ſcention, and Affettion from the ; va Iſſue of i be 6, nds reaſſume his Exhortation with a friendly Compellation. x Pe mending their former tincere Endeavours to obey the Galhel 16. Ch. 1. 5. and ver. 15. of this) in following Chrift, Mar. Ky bop and moving them to perſevere in obedience and love to God. Ba Man. » That it might be evident whether the Eye of their P: fror were upon them or no, a prevailing love to Chriſt, anq theie own Souls welfare was prevalent with them, but eſpecially being he was now detain'd from them, and might be jealous of ſome 2.2 tects in them, Fames 3.2. 1 Foby 1. $. did engage them more oe any thing to embrace his Exhortation, which he enlargeth i: a words. # He moves them as Saints, ch. 1. 1. in whom God _ perfett his work begun, verſe 6. having given to them to believe and ſuffer, ver. 29. that they would ſeriouſly and earneſtly buſie themſelves in thoſe things, which on their parts are nec&{ry to Salvation, as Foby 6. 27. Heb. 6. 9. and without which it cannc: be had, as Ch. 1. 10, Mat. 24. 13. C01. 3. 10, 12.65. 1 Tim. 1, 13Þ5. and 6. 19. 2 Tim. 2.5. and 4. 7, $. 2 Per. 3. 17. yea Preſs on in the way to their own Salvation, (as he mov'd, 1 Tim. 4. 16.) Nor that they ſhould not be ſolicitous about others, (for that mutua! Care is imply'd as elſewhere requir'd, Zeb. 3. 13. and 10. 24.) but tha: every one ſhould ftrenuouſly go on towards the mark with x ſpecia ! regard to himſelf, and the Temptations he may meet With, know- ing he muſt bear his own burthen, Ga1.6. 1,3. and therefore ſhoulg take heed left he fall. The Papiſts arguings hence that our at- ons are efficient and meritorious Cauſes of Salvation, are altogether inconſequent. For the Apoftle doth not fay our Aions work our Salvation, but work ye out your own Salvation, which is much different. *Twere abſurd to ſay becauſe the Fews were enjoin'd to eat the Paſſover with Loins girt, that Loins girt were eating of the Paſſover. Indeed what the Papiſts urge, is contrary to this Do- rin of Paul, who doth elſewhere place bleſſedneſs in remiſhion of Sins, and ſhews eternal Life is the gift of God, Rom. 4. 6, 7. and 6. 23. and we are ſav'd by grace not of works, Rom. 3. 20, 24, 25, and 4. 16, Eph. 2. 8. Tit. 3.5. and contrary to the main ſcope of the Apoſtle, which is to beat down pride, and conceit of delerving, and perſuade to humility ; He drives at this, that we ſhould not he idle or lazy in the buſineſs of Salvation, but work together with God, (yet as Inftruments in whom there is no Strength which is not derived from him) that we may evidence we do nor receive his Grace in vain, 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. But this Co-opera- tion doth not reſpett the acquiring or meriting of Salvation, which is proper to Chriſt alone, and incommunicable to any others, Acts 4. 12. Who cannot be ſaid to be their own Saviours: This Co-operation or working out, reſpetts only the application, not the performing of the Payment, which Chrift hath abundantly pertected : But the embracing of the perfe& Payment, is not that which can be the cauſe and foundation of right for which It is deſervedly confer'd : but only the way and means by which we come to partake of Salvation. 4 i.e. With an holy care to do all acceptably ; he doth by theſe two words mean not any ſervile tear and laviſh deſpondence ariſing from doubting, Chap. 4. 4. but only a ſerious filial fear, implying a deep humility and ſubmiſſive- neſs of mind, with a reverential awe of the Divine Majefty, and a ſolicitude to avoid that Evil which is offenfive to him and ſeparates from him. We find theſe words uſed to the like import, Pſuln 2. 11. Dan. 5.19. and 6. 26, Rom. 11. 20. With 1 Cor. 2. 3. and 2 Cor. 7.5. Eph. 6.5. connoting that after the Example of Chrift, we ſhould be humble, and tho' wediftruſt in our ſelves, yet we are to truſt fole- ly to God (as an infant may be afraid and cling yet faft to, and de- pend upon, begging help of the Parent going over a dangerous Precipice) for the accompliſhment of our Salvation.
13 Forb it is God c which worketh in you 4, both
to will e, and to dof, of his good pleaſure g.
b That they might not be negligent in working out their Salvz- tion with humility, from any conceit or carnal confidence any might have that they could believe and repent when they pleaſed, imagining their Wills to be as pliable to Good as Evil : The Apoſtle urgeth the effe&ual grace of God, as a powerful inducement 2nd encouragement to embrace his Exhortation. c They ſhould not deſpond of attaining Salvation, or think they did laborr in vain, in thediligent uſe of means, and ſhould altogether fall ander the dominion of tin, confidering tho they were free Agents, yet the efficiency and ſufficiency was of God, Rom. 6. 13, 14. 1 Cor. 4» 7+ 2 Cor. 3. 5. 4 Who worketh within them powerfully and effettu- ally, carrying on the work through all Ditticulties and Obſtacles, with victorious Efhcacy till it be wrought, ch.-1. 6. Iſa. 41. 4+ Heb. 13. 21. God working not only by ſuaſion to gain afſent, but by a ſpecial energy, affecting what he would have us to do. e An not only in a general way, Ads 17.28. but in a ſpecial way making us willing, 2/21. 110.3. remotely in regard of the principle, nextly in regard of the a& ; circumciling the heart, Dent. 30. 6. taking away the heart of Stone, and giving an heart of Fleſh, Ezek. 11. 19» & 36. 26, 27. Caufing light to ſhine out of darkneſs, 2 Cor. 4+ 6+ and ſo renewing the Will to chule that which is ſavingly good, tne natural bent of which before the influence of this inſuperable grace ſtands another way, Fokn 8. 44. viz. to will, and do contrary - Yet he doth not neceſfitate by any compultion, but powerfully, Yer ſweetly and ſuitably to Man's free faculty, encline the Will to eat which is good, Fohn 6. 37, 44+ 1. e. to a certain effect. For Ic
p
36. 17.2, $, and $.6, the Son of God, 2 Cor. 4. 5. Heb. 1. 2,4. having only power to comniand the Soul, and Conſcience, Fames| 4. 12. and to fave, Zeb. 7. 25. being Lord both of the Dead and of | the Living,- &2m. 14. 9. wv Some render zz, the glory of the Fa- ther. Either in that, the honour of Chriſt redoundeth to the ho- nour 0i the Father, 7rov. 10. 1, With Fokn 5. 22% Eph. 1. 6. or the Father doth moſt glorifie the Son in his Exaltation, who had moſt glorifed him in his 22miliarion, Fulm 12. 28, with 17. 5, 6.
12 Wheretore, my bcioved, Þ as ye have always O-
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