〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Greeke Poets hath it So it may bee said concerning Hetherington without fiction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he begets new Proselytes which quickly turne traducers of the Church if not worse then so Secondly he comes in sheepes cloathing for First hee comes with quotations of Scripture to maintaine pernicious errors witnesse his bookes Secondly he comes with flattering words pretending to tender mens soules and the like witnesse many which haue beene assaulted by him or by his followers Thirdly he comes with lincy-woolsie bookes such as sauour of some seeming deuotion but conteining dangerous errors closely couched Fourthly he comes in the whole outside of a Christian there is nothing a true Christian hath indeed but these fellowes to serue their owne turne can haue it in shew they can sigh and weepe humble themselues and make shew of some ciuill vertues c. but all this is ioyned with pernitious errors of iudgement and schisme Fifthly he hath his sheepes cloathing also wherewith to deceiue authority viz. his false recriminations his feined submissions his hypocriticall equiuocations his shamelesse denyals with many such if any shall desire to be further satisfied concerning Hetherington and his factious company let him but enquire amongst honest Religious Citizens and hee shall not onely finde this little which I say true of them but much more And thus I haue endeuoured to shew you this Woolfe in his owne skinne I pray God discouer him further for the safety of his Church and thus also I haue done with the first thing propounded namely the Discouerie Wherein howsoeuer I may seeme to vse sharpnesse in Zeale for the Church yet I am sure I haue mingled no malice for I neuer had any particular quarrell against him in all my life as he well knoweth hauing dispatched the Discouerie it remaineth now according to our Method propounded that we come to matter of Confutation and heerein I doe not meane to insist vpon the refutation of euery dotage which he is knowne to hold for so I might bee infinite I will not stand to proue against him that the Church of England is a true Church for this were to hold a candle to see the Sunne by which is seene sufficiently by its owne light a chaste Spouse remaineth an honest woman though neuer so many varlots reproach her as an harlot euen so the Church of England my deare Mother shall remaine I hope for the future and is for the present a true Church when all peeuish Schismatickes Brownists Anabaptists Familists and such like haue said or rayled what they can against her neither wil I insist vpon his dotage concerning the perfect purity of the soule that in 1 Ioh. 1. 8. If we say we haue not sinne we deceiue our selues is sufficient to confound whatsoeuer hee or his Proselytes are able to produce to the contrary But that which we will stand vpon shall be 1. The Sabbath 2. The Bookes of Esdras The Sabbath day or that which we call the Lords day is no more a Sabbath in Hetheringtons opinion then any other day as was proued by the oathes of honest men against him wherein like vnto Faux he would blow vp all Religion at one blast by the Gun-powder of Familisticall Doctrine and open a window to all Atheisme and prophannesse for take away the Sabbath and farrewell all Religion neither let this equiuocator say that he doth not vtterly denie the morality of the Sabbath but onely that hee holds it is not to be so strictly kept as it was amongst the Iewes c. for it is perfectly knowne to many in the City which I hope may easily be produced if need should require that neither Hetherington nor his followers make any conscience of working in their ordinary trades vpon that day or of buying and selling and the like yea the truth is as appeares by some that haue beene intimate with them and by some other that haue beene conuerted from them that where their pernicious doctrine doth preuaile it brings men or women to a plaine contempt of the Sabbath to worke vpon that day to despight others yea to c Tearming them superstitious persons nickname others which make conscience to keepe it as was also deposed against them to come therefore to that which this dangerous Sectary maketh a controuersie viz. to proue the Morality of the Sabbath The Morality of the Sabbath proued against the Sect of the Familists against Hetherington and other Antisabbatareans THe true Morality of the Sabbath consisting not in a mysticall resting from sinne as the Familists pretend but in celebrating of an appointed day in seuen in the worship and seruice of God may bee demonstrated and proued by the arguments following First from the time when it was first instituted and celebrated and that was in the time of mans innocency before any Mosaicall Ceremonie was in vse Gen. 2. 3. indeed in the state of innocency God had giuen vnto Adam the Law concerning the Tree of knowledge of good and euill yet that tree was no Mosaicall Ceremonie but a Sacrament Secondly from the manner of writing of the fourth Commandement at the first for it was not written in paper or parchment or vpon leaues of trees but in Tables of stone as the rest of the tenne Commadements were Deuteronomie 10. 1. to signifie the perpetuity thereof Thirdly from Gods owne placing of it for the Law of the Sabbath to wit the fourth Commandement is not placed amongst the Ceremoniall or Iudiciall Lawes as though it had beene Ceremoniall or had concerned onely the Nation of the Iewes or them especially but amongst the Morall Lawes yea it is made one of the ten so that if it were abrogated there would remaine but nine Commandements and so the Law of God were vnperfect which were blasphemie to affirme neither let Familists thinke to euade by saying the moralitie of the fourth Commandement still remaineth in resting from sinne euery day for the moralitie of that Commandement consisteth not in that but in celebrating one day of seauen in Gods seruice as we noted before and as may appeare by the very words of the Commandement pressing onely the obseruation of a seauenth day Fourthly from the reasons wherewith the fourth Commandement is inforced which are all of them morall and doe as strongly binde the Gentiles as the Iewes for if the Iewes were bound in conscience to celebrate the seauenth day in Gods seruice to his glory because the Lord had giuen them six dayes for their owne lawfull occasions are not we Gentiles by the same reason bound vnto whom God in like manner hath granted six dayes for our owne labours requiring but the seauenth for his publike worship Secondly if the Iewes were bound to celebrate the seauenth day because it was the Lords due or because it was the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are not the Gentiles bound in like manner to giue God his right Thirdly shall the example of God
scruple to come to doe it vpon the first day of the weeke because as yet they were ignorant that they ought to celebrate that day Eightly 8. Obiect whereas they obiect that the day which wee obserue is tearmed the first day of the weeke Luke 24. 1. and therefore that it is a weeke day not a Sabbath day I answer this is a meere cauill For it is tearmed the first day of the weeke not simply but in respect of the Iewish Saturday in which regard also it is called the eight day in diuers places But when the Spirit in Scripture speaketh positiuely and simply of it hee tearmes it the Lords day Reuel 1. 10. which is indeede the most proper name of it although wee vse a latitude of words in expressing one and the same thing by diuers names Ninthly 9. Obiect whereas they obiect that they keepe euery day a Sabbath and therefore that they are vniustly taxed for Sabbath-breakers yea that they come to the Church vpon the Lords day as well as others and heare Sermons and receiue the Sacraments c. that they hold the moralitie of the fourth Commandement and the like I answer if to trade to labour in their particular callings and to esteeme euery day alike be to keepe euery day a Sabbath then they keepe euery day a Sabbath but what is this but vnder colour of keeping euery day to keepe no day at all as it ought to bee kept Secondly we denie not but they may come to the Church as well as others vpon the Lords day and heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament but in the meane time how doe they demeane themselues when they haue heard is it not famously knowne how they meet together to censure the Ministers to contradict the Doctrine c. doe not hundreds in the Citie know this to be true and was it not deposed against them againe though they may receiue the Sacrament to keepe them from trouble yet what reuerent opinion haue they of the Sacraments especially of Baptisme affirming that it neither conferres not confirmes grace to the heart of any as appeares in Iesops booke at page 61. Thirdly they do meerely equiuocate when they say they hold the morality of the fourth Commandement for the morality of that Commandement is that one day of seauen should bee set apart for Gods worship and kept for conscience sake in obedience to Gods Commandement but this they are notoriously knowne to denie that any such day should bee now celebrated in conscience of Gods Lawe and therefore they doe denie the morality of the fourth Commandement in the right sense thereof Tenthly 10. Obiect whereas they obiect out of Master Tyndals Workes or some other bound vp with his that the Ancient Fathers haue beene of their opinion concerning the Sabbath I answer that is as true as the vaine boast of Popish Champions which pretend that all the Fathers are on their sides Indeed the Fathers and Doctors of the Church must be read carefully and warily in this point concerning the Sabbath or else men may easily mistake their meaning and abuse their iudgement They speake of diuers kindes of Sabbaths First of a Sabbath of the c August liv de spirit lit letter whereby is meant the Iewish or Traskite Sabbath Secondly of a e August lib. 13. confession mysticall Sabbath which is a resting vpon God Thirdly of a * Hier. in 56. Isaia edit plāt 