THE ONE THING NECESSARY. Preached in a SERMON At Pauls, before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen of the City of LONDON, Aug. 31. 1656.

By Thomas Watson, Minister of Stephens Walbrook, LONDON.

The second Edition.

[...].

Ignatius.
Heb. 2. 3.

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.

LONDON, Printed by E. M. for Ralph Smith, at the Bible in Cornhil, neer the Royal Exchange; And Thomas Parkhurst, at the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side against the Conduit. 1658.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE IOHN DETHICK, Lord Mayor of the City of LONDON.

Right Honourable,

IT was not in my thoughts to have publish­ed this Ser­mon (I looked upon it as too home-spun) but in regard it was your Lordships re­quest to me at the first, and [Page] I have since received an in­vitation from your Honoura­ble Court to that purpose, I knew not how to deny, lest while I did shun your loving commands, I should fall un­der your just censure. My Lord, it was my designe in this Sermon to call you off from the empty high-flown notions, and litigious, disputes of these times, to look after that which is more solid, and wherein, I am sure every man is very neerly concerned, Viz. the working out his salva­tion, [Page] Opus non pulvina­ris, sed pulveris; a work it is that may call forth the most spiritful vigorous actings of the soul in the prosecution of it; pingimus aeternitati.— That work had need be well done which is for eternity.

My Lord, this is the true wisdom, to be wise to salva­tion 1 Tim. 5. 13.; By this godly policy we shall go beyond all the Politicians of the times; we shall escape hell, we shall be raised to the true [...] of ho­nour; God will be our Father, [Page] Christ our Brother, the Spirit our Comforter, the Angels our Companions; when we die we shall carry a good consci­ence with us, and leave a good Name behinde us. I shall not further expati­ate; I desire this Sermon may come under your Ho­nours Patrociny; some little addition you will finde in the end of it, which I had before prepared for you, but wanted time to serve it in; The Lord enoble you with his Spirit, and crown [Page] you with soul-prosperity, which shall be the prayer of him, who is

Your Honours in all Gospel-service, Tho. Watson.
Phil. 2. 12.‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.’

IF there be any thing excellent, it is salva­tion; if there be any thing necessary, it is working out salvati­on; if there be any tool to work with, 'tis holy fear; work out your salvation with fear.

The words are a grave and serious exhortation, needful, not onely for those Christians which lived in the Apostles time, but may fitly be cal­culated for the meridian of this age wherein we live.

In the Text observe, First the man­ner [Page 2] of insinuation. [...].

My beloved] The Apostle did labour by all means to ingratiate and windI The man­ner of insi­nuation. himself into the hearts of the Philippi­ans. He prescribes a Gospel-pil, & dips it in sugar, that it may go down the better. He labors to possess the Philip­pians of this maxim, that whatever he did speak to them about their souls, was purely in love. Sometimes he steeps his words in tears, and speaks weeping; Phil. 3 18 Sometimes he dips them in honey. Paul knew how to reprove; it was part of his office, and a piece of his spiritual Chyrurgery; Rebuke them sharply, Tit. 1. 13. or as the Greek word is, cut­tingly; [...].but when he had done laun­cing, he knew how to pour Wine and Oile into the wound. He holds forth the breast as a nurse, and is willing not only to impart his sermon to the people, but his soul.*

And herein the Apostle Paul se [...] a Copy to all the Ministers of Christ. Their hearts must be fired not with [Page 3] heat of passion, but love towards their people. They are Christs am­bassadors, and must come with an olive-branch of peace in their mouths. If I speak with the tongue of Angels, and have not love, I am as sounding brasse, and a tinckling Cymbal, 1 Cor. 13. 1. 'Tis better to love as a Pastor, then speak as an Angel. Love is that flos deliciarum, that flower of delight which should grow in the heart, and send forth its perfume in the lips of every Minister. 'Twas said of Origen, Magdebur. ceut. 3. Cujus ex ore non tam verba quam mella profluere videbantur. Those which come in a spirit of meeknesse to their people, are like to do most good; the more they are [...], the more they are [...]; knotty hearts will be soonest wrought upon by love; the fire will go where the wedge cannot: The Thunderbolt may break, but the Sun melts:Non ful­men sed flu­men. when love sends forth its sweet influence, it melts a sinner into tears: the joints [Page 4] being hard and stiff, the rubbing them with oyl doth supple them; the best way to supple an hard heart, and make it tender, is to ply it with this oyl of love. And thus much for the man­ner of insinuation. [...] My be­loved.

I proceed now to the exhortation it self;2 The Ex­hortation. work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Which words do branch themselves into these three particulars.

First, The Act, [...] work out. Secondly, the Object, [...] your own salvation. Thirdly, the mo­dus, or the manner how we should work it out, Cum timore & tremore, with fear and trembling. I shall speak principally of the two first, and draw in the other briefly in the applica­tory.

The Proposition is this,Doct. That it should be a Christians great work to be working out his salvation. The great God hath put us into the world as in­to [Page 5] a vine-yard, and here is the work he hath set us about, The working out salvation; there is a parallel Scripture to this, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. When estate, friends, life cannot be made sure, let this be made sure. The Greek word [...] Verbum satagite sig­nificat an­gi & di­storqueri sollicitudi­ne alicujus aei perfici­endae. Lo­rinus. signifies to study, or beat the braines about a thing.Beza. Ar. Monta­nus. 1 Oti­um excu [...]ere 2 Vires ex­erc [...]re. This word in the Text [...] work out, implies two things. First, a shaking off spiritual sloth. Sloth is pulvinar diaboli, a pillow on which many have slept the sleep of death. Secondly,Jans nius it implies an uniting and rallying together all the powers of our soules that we may intend the business of salvation Ad sum­mas usque vires tan­quam pro vita & morte lu­ctan [...]um Cor [...] [...]. God hath enacted a Law in Paradise, that no man shall eat of the Tree of life, but in the sweat of his browes.

That which is in the Text, called working, hath various appellations in Scripure. First, Sometimes it is cal­led Striving, Luk. 13. 29. Strive to [Page 6] enter in at the strait gate, [...]: strive as in an agony, or bloody sweat. Secondly, sometimes it is called Seeking, Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdome of God, [...]. As a man that hath lost a treasure, seeks diligently for it. We have lost salvation. Adam by eating the tree of knowledge, lost the tree of life. Now seek, take Da­vids candle and lanthorn, and search for salvation. The word seek, (as a learned writer notes) signifies to pur­sue a thing with inflamed desires,Rem acer­rimè expc­tere. Beza. as a condemned man desires a pardon. Thirdly, Sometimes it is called run­ning in a race, 1 Cor. 9. 24. So run that ye may obtaine, [...]. The Apostle seemes to allude to the games of Olympus, which were cele­brated every fifth year in the honor of Jupiter; in those games they did put forth all their strength. Whence that phrase, pulvere Olympico desudare. 'Tis along race from earth to Heaven; lay aside all weights of sinne which will [Page 7] hinder you in the race, and reach for­ward with a winged swiftnesse to lay hold upon the mark. Fourthly, Sometimes it is called offering vio­lence to Heaven, Matthew 11. 12. The Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence. There must not only be diligence, but violence; we must not only pray, but pray fervently, Jam. 5. 16. not only repent, but be Zealous and repent, Rev. 3. 19. not onely love, but be sick of love, Cant. 2. 5. This is offering vio­lence; the Greek word [...] is a Metaphor taken from a Castle that holds out in a siege, and will not be taken but by storme: So the King­dom of Heaven holds out against a su­pine lazy Christian, and will not be taken but by storme.

I proceed now to the reasons enfor­cing this holy sweat and industry a­bout salvation; and they are three; we must work out salvation, because of,

  • [Page 8]1. The Difficulty
  • 2. The Rareness
  • 3. The Possibility

of this work.

