5. This blessed hope supports the soul under afflictions and difficul- ties that do befall us in a course of godliness. We counterbalance what we feel with what we expect. We feel nothing but trouble, yet it is not in vain to serve God. I confess we are apt to think so. Saith David, Ps. Ixxiii. 13, 14, 'Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency ; for all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.' My innocency is to no purpose : Mai. iii. 14, ' Ye have said, It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance ? ' It is a usual temptation, for we measure all things by sense and feeling, and sense makes lies of God. Ah ! but consider, that which you feel is not worthy to be named the same day with that which you hope for : Rom. viii. 18, ' I reckon that the sufierings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.' Glory is revealed to our ears in the gospel, but it will be revealed in us hereafter : 2 Cor. iv. 17, * Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' Alas ! this light afflic- tion is but the scratch of a pin compared with the weighty massy crown of glory ; for, saith the apostle, ' we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.' Christians, what do you make your scope ? (for that is the word o-kottovvtcov rjficbv). Is it to preserve your interest, to live delicately ? Then the blessed hope is not for your turn. But when you have fixed your hopes upon these
180 SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. XII.
things, you will see this is hut a small matter in comparison of what God hath provided for you. A christian's hlessings are future, his crosses are present ; therefore we need some support. Now hope is of great use in affliction and temptations ; this appears by the compari- sons that are used ; it is called an anchor in the stormy gusts of tempta- tions, and a helmet in all spiritual conflicts. There are fightings without and fears within ; here is a helmet, here is an anchor ; hope is the anchor of the soul ; and the apostle reckons up all the properties of a good anchor ; it must be firm, sharp, and enter into good ground ; so saith he, Heb. vi. 19, ' Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.' Here is a sure holdfast, upon good ground ; it is a weighty anchor, which will not bow nor break. Mariners when they have cast out a good anchor, which is fastened to the ship with a strong cable, they sleep quietly ; though the winds blow, and the storms and tempests arise, they know the anchor will keep them from floating and dashing upon the rocks ; so hope is a good anchor. Then it is a helmet : Eph. vi. 19, ' And take the helmet of salvation,' that is, hope ; 1 Thes. v. 8, * And for an helmet the hope of salvation.' The apostle reckons up all the pieces of the spiritual armour ; faith, that is a shield for the body ; but hope that is a helmet for the head. As long as we can lift up our heads, and look np to heaven, we are safe whatever befalls us ; it will hold out in the midst of all the fiery darts that are cast at us.
6. This looking for the blessed hope is of use to resist temptations. Sin makes many promises, and so prevaileth by carnal hopes. Balaam was moved to curse God's people against his conscience ; but when he boggled and stuck at it, Come, saith Balak, I will give thee gold and silver ; this puts quickening into him. The fool in the gospel promised himself long life : Luke xii. 19, ' Soul, soul, thou hast goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry.' So Jer. xliv. 17, ' We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem ; for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.' And so the devil comes to Christ, and makes the temptation as strong as he can : Mat. iv. 8, 9, ' He showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them ; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.' And Babylon's fornication was presented in a golden cup ; there are baits of honour and preferment to draw them to popery and heresy. Now faith sets promise against promise, and heaven against earth, and the pleasure at God's right hand against carnal delight. As one nail drives out another, so one hope and one promise drives out another. Carnal motions are defeated by spiritual promises, and those motions that are presented to the soul.