in him This knowledge becomes practical when the heart so receiveth it that the will comes to a resolution therefore I will hope in him Which is the next particular to be spoken to Lam. 3. 24. Therefore I will hope in him The reason alledged by the Church is not so much an Argument to convince the judgment though it contains that also as we have before proved as a motive to induce and incline the will to hope in God For trusting and hoping in God being a relying and waiting upon God for future good do especially carry the will to him As the understanding is led with truth so the will is led with the goodnesse of things As the judgment must be convinced of Gods ability so the heart must be sweetned with his love and readinesse to do us good for the future that we may hope in him For meer knowledge and discourse cannot draw the heart to trust and hope in God except it hath a rellish of his goodnesse Therefore David saith O taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34. 8. Those reasons are most prevailing to incline the will towards God which are drawn from the goodnesse of God whereby the heart is opened and enlarged to expect all good and nothing but good from him who is goodnesse it self and our God and portion in Jesus Christ This rellish is wrought in the renewed soul by the spirit of faith together with a light to discern our interest in God Doct. The reasons whereby believers are quickned and strengthened to hope in God do strongly incline their will to resolve to hope in him This is obvious frequently in Scripture that when the will is inclined to any spiritual good it is upon spiritual reasons the Spirit of God joyning his efficacy therewith and leaving a powerful rellish of that good in the soul This you may see in Psal 40. 8. Cant. 1. 3 4. Ier. 3. 22. and in sundry Texts R. 1. From the different manner of the souls guiding the will and the bodily members The soul swayeth the will and affections as counsellors doe a well ordered state by propounding reasons to them But the soul governeth the bodily members as a Master doth his slaves by meer command The will moves the hands and feet c. by command without giving them Reasons But the will and affections move not without reason or at least a shew of reason God made man an understanding creature indued with rational faculties the understanding to be the leading faculty and the will to be the appetite of the soul according to reason Therefore it moves toward such a good as is presented to it by the illightned mind or understanding as the most 〈◊〉 and unquestionable object of it For the freedom and willing consent of the heart is not without rules to order it but it is therefore said be free because whether out of a true judgment it moves one way or out of a false another way yet in both it moves in a manner suitable to its own condition For this reason it is that God condiscends so far to us in his word as to give us so many reasons to hope in 〈◊〉 that our wils might be drawn thereunto by suitable reasons R 2. From the manner of the spirits putting forth his efficacy to incline the wils of believers to hope in God The heart of man naturally is not apt but averse hereunto even when the understanding sees good reasons for it Therefore the will must necessarily be renewed and changed This change consists in altering the bent and inclination of the will which the spirit of God doth by bringing into the soul a new light and powerful influence 1. A new light whereby we are inabled to see other things or the same truths in a more spiritual and effectual manner those impedimens being removed which might hinder the evidence of spiritual truths and the judgment being fully convinced that we might know things not onely notionally but practically as we ought to know them 1 Cor. 8. 2. This is that illumination and revelation whereof the scripture speaks in Eph. 1. 18 19. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Joh. 5. 20. 2. A powerful influence Jesus Christ both opened the understanding of his Disciples Luke 24. 45. And caused their hearts to burn within them when he spake unto them ver 32. By this powerful influence the spirit makes every faculty and affection of the renewed soul to work unto supernatural ends and objects according to its proper manner As the soul in the bodily eye causeth it to see and in the ear causeth it to hear and in the tongue causeth it to speak c. So the spirit in the mind causeth it to understand aright and in every affection causeth it freely to choose and cleave unto Christ and to God in him and in every affection causeth it to move towards Christ and God in such a manner and way of working as is suitable to its nature This the Holy Spirit doth by creating and implanting in-dwelling lively spiritual gifts of grace in the soul which he thereby sanctifieth and lifteth up unto God in Christ the faculties and affections which were by nature set upon the world and sin and self being now by grace set upon things above and so are said to be quickned and made alive unto God Hence every spiritual gift of grace whereby any faculty and affection of the soul is sanctified is called the spirit of that faculty and affection The sanctified disposition of the mind is called the spirit of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7 The gift of faith is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. So the gift of love and of fear of the Lord is called the spirit of love 2 Tim. 1. 7. and the spirit of the fear of the Lord Isa 11. 2. Because the Holy Spirit dwelling in the soul infuseth those gifts into it and so reneweth the faculties and affections of it Psal 51. 10. And 2. Quickeneth and exciteth these spiritual gifts and by them the faculties and affections unto spiritual acts Without this quickening influence those spiritual gifts would be in the soul un-acted as the bodily senses are in sleep or as a ship in a calme at Sea Act◠agimus We act but instrumentally subordinately under the spirit who is the principal efficient and agent in all spiritual good We act but not in our strength nor in the strength of grace received but from the quickening strengthening influence of the Spirit As trees though they have in them a seminal vertue yet except they be helped by influence from heaven cannot bring forth their fruits so it is with these spiritual trees of righteousnesse as believers are called in Isa 61. 3. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Vse For Instruction threefold 1. Hence we may learn the true Reason why the sudden resolutions of many to reforme this and that
signifieth to expect which is the formal act of hope Hence we may gather a definition of this divine hope It is a lively spiritual in-dwelling gift of grace whereby believers are inclined to expect in and from God what ever good they want and he hath promised 1. For the general nature of it which it hath in common with other fruits of the spirit it is 1. A lively gift of grace an holy quality or habit or disposition freely given of God hereby it is distinguished from that hope which is meerly a natural affection For the natural affection of hope is by corrupt nature set upon a mans self and earthly things and cannot savour the things of God and therefore is said to be dead It 's an hope that hath given up the Ghost Job 11. 20. Natural men are big with hopes as they that are with child and are in pain to bring their hopes to the birth but instead thereof they bring forth wind After long looking and hard labour all is but a gripe of wind like a fit of the collick as the Prophet intimates in Isa 26. 18. But by this gift of grace which I call divine hope that affection is sanctified and lifted up unto God and set upon him and heavenly things and so quickened and made alive unto God Whence believers are said to be begotten again to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. This gift of grace I describe further by two properties 1. Spiritual it is a spiritual gift for two reasons 1. Because it is created and perfected in believers by the power of the Holy Spirit Rom. 15. 13. 2. Because it makes them spiritual in whom it is wrought 1 Cor. 2. 15. and fit instruments for Gods spiritual service 1 Pet. 2. 5. 2. In-dwelling I call it an in-dwelling gift 1. Because it abides in all that are in Christ Union with Christ doth not extinguish it in believers Therefore when believers are said to be dead in Col. 3. 3. it is not meant in respect of sanctifying gifts of grace inhaerent in them as if they were dead and the faculties and affections of their souls were immediately acted by the Holy Spirit but in respect of sin they are dead unto sin but alive unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 6. 11. 2. Because it it is not a transient work upon us nor abiding in the Holy Ghost though he abideth in us for no created gifts or qualities abide in him for whatsoever is in him is himself but it is wrought preserved increased actuated and perfected in us by the Holy Ghost as all other sanctifying inhaerent gifts of grace are So much for the general nature of this divine hope 2. The subject recipient of it are believers For this hope is grounded on faith in the promises Gal. 5. 5. Therefore in the Old Testament trusting in God and hoping in God are promiscuously used in one and the same sense and in 1 Pet. 3. 15. hope is put for faith For they both act to-together inseparably in supporting the soul in times of affliction yet in their manner of acting there are some differences between them For 1. The adaequate object of faith is the whole Word of God holding forth good and evil promises and threatnings blessings and cursings But the object of hope is good onely 2. Faith in its relying upon the promises looks to the word promising and to the Authority of God the promiser but hope to the good promised and to the goodnesse of the promiser 3. Faith looks to all times past present and to come and makes future things present Psal 60. 7. But hope looks onely at good things and at those onely as future 4. Faith lookes at God as the first truth hope relies on God as the chief good 3. The formal act of hope is expectation Therefore it is said to look for him in a way of waiting for him Isa 8. 17. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well translated earnest expectation in Rom. 8. 19. Phil. 1. 20. it being a metaphor taken from the bodily gestures of those who look for some person or thing with earnest desire and assurance lifting up and putting forth their head stretching out their neck fixing their eyes with intention and observation to shew the strength firmnesse and certainty of this hope For the object of this divine hope is principally God himself 1 Pet. 1. 21. and secondarily all those means and degrees whereby believers come unto God ver 1◠unto whom this hope looketh with waiting upon him for all the good they want and he hath promised So that this hope is certain and infallible being objectated upon God founded in faith and grounded upon the promises of God who cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. Hence it supporteth the heart in the worst times Doct. Hoping in God a right is a special means of supporting the soul against discouragement in times of great afflictions The Scriptures are innumerable which confirm and prove this truth And it must be so for these Reasons R. 1. From the formal object of divine hope which is God himself in whom alone is to be found all ability and readinesse to do good unto those that hope in him and wait upon him in such times 1. All ability to help is in God alone Princes are of greatest abilities among men yet we are forbidden to trust in Princes in whom there is no help Psal 146. 3. Men commonly think themselves happy in the favour and protection of Princes But they are deceived Therefore it is added in ver 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God For no creature hath ability of it self and what ever ability God hath put into any yet the exercise and successe of it depends on God alone Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain It is in vain to rise up early to go to bed late to eat the bread of sorrows So he will give his beloved quiet sleep Psal 127. 1 2. that is in their resting upon him building keeping giving them bread without sorrows Therefore when men say They hope for this or that from such a creature either they mean They hope to receive it from God by such a creature or it notes not a divine but a meer humane hope or it is not a Christian but a vain hope 2. As God onely is able so he is alwayes ready to do good to all those that hope in him For he is infinite as well in goodnesse as in power Thou are good and doest good Psal 119. 68. This David largely shewes by sundry instances in two cases 1. In deliverances where of he notes four examples in Psal 107. 1. Of men wandering in the Wildernesse ver 2. to 10. 2. Of Prisoners ver 10. to 17. 3. Of persons dangerously sick ver 17. to 23. 4.