1578. Dedicata Sab. bata an other Edition hath it but I conceiue DELICATA is the truer reading quasi Sabbata summa iucunditatis dulcedinis delicate Sabbath when a Christian is made one spirit with Christ as one of the antients speakes Fourthly of a spirituall Sabbath when we depart from inquity and become practisers of sanctification as h Cyrill Alexand. lib. 7 de adorat in spirit verit another of the antients speakes if that worke by the cunning of some be not wrongfully ascribed vnto him Fifthly of an n Hier. in 58. Isaiae eternall Sabbath in heauen which is an eternall rest in that most blisfull place Sixthly of a o Tertul. lib. aduers Iudaeos mortall Sabbath which is a day set apart by God himselfe in the fourth Commandement for his owne seruice Seuenthly of an r Bern. Ser. 11. in Cantic idle Sabbath when men will rest from the workes of their particular callings vpon the Sabbath day but will not imploy themselues in Gods Seruice now these Ignoramus-ses when they heare that the Fathers speake of a mysticall Sabbath presently they conceiue as though the morrall Sabbath were meerely mysticall and when they heare that the Farhers speake of an ildle Sabbath they presently censure the morall Sabbath to be in the iudgement of the ancients an idle day and thus they peruert the iudgement of antiquity many times I speake not this to iustifie all the Fathers in euery particular sentence of theirs concerning the Sabbath quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus as a Lib. de arte Poet. Horace saith of Homer Et Bernhardus non vidit omnia as it is in the Prouerbe the Fathers haue had their Naeuos or failings in their writings as a c Abrahamus Sculictus in medulla learned man hath affirmed and so in like manner some of our moderne Writers haue giuen more power to the Church to dispose of the Sabbath and to alter it againe concerning the day so shee obserue one day in seauen then I hope any Church vnder the Sunne dare to arrogate vnto her selfe vpon their affirmations not being sufficiently aware how their meanings might bee abused and peruerted by Familists and other Antisabbatareans but what I speake I speake it for the iust reproofe of Familists and such like which are glad if they can catch any thing if it be but in sound onely from the Writings of Famous men to patronize at the least in shew their owne hereticall and schismaticall opinions like vnto spiders sucking poyson from those writings from the which a more iudicious Reader would deriue sound edification and instruction Thus for Confutation concerning the Sabbath Hetheringtons opinion confuted concerning the Bookes of Esdras THe second thing which we propounded concerning matter of Confutation is touching the Bookes of Esdras the which bookes Hetherington holdeth as hath beene proued against him by witnesses to bee canonicall Scripture and that they ought so to be esteemed wherein may appeare the pride and insolency of this man who being altogether vnlearned vt potè qui nullam linguam nouit praeter suam maternam yet will take vpon him in opposition to the whole Church both reformed and vnreformed to canonize new Scripture in which particular he sheweth himselfe to be worse then the very Papists the c Bellar. lib. 1. de verbo dei Papists though they haue receiued some other Apochryphall Bookes into the Canon yet they haue reiected or at the least not receiued the Bookes of Esdras but let him and
liued in England in Queene Elizabeths time yea hee was so impudent as to dedicate one of his Bookes to that Queene of famous memory expressing his name onely by two letters T. L. lest the Purseuant should finde him out I thinke I doe not guesse amisse at his meaning and what was this but to call our Church Babylon in the very times of the Gospell Fourthly at pag. 86. hee saith come forth yee theeues and murderers out of your dennes and palaces if he were now aliue I would demand of him whom hee meanes by his theeues and murderers in palaces As for his second Booke called the Tree of Regeneration the scope of it is as his aime is in the rest of his Bookes First to intimate himselfe to be a Prophet at pag. 2. Secondly to reuile the publike meetings of the Church or the Congregations and by this meanes to withdraw men from them at pag. 18. 19. Thirdly to reproach the Ministers which come to preferment in the Church by the fauour of Princes tearming them the Sonnes of Beor at pag. 26. Fourthly cunningly to gird at the prerogatiue of Kings with the which hee saith some are drunken at pag. 23. I will not further insist vpon any more of his Bookes but considering how many haue bin already seduced by them hundreds by report I cannot doe lesse then wish tendring the safetie of the Church that they were deuoted to the fire like those bookes of witchcraft or of curious arts spoken of in Act. 19. 