Saviour is general, extending as well to the SERM. Communications of Strength, as to thofe of IV. Light: So that the Operations of God's Spirit on our Hearts do by no means exclude our most zealous Endeavours, but rather enforce them; fince his working in us will not excufe us, in Cafe of Negligence, from Blame and Punishment. And moreover, it is urged by our Apoftle, in the Text, as a Motive to animate us in working alfo Work out, fays he, your own Salvation with Fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good Pleafure. His Grace is, indeed. free,---Man has no Claim of Right upon his Maker for it,---it is entirely of his good Pleasure, that he bestows it, and we can no more demand, than deferve it. BUT if the Divine Influences did really. fuperfede and render ufelefs our Industry, St. Paul's Reasoning here would be altogether unaccountable; and what he prefies as an Argument, why we should work out our Salvation, would be the ftrongest Reason, why we need not. If God alone did tranfact the whole Affair, there could be no Occafion for any additional Labour from us, much lefs for our working with Fear and Trembling. L SERM. Trembling. For what Caufe has he to fear, IV. who cannot mifcarry by his confident Security,---what Inducement has he to tremble for his Salvation, who is perfuaded, that it requires none of his Care and Diligence to obtain it? If this were the Cafe, not only the Apo ftle's Arguing must be most abfurd, but moreover the Commands, the Exhortations, the Promifes and the Threatenings, which are to be met with throughout the Holy Scriptures, tending to move, Men to take Care of their eternal Interefts, would be quite without Foundation. For to what Purpose can any of thefe ferve, if God works abfolutely, in Man, and there is nothing to be executed by Man himself? By thofe Applications, which plainly fuppose fome Power in human Nature to will and to do, God muft intend, if any thing be intended by them, to induce, not force us to repent, and by Repentance, carry us on to Salvation. We find God commanding and exhorting by his Prophets in the Old Teftament, and by his Apostles in the New. Thus by Ifaiah (i), Wash ye, make (i) Ifai. i, 16, 17. you you clean, put away the Evil of your Doings SERM. from before mine Eyes; ceafe to do Evil, IV. learn to do well :----By Jeremiah (k), O Jerufalem, wash thine Heart from Wickednefs, that thou mayeft be faved: How long hall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee ?-By St. Paul, That ye put off concerning the farmer Converfation the old Man,---and that ye put on the new Man (1), and Stand fast in the Faith, quit you like Men, be strong (m),-and by St. James (n), Cleanfe your Hands, ye Sinners, and purify your Hearts, ye double Minded. Now thefe and fuch other Commands and Exhortations (as others numberlefs almoft are to be met with both in the Legal and the Evangelical Books) imply, that they, to whom they are directed, muft be able, not exclufive of the Divine-Grace, but by a competent Measure of it, without its uncontroulable Impreffions, to yield Obedience to and comply with them. A Being of infinite Clemeney and Wisdom would not enjoin and invite Men to do, what he knew they were in no Degree capable of doing as this must be a manifeft Token of. Cruelty or Weaknefs: Nor would he require under the fevereft Penalties any of his Creatures (k)Jerem. iv 14. L. 2 (-7) Ephef. iv. 22, 24.. SERM. Creatures to undertake, what, if ever it was IV. performed, must be brought to pass wholly by himself. THAT nothing can be our Duty, further than we are able to fulfil it, is most evident No-body is obliged to that, which is impracticable. If Mankind, confequently, never had, nor will have, any Power within them to repent, believe and obey, it is ridiculous, it is profane to imagine, that God demands fuch religious Acts from them, and will call on them to account ftrictly for their Behaviour in this Respect,--will reward them, if approved, and punish them, if condemned. BUT that God expects our Submiffion to his Will, has been already fhewn; and why elfe has it been revealed to us? It is not Knowledge, but Practice; which is the End of his Precepts and Perfuafions: And he has therefore enforced them with Promifes and Threatenings, the most affecting, which can be applied to our Hopes and Fears, the more strongly to engage our Obfervance of them. The Refult of all which must be, that we have Ability, more or lefs, to obferve them, and that God's working in us can not ner, not be in fuch an irresistible, abfolute Man- SERM. as to exclude our own. For were it IV. fo; all Commands and Exhortations, all Promifes and Threatening would be perfectly groundless: And what the Almighty would have done, he could, if he pleased, produce in us without them. GOD's Power, indeed, would meet with no Obftruction here, were he difpofed to exert it: However, as the Liberty of Man's Will, which we are all confcious of, would thus be quite taken away, and the Actions performed, be not properly ours, but God's; fo muft we ceafe to be moral and accountable Creatures,---muft be unqualified for Favour on the one Hand, undeferving of Punishment on the other. Upon the whole then, Reason and Religion firmly unite in thefe Conclufions, That, after God has done what is requifite on his Part, fomething ftill remains for Men to do in order to work out their Salvation,---that if they neglect their Duty and their Intereft, it is not for want of Ability to profecute both, but through Obftinacy and Perverfeness,----and that God has given spiritual Strength fufficient unto every Man, would he but use it and improve the Talent of Grace put L 3 into |