Hope
calls upon the soul not to forget how far it is arrived in its
progress towards heaven. Hope will point and show it the gate afar
off; and therefore it is called the HOPE OF SALVATION.
True hope, in the right exercise of it upon God, makes no stumble at
weakness or darkness, but rather worketh up the soul to some comfort
by these. Thus Abraham's hope wrought by his weakness. And as for
the dark, it is its element to act in that, "For hope which is seen
is not hope."
Hope is a head-grace and governing. There are several lusts in the
soul that cannot be mastered, if hope be not in exercise-especially
if the soul be in great and sore trials. There is peevishness and
impatience, there is fear and despair, there is doubting and
misconstruing of God's present hand; and all these become masters,
if hope be not stirring; nor can any grace besides put a stop to
their tumultuous raging in the soul. But now, hope in God makes them
all hush, takes away the occasion of their working, and lays the
soul at the foot of God.
PATIENCE. "And he stayed yet other seven days." This staying shows
us that lie exercised patience, waiting God's leisure till the flood
should be taken away. This grace, therefore, has yet seven days'
work to do, before he obtained any further testimony that the waters
were decreasing.
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