is " present with the Lord," then he shall know indeed he shall see "face to face," and dwell in the eternal brightness of that blissful vision. His "eyes shall see the King in his beauty," and he shall confess the perfect fulfilment of this word of promise, "They shall know me."

O may the Spirit of God, beloved, reveal this blessedness of the saints in light, to our souls! May we realize it, as what shall presently be ours and, in the prospect of it, be content to labour, and suffer, and wait in hope, "until the day break, and the shadows flee away."

Then shall I see, and hear, and know,

All that my soul desired below;

And all my powers find sweet employ,
In that eternal world of joy.

278

MAN WORKING, AND GOD ENABLING.

PHILIPPIANS ii. 12, 13.

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

THESE words address themselves to us with singular appropriateness, and emphasis, in connexion with the subject which we have been considering. We have now completed the view which we proposed to take of that wondrous covenant of grace, confirmed of God, in Christ, to be the restingplace of a sinner-the sure foundation of hope and confidence in his sight. We have seen the exceeding riches of pardoning mercy therein freely provided for guilty men; the boundless fulness of its promised blessings,-divine renewal, divine relationship, and divine enlightening;-and further, the absolute, unconditional character of its provisions; God engaging to accomplish, in the hearts of his covenant people, all on which

their enjoyment of the blessings of that covenant depends.

What, then, is the impression, which the contemplation of truths like these should leave on every mind? Surely, if the good Spirit of God have at all revealed them with power to our souls, our feelings will be those of mingled delight and awe joy in this abundance of spiritual blessings, and adoring reverence, in the overwhelming sense of the immensity of God's goodness to creatures so mean and vile. Is this, indeed, his method of dealing with all who come to him through Christ? Is he thus rich in mercy, thus plenteous in goodness; and does he engage to work all in me, that himself requires of me? O then, my soul, gird thyself to this blessed work! here is encouragement to forsake the ways of sin, and labour for the attainment of salvation, in a manner suited to its infinite importance. It is no longer hopeless. What shall hinder, when God is for me? Yet, seeing how holy is that God with whom I have to do,-how treacherous is my heart,-how countless the dangers which beset my path, and would quickly swallow me up, except as his Almighty arm is my support and shield; O let me fear and tremble, lest, being led away by the error of the wicked, I fall from my own stedfastness; lest, after all, I receive this grace of God in vain. My brethren, these are wise resolves; these are

gracious dispositions. We shall not have considered this precious covenant for nought, if any such have been produced, thereby, in our souls. They are, precisely, those which the apostle has in view, when he exhorts, in the words before us, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure."

This beautiful union of holy fear, and yet holy courage, of entire dependence upon God, and yet unabated and jealous "diligence, to make our calling and election sure," is attainable only, nay, I might say, intelligible only, to a spiritual mind. Not that there is any inexplicable mystery in their connexion. Men are continually acting, in the affairs of this life, in the same way. They clear their ground, sow their crops, go through all the toils of husbandry with unremitted diligence; and, when they can do no more, they watch for the increase, they think of it, they talk of it, with the deepest interest: while, yet, it is undeniable, that they cannot make a single blade of wheat spring up, or bear produce. The sun must shine upon it; the rain must water it; the air must nourish it. They can command none of these. God must work with them, and for them, from first to last; and it is all of his good pleasure, when he will, and how he will; and, for

aught they know, frost or flood, blight or drought, at Gode senty But do

may spoil all their labours in a moment. they therefore desist from their toil, and say, It is, don t live? all of God; What can I do? or, What need I do?ird auf

Far otherwise. God has connected their labourock of flow and his blessing; and men know this; and, therefore, though utterly unable to ensure the least profitable result of their toil, they rise up early, and late take rest, and work, as if success. depended absolutely, and only, on their own unassisted efforts. Alas! that men should be so wise for time, so foolish for eternity! Take these very men, and talk to them of labour for their souls, and you shall find them instantly objecting the contradiction, of exhorting them to work out their own salvation, while we admonish them, that, "with men it is impossible," that "it is God which must work in them, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure." If this be so, (say men,) what can I do? or, if God will thus do all, what need I do? Well may it be replied to such, "Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant." But so blind are

men, by nature, in the things of God, that any corrupt reasoning will pass with them as demonstration, in matters of religion, though refuted, every day they live, by their conduct in the ordinary concerns of life. Thus the duty suggested in the text, and the motive by which it is en