faith of others0. Which of the Churches, planted in the apostolic age, was free from their influence ? In which were there not " some who perverted the Gospel of Christ d," and some who, by their means, were "turned aside after Satan6?" At Rome there were those who made it their business to " cause divi- sions; and by good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple f." At Corinth, the Church was so distracted by them, that Christian love was al- most banished ; and nothing but " debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults," obtained amongst them, insomuch that the Apostle threatened to exert his apostolic authority, and to inflict on them some signal judgments, if they did not reform their conduct before he visited them again g. As for the Galatian Church, such an ascen- dency had the false teachers gained over them, that there was scarcely one who retained his integrity : almost all of them had embraced, what St. Paul calls, " another Gospel ;" and, so entirely had they trans- ferred their regards from him to their new teachers, that notwithstanding " they would, not long before, have plucked out their own eyes, and have given them unto him," they now considered him in no other light than " an enemy11." At Ephesus also there were some who, like " children, were tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, while others, by sleight and cunning craftiness, were lying in wait to deceive them1." At Philippi too, there were "dogs and evil workers, of whom it was needful for them to beware k." But time would fail us to enumerate the heresies that were propagated, and the apostasies that were occasioned by them, even in the purest ages of the Church. The epistles to Timothy and Titus
c 2 Cor. xi. 13 — 15. with Rev. iii. 9. Such ministers with their hearers are " the synagogue of Satan," who is their teacher, their in- stigator, and their god.
d Gal. i. 7. e 1 Tim. v. 15. f Rom. xvi. 17, 18.
e 1 Cor. i. 10, 11. and iii. 3, 4. and 2 Cor. xii. 20, 21. and xiii. 2, 10.
h Gal. i. 6. and iv. 9—11, 15—17. and v. 7, 8.
5 Eph.iv. 14. k Phil, iii. 2.
2130. j THE CHRISTIAN'S GREAVES. 475
are full of complaints respecting these deceivers, and of cautions to avoid all intercourse, either with them, or with their followers1.
Now let any one say, whether, after so many sad examples, he himself needs not to be well esta- blished in the true Gospel, lest he be " led aside by the error of the wicked, and fall from his own stead- fastness"1?"
But it will be asked, How shall I know the true Gospel from those counterfeits which are proposed for my acceptance ? To this we answer, The true Gospel is a " Gospel of peace." It is a Gospel which sets forth Jesus as our hope, " our peace," and our all". It is a Gospel which leads us to " shew all meekness0," and, "as much as lieth in us, to live peaceably with all menp." Particularly also will it prompt us to seek the welfare of the Church, and to " follow the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another q." Whoever there- fore would turn us from Christ as the foundation of our hope ; or would " cause divisions and offences in the Church," in order to " scatter the flock of Christ, and to draw them" from their proper foldr; we have reason to think him no other than a " wolf in sheep's clothing8;" a minister of Satan in the garb of a " minister of righteousness :" and we should beware, lest, by listening to such an one, our " unstable souls be beguiled'," and we "fall so as never to be renewed unto repentance11." We must not only take heed how we hear, but zvhat we hearx: for if" whole houses