demonstration of the Spirit and of power;' that is, he did not preach from natural topics, but preached the things which the Spirit had revealed to him; and gave the works of the Spirit, that is, signs and miracles, for proof of his doctrine. But this was a reasonable proof still, and such a one as reason could judge of. Verse the fourteenth, he says, The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God:' which is very true; for how should natural reason furnish arguments to prove the revelations of God, which have no connexion with natural principles of reason? But then he adds, These things are spiritually discerned ;' or, as he words it in the eighteenth verse, 'they are discerned by comparing spiritual things with spiritual;' that is, by comparing the proofs of the Spirit and the revelations of the Spirit together. This comparison is the work of reason; for reason discerns the agreement between these spiritual things, and by considering the works and wonders of the Spirit, submits to the revelations of the Spirit. So what the Apostle affirms here is only this, that the revelations of God are not to be examined or known by principles or proofs of natural reason, but must be manifested by the proofs of the Spirit; for we have no proofs from reason for the revelations of the gospel, but we have the works of the Spirit, by which they are attested. And here it is plain what the work of the Spirit is: it brings proofs to the reason of man, but does not bring the reason of man to the proofs: so that reason and faith, or reason and the gift of the Spirit, are consistent.

Secondly, as to the measure in which the Spirit is given, the Scripture is not express: this we are sure of, that all to whom the Spirit is given do not obey the Spirit; for we read of some who resist the Spirit of God,' who 'do despite to the Holy Spirit' from whence it is evident that all who are lost are not lost for want of due assistance from God; since they had the offer of the Spirit, but refused and withstood his holy motions. God has engaged in Christ to give us all things necessary to our salvation; and therefore, as far as the Spirit is necessary, so far we are sure of his assistance. As men improve in virtue and holiness, they contract a greater familiarity with the Holy Spirit; with such he is said to dwell, to abide with them;' which answers to what our Saviour says, 'To him that

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hath, it shall be given: and from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away.' The plain consequence of which is, that we should, according to the Apostle's advice, work out our salvation with fear and trembling; for God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' If therefore we cease to work whilst we have time and opportunity, God will withdraw his grace from us; even that which we have shall be taken from us.' We cannot work without God therefore should we work with fear and trembling, lest, if we neglect the appointed time, we should be left destitute of help, without hope or remedy.

Lastly, we may collect what are the signs and marks of grace in the regenerate; even this, that we keep the will of God. I before observed that to be drawn of God, and to be willing to do his will, are one and the same thing: if so, then all who do the will of God are drawn of God; and all who are effectually drawn of God do his will. From whence it follows that all who live virtuously and holily have the Spirit of God, and all who do wickedly are of their father the devil. From whence it follows that it is a vain and ill-grounded confidence that some men have in their spiritual attainments, whilst they work the works of darkness: for he only that doth the works of the Spirit hath the Spirit of God; and hereby do we know that we love him, if we keep his commandments.'

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XVIII.

PHILIPPIANS, CHAP. II.-VERSES 12, 13.

INTRODUCTION: statement of the unhappy disputes in the Christian church relating to the natural powers of man to work out his own salvation, and those relating to the grace and assistance promised in the gospel. Inconsistent as these things may seem to be, St. Paul has thought fit to join them together: his doctrine considered, and the natural consequences which a Christian should draw from it. The text consists of two partsan exhortation, and an argument to enforce it: the argument at first sight may appear to be false, as leading to confidence and assurance rather than to fear and trembling. This explained by the different significations of the word fear: there is a fear of our enemies, and also a fear of losing the love and good offices of our friends; which latter fear excites us to conform ourselves to their inclinations. That this is the fear of which the Apostle speaks, shown from the beginning of the chapter, where he so strongly presses humility on his converts; and also from the two verses following the text, do all things without murmurings and repinings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, &c. The Christian law indeed is fortified with rewards and punishments, as motives of obedience: it is shown however that the fear arising from them is not meant: the exhortation in the text belongs to all men, even the most perfect Christians: it is different therefore from the fear which belongs to criminals and slaves, and which perfect love casteth out. The reason why we ought to fear, viz. because God worketh in us both to will and to do, examined. Totally dependent as we are on God, this fear

has more of care and solicitude in it, than of terror and amazement: the text shown to be parallel to that passage in St. Peter, Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. Farther, this fear shown to arise from a proper sense of our own insufficiency and dependence on God; according to the Apostle's expression, let him that standeth take heed lest he fall: this shown to be a just and holy fear, not injurious to the love of God towards us, nor to our faith and hope in him. From this account of holy fear, the meaning of the expression, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, will easily appear to consist in care and diligence to set ourselves to perform the will and commands of God. It is shown that there is something in the language used to explain the doctrine of grace, liable to be abused by ignorant or crafty men; this language tried in a common case, to guard men against being misled by mere sounds. Consequences of the doctrine and exhortation in the text considered.-I. It appears that the Christian state is not a state of security; for if so, the Apostle's exhortation would have no meaning: the Philippians themselves had received grace, and if grace once received cannot be lost, what had they to fear? That we fear, is no argument of mistrusting God; our fear regards ourselves; and our best security is this fear. II. From the Apostle's command, work out your salvation, we see how necessary good works are. The good works of Christians do not deserve all the hard words that have been bestowed on them, if the words, he worketh in us, &c., be duly considered; for they are the fruits of his Spirit. Conclusion: the manner in which God works for the faithful explained. By the argument drawn from it for fear and diligence, it is evident that he does not work irresistibly he enables us to work; our danger therefore is from ourselves, and we alone can defeat our own hopes.

DISCOURSE XVIII.

PHILIPPIANS, CHAP. II.- -VERSES 12, 13.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

THERE have not perhaps been any more unhappy disputes in the Christian church than those relating to the natural powers of man to work out his own salvation, and those relating to the nature and measure of the grace and assistance promised in the gospel of Christ. On one side it is insisted that virtue and vice owe their being to the freedom and choice of the agent, and lose their name when they are the effect of force and constraint; and, consequently, that to suppose men to be made righteous by any influence from any other being than themselves, is contrary to reason. And hence it is that some of the advocates for mere human reason, as sufficient to all the purposes of salvation, despise the promises made in the gospel, of grace and spiritual assistance; and others of them so explain them as to leave them no meaning at all. On the other side, some zealous asserters of the doctrine of grace, in order to magnify this free gift of God, allow nothing to reason or the natural powers of men; but think it the highest presumption and the greatest affront offered to the grace of God, to suppose that men can do any thing for themselves. It is, in their own way of expression, to make the power of God attendant on the weakness of man, and to make the grace of God the servant and handmaid of human reason. And thus it is agreed on both sides, by those who carry their respective opinions to the greatest length, that either the power of man to work out righ