doctrine of the Gospel 1 Tim. 6. 3. Tit. 1. 1. and that by reducing it to practice which is the truest acknowledgment leading a life befitting the profession of the truth in all uprightnesse and sincerity Thus knowing God let us glorifie him as God by walking before him in Truth not daring to do any thing against the Truth We can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 8. Being thus sincere with God walking in the Truth we shall through his grace be kept from this great transgression 4. But in the fourth place walk humbly This is one of the things which the Lord requireth from his people that they walk humbly with their God Mic. 6. 8. O that every of us could but take out this lesson Surely the want of this it is that hath proved so baneful to many of our now seducing and seduced brethren They seemed to walk with God I but they did not walk humbly with him Their souls were lifted vp within them lifted up in the apprehension of their own graces gifts parts c. And therfore is it that God hath thus left them into the hands of this his messenger Satan thus to be buffeted by his Blasphemous tentations Let their fall be a Caveat to us Take we heed lest our hearts be exalted through the abundance of what ever spiritual priviledges we are made partakers of The story tels us of King Hezekiah when the Babylonian Ambassadours came to congratulate his recovery from that dangerous sicknesse Isa. 39. he in a vain glorious humour shewed them all his treasures that so the fame of his wealth and magnificence might be carried abroad to forraine Princes But what was the issue This vainglory proved fatal to his Kingdome betraying all those treasures into the hands of those Babylonians Thus dealeth God sometimes by his people when they will be proud of their spiritual treasures making ostentation of their gifts and graces God leaveth them into the hands of Satan to be made a prey of by him and for a time to be taken and carried captive by him at his will as our Apostle speaketh of some Apostates 2 Tim. 2 2 26. And therefore see that we walk humbly with God thinking meanly of our selves preferring others before our selves To these obvious directions I might adde many more St. Jude furnisheth me with three or four very proper in this case You shall finde them lying together in two verses in his Epistle Having in the 17. and 18. verses minded those to whom he writes of what our Apostle here warneth Timothy But beloved remember ye the words which were spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last times Professors some of them should turn Blasphemers speaking evill of and mocking at the Truths and wayes of God which formerly themselves had professed and walked in In the 20. 21. ver. he subjoyns and layeth down some directions whereby Gods faithful people might be preserved from the like evill But ye beloved build your selves on your most holy faith c. In which two verses we may take notice of a fourfold direction each useful to our present purpose 1. Buildup your selves on your most holy faith Faith the Doctrine of Faith for of that the Apostle therespeaketh is the foundation on which Christians are laid and built Yee are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone saith Paul to his Ephesians Eph. 2. 20. that is upon the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of Faith and Holinesse contained in their writings Now being laid upon this foundation built upon this faith they are as living stones to build up themselves upon this faith Not seeking for any other foundation other foundation can no man lay saith the Apostle then that which is laid 1 Cor. 3. 11. not questioning the truth and soundnesse of this Gospel foundation they are with confidence and resolution to build upon it and to build up themselves on it endeavouring to advance themselves in their spiritual estate upon this foundation And this do you Brethren who would be preserved from the Apostacie of the times That foundation which you have been built upon that Doctrine of Faith and Holinesse which hath been preached unto you and received by you this is the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and other foundation can no man lay then what hath been laid amongst you If any shall pretend to do it though it were an Angel from Heaven Pauls Anathema will light upon him Gal. 1. 8. And therefore build you your selves on this foundation with confidence and full assurance build upon this doctrine as the infallible truth of God adventuring your salvation laying the weight of your souls upon it As the stones of the building lay all their weight upon the foundation firmly and immovably resting upon it So do you rest upon that Doctrine which you have learned Not calling in question any of the Principles of your Religion any of the fundamental truths of the Gospel This Scepticisme questioning Principles of Christianity specially if they shall be arraigned at the bar of humane Reason it maketh way for Apostacie and in the end as experience hath made it good upon some for Atheisme And therefore in this sense Lay we not again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptismes and of laying on of hands and of the Resurrection of the dead and Eternall Judgment as the Apostle dehorts Heb. 6. 