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A39163 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. W. E. 1673 (1673) Wing E44; ESTC R36132 30,217 55

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in the things that God hath commanded Many are so zealous and intemperate that they will admit of no worship but this and look on Diseenters as factions and seditious that will not yeild unto them Again there is nothing that the nature of man is more apt to be carried aside in then to advance something of himself and to set up his own righteousness and there is no way so subtil as this to deceive poor souls who will say Loe this man is for good works for serving God Is not this a good man Friends it is a good thing to be found in works of righteousness but if you rest on works of righteousness as those that may render you acceptable to God thinking your selves to be justified by them in the sight of God there is nothing more dangerous it is a dreadfull thing for a man to establish his own righteousness it is more dangerous then all the Images in the world see what Christ saith to the Pharisees Mat. 21 30.31 Now what is the meaning of Christ in that Parable Christ setteth forth those Publicans and Harlots that walked directly against the commands of God to be those that said they would not They are commanded but they obstinately answer We will not Then he speaketh to the Jewes that professed obedience and submission to the Law of God Do you what I command you We will say they they had a profession and they thought to justifie themselves before God But Christ saith the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of God before you And why so because these were convinced as being open professed enemies against God and therefore could not establish their own righteousness when as the Jewes living under a profession contented themselves therewith and sought to advance their own righteousness and so submitted not to the righteousness which is of God So Luke 18.11 12. The Pharisee saith God I thank thee c. But the Publican stood afar off and smote on his breast and said The Lord be mercyfull to me a sinner c. I cannot say I have done this or that but this I say that without thy mercy I must perish for ever Oh it is dreadfull to rest on our own righteousness I could shew you many ways how greatly the sins of such are increased It utterly overthrows the great design of God It overthroweth the whole Gospel and all that Jesus Christ hath done and suffered for And therfore what a dreadfull thing is it when poor souls are carried away with vain pretences into such an errour Surely such are in a sad condition that are not able to discern truth from errour but are easily carried away with fair words by which deceivers beguile poor souls and make a merchandize of them Use 2. Let us see then the great wickedness of the Church of Rome that lock up the Scripture from people which is the key of knowledge You see clearely that they are ignorant persons for whom deceivers lay their baits and that the ignorant are most drawn away by seducers They fit and prepare people to be deceived that keep Gods Word from them What an abominable thing is that and how contrary to the Scriptures that ignorance is the mother of devotion It is directly contrary to the Scriptures We find that this is the complaint of God My people perish for want of knowledge Surely it is very grosse to keep people from the knowledge of the Scriptures and to perswade them to rest meerly on the words of their teachers And what is this but to ensnare them and keep them in bondage continually And what do they and how nearely do they follow these wretches that incourage people in their ignorance and discourage them from reading the Scripture talling them that they are to follow their own imployments that God expecteth not such at their hands but that which is required of them is to beleeve their Ministers But surely this was not spoken to the Ministers but to the people 1 Joh. 4.1 Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits c. This should be on every ones spirit to labour after such a measure of knowledge that they may be able to try such things as are presented to them and not to receive those things which are contrary to the mind and will of God Use 3. What cause have we to bless God in this Nation that have had free liberty of Gods Word it hath not been locked up to us Oh that we had wisdom rightly to improve this mercy that the Scripture might not be to us as a price put into the hands of fools Let us be diligent to read and meditate on the Word of God The Scripture saith Blessed are they that read the Word of this Prophecy● We f●●d that all were commanded in the book of the law continually none was exempted not so much as the King himself And as we should read the Scripture so we should meditate on it that is the blessed man indeed that doth meditate on Gods Word day and night Also we should be instant in prayer that God would open our eyes to see the marvellous things of his law we should embrace all opportunities that God gives us to wait on him in his Ordinances that we might receive instruction and be built up in the faith It s sad to be in those places wherein we live that there should be such grosse ignorance and darkness in mens understandings And how just is it with God to give such over to be deceived that are of a dull and careless frame of spirit For the Lords sake consider seriously of it and put it to your own soules what opportunities have you omitted wherein you might have attended on Gods Ordinances How negligent have you been in reading Gods Word How justly might God give you over to the grossest delusions that have made so light of so precious a word wherein the wisdom of God the grace and love of God so eminently appears wherein there is such incouragement for poor ignorant souls and for those that find themselves in a state of misery and unbeleif to come in and beleeve And see what the Psalmist telleth us Ps 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure makeing wise the simple Should such fools be pittied that are fools willingly Now all that have Gods Word do make themselves fools in rejecting the means that God hath afforded to make them wise See what David saith Ps 119. Thy Word is a light to my waies and a lanthorn to my paths Consider that God hath promised to give to his people a heart that shall know him Who knoweth how God may in the use of his Ordinances set home by the power of his spirit a word that may soften a hard heart and humble a proud heart This is the character of Gods people that they are a wise understanding people If then we would be be of the number of