Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	good_a	seed_n	sow_v	2,339	5	10.3710	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29526	The spirituall vertigo, or, Turning sickensse of soul-unsettlednesse in matters of religious concernment the nature of it opened, the causes assigned, the danger discovered, and remedy prescribed ... / by John Brinsley.	Brinsley, John, fl. 1581-1624.	1655 (1655)	Wing B4723; ESTC R25297	104,504	248

Kingdome of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field but while men slept his Enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat The Moral of the Parable is obvious The field is the true Church of God The seed is the Word the doctrine of truth The Seeds-man sowing this seed is God himself who hath caused this doctrine to be preached and published as by his Son so by his Ministers The Tares are Heresies false Doctrines which are fitly represented by tares which as they are of a different kind from the wheat so they are hurtful to it pulling it down and withal have a peculiar quality of intoxicating the brain All fitly appliable to false doctrines Now these were of the Enemies sowing the Devils work who is rightly called Satan an Adversary an Enemy being so both to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Original there his Enemy and to his People your Adversary the Devil saith Peter 1 Pet. 5. 8. This is properly his work The Enemy hath done this saith the Master there to his servant enquiring of him how those tares came v. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The envious man as the former Translation hath it Satan who doth this out of Malice and Envy Envy First to the Owner of the field to God himself whose professed enemy he is and so seeketh by all means to crosse him in his work and to frustrate his designs Secondly Envy to the field the Church which he cannot endure to see flourishing and prospering and therefore stirreth up against it as Persecution on the one hand so false doctrines on the other both to disquiet and hinder the growth of it And thirdly Envy to the Wheat Both to the doctrine of truth which he being a lyar hateth and so by this means seeketh to pull it down to hinder the propagation of it And also to the Professours of it true believers whose salvation he envies and so seeketh to turn them aside from the way of Truth Thus this is Satans work 3. This is mans own work the proper fruit of his Natural Corruption Even as the ground by reason of that first Curse not being tilled and cultured it bringeth forth briars and thornes and being tilled it bringeth forth C●ckle and darnel and such other heterogenous plants which are never sowen Even so doth the heart of man by reason of that Corruption which is in it it is apt of it self to conceive and breed such errours in doctrine divers and strange doctrines Which being thus conceived and bred there are some particular lusts which have a special Midwifery in the bringing of them forth unto an open view Of these I shall instance onely in three 1. Hypocrisie This was that which set those false Teachers those seducing spirits on work to broach and vent those doctrines of Devils as the Apostle calleth them and their Heresies 1 Tim. 4. 1. they spake those lyes in Hypocrisie as the next verse hath it pretending to a more then ordinary holinesse and strictnesse And thereupon they forbade to marry as it followeth ver 3. even as the Religious Orders in the Church of Rome upon the same account at this day do And truly without any breach of Charity this may be conceived to be either the Mother or Nurse of some of those strange doctrines which are abroad in this Nation at this day 2. Ambition vain-glory This was that which moved that notorious Impostor Theudas mentioned Acts 5. 36. to that factious undertaking who under pretence of being a Prophet moved sedition among the Jewes this he did saith the Text there Boasting himself to be some body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some Copies there have it some great one So it is noted of Simon Magus that he bewitched the people of Samaria with his Sorcery giving out that himself was some great one And this it is that setteth some false Teachers a work to invent and publish some new and strange doctrines that so they may be thought to be some body some more then ordinary persons This is that which Paul saith of those Hereticks which he foresaw should arise after his departure Act. 20. 30. They shall speak perverse things saith he preach strange and Heretical doctrines to draw away disciples after them affecting popularity And surely in all times this hath had no small influence upon such kind of persons 3. To these adde in the third place Covetousnesse This Paul washeth his own hands of appealing to God as a witnesse of his innocency therein 1 Thess. 2. 5. For neither at any time used we flattering words as ye know nor a cloak of Covetousnesse God is witnesse As he was free from vain-glory of which he speaketh in the next verse so also of Covetousnesse He had no Covetous design in his preaching So he tells his Corinthians I seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 12. 