19. The third Discouerie of Iohn Hetherington which is by comparing him with antient Sectaries I finde by that which Saint Augustine hath concerning ancient Heretickes or Sectaries Lib de Hares that Hetherington agreeth in opinion with diuers of them as First with the Gnostickes in an high conceit of his owne knowledge for as they did glory in that name as though they had beene the onely Ginoskites or knowing men in the world euen so this man is the Elias left alone the Ministers of England in comparison of him are blinde guides not able to interpret one place of Scripture aright if wee may beleeue his Proselytes which so boast of him as was deposed against some of them in Court or his owne practice in taking vpon him as was also proued to deliuer in his Conuenticles many contrary things to the receiued opinions in the Church of England opposing his owne priuate conceits against the iudgement of the whole Church Secondly with the Catharists and Iouinianists which held that a man cannot sin Lauacro regenerationis accepto after he bee once Regenerated euen so this man holds the perfect purity of the soule as was prooued against him Thirdly with the Manicheans which held baptismū in aqua nihil cuiquam salutis afferre euen so this man holds that Baptisme neither confers nor confirmes grace to the heart of any as hath beene demonstrated before out of his booke set out in the name of Iesop one of his factious Proselytes at page 61. Fourthly with the Mathematici which receiued the Apocrypha as well as the Canonicall Scripture but allegorized and peruerted both for their owne turnes euen so this man makes shew to receiue the Scripture yea to receiue also some of the Apocrypha for Canonicall as hath been prooued against him but how he peruerteth both for the maintenance of his owne factious opinions is manifest in his erroneous bookes or Pamphlets Fifthly with the Vadiani culpātes episcopos diuites saue only that he his factious company are more censorious then they for they onely blamed rich Bishops enuying their prosperity but these both Bishops and Curates affirming as hath beene deposed against them that Bishops and Ministers as they are consecrated in the Church of England are not so much as members of the Church Sixthly with the Elceseitae which held fidem in perscutione esse negandam in corde seruandam that a man if he were persecuted for his Faith might lawfully denie it prouided that hee kept it still in his heart and doth not the Hetherigtonian faction agree vnto this Did not Hetherington call God to witnesse that he was sree from such opinions as were laid to his charge I wish him to remember what he hath written or said to this purpose and especially his letter which he wrote to a great man in this Kingdome for his enlargement indeed it is true he will seeme to maintaine some of his erroneous opinions to this day but I wish for his own good that it were not rather to inrich himselfe in the Prison by drawing mony from his numerous multitude of Proselytes as some other besides himselfe haue beene knowne to doe then for any conscience he makes of denying what he holds I might compare this man with many other Sectaries mentioned by Irenaeus Eusebius Epiphanius and other Fathers which write of Heretickes but I study breuity The fourth Discouery of Iohn Hetherington which is by the Application of the Text. In the last place this man may be much discouered by the right Application of my Text. For first he is a Woolfe in the sense of my Text. Secondly hee comes in sheepes cloathing that he is a Woolfe in the sense of my Text is manifest to all that know him intus in cute for First he deales gently with his Proselytes at the first drawing them into lighter errors although I must needs say I know no one error that he holds which is simply light but afterwards like a rauening Woolfe he teares their soules in pieces by bringing them by his spirituall inchantments to despise the Church to reiect the publicke Ministery or at the least to ceasse to esteeme and beleeue it to haue the Lords Day in contempt to cast off holy duties in priuate Families and the like all this is very well knowne in the Citie to such as doe but know his followers Secondly hee is very dull to vnderstand the truth for who is more blockish then he which is ignorant and yet scornes to be taught but he is very quick-sighted to finde out cunning euasions and subtill equiuocations to hide his pernitious errors if possibly he may from the eye of authority this I am perswaded prudent men before whom he hath been conuented doe partly discerne besides others which haue conuersed with him and his factious companie Thirdly as a Woolfe begets a Woolfe so this sectary where he preuailes with any man or woman to make them his Proselytes hee makes them like vnto himselfe will he equiuocate so will they will hee traduce good Ministers and good people terming them puritans though they be conformable so will they will he seeke to seduce so will they I may well speake this by experience considering that many tender-conscienced Christians in my Parish haue beene tampered with by these seducing fellowes and sollicited to Hetheringtons Conuenticles wherefore as it was once feined concerning Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee begat new Gods as c Eurip in
