himselfe as an example Chap. 3. 10. Thou hast fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience Disce puer virtutem ex me Learn my son painfulnesse and watchfulnesse of mee a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes I require no more of thee then I my selfe have given thee in pattern Thou hast fully known c. Now the Apostle not ignorant of the wiles of the divell his main engines against the two pillars of the Church b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. ibid. faith and love the bonds of our union with our head and with his body and his endeavours to overthrow love by the overthrow of faith hee warns him in a speciall manner to hold fast the forme of sound words and to shew himselfe a workman that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth to avoid profane and vaine janglings which would increase to more ungodlinesse And hee urgeth the same exhortation in my Text from the mischiefe that will come to the Church by such vain janglings Their word will eat as doth a gangrene of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus The Text therefore discovers the mischief of unsound teachers or unsound doctrine where wee consider First the Subject Their word illustrated by an instance Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who have erred c. Secondly the Adjunct Will eat or will have pasture set out by a similitude As doth a canker or a gangrene Thus you have the connexion the scope and parts of this verse out of which I shall propose one Observation In the prosecution of which other things may happely be touched upon in transitu The Doctrine is this Doctr. Erroneous and unsound doctrine is of a devouring i. e. spreading and destroying nature Their word saith the Apostle will eat as doth a gangrene The Apostle Peter speaking of false teachers assures us that they shall privily bring in damnable heresies even denying 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. the Lord that bought them And that many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the truth shall be evill spoken of I pray you observe it Heresies erroneous doctrines are damnable They shall bring in damnable heresies They are of a c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. ad Anaylo l. 2. Tit. 1. 11. destroying nature They are of a spreading nature Many shall follow their pernicious wayes So also Paul averres to Titus They subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake Heresies are of a destroying nature They subvert the house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they undermine it and overturn it from the foundation They are of a spreading nature They subvert whole houses many houses are overturned But by what is all this speaking things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake Our Saviour Christ warns his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Matth. 16. 6. 11 12. which is expounded of their doctrine Their erroneous and false doctrine is compared to leaven which is a fit d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril de ador in sp verit lib. 15. resemblance of all doctrine The doctrine of the Gospel is compared to leaven Luke 13. 22. and the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisees is compared to leaven because As a little leaven leavens the whole lump and quickly sowres all so doctrine e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril ibid. l. 17. when it once sinks into a mans minde and gets into the heart it doth as it were translate the soule and spirit and body even the whole man into the similitude qualitie nature of it selfe It is not onely thus spreading over a person but the Church is a body as saith the Apostle Ye are the body of Christ and members 1 Cor. 12. 27. in particular erroneous doctrine no sooner gets into a Church but it overspreads it runs thorow all and corrupts and sowres all as saith the Apostle Gal. 5. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Erroneous opinions are interpreted by f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. ad ortho qu. 1. some to be those tares which the envious man and the adversary sowed in the field where Christ had sowed his good seed Matth. 13. 25. Tares if they be sowed in a field quickly over-spread the whole field and choak up the good seed and are therefore if wee may beleeve Basil g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Hexam hom 5. a fit resemblance of such who put a false stamp upon the doctrines of Christ and being themselves infected with the doctrine of the divell intermingle themselves with the healthfull body of the Church that they may undiscerned diffuse their poyson into the soules of those that are unlearned or well meaning The same Father in another h Hex hom 2. place compares heresies erroneous opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a noisome canker or carbuncle which is no lesse dangerous then infectious Saint James tels us of a tongue that is set on fire by hell Jam. 3. 6. and setteth on fire the whole course of nature Would you know what tongue this is It is the false tongue the lying tongue which David compares to sharp arrowes of Psal 120. 3. the mighty and coals of Juniper I am not ignorant that Hilary Chrysostome Augustine understand this of the punishment In locum Moller Marlorate Amesius c. of the mischievousnesse of the false tongue which is compared to coals of Juniper hot burning hard to be quenched keeping fire exceeding long and easily spreading it into every subject such coals is an hereticall tongue i Arius in Alexandria scintilla una fuit sed quia non statim oppressa totum orbem ejus flamma populata est Hieron in Gal. 5. lib. 3. Arius was but one single spark yet because not speedily put out hee set the whole world on fire so that the world did admire that it was become Arian And the Prophet compares the tongue to a bow Jer. 9. 3. They Jer. 9. 3. have bent their tongues their bowes for lies and the words to arrowes Psal 64. 3. That they may shoot out their arrows Psal 64. 3. bitter words If these things be true of a slanderous tongue that calumniates men how much more true of a false tongue that perverts truth and blasphemes God There are no words so bitter as the words of heresie they are k Instar sagittarum sermones ipsorum corda vulnerant Novar l. 9. Elect. sac Sect. 13. sharp arrowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arrowes that have teeth these words are devouring words Psal 52. 4. Our Saviour Christ compares false prophets to ravenous wolves whose property it is not to worry a sheep but make havock of a flock not to devour one but scatter all The truth is sufficiently declared out of Scripture Heresies do eat as doth a canker or a gangrene Let us now consider 1. The
monster and when they had discovered it they were all upon uncertainties ever waiting for new light l Hil. ad Constant Annuas atque monstruas fides decernimus they had every yeer every moneth a new confession as Hilary m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Synod Arim. Seleuc. They had many and diverse alterations being ready to change as often as they could obtaine any to hire them any to hear them any to lead them they could change their opinions as often as they could get customers for new ones Thus n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 72. Basil assures us that they did all things for their own profit and advantage changing and rechanging and professing a liberty of future changing a course most contrary to the truth of God Faith is but one to the stabilitie in the truth required in beleevers Coloss 2. and the manner of the orthodox who though never so low and little esteemed in the eyes of men yet were alwayes the same and consented not to such changes and alterations As the Polypus hunts fishes and takes them by the often changing of his colour so hereticks hunt and take unstable souls by the concealing of themselves and professed unsetlednesse in their tenents Though much more might be said of the subtilty of hereticks in calumniating the truth slandering the professors of it mingling truth with errour yet let this suffice for the present The second means by which hereticks divulge their errours is their Industry or Diligence they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely subtill but industrious workers As Satan goeth up and downe like a roaring lion seeking whom hee 1 Pet. 5. may devour so these with the Pharisees would compasse sea and land to make one proselyte creep into houses Matth. 