of a Saint is within the vail Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail In the opening of it I shall shew 1 What is the meaning of this phrase of speech Within the vail 2 What notable Anchor-hold there is within the vail 3 Why a Christians hope must bee fixt within the vail And then the Application First What is the meaning of this phrase within the vail The words are spoken by an allusion to the Temple and Tabernacle of old The Temple of old had three parts in it there was the outward Court and the Holy place and the Holy of Holies The outward Court into that came all sorts of persons that is all sorts of the Jews came into the outward Court Into the Holy place came those that did the service about holy things the Priests and Levites into the Holy of Holies entered onely the High Priest once a year with blood These were typical The outward Court typified common Professors of all sorts the holy place wherin entred those that performed the service and worship of God typified the Church Visible Worshippers The Holy of Holies typified Heaven Now between the Holy place and the most Holy was a vail a precious hanging of blue Purple and Scarlet as you may see in Exod. 26.31 32. And the vail shall divide unto you between the Holy place and the most Holy Here was the use of the vail it was to divide between the Holy place and the most Holy Now within the vail was the most Holy place or Holy of Holies Now the Holy of Holies that was a type of Heaven And as you may see if you look into Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self The Holy place made with hands into which the High Priest entred once a year typified Heaven the figure of the true which is Heaven it self whither Christ is gone Now this Holy of Holies that was the place that was within the vail for the holy place and outward Court was without the vail Now wee shall fee the meaning of within the vail that is A Christians hope is grounded upon something out of this world something in Heaven For within the vail was the Holy of Holies so that a Christians hope is grounded upon something that is not in all this world something in Heaven within the vaile that is a Christian casts his Anchor of hope as far as Heaven and fixes and layes hold upon something in Heaven within the vail Quest But you will say What is that within the vaile that a Christians hope can found upon Ans O there is abundance within the vail for a Christian to ground his hope upon First Within the vail there is the Lord Jesus Christ the Rock of Ages As it is in the verse following the Text Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus so wee have Jesus Christ within the vail who is that onely Rock upon which all our souls must anchor that Rock is within the vail is now in Heaven But then consider Christ is within the vail First as a Forerunner Whither the Forerunner is for us entred that is Christ is now entred into heaven as our Forerunner as one that is gone before to make way for us into Heaven one that is gone before to draw us into heaven after him And is not here great ground for a Christians hope to found upon that the Lord Christ the only Rock is in heaven and gone as a Forerunner to make way to set open heaven gates for us and as one that will draw in all his Children after him What ground is here for hope that the Lord Jesus is in Heaven as my Forerunner and therefore hath made way for mee and therefore will draw mee after him When hope pitches upon this and eyes this Jesus as a Forerunner that is entred into Heaven this strengthens the hope of a Saint Secondly Jesus as hee is entred within the vail as a Forerunner so as the Great Sacrifice The High Priest in the time of the Law when the Great Sacrifice the Annual Sacrifice the yearly Sacrifice the High Priest as soon as the Great Sacrifice was slain without was to take the bloud of that Sacrifice and carry it within the vail Thus the body of Jesus when slain was the Great Sacrifice and Christ takes his own blood and carries it into the Holy of Holies so that the Great Sacrifice is carried within the vail Heb. 9.12 Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us So Christ is entred as the Great Sacrifice carrying the Great Sacrifice of his blood thither and that washeth us from our sins Now is not here great ground for hope That the Lord Jesus Christ is gone into Heaven as the Great Sacrifice and the blood of that Great Sacrifice that purges away sin is within the vail therefore all my hope of taking away sin is within the vail Thirdly Jesus Christ is entred within the vail as the righteous one So you may see if you look into 1 Joh. 2.1 My little children If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Jesus Christ who is the righteous is now with the Father and that is within the vail Jesus Christ as the Lord our righteousness is within the vail not onely the passive righteousness of Christs blood but all the active righteousness of Christ is within the vail the passive righteousness or Christ is that which justifies us from death eternal and the active righteousness of Christ that justifies the soul to life eternal that is within the vail too so that all that makes up our Justification is within the vail Christ the righteous one having all righteousness to cover poor souls