15. 3. To be ashamed of their hope Iob 6. 20. Isa 1. 29. and 20. 5. and 30. 5. 4. Great hurt Hos 12. 1. Ephraim feedeth on wind and followeth the East-wind The East wind in those eastern countries was an hot skorching wind that blasted things and made them wither Gen. 41. 6. Ezek. 17. 10. As Pharaoh was to the people of Israel so are all false objects of hope the staffe of a broken reed whereon if a man leane it will go into his hand and pierce it Isa 36. 6. Many have found it so on their death beds and in Hell for ever 2. Hence believers are to be reproved who do not exercise this hope but give way to discouragement in times of affliction For 1. Hereby they make themselves unfit to perform duties towards God and men in a right manner Towards God in prayer and receiving the word and the outward seales of the Covenant and in thanks-giving and praysing God Towards men in an amiablenesse towards all and in merciful helpfulnesse towards the afflicted 2. They dishonour Religion by strengthening ignorant and profane persons in a false conceit that Religion is but a melancholick humour 3. They weaken themselves and others Themselves For from fainting comes discouragement and thence halting and from thence an aptnesse to be turned out of the good way For take away hope and you take away all endeavor Others also if they be weak will be offended and if they be prejudiced will be apt to insult and to twit such as Eliphaz did Iob in Iob 4. 3. to 7. 4. They give Satan great advantages against themselves who diligently observeth such times when Christians are under deep despondency of spirit when they have laid aside their helmet to wound and weaken them more he will then ply them with suggestions to make them believe any thing against God and against the Scripture and against themselves and to conclude desperate things to their own hurt Object This is my case therefore I never had a right hope in God Answ Thus one iscouragement followes upon another as circles in the water whereinto a stone is cast which should humble you for neglect of stirring up your hope unto excercise But yet let it not discourage you For true hope is sometimes in a believer as in those trees spoken of in Isa 6. 13. Whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves It is onely winter with you then life is hid in the root though no signe of it appears outwardly that you may learn not to trust in grace received but in Christ depending on him to quicken and actuate his own gifts of grace in you waiting with fervent desires and prayers for the Sun of righteousnesse to arise upon you with healing in his wings In the mean time remember that Christ himself hath pronounced them blessed who are poor in spirit and mourn are meek and hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and that he hath promised unto such that heaven is theirs they shall be comforted shall inherit the earth and shall be satisfied Let such encouragements quicken your hope and quiet your hearts that it shall be with you according to his Word and that your hope so grounded shall not make you ashamed Vse 2. For Instruction in three particulars 1. How to bring and keep the object and this act God and this hope together 2. How to try whether you hope in God aright or not 3. How to exercise this hope in sundry cases in which you may be called to the practice of it This instruction is necessary at all times and especially in these times wherein we may have more necessitous use of this hope then many do imagine Therefore I shall the more studiously insist in clearing these particulars speaking to the first at this time with the help of Christ 1. How to bring and keep the object and act God and this hope together The holy Pen-man of the Epistle to the Hebrewes in Heb. 3. 6. compares the Church of God to an house saying whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope firme to the end As it is in the building of an house so it must be in the building of this hope In the building of an house that it may be strong and kept strong three things are necessary 1. That a strong foundation be well laid 2. That the house be strongly built upon it 3. That it be kept in due repair So it must be in this great businesse whereof we now speak 1. A strong foundation of hope must be well laid 2. Our hope must be strongly built upon it 3. We must be careful that our hope be continually kept in due repair Of these three we shall speak distinctly and shall endeavour to shew how they are to be done 1. For the first God himself as he makes himself and his will known unto us by his written Word is the onely suitable object and strong foundation or ground-work of this hope Therefore the Church in my Text saith I will hope in him For in him alone are the properties of that object on which true hope must rely A man can be in no condition wherein he needs help but there is in God power and will to supply it unto him If comfort be wanting he is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. He can and will create comforts for his people out of nothing yea out of the contrary As he caused at first light to shine out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. 