VARIOUS SUBJECTS,

DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL and PRACTICAL.

VOL. I.

HARTFORD.

1798.

PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY

BOOK-SELLERS AND STATIONERS, HARTFORD,

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The following begins the original text:

EXCERPT 1. ( Pg. 339.)

"THE latter part of the verse confirms this explanation. For it is GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of his goad pleasure. Real christians know the difficulties of obedience. They wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. They are surrounded with temptations, the allurements of sense, the seducing influence of bad example and the company of evil men, with whom they must be connected, in many things, until GOD calls them from the world. The objects of their natural affection, and of family endearment, who must be their daily companions, are often the enemies of the gospel, and opposed to that holy life which they know to be their duty. They feel a remainder of sin in their own hearts, by which they are laid open to the power of external temptations."

EXCERPT 2. ( Pg. 340.)

"You now know, that if GOD had not wrought in you, by his renewing spirit, you would have been in the gall of bitterness and under the bonds of iniquity. Now you know, that it was GOD who first wrought in you to repent and believe, and that you were made obedient by a divine efficiency. You have no reason to despond; for GOD, who hath begun his own work, can finish it, and overcome all your spiritual enemies."

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PHILIPPIANS ii. 12, 13.

HIS exhortation, is founded upon a previous description, of the glorious and exalted state of JESUS CHRIST. Wherefore GOD also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. From this high description of his dignity as GOD, Redeemer and Judge, the writer exhorts, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The greatness of the Judge, to whom every knee shall bow, and by whom every one shall be sentenced; the greatness and eternity of the good sought and the evil to be avoided together with the divine action

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of GOD, on the minds of all who work successfully, are considerations why it should be with fear and trembling.

THE following things will be considered.

II. WHAT is meant, in the text, by working out our salvation.

IT IS supposed there can be no dispute what is meant by the word salvation in this passage, and I describe it, not to settle a difficult point; but as preparatory to the succeeding part of my discourse. The natural and scriptural meaning of the word salvation, is deliverance from some evil, either natural or moral. Personal and national deliverances, from particular judgments, are called salvations. A subject of discourse, often limits the meaning to particular escapes and blessings, some of which are of short, and others of longer continuance.

IN the word of GOD, salvation commonly means, that forgiveness and sanctification through JESUS CHRIST, by which unholy and guilty sinners, are prepared and shall be finally received, to the eternal glory and peace of heaven. This is the great salvation, ultimately including all blessings, all holiness, happiness and glory which redeemed men can receive. This is always meant by the word salvation, in the gospel writings ; unless, when the nature of the subject limits it, to same particular favor. This is the salvation, which the text exhorts us to work out with fear and trembling, because it is GOD who worketh in us both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.

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IT may be useful for us particularly to consider what it contains.

HOLINESS is the principal thing. It is a deliverance from sin, a moral conformity to GOD and his law, and evangelical union to him through his Son JESUS CHRIST. Hence CHRIST was promised to save his people from their sin.—Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.—According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Salvation begins in. holiness and ends in glory. It is begun in this world and grows with the personal holiness of GOD’s people. This was meant by CHRIST when he said, For behold, the kingdom of GOD is within you. The sanctification of GOD’S people, with the happiness rising out of it, is the beginning of their glory. It is the spiritual water given by CHRIST,. which shall be in them a well of water, springing up into eternal life. There is no room to question, that holiness is the most essential thing in this salvation. We may hear and have the offer, but without holiness have not the thing itself.

HAPPINESS is also included in this salvation. Infinite wisdom hath so formed the universe, and the mind of man; that happiness the most pure, the greatest and most perpetual, arises from a holy temper and practice. This is the happiness of GOD himself, and he communicates it to his people according to their measure of actng and receiving. When they become perfect in holiness,

their happiness will be the greatest possible.

WHILE we consider happiness as part of the gospel salvation, it must be remembered, that it is confined to such happiness as arises from a holy temper and practice. Sinners find pleasure in

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their vices, yet none will pretend this to be part of the christian salvation. The greater their pleasure is, the further they are from being saved, and the more difficult it becomes for them to enter into the kingdom of glorious peace. The ungodly relish of their hearts is gaining strength, and they become more disqualified for failing the pleasures of religion. This description ought not to be confined to the unhappy persons, who are plunging deep into the pleasures of gross sensuality. It applies, with propriety, to the pride of self-righteousness, which, by every moment of its continuance, is shutting the heart against the true pleasure of christian humility.

