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

3. The third Direction, which is to be attended, that you may exercise this hope, is to use this hope aright in its second work, for encouragement, by your cherishing in your selves good thoughts of Gods good purposes towards you, and expectation of good ⟨p. 154⟩from God suitable to your needs: Hereunto the Lord encouraged the repenting Jews, in their Captivity in Babylon, Jer. 29. 11. to 15. Having promised them that, at the time appointed, he would visit them and perform his good towards them, in causing them to return, he acquainted them with his good thoughts towards them, as the reason of it, and what he would work in them, to fit them for that mercy; saying, For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go, and pray unto me, and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your hearts, &c. Do not conclude concerning Gods thoughts towards you, by present sense and feeling, but by his own word. Therefore David resolved to hearken to what God the Lord saith, not to what carnal reason and sense would say, and the reason of his so resolving is drawn from the expectation of his hope; for ⟨p. 155⟩he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints, Psal. 85. 8. and his expectation so grounded, was so strong, that he pleaded it with God, saying, in Psal. 119. 49, 50. Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. And well may believers be strengthened in this hope, having it built upon so firm a foundation, as the word of God concerning which David saith, in the same Psal. ver. 89, 90. For ever O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations; thou hast established the earth and it abideth. How is the earth established? we see, if you cast the least stone upwards in the air, it abideth not there, but soon falls down to the earth; yet the earth it self, though it is an huge, vast, heavy body, abideth in the air, wherewith it is surrounded, and wherein it hangeth. How is this done? It hath no pillars to hold it up, but the Decree and Word of that mighty God,