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…

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 2 Tim. 2. 20. and also 1 John 3. 3. and Rom. 8. that we by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh, as it is said that God purgeth us, (which is the thing affirmed here) because God still in going on to purge us, doth it by stirring up our graces, and useth therein acts of our faith, and love, and many motives and considerations to stir up our graces so to effect it.

And yet 3. in this work of Mortification, considered thus in the progresse of it, we are not meer passives, (as at that finall perfecting and finishing of it, and carrying away all sin at death we are, and are at that first habituall beginning of it, at conversion) but therein we are workers together with God: (We being purged ⟨p. 64⟩from sinne, as the body is by physick from humours; though the physick work, yet nature joynes with the physick, being quickned and helped by it, to cast out the humours: For give a dead man physick, and it carryes not any humours away:) So as those meanes whereby God purgeth us, are not to be imagined to doe it as meer physicall agents, like as the pruning hook cuts off branches from a tree, or as when a Surgeon cuts out dead flesh; but these meanes doe it by stirring up our graces, and quickning 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 sinne, and so to cast it forth. It is certaine, that unlesse our thoughts work upon the meanes, as well as the meanes work upon us, and so doe mingle themselves with those meanes; that unlesse 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