hath perfectly satisfied the Law of God This Jesus Christ as the righteous one is within the vail Fourthly Jesus Christ the righteous one our Advocate is within the vail If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ as our Advocate is within the vail hee lives to make Intercession for us but where there the Lord Christ makes Intercession where he now is and that is in heaven Heb. 9.14 Christ is entred not into the holy place made with hands but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Now this Intercession of Christ is that whereby pardon of sin is given forth whereby all gifts and grace is given forth to us that whereby strength against all our sins is given forth All this is within the vail Jesus Christ as an Advocate is within the vail to procure pardon of sin grace and strength against sin and what ever wee want to have it supplied all is within the vail and is not here
at rest now I am well now I am sure for Heaven settled shall never fall this is without the vail For the Sanctuary or holy place which was a type of the visible Church that was not the Holy of Holies that was without the vail So if thy hope for Heaven Brethren and Sisters here of the Church look where your hope is pitcht if it bee grounded upon this that I hope God will save mee because I am in the Church O I tell thee that thou mayest bee and yet perish for ever thou mayest have thy hope grounded upon this that thou art a Church-member and yet no hope at all within the vail but upon a sandy foundation and when a storm comes thou wilt suffer shipwrack if a Church suffer not shipwrack for thee If this bee the ground of thy hope O go home labour to pull up Anchor and cast thy Anchor upon that within the vail This is not enough to bee in a Church-society as those of old might come into the place of worship and yet never come within the vail so mayest thou the Lord help us that wee may look to this that our Anchor of hope bee pitched within the vail bee grounded upon something there else it will not hold it is not to walk in the Heathenish way of Morality nor Profession nor holy place within the Sanctuary it must bee within the vail If thou art a moral man not so bad as others art thou one that hath made a profession of Christ and done something answerable or art come into a visible Church art a Church-member for the Lords sake go home pluck up Anchor pluck up such hopes by the roots as you love your souls as you love your eternal souls Pull up Anchor or thou art undone for ever thou wilt surely suffer shipwrack my life for thine if thou goest on if thou Anchor here if thou pitch not within the vail thou wilt suffer shipwrack one day thou wilt not hold when the storm comes but if thou hast cast Anchor upon Jesus Christ the Great Sacrifice upon the blood of Jesus the righteousness of Jesus if thy hope bee grounded upon the Intercession of Jesus the Covenant of Grace the Promises of God this is that foundation of hope within the vail that will hold Therefore go home labour to pluck up your salfe hopes and say Lord Lord Pitch Pitch my Anchor of hope upon the blood of Jesus upon the Covenant of Grace upon the Righteousnesse of Christ J have all along hoped for Heaven upon something without the vail Lord Lord Come now now Pitch my Anchor upon this within the vail the Blood of Christ the Righteousness of Christ the Intercession of Christ the Covenant of Grace the Promises of God such things as these ground thy hope for Heaven If thou ground upon any other thou wilt perish for ever And O how many are there that if I should aske What is your hope built upon O saith one I hope God will save mee I am not so bad as such and such I doe not live in such sinnes I pray sometimes doe some good Duties I hope God will save mee I am a Church-member Are your hopes grounded pitched upon such things as these O you will perish if your hopes continue here if they bee not pitched within the vail there is the onely place where a Christians hope is to Anchor Nay I am not to pitch my hope upon my Graces or Qualifications though they are good and things desireable to have as much grace as may bee yet I must not pitch my hope upon this that I finde an humble heart a heart full of love to God a broken heart I must not Anchor my hope upon this because these are short of the vaile I doe not say this is such a foundation as the other That a soule that pitches upon shall split his soule for ever though God may save him yet hee shall bee split in respect of his peace comfort assurance day after day If you ground your hope upon this That you have an humble broken heart It may bee to day thou findest an humble heart but to morrow a proud heart Where is thy hope now Thy comfort is split if thou groundest thy hope upon this that thou hast a broken heart to weep in this duty and the other but thou findest a heart like a stone in another where is thy comfort now If thou groundest it upon thy love to thy brother it may bee to day thou lovest him to morrow thou art full of wrath though thy hope shall not perish for ever though the foundation bee from God though within us from the Spirit of God yet all the comfort thou takest from this will bee split thou wilt bee undone in thy comfort for a time therefore the onely ground for our hope must be within the vail