Chapter 3 (continued, part 10)
(1.) The first property. First, Prayer is a divine worship whereon, we speak to God in faith, humility, sincerity, and fervency of spirit, through the mediation of Christ, begging those good things that we and others lack, and giving thanks for that we and others have received. Prayer is a speaking to God face to face; it is Jacob's ladder by which the soul climbs up to heaven; it is Noah's dove that goes and returns not until it brings assurance of peace.
The matter of prayer may be reduced to these heads:
(1.) petition;
(2.) deprecation;
(3.) intercession;
(4.) expostulation.
There are other distinctions in regard of the manner; as, first, mental prayer, which is the inward lifting up of the heart to God; secondly, vocal, which is uttered by words, as the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner;" thirdly, there is spontaneous prayer, and written prayer; fourthly, there is public or private prayer. These hints may suffice as to this.
But not to please you with notions, you must remember that that prayer which accompanies salvation is such prayer as has in it all the requisites of prayer. Now there are four REQUISITES in prayer.
[1.] The first requisite. First, The person must be righteous: James 5:16, "The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much;" John 9:31, "God hears not sinners." The Jews urge it as a proverb, 'An unclean person pollutes his own prayers.' Good motions from a bad heart make
no music in heaven.
I have read of a jewel, that, being put in a dead man's mouth, loses all its virtue. Prayer in the mouth of a wicked man, which is dead God-wards, Christ-wards, heaven-wards, and holiness-wards, is a jewel that loses all its virtue: Psalm 50:16-17, "But unto the wicked God says, What have you to do to declare my statutes, or that you should take my covenant into your mouth? seeing that you hate instruction, and casts my words behind you." Bias, a heathen, being at sea in a great storm, and perceiving many wicked wretches with him in the ship, calling upon the gods, "Oh," says he, "refrain your prayers, hold your tongues; I would not have the gods take notice that you are here; they will sure drown us all, if they would." You are wise, and know how to apply it. Jerome said,"What does it avail to invocate God with your voice, whom you deny in your works?
[2.] The second requisite. The second requisite in prayer is this, namely, The matter of your prayer must be according to God's will: 1 John 5:14, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." The favorites of heaven have no further the ear of the King of kings in prayer, than the matter of their prayer is sound, and "agreeable to his will," Rom 8:27. The matter of your prayer must fall under some particular or general Scriptural precept or promise, or else God will never own it nor honor it with acceptance. You must not pray as Augustine prayed before his conversion; he prayed for patience, with a proviso: "Lord, give me patience," says he, "but not yet." Such hypocrisy is double iniquity, and God will deal with such sinners accordingly.
It was both a profane and blasphemous speech of that atheistical wretch, that told God he was no common beggar, he never troubled him before with prayer, and if he would hear him that one time, he would never trouble him again.
[3.] The third requisite. Thirdly, As the matter of your prayer must be Scriptural, so the MANNER of your prayer must be right. God regards not so much the matter as the manner of our prayer. God loves adverbs better than nouns; not to pray only—but to pray well.
Now for the better and further clearing of this truth, I shall show you, by divine assistance, what it is to pray in the right manner, and that I shall do in the following particulars:
First, To pray in a right manner, is to pray UNDERSTANDINGLY, to pray knowingly: 1 Cor 14:15, "I will pray with understanding." He who does not pray understandingly, does not pray but prate; as that parrot in Rome which could distinctly say over the whole creed: John 4:22, "You worship you know not what," says Christ. So many pray they know not what. "Without knowledge the mind cannot be good," Prov 19:2. And can the prayer be good when the mind is bad? A blind mind, a blind sacrifice, a blind priest, are abominable to God. Ignorance is the source of all sin, the very wellspring from which all wickedness does issue. It was a good saying of one, "God hears not the words of one that prays," says he, "unless he who prays hears them first himself." And, truly, God will never understand that prayer which we do not understand ourselves.
Secondly, To pray in a right manner, is to pray BELIEVINGLY: Heb 11:6, "He who comes unto God, must believe that he is;" that is, that he is really as good, as gracious, as glorious, as excellent, as constant, etc., as his word reports him to be; and that he is "a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." In the Greek it is in the present tense, "you do receive them," to show the certainty of receiving them. You shall as certainly receive the good things that believingly you ask in prayer, as if you had them already in your hand. God will never let the hand of faith, go empty away in prayer. Faith is God's darling, and he never fails to give it a worthy portion, a Benjamin's portion, a Hannah's portion, a double portion: James 1:5-7, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he who wavers is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." He who prays doubtingly, shuts the gates of heaven against his own prayers. Unbelief is virtually all ill; therefore fight especially against it. One of the ancients describes prayer thus: "prayer is a climbing up of the heart to God, which cannot be done
but by the power of faith."
It is reported in the life of Luther, that when he prayed it was with so much reverence, as if he were praying to God; and with so much boldness, as if he had been speaking to his friend. Faith in prayer makes a man divinely familiar and bold with God in prayer. That prayer which has not the image and stamp of faith upon it, is no prayer in divine account. The sweetest flowers of paradise are only acceptable to God, as they are offered to him by the hand of faith.
Augustus, when a poor man came to present a petition to him with his hand shaking and trembling out of fear, the emperor was much displeased, and said, "It is not fit that any should come with a petition to a king as if a man were giving meat to an elephant; that is, afraid to be destroyed by him.
Truly Jehovah loves to see everyone of his petitioners to come to him with a steadfast faith, and not with a trembling hand. Christ gets most glory, and the soul gets most good, by those prayers which are accompanied with the actings of faith.
Thirdly, To pray in a right manner, is to pray INTENSELY, FERVENTLY, EARNESTLY. So James 5:16, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much;" or, as the Greek has it, "the working prayer," that is, such prayer as sets the whole man a-work. The word signifies such a working with the liveliest activity that can be. It works wonders in heaven, in the heart, and in the earth. Such working prayer as sets all the faculties of the soul, and all the graces in the soul, at work, always speeds; it fails not of winning the day, of carrying the crown. As medicine harms the body if it works not, so does prayer the soul, if it be not working-prayer. As a painted fire is no fire, a dead man no man—so a cold prayer is no prayer. In a painted fire there is no heat; in a dead man there is no life. Just so, in a cold prayer there is no omnipotency, no devotion, no blessing.
