fear this way; and that, according to the aspect of things among us, nobody can be supposed so indifferent among us, that there should be, in reference to these things, neither hope nor fear. But every one, according to the wish and inclination of his own mind, hath his hope or his fear variously stirring in him thereunto. But it is possible there may be a total vacancy of fear where there is no concern at all. And as there is no fear, so there is no hope; that is, the things are never minded, never thought of. And this is the true state of the case with the most in reference to the concernments of another world, as if it were a mere Utopia. They have, in reference thereunto, nothing of hope or of fear, but lie all their days in a stupid dream. And these are the persons, I confess, about whom I have the least hope, and the most fear; to wit, they who in reference to the concerns of their own souls, have neither hope nor fear; but lie in a drowsy sleep all their time, and dream away all their days; and whereas they talk of hoping to be saved, that hope is nothing else but only a not being afraid to perish, because they apprehend no danger, because they have nullified to themselves the great objects of hope and fear.

for, if the matter should be examined, what are these | them, but that there will be various agitations of hope and men's hopes? It resolves into this; to wit, it is nothing else, but only no fear; it is a negative hope, and no positive thing; a hope that consists in nothing else, but only not fearing. They find they do not fear their being miserable, and that is all. It is very true, indeed, there is nothing that is more common language in the profanest mouths, than that form of asseveration, as they hope to be saved. But let the meaning of those very words be examined and inquired into, and it dwindles into nothing: Hope to be saved? What do you mean by this hoping to be saved? Let the matter be but grasped, do but grasp at it, and you find this hope signifies nothing but only no fear. There is many a one with whom, in reference to many things, there is neither fear nor hope; and it is so here: as from a country that is either merely imaginary, or that you know nothing of, you never hope for good, or fear any evil from thence; you are equally void of any hope, or of any fear who doth either hope any good, or fear any evil from an Utopian land? This is the case with most of these confident persons, that will briskly say, upon all occasions, As I hope to be saved, it is so and so. And what is this hope to be saved? It is only their no fear to be damned. It is true they have no fear of being damned; and this no fear they call hope, as if nothing must signify something. This is a plain state of the case; that hope that is to influence salvation, and, in order thereunto, conversion must be a real, active, vigorous principle in the soul; not a mere nullity, not a nonentity, -as no fear is,-never to fear is.

But you will say, Where lies the difference between these things? I answer, it is manifold and vast. As,

This, therefore, doth not signify the no influence of hope, but it signifies only the inefficacy, or no influence of no hope; for that hope is no hope which they miscall by that name. The most that they can make of it is, that it is no fear; but, as it is no fear, so it is no hope neither; that is, there is a vacancy equal both of hope and fear; and nothing makes their case more deplorable than this, that they are likely to perish even while there is hope, for want of hope. And this is the forlorn, dismal state of many that live under the Gospel; they cannot hope without the intention of hope; there can be no rational or human hope, much less that hope that reaches to the pitch of common grace; without the intention of thought, their thoughts will not be engaged; and one day passeth with them after another, and not a serious thought taken up, Shall I be saved, or shall I perish? What will become of me when I die?

1. As to the positive hope that there should be, it is grounded in faith; but this (no fear) is grounded in infidelity; that is grounded in religion, this is grounded in atheism and irreligion. A vast difference! He that seriously hopes, hopes because he believes the word of God is true, and that such and such things have a real foundation there; and because he hath an inward reverence and adoration of God; and therefore, upon such and such dis- But I hope it is not generally so with you. It would be coveries of him as he is pleased to make of himself and very sad if it were; when you hear so many Lord's days the impression on his heart suitably, there is a tempera- together, one after another, so much of salvation; one ment in the soul towards him, made up of reverence and comes and preacheth to you upon that great question, love, with some kind of dependance and trust. This is "Are there few that shall be saved ?" and another comes all founded in faith, and in religious sentiments; but this and preacheth to you upon that expostulatory passage, same [no fear] is founded in nothing but atheism and irre- "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ?" ligion; they have no fear of that which they really believe and a third, he comes and preacheth to you upon this asis nothing, or they think will never be. And then again, sertion, "We are saved by hope:" nothing but being saved, 2. This [no fear] is nothing, whereas this hope that is nothing but salvation, rings in your ears from one Lord's required is a most positive thing, a principle of great live-day to another. And it will be an amazing thing, if, after liness, vigour, and activity, in its own sphere. That which is nothing can work nothing, effect nothing, in order to conversion or salvation. And again,

