling of Gods wrath, and with a fear of being hereafter caſt away into everlaſting pains, and to ſtand in horror of God, and to hate him as if he were cruel.
2. A Doubting of the Bleſſings to come, which are expreſſed in the Word, as of everlaſting life, and of final perſeverance. This Doubtfulneſs neither ſtedfaſtly aſſenteth to the Doctrine of God, nor altogether gainſays it, but being floating and wavering, hath a weak inclination, now to one part, and now to another.
3. Carnal Security, which is, To live without thinking of God or his Will, or of our own infirmity and dangers, and without acknowledging or bewailing of our ſins, and without the fear of God, and yet to promiſe unto our ſelves an indempnity from the anger of God, and from puniſhment without Faith or Repentance.
Suppoſe the World a Sea, on whoſe uneven
Tempeſtuous Waves ſails Man that's bound for Heaven;
Whoſe Ʋnderſtanding at the Rudder ſtands,
To dictate to the Will what ſhe commands
Th'Affections, who Ʋſurper-like do ſway,
Command and Rule that Power they ſhould obay;
Whereby the Veſſel oft miſcarries, and
The Fraught of Graces ſwallowed in the ſand.
When Romes Euroclidons from Hell are ſent,
Faith's ſhipwrack'd, 'leſs Hopes Anchor doth prevent.