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
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
conditional they do all run in Christ or are made to us in Christ p. 5 1 That it is so p. 6 2 Six Reasons Why it is so from p. 8. to 14 3 The Vse 1 That the first work of the soul is to come to Christ ibid. 2 How miserable is the condition of all those that stand off from the Lord Jesus Christ this shewed in several particulars from p. 15 to 20 3 Then how blessed is their condition who are married to the Lord Jesus Christ ibid. 4 Of Examination in several particulars p. 23 5 Of Exhortation p. 24 Quest How may a soul know that its evidence is true Answered in three particulars p. 24 25 6 Use To those that are without Christ to come to Christ p. 26 to 30 Twelve Objections answered from p. 30 to 41. Pro. 2 That all the Promises of God made to sinners in Jesus Christ shall certainly and assuredly bee fulfilled and accomplished p. 41 The Proposition proved from the great Obligations lying upon God the Father and Jesus Christ to see to it that the Promises bee fulfilled Five Engagements that lye upon Jesus Christ to see them fulfilled from p. 42 to 44 Seven Engagements lying upon God the Father to see the Promises fulfilled from p. 44 to 46 Four other particulars to prove the certainty of fulfilling the Promise p. 47 Nine Objections answered from p. 48 to 54 Quest How may I come to know when the Promise is near fulfilling answered p. 54 Quest What doth the consideration hereof afford us as matter of comfort answered ibid. Quest What may wee learn hence as our duty answered in six particulars p. 55 to 58 2 Absolute Promises made to sinners as sinners from Isaiah 57.17 18 19 verses Doct. THat the Promises of Grace or the free Promises of the Gospel are made to sinners or to persons as sinners under the notion of sinners p. 59 The Doctrin explained and opened p. 60 to 63 The truth of the Doctrin proved p. 63 Four Reasons of the point from p. 64 to 69 Five Objections answered from p. 69 to 77 Vse 1 Hence wee may see the mistake of many persons who look upon the Gospel and all the Promises thereof as made to Saints whereas they are to sinners p. 77 Vse 2 Then here is ground of incouragement to the vilest of sinners to come to the Promise p. 79 Vse 3 Then how exceedingly just and great will the condemnation of those sinners bee who reject these Promises of grace p. 81 Four Aggravations of such sinners sins p. 83 to 85 Use 4 Of comfort to poor souls p. 85 Sixteen Objections answered p. 86 to 89 3 The life of Faith from 2 Cor. 5.7 THe Text opened p. 89 Doct. That the life of Faith is the proper life of Saints in this world The Doctrin proved p. 90 to 92 Quest 1 What it is to live by Faith answer that it is for a soul constantly quietly and orderly to rest upon the Promise and Power of God for the obtaining of all good expected or hoped for the removing or turning to good all evil present or feared This description is branched out into these particulars 1 The Act it self with the manner of acting p. 93 to 99 2 The ground of Faith p. 100 to 107 3 The extent of this living by Faith p. 108 109 Quest 2 What are the pincipal differences betwixt the life of Faith and the life of sense answered in eight particulars p. 110 to 121 Quest 3 Wherein is the life of Faith to bee exercised Answered p. 122 Quest 4 What are the things themselves whereabout Faith is to bee exercised Answered p. 121 to 125 Quest How doth Faith act as touching any of those things p. 125 to 127 Quest How doth Faith act in Justification Answered in six particulars p. 128 to 144 Quest Wherein doth lie the advantage of the soul that liveth by Faith in Justification above another that concludeth his Justification from sense from what hee seeth or feeleth Answered p. 145 to 152 Quest What is it that hindereth a soul from living by Faith in Justification Answered p. 153 to 155 2 That a Christians Sanctification is to bee carryed on in a way of Faith or believing p. 156 Quest 1 Wherein is Faith to bee exercised in our Sanctification Answered p. 157 Quest 2 How doth Faith act or put forth it self in this businesse of Sanctification Answered 1 As to our Mortification p. 158 to 160 2 As to our Vivification p. 161 Quest 3 Why is a Christian to live by Faith for Sanctification Answered p. 162 163 Quest What is the difference between that Sanctification which ariseth from an enlightened conscience and that which ariseth from Faith or beleeving Answered in five particulars p. 164 to 169 3 The life of Faith in Expectation p. 170 1 What those things are that Christians waits for or expects by Faith 1 The fulfilling of the Promises p. 171 2 The return of his Prayers p. 172 3 The return of Gods Countenance p. 173 4 The Churches Deliverance p. 174 5 The ruine of Gods enemies p. 