3. This [no fear] may signify nothing at all more than only the soul's unconcernedness for any such matter; whereas, real hope signifies its great concernedness, its deep intention of mind and thought about such things. There is nothing does more intend a man's thoughts towards any thing than real hope doth; but this [no fear] may signify his not minding any such concernments at all; his being totally unconcerned about them. So it may in many things, in which one apprehends himself to have no real interest one way or other, and so, accordingly, is in the temper of his mind indifferent in reference to such things. There are many such concernments of which we are totally ignorant, have no real knowledge or thought; | the concernments of some remote countries, at the uttermost ends of the earth, which we know nothing of, understand nothing of their affairs; we are accordingly altogether unconcerned what is done there, and utterly without the exercise of hope or fear, as to the events of things among them. But it is not so with us in reference to the concernments that are under our notice. There is nobody so indifferent in reference to France, Germany, Flanders, and Savoy, as to the occurrences there, and in the conclave, and nearer home in Ireland. There is nobody that useth thought in those things that is so unconcerned about

all this, we have no concernment about being saved; so that we find no room, no place for the exercise of hope or fear; hope of being saved, or fear of perishing by not being saved.

But if the true import of the word salvation were understood, and received into our souls, it would make work among us; it would find us exercise either for hope or fear; when we have so much spoken of salvation as we find in Scripture; and when the name of the Son of God is signalized to us, and celebrated among us as a Saviour, (he shall be called Jesus, for he shall be a Saviour to save his people from their sins,) why, every one that would but use his understanding, would say, What doth this word signify! What is the meaning of all this talk of salvation; of a Saviour, and of being saved? what doth it signify? It plainly signifies that all this world is likely to be shortly in a great flame, and that the Judge is at the door; that hell will shortly swallow up all a whole world of ungodly men, except that residue that shall be caught up in the clouds, to meet their Redeemer in the air, and so to be for ever with the Lord. And if we would but allow the word salvation its true import and significancy, it would be far from us to be without hope, in reference to being saved. And then we should come to understand somewhat of the significancy and of the influence of this hope, the hope of salvation, in order to our conversion first, and then to our salvation itself in the final state.

SERMON XVIII.*

Rom. viii. 24.

We are saved by hope.

HAVING proposed to show the influence that hope hath unto salvation, by showing both what influence it hath upon conversion, that brings us into a state of salvation; and then what influence it hath upon the Christian's perseverance even to the end, by which we are continued in that state, and so finally saved. We have hitherto insisted upon the former, and are now to proceed to the latter; to speak to that influence which hope hath upon a Christian's perseverance in that holy course through which he is to pass on to the state of final glory and blessedness. And here it cannot but be obvious to you, from what hath been formerly said, that hope, as it refers to the perseverance of a Christian, must needs considerably differ from hope as it hath at first influence into conversion; or a person's entrance into the Christian state, both in the nature and in the object; or in respect of the object of the one and of the other hope.

the final state; now more and more, and perfectly hereafter in that state, which is to be final and eternal.

And this the very state of the case itself doth plainly enough suggest to us. There must be this difference also, as to the object of the one hope and the other, according to the difference in the very nature of this and the other hope. The soul before regeneration, it can generally affect and covet to be happy, (which is natural to man,) and dread to be miserable; it is capable of being afraid of wrath and torment; and being so, the state of the case, as it is in view before it, not excluding hope, it can entertain some hope, a human rational hope amidst all that fear. And hereupon, the main thing that it is exercised and taken up about, is the present state of its case, whether God will be reconciled or no; but with final reference too, to its future state, that is, especially the privative part of it, salvation and escape from eternal wrath. It can very well entertain hopes, and admit of agitations of affections to what goes no higher than so, from the very nature of such a subject, an intelligent, reasonable soul, that is capable of happiness, and in general of desiring it; and that apprehends itself liable to misery, and that cannot, without dread and abhorrence, think of that.

