denying the only LORD GOD, and our LORD JESUS CHRIST."* They are, further, described as despising dominion;t as speaking evil of dignities ;" and as going "in the way of Cain;"" and after the error of Balaam for reward;" and as perishing in the "gainsaying of Core." We have made these several quotations from Scripture, in order to show, that the intrusion of false prophets or teachers into the church constituted one of the great evils of the first ages. Well, therefore, might our SAVIOUR say to the people, "Beware of false prophets." But how was the simple multitude to distinguish the true prophets from the false? "Ye shall know them," says CHRIST, "by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" This is the great test by which the pretensions, both of public teachers, and of private Christians, are to be examined. Common sense, indeed, dictates this mode of judging : and there is often a remarkable agreement between the sayings of our SAVIOUR and our own common sense. As the na ture of a tree is known by its fruits, so is the nature of a man's religion. "Bring forth," said John the Baptist to the pretenders who gathered round him, "fruits meet for repentance." "I have chosen you, and ordained you," says CHRIST to his Apostles, "that yo should go and bring forth fruit."** We are become dead to the law, says St. Paul, and joined or married to CHRIST, "that we should bring forth fruit unto God." In the time of the Reformation, the mode of judging resorted to was that which is here recommended by CHRIST. The people perceived that the Reformers were a strict and self-denying people, while the body of the Popish priesthood were abominably corrupt. Undoubtedly the people in some measure compared the doctrines of the two parties; but many of them judged, in a still greater degree, by a comparison of the lives of each. By their fruits, the true and the false prophets were then * St. Jude 4. 6 St. Jude 11. † 2 St. Peter ii. 10. St. Matt. vii. 16. tt Rom. vii. 4. 2 St. Peter ii. 10. T St. Matt. iii. 8. known. And thus our SAVIOUR'S maxim was the means of guiding the multitude safely (even in a dark age) into the true paths; and of re-establishing a more pure religion in the world. The precept reaches also to us; and is of standing use in the church. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing." The multitude are always easily imposed upon; those especially become dupes in matters of religion, who are not very religious themselves. There is a superstition, in whose eye the mere name, or dress, of a minister exhibits all the sanctity which is required; they reverence the robe, and the robe only. The Pharisees acquired much respect after this manner. Others require that to the sacred robe a little outward decency of character should be added. There is another class, who think that bold pretensions to inspiration, or apostleship; that zeal, as ardent as that of Paul, and strong confidence, like his; (though without his faith and love, his humility and patience, his gentleness and meekness, his prudence and wisdom, and discernment, and all his other graces,) are sufficient marks of a true prophet. But by their fruits, says CHRIST, they shall be known. Paul himself used often to appeal both to his doctrine; and to his manner of life, conversation, faith, charity; and he, by living among his converts, afforded to them an opportunity of being thoroughly acquainted with his character. "I have coveted," he said, "no man's silver, or gold, or apparel: yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered to my necessities." As he was foremost in authority and rank in the Church; so also was he foremost in labours, in sufferings, and self-denials. To these, when competitors arose and endeavoured to undermine him, he was accustomed to make appeal; insomuch that he sometimes would appear guilty of vanity, or at least of too much egotism; if he had not pleaded the necessity for boasting, under which these false teachers had laid him. Ministers, in all ages *Acts xx. 33, 34. must be content to be judged of, in the same manner with Paul the Apostle. By their fruits, they must be known; and not by the clerical decencies of their appearance; not by the mere profession of their faith; not by the soundness of their preaching; not by the regularity of their ordination only. If therefore, we would provide ourselves with means of judging, adapted to all ages of the church; and if we would be preserved safe, in spite of the degeneracy both of ministers and people, let our rule be that of CHRIST. Let us judge our very teachers, by their fruits. On the one hand, indeed, we ought to reverence the office of a Christian minister. St. Paul reverenced the office of High Priest; and once testified his reverence, in a remarkable manner: but, on the other hand, let us be cautious, how we commit the instruction of our souls, respecting the way to eternal life, to men unacquainted with that way: to men, especially, who show, by their works, that they are of the number of those false prophets, against whom we are expressly warned by JESUS CHRIST. Let it, moreover, be remembered, that ministers should be strict, with a truly Christian strictness; that they should be humble and selfdenying; raised above the love of this world; and above the fear of worldly persons; given to much prayer, as well as to much exertion in the ministry; alive to GOD, and spiritually-minded; being of that "kingdom which is not of this world.”* These are the virtues of a Christian minister; and when these adorn the character, let us esteem the possessor of them, very highly in love, for his work's sake. It would tend much to the purification of the Christian church, and to the rectification of its very doctrine, if private Christians would agree to judge of the excellencies of their ministers much more by their works (taking works in their large and scriptural sense) than they are accustomed to do. And it would be well, if ministers also would bear in mind, that it is neither parts nor learning, neither pulpit eloquence, nor any power of attracting a congrega * St. John xviii. 36. tion; that it is neither a right understanding of doctrines, nór skill in interpreting prophecy, nor talent in explaining the more difficult parts of Scripture, nor knowledge of all the evidences of Christianity, nor rank and station in the Church, which constitutes their sufficient title to the ministry. We know, from Scripture, that if a man should possess even miraculous gifts, and yet be destitute of the one lasting grace of charity, he is but as "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”* XLIII. ST. MATTHEW VII. 17-20. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 66 OUR SAVIOUR having instructed the people to beware of false prophets, having observed that by their fruits they should be known, adds, in these words, a general truth of great importance. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit :" that is, the nature of a tree is determined by its fruit; a good tree yielding good fruit, and a bad tree being known by the bad fruit which it produces. This is the truth, which we are now to consider; a truth, which seems plain and undeniable. Many men, nevertheless, are far from adopting it, as a maxim of their religion. * 1 Corinth. xiii. 1. The bad fruit of a tree is, indeed, willingly referred to the evil nature of the tree; but is bad fruit in the life as readily charged to something bad in the heart? How ready are most persons to say, even while they acknowledge their sins, that they trust, it was not any fault of the heart, which was the cause of them: not knowing that sin proceeds but from the heart. The heart is that fountain from which flows every thing that is either good or evil. This is the doctrine of our SAVIOUR,-"A good man," says CHRIST, "out of the good treasures of the heart bringeth forth good things." And again, "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falsewitness, blasphemies." This, also, is the doctrine of reason and of common sense: though some, who have been denominated" rational divines," seem to teach the contrary. "It is true," say these teachers, "that most men are in fact corrupt; but this corruption arises not from any thing wrong in the nature of man, but from external causes: the corruption is accidental, adventitious, and superinduced. It results from a wrong education, from evil influence, from some particular temptation, and from bad example; and not from any root of evil in the man, not from any evil nature, and a naturally bad heart. The heart," say they, "is naturally good; though the life, we grant, is evil:"—that is, the tree is good, though the fruit brought forth be evil. How is it (it may be asked, in answer to the remark) that men are so easily turned aside by a bad education; and are with so much difficulty restrained even by a good one? are so ready to be operated upon by an evil influence; so willingly yield to every temptation, and are so prone to follow a bad example? How can this happen, unless there be a previous bias to evil? Surely a disposition to commit some sin, as soon as any temptation to the sin shall offer itself, is an evil disposition; and a heart and nature inclined to corrupt indulgences, as soon as the several occasions of corrupt indulgence shall present themselves, may, with + St. Matt. xv. 19. St. Matt. xii. 35. |