DEAR Brethren, I beg your patient Attention, while I deliver to you the Counsels of GOD from these Words. — This Parable was deli­ver'd by Christ to check a Humour, which he foresaw would be too prevalent in some of his own dear Servants: [Page 2] And it affords us many useful Observations, which I shall mention in the Order they occur; explaining the Text as I go along.

The first OBSERVATION is, That there is, has been, and always will be, a Mixture of good Seed & had, of Tares and Wheat in the visible Church of Christ, till his second Coming.

The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a Man which sowed good Seed in his Field; But while Men slept, his Enemy come and sowed Tares among the Wheat— By the Field is meant the World, as our Saviour explains it, v. 38. In this Field Christ sows good Seed, i. e. he gathers a Church out of the World, which are called the Chil­dren of the Kingdome, v. 38. He separates a Number to himself out of the corrupt Mass of Mankind; effectu­ally calling them by his Word and Spirit, washing away their Sins in his most precious Blood, and renewing their Natures, and purifying their Hearts, and making them like GOD in Holiness.—While he was doing this, an Ene­my, viz. Satan came and sowed Tares among the Wheat, i. e. he stirred up his Children to join with GOD's People, and to take on them the Christian Profession, and to put on the Garb of Saints: Hence they are said to be among the Wheat; they were join'd with them in outward Relation; they became visible Members, deceiving both themselves and others. — The former constituted the in­visible Church; but both together made up that Society, which is styled the Church visible: So that Tares and Wheat are ever found together within the Pale of the Church. —

In all Companies there will be evil Intruders; Satan among the Angels; Soul among the Prophets; Judas among the Apostles; Dames among the Professors.— The Church in Scripture is compared to a Net, which incloses good Fish and bad; to a Floor, where the good [Page 3] Grain is mixt with the Chaff; and to a House, in which there are Vessels of Gold and Silver, and others of Wood and Earth, and some to Honour, and some to Dishonour. ^*

Oh! how many are there, who are Friends of Christ in Profession, & yet Enemies to him in Affection? The vilest of Creatures do sometimes creep into the purest of Churches: The wise and foolish Virgins are blended together; good and bad Seed are mixt for a while; the Heirs of Salvation, and the Vessels of Wrath may be of one Church, and eat at one Table: all are not Israel, that are of Israel, Rom. 9.6.

This is a Misery greatly to be bewailed, but cannot be fully remedy'd, till the Judgment Day, when Sheep and Goats, true and false Professors will be separated for ever. — However in the mean Time, Ministers and Churches should be very careful in this Matter; They should learn to be more watchful in Admissions to the Church.

If Men sleep, the Devil will sow Tares; If the Faith­ful be negligent, He will fill the Church with Swarms of Hypocrites; many of which might be kept out, if due Care be used.

Is it not too evident even in our Days, that the Doors of the Church have been open'd too wide? Has there not been a great Remissness in the Examination & Tryal of Candidates for Communion? And have not many unfound Members crowded in by this Means? — and has not the due Exercise of Discipline been greatly neg­lected, whereby they have continued to infest the Church? — The Lord pardon our great Delinquency in this Respect, and stir us up to be more watchful. — No Perils so great, as those occasion'd by false Brethren: We think to fill the Church, but we do but fill the House with Thieves; Wicked Men ever prove a [Page 4] Trouble. — a Body made up of this Mixture becomes like a Body overcharged with ill Humours, and truly Sick. — By promiscuous Admissions, we bring in such a Mischief to the Church, as we cannot easily get rid of.- What need then of Circumspection in this Matter? — Yet after all, let the strictest Care be used, there will some Hypocrites creep in; and GOD permits it for the Church's Trial, and the Wicked's Harding.

The Second OBSERVATION is, that the good and bad Seed may be so alike as to outward Appearance, that there is no distinguishing them for a great while.

The Tares did not appear at first, but lay concealed, 'till the Blade sprung up, and bro't forth Fruit. v. 26. 'Twas not the Stalk, but the Fruit that distinguish'd them. — It is St. Jeram's Observation, that Wheat and Tares in those Eastern Countries, are so much alike in their first springing up, that 'tis exceeding difficult to distinguish the one from the other: The Difference faith he, between them is either none at all, or wonderful difficult to discern.—They so associate and unite themselves with the Corn, as if they were the very same. And if this be so difficult; how much more so is it to discern the Difference between special and common Grace in ano­ther. — There is no Grace, but a Hypocrite may have something like it; and there is no Duty done by a Christian, but an Hypocrite nay outstrip him in it.— So that a very judicious Eye may be led into a Mistake by the near outward Resemblance, & take a Counterfeit for a Reality.

Does GOD by his Spirit prepare Soul for Christ by working in them as a Spirit of Bondage, convincing, wounding and humbling them for Sin? And do not many, that never receive Christ, partake of these Pre­paratives? Are they not often deeply convinced of, burden'd with, and wounded for Sin? Were not Pharaoh [Page 5] and Soul, and Judas, and Felix, under great Convictions of Sin for a while? And have not many others been un­der great legal Terrors, yea greater than many of GOD's People ever felt; and yet rested upon their old Bottom still?

Doth GOD work Faith in Souls truly convinced and humbled? There is also a Faith in Hypocrites. The stony Greund Hearers for a while believe, and in Time of Temptation fall away, Luk. 8.13. Then Simon himself believed also, Act. 8.13. Many of the Rulers believed on him, but they durst not confess him, &c. Joh. 12.42. 'Tis said of the hypocritical Jews, Isai. 18.2. They stay'd themselves upon the GOD of Israel.—

Doth true Faith work by Love, and fill the Hearts of Believers with vehement Longings and Breathings after Christ? — And does not something of this appear in Hypocrites? Some of this Stamp were so affected with Christ's Discourses, as that they cry'd out; Lord, ever­more give us this Bread, Joh. 6.34. And 'tis said Luk. 8.40. The People gladly received him; they received him with great Affection and Love.

Doth the Spirit of God seal Believers, and fill them with a blessed Assurance of their Interest in Heaven?— And have not many Hypocrites a strong Perswasion of this also? Hos. 8.2. Israel shall cry unto me, my GOD, we know thee; and yet Israel was in a great Mistake, as appears from the next Verse: and we read what a Stock of Confidence some Self-Deceivers had, Rom. 2.19, 20. Yea, so high built may this false Assurance be, as that they may carry it with them to the Judgment Seat of Christ. Mat. 7.22. Lord, Lord, have we not prophery'd in thy Name, &c.

Doth the Holy Spirit give Believers a blessed Preli­bation or Foretaste of the Bliss above, and fill them with a sacred Joy? — What a Resemblance to this doth that [Page 6] bear, of which we read, Heb. 6.4, 5. They may taste of the Heavenly Gift, and he made Partakers of the Holy Ghost, and taste the good Word of GOD, and the Powers of the World to come; and yet become final Apostates? And were not the stony Ground Hearers filled with Joy in hearing the Word, Mat. 13.20. They who shall be cast into utter Darkness, may for a Season rejoyce in the Light, Joh. 5.35.

Do Believers delight in approaching to GOD, so may Hypocrites. Isai. 58.2.

Do Believers humble themselves for Sin? the Isra­elites were oft deep in their Humiliations; they sought GOD, and return'd and enquired early after GOD. Ahab humbled himself. ^*

Do Believers turn from Sin, and live a Life of Holi­ness. In this also the Hypocrite imitates the Believer; yea, sometimes to Appearance may go beyond him.—Such may escape the Pollutions of the World, thro' the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus, 2 Pet. 2.20. They may have the un­clean Spirit cast out by an external Reformation; yea, the inward Man may be swept and garnish'd, Mat. 12.43, 44. Their internal Lusts may be quench'd for a while; yea, the whole Mass of Sin laid asleep, & seem­ingly mortify'd for the present.

Do the Saints receive great Assistances from Christ, and do great Services for him? And was not this the Case of Saul, 1 Sam. 10.13. And likewise of Judas? Did he not do many Miracles, and perhaps awaken, if not convert some Souls? Oh! what Assistances, and In­largements in Duties? what Divine Benedictions on their Labours, have some Ministers received from Christ, who yet were never real Friends to him?

