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by the slights of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Eph. iv. 14. There are many foundations to build upon that are false, upon which much labour is spent in vain; some are not speaking the truth in love; neither are they growing up into him in all things who is the Head, even Christ, Eph. iv 15. There cannot be a growing in Christ without an union with him. Without that union, all that we do is accursed.
If thou retain guilt and self-righteousness under thy profession, those viper will cat out all the vital of it. Try, and examine with the greatest strictness ever day, what foundation thy profession and the hope of thy glory are built upon, 1 Cor. iii. 11. whether it were laid by the hand of Christ; if not, it will never be able to endure the storm which will come against it. Satan will throw it all down, and great will be the fall thereof, Matth. vii. 27.
Consider, the greatest sins may be his under the greatest duties and the greatest terrors. See that the wound which sin hath made in thy soul be perfectly cured pray the blood of Christ, it will poison the sore. Thou wilt find that sin was never mortified truly, if thou hast not see Christ bleeding for thee upon the cross Nothing can kill it but a sight of Christ's righteousness.
