Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 6:17

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:

17. Wherein ] Rather, “on which principle;” “in accordance with this human custom.”

willing ] Rather, “wishing.” The verb is not theln, but boulomenos.

more abundantly ] i.e. than if he had not sworn.

unto the heirs of promise ] Rather, of the promise.” The heirs of the promise were primarily Abraham and his seed, and then all Christians (Gal 3:29).

the immutability of his counsel ] “I am the Lord, I change not ” (Mal 3:6). See too Isa 46:10-11; Psa 33:11; Jas 1:17.) His changeless “decree” was that in Abraham’s seed all the nations of the world should be blessed. On the other hand the Mosaic law was mutable (Heb 7:12, Heb 12:27).

confirmed it by an oath ] Rather, “intervened with an oath,” i.e. made His oath intermediate between Himself and Abraham. Philo, with his usual subtle refinements, observes that whereas our word is accredited because of an oath, God’s oath derives its credit because He is God. On the other hand, Rabbi Eleazer (in the second century) said “the word Not has the force of an oath,” which he deduced from a comparison of Gen 9:11 with Isa 54:9; and therefore a fortiori the word “ yes ” has the force of an oath (Shevuoth. f. 36. 1). The word “intervened,” “mediated” ( emesiteusen) occurs here only in the N.T.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Wherein God – On account of which; or since an oath had this effect, God was willing to appeal to it in order to assure his people of salvation.

Willing more abundantly – In the most abundant manner, or to make the case as sure as possible. It does not mean more abundantly than in the case of Abraham, but that he was willing to give the most ample assurance possible. Coverdale renders it correctly, very abundantly.

The heirs of promise – The heirs to whom the promise of life pertained; that is, all who were interested in the promises made to Abraham – thus embracing the heirs of salvation now.

The immutability of his counsel – His fixed purpose. He meant to show in the most solemn manner that his purpose would not change. The plans of God never change; and all the hope which we can have of heaven is founded on the fact that his purpose is immutable. If he changed his plans; if he was controlled by caprice; if he willed one thing today and another thing tomorrow, who could confide in him, or who would have any hope of heaven? No one would know what to expect; and no one could put confidence in him. The farmer plows and sows because he believes that the laws of nature are settled and fixed; the mariner ventures into unknown seas because the needle points in one direction; we plant an apple tree because we believe it will produce apples, a peach because it will produce peaches, a pear because it will produce a pear. But suppose there were no settled laws, that all was governed by caprice; who would know what to plant? Who then would plant anything? So in religion. If there were nothing fixed and settled, who would know what to do? If God should change his plans by caprice, and save one man by faith today and condemn another for the same faith tomorrow; or if he should pardon a man today and withdraw the pardon tomorrow, what security could we have of salvation? How grateful, therefore, should we be that God has an immutable counsel, and that this is confirmed by a solemn oath! No one could honor a God that had not such an immutability of purpose; and all the hope which man can have of heaven is in the fact that He is unchanging.

Confirmed it by an oath – Margin, Interposed himself. Tyndale and Coverdale, added an oath. The Greek is, interposed with an oath – emesiteusen horko. The word used here – mesiteuo – means to mediate or intercede for one; and then to intervene or interpose. The meaning here is, that he interposed an oath between himself and the other party by way of a confirmation or pledge.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Heb 6:17-20

Heirs of promise

Heirs of promise

I.

CONSIDER WHEREIN THE PORTION OF BELIEVERS CONSISTS: THEY ARE HEIRS OF PROMISE. Though they have little in possession, they have much in prospect; if not rich in enjoyment, they are rich in faith and hope. Amongst men, promises are often of little worth; but all the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, unto the glory of God by us.

1. With regard to their subject matter, they include all things pertaining both to life and godliness; ensuring support in this world, and glory in the world to come.

2. There are promises made to the church in general, and others to individual believers; and both are the portion of the saints. Of the former it is said, God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall he)p her, arid that right early. Promises also are made to individuals, for their comfort and encouragement, and which are applicable to all the saints. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. My grace is sufficient for thee; My strength is made perfect in weakness. Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, fur I am thy God. As thy day is, so shall thy strength be.

3. The promises of God are either absolute or conditional. Some of the promises are absolute, not suspended on any act or endeavour of ours, or on any previous qualification; and such are all those which relate to the first bestowment of grace. For who maketh thee to differ; and what hast thou that thou hast not received? It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; but of God that showeth mercy. But there are promises conditional to grace received, and which are made only to those who believe. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

4. The Divine promises have various degrees of accomplishment. Some have already been fulfilled, either in whole or in part; as in the case with those relating to the coming of Christ, the establishment of His kingdom, and the universal spread of the gospel. Some are daily fulfilling, and others are yet to be fulfilled.

II. WHO ARE THE HEIRS OF PROMISE, AND WHAT CHARACTER DO THEY BEAR?

1. They may be known by their perception of the promises themselves. They view them not only more distinctly and clearly, but in a light very different from that in which other persons either do or can consider them. They are represented as seeing them afar off, and being persuaded of them. Thus they see the suitableness and excellency of the promises, that they are the fruit of free and unmerited love, and are adapted to all cases and circumstances. As David saw the commandments, so they see the promises to be exceeding broad.

2. The heirs of promise may be known by the powerful application of the promises to their own hearts.

3. They may be known by the regard they bear towards them, and the desire they feel for their accomplishment. The promises contain all their salvation, and all their desire; they meditate therein both day and night, and view them with a satisfaction similar to that of a man who looks over the title-deeds of an estate which secures to him the possession of a large inheritance.

4. The practical effects which the promises produce in us are another means of showing who are the prop r heirs; for every man that hath this hope in Him, purifieth himself, even as Christ is pure.

Improvement

1. If not heirs of the promise, what are we? Heirs of the curse–of that curse which cuts off on every side, and will one day enter into our bowels like water, and like oil into our bones.

2. If heirs of the promises, we are interested in all the blessings contained in them, relating both to this world and that which is to come. If the promises are ours, all things are ours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the words, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are ours, and we are Christs and Christ is Gods.

3. If heirs of the promises we are heirs of God; all that He is and has, that is communicable, is made over to us in a way of covenanted mercy.

4. Being heirs of God, we are also joint heirs with Christ Jesus, to whom the birth-right blessing properly belongs. (B. Beddome, M. A.)

Gods faithfulness to His promises

The Bible is a book of promises, as well as of revelations, or Divine statements. These promises are our heritage. Faith in the promises makes the future present, and the heirship possession. It is thus the substance of things hoped for. Shall the promises fail? Is God unfaithful? Shall a Queen Elizabeth value her promise, as when she gave the first vacancy to one unfit? Shall a Chatham have a wall rebuilt, rather than seem to break a promise to his son? Shall a Napier refuse an invitation that he may keep a promise to a poor girl? And shall God refuse to honour drafts made on His promises in the name of His Son? Shall the promises fail? Is there inability or unwillingness to perform? (John Gill.)

The immutability of His counsel

Gods counsel in relation to His people

I. THAT THEIR SALVATION FROM SIN SHALL BE A COMPLETE AND PERFECT SALVATION. This is the avowed design of

1. All His purposes (Eph 1:4; 2Ti 1:9; 1Co 1:2; Heb 3:1; 1Pe 1:2; Rom 8:29 : Eph 2:10).

2. All His promises (Isa 1:18; Jer 31:31-34; Eze 11:19-20; 2Co 12:1; 2Pe 1:4; 1Jn 1:9).

3. The earthly mission of His Son (Mat 1:21; Joh 1:29;Corinthians L 21-22; Tit 2:11-14; 1Jn 1:7; Heb 9:26).

4. The constant operations of His Spirit (Eph 5:9; 2Th 2:13).

5. The heaven which He has prepared for their eternal residence. Only the pure in heart shall see God. Without holiness, &e.

II. THAT THEIR COMPLETE AND PERFECT SALVATION FROM SIN SHALL BE EFFECTED BY THEIR OWN PERSEVERANCE.

1. What is the perseverance of the sailors?

(1) An increasing acquaintance with Gods word, implying diligent examination, thoughtful investigation, careful comparison of part with part, and discriminating deductions from the whole.

(2) An increasing confidence in Gods promises; implying intelligent trust in Him for pardon of sin, sanctification of spirit for seasonable strength in temptation, support in trouble, and victory in death.

(3) An increasing conformity to the image of Christ; implying the embodiment of Christianity in our lives, making our practice agree with our profession, yielding to Christian impulses, cherishing Christian affections, displaying Christian tempers, speaking Christian words, practising Christian actions

2. The proposition that God secures the complete salvation of His people by their own perseverance, is confirmed by

(1) The injunctions of Scripture.

(2) The nature of the case. Can you teach a child to walk without its constant effort and perseverance?

(3) The example of saints (Php 3:13-14).

III. THAT THEIR PERSEVERANCE SHALL BE SECURED BY GODS OWN BLESSING.

1. It is Gods counsel that the salvation of His people shall be a complete and perfect salvation.

2. It is also Gods counsel that this shall be secured by their own perseverance.

3. It is also Gods counsel that their perseverance shall be secured by His own blessing. (B. Preece.)

Confirmed it by an oath

The oath of God

The Divine hath is one of the mysteries of revelation. To one duly considering the majesty of God, and His relation to His creatures, nothing can be well more awful than His swearing to us, and swearing by Himself.

I. THE MEANING OF THE DIVINE OATH AND ITS GRACIOUSNESS FAIL TO BE CONSIDERED.

1. The Divine oath is represented as analogous to an oath among men, and yet different from it. The design in both is the same; it is for confirmation, whether of a fact or of a promise; and so for the ending of all strife and doubt (Heb 6:16; Heb 6:37). There is a difference, however, between the two oaths, arising out of the difference between the parties swearing. Men swear by the greater (Heb 6:16). But this God cannot do; and therefore He swears by Himself (Heb 6:17). Still the appeal in both cases is virtually the same. What are the two immutable things which the oath of God, swearing by Himself, brings upon the field! What can they be but the Divine word and the Divine name or nature? Take first the Divine word. That is an immutable thing. The word or promise of God is always sure and trustworthy. But take in now the second of the two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie; His name, His character, His nature, His being and continuing to be such as He is. What new security is thus given? Is it not in substance this:–That God discovers to us a ground or reason of what He designs to do farther back than the mere sovereign and discretionary fiat of His absolute will; deeply fixed and rooted in the very essence of His being? Is it not that He puts the certainty of that to which He swears, not only on the ground of His having intimated it beforehand, but on the ground of a stronger necessity, in the very nature of things, and in His own nature; lying far back and far down, in His being God, and being the God He is? The thing is to he so not merely because God has said it shall be so, but also because it cannot but be so, God continuing to be, and to be the God He is. This is what, in swearing by Himself, He means to tell us.

2. The graciousness of the oath is as wonderful as its meaning. It is indeed more so. Even among men; if the heart is true, and the eye, even turned on empty space, beams keen with honour: there is a certain feeling of repugnance to being called to swear. And undoubtedly no one who possesses right feeling, as regards the sacredness of a spoken word, will volunteer an oath. It is on this principle that our Lord gives forth His utterance against not only false but promiscuous swearing, It is of evil that this practice of swearing, even when most right and fitting, cometh among men on earth; of the evil of mens deceitfulness, their proneness to prevaricate and lie. It is at the best a necessary evil. And is it anything else when it is God who swears from heaven? Of that oath also, of that oath pre-eminently, may it not be said that it cometh of evil? Not indeed of the evil of anything false or suspicious on the part of Him who swears; but of the evil heart of unbelief in those to whom He swears.

II. THE USES TO WHICH IT IS APPLIED IN SCRIPTURE MAY SERVE STILL FARTHER TO ILLUSTRATE THE REAL IMPORT AND THE GRACIOUSNESS OF THE OATH.

1. We have an instance of the Divine oath in connection with the mediatorial priesthood of Christ. And what is very seasonable and providential, we have an ample inspired explanation of it, as viewed in that connection. I refer to the oracle in Psa 110:4, as expounded in Heb 7:1-28. The priesthood of Christ is no mere arbitrary, discretionary ordinance, which, as being expedient to-day, God may institute by His sovereign authority in His word or law, and which, by the same sovereign authority, He may supersede to-morrow, as no longer needed and no longer useful. No; it is an office having its deep root in the very nature, the essential glory and perfection, of God Himself. It is therefore unchangeable, not merely as Gods word, but as His very being, is unchangeable. The word of God is indeed immutable, under the conditions attached to it when it is uttered. But it may be, according to these conditions, the basis of what is merely temporary, insufficient, and provisional. What is based on the absolute immutable nature of God must necessarily be both permanent and perfect.

2. Founded on this primary use, if I may so speak, of the Divine oath, as bearing on the constitution of the mediatorial economy in the person and work of the great High Priest, there are other instances of its use in Scripture, connected with the carrying out of that economy, to which it may be interesting and useful to advert.

(1) The Divine oath may be viewed in its bearing on the gospel call. In that connection it occurs often virtually; and expressly it occurs in this at least among other passages: Eze 33:11. Thus viewed, the oath of God is peculiarly significant. It places the assurance which you may have, all of you, any of you, of Gods perfect willingness, His earnest longing, to receive you back to Himself, on a footing such as, if you would but consider it, must make you feel that you dare not doubt, and cannot withstand, His affectionate importunity.

(2) The oath of God stands connected with the doom of unbelief. This is one of the most impressive and awful of all its uses. It is indeed a terrible thought. For it means that God executes His threatened judgments, not because He delights in the infliction of evil; nor even because He is determined to verity His word; but because, being such as He is, even He has no alternative!

3. The Divine oath is all-important in its bearing on the security of the believers hope. That indeed is its immediate application here. The question of your progress and perseverance to the end has been raised; by the reproof and exhortation and warning contained in the previous passage. Your only safety against backsliding and apostasy lies, as you are told, in getting out of the mere elements of the gospel viewed as a method of personal relief, and passing on to the perfection of insight and sympathy, as regards the higher aspects and bearings of it, in relation to the glorious name of God. But, alas 1 one may say, what confidence can I ever have in that line? The perfection to which I am to go on, alas! how distant. The sin into which I may relapse, alas! how near. What is to give me confidence? Is it my own diligence in following; not slothfully, the saints that have gone before? Or is it my own carefulness to depart from the iniquity that dogs my steps behind? No. Both of these conditions are indispensable, but neither of them is to be relied on as giving assurance. But thou art in the hands of a God whose name, and nature, and character thou knowest. And, to put an end to all debate in thy heart, He swears By Himself to thee. He points to His essential perfection. He bids thee consider, not only what He says, but what He is; what thou in Christ hast seen and found Him to be. And He tells thee that, as surely as He is what He is, as surely as He liveth, so surely He pledges Himself to thee, and must keep faith with thee.

4. One other application of the Divine oath I can but touch upon; it is the connection in which it stands with the ultimate triumph of the Lords Church and cause in the world (Isa 45:22-23). The purpose of Godto all the earth with the knowledge of Himself and of His glory is a purpose founded, not upon His mere sovereign word, but upon His essential nature. It is no arbitrary decree, but an absolute necessity of His very being, which requires that the light which has come into the world shall ultimately dispel the worlds darkness, and that the kingdom which the God of heaven has set up in the earth shall in the end make all other kingdoms its own. The time may seem long; the struggle arduous and doubtful. But as surely as God continues to be the God He is; as surely as the Lord liveth; so surely shall His gospel make way among the nations, till all the earth is filled with His glory. (R. S. Candlish, D. D.)

The end of Gods oath

God doth not give it to make His word or promise sure and steadfast, but to give assurance and security to us of their accomplishment. Every word of God is sure and certain truth itself, because it is His; and He might justly require of us the belief of it, without any further attestation. But yet, knowing what great objections Satan and our own unbelieving hearts will raise against His promises, at least as to our own concern in them, to confirm our minds, and to take away all pretences of unbelief, He interposes His oath in this matter. What can remain of distrust in such a case? If there be a matter in doubt between men, and an oath be interposed in the confirmation of that which is called in question, it is to them, as the apostle fells us, an end of all strife (Heb 6:16). How much more ought it to be so on the part of God, when His oath is engaged? And the apostle declares this end of His oath, it is to show the immutability of His

161 counsel (Heb 6:17). His counsel was declared before in the promise; but now some doubt or strife may arise, whether, on one occasion or other, God may not change His counsels; or whether He hath not charged it with such conditions as to render it useless to us. In what case so ever it be, to remove all doubts and suspicions of this nature, God adds His oath, manifesting the unquestionable immutability of His counsel and promises. What therefore is thus confirmed, is ascertained to the height of what anything is capable of. And not to believe it is the height of impiety. (John Owen, D. D.)

Two immutable things

Immutable things

Now what are those two immutable things which cannot fail? Some have seen in them the two covenants–the covenant which God made with Abraham; and the covenant which God made with Christ. Some have understood it to mean, first, the promise of the fact made to the patriarchs; and then the great fulfilment of that promise revealed in the gospel. But it appears to me far better, and much more accordant with the whole line of thought, to take it as meaning, first, the nature and the character of God; and then Gods oath, or covenant, whereby He has made over that character to man, and pledged Himself to our salvation. Here, then, every believer finds his double rest. First, I have the being of God–all faithfulness, all love. That God is my Father. I am dearer to Him than I am to myself. It is His glory and His necessity to be kind to me. In that great I AM I find my argument. He revolves within Himself. And it is for His own glory that His own creature should be happy, holy, useful here; and with Him and like Him for ever. But, after all, everything else–the Bible, redemption itself, is only a platform to exhibit the character of God. But then as if this were not enough, 1 have all those attributes, and all that nature, made over to me, as my own, in solemn compact, sealed with blood. His justice is pledged to accept my Substitute, and to release me. His word is committed to it, that, if I am Christs, however unworthy I be, I shall be accepted in the Beloved One. And that nature and that oath are my two immutable things. Can the eternal Jehovah change? Can Gods truth fail? Can He deny Himself? Has not He made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure? So, as the anchor has its two cables, my hidden hope has its two strong confirmations. And nothing can divide them. It lies in its own adamantine, indissoluble power. And its twofold power is one that never can be broken. Therefore, well did St. Paul say, Sure and stedfast. Sure, in Gods being; stedfast, in Gods covenant; and in both it is just what a poor, wretched sinner wants, in such a world as this–a strong consolation to those who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them. They say the ship always drops to her anchor. So, by secret influences, the soul, which is held to Jesus, will continually, and almost insensibly, be getting nearer and nearer to Him every moment; nearer in converse; nearer in likeness; nearer in love. Nor will it rest till it is as near Him now as the circumstances of this present life allow–looking for the time when there shall be no hindrances; and we shall be near Him, and one with Him for ever. But, though the anchor be cast–and though the holdings be sure–and though the ship drops to her anchor–still the winds beat on, thewaves may roll, and the vessel toss. Only, so long as the chain holds, she can never break off; and she can never become a castaway. There is no warrant, brethren, you are in Christ, that, therefore, you shall not be buffeted by storms; or that you should not feel the roughnesses of this worlds troubles. Rather because you are bound to Him, you may strain the more, that you may ride in perfect peace. No feat that that anchor may slip. There may be trials, but there is no danger; distress, but not despair; and welcome even the tempest, in its fury, if it prove the firmness of the tenure by which you are held, and the goodness by which you are encouraged. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

The immutable grounds of a believers confidence

I. Gods single word is an immutable ground; having this, you have enough. And so it will appear if you consider the power and the certainty of it.

1. The power of Gods word. His wind is nothing else but the declaration of His powerful will; the force of it was discovered in creating the world. God created all things by His word (Psa 33:9). All the works of God subsist by the force of His word (Heb 1:3). Therefore if you have this immutable ground, if God bath deposited and plighted His word you have enough to establish strong consolation, for it is powerful to all purposes whatsoever.

2. Consider the certainty of it. When the word is gone out of Gods mouth it shall not be recalled. The Lord prizeth His faithfulness above all things. The Scripture must be fulfilled whatever inconveniences come of it. Mark the whole course of providence, and you will find that God is very tender of His word; He value it above all His works (Luk 21:33).

II. The main thing is, what ground of consolation we have in Gods oath.

1. For the reasons why God should give this oath.

(1) To show us the certainty of our privileges in Christ.

(2) God sweareth, as for the confirmation of His grace in Christ, and to show the certainty of our privileges in Christ, so for the commendation and excellency of them. An oath is not lawful but in weighty matters; it must be taken m judgment, as well as in righteousness and truth (Jer 4:2).

2. The advantages we have by Gods oath. What greater assurance can we have?

(1) Consider the sacredness of an oath in general. Perjured persons are the scorn of men, and they have forfeited the privilege of humanity. Well, then, if the oath of man be so sacred and valuable, how much more is the oath of God? It is impossible for God to lie. He can do all things which argue power, but nothing which argueth impotency and weekness, for this were to deny Himself.

(2) This oath is so sacred, because the name of God is invoked in it. It is the name of God that giveth credit to all other oaths.

(3) This advantage faith hath by Gods oath, it is a pledge of His love and goodwill, that He would condescend so far to give us His oath for our assurance and satisfaction.

(4) Gods oath is an argument that He delighteth in our comfort and assurance. He would deliver us not only from hurt, but from fear.

(5) Consider the special nature of Gods oath. God appeals to the reverence and confidence we put in His holiness, excellency, and power; nay, and there is somewhat that answers the imprecation and execration, and all His excellency is laid at pawn, and exposed, as it were, to forfeiture, if He doth not make good His word.

Application:

1. We see the greatness of the condescension of God.

2. What reason we have to bind ourselves to God. There was no need on Gods part why God should bind Himself to us, but great need on our part why we should bind ourselves to God. We start aside like a deceitful bow, and therefore we should solemnly bind ourselves to God (Psa 119:106).

3. You see the great wrong you do to God in giving so little credit to His promises. You make God a liar (1Jn 5:10).

4. To press us to improve these two immutable grounds, that we may grow up into a greater certainty. His saying is as immutable as His swearing; Gods word is valuable enough of itself, but only because we count an oath more sacred. God hath added it over and above. Men are slight in speech, but serious in an oath. Well, then, since you have a double holdfast on God, make use of it in prayer and in meditation; in prayer, when you speak to God; in meditation, when you discourse with yourselves. (T. Manton, D. D.)

Impossible for God to lie

Inferences from the impossibility of God to he

1. The impossibility of God to lie is a great aggravation of the heinousness of unbelief. For he that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar (1Jn 5:10), which is in effect to make God no God.

2. This is a strong motive to believe: a greater cannot be given: for as there is no will, so neither power in God to lie.

3. This should make ministers who speak in Gods name to be sure of the truth of that which they deliver for Gods word, else they make God a liar, for their word is taken for Gods (Col 2:13). They are Gods ambassadors. An ambassadors failing is counted his masters failing.

4. Though we cannot attain to such a high pitch of truth, yet every one ought to endeavour to be like God herein, namely, in avoiding lying. Lying is a sin unbesseming any man: but most unbeseeming a professor of the true religion.

General arguments against lying are these:

1. Lying is condemned by those who were led by no other light than the light of nature: as philosopher, orators, poets.

2. Every mans conscience condemns lying. If one be not impudent, he will blush when he tells a lie; and infinite shifts are ordinarily made to cloak a lie, which show that he is ashamed thereof, and that his conscience checketh him for it.

3. No man can endure to be accounted a liar.

4. Lying over throws all society.

5. A man taken tripping herein will be suspected in all his words and actions. He that is not true in his words ,an hardly be thought to deal honestly in hi, deeds.

Arguments against lying in professors of the Christian religion are these:

1. Lying is expressly forbidden in Gods word (Lev 19:11; Eph 4:25; Col 3:9).

2. It is against knowledge and conscience.

3. It is a filthy rag of the old man, and one of the most disgraceful; and therefore first set down in the particular exemplification of those filthy rags Eph 4:22-25).

4. It is most directly opposite to God, who is Truth itself, and concerning whom we heard that it was impossible that He should lie.

5. Nothing makes men more like the devil, for he is a liar and the father thereof (Joh 8:44). A lying spirit is a diabolical spirit.

6. As a lie is hateful to God, so it makes the practisers thereof abominable Pro 6:16-17; Pro 12:22).

7. Lying causeth heavy vengeance. In general, it is said, the Lord will destroy them that speak lies (Psa 5:6). Memorable was the judgment on Gehazi (2Ki 5:27). And on Ananias and Sapphira (Act 5:5-10). (W. Gouge.)

Strong consolation

Strong consolation

I. Who are THE FAVOURED PEOPLE OF GOD.

1. Observe, then, that the favoured children of God are first described as the heirs of promise, by which at once most solemnly are excluded all those who are relying upon their own merits. Dost thou confess that thou hast nothing of thine own wherein to boast, and dost thou hope alone in the mercy of God in Christ Jesus? Then let me hope thou art one of the heirs of promise. Heirs of promise, again. Then this excludes those who are heirs according to their own will, who scoff at the mighty work of grace, and believe that their own free choice has saved them. One more thought: Heirs of promise, then heirs, not according to the power of the flesh, but according to The energy of grace.

2. A plainer description of the favoured people follows in the eighteenth verse. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Then all the people of God were once in danger.

II. Let us look to the ways and dealings of OUR CONDESCENDING GOD to these favoured people. Notice each word, God willing. Whenever God does anything in a way of grace, He does it as we say con amore, He does it in the highest sense willingly. It is not the will of God that sinners should perish; but when He reveals Himself to His saints, He doeth it with a sacred alacrity, a Divine cheerfulness. It is an occupation divinely suitable to His generous nature. Willing more abundantly. Do notice that expression. It has in the Greek the sense of more than is necessary, and is secretly meant to answer the objection concerning the Lords taking an oath. God is willing to reveal Himself to His people, and He is willing to do that more abundantly, up to the measure of their need. He would let them know that His counsel is immutable, and He would not only give them enough evidence to prove it, He would give them overwhelming evidence, evidence snore than would be or could be possibly required by the case itself, so that their unbelief may have no chance to live, and their faith may be of the strongest kind. the word to show is remarkable; it is the very word used in the Greek when our Lord showed His disciples His hands and His side, as if the word would say that God would lay bare the immutability of His nature, would as it were strip His eternal purposes, and let His people look upon them, handle them, and see their reality, their truth and certainty. God is willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel. Oftentimes a man will not give further assurance of the truth of what he states, when he believes he has already given assurance enough. Observe with wonder that our ever gracious God never standeth on His dignity in this style at all, but He looketh not so much at the dignity of His own person as at the weakness of His people, and therefore being willing more abundantly to show unto His poor, feeble, trembling people the immutability of His counsel, He not only gives one promise, but he adds another and another and another, till to count the promises were almost as difficult as to count the stars or number the sands on the sea shore. Yea, and when He has done all this, He comes in with a master clap to crown it all, and confirms every promise by an oath, that by not one immutable thing, but by two, the promise and the oath, in both of which it is impossible for Jehovah to lie, His people might never dare to doubt again, but might have strong consolation.

1. The first immutable thing upon which our faith is to stay itself, is the promise. Oh, what consolation is this, then, our refuge is secure, our confidence is firm! Look ye here, ye people of God. This promise of God was not made in a hurry. A man makes a promise on a sudden, and he cannot keep it afterwards; but through the everlasting ages the promise was on Jehovahs heart before He spoke it with His lips. Men sometimes make promises that they cannot fulfil, they are in circumstances which do not permit them. But can God ever he in a difficulty? Men sometimes make promises which it would be unwise to keep, and perhaps it is better to break them; but the Lord cannot be unwise, His is infinite wisdom as well as infinite strength. The promise, then, because of its wisdom, will surely stand. Beside, the promise He has made is to His own honour. It redounds to His glory to show mercy to the unworthy. Moreover, His promise is made to His own Son, and His love to Him is interwoven with His promise. He could not break His word to one of us without breaking it to His dear Son, since we are in Him, and trust in Him. The Divine promise must stand good.

2. But it is added that God, in order to prevent our unbelief effectually, has taken an oath. God has with an oath sworn by Himself that all the heirs of pro-raise shall be blessed for ever, saying, Surely blessing, I will bless thee. Now, who among us dare doubt this? Where is the hardy sinner who dares come forward and say, I impugn the oath of God?

III. But I must note THE STRONG CONSOLATION WHICH FLOWS OUT OF ALL THIS. There is strong consolation, says the text, for the heirs of grace, which implies that the children of God must expect to bare trouble. All the followers of the great Cross-bearer are cross-bearers too; but then there is the strong consolation for the strong tribulation. What is strong consolation?

1. I think strong consolation is that which does not depend upon bodily health. What a cowardly old enemy the devil is! When we are vigorous in body, it is very seldom that he will tempt us to doubt and tear, but if ,ye have been racked with hours of pain and sleepless nights, and are getting to feel faint and weary, then he comes in with his horrible insinuations: God will forsake you. His promise will fail t He is vile enough to put his black paws on the brightest truth in the Bible, say, upon even the very existence of God Himself, and turn the boldest believer into the most terrible doubter, so that we seem to have gone bodily over to the army of Satan, and to be doubting every good thing that is in the Word of God. Strong consolation even at such times, enables us still to rejoice in the Lord though every nerve should twinge, and every bone should seem melted with pain.

2. Strong consolation is that which is not dependent upon the excitement of public services and Christian fellowship. We feel very happy on a Sunday i ere when we almost sing ourselves away to everlasting bliss, and when the sweet name of Jesus is like ointment poured forth, so that the virgins love it. But when you are in colder regions, how is it? Perhaps you are called to emigrate, or go into the country to a barren ministry where there is nothing to feed the soul. Ah, then, if Son have not got good ground for your soul to grow in, what will ye do?

3. The strong consolation which God gives His people is such as no mere reasoning can shake. You might as well reason me out of the toothache, or convince me that I do not exist, as reason me out of my consciousness that I love Christ, and theft I am saved in Him. They cannot touch the essentials of vital godliness, and this is a strong consolation which reasoning no more woundeth than men come at leviathan with spears and swords, for he laugheth at them, and accounteth their spears as rotten wood.

4. Strong consolation, again, because it will bear up under conscience, and that is a harder pressure than mere reasoning can ever bring.

5. Ay, and we can deal with Satan with his horrible insinuations and blasphemies, and still can say, I will trust in the Lord and not be afraid. To rejoice then, and say, Though these things be not with me as I would have them, yet hath He made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure; this is strong consolation.

6. And it will be proved to be so by and by with some of us, when we stall be in the solemn article of death. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Consolation the fruit of assurance

That the fruit of this certainty and assurance which we have by Gods Word and oath is strong consolation.

I. WHAT IS MEANT BY STRONG CONSOLATION? Consolation. There ate three words by which the fruits of assurance are expressed, which imply so many degrees of it. There is peace, comfort, and joy.

1. Peace. That we have as a fruit of justification (Rom 5:1).

2. Then there is consolation which notes an habitual persuasion of Gods love; there is an habitual serenity and cheerfulness of mind. Though there be not high tides of comfort, there is support, though not ravishment. It is called everlasting consolation (2Th 2:16-17).

3. Then there is joy, or an high and sensible comfort (Rom 15:13). The next term is strong consolation.

Why is it so called?

1. It is called so either in opposition to worldly comforts, which are weak and vanishing

2. Or else it is called strong consolation in comparison with itself, with respect to less or more imperfect degrees of comfort. There is a latitude in comfort, some have more and some less; some have only weak glimmerings and drops, others have strong consolation, joy unspeakable, and full of glory (1Pe 1:8). Now a Christian should aim at the highest degree; the stronger your consolation, the better is Christ pleased with it (Joh 15:11).

3. It may likewise be called strong in regard of its effects.

(1) It marreth carnal joy, it puts the soul quite out of taste with other things. Men used acorns tilt they found out the use of bread.

(2) It is stronger than the evil which it opposeth; it swalloweth up all our sorrows, whatever they be.

II. How THIS STRONG CONSOLATION ARISETH FROM ASSURANCE AND CERTAINTY. To establish joy and comfort, two things are necessary–excellency and propriety. The thing in which I rejoice, it must be good, and it must be mine. Suitably here in the text there is an assurance of excellent privileges; and then there is a qualification annexed that we may understand our own interest. God by His oath assures us of excellent privileges in Christ, and that is a ground of strong consolation. Then He requireth a duty of us, that we fly for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

1. For the excellency of our privileges. You know that which will minister solid comfort to the soul it had need be excellent. A small matter, though never so sure, will not, occasion a strong consolation; the joy is according to the object. Now, whether a Christian look backward or forward, there is matter of rejoicing to the heirs of promise. Backward, there is the immutability of His counsel; forward, there is a hope set before us. From one eternity to another may a believer walk and still find cause of rejoicing in God.

2. Another cause of strong comfort is interest and propriety. Besides the excellency of the privilege, there must be the clearness of our interest. The object of joy is not only good in common, but our good. It doth not enrich a man to hear there are pearls and diamonds in the world, and mines of gold in the Indies, unless he had them in his own possession; so it doth not fill us with comfort and joy to hear there are unchangeable purposes of grace, and that there was an eternal treaty between God and Christ about the salvation of sinners, and that there is a possible salvation, but when we understand this is made over to us.

III. HOW IT IS DISPENSED ON GODS PART, AND HOW FAR IT IS REQUIRED ON OURS BECAUSE EVERY HEIR OF PROMISE CANNOT SPEAK OF THESE LIVELY COMFORTS, THOSE SWEET AND STRONG CONSOLATIONS OF THE SPIRIT. First, on Gods part. There is a great deal of difference between Christians in respect of Gods dispensations.

1. Consider Christ, though He loved all His disciples, yet He did not use them all alike familiarly; some were more intimate with Him, and were more in His bosom. So though all the elect are dear to Christ, yet there are the elect of the elect, some chosen out above others, with whom God will be more intimate and familiar.

2. Though God deals here with great difference, yet it is usual with the Lord to give most comfort to three sorts of persons.

(1) To the poor in spirit. A broken vessel is fitter to hold the oil of gladness than a full one, I mean such who are empty and broken, and possessed with a sense of their own wants.

(2) Though God is at liberty, yet usually He fills those which are exercised with hard and long conflicts with their corruptions. Comfort is Christs entertainment for those that return from victory over their lusts (Revelation @:17).

(3) Those that are called forth to great employments and trials are seldom without comfort, and this strong consolation, that they may behave themselves worthy of their trial. Look, as men victual a castle when it is in danger to be besieged, so God layeth in comfort aforehand when we are like to be assaulted. This we have in the example of our Lord Himself. Just before Christ was tempted He had a solemn testimony from heaven Mat 4:1). Secondly, on our part. It is not absolutely required that we should enjoy it, but only to seek after it; and if we want it, to submit to Gods pleasure. Comfort is seldom withheld when it is long sought and highly prized. I cannot say he is no child of God that bath not a feeling of this strong consolation, but he is none that doth not seek after it, and that hath low and cheap thoughts of the consolations of God (Job 15:11). (T. Manton, D. D.)

