servants nor yet without the Invitation and Admittance of the Governours of those Houses And then they are false witnesse bearers which in such a sense say They creep in And Secondly The truth is The Apostle saith Houses Addeth neither mens Houses nor private Houses and what are they that adde or take away from the words of Scripture as the Divell did in his Allegation thereof Deut. 4. Matt. 4.6 And is not the publick place where People meet to Worship God called a house also Joh. 2.16 And are not such as have not not the Word of Grace in their hearts and so want Authority from heaven and secretly get outward Authority and come into these Houses without the foreknowledge and desire of those that maintaine the same and meet therein to be their Teachers Creepers into Houses And can they that have the Word of Grace in their hearts occasionally Declaring it not presuming to be Teachers in these Houses without a lawfull outward Gall Act. 13.15 Nor in private Houses without the Admittance of the Governours of those houses Act. 10.33 Be said to creep into Houses let either right Reason or Religion judge this and how contrary it is to 1 Pet. 2.2,3,4,5,9 And as for this Grosse Interpretation for a mis-application to condemne the use of Spirituall gifts in Beleevers fellowship in the Gospel in Declaration of the same and praying together in mens houses Is it not contrary to the Spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 12.7 The Practise of Christ and his Apostles The end of Christ his Assention and giving of Spirit Ephes 4.7,12 and the growth of the body vers 16. Doth it not sad the hearts of Beleevers and strengthen the hands of unbeleevers Ezek. 33.3,22 Who receiveth it doth not the World 1 Joh. 4.5 Doth it not occasion some that sit in the gate to speake and doe that they should not against Beleevers and the Drunkards to make songs and the Hypocrites to make Jeasts of them and the Abjects to rave against them Psal 69.7,12 and 35.15,16 And while they would by this meanes engrosse all to themselves and exalt themselves as the onely Teachers Is not that verifyed in their teaching that is Prophecyed Ezek. 34.1,6 And are not their common Approvers those Prophecyed of 2 Tim. 4.3,4 And let but this corrupt Interpretation and mis-application be rejected And then this sense of the Word Houses may be added in the second place to that at first mentioned and stands well for receiving all that is said about this businesse Let the Scripture be viewed and so the place considered And then let any that will not wilfully blind themselves consider and give Answer as in their owne Conscience and Judgement they conceive And say 1. Who or of what Number are these Seducers to be reckoned and of what sort will you count the Seducers whether of those That 1. Love their owne selves such as are their Freinds of their owne sect and opinion Matt. 5.43,44 Or that 1. Love all men till they become of the Serpentine seed though enemies to them yet pittying them and seeking their good 2 Cor. 5.13,15 2. Mind and count earthy Riches Honours and Preferments 1 Tim. 6,5 Phil. 3.19,20 Rom. 8.5,6 2. Mind and seeke the things that are above spirituall and heavenly Col. 3.1,2 3. Are Boasters of their Sect and of their Knowledge parts places holinesse and Authority 1 Cor. 11.18 Jer. 9.23 Isai 65.15 3. Are Abasers of themselves in respect of all such humane things Prov. 30.2,3 Act. 3.12 1 Tim. 1.13,15 4. Are proud conceiting themselves better wiser and holyer then others standing upon their parts and places Ioh. 7.48,49 Luk. 18.11 4. Are humble conceiving themselves no better then others standing on no strength but the free-Grace Spirit and Power of God Rom. 3.9 2. and 1.3,5 5. Are Blasphemers of the Free-Grace and Doctrine and plain sayings of Christ in the Gospel and those that beleeve and hold forth the same Joh. 14.24 Mat. 27.63 Act. 26.24 and 28.22 5. Are magnifyers of the grace and Gospel of Christ and the truth of his sayings and blessers even of them that Persecute them 1 Cor. 15.14 2 Cor. 13.8 Rom. 12.14 6. Neglect naturall duty to Parents under pretence of Religious Acts. Mat. 15.4,5,6 6. Are carefull by all well-doing to gain in even their