David Hezekiah Asaph Heman and of Christ himself in the Garden and on the Crosse and by reasons of sundry sorts R. 1. From God himself sometimes with-holding the light of his countenance from true believers Then it is with them as it is with the earth which would be covered with darknesse coldnesse and deadnesse if the light and influence of the Sun were with-drawn from it He is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. without him no true comfort can be had Sometimes he creates darknesse in the Soul then it is filled with fear and amazement and disquietment And thus he doth for holy and good ends 1. To conforme believers to Christ as members to their head Rom. 8. 29. 2. To informe them where their life is hid viz. with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. and that Christ the last Adam is made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. that thereby he may quicken his People in God who quickeneth the dead when themselves had not only a sentence of death in their bodies as Paul had 2. Cor. 1. 9. but also a sense of death in their soules as Heman had Psalme 88. 5. 3. To reforme them Partly for correction of their unthankfulnesse for former comforts received from him and for their not improveing them unto the ends for which he gave them As a father when he seeth his child doth but play with the candle which he afforded him to work by takes it from him and leave him in the dark Partly for prevention of spiritual pride 2 Cor. 12. 7. Of spiritual wantonnesse and self confidence Psal 30. 6 7. Of carnal security Cant. 5. 6. and sundry other distempers R. 2. From Satan that envious one who as in the beginning he sought to cast Adam out of Paradice and to bereave him of his happinesse in communion with God so now finding believers in the Kingdom of grace which consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit when he cannot deprive them of their righteousnesse will endeavour to disturbe their peace and damp their joy knowing that when they performe duties uncomfortably they do them weakly and but by halves To this end 1. He strives to hide from them those promises that might comfort them when they have most need and use of them and he sometimes prevailes herein Heb. 12. 5. 2. He suggests any word that may terrefie them and presents to their memory and thoughts former sins to amaze them 3. He presents all thimgs unto them in false glasses the comforts of God in a diminishing glasse that God may seem to them lesse merciful lesse gracious then he is and the promises of God lesse free lesse general then they are that all the consolations of God may seem small things to them Iob 15. 11. but he presents to them their sins in a multiplying glasse that they may seem more and greater then they are their sins as impardonable their miseries as intollerable incurable their state as desperate 4. He useth his instruments to deal with them as the Philistims did with Izhack whose wells they stopped up to make unprofitable to them those wells of Salvation from whence believers might draw waters of consolation Thus he used Saul to banish David from the ordinances and wicked men to insult and reproach him saying VVhere is now thy God Psal 42. 3. So others to twit them with their Religion when they are in distresse saying where are now your prayers your hearing reading meditating conferring your conscientious and exact walking your confidence in God You live more dejectedly then others and are as fearful as others to die Thus they thrust as it were swords and daggers into their bones to kill their comforts as David there complained verse 10. R. 3. From themselves 1. Sin presseth down their spirits and hinders their cheerful progresse in a Christian course as weight doth runners in a race Heb. 12. 1. Sorrow in the heart brings it down especially when guilt of sin is added to it When the shoulder is out of joynt it cannot bear its own pain much lesse other burthens So it is with the soul a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18. 14. 2. Their spirit sometimes suffers from their bodies by sympathy as in melancholy which so darkens their imagination that every thing seems dark to them and so sowres their spirits that every thing seems bitter to them and so fills them with fears and suspitions that every thing affrights them 3. Sometimes passion so prevaileth in them that the higher faculties of the soul are subjected to the affections which so bemist the understanding that it cannot judge of things according to right reason The conscience becomes suspensive and wavering and the memory like a leaking vessel le ts the grounds of comfort run out and be forgotten 4. Sometimes spiritual gifts of grace are not exercised but as the body growes listless when some dull humour seizeth upon it so in the soul when faith is oppressed by unbelief hope with fears they do not put forth themselves to wrestle with God and stir up themselves to take hold on him but yield unto every temptation and discouragement Thus you see that it may be the case of believers to be greatly dejected for a time The second thing to be cleared is That though it be thus with true believers for a time yet then God will do two things for them 1. He will secretly support them so that they may say as Paul did in 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. VVe are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed God dealt with the basket of good figges in Captivity as Christ did with Peter who first let him see his own weaknesse in the water then quickned him to cry unto him for help and then stretched forth his hand and upheld him Mat. 14. 30 31. So the Lord left the Church so far that they complained my hope is perished from the Lord yet speedily raised them up in sight of his mercy to trust and hope in him In like manner he supports believers R. 1. From Gods unchangeablenesse in his love and unweariednesse in doing them good Isa 64. 5. and 40. 27 28 29 31. R. 2. From Gods faithfulnesse in his covenant and promises Isa 54. 8 9. Psal 37. 24. Heb. 13. 5. 2. He will quicken their faith to look unto himself for relief and comfort in such times 2 Chron. 20. 12. Psal 12â—1 1 2. Jon. 2. 2 4. for these reasons R. 1. From the efficacy of the spirit of faith in them As the needle in the Compasse being touched with the Load-stone though it may be moved and shaken this way and that for a time yet resteth not till it point to the North so the soul being touched with the spirit of faith though it may be forced by Temptation from its bent for a time yet it hath no rest till it stand God-ward
call of God with the obedience of faith as David found in Psal 27. 8. Thou saidst seek ye my face my heart answered thy face Iehovah I do seek This answer is the voice of the whole soul unto God The understanding being illightned and fully convinced closeth with God in Christ as the first Truth and the will chooseth him as the chiefest good the affections rest satisfied with him alone and the whole soul placeth all its happinesse in its injoyment of him and conformity to him Hope waits for him desire longeth after him and joy delighteth in him above all things The Lord calleth the whole soul to come unto him that it may find true rest in voluntarily subjecting it self under his yoke Mat. 11. 28 29. and the whole soul in all its faculties and affections answereth as the Church did in Ier. 3. 22. Lo we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God With renouncing all other refuges as they did in ver 23. according to that promise in Hos 2. 23. I will say thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God R. 2. Because the souls saying the Lord is my portion argues unseigned love of God in Christ For all the affections depend on love What a man loveth as his portion he desireth to possesse and injoy and any impediment thereof stirs up his anger proportionately to his esteem and love of it As we see with what eagernesse and earnestnesse men endeavour to remove any thing that hinders their credits or estates c. Now if any love God above the world above themselves they will be more jealous of Gods honour then their own and against that which tends to Gods dishonour more then against what crosseth their own worldly honour Hence will arise hatred against sin because God hates it both in our selves Psal 97. 10. and in others Rev. 2. 6. Anger is against particulars but hatred is general Anger seeks revenge with moderation in proportion to the wrong done us but hatred seeks the destruction of its object Anger is placable but hatred is implacable And according to the degree of mens love to any thing will be their fear of being deprived of it and separated from it and of all causes and signes of alienation from it R. 3. Because the souls saying The Lord is my portion importeth the highest actings of the soul upon God When Iob said the things that my soul refused to touch Job 6. 7. he shewed the greatest detestation of them and when he said my soul chuseth death rather than life Iob 7. 15 he shewed a most vehement desire And when the Lord said I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul Ier. 32. 41. he shewed the firmnesse of his purpose So when the soul saith The Lord is my portion it argues the most full and firm cleaving of a believer unto God with purpose of heart as Barnabas exhorted them to do in Acts 11. 23. Else men do not return to him nor cleave to him as to the most High Hos 7. 16. unlesse they turn to him with all their heart Joel 2. 12. and love him with all their heart Deut. 30. 6. For it is by such a love that faith workes which is a believing with all the heart Acts 8. 37. and produceth obedience from the heart Rom. 6. 17. which is done when all the faculties and affections of the soul do open themselves and stand open to give entertainment unto God in Christ as the King of glory Psal 24. 7. When the Keyes of the whole house and every room in it are delivered up for the use and service of a King he is entertained like a King Inferiour guests are content one with one room another with another and sometimes two have but one room yea one bed for them both But the King must have all So it is in this case when the God of glory appeared unto Abraham and called him Abraham obeyed him without reservation Acts 7. 2 3. So must we yea so will all whose soules say the Lord is their portion Use 1. For instruction in four particulars 1. Hence learn how a man may know when afflictions are sanctified and blessed unto him i. e. when the eye of the soul is by them turned 1. Upward to look unto God for an interest in him as their portion 2. Inward to reflect upon the inward actings of the soul that they may know their interest in God as their portion Indeed afflictions of themselves work the contrary to estrange us from God and from our selves and Satan labours to foment and increase a separation of the soul from God and a division and distraction of the soul within it self Therefore it is by an over-ruling power and sanctifying efficacy of Gods spirit when they cause us to return unto the Lord Hos 6. 1. and to our selves Luke 15. 17 18. It is a sure rule of discerning ones self to be in the state of grace when he finds that every condition brings him neerer to God and every sanctifying gift of grace is quickned to its proper function to turn the faculty and affection of the soul in which it is planted unto God Rom. 8. 28 29. God is a pure act alwayes acting and every one the neerer he comes to God the more gracious frame of spirit he hath and the more spiritual affections and suitable actings of them sweetly issuing from thence 2. Learn hence a profitable use of spiritual soliloquies which are a mans speaking within himself to himself about spiritual things David prescribes communing with a mans own heart to further his repentance Psal 4. 4. and himself made use of it to quicken his faith Psal 42. 5. So the Church in my Text in times of affliction being driven out of their creature-comforts and expectations they communed and parlied with their own souls to cleer unto themselves their interest in God as their portion and to excite their faith and hope in him unto excercise 3. Learn hence not to rest in outward profession in words that the Lord is your portion Many hypocrites say so whose hearts cleave to some thing else as their portion some to their sinful wills and wayes They draw neer unto God with their lips but their hearts are removed far from him Such were those in Hos 8. 23. Israel will cry unto me my God we know thee when Israel hath cast off the thing that is good even God himself in whom and from whom is all good and the good word of God and the rules thereof though they thus departed from him yet in their distresse they were ready to claim an interest in him Others to their worldly objects They lay up treasures for themselves on the earth and there their hearts are Mat. 6. 19 21. Their belly is their God and portion that mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. These steal away their hearts from God even while they are hearing the Word Ezek.
