First; I say, there must be a place to which a man goes,1 terminus ad quem, as we call it, and that is to grace, we travail to grace, we travail to the service, and glory of God, and we travail to salvation, these I find in the Scripture to be the ends, and the aims, and the scope, and mark, at which every man is to look in his Journey, in the course of his life: Labour to grow in grace, which enableth us to serve God, without which we can do nothing: Labour also, when you have it to come to the fruits, and operations, and effects of it; that is, to spend your time in doing some thing that may tend to Gods glory, and service. And last of all, look at the reward, look at salvation, ⟨p. 185⟩which is the end of that Journey, there is no question of the two former, that the end is grace, and righteousness; there is more question of the latter, whether a man may make salvation, and the recompense of reward, an end, a mark, and scope, to which he travails: but all these are our ends you shall see Act. 26. 18. Paul 2is sent to preach to the people; and this is the scope of his preaching, he was sent to open their eyes, that they might turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ. Mark it, that they may turn from darkness to light, there you see the scope is light; because, without light, a man cannot see his way, Grace helps a man in his Journey, as light doth: the next thing is, from the power of Satan unto God; That is; from living in bondage to Satan, to serve God, to do that which stands to his glory, and advancement, and then lastly, that they may receive forgiveness, and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in me; there is the reward: for a mans aim is likewise that he might receive the inheritance, that he might be saved, and have heaven in the end. So likewise you find it expressed Philip. 3. 14. Paul, 3saith he, pressed hard toward the mark, for what purpose?
First; I say, there must be a place to which a man goes,1 terminus ad quem, as we call it, and that is to grace, we travaile to grace, we travaile to the service, and glory of God, and we travaile to salvation, these I finde in the Scripture to be the ends, and the aymes, and the scope, and marke, at which every man is to looke in his Iourney, in the course of his life: Labour to grow in grace, which enableth vs to serue God, without which we can doe nothing: Labour also, when you haue it to come to the fruits, and operations, and effects of it; that is, to spend your time in doing some thing that may tend to Gods glory, and service. And last of all, looke at the reward, looke at salvation, ⟨p. 185⟩which is the end of that Iourney, there is no question of the two former, that the end is grace, and righteousnes; there is more question of the latter, whether a man may make salvation, and the recompence of reward, an end, a marke, and scope, to which he travailes: but all these are our ends you shall see Act. 26. 18. Paul 2is sent to preach to the people; and this is the scope of his preaching, he was sent to open their eyes, that they might turne from darknes to light, from the power of Sathan to God, that they might receiue the forgiuenes of sinnes, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ. Marke it, that they may turne from darknes to light, there you see the scope is light; because, without light, a man cannot see his way, Grace helpes a man in his Iourney, as light doth: the next thing is, from the power of Sathan vnto God; That is; from living in bondage to Sathan, to serue God, to doe that which stands to his glorie, and advancement, and then lastly, that they may receiue forgiuenes, and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in me; there is the reward: for a mans ayme is likewise that he might receiue the inheritance, that he might be saved, and haue heaven in the end. So likewise you finde it expressed Philip. 3. 14. Paul, 3sayth he, pressed hard toward the marke, for what purpose?
- 1That which he goes to.
- 2Act. 26. 18.
- 3Phil. 3. 14.
