The Fryers of old erected their Kingdome by lyes Walsingham reporteth that they were so famous for lying that it was accounted a good argument hee is a fryer Ergo a lyer Do not our lying prophets goe beyond them they tell lyes they write lies they preach lyes they print lyes as if God needed lyes Thou wilt destroy all them that speake leasing saith the Prophet Here I would observe two things 1. That there have beene and always shall be false prophets in the Church 2. Why God suffereth them For the first that there have been and always shall be false prophets in the Church There shal arise saith our Lord false prophets and if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect I know saith St. Paul that after my departing grievous Wolves shall enter in among you Again the spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall give heed to the spirit of error and doctrines of Devills which speake lyes through hypocrisâ—â— Likewise St. Peter affirmeth But there were false prophets among the people and there shal be also false teachers among you which privily shal bring in damnable hesies even denying the Lord that bought them bring upon themselves swift damnation For example sake wee read of the Devill the archfalse prophet deceiving our first parents in Paradice of Iamnes and Iambres withstanding Moses and resisting the truth In Eliahs time of many false prophets deceiving the people yea in this very time when our Lord preached upon the earth The Church was annoyed with divers pernicious sects as with the Pharisees who like the Papists held Justification by works With the Saduces who held with the Atheists of our time that there is no resurrection With the Essens who like the Anabaptists of our time thought themselves free from all humane authority I might set down the hereticks that sprang up in the most pure ages of the Church viz. In the first 400. yeares after Christ collected by St. Agustine out of Eusebius and Epiphanius The Apostles and holy men seldome planted any Churches but the devill with his false prophets went about to subvert them Heare what St. Paul saith to the Galatians O ye foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth Again to the Corinthians I fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so you should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ The noble Churches of Antioch Ephesus Alexandria and Constantinople were poisoned by false prophets In Ephesus were the Nicholaitans in Alexandria Arrius in Antioch Samosatenus in Constantinople Eutyches and Nestorius and iâ— Britany Pelagius called in Welch Morgan But how Christian Princes holy Bishops and learned men bestir'd themselves to save their flocks from those Wolves and in the very beginning to suppresse them you may perceive by the ancient Councels in some one of which 400. year 600. Bishops conveâ—ed and ran together yea among us to damne Pelagius heresie Bishops came from beyond the Seas as Germanus and Lupus out of France St. Augustine also Bishop of Hippo in Africa was assisting to us against him as appeareth by his writings extant among us Our histories report that our Welch Arch-bishop Davie was a great meanes to extirpate his heresie who wrote a booke against it As sorreign Bishops were ayding to us in suppressing the hereticks that rose among us so were we assisting to them as Eborius of York Restitutus of LondoÌ„ Adelâ—ius of Colchester with other Brittish and learned men subscribed the Councell of Arles Also some of our Bishops were at the Councell of Nice and Sardis and with others damned the Arrian heresie and absolved Athanasius Our poor Church is at this time oppressed with false prophets not only with Iesuites and other Romish Emissaries but also with unpure Familists who blasphemously pretend to be godified like God whereas indeed they are devillified like their Father the Devill who would be like the most high With illuminated Anabaptists who blaspheme the baptisme of Children and these hereticks whom in time past we burned wee may heare now in our pulâ—its â—educing the people We have also Donatistical Brownists who like the Pharisees of old separate themselves from other men counting all men prophane that are not of their Conventicles We have also Independants who dream that they have a perfect modelâ— of Church-government which Almighty God kept secret from the Patriarks Priests Prophets Apostles and Doctors of the Church and now lately revealed unto them We have also Antinomians who whereas the Papists leave out one Commandement of the ten they null the whole Law not allowing it to be a rule of life This opinion simple people swallow down having as they suppose found a new way to heaven We have Arminians an after-brood of Pelagius We have Sabbatarianss who affirme the old Jewish Sabbath to be kept and not the Lords day We have also Antisabbatarians who would have no speciall Sabboth day at all affirming every day to be a sabbath to a christian man We have Traskites who affirme many Jewish ceremonies to be