brethren_n be_v strong_a in_o the_o lord_n and_o in_o the_o power_n of_o he_o may_v put_v on_o the_o whole_a armour_n of_o god_n that_o you_o may_v be_v able_a to_o stand_v against_o all_o the_o wiles_n of_o the_o devil_n for_o we_o wrestle_v not_o with_o flesh_n and_o blood_n etc._n etc._n 2._o we_o observe_v hence_o the_o growth_n increase_n and_o final_a victory_n of_o true_a grace_n against_o hope_n he_o believe_v in_o hope_n math._n 13.32_o the_o kingdom_n of_o heaven_n be_v compare_v to_o a_o grain_n and_o to_o leaven_v that_o leaven_v the_o whole_a lump_n grace_n be_v of_o a_o spread_a nature_n it_o swell_v itself_o into_o the_o whole_a man_n and_o make_v the_o soul_n rise_v as_o high_a as_o heaven_n grace_n lie_v not_o in_o the_o heart_n as_o a_o stone_n in_o the_o earth_n but_o put_v itself_o forth_o in_o vigorous_a act_n to_o this_o refer_v that_o exhortation_n 2_o pet._n 3.17_o fall_v not_o from_o your_o steadfastness_n but_o grow_v in_o grace_n etc._n etc._n the_o first_o appearance_n of_o it_o on_o the_o soul_n may_v be_v but_o as_o the_o wing_n of_o the_o morning_n spread_v themselves_o upon_o the_o mountain_n yet_o it_o be_v still_o rise_v high_a and_o high_o upon_o it_o chase_v away_o all_o filthy_a mist_n and_o vapour_n of_o sin_n till_o it_o arrive_v to_o its_o meridian_n height_n such_o be_v the_o strength_n and_o force_n of_o divinity_n in_o it_o though_o at_o first_o when_o it_o enter_v on_o the_o soul_n it_o may_v seem_v to_o be_v sow_v in_o weakness_n yet_o it_o still_o raise_v itself_o in_o power_n as_o christ_n be_v in_o his_o bodily_a appearance_n still_o increase_v in_o wiâ—dom_n and_o knowledge_n and_o favour_n with_o god_n and_o man_n till_o he_o be_v perfect_v with_o glory_n so_o be_v he_o also_o in_o his_o gracious_a appearance_n in_o his_o saint_n who_o shall_v go_v from_o strength_n to_o strength_n till_o they_o appear_v before_o god_n in_o zion_n the_o reason_n hereof_o be_v take_v 1._o from_o the_o principle_n or_o fountain_n whence_o grace_n flow_v and_o that_o be_v christ_n and_o his_o spirit_n of_o infinite_a value_n and_o irresistible_a efficacy_n so_o that_o unless_o christ_n be_v overcome_v grace_n can_v be_v overcome_v grace_n be_v a_o creature_n be_v in_o its_o own_o nature_n perish_v for_o we_o be_v no_o better_a coin_n than_o adam_n but_o in_o christ_n keep_v it_o can_v never_o perish_v the_o saint_n grace_n of_o themselves_o like_o glass_n may_v break_v but_o be_v hold_v in_o the_o hand_n of_o christ_n they_o can_v never_o be_v break_v 1_o pet._n 1.5_o we_o be_v keep_v by_o the_o power_n of_o god_n through_o face_fw-mi unto_o salvation_n the_o small_a mustardseed_n shall_v not_o be_v kill_v the_o little_a spark_n of_o fire_n shall_v not_o be_v quench_v there_o be_v a_o overflow_a power_n to_o draw_v they_o forth_o and_o perfect_v they_o wherever_o the_o frame_n of_o grace_n be_v begin_v it_o shall_v be_v bring_v forth_o to_o a_o compleatness_n and_o christ_n kingdom_n in_o that_o soul_n shall_v be_v victorious_a over_o all_o opposition_n of_o corruption_n 2._o from_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o opposer_n of_o grace_n they_o be_v finite_a and_o mortal_o wound_v our_o lord_n lead_v captivity_n captive_a heb._n 2.14_o and_o through_o death_n have_v destroy_v he_o who_o have_v the_o power_n of_o death_n so_o that_o upon_o serious_a consideration_n i_o may_v say_v to_o all_o the_o faithful_a as_o elisha_n sometime_o speak_v 2_o king_n 6.16_o fear_v not_o for_o they_o that_o be_v with_o you_o be_v more_o than_o they_o with_o they_o though_o inward_a corruption_n and_o outward_a enemy_n be_v numerous_a and_o strong_a yet_o they_o shall_v not_o final_o prosper_v where_o christ_n promote_v his_o kingdom_n it_o be_v so_o establish_v that_o the_o gate_n of_o hell_n shall_v not_o prevail_v against_o it_o assault_v it_o may_v be_v but_o conquer_a it_o can_v never_o be_v as_o it_o be_v say_v of_o the_o old_a roman_n they_o lose_v some_o battle_n but_o never_o lose_v a_o war_n christian_n may_v have_v some_o foil_n but_o they_o shall_v be_v final_o victorious_a use_v 1_o in_o the_o application_n hereof_o i_o shall_v endeavour_v a_o little_a further_o to_o discover_v the_o nature_n of_o this_o grace_n of_o hope_n etc._n etc._n 1._o by_o way_n of_o information_n the_o enquiry_n will_v be_v first_o what_o it_o be_v answ_n it_o be_v a_o divine_a virtue_n infuse_v