Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Shewing how a Man may diſcerne the ſoundneſſe of his Hope.
THe carnall mans having no hope of ſalvation, building his hopes upon rotten and deceitfull pillars, miniſters occaſion to every man to ſee that he build his hopes of ſalvation by Chriſt upon firme and ſure grounds, and that he have cleare and lively evidence hereof in himſelfe.
The Queſtion therefore here will be, how a man may diſcerne the truth and ſoundnes of his hope? For anſwer whereunto you muſt know that whereof true and …ound hope is, there is,
1. Preparation to Chriſt.1. A preparation fitting and diſpoſing of the whole man to Chriſt and the things of Christ, for Christ, and the ſervice of Christ: This the Apoſtle cals a guirding up of the loines of the mind, Gird up (ſaith he) the loines of your mind, and hope perfectly: Doe as travellers that weare long garments, as they gird up their garments, that they may not hinder and tire them in their travell, that they may walke freely and cheerfully in their Journey: Thus take off your hearts and thoughts from the world, disburthen your ſelves of all carnall luſts, and worldly diſtractions, raiſe your thoughts and deſires to Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt, caſt aſide all impediments, and come ſpeedily, fully, freely, and joyfully unto Chriſt. It is ſaid of Rebeckah, having reſolved to joyne herſelfe in wedlocke with Iſaack, upon the motion of Eleazer, Abrahams ſervant, that ſhe roſe up and her o damoſels, and they rode upon Camels and followed the man. The ſoule being upon the motion and perſwaſion of Gods Miniſter, reſolved to take Chriſt to Husband, and having aſſured hope of enjoying everlaſting conſortſhip with Chriſt, riſeth up from the earth, and all the faculties, thoughts and affections thereof riſe together with it, and come ſpeedily, not ſlowly but on horſebacke, with all readineſſe to Chriſt, following the holy and wholſome inſtruction of Gods Miniſters, ſhe forſakes (as the Pſalmiſt ſaith) her fathers houſe, and forgetteth her owne people, rejecteth her old wayes, cuſtomes, and carnall acquaintance, and commeth unto Chriſt in her garment of needle-worke, prepared and beautified by Gods Spirit: The more a man doth hope in Chriſt, the more he prepares himſelfe for Chriſt, the more fully he applyes himſelfe to Chriſt, and the more he ſtrives for full communion with Chriſt.
2. Study and practiſe of holineſſe. 1 Iohn 3.3.2. There is an earneſt and conſtant ſtudy and practiſe of holineſſe. Hope of ſalvation by Chriſt works conformity with Chriſt: Every man (ſaith Saint John) that hath this hope, purifieth himſelfe as Chriſt is pure. He that hath moſt hope of being ſaved, is moſt laborious to be ſanctified; whoſoever hath this hope, ſinne is the fowleſt ſpot in his eye, the heavieſt burthen to his backe, and the moſt troubleſome inmate in the houſe of his ſoule; and therefore he putteth himſelfe to it to the utmoſt to purge this out, and againe holineſſe is to his eye the moſt glorious Starre, to his noſthrill the ſweeteſt flower, in his eſtimation the choiſeſt pearle, and the nobleſt crowne, and therefore ſtrives to excell in this; and to be like Chriſt, is taken by him for the greateſt happineſſe; he that ſaith, he hopes to be ſaved, and yet labours not to be ſanctified, doth but dreame and not hope, whoſoever waits for Heaven waits for it in the way of ſanctification.
3. Holy Patience.3. There is a holy patience towards God. The ſoule conſtantly and quietly cleaving to the Lord, in ſeeking and waiting for all bliſſe and happineſſe from the Lord, though for the preſent exerciſed with many temptations and tryals, and having it's comfort many times eclipſed and much obſcured, never repining againſt God, never preſcribing to God, never ſtepping aſide to any forbidden meanes from God,Iſa. 8.17. but quieting it ſelfe in the will of God, wa…ing upon the Lord when he hides his face from him, and looking for him, as he that hath ſeen the Sun in the day time, and hath aſſured hope of the Suns returne, waits for him patiently in the darkeſt night, untill his riſing and re-appearing: thus he that hath felt the light of Gods countenance ſhining upon him, and hath aſſured hope of the ſenſible returne of Gods favour, waits for it with patience in the darkeſt night of his diſtreſſe,Pſal. 30. being aſſured that his anger endureth but a moment, and that in his favour is life, that weeping may endure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning. He that hath the moſt aſſured hope of receiving good things from God, is beſt able to quiet himſelfe in the will of God: Mans hope of enjoying future comforts doth very much mitigate and ſweeten mans preſent ſorrowes: If we hope for that we ſee not, Rom. 8.25.then (ſaith Saint Paul) doe we with patience wait for it.
