creature, shall be able to separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Rom. 8.

Eternal Light! illuminate

Who call upon thee soon and late,
Who under sin's most grievous load,
Sigh unto thee, O gracious God!
Have mercy on them, make them free
From all their sins eternally.

Renew them in thy image pure,

Give them faith's shield both strong and sure,
As likewise light around to see,
That they may ne'er diverted be
From path of truth so plain and even,
Till they arrive in yonder heaven.

Though christendom in deep disguise
While here on earth may them despise,
O grant thy path they e'er may see,
And always follow after thee.
O Jesus, do thy flock preservo,
That they may never from thee swerve.

In present time with troubles rife,
Where brethren live in constant strife,
And 'gainst each other judgment found,
Though there is no sufficient ground,
It does from self and party come,
O wo, thou fallen christendom!

Remove this evil, blessed Lord,
Both by thy spirit and thy word,
As thou at the apostles' time,

Didst Jews and Gentiles all combine,

So now, O Lord of heaven true,

Join all in one who thee pursue.

And bring them, O thou Shepherd Great!
Into one herd, I thee entreat;

O make thy truth to all appear,
O grant that all may lend an ear,
That by its bright illuming gleam,
The day on many hearts may beam!

That antichrist may be revealed,
Who in sheep's clothing is concealed,
Weak souls prepared to captivate,
Oppressed with sins and vices great,
Made by deceit and falsehood blind,
That they may Jesus never find.
Awake, awake, ye children good,
Observe how the great multitude
The prophet false and beast adore,
Desire the word of God no more.
Hence on your guard assiduous stand,
The Son of man is nigh at hand.
The signs move on with rapid speed,,
Let us poor mortals all take heed,
That at the coming of the Lord,
He may us find upon our guard,
And say, Ye children come with me,
And spend a blest eternity.

CHAPTER NINTH.

Embraces a portion from the 15th verse to the end of the chapter, wherein it is explained how a person must know the false prophets and try them by the doctrine of Christ. It contains, in addition, a call to the teachers of the present day, as also to the common people.

Gentle and pious reader, we will now proceed to the conclusion of this sermon, and see how plainly Christ shows us that all who hear this his doctrine, or these sayings (which he declared unto the people in his discourse on the mount) and do them, are likened unto wise men who build their house upon a rock, which remains firm. But they who hear and do not, are likened unto foolish men, and their house or christianity will not stand, since it is built upon sand, or the opinions of

men.

Now our salvation consists in the love of God and in keeping his commandments, so that we have a rule laid down, by means of which we are enabled (if we have received the spirit which is concealed in the scripture from the natural man) to distinguish the disciples of Jesus from the disciples of the pharisees. Christ did not do his own will, but the will of his Father who sent him. John 5: 30. John 4: 34. In like manner his disciples did not do their own will, but the will of Jesus Christ; for the Holy Ghost,

says Christ, shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. John 16: 14, 15.

But it was quite different with the pharisees; for they thought it no great matter to transgress the commandments of God with their traditions (Matt. 3: 6); their disciples must likewise live according to their traditions, or they will be excommunicated. John 9: 22. John 12: 42, 43.

The former condition obtains in regard to all true disciples of Jesus and messengers of God; they have ever the same mind that was in Christ, (Phil. 2: 15,) they know his voice and follow him, (John 10,) they show whatsoever they have heard in the beginning from Christ and his apostles and all the holy prophets, and walk therein even as Christ himself walked (1 John 2: 6); for they are ambassadors in Christ's stead, announcing the instructions they received from the Lord.

But the contrary is the case with all who still walk in the footsteps of the old pharisees, who do not hesitate transgressing the doctrine of Christ by their own traditions, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake (Tit. 1: 11); and this is no wonder, for the devil has by his cunning craftiness brought measures to such a pass, christianity has become, in most instances, among the great sects, a mere outward profession, which one man learns from another; for if a person studies a certain length of time

that

in a seminary of learning, and in his examination gives evidence that he has become a proficient in the theology or form of religion established by a particular sect, he is constituted a teacher, and must then preach according to the model prescribed to and learned by him, and not according to Christ and his doctrine; for so soon as he would do this, he would be excommunicated after the manner of the pharisees of old. Therefore Christ says, Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringest forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matt. 7:

15 to 20.

My dear reader, since then Christ has pointed out to us the fruit as an infallible sign by which we are enabled to find out and know the wolf concealed in sheep's clothing; so we must possess something also by which we may try the fruit and see whether it is good or evil, namely the Spirit and doctrine of Christ. Unless we have the Spirit of Christ we cannot try