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
THE SAINTS ANCHOR-HOLD IN ALL Storms and Tempests Preached in Sundry SERMONS And Published for the Support and Comfort of Gods People in all times of Tryal By John Davenport B. D. sometime Minister of Stephens Coleman-street London and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in New-Haven in New-England Heb. 6. 18. Lay hold upon the Hope set before us 19. Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which entreth into that within the vail 20. Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an High-Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech LONDON Printed by W. L. for Geo. Hurlock and are to be sold at his Shop at Magnus Church corner in Thames-street 1661. The PREFACE To the Christian Reader AS the whole Creation hath groaned ever since its original subjection unto Vanity earnestly expecting the manifestation of the Sons of God so more especially in these latter dayes the travelling pains thereof have encreased as presages of its approaching Deliverance The vanity of it hath alwayes been great but the Experimental Discoveries thereof never more than now In this case it is the wisdome of a Christian to secure to himself an Interest in a Portion as sufficient and permanent as Jehovah that never changeth A greater than which cannot be procured This may and a less will never satisfie By this men live indeed and in this is the Life of a Christian That the Lord's Portion are his People addeth nothing to him that is alsufficient to himself but that the Lord is their Portion is all in all to them And this is the foundation of their Hope and Comfort For here we are all embarqued in a Vessel sometimes caught with Windes sometimes covered with Waves and should soon be at our wits end but for this sure and steadfast ancre which entreth into that within the Vail Now that Portion and this Hope grounded on it are the Churches and a Christians support in the midst of their lamentations For the Church at this time was driven from Jerusalem Zion Temple Temple-Ordinances and native Place of residence greatly afflicted and tossed with Tempests This is only remaining that she hath God for her portion and Hope for her Anchor never to be taken from her And both these are the Subject of the ensuing Discourse seasonable and suitable at all times especially in these last moments of the last Dayes in which God is shaking Heaven Earth and Sea in order to the appearance of the Desire of all Nations As touching the Author of this Treatise in whose heart the Text was written by the finger of God befor the Discourse was penned by his own hand His Piety Learning Gravity Experience Judgment do not more commend him to all that know him than this Work of his may commend it self to them that read it And the consideration of the two hindges on which the Text turneth Faith and Hope their near cognation concomitance usefulness necessity power comfort the first exciting the second the one commensurate with the other is enough to procure from thee the expence of a little time to see and weigh what is here spoken of these most necesâ—ary Helps to Eternall Happiness which will never relinquish the Believer till they have resigned him up to the glorious Vision and fruition of the Objects believed in and hoped for there leâ—â—ing the Soul to the everlasting exercise of never failing Love to God and the Saints in Glory That this holy Faith and Hope in God together with fervent Love to God and one to another may dayly flourish and be confirmed in the hearts and lives of all the Saints on earth till they enter upon their purchased Possession which is the end of their Faith and Hope to the praise of the Glory of God in Glory is the hearty desire and Prayer of Thy Fellow-Brethren in this Faith and Hope William Hooke Joseph Caryl Errata Page 19. Lines 12 and 13. read Causally p. 66. l. ult r. him p. 76. l. 26. r. resolved p. 126. l. 13. r. quietnesse p. 130. l. ult r. grounds p. 134. l. 24. r. There p. 145. l. 18. r. brought p. 151. l. 16. r. notice p. 164. l. 25. r. lust p. 204. l. 4. thereof The Saints ANCHOR-HOLD Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him THis Book is according to the judgment of a godly learned Writer an Abridgment of all Jeremies Sermons from the 13th year of Josias unto the 4th of Joakim and that Book which God commanded Ieremy to write and to cause Baruch to read it publikely upon the day of a Fast kept in the ninth moneth of the fifth year of Iehojakim which afterward Iehudi read unto the King sitting by a fire in his winter house who was so far from repenting that when he had read three or four leaves of it he cut it with a penknife and cast it into the fire till all was consumed and rejected the intercession of some of his Princes that he would not burn it and he commanded to lay hold upon Ieremy and Baruch But God hid them Whereupon the Lord commanded Ieremy to write the Book again with Additions which the same Writer thinks was this Chapter which consisteth of a threefold Alphabet in the Hebrew The Prophet having discharged his offices in labouring to convince the Jews of their sins and to bring them to repentance when he found not the successe he desired he fals to lamenting and weeping for their pride and obstinacy in sin and teacheth them also how to lament their own misery in Captivity and because there was among them a basket of good figges he teacheth them how to exercise faith and hope in the middest of their sorrows Among other passages my Text hath a tendency thereunto which admits a double consideration 1. As a part of a Lamentation 2. As an expression of a free spirit Accordingly I shall handle it first as a part of a Lamentation In verse 17 18. you may see their deep dejection and despondency I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. In vers 19 20 21. you may see how from the good fruit of their affliction in humbling them they gather hope In vers 22 23. they can see mercy in God towards them in their Affliction In my Text they are as men that find rest after their dangers and tossings at Sea by casting Anchor upon firme ground in a safe Harbour The Doctrinal note I collect from the words so considered is this Doct. Though it may be the case of true believers to be greatly dejected for a time yet even then God doth support their spirits and quicken their faith and hope in him To clear this point we must prove two things 1. That it may be the case of true believers to be greatly dejected for a time This may be abundantly confirmed both by the Scriptures in the examples of Iob
been considerd as they lie in the context as a part of a Lamentation we proceed to handle them as in my Text they hold forth the expression of a free spirit that is of a spirit set at liberty from those sad perplexities wherein it had been intangled and held under deep dejection and despondency The Text thus considered conteineth the Anchor-Hold of a tossed afflicted spirit wherein three particulars are to be noted 1. An Assertion The Lord is my portion 2. A Proof of it saith my soul 3. A Consectary or inference from the premises Therefore will I hope in him I shall speak onely of the first at this time The Lord is my portion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a part or portion is not to be taken here in the Mathematical or common use of that word as denoting a part of a whole as it is frequently in Scripture when that part of estate which Parents give their children is called their portion Gen. 31. 14. and that part of the spoil which is the Souldiers share is called their portion Gen. 14. 24. and that dimensum of food which is allowed unto any is called their portion Deut. 18. 8. and the almes given to the poor is called their portion Eccl. 11. 2. For God is not parted or divided and distributed among his people so as one hath one part of him another another part of God but every one hath whole God wholly as the whole Sun shines to every one in which respect God is called a Sun Psal 84. 11. Therefore God is said to be his peoples portion not in a comparative but in an absolute sense God himself is theirs a suitable and all sufficient goods to them They have not onely gifts and all good things from him but himself also to be their God in the Covenant of Grace through Jesus Christ He is their portion though not formally yet in two senses 1. Objectivèly as he is their ultimate end and chief good 2. Caually as he gives together with himself in Christ all good to them The Doctrinal note shall be this Doct. All true believers have such a blessed interest in God as renders him their portion It is the voice of faith to say The Lord is my portion Others may say The Lord is an all-sufficient portion But onely Believers truly say The Lord is my portion Because onely faith interests a man in God and appropriates him to him This faith doth by a double act 1. By a direct act whereby true believers see in God those properties which are required in a satisfying portion They are three 1. All-sufficiency 2. Perpetuity 3. Safety in placing his happinesse and full contentment there All these the Scripture declare to be in God alone 1. Sufficiency Gen. 17. 1. Psal 84. 11. 2. Perpetuity It tells us that he is without shadow of change Jam. 1. 17. and that he will never fail nor forsake his people Heb. 13. 5. 3. Safety in placing all our contentment and happinesse in him alone Psal 144. 15. 2. By a reflexed act of faith a believer seeth his peculiar right and interest in God as his portion Hence David said The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup Psal 16. 5. and Thou art my portion O Lord Ps 119. 57. and Asaph VVhom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee And again God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. To cleer this two things must be added 1. The grounds whereupon the Saints have claimed this interest in God as their portion 2. The use they have made of God under this notion and relation For the first Their title unto God as their portion is founded 1. In Gods voluntary and free donation of himself to them in the Covenant of Grace whereby both they become his portion Deut. 32. 9. The Lords portion is his people and he becomes their portion The portion of Jacob is the former of all things The Lord of Hosts is his Name Jer. 10. 16. An act so done by one that is Suijuris is a strong binding act as Peter argued in the case of Ananias Acts 5. 4. It was free and deliberate and therefore exceedingly dishonourable to break it God stands much upon his honour in this Psal 89. 34. My Covenant will I not break And Psal 111. 5. He will ever be mindful of his Covenant 2. This donation is confirmed sundry wayes 1. By Oath Psal 89. 35. Once have I sworn by my holinesse Again in Psal 105. 9. He remembred his Oath unto Izhack The Covenant of Grace whereby God gives himself to be his peoples God and portion Micah saith God hath sworn unto our Fathers from the dayes of old Micah 7. ult Which also Zachary declares to be performed when he sent Christ Luke 1. 73. 2. By Seals As Circumcision is called a seal of the righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. because it externally sealed the Covenant whereby God becomes the God of his people Gen. 17. 7 11. So of is with both the Sacraments of the New Testament by parity of reason 3. By marriage unto Christ Hos 2. 19 20. Agreements upon marriage are firme because upon rational consideration A consideration inserted adds weight to a Deed and Covenant The consideration is that we should be joyned unto the Lord Jesus and then all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen to us in him 2 Cor. 1. 20. And Christs God and Father is our God and portion Joh. 20. 17. 4. By a recovery after judgment if I may so speak when after they are fallen into Gods displeasure and returned to him with repentance for and from their sins and renewing their faith in Christ they have renewed their taking hold of the Covenant and have pleaded it with God and their plea hath been accepted Thus did Moses for Israel after they had sinned in the matter of the Golden Calf Exod. 32. 10 13. and the Israelites for themselves Isa 63. 10 16 17 19. The second thing to be shewn is what use the Saints have made of their right and interest in God as their portion They have made use of him thus both for themselves and others 1. For themselves 1. To glory in God This God is our God Psal 48. ult 2. To delight themselves in the Lord in confidence of his goodnesse toward them in the middest of Temptatious Psal 37. 4. Whence followeth a rowling themselves upon him in all their wayes and difficulties verse 5. and a patient waiting upon God in delays with hope of a good issue verse 7. 2. For others whether they be friends or enemies or of a middle sort 1. Friends A poor believer can pleasure his richest friends out of this his portion his God This is a Prophets and a righteous mans reward Mat. 10. 41. Thus Paul abundantly recompenced all his friends and well-willers out of his portion Phil. 4.
19. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Iesus Christ. 2. Enemies In Jesus Christ all believers have sufficient help from God against all sorts of enemies and can in an holy manner challenge them to do their worst and triumph over them before the battail upon this assurance My God will help me therefore I shall not be confounded Isa 50. 7 8 9. Other men are strong in men in armes in shipping in fortifications c. a believer hath all in God he is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. 3. A middle sort Laban fared the better for Iacob Potiphar Pharaoh and all Egypt for Ioseph The Sodomites for Lot The Mariners and all that were in the Ship for Paul Acts 27 24 The World for the Saints for the holy seed are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the propps that shoar up the places where they live that the wrath of God doth not over-flow and over-whelm them Isa 6. 13. Vse 1. For Instruction Hence learn to behold and admire the excellency and happinesse of every true believer in his portion The All-sufficient God is their portion His greatnesse power mercy grace goodnesse faithfulnesse forgivenesse justice all are for them and that they may possesse him as their portion he gives them his son to be theirs through faith and with him all things 1 Cor. 3 21 22 23. Thus The brother of low degree is exalted Iam. 1. 9. He hath the best portion that God can give and upon the best assurance that God can make Heb. 6. 18. Hence David calleth such the excellent ones Ps 16. 3. He had conversed with rich men great men wise men after the flesh yet he called none of them the excellent ones He well knew that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. Vse 2. For Exhortation 1 Generally to all to make out for this portion To this end wait upon God in his Ordinances with thirsting souls It will not be in vain Isa 5. 5. 1 2 3. Prov. 8. 34 35. For thereby either it shall be cleered unto you that the Lord is your portion or the Lord will become your portion And he is so unto them in whom faith is wrought in Christ by the Spirit in the Ministry of the Gospel They that can say to Christ with Thomas My Lord and my God Ioh. 20. 28. may also say to God with David in Ps 142. 5. O Lord thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living This is the priviledge of those who answer Gods call by joyning to him in Covenant So saith the Lord I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16. 8. And again in Hos 2. 23. I will say unto them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God To perswade you hereunto Consider 1. Every man desires to have best for his portion in other things in houses lands food apparel cattle But this portion is simply absolutely the best This Christ teacheth in Luke 16. 12. This he calls our own those another mans VVhen a man views houses or surveys land or tells money for another man his heart is not so affected with them as when he views surveys tells for himself Propriety draws and engages the heart to that wherein a man hath a property though it be but mean and worthlesse and carrieth the heart after it much more when propriety and a most worthy property meet together as David found this to be Psal 4. 6 7. 2. The misery of those that have not this portion Eph. 2. 12. Little or rather no cause have such to blesse themselves in their worldly portions and possessions as worldly men are apt to do Psal 49. 18. For they have their portion onely in this life which is but a vapour But believers are happy in their portion in God both in and after this life For they shall behold his face in righteousnesse and shall be satisfied when they awake with his likenesse Psal 17 14 15. Attend therefore in time to the counsel of Christ in Rev. 3. 17 18. 2. Specially To believers To behaâ—e themselves as it becomes those who have God for their portion That you may so do 1. Professedly avouch God to be your portion Deut. 26. 17. This is done two wayes 1. When you set your love upon him with such an esteem of him as is meet for such a portion Where a mans treasure is there will his heart be also Matth. 6. 21. Let God be your treasure when you look upon all things in the world single out those that you account most amiable desirable then ascend in your thoughts to heaven and contemplate all the excellencies there the rivers of pleasure the blessed fellowship of Saints in glory each of them as dear to another as if all relations of husbands and wives of parents and children and friends were in every one of them yet let God and Christ be above them all So did Asaph Psal 73. 25. So will every one that knows Gods name aright Psal 91. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him I will set him on high because he hath known my name 2. When you are content to part with all to enjoy him alone A maid will say of a man whom she loves I will have him though I beg my bread with him A man will lay out his estate in suit for his own 3. When you live in the world with affections free from worldly ingagements as Pilgrims whose hearts are at home when their feet are travailing abroad 2. Possesse and use and injoy God as your portion Thus 1. Live upon God as the Israelites in Canaan did upon their lots and inheritances Live upon Gods favour in Christ Psal 30. 5. And upon his promises Isa 38. 16. Live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. fetching all your comfort thence 2. Walk with God Gen. 5. 24. and work in God Joh. 3. 21. marry in the Lord live unto the Lord exalting his ends and rules in all things 3. Cast all your care upon him 1 Pet. 5. 7. you may try men in smaller things before you trust them with greater especially if they be strangers But it is dishonourable to God if you do not at the first trust him with all that you are and have When mens hearts sink in every danger it is from a defect either of faith or in faith See how Christ reproved this in Peter Mat. 14. 30 31. Davids first recourse was to God and what ever means he used he looked up to him Psal 5. 3. 4. Live contentedly when you injoy God in his Ordinances without covetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. and with out discontentednesse because of outward afflictions or wants David as he was the sweet singer of Israel so he expressed a sweet frame of spirit in 2 Sam. 23. 5. He
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
from God and from the souls knowing its interest in him as his portion are good and strong reasons for our hoping in him and such are the reasons which the Church in my Text gives of their hoping in God They considered Gods All-sufficiency in himself and to every one that hath him for his portion and what interest themselves had in him through faith in Christ and thereupon conclude therefore will I hope in him So may all believers R. 1. From the inseparable connection of hope with faith Faith believes in Christ and in God through Christ upon Gods authority in his word and what faith believes hope expects The reasons for a believers hoping in God are as good and strong as for his believing in him For as naturally beams come from the Sun and branches from the root so by spiritual discourse one truth issueth from another and as the Sun and its beams the roots and branches are all of one nature so the grounds of comfortable truths and reasons taken from those grounds are both of the same divine authority in themselves Though in us discourse is apt to be so troubled in times of Temptation that we cannot see how one truth ariseth upon another yet so far as faith sees God to be our portion the soul sees good and strong reason for our hoping in him for all good that may suit all our needs in the best season R. 2. From the convincing light which the spirit of God bringeth into the soul when he worketh faith and hope in it It is the office and work of the spirit to convince and by convincing to comfort Joh. 16. 