A commentary on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews. By M. John Calvin. Translated…A commentarie on the vvhole Epistle to the Hebrevves. By M. Iohn Caluin. Translated…

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, Vers. 19 &c.] It is a goodly similitude in that he compares faith to an anchor cast out and fast rooted in the word of God. For the truth is, that whilst we float up and down in the salt sea of this world, we are not stayed upon sure and firm ground, but we reel as a ship to and fro in the middest of the sea, yea even in a troublesome sea tossed with floods and waves. For the devil he ceaseth not to raise up infinite storms and tempests that might at once overturn and drown our ship, if so be our anchor be not deeply fastened even to the very bottom. And indeed let us turn our cies whither soever we will, we shall perceive no firm land whereupon to stand safely: but which way soever our senses do turn them, we shall see nothing but water: yea such waters, whose waves do swell, and roar, lifting up themselves on high, & threatening our destruction. But as the anchor is cast into the middest of the water, into an obscure and hidden place, and whilst it lieth so hidden, it keeps the ship in safety, that it is not drowned of the waves, unto which it is exposed and laid open: so ought we to fix and fasten our hope in God, who is invisible. Herein stands the difference; that the anchor is cast downwards, because it finds fastening in the earth: and our hope is raised up on high, and flieth into heaven, because it finds nothing upon earth, ¹or in the world upon which it may safely rest and stay it self securely: neither ought it to rest it self upon the creatures, but only upon God. And as the cable to which the anchor is fastened, joins the ship with the earth by a long and invisible distance; so the truth of God is a cable by which we are knit unto him, so as there can be no distance of place so far off, ⟨p. 133⟩neither yet any darkness be it never so thick, that can let us to cleave still fast unto him. Being thus made fast unto God, howsoever we must fight indeed daily against infinite storms and tempests, yet are we notwithstanding so out of danger, that we shall not perish with our ship. And therefore he saith, that it is an anchor both sure and steadfast. For no tempestuousness of waves can be so great, that they should be able to rent the anchor in pieces, or to break the cable, or that the ship by means thereof should be cloven in twain. This indeed falls out upon the Sea:

Which hope we haue as an anker of the soule, Vers. 19 &c.] It is a goodly similitude in that he compares faith to an anker cast out and fast rooted in the word of God. For the truth is, that whilest we flote vp and downe in the salt sea of this world, we are not staied vpon sure and firme ground, but we reele as a shippe to and fro in the middest of the sea, yea euen in a troublesome sea tossed with floods and waues. For the diuell he ceaseth not to raise vp infinite stormes and tempests that might at once ouerturne and drowne our shippe, if so be our anker be not deepely fastened euen to the very bottome. And indeed let vs turne our cies whither soeuer wee will, we shall perceiue no firme land whereupon to stand safely: but which way soeuer our senses doe turne them, we shall see nothing but water: yea such waters, whose waues doe swell, and roare, lifting vp themselues on high, & threatening our destruction. But as the anker is cast into the middest of the water, into an obscure and hidden place, and whilest it lieth so hidden, it keepes the ship in safetie, that it is not drowned of the waues, vnto which it is exposed and laid open: so ought we to fixe and fasten our hope in God, who is inuisible. Herein stands the difference; that the anker is cast downwards, because it findes fastening in the earth: and our hope is raised vp on high, and flieth into heauen, because it findes nothing vpon earth,