fhould be found in rational ereatures, that when they are in danger of perishing for ever, yea fure to do so, if they do not apply themselves in earnest to securing their falvation, they are averse to their main business in this world, that on which their All depends in another!

(2) When mens averfion is overcome, it is God that does it, and gives both the difpofition and act to such as are engaged in working out their falvation. Bleffed be God that there are any thus employed; but that they are fo, it is owing to an higher power than their own, even to God's, which performeth all things for them. God worketh in them to will and to do, renews their wills, and implants their firft grace: thus beginning their salvation, and then enabling them to act according to his grace implanted, in working it out after it is begun.

[1.] In working our falvation, it is God that touches and turns the will, and by his efficacious renewing grace, brings his people to love and chuse what they were before averse to: and thus, he of unwilling, makes them willing. This is expreffed by giving them a new heart, and putting a new spirit within them, which he claims as his own prerogative. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart alfo will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, &c. He removes all obftructions, and then implants a vital principle in the foul, determining it another way than before. Corruption hath taken poffeffion of the heart, and turned off the will from God and all that is good; and the grace comes from heaven that must fo far alter and change it, as to bring the finner to

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love, refolve, and fet about his falvation, which before he was fo averse to.

In our natural state, fin fways the will, as well as blinds the mind, and nothing short of the grace of God can fet us free from it. Till this be done, men will not frame their doings to turn unto God, Hofea v. 4. The biafs to fin is ftrong naturally, and encreased by custom, and by both becomes a difficulty, unconquerable to any thing but almighty grace. Into how deplorable a state did man fall when he departed from God? He has no inclination left to return, but runs from him, till effectually called from above. This early appeared in the firft man, and is more or lefs difcovered in all others fince. God being forfaken, fomething else is set up in his room, and really preferred before him: and it must be a fupernatural light and influence, that must at once persuade and enable a finner to change the objects of his delight and purfuit. A carnal heart, till renewed, can never fall in with the defign of the gofpel: But when grace comes in its power, it difarms the will of all its oppofing prejudices, and determines it to accept and rejoice in what is offered. God's working is the caufe of the foul's willing; and when he will work, none can hinder him.

He is the Father of fpirits, and alone can have access to the foul, to quicken and determine its faculties by his fpecial influence, as he pleases. He is the first author of all holy motion: and no inclination to ftir in the way to heaven had been known in the foul, if it had not been produced by himself.

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[2.] As

[2.] As God works to will, fo likewise to act or do. He excites that grace which he first implants; and thus both the difpofition and the act is owing to influence from heaven,as to all that engage in working out their falvation. It is as drawn by him, that we are first inclined to it, and then run after him, Cant. i. 4. God's working is the cause both of the foul's choice and purfuit of the falvation offered. The grace neceffary to thefe, is to be begged of him, and the glory of all to be given to him.

It is God that works in thofe he will recover, both to will and to do.

Before I leave this head, it may not be improper to confider the method God ufually takes to incline and engage men to work out their own falvation. But I fhall leave this to another dif courfe.

SER

SERMON XXI.

PHILIP. II. 12, 13.

--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.

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Have difcourfed in fome measure on the

Fourth Thing I propofed in my method of opening this text, which was to fhew, That it is God who worketh in all that are faved, both to will and to do, and this of his good pleasure: But before I left this head, I thought it might not be improper to confider the method which God ufually takes to incline and engage men to work out their own falvation; which I now come to do before I proceed farther.

God takes his method ufually,

1. He openeth to their fouls the loft and miferable state they are in by nature, as having finned against him, deferved his wrath, and being every moment liable to it. But though this be common cafe of finners, the most of them are as unconcerned, as if all things were safe with them. Their eyes are fhut, and fo they remain fecure in the midst of the greatest danger, and would not beftir themselves in working out their falvafion, without a very strong and convictive fight

of

of that wrath and death which fin hath made their portion. And in order to this, where God is pleased to work, light is let in upon the foul, discovering its cafe. It is to this end the gospel is published, to open finners eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of fatan unto God. By the help of this light, the firft thing the foul is brought to fee, is fin; fin as to its rife and progrefs, nature and effects: How early it began, how univerfally it is propagated, and the evil it contains in it, and will draw after it; its corrupt fountain, various streams, heinous aggravations, and fearful iffue.

When the Spirit comes to put men upon working out their falvation, it begins by convincing them of fin, John xvi. 8. It makes them fenfible, what a guilty depraved state they are fallen into, by which they are fitted for destruction, and bound over to it: It fhews them that the divine law is broken, death is deserved and threatned, and the conviction is fo brought home to the finner, that he is made to see himself involved in the common defection, and laid liable to the common ruin.

2. God holds their thoughts close to what is thus difcovered, as matter of the highest moment, and of everlasting concern, no longer to be made light of, nor foon despised, as heretofore. There is a ftrange averfness in all by nature, to the ferious confideration of what relates to the foul and another world. The carnal heart is hardly drawn to it, and foon flies off, making every little thing an occafion for a pretence to do fo. Hence it is, that men can