Let this then stir up every one to pitch their Anchor within the vail Art thou such a one as hath thy Anchor yet to cast That is one that hath no hope not from any thing at all or one that hath some hope it may bee from Profession Civility or Church-membership O labour now to pitch thy hope upon something within the vail I will onely shew you a few things by way of motive from the consideration of that glorious place within the vail it would incourage any one to cast their Anchor of hope there there are so many gloious things to bee injoyed there First Consider within the vail that is in heaven there is the blessed presence of God to bee seen for ever There is the Beatifical vision beholding of God for ever and ever it is within the vail there is the beholding God as a reconciled God for ever and ever there they shall see God face to face behold all the glory of God not a little bâ—t fully and perfectly Secondly Within the vail there is full participation of God A poor soul that casts his hope within the vail there hee shall come to partake of God of the love of God there hee shall not have it by drops as now but it shall come streaming forth wee are here to pray that wee may bee filled with all the fulness of God there wee shall have the answer of this prayer in being filled with all the fulness of God Thirdly There is the society of all the blessed Saints and Angels There is society and injoyment of all the Saints and Angels all the Saints of God they shall see them within the vail and what a blessed thing is it to have society with all the blessed glorified Saints and all the blessed Angels together There are all the Saints wee knew here all that are Saints wee shall injoy them all together there there wee shall come to the General Assembly of the spirits of just men made perfect Fourthly There are many glorious Priviledges Freedomes and Immunities there that are not to bee injoyed any where else 1 There is freedome from
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
time it is humbled and admiring God and cryeth out What shall I say What shall I do O what shall such and such corruptions lodge within mee When there is a purging the soul then the evidence is true 2 If thy evidence when it is lost bee out of thy power to recover it again when it is injoyed out of thy power to keep it When it cometh in at first by an Almighty power throwing down all before it and thouloosest it and canst not regain it it is a sign it is no evidence of thy own making for if it were of thy own making thou mightest get it up again Nor it is no evidence of the Devils making to humble the soul to make God all to make the soul more watchfull If thou wouldest clear up thy interest in Christ then entertaine nothing that may go against that interest Some things do darken it as 1 Groundless fears and surmises give not way to such fears for the further off you will be from God they drive you from God 2 Giving way to reason against thy faith Some souls will dispute out the case to the utmost not to mee and not to mee and so stand reasoning out faith It is faith whereby thou must see thy interest if thou blindest the eye how shalt thou see I speak not to loose livers 3 Vnstedfastness in the doctrine of Christ As a mans principles are so is his faith if his principles be uncertain so is his faith If his knowledge bee too and fro hee is not setled Do not change opinions as men do fashions I mean in the principles of grace foundation truths of the Righteousness of Christ Justification c. for if thou dost thou shakest all for thy evidence being from thence this being taken away thou fallest Use 6. To all that are without Christ Are these things so that all the promises are made to us in Christ then Come to Christ How should the consideration of this provoke every poor beggared soul now to make a close with Jesus Christ Thou poor soul which if thou wert to dye to morrow hast never a promise to run to to take comfort in to bear thy poor dying soul upon O come to Christ and all shall bee thine for all the promises are his they are all in him and by having him thou shalt have all O souls did you but know the worth of Christ in this respect I mean considering this that all the promises are stored up in him you would not go quietly out of this place you would not sleep one night more without hearts breathing after Christ and rowling your selves on him Saith Christ to the woman of Samaria Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water So say I poor soul if thou didst but know the gift of God Jesus Christ if thou didst but know the worth of Christ If thou didst but know what precious promises what multitudes of them and what transcendent worth is in every one the meanest of them are in Christ thy heart would not contain without breathing thy tongue would not be silent any longer without asking the Father to give thee this Christ O how many poor souls now here which did they but know the worth of one promise would now cry out to God O Christ Christ Christ Lord give this Christ to mee and to mee Were the worth of promises known then the worth of Christ in whom all the promises are would bee better known Put case man woman thou wert sure thou shouldest dye to morrow and hadst now all the sins that ever thou hast committed from