6. Those troubles temptations and persecutions and afflictions which threaten destruction become means of our salvation by his over-ruling providence who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isa 28. ult In this object two principles are to be looked at 1. A principle of being 2. A principle of knowing 1. The principle of being is God himself concerning whom five particulars must be believed that our hope may be objeccated upon him 1. That God in whom we hope is an eternal independant Being or Essence who giveth being and order of being and power of working unto all things 2. That in the Being or Essence of God are three Subsistences or Persons God in the first Person the Father with the Son and Holy Spirit decreed the salvation of the Elect and all things tending thereunto God in the second Person the Son hath fully and exactly answered that decree as our surety in the work of Redemption God in the third Person the Holy Spirit effectually reveales and applies the love of the Father and the grace of the Son unto the Elect in time and fits them for communion with the Father and the Son from both whom he proceeds 3. That Christ the Mediator is Immanuel in whom God was reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. who united the two natures of God and man in his Person and was thereby fit to bring God and man together having made man amiable to God and
hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure this is all my salvation and all my desire c. 5. Make up all your happinesse in God A worldly man when he views his houses lands cattle barns filled with corn c. his heart is cheared like that rich fool in Luke 12. 19. But see the vanity of that joy in the answer of God to him ver 20. But a true believer hath true cause of rejoycing in his portion having such an estate in God and Christ and the Covenant that he shall want nothing Psal 23. 1. his downlyings and up-risings himself and his children are well provided for what though his estate lyeth not in lands or monies or plenty of corn and cattle he hath that which is better for his portion A believer is a Citizen of heaven there is his inheritance things on earth are added to him onely pro viatico while he is travailing thitherward Lam. 3. 24. Saith my Soul Having spoken of the Assertion the Lord is my portion we are now with Christs assistance to speak to the proof of it saith my Soul The Church proveth that the Lord is their portion by their souls saying it Where note 1. The Principle of this speech their soul which sheweth that there is a mental as well as a vocal speaking The fool saith in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. when his tongue speaketh and professeth the contrary Tit. 1. 16. 2. That by an act of the soul reflexed upon it self they knew what their soul said So David in Psal 16. 2. O my soul thou hast said unto Jehovah thou art my Lord. 3. That the use they make hereof is to prove two things 1. That the Lord is their portion 2. That they know that the Lord is their portion 1. To prove that the Lord is their portion they argue thus What the Soul saith is a mans portion that is his portion But my soul saith the Lord is my portion Therefore the Lord is my portion 2. To prove that they know that the Lord is their portion they argue thus What a man knoweth that his soul saith is his portion that he knoweth to be his portion But I know that my soul saith the Lord is my portion therefore I know that the Lord is my portion In like manner David putting up this pettion Preserve me O God presseth it by this motive for in thee do I trust and he proveth that he trusteth in God by an Apostrophe a turning of his speech to his soul O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God And this he confirmeth from the testimony of his own soul and conscience Psal 16. 1 2. and thence inferred The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my Cup ver 5. q. d. The Lord is my land and revenue and food he supplies all and is himself above all better then all unto me D. When a believer knoweth that his soul saith The Lord is his portion he hath from thence a clear proof that the Lord is his portion For the proving of this point two things must be declared 1. That a true believer may know that his soul saith The Lord is his portion David knew it when he said O God! my soul trusteth in thee Psal 17. 1. He knew that he trusted in God as one trusteth in his treasure and in Psal 84. 2. My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God As when an house is on fire and all is in danger to be lost the owner crieth out oh let me have my casket of jewels my box of evidences they are my treasure the principal of my estate I am not undone unlesse I lose them And then as his desire is ardent so his expectation is earnest for them looking when they shall be delivered to him Saith he have you them have you found them As the Church said to the daughters of Jerusalem concerning her beloved Cant. 5. 8. and 3. 