and brought to receive his word from me, as his, though delivered by fo weak an hand. Bleffed be God for the comfortable fociety we had together in yonder world, where grace was preparing us for a higher state; and that now our glorified Lord is come to take us to himself, that in his presence and love we may be happy for

ever.

APPLICATION.

pe

1. How weighty a matter is it to have the charge of fouls, in order to appear with them in the presence of the Lord Jefus Christ at his coming, and there have them our joy and crown, or our grief and dejection at that day! How important the work, to watch for fouls, as thofe that must give an account! for fouls immortal, and never to die! for fouls redeemed by the precious blood of Chrift! for fouls in danger of rishing for ever, but which may yet be faved; and if they are fo, will not only be delivered from the wrath to come, but obtain falvation with eternal glory! Should we not watch and warn, call and cry, be inftant in feafon, and out of feason, when we are all near the everlasting world; and we that speak, and you that hear, are both a dying into it, and at length to appear before our judge? Where faithful ministers, and obedient people shall meet one another with a joy that no words can exprefs, and is the beginning of that which fhall never end. Brethren pray for us, and therein for yourselves, that the pleasure of the Lord may profper in our hands.

2. When minifters are apt to grow faint or flat in gospel miniftrations, or people to grow fo,

in attending upon them: let both endeavour to quicken themselves with the thought, that their Lord is coming. And, fhould we not speak and hear at another rate, were we under more lively impreffions that we are certainly to appear before him?

3. Of what moment is it, That minifters have their hearts engaged in their work, as they would expect the divine bleffing in it, and a comfortable end of it. They who make the converfion and faving of fouls their defire and hope now, are like to find it matter of joy at last: but it will be no wonder, if heartless fermons prove fruitless

ones too.

4. How heavy will be the doom under which those will fall at last, who perifh under a gospel faithfully dispensed; as being chargeable not only with wronging and destroying their own fouls, but thereby doing what in them lies, to rob their minifters of what they moft earnestly defire, viz. the having them their joy, and crown of rejoicing in the prefence of the Lord Jefus Chrift at his coming.

Sinners may now make light of this; but will not do so before the Judge, when they who now watch over, and speak to them in the name of the Lord, fhall appear against them. Faithful

minifters defire not the evil day, and unpleafing pleafing task, O Lord, thou knoweft; but they that rob them of the fatisfaction of giving up their accounts with joy, do provide for their own greater torment, Heb. xiii. 17. Obey them that bave the rule over you, and fubmit yourfelvet: for they watch for your fouls, as they that must give

an

an account that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

5. Seeing this is not the world in which we are always to live together, let us labour to improve our prefent day, that we may have a happy meeting in that day we are looking for. Whenever I speak in the name of Christ, Ŏ that I may do it in the view and expectation of his appearing again, travelling in birth till Chrift be formed in you and may you, under the fame apprehenfion, hear as for your lives and eternity: and as you are our hope now, may you be our joy in the presence of our Lord Jefus Chrift at his coming.

SERMON XX.

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.

HESE words are an exhortation to that which is our main business in this present world; The working out of our falvation; and to this as attended with a direction as to the manner of doing it, viz. with fear and trembling: both the one and the other is preffed with the most encouraging motive, For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good

pleasure.

There is no ground for defpondency on one hand, nor for prefumption on the other. The work is great and difficult; yet to carry you on in it, you may expect a power above your own: God worketh in you to will and to do. But herein he is a free Agent, and may cease when he pleaseth: wherefore work with fear and trembling; for he worketh of, or according to his good pleafure.

Doct.

Doct. The working out of our falvation is the main business we have to do in this world: in which the confideration of God's free concurrence, fhould engage us to labour with the moft ferious diligence.

In fpeaking to this, I fhall endeavour to fhew, I. What is fuppofed in the command to work out our falvation?

II. What is included in the falvation we are to

work out.

III. What is implied in our working out this, and doing it with fear and trembling.

IV. That it is God that worketh in all that are faved, both to will and to do, and this of his good pleasure.

V. The force of the reason from fuch a representation of the divine influence to quicken and engage us to set about our part with the utmost diligence.

Lastly, The application.

I. What is fuppofed in the command to work out our falvation? And here three things are obvious, viz.

1. That we, while in our natural state, are loft creatures, liable to perish for ever.

Our being enjoined to work out our salvation, fpeaks us antecedently to this, in a lapfed miferable state; at present so, and in danger of one inconceivably worfe, and that it is not with us now, as it was when men came first out of the hand of God. Man was then adorned with his Maker's image, happy in his love; and had he preserved himself innocent, he had remained al

ways