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
c. And if this were duly considered souls would never in their lowest saddest and most deserted conditions bee shy of beleeving for who can question at any time whether they may thus let out their hearts to Christ or no and yet the doing this is beleeving yea the properest act of Faith consiseth therein and if at any time a soul bee inabled by grace to this then it hath a sweet injoyment of God and Christ in the Promise though sensible quickenings c. bee wanting for no act of Faith can bee without an injoyment of God If thou bee'st inabled with thy whole heart to take hold of Gods Wisdome and Power c. in a Promise thou dest as really injoy God so long as thy soul sticketh close to him there whilest the sensible improvements of those divine Artributes ars denyed thee as thou dost afterward when these are granted And the same may bee said for any promised Mercy if the heart bee throughly drawn out Christ-ward in the way of the Promise for it in its proper season as when that mercy is sutable to the present condition c. there is as real an injoyment of God in such a waiting for it as in the after fruition of it for there is the life of Faith before it is afforded and Faith cannot be without a fruition of God The Proper time of Abrahams acting Faith for Isaac was before Isaac was given Rom. 4.19 And being nor weak in Faith he considered not his own body now dead vers 20. Hee staggered not at the Promise of God through unbeleef but was strong in Faith So that injoyments of God by Faith may be as well before as when a promised mercy is afforded I do not speak against looking for sensible feelings of Christs presence within in enlargements and quickenings c. but against judging these the only injoyments of God and against looking more for these than for out-goings of heart to Christ by Faith whereas the best way to attain more of these is to act Faith on the Christ of God who is without us in the way of a Promise for them The Lord would take care of Christians comforts if they were more careful to own his faithfulnesse in his Promise And if you would bee successful in any of your dealings with the Promises then bee sure that your souls do clasp hold of Christ therewith for all the Promises in him are yea and in him Amen And seeing the faithfulnesse of God is ingaged for the accomplishment of all Promises Oh what sweet incouragement doth this afford to exercise hope on him for all those mercies which are promised and which wee are yet without Christians are exceedingly backward to the exercise of this grace of Hope which might bee of admirable use to them and most averse to exercise it about eternal life which is the highest and chiefest object of it Some hope not only for temporal but also for spiritual mercies necessary in some conditions they are exercised in as under deadness of heart they hope for quickenings under streightnings they hope for inlargements under witherings they hope for flourishings of grace but where is the soul that is hoping for the glory of God Rom. 5.2 A hoping for Heaven and the life to come it is the casting hope within the vail that rendreth it of use as a Soul-anchor that secureth against the storms of affliction and temptation which are met withall in this World A great reason of the sinking of many under these is because they cast away their anchor the hope of eternal life when the tempest riseth highest and when they have most need of it It is very sad to observe that carnal men are so high in their Hopes for heaven who have no grounds for hoping and on the other hand that Christians are so low in their hopes who have such firm grounds for them There is 1 A hope of desire 2 A hope of Assurance or Confidence Christians you may sometimes bee under such doubts and questionings about your conditions as you may not be able to conclude with a hope of confidence and Assurance that you shall injoy God to all eternity But a Hope of Desire after the injoyment of God as the chiefest good as reckoning nothing such a matter of Hope as a full fruition of him and Jesus Christ to all eternity this Hope of Desire under the saddest desertion you may keep up and sinne if you do not Cant 3. v. 1 2. Cant. 5.6 The Spouse sought her beloved when hee had withdrawn himself As under the hidings of Christs face the saints may have a Hope of Desire to see his face again on earth so as well may they then long to see him face to face in heaven The Saints should say when will the bridge-groom of our souls come when shall wee have full fellowship with him when shall wee have full imbraces in his armes when shall wee injoy the Promised everlasting rest when shall we have a full freedome from all sinne and suffering thus Paul had a Hope of Desire to bee dissolved that hee might be with Christ Phil. 1.23 and Rom. 8.23 wee groan within our selves that implyeth a weariness of the present Condition but the inducement was the hope of Glory waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body but where is the soul that is under a wearinesse of its present Condition not barely to be freed from burdens and afflictions but out of a want of heavenly glory and a full communion with Jesus Christ O Christians you can never want a ground thus to hope and therefore put on your Helmet the Hope of Salvation cast forth the Anchor and that within the Vail that your Lord may finde you looking for the blessed