[Page 7]What shall I say more? Perhaps you may think the unsound Professor will not stand the Test of the fiery Trial, but must of necessity be discover'd when it comes to that.— Why this is no infallible Rule neither. Doth not Paul, 1 Cor. 13.3. suppose that a Person may give his Body to be burned, or die a Martyr for Christ; and yet be destitute of divine Love or Charity? It appears then that the Resemblance between the Saints and Hy­pocrites come so near, as that in many Cases it may be almost impossible to distinguish them.—

"And the Difference will yet be more subtle & un­discernable (as Mr. Flavel observes) if we consider, that as in so many Things, the Hypocrite resembles the Saint; so there are other Things, in which a real Christian may act too like an Hypocrite. — When we find says he, a Pharoah confessing, an Herod practising, as well as hearing, a Judas preaching Christ, an Alex­ander venturing his Life for Paul; and on the other Side, shall find a David condemning that in another, which he practised himself; and Asa in a Rage with a Pro­phet for faithfully reproving him, and putting him in Prison; a Jehoshaphat joining in Affinity with a wicked Ahab; an Hezekiah glorying in his Riches; a Peter dis­sembling; a Paul and Barnabas quarrelling and con­tending, and even all the Disciples forsaking Christ in an Hour of Trouble and Danger: — Oh then! how hard is it for the Eye of Man to discern between Chaff and Wheat? How many upright Hearts are now cen­sur'd, whom GOD will clear? How many false Hearts are now approved, whom GOD will condemn? Men ordinarily have no clear convictive Proofs, but only probable Symptoms, which at most can beget but a conjectural Knowledge of another's State. — And they that shall peremptorily judge either Way, may possibly wrong the Generation of the Upright; or on the other [Page 8] Side, absolve and justify the Wicked. — And truly con­sidering what has been said, it is no great Wonder, that dangerous Mistakes are so frequently made in this Matter."

I. Hence see the Error of those who hold, that an absolute infallible Knowlege of the Brethren, is to be at­tain'd by ordinary Believers in this Life.

We may certainly know our own State; But, 'tis im­possible for us, without divine Inspiration, such as the Prophets had, absolutely to know the Goodness of ano­ther's State. — This is a Point, that has been much in my Meditation; and Time was when I my self tho't, that it was easier to know a true Christian, than I now find it to be, tho' I never gave in to the Doctrine of the infallible Knowlege. — And therefore I shall with all Hu­mility and Meekness, lay before you some of those Ar­guments which convinced me; and I beg you, Dear Brethren, to weigh them impartially in the Balance of the Sanctuary.

As for those, who walk after the Course of this World, fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind, and committing Iniquity with Greediness, their Case is ea­sily known; of these we may say without Hesitation, They are in the Gall of Bitterness, and Bond of Iniquity.— And the same may be said of some formal Professors, who in their Discourse bewray the most wretched Ig­norance of the Nature of Conviction and Conversion.— Setting these aside, there are others who have had great Convictions, Illuminations &c. such as we have men­tion'd under the Doctrine; and yet out of Christ.—And there are some also, who tho' destitute of these in a great Measure; yet by associating with Christians, and hearing them frequently give an Account of their Ex­periences, and seeing them in their Joys, can more ea­sily pretend to have experienced the same Things; hav­ing [Page 9] learnt their Lesson, as it were, by Rote. — Now re­specting these two latter Sorts, the Difficulty of distin­guishing them from the true Christian is greater than many imagine. — Some of these are often esteem'd as Christians by Believers themselves, when at the same Time they suspect Hypocrisy in others, who have the Root of the Matter in them. — For the Proof of this, we may allege many Scriptures and Examples taken from thence.

Holy Job, tho' in the Exercise of Grace, tho' he could say, I know that my Redeemer liveth; yet at the same Time he thinks hardly of his pious Friends, ^* and they of him; yea, they stick not to accuse him of downright Hypocrisy. ^‡

David was greatly deceived in Abitophel, taking him to be one of the best Men of the Age; hence they take sweet Counsel together, and walk'd to the House of GOD in Company, Psal. 55.14. This good King felt his pi­ous Discourses, & his Heart was knit to him in brother­ly Love; yea, he had such a Value for him as to make him his spiritual Guide, v. 13. And this continued for a long Time, 'till he turned an avowed Traitor and Rebel.

Elisha the Prophet was likewise deceived in his Ser­vant Gehazi: 'Tis not likely that he would have enter­tain'd him so long, or sent him to raise the dead Child, if he had not tho't him a good Man: And he did not find him out, 'till GOD by an immediate Revelation discover'd his Wickedness in the Affair of Naaman; from which Time he turn'd him out of his Service. ^‖

But you will say, these are old Testament Instances; but our Light is greater now under the Gospel: I Answer, [Page 10] If our Light is greater, yet our Improvements of our Light are not so great: To our Shame be it spoken, we fall vastly short of many old Testament Believers in Faith, and Love, and other Graces; and therefore have no better Abilities to discover Hypocrites than they: there is nothing more in the Nature of our Love to the Brethren, to distinguish the precious from the vile, than was in their's. — If Prophets and inspired Men were deceived; much more may we, who are but Babes and Novices, and no more to be compared with them, except in their Infirmities, than a Dwarf to a Giant. —

The Instance of Judas, which is so often alledged at this Day, is also very much to the Purpose: The Apostles held Communion with this Man for above three Years, and did not suspect him; yea, they were more suspicious of themselves than of him. — But you will say, this was because they were poor, weak, low Believers, and had not so much Grace as we have. — But, my Brethren, consider seriously, does not this Answer favour too much of spiritual Pride! Is it not contrary to the humble Ex­ample of the great Apostle, who was one of the most eminent Believer's that ever was, when he cry'd out, I am less than the least of all Saints! Eph. 3.8. And is it not an Argument of Weakness of Grace, rather than of Strength! For many Believers that have been of your Opinion at their first Conversion, have rejected it as an Error, when they came to be more experienced in the divine Life. — Besides, were not the Apostles often in the high Exercise of Grace, especially when they made that glorious Confession; We are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living GOD, Mat. 16.16. Job. 6.69. And when Christ told them, that their Names were written in Heaven? Luk. 10.20. How come they not to discern him at these Times, if 'tis the Privilege of [Page 11] ordinary Believers to know the Brethren, when Grace is in lively Exercise?

Further, the Advice of Christ to true Believers, Mat. 7.15. To beware of false Prophets, shews how possible it is even for his own People to be deceived & misled by them for a Time: The Shape into which they transform themselves, namely, the Apostles of Christ, and Ministers of Righteousness, shews the difficulty many Times of dis­cerning them. — The Faithful at Corinth were greatly misled by such Teachers. 2 Cor. 11.13, 14, 15. They were so taken with their Pretences to greater Light and Holiness than others, that they even look'd upon the Apostle as weak and contemptible, and a dark Teacher in comparison of them. ^* Yea, some of them went so far as to style him a Reprobate or Unconverted. 2 Cor. 13.6, 7. Whence he was obliged so highly to com­mend himself in the 11th & 12th Chap. And if such a Church as this, so famous for Gifts and Graces, did not find it an easy Task to detect such Pretenders; how much less easy is it in many Cases for Believers of a low­er Class to do it?

Christ speaks thus respecting the stony Ground Hear­ers and others, Luk. 8.18. Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he SEEMETH to have. — In the Apprehensions of Men, both good and bad, he seemeth to have many Gifts and Graces; but these he shall be stript of and appear as he is: GOD shall un­mask him first or last, taking away his common Gifts, or suffering him to fall into, and be overcome by foul Temptations.

Simon the Sorcerer was esteem'd a Christian by Philip the Evangelist, and accordingly baptiz'd; and we read nothing to the contrary but that he was so accounted [Page 12] by St. Peter himself, 'till his own Mouth bewrayed him; 'till his Selfishness and Covetousness broke forth at his Lips. — And then it was, and not till then, that Peter tells him, I perceive thou art in the Gall of Bitterness &c. Act. 8.23. As if he had said, thy Words have discovered thee; I now perceive plainly what you are: Before I was ignorant of your Case; I did not feel you out; but now it is manifest; I am sure you are not converted; therefore repent.

Annanias and Sapphira were tho't to be eminent Chri­stians by their Fellow-Professors at Jerusalem; & to keep up their Reputation sold their Land, under Pretence of putting all the Money into the common Stock; but out of Covetousness reserving Part to themselves, the Lord revealed their Wickedness immediately to St. Peter; and then their false Profession vanish'd. Act. 5. But be­fore this Revelation, the Believers of that Church in the highest Exercise of Grace could not discover them, no, nor the Apostles themselves, who were the immedi­ate Planters of that Church.

Nicolas one of the seven Deacons was tho't by the Church and by the Apostle too, to be a Man full of Faith and of the Holy Ghost, Act. 6. But afterwards he re­volted, and became the Head of a pernicious Sect called the Nicolaitans, Rev. 2.6.