in resting vpon the seauenth day from all his workes of Creation binde the Iewes and not vs Gentiles are not wee bound to be imitators of God as deare children as well as they or any other Ephes 5. 1. Fourthly shall it be an argument to perswade the Iewes to keepe the Sabbath because God hath blessed and sanctified it that is hath ordained it to be a day of blessing to the conscionable obseruers of it and hath set it apart from common labour to holy vse and shall it not be an argument to perswade vs haue not we as much neede of Gods blessing as the Iewes haue not wee cause to feare to deuoure that which is sanctified as well as the Iewes Thus we see all the reasons in the fourth Commandement are morall which doe plainly demonstrate the Commandement it selfe to be morall Now if any shall obiect that in Deut. 5. 15. where God presseth the obseruation of the Sabbath with a reason seeming to be peculiar to the Hebrewes namely because he had brought them out of Aegypt I answer that doth no more infringe the moralitie of the fourth Commandement then the generall Praeface praefixed before the ten Commandements I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of seruants doth infringe the moralitie of the rest of the morall Law Secondly there was something also signified in this reason I brought thee out of the land of Aegypt to wit the great benefit of redemption which bindes the Gentiles as well as the Iewes in way of thankfulnesse to celebrate the Sabbath day to Gods glory Reasons prouing against Hetherington and other Familists that the Lords day ought to be kept for the Christian Sabbath THat the Lords day ought to be celebrated for the Christians Sabbath and that by vertue of the moralitie of the fourth Commandement it is apparent by diuers Arguments First because the morall Law is not abrogated by the Gospell but established Rom 3. 31. which proues that tenet of Hetherington to be false to wit that the Lords day since the Apostles time was of no force Secondly because it is written in the very hearts of men that they ought to celebrate that day as appeares by the secret checkes that they finde in their consciences when they doe prophane it and by the sweet comforts which they feele when they keepe it in an holy manner Thirdly this blessed day hath bin obserued by all Christian Churches it was kept at Hierusalem Act. 2. 1. it was kept at Troas Act. 20. 7. it was kept in Patmos Reuel 1. 10. it was kept in the regions of Galatia 1 Cor 16. 1. 2. Fourthly the ancient Fathers haue pressed the obseruation of the Lords day vpon the Church in their seuerall ages c Epist ad magnesiâ—s Ignatius saith let euery one which loueth Christ celebrate the Lords day e Ser. 251. de tempor Saint Augustine doth greatly presse the strict obseruation of the Lords day that men should vpon that day be separated from worldly businesses and that they should attend vpon Gods publike worship that they should not sit idling at home when others goe to Church that they should not giue themselues to hunting vpon that day or to loud laughters c. c In 1. cap. Isaiae Saint Basil saith when as almost all dayes prescribed by the Law are abolished yet there remaineth one great day of the Lord which shall neuer be abolished but shall remaine to the end of the world e Lib. 7. de diuin offic Rupertus saith the Lord hath made this day to be the solemnitie of Solemnities because the noblenesse of this solemnitie excelleth all other solemnities g Lib. 4. aduers Marcion Tertullian saith that Christ hath made the Sabbath more holy by his benefaction it being holy from the beginning by his fathers benediction i Hom. 7. in 15. c. exod Saint Origen doth in like manner not onely equalize but also farre preferre the Christians Lords day before the Iewes Sabbath n Enchir. Luther blesseth God for setting apart a peculiar day for the vse of his ordinances yea o Lib. 2. instit c. 8. Sect. 32. Caluin himselfe saith vnlesse a certaine time were set apart for the worship of God all would runne to ruine and confusion speedily and ineuitably Here I am as the learned know in a large field I might be very copious in quotations both out of the ancient Fathers and moderne writers but I must be briefe for diuers reasons Fiftly the r Homilie of the place and time of prayer Church of England hath these words in one of the Homilies God hath giuen expresse charge to all men that vpon the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday they cease from all weekely and work-day labour to the intent that like as God himselfe wrought six dayes and rested the seauenth and blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour euen so Gods obedient people should vse the Sunday holily and rest from their common and daily businesse and also giue themselues wholly to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice So that God doth not onely command the obseruation of this holy day but also by his owne example doth stirre and prouoke to diligent keeping of the same The which I haue noted first