494 A SOUL $REPARE:D FOR IìEAVrIZ. tDISC. VIII. influences in vain, if theywill never stir up themselves to practise what is in their ownpower, and to attempt what the gospel of grace demands. In almost all the transactions of Godwith men, it is the way of his wisdom to join our diligence and his grace together ; and there are many scriptures that give us suf- ficient notice of this. See how St. Paul argues with the Philippians, and stirs them up to zeal and activity in securing their own salvation by the hope of divine assist. anees, Phil. ii. 12, 13. " Work out your own salvation, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and do." So said David to his son Solomon, when he-appointed him to build the temple of the Lord, 1 Chron. xxviii. 20. ".Be strong and of good courage, and do it, --for the Lord God, evenmy God, will be with thee, and will not fail thee nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work." This was the charge also that God gave to his people Israel, Lev. xx. 78. " Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy,keepmy statutes ; I am the Lord who sancti- fieth you." So the Psalmist tells us, Ps. iv. 3. " The Lord bath set apart, or separated him who is godly for himself;" and yet, 2 Cor. vi. 17. The Lord commands bis people to " separate themselves unto him, to come out from amongst the sinners of this world ; and be you separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you." So in other places of scripture, divine wisdom commands sin- ners to fulfil their duty, Prov. i. 23: " Turn ye at my reproof:" And yet in Ps. 1xxx. 3. the church prays, " Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be saved." The case is very much the same even in the things that relate to this life, . wherein divine assistance and blessing are con- nected with our diligence in duty. Solomon tells us, Prov. x. 4. " The hand of the diligent maketh rich ;" and yet, verse 22. it is the blessin of the Lord that maketh rich also." We can never expect the favours bf heaven, unless we are zealous to obey the commands of heaven. When the sinful children of men are found waitingon God in his appointed ordinances, then they are in the fairest way to receive divine communications, and be transformed into saints. If the blind man had not obeyed the voice ofChrist, John ix. 7. and washed himself in the pool of Siloam, he could not expect to have received his 1 _
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