The nature and principles of love, as the end of the commandment declared in…

Use. First, To stir up all to consider, whether they have this pure heart yea or no. You see the importance of it, it is one of the springs out of which every action that is ⟨p. 60⟩pleasing to God, according to his appointment must flow, therefore it stands us much upon, lest we loose all things that we work, To have a good assurance in our own bosoms, that we have a pure heart in our bosoms; and we had need consider it. For,

First, 'tis most sure that many think they have pure hearts, and have them not. Solomon hath an expression; saith he, there are a Generation that are pure in their own own eyes, and yet are not cleansed from their wickedness, Chap. 30. 12. It's an easy matter to be pure in our own eyes, and yet remain altogether unclean? A Generation pure in their own eyes. And St. Augustin speaks of a sort of people; who would needs be called Cathorists, and (saith he) they do call themselves so, they most proudly, and odiously call themselves, the pure ones. But according to his discovery of them, they were not cleansed from their wickedness; ⟨p. 61⟩and how many are thus indeed, clean in their own eyes, and yet are unclean. And,

First, 'tis most sure that many think they have pure hearts, and have them not. Solomon hath an expression; saith he, there are a Generation that are pure in their own own eyes, and yet are not cleansed from their wickedness, Chap. 30. 12. It's an easie matter to be pure in our own eyes, and yet remain altogether unclean? A Generation pure in their own eyes. And St. Augustin speaks of a sort of people; who would needs be called Cathorists, and (saith he) they do call themselves so, they most proudly, and odiously call themselves, the pure ones. But according to his discovery of them, they were not cleansed from their wickedness; ⟨p. 61⟩and how many are thus indeed, clean in their own eyes, and yet are unclean. And,