1 The difficulty of this work, it is a work that may make us labour to the going down of the sun of our life.Dan. 6. 14. Now this difficulty about the work of sal­vation will appear four manner of wayes.

1 First, from the nature of the work.Ex natura operis. There is a metamorphosis to be 1 wrought. 1. The heart is to be changed. The heart is the very nursery of sin.Fomes peccati. Bern. 'Tis the magazine where all the weap­ons of unrighteousnesse lie. 'Tis a les­ser Hell. The heart is full of antipa­thy against God,Rom. 1. 30. It is angry with converting grace; now that the byasse of the heart should be changed, what a work is this!Quanto agone opus est, quantis vigiliis & lachrymis. How should we beg of Christ, that he who turned the wa­tet into wine, would turn the water, or rather poison of nature into the wine of grace?

2 Secondly, The current of the life is [Page 9] to be altered. That the Tyde of sin, which before did runne so strong, should be turned, this is not easie. That the sinner which before was failing hel ward, and wanted neither winde nor tyed to carry him, should now alter his course, and sail to a new port, Hic labor, hoc opus, this is a work indeed. The water may easily be dam'd up, but no art or industry can make it run backward in its own channel. It was by a miracle that the River Jordan was driven back. To see the earthly man become heavenly; to see a sinner move contrary to him­self in the wayes of Christ and holi­nesse, is as strange as to see the earth fly upward, or the bowl run contra­ry to it's own byasse.

2 Secondly,Ex fallacia operis. salvation-work is diffi­cult in regard of the deceits about the work. The heart is ready to take ma­ny false stiches in this work of salva­tion. It hath the heart of self-deceit; like those that can cog a Die; There­fore [Page 10] Austin cryes out,Grande profundum est homo. Aug. The heart is a great deep. The heart is apt to deceive about this work of salvation 2 ways.

1 First, It will often make a man take morality for grace. Alas, morality is but nature refined, old Adam put in a better dress. A moraliz'd man is but a tame devil. There may be a fair stream of civility running, and yet much vermin of pride and Atheisme lie at the bottom; The garnishment of moral excellencies is but the set­ting a garland of flowers upon a dead man. How easie is it to be deceived in the businesse of salvation, and with Ixion to embrace a cloud instead of Juno? Civility is not grace, though it be a good wall to plant the vine of grace against.

2 Secondly, The heart will be ready to deceive us in this work of salvati­on, and make us take a shew of grace for grace. Pliny saith, there is a Beryl­stone resembles the true Diamond. So there is something that looks like [Page 11] grace, which is not; There are two gra­ces which help much to the working out salvation, and we are soon decei­ved in them. First, Repentance. True Repentance is when we weep for sin quatenus sinne; when we weep for it as it is a defiling thing, it blots the Image of God, staines the virginity of the soul; as it is an act of unkind­ness, it is a kicking against the breasts that give us milk: but how easie is it to prevaricate in this? 1. Many think they repent, when it is not the offence, but the penalty troubles them; not the Treason, but the bloody axe. 2. They think they repent when they shed a few tears; but though this ice begins to melt a little, it freezeth again; they go on still in sinne; many weep for their unkind dealings with God, as Saul did for his unkindness to David; He said to David, thou art more righte­ous then I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil: 1 Sam. 24. 17. And he lift up his voice [Page 12] and wept, ver. 16. But for all this he followes David again, and pur­sues after him, 1 Sam. 26. Se­condly, So men can lift up their voice and weep for sinne, yet fol­low their sinnes again.Ille vere plangit commissa, qui non committit plangenda. Aug. Third­ly, others forsake sinne; but still they retain the love of it in their hearts. Like the Snake that casts the coat, but keeps the sting; There is as much difference be­tween false and true tears, as be­tween channel water and spring water.

2 Secondly, Another grace condu­cible to salvation, is faith; but how easily are men cozened with a coun­terfeit pearl? There is this deceit a­bout faith, when men apply the pro­mises of the Word, but not the pre­cepts. Fides non [...]ligit obje­ctum. the promise is salvation, the precept is working out; They will take the one, but not the other: as if a Physician should prescribe two receipts to his Patient, a Pill and a [Page 13] Julip, he will take the Julip be­cause it is pleasant, but not the Pill: Many will take Christ as a Saviour, but refuse him as a Prince; receive his benefits, but not submit to his Lawes; This is to put asun­der what God hath joined together. There being therefore such mi­stakes and deceits about this work of salvation, we had need be the more cautious, and curious in this work.

3 Thirdly,Ex impe­ditione operis. the difficulty about sal­vation-work ariseth from the re­moraes and hindrances of this work. These hindrances are ei­ther,

1. From within, viz. 2. Ab intra the flesh: This is a slie enemy. The flesh cries out for ease▪ it lusts against the Spirit, [...]. Gal. 5. 17. We are bid to crucifie the flesh, [...]. Chiys. Gal. 5. 24. but how many wounds must we give with the sword of the Spirit, before the flesh will be perfectly crucified?

[Page 14] 2. We meet with hindrances in this work from without. 2. Ab extra

1. Tentations; our whole life, saith Austin, is a tentation. We tread a­mong snares; there is a snare in company, recreation; yea, our table is of a snare Ps. 69. 22.; Satan is still fishing for our souls: How often doth he lay a train of tentation to blow up the fort of our grace? The Apostle tells us o [...] his fiery darts [...], Ephes. 6. 16. Tentati­ons are called darts for their swift­nesse, they are shot in suddenly; and fiery for their terriblenesse, they are shot like flashes of fire into the soul which do amaze and afright; and doth not this retard the work o [...] Salvation, and make it diffi­cult?

2. Reproaches; this sect is every where spoken against, Act. 28. 22. The old Serpent is ever spitting his ve­nome at Religion, and the professors of it. I may allude to that, 1 Cor 10. 1. All our fathers were under [Page 15] cloud: All the Saints of old have passed to Heaven under a cloud of contumely and reproach; the world puts them in their black book, whom God will put in his Rubrick: The throat of the wicked is an open Sopulchre Rom. 3. 13., to bury the good names of professors in. Those who have been the antesignani, the ensign­bearers of Religion, and have carried her colours,

1. Sometimes have been tradu­ced and slandered. Paul was report­ed to be a seditious man, 2 Tim. 2. 9. The Popish Rhemists traduced Cal­vin, and fathered upon him this o­pinion, that God was the Authour of sinne, and that he died cursing; though Beza, who was an eye-witness, and wrote his life and death, confu­ted that slander, and relates what a comfortable end he made: Martin Bucer, that blessed man, who cried out, in an holy triumph, I am Christs, and the devil hath nothing to do with [Page 16] me; yet the Papists slanderously report of him, that he should deny Christ to be the Messiah come in the flesh; but he who was the Orator at his Funeral, was his compurga­tor. The like slander did the Jesu­ites in Burgundia raise of Beza, that holy man; they say, that he percei­ving death to be at hand, renoun­ced his former profession of the Gospel, and was perfectly recon­ciled to the Church of Rome. This was so false, that Beza, who lived after the slander went abroad, did himself with great indignation re­fute it.

2. Sometimes the Saints have had the trial of cruel mockings, Heb. 11. 36. Cyprian was called in a jeer Copri­an; Athanasius, Satanasius; David was the song of the drunkards, Psal. 69. 12. I doubt not but Noah had many a bitter taunt when he was building the Ark so many years be­fore the flood, they would laugh at [Page 17] him, and censure him for an old do­ting fool, that would be wiser than all the world besides. Thus when we see the flood of Gods wrath coming upon the world, and we be­gin to build the Ark, and work out salvation, men will be venting their scorne and derision: What? you will be holier than others, more precise than needs? all this serves to retard salvation work, and make it difficult.

