A SERMON preached at BIDDEFORD, IN THE County of Devon, On the Fifth of November, 1688.  
By JAMES WOOD, Minister of the Gospel there.  
 printer's ornaments  
LONDON: Printed in the Year MDCLXXXIX.   

A CAVEAT AGAINST False Teachers. FROM MATTH. VII. 20. Wherefore by their Fruits ye shall know them.  
CHRIST, in his Sermon on the Mount, before his Disciples, to the Multitude, eminently discharges his Prophetical Office. It is begun at the beginning of Chap. 5. continued through Chap. 6. and ended with the end of this Chap. 7. His great work in this Sermon is to retrieve the Law from the false glosses which the Pharisees had corrupted it with: Having done much this way, at vers. 15. of this Chap.( to led you no further back for the relation of the words red) he gives them a Caution to beware of false Teachers, advising them to beware of such, by two Arguments, viz. The danger adjoined, and the pernicious effect; both illustrated by a similitude: The danger, by Sheeps clothing, i.e. an appearance of simplicity in words and deeds: The effect, by the ravening of Wolves.  
In Sheeps clothing.] 'tis not so much in Cloath, clothing made of Wool, shorn off the Sheep's back, as in the very Sheep's skins themselves, that they may seem sheep without. So the Apostle speaks of the true Servants of God, that they wandered in Sheep-skins, 
{αβγδ}.  Heb. 11. 37. It seems to have been the use of the Prophets of the Lord to wear such. So is it spoken of Elijah, 1 Kings 19. 13. 2 Kings 2. 13. where we red Mantle; the Greek Version hath the 
{αβγδ}.  same word that the Apostle useth, which they might wear, partly to show how far they were from Pride in Apparel,( Cardinal Wolsey is said to be the first Man that brought in the wearing of Silk by the Clergy in England) partly necessitated thereto by their Poverty under Persecution. And our Lord may be understood under this one particular of clothing, to intend all outward shows of Innocence, in Countenance, Words, and Operose Rites, especially those good words and 
{αβγδ}.  speeches mentioned by the Apostle, Rom. 16. 18. By such Garbs, and such Tongues, it seems, the false Prophets designed to deceive, Zech. 13. 4.  
But how shall these false Teachers be known, that they may be shunned? This the Lord speaks, vers. 16. by their Fruits; which he illustrates by the similitude of Shrubs and Trees, which seem to have been as Proverbial among that People: Which words are repeated in vers. 20. with the Addition of one word in the beginning of the Verse, which we Transtate Wherefore; in 
{αβγδ}] Nempe igitur. Mihi idem valet quod {αβγδ}. Et praeter iilationem, babet ctiam vim confirmandi. Bez.  Beza's Account, speaking not only an illation, but also a confirmation of this Assertion. Hence then we may observe,  
Doct. That false Teachers are best known by their Fruits. This is plainly our Lord's Assertion, vers. 16. and repeated, vers. 20. Now, what can he do that cometh after the King? What need any further Testimony, after this full Evidence? Our work must be to inquire, first, what those Fruits are, by which these false Teachers may be known; secondly, how evidential, or plainly discovering these false Teachers, those Fruits are.  
First, What are those Fruits? Their Doctrines, say 
Ham. Smid. Pisc.  some; their Works, say 
Munst. mauled. Grot.  others; both, say I; their Preachings and their practices.  
First, their Doctrines; we will enumerate some few of many.  
1. All Doctrines that oppugn or abase the Person or Offices of the Lord Jesus Christ, are false Doctrines, and Discoveries of false Teachers, 1 John 2. 22.& 4. 3. The great design of God, in and by the Gospel, is to conciliate Honour to Jesus Christ, John 5. 23.& 6. 27.& 8. 54. To detract therefore from him, is to profess Hostility against God. The denying his Natures, confounding or dividing them in his Person; the decrying or vacating his Offices, or setting up any thing in competition with any of them, is to deny the work for which he was sent into the World, and the Office committed to him by the Father, and this is Anti-Christ. If Jesus be not acknowledged to be Immanuel, the Word made Flesh, in which he ascended into Heaven, in the sight, by the attestation of his Disciples, where he sits at the Right Hand of the Majesty and Glory of the Father, in his Father's Throne, Rev. 3. 23. 
