and personating the true apostles as the Devil did Samuel 1 Sam. 28. but as they were false in the former so in the later Not being what they would bee thought they did not intend what they pretended to And upon this account were they called false Apostles 2. Others there were who 2 In respect of their Doctrine as falsly pretending to the like calling under the name of Apostles they were broachers of Lyes Errours Heresies dangerous and pernitious Doctrines Such false teachers there were many in the Apostles times Such were those whom they in their Synodall Letter written from Jerusalem gave warning to the Churches of Act. 15.24 We have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls c. Some who pretended themselves to be Apostles or at least to have been sent forth by the Apostles with a Commission to preach they brought doctrine contrary to theirs doctrines destroying the very foundation of the Gospel and so tending to subvert the faith of believers crying up the Law the ceremonial law as being still in force And such false Teachers there were some in this Church of Ephesus Such false teachers in Pauls time in the Church of Ephesus So much wee may collect from that which Paul writeth to Timothy 1 Epistle 1.3 where he desireth him to abide at Ephesus to the end that he might charge some that they preach no other Doctrine No doctrine contrary to or diverse from that which Paul himself and other of the Apostles had preached which it seemeth there were some that then did And as there were some such false teachers then in that Church More foretold to follow so the same Apostle foretelleth it that there should come more and those more dangerous after his departure So he telleth the Elders of that Church whom he wisheth to be so much the more cautelous and circumspect upon that account Acts 20.28 c. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers c. For I know this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock as bloody persecutors so Heretical Teachers who by their false doctrines should make a prey of the souls of men also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them such as should be broachers of false and heretical doctrines out of an ambition to make themselves singular and popular And what he foretold Which accordingly came to passe afterwards came accordingly to passe In the dayes of this our Apostle and Evangelist Saint John who survived the rest of the Apostles there were divers such false teachers who troubled these Churches of Asia with their heretical doctrines So much we may take notice of from what he saith 1 Epistle 4.1 Many false prophets are gone out into the world And again Epist 2. verse 7. Many deceivers have entred into the world Such were those famous infamous Hereticks Ebion and Corinthus and some others who whilest they cried up themselves the Apostles of Christ they were sworn enemies to him crying down his Divinitie his Godhead as the Socinians their off-spring at this day do Against whom Saint John purposely set himself as in the beginning of his Gospel so in the first and second Epistles And most probably some such were these whom our Text speaketh of They said they were Apostles pretending themselves to be sent by Christ But such they were not no true Apostles whether for their Calling or Doctrine In both upon due tryal they were found Lyars And were there such in those times whilst the true Apostles themselves were yet living No wonder that there are such in after ages Quòd si haec cùm fuit Ecc esiae Christianae conditio superstitibus adhuc ipsis veris Apostolis quis miretur nostri temporis successionem Aposto icam jactantes qui nè Christiani quidem sint Bez. Gr. Anno. in Text. what wonder then that there should be such in after ages what wonder that there should be one pretending to Apostolical authoritie to be Peters successor which the Pope doth what wonder that there should be some others who pretend to an immediate call from God to be sent by him and to have received Revelations from him who thereupon take upon them to broach new Doctrines diverse from nay contrarie to that which is held forth in the word which let it not trouble those who behold it If there were such in the Apostles times who were able to look through such pretenders to see their inside as Peter did by Simon Magus when he told him I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquitie Acts 8.23 who were able of their own knowledge to convince them how much more now But I pass on Having seen who Part. 2 What this Angel did to them where His undertaking the issue of it and what these false Apostles were come we now in the next place to see what this Angel did to them He Tryed them and found them Lyars wherein we have two things His undertaking and the Issue of it His undertaking Thou hast tried them The Issue of that Tryal And hast found them Lyars of these severally beginning with the first the undertaking of this Angel Thou hast tryed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Original which word coming firstly from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transfodio His undertaking he Tryed them transadigo to pierce through it properly signifieth an exact scrutin and tryal of a thing Like as when a thing is pierced through it is tryed what is within whether it be sound or no. And such a tryal it was that this Angel made of these Teachers Not taking their word not trusting their outside he made a thorow tryal of them Exploraris saith Beza thou hast proved them by making a diligent search concerning them Doct. And thus are all such Teachers to be tryed Teachers to be Tryed mark it this is the Doctrine I am now to prosecute Such as pretending to a Call from God shall bring any new Doctrines contrary to or diverse from that which the word holdeth forth and the Church hath received they are to undergo an exact scrutinie to be throughly tryed For this we shall need no other warrant then that known Text of Saint John which is express and full 1 John 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no. Every spirit that is every Doctor or Doctrine Every Teacher that shall pretend to the Spirit or every Doctrine which shall be held forth under the name of a Revelation as received by inspiration from Gods Spirit These are not presently to be received believed but to be tryed proved This is that which the Apostle requires concerning those who pretending to a gift of Prophesie should stand up to speak in the Church 1 Cor.