3. A third remora or hindrance in this work is open violence; Gal. 4. 29. as he that was borne after the flesh per­secuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now; no soon­er doth a man give up his name to Christ, and seriously set upon the working out his salvation, but the world raiseth her train-bands, and sets all the Militia of hell against him. Gods Church is like Abra­hams ram tied in a bush of thornes; witnesse the ten persecutions in the [Page 18] time of Nero, Domitian, Trajan, &c. a man strictly holy is the white that is shot at; if the worlds musick will not prevaile, it hath its furnace rea­dy; 2 Tim. 3. 12. be assured, Christ and his crosse are never parted. It is with us in our building for hea­ven, as it was with the Jews in their building the wall. Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon, Nehem. 4. 17. So we must not only be builders, but warriers; with one hand we must work, and with the o­ther hand hold a weapon, viz. the sword of the Spirit, and fight the good fight of faith; this is another hin­drance in the work; no sooner do we begin to set out for heaven, but bonds and afflictions abide us, Acts 20. 23. The world sounds an alarum, and no cessation of armes till death.

4. That which makes salvation-work hard,4. Ex lu­bricitate operis. is, 'tis a slippery work. [Page 19] Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, [...] Joh. 2. 8. This work falls down almost as fast as we build. An or­dinary artificer, when he hath been at work, he finds his work the next morning just as he left it; but it is not so with us; when we have been working out salvation by prayer, fa­sting, meditation, and leave this work a while, we shall not find our work as we left it, a great deal of our work is fallen down againe. We had need be often called upon to strengthen the things, [...], which are ready to dye, Rev. 3. 2. no sooner is a Christian taken off frō the fire of the Sanctuary, but he is ready to cool and freeze again in security. He is like awatch, when he hath been wound up towards heaven, he doth quickly unwinde to earth and sinne again.Saepemens ad coelum erigitur, oculosquein radios solis defigit ju­stitiae, gra­vata autem infirmitate carnis de coelo ad teram de­scendit. Bern. de modo vi­vendi. Serm. 53When the gold hath been purified in the furnace, it remaines pure; but it is not so with the heart; [Page 20] let it be heated in an Ordinance, let it be purged in the furnace of affli­ction, it doth not remaine pure, but quickly gathers soile and corruption; we are seldom long in a good frame: All this shews how difficult the work of salvation is; we must not only work, but set a watch too Mat. 27. ut..

Quest. 1. Quest. 1. But why hath God made the way to heaven so hard, why must there be this work­ing?

Answ. 1. Resp. 1. To make us set an high estimate upon heavenly things. If salvation were easily come by, we should not have valued it to its worth. If diamonds were ordinary, they would be slighted; but because they are hard to come by, they are in great esteem. Tertullian saith, that when pearles grew common at Rome, they wore them upon their shoes, which was the next way to tread them un­der feet. Salvation is such a pearl as [Page 21] God will not have slighted; there­fore it must be acquired by holy industry. God loves not that the price of spiritual mercies should fall; they that will have this precious flo­wer of salvation, must gather it in the sweat of their brows.

2 2. We must work and take pains that we may be fitted for heaven; a father will give his son the inheri­tance, but first he will give him edu­cation, that he may be fit for it. God will settle salvation upon us, but first, he makes us meet for the inheri­tance, [...]Col. 1. 12. While we are working we are running and fitting for heaven; sinne is weakening, grace is ripening; while we are in combate, we are fitting for the Crown. First, you season the vessel before you pour in the wine; God wil season us with grace, before he poures [...]n the wine of glory.

Quest. 2. Quest. 2. But if there must be this working, how is it said that Christs yoak is easie*?

[Page 22] Answ. To the fleshly part it is hard,Answ. but where there is a new and holy principle infused, Christs yoak is easieJugum leve & sua­ve. Trem.; 'tis not a yoak, but a Crown, When the wheeles of the soul are oiled with grace, now a Christian moves in the way of Religion with facility and alacrity. A childe de­lights in obeying his father; it was Pauls heaven to serve God. I de­light in the Law of God in the inner man; Rom. 7. 22. and how swiftly is the soul carried upon those wings! Christs service is freedome; there­fore the Apostle calls it, [...], a Law of liberty, Jam. 1. 25. To serve God, to love God, to enjoy God, is the sweetest liberty in the world; Christ doth not, as Pharaoh make his people serve with rigor, Exod 1. 13. but he layes upon them the constraints of love, 2 Cor. 5. 14. His precepts are not burdens, but privi­ledges; not fetters, but ornaments. Thus his yoak is easie, but to an unregenerate [Page 23] man the yoak hath a nail in it, it galls and vexethPsal 2. 3.; nay, so far as corruption prevails, the best heart findes some reluctancy. And so much for the first reason, the diffi­culty of the work.

The second Reason why we must put forth so much holy sweat and industry about salvation,Reas. 2. is, because of the rareness of this work; but few shall be saved; therefore we had need work the harder, that we may be in the number of these few. The way to hell is a road way; the cawsey of it is paved with riches and plea­sure; it hath a golden cawsey, there­fore there are daily so many travel­lers in it; but the way to heaven lies out of the road, 'tis an unbeaten path, and few can finde itNon cui­vis contin­git adire Corinthum. the criers up of universal grace, say, that Christ died intentionally for all; but then, why are not all saved? can Christ be frustrate of his intention? Some are so grosse to aver that all shall actu­ally [Page 24] be saved: But hath not our Lord Christ told us, That the gate is straite, and few there be that finde it? Mat. 7. 14. how all can go in at this gate, and yet but few find it, seems to me a Paradox. The drove of men goes to the shambles; but a remnant shall be saved, Rom. 9. 27. The whole diece is cut off and goes to the devil, a remnant only saved; most of the world are wind-falls. That olive-tree, Is. 17. 6. with two or three olive-berries on the top of the uppermost bough may be a fit emblem of the paucity of those that shal be saved. Satan goes a­way with the harvest, God hath on­ly a few gleanings. In this great Ci­ty, if it should go by vote and by pole, the devil would carry it. Some of the learned observeBrerew. enquir., that divide the world into thirty equal parts, nineteen of those thirty are over­spread with Heathenish idolatry, six of the eleven remaining with the doctrine of Mahomet, so that there [Page 25] remaines but five parts of the thir­ty where is any thing of Christiani­ty; among those Christians so many seduced Papists on one hand, and formal Protestants on the other, that surely but few are saved. It being thus, it should make us strive the more, tanquam pulvere olympico, that we may be of the number of those few who shall inherit salvation.

3 The third Reason why we should put forth so much vigor about the work of salvation, is, because of the possibility of the work. Impossibility kills all endeavour; Who will take pains for that which he thinks there is no hope ever of obtaining? but there is hope in Israel concerning this Ezr. 10. 2 Salvation is a thing feasible, it may be had; O Christians, though the gate of Paradise be strait, yet the gate is open. 'Tis shut against the Devils, 'tis yet open to you; who would not croud hard to get inNon tan­tum agite sed satagite Lorinus.? 'Tis but paring off your sinnes, 'tis [Page 26] but unloading some of your thick clay Hab. 2. 6.; 'tis but asswaging the swel­ling humour of your pride, and you may get in at the strait gate. This possibility, nay probability of salva­tion may put life into your endea­vour. If there be corn to be hadGen. 42. 2., why should you sit starving in your sins any longer?