Hope of his coming We shall add no more but this that the Lord graciously granted us the priviledge to be ear witnesses that diverse of the Sermons in these Treatises for the substance of them giving allowance to such defects of the Emanuensis which cannot but bee expected ordinarily were Preached by that Servant of Christ Mr. Tillinghast and others are as they were found in his own hand-writing Some Sermons are wanting but could not be gained yet these being so useful we were unwilling the World should be without them so desiring that the blessing of Christ may accompany these labors We remain 10 Month 24th day 1656. Thy Servants for Jesus sake Samuel Petto John Manning The Contents The Promises made and fulfilled in Christ from 2 Cor. 1.20 The Text opened from page 1. to page 3. Doct. That all the Promises of God made to sinners in Jesus Christ shall most certainly bee fulfilled and accomplished ibid. That all the Promises of God run in Christ or are made to us in Christ ibid. The Promises distinguished into absolute and conditional 1 Absolute Promises p. 4 2 Conditional Promises ibid. Pro. 1 That all the Promises of God whether those that are absolute or such as are
fear of falling away because God is able to keep from falling and Rom. 14.4 assured that they shall stand because God is able to make them stand and Rom. 11.23 The Apostle speaking of the conversion of the Jews layes down this as a ground for us to beleeve they shall bee grafted in again because God is able to graft them in again 3 Because I finde distrust of the ability of God is in Scripture branded for unbeleef and that of the highest nature Psal 78. v. 19 20 21 22. They said Can God furnish a table in the wilderness Can hee give bread also Can hee provide flesh for his people Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth vers 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his salvation 4 Because the promise alone without a consideration of the power of God to perform the same is not a sufficient ground for faith If a man should promise me a thousand pound I must consider his ability as well as his promise before I can upon good ground beleeve that ever I shall have so much of him for if he be not able hee cannot give it and so his promise is nothing So though I have a promise for such and such a mercy yet if I do not consider Gods ability to perform this promise as well as the promise there will not bee a ground sufficient to make mee beleeve For what if the heart object as once Israel did True here is a promise but can God perform what he promiseth if the soul say Yea he is able then the power of God presently comes into consideration and I have that as well as the promise for the ground of my faith if the soul cannot beleeve this That God is able then the promise alone will not perswade it neither indeed can it and so it is not ground sufficient to cause it to beleeve for the mercy So that both these viz. the promise of God and Gods power to perform the same must go together to make up the ground of faith When I would act faith I must first go to the promise and there behold and consider what God hath freely promised to such a poor miserable creature as I am and work this upon my heart that this word of God is a truth when I have done so I am to endeavour to bring up my heart to beleeve the power of God viz. That God is able and All-sufficient to fulfill this promise whatsoever seems to bee in the way or to hinder the same Now although we are ready to think that this is a very casie thing to beleeve the power of God and that wee have no doubt at all thereabouts yet assuredly it is a most hard and difficult thing and I am perswaded that the greatest part of our unbeleef springs from hence a distrust or questioning of the power of God I have known one as confident as another that hee did beleeve the power of God and could not think otherwise who yet when hee came to follow up his doubts to the first head found it far otherwise that the greater part of them did arise hence I have many times thought the question hath been onely thus Will God do this for mee change this heart kill this corruption c and could I bee satisfied in this I have thought all my doubts would bee over but when I have endeavoured to search to the bottome I have found the state of the question to bee much altered and heard a secret whispering there Can God do such a thing Can this cursed heart of mine be changed Is it possible that such and such corruptions that I have been so long contending with and used all means against and are yet as strong and lively as ever should ever bee subdued Hence comes our unbeleef for a great part of it therefore would we live by faith as wee must keep to the true ground which is the promise of God and his power to perform it so likewise to the full ground i.e. we must act faith in both viz. the promise and power of God And me thinks when I ponder upon this that the power of God as well as the promise is the ground of our faith I do not at all wonder why there is so much unbeleef and so little of the life of faith in most of us because there is an opinion in all our hearts that it is a very easie thing to beleeve the power of God as if we had such abundance of faith that that which ever hath been and was from Abrahams time to Pauls the highest and most noble act of faith as if wee read Scripture wee shall finde this of beleeving the power of God ever was