1 2. This do some at this day who call all these and alâ— other fundamentals of Christian Religion into question Let not us dare to do it But leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ leaving them as we found them immovable and unshaken taking the Principles of our Religion for indubitable and unquestionable truths let us go on to perfection in knowledge and practise so building up our selves on this our most holy faith going on forwards from faith to faith from one degree of faith and holinesse to another Not looking back as Lots wife did for which she is made exemplary to all Apostates being turned into a pillar of salt to season and preserve others but go on untill we come to the Mount of God untill we come to see what we have beleeved and shall receive the end of our Hope the salvation of our souls 2. The second direction followes Praying in the Holy Ghost This is one of the pieces of the Christian Panoplie of that compleat spiritual Armour which the Apostle willeth the Christian souldier to take up and make use of Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit This piece of Armour Paul himself made use of against those buffetings of Satan supposed to be Blasphemous temptations he betook himself to his prayers For this thing I besought the Lord
prescribed by the Apostle in the like case unto the Church of Corinth to be used towards their Incestuous brother 1 Cor. 5. 5. I have judged saith he that he who hath done this deed be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And what Paul prescribeth himselfe practiseth in the case we have now in hand Having to deale with a payre of blasphemous Apostates Hymeneus and Alexander he betaketh himself to this as the last and only means left for their recovery I have delivered them unto Satan saith he that they may learn not to Blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. ult. meaning thereby the sentence of Excommunication as appeareth by comparing this with the formâ—r Text A censure which if rightly dispensed however the ill managing of it in former times hath rendred it contemptible in these would be found a terrible thunderbolt So it was found by many in the Primitive times where those which were struck with this censure were oft-times given over by God into the hands of Satan to be buffeted vexed and tormented by him both in their spiritâ— and bodies with inward horrors and terrors with outward diseases And truly were the right use of this Censure restored unto the Church I doubt not but this twig of Christs rod would be found to have some power in it God would manifest himself in by this Ordinance so as to make it an effectual means for the recovering of some who are dangerously fallen and for the staying of others who are in danger of following them and so consequently for the stopping of the course of this and the like evils which for want hereof are like to increase and multiply to the eminent hazard of souls and endangering of the Church Thus are these Hymeneus's and Alexanders desperate Apostates and Seducers to be dealt with saved with fear even pulled out of the fire as it there followeth Thus dealeth the tender-hearted mother by her young child which she seeth to be fallen into the fire she layeth hold where she can plucking it out hastily and violently not caring though she endanger a limb to save the life of it And thus are this desperate generation of men to be dealt with Their danger being present and eminent no lesse then if they were in the fire they being ready to fall into the fire of hell nay that fire having already taken hold of them their tongues being set on fire with it O seek we by any way or means to pluck them out of this fire This do we for those of our brethren who are fallen 2. For those who through the mercy of God supporting them do yet stand do what we may to hold them up Strengthning the weak hands and confirming the feeble knees as the Prophet hath it Isa. 35. 3. To this end dealing one with another as men wading over a deep but fordable river where the current runneth strong they take another by the hand that they may not be carried away with the stream Thus let Christians and where it may be Churches joyne together in holy combinations taking one another by the hand mutually confirming and strengthning each other that so we and they may be able to stand against that strong stream of Blasphemous Errors whereby many have been carried away already and others are dayly endangered 3. For the Church as all of us are bound do what we may to free that that these Red Deagon waters may not prevaile upon the face of it To that end I have but one word more to say Let all of us and all others whom it concerneth do what in us lieth that the Government of Jesus Christ may set up and established in it When there was no King in Israel no Civil Government every one did that which was right in his own eyes Judg. 17. 