Strong consolation for the Lords refugees

I. WE HAVE FLED FOE REFUGE.

1. The man-slayer, the moment he had in the heat of passion killed a man, became an apt representative of an awakened sinner who discovers himself to be in an evil case. It is the work of the Spirit of God to convince men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come, and it is well when the soul begins to fear, for then it begins to live.

2. The alarmed man-slayer would next, if he could calm himself at all, consider what he could do, and he would soon come to the conclusion that he could neither defy, nor escape, nor endure the doom which threatened him. Thus in the days of our conviction no hope was discovered to natural reason, and our dread increased till fear took hold upon us there, for we saw what we had done, but we knew not what we could do to escape from the consequences thereof.

3. Then there came to our ear what perhaps we had heard before, but had heard so indifferently as never to have really understood it–we heard of a divinely provided way of escape. When under a sense of sin men value Christ Jesus. How wonderful is the system of grace! Here it is: that as in Adam we die through Adams sin, so if we be in Christ we live through Christs righteousness.

4. The text, however, not only implies that we need the refuge and have heard of it, but that we have fled to it. To flee away from self to the provided refuge is a main act of faith.

II. BUT WE HAVE COME TO LAY HOLD. Here we have a change of figure, unless we recall the case of Joab who fled for refuge to the temple and laid hold upon the horns of the altar Justification by faith in Jesus is set before us. What are we to do according to the text? We have to lay hold upon it. You are drowning; there is a rope thrown to you; what have you to do? Lay hold. You are not to look at your hands to see whether they are clean enough. No, lay hold, dirty hand or clean hand. But my hand is weak. Lay hold, brother, as best you can, weak hand or not, for while you are laying hold of Christ God is laying hold of you; you may rest assured of that. If you have the faintest grip of Christ, Christ has a firm grip of you such as never shall be relaxed. Your business is at this moment to lay hold and keep hold. What is to be done in order to lay hold?

1. Well, we must believe the gospel to be true. Do you believe it to be true that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them? Yes, I know you believe that God has sent His Son to, be a propitiation for sin. So far, so good. The next thing is to apprehend for yourselves this truth. Christ justifies believers; He is worthy of trust; trust Him, and He has justified you. I do not feel it, says one. You do not need to feel it. It is a matter of believing. Believe in Jesus, and because you are a believer be assured that yon are saved.

2. While a man lays hold upon a thing he goes no further, but continues to cling to it. We have fled for refuge, but we flee no further than the hope which we now lay hold upon, namely, eternal life in Christ Jesus. We never wish to get beyond Gods promise in Christ Jesus to believers, the promise of salvation to faith. We are satisfied with that, and there we rest.

3. Did you notice that the apostle speaks of laying hold upon a hope? This does not mean that we are to lay hold by imagination upon something which we hope to obtain in the dim future, for the next verse goes on to say which hope we have. We have our hope now, it is not a shadowy idea that possibly when we come to die we may be saved. We know that we at this moment are safe in our refuge, and we lay hold on our confidence as a present joy. Yet that which we lay hold upon is full of hope, there is more in it than we can now see or enjoy. What is the hope? The hope of final perseverance, the hope of ultimate perfection, the hope of eternal glory, the hope of being with our Lord where He is that we may behold His glory for ever–a hope purifying, elevating, and full of glory; a hope which cheers and delights us as often as we think of it.

III. This is our last point, WE ENJOY STRONG CONSOLATION. We call that liquor strong of which a very few drops will flavour all into which it falls. How wonderfully the consolation of Christ has affected our entire lives! There is such potency in it that it sweetens everything about us. It is so strong that it masters all our fears, and slays all our scepticisms.

1. What I want you to note is that the consolation of the Christian lies wholly in his God, because the ground of it is that God has sworn, and that God has promised. Never look, therefore, to yourselves for any consolation; it would be a vain search.

2. Remember, too, that your consolation must come from what God has spoken and not from His providence. Outward providences change, hut the oath never changes, hold you on to that. Your comfort must not even depend upon sensible realisations of God s favour, nor on sweet communions and delights. No, but upon–He has said it and He has sworn it–those are the two strong pillars up n which your comfort must rest.

3. Remember, however, that the power of the strong consolation derived from the oath of God must in your personal enjoyment depend very much upon your faith. What is the consolation of a promise if you do not believe it, and what is the comfort of an oath if you doubt it? (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Strong encouragement

When stars, first created, start forth upon their vast circuits, not knowing their way, if they were conscious and sentient, they might feel hopeless of maintaining their revolutions and orbits, and despair in the face of coming ages. But, without hands or arms, the sun holds them. Without cords or bands the solar king drives them, unharnessed, on their mighty rounds without a single misstep, and will bring them, in the end, to their bound, without a wanderer. Now, if the sun can do this, the sun, which is but a thing itself, driven and held, shall not He who created the heavens, and gave the sun his power, be able to hold us by the attraction of His heart, the strength of His hands, and the omnipotence of His affectionate will? (H. W. Beecher.)

Strong consolation

It is impossible, wrote Dr. Doddridge, after an illness, to express the comfort God gave me on my sick bed. His promises were my continual feast; they seemed, as it were, to be all united in one stream of glory. When I thought of dying, it sometimes made my very heart to leap within me, to think that I was going home to my Father and my Saviour. (Tinlings Illustrations.)

Who have fled for refuge

The city of refuge

I. THE VIEW GIVEN OF THE SAVIOUR IN THE TEXT. He is called the hope set before us. In the Scriptures we read of hope that is in us, hope that is laid up for us, and hope that is set before us. The happiness of heaven–heaven itself–its light and glory, its songs, and its blessedness–this is the hope laid up for us: that good work of the Holy Spirits operation on the heart, here and now, whereby we look for the former, and for the earnest of it, is the hope that is in us; and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the only foundation and hope, for sinner or for saint, for pardon or for holiness, is the hope set before us.

II. THE CONDUCT OF THE MAN DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT IN REFERENCE TO THIS BLESSED OBJECT. He is said to flee for refuge, and to lay hold upon it. In this there is an allusion to the flight of the man-slayer to the city of refuge. Methinks I descry the man-slayer looking behind him; he sees the avenger of blood; he sees the horrible burning frown upon his brow, he hears the dismal tramp of his feet, and away he flies; he stops not, turns not out of his course, but presses on and on with accelerated speed, until at length, all punting and breathless, he enters the hallowed gates of the city of refuge, and enters into peace. Such is the flight of the sinners soul to the arms of Christ Jesus. This representation sets before us the case of a man struck with a conviction of guilt, smitten with an apprehension of danger, despairing of relieving himself, coming out of himself, and trusting to another. The very name of Jesus, which was before an insipid sound, is now to him like music. His soul leaps within him to know that God is in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself not imputing to men their trespasses; his heart dances for joy when he finds that it is a faithful saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. But observe: his conviction of guilt, and danger, and ruin, being now no longer superficial, but pervading, individual, and thorough, he is not surf-fled with this merely general representation of the matter. It is not now enough for him to know in so many general terms that God is merciful, and that Christ is a Saviour; he now narrowly pries into the whole affair, into the authority and commission of Christ to save into His ability and His qualifications to save, into His willingness and readiness to save.

III. THE PRIVILEGE AND HAPPINESS OF THOSE WHO HAVE THUS FLED TO CHRIST JESUS FOR REFUGE. By two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, they have a strong consolation. What is consolation? It is the relief of the mind under any trouble or pain; or the presence and enjoyment of a good which is able to prevent altogether, or else carry away and bear down before it, as in a full tide or flowing stream, all evil felt or feared. Two things would occur to the mind of the man-slayer in connection with his flight to the city of refuge. One would be: Is it true–is it really, incontrovertibly true, that if I get to the city of refuge, the avenger dares not, must not touch me? The other would be: Suppose I get to the city, and am secure against the stroke of the avenger, what kind of accommodation and provision shall I find within that city? These two things would occur to him on his way to, or on his arrival at the city of refuge; and if he had had any uncertainty as to the one or the other, he would have been overwhelmed with confusion and dismay. But he had no doubt; he knew, he was quite sure, that if he got to the city of refuge, the avenger could not touch him, that he would be as safe in the city as if he were in heaven. He also knew that, if he got to that city, and should remain in it, all his wants would be supplied, everything necessary for his accommodation and support would be provided for him. Thus he had consolution. Now apply these two things as an illustration of the nature of the happiness of believing in Christ. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. They that believe enter into rest. Who is he that shall lay anything to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth. What is it you are afraid of? Is it the justice of God? I know the justice of God has the impenitent sinner by the throat, and says, Pay me that thou owest! But I know also that the hand of the penitent sinner lays hold on the hope set before him, and justice takes his hand off. It must be so; otherwise God were unrighteous in demanding two payments for one debt. He that believes shall be saved. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. What are you afraid of? Is it of the fiery law? The law is not roaring after you if you have got into the city of refuge: it is not muttering its tremendous maledictions against you if you have laid hold of the hope set before you. If you hear anything at all of the demands of the law, it is the echoes of those demands dying away amid the battlements of the city wall; for he to whom you have fled, and on whom you have laid hold, has magnified the law and made it honourable. Then what is it you are afraid of? Is it of the roaring lion of hell? He is indeed going about seeking whom he may devour; but your faith in Christ is a shield wherewith you may quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. Then what is it you have to fear? Is it death? You may give up that fear along with all the other fears; for Jesus, to whom you have come, on whom you have laid hold, has put down death, abolished it, and buried it in His own grave; and has brought life and immortality to light. This is consolation, but that is not the whole of it. I said that the consolation of the man-slayer on reaching the city of refuge would also include an assurance that he should be provided for, while there, with everything necessary for his accommodation and support. This answers to the other half-the happiness of believing in Christ–which consists in the infinite assurance that God has given the believer that he never shall want any manner of thing that is really good, and that he never shall be in inextricable danger. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; and well they may; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Can that man want water who lives on the brinks of an everlasting spring? Can that man want light who lives in the centre of the eternal sun? Now look at the grounds on which this consolation rests. We have it, says the apostle, by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie. What are these immutable things? Where are they to be met with? We cannot write the word immutable on the rock; it is constantly wearing away: nor on the sun; the sun himself shall grow old and dull. But there are two immutable things–the word of promise and the oath of God. These are called the counsel of God, to intimate that His promise is the declaration of His counsel. Promises very often are the result of anything but counsel; but the promise of God is the counsel of God, the manifestation and publication of His counsel, The promises of God–what are they like? Whereunto shall I compare them?

They are like so many silver cords let down from heaven, hanging out from the pavilion of infinite clemency, I had almost said, sent down from the heart of God itself, for the hand of faith to lay hold on. The promise of God is an immutable thing; and by that we have our consolation. But there is another ground of this happiness. God, knowing the million ills of human life, the million jealousies of the human heart, knowing the backwardness of your mind, and the slowness of your heart to believe His own eternal word of promise, hath condescended to superadd to that His solemn oath. What is that oath like ? Is it not as if Jehovah was laying all the perfections of His nature, staking the very glory of the Godhead, on the truth of His promise previously made? These are the two immutable things by which we have our consolation. Finally, let me mention the quality of this happiness. It is called in the text a strong consolation; a consolation amongst the most substantial, the most abundant and efficient; a consolation available for every exigency of life, for the solemnity of death, for the crisis of the judgment day. How strong is this consolation? It is stronger than the afflictions of life. It turns the dungeon into a gate of heaven, the place of stocks into the vestibule of glory. If, like the Hebrews, to whom the language was originally addressed, you were called to bear the spoiling of your goods for Christs sake; with this consolation you would bear it joyfully. Soaring on the wings of grace, you may defy the power of affliction, calamity, sickness, and change. He, whose word of promise and solemn oath you have, has said He will be with you in six troubles; yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. Strong consolation! How strong? Stronger than the dread of wrath. Oh, what a mountain is gone when the fear of hell is gone! Oh, what a load is removed from the human spirit when the dread of the wrath to come is removed! And it is removed from the man who has fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before him. Strong consolation! How strong? It is not only stronger than all the afflictions of life, and stronger than the dread of the wrath to come, but stronger than the fear of death. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. Go and see the righteous die. Death has come in at the window; laying his hand upon the heart; freezing up the life-blood of the fountain. Death is there; but Christ is there also. Death, the last enemy, is there; but Christ, the Lord of life and glory, is there too. Death is there as the servant; Christ as the Master. I heard a voice from heaven saying, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Strong consolation! How strong? Stronger than all the terrors of the final judgment, than the desolations of universal nature. (J. Beaumont, D. D.)

Flying for refuge

The true heirs of promise, with whom God hath pawned His word and oath to do them good eternally, are such as have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them. In the description there are two parts, flying for refuge, and taking hold of the hope set before them. The one relates to their justification, or their first acceptation with God in Christ, Flying for refuge; the other relates to their carriage after justification, To take hold of the hope set before them.

I. For the first branch–Flying for refuge. It is an allusion to the cities of refuge spoken of under the law.

1. That Christ is a believers city of refuge, or the alone sanctuary for distressed souls.

2. It is the property of believers to fly to Christ for refuge. This flying may be explained with analogy to the two terms of every motion, which are terminus a quo and ad quem, from what we fly, and to what; and so we have the perfect method which the Spirit observeth in bringing home souls to God. In this flying to Christ as a city of refuge there is a driving and a drawing work; the first belongs to the law, the second to the gospel. The law driveth us out of ourselves, and the gospel draweth us, and bringeth us home to God.

(1) Let us speak of thy terminus a quo, the term from which we come, or-the driving work; it is comprised in these two things–a sense of sin, and a sense of the wrath of God pursuing for sin.

(2) Let us come to the terminus ad quem, from what we c me to what; they run to Christ as their city of refuge.

(a) It implies earnestness, as in a case of life and death. A dilatory trifling spirit shows we are not touched at heart.

(b) Running to the city of refuge implieth avoiding all byways. A soul that is rightly affected cannot be satisfied with any other thing; another place would not secure the man, nothing but the city of refuge.

(c) This running implies an unwearied diligence. The man was running still till was gotten into the city of refuge, for it was for his life; so we are unwearied until we meet with Christ (Son 3:2).

(d) When they are got into their city of refuge, they stay there; having once taken hold of Christ, they will not quit their holdfast for all the world.

II. For the second branch, To lay hold upon the hope that is set before us, and you must repeat the word flying or running again.

1. What is this hope? Hope is put for the thing hoped for, heaven with all the glory thereof; for it is a hope that lies within the veil (Heb 6:19), or a hope laid up for us in heaven (Col 1:5). Mark the double end of him that cometh unto Christ, refuge and salvation; for in Christ there is not only deliverance from pursuing wrath, but eternal life to be found; first we fly from deserved wrath, then we take hold of undeserved glory. This is more easy of the two (Rom 5:10-11).

2. Why is this hope said to be set before us?

(1) To note the divine institution of this reward; it is not devised by ourselves, but appointed by God.

(2) It is proposed and set before us for our encouragement. As it is said of Christ (chap. 12:2).

(3) What is it to run to take hold of the hope set before us? Sometimes it implieth a challenging it as ours; as 1Ti 6:19 : That they may lay hold on eternal life. Here it signifies holding fast, never to let this hope go. It implieth diligence of pursuit, perseverance to the end, and all this upon Christian encouragement.

(a) Diligence in pursuit of eternal life in the heirs of promise. It is expressed by working out our salvation, making it our business Php 2:12). When we will not be put off with anything else, but have heaven or nothing, this is to seek heaven in good earnest.

(b) This flying to take hold of the hope set before us imptorteth perseverance in well doing, notwithstanding the difficulties in the way to heaven.

(c) All this upon Christian encouragements, for the hope that is before them. A man may know much of his spirit by what bears him up, and what is the comfort and solace of his soul (Tit 2:13). Application

1. Comfort to those that can apply it, even to those who are thus qualified, that are driven and drawn to Christ, and then go on cheerfully with the work of obedience, waiting for their inheritance in heaven.

2. Conviction. It showeth the hardness of their hearts who have neither felt the law work nor the gospel work, but remain like the smiths anvil, softened neither with hammer nor with oil; neither driven by the threatenings of the law, nor drawn with the glad tidings of salvation; neither John nor Jesus worketh on them. Of such Christ speaketh Mat 11:17).

3. To persuade you to this temper. Three sorts of people usually we speak to

(1) The carnal secure.

(2) Those that are affected with their condition.

(3) Those that esteem Christ, and embrace Him that own Him as ready and willing to save sinners, (T. Manton, D. D.)

Christ typified by the cities of refuge

I. EVERY SINNER IS JUSTLY EXPOSED TO DEATH. Pursued by the righteous avenger of blood, who will cast the wicked into hell, with all the nations that forget God.

II. GOD HATH APPOINTED JESUS AS THE REFUGE FOR CONDEMNED SINNERS. He came that men might not perish, but have everlasting life. He came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them. Now in this He was strikingly typified by the cities of refuge.

1. In their number we are reminded of the sufficiency of Christ. There were six of these cities. Doubtless amply sufficient for the cases which might require them. Jesus is the sufficient Saviour of all men. In Him is room for the whole world. Merit, mercy, and willingness for every child of man.

2. In their diversified localities we see the accessibility of Christ. These cities were placed in various parts of the land, so as to be near to every quarter, and accessible to the inhabitants throughout. Here we see at once pointed out to us the nearness of Christ to every portion of the family of Adam.

3. In the spacious well-directed roads to the cities of refuge, we are reminded of the free, full, and plain declarations of the gospel of Christ.

4. In the signification of the names of the cities we also perceive the glorious excellency of Christ. One of these cities was called Kadesh, which signifies Holy. Jesus is the Holy One of God. He redeems and saves men to holiness. Another was called Shechem, which signifies Shoulder, representing Christ as bearing the sins and burdens of the sinner. Another was called Hebron, signifying Fellowship. Thus Christ is the medium and ground of fellowship between God and men, and between the whole body of believers. In Christ we become the sons of God and members one of another. Another was called Bezer, which signifies a Stronghold. Christ is often thus described. He is our refuge, our fortress, and a stronghold in the day of trouble. In Him we are more secure than if surrounded by a munition of rocks. Another of the cities was called Ramoth, which signifies Exaltation. Jesus is the exalted Son of God. The Prince of life. The Lord of glory. The name of the last city of refuge was Golan, which signifies Exultation, or Joy. Christ is the joy and rejoicing of His people. His gospel is the message of joy. His kingdom is not only righteousness and peace, but joy in the Holy Ghost.

5. In the deliverance of the man-slayer we see typified the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. Within the city he was safe. Now, by believing repentance, the sinner flees to Christ, and becomes interested in His all-extensive merit and saving benefits. But he must be in Christ. And he must abide in Him (Joh 15:1-7). Thus he shall be delivered from present condemnation, and from eternal death. In Christ is ample provision for his comfort, safer), and well-being.

Application:

1. We see the awful misery and peril of the careless sinner.

2. The absolute necessity of repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And how necessary that this should be prompt and immediate.

3. How urgently should ministers make known the terrors of the Lord and persuade men.

4. How happy are those who are delivered from the power of Satan, and have been brought to enjoy the forgiving love of God. Within the city of refuge all their interests are secure both for time and eternity. (J. Burns, D. D.)

Laying hold of the hope

It is said that a traveller by night fell into a dry well. His cry for help attracted a neighbour, who let down a rope and attempted to draw him up, but did not succeed because the rope kept slipping through the fallen mans hands. At length the rescuer, suspecting that the fallen mans grip was feeble because of his having something in his hand besides the rope, called out to him, Have you something in your hands? Yes, replied the man at the bottom, I have a few precious parcels which I should like to save as well as myself. When at last he became willing to drop his parcels, there was muscular power enough in his arms to hold fast the rope till he was delivered. Are you seeking purity of heart, and still finding yourself, day after day, in the horrible pit of impurity, though the golden chain of salvation is lowered to you from above; have you met something in, your hands? How about those precious parcels? Have you dropped them all? Then lay bold on the hope that is set before thee, and keep hold till thy feet are on the re k, and songs of deliverance burst forth from thy lips, and thy goings are henceforth established in the highway of holiness. Is that last parcel too precious to be dropped? Well, say then, I will not give up my idol, and no longer dishonour God by saying, I cannot believe.

Can you be safe too soon

Can you be safe too soon? Can you be happy too soon? Certainly, you cannot be out of danger of hell too soon; and therefore why should not your closing with Christ upon His own terms be your very next work? If the main business of every mans life be to flee from the wrath to come, as indeed it is (Mat 3:9), and to flee for refuge to Jesus Christ, as indeed it is (Heb 6:18), then all delays are highly dangerous. The man-slayer, when fleeing to the city of refuge before the avenger of blood, did not think he could reach the city too soon. Set your reason to work upon this matter; put the case as it really is: I am fleeing from wrath to come; the justice of God and the curses of the law are closely pursuing me; is it reasonable that I should sit down in the way to gather flowers, or play with trifles? for such are all other concerns in this world, compared with our souls salvation. (J. Flavel.)

The only refuge

I have no hope in what I have been or done, said De. Doddridge, on his dying bed, yet I am full of confidence; and this is my confidence: there is a hope set before me. I have fled, I still fly, for refuge to that hope. In Him I trust, in Him I have strong consolation, and shall assuredly be accepted in this beloved of my soul.

Which hope we have

The Christian hope

I. WHICH HOPE WE HAVE.

1. A living hope.

2. A blessed hope.

3. A good hope.

4. A sustaining hope; taken hold of it; we feel it. Our faith seizes it. Our hearts experience it.

II. WHAT THIS HOPE IS TO THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF IT.

1. It holds the soul, as an anchor holds the ship, from drifting before the wind and currents of human opinions, personal doubts, &c.

2. It holds the soul from sinking in despair, in the midst of its sorrows, tribulations, and conflicts.

3. It is, therefore, a comfort to the soul to have this hope in times of trial and sorrow.

4. It is sure and steadfast. Nothing can destroy it.

III. THE OBJECT OF THIS HOPE. It is not anchored in the uncertain and shifting things of time and of earth, but takes hold of the eternal and heavenly.

1. Of the crown of righteousness which fadeth not away.

2. Of the many mansions which Christ has gone to prepare for us.

3. Of the inheritance incorruptible, underfiled, &c.

4. And in due time this hope shall realize its respective objects.

CONCLUSION:

1. Rejoice in this hope.

2. Cherish this hope.

3. Cast it not away on any account. (Local Preachers Treasury.)

Christian hope

Hope is one of the noblest of the natural instincts. It is, as the poets say, the sunshine of the mind. Like the old sun-dial of Saint Marks at Venice, it marks only the cloudless hours. It has a lifting power which raises and carries life on. The boy hopes to be a man, and you see, in his thoughtful moments, the dignity and energy of a man, so that you say, He will be a credit to his family. He will conquer Silesia. The man looks through the years, bearing up Under their burdens, to the honours and rest of old age. Old age, stript of all else, ought at least not to live on the past, as is often said, but to be waiting in joyful expectation of something better that is beyond. There is this quality of hope in us which is the spring of our courage and of the capacity of recovery from disappointment and defeat. Prince Eugene was always more terrible in defeat than in victory. Hope, the nerve of life, as Thackeray calls hope, without which man would lose half his happiness and power, and power of growth, making him a man of hope and forward-looking mind even to the last, is that which gives life its impetus; but which native quality, strong though it be, ends in human nature and what it can do and compass. It is, like human nature itself, a thing of earthly uncertainty whose grounds are ever shifting; while the hope which is spoken of in the New Testament, or that which may be called Christian hope–even if it use the beautiful natural instinct while transforming it into something spiritual–is a more enduring principle, partaking of the eternal state of being. If we look at the reasons why Christian hope, as distinguished from the natural or instinctive quality, is likened to an anchor that enters into the veil and is sure and steadfast, the chief reason of it we will find to be that it is a hope which is fixed upon God and His truth, where alone is stability. Gods being is that which is, not that which becomes. Nothing can add to or take from the perfect One in whom all fulness dwells: though let us fairly understand that God is not unchangeable in the sense that His nature is one of immovable hardness like a rock; for His heart is touch,-d by the most delicate emotions that the purest spirit is capable of feeling; but He is unchangeable in the immutability of those moral qualities which form His character and upon which the government of the world rests secure. If we see the proofs of Gods firmness in the unalterable operations of His physical laws–a principle on which all science is founded–so we may believe that the blessed promises of God will come true, and that He who brings forth the spring violets from under the snows of winter, rejoices to bring out from the most rugged and unpropitious circumstances the blossoming of every hidden seed of hope; and the rugged circumstances form a factor in the Divine plan. In Gods wisdom misfortune is a blessing, and compels men t, use their powers boldly, and to do things that they could not possibly have done in prosperous times. And God does not desert a soul in misfortune. When we seem to be entirely hemmed in He makes a way of escape for the soul. In the dear immensity of the Arabian desert where nothing else grows you will find minute sand-flowers too small even for fragrance, and yet that cheer the wanderer and say, Up, heart, there is hope for thee t Another reason why Christian hope has in it the principle of stability is because it has a source of strength in the perfect character of the spiritual work which Jesus Christ has done for and in the soul. Not only the Divine, but even the human part of Christs work, from His birth to His resurrection, gives no signs of failure or imperfection. Christ became true man that He might redeem man, and His human nature was that of one made perfect through suffering, approaching the cross with slow and steady step. Christ went through what man goes through, or can go through, touching every human part, relation and need, preserving His obedience to the end, doing all the will of the Father, and righteously triumphing for and in weak humanity, and then, stretched on the shameful tree, as He was about to yield His spirit, could He cry with a loud voice, It is finished! An offering for human sin was made by that strong and tender love, and nothing was incomplete. As even the clothes in the sepulchre were rolled up and laid by themselves when Christ arose, nothing was left undone. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the confirmation, and, as it were, celestial touch, or crown, put on Christian hope, that carries it across the confines of death into the worlds beyond. Christian hope may be seen to be something sure and stable in its nature, lastly, because as a matter of experience there is a strong and indestructible expectation the fruit of the spirit of Christ, which is awaked m the Christian soul and the Christian church, and has always been so in every age and every believing mind. There is nothing more inspiring in the study of history than to trace the beginnings of this new hope in Christian civilisation, and its ennobling influence in public morals, law, and government, the treatment of oppressed classes, the social elevation of woman, the higher uses of property, in art, science, literature, politics, and every phase of human life, forming the spring of progress, and having in it a certain faculty of prophecy, in which, as a German writer says, the longing heart goes forth to meet beforehand great and new creations and hastens to anticipate the mighty future; above all, making the soul invincible to evil, come in whatever shape it may, in poverty, old age, sickness, prison, wreck, war the contempt of the world and the violence of active persecution; or whether it come in the more hidden trials and struggles of the spirit. There can be no delusion here. There is a hope which comes into the mind, however inexplicable, which was not there before–a new instinct of a new nature. It is, as the Scriptures call it, a living hope,–an active principle working by love and purifying the heart. He that believeth hath the witness in himself; for it is faith in eternal things which is at the bottom of this hope, and it is the outcome of a new spiritual life within. He who has this hope enjoys a communion with the Divine. He wins the blessed unity which is in God. A new marvellous light arises in him and spreads through his being. There is a letting in of the love of God to the soul which expels its gloom and selfishness; and selfishness must be pressed out of true hope. Such pleasure experienced here in God, such openings of the soul into His love, must look forward at some time to a blissful enjoyment of Him–to the great vision of God and His eternal peace. It is this simple fact which makes Christianity, notwithstanding its solemn truths, a cheerful religion, and which gives it a quality of joy that fills it with a perpetual sunshine. In the apostolic church this awoke the voice of song and brought to the world the life of a new blossoming springtime rich in its promise of great things–its true golden age, not past but present and to come. This hope of the Christian, then, is a great hope a bright, clear, and steady hope, surpassing all the vague desires of the natural heart, beautiful as the poetry of the heart sometimes makes these to appear-yet earthly and evanescent, like the painted clouds that pie up in the western sky of a summers sunset turning ashy and deathly pale when the light fades out of them. But the things hoped for are too fair, too high, too pure, even to be conceived. The prayer, indeed, of thin hope is not for a life without trials, but, with the apostle, the believer would fight that he might win; he would endure self-denial that he might rise above the sensual into the spiritual; and while the hope sustains and cheers, he would also know Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings, and sound the depths of Christs holy life and perfect victory. Is your hope thus ,veil-grounded? When the storm comes, does the anchor hold? When a strong and unexpected temptation fall- like a sudden blast on you, does the anchor hold? In the face of real affliction–of death–would it hold? Does your hope take hold of the unchangeable love of God? If so, when tempted, rejoice, and show the same diligence, with the full assurance of hope unto the end. Armed with a hope which has in it this sure promise, go forth to a life of goodness. Expect to achieve great things. (J. M.Hoppin.)

Christian hope

II. WHAT IS ITS OBJECT? On what is this hope supremely fixed? Upon that which is within the veil. Yes, it is attracted y the glory which is afterwards to be revealed by the fulness of grace, which is to come unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ, the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which eye hath not seen, but which will burst upon our enraptured souls when we awake up in the Divine likeness at the resurrection morn. O what a sublime anticipation!–The perfection of the soul in happiness, which in this world is so limited and interrupted–the perfection of the soul in purity, which is now only attained in part, because the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and we cannot do the things that we would–the perfection of the soul in knowledge, which here is so contracted, intercepted, acquired with so much difficulty, and so soon forgotten by the weakness of memory and the infirmities of age–the perfection of the soul in holy love, which on earth is so faint, cold, and beak–the unveiled vision of God and the Lamb–intimate and everlasting communion with the Great Jehovah. Again, we say, what a sublime anticipation! How elevating–how expanding–how purifying–how cheering–how attractive! Compare it with the hope of the worldling, whose portion is only in this life, and consists of houses arid lands, silver and gold, titles and emoluments–compare it with the hope of the sensualist, who fares sumptuously every day, and cries, What shall we eat, what shall we drink, and wherewithal shall we be clothed? whilst his soul is unfed by the bread of life, untaught by the Spirit of God. Compare it with the hope of the ambitious, whose great object is to rise upon the scale of popularity.

II. WHAT IS YOUR AUTHORITY FOR CHERISHING THIS PLEASING ANTICIPATION? ON WHAT DOES YOUR HOPE BEST? Not upon your own merits, however amiable your temper, moral your conduct, charitable your actions, and just and uniform your dealings; nor is it founded upon the mercy of God unconnected with the doctrine of the Atonement, and the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. The believers hope rests exclusively and entirely, as you will find in the context, upon the two immutable things, the oath and promise of God relating to the sufferings and death of His beloved Son, as the only sacrifice for sin, and the strong consolation which is derivable from a humble dependence upon His merits and love.

1. The word and covenant of God are the charter of our hopes, which we are permitted to plead, saying, Remember Thy word unto Thy servant upon which Thou hast caused me to hope; recollecting that whatsoever things were written aforetime, were for our instruction, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.

2. The finished work of Christ is the support and security of our hope; as the law made nothing perfect, it was merely a shadow of good things to come, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh unto God.

3. Our union with the Saviour, and the renewal of our soul by the converting grace of the Holy Ghost, are the evidence and the sanction of our hope, as Christ is in us the hope of glory, and, by the witnessing of the Spirit, we know what is the hope of our calling, and enjoy the full assurance of hope unto the end.

III. THE BENEFITS WHICH RESULT FROM THIS DESIRABLE STATE OF MIND. IT IS LIKE AN ANCHOR TO THE SOUL, BOTH SURE AND STEADFAST. Here a state of trial and exposure is implied. The soul, by this nautical phraseology, is compared to a vessel floating upon the uncertain and perpetually-changing surface of the ocean, where an anchor is indispensable to its safety. On what does the hope of a newly-awakened sinner rest? On what is the anchor of a believing penitent cast?

1. On the free mercy of the blessed God who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live.

2. It rests upon the efficacy of the Saviours blood, which is unto all and upon all them that believe; which is the price of our redemption–the purchase of our acceptance–the ratification of our place, and the balm of our consolation.

3. The invitations of the gospel are also the sanction of a penitent sinners hope. These are the warblings of mercys trumpet, the proclamation of redeeming love.

4. Nor can we omit to notice the encouragement which the pleasing change produced in the sinners mind affords to the energies of evangelical hope. Thus assured of his safety, he spreads his sails–launches forth and speeds his way towards the promised land, the better country, favoured with the superintendence of the Saviour as his pilot, the Word of God as his chart and his compass, and hope as his anchor. At length after many a storm and struggle, the believer reaches the peaceful port of everlasting bliss. Then, again, his hope, as an anchor to the soul, is most valuable. He is now waiting for the signal to disembark and to land upon the better country. He therefore resembles Paul, who, having fought a good fight, finished his course and kept the faith, said, I am now ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand. I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep, &c.

IV. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS HOPE.

1. This will appear if you reflect on the insufficiency of all things here below to satisfy the immortal soul and render it happy.

2. Your peace and comfort depend in a great degree upon the possession of an evangelical hope.

3. The possession of the blessing in question is indispensable from the uncertainty of life, only during the limited span of which can the hope of glory be obtained.

4. And, finally, the satisfaction and comfort of your friends who may survive you are involved in your possessing a good hope. (W. B. Leach.)

The hope of the believer–sure and stedfast

I. THAT THE HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN MAN IS A SPECIFIC AND WELL DEFINED HOPE–a hope about which he can give an answer–a hope which he can trace to its origin, and the operations of which he is able, in some measure, to explain. This may be seen by the use made of the word which, in the passage before us. The idea seems to be that these men, when awakened by the power of the Holy Ghost to a sense of their personal danger, look about them for some place of deliverance to which they may run and be secure. And the apostle says that for men in that condition, there is a hope set before them in the gospel, that is accessible to them: and there is the voice of mercy bidding them fly from the wrath ,o come; and the men here spoken of have hearkened to that vice. They have availed themselves of that provision, they have run there-unto, and they are saved.

II. THAT THIS HOPE, DERIVED FROM CHRIST, RELATES TO A CONDITION OF BLESSEDNESS–it entereth into that which is within the veil. Now who can tell us what there is within the veil? Who can conceive what it is to have Christ entered in amongst these things withing the veil, as our Forerunner and Representative? Jesus Christ, as our Forerunner, has removed the obstacles out of our way, and made all the necessary preparations for our safe departure from that which is seen and temporal to that which is unseen and eternal. I go, He says, to prepare a place for you, but I come again to take you to Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. All this is going on at this moment. His heart is towards you, His occupation is about you, and thus it is from hour to hour. In the multitude of your thoughts, then, you may rejoice that you are raised up together with Christ, made to sit together in heavenly places with Christ; and that be, use He lives you live also.