Jos. meed. Apost. of the latter Times, Part 1. Ch. 7. pag.( mihi) 639.  The Power of Divine Majesty, wherein none may sit but God, and the God-man Jesus Christ: In this glorified Nature shall he come to judgement, having Power to Judge as the Son of Man, John 5. 27. Acts 17. 31. In any of these respects to deny the Person, or the Offices of Christ, as Prophet, Priest, and King, is to militate against the whole Gospel; and whosoever teacheth so, whatever pretences he may have of Piety and Zeal, is yet a false Teacher.  
Secondly, Doctrines that depress, or derogate any thing from the Grace of God, are false Doctrines. God in the Gospel hath opened the large Treasuries of his Grace; and all that he doth towards Sinners in and by Christ for their Salvation, is to magnify and exaalt this his free Grace, Ephes. 1. 6. Tit. 3. 4, 5. Kindness, Mercy, and( by a 
{αβγδ}.  peculiar Name) Love to Man: Whatever in this matter of Salvation any arrogate to Man, they derogate from the Lord's free Grace. With what plainness doth the Apostles repress the insolency of Man in this thing, 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ? What hast thou, that thou dist not receive? and how proud and anti-Evangelical was that answer of Grevinchovius, 
Ego me ipsum discrivi.  I have made myself to differ? Those that talk of their Works, and are much with their haec ego feci,( this and that I have done) Luther well calls faeces, i.e. Lees, Dregs. They that preach up any thing besides the Grace of God, in contriving and effecting the Salvation of Sinners, are false Teachers.  
Thirdly, Doctrines contrary to the conductive Principles of Men, and Christians, are false Doctrines. God hath vouchsafed Men in common with other Creatures, Sense; Christians with other Men, Reason; and peculiar to them, Faith. These are principles by which we judge of things in their Sphere. The first discerning principle is Sense: to say, or preach any Doctrine that makes all the Senses of all sound Men about their proper Objects duly placed, Fallible, is to say, that no certainty can be had in any thing: Reason is the next discerning Principle; and though many things in Christianity may be above, and beyond natural Reasons perception, as depending on pure Revelation: yet to bring any Doctrine that is repugnant to Reason; as that the same thing should be, and not be, at the same time, &c. is to bid defiance to the God of Reason: seeing though our Reason cannot perceive some of those Doctrines, yet is there the greatest Reason to receive them, because of Divine Revelation. Which is the foundation of the third discerning Principle, viz. Faith proper to the Christian, whose all is subjected unto the Divine Pleasure made known. The Obedience of Faith is to submit all to the Lord speaking, as Simon letting down the Net at Christ's word, Luke 5. 5. obeying that 
Non hoc tantùm vult, te jubente, said fretus solo imperio tuo, cum res caetera omnes spei nostrae adversentur, Grot.  against all appearances to the contrary. Doctrines repugnant to all, or any of these Principles cannot be true.  
Fourthly, Anti-magistratical Doctrines are false, contrary to the word of God, and to his Nature, who is a God of Order in the World, as well as in the Churches; and hath made Subjection to superiors a piece of Moral Duty, a breach of which, in rising up against the Magistrate, was so severely punished by the Lord in konrah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num. 16. for it seems to be the Principality and Ruledom of Moses, that they did mostly rise up against, ver. 13. the New Testament, is no less express for Subjection to civil Powers than the Old, Rom. 13. 1, Every soul] these things are commanded to all,( saith Chrysostom, on the place) whether Priests, or Monks, and not only to secular Men,— thô thou be an Apostle, thô an Evangelist, thô a Prophet, whoever else thou art: He saith not simply, Obey, but be Subject: thus Chrysostom. The Apostle Peter accords with his Brother Paul herein also, 1 Pet. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, i.e. to every Magistrate, or form of Government: Not but that Government is an Ordinance of God, and Governours are appointed by God; but it is called ( l) the Creature of Man, because it is 
{αβγδ}  born by Men, by Men they are chosen, and for the good of Men 
See Gurh. Est B●z Pisc. in loc.  and he adds, every Creature, or Ordinance of Man, to note, That not the Qualities of the Persons, but the Office ought to be regarded; as if he had said, to whatsoever Ruler, whether he be Jew or gentle, Christian, or Infidel, Good, or Bad 
Est Gurh.  Some by Ordinance here understand every Constitution or Law of Man: but that cannot accord with the Apostles Distribution following, whether to the King as supreme, &c. Nor can they show that the word here rendered Ordinance, is any where so taken: it must be therefore every Magistrate, or governor that the Apostle requires subjection to. Subversion of Government, speaking evil of Governours, is contrary to the Genius of the Gospel. Thô it be not now new, but an old Reproach of Satan to render Christians Odious by such Suggestions, as being contrary to Governments; yet the Apostles in their, and the Primitive Christians in their Times have fully protested against it.  
