of glory, and joy, laid up for us. A Christian can take joyfully the spoilings of his goods, knowing that he hath in heaven a better and an enduring substance".

It is, as we said, The hope. All the estate of a believer lieth in hope, and it is a royal estate; for outward things, the children of God have what he thinks fit to serve them, but those are not their portion, and therefore he gives often more of the world to those that shall have no more hereafter: but all their flourish and lustre is but a base advantage, as a lackey's gaudy clothes, that usually make more shew than his that is heir of the estate. How often under a mean outward condition, and very despicable every way, goes an heir of glory, born of God, and so royal; born to a crown that fadeth not, an estate of hopes, but so rich and so certain hopes, that the least thought of them surpasses all the world's possesions. Men think of somewhat for present, a bird in hand, as you say, the best on it: But the odds is in this, that when all present things shall be past and swept away, as if they had not been, then shall these hopers be in eternal possession; they only shall have all for ever, that seemed to have little or nothing here.

Oh! how much happier, to be the meanest expectant of the glory to come, than the sole possessor of all this world. These expectants are often held short in earthly things, and, had they the greatest abundance of them, yet they cannot rest in that; yea, all the spiritual blessings that they do possess here, are nothing to the hope that is in them, but as an earnest-penny to their great inheritance. So, indeed, it confirms their hope, and assures it unto them of that full estate, and therefore, be it never so small, they may look on it with joy, not so much regarding it simply in itself, as in relation to that which it seals and ascertains the soul of. Be it never so small, yet it is a pledge of the great glory and happiness which we desire to share in.

It is the grand comfort of a christian to look often.

h Heb. x. 34.

66

beyond all that he can possess or attain here; and as to answer others, when he is put to it concerning his hope, so to answer himself concerning all his present griefs and wants : "I have a poor traveller's lot here, little friendship, and many straits, but yet I may go cheerfully homewards: For thither I shall "come, and there I have riches and honour enough; "a palace and a crown abiding me: Here nothing "but depth calling unto depth, one calamity and "trouble (as waves) following another; but I have a hope of that rest that remaineth for the people of "God. I feel the infirmities of a mortal state, but my hopes of immortality content me under them. "I find strong and cruel assaults of temptations. breaking in upon me, but for all that, I have as"sured hope of a full-victory, and then of everlasting peace. I find a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, the worst of all evils; "so much strength of corruption within me: Yet "there is withal a hope within me of deliverance, and "I look over all to that; I lift up my head, because "the day of my redemption draws nigh'. This I dare "avow and proclaim to all, and not be ashamed to answer, concerning this blessed hope."

66

66

66

But then, 3dly, For the manner of this, it is to be done with meekness and fear. Meekness towards men, and reverent fear towards God,

1. With meekness. Not therefore blustering and flying out into invectives, because he hath the better on it, against any man that questions him touching this hope; as some think themselves certainly authorised to rough speech, because they plead for truth, and are on its side. On the contrary, so much the rather study meekness, for the glory and advantage of the truth. It needs not the service of passion; yea, nothing so disserves it, as passion when set to serve it. The Spirit of truth is withal the Spirit of meekness, the dove that rested on that great champion of truth, who is the truth itself, and from him is derived to the lovers of truth, and they ought to seek

i Heb. iv. 9.

* Rom. vii. 23.

1

Luke xxi. 28.

the participation of it. Imprudence makes some kind of christians lose much of their labour, in speaking for religion, and they drive those further off, that they would draw into it.

And, 2. This defence is to be made with fear. Divine things are never to be spoke of in a light perfunctory way, but with a reverent grave temper of spirit: and, for this reason, some choice is to be made both of time and persons. The confidence that is in this hope makes the believer not fear men, to whom he answers, but still he fears his God, for whom he answers, and whose interest is chief in those things he speaks of. The soul that hath the deepest sense of spiritual things, and the truest knowledge of God, is most afraid to miscarry in speaking of him, most tender and wary how to acquit itself when engaged to speak of and for God.

