It was hope that bu_oyed up poor Columbus, and that inspired the lion-hearted Living- stone. But, as ancient seamen called the strongest anchor of their ships "the sacred anchor," and res~rved it as "the last hope" for times when the vessel was in real peril; so, go~pel hoJ?e 1s the sacred anchor of every good man.. And, truly, this hope is the most influential of all hopes. It is the hope of eternal life ;-the hope of looking upon Chr)st in his _glory, of seeing the King in his beauty. Notice, also, the pi-operties ascribe~ to this anchor. 1. It is sure. In substance strong and firm, and of weight proportionate to the tonnage of the vessel-in every way worthy of the greatness of our nature. No fear that it may fail: this "hope putteth not to shame." 2. It is stead- fast. It fakes a firm grip of the holding-ground, and will neither break nor dracr. No force of wind or current will be able to tear it from its hold. How comes it that spiritual hope has these essential qualities? It is "both sure and steadfast" because it is the gift nf God, and therefore good and perfect, like all other Divine gifts. It is so, also, because it is essentially connected with the cable of faith in the promise and oath of God. II. CnRIST IN nEAVEN IS OUR ANCHORAGE. The Saviour has gone before us into heaven, through the blue" veil" or ocean of the sky; and our hope follows him thither. 1. Our holding-ground is in heaven. Happy are all who are convinced that there is no safe anchorage for their souls anywhere below I Each of us has had many earthly l,opes that have been baftled ; but. the hope which finds its object in heaven is" a living hope." Its holding-ground is beyond the frontiers of change, and out of reach of the touch of death. God help us amid the storms of life to look, not so much down upon the fierce floods which are beating about our feet, but rather upward to the quiet., holy heaven, and to our great Hope that is there! 2. Our holding-ground is Christ himself in his pe1·petual priesthood. Even heaven is nothing at all to the believer apart from Christ. 'l'he Lord Jesus himself is" our Hope." He is the Son of God, who knows a.11 our troubles, and has power to control and snbdne them. He is the Son of man, and fnll, the~efore, of warm, human sympathy. He is our "High Priest," ever-loving, interceding, armed with authority and overflowing with tenderness. And he is our "Forerunner," who has entered heaven in our name, and left the golden gate open behind him, because he has arranged that we are to follow (John xiv. 1-4). . Learn, in conclusion: 1. The anchor of hope does not quell the storm; what it does is to hold fast the vessel. 2. The excellence [Of the anchor and the strength of the holding-ground make the believer's security most absolute. 3, The sinner's only safety is to cast anchor in Christ.
HOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2.-.A summons to 0h1"istian progress. "'l'bereforo leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ," etc. Our subject has two main branches. I. TIIE BEGINNING ALREADY MADE IN UHRISTIANITY. Here are six first principles or elements of Christianity, with which those persons to whom this letter is addressed a.re supposed to be acquainted. 'fhese elementary p1inciples may be classified in three ~oups of two in each group. (1) Two initial experiences of the Christian life. (2) Two Christian symbolic customs. (3) Two Christian doctrines of future events. Let us briefly notice each of these first principles. 1. "Repentance from dead works." Expositors differ as to whether these are the works of the Law, or the works of ~in, which indicate spiritual death and lead on to eternal death. Probably the writer means the observances of the moral and ceremonial laws of the Jews, by which they sought to attain unto righteousness and to commend themselves unto G:od. And in our own times there are those who endeavour by the performance of righteous and praiseworthy actions to merit acceptance with God. Such works a.re dead unless they spring from a heart in vital sympathy with God. _Repentance from t~ese worlts is the renunciation of them a.s a. ground of acceptance with God, and the withdrawal of our faith from 1hem. 2. "Faith toward God." That this is the Christian faith in God is clear from the earlier clause-" the principles of the doctrine of Christ." Probably, as Alford sucrgc,stR, the best exposition of this faith in God is found in the words of :;;i. Paul : ":, 'l'o him that worketh not, but bclioveth oi;,, him that justificth the ungodly, OH. VI. 1-20.) 'HIE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE HEBllEWS. 167