The Christians in Rome even in the Apostles Time got a differing about some non-essential Points; & tho't hardly of one another upon this Account, and began to seperate Communions, and to reject each other as Hypocrites.— But the Apostle checks them thus, Rom. 14.10. Why dost thou judge thy Brother? Or why dost thou set at nought thy Brother? For we shall all stand be­fore the Judgment Seat of Christ. — They were Brothren in Christ, notwithstanding their Difference, and tho' [Page 13] they censur'd each other as not being so. — Where was their infallible Knowlege all this while?

The Apostle tells the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.19. There must be Heresies among you, that they which are ap­proved may be made manifest among you. — 'Till the rising of these Heresies, the true and false Professor remain'd undistinguish'd in that Church; they had equally the Repute of good Christians: But then the Apostacy of the one, and the Stedfastness of the other made them manifest; the receiving or rejecting the new sprung Heresies served as a Test to distinguish them: So that they were found out, not by Feeling, but by their Fruits: Paul was at great Uncertainties about the Galatians: when they were first wro't upon by his Ministry, he embraced them with open Arms as dear Brethren; but their after Behaviour made him suspicious of them; Hence he says, Gal. 4.20. I stand in Doubt of you.— How comes this, if he had an infallible Knowledge of their Estate at first when he received them into the Church, and did not judge them by their after Fruits?

Demas was esteem'd a first rate Christian by this Apostle; he took him for his Companion in his Travels, and no doubt had often sweet Fellowship with him; he calls him his Fellow-Labourer, Philem. v. 24. But at last this Demas for sook him, for the Love of this present World. 2 Tim. 4.10. The Apostle, tho' an inspired Man, never felt him out, 'till his wicked Life discover'd him.— And it is said of Hymenus and Alexander, that they made Ship­wreck of Faith and a good Conscience, 1 Tim. 1.19, 20. They had not these in Reality, but only in the Estimation of the Apostle and other Believers contemporary with them; but they were not discern'd by any, till their open Apostacy.— The humble Language of St. Peter, 1 Ep. v. 12. becomes us at this Day; By Sylvanus a faithful Brother to you (as I suppose) I have written briefly &c. [Page 14] He did not pretend to an object▪ Knowledge of Sylva­nus's good Estate, tho' intimately acquainted with him, and tho' he employ'd him as his Messenger to carry his Epistle Abroad; but only goes upon Supposition and Pro­bability; which is the highest Knowledge that ordinary Believers can reach, & even the Apostles themselves with­out immediate Revelation.—We may collect from other Scriptures, that this Sylvanus was really a good Man; and yet the Apostle durst not assert it absolutely.— And shall we pretend to higher Attainments than this great Apostle? —

But you will say, the Supposition does not relate to the Reality of his Christanity, but to his Faithfulness in his Station and Office, and particularly in serving those to whom St. Peter wrote; and therefore the Expression is, a faithful Brother to you &c.—I Answer, This can't be the Sense, because if he knew him to be a Christian, he must of necessity know that he would be faithful; for they are inseparable: And therefore the Supposition refers as much to his State, as to his Behaviour towards other Christians: He could not doubt of the one with­out doubting of the other; for an unfaithful Man is no Christian. — Besides we must remember, that this Epis­tle is not directed to any particular Church, in which Sylvanus was an Officer, but it was general to the Chris­tians scatter'd up and down over all Asia, which included one Quarter of the World. — Now when he supposed him a faithful Brother to such a Multitude of Christians in different Parts, (most of whom 'tis likely Sylvanus had never seen,) this is the same Thing as if he had said, he supposed him to be a converted Man.—

The Apostle speaks of some, 1 Joh. 2.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: But they went out that it might be made MANIFEST, that they [Page 15] were not all of us.— As long as they continued, they were tho't well of; they were embraced as Christians by the Apostle John and others; but their going out disco­ver'd their False-heartedness & Insincerity, which before lay hid from all but GOD.

The white Stone and new Name, (Rev. 2.17.) was known absolutely to none, but those that received it; others could not come to such Certainty respecting them.

Further, The seven Churches of Asia, of whom we have an Account, Rev. 2.3. were planted by the Apos­tles themselves; who no doubt used great Care and Caution in the Admission of Members; and yet how many of those Members were Hypocrites; some of whom were known only to GOD, and others of them in Time discover'd it to Man by their corrupt Doctrines and vicious Lives.—And if it was so then, much more may it be so since, when the most faithful Ministers and Christians are destitute of those Gifts, and the high De­gree of those Graces, which the Apostles had.

Lastly, St. John tells us, Rev. 8.10. There fell a great Star from Heaven, burning as it were a Lamp. This Star was some eminent Professor; He made a great Blaze, and shined as much in Appearance as the best Christian; He was taken for such a one, till he fell, i. e. 'till he be­gan to discover himself by his damnable Doctrines and wicked Ways; by his Apostacy from the Truth.— Some Divines suppose, that this refers to Pelagius that arch Heretic, who before he broached his Heresy, was had in high Esteem in the Church of GOD.

Agreeable to this were the Sentiments of our Fore-Fathers, and all the old experimental Writers that ever I read: They all with one voice deny an infallible Know­ledge in this Case; and [...] us, that as long as Mens Profession of Faith and [...] are agre [...]ble to the Word, [Page 16] we are charitably bound to think them good Men, but to leave the Heart with GOD.

And says Mr Tennant, "For any Men to pretend to know certainly who are gracious, as one of the Moravi­ans did in my Hearing, is to assume an incommunicable Prerogative of GOD: And to run upon this false Plan in Church Matters, is to turn all into the wildest Dis­order and Confusion.—And in another Place he calls it a detestable Notion." ^‖

But you will say, Can we know nothing of the good Estate of others? Is the Matter left at such utter Uncer­tainties: —I Answer, There is in this, as in other Cases, a different Degree of Evidence: Of some there are such Evidences given as are exceeding satisfying; their Lives are so holy, their Testimonies are so clear, their Conversation so shining, as to exclude all Doubt con­cerning their State: Here we may arrive to a moral Cer­tainty, i. e. the highest Degree of Probability, having as much to sway our Charity, as can be rationally expected in this Life.—Others give only slight and more weak Encouragements to our Hope, and mix it with many Occasions of Fear and Jealousie concerning them; and yet Hope hath at least so much to say, that there is some Probability, at least a Possibility, that their Hearts may be right with GOD.

But you will say, If we may arrive to such a Know­ledge as excludes all Doubt, how does this differ from the absolute Certainty that is pleaded for? I Answer, There is a considerable Difference: There are many Things of which we have no Doubt; and yet there is a Possibi­lity they may be otherwise. — When a credible Man of [Page 17] our Acquaintance give us an Account of a Matter of Fact from his own certain Knowlege, we don't enter­tain any Doubt concerning the Truth of it; and when a Man in general Repute for Honesty undertakes a parti­cular Trust, we have not many Times the least Scruple but that he will manage it faithfully; and yet 'tis possi­ble we may be deceived in both Instances, as many have been. We may indeed in the Case before us go thus far, and not get beyond our Line:— When we hear any Person give a particular Account of his Experiences, and find them agreable to the Word of GOD, we may say without Hesitation, If this Account he right, this Person is certainly converted: But whether he gives a true Ac­count or no, whether he don't over-do in the Matter, must be left with GOD, who only knows the Hearts of the Children of Men.—A Person who hath studyed the Scriptures, who has read many experimental Sermons, who has heard the Preaching of this Day; who has been present when Persons have express'd themselves under Conviction or Joy: I say, such a Person may form such a plausible Account, as may deceive the very best of you, tho' he never had a thoro' Feeling of such Things in his own Soul.—Suppose that a Man should give an Account, that at such a Time he was struck with Conviction; that at first he was very fearful of Hell and Damnation; that afterwards his Sorrow changed, and he was more afflicted with a Sense of the Plague of an hard Heart; that he saw himself wholly overspread with the Leprosie of Sin, and that his best Duties were an Abomination to the Lord; that he was made sensible he could do nothing, and that it would have been just in GOD to damn him; And so was bro't to the Foot of a sovereign GOD, des­pairing of all Hope and Help in himself:— That then GOD discover'd to him Christ's Ability & Willingness to save him; that he also made him willing, & enabled [Page 18] him to lay hold of and apply such and such Proraises; and that hereupon he was fill'd with Comfort and Joy, and his Heart drawn out in Love to GOD and his Peo­ple:—Suppose a Man should give you such an Account as this, would you not believe that he was converted? And yet why might he not feign all this out of his own Heart? If you say, none would be so Wicked as to do this: I ask, why not? Have there not been Instances of it in all Ages? To deny the Thing, is to deny that there ever was a wilful Hypocrite in the World: For those that take up Religion to be seen of Men, or for other base sinister Ends, sometimes pretend to this and more; and not only lie to Man, but to GOD too.— If you say, that he would discover himself by the lifeless cold Manner in which he related such Experiences.— This is no sufficient Test neither: 'Tis too evident that a Hypocrite may counterfeit a lively Relish and Sa­vor of heavenly Things in his Discourse; Abitophel did so, and Ezekiel's Hearers likewise, who with their Mouth shew'd much Love and Fervour, Ezek. 33.31. And yet their Hearts were stark nought.— How zea­lously do Lawyers sometimes plead for their Clients, as if their very Hearts and Souls were engaged? And yet in Reality they care nothing about their Cause; but do all for the Sake of their Fee.—And the same Affection may be put on in religious Matters, when the Heart is nothing touched, as Experience has proved in Scores of Instances.—