But in the mean time, before regeneration it is incapable of any such workings and dispositions as do belong to 1. In respect of the nature of the one and the other, that the holy divine nature. It cannot yet love God; it canhope that doth influence conversion, and is necessarily not yet desire a felicity in him; it cannot covet to be like presupposed to it, (if you consider the nature of it,) hath him, or to have that happiness in view which consists in no more in it than what doth belong to a merely human, the vision of him. This only belongs to its state after it rational hope, assisted only by common grace; for special is regenerate. When once a person comes to be a son, is grace cannot be supposed to be before conversion or rege- brought into a state of sonship, and hath a divine nature neration; but even that human rational hope, it hath its imparted and communicated to him in regeneration; we influence and usefulness towards conversion, as other see what his sense is, what a kind of happiness he is capathings belonging to the human nature have; not only our ble of relishing, and what, accordingly, his hope is, 1 John minds and understandings, by which we are capable of iii. 1. When the apostle had told us in the close of the thinking and considering of things that are to affect, and foregoing chapter, "Every one that doth righteousness is by which we are to be wrought upon, in order to conver-born of God;" every one that hath the same holy nature, sion. But even to go lower than that, our very external senses themselves; "faith cometh by hearing," and so it may come by reading the word and Gospel, which is to be the means of conversion and salvation to our souls. But if you look to the nature of that hope which is all along to influence the course of a converted person, one that is become sincerely a living Christian, that hope must needs be a part of the new man, or of the new nature, which is in regeneration communicated and imparted to the soul. And, accordingly,

2. The object of the one and the other hope must needs very much differ, even supposing the soul to be awakened, and that God is beginning to deal with it in order to conversion; it must be supposed to have some hope concerning the issue of this treaty, wherein it is now engaged with the great God about so important a matter. Otherwise (as hath been inculcated unto you again and again) it is impossible it should ever turn; converting and turning to God is not the act of a despairing but of a hoping soul; and the dispositions thereunto do suppose some hope. And the object of this hope must be understood to be God as now to be reconciled. The object of the other hope that doth influence a Christian's after-course unto final salvation, is God hereafter to be enjoyed. God to be reconciled is the object of that hope, which a person hath while God is dealing with him in order to conversion; to wit, we must suppose him awakened; and being so, considers and bethinks himself, I am an offending, guilty creature: the God that make me hath just matter of controversy with me; will he be reconciled, or will he not? will he always hold me guilty, will he bear himself as an enemy and an avenger to a poor guilty creature as I am? or will he pardon? Will he forgive? Will he show mercy? I hope he will, saith the poor trembling wretch. And then he turns at length. When God is dealing with the soul in order to conversion, it hath this hope in the midst of a great deal of fear and doubt,-Who knows but God will show mercy to a returning soul? And thereupon it turns. So the object of his hope is now God to be reconciled, present reconciliation.

But the object of this hope after conversion, all along, through his succeeding course, is God to be enjoyed in

Preached June 21st, 1691.

which belongs peculiarly, and in its highest perfection, to God alone; every one that hath any participation of that nature, doth thereby appear to be born of God; (or as the same matter is elsewhere otherwise expressed, to be of God;) why, that being supposed, in the beginning of the next chapter, he breaks out into that transport and admiration, wherein we find him introducing the matter that follows: "Behold, what manner of love is this, that we should be called the sons of God!" How come we to be called so? not as having a mere title, a name conferred upon us, and no more, but by having a new nature, a divine nature imparted. Adoption is founded in regeneration. There is no such thing as adoption that doth not presuppose regeneration, and the participation of a new, divine, holy nature from God.

