who can weigh with equal candor, the arguments for, and against their own opinion.

Another source of prejudices is the opinion of those, whom we esteem wise and good. Many, in times of awakening and attention to religion, imbibe the sentiments of those who have been instruments, in the hands of God, of promoting religion, and who have been considered as wise and good men. With many, reasoning is to no effect against what they esteem a sentiment embraced by good Mr. Stoddard, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Flavel, or Mr. Doddridge. People extend this to almost every thing Good people formerly sang such a version of the Psalms, or such a tune, and many are ready to think it impiety to sing any other. They have even superstitiously extended the same mode of thinking to dress, to the manner of cutting the hair, and even to diet. And however lawful the use of tobacco may now be thought, the time has been, when smoaking it was viewed like the sin of witchcraft.

Education is another source of prejudice, which bars the mind against candid attention to truth, or, perhaps I might with more propriety say, the want of proper education. Hence we find that those, educated as Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, or Methodists, embrace the same principles, and with respect to many, it is to no purpose to reason with them against what they have received by tradition.

I proceed to show,

(2.) That even good men are exposed to preju dices, and often have their minds barred against improvement in the knowledge of the gospel. Facts recorded in Scripture, abundantly confirm this. We have striking instances to this purpose. The observance of certain institutions of the Jewish religion had been neglected by some pious

kings: The consequence was, that the Jews went on in the old track, till the days of Hezekiah and Josiah,

The conduct of the disciples was remarkable in this respect. They imbibed the sentiment, that Christ's kingdom was to be in part a temporal kingdom. This so blinded their minds, that they could not understand the plainest language re-. specting his death and the expediency of it: And when the event took place, they were exceedingly shocked at it.

We see the strong prepossessions of the Jewish Christians in favor of the Mosaic Rites, and particularly, circumcision. All those rites had evidently their accomplishment in Christ and the christian dispensation: But they did not know how to give them up.

We see this trait exhibited in christians at the present time, and this too even in persons of eminent piety. Many who have, in other respects, given evidence of real piety, have yet manifested a supertitious attachment to rites, and things which other christians do not suppose to be founded in the gospel. This has been the occasion of unhappy divisions among christians: This, together with the want of mutual charity and forbearance, has been the foundation of so many denominations, as exist among christians.

II. Christians,-men of real piety and sincerity, though they may, as well as others, be exposed to great prejudices; yet will they exercise some degree of candor. There is scarcely any thing more unfavorable to the sincerity of the christian profession, than an uncandid, dogmatical spirit. Christians are to be well established; yet they are at the same time, to prove all things, and hold fast that which is good. We see that this was the case

with the good Nathaniel. Though he had his ob jections to the proposal made him; yet he went, agreeably to the invitation of Philip.-The christian finds by experience, that the gospel spirit is a spirit of candor, and, sensible in some degree, of his own darkness and prejudice, he is willing to receive light from any one.

Our Savior's direction in dealing with those who are erroneous, supposes, that if they are christians, they will attend with candor to what is kindly administered to them, to convince them of their error.

Improvement.

1. We see the folly of making the opinion of any man a rule of our faith. We are to call no man master or father.

2. We have need to examine much, and not to make hasty determinations.

3. There are many things in which sincere christians may differ. As to the great essentials, they agree; but as to unessential points, they may entertain different sentiments. With respect to all such matters, we all ought to exercise christian charity and forbearance.

DISCOURSE VII.

MAT. IV, 4.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you.

THE discourse of our glorious Lord, from which the text is taken, had for the most part, an immediate respect to what was to precede and fol low the destruction of Jerusalem. Many passages

of his discourse, however, cannot be explained, without supposing them to predict Christ's glori ous appearance in the world. It seems that, before the destruction of Jerusalem, there were, agreea ble to our Savior's prediction, many false Christs and prophets who stirred up the Jews to insurrection. John, whose epistles were some of the last of the sacred writings, says, that there were then many Antichrists and false prophets gone into the world. So the Bible fully represents, that "there is to be a falling away; that in the last days there shall be perilous times: Men shall give heed to seducing fables and doctrines of devils."-Our Saviour left on sacred record, this caution and exhortation, which we may consider, as applying to us; "take heed that no man deceive you," and urges this as a reason, "for many will come in my name, &c." that many would be greatly exposed to deception, and many would be carried away with it.

I propose to show,

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I. That Satan has had, and continues to have," many instruments that are trying to deceive mankind.

II. In what things men are exposed to be deceived.

III. That men are greatly exposed to be fatally

deceived.

IV. That it is important, that men should take careful heed against deception.

I. Satan has had, and still has, many instruments that are trying to deceive mankind. This was remarkably the case, after Christ's crucifixion. There were many impostors who appeared, pretending they were the Messiah, and gained many followers.It was the case, also, early in the christian church, that many introduced fatal errors; such as the Manicheans, Gnostics, Arians,

There

&c. Indeed, all persons in any measure acquainted with the history of the primitive church, must be sensible, how many false teachers and prophets sprang up, by whom many have been drawn away and deceived; how many pretended prophets in the church of Rome, who have deluded many generations, and how many in the Protestant church, who have been trying to delude creatures into fatal error. There have been many, that have pretended to a spirit of prophecy, and that they were the witness spoken of in the Revelations.. are Arminius, Socinus and many others who have been trying to seduce mankind into fatal error. The same things are exhibited at the present day. It is a remarkable day for the prevalence of infi delity, agreeably to what is said in prophecy, that in the last days false teachers should arise, deny ing the Lord that bought them, and thereby af fording the most striking evidence of the truth of that revelation which they deny. There are many at the present day, who are endeavoring to lead men into the belief, that there is no state of final punishment for the wicked. Indeed, it is a time in which error remarkably prevails: None ever saw a day in which there were so many forms of delusion as at present. How much sophistry is used to evade the truth, and how many false glosses are put on the plainest passages of scripture! In many of these glosses and evasions, there ap-. pears to be more than human art and subtilty.

I proceed,

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II. To enquire, in what things men are exposed to be deceived ?!

This is the case in general, in matters that nearly respect their salvation. Those instruments whom Satan employs, may not have it in view to destroy; but Savan's aim is to destroy. Satan by his instruments, tries to deceive many as to their