14. not their goods but their good not their estate but their salvation But so did not the false Apostles and other false Teachers of that time What ever they pretended they sought their own things more then the things of Iesus Christ as Paul speaketh of the greater part of Teachers in his time Phil 2. 21. their own things as their own honour so their own profit And such for the most part are false teachers they are self-seekers seeking rather to make a gain of others which thing Paul disclaimes both for himself and Titus 2 Cor. 12. 17 18. then to gain them to Christ. This is that which St. Peter foretelleth of the false teachers that should come in after-times among other things they should make merchandize of their followers So you have it 2 Pet. 2. 3. And through Covetousnesse shall they make merchandize of them Thus do false teachers too often witnesse those in the Church of Rome they endeavour to lay hold of the goods of others though it be with the ruine of their soules Thus do they follow the way of Balaam as the Apostle there speaketh of them v. 15. And after him St. Iude ver 11. who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse so as he cared not what he said or did so he might but gain that reward which Balack proffered him though it were to the cursing of that people which he knew to be Gods people the people of Israel had not God withheld him by causing the dumb Asse to reprove him as you have it recorded Numb 22. 7 13 37. 2 Pet. 2. 16. Even so is it with some false teachers having an heart exercised with covetous practices as St. Peter speaketh verse 14. of that Chapter they care not what they say or do for gain And thus do they make merchandize of the soules of men This is said to be part of Babylons Merchandize Rev. 18. 12 13. As Gold and silver and precious stones and divers other commodities there reckoned up so among other the soules of men Which

may very well be taken literally in as much as Babylons Romes Merchants her Idolatrous Priests and false Teachers do make a spiritual Merchandize of them Now put these together and here you may see how many of these divers and strange doctrines come to be conceived bred and brought forth And being thus brought forth now they come to propagate and increase to spread themselves which they do as by other wayes and means so through the sinful connivance or carelesse negligence of those to whom God hath committed the care of his Church So saith the Parable in the Text forecited Mat. 13. 25. While men slept the Enemy came and sowed tares Whilest those to whom God hath committed the Care of his field his Church which he hath done to Magistrates and Ministers to whom he hath given the like charge concerning Heresies that the King of Egypt did to the Hebrew Midwives concerning the Male children Exod. 1. 16. viz. that they should stifle them in the birth whilest they sleep whilest they are remisse and negligent in discharging of their duties for the suppressing of false and Heretical Teachers with their doctrines by such wayes and means as are agreeable to Scripture and Gospel-rules in the mean time Satan that vigilant Adversary who watcheth all such opportunities he taketh advantage to sowe and scatter these seeds to propagate and spread abroad these divers and strange doctrines And thus you have the former Question resolved How it cometh to passe that there are such divers and strange doctrines abroad in the world and in the Church Come we now to the latter How it cometh to passe that Christians professing the faith of Christ should be carried about with such Doctrines So they are sometimes oft times and yet easily quickly So were the Galatians in so much that Paul could not but wonder at it Gal. 1. 6. I marvel saith he that you are so soon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so quickly so suddenly removed to another Gospel And truly so i● is It is a wonder to see how easily how quickly some Professours are turned about and carried away and that with strange Doctrines Now how cometh this to passe In Answer to this I might again reflect upon some of those generals which I made use of before 1. This cometh to passe not without a special Providence of God who in his most righteous Judgment both sendeth and giveth men over to strong delusion that they should believe a Lye as the Apostle hath it in that forecited Text 2 Thess. 2. 11. And wherefore so and so The verse foregoing renders the reason of it Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Thus it is where the truths of God Gospel-truths are not sincerely and cordially imbraced believed and loved lodged in the heart and the power of them expressed in the life God in his just Judgment giveth men over to the power of strong delusions that they should be deceived by them and carried away with them 2. This cometh to passe through the working of Satan through his subtlety In this way was our first parent our great Grandmother Eve deceived Satan coming to her in the form or rather Body of the Serpent making use of that subtle and insinuating Creature to speak through and convey his temptations by he beguiled her through his subtlety as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 11. 