Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount Discourse XII · §23 · John Wesley

An appearance of harmlessness

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

They come to you in sheep's clothing; that is, with an appearance of harmlessness. They come in the most mild, inoffensive manner, without any mark or token of enmity. Who can imagine that these quiet creatures would do any hurt to anyone? Perhaps they may not be so zealous and active in doing good as one would wish they were. However, you see no reason to suspect that they have even the desire to do any harm. But this is not all.

1771 text

2. They come to you in sheeps cloathing; that is, with an appearance of harmlessness. They come in the most mild, inoffensive manner, without any mark or token of enmity. Who can imagine, that these quiet creatures, would do any hurt to any one? Perhaps they may not be so zealous and active in doing good, as one would wish they were. However, you see no reason to suspect, that they have even the desire to do any harm. But this is not all:

Report a mistake in this passage

About this text

The twelfth sermon on the Sermon on the Mount, on Matthew 7:15-20: beware of false prophets, and know them by their fruits.

EditionPrinted in Wesley's 1771 Works, which do not say when he preached it

Wesley's own sermon in updated English wording. The 1771 panel is the text of the Works Wesley himself had printed in 1771. It is public domain.

Reference

Sermon 32 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 7:15-20.

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We put this English text into updated wording with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open the 1771 text under any part to compare.

Report a mistake