VER. 15. ephefian.r,Chap.q.. toanother. If we doe any duty without love, it is abominable in the fight of God.What are prayers andfacrificcs,ifhands be full of blood, if Charity be not joyned with them ? And to fpeake to the duty in hand, if we will come todoe any duty, we muff not offer our offering till we bereconciled, and in love with our brethren. We mull not beare the Word, butfirft we map's; off malicioufne/fe, a Pet. 2. I. It is the exhortation of Saint lames, chap. I. 21. Wherefore lay apart allfilthi nefe, andfuperfuity of malicfoufncfe, and receive the Word with meeke- neffe,&c. The husbandman firft rooteth out the thiftles, and then foweth his precious feede, the Phyfitian firft purgeth out the evill hu- mour, and then giveth his patient wholefome meare. The Word fowne among thornes, will not profper, nor bringforth fruit, but dye; in him, not init felfe. If it be a pearle which we cannot enjoy and be enriched by it, except we firft fell away andpart with all that we have for it, much more mutt we part withungodlineffe, and ourowne cor- rupt affcllions, before we can injoy it. ,ueff. It maybe asked,How far mull love lead us in upholding the the truth e Anfw. I. We mutt not forfake the truth. a. We mull notbetray it by filence : for unfeafonably to be filent, isunfaithfulnefîe, and that of Chriflbelongethto fuch perlons, Hee that is afhamed of me before men, Iwillbe afbamed ofhim before my Father, and bit holy Angels ;this we mutt not doe. What then mutt we doe ! Anfw. I. Beare with the ignoranceof them that arenot as yet inftruéted. Rom. 14. r. Him that is weake in thefaith receive untoyou. 2. Hope well that God in time will thewthem that which he hath revealed to us. Phil.3.i 5, As many as beperfell let thembe thus minded, andifany be otherwifeminded God ¡ballreveale eventhefame unto them. And he that fodefendeth the truth that he beares with ignorance when it is not apparently wilfull and affected, and that hopeth the belt, he doth follow it in love. We mull therefore looke to this thatwe have love, above all keepe that fall,it is thebond of Perfetiion: What ifwe hada11 knowledge, and could clearely challenge all truths, if we bewithout love, weare tinkling Cymbails; if weprevaile in ftanding for any part of truth and let our mindesgrow exulcerate, we drop more with one hand then we reach with the other. If this were well marked, then we might be ofdiffe- rentjudgements, yet linked together in thefelfe fame affeétions. Let us grow.] Whence we may obferve, That we muff not fland at allay, butgrow ingrate; we may fee that the Apoftles doe callthe for - wardeft they write unto, to further perfc&ion. Aboundmore aidmore, a Cor.7. t. Grow upuntofull holineffe. Let usgrow up ingrace. Let him that is righteous, bemore righteous flit. Be ye perfe£i, at your heavenly Father is perfecl. For it is the natureof true grace, if but as a graineof muftard feede, it will fpring up to greater increafe; and this is an evi- dent argument that wenever had true grace, if fo be that it commeth not tofurther growth in us. The whichdoth reprove manyofus, who likenot this, to be called on 503 Wentuh joya loveto fol- lowing ofthe truth. gay 1.1y. Mat. ç. How farre we mull yeeld td love inhol- ding the truth. Marke 8. ;8. yr. t Cor. r;. Dock. We mutt groti in grace. r Thef, ç. I. a Pet. ;.4. ReveLa t. tr. Mat. f. yfe t.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=