6. not that which was right in Gods eyes but what every man fancied and pleased And truly thus hath it been in this unhappy Interregnum this deplorable interval of Church Government in this Nation While the former government hath been laid aside and no other effectually substituted in the roome of it every man hath done in matters of Religion what was right in his own eyes And hinc illae lachrymae hence is it that this sea of evils hath broken in upon the Church of God For the stopping of the course hereof let all who wish well to Jerusalem do what in them lyeth to promote the cause of God in erecting a Government in his Church This is the means which Christ hath sanctified for the freeing of his Church from these great evils Of the force and efficacy whereof all ages have had sufficient experience In the last age as bad as the Government then was whether in the Title or Exercise whether in the Constitution or Administration and management of it yet such night-birds as these durst not then fly abroad Though some comparativly sleighter errors began then to put up head yet grosser Heresies durst not appear An instance sufficient to make good that received maxime that Tyranny is better then Anarchie Better an ill-managed Government then no Government In other of the Reformed Churches where that form of Government which was supposed to be modelled and laid out for this Church hath obtained establishment and countenance such evil weeds as these have not been ordinarily found to grow at least not to flourish under the shadow of it So far hath Christ owned that for substance his owne Ordinance as that few such desperate Blasphemous Hereticks have been found in those Churches That the Church of God amongst us may enjoy the like mercy all of us contribute what we may our Prayers and endeavours that the work of God may be carried on for the setting up of a wall a fence about this his vineyard his sheepfold a wall a fence of Ecclesiastical Government about this Church which till it be it cannot in a rational and ordinary way be expected or hoped that these Foxes should be kept from spoyling our Vines or these Wolves from tearing and worrying the poor Lambs of Christ Thus far the Application hath run in a more general way Come we now in a few words to direct it in a more special way to the Ministers of the Gospel Upon them the Text seemeth to look with a more special eye Know thou saith Paul to Timothy here that in the last dayes there shall be perilous times for men shall be among other vices which they shall be given up to Blasphemers This Timothy must take special cognizance of And wherefore he more then others For this take a double Reas. 1. That he might not be dismay'd or discourag'd by it 2. That he might be awakned quickned animated to be so much the more vigilant constant couragious in appearing and acting for God and for his truth against those open adversaries of it in opposing and bearing up head
reason taken from the order of the words wherein he apprehends a kind of Gradation Men shall be lovers of themselves Covetous Boasters Proud {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Contemners of other men as he expounds the Word I not sparing God himself Blasphemers of him And if that be true which Epiphanius with great probability conjectures viz. that the Apostle here in this description aimes at those Hereticks which should spring up in the infancie of the Church as viz. Simon Menander Ebion Cerinthus Carpocrates and the Gnosticks we shall not need to mince the matter for such were they down-right Blasphemers in an Ecclesiastical sense Blasphemers of God And that the Apostle speaketh here if not of them yet of such as they it is rightly and clearly collected from the sixth and eighth verses of the chapter Where shewing who and what they were whom he spake of Of this sort saith he are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women verse 6. plainly pointing out false teachers Hereticks who vented and scattered their false doctrines and heresies clancularly and closely in corners taking advantage upon the weaker sex as the devil at first did to make the first impression upon them as all Hereticks in all ages ever have done and at this day do And again vers. 8. As Jannes and Iambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds concerning the faith reprobate Such they were whom the Apostle here speaketh of Blasphemous Hereticks And being such we may well conceive this to be the sinne which here he chargeth upon them viz. Blasphemy in a restrained sense even Blasphemy against God Having thus found out the kind of evil here charged our next work must be yet a little more fully to open the nature of it Blasphemy in proper acceptation what it is I have already told you in the general It is any Injury offered to the name of God by word Or speaking evill of the name of God So the Lord complains of it Is 52. 5. My name continually every day is blasphemed To which text the Apostle relates Rom. 2. 24. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles That is evil-spoken of Now for a more particular explication that we may dive a little into the bowels of this sinne let me briefly open unto you these two things First What is meant by the name of God And secondly How the name of God may be iujured by word evil-spoken of 1. For the former by the name of God we are to understand any thing whereby God Himself or his Will his Nature or his Mind are made known to us Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain Command 3. Now this is done many ways As by his Titles Attributes Works Word Religion Ordinances Image His Titles as Iehovah Elohim God Lord His Attributes or Properties as Power Goodnesse Mercy Truth His Works of Creation and Providence His Word which is his mind and will revealed in the Scriptures Religion the Doctrine and Practice of it His Ordinances Prayer the publick Ministry of the Word Sacraments Sabbaths His Image whether Essentiall as it was in Christ who is called the Image of the invisible God 1 Col. 15. the expresse Image of his person Heb. 1. 2. which is called the name of God Exod. 23. 21. My name is in him speaking of Christ Or Accidental as it is in men upon whom the name of God is called as it is upon Magistrates who are therefore called Gods Psal. 82. 