But you will say, Is not the Gift of discerning Spirits mentioned by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12.10. And does not this Gift yet continue in the Christian Church?

I Answer, No; This was altogether miraculous, and peculiar to the first Ages of Christianity.—That this was an extraordinary Gift appears from the Context; v. 9, 10. To another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit. [Page 19] To another the working of Miracles; To another Prophesy; To another discerning of Spirits; To another divers Kinds of Tongues; To another the Interpretation of Tongues.—These Things that are mention'd with this Gift of discerning are all now ceased; None now pretend to the Gifts of Heal­ing, Miracles, Prophecy, speaking with Tongues &c. Why then should they pretend to the other? If you have one Apostolick Gift, why not another? If you can discern Spirits, why can't you raise the Dead? The one belongs to you as much as the other.

Besides, you may here observe from the Words, that this was not a common Gift among Christians even at that Day; one had this Gift, and another that; but all had not every one; but the Spirit divided to every Man se­verally as he would, v. 11. Such Gifts the Apostle plainly distinguishes from saving Grace; they were not essen­tial to it; a Man might be a true Christian without them; and a Man have them, and yet be no Christian, as appears from Mat. 7.22. and from the 13. Chap. of this Epistle.—Here it may be objected, that tho' dis­cerning of Spirits be mention'd among the miraculous Gifts; yet there are some Gifts there that are not mi­raculous, but ordinary; as the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge and Faith, v. 8, 9. And why mayn't this discerning be rank'd in the same Class?— In answer to this; I deny the Supposition that these were ordinary Gifts: By the Word of Wisdom, we may understand what was promised the Apostles, Mat. 10.19. Luk. 21.14, 15. Which was in a great Measure miracu­lous, and not to be expected by ordinary Ministers and Christians, whose Duty 'tis to meditate before they speak, 1 Tim. 4.15.—By the Word of Knowledge cannot be understood the saving Knowlege of spiritual Things; for it is distinguish'd from that, Chap. 13.2. But, as some think, it may refer to the prophetical Knowlege of [Page 20] future Contingencies, or an uncommon and extraordi­nary Insight into the dark Passages of Scripture.—By Faith is meant the Faith of Miracles, and not the Grace of Faith, as is evident from Chap. 13.2.

But you will say, Why all this ado to screen Hypo­crites, and prevent their Discovery.

I Answer, This is not my Design in it: GOD forbid that I should spend my Breath in pleading the Cause of Hypocrites; 'tis not their Honour or Credit, that I am contending for; the sooner they are discover'd the bet­ter for themselves and others.—But the Reasons why I am so strenuous in this Point are these.— (1.) For fear the Consequence of the opposite Doctrine should be the condemning and rejecting some of GOD's dear Children.—This is what the Devil drives at by sowing such Tares, viz. to make you think well of the worst, and condemn the best: And this will be the Conclusion of the Matter, if GOD does not graciously put a Stop to the spreading of this Error. If any will but join with you in this Opinion, that give but slender Evidences of their Christanity in comparison of some others that op­pose it, you will be in Danger of receiving the former as dear Brethren, and of rejecting the latter as Hypo­crites.— Such is commonly the Consequence of errone­ous Tenets, when zealously espoused and urged. —(2.) It may prove a dreadful Snare to you.—If you give Way to one Error, you get upon the Devil's Ground; and when you are there, you don't know how far he may carry you: It may bring Darkness on you all your Days. (3.) Nothing hath been a greater Hindrance to the Pro­gress of the Reformation, than the prevailing of such Er­rors.—GOD hath been doing great & wonderful Things for us in this Land of late Years, in the Conviction and Conversion of Sinners and in the comforting and build­ing up of [...] —But is it not too evident that these [Page 21] Things are now come to a full Stop? And is not this one chief Cause of it, the Prevalency of Errors and Disorders in some of the Subjects of this Work? When Men see some of the Promoters of the Reformation out-run themselves, and broach Principles repugnant to the Scriptures, it prejudices them more against Christ and his Cause, and settles and hardens them in their evil Ways. So that such will have the Blood of Souls to answer for.— (4.) Nothing tends more to weaken the Hands of Christians, than Jangles and Disputes about such Points: It takes off their Thot's from weightier Matters, and hinders them in their Work, and renders them a Prey to the common Enemy. And seeing the Consequences are so bad, I beg you in the Bowels of Jesus to consider better of the Matter, and to reject every Thing that is contrary to found Doctrine, and to join Heart & Hand in promoting the Work of GOD.— Be no longer in this fort Keepers of others Vineyards, but be careful to keep your own, Cant. 1.6. 'Tis amazing to me, that this Principle should prevail with any at this Time of Day: I don't much wonder that some run into it at their first Conversion; but that they should still hold it, after they have seen so many Instances of those whom they verily tho't to be true Believers, this Apostacy is truly astonishing.—May the Lord lead us all in the Paths of Truth and Holiness.

2. Hence let none think themselves good, meerly because Saints have a good Opinion of them.— Oh please not your selves, that you are associated with GOD's People here, and that they think and speak charitably of you.— That which is highly esteemed a­mong Men, may be had in Abomination before the Lord, who seeth not as Man seeth.— The Saints may approve thee, and GOD condemn thee.— What was Judas the better for being in such high Repute among the other [Page 22] Apostles? — Cursed is the Man that putteth his Trust in Men, who are Liars. "In Heaven we shall meet many, that we never tho't to meet there; and miss many we were confident we should see there." — Such Men that value themselves meerly upon good Men's Tho'ts and Approbation, will perish in a woful Delusion.

I now pass to a

III. OBSERVATION, That the proper Rule of Distinc­tion between the Tares and Wheat is their different Fruit.

When the Blade sprung up and bro't forth Fruit, then appear'd the Tares also, v. 26. 'Twas the different Fruit, that discover'd them; before 'twas not so easy to see the Difference. —'Tis the sole Prerogative of GOD to know the Heart immediately, Jer. 11.20. Rev. 2.23. Men must judge others by outward & sensible Signs; i. e. by the Fruits of their Lips, and of their Lives.— As long as these are good, we are to think charitably; but when it is otherwise, we may justly account them Tares.—Simon Magus discover'd his Hypocrisy by his Discourse, and Demas by his Life. — When forward Professors become open Apostates, then the Blade and the Fruit appear, and they are plainly to be distinguish'd from the Wheat. —Most unsound Professors fall off first or last; They are oftentimes left of GOD to run into Heresy or Scandal, before their Death. We have three Texts of Scripture, which are the Rules we are to go by in judging of others. — The first is, 1 Sam. 16.7. The Lord seeth not as Man seeth (i. e. as all Men whether good or bad see;) for Man looketh at the outward Appear­ance, but the Lord looketh on the Heart. — By the outward Appearance is meant their Words & Behaviour; if they are right and agreeable to the Word, we are to judge that the Heart is right too; and to leave it with GOD:— Nothing but a Revelation from Heaven, such as Samuel had, can undeceive us in this Matter; and can we ex­pect [Page 23] this?— If that Te [...]t be alledged against this, Joh. 7.24. Judge not according to the Appearance, but judge righteous Judgment. — This is nothing to the Purpose of judging the Hearts of others: The Case was this, The Jews seeing our Lord cure an infirm Person upon the Sabbath Day, presently upon that Semblance condem­ned him of violating the Law; not considering either the Sense of the Law, or the Nature of his Performance; and this he termeth unrighteous Judgment:— Such an Action seem'd to encroach upon the Sabbath; but it did not really; therefore he exhorts them to consider and judge righteously: But it hath no Reference to know­ing the Hearts of others. — We must not call those Actions wicked, which are good in themselves; this is the judging by the Appearance, which is here condemned.

