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A39163
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A vindication of the ministers of Christ from the slander cast on them that they are house-creepers, because they sometimes preach in private houses : also proving by the Scripture who are house-creepers, and the evil they do where their corrupt doctrine is received / held forth in two sermons on 2 Tim. 3. 6., by W.E.
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W. E.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing E44; ESTC R36132
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30,217
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55
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of pleasures more then lovers of God May it not be clearly demonstrated that notwithstanding their pretences for Christ they stand in open opposition against him in all his Offices As first for his prophetical office they are so far from hearkning to the voice of Christ that they set up their own inventions in the place thereof preferring them before his institutions They obey not Christ as the great Prophet so that if those on whom they urge their institutions should demand What Word of God have you for these things They would return nothing but scoffs Again as for Christs Priestly Office what a dishonour is it to Christ that they make their unbloody sacrifice of the Altar to be a Propitiation for the sins of men And as for Christs Kingly Office they have no regard to the Authority of Christ nor to the Rule that he hath appointed for the Government of the Church nor have they any respect to the Spirit of God but make a mock of him though it be so clear in the Scripture Rom. 8.9 14 They are so far from walking according to the Word of God that they walk contrary to it so far from subduing their sinful pollutions that they endeavor by all means to cherish them maintaining their own Works of Prayer Charity Devotions as meritorious they pretend much honour to the Cross of Christ but on every trivial occasion make nothing to swear by his blood and wounds they pretend much to Prayer Reading with hands and eyes lifted up yet how far are they from that spiritual zeal and fervour of affection that is necessarily requisite in Prayer Having a Forme of Godliness but denying the Power thereof Now of this sort are they that creep into Houses leading Captive filly Women c. under the pretence of being for God they deceive people and draw them into pernicious errours Leading Captive silly Women They usually assault such because by reason of the weakness of their sex and understanding they are not able to discern their wiles and subtilties For observe that it is not spoken generally of Women But 1. Silly Women Such as are ignorant of the Truth of God that content themselves with an outward profession not endeavouring to be firmly grounded and established in the things of God 2. Such as were laden with fin led away with divers lusts that though they lived under a Profession of Religion and contented themselves because they apprehended they had some desires or at least some kinde of affection to the truth yet they were under the power of their corruptions Now such that are wilfully captivated to their lusts it is no wonder if God suffer them in his just Judgment to be ensnared by those that lie in wait to deceive them So that the Apostle means by silly women all such as either by reason of the weakness of their understanding being not able to discern the wiles and craftiness of deceivers or such as being under the power and dominion of some lust God in his just judgment suffers to be ensnared by them Thus you have the sense of the words In the words you have observable these things 1. The persons here spoken of called by the Apostle creepers into houses viz. false teachers The description of them Of this sort are they He sheweth their evil qualities in the precedent verses They are lovers of themselves covetous beasters proud cursed speakers without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers despisers of them that are good Traitours heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Having a forme of godliness but denying the power thereof Of this sort are they saith he as much as to say this is a plain and full description of them 3. He sheweth what fad works these make where they creep into houses they lead captive 4. The persons that they prevaile on Silly women which is not to be understood only of that sex but persons that are simple void of understanding as to spiritual things whether men or women 5. These persons that are thus led captive are more fully described by that corrupt state they are in viz. They are such as are laden with sin such as are under the power and dominion of some base lust or lusts These are they who are made a prey of by them Now here observe Doct. 1. That men are not accounted these house creepers in the Scripture account or in the account of the Apostle because they do preach in houses or secret places but when they get into such places and there under the pretence of holiness make it their business secretly to draw such as are weak from the truth to error and those who chuse such places to carry on their design may justly be called creepers yea all that in their teaching carry on such a design under the pretence of holyness although they preach in the most publick places and in the greatest assemblies yet in the Apostles sence here they are creepers Doct. 2. That such persons usually effect their design on such as are either weak and ignorant not able to discern their corrupt and unsound doctrine or such as are under the power of some base lust or lusts be they men or women for it may be understood of both sexes such being by the just judgment of God left to themselves and so they easily prevaile on them For the proof of the first Doctrine I shall give you several Scriptures by which this shall 〈◊〉 appeares Consider that place John 10.1 He that climbeth in some other way he that entereth not by the door is a thief and a robber Now the Door is Christ by which Men enter when they are sent of Christ as certainly Christ sendeth none but such as hear his voice none are his sheep but such as hear his voice those then that come in not by Christ may well be termed Creepers or Climbers up another way Gal. 2.2 We shall finde there that the Apostle communicated the Gospel privately to them which were of Reputation and it was by reason of the false brethren that crept in amongst them So that those Persons are called Creepers that under the pretence of Holiness draw people from the truth of whom also the Apostle Jude speaketh Jude v. 4. Now for the better understanding hereof I shall shew you 1. That in the Apostles judgement none were accounted House-creepers because they did preach in private places 2. That these are to be so accounted that under a pretence of Holiness do seek to draw people from the truth and those that do so though never so publick yet come under this Denomination 1. That in the Apostles Judgment none were accounted House-creepers because they did preach in private places I call it private in opposition to those places that were appointed for the publick Worship and Ordinances of God as amongst the Jews there was the Temple and the Synagogues Now you shall find that it was the practice of Christ and
