acknowledge this; but in heaven it is their song, “True and just are thy ways thou King of saints." So let it on earth.

We must, then, will everything only because God wills it and in order to this, we must be very resolute, not be fearful of pain, and willing to embrace and choose the cross, when set before us: knowing that difficulties are the only things to make us good; and that God is wise and good who sends them, and as "a faithful Creator," will reward those who patiently endure.

So doing, we shall learn the way of peace and rest, and become more and more perfect. But, if we do not, our tempers will become more restless and broken, and we shall take most things amiss, and make our life a burden. For if we resist God, he will resist us, and we shall be broken; but if we yield he will help us, make us victorious, and at last crown us with unfading glory.

SERMON XXIV.

THE ASSURANCE OF HOPE.

HEBREWS VI, 11.

And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end.

It is of the nature of things that we shall not gain anything which is excellent, unless we have the hope of succeeding in our wishes. The same is true of Christian hope, or the expectation of persevering in religion, and obtaining the rewards of eternal life. Hence, hope is a Christian duty, and is reckoned one of the three Christian graces, as by St. Paul, when he says, "Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;" and therefore, should be cultivated by "every one of you."

Now, Christian hope extends to the future life, and to perseverence in good here, as a means towards that future life. It does belong to present things, but is wholly future; "for hope that is seen is not hope." It has no regard to earthly possessions, but only to eternal things as St. Paul says, "We give thanks to God

for the hope that is laid up for you in heaven; and again, "Which hope we have as an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." It reaches, then, to that which is above all good and glorious, viz., the presence of God. Should we not, then, earnestly desire and strive for this hope; yea, pray for it, since it is God who has given us "a good hope through grace," and will continue to do so, if it be not our own fault.

But there is nothing on which men make greater mistakes than as to their possession of hope, and the means of obtaining it. Ask most men, and they will say, they have hope; ask some, and they will say, they have the assurance of hope. Yet it is to be feared that their hopes rest on very slender foundations, as either they have not been very bad livers, or they have had some feelings and sensations which gave them

assurance.

Let us, then, enquire on what grounds hope rests, that is, such hope as will not be a spider's web, and take us in.

In the first place, all hope must be placed in God, not in anything in us; not in what we believe, or do, or feel; not in ourselves, but in God: as St. Peter says, "That your faith and hope might be in God," or as David says," Lord what wait I for? my hope is in thee." Let us see that we lay the foundation, then, right, viz., in God.

But now, this hope in God will arise only from the

consideration of his attributes, or certain qualities which are in him, viz., his power, care, truth, and mercy for we cannot derive hope merely from the Being of God, but from some attribute belonging tohim.

First, God has unlimited power; and, therefore, St. Jude says, he " is able to keep us from falling;" and, hence, we can hope in him to do so, as St. Paul did, when he said, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him."

Again, God cares for us; and, therefore, we may hope in him, as David does, when he says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness: I will dwell in the house. of the Lord for ever."

Again, the Lord is faithful: what he says he will do; and, thence, we can hope in him from his faithfulness, as St. Paul says, "The Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil;" and again,

Being confident, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;" that is, God would on his part, though the Philippians might fail on theirs. And, as we may hope in his faithfulness, so we may, as a consequence, in his promises, as Abraham did, "who against hope, believed in hope, and staggered not at the promise of God;" and, accordingly, St. Paul bids us take hope "for an helmet of salvation," because "God has appointed

us to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. For the same reason, we may hope in God's word; as David, who says, "Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope;" and again, "I wait for the Lord: in his word do I hope." For God having promised eternal happiness to all who believe and obey him, we may and ought to hope for it according to his word.

But, lastly, God is merciful; and therefore, our hope may rest on his mercy; which, indeed, is one of the strongest grounds of hope in fallen man. Thus, David says, "The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy ;" and in like manner, St. Jude bids us direct our final hope in the mercy of God in Jesus Christ, where he says, Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

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As our hope must be in God, so, secondly, it must be in Jesus Christ our Lord. In all our expectations of grace to persevere; or of entering into the presence of God, we must not hope in our own strength or merit; but in him who gives all grace, of whose fulnes, as of a fountain, we, through his Spirit, receive grace; and who alone is the "way, the truth, and the life." Hence, Christ is called by St Paul" our hope," and "the hope of glory." And since the mercy of God can only be hoped for through the merits of Christ, he is hence foretold as to be the Root of Jesse,