23. to leade captive silly women in this like hunters or fishers whose labour is their pleasure if they can take their prey Ut jugulent homines surgunt de nocte There is a strange activity in these men for the spreading of errours in men did I say nay in women the woman Jezebel taught and seduced the servants of God It is the observation of Tertullian in his time That their women were audacious even to Ipsae mulieres quà m procaces sunt quae audeant docere contendere fortasse etiam tingere De praescript cap. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan de Pepuzian haeres 49. admiration they dared to preach to dispute yea possibly to baptise And this amongst some of them not by intrusion but by permission and approbation women were Bishops women Elders women in all other offices Satan having found the usefulnesse of that sexe for seduction upon all occasions makes use of them Apelles dispersed Tertull. his heresie by the help of a woman Phylumene Montanus Epiph. haer 48. disperseth his by the help of Priscilla and Maximilla two women And have not wee made some progresse and grown up to some height in this hereticall practice Doe not women whom the Apostle permits not to speak in the Church but to be in silence transgressing this Apostolicall precept and forgetting the modesty and weaknesse of their sexe presume to preach and vent their braine-sick fancies But I passe over this shame Optatus could not keep silence De vestris silere quis possit De illis quos aut factione aut subtilitate ut vestros faceretis seducere potuistis non solùm mosculi sed etiam soeminae de ovibus facti sunt vulpes post quod ad vos delapsi sunt aut dilapsae dolent alios ibi esse ubi nati sunt bene stantes in lapsus suos invitant c. Cont. Parmen l. 6. Vide. concerning the activity of such men and women whom fraud or faction had adjoyned to the Donatists in seducing and perverting others into their own errours and schisme Athanasius tels us what use the Arians made of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Solitar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ibid. to ingratiate them with Princes and great men whose favour is most desirable to them as being most advantagious to their persons and wayes But enough of this Experience teacheth that when men sleep the enemie comes and sowes tares among the wheat and goeth his way undiscerned The harlots feet abide not in her house now shee is without now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner Such is the diligence of Sactaries The second generall head giving such successe to heresies and erroneous opinions is taken from the people the persons that are seduced The prince of this world comes and findes something in them The shaking of the glasse may raise some froth in the water but no filth if there be not mud in the bottome Diseases prove infectious by reason of the dyscrasy of our inward temperature People are made obnoxious to seduction by two things their simplicity and curiosity Of which briefly First The simplicity ignorance ungroundednesse of the people affords great advantage to seducers Where the foundation is not well laid the building cannot stand long though not medled with but will presently fall if the least violence be used A people uncatechised in the principles of religion are a facile and obvious prey to false teachers This the Apostle hath an eye to Children are easily tossed to and fra with every winde of doctrine Ephes 4. 14. as a ship on the seas not having sufficient balast is driven with every winde and in danger of being overturned with every wave The simple beleeveth every word saith Prov. 14. 15. Solomon but the prudent looketh well to his going They lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts ever learaing 2 Tim. 3. 6. but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Seducers are furnished with subtilty to deceive and people prepared through simplicity to be deceived and from simplicity it is that subtilty prevailes Besides that the Scripture doth ordinarily point out ignorant and ungrounded men the object of seduction it is observed by the Ancients o Haereses apud eos multum valent qui in fide non valent de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quod valent nihil valentes si in bene valentem fidem incurrant De praescript c. 2. That heresies are strong where knowledge is weak and prevail not so much by their own strength as by the weaknesse of the adversary p Dispensatio ista ac libratio prudens verborum indoctos decipere potest cautus auditor lector citò deprehendet insidias cuniculos quibus veritas subvertitur apertè in luce demonstrabit Hieron ad Pammac Epist 61. That all their knotty arguments and glozing speeches may haply deceive the unlearned and ignorant but a prudent and wary hearer will easily discern their sophistry and discover the fraud by which they endeavour to undermine the truth Hereticall arguments are but bare pretences in this resembling the spiders cob-web
resemblance between a gangrene and heresie in the manner of eating 2. What it is that heresies eat 3. How it comes to passe that they so eat And then make some Application First for the resemblance First Heresies like a gangrene eat speedily a gangrene though it shew it self in the farthest part of the body yet in a very little while will be gotten to the heart the principall part of the body and quickly kill the man Hereticall opinions do on the sudden make a large progresse I marvell saith Gal. 5. 6. the Apostle you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ into another Gospel It bred admiration in the Apostle not so much that they were moved as that they were so suddenly moved that there should be such a strange because speedy alteration According to the exposition of l Beda Tyconius apud Pareum Apoc. 6. 5. some S. John sees heresie on horse-back with a paire of balances in the hand it goes not on foot slowly but rides for more haste Arianisme in a short space overspread the East Pelagianisme the world Wee need not search stories for presidents it is lamentable what successe errours have had amongst our selves in these last three or four yeers of Ecclesiasticall Anarchy and confusion whether wee respect the numbers of errours or of the erroneous Amsterdam Poland Transilvania places most infamous for heresies are now righteous compared with England London which in so short a space have broached or entertained above 160 errours many of them damnable of which you shall have an m M. Edwards Gangrene account not long hence Secondly Heresies like a gangrene eat almost incurably It is an hard matter to stop the spreading of a gangrene Ure seca it is the Chirurgians rule Cut and burn the dismembring of the part affected will scarce stay the gangrene and it becomes altogether incurable if it once come to that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height of it I will not give you the reason of it in nature I come not to read a Physick lecture sure I am it is so amongst opinions if they be once received in they are hardly or never cured they are alwayes growing to mortification to make the party senselesse and livelesse in whom they are The Apostle tels us that they that speake lies in hypocrisie have their conscience seared 1 Tim. 4. 2. as it were with an hot iron They are past feeling they 2 Tim. 3. 8. are men n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith They have laesum principium are without understanding They are as trees twice dead and pull'd up by the roots and Jude 11 12. can wee expect a cure It was the complaint of the Church concerning Babylon Wee would have healed Babylon and shee would not be healed It may be our complaint concerning such as are mislead by opinions Wee would have healed them but they would not be healed but rather as the Prophet speaks When I would have healed Hos 7. 