294 The twelfth Sign PART III. Salvation; tho' we thus fpeak. And then in the next Verfe, he tells 'em what was the Reafon he had fuch good Thoughts of 'em : He don't fay, that it was becaufe they had given him a good Account of a Work of God upon their Souls, and talked very experimentally ; but it was their Work, and Labour of Love; For God is not unrighteous, toforget your Work, and Labour ofLove, which ye have 'hewed towards his Name, in that ye have rniniflred to the Saints, and do miner. And the fame Apoftle fpeaks of a faithful ferving God in Practice, as the proper Proof to others of Men's loving Chrift above all,and preferring his Honour to their private Intereft, Phil. 2. 21, 22. For all feek their own, not the Things which are jets Chr ft's : But ye know theproof of him, that as a Son with the Father, he bathferved wiih me in the Gof- pel. So the Apofile 'John expreffes the fame, as the Ground of his good Opinion of Gaius, 3 John 3, 4, 5, 6. For I rejoiced greatly, when the Brethren cameand teflifiedof the Truth that is in thee. But how did the Brethren teflify of the Truth that was in Gaius? And how did the Apoífle judge of the Truth that was in him ? It was not be- caufe they teftified that he had given 'em a good Account of the Steps of his Experiences, and talk'd like one that felt what he Paid, and had the very Language of a Chriftian ; but they teftified, that he walked in the Truth ; as it follows, even as thouwalke in the Truth. I have no greater 'Joy, than to hear that my Children walk in theTruth. Beloved, thou delifaithfully, whatfoever thou doff to the Brethren and to Strangers ; which have born Hitnefs of thy Charity before the Church. Thus the Apoftle explains what the Brethren had born Witnefs of, when they fame and te/iified ofhis walking in the Truth. And the Apoftle feems in this fame Place, to give it as a Rule to Gains how he fhould judge of others ; in Verfe to, he mentions one Diotrephes, that did not carry himfelf well, and led away others after him ; and then in the i t th Verfe he direbts Gaius to beware of fuch, and not to follow them ; and gives him a Rule whereby he may know them, exactly agreable to that Rule Chrift had given before, By their Fruitsye Jhall know 'em ; fays the Apoftle, Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but theft which is good. He that doth Good is of God ; but he that doth Evil bath not feenGod. And I would further obferve that theApoftle 'James, exprefly comparing that Way of (hewing others our Faith and Chrif- tianity by our Practice or Works, with other Ways of (hewing our Faith without Works, or not by Works, does plainly and abundantly prefer the Former; Jam. 2. 18. Yea a Man mayfay, thou halt Faith and 1have Works : Shew me thy Faith without thy Works, and I will !hew thee my Faith by my Works. A Manifeftation of our Faith with- out Works, or in a Way diverfe from Works, is a Manifeftation of it in Fords, whereby a Man profeffes Faith. As the Apoffle fays, Ver. 14. What cloth it profit, my Brethren, tho' a Man SAY he bath Faith -- -- Therefore here are two Ways of manifefting to our Neighbour what
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=