A VINDICATION OF THE Ministers OF CHRIST FROM That Slander cast on them that they Are HOUSE-CREEPERS because they sometimes Preach in private Houses ALSO Proving by the Scripture who are House-Creepers and the evil they do where their corrupt Doctrine is Received Held forth in two SERMONS on 2 Tim. 3.6 By W. E. 2 PET. 2. But there were false prophets among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you which shall privily bring in damnable Heresies VER 2. And many shall follow their pernicious ways by whom the Way of Truth shall be evil spoken of LONDON Printed for John Pike of Shaftsbury in the County of Dorset Book-binder and Book-seller 1673. To the Reader THESE are to assure Thee that the Author of this ensâ—ing Discourse never intended it for the Press being sensible of his own weakness But by Providence it is thus brought about He being desired by some friends to open this Scripture in 2 Tim. 3.6 This Text being made use of by some to discourage Persons from attending the Ordinances of God in private places Although through the great Mercy of God and the favour of the King they cannot properly be called private Places since the Places are appointed by Authority and it is free for any to come unto them They make use of this Scripture to seare the weak from coming thither suggesting unto them that those who preach in such places are the Persons that the Apostle here calls Creepers into Houses and the same that he calls ver 13. wicked men and deceivers And thâ—s Scripture they make use of as the Great Engine to batter down all such Assemblies This ensuing Discourse is to shew who were those tht the Apostle here calls House-creepers And that they have not this denomination given them on this account because they did preach in Houses for it was the frequent Practices of this and the rest of the Apostles yea of Christ himself But it was because these here spoken of did chuse private Places to the end that they might steal the hearts of the simple from the truth and their wiles might not be discerned yea those who under the pretence of truth with fair words beguile the hearts of the simple are the same with those the Apostle here calls House-creepers although they appear in publick Places This being a subject seldom reated of some having taken the Notes of the Discourse were very earnest to send it to the Presse which the Author was unwilling should be done But this Argument prevailed with him to give his Consent Hoping that some Person whom the Lord hath endowed with spiritual Gifts and Learning might from hence be provoked to put forth his Abilities for the further clearing up this Truth viz. The Lawfulness of Assembling together to wait on God in his Ordinances in such Places which some by way of scorn call private Places And that those Ministers who do endeavour faithfully to perform their duty in such Places are not of those who are here condemned by the Apostle but such as did follow the Example of Christ and his Apostles that so those that are weak might not be affrighted by such Bug-bears If any shall receive benefit by these weak Endeavours Give the glory to the Lord to whom alone it is due that hath enabled so weak a Creature to speak a word for the truth that is so much despised by many the Lord make it a good word to the Souls of his People This is the earnest desire and hearty Prayer of Him who wisheth Peace and Prosperity to all the Churches of God Farewel 2 TIM 3.6 For of this Sort are they which creep into Houses and lead Captive silly Women with divers lusts THE Apostle in the Beginning of the Chapter by the Spirit of Prophecy doth foretel That the last days shall be perillous and full of danger and then what is the reason of it as you may see 1 2 3 4 5. For men shall be Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters c. So that there are in it these two things Considerable 1. That in the last dayes there shall be perillous times 2. That the reason of such perillous times is because men abound in sin and wickedness Whence observe by the way That abundance of iniquity makes Perillous Times This is very clear in the Scriptures You may see that when Holiness doth increase and Persons make it their business to walk according to Gods Word at such times there is happiness and great Blessings vouchsafed unto a people So on the other Hand when people Apostatize and fall from God then usually such times are full of danger It was a time full of danger with Israel when sin and wickedness abounded among them and they departed from God and apostatized from the purity of his worship Judg. 2.14.15 ch 3. v 8.12 ch 4. v. 1.2 ch 6. v. 1.2.3.4.5.6 Psal 16.4 When people turn aside from God and set up their own lusts they shall have sorrow enough And again when people make it their business to walk with God all things prosper with them 2. Chron. 13.3.4.5.10.11.12 The like you have in the dayes of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29. but when men forsake the Commandments of the Lord and walk contrary to him God hath a controversy with such a land It is the abundance of iniquity that makes times perillous I shall give you two reasons of it 1. Times are usually full of danger when iniquity abounds because God usually appears against such a people 2. Because when iniquity abounds people allow themselves to walk after their own lusts they are ready to break out into any wickedness there is nothing within them to restrain them but they are ready to do whatsoever their base hearts prompt them to though it be never so grossely prejudicious to mens estates lives or liberties I might much enlarge here But I shall speak no further to this You have seen the dependence of the text on the foregoing words Now saith the text For of this sort are they that creep into houses Of what sort of the sort here mentioned such has had a form of godliness but denyed the power thereof The Apostle speaketh not of such that were heathens that had no knowledge of God and made profession of religion but of such as professed God and that they were the friends of God For saith the text having a form of godliness they had a form of godliness but they denyed the power thereof They pretended much for Christ and the waies of Christ but denyed that which was the main viz. a full submission of themselves to Christ to walk according to the rules of Christ Now every particular of this might clearely be proved concerning the Antichristian power the mystery of iniquity and those that are plunged into it The text saith they have a form of Godliness and have not these Do not they pretend much for Christ when none do oppose him more Are not they lovers