THE False-Teacher TRIED and CAST. A subject vseful at all times and but too seasonable for the present By John Brinsley Minister of the Gospel at Great Yarmouth LONDON Printed by J. T. for Thomas Newberry in Cornhil neer to the Royal Exchange 1658. To all the truly well-affected and well-meaning Souls in the Town of Great Yarmouth who are not willing to be deceived in matters of greatest concernment Dearly beloved in the Lord PAssing along through this Chapter as I have done the former in a weeke dayes Exercise I fell with this Text wherein meeting with a subject but two seasonable for the present times and I wish I might not say for this place I have not unwillingly given way to somewhat more then usual inlargements And what the Lord hath so given in to me I now present unto you Wherein you have onely another stroke given to the same nail that was sometimes since fastened by a * The false Apostle tried and discovered by Mr. William Bridge master of the neighbouring Assembly The Lord grant that it may so enter and stick in your hearts as that there may not be any door there left open to let in them whom you are forbiden to receive into your * 2 John 10. Houses Of this sort some and too many have crept in already among you And if like liberty be still indulged I may without any Prophetical spirit tell you you must expect yet more and those more dangerous What your duty in reference to them is you have here held forth The Lord make you truly and conscientiously wise in the discharge of it To whose grace commending you I rest One desirous to watch for your souls John Brinsley Yarmouth Aug. 10.1657 THE FALSE-TEACHER Tryed and Cast Revel 2.2 And thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars IN this Division of the Context and the following verse we have the commendation which the Son of man the Lord Jesus giveth of and to the Angel the Minister or Ministers of the Church of Ephesus which commendation we have here first propounded then expounded Propounded in the former part of this verse 1. In a general way I know thy works then in particular instancing in some of those works which he took such special notice of which were three his Labor his Patience his Zeal shewed in not bearing with those that were evil Then expounded in the sequel Explanat singuli quasi retro vâ—stigia legens Pare in Text. where he again toucheth upon each of these three particulars Onely in a reirograde way inverting the order according to the custom of the Hebrews which we often meet with in Scripture beginning first with the last 1. Shewing how and wherein this Angel had expressed his zeal in not bearing with those which were evil viz. in his proceeding against false Apostles false teachers whom upon the Tryal he had found to be lyars And thou hast tryed them c. Secondly What his patience was and wherein he had shewed it viz. In bearing much from those whom he could not bear with And hast born and hast patience verse 3. Thirdly What his labour was even an unwearied indeavour of doing service to God and his Church And for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted It is the first of these I have now to deal with And hast tryed Wherein we have two things declared 1. Parts of the Text. whom and what What evil ones those were which this Angel was so zealous against could not bear And 2. What he did to them What evil ones the false Apostles Them which say they are Apostles and are not What he did to them He tryed and convicted them Thou hast tryed them and found them lyars Upon these look we severally by way of Explication 1. Part 1 The persons dealt with The Persons whom this Angel could not bear Them which say they are Apostles but are not Such there were some and those not a few in those proto-primitive and Apostolical times Strange that there should be so yet so there were As in the times of the Prophets there were false Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in the times of the Apostles there were false Apostes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Apostles word 2 Cor. 11.13 For such are false Apostles Ques And what were these false Apostles Answ What true Apostles were False Apostle what we know such as were immediately sent by Christ to preach the Gospel to the whole world Of this sort were the twelve who received their Commission from their Lord Master Christ whil'st he was with them upon earth to whom afterwards was added Matthias who was substituted in the room of Judas And such was Paul who received the like immediate Commission from Christ himself being in heaven These were true Apostles who being thus called answered their calling by preaching of the true Gospel And from hence we may learn what those false Apostles were Which were of two sorts as the false prophets also were and as Tyrants are said to be False apostles of two sorts Titulo Exercitio Some in respect of their calling onely others in respect