626 Practical Cbriftimtity, Objeci. Doctrine Armin~an~fm, nor is it prejudicial ~o the efficacious Grace of God, whe~eby. the Will IS po_werfully. fwayed to Faith and Ohcdier.ce; for the con. vertmg Grace of· God Is not gtven to make Men capable to believe and to be converted, but it is given to make them actually believing and aCl:ua\ly convert· ing. The moft wicked Man. th~t is, withoEt the converting Grace of God, is c~pable to be converted even ~n h1s ftateof Unregeneracy, a~d "?nverting Grace . gives not any new Power to mable .us to be converted, but It gtves us an aCl:ual Converfion. Some Jhall never Bel1eve, and why? Not becaufe they arc under an impoffibility, but becaufe they will not believe; ..it is not becaufe they cannot but bccalffe tbey will not, unlcfs we would fo gratifie their Sloth as to call thci; obftinacy an ImpofTibility : It is true they are obftinatet and that obftinacy can ni:ver be cured' w~t!1out efficacious Grace, but yet that obil:iuacy is not properly called anlmpoilib1ltty. Well, fincc Salvation is a thing poffible, why do you not labour for it that your Souls may be eternally Happy? Chrift hath the Key of David, ~nd ht optns and r 1cnt j1JUtJ; and he hath opened the evcrlafting Gate to you all, and bids you all enter and take Polfeffion. There Itand no grim Guards to keep out you, or yours; you can~ not complain that you arc excluded by a forcible Decree, no, you lhut the Doors upon your fclves, and rcfufe to enter. And this is thefirft Rcaf'on why Salvation is not Labour in vain, bccaufe the End is poffible to be anaincd . Secondly, Thtre art al{o right mtan; made_ knorrm to you fer the obtaining of this End. 'Jacob in his Dream f:nv a Ladder reach111g; from Earth to Heaven. Certainly ·there is a Jacob' s Laddu reaching up from Earth to Heaven that is more than a Drtam; every Round in it is eicher _a Grace or a Dmy; it is not hid from you what Grace you muft :~Cl, what Duttes you muft perform, that you may obtain Happin~fs_;_ thcfe arc ~ir~Ct and l?roper mea~s to i~, nay? not only means to it, but the Imttals and beginmngs of lt. The ghmmenng Ltght of NAture could dif.. cover that there was a future Happinefs, but it could not difcovcr to us the ri gh t means thither, it could not direCt us to believe in a crucified Saviom, and there· fore to write by this dim Light of Nature had been Labour in vain: But now we know the way of Sa lvation is by Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jcfus Chri~; now v-.:e kno_w that Holinefs and Obedience do as certainly lead to Heaven, as Sm and Difobediehce drag down to Hell, a11.d therefore while we continue believing and working, js there any fear? Nay, is t here any pom. bility of difappointment in our great End_? It is as impoffible that Faith and Obe· dience fuould not lead unto Glory, as it JS that Faith lhould, or Obedience not continue in Glory : And therefore, 0 SouL, be confident of Succefs. Haft thou any good Evidences that thy Graces are genuine and true, though but weak; that thy Duties are fincere, though but imperfect; and that thou doft work the \.Yorks of God with a fteady Heart, though wirh·a Trembling Hand? Give this Alfurance one lift higher, and as thou art already aJfured of the Truth of thy Grac.:e, and of the Sincerity of thy Obedience, fo henceforth be as much alfured of thy future Glory, as if it were no longer future, but now aaually in thy prefent polfeffion. Thy dawning !hall break forth into a moft perfca Day; the Womb of thy Morning Twilight !hall be delivered of a Noon-tide Brightnefs; thy Spark !hall become a Sun; thy Seed of Grace Jha\l fprout till it be fit for tranfplantation into Paradife, and there fha\1 flower into Glory. But may a pocr Soul fay, Though the means that I nolP ufo for the obtaitting r~J S11l~ vation be right to rf[r8: it, if flill perftfted in; yet I fenr lea/f the T!MnJ Corruptions, Temptations and Hard/IJips that I meet with may turn me off from follolping my Work_, defeat me of my End, ~nd make all I have done as {o much Labour in vain, 4fld thcrr~ fore I could have this c~nfidence and Aj[urance that you [peak of, did /not /e4r this, that I jhould dcfijl ;n ri1y Work. (3.) Would you have good Security againft this? Well thenin the 111 rd place, . the laborious Chriftian as he ufeth right means, fo he Jhall contmue and perfcvere in the ufe of them till he hath wrought out his own Salvation by' them ; and theref<_>re he Jhall certaily accomplifh his End, and his. L:~bour fluil not be in vain. It is true, if you defift from working, all that you have hitb7rto ~one w ~ll . be in vain, -your Faith in vain, your Tears in "'vai1t, your Prayers El vam, _a!l HI vain: An<! therefore this fhould caufe you to work with Fear alld Trcm~\lt~g, left the wiles of Satan aru\ the deceitfulnefs of your own Hearts, !houlu mtlce yotl
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