SERMON XVIII.

The Character of false Prophets.

MATT. vii. 15, 16.

Beware of falle Prophets, which come
to you in Sheeps-Cloathing, but in-
wardly they are ravening Wolves.
Ye shall know them by their Fruits.

T

HESE Words are Part of our SERM. Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, XVIII. in which he lays down many

plain and excellent Precepts, for the Leading of a Holy and Religious Life; and after that gives them this Caveat, Beware of falfe Prophets, &c. He knew that, after he had left them, there would arife many falfe Prophets, who by their fpecious Pretences to Piety, their outward Sanctity, and feeming Holiness of Life,

fhould

SERM. fhould be able to feduce, if it were poffible, XVIII. even the Elect; and therefore he fore

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warns his Disciples of these Men, who are the more dangerous, because they carry on their Designs privately, and make Use of the most innocent Difguises, to conceal the most villainous Practices: They come in Sheeps-Cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves.

BY falfe Prophets in the Text, are meant falfe Teachers, for fo the Word 1 Cor.xiv. Prophet is understood in the New Testament; and they are called falfe, because they vent falfe and erroneous Doctrines, and not only for want of a lawful Miffion; Aas xiii. fuch was Barjefus, whom St. Luke calls Ψευδοπροφήτην, and thefe are diftinguifhed from falfe Chrifts; for the 21ft Verfe of this Chapter makes it evident, that these Words were defigned for fuch false Teachers, as profeffed themselves the Disciples and Imitators of Chrift, and yet perverted the Defigns and the Precepts of his Gofpel; for they will be fuch as will call our Saviour Lord, Lord, and prophesy in his Name, and in his Name do many wondrous Works; and yet their Lord will command them to depart from him, because they are Workers of Iniquity.

FROM

FROM the Words we may observe, 1. THAT there will be falfe Prophets.

II. THE Character of these false Prophets.

III. THE Means to difcover to whom these Characters belong.

IV. I SHALL make fome Inferences from the Whole.

I. THAT there will be falfe Prophets. It is well known how great Influence Religion has upon the Actions of Mankind; it is that which is the first Mover, which manages and sets on Work all the Powers of the Body, and Faculties of the Soul: Temporal Rewards and Punishments may, perhaps, work effectually on fome timorous Conftitutions, and fright the Bold also into an outward Compliance, but can never reach the Heart and Confcience; they are like Conduit-pipes, which convey the Water they contain no higher, than the Source from whence they derived their Original. It is only the Belief of an omnipotent Being can caft a Dread upon our Minds in our most private Receffes, and not only bring our Words and Actions, but our Thoughts alfo into Subjection. And therefore as long as there are Men of cunning and defigning Heads,

and

SERM.

XVIII.

SERM and atheistical Principles, who make XVIII. Riches and Grandeur the chief End of

their Lives; fo long we muft expect that Religion fhould be their chief Engine, and the moft Holy Thing in the World, made Ufe of to furnish their Devilish Defigns: They will not fail to debase the Notions of Religion, or to forge new Opinions, when they find it profitable so to do. Thus Jeroboam fet up Calves at Bethel, to fecure the Kingdom to himself, that the People might have no Occafion to go up and worship at Jerufalem; Jefabel proclaims a Faft, when the designs to deprive Naboth of his Life and Vineyard; and it is St. Peter's Prediction, that there fhould arife falfe Prophets, who, through Covetousness, and that they may make Merchandize of their Profelytes, fhall 2 Pet. ii. bring in damnable Herefies, even denying the Lord that bought them.

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II. HERE is the Character of these falfe Prophets.

εν

1. FROM their Out-fide they come in Sheeps-Cloathing, ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων; fome Critics upon the Place think it should be written ἐκδύμασι. Ignatius has it κωδίοις ήμHeb. xi. Peoμévol: The Author to the Hebrews, ἐν ελωζαῖς; denoting Garments made of

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Sheeps

Sheeps-Wool, i. e. counterfeiting Poverty, SERM. Humility, and Innocency of Life; the Ex-XVIII. preffion is an Allufion to the Habit of the ancient Prophets, who used white Garments, and, in Times of Perfecution, the Skins of Beafts; thus thefe falfe Prophets fhall pretend Humility and Sanctity of Life, perhaps, profefs Chastity, voluntary Poverty, and a Contempt of the World, and yet mean nothing less; for the fecond Part of their Character is,

2. THAT they are ravening Wolves, that is such as feek to gratify their own rapacious Appetites, though with the Ruin and Damnation of others; their very Natures are bloody and cruel, contrary to the Genius of the Gofpel, and the End and Defign of the Chriftian Religion; they make Use of their utmoft Diligence and Industry, to deftroy the Souls of Men, as Wolves do the harmless Sheep; they compafs Sea and Land to make one Profelyte, and, when he is made, they make him twofold more the Child of Hell than themfelves. This is their Character, which indeed shews us our Danger, but not the Means to escape it; for fince thefe falfe Prophets are fo like the true ones in all outward Appearance, fince they are fuch vaft Mafters as to counterfeit not only VOL. II, E e

the