13. Dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God _over all blessed for ever_? Is he _revealed in_ thy soul? Dost thou _know Jesus Christ and him crucified_? Does he _dwell in thee, and thou in him_? Is he _formed in thy heart by faith_? Having absolutely disclaimed all thy own works, thy own righteousness, hast thou _submitted thyself unto the righteousness of_ God, _which is by faith in Christ Jesus_? Art thou _found in him, not having thy own righteousness, but the righteousness which is by faith_? And art thou, thro’ him, _fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold of eternal life_?
14. Is thy faith ἐνεργουμένη δι’ ἀγάπης. Filled with the energy of love? Dost thou love God? I do not say, _above all things_; for it is both an unscriptural and an ambiguous expression: but _with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul and with all thy strength_? Dost thou seek all thy happiness in him alone? And dost thou find what thou seekest? Does thy soul continually _magnify the Lord, and thy spirit rejoice in_ God _thy Saviour_? Having learned _in every thing to give thanks_, dost thou find, _it is a joyful and a pleasant thing to be thankful_? Is God the center of thy soul? The sum of all thy desires? Art thou accordingly _laying up thy treasure in heaven_, and _counting all things else dung and dross_? Hath the love of God cast the love of the world out of thy soul? Then thou art _crucified to the world_. Thou _art dead_ to all _below and thy life is hid with Christ in_ God.
15. *Art thou employed in doing _not thy own will, but the will of him that sent thee_? Of him that sent thee down to sojourn here a-while, to spend a few days in a strange land, till having finished the work he hath given thee to do, thou return to thy Father’s house? Is it thy meat and drink _to do the will of thy Father which is in heaven_? Is _thine eye single_ in all things? Always fixt on him? Always _looking unto Jesus_? Dost thou point at him in whatsoever thou dost? In all thy labour, thy business, thy conversation? Aiming only at the glory of God in all? _Whatsoever_ thou dost, either _in word or deed, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto_ God, _even the Father thro’ him_?
16. Does the love of God constrain thee to _serve_ him _with fear_? To _rejoice unto him with reverence_? Art thou more afraid of displeasing God, than either of death or hell? Is nothing so terrible to thee as the thought of _offending the eyes of his glory_? Upon this ground dost thou _hate all evil ways_; every transgression of his holy and perfect law? And herein _exercise_ thyself, _to have a conscience void of offence toward_ God _and toward man_?
17. Is thy heart right toward thy neighbour? Dost thou _love as thyself_, all mankind without exception? _If you love those only that love you, what thank have you?_ Do you _love your enemies_? Is your soul full of good-will, of tender affection toward them? Do you love even the enemies of God? The unthankful and unholy? Do your bowels yearn over them? Could you _wish yourself_ (temporally) _accurst_ for their sake? And do you shew this, by _blessing them that curse you, and praying for those that despitefully use you and persecute you_?
18. Do you shew your love by your works? While you have time, as you have opportunity, do you in fact _do good to all men_, neighbours or strangers, friends, or enemies, good or bad? Do you do them all the good you can? Endeavouring to supply all their wants, assisting them both in body and soul, to the uttermost of your power? If thou art thus minded, may every Christian say, yea, if thou art but sincerely desirous of it, and following on till thou attain, then _thy heart is right, as my heart is with thy heart_.
II. 1. _If it be, give me thine hand._ I do not mean, “Be of my opinion.” You need not. I do not expect or desire it. Neither do I mean, “I will be of your opinion.” I cannot. It does not depend on my choice: I can no more think, than I can see or hear as I will. Keep you your opinion, I mine: and that as steadily as ever. You need not even endeavour to come over to me, or bring me over to you. I do not desire you to dispute those points, or to hear or speak one word concerning them. Let all opinions alone on one side and the other. Only _give me thine hand_.