Know your own disease
But if enthusiasm is so great an evil, beware you are not entangled with it yourself. Watch and pray that you do not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41). It easily besets those who fear or love God. O beware you do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think (Romans 12:3). Do not imagine you have attained that grace of God to which you have not attained. You may have much joy; you may have a measure of love, and yet not have living faith. Cry to God that he would not allow you, blind as you are, to go out of the way: that you may never fancy yourself a believer in Christ until Christ is revealed in you (Galatians 1:16), and until his Spirit witnesses with your spirit that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16).
1771 text
35. But if Enthusiasm be so great an evil, beware you are not intangled therewith yourself. Watch and pray that you fall not into the temptation. It easily besets those who fear or love God. O beware you do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Do not imagine you have attained that grace of God, to which you have not attained. You may have much joy: you may have a measure of love, and yet not have living faith. Cry unto God that he would not suffer you, blind as you are, to go out of the way: that you may never fancy yourself a believer in Christ, till Christ is revealed in you, and till his Spirit witnesses with your Spirit, that you are a child of God.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 37 in the 1771 Works. Acts 26:24.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.