of their Doctrine also First 1. In respect of their Calling Some in respect of their calling such as said they were Apostles but were not Such as pretended to an immediate Commission from Christ that they were immediately called and sent by him as the true Apostles were when as they were not so in truth Such were those whom Saint Paul there speaketh of in that Text last cited Pseudoapostolos istos voc at non ut ego quidem opinor quod salsam aliquam doctrinam sparsissent c. Bez. Gr. Annot. in Loc. 2 Cor. 11.13 False Apostles so called as Beza and others conceive of it not in regard of any false Doctrine which as yet they had preached but in regard of their false-Title the false claim which they made to that Office They pretended themselves to be Apostles And the more to win upon the belief of the people they carried themselves like Apostles transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ as it there followeth imitating them both in Doctrine and life which they did as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are there described deceitful workers out of a by and sinister respect not seeking Christ but themselves not his glory or the salvation of his people but their own temporal advantage Even as Satan the prince of darkness is sometimes transformed into an angel of light as the Apostle there goeth on vers 14. suggesting things vvhich seem to savour of piety and zeal and holinesse as if the motion proceeded from a holy and blessed angel whereas he intendeth nothing less but under that pretence to deceive poor simple souls So did those false apostles They pretended themselves to be the Apostles of Christ and they held forth his Doctrine so imitating
14.29 Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge Such as pretended to a gift of Prophesie which in those times was not rare they were to be heard by the Church but not presently believed but they must be tried by those who had the gift of discerning spirits the other true Prophets whether they had such a gift as they pretended to and whether that which was spoken by them were by the motion of the spirit of God or whether it were a fancie of their own brain a humane or Diabolical delusion Yea Generally all Teachers thus are all Teachers and all Doctrines to be tryed That Rule and direction of the Apostle is general 1 Thes 5.21 Proving all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things All Teachers all Doctrines and opinions by whomsoever held forth This is one of the things for which those Beraeans are commended being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more noble then some other Christians Acts 17.11 for that when they heard the Apostle Saint Paul the great Doctor of the Gentiles the chief teacher of his time Preach they brought his Doctrine to the Test trying and examining whether those things which were spoken and delivered by him were so whether they were consonant and agreeable to the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets that Doctrine which they had already received Now if true Apostles were thus to be tryed how much more false ones those who have nothing to prove them so but their word This Paul had He had the signes of an Apostle as he tels his Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.12 Among other those wonders and mighty deeds which he there speaketh of his miraculous works some of which are recorded in that Chapter foregoing Acts 16. for which no question he was then famous through the Churches and yet they try his Doctrine and for so doing are commended Especially suspitious ones How much more then are they to be tryed who have nothing but their word to gain credit to their calling and Doctrine As for their works it may be they are such as justly render them suspicious And being such great Reason that the Churches of Christ should be jealous of them and so try them before they trust them Great Reason for it I say considering the Danger first of then In being deceived 1. Reason 1 The danger of being deceived by false Teachers which are The danger of being deceived which credulous and simple souls are very subject to by such Teachers False Teachers which 1. Many for their Number Are many This is the Reason which Saint John giveth why he would have those to whom he writeth to make this Tryal 1 Joh. 4.1 a Text forecited Try the spirits c. why Because many false Prophets are gone out into the world Where there are many deceivers many cheaters many Trepanners as now they call some of that crue walking abroad men had need to try before they trust And such is the condition of the world in respect of false Teachers spiritual Trepanners However some ages are fuller of them then other yet in all ages there are many 2. Subtile for their nature And secondly as they are many for their number so they are very crafty and subtile for their nature It was Satans practise at the first when he went about to deceive the woman he made use of the Serpent speaking in and by that creature which as the Text saith was more subtile then any beast of the field Gen. 3.1 Such was and is that Creature being naturally smooth and gliding winding and insinuating and craftie c. And hereupon Satan who himself is called the old Serpent Revel 12.9 he maketh choice of that creature to convey his first Temptation and poisonous suggestion by And in a like way doth he deceive her posteritie still making use of Serpents subtile heads sharp wits smooth tongues insinuating spirits for the conveying of the poison of heretical and damnable doctrines by them So as simple souls being over-credulous as that their mother was they are apt to be deceived by them by their subtiltie of which the Apostle making use