Use 1. Information,Use 1. Inform. it shews us that salvation is not so facile a thing as most do imagine; many do phan­cy a fine easie way to heaven; a sigh, or tear, or Lord have mercy, will save them; these are in a golden dream. The text tells us of work­ing out salvation.Non est ad astra mollis è terris via Basil compares the way to heaven to a man going over a narrow bridge, if he treads never so little aside, he falls in and drowns. He that thinks the way is easie, was never yet in the way. There are so many precepts to obey, so many promises to beleeve, so many tentations to resist, that we shall not [Page 27] finde the way easie: There must not only be diligence, but violence. Beloved, heaven-gate is not like that iron-gate, Acts 12. 10. which open­ed to Peter of its own, accord; no, there must be knocking and striving. Jacob obtained the blessing in the garments of Esau. Esau in the He­brew signifies working [...]; if you would weare this embroidered gar­ment of salvation, you must have it by working, Work out your salvation. Hannibal forced a way for his Army over the Alpes; Livy. we must force our way to glory through difficulties. I like the impress one gave, viz. a hand with a pick-axe digging a way through a rock, with this Motto, inveniam aut faciam, either I will find a way, or make it; we must to hea­ven through sweat & blood. There's nothing got without hard labour;Omnia pro laboribus Jupiter vendidit. You cannot have the world with­out labour, and would you have Christ and salvation? Do men dig [Page 28] for lead, and not much more for gold? 'Tis observable that Adam in Paradise was not idle, but did dresse the vine-yard. The Angels themselves, though they are glorious Spirits, yet they are Ministring Spi­rits. Heb. 1. 14 God hath put this diligence into creatures void of reason. The Bee is a most industrious creature; all of them have their several work to do in the Hive. Some of the Bees do trim the honey, some work the wax, some frame the comb, and others lye sentinel at the doore of the Hive to keep out the drone. Is the Bee so industrious by the instinct of nature in the working of honey? Oh how industrious ought we to be in the working out salva­tion.

Use 2.Use 2. Reproof. Reproof, out of this text as out of a spiritual quiver, I may draw several arrows of reproof.

1.1. Branch. It reproves them that prefer other things before salvation; who [Page 29] labour more for the bread that perish­eth; than for salvation. Their chief care is how to live in the world, and get a present subsistence; All the labour of a man is for his mouth, Eccles. 6. 7. The body shall be ten­ded and looked after, which is but the brutish part, but the poore soul is kept to hard commons; This is for Chri­stians to turne Heathens, Matth. 6. for after all these things the Gentiles seek. [...]. We must altiora sapere. God never sent us hither only to weare fine clothes, [...]. Chryso­stome. or fare sumptu­ously every day, but that we should drive a trade for salvation; If this be not done, we have shot be­side the mark all this while; We have but trim'd the Scabbard, but let the soul, that blade of admirable met­tle, rust and canker.

2. Branch,2. Branch it reproves such as in stead of working stand all the day idle in the vineyard. Ma [...]. 20, 6They have some faint velleities, they wish for salvati­on, [Page 30] but do not work. The idle Christi­an is like a Souldier that hath a good mind to the spoile and treasure of a Castle, but is loth to put himself to any trouble, or hazard; men could be content to have salvation if it would (like those ripe figs) Nahum. 3. 12. fall into the mouth of the eater. The sluggard puts his hand in his bosome, Prov. 19. 24. and is loth to pluck it out though it be to lay hold of a Crown. They stretch themselves (saith the Prophet) upon the beds of Ivory, Amos 6. 4. men had rather lye upon a soft bed, than go to heaven in a fiery Chariot of zeal.Nullo modo capit porta illa caelestis divitiis o [...]ustus, luxu d [...] ­stentos, tor­pore [...]an­guidos, fa­stu elatos, sed per la bores & je­junia saecu­li fallentis illecebras vincentes. Brugensis. Chrysostom cals idle­nesse the root of despaire; an idle Christian ravels out his time unprofi­tably. He stands in the world for a ci­pher, & be assured God writes down no ciphers in the book of life. An idle person is a fit subject for the Devil to work upon. We do not use to sow seed in fallow ground, but the Devil sows most of his seed of tentation in [Page 31] hearts that ly fallow. Hierom observes of the crabfish; that when the oister o­pens her self, the Crabfish flings into her mouth a little stone that the oi­ster cannot shut her self again, and so the Crab devoures her: The Devil like this Crab when he takes men gaping (as tis usual for them that are idle) then he throwes in his stones of tentation, and so devoures them.

3, Branch,3. Branch▪ it reproves such as in­stead of making Religion a work, they make it a play; these are they that have found out a new way to Heaven, who make the way easier than ever Christ made it; Such as tell us, that there is no Law to a believer; and if there be no Law, then no Transgression; and if no Transgression, then there needs no repentance. Between the Arminian and the Antinomian it is a very short cut to heaven; The Arminian saith we have power of our selves to be­lieve, and the Antinomian saith that a believer is not under any Law, he is [Page 32] bound to no duty, Christ hath done al for him; So that by taking this stride, he is presently in heaven: If this Doctrine be true, then every day is a play-day, and the Apostle mistook himself, when he said, work out your salvation.

4. Branch,Branch. 4. It reproves them that instead of working out their salva­tion, do dispute away their salvation; 1. Such as dispute against the au­thority of Scripture, and would make our faith a fable. 2. Such as dispute a­gainst the immortality of the soul, and so at once would pull down the court of conscience. 3. Such as dispute against the divinity of Christ. This may be called in­deed the doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. Tis a doctrine diametrally opposite to that Scripture, 1 John 5. 20. We are in him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ. This is the true God. Which Text is a Bulwark against the Socini­an. O! the patience of God that [Page 33] those who open their mouthes blasphe­mously against Christ, the earth doth not open her mouth and swallow them up. That such should have any connivance (if not more) who dare impugne the divinity of the Sonne of God, is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. Some of the best Heathen WritersAristo­tle Livy, Plutarch. affirm that there were Edicts and punishments enacted by Heathen Princes and States in matters of Religion. An Heathen would not suffer his god to be blas­phemed; and shall Christians suf­fer it?

Branch 5. 5. Branch. It reproves them, who instead of pursuing their own salva­tion, pursue their own destruction. These are profane persons who go to Hell in the sweat of their browesImpii quam stre­nuè servi­unt diabo­lo. Cyp.

1. Drunkards; what they get in the Temple, they lose in the Taverne; they steep the Sermons they hear in wine. Woe to the drunkards in E­phraim, [Page 34] Esay 28. 1. I may change the word, and say, the drunkards of England Ebri [...]s dum absor­bet vinum, absorbetur a viuo. Ambrose. There is a kind of wine you call lacrymae, which signifies tears: Such a wine the damned drink of, which is burn'd with the wrath of God, and this shall be the drunkards cup.

2. Swearers: these swear away their salvation. The Swearer it seemes hath but bad credit; he must stake down an oath, or none will trust him; but let him remember, he runnes his soul into a Praemunire. Swear not at all Mat. 5. 34; If we must give an account for idle words, shall not idle oaths be put in the count-book? When the scab breaketh forth in the lip, that man is to be pronounced unclean. Every oath is a wound gi­ven to the soul, and every wound hath a mouth to cry to Heaven for vengeance. Some are boil'd up to that height of wickednesse, that like mad dogs, they flie in the face of [Page 35] Heaven by cursing; and let a Minister tell them of their sinne, let him but go about to bring them home again, as the Law did provide one should bring home his neighbours Asse when he went astrayExod. 23. 4., and they will kick against the reproof. Like lime, by pouring on the water of a reprehension, they are the more en­flamed. These are upon the spur to damnation; but I will not touch this pitch any longer.

3. Adulterers; the adulterers heart like the swearers tongue, is set on fire of hell. Creatures void of reason will rise up in judgement against such. 'Tis reported of the Stork (that chaste creature) that it confines it self to its own nest; and if any of the Storks leaving his own mate, joynes with any other, the rest fall upon him, and pluck his feathers from him. God would have the adulterer put to death, Deut. 22. 22. Gregory observes concerning the stream of fire and [Page 36] brimstone poured upon Sodom, God sent that noisome plague to let them see the filthinesse of their sinne. This sinne of adultery is a soul-damning sinne, 1 Cor. 6. 9. the adulterer like the flie, doth so long flie about the candle, that at last he singeth his soul. This sinne, though it begins Comical, it ends Tragical; will it not be bitterness in the end? 2 Sam. 2. 26. This sweet calme is before an earth­quake; after the womens hair, come the lions Rev. 9. 7. teeth.

