There are two ways, doing good, and suffering for good, that are the beaten way to obtain salvation, which salvation is wrought by the satisfac- tion of Christ. Mark here, he saith our sufferings tend to your comfort and salvation. How? Because it helps you to endure the same suffering. By seeing others suffer, and by endui-ing the like, we come to the possession of salvation in the end, because by seeing them suffer, we are encouraged to suffer. The point hence is this, that,
2 COBINTHUNS CHAP. I, VER. 6. 101
Doct. Whatsoever good tre taJce bij the sufferings of any, it is by stirriny up and strengthening some grace in iis.
Whatsoever good we take by any, — set Christ aside, from whom we take good hkewise by way of example, as well as merit; but in a singular respect by way of merit, — but for others, whatsoever good we take, it is not direct, it is not immediate, but only by stirring up some grace, by strengthening some gi-ace in us. There is no good derived from others to me but by confirming and strengthening some grace. So I come to have good by them, saith St Paul here, * My sufi'erings increase your salvation.' But it is because my sufi'erings stir you up to sufier the same afllictions. You learn of me by my carriage and example to sufier, and so by sufibring that which I sufier j-ou come to salvation.
This is sufiicient to convince that idle opinion that I spoke of before, that the sufi'erings of the saints are not conveyed by way of pardon to the ignorant people, that know not what saint, or pardon, or suffering, or merit is. But the way of comfort by the sufi'ering of others, is by confirming and strengthening some grace, of patience, or comfort, &c., in them. All the good that is in the father cannot help the son, except he tread in his father's steps. If we go not in the same way as others do to heaven, in the same graces, all their sufi'erings will do us no good, but serve to condemn us. The point is clear ; because it serves to enlighten other points, I do but name it. But that which I will a little more stand on is, that salvation is wrought by sufi'ering.
Doct. We come to the possession of salvation by patience.
Faith of salvation by Christ stirs us up to sufier, till we come to the pos- session of that that we have title to. Mark how these hang together. First, a Christian knows that God will save him by the merits, and satis- faction, and obedience of Christ, his surety. The assured persuasion of this salvation that he hath title to by Christ, because the possession of it is deferred till the next world, and there is a distance of time, and that time is encumbered with afllictions, hereupon comes a necessity of some special gi-ace to cany us along till we be fully invested into that that we have title to by Christ. There must be some grace between faith and the pos- session of heaven. I am assured of the possession of heaven in my first conversion ; but I am not invested into it. It is defeiTed. There is a dis- tance of time which is afilictive ; for hope deferred maketh the heart feint. A thing that we have right and title to, deferred, afiiicts the soul, and the deferring of good hath the respect of ill. Good deferred puts upon it the consideration of ill ; for it is a grievance to want a good I have a right unto. Now it is not only deferred, but my life is an exercised life, with many actions and sufierings. What grace must bear me up between me and heaven, and in the tediousness of the time prolonged ? Especially the grace of enduring. Therefore faith in Christ, by which I have a title to heaven, that stirs up hope, and hope stirs up patience, and that helps me in the way to heaven. It helps me to bear crosses and afilictions, and hkewise to endure the tediousness and length of time till I come to heaven. So sal- vation is wrought by sutfering. We come not to the possession of it but by sufi'ering and enduring. ' You have need of patience,' saith the apostle, Heb. X. 36.
Give me leave to clear the point a little. How doth patience enter into this great work of helping our salvation ? Patience in endming afiliction, it helps many ways.
i. They work salvation, not by ivay of merit, for that ivere to disable the
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title we have hy Christ, hut hi/ way af evidence. It helps the e^^dence of the title. For I have title by Christ. But how do I know that my evidence to that title is good ? Afflictions, and the patient sufl'eriug of them. Not afflictions alone, but afflictions joined with the grace of patience to endure them ; for else they do no good. Afflictions are evil in themselves. For thus it increaseth my evidence. Every heir is a son. For heaven is the inheritance of sons ; and every son must be corrected ; and I am corrected and afflicted in this life ; and God doth give me grace to endure them, and to see my good in them. These afflictions, therefore, mingled with patient endui'ing of them, do evidence that I am not a bastard. In Heb. xii. 8, the apostle proves this. Every one that hath not some affliction or other, * he is a bastard and not a son.' It increaseth my evidence that I am the child of God, especially if I sufier for a good cause. ' If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him,' Kom. viii. 17. Here the evidence is increased. By this I know I am in the way which is strewed with crosses and afflic- tions. We must enter into heaven this way. I know it for the way, 80 it furthers my salvation. It gives me assurance that my evidence is good.