also of this allusion speaketh 2 Cor. 11.3 As also by their Innocencie Deceiving by their Lives which sometimes are seemingly pious Such was the Serpent at the first as all the other creatures were innocent and harmless And such false teachers oftimes seem to be very innocent in their lives exemplarie for their strictness Such were the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviours time whited Sepulchres as he cals them Mat. 23.27 And such were those false prophets whom he describeth Mat. 7.15 they were such as came in sheepes cloathing seemingly most innocent creatures And such were those false Apostles whom Saint Paul giveth warning to his Colossians of very strict no question themselves in those observances which they taught and pressed upon others of which the Apostle saith that they had in them a shew of humilitie and neglecting of the bodie not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh Col. 2.23 They were very temperate very abstemious And such were divers of the same stamp in after ages Among whom one Sect was known and distinguished by the name of Encratitae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Danaeum in August de Haeresibus cap. 15. so called from their extraordinarie continence and abstinence which was such as that they absteined not onely from unlawful lusts but also from Marriage and from eating any kinde of flesh as also wine not so much as allowing it in the Lords Supper in regard of the great abuse of the creature but using water instead of it yet holding forth foul and heretical Doctrines And such false Teachers often are as many Monkes and Fryars at this day eminent for strictness in their lives and conversations And as their Lives 4 By their doctrins some of which are sound and useful and their errours plausible so their Doctrines many of them it may be are true and Orthodox yea pious and very useful which they Preach and press making use of them as Coy-Ducks to bring in their Errors after them And for their Errors happily they are very plausible and taking specious at the first hearing having as the Apostle there saith Col. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shew of wisdom yea of Pietie and Holiness Thus did these false Apostles spoken of by Saint Paul transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ the ministers of Satan transform themselves into the Ministers of righteousness 2 Col. 11.13 15. And thus do false Teachers sometimes transform themselves into true acting their parts putting on the habits and speaking with the tongues of the true servants the faithful Ministers of Christ Being as I said Innocent if not Exemplarie in their lives holding forth plausible Errors and those mixed with many sweet and precious truths which are like wine or some other pleasant liquor wherewith poison being mixed it is taken and swallowed down
without suspicion upon this Account then Teachers are to be tryed There being so many false Teachers and many of them so subtile great is the danger of being deceived 2. Reas 2 And secondly as great danger in being deceived The danger in being deceived by them As it is in drinking of poison there is great danger to the Body so there is in receiving and drinking in heretical doctrines which are no other but poison to the soul what the Psalmist Heresie the Poyson of Aspes and from him the Apostle saith of wicked men in general Psal 140.3 Rom. 3.13 It may well be applied to Heretical Teachers in particular The poison of aspes is under their lips The poison of the Aspe or viper is secretly instilled without any great sense or pain yet desperately mortal to the person that is bitten or stung by it who being thereby cast into a dead sleep he never waketh more And truely such is the nature of false and heretical doctrine it is secretly and insensibly instilled into the soul but oftentimes proves mortal to it casting the soul into a dead sleep from which it never wakes till it come in hell So desperate oftimes is the conditions of poor deluded souls Like as the Apostle saith of the Seducers 2 Tim. 3.13 so it proves often true in the seduced They wax worse and worse going on from one error to another from a lesser to a greater from Schisme to Heresie A truth sadly experimented in many instances in this Nation of late times How many seemingly and hopefully well meaning souls have there been who by hearkening to such Teachers false Teachers have been so impoisoned with their Doctrines as that now they are swollen thereby so swollen with spiritual pride the worst of prides as that they refuse and scorn the advice of whatsoever soul-Physians the true Ministers of Christ so as unless God undertake them in a more then ordinary way there is little hope of their recovery Such and so great is the danger in being deceived by such Teachers So our first parent The serpents deceiving our first parent how dangerous to her and her posterity our great Grandmother Eve found it by sad experience Being deceived by Satan speaking in the Serpent she was in the transgression as the Apostle hath it 1 Tim. 2.14 Thereby she became guiltie of that first transgression which had not infinite mercy stept in had brought everlasting ruine upon her and all her Posteritie And how fatal hath this proved to many others their hearkning to Satan speaking in and by unsuspected instruments we know what happened to King Ahab whilest he hearkned to his false prophets following the Counsel which they gave him bidding him to go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper an arrow strikes him between the joynts of his harness giving him a mortal wound as you have the storie 1 King 22.32 And what happened to his Body how often hath