Secondly, false Teachers may be known by their Works and Practices. See two or three.  
First, Deceitful. The Gospel is full of, and highly comamnds Simplicity Plainness, like good Father Jacob, Gen. 25. 27. without Welt, or Guard, Guile, or gull, without Deceit, as the 
{αβγδ}.  Greek there like Nathaniel, Jo. 1. 47. in whom no Guile. But when Men can turn themselves into all shapes, to achieve their ends, be any thing, do any thing to promote their Designs; this speaks them not of God. This is that 
{αβγδ}. Significat quandum ad male agendum solertiam, longo usu,& tractandis rebus omnibus, quaesitam.  Craftiness which the New Testament condemns, Luke 20. 23. 1 Cor. 3. 19. 2 Cor. 11. 3. Ephes. 4 14. This the Apostle puts off from himself, and Companions in the Ministry, 2 Cor. 4. 2. not walking in Craftiness. The Ministers of Christ hated Legerdemain, and underhand dealings. They that do evil hate the Light, and love to lurk.  
Secondly False: speak one thing, and think another, pretend one thing, and intend another. When there is no Truth in Mens Words, or Deeds, Hos. 4. 1, 2. No Truth,— by Swearing and Lying. watermen look one way, and row another, scarce know where ever to find them Children of their Father, the Devil, a liar from the beginning; if ever speak Truth, 'tis with a design to deceive. Doeg is called a false Tongue, Psal. 120. 3. thô he spoken but the Truth against the Lord's Priests, because not for any Love to the Truth, nor for respect to Justice, nor for the bettering either of Saul, or the Priests, but only to prejudice these, and incense the other. David hated false ways, Psal. 119. 104, 128. so do all whose Hearts are right with God.  
Thirdly, bloody: Satan was first a subtle liar, and then a Murderer; so are his Brats. False Teachers are usually full of Cruelty. We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to die. 'tis they that find themselves destitute of the Power of the word Usually, that cry out for the Violence of the Sword. Not so, the Apostles of Jesus Christ, who were Tender, Compassionate, like Indulgent Fathers to Children, 1 Thes. 2. 11. Yea to the ignorant and the erring, 2. Tim. 24. 25, 26. The Church did then thrive best, and spread most when the Secular Arms were against it. bloody and deceitful Men are put together more than once in the Psalms. Christ's true Ministers desire to commend themselves to Men's Conscience in the Evidence of plain Gospel Truth, as being Weapons Mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong Holds, &c. They are false Teachers that are Cruel and bloody.  
The second thing is, How false Teachers come thus to be known by their Fruits? Take this from the Mouth of our Lord, Mat. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; and by a parity of Reason it may be extended to Actions also. The Philosopher could say to a Lad, Speak that I may see thee. Yet here the constant Frame of the Heart must be intended, not while under some Temptation or Constraint. David seems to have exercised some more than common Cruelty towards the Ammonites, whilst he lay in the Lethergy of his Sin, 2 Sam. 12. 31. which at another time, he who had so often forgiven Injuries without Revenge, would not have done. Christ alludes to Trees, as in the Verses before, which are known to be good or bad, not by their Leaves or Flowers, but by their Fruit. Some of the Pharisees argue thus of our Saviour, Jo. 9. 16. where the proposition is sound and good, He that keepeth not the Sabbath, is not of God; their mistake was in the Assumption.  