A second Text is Mat. 7.16. Ye shall know them by their Fruits. i. e. by their corrupt Principles and Prac­tices: As for the Root, the Heart from whence these proceeded, they could know nothing of that immediate­ly; only so far as they manifested it by their Speech and Behaviour: 'Tis the Effect that discovers the Cause, which will lie hid 'till then.

A third Text is that, Jam. 2.18. I will shew thee my Faith by my Works. By Faith is meant inward Expe­rience, and by Works the Life and Conversation: When the Profession of Faith be right, and the Conversation agreeable, then we are obliged by the Laws of GOD to think well of others; we are to look upon them as true Christians; their Faith is shewed to us by the Effects, viz. their Works. — Hence the Apostle adds, v. 24. You see then how by Works a Man is justifyed, and not by Faith only.—This means Justification in the Sight of Men, both good & bad, & not Justification in the Sight to GOD: Good Works are necessary to evidence to Men the Truth of our Faith, and the Reality of our Justifi­cation; [Page 24] where these are not, all is but Pretence and Hy­pocrisy; but if we find these, 'tis not Christian to sus­pect the Heart.—

These are the Rules of Judgment, which the Scrip­ture lays down; and very arrogant and high-minded is that Man or Woman, which will not submit to them.— We must not pretend to meddle with the secret Tho'ts, Affections and Purposes of Men, not express'd by plain Words, nor declared by overt Acts: This is that rash judging, which the Scripture over & over forbids.—A Ca­pacity of judging doth ever suppose a Power of Cognizance; and it being impossible for us to reach the Knowledge of those Things, otherwise than as they express them; we cannot therefore pretend to judge of them.—As it is the Property of GOD to search the Hearts, and try the Reins; so it is his Prerogative to judge concerning the secret Motions of them; the which we attempting to do, no less vainly and foolishly, than presumtuously and profanely encroach upon.—It is only in the great Day, that GOD will bring such hidden Things to Light, and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart; therefore judge nothing before the Time, 1 Cor. 4, 5.—'Tis said concerning Christ, Joh. 2.23, 24, 25. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the Feast Day, many believed in his Name, when they saw the Miracles which he did: But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, be­cause he know all Men, and needed not that any should testify of Man; for he knew what was in Man. As much as to say, if he had been only a Man, he would have been deceived by their Profession of Faith; but since he was GOD as well as Man, their Hypocrisy was plain to him; he perfectly knew Men, not only from their ex­ternal Acts and Behaviour, (as we know them,) but he knew what was in them, searching the Hearts, as he was GOD.—The Apostle says, 1 Cor. 13.7. Charity [Page 25] believeth all Things: Without presuming to judge Men's Hearts, or to pry into their secret Intentions, it dispo­ses us to think favourably of every one, so far as they walk agreable to the Laws of Christ.

Hence infer the Mistake of those, who set up another Standard to judge Men by than their outward Fruits, viz. their inward Feeling.

There are some that tell us, that let others give ever so fair an Account of their Experiences, and let their Lives be never so regular, yet this is not to be depended on; this is not sufficient to sway our Charity, unless there be an inward working of our Souls towards them; unless we feel them by an inward Sympathy and Com­munion, and our Hearts be knit to them. In Answer to this, to prevent Mistakes, I would premise; That there is a divine Affection implanted in God's Children to­wards one another; their Hearts, when they are in the Exercise of Grace, will be drawn out in Love towards each other, and will be as it were knit together.—But this I deny, that this is any Rule of judging another's gracious Estate:—This Feeling (which is more or less in every Christian) is not at all the Evidence of that; but the Evidences must preceed, viz. Some Knowledge of their Faith and Holiness express'd in Words or Deeds; and then this Effect follows, viz. A drawing out of the Heart toward them.—They have first some Reason to believe that they are true Christians from their Fruits that appear, and then they love them; but this Love in it self consider'd is no Evidence at all, i. e. respecting others, tho' it be to our selves, of our own good Estate.

The contrary Opinion, namely, that our Feeling or our Flow of Affection is the only Standard to know ano­ther, I look upon to be of dangerous Tendency.— I would ask the Patrons of it; Does this Feeling, as 'tis a Seal or Evidence of another's Graciousness, come thro' [Page 26] the Mediation of the Word? Does it derive from the Scriptures?—No, that can't be; because the Scrip­ture has no where said, that such and such by Name are converted or unconverted.—Does this Feeling come from the Spirit without the Word? Then it is an [...] Revelation from Heaven, and as great a one as any of the Prophets had; and much like that of the Apostle Peter concerning Annonias and Sapphire, when he told them, that they ly'd to the Holy Ghost, Act. 5.— Now if Revelations without the Word may be had in one Thing, why not in another, and so in another, and so in every Case, 'till the Scripture be wholly set aside, and the Spirit received as the only Guide; as 'tis with the Quakers? — And does not this appear even to your selves to be very dangerous? In the highest Acts of Faith, the Spirit doth not witness with our Spirits, that others are the Children of GOD; no, but that we our selves are so, Rom. 8.16. He does not [...] to us the Truth of ano­ther's Conversion, but of our own, Eph. 4.30. And the Way that he does it is not by [...] Revelation, (such Things are not now to be expected,) but m [...] ­ately thro' the Word, i. e. by applying and impressing Scripture Promises on our Souls.—As to others, he leaves us to collect their State in a rational Way from their Faith and Works, or their Experiences and Lives: He does not immediately reveal this Secret from Heaven by any sort of Feeling; but tells us in Scripture what Rules we must go by:—Now there would be no Necessity of such Rules, if there was such an immediate Communion between one spiritual Soul and another:—He would only have told us, Look to your Feeling; and then the Case would have been infallibly determin'd.—If there had been such absolute Certainty in this Way, why did he not give this as a Standard to judge of Ministers by when admitted to their Office, or of Members when received [Page 27] into the Church? This would have settled the Matter at once, and it would have been impossible for an Hy­pocrite to have crept into the Ministry or the Church, if there had been but a spiritual Soul in the Exercise of Grace to have try'd them; they would have felt them out and hiss'd them away.—But the Scripture is wholly silent about any such Method, and gives us other Rules to go by.

Besides, If it is as some assert, that if two Persons should give exactly the same Account of their Experi­ences, and in the same Manner, and their Lives should be the same; and the one should be an Hypocrite, & the other not, they could distinguish them by their Feeling; I say, if they could do this, why can't they as well tell without hearing their Experiences at all?—'Tis not that that satisfies them, but something else, namely, the inward Operation of their Souls; and why mayn't there be this, without any verbal Account from them?—If this Feeling arose from what they give an Account of, they would have as much Charity for the one as for the other; but seeing they have not, it is some other Rule they go by, namely the Revelation or Witness of the Spi­rit:—Consequently they could know their State with­out talking with them, as well as with; this answers no End at all.— This is a plain Case; I insist upon it, that if it is this internal divine Affection we are to judge by, and not what they tell us of, we can as certainly tell without discoursing with them as with; only by looking upon another we know his State.—And what a strange Doctrine is this.—Neither Prophets nor Apos­tles nor Christ himself knew any Thing of it:—And indeed 'tis so gross, that the Patrons of this Doctrine themselves are ashamed to own it, tho' they hold it in Effect.

I shall shut up this Point with the Instance of Capt. Roger Clap, one of the ancient Settlers of this Country, [Page 28] who in reciting his Christian Experiences gives this Ac­count. — ‘In former Times I do remember, there was a young Man came into the Congregation where I was, a Stranger to me, and a very hard favoured Man; I had no love to his Person; but not loog after I heard, that he fear'd GOD; and upon the very Report thereof, my Heart was knit unto him, altho' I never spake with him as I know of.’—He mentions this, as one Evidence of his own Conversion, & not of the Con­version of that other Man. — He and other Christians of old judged by their outward Fruit only, and did not make their Feeling any Evidence at all concerning others: It appears by their Writings, that they were Strangers to the Doctrine now advanced.

Here it will be proper to answer some Objections;

1. Some say, If we are to judge by the outward Fruits only, then we may be deceived; we may take a Hypocrite for a true Christian, and have Communion with him as such; and if so, then there is Communion between Light and Darkness, a Concord between Christ & Belial, which cannot be.