it happened unto the souls of many who by hearkening unto false teachers have met with some Errors some Heresie some dangerous and damnable Doctrine which hath been as an Arrow piercing their hearts giving them a deadly wound and upon this account again great Reason that Teachers should be tryed before they be trusted To these some other might be added Reas 3 Christians beleeving without trying make themselves the servants of men To receive and believe teachers upon their word to receive their Persons and believe their Doctrine without examination and tryal is to make men the servants of men which Christians ought not to be ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle be not ye the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Christians being bought with a price redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ as Saint Peter explaines it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. and so made his servants his freemen they are not to mancipate and inslave themselves to any other what ever specially to inslave their souls and consciences so as to suffer any man whatever to have the command over them This is that which Saint Paul so smartly reproves his Corinthians for 2 Cor. 11.20 Ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage This did the false Apostles their new teachers tyrannizing over their consciences by imposing upon them their Ceremonial observances And this they suffered submitted to though contrary to their Gospel libertie Such was their esteem of those new Teachers that they readily received their Doctrines and conformed to their injunctions though diverse from and contrarie to that which they had received But this Christians ought not to do Being Christs freemen they are not to inslave themselves to any so as to yield an absolute credence to their Doctrines and dictates This is an honour which is peculiar onely unto Jesus Christ who being an absolute Lord over his people justly challengeth their absolute dependance upon him and obedience to him so as to receive his word without Tryal Not so any other who be what they will yet are subject to miscarry Let God be true and every man a Lyar saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 A Lyar and that both passively and actively subject to be deceived himself and so to deceive others Such are the best of men being left to themselves farther then as they are assisted and directed by the spirit of truth Onely Jefus Christ he is the truth as he saith of himself John 14.6 And being so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be believed on his word Not so any other whether Man or Angel Not that we have dominion over your Faith saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.24 They are not to be received but upon tryal They who said they were apostles were yet tryed by this angel of the Church who is here commended by his Lord and master for so doing I know thy works c. Thou hast tryed them which say they are apostles c. Thus have you the doctrinal confirmation Illustration That which remains is Application 1. Applic. Too great credulty taxed Where in the first place by way of reprehension I might take a just occasion to tax and censure the too great credulitie that is to be found among many Christians in this Nation at this day who if any come unto them pretending to gifts and calling they presently receive him hearken to him believe him giving intertainment to his person and doctrine not trying not examining the one or the other By which means they become guiltie of that which the Apostle cautions his Ephesians against Eph. 4.14 Children-like they are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine yea some of them carried like as those swine were into which the devils entred of which the storie tels us that they ran violently down a steep place into the sea Mat. 8.32 into most pernicious dangerous and damnable errors And how should it be otherwise They who will trust without trial must make account at one time or other to be deceived
Not but that the Church also might concur herein but he was the leader having as the first so the chief hand in it And therefore is it that it is here attributed to him to the angel of the Church of Ephesus write I know thy works thou hast tryed them c. And the like did the faithful ministers of Christ in after ages The Ancient fathers Zealous in this way many of which are famous for their zeal and activity in this way As Justine Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Augustine all tryers of false Apostles strenuously zealously opposing themselves against the false Teachers of their times And the like work is incumbent upon all the Ministers of Christ A work incumbent upon all true ministers who who being by their Office shepherds they are to take and give notice of such wolves as come in sheeps cloathing plucking off their disguises unmasking and discovering them to the sheep making them known to the people that so they may not be deceived by them Should be tryers of false Teachers Being ministers their place requires that they should bee tryers 1. 