3. You may easily observe, secondly, What are the fruits of their doctrine, as to those that hear them? In many, at least, tho’ not in all: for the apostles themselves did not convert all that heard them. Have these the mind that was in Christ? And do they walk as he also walked? And was it by hearing these men, that they began so to do? Were they inwardly and outwardly wicked, till they heard them? If so, it is a manifest proof, that those are true prophets, teachers sent of God. But if it is not so, if they do not effectually teach either themselves or others to love and serve God; it is a manifest proof, that they are false prophets; that God hath not sent them. 4. An hard saying this! How few can bear it? This our Lord was sensible of, and therefore condescends to prove it at large, by several clear and convincing arguments. _Do men_, says he, _gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles_? ver. 16. Do you expect that these evil men should bring forth good fruit? As well might you expect that thorns should bring forth grapes, or that figs should grow upon thistles! _Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit._ ver. 17. Every true prophet, every teacher whom I have sent, bringeth forth the good fruit of holiness. But a false prophet, a teacher whom I have not sent, brings forth only sin and wickedness. _A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit._ A true prophet, a teacher sent from God, does not bring forth good fruit, sometimes only, but always; not accidentally, but by a kind of necessity. In like manner, a false prophet, one whom God hath not sent, does not bring forth evil fruit, accidentally or sometimes only, but always and of necessity. _Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire._ ver. 19. Such infallibly will be the lot of those prophets, who bring not forth good fruit, who do not save souls from sin, who do not bring sinners to repentance. _Wherefore_ let this stand as an eternal rule, _By their fruits ye shall know them_. ver. 20. They who in fact bring the proud, passionate, unmerciful lovers of the world, to be lowly, gentle lovers of God and man: they are true prophets, they are sent from God, who therefore confirms their word. On the other hand, they whose hearers, if unrighteous before, remain unrighteous still, or at least, void of any righteousness which _exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees_: they are false prophets; they are not sent of God; therefore their word falls to the ground. And without a miracle of grace they and their hearers together, will fall into the bottomless pit.