III. THAT THIS HOPE ACTS AS AN ANCHOR TO THE SOUL. It is not mere sentimentalism, but, as hinted in our text, a thing of the most powerful efficacy, without which men, in this world, could not live. It is called the anchor of the soul. This leads us to think of the sea, of storms and tempests, and of some gallant vessel which, in order to be saved from the storm, must have all the appliances of deliverance, safety, and defence. Have you never seen such a vessel when suddenly a storm has come down upon her, and she has been unable to get out to sea? They then let go the anchor, as the only hope, the sole remaining chance of escape. Suppose the anchor drags, what then? Suppose it parts from the cable which unites it to the ship? Suppose the anchor breaks? The doom of the ship is sealed; for the anchor is everything; and this hope, which is so beautifully compared to the anchor, is everything to the Christian. Your trials and perplexities are not only like a storm, but as a storm from which you cannot get away. You cannot run before it. You cannot take advantage of a wider berth by getting out to sea. There is no alternative: you must ride it out. What would you do under such circumstances but for your hope that you have an interest in the great salvation? What could you do without it? I do not wonder that the Bible calls it a living, blessed, and glorious hope. How often have you and I been saved from making shipwreck, thus far, of our profession and consistency by reverting yet once more to the everlasting covenant which is ordered in all things and sure!

IV. THAT THIS ANCHOR TO YOUR SOUL WILL NEVER FAIL. It is sure and stedfast. Look at these two words: the word sure refers to hope itself, and the word stedfast to that which the hope relates to. Hence, then, we have the anchor, and the anchorage. The hope of the good man, in itself considered, is sure; no matter what the strain upon it, it is strong and infrangible. It was originated by the God of Hope; it is sustained and guarded by Him; and therefore it cannot be broken. It is a sure thing. We have heard men say, What shall we do in an extremity like this? But the answer is explicit enough–My grace is sufficient for thee; and the hope which is of Gods own implantation, is a hope which will never fail. It is, in itself considered, inviolable and indestructible. God created it, and He will take care that it shall never be destroyed; we will therefore rejoice in it. But, moreover, it is not only sure, it is also stedfast. The former, as I have said, referred to the anchor itself, this latter related to the anchorage. Steadfast, i.e., it has laid hold of that which will not let go. This seems to have been the apostles thought. An anchor, you know, although it may not break, may drag. Its material and construction may be the very best, still there may be nothing like a tenacious bottom in which to embed itself. There may be none of the bars of the earth, as Jonah calls them, upon which it may get hold; and therefore in the extremity–at the very crisis–their doom is sealed for want of anchorage! Now the anchorage of yourhope will never let the anchor drag. If I were asked what this anchorage is I should say it has laid hold of the exceeding great and precious promises, which are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus. It has laid hold of the everlasting covenant which is ordered in all things and sure. It has laid hold of the Rock of Ages. It has laid hold of the two immutable things by which God sware and cannot lie. It has laid hold of the foundation of God which standeth sure, and against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. It has entered into that which is within the veil, and embedded itself deep down into the Divine purposes, and enwrapped itself around the Divine all-sufficiency, and taken hold–with its firm, broad, seven-fold gigantic grasp-of the great high throne, which is from everlasting–the throne of God and of the Lamb, and that throne itself must drag ere your anchor will come home (W. Brock.)

Hope something more than faith

Faith accepts and credits testimony; hope anticipates. Faith says the fruit is good; hope picks and ears. Faith is bud; hope blossom. Faith presents the cheque; hope lays out the amount received. And such hope is the anchor of the soul. The comparison between hope and an anchor is familiar even to heathen writers, and it is easy to see how fit it is. It steadies the soul. Take an illustration from common life: A young man pledges his troth to a poor but noble girl. He is draughted for foreign service, and says farewell for long , ears. Meanwhile she is left to do as well as she can to maintain herself. Work is scanty, wages low, she is sometimes severely tempted and tried. But, amidst all, she is kept true to her absent lover, and to her nobler self, by the little strand of hope which links her to a happy and united future. So, when suffering, or tempted, or discouraged, our hope goes forward into the blessed future, depicted on the page of Scripture in glowing colours, and promised by the word of Him who cannot lie; and the anticipation of it fills the soul with courage and patience, so as to endure the trials of thee, in view of the certain blessedness of eternity. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.)

An anchor of the soul

Our anchor within the veil

I. Our hope, we are here told, is As AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL To the imagination of the writer, life is a sea, the soul is a ship, and hope is the anchor of the soul. It was not the first time that this emblem had been thus poetically applied. He had seen it in the Hebrew Writings which he had read at the feet of Gamaliel; in the course of his Greek studies, he had possibly met with the sayings of Socrates–To ground hope on a false supposition is like trusting to a weak anchor. A ship ought not to trust to one anchor, nor life to one hope. He had heard the Romans, in proverbial phrase, call a mans last desperate hope, Anchors sacra. Finding this metaphor in the service of common life, he baptized it, quickened it with a new meaning, and pressed it into the service of God, employing it to show the superiority of the Christians hope to the hope of any other man.

II. Our hope, it is further said, ENTERETH INTO THAT WITHIN THE VEIL. The idea appears to be this:–h ship shattered with the battle and the breeze, at length gets near the port; but owing to the shallow waters, or the sweeping tempest, or the temporary prohibition of the authorities on shore, she is not permitted at once to enter the harbour. The sailors then heave out the sheet-anchor, and by means of the boat it is carried within the royal ,lock; and though the ship cannot herself get in, she is thus prevented from being drifted away into the deep sea. To enter into that within the veil, is to enter within the harbour of eternal repose–this may not at present be permitted, bat we may cast our anchor there, and meanwhile wait in safety here. To convey the whole of the idea which the apostle has in view, two images are combined. Let us forget the nautical allusion, and think only on the image which is borrowed from the Temple. The veil is that which divides earth and heaven; and our anchor entereth into that which is within the veil.

1. The words within the veil suggest the mysteriousness of heaven to the inhabitants of earth. It is natural that those who are on their way to the heavenly country should make it the frequent theme of conjectural thought. But, after all, heaven will be a secret us until we die. My chief conception of heaven, said Robert Hall to Wilberforce, is rest. Mine, replied Wilberforce, is love. Perhaps both conceptions are true, and union of perfect love wits perfect rest conveys our best idea of heaven, considered simply as a state. But what is the manner of existence there, and what is the true physical theory of another life? How shall we see without these eyes, hear without these ears, act without this material instrument of being? What are the visions, the emotions, the specific employments of heaven? Where and what is the region itself? Is it a star? Is it a sun? These questions are unanswered and unanswerable. The gospel is sent to show the way to glory, and not what that glory is. The Holy Spirit teacheth how we may reach heaven, and not how heaven moves. In answer to all our questions respecting its nature, the Saviour replies, What is that to thee? follow thou Me.

2. The nearness of heaven is suggested by the epithet veil. Christians, there is only a veil between us and heaven! A veil is the thinnest and frailest of all conceivable partitions The veil that conceals heaven is only our embodied existence, and though fearfully and wonderfully made, it is only wrought out of our frail mortality. So slight is it, that the puncture of a thorn, the touch of an insects sting, the breath of an infected atmosphere, may make it shake and fall.

3. The glory of heaven is suggested by the expression within the veil. What was within the veil of the Hebrew Temple? Not the ark, not the censer, not the rod that budded, not one of these things apart, nor all combined, made the glory of the place, but its true glory was the mystic light that shone above the mercy-seat, and symbolised the presence of the Great King. In like manner, the manifested presence of God, and that alone, is the true glory of heaven.

4. The holiness of heaven is here suggested. Within the inner veil was the Holiest of all. All the Temple was holy, but this was the Holy of

Holies. It was a perpetual memorial of the fact that heaven is a place of exquisite and awful purity.

III. Our hope, entering within the veil, depends on the life of Jesus there. WHITHER THE FORERUNNER IS FOR US ENTERED, EVENJJESUS. The forerunner of the ancient ship was the Anchorarius, the man who had charge of the anchor, and who carried it within the harbour, when there was not yet water sufficient to float the ship into it. In a spiritual sense, the forerunner of the worshipping Israelites was the high priest, who, taking with him the symbols of sacrifice, entered within the veil on their behalf. The forerunner of a band of pilgrims is one who precedes them to the place of destination, to give notice of their approach, to take possession in their name, and to prepare for their arrival.

1. The sense in which Christ sustains the office of forerunner in relation to the millions who are hastening to the world of light within the veil. He is the Sovereign Proprietor of heaven; He is the very glory of the place; yet He is thee leading not a life of glory only, but a life of office. His perpetual presence there is the perpetual argument for our salvation. He is There to complete the removal of every impediment to the entrance of His followers; there as the sublime guarantee that we shall be there.

2. You are also taught by these metaphors to see how entirely your hope is identified with faith. Many a person will tell you that he hopes, only because he does not venture to say that he believes. Hope is thought to be something less decisive than faith; to imply a lower grade of Christian attainment, a weaker tone of spiritual life, or perhaps an uncertainty as to whether we feel even the first stirs and the faintest indications of that life. But hope, instead of involving less grace than faith, does, in reality, involve more. Faith–healthy faith–faith with a keen eye, a strong hand, and an unfaltering voice; faith that can say, I know whom I have believed, and who has the charge of my anchor; such faith as this must be in existence before you can have a hope that maketh not ashamed.

IV. Our hope is an anchor of the soul which has peculiar recommendations. It is BOTH SURE AND STEADFAST.

1. The term sure seems to refer to the reliable nature of the anchor itself. It is not constructed of doubtful materials; its cable will not snap in the tempest; no stress or strain upon it, and no resisting force will drag it from its anchorage. The term steadfast seems to refer to the use of the anchor.

An anchor is that which keeps the ship steadfast. While waiting on this fluctuating sea of life, a hope in Christ will keep you safe amidst all peril, and fixed amidst all change.

2. You will be steadfast in the calms of life. Amidst all brightness here, hope for something brighter there; amidst all earthly good, hope for a better and enduring substance; set your affections on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; and through the powers of the world to come, earth will be disenchanted, the spirit will be kept upon its guard, and your faith will be steadfast to the end.

3. You will be steadfast amidst the storms of life. There are storms of carp, storms of conscience, storms of temptation; and all thoughtful natures know that the wildest storms that ever rage are those which are felt within, to which there are no human witnesses, and which sometimes spend their fury when all without seems placid and delightful. What deep Christian thinker has not sometime been nearly overwhelmed in waves of mental perplexity? What lonely wrestler in prayer is there who has not sometimes cried, Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy waterspouts: all Thy waves and billows are gone over me? But if in such hours of dark tempest we can retain the conviction, however faint, that He who presides amidst the glories of heaven is our own Redeemer, that He still holds us with His mighty power and will not let us go, we shall survive the crisis; our ship, shattered though it be, will never founder; in the very rush and agony of waters we shall patiently hope on. (C. Stanford, D. D.)

The anchor

I. First, let me call your attention to THE DESIGN OF THE ANCHOR of which our text speaks. The design of an anchor, of course, is to hold the vessel firmly to one place when winds and currents would otherwise remove it. God has given us certain truths, which are intended to hold our minds fast to truth, holiness, perseverance–in a word, to hold us to Himself. But why hold the vessel?

1. The first answer which would suggest itself would be, To keep it from being wrecked. If every wind of doctrine whirled you about at its will you would soon be drifted far away from the truth as it is in Jesus, and concerning it you would make shipwreck; but you cost your Lord too dear for Him to lose you, to see you broken to pieces on the rocks; therefore He has provided for you a glorious holdfast, that when Satans temptations, your own corruptions, and the trials of the world assail you, hope may be the anchor of your soul, both sure and steadfast.

2. An anchor is also wanted to keep a vessel from discomfort, for even if it be not wrecked it would be a wretched thing to be driven hither and thither, to the north and then to the south, as winds may shift. There are solid and sure truths infallibly certified to us, which operate powerfully upon the mind so as to prevent its being harassed and dismayed. The text speaks of strong consolation. Is not that a glorious word–we have not merely consolation which will hold us fast and bear us up against the tempest in times of trouble, but strong consolation so that when affliction bursts forth with unusual strength, like a furious tornado, the strong consolation, like a sheet-anchor, may be more than a match for the strong temptation, and may enable us to triumph over all. Very restful is that man who is very believing.

3. An anchor is wanted, too, to preserve us Item losing the headway which we have made. Those who know anything experimentally about Divine things have cast their anchor down, and as they heard the chain running out, they joyfully said, This I know, and have believed. In this truth I stand fast and immovable. Blow, winds, y-u will never move me from this anchorage; whatsoever I have attained by the teaching of the Spirit, I will hold fast as long as I live.

4. Moreover, the anchor is needed that we may possess constancy and usefulness. The man who is easily moved, and believeth this to-day and that to-morrow, is a fickle creature. Who knows where to find him?

II. Secondly, I invite you to consider THE MAKE OF THE ANCHOR–That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. Anchor-making is very important work. The anchor-smith has a very responsible business, for if he makes his anchor badly, or of weak material, woe to the shipmaster when the storm comes on. If anything in this world should be strong it should be an anchor, for upon it safety and life often depend. What is our anchor? It is made of two Divine things. The one is Gods promise, a sure and stable thing indeed. To this sure word is added another Divine thing, namely, Gods oath. Conceive the majesty, the awe, the certainty of this! Here, then, are two Divine assurances, which, like the flukes of the anchor, hold us fast. We have for our anchor two things, which, in addition to their being Divine, are expressly said to be immutable–that is, two things which cannot change. When the Lord utters a promise He never runs back from it–the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Notice next ofthese two things that it is said–Wherein it is impossible for God to lie. It is inconsistent with the very idea and thought of God that He should be a liar. A lying God would be a solecism in language, a self-evident contradiction. But now, what is this promise, and what is this oath? The promise is the promise given to Abraham that his seed should be blessed, and in this seed should all nations of the earth be blessed also. To whom was this promise made? Who are the seed? To Christ Himself, and to all who are in Christ, is the covenant made sure, that the Lord will bless them for ever and make them blessings. And what is the oath? That may refer to the oath which the Lord sware to Abraham after the patriarch had offered up his son, for which see the twenty-second chapter of Genesis: but I think you will agree with me if I say it more probably refers to the oath recorded in the one hundred and tenth Psalm, which I would have you notice very carefully–The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. I think this is referred to, because the twentieth verse of our text goes on to say, Whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Now I want you to see this anchor. Here is one of its holdfasts–God has promised to bless the faithful, He has declared that the seed of Abraham, namely, believers, shall be blessed, and made a blessing. Then comes the other arm of the anchor, which is equally strong to hold the soul, namely, the oath of the priesthood, by which the Lord Jesus is declared to be a priest for ever on our behalf; not an ordinary priest after the manner of Aaron, beginning and ending a temporary priesthood, but without beginning of days or end of years, living on for ever; a priest who has finished his sacrificial work, has gone in within the veil, and sits down for ever at the right hand of God, because His work is complete, and His priesthood abides in its eternal efficacy. What better anchor could the Comforter Himself devise for His people? What stronger consolation can the heirs of promise desire?

III. OUR HOLD OF THE ANCHOR. It would be of no use for us to have an anchor, however good, unless we had a hold of it. The anchor may be sure, and may have a steadfast grip, but there must be a strong cable to connect the anchor with the ship. Formerly it was very general to use a hempen cable, but large vessels are not content to run the risk of breakage, and therefore they use a chain cable for the anchor. It is a grand thing to have a solid substantial connection between your soul and your hope; to have a confidence which is surely your own, from which you ,an never be separated. Our text speaks plainly about this laying hold of the anchor in the end of the 18th verse–That we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. We must personally lay hold on the hope; there is the hope, but we are bound to grasp it and hold it fast. As with an anchor, the cable must pass through the ring, and so be bound to it, so must faith lay hold upon the hope of eternal life. Well, saith one, but may we lay bold upon it? My answer is, the text says it is set before us,–to lay hold of the hope set before us. You may grasp it, for it is set before yon. Now, notice that our hold on the anchor should be a present thing and a conscious matter, for we read, which hope we have. We are conscious that we have it. No one among us has any right to be at peace if he does not know that he has obtained a good hope through grace. May you all be able to say, which hope we have. As it is well to have a cable made of the same metal as the anchor, so it is a blessed thing when our faith is of the same Divine character as the truth upon which it lays hold: it needs a God-given hope on our part to seize the God-given promise of which our hope is made. The right mode of procedure is to grasp Gods promise with a God-created confidence: then you see that right away down from the vessel to the anchor the holdfast is all of a piece, so that at every point it is equally adapted to bear the strain.

IV. Fourthly, let us speak of THE ANCHORS HOLD OF US. A ship has hold upon her anchor by her chain cable, but at the same time the most important thing is that the anchor keeps its hold upon the ship; and so, b, cause it has entered into the ground of the sea bottom, holds the vessel hard and fast. Do you know anything about your hope holding yon? It will hold you if it is a good hope; you will not be able to get away from it, but under temptation a, d depression of spirit, end under trial and affliction, you will not only hold your hope–that is your duty, but your hope will hold you–that is your privilege. How is it that our Divine anchor holds so fast? It is because it is in its own nature sure–Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. It is in itself sure as to its nature. The gospel is no cunningly devised fable: God has spoken it, it is a mass of fact, it is pure, unalloyed truth, with the broad seal of God Himself set upon it. Then, too, this anchor is steadfast as to its hold, it never moves from its lodgment. It is sure in its nature, and steadfast when in use, and thus it is practically safe. The result of the use of this anchor will be very comfortable to you. Which hope ye have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. I may say to every believer in Jesus, that his condition is very like that of the landsman on board ship when the sea was rather rough, and he said, Captain, we are in great danger, are we not? As an answer did not come, he said, Captain, dont you see great fear? Then the old seaman gruffly replied, Yes, I see plenty of fear, but not a bit of danger. It is often so with us; when the winds are out and the storms are raging there is plenty of fear, but there is no danger. We may be much tossed, but we are quite safe, for we have an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, which will not start. One blessed thing is that our hope has such a grip of us that we know it. In a vessel you feel the pull of the anchor, and the more the wind rages the more you feel that the anchor holds you. Like the boy with his kite; the kite is up in the clouds, where he cannot see it, but he knows it is there, for he feels it pull; so our good hope has gone up to heaven, and it is pulling and drawing us towards itself.

V. And now, lastly, and best of all, THE ANCHORS UNSEEN GRIP, which entereth into that within the veil. Our anchor is like every other, when it is of any use it is out of sight. When a man sees the anchor it is doing nothing, unless it happen to be some small stream anchor or grapnel in shallow water. When the anchor is of use it is gone: there it went overboard with a splash; far down there, all among the fish, lies the iron holdfast, quite out of sight. Where is your hope, brother? Do you believe because you can see? That is not believing at all. Do you believe because you can feel? That is feeling, it is not believing. But Blessed is he that hath not seen and yet hath believed. Albeit our anchor is gone out of sight, yet thank God it has taken a very firm grip, and entered into that which is within the veil. What hold can be equal to that which a man hath upon his God when he can cry, Thou hast promised, therefore do as Thou hast said? Note next, that when an anchor has a good grip down below, the more the ship drags the tighter its hold becomes. At first, when the anchor goes down, perhaps, it drops upon a hard rock, and there it cannot bite, but by and by it slips off from the rock and enters into the bottom of the sea; it digs into the soil, and, as the cable draws it on, the fluke goes deeper and deeper till the anchor almost buries itself, and the more it is pulled upon the deeper it descends. The anchor gets such a hold at last that it seems to say, Now, Boreas, blow away, you must tear up the floor of the sea before the vessel shall be let go. Times of trouble send our hope deep down into fundamental truths. The text concludes with this very sweet reflection, that though our hope is out of sight we have a friend in the unseen land where our hope has found its hold. In anxious moments a sailor might almost wish that he could go with his anchor and fix it firmly. That he cannot do, but we have a friend who has gone to see to everything for us. Our anchor is within the veil, it is where we cannot see it, but Jesus is there, and our hope is inseparably connected with His person and work. Our Lord Jesus by His intercession is drawing us to heaven, and we have only to wait a little while and we shall be with Him where He is. He pleads for our home-bringing, and it will come to pass ere long. No sailor likes his anchor to come home, for if it does so in a storm matters look very ugly; our anchor will never come home, but it is drawing us home; it is drawing us to itself, not downwards beneath devouring waves, but upwards to ecstatic joys. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The anchor of the soul

In many respects the world, and human life on it, are like the sea. Itself restless, it cannot permit to rest any of the pilgrims that tread its heaving, shilling surface. At some times, and in some places, great tempests rise; but even in its ordinary condition it is always and everywhere uncertain, deceptive, dangerous. Currents of air and currents of ocean intermingle with and cross each other in endless and unknown complications, bringing even the most skilful mariner to his will end–making him afraid either to stand still or to advance. On this heaving sea we must all lie. The soul is tossed by many temptations; but the anchor of the soul is sure and steadfast within the veil. Without are fightings, within are fears, all these are against us; but one thing will overbalance and overcome them, Our life is hid with Christ in God. Hope sometimes signifies the act of a human spirit laying hold of an unseen object, and sometimes the object unseen whereon the human spirit in its need lays hold. These two significations may be combined together: they are so combined here. The hope set us is Christ entered for us now within the veil; and the hope that we have is the exercise of a believing soul when it trusts in the risen Redeemer. These two cannot be separated. The one is the grasp which a believing soul takes of Christ, and the other is the Christ whom a believing soul is grassing. The anchor must not be cast on anything that floats on the water, however large and solid it may seem. The largest thing that floats is an iceberg. But although an iceberg does not shake like a ship, but seems to receive the waves and permit them to break on its sides as they break on the shore, it would be ruin to anchor the ship to it. The larger and the less would drift the same way and perish together. Ah, this stately Church, this high-seeming ecclesiastical organisation, woe to the human spirit that is tempted in the tossing to make fast to that great imposing mass! It is not sure and steadfast. It is floating: it moves with the current of the world: it moves to an awful shore. Not there, not there I Your hope, when you stretch it out and tip for eternal life, must enter into that within the veil, whither the Forerunner is for us entered. Nor will it avail a drifting ship to fix its anchor on itself. Hope must go out for a hold, even as the ships anchor must be flung away from the ship. l he eye is made for looking with, not for looking at. Away from all in ourselves, and out through all that floats like ourselves on this shifting sea, we must throw the anchor of the soul through the shifting waters into Him who holds them in the hollow of His hand. Mark, further, that hope in Christ is specifically the anchor of the soul. There is no anchor that will make our temporal possessions fast. Wealth and friends, and even life, may drift away any day on the flood, and no power on earth can arrest the movement. These bodily things may or may not abide with a Christian, but his anchor does not hold them. It is only an anchor of the soul, not an anchor of the body. We must not expect from the Lord what He never promised. There are contrivances not a few in our day for fixing material property, so that it shall not drift away in the currents of time. The system of assurances both on life and property has reached an enormous magnitude. Taking up the obvious analogy employed in this scripture, one of the insurance societies has adopted the anchor as its name. But the action of these anchors is limited to things seen and temporal. They cannot be constructed so as to catch and keep any spiritual thing. They may hold fast a wifes fortune, when the life of the bread-winner falls in, but they cannot maintain joy in her heart, or kindle light in her eye. Far less can they insure against the shipwreck of the soul. Only one anchor can grasp and hold the better part of man–and that is the hope which enters into the heavens and fastens there in Jesus. The anchor–in so far as it indicates the object which hope grasps–the anchor is sure and steadfast. The expressions are exact and full; the words are tried words; they are given in order that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope set before us. There are two cases in which ones hope may be disappointed: the support you lean on may be unwilling or unable to sustain you; in the one case it is deception, in the other weakness. A Christians hope is not exposed to either flaw; it is both sure and steadfast, that is, the Redeemer who holds them is willing and able. He will not falsely let you go, nor feebly faint beneath your weight. He is true and strong; for these are the words; He both will and can keep that which we commit to Him against that day. Take now a series of practical lessons:

1. The ship that is kept by an anchor, although safe, is not at ease. It does not on the one hand dread destruction, but neither on the other hand does it enjoy rest. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you; in the world ye shall hare tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.

2. But further, the ship that is held by an anchor is not only tossed in the tempest like other ships, it is tossed more than other ships. The ship that rides at anchor experiences rackings and heavings that ships which drift with the tide do not know. So, souls who have no hold of Christ seem to lie softer on the surface of a heaving world than souls that are anchored on His power and love. The drifting ship, before she strikes, is more smooth and more comfortable than the anchored one; but when she strikes, the smoothness is all over. The pleasures of sin are sweet to those who taste them; but the sweetness is only for a season.

3. When the anchor has been cast into a good ground, the heavier the strain that comes on it, the de, per and firmer grows its hold. It is thus with a trusting soul: temptations, instead of driving him away from his Saviour, only fix his affections firmer on the Rock of Ages.

4. The ship that is anchored is sensitive to every change of wind or tide, and ever turns sharply round to meet and resist the stream, from what direction soever it may flow. A ship is safest with her head to the sea and the tempest. Watch from a height any group of ships that may be lying in an open roadstead. At night when you retire they all point westward; in the morning they are all looking to the east. Each ship has infalliably felt the first veering of the wind or water, and instantly veered in the requisite direction, so that neither wind nor wave has ever been able to strike her on the broadside. Thereby hangs the safety of the ship. Ships not at anchor do not turn and face the foe. The ship that is left loose will be caught by a gust on her side and easily thrown over. As with ships, so with souls: those that are anchored feel sensitively the direction and strength of the temptation, and instantly turn to meet and to overcome it: whereas those that are not anchored are suddenly overcome, and their iniquities, like the wind, carry them away. We are saved by hope–saved not only from being outcast in the end, but from yielding to temptation now.

5. When the ship is anchored, and the sea is running high, there is great commotion at her bows. The waves in rapid succession come on and strike. When they strike they are broken, and leap, white and angry, high up on the vessels sides. This tumult is by no means agreeable in itself, blot the mariner on board would not like to want it, for it is the sign of safety. If, while wind and waves continue to rage, he should observe that this commotion had suddenly ceased, he would not rejoice. He would look eagerly over the bulwarks, and seeing the water blue on her bows, instead of the hissing, roaring spray, he would utter a scream of terror. The smoothness at her bows indicates to him that her anchor is dragging. The ship is drifting with wind and water to the shore. Such, too, is the experience of a soul. If you are fixed, a great flood is rushing by, and it must needs cause a commotion round you. An impetuous tide of worldliness will dash disagreeably against you from time to time. Do not be too anxious to make all smooth; peace may be bought too dear. When the mighty stream of vanity on which you float produces no ruffling at the point of contact–when it is not disagreeable to you, and you not disagreeable to it–suspect that your anchor is dragging, that it has lost its hold, and that you are drifting into danger. Cast in the anchor while the sea is calm; you will need it to lean on when the last strain comes on. (W. Arnot.)

The anchor of hope

I. Let us first of all note THE ANCHOR. It is necessary to have a very clear idea as to what the Holy Ghost means by this word hope. Look at the previous verse, and you will see that we have the word hope there, That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; then he adds, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Now, I believe that the two hopes do not mean precisely the same thing. In the eighteenth verse it is a hope that is set before us; in that verse I bare Gods promise. Gods promise is the basis of my hope, Christ Himself is the object of my hope. But, then, having that promise, there comes into my heart the grace of hope. That which the apostle means here is something far more than the common notion that we attach to the word hope. I dont think I shall be going too far when I say that nothing is more adverse to the scriptural idea of the word hope than the meaning we generally intend by it. In our ordinary conversation hope is something less than faith, in Scripture it is something more–it is faith developed into a full assurance. So when the apostle speaks of hope it is not of that kind which says, Well, I hope I may get to heaven, but I dont much think I shall, but it is of the kind which says, I know that I am safe; I know that my Forerunner has entered within the veil for me; I know that Gods promise and Gods oath together do ensure my eternal salvation; and this hope is the anchor that is hung at the bows of my ship. Now, the anchor must be made of the right stuff. One writer has said that anchor-making is very important work. I should imagine it was, and I should say woe to the anchor-smith who tampered with the material of the anchor. Why is it of infinite importance that the anchor should be right in its material? Because there are times when the lives of captain, mates, crew, passengers will all depend upon whether the anchor is made of the right stuff or not. Cast-iron anchors wont do; they must be made of the best material, well wrought and welded; and I think I am correct in saying that in all our naval establishments there is an arrangement for testing every anchor; and when it is proven it receives the Government mark. I know that the anchor of which we are speaking is true, because there is heavens own brand upon it–sure and steadfast. Better have no hope at all than have a bad one;better be without hope than place confidence in a false one. Do any of you say, What should our anchor of hope be made of? I will tell you. Go and get a whole number of Thus saith the Lord and weld them together, for the only anchor that is worth anything is that anchor of hope, the very material of which is God has said. I believe the best smithy for making an anchor is the empty sepulchre just outside Jerusalem. Go into that sepulchre where once the body of Christ lay; it is empty now; there fashion thy anchor, begotten unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Now, with the anchor goes the chain, and I cannot separate between the two. I know that some have said that hope is the anchor and faith is the cable; well, it may be so, but you cannot really separate between faith and hope. Faith culminates in hope, and if faith does not lead to hope it is not worth anything; and, on the other hand, I cannot imagine a hope that is worth anything that does not come from faith, so I take cable and anchor as one. And I remark here that the anchor must have its cable, and the cable to be worth anything must have an anchor. I think that in my time I have come across some who had a chain, but there was no anchor at the end of it. They did believe–at least they said so; and who are we that we should dare to question their veracity? They do believe, for if they believe nothing else they believe they have some doubts; and I have seen them always paying out the cable, and saying, I believe, I believe, and yet somehow they have nothing at the end to grip. There is the chain, but it will drag over a hundred promises without laying hold of a solitary one. They have faith, so they say, but somehow or other it is not the faith that ever grips the Word of God sufficiently to bring their vessel round. The Lord save us from that sort of faith which is like a cable without any anchor at the end. But, on the other hand, I dont think the anchor would be very much use unless there was a cable attached to it. What would you think if in time of storm the captain said, Overboard with the anchor, and overboard it goes; there is an end of it; there is no connection whatever between the anchor and the ship. An anchor thrown overboard without a cable is about as much use as a cable thrown over without an anchor.

II. Now I want you to see THE ANCHOR LET GO. Our hope, like other anchors, is of no use as long as we can see it, as long as the anchor is slung at the bows it is doing nothing. You would think that man a lunatic who should say, I always feel so safe when I see the anchor. You would think that captain an imbecile who should say, I always think my ship is safe when I have my anchor on deck. The real worth of the anchor begins when it is thrown overboard. The ocean bed holds the anchor, and the anchor holds you. Now you will observe, if you look into the text, my anchor enters into that within the veil. I wish I had the power for a moment to give you a glimpse within the veil and see where the anchor is. If you were to have passed through the veil of the Tabernacle you would have seen an oblong chest–that was all; and on the top of that oblong chest a slab of gold exactly covering it. If you had looked inside that chest you would have found two tables of stone containing the law, written by the finger of God. That was called the mercy-seat. There, you will see, was mercy based on justice; peace reposing on righteousness; a Divine salvation resting on the pedestal of accomplished law–treat was all that was within the veil; and, says Paul in our text, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul which entereth–now, I always find that nine people out of ten quote this text wrongly; they say, which entereth within the veil, but it is, which entereth into that within the veil; in other words, the mercy-seat–Gods mercy based on righteousness, or, if you like to put it so, ChristHimself. Now, for a moment note this. Am I not right in saying that the more the ship drags at the cable the more fixed becomes the anchor? Ah! when first my soul trusted Christ and I dropped my anchor, I dont think it had a very firm hold, but every strain on it has driven it deeper. It is always so, for if you look in Rom 5:1-21. you will see that experience leads to hope. The more a man trusts God the better he knows God, and the better he knows God the more he trusts Him. He learns to sing, My heart is fixed to God, my heart is fixed.

III. I have tried to show you the anchorage; now look at THE SHIP RIDING AT ANCHOR. One thing I observe is that, though she is anchored, she does not necessarily escape rolling, nor her passengers avoid sickness. There may be considerable discomfort while there is no danger. Many souls as well as ships are anchored in the downs! I notice, too, that when a ship is at anchor she always faces the tide. I was travelling recently on the Chatham and Dover Railway, and just as we approached Whitstable we obtained a glimpse of the sea, and I said to a fellow-passenger, The tide is coming in. How can you know that? he asked. Why, I replied, , its the simplest thing in the world; look at the boats that are anchored there, and see which way they face; anchored craft always face the tide. Ay, and so will it be with you; if you know what it is to have your anchor gripping that which is within the veil you wont be a man who is afraid to look the world in the face. The ship swings round with the tide and seems to say, I am not to be caught, whichever way you come you will meet my bow. These are the sort of Christians we want at the present time–men who are so anchored on to God, who are so filled with His spirit, and who have so bright a hope within them that they must face the run of the tide of this world. A dying sailor was near his end, and the death sweat stood upon his brow. A friend said, Well, mate, how is it with you now? The dying man, with a smile, made answer, The anchor holds, the anchor holds. God grant that ever one of you may be able to say this, for His names sake. (A. G. Brown.)

Sure anchoring

I. FIRST, THE STAY OR ANCHORAGE OF THE SOUL DURING THE VOYAGE OF LIFE IS CHRIST WITHIN THE VEIL, CHRIST IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES, CHRIST IN THE HEAVENLY HAVEN. UPON HIM IN HIS EXALTED GLORY THE SOUL STAYS ITSELF AND IS SECURE.

1. In the first place, He is the living Christ of intercession, not the dead Christ of sacrifice.

2. Secondly, although within the veil, the Living Christ has a vital interest in us who are yet without. His entrance into the heavenly place has not broken off His connection with our earthly lives and interests. The same redeeming purposes, the same tender human sympathies, the same great mediatorial solicitudes fill His Divine heart.

3. The use of the term Forerunner conveys to us an additional idea not included in that of the palest-hood. The high priest was not a forerunner; no one was to follow him into the holy place; but Christ is strictly a forerunner. Where He is, there His servant is to be also–where He is, and as He is, for we are to be like Him when we see Him as He is. At present He is our interceding Priest, but the consummation of His intercession is our reception into the heavenly place with Him. As the Forerunner Be enters the holy place, not alone, but only first. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there shall My servant be also. Very great and very precious are the assurances thus conveyed to us. First, that in virtue of His entrance to the heavenly place we shall surely enter also. He has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers; by His own blood He appears in the presence of God, and secures our appearance also. Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. He prepares the place for us in the sense of making a place for us certain. But more than this is meant. As the Forerunner He secures our entrance under the same conditions; we enter as He has entered; our humanity glorified as His is glorified. We shall enter as He has entered, with a proper resurrection body; with all the marks of personal identity that distinguish us here, that are the means of intelligent communism and friendship.