II. WHAT is meant, in the text, by working out our own salvation.

To fix the meaning of a writer, it is often necessary, we should know the character of the persons addressed. Especially, it is proper to consider this, when their character is strongly marked in the accompanying parts of discourse, which is the case with respect to this exhortation. It is an exhortation to christians, whose hearts were already sanctified in part, and in whom that work of grace was begun, which would certainly end in the salvation of final glory.—This may be known from the preceding words—Wherefore, my beloved, as ye’ have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. He calls them beloved brethren, an appellation applied by the sacred writers, peculiarly to the people of GOD. The exhortation is to those, who had already obeyed, not only while he was with them; but also, in his absence from them. They had given evidence of sincerity by a season of

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perseverance, in an age, when every professing christian was assailed by the most trying evils, which heathen and jewish enmity could inflict.

HAVING ascertained the character of the persons, to whom the writer addressed himself, the meaning of the exhortation becomes apparent, and is conceived to be as follows.

THE latter part of the verse confirms this explanation. For it is GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of his goad pleasure. Real christians know the difficulties of obedience. They wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. They are surrounded with temptations, the allurements of sense, the seducing influence of bad example and the company of evil men, with whom they must be connected, in many things, until GOD calls them from the world. The objects of their natural affection, and of family endearment, who must be their daily companions, are often the enemies of the gospel, and opposed to that holy life which they know to be their duty. They feel a remainder of sin in their own hearts, by which they are laid open to the power of external

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temptations. Of this, the apostle hath given us a most excellent description, in his own experience. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. I find then a law, That when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of GOD after the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!

IN view of these obstacles, it appears to the christian, a difficult thing, to work out or effect that perfection in holiness, which is his salvation. On this account when his faith is weak, he is often ready to despond; and it seems, as though he must be destroyed by his spiritual enemies, and the treachery of his own heart. Knowing this, the apostle adds to his exhortation, the supporting truth; for it is GOD which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

THO’ your remaining sin be great, and your temptations many, GOD is with you. You are not working alone. In this case, you ought to look back to your former unholy, unpardoned state. You now know, that if GOD had not wrought in you, by his renewing spirit, you would have been in the gall of bitterness and under the bonds of iniquity. Now you know, that it was GOD who first wrought in you to repent and believe, and that you were made obedient by a divine efficiency. You have no reason to despond; for GOD, who hath begun his own work, can finish it, and overcome all your spiritual enemies. You have the promise of his spirit, to

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enlighten and sanctify, to remove your remaining sin, and fit you for his own presence. Under a sense of weakness you may plead the covenant, and ask his grace to control your wills and direst your practice.

THIS is all the encouragement to diligence which a weak christian can need, and it was proper to be added with the exhortation, work out your own salvation. It has the nature of a promise, to those who have become evangelically obedient, that GOD will in future be with them. To the unbelieving and impenitent, to those who have never obeyed, there are no promises made; nor is it fit there should be any. If GOD hath not begun to influence their wills, that is, work in them to will; there is no certainty from any thing he hath said in the scriptures, that he ever will thus work. As they are now in a state of unpardoned opposition to divine holiness, and have never, in any respect, complied with the condition to which final salvation is promised, they may always remain as ignorant and obdurate as they be at present. Those who have become obedient, in their future exertions must depend on the aid of promised grace. This dependance is using means in the exercise of faith, which to those who do it is never in vain. Whoever, prays, hears and meditates, looking to GOD for the sanctifying efficacy of his holy Spirit, will by experience find him working in them to will and to do; and they will be sensible no greater encouragement is needed.

To the exhortation, there is another direction added. Work out your own salvation, with fear and trembling. Be diligent, be strenuous, be reverent in all your endeavours.

BE diligent, for there is much to be done in resisting sin—and seeking holiness, and the

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consequences are great and eternal. Be strenuous; for weak and intermitting efforts, are not, adequate to the difficulties which you will meet. Be reverent; for success depends wholly on a divine co-operation, and none have right to expect his spirit, unless they have a most reverent sense of his being, action and purity. In working out his own salvation, the christian ought to have a deep sense of the danger of sin. Known and wilful sin will always prevent the sensible communication of strength from GOD. His children may be permitted to fall into wilful rebellion; but when this is the case, they must be brought into a state of trembling concern, before they will experience again a sanctifying efficacy with the means which are used.

EXPERIENCE in the christian life, will show the admirable fitness and truth of the exhortation in the text. It will convince of the need of working. That no one can grow in faith and holiness, without a most diligent attention to the means, which infinite wisdom hath appointed. Whenever reading the word of GOD, prayer, meditation, self-examination, and a most watchful care over the heart and practice are omitted spiritual affection will cease to be sensible, and both the power and comforts of religion will, be gone. Although means cannot sanctify, GOD never gives his influence to purify his people without them; and to hope for this, in the omission of means, is high presumption.

