The trial of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing…The tryall of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing…

Neither 2. are we so much to speak of it here, as it is a duty to be done by us, (though it be so) but as it is a work of God upon us, which he takes care to go through with, and perfect in all those who are fruitful: for he speaks here of it rather as an act of Gods, He purgeth, then as it is to be an act of ours, that we ought to purge our selves; though both do go together, as in that speech, Rom. 8. We by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh; so as that which is proper to the point in hand, for the explication of it, (as here in this place it is laid down) is not so much to give you motives or means of purging your selves, as to show you the ways and courses God takes still one way or other to purge his children by, that they may be more fruitful.

Neither 2. are we so much to speak of it here, as it is a duty to be done by us, (though it be so) but as it is a work of God upon us, which he takes care to goe through with, and perfect in all those who are fruitfull: for he speaks here of it rather as an act of Gods, He purgeth, then as it is to be an act of ours, that we ought to purge our selves; though both doe goe together, as in that speech, Rom. 8. We by the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh; so as that which is proper to the point in hand, for the explication of it, (as here in this place it is laid downe) is not so much to give you motives or meanes of purging your selves, as to shew you the wayes and courses God takes still one way or other to purge his children by, that they may be more fruitfull.

And yet 3. in this work of Mortification, considered thus in the progress of it, we are not mere passives, (as at that final perfecting and finishing of it, and carrying away all sin at death we are, and are at that first habitual beginning of it, at conversion) but therein we are workers together with God: (We being purged ⟨p. 64⟩from sin, as the body is by physic from humours; though the physic work, yet nature joins with the physic, being quickened and helped by it, to cast out the humours: For give a dead man physic, and it carries not any humours away:) So as those means whereby God purgeth us, are not to be imagined to do it as mere physical agents, like as the pruning hook cuts off branches from a tree, or as when a Surgeon cuts out dead flesh; but these means do it by stirring up our graces, and quickening them, and by setting our thoughts, and faith, and affections awork, and so God assisting with the power of Christs death, he doth purge us daily, by making his word, afflictions, and the like, to set our thoughts awork against sin, and so to cast it forth. It is certain, that unless our thoughts work upon the means, as well as the means work upon us, and so do mingle themselves with those means; that unless faith and Christs death be mingled in the heart, it purgeth not: And therefore it is said as well that we purge our selves. So