II. IN THE SECOND PLACE. THE ANCHOR WHICH HOLDS THE SOUL STEADFAST TO THE LIVING FORERUNNER WHO IS WITHIN THE VEIL IS HOPE; HOPE MOORS THE STORM-TOSSED SOUL TO THAT WHICH WILL SECURE IT. Our hope must be a good hope through grace; our anchor must have length of cable sufficient, and must lest only upon Christ. Hope is so far more than faith. That which is seen is not hope. Hope is that trust in the future and the unseen which calculates probabilities, which hits the mean between possible failure and certain security. We feel uncertainty enough to make it hope, and assurance enough to make the hope strong and animating. We give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. We cast out the anchor of our hope with cable enough, so to speak, to fasten it upon the unseen Christ. A great and blessed hope, the hope of being with Christ, and of realising the exceeding great and eternal weight of glory. A good hope, warranted by accumulated evidence–by Gods wonderful revelation–by His assured and unchangeable promises; a hope warranted by His words, by His resurrection, by His entrance into the holy place as our Forerunner, who hath brought life and immortality to light, and who is Himself the Resurrection and the Life. We are begotten again to this lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

III. OBSERVE, IN THE THIRD PLACE, HOW HOPE FIXED UPON CHRIST MAKES THE SOUL STEADFAST AND SECURE. Unregenerate men are described as having no hope; they are without God and without hope in the world; that is, they have no hope that is not delusive, that will not fail them in the testing hour, and make them ashamed. The God of hope is not their hope; they hope in something else, they do not know the hope that comes through patience and comfort of the Scriptures. There can be no hope for a man who has not fled for refuge to Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our hope. To Christ, then, the redeemed man has come; he has fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before him, and this hope is the anchor that keeps his soul firm It is a thing of practical, powerful efficacy, that secures both our present steadfastness and our ultimate salvation. It is an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast.

1. The first suggestion of the metaphor is of a tempestuous and perilous sea, which our ship of life has to navigate, and that we are in danger of making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. What image could give a more vivid representation of our spiritual condition?–of the rough sea upon which we ride?–the hurricane above us, and the sunken rocks and quicksands around us.

2. How beautifully in this representation are both worlds brought together! Our ship sails upon the ocean of this life, has to bear its tempests, navigate its perils, but she finds her sure anchor within the veil–the anchor of her hope is fixed in the glorified Christ. The ship rides upon the sea of time; its anchor is fixed in eternity. Here there is no sure anchorage–hence the anchor is hope, the expectation of things not seen. The immortal soul can fix securely only upon an immortal stay; and when after vain hopes in other things she has fixed her anchor upon Christ, it is as though she had laid hold upon the bases of the everlasting hills, as though with sevenfold strength she had grasped the bars of the earth. (H. Allon, D. D.)

The souls anchor

I. The soul, like a vessel, is in quest of a desired haven. Mind is made to look out of itself, our desires not satisfied with temporal things. All men look into the future, live by hope, and are sailing in expectation of peace. But the expectation of some reaches no further and gets no higher than earth, while the spiritual anchor in the calm depths of the Eternal Presence, and the solid moorings of eternity.

II. Hope of heaven, like an anchor, preserves the soul in its passage. Some sail without a ripple or a swell, under propitious gales which fill their sails and press them homeward. Others, like Paul in the Adriatic, wrestle with the billows, exceedingly tossed with a tempest, with neither sun nor stars in sight. But the soul is preserved, and outrides the storm. He bringeth them to their desired haven.

III. This hope is sure and steadfast. Sure–will not disappoint us–a good hope through grace. Steadfast in its nature, taking good hold, unchangeable in its promise and purpose, a lively (living) hope which maketh not ashamed. Lay hold upon this hope set before you in the gospel. (The Study.)

The voyage of life

I. THE VOYAGE OF LIFE EVEN TO THE GOOD IS TUMULTUOUS. Because of

1. Physical infirmities.

2. Secular anxieties.

3. Social afflictions

4. Spiritual conflicts.

II. THE GOSPEL PROVISIONS ARE EQUAL TO THY. EMERGENCIES OF THE VOYAGE OF LIFE.

1. It has an anchor–Hope.

2. It has a refuge.

III. THE EFFICACY OF THE GOSPEL PROVISIONS FOR THE VOYAGE OF LIFE IS IMMUTABLY GUARANTEED.

1. God has an immutable counsel concerning the safety of His people.

2. God desires to demonstrate to His people the immutability of His counsels in relation to their safety.

3. God furnishes this demonstration by some most solemn declarations.

4. Gods declaration cannot but be true. (Homilist.)

Hope the anchor of the soul

I. THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN HOPE.

1. The object of hope is always really or imaginarily good enjoyment of God–of His favour, smiles, and blessings to end of life, and of His presence for ever.

2. The object of hope must be future good. What God has laid up for them that love Him.

3. The object of hope must be attainable. God will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly.

II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS HOPE.

1. The anchor is essential to secure the vessel in time of storm and peril.

2. The anchor is only of service when connected with a good cable.

3. The anchor must be employed.

4. The anchor must be cast on good ground.

III. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS HOPE.

1. It is of importance to our Christian character. It is as indispensable to the believing soul as the anchor is to the vessel.

2. It is of importance to our labours. All must be done in hope. We must sow in hope; pray and wrestle in hope.

3. It is of importance to our happiness.

IV. THE CERTAINTY OF THIS HOPE. Both sure and steadfast. The Christians hope cannot fail, unless

1. The Divine veracity fails.

2. Christs precious blood should lose its saving efficacy.

3. Christs presence in heaven and intercession should be unavailing.

APPLICATION.

1. Let the believer increase in hope, rejoice in hope, until its enrapturing anticipations shall terminate in glorious fruition.

2. Let the hopeless come to the blessed Saviour, who will, by the gracious manifestation of Himself, banish darkness from the mind, and despondency and sorrow from the heart. There is, in the gospel, ample ground of hope to all who receive the record God has given of His Son. (J. Burns, D. D.)

Our anchor

One of the sights in Rome is the Gallery of Inscriptions in the Vatican. Inscriptions from old heathen tombs cover the one side, and inscriptions from the early Christian tombs cover the other. There is a heaven-wide difference between the two. On the heathen side there is one long wail of despair–the shriek of friends as the dying were hurried from them into the hateful abyss. But the Christian side breathes only peace and hope. The names of the departed are mixed up with the name of CartEr, and some rudely carved symbol of the faith is usually added. The ship and the anchor are the greatest favourites. At the side of the anchor the Christians often carved the words, Hope in Christ, or Hope in God, thus uniting and explaining, as our text does, the word and the image.

I. OUR ANCHOR. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. The hope of the Bible is not like the hope of the world. The old fable says that Pandora shut up all the miseries of men along with hope in a box. The box was offered to Prometheus, or Forethought, who would not have it; and then to Epimetheus, or Afterwit, who took it. Rashly opening it, all the miseries flew abroad, and when he hastily closed the lid, only hope remained in the box. And so, they said, every one has hope. You hope to be rich some day, but your hopes wont make you rich unless you take the right way. What a poor, broken, hopeless thing our hope often is! Hugh Miller tells that when his father was drowned at sea, he was a boy five years old. Long after every one else had ceased to hope, the little fellow used to climb, day after day, a grassy knoll, and look wistfully out over the Moray Firth for the sloop with the two stripes of white and the two square topsails. But months and years passed by, and the white stripes and square topsails be never saw. That poor boy looking seaward is a true parable of mankind. Here is a wicked man, who hopes to be saved a last. You hope so and I hope so; but his hopes, and yours, and mine wont help him, unless he leave off his sins and come to the Saviour. The hope of the soul is often the most uncertain thing in the world, for many are content with a hope they dare not examine. But the Christians hope is sure, and never disappoints; for it is just saving faith with its eye full upon a glorious future. The anchor here (including cable and all) stands for everything that links a Christian to Christ, everything that gives heaven a hold on him, and him a hold on heaven. Our anchor is sure and steadfast. God says and swears by Himself, that if you trust in Christ, you shall never perish. But remember you must trust in the living Saviour, not in some dead thing belonging to Him. Our Greek schoolbooks introduce us to the simpleton at sea in a storm. A sailor found him grasping the anchor on deck. The simpleton explained that the anchor was the sign of hope, and that, as he had it in his arms, there was no fear of his drowning. You are no wiser than he if you trust in any sign, or mere hope, or dead word. Hope was not crucified for you, nor were ye baptised in the name of Hope. The hope of our text means the thing hoped for, just as a will means not the parchment but the request.

II. THE FAR END OF THE ANCHOR IN HEAVEN. The sailor casts out his anchor, which rushes through the sea to the bottom out of sight, The source of his safety is hidden from his eyes. And so the Christian casts his anchor up through the unseen, even to the very heart of heaven, the holy of holies in the Temple above. The sailor in a storm seeks a safe anchorage. Some of our sheltered bays, with a stiff clayey bottom, are crowded with vessels in squally weather. As doves to their windows, the sailors flee for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them by their charts: they cast anchor and smile at the storm. It is plain that your hope must anchor in something outside of yourself. Two fishermen at sea were once talking about heavenly things. The one was busied with his frames and feelings, always looking into his own heart, and not unto Christ. His comrade r, plied, Ah, John, you are for anchoring in the hull; you must throw your anchor out. Well spoken; for no refuge or safety can we find in self. And further, earth has no safe anchorage for the soul. Not within, not around, but above lies the firm ground in which you must sink your anchor. Hast thou hope? they asked John Knox, as he lay a dying. He spoke nothing, but raised his finger and pointed upwards, and so died. Yes, our anchor finds holding-ground only in heaven. But heaven is a large place, and there are many things in it, you may say. True, but our hope is fixed not on the things, but on the Person in heaven.

III. THIS END OF THE ANCHOR. Which hope we have, or hold, as an anchor, or anchor-cable. The hope is set before us that we may lay hold upon it. Think here of a boat at anchor, and a boy in it holding the anchor-rope. If he lets go his hold he drifts out to sea. Hold on, you cry to him, and hold on is the apostles appeal to the Hebrews. Look now at that corn-ship of which Paul, though a sickly man of books, and no seaman, is really the captain and the saviour–showing us that the Christian should always be of men the most manly, and of heroes the most heroic. There he stands, calm and erect; tossed, but not drowned. Such is the Christian soul, tranquil amid the wild waves. All the storms of life come to him as they come to other men, but his Christian hope steadies his soul. (James Wells, M. A.)

The anchor of the soul

There is a certain hope which Christian people have: a hope set before us: which is like an anchor: an anchor which has caught firm hold, and which is holding on, somewhere within this veil. The meaning seems to be that the cable from that anchor reaches to us; and we hold on to it. The soul lays hold upon the hope set before us: and then this hope does for the soul what an anchor does for the ship that keeps an unbroken hold of its anchor. This is what the imagery, the comparison in the text means. Well, is it true? I do not ask now, True to our own experience? Put that away just at present. But is it true as a general principle? That is, If a man had laid hold of the hope set before us, would it be like an anchor of the soul? Yes, plainly it would be. The hope of eternal life, of happiness with Christ and all we love in heaven, is well fitted to keep the soul steadfast amid the waves and storms of this world–that is, to do to the soul the anchors part. It will keep the soul from drifting away, or being driven away, by gales or currents, or upon rocks and quicksands near. Think of sorrow: sorrow in its widest sense, including all that makes us sad and unhappy–losses, privations, disappointments, bereavements, pain, sickness, death–the instinctive feeling of our race has discerned in all these the storms and tempests of the world within. Not a wave of trouble; pleasant the prospect, apt the similitude! You remember good Juxons words, as the ill-fated king knelt to the block: One last stage, somewhat turbulent and troublesome, but still a very short one: lifes last brief storm must be gone through. We take the good hope with all that comes with it, and from which it cannot be separated. We take it with the conviction, amid all sorrows, that this is the right way; that it was Christ that led us into them and will lead us through them; that for all this there is a need-he; that it is all for our best good–our sanctification, our weaning from sense and time; that it is educating us for higher and better things than we ever could be fit for without it. Think now of temptation: temptation in the largest sense: everything from within and without that would lead us into sin–that would seek to make us make shipwreck of our souls. It, returns the hope of heaven, and all that is bound up along with the hope of heaven, will hold up against all these. And here there is something especially fit in the similitude of an anchor. For the special business of the anchor is to keep the ship from drifting away. Now there are temptations which come like a sudden blast or squall upon the anchored ship; and there are other temptations which are like an insensible current, drifting away and away. But whether temptation addresses us as the strong single impulse, or as the gently and perpetually gliding current, it is plain that in either case we must have something to hold us up against it: something which shall be to the soul as the anchor that keeps the ship from driving or drifting, and makes it hold its ground. There is but one thing that can be that: only grace from above; the good hope through grace–and all that is implied in having that good hope; the faith, resting simply on a crucified Saviour; the sight of sin, as it is seen in the light from Gethsemane and Calvary: the realising anticipation of all the rest and joy and purity above, which permitted sin would fling away. In discourses founded upon my text, it is a common thing to point out that the good hope which comes of a firm faith is as an anchor of the soul in that it is what will hold up the soul against doctrinal error. St. Paul likens the man, ready to catch up every new idea or crotchet, if attractively put, to one tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine: and the comparison is apt. Now, in these shifting days, no doubt a real personal interest in vital Christian truth–a personal hope through that–is the great anchor that shall keep us in the good old ways, and save us from making shipwreck of our faith. Just a word now of the assurance the text gives us that the anchored hope which is to preserve us steadfast amid the storms of life must have its hold within the veil. That is, to really do us any good, our great daily hope must be of something beyond this life and this world. The hope must take hold within the veil; realise, in some measure, the substantiality of the possessions there which seem so vague and far away to mere sense. Only thus can it serve as an anchor, amid the failing of earthly stays and hopes. And a further thought is suggested by the text. The anchor is not holding on where you might sometimes have uneasy doubts of its holding securely; not amid the waves and storms of this uncertain world; but in the calm within the veil, where our Redeemer, our Forerunner, He who walked first the way which it is appoint-d that we should walk, has entered in; for us entered in; entered in our never-ailing Intercessor, and abides the Remembrancer of His one great atoning sacrifice, our High Priest upon the throne. If He be not with us here, visible King of His Church, ready to resolve many weary questions about it with which we would wish to go to Him, it is because it is better for us He should be there; and meanwhile He has sent the Blessed Spirit to more than fill His place; and His Church is left to pray that it may more and more know Him, and the power of His Resurrection! (A. K. H. Boyd, D. D.)

Hope the anchor of the soul

I. I call your attention, in the first place, to THAT WITHIN THE VEIL, WHICH IS AT ONCE THE GROUND AND THE OBJECT OF THE BELIEVING HOPE OF EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN.

1. A manifestation of God under the new and evangelical relation of God reconciled to His offending creatures.

2. The priesthood of our Saviour.

3. All spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. This refers more particularly to the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the communication of spiritual blessings through Him.

4. In a terse which follows the text there is an expression of great emphasis. Whither, says the apostle, the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus. Well, then, if Christ is the Forerunner, others have followed Him, and have entered within the veil; all the apostles have passed within the veil; all the first disciples, who followed Him through the reproaches and persecutions of the first ages; all, in fact, from that time to the present, who have died in the faith, have gone within the veil of our great Forerunner. Here, indeed, is a scene for hope to fix her steady gaze up m; and when we thus beheld the multitude which no man can number, who keep their eternal Sabbath in that sanctuary above, shall we not be cheered with the songs sung there, and which we hope ourselves one day to learn, and encouraged to pass through the various troubles and exercises of this present state, seeing that the way into the holiest of all is indeed made manifest, and that we may follow those who have entered the veil, and are now in the presence of God?

II. There are PRACTICAL LESSONS which we may learn from this subject.

1. And the first is, the necessity of fleeing for refuge, as the apostle expresses it, to lay hold on the hope thus set before you.

2. Let those who have thus fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before them, feel the duty they owe to others who are still exposed to the danger which themselves have happily escaped.

3. Let those who have entered into this port, and have cast their anchor there, be prepared for storms. (R. Watson.)

Hope the souls anchor

This comparison of hope with an anchor is opposed to common modes of thought and expression. The more natural figure to most minds would be that of a buoy. I apprehend that, where that of the anchor is employed, in nine cases out of ten it is quoted from the Bible without any definite meaning. Yet I do not believe that it was used at haphazard in our text; but it seems to me one of the numerous cases in which a profound wealth of spiritual significance is condensed into a single word of Scripture. All hope is not anchor-like; or, if it be, there are many hopes which are anchors with cables too short to reach the bottom, and which therefore only expose the vessel to quicker, more irregular, and more violent pitches and plunges in the storm-lifted deep. The anchor needs a length of cable sufficient, but not too great; adequate weight; and the adjustment of stock, shank, and flukes, which will most effectually hold the ship to her moorings. These characteristics applied to spiritual things would give us adequate remoteness, vastness, and certainty as the requisite properties of a hope that shall be an anchor to the soul.

I. ADEQUATE REMOTENESS. Remote in point of time we cannot, indeed, pronounce the objects of the Christian hope; for there may be at any moment but a step between us and death. Yet the doe effect of distance is produced in part by the indefiniteness of our term of life here, and in part by our imperfect knowledge of the details of our future condition. The hopeful Christian sees heaven near enough to furnish every possible motive for virtue, fidelity, and spiritual affections, yet not near enough to detach him from the relations in which God would have him conscientiously faithful–from the field of duty of which the Master says, Occupy till I come.

II. Our Christian anchor is of SUFFICIENT WEIGHT. Time presents no attractions that can vie with the promises of eternity. Our conceptions of heaven are enough to more than fill the soul with their fulness, and to outshine all things else by their Divine radiance. The imagery of the New Testament carries fancy on to its utmost limits and up till its pinions can soar no higher. In these boundless and infinite prospects we have more than a counterpoise for whatever might beguile our souls from their high calling and destiny.

III. Our Christian anchor has ITS FIRM HOLD OF CERTAIN AND IMMOVABLE EVIDENCE, Little as we know where or what heaven is, no law of our being is made more sure to us than our immortality. Its evidence is not intuition, surmise, speculation, or longing, but fact which cannot he gainsaid unless we pronounce the whole past a dream and all history a fable. We have the same proof that the dead have risen which we have that countless multitudes have sunk into the death-slumber. The resurrection of Christ is not even an isolated fact of authentic history, but a fact which has left surer traces of its reality, deeper channels of its influence, than any other event that has occurred since the creation of man. It was the initial cause, and the only possible cause, of a series of events and experiences that have been developing themselves for eighteen hundred years. In thus laving intense stress on the historical argument, I forget not the intimations of immortality, the hopeful analogies, he onward pointings, of which nature and life are full. The spring flowers that bloom around the sepulchre of Jesus never wither. Again, there are times when our sculls seem almost conscious of immortality, spring forth into a higher sphere, behold their celestial birthright, and read the words of eternal life in capacities which they have no room to develop here, in longings which earth cannot satisfy, in aspirations that transcend all created good. But weariness, care, or sorrow comes; and then the wings of the spirit droop, its heaven is clouded over, and to him who depends on his own clear intuition all looks dark and desolate. But the Christian thus bowed down stoops to look into the place where the Lord lay, hears the voice of the resurrection angel, and sees, through a cleft in the clouds, the shining path of the ascending Redeemer. We have, then, a hope fitted to be an anchor of the soul and we need it to give us stability equally among the temptations, the duties, and the trials of life.

1. Among its temptations. How close their pressure! How intense their disturbing force! Like the swell of a storm-lifted octan, they break upon our youth, dash against the strength of our maturer years, and burst over the hoary head. Appetite and passion, pride and gain, ease and indolence, how do they essay by turns their single and their combined power upon every soul of man! How do they toss and dash from breaker to breaker, and from shallow to shallow, every unachored spirit! And their hold upon us is as unanchored spirits–through our intense desire of immediate gratification and our detachment from the unseen future. But let me only behold in faith my risen Saviour, and hear from Him those Divine words, Because I live, ye shall live also, then I can cast away the withening wreath from the earthly vine for the amadanthine crown. I can dash from me the cup of sensual gratification, for the water which I may drink and thirst no more for ever. I can tread the rough and steep path, while at every step the celestial city rises clearer and brighter to my view.

2. But we no less need this anchor when we have escaped the temptations which assail the lower nature, and find ourselves on the shoreless sea of duty. Here again the waves lit up their voice. How vest the extent, how complex the demands, how imperative the claims, how earnest the calls of spiritual obligation! How liable we are, even with a quick and tender conscience, to let some of these voices drown others–to select our easy or our favourite departments of duty instead of aiming at entire fidelity–to let waywardness modify principle, and convenience limit obligation! How does the random, errotic course of many who mean to do right and well, resemble that of a ship driven by the wind and tossed on the billows 1 And here our anchor comes into use, to keep us in the moorings where God has placed us. It is earthly breezes–human opinion, fear, and favour–that sway us hither and thither. The consciousness of our immortalityalone can make us firm and resolute, with every real demand of duty before us in its relative claimers and just proportions, with the work given us to do present to the inward vision, and with the whole power of the world to come making its strength perfect in our weakness.

3. We need our anchor among the trials and sorrows which are the lot of all. However calmly the sea of life may roll for a while there are times when the waves and the billows so over us, and the floods lift up their voices around us–times when, if in this life only we have hope, we at ready to pronounce ourselves of all men the most miserable. When the gains of a lifetime are swept away in an hour, and a prime spent in affluence sinks into a needy old age, when, agonised by violent disease, we pass at once from vigorous health into the very jaws of death, or, crippled by chronic infirmity, we drag our limbs after us as a prisoner his chain; when the light of our eyes is quenched, and the voices that made sweet melody in our hearts are silent in the grave: when, as with not a few among us, our dead outnumber our living, and the monuments in the cemetery are more than the olive-plants around our table–we then have encountered griefs beyond the reach of human comforters. They set adrift the soul that has no hold on heaven. They abandon it to empty regrets, fruitless complainings–often to a despondency which can find relief only in the self-forgetfulness of sensual indulgence. They are, in an earthly point of view, intense and unmitigated evils. Yet with the anchor of an immortal hope, how serenely may the Christian outride these storms, and at the very acme of their violence hear the voice which ever says to the a winds and to the waves, Peace! be still! (J. P. Peabody.)

A good anchor

That the soul needs an anchor none will deny. There is scarcely a time in its experience when it does not feel its need of a stay. Even in the harbour the ship is safe only as she is securely moored; and at sea her only chance of safety frequently depends upon her possession of these essential safeguards.

I. WE NEED AN ANCHOR IN PROPORTION TO THE SHIP. A small kedge wall hold a smack, but the best bower is required for others; while some can do with nothing less than the great sheet anchor. Other things being equal, the greater the ship, the larger must be the anchor which is to hold her. But with the utmost possible precaution many a ship has perished. One of Her Majestys ships, the Megaera, was totally lost through the badness of her anchors. One by one, no less then three gave way, and they were obliged to let the vessel drive on to the beach. But if it be important that the ship should be provided with proportionate anchors, how much more important is it that the soul should be well supplied with that which will be adequate to its emergencies! And what will suffice to meet these emergencies? What is there that can meet the requirements of the priceless, never-dying soul? Formalism is wholly inadequate as an anchor of the soul. It may do very well for fine weather, but it will not hold in a gale There is but one good anchor. A good hope through grace alpine can hold thee there, and, blessed be God, that is sufficient. But there are not a few who, to make assurance doubly sure, have zone to yet another quarter, whence they have hoped to obtain an anchor which, together with the first, would be more than sufficient to meet their case. They are hoping that, through their go-d works, they will be enabled to outride the dangers of death and the judgment. The place from whence this article comes is kept by old Legality. Anxious sinner, believe me, It is of faith, that it might be by grace. It is not of works, lest any man should boast. But there are some who, to these two, seek to add even yet another. Their idea seems to be that no one, nor even two anchors, are sufficient. They go off to feeling in order to strengthen the other two. If legality has slain its thousands, feeling has slain its ten thousands. People are foolish to imagine that because they can work themselves up to a certain pitch of religious feeling, that therefore they are saved. It is an anchor that will not hold; nay, it is an anchor that will not even sink.

II. WE NEED AN ANCHORAGE IN PROPORTION TO THE ANCHOR The best anchor in the world will not hold in a bad ground. We can easily imagine that a bad anchorage, like a bad anchor, may do very well for fine weather, but will fail in the storm. We had, I remember, an anchor that had held us well in any weather whenever we had cast it. But one day, being near the shore, we threw it over as usual, and went below to dinner. We had not been there many minutes, however, when the wind freshened, and a sudden squall with heavy rain came whistling through the shrouds. Of course, because our anchor had held us through weather worse than that, we listened with the greatest composure to the music of the storm, and were not a little entertained by it as we proceeded with our meal. But while we had not the least apprehension of danger, we were suddenly aroused by the lurching of the vessel as, dragging her anchor with her, she was being driven from her anchorage, it was no fault of the anchor; it was bad ground. We found our anchor, good as it was, could not get a hold on the indifferent anchorage into which we had cast it. It was well for us that the wind came off the land, for had it come the other way nothing could have saved us from being driven on the shore. As it was, we escaped with a drenching. I need not say that such a contingency can never happen in true spiritual navigation. The anchorage indicated in our text is equal to the anchor. It is that within the veil.

1. The blood-sprinkled mercy-seat. Mercy through Christ is the one ground of the sinners hope, and the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat is the only place at which he may draw near to God.

2. The sinners Great Advocate. What a source of comfort to the convinced sinner! Look at it, anxious heart. Surely, when such an Advocate has undertaken your cause, you can leave it in His hands. Give it up to Him now.

3. The ark of Jehovahs covenant. What an anchorage! Are you conscious of daily shortcomings and oppressed continually with a sense of guilt? You may see here how, always, the sin is covered over, and how Jehovah Himself, as in His Shekinah glory He dwells between the cherubim, sees no spot upon you. As the broken law was hidden in the ark under the blood, so the believing sinner is hidden in Christ. This is our hope! Are you feeling your weakness? As you have to confront the dangers and difficulties of life, do you feel your need of help? The manna here reminds you of His faithfulness, whose name is still Jehovah-Jireh. You cannot look within that sacred ark, and not remember that He has said, As thy days, so shall thy strength be, and My grace is sufficient for thee. Are you in distress because of Gods chastening hand? In the budding rod you may see the type of every sorrow that befalls the saint. It may be a rod, but it is a rod that buds and blossoms, and brings forth fruit.

4. And then, besides all this, we are reminded of the everlasting covenant. What a world of satisfaction we find there! A world, did I say? What a heaven of height, and depth, and breadth, and length of infinite sufficiency is discovered to us there!

III. WE NEED A CABLE PROPORTION TO BOTH. It is not enough to know that you have a good anchorage and a good anchor: you must also be persuaded that you have the God-wrought cable of living faith: By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gilt of God. But though the anchors of feeling, and formality, and legality, and orthodoxy may be, and are, cast cableless into the sea, if you obtain the anchor good hope, the cable of living faith is always possessed with it. For

1. These are ever connected. Faith is the blessed cable which holds the ship here, and the anchor there. As the one strong chain ever vibrates and keeps up a communication between the anchorage and the ship, so faith, while it dwells here in the h art, ever dwells there within the veil.

2. These can never fail. It is quite possible for a man to have an anchor and a cable of the most genuine quality, and yet, through ignorance of their nature, to be all the time in jeopardy; and it is equally possible, through the same kind of ignorance, for a man having an anchor and a cable that are bad, to repose in a false confidence until he is awakened to a terrible discovery of his mistake. Sailors have often ridden out a gale with fear and trembling, expecting every moment to find themselves adrift, while others have been suddenly astonished to find that the anchor upon which they could have staked their lives has actually given out. And these represent two very large classes of people in the religious world. There are thousands who have a good hope, but who fear that it is bad; and there are millions who have a false hope, but who believe that it is good. To show either class their mistake is most difficult. If you try to remind the hypocrite that his hope will perish, the sincere seeker immediately appropriates the warning as intended for himself; while if you endeavour to assure the broken-hearted that the Lord is nigh unto them to save them, the hypocrite will at once claim the comfort as his own. Believe me, sorrowing soul, if you are taking hold of that within the veil–if Christ, and Christ alone, is your trust–if His blood is your plea, and His advocacy is your daily joy, then you have the almighty anchor cast in the all-sufficient anchorage, and you are held by the omnipotent cable of living faith. With these you are safe; disaster is impossible. You must and will ride out every possible change.

3. These ever remain unchanged. It will be a Ideated thing if we can always realise this. Let our hope be sure and steadfast. The cable will sometimes be very much shaken; in all her changes it sill rise and fall with the vessel; but, beloved friends, having taken, let hope keep its hold on that which is within the veil. The strongest cable will tremble, and so will the strongest faith; but the trembling cable holds a sure and steadfast anchor, and that anchor moves not though the chain may shake. (W. H. Burton.)

The anchor of the soul

There are many things which a sailor holds to be essential when he goes out to sea. The captain who should go out to sea without an anchor would be decreed a madman. Life is a restless, unquiet sea, full of trouble and danger. You are the ship, that sail this sea, and are exposed to its changes and storms. Many of you are now just leaving the peaceful harbour of home with all its tender influences, and are putting forth upon the wide and open main. I remember hearing of an infidel who, when laid upon his last bed of sickness, was urged by his godless companions not to show the white feather, but to hold on. What do you think was the answer of the dying man? With a face fuller hopeless dismay, he looked at them and said, How can I hold on when I have nothing to hold by? Ah! he felt the need of a spiritual grapnel, something sure and steadfast to which he could cling. But it is not only in the hour of death we require it; we need it all through life. Let us then have a little talk together about this anchor of the soul.

I. WHAT IS IT MADE OF? You all know what ordinary anchors are made of. In very early times there were no such things known; but large stones with a rope attached to them were used for the purpose. By and by the Greeks began to make them of iron, and their example has been followed by all maritime nations. If anything in the world needs to be robust and reliable it is an anchor, for on its strength hundreds of precious lives may depend. Well, what about our spiritual anchor? Ah! of how much more importance it is that it tie durable, seeing the interests here at stake are everlasting. You cannot afford to run any risks with the soul, for it is more valuable than the whole world. Now, having seen what the anchor of the soul is made of, I want you think of this question.

II. WHY DO YOU NEED IT? Why does a ship need an anchor? To keep it steady, yet say, and save it from being carried away by wind and tide. Oh, how many influences there are around us that put us in danger. Then an anchor is of great value in preventing a ship from drifting. Young converts will soon find themselves in danger of backsliding. When you get out into the world you will find a strong current running dead against you; the influence of irreligious society, and of a spurious charity, will tempt you to abate your zeal, and to give up, one by one, holy practices and vital truths which once were dear to you as life, and you will glide unconsciously back into an easy-going formalism; and then, alas! for your spiritual and eternal interests! Therefore, as St. John says, Look to yourselves, that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. Keep fast hold of your hope in Christ, and you will be able to maintain your ground, Never let go your spiritual anchor and you win successfully resist the strong currents around you. Now we come to the last point.

III. WHERE ARE YOU TO CAST THIS ANCHOR? The same apostle speaks of it entering into that within the veil; and, perhaps, the expression strikes you as a very curious one. Undoubtedly it is not usual to east anchors within curtains or veils. But when you think over it the meaning is clear and beautiful. The meaning of the word veil takes us back to the worship of the ancient Jewish sanctuary. Although the pious Jewish worshipper never entered within that curtain, never saw behind it, yet he knew perfectly what was there; he knew the blessed truth set forth by that mercy-seat, and all his spiritual hope was based upon it. The anchor of his soul entered into that within the veil and took hold of the blood-besprinkled mercy seat of God. Ah! it wont do to throw out your souls anchor upon the mere clemency or indulgence of an amiable God. The anchor must be fixed in the ground God has provided, and nowhere else. It must lay hold on covenant mercy, on nothing less than the finished work of Jesus. Ah! perhaps some of you have as yet got no anchor! You are going forth into the future, with its unknown dangers and storms, and are wholly unprepared! Oh! it is a sad thing to live without God, and without hope in the world. Sir Humphrey Davy, a brilliant and successful man of science of last century, with almost everything that the world could give t, make a man happy, once wrote to a friend, There is but one person I envy upon earth, and that is the men who has a clear and fixed religious belief. Alas! how many all around us who will still lack this. Intelligent and amiable and with much to make them happy, but still dark within. All at sea in very deed as regards spiritual things, and with no anchor to cling to! What are you going to do in the coming storm? To-day the air may be calm and the sky serene; but the clouds are gathering for such a tempest and riot of elements as earth has never seen; and woe betide those who in that hour have no Saviour they can call their own! (J. T. Davidson, D. D,)

Importance of the anchor

During the short naval battle between the Merrimac and the Congress and Cumberland, the anchor of the former, being unprotected, was shot away. Ever afterwards the ironclad battle-ships were constructed so as to include an anchor-well, in which the anchor, when out of the water, might be stowed away in safety. (H. O.Mackey.)

I. LIFE IS A SEA. Two sorts of peril.

A seaside sermon

1. Drift–from routine, custom of society, currents of popular feeling, habits of commerce, &c.

2. Storms–to health, circumstances faith, love.

II. THE SOUL IS A SHIP. Not a rock, nor a waif, but a vessel–capable of progress, and under proper guidance able to reach a right haven.

III. HOPES AND ANCHORS.

1. Common.

2. Manifold.

IV. CHRISTIAN HOPE HIS THE ONLY SUFFICIENT ANCHOR.

1. Fixed on God through Christ.

2. Fastened by chains of faith and love vouchsafed through Christ. (U. R. Thomas.)

The souls only sure refuge

Professor, whose masterly work on the Physical Geography of the Sea, and others of like value, have given him a reputation wherever learning is valued, was a devout, humble-minded Christian. In his youth he had paced the quarter-deck of a man-of-war, in the capacity of midshipman, and long years after, in his dying hour, the scenes of early days came back. He fancied himself in the midst of a storm, when the goodly ship, holding by her anchors, seemed threatened with destruction, even under the shadow of the shore. Turning his languid eye upon his son, who nursed him, he asked, in the language of the ruling passion of his soul, Do I seem to drag my anchors? The answer, They are sure and steadfast, gave him gratifying assurance. After he had been silent for some time, and was Supposed to be speechless, a friend asked how he felt, when he promptly said, All is well! and forthwith left the shores of time for the fairer scenes of the eternal world. This only refuge for the soul is what we should prize above all things else: and the most important question to be settled is whether, or not, we have sought and found it. (J. N. Norton, D. D.)

The anchor of the soul

The apostle had just been speaking of laying hold on the hope set before us, by which he seems to denote the appropriation of those various blessings which have all been procured for us by Christ. And when the apostle proceeds, in the words of our text, to describe this hope as an anchor of the soul we are to understand him as declaring that the expectation of Gods favour and of the glories of heaven, through the atonement and intercession of Christ, is exactly calculated to keep us steadfast and unmoved amid all the tempests of our earthly estate.

