Recommended from Phil. 2. I 2, 1 3· that I neve r mean to obferve, perufing over only the Scn~e!lce of my Condemna. tioJJ ; and fa often muft l fix and dwell upon holy and fpmtoal Thoughts, which never at any time darted into, or paffed i ntra.n~ently? but they did difcompofe me, and leave me a d:.mp and fadnefs upon my Sp1nt behmd them; and therefore becaufe t here is not a holy complacency and delight in the ~ervicc of God, all fuch Mens Endewou rs arc both faint, inconftant and langu1fu while they are about: them, and feldom do they re-affnme them again, But a tr_ue Ch~iftian wor.ks with abundance of Delight and Chearfulnefs i u the Service of God, 10 every Duty ·his Soul is filled full of holy Affect ions, by which it foars up to Heaven: D t~t i es are Meat and Drink to hiiu. fpiritu al Manna, in which he tlkes more fattsfaC'hon and contentment than wicked Men do in their Sins, and therefore he performs thefc Duties fo earneftly, becaufe he doth it with complacency: All t hat he repines at, is, that natural Necellity, finful Weaknefs and infirmities and world ly Employ.. ments , that do purloin fo much of h1s time from this great Work. Now when once the Heart is brought to fuch a frame and temper as this, thus to delight in 0~ bedicnce and in the Work and Service of God, then will this workiug for Salvation go on with Power. (3.) Thirdly, Anothe;· DirrEfion ii that in the Text, Work for Salvation with Fear U'llrking and Trembling. A tremblin(1' Hand beft perform\ a Chriftian' s Work. Now th is f!r s.. fv.t.· Fear is not a Fear of diftrutf or defpondency, for that is fo contrary to this Duty /,10 " ~:fl of .working for Salvation, as that it ftup ifies and hcnums all Endeavours, and is a ;r::~.,d great Enemy to the performance of this Duty. But, 7'rembli1lg. ( t.) Firjf, It is a Fear of So licitude and Carefulnefs at is frauds oppofed to car~ nal fecurity, atld thJt prcfumption, that is the common and ordinary Defi:rut\:ion of moft Men. This holy Fear is the befi: prefervative of true Grace: The .Apofll e theref01 e tells us, Thou ftandefl by Faith; bt 11ot high-minded but fear ; implying, Rom. 1 r. they would not ftand long, though they ftood by Faith, unlef, they were upheld :to. with Godly FeJr: And the Reafon is, becaufe it is the property of Fear to fore-fee and. fore-caft Dangers, and to put the Soul in a pofl:urc of defence and fecurity before rhey approach: For as the 1vi.[c Man tells us, 11Je prudent Mar1 fo;·e-fuch the Evil Prov. 2 0 • and hidrth himfeJf, but the Simple pafl o11 and are pur1i/hed. They are rafu and con~ J. fidf'nt in their Undertakings, and fo they paf5 on and are punifued. Fear makes a Chrifiian circumfpeB: and confiderative with himfelf, how he may keep from M ifcarriJges in the performance of his great Work . If God call me to foch ·a Duty, how !ball I perform it ? lf to bear fuch a Crofs and AffliCtion, how Ihall I glorifie him unde r it? If to confl iCt with fuch Temptations, how Ihall I refift and ove rcome them ? Yea, how fhalll do to break through all Difficulties, Duties and Oppofitions that 1 who am but a weak and feeble Chriftian may meet withal, and how Ihall 1 do to bear up? And thus pond ring what may be his Duty , and fore-caft ing what Dmics God may call him unto, he is enJbled to do what is his Duty at prefent, and what alfo may by Providence hereafter become his Duty: Noth ing overtakes fuch a Man unexpeCted, nor doth any thing fur ... prize him unprovided for it. And thus a careful Fear enables him in the pcrfor.. mancc of his great Wor.k. (2.) Seco11dly, A Fear of Humility and holy Reverence of God, conduceth much to the working out of our Salvation, and that in three Particulars. (r.) Fi;jf, Jt much helps us in our great Work to fear God as our Lord and Marter that fees and overlooks all our Works, obferving both what we do, and how w_e do it .:1lfo. That Servant muft be defperately bold that. will dare to be idle, or fl1g,ht and perfunCtory in his Work, while his Mafter's Eye is upon hinr. Why ~hriftians fi1ould confider God's Eye is always upon them, in Praying, in HearIng, and in every Duty that they perform, yea, in every Adion of their whole Lives: And if the Eye of a M after, that is but a Fellow-Creature, nay, but a FellowServant, can have fitch awe and influence upon his Servant as to make him careful how he works and what he works, and to make him diligent in l1is Work : Should not much more the confideration of God's Eye being upon us, whf) frand• at an infinite diftance from us, caufe a holy Fear and Dilgcnce in us, in doing what our Lord and Maftcr commands us? (2 .) Secondly, Fear God alfo as him from whom you have all your Power and Ability to work; :Bear him, left at any time through any negleCt or mifcarriage of yours, he fuould be provoke(! to fufpend his Influence and withdraw his Grace from
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