by_o the_o spirit_n into_o the_o understanding_n and_o will_n of_o actual_a member_n of_o the_o militant_a church_n whereby_o they_o certain_o and_o patient_o wait_v for_o those_o good_a thing_n god_n have_v promise_v rom._n 8.24,25_o we_o be_v save_v by_o hope_n but_o hope_v that_o be_v see_v be_v no_o hope_n for_o what_o a_o man_n see_v why_o do_v he_o yet_o hope_v for_o but_o if_o we_o hope_v for_o that_o we_o see_v not_o than_o we_o do_v with_o patience_n wait_v for_o it_o in_o which_o description_n we_o have_v express_v or_o employ_v four_o thing_n 1._o the_o principal_a author_n the_o spirit_n of_o god_n 1_o pet._n 1.3_o bless_a be_v the_o god_n and_o father_n of_o our_o lord_n jesus_n christ_n which_o according_a to_o his_o abundant_a mercy_n have_v beget_v we_o again_o unto_o a_o lively_a hope_n by_o the_o resurrection_n of_o jesus_n christ_n from_o the_o dead_a 2._o the_o subject_a inclusive_a partly_o the_o understanding_n partly_o the_o will_n the_o one_o inform_v the_o other_o persuade_v to_o expect_v 3._o the_o object_n about_o which_o it_o be_v employ_v either_o formal_a which_o be_v god_n alone_o his_o power_n truth_n and_o help_v to_o obtain_v the_o promise_a good_a or_o material_a and_o that_o be_v glory_n consider_v three_o way_n viz._n first_o of_o the_o soul_n which_o be_v grace_n and_o be_v the_o object_n of_o hope_n either_o in_o the_o preparative_n whilst_o the_o lord_n be_v dispose_v the_o subject_a for_o grace_n or_o in_o regard_n of_o a_o full_a measure_n of_o degree_n thereof_o it_o not_o be_v with_o the_o tree_n of_o righteousness_n as_o it_o be_v with_o the_o tree_n of_o paradise_n make_v perfect_a at_o once_o second_o of_o the_o body_n and_o so_o all_o the_o good_a thing_n that_o a_o member_n of_o the_o church_n militant_a be_v capable_a of_o be_v a_o secondary_a object_n of_o hope_n three_o the_o glory_n of_o both_o which_o be_v perfect_a beatitude_n in_o the_o heavenly_a kingdom_n as_o the_o end_n whereunto_o all_o other_o mean_n lead_v the_o elect._n 4._o the_o condition_n of_o this_o material_a object_n which_o aquinas_n describe_v to_o be_v good_a hope_v look_n at_o some_o good_a so_o it_o differ_v from_o fear_n whichlook_v at_o evil._n future_a good_a so_o that_o the_o saint_n in_o heaven_n have_v no_o need_n nor_o use_v of_o it_o their_o expectation_n be_v drown_v in_o fruition_n difficult_a hope_n look_v on_o and_o consider_v upon_o one_o side_n pearl_n which_o yet_o be_v in_o the_o shell_n and_o on_o the_o other_o side_n rose_n which_o yet_o it_o may_v enjoy_v with_o some_o labour_n such_o be_v abraham_n hope_n that_o he_o shall_v be_v the_o father_n of_o such_o a_o posterity_n be_v as_o it_o be_v dead_a that_o he_o shall_v enjoy_v a_o land_n flow_v with_o milk_n and_o honey_n yet_o he_o be_v to_o suffer_v famine_n and_o wait_v for_o it_o forty_o year_n and_o last_o possible_a so_o there_o be_v no_o hope_n in_o the_o damn_a it_o be_v in_o those_o on_o this_o side_n the_o grave_a quicken_v by_o the_o live_a spirit_n of_o god_n though_o the_o thing_n they_o hope_v for_o be_v hard_a to_o come_v by_o yet_o they_o be_v possible_a and_o this_o be_v like_a cork_n to_o the_o net_n keep_v the_o heart_n from_o sink_v into_o dispair_n it_o be_v the_o balm_n of_o all_o grief_n the_o coffin_n of_o fear_n and_o cradle_n of_o patience_n second_o what_o be_v opposite_n of_o this_o grace_n answ_n two_o 1._o presumption_n the_o unbeliever_n hope_v without_o ground_n and_o will_v be_v invincible_o follow_v by_o a_o ill_a success_n of_o his_o pretension_n the_o ray_n of_o abraham_n hope_n be_v ground_v on_o a_o good_a title_n but_o man_n of_o another_o stamp_n act_n otherwise_o their_o hope_n be_v a_o imposture_n a_o golden_a dream_n like_o a_o die_a man_n will_n that_o have_v neither_o seal_n nor_o witness_n to_o it_o therein_o he_o bequeath_v such_o and_o such_o land_n and_o legacy_n to_o one_o and_o to_o another_o but_o the_o will_n be_v thus_o leave_v naked_a it_o signify_v little_a such_o be_v the_o hope_n of_o a_o wicked_a man_n it_o promise_v he_o great_a matter_n that_o all_o in_o the_o covenant_n of_o grace_n be_v he_o christ_n and_o heaven_n but_o alas_o all_o be_v a_o mere_a delusion_n a_o presumption_n of_o his_o own_o heart_n 2._o despair_v not_o legal_a which_o be_v in_o abraham_n and_o other_o but_o evangelical_n notwithstanding_o all_o ground_n of_o hope_n so_o abraham_n do_v