175 6 The Lords second comming ibid. 2 How the life of Faith acts in this businesse of a Christians expectation p. 176 to 180 3 The Reasons why a soul is to expect mercy in away of Faith p. 181 4 What waiting is that which comes from Faith Answered in several particulars p. 182 183 Several considerations to move us to wait upon God in Faith p. 184 to 191 Quest But when is the set time then I could wait for it if I knew but that Answered p. 192 Quest How shall I come to wait upon God in a way of Faith Answered p. 193 to 195 4 The Saints Anchor rightly cast from Hebrews 6.10 The coherence p 197 198 The Text divided p. 199 1 A Description of a Christians hope What this hope is It is a patient and an assured expectation of the accomplishment of the Promises of God this is opened and proved p. 199 to 203 How hope is resembled to an Anchor in four particulars p. 204 205 The Excellency of this Anchor above other ibid. 2 The Properties of this hope sure and stedfast and that in these respects p. 205 206 3 The place where this Anchor is cast that is within the vail ibid. 1 What it the meaning of this phrase within the vail p. 206 207 2 What is that within the vail that a Christians hope can found upon this is answered in several particulars p. 208 to 213 3 Why Christians hope must bee sixed within the vail ibid. Vse This truth doth call upon many souls to remove their Anchors 1 Such as rest in Morality ibid. 2 Such as cast their Anchor in the outward Court of Profession p. 214 3 Such as cast their Anchor in the Sanctuary in the outward visible Church ibid. Several things by way of Motives to provoke and encourage souls to cast their Anchor of Hope within the vail p. 218 to 226 5
them that curse thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed this promise I say was the great promise made to Abraham when hee was in his own Country now he was but seventy and five years old vers 4. how old was hee when the promise was fulfilled Chap. 21.5 And Abraham was an hundred years old when his Son Isaac was born unto him and he beleeved all that time and hast thou beleeved and waited twenty and five years for the mercy Abraham waited twenty and five years and yet beleeved all that time and have you waited long it may be not a year not three years not ten years and is that a great while Abraham waited as long and longer and yet had the mercy at the end so though you have been waiting a long while yet wait beleeving wait still there have been those that have waited as long as you and have had the mercy Consider further that there is a set time for the mercy wait for it Quest But when is the set time then I could wait for it if I knew but that Ans That is only known to God but sometimes some hints there are that wee may come to guesse when the set time of the mercy is come It shall he then when thy extremity is great and thou canst live no longer and wait no longer that is the set time Isa 33.10 Now will I arise faith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self now when they were brought to great extremity utmost extremity vers 9. you have been waiting it may be you have not been in utmost extremity and it may be you can bear more and art not in such great extremities and darkness as God will give it in when the extremity is great then is Gods time Secondly again then is Gods time when God shall be mostly exalted in giving in the mercy Isa 33.10 Now will I be exalted then is the time wherein God wil be exalted in giving the mercy that is the time when God wil give the mercy and so in that place now will I arise and now will I be 〈…〉 that is the time when the soul shall exalt God and so poor soul for answer know the time of this extremity and when God should be most exalted is the time of the expected mercy Quest But how shall I come to wait upon God in way of faith Ans First Labour to work the promise much upon thy heart What ever mercy it is that you wait upon God for there is a promise for it in the word of God a promise Now labour to work the promise much upon thy heart Hast thou a hard heart and dost thou wait for a broken heart the Lord hath promised to give a broken and soft heart now labour that promise much upon your heart and beleeve it and this is that that will inable you to wait upon God and so is your sin great and you say I have been a great sinner and a notorious sinner why the Lord hath promised to pardon sin and that our iniquities hee will remember no more and so art thou blinde and ignorant of the truth of God why the promise is that Christ is a light to the Gentiles to open blinde eyes and hee promises to send the Comforter to teach and to guide you into all truth and they shall bee all taught of God Labour to get the Promise upon thy heart And art thou unfruitful Dost thou bring forth little or