When that end, which it doth accomplish, is not worth the

cost and pains.

Now, in neither of these respects, is your labour in vain. For,

[1] It shall not fail to accomplish the end to which it is ordained; and that is, Eternal Salvation.

Three things there are, that make men come short in the accomplishment of an end propounded.

When men propound to themselves ends, that are in themselves simply impossible.

When, though the end be possible, yet the means, that are used, are unfit and improbable,

When, though the means are rightly suited to the attainment of the end, yet we do not persevere in the use of them.

Now, in none of these ways, shall a laborious Christian fail of his end,

For,

1st. The End, that you work for, is not in itself simply impossible.

Should you propound to yourselves to become angels, should you strive to sublimate yourselves into spiritual essences, your attempts herein were all but vain, because it is impossible you should ever be refined into angels: but, if your end be to be like angels, to be equal to angels, this is possible and may be attained: When they arise from the dead.....they are as the angels which are in heaven: Mark xii. 25. which another Evangelist renders, they are equal unto the angels: Luke xx. 36. If, in this life, you propose to yourselves a state of perfection and freedom both from sin and sorrow, a state of consummate bliss and happiness, this end is impossible: but, if you make it your end to enjoy such a state as this hereafter, this is attainable and labour may atchieve it. Yea, aim at what degree of glory you please, next below God and Christ, be it as high as Cherubims and Seraphims, I cannot say that you think of an impossibility: your labour may raise you to such a pitch and advance you to such glory, as shall dazzle the sun in its brightness. It is true, there was once a time, when salvation might well be reckoned among those things that were impossible; and that was, in that sad interval between the Fall and the Promise of Christ, when all mankind lay in the shadow and in the valley of death; under the breach, and yet under the bond of the Covenant of Works;

when it had, indeed, been in vain, so much as once to have thought of happiness, or to have laboured for it: But, since Christ's undertaking, we, who were once without hope, have now obtained good hope through grace: the partition-wall, that then we could neither climb over nor break through, is now taken away: the gate of heaven is now set open; and, with striving, we may enter, for our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And, therefore, though it may seem an impossibility to dejected and despairing souls, that ever such vile wretches should receive so great a dignity; that those, who are sunk so low in misery, should ever be raised to happiness; that those, who are so loaden with sin and iniquity, should ever feel the weight of mercy and beaten glory; that those, whose best works deserve the lowest hell, should, though not for yet upon the performance of those works, obtain the highest heavens: though this may seem to be an impossibility, yet, believe it, while you think of any glory lower than the glory of the Godhead, you think of nothing above a possibility and the reach of industry. None of you are excluded from a possibility of being saved. The Covenant of Grace runs in most large and comprehensive terms: Whosoever believeth shall obtain eternal life. The death of Christ and his blood is a most sovereign medicine, applicable, not only to all maladies, but to all men, if they will believe. Though it is true, that none shall be saved but the elect; yet is it true also, that a possibility of salvation extends farther than election. Election gives the infallibility of salvation, as reprobation doth the infallibility of damnation: but, yet, as there is a possibility for those, that shall infallibly be saved, to perish if they do not believe; so is it possible for those, that shall infallibly perish, to be saved if they will believe.

The possibility of salvation, therefore, stands, not upon election, but upon Two other grounds.

(1st) The Meritorious and All-sufficient Procurement of Christ.

Whereby he hath procured salvation for all the world, and for all in the world, upon condition of their faith; for that must still be taken in: for, were it not so, how could we preach remission of sins in his name to every creature, were not his death applicable to all? then, though some should believe, yet, for want of a sacrifice offered up and a price paid down for them, they should not be saved, though they should believe. How

then is it, that we seriously call all men to repent and believe, that their sins may be pardoned and their souls saved? certainly, unless the death of Christ hath procured salvation for all men upon condition of faith and repentance, such calls would be false in us, and vain to them : for so, we should promise salvation upon believing, to those, to whom, though they should believe, salvation should be denied, because they want a covenant made with them, and a surety to undertake for them. Therefore, I say, Christ's procurement is general so far, that whoever believes shall receive the benefit of his death.

(2dly) As the death of Christ is applicable to all for salvation if they believe, so Faith, that alone applies this death, is attainable by you all, if you be not wanting to yourselves.