3. And in a like way doth that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan the accuser of the brethren and adversary to the Church deceive the world as you have it Rev. 12. 9. the wicked and ungodly world which is the greatest part of it This he doth through his subtlety winding himself into the heads and hearts of men seducing them by his Temptations thereby drawing them as into moral Vices so into doctrinal Errours 3. For this men are beholding to their own Corruption Which is as tinder ready to take fire by every spark that falleth into it Insomuch that if man be left to the inclination and sway thereof it can be no wonder if he be turned aside from the way of truth to the imbracing of the most pernicious and damnable Errours But I shall let passe these Generalls For a more full and particular Resolution of this Enquiry directing you to these three Heads to take notice First of somewhat in the Teachers of these Doctrines Secondly somewhat in those that hearken to them and are carried away with them Thirdly somewhat in the Doctrines themselves whereby this seduction may be either caused or occasioned Begin with the first the Teachers of these Doctrines And in them take we notice of two things Their Activity and their Subtilty Their Activity As Satan so his Instruments are very active in this work St. Peter speaking of him of Satan saith He walketh about as a Lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. and we may as truly say that he creepeth about as a Serpent seeking whom he may poyson in both kinds Compassing the earth as himself speaketh Iob 1. 7. And our Saviour speaking of some of them his Instruments the Scribes and Pharisees in his time he saith that they compassed Sea and Land to make one Proselyte Matth. 23. 15. They were indefatigable in their endeavours of bringing the Gentiles over to their own Religion of turning them from Heathenisme to Iudaisme which when they had done as our Saviour there further chargeth it upon them they made them twofold more the children of the Devil then themselves i. e. more superstitious then themselves as oft-times Disciples do in the way of Errour exceed and go beyond their Masters And thus for the most part it is with false and Heretical teachers They are very active and unwearied in spreading their Errours not caring what paines they take that way In so much that they are willing to Compasse Sea and Land to go far and near as the Iesuites are notoriously known to do who ttavel into all parts of the habitable world and as some Sectaries among our selves are said at this day to do into all parts of this Nation that they may by spreading their doctrine make Proselytes gain disciples To this end some of them thrust themselves into publick Congregations more of them creep into private houses as the Apostle speaketh of them 2 Tim. 3. 6. Such is their Activity And no lesse in the second place is their Subtilty Wherein oft-times and for the most part they shew themselves to be the children of their father a Serpentine brood a subtile Generation Such a one was Elymas the Sorcerer who sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith and to pervert the right wayes of the Lord as it is charged upon him Acts 13. 8 10. laying false imputations upon the doctrine of the Gospel that so he might hinder the work of Gods grace and obstruct the Apostle in the work of his Ministery

forth their followers whom he calleth Clouds without water carried about of winds ver 11. and in the next verse Waves of the Sea and wandring stars thereby denoting Christians who were inconstant in their profession not like fixed stars which are regular in their Motion but like Planets or Comets wandring from one opinion or way to another being constant onely in inconstancy Thus were there some and not a few in those times those proto-primitive times who were thus carried about with divers and strange doctrines This is that which our Apostle saith of Hymeneus and Philetus in the place forecited 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. that by their pestilent doctrine in denying of the Resurrection they overthrew the faith of some So as there was then a just cause why he should here give out such an Admonition as this Be not carried about c. A useful and a needful Caveat then And no lesse in all the ages of the Church since In every of which still there have been some such doctrines held forth So it hath been so it is at this day that I shall not need to tell you and so it will be This Calvin looketh upon as a truth not obscurely hinted by the Apostle here in the Text that The Church in all ages must account to conflict and combate with divers and strange doctrines And if there be teachers of them it is not to be imagined but that there will be some Disciples some followers Q. But how cometh it so to be How cometh this to passe first that there should be such doctrines held forth and then that so many should be carried about with them To these two queries I shall return Answer severally A. 1. For the former Know we in the first place that this cometh to passe not without a providence and a special providence Herein as in all other things God hath a hand concurring therewith not barely by his Permission but as Melancton calleth it by his Effectual Permission most justly decreeing that they should be whence it is that the Apostle saith There must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11. 