Branch 6. 6. Branch. It reproves them who put off this great work of salvation till they are past their labour. They put off repenting till old age and sicknesse.

1. Till old age Sero ni­mis te ama­vi domine. Aug.; when they are fit for no other work, then they will begin this. Old age is no good age to repent in. When the fingers are stiff, 'tis ill learning to play on the Lute: when the heart is grown hard and stiff in wickednesse, 'tis but ill [Page 37] tuning the penitential string: a ten­der plant is easily removed, but 'tis hard to pluck up an old tree that is rooted. An old sinner that hath been a long time rooting in sinne, is hardly plucked out of his natural e­state. In matters of salvation 'tis dan­gerous to adjourneSi aurum tibi offe­ram, non mihi dicis cras veni­am, sed jam exi [...]is; ne­mo differt, nemo excu­sat: salus promitti­tur & quis festi­ [...]at? Ambrose Serm. de elemosy­ [...]a.; the longer men go on in sin, the more full pos­session Satan hath of them; the longer poison stayes in the stomack, the more mortal. 'Tis a madnesse to put off the work of salvation till e­vening and sun-set. The night com­eth when no man can work Joh. 9. 4.. It were a very unwise course for a Mariner, while the ship is sound, the tackling strong, the winde fa­vourable, the Sea calme, to lie idle at anchor; and when the ship begins to leak, and the tempest to rise, now to launch forth and hoise up sailes for a Voyage: so is he who neglects the time of health and strength, and when [Page 38] old age comes, and his tackling is even broken, now begins his voyage towards Heaven. 'Tis very questi­onable whether God will accept of our repentance when it is so late. He calls for the first-fruits, and do we think to put him off with the glean­ings? this was not the least reason why God rejected Cains offering, because it was so long before he brought it. In processe of time Cain brought the fruit of the ground Gen. 4. 3., or as the origi­nal is more emphatical, at the end of many dayes [...]; It seemes it was stale before he brought it. How unworthy is this, for men to give the devil their strength and marrow, and then come and lay their old bones upon Gods Altar? 'Tis true, God may shew mercy at last, but such runne a desperate hazard; a sinner in the time of his old age, sleeps between death and the devil, as Peter slept be­tween two souldiersAct. 12. 6:

2. Till sicknesse; he were very [Page 39] unwise,Ser. who being to go a long journey, should lay the heaviest load on the weakest horse. What impru­dence is it to lay the heavy load of repentance on thy self, when infee­bled by sicknesse? when the hands shake, the lips quiver, the sinews shrink, the heart faints? Perhaps thou shalt have no time of sicknesse; perhaps not the use of thy senses;Qui dat poenitenti veniam, non semper dat peccanti poenitenti­am. Aug. perhaps God will deny thee his grace, and then where is thy repen­tance? 'Tis just, that he who for­gets God in the time of health, God should forget him in the time of sick­nesse.

Branch 7. Branch 7. It reproves them who begin to work, but do not work out their salvation. 'Tis not enough to begin well; Non tantum facite sed perficite; 'tis Justinians note; Some have, like Jehu, driven furiously in Religion, but within a while their chariot-wheels have been taken off. We live in the fall of the leafe; [Page 40] divers we have observed, who did once put forth fair blossomes, and give good hopes of their conversion, but their Spring is turned into Au­tumn; they have left off working for Heaven; a signe the motion was but artificial, not vital. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good Hos. 8. 3.. Such as were once diligent and zealous in Prayer, hearing, holy Conference, now they have left off the thing that is good; they have tired in their march to HeavenPejùs est recidere quàm inci­dere. Bern. Serm. 54. sup. cant.. I have often thought there are many may be re­sembled to Nebuchadnezzars i­mageDan. 3., at first they seemed to have an head of gold; they looked like glorious professors; then afterwards they seemed to be silver, then brasse, then iron, and clay; they have at last degenerated into sinne: Thus like fair mornings they have been soon overcast. Epiphanius observes of the Gnosticks, at first they seemed to be a strict holy people, but after­wards [Page 41] they fell to libertinisme [...]. Some are grown so impudent, that they brag of their Apostasie; time was when they did read and pray in their Families, but now they thank God they are grown wiser, and they surcease from these duties; just as if you should hear the Devil boast, that once he was an Angel of light, but now he is turned an Angel of dark­ness: Apostates are the richest spoiles that Satan goes away with; these he will hang up in hell for triumph. Such as have left off working, let them read that thundering Scripture, 2 Pet. 2. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse, then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment. By leaving off working, they unravel all they have done before; they lose their reward. He that runnes half the race, and then faints, loseth the Garland.

Use 3. Use 3. And so I proceed to the [Page 42] next Use which is of Exhortation, to perswade you all in the bowels of Christ to set upon this great work, the working out your salvation. Beloved, here is a plot for Heaven, and I would have you all in this plot; rally together all the powers of your soules; give neither God nor your selves rest, till you have made your election sure. Christians, fall to work, do it early, earnestly, uncessantly. Pursue salvation as in a holy chase; other things are but matters of conveniency, salvation is a matter of necessity. Either you must do the work that Christians are do­ing, or you must do the work that Devils are doing.Qui in [...]abore ho­ [...]inum non [...]nt, in la­ [...]ore daemo­ [...]um erunt. Bern. Oh you that ne­ver yet took one stitch in this work of salvation, now begin. Religion is a good trade if it be well follow­ed. Be assured there is no salvation without working. But here I must lay down a Caution to prevent mi­stakes.

[Page 43] Caution. Caution. Though we shall not be saved without working, yet not for our working. We do not work out salvation by way of merit. Bellar­mine saith, we merit Heaven ex con­digno; no, though we are saved in the use of means, yet by grace too, Ephes. 2. 5. There must be plough­ing and sowing the ground, but yet no crop can be expected without the influence of the Sunne: So there must be working, but no crop of salvation can be hoped for without the Sun-shine of free grace: 'Tis your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome, Luk. 12. 32. Give? why might some say, we have wrought hard for it? I, but Heaven is a dona­tive; though you work for it, yet it is the [...], the good pleasure of God to bestow it. Still look up to Christs merit; it is not your sweat, but his blood saves. That your work­ing cannot merit salvation, is clear, [...]. 'Tis [Page 44] God that works in you to will, and to do, ver. 13. 'Tis not your working, but Gods co-working. For as the Scrivener guides the childs hand, or he cannot write; so the spirit of God must afford his auxiliary con­currence, or our work stands still; how then can any man merit by working, when it is God that helps him to work? I should now, having laid down this Caution, re-assume the Exhortation, and perswade you to the working out salvation; but I must first remove two Objections which lie in the way.

Object. 1. Object. 1 You bid us work out salvation; but we have no power to work.

Answ. 1. Answ. 1. 'Tis true, we have not power: I deny that we have liberta­tem arbitrii Lorinus., man before conversi­on is purely passive. Therefore the Scripture calls it cor lapideum, a heart of stone, Ezek. 36. A man in his pure naturals, can no more pre­pare [Page 45] himself to his own converting, then the stone can prepare it self to its own softning. But yet when God begins to draw, we may follow. Those dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themselves live, but when breath came into them, then they lived and stood upon their feet, Ezekiel 37. 10.

Quest. Quest. But suppose God hath not dropt in a principle of grace? sup­pose he hath not caused breath to enter?

Answ. Answ. Yet use the means. Though you cannot work spiritually, yet work physically; do what you are a­ble, and that for two reasons.