1. 6. Exod. 22. 28. And upon Ministers who stand in the place of God as his Ambassadours acting in his name and bearing his name as it is said of Paul Acts 9. 15. And generally upon all the faithful people of God who bear the Image of their heavenly Father and are called by his name as we have it Deut. 28. 10. Jer. 14. 9 By these God maketh himself known unto us and therefore each may be called his name Quest 2 Now How may this name of God be said to be injured evill spoken of Answ. I answer in the general when men shall abuse any of these by word speak contumeliously of them This Contumely redounding unto God himself every word so spoken is Blasphemie As 1. When the Titles of God are abused whether by way of Incantation as those Jewish Exorcists called the name of Jesus over them which had evill spirits Acts 19. 13. or by way of Execration cursing the name of God or by his name which was the Blasphemie of the Israelitish womans son Levit. 24. 11. who blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed or by way of Pejeration forswearing or by way of wicked swearing which Tremelius renders Blasphemia Blasphemy Levit. 5. 1. Secondly God is Blasphemed in his Attributes and that three wayes 1. When men shall deny that unto God which properly belongs unto him and is agreeable to his nature As when men shall deny him to be such a one as he hath revealed himself denying him to be Omnipresent Omniscient Omnipotent which last was the Blasphemie of Rabshakeh and the servants of the King of Assyria who bade defiance unto God in point of power as if he had not been able to deliver Ierusalem out of the hands of their Master 2 Kings 18. 35. compared with chap 19. 6. 2. When men shall attribute that unto God which is not agreeable to his nature fasten dishonourable attributes upon him taking up and venting of mean and low apprehensions concerning God as the Heathens of old and some Hereticks have done and Idolaters and blind ignorant persons daily do who misconceiving of God thinking him to be like nnto themselves as the Lord saith of the wicked man Psal. 50. 21. expresse those their misconceivings to the disparaging of the Majesty of the infinite God 3. When men shall attribute that unto the creature which is proper to the Creator whether unto themselves that is the Blasphemy which the Scribes censure Christ for though unjustly Mat. 9. 2 3. This man blasphemeth say they viz. in taking upon him to forgive sinnes which is a work proper unto God Or unto others as when men shall make Gods of men attributing divine properties or giving divine honour to them as the People to Herod Acts 12. 22. And the Lystrians to Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. 11 12 13. and as Court-parasites do sometimes to their Princes and Romish flatterers to their lord god the Pope as some of them have not spared to call him Each of these is Blasphemy Blasphemy against the Attributes of God Thirdly there is blasphemy against the works of God His works of Creation and Providence And thus again God may be blasphemed three ways 1. When men shall deny these works or either of them deny the works of Creation as those Philosophers who would have the world to be from Eternity coexistent with God himselfe Deny the work of Providence
Blasphemiâ— against God against his Religion his Ordinances his Saints â—â—ch as serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse being fellow-Citizens of Heaven and of Gods houshold Thus being imbittered against the true Religion of God at least against the power and practise of it they care not how basely they speak of it and of those who hold it forth by a visible profession and practise not caring what opprobrious and disgraceful terms they cast upon them and all for their holinesse sake for the Image sake which they bear which as I have shewn you is no lesse then Blasphemy against God whose servants they are and whose cognizance they wear But to leave them The Blasphemie which we are this day principally to take notice of is the Blasphemy of those who say they are Jewes but are not such as pretend to Religion making an outward profession of it and yet are Blasphemers And are there not such to be found in this Nation that I say not in this place Professors and yet Blasphemers Men that professe to stand for God and for Christ and for his Religion pretending to more of God then others and yet Blaspheme all Would to God the charge did not lye so justly against some and many of this kinde Should we take a generall survey of some particulars what one Article of the Christian faith shall we finde which is not by some such either denied or perverted As for God himself though he be acknowledged in word yet how is he in truth denied by those who will not allow him to be a distinct Essence subsisting by himself Such is the Doctrine and language of some There is no God but what is within us As for that Orthodox distinction betwixt Essence and Person how is it exploded The very name of Trinity jeared at and the thing renounced The Deity of Christ the Son of God as also of the Holy Ghost and their equality whith the Father how is it professed against I might go on and shew you the like in many other of the Articles if not all As also touching the Scriptures which are made to be no other but a humane breath and that blowing as the wind contrary wayes containing in them many silly vaine grosse and contrary things the Prophets and Apostles therein poore men