1. Now the idea which is immediately suggested by this metaphor of the anchor is that of our being exposed to great moral peril, tossed on rough waters, and in danger of making shipwreck of our faith. And we must be well aware, if at all acquainted with ourselves and our circumstances, that such idea is in every respect accurate, and that the imagery of a tempest-tossed ship, girt about by the rock and the quicksand, as well as beaten by the hurricane, gives no exaggerated picture of the believer in Christ, as opposition, under various forms, labours at his ruin. We first observe that there is great risk of our being carried about, as an apostle expresses it, with every wind of doctrine; and whatever, therefore, tends to the keeping us in the right faith, in spite of gusts of error, must deserve to be characterised as an anchor of the soul. But, we may unhesitatingly declare, that there is a power, the very strongest, in the hope of salvation through Christ, of enabling us to stand firm against the incursions of heresy. The hope presupposes faith in the Saviour; and faith has reasons for the persuasion that Jesus is Gods Son, and able to save to the uttermost; and though the individual is ready enough to probe these reasons, and to bring them to any fitting criterion, it is evident, that where faith has once taken possession, and generated hope, he has so direct and overwhelming an interest in holding fast truth, that it must be more than a specious objection or a well-turned cavil which will prevail to the loosening his grasp. We observe, next, that the believer in Christ is in as much danger of being moved by the trials with which he meets as by attacks upon his faith. But he has a growing consciousness that all things work together for good, and therefore an increasing submissiveness in the season of tribulation, or an ever strengthening adherence to God as to a father. And that which contributes, perhaps more than aught besides, to the producing this adherence, is the hope on which the Christian lays hold. If you study the language of David when in trouble you will find that it was hope by which he was sustained. He describes himself in terms which accurately correspond to the imagery of our text. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy waterspouts; all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me. But when the tempest was thus at its height, and everything seemed to conspire to overwhelm and destroy him, he could yet say, Why art thou cast down, O my soul! and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. It is hope, you observe, to which he turns, as the principle through which the soul might best brave the hurricane. And can we wonder that a hope, such as that of the believer in Christ, should so contribute to the steadfastness of its possessor that the winds may buffet him, and the floods beat against him, and yet he remains firm, like the well-anchored vessel? Is it the loss of property with which he is visited, and which threatens to shake his dependence upon God? Hope whispers that he has in heaven an enduring substance; and he takes joyfully the spoiling of his goods. Is it the loss of friends? He sorrows not even as others which have no hope, but is comforted by the knowledge that them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. Is it sickness–is it the treachery of friends–is it the failure of cherished plans, which hangs the firmament with blackness, and works the waters into fury? None of these things move him; for hope assures him that his light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Is it death which, advancing in its awfulness, would beat down his confidence, and snap his cordage, and send him adrift? His hope is a hope full of immortality: he knows whom he hath believed, and is persuaded that He is able to keep that which he hath committed unto Him against that day. We go on to observe that the Christian is exposed to great varieties of temptation: the passions of an evil nature, and the entirements of a world which lieth in wickedness, conspire to draw him aside from righteousness, and force him back to the habits and scenes which he has professedly abandoned. The danger of spiritual shipwreck would be comparatively small if the sea on which he voyages were swept by no storms but those of sorrow and persecution. The risk is far greater when he is assaulted by the solicitations of his own lusts, and the corrupt affections of his nature are plied with their correspondent objects. And though it too often happens that he is overcome by temptation, we are sure that if he kept hope in exercise he would not be moved by the pleadings of the flesh and the world. Let hope be in vigour, and the Christians mind is fixed on a portion which he can neither measure by his imagination nor be deprived of by his enemies. And now if, at a time such as this, when it may almost be said that he has entered the haven, that he breathes the fragrance, and gazes on the loveliness, and shares the delights of the Paradise of God–he be solicited to the indulgence of a lust, the sacrifice of a principle, or the pursuit of a bauble–can you think the likelihood to be great that he will be mastered by the temptation, that he will return, at the summons of some low passion, from his splendid excursion, and defile himself with the impurities of earth? We can be confident that if hope, the hope set before us in the gospel, be earnestly clung to, there will be no room in the grasp for the glittering toys with which Satan would bribe us to throw away our eternity. And therefore–to bring the matter again under the figure of our text–we can declareof hope that it ministers to Christian steadfastness, when the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, combine to produce wavering and inconstancy.

2. Now, throughout these illustrations we have rather assumed than proved that Christian hope is of a nature widely different from that of any other. But it will be easily seen that we have claimed for it nothing beyond the truth if we examine, the apostles statement in regard of a Christians hope, that it entereth into that within the veil. The allusion is undoubtedly to t, he veil, or curtain, which separated the holy place from the holy of holies in the Temple at Jerusalem. By the holy of holies was typified the scene of Gods immediate presence, into which Christ entered when the days of His humiliation were ended. And hence we understand by the hope, or the anchor, entering within the veil, that, in believing upon Jesus, we fasten ourselves, as it were, to the realities of the invisible world. This throws new and great light on the simile of our text. It appears that the Christian, whilst tossing on a tempestuous sea, is fast bound to another scene of being, and that, whilst the vessel is on the waters of time, the anchor is on the rock of eternity. Within the veil are laid up joys and possessions which are more than commensurate with mens capacities for happiness when stretched to the utmost. Within the veil is a glory such as was never proposed by ambition in its most daring flight; and a wealth such as never passed before avarice in its most golden dreams; and delights such as imagination, when employed in delineating the most exquisite pleasures, hath never been able to array. And Jet hope fasten on this glory, this wealth, these delights, and presently the soul, as though she felt that the objects of desire were as ample as herself, acquires a fixedness of purpose, a steadiness of aim, a combination of energies, which contrast strangely with the inconstancy, the vacillation, the distraction, which have made her hitherto the sport of every wind and every wave. The object of hope being immeasurable, inexhaustible, hope clings to this object with a tenacity which it cannot manifest when grasping only the insignificant and unsubstantial; and thus the soul is bound, we might almost say indissolubly, to the unchangeable realities of the inheritance of the saints. And can you marvel if, with her anchor thus dropped within the veil, she is not to be driven from her course by the wildest of the storms which yet rage without? Besides, within the veil is an Intercessor whose pleadings insure that these objects of hope shall be finally attained. (H. Melvill, B. D.)

Entereth into that within the veil

Hope entering within the veil

I. LET US REGARD THE NECESSITY FOR THIS HOPE. We have to show here that there are difficulties which render Christian endurance an impossibility, apart from the sustaining power of a hope that enters within the veil.

1. There is a veil over the spiritual world. By the spiritual world I mean all the unseen realities which surround us now. He who is in the highest sense spiritual, feels the world to be a Divine temple, because he realises God in it–His infinite presence shining from the deep sky above, and His love revealed in every flower. To him Christ is everywhere, hallowing, as of old, the relationships of life, and colouring by His sympathy its struggles and its sorrows. He can reverence men, not because they are rich, or successful, or powerful, but because they are living and immortal spirits; and his standard of life is not the expedient, or the pleasurable, or the popular–but the righteousness, the truth, the love of the eternal world. Still, that world is veiled: only the eye of a strong faith can see its beauty. We are so encircled and enchained by the fleshly and material, that we can only clearly realise the eternal in moments of meditation or prayer; while the transient presses incessantly upon us, and by its strong glare absorbs us–while passion, with its coloured light, blinds the vision of the soul. Is it not evident, then, that to be faithful to thy end demands a hope that enters within the folded veil which hides from us the spiritual world?

2. There is a veil over the discipline of life. Indeed, the meaning of human life generally is profoundly veiled. Here we have often to sow in tears while the reaping is veiled–just as in the natural world we cast the seed into the ground in utter ignorance of the manner in which it will he quickened into life. The sowing is seen, the leaping may be believed in, but the connection between the two is concealed. The sower must trust to the dark laws of nature. He cannot see the marvellous forces that cause the seed to germinate; the mysterious influences of winter snows and summer rains; the silent electric currents by which the sowing is linked to the harvest that will wave in golden glory beneath the autumnal sky. So in spiritual life. We have to live for eternity. We have to work in faith. We feel the effort, realise the duty, see the thing to be done, but the laws which cause our toil to bear fruit are as hidden and mysterious as the laws of natural life. If, then, we could not rest on a hope which enters within the veil, and in its strength believe in the certainty of the harvest, how could we be steadfast to the end?

3. There is a veil over the heaven of the future. I know of course there is a veil over its employments, relationships, locality–which how earnestly we long to pierce! But here a great problem meets us. Taking the Scripture teaching that this life is the germ of the future life; that its present discipline is but the prelude to that exceeding weight of glory; that this is but the bud of which the future life will be the flower, how is this earthly life to develop into the blessed life of heaven? But here comes in the hope which enterets within the veil. Just as in the natural world the inscrutable activities which darken the seed-time, and create the fear of the seeds failure, do yet mature its fruitage; so in the spiritual life the Divine law of growth is at work, though it may be hidden from us. Our life here must be imperfect, because we live for eternity, and God is causing our life and work to move on an eternal scale. We, in this time world see but the minute commencement of that which reaches on into the everlasting. Every true effort must have its completion.

II. But the practical question meets us–HOW CAN THIS HOPE, AS A POWER IN LIFE, RE ATTAINED? The words following our text give us the reply–Whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever. They suggest

1. Faith in Christ our Priest. Without that we should tremble at the drawing aside of the veil. Like the high priest of old we must be sprinkled with atoning blood before our hope can enter within it.

2. We must have fellowship with Christ our Forerunner. Dont let this become a vague idea, it leas a meaning for us which is intensely real. Remember that He is our example, inasmuch as He is a High Priest who is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, having been tempted in all points even as we are. Remember how He struggled against temptation–how He met it by instant, unconquerable resistance, arid then angels came and ministered unto Him. So with us. After Christ like conflict we become

more than conquerors through Him that loved us, and are strengthened with angelic hopes. (E. L. Hull, R. A.)

Within the veil

There in the temple, in the day of the old Hebrew service, there hung the veil, heavy, gorgeous, mysterious itself, and in its fabrication concealing mystery; made and suspended after the pattern given in the mount. Very glorious was the embroidery of that impressive symbol, the purple, the blue, the scarlet, inwrought with the fine twined linen, and the forms of the golden cherubim spread over the richly coloured vesture (Exo 26:31-32). Thus, behind the veil, lay enshrined all the gorgeous symbols and heraldries of the Jewish history and faiths; the veil concealed their splendours, and defended their beauty–it was a parable and a mystery.

I. WHAT WAS THAT VEIL, AND WHAT DID IT SAY TO THOSE WHO BOWED PROSTRATE BEFORE IT, AND WHAT DRIES IT SAY TO US NOW? When the Jew bowed there, and heard from behind the veil the sound of the bells upon the beautiful vestments of the priest, and heard the echo of feet moving to and fro, and saw the priest stepping in whither he could not follow, lifting that veil, entering that door; what think you were the feelings of the ancient Jew? what did it all say to him? This was what it said, Separated, separated! cut off from holiness; cut off from God. That was what it said, and the echo within the heart of the Jew said, Separated, separated. What do you feel, and what are you able to realise now? What is that veil to us? What says the apostle? The veil, that is to say, His flesh. Behold that broken body, behold that pierced side; this is the worlds great wonder, and the churchs too. That is the tree veil. It is sinful humanity which hangs between our happiness and God. It is our human nature which cannot go up into the holy of holies. Christ took up that infirm, sinful human nature, bore it, lived in it, died in it, and resumed it after He had laid it down. He took it again, glorified it, and by it broke down the middle wall of partition contained in ordinances, and by Himself made one new man, so making peace. I look down to my nature, laden with sin, and I despair; I look up to Christs nature, and rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, receiving the end of my faith, even the salvation of my soul. I look down to my nature, and I see my helplessness; I look up to Christs nature, and see my hope. I look down to my nature, and see my sin; I look up to His, and see His holiness, and I know it is mine. That veil which separated me from God, becomes now the fine linen which is the righteousness of the saints, in which I approach him, and say, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, and with the garments of salvation.

II. And now, WHAT IS WITHIN THE VEIL, WHAT DOES MY TEXT OR CONTEXT FIND?

1. And lift up thine heart, Christian; lilt it up, for IT is there–the immutable and the unchangeable will. We need strong consolation, and the apostle fetches the strong consolation for the heirs of promise from behind the veil. Surely I need not detain you by so trite a remark as that we stand in the midst of mystery. The day breaks, and the shadows flee away, where we understand the body of our Lord, where we pass through that sacred veil. There is a life not to be accounted for by human conditions, and time, and space. His will is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, immutable! Hence, within the veil, is Gods Divine map; there is the plan to Him all known, and clearly seen; infinite consciousness, and prescience, provision, and providence–this is the everlasting and unchangeable God.

2. Within the veil. Who is within the veil? He is there. Do you find it difficult to realise it? Do you find it difficult to send your heart to Him, and to see Him? But where is He but there? Where should He be but there? Yet a little while, said He, and the world sooth Me no more, but ye see Me, and because I live, ye shall live also. Dying saints have seen Him. Yes, He lived, He died, He rose to be revived, and He is there waiting till He shall come without sin unto salvation.

3. Within the veil. What is there P They are there, they are there. The loved but not the lost; why, then, their loss deplore? They are there, the holy, and the immortal, and the pure, and the true. They are there! Beyond the flesh. Where should the dying members rest? All mystery supposes a solution of the riddle; they are beyond the enigma. All is plain now within the veil.

III. SEEING, THEN, IT IS SO, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT WE TO BE? Such is the plea of the apostle. All this veil must be dissolved. They can hear us and see us, even behind the curtain. Therefore believe, and wait, and rejoice, and aspire. Within the veil! Are not these comfortable words? Within the veil! Even now has not the darkness passed? Is it not true that the true light now shineth beyond the veil? Henry IV. was told of the king of Spain that he had great acquisitions, and was asked what he had to say to it? He replied, I am king of France: but he is king of Castile; I am king of France: but he is king of Navarre; I am king of Franc: but he is king of Portugal; but I am king of France: He is king of the Sicilies; but I am king of France: he is king of the New Indies; but I am king of France. To he king of France answered all questions, and was to him equal to all. So thou and I, oh, Christian, have an answer for all questions, and equal to all, within the veil. Your church is imperfect and erring, and small in the worlds esteem. Ah, but within the veil! You are yourself dark and cloudy, and desponding, and you cannot see the promised land or the Saviour. Yes, but within the veil! And as with the world, so with your family; death invades and breaths in on your household, and your household loves. True, but within the veil. And sin accuses you, and conscience stings, and beyond is the judgment-seat. But within the veil. (E. P. Hood.)

Anchored within the veil

I. What is this soul of ours? Always like a barque, tossed about and sure to drift and drift, on shoals and on rocks. What a bitter picture is the history of this soul of ours! All unstable, and never continuing long in one strain; with no power of itself to help itself.

II. And WHERE is it? In an ocean? And all the while that soul is so rich an argosy, laden with treasures which cannot be told; bought at the highest possible price, carrying in it an eternity into the very presence of God.

III. WHAT, THEN, DO WE WANT? An anchor. An anchor which is sure to be steadfast.

IV. Now look at SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS WONDERFUL CONNECTION OF THE SOUL WITH THAT ANCHOR WITHIN THE VEIL,

1. And first, how perfectly safe that soul must be. Gods eternal counsel, Gods very being, and Gods oath passing into Christ. A Christ unseen; wearing a body Himself in heaven; who secures and seals your pardon. Your strength, your peace, your life, your glory.

2. Then how restful should your soul so anchored be! What mean all these doubts and fears? What though you be tossed about, you are held as by chains of adamant, and your soul shall never perish! You cannot be lost! There cannot be any shipwreck to a soul that is anchored within the veil.

3. And by that token that you are anchored, you cannot be very far from shore. You may not see the land of promise; you may not yet hear the songs of its inhabitants; but there is no anchorage out in the mid-sea, you must be near the coast, nearer perhaps than you guess now, in this dark night; but you will be surprised to find how close you are all the while when the morning breaks. Therefore you must make haste to be ready to go ashore, for the voyage may be nearly done, and you only wait the order to step out, and be at home.

4. Meanwhile, remember this, a ship always drops towards her anchor. And before you land you must be nearing and nearing Christ and heaven: your thoughts there, your focus there, your tastes and your desires there; and your hope must become more real and more perfect every day. There must be more realisation of the land you are about to touch; more affections there; more appreciation of its loveliness; more familiarity with its language, and love, and praise. You must be practising what you will have to do when you arrive. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

The nearness of heaven

The nearness of heaven is suggested by the epithet veil. A veil is the thinnest and frailest of all conceivable partitions. It is but a fine tissue, a delicate fabric of embroidery. It waves in the wind; the touch of a child may stir it; an accident may rend it; the silent action of time will moulder it away. A mere cord breaking, a mere socket of silver starting from its place would have opened the veil of the temple. It was lifted up by the priest once in the circuit of a year; and at the crucifixion it was parted by an invisible hand. The veil that conceals heaven is only our embodied existence, and though fearfully and wonderfully made, it is only wrought out of our frail mortality. So slight is it that the puncture of a thorn, the touch of an insects sting, the breath of an infected atmosphere, may make it shake and fall. In a bound, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, in the throb of a pulse, in the flash of a thought, we may start into disembodied spirits, glide unabashed into the company of great and mighty angels, pass into the light and amazement of eternity, know the great seer, t, gaze upon splendours which flesh and blood could not sustain, and which no words lawful for man to utter could describe! (C. Stanford, D. D.)

The Forerunner is for us entered

The Forerunner

I. There is A PLACE referred to, here. Within the veil is heaven, the shrine and dwelling-place of Deity. This is the goal of the believers sanctified ambition, the very consummation of his best and holiest desires–to enter in within the veil, to gaze on the unclouded glories of Jehovahsface, and dwell forever with Him.

II. There is THE PERSON who has entered within the veil, even Jesus, by whom an entrance has been effected. To tell one of any one of my fellow-men, who has passed from earth to heaven, does not that proclaim that a way has been opened up into the holiest of all; that there is no impassable gulf, no insuperable barrier in the way, but that an entrance may in like manner be ministered to a great multitude? How much more so, that it is Jesus who has entered in! For none ever loved us like Jesus; never heart glowed and yearned like the heart of Jesus; and we may well feel assured that wherever He is, He will never forget us; and that He will be found just as willing to help us in heaven as He showed Himself to be walling to help us on earth.

III. There is THE CHARACTER HE SUSTAINS in thus entering; it is as a Forerunner for us. This character is not personal, but official and mediatorial; and therefore it exerts a pregnant influence upon all His people.

1. As a Forerunner He announces our future arrival in heaven. He makes it known that in coming up from this dim and distant region, where for a season He had dwelt, He comes as a pioneer on the march,–that His footsteps will be followed by myriads of the ransomed, so that from that day forward all heaven has been in an attitude of expectation.

2. As the Forerunner He takes possession of heaven on our behalf; for He enters in our nature and in our name.

3. As a Forerunner He bids His people welcome when they come, and presents them before His Father, and assigns them their position in the new Jerusalem. It is enough to insure to us no ordinary place in the affection and regard of the unfallen, to find that we are ushered in and welcomed there as friends of Jesus; to sustain a right relation t- Jesus is to stand right with all the upper universe of God. Above all, what a gracious reception will it insure to us from God the Father! None so dear to God as Jesus, and next to Jesus none so dear to Him as those who are His. (Thee. Main, D. D.)

Christ our Forerunner within the veil

The expression, Forerunner, here made use of by the apostle, is a military one, and refers to the custom which obtains in days of warfare, of the victor in a hard-fought battle despatching a messenger to the seat of government with the news of the successful valour which the army had displayed, that at head-quarters the welcome intelligence might be proclaimed, and purposes formed, and plans executed, and honours awarded, that might be meet and congruous with the happy results which had been achieved. No doubt, on such an occasion, a forerunner is generally inferior to those who come after him, under whose skilful management tee victorious prowess has been put forth; and he is so because he is a forerunner, and nothing more. Thus restricted, however, the term has no meaning when applied to Jesus Christ; for though He be the Forerunner of His people, yet the splendour of His character in this respect is to be traced to the circumstance that He is much more. Upon His shoulders was laid the conducting of that matter, on account of which He is now entered as a Precursor within the veil. He fought the battle; He slew the enmity; and He was Himself the Forerunner, because of the greatness of that which He had accomplished, and because it was not fit either that the enunciation, or the following of it up, should be committed to another.

I. CHRIST IS OUR FORERUNNER ENTERED IN WITHIN THE VEIL. We have several notices given to us in Scripture that the scheme of human redemption did ever excite great interest among the heavenly inhabitants–that it is a subject on which their curiosity is awakened, and their emotions roused, and their inquiries set on foot–that its commencement, its progress, its consummation, are apprehended as important, and felt as attractive, and worthy of the most solicitous investigation. Now, this desire was gratified on Christs visible departure out of the world, in the form of a literal ascent–on His entrance within the veil as the Forerunner of His people; and this is the first view that we may take of His character in this respect. He went into heaven proclaiming what He had done upon earth–that He had finished transgression–that He had made an end of sin–that He had brought in an everlasting righteousness–that He had sealed up the vision and the prophecy which did centre in Him–that, having sustained the pressure of avenging justice, He opened up a medium of access, a door even to the most rebellious–that, by virtue of His blood, He had obtained remission for sinners, paid the price of redemption for those who were captives, made reconciliation for enemies–that, in harmony with Gods attributes, and even while He did conserve the sacredness of His law, He had redeemed, from the power of all who did hate her, the Church whom He had eternally chosen–that he had delivered her from the dominion of sin, from the final dominion of death, and made that which was the fruit and punishment of transgression the door through which she enters on the sanctuary of immortality. Such is the intelligence with which Christ, as our Forerunner, has entered into that within the veil. And the very act of His going up did presuppose and ratify to them the most important truths, that He led captivity captive, just because He had ascended up on high. But again, our Lord has entered as a Forerunner within the veil, and there Be ever liveth. Now, there is a threefold life which Christ lives above. There is a life which He has as the Eternal Son of God, the life which belongs to His Divine nature; for as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself–given it to Him by eternal generation–given it to Him by communicating all His own attributes. There is also a life which belongs to Him, and which He doth live for Himself, in consequence of His having become man–a life of glory inconceivable in His nature as man. But, over and above these two different kinds of life which the Lord Jesus Christ doth enjoy, and which shall never come to an end, there is a life which He leads as Mediator in heaven, and in respect of which it is that He is a Forerunner within the veil. Though removed beyond the cognisance of the senses, He is still carrying on His great work in heaven, and is there the Prophet, Priest, and King of His Church as really and as effectively as when He dwelt upon earth. He died on our account, He liveth still on our account, and is entrusted with all power for the service of His Church; and though this life differs not essentially from that life of glory in His human nature which He liveth for Himself, it yet so far differs from it that it shall one day have an end. He will throughout eternity enjoy the life which He possesses as a Divine Being, He will throughout eternity e-joy the life which He possesses in His glorified human nature; but His life as Mediator, His life as a Forerunner, He shall cease to have when the work of His mediation shall have been finished, when the elect shall all have been gathered into the fold of the Good Shepherd, and the kingdom delivered up to God, even the Father. And what is it that, in this view of His character as a Forerunner, He is not fitted to procure? Are we not to trace to it all the gifts which are bestowed on the Church in general, for common edification, and on each member of it singly, for His particular benefit?

II. LESSONS in which this great truth is fitted to instruct us:

1. This view of Christs character is a proof of the perfection of His atonement. Can it for one moment be imagined that He should in this manner have been taken up, had there been any defect in His redeeming work, bad it come short in anything which the fitness of a righteous Government could require.

2. A forerunner, one who goes before, suggests the idea of some who are to follow after. (John Paul.)

The Forerunner

The forerunner of the ancient ship was the Anehorarius, the man who had charge of the anchor, and who carried it within the harbour, when there was not yet water sufficient to float the ship into it. (C. Stanford, D. D.)

Christ going before to heaven

1. Is Christ gone before to heaven? Then let us be willing to follow Him in the way of obedience, and in the way of suffering, as well as to meet Him in the end.

2. To make haste after Him. Did He fly as an eagle towards heaven, and shall we creep like a snail? Is not the bosom of Christ more desirable than the arms of our dearest friends? Shall we not enjoy all comforts in the enjoyment of our Comforter?

3. Let our hearts at present be with Him. Oh[ where should our hearts be, but where our Head is? (W. Burkitt, M. A.)

Our Forerunner

I. Though parted from us, and taken up into heaven, we contemplate JESUS CHRIST AS THE HEAD OF THE GREAT SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM–AS THE ORIGINAL AND FINAL PRIEST–AND AS THE ALONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN.

II. WE ARE TO CONTEMPLATE JESUS IN HIS REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY. He is a public person. He is a federal head of all mankind.

III. CHRISTS PREPARATIVE RELATION. A representative takes the position of those who send him, and thereby excludes all others from the same place. It is not so with Christ; for He sustains an endearing relation to us, by virtue of which we are at the last to be with Him. This is indicated by the term forerunner. His presence on high is not to the exclusion of His people, but as a preparation and intimation of their final reception there. He is the first-born among many brethren; and He is not ashamed to call them brethren. (R. M. Wilcox.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 17. The heirs of promise] All the believing posterity of Abraham, and the nations of the earth or Gentiles in general.

The immutability of his counsel] His unchangeable purpose, to call the Gentiles to salvation by Jesus Christ; to justify every penitent by faith; to accept faith in Christ for justification in place of personal righteousness; and finally to bring every persevering believer, whether Jew or Gentile, to eternal glory.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The apostle having stated the nature of an oath in the antecedent, subjoins and applies it in a consequent, in which he shows that God sware to this end, that his own counsel might appear to be immutable, and the consolation of believers greater.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show; E , in which matter or case, viz. Gods act of promise and oath to Abraham, it was not limited to his person, but to all his believing seed, Rom 4:23,24. Out of his own mere grace and free-will, his goodness and affection to them, without any consideration in them moving him; but his free, unexpected, as undeserved mercy, did first reveal, then promise, then swear. What more could he do? How liberal and abundant is his love in these overflowing discoveries of it! So to reveal and make known his gracious thoughts, making them manifest, perspicuous, and glorious, when none was privy to them, nor could reveal them, but himself.

Unto the heirs of promise; the seed of Abrahams faith, all true believers, whom God had made children and heirs by promise, as Isaac, Gal 3:22,26,29; 4:26-28; joint-heirs with Christ, Rom 8:17. These alone did God intend to secure, and make certain of their salvation.

The immutability of his counsel: Gods unchangeableness in his will and decree, as in himself, excludes all hesitation, alteration, or transposition of what it was from eternity; God did never, will never, change one iota or tittle of his eternal will and decree of saving, perfecting, and gathering into one penitent believers, by the promised Seed Jesus Christ; which he did reveal to the world, and without which manifestation a believer could have no comfort, and without its immutability, not any lasting and permanent comfort.

Confirmed it by an oath: is proper for a mediator, one who cometh in between two parties as a surety; and so is justly applicable to God the Son, who interposeth between God the Father promising, and believers to whom the promise is made as heirs, as a Surety engaging to see his Fathers promise made good to his seed; and therefore confirms it to them with an oath, that they might know the promise was immutable, and should be punctually fulfilled; by which means he removes all doubts, fears, and jealousies about it from them. If they will believe men who swear, how much more ought they to do so, and rest satisfied, with the oath of the Mediator!

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

17. Whereinthat is, Whichbeing the case among men, God, in accommodation to their mannerof confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath:the “TWO immutablethings” (Heb 6:18).

willing . . . counselGreek,“willing . . . will“; words akin. Expressing theutmost benignity [BENGEL].

more abundantlythanhad He not sworn. His word would have been amply enough; but, to makeassurance doubly sure, He “interposed with an oath” (so theGreek). Literally, He acted as Mediator, coming betweenHimself and us; as if He were less, while He swears, than Himself bywhom He swears (for the less among men usually swear by the greater).Dost thou not yet believe, thou that hearest the promise? [BENGEL].

heirs of promisenotonly Abraham’s literal, but also his spiritual, seed (Ga3:29).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Wherein God, willing,…. Or “wherefore”, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it; that is, whereas an oath is used among men to confirm anything that might be doubted; therefore God, in condescension to the weakness of men, made use of one; being very desirous and determined,

more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel; by which is meant, not the Gospel nor the ordinances of it, though these are sometimes called the counsel of God; but the decree of God, concerning the salvation of his people by Jesus Christ, which is immutable; as appears from the unchangeableness of his nature, the sovereignty of his will, the unsearchableness of his wisdom, the omnipotence of his arm, and the unconditionality of the thing decreed, and from that and the purpose of it being in Christ: and the immutability of this, God was willing to show “more abundantly” than in other purposes, though all God’s purposes are unchangeable; or than had been shown to the Old Testament saints; and more than was necessary, had it not been for man’s weakness: even to “the heirs of promise”; not any earthly temporal promise, but the promise of grace and glory; the promise of eternal life; the heirs of which are not only Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or God’s elect among the Jews, but all that are Christ’s; who are justified by his righteousness, believe in him, and are the children of God; for as many as are such are heirs of eternal glory, and of the promise of it: and that the unchangeableness of God’s purpose in saving them by Christ might be manifest to them, and be out of all doubt, he “confirmed it by an oath”; his counsel and purpose; he not only determined in his mind that he would save them, and promised it in his covenant; but he also, to confirm it the more to the persons concerned in it, if possible, annexed his oath to it; or “he interposed or acted the part of a Mediator by an oath”; which some refer to Christ’s mediation between God and Abraham, when he swore unto him, as before observed; but rather it expresses the interposition of the oath between God’s purpose and promise, and man’s weakness: God did as it were bind himself by his oath, or lay himself under obligation, or become a surety, for the fulfilment of his purpose and promise; which shows the super-abounding grace of God, the weakness of man, and what reason the heirs of promise have to believe.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

To shew (). First aorist active infinitive of , to show in addition (–) to his promise “more abundantly” ().

The immutability of his counsel ( ). Late compound verbal neuter singular (alpha privative and , to change), “the unchangeableness of his will.”

Interposed (). First aorist active indicative of , late verb from , mediator (Heb 8:6), to act as mediator or sponsor or surety, intransitively to pledge one’s self as surety, here only in the N.T.

With an oath (). Instrumental case of (from , an enclosure), Matt 14:7; Matt 14:9.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Wherein [ ] . Referring to the whole previous clause. In accordance with this universal human custom.

Willing [] . Rend. being minded. See on Mt 1:19. The immutability [ ] . The adjective used substantively. Only here and ver. 18.

Confirmed [] . Rend. interposed or mediated. Comp. mesithv mediator. From mesov midst. Placed himself between himself and the heritors of the promise.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “Wherein God, willing more abundantly,” (en ho perissoteron boulomenos ho theos) “In which God, resolving more abundantly,” on which principle, in keeping with human custom, God was willing to condescend to men’s customs of certifying the truthfulness of his promise to Abraham and to his seed, 2Pe 3:9.

2) “To shew unto the heirs of promise,” (epideiksai tois kleronomos tes epangelias) “To show to or toward the heirs of the promise,” Isaac and Jacob and their children after them, Heb 11:9.

3) “The immutability of his counsel,” (to ametatheton tes boules autou) “The unchangeableness of his resolve,” the unalterableness of his resolve,” the unalterableness of his purpose, in sending the redeemer thru Abraham’s natural seed and saving those who would accept his Gospel by faith as Abraham, the father of us all did. Gal 3:7-8; Gen 15:6; Rom 4:16; Eph 1:11.

4) “Confirmed it by an oath,” (emesiteusen horko) “Interposed by an oath,” interposed himself, as if condescending to put himself under oath, that men might be without excuse to accept the truth of the promise, Heb 6:16; Gen 22:16-18; Rom 2:1.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

17. God, willing, etc. See how kindly God as a gracious Father accommodates himself to our slowness to believe; as he sees that we rest not on his simple word, that he might more fully impress it on our hearts he adds an oath. Hence also it appears how much it concerns us to know that there is such a certainty respecting his goodwill towards us, that there is no longer any occasion for wavering or for trembling. For when God forbids his name to be taken in vain or on a slight occasion, and denounces the severest vengeance on all who rashly abuse it, when he commands reverence to be rendered to his majesty, he thus teaches us that he holds his name in the highest esteem and honor. The certainty of salvation is then a necessary thing; for he who forbids to swear without reason has been pleased to swear for the sake of rendering it certain. And we may hence also conclude what great account he makes of our salvation; for in order to secure it, he not only pardons our unbelief, but giving up as it were his own right, and yielding to us far more than what we could claim, he kindly provides a remedy for it.

Unto the heirs of promise, etc. He seems especially to point out the Jews; for though the heirship came at length to the Gentiles, yet the former were the first lawful heirs, and the latter, being aliens, were made the second heirs, and that beyond the right of nature. So Peter, addressing the Jews in his first sermon, says,

“

To you and to your children is the promise made, and to those who are afar of, whom the Lord shall call.” (Act 2:39.)

He left indeed a place for adventitious heirs, but he sets the Jews in the first rank, according to what he also says in the third chapter, “Ye are the children of the fathers and of the covenant,” etc. (Act 3:25.) So also in this place the Apostle, in order to make the Jews more ready to receive the covenant, shows that it was for their sakes chiefly it was confirmed by an oath. At the same time this declaration belongs at this day to us also, for we have entered into the place quitted by them through unbelief

Observe that what is testified to us in the Gospel is called the counsel of God, that no one may doubt but that this truth proceeds from the very inmost thoughts of God. Believers ought therefore to be fully persuaded that whenever they hear the voice of the Gospel, the secret counsel of God, which lay hid in him, is proclaimed to them, and that hence is made known to them what he has decreed respecting our salvation before the creation of the world.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(17) Wherein.Since this is the case.

Of promise.Rather, of the promise. The promise made to Abraham was substantially and really (see Heb. 6:13) that which embraced all Messianic hope; of this promise not Abrahams sons only, but all they which are of faith (Gal. 3:7; Gal. 3:29), Abrahams spiritual seed, are the heirs. In an Epistle so distinctly Pauline there can be no doubt as to this interpretation.

Confirmed it by an oath.Literally, mediated with an oath. When a man confirms a promise or declaration to another by solemn appeal to God, between the two God is Mediator. Condescending to mans weakness, that the certainty may be more abundant, God. thus confirms His word, at once the Promiser and the Mediator: God the Promiser (if we may so speak) makes appeal to God the Hearer and Witness of the oath. We cannot doubt, as we read this whole passage, that there is a special reason for the emphasis thus laid on Gods oath to Abraham. The writer dwells on this confirmation of the divine word of promise, not merely because it is the first recorded in sacred history, but because he has in thought the declaration of Psa. 110:4. To this as yet he makes no reference; though he has quoted from the verse repeatedly, it has been without mention of the divine oath: but throughout the section before us he is preparing the way for his later argument in Heb. 7:21.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

17. Wherein In which transaction; namely, with Abraham.

Confirmed it Greek, mediated, or interposed as a mediator in taking the oath. For the person sworn by is a middle man, a third intermediate person, between the parties. He is a high arbitrator solemnly called in between the two empowered to witness and punish the perjurer. God, then, performs a double part; he is swearer and sworn by, party and mediator.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath,’

And that is why, when God determined to show in the most certain manner to those who were the heirs of promise the unchangeableness of what He had determined to do, He did it by means of an oath in order to demonstrate that there was no way in which He would alter what He had determined.

The impression given here is that those heirs of promise were already fixed and determined in the mind of God, and that His oath was being made to them as well as to Abraham. He was speaking to them as much as to Abraham. Those who are His now can look back and see themselves as there in Abraham, receiving the promise. And that is why they can have full assurance of God’s faithfulness to them.

