And then think of yourselves, called to copy God, each in his station, and to be fellow-workers with God for the good of each other and of yourselves.  Called to work, because you are made in God’s image, and redeemed to be the children of God.  Not like the brutes, who cannot work, and can therefore never improve themselves, or the earth around them; but like children of God, whom he has called to the high honour of subduing and replenishing this earth which he has given you, and of handing down by your labour blessings without number to generations yet unborn.  And when you go back, one to his farm, another to his shop, another to his daily labour, say to yourselves, This, too, as well as my prayers in church, is my heavenly Father’s command; in doing this my daily duty honestly and well, I can do Christ’s will, copy Christ, approve myself to Christ; single-eyed and single-handed, doing my work as unto God, and not unto men; and so hear, I may hope at last, Christ’s voice saying to me, ’Well done, thou good and faithful servant.  I set thee not to govern kingdoms, to lead senates, to command armies, to preach the gospel, to build churches, to give large charities, to write learned books, to do any great work in the eyes of men.  I set thee simply to buy and sell, to plough and reap like a Christian man, and to bring up thy family thereby, in the fear of God and in the faith of Christ.  And thou hast done thy duty more or less; and, in doing thy duty, has taught thyself deeper and sounder lessons about thy life, character, and immortal soul, than all books could teach thee.  And now thou hast thy reward.  Thou hast been faithful over a few things:  I will make thee ruler over many things.  Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’

SERMON XIII.  FALSE PROPHETS

(Eighth Sunday after Trinity.)

Matthew vii. 16.  Ye shall know them by their fruits.

People are apt to overlook, I think, the real meaning of these words.  They do so, because they part them from the words which go just before them, about false prophets.

They consider that ‘fruit’ means only a man’s conduct,—­that a man is known by his conduct.  That professions are worth nothing, and practice worth everything.  That the good man, after all, is the man who does right; and the bad man, the man who does wrong.  Excellent doctrine; and always needed.  God grant that we may never forget it.

But the text surely does not quite mean that.  ‘Fruit’ here does not mean a man’s own conduct, but the conduct of those whom he teaches.  For see,—­our Lord is talking of prophets; that is preachers, who set up to preach the Word of God, in the name of God.  ‘Beware,’ he says, ’of false prophets.  By their fruits ye shall know them.  By what you gather from them,’ he says.  ’For do men gather grapes off thorns, or figs off thistles?’