The saints anchor-hold, in all storms and tempests preached in sundry sermons, and published…

1. How to bring and keep the object ⟨p. 94⟩and act, God and this hope together. The holy Pen-man of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in Heb. 3. 6. compares the Church of God to an house; saying, whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence, and rejoicing of hope firm to the end. As it is in the building of an house, so it must be in the building of this hope. In the building of an house, that it may be strong, and kept strong, three things are necessary: 1. That a strong foundation be well laid. 2. That the house be strongly built upon it. 3. That it be kept in due repair. So it must be, in this great business, whereof we now speak. 1. A strong foundation of hope must be well laid. 2. Our hope must be strongly built upon it. 3. We must be careful that our hope be continually kept in due repair. Of these three we shall speak distinctly, and shall endeavour to show how they are to be done. 1. For the first, God himself, as he makes himself and his will known unto us, by his written Word, is the only suitable object, and strong foundation, ⟨p. 95⟩or ground-work of this hope. Therefore the Church, in my Text, saith, I will hope in him. For in him alone are the properties of that object, on which true hope must rely. A man can be in no condition, wherein he needs help, but there is in God power and will to supply it unto him. If comfort be wanting, he is the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 3. He can and will create comforts, for his people, out of nothing; yea, out of the contrary: As he caused at first, light to shine out of darkness, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Those troubles, temptations, and persecutions, and afflictions, which threaten destruction, become means of our salvation, by his over-ruling providence, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, Isa. 28. ult. In this object, two principles are to be looked at. 1. A principle of being. 2. A principle of knowing. 1. The principle of being, is God himself, concerning whom, five particulars must be believed, that our hope may be objeccated upon him. 1. That God in whom we hope, is an