‘The immutability of His counsel.’ He wanted all to know that what He had determined to do He would do, that what He promised He would perform, because it was His unchangeable will. Thus do we recognise that it was not left to chance, or to the will of man, but was determined by God in every detail.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Heb 6:17. Wherein Wherefore, or therefore: on which account. The word rendered confirmed, , signifies properly, as in the margin, interposed; and so it is rendered in many versions.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Heb 6:17 . ] Upon the basis of which fact, i.e. in accordance with this human custom, as one valid among men. , namely, refers back to the whole contents of Heb 6:16 (not merely to ), and coheres not with (Seb. Schmidt, Braun, Rambach, Hofmann, al .), nor yet with the whole clause following (Delitzsch, Alford), but with .

] is to be taken along with . It does not, however, signify unto redundancy , since this was not at all required (Beza, Schlichting, Seb. Schmidt, Carpzov, Storr, Klee, and others), but: so much the more , or: more emphatically , than would have been done by the mere imparting of the promise.

] to the heirs of the promise . By the , Grotius, Owen, Bleek, Stein, de Wette, Bisping, Delitzsch, Maier, Moll, Kurtz, and others understand the patriarchs as well as all believers ; Tholuck and others, only the Old Testament saints ; Morus even (notwithstanding the plural), only Abraham ; Calvin, the Jews . But, as is clearly apparent from the elucidatory , Heb 6:18 , only the Christians can be meant.

] the unalterableness of His decree , namely, to make all believers blessed through the seed of Abraham. Arbitrarily, because to the violent setting aside of the nearest circle of thought furnished by the context itself, Abresch (and similarly Michaelis, Storr, and Delitzsch): “crediderim, non juratam eam promissionem spectari, quam Abrahamo factam in superioribus dixerat, sed illud nominatim jusjurandum, quo Christus sit pontifex creatus ad Melchisedeci rationem” (Psa 110:4 ). Neither Heb 6:20 , nor Heb 7:1 ff., nor Heb 7:20-21 ; Heb 7:28 , nor Heb 5:10 , contains a justification of this view.

The substantively employed adjective brings out the idea of the unchangeableness, about the accentuation of which the author was here principally concerned, more emphatically than if had been written.

in the N. T. only here and at Heb 6:18 .

] He came forward, as an intervening person, with an oath . As an intermediate person, sc . between Himself and Abraham. Men swear by God, because He is higher than they. Thus, in the case of an oath among men, God is the higher middle person [so , Josephus, Antiq. iv. 6. 7], or the higher surety, for the fulfilment of the promise. But when God takes an oath He can only swear by Himself, since there is no higher one above Him, and thus only Himself undertakes the part of the surety or middle person. , in the N. T. only here, is employed transitively and intransitively; in the latter sense here. It is taken transitively by Oecumenius, who supplements ; and Bhme, who supplements .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 2294
THE CITY OF REFUGE

Heb 6:17-18. God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

THE multiplying of oaths is a dreadful snare to the consciences of men; and a light method of administering and of taking them is amongst the most heinous of our national sins. But they run to a contrary extreme who affirm all oaths to be sinful: on many occasions they were prescribed to the Jews by God himself: the most eminent saints also, under the Christian dispensation, as well as under that of the Jews, have, on many occasions, appealed in the most solemn manner unto God. In the passage before us God sanctions the use of oaths in concerns which are of great moment, and which cannot be settled in any other way. We are even assured that God himself has condescended to adopt this very method of confirming and establishing the minds of his people. From the Apostles account of this astonishing transaction, we shall be led to consider,

I.

The description here given us of Gods people

They are described by,

1.

Their state

[They once were, like others, children of wrath [Note: Eph 2:3.]: but they have been regenerated by Gods Spirit, and adopted into his family. Being thus his sons, they are also heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ [Note: Rom 8:17.]. The promises, temporal, spiritual, eternal, are their inheritance. Hence they are justly called, the heirs of promise. To this happy state they have been brought in consequence of Gods eternal counsels [Note: 2Ti 1:9.]. But they have nevertheless attained to it in the use of means [Note: Eze 36:37.].]

2.

Their conduct

[Eternal life has been set before them in the Gospel; and Christ has been declared to be the only way in which that life can be found [Note: 1Jn 5:11-12.]. This record they have believed: and, feeling their utter need of mercy, they have sought it in Christ [Note: Gal 2:16.]. They have regarded him as the city of refuge, in which the man-slayer found protection from the avenger of blood; and have fled to him with holy earnestness as their only hope [Note: Num 35:11-12.]. In this way they have laid hold of Gods promised mercy; and have attained to that state in which they may assuredly expect it.]

That these are the most highly favoured of all people will appear, if we consider,

II.

The regard which God manifests towards them

He wills that they should enjoy strong consolation
[He would not that they should be held in doubtful suspense, or be harassed by fluctuations of hope and fear. He wishes rather that they should enjoy the privileges of their high station. Though they have in themselves much cause to fear, yet in HIM they have reason to exult and triumph. They should know in whom they have believed, and that he is both able and willing to keep what they have committed to him [Note: 2Ti 1:12.].]

In order to this he would have them persuaded of the immutability of his counsel
[Nothing more contributes to the comfort of Gods people than a view of every thing as subjected to his unchanging will and irresistible controul. If only they learn to refer every thing to his overruling agency or righteous permission, all cause for disquietude will cease. Do the dispensations of his providence appear dark? the soul will be satisfied when it can say, This hath God done [Note: 1Sa 3:18.]. If events seem to contradict the promises, the reflection that Gods ways are unsearchable will silence every murmur, and dispose us to trust God, till he shall be pleased to unfold his purposes to our view [Note: Heb 11:17-19. Abrahams faith as described in these verses will admirably illustrate the subject.] Who shall separate me from the love of God? is the triumphant challenge that will be given to all our enemies, as soon as ever we see God appointing every thing with immutable and unerring wisdom [Note: Rom 8:33.].]

For this purpose God confirms his promise with an oath
[His promise could not be made more sure. But we are prone to unbelief. On this account he condescends to consult our weakness, and to swear by himself, that we may be the more firmly persuaded of his veracity. Even though God had not sworn, he never could have receded from his engagements, seeing it is impossible for God to lie. But his oath is calculated to satisfy the most fearful mind; and must convince us, beyond a possibility of doubt, that he will never leave us nor forsake us [Note: Heb 13:5.].]

Infer
1.

How astonishing is the condescension of God!

[That God should voluntarily lay himself under any obligations at all to us, may well excite our astonishment. But that he should so far indulge those who doubt his veracity, as to confirm his promises with an oath, with a view to their more abundant consolation and encouragement, is a condescension of which we could have formed no idea. In this He has cast a reflection, as it were, upon his own character, in order that he might silence their unreasonable doubts. But he is God and not man, and therefore He could submit to such a degradation. O let all of us admire and adore him! And let us be careful that we receive not this grace of God in vain [Note: 2Co 6:1.].]

2.

How great is the sin of unbelief!

[Unbelief says, in fact, not only that it is possible for God to lie, but that He is indeed a liar [Note: 1Jn 5:10.]. How would such an indignity be borne by us, especially if we had never given. the slightest occasion for it, but had fulfilled every promise that we had ever made? No doubt then God must be displeased whenever we cast such a reflection upon him. And if now, after that he has confirmed his promise with an oath, we disbelieve him, the affront will be aggravated in a tenfold degree, and our guilt be proportionably increased. Let us know then, that not one jot or tittle of his word can fail; and rest assured, that, if we trust in him, we shall never be confounded [Note: Isa 45:17.].]

3.

How wide is the difference between Gods people and the world at large!

[There may be but little visible difference between them: but they do differ very widely; nor is the difference the less real because it is invisible. The godly have fled for refuge to Christ as their only hope: they make the promises of God in Christ their boast, and their inheritance: and, while God regards them as his heirs, he fills them with a peace that passeth all understanding. But what hope have the careless and ungodly world? What consolation have they from the immutability of God? All their comfort is founded on the hope that God may lie Hence, instead of children and heirs of God, they are children of the wicked one, and inheritors of his portion. Let these awful truths sink deep into our minds. And let us not be of those who turn back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of their souls [Note: Heb 10:39.].]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Ver. 17. God willing more abundantly ] His word is sufficient, yet tendering our infirmity he hath bound it with an oath, and set to his seal. His word cannot be made more true, but yet more credible. Now two things make a thing more credible: 1. The quality of the person speaking; 2. The manner of the speech. If God do not simply speak, but solemnly swear, and seal to us remission of sins, and adoption of sons by the broad seal of the sacraments, and by the privy seal of his Spirit, should we not rest assured?

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

17 .] In which behalf (nearly equivalent to ‘wherefore.’ This seems the best rendering, and not, with some, to take , as agreeing with “ in which ,” or “ by which oath :” cf. Thl. (alt.), Primas., al. It belongs, not exclusively to , nor to , but to the whole sentence, as Delitzsch) God, willing (“ , conjugata. Summa hic exprimitur benignitas,” Bengel) to shew more abundantly (“quam sine juramento factum videretur,” Beng. The word can hardly mean as Thl., , Beza, “amplius etiam quam necesse esset.” The Commentators cite a very apposite passage of Philo, de Abr. 46, vol. ii. p. 39: , , , , . “ ,” , . ) to the heirs of the promise (from ch. Heb 9:9 , Isaac and Jacob were with Abraham. But there is no need to confine the title to them: as c. (Chrys.), . , , ) the unchangeableness (see reff. Beware of supposing the words equivalent to . It was not “His unchangeable counsel” that He would shew, but the fact that His counsel was unchangeable) of His counsel, interposed ( , like , belongs to later Greek: and in its usage it is generally transitive. Thus Diod. Sic. xix. 71, : Polyb. ix. 34. 3, , and other examples in Bleek: and thus some have rendered it here: , c.: scil., , Bhme: Thdrt. Eran. Dial. i. vol. iii. p. 34, , , , . But it is also found with an intransitive sense, as in ref.; and thus we may best interpret it here: God came in as a middle person between Himself and Abraham. Men swear by God, as greater than themselves. So God becomes for men, when swearing, the third and higher person concerned, the Mediator between them: cf. Jos. Antt. iv. 6. 7, . And thus when He Himself swears, having no greater to swear by, He swears by Himself, so making Himself as it were a third person between the parties to the oath: so, in the intransitive sense, . It is strange that Bleek quotes the E. V. as having here “ interposed himself by an oath ,” whereas it has “ confirmed it by an oath ,” taking the transitive sense. We may note, that this word has led the Greek expositors, Chrys., c., Thl., to fancy that the Son was the person swearing and sworn by. Thus c.: , , , . , ) with an oath (dat. of the instrument: it was by means of the oath that He exercised the office of ),

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Heb 6:17 . . “Wherefore God, being minded more abundantly to demonstrate to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His purpose, interposed with an oath.” = (Theoph.), and see Winer, 484. It might be rendered “quae cum ita sint,” or “this being so”. The oath having among men this convincing power, God disregards the insult implied in any doubt of His word and condescending to human infirmity confirms His promise by an oath. neuter adjective for adverb (Heb 2:1 ) is to be construed with , the meaning of the comparative being “abundantius quam s ne juramento factum videretur” (Bengel). Carpzov renders by “ex abundanti,” and cites Philo, De Abrahamo c. 46 where the word of God is said to become an oath, . , not exclusively the O.T. nor exclusively the N.T. heirs, neither Jews nor Gentiles, but all; see Heb 9:3 , and Gal 3:29 . , the unchangeable character of His purpose. [ . 3Ma 5:1 ; 3Ma 5:12 ; Polybius with , , . For use of adjective see Rom 2:4 ; Rom 8:3 ; 1Co 1:25 , etc. Winer, p. 294.] , , belonging to later Greek, “to act as mediator,” but sometimes used transitively “to negotiate,” as in Polybius Heb 11:34 ; Heb 11:3 . Other examples in Bleek. Here, however, it is used intransitively as in Josephus, Ant. , vii. 8, 5. So the margin of A.V. “interposed himself by an oath,” improved in R.V. “interposed with an oath”. Cf. Josephus Ant. , iv. 6, 7; . “God descended, as it were, from His own absolute exaltation, in order, so to speak, to look up to Himself after the manner of men and take Himself to witness; and so by a gracious condescension confirm the promise for the sake of its inheritors” (Delitzsch). “He brought in Himself as surety, He mediated or came in between men and Himself, through the oath by Himself” (Davidson).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Wherein = In (Greek. en) which.

willing. Greek. boulomai. App-102.

unto = to.

promise = the promise. See Gal 1:3, Gal 1:22, Gal 1:29.

immutability = unchangeableness. Greek. to ametatheton. The neut. of the adjective used as a noun. Here and in Heb 6:18. Figure of speech Antimereia. App-6(3).

counsel. Greek. boule. App-102.

confirmed it = intervened. Greek. mesiteuo. Only here. Compare Gal 1:3, Gal 1:19.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

17.] In which behalf (nearly equivalent to wherefore. This seems the best rendering, and not, with some, to take , as agreeing with in which, or by which oath: cf. Thl. (alt.), Primas., al. It belongs, not exclusively to , nor to , but to the whole sentence, as Delitzsch) God, willing ( , conjugata. Summa hic exprimitur benignitas, Bengel) to shew more abundantly (quam sine juramento factum videretur, Beng. The word can hardly mean as Thl., ,-Beza, amplius etiam quam necesse esset. The Commentators cite a very apposite passage of Philo, de Abr. 46, vol. ii. p. 39: , , , , . , , . ) to the heirs of the promise (from ch. Heb 9:9, Isaac and Jacob were with Abraham. But there is no need to confine the title to them: as c. (Chrys.), . , , ) the unchangeableness (see reff. Beware of supposing the words equivalent to . It was not His unchangeable counsel that He would shew, but the fact that His counsel was unchangeable) of His counsel, interposed (, like , belongs to later Greek: and in its usage it is generally transitive. Thus Diod. Sic. xix. 71, : Polyb. ix. 34. 3, , and other examples in Bleek: and thus some have rendered it here: , c.: scil., , Bhme: Thdrt. Eran. Dial. i. vol. iii. p. 34, , , , . But it is also found with an intransitive sense, as in ref.; and thus we may best interpret it here: God came in as a middle person between Himself and Abraham. Men swear by God, as greater than themselves. So God becomes for men, when swearing, the third and higher person concerned, the Mediator between them: cf. Jos. Antt. iv. 6. 7, . And thus when He Himself swears, having no greater to swear by, He swears by Himself, so making Himself as it were a third person between the parties to the oath: so, in the intransitive sense, . It is strange that Bleek quotes the E. V. as having here interposed himself by an oath, whereas it has confirmed it by an oath, taking the transitive sense. We may note, that this word has led the Greek expositors, Chrys., c., Thl., to fancy that the Son was the person swearing and sworn by. Thus c.: , , , . , ) with an oath (dat. of the instrument: it was by means of the oath that He exercised the office of ),

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Heb 6:17. , in which) in which case.-) more abundantly than it might seem to have been done, had it been without an oath.– ) are conjugates. The utmost benignity is here expressed.-) He came down into the midst of us: GOD [who might require of us to have the greatest faith in His mere word.-V. g.] drawing nearer to us with wonderful condescension by an oath, although He is the greatest, as it were acts as a Mediator, and comes in between Himself and us; as if He were less, while He swears, than Himself by whom He swears. Dost thou not yet believe, thou that nearest the promise?

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

In this last part of the chapter two things are further designed by the apostle:

1. An explication of the purpose and end of God in his promise, as it was confirmed by his oath; and therewithal and from thence he makes application of the whole unto all believers, seeing the mind and will of God was the same towards them all as they were towards Abraham, to whom the promise so confirmed was made in particular.

2. A confirmation of the whole privilege intended, by the introduction of the interposition of Christ in this matter; and this is expressed in a transition and return unto his former discourse concerning the priesthood of Christ.

Heb 6:17-20. , , , , , , , .

, in quo, qua in re. Syr., , propter hoe, qua propter. Some have respect unto the thing itself spoken of, some unto the reasons of things spoken.

, abundantius volens, volens ex abundanti. Syr., maxime voluit, abunde voluit; would abundantly.

. Manuscript [A] , ostendere; manifestly to set forth. . Immutabilitatem consilii, Bez. Immobilitatem, An., Vulg. Lat., Rhem.; the stability; which answers neither of the words used which are more emphatical Syr. that his promise should not be changed.

is that which cannot be altered nor transposed into any other state.

. Intervenit juramento, An. Fidejussit jurejurando, Bez. Interpositionem fecit jurejurando, interposuit jusjurandum, Vulg. Lat. Rhem., he interposed an oath. Not properly, for is, he himself came between, or in the midst; he interposed himself, and gave his oath. From is , interventor, fidejussor, interpres, , pacificator. Thence is , mediatorem ago, pacificatoris partes ago; to interpose a mans self by any means to confirm and establish peace; which was here done , with an oath. The word is used in this place only in the New Testament, as is nowhere used but by Paul, Gal 3:19-20; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 8:6; Heb 9:15, Heb 12:24.

, ut per duas res immutabiles, or immobiles. Rhem., that by two things unmovable. Syr., which are not changed, or ought not to be. By two immutable things. , fortem consolationem habeamus, fortissimum solarium, validam consolationem habeamus, haberemus. , Syr., that great consolation should be to us. denotes such a power and strength in that which is denominated by it as is prevalent against oppositions and difficulties; which is most proper in this place.

, confugientes, qui confugimus. Qui cursum eo corripimus, Bez.; who have hastened our course or flight. Qui hue confugimus. Ours, who have fled for refuge. And indeed with , , or , is not used but for to flee to a shelter, refuge, or protection. Hence is refugium, a refuge that any one betakes himself unto in time of danger.

, ad tenendum propositam spera; to hold the proposed hope. Obtinere, to obtain. Syr., that we may hold. Ut spem propositam retineumus, Bez. Ad obtinendam spem propositam. Ours, most properly, to lay hold upon; for , is, injecta manu fortiter tenere or retinere. , safe and firm, firm and stable. Syr., which holds our soul, that it be not moved; expressing the effect, and not the nature or adjuncts of the means spoken of.

, et incedentem, ingredientem, introeuntem usque ad interlora velaminis. Vulg.,ad interius velaminis. Usque in ea quae sunt intra velum, Bez. Some respect the place only, some the things within the place. Which entereth into that within the veil. Syr., , and entereth into the faces of the gate; so that interpreter always calleth the veil, the faces of the gate, port, or entrance of the temple, namely, the most holy place, because it was as a face or frontispiece unto them that were to enter. See Mat 27:51.

. Ubi praecursor pro nobis introivit. But quo is better; not where, but whither. Rhem., the precursor for us. Syr., , where before Jesus is entered for us; which determines the ambiguity of , not our forerunner is entered, but the forerunner is entered for us. [9]

[9] TRANSLATIONS. Whither Jesus is entered, as a forerunner for us. Scholefield. Whither Jesus, our forerunner, is for us entered. Conybeare and Howson. ED.

Heb 6:17-20. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to manifest unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed himself by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to deceive, we might have strong [prevailing] consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor of the soul, both safe and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Sundry things are observable in these words.

1. The introduction unto the application of the foregoing discourse to the use of all believers. Wherein [we have],

2. The design of God in the confirmation of his promise by his oath; which was to manifest the immutability of his counsel. And this is amplified,

(1.) By the frame, purpose, or mind of God therein; he was willing.

(2.) By the manner how he would declare his mind herein; more abundantly, namely, than could be done by a single promise. It gave not a further stability unto his word, but manifested his willingness to have it believed.

3. The persons are described unto whom God was thus willing to show the immutability of his counsel; who are the heirs of promise, that is, all and only those who are so.

4. The way is expressed whereby God would thus manifest the immutability of his counsel; namely, by two immutable things, that is, his promise and his oath: which,

5. Are proved to be sufficient evidences thereof, from the nature of him by whom they are made and given; it was impossible that God should lie.

6. The especial end of this whole design of God, with respect unto all the heirs of promise, is said to be that they might have strong consolation.

7. And thereon they are further described by the way and means they use to obtain the promise and the consolation designed unto them therein; they

flee for refuge to the hope set before them.

8. The efficacy whereof is declared from the nature of it, in comparison unto an anchor; which we have as an anchor: further amplified,

(1.) From its properties, it is sure, or safe and steadfast; and also,

(2.) From its use, it enters into that within the veil.

9. And this use is so expressed that occasion may be thence taken to return unto that from which he had digressed Heb 5:11, namely, the priesthood of Christ. And,

10. The mention thereof he so introduceth, according to his usual manner, as also to manifest the great benefit and advantage of our entering by hope into that within the veil; namely,

(1.) Because Christ is there;

(2.) Because he is entered thither as our forerunner;

(3.) From the office wherewith he is there vested, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, as he had declared, Heb 5:10, all which must be opened as they occur in the text.

1. , that is, say many, , for which cause. Respect may be had unto the words immediately foregoing, An oath among men is to them an end of all strife: so a reason is thence inferred why God should interpose himself by an oath in this matter. And the words are rendered by some, as we have seen, propter quod, or propterea; in for propter is not unusual. And this then is the coherence, Whereas mankind doth consent herein, that an oath, in things capable of no other proof or demonstration, shall end controversies, satisfy doubts, and put an issue to contradictions, differences, and strife; God took the same way, in an infinite gracious condescension, to give full satisfaction in this matter unto the heirs of promise. For what could they require further? Will they not rest in the oath of God, who in doubtful cases do and will acquiesce in the oaths of men? What way could be more suited unto their peace and consolation? And such is Gods love and grace, that he would omit nothing that might tend thereunto, though in such a way of condescension as no creature would, or could, or ought to have expected, before infinite wisdom and mercy had declared themselves therein.Or, this expression may respect the whole subject-matter treated of; and so the words are rendered in quo, or in qua re; in which case or matter. And this our translation seems to respect, rendering it wherein. Then the words direct unto the introduction of the end of Gods oath, expressed in the words following, In this matter God sware by himself, that thereby the heirs of promise, might not only be settled in faith, but moreover receive therewithal strong consolation.And this import of the words we shall adhere unto.

, God willing. Hereinto all that follows is resolved; it is all founded in the will of God. And two things may be denoted hereby:

(1.) The inclination and disposition of the mind of God; he was free, he was not averse from it. This is that which is generally intended, when we say we are willing unto any thing that is proposed unto us; that is, we are free, and not averse unto it. So may God be said to be willing, to have an inclination and an affection unto the work, or to be ready for it, as he speaks in another place, with his whole heart, and with his whole soul,

Jer 32:41. But although there be a truth herein, as to the mind andwill of God towards believers and their consolation, yet it is not what is here peculiarly intended. Wherefore,

(2.) A determinate act and purpose of the will of God is designed herein, is God purposing or determining. So is the same act of God expressed by , Rom 9:22, What if God, willing to shew his wrath; that is, purposing or determining so to do, And this , as it respects , is the same with , Eph 1:11. Wherefore God willing, is God in sovereign grace, and from especial love, freely purposing and determining in himself to do the thing expressed, unto the relief and comfort of believers.

The sovereign will of God is the sole spring and cause of all the grace, mercy, and consolation, that believers are made partakers of in this world. So is it here proposed; thereinto alone is all grace and consolation resolved. God wills it should be so. Man being fallen off from the grace and love of God, and being every way come short of his glory, had no way left, in nor by himself, to obtain any grace, any relief, any mercy, any consolation. Neither was there any the least obligation on God, in point of justice, promise, or covenant, to give any grace unto, to bestow any mercy or favor upon, apostatized sinners; wherefore these things could have no rise, spring, or cause, but in a free, gracious act of the sovereign will and pleasure of God. And thereunto in the Scripture are they constantly assigned. Whether absolutely, that grace is bestowed on any, or comparatively, on one and not another, it is all from the will of God. For herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, 1Jn 4:10. Christ himself, with all the grace and mercy we have by him, is from the free love and will of God. So is our election, Eph 1:4-5; our vocation, 1Co 1:26-27; our regeneration, Joh 1:13, Jas 1:18; our recovery from sin, Hos 14:4; so is our peace and all our consolation; whence he is called the God of all grace, 1Pe 5:10; and the God of patience and consolation, Rom 15:5; the author and sovereign disposer of them all.

So is it also with respect unto grace and mercy considered comparatively, as collated on one and not on another, Rom 9:15-16; 1Co 4:7. There is no other spring or fountain of any grace or mercy. It may be some may hope to educe grace out of their own wills and endeavors, and to obtain mercy by their own duties and obedience; hut the Scripture knows no such thing, nor do believers find it in their experience.

Let them who have received the least of grace and mercy know from whence they have received it, and whereunto they are beholding for it. A due consideration of this sovereign spring of all grace and consolation will greatly influence our minds in and unto all the principal duties of obedience: such as thankfulness to God, Eph 1:3-5; humility in ourselves, 1Co 4:7; compassion towards others, 2Ti 2:25-26.

Let those who stand in need of grace and mercy (as who doth not?) expect them wholly from the sovereign will and pleasure of God, Jas 1:5; who is gracious unto whom he will be gracious. Our own endeavors are means in this kind for obtaining grace in the measures and degrees of it; but it is the will of God alone that is the cause of it all, 2Ti 1:9.

2. What God was thus willing unto is expressed; and that was more abundantly to declare the immutability of his counsel. And we may inquire concerning it,

(1.) What is meant by the counsel of God;

(2.) How that counsel of God was and is immutable;

(3.) How it was declared so to be;

(4.) How it was abundantly so declared:

(1.) The counsel of God is the eternal purpose of his will, called his counsel because of the infinite wisdom wherewith it is always accompanied. So that which is called the good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, Eph 1:9, is termed the counsel of his own will, verse 11. Counsel among men, is a rational deliberation about causes, means, effects, and ends, according to the nature of things advised about, and the proper interests of them who do deliberate. In this sense counsel is not to be attributed unto God. For as the infinite, sovereign wisdom of his being admits not of his taking counsel with any other; so the infinite simplicity of his nature and understanding, comprehending all things in one single act of his mind, allows not of formal counsel or deliberation. The first, therefore, of these the Scripture explodes, Isa 40:13, Rom 11:34; and although in the latter way God be frequently introduced as one deliberating, or taking counsel with himself, it is not the manner of doing, but the effect, or the thing done, which is intended. So it is in like manner where God is said to hearken, to hear, to see; whereby his infinite knowledge and understanding of all things are intended, these being the mediums whereby we who are to be instructed do come to know and understand what so we do. Whereas, therefore, the end of counsel, or all rational deliberation, is to find out the true and stable directions of wisdom, the acts of the will of God being accompanied with infinite wisdom are called his counsel. For we are not to look upon the purposes and decrees of God as mere acts of will and pleasure, but as those which are effects of infinite wisdom, and therefore most reasonable, although the reasons of them be sometimes unknown unto us. Hence the apostle issueth his discourse of Gods eternal decrees of election and reprobation in an admiration of the infinite wisdom of God whence they proceeded, and wherewith they were accompanied, Rom 11:33-36.

In particular, the counsel of God in this place, is the holy, wise purpose of his will, to give his Son Jesus Christ to be of the seed of Abraham, for the salvation of all the elect, or heirs of promise; and that in such a way, and accompanied with all such good things, as might secure their faith and consolation. This is the counsel of God, which contained all the grace and mercy of the promise, with the securing them unto believers.

(2.) Of this counsel it is affirmed that it was immutable, not subject unto change. , is quod nequit, that cannot be altered. But the design of God here was, not to make his counsel unchangeable, but to declare it so to be; for all the purposes of God, all the eternal acts of his will, considered in themselves, are immutable. See Isa 46:10; Psa 33:11; Pro 19:21; Pro 21:30. And their immutability is a necessary consequent of the immutability of the nature of God, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, Jas 1:17. The Strength of Israel is not a man, that he should repent, 1Sa 15:29. And in opposition unto all change or mutability, it is said of God, Psa 102:27; which the apostle renders by , Thou art He, always in all respects one and the same.

Hence among the Jews , He, is a name of God, expressing his immutable self-subsistence. But it will be said, that there are in the Scriptures many declarations of Gods altering his purposes and counsels, and repenting him of what he had before determined, being grieved at what he had done, Gen 6:6; 1Sa 2:30. It is agreed by all that those expressions of repenting, grieving, and the like, are figurative, wherein no such affections are intended as these words signify in created natures, but only an event of things like that which proceedeth from such affections.

And as to the changes themselves expressed, the schoolmen say not amiss, Vult Deus mutationem, non mutat voluntatem; He willeth a change, he changeth not his will.

But fully to remove these difficulties, the purposes of God and the counsels of his will may be considered either in themselves, or in the declaration that is made concerning their execution. In themselves they are absolutely immutable, no more subject unto change than is the divine nature itself. The declarations which God makes concerning their execution or accomplishment are of two sorts:

[1.] There are some of them wherein there is necessarily included a respect unto some antecedent moral rule, which puts an express condition into the declarations, although it be not expressed, and is always in like cases to be understood. Thus God commands the prophet to declare, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown, Jon 3:4. Here seems to be an absolute declaration of the purpose of God, without any condition annexed, a positive prediction of what he would do, and should come to pass. Either God must change his purpose, or Nineveh must be overthrown. But whereas this destruction was foretold for sin, and impenitency therein, there was an antecedent moral rule in the case, which gives it as complete a condition as if it had been expressed in words; and that is, that repentance from sin will free from the punishment of sin. So that the prediction had this limitation, by an antecedent rule, Unless they repent. And God declares that this rule puts a condition into all his threatenings, Jer 18:7-8. And this was the course of Gods dealing with the house of Eli, 1Sa 2:30. God doth neither suspend his purpose on what men will do, nor take up conditional resolutions with respect thereunto. He doth not purpose one thing, and then change his resolution upon contingent emergencies; for he is of one mind, and who can turn him? Job 23:13. Nor doth he determine that if men do so on the one hand, that he will do so; and if otherwise, that he will do otherwise. For instance, there was no such decree or purpose of God, as that if Nineveh did repent it should not be destroyed, and if it did not repent it should perish. For he could not so purpose unless he did not foresee what Nineveh would do; which to affirm is to deny his very being and Godhead. But in order to accomplish his purpose that Nineveh should not perish at that time, he threatens it with destruction in a way of prediction; which turned the minds of the inhabitants to attend unto that antecedent moral rule which put a condition into the prediction, whereby they were saved.

[2.] In the declaration of some of Gods counsels and purposes, as to the execution and accomplishment, there is no respect unto any such antecedent moral rule as should give them either limitation or condition. God takes the whole in such cases absolutely on himself, both as to the ordering and disposing of all things and means unto the end intended. Such was the counsel of God concerning the sending of his Son to be of the seed of Abraham, and the blessing that should ensue thereon. No alteration could possibly, on any account, be made herein, neither by the sin nor unbelief of them concerned, nor by any thing that might befall them in this world. Such was the counsel of God, and such the immutability of it, here intended: as it was absolutely unchangeable in itself, so, as to mans concern and interest in it, it was attended with no condition or reserve.

(3.) This immutability God was willing , to show, manifest, declare, make known. It is not his counsel absolutely, but the immutability of his counsel, that God designed to evidence. His counsel he made known in his promise. All the gracious actings of God towards us are the executing of his holy, immutable purposes, Eph 1:11. And all the promises of God are the declarations of those purposes. And they also in themselves are immutable; for they depend on the essential truth of God:

Tit 1:2, In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. Gods essential veracity is engaged in his promises. And they are so expressly the declaration of his purposes, that when God had only purposed to give us eternal life in Christ, he is said to have promised it; namely, before the world began. And this declareth the nature of unbelief: He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, 1Jn 5:10; because his essential truth is engaged in his promise. And to make God a liar, is to deny his being; which every unbeliever doth as he is able. But whereas God intended not only the confirmation of the faith of the heirs of promise, but also their consolation under all their difficulties and temptations, he would give a peculiar evidence of the immutability of that counsel which they embraced by faith as tendered in the promise. For what was done did not satisfy the fullness of grace and love which he would declare in this matter, no, though it were done so abundantly; but,

(4.) He would do it , more abundantly; that is, beyond what was absolutely necessary in this case. The promise of God, who is the God of truth, is sufficient to give us security; nor could it be by us discovered how the goodness of God itself should require a further procedure. Yet because something further might be useful, for the reasons and ends before declared, he would add a further confirmation unto his word. And herein as the divine goodness and condescension are evidently manifested, so it likewise appears what weight God lays upon the assuring of our faith and confidence. For in this case he swears by himself, who hath taught us not so to use his name but in things of great consequence and moment. This is the sense of the word if it respect the assurance given, which is more abundant than it could be in or by a single promise. But may refer unto God himself, who gives this assurance; and then it is as muck as ex abundanti: when God, who is truth itself, might justly have required faith of us on his single promise, yet, ex abundanti, from a superabounding love and care, he would confirm it by his oath. Either sense suits the apostles design.

3. It is declared who they were to whom God intended to give this evidence of the immutability of his counsel; and that is, , to the heirs of promise; that is, believers, all believers both under the old and new testament. It may be, indeed, that those of the Hebrews were in the first place intended; for unto them did the promise belong in the first place, as they were the natural seed of Abraham, and unto them was it first to be declared and proposed upon its accomplishment, Act 2:39; Act 3:25-26; Act 13:46. But it is not they alone who are intended. All the children of the faith of Abraham are heirs also, Gal 4:28-29. It is therefore with respect unto all believers absolutely that God confirmed his promise with his oath, though the natural seed of Abraham were respected in the first place, until they cut off themselves by their unbelief. See Luk 1:72-73; Mic 7:20.

Believers are called heirs of the promise on a double account:

(1.) With respect unto the promise itself;

(2.) With respect unto the matter of the promise, or the thing promised.

This distinction is evidently founded on Heb 11:13; Heb 11:17; Heb 11:39, compared. For look in what sense they are said to be heirs of the promise, therein they are not actually possessed of it; for an heir is only in expectancy of that whereof he is an heir. Wherefore take the promise in the first sense formally, and it is the elect of God as such who are the heirs of it. God hath designed them unto an interest therein and a participation thereof; and he confirmed it with his oath, that they might be induced and encouraged to believe it, to mix it with faith, and so come to inherit it, or to be made actual partakers of it. To this purpose our apostle disputeth at large, Rom 9:6-12. In the latter sense, taking the promise materially for the thing promised, they are heirs of it who have an actual interest in it by faith; and partaking of the present grace and mercy wherewith it is accompanied, as pledges of future glory, have a right unto the whole inheritance. Thus all believers, and they only, are heirs of the promise, Rom 8:17; heirs of God, that is, of the whole inheritance that he hath provided for his children. And I take the words in this latter sense: for it is not the first believing of these heirs of the promise, that they might be justified, which is intended; but their establishment in faith, whereby they may be comforted, or have strong consolation. But whereas this declaration of the immutability of Gods counsel is made in the promise of the gospel, which is universal, or at least indefinitely proposed unto all, how it comes here to be cast under this limitation, that it is made to elect believers, or the heirs of promise only, shall be immediately declared.