It is not cold, but working prayer, which can lock up heaven three years, and open heaven's gate at pleasure, and bring down the sweetest blessings upon our heads, and the choicest favors into our hearts. Cold
prayers are as arrows without heads, as swords without edges, as birds without wings: they pierce not, they cut not, they fly not up to heaven. Cold prayers always freeze before they reach to heaven. So Jacob was earnest in his wrestling with God: "Let me alone," says God. "I will not let you go except you bless me," says Jacob, Gen 32:24-27. Jacob, though lamed and exhausted, will not let the Lord go without a blessing. Jacob holds with his hands when his joints were out of joint, and so, as a prince, prevails with God. Jacob prays and weeps, and weeps and prays, and so prevails with God: Hos 12:4, "Yes, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto him," etc. The Jews have a saying, that 'since the destruction of Jerusalem, the door of prayers has been shut.' 'But the door of tears was never shut,' says one.
It is not the labor of the lips—but the travail of the heart; it is not the pouring forth a flood of words—but the pouring out of the soul, which makes a man a prince, a prevailer with God. A man who would gain victory over God in prayer, must strain every string of his heart; he must, in beseeching God, besiege him, and so get the better of him; he must strive in prayer even to an agony; he must be like importunate beggars, who will not be put off with frowns, or silence, or sad answers. Those who would be masters of their requests, must with the importunate widow press God so far as to put him to the blush; they must with a holy impudence, as Basil speaks, make God ashamed to look them in the face, if he should deny the importunity of their souls. The word signifies to strive to the shedding of blood—buffet me, or beat me down with her blows, as wrestlers beat down their adversaries with their fists or clubs. An importunate soul will never cease until he obtains; he will devour all discouragements; yes, he will turn discouragements into encouragements, as the woman of Canaan did, until Christ says, "Be unto you, O soul, as you will." As a body without a soul, much wood without fire, a bullet in a gun without powder—so are words in prayer without fervency of spirit. The hottest springs send forth their waters by ebullitions.
I have read of one who, being sensible of his own dullness and coldness in prayer, reproved himself thus: "What! do you think that Jonah prayed thus when he was in the belly of hell? or Daniel, when he was in the lions'
den? or the thief, when he was upon the cross?" and I may add, or the three children, when they were in the fiery furnace? or the apostles, when they were in bonds and prisons. Oh! that Christians would reprove themselves out of their cold prayers, and chide themselves into a better and a warmer frame of spirit when they make their supplications before the Lord.
An importunate soul in prayer is like the poor beggar who prays and knocks, who prays and waits, who prays and works, who knocks and begs —and will not stir from the door until he has an alms. And truly he who is good at this will not be long a beggar in grace. God will make his heart and his cup to overflow. The Jews write upon the walls of their synagogues this sentence—that prayer, without the intention of the mind, is but as a body without a soul. You know how to apply it. Jerome speaks of certain holy women in his time, that they seemed in their fervent affections to join with the holy company of heaven.
Fourthly, To pray in a right manner, is, to pray ASSIDUOUSLY, CONSTANTLY, as well as fervently. Luke 18:1, "And he spoke a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" or as it is in the Greek, not to "shrink back," as sluggards in work, or cowards in war—to pray in every opportunity. Now men pray always, first, when their hearts are always prepared to pray, or in a praying frame; secondly, when they do not omit the duty, when it is to be performed, or when they take hold on every opportunity, to pour out their souls before the Lord.
1 Thess 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." A man must always pray habitually, though not actually; he must have his heart in a praying disposition in all estates and conditions, in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, in wealth and wants, in life and death. So in Eph 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints." Our daily weaknesses, our daily wants, our daily fears, our daily dangers, our daily temptations, etc., call for our daily prayers. Rom 12:12, "Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." It is a metaphor taken from dogs that hunt, which will not give over the game until they have got it. A dog, of all
creatures, is best able to endure hunger; he will run from place to place, and never leave it until he has got his prey. So a child of God in his hunting after God, Christ, grace, peace, mercy, glory, never gives over until he has found his heavenly prey. Song 3:4, "At length I found him whom my soul loved; I held him, and would not let him go." The spouse never left hunting after her beloved, until she had found him. Augustine's usual wish was, that when Christ came, he might find him either praying or preaching.
Gracious souls reckon that they have nothing until they speed in the things they plead for—as a hungry man eats as if he had never ate before. They pray as if they had never prayed, and think that they have done nothing until they have done the deed. If we will continue constant in our wrestling with God for blessings, though God should appear unto us in the form or shape of a judge, an enemy, a stranger, etc., yet still to press him hard for mercy, truly mercy will come in the long run, and we shall say, that it is not in vain for men to hold on praying, though God for a time delays giving the particular favors they plead for. As that emperor said, 'it behooves an emperor to die standing,' so may I say, 'it behooves a Christian to die praying.' Hypocrites are inconstant in their prayers; they are only at it by fits and starts, they are only constant in inconstancy.
Fifthly, To pray in a right manner, is to pray SINCERELY: Psalm 17:1, "listen to my prayer—from lips free of deceit." Psalm 145:18, "The Lord is near unto all those who call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth." Your heart and tongue must go together; word and work, lip and life, prayer and practice must echo one to another—or all will be lost, heaven lost, and the soul lost forever. It is not the greatness of the voice, nor the multitude of words, nor the sweetness of the tone, nor studied notions, nor eloquent expressions, which Jehovah heeds—but truth in the inward parts, Psalm 51:6. When the Athenians would know of the oracle, the cause of their often unprosperous successes in battle against the Lacedemonian, seeing they offered the choicest things they could get, in sacrifice to the gods, which their enemies did not; the oracle gave them this answer, That the gods were better pleased with their inward supplication, than with all their outward pomp in costly sacrifices. Ah, souls! the reason why you are so unsuccessful in your pious duties and
services is, because you are no more sincere and upright in them. Were there more singleness and sincerity of heart in your duties, you would have surer and sweeter returns from heaven.
Ah, Christians! the more sincere you are, the more will prayer be your food and drink; and the more prayer is a delight and pleasure to you, the more will you be the pleasure and delight of God, who delights in those who delight in his service, and who count his work better than wages. Christ says to upright souls; "Hitherto have you asked nothing; ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full," John 16:24. Christ has a full purse, a noble heart, and a liberal hand.