and hath been were easiest to us as if that which declared Abraham strong in faith were now a thing common and from taking it for granted wee do the thing wee take no pains with our hearts hereabouts And therefore it is no wonder wee lye in unbeleef so much as wee doe whilst wee sleightly pass over and carelesly neglect one of the principall grounds of faith 3 The third thing in our description of living by faith is the extent of this living by faith it extends it self to all good expected or hoped for to all evils present or feared whether relating to the life present or that which is to come The natural way for the obtaining of mercies preventing of judgements it s to run to our own righteousness our amending and doing but now the Christians way is the exercise of this life of faith I obtain all good by faith I prevent or remove all evill by faith Rom. 9.31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law The Jews found a want of righteousness the Law that the Lord gave them by Moses convinced them of much sin and unrighteousness they see themselves sinners the Law terrifies them conscience gripes them what now do they do Why see v. 32. presently they run to the Law that bids them amend their wayes do thus and thus this they do and yet as far from obtaining what they want or removing their fears as ever because they sought not in a way of faith The Gentiles likewise they have the same wants and ground of fear the Jews had What do they Why this they do They hear a message a glorious message of one Jesus Christ which was crucified at Jerusalem through whose death poor sinners beleeving in him should obtain righteousness and salvation hereupon they presently disclaiming any worthiness in themselves or any thing they could do flye to Jesus Christ by faith and so obtain righteousness vers 30. The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith They get their great want supplied their conscience truly pacified
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
than another experience teacheth as if there were a flaw in our justification so soon as there is a flaw or slip in our conversation I shall come now to speak a few words to the third thing Quest 3. What is it that hindreth the soul from living by faith in justification Ans 1. Our being ignorant of the nature of that dispensation we are under through grace ignorance of the nature of Gospel Dispensations therefore it is wee live so little by faith The Gospel is an administration of Grace there is nothing in the Gospel but grace pure grace all in the Gospel is grace from first to last Now wee being ignorant of this Gospel Dispensation we are led by the Principles of old Adam within us to look upon the Gospel as a Covenant of works or at least as partly grace and partly works and when we look upon it so we think wee cannot have justification by the Gospel unless we bring something with us and this hinders living by faith beleeving for justification The principles of old Adam do so agree with the Covenant made on Sinai that we can seldome go out to God for justification but are ready to look upon God as standing upon Mount Sinai and standing upon that Covenant and then we see an angry God a terrible God a God cloathed with Thundrings and Lightnings and that makes us think wee must bring something to God to pacifie him and so wee are hindred from living by faith in justification Whereas a poor soul when it cometh to understand the nature of the Gospel that there is nothing in it but grace but pure grace then the soul can act faith for justification and go out to God for it as a poor nothing-Creature when it seeth all is received in a way of grace 2 Fear we should presume if we should go to God for Justification as poor nothing-creatures O thinks the soul If I should goe to God as having nothing I should presume this maketh him afraid to go to the Promise Whereas indeed wee do presume in not going If a great man promise a poor man a hundred pound and tell him he shall have it if hee come for it if this poor man should be so mannerly as to say I will not go if I had it I should bee glad but for such a poor man in my rags to go to such a great man I should presume would it not bee presumption for him not to go So it is a great presumption for a poor sinner not to go to God for justification by faith Is it not high presumption to pull down that God hath set up and set up that God hath pulled down When a superior Court sets up a Law for an inferior to repeal it When the High Court of Parliament hath repealed a Law for an inferior Court to go and enact that Law were it not presumption This is the Law God hath set up that all should have justification by grace that is repealed to have justification by works When I shall go seek to bee justified by something within mee or done by mee I doe goe and set up that Law that God hath abolished and is not this high presumption 3 The old Adam sticking close to us When wee speak of old Adam sticking close I do not so much mean the Evil old Adam as Good old Adam Moral righteousnesse which was in Adam That Liquor that is first put into a vessel the vessel will hold the sent of that longest Now man was righteous before sinful old Adam was made first righteous therefore it is more natural for a man to think to bee saved by his owne righteousnesse than to sin Though to sin be natural the other more natural for it is more rooted in nature than