3. and as any hope appeareth he is the more incouraged to wait yet still watching and observing if he can get the sight of them So David My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Psal 130. 6. And as David knew thus that the Lord was his portion so may other believers as Paul argues in a like case from Davids example 2 Cor. 4. 13. From parity of reason seeing we have the same helps as he had R. 1. From the proper excellency or excellent property of the reasonable soul that it can reflect and discern its own internal acts much more the renewed soul 1 Ioh. 2. 3. R. 2. From the office and power of conscience to testifie what is within a man This the Apostle notes in natural men Rom. 2. 15. and in believers 1 Ioh. 3. 20 21. R. 3. From the spirit of God joyning with the renewed spirits of believers Rom. 8. 16. and 9. 1 2. My conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost And the Holy Spirit brings into the soul a self-evidencing light whereby he doth manifest unto the renewed soul that it is himself and no delusion who testifieth to us our interest in God Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Ioh. 4. 13. For the Spirit is given for this end that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. 2. That a believer from his souls saying the Lord is his portion hath a good proof that the Lord is his portion So the Church in Psal 33. 20. from knowledge that their soul waiteth for the Lord proves that he is their help and their shield and from thence they infer in ver 21. Our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy name So David proved his interest in God by his souls thirsting for him Psal 63. 1. and by his souls following hard after him ver 8. The same holds in other believers also R. 1. Because the souls saying the Lord is my portion is the answering of the soul unto God calling his Elect effectually by the ministry of the Gospel out of the World and sin and self unto himself in Jesus Christ There is an outward calling by the ministry of man onely of which the Prophet speaks in Hos 11. 7. Though they called them to the most High yet none would exalt him This is ineffectual unto spiritual conversion of it self without the quickening efficacies of the spirit But when that is added and worketh with the ministry of man which of it self onely soundeth in the ear then God speaketh to the heart Hos 2. 14. Thereby the father draweth the Elect unto his Son Ioh. 6. 44 45. Then they hear the voice of the Son of God which they that hear shall live Ioh. 5. 25. The soul being thus quickned answers the
and to do this and that particular are so weak and mutable as the morning cloud and as the early dew Hos 6. 4. which soon vanish Some at an heart-searching and soul-piercing Sermon are affected as that young man till they are put upon such conditions as their praedominant lust will not accept Mat. 19. 16 22. Others in some strong convictions and awakenings of conscience are affected as Saul was for his unrighteous dealing with David and do purpose against it as he did yet afterward with him return to their former sin again 1 Sam. 24. 16 17. with 26. 2. Some in great sicknesses others in great dangers by Land or Sea resolve that they will become new men if God will be pleased to spare them or deliver them this time of whom the Lord may complain as he did of the children of Israel in Iudg. 10. 11 12 13. The reason is because they are unregenerate they are in their natural state Such may have a notional light in their minds and awakenings of their natural consciences and stirrings in their affections and sudden purposes toward God and Christ and spiritual things from a transient work of the spirit exciting their innate principle of self-love thereunto for a time during which they are in a better mood but not in a better state as in sicknesses the fits may be altered yet the sicknesse remain in its strength New resolutions in an un-renewed heart are like seed in an unsuitable soil which prospers not but withers and dies and comes to nothing at last How many such are now in Hell where their remembrance of such fruitlesse ineffectual purposes gnaweth their consciences as a never-dying worm and torments them for ever 2. Hence we may learn whence it is that true believers have such firm resolutions of cleaving to God in Christ and of hoping in him when he hideth his face from them in great afflictions Isa 8. 17. Ion. 2. 4. The reason of it is because their hearts are purified by faith Acts 15. 9. which is seated principally in the will whereby it receiveth Christ Ioh. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 17. 1 Tim. 15. and is the effect of the operation of God Col. 2. 12. by his exceeding greatnesse of power Eph. 1. 19 20. whose peculiar glory it is to perswade the heart Gen. 9. 27. and to draw the will to come unto Christ Ioh. 6. 44. which he doth by changing the disposition inclination and bent of it If you offer green boughs unto Swine they regard them not but trample them under their feet but if their nature were changed into the nature of sheep then they would be drawn to them This is done by the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3. 