of a Saint is within the vail Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail In the opening of it I shall shew 1 What is the meaning of this phrase of speech Within the vail 2 What notable Anchor-hold there is within the vail 3 Why a Christians hope must bee fixt within the vail And then the Application First What is the meaning of this phrase within the vail The words are spoken by an allusion to the Temple and Tabernacle of old The Temple of old had three parts in it there was the outward Court and the Holy place and the Holy of Holies The outward Court into that came all sorts of persons that is all sorts of the Jews came into the outward Court Into the Holy place came those that did the service about holy things the Priests and Levites into the Holy of Holies entered onely the High Priest once a year with blood These were typical The outward Court typified common Professors of all sorts the holy place wherin entred those that performed the service and worship of God typified the Church Visible Worshippers The Holy of Holies typified Heaven Now between the Holy place and the most Holy was a vail a precious hanging of blue Purple and Scarlet as you may see in Exod. 26.31 32. And the vail shall divide unto you between the Holy place and the most Holy Here was the use of the vail it was to divide between the Holy place and the most Holy Now within the vail was the most Holy place or Holy of Holies Now the Holy of Holies that was a type of Heaven And as you may see if you look into Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self The Holy place made with hands into which the High Priest entred once a year typified Heaven the figure of the true which is Heaven it self whither Christ is gone Now this Holy of Holies that was the place that was within the vail for the holy place and outward Court was without the vail Now wee shall fee the meaning of within the vail that is A Christians hope is grounded upon something out of this world something in Heaven For within the vail was the Holy of Holies so that a Christians hope is grounded upon something that is not in all this world something in Heaven within the vaile that is a Christian casts his Anchor of hope as far as Heaven and fixes and layes hold upon something in Heaven within the vail Quest But you will say What is that within the vaile that a Christians hope can found upon Ans O there is abundance within the vail for a Christian to ground his hope upon First Within the vail there is the Lord Jesus Christ the Rock of Ages As it is in the verse following the Text Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus so wee have Jesus Christ within the vail who is that onely Rock upon which all our souls must anchor that Rock is within the vail is now in Heaven But then consider Christ is within the vail First as a Forerunner Whither the Forerunner is for us entred that is Christ is now entred into heaven as our Forerunner as one that is gone before to make way for us into Heaven one that is gone before to draw us into heaven after him And is not here great ground for a Christians hope to found upon that the Lord Christ the only Rock is in heaven and gone as a Forerunner to make way to set open heaven gates for us and as one that will draw in all his Children after him What ground is here for hope that the Lord Jesus is in Heaven as my Forerunner and therefore hath made way for mee and therefore will draw mee after him When hope pitches upon this and eyes this Jesus as a Forerunner that is entred into Heaven this strengthens the hope of a Saint Secondly Jesus as hee is entred within the vail as a Forerunner so as the Great Sacrifice The High Priest in the time of the Law when the Great Sacrifice the Annual Sacrifice the yearly Sacrifice the High Priest as soon as the Great Sacrifice was slain without was to take the bloud of that Sacrifice and carry it within the vail Thus the body of Jesus when slain was the Great Sacrifice and Christ takes his own blood and carries it into the Holy of Holies so that the Great Sacrifice is carried within the vail Heb. 9.12 Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us So Christ is entred as the Great Sacrifice carrying the Great Sacrifice of his blood thither and that washeth us from our sins Now is not here great ground for hope That the Lord Jesus Christ is gone into Heaven as the Great Sacrifice and the blood of that Great Sacrifice that purges away sin is within the vail therefore all my hope of taking away sin is within the vail Thirdly Jesus Christ is entred within the vail as the righteous one So you may see if you look into 1 Joh. 2.1 My little children If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Jesus Christ who is the righteous is now with the Father and that is within the vail Jesus Christ as the Lord our righteousness is within the vail not onely the passive righteousness of Christs blood but all the active righteousness of Christ is within the vail the passive righteousness or Christ is that which justifies us from death eternal and the active righteousness of Christ that justifies the soul to life eternal that is within the vail too so that all that makes up our Justification is within the vail Christ the righteous one having all righteousness to cover poor souls hath perfectly satisfied the Law of God This Jesus Christ as the righteous one is within the vail Fourthly Jesus Christ the righteous one our Advocate is within the vail If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ as our Advocate is within the vail hee lives to make Intercession for us but where there the Lord Christ makes Intercession where he now is and that is in heaven Heb. 9.14 Christ is entred not into the holy place made with hands but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Now this Intercession of Christ is that whereby pardon of sin is given forth whereby all gifts and grace is given forth to us that whereby strength against all our sins is given forth All this is within the vail Jesus Christ as an Advocate is within the vail to procure pardon of sin grace and strength against sin and what ever wee want to have it supplied all is within the vail and is not here