7 8. Conviction is a clear and infallible demonstration and comfort is a demonstration with application unto us of better and stronger reasons to raise us up then those are which tend to cast down our souls When the spirit convinceth he bringeth such a full and powerful light into the soul as silenceth all disputes and cavils and causeth the soul to yeeld as overcome by the evidence and authority of the light and truth brought into it Light hath a convincing property and force in it When we see the light of the Sun we know it is day and will not believe those that shall deny it though they were ten thousands because the convinction hereof is undeniable it is an unreasonable thing to deny it So the spirit of God brings an undeniable light into the soul which discovers the vanity of those windings and turnings whereof mens deceitful hearts are so full that there can be no thorough conviction and effectual to salvation without the efficacy of the Holy Spirit A common conviction there may be by the light of nature or of a natural conscience or of some common transient work of the Holy Spirit but that is but weak For either it discovers but little as a little spark shews little light not enough to lighten the room by overcomming the darknesse and turning it into light or the light which it shews it shews but weakly like a flash of lightning or a blaze in straw that is soon out again But saving convinction is a greater and stronger light like the light of the Sun which is a full and powerful light This is onely from the sanctifying spirit of God This light shewes the evil of sin and the good of the contrary in their spiritual nature and compasse and drawes the will answerably from the one to the other by converting grace Acts 26. 18. This light is abiding in the renewed soul Thus the Church in my Text was convinced and comforted in their great distresse by the spirit and word of God so as they could hold forth good and strong reasons whereupon their hope was strengthened and their hearts were comforted in sad houres Vse 1. For Instruction two-fold 1. Learn hence to examine and trie the reasons whereby you are moved to act whether they they be good or not good reason is a beam of Gods light What comes from God carrieth the soul to God Therefore that which drawes the soul from God cannot be a good reason it is not right reason but falsely called reason it is not from faith but from unbelief not good but evil Heb. 3. 12. Hence no good reason can be given for any sâ—nâ— What ever reasons are pretended for it they are not according to Gods Logick but the Devils Sophistrie Jam. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They deceive themselves with false Syllogismes You may find in Jam. 3. 15. three Topicks from whence all such arguings are fetcht the World the Flesh and the Devil the three great enemies of Gods glory and of Christs Kingdom in us yet they will pretend their good intention for Gods honour when they seek no themselves worldly profits by disobeying Gods commandement So did Saul but Samuel refuted all his false pleas 1. Sam. 15. 21 22 23. See how the Scripture reproves such as encourage themselves to do evil that good may come thereon Rom. 3. 7 8. Job sharply took up his friends for this in Job 13. 7. Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him yet thus the Devill deceiveâ—â— his active instruments against Christ the time commeth saith Christ in Joh. 16. 2. that whosoever killeth you will think be doth God service There are that argue from worldly advantages to encourage men to sin Prov. 1. 13. But Christ shews the pernicious delusion of such reasonings in Mat. 16. 26. others from the pleasure of carnal liberty but Peter shews the falsenesse of that plea in 2 Pet. 2. 19. others from worldly preferment of wicked men Mal. 3. 15. which the Prophet confuteth in verse 18. Some from Gods patience which God himself answereth in Psal 50. 21 22. Such as these are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonings of natural men Rom. 1. 21. which should warn all men to deny their carnal wisdom which is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. 2. Learn hence to examine and try the goodnesse and strength of the reasons whereupon it is grounded remembring that rule in 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you You say you hope in God If you have no reason for it it s a foolish unreasonable hope If you have but slight reasons it s a vain hope And such is hope of the most one grounds his hope of salvation upon his creation saying I am Gods creature and he hath not made me to damne me Therefore I hope he will save me See the delusion of this plea 1. Are not the Devils Gods creatures yet they are damned 2. Though Gods end in making you was not to damne you yet your impenitency in sin and unbelief will damne you 3. See the Lords own refutation of this plea in Isa 27. 11. Another grounds his hope of blessednesse upon Gods blessing him as he calls it with worldly successe and prosperity But Christ
shews the vanity of this hope in that rich man in Hell Luke 16. 25. and by telling us that it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 92. 7. Gods end in prospering such in the world is like Hesters end in feasting Haman Another grounds his hope that he shall have heaven hereafter because he hath had his Hell through afflictions in this life But such consider not what the Word saith concerning Sodom and Gomorrah Jude 7. Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire What misery wicked impenitent sinners suffer here is but a beginning and pledge to them of Hell hereafter Another grounds his hope upon his Christian priviledges and performances But this is plentifully refuted in Scripture by Johns speech to the Pharisees Mat. 3. 9. and Pauls to the Romans Rom. 2. 28. and concerning himself Phil. 3. 7. Others ground their hope upon Gods mercy though they continue in their sins This indeed is a good reason for hope in those that confesse and forsake their sin Prov. 28. 13. But for those that abuse this mercy to the hardning of themselves in sin by it see how the Lord thunders against such in Deut. 29. 19 20. Others ground their hope upon their own self-flattering and self-deceiving thoughts of themselves Such may see their own folly and madnesse by what the Scripture saith in Prov. 28. 26. and Gal. 6. 3. Let all such and the like renounce their ungrounded hope which like that broken reed of Aegypt Isa 36. 6. will at once both fail them and ruin them Till you have an interest in God and Christ as your portion you are without hope Eph. 2. 12. Therefore the first work of the Spirit in the soul by the Gospel and one great end of the ministry thereof is to make way for true faith and hope by casting down those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings and bringing into Captivity every thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every sophistical reasoning to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. Vse 2. For Exhortation to believers being under temptations and afflictions whether outward or inward to improve the reasons which faith supplieth for the quickening and strengthening of their hope in God For in such times faith is put to it to use reasons Indeed the soul needeth not that help so much when it is in a clear and quiet state for upon its close and sweet communion with God in Christ and from some likenesse between the renewed soul and God it presently and without praevious discourse runneth to God as by a supernatural instinct as by natural instinct the child runneth to his natural parents in danger and distresse with confidence But in dark times of great afflictions and temptations faith is put to use Arguments and reasons to quicken and strengthen hope Accordingly study the grounds of hope and improve them for your help 1. Such as may be supplied from the inward store laid up in the soul as the Church did in my Text. 2. Such as are or may be suggested by others Harken and yield to them and close with them For thus you will shew that you have a frame of spirit suitable to any holy and comfortable truth that shall be presented and applied to it There is a principle in every renewed spirit that closeth with whatever commeth from Gods spirit that readily claimes acquaintance and kindred with it as comming from the same blessed spring the holy Spirit When Asaph found the contrary in himself that his soul refused comfort and he remembred God and was troubled Psal 77. 23. he saw and said this is mine infirmity ver 10. He saw that it arose from a sicknesse a spiritual disease and distemper in his soul While passion and temptation disturbe the soul they hinder the exercise of spiritual reason As we see in David who said in his haste all men are liars Psal 116. 10 11. This he saw afterward when his spiritual reason had recovered it self which before by his distemper was hindred in its working then he admired God for his benefits toward him notwithstanding his provocation of him to have taken a contrary course with him ver 12. Labour therefore 1. That your mind which is the seat of principles be well furnished with divine and spiritual truths For false principles can never produce true comforts As onely truth sanctifieth Joh. 17. 17. So truth onely truly comforteth There is the same reason of both For it is the peculiar office of the Holy Spirit both to sanctifie and to comfort And the Holy spirit is the Spirit of Truth Ioh. 16. 