[3.] The working patience, which is going on with our self-denying obedience, how tedious soever it be to the flesh. Thus we are told that the good ground ' bringeth forth fruit with patience,' Luke viii. 15. The others are hasty, must have present satisfaction, or else grow weary of religion. All evils come from impatiency ; they could not tarry till God gave crowns and pleasures, therefore they miscarried by their inclin- ations to vain delight. So the heirs of promise are described to be those that continue with patience in well doing, Eom ii. 7. And to the church of Ephesus, God saith, Rev. ii. 2, ' I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience.' The business of religion is carried on with great diligence and painfulness ; it is not an idle and sluggish profession ; lusts are not easily mortified, neither do graces produce their perfect work with a little perfunctory care ; no, but much labour is required. Now, to abound in the work of the Lord requireth a fervent hope to sweeten it.
2. The qualification of that hope which produceth this patience : it is well grounded, and it is lively. [1.] It is a serious and well grounded hope. When we first gave up ourselves to Christ, we reckoned and allowed for labours and troubles ; the Lord telleth us aforehand. Mat. vii. 14, ' Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' The entrance and the progress is dis- pleasing to the flesh, or the carnal nature in us ; so Mat. xvi. 24, ' Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and follow me ; ' and Luke xiv ; if we will make war with the old serpent, build for heaven. Your hope is groundless if you hope for eternal life and are unwilling to undertake any difficulty for Christ's sake ; you must reckon upon displeasing the flesh, offending the world.
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if you would enter into life. [2.] It is lively ; it is not the -cold and superficial, but the earnest and effectual hope. The desires of a lively hope are vehement ; we long for enjoyment, and would fain attain the end ; but they are also submissive, and we will quietly wait God's leisure ; as Paul had a desire to depart, yet was willing to abide in the flesh if he might do God any service, Phil. i. 23, 24. Though the way be long, the difficulties great and many, yet we must be content to be without our reward till our work is finished, and without our crown till our war- fare is ended, and suffer evil things, and not forsake good things, which are the way also to obtain better ; as long as God will prolong life, though it be to endure more troubles, we must submit.
3. How this hope produceth patience ; with respect to the object, and the subject —
[1.] With respect to the object. This patience ariseth from the cer- tainty and goodness of the things hoped for ; it is a sure and great reward. First, The certainty ; it is not a vain hope, such as is built upon the promise of a deceitful man, but the word of the ever-living God : Job xiii. 15, ' Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him.' The holy obstinacy of hope cometh from the certainty of the promise. Secondly, The greatness of the things promised. They are rare and excellent, worth the waiting for. It promiseth rest for labour. Rev. xiv. 13; your troublesome work will not last long, but be over in a little time, and you shall have joy and delight for pain and sorrow and all the sad things of the present life: 1 Peter iv. 13, 'But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are par- takers of Christ's sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy.' And glory for shame : Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.'
[2.] The subject. First, It breedeth courage and fortitude, and strength- eneth our resolutions for God and heaven ; the spirit of power is hope, 2 Tim. i. 7. Secondly, It breedeth joy and comfort. All tiie pleasures of the world doth not give that quiet content and rest to the soul, which the hope of glory doth to a believer: Mat. v. 12, 'Kejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.'
Use 1. To persuade us to this patience of hope. The things hoped for are to come, at a great distance ; many things must be done, many things suffered, and we must make our way through the midst of dread- ful enemies, if we would attain our end. It is with us as with David, he was promised a kingdom, and at length he had it, but in the mean- time liable to many troubles. Remember, David had his troubles ; so it is with you, many are the troubles of the righteous, but you must do nothing unworthy of our great hopes ; we expect great things, tlierefore we should contemn low things and endure hard things ; all the pleasures of the world are mean and low, and the hardships carry no comparison or proportion with our hopes. What great evils will men endure to obtain worldly gain, rise early — go to bed late, eat the bread of sorrows, run from one end of the world to the other! Our hope is not sound unless it breedeth this patient waiting. If we have a true hope, we not only ought in point of duty, but shall ; it is the property of hope so to do, to submit with patience to all things which God sendeth in the meantime, and comfort ourselves with the glory that shall ensue.