OF REVELATION AND THE MESSIAS :

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT THE PUBLIC COMMENCEMENT AT CAMBRIDGE,

July 5th, 1696.

1 PET. iii. 15.

Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.

By the hope that is in us, we do understand here, as in other places of Scripture, not only the bare hope strictly so called, but the faith too of a Christian. Whence it is that in the Syriac version of the text, and in some ancient Latin copies, the word faith is added to the other; the hope and the faith that is in you. And indeed, if we consider hope as a natural passion, we shall find it to be always attended and ushered in by faith. For, 'tis certain there is no hope without some antecedent belief that the thing hoped for may come to pass; and the strength and steadiness of our hope is ever proportional to the measure of our faith. It appears, therefore, why the word hope in the text may, with sufficient propriety of speech, comprehend the whole faith of a Christian; and that, when the apostle exhorts us to be ready always to answer every man that asks the reason of our hope, 'tis the same as if he enjoined us to be never unprepared nor unwilling to reply to any doubts or questions about the grounds of the Christian faith.

At the date of this epistle the whole world (with relation

to the text) might be considered under one general division, Jews and Gentiles. First, the Jews, to whom the oracles of God were committed,a and who from thence had the information and expectation of the Messias. These, when they asked a Christian the reason of his hope, were themselves already persuaded that the Messias would come; and the only controversy between them was, Whether Jesus was he? according to the message of John the Baptist, Was Jesus he that should come, or must they look for another ?b Secondly, the Gentiles, who having no means of knowledge besides mere natural reason, could have no notions nor notices of this expected Messias: these, therefore, when they demanded the reason of a Christian's hope, were first to be acquainted with the purpose and promise of God to send the Messias; were to be instructed about the reasons and designs of that great embassy; about his quality and office, and all the circumstances of his person: and then was the proper time to shew that Jesus was he; that the description of the Messias was truly exhibited and represented in his character, and the ancient prophecies all accomplished in his actions and events.

"Tis not for nothing that the apostle so presseth this advice in the text, Be ready always to give a reason of the hope that is in you as if he had foretold, that there would be no age of the Christian world wherein this preparation would be superfluous. It hath pleased the divine wisdom never yet to leave Christianity wholly at leisure from opposers; but to give its professors that perpetual exercise of their industry and zeal. And who can tell, if, without such adversaries to rouse and quicken them, they might not in long tract of time have grown remiss in the duties, and ignorant in the doctrines of religion? Perhaps before this time even some of the records of it might have perished by men's negligence; as the Jews had like to have lost their Law, if divine Providence had not preserved one copy of it in the Temple. It is while men sleep,c while they live in peace and security, and have no enemies to contest with, that the great enemy comes and sows tares among

Rom. iii. 2.

b Luke, vii. 19.

c Matth. xiii. 25.