Use, What have I done all this while, my Friends, but described the Romish Teachers, especially those of the Jesuitical Tribe? Is an Egg more like an Egg, than the Predicants of that Synagogue like the Teachers deciphered by their Doctrines and Practices? Probably some of you have had occasion of Converse with them in France, specially in Spain and Portugal: But they that have red them, and known them, as we have in Ireland these last three or four years, know this too well. I have not time now to make the parallel as it ought, and can only touch on the several Heads.  
As to the Person of Christ, many of them have been formerly pretty Orthodox; though the Report says that of late the college of Sorbone is dangerously tainted with Socinianism: And we know their by-blows among us dash ruefully against this Rock.  
But his Offices, how do they endeavour to vacate his Prophetical Office by obtruding their 
Traditionts paci pictatis affectu ac reverentid suscipit& veneratur. Conc. tried. Sess. 4.  unwritten Verities and Traditions. His Priest-hood by making it to pass over to others, his Successors contrary to Heb. 7. 24. where Christ is said to have an 
{αβγδ} quod ad alium non demigrat; sieve ad alium per successionem non transit: quasi dicas, immigrabile, intransfecibile, Hyper. Intransibile, quod ad alium transire nequit, vel in successivum scil. quod successione non transfertur, ficut contingebat sacerdotio Levitico, Estius in loc.  unchangeable Priesthood; the word signifieth such a Priesthood as cannot pass from him to any other, as the Priest-hood of Aaron did, asserting their Mass a proper Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Living and Dead, contrary to Heb. 9. 25. 26, 28. and Chap. 10. 12, 14. His Kingly Office also, by setting up their 
Extr. Johan. 22. Tit. 14. c. 4. credere Dominum Deum nostrum Papam— In Gloss. ad sinem.  Lord God the Pope, as they blasphemously enough call him, and giving him power to disannul 
cause. 15. q. 6. c. 2. Auctoritatem in Gloss. contra jus naturale potest dispensare, contra Apostolum dispensat. See too cause. 16. q. 1. c. 44. quicunque. In Gloss. Quomodo Paschalis potuit dare hoc privilegium, cum sit contra praeceptum Divinae Legis? Non est absurdum quod privilegium concedatur quamvis sit contra jus Divinum. Nunquid laico? Dico quod sic.  the Laws of Christ.  
The Doctrine of free Grace, how much they decry, by decrying up Man's free Will, is known contrary to Phil. 2. 13. forgetting Augustine,( whom sometimes they boast of,) saying, Sub laudibus naturalae latent inimici Gratiae, under the praises of Nature lurk the Enemies of Grace.  
How they arietate against the conductive Principles of Men and Christians, who can be ignorant? Would they not persuade us that we are deceived, while we judge that to be Bread and Wine, which all the sound Senses of all Men in the World perceive such 
Corpus Christi verè offerri, immolarique censetur manibus Sacerdotis; corpus non corpus, illocale, invisibile, impalpabile in puncto indivisibili ad modum spirituum. Frider. Spanhem. fill. Introd. ad Hist. Saecul. 10. pag. 996. ? Whether Sense be fallible or infallible, it is certain we have no other Faculties or Organs to perceive immediately sensible things by. I can see by nothing but my Eyes, nor hear by any other way than by my Ears. If they say, we must believe that all Mens Senses are deceived, when God telleth us so: I answer, if we do not pre-suppose that by Sense we must perceive things sensible, it is in vain to talk of God's telling us any thing, or of any of his Revelations, or Faith therein; for I know not but, by Sense, that there is a Bible, or a Man, or a word, or a Voice to be believed. As Humanity is presupposed to Christianity, so is Sense and Reason to Faith, and the Objects accordingly. Against Reason also is this their Doctrine; for how can the sign and the thing signified be really the same, and at the same time? If it be the very Flesh and Blood of Christ, it is no longer a Sacrament of it. Besides, that the greatest Masters among them cannot agree how it becomes so; Bellarmine teacheth, that the substance of the Bread is not turned into the substance of Christ's Body productivè, as one thing is made of another; but that the Bread goes away, and Christ's Body cometh into the room of it, adductivè, as one succeeds into the place of another, the first being voided; and this, he saith, is the Opinion of the Church of Rome, himself being Reader of Controversies at Rome. But Suarez, Reader at Salamanca in Spain, confutes Bellarmine's Opinion, terming it Translocation, not Transubstantiation; and saith, it is not the Churches Opinion: Thus these Babel-builders understand not each other. Faith also their Opinion militates against; they say, the very Body of Christ is in the Bread of the Holy Supper: Hence it follows, that it is not in Heaven; for it being a Body like unto ours for substance, it cannot be in many places at once: But that Consequent is plainly repugnant to Scripture, Acts 3. 21. Heb. 9. 24.  
