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

Now the exercise of a right hoping in God, is of necessary use, in this case, to moderate sorrow, and to keep it within due bounds. This it doth, especially two ways. 1. By striking at the root, and weakening the causes of it. 1. If it be for outward losses and crosses, hoping in God raiseth up the soul by looking up to God, and seeing that they are, either from him, as ⟨p. 125⟩our God in Covenant. Thus it raised up Job, Job 1. 21. and David, 1 Sam. 30. 6. or that they are for God, and for their witness-bearing to his truth. This enabled the Saints of old, to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better, and an enduring substance, Heb. 10. 34. 2. If it be from loss of dear relations, and Gods displeasure apprehended therein; this hope will quicken in you godly sorrow, and endeavours to seek reconciliation and peace with God, by repentance and faith in Christ, Hos. 6. 1. 2. It will purge out inordinate affections to the creatures, 1 Joh. 3. 3. over-grieving for the loss of creature-comforts ariseth from over-joying in creature-contentments. 3. If it be from bodily weakness, or sickness, or pain, or any distemper, that renders a man unserviceable in his place; this hope, being rightly exercised, w•ll moderate that sorrow. 1. By bringing a spiritual light into the soul, to prepare it to receive comfort. For the body is compared to an house, and to ⟨p. 126⟩a garment. Hence they can argue, à pari, the more worn and tattered the garment is, the sooner we shall have a new one. So it is with the soul 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43, 44. And the more crazy and weak the house, or rather, the prison is, the nearer the prisoner is to be delivered from it. So it is with the soul imprisoned in this earthly house of the body,