[2.] Hope representeth the excellency and certainty of these future things, and so causeth earnestness and patience.
(1.) The excellency. It is a question among divines what is the difierence between faith and hope, because they are much of a like nature. One difierence is, faith looks to the truth of the promise, hope to the goodness of the thing promised ; for faith respects the person giving his fidelity, and hope the person receiving the benefit, and exciteth them to look for it. It is something worth the looking and waiting for, and such as will recompense present troubles, 2 Cor. V. 17, 18.
(2.) The certainty; for though it mainly comforts itself with the goodness of the thing promised, yet it causeth patience in waiting, be- cause of the sureness. -It seeth things that cannot be seen and per- ceived by sense : Kom. viii. 25, ' If we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it' It is good, and it will not fail ; therefore we may and must tarry God's leisure.
(3.) The most noble and principal object of hope is the great pro- mise of eternal salvation. This must in chief be hoped for ; partly because temporal salvation is not so surely promised, but under sundry cautions and reservations ; as if it be for our good, if God's glory will permit it, and the beauty of his work, and the many things God hath to do before the deliverance be brought about ; especially if it be a common salvation, wherein others are concerned as well as we ; as if their hearts be prepared, &c. Partly because Christians are to be at a point of greater indifferency about outward things than the believers of the Old Testament, now life and immortality is brought to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. They were trained up by sensible things both in their worship and promises. The cross is one of our conditions : Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
VeR. 81.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 359
take up bis cross, and follow me.' "VVe must look for afflictions, and those not ordinary afflictions, but tlie loss of all, or else we do not count tbe cbarges aright; we must refer all to God's will. Christ may let some slip through at a cheaper and easier rate, but all must resolve on it. Partly because this is propounded as the great comfort, Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock ; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom ; ' and accordingly used by the saints. David in his disappointments : Ps. xxxix. 7, ' And now, Lord, what wait I for ? my hope is in thee.' He meaneth the hope of immortality, oppo- site to that vain show and false appearance which is in worldly things. This was that Job comforted himself with, that ancient be- liever : Job xix. 26, ' Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God ; ' and the Maccabees, Heb. xi. 35, * They were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might ob- tain a better resurrection.' Partly because that which God hath pro- mised in the world to come is only satisfactory, and able to quiet a man's mind, and make him patiently wait upon God in all his troubles. Here is enough to countervail all difficulties, to support us under them, to recompense us for them ; it is not long ere it will come to hand, it cannot enough be desired ; it may be hoped for by the righteous in their greatest extremities : Prov. xiv. 32, ' The righteous hath hope in his death.'
Use. For instruction. When your souls are apt to faint, let hope look out for better times or better things.
1. For better times. God will not always chide : Ps. ciii. 9, ' He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever.' Nor shall the rod of the wicked always rest on the back of the righteous, Ps. cxxv. 3. Therefore rouse up yourselves, and say, as David, Ps. xlii. 5, ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and why art thou dis- quieted within me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him,' <tc. Let us not always pore on our grievous miseries. Observe the season, when apt to be corrupted with ease and prosperity, and to carry it negligently to God, and proudly and oppressingly to men. There may come a change. So when apt to faint, seek out arguments of encouragement, and hope that God will be good to us : Ps. Ivi. 3, ' At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.' That is our busi- ness at such a time, to strengthen our dependence, for still we must oppose the prevailing corruption.
2. Better things. That is the true Christian spirit that mainly looks after the woi-ld to come ; that hope is freest from snares. An earthly hope maketli men carnal, often enticeth them to use ill means to get it accomplished. Desires and hopes of temporal happiness, that the world may smile upon us, doth not breed so good a spirit. This hope goeth upon surer grounds, meeteth with fewer disappointments.