1. Israel the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the sin of Samaria c. they grow worse and worse under their medicine o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athan. tom 1. contra Arian orat 4. Athanasius compares some in his time to the serpent Hydra of which the Poets fable that when one head was cut off divers rose in the stead of it it increased by being diminished so saith hee these fighters against and haters of God though often convinced confuted silenced yet will not yeeld study new arguments finde out new cavils and are more impudent then their father the Divell himselfe who would be ashamed and tremble to oppose such light as they contradict and murmure against Thus much that Ancient which our experience verifies Thirdly Heresies like a gangrene eat mortally A gangrene in what part of the body soever if not prevented is mortall it strikes to the heart so it is with heresies and errours in opinion though they seem at first but little spots as a gangrene discovers it self by little black spots in the out-side of the skin yet if they be not stopped will attach the heart In the verse before the Text They will increase to more ungodlinesse Dato uno absurdo sequentur infinita But of this more in another place The Apostle Peter gives them the Epithete of Damnable Paul reckons them up amongst the 2 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 5. 19. works of the flesh which shut out of the kingdome of God This seems an harsh doctrine to Arminians Sectaries other patrons of errour but it is the doctrine of the Scriptures of the Church in all ages p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes Ignatius one of the most ancient and a scholar of the Apostles assures us that both seducing and seduced hereticks shall perish for ever and that with as good reason as amongst men they that break houses are put to death O that wee did seriously consider this Heresies are as mortall as gangrenes The thiefe John 10. 10. cometh not but to steale to kill and to destroy The false prophet like a roaring lion ravening the prey devours soules Ezek. 22. 25. saith the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 22. v. 25. So Cyril q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril in Hoseam They feast it with the souls of simple people which they grinde with the teeth of errour O that this was laid to heart There is no more safety for men under the guidance of erroneous teachers then for sheep under the protection of a ravening wolfe Hereticall opinions are not imbraced without the extremest hazzard of the precious soule Wee fear a gangrene it kils the body why doe wee delight in at least favour and not abhorre erroneous opinions which destroy the soul What shall it profit a man if hee win the whole world Matth. 16. and lose his soul and what will hee give in exchange for his soul Prize wee not that which Christ hath purchased with his dearest bloud Or doe we undervalue that precious bloud by which wee were redeemed Shall wee renounce the Lord that bought us Or shall wee make ineffectuall so great a purchase Are wee enemies to the crosse of Christ Or shall wee make his death vain r Naz. orat 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzene tels us speaking of hereticks that they are unthankfull creatures the off-spring of the divel for whom Christ is dead in vain A hard sentence may some one happely say therefore let us proceed to the second thing proposed and see what it is that heresies destroy 2. The Apostle in the Text useth this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated it will eat it may be rendred will have pasture for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely the action eating but the object also the pasture the food which is eaten up There are three
not a way to peace as some men pretend but to disorder and confusion And yet I am not an enemy to peace but a friend to truth and holiness without which no man shall see God The third thing that heresies eat up is godlinesse they devour holinesse that is the power of it thus in the verse before my Text They will increase to more ungodlinesse Thus the Apostles Peter ch 2. 2. Jude v. 8. describe the hereticks of their time you may reade the places at your leasure Thus Paul informes the Romans that they that cause divisions cause scandals and serve not the Lord Rom. 16. 18. Jesus Christ but their own bellies An erroneous hereticall head and an upright pions heart are incompatible a good conscience and true faith like Hippocrates twins live and die together m Haeres 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Locus insignis Epiphanius observes concerning the Gnosticks of old That they did not onely pervert the judgements of their proselytes but brought their bodies and soules into slavery of fornication uncleannesse and such like monstrous abominations But manum de tabula I forbear It would make a volume to relate the observations of him and other Ancients in this particular Our Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 1. saith The Spirit speaks expresly that in the last times men shall depart from the faith c. and 2 Tim. 3. 1. speaks as expresly that the last times shall be dangerous for horrible wickednesses men shall have a form of godlinesse and deny the power of it It may be so with hereticks they may have a faire out-side but if you look for uprightnesse self-deniall righteousnesse peace joy in the holy Ghost in which the kingdome of God consists you shall finde none of these they have a form of godlinesse but deny the power of it This n Lib. 2. tom 1. Haer. 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius notes concerning the Encratitae They made ostentation of continence and yet conversed amongst women even unto scandall they were not indeed such as they desired to be accounted O what a full testimony is given to this truth by that generall apostacie from godlinesse to open profanenesse of many amongst our selves since the unrestrained inundation of our errours And this comes to passe for I touch upon the cause in transitu 1. Partly because that time which might be better imployed in the examination of the conscience is laid out in the examination of opinions all the care is taken up about the notions of the brain which ought to have been intended to the bettering of the heart As in children that have the rickats their heads swell and grow bigge but their bodies grow crooked their brests narrow their inferiour parts feeble and pine away so persons infected with errours for errours are the rickats of children in understanding may perhaps have great heads and be something for matter of dispute but their hearts are crooked their affections to goodnesse straightned themselves made so weak as not to be able to goe in the paths of holinesse 2. Partly because in times of such differences men are for the most part had in esteeme not according to their godlinesse but their faction Enquiry is not made concerning the precisenesse of walking and blamelesnesse of conversation but concerning opinion not How lives but What holds such or such a man As o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athanasius concerning the Arians to their followers Oppose Christ and take no care to thy manners thy opinion sufficeth to thy commendation And p Haec omnia vultis nullius esse momenti at si tibi consenserit quem seducis unus consensus manus tuae porrectio pauca verba jam tibi Christianum faciunt de Christiano ille vobis videbitur Christianus qui quod vultis fecerit non quem fides adduxerit Optat. l. 3. cont Parm. Optatus against the Donatists declares their strange partiality All were unto them Pagans that were not of their way of separation but if any one consented to them and became of their way hee was presently a Christian though hee knew not what belonged to Christianity O that it was not so amongst our selves that not faction but faith was the bond of our affections not siding with parties but serving of God the compasse of our Christian love certainly opinions would not so much thrive nor godlinesse so much decay And so much of the second thing which was proposed What it is which heresies erroneous opinions devour Now of the third Why or How it comes to passe that they thus spread and devour c. The spreading and prevailing of heresies may be ascribed partly to the subtilty and activity of seducers partly to the curiosity and simplicity of the seduced partly to the justice of God for the manifestation of those that are sincere and the punishment of those that received not the truth in the love of it Of these in order First The prevailing of heresies may be ascribed to the subtilty of seducers Seducers are a subtill generation and this subtilty it is to which the Apostle ascribes their great successe Ephes 4. 