1. Because a man by neglecting the means, doth destroy himself. As a man by not sending to the Phy­sician, may be said to be the cause of his own death.

Secondly, God is not wanting to us when we do what we are able. Urge the Promise, Seek and ye shall [Page 46] find, Mat. 7. 7. Put this bond in suit by Prayer; you say you have no power, but have you not a Promise? Act so far as you can. Though I dare not say as the Arminian, when we do exert and put forth nature, God is bound to give grace; yet this I say, Deus volentibus non deest, God is not wanting to them that seek his grace; Nay, I will say more, he de­nies his grace to none but them that wilfully refuse itJoh. 5. 40.

The second Objection is this;Object. 2. but to what purpose should I work? there's a decree past, if God hath decreed I shall be saved, I shall be saved.

Answ. Answ. God decrees salvation in a way of working2 Thes. 2. 13.. Origen in his book against Celsus, observes a subtil Ar­gument of some who disputed about Fate and Destiny. One gave counsel to his sick friend not to send for the Physician, because (saith he) it is ap­pointed by destiny whether thou [Page 47] shalt recover or not. If it be thy destiny to recover, then thou needest not the Physician; if it be not thy de­stiny, then the Physician will do thee no good: The like fallacy doth the Devil use to men; he bids them not work; if God hath decreed they shall be saved, they shall be saved, and there is no need of working; if he hath not decreed their salvation, then their working will do them no good; this is an Argument fetched out of the Devils topicks. But we say God decrees the end in the use of meanes; God did decree that Isarel should en­ter into Canaan, but first they must fight with the sonnes of Anak. God decreed that Hezekiah should recover out of his sicknesse, but let him lay a fig to the boyl, Isa. 38. 21. We do not argue thus in other things. A man doth not say, if God hath de­creed I shall have a crop this year I shall have a crop. What need I plough, or sow, or manure the land? [Page 48] No, he will use the means, and ex­pect a Crop. Though the blessing of the Lord makes rich, Prov. 10. 22. Yet it is as true, the diligent hand makes rich, Prov. 10. 4. Gods decreeing is carried on by our working.

And thus having removed these Objections out of the way, let me now perswade you to set upon this blessed work, the working out your salvation; and that my words may the better prevail, I shall propound several Argu­ments by way of Motive to excite you to this work.

The first Argument or Motive to working, Arg. 1. is taken from the precious­nesse of the Soul [...] Mac. hom. 26.; well may we take pains that we may secure this from danger. The soul is a divine sparkle kindled by the breath of God. It doth out-ballance the world, Mat. 16. 26. If the world be the Book of God (as Origen calls it) the soul is the Image of God. Plato calls the soul a glasse of the Trinity. 'Tis a bright [Page 49] mirror in which some refracted beams of Gods wisdom and holiness do shine forth; the soul is a blossom of eternity.

[...] Phocilides

God hath made the soul capable of communion with himselfe. It would banquer the world to give half the price of a soul. How high­ly did Christ value the soul when he sold himself to buy itO anima redempta sanguine, deputata cum angelis capax beati­tudinis! Bern.? O then, what pity is it, that this excellent soul, (this soul for which God cal­led a Councel in heaven when he made itGen. 1. 26,) should miscarry and be undone to all eternity? who would not rather work night and day, than lose such a soul? The Jewel is inva­luable, the losse irreparable.

2.Arg. 2. Holy activity and industry doth enoble a Christian Labor splendore decoratur. Cicero.. The more ex­cellent any thing is, the more active. The Sunne is a glorious creature, it never stands still, but is going his circuit round the world. Fire [Page 50] is the purest element, and the most active; 'tis ever sparkling and fla­ming. The Angels are the most noble creatures, and the most nimble, therefore they are represented by the Cherubims, with their wings dis­played. God himself is actus pu­rissimus, (as the Schoolmen speak,) he is a most pure act: Homer saith of Agamemnon, that he did some­times resemble Jupiter in feature, Pallas in wisdome, Mars in valour; by holy activity we resemble God who is a most pure act. The Phaenix flies with a coronet on its head; the industrious Christian wants not a coronet; his sweat enobles him; his labour is his ensigne of honour. Solomon tells us that drowsiness cloaths a man with rags; Prov. 23. 21. Infa­my is one of the rags that hang up­on him; God hates a dull temper. We reade in the Law, that the Asse (being a dull creature) must not be offered up in Sacrifice. Spi­ritual [Page 51] activity is a badge of ho­nour.

3. Working out salvation is that which will make death and heaven sweet to us.

1. It will sweeten death. He that hath been hard at work all day, how quietly doth he sleep at night? you that have been working out salvati­on all your lives, how comfortably may you lay down your head at night in the grave, upon a pillow of dust in hope of a glorious resurre­ction? this will be a death-bed cor­dial.

2. It will sweeten heaven. The more paines we have taken for hea­ven, the sweeter will it be when we come there. 'Tis delightful for a man to look over his work and see the fruit appear [...].. When he hath been planting trees in his Orchard, or setting flowers, 'tis pleasant to be­hold and review his labours: Thus in heaven, when we shall see the [Page 52] fruit of our labours, the end of our faith, salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 9. This will make heaven the sweeter. The more paines we have taken for heaven, the more welcome it will be; the more sweat, the more sweet. When a man hath been sinning, the pleasure is gone, and the sting remainsPraeterit jucunditas non relitu­ra, & ma­net anxie­tas non pe­ritura. Aug; but when he hath been repenting, the labour is gone, and the joy re­mains.

4. Yet you have time to work. Arg. 4. This text and Sermon would be out of season to preach to the damned in hell. If I should bid them work, it is too late, their time is past; 'tis night with the devils,* [...] Ignatius. Epist. 7. ad Smyrnens 'tis yet day with you; Work while it is day, John 9. 4. If you lose your day, you lose your soules. There is not only [...], but [...]. This is the season for your souls. Now God com­mands, now the Spirit breaths, now Ministers beseech, and as so many bells of Aaron would chime in your [Page 53] souls to Christ. Oh improve your season; this is your seed-time, now sowe the seeds of faith and repen­tance. If when you have seasons, you want hearts; the time may come when you have hearts, you shall want seasons. Take time while you may; the Mariner hoists up his sailes while the winde blows; never had a people a fairer gale for heaven than you of this City, and will you not set forward in your voyage? What riding is there to the Tearm, I warrant you the Lawyer will not lose his Term? Oh my brethren, now is the Tearm-time for your souls, now plead with God for mer­cy, or at least get Christ to plead for you.

Think seriously of these foure things.

First, our life doth unravel apace.1 * Vita ho­minis est similis na­viganti, &c. Greg. Gregory compares our life to the mariner in a ship going full saile; We are every day sailing apace to eternity.

[Page 54] Secondly, The seasons of grace though they are precious, yet not per­manent. Abused mercies will, like Noahs dove, take their wings and fly from us. Englands golden houre will soon run out; Gospel-bles­sings are very sweet, but very swift. Now they are hid from thine eyes, Luk. 19 42. We know not how soon the Golden Candlestick may remove.

Thirdly, There is a time when the spirit hath done striving.Gen. 6. 3 There are certain spring-tydes of the spirit, and these being neglected, possibly we may never see another tide come in. When conscience hath done speaking, usually the spirit hath done striving.

Fourthly, the losse of Gospel-op­portunityes will be the hell of hell. When a sinner shall at the last day think with himself, O what I might have been! I might have been as rich as the Angels, as rich as heaven could make me. I had a season to work in, but I lost it.Pessimum istud vir­bū habuisse Plautus.This, This, will be [Page 55] as a vulture gnawing upon him, this will inhance, and accent his misery. And let all this perswade you speedi­ly to work out your salvation.

Fifthly, you may do this work and not hinder your other work; working out salvation and working in a calling are not inconsistent. And this I insert to prevent an ob­jection. Some may say, but if I work so hard for heaven I shall have no time for my trade. No sure, the wise God would never make any of his commands to interfere; as he would have you seek his Kingdom, Mat. 6. 33. so he would have you provide for your family, 1 Tim. 5. 8. you may drive two trades together. I like not those that make the Church ex­clude the shop, that swallow up all their time in hearing, but neglect their work at home. 2 Thes. 3. 11.2 Thes. 3. 11. They are like the Lillies of the field which toile not, neither do they spin. Mat. 6. 28 God never sealed warrants to idle­nesse. [Page 56] He, both commands and commends diligence in a calling. Which may the rather encourage us to look after salvation, because this work will not take us off our other work. A man may with Caleb fol­low God fully, Numb. 14. 34. and yet with David follow the ewes great with young; Psal. 78. 71. Piety and industry may dwell together.

Sixthly,Arg. 6. The inexcusablenesse of those that neglect working out their salvation. Methinks I hear God ex­postulating the case with men at the last day, after this manner, why did ye not work? I gave you time to work, I gave you light to work by, I gave you my Gospel, my Spirit, my Mi­nisters, I bestowed Talents upon you to trade, I set the recompence of reward before you, why did ye not work out your salvation? Either it must be sloath or stubbornesse. Was there any work ye did of greater concernment? You could work in [Page 57] brick, but not in gold; What can you say for your selves why the sen­tence should not passe? Oh how will the sinner be left speechlesse at such a time, and how will this cut him to the heart to think with himselfe he neglected salvation, and could give no reason for it.

Seventhly,Arg. 7. the unexpressible mise­ry of such as do not work out salvati­on. Those that sleep in spring; shall beg in harvest; After death, when they look to receive a full Crop of glory, they will be put to beg, as Di­ves for one drop of water. Vagrant persons that will not work, are sent to the house of correction: Such as will not work out salvation, let them know hell is Gods house of cor­rection that they must be sent to.

If all this doth not prevaile,Arg. 8. con­sider lastly what it is we are working for, none will take paines for a trifle; We are working for a Crown, for a [Page 58] Throne, for a Paradise, [...]. Ignatius. [...] Menand.and all this is comprized in that one word salvation. Here is a whet-stone to industry. All men desire salvation. 'Tis the Crown of our hopes; We should not think any labour too much for this.Nullus labor durus nullū tem­pus longum quo aeter­nitatis glo­ria compa­retur. Hierom.What paines will men take for earthly Crowns and Scep­ters! And suppose the Kingdomes of the world were more illustrious then they are, their foundations of Gold, their walls of pearl, their win­dows of Saphire, what were all this to that Kingdom we are labouring for? We may as well span the firmament, as set forth this in all its splendor, and magnificence. Salvation is a beau­tiful thing, it is as far above our thoughts as it is beyond our deserts. Oh how should this add wings to our endeavours! The merchant will run through the intemperate Zones of heat and cold for a little prizeExtremos currit mer­cator ad in­dos. Horace. The Souldier for a rich booty will endure the bullet and sword, he will [Page 59] gladly undergo a bloody spring for a golden harvest; oh then, how much more should we spend our holy sweat for this blessed prize of salvationMercedian tantae par labor esse potest? Verinus.!

And so having laid down some Arguments by way of Motive, to perswade us to this work; I shall now propound some means by way of direction to help us in this work; and here I shall shew you what are those things to be removed which will hinder our working, and what are those things to be prosecuted which will further it.

1.Removen­da. We must remove those things 1 which will hinder our working out salvatiō. There are six bars in the way to salvation which must be removed.

1. The intanglements of the world. While the foot is in a snare, a man cannot run. The world is a snareDivitiae saeculi sunt laquei dia­boli. Bern.; while our feet are in it, we cannot run the race set before us, Heb. 12. 1. If a man were to climb up a steepy rock, and had weights tyed to [Page 60] his legs, they would hinder his a­scent; too many golden weights will hinder us from climbing up this steepy rock that leads to salvation. While the mill of a trade is going, it makes such a noise, that we can hardly hear the Minister lifting up his voyce like a trumpet. The world choaks our zeale and appetite after heavenly things; the earth puts out the fire; the musick of the world charmes us asleep, and then we can­not work. In mines of gold there are killing damps, O how many souls have been destroyed with a damp a­rising from the earth.

2 The second bar in the way to sal­vation is sadnesse and unchearfulness: when a mans heart is sad, he is un­fit to go about his work; he is like an untuned instrument.Animae functiones tolluntur in mania, depravatur in melan­cholia. here de Sax. Tract. de melanch.Under fears and discouragements we act but faintly in Religion. David la­bours to chide himselfe out of this spiritual melancholy, Why art thou [Page 61] cast down O my soul? Psalme 42. 5. Cheerfulnesse quickens; the Lace­demonians used musick in their bat­tles to excite their spirits and make them fight more valiantly. Cheer­fulnesse is like musick to the soul, it excites to duty, it oyles the wheels of the affections: cheerfulnesse makes service come off with delight, and we are never carried so swift in Religi­on as upon the wings of delight. Melancholy takes off our chariot-wheeles, and then we drive on hea­vily.

3 The third bar in the way to sal­vation is spiritual sloth. This is a great impediment to our working. It was said of Israel, they despised the pleasant land, Psal. 106. 24. What should be the reason? Canaan was a Paradise of delight, a type of heaven; I, but they thought it would cost them a great deal of trouble and haz­zard in the getting, and they would rather go without it, they despised [Page 62] the pleasant land. Are there not mil­lions among us who had rather go sleeping to hell, than sweating to hea­ven? I have read of certain Spani­ards that live neare where there is great store of fish, yet are so lazy that they will not be at the pains to catch them, but buy of their neigh­bours: such a sinful stupidity and sloth is upon the most, that though Christ be near them, though salva­tion is offered in the Gospel, yet they will not work out salvation. Slothfulnesse casts into a deep sleep, Prov. 19. 15. Adam lost his rib when he was asleep; many a man loseth his soul in this deep sleep.

The fourth bar in the way to sal­vation is an opinion of the easinesse of salvation; God is merciful, and the worst come to the worst, it is but repent.

1. God is merciful? it is true, but withal he is just; he must not wrong his Justice by shewing mercy; [Page 63] therefore observe that clause in the proclamation, Exod. 34. 6. he will by no means clear the guilty. If a King did proclaim, that only those should be pardoned who came in, and submited to his Scepter; could any stil persisting in rebellion claim the be­nefit of that pardon? O sinner, wouldst thou have mercy, and wilt not dis­band the weapons of unrighteousness?

2. 'Tis but repent. But repent? It is such a but that we cannot hit un­lesse God direct our arrow. Tell me O sinner, is it easie for a dead man to live and walk? Thou art spiritu­ally dead, and wrapt up in thy wind­ing sheet, Eph. 2. 2. Is regeneration easie? are there no pangs in the new birth? is self denial easie? doest thou know what Religion must cost, and what it may cost? it must cost you the parting with your lusts, it may cost you the parting with your life; Take heed of this obstruction. Sal­vation is not per saltum; thousands [Page 64] have gone to hell upon this mistake. The broad spectacles of presumpti­on have made the strait gate seem wider than it is.

5 The fifth bar in the way to salva­tion is carnal friends. 'Tis dangerous listning to their voyce. The Serpent did speak in Eve. Jobs wife would have called him off from serving God, doest thou still retaine thine in­tegrity? Job. 2. 9. what still pray and weep? here the devil did hand over a tentation to Job by his wife. Carnal friends will be calling us off from our work. What needs all this ado, lesse pains will serve? We read that some of Christs kindred, when they saw Christ so earnest in preaching, would give him a check, Mar. 3. 21. his friends went to lay hold on him; our friends and kindred would sometimes stand in our way to hea­ven, [...]. Igna. Ep. 12. ad Rom.and judging our zeal madnesse, would lay hold of us and hinder us from working out our salva­tion. [Page 65] Such friends Spira met with; for advising with them, whether he should revoke his former opinions concerning Luthers Doctrine, or per­sist in them to the death, they wished him to recant, and so openly abjuring his former faith, he became like a li­ving man in hell.