4. There is ioy and delight in God and Chriſt. 4. Delight in God & Chriſt.He that aſſuredly hopes and waits for the receiving of all good from God and Chriſt, for a full, a ſweet, and everlaſting communion with God and Chriſt, cannot but rejoyce and delight himſelf in God and Chriſt: The betrothed woman which hath aſſured hopes of enjoying a comfortable wedlocke with ſuch a man, hath many joyfull thoughts of him; the betrothed ſoule aſſuredly hoping for a comfortable, honourable, and everlaſting wedlocke with Chriſt, hath many joyfull and ſoule-raviſhing meditations touching Chriſt, rejoycing and delighting in him as in the root which gives him life, as in the Sun which ſends him light, as in the treaſure where he finds all riches, as in the Paradiſe wherein he meets with all comforts, and as in the Arke which beares him up in every deluge; Chriſt is the onelyonly joy of ſuch as hope in him,Rom. 5.2. reioycing in hope of the glory of God, and being begotten againe to a lively hope, we reioyce therein with ioy glorious and unspeakable. His hopes an Chriſt are dreames, falſhoods, and carnall preſumptions, who doth not delight himſelfe in the Lord Jeſus.
5. There is holy Security and boldneſſe of heart, 5. Holy ſecurity.and a ſweet acquieſcence in the favour of God ſhining upon the ſoule through the face of Jeſus Christ, inabling a man to poſſeſſe his ſoule in peace and patience in the midſt of all troubles, as the ſhip lyeth ſafe at anker in the haven, in the midſt of the ſtormy tempest; inabling man after many difficulties,Pſal. 116. and ſharp conflicts to ſay, Returne unto thy reſt, O my ſoule, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; apprehending God as a Father, Chriſt as a Husband, the promiſe of God as a firme and ſure rocke to ſupport him, the Attributes of God as ſo many Chryſtall ſtreames to refreſh him, as ſo many beames of the higheſt and moſt glorious Sun to warme him, as ſo many hiding places to ſhadow and ſhelter him, and all the ſeverall acts and paſſages of Gods providence, as ſo many outgoings of Gods love and mercy towards him, cauſing him to glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, Rom. 5.3.and hope maketh not aſhamed.
Laſtly, in a word, where true Chriſtian hope is, it makes a man thinke humbly of himſelfe, and highly of Chriſt, hoping for nothing from himſelf but for all things from Chriſt, it emptieth man of himſelfe, and cauſeth him to fetch all from the fulneſſe of Chriſt; it cauſeth him to have his whole dependance upon Chriſt, as the houſe upon the rocke, depending upon him for life to quicken him, wiſedome to direct him, power to uphold him, righteouſneſſe to juſtifie him, holineſſe to ſanctifie him, mercy to forgive him, peace to quiet him, and bleſſing to make all ſucceſſefull to him, &c. True hope makes a man,Pſal. 31.24. a man of courage in all holy undertakings, in the open profeſſion of God and his Teſtimonies, in the patient tolleration of all afflictions, in the Chriſtian and conſtant abiding of all reproaches and contradictions for the Lord Jeſus: This inables man to poſſeſſe his ſoule in a holy ſilence, when the world loades him with the heavy burden of many wrongs and injuries,Pſ. 38 14, 15. this fils him with fervent and frequent Prayers, and ſupplications; the more he hopes, the more he prayes, and the ſweeter anſwer he receiveth to the Petition which his ſoule maketh, hope of finding much quickens and ſtrengthens man in ſeeking, unfained hope in God is ever attended with ſome comfortable manifeſtation of God. God will not leave that ſoule in darkneſſe which hopes in his mercies, the hoping ſoule ever meets with matter of prayſes and rejoycings after long ſorrowes and patient waitings.