13. Therefore he will not work by a falshood but onely by Truth either sanctification or consolation 2. See that your understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dianoetical discoursing faculty which is the seat of conclusions be used to deduce from spiritual principles such spiritual conclusions as they are apt to beget For by false reasonings in times of affliction and temptation 1. Believers hinder their faith and hope when they reason too much from sense and present feeling Isa 40. 27. and 49. 14. Ezek. 33. 10. 2. Others have false comforts from the light of a fire kindled by themselves Isa 50. 11. But if renouncing such reasonings you flie to Christ and his righteousnesse alone for your acceptance with God through faith in his blood with true repentance then you may reason with God Isa 1. 18. though not in your own strength or worth Iob 9. 14 15. yet you may reason with him in faithful fervent prayer in Gen. 2. 10 11. 12. whereby he prevailed and got both a new blessing and a new name ver 28. Fervent prayers are strong reasonings with God in Christs strength and for his sake This will be well pleasing to God For as when God cals for our obedience he adds perswasives to his precepts and reasoneth with us as well as commandeth us so he allowed us in prayer to add perswasions to our petitions and to reason with him as well as intreat him Onely it must be our care that we reason from right Topicks and heads of Arguments Such as these 1. From the infinitenesse and freenesse of Gods merccy and grace 2. From the immutable firmnesse of his Covenant and promises in Christ 3. From our indigence and dependance upon him 4. From the concernments of his glory and our necessary good In such reasonings of faith and hope the spirit strength and life of prayer consisteth Such pleadings in the name of Christ God approveth and requireth Isa 43. 26. 3. See that the heart which is the seat of practical knowledge be fitted to order the conversation and practice by sound principles in the mind and right conclusions in the understanding that mental discourse may not vanish in meer empty speculation As in my Text The Lord is my portion is the principle laid up in their mind saith my soul is the proof it the conclusion to be from thence inferred is Therefore it is my duty to hope
Of men in great danger by Storms at Sea ver 23. to 33. In all which he saih God helps men crying to him when all help and hope in the creature fails them 2. In various changes of mens outward conditions in reference both to the increase of the fruits of the earth or to the diminishing of them whereby men become rich or poor ver 33. to 36. and to mens preferment or abasement ver 40 41. The summe of all is that which the Psalmist saith elsewhere in Psal 46. 1. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Ob. Seeing hope is of things future and God is a present help how can it be said that God is the object of our hope Answ 1. God is not onely a present help but also a future help even for ever And so he is the object both of our faith and hope 1 Pet. 1. 21. And for the future hope relyes upon God though the soul doth injoy him at present as our God 1. That he will continue his goodnesse to us This God is our God and he will be our guide unto death Psal 48. ult 2. That we shall have a more cleer and full sight of him Psal 42. 11. 3. That he will supply all our need Phil. 4. 19. and that he will multiply grace and peace unto us 1 Pet. 1. 1. and that as he is the God of all grace he will after we have suffered a while make us perfect stablish strengthen settle us 1 Pet. 5. 10. These future good things hope expects and 4. at last eternal salvation Therefore it is called the hope of Salvation 1 Thess 5. 8. the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. and the hope of eternal life Tit. 3. 7. all which are good things to come and though difficult yet possible to be had by his help and are most certain by vertue of his promise in Christ which is the ground of this hope Hence hope is called an anchor sure and steadfast Heb. 6. 19. R. 2. From Gods manner of bringing the soul and this object himself together by this hope For 1. By effectual convincing and humbling the soul he prepares it for this hope He gives them the valley of Achor for a door of hope Hos 2. 15. 2. He doth it by revealing his grace to a soul so prepared To this end 1. He openeth the eyes of their understanding Eph. 1. 18. 2. Having given them a spiritual eye-sight he layes his grace and goodnesse in Christ before them by the ministry of the Gospel Eph. 3. 9. 3. He particularly applyeth the same to them as theirs by the ministry of the Word Acts 13. 26. and by the efficacy of the spirit Psal 35. 3. So that now they can look upon God in the Covenant of grace as their God 2 Cor. 6. 18. and upon all the good of the Covenant as a legacy given unto them by Christ in his last Will and Testament 2 Pet. 1. 3. Hence what they yet have not in sense they see ground to hope for Psal 130. ult And this hope supports the heart under great affliction upon three main propps 1. The power of Gods grace 1. To pardon many and great great sins Rom. 5. 20. 2. To perform all his promises how difficult so ever it may seem to our sense and reason Rom. 4. 18. to 22. 3. To comfort in all tribulations 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. 4. To help in all distresses 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. 2. Upon the freenesse of Gods grace and promise notwithstanding all our un-worthynesse Isa 43. 25. Mich. 7. 18. 3. Upon the reality of Gods good purposes towards us declared by sending his Son and his Sons comming to bring us to God Luke 19. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 18. and Christs calling us unto himself Mat. 11. 28 29. and the fathers drawing us unto his Son Joh. 6. 44 45. The rellish which believers have of the sweetnesse of Gods grace in Christ turneth the eye of their soul towards him in desires and expectations of further good from him Psal 34. 8. R. 3. From the effects of this hope all which shew that the soul is supported by it 1. It brings comfort to the soul Therefore rejoycing is joyned with this hope Rom. 12. 12. There is joy in hope of good to come though it be yet absent Because the soul hath a taste of it in the beginnings and first fruits Now joy strengthens the heart answerably to the degree of it The joy of God is your strength Neh. 8. 10. As when a man seeth the clouds begin to clear in a time of rain he is comforted in hope that it will be fair weather so when the soul under great affliction seeth some glimpse of the light of Gods countenance his hope and joy reviveth and is increased as that is more cleared unto him 1 Pet. 1. 3 6. 2. It quieteth and setleth the heart in peace proportionably to the measure of our trusting and hoping in God Moses found it so at the Red Sea Exod 14. 13. and David at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. 6. 3. It makes the heart patient in waiting on God with submission to his good pleasure Psal 37. 7. 34. 34. How is God their strength in the time of trouble By strengthening their hope to wait patiently and quietly upon him not using any indirect and unlawful means to escape or come out of trouble The Lord cryed concerning this Their strength is to sit still Isa 30. 7. 4. It causeth the soul to cleave unto God whatever befals them in the way of obedience Rom. 5. 23. Heb. 3. 6. Vse 1. For reproof of two sorts 1. All unregenerate persons may be hence convinced that their state is wretched and miserable upon two grounds 1. Because they have no hope in God Eph. 2. 12. A Christlesse state is an hopelesse state and an hopelesse state is the worst condition They pretend to this hope but without ground and an ungrounded hope is a self-deluding hope The object of their hope shall fail them Mat. 7. 22 23. and the hope which they seem to have shall perish and be cut off Iob 8. 13 14. It shall be as a spiders web finely spun but not firm it s but an hope of their own making as the spiders web is wrought out of its own bowels and as the spider thinks it self when it is lodged in its web so they think themselves safe in their salse hope but as the spiders web is easily and suddenly swept away so shall their hope be by Gods beesome Isa 14. 23. 2. Because they abound in vain hopes in themselves Luke 18. 19. in men Isa 2. 22. in riches 1 Tim. 6. 17. in chariots and horses Psal 20. 7. in their mental and bodily abilities Prov. 3. 4. Jer. 9. 23 24. Such hopes argue ignorance pride atheism idolatry setting up the creature above God Jer. 2. 12 13. The effects also are pernicious 1. Losse Jon. 2. 8. Phil. 3. 7. 2. Disappointment Ier. 8.
