The saints anchor-hold, in all storms and tempests preached in sundry sermons, and published…

it is not meant, in respect of sanctifying gifts of grace, inherent in them, as if they were dead, and the faculties and affections of their souls were immediately acted by the Holy Spirit; but, in respect of sin, they are dead unto sin, but alive unto God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 6. 11. 2. Because it it is not a transient work upon us, nor abiding in the Holy Ghost, though he abideth in us (for no created gifts or qualities abide in him; for whatsoever is in him is himself) but it is wrought, preserved, increased, actuated, and perfected in us by the Holy Ghost, as all other sanctifying inherent gifts of grace are. So much for the general nature of this divine hope. 2. The subject recipient of it are believers. For this hope is grounded on faith in the promises, Gal. 5. 5. Therefore, in the Old Testament, trusting in God, and hoping in God, are promiscuously used in one and the same sense, and in 1 Pet. 3. 15. hope is put for faith. For they both act together ⟨p. 80⟩inseparably, in supporting the soul, in times of affliction; yet, in their manner of acting, there are some differences between them. For, 1. The adequate object of faith is the whole Word of God, holding forth good and evil, promises and threatenings, blessings and cursings. But the object of hope is good only. 2. Faith, in its relying upon the promises, looks to the word promising, and to the Authority of God, the promiser; but hope to the good promised, and to the goodness of the promiser. 3. Faith looks to all times, past, present, and to come, and makes future things present, Psal. 60. 7. But hope looks only at good things, and at those only as future. 4. Faith looks at God, as the first truth; hope relies on God, as the chief good. 3. The formal act of hope is expectation. Therefore it is said to look for him, in a way of waiting for him, Isa. 8. 17. The Greek word [Greek or Hebrew], is well translated, earnest expectation, in Rom. 8. 19.