unbeleeving Parents Rom. 9.1 1 Cor. 9.22 1 Tim. 6.1 1 Pet. 3.1 7. Are unthankfull to GOD for his Love to mankind and those that bring the tidings thereof among men and for those that receive the same Joh. 10.32 7.48,49 Psal 2.2,3 7. Are thankfull for the Gospel declaring this love to mankind and for those that so preach it And for those that doe receive it Rom. 1.16 6.17 Col. 1.4,5 8. Are unholy or profane Despising their birth-right in the Gospel and living to themselves Heb. 12.16 8. Are holy in high estimate of the Gospel and their birth-right therein and living to Christ and to God in Christ in the service of his grace and Gospel 2 Cor. 5.15 Phil. 1.20,21 9. Are without naturall Affection not tendring men of their owne flesh and blood forbidding the Preaching of the Gospel to them that they might be saved Act. 17.24,27 1 Thes 2.15,16 9. Are compassionate towards all men of the same flesh and blood declaring the Gospel to them that they might be saved Heb. 2.14 2 Cor. 5.13,14 Tit. 3.2,3,4,5 10. Are Truce-breakers Departing from their Promises and practises of Peace and withdrawing others from their Concord in the Gospel Rom. 16.17,18 10. Are Makers of Peace in seeking that men might have Peace with God and with those that call on him with a pure heart and Peaceable towards all men Mat. 5.9 2 Tim. 2.22 Heb. 12.14 11. Are false accusers of the Doctrines Sayings and lives of such as Preach the Gospel plainly Rom. 3.5,8 Act. 6.13,14 11. Are no Accusers nor forgers or receivers of false Accusation only sober discerners juagers of that which on proof appears and by the Gospel is judged Mat. 7.16 1 Tim. 5.12 That are 12. Incontinent in inordinate desires after satisfying some lusts of the flesh Mat. 23.6,7 Or that are 12. Subdued in having such Affections and lusts of the flesh crucified and to accept Denialls Gal. 5.24 2 Cor. 6.8 13. Feirce and full of bitternesse and wrath in their oppositions of the truth and the publishers thereof Act. 7. 9.1 13. Patient and suffering Reproaches and afflictions entreating when defamed 2 Cor. 6.4.8 14. Dispisers of those that are good if not of their faction and jumpe with him in every opinion and practise Ioh. 7.49 9,16 14. Lovers and esteemers of the good or goodnesse in any Though different in some things both in opinion and Practise Rom. 14.1,9 15. Traytors that under pretense of submission and love seek to ensnare and betray those they pretend to love and honour Matt. 22.15,18 15. Plainly Declare their minde though they suffer and seek the good and not the overthrow and ruine of every or any one 2 Cor. 4.2 and 13.6 2 Thess 5.15 16. Heady proceeding according to will without cause or respect to right reasoning or duty 2 Thes 2.3 Matt. 27.23 16. Advised not proceeding but with good ground and warrant and with respect to right reason and duty 1 Sam. 17.29 Gal. 2.11 Tit. 1.13 17. High minded seeking great things and great respect for themselves in truding into the things they have not seen Mat. 23.6 Col. 2.18 17. Not seeking or advancing themselves but Christ Iesus the Lord nor presuming above the proportion of Faith given them 2 Cor. 4.5 Rom. 12.3 18. Lovers of Pleasures their owne Peace fulnesse ease and freedom from the sufferings of Christ more then they love God and his truth Phil. 3.18,19 Gal. 6.12 18. Indurers of hardship and patient Sufferers for Christ his Truth and People Gal. 6.14 2 Cor. 6.4,8 19. Contenters of themselves with a forme of godlinesse without yea denying the Power of it 2 Cor. 11.15 Gal. 6.13 19. Regarders of no forme of Godlinesse but what issues through faith in Christ from the Word and Spirit of grace in the heart 2 Cor. 3.1,3 18. Rom. 8.2 9,11.14 Now whether the Seducers in respect of outward and Ecclesiasticall Authority get in more secretly as they were faine to doe in in the Apostles dayes or more openly as they doe in the dayes the Apostle Prophesied of 2 Tim. 3.6.1 and 4.3 To teach in private or Publick Houses if any be doubtfull of which of these two sorts they are let him reade 2 Tim. 3.2,6 2. Againe who are they that creep into houses Publike or Private Those That are 1. Beleeve not the plaine sayings of Gospel and are not spiritually enlightened and