[4.] The fourth requisite in prayer is this, namely, your prayer must be to a good END; it must be to the glory of God, and to the internal and eternal advantage of your own and others' souls. The chief end, the bullseye, the mark, at which the soul must aim in prayer, is God's glory: "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor 10:31. When God crowns us, he does but crown his own gifts in us; and when we give God the glory of all we do, we do but give him the glory that is due unto his name; for he works all our works in us and for us. God measures all men's actions by their ends: if their end is good, all is good; if the end be bad, all is bad. The end determines the action. All actions of worship are good or bad—as the mark is at which the soul aims. He who makes God the object of prayer—but not the end of prayer, does but lose his prayer, and take pains to undo himself. God will be all in all, or he will be nothing at all; he will be both the object and the end of prayer—or else he will abhor your prayer. Those prayers never reach his ear, they are never lodged in his bosom, which are not directed to his glory. The end must always be as noble as the means, or else a Christian acts below himself, yes, below his very reason.
Ah, Christians! it is not a flood of words, nor high strains of wit, nor vehemency of affections in prayer—but holy and gracious ends, which will render prayer acceptable and honorable to God, comfortable and profitable to yourselves and others; yes, the directing of one prayer to divine glory does more torture and torment Satan than all the prayers in the world that are directed to ends below divine glory. It is not simply prayer—but the soul's aiming at divine glory in prayer, that adds to
Christ's crown, and Satan's hell. 'Lord,' says Austin, 'take all away; only give me yourself!' Isa 1:11; Zech 7:6; Amos 5:22; Hos 7:14. Many heathens, as Aristides, Cato, Themistocles, with divers others, did sincerely many great services for the common good, and not for their own gain; but yet they could not hit the mark—the glory of God; and so their most glorious actions were but glorious sins.
And thus I have showed you all the REQUISITES of prayer, even of such prayer as accompanies salvation. I shall now proceed to some other particulars for the further and fuller opening of this truth.
(2.) The second property. Secondly, that prayer which accompanies salvation, betters the whole man. By it, faith is increased, hope strengthened, the spirit exhilarated, the heart pacified, the conscience purified, temptations vanquished, corruptions weakened, the affections inflamed, the will more renewed, and the whole man more advantaged. Prayer is a spiritual chair, wherein the soul sits down at the feet of the Lord, to receive the influences of his grace. Prayer is the regal gate by which the Lord enters into the heart, comforting, quieting, strengthening, quickening, and raising of it. The Scripture affords us a cloud of witnesses to prove this truth—but I appeal to praying saints. Ah, tell me, tell me, praying souls, have not you, do not you find it so? I know you have and do, and that is it that makes prayer a pleasure, a paradise unto you. It was a sweet saying of Ambrose, "O Lord! I never go from you without you."
(3.) The third property. Thirdly, You may judge what prayer that is, which accompanies salvation by considering the difference that is between the prayers of the godly and the wicked. Now the difference between the prayers of the one and the other I shall show you in the following particulars,
The first difference. First, Gracious souls do trade and deal with God in prayer, only upon the account and credit of Christ. They beg mercy to pardon them, and grace to purify them, and balm to heal them, and divine favor to comfort them, and power to support them, and wisdom to counsel them, and goodness to satisfy them—but all upon the account of Christ's blood, of Christ's righteousness; of Christ's satisfaction, and of Christ's intercession at the right hand of the Father;
Rev 4:10-11. They seek the Father in the Son, they present their suits always in Christ's name, for so is the will of Christ: John 14:13-14, "And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." John 15:16, "Whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he will give you." John 16:23, "Truly I say unto you, whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give you." The Greek is pregnant, and may be read not only "Whatever," but also "How many things soever you shall ask or beg of the Father in my name, he will give them to you."
There is no admission into heaven, except we bring Christ in our arms: Eph 2:18, "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." The Greek word signifies "a leading by the hand." It is an allusion to the custom of princes, to whom there is no admission, unless we be brought in by one of the favorites. As no access, so no acceptance without Christ, Eph 1:6, "wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved."
Plutarch reports, "That it used to be the practice of some of the heathens, the Molossians, when they would seek the favor of their prince, they took up the king's son in their arms, and so went and kneeled before the king."
Ah, Christians Christ is near and dear unto the Father; the Father has determined to give out all his loves and favors through his Son; if you bring Christ in the arms of your faith, you gain the Father's heart, and in gaining his heart you gain all. The father's mercies melt, his affections move, his heart turns; his compassions are kindled upon the sight of his Son's merits and mediation. As Joseph said to his brethren, "You shall not see my face unless you bring your brother Benjamin," so says God, "you shall not see my face unless you bring the Lord Jesus with you."
Now gracious souls; in all their prayers, they present Jesus Christ before the Father, and upon his account they desire those things that make for their external, internal, and eternal good.
Ah! but vain unbelievers treat and trade with God in prayer upon the account of their own worth, righteousness, worthiness, and services: Isa 58:2-3, "Why have we fasted and you have not seen it? Why have we
humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?" Here you see they stand upon their own practices and services, and expostulate the case with God in an angry manner, because God did not answer their hypocritical performances. So the proud pharisee stands in prayer upon his own worthiness and righteousness: Luke 18:11-12, "The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." This pharisee was like the Egyptian temple—painted without—and vile within; varnished without— and vermin within. So did those hypocrites in Matt 6:23 stand very much upon their outward services and performances, though they were but shining sins—but filthy rags.
The second difference. Secondly, Souls truly gracious pray more to get off their sins, than they do to get off their chains. Though bonds did await Paul in every place, Acts 20:23, as himself speaks, yet he never cries out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from my bonds; but, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from my sins, from this body of death?" Rom 7:23. David cries not, 'I am undone' but 'I have done foolishly,' Psalm 51:4. But wicked men strive in prayer more to get off their chains than to get off their sins; more to be delivered from enemies without than lusts within; more to get out of the furnace than to he delivered from their spiritual bondage, as these scriptures evidence. [Psalm 78:34; Zech 7:5-7; Isa 26:16-17]
The third difference. Thirdly, The stream and cream of a gracious man's spirit runs most out in prayer after spiritual and heavenly things, as is abundantly evident by those prayers of the saints that are upon record throughout the Scripture, Psalm 4:6-7, and Psalm 27:4; but the stream and cream of vain men's spirits in prayer runs most out after poor, low, carnal things, as you may see in comparing the following scriptures together, Hos 7:14; Zech 7:5-7; James 4:3, etc.
