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in them to will and to do it; and that they were still thus dependent on him for every right choice and action; so that if God fhould ceafe to work in them both to will and to do, they would immediately fall away and perish.

The Apostle was fenfible of the difpofition in man to overlook his dependence on God every moment for every right motion of his will; and to truft in himself, relying on his own ftrength and fufficiency: and he knew how fatal this difpofition was to the fouls of men, if it were not counteracted and mortified; and that Chriftians had need to be reminded of this. He therefore warns the Chriftians at Philippi to avoid this fatal rock; and at the fame time marks out the only true and fafe way to heaven. And happy would it have been for many profeffing Chriftians fince, if they had attended to, understood and conformed to this apoftolic direction; who, contrary to this, have thought themfelves fomething when they were nothing, and have attempted to work out their own falvation in their own ftrength, relying on their own fufficiency to will and to do; and confequently never have willed and done any thing right, and really holy, but have perished in the foolish, prefumptuous attempt.

Having attempted to explain thefe words, under the four preceding heads, as was propofed, we come now, FIFTHLY, To improve the fubject to practical purposes.

I. From the explanation which has been given of this important paffage of scripture, if it be in any meafure juft and right, we learn that many have overlooked the true fenfe of these words, have put a wrong meaning upon them, and perverted them to very bad purpofes.

They are fuch who affert man's fufficiency to work out his own falvation of himself, without any diftinguifhing, efficacious influences of the Spirit of God, effectually working in him both to will and to do all that is neceffary for his falvation; and deny that man is abfolutely and wholly dependent on God in working

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out his own falvation; but hold that he who does this diftinguishes himfelf, independent of Gods affiftance, of which he has no more than they liave who do not work out their own falvation. They who efpouse and contend for this fentiment, are wont to appeal to the first words of the paffage before us," Work out your own falvation;" and think this fufficiently fupports their caufe, and afferts that men are, of themselves, to work out their own falvation, independent of any internal divine influence on their hearts effectually to will and to do. At the fame time they wholly overlook the following words; or, if they are urged againft them, they put an unnatural and forced meaning upon them, which has been fhewn cannot be the meaning, in the foregoing explanation.

Thus this text is wholly perverted to fupport and eftablish a doctrine which has a moft pernicious and deftructive tendency, is 'contrary to the whole tenor of fcripture, and directly contrary to this very text, taken together, and rightly understood; which, it is thought, clearly appears from the foregoing explanation. This is a molt dangerous and deftructive perverfion of fcripture; for every one who believes in his heart he is fo fufficient to work out his own falvation, and to diftinguifh himself from those who neglect to do this, with out any diftinguishing influences of the Spirit of God, working in him both to will and to do, and thinks he is thus by his own felf-fufficiency actually working out his own falvation, is deceiving himself, and trusting in man, and making fleth his arm; he is therefore accurfed, and will fink into deftruction. How lamentable that fuch doctrine fhould be advocated by any, yea, by fo many! How unhappy that fuch multitudes fhould, through the moral blindnefs, felfifhnefs and pride of their hearts, be led aftray by thefe falfe teachers! Surely the blind are leading the blind, and they will both fall into the ditch of endless deftruction!

There have been, thofe who have underftocd thefe words as a direction to unrenewed finners to begin and

work

work out their own falvation, enforced with a ftrong encouragement, if not a promife, that if they thus fet out in earnest, and do what is called their part, God will give them all needed affiftance to go on fo as to obtain alvation, or do his part. This they understand by his working in them both to will and to do. Thus, actording to them, God waits to have them fet out and begin to will and to do; and then he fets in to affift them to go on. It is fufficient to fhew every confiderate perfon, furely, that to put fuch a meaning on these words, is wholly to pervert them, only to mention it. The words are.fpoken to Chriftians, in whom God had aiready began a good work, by working in them to will and to do, and who had made great progrefs in the Chriftian life. And what he teaches them is their own infuficiency to will and to do, and that they did not begin in this work till God firft wrought in them both to will and to do; nor go one step without his efficacious agency. on their hearts; and therefore they ought to maintain a humbling fenfe of this on their minds, and put their whole trust in God, who only can work in them to will and to do that by which they must work out their own falvation. To apply, thefe words to fin ners, to encourage them to a proud conceit of their own moral ftrength and fufficiency, and to truft in themfelves to work out their own falvation, is as direct and grofs a perverfion of them as can well be imagined.

