523 / 808
VER.
15.
ephefian.r,Chap.q..
to
another.
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
to
doe
any
duty,
we
muff not offer our
offering
till
we be
reconciled,
and in
love with our
brethren.
We
mull
not
beare
the
Word,
but
firft we
map's;
off malicioufne/fe,
a
Pet.
2.
I.
It
is
the
exhortation
of
Saint lames,
chap. I.
21.
Wherefore lay
apart
all
filthi
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 bring
forth
fruit,
but dye;
in
him,
not in
it
felfe.
If
it
be
a
pearle
which
we cannot enjoy and be
enriched by it, except we
firft fell
away
and
part with
all
that we have
for
it, much more
mutt we part with
ungodlineffe, and ourowne cor-
rupt affcllions, before we can injoy it.
,ueff. It
may
be
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,
I
will
be
afbamed
of
him
before my
Father,
and bit
holy
Angels
;
this
we mutt not doe.
What
then mutt we doe !
Anfw.
I.
Beare
with
the ignorance
of
them
that
are
not
as
yet
inftruéted.
Rom.
14.
r.
Him
that
is
weake
in the
faith
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
be
perfell
let
them
be
thus minded,
and
if
any be
otherwife
minded
God
¡ball
reveale eventhe
fame unto
them.
And
he
that
fo
defendeth 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 that
we have
love, above
all keepe
that
fall,
it
is
the
bond
of
Perfetiion:
What
if
we
had
a11
knowledge,
and
could clearely challenge
all
truths,
if
we
be
without love,
we
are
tinkling
Cymbails;
if
we
prevaile
in
ftanding for
any
part
of
truth
and
let our
mindes
grow
exulcerate, we drop more with
one
hand then
we
reach
with the other.
If
this were well
marked, then we might be
of
diffe-
rentjudgements, yet
linked
together
in
the
felfe fame affeétions.
Let
us
grow.]
Whence
we may obferve, That
we
muff not
fland
at
allay,
but
grow
in
grate;
we may
fee
that the Apoftles doe
call
the
for
-
wardeft
they
write unto, to further
perfc
&ion.
Abound
more
aid
more,
a
Cor.7.
t.
Grow
up
unto
full
holineffe.
Let
us
grow
up
in
grace. Let
him
that
is righteous,
be
more
righteous
flit.
Be
ye
perfe£i,
at
your heavenly
Father
is
perfecl.
For
it is
the
nature
of
true grace,
if
but
as a
graine
of
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
which
doth reprove many
of
us,
who
like
not this, to be called
on
503
Wentuh
joya
loveto fol-
lowing
of
the
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.