17. Before regeneration the will is in bondage unto sin but being united unto Christ in regeneration the Son makes us free indeed Ioh. 8. 36. Then the will freely moveth towards God in Christ by faith and hope as a man though he cannot give life to himself being dead yet when he is made alive he can move himself from a principle of life in him So much faith as a man hath so much free-will he hath to hope in God in the worst times So far as his spiritual grace and strength goes so far he is able by the concourse of Gods spirit which he usually joyns with the ability he hath given to his people that it may be quickened and actuated thereby A man cannot act his natural abilities he cannot move his hand or foot unlesse he be assisted with Gods general concourse So a man can do nothing in spiritual actions without special concourse of grace in Christ Ioh. 15. 5. But being assisted with a supply of the Spirit proportioned to the exigencies of services to be performed and of temptations to be resisted and of corruptions to be mortified he may say as Paul did Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me 3. Hence we may learn in what manner believers in Christ resolve to hope in God This resolution in them may be known and distinguished from the resolutions of others by four characters or properties 1. It is a sanctified resolution It is the effect of Gods Holy Spirit dwelling in them and removing far from them vanity and lying Pro. 30. 8. that is vain and false apprehensions of things and turning their whole soul unto God in Christ to seek all their good in him This is the effect of converting grace as the Prophet shews in Isa 17. 7 8. At that day shall a man look to his Maker c. 2. It is an obedient resolution in answer to Gods calling them to himself in Christ Psal 27. 8. it is the yielding up of their wills to be ruled by Gods will Psal 110. 3. When mens wils are not subdued and conformed unto Gods will they are in times of affliction like sullen birds in a Cage which beat themselves to death like peevish froward children which will be pleased with nothing if their wills be crossed in any thing But when the will is subdued unto Gods will by the spirit through the minisâ—â—y of the Gospel 2 Cor. 10. 5. then we can say with Asaph It 's good for me to draw near to God Psal 73. ult And with David 2 Sam. 15. 26. Let the Lord do with me what seemeth good in his own eyes 3. It is a rational resolution led by the best reasons For faith believes in Christ and in God through Christ upon Gods Authority and faithfulnesse and truth in his Word and Covenant Hence it ministreth reasons to quicken and strengthen hope from Gods All-sufficiency and love in Christ and faithfulnesse in his promises to expect and wait upon God for all good from him suitable to our needs in the best season and to resolve as Job did who said though he kill me yet will I trust in him Iob 13. 15. and if they see cause to complain to complain not of God but to God nor of their crosses but of the crossenesse of their wils to Gods holy will as Ephraim did in Ier. 31. 18. It is a dependent resolution relying upon God in Christ for ability to hope in him Isa 26. 12. and therefore praying to him as David did in Psal 138. ult and to keep it ever in the purpose of their hearts 1 Chron. 29. 18. with true self denial of any sufficiency of themselves so much as to think any thing 2 Cor. 3. 5. Thus they become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. Lam. 3. 24. Hope in him The last thing to be spoken to is the duty esolved upon illustrated by its objectr which is to exercise divine hope for so I call that hope which hath God for its object and efficient who is therefore called the God of hope Rom. 15. 13. and for its ground the Word of God as this hope hath Psal 119. 49. The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated hope
him God as our God and portion in the Covenant of Grace It is the office and work of faith to appropriate God in Christ to a mans self The voice of Christ unto believers is My Father is your Father and my God your God Joh. 20. 17. And the voice of faith in a believer to Christ is My Lord and my God ver 28 29. God absolutely considered out of Christ is an object of the greatest terrour unto sinners Isa 33. 14. But God relatively considered in Christ as our God and portion is the chiefest object of our hope and love Faith cleaveth unto God as our God and portion And when we know that God is our portion and thereupon hope in him then our hoping in God is right because it is rightly grounded Our having God for our portion begins at our entring into Covenant with him For then and not before we have a propriety in God and he in us Ezek. 16. 8. This propriety in God is given and manifested to us by degrees 1. The soul is convinced of the vanity and insufficiency of all other things to be our portion and so is made willing to forsake them all that it may injoy God as his portion Till this be done men observe lying vanities and forsake their own mercy Jon. 2. 8 9. 2. The soul is convinced that God is the God of some by a peculiar right Psal 4. 