because the Hetheringtonians hold as it is well knowne that the Christians Sabbath is grounded vpon no precept in all Gods word whereas the Homily saith that God hath commanded the obseruation of this holy day Secondly because some not well affected would cry downe all stricktnesse in obseruing this day as Iewish wherein they doe not symphonize with their mother for what obseruation of the Sabbath can be more holily strict then that which is prescribed in the Homily to wit that we should cease from all weekely labour and giue our selues wholly to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice We are prone by corruption of nature to take libertie of our selues Si non satis insaâ—iat instiges eum apud Terent. we neede not be taught it non opus est calcaribus sed frano Sixtly God hath shewed fearfull iudgements vpon prophaners of the Lords day as you may read in the Practice of Pietie a certaine husbandman grinding Corne vpon the Lords day had all his meale burned to ashes another carrying Corne vpon the same day had his Barne and all his Corne the next night burned A couetous Flaxwoman at Kingstat in France in the yeere 1559. vsing with her maidens to worke in her trade vpon the Lords day her flax in an extraordinary manner tooke fire the same day burnt her house and so scorched her selfe and two of her children that they all of them dyed the next day Stratford vpon Auon was twise almost consumed with fire in one yeere and the like iudgement was shewed vpon Teuerton in Deuonshire both which townes were knowne to suffer
THE WHITE WOLFE OR A Sermon Preached at PAVLS Crosse Feb. 11. being the last Sonday in Hillarie Tearme Anno 1627. and printed somewhat more largely then the time would permit at that present to deliuer Wherein Faction is vnmasked and iustly taxed without malice for the safetie of weake CHRISTIANS Especially the Hetheringtonian Faction growne very impudent in this Citie of late yeeres is here confuted By STEPHEN DENISON Minister of Katherine Cree-Church London 1. TIM 1. 3. As I be sought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonis that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine HIER aduers LVCIFERIAN Quâ—modo destructa sunt Diaboli Ciuitates in fine hoc est in seculorum consummatione idola corruerunt AT LONDON Printed by GEORGE MILLER dwelling in Blacke-Fryers 1627. TO THE HIGH And Mighty PRINCE CHARLES By the Grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the FAITH c. Most Dread Soueraigne c. SEneca saith Lib. 1. de ClemeÌ„tâ—a c. 1. nullum ex omnibus clemeÌ„tia magis quam Regem aut principem decet Clemency becomes no man better then a King or Prince and being fully perswaded that this together with all other both Princely and sauing graces meete in your Maiesties royall breast euen as the lines of a circumference meete in the center or middle point I am encouraged to present this Sermon to your Princely view I know indeed it is not with Kings as * Eidyl 15. v. 26. Theocritus saith it is with persons without imployment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which keepe euery day holy day the imployments and labours of Princes are farre greater then ordinary Subiects can conceiue yet I hope I may say of your Maiesty as * Lib. 1 c. 1. ad Thrasimund regem Fulgentius saith of Thrasimund the King vnto whom he writes te numerosis Regni curis iugiter occupatum feruenti cognoscendae sapientiae dilectatione flammari that howsoeuer your royall heart be much taken vp with manifold cares coÌ„cerning the Kingdome for the common safety of all your Subiects yet it is inflamed also with a godly zeale after the best things your Maiesty is a Defender of the true Christian Faith in which respect you are highly honoured and sincerely beloued of all your true hearted and truely Religious Subiects no doubt they dayly pray for you they blesse God for you they esteeme you the breath of their nostrills and this loue of the Subiects is to be esteemed by Kings their strongest Defence or Castell in respect of ordinarie meanes as * In Orat. ad Nicocl de regno Isocrates saith to Nicocles the King in his Greeke Oration made before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. thinke the loue of the Citizens the safest guard of thy person indeede so it is vnder God There hath bin discouered of late vnto your Maiesties high Commission-Court a dangerous familisticall sectarie one Iohn Hetherington by trade a Boxmaker who hath seduced and withdrawne many as well men as women from the Church of England in the famous Citie of London by his subtile suggestions as hath bin proued against him I cannot more fitly describe him then by the words of my Text Lupus est ouili pelle tectus hee is a Woolfe in a Sheepes-skinne for outwardly if he liue amongst Protestants hee will seeme to be a Protestant if a bare profession ore tenus will serue the turne whilst in the meane time hee may gird at them in his writings and condemne them as adulterous Congregations in his Conuenticles or otherwise Secondly hee will seeme to be a conformable