A Little Cabinet, Section 26 – Section 27
Of the grace of hope, the nature of it, and the properties of it, and encouragements to it, and Characters of it.
IF any ask why I write of hope after love? I anſwer, becauſe I find it ſo ſet down in the Scriptures written for our learning, 1 Theſ. 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be ſober, putting on the breaſtplate of Faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of ſalvation. Now, firſt the nature of this hope may be thus. That hope of the Goſpel is a grace of God, whereby we expect good to come, patiently waiting till it come, Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we ſee not, then do we with patience wait for it. Look what the breſt is to the child, and the oyl to the lamp, ſuch is hope to the ſoul; it lives upon the promiſes, and every degree of hope, brings a degree of joy into the ſoul, Heb. 6. 18.
It is built upon the truth and faithfulneſs of God, 2 Tim. 2. 13. Or▪ the hope of a Chriſtian is built upon the love of Chriſt, the blood of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and the interceſſion of Chriſt, and the free grace of God, 1 Peter 1. 13. And upon the infinite power of God, Rom. 4. 21.
In a word, true hope doth conſiſt in Gods love in adoption, and the truth of his promiſes, and the power of performance, 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know in whom I have believed, and I am perſwaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, &c.
Or, hope is that vertue, whereby we expect all good things from God, and ſo patiently attend in the uſe of his appointed means, for all things that we need, Pſal. 22. 4, 5. and 37. 7. and that not only when we have the means, but alſo when we want all apparent means, as the Iſraelites did in the Deſart, &c.
Or, true hope is a well grounded and patient expectation of the accompliſhment of all thoſe ſpirituall and eternal good things, which God hath promiſed through Jeſus Chriſt, to all that believe and expect them.
Of the Properties of this hope.
1. FIrſt, this hope as an inward principle, works out pollution, and corruption, as being repugnant thereunto, 1 John 3. 3. And every one that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf, as he is pure.
2. Hope is alwaies more or leſs exerciſed about heavenly things, viz. Sometimes it is exerciſed about the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, ſometimes it is exerciſed about the love of God the Father in giving Chriſt: ſometimes hope is exerciſed about the word and promiſes, Pſal. 119. 49, 81, 114. and Pſa. 130. 5. In thy word do I hope.
Hope in the promiſes will keep the head from aking, and the heart from ſinking: in a word, the promiſes are the ladder by which hope gets up to heaven, and ſo hope in the promiſes will ſupport a diſtreſſed ſoul, and reduce a wandring ſoul: hope in the promiſes will confirm ſtaggering ſouls, and ſome undone ſouls: The promiſes are the Anchor of hope, as hope is the Anchor of the ſoul, See Rom. 8. 24. Gal. 5. 5. Tit. 1. 2.
3. Hope hath much in reverſion, though little in poſſeſſion; hope can ſee a glimpſe of heaven through the thickeſt cloud; hope can ſee light through darkneſs, life through death, ſmiles through frowns, and glory through miſery; hope holds life and ſoul the together; it holds the ſoul and the promiſes togeit holds the ſoul and heaven together.
4. Hope never takes off, but puts the ſoul upon doing and obeying, 1 Pet. 1. 3. it gives life and ſtrength to all our duties, 1 Cor. 9. 10.
5. Hope will enter into that within the vail, Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the ſoul, both ſure and ſtedfaſt, which entreth into that within the vail.
6. Another property of hope is this, it will help a ſoul to wait patiently upon God, for any thing it doth ſtand in need of, Rom. 8. 25. For if we hope for that we ſee not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Of the encouragements, to encourage us to hope in God.
1. FIrſt, this is the way for a Chriſtian to enjoy himfelf, and to have God take pleaſure in him alſo, Pſal. 147. 11. The Lord takes pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy, Pſal. 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lordis upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their ſouls from death, &c.
2. A believers comfort, hope, joy, and confidence ſhould be the ſame at all times, and that for theſe five unanſwerable reaſons.
1. Becauſe God is unchangeable, John 13. 1.
2. Becauſe God ever looks upon his, as they are in Chriſt, Gal. 5. 17. Pſal 103. 14.
3. Becauſe the hope and comfort of a believer depends not upon his own doings, but upon Chriſts holineſs and righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1. 30▪ 2 Tim. 1. 9. Heb. 13. 8.
4. Becauſe Chriſt and all true believers in a ſenſe are one, 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. Epheſ. 5. 30. Heb. 2. 11.
5. Becauſe we are not beloved for our own ſakes, but for Chriſts ſake, Mat. 3. 17. compared with Iſa. 43. 25. Mich. 7. 18, 19, 20.
6 I might ſpeak of many more encouragements, viz. As God doth command us to hope in him, and commends us for ſo doing, and blames and threatens us for not hoping in his mercy.
But if I ſhould ſpeak of every thing diſtinctly, I perceive my book would ſwell to a greater volumn then I intended.
Of the diſtinguiſhing Characters between a well grounded, and a preſumptuous hope.
1. FIrſt, the hopes of a regenerate man, it is gotten by, and grounded upon the word of God, and therefore it is called the hope of the Goſpel, Col. 1. 23. Rom. 15. 4. But now the hopes of wicked men, as they are gotten they know not how, ſo neither do they know upon what they are grounded, &c.
2. True hope is bottomed upon the mercies of God, and the merits of Chriſt: and hence it is that Chriſt is called our hope, 1 Tim. 1. 1. Becauſe he is the foundation, upon which believers do build all their hopes. But now the falſe and preſumptuous hopes of the wicked, are built upon their own duties, what they have done for themſelves, Mich. 3. 11.
