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IìEAVrIZ.
tDISC.
VIII.
influences
in
vain,
if
they
will
never
stir up
themselves
to
practise what
is
in
their
own
power, and to
attempt
what
the
gospel
of grace demands.
In
almost
all
the transactions
of
God
with 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, even
my
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,keep
my
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 waiting
on
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
of
Christ,
John
ix.
7.
and
washed
himself
in
the
pool of
Siloam, he
could
not expect
to
have received
his
1
_