The sixth bar in the way to salva­tion 6 is evil company Mclius est habere ma­lorum odi­um quam consortium. Bern.. They will takes us off our work; the sweet wa­ters lose their freshnesse when they run into the salt; Christians lose their freshnesse and savourinesse a­mong the wicked; Christs Doves will be sullied by lying among these pots Ps. 68. 13.. Sinful company is like the water in a Smiths forge, which quencheth the iron, be it never so hot; such cool good affections. The wicked have the plague of the heart 1 King. 8. 38., and their breath is infectious. They will discou­rage us from working out our salva­tion; just as he who is a suitor to a wo­man, & is very earnest in his suit, there [Page 66] comes one, and tels him, he knows something by the woman of ill report, some impediment; the man hearing this, is presently taken off, & the suit cea­seth; so 'tis with many a man who be­gins to be a suitor to Religion, fain he would have the match made up, & he grows very hot and violent in the suit, and falls a working out his salvation; but then there come some of his con­federates, and they tell him they know something by Religion that is of ill re­port. This Sect is everywhere spoken a­gainst Act. 28. 22.. There must be so much strict­ness & mortification that he must ne­ver look to see good day more; here­upon he is discouraged, & so the match is broken off. Take heed of such per­sons, they are devils covered wth flesh; they are (as one saith) like Herod, who would have killed Christ-as soon as he was born: Thus when Christ is, as it were, beginning to be formed in the heart, they would in a spiritual sense kill him.

[Page 67] And thus I have shewn you the bars that lie in the way to salvation, which are to be removed.

2 I proceed now in the 2d. place to lay down some helps conducible to sal­vation.Promoven­da.

The first is in the Text, fear and trembling Gemma pretiosa pi­etas, sed fa­ci è surri­pit [...]r nisi à timore cu­stodiatur.. This is not a fear of doubt­ing, but a fear of diligence. This fear is requisite in the working out salva­tion. [...], Let us fear lest we come short Heb. 4. 1.; fear is a remedy against pre­sumption. Hope is like the cork to the net, it keeps the soul from sinking in despair; and fear is like the lead to the net, it keeps the soul from floating in presumption. Fear is that flaming sword that turns every way to keep out sin from entringEst jani­tor animae, Petrus Cel­lensis.; fear quickens; 'tis an antidote against sloath. Noah being mov'd with fear, prepared an Ark Heb. 11. 8.. The travel­ler fearing least night should overtake him before he gets to his journeys end, spurs on the faster. Fear causeth circum­spection; he that walks in fear, treads [Page 68] warily; fear is a preservative against A­postasie; I wil put my fear in your hearts, & you shall not depart from me, Jer. 32. 40. The fear of falling, keeps us from fal­ling; Fear is the hadge and livery of a Christian. The Saints of old were men fearing God Mal. 3. 17. It is reported of holy Anselm, that he spent most of his thoughts about the day of Judgment. Blessed is he that fears alwayes, Prov. 28. 14. Fear is a Christians garrison, Si vis esse securus, semper ti­me. the way to be secure is always to fear; This is one of the best tools for a Christian to work with.

2 Secondly, another great help in working out salvation is love. Love makes the work come off with de­light; seven years labour seemed no­thing to Jacob, because of the love that he did bear to Rachel. Love faci­litates every thingOmnia fa­cilia haben­ti charita­tem. Aug.. It is like wings to the bird, like wheels to the Chariot, like sails to the ship, it carries the soul on swiftly and chearfully in duty; love is never weary; It is an excellent saying [Page 69] of Gregory, let but a man get the love of the world into his heart, & he will quickly be rich. So do but get the love of religion into your heart, and you wil quickly be rich in grace. Love is a vi­gorous active grace, it despiseth dan­gers, it tramples upon difficulties; like a mighty torrent it carries all before it. This is the grace takes heaven by vio­lence. Get but your hearts well heated with this grace, and you will be fitted for work.

3 A third thing conducible to salvati­on, is, work in the strength of Christ. [...], I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me, Phil. 3. 13. never go to work alone.Vis gemi­nata for­tior. Sampsons strength lay in his hair. And a Christians strength lies in Christ. When you are to do any duty, to resist any tentation, to subdue any lust, set upon it in the strength of Christ; some go out against sin in the strength of resolutions and vowes, and they are soon foiled: Do as Sampson, he first cried to Heaven for help,Judg. 16. 28.& then [Page 70] Tum insi­luit Spiri­tus Domini.having taken hold of the Pillars, he pul'd down the house upon the Lords of the Philistines. When we engage Christ in the work, and so take hold upon the Pillar of an Ordinance, we then bring down the house upon the head of our lusts.

4 Fourthly, Work low▪ be humble, think not to merit by your working. Either Satan would keep us from working, or else he would make us proud of our working. God must pardon our works before he crowns them. If we could pray as Angels, shed rivers of tears, build Churches, erect Hospitals, and should have a conceit that we merited by this, it would be as a dead flie in the box of perfume, it would stain and ec­clipse the glory of the work.* Vaelanda­bili vitae hominum si remota mi­sericordia cam Truti­na discuti­es. Aug. Our du­ties like good wine relish of a bad cask, They are but glittering sins. Let not pride poison our holy things; when we have been working for Heaven, we should say as good Nehemiah, Remember me O my God, concerning this, & spare me [Page 71] according to the greatness of thy mercy Neh. 13. 22..

5. Work upon your knees; be much in 5 Prayer. Beg the Spirit of God to help you in the work; make that prayer, a­wake O North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden Cant. 4. ult.. We had need have this spirit blow upon us, there be­ing so many contrary winds blowing a­gainst us, & considering how soon holy affections are apt to wither. The gar­den hath not more need of wind to make its fruit flow out, then we of the spirit, to make our graces flourish. Phi­lip joynd himself to the Eunuchs Act. 8. 29 Cha­riot; Gods Spirit must joyn it self to our Chariot; As the Mariner hathManus ad clavum, oculus ad coelum.his hand to the stern, so he hath his eye to the star. While we are working we must look up to the spirit; what is our preparation without the spirits opera­tion? what is all our rowing without a gale from Heaven? The spirit lifted me up, Ezek. 3. 14 Gods Spirit must both infuse grace and excite it. We read of a wheel within a wheel, Ezek. 1. 16. The spirit of God is [Page 72] that inner wheel that must move the wheel of our endevor. To conclude all, pray to God to bless you in your work; the race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong, Eccles. 9. 11. nothing pros­pers without a blessing; & what way to obtain it but by prayer? Tis a saying of one of the antients, The Saints car­ry the keys of Heaven at their girdle. Prayer beats the weapon out of the enemies hand, and gets the blessings out of Gods hand.

6 Lastly, work in hope; the Apostle saith, he that ploughs shall plough in hope, 1 Cor. 9. 10. hope is the souls anchor, Heb. 6. 19. Cast this anchor upon the promise; & you shall never sink.Spes fa­cit ut cul­tis man­dentur se­min, tor­ris.Nothing more hinders us in our working then unbe­lief. Sure saith a Christian, I may toil all day for salvation, and catch nothing. What? is there no balm in Gilead? * Ps. 33. 18. Is there no mercy-seat? Oh! sprinkle faith in every duty, look up to free-grace, fix your eye upon the blood of Christ; would you be saved: to your working join believing.

FINIS.

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