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
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
they shall mount up upon wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40. 31. The second case whereon believers are called to exercise this hope in their personal concernments is in reference to the time past the seeming frustration and disappointment of their former expectations For having prayed and waited for the good desired yet they have not oâ—tained it And many when they have given up their names unto Christ looked for peace prosperity and good dayes but find troubles crosses and afflictions of sundry kinds this much disquieteth and sometimes discourageth their spirits Hence they are apt to complain with the Church in Jer. 8. 15. We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health and behold trouble and to conclude as they did in Isa 49. 14. Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me In this case that may be made for a right exercise of hoping in God I shall distinguish the subjects of it 1. There are some whom God forsakes really 1. Such as forsake God If ye forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15. 2. This is the condition of all Apostates that depart from the rules of Gods worship and the Churches of the Saints embracing and following worldly policies and advantages 2. Such as seem to seek God but rest in outward performances without inward sincerity and spiritualnesse and trust in their parts and gifts and duties not in Christ for acceptance with God This is the condition of all hypocrites who sin and pray and pray and sin without true repentance yet think to be accepted of God for the things they do in religion outwardly of such the Lord saith in Hos 5. 6. They shall go with their flockâ—â— and with their Heards to seek the Lord but they shall not find him he hath with-drawn himself from them 3. Such as abuse the mercies they have received and yet presume that mercies shall be still continued and added though they go on in their impenitency This is the condition of all obstinate hard-hearted sinners These may receive their doom from that which the Lord denounced against Israel in Hos 1. 6. Call her name Lo-ruhamah for I will not adde any more to shew mercy to them As if 〈◊〉 had said They have received many mercies from me but they abuse theâ— all and presume that they shall receive more mercies from me but 〈◊〉 shall not be so I will not adde any more Of all these and the like the Apostle saith they are without Christ without God and without hope Eph. 2. 12. Therefore I have no more to say to them in this point 2. There are others whom God doth not forsake really but onely seemingly and that but in some respect and but for a time And that he is present with them graciously when they think he hath forsaken them appeareth by his efficacy in them 1. That he quickens them to seek him in the use of all means Psal 9. 10. For thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 2. That they seek him as their portion as their chief good without injoyment of whom nothing will satisfie them This is from the efficacy of his grace in them as it was in the Spouse Cant. 5. 4 5 6 8 10. 3. That Gods with-drawing from them in any degree makes them fearful of his forsaking them utterly and for prevention thereof careful to engage themselves to obey him more perfectly Thus it wrought in David Psal 119. 8. I will keep thy Statutes O forsake me not utterly These are the persons who are called to exercise hope in God in this case To instruct them how to perform this great duty aright I shall propound five Directions 1. Direction Make it clear unto your own souls that you have a good ground of hope See that your faith in God is right For this hope is the daughter of faith And if you are in the dark as to present sight of your good estate consider whether formerly when you had a clear light you then knew that your soul said the Lord is my portion For it may be at sometimes with a true believer spiritually as it was with Eutychus bodily in Acts 20. 10. that though life is in him yet he hath not the sense of it Then though Gods face is towards him yet he complains that he hath long hid his face from him as David did in Psal 13. 1. and if his Ministers speak comfortably to him it is with him as it was with the people of Israel when Moses spake as comfortably unto them as at any time but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of heart Exod. 6. 9. and when he remembers God he is troubled and complaineth and his spirit is over-whelmed as Asaph found in Psal 77. 3. In this case faith it self must be helped by reflecting upon former experience This course Asaph took and found relief by it ibid. ver 5 6. So a believer having called to mind form 〈◊〉 passages betweeen God and his soul when he made diligent search and upon tryal of his estate toward God by Scripture light found it to be good hath good ground to hope in God that it is so still and that it will so continue for ever and that from the sure Word of God in the Scripture which assâ—â—â—s us thaâ— Gods drawing us to himself in Christ is from his everlasting love Ier. 31. 3. and that Christ having loved his own which are in the World loveth them unto the end Ioh. 13. 1. and that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. As a man who hath deliberately cast up his accounts and summed up the particulars exactly when he took a fit season for it if afterward when being sick or in some hurry of businesse he is not fit to review the particulars he be demanded how the Accounts stand he will refer himself to the foot of his Account in a certain perswasion that it is right so a believer being under temptations and seeming desertion may and should exercise this hoping in God and hath good ground so to do from what he formerly found when he diligently searched into particulars though now he cannot call them to mind Or as a woman with child having felt it stir in her womb knowes thereby that she hath been quickened and conceived and hath thereby comforting hope that it will go on though she doth not alwayes feel it stir So 〈◊〉 is in this case and much rather For that conception may die and the woman may miscarry but so cannoâ— the regenerate being born againâ— not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. 2. Direction When thus the ground of hope is cleared to be good and way is made for the excercise of it then let it be exercised in its purging work This is the
and dishonourable to God and therefore he frequently in Scripture expostulateth with and complaineth of his people for it As you may see in Ier. 2. 31. Ezek. 33. 10 11. Mich. 6. 1 2 3. David found out this evil in himself and repented of it as you may see in Psal 31. 22. and 116. 11 12. 2. Your aptnesse to be short spirited with God which is contrary to the waiting of hope This greatly incensed the wrath of God against his people of old of whom it is said in Psal 78. 40 41. How often did they provoke him in the Wildernesse and grieve him in the Desart yea they turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel So do all they whose hoping in God ceaseth if he do not grant them the particular thing which they expect and in their time and by their means 3. Your unwarranted expectations of good without mixture of any evil of peace without trouble of health without sicknesse of ease without pain of joy without sorrow of prosperous successes without crosses which God hath no where promised but hath fore-told the contrary every where in his Word that he will visit our transgression with the rod and our iniquities with stripes Psal 89. 32. and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14. 22. and that whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Heb. 12. 6. And the reason why Christ foretold these things is that when they come to passe we might not be offended as himself saith in Ioh. 16. 1. and that when the time shall come we may remember that he told us of them as he saith in ver 4. 4. Your aptnesse to be slight spirited and carelesse in retaining the favour of God and in maintaining the workings of his Spirit in you The former the Church found in themselves and confessed in Isa 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee For the later the Lord reproveth the Church of Ephesus though he took notice of many good things in them and done by them Neverthelesse he tels them that he hath this against them that they had left their first love Rev. 2. 2 3 4. and commands them Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Else I will come unto thee quickly c. ver 5. 5. Be humbled for and repent of your frustrating of Gods expectations as the great provocation of God to dis-appoint your expectations Consider to this end what God hath done for us and therefore doth expect from us in that which the Lord said concerning the house of Israel in Isa 5. 4 5. and let us fear lest our unfruitfulnesse unprofitablenesse and un-answerablenesse to the means and mercies received incense his wrath and jealousie against us more then against others for whom he hath not done so much as he hath done for us For so he determined concerning Israel you onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. 2. Having thus searched and tried your wayes the next duty is to turn again to the Lord with unfeigned repentance and faith in the blood of Christ and amendment of life This was the fruit of Davids considering his wayes his turning his feet unto Gods testimonies Psal 119. 