recall, that put a new lile into her hope, — ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope,' Lam. iii. 24. See the soul makes a spiritual mercy, because incomparabl)'greater of the two, aground of hope fortemporal salvation, wliich is less. And hast not thou chosen him for thy portion ? Dost thou not look for a heaven, to enjoy him in for ever? And can any dungeon of outward affliction be so dark, that this hope will not enlighten ? Recall thy experience of his love to thy soul, and thou canst not be out of hope for thy body and outward condition. He that hath laid up a portion in heaven for thee, will lay out surely all the expenses thou needest in thy way thither. Secondly, Re- member how often God hath confuted thy fears, and proved thy imbelief a false prophet. Ilath he not knocked at thy door with inward comfort and outward deliverance, when thou hadst put out the candle of hope, given over looking for him, and been ready to lay thyself down on the bed of despair? Thus he came to Hezekiah, after he had peremptorily concluded his case desperate, Isa. xxxviii. 10, 11 ; thus to the disciples in their unbelief, — 'We trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel,' Luke xxiv. 21. They speak as if now they were in doubt whether they should own their own for- mer faith or no. Hath it not been thus with thee ? Wert thou never at so sad a pass, the storm of thy fears so great that the anchor of hope even came home, and left thee to feed with misgiving and despairing thoughts, as if now thy everlasting night were come, and no morning supply more expect- ed by thee ? Yet even then thy God proved them all liars, by an unlooked-for surprise of mercy, with which he stole sweetly in upon thee. If so, press and urge this experience home upon thyself to encourage thy hope in all futiu'e temptations. What, O my soul ! (thou shouldst say) wilt thou again be scared with these false alarms ? Again, wilt thou lend an ear to thy dis- ti-ustful, desponding thoughts, which so often thou hast found liars, rather than believe the report of the promise, which never put thy hope to shame, as these have done ? The saints are often feeding their hopes on the carcase of their slain fears. The time which God chose, and the instrument he used to give the captive Jews their jail-delivery and liberty to return home, were so incredible to them, who now looked rather to be ground in pieces by those two mill-stones, the Babylonian within, and the Persian without the city, that when it came to pass, like Peter, whom the angel had carried out of prison, Acts xii., it was some time before they could come to themselves and resolve whether it was a real truth, or but a pleasing dream, Psa. cxxvi. 1. Now see what effect this sti-ange disappointment of their fears had upon their hope. It sends them to the throne of grace for the accomplishment of what was so marvellously begun ; ver. 3, 4 : ' The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad, "rurn again our captivity, O Lord.' They have got hold, by this experiment, of his power and mercy, and they will not now let him go till they have more ; yea, their hope is raised to such a pitch of confidence, that they draw a general conclusion from this particular experience for the comfort of themselves, or others in any future distress, — ' They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy ; he that goeth forth and weepeth, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bring- ing his sheaves with him,' ver. G. Thirdly, Remember what sinful distempei's have broke out in thy afflictions and temptations, and how God hath, notwith- standing these, carried on a work of deliverance for thee. So that thou mayest say, in respect of these enemies in thy bosom, what David spake triumphantly in regard of his enemies without, that * God hath prepared a table for tiiee in the presence of thy enemies,' yea, of his enemies. While thy corruptions have been stirring and acting against him, his mercy hath been active for thy deliverance. O what a cordial draught would this he to thy fainting hope ! That which often sinks the Christian's heart in any distress inward or outward, and even weighs down his head of hope so that he cannot look up to God for help and succour at such a time, is the sense of tliose sinful infirmities which then discover themselves in him. How, saith the poor soul, can I expect that God should raise me out of this sickness, wlierein I have betrayed so much impatience and frowardness ? Or out of that temptation, in which I have exercised so little faith, and discovered so much unbelief? Surely I must behave myself better, before any good news be sent from heaven to me. It is well, that thou art so sensible of thy sins as to be thy own accuser, and prevent
^r^Q AND TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION.