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Faith and Religion of their Parents, and that they fucked it in with their Education; but to be able to fatisfy our own Confciences, or to anfwer the Arguments of an, Adversary, or indeed to enter at all into the Merits of the Caufe, and to give the rational Grounds of their Religion, this is what the greater Part never fo much as attempt; and therefore it is no Wonder, if fuch a flight Faith immediately fails them, whenever it is affaulted with any Strength of Argument from a falfe Prophet.

5. But in the mean time, till we are better grounded and rooted in our Religion, let us not expofe ourselves to grapple with an Adversary upon our own unequal Strength, but taking the Help of our fpiritual Guides, let us arm ourselves. as well as we can against all the Arts and Infinuations of such as would inftil into us their falfe Doctrines. This is no Difparagement, but a Thing which is done daily in the like Cafes. If our civil Rights are encroached upon, we count it no Disparagement to take the Affiftance of an able Lawyer, concerning the beft Way of defending them; and why we should not make use of the fame Precaution to guard ourselves against the Encroachments of falfe Prophets and Teachers, I can fee no manner of Reafon.

And till we have attained fuch a Measure of fpiritual Knowledge and Understanding in the Truths of Religion, that they will not fuffer through the Weakness of our Defence, it will be but Prudence, neither to read the Books, nor to frequent the Company of fuch Perfons, as we think defign to unfettle us in our Principles, without fortifying ourselves with the proper An

tidotes

tidotes of what we may be furnished with from the Books and Converfation of learned Men on the other Side. And this, I think, is far from a Defign of training Men up in an implicit Faith in their Teachers, as the Way is in the Church of Rome; but only allowing the fame fair Play to the Religion they have been inftructed in, as to that for which they are tempted to change it. And I think all this is very fuitable to the Caution in my Text: Beware of false Prophets; and to the Advices of St. Paul in the like Cafes: Rom. xiv. 1. Him that is weak in the Faith, receive ye, but not to doubtful Difputations. And 1 Tim. vi. 3. If any Man teach otherwife, and confent not to wholfome Words, even the Words of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing; but doting about Questions and Strifes of Words, whereof cometh Envy, Strife, Railings, evil Surmifings, perverfe Difputings of Men of corrupt Minds, and deftitute of the Truth, fuppofing that Gain is Godliness; from fuch withdraw thyfelf. And, Rom. xvi. 7. Now I beseech you, Brethren, mark them which caufe Divifions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. For they that are fuch, ferve not our Lord Jefus Chrift, but, their own Belly, and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple.

So much for the first Thing I obferved in this Text, the Caution against false Prophets.

The next is, the Mark whereby we may know them, Ye fhall know them by their Fruits. But this is a Bufinefs of Difficulty, and will require a longer Confideration than can be now afforded;

and

and therefore I fhall refer it to another Opportunity.

In the mean time, obferving our Saviour's Caution, let no Unfteadiness of Principles, let no itching of Ears, or Curiofity after Novelties; let no Plainnefs and Freedom of true Prophets, or Flattery of falfe ones; let no Deceivableness of Unrighteousness, or Pretenfions to fhew you easier Ways to Heaven; let no contrary falfe Maxims or Customs of the World feduce you from the firm Belief, and fincere Profeffion, and uniform Obedience of the Truth; but be ye ftedfaft, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forafmuch as ye know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be all Praise, Honour, and Glory, Might, Power, and Dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XVIII.

MAT. VII. 15, to 21.

Beware of falfe Prophets, which come to you in Sheeps Clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves.

V. 16. Ye shall know them by their Fruits, &c.

T

The Third Sermon on this Text.

HERE were three Things I formerly obferved from these Words.

1. A Caution against falfe Prophets or Teachers; Beware of falfe Prophets, which come to you in Sheeps Clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves.

2. A Mark whereby to know them. Ye shall know them by their Fruits.

3. The Illuftration of this Mark, from the various Fruits of good and bad Vines and Trees.

Now having in two former Difcourfes confidered the first of these, the Caution against false Prophets or Teachers, I proceed now to the Second and Third.

II. The

II. The fecond, which I judge to be a very difficult Enquiry, is the Mark whereby to distinguish these false Prophets from true; that is, by their Fruits. Ye shall know them by their Fruits. In explaining of which Words, it will be neceffary to clear these three Things.

1. That there is a neceffary Distinction to be made between true and falfe Teachers.

2. That the making of this Diftinction falls within the Duty and Capacity of private Chriftians, Ye shall know them.

3. What Fruits these are, from which even private Chriftians may know the Difference between true and falfe Teachers.

1. There is a neceffary Diftinction to be made between true and falfe Teachers; for as it concerns us mightily in a Journey by Land, to commit ourselves to skilful and honeft Guides, fuch as will lead us the fafeft Way to our Journey's End, and the cleareft from Robbers and Enemies; and in a Voyage by Water, to commit our selves to a skilful Pilot, that will conduct us clear of Rocks and Shoals, and all other Dangers; an Error in these endangering our whole Undertaking; it certainly concerns us much more in the Voyage of Life, which will end in everlasting Happiness or Mifery, to take Care that we chufe wife Directors, fuch as will not mislead us into the By-Paths of Sin or Error, but conduct us fafely in the ftraight Way of Truth and Duty. But I need not dwell on this, it being fo obvious to the meaneft Capacity, that a Diftin

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