CHRISTIAN experience will give conviction of its being necessary for GOD to work in them. After the longest and most successful use of means, a use so successful that they dare not omit them; there is still the most, thorough conviction, that all is in vain, if the spirit of GOD be denied. When they are most vigorous in the use

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of appointed means ; they are always most importunate for a divine influence to accompany. The necessity of using means, and the ascription of all holiness to the immediate action of GOD, are truths which some pretend to consider as contradictory. It is not seen, in what sense, they are so, any more in moral than in natural events. But whatever objections there be, in this matter, christian experience will soon remove them. All the holy, will bear a joint testimony, that it is of the Lord’s working they are sanctified; also, they will assure us GOD did this, when they were. most diligent and persevering in. the means of religion.

FURTHER, christian experience will produce a deep concern, less we endeavour and exert ourselves, in such a way, as will grieve the holy spirit to deny his aid. GOD is as jealous of his own honor and of the respect due to his directions, in the dispensation of sovereign grace as he is in judging and rewarding by the law. Those things, which men think to be small deviations from the prescribed rule, are often a sufficient reason, for the most holy spirit to deny his quickening influence. If we work in a way not commanded; if we add human invention to commanded services; if we divide the means, which GOD hath joined; if we use means, while living in any known and wilful transgression; or if we depend on the means, and think to obtain by our own strength through their efficacy, forgetting to look to GOD, the use will be without a blessing. Infinite wisdom and goodness is very particular in the sovereign bestowment of his aid, in order to keep us watchful against sin, and preserve in us a sense of our dependence. These things are taught to a chrisitan, by his experience in the life of faith and godliness; therefore he works with fear and

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trembling, lest he should grieve away the spirit of life.

IN explaining this text, it has been applied to christians, who have obeyed and become sanctified in part. I here feel myself brought near to a subject of great importance, which, though plain to the experienced christian, is very liable to misrepresentation and imprudent expression. It is concerning such use of means, as may be found in persons, who are not sanctified, and forgiven through faith and repentance. Inquiring minds will come to this subject, and find difficulties in it ; also, they are in danger of embracing some wrong conclusions, unless they have been experimentally taught, or instruction is given them, in the most guarded manner.

THERE are two errors of a fatal tendency, into which we may fall. Either, that there is nothing to be done by unsanctified men; or, that the external services to which they are excited by fear and self love alone, are the beginning of real holiness and preparation for heaven. It is dangerous to believe either of these. There is no real preparation for heaven, without some degree of moral conformity to GOD and his kingdom, and the unsanctified sinner hath no beginning of such conformity. All his external works in praying, hearing and seeking sre for himself and not for GOD. If a terrible law were repealed, and a way prepared for sin to triumph, he would seek no longer, and hear and pray no more. Therefore, there is no preparation for heaven, nor any salvation actually begun in his soul, by all his assiduous services. We cannot tell him that GOD is working in him. The design of infinite wisdom, in awakening and setting the terrors of the law before his mind, is to make him acquainted with his own heart, and convince

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him of a hardness and enmity against divine holiness and sovereignty. In this case, to tell him that his concern and performance of external service, on legal motives, is sanctification begun, would be counteracting the work of GOD, on his understanding and conscience.

ON the other hand, to give any representation which will make him conclude he may cease the form of prayer, and exchange these services, for the profane and thoughtless circle of men, is directing him to sure destruction. We never see GOD sanctifying the thoughtless and secure. It is the manner of infinite wisdom, to open mens understanding on their peril and guilt, before he sanctifies them. It is also his manner to use their own legal observances, as means of teaching them the sin of their hearts, and their absolute dependence on sovereign, renewing grace. Tho’ renewing grace doth not always follow such conviction, we do not see it given in another way; and by looking through this subject we may see the propriety of this divine dispensation. The whole experience of the church, can give no reason to suppose GOD will sanctify secure sinners, who live in open neglect of a Sabbath, of prayer, of meditation on their own state, and of anxious concern for escape. These thouightless souls are in the broad way without knowing it.

To illustrate this subject, I will propose and answer several questions.

QUESTION 1. The text has been explained, as an exhortation to christians, who have already experienced sanctifying grace; may not unholy men, be exhorted to work out their salvation with fear and trembling?

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ANSWER. ALL unholy men ought to be directed, to work out their own salvation, with fear and trembling ; but we cannot give them the same encouragement, which may be given, to such as have become evangelically obedient. We cannot, in truth, tell them, that GOD now doth or ever hath, wrought in them both to will and to do.—The preceptive part of the exhortation belongs to all men; the encouraging and promissory part, only to the obedient.