14. Children are tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine through the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive The Apostle in three words expresseth their deceitfulnesse 1. sleight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are cunning gamesters know how to cog a die and pack the cards and q Zanch. in loc pervert Scripture to their sinister purposes 2. Cunning craftinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they turn every stone watch all advantages 3. Lying in wait to deceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have all the arts of couzenage They bring in damnable heresies privily saith Peter I am afraid saith S. Paul 2 Pet. 2. 1. lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so 2 Cor. 11. your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Satan arms his instruments with his own arts fraud and couzenage and by these introduceth errours and cheateth men of faith peace piety r Vos estis aucupes illi aut illa sunt aves Illi vos aucupi similes dico qui post discessum noctis ante lucis adventum aridam arborem nullis radicibus fultam multiplici fraude componit cui adulterinos inserit ramos quae suas jamdudum succisa perdiderat alienas accipit frondes c. locus insignis Cont. Parmen l. 6. Optatus observed this of old in the Donatists whom he compares to fowlers that with exactest cunning and art insnare the birds And ſ Lib. 1. Ep. 102. Isidore Peleusiota compares hereticks to fishermen that conveigh their deadly hooks in the most pleasing baits The Scriptures and Ancients have been large in observing and describing those impostures by which they cheat men of truth and propagate errours but it would be a work too
a net spread upon mount Tabor Saint Paul observes that the worshipping of Col. 2. 18. cum 23. Angels and such other kind of monkery Touch not taste not handle not were all perswaded under such faire pretences they were doctrines of humility doctrines of mortification c. But in the mean time these false preachers pretenders to humility were vainly puft up in their fleshly minde laid hold on Angels but held not the head c. In the 17th of the Revelation the whore hath in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthinesse the cup is of gold but the potion is of the rankest poison Act. 15. Circumcision and observation of the law is Gal. 5. pretended the way to salvation though in truth it cut off from Christ in the notion under which it was obtruded and at best did nothing availe unto that purpose which was pretended This hath been the practice of hereticks as in the Apostles times so in after ages This e Salvian observes concerning the Arians and in generall De guber Dei lib. 5. all hereticks but his passage is too long to be transcribed Thus also f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praefat. in Thesaur Cyril As strumpets paint their faces and adorne their bodies in greatest bravery to hide the filthinesse of their practices and insnare by their neatnesse so hereticks shadow their destructive opinions with the beautifull veile of godlinesse and their errours with the flowers of truth g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Epist ad Valerian They are in this like our Apothecaries they gild their pils and make their potions sweet they make them pleasant to the eye and delightfull to the taste and yet they containe such a medicine as not being immediately cast out will give the patient such a purge as will clear him of faith and peaceablenesse and prevent for the future all danger of surfeting from the power of godlinesse It is no new thing that opinions of no value if not damnable are vended and prevaile under the notions of free grace or Christian liberty Christ exalted the kingdome of Christ the Church way and the like commendations no way is more effectuall to ingage imbracement h Plutarch in vit Numa Pompilius pretends the teaching of the Nymph Aegeria for his new religion and i Turk Hist Mahomet that grand impostor if you will beleeve him learned his Alcoran from the Angel Gabriel The k Athan. qu. ad Antio 46. Divell was the first that ever mentioned God upon earth and that in his temptation when hee was acting against God And shall it seem strange that there are amongst us some not Christians but sellers of Christ vain talkers soule-deceivers that in treachery pretend the name of Christ that speak of Christ not that they may preach Christ but that by their preaching they may make Christ of none effect as was of old the complaint of holy l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Trallens Ignatius It is usuall with mountebanks to proclaim the vertues of their oyles salves receipts c. multitudes are drawne together and fools buy It is the practice of false teachers by crying up the holinesse and excellency of their doctrine to cause many to flock together and to deceive the hearts of the simple 2. They represent themselves teachers followers all under the notion of the most godly holy humble saints men as precious as any the earth heares as unbiased as any at any time likely to be on the face of the earth a strong inducement especially if there be any shew of holinesse in their conversation to perswade simple and well-meaning men into an approbation of their opinions By such deceivable pretences the Pharisees got such interest in the hearts of the people that they were quickly credited in whatever they spake though against King or Priest as saith m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiq Jud. l. 3. Josephus In the dayes of the Apostles there were some that n Rev. 2. 2. said they were Jewes and were not but upon triall were found liars The ministers of Satan were transformed as the ministers of righteousnesse and how they prevailed and what their pretences were may be conjectured by the great paines which the Apostle takes to vindicate himselfe and his ministery from their aspersions 1 Cor. 9. 2 Cor. 11. They were not inferiour to the chiefe Apostles would have no pay Doe you not heare the language of our Sectaries they would preach freely would not be burdensome c. Were not these singular men Doubtlesse they did not want followers amongst such as would serve God with that which cost them nothing But the Apostle assures us they were deceitfull workers and their end would be according to their works Such as these of old were the Donatists of whom o Contr. Parmen Pelle ovinâ contegi vis ut si fieri potest priùs te ovis mordentem sentiat quà m praesentiat venientem Lib. 1. Optatus They covered themselves in sheeps cloathing they were not discerned to be wolves till their fangs were felt No age hath afforded hereticks whose ring-leaders have not pretended to extraordinary godlinesse It is well known to those that are versed in the writings of the Ancients what is left recorded concerning Apollinaris Photinus Nestorius and others the substance of which you may finde in p Cont. haeres c. 16. Vincentius Lirinensis what of q Voss Hist Pela l. 1. c. 3. Pelagius what of r Orat. in obit ante opera Armin Arminius by Bertixs what of Socinus but to passe over all these in silence I shall instance onely in Arius that grand impugner of the Deity of Christ and impudent boaster out of whose Thaleia ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Orat. 2. cont Arian Athanasius relates these vaine boastings I have received my doctrine from the elect of God men that knew God holy men of God such as knew how to divide the word of God aright that had received the annointing of the spirit of these I have received in their steps I have walked and for this truth have suffered many things Surely this is a plausible inducement words are esteemed according to the estimate of the speaker t Solent isti miriones etiam de quibusdam personis ab haeresi captis aedificari in ruinam quare illa vel ille fidelissimi prudentissimi usitatissimi in Ecclesia in illam partem transierunt De Praescript contr Haeret. cap. 3. Tertullian observes it of certain wonderers that they were edified into errour by the example of others men of name and note for wisdome knowledge usefulnesse in the Church that had fallen into heresie If this or that were not the truth the way of God how comes it to passe that hee or shee such a man and such a man of such eminent parts gifts profession should be so mis-led But should we judge of faith by persons or
