Page:The rock of wisdom.djvu/114

 his fiery trial in the particular judgment, immediately after death, shall make manifest of what sort every man's work has been, of which, during this life, it is hard to make a judgment, for then the fire of God's judgment shall try every man's work and those whose works are like wood, hay and stubble, cannot abide the fire, shall and will suffer loss: these works being found to be of no value, yet they themselves having built upon the right foundation, by living and dying in the true faith and in the state of grace, though with some imperfection, shall be saved, yet so as by fire, being liable to this punishment by reason of the wood, hay and stubble, which are mixed with their buildings. By the law such can hardly ever be without a fault on the one side or the other, and on both sides that is all indifferent; things are indeed, lawful, inasmuch as they are not prohibited, but oftentimes they are not expedient, as in the case of law suits, &c. and much less would it be expedient to be enslaved by an irregular affection to any thing how independent soever the true children of God's church is, the pure in heart, for he said that none but the pure in heart shall see God. The commandment of love which was first given in the old law, but was renewed and extended by Christ. John 13: 34. The church of God, under the guidance of their lawful pastor, partakes of the grace of the Holy Ghost, promised to the church and her pastor, and have in the church all necessary knowledge and instruction, as long as he keepeth in himself this seed of peace and this divine generation by which he is born of God, but then, he may fall from this happy state, by the abuse of his free will. Rom. 11, 20: 21, 22; 1st Cor. 9: 37; do. 10: 12; 2d Pet. 3: 17; Rev. 3: 11. Now my friendly hearer, I call upon you in God's name, to read these passages of scripture with. due attention, that you may not be deceived in time or in eternity; lift up the right scale first, then we will see our duty to God and to our neighbor and ourselves. Now the left hand scale, that is, we must wear the world as a loose garment, for according to scripture, there is a possibility after a man has been once enlightened, and tasted the good word of God, then after this, fall from grace and that by neglecting his duty to God. This is very clear to every discerning mind, when we see so many passages of