sin And it plainly appeareth that it is an easier thing to bring a man off from any sin than from the opinion of his own righteousnesse To bring a Drunkard from his drunkenness a Swearer from his swearing easier than from an opinion that his own righteousnesse should save him And it is clearly shewed many a man is brought off from his sin that is never brought off from his righteousnesse therefore that sticks closer And this wee may see if wee look on the Scribes and Pharisees and Publicans and Harlots The Scribes and Pharisees were those that stuck close to Good old Adam to walk exactly and righteously The Publicans and Harlots were those that minded neither good nor evill but swimmed in all the evill of old Adam Now when Christ came they imbraced and entred into Heaven but the Scribes and Pharisees the righteous men that were following the good of old Adam they reject Christ and run headlong to Hell And this likewise is clear if you look to the Jews and Gentiles in the Apostles time The Jews followed after good old Adam The Gentiles they went on in sinful old Adam The Jews they rejected Christ opposed Christ The Gentiles they come in and imbrace Christ So that the good of old Adam sticks more close than sin and there is many a man is come off from his sin that wil be damned for his righteousness trusting to that neglecting Christs Righteousness The Scribes and Pharisees were come off from sinne and the Jews did not live in that unrighteous way Publicans and Harlots did yet these goe headlong to Hell and the other imbrace Christ This is that which hinders from living by faith in Justification The life of Faith in Sanctification I Come now to the Second The life of Faith as it relates to a Christians Sanctification Justification and Sanctification are inseparable companions where there is the one there is the other in some measure either habitually or actually Whom hee justifieth hee also glorifieth Grace is Glory begun Now in this business of Sanctification wee are to live by faith and the Proposition shall bee this Propos That a Christians Sanctification is to bee carried on in a way of faith or beleeving Or A Christian is to exercise faith in his Sanctification I shall shew 1 Wherein faith is to bee exercised in our Sanctification 2 How Faith acteth 3 Why wee are to live by Faith in Sactification 4 What is the difference between that Sanctification which ariseth from natural conscience enlightened and that which ariseth from faith and beleeving Quest 1. Wherein is Faith to bee exercised in our Sanctification Answ Sanctification consists of two parts Mortification and Vivification Mortification is the destroying of the old man Vivification is the quickning of the new man By Mortification wee are transplanted from the stock of the old man by Vivification wee are transplanted into the new Adam 1 Mortification consists of two branches There is the mortification of the outward and inward man Of the outward man that is of all those things that please the carnal outward sense and appetite and of the inward man of all the faculties and powers of the soul will and affections Col.
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
sin not onely freedome from the power and dominion of sin O but there is freedome from the appearance of sin thou shalt bee rid of all thy corruptions when thou goest within the vail shalt shake them all off there is not one sin nor corruption can bee carried with thee thither the poor soul that hath been buffeted and beaten under his corruption and cryed out I shall perish one day when thou comest within the vail there shall bee freedome from all these every one left behinde and thou shalt go a pure spotless soul without any sinne sticking to thee O who would not go to such a place cast their Anchor there 2 Within the vail there is freedome from all stings and torments of conscience There shall bee peace blessed peace for ever and ever and nothing but peace shall the poor soul injoy Conscience within the vail is altogether a friend sometimes here conscience appeares as an enemy but there conscience shall bee a continual friend everlastingly speake for thee beare witnesse for thee for ever O how is a soule tormented with stings of conscience many times Take a poore carnal creature how is hee tormented with stings of conscience O! but if such a poore soule could pitch his Anchor within the vaile hee should finde a great deale of the sting taken off here for the present and wholly at that day when hee comes within the vaile There is nothing but peace peace there 3 There is freedome from all Accusations and Temptations of Satan when within the vaile the Devill shall never accuse more hee cannot come there never tempt more Now what violent Temptations are wee under One while tempted to one sinne another while to another but then wee shall bee free from all never tempted to distrust the Grace of God more never tempted to unbeleefe more never tempted to murmure against God more never tempted to bee proud more Temptations cease within the vaile Thou shalt leave all that is evill on this side the vaile never shall a poore soule meet with a Temptation there 4 Within the vaile is freedome from all persecution and scoffes and reproaches There shall bee no cruell Cain to kill his brother no persecuting Ishmael no reproach of Saints there but altogether blessing within the vail 5 Within the vaile shall bee freedome from all