Now, this being communicated, the happiness that such are hereupon capable of is, and so much (though we do not know what it will be in the perfect state fully yet) we do know concerning it, that we shall be like him, (as it there is,) " for we shall see him as he is." This they who are his regenerate sons, are capable of understanding, and relishing. And thereupon you see what their hope is; every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, as he is pure." The hope that a regenerate person, a son, hath concerning him, is, that "he shall be like him, and see him as he is."

66

This is a very considerable difference; though there is a hope (as hath been said) that hath influence upon conversion and salvation itself, yet there is a hope that afterwards hath influence upon the Christian's perseverance through the whole of his after-course. These two do very greatly differ, according as the state of the case doth; the one being part of the new creature, or of the new man, or principle belonging to the new nature, which is now regenerated. The other may be only a human rational hope assisted by common grace, tending towards, and improvable in the methods of God's gracious communications unto the other, heightened up unto the other; so, whereas the principal exercise of the soul under these previous workings, which lead and tend to conversion, is taken up about a present peace and reconciliation with God; but its workings afterwards, under the influence of that nobler

and more sublime hope, is taken up about a final felicity and blessedness in him; and so "rejoices in hope of the glory of God," as the matter is expressed, Rom. v. 2. and obtaining of salvation by Christ Jesus, (1 Tim. ii. 10.) with eternal glory;" that being the thing whereunto such a one finds himself actually called. That cannot but be his hope, that is called to an everlasting kingdom, and the glory of God by and through Christ Jesus; the call proceeding from the God of all grace: "The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect," 1 Pet. v. 10. That which is the final term of his calling, is the hope of it, as the apostle speaks, where he prays for the Ephesians, that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of their minds might be enlightened, and that "they might know the hope of his calling," Eph. i. 18. It is another kind of knowledge they are capable of having concerning the "hope of their calling," or what they are to hope for in the state to which they are called after regeneration, and which proceeds from that divine light which is suitable to a regenerate soul, as such. I say, it is quite another sort of hope from that, which it was capable of before; and so they are quite another sort of things about which the soul is exercised and taken up.

And, in short, that which a person once converted and brought home to God, is entertained and taken up with through the remaining part of his Christian course, is the future state of things; the invisible state. As he is to be saved by hope, (as the text speaks,) brought on to final salvation by the continual influence of hope; and to have this influence upon his whole course unto final salvation, is the immediate product of faith; the soul believes the word of God revealing such and such things that are out of sight, and that come not within the view of common eyes; and believing the word of promise, it hereupon hopes for the things promised, reacheth forth in vehement aspirings towards these things, and contends against the difficulties that lie in the way of attainment. And so we are told the holy soul, the just one, is to live by his faith, Heb. x. 37. And that we are told in the very beginning of the next chapter, is, "the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of the things not seen," Heb. xi. 1. Agreeably to what the text saith, "we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope." It is hope pitched upon unseen things, upon the invisible state of things by which a person is sustained, borne up through the whole of his course in this world, unto final salvation. "What a man sees, why doth he yet hope for?" It is a matter relating to an unseen state of things, the heavenly state, which is to influence a Christian all along till he reach heaven.

And so much being premised, I shall now for the clearing of this to you, (that as hope hath an influence, in order to conversion, so it hath afterwards a continual influence upon perseverance, unto final salvation,) do these two things; 1st, Show how, and in what way, hope hath this influence. And then, 2dly, Show you how necessary this influence is to this purpose; to wit, a Christian's perseverance; his holding on the prescribed course, till he reach the blessedness of it in salvation.

1. I shall show you what influence it hath, or how it comes to have influence, to this purpose. And whereas it is plain and evident, that hope cannot sustain a Christian in his course, if it be not sustained itself; I shall upon this head, more distinctly, do these two things; 1st, Show what advantages such hope, kept up in life and vigour in the soul, doth afford a Christian's continuing in his course, in the ways of God, till he reach the end of it; and then shall, 2dly, Show what encouragement a Christian hath so to hope; or what it is, whereupon all along his hope is to sustain itself, that it may sustain him.

