Matthew Poole and continuators on Philippians 2:13

13 For it is God which worketh in you , both to will , and to doe , of his good pleasure .

That they might not be negligent in working out their Salvation 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 effectual grace of God, as a powerfull enducement and encouragement to embrace his exhortation.

They should not despond of any attaining Salvation, or think they did labour in vain, in the diligent use of means, and should altogether fall under the dominion of sin, considering though they were free Agents, yet the efficiency and sufficiency was of God, Rom. 6.13, 14. 1 Cor. 4.7. 2 Cor. 3.5.

Who worketh within them powerfully, and effectually, carrying on the work through all difficulties and obstacles, with victorious efficacy till it be wrought, ch. 1.6. Isa. 41.4. Heb. 13.21. God working not onely by suasion to gain assent, but by a special energie effecting what he would have us to doe.

And not onely in a general way, Act. 17.28. but in a special way making us willing, Psal. 110.3. remotely in regard of the principle, nextly in regard of the act: circumcising the heart, Deut. 30.6. taking away the heart of stone, and giving an heart of flesh, Ezek. 11.19. & 36.26, 27. causing light to shine out of darkness, 2 Cor. 4.6. and so renewing the will, to chuse that which is savingly good, the natural bent of which before the influence of this insuperable grace, stands another way, Ioh. 8.44. viz. to will, and doe contrary: yet he doth not necessitate by any compulsion, but powerfully, yet sweetly, and suitably to Man's free faculty, encline the will to that which is good, Ioh. 6.37, 44. i. e. to a certain effect. For the will influenced to will that it doth perform,, it undoubtedly wills somewhat that is certain, and so is determined by God.

To doe that which is savingly good. Whereupon being made willing, it hath not onely an inclination, and doth not onely exert a woulding, but being moved by God's insuperable grace, 1 Cor. 3.7. that will is effectual, and is the very deed, where the command of the will is executed to the glory of God, as the Authour. As in Alms, not onely doth God incline the will to relieve the Poor, but further contributes special gracious aids to perform what was deliberated, which evinceth, that it is from another principle than our selves. It is not, that ye may be able to will, and may be able to doe: but he worketh both to will, and to doe: which connotes the very act it self: that ye will, to believe, obey, pray, persevere; and that ye do belive, obey, pray, persevere: of unwilling, he makes willing; and further, to will, and to doe. 'Tis true, to will, as it is an act of the will, is ours by Creation; and to will well is so far ours, we being made effectually willing by God's grace: yet not ours, as though of our selves we begin to will, or go on, but it is of him who worketh in us. Not that we cannot will well, but that of our selves we cannot will well. The precept therefore requiring our obedience does not shew what we can or will of our selves, but what we ought to will and to doe, by God's special help. But though God work in us obedience; yet we obey, we our selves act, being acted of God.

Not for any previous disposition in any of us, but of, or according to his own good pleasure, Luk. 10.21. Eph. 1.5, 9, 11. & 2.8. 2 Thess. 1.11. with 2 Tim. 1.9. In working out our own Salvation, the very beginning in the will, aswell as the perfection is ascribed to the efficacy of God: his good pleasure is the procreating and helping cause of this work on the will, and not the wills good pleasure.