Use 1. To show the reason of public thanksgiving for private mercies.
1. It is more for the honour of God that we should extend the fruit of our mercies as far as we can ; not only for the increase of our own faith, but for the increase of the faith of others.
2. It is for their benefit ; for every believer's mercy is a sensible confirmation of the goodness of God, not only to themselves, but others. They may see what is to be expected from such a good God. As it is profitable to them to mourn with those that mourn, so to rejoice with those that rejoice.
Doct. 2. That God's Israel must put their trust and hope in God.
Here are three things to be discussed — (1.) Who are God's Israel ; (2.) What is this hope in God ; (3.) Why they are to hope in God, or the reasons.
First, Who are the Israel of God that are here invited to trust in the Lord ? The scripture maketh mention of a double Israel —
1. Of Israel according to the flesh : 1 Cor. x. 18, ' Behold Israel after the flesh.'
2. Israel according to the spirit, who are also called * the Israel of God,' Gal. vi. 16. Both together are mentioned in one place : Kom. ix. 6, ' All are not Israel who are of Israel' Now the present exhorta- tion concerneth all men so far that they should be converted, and be- come the Israel of God, that they may hope in him. But directly and
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immediately the persons exhorted are the Israel described : Ps. Ixxiii. 1, ' Surely God is good to Israel, to such as are of a clean heart.' In their natural estate, men, as they are without God, so they are without hope, Eph. ii. 20 ; or they have only a dead hope if they have any. They that are renewed after the image of God, and are made like him in truth and holiness, are most easily persuaded to believe and trust in him. God doth neither allow the trust of wicked men, nor can they ever have any firm and sure hope and confidence towards God.
[1.] God alloweth not the trust of those that continue impenitently in their sins ; as if the goodness, power, and wisdom of God should be employed for them to bear them out in their transgressions. He com- plaineth of them that were very naughty and wicked : Micah iii. 11, * Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord amongst us ? no evil can come upon us.' No ; God will shake off such as thus lean upon him, as Paul did the viper that fastened upon his hand. If security were hope and trust, then the hardest heart would make the best faith.
[2.] They cannot have a firm confidence towards God ; for shame, and fear, and doubts do always follow sin, Gen. iii. Can a man trust him whom he doth continually wrong and provoke ? None have a firm confidence but those that have a clear conscience: 1 John iii. 21, ' If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.' Fear and shyness of God is the effect of sin, and dogs it at the heels, and follows it as close as smart doth a cut or wound : * The hearts of the wicked are subject to bondage,' Heb. ii.
Secondly, The nature of this hope in God. We must distinguish before we can describe it to you. The hope of glory, or the hope of those things which are necessary for us during our pilgrimage ; for though the state of glory be the principal, yet not the adequate or only object of christian hope.
1. Let me speak a little of the first branch, though not chiefly in- tended in this place. The hope of glory is the certain and desirous expectation of the promised blessedness. Faith respects the promise ; hope rather the thing promised. Faith considereth the thing promised as in a sort present, and set before us in the promise: Heb. xi. 1, ' Faith is the evidence of things not seen.' Hope considereth it as absent and yet to come ; and therefore doth earnestly long, and look, and wait for it. Faith considereth the certainty of the tiling promised ; hope the goodness and excellency, so as to draw the heart after it, to quicken us to make preparation for it. Now this hope of eternal glory should be always cherished in us.
[1.] Because it is a special act of the new creature : 1 Peter i. 3, 'Begotten to a lively hope.* As soon as we are children, we look for a child's portion. The new nature presently discovereth itself by its tendency to its end and rest, which is the fruition of God in heaven.
[2.] Because it is the great end wherefore the scriptures were written, to beget and raise this hope in us : Rom. xv. 4, ' Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning ; that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.' Id agi't tola scripiura, it is the business and design of tiiose holy books.