thy cradle to this day lying upon thee and burdening of thee and thy conscience tormenting thee for them and thou wert at hell gate and hell fire ready to receive thee and swallow thee up for ever what then in thy account would a promise of pardon and remission of sins a promise of heaven and eternal life bee worth What Why all that I have in the world saith the man yea a whole world ten thousand worlds were there so many or had I so many But it may bee some of you are so blockish and senseless and regardless of things of this nature that by this that I have said you are so little acquainted with such things you would not know the worth of a promise therefore to speak in a more familiar way and to shew you the worth of a promise a little from things you do know Put the case now man or woman thou wert condemned to dye some cruel death full of the greatest tortures that can bee imagined such a death as some Histories tell us one Ravillac which traiterously murdered the King of France was put to who had first one of his hands cut off then the other then was carried to the place of execution where hee had the flesh of his body plucked off with burning red hot pincers and then incisions and holes were made into the fleshy parts of his body and there they poured in scalding melted lead and so kept him alive some dayes torturing of him in this and a more cruel manner till in the end hee dyed Now suppose thou wert condemned to dye such a death as this was and this were to be executed upon thee to morrow if so bee the Prince should come to thee over-night and give thee a promise of pardon that hee would pardon thee and save thee from this cruel death what thinkest thou suppose the case were so in thy account would such a promise bee worth O I am perswaded if the case were so thou wouldest not know how thy heart would bee so extraordinarily taken to speak the worth of it the very hearing of a word of pardon at such a time would so overcome thee as that thou wouldest be ready to dye for joy And poor soul know it that such a promise as this is but a poor promise not worth the being called a promise in respect of the promises of God in Christ the meanest the least of which are far greater and of more invaluable worth than hundreds of such as this This is onely a promise of temporal life and of deliverance from a temporal punishment which may last three or four dayes but the promises of Christ are promises of an eternal life and of deliverance from eternal torments and if one of these promises of Christ are of so great and of such invaluable worth then what is Christ himself in whom all the promises are in whom there are innumerable promises of such great value every one of which sinner shall bee thine Christ being thine O sinners sinners did you know but the worth of a promise and so the worth of Christ your hearts would presently fall in love with him and you would run about as the Spouse in the Canticles who having lost her beloved and
that wee read of so little faith excepting some eminent ones and so much fear and doubting in Old Testament Saints Now when Saints conclude their condition in such a way though they live in Gospel times yet do they go back to the Old Testament and have an Old Testament faith Use 2. Then here is ground of encouragement to the vilest of sinners to come to the Promise Thou poor soul which hast been a Drunkard a Sot a Swine an Adulterer Blasphemer of the holy name of God ten twenty thirty forty years what sayest thou to this free Grace What hast thou to object why thou wilt not receive it why art thou not a sinner and is not all this to sinners Why why then wilt thou bee a Sot and go to hell at the last when heaven and salvation is to bee had if thou wilt but come to the promise O you great Sinners thinke I beseech you when you are at your cups with your Queans your oaths in your mouths O doth God make promises of Grace to mee doth he proclaim heaven life salvation to me and shall I bee such a wretch and such a villain as to go on in my sin bee drunk and swagger and swear and whore and what not No no out upon these courses and practises I will never more since the Father is so loving and Jesus Christ so willing to do me good walk as I have done I dare say the serious consideration hereof would make your hearts more to hate and abominate such wayes and practices and bring you sooner to leave them than all the terrors of hell will or can do When a poor soul shall reason the case with himself thus What have I been a rebel against the good God these ten twenty thirty forty years and is hee so gracious notwithstanding all to proclaim life and salvation to me what to mee O then shall I still bee a wretch and sin against this gracious God and trample under foot all his love No fie for shame Object O but you will say Indeed now whilst you are speaking my heart is inclinable to what you say and I have now a good minde to leave off my former courses and practices but alas I have not power to do it Ans Come to Christ in the promise and hee will give thee a power hee can and will overcome thy corruptions it thou waitest on him Thou poor soul lookest upon it now as a hard and difficult thing to forsake such and such courses as are according to the Proverb bred in the bone and thou all thy life