us, is a wicked fear: but to fear that we may fall fhort of those promises, is a reasonable fear, our present weakness confidered; and it is a spur 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 ftrong, 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 lofe, 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 see, the Apostle's command, Work out your falvation. Now then works are neceffary to falvation; 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 so liberally been bestowed 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 likewise we may observe 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 irresistibly for fuppofing God to work irrefiftibly, 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 under taken the whole care and business of our redemption? The work of the Spirit upon the hearts of the faithful is to actuate and infpire 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 use of it.

In a word then, you have the affistance 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

yourself of the affiftance of God by doing despite to his holy Spirit, by not obeying when it is in your power to obey. Be careful therefore, my brethren, be watchful over yourselves; and, whilft you have opportunity, work out your salvation.

DISCOURSE XIX.

LUKE xiii. 23, 24.

Then faid one unto him, Lord, are there few that be faved? And he faid unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I fay unto you, will feek to enter in, and ball not be able.

THE fate of the world at the great day is fo momentous a point, and in which every man, who is conscious to himself that he is accountable for his actions, is fo nearly concerned, that it is no wonder to find men in every age inquifitive and curious to pry into this event. Hence have arisen Hence have arifen many nice fpeculations concerning God's final judgment of mankind: fometimes we are asked, whether, confiftently with the declarations of the Gospel, any of the heathen world can be faved; and fometimes, whether, the strictness of the Gospel morality confidered, and the vifible corruption of the world, it must not neceffarily come to pass that the far greater part of mankind fhall perish everlaftingly.

One of these questions you fee proposed to our