observed by Christians We have Arrians who deny the deity of Christ We have Antitrinitarians who blaspheme the holy Trinity We have Millenaries who dream that wee must live with Christ 1000. yeares here in earth before the resurrection We have Hetheringtonians who hold a hodg-podg of many heresies We have an Atheisticall sect who affirm that mens soules sleep with their bodies We have Socinians who teach that Christ dyed not to satisfie for our sins but to give us an example of patience with other abhoâ—inable errours Alas what Heresie have we not and most of these are subdivided into many Sects as there are about twenty sorts of Anabaptists fourteen set downe by Alstedius and the rest by Bullinger sundry sorts of Familists Brownists and of others every day begets a new opinion it faring with them as with the ancient Hereticks who having once forsaken the truth wandred from one errour to another they agreeing onely in this one thing to doe mischiefe to the Church of God The old Fable may have relation to our times of an overture of peace tendred by the Wolves to the Sheep but upon condition that they would put away their dogs that were malignant to them and doth not all this follow upon the suspension of Church Government Alas our Church is oppressed by false Prophets and we have no government to helpe The City of God is on fire and who goeth about to quench it The plague of Heresie is among us and we have no power to keep the sick from the whole The Wolves that were wont to lye in the woods dare come into our Sheep-folds and roar in our holy Congregations O thou Shepheard of Israel why hast
shal be devoured by these ravening wolves A question may be asked in that our Lord biddeth us to take heed whether it be not lawful for the Magistrate {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} To put false Prophets to death in which question wee are to note whom we are to account false Prophets viz. Not every one that differeth from our Church in opinion or have some naevous opinions But by false Prophets we understand such as hold fundamental errors and persist therein after all means used for their conviction yea not onely persist but also endeavour to disperse their pernicious errours to the perverting of others Again such whose Doctrines are blasphemous as the Arrians are dangerous to the destruction of the government under which they live And where all these concur they deserve death because they corrupt the faith If such as corrupt and poyson Fountains of water at which men and beasts drink do deserve capitall punishment how much more they who as much as in them lyeth do poyson mens soules Againe we have divers examples of this lawfull severity executed upon Idolaters first in Eliah's time commanding all the Prophets of Baal to bee slaine Secondly in Iehu giving the like commandement Thirdly in all the inhabiâ—ants of the Land of Iudah who destroyed all the houses of Baal and slew Mattan he Priest before the Altar Furthermore we have examples in Ecclesiasticall histories as first in Constantine that famâ—us Christian Emperour who enacted that if any man did offer Sacrifice upon the Altars Gladio ultore sterneretur He shâ—uâ—d be puâ— to dâ—ath and his goods confiscated The like alsâ— was enâ—cte bâ—Theodosius Valentinianus and Martianus as Mr. Bullinger reporteth The ground and warrant of this is Gâ—d himselfe That Prophet or dreamer of dreames c. shall be put to death If any man object that this was a judiciall Law I answer if it were so yet the equity of that judiciall Law remaineth to all St. Augustine saith that there is a punishing mercy and a sparing cruelty For it is a punishing mercy when Governours doe punish dangerous seducers for safety of the whole And it were a sparing cruelty to let them goe unpunished for looke how much mercy is shewed to the Wolf so much cruelty is done to the sheep This may serve for the reproofe of such Magistrates who when they have dangerâ—us Wolves discovered unto them wil not lend their helping hands to suppres them To conclude this poynt The Romish seducers are severely punished among us kept from our folds and why not all other false prophets who blaspheme God seduce our people What shall we punish them only that attribute too much to the Sacrament of baptisme affirming Infants un-baptized not to enter heaven And suffer Anabaptists who wil not baptize them at all but blaspheme the baptisme of children calling it the marke of the Beast affirming that it came from Anti-christ and the Devill and suffer them to publish books in defence of this and other their abhominable errors Shall we punish them only that attribute too much to the Element of bread in the holy Communion accounting him no good Christian that will not call it his lord god And suffer such men who mocke and scâ—ffe at the sacrament of the Lords supper calling it a two-peny banqueâ— Shall we punish them that give too much reverence to the blessed Virgin holy Apostles and Saints departed and suffer them that blaspheme the holy Virgin