taught of God and so have no mission from heaven Col. 2.18 Ioh. 17.9,18,20 Or 1. That have the word of grace in their heart Spiritually taught and so having Faith and Charity speake according to the proportion of Faith and so with mission from heaven Rom. 12.3 1 Pet. 4.10,11 1 Cor. 2.13 2 Cor. 5.19 2. Hide the Gospel and deliver their minds in subtill Questions and entising words of mans wisdome 2. That Deliver the Gospel in plaine words and according to the plaine sayings of Christ with evidence of Spirit 1 Cor. 2.1,6 2 Cor. 4.1,2 3. Or who doth the work of these Seducers Those that entangle with bondage or those that endeavour to bring to liberty in Christ And so it may be Demanded according to what is fore-mentioned in this wrighting by which all that know Beleeve the Scripture may give Answer so both truly discerne and say who these Seducers bee which may also 1. Warne all that beleeve and professe the Gospel to beware of these Seducers and of being spotted with their spots and of Inward and intimate fellowship with them or receiving their Peachings but the more abundantly to Preach the Gospel and contend for the faith 1 Tim. 6.3,5 2 Tim. 3.5 4.2,3,4 Jude 1,2,3,4 2. Stirre up all not to rest till they be established in the Faith That so they may be out of the Danger of being overcome by these Seducers Gal. 4.17 2 Pet. 1.10,19 3. Comfort us all that are establish in CHRIST These Seducers shall not carry away the least established babe 1 Pet. 1.3,5 and 2.2,9 with Matth. 16.16.18 Now the LORD establish us in CHRIST and Vnite and make us fruitfull in Him To whom be Glory for ever AMEN FINIS
Moses so doe these also resist the Truth This is the manner of their working for accomplishing their businesse in which two things are observeable Viz. 1. That they resist the Truth That is the Gospel and the Truth of CHRIST in the Gospel yet rightly to understand this businesse wee must distinguish as the Apostle doth betweene the time in which the Apostle wrote and while they and their Labourers watched over the Churches while Anti-Christ could get no seat nor Authority so much as in the outward Court thereof In which time were yet some perrills by these Seducers more secretly creeping in v. 6. 2 Thes 2.7,8 1 Joh. 2.18,19 And the times of which the Apostle prophesyeth v. 1. chap. 4.3 In which through the Gentiles comming into the outward Court Antichrist should get a seat and Authority therein Rev. 11.1.2 2 Thes 2.4 And so the Seducers come more openly and boldly 2 Thess 2.10,11 being also more evill growing worse and worse 1 Tim. 3.13 and so the times more perrillous Vers 1. Chap. 4.3 In the Apostles times they did not denie the extent of the Ransome nor Justification freely by the grace of God in Christ by faith only to be received as the Pharisaicall Did but onely the so freely preaching the Gospel to All men before or having fellowship with them and they not yet undered to the observances of the Mosaicall Law And also denying Sanctification of Body and soul preservation in Grace Conformity to Christ Justification of uprightnesse to God and so growth to perfection to be had by Faith in Dependence on God in Christ for effecting it without being undered to the workes of the Law for that businesse 1 Thess 2.1 6. Gal. 2.9.20 and 3.1,2,3,4,5 2 Cor. 11.3,4,15 And in denying both these they denyed the Truth even the Gospell and Christ in the Gospel and so the power of godlinesse But in the more perrilous times prophecyed of They will proceed further many denying both these parts of truth which they confessed some denying Justification before God to be onely by grace received by Faith Affirming it to be by mans own workes together with Faith 1 Tim. 6.6,7 2 Tim. 4.3,4 Others denying the entent of the Ransome According to the plaine Affirmations of the Gospel And thereby shutting the doore of Repentance against most men and so teaching them to denie the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1,2 And both sort denying that Portion of the Spirit given with supernaturall light motion and power to teach and witnesse the things of Christ and worke his minde in the Beleevers which hee giveth since his comming in the Flesh 2 Pet. 1.19 3.17,18 1 Joh. 3.24 4.1,6 Jude 19. 