at rest now I am well now I am sure for Heaven settled shall never fall this is without the vail For the Sanctuary or holy place which was a type of the visible Church that was not the Holy of Holies that was without the vail So if thy hope for Heaven Brethren and Sisters here of the Church look where your hope is pitcht if it bee grounded upon this that I hope God will save mee because I am in the Church O I tell thee that thou mayest bee and yet perish for ever thou mayest have thy hope grounded upon this that thou art a Church-member and yet no hope at all within the vail but upon a sandy foundation and when a storm comes thou wilt suffer shipwrack if a Church suffer not shipwrack for thee If this bee the ground of thy hope O go home labour to pull up Anchor and cast thy Anchor upon that within the vail This is not enough to bee in a Church-society as those of old might come into the place of worship and yet never come within the vail so mayest thou the Lord help us that wee may look to this that our Anchor of hope bee pitched within the vail bee grounded upon something there else it will not hold it is not to walk in the Heathenish way of Morality nor Profession nor holy place within the Sanctuary it must bee within the vail If thou art a moral man not so bad as others art thou one that hath made a profession of Christ and done something answerable or art come into a visible Church art a Church-member for the Lords sake go home pluck up Anchor pluck up such hopes by the roots as you love your souls as you love your eternal souls Pull up Anchor or thou art undone for ever thou wilt surely suffer shipwrack my life for thine if thou goest on if thou Anchor here if thou pitch not within the vail thou wilt suffer shipwrack one day thou wilt not hold when the storm comes but if thou hast cast Anchor upon Jesus Christ the Great Sacrifice upon the blood of Jesus the righteousness of Jesus if thy hope bee grounded upon the Intercession of Jesus the Covenant of Grace the Promises of God this is that foundation of hope within the vail that will hold Therefore go home labour to pluck up your salfe hopes and say Lord Lord Pitch Pitch my Anchor of hope upon the blood of Jesus upon the Covenant of Grace upon the Righteousnesse of Christ J have all along hoped for Heaven upon something without the vail Lord Lord Come now now Pitch my Anchor upon this within the vail the Blood of Christ the Righteousness of Christ the Intercession of Christ the Covenant of Grace the Promises of God such things as these ground thy hope for Heaven If thou ground upon any other thou wilt perish for ever And O how many are there that if I should aske What is your hope built upon O saith one I hope God will save mee I am not so bad as such and such I doe not live in such sinnes I pray sometimes doe some good Duties I hope God will save mee I am a Church-member Are your hopes grounded pitched upon such things as these O you will perish if your hopes continue here if they bee not pitched within the vail there is the onely place where a Christians hope is to Anchor Nay I am not to pitch my hope upon my Graces or Qualifications though they are good and things desireable to have as much grace as may bee yet I must not pitch my hope upon this that I finde an humble heart a heart full of love to God a broken heart I must not Anchor my hope upon this because these are short of the vaile I doe not say this is such a foundation as the other That a soule that pitches upon shall split his soule for ever though God may save him yet hee shall bee split in respect of his peace comfort assurance day after day If you ground your hope upon this That you have an humble broken heart It may bee to day thou findest an humble heart but to morrow a proud heart Where is thy hope now Thy comfort is split if thou groundest thy hope upon this that thou hast a broken heart to weep in this duty and the other but thou findest a heart like a stone in another where is thy comfort now If thou groundest it upon thy love to thy brother it may bee to day thou lovest him to morrow thou art full of wrath though thy hope shall not perish for ever though the foundation bee from God though within us from the Spirit of God yet all the comfort thou takest from this will bee split thou wilt bee undone in thy comfort for a time therefore the onely ground for our hope must be within the vail Let this then stir up every one to pitch their Anchor within the vail Art thou such a one as hath thy Anchor yet to cast That is one that hath no hope not from any thing at all or one that hath some