19. Must as by reason of Satans malice and Mans corruption so of Gods decree who having determined that they should be most wisely ordereth and disposeth of them when they are Which he doth for divers ends As 1. For the manifestation of his own power in maintaining his Truth and that against all opposition 2. For the honour of truth it self which by these conflicts with Errour is rendred more illustrious That house which standeth out all storms and tempests of wind and weather shewoth it self to have a good foundation 3. For the Probation and tryal of such as are sound in the faith There must also be Heresies saith the Apostle in the Text last named 1 Cor. 11. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Not onely Schismes of which he had spoken in the verse foregoing divisions about matters of Order and Discipline but also Heresies Errours in doctrine and that fundamental Errours And wherefore must these be why that they which are approved may be made manifest Thus is Wheat differenced and distinguished from the Chasse Inanes paleae tempestate jactantur saith Cyprian Light empty Chaffe is whirled to and fro with the wind while the Wheat lyeth still in the floor Thus whilest empty and formal Professours who have taken up the profession of the truth either pro formâ for fashion sake or else for some by and sinister ends wanting the kernel and truth of grace are carried away those which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved unto God sincere and sound-hearted Christians they are hereby made manifest as to themselves so to others Thus doth God by this means as Cyprian in the same place noteth make a kind of a previous separation separating the Chaffe from the Wheat before the day of Judgment 4. This God permits for the just condemnation of others and that both of Masters and Scholars of such as broach and preach such doctrines and such as believe them For the former of these expresse is that of St. Iude in the Text forecited Iude v. 4. There are certain men crept in unawares saith he who were before of old ordained to this condemnation This he speaketh of seducers false teachers whom God in his most just and righteous decree did from eternity preordain so far to leave them to their own natural corruption and malice as that they should dare to corrupt and falsifie his truth and thereby justly incur the sentence of condemnation and bring upon themselves swift destruction as the Apostle St. Peter saith of them 2 Pet. 2. 1. And for the latter that of St. Paul is no lesse expresse 2 Thess. 2. 1. where speaking of Antichristian errours that should come into the Church and should be prevalent with many he assigneth this as one end of Gods dispensation in permitting and sending them God shall send them strong delusion saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Efficaciam deceptionis the Efficacy of Errour or deceit that is such errours as should be effectuall for the deceiving of them so as they should believe a lye receive and imbrace those forged and false doctrines And wherefore this Why That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse ver 12. Thus hath God not onely an eye to but also a hand in these divers and strange doctrines which come abroad not onely with his prescience and permission but also by his most wife and just Ordination 2. This is Satans doing He it is that is the father of lyes When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own saith our Saviour pro ingenio suo according to his natural disposition so it is if ever Satan speak truth as sometimes he doth he borroweth it to make some advantage of it that he may the more easily deceive by it Lyes are his proper and natural off-spring For as that Text goeth on He is a lyar and the father of it So he is of all Lyes Among which false doctrines are none of the least And therefore deservedly called by that name 2 Thess. 2. 11. 1 Tim. 4. 2. He it is that was the first Preacher of divers and strange doctrines This he did in Paradise Where when God had preached to our first Parents this Doctrine that The day that they ate of the forbidden fruit they should certainly dye the death Gen. 2. 17. he soon after preacheth to them the clean contrary The Serpent said unto the woman Ye shall not surely dye Gen. 3. 3 4. And still this is his work He that was a lying spirit in the mouthes of Ahabs Prophets 2 King 22. 22. he is still the same in the hearts and mouthes of all false Prophets He is the seedsman that soweth these tares So the Parable in the Gospel sets it forth Mat. 13. 24. The