no fruit And would you bring forth fruit and bee fruitful Get the promise of fruitfulness Isa 41.18 I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Mirtle◠and the Oyl tree So in Chap. 35.6 7. For in the Wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the Desart and the parched ground shall become a Pool and the thirsty land springs of water In the habitation of Dragons where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes Labour to work the promise home upon your heart Dost thou want strength to perform duty There is a promise that the Lords strength is made perfect in weakness Labour to work this promise home upon thy heart And hast thou lost strength in departing from God and art weakned and is strength gone There is a promise of renewing strength Isa 40.31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not bee weary they shall walk and not faint Now labour to work this upon thy heart They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength and so go out in the promise and wait upon God and so what ever mercy it is there 's no mercy that thou canst wait for and expect but there 's a promise for it in the Word of God Secondly Do not advise too much with your own reason If you would wait upon God do not advise too much with your own reason Reason will beat you off from waiting upon God What you waiting upon God and hast so many sins and will God regard such as you So long you have waited and no mercy come and dost thou ever think to have any thing Thus Carnal reason will beat us off from waiting do not hearken therefore unto reason If you will wait upon God then beg the Spirit spiritual work must bee done by the Spirit and wee cannot wait upon God without die Spirit Wee through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Gal. 5.5 6. Go and beg this Spirit of God that is the great Gospel-promise Now hath God promised the Spirit and cannot you wait upon God and live by faith without the Spirit Go home and say Lord Lord I Give mee thy Spirit and spirituallize this thy poor creature Have I been a stranger to the Spirit no wonder then that I cannot wait upon God no more therefore would you wait upon God in faith Beg his Spirit A Postscript REader Thou art desired to take notice That whereas here is wanting The life of Faith in Perseverance And The Excellency of the life of Faith That neither the Notes of the Author nor any person can yet bee found though much pains hath been taken herein that hath taken the remainder from his mouth to perfect this Subject Yet because the matters handled are so Excellent and Usefull wee were unwilling the World should bee without them The Saints Anchor Rightly cast OR The Saints sure Anchor-hold Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail IN the twelfth Verse of this Chapter the Apostle exhorts Beleevers to bee followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the Promises This exhortation the Apostle inforceth in the 13 14 and 15 Verses from the example of Abraham to whom God having
made a promise that hee would bless and multiply him and confirmed the same by an oath Abraham without questioning patiently waited for the accomplishing of it and so after hee had patiently waited hee obtained the Promise in the 16 verse the Apostle urgeth the force of this oath from the nature of a Civil oath Men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife as if hee should say If it bee but a Civil oath between man and man yet after an oath is past there is no more striving and contending an oath confirmeth that party to whom it is made about the assurance of that for which it is made so that hee no longer striveth but patiently waits for the enjoyment of the thing then how much more as if hee should say should this oath of God confirm a beleevers faith and stir him up to patience in the 17 and 18 verses lest any should conclude that this oath of God was made onely to Abraham and therefore they had nothing at all to do with it therefore the Apostle shews this oath of God it was not made onely to Abraham but to all the heirs of promise as well as to Abraham yea every beleeving soul might have as great and strong consolation from the oath of God even as Abraham which heirs of promise who they are he layes them down by their proper character such as are fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them as if hee should say The heirs of promise they are such who seeing no hope in themselves nothing that they can ground hope upon but see a blessed glorious hope without them set before them in the promises they flye to the promises and lay hold of that blessed hope they see in the promises when they can see no hope in themselves and in the 19 vers the Apostle insists upon this hope comes to open it a little and to compare hope to an