hope it may bee from Profession Civility or Church-membership O labour now to pitch thy hope upon something within the vail I will onely shew you a few things by way of motive from the consideration of that glorious place within the vail it would incourage any one to cast their Anchor of hope there there are so many gloious things to bee injoyed there First Consider within the vail that is in heaven there is the blessed presence of God to bee seen for ever There is the Beatifical vision beholding of God for ever and ever it is within the vail there is the beholding God as a reconciled God for ever and ever there they shall see God face to face behold all the glory of God not a little bâ—t fully and perfectly Secondly Within the vail there is full participation of God A poor soul that casts his hope within the vail there hee shall come to partake of God of the love of God there hee shall not have it by drops as now but it shall come streaming forth wee are here to pray that wee may bee filled with all the fulness of God there wee shall have the answer of this prayer in being filled with all the fulness of God Thirdly There is the society of all the blessed Saints and Angels There is society and injoyment of all the Saints and Angels all the Saints of God they shall see them within the vail and what a blessed thing is it to have society with all the blessed glorified Saints and all the blessed Angels together There are all the Saints wee knew here all that are Saints wee shall injoy them all together there there wee shall come to the General Assembly of the spirits of just men made perfect Fourthly There are many glorious Priviledges Freedomes and Immunities there that are not to bee injoyed any where else 1 There is freedome from
wherein he cannot lay claim to one promise 1 It is the greatest comfort and support to a gracious heart when he is under afflictions temptations c. that hee hath a stock and store-house of promises to go unto if hee fall into sin hee hath a promise of forgiveness to run unto if hee bee under temptation hee hath a promise of support if hee bee weak hee hath a promise of strength if dead hee hath a promise of life if ignorant hee hath a promise of teaching if perplexed with fears of falling away hee hath a promise of perseverance to run unto in every condition hee hath one promise or other to comfort him relieve him stay support stablish him But now on the contrary the condition of that soul that stands out against Christ is of all most sad most deplorable most to bee lamented most dreadful why because in whatsoever condition he is in hee hath no promise that hee can have recourse unto it he sin hee hath no promise of pardon so long as he stands off from Christ If hee bee in prosperity he hath no promise that God will keep him in that condition If hee bee in adversity he hath no promise that God will relieve comfort support him in that condition If he be tempted he hath no promise that God will deliver him out of or preserve him in that condition If he pray he hath no promise that God will hear him If he stand in need of any mercy spiritual or temporal he hath no promise that God will give it How wofull is the condition of such persons no tongue can express it nor heart conceive it 2 That soul which hath a right to the promise and the promise going along with him hath the presence of God and the protection of God going along with for Gods presence and protection go where his promise goes When Israel went out of Egypt towards Canaan they had the promise going with them and as the promise of God went so they were guarded the Angel of God went with them one while was before them another while behinde them to guard them wheresoever danger was approaching So a poor soul which hath a right to the promise in every condition hath Angels guarding of him and God with him whereas that soul which hath no right to the promise which is the condition of all that stand off from Christ they are lest as God saith of Ephraim when hee was gone from God Like a Lamb in a large place A Lamb in a large place is in danger every hour to bee rent in peeces with Dogs and Wolves c. So the soul without the promise is every moment in danger of perishing 3 That soul which hath the promise hath God his friend for God is a friend where his promise goes Abraham had the promise and God was Abrahams friend But now that soul which hath not the promise God is an enemy to that soul 4 That soul which hath the promise all things work together for his good health sickness riches poverty want abundance all work for his good there is a combination together of all things to serve that man and to work him good That soul which hath not the promise all things work together for his evil if rich riches hurt him if poor poverty hurts him if well and in prosperity that undoes him if sick and in adversity that undoes him too there is a combination of all things to work his ruine 5 That soul which hath the promise all the creatures are his friends for God makes a league with the creature in the behalf of all those that are in league and covenant with himself as Hos 2.18 And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battel out of the earth and will make them to lye down safely But that soul which hath not the promise all the creatures are his enemies all are banded against him When hee goes abroad amongst the creatures