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: 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 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. Mat. 13.47. and 3.12. 2. Tim. 2.20.

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 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 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 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. Pſalm 78.34.1. Kings, 21.29.

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?

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 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 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, Job 16.10, 11. and they of him; yea, they ſtick not to accuſe him of downright Hypocriſy. Chap. 22.5. and 32.1, 3.

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. 2 Kings 5.26, 27.

But you will ſay, theſe are old Teſtament Inſtances; but our Light is greater now under the Goſpel: I Anſwer, 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 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.2 Cor. 10, 1, 2, 10. 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 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' 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. 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 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, 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." Treatiſe againſt the Moravians, P. 62. 105. and to the ſame Purpoſe he ſpeaks in his Sermon againſt an unconverted Miniſtry, P. 20.

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 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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; 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 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' 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 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, 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 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 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 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. Pool in loc. — 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 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.

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. 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 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 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 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 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: 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 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 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.

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 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 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.