1. For the former of these, What advantages such a hope, kept up in life and vigour, is apt to afford a Christian, for the continuing of him in his way, or that he may persevere unto the end. Here I shall let you see, that it hath influence upon the many gracious dispositions, which it is necessary should be, and should be continued in the soul, in order to its persevering in the way of life. I shall instance in such things as do most directly refer to this very purpose, the keeping of a person with God, in that holy

course into which, by conversion, he hath been brought.
As,
(1.) An habitual seriousness. This is a gracious temper
and disposition of spirit, that conduceth greatly to perse-
verance, and which is continually influenced by hope. By
a serious temper of spirit, I mean (as the thing itself doth
sufficiently speak to any one's understanding) a consider-
ing temper of mind; that is, a serious mind or spirit, that
can consider, and is apt to consider things; nothing is more
necessary to a Christian's perseverance in his course. Apos-
tacy and defection from God is never so likely to prevail,
as when persons do begin to remit the intention of their
minds, as to the considering of things which they are so
much constantly concerned to consider, in reference to their
present states God-ward, and their future and final state.
When once the soul is relaxed and loosened from the ob-
jects, which it should be principally exercised and taken
up about, then comes its danger. The unthinking soul
falls into mischief, is liable to be caught by this, and that,
and the other snare. If there be a disposition to ponder
things, while a considering frame of spirit is preserved, the
soul is safe. But what shall oblige it to consider those
things that are most preservative of it, which have great-
est aptness in them to its preservation, and its being kept
from destructive snares? What can engage it hereunto, so
probably and so strongly, as a continual, lively, vigorous
hope?

You may see what that will signify to that purpose, by that of the apostle, "Gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and hope to the end," 1 Peter i. 13. "Gird up the loins of your minds," a most emphatical expression, to signify a temper of spirit most intent upon consideration. Then is the soul in a considering posture, when the loins of your minds are girt up, when fluid thoughts are collected, as more fluid garments are collected, and bound about a man by a girdle: when the more volative thoughts are drawn in, and made to centre upon the things that we are more deeply concerned to consider. Then may we truly say, this soul is composed to a special sobriety. These expressions do expound one another, Gird up the loins of your minds and be sober; a mind girt up in its loins is a considering mind, and that lies in nothing more fitly and more truly, than in a certain sort of spiritual sobriety. And how is this influenced and maintained in the soul? Why, by a continual hope,-hope to the end. This is naturally so, that the hope we have of any design whatsoever, intends our minds, and collects them to the business: but if we have no hope, we are off from it. Whatsoever we have no hope of we abandon, we lay aside thoughts concerning it; it is to no purpose to consider, or think any longer about a business, in reference to which we have no hope. But as long as there is hope, there will be an agitation of thoughts, and the mind will turn itself this way and that, revolving things over and over. There will certainly, therefore, be a considering habit of mind preserved as long as hope remains in any liveliness and vigour, in reference to the great concerns of eternity that we have before us. And,

(2.) To our continuing in our course (if we be by conversion and regeneration brought into a truly Christian course) a steadfast resolution is of most constant necessity. That we may continue our course, we must be most steadfastly resolved that, through the grace of God, we will not be put out of our way. There must be a "cleaving to God, with full purpose of heart," Acts ii. 23. And it is plain that a continual hope must influence this resolution: Why will I not forsake this way? Why am I (with dependance upon the grace of God) resolved to persist in it, that nothing shall turn me out of it? Why I have a great hope before me, I hope for great things by persisting in this way. It is a way that leads to a blessed end, an end which the grace of God hath encouraged me to hope I shall in this way attain unto. The apostle exhorts the Colossians that they continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not moved from the hope of the Gospel, Col. i. 23. Why was this new faith (as it was a new thing in the world at that time) to be so steadfastly stuck unto? why must there be so resolved an adherence to it? Why, there is the highest, and greatest, and most glorious hope held up in view in that Gospel, or by that Gospel which is the object of this faith; and which therefore claims and challenges

this steadfast adherence to the thing which it represents. | thing, he must resign all, and admit another master, he Therefore you are not to be moved from what is contained in the Gospel, because it contains the matter of so high a hope. It is not tempting you by trifles, or shadows, by small or little things; is your hoped advantage, lying in this Gospel that is now held up in view before you, which is to keep you unmoved. The object contains in itself the reason of the act, and the frame and disposition of the heart required in reference thereunto. And,

What made Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, expose (4.) Patience is another requisite to perseverance: and themselves to continued wandering, and to dwell in tents; hope hath a manifest influence upon that. Patience is no-when God had given them a country (one of the best in thing else but a suffering power, an ability to suffer; by which our Saviour tells us, we possess our souls, that is, save them. It signifies indeed, both, present liberty, and final safety; and that that possession of our souls in patience, preserves them. Possession, in that two-fold sense, signifies liberty and self-dominion. He is subject to another's power, that can suffer nothing; but he is master of himself that can suffer. If he have an ability to suffer, then he keeps his self-dominion. He can be master of his own mind, of his own reason, of his own conscience, of his own judgment, of his 'own faith: but if he can suffer no

special, they signify nothing with us, for every thing we can touch, that we can handle, or have to do with, smells of earth, and we are strangers and pilgrims here upon earth. And this was a plain declaration, their minds were higher, carried to somewhat in a higher region. They declare plainly, they are seeking a country. And what country is that? Why, a better and a heavenly country. And therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, Heb. xi. 16. It was the hope of those high and great things above, that drew up their hearts, and therefore this world could not entangle them.-Their way was above, (as the way of the wise is,) to escape from hell and death beneath. But it was hope that carried them up into those higher regions, so far out of the reach of deadly snares; the snares of death, as the wise man calls them. And again,

Then immediately follows, "As ye have opportunity, do good unto all, especially to them that are of the house hold of faith." This is sowing to the Spirit suitably or subserviently to the kindness, and goodness, and benignity of the Divine Spirit. But whosoever sows, soweth in hope, that he may be partaker of his hope. That course of well-doing is continued, and the soul is held on in it, by the power and influence of a continued hope. "It is by patient continuance in well-doing, that we are to seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, unto eternal life," Rom. ii. 7. I add again,

(10.) Fervency in a course of duty is a very great requisite to continuance in it. We shall soon grow weary of that course of duty, wherein we have no fervour in our own spirits. It is a wearisome thing to pray continually, without any fervour; and for such work as this we are now engaged in, to preach or hear, if there be nothing of fervour in us in these exercises, it is very dull work, and such as we shall not be well pleased to hold on long in; now it is plain, that hope maintains the fervour of the spirit in duty. "Be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," (Rom. xii. 11, 12.) and "rejoicing in hope," are words immediately connected. And,

(6.) As contentment is a great preservative from the danger of apostacy, or a great requisite to perseverance; so is the desire of the better things of the better world, that better country, a very good preservative too. We must now that the spirit of man must of course, when it is drawn off from one sort of objects, apply and turn itself to another sort. It hath not its good within itself, it cannot be a deity, a god to itself; it must have a good to satisfy itself, aliunde out of itself. If it be not from this world that it (11.) Christian temperance is a great thing to preserve looks for this good, it must find elsewhere that which may us from apostacy. There is nothing that doth more effectbe more suitable and more grateful to it. Its desires, ually betray a soul into, and ingulf it in, final ruin, than the when they are confined, limited, and moderated by con- letting loose sensual inclinations. And you find it is the tentment, in reference to this world, are then removed and great design of the Gospel under which we live, and of the transferred to the things of the other world; and so it is grace that appeareth in it, bringing salvation, "To teach kept in a steady, composed state. When it sees that the us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live sothings of this world are not suitable, will not satisfy, it is berly, righteously, and godly, in this present world," Titus not at a loss what it shall do next. A superior good pre-ii. 11, 12, 13. And how are we induced hereunto? sents and offers itself, and the new nature in it doth at- "Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing temper, and suit its desires to that. And if it do desire of the great God, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ." things of that higher and upper region, it is in no danger is nothing that in common experience proves so fatal to of being drawn off from God, while that desire remains, many, that had begun well in a course of religion. Some lives, and flourisheth, and is in any power with it. hopeful young ones, that have been struck with convictions, God hath begun to awaken them, to take hold of their spirits; and they have had some tastes and relishes of the word of God, and of divine and heavenly things; but we have found them recede, and go off again. And how came it to pass? Why, they lost all in a debauch, that extinguished the convictions of conscience and the desires of heart that begun to be stirred in them God-ward and heaven-ward.