speaking according to the present tempers of their spirits it is their own language And so for the Ordinances of God that they are poore and low dispensations worthlesse uselesse at least to them All Religious duties in publike or private are but formes bodily exercises meerly legall And there may be as much of God seen and enjoyed in any servile labour as in the Ministery of the Word Prayer c. To these I might adde the opprobrious and disgraceful language that is poured out upon the servants of God and that not only his servants at large as all true Christians are who if they be not of their way are sure to hear ill enough what ever else they be but also his servants in Ordinarie the Ministers of the Gospel who are reproached and vilified and disgraced and that not for any personal miscarriages but with reference to their publike capacities as Ministers the very office it self being decryed as of no longer use in the Church of God But I finde this work already done to my hand by others who undertaking to give testimony of the Truth of Jesus Christ have posted up some of these Heretical Blasphemies in aeternam rei Infamiam presenting them to the view of the world to their eternal Infamie Thus Professours not a few are turned Blasphemers I some who at least in their owne apprehensions seemed to be of the highest forme I more such as have been or have taken upon them to be Teachers and Instructers of others So fully is Pauls Prophecie here fulfilled and accomplished amongst us never more and more desperate Blasphemers of this kinde to be found in any age in any Nation of the world then at this day in this Quest But how cometh it so to passe that this so ill so poysonous a weed should thus spring and grow in this Garden of God And that in this weeding time in this time of pretended and by many really intended Reformation It will not be amisse a little to enquire into the causes and occasions of it Answ 1. For answer in the first place This God permitteth I do not say he is the Author of it That is one of the Blasphemies of the Times to make God the Author of sin and not of the Action only in and with which sin is but of the very Pravitie Ataxie Anomie Irregularity and sinfulnesse it self which is in it in which termes it is by some delivered but yet he permitteth it and that with an effectual Permission which he doth 1. In a way of Judgment punishing one sin with another Men have been ungrateful unfruitful unanswerable to times and means not walking worthy of the Gospel not prizing it but waxing wanton under it therefore hath God given them up after this manner This is the Reason which the Apostle giveth why the Gentiles were given up to such Moral and Practical wickednesse as they were Rom. 1. 21 24. Because when they knew God viz. by the light of nature they did not glorifie him as God give that honour and respect unto him which they could not but apprehend due to the Divine Majesty neither were thankeful for those common mercies which they received from his hand Therefore God gave them up unto uncleannesse c. so punishing the breach of the first table by giving them up to the violation of the second And for the like cause it is that God in his just judgment sometimes giveth up men to this height of speculative wickednesse to turne Heretical Blasphemers Because when they knew God by the light of the Word they did not glorifie him as God by serving him according to his will revealed therefore hath he thus given them up unto Satans delusions Whilst the Truth was held forth unto them they did not afford it an answerable reception So the Apostle renders the reason of it 2 Thes. 2 â—0 11. where speaking of Apostates who had made defection from the faiâ—h Because saith he they received not the love of the Truth that is saith Grotious they did not prize the love of God in holding forth his Truth the truth of the Gospel unto them or rather they did not entertaine that truth imbracing and laying it up in their hearts as they should have done Therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lye Therefore he giveth men up to the imbracing of Heretical and soul-damning doctrines This God doth in a way of judgment to some 2 And secondly he doth it by way of Probation and Tryal unto others Surely for this end is this hour of temptation come upon the Church at this day to try them that dwell upon the earth
have any intimate and unnecessary familiarity with them The like the same Apostle requires from his Thessalonians 2 Thess. 3. 14. If any man obey not our word receive not our doctrine but oppose it note that man and have no communion with him that he may be ashamed And the like direction he giveth to Timothy concerning these Blasphemers and Seducers in the fifth verse of this chapter 2 Tim. 3. 5. From such turn away {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} have no society no communion with them This would not St. John have with that blasphemous Heretick Cerinthus whom when he espied washing himself in the Bathe he refused to enter into the same place fearing lest the roof should fall on his head which covered so wretched a miscreant as it is reported from Policarpe by Ireneus Euseb. And this ought not Christians to have with men of the like spirit If a man have a Plague-sore upon him they who take notice of it shall not need to be disswaded from keeping him company Now surely the contagion of Heretical Blasphemy is no lesse dangerous to the soul then the Pestilence to the Body Besides intimate and unnecessary familiarity with the sinner carrieth with it a seeming approbation of the sin and so maketh a man accessory to it and in that respect to be declined The Garment spotted by the flesh ought not to be touched nor come nigh Jude 23. 