every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they are of God."

It is then plainly agreeable to the divine will, that men fhould apply the light of their reafon to diftinguish truth from falfhood, as in all cafes, so especially where Religion is concerned. Since it must be owned and lamented that impofitions upon the understandings of mankind in fpiritual matters, are become almoft as common as in the ordinary tranfactions of human life; and how infinitely more fatal I need not say.

Let me obferve further that this falutary caution is addreffed by the Apostle to all degrees of Chriftians; as having a common right to a judgment of difcretion in all things neceffary to their falvation. The actual poffeffion of which judgment or ability of difcerning, it is therefore every one's duty to endeavour

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after to the utmost of their powers, with an ingenuous application; and to exercife upon all fitting occafions with integrity and candour. This, I fay, is required of all perfons whatever, whether they be of the Clergy or Laity, whether they be Dispensers or Hearers of God's Word. -But feeing the mental qualifications of mankind toward afcertaining a regular fyftem of faith and worship cannot but be extremely various and unequal; fo that thofe of meaner and less improved capacities muft in many cases have recourse to others of fuperior endowments; when at the fame time the determinations of the best and wisest are by no means infallible; it fhall therefore be the subject of my prefent difcourfe,

First-To enquire what is here meant by the Spirits, which we are admonished to try before we truft-whence will appear the Expediency of fo doing-And,

Secondly-To offer fome Confiderations refpecting the proper Rule, whereby they are to be tried, and the most effectual Means of applying it.

1. First then-By spirits in the text we are to understand in general the religious principles and doctrines of men : A due examination of which may lead us to discover, by what kind of spirit they are actuated, whether good or evil, who severally maintain and promote them. For though the receffes of the human heart be confeffedly dark and deceitful, yet the stream of a man's opinions, when made publick, is to every taste the fureft criterion of the bitter or fweet qualities of that hidden fountain from whence they iffue.

But in order to a distinct apprehenfion both of the particular occafion, and general use, of the monitory precept now

before

before us, it will be proper to recollect, that, in the early days of Christianity, God was pleased to endow the primitive Teachers and Propagators of it with many extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoft; by virtue of whofe immediate inspiration they were enabled to preach the gospel in every language under Heaven, without any previous inftruction; and were also invested with a power of working miracles, thereby to enforce their doctrine with figns following. Nor were thefe fignal endowments limited to their own perfons; but were in fit proportion, according to the will of God, and the exigencies of his Church, communicated to others alfo whom they converted; and continued fo to be, till the Religion of Chrift being competently established, thefe miraculous interpofitions ceased, together with the neceffity of them.-Now, both the doctrines and precepts delivered by thofe heavenly Meffengers

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Meffengers were in their own nature fa excellent, and so important to the happiness of the world, as well as ratified by fuch a cloud of infallible teftimony; that the more strictly they were enquired into, the more evidently they must be feen to have come from God: And it feems indeed strange there fhould have been any at that period, who could wilfully refufe either their attention or affent to them. Notwithstanding, we are informed from facred record, that the great Adversary of Mankind (ever bufy to obftruct the progrefs of fo holy an institution, manifeftly fubverfive of his ufurped dominion, and to counteract the defigns of a good Providence) raised up many evil Spirits, diverfe kinds of Antichrifts, even in the days of the Apostles: Some, falfe Prophets and false Teachers, pretenders to infpiration and pretenders to miracles, thereby privily introducing pernicious herefies: Whilst

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