Anchor Which hope wee have as an Anchor that is as an Anchor it doth fixe the ship notwithstanding all storms and tempests yet it fixes the ship keeps it immoveable So this Christian hope notwithstanding all those trials storms and temptations a poor soul meets withall yet this Christian hope fixes the soul so that the soul is immoveable Which hope wee have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail In the words three things are observable First The description or discrimination of a Christians Anchor that is hope Secondly The properties of it sure and stedfast Thirdly The place where a Christian casts his Anchor and that is within the vail First We have here a description of a Christians Anchor that is hope I shall shew what this hope is Then shew how it is resembled by an Anchor And shew the excellency of this Anchor above any other First What is hope It is a patient and an assured expectation of the accomplishment of the promises of God Hope the business of hope it is to expect it is an expectation the thing hoped for expected it is the accomplishment of promises not of some promises but of all promises For look how far faith goes in apprehending the promises so farre doth hope in expecting Now Faith in apprehending the Promises it lookes to all the promises it apprehends layes hold not of one but of all As faith goes out to all the promises so hope expects the fulfilling of all the promises that is the difference between faith and hope faith is exercised about things presenâ— about the promises of God as it hath them in his eye but hope looks to things future to the injoyment when shall it have that that is promised Faith looks upon the promise present layes hold but in comes hope and looks for the promises in future hope maintains the soul alive in an expectation of that that is held forth in the promise but then this hope is a patient and an assured expectation 1 It is a patient Expectation makes the soul lye down patiently and wait upon God for the accomplishing of his promise to wait Gods time not to tye up God to any time Rom. 8.25 If wee hope for that wee see not then do wee with patience wait for it So 1 Thess 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope The poor Thessalonians now at this time under great and sore afflictions and persecutions under all those persecutions they had their eye upon a Kingdome a glorious Kingdome they one day should be made partaker of 2 Thess 1.4 5. So wee glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that yee endure that yee may bee counted worthy of the Kingdome of God they are under persecutions but they had their eye upon a Kingdome all this while the possession of this Kingdome is deferred and that they have for the present to bear up their heads above water to keep themselves from sinking it was onely this hope that one day they should come to injoy a Kingdome and yet notwithstanding this hope begets patience your patience of hope The Thessalonians do not murmure and say Oh when will this Kingdome come What shall wee suffer to the worlds end No but they hope and are patient So 1 Pet. 1.13 there we shall finde hope and sobriety joyned together Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope to the end What sobriety is this There is a twofold sobriety There is a sobriety opposite to intemperance in outward things in meats drinks and apparrel But then there is a sobriety that is opposite to an immoderate desire of spiritual and heavenly things that is when I do so desire spiritual things as the presence of God fulfilling of promises even everlasting life that I cannot content my self with the will of God to want these things so long as God would have me that the soul is impatient murmures and repines because it is delayed this is an immoderate desire of spiritual and heavenly things and Christian sobriety stands in opposition to this immoderate desire as well as to intemperance and so it is meant in this place as if he should say You do expect great and glorious things to bee injoyed one day and you have been waiting and looking into the promises the things are delayed Well saith the Apostle Hope to the end but bee sober joyn sobriety to hope as if hee should say Do not let your desire be so impetuous as not to be content to take them in Gods time wee should desire the things themselves that wee should with as much vehemency as may bee but now the immoderation of desire it lyes in respect of the time when I desire so as not to content my self with Gods time Now saith the Apostle Be sober do not tye up God to your time
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
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
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
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