hee goes amongst so many mortal enemies yea let but God give the word of command and say to the army of his creatures fall on fall on upon that sinner and presently if he eat his meat will choak him if hee breathe the aire will poyson him if hee walk in the streets the houses will fall upon him if hee goes abroad in the fields the beasts will tear him and devour him where-ever hee goes where-ever hee is whatsoever hee does hee is in continual danger 6 That soul which hath the promise the Law hath nothing to do with him it cannot curse him or condemn him for hee is not under the Law any longer but hee is under Grace Rom. 6.14 But that soul which hath not the promise the Law hath to do with him the Law curseth him hee is under a continual curse When hee eats and drinks and sleeps the Law curseth him when hee is walking abroad talking with his neighbours about his ordinary imployments the Law curseth him when hee prayes and cries out of his sins c. yet still the Law curseth him for there is nothing can remove the curse of the Law but the promise and that hee hath no right or title unto 7 Finally that soul which hath the Promise all in God is on his side and laid out for him the Justice of God is on his side and Mercy on his side the Truth of God makes for him the Power of God the Wisdome of God are laid out for him but that soul which hath not the Promise all in God is against him all the Divine Attributes are his Enemies and act against him The Justice of God that is against him that cries Damn the sinner the Mercy of God is against him and saith Mercy Justice do what thou wilt with that Sinner I will not speak a word for him for he hath nothing to do with me The Truth of God that is against him that speaks not a word of peace or comfort to him The Wisdome of God and the Power of God these act against him too How miserable then is the estate of that man or woman that stands out against Jesus Christ he hath nothing to do with the Promise and wanting the Promise how woeful his condition is you have a little heard Vse 3. Then how blessed is their condition who are married to the Lord Jesus why all the Promises are theirs Having Christ for thy Husband thou hast this as a Joynture with him all the Promises of God in him made over unto thee So that is there any good thing in Heaven or Earth that God hath by Covenant and Promise given his people all this is thine All good things in this life given by promise they are thine glory hereafter given by promise it is thine Is Justification given by Promise it is thine is Sanctification it
in Jesus Christ which is preached to poor sinners in this this righteousness is contained here you may lay hold of it by holding of this thou must keep it thou needest not poor Sinner if thou wouldest have all thy sins pardoned be a justified soul and blessed for ever climbe up to heaven by thy own good works and righteousness for it nor run down to hell in despair thinking thou mayest as soon finde it there as any where else no no poor soul what saith it The word is nâ—gh thee Heaven is nigh Justification Salvation is nigh thee it is in Gods word of faith which thou hearest preached that free promise which brings thee tidings of an everlasting righteousness lay hold of this thou art blessed for ever keep hold of this and thou shalt see thy self a justified person and an Heir of Heaven for ever And who mee thinks hearing this would not have thoughts of a Heaven thou poor soul sittest all the week long at thy Cups and with thy Queans and art scared from having any thoughts of Heaven or obtaining of Jesus Christ and life eternal through him because thou thinkest if ever thou doest it thou must make a Ladder of good works and climbe up to Heaven and thus thou knowest not how to do but it is a Hell to thee to have thoughts of it or if not so yet thou thinkest thou must run mad for a while at least the thoughts whereof terrifie thee as much on the other side whereas poor soul thou art mistaken the righteousness of Christ by which souls are righteousness of Christ by which souls are justified and saved needs neither of these for the obtaining of it thou needest not go up to Heaven nor down to Hel to get it thou needest not stand howling and crying and moping a moneth together to get a Heaven no but come to the Promise and all is thine but I tell thee not that when this is done thou shalt swagger and swear and be drunk and roar as before thou didst no but a new nature shall be put into thee and God whom now thou art affraid of as a Judge to hang thee thou shalt come running unto and throw thy self into his arms as into the arms of a loving Father and that work as prayer hearing which thou art now in prison whilst thou art about thou shalt account this glorious liberty 4 Faith it begets and keeps up a secret perswasion in that soul which lives thereby that either the righteousness of Jesus Christ which is declared in the promise already for certain is or if not may bee mine As faith leads the soul out unto and holds it close to the promise where Christs righteousnesse is held forth so there is something which faith in its acting doth to bring the soul unto and constantly to hold it to the promise for it is not an easie thing to bring a poor soul which sees nothingness and emptiness in it self and all its own righteousnesse to close with the promise of Christs righteousnesse and to