1. The estate, salvation. Before it was called an inheritance; here we are more particularly told what is meant by that, namely, salvation. This is more expressly sure, being a deliverance from misery, and it imports, withal, the possession of perfect happiness. The first part of our happiness is, to be freed from those miseries to which we are subject by our guiltiness-to be set free from the curse of the law and the wrath of God, from everlasting death; from all kind of mortality and, decaying; from all power and stain of sin; from all temptation; from all the griefs and afflictions of this life-to have the perfection of grace in the fulness of holiness, and the perfection of bliss in the fulness of joy, in the continual vision of God!

2. Their preservation, with the causes of it, Kept by the power of God through faith. The inheritance is kept not only in safety, but in quietness. The children of God for whom it is kept, while they are here, are kept safe indeed, but not unmolested and unassaulted; they have enemies, and such as are stirring, and cunning, and powerful, but, in the midst of them, they are guarded and defended; they perish not, according to the prayer of our Saviour poured out for them, John xvii, 16, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world: but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They have the prince of the power of the air, and all his armies, all the forces he can make, against them. Though his power is nothing but tyranny and usurpation, yet because once they were under his yoke, he, bestirs himself to pursue them, when they are led forth from their captivity, as Pharaoh, with all his chariots and horses and horsemen, pursues after the Israelites going out of Egypt,

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The word here translated kept, is a military term, used for those who are kept as in a fort or garrison-town besieged. So Satan is still raising batteries against this fort, using all ways to take it by strength or stratagem, unwearied in his assaults, and very skilful to know his advantages, and where we weakest, there to set on; are and besides all this, he hath intelligence with a party within us, ready to betray us to him: so that it were impossible for us to hold out, were there not another

watch and guard than our own, and other walls and bulwarks, than any that our skill and industry can raise for our own defence. In this then is our safety, that there is a power above our own, yea, and above all our enemies, that guards us, salvation itself our walls and bulwarks. We ought to watch, but when we do so in obedience to our commander, the Captain of our salvation, it is his own watching, who sleeps not nor so much as slumbers, that preserves us, and makes ours not to be in vain. And therefore these two are jointly commanded, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptationwatch, there is the necessity of our diligence-pray, there is the insufficiency of it, and the necessity of his watching, by whose power we are effectually preserved, and that power is our fort; Isa. xxvi, 1, Salvation hath God appointed for walls and bulwarks. What more safe than to be walled with salvation itself? ·

Now the causes of our preservation are two-supreme, the power of God-subordinate, faith. The supreme power of God is that on which depend our stability and perseverance. When we consider how weak we are in ourselves, even the very strongest among us, and how assaulted, we wonder, and justly we may, that any can continue one day in the state of grace; but when we look on the strength by which we are guarded, the power of God, then we see the reason of our stability to the end; for Omnipotency supports us, and the everlasting arms

are under us.

Faith is the second cause of our preservation, because it applies the first cause, the power of God. Our faith lays hold upon this power, and this power strengthens faith, and so we are preserved. It puts us within those walls, sets the soul within the guard of the power of God, which, by self-confidence and vain presuming in its own strength, is exposed to all kind of danger. Faith is an humble, self-denying grace. It makes the Christiannothing in himself and all in God. The weakest persons who are within a strong place, women and children, though they would not be able to resist the enemy if they were alone, yet so long as the place wherein they are is of sufficient strength, and well manned, and every way accomDiv. No. V.

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modated to hold out, they are in safety: thus the weakest believer is safe, because by believing he is within the strongest of all defences. Christ sets his strength against Satan's; and when the Christian is hard beset with some temptation, too strong for himself, then he looks up to him who is the great conqueror of the powers of darkness, and calls to him, Now, Lord, assist thy servant in this encounter, and put to thy strength, that the glory may be thine. Thus faith is such an engine as draws in the power of God and his Son Jesus, into the works and conflicts that it hath in hand. This is our victory, even our faith. Faith looks above all, both that which the soul hath and that which it wants, and answers all doubts and fears with this almighty power upon which it rests.

3. The time of full possession, ready to be revealed in the last time. This salvation is that great work wherein God intended to manifest the glory of his grace, contrived before time, and in the several ages of the world brought forward after the decreed manner; and the full accomplishment of it is reserved for the end of time.