The fourth difference. Fourthly, A gracious soul looks and lives more upon God in prayer, than upon his prayer. He knows, though prayer be his chariot, yet Christ is his food. Prayer may be a staff to support him—but Christ is that manna that must nourish him, and upon him he looks, and lives: Psalm 5:3, "In the morning will I direct my
prayer unto you" (or marshal and set in order my prayer, as it is in the Hebrew), "and will look up" (or "look out," as it is in the Hebrew) "as a watchman looks out to discover the approaches of an enemy." But vain men, they live and look more upon their prayers than they do upon God.
More—usually they never observe what returns they have from heaven. They are like those who shoot arrows—but do not mind where they fall. Wicked men think it is religion enough for them to pray; and to look after their prayers, to see how their prayers speed, is no part of their faith; but a gracious soul is of a more noble spirit; when he has prayed he will stand upon his watchtower, and observe what God will speak: Psalm 85:8, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak; [I will listen, and lay my obedient ear to what the Lord shall speak,] for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not return to folly;" or, as the Hebrew may be read, "And they shall not return to folly." Wicked men would have God to be all ear to hear what they desire, when themselves have never an ear to hear what he speaks. But deaf ears shall always be attended with dumb answers. God's justice always makes mercy dumb, when sin has made the sinner deaf.
The fifth difference. Fifthly, No discouragements can take gracious souls off from prayer—but the least discouragements will take off carnal hearts from prayer, as you may see in the following scriptures compared together: Psalm 40:1-2, and Psalm 44:10-23; Matt 15:21-29; Mal 3:14; Isa 58:1-3; Amos 8:3-5, etc.
When one of the ancient martyrs was severely threatened by his persecutors, he replied, "There is nothing," says he, "of things visible, nothing of things invisible, which I fear; I will stand to my profession of the name of Christ, and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, come on it what will." It is neither the hope of life, nor the fear of death, that can take a real Christian off from prayer. He is rather raised than dejected, he is rather quickened than discouraged by delays or denials; he will hold up and hold on in a way and course of prayer, though men should rage and lions roar, and the furnace be heat seven times hotter, etc. But it is not so with carnal hearts, Job 27:9-10.
The sixth difference. Sixthly, When a gracious man prays, he has his
heart in his prayer; when he falls upon the work, he makes heart work of it. In his course his heart is in his prayer; he finds by experience that the heart is the great wheel that moves all other wheels. It is the chief monarch in the life of man. So David, Psalm 42:4, "When I remember these things, I pour out my heart." So Hannah, 1 Sam 1:15, "I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit," said she, "and have poured out my soul before the Lord." So the Israelites in 1 Sam 7:6, "pour out their souls like water before the Lord." So the church in Isa 26:8-9, "The desire of our soul is to your name, and to the remembrance of you. With my soul have I desired you in the night; yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you early." The heart, as a prince, gives laws to all other members. The heart is Christ's bed of spices; it is his presence-chamber; it is his royal throne; it is one of those four keys which God keeps under his own belt.
Gracious souls know that no prayer is acknowledged, accepted, and rewarded by God—but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly. It is not a piece, it is not a corner of the heart, which will satisfy the maker of the heart. The true mother would not have the child divided. As God loves a broken and a contrite heart, so he loathes a divided heart. God neither loves halting nor halving, he will be served truly and totally. The royal law is, "You shall love and serve the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul," Deut 10:12. Among the heathens, when the beasts were cut up for sacrifice, the first thing the priest looked upon was the heart, and if the heart was bad the sacrifice was rejected. Truly, God rejects all those sacrifices wherein the heart is bad.
Now wicked men are heartless in all their services, in all their prayers, as you may see in comparing the following scriptures together; I shall not transcribe the words, because I must cut short the work: Isa 29:13; Matt 15:7-9; Ezek 33:30-32; Zech 7:4-6; 2 Chron 25:1-2. As the body without the soul is dead, so prayer, without the heart in it, is but dead prayer in the eye and account of God. Prayer without the heart is but an empty ring, a tinkling cymbal. Prayer is only lovely and weighty, as the heart is in it—and not otherwise. It is not the lifting up of the voice, nor the wringing of the hands, nor the beating of the breasts—but the stirrings of the heart, which God looks at in prayer. God hears no more than the heart speaks; if the heart is dumb, God will certainly be deaf. No prayer is
accepted by God, but that which is the travail of the heart.
The seventh difference. Seventhly, Gracious souls usually come off from prayer, with hearts more disengaged from sin, and more vehemently set against it. The precious communion that they have with God in prayer, the sweet breathings of God into their hearts, while they are a-breathing out their requests in his ears, and the secret assistance, stirrings, and movings of the Spirit upon their souls in prayer —arm them more against sin, and makes them stand upon the highest terms of defiance with sin. 'How shall I do this or that wickedness against God?' says the praying soul, 'Oh I cannot, I will not do anything unworthy of him who has caused his glory to pass before me in prayer.'
Ah! but wicked men come off from prayer with hearts more encouraged to sin, and more resolved to walk in ways of sin: Prov 7:14-24, "I have peace-offerings with me," says the harlot; "this day have I paid my vows: therefore came I forth to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you. Come, let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love." That is, "let us be drunken with love," which shows her unsatiable lusts. So in Jer 7:9-10, "Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe"--safe to do all these detestable things?"
Wicked men are like Lewis, king of France, who would swear and then kiss the cross, and then swear more bitterly and then kiss the cross. So they sin and pray, and pray and sin; and the more they pray, the more easily, resolutely, impudently do they sin. They make use of prayer to quiet their consciences, so that they may sin with more pleasure and less regret. Ah! what pains do such sinners take to go to hell, and to arm their consciences against themselves in that day, wherein they shall say, 'There is no help, there is no hope!' This age is full of such monsters, who have no pity upon themselves.
The eighth difference. Eighthly and lastly, Gracious souls do more eye and observe how their own hearts are wrought upon in prayer, than how others' hearts are wrought upon. When they pray, they
look with a curious eye upon their own spirits, they look with a narrow eye upon their own hearts, and observe how they are affected, melted, humbled, quickened, raised, spiritualized, and bettered by prayer. But vain men, as they pray to "be seen of men," so they eye most how others like their prayers, and are affected and taken with their prayers. They are most critical in observing what operations their prayers have upon others' hearts—but never mind, to any purpose, how they operate upon their own hearts. A worse plague cannot befall them!
And thus I have endeavored to show you what a wide difference there is between the prayers of the godly and the ungodly; and by this, as by the former particulars laid down, you may see what prayer that is, which accompanies salvation.
VII. Now, in the seventh place, I shall show you what that PERSEVERANCE is, which accompanies salvation, and that I shall do in these following particulars.
(1.) The first property. First, That perseverance which accompanies salvation, is perseverance in a holy PROFESSION. Heb 4:14, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession by a strong hand," or by a hand of holy violence. So in Heb 10:23, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering" (or as it is in the Greek, "without tilting, or tossing to one side or other"), "for he is faithful who has promised." Therefore let no temptation, affliction, opposition, or persecution, take us off from our holy profession—but let us hold our profession with a forcible hand, yes, with both hands, in the face of all difficulties, dangers, and deaths—as Cynaegirus, the Athenian captain, did the ship which was laden with the rich spoil of his country.
(2.) The second property. Secondly, That perseverance which accompanies salvation, is a perseverance and holy and spiritual GRACES. It is a persevering in love, John 15:9-10; and a persevering in faith and hope, 1 Cor 13:13, etc. Perseverance is not a particular distinct grace of itself; but such a virtue as crowns all virtue; it is such a grace as casts a general glory and beauty upon every grace, it is a virtue which
leads every grace on to perfection. So Col 1:23; 1 Tim 4:15; Heb 13:1, and Heb 11:13. These all died in faith, or as it is in the Greek, they all died according to faith, that is, persevering in faith.
To persevere in holy and heavenly graces, is to persevere in believing, in repenting, in mourning, in hoping; it is to persevere in love, in fear, in humility, in patience, in self-denial, etc. Now it is this perseverance in holy and gracious graces, which accompanies salvation, which leads to salvation. (Nothing seems to be done—if there remains anything unfinished. Let a man do ever so much, if he does not persevere, he will be found to have done nothing.)
No grace—no, not the most sparkling and shining grace, can bring a man to heaven of itself, without perseverance; not faith, which is the champion of grace, if it faints and fails; not love, which is the nurse of grace, if it declines and waxes cold; not humility, which is the adorner and beautifier of grace, if it continues not to the end; not obedience, not repentance, nor any other grace—except they persevere until the end. It is perseverance in grace, which crowns every grace, and every gracious soul with a crown of glory at last. Rev 2:10, "Be faithful to the death, and I will give you a crown of life."
Such as only believe for a time, and repent for a time, and love for a time, and rejoice for a time, and hope for a time, as all hypocrites only do etc.— but do not persevere and hold out, will be doubly miserable in the day of vengeance. Perseverance is the accomplishment of every grace; without it, he who fights cannot hope to overcome; and he who for the present does overcome, cannot look for the crown, unless he still perseveres and goes on conquering and to conquer, until he finds all his enemies slain before him.
The third property. Thirdly, That perseverance which accompanies salvation is an abiding or continuing in the word or doctrine of Christ. You must persevere, and hold fast the faith of the gospel, without wavering in it or departing from it. John 15:7, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you." 1 John 2:14, "I have written unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you." 1 John 2:24, "Let that
therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." 2 John 9, "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." None shall receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls—but those who hold fast the doctrine of faith, soundly, sincerely, and entirely to the end: John 8:31, "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed."
It is the end that crowns the action, as the evening crowns the day, as the last act commends the whole scene. It is not enough to begin well—unless we end well; the beginning is not so considerable as the end. Manasseh and Paul began badly—but ended well. Judas and Demas began well—but ended badly." Nero's first five years were famous—but afterwards who more cruel? It is not the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ, nor the commending of the word of Christ—but the abiding in Christ's word, the continuing in Christ's doctrine, which accompanies life and glory, and which will render a man happy at last. Such that, with Hymenaeus and Alexander, put away, or make shipwreck of the doctrine of the faith, shall, by the Lord or his people, or by both, be delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme, 1 Tim 1:19-20; 1 Cor 5:5. Usually the end of such is worse than the beginning. Double damnation attends those who begin in the spirit and end in the flesh, 2 Pet 2:20-22; 2 Tim 3:13.
The fourth property. Fourthly, and lastly, That perseverance which accompanies salvation is a perseverance in holy and gracious actions and motions; it is a continuing in pious duties and religious services, Phil 3:10-14; Isa 40:31. The life of a Christian consists in motion, not in sitting. A Christian should be ever moving towards heaven; he must never stand still, he must always be a-going on from faith to faith, and from strength to strength. Not to go forwards, is to go backwards. When saints have done their work in this life, they shall sit upon thrones in everlasting life. Perseverance is a going on, a holding out in ways of piety and sanctity. Acts 13:43, and Acts 14:22 signify a continuance in prayer and supplication, with an invincible and strong constancy.
Acts 1:14, "These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication." Acts 2:42, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer." Acts 2:46, "And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, and ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart." 1 Tim 5:5, "Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusts in God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day." Rom 12:12, "Persistent in prayer."
Christians must work hard in a wilderness, before they sit down in paradise. They must make a constant progress in holiness before they enter into happiness. It is the excellency of perseverance, that it keeps a Christian still in motion God-wards, heaven-wards, holiness-wards. It is a grace which quickens a man to motion, to action; it keeps a man still going, still doing. And motion is the excellency of the creature; and the more excellent any creature is, the more excellent is that creature in its motions, as you may see in the motions of the celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars. Perseverance is a perpetual motion in ways of grace and holiness, Psalm 44:16-20. Perseverance will make a man hold up and hold on in the work and ways of the Lord, in the face of all impediments, discouragements, temptations, tribulations, and persecutions. As the moon holds on her motion though the dogs bark, so perseverance will make a Christian hold on in his holy and heavenly motions though vain men bark and bite, etc.
And thus I have showed you what perseverance that is, which accompanies salvation.
VIII. The eighth and last thing which accompanies salvation is HOPE. I shall gather up what I have to say concerning hope into as narrow a compass as I can, being unwilling to tire the reader's patience, and my own spirits. The philosophers excluded hope out of their catalogs of virtues, but God by his word has taught us better. I shall show very briefly,
(1.) That hope does accompany salvation.
(2.) What that hope is, which accompanies salvation.
1. That hope does accompany salvation, these scriptures speak it out: Rom 8:24, "For we are saved by hope;" Gal 5:5, "For we though the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith;" Eph 1:18, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints;" 1 Thess 5:8, "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet—the hope of salvation;" Titus 3:7, "That, being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life;" Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began." By all these scriptures it does fully appear, that hope does accompany salvation.
2. The second thing that I am to show you is, what hope that is, which accompanies salvation; and that I shall do with as much brevity and perspicuity as I can, in the following particulars:
First, That hope which accompanies salvation, is a grace of God whereby we expect good to come, waiting patiently until it comes. This very title, "the God of hope," may serve as a sovereign antidote against the blackest and horridest temptations; for why should any despair of his mercy—who has proclaimed himself to be the God of hope?
(1.) I call it a grace of God, because he is the giver of it; and therefore he is called the God of hope. Rom 15:13, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing." Now God is called the God of hope, because he is the only object of our hope, and he is effective, the only author and worker of hope in the soul. A saving hope is no natural affection in men. Men are not born with true hope in their hearts, as they are born with tongues in their mouths. Hope is nobly descended, it is from above, it is a heavenly babe which is formed in the soul of man by the power of the Holy Spirit. And as hope is no natural affection, so hope is no moral virtue, which men may attain by their frequent notions; but hope is the gracious virtue which none can give but God.
(2.) I say it is a grace of God, whereby we expect good to come; I say good, not evil, for evil is rather feared than hoped for by any. The
OBJECT of this hope has four qualities:
1. It must be bonum—good.
2. It must be Futurum—future.
3. It must be Possibile—possible.
4. It must be Arduum—hard or difficult to obtain.
(3.) I say hope is a grace of God, whereby we expect good to come, patiently waiting until it comes. Hope makes the soul quiet and patient until it comes to possess the good desired and hoped for: Rom 8:25, "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." The Hebrew word, which is often translated hope, signifies a very vehement intention, both of body and mind, a stretching forth of the spirit or mind, in waiting for a desired good.
2. Secondly, That hope which accompanies salvation is always conversant about holy and heavenly objects, as about God and Christ. 2 Cor 4:18, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Hope fares well; it is nourished at a prince's table; it lives upon honey and milk, oil and wine; it lives upon the sweetmeats, the delicacies of heaven —as God, Christ, and glory, Psalm 31:24; Psalm 33:22; Psalm 38:15; Psalm 42:5; Psalm 43:5; Psalm 39:7; Psalm 71:5, and Psalm 15:5.
1 Tim 1:1, "Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, who is our hope." In these words, Christ is set forth as the chief object of our hope, because by his merits and mercy, we hope to obtain the remission of our sins, and the eternal salvation of our souls. Sometimes hope is exercised about the righteousness of Christ: Gal 5:5, "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."
Sometimes hope is exercised about God the Father: 1 Pet 1:21, "Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God." Jer 14:8, "Oh the hope of Israel,
the Savior thereof in the time of trouble." Jer 17:13, "O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be ashamed." Jer 17:17, "You are my hope in the day of evil."
Sometimes hope is exercised and busied about the word and promises: Psalm 119:49, "Remember your word unto your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope." Psalm 119:81, "My soul faints for your salvation; but I hope in your word." Psalm 119:114, "You are my hidingplace, and my shield. I hope in your word." Psalm 130:5, I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in his word do I hope." Psalm 119:74, "I have hoped in your word." Psalm 119:147, "I hoped in your word."
Hope in the promises will keep the head from aching, and the heart from breaking; it will keep both head and heart from sinking and drowning. Hope exercised upon the promises, brings heaven down to the heart. Ah! what abundance of comfort and sweetness may hope find, yes, does hope find is the promises. The promises are the ladder by which hope gets up to heaven. Hope in the promise will not only keep life and soul together— but will also keep the soul and glory together; hope in the promise will support distressed souls; hope in the promise will settle perplexed souls; hope in the promise will comfort dejected souls; hope in the promise will recover wandering souls; hope in the promise will confirm staggering souls; hope in the promise will save undone souls.
Psalm 42:5, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and in God." Psalm 119:49-50, "Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life."
The promise is the same to hope, that hope is to the soul; the promise is the anchor of hope, as hope is the anchor of the soul. Look! what the breasts are to the child, and oil is to the lamp—that are the promises to hope. "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:24-25 The promises are hope's rich storehouse. Hope lives and thrives, as it feeds upon the promises, as it embraces the promises. The promises are the sweetmeats
of heaven, upon which hope lives. Every degree of hope brings a degree of joy into the soul, which makes it cry out, 'Heaven, heaven!' Heb 11:13; Psalm 16:11; Titus 3:7.
Again, hope is exercised about the glory and felicity, the happiness and blessedness that is at God's right hand. Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ." Hope makes a man stretch out his neck and put forth his hand, and look as earnestly for the glorious appearing of Christ, as Sisera's mother did for the happy return of her son. The hoping soul is often a-sighing it out, 'Why are his chariot wheels so long a-coming?'
Col 1:5, "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven." Hope in this place, is put for the things hoped for, namely, all that glory and felicity, that blessedness and happiness, which is laid up for us in heaven. [So in Rom 8:24-25; Col 1:27; Rom 5:2, etc.] So in Heb 6:18, "Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Hope here is put for the object of hope, namely, heaven and happiness. Hope lays such fast hold, as the Greek word here signifies, upon heaven and happiness, that none shall ever be able to take those precious things out of hope's hand. So hope is put for the glorious things hoped for, Eph 1:18. And thus you see those precious and glorious objects, about which that hope which accompanies salvation is exercised.
3. Thirdly, That hope which accompanies salvation, is grounded upon the firmest foundations, namely: the promises of God, Prov 10:28, as has been fully showed before; and it is built upon the free grace of God, 1 Pet 1:13. It is built upon the infinite and glorious power of God, Rom 4:21. It is built upon the truth and faithfulness of God, 2 Tim 2:13. These four precious and glorious foundations bear up the hopes of the saints, as the pillars bore up the curtains in the tabernacle. A believer's hope is founded upon the love of Christ, the blood of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, the satisfaction of Christ, and the intercession of Christ, etc.
But the hopes of hypocrites and wicked men, are always built upon weak, slender, and sandy foundations. Sometimes they build their hopes upon their outward profession, upon their lamps, though they have no oil,
Matt 25:3; and sometimes upon their duties and services, as the Jews, scribes, and Pharisees did, Isa 58:1-3; Matt 6:1-2, etc; and sometimes upon their outward privileges, crying out, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord;" and sometimes they build their hopes upon others' good opinion of them, and sometimes upon flashes of joy, and sometimes upon enlargements in duties, and sometimes upon the heat and vigor of their spirits in religious services, etc. Every false principle in religion is "a reed of Egypt," which will certainly deceive souls at last; therefore take heed of leaning upon any of those reeds! All these are but sandy foundations, and those who build their hope upon them will certainly fall—and great will be their fall.
The hopes of the saints are built upon the surest and the strongest foundations. It was a good saying of one of the ancients, "I consider," said he, "three things in which all my hope consists, namely: 1. God's love in my adoption; 2. the truth of his promise; 3. his power of performance. Therefore, I can say with sure confidence, I know on whom I have believed, 2 Tim 1:12. And I am certain, first, that in his love he adopted me; secondly, that he is true in his promise; and thirdly, that he is able to perform it. This is the threefold cord which is not easily broken."
4. Fourthly, That hope which accompanies salvation, may be distinguished from all false hopes, by the excellent properties of it, and they are these that follow.
[1.] The first property of that hope which accompanies salvation is this: it elevates and raises the heart to live above, where its treasure is. True hope is from above, and it makes the heart to live above: it is a spark of glory, and it leads the heart to live in glory. Divine hope carries a man to heaven, for life to quicken him, and for wisdom to direct him, and for power to uphold him, and for righteousness to justify him, and for holiness to sanctify him, and for mercy to forgive him, and for assurance to rejoice him, and for happiness to crown him. Divine hope takes in the pleasures of heaven beforehand; it lives in the joyful expectation of them; it fancies to itself, the pleasures and joys of eternity; and lives in a sweet anticipation of what it possesses by faith. Hope's richest treasures, and choicest friends, and chief delights, and sweetest contents, are in the country above; and therefore hope loves best to live there most. Matt
6:20-21; Phil 3:20; Col 3:1.
Mark, wicked men's hopes never raise them as high as heaven; under all their hopes they are great enemies, and as great strangers to God, Christ, and heaven, as ever.
[2.] The second property of that hope which accompanies salvation is this: it will strengthen the soul against all afflictions, oppositions, and temptations: 1 Thess 5:8, "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." Look! as the helmet defends and secures the head, so does hope defend and secure the heart. Hope is a helmet which keeps off all darts that Satan or the world casts at the soul. The hope of heavenly riches made those worthies in Heb 11 to despise the riches of this world. The hope they had of a heavenly country made them willing to leave their own country, and to live in the land of promise as in a strange country. The hope they had of possessing at last a house not made with hands—but eternal in the heavens, made them willingly and cheerfully to live in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. The hope they had of a glorious resurrection made them courageously to withstand the strongest temptations, etc., Rom 5:2-5; Dan 3:37; Psalm 4:6-7; Heb 10:34; 2 Cor 4:16-18. It was a wicked and hopeless cardinal who said, 'He would not leave his part in Paris for a part in paradise.'
A saint's hope will outlive all fears and cares, all trials and troubles, all afflictions and temptations. Saints have much in hope, though little in hand; they have much in expectation, though but little in possession; they have much in promise, though but little in the purse. A saint can truly say, 'my hopes are better than my possessions.' Hope can see heaven through the thickest clouds; hope can see light through darkness, life through death, smiles through frowns, and glory through misery. Hope holds life and soul together; it holds Christ and the soul together; it holds the soul and the promises together; it holds the soul and heaven together; and so it makes a Christian to stand and triumph over all afflictions, oppositions, and temptations. Some are truly persuaded that the lack of this divine hope has been the reason that many among the heathen has laid violent hands upon themselves. See Heb 11:10,14,16,25,32,
compared.
[3.] The third property of that hope which accompanies salvation is this: it makes the soul lively and active: Psalm 119:166, "Lord, I have hoped for your salvation, and done your commandments." Hope puts the soul upon doing, upon obeying: 1 Pet 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again unto a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." It is called a living hope, because it brings life and comfort into the soul; and it is called a living hope in opposition to the withering and dying hopes of hypocrites and wicked men; and it is called a living hope, because it flows from living causes, namely, the Spirit of Christ, and the soul's union and communion with Christ; but mainly it is called a lively hope because it puts the soul upon living endeavors. Hope will make a man pray as for life, hear as for life, and mourn as for life, and obey as for life, and work and walk as for life. Hope will not say—'this work is too hard, and that work is too hot; this work is too high, and the other work is too low.' A man's duties and services usually are as his hopes are: if his hopes are weak and low—so will his services be; but if his hopes are spiritual, noble, and high—so will his motions mad actions be. Divine hope makes saints as far excel all other men in their actings, as the angels do excel them. Some say hope and fasting are the two wings of prayer. Fasting is but as the wing of a bird—but hope is as the wing of an angel, bearing our prayers to the throne of grace.
Hope will make a man put his hand to every work. Hope makes a man more motion than notion; it makes a man better at doing than at saying, etc. Hope gives life and strength to all pious duties and services: 1 Cor 9:10, "He who ploughs should plough in hope; and he who thrashes in hope shall be partaker of "his hope." Hope will put a Christian upon ploughing and thrashing, that is, upon the hardest and most difficult services for God and his glory. If fleshly hopes of gaining the honors, riches, and favors of this world made Absalom, Ahithophel, Jehu, Haman, and many heathen—full of life and activity, full of motion and action; truly holy and heavenly hopes will make men much more lively and active, by how much heavenly hopes are more excellent than earthly. A man full of hope will be full of action. A living hope and a diligent hand
are inseparable companions. Hope will make a man do—though he dies for doing. Fleshly hopes put the Romans upon doing very strange and amazing exploits, as you may see in Plutarch, and other historians.
[4.] The fourth property of that hope which accompanies salvation is this: It will make a man sit, Noah-like, quiet and still in the midst of all storms and tempests, in the midst of all disturbances and changes. When others are at their wits' end, then hope will house the soul, and lodge it composed and quiet in the bosom of God: Job 11:18, "You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety." The Hebrew word that is here rendered rest, is from a root that signifies to rest and sleep quietly, as as men rest in their beds, or as the body rests in the grave.
Hope will bring the soul to bed safely and sweetly, in the darkest night, in the longest storm, and in the greatest tempest: Heb 6:19, 20, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf." Hope is that anchor for the soul, which keeps it quiet and still in all storms and tempests; it keeps the soul from dashing upon the rocks, and from being swallowed up in the sands. Hope is an anchor which is fastened above, not below; in heaven, not in earth; therefore the ship, the soul of a believer, must needs be safe and secure. That ship will never be split upon the rocks, whose anchor is in heaven. Hope enters within the curtain, and takes fast anchor-hold on God himself; and therefore blow high, blow low, rain or shine, the soul of a saint is safe. Hypocrites in stormy times are like ships without anchors, tossed up and down with every wave, and in danger of being split upon every rock, Job 27:9-10.
Divine hope settles the heart. Our best and greatest estate lies in invisibles. Our perfect and complete estate here lies not in what we have in possession—but in what we have in expectation.
[5.] The fifth property of that hope which accompanies salvation is this: It will work the soul to a quiet and patient waiting upon God for mercy, though God should delay the giving in of mercy. Rom 8:25, "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait
for it." Psalm 130:5-6, "I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning; I say, more than those who watch for the morning." Hope will make a man wait, yes, wait long for a mercy, as it did Abraham, Rom 4:18-21. Though the vision tarries, yet hope will wait for it, Hab 2:13. 'Yet a little, little while,' says hope, 'and he who shall come will come, and will not tarry,' Heb 10:36-37. 'The longer I wait for a mercy, the greater, better, and sweeter, at last, the mercy will prove,' says hope. 'It is not mercy, if it be not worth a-waiting for,' says hope. 'And if it is a mercy, you can not wait too long for it,' says hope. Patience is nothing else but hope spun out. If you would lengthen patience, be sure to strengthen hope.
Says hope, 'though deliverance tarries, though this and that mercy tarries, yet it will come at last, therefore wait.' Hope is not hasty in prefixing the time when God shall show mercy, neither will it limit God to the way or manner of showing mercy—but leave both the time and the manner to him who is wise and faithful. Says hope, 'Christ knows his own time, and his own time is best; though he stays long, yet he will certainly come, and he will not stay a moment beyond the time he has prefixed; and therefore, says hope, be not weary, O soul—but still wait patiently upon the Lord.' The Lord shows much mercy in timing our mercies for us.
1 Thess 1:3, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope." Hope is the mother of patience and the nurse of patience; hope breeds patience, and hope feeds patience. If it were not for hope, the heart would die; and if it were not for hope, patience would die. Look! as faith gives life and strength to hope, so does hope give life and strength to patience, therefore patience is called patience of hope. Hope maintains patience, as the fuel maintains the fire.
[6.] The sixth property of that hope which accompanies salvation is this: It is soul-purifying hope; it puts a Christian upon purifying himself, as Christ is pure: 1 John 3:3, "And every man who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as Christ is pure." Divine hope runs out into holiness. He who has the purest and strongest hopes of being saved, is most studious and laborious to be sanctified. The Greek word which is rendered purifies, is a metaphor taken either from the ceremonial
purifications in time of the Law, or else from goldsmiths purifying metals from their dross; and it notes thus much to us, that those who have hopes to reign with Christ in glory, who have set their hearts upon that pure and blissful state, that paradise, that holy and spiritual state of bliss which is made up of singleness and purity, they will purify both their body and soul, that they may answer to that excellent copy that Christ has set before them, knowing that none shall enjoy everlasting glory, but those who labor after perfect purity.
Now hope purifies the heart and life thus, by keeping the purest objects, as God, Christ, the word, and the soul together, and by making the soul serious and conscientious in the use of all soul-purifying ordinances, and by being a fire in the soul to burn up all those corruptions and principles of darkness which are contrary to that purity and glory, which hope has in her eye; and by working the soul to lean upon Christ, to live in Christ, and to draw purifying virtue from Christ, who is the spring and fountain of all purity and sanctity. And thus hope purifies those who expect to be like Christ in glory.
[7.] The seventh property of that hope which accompanies salvation, is this: It is permanent and lasting; it will never leave the soul until it has lodged it in the bosom of Christ. Prov 14:32, "The righteous has hope in his death." The righteous man's hope will bed and board with him; it will lie down with him, and rise up with him; it will to the grave, to heaven with him: his motto is, 'my hope lasts beyond life.' "The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing." Proverbs 10:28. Austin's hope made him long to die, that he might see that head which was once crowned with thorns. Hope made the ancient Christians to call the days of their death, not dying but birthdays, Heb 3:6, and Heb 6:11; 1 Pet 1:13; Psalm 131:3.
That hope which accompanies salvation is a long-lived hope; it is a living hope. 1 Pet 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again unto a lively hope," or a living hope: a hope that will not die, a hope that will not leave a man in life nor death. In prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in life and death, I will hope. It is neither the smiles nor the frowns of the world, which shall bury a Christian's hope. A Christian's
hope will live in all weathers, and it will make a Christian bear up bravely in all storms and under all changes.
Psalm 71:14, "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise you more and more." No trials, no troubles, no afflictions, no oppositions, shall keep down my hope, says David. I am peremptorily resolved, in the face of all dangers, difficulties, and deaths, to keep up my hopes; come what will come on it, I will rather let my life go than my hope go: I will hope continually. A hopeless condition is a very sad condition; it is the worst condition in the world; it makes a man's life a very hell. If "hope deferred makes the heart sick," as the wise man speaks, Prov 13:12, then the loss of hope will make the soul languish, it will make it choose strangling rather than life; it will make a man's life a continual death. A soul without hope is like a ship without anchors. Lord, where will a soul anchor, which anchors not upon you by hope? A man were better part with anything than his hope.
When Alexander went upon a hopeful expedition, he gave away his gold; and when he was asked what he kept for himself, he answered, 'the hope of greater and better things.' A believer's hope is not like that of Pandora, which may fly out of the box, and bid the soul an everlasting farewell. No! it is like the morning light; the least beam of it shall commence into a complete sunshine. It shall shine forth brighter and brighter until it has fully possessed the believer of his Christ and crown.