To this I answer, that to have a pure heart, 1is not to be free from sin, and from da•y failings, (for so indeed none should have a pure heart) but pureness of heart, holiness of heart is, to have our hearts sprinkled from •n evil conscience, and to have our bo•tes washed with pure water, that is, to be purified before the Lord, is nothing else, but to have such an habitual disposition, which makes a man ready to wash himself still, though he be still spotted with sin. So that this is, the disposition of a holy man, if a man that draws near to the Lord with a pure heart; though he be still spotted, and polluted, and defiled, yet he hath an habitual disposition, he hath a principle within, he hath a new nature within, that is still working out that impurity, and washing it away; though still he he•e opposed, and assaulted, & tempted, and sometimes foiled, yet still he resists it, and fights against it; ⟨p. 132⟩as the Israelites had a charge never to make peace with Amalek; such a disposition is in such a man, he never makes peace with any sin; though he be led captive sometimes by it, yet he yields not to that captivity. This is to have a pure heart, though his heart be defiled sometimes, as a vessel will be foul, yet he washeth, and rinseth his heart, he never suffers it to continue muddy, and unclean, and in a filthy disposition, but he hath a fountain, a spring of grace within, that will work out all impurity, as a spring works out mud: he that thus purifies himself still, though the fountain be muddy, though there be many injections, many temptations, many lusts, and sins, yet, if he be purified himself, that he will suffer no sin to mingle with his heart (as it were) to rest there, and to abide, and dwell there, to lye, and continue there, such a man hath a pure heart. We say that is pure, that is full of it self, and will have no heterogenea, no other thing mingled with it, such a thing is pure, as pure oil is nothing else but oil. Now he that hath a pure heart, is not he that hath simply nothing else, that hath no sin mingled, that hath no dross mingled with his wine, but he that suffers it not to rest there; but as oil and water, when you jumble them together, (as you 2know, when they are shaken together, they mingle) yet the oil works out, & purifies it self, it will not suffer it self to abide with the water:
To this I answere, that to haue a pure heart, 1is not to be free from sin, and from da•y failings, (for so indeed none should haue a pure heart) but purenesse of heart, holinesse of heart is, to haue our hearts sprinkled from •n evill conscience, and to haue our bo•tes wash•d with pure water, that is, to be purified before the Lord, is nothing else, but to haue such an habituall disposition, which makes a man ready to wash himselfe still, though hee be still spotted with sinne. So that this is, the disposition of a holy man, if a man that drawes neere to the Lord with a pure heart; though hee bee still spotted, and polluted, and defiled, yet hee hath an habituall disposition, hee hath a principle within, hee hath a new nature within, that is still working out that impurity, and washing it away; though still he he•e opposed, and assaulted, & tempted, and sometimes foiled, yet still hee resists it, and fights against it; ⟨p. 132⟩as the Israelites had a charge never to make peace with Amalek; such a disposition is in such a man, he never makes peace with any sinne; though he be led captiue sometimes by it, yet he yeelds not to that captivity. This is to haue a pure heart, though his heart be defiled sometimes, as a vessell will be fowle, yet hee washeth, and renseth his heart, he never suffers it to continue muddy, and vncleane, and in a filthy disposition, but he hath a fountaine, a spring of grace within, that will worke out all impurity, as a spring workes out mudde: he that thus purifies himselfe still, though the fountaine be muddy, though there be many iniections, many temptations, many lusts, and sinnes, yet, if he be purified himselfe, that hee will suffer no sinne to mingle with his heart (as it were) to rest there, and to abide, and dwell there, to lye, and continue there, such a man hath a pure heart. We say that is pure, that is full of it selfe, and will haue no heterogenea, no other thing mingled with it, such a thing is pure, as pure oyle is nothing else but oyle. Now hee that hath a pure heart, is not he that hath simply nothing else, that hath no sinne mingled, that hath no drosse mingled with his wine, but hee that suffers it not to rest there; but as oyle and water, when you iumble them together, (as you 2know, when they are shaken together, they mingle) yet the oyle workes out, & puifies it selfe, it will not suffer it selfe to abide with the water:
- 1Ans What is i• to have a pure heart.Ans What is i• to haue a pure heart.
- 2Simile.