time hast been accustomed too but Christ can make this thou lookest upon as hard and even impossible easie to thee Many a soul at his first conversion hath looked upon it as a hard and even impossible thing to forgoe such and such sinnes and lusts which in his natural condition were his Dalilahs and his heart was addicted unto and hath verily thought hee should never do it who yet afterwards hath found it easier by far than hee imagined yea so easie he hath stood in admiration thereat when God hath once turned his heart hee hath found as much yea more pleasure in the wayes and service of God than ever hee sound in his old courses For when God puts a new nature into the soul then all things go another way now there are new principles new apprehensions new motives and all the wheels of the soul run another way when there was nothing but an old nature then all things ran sin-ward and hell-ward but now God having put a new nature in there are new motions and all run holiness-ward and heaven-ward O therefore pray to God to change your hearts and you shall see how easie that will bee which now you suppose so hard and how pleasant and wondrously sweet those wayes of godliness will bee which now are so grievous Vse 3 Is it so that the promises of Grace are made to persons as Sinners then I am loath to speak it how exceedingly just and great will the condemnation of all those sinners be which reject these promises of Grace 1 How just will the condemnation of such persons bee you that hear all this and yet go on in your old wayes you are drunkards and will bee so still swearers adulterers Sabbath-breakers scoffers and will be so still how just will your condemnation bee I will appeal to your own hearts and consciences what think you of it It God makes promises to sinners promise Life Salvation freely to sinners though as vile sinners as any breathing in the World and notwithstanding all you will be drunk swear c. will it not be just you should be damned speak sinner speak out sinner what doth thy heart and Conscience judge of this Will it not bee just 〈◊〉 God send thee to Hell to morrow shouldest thou do thus If the Magistrate should send forth a general Pardon to Traytors in rebellion and they notwithstanding all should persist would it not be a most just thing that never a man of them so doing should be spared but every one should be hanged drawn and quartered what say you So in this case I have read of a godly man who being in the presence of a professed Atheist which beleeved neither God nor Devil Heaven nor Hell and opening before him the glad tidings of the Gospel and the riches of Gods Free Grace to poor Sinners the worst of Sinners in conclusion plainly asked him What think you O man will it not bee just you should bee damned if you reject all this grace and love if you will not beleeve this yes saith the poor Atheist I confess should I not beleeve and receive this I deserve to be damned without mercy Poor Sinners I have now opened to you the riches of Gods Grace in his free promises made to Sinners let me now put this question to every one of you What think you would it not bee just you should be damned if you hear all this and reject it all what thinkest thou soul what thinkest thou speak Sinner will it not bee just 2 As just so also how great will your Condemnation be if you hear and reject all this Hence saith Christ It shall bee more tollerable for Sodome and Gomorrah Tire and Sidon in the Day of Judgment then for Corazin Bethsaida Capernaum they had heard of the glad tidings of the Gospel and yet went on in their sins but the other not Every Sin hath a proper weight of its own but to sin after the Declaration of Gods Free Grace to the Sinner this doubles trebles the weight of every sin for a man to be a Drunkard c. is a grievous thing this alone will damn him such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. vers 9 10. but to continue a Drunkard Swearer c. after hee hath heard the Gospel and the Proclamation of glad tidings to poor sinners this doubles trebles the weight of his Sin
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
the grace of God in me and so hee saith in nothing hee came behinde the chiefest Apostles yet saith I am nothing So concerning uprightness of conversation hee walked before God in all good conscience knew nothing by himself yet how humble yet hereby am I not justified and not that I can do any thing of my self yea hee saith hee was the chiefest of sinners hee seeth it is not wrought by his own proper industry but by the grace of God therefore he giveth him all the glory 3 That Sanctification which is wrought by natural conscience is grievous and irksome because it is against the will it is a forced holiness hee is constrained to it It is his will to sin but conscience will not suffer him his will is to do nothing at all in the service of God if hee might go to heaven but his conscience puts him in hell if hee doth nothing and so it is grievous to him But that Sanctification which is though faith that is pleasant to the soul That that is natural is pleasant God puts the New nature within and then it is in some measure natural to bee holy to avoid sin to do the will of God Therefore see how differenly wicked men and godly men speak of the wayes of God Job 21.14 