salvation has such discouragements as may well cause him to fear and tremble, he has at the same time many things to animate and comfort him in this arduous work. Let us then proceed to consider,

III. HIS ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PERSEVERE. These the text sets before us in the concluding clause. "For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.

This passage is addressed to those, who already had felt the importance of salvation, and were disposed to seek it with some degree of earnestness, but were ready to be disheartened by the difficulties which lay in their way; they were urged forward, therefore, and excited to work out their own salvation,

1. By the consideration of who it was that had already produced this conviction on their minds, and inclined their hearts to seek after the salvation of their souls. "It is God that worketh in you to will."-Such is the corrupted state of man's heart, such the enmity of the carnal mind, that though every one dreads the thought of eternal punishment, no one, if left to himself, would be willing to seek for pardon and deliverance, in the only way in which it can be found, even through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence all that neglect which we see of the " great salvation; men make light of it, because they like not the humiliating nature of the terms proposed. Nay,

دو

Not

our Lord carries the matter still further; he represents the corruption of the human heart, as placing an insurmountable obstacle in the way. Not only does he say to the unbelieving Jews, "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life: " but he even says, no man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." And again does he repeat it. "No man can come to me, except it be given to him of my Father." This apparently "hard saying" is turned to a motive of encouragement in the text. only is the sinner taught to cry with penitent Ephraim, "Turn thou me, and so shall I be turned," but he is led to reflect on what has already been done for him; on the extent to which he has already been turned; and to consider by whom this was effected. Once, his whole soul was careless and insensible; he lived year after year without even a desire after any spiritual good; the invitations of God's mercy, aud the threatenings of his justice, were equally unheeded; the love of Christ to lost sinners, excited no constraining influence upon him; he seemed to have neither hope nor fear upon religious subjects. But a change has taken place ;-he has not indeed done much toward working out his salvation; but while the consciousness of this, makes him fear and tremble; it excites in him more fervent desires, for increased earnestness and diligence in this great work.

1 John vi. 44, 65.

Now whence did this change arise? Who inclined his heart to seek everlasting blessedness, instead of this world's vanities? When one who has experienced this change, begins to think upon its source, he cannot ascribe it to any thing else than that to which it is ascribed in our text. "It was God who wrought in him to will;" it was God who put this good thought, this holy desire into his soul;-left to himself, he is convinced that he should never have felt any thing of the kind.

Here then is a strong ground of encouragement, to work out his salvation. God has already begun with him. He is already drawing the sinner by his grace; already is he making him willing in the day of his power. Yield then, my fellow-sinner, to these gracious influences of the Spirit; and encouraged by such tokens of the divine presence, "work out your own salvation.”

But the encouragement of the text reaches still farther, and the apostle, being confident, as he says in the beginning of the epistle, that "he who had begun the good work, would carry it forward,” adds to his working in us to will, that he worketh in us also to do. The Christian is here taught that every thing depends upon the grace and goodness of God. He it is who disposes him to commence the all-important work, and will enable him also to bring the same to good effect. The difficulties that we have to overcome in securing

our salvation are indeed many and great; they are such as we could never surmount by our own strength, however powerfully our minds might seem set upon our object. But that grace which put into the mind the good desire, will alway be ready to aid us in accomplishing it; so that while we can of ourselves do nothing, we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens us." Here is the true source of the hope of every Christian enduring to the end, and being saved; so many and so powerful are the enemies that oppose his salvation, that, when fighting against them, he in his own strength might well fear, and tremble, and despair; he could not have one thought of victory. But he is fighting "the good fight of faith." Faith relies upon unseen, but promised support, support such as will render him more than conqueror. By his grace and power, the Lord who has wrought in him to will, will also work in him to do. See then, my dear friends, what encouragement there is for you! There are no such hopes and assurances of support and success held out to you in other pursuits. But in the all-important object of attaining the salvation of your souls, there is no fear but you will succeed, if only you comply with the call of the text, and work out your salvation with fear and trembling, with earnestness and diligence; relying upon the Saviour, whose strength shall be made perfect in your weakness, and through whose grace you shall be made victorious over all your enemies.

SERMON X.

1 CORINTHIANS ix. 26, 27.

1 Therefore SO RUN, NOT AS UNCERTAINLY; SO FIGHT Í,

NOT AS ONE THAT BEATETH THE AIR: BUT I KEEP UNDER MY BODY, AND BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION: LEST THAT BY ANY MEANS, WHEN I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS, I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CASTAWAY.

THERE are few things so interesting and instructive, as a near view of the internal feelings, and the private conduct of an eminently pious Christian. In general it is expedient even for such, to keep themselves in the back ground, and to conceal their experience, lest they should "cast their pearls before swine;" and appear rather to boast of themselves, than to set forth the Lord Jesus, and the power of his grace as manifested in them; but there are some occasions when it is proper and necessary for a man to say, as St. Paul does, "Be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."1 There are seasons, when one who has had long experience of the power and influence of religion, should

'Phil. iii. 17.