hardly are saving truths beaten into our heads hearts precept must be upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Isa 28.10 but how easily even headlong do we tumble down-ward unto damnable heresies into the pit of destruction We need then go no further then our present text and the charge and caveat given by Christ himself to his own Disciples if we should be required to give a reason why such and so many so hopefull so well affected and religious people that did indeed set their faces towards Zion looked earnestly towards heaven desired sincerely to feare God and did as then was charitably conceived and still is by me for God is able to graft them in again though peevishly they have cut themselves off from our assemblies (w) qui se collegarum sensui aut incorporare neglexit aut excorporare praesumpsit Vinc. Lir. de Juliano Pelagiano cap. 40. and passe uncharitable censurers upon us walk with God and shine as lights in their sphere are now become falling stars pluckt out of their orb the church by the dragons tail of dangerous heresie How many do we see groping for the light at noon day seekers of the right way of a Gospel a Church a Christ a Saviour as Mary Magdalen thought the gardiner had carried Christs dead body away which she then sought when his living body and soul and Godhead too John 20.15 were standing before her and heaven whose eyes are so holden dazled that they do not know Christ see Christ among us their spirits so seduced minds so bewitched that they will not again be reduced and brought back into the wayes of truth and peace The meteors Ignis fatuus new lights of these seducing times might easily deceive and lead blindfold Christians of more then ordinary parts and graces when the Disciples that had Christ himself in person with them were in such danger to be leavened Therefore never be offended scandalized or wonder though we see many drawn off from Christ walk no more with him separate from him his ordinances and assemblies though we see many tainted infected with damnable opinions 't is bred in our bone we have it by kind the spirit that is in us is an apostatizing backsliding spirit the Devil is cunning powerfull it is a wonder any escape his winnowing so that which Solomon saith of the strange woman may be truly also said of strange doctrines Pro 7.26 leaveners heresie schisme she hath cast down many wounded yea many strong men have been slain by her her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death 2. Instr 2. Commendable is the zeal and care of those men of God those watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem that blow the trumpet cry aloud cease not to warn and charge their people of taking heed to their souls of circumspect hearing reading discoursing companying with the leavening teachers of the times those spirits of Devils that are gone out into the world They are good shepherds and have here the example of the great shepherd backing them whose practice and precedent herein is beyond all just exception It is a good ministers duty to look to the ways of his people to diet his sheep in fear of a rot to mind where they feed and lie down what layer what pasture they delight in that if it be not safe or wholesome for them he may drive them diswont them thence Thus was Saint Paul jealous over the Corinthians with godly jealousie and feared lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so their minds should be corrupted 2. Cor. 11.3 What Christians heart can chuse but bleed within him to see hopefull flocks all grown over with the scab to see grievous wolves enter that destroy and tear in pieces both flesh and fleece our Saviour was moved with compassion when he saw the multitude scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd Matth. 9.36 * A sad condition for people to be without a shepherd Mr Edw. Antapol page 92. And we have many flocks now without a feeder leader few shepherds in a countrey to take the care or cure of souls some that had break their staff of beauty and bands and will feed them no more will take no pastorall charge nor own them as their flock their first calling to them was they think perhaps Antichristian * Master Edwards in his Antap p. 49. and resolve therefore as he in Zecharie 11.9 I will not feed you that that dieth let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another It is our honour and crown of rejoycing when we can as Saint Paul 2. Cor. 11.2 preserve and present our people as a chast virgin to their husband Christ to whom all our wooing is to win and espouse them to Christ What an honor is it to blessed Calvin that holy Saint and worthy servant of Jesus Christ that he (x) mos iste semper in ecclesia viguit ut quo quisque foret religiosior eo promptius novellis adinveâ—tionibus contra iret Vinc. Lir. cap. 9. not onely preserved his own Geneva-flock but the most reformed or then reforming churches of Christendome I am sure our English church was much also beholding to his care and pains as might be easie to demonstrate in sundry particulars from the dangerous infection of leavening seducers and pestilent hereticks whom as so many beasts at Ephesus he hand to hand encountred fought with foiled and for ever routed without all possibility of recruit few or none standing by or seconding of him insomuch as one worthily calls him a Christian Hercules that vanquisht and quelled the monsters of heresies in his time (y) hoc potius admiratione dignum est unicum hominem tanquam Herculem quendam Christianum tot domandis monstris sufficere potuisse nempe fortissima illa clava id est Dei verbo utentem Beza in vita Calvini sub finem 3. Instr 3 People should not take it ill at our hands if sometimes they be urged and charged and even adjured by us to take heed and beware of Leaven especially if now we be so instant and importunate with them and even with a holy violence pluck leavened bread out of their mouth their souls out of the paws and jaws of heresie O these are dangerous Dog-dayes wherein we live as Master Philpot * In his letter about Infants baptisme Mr Fox Acts Mon. vol. 3. p. 607. now alas most miserably is torn in peeces by many dangerous sects and damnable opinions that any giddy head in these Dog-days page 610. calleth them and yet these cockatrices were then but in the shell in which Satan and hell is broke loose and the ghosts of all former damned hereticks are come out of their graves and walk abroad daily among us seeking again to poyson more souls and to draw
