be a very proper expreffion to fay, Of himself he could do nothing? or would it follow, that, if he was offered help, he should fit ftill, and not put his own ftrength to the work? If a friend came to his affiftance, would it not be properly faid, that his friend enabled him to do what he did? but would it follow that his friend did all, and he nothing? I mention this only to guard men against being mifled by mere founds; and fhall proceed now to confider some confequences of the doctrine and exhortation of the Apostle mentioned in the text. And, firft, it is evident, that the Chriftian ftate is not a state of security; for fecurity is inconfiftent with any kind of fear and trembling, and is indeed a condition that does not call even for care or diligence. In a state of fecurity a man cannot even fear for himself; for, to be fure of falvation, he must be sure of every thing that is neceffary to it; and therefore he muft either be fure that he is to have no part himself in working out his falvation; or, if he is to have any, he must be fure and certain that he shall perform it: either of which excludes all manner of fear and trembling. Much lefs can he, who is fecure of being faved, fear being punished: fo that there is no kind of fear left for him; and the Apostle's exhortation will have no meaning in it to fuch a man. Work out your falvation with fear and trembling: with fear of what? fince no- ́ thing is left to be afraid of. And yet to be fure of our falvation has been made by fome a neceffary fign of regeneration and adoption: and hence has proceeded the doctrine, that grace once received can never be loft; and, if fo, those who have re ceived grace, can have no reason to fear and tremble. And yet it cannot be denied that the Philippians, to whom the Apoftle writes, had received grace; fince from his own teftimony we learn, that they had obeyed always; that in his bonds, and in the doctrine and confirmation of the Gofpel, they had been partakers of his grace. Grace then they had received; what then had they to fear? if grace once received cannot be loft, that is, if grace gives fecurity of falvation. To make then the Apoftle confiftent with himself, we must affirm, that it is his doctrine that grace may be loft; and that even thofe, who have made great progress in Gospel obedience, are not fecure of their ftate; but muft labour on, and work on with fear and trembling, left they come short of the promises that they have received. And from hence we may comfort and support good Chriftians, under the many fears and mifgivings of mind that attend them in their fpiritual warfare. That you fear, is no argument of mistrusting God: we have reason to fear for ourfelves; nor will this fear be taken from us, till we are removed out of this world. Were there any reason to think, that security as to our future condition was among the gifts of God's Spirit to the true children of Chrift, then indeed our fears would be matter of disturbance to us: but, fince the best muft fear and tremble, why fhould we difquiet ourselves because we fear for ourselves? fince not only our present condition requires it, but it is even part of our fecurity to fear, and to labour with care and diligence, which is the bleffed fruit of holy fear. To fear that God will not perform his promises to us, is a wicked fear: but to fear that we may fall short of those promises, is a reasonable fear, our present weakness confidered; and it is a fpur to virtue. And those who would defire this thorn in the flesh to be removed, may be answered, in the Lord's name, as he answered St. Paul, My grace is fufficient for you. You are weak, but the Lord is strong, and his ftrength is perfected in weakness: fo that, if your fear be active and busy, and sets you to work for the thing you are afraid to lose, there is no doubt but that through Christ you shall be enabled to do all things. Secondly, From hence we may learn what to think of the works of Chriftians. It is, you fee, the Apostle's command, Work out your falvation. Now then works are neceffary to salvation; and it matters little in what degree they are neceffary, or how they are to be named: if they are neceffary, you must do them; and that is enough to fecure the practice of virtue and holiness in the world. And for this reafon God works in us, that we may not only will, but do; that is, bring our good inclinations to perfection: for why does God work in us to will and to do, if willing and doing are not neceffary to our redemption? And perhaps the good works of Chriftians may not deferve all the hard words that have fo liberally been beftowed on them, if we confider that they are not the works of men, but of God; for he worketh in us to will and to do: and therefore our good works are the fruits of his Spirit; and are holy because they proceed from an holy root, the power of God dwelling in us. Laftly, Hence likewife we may obferve in what manner God works with the faithful: St. Paul makes it an argument for fear and diligence. From whence it is evident, that God does not fo work in us, as to exclude our own care and industry; that is, he does not work irrefiftibly: for fuppofing God to work irresistibly, the wit of man cannot make an argument out of it for private care and diligence. If God does every thing in us whether we will or no, what is left for us to do? or what have we to fear and tremble for, when God alone has undertaken the whole care and bufinefs of our redemption? The work of the Spirit upon the hearts of the faithful is to actuate and inspire them: but to perform what is good is the business of him who is actuated and inspired. Now it must be allowed, that it is one thing to give a man power to act, another to force him to act. A man's will is not influenced by his own power. He that has ten times the power to do a thing that I have, is nevertheless as free to let it alone as I am. And though the grace of God gives us great power and ability to work out our falvation, yet the power to will and to work is no constraint either to will or to work. And in this sense the grace of God is a great argument for diligence and care for, if he furnishes us with power, it behoves us to fee that we make a right ufe of it. In a word then, you have the affiftance of God to enable you to work; which is a great reason to love and truft him, fince he takes this care of you. Your danger now is only from yourself; it is in your own power, but in no other creature's under heaven, to defeat your hopes. You only can rob |