THERE is but one law, one kind of obedience, one set of promises, one scheme of duty and practice placed before mankind. The command and exhortation are to all. The promise is to all, who comply with the conditions on which it is given. The threatening is against all, who remain of the temper and heart against which it is denounced. There are two characters among men, the holy and unholy. One of them is entitled to a promise; the other, only to such threatenings as are merited by disobedience. But there are not two schemes of duty to be placed in their view; one for sinners, and the other for saints. Unholy men are proper subjects of the same exhortations as are given to the obedient. In describing duty, and directing the way of salvvation; we do not find the word of GOD makes any difference; but all are commanded to repent and believe, and live in all holy conversation. The different address of GOD to saints and sinners takes place in describing their character, and the way in which he will treat them ; and not in describing obligation and duty, for this is the same on all. And sinners ought to be reminded of their indispensible obligation to perform all the duties of christian obedience.

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1. THEY never do begin.—Of the many things which they do, some from fear, some from self-righteousness, and some from false expectations ; none amount to a beginning of real salvation. A consenting, willing heart is the first thing in salvation, and all they have done comes no nearer to this, than their first excitement to seriousness. Although sin hath changed its form and manner of acting, it still reigns. Visible seriousness and inquiry come from the same heart, as was before acted out, in vanity and a contempt of moral obligation. It is fear and not love which hath made the change of conversation. The character and law of GOD are no more amiable in their sight, and are no more loved for their own excellence, than they ever were. The sinner is not weaned from himself, and every thing is done from a principle of supreme self regard. There is no regard to the honor of GOD. Therefore, salvation, which consists in holiness of the heart, is not begun.

THE seeking sinner, in the situation I am considering, hath not wrought out his salvation in. part. Some things, which may be matter of command, are of such a nature by the very laws of action, that they may be part done and part not done. A command to go to a distant place, requires beginning, and progress approaching towards the end of the command, and may be in part effected. It is not thus in loving and choosing GOD, in which beginning salvation consists. The will or choice of the heart is for him or against him; he is chosen or rejected ; and no part of salvation is wrought out until he is chosen. After a sinner is sanctified and hath repented and believed in CHRIST, it will be proper to say his salvation is wrought out in part; but before this, he is in total disobedience. In all he does, unholy motives are apparent, and his resolutions and

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inquiring what he shall do to be saved, arise from a heart which doth not wish GOD to reign.

QUESTION 3. Is the awakened sinner better or worse than he would have been in a state of security and forgetfulness of GOD ?

A. IT IS conceived this question tends only to useless speculation, and that it was first originated, with an unfriendly design, to discredit, either seriousness or those doctrines of revelation, which represent men utterly sinful by nature, and dependent on the sovereign action of GOD for their deliverance. There is no difficulty in giving this general answer to the question, that men are becoming worse, until they repent; whether they be in an anxious or a secure state. They are adding to an immense amount of past sin and guilt. The habit or strength of unholy affections is increasing. They are going further from GOD and duty, and becoming exposed. to a more heavy doom. Continued unbelief, or living without faith in CHRIST and repentance towards GOD, always implies a state growing worse and worse. If there be any who know they are destitute of real religion, and yet think they are not daily becoming more sinful and guilty, they contradict the truth of the apostle. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But if the question be, whether inquiring sinners, who still remain in unbelief, wax worse either less or more, than they would, in a state of security; it is not wise. It is impossible for men to form a scale of increasing sin and apply it with any certainty to the conditions of the human heart. It is enough for us to know that without holiness, no man pleaseth GOD.—It is doubtless true, that the inquiring sinner acts against an increase of light, which is a circumstance enhancing

guilt. It may also be true, that many affections of his heart, which are completely sinful, by the terrors of the law, are laid under some restraint, and are not pointed with such energy of opposition against GOD, as they would be if the law were out of sight. It was before said the question is useless, and it was introduced in this place only to guard against a misrepresentation of some other sentiments, which are freely expressed in this discourse.

QUESTION 4. Is the secure sinner, who thinks nothing of his unhappy case, and lives in neglect of the visible services of religion, a probable a subject of sanctifying and forgiving grace, as others are, who attend to them?

