A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...

Doct. 1. That every childe of God hath hope in Christ, to be made like him at his appearing.

Every man that is begotten again, is begotten to a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4, 5. An hypocrites hope is dead, it hath neither comfort, nor power in it to cleanse or purge. A childe in the wombe, when they doubt of the life of it, though the parent be very wealthy, yet hath not lively hope of his possession; but if the childe be born alive, then there is a comfortable hope: so if we be not born again, all our hopes of eternall life are but vain, 1 Cor. 15.19. It's the property of the Israel of God to hope in their God, Psalm. 130.7.

Q. What is this hope?

Answ. It is a patient, certain, and grounded expectation of all those promi∣ses in Christ, which by faith we beleeve to belong unto us. It's a sure and patient expectation.

There are two acts of hope:

• 1. Expectation.
• 2. Waiting.

This is not an expectation of meer opinion, but a sure expectation. The Apostle puts both together, Rom. 8.25. Heb. 6.11, 18, 19. An anchor is a sure and stedfast stay to the ship, that though it waves up and downe; yet it hath a certaine stay. And so a Christians hope, it's like an anchor to stay the soul, the object of hope is the accomplishment of the promises to come, and so differs from faith; no man hopes for that which is present or past, but that which we see not, promises that belong to us in reversion. Tit. 2.13, 14. Heb. 11.1. Faith looks at all promises as present, faith beleeves that all the promises are true, and then hope stirs up it selfe to look for accomplish∣ment, and if God tarry long, it waits, Rom. 5.5. It's a sure hope, never was any man disappointed; and yet hope, though it be sure, it is not without all doubting. No true Christian but hath this hope.

Reas. That Gods children might not be tossed and hurryed up and down the world. A childe of God is never carryed far, an anchor sticks in the foundation, Heb. 6.18, 19. While he hold on our hopes, and they are fastned to Christ, we have strong cansolation, hereby are we kept from dashing against rocks, and sands, and shoars; here is the difference be∣tween an anchor and hope, an anchor is fastened in the earth, and hope in heaven.

Ʋse 1. This may shew you the dignity and honour of a Christian. He is a man of great hopes, he will not give his hopes for the best mans estate in the world, he hath a stedfast hope of being like Christ when he sees him; though the cloathes he now wears be mean, yet he hopes to be clad with Christs righteousnesse; and though his house be mean, yet he hopes for an house

not made with hands; this is his anchor, and this will hold whithersoever we sail:

2: This may be a ground of tryall, What be the hopes you build upon? There is a double difference between the hopes of a godly and wicked man.

1. The wicked mans hopes are groundlesse, he hath no grounds but hopes:

2. It is fruitlesse, Job 8 11. The hope of an hypocrite that is with∣out ground, is like a rush or flag without water or mire. Grasse if it have got head, will do well enough without much moysture or water. Hope without a promise wants water to nourish it. A spiders web looks like a curious work but it's drawn out of its own bowels, and is soone swept away; so a hypocrite hath no hope but what he spins out of his own bowels, he builds upon present or future duties, his hope is fruitlesse, it neither yeelds comfort nor selfe-purging. A true Christian rejoyceth in tribulation, but an hypocrite is overthrowne with it, Rom. 5 2, 3. The hope of an hypocrite makes him carelesse, he takes no pains with his heart, Prov. 14.23. Take an hypo∣crite while he is in prosperity, and he hath great hopes; takes away prosperi∣ty, and perhaps it may hold still, for he may hope that friends will do some∣thing; when he is sick, he hopes to recover; when he fears death, he hopes for another life, but when death comes, all his hopes are crusht: But a godly man, he hopes in death, he hopes for Gods goodnesse, his hope will never fail him, nor make him ashamed.

3. Hence learn, that hope and knowledge of the same thing may well stand together; In the former verse; he saith, We know, here he hopes. A mans hope ceaseth not in order to another world; for do not the Saints beleeve that their bodies shall rise again? and do not they hope for it; They know the perperpetuity of their estates, and they hope for it, 2 Cor. 13.13.

4. This should stir us up, as we would have a comfortable death, and safe, not to goe to Sea without this anchor of hope. The world is full of per∣plexities, carry your anchor about with you, see your hope well wrought, and you shall be safe. Mariners goe not to Sea without an anchor, but per∣haps sometimes though they have pitched their anchor in the bottome of the Sea, yet the storms may be so great, that they may be forced to cut the cable; woman in childebed may be put to distresse, but hope in heaven will carry her through.

Q. How may we get this hope?

Answ. 1. We can never come to it, till we be out of hope of any goodnesse in our selves.

2: We must attend upon God in his ordinances, that so he may work faith in us; and where there is faith, there will be strings of hope, hope is built up∣on faith.

Q. How shall we carry it about with us?

Answ. Look at it as a mercy that you have it, stay your selves upon your anchor, look afresh at the promises, and believe them, then thou shalt have hope enough: That which makes unquiet, is because we have not visited the promises many a day, nor renewed our faith in them.