fome most unfcripturally contended for juftification by works only, others very abfurdly maintained the fufficiency of faith, to the utter exclufion of the best works; "having a form of godlinefs, but denying the power thereof." Of which latter fort they are particularly defcribed, as "creeping into houses, taking captive filly women laden with fins, led away with diverfe lufts.". Some again appear to have been downright Levellers, defpifing government, and" fpeaking evil of dignities."-Some, Skepticks, unlearned and unstable, perverting Scripture to their own destruction.-Some, Scoffers at the mysteries of Revelation, calumniating those things which they understood not. So great reafon had St. John to caution and admonish his Jewish Converts as in the text, "Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they are of God."

But

But if fuch malignant Spirits made their appearance fo very early in the Chriftian Church, and molested it in it's infant state; when the purity and fimplicity of it's doctrines were obvious to every impartial enquirer; no wonder if they continue to disturb and divide it with additional numbers, and upon more advantageous grounds; fince they themfelves reduced it to the unhappy neceffity of explaining it's original principles by more diffusive Creeds, and defenfive Articles; which could hardly be so ordered, as not to leave room for mifconftruction and cavil to ill-difpofed minds. And such we know is the fingular effrontery of these cavillers, that they are never ashamed to advance the same stale objections, though repeatedly and unanswerably refuted. There are moreover in these our days, as in thofe of old, many blind and corrupt Leaders, Enthusiasts, Infidels, Impoftors; all lending a hand, jointly

jointly and feparately, to undermine the faith once delivered to the Saints; and to throw down the ancient fences of regular edification, decency and discipline in the Church. Surely then we too are no less concerned in this friendly admonition to "Try the Spirits," than those primitive Converts to whom it was first given, An indolent difregard to which, in the prefent circumstances of things, can scarce fail of betraying men into one or other of these unhappy confequences; either that of refting their falvation upon the dictates of mere human authority; or of taking a miserable refuge in a skeptical indifference toward all modes of Faith and Religion whatsoever.

Ignorantly and indiscriminately to reject every spiritual Guide and Interpreter of who may offer to fhew us the way God more perfectly, were indeed unbecoming us either as Men or Christians;

would

would also prove a certain difcouragement to their pious endeavours, who labour in treading out the corn of divine knowledge; and might therefore in many inftances preclude the favours of an indulgent Providence. But to weigh well the integrity of such a one's principles, the uprightness of his intentions, and the truth of his doctrines, before we refign up our affent to them, is both the natural privilege and indifpenfible duty of every perfon, in proportion to the means which God hath afforded him.What these are, and how to be applied with good effect I proceed in the next place to confider.

2. It is a character given us of our Bleffed Saviour, that "He needed not that any should teftify of man, for he knew what was in man." By virtue of his divine omniscience he was thoroughly acquainted with the thoughts and

intentions

intentions of the human heart; of which he gave abundant proof throughout the whole courfe of his ministry. And fo requifite was this intuitive difcernment in fome cafes to the firft Planters of his Religion, that we find a power of difcerning the Spirits of others, to have been imparted to the Apostles amongst the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoft. Thus was St. Peter enabled to discover the hypocritical pretences of Ananias and Saphira; with a view to deter others from incurring the like guilt, through any vain hopes of being concealed.

But this spiritual endowment, with the rest of a like fupernatural kind, being long fince withdrawn, we are now left to the ordinary means of Reason and Scripture, for our protection against the wiles and impofitions of defigning men. And these it greatly behoves us upon