3. True hope doth as well act for heaven, as hope for heaven, Pſal. 37. 3. Truſt in the Lord and do good; here is truſting and doing put together; true hope doth act for heaven, as well as hope for heaven.
But a preſumptuous hope, that hopes for heaven, as its end, but never acts holineſs, as its way to heaven: in a word, falſe hope doth hope much and act little. Wicked men will hope for ſalvation, but not work out their ſalvation, &c.
4. He that hath true hope, doth make conſcience to keep his heart pure and free, both from the love of ſin, and the dominion of ſin, 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf, as he is pure: that is, he doth endeavour ſo to do at leaſt.
But now a falſe hope will hope for heaven, though he walk on after the imaginations of his own heart, as in Iſaiah 51. 10. Thou haſt walked in the greatneſs of thy wicked waies, yet ſayeſt thou not, there is no hope: though they had great ſins, yet they had great hopes for heaven, but this hope is only a preſumptuous hope.
5. True hope flows from a long, and well grounded experience in the waies of God, and from an experience of the grace, and beauty, and love of God to him, and from experience of the goodneſs and mercy, and promiſes of God, and alſo from an experience from his own heart, which in ſome meaſure is enabled by Chriſt to withſtand temptations, ſubdue corruptions. Such experiences as theſe are inlets to a well grounded hope. But now, the hopes of wicked men and women, are only the reſults of duplicate page duplicate page ignorance, deluding and preſumptuous hopes, without any former experience of the ways of God, ſurely ſuch hopes are vain and empty hopes, that will end in miſerv, Prov. 11. 7. The hope of the wicked ſhall be cut off, and when he dies his expectation ſhall periſh. See Job 8. 14. Whoſe hope ſhall be cut off, and whoſe truſt ſhall be a ſpiders Web. See Job 11. 20. Their hope ſhall be as the giving up of the ghoſt, therefore let us take heed that we do not fancie to our ſelves falſe hopes of heaven on the one hand, and have as much care on the other hand; that you do not caſt off grounded hopes, and ſay, there is no hope, and have as much care that you do not harbour in your hearts, common and ordinary conceits of this grace of hope: for there is the ſame certainty, the ſame excellency, and the ſame efficacy in this grace of hope, as there is in Faith and love. Firſt, there is the ſame certainty in it, Heb. 6. 11. It is called the full aſſurance of hope. Secondly, there is the ſame excellency in it. Tit. 2. 13. It is called a bleſſed hope, and there is alſo the ſame efficacy in it: for as faith is ſaid to purifie the heart, Act. 15. 9. So likewiſe doth hope, 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him, doth purifie himſelf, as he is pure. Again, there is the ſame difficulty in getting hope, as there is in getting Faith; for as it is gotten by the word preached, ſo is hope too, Col. 1. 23. And if Faith be wrought in us by the power of God, as Heb. 12. 2. So is hope likewiſe wrought in us by the power of the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 15. 13. That ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghoſt, let our faith and hope then …e in God, 1 Pet. 1. 21. and let us not be moved away from the hope of the Goſpel. Col. 1. 23.
The great Pillar of Marble that muſt bear up our hope, is the promiſes of God in Chriſt; he that builds his hopes for heaven only upon his own performances and good duties, his hope is in vain; for this is not the pillar and ground of our hope, for when we have done all that we can, we muſt lie down at the feet of Chriſt, and conclude, that our beſt righteouſneſs is but ſilthy rags; and when we have done all that we can, we are but unprofitable ſervants, Iſa 64. 6. Luke 17. 10.
Of Perſeverance, what it is.
It is the end that crowns the action: it is not enough to begin well, unleſs we end well; Mannaſſeh and Paul began ill, ended well; Judas and Demas began well, but ended ill; Double damnation doth attend thoſe that begin in the Spirit, and end in the fleſh; Perſevering Saints muſt work hard in the wilderneſs, before they ſit down in Paradice; they muſt make a conſtant progreſsin holineſs, before they enter into happineſs.
1. That perſeverance that is true, is, a perſeverance in holy and ſpiritual principles, it is an abiding in love, John 15. 9, 10. Col. 1. 23. If ye continue in the Faith grounded and ſettled, and be not removed away from the hope of the Goſpel: See 1 Tim. 2. 15. Heb. 13. 1. 1 Cor. 13. 13.
A perſevering Chriſtian doth hold on, and hold out to the end, Mat. 10. 22. Mat. 24. 12, 13. Rev. 2. 10. Be thou faithful unto the Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life.
2. It is a perſeverance in believing, in repenting▪ in mourning, in hoping, in loving, in fear, in humility, and in patience, and ſelf-denyal; it is perſeverance in grace that doth crown every grace, and every gracious ſoul with the crown of glory at the laſt, Rev. 2. 10.
3. In a word, that which the Holy-Ghoſt calls perſeverance, hath this ingredient in it, it is an abiding in the Word and Doctrine of Chriſt. Iohn 15. 7. 1 Iohn 2. 24. Iohn 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word, then are you my Diſciples indeed: A true Chriſtian doth conſtantly maintain war, and uſually obtain victo…y; he is reſolved to conquer, or die conquering.
We read Acts 8. 43. that Paul and Barnabas perſwaded the Chriſtians to continue in the grace of God: for if we continue not, we ſhall be cut off, Rom. 11. 22.