2. That they resist the truth as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses First In their pride and high-mindednesse as the Magicians thought by Enchantment to doe as much as Moses by the Power of GOD so they presume by their fleshly Wisedome Knowledge to set forth the meaning of the Gospel and the wayes of God as much and as well as those that are through the word of Grace enlightened and taught of God and have the word of Grace and experiments of his goodnesse in their heart Joh. 11.12 Col. 2.18 Revel 9.1,2 Being ready to reply against the Teachers of the Truth as Zedekiah the sonne of Chenaanah 1 King 22.24 Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speake unto thee Secondly By their subtilty and craft in use of their fleshly witt and skill As the Magicians when Moses used only the Word of the Lord and held forth his Rod They used sorceries and enchantments So when the Servants of God use nothing but Scripture and Scripture Interpretations and hold forth the Word of Life in and according to the plaine sayings of the Gospel These Seducers make use of humane and fleshly Wisedome and use the entising words of mans Wisedome 1 Cor. 2.1,4 And not allowing the Gospel to be delivered vnderstood and beleeved as it is in the still and plaine sayings thereof And ashamed with plaine and open face few so brazen-faced to denie and contradict the same To helpe all and colour their opposition and deceive their hearers They frame out of it here a Precept and there a Precept one unto another To teach and enjoyne and then adde here a line and there a line one upon another to comfort Isai 28.12,13 And having in their heart no Gospel that is full true and certaine to Preach plainly and positively as true before men beleeve That for the goodnesse and truth of it men might beleeve 1 Cor. 9.26 Nor liking it that others should have such a Gospel and so preach it They are full of subtill Questions and surmizes of absurdities if the plaine sayings of the Cospel be understood in their own expressions and therefore devise them another meaning with their faire glosses Mat. 22,23.28 1 Tim. 1.6 2 Tim. 2.14.16 And thirdly with this their pride and cunning they counterfeit by their Teachings the doing of the same things that the servants of the Truth in their Ministration doe as convincing men of sinne making them to loath earthy pleasures bringing them to much fasting Prayer Zeal and many duties Rom. 10.3 1 Tim. 1.7 And so beguile and deceive many And lastly they get into and have Authority in great Mens and Princes Courts and by all seek to hinder People from acknowledging the power of God in the Gospel Act. 13.8 even as the Magicians did with Pharach and the Egyptians whence also these Seducers are compared too and called in the Scriptures Inchanters and Witches Isa 8.18,19,20 and those that are seduced by them are said to be bewitched Gal. 3.1 6. Men of corrupt mindes reprobate or of no Judgement concerning the Faith Here is the true and plaine Carracter of these Seducers however they cloak themselves in which two things are observable 1. They are of corrupt minds and that both in the conception and inclination thereof First In the conception of their minds They are corrupt in that I. They think that their Humane and Artificiall Knowledge Wisedome and Prudence in the livingnesse thereof is an help and handmaid meet to be Sanctified to help to finde out the Spirituall Knowledge of the Deep things of GOD that are in CHRIST to bestow on his Chosen contrary to the Testimony of the Holy Ghost That saith They are onely discerned by the enlightning and Revelation of the Spirit and that that other Wisedome and Knowledge shall be confounded and brought to naught before they can be rightly used for exâ—…ssion Matt. 11.25 16,17 21.16 1 Cor. 1.19,20,27 and 2. â— 9,14 II. They thinke the only necessary way for them to Prosper in their Ministration is to be Alive and have great esteeme in the hearts of such as heare them for great Learning Knowledge and Skill contrary to the Judgement and experiment of those taught of GOD who have Abased themselves in that respect and affirmed that when Death