4. It giveth us encouragement in prayer ; because they that have this hope are so much exposed to the scorn of the world, because they trust in an invisible God, and look for all their recompense in a world to come. They think Christians are a company of credulous fools, that please themselves with dreams and fancies : Ps. xxii. 7, 8, ' They laugh me to scorn, because, they say, he trusted in the Lord ;' 1 Tim. iv. 10, ' We therefore labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God.' Christians thought their reward sure, and therefore endured all things ; but atheists and infidels scoff at them, and at all their comforts, as fanatical illusions, and persecute them. Therefore God is in point of honour engaged to stand by them, and to justify their hope and trust ; not always by temporal deliverance, but by spirit- ual support and establishment ; that it may be seen there is a Spirit of God and glory resteth upon them, that is glorified by him, however he be evil spoken of in the world, 1 Peter iv. 14. God will do so in condescension to his people. Nothing goeth so near their hearts as _a disappointment of their hope in God. It is a mighty damp to their
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spirits when God doth as it were spit in their faces, and reject their prayers : Ps. xxv. 2, ' 0 my God ! I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed.' At such times the Lord seemeth to countenance the slanders of their enemies, and to cover their faces with shame.
Use 1. To persuade you to get this hope of eternal life wrought iu your hearts.
1. This is the characteristic and note of difference betwixt God's people and others. By this we are distinguished from pagans, who are described to be such as ' Have no hope, and without God in the world,' Eph. ii. 12 ; and 1 Thcs. iv. 13, ' Sorrow not as them without hope.' But Christians are such as have ' good hope through grace ;' and by this we are distinguished from temporary and slight believers : Heb. iii. G, ' His house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm unto the end ;' so also ver. 14, ' If we hold the begin- ning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.' Their hope is slight and fluid : the temporary loseth his joy and comfort, which he con- ceived in the offers of the gospel, and so either casts off the profession of godliness, or neglecteth the power and practice of it ; but the true Christian is serious, patient, heavenly, and holy ; because he is always looking to his end, and sweeteneth his work by his great hope, Jceeping up his taste or lively expectation of the mercy of Christ to everlasting life. Nay, this differenceth the children of God, those that are in their conflict from those that are in their triumph, the sanctified and glori- fied ; those that are in their way, and those that are at home. They that are at home are enjoying what we expect, and in possession of that supreme good that we yet hope for ; they have neither miseries to fear nor blessings to desire beyond what they do enjoy ; they see what they love, and possess what they see. But the time of our ad- vancement is not yet come, and therefore we can only look and long for it ; this is our work and present haj)i)iness.
2. Now the covenant of God is contrived to raise hope in us. The Jachin and Boaz, the two pillars that support it, are mercy and truth : Micah vii. 20, ' Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham ;' Ps. xxv. 10, ' All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep liis covenant and his testimonies ;' and Ps. cxxxviii. 2, ' I will praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and truth ; for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name ;' and in many other scriptures.
[1.] The mercy and grace of the covenant.
(1.) In the frame of it, where excellent benefits are dispensed upon free terms, that our faith and hope may be in God. The Lord would not leave the sinful creature under desj)air, but hath provided a way how we may be reconciled and glorified : Ps. cxxx. 4, ' There is for- giveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.' Mercy opens the door for us ; the very offer speaks much mercy, the terms are mercy. So much duty is rcfjuired as is necessary, and doth arise from the nature of the thing. Violence would be offered to the reason of a serious creature, if such things were not required.
(2.) In the di.spensations of the blessings of the covenant. Now, Gal. vi. IG, ' To as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on tiieni, and mercy, and on the Israel of God.' There are many infirmities and
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frailties, but God passeth them by when there is sincerity. Our faith is weak, and mirif^led with doubtings.our love to God clogged with much inoidinate self-love, our obedience often interrupted, too much deadness and coldness in holy things ; yet these do not cast us out of the favour of God, nor make void our interest in the covenant, where the heart for the main is set to serve him, and please him : Mai. iii. 17, ' I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.'