vere nihil enim plane comedebant usque ad noctem aliquandiu post occasum solis Mont. Appar 7. Sect. 23. Theophylact Drusius in Luke 18.12 3. Phylacteries or small scrols of parchment (q) Ipsi simbrias protrahebant in oris earum spinas ligabant quarum assiduis punctionibus pedes tibiae sanguine aspersae monstrabantur ea solum ratione ut populis vitae poenitudinem ostentarent Tolet in Joan. cap. 18. in which certain select sentences of the Law were written by Gods own appointment Deut. 6 8 9. bound to the head hand skirts but the Pharisees in an hypocritical vain-glorious (r) Non ut exactam legis observationem praestarent sed quia his hominum gloriam existimationem ambibant idem Ambitionis animalia Mont. Appar 7. Sect. 4. 31. humour enlarged these above ordinary and are therefore censured by our Saviour Mat. 23.5 4. Praying often much in private (Å¿) Privatis orationibus domi adeo incumbebant ut se somni privarent beneficio Epiphan aeneam sphaeram manu tenere consuescebat pelvi subjecta ut cum e manu sphaera in pelvim excidisset sono excitatus Pharisaeus somnum excuteret se componeret denuo ad orationem vid Montacut Apparat. 7. Sect. 17. and in publike Mat. 6.5 7. But with much superstition and hypocrisie 5. Paines to make Proselytes gather Churches Mat. 23.15 or scatter (t) in schismaticis vel haereticis congregationibus vel potius segregationibus Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 11. rather Mat. 12.30 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the childe of hell then your selves (u) Miseri homines infelices qui per bona etiam opera gehennam licitarentur Secondly 2. Sadduces The Sadduces So named from Sadoc [w] Antigoni discipulo qui cum defecisset ad templum montis Gerizim a Manasse inter Samaritas constructum Alexandro Magno regnante haeresin intulit Sadducaeorum Godwin lib. 3. cap. 2. Antiq. hebraic others say tsedeck justitia ironice the founder of that Sect as Brownists from Brown and Arrians Arminians Donatists Pelagians Socinians c. from their first heresiarch were a sort of Samaritane miscreant mungrell-Jews who 1. Stuck stifly to the bare letter of the Law admitting onely the Pentateuch Moses 5 Books for canonicall Scripture but rejected 1. The Psalmes Prophets and all other Scriptures Hence our Saviour confutes them out of Moses Exod. 3 6. in the point of Resurrection which they denyed Mat. 22.32 2. All traditions and Comments on the Text and were thence called Karaim Biblers Scripturists 2. Denyed the Holy Ghost as also Angels Spirits Acts 23.8 The Sadduces say that there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit 3. Maintained the souls of men to be mortall to dye as the beasts and be annihilated no resurrection at all or future retribution to good or bad Luke 20.27 no heaven no hell thus putting off at once all sense of Religion prophane Atheists arrant Epicures (x) Dementiam potius Epicuream quam legis divinae jura sectabantur inquit Philastrius opening a wide gap to all licentiousnesse (y) Omnem religio niâ—â—ensum excusserunt carni ad effraenem peccandi licentiam viam aperuerunt Chemnit Harm cap. 82. and abominable practises 3. Herodians Thirdly The Herodians Were a Court-faction of seducing Parasites by Nation Jews (z) Drusius saith Greeks but trained up at Court or employed thence as Herods Agents Secta Aulica saith Master Calvin in Mat. 22.16 Herodis domestici Syr. Interp. Whose Religion like the Turkish Alcoran was a hotch-potch medley patcht up of Paganism and Judaism * novam quandam religionem ex Paganismo Judaismo conssabant Bez. in Mat. 22.16 nimirum mixturam quandam religionis ex Pharisaismo pariter Sadducaeismo conflatam ex utraque enim secta receperunt ea quae ad stabiliendam dominationem commodissima videbantur ut sic populum in regis sui partes traherent Chemnit Harm cap. 82. They who were tutor'd in this Court-Religion sowred with the leaven of Herod 1. Cryed up Herod among the common people as their promised Messiah (a) Herodem arbitrabantur esse illum Christum in prophetis in lege omnibus promissum ab omnibus expectatum Epiphan Hieronym in Mat. 22. Montac Ap. 7. Sect. 67. the Scepter now departed from Iudah and no other King of the Jews visibly appearing but he the Herodian-Chaplains Court-Parasites are prime sticklers to perswade the people to receive him for the expected Messiah 2. Honoured Herod with superstitious solemnities annually observing his birth-day Herodis venere dies Pers Satyr 5. 