In Answer hereto I would ask, Whether David had not Communion with Abithophel, Samuel with Eliab, and the Apostles with Judas! And have not the Saints, that come to the Lord's Table, some Communion with Hypocrites, that approach to that Ordinance? — True Christians have Communion with Hypocrites upon this Supposition, that they are good Men; they communicate with them in what is good, and in nothing that is bad; for they know nothing of that: But there is no Com­munion (only external) on the Hypocrite's Part, because their Hearts are not right in the Sight of GOD; they are not capable Subjects of it; — and upon their disco­vering themselves, the Communion ceases on the Saint's Part too; He then withdraws from him as a disorderly [Page 29] Walker: The good Appearance upon which the Commu­nion was built vanishes; and then he will have nothing to do with him. — Here can be no Concord between Christ and Belial, because it is the Appearance of Good that draws the Hearts of the Saints, and it lasts no lon­ger than that lasts: The Appearance of the cloven Foot seperates them.

This Matter may be illustrated by this Comparison: Suppose there should a Stranger come among us, that pretended to be a good Subject to King George, and be­haved like one, we should communicate with him as a Fellow-Subject; but if afterwards he should discover himself to be for the Pretender or the King of France, we should withdraw from him as a vile Wretch: Here we should have no Communion with him in his Treasons, be­cause we were ignorant what he was, while we associat­ed with him.

2. 'Tis objected, that if our Hearts may be drawn out towards an Hypocrite, then Love to the Brethren is no in­fallible Sign of our Adoption; if we cannot infallibly know who are Brethren, we cannot love any as such: Consequently we may be deceived every Way.

Christ himself answers this Objection, when he says, Mat. 10.41. He that receiveth a Prophet in the Name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's Reward; and he that receiveth a righteous Man in the Name of a righteous Man, shall receive a righteous Man's Reward. — that is, says Mr. Pool, "If they have been sincere in their Designs & Acti­ons, they shall not lose their Reward, tho' the Prophet or righteous Man so entertain'd prove but an Impostor." Their receiving of such a one upon his good Appear­ance out of Respect to Christ, was as good an Evidence to them as if he had been really good, and their Reward shall be as great. — This Instance may set the Matter in a fair Light: — Suppose one of your Relations whom [Page 30] you loved, should go beyond Sea, and should live there many Years; and at last one should come to see you who called himself his Son, and should appear to you honest and sincere in his Professions and Account, and likewise bore some outward Resemblance of your old Friend; and upon it you should entertain him joyfully upon the Account of his Father, whom you still had a great Value for:—Suppose this Person should at last turn out a Cheat, and not be what he pretended; yet your re­ceiving him would be a good an Evidence to you of the Reality of your Love, as if it had been his real Son.—

3. That Text I have heard used as an Argument, 1 Cor. 4.19. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the Speech if them which are puf­fed up, but the Power. — By this Power both in this and other Places, they apprehend this Feeling is meant; as if the Apostle had said, I will not be imposed on by fine Words and Speeches; I will not regard the most am­ple Account they can give of their Experiences, unless this powerful Effect follow; unless the Spirit of GOD set his Seal to the Account by drawing out my Heart to­wards them; For the Kingdom of GOD is not in Word, but in Power, v. 20. I answer, This is a manifest Abuse of the Text: The Case was this; there were a Num­ber of gifted Brethren in the Church of Corinth, that started up into Exhorters or Preachers, who contemned the Apostle, and pretended to greater Light and Know­lege than he; yea, they were so puffed up, as that they conceited the Apostle was afraid of discou [...]ing with them Face to Face, and so durst not come to Corinth, v. 18. — Now of these the Apostle speaks, v. 19. He tells the Church that he would come, and try the Spirits of these new Teachers: I will come to you shortly, and will know, not the Speech of them which are puffed up, but the Power. i. e. When I come, then I shall understand those Teach­ers [Page 31] of your's, who so vilify me; I shall not be misled like you with human Wisdom & Eloquence, & the meer Pomp of Words; I shall not regard so much their fine Speeches and Philosophical Reasonings, as what there is of spiritual Life and Power in them, either in their Doc­trine or Life; how conducive it is to the Ends of the Gos­pel, and how consonant to the Truth of the Gospel; what Good they do among you, what Manner of Lives they live, and what Authority they have to preach &c.— These are the Things which my Eyes shall be upon, and which I shall Regard. ^* — So that the Meaning is not, that he designed to try them by his inward Feeling, but by their Doctrines and Lives, and Authority for and Manner of Preaching; which was with the inticing Words of Man's Wisdom, and to little Edification.

That Text is urged, 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a Form of Godli­ness, but denying the Power thereof; from such turn away.— From whence 'tis infer'd, that Christians have some cer­tain Standard by which they can infallibly distinguish be­tween the Formalist & the true Christian, or between the Form and the Power; and this is no other than this inward Feeling; all external Signs being uncertain.

In Answer to this, I would tell you what a meer Form includes in it; It is a Profession without Practice, Words without Works, Pretences without correspondent Actions. Jam. 2.14. Whereas the Power of Religion lies in Truth; Righteousness, Love and Peace, Self-denial, mortifying our Members &c. A Man being no more a Christian, than he lives and acts like a Christian. — From Professors of this Stamp, the Apostle willeth Ti­mothy to turn away, both as to having any Church Fel­lowship or Communion, or any intimate Converse with them. — So that this Text has no Reference to inward [Page 32] Feeling, but still makes their outward Fruits and Practices the Standard to judge by.—This is more evident still from what follows, v. 6. &c.

Lastly, 'Tis said, that if Believers don't all receive this Doctrine, 'tis because they are in the dark, & God's Pre­sence is withdrawn from them.—If we plead against this Error, & endeavour to convince them by Scripture, this is the common Answer, Aye, you are in the dark, or you would see as we do. — I readily acknowlege, that those Believers in the dark, who are not in the Exercise of divine Love or Charity, & other Graces; but this is no Sign of Darkness their denying this to be the Standard of judging others:— Their Love to the Brethren may be as strong & servent at such a Time, as the Love of those of the opposite Perswa­sion:— All the Difference between them lies in this, the one look upon it only as an Evidence of their own good Estate, and the other as an Evidence both for themselves and others.—And here we appeal to the Law and to the Testimony.— The Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. But Man knoweth not. Here I can't but ob­serve the Policy of Satan in this Plea; as long as he can make Persons believe it, they will become impenetrable to Conviction, and must of Necessity remain staked down in their Errors, 'till God himself open their Eyes without using the Instrumentality of Man:—For who will receive even the Truth it self from one whom he looks upon to be in the dark, and not capable of judging of it in his present Frame?—Oh beware of this Device of Satan, & take heed lest he get an Advantage against you. 2 Cor. 2.11.

Upon the whole, my Brethren, I beseech you, that we may hear no more of this new & unscriptural Doctrine:— I am confident that if you belong to GOD, you will one Time or other be thankful for this Discourse, tho' it may be it is not pleasing to you now.

[Page 33]The remaining OBSERVATIONS I must be brief in.

The fourth OBSERVATION is, That seeing TARES in the Church, is Matter of Grief to the Servants of Christ.— This is imply'd in the Text.

They are greatly affected at the Ignorance & Scandals of Professors, and are often ready to cry out with David, Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshech, and that my Dwelling is in the Tents of Kedar.—Oh that these Tares were weeded, that Ishmael were cast out of Doors, so that Sarah and her Son Isaac might live in Peace!

This leads me to a,

V. OBSERVATION, Hence sometimes they are so offi­cious as to offer their Service to purge the Church. The Servants said unto him, wilt thou that we go and gather up these Tares? v. 28.

1. This proceeds partly from Zeal, and Love to God. They act with good Views, tho' upon mistaken Principles:— They verily think that GOD's Glory will be promoted thereby; hence their Love to him prompts them there­to.—They have truly a Zeal for God; but it is not ac­cording to Knowledge.