4thly, We have the faculty of this apology, be ready. In this there is implied knowledge, and affection, and courage. For knowledge is not required of every christian, to be able to prosecute subtilties, and encounter the sophistry of adversaries, especially in obscure points; but all are bound to know so much, as to be able to aver that hope that is in them, the main doctrine of grace and salvation, wherein the most of men are lamentably ignorant.

Affection sets all on work; whatsoever faculty the mind hath, it will not suffer it to be useless, and it hardens it against hazards in defence of the truth, and produces that undaunted courage which this readiness expresses.

But the only way so to know and love the truth, and have courage for it, is that, to have the Lord sanctified in the heart. Men may dispute stoutly against popery and errors, and yet be strangers to God and this hope. But sure it is the liveliest defence, and that which alone returns comfort within, when it arises from the peculiar interest of the soul in God, and in those truths, and that hope, that are questioned. It is then pleading for the nearest friend, and for a man's own rights and inheritance, and these

will animate and edge it, when you apologize, not for a hope you have heard or red of barely, but a hope in you; not merely a hope in believers in general, but in you, by a particular sense of that hope within.

But, although you find it not so strong in you for your particular interest, yet, Are you seeking after it, and desiring it mainly? Is it your chief design to attain unto it? then forbear not, if you have occasion, to speak for it, and commend it to others, and to maintain the sweetness and certainty of it.

And, to the end you may be the more established in it, and so the stronger to answer for it, not only against men, but that great adversary that seeks so much to infringe and overbear it, know the right foundation of it; build it never on yourselves, nor any thing in you.

The work of grace may evidence to you the truth of your hope; but the ground it fastens on is Jesus Christ, in whom all our rights and evidences hold good: his death assuring us of freedom from condemnation, and his life and possession of glory being the foundation of our hope".

If you would have it immoveable, rest it there; lay all this hope on him, and, when assaulted, fetch all your answers for it from him, For it is Christ in you that is your hope of glory".

Ver. 16. Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

THE prosperity of fools is their destruction, says Solomon. But none of God's children die of this disease, of too much ease. He knows well how to breed. them, and fit them for a kingdom. He keeps them in exercise, but yet so as they are not surcharged. He not only directs them how to overcome, but enables and supports them in all their conflicts, and gives them victory. One main thing, tending to their support and victory, is this, which is here re

m Heb. vi. 19.

n Col. i. 27.

Prov. i. 32.

quired in the saints, and is withal wrought and maintained in them by the Spirit of God, Having a good conscience, &c.

1. We have here two parties opposed in contest, the evil tongues of the ungodly, and the good conscience and conversation of the christian; they speak evil of you and falsely accuse you, but have you a good

conscience.

2. The success of their contest; the good conscience prevails, and the evil-speakers are ashamed.

For the first, The parties engaged: of the first, it is said, They speak evil. This is a general evil in the corrupt nature of man, though in some it rises to a greater height than in others. Are not tables and chambers, and almost all societies and meetings, full of it? And even they that have some dislikings of it, yet are too easily carried away with the stream, and, for company's sake, take a share, if not in lending in their word, yet in lending their ear. Men willingly hear the detractions of others; and, unless it be of their friends, or such as they have interest in, do insensihly slide into some forced complacency, and easily receive the impression of calumnies and defamings. But the most are more active in this evil, can cast in their penny to make up the shot; have their taunt or criticism upon somebody in readiness, towards furnishing out the feast, such as most companies entertain one another withal: But it is a vile diet: satan's name, as the Syriack calls him, is an eater of calumnies. This tongue-evil hath its root in the heart, in a perverse constitution there. Pride and self-love, an overweening esteem that men naturally have of themselves, mounts them into that chair, gives them a fancied authority of judging others; and self-love a desire to be esteemed; and, for that end, they spare not to depress others, and load them with disgraces and injurious censures, seeking, upon their ruins, to raise themselves'.

But this bent of the unrenewed heart and tongue to evil-speaking, works and vents most in the world, Ex alieni nominis jactura gradum sibi faciunt ad gloriam. SALL.