A35539:72
Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the…
Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the late reverend Mr. Joseph Caryl.
London : Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock Senior and Junior, 1675
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, The aim, or the end of the work, must be good; and among all ends that are good, the chief, and that which can never be left out, is the glory of God: Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works (your works of Love) may glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Not glorify your self, not set up self. 'Twas the setting up of self, or the making self the end, which corrupted ⟨p. 19⟩and poisoned all those materially good, very good actions of the Pharisees, even their alms giving, their praying, their fasting, as you may read at large in Mat. 6. 1, 5, 16. and those that follow. The End doth denominate the action. It must have a good end, else though the matter be never so good, the work is not good.
Secondly, The aim, or the end of the work, must be good; and among all ends that are good, the chief, and that which can never be left out, is the glory of God: Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works (your works of Love) may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. Not glorifie your self, not set up self. 'Twas the setting up of self, or the making self the end, which corrupted ⟨p. 19⟩and poisoned all those materially good, very good actions of the Pharisees, even their alms giving, their praying, their fasting, as you may read at large in Mat. 6. 1, 5, 16. and those that follow. The End doth denominate the action. It must have a good end, else though the matter be never so good, the work is not good.
Thirdly, (Which is the matter in hand:) The Principle, or spring of the work must be good: 'Tis possible for one to do a work that's good for the matter of it, and to have some good ends in it, and yet not to do it out of a right principle: and this is it which the Text and Doctrine speaks, unless the Principle be good, the work's not good. As the Fountain is, such are the streams that come from it: As the Tree is, such is the fruit that grows upon it. Do men gather Grapes of Thorns, or Eigs of Thistles?