whom all Nations should call blessed Shall we blame the Papists for saying too many Pater-nosters and tolerate the Brownists and other Sectaries who will not say the Lords prayer at all some of them affirming it to be an abhominabâ—e idol although it be commanded to be said by our Lord himself Shall we punish them that not only keep the Lords day but also many holy-holy-dayes and suffer them that will neither keep holy-daies nor the Lords day as the Familists and Antisabbataâ—ians Shall we punish them that confesse their sins and suppose that they cannot enter heaven without a particular Confession of them and tolerate them that will not conâ—esse their sinnes at all and affirme that God can see no sin in them as the Antinomians Shall we punish them that worship God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity and tolerate them that blaspheme the holy Trinity as the Arrians and Antitrinitarians I hope that our Governors wil drive these also from our folds as they doe the Popish Emissaries {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} It is fit for us that are Christâ—ans to avoyd all those who speak against Christ and hate them as the enemies of God and corrupters of soules This Caveat of our Lords belongeth to every Christian man We are not to keep company with them It was Eves fault to admit conference with the Devill In these false Prophets there is such a malignant spirit that the Devill cannot doe more hurt out of them then in them St. Paul counselleth the Romans to marke them diligently that make divisions and to avoyd them If we must avoyd Schismaticks that make divisions how much more Hereticks St. Iohn in his Epistle to the Elect Lady forbids all society with them if there come any to you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed According to his Doctring so was his practice he would not bath with Cerinthus the Heretick nor abide under the same roofe with him but leaped out of the roome and perswaded others so to doe Polycarp St. Iohns Schollar meeting Marcion the Heretick would not salute him Marcion asking him whether he knew him or no was answered by him Yes I know thee well to be the first borne of the devill Would any man entertaine into his family a man infected with the plague how much lesse an Heretick who without the great mercy of God may be the undoing of him and his family This caveat should keep men from hearing those seducers My sheep saith our Lord will not heare the voyce of a stranger Yet such is the folly or madnesse of these times and men have such itching eares that if the Devill himself should preach among us I feare that he would have too many hearers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} But whereas they pretend to be led by the spirit I beseech you saith St. Paul by the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ that you be not so soone shaken in minde neither by spirit that is by pretence of the spirit for as there is a holy Spirit by whom the Prophets Apostles inspired spake so you may read of a lying spirit in the mouths of false Prophets Therefore St. Iohn commandeth us not to believe every spirit but to search and try the spirits whether they be of God or no How shall I know Gods spirit but by his Word such spirits as speak against
Gods word are the devils spirits and not Gods I have read that in a Synod in Britain held by Dunstan archbish. of Canterbury who would have had a Decree passe against Ministers marriage a strange voyce was heard out of an Image in the Church for confirmation thereof But the British Bishop cryed out that that voyce was the voyce of the Devill and not of God for God would not speak against his word And indeed St. Paul calleth forbidding of Marriage the doctrine of Devills We should try all these new Doctrines pretended to come from the spirit whether they be against Gods word or no As for example whereas the Romish Prelates forbid the Laity the reading of the holy Scriptures in the vulgar which God commands and the holy Ghost commends is this their prohibition from God or from the devill And whereas they command Communion under one kinde contrary to Christs institution whose spirit is in them Gods or the Devills And whereas other false Prophets forbid the saying of the Lords Prayer with other things commanded in holy Scriptures those are lying Prophets who have not Gods spirit but the devills for God will not speake against his Word O yee foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you saith St. Paul O yee foolish Galatians wee see how carefull men are of being deceived in any thing of weight in buying land they advise with the best counsell they can get for health they advise with the learnedest Physitians in receiving money if they doubt they will go to the Gold-smith and weigh it and touch it at the stone Let us not be carelesse only for our soules Nay who hath bewitched you saith the Apostle It is the fashion of witches as some report when they Covenant with the devill to renounce their Baptisme were