How contrary to Government their Doctrines are, might easily be evidenced from their own Books; their subjecting 
Vide Baronii Annal-passim.  Potentates to the Pope, that he may Excommunicate and Depose them, and dispose of their Kingdoms at his pleasure. This determined in the Lateran Council, under Pope Innocent the Third, about the Year 1215 Pursuant to which, our 
Polid. Virgil. lib. 15.  King John was Excommunicated by that same Pope, and his Kingdom Interdicted. And our 
Camden's Elizah.  Queen Elizabeth had Experience of the like favour more than once, and King James the First also. What influence they had into that foulest blot that ever the Protestant Profession lay under since the Reformation, I mean the taking off King Charles the First, will one day be made manifest; at least in that last day, when there shall be a Resurrection, as of Bodies, so of Names. When both the Houses of Parliament had voted the King's Concessions at the Treaty in the Isle of Wight were a sufficient ground for Peace, who turned all off the hinges, and by whose Counsels the House of Commons voted, No Message to be received from the King, upon pain of Treason, will then be discovered. And when that Fatal Blow was given, who it was, that as in a way of Triumph, said, Now is the Enemy of God, and of his Church fallen. Surely no man can produce this as the avowed Doctrine of any Protestant Church, that it is Lawful to rise up against a Lawful King, much less, to put him to Death.  
And for their Works, how full of Craft, Cruelty, and falsehood 
In the Form and style of their Sentence condemnatory they pretend a Petition to the Secular Power, In visceribus Jesu Christi ut rigor juris mitigttur, atque ut parcatur vita; yet how they suck blood is known.  they are, we had, as this day, too sad an Evidence; besides, the Irish Rebellion in 1641, and the Parisian Massacre in 1572. And Men of this Spirit and Principle, how they promoted the Severity on our black Bartholomew-day in 1662, wherein more than 2000 Ministers were civilly slain in a day, without any regard to their Ministerial Work, or Maintenance for themselves or Families, will one day be brought to light.  
Yet these are the Men, and this that Profession of Religion, which the Dissenters are setting up, and bringing in. A Charge as unseasonable at this day, as unreasonable in itself. What have we done to bring in Popery, but prayed against it, preached against it, endeavoured to settle our People in and upon Principles destructive of it, and upon all Occasions born our Testimony against it, so far, as that not many years since we were charged with an Excess that was like to spoil all? They that thus calumniate us, if they would give themselves time to think, cannot but know, that some others in the World symbolise with Popery more than we. What have we in Doctrine, in Discipline, in Worship or Walking, that speaks our accession thereto? Have we declared to the World, that an inclination to evil in Men, is a condition of Nature, but no sin properly? contrary to the Ninth Article of the Church of England. Do we teach, that Man in his corrupt Natural state hath free-will to that which is good, to choose, and to do it? Contrary to the Tenth Article of the Church of England. Have we in our Churches any Popes or Cardinals, any patriarches or Primates, any Arch-Prelates or Prelates, any Deans or Arch-Deacons, any Chaunters or Chancellors, or the like antiscriptural Officers? Have we any Courts to punish Men in, that study to be more Holy, and serve and please God better than some of their Neighbours, in which Men may buy out the punishment of their sins? Have we any Priests, properly so called, to offer up Sacrifice for us, and an Altar to offer upon? Have we any music, Wind or String, to please the People with? Have we any Candles, or Candlesticks on an Altar? Any Crosses, whether of Wood, ston, Silver, or in the Air? Do we adore an acknowledged piece of Bread, by receiving it on the knee? Contrary to the known practise of the Primitive Churches for some Ages; Praying on the Lord's-days( when surely they communicated in the Lord's Supper) 