should wee not rather judge of persons by faith 'T is possible for Nicolas to become not onely an heretick but a ring-leader of a sect 't is possible for one to come and say I am Christ 't is possible for Simon Magus to professe himselfe the great power of God but should all the city give heed to him 't is possible for u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan l. 2. tom 1. contr Cataphry Montanus to proclaim himself no Angel no Embassadour but the Comforter himself should a Tertullian be seduced 'T is a great temptation when men that fall into errour are in name for godlinesse 't is a greater when men of strict life as in old times fall into errour If we will not be mis-led let us remember the Apostles charge If wee not one but the Colledge of Apostles not men but if an Angel from heaven shall teach any other doctrine let him be accursed Whatever their pretences be x Diaboli filii sunt qui homines ab Ecclesia seducendo interficiunt Aug. cont lit Petil. lib. 2. c. 13. they are of their father the Divell who by seducing men from the Church of Christ destroy them I have been the longer upon this point because it neerly concerns our selves amongst whom a party is risen up that monopolizeth piety pretendeth to transcendent holinesse under which shew many are mis-led many muzzled as not willing to oppose against as they call themselves the godly party Fourthly They use vain-glorious boastings proclaiming the excellency and eminency of their knowledge and abilities above other men The former fair speeches were but groundlesse bragges their opinions and conversations are farre short of if not contrary to that holinesse they professe but in this that I now speak of their boasting hath been notorious as if with them wisdome began to live and should die with them as Maximilla the prophetesse of the Montanists in Epiphanius y Haeres 47. Col. 2. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the affecting of wisdome above what is written and a bold intrusion into things they have not seen hath caused many to fall from the truth to errour so the profession of 1 Tim. 6. 21. knowledge as the Apostle falsely so called and the having of the gifts and persons of men in admiration hath 1 Cor. 4. 8. drawne many to follow their pernicious wayes z Vincent Lirinens Error magistri tentatio discipuli if the master falls the scholar stumbles Indeed men of parts usually broach errours the divell makes use of the Serpent not of the Asse in seducing into heresie as being the fittest instruments to stagger the Church Corah Dathan and Abiram died not alone in their transgression they were Princes of the Congregation But if any man shall become a Dogmatist an asserter of strange and new opinions hee shall be cried up by his followers as a man of parts that they may seem to be mad with reason This conceit that they knew and taught something which other men neither knew nor taught procured scholars to seducers of old as saith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Trin. Dial. 2. Cyril The followers of Basilides in b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres 24. Epiphanius professed themselves onely to be men all others dogs and swine c Hieron in Hos 5. Semper se scire altiora jactitant in Ecclesiae contumeliam debacchantur they boast alwaies of their own sublime and abstruse speculations in comparison of which others are blind is the observation of Hierome I will conclude this with that of d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Orat. 33. Nazianzene concerning the boastings of Eunomius Be it granted saith hee seeing you will have it so that you are a sublime man and transcend sublimity a beholder of things that no man else sees an hearer of things which it is not lawfull to utter after Elias you have been rapt up in a fiery chariot after Moses you have seen the face of God after Paul you have been taken into the third heavens but why forge you saints in one day make them ministers inspire them with learning c. This is not peculiar to the Eunomians I would we had not some amongst our selves as vain-boasters and pretenders to knowledge that have in their own conceit more skill in the mystery of Christ then the Apostles with the old hereticks e Solent dicere non Tertul. de praescr contr haer c. 22. omnia Apostolos scîsse non omnia omnibus tradidisse in utroque Christum reprehensioni subjicientes c. The Apostles knew not all things taught not all things to all men as they say in both which they calumniate Christ f Te fautores tui disertiorem Demosthene acutiorem Chrysippo sapientiorem Platone contendunt c. Epist 61. ad Pammach The favourers of John of Jerusalem were bold to assert that he was more eloquent then Demosthenes acute then Chrysippus wise then Plato c. The Papists adorn some of their School-men Doctors with the titles Angelicall Seraphicall Illuminate Irrefragable Resolute Subtile and such like The Jesuits prevaile mightily by their impudency in boasting as g De stratagem Jesuitarum Alphonsus de Vargas declares concerning them The Sectaries amongst us if they doe it not in imitation of such worthy presidents yet walk in the same steps their misleaders are with them heavenly men spirituall teachers the preachers of Gospel-truths New Testament-spirits men of admirable parts though some of them but of late commenced from the Tailors shop-board or the Coblers stall to the ministery men of as great abilities as those teachers of the law of whom the Apostle Not understanding what they say nor whereof they affirme But so much of this fourth point Fifthly They use subtilty in concealing their opinions save onely from their proselites to whom they discover them in part and with a reserve of changing upon further inquiry or more advantage This was of old the practice of Basilides in h Haeres 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius hee concealed his opinions from such as were able to examine them men that had their senses exercised to discern between things that differ but made them known to those whom hee had seduced unto whom also hee gave in charge i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. ibid. That they should conceale these things amongst themselves and not reveal them saving to one of a thousand and two of ten thousand that they should know all things all men but that no man should know them or what they hold It was long before the Arians discovered their malice against the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ their quarrell as they pretended was onely against the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as k Epist 61. ad Pammach Hierome relates I pray God others from whom no requests or engagements can draw a modell of their opinions nihil monstri alaut be not hatching some hatefull
that they are fit to hold the weaker Christians whilest the stronger break away and save themselves And let this consideration stay us that wee stumble not and seducers that they triumph not in the great defection unto severall opinions now amongst us They have deceived q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian or 33. children Egregiam laudem and wee have lost r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. de incarnat Christ chaffe Spolia ampla what great prize that a stumbling-block hath been laid before a blinde man and hee hath stumbled at it Certainly such are they even children many in yeers most in understanding that amongst us are perverted by new opinions Secondly The curiosity of the people administers no small advantage to seducers Men are not content with sound doctrine and old truths but as the Athenians spend Act. 17. 21. their time to tell or to heare some new thing men that have itching ears heap to themselves teachers after their own 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. lusts and turn away their ears from the truth and are turned to fables saith S. Paul To be alwayes learning is that which 2 Tim. 3. 6. betrayes silly women to be led captive by seducers And the Apostle Peter tels us that not onely by the lusts of the flesh but much wantonnesse wantonnesse of the brain they that were clean esaped from them that live in errour are 2 Pet. 2. 