But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come
to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you
to flee from the wrath to come? (Matt. 3:7)
Though the persons whom John reproved were few in number,
his design was to strike terror on all; as Paul enjoins us to regard it as the
advantage of public rebukes, “that others also may fear,” (1
Timothy 5:20.) He addresses directly the Pharisees and Sadducees, and at the
same time, addresses, through them, a warning to all, not to hold out a
hypocritical appearance of repentance, instead of a true affection of the
heart.
If John, the organ of the Holy Spirit, employed such
severity of language in his opening address to those who voluntarily came to be
baptized, and to make a public profession of the gospel; how ought we now to
act towards the avowed enemies of Christ, who not only reject obstinately all
that belongs to sound doctrine, but whose efforts to extinguish the name of
Christ are violently maintained by fire and sword?
Most certainly, if you compare the Pope, and his abominable
clergy, with the Pharisees and Sadducees, the mildest possible way of dealing
with them will be, to throw them all into one bundle. Those, whose ears are so
delicate, that they cannot endure to have any bitter thing said against the
Pope, must argue, not with us, but with the Spirit of God.
Yet let godly teachers beware, lest, while they are
influenced by holy zeal against the tyrants of the Church, they mingle with it
the affections of the flesh. And as no vehemence, which is not regulated by the
wisdom of the Spirit, can obtain the divine approbation, let them not only
restrain their feelings, but surrender themselves to the Holy Spirit, and
implore his guidance, that nothing may escape them.
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