1. _A Divine work has been accomplished for him. "Thou,"_ &c.
Throughout, the New Testament teaches us that the Christian is a man,
not who has delivered himself, but who has been delivered; not a hero
who broke the chains by which he was bound, but a poor slave of sin
who was set free and uplifted to true manhood (Phil. ii. 13; Eph.
ii. 10); everything is ascribed to the Spirit--the life, the good
works, the comforts of the Christian (John iii. 5; Gal. v. 16, 22;
Acts ix. 31). 2. _As the operation is Divine, so is it internal in
its effects._ We should never overlook what God has done for us in
His kind and tender providence (Ps. xxiii. 6). But the greatest of
all God's works for us is redemption by the blood of the cross. This
was accomplished long ago (John xix. 30). Nothing can now be added to
it, but you are mistaken if you suppose that His work _for_ you is to
supersede His work _in_ you. If your sins are not subdued as well as
pardoned, you will never be able to serve and enjoy God. Unless you
have a meetness for heaven, as well as a title for it, you will never
be at home there. The salvation that is promised and accomplished is
internal (John iv. 14; Ezek. xi. 19, 20; Ps. li. 10). 3. _The
operation is manifold in its influence._ "_All_ our works." How much
needs to be done in man! Conscience is to be awakened, purified,
pacified; the understanding is to be enlightened; the judgment is to
be informed; the will is to be subdued; the affections to be
spiritualised; the world is to be dethroned in the heart, and holy
principles implanted there. There needs the continuing act of a
performing God from the hour of the first conviction of sin to the
resurrection of the body unto eternal life (Phil. i. 6). 4. _His
Divine work is acknowledged._ "Thou _hast_ wrought," &c. Much remains
to be done in us, but much has been accomplished in every believer,
and it should be acknowledged. Humility well becomes us, but
gratitude becomes us equally (Ps. lxvi. 16).