" Thou hast tried them which say they are x\postles, and are not; and hast found them liars f." And whether this, or the contrary, be the result of your examination, I say with bold- ness, " Try even an Apostle by the standard of God's blessed word."]
Having thus distinguished truth from falsehood, we must, II. " Hold fast that which is good " —
There are many that would wrest it from us : and we must hold it fast against all assaults,
1. Of proud reason —
[Reason will presume to sit in judgment upon the truth of God. But this is not its province. Its proper office is, to judge whether the Scriptures are a revelation from God : but, when that is ascertained, faith is then to apprehend whatever God has spoken : and the highest dictate of reason is, to sub- mit ourselves to God with the simplicity and teachableness of a little child. "When, therefore, reason presumes to oppose the declarations of God, and to say, " This is an hard saying : who can hear it ? " regard not its proud dictates, but " receive with meekness the written wordg;" remembering, that "what is foolishness with man may be indeed the wisdom of God," and " the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes it."]
2. Of corrupt passion —
[This also fights against the truth of God. And no wonder : for the word of God condemns every unhallowed desire, and requires us to " crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts." How should it be supposed that our corrupt nature should approve of a book, which enjoins us to " cut off a right hand, and to pluck out a right eye," lest by sparing either the one or the other we plunge both body and soul into the fire of hell? It cannot be but that our self-indulgent appetites should rise against such severe dictates, and con- demn them all as unreasonable and absurd. But you must not listen to such objectors, who " hate the light, and will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved." Our one question must be, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" and his will once known, must be the sole director of our ways.]
3. Of a menacing world —
[The world which lieth in wickedness ever did, and ever will, set itself against the self-denying doctrines of the Gospel.
f Rev. ii. 2. s Jam. i. 21.