1 Able to do it Such as are in measure able to do this to try Teachers and their doctrines Men endued with knowledge and that in a more then ordinary manner so as they may be able not onely to exhort but to convince So the Apostle expressely requires it in a Bishop a Gospel Minister a Presbyter who in scripture language is ever meant by that name a Bishop saith he must be one that is able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 both to hold forth true doctrine himself and to discover errours in others to try them Such ones the Ministers of Christ should be which where in measure they are not as it is the lot of too many places in this Nation at this day their flocks the people committed to their charge must needs bee exposed to the greater hazzard 2. And as they are to be pares operi in measure able to do this Active in it so they are to do it laying forth their abilities in making this trial as occasion is offered looking out as the watchman doth discover the enemie from what quarter or under what disguise soever he cometh so giving due and seasonable notice thereof to the people This most probably did this angel here in the Text and for so doing he is commended And herein let him be a patern to all the apostles of the Churches the Ministers of Christ whom he hath set as watchmen over his Church for this end Son of man I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel saith the Lord to the Prophet Ezekiel Ezech. 3.17 Now the watchman as he is to take notice of those which come into the Citie so if suspicious persons he is to examine them And so are the Ministers of Christ to take notice in a special manner what teachers they are that thrust themselves in upon the people committed to their charge and being suspicious which all they are who as the Apostle saith of the seducers of his time 2 Tim. 3.6 creep into houses making it their first design to work upon the weaker sex to lead captive silly women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mulierculas simple women which are apt to be misled instilling their new doctrines first into them as the old Serpent did his first into the woman hoping afterwards to have the like success that he had to draw their husbands after them they are to try them to trie their Calling and doctrine that so they may be known to the people Thus have you the former of these queries resolved who they are that are to make this tryal All Christians in general the Ministers of Christ in special The second followeth Question 1 How is this Tryal to be made A point of large discourse How false Teachers are to be Tryed opening a wide field to him that would follow it But this task I find happily taken off of my hands this work being already largely and fully done in a Sermon Preached not long since The false Apostle tryed and discovered by Wid. Bridge though not in this very place yet not far from it even under the same roof and upon this very Text by a Reverend Brother who hath also given an account of it to the world So as I might wholly spare that labour But it being a point of concernment and which needeth inculcating in regard of the times whereinto we are fallen and I wish I might not say the place wherein we live I shall for this once in a good sense actum agere spend a little time in putting of you in remembrance of what happily you may be too apt to forget Answer For answer then to tread in those obvious steps wherein he went before me By their Calling Doctrine Life The Tryal of false Teachers is to be made principally in and by three things their Calling Doctrine Life By these three the true ministers of Christ are known when their Calling is warrantable their Doctrine Orthodox their lives approveable Now rectum est index sui obliqui that which declares a true Minister discovers a false And so do these three where they are not to be found Tryal 1 1. Try them by their Calling Their Calling If that be false they cannot be true This is the Character which is given of false Prophets Jer. 23.21 I have not sent these prophets yet they ran True Prophets and so true Ministers have a mission and commission from God being sent and authorized by him which they who are not cannot perform what too many pretend to do Preach the word How shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 Q. Question How Tryed But how shall it be known whether they be rightly called or no A question of great concernment specially in these times wherein the calling of the true Ministers of Christ is so much scrupled and questioned A. Answer Calling of Teachery Ex. traordinary Ordinarie For answer hereunto take we notice of a twofold calling Extraornarie and Ordinary Extraordinarie and Immediate ordinary and Mediate In the former way the prophets and Apostles were so called So Paul describes and asserts his Apostolical calling Gal. 1.1 Paul an Apostle not of men neither by men not by any humane anthoritie or suffrage not having any man for either Author or Instrument in that his calling but he received it immediatly from Christ as the twelve Apostles did In the latter way the ordinarie Ministers of Christ are called Being though not of yet by men receiving their Authotie from Christ but conveyed to them through the hands of men ordinarily imposed and layed upon them So it was in the Apostles time as that charge given by Paul to Timothie doth clearly evidence it 1 Tim. 5.22 Lay hands suddainly on no man that is admit no man into the ministerie without