3. Humour'd Herod turn'd Sadduces Epicures were of his Atheisticall opinions followed his licentious living and loose (b) Bezain Notis Major in Mat. 22.16 fermentum Herodis quod est manifesta impletas profanus Dei contemptus estraenis licentia Chemnit Harmon Evang. cap. 61. practices were moulded into his lewd ungodly manners wretched and profane temporizers Mark 6.14.16.18 4. Were rigid exacters of Caesars tribute which was an Herodian principle of Court Divinity (c) aulicae etiam Theologiae subsidio fulcire regnum suum rather State-policie which this domineering usurper catechized his creatures into clean against the hair of the Jewish immunity from taxes anciently prescribed to by them point-blank crossing the popular maxime of a free State and liberty of the subject John 8.33 and was the occasion of sundry rebellions and broyls as that of Theudas Judas of Galilee Act. 5.36 This tribute did Herod squeeze out of their purses to gratifie Augustus and keep in at the Romane Court lest the Crown which Caesar had set on his usurping head he should again pull off This morsell of Herodian-Leaven lay heavy on the Jews stomach which though they were forced to swallow yet they could never well digest And thus having shewed you the Devils bakers (d) Diabolum in domo Domini pistorem agere velle habere suos quosdam incarnatos Pistorios qui diabolicum fermentum spiritualem fastum superbiam fidelibus admiscere conantur quo eos Deo insipidos hominibus molestos reddant Chemnit Harm cap. 61. who these Sectaries were and given you a taste or essay of their dangerous Leaven what they held The third particular of the Historicall part of the Text now follows What the carridge and demeanour of the Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians was towards our Saviour Christ his Gospell Disciples c. All these three sorts of hereticall Sectaries though at deadly feud among themselves (e) capitales alias essent â—inimicitiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter se discordabant Chemnit harm Evan cap. 49. cap. â—â— Montacut Apparat. T. S. 21. and mortall enemies each to other in asserting their hellish principles yet they joyned hand in hand and were firmly
combined against the Lord Jesus Christ were his sworn and bitter and implacable enemies and never left dogging and baiting and persecuting of him till they had his blood and brought him to his grave 1. In Words they cal him the Carpenter Mark 6.5 a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners Math. 11.19 They said he was a Samaritane and had a Devill John 8.48 they called the master of the house Beelzebub Math. 10.25 that Deceiver Math. 27.63 mad John 10.20 with a deal of other foul language and opprobrious calumnies 2. In Deeds sometime underhand and by their emissaries they seek to undermine him and blow up his reputation among the people Sometimes they send and suborn some that may feign themselves just men to snittle and ensnare him in resolving a case of Conscience forsooth they send to catch him in his words Mark 12.13 Sometimes again they oppose him with captious questions thinking to make him odious as doing against the Law against Caesar against the ancient received Customes 2. Sometime with open violence they assault him seek to lay hands on him send officers and souldiers to take him bearing the world in hand that such tender conscienced Saints as they seemed so religious and mercifull men made up all of goodnesse (f) Chemn Harmon Evang. 49. would not have persecuted Christ unlesse he had been an evill-doer or some notorious wicked man Mark 3.6 2. How do they undervalue his preaching seek to draw away his hearers buzze strange conceipts of him into their heads 3. Thus also they dealt with his Disciples Peter Iohn Iames Paul c. they revile them beat them imprison them kill them and all this to stop the way of 4. The Gospel and the Preaching of the glad tydings of salvation among the Gentiles how did they stomach and storm at and gainsay and persecute it how did they seek to leaven them and obtrude upon them circumcision keeping the Law c. thus perverting and poysoning the souls of Christs young converts with their contagious doctrine (g) So Paraeus observes in Gal. cap. 1 So you see there was good reason to charge his Disciples to take heed and beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians And here in the close of the Historicall of my Text I might perhaps not unseasonably shew you how this Charg and Caveat of our Saviours this Antidote here prescribed by the great Physitian of souls to his Disciples this Ephemeris primarily calculated for Iudaea and the Meridian of those Primitive-Church times yet may doth without much observable difference serve generally for great Britain and the Climate of our English Church and State as not in factu esse being long since done but in fieri now in doing and hence from the circumferentialls of the Text might draw home the lines to our own Center and make the paralell there being as much reason as much need that even Our people should be charged to take heed beware of the Leaven of seducing Sectaries now scattered into the Childrens the Churches bread as was for them For have not we now the like dangerous Leaveners Who (h) See M. Pagets Heresiographie Master Edwards Gangraena pa. 19.29 Deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God Affirme them to be unsufficient uncertain Written by the pen-mens own private Spirit Who say There is but one person in the Divine nature Iesus Christ is not very God Christs humane nature is defiled with original sin men may be saved without Christ 'T is no lesse then blasphemy for a child of God to ask pardon of sins The soul of man is mortall as the soul of a beast and dyeth with the body Many Christians in these dayes have more knowledg than the Apostles and should not tie themselves to their imperfections The Christian Magistrate hath no power at all to medle in matters of Religion Children are not bound to obey their parents if they be wicked The Lords prayer is but an idoll and that Our father hath sent more to hell than Pater noster ever did c. But I forbear to rake further into this kennell and shall leave the sad consideration hereof to your private thoughts and come now to 2. Part. The Doