Fourthly, Hope is another of those great and principal graces, which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart, and without which let a man be never so high in profession, and so open in naming the name of Christ, he cannot depart from iniquity. As was said before of faith, so we say now of hope.1 And every one that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself as he is pure. Here is that excellent office, or rather effect of hope made manifest, it purifieth, it cleanseth a man; it makes him make the Lord Jesus his example, as well as his Saviour. He purifieth himself even as he is pure; to wit, in soul, in body, in spirit, in life and conversation. Hope of life eternal by Christ, makes a man purify himself in obeying the truth through the spirit. Hope to be with Christ hereafter, will make me strive to believe him here. Hope of being with Angels then, will make a man strive to live like an Angel here. Alas! alas! there is a company of half-priests in the world, and they cannot, they dare not teach the people the whole counsel of God, ⟨p. 49⟩because in so doing they will condemn themselves and their manner of living in the world: where is that Minister now to be found that dare say to his people, look on me, and walk as you have me for an example? or that dare say, what you see and hear to be in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with you. 2These men had hope, and hope purified them to an example, till they became patterns to others: Is not this now far off from some professors in the world, are they purified, are they clean that name the name of Christ? are they weaned from that milk, and drawn from the breasts. No, nor their profession is not attended with grace; they name the name of Christ; well, but they do not depart from iniquity. Let a man believe a lie, and according to the reality of his belief, such will his obedience be; let a man hope for that, for which he hath no ground to hope, yet his hope will work with him according to the power thereof: And yet we have a generation of men that profest the blessed Gospel, which yieldeth the ⟨p. 50⟩most substantial ground for faith and hope: yea, we have a company of men that will be naming the name Christ, which is the sweetest, the most taking, and desirable name that is named among the sons of men, and for all that, this Gospel, this worthy name, nor yet their naming of it, doth make them depart from iniquity.
Fourthly, Hope is another of those great and principal graces, which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart, and without which let a man be never so high in profession, and so open in naming the name of Christ, he cannot depart from iniquity. As was said before of faith, so we say now of hope.1 And every one that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself as he is pure. Here is that excellent office, or rather effect of hope made manifest, it purifieth, it cleanseth a man; it makes him make the Lord Jesus his example, as well as his Saviour. He purifieth himself even as he is pure; to wit, in soul, in body, in spirit, in life and conversation. Hope of life eternal by Christ, makes a man purifie himself in obeying the truth through the spirit. Hope to be with Christ hereafter, will make me strive to believe him here. Hope of being with Angels then, will make a man strive to live like an Angel here. Alas! alas! there is a company of half-priests in the world, and they cannot, they dare not teach the people the whole counsel of God, ⟨p. 49⟩because in so doing they will condemn themselves and their manner of living in the world: where is that Minister now to be found that dare say to his people, look on me, and walk as you have me for an example? or that dare say, what you see and hear to be in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with you. 2These men had hope, and hope purified them to an example, till they became patterns to others: Is not this now far off from some professors in the world, are they purified, are they clean that name the name of Christ? are they weaned from that milk, and drawn from the breasts. No, nor their profession is not attended with grace; they name the name of Christ; well, but they do not depart from iniquity. Let a man believe a lie, and according to the reality of his belief, such will his obedience be; let a man hope for that, for which he hath no ground to hope, yet his hope will work with him according to the power thereof: And yet we have a generation of men that profest the blessed Gospel, which yieldeth the ⟨p. 50⟩most substantial ground for faith and hope: yea, we have a company of men that will be naming the name Christ, which is the sweetest, the most taking, and desirable name that is named among the sons of men, and for all that, this Gospel, this worthy name, nor yet their naming of it, doth make them depart from iniquity.
- 11 Joh. 3.3.
- 2Philip. 3.17. chap. 4.9.