2. This proceeds partly from spiritual Pride. There is a Mixture of good and bad in the best Saints; Flesh and Spirit will remain together, 'till Death.— And among other corrupt Principles, Pride is the chief: This is the first Sin that lives, and the last that dies; 'tis a Weed that grows in the best Soil; and it generally prevails most, when we see it least.—Young Converts are especially prone to this Sin; they think that they know more, and can do better, than GOD knows they can: For want of Experience they are apt to out-run themselves; espe­cially if they have been applauded by others for their Gifts and Graces, as has been the Case too frequently: This makes them assuming and confident, and to treat all as Enemies, that oppose any of their darling Notions. [Page 34] Thus it is in the Instance before us: Spiritual Pride makes them think, that 'tis one of the easiest Things in the World to know another's spiritual State: and 'tis nothing but Time and better Experience, that will con­vince them they are wrong, and make them more hum­ble.—In the mean Time they are all on Fire for purging the Church. But,

VI. An Attempt to do this is very dipleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ, who sees Men's Insufficiency for this Work. This is my next OBSERVATION. Nay, says he, lest while ye gather up the Tares, ye root up the Wheat also.— Men could not purge the Church of Hypocrites, with­out Danger of putting out such as were true and sincere, especially if they were in a low Frame.— Therefore let them both alone 'till the Harvest: "Thereby intimating (says Mr. Flavel) both the difficulty of distinguishing Tares from the Wheat; as also the unwarrantable Rash­ness of bold and hasty Censures of Men's Sincerity and Hypocrisy, which is there shadowed by them."

But you will say, Does not Christ command us in other Scriptures to cast out the Tares? How then can this be true Doctrine, that such are to be tolerated in the Church? I answer, If Heresy or moral Scandal can be proved upon any of our Fellow-Members at the Mouth of two or three credible Witnesses, by the Laws of Christ they are to be cast out of the Church, unless they repent and reform: If this be not done, the Church would be quickly turn'd into a Sty, or Cage of unclean Birds.—But such must not be rooted out, as have such a Resem­blance to Wheat from the outward Appearance, that they cannot be rooted out, without an Hazard of a mistake, and a rooting up the Wheat with them.—As [...] as Men's outward Fruits are good, we have no [...] to set up a Tribunal or Inquisition to search their [...]arts, and upon meer Jealousies & Suspicions to form a [Page 35] Church Process against them, and cast them off.—Christ frowns upon this in our Text, and elsewhere.—There are so many Tares appearing at Times, even in GOD's own People, that the best of us are utterly insufficient for this Work, and shall root up Tares and Wheat together, if we pretend to go about it. —We want not only a Commission, but fit Qualifications for such a Service as this.—

I am perswaded that this Doctrine of the infallible Knowledge, the denying of the use of Means to Sinners, as Prayer, &c. are Tares sow'd by the evil One at this Day, to bring a Blemish on the Reformation, and to harden Sin­ners in their Wickedness: But I verily believe if all those who hold such Principles should be cast out of the Church, the Wheat would be rooted up with the Tares: For tho' these Doctrines are Tares, their Persons may be Wheat; these Errors not being Fundamental.—But my Text does not speak of Tares in this Sense:—And there­fore we may justly endeavour to root out such corrupt Principles, and not let them continue 'till the Harvest, if we can prevent it; lest they be Bitterness in the latter End; lest the Works of such Men be burnt up, and they themselves saved only so as by Fire, 1 Cor. 3.15. Oh that this Sermon may be blest for that End! My Brethren, I beseech you not to take Christ's Work out of his Hands; no longer pretend to such a Spirit of Discerning; no more attempt in this Manner to seperate the good Seed and bad; for your Shoulders are too weak for the Business, and you will make wild Steerage in it, whatever you may think; but leave the Matter with Christ.—If the Leaven of your spiritual Pride was once purged out, we should hear no more of purging the Church in this Sort; but you would only endeavour to do it in a private bro­therly Way, by Christian Admonition and Reproof, by setting a good Example &c. before those whom you [Page 36] fear to be Hypocrites.—This would do as much real Service to the Cause of Christ, as your present Principles and Practices do Disservice to it, tho' you see it not.—

Hence see the Groundlessness of separating from a Church, meerly because we have Reason to fear there are many Tares in it.

There never will be a Church upon Earth, that will be entirely free from such Tares: Christ hath told us the contrary.—And shall we separate from all Churches?— A Separation from Corruptions, and a Separation from those that are corrupt, are two distinct Things; the one may be, where the other is not; the former is always a Duty, but not the latter.—As long as we keep our selves free from other Professors Sins, 'twill be no Pol­lution to us to communicate with them, if we cannot regularly get them cast out.—They must bear their own Punishment whoever they be; and we shall be free from their Blood, if we give them faithful Warning in a pri­vate Christian Way.—God's Ordinances must not be forsaken, because Hypocrites come, and [...] and drink their own Damnation.—A Separation from a Church is always unjust, when we require that of the Church, which the Scripture doth not require. And is not this the Case with you, my Brethren! Those that se­parate had need look to their Spirits, left some Root of Bitterness be not at the Bottom. Usually Laziness, says Dr. Manton, is the Ground of Separation; Men are both to discharge their Duty, to take Pains, to convince, exhort, and warn their Fellow-Members; and therefore they run into seperate Assemblies, where all Things may be carried on more easy.—Oh examine your selves, whe­ther it be not thus among you?—'Tis strange that any should separate from One that is acknowleged to be a true Minister of Christ, and from many faithful Bre­thren, because all the Church are not so pure as they [Page 37] could wish.—God own'd the Church of Corinth as a true Church, tho' they had many Scandals among them, (2 Cor. 12.21.) and is far from commanding the Faith­ful to separate from that Church. 'Tis little for the Honour of Christ, that his Body is [...] into [...] Bits and Portions:—'Tis likewise a great Hindrance and Disadvantage to us: Apostacy begins [...] forfeiting the Assemblies, Heb. 10.23, 25. And it breeds needless Quarrels and Contentions, and takes Men's Minds off from the best Things.—The Question of Separation lieth much in the Dark; but Obligations to Love and Charity are clear and open: Now Charity beareth all Things, endureth all Things, [...]pect all Things, 1 Cor. 13.7. This shews at least, that we should do much, endure much, before we go off from the Communion of any Church; this true Charity will prompt us to.—We should never make a Schism in a Church upon [...]ight Grounds: To separate from Congregations, where the Word of Truth, and Gospel of Salvation are clearly held forth, is unwarrantable.—The [...] separated from the primitive Church under a Notion of setting up pure Churches; but GOD frown'd upon them in an awful Manner, and they [...] and degenerated 'till they came to Nothing.—If we want to be Members of a pure Church, we must go to Heaven; for there is none any where else.—'Till the Day of Judgment, we have no Promise that Christ will gather out of his Church what­soever doth offend.—But you will say, has not Christ pro­mised this, in Isa. 52.1. Joel 3.17. Z [...]ch. 14.21?

I answer, Such Texts are to be understood in a com­parative Sense, or they can't be reconciled with many Places in the New-Testament.—The Sum of what is here promised is this; That the Church under the Gospel, especially in the latter Days, should be purer than that of the Jews, (which was National, and where sometimes [Page 38] it may be scarce one in ten Thousand were true Believ­ers, and where also many Strangers of other Nations join'd themselves to them, and were circumcised out of politick selfish Views;) they should be much freer from corrupt Mixtures than they:—But these Places can't be understood in the most absolute and unlimited Sense; because Christ hath told us in our Text, that Tares and Wheat shall be together 'till the Harvest; and in Mat. 25. that wise and foolish Virgins should be intermix'd, 'till his Coming.—If we reject this Interpretation, we shall make the Scriptures clash and contradict themselves, which cannot be. But if we should suppose from those Texts, that the Church is to be almost wholly pure in the glorious Millennian Days; yet the Scripture gives us no Ground to think, that it will be bro't about by purging the Church in the Manner some plead, for, or by separating from other Churches; but by the almost general Con­version of Jew and Gentile, of the Hypocrite and the Profane, and bringing them into one Fold.—So that such Texts taken in the largest Latitude, give not the least Warrant to the separating Principles and Practices that now prevail among you.—

Therefore, my Brethren, take Heed to your selves, left Satan beguile you, and lead you out of the right Way.—Don't wrest the Scriptures to make them speak your Sense, but study them impartially, and pray for the Spirit that he may rightly unfold them to you.—Beware of spiritual Pride, the Mother of Contention and undue Separation:—Watch against those who make it their Work to draw away Disciples after them —Have not Mens Persons too much in Admiration, left you impli­citly receive all they say as Gospel, without due Exami­nation, and despise others that are better than they, as the Corinthian Christians did.—Labour in the Strength of Christ for daily Progress in the Work of Mortification: [Page 39] The less carnal we are, the less Contention & Dividing will be among us, 1 Cor. 3.3. " Separation is usually, but very absurdly, accounted an high grown Christian"— In a Word, Follow Peace and Holiness, without which no Man shall see the Lord.

The seventh and last OBSERVATION is, But a Time of Separation between the Tares and Wheat will come, in the great Harvest-Day, at the End of the World.

The Lord hath two Ways of cleansing his Church in this World —He doth it partly by the Preaching of the Word, which is the Lord's Instrument for rooting out Hypocrites, i. e. by making them true Christians. He doth it also by the surprizing Discovery he sometimes makes of secret Villany before all Men.—GOD often plucks off the Vizard of Hypocrites, of false Teachers and Seducers especially; and they appear to others in their proper Hue.— Their Wickedness is shewed before the whole Congregation, Prov. 26.26. The Lord discovers it ei­ther by some trying Judgment, or scandalous Fall.—So that the Church are obliged to cast them forth as rotten Members, and to cut them off as dead Branches, Joh. 15.2.—"I verily believe, says a pious Divine, That one great Design of all GOD's Providences towards his Church, is to discover the Rottenness and Hypocrisy of false Friends of Christ."— All the Churches shall know, that I am He which searcheth the Reins and Hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your Works, Rev. 2.23. But after all, the Church will never be fully cleansed, 'till the great Day:— Some Hypocrites no doubt, continue undiscover'd 'till the last; they go off fairly to our Apprehensions, and get to Hell by a private Way: The Day will discover many Mistakes and wrong Guesses, that were made by the most discern­ing Christians.—But then, Christ will come with his Fan, and thoro'ly purge his Floor, Mat. 3.12. He will [Page 40] perfectly sever the Tares from the Wheat, the Goats from the Sheep:—He will make such a Division, as was ne­ver yet made in the World.— The Tares shall be bound in Bundles by the Reapers, the holy Angels, and be burnt in unquenchable Flames; but the Wheat shall be gather'd into Christ's Barn, into Heaven:—There shall be a perpe­tual Separation between them.—O miserable Tares! What a Loss will befall you?—Now you live with the Wheat, and you over-top them, trouble them, vex them with your Society; but hereafter you must shake Hands forever, and go away into everlasting Burnings.—See this more fully express'd, in v. 41, 42, 43. of the Context.

1. Hence let us examine our selves, whether we are Tares or Wheat.

Is it a Truth, that Hypocrites infest the purest Church? Hence let us all strictly enquire, whether we are of that Number or not.—When Christ warn'd the Apostles of a Hypocrite among them, every one of them cry'd out, Lord, is it I! Lord is it I!—Let us go and do likewise.

My Brethren, how stands the Case with you? Are you truly united to Christ? Have you been beaten off by an Almighty Power from all Confidence in your Selves, and your own Works; and been bro't to acquiesce in, to be well pleased with, and to venture your Souls upon, GOD's Plan of Salvation thro' Jesus Christ?—Has Christ the Supremacy in your Souls? Do you love and seek him for himself? Do you take up your eternal Rest in him, and in him alone? Is your Treasure in Heaven, and your Hearts there?—Do you really hate all Sin, secret as well as open? Are you willing to part with every Lust, without Exception; and to comply with every Duty the Lord hath enjoin'd?—Do you make Conscience of secret Duties, as well as of those that are open; and can't you content your selves without real sensible Communion with GOD in Duty?—And do you [Page 41] engage in the Service of GOD with Complacency and Delight, or is it a Task and Burden to you?—Do you act from Christ as your Principle, and to Christ as your End? Is he the Alpha and Omega in all you do; or is it Self that you are seeking?—Do you live as under the Eye of GOD, and set Him always before you? And are you willing to come to the Light, & to have your Deeds proved thereby?—Do you make Religion your main, or only a by-Business?—Do you walk humbly with GOD, being poor in Spirit, and lowly in your own Eyes? Or are you puffed up with Self-Conceit! Do you bless GOD for the Grace imparted to others; and rejoyce if any Design for Christ be carry'd on by other Hands, tho' your Honour be eclipsed thereby; or at least, tho' you have no Share in the Credit of it?—And is it as a Dagger to your Heart to see the Interest of Christ lan­guishing and declining in the World?—And do you chearfully take up your Cross, and follow Christ, in Suf­fering, as well as in Doing?—Had you rather endure the greatest Sufferings, than fall into the least Sin?

My Hearers, These are trying Questions; and can you stand the Test? Can you say, It is thus with you?— Oh deceive not your selves, but search and see:—Every Grace has it's Counterfeit, as you have heard; therefore bring your selves to the Touchstone, and try thoro'ly what Metal you are of.—Thou canst not indeed discern the Difference many Times between common and special Grace in another; but thou mayst in thy self: And wilt thou not make Enquiry?—Within a little while GOD will bring you to his Bar, and then all false Co­verings will fail you:—Is it not therefore better to know the worst of your selves here? Then it will be too late; but now a Remedy is to be had.—Oh let nothing short of a Judgment of Certainty content you, with Respect to the good Estate of your precious and immortal Souls.

[Page 42]2. And lastly, Hence let those that find themselves Tares, be restless 'till God change them into Wheat.

Oh poor Self-Deluders! How long will you love Va­nity, and follow after Lies?—How long will you cover with a Covering, that is not of GOD's Spirit?—When will you cease to feed upon Husks?—Alas! thou art weighed in the Ballances, and art found wanting: The Characters of Death are upon thy Soul; thou art wretch­ed, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: And continuing so, Christ will certainly disown you; He will protest to you in the great Day, Verily I know you not, Mat. 7.23. Not a Tare of you shall escape the Fire; you shall be bound Hand and Foot, and burnt in Hell forever.—And therefore knowing the Terrors of the Lord, will you not be perswaded? Will you not, as Christ advises some Hypocrites of old, [...] of him [...] try'd in the Fire that you may be rich, and white Raiment that you may be cloathed, &c? Rev. 3.18.

My Brethren, Please not your selves with a meer out­ward empty Profession of Godliness, with your standing among the Trees of Christ in his Orchard, or meerly with the having a Name to live; but see that you be in Reality what you profess your selves to be: For surely no Man shall ever get to Heaven in a Disguise; and if you go to Hell in it, what Good will it do you there?— You give your Names to Christ, and why will you not give him your Hearts too? You profess that you believe, and why don't you believe with all the Heart? You profess that you repent, and will you not repent with the whole Heart? Oh make sure of new Hearts, and of true Hearts, and of Souls renew'd with a real Principle of Religion. Quit your sandy Foundation, and build upon a Rock:—No longer make a Christ of the Means; but look beyond them to the Author and Finisher of Faith: Hear the Voice of the Son of GOD, that your Souls [Page 43] may live: Behold be yet stands at the Door and knocks, and will you not open to him without Delay? Rev. 3.20. Tho' you are Hypocrites now, you may be Christians be­fore you go hence; tho' you be at present among the Tares, you may be changed into Wheat even now while hearing the Word, if you will but comply with the Gospel Offer, and accept of the Grace that is tender'd to you.

May GOD Almighty enable you hereto, and by his all-powerful Arm snatch you as Brands out of the Burn­ing, and circumcise your Hearts to love and serve him, and [...] you Truth in the inward Parts.—May the blessed Jesus root up your Weeds, and plant in you his Graces, that like good Corn you may be fruitful here; and when the Harvest comes, you may be gather'd into his starn, and remain in his Kingdom.

Thus having dispatch'd the OBSERVATIONS; I shall conclude the Subject with a Caution to all in general, not to be prejudiced against the Work of GOD, because some few comparatively of the Promoters of it have embibed the Errors now disproved.

Christ [...] own them as his dear Servants for all that; as he does in our Text; and dare you condemn them as Hypocrites and Self-Deceivers meerly for this, and re­ject GOD's wonderful Works that He has been doing among us, upon this Account?—If they fall and break their Bones, yet don't you stumble over them and break your Necks.—God's People know but in Part here; their Illumination is imperfect in this Life; and GOD may suffer them to embrace some lesser Errors for the hardning of Sinners: And will you make that fatal Use of it?—GOD allows us to distinguish between the Chaff and the Wheat; but let us not reject all in the Lump, left GOD be angry, and Swear in his Wrath (as he did [Page 44] concerning the Contemners of his glorious Works of old) that we shall never enter into his Rest.—

May the Lord by his blessed Spirit preserve us all from Errors and Stumblings, and lead and guide us into all Truth, and direct us in the Way everlasting, that when the Day of Separation comes, and the Tares are gather'd and burnt in the Fire, we may be found approved, and may shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of our Father.— Who hath Ears to hear, let him hear, v. 40, 43.