Then hence you are to consider 1your condition, and to examine your self; it may be this is thy condition, and it may be a thing you never considered of, or at least you never knew the danger of it. Therefore now see what your case is. The best service we can do to you, is to show you your estates, if ye be ⟨p. 20⟩right, to comfort you; and if ye be not right, is it not best for ye to know, while it may be amended? Thou that livest in the Church, and hast gone far, examine thy self in his, Hast thou done all out of Love? Thou hast kept thy self in good course: thou keepest the Lords day, and livest like a Christian, thou doest many things indeed. Bu• let me ask thee this question, Do you all out of love? for without love all is naught. If a man should be a Martyr, (which is the highest action;) yet without this love, it were to no purpose, 1 Corinthians 13. Put the case a man should do many things for thee, yet if he do it not out of love to thee, you cannot regard it; Neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision avails any thing, but faith which works by love, Galatians 5. It is all one, whether you pray or not; hear or not; live well or not, if it be not out of love. What was said of circumcision or uncircumcision, may be said of any duty; all that you have done, is as nothing, if it be not out of love: try your selves by this, for I know not in all the frames of Theology, such a touchstone of Hypocrisy, as this. This most unmasks a man of any thing. As it was with the Apostle, The Law revived, and he died, Romans 7. So, it may be, you have thought your self a living man; see then if you love, deceive not your self any longer.
Then hence you are to consider 1your condition, and to examine your selfe; it may be this is thy condition, and it may be a thing you never considered of, or at least you never knew the danger of it. Therefore now see what your case is. The best service wee can doe to you, is to shew you your estates, if ye bee ⟨p. 20⟩right, to comfort you; and if ye be not right, is it not best for ye to know, while it may be amended? Thou that livest in the Church, and hast gone farre, examine thy selfe in his, Hast thou done all out of Love? Thou hast kept thy selfe in good course: thou keepest the Lords day, and livest like a Christian, thou doest many things indeed. Bu• let mee aske thee this question, Doe you all out of love? for without love all is naught. If a man should bee a Martyr, (which is the highest action;) yet without this love, it were to no purpose, 1 Corinthians 13. Put the case a man should doe many things for thee, yet if hee doe it not out of love to thee, you cannot regard it; Neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision availes any thing, but faith which workes by love, Galathians 5. It is all one, whether you pray or not; heare or not; live well or not, if it bee not out of love. What was said of circumcision or uncircumcision, may bee said of any duty; all that you have done, is as nothing, if it bee not out of love: try your selves by this, for I know not in all the frames of Theology, such a touchstone of Hypocrisie, as this. This most unmaskes a man of any thing. As it was with the Apostle, The Law revived, and he died, Romans 7. So, it may be, you have thought your selfe a living man; see then if you love, deceive not your selfe any longer.
- 1Use 2. Try whether, what you do is out of love.Vse 2. Try whether, what you do is out of love.