man to the Doctrine of the Church if subtile equiuocations and cunning euasions will passe for conformitie Thirdly hee will seeme an innoceÌ„t person if impudent denials or casting of aspersions vpon honest witnesses will goe for innocency And in this that honourable quicksighted and Eagle-eyed Court deserueth great encouragement in that when they had to deale with one that would deny almost all that was laid to his charge yet they discerned aright of him and accordingly censured him and thus the Greeke Prouerbe is verified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Woolfe thinkes to run from the Eagle and so to escape but all in vaine and amongst those worthy and learned Commissioners he that is the chiefe optimo iure primas agit whose acumen whose soundnesse in the faith whose singular grauity whose happy speech whose excellent parts euery way are the very grace of that venerable Court it may be said of him as * Orat. 30. in laudem Basil Gregorie Nazianzen saith of S. Basil Archbishop of Caesarea whom he stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he is like vnto Noah vnto whom the Arke of the Church is committed and so kept from drowning whiles it floats in the turbulent waters amongst Haereticks And whiles I am speaking of Ecclesiasticall worthies very dutie will not suffer me to be vnmindfull of him vnder whom the Ministers of London liue as children vnder the care of an indulgent Father his great humility will not suffer him to Lord it ouer the Clergie nor his peaceable disposition to yrannize it may be said of him as * Lib. 4. epist 9 Saint Cyprian Bishop of Carthage saith of himselfe in one of his Epistles Humilitatem meam fratres omnes gentiles norunt diligunt I finde that I haue stirred vp to wrath against my selfe the most part of all the factions in England by this publike Sermon which I made in the defence of Gods eternall truth in loue to my Country and in compassion of weake brethren which are in the most danger of seduction I remember Saint Paul saith that he had fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men and in like sort it befalleth vnto mee at this time I haue to deale with young Foxes which spoyle the Vine of the Church and with Wolues which seeke to strangle the Sheep of Christ but what then so long as I stand for that truth whereof your excellent Maiestie is a defender I doe not doubt of acceptation and if my poore endeauours shall be so happy as to finde acceptation with your sacred person as they haue found in the learned Court before your Maiesties Commissioners and in the audience where the Sermon was preached euen this acceptation greater then all the rest shall be all-sufficient to blunt the edge of all the power of the aduersary and to secure the Author from wrong and violence yea it shall no doubt encourage many able men in the Kingdome to take paines in the suppressing of faction both by preaching and writing so farre as shall be thought fit by authoritie Thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse I beseech almighty God to blesse your Maiesty with long life many happy dayes with abundance of all gifts and graces in this world and with eternall glory in that which is to come Your Maiesties most humble subiect STEPHEN DENISON
Minister of Cree-Church London To the Christian Reader THou which hast a tender conscience and desirest nothing so much as to know the right way to heauen hauing also many doubts which cause thee to runne vp and downe sometimes to the publike Congregations and other sometimes to priuate Conuenticles for resolution I haue for thy sake and safety vndertaken this paines whereby I haue incensed many factious persons against my selfe exposed my good name to the obloquie of a thousand bad tongues and made somewhat to bold with my owne Flocke whilst I was painefully imployed in this more laborious worke which concernes a more generall and publike good I haue had no helpe in this seruice saue onely the good Assistance of Authority for the which I hope I shall praise God as long as I liue and the testimonies of honest witnesses For howsoeuer there were many which disliked the Hetheringtonian Faction abhorred their opinions complained of them to Ministers in secret and murmured against them which should see these things reformed yet for any that would lend their helping hand to set forward this matter of so great importance for the common safety of the Church I found none vnlesse it were according to the Latine Prouerbe post bellum suppetiae I met also with many discouragements some in their ignorance would be ready to say that though this faction held some absurd points yet that they held nothing against the foundation not vnderstanding how they vndermine Religion at the very roote of it for grant vnto them this that our Church is no true Church of Christ that our Ministers are no true Ministers of the Gospell that our best Professors are Pharisees The WOOLFE in a Sheepes Skinne BVT BEVVARE OF FALSE PROPHETS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MAT. 7. 15. But beware yee of false Prophets which come vnto you in Sheepes cloathings but inwardly they are rauening Wolues SECTION 1. IN this Chapter and the two former wee haue that famous and learned Sermon of our Sauiour made by him in the Mount graphically penned and set downe by our holy Euangelist Saint Matthew one of the blessed pen-men of sacred Scripture and secretary to the holy Ghost In the description of which Sermon we haue three maine parts the Preface the Narration and the Conclusion the Preface in the first and second Verses of the fift Chapter wherein are expressed diuers necessary circumstances belonging to the Sermon as first the Author of it hee i. e. Iesus Christ Secondly the place a Mountaine Thirdly the gesture vsed by our Sauiour fitting downe Fourthly the persons whom he taught his Disciples Fiftly the manner of expression when he had opened his mouth The narration begins at the third verse of the fift Chapter and endeth in the 23. verse of the seauenth Chapter and it is partly consolatory from the third verse to the end of the 12 and therein our Sauiour demonstrateth the procreant causes of true happinesse for the comfort of weake Christians Partly exhortatory from the 13. verse to the end of the 16. and therein he exhorteth his Disciples to walke worthy of their most holy calling Partly interpretatory from the 17. verse to the end of the fifth Chapter and therein hee vindicates diuers of the Commandements from the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees Partly dehortatory in all the sixt Chapter and beginning of the seauen In the sixt hee dehorteth his Disciples frō two Pharisaicall sinnes viz. vaine-glory concerning almes deeds fasting prayer from the first verse to the end of the 18. and couetousnesse expressed by worldly cares from verse the 19. to the end of the Chapter This Dehortatory part is also continued in the beginning of the seauenth Chapter from the first verse to the sixt and therein he dehorteth from two sinnes more to wit rash iudgement vers 1 2 3 4 5. and rash communicating of holy things to vnworthy persons vers 6. partly excitatory to the dutie of prayer vers 7 8 9 10 11. partly declaratory demonstrating the maine thing the Law and the Prophets aime at in their doctrine Partly directory concerning the way to heauen vers 13 14. and partly premonitory giuing warning concerning false Prophets and other things depending thereupon from vers 15. to the end of the 23. Then in the last place wee haue the Epilogue or Conclusion from the 24. verse to the end of the seauenth Chapter wherein we haue Christ his application of his whole Sermon ver 24 25 26 27. expressed by an elegant comparison taken from builders and the effect which followed vpon this excellent pithie Sermon in the hearts of the hearers which was astonishment or admiration in the two last verses By the which Logicall Analysis we may conceiue that this Text is a maine part of the narration or subiect matter of the Sermon it selfe being the very premonicion concerning false Prophets and also vpon what occasion it is brought in namely immediately vpon a direction giuen concerning the strait way to heauen in the two verses going before and it is as if our Sauiour had said I know my deare Disciples that you hearing of the narrow way which leadeth to happinesse will be desirous after the manner of trauellers to aske all that you meet but especially those which seeme to be Prophets concerning this way for your better confirmation and conduction But let me forewarne you of all other to beware how you aske direction of false guides for they instead of directing you will set you quite out of the way as it is the c Haeresis enim rectè gradientes ab itinere suo deuiare ad se diuertere docet Hier. in 9. prouerb manner of Heresie so to doe In the Text it selfe wee haue two parts First our Sauiours caueat giuen to his Church concerning Seducers in these words Beware of false Prophets Secondly his liuely description of them in the rest of the Text. In the first we haue two things a title False Prophets and a caution beware yee In the second our Sauiour giues a double description of seducers and first hee describeth them by their outward habit or externall shew they come vnto you in Sheepes cloathing Secondly by their internall qualitie or disposition but inwardly they are rauening Wolues In the handling of this Text we will obserue this method First we will speake of the intent or of the Text in generall Secondly of the extent or of the particular application thereof SECT 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of false Prophets FAlse Prophets Hauing dispatched the Logicall Analysis and diuided the Text into its seuerall branches in the former Section come we now Christo duce to the particulars as they haue bin placed in the Diuision And first of the first namely the title false Prophets The word Prophet is vsed in two senses in the Scripture in a strict sense and in a large in a strict and thus it is put for a prenunciator or foreteller of things to come being