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It is, you fee, the Apostle's Command, Work out your Salvation. Now then Works are neceffary to Salvation; and it matters little in what Degree they are neceffary, or how they are to be named: If they are neceffary, you must do them; and that is enough to fecure the Practice of Virtue and Holiness in the World. And for this Reafon God works in us, that we may not only will, but do; that is, bring our good Inclinations to Perfection: For why does God work in us to will and to do, if Willing and Doing are not necessary to our Redemption? And perhaps the good Works of Christians may not deserve all the hard Words that have fo liberally been bestowed on them, if we confider that they are not the Works of Men, but of God; for he worketh in us to will and to do: And therefore our good Works are the Fruits of his Spirit; and are holy because they proceed from an holy Root, the Power of God dwelling in us.

Laftly, Hence likewise we may observe in what Manner God works with the Faithful: St. Paul makes it an Argument for Fear and Diligence. From whence it is evident, that God does not fo work in us, as to exclude our own Care and Industry; that is, he does

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not work irresistibly: For fuppofing God to work irrefiftibly, the Wit of Man cannot make an Argument out of it for private Care and Diligence. If God does every Thing in us whether we will or no, what is left for us to do? or what have we to fear and tremble for, when God alone has undertaken the whole Care and Business of our Redemption? The Work of the Spirit upon the Hearts of the Faithful is to actuate and inspire them : But to perform what is good, is the Business of him who is actuated and inspired. Now it must be allowed, that it is one Thing to give a Man Power to act, another to force him to act. A Man's Will is not influenced by his own Power. He that has ten times the Power to do a Thing that I have, is nevertheless as free to let it alone as I am. And though the Grace of God gives us great. Power and Ability to work out our Salvation, yet the Power to will and to work is no Conftraint either to will or to work. And in this Senfe the Grace of God is a great Argument for Diligence and Care: For, if he furnishes us with Power, it behoves us to see that we make a right Use of it.

In a word then, you have the Affiftance of God to enable you to work; which is a great

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great Reason to love and trust him, fince he takes this Care of you. Your Danger now is only from yourself; it is in your own Power, but in no other Creature's under Heaven, to defeat your Hopes. You only can rob yourself of the Affiftance of God by doing despite to his Holy Spirit, by not obeying when it is in your Power to obey. Be careful therefore, my Brethren, bè watchful over yourselves; and, whilst you have Opportunity, work out your Salvation.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE V.

LUKE xiii. 23, 24.

Then Jaid one unto him, Lord, are there few that be faved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate: For many, I say unto you, will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able.

T

HE Fate of the World at the
great Day is fo momentous a
Point, and in which every
Man, who is confcious to him-

felf that he is accountable for his Actions, is so nearly concerned, that it is no Wonder to find Men in every Age inquifitive and curious to pry into this Event. Hence have arisen many nice Speculations concerning God's final Judgment of Mankind: Sometimes we are asked, whether, consistently with the Declarations of the

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Gofpel, any of the Heathen World can be faved; and fometimes, whether, the Strictness of the Gospel Morality confidered, and the vifible Corruption of the World, it must not neceffarily come to pass that the far greater Part of Mankind fhall perish everlastingly.

One of these Questions you fee proposed to our Saviour in the Text, Lord, are there few that be faved? You have also our Lord's Answer in the Text, and in the Verfes which follow it in St. Luke: An Anfwer applicable not only to this, but to all other Questions of the like Import; and which therefore very well deserves your Confideration.

For the better understanding of which Answer, we muft confider, whence it is that Men, not content to examine themselves by the Law of God, and to learn from thence how their own Cafe ftands, are for launching out into the Mysteries of God's Judgments, and inquiring how it shall fare with this or that Nation at the General Judgment, and whether many or few shall be saved at the last.

Whoever will examine into the Bottom of Men's Thoughts upon this Subject, will

find

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