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
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
God amiable to man who were enemies before by the sin of man 4. That God in Christ is fatherly towards believers in all his Attributes whereby he is described in Exod. 34. 6 7. and other Texts of Scripture all which are in God essential and therefore eternal and infinite 5. That God acteth all these his excellencies by his fatherly providence governing and ordering all things for the good of his people so powerfully that Satan and his instruments in seeking to crosse his revealed will shall and do fulfil his secret will to their own confusion This providence extends as far as the creation all things even the most casual and most disordered things sins and the most free actings of men are ordered by it so that God doth sometimes great things by weak means disabling more likely means Eccles 9. 11. Sometimes without means and sometimes crossing the course of means And when evil is intended God either wholly averts it or limits and bounds it in regard of measure Psal 129. 3. 4. or of continuance Psal 125. 3. Hereby also he causeth and ordereth a cessation of actions that some shall not favour us and others shall want wisdom and ability to help us from Gods with-drawing his concurrence who hath sufficient reason as well not to do what he doth not as to do what he doth The right knowledge of God in his Being is necessary to the well-laying the ground-work of this hope as conducing unto the preparatory purposes and uses 1. To silence all disputes and murmurrings This made Aaron hold his peace Lev. 10. 2 3. And David not to open his mouth Psal 39. 9. 2. To cause the soul to resigne up a mans self to the will of God who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will Eph. 1. 11. So it wrought in Ely 1 Sam. 3. 18. in David 2 Sam. 15. 26. and in the Saints Acts 21. 14. 3. To quicken us to inure our selves to do Gods will that we may be fit to suffer it For passive obedience springs from active Then are mens wills in right order when as God is the highest so his will hath the highest place in our hearts when they are willing to do what God commands to suffer what God inflicts and to be at Gods dispose when this stayeth our hearts in all events that they are in covenant with him who sits at the Stern and hath committed all power to our Redeemer who hath our names in his brest-plate and on his shoulders The second principle to be looked at in God that our hope may be well built on him is a principle of knowing This principle is the written Word whereby God makes himself and his will known unto us without which we have no good ground or warrant to build our hope upon God But that his people may thus hope in him with strong encouragement He gives us his Word that thereby we may know his good thoughts and purposes towards us which is a sufficient ground of hope it being the Word of him that cannot lie and not onely his bare Word but a binding Word his promises which are free expressions of his love with engagement of it unto us nor onely Promises but his Covenant founded upon a full satisfaction made to his justice by our Redeemer as the head of the Covenant and thereunto hath added his Oath Hob. 6. 18. and Seals both outward Rom. 4. 11. and inward Eph. 1. 13. and all this he hath done that our hope might be built upon a strong foundation that believers might be supported in all tempests Isa 54. 9. 10 11. 2. Having such a strong foundation well laid our next duty is to build strongly upon it Which that you may do attend to these directions 1. See that you trust and hope in God by light and strength received from himself 1. By divine light not by meer humane reasons For none can so know God in his truth and goodnesse as to trust and hope in him but by his own light revealing himself to the soul by his Word and Spirit as none can see the Sun but by its own light Psal 36. 9. 2. The divine power must accompany this light For neither education nor examples of others nor our own resolutions can settle our hearts upon God till we find an inward power and authority causing divine truths to shine into our hearts and subduing all our reasonings and thoughts unto the obedience of faith onely that soul which hath found the efficacy of the spirit by the Word in casting it down and raising it up and renewing it can hope in God aright for things of God them and not before a man chooseth God for his portion and cleaveth to him as his chief good then and not before the sweetnesse of Gods love is let into the soul and rellished by it which draweth the whole soul to trust and hope in him Psal 9. 10. 3. Suit the Promises to your several conditions For what ever condition of life any believer is or can be in he hath Promises in the Word suitable to it whether present or possible 1. At present what ever difficulties or impossibilities as to second causes and means appear to sense or reason faith lifteth up the soul above them all to look unto the Promises and power of God and thereby quickneth and strengthenth our hope in him Rom. 4. 19 20 21. Heb. 11. 27. 2. Possible The Saints have found great help to their faith and hope by putting cases and answering their own hearts therein from Gods all-sufficiencies So David Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil for thou art with me Psal 23. 4. Again Though an Host should encampe against me my heart should not fear Psal 27. 3. Again God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore we will not fear though the earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the Waters thereof roar Psal 46. 1 2 3. Paul excellently puts other cases of an higher nature than these and triumphs over them all in the unchangeablenesse of Gods love to believers in Christ Rom. 8. 38 39. 3. When your hope is quickened by the Promises look unto God with a single eye trusting and hoping in him alone To trust upon two props of which one is sound the other rotten is the ready way to fall Make use of all helps which God gives you but hope in him alone For hoping in God is a part of that natural worship of God injoyned in the first Commandement which belongs to God alone Mat. 4. 20. and thus to have our eyes towards God alone is the proper effect of true conversion Isa 17. 7 8. 4. See that the dispositions of your spirits be answerable to the relations you have to God when he becomes your portion and the object of your hope He hath 1. The relation of a faithful Creator and
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
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.