race set before him, as looking to
the forerunner his pattern,) in this girdle of hope, that he may be
"holy in all manner of conversation," keeping his eye upon the precept
and pattern, that his practice may be conform. It is written, saith he,
"be ye holy, for I am holy;" the hope of seeing God, and being ever with
him, imposeth a necessity upon him who hath it, to look no lower than at
him, who is glorious in holiness; and therefore he is said to purify
himself even as he is pure; and knowing that this is the end of their
being quickened together with Christ, that they may walk even as he
walked, they in their working and walking aim at no less than to be like
him; and therefore never sit down upon any attained measure, as if they
were already perfect. The spotless purity of God expressed in his laws,
is that whereto they study assimilation; therefore they are still in
motion towards this mark, and are changed from one of glorious grace
into another, into the same image, even as by the Spirit of the Lord,
who never gives over his putting them to cleanse from all filthiness of
the flesh and of the spirit, till that be true in the truest sense,
"Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee." And knowing that
perfect fruition of him cannot be without the perfect conformity to him,
herein do they exercise themselves to grow in grace, and to be still
advancing towards some more likeness to his image, forgetting all their
attainments, as things that are behind, and by their Teachings forth
unto that which is before, make it evident that they make every begun
degree of grace and conformity to God, a prevenient capacity for a new
degree which yet they have not attained. I know our moralists look upon
themselves as matchless, in talking of following his steps as he hath
left us an example; in this they make a flourishing with flanting
effrontery, but for all their boasting of wisdom, such a poor simple man
as I, am made to wonder at their folly, who proposing, as they say, the
purity of Christ as their pattern, are not even thence convinced, that
in order to a conformity thereto, there is a simple and absolute
necessity of the mighty operations of that Spirit of God, whereby this
end can be reached; but while they flout at the Spirit's working as a
melancholy fancy, whereby the soul is garnished with the beauty of
holiness, and made an habitation for God, I doubt not to say of these
great sayers, that they understand n