A. 1st. WITH respect to the secure, there is no present reason to hope for them in particular, that they will ever come to repentance. We know there is a GOD of infinite power and goodness. He is able, and it is possible he may turn them; but as we know from his express information many will be left, nothing appears why they will not be of the wretched number. Infinite wisdom gives us no evidence to conclude they will be reclaimed, and every thing looks contrary to it They have not a solemn sense of GOD, his law, their guilt and danger. They neither wish to turn, nor see the danger of not turning. They are not in the way of obtaining certain points of doctrinal knowledge, which sovereign wisdom usually gives to sinners, and gives through the medium of their endeavours, before he sanctifies and forgives. They do not feel slain by the law, and it is probable they never will, until they have attempted to live by it; and they will not attempt to live by is until they are, by

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its terrors, awakened from security and driven to seek life in their own strength.

2dly. WITH respect to inquiring sinners, who are anxious and say what shall we do to be saved—who are performing many of the visible services of religion, and take great pains to escape the wrath to come, there is much more room to hope GOD will be merciful to them. It is the usual method of divine sovereignty, to teach men they have a disease, before he heals; to wound, before he applies the balm; to slay by the law, before he makes alive by the gospel. Knowing this to be the method of infinite wisdom, when we see their consciences alive, their fear very sensible, their apprehensions of GOD and of their own danger so real as makes them endeavour to escape punishment; though it be not evangelical obedience, we hope that free grace yet designs their good. . Though they are under the bonds of sin, and have hearts as much as ever opposed to gospel holiness; though they are attempting salvation in a way which will never give it, and are thus adding sin to sin; though they are dishonoring the infinite grace of the gospel, and by every trembling service, which they offer from their present motives, are denying evangelical humility, and the loveliness of CHRIST; though they appear to have no experimental ideas of evangelical obedience, we still hope that sovereign mercy designs them eternal good.

AND why do we hope this? Not because they are becoming worthy or better, or are in a gospel sense becoming obedient; for there is no gospel obedience short of faith and repentance. Not because their reigning temper would not make them eternally miserable is lest under its power. Not because there is any promise of GOD to persons in this situation; for many are brought thus far, and then grieving the holy spirit by their long

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resistance, he leaves them to security, and they become, apparently, more hardened in sin, than ever before.

WE hope, because GOD hath not wholly denied his convincing influence. He is acting on their minds, in a way naturally calculated, to give that experimental knowledge of sin, guilt and spiritual impotency, which is usually wrought in sinners before their change through grace. He is preparing them, through the medium of their own sinful endeavours, and their stubborn resistance to gospel submission; to receive salvation, when imparted, as a sovereign gift. They are also by this, in many respects which might be mentioned, prepared to receive and use the grace of GOD without abusing it. When salvation is begun, they will know it is the Lord who hath done it. They will be sensible, that all they have done, and the services by which they thought themselves to be making their calling and election sure, were wholly sinful, and the motives from which they acted were all unholy. They will ascribe to sovereign grace the glory of rescuing them, at a moment, in which they were most unworthy to be spared.

FROM what has been said on this subject, it appears that great prudence and faithfulness are necessary, in those who teach inquiring sinners. It is one of the most solemn situations in which a religious instructor can be placed.

THE sinful person takes no pleasure in the visible services of religion for their own sake. He is impelled by danger to think. He wishes he could easily forget his own case. The services to which he resorts have nothing in them pleasing, and are only chosen in preference to a true obedience of the heart. If, in this moment, the instructor says, any thing which can be caught hold of, as an excuse for returning to former

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security and negligence, it will be received, and the last state is worse than the first. Or if the instructtor leads him to suppose he is fast growing better; that a holy GOD is in some degree satisfied with his external reformation, his meditation, prayers, and zeal in a good cause; that if he will go on in this way, there is no doubt of his safety; this instruction will quiet conscience, and build up a self righteousness, which is directly opposed to gospel holiness.

INTEGRITY is wisdom. The sinner, in this case hath a right to the truth; for his soul, his eternity is at risk. He should be led to a sight of his heart; should be told that all these services are not the true gospel duty required from him; that he must despair of help and safety by all he does, and bow before a sovereign GOD, who may deliver or reject as he pleaseth. The nature of unbelief, with all that variety of forms, which it assumes for self-justification and case of conscience, should be explained with most diligent care. He should be told that all he does is evil only continually. That while he is endeavouring to make himself better, on his present motives, he is becoming more worthy of the end which he fears. At the same time he should be cautioned against relapsing into security, and exhorted to use all means, for keeping alive a sense of his miserable state. He should be told, GOD is not obliged in justice ever to forgive; still, that there is more hope, in his present case, than if he were in deep security. It shows GOD hath not yet said, my spirit shall strive no more. For persons on whom this sentence is passed there is no hope. After all, let every one remember, there is no obedience, without repentance toward GOD, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

AMEN.