Sec the language of wicked men they say to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Here is the language of wicked men they cannot help it for their lives but they shall have some knowledge of the wayes of God the Law of Nature teacheth something of Gods wayes and they have his word and that tells something more O say they Depart we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes we are troubled at the knowledge of such things it torments us this is the language of wicked men Then again Jer. 23. v. 33. we read of a generation of men that heard the word of God but it was so tedious that they call it a Burden they come to the Prophet and ask What it the burden of the Lord It was grown into a Proverb the wayes of God were so tedious and irksome But now do but see how Godly men speak of the wayes of God See what David saith Psal 19.7 8 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart vers 9 10. The judgements of the Lord are righteous altogether more to be desired than gold than much fine gold sweeter than the honey and honey comb They do not cry Depart we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes they do not call them a burden So Psal 119. vers 72. The Law of thy mouth is better to mee than thousands of gold and silver vers 130. How sweet are thy words to my taste sweeter than honey See how David speaketh of the will of God the wise man telleth us Prov. 13.19 It is an abomination to fools to depart from evill It is an abomination to depart from sin it is that hee hates The fool that is the wicked man It may bee hee doth depart from some sins his conscience makes him depart from some sin fear of Hell the terrors of the Law but it is an abomination hee may depart from it but hee hates it with his very life not sin but the departing from sin that hee must part with his drunkenness the Drunkard would fain have his cups and the Adulterer his Quean but his conscience so terrifieth him that he dares not have them but departs from them but hee hateth the departing from them But see a godly man it is his delight to part from them Psal 119. vers 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold upon me but thy Commandements are my delight vers 47. I delight my self in thy Commandements which I have loved A hundred and twenty times in this Psalm the Psalmist useth such phrases as express his affection unto the wayes of God I delight in thy Law I love thy testimonies 4 That Sanctification that ariseth from natural conscâ—ence that is most when conscience is most unquâ—et Wee read that Ahab humbled himself but never but when his conscience was troubled But that Sanctification which ariseth from faith is then most when the soul is most quiet If at any time the soul is least in duties of Sanctification it is when the conscience is most unquiet 5 Lastly That Sanctification that ariseth from natural conscience makes a man an enemy to all these that are truly and spiritually sanctified Ishmael the son of the Bond-woman persecuteth the son of the Free-woman So all the stock of Ishmael they that are sanctified with an outward Sanctification will persecute those that are truly sanctified Therefore there were none such great enemies to Christ as the Scribes and Pharisees that had outward Sanctification they were they that stirred up persecution they were the great and worst enemies to true Sanctification But that poor soul that is truly spiritually sanctified is a friend to all those that are truly sanctified they love them the more the move Sanctification they can see in them the more of the Image of God they can see upon any souls the more they love them The life of Faith in expectation 1 Cor. 5.7 For wee walk by faith and not by sight THe observation that we are upon is this That the life of Faith is the proper life of Saints in this world We are speaking to this question What those things are which a Christian is to live by faith in I have told you that the phrase of living by faith is taken in Scripture in respect of Justification Sanctification Expectation and Perseverance we have spoken of the two former now of the third the life of Faith relating to a Christians Expectation a Christian is to live upon God in way of expectation to wait upon God he is to expect much in way of faith That wee are to live by faith in this respect is clear from that testimony of Habakkuk in the second Chapter and the third vers For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak at the fourth vers But the just shall live by his faith by his faith the time whilst the Vision is delayed he lives by his faith expecting much while much is delayed expecting the fulfilling of the Promises while it is delayed all the time that much is delayed all that time of a Christian he is to live by faith the Scripture tells us that Abraham beleeved God he had a promise and it was delayed year after year hee looks for the promise and for the performance thereof and yet delayed Abraham looked for the mercy in way of faith and the fulfilling of the promise was made to him but hee must first wait for it In the handling of these things wee shall shew you 1 What those things are that a Christian waits for
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
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