18. allured It is a notable expression of ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. De Trinit Dial. 1. Cyril comparing some in his time to heifers that run at their ease leave the herd and wholesome pasture to gnaw upon briars and thorns and so possibly catch a prick in their foot that they never go upright after Sure I am it is so with many amongst us who in the wantonnesse of their wits withdraw themselves from the publicke Assemblies from the Ministers whom God hath set over them from the pastures in which they ought to feed and betake themselves to coppices to gnaw at the best on briars and thorns possibly if I may allude to the vision of Robertus Gallus on rocks and stones It is no marvell if they be lean and ill liking if many catch pricks and come halting home To passe from this the Apostle that hee might preserve intire in the faith gives especiall caution against curiosity that questions be avoided and oppositions of science falsly so called But of this hitherto The third generall head from which the successe of heresies ariseth is the providence of God justly permitting that it should be so First as a punishment of the luke-warmnesse of men and want of love to the truth The sin grievous the undervaluing of light the punishment dreadfull light is removed darknesse sent in stead of light God will not endure the despising of light The Gentiles held the truth in unrighteousnesse they delighted not to have God in their knowledge Rom. 1. God gave them over to a reprobate sense and when they professed wisdome they became fools their foolish hearts were darkened Thus God dealt with Ahab hee hated Micaiah with whom the word of the Lord 2 Reg. 22. was and cared not to hear him the Lord therefore gives commission to a lying spirit to seduce his prophets and prevail with him to his destruction Thus with Israel Prophesie not say they the people to them that prophesie They shall not prophesie saith the Lord but if a man walk Micah 2. 7 12. in the spirit and lie he shall be the prophet to this people Thus with the Jews They that would not receive Christ that came in his Fathers Name will certainly receive an impostor that comes in his own name Thus with Christians as saith the Apostle because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the efficacy of errour errour in the strength that they may beleeve a lye This sin made way for Mahumetanisme in the Easterne Churches Popery in the Western was the punishment of this sin God is the same still the same in revenging his despised truth Truth hath been preached amongst us despised amongst us imbraced by very few in the power in the love of it God revengeth it and this revenging hand of God may be sensibly felt and discerned in our distractions Was it possible that a man should burn one piece of a tree and worship another if God had not shut up his eyes t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph de Encratitis Haeres 47. A prudent man may see and wonder and be amazed at the tenents carriages c. of seducers how inconsistent they be how far from shew of truth and at the great defection to them Doubtlesse this is none other but the hand of God upon the seduced for their want of love to that truth which they had received Secondly as a triall of those that are sound There must 1 Cor 11. be heresies amongst you saith the Apostle that the approved may be made manifest It is the winde that discovers and severs the chaffe from the wheat u Ob hoc haereseωn non statim divinitùs eradicantur authores ut unusquisque quà m tenax fidelis fixus catholicae fidei sit amator appareat Et revera cum quaeque novitas ebullit statim cernitur frumentorum gravitas levitas palearum tunc sine magno molimine excutitur ab area quod nullo pondere intra aream tenebatur c. Vincent Lyrinens cap. 25. They that are carried about with diverse and strange doctrines never had any solidity if they had been of us they would have continued with us The house founded on the rock doth not fall though the winds blow the waters rise and waves beat upon the house yet is the rising of the winds and beating of the waves upon the house a sore temptation it had certainly fallen had it not been founded on a rock It was a seasonable question which our Saviour moved to his disciples upon the defection of the Capernaites Joh. 6. Will yee also go away It was a brave resolution that Peter put on Though all men forsake thee yet will not I though I die with thee yet will I not deny thee but hee could not performe it when his Master was taken hee followes a farre off a praeludium to his denyall Qui timidè confitetur negat when hee was in the high Priests hall hee not onely denied but forswore him the knowledge of him with execrations The rising of heresie is a great triall Deut. 13. 1 2 3 4. The Lord your God trieth you saith Moses the prevailing of heresie is a greater an hard matter it is to resist the sollicitations of the father of our flesh the sonne of our loines the wife of our bosomes the friend whom we love as our lives an hard matter it is to swim against
the stream hee is a souldier that stands to his arms when some throw them down and run away some throw them down and call for quarter ready to take pay under the enemy When men of name for parts knowledge piety sufferings shall desert the truth he stands fast that doth not stagger If Peter dissemble Barnabas is carried away with his dissimulation Look to your selves take heed lest you fall God suffers these things for your triall Hee suffers the evill of heresies that by reason of them his truth may be more cleered his people more confirmed hypocrites discovered and shed out of the Church and a purer body left behinde But thus much of the reason And let what hath been spoken suffice to be said of the Doctrinall part That heresies or errours in opinion are of a spreading and destroying nature wherein I have shewed 1. That they eat as a Gangrene speedily incurably mortally 2. What they eat they eat up faith peace piety 3. How it comes to passe they thus eat from hereticks their subtilty and industry from the people their simplicity and curiosity from God his justice both to revenge the want of love to the truth and manifest those that are approved Now a word or two for application Use 1 If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene then here is matter of mourning over the sad and diseased condition of our Churches that have in them many gangrenes because many heresies and all things are bending to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Chirurgians call it the heighth of mortification This is matter of lamentation as Ezekiel speaks and shall be for a lamentation Jobs case over which his friends for seven dayes wept was not so bad as ours his sores were boyles ours gangrenes his would endure scraping ours will not endure touching his body was affected our souls How is the faithfull City become an harlot How is our wine mixt with water our silver become drosse Is it nothing to you O all ye that passe by Was any sorrow like unto ours But sorrow is an helplesse passion It 's for a childe to sit still and cry If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene then here is matter of anger against Physicians of no value that would have them if not tolerated connived at if not so yet not proceeded against with any vigour as if like a slight green wound they would cure of themselves or if not cured they were not dangerous men of the temper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres of the Samsaeans in Epiphanius who were neither Christians nor Jewes nor Gentiles but desirous to hold faire correspondence with all religions they were of no religion they were yet to choose of what religion they would be But If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene I beseech you all that are yet sound take heed of them a gangrene is easier prevented then cured and so are heresies Let me prevail perswading to diligence of indeavour to stay the further spreading of this destroying maladie Think you hear the voice of the Church like the cry of the man in the pit Amice vide ut me extrahas if you love me endeavour to heal mee of my sores endeavour to help me out of my errours I shall apply this to three sorts of persons whom I see before mee the People the Minister the Magistrate and in all be very short