Which that none of you may be 2. Use 2 Christians exhorted to try Teachers By way of exhortation in the second place let me desire you to propound this Angel as a pattern for your imitation See that you try before you trust This will you do in matters of civil concernment How much more then in spirituals in things which concern the welfare of your souls your eternal salvation Herein you cannot be too wary And therefore take heed what Teachers you hearken to Yea though haply they be of great name and note much cryed up by many what ever their parts and gifts be yea what ever their life and conversation be yet do not so far make your selves servants to any of them as to pinne your faith upon their sleeve be not over credulous especially if they be such as these in the Text such as pretending to an extraordinary calling shall hold forth new doctrines such as the Church of God hath not been acquainted with Now bee jealous of them fearing what you have just cause to do that they are not what they pretend to be They say they are Apostles but are not Therefore bring them to the trial A thing which Christ himself commendeth Argument 1 A thing commended So he doth in this angel here among whose good works hee reckons up this for one his trial of such Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not This tended to his praise Now this is one of the things which the Apostle willeth Christians to have an eye unto Phil. 4.8 If there be any vertue any praise any thing truly praiseworthy from men much more if commended by God think on these things so think of them as to do them Now were there no other Argument this alone should be sufficient to induce Christians to this practice doing this in a conscientious way with a respect to the honour of Jesus Christ which questionlesse this Angel here did for the asserting and vindicating of his name and truth whatever they meet with from men they shall have his approbation and commendation But secondly Argument 2 Commanded this is not onely commended but also commanded Those forenamed Texts are expresse being not onely counsels but precepts Try the spirits whether they be of God Prove all things So as this is not onely a Liberty but a duty a thing not onely expedient but requisite not onely what may be done but must be done Teachers especially if suspitious they must be tryed Quest But who shall try them and How shall they try them Two useful questions Take the resolution of each 1. Quest 1 Who shall be the tryers of these teachers Who are to try them Answ 1 Answ 1 To this I answer First Generally all Christians Generally all Christians To them are those forenamed exhortations directed of trying of spirits and proving all things General Lessons for all Christians who being spiritual are made judges of all things So 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual man not the Pope to whom some of his Parasites apply that Text. Nor yet onely the Clergy as they have been called the Ministers of the Gospel to whom custom in former ages hath appropriated that Title calling them spiritual persons in way of distinction from the so called Laity But every Christian who is enlightened and regenerated by the spirit of God He is this spiritual man who judgeth all things understanding and discerning the truth of God so much as concerneth his own salvation And being thus qualified he not onely may but ought to exercise this his judgement upon those whoever they are that bring doctrines contrary to or diverse from that truth trying them This are private Christians to do according to those abilities that measure of the spirit of discerning which God hath given them But Secondly Ans 2 This are the Ministers of Christ after a more special manner to do Specially the Angels of the Churches the ministers of Christ As it is in trying of gold if any pieces be suspicious every one before hee receiveth them will try them for himself having his scales for that purpose but the Gold-smith doth this after a more exact manner having not onely his scales for the weight but his touch-stone for the mettal Thus though all Christians are to try suspicious teachers doctrines yet the Ministers of Christ are to do it after a special manner Ministers Tryers by office they being tyrers by Office Such were the Apostles in their times Such were the Apostles and Evangelists who exercised this power upon divers trying and discovering them to bee what in truth they were nothing lesse then what they pretended So did Simon Peter upon Simon Magus the father of Hereticks as he is called a broacher and maintainer of divers blasphemous and damnable Heresies Peter tryeth and discovereth him to be what in truth he was not what he gave out himself to be and was by many taken for as you have the story Acts 8.21.23 And the like did Paul to Hymeneus and Alexander whom as he saith he delivered to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. last proceeding against them by Ecclesiastical censures for the Heresie which they held forth in denying the Resurrection of the dead to whom Philetus also as it seemeth was joined whom upon the same account he taketh notice of 2 Tim. 2.18 19. And what himself did he willeth his Evangelist Timothy also to doe the like If a man teach otherwise saith he to him 1 Tim. 6.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching other doctrine then that which the Church had already received from Christ and his Apostles and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness from such saith he withdraw thy self have no communion with them whether Ecclesiastical or Fraternal but look upon them as they are as contagious persons not fit for Christian societie And the like he requires from Titus A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject Tit. 3.10 Thus did Paul set himself against the whole generation of false teachers willing all the Ministers of Christ in a special manner to do the like This did our Apostle and Evangelist Saint John whose zeal against that infamous Heretick Cerinthus is famous with whom he would not so much as enter into the Bath least the houses should fall on his head Vide Danaeum in August de Heres Chap. 8. and at whom he is conceived to strike as elsewhere in his Gospel in his first chapter so in those two places of his first Epistle 1 John 2.22 and 4.3 And the like did this angel here in the Text the minister or ministers of this Church of Ephesus To him or them it is that this commendation is here given for dealing with these false apostles