6. Again in the sixth place Christians may be made accessories to this sin by not mourning for it Thus are all Christians to be affected with the scandalous fals of their brethren Paul blameth his Corinthians that taking notice of that Incestuous person they were yet puffed up and had not rather mourned that he who had done that deed might be taken away from among them 1 Cor. 5. 2. In not doing it they make themselves accessory to the sin So did all they in Jerusalem who did not mourn for the sins of the times And so do they in England at this day who hearing of such horrid Blasphemies as are dayly belched out against the God of heaven against his Truth his wayes his Ordinances and being called upon to humble their souls for them are yet puffed up with an apprehension of such glorious times such happy and blessed times and do not rather mourn mourn for the sin that so the offendors might either be reformed or punished 7. In the last place to name no more Christians may be accessory to this sin by being occasions of it This is that which is charged upon David 2 Sam. 12. 14. By those foul sins of his he had given great occasions to the enemies of God to blaspheme And this the Apostle chargeth upon those Jews who making their boast of the Law yet walked contrary to it by open violations of it The name of God saith he is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles through you Rom. 2. 24. And thus is the Religion of God subject to be blasphemed through the scandalous lives of Christians When they shall walk contrary to their Professions profane persons will be ready to cast this in the face of their Religion Lo what a Religion is this which yeeldeth such fruits So as by these means they become accessory to the Blasphemy of others Which let all of us beware of A Caveat pressed by our Apostle once and again 1 Tius 6. 1. Tit. 2. 5. And let every of us take it home to our selves making use of it Especially in these catching times wherein many lye in wait for such occasions that they might have somewhat to cast in the face of the true Religion of God and those who shew themselves constant in the profession of it Be we so much the more watchful over our wayes over our walkings that so we may be no wayes accessory to these their Blasphemies And thus have I at length dispatched this useful and necessary caveat concerning this great and wrath provoking evil of the times Take heed that we be not partakers in it whether as Principals or as Accessories And thus washing our own hands of the sin now do what we may for others for our brethren for the Church of God amongst us 1. For our Brethren which are of two sorts such as are fallen such as yet stand A word for each 1. For the former do what we may for their Recovery A duty incumbent upon all who themselvs standing upon the shoar ought to reach forth a hand to those whom they see swiming in the stream When Abraham heard how his kinsman Lot was taken and carried away captive presently he arms himself and maketh out for his resone Gen. 14. Do we the like for our brethren whom we see or hear of to be thus taken captive by the devil carried away at his pleasure O do what we may for their rescue their recovery Quest What shall we do for them Ans. Herein hearken to St. Jude who having first shewed Christians what they are to do for themselvs in such Apostatizing times Keep your selves in the love of God v. 21. Then he directs them what to do for others such as are carried away with the errors of the times v. 22. 23 Of some saith he have compassion making a difference And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire And this let all of us do concerning our seducing and seduced brethren Puttiing a difference betwixt the one and the other On some have compassion viz. of weak wel-meaning simple seduced souls such as follow their seducing teachers as those 200 men did Absolom 2 Sam. 15. 10. in the simplicity of their hearts being carried away by their plausible pretences and specious glosses which they set upon their false and damnable doctrines On such have compassion as praying for them so seeking their recovery by gentle means gentle admonitions instructions reprehensions endeavouring to hold forth a light untothem to convince them of their wandrings and to direct them into the way of truth again from whence they have so dangerously gone aside Thus deal with them as tender-hearted Surgeons do with dis-located or dis-joynted bones handle them with a gentle hand restoring them as the Apostle alluding to that Metaphor exhorts Gal 6. 1. with a spirit of meeknesse As for others pertinacious and obstinate Hereticks perverse and proud seducers or men confirmed and hardned in their blasphemous errors if it may be save them also As much as in us lies be instrumental in their salvation But they are to be proceeded with in another way in a way of severity Save them with fear terrifying them by thundring out the judgments of God against them where other means avail not making use of the sharper and severer censures of the Church In this case where those milder remedies of admonition and suspension will not take place the highest censure of Excommunication is seasonable This is the Churches last remedy