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 neither what they say, nor whereof
they affirm; nay, doth not the talking of the one, not only without
seeing the necessity of the other, but speaking against it, say in the
heart of every one, who hath not the heart of a beast, that they have
never yet got a sight of the holiness of that pattern, nor of their own
pollutions and impotency; for if they had, they would give themselves up
to Jesus Christ to be washed by him, without which they can have no part
with him. O there will be a vast difference, at the latter day, betwixt