and so conclude First To the People Dearly beloved brethren for you the net is spread it is for your precious souls that deceivers hunt it is for your sakes that I have pitched upon these meditations I beseech you take notice of what a spreading what a destroying nature heresies are and keep your soules with all diligence lest by any man by any means you be deceived You are fallen into dangerous times into times of great temptation errours like a floud come up over all their channels goe over all their banks overflow goe over and reach even unto the neck and cover the land as the waters the sea And let me tell you what-ever some men say they are dangerous errours many of them razing the foundation and drowning men in destruction and perdition the least of them such as if not deadly in themselves and in their own nature may prove deadly in their consequences and sad effects as preparing the heart to entertaine those that are in their owne nature deadly I beseech you therefore as you love the Lord Jesus Christ as you tender the everlasting salvation of your soules watch be carefull that no man deceive you And that you may not be deceived I commend passing by many others these three rules First Adhere unto your own ministry and wait upon them whom God in his providence hath set over your soules The end why God hath given to his Church Pastors and Teachers is set down by the Apostle to be that we may be no longer children in knowledge tossed to and Ephes 4. 14. fro with every wind of doctrine God will blesse and be effectuall by his owne ordinance by it he will lead in wisdome and in understanding May wee not goe abroad to hear This is besides my purpose But why should you goe abroad to buy when you have food at home God hath been gracious to this City I may speak it without arrogance it was hardly ever better provided for the losse of the country hath been your gain Why should you withdraw your selves The mothers milk is most naturall for the infant the sheep that wanders from the flock is in most danger of the wolfe change of diet is not wholesome for the body is it for the soule Another man may have better gifts then thy Pastour can he have more love to and care of thy soul then hee that must give an account for it Children that often change their Masters seldome prove good scholars nor they solid and understanding Christians that change their Ministers But I will not insist on this I am not against hearing abroad occasionally but for the preventing of misleading desire to perswade the use of the publick Ministery and of your own Ministers whom God hath given you to be your guides And let mee tell you of one great miscarriage and not the least cause of so much defection it is this The people are so strange from their Ministers from private conference communicating their feares their doubts their temptations asking advice and counsell of them at whose mouthes they should enquire the law they bury all in their own bosomes to their great disturbance or ask of others who seduce them by mis-information To passe from this if any of you be mislead yee have the means to prevent it your bloud will be upon your own heads If a virgin betrothed to an husband was ravished Deut. 22. 23. in the city not only hee that ravished her but she her self should die she cried not out that she might have been holpen if she was ravished in the field
that would not be drawn away with the wicked and the workers of iniquity unto perdition as David prayes must Psal 28. 3. learn to hate the congregation of evill doers as David Psal 26. 4. pleads There 's reason enough to disswade from their meetings m Dubitas illo momento quo in Diaboli ecclesia fueris omnes Angelos prospicere de coelo singulos denotare quis blasphemiam dixerit quis audierit quis linguam quis aures Diabolo adversùs Deum administraverit Tertull. ib. cap. 27. Do not the Angels think you look from heaven Do they not observe who speak blasphemy and who hear it who lend the Divell their tongues against God and who their ears May I not conclude this with the Prophet Though thou Israel Hos 4. 15. play the harlot let not Judah offend and come not yee unto Gilgal neither go up to Beth-aven n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Trallens Avoid Atheisticall heresies they are the inventions of the Divell such fruit whosoever tasteth of shall die not a temporall but an eternal death I presse this upon you not for your selves onely but your families your wives children and servants for whom you are responsible It was Joshua's resolution I and my house will serve the Lord the elect Ladies comfort that her children were walking in the truth You would restrain them from taverns brothel-houses stage-playes restrain them from these meetings of which I may say as o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Orat 2. contr Jud. tom 6. Chrysostome of the Synagogues of the Jewes they are some of them worse the dens of theeves the Divels meeting-houses therefore betray not their salvation Thus you have directions for the people to prevent the spreading of this gangrene But O how are they neglected The publick ministery is forsaken opinions imbraced for truth not onely before they be tried but before they be declared what they be the inconsiderate people flock to the meeting-houses of Sectaries as swarmes of flies if it may not be offensive to use the similitude of Plutarch in an hot summers day to a gall'd back thence to suck out filth and corruption And is it a wonder that errours prevaile But of this hitherto Secondly To you my brethren in the Ministery I desire to speak something and to my self God expects at our hands as officers in the Church that wee endeavour with all our gifts all our power which he hath given us for edification and not for destruction not only to prevent the spreading but if it be possible the being of heresies And to this purpose it is required First That heresies be discovered that hereticks by sound doctrine be convinced As a word an erroneous word maketh the wound Their word doth eat as doth a canker so a word a sound word doth make the cure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way to stop the further proceedings of seducers is to make their folly manifest to all men And 2 Tim. 3. 9. to this purpose God requires of Ministers not onely to teach the ignorant but to convince gainsayers Other men of abilities may do it ex charitate you must do it ex officio God hath made you watchmen not onely to warn when grievous wolves from without make havock of the flock but then to take heed when subtil foxes from within teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crooked and perverse things to draw disciples after them God hath left unto all men the judgement of discretion to you is committed the judgement of direction every man is bound to see for himself you are commanded to see for others The commission of the Minister is They shall teach my people the difference between the Eze. 44. 23 24. holy and profane and cause men to discern between the unclean and the clean And in controversie they shall stand in judgement and they shall judge it according to my judgements and they shall keep my lawes and my statutes in all mine assemblies and they shall hallow my Sabbaths And it is the direction of the Apostle that the spirits of the Prophets be subject to 1 Cor. 14. 32. the Prophets The declaration of what is hereticall what orthodox what is lawfull what scandalous belongs to you you will be found as guilty of violating the law and profaning the holy things of God if you put not this Eze. 22. 25 26. difference as others if they confound them This is the Scripture way The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles Rev. 2. 2. and are not and hast found them liars Paul and Barnabas had Acts 15. 