59. Else you do but as if a wounded man should cry to the Chyrurgeon for ease of his pain but will not endure to have the arrow head or splinter that sticks in his flesh plucked out If I regard iniquity in my heart said David the Lord will not hear my prayers Psal 66. 18. And the people of Israel found that when they did evil as they could and cast off the thing that is good and yet prayed unto God as their God he would not own them nor accept their prayers but upbraided them with their sins as you may see in Jer. 3. 4 5. Hos 8. 2 3. Therefore the Church in my Text took a right course to strengthen their hope in God when they resolved upon this order first to search and try their wayes and turn again to the Lord and after that to lift up their hearts with their hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 40 41. These things being done that your hope may act aright 3. The third Direction which is to be attended that you may exercise this hope is to use this hope aright in its second work for encouragement by your cherishing in your selves good thoughts of Gods good purposes towards you and expectation of good from God suitable to your needs Hereunto the Lord encouraged the repenting Jews in their Captivity in Bayblon Jer. 29. 11. to 15. Having promised them that at the time appointed he would visit them and perform his good towards them in causing them to return he acquainted them with his good thoughts towards them as the reason of it and what he would work in them to fit them for that mercy saying For I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts c. Do not conclude concerning Gods thoughts towards you by present sense and feeling but by his own word Therefore David resolved to hearken to what God the Lord saith not to what carnal reason and sense would say and the reason of his so resolving is drawn from the expectation of his hope for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Psal 85. 8. and his expectation so grounded was so strong that he pleaded it with God saying in Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me And well may believers be strengthened in this hope having it built upon so firm a foundation as the word of God concerning which David saith in the same Psal ver 89 90. For ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven Thy saithfulnesse is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth How is the earth established we see if you cast the least stone upwards in the aire it abideth not there but soon fals down to the earth yet the earth it self though it is an huge vast heavy body abideth in the air wherewith it is surrounded and wherein it hangeth How is this done It hath no pillars to hold it up but the Decree and Word of that mighty God who upholdeth all things by the Word of his power Heb. 1. 3. His power accompanying his Word upholdeth the earth in the middest of the air and shall it not support our hearts in the middest
he had rather be one day there then a thousand elsewhere and to be a Door-keeper in Gods House than to dwel in the Tents of wickednesse Psal 84. 9 10. The place of the publick holy assemblies was a Tent a Tabernacle an unfixed a moveable place yet he cals that an House a fixed Mansion The people dwelt in houses firmly built upon foundations yet David accounted the houses of wicked men Tabernacles he looked for no stability in the World but onely in the Church and fellowship of those that are in Covenant See how affectionately he speaks of Church Assemblies and Communion with them Psal 122. 8 9. of the same mind and spirit were the Saints in the Babilonish Captivity Psal 137. 5 6. And the same spirit works the like disposition in all the members of Christs mystical body whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. And they see good reason for their so acting in the concernments of the Churches of Christ For 1. They know that God hath recorded his Name there and his Name is put upon Church members and therefore his Name is honoured or dishonoured as things are well or ill with his Church Hence it was that Josua was so exceedingly afflicted for the flight of the people before Ai though but about thirty six were slain what shall I say when Israel flies before the enemies and the Canaanites will hear of it c. and what wilt thou do to thy great Name Iosh 7. 8 9. Therefore Christ teacheth us to joyn these together immediately Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come to shew us that answerable to the well being of the Church which is the Kingdome of grace will be the honour of Gods Name in this World 2. They know that the welfare of all States and people where Churches are depends upon the welfare of the Church For so runs the promise Israel shall be a blessing in the midst of the land Isa 19. 24. Hence it was that the Saints could not be satisfied with their own private welfare if the Church of God was in affliction and danger or under reproach As you may see in Vriah 2 Sam. 11. 11. in Nehemiah Neh. 1. 3 4. with 2. 2 c. and in Daniel though he was as highly preferred as a subject could be in the greatest Monarchy Dan. 10. 2 3. Hence also when there hath been a double affliction upon them both publick and private the publick hath swallowed up the private and made it inconsiderable in comparison As we see in Eli. 1 Sam. 4. 18. and his daughter in law the wife of Phineas ver 21 22. Lastly hence it was that when they have had a double opportunity of doing or procuring good to the publick and to their own private they have preferred the publick advantage before their own private interest Thus Terentius a Christian Commander in the Wars under the Emperor Valens who was an Arrian being willed by that Emperor for a special service done by him to demand what he would made his petition to the Emperor which he presented to him in writing that the Christians might have the liberty of a Church by themselves to worship God apart from the Arrians The Emperor read his petition and disliking it tore it and threw it away Terentius meekly gathered up the scattered pieces and professed to the Emperor that if he could not be heard in Gods cause he would not make any suit for his own profit How may this worthy man shame most Christians in these dayes who if their garners may be ful their sheep multiply their oxen be strong to labour their sons be as plants grown up and their daughters polished and set forth with ornaments and there be no complaining in the streets think themselves happy and regard not what becomes of religion and of Christs cause and interest in the Churches take not to heart the afflictions of Gods people if their trading increase one good bargain will more comfort them then all the calamities of the Church can grieve them they can hear and speak of the breaches and ruins of Sion as the Athenians did of news without remorse or regard Brethren it is a weighty matter to read letters and receive intelligence in them concerning the state of the Churches You had need to lift up your hearts to God when you are about to read your letters from our native Country to give you wisdom and hearts duly affected that you may receive such intelligences as you ought For God looks upon every man in such cases with a jealous eye observing with what workings of bowels they read or speak of the concernments of his Church You see in Amos 6. 6. how his wrath was incensed against those who solaced themselves with their private prosperity but were not sick their hearts aked not for the afflictions of Joseph 3. They know that if they with-draw from being helpful to the Church God will do good to his Church without them but he will be avenged upon them that desert or neglect his cause and people This Argument Mordecai used to Hester in Hest 4. 13 14. and it prevailed mightily with her to run the utmost hazard of her own person when there might be hope of some good to the Church thereby ver 16. For the contrary Meroz was cursed by the Angel of the Lord because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty Iudg. 5. 23. Though men cannot help the Lord essentially or personally yet they may be said to help him relatively in his cause and people when they own his cause and people and appear on that side when Satan and his instruments raise persecutions and reproaches against them Though the Lord needs not mens help in such cases for when he saw that there was no mon no intercessor his own arm brought salvation unto him Isa. 51. 16. yet it is our duty to shew on whose side we stand For Christ will look at them as his enemies that disown his cause and people at such times as he saith He that is not with me is against me Mat. 12. 30. Are the people and wayes of God under reproach Christ is reproachd in them and with them Rom. 15. 3. Object Ah! but they are called fools and fanaticks Answ When was it otherwise Bernard complained of the like in his time Ipsa Religio in opprobrium venit timor Domini simplicitas reputatur ne dicam fatuitas That is Religion it self comes into reproach and the fear of God is accounted simplicity that I say not folly And before him Augustine describes the scoffs and frumps of luke-warm professors against the zeal of those that were fervent in spirit serving the Lord Quid insanis aiunt nimius est Nuncquid alii non sunt Christiani Ista stultitia est dementia est That is Why art thou mad say they your zeal is