2. There is another sort of hope of those supplies which are necessary for us during our pilgrimage ; for God hath undertaken not only to give us heaven and happiness in the next world, but to carry us thither with comfort and peace, that we may serve him without fear all the days of our lives. His providence concerneth the inward and outward man ; so do his promises. An whole believer is in covenant with God body and soul, and he will take care of both. Now this kind of hope and trust is such a dependence upon God and liis promises for what- ever we stand in need of as encourageth us to go on cheerfully in the ways wherein he hath appointed us to walk. Where note —
[1,] The object of this trust and hope is God : Ps. Ixii. 5, ' My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him.' Where else can we securely settle and fix our souls if not on God ? Ps. cxlvi. 5, ' Ha})py is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.' This is the only sure hold, and never failing foundation of confidence.
[2.] The warrant of hope are the promises of God : Ps. cxxx. 5, ' I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do 1 hope.' These are the holdfast which we have upon God, the sacred bands which he hath put upon himself, the rule and warrant of our faith. We must not make promises to ourselves and become false prophets to ourselves ; but, so fur as God hath promised, so far may we confi-
456 SERMONS UPON ISALM CXXXI. [SeR. V.
dently expect relief from him. Our necessities lead us to the promises, and the promises to Christ, and Christ to God as the fountain of grace ; and at the throne of grace we put these bonds in suit, and turn pro- mises into prayers ; for we have free leave to challenge God upon his word : Ps. cxix. 49, ' Kemember thy word,' &c. But now what hath God promised us ? All the good things we want, and are truly for our good: Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, 'The Lord will give grace and glory ; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' So Ps. xxxiv. 10, ' They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing ; ' Eom. viii. 28, 32, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all ; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? ' Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you ; ' and 1 Tim iv. 8, ' Godliness is profitable unto all things, and hath the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.' These and suchlike are the promises. We must not imagine that God will do every- thing which Cometh into our minds to ask, serve all our carnal turns. No ; God will be challenged no further than he hath engaged himself. He hath promised eternal things absolutely ; whatever falleth out, you may be sure of your final reward if qualified : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.* Spiritual things, as to degrees, are neither given nor promised to all christians alike absolutely. Necessary grace is secured ; but for degrees, Eph. iv. 7, ' To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ ;' 1 Cor. xii. 11, * All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.' But now for things temporal, they are only promised con- ditionally, so far forth as may be for God's glory and our good. We must not absolutely look for temporals, unless we had an absolute particular promise ; such as David of the kingdom, and Hezekiah of fifteen years added to his life.
[3.] The nature of this hope is a dependence upon God for whatever we stand in need of. Where mark —
(1.) The necessity of the creature is the occasion of God's interposing by his gracious providence, Mat. vi. 32. In the Lord's prayer we are taught to ask bread, not dainties. If we set God a task to provide meat for our lusts, we do but dishonour God, as if his providence should wait upon our humours and vain fancies, and provide the trouble of a disappointment for ourselves. It is the ordinary practice of God's free grace and fatherly care to provide things comfortable and necessary for his children ; yet he never undertakes to maintain us at such a rate, to give us so much by the year, such portions for our children, and sup- plies for our families ; we do but ensnare and perplex our thoughts, while we would reconcile the jn-omises with our lusts.
(2.) On the other hand, we ought not to be faithless and distrustful about necessary supplies: Mat. vi. 25, ' Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,' &c. Because if we had no promises, there is a common bounty and goodness of God which is over all his works, which watcheth to the preservation of the smallest worm, decketh tlie lilies, feedeth the ravens and fowls of the air; therefore