long 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 harbour, 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. iv. 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. viii. 33, 36, 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. Ασφαλή. Βεβαίαν. Such 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 ȧopaλns, "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 Becaía, "firm and steadfast," which no violence of winds or storms can either break or move from its hold. is hope unto the soul: (1.) In its nature it is dopaλás, "sure," and not a deceiving imagination. It "maketh not ashamed," Rom. v. 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 Baía, "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 Εἰσερχομένην τοῦ καταπετάσε ματος. which entereth into that within the veil." And herein is To T 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," chap. ix. 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 chap. iv. 14. "Within the veil," therefore, is within and above these visible heavens, the place of God's 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 discer 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. xi. 1; (2.) By the rule and line of the word, which on no occasion it will vary from. And, 3. This it doth siç rò lowrepov,-" 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 men's 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. XVII. 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. XVIII. 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. XIX. 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. XX. 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. XXI. Hope firmly fixed on God in Christ by the promise, will hold steady, and preserve the soul in all the storms and trials that befall it. It is an "anchor both sure and steadfast." Wherefore, may Obs. XXII. 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. Ver. 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:— Όπου. 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, ou, "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. XXIII. 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. Appsùs γενόμενος. 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, chap. v. 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. XXIV. 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 in.-It is to no purpose, yea, it is but the putting 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, 'Inooûs, "Jesus.' 'Inσous. 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 "Saviour;" and he was called Jesus, "because he was to save his people from their sins," Matt. i. 21. He, therefore, concerning whom all these things are affirmed is to be considered as our Saviour; who had the name of a Saviour given him by God himself, with respect unto the work |