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they are accepted in all their holy exercifes and works, and their fins are pardoned, and through his righteous nefs they receive the reward of eternal life. This every Christian feels conftantly, and acknowledges to be true with regard to himself, while he is with the greatest care and diligence working out his own falvation.

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II. Chriftians do not work out their own falvation in their own ftrength, but by the fpecial and conftant affiftance and powerful influences of the Spirit of God, by which they are made ftrong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Chriftians are in themselves altogether unequal to this work, being nothing but weaknefs and infufliciency: it is infinitely too great and arduous for them: they depend entirely and constantly on the grace and affiftance of God, in order to do any thing effectually towards it. This is abundantly declared in the fcripture. Chrift tells his difciples, " Without me ye can do nothing." And he faid to the apoftle Paul," My grace is fufficient for thee: for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness." Paul therefore dared to fay, "I can do all things through Chrift who ftrengtheneth me. For when I am weak, then am I ftrong. By the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." According to our text, it is God who worketh in them both to will and to do this great work which is before them. Without his energy, and conftant effectual operation on their hearts, they would not take one ftep in this work, or put forth any act of will towards it. But this will be more particularly confidered, in further attending to this fubject.

III. This work is as neceffary to be done in order to falvation, as it would be if men obtained a title to falvation by thus working, and merited it by their good works. Though men are not faved by or for their holinefs, yet holinefs is as neceffary to falvation, as if they were; for deliverance from fin, and turning from it,

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and the exercife of holiness, is effential to falvation, as the latter can have no existence without the former. It is as neceffary that men fhould be holy in order to falvation, as it would be were they to obtain a title to it and merit it by their holiness and good works; for it ftill remains true, that without holiness no man fhall: fee the Lord, or enjoy falvation. But to be holy and exercise holinefs, is to work out falvation, in the fenfe of the text, and as it has been now defcribed.

The moral inability of man to exercise holiness, and go on to perfection in holiness of himself, does not make it in any degree lefs neceffary that he should be holy in order to be happy; and therefore not the less neceffary that in order to be holy men fhould be active and work; for that men fhould live a holy life, or be holy, without working, or the exercise of holiness, is a contradiction.

IV. Though men are morally unable to work out their own falvation of themselves, but depend on God for affistance and grace, by which he worketh in them both to will and to do it; yet it is not only as neceffary they fhould do these works, but they are as much their own works and actions, as if they did them of themfelves, without any affiftance and powerful, effectuall influence from God. God's affifting men to do thefe works, does not make them the lefs man's own exercises and works, than if they did them without any affistance. Every act of any perfon's will or choice, and all the defigned attendants and confequences of fuch a volition, are his own exercifes and actions, and it is impoffible it fhould be otherwise, whatever influences he is the fubject of in order to his thus willing and acting. Whatever a man wills, and does in the execution of his will, are his own exercifes of will, and his own actions, and cannot be otherwise; and to affert the contrary is always an untruth, and a palpable contradiction.

It would be needlefs to make this obfervation, were it not that fome have been fo thoughtlefs and abfurd, however learned and judicious in other matters, as to

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fay, that if God worketh in men to will and to do, fo that their choice and doing is the effect of what God does work in them, then it is God who wills and does, and not man; and if there be any virtue or goodness in what is done, it is the virtue and goodness of God, and not man's. But this is manifeftly moft abfurd, and contrary to the reafon and common fenfe of mankind; for they feel and know that every thing which men will and do is their own choice and deed, and not of any other; and that, whatever induced them thus to will and do; and that it is as much their own act and deed, as if they had done it without any fuch influence. And if what they do be right and virtuous, it is as much their own virtue and goodness, as it could be if they had done it without any influence or affiftance from others.

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Upon the whole, to conclude this head, it appears that Christians have a great work to do, which is abfolutely neceffary, in order to be faved, in which they must be active, muft will and do it. And this is to perfect holiness in the fear of God, and work out their own falvation with fear and trembling. And this is the work spoken of in the text; a defcription of which has been attempted in the preceding difcourfe: which may God bless to the benefit of all who fhall give to it a proper attention. AMEN.

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Phil. ii. 12, 13. Work out your own falvation with fear and trembling for it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleafure.

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to N attending to thefe words it has been attempted to confider and fhew what is intended by Chriftians working out their own falvation. This has been endea

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voured in the preceding difcourfes. It is now propofed, II. To confider what is meant by their doing this with fear and trembling.

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It is of importance to obferve here, and let it be kept în view, that this paffage of fcripture cannot be underftood, and the true sense of it given, unless the real meaning of these words be properly ascertained, and fixed in our minds: for they are really the key by which alone the meaning of the whole paffage is opened, and without which the true intent and force of these words of the Apostle cannot be perceived. This, it is expected, will be made to appear before the fubject is dismissed; and is a reason why thefe words fhould be examined with particular care and attention, that the true import of them may not be overlooked, and they be taken in a wrong fenfe, but the true meaning of them be known and fixed.

The drift and force of the exhortation of the apoftle is not merely to work out their own falvation, but has a principal and chief refpect to the manner of doing this, which is expreffed in the words, "With fear and trembling." Therefore in these words is contained an effential part of the exhortation; and to this part, which points out the manner and only way in which they could work out their own falvation, the following words do wholly refer, as an argument to enforce it: "FOR it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleafure." This is a reafon, not merely why they fhould work out their own falvation, but why they fhould do this with fear and trembling, as the only way in which it could be done. Whatever men may do, and however much and great pains and labour they may take in working out their falvation; yet if they do not this with fear and trembling, they will fail of obtaining falvation. This points out the only way to heaven. But this will be more particularly confidered and illuftrated in the profecution of this fubject.

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The following particulars will ferve to lead to the true meaning of fear and trembling.

1. Thefe words muft intend fomething which is right and becoming all Chriftians at all times, while they are working out their own falvation. It is what is effential to all truly Chriftian grace and exercises, and belongs to the beauty and excellence of their character! and as they cannot be real Chriftians and live as fuch without it, fo the more they have of it, the better and more ftrong and excellent Chriftians they are. If this were not fo, the Apostle would not have exhorted them, and confequently all Chriftians, at all times and in all ages, thus to work out their own falvation. It would be injurious and abfurd to fuppofe that he exhorted to those exercises and that practice which are not virtuous and excellent, and becoming all Christians, at all times, as their indifpenfable duty, in which they are bound to excel, and cannot be practifed to excefs. This obfervation, of the truth of which none can doubt, will help to fhew what is not intended by fear and trembling here, viz. all those exercises which are wrong, or are a blemish and imperfection in the character of a Chriftian. Thefe must all be excluded, and will lead to the obfervations following.

2. The Apostle does not exhort Chriftians to work out their own falvation under the influence of a fervile, flavifh fear of God, in which no true love is implied, but is contrary to a fpirit of love. This is fometimes meant by fear in the fcriptures, and is condemned as contrary to a Chriftian spirit of love and true obedience. This Apoftle fays to Chriftians, "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father. God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, of love and of a found mind:" [Rom. viii. 15; 2 Tim. i. 7.]* He therefore certainly did not exhort Chriftians

*The word in the original, tranflated fear, 2 Tim. i. 7, is deilias, which is not the word commonly used for fear, and the most proper meaning of it is cowardice.

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