afflictions and sorrowes that lye upon thee here Here are Afflictions Trials and Sorrowes while wee are here on this side the Vaile but when a poore soule commeth within the Vaile there shall bee no more Sorrow nor Crying nor Weeping nor any more paine If that bee true in the New Jerusalem much more true within the Vaile no more affliction trouble nor griefe of heart all these things shall bee left on this sidethe Vaile 6 There shall bee freedome from all Infirmities of Soule or Body of Nature or Grace There are many Imperfections of Nature wee have here and many Imperfections of Grace O! but when wee come within the Vaile there shall bee no Imperfection of Nature nor of Grace but all perfect no Imperfection in the Soule nor in the body the body shall bee like the glorious body of Jesus Christ Phil. 3. last and then the soul shall bee perfect as Heb. 12.23 To the spirits of the just men made perfect O then soul and body shall bee treed from all imperfection And is not this a blessed place to cast Anchor in where are such blessed things to bee injoyed Seventhly There shall be feedome from all subjection and superiority There shall bee no subjection arising from any relation as here the wife not subject to the Husband servant to Master children to Parents inferiours to Superiours all shall bee equall within the vail Eighthly Then within the vail there shall bee freedome from death it self then death shall bee swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 There shall bee no more death there A wicked mans death is an eternal death because hee is without the vail therefore an eternal death but a Saints death who pitches his Anchor of hope within the vail that is an entrance into everlasting life as soon as his death hath put him within the vail then death is swallowed up there shall be no more death death doth but put him within the vail into eternal life What glorious freedomes are within the Vail 5 Again within the vail there is a glorious inheritance to bee injoyed a Kingdome is prepared for all those that enter there those that cast Anchor there before hand have a Kingdome there ready for them against they come there and that is called the Inheritance of the Saints in light a glorious Inheritance therefore our hope is called an Anchor because the exercise of the grace of hope is chiefly about our Inheritance Faith is about the Promise our hope is about the Inheritance and it is pitched upon the Inheritance before hand If you cast Anchor within the vail you cast Anchor upon a Kingdome a glorious Inheritance which when thou comest there shall bee thine a blessed glorious Inheritance a Crown of glory Henceforth is laid up for mee a Crown of glory saith Paul O who would not cast Anchor there that shall Anchor upon a Kingdome Who would cast Anchor without the vail and bee contented one minute when by casting Anchor within the vail hee shall have a glorious Inheritance made his for ever 6 Within the vail there is immediate feeding and teaching Within the Mosaical vail in Heb. 9.4 there was the golden Pot that had Manna the Pot of Manna was to shew that immediate feeding whereby the people Israel were immediately fed from God in the wilderness This argues when we come within the vail there shall bee immediate feeding from God and hee in the midst of the Throne shall feed them then they shall never have a hungry soul for God more the soul shall have its fill from Jesus Christ there is immediate feeding and it was precious feeding that Manna was sweet as honey so shall the feeding within the vail bee sweet precious feeding 7 Within the vail there is extraordinary growth It is the complaint of a Christian here O I grow but a little I finde little or no growth O poor soul dost thou grow but a little cast Anchor within the Vail and thou shalt finde extraordinary growth within the Vail There was Aarons Rod that budded in one night it budded brought forth Almonds and all in a night here was extraordinary growth this Rod was within the Vail When souls come within the Vail they shall not grow by little and little and sometimes grow as they think backward but extraordinary growth 8 Within the Vaile is Stability Within the Vail is the Covenant Now the Covenant is that upon which our strength is founded for by Grace yee stand by the Covenant of Grace you stand now the Covenant upon which our standing is founded is within the Vail you can never fall from that condition who would
and all this by faith Thus much of this third thing in the general in the particulars it falls to be handled in that question wherein the life of faith is to bee exercised Quest 2. What are the principal differences betwixt the life of Faith and the life of Sense There is a great deal of difference between these two lives though both of them bee found in the Saints And what differences wee speak of are not for the discovery of a mans condition whether he be gracious or ungracious but onely the thing in hand is to discover whether wee live by faith or sense Both these lives are incident to Saints therefore if thou findest thou dost not live by faith do not conclude thou art a reprobate a hypocrite thou mayest bee a gracious soule and yet live by sense Ans 1. The life of faith doth ever ground on something without the life of sense doth ever ground on something within either his own desires or affections or some other thing but the life of faith is begotten and nourished by something without as the word of God the promise of God Look what Jesus Christ saith to his Disciples that is the continual language of faith Jesus Christ said Joh. 14 19. Because I live yee shall live also Not because you have good desires good affections but because Christ liveth this is the language of faith because the word of God liveth the Covenant of God liveth therefore I shall live also Not because something in mee lives not because my affections lives not because my obedience lives but because Jesus Christ liveth the Word of God the Promises of God live therefore I shall live also Sense ever draweth conclusions from something within it looketh at these two things either the actings of the regenerate or unregenerate part from the acting of the one concludeth the condition good from the acting of the other concludeth the condition bad Faith observeth the acting of these as well as sense but draweth conclusions from neither The Apostle Rom. 7. setteth forth the acting of the regenerate and unregenerate part What I do I allow not what I hate that do I. Hee setteth before him the actings of both the old and new man the one willeth to do good and hateth to do evill the one delighteth in the Law of God consenteth to the Law of God that it is good yea serveth the Law of God the other serveth the Law of sin that carrieth captive makes him cry O wretched man that I am that is being captived by the body of death but Paul when he commeth to draw Conclusions of his condition doth not fixe his eye upon any of these doth not say Blessed be God though corruption be in mee I have a will to do good though sin be in me yet blessed bee God I hate it though I cannot obey the Law of God as I should yet my minde consents therefore there is no condemnation he doth not say so neither doth hee say though there bee some good desires in me That good I would I do not and that evil I would not that do I I am carnal sold under sin therefore I am a reprobate therefore there is condemnation No but the Aposte Paul when he cometh to make up the Conclusion hee taketh his eye off both and pitcht it upon something without i.e. Jesus Christ v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Pitching his eye upon Christ he can conclude Rom. 8.1 There is therefore no condemnation to those that are in Christ He saw the actings of the Old and New man but taketh his eye off both and fixeth it upon Christ and then concludeth So faith ever groundeth upon something without 2 Cor. 12.17 Where he speaketh of his buffeting by the Messenger of Satan and his praying against it and a gracious answer hee received from God even in that thing here was good and bad here was bad a thorn in the flesh troubling Paul here was good Paul praying against it yea Paul receiving a special remarkable answer from God in prayer Observe Paul concludes neither from the one nor the other he doth not say I have a thorne in the flesh I am a wretched man there is no hope of such a one as I buffeted with such a corruption He doth not say though sin rage I have a praying heart yea I have received a gracious answer therefore I comfort my self I am the Childe of God No Paul when he cometh to conclude he doth not conclude from his praying hard nor the bare giving in of the answer but the substance of the answer given in that was that which carried Paul out of himself to lay hold upon the grace of God and strength of Christ most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me He doth not say I will glory that I have a praying heart an answer from God no in the power of God His faith pitcheth upon something without whereas those that live by sense go quite contrary Differ 2. The life of sense doth look much to means for the obtaining every Mercy the life of faith looketh above and beyond means When God told Moses that he would feed the people of Israel with flesh not for a day but for a whole moneth Moses though he lived by faith yet in that particular acting too much by sense said What Lord shall all the Flocks and Herds be slaine Numb 11.21 the people are six hundred thousand foot-men and thou hast said I will give them flesh Moses looks upon means how shall they be fed shall wee kill all the Flocks have all the Fishes of the Sea gathered together Moses eye was upon means Gods was not so So when Jesus Christ told his Disciples hee would feed the multitude they presently query Where shall we have bread what five thousand souls and we have but five Loaves where shall we have bread they look presently at means So a soul that is living by sense is looking at means if he hath means he can beleeve if not he cannot O had I my liberty as once I had opportunity as once I could beleeve if not hee cannot beleeve The life of sense grounds much upon means but the life of faith beleeveth above means Abraham it is said he beleeved when his body was dead and Sarahs wombe dead the means dead Habakkuk speaking of faith speaketh of beleeving when the vision is hidden when there is nothing to be seen of means nothing in the eye of sense Hab. 2. chap. 3.17 18. Although the Figtree blossome not yet will I rejoyce in the Lord. Here is the life of faith joy in God in the want of means yet will I rejoyce in the Lord. Differ 3. Thirdly the life of faith the more opposition it meeteth with the stronger it groweth but the life of sense the more opposition it meeteth with the weaker it groweth The VVoman of Canaan cometh to Christ and