(3.) The third property. Thirdly, That perseverance that accom- panies salvation is an ohiding or continuing in the word or doctrine of Christ} John xv. 7, ' If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.' 1 John ii. 14, 'I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you.' Ver. 24, * Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.' 2 John 9, ' Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God : he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.' None shall receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls, but those that hold fast the doctrine of faith, soundly, sincerely, and en- tirely to the end : John viii. 31, ' If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.' It is the end that crowns the action, as the evening crowns the day, as the last act commends the whole scene. It is not enough to begin well except we end well ; the beginning of Christians is not so considerable as the end.* Manasseh and Paul began ill, but ended well; Judas and Demas began well, but ended ill.'^ It is not the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ, nor the commending of the word of Christ, but the abiding in Christ's word, the continuing in Christ's doctrine, that accompanies life and glory, and that will render a man happy at last. Such that, with Hymeneus and Alexander, put away, or make shipwreck of the doctrine of faith, of the word of faith, shall, by the Lord or his people, or by both, be delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme, 1 Tim. i. 19, 20, 1 Cor. v. 5. Usually the end of such is worse than the beginning. Double damna- tion attends those that begin in the spirit and end in the flesh, 2 Peter ii. 20-22; 2 Tim. iiL 13.
(4.) The fouHh property. Fourthly, and lastly. That perseverance that accompanies salvation is a perseverance in holy and gracious actions and motions; it is a continuing in pious duties and religious services, Philip, iii. 10-14 ; Isa. xl. 31. The life of a Christian con-
^ You must persevere, and hold fast the faith of tlie gospel, without wavering in it or starting from it. You must be as the centre, or as mount Zion, stedfast and unmoveable.
■•* The tabernacle was covered over with red — and the purple-feathers* tell us that they take that habit for the same intent — to note, that we must defend the truth, and abide by the truth, even to eifusion of blood. * I suppose, the Romish priests. — Ed.
3 Nero's first five years were famous, but afterwards who more cruel ?
Rom. VIII. 32-34.] heaven on eaeth. 503
sists in motion, not in session.^ A Christian's emblem should be an house moving towards heaven ; he must never stand still, he must always be a-going on from faith to faith, and from strength to strength." When saints have done their Avork in this life, they shall sit upon thrones in a better life. Perseverance is a going on, a holding out in ways of piety and sanctity f Acts i. 14, • These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication. Chap. ii. 42, ' And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.' Ver. 46, ' And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.' 1 Tim. v. 5, ' Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continu- eth in supplications and prayers night and day.' Rom. xii. 12, ' Con- tinuing instant in prayer.' Christians must work hard in a wilderness before they sit down in paradise. They must make a constant progress in holiness before they enter into happiness. It is the excellency of perseverance, that it keeps a Christian still in motion God-wards, heaven-wards, holiness-wards. It is a grace that quickens a man to motion, to action ; it keeps a man still going, still doing. And motion is the excellency of the creature ; and the more excellent any creature is, the more excellent is that creature in its motions, as you may see in the motions of the celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars. Per- severance is a perpetual motion in ways of grace and holiness, Ps. xliv. 16-20.* Perseverance will make a man hold up and hold on in the work and ways of the Lord, in the face of all impediments, discourage- ments, temptations^ tribulations, and pei-secutions. As the moon holds on her motion though the dogs bark, so perseverance will make a Chris- tian hold on in his holy and heavenly motions though vain men bark and bite, &c.
And thus I have shewed you what perseverance that is that accom- panies salvation.
Now in the eighth place I shall shew very briefly,
(1.) That hope doth accompany salvation.
(2.) What that hope is that doth accompany salvation.*
1. 2 hat hope doth accompany .salvation, these scriptures speak it out: Rom. viii. 24, 'For we are saved by hope;' Gal. v. 5, 'For we though the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith ;' Eph. i. 1 8, ' The eyes of your understanding being enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints ;' 1 Thes. v. 8, ' But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation ;' Titus, iii. 7, 'That, being justified
' ' Sitting.'— G. 2 2fon progredi est regredi, not to go forwards is to go backwards.
^ Acts xiii. 43, and xiv. 22. -r^offna^ri^oZvTis of Kaort^iiv, signifying a continuance in prayer and supplication, with an invincible and strong constancy.
* There was a temple of Concord among the heathens ; and shall it not be found among Christians, that are the temple of the Holy Ghost ?
5 The eighth and last thing that accompanies salvation is hope. I shall gather up whAt I have to say concerning hope into as narrow a compass as I can, being unwilling to tire the reader's patience, and my own spirits. The philosophers excluded hope out of their catalogues of virtues, numbering it among the perturbations. But God by his word hath taught us better.
504 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [RoM. VIII. 32-34
by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life ;' Chap. i. 2 'In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.'
By all these scriptures it doth fully appear, that hope doth accom- pany salvation, it doth border upon eternal life.
2. The second thing that I am to shew you is, what hope that ie that doth acco^npany salvation, that comprehends salvation ; and that I ahall do with as much brevity and perspicuity as I can, in the following particulars :