not merely to bear their persecutions with patience, but to make them a ground of joy and exultation, because of the glorious recompence that awaits them in the eternal world2. And who that has ever suffered much for righteousness' sake, has not found this to be the effect of his hope towards God ? Many amongst us may say with David, " I should have fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the livinga." But under the influence of this hope their consola- tions have abounded in proportion to, yea, and far above, all their accumulated afflictions b.]
2. We are supported in our conflicts —
[To all true Christians there are, on some occasions, " fightings without, and fears within." But the grace of which we are speaking, serves them as an helmet, that will resist the stroke of their most potent adversary. In the panoply of God, this piece of armour yields to none in point of efficacy and importance : salvation is pre-eminently ascribed to it : it is called, "The helmet of salvation0." It is well known, that persons clothed with armour from head to foot, especially if contending with persons not so protected, enter into the com- bat with peculiar confidence*1. And thus especially does the Christian whose mind is well established by hope: he is " strong and very courageous," not doubting but that God is with him, and that he shall be "more than conqueror through Him that loved him." The assaults which he has to sustain may indeed be violent and very terrible, even like the waves of the sea, that threaten to overwhelm the tempest-tossed bark. But his " hope, like an anchor sure and steadfast, enables him to out-ride the storm e." That " anchor cast within the vail," keeps his mind composed f, and assures him, that he is safe, though earth and hell should combine their efforts to destroy himg. How this grace operated on the saints of old, we may see at large in St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. Many, under its influence, " took joyfully the spoiling of their goods11:" and many, even of the weaker sex, when called to endure the severest torments that could be inflicted on them, " would not so much as accept the deliverance" that was offered them, be- cause " they hoped assuredly to obtain a better resurrection1." Thus will it operate on us also. Precisely as the expectation of a future harvest leads the husbandman to encounter all dif-
z Matt. v. 10— 12. a Ps. xxvii. 13. b 2 Cor. i. 5.
c 1 Thess. v. 8. with Eph. vi. 17.
d This was particularly observable in the French cuirassiers at the memorable battle of Waterloo.
e Heb. vi. 19. f Isai. xxvi. 3. 62 Tim. i. 12.
h Heb. x. 34. I Heb. xi. 35.