3. These he accounts the onely happy men in the World Psal 144. ult 3. Hence arise fervent desires that God would be so to him in particular Remember me O Lord with the favour of thy people Psal 106. 4. 4. The soul is quickened by the Spirit of faith to turn unto the Lord with true repentance and to put it self upon Gods mercy in Christ and to wait upon him for the discovery of his love to him Joel 2. 13 14. 5. God having thus far brought the soul towards himself doth in his own time manifest to us that he is our God whence the soul actually closeth with him by faith in Christ as our portion Hos 2. 13. Psal 73. 25. 6. Hereupon we come to hope in him for what ever good we need and he hath promised Psal 147. 11. And as faith groweth more towards full assurance so hope groweth more strong in spiritual security and courage and glorying in God Psal 48. ult yet in the darkest times faith inables the soul from its former taste of Gods goodnesse to claim an interest in him still Doubtlesse thou art our Father c. Isa 63. 16. with an expectation of future good from him Psal 42. 11. Yea when experience and sense failes by reason of our inadvertency yet so much vertue of former sense remains as inables the soul even when it is in darknesse and seeth no light to trust in the name of the Lord and stay it self upon his God Isa 50. 10. and to wait upon the Lord even when he hideth his face from us and to look for him Isa 8. 17. But if any desire to know how they may clearly discern that their hope is grounded on faith in God as their God and portion in Christ I answer you may know it by Gods influence in a believing soul whereby this hope is quickned and strengthened For when God becomes any ones portion he becomes a fountain of blessings to that person God our own God shall blesse us Psal 67. 6. He is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them Psal 84. 11. Especially of spiritual blessings which the Apostles in their salutations comprehend in two things grace and peace God as our God in Christ is the God of both to his people He is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. and the God of peace Heb. 13. 20. That is he influenceth believers with all those graces which breed peace and quietnesse in their souls supporting them under all burthens of temptations troubles wants imperfections till they come to enjoy perfect rest in God himself and fitting them in the mean time more and more for all that good which they want in themselves and he hath prepared for them in Christ For 1. God as our portion is the God of love yea love it self 1 Joh. 4. 8. and a tast of his love is better than wine Cant. 1. 3. so full of spirit that it will revive a drooping sinking dying soul and quicken all graces in it and make any condition comfortable any affliction tollerable and strengthen it to wait for more full communion with God in the use of the most difficult means as Jacobs love to Rachel inabled him to wait for her seven years in an hard service and they seemed to him but as a few dayes Gen. 29. 20. 2. God as our portion in Christ is the God of hope Rom. 15. 13. whereby as by an Anchor he stayeth and sixeth the soul upon himself as a Ship at Anchor though it may be moved and tossed yet it is not removed from its place and station so if you find that your soul cleaveth to God in Christ and will not be driven from him whatever troubles or temptations befal you your hope in him is right This Asaph found in Psal 73. ult 3. God as our God and portion is the God of patience Rom. 15. 5. whereby believers resigne up themselves to his dispose humbly submitting their wils to his If you find it so your hope is right David found it so 1 Sam. 30. 6. 4. God as our portion is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. which he so governs and meekens that though we be sensible of afflictions he keeps our spirits from discontentment and murmurring in a quiet frame Hereby also you may know that your hope is right The Church found it so in Mich. 7. 9. 5. God as our portion is God All-sufficient Gen. 17. 1. whence he gives us contenment in all estates 1 Tim 6. 6. If you find it so your hope is right Paul found it so Phil. 4. 11 12. 6. God as our portion is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. who by letting the light of his countenance into the soul maketh it light-some This joy strenthens the soul Neh. 8. 6. against inordinate fears of wants Psal 23. 1. or of dangers ver 4. and under sense of afflictions Rom. 5. 2 3. and oppositions Mich. 7. 7. and temptations 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. and in all events Rom. 8. 38 39. Not that every believer attains to such high actings of faith and and hope yet if it prevail to cause them to trust in him and stay themselves upon him in the dark it is a right hope Isa 50. 10. 2. Hope is rightly grounded when it is bottomed upon the Word and Promises of God believed in In the first conversion when the soul had nothing but the bare promise of free mercy in Christ to look at God did thereby cause us to trust and hope in