it possible for a man except hee were bewitched indeed to be perswaded to renounce his Baptisme Were it possible for any man except he were bewitched to forsake the Church of God and to dream of a new one and that Almighty God never had a true Church untill some fanatick persons at this time had framed oâ—e How could all this their holy frame escape all the Patriarks Prophets holy Apostles and Doctors and be revealed onely to Browne who lik't it so ill that hâ—e returned againe to his Mother Church The like antiquitie have the Etonites and others of our Sectaries Our Lord sending forth his Disciples as sheep among Wolves giveth them this counsell Beye wise â—â— Serpeâ—ts and harmlesse as Doves And why wise as Serpents Like the deafe Adder that stoppeth her eare which wil not hearken to the voyce of the Charmer charm he never so wisely It is written of the Aspe that to avoyd charming shee layeth one eare close to the ground and stoppeth the other with her tayle Thuâ— the ancient Christians were wont to stop their eares and not heare Christs truth adulterated It is recorded by Theodoret that when Lucius the Arrian Bishop came and preached among the Antiâ—â—hians broaching his damnable Heresies the people forsooke the Church and would not heare him Lib. 4. Eccles. Histor. cap. 20. M. Histor. Tripart But now they thaâ— beare the name of Christians would be accounted professors râ—n a if they were mad to be charmed to heare the false Prophets of our time Beye wise as Serpents saith our Lord and harmlesse aâ— Doves The Dove as shee is innocent and harmlesse so swift winged to avoyd the danger shee may receive from Vultures and other ravenous birds O that I had wings like a Dove saith the Prophet then would I flye away and be at rest Our soules are winâ—ed our prayers are our wings let us fly to the rock where we shall finde rest You have heard of two wayes the one leading to life the the other to destruction and that it is a difficult thing to find heaven and that because of falsâ— Prophets who goe about to lead us out of the way you have heard also what these false Prophets are viz. lying Prophets falsifying Gods Word and why God suffereth them viz. for the punishment of the ungodly and for the tryall of the godly and that they come unsent without any calling in Sheepes cloathing counterfeiting holinesse pretending Scripture being indeed ravening Wolves and as Wolves destroy the body so doe they the soule Our Lord biddeth beware of them and whereas they pretend the spirit try the spirits as St. Iohn counselleth you whether they be of God or no and being not of God to avoyd them being wise as Serpenâ—s who stop their eares and will not heare the voyce of the charmer Let us be innocent as the Dove and mount heaven with our prayers and praying say with David Sew me thy wayes O Lord and teach me thy pathes Open thou my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law Lead me forth in thy truth and guide me thou art the God of my salvation And whereas the suffering of these false Prophets may be one of the causes of Gods heavy hand upon us and of the unnaturall war among us let us use all meanes to suppresse them in our callings and so remove this cursed thing from us All you that are the sonnes of peace friends of peace and servants to the God of peace double and treble your prayers that some Mediator may stand in the gap to divert Gods judgements from us and if Almighty God hath otherwise decreed let every one of us make his owne peace with God commending our soules into his hands who is our faithfull Creator keeping faith a good conscience of which take heed that you do not make shipwrack which if you keep you need not feare neither false Prophets nor devills fire nor sword nothing shall hurt you Although they kill you they shall but deliver your soules out of the prison of your bodyes to enjoy everlasting peace which I intreat Almighty God to bring us all for his sonne Jesus Christs sake to whom with the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all Glory Prayse Honour and Donion c. FINIS PErlegi concionem hanc de pseudo-Prophetis in qua nihil reperio quo minus utiliter Imprimatur Ia. Cranford Nov. 24. 1644. 〈…〉 〈…〉 False Prophets A falsis prophetis {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Peter 2. 1. Rom. 5. 25. In Vita Rich. 2 Psalme 5. â—alse prophets alwayes in the Church Matthew 24. Acts 20. 29. â— Tim. 4. 1. 2 Pet 2. 1 2 2 Tim. 3. 8 Lib. de haeresibus Galat. 3. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 3. An â—â— 313. Jesuites and other Româ—sh â—mâ—â—sâ—â—ies Fâ—â—â—lists Anabaptists Brownists Iâ—dedâ—â—â—â— Antinomians Arminianâ— Sabbatarians Antisabbatarians Traskites Arrians Antitrinitarians Millenaries Soules sleepe In Indiâ—e Poâ—â—m Bulling â—dver Anâ—bâ—â— Psal. â—0 2. Why God suffereth false Prophets 2 Thes. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 1â— Use 1. Vse 2. Lib. 4. cap. 4. Psaâ—mâ— 80. 4 Which come â—uâ— veniunt {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}