The joys of life eternal, are in Scripture comprehended all under the name of SALVATION, or _being saved_. To be saved, is to be secured, either respectively, against special evils, or absolutely, against all evils, comprehending want, sickness, and death itself. And because man was created in a condition immortal, not subject to corruption, and consequently to nothing that tendeth to the dissolution of his nature; and fell from that happiness by the sin of Adam; it followeth, that to be _saved_ from sin, is to be saved from all the evil and calamities that sin hath brought upon us. And therefore in the holy Scripture, remission of sin, and salvation from death and misery, is the same thing, as it appears by the words of our Saviour, who having cured a man sick of the palsy, by saying, (_Matth._ ix. 2) _Son be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee_; and knowing that the Scribes took for blasphemy, that a man should pretend to forgive sins, asked them (verse 5) _whether it were easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or, Arise and walk_; signifying thereby, that it was all one, as to the saving of the sick, to say, _Thy sins are forgiven_, and _Arise and walk_; and that he used that form of speech, only to shew he had power to forgive sins. And it is besides evident in reason, that since death and misery were the punishments of sin, the discharge of sin must also be a discharge of death and misery; that is to say, salvation absolute, such as the faithful are to enjoy after the day of judgment, by the power and favour of Jesus Christ, who for that cause is called our SAVIOUR. Concerning particular salvations, such as are understood, (_1 Sam._ xiv. 39) as the _Lord liveth that saveth Israel_, that is, from their temporary enemies, and (_2 Sam._ xxii. 3) _Thou art my Saviour, thou savest me from violence_; and, (_2 Kings_ xiii. 5) _God gave the Israelites a Saviour, and so they were delivered from the hand of the Assyrians_, and the like, I need say nothing; there being neither difficulty, nor interest to corrupt the interpretation of texts of that kind. [Sidenote: The place of eternal salvation.] But concerning the general salvation, because it must be in the kingdom of heaven, there is great difficulty concerning the place. On one side, by _kingdom_, which is an estate ordained by men for their perpetual security against enemies and want, it seemeth that this salvation should be on earth. For by salvation is set forth unto us, a glorious reign of our king, by conquest; not a safety by escape: and therefore there where we look for salvation, we must look also for triumph; and before triumph, for victory; and before victory, for battle; which cannot well be supposed, shall be in heaven. But how good soever this reason may be, I will not trust to it, without very evident places of Scripture. The state of salvation is described at large, _Isaiah_ xxxiii. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24: