[3.] By the act or grace of hope itself This may be called good either in itself or with respect to the degree.
(1.) In itself : ' It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord,' Lam. iii. 2G. Bonum is either lionestum, jncundum, or utile : it is good in all regards. It is our duty to rest assured in God's promise. It is i)leasant to anticipate and forecast a blessing to come. Surely it is delightful to live in the fore- sight of endless glory. It is profitable to support our hearts under pre- sent difficulties and troubles, and the uncertainties of the present life.
(2.) In respect of the degree and measure of it. That is good hope which is most able to do its office, when it is lively hope : 1 Peter i. 3, ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively
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hope ;' such as doth most support and quicken us. The more serious and earnest our reflections are upon eternal Hfe, the better is the hope : Heb. vi. 11, ' Show the same dihgence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.' We should still keep up this sure and desirous expec- tation. Briefly, hope the grace is twofold.
(1st.) There is a hope which is the immediate efl'ect of regeneration, and is a constitutive part of the new creature. Of that the apostle speaketh, 1 Peter i. 3, ' Begotten to a lively hope.' This merely floweth from our acceptance of the new covenant, and dependeth upon the conditional offer of eternal life. We take it for our happiness, resolving to seek it in God's way ; without this a man cannot be a Christian, till he hope for eternal life to be given him upon Christ's terms.
(2dly.) There is a hope which is the fruit of experience, and belongeth to the seasoned and tried Christian, who hath approved his own fidelity to God, and hath much trial of God's fidelity and faithfulness to him. Of this it is said, Eom. v. 4, that ' Expei-ience worketh hope.' It differeth from the former, because it produceth not only a conditional certainty, but an actual confidence of our own salvation. The former is necessary, for we live and act by it ; the other is very comfortable, for it facilitateth all our acts when we know ' there is reserved for us a crown of life, which the righteous Judge will give in that day ;' and do not only believe ' a resurrection both of the just and unjust,' but our own resurrection unto eternal life.
But now for the effects. I shall instance in two which suit with the prayer in the text — consolation in troubles, and confirmation in holiness.
First, Support in troubles. When we are certainly persuaded of a happy issue, we are the better kept from fainting : Phil. i. 19, ' I know that this shall turn to my salvation,' &c. He speaketh it of his troubles, and the machinations of his adversaries ; and this knowledge he calleth in the 20th verse, ' his earnest expectation and his hope.' The bitterest cross is sweetened by hope. This carried him through his sufferings, not only with patience, but comfort ; as men in a storm, when they see land, take courage ; it is but enduring a little more tempest and they shall be safe on shore. To a hoping Christian, his whole life is a rough voyage, but a short one.
Secondly, To encourage us in working. It is hope sets the whole world a- work: 1 Cor. ix. 10, 'That he that plougheth should plough in hope ; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.' Certainly it is hope sets the Christian a-work : Acts xxvi. 7, * Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.' Why are God's children so hard at work for God, but out of love to him, and hope to enjoy him for ever ? Oh ! let us continually be serving God. Let us live always either for heaven, as seeking it, or upon heaven, as solacing ourselves with the hopes of it ; do whatever we do in order to eternal life, and not be taken up with trifles, and this will put life into our endeavours. It is for a glorious and blessed estate on which we employ all this labour. ♦
2. That this is the free gift of God. I must prove two things :— [1.] That good hope is his gift. He doth not only give us objective
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grace, — this is the free and undeserved mercy of the gospel, or a suflicient warrant to hope for it, which are his gracious promises; but Piihjoctive grace : the liope by wliich we expect this blessedness is I'reely wrought in us by his Holy Spirit, which is a further confirmation of his love to us, that he hath not only given us the blessedness we hope for, but the very hope itself. The Spirit's work is necessary —