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trary to wonder, that God who forefaw all this, should entertain a thought of favour towards him? God, as free, without need on his part, or merit on ours, worketh in any of us finners, of his own good pleasure.

(2.) Where he works, he works arbitrarily, and is under no obligation to wait on those that neglect or refift his spirit, but may defift when he pleafeth. The spirit, like the wind, bloweth where, and on whom, and for what time it lifteth: if we will not fet in with it, we have no fecurity of its continued influence. God by his fpirit may withdraw,and leave the negligent obftinate finner when he will.,

In whomfoever God works, they are to own it a gracious vouchsafement, one to be highly prized, and to labour to improve it; as now is the accepted time, now is the day of falvation. 'Tis a very bright and defireable time, that wherein God works; but it may be foon at an end. God fays, to day if ye will hear my voice, harden not your hearts; and he hath not promised, that he will wait for our refolutions till to morrow. He has given us no affurance, that if fo much as one motion of his fpirit be baffled and quenched, we shall have a fecond. 'Tis beyond defert, if God works at all; and we have no reafon to be fecure as prefuming he will work on, whether we regard him; or not: Wherefore, work out your own falvation with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. This leads us to the V. Head, namely, the force of the reason from God's working in us to will and to do, and this of his good pleasure, to engage us to work out our Jalvation, and to do it with fear and trembling., 1. What

I.

1. What reafon have we from God's working in us, to excite ourselves to work out our falvation? 2. And what motive have we to do this with fear and trembling, as he worketh of his good pleasure? 1. What reafon have we from God's working in us, to engage us to work out our falvation.

The confideration that God worketh in us, should engage to this; as it makes it reasonable, poffible, hopeful, and easy.

(1.) Reajonable. Work out your favation; for it is God that worketh in you: his hand is ftretched out to pluck you as brands out of the burning; let it not be overlooked: his prefence is vouchfafed to help on the foul to heaven; let it not be flighted. When the merciful God enjoins us to work out our falvation, because he works in us, to fit ftill, as if we were unconcerned, is at once to oppofe his authority, and contemn his grace, and fo to crofs the end for which it is vouchfafed. How reasonable is my compliance with his command to exert my utmost endeavours in working out my falvation, when I have the encouraging tokens of his prefence and influence, ready to difpofe me to work, and to work in and with me? When God leads, how fit is it that I fhould follow, and be ready to act in obedience to his word, under the kind influence and aids of his Spirit? It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do; but in a fubferviency to him, our endeavours are required, if ever our falvation is wrought out. It must needs be highly reasonable to work out our falvation, when it is God that is working in us with a greater ftrength than our own.

(2.) This alfo makes it poffible. Work out your own falvation; and how difficult foever it may Dd 3

be,

be, it is enough to carry through all, that God worketh in you, both to will and to do. Were we left to ourselves under the strict command to work out our falvation, the injunction might make us more fenfible of our mifery, as being unable to perform it; and thereupon lead us to fay, We are wretched apoftate creatures, fallen from God, and condemned by him. He hath indeed fo far manifefted his willingness to fave, that he hath fet forth his Son a propitiation for fin, to fatisfy justice, and purchase a tender of life and falvation: but as ever I would be made partaker of this, I am to turn to God by Jefus Chrift, receiving him, and giving up myself to him unfeignedly, and without referve. This I am fenfible is my duty; but what a wretched impotency and difinclination do I find to it? I may as foon remove a mountain, as change the temper of my foul, or turn my heart. This I am to offer at but as yet could never effect by any strength of my очеп. If this was our cafe, that we of ourselves must work it out, nothing would be left us but defpair of obtaining falvation.

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But when it is faid, Work out your falvation; for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do, we may take encouragement. The task, tho' too great for us, is poffible to the power and grace ready to be engaged with us. Is there any thing too hard for the Lord? Behold his hand is not fhortned that he cannot fave, nor is his ear heavy that he cannot hear; he can level mountains, and fill up vallies, and make the way plain to the mised kingdom, for his ranfomed ones, whom he is leading thither, by giving them both to will and to do.

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(3.) This makes it hopeful. Work out your

falvation,

falvation, and work in hope of a blessed iffue; for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do. What room for defpondency when God undertakes the defign, begins the work, and is working on, if you do not break off, or put a bar in his way? The out-goings of God are prepared as the morning, that waxeth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. He begins in love, and he is not wont to leave off, if he be not firft deferted by you. In working out your falvation, you take the course which God has prescribed; you are in the way with him, and may humbly hope that he will continue with you.

(1.) You are in the way with him, the way he hath appointed, and in which he requires and loves to find his people; and fo it is the way of. life and falvation, that which tends to it, and which will iffue in it. And,

(2.) While you keep in God's way, working in a fubferviency to the bleffed defign you have in view, even your falvation, you may cheerfully depend on in his working in you and with you, and expect his continued prefence and growing gracious affiftance. You could no do any thing in working out your falvation, but by help from heaven; and, whilst you are humble and watchful, it will not be withdrawn. Your ferious thoughts about your falvation, your defires after it, your endeavours to obtain it, are all of them effects and signs of the divine prefence: for we are not fufficient of ourfelves, as from ourselves, for any thing of this.

Work out your falvation; for it is God that worketh in you, the God of all grace, who delighteth not in the death of finners; and therefore is working in you, that you may be saved.

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He

He is the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, &c. Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7. What encouragement does fuch a name carry with it to fuch as are working out their falvation, in obedience to his command, and in a dependance upon his grace? O humble fouls, often think what a God. you have to work in and with you, while you are working out your falvation. And when you find yourselves inclined to this, and engaged in it, do not entertain a defponding thought, that you fhall be left by him, and the work, ceafe and come to nought: he hath been at the greatest expence and cost already, by giving his Son to purchase salvation; and having laid the foundation of this, it is a pleafure to him to communicate his Spirit and grace to carry it on. They that are faithful and diligent, in working out their falvation, may comfortably work on in hope of its perfection.

(4.) God's working in us fhould engage us to work, as this makes it eafy. How fmoothly will the work go on, when grace comes from heaven to lead the foul thither! What is difficult, nay impoffible to us, as alone, becomes delightful by help given down from God above. When God draws, the believer runs and when God works, what fhould hinder or.obftruct him?

Upon thefe grounds we are obliged to be working out our falvation, from God's working with us.

2. We are to work out our falvation, and with fear and trembling, from reafons taken from the manner of God's working in and with us, namely, of his good pleasure: Now,

(1.) It is certain that without God's working we can do nothing to the securing our falvation. We

act

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