4. What God did in this matter, for the ends mentioned, is summarily expressed; , he interposed himself by an oath, fidejussit jurejurando. He that confirmeth any thing by an oath is fidejussor, one that gives security to faith. And fidejussor in the law is interventor, one who interposeth or cometh between and engageth himself to give security. This state of things is therefore here supposed: God had given out that promise whose nature we have before declared. Hereon he required the faith of them unto whom it was given, and that justly; for what could any reasonably require further, to give them sufficient ground of assurance? But although all things were clear and satisfactory on the part of God, yet many fears, doubts, and objections, would be ready to arise on the part of believers themselves; as there did in Abraham, unto whom the promise was first made, with respect unto that signal pledge of its accomplishment in the birth of Isaac. In this case, though God was no way obliged to give them further caution or security, yet, out of his infinite love and condescension, he will give them a higher pledge and evidence of his faithfulness, and interposeth himself by an oath. He mediated by an oath, he interposed himself between the promise and the faith of believers, to undertake under that solemnity for the accomplishment of it; and swearing by himself, he takes it on his life, his holiness, his being, his truth, to make it good. The truths which from these words thus opened we are instructed in, are these that follow:

Obs. 1. The purpose of God for the saving of the elect by Jesus Christ is an act of infinite wisdom as well as of sovereign grace.

Hence it is called the counsel of his will, or an act of his will accompanied with infinite wisdom, which is the counsel of God. And among all the holy properties of his nature, the manifestation of whose glory he designed therein, there is none more expressly and frequently mentioned than his wisdom. And it is declared,

1. As that which no created understanding, of men or angels, is able perfectly to comprehend, neither in the counsel nor in the effects of it. Hence our apostle shutteth up his contemplation of the ways, paths, and effects of this wisdom, with that rapture of admiration, Rom 11:33-36,

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The whole issue of our contemplation of the wisdom of God, in the eternal projection of our salvation by Jesus Christ, is only an admiration of that abyss which we cannot dive into, with a humble ascription of glory to God thereon. And as to the especial effects of this wisdom, the angels themselves desire to bow down, with a humble diligence in their inquiry into them, 1Pe 1:12. And on these considerations our apostle concludes, that without controversy the work hereof is a great mystery, 1Ti 3:16; which we may adore, but cannot comprehend. See the name of Christ, Isa 9:6.

2. As that wherein God hath expressly designed to glorify himself unto eternity. This is the end of all the free acts and purposes of the will of God; neither can they have any other, though all other things may be subordinate thereunto. Now no property of the divine nature is so conspicuous, in the disposal of things unto their proper end, as that of wisdom, whose peculiar work and effect it is. Wherefore the great end which God will ultimately effect being his own glory in Christ, and the salvation of the elect by him, the wisdom whereby it was contrived must needs be eminent and glorious. So the apostle tells us, Then is the end, when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom unto God, even the Father, and he also in his human nature subjects himself unto him, that God may be all in all, 1Co 15:24; 1Co 15:28 : that is, when the Lord Christ hath finished the whole work of his mediation, and brought all his elect unto the enjoyment of God, then shall God be all in all; or, therein, or thereby, he will be for ever exalted and glorified, when it shall be manifest how all this great work came forth from him, and is issued in him, Jud 1:25, 1Ti 1:17.

3. The whole work is therefore expressly called the wisdom of God, because of those characters and impressions thereof that are upon it, and because it is a peculiar effect thereof. So our apostle tells us that Christ crucified is the power of God, and the wisdom of God, 1Co 1:24; and that the gospel whereby it is declared is the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1Co 2:7 : and the whole intended is both expressly and fully laid down, Eph 3:8-11,

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The purpose mentioned in the close of these words, is the same with the counsel of Gods will in this place. And this purpose was the fountain, spring, and cause, of all those glorious and admirable things whose declaration was committed unto the apostle, as the great publisher of the gospel unto the Gentiles; by the effects whereof such mysteries were unfolded as the angels themselves in heaven did not before understand.

And what was it,saith the apostle, that was declared, manifested, and known thereby? It was , the manifold wisdom of God, or the infinite wisdom of God, exerting itself in such wonderful variety of holy, wise operations, as no mind of men nor angels can comprehend.And,

4. On this account are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge said to be hid in Jesus Christ, Col 2:3. There is not only in him, and the work of his mediation, the wisdom of God, that is, both exerted and manifested, but all the treasures of it; that is, God will not produce any effect out of the stores of his infinite wisdom, but what is suitable and subservient unto what he hath designed in and by Jesus Christ. And may we not,

(1.) Hence see the horrible depravation of nature which by sin is befallen the minds, reasons, and understandings of men? For from hence alone it is that this purpose of God, which was an act of infinite wisdom; that the work which he hath wrought pursuant thereof, whereon are impressed the characters of his manifold wisdom; are esteemed folly, or foolish things unto them. So far are men by nature from seeing an excellency of divine wisdom in them, that they cannot suffer them to pass as things tolerably rational, but brand them as foolish, or folly itself. This our apostle declares and at large insisteth on, 1 Corinthians 1. Had the mind of man fixed on any other reason for the rejection of this counsel of God, some excuse might be pretended for it; but to reject that as folly which God sets forth and declares as the principal instance of his infinite wisdom, this discovereth the horror of its depravation. And those in whom this blindness is prevalent may be referred unto three sorts:

[1.] Such as by whom the gospel is absolutely rejected as a foolish thing, unbecoming the wisdom of God to propose, and their own wisdom to receive. As this was the state of the Jews, and Pagan world of old, and as it is the condition of the Mohammedans and relics of the Heathens at this day, so I wish that the poison and contagion of this wickedness were not farther diffused. But, alas! we see many every day who, on the account of their outward circumstances, live in some kind of compliance with the name and profession of the gospel, who yet discover themselves sufficiently to hate, despise, and contemn the mystery of it, and the wisdom of God therein.

[2.] Such as own the gospel in the letter of it, but look on the mystery of it, or the counsel of God therein, as foolishness. Hence all the principal parts of it, as the incarnation of Christ, the hypostatical union of his person, his sacrifice and oblation, the atonement and satisfaction made by his death, the imputation of his righteousness, the election of grace, with the power and efficacy of it in our conversion, are all of them either directly exploded as foolish, or wrested unto senses suited unto their own low and carnal apprehensions. And this sort of men do swarm amongst us at this day like to locusts when a north-east wind hath filled every place with them.

[3.] There are multitudes, whose choice of their outward conditions being prevented by the providence of God, so that they are brought forth and fixed where the gospel passeth current in the world without any open control, who do see no reason why, with the first sort, they should openly reject it, nor will be at the pains, with the second sort, to corrupt it, but yet practically esteem it a foolish thing to give place unto its power on their hearts, and do really esteem them foolish who labor so to do. And this is openly the condition of the generality of those who live under the dispensation of the gospel in the world.

I have named these things only to reflect thereby on that horrible depravation which, by corruption of nature, is come upon the mind and reason of mankind. And it is in none more evident than in those who most boast of the contrary. And,

(2.) We may learn from hence, that there is no greater evidence of thriving in spiritual light and understanding, than when we find our souls affected with, and raised unto a holy admiration of the wisdom and counsel of God, which are declared in the gospel.

Obs. 2. The life and assurance of our present comfort and future glory depend on the immutability of Gods counsel. To secure these things unto us, God shows us that immutability. Our own endeavors are to be used to the same end; for we are to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. But all depends on the unchangeable purpose of the will of God, which alone is able to bear the charge of so great a work. But this must be further spoken unto on the next verse.

Obs. 3. The purpose of God concerning the salvation of the elect by Jesus Christ became immutable from hence, that the determination of his will was accompanied with infinite wisdom. It was his counsel.

All the certainty that is amongst men, as to the accomplishment of any end designed by them, depends on the exercise of wisdom in finding out and applying suitable means thereunto. And because their wisdom is weak in all things, and in most no better than folly, whence generally they fix first on ends unprofitable, and then make use of means weak and unsuited unto their purpose, it is that all their affairs are wrapped up in uncertainties, and most of them end in disappointment and confusion. But as God fixeth on those ends which perfectly comply with his own infinite holiness and sovereignty, whence they are necessarily good and holy; so he doth not first do so, and then make choice of various means that proffer themselves unto those ends. But, in his infinite wisdom, ends and means lie before him in one vein, and fall together under his unalterable determination. Two things, therefore, may be considered in the wisdom of God giving immutability to his counsel concerning the salvation of the elect by Jesus Christ:

1. Thereby he saw at once not only whatever was needful for the accomplishing of it, but that which would infallibly effect it. He chose not probable and likely means for it, and such as might do it, unless some great obstruction did arise, such as whose efficacy might be suspended on any conditions and emergencies; but such as should infallibly and inevitably reach the end intended. In the first covenant, wherein God had not immutably decreed to preserve mankind absolutely in their primitive estate, he made use of such means for their preservation as might effect it in case they were not wanting unto themselves, or that obedience which they were enabled to perform. This man neglecting, the means appointed of God as to their success depending thereon by Gods own appointment, that end which in their own nature they tended unto was not attained; and that because God had not immutably determined it. But now, whereas God engaged himself in an unchangeable purpose, in his infinite wisdom he fixeth on such means for its accomplishment as shall not depend on any thing whereby their efficacy might be frustrated. Such were his sending of his Son to be incarnate, and the dispensation of grace of the new covenant, which is in its nature infallibly effectual unto the end whereunto it is designed.

2. God, in his infinite wisdom, foresaw all the interveniencies on our part that might obstruct the certain accomplishment of the promise. The promise was first given indefinitely unto all mankind, in our first parents; but soon after, the wickedness of the whole world, with their absolute contempt of the grace of the promise, was such as that any creature would conceive that it would be of none effect, being so visibly, so universally rejected and despised. But a perfect view hereof lying under the wisdom of God, he provided against it, for the immutability of his purpose and infallibility of his promise, by singling out first one, then another, and at last the whole posterity of Abraham, towards whom the promise should be accomplished. But yet, after a long season, there came the last and uttermost trial of the whole matter: for the generality of the seed of Abraham rejected the promise also; whereby it appeared really to have been frustrated, and to be of none effect, as our apostle declares in his answer to that objection, Rom 9:6. But instead of changing his purpose, God then more fully discovered wherein the immutability of his counsel did consist, and whereon it did depend; as Gal 3:8. And this was, that all along, and under all those apostasies, he ever had, and ever will have in the world, an elect people, chosen by him before the foundation of the world, in and towards whom his purpose is immutable and his promise infallible. No interveniency can possibly shake or alter what hath been settled by infinite wisdom. There is not a particular believer but is made so sensible of his own unworthiness, that, at one time or another, he cannot but be almost brought to a loss how it should be that such a one as he should ever inherit the promise; but God foresaw all that hath befallen us, or will do so, and hath, in his infinite wisdom, provided against all interveniencies, that his purpose might not be changed, nor his promise frustrated.

Obs. 4. Infinite goodness, as acting itself in Christ, was not satisfied in providing and preparing good things for believers, but it would also show and declare it unto them, for their present consolation.

God was willing to show to the heirs of promise; and the end was, that they might have strong consolation. As it is with a good, wise father and an obedient son: The father is possessed of a large and profitable estate, and as the son hath a present allowance suitable to his condition, so, being obedient, he hath a just expectation that in due time he shall enjoy the whole inheritance: this being usual amongst men, and that which the law of nature directs unto; for parents are to lay up for their children, and not children for their parents. But the whole being yet absolutely in the fathers power, it is possible he may otherwise dispose of it, and it may not come to the right heir. But now, if the father seeth his son on some occasion to want encouragement, or he be to put him on any difficult service, where he may meet with storms and dangers, he will show unto him his deed of settlement, wherein he hath irrevocably confirmed unto him the whole inheritance. So God deals with believers, with his children, in this case. He is rich in grace, mercy, and glory; and all his children are heirs of it, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ, Rom 8:17; that is of the whole inheritance that God hath provided for his children. This they have an expectation of by the promise, according to the law of the new covenant. But although their state be thus secured by their being heirs of the promise, yet God, knowing that they have a difficult work and warfare to go through withal, and what it is to serve him in temptations, for their encouragement and consolation he produceth and showeth them his irrevocable deed of settlement; namely, his promise confirmed by his oath, whereby the whole inheritance is infallibly secured unto them. He was free and willing to show it unto the heirs of promise. At first God gave out a mere precept as the declaration of his will, and a promise couched in a threatening. This was that which divine goodness, acting in a way of nature, did require, and whereof man had no cause to complain; for as the mind of God was sufficiently declared therein, so man in himself had no grounds of discouragement from a compliance therewith. And God might so deal with us all, giving out the whole revelation of his will in a system of precepts, as some seem to suppose that he hath done. But things are now changed on two accounts. For,

1. It was herein the peculiar design of God to glorify his goodness, love, grace, and mercy, by Jesus Christ; and he will do it in an abundant manner. He had before glorified his eternal power and infinite wisdom, in the creation of the world and all things therein contained, Psa 19:1-3; Rom 1:20. And he had glorified his holiness and righteousness, in giving of the law accompanied with eternal rewards and punishments. But grace and truth (in the provision of it, and the accomplishment of the promise) came by Jesus Christ, Joh 1:17. And therefore, that the Lord Christ in all this may have the pre-eminence, he will do it in an abundant and unconceivable manner, above the former declarations of his glory in any other of his attributes. Hence in the Scripture the communication of grace is expressed in words that may intimate its exceeding, and passing all understanding: Rom 5:20, , Grace did by Christ more than abound. To abound, expresseth the largest comprehensible measures and degrees; but that which doth more than abound, who can conceive? 1Ti 1:14, , The grace of our Lord did more than abound;it exceeded all comprehension. So that glory which is the effect of this grace is said to be given , 2Co 4:17; that is, in an excellency and exceeding greatness no way to be conceived. So, plainly the apostle calls the grace of God in Christ , Eph 2:7, excelling riches. That we may know his meaning, he calls it again, Eph 3:8, , riches whereof there is no investigation. In the pursuit of this design to exercise and manifest the infinite fullness of his love and goodness, he will not satisfy himself with a mere declaration of his will, but he will have those concerned in it to know it, to understand it, to have the present comfort of it; and because they could not do that without satisfaction in the immutability of his counsel, he evidenceth that unto them by all means possible. And thereby he sufficiently manifests how willing he is, how well- pleasing it is unto him, that our faith in him should be firm and steadfast.

2. Man is now fallen into a condition of sin and misery. And herein is he filled with so many fears, discouragements, and despondencies, that it is the difficultest thing in the world to raise him unto any hopes of mercy or favor from God. In this lost, forlorn estate, divine goodness, by an infinite condescension, accommodates itself unto our weakness and our distress. He doth not, therefore, only propose his mind and will unto us as unto grace and glory, but useth all ways possible to ingenerate in us a confidence of his willingness to bring us unto a participation of them. He doth every thing that may direct and encourage us to take a steadfast view of the excellency and immutability of his counsel in this matter. Hence a great part of the Scripture, the revelation of Gods will, is taken up in promises, exhortations, invitations, discourses and expressions of love, kindness, and compassion. And in particular, although the promise itself was an abundant security for faith to rest upon, as to the immutability of Gods counsel, yet, to obviate all pretences and cast out all excuses, he confirms it with his oath. And although he did this in particular and expressly unto Abraham, yet he takes all believers, who are his seed, into a participation of the same privilege with him, and manifests how that in swearing unto him he sware also unto them all. And two things do hence naturally ensue:

(1.) The unspeakable encouragement unto believing, which is given unto all unto whom this counsel of God and its immutability are proposed. The essential truth of God and his oath are openly and manifestly engaged unto these two things.

[1.] That nothing but unbelief shall keep off any from the enjoyment of the promise;

[2.] That all believers, whatever difficulties they may meet withal in themselves, or objections against themselves, shall certainly and infallibly enjoy the promise and be saved. And the immutability of Gods counsel herein he hath made so evident, that there is no room for any objection against it. This is tendered unto you unto whom the gospel is proposed. Greater encouragement unto believing, and more certainty of the event, you shall never have in this world, you cannot have, God will not, God cannot give. All persons not yet come up unto believing, unto whom this peace with God is preached, are distinguished into two sorts, them that are nigh, and them that are afar off, Eph 2:17. This, in the first place, expresseth the Jews and Gentiles; but, in a parity of reason, it must be extended unto others. Some are comparatively nigh, such as have been affected with the word, and brought unto inquiries whether they should believe or no; and there are some afar off, who as yet have taken little notice of these things. Herein is both a call and encouragement unto both. To the first, to determine their wills in the choice of Christ in the promise; unto the other, to look up unto him, though from the ends of the earth. But I must not enlarge.

(2.) It discovers the heinous nature of unbelief. The gospel, which is a message of love, peace, mercy, and grace, yet never makes mention of unbelief but it annexeth damnation unto it: He that believeth not shall be damned. And although they shall also perish unto whom the gospel is not preached, Rom 2:12, yet the gospel, though it speaks not exclusively unto others, yet principally it declares the inevitable destruction, the everlasting damnation, of them who believe not when the promise is declared to them, 2Th 1:6-10; however, it declares that they shall fall under a sorer death and destruction than any others, 2Co 2:16. And the reason of this severity is taken partly from the nature of unbelief, and partly from the aggravation of it. The nature of unbelief consists in a refusal of the testimony of God, so making him a liar, 1Jn 5:10; and in esteeming that which he proposeth as his power and wisdom, to be weakness and folly. Hence there is no way of sin or rebellion against God whatever that casts such scorn and indignity upon him. So that it is in itself the greatest of sins, as well as the root and cause of them. Yet such is the blindness of corrupted nature, that many who will boggle at other sins, especially such as look with a severe threatening aspect on a natural conscience, as adultery, theft, and murder, yet concern themselves not at all in this unbelief, but rather approve themselves in their infidelity. Yet is there not one unto whom the gospel is preached, but if he do not really receive the Lord Christ as tendered in the promise, he doth what lies in him to declare God to be a liar, foolish in his counsels and weak in his operations. And what account this will come unto is not hard to discern. Moreover, it is also from the aggravation that it is accompanied withal, from the nature of the thing itself and the way whereby it is proposed unto us: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? Heb 2:3. We may look only on that which lies before us; namely, the infinite condescension of divine goodness, in showing, manifesting, and declaring, the immutability of his counsel by oath. Whereas, therefore, he hath done all to this end that was possible to be done, and more than ever would have entered into the heart of any creature to desire or expect, the woful condition of unbelievers, both as to this sin and the misery which will follow thereon, is inexpressible. For those that will despise all that God will do, yea all that he can do, to give them assurance of the truth and stability of his promises, given in a way of grace, have no reason to expect, nor shall receive any thing, but what he will do and can do in a way of justice and vengeance.

Obs. 5. It is not all mankind universally, but a certain number of persons, under certain qualifications, to whom God designs to manifest the immutability of his counsel, and to communicate the effects thereof.

It is only the heirs of promise whom God intendeth. But herein two things are to be considered

1. The outward revelation or administration of these things; and,

2. Gods purpose therein. The former is made promiscuously and indefinitely unto all to whom the gospel is preached; for therein is contained a declaration of the immutability of Gods counsel and his willingness to have it known. But if God did design the communication of the effect of it in the same latitude with the outward administration of it, then must he be thought to fail in his purpose towards the greatest part of them, who receive it not. This is that which the apostle disputes upon, Romans 9. Having supposed that the generality of the Jews, of the posterity of Abraham according to the flesh, were cut off from the promise by unbelief, and declared his sense thereon, verses 1-3, he raiseth an objection against that supposition, verse 6, That if it were so, the promise of God was of none effect, for unto them all it was given and declared. Hereunto the apostle answers and replies in that and the following verses, 7-21. And the substance of his answer is, that although the promise was promiscuously proposed unto all, yet the grace of it was intended only unto the elect; as he also further declares, Heb 11:7. But why then doth God thus cause the declaration to be made promiscuously and indefinitely unto all, if it be some only whom he designs unto a participation of the effects of his counsel and good things promised? I answer,

Let us always remember that in these things we have to do with Him who is greater than we, and who giveth no account of his matters. What if God will take this way of procedure, and give no reason of its. who are we, that we should dispute against God? Wherefore our apostle having at large discoursed this whole matter, and pleaded the absolute freedom of God to do whatever he pleaseth, winds up the whole in a resignation of all unto his sovereignty, with a deep admiration of his unsearchable wisdom; wherein it is our duty to acquiesce, Rom 11:33-36. But yet I may add,

That the nature of the thing itself doth require this dispensation of the promise indefinitely to all, though the benefit of it be designed to some only; for the way whereby God will give a participation of the promise unto the heirs of it being by the administration of his word, and such means as are meet to work on the minds of men to persuade and prevail with them unto faith and obedience, he would not do it by immediate revelation or respiration, and the like extra-ordinary operations of his Spirit alone, but by such ways as are suited to glorify himself and his grace in the rational minds of his creatures capable thereof. Now this could no way be done, nor can unto this day, but by the declaration and preaching of the promise, with commands, motives, and encouragements unto believing. In this work all those whom he employs are utterly ignorant who they are who are heirs of the promise, until they are discovered by their actual believing: wherefore they have no other way, but in the first place to propose the promise promiscuously unto all that will attend unto it, leaving the singling out of its proper heirs unto the sovereign grace of God. So the word is preached unto all indefinitely, and the election obtaineth, whilst the rest are hardened.

Obs. 6. God alone knows the due measure of divine condescension, or what becomes the divine nature therein. Who could have once apprehended, who durst have done so, that the holy God should swear by himself, to confirm his word and truth unto such worthless creatures as we are? Indeed there is yet a more transcendent act of divine condescension, namely, the incarnation of the Son of God, the glory whereof will be the object of the admiration of men and angels unto eternity; for, alas! what created understanding could ever have raised itself unto a thought that the eternal Word should be made flesh? God alone, who is infinitely wise, only wise, knew what became the holiness of his being and his goodness therein. And so is it, in its measure, in this of his oath. And as we are with holy confidence to make use of what he hath done in this kind, seeing not to do so is to despise the highest expression of his goodness; so we are not in any thing to draw divine condescension beyond divine expressions.

Obs. 7. So unspeakable is the weakness of our faith, that we stand in need of unconceivable divine condescension for its confirmation. The immutability of Gods counsel is the foundation of our faith; until this be manifest, it is impossible that ever faith should be sure and steadfast. But who would not think that Gods declaration thereof by the way of promise were every way sufficient thereunto? But God knew that we yet stood in need of more; not that there was want of sufficient evidence in his promise, but such a want of stability in us as stood in need of a superabundant confirmation, as we shall see in the next verse:

Heb 6:18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

Two things in general the apostle further designs in this verse:

1. That the declaration which God had made of the immutability of his counsel in this matter was every way sufficient and satisfactory. 2. What was the especial end and design which he had therein towards the heirs of promise.

For the FIRST, he doth it by declaring the evidence given and the nature of it; which consisted in two immutable things, . is an act or deed, such as we make and deliver when we convey any thing from one to another, an instrument of an assurance. This is the promise and the oath of God. Security is given by them, both from their own nature, and also because they are two, two witnesses whereby the thing intended is established. But what need was there of two such things? Is it because one of these was weak, infirm, alterable, such as may be justly challenged or excepted against, that the other is added to strengthen and confirm it? No,saith the apostle, both of them are equally immutable.Wherefore we must still carry along with us the infinite and unconceivable condescension of God in this matter, who, to obviate our temptations, and relieve us under our weaknesses, is pleased to give this variety unto his divine testimony, which he did ex abundanti; not only beyond what he was any way obliged unto, but whatever we could desire or expect.

For, secondly, this makes the evidence absolute and uncontrollable, that as they are two things which are produced to make it good, so they are both of them equally immutable, such as neither in their own nature nor in their execution were any way exposed or liable unto alteration. For the promise itself was absolute, and the thing promised depended on no condition in us, on nothing without God himself. For there was in the promise itself all the springs of all that is good, and of deliverance from all that is evil; so that on every side it brings along with it the condition of its own accomplishment. But whereas God in the covenant of works did give no promise unto mankind but what was conditional, and suspended on such things on our part as might or might not be, whence it came to pass that we sinned and came short of it, God in the giving out of this promise, which is the foundation of the covenant of grace, to assure us that it is utterly of another nature, and such as on no occurrence is liable unto change, confirms it with his oath. Moreover, the apostle confirmeth this testimony yet further from the nature of Him by whom it was given: , In (or by) which it was impossible that God should lie or deceive. is not absolutely to lie, but by any means to deceive him who hath cause to trust what we say or do. The highest security among men consists in a promise confirmed with an oath; and this is, and must be, unto them an end of all strife, for higher they cannot go. But yet it is possible there may be a lie and deceit in their testimony, and he who trusts unto them may be deceived, as it often falls out in the world; for although the things themselves are good, and such as would secure the interest of truth only, yet men that use them are changeable, yea liars. But it is God who makes use of them in our case; and therefore it is impossible that he should lie. God having made this double engagement of his truth and faithfulness, it is utterly impossible that he should deceive any one thereby.

But why doth the apostle put an emphasis upon this, that by these things it was impossible that God should lie, or deceive? for it is necessary unto God, from his own being, that it should in all things be impossible for him to lie. He cannot lie, he cannot deceive, he cannot deny himself, or his word; these things are repugnant unto his being. I answer, that the apostle speaks not of the nature of the things themselves, but of their manifestation with respect unto us. Nothing was added to the promise of God to render it more certain, firm, and stable; but an addition was made unto it to give our minds greater security. Gods immutability in promising, and impossibility in deceiving, are both equally from his nature; but the distinct proposition of them is needful unto our encouragement and establishment.

Obs. 8. Fallen, sinful man stands in need of the utmost encouragement that divine condescension can extend unto, to prevail with him to receive and lay hold of the promise of grace and mercy by Jesus Christ.

There is nothing that we are so prone unto, as to distrust the promises of God; nothing that we are with more difficulty won over unto, than to mix them with faith. To evidence this we may consider,

1. That the first entrance of sin into the world was by a disbelief of the truth of God; yea, that very sin formally consisted in an apprehension that God, in his promises and threatenings, had a mind to deceive us, Gen 3:4-6. And as sin thus laid its foundation by the craft of Satan, so it endeavors to carry on its building. It continually suggests to the hearts and minds of men that they shall certainly be deceived in trusting to Gods promises. For,

(1.) Secret thoughts there are in the hearts of men, which are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, that neither the promises nor threatenings of God are true, in the terms and sense wherein they are proposed unto them. They neither think that it shall be so bad with any as he threateneth, nor so well as he promiseth. Did men believe the threatenings of God as to the fearful and eternal ruin of sinners, it were not possible they should live in sin as they do, without any endeavor of amendment, so to flee from the wrath to come. Nor do they think in their hearts that it shall be with them that believe according as God hath promised. They say in their hearts, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil, Zep 1:12, namely, as he hath either promised or threatened.

(2.) Men think that there are still some reserves and latent conditions in the promises and threatenings of God, and that God knows it shall be otherwise than they seem to portend. By this imagination Satan deceived our first parents as to the truth of God in his threatening. He persuaded them that there was a reserve therein, that was directly contrary unto what the words of it declared; and that by transgressing of his command they should not die, but be wise and like himself. And still men suppose that the promises propose a fair ground, indeed, but that if they should go to build upon it, there is a mine under it, which would be sprung at one time or another, unto their ruin. They cannot apprehend that it shall be with them according unto and as the promise doth declare. If they should attempt to believe, yet one latent condition or other would defeat them of obtaining it; whereas, indeed, the whole and entire condition of enjoying the promise is faith alone.

(3.) Whatever may be the truth of the promise, yet they cannot conceive that God intends them therein; whereas yet there is no declaration or intention of God, whereby our duty is to be regulated and whereon we shall be judged, but what is contained and expressed in the proposal of the promise itself.

On these and the like grounds, the great contest in the world, between God and man, is whether God be true or a liar in his promise. It is not thus directly stated in the minds of men, for they have many other pretences why they do not believe; but this is that which it is resolved into. For he that receiveth not the testimony of God, maketh him a liar. So was it with the people in the wilderness, whose carcasses fell therein because of their unbelief. The reasons they pretended and pleaded why they would not attempt to enter the land of Canaan, were, that the people were strong, and giants among them, and the cities walled, Num 13:28; Num 13:32-33; but the true reason was, their unbelief of Gods promise: wherefore God expresseth the sense of his indignation against them with that scheme of reproach, Ye shall bear your iniquities, and ye shall know my breach of promise, Num 14:34, or see what your unbelief hath brought you unto.And no otherwise is it with all unbelievers at present, as our apostle at large declares, Hebrews 3 of this epistle. Other things are pretended as the causes of their unbelief, but it is their dissatisfaction in the truth of God that is the true and only cause of it. And as this sufficiently manifests the heinousness of unbelief, so it glorifies the righteousness of God in the condemnation of unbelievers.

2. The curse of the law having, by the guilt of sin, been admitted unto a dominion over the whole soul, it is a great thing to receive and admit of a testimony to the contrary, such as the promise is. What the law speaks, it speaks unto them that are under it, as all men are by nature. And it speaks in the heart of every man that the sinner must die. Conscience complies also, and adds its suffrage thereunto. This fixeth a conclusion in the mind that so it will be, whatever may be offered unto the contrary. But so is the testimony of God in the promise, namely, that there is a way of life and salvation for sinners; and that God offereth this way and an interest therein unto us. Nothing but the exceeding greatness of the power of grace can enable a guilty sinner in this case to set to his seal that God is true.

3. When the promise comes, and is proposed unto us, for the most part it finds us deeply engaged into, and, as to ourselves, immutably fixed on other things, that are inconsistent with faith in the promises. Some are interested in divers lusts and pleasures; some are filled with inveterate prejudices, through a vain conversation received by tradition from their fathers; and some have some good hopes in themselves, that in the way wherein they are, by the religion which they profess, and the duties which they perform, they may in time arrive unto what they aim at. When the promise is proposed, the first thing included therein is an utter relinquishment of all these things. As it is a promise of grace, so it excludes every thing but grace. Wherefore, when it is proposed unto any, it doth not only require that it be believed, or God be believed therein, but also, that in order thereunto we part with and utterly renounce all hopes and confidences in ourselves, from what we are or expect to be, and betake ourselves for life and salvation unto the promise atone. Some imagine that it is a very easy thing to believe, and that the souls of men are but deceived, when they are called off from the duties that light and conviction put them upon to the way of faith in the promise; but the truth is, that what from its own nature, and from what is required thereunto or comprised therein, it is, as the most important, so the highest and greatest duty that we are called unto, and which men would of/their own choice rather grind in a mill of the most burdensome duties than once apply their minds unto.

4. The guilt of sin hath filled the mind of every sinner with innumerable fears, doubts, and confusions, that are very difficultly satisfied or removed; yea, the remainders of them do abide in believers themselves, and ofttimes fill them with great perplexities. And these, when the promise is proposed unto them, arise and follow one another like the waves of the sea, Jas 1:6. No sooner is one of them answered or waived, but immediately another supplies its room. And in them all doth unbelief put forth its power.

And on these grounds it is that poor sinners have such need of the reduplication of divine assurances, that, notwithstanding all pretences unto the contrary, the promise of grace in Christ shall be made good and be accomplished unto them.

SECONDLY, The especial design of God, in this dispensation and condescension, is etc.; that we might have a strong consolation. Being engaged in the application of his instance, in the promise and oath of God given unto Abraham, the apostle here plainly dismisseth the consideration of things past under the old testament, in those blessings and temporal things which were typical of things spiritual, and applies the whole unto present believers, and therein unto all those of future ages, that we might have. And herein he builds on this principle, that whatever God promised, designed, sware unto Abraham, that he did so promise unto all believers whatever; so that every promise of the covenant belongeth equally unto them with him or any other. And two things the apostle lays down concerning such believers:

1. What God designs unto them;

2. Such a description of them as contains the qualifications necessary unto a participation of what is so designed:

1. The first is . It sometimes signifies exhortation, an encouraging, persuasive exhortation. And in that sense it is here taken by some expositors, as Theophylact and OEcumenius; that we might have thereby a prevalent exhortation unto faith and patience in believing.But comfort or consolation is the most usual signification of the word in the New Testament, as I have showed elsewhere; and that sense of the word alone can be here intended. A consolation it is that ariseth from the assurance of faith, and of our interest thereby in the promises of God. This is that which relieves our souls against all fears, doubts, and troubles; for it either obviates and prevents them, or it outbalanceth them, and bears up our souls against them. For comfort is the relief of the mind, whatever it be, against sorrow and trouble.

And this consolation which God intends and designs for believers is , solamen fortissimum, forte, validum, potens; strong, powerful, prevalent. Strong so as to be prevalent against opposition, is that which is intended. There are comforts to be taken, or are often taken, from earthly things; but they are weak, languid, and such as fade and die upon the first appearance of a vigorous opposition; but this consolation is strong and prevalent against all creature-oppositions whatever. Strong; that is, such as will abide against all opposition, a strong tower, an impregnable fortress, a munition of rocks. For it is not the abounding of consolation in us, but the prevaleney of the causes of it against opposition, that is intended.

2. There is the description of the persons unto whom God designs this consolation by the promise, confirmed with his oath: . There are three things in this description of believers, or the heirs of the promise:

(1.) The way whereby they seek for relief; they flee for refuge.

(2.) The relief itself which they seek after; which is the hope set before them.

(3.) The way whereby they are made partakers of it; they lay hold upon it:

(1.) They are : say we, that flee for refuge; qui cursum corripiunt. It is the judgment of many that here is an allusion unto him who had slain a man unawares under the law, whose safety and life depended on his speedy flight into one of the cities of refuge, Num 35:11-12. And hereunto our translators had undoubtedly respect, whereon they rendered the word, fleeing for refuge. And indeed the word itself signifies such an action as is there ascribed unto the man-slayer. For properly, cursum corripere, hath respect unto two things:

[1.] An apprehension of danger, or a real surprisal with it, whereon a man takes his flight for deliverance. And so it was with the man-slayer; his apprehension of the approach of the avenger of blood, to take away his life, stirred him up , to flee from the place and condition wherein he was, lest evil should overtake him.

[2.] Speed and diligence in an endeavor to attain that place, or company, or end, which a man proposeth unto himself as the means of his deliverance, and whereby he hopes to find safety. He that doth so flee casts off all tergiversation, stirs up himself, gives no place to sloth or vain hopes, and useth his utmost diligence in the pursuit of his safety. And hereby doth the Holy Ghost lively express the state and condition of all the heirs of promise in this matter. In themselves by nature, as they are children of the first Adam, they are all exposed, upon the guilt of sin original and actual, unto the sentence of the law. God by various means is pleased to awaken them unto the consideration of the danger wherein they are, the execution of that curse which they are obnoxious unto being impendent over them. In this condition they see a necessity of seeking out for relief, as knowing that if it be not obtained they must perish, and that eternally. Love of sin, compliance with the world, hopes of righteousness of their own, do all endeavor variously to retard and hinder them in their design; but when God proceeds to shut them up, to sharpen their convictions, and continually to represent their condition unto them, giving them to conclude that there is no hope in their present condition, at length they stir up themselves unto a speedy flight to the hope set before them in the promise. And,

(2.) That is the second thing to be inquired into, namely, what is this

hope that is set before us, and how it is so:

[1.] Most expositors take hope here, by a metonymy of the subject, for the thing hoped for; that is, grace and glory, justification and salvation by Jesus Christ. These things are the subject-matter of the promises, which we desire and hope after. And unto these we may be said to flee for relief or refuge, when in our expectation of them we are supported and comforted.

[2.] Some take hope subjectively, for the grace of hope itself. And this we are said to flee unto, that is, speedily to betake ourselves unto the exercise of it, as founded in the promises of God, foregoing all other expectations; wherein we shall find assured consolation. [3.] Hope, by a metonymy of the effect for the cause, may express the promise itself, which is the cause and means of ingenerating hope in us. And this I take to be the proper meaning of the place, and which is not exclusive of the other senses mentioned. The promise being proposed unto us, is the cause and object of our faith, on the account of the faithfulness of God therein. Faith brings forth hope, whose object is the same promise, or the good things thereof, as proposed from the same faithfulness. Thence is itself called the hope, as that without which we could have none, there being neither cause of it nor object for it. And this hope is said to be set before us, or to be proposed unto us; which it is in the declaration of the promise or the dispensation of the gospel. Therein it is proposed as the object of our faith and hope, as the means of the strong consolation which God is so abundantly willing that we should receive. And this renders the whole metaphor plain and easy: for it is evident how the promise, with all that we hope for thereby, is set before us and proposed unto us in the gospel; as also how we flee or betake ourselves thereunto in all distresses for relief. And it is more natural to allow of this metonymical expression in the word hope, than to admit of so rough a catachresis in the other part of the words, wherein the grace of hope within us should be said to be set before us.

(3.) With respect hereunto we are said to flee ; that is, , to lay hold on, fortiter apprehendere, constanter retinere. The signification of this word, frequently used by our apostle, I have on sundry occasions before declared. It is injecta manu, totis viribus retinere; to hold fast what we lay hold on, with all our might and power. There will be many endeavors to strike off the hand of faith from laying hold on the promise; and many more to loosen its hold when it hath taken it; but it is in its nature, and it is a part of our duty, strongly to lay hold upon, and firmly to retain the promise, when we have reached unto it. And there seems in the whole metaphor to be an allusion unto those who run in a race: for whereas they have a prize or set before them, they first stir up themselves with all their strength to speed towards the mark; which when they have attained, they both lay fast hold on and bear it away with them as their own. So it is with believers, as to the promise proposed unto them or set before them. They reach out after it, lay hold upon it, reserve it, as to their interest in it, as the only means of their deliverance and salvation, and of that consolation which in every condition they stand in need of. And from the words so opened we may observe, that,

Obs. 9. Sense of danger and ruin from sin is the first thing which occasions a soul to look out after Christ in the promise. It is implied in the word , which includes a respect unto danger to be avoided; whence we render it, flee for refuge. As the Lord Christ came to seek and save that which was lost, to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance, to be a physician to the sick and not to the whole; so if men are not sensible of their lost condition, of the sin and sickness of their souls, they will never in good earnest look out after him. And therefore, as those by whom conviction of sin and humiliation for it are despised, as they are by many, despise Christ himself also, who is the end of the law and all its convictions for righteousness; so the profession of Christ and hopes of salvation by him, is in vain in all those who were never truly made sensible of sin, and the danger of eternal ruin thereby.

Obs. 10. A full conviction of sin is a great and shaking surprisal unto a guilty soul. Hence is such a one here tacitly compared unto him who had killed a man at unawares, He was just before in a condition of peace and safety, fearing no man, but with quietness and assurance attending his own occasions; but having now slain a man at unawares, he finds all things on a sudden changed round about him. Fear within and danger from without do beset him on every hand. If he seeth any man, he supposeth him the avenger of blood; and if he seeth no man, solitude is dreadful unto him. No otherwise is it with them who are thoroughly convinced of sin. They were alive, as the apostle speaks, Romans 7, and at peace; fearing no more evil than they felt, perhaps persuading themselves that all things were well between God and their souls, or not much solicitous whether they were or no. In this state the commandment comes and discovers their guilt, and danger thereon; and unveils the curse, which until now was hidden from them, as the avenger of blood ready to execute the sentence of the law. This being a thing which they never expected nor feared, fills them with great surprisals. Hence are those cries of such persons, What shall we do to be saved? that argue a great distress and no small amazement. And those who know nothing of these things are utterly ignorant both of sin and grace.

Obs. 11. The revelation or discovery of the promise, or of Christ in the promise, is that alone which directs convinced sinners into their proper course and way. This is the setting of a hope before them, wherein they are called to look unto their strong tower as prisoners of hope, that they may be brought out of the pit through the blood of the everlasting covenant. The man-slayer probably might have many contrivances suggested in his mind how he might escape the danger whereunto he was exposed. To leave his present habitation, to lie hid, to betake himself unto woods or deserts, and the like vain hopes, might present themselves unto him. But all these things did but keep him out of his way, and divert him from his duty; and the longer he entertained them in his thoughts, the more his danger was increased and his life hazarded. It was the remembrance alone of the city of refuge, set before him in the law, that directed him to his proper duty, and set him in his way unto safety. It is no otherwise with persons under the convictions of sin. Many things present themselves unto their minds, with hopes of relief attending them. Sin itself with a continuance therein will do so; so also will sloth, and the procrastination of present duty; but especially some duties themselves, a righteousness by the works of the law will do so, and with many is effectual unto their ruin. Whilst these, or any of them, are attended unto, the way of duty and safety is hidden from the eyes of sinners. But when the promise, Christ in the promise, is proposed unto them, is set before them, so soon as they direct their eyes that way, they see their course plain before them, and what it is they must betake themselves unto, if they intend a deliverance out of the condition wherein they are.

Obs. 12. Where there is the least of saving faith, upon the first discovery of Christ in the promise it will stir up the whole soul to make out towards him, and a participation of him. As faith is begotten in the soul by the promise, so the first natural, genuine act of it tends unto a further interest in and participation of that promise. In going to Christ upon his call and invitation, in laying hold upon him in the promise, consists the nature, life, and being of the duty, obedience, and grace, of that faith which is in the heirs of promise.

Obs. 13. It is the duty and wisdom of all those unto whom Christ in the promise is once discovered, by any gospel means or ordinance once set before them, to admit of no delay of a thorough closing with him. Many things, yea, things innumerable, will offer themselves with subtilty and violence unto that end; yea, all the craft and power of the gates of hell will engage to the same purpose; but as faith, being really set on work, will prevail against them all, so it is our duty to avoid them, as those which, under specious pretences, strike at the life and eternal welfare of our souls.

Obs. 14. There is a spiritual strength and vigor required unto the securing of our interest in the promise, , to lay fast and firm hold upon it. The greatness of our concern therein, the opposition that will be made thereunto, the love wherewith our faith ought to be accompanied, do require the utmost of our strength and diligence herein.

Obs. 15. The promise is an assured refuge unto all sin-distressed souls who betake themselves thereunto.

Obs. 16. Where any souls, convinced of sin by the charge of the law, and of their own lost condition thereon, do betake themselves unto the promise for relief, God is abundantly willing that they should receive strong consolation. For herein doth the nature of that faith consist which hath the promise of pardon, justification, and salvation, given unto it. And hereon I might enlarge, to manifest the true nature of that faith which hath the promises, but I must not too far digress.

Heb 6:19. Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.

Having made mention of our hope with respect unto the promise of God, he adds an account of the use of that hope in the course of our faith and obedience. And he leaves herein the metonymical signification of the word, returning unto that which is proper, namely, the grace of hope in us. But this he doth not absolutely, but as it includes its object, or the promise laid hold upon by faith. For he doth not expressly mention hope itself, but includes it in the relative article, and so respects not itself alone, but its object also, which he had mentioned before, hope as arising from, or caused by and fixed on, the promise of God. Wherefore the use of hope, as fixed on and mixed with that promise, securing our interest therein, is that which he declares in this verse. And three things are to be briefly spoken unto in the opening of these words:

1. The nature of this hope;

2. Its use and properties;

3. Its operation and effects.

The first is included, the second expressed under a natural, and the third under a typical similitude:

First, The grace of hope being not expressly mentioned, but only included in the words, and that not with respect unto its essence and nature, but its use and operation, here is no occasion given to insist upon it. Only whereas it. is supposed as the principal subject of the proposition, it may briefly be spoken unto.

This hope elsewhere he calls our confidence, and ascribes a , a glorying or boasting, unto it, Heb 3:6; and a , or full assurance, Heb 6:11. Wherefore it is that grace whereon our assurance, or that full persuasion of faith which gives confidence and glory, doth depend. And there is nothing more adverse unto it than the common notion of hope; for it is generally conceived as a dubious, uncertain, fluctuating expectation of that which may be or may not be for the future. Now although such expectations of all sorts may be included in the general notion of hope, yet are they excluded from the nature and use of that grace of hope which is recommended unto us in the Scripture. For this is a firm trust in God for the enjoyment of the good things contained in his promises, at the appointed season, raising in the soul an earnest desire after them, and expectation of them. And for want of the knowledge of the nature of this grace, many live without any benefit of its exercise. Let two things concerning it be observed, and they will give light into its nature and use:

1. That it springs from faith, in that it fixeth all its expectation on the good things in the promise, and that as promised. But it is faith alone that receives the promise and giveth an interest therein.

2. That its nature and essence consists in trust in God; which if it be not the foundation of all its exercise, whatever may be so called is but a deceiving presumption, Psa 33:18; Psa 42:5; Psa 130:5, etc. Wherefore it is the fiduciary act of faith on God in the promise, as it respects the good things of it, as yet absent, future, unenjoyed.

Secondly, The use and operation of this hope the apostle expresseth by a double metaphor, the one taken from things natural, the other from things instituted and typical. Its use he sets forth by a metaphor taken from things natural; it is the anchor of the soul, firm and stable: and its operation by a metaphor taken from things typical; it entereth into that within the veil.

First, In itself, and as unto its use, he compareth it unto an anchor; it is the anchor of the soul: for the souls of believers, it seems, have need of an anchor. And there is much instructive efficacy in such similitudes. They are the only lawful images in things sacred. For that which in itself is invisible, is by a suitable representation proposed unto the reason of the mind, and even objected unto sense itself. Hence, as used in the Scripture, they are eminently communicative of spiritual light and experience unto the soul. And this instructive allusion is to be taken from the principal ends of the things compared, and ought not to be extended unto other circumstances which belong not thereunto; yea, a dissimilitude is allowed in them all. Wherefore our hope, as before described, is compared unto an anchor;

1. With respect unto its use;

2. With respect unto its adjuncts and properties:

1. As for the nature and use of an anchor, it is to hold fast the ship whereunto it doth belong, and to keep it steady. And it is principally of use at two seasons:

(1.) In storms and tempests, when the art and skill of the mariners are overcome by the fierceness of the wind and sea so that they cannot steer the ship in its right course, nor preserve it from rocks or shelves. Then is an anchor cast out; which, if it have the properties here mentioned, will hold fast and retain the ship in safety against all outward violence.

(2.) When ships are in their harbor, that they may not be tossed up and down at uncertainty, that men may attend their occasions and not be driven to and fro with every wind (which our apostle alludes unto, Eph 4:13-14), an anchor is cast to keep the vessel steady unto its posture.

There are therefore two things supposed in this allusion:

(1.) That the souls of believers are sometimes exposed unto storms; and a stress of spiritual dangers, persecutions, afflictions, temptations, fears, sin, death, and the law, do make up these storms that ofttimes beat upon them. And they are compared here unto storms,

[1.] Because of their violence. There are degrees in them, and some are far more urgent than others, as storms are of various sorts; but generally all of them have one degree or other of fierceness and violence.

[2.] Because of their tendency. They tend in their own nature unto ruin and destruction. It falls out, indeed, sometimes, that a storm at sea, although it terrify the passengers and discompose the ship, yet, accidentally falling in with its course, for a season doth speed it in its voyage; but in their own nature all storms tend unto ruin and destruction. So likewise do all the ways and means whereby the state of believers with their interest in the promise is assaulted; they all tend unto the ruin of their souls It is true, through the holy, wise disposal of all things by the Lord Jesus Christ, they do for the most part issue in the growth of their faith and furtherance of their salvation; but this they have not of themselves, their work and tendency are of another nature. Our apostle gives us a description of these storms, with the use of this anchor in them, and the success thereof in the safety of the souls of believers, Rom 8:33; Rom 8:36; Rom 8:38, etc.

(2.) The ordinary occasions of this life, and our duties towards God and men therein, are like the tradings of ships in their harbour; for therein also a good and sure anchor is necessary for them, the neglect of the use whereof hath proved ruinous to many. And without that which spiritually answers thereunto, we shall fluctuate up and down in all that we do, and be in continual hazard of ruin. In these seasons hope, as before described, is the anchor of the soul. And as that is let down through the waves and darkness of the ocean by its cable, until it comes to fix itself in the bottom; so our hope, let out as it were by the sure word of God, entereth into that wherein it fasteneth itself, and fixeth the soul.

2. The allusion respects the properties of an anchor; which as here expressed are two, the one respecting its nature, the other its use:

(1.) It is , sure, that will not fail; it may be safely trusted unto. The substance of it is firm, the proportion of it is suited unto the burden of the ship; and it is no fair-promising and yet deceitful engine.

(2.) In its use it is , firm and steadfast, which no violence of winds or storms can either break or move from its hold. Such is hope unto the soul:

(1.) In its nature it is , sure, and not a deceiving imagination. It maketh not ashamed, Rom 5:5, by any failure or disappointment.Groundless presumptions are the deceitful engines whereby the souls of multitudes are ruined every day, of no more use than if the mariners should cast out a log or a burden of straw to stay their vessel in a storm. But hope, proceeding from and built on faith, is infallible, and will not deceive.

(2.) In its use it is , firm and invincible against all oppositions; not indeed from itself, but from the ground which it fixeth upon, namely, Christ in the promise, as the next words declare. For,

Secondly, The way or means whereby this spiritual anchor secures our souls is expressed in the words following, And which entereth into that within the veil. And herein there is a dissimilitude in the comparates. For an anchor is cast downwards, and fixeth itself in the earth at the bottom of the sea; but hope ascendeth upwards, and fixeth itself in heaven, or in that which is therein. And we must inquire,

1. What is this veil;

2. How hope entereth it;

3. What is that within it that hope entereth into:

1. For the veil itself, the apostle unto that natural allusion which he insists upon adds also one that is typical, which renders the whole context figurative, as we showed before. The veil, therefore, here alluded unto, was that which parted the most holy place from the sanctuary or body of the temple. This our apostle calls the second veil, Heb 9:3; and here the veil absolutely. For the body of the temple, whereinto only the priests entered to offer incense, was separated from the people by the first veil, as the most holy place was from that by the second veil. Through the former the ordinary priests passed every day to offer incense; through the latter the high priest passed, and that once a-year. Now that which was denoted hereby, with respect unto Christ and his priesthood, was the aspectable heavens, through which he passed in his ascension into the glorious presence of God. See our exposition on Heb 4:14. Within the veil, therefore, is within and above these visible heavens, the place of Gods glorious residence, the holy tabernacle not made With hands, where the Lord Christ continueth to administer for his church.

2. This hope entereth into, or passeth through. The heavens are as a veil unto the sense and reason of men; there their sight and their thoughts are bounded, they can neither discern nor judge of any thing that is above or within that veil. But faith, with hope, pierceth through it; no created thing can keep them at a distance from God himself. As an anchor stays not in the waves of the sea, as it cannot fix itself in the waters, but pierceth through them until it comes unto solid earth in the bottom; no more doth or can the hope of a believer fix itself on any thing under these heavens, but it pierceth through all till it comes within the veil. And this it doth,

(1.) Under the conduct of faith, which goes before it, and presents unto it the things hoped for, Heb 11:1;

(2.) By the rule and line of the word, which on no occasion it will vary from. And,

3. This it doth , to that which is within. And what is it that is within this veil? Not an ark and a mercy-seat, not tables of stone and cherubim, the work of mens hands; but the things signified by them; God himself on a throne of grace, and the Lord Christ, as the high priest of the church, standing at his right hand; God the Father as the author of the promise of grace, Christ as the purchaser of all mercy, the counsel of peace being between them both. Here hope fixeth itself, to hold the soul steadfast in all the storms and tempests that may befall it. Wherefore that which hope fixeth on within the veil, is,

(1.) The Father as the author;

(2.) The Lord Christ as the purchaser;

(3.) The covenant as the conveyance of all grace: which were all typically represented by the things within the veil of old. And the apostle makes use of this expression for two reasons:

(1.) Because our faith and hope are not now fixed and bounded on types, shadows, and obscure representations of the good things of the promise, as things were under the old testament. All these things are now passed away, and we have immediately to deal with God and Christ Jesus.

(2.) To instruct the Hebrews in the nature and use of the old tabernacle institutions, and from thence in the true nature of the priesthood of Christ, which he is now returning unto. And we may observe from these words,

Obs. 17. That all true believers are exposed to storms and tempests in this world. This makes anchors so necessary for them. The wise God would not have provided an anchor for them, and enjoined its use, if he had not known they would be exposed unto storms. He that dwells at peace in his house, of all things thinks least of an anchor. But we are to look for storms. Suppose we might pass our time of sojourning here without outward troubles, which yet he is exceedingly unwise who promiseth unto himself any such thing, whilst we are in the flesh, and accompanied with so many occasions of distress on every hand, yet who can escape from those inward trials, exercises, and troubles, from temptations, darkness, sin, and the law, wherewith we are often tossed and afflicted, and it may be for a season not comforted? For,

Obs. 18. These storms would prove ruinous unto the souls of believers, were they not indefeasibly interested by faith and hope in the promise of the gospel. Every storm almost will be too hard for ships without cables or anchors. And as little security have we in a time of trial from any thing in ourselves, if hope hold not fast on the promise, which is the anchor of the soul. And this it will do if it be genuine. For,

Obs. 19. No distance of place, no interposition of difficulties, can hinder the hope of believers from entering into the presence of, and fixing itself on God in Christ. It pierceth through the clouds, passeth through the heavens, stops not at their glorious veil, until it comes unto the eternal Fountain and Spring of all grace and mercy. And therefore,

Obs. 20. The strength and assurance of the faith and hope of believers is invisible unto the world. They enter in within the veil, where no eye of reason can pursue them. There all their concerns are hid; and the secret influence which unto all purposes they have from thence is sometimes admired, sometimes derided, by the blind and wicked world. However, it is effectual to their good. For,

Obs. 21. Hope firmly fixed on God in Christ by the promise, will hold steady, and preserve the soul in all the storms and trials that may befall it. It is an anchor both sure and steadfast. Wherefore,

Obs. 22. It is our wisdom at all times, but especially in times of trial, to be sure that our anchor have a good holdfast in heaven. This alone will be our preservation and security, if we are fixed on that within the veil.

Heb 6:20. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The apostle issueth this long digression, as he doth all his other discourses, in the person of Christ; who being the author and finisher of our faith, with him he begins, and in him he ends continually. And three things he aims at in this verse:

1. To give new assurance unto the efficacy and prevalency of hope fixed on the promise, as it enters in unto that within the veil; namely, because Christ, our high priest, is there. It enters there, , whither Christ is gone. Even heaven itself would be no safe place for us to fix the anchor of our trust and hope in, if Christ were not there; for without him there would be no throne of grace in heaven, as there could have been no typical throne in the sanctuary without the mercy-seat. And this contains the relation between the two verses; wherein we see that,

Obs. 23. After the most sincere performance of the best of our duties, our comforts and securities are centred in Christ alone. Our hope, entering within the veil, is a safe anchor, because Christ is there.

2. The apostle in these words, by an artificial transition, lands us on that coast which he all this while hath steered towards; and this is the priesthood of Christ as represented in that of Melchisedec. This he had asserted, Heb 5:10; but, upon the consideration of the depth of this mystery, the importance of the subject-matter of it, with the present state of the most of these Hebrews, he engageth into that long digression, for their due preparation unto the hearing and receiving of it, which we have now passed through. Wherefore, having discharged his conscience and duty towards them in various admonitions, he returns again in these words unto that design and discourse which there he had broken off. And from the nature of his digression we may learn, that,

Obs. 24. As the minds of men are greatly to be prepared for the communication of spiritual mysteries unto them, so the best preparation is by the cure of their sinful and corrupt affections, with the removal of their barrenness under what they have before learned and been instructed 3: It is to no purpose, yea, it is but the platting of new wine into old bottles to the loss of all, to be daily leading men into the knowledge of higher mysteries, whilst they live in a neglect of the practice of what they have been taught already.

3. He gives an account of the Lord Christ, unto whom he hath now reduced his discourse, in sundry particulars, as,

(1.) He expresseth him by his name, , Jesus. And by the interposition of this name here the apostle may design two things:

[1.] To mind us of the signification of it, whence the reason of his assumption of it was taken. Jesus signifies a Savior; and he was called Jesus, because he was to save his people from their sins, Mat 1:21, He, therefore, concerning whom all these things are affirmed is to be considered as our Savior; who had the name of a Savior given him by God himself, with respect unto the work which he was to do, 1Th 1:10. And he is Jesus still, able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him.

[2.] To reflect on the common use of that name in the world. This was the name under which he was reproached, reviled, crucified and slain as a malefactor. They crucified Jesus. Wherefore the apostle, treating here of the glorious exaltation of the Son of God, that none might pretend or fancy to themselves that it was any other thing or person that he intended, he expresseth him by that name whereby he was known in the world, under which he was reproached and suffered. And this all the apostles were careful to inculcate in the first preaching of the gospel: Jesus of Nazareth, Act 2:22. This Jesus hath God raised up, verse 32. His Son Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate,

Act 3:13. Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, Act 4:10. Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree, Act 5:30. For as they testified hereby that they were not ashamed of his cross, so they laid in security for faith against all those fond imaginations which have been since vented, that Christ in heaven and in us is somewhat else than that Jesus who was crucified on the earth. This is that which, by the use of this name, he calls our faith unto, namely, that it is one and the same Jesus who was humbled and is exalted, who died ignominiously, and lives for ever in glory.

Obs. 25. This same Jesus is our Savior in every state and condition; the same on the cross, and the same at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hence he is still represented in heaven as a Lamb slain, Rev 5:6. And all apprehensions unto the contrary are destructive unto the whole foundation of the gospel.

(2.) He describes him by that office and action whence our hope receives its great encouragement to enter within the veil, namely, that he is , a fore-runner for us, and as such is entered in thither.

In this place alone is this title assigned unto the Lord Christ, though the things intended in it are elsewhere expressed. And so it must be said concerning the name of a surety, which our apostle makes use of in the next chapter, verse 22. Great, mysterious truths may often be comprised in one word, used and employed by the Holy Ghost for our instruction; and therefore every word of the Scripture is diligently to be searched into.

It is indifferent whether we render the words, the forerunner for us (that is, our forerunner) is entered; or the forerunner is entered for us. In the first way, the qualification of his person, a forerunner for us; in the latter, the design of his action, the forerunner acting for us, is intended. Both come to the same purpose; and our translators so place the words as if they inclined unto the latter sense. Two things we are to inquire into:

[1.] What is a forerunner.

[2.] What the Holy Ghost would instruct us in by this ascription unto Christ, or he is a forerunner entering within the veil for us.

, precursor, is one who in an affair of public concern makes speed by himself unto the place whereunto the affair belongs, to give an account of it, and to dispose of all things needful and suited unto the disposal of the affair that he reports. Commonly, indeed, such a public harbinger is inferior unto those who come after, under whose conduct the main of the affair doth abide; but this is only where he who is the forerunner or harbinger is so and no more. But now, although the Lord Christ be a forerunner also, yet he is more; he is the person in whose hand lieth the whole affair and its conduct. And he was himself the forerunner because of the greatness of the matter he had in hand, not manageable by any other. And we may consider the words distinctly:

1st. His being a forerunner;

2ndly. For us;

3dly. Where he is so, within the veil.

1st. He is, in his entrance into heaven, or the holy place, , a forerunner. This the high priest of old, when he entered once a-year into the holy place, was not. He entered thereinto himself, but he made no way for any to follow after. He did not go before the people, to give them an entrance into the holy place; but both by his entrance and his return signified their exclusion for ever. We have, then, herein another instance of the excellency of our high priest and his office. When he entered into the holy place, he did it not merely for himself, but to go before, to lead and conduct the whole church into the same glory.

2dly. He is a forerunner , for us; that is, for all believers, for the whole church, in all times, ages, and places. And this he is three ways:

(1st.) By way of declaration. It belongs unto a forerunner to carry tidings, and to declare what is the success that hath been obtained in the affair which he giveth an account of. The Lord Christ, entering into heaven, makes an open declaration that he hath led captivity captive, spoiled principalities and powers, triumphed over them; that he hath obtained his portion, and divided the spoil with the strong, Isa 53:12; that he hath rescued his church from the power of sin, Satan, death, and the law. And there were two parts of the triumphant declaration made by this forerunner of the church:

[1st.] That he had discharged his original engagement for the salvation of believers under the old testament, on the faith whereof they were accepted with God and saved. Hence, upon his entrance within the veil, they also join in that doxology, Rev 5:9-12. And he was their forerunner also. For although I have no apprehension of the limbus patrum fancied by the Papists, yet I think the fathers that died under the old testament had a nearer admission into the presence of God upon the ascension of Christ than what they enjoyed before. They were in heaven before, the sanctuary of God; but were not admitted within the veil, into the most holy place, where all the counsels of God in Christ are displayed and represented. There was no entrance before, either as to grace or glory, within the veil, Heb 9:8; for, as I said, within the veil are all the counsels of God in Christ laid open, as they were typed in the holy place. This none could or were to behold before his own entrance thither. Wherefore he was their forerunner also.

[2dly.] To declare the redemption of all the elect that were to follow him in their several generations. This is triumphantly declared in heaven, Psa 47:5-7; Psa 68:18; Psa 68:24-26.

(2dly.) By way of preparation. And this is twofold:

[1st.] With respect unto our present gracious entrance into the holiest by faith and prayer. This way was not made for us whilst the old tabernacle was standing, Heb 9:8; but this way is now prepared for us by our forerunner, Heb 10:19-22. We have an entrance into heaven even whilst we are here on the earth. An entrance is made for our faith, for our hope, for our prayer. Wherever they enter, our souls do enter and are present. And this entrance we make daily, and that with boldness and assurance, on the account of our forerunner.

[2dly.] As unto our future entrance into glory. Under this capacity, as a forerunner, it belongs unto him to prepare mansions for us in his Fathers house, whither he is gone; and which he hath promised to do, Joh 14:2-3. He prepares mansions for us, and he prepares us for those mansions, suiting grace and glory unto each other. Heaven, indeed, is ready for us, whenever we are meet and ready for heaven.

(3dly.) By the way of possession. He had now obtained for the church eternal redemption; and purchased for them, and in their name, an everlasting inheritance, Act 26:18. This he went, for them and in their name, to take possession of; and to reserve it in the heavens for them, 1Pe 1:4. Hereon, being by adoption made heirs of God, they come to be co-heirs with Christ, Rom 8:17; and are at last admitted into the same glory with him. So is he a forerunner for us.

3dly. As a forerunner he is entered within the veil; that is, into heaven itself, the place of the glorious presence of God. And this also may be considered two ways:

(1st.) With respect unto what he hath already done for us; and two things are included therein:

[1st.] That he hath completely finished the work he had to do upon the earth. He had absolutely won the victory, and secured the church from all its spiritual adversaries. Without this, a triumphant entrance into heaven had not been granted unto him.

[2dly.] Gods blessed approbation of all that he had done here below, Isa 53:11-12; Php 2:6-11.

(2dly.) With respect unto what he hath yet to do for us. Hence it is that he is not said absolutely to enter into his glory, but to enter as a priest, as through a veil, as into the holy place; where he continues as our forerunner in the exercise of that office, as the apostle declares in the close of the verse, Made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec; whereof we must treat in the next chapter.

Obs. 26. Now the Lord Jesus being thus entered into heaven as our forerunner, gives us manifold security of our entrance thither also in the appointed season. This he assures us of, Joh 14:3; Joh 14:19. For,

1. He passed through all the storms of trials, temptations, persecutions, and death itself, that we are exposed unto, and yet is landed safely in eternal glory. His anchor was trust and hope in all his storms, Heb 2:13; Isa 1:7-9. And it was tried to the utmost, Psa 22:8-10. It preserved him in them all; and will be no less faithful unto the whole church. As he hath thus gone before us, he is able to succor us, and hath given us in himself a pledge of success.

2. He is now where our hope is fixed, namely, within the veil, where he takes care of it, and will preserve it unto the end.

Obs. 27. Again; if the Lord Christ be entered into heaven as our forerunner, it is our duty to be following him with all the speed we can. And it is required hereunto, 1. That we be willing to follow him in the way wherein he went, as well as unto the place whither he is gone. And the way he went was,

(1.) The way of obedience, Heb 5:8-9;

(2.) The way of suffering, Heb 12:2. Holiness and the cross are the two essential parts of the way whereby our forerunner entered into glory.

2. That we burden not ourselves with any thing that will retard us, Heb 12:1.

Obs. 28. And we may see whereon the security of the church doth depend, as to the trials and storms which it undergoes in this world.

He that can consider the opposition that is made unto it in the world; the counsel, the power, and the malice, which are engaged unto its ruin, on the one hand; and its own weakness, solitariness, and helplessness, on the other, cannot but admire whence it is that it is preserved one moment from destruction.

There is no proportion between its visible defense and the visible opposition that is made unto it. It is Jesus, our forerunner, who is within the veil taking care of all our concerns, that is alone our security.

Obs. 29. And what will he not do for us, who in the height of his glory is not ashamed to be esteemed our forerunner? what love, what grace, what mercy may we not expect from him? And,

Obs. 30. When our hope and trust enter within the veil, it is Christ as our forerunner that in a peculiar manner they are to fix and fasten themselves upon.

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

more: Psa 36:8, Son 5:1, Isa 55:7, Joh 10:10, 1Pe 1:3

the heirs: Heb 6:12, Heb 11:7, Heb 11:9, Rom 8:17, Gal 3:29, Jam 2:5, 1Pe 3:7

the immutability: Heb 6:18, Job 23:13, Job 23:14, Psa 33:11, Pro 19:21, Isa 14:24, Isa 14:26, Isa 14:27, Isa 46:10, Isa 54:9, Isa 54:10, Isa 55:11, Jer 33:20, Jer 33:21, Jer 33:25, Jer 33:26, Mal 3:6, Rom 11:29, Jam 1:17

confirmed it: Gr. interposed himself, Heb 6:16, Gen 26:28, Exo 22:11

Reciprocal: Gen 6:6 – repented Gen 26:3 – oath Gen 32:12 – thou Exo 20:7 – take Deu 32:40 – General 1Ki 18:15 – As the Lord Est 8:8 – may no man reverse Psa 57:10 – truth Psa 89:35 – Once Psa 91:4 – his truth Psa 93:5 – Thy Psa 105:9 – General Psa 119:50 – This Psa 119:147 – hoped Isa 25:1 – thy counsels Isa 40:1 – comfort Isa 56:4 – take hold Isa 65:16 – in the God Jer 22:5 – I Jer 33:6 – and will Dan 6:26 – and stedfast Luk 1:73 – General Joh 3:33 – hath set Act 2:30 – with Act 4:28 – and Rom 9:6 – as though Rom 12:12 – Rejoicing Eph 1:11 – the counsel Eph 6:16 – the shield 1Th 5:24 – Faithful Tit 1:2 – God Tit 3:7 – made Heb 1:14 – heirs Heb 10:36 – ye might 2Pe 1:11 – abundantly

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Heb 6:17. God had no one greater by whom He could swear, yet he wished to provide some means of assurance to those interested in His counsel or promise. Immutability means that it is unchangeable–nothing can be done to change it. God accomplished the assurance by adding His oath to the promise thereby confirming it.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Heb 6:17. Wherein; better, wherefore, under which circumstances, in which case, on which principle, i.e man having this estimate of the value of an oath.

God, willing to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise (those to whom under both economies the promises belong, see Heb 6:12) the immutability or his will. The word used for will is used by Luke and by Paul to express Gods gracious will or counsel (Act 2:23, etc.; Eph 1:11).

Intervened, mediated, with an oath, i.e between Himself as the pro-miser and man as the recipient of the promise. He Himself came as pledge and surety, not for us (Psa 119:122) but for Himself. The same loving purpose that provided the blessings He promised prompted Him to do everything that could be done to win our trust and establish our faith.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Here the apostle acquaints us with the design of God in confirming his promise, namely, to manifest the immutability of his counsel to us; that is, his decree and purpose for our salvation; to the intent, that by his word and oath we might have strong consolation. So unspeakable is the weakness of our faith, that we stand in need of the utmost condescension of God for its confirmation.

Note here, That God has made many promises for the confirmation of his people’s faith. God’s oath is a surety for his promises; and that God’s end, both in his promise and his oath is to give his people the highest assurance, and strongest consolation.

Question, why are we so hard to believe God upon his single word; yea, can scarce trust him upon his oath?

Answer, Because of our guilt; no, guilt is always full of fear, and fear full of suspicion and distrust; and because the way of reconciliation is so rare and wonderful, that we can scarce conceive it, much less believe it; also the privileges of the gospel are so glorious, that they exceed our belief: and because we ourselves are so false and fickle, both with God and one another, that promises, vows, and oaths, are all little enough to hold us. Now we are apt to measure God by ourselves therefore he gives us his oath.

Inference, 1. How ought we to bind ourselves to God by oath, seeing he condescends thus to bind himself to us?

2. How unreasonable is it for the believers to distrust God upon his oath? This is not only to accuse God of a lie, but to impeach him of perjury.

3. How absurd is it for the impenitent sinner not to tremble at the threatenings of God, which are confirmed by an oath, as well as his promises? “I have sworn in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest.”

–“Who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope before us:”

In these words there is an allusion to the cities of refuge spoken of under the law: God appointed six of them for those to fly unto, who were guilty of casual homicide, or killing a man by chance, that so they might avoid the fury of the avenger of blood. Now these cities of refuge were an illustrious type of Christ.

Note here, 1. Christ is the believer’s city of refuge, the only sanctuary for distressed souls.

2. That believers do by faith fly unto him for refuge, when the guilt of sin, and the wrath of God for sin, do pursue and follow them. This flying for refuge doth imply diligence and earnestness, as in the case of life and death, yea, unwearied diligence; and it implies continuance in this refuge, when once got into it, not to stir out of it for all the world.

Lord! open the eyes, and awaken the consciences of all impenitent sinners, make them sensible that the avenger of blood is at their heels, and that their damnation slumbers not, if they do not presently fly from the wrath to come, and take sanctuary in thy Son.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Verse 17

Wherein; in the same manner.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

6:17 Wherein God, willing more {f} abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:

(f) More than was needed, were it not for the wickedness of men who do not believe God, even though he swears.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes