A Golden Mine Opened, Sermon 4
JOHN X. 27. My Sheep hear my Voice, and they follow me.
Serm. 2. Preach'd Feb. 12. 1693-4.DOCT. All true Believers are the Sheep and Lambs of Jeſus Chriſt, they hear his Voice, and they follow him.
Beloved, we have ſhewed you in what reſpects Believers are ſaid to be Chriſt's Sheep, and what is meant by his Voice, which his Sheep, or ſuch who belong unto him, do and will hear.
Thirdly, I ſhall now proceed to the next general Head of Diſcourſe propounded to you.
I am to ſhew you how Chriſt's Sheep hear his Voice, his Word, How Chriſt's Sheep do hear his Voice.his Holy Doctrine.
They hear Chriſt's Voice, his Word and Doctrine, underſtandingly; He that heareth the Word, and underſtandeth it, &c. Some, tho they hear it, yet they are ignorant, and know not the Nature, Mat. 13. 23.Power, and divine Excellency of it. The ſacred Scripture is as a ſealed Book to ſome that are learned with Humane Arts and Sciences; they ſee but the outſide of the Book (as it were); and others they are ignorant Perſons, neither have Humane nor Divine Teachings: then he opened their Vnderſtandings, that they might underſtand Luke 24. 45.the Scriptures. See how Chriſt does honour the holy Scriptures: He did not open their Underſtanding without the Scriptures, he ſends them to that becauſe they teſtify of him; but he knew the Scripture would not ſufficiently give them the knowledg of himſelf, without the Influence and Illumination of his Spirit. Sirs, they hear Chriſt's Voice aright, who are taught of God, and by his Spirit, to underſtand his Word. Some Men are ſo far cheated by the Devil, that they cry up the Light of natural Conſcience, and magnify that above the Holy Scripture. He perſwades them to caſt away the Scriptures as a dead Letter, in expectation of the Spirit's Teachings; whereas the Spirit teacheth by, not without, nor contrary to the Sacred Scripture. The Word of Chriſt is full of Myſtery; its holy and ſublime Doctrine is not eaſily underſtood, nor can it be without the Spirit helps the Underſtanding. In a right and ſaving manner it is given to Chriſt's Sheep to underſtand the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to others it is not given.
2. Chriſt's Sheep hear his Voice with Affection: They like, love, and approve of his Word and Doctrine, it is ſweet to them; Thy Word is very pure, therefore thy Servant loveth it. They know that Pſal 119. 140.there is no Falſhood in it, it is pure from all Mixture, there is exact Purity and Holineſs in it; which makes unſanctified Perſons to like it not, but either disbelieve it, or elſe deſpiſe and hate it: But a godly Man loves it upon the account of its Purity, in that it promotes nothing but Holineſs both in Heart and Life. The Word of the Lord is right; and all his Works are done in Truth. Therefore Pſal. 33. 4. Pſal. 119. 128.I eſteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right; and hate every falſe Way. I do not reject ſuch things that my carnal Reaſon cannot comprehend, or ſuch as are oppoſite to the Luſts and Corruptions of my Heart, or worldly Intereſt; but I approve of all things that come out of thy Mouth. Some Men do not receive the Truth in the love of it, and therefore are given up to believe a Lie, or to ſtrong Deluſions.2 Theſſ. 2. 10.
3. They hear Chriſt's Voice with Attention; they hear it diligently. He ſays, Hearken diligently unto me; and they with the greateſt care do ſo. Thus Mary heard Chriſt's Voice; ſhe gave ſuch attention to his Word and Doctrine, that ſhe left all her ſecular Concerns to attend upon him, though her Siſter was offended with her. And thus Lydia heard the Word of Chriſt, Whoſe Heart the Lord Acts 16. 14.opened, that ſhe attended unto the things which were ſpoken of Paul. None can hear with attention, but ſuch whoſe Hearts the Lord doth open; and none can open the Heart, and cauſe the Soul to hear that is dead, but Chriſt only.
4. They hear Chriſt's Voice believingly. Others hear it, but do not believe it: Who hath believed our Report? and to whom hath the Arm Iſa. 53. 1. John 3. 3.of the Lord been revealed? Chriſt ſaith, Except a Man be born again, he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God. But O how few ſtedfaſtly give credit to this Doctrine: certainly, if Sinners did believe this but with the ſame Humane Faith with which they believe many other Things and Reports, it would make them tremble; but Chriſt's Sheep, or all gracious Perſons, give full credit to whatſoever he hath ſaid, and that not only with an Humane Faith, but with a Divine Faith alſo, or Faith of the Operation of God. The Man believed the Word that Jeſus had ſpoken unto him.John 4. 50.
The great Doctrine of the Goſpel, is a Doctrine of Faith; 'tis to believe: He that worketh not, but believeth on him that juſtifieth Rom. 4. 5.the Vngodly, his Faith is counted for Righteouſneſs. Mankind are generally for doing to be juſtified; they will not be perſwaded that all is done already for them, and that they are only to believe and be juſtified: but thus Chriſt's Sheep hear his Voice.
5. Chriſt's Sheep hear his Voice tremblingly, with great Fear, holy Awe, and Reverence. Thus good King Joſias heard the Word of 2 Chron. 34. 27. Iſa. 66. 2.God; his Heart was tender, and he trembled: and ſaith the Lord, To this Man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit, and that trembleth at my Word. They know it is God's Word, Chriſt's Word, who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth, Who is the only Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Where the Word of a King is, there is Power. Power goeth along with Chriſt's Voice, to awe all their Hearts that are gracious: My Pſal. 119. 161.Heart ſtandeth in awe of thy Word, ſaith David.
6. Chriſt's Sheep hear Chriſt's Word univerſally, even all that he ſaith unto them; Him ſhall ye hear in whatſoever he ſhall ſay unto Acts 3. 23.you. And thoſe who do not thus hear this great Prophet, ſhall be deſtroyed from among the People. Some will hear Chriſt's Word which they like of; but if any part of his Doctrine ſutes not their carnal Hearts or Intereſt, that they will not hear, nor comply with: but Believers are for hearing the hardeſt things that are contained in Chriſt's Word; they approve of every thing, as you heard before.
7. They hear Chriſt's Voice with Retention; they hear and keep his Word; they lay it up in their Hearts, as it is ſaid of the Bleſſed Virgin: They will not loſe it, and therefore, with David, Pſal. 119. 11.hide Chriſt's Word in their Hearts.
8. They hear his Voice always conſtantly unto the End; they will attend unto his Word and Doctrine as long as they live: let what will come, they are not offended, as the ſtony-ground Hearers Mat. 13.are ſaid to be.
9. And laſtly, They hear Chriſt's Voice only, his Voice and none elſe: They will not hear the Voice of a Stranger; that is, they will not receive damnable Errors, they know the Voice of Deceivers; nor will they receive a Mixture in Doctrine, nor in God's Worſhip: they will not join Chriſt and Moſes together, Works and Faith together, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs and their own together, Chriſt's Inſtitutions and the Inventions and Traditions of Men together.
Queſt. May not Believers, who are Chriſt's Sheep, be beguiled, ſo as to receive ſome capital Errors, or an Error in ſome fundamental Point?
Anſw. 1. No doubt but they may be ſeduced; I mean, a particular Sheep, or Saint, may be grievouſly corrupted in his Judgment.
2. But if a Believer be drawn away, or ſeduced, he ſhall, if ſincere, if an Elect Perſon, be reſtored again; for it is impoſſible any of them ſhould finally be deceived: If it were poſſible they ſhould Mat. 24. 24.deceive the very Elect; but that cannot be.
Queſt. Why are falſe Teachers called Strangers?
Anſw. 1. Becauſe a Stranger is one that we know not; ſo a falſe Teacher is one that knows not Chriſt, nor his true and ſaving Doctrine, they are not acquainted with him, are not brought into Union with Chriſt, nor have Communion with him.
2. They are Strangers to the Life and Power of true Religion and Godlineſs.
3. The Saints alſo know them not, they approve not of them, nor of the Doctrine they preach; they can diſcern between Truth and Error, by the Anointing they have received.
4. A Stranger is one that is not a conſtant dweller in one Place: ſo falſe Prophets, and falſe Teachers, are not fixed long in one Opinion. Her Ways, ſaith Solomon, are moveable, ſpeaking of the falſe Church, or adulterous Woman: many of theſe are one day for one thing, for one Error, and another day for another; this ſhews they are falſe Teachers, or Strangers to the Truth, they know it not.
5. They are called Strangers, becauſe they publiſh ſtrange Doctrine: Be not carried about with divers and ſtrange Doctrines. The Doctrine of Chriſt is one and the ſame, being immutable, can ſuffer Heb. 13. 3.no Change or Alteration; but theſe bring in a new Doctrine, not known in the Primitive Days, not taught by Chriſt or his Apoſtles, nor received in the pureſt Times of the Goſpel before Corruptions crept into the Church.
They will not hear the Voice of Strangers, or the Doctrine of falſe Teachers.
1. Not but that they may occaſionally hear ſuch preach; yet if they know they are Deceivers, they will not ſo much as hear them; neither ought they, but to ſhun them as ſuch who have Plague-Sores upon them; yet they may hear and read their Books, to know the better their curſed Principles and Errors.
2. Therefore they do not ſo hear them, as to like and approve of their Doctrine, as I ſaid before.
3. They will then be ſure not ſo to hear them, as to receive and embrace their pernicious Principles, unleſs lamentably deluded; which as you heard they may be, through the ſubtilty of Satan, and the craftineſs of his Emiſſaries, for ſome time, if they do not watch and take the better care.
APPLICATION.
Caution. To you that are Believers, beware leſt you are led away by the Error of the Wicked; be ſure that you are not corrupted in any main or fundamental Truth.
Firſt. O labour to maintain and abide firm in the Doctrine of the Bleſſed Trinity: God hath revealed or made known himſelf as three in one, and therefore as ſuch to be worſhipped. Look what way God hath manifeſted his Being and Properties unto us in his Holy Word: Our Worſhip conſiſteth in a due application of our Soul unto him, according to that Revelation of himſelf. And that there are three diſtinct Perſons, ſubſiſting in the ſame infinitely holy One undivided Eſſence, as manifeſted in his Word, is moſt evident; and thoſe Perſons are ſo diſtinct in their peculiar Subſiſtence, that diſtinct Actings and Operations are aſcribed unto them.
The Father knoweth the Son, and loveth him; and the Son ſeeth, knoweth, and loveth the Father. In theſe mutual Actings, ſaith Reverend Dr. Owen, one Perſon is the Object of the Knowledg and Love of the other. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his Hand. No Man knoweth the Son, but the Father; John 5. 35. Mat. 11. 27.neither knoweth any Man the Father, ſave the Son. No Man knoweth the Divine Eſſence, or Eternal Generation of the Son, but the Father: Nor no Man knoweth the Eſſence or Counſels of the Father, or Diſpenſations of the Goſpel, ſave the Son: Or, as Calvin ſaith, The Son is ſaid to know the Father, as he is the lively and expreſs Image of his Perſon.
This mutual Knowledg and Love of the Father and Son, is expreſſed at large in Prov. 8. 22.
And they are Abſolute, Infinite, Natural and Neceſſary unto the Being and Bleſſedneſs of God. So the Holy Spirit is the mutual Love of the Father, and the Son, knowing them as he is known, and ſearching the deep Things of God. "And, ſaith the Doctor,Dr. Owen. in theſe mutual and internal and external Actings of themſelves, conſiſts much of the infinite Bleſſedneſs of the Holy God. Again, 2. there are diſtinct Actings of the ſeveral Perſons in the Godhead, which are voluntary, or Effects of Will and Choice, and not natural or neceſſary; and theſe are of two ſorts, ſuch as reſpect one another: for there are external Acts of one Perſon towards another; but then the Perſon that is the Object of theſe Actings, is not conſidered abſolutely as a Divine Perſon, but with reſpect unto ſome peculiar Diſpenſation and Condeſcenſion. So the Father gives, ſends, commands the Son, as he had condeſcended to take our Nature upon him, and to be the Mediator between God and Man. So the Father and the Son do ſend the Spirit, as he condeſcended in a ſpecial manner to the Office of being the Sanctifier and Comforter of the Church. Now theſe are free and voluntary Acts, depending upon the ſovereign Will, Counſel, and Pleaſure of God, and might not have been without the leaſt diminution of his Eternal Bleſſedneſs."
Although this is ſuch a Myſtery, that it's beyond our Capacities fully to comprehend it, yet there are, as appears by what hath been ſaid, clear Scripture-Demonſtrations, that in the Deity there is a plurality of diſtinct Perſons, which might further be evinced, as the Learned have ſhewed.
1. A Being that ſtands under divers mutual Relations, eternally John 1. 14, 18. 1 John 1. 22. Heb. 1. 5, 6. Gal. 4. 6.and unalterably fixed, that one cannot be the other, muſt admit of ſuch a Conſideration of Exiſtence. But thus it is here, God the Father eternally begets, and never can be begotten; the Son is eternally and unchangeably begotten, and can never beget the Father; alſo the Holy Ghoſt proceeds from the Father and the Son, and neither Father nor Son can proceed from the Holy Ghoſt.
2. Where one doth as it were command, and another obey; one ſends, and another is ſent, there muſt needs be a perſonal diſtinction Joh. 8. 20. & 10. 17, 18. John 20. 21. Luke 10. 22. Acts 20. 28. John 5. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 18.between each other: But, as it was before ſhewed, the Father doth as it were command and ſend the Son, not himſelf; the Son is held forth as obeying, not commanding or ſending the Father.
3. Where there is ſomething done by one, that is not done by another; that argues the Perſons are diſtinct one from the other. But thus it is in reſpect of the Deity, there is ſomething done by the Son, that is not done by the Father: The Son aſſumed Man's Nature, the Father did not this; the Son in that Nature died, and ſatisfied for our Sins by the Sacrifice of himſelf; the Father did not this: The Holy Ghoſt is ſent by the Father and the Son, Pſal. 2. 8. Heb. 10. 9. Heb. 1. 8, 9. Iſa. 61. 1.he doth not ſend the Father nor the Son.
4. Where there is a diſtinct mutual Converſe, in which one ſpeaks of himſelf to another, and of a third, there is the formality of three Perſons; but in the Deity there is ſuch a Converſe.
5 Where there is an Image one of another, there is ſuch a Diſtinction one from another, that one is not the other in that reſpect; but in the Deity there is an Image one of another. The Myſtery is moſt manifeſt from expreſs Scripture. It is a received Rule that cannot be contracted, That things alike are not 2 Cor. 4. 4. Col. 1. 15. Heb. 1. 3.the ſame, in that reſpect wherein they are alike. Dr. Chauncy.
Secondly, Alſo labour to abide firm in the Faith concerning the Perſon of Jeſus Chriſt, who is both God and Man, the Eternal God; not God by Office, but God by Nature, the moſt High God who made Heaven and Earth, and yet truly Man, taking our Nature into a myſtical Union with his Holy Deity, being made like unto us in all things, Sin only excepted; and thus both God and Man in one Perſon.
1ſt. It is requiſite that he ſhould be God.
1. Becauſe none can ſatisfy for Sin but he that is God; no Creature, though never ſo Holy, could do it, becauſe Sin hath an infinite demerit in it; being againſt an infinite God, it therefore deſerveth everlaſting Puniſhment. From hence it appears, that the Satisfaction for our Sins muſt be infinitely meritorious, otherwiſe it could not ſatisfy the infinite Juſtice and Wrath of God. Now from the Dignity of Chriſt's Perſon, he being God as well as Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9. 14.Man, his Obedience and Suffering hath an infinite Worth in it.
2. No meer Creature was able to abide and overcome infinite Wrath, or the Puniſhment due to us for our Sins; therefore he muſt be God, that ſo he might bear the Burden of Divine Anger in his Fleſh, the Godhead upholding and ſuſtaining his Humane Nature, under his bloody Agony and fearful Anguiſh and Suffering on the Tree, when God the Father was withdrawn from him, and the Pangs of Hell took hold of him.
3. That he might overcome and vanquiſh all the Enemies of our Souls, as Sin, Satan, Death, and Hell. Had he not been God, he could not have raiſed himſelf from the Dead; from whence riſes the Spring of our Regeneration to a State of Grace here, and our Reſurrection to a State of Glory at the laſt Day hereafter.
2dly. He muſt be Man; becauſe he muſt die, which the Godhead could not do; yea, he muſt be Man in our Nature, that he might ſatisfy the Juſtice of God for us, becauſe the Righteouſneſs of God requires, that the ſame Nature which had ſinned, ſhould make a full Compenſation to the Law of God and infinite Juſtice. O take heed no Man ſhakes your Faith in this great Article of the Chriſtian Religion.
3dly. Take heed alſo that you abide ſtedfaſt in the Doctrine of Chriſt's Satisfaction, which dependeth on the former. Such who deny Chriſt's Deity, muſt diſown that plenary Satisfaction he gave to the Law and Juſtice of God. Beware of Socinianiſm, Quakeriſm, &c. and all ſuch like Errors.
4thly. Take heed, there are ſome who tell you, Chriſt has fully ſatisfied for the Breach of the Law of the firſt Covenant, for the Sins of the whole World; ſo that all Men are cured of that Sickneſs, and delivered from that Curſe, and put into a Capacity to be ſaved, if they will but exerciſe the Power of their own Will and Abilities; and that Men have power to believe and be regenerated, that ſit under the preaching of the Goſpel; and if they anſwer and diſcharge their part in Salvation, Chriſt's Death will become effectual to them, it being but on this Condition that Chriſt Jeſus died to ſave Men, provided they anſwer thoſe Terms the Goſpel offers: Whereas it's evident, that Chriſt is not the End of the Law, as touching Righteouſneſs to any Man, but only to ſuch as believe, (I ſpeak of the Adult); and the Goſpel is not our Sickneſs, but our Cure; that condemns not, but as the healing Remedy is rejected, and the Curſe of the Law abides upon all Unbelievers. And it is alſo as evident, that Man by Nature is dead in Sin, and muſt by an almighty and irreſiſtible Power be quickned; which is done by the infuſion of a Principle of Divine Life. Faith is God's Gift, and not the Condition of the Covenant of Grace; it is a Branch, or part of that Grace promiſed therein, upon the Condition of Chriſt's Satisfaction, not the Condition to be performed by the Creature, which procures the Bleſſings purchaſed; therefore no Condition then in order and connection in the Promiſes, that God will enable all his Elect to perform, by beſtowing that Bleſſing upon them freely by his own Grace. The whole of our Salvation is by Chriſt; It is by Faith, that it might be by Grace, to the end the Promiſe might be ſure to all the Seed; and all boaſting might be excluded. Rom. 4. 16.And 'tis not an uncertain Salvation, that depends upon the doubtful and depraved Will of Man; but it is well ordered in all things, and ſure, by the infinite Grace, Wiſdom, and Power of God. Nor did Chriſt die only for our Good who are ſaved, but in our ſtead alſo; ſo that Eternal Life comes to us in a way of Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, as well as in a way of Mercy and Goodneſs. God was not rendred only reconcileable by the Death of his Son, which the Creature is to make effectual on his part, but he is abſolutely reconciled: For if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being now reconciled, Rom. 5. 10.we ſhall be ſaved by his Life.
5thly. There are others alſo that affirm, that Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator, gave to God a valuable Conſideration, or Recompence, The new Doctrine, or rather new Goſpel.that he might juſtly wave, and not execute the Law of perfect Obedience; and by his Merits purchaſed a new and milder Law of Grace: ſo that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs hath only purchaſed the removing the Law of Works from being a Covenant of Life; and that our Right to Salvation, the Favour of God, and Peace of Conſcience, does depend upon our Obedience to the Goſpel, which Chriſt hath purchaſed, ſhould be accepted for our Righteouſneſs, by which we muſt be juſtified and judged: and that Faith in its whole latitude, is our believing and obeying the Goſpel, or new Law, that by this we are made partakers of the Benefits of Chriſt, he having merited this Grant, or Law, That they who obey him ſincerely ſhould be ſaved; and that he is juſtified ſo far, and ſo long as he anſwers the Condition of this new Law of Grace.
Now we, and all ſound Proteſtants, in oppoſition to this, affirm, That Jeſus Chriſt as the Head, Surety, and Repreſentative of all the Elect, did fulfil or ſatisfy for the Law of Works, bearing the Curſe of the Law for us, and in our ſtead; and by his Holy Life, &c. purchaſed for us that Life which the Law promiſed to him, that continued to do all things that were written therein, and by the Supereminency of his Obedience, Additions of Bleſſedneſs unto Life; and that his Obedience and Righteouſneſs, whereby he fulfilled the Law, is imputed to Believers for their Juſtification, by which God grants them pardon of Sin, and a Grant of Eternal Life, and that by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, thus imputed, Believers ſtand perfectly juſtified and delivered from the Curſe of the Law, and are certainly intituled to Eternal Life; and that Faith is a relying on Chriſt, and truſting in him and his Righteouſneſs and Merits only for Salvation.
6thly. Therefore be ſure alſo you hear Chriſt's Voice, and adhere to his Doctrine about Juſtification, through his perfect and compleat Righteouſneſs alone, imputed unto all them that do believe in him, without Works done by us, or Holineſs wrought in us; I mean, our Faith and ſincere Obedience, is not the Matter of our Juſtification before God, nor any part of it, but the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt only, in his perfect conformity to the Law of God in his Life, and by dying on the Croſs as our Surety and bleſſed Repreſentative: Yet know, we conſtantly affirm, That that Faith which unites us to Chriſt, in whom we are juſtified, doth purify both the Heart and Life; and though inherent Grace, Holineſs, and good Works, do not juſtify our Perſons before God, yet they do juſtify our Faith, and declare us to be in a juſtified State before Men, and to our own Conſciences alſo, as the Apoſtle James ſhews; and that that Faith that is not attended with good Fruits, is dead, as the Body without the Spirit is dead.
Pray remember that you have been often taught, that Faith it ſelf doth not juſtify us in God's ſight, as an Habit, or Act, or in reſpect of the Product of it, but only objectively, i. e. in reſpect of the Object it doth apprehend, apply and take hold of.
O Sirs, take heed ye are not deceived; may be ye look upon the Lives and Converſations of Men, and you think they are good Men, holy Men; yet for all this examine the Doctrine they preach: for an evil and corrupt Doctrine may be as pernicious and damnable as an evil Converſation. But there were falſe Prophets alſo among the People, even as there ſhall be … Teachers among you, who ſhall privily 2 Pet. 2. 2.bring in damnable Hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themſelves ſwift Deſtruction.
7thly, Be wary alſo, leſt you are carried away with the Error of the Wicked, to doubt of, or deny the Reſurrection of the Body: If once you come to deny the Reſurrection, your State is dangerous, for that is a capital Error: If the Dead riſe not, then 1 Cor. 15. 13, 14, 15.is not Chriſt riſen; and if Chriſt be not riſen, then is our preaching vain, and your Faith is alſo vain. Yea, and we are found falſe Witneſſes of God, becauſe we teſtified of God that he raiſed up Chriſt; whom he raiſed not up, if ſo be that the Dead riſe not. It muſt be the ſame Body, not another; for if not the ſame, it will be no Reſurrection, but a new Creation; and if not the ſame Body, but another, then it will not be that Body that ſuffered for Chriſt that ſhall be glorified, nor that Body that ſinned againſt God and Chriſt that ſhall be puniſhed, but an innocent Body, a Body that never ſinned.
Be ſure labour to hold the Head, and be eſtabliſhed in all the fundamental Truths of the Goſpel, they are not many.
1. Your Souls are in danger of being corrupted; we have ſlie and crafty Deceivers among us in theſe Days.
2. Many thouſands (we have cauſe to fear) are already poiſoned with moſt pernicious Notions, and Soul-deſtructive Errors, who are in danger of periſhing this way to Eternity, yet ſeem ſober, holy, and devout Perſons.
3. Let it be your care to fit under the Miniſtry of ſuch Men who preach Chriſt, Chriſt only; or wholly ſeek to exalt Chriſt, and the Free Grace of God by Jeſus Chriſt. Take heed who you hear, and take heed what you hear, and how you hear: Therefore watch, and remember (ſaith Paul) that by the Acts 20. 31.ſpace of three Years, I ceaſed not to warn every one Night and Day with Tears. He was afraid of thoſe grievous Wolves that would enter in among them, not ſparing the Flock. You hear that Chriſt's Sheep hear his Voice; let it appear you are his Sheep, by having this Character, namely, in that you hear his Doctrine, and will not hear the Voice of Strangers.
But, O reſt not in a bare hearing the Voice of Chriſt, nor in the knowledg of ſaving Truth; get it not only into your Heads, but into your Hearts. He that hath truly received Chriſt's Doctrine, or rightly hears his Voice, brings forth good Fruit; he feels the Power of his Word upon his own Heart: Knowledg without Grace will ſtand you in no ſtead. A good Doctrine, and much Head-Knowledg, and great Gifts, without Love, Humility, and a Godly Life, ſignifies nothing: Knowledg puffs up, but Love edifies.
I ſhall add no more at this Time.