15. It is a divine evidence and conviction, secondly, That what God hath promised he is _able_ to perform. Admitting therefore that _with men it is impossible_, to bring a clean thing out of an unclean, to purify the heart from all sin, and to fill it with all holiness, yet this creates no difficulty in the case, seeing _with_ God _all things are possible_. And surely no one ever imagined it was possible to any power less than that of the Almighty! But if God speaks, it shall be done. God saith, _Let there be light: and there is light_.
16. It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that he is able and willing to do it _now_. And why not? Is not a moment to him, the same as a thousand years? He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is his will. And he cannot want or stay for any more _worthiness_ or _fitness_ in the persons he is pleased to honour. We may therefore boldly say, at any point of time, _Now is the day of salvation_. To-day, _if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Behold! All things are now ready! Come unto the marriage!_
17. To this confidence, That God is both able and willing to sanctify us _now_, there needs to be added one thing more, a divine evidence and conviction, That _he doth_ it. In that hour it is done. God says to the inmost soul, _According to thy faith, be it unto thee_! Then the soul is pure from every spot of sin; _it is clean from all unrighteousness_. The believer then experiences the deep meaning of those solemn words, _If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin_.
18. “But does God work this great work in the soul _gradually_ or _instantaneously_?” Perhaps it may be gradually wrought in some: I mean, in this sense. They do not advert to the particular moment, wherein sin ceases to be. But it is infinitely desirable, were it the will of God, that it should be done instantaneously; that the Lord should destroy sin _by the breath of his mouth_, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And so he generally does, a plain fact, of which there is evidence enough to satisfy any unprejudiced person. _Thou_ therefore look for it every moment. Look for it in the way above described; in all those _good works_ whereunto thou art _created anew in Christ Jesus_. There is then no danger: you can be no worse, if you are no better for that expectation. For were you to be disappointed of your hope, still you lose nothing. But you shall not be disappointed of your hope: it will come, and will not tarry. Look for it then every day, every hour, every moment. Why not this hour, this moment? Certainly you may look for it _now_, if you believe it is by faith. And by this token you may surely know, whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done _first: before_ you are sanctified. You think, “I must first _be_ or _do_ thus or thus.” Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it _as you are_: and if as you are, then expect it now. It is of importance to observe, that there is an inseparable connexion between these three points, expect it _by faith_, expect it _as you are_, and expect it _now_! To deny one of them is to deny them all: to allow one, is to allow them all. Do _you_ believe, we are sanctified by faith? Be true then to your principle; and look for this blessing just as you are, neither better, nor worse; as a poor sinner, that has still nothing to pay, nothing to plead, but _Christ died_. And if you look for it as you are, then expect it _now_. Stay for nothing: why should you? Christ is ready. And he is all you want. He is waiting for you: he is at the door! Let your inmost soul cry out,