None of you are under an impossibility of believing; and, therefore, not under an impossibility of salvation. Though it be certain, that some shall infallibly persevere in infidelity; yet there is no one, that hears the sound of the Gospel and the outward call of God in his word, but may believe and obey, if he be not wanting to himself. Neither is this doctrine Arminianism; nor is it prejudicial to the efficacious grace of God, whereby the will is powerfully swayed to faith and obedience: for the converting grace of God is not given to make men capable to believe and to be converted, but it is given to make them actually believing and actually converting. The most wicked man that is, without the converting grace of God, is capable to be converted even in his state of unregeneracy; and converting grace gives not any new power to enable us to be converted, but it gives us an actual conversion. Some shall never believe, and why? not because they are under an impossibility, but because they will not believe: it is not because they cannot, but because they will not; unless we would so gratify their sloth, as to call their obstinacy an impossibility. It is true they are obstinate, and that obstinacy can never be cured without efficacious grace; but yet that obstinacy is not properly called an impossibility.

Since, then, salvation is a thing possible, why do you not labour for it, that your souls may be eternally happy? Christ hath the key of David, and he openeth, and no man shutteth, and he hath opened the everlasting gate to you all, and bids you all enter and take possession. There stand no grim guards to keep out you, or you. You cannot complain that you are excluded

by a forcible decree: no; you shut the doors upon yourselves, and refuse to enter.

And this is the First Reason why salvation is not labour in vain, because the end is possible to be attained.

2dly. There are also Right Means made known to you, for the obtaining of this end.

Jacob, in his dream, saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven: certainly, there is a Jacob's ladder reaching up from earth to heaven, that is more than a dream: every round in it is either a grace or a duty. It is not hid from you, what grace you must act, what duties you must perform, that you may obtain happiness: these are direct and proper means to it; nay, not only means to it, but the initials and beginnings of it. The glimmering Light of Nature could discover, that there was a future happiness; but it could not discover to us the right means thither: it could not direct us to believe in a Crucified Saviour: and, therefore, to write by this dim Light of Nature had been labour in vain. But, now, we know that the way of salvation is, by repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ now, we know that holiness and obedience do as certainly lead to heaven, as sin and disobedience drag down to hell. And, therefore, while we continue believing and working, is there any fear? nay, is there any possibility of disappointment in our great end? It is as impossible, that faith and obedience should not lead unto glory; as it is, that faith should, or obedience should not, continue in glory. And, therefore, O Soul, be confident of success. Hast thou any good evidences, that thy graces are genuine and true, though but weak; that thy duties are sincere, though but imperfect; and that thou dost work the works of God with a steady. heart, though with a trembling hand? give this assurance one lift higher: and, as thou art already assured of the truth of thy grace, and of the sincerity of thy obedience; so, henceforth, be as much assured of thy future glory, as if it were no longer future, but now actually in thy present possession: thy dawning shall break forth into a most perfect day : the womb of thy morning twilight shall be delivered of a noon-tide brightness: thy spark shall become a sun thy seed of grace shall sprout, till it be fit for transplantation into paradise, and there shall flower into glory.

"But," may a poor soul say, "though the means that I

now use for the obtaining of salvation be right, to effect it, if still persisted in; yet I fear, lest the many corruptions, temptations, and hardships, that I meet with, may turn me off from following my work, defeat me of my end, and make all I have done as so much labour in vain: and, therefore, I could have this confidence and assurance that you speak of, did I not fear this, that I should desist in my work."

3dly. Would you have good security against this? Then, in the third place, the laborious Christian as he useth right means, so he shall Continue and Persevere in the use of them, till he hath wrought out his own salvation by them: and, therefore, he shall certainly accomplish his end; and his labour shall not be in vain.

It is true, if you desist from working, all, that you have hitherto done, will be in vain; your faith, in vain; your tears, in vain; your prayers, in vain; all, in vain: and, therefore, this should cause you to work with fear and trembling, lest the wiles of Satan and the deceitfulness of your own hearts should entice you from your work and cheat you of your reward: Let us therefore fear, says the Apostle, lest, a promise being made us of entering into his rest, any of us should.....fall short. Yet, as this may cause holy fear; so it may be matter of spiritual joy and rejoicing, that, notwithstanding the deadness of our hearts, the slackness of our hands, the many avocations from without, the many interruptions from within, yet none of us shall forsake our work till we have brought it to perfection: our obedience shall be crowned with perseverance, and our perseverance with glory and immortality: see, for this, that of the Apostle, We are confident of this very thing, that he, which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Phil. i. 6.

Let, therefore, the mouth of calumny be for ever stopped, that accuseth this comfortable doctrine, of the saints' perseverance through grace unto glory, of patronizing sloth and idleness. Some do fasten this viper upon it: Let Christians live as they list, though careless of good works, yea though continually employed in evil works, yet, being Christians, they need not fear that they shall fall short of glory. But, though we do affirm that every true Christian shall certainly inherit heaven and glory, yet we shake off this pernicious confidence; for he is no true Christian, who is not zealous and careful of good works, whose knowledge of his own estate doth not pro