faith brings that good into the soul which hope had only anti- cipated ; and, by presenting invisible realities to our view, gives to hope a more ample scope for exercise. Faith is the parent of hope: but hope, once formed in the soul, becomes an active helper to faith. Neither can operate to any good effect without the other. Faith without hope is paralysed ; and hope without faith is dead : but, when faith duly apprehends Christ, and hope leads us to wait patiently for his full salvation, then the work of God goes on prosperously within us, and we are in the sure way to everlasting life.]
Such being the nature of the Christian's hope, we proceed to inquire into,
II. Its effects —
These are represented under the general term, Salvation ; " We are saved by it." But how does it effect salvation for us ? We answer, By it,
1. We are comforted in our afflictions —
[Afflictions are the lot of all, but especially of the Lord's people. All of them have a cross to bear ; and tribulation is their appointed way to the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, so painful are the trials which they have to endure for the Lord's sake, that, " if in this life only they had hope, they would be of all men most miserable," or, at least, most to be pitied r. But the prospect of eternal glory so lightens their burthen, as to make it quite easy to be borne s. To this effect the Apostle speaks in the chapter before us ; (and he delivers the sentiment as the result of his own most careful investigation :) " I reckon (I compute by accurate calculation) that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us*." In another epistle he gives a full and accurate description of his views and feelings on this subject. " He was continually delivered unto death for Jesus' sake:" but he was perfectly satisfied with his condition, because " he knew, that He who had raised up the Lord Jesus, would raise him up also by Jesus, and present him, together with his beloved converts"," " faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joyx." The prospect of that blessed event made all his "afflictions light," yea, lightness itself y. It may be thought, perhaps, that this superabundant grace was given to him as an Apostle, and is not to be expected by us. But it is to be expected by every saint whom " God hath begotten to a lively hope :" for our blessed Lord tells all his followers,
r eXeeiroTepoi, 1 Cor. xv. 19. s Acts xx. 24. l ver. 18.
« 2 Cor. iv. 11—14. x Jude, ver. 24.
y 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. See the Greek.