hold the soul to the same in such sort as it shall not swerve or start aside stagger or reel from that promise in this great business of its Justification Now that which faith doth for the bringing of the soul unto and holding it close to the promise is the begetting and maintaining in the soul a certain secret and inward perswasion which is twofold Either 1 Such as hath an assuring act of faith joyned with it and may bee called Faith of assurance which though it bee not that wherein the life of faith doth properly consist yet it oftentimes accompanyeth living by faith and is more constantly found in that soul which lives by faith than it is in another which doth not live by faith which is a perswasion that that righteousnesse of Christ which is revealed in the promise for the justification of sinners is certainly mine applied to mee and that through the same I am already justified and shall never come into condemnation and therefore I come and take hold of the promise and keep to it as that which is my continual evidence against sin and Satan that I am justified and shall never come into condemnation so that the soul comes to the promise and saith This promise is mine the treasure in it is mine the Jewel of Christs righteousnesse that it brings is mine and in this confidence it triumphs over death hell sin the devil and all the enemies of its Justification and Salvation This perswasion wee finde in the Apostle Paul upon which hee grounds his glorious triumph Rom. 8. vers 33. to the end Daring all his enemies and all the enemies of the Elect of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is hee that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword All comes from this perswasion vers 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And as I said before though this perswasion that I am certainly just and righteous before God in the righteousnesse of Christ bee not that proper act whereby I live by faith yet the more I attain to of this life of faith the greater and more constant will this perswasion bee for the stronger faith grows in any soul the more full assurance doth it bring though yet that assurance is not the act whereby it lives by faith but a fruit thereof yea in those souls who have attained to a higher degree of the life of faith as Paul and others in those times had the actings of faith do more appear in the act of Assurance and less in the acts of bare Adherence so that such doe not so much say the Righteousnesse of Christ it may bee mine and therefore I cleave to the promise which brings the same as thus it is certainly mine I am certainly justified and therefore I hold to the promise and that which is the ground of this my assurance and my evidence to prove the same against all the charges of the Law Sin Satan or any of the enemies of my Salvation Or 2 Such a perswasion as hath an adhering act of faith joyned with it and may be called faith of adherence which is a perswasion of this that the righteousnesse of Christ which the promise declares for the justificotion of sinners though I cannot for the present certainly say it is mine yet it may bee mine and I may bee justified and therefore I go to the promise and hold to the promise where this is to bee had this perswasion is properly the life of Faith considered in it self the other is the life of Faith
Now this sobriety what is it but patience It is patience joyned with hope Heb. 10.36 Receiving the promise is the thing hope looks at Now faith the Apostle yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of Ged yee might receive the promise Hope looks to receiving the promise all the time of a Christians life is a time wherein hee is or should bee doing the will of God the end is the time of receiving the promises Now because a Christians desire is much carried out to receiving the promise and that is a great way off as wee look upon them therefore saith the Apostle You have need of patience that so your eager desires of receiving the promise do not so over-set you that you cannot go on cheerfully doing the will of God that time God will have you So it is many times the desires of a Christian after heaven and eternal life they are so carried out O when shall I receive the promise come to rest in the bosome of the Father That a Christian finds it a difficult thing to keep his heart in order so as to go quietly on doing the will of God between this and that and to stay and be contented to do that work God would have him do between this and heaven therefore you have need of patience that so when hope is in expectation of the promise our hope may not so vehemently carry us out after receiving the promise that you may not bee discontented at the time our Father will have us be here So that is one thing in Christian hope it is a patient Expectation It is an assured Expectation such an Expectation as hath some measure of assurance going with it not a bare conjecture but such as ariseth from faith a divine faith therefore there is confidence going along with a Christian hope look how much faith apprehends the promise so much doth hope expect the fulfilling of it Therefore it is said in Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for Faith by imbracing the promise it holds in his hand the substance of all those good things wee expect hereafter Now because faith hath not actuall possession of them therefore they