Believers Evidences for Eternal Life, Chapter 2 · Section 9
IX.
In hope of glory purifying our selves IX.as God is pure; may be a ninth or last Evidence of Regeneration. Now we are the Sonnes of God, but it doth not—And every man that hath this hope in him, purifyeth himselfe, even as he is pure, 1 Joh. 3. 2, 3. So that every child of God having the hope of glory, and of conformity to God and to Christ therein: Thereupon from that hope purifieth himselfe as he is pure. In this Evidence of Selfe-purifying, Note, 1. The act performed, Purifyeth, [foreign] A metaphor either from Goldsmiths purifying mettals from drosse, or from the Ceremonial purifications in time of the Law: denotes regenerate persons cleansing themselves more and more from corruption. 2. The object about which this act is to be exercised, Themselves; viz. not onelyonly their outsides, or onelyonly their minds, &c. but theirwhole man, soule and body, and consequently their whole conversation: They would be clean throughout. 3. The Rule or pattern of this act, according to which, in some imperfect resemblance, he purifieth himselfe, viz. Gods purity, As God is pure. See, 1 Pet. 1, 13, &c. Augustine *Debetis nosse quid est [Sicut] Quia non semper (sicùt) ad parilitatē & aequalitatem refertur, v. g. Videte quantum sit inter faciem hominis & imaginem despeculo. Facies in imagine facies in corpore; Imago in imitatione corpus in veritate. Et quid dicemus? nam sicut hic o…uli, ita & ibi: sicut hic aures, ita & ibi aures sunt. Dispar est res, sed [sicut] ad si…itudinem dicitur. Habemus ergo & nos imaginem Dei; sed non illam quam habet Filius aequalis Patri. Tamen & nos pro modo nostro si non sicut ille essemus; ex nulla parte similes diceremur. Ergo castificat nos sicut ipse castus est. Sed ille castus aeternitate, nos casti fide. Justi sumu… sicut & ipse justus est: sed ipse in ipsa incommutabili perpetuitate, nos justi credendo in quem non vedemus, ut aliquando vi…mus. August expos. in epist. Ioan. Tract. 4. de. cap. 3.hath well observed, that the word [As] here, is not a note of Parility or equality, but of Resemblance and similitude: of quality, rather then of equality. As there is a Similitude betwixt the face it selfe, and the image of the face in the Glasse; but no Equality. 4. The Ground, or Motive inciting the Regenerate to this selfe-purifying, viz. Hope of glory. Presumption, security, &c. purifie not, Deut. 29. 19. Luke. 17. 26, &c. Hope doth; No uncleane thing can enter into the Heavenly Ierusalem, Rev. 21. 27. therefore they that hope for heaven, cleanse themselves, that they may be fit to enter. *Bono implendus es, funde malum. Puta quia melle te vult implere Deus. Si aceto plenus es, ubi mei pones? Fundendum est quod portabat vas. Mundandum est ipsum vas. Mundandum est etsi cum labo…e, cum tritura, ut fiat aptum cuidam rei, Me… dicamus, aurum dicamus, vinum dicamus: Quicquid dicamus quod dici non potest, quicquid volumus dicere, Deus vocatur: Et quod dicimus Deus, quid diximus? Duae istae syllab… sunt totum quod expectamus, &c. Aug. ibid. Paulò sub.Augustine saith well, The vessell must be cleansed of Vineger, that God may fill it with Honey. If thou art full of Vineger, where wilt thou put the Honey, &c? Hope in Christ, excites to purity; because it conducts us straight to Christ, the perfect pattern of all purity; saith Calvin. in loc.
Now in the Regenerate that have Hope of Glory, consider these ensuing Signes of Selfe purifying, as God is pure, viz.
1. Frequent washing themselves in the Fountaine opened for sinne and uncleanness, viz. in the purifying blood of Christ by Faith and Hope as instruments applying Christ crucified, Zech. 13. 1. Heb. 9. 14. Psal. 51. 7. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, &c. Rom. 3. 25.
2. Maintaining a constant spirituall combate by Faith, Hope and other Graces of the Spirit, against the flesh: and so by the Spirit mortifying the deeds of the flesh daily, crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5. 17. compared with, Rom. 8. 13. and, Galat. 5. 24, 25. Thus Hope as an inward Principle works out pollution and corruption, as being repugnant thereunto. As good honey separates, and works out the drosse. A pure heart mingles not with corruption, Ps. 66. 18.
3. True endeavours to purifie both soule and body, person and conversation from all corruption universally both in kinde and degree. Let us cleanse our selves from all silthinesse of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7. …. Hypocrites can wash the outside of the cup or platter, but inwardly they are full of extortion and excesse, Mat. 23. 25, 26. can forsake some, not all corruptions.
4. Consciencious improvement of the Word for selfe purifying. The Word hath a purifying faculty in it. Ye are cleane through the word that I have spoken to you, John 15. …. The Word purifies, 1. As an Antidote against sinne, Psal. 119. 11. 2. As a Lamp discovering the spot, Rom. 7. 7. 3. As a starre conducting to Christ the fountaine of purifying, 1 Iohn 2. 1, 2. Zech. 13. 1. 4. As a Rule according to which we are heedfully to order our conversation, Psal. 119. 9. And, 5. As a Motive, especially in the promises of it, unto selfe-purifying, 2 Cor. 7. 1.
5. Contented bearing of heaviest afflictions, so that sinne may be purged out, Psal 119. 67, 71. Such can say, Lord, humble me, break me, bruise me, do any thing with me, that I may be more holy, lesse sinfull.
6. Fervent desires and prayers for thorough purity. Cleanse thou me from secret faults, Psal. 19. 12. Purge me with hysop, and I shall be cleane: wash me, and I shall be whiter then snow, Psal. 51. 7. Hence, how often do the Regenerate long to be dissolved and to be with Christ, that they might never sin more, but have all spots and wrinkles wiped away for evermore.