X.

SERM. his Defign, in this Chapter, is to recommend Humility, as appears by the Verses before the Text; and to this End he exhorts them to fear and tremble.

BUT though this was the main Design of the Apostle, yet fomething farther was intended; and this Expreffion of Fear and Trembling doth denote, moreover, the utmoft Caution and Diligence imaginable, in the leading our Lives and Converfations according to the Will of God, and a folicitous Care to avoid every Thing which has the Appearance of Evil, or is dif pleafing in the Sight of God; and though we cannot do this by our own Strength and Power, though we have no Ability to do any good Work, though our Strength is, at beft, but Weakness, and our best Performances tainted with Sin; yet we are affured in the Text, that God will work in us both to will and do, of his good Plea fure, i. e.

IV. THAT he will affift our weak Endeavours with his almighty Arm, that he will incite good Defires in our Souls, and cherish the firft Beginnings of Virtue; he, that fows the good Seed in our Hearts, will not with-hold the former or the latter Rain, i. e. he will afford us every

Thing which is neceffary to make it fruit- SERM. ful and prolific. X.

AND thus having explained to you the Phrases made Use of in the Text, it will plainly appear, that the Meaning of the Words is this, viz.

THAT it ought to be the Endeavour of every good Chriftian, to gain the Favour of God and the comfortable Hopes of Happiness hereafter, by mortifying his Lufts, and refining his disorderly Paffions, and leading an holy, pious, and devout Life: Anger augh this is a very difficult Tafk, yet no Man has Reason to be discouraged from setting about it; because God, from whom are the Preparations of the Heart, has promised to bestow on him a fufficient Measure of his Grace; and he, who makes Ufe of that Grace which God gives him, fhall, from Time to Time, be furnished with a farther Supply; and, in all his Trials and Afflictions, God will never leave nor forfake him, till Patience has had its perfect Work.

THE Words, thus understood, will af ford us these following Observations :

I. THAT the Working out our Salvation doth require a great deal of Pains and Diligence. And yet,

Q3

II. THAT

SERM. II. THAT every good Chriftian has fufficient Encouragement to fet about

X.

- it.

III. WHAT thofe Means are which we ought to make Ufe of, in order to perform this difficult Tafk.

I. THAT the Working out our Salvation doth require a great deal of Pains and Diligence. This we are taught in the Text, when we are commanded to work out our Salvation, and to do it with Fear and Trembling; and thus, other Places of the Holy Writ, the Chriftian Life is compared to a Race, and to a Warfare; all which are figurative Expreffions which imply the Difficulty of the Tafk, and the great Diligence and Industry which is to be made Ufe of in the Performance of it. And of this there can be no Question with any one who confiders with himfelf,

1. WHAT every good Chriftian and regenerate Perfon doth oblige himself to perform. Let us fuppofe that he doth understand the Principles of the Christian Religion, and has been inftructed and catechifed in the true Faith; let us suppose, that he gives his firm Affent to all the Articles of his Creed, and that he knows

and

and believes all that is neceffary to Sal- SERM. vation, which too many do, who have no X. Title to Heaven and eternal Happiness, for the most difficult Part of his Tafk is behind still; which is, to put in Practice what he knows, and to take Care that his Faith derives a due Influence on his Life and Converfation; that he bid Adieu to all his finful Pleasures and criminal Delights, that he root out all evil Cuftoms and finful Habits, which have taken Poffeffion of his Soul, and set such a ftrict Guard over all his Thoughts, Words and Actions, that he do not fall into any wilful and prefumptuous Sin; this certainly will require good Store of Pains and Induftry; but, alas! this is but one Half of his Task, for he must not only cease to do Evil, but must do Good; he must plant in his Soul all Manner of virtuous Difpofitions and Habits, all thofe Ornaments of the Soul, fuch as Humility, Meekness, Juftice, Temperance, Holiness, and Charity, both to God and Man; to do this is in effect for a Man to alter his very Nature, and to become a quite different Perfon from what he was before; and, therefore, is compared, in the Holy Gofpel, to a New-birth.

SERM. Ir is true this Tafk is more or lefs difX. ficult, according to the different State and Condition of Men's Souls. Some there are who have had a ftrict and virtuous Education from their very Childhood, and have in a great Meafure avoided the Pollutions of this World; and in fuch Perfons as thefe, Converfion proceeds by flow and infenfible Degrees; they never went far out of their Way, nor wilfully and perverfly forfook the right Track, and therefore have not much Trouble to return back; and their great Care ought to be to persevere in the Paths of Righteousness, and to avoid all thofe Snares which the Devil lays in their Way. He will endeavour to puff them up with fpiritual Pride, to tempt them to prefume on their own Strength, and to have a great Conceit of their own Goodness and Righteoufnefs; to entertain an high Opinion of their ownfelves and their Performances, and a mean and contemptible One of other Men; these are dangerous Rocks, upon which fome, otherwise good Men, run on Ground, and hazard their eternal Salvation.

THERE are others who have contracted evil Habits from their very Childhood, and have been accustomed to a loose Way of living; and therefore it must needs be a