Section IV.— If you would strengthen yoin- hope, labour to increase your love. There is a secret, yet powei'ful influence which love hath on hope. Moses greatly befriended the Israelite, when he slew the Egyptian that fought with him. Love kills slavish fear, one of the worst of enemies hope hath in the Christian's heart, and thereby strengthens hope's hand. He that plucks up the weeds, helps the corn to grow ; and he that pm-ges out the disease, makes way for nature's strengthening. It is slavish fear which oppresseth the Chris- tian's spirit so that he cannot exercise his hope strongly. Now ' love casteth out fear,' 1 John iv. 18. The free woman will cast out the bond woman. Slavish fear is one of Hagar's breed, an affection which keeps all in bondage that have it ; this love cannot brook. Shall I, saith the loving soul, fear that he will hurt me, or be hard to me, who loves me, and I him, so dearly? Away, miworthy thoughts ! here is no room in my bosom for such company as you are. Love ' thinketh no evil,' 1 Cor. xiii. 5 : that is, it neither wisheth evil to, nor suspects evil of another. The more thou lovest Christ, the less thou wilt be jealous of him ; and the less jealous thou art of him, the more strongly wilt thou hope in him, and comfortably wait for him. Hence these two graces are so often m.eted in Scripture, 2 Thess. iii. 5 : ' The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.' Love him, and you will wait for him. So Jude 21 : ' Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking- for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.'
Section V.- — Be much in the exercise of your hope. Repeated acts strengthen habits. Thus the little waddling child comes to go strongly by going often. You have no more money in your chest at the year's end than when j^ou left it there ; nay, it is well if rust or thieves have not made it less : but you have more by trading with it than your first stock amounted unto. ' Thou oughtest to have put my money to the excliangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usuiy,' saith Christ to the sloth- ful servant ; Matt. xxv. 27. Now the promises are hope's object to act upon. A man can as well live without air, as faith and hope without a promise, yea, without frequent sucking in the refreshment of the promises ; and therefore be much in meditation of them ; set some, time apart for the purpose. You that love your healths, do not content yourselves with the air that comes to you as you sit at work in your house, but you will walk out into the fields sometimes, to take the air more fresh : and if thou be a wise Christian, thou wilt not satisfy thyself with the short converse thou hast with the promises, as now and then they come into thy mind in thy calling, but will walk aside on purpose to enjoy a more fixed meditation of them. This were of admirable use, especially if the Christian hath skill to sort the promises, and lay aside the provision made in them suitable to his case in particular. Sometimes the Christian is at a stand when he remembers his past sins, and his hope is quite dashed out of counte- nance while they stare on his conscience. Now it were excellent for the Chris- tian to pick out a promise, where he may see this objection answered, and hope triumphing over it. This was David's case, Psa. cxxx. : he grants himself to be in a most deplorable condition, if God should reckon with him strictly. ' If thou. Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand ?' ver. 3. But, ver. 4, he puts his soul out of all fear of God's taking this course with poor penitent souls, by laying down this 'comfortable conclusion, as an indubitable truth : ' But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared ;' that is, there is forgiveness in thy nature, — thou earnest a pardoning heart in thy bosom : yea, there is forgiveness in thy promise ; thy merciful heart doth not only incline thee to thoughts of forgiving, but thy faithful promise binds thee to draw forth the same unto all that humbly lay claim thereunto. Now, this foundation laid, see what superstructure this holy man raiseth : ver. 5, ' I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope ;' as if he had said, Lord, I take thee at thy word, and am resolved, by thy grace, to wait at this door of thy promise, never to stir thence till I have the forgiveness of my sins sent out unto me. And this is so sweet a morsel that he is loth to eat it alone, and therefore he sets down the dish, even to the lower end of the table, that
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