Doct. 2. Whosoever hopes to be saved, must set himself vpon this work, to purify himself. But here is as great a difficulty as the other. Doth it lie in the power of a man to purify himself ? That is the work of God ; and that David knew well enough, as in the 51st Ps., ver. 10, * Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me ; ' and we know it is the great purchase of Christ ; they are purified that are purchased by him.
510 THE PATTERN OF PURITY.
You must not make one truth of God to destroy another ; therefore, for the clearing of it, consider what the apostle writes to them : PhiHp. ii. 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' Mark how one depends on another, and then you shall see these things may stand very well together: 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.' We must go*' about the work ; but why so ? ' For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' _
The meanin" is, God doth not work things in us or with us, as we do with a spade or' a shovel ; that is, that we shall be mere patients only, but he works with us suitably to the reasonable soul he hath bestowed upon us. He hath given us understanding and will, so, though the Lord be the first mover and worker, and that we are not able to do anything, yet notwith- standing, as soon as God's grace hath seized on us, presently it puts us on doing ; "what God worketh in thee, thou must work thyself.
Therefore know, that when God finds a man at the first, when he is with- out grace, he is not able to stir, nor to do anything ; talk of purifying himself, you may as well talk to a dead man. When God first visits with grace, we are not able to work, to do anything, why, we are stark dead ; as it is said, * And you that were dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickened,' Eph. ii. 1, so that God comes first, and finds a man stark dead. He may work natural works, civil works, moral works, but to do works he shall find in heaven, to lay a foundation for the time to come, he is able to do nothing of that ; for things of heaven, he is utterly dead in sins and trespasses. Therefore, John v. 25, it is said, ' The hour is coming, and now is, that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God : and as many as hear his voice shall live ; ' that is, the force of God's quickening Spirit, the voice of Jesus Christ coming to a dead man, the powerful word of God, seconded with the lively Spirit of Jesus Christ, this finding a dead man conveys life into him, that presently he begins to hear and see. Though first there be an influence of life coming to us from Christ Jesus, yet presently, as soon as life is infused, wherein we are mere patients, presently, I say, as soon as the life of grace is come, we hear, and do, and work, though God works the first act of a man's conversion, ' Behold, I stand at the door and knock,' saith God ; ' if any man opens, I will come in ; ' as soon as grace is infused, let me come in, Christ is there, and thou wert not aware of him.
But as soon as a stock of grace is given, presently, thy will must work, and thou must say, Lord, come in ; he knocks as soon as thou hast grace, be enables thee to give a will, that thou mayest open. Though principally God, 3'et there is a concurrence between God and thee ; and this is grace, when thy will is made active and able to do things, that now the things done by God's grace are attributed to men. Ezek. xviii. 31, God says, ' Cast away from you all your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit : for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel ? ' make you a new heart. So in 2 Cor. vii. 1, saith God, ' Having therefore these pro- mises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, per- fecting hoHness in the fear of God.' So that here is grace indeed, when thy will is enabled to open to Christ, to repent, to beheve, to pray to Christ thyself. This is a thing needful to be stood on, because many will be very willing to hear that on God's part ; Oh, if God will send grace, that they may not be put to take pains, then all is well, they like that well. But if thou hast hope, thou must work thyself, not as if thou didst it of thyself,
THE PATTERN OF PUKITY, 511
no, God hatli given tliee abilitj', he hath given thee life, he would have thee go about thy business, he gives a stock whereby thy will is freed to do so much as God will accept ; thou shalt have power to do that which God will accept of as well as the best service. I alway remember that place, Eev. iii. 8, * I know thy works : behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it : for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.' Mark, oh, if I had so much grace as others, I would purify myself; nay, but hast thou any strength, a little grace ? Be not a dastard, a coward, but resolve in the work God hath called thee to and then thou wilt do' it.