There are others, who, though they have rightly confidered the exhortation in the text to be addreffed to. Chriftians, yet have mistaken the proper meaning and force of the exhortation, of fear and trembling, and of the reafon given by which the exhortation is urged; and therefore have overlooked the true fenfe of the text, and really perverted it. Without attending to the true, or any precife and determinate meaning to fear and trembling, they confider the exhortation to Chriftians to work out their own falvation, as directing them to do what they call their part, which they are to perform, without taking any notice of the manner in

which they are exhorted to do it; and confequently represent God's working in them to will and to do, rather as the confequence of their working, in which he will affift them in their endeavours to work out their own falvation: fo that the meaning of thefe words, according to them, is this: Work out your own falvation, do your part, for then and on this condition God will do his part, and work in you both to will and to do.

He who has attended to and understood the explanation of these words which has been attempted in the preceding difcourfes, and approves of it, must be fenfible that the above reprefentation of the meaning of the text wholly overlooks the true defign and force of it, and is a total perverfion of it, and may juftly be said to "darken counfel by words without knowledge."

On the whole, it appears that they who attend only to the first part of the paffage which has been explained, as exhorting men to work out their own falvation, without bringing into view the following words, not attending to the words fear and trembling, as expreffing the manner in which this work is to be done, or giving a wrong fenfe to them, have not given the true import and force of the exhortation, and have not improved it to promote the purpose defigned by it; and many have in this way perverted it to establish delufion and falfehood. And, that they also who have attended to the laft words, "For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do," without attending to their connection with the foregoing exhortation, and the true meaning of fear and trembling, and the force of the reafon and argument from thence, expreffed in the particle FOR, have, at beft, not given the true and important meaning of the whole paffage; and have overlooked the defign and force of it, and the moft interefting and practical truths contained in it; if they have not improved it to promote error and delufion.

In fhort, this text cannot be understood, unless it be confidered in the connection of each part of it, and in the true meaning of every expreflion and word con.

tained in it. But when this is done with proper care and judgment, it will be found to be clear, eafy, confiftent, and harmonious, and to exhibit true religion, both in theory and practice, and the real character of a Chriftian, as diftinguished from all counterfeits.

In this view, the preceding particular explanation has been attempted, and is to be yet farther improved. II. From this paffage of fcripture, as it has been explained, feveral doctrines are expreffed or implied, and the objections which have been made to them appear to be wholly without foundation, and very unreasonable. Some of these will be particularly mentioned and confidered.

1. As God is here faid to produce every good volition and exercife in the Chriftian by which he works out his own falvation, it has been objected, that according to this the work is all done by God, and not by the Chriftian, which renders the text, taken together, whol ly inconfiftent and abfurd: as if it were faid, " Work out your own falvation; but at the fame time remember that you can do nothing, and really have nothing to do; for it is God who must do all, by pro ducing the will and the deed!"

The mere mentioning of this objection is fufficient to expofe the unreafonableness and abfurdity of it. If God works in them to will and to do, then they both will and do; and this is as much their own will and deed, as much their own exertion and work, as it could be, were there no previous exertion of God, as neceffary in order to their thus willing and doing. Chriftians do nothing in working out their own falvation till they begin to will and act; and when they do this, it is as much their own act and deed, as in the nature of things any thing that is willed and done can be, whatever God may do in working in them thus to will and to do. The latter is the work of God, and not theirs, the former is as much their own exertion and work, as if God did nothing in them, and is entirely diftinct from what God does. Their own exertions, their willing

and

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