Unde prima notio stationum. Et stare, surgere ad Orationem.  standing, and prayed not 
Hinc phrasis {αβγδ}, pro actu adorandi.  kneeling, but in the time of Fasting, in token of Sorrow, Repentance, and great Humiliation. Do we encourage the worst of Men in their evil courses, by Prostituting the most tremend Ordinances of Jesus Christ to them, yea, forcing them in their Ignorance and Debaucheries to them; so accounting them, and dealing with them as the best of Christians, if they will but cry up the Church, the Church, the Liturgy, the Prayers? Have we tolerated in our Societies open and notorious Drunkards, Swearers, unclean Persons, and what not, that is filthy? How is it then that we adhere to, and are favouring, and bringing in Popery? We confess we dare not pluck the Crown from Princes Heads, nor jostle them out of their Thrones; we dare not deny Peers their Birth-right, nor Commoners their liveli-hood, because they follow not us in a way of Worship. In all Instances that beseem the faithful Servants of Jesus Christ, we have, we shall give the firmest Evidences of our abiding close to Protestant Principles.  
But we have accepted of the Grace offered us in his Majesties Declaration, and thereon have opened our Meetings distinct from the Church of England.  
Novum Crimen, C. Caesar, & ante hoc tempus inauditum, Cic. pro Ligar. We have accepted Deliverance from goals, Confiscations, Fines, harassed by the vilest of Men, and the liberty of the Exercise of our Ministry, unto which we were called by God and his People; the discharge of which is dearer to us than Liberty or Life; for this, speaking aloud, we bless God and the King: If this be our Crime, Habent conficentes reos; and we hearty beg of God, that they that reproach us herewith, may never be cast into such a state, as to desire, and embrace such a favour.  
If it be the Interest, as well as Duty, of all Protestants in this day to unite against the common Enemy: Let those that have Power, and speak so much of an Establishment by Law,( the Law of the 
Qu. Whether the Church of England were not Established in Popery, and so a Popish Church by Law?  Land, they mean not of Christ,) restore the species of a Church of Christ's, and his Apostles Institution, in which the Christians walked for the two first Centuries; let them preach the Doctrine of the Articles of the Church, as understood by them that formed them, and of their grave Prelates and Divines in the days of Q. Elizabeth, and K. James the 1st. let them reform their Congregations, and especially their Ministers, and not enjoin on us as Terms of Communion, what they aclowledge but indifferentin themselves, we profess would be sinful to us, and they will soon have few Dissenters in England. I speak for myself, yet have some presumption that I speak the sense of some thousands of my Brethren in the three Kingdoms. But if we may have no Peace with them, unless we debauch our Consciences with the Conformity which they require, we must beg their Excuse, we are otherwise persuaded in our Minds, after a deliberate Examination: We 
{αβγδ}, Ephes. 4. 20. Ita distinxit Beza, & posttum Gatak. cin. l. 1. c. 3. p. 26.  have learned Christ, we dare not do thus.  
However, thô they exclude us, we will embrace them, thô they persecute us, we will pray for them, thô they will not love us, we will love them, thô they will not that we should love them; yet whether ourselves will or no, we will love them, and so fulfil the Law of Christ.  
To return then from this Digression, and to an end of this Discourse; beware of False Teachers, be not deceived, that ye be not destroyed by them. Whatever pretences they have of Piety, Antiquity, Universality, &c. within they are ravening Wolves. I will take my leave of you at this time, in the words of Dr. Tho. Holland, sometime Regius Professor in Oxon, and Rector of Exeter college there, when he went any Journey, calling the Fellows together, he used to say, 
Commendo vos, dilectioni Dei& odio papatus& superstitionis, clerk in his Life.  I commend you to the Love of God, and Hatred of Popery and Superstition.  
FINIS.