2. great dissention and disputation with them that corrupted the doctrine of the Gospel in Antioch This hath been the way of the Churches of Christ in all ages the Ministers have been imployed severally and in Councels in the discovery and confutation of all errours that have arisen This truth is so notorious to all that have had the least acquaintance with Antiquity that it would be lost labour and time mis-spent to prove it the writings of the Fathers the histories of the Councels bear ample testimony to it being for the most part taken up with this occasion Let him that hath a desire read Ambrose in his 32. Epistle to the younger Valentinian and in his 33. Epistle ad sororem This is our duty in the behalf of our people as p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 40. Nazianzene said sometimes to his Leave the battell to me Let me build the ship do thou sail in it Let the fight be mine thine the victory Let me grapple with the adversary be thou in peace O that in these times of defection we all of us had hearts to discharge in this particular our duties which we have never discharged till such time as we have discovered and convinced errours and that boldly plainly fully and with authority and in * Baldu de casi lib. 4. cas 2. cap. 7. some cases erroneous persons that the people may know of whom to beware as our Apostle Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus I know this duty of a Minister is not more neglected then decried What needs so much fire Can you not preach Christ faith and repentance and let these points in controversie alone Do not they preach Christ that discover errours Did not the Apostle to the Galatians preach Christ Is it not time to speak when under a pretence of preaching Christ Christ is almost preached out of the Church This much commended Moderation in which many forbear this duty is no other then the old shift of Auxentius Ursacius Valens and other debauched Arians in the Councell of Ariminum revived of late by Papists in Germany Arminians in Holland Prelates in England who found the silencing of disputes the most efficacious and plausible way to advance their designes I desire wee may strengthen our selves against
condemned by the judgement of the Church Thus much of the second ecclesiasticall course to be taken for the suppressing or staying the progresse of heresie I confesse it is a point finds opposition and from such as it ought not some teaching that there is no intrinsecall power in the Church for suppressing heresie and schisme Did the Apostles exercise none Was there none in the Church for 300 yeers after Christ Did they usurp what they exercised If not who took away from the Church the power sometimes exercised never usurped Others say Doctrine is the most effectuall way to root out heresie That hereticks should be convinced by sound doctrine hath been already declared whether doctrine be the only or most effectuall way to root it out I will not dispute I hate so to compare doctrine and discipline as the Prelaticall party of late did preaching and prayer so to advance the one as to bring the other into dis-respect only I say that discipline hath been very useful and effectuall to prevent the rising of heresies as in the Church of Scotland to suppresse their growth as in the Church of Holland to give instance neerer home England is sensible of the good of discipline In eighty yeers there did not arise amongst us so many horrid opinions and blasphemous heresies under Episcopacy a Government decryed as Antichristian as have risen in these few yeers since we have been without Government and in those daies the errours that were walked in darknesse but in ours they out-face the Sun Why do all our Sectaries oppose the establishing of Government Would the wolves so earnestly desire the putting away of the dogs were they not the fafety of the flock But as I said I will not dispute Lastly that I may speak something also to you Right Honourable and the residue unto whose care the Government of this great City is by the providence of the Almighty committed God expects it at the hand of the Magistrate that he should put forth all that power with which he is invested from on high for the suppression of heresies and schismes in the Church and the cure of this spreading canker I know that in this scepticall time it is questioned by nullifidians as most other truths are whether the Magistrate hath any calling to intermeddle in matters of religion or if in matters of religion whether in matters of opinion I will not meddle much with disputes in this question It is confessed by all that the Magistrates the Kings of Judah did intermeddle for the abolishing of errours and reformation of the Church Why may not Christian Magistrates walk in their steps Because say some they were types their actions in this point M. S. to A. S. typicall But this is said not proved Because they meddled only with Idolaters for idolatry not Sectaries for opinions Where is it read that they punished Pharisees Sadduces Esseans Where is it read that there were any such Sectaries in Judah till the Scepter was departed We read the Law that not only the Prophet that spake in the Deut. 18. 20. name of another god but the Prophet that presumed to speak in the Name of the true God a word which he had not commanded should die the false or lying prophet was guilty of death as well as the idolatrous prophet And quaere Was not Jeremy questioned upon this law Where in all the New Jer. 26. Testament hath the Magistrate power given him against heresies and schisms Where hath he power given him against adulteries and murthers Speak out Socinian take away all Magistracy if thou leavest him in his Vice-gerentship to God as his minister a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill thou wilt never be exempted from the edge of his sword till thou canst prove heresies good and that thou maist do when thou canst prove Gal. 5. 19 20. 2 Joh. 11. Rev. 2. 15. to be no Scripture I know divers Treatises have been published against this power of the Magistrate which this time this place permit not to examine if God permit the weaknesse of them shall be in another manner discovered For the present I lay down these three Propositions First There was never in the world any godly Emperor or King that can be produced but thought the care of religion did appertain to him that it was his duty to suppress idolatries heresies schisms and accordingly hath been acting more or lesse to this purpose That this care lay upon the Kings of Judah is confessed what Christian Emperors have done would be too long to relate The first that ever was gave this in charge to his deputies That above Hujus rei potissimum competentem curam gerant Euseb l. 10. c. 6. all other things they should have this in especiall care that the people members of the orthodox Churches should not be corrupted with schismaticall or hereticall opinions but that they that did designe such a mischief should be severely punished His godly successours walked in his steps Secondly That those Emperors and Kings who are recorded voluntarily to have tolerated all religions or carelesly to have neglected the growth of heresies and schisms in the Church have been the former Apostates Atheists Hereticks the later branded for their neglect It would be too long to instance in particulars The first that ever did it after Constantine was Julian infamous for his y Ex famulo Dei factus est minister inimici Apostatam se suis edictis testatus est Ire praecepit voto suo quos intellexerat ad destruendam pacem cum furore venturos esse Erubescite si ullus est pudor Eâdem voce vobis libertas est reddita quâ voce idolorum patefieri jussa sunt templa Optat cont Parm. l. 2. apostacie of a professed Christian he degenerated into a reall Pagan and gave a toleration to Sectaries that he might disturb the peace of the Church and overthrow Christianity Thirdly Never did any orthodox Divine constantly deny this power to the Magistrate or plead for a toleration of all sects Indeed z Retract l. 2. cap. 5. Austin was for a time of this opinion that none ought to be compelled to the faith but he retracted it And a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 77. Olymp. Nazianzene was sometimes too indulgent to the Apollinarians but confesseth that he was ignorantly so not knowing that hee had almost undone both them and the Church by his unseasonable philosophie for as Solomon A servant will not be corrected with words But no more of these at this time If any man ask What hath the Magistrate done for the suppressing of heresies I answer A learned Knight hath written a b The primitive practice Treatise upon this subject in the fifth Section of which he tels us that the Magistrate hath made use of banishment imprisonment fining to this purpose he makes mention also out of Severus of one Priscillianus put to death which act saith