The souls of the faithful do enter into the possession of it, when they remove from their houses of clay; yet is not their happiness complete till that great day of the ap pearing of Jesus Christ. They are naturally imperfect till their bodies be raised and rejoined to their souls, to partake together of their bliss; and they are mystically imperfect, till all the rest of the members of Jesus Christ be added to them. But then shall their joy be absolutely full, when both their own bodies and the mystical body of Christ shall be glorified; when all the children of that glorious family shall meet, and sit down to that great marriage supper at their Father's table. Then shall the music of that new song be full, when there is not one wanting of those that are appointed to sing it for eternity. In that day shall our Lord Jesus be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe.

and you

You see what it is that the gospel offers you, may gather how great both your folly and your guiltiness will be, if you neglect and slight so great salvation when it is brought to you and you are intreated to receive it. This is all that the preaching of the word aims at, and

yet who hearkens to it? How few lay hold on this eternal life, this inheritance, this crown that is held forth to all that bear of it! O that you could be persuaded to be saved, that you would be willing to embrace salvation! You think you would; but if it be so, then I may say, though you would be saved, yet your custom of sin, your love to sin, and love to the world, will not suffer you: and these will still hinder you, unless you put on holy resolutions to break through them and trample them under foot, and take this kingdom by a hand of violence, which God is so well pleased with. He is willingly overcome by that force, and gives this kingdom most willingly, where it is so taken. It is not attained by slothfulness and sitting still with folded hands; it must be invaded with strength of faith, with armies of prayers and tears; and they who set upon it thus are sure to take it.

Consider what we are doing, how we misplace our diligence on things that abide not, or we abide not to enjoy them. We have no abiding city here, saith the apostle, but he adds that which comforts the citizens of the new Jerusalem, We look for one to come, whose builder and maker is God. Hear not these things idly, as if they concerned you not, but let them move you to resolution and action. Say as they said of Canaan, It is a good land, let us go up and possess it. Learn to use what you have here as travellers, and let your home, your inheritance, your treasure, be on high, which is by far the richest and the safest; and if it be so with you, then where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also.

Ver. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

THE same motives cannot beget contrary passions in the soul; therefore the apostle reduces the mixture of sorrowing and rejoicing that is usual in the heart of a Christian to the different causes of both, and shows which of the two hath the stronger cause, and is therefore always predominant in him who entertains and considers it aright. His scope is to stir up and strengthen

spiritual joy in his afflicted brethren; and therefore, having set the matter of it before them in the preceding verses, he now applies it and expressly opposes it to their distresses.

We are then to consider severally these bitter waters and the sweet, this sorrow and this joy, first, in their springs, and, secondly, in their streams.

And-first, they are called temptations, and manifold temptations. The habits of divine grace are not acquirable by human study, or by industry, or by exercise; they are of immediate infusion from heaven; yet are they infused to the end that they may act and exercise themselves in the several conditions and occurrences of a Christian's life, and by that exercise they grow stronger. Whatsoever oppositions or difficulties grace meets with in its acting, go under this general name of temptations. And though there is nothing in the words, that may not agree to all sorts of temptations which the godly are subject to, yet I conceive it is particularly meant of their afflictions and distresses, as the apostle James likewise uses it, i, 2. And they are so called, because they give particular and notable proof of the temper of a Christian's spirit, and draw forth evidence both of the truth and the measure of the grace that is in him. If he fail and is foiled, as sometimes he is, this convinces him of that frailty and weakness which are in him, and so humbles him, and drives him out of himself to depend upon another for more strength and better success in after-encounters. If he aequit himself like a Christian indeed, the Lord managing and assisting that grace which he hath given - him, then all his valor, and strength, and victories turn to his praise, from whom he has received all.

A man is not only unknown to others but to himself, that hath never met with such difficulties, as require faith, and Christian fortitude and patience, to surmount them. How shall a man know whether his meekness and calmness of spirit be real or not, while he meets with no provocation, nothing that contradicts or crosses him? But when somewhat sets upon him, that is in itself very unpleasant and grievous to him, and yet, if in that case he retains his moderation of spirit, and flies not out into im