are hoped for hope expects them but faith is the substance therefore this hope is grounded upon faith though it hath them not it doth in a manner injoy them by imbracing the promise therefore hope springing from faith must bee such a hope as our faith is faith is not a bare groundless conjecture but a certainty so must our hope Heb. 5.6 it is called the rejoycing of hope Now rejoycing doth not arise from a bare fancie and conjecture but from some measure of certainty for a man to fancie he shall in joy a Kingdome this doth not beget rejoycing so it hath assurance joyned with it as it is Heb. 6.11 We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end which argues it is not a bare probability but there is something of certainty in Christian hope yet this certainty of hope is according to the certainty of faith if the certainty of faith bee grounded upon a general promise and cannot be brought to a particular promise such is the certainty of hope but if faith bee grounded upon a particular promise such is the certainty of hope I come now to the next thing to shew how hope is resembled to an Anchor First Hope layes hold out of sight cast an Anchor it fastens at the bottome of the Sea out of our sight so doth hope it fastens within the vail there is the place where a Christians hope pitcheth beyond sight within the vail Secondly an Anchor though it fastens out of sight yet it fastens on the rock cast an Anchor if there be a rock it fastens upon the rock so a Christians hope fastens upon the Rock Jesus Christ a Christians hope is fastned upon the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly an Anchor by fastening upon the rock fixes the ship so that though the waves swell and beat yet the ship is fixed so it is with a Christians hope fastening upon the Lord Jesus Christ it fastens the soul Let temptations and corruptions swell if a poor soul have hope in Christ as his Christ that soul is fixed immoveable that hope it hath of injoying Christ the promise of heaven one day this hope it is that fixes the soul that it is not turned this way and that not driven this way and that as another that hath no hope Let a tempest arise within or without yet if it have an Anchor of hope cast within the vail that it comes but to have some hope can say Jesus Christ is mine it is fixed immoveable Lastly An Anchor by fastening upon the rock fixing the ship the ship is preserved from shipwrack so is the soul Another poor soul that hath no Christian hope the storm arises there is but a little blustering and its split upon the rock if he ride it out one storm another will come and split him but that soul that hath cast Anchor upon Jesus Christ shall bee for ever preserved Quest You will say Wherein is the Excellency of this Anchor of hope above others Answ One wee have in the Text All other Anchors they are cast downward this is cast upward for it enters in to that within the vail it goes upward it is cast within the vaile There is the place where this Anchor of hope is cast 2 Consider the properties which are in the Text of this Anchor It is a sure and a stedfast Anchor A sure that is a safe Anchor and the Anchor of hope when it rests upon this rock it never deceives Hope makes not ashamed And then it is A stedfast Anchor It holds the soul steady unmoveable and both these in these three respects First In respect of the strength of the Anchor it is a strong Anchor another may bee broken and many times is but the Anchor of hope is such an Anchor as can never bee broken a Christians hope is maintained by his faith and his faith and hope by Christ though actings of faith and hope may cease for a while yet his hope can never bee broken there is faith and hope still at the bottome in a Christian 2 In respect of the firmness of the Anchor-ground For it is cast upon a rock therefore it is sure will never break never deceive 3 In respect of the fastness of the Anchors hold Another Anchor though never so strong and good a hold-fast may let go his hold but hope is such an Anchor as never lets go its hold who would not labour to have such an Anchor When the poor soul shall come into a tempest of temptations to have such an Anchor as will never deceive it The third thing is the thing I shall speak to at this time that is The place were this Anchor is cast and that is within the vail the Anchor-ground
great ground for hope to found upon if thou want any grace strength against sin still Jesus Christ as our Advocate must give it forth who is within the vail Lastly Jesus Christ in all those relations that hee stands in to his Children is within the vail Jesus Christ hath all those Relations he stood in here to his people hee stands in the same to his people in Heaven as a head Col. 1.18 Hee is the head of the body the Church Jesus Christ was now in heaven yet saith the Apostle Hee is the head of the body the Church And then Jesus Christ is a Husband now within the vail 2 Cor. 11.2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one Husband Christ is our Husband though within the vail And Jesus Christ is our Brother though within the vail Joh. 20.17 the words of Christ after his Resurrection to Mary Go to my Brethren he owns his under the title of Brethren after his Resurrection Look what Jesus Christ was after his Resurrection that hee is for ever for there is no alteration in Christ after his Resurrection but Jesus Christ after his Resurrection is a Brother to his Saints and therefore is that for ever to his Saints Jesus Christ in all those relations he stands in them still to his Saints And what an abundant ground of hope is this that we have one so near to us in Heaven within the vail Secondly The Covenant of Grace that is within the vail The bottome of a Christians hope that is within the vail The old Mosaical Covenant that was within the vail Moses carried his Covenant within the tipical vail Heb. 9.1 2 3 4. The first Covenant had Ordinances of divine service a worldly Sanctuary and after the second vail the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all which had the golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold wherein was the golden pot that had Manna and Aarons rod that budded and the tables of the Covenant The tables of the Covenant The old Mosaical Covenant was carried within the vail Now as Moses took his Covenant and carried it within the vail so likewise Jesus Christ who is the Mediator of that New and better Covenant he takes that Cavenant and carries it within the vail So that all that ground of hope that wee have from the Covenant of Grace which is the great bottome of a Christians hope all that is within the vail for Jesus Christ as Moses took his Covenant and carried it within the vail Thirdly All the promises of God are now within the vail they are all treasured and stored up within the Covenant the Covenant is the grand Promise and all the promises are in this Covenant now the Covenant being within the vail all the promises of God every promise of grace I would lay hold upon and ground hope upon are within the vail so all the ground that can bee for a Christians hope is within the vail There is a certain foundation his hope is carried into Heaven already if pitcht upon Christ our Forerunner the righteous one the great Sacrifice our Advocate Christ in all his Relations the Covenant of Grace the promises it is pitcht within the vaile For all these are within the vail Thirdly Why a Christians hope must bee fixed within the vail Answ 1. Because there is no safe anchoring place without the vail All is quick-sands as I may say take all the world it is full of quick-sands any thing on this side Heaven is a quick-sand who ever casts Anchor there casts Anchor upon a quick sand the only rock that will hold is within the vail therefore there is no Anchoring place but within the vail I shall make some use If it bee so That the onely ground for a Christians Anchor to bee fixed upon is within the vail Then this truth doth call upon many souls to remove their Anchors Remove your Anchor of hope or you are undone for ever O there is many a soul grounds his hope some where else Remove your Anchor else assuredly you will perish for ever If your Anchor bee cast without the vail First Art thou such a one as rests in morallity Some have cast their Anchor in the common rode of morallity and Civillity that is is the hope thou hast for heaven grounded upon this That thou art a Civil man observest the commands of God walkest honestly and justly amongst thy neighbours doing no body no hurt and therefore thou hopest thou shalt go to Heaven Is thy hope grounded upon any such thing as this As sure as thou art here thy hope is grounded without the vail and thou wilt suffer shipwrack Oh remove thy Anchor this will never bee an Anchor-hold thou mayest hold a while if there come a little blast thou mayest hold as an Anchor upon the quick sand but when the great storm comes the tempest of death thou wilt never hold it having not a firm rock it is on the sands if thou hast grounded upon this that thou art a Civil moral man not so bad as others others are worse and do not serve God so conscionably as thou dost and therefore thou hopest God will save thee O pluck up Anchor cast a new for assuredly this is below the vail it will never hold Secondly Art thou such a one as hast cast thy Anchor of hope not onely in the common rode of Civillity and Morallity but in the outward Court of Profession thou art not onely a Moral Civil man but a great Professor hast taken up a great profession prayes ever and anon come and frequent meetings or it may bee when thou comest home prayes read a Chapter because thou wilt do something answerably to thy Profession and therefore thou hopest God will save thee O is thy hope grounded upon this Then pull up Anchor too this is not within the vail thou must weigh Anchor for thou art yet short of Heaven below the vail where a Saint casts Anchor all this is below the vail when a man rests in his Profession praying some good doings thinks God should save him for this this is short of the vail Thirdly Is the Anchor of thy hope cast in the Sanctuary is it cast I mean in the visible Church Is all thy hope for Heaven grounded upon this that thou art a Church-member and art in the Church therefore thou hopest thou go to Heaven What a Church-member go to Hell I am a Church-member therefore I shall go to Heaven Is thy hope pitcht upon this that thou art in the Church O pull up Anchor too for thou art yet short of the vail thou hast not yet cast Anchor within the vail If thou ground thy hope upon this hopest God will save thee bee merciful to thee though thou hast many failings yet because a Church member got into the Church before conscience troubled thee but when got in to the Church thou art