3. Thirdly, That hope that accompanies salvation, that comprehends salvation, that borders upon salvation, is grounded upon the firmest foundations, to wit, the 'promises of God, Pro v. x. 28, as hath been fully shewed before; and it is built upon the free grace of God, 1 Peter i. 13. It is built upon the infinite and glorious power of God, Rom. iv. 21. It is built upon the truth and faithfulness of God, 2 Tim. ii. 13. These precious and glorious foundations do bear up the hopes of the saints, as the three pillars bore up the hangings in the tabernacle. A believer's hope is founded upon the love of Christ, the blood of Christ, the right- eousness of Christ, the satisfaction of Christ, and the intercession of Christ, &c ; but the hopes of hypocrites and wicked men, are always built upon weak, slender, and sandy foundations. Sometimes they build their hopes upon their outward profession, upon their lamps, though they are empty lamps. Mat. xxv. 3 ; and sometimes upon their duties and services, as the Jews, scribes, and Pharisees did, Isa. Iviii, 1-3, Mat. vi. 1, 2, &c ; and sometimes upon their outward privileges, crying out, ' The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord;' and sometimes they build their hopes upon others' good opinion of them, and sometimes upon flashes of joy, and sometimes upon enlargements in duties, and sometimes upon the heat and vigour of their spirits in religious services, &c.^ And all these are but sandy foundations, and they that build their hope upon them will certainly fall, and great will be their fall. The hopes of the saints are built upon the surest and the strongest foundations. It was a good saying of one of the ancients, ' I consider,' said he, ' three things in which all my hope consisteth, to wit, 1, God's love in my adoption ; 2, the truth of his promise ; and 3, his power of performance. Therefore, let my foolish cogitation murmur as long as it list, saying. Who art thou ? or. What is that glory ? or. By what merits dost thou hope to attain it ? For
1 can answer with sure confidence, I know on whom I have believed,
2 Tim. i. 12. And I am certain, first, that in his love he adopted me ; secondly, that he is true in his promise ; and thirdly, that he is able to perform it. This is the threefold cord which is not easily broken.' '
4. Fourthly, That hope that accompanies salvation, that borders upon salvation, that comprehends salvation, that brings salvation, may be known from all false hopes, hy the excellent properties of it, and they are these that follow.
[1.] The first property of that hope that accompanies salvation is this : it elevates and raises the heart to live above, where its treasure is.* This hope is from above, and it makes the heart to live above : it
I So in Rom. viii. 24, 26 ; Col. i. 27 ; Rom. v. 2, &c.
* Every false principle in religion is ' a reed of Egypt,' that will certainly deceive souls at last ; therefore take heed of leaning upon any of those reeds.
^ Bernard, serm. '6, de fragm : Sept. Miser.
* Mat. vi. 20, 21; Philip, iii. 20; Col. iii. 1. Mark, wicked men's hopes never raise
Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on eaeth. 507
is a spark of glory, and it leads the heart to live in glory. Divine hope carries a man to heaven, for life to quicken him, and for wisdom to direct him, and for power to uphold him, and for righteousness to justify him, and for holiness to sanctify him, and for mercy to forgive him, and for assurance to rejoice him, and for happiness to crown him. Divine hope takes in the pleasures of heaven beforehand ; it lives in the joyful expectation of them ; it fancies to itself, as I may say, the pleasures and joys of eternity ; and Uves in a sweet anticipation of what it possesseth by faith. Hope's richest treasures, and choicest friends, and chiefest delights, and sweetest contents, are in the country above ; and therefore hope loves best to live there most.
[2.] The second property of that hope that accompanies salvation is this : it will strengthen the soul against all affllctixyns, oppositions, and temptations : 1 Thes. v. 8, * But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.' Look, as the helmet defends and secures the head, so doth hope defend and secure the heart. Hope is a helmet that keeps off all darts that Satan or the world casts at the soul. The hopes of heavenly riches made those worthies in Heb. xi. to despise the riches of this world.' The hopes they had of a heavenly country made them willing to leave their own country, and to live in the very land of promise as in a strange country. The hopes they had of possessing at last a house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens, made them willingly and cheerfully to live in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. The hopes they had of a glorious resurrection made them courageously to withstand the strongest temptations, &c., Rom. v. 2-5. A saint's hope will outlive all fears and cares, all trials and troubles, all afflictions and temptations. Saints have much in hope, though little in hand ; they have much in reversion, though but little in possession ; they have much in promise, though but little in the purse. A saint can truly say, Spero Tneliora, my hopes are better than my possessions. Hope can see heaven through the thickest clouds; hope can see light through darkness, life through death, smiles through frowns, and glory through misery, Hope holds life and soul together ; it holds Christ and the soul together ; it holds the soul and the promises together ; it holds the soul and heaven together ; and so it makes a Christian to stand and triumph over all afflictions, oppo- sitions, and temptations."
[3.] The third property of that hope that accompanies salvation is this : it makes the soul lively and active: Ps. cxix. 166, 'Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.' Hope puts the soul upon doing, upon obeying : 1 Peter i. 3, ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant (or much, ToXii) mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.' It is called a lively hope,
them as high as heaven ; under all their hopes they are as very enemies, and as great strangers to God, Christ, and heaven, as ever.
> Dan. iii. 87 ; Ps. iv. 6, 7 ; Heb. x. 34 ; 2 Cor. iv. 16-18. It was a wicked and hope- less cardinal that said, He would not leave his part in Paris for a part in paradise.
' Some are verily persuaded that the want of this divine hope hath been the reason that many among the heathen hath laid violent hands upon themselves. • See Plutarch in Caesar's and Cato's lives. Heb. xi. 10, 14, 16, 25, 32, compared.
508 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. YIII. 32-34.