There

But now it so much the more desires, by how much the more it hopes; desire languisheth if hope fails, as it is in reference to any thing else, whereby as to the first appearance of good, it comes to its object. Is there any drawing forth of desire towards it, and we come to consider, and contemplate the matter, and we find it to be an unattainable thing, a thing to be despaired of, then we desert, desire fails, and grows flat of course. It is a thing rarely to be found, that desire remains in any vigour, to any object, in Now it is the hope of a soul which is its safety in this reference whereunto there is no hope, or in reference case. What? shall I lose so great a hope, for the pleawhereunto there is nothing but simple despair. Indeed, sure of an hour, or a moment? It is because that I have the first appearance, or view of goodness, or amiableness, great hope concerning this soul of mine, and concerning in the object, may draw forth that which we call simple that vast, immense eternity, that is in view before me, and desire, so far as to put us upon the inquiry, is such a thing whereof I have the prospect, that I will not do so; I am to be gained, yea or nay? And if we find it is not, desire born to great hopes, and therefore I will not destroy them fails, the hopelessness of the thing makes us lay aside the by so mad a folly as this, to throw away a soul, and to thoughts of it, and accordingly there is no more desire. If throw away so great hopes, to please two or three fools, the desires of heavenly felicity live in our souls, this earth that would only have me go to hell in company with them, will never pluck us off from God; but that desire will last or to keep them company there. No, if persons have any no longer than hope lasts, that such a state is not unat-apprehension, that God hath been at work with them, about tainable. We shall, by the grace of God, be enabled to the affairs of their souls, in reference to eternity, this may reach the felicity of that state, we shall not be frustrated be the beginning of a new birth, of a divine birth; and if or disappointed at length:-then saith the soul, I will hold so, whatsoever parentage one is born of, his hopes are on my course. And then again, suitable to his parentage. If I am under the regenerating, (7.) Watchfulness is requisite to a Christian's continued divine influence, born, or shall be born, (if things come to progress in his course to final salvation. But there can a good issue,) a son of the greatest of fathers, a child of be no such thing as watchfulness without hope. Watch- God: then if a child, an heir, an heir of God, and jointing imports a continual design, and of self-preservation ; | heir of Christ. Then how high and great are my hopes! but when the hope of that fails, then all subordinate and How glorious expectancies are those that I have in prossubservient means are laid aside. But this is a thing en-pect before me! And what? to lose all this for the pleajoined us, in order to preservation, to watch always. And to this I might add,

(8.) Pray always too. This is requisite, as most conjunct with the other. And sure we are, as there can be no watching, so there can be no praying, without hope; this is most evident. And,

(9.) A complacential doing of good, or a disposition of doing good with complacency. This makes the ways of God pleasant to men, so as they will never leave them, nor turn aside from them: but it is hope that induceth them hereunto. It is a sowing to the Spirit, when we are doing good. The apostle calls it so. "They that sow to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting," Gal. vi. 8.

sure of a debauch? It is hope that makes the mind sober, (as was before hinted,) "Gird up the loins of your minds, be sober. and hope to the end." That you may be sober, that you may have sobriety of mind, of thinking, and of judging reasonably of things, keep hope in exercise; do but consider what you hope for, and you will be safe. And lastly,

(12.) Joy is a great requisite to perseverance, and will be of great use to us, in order thereunto. "The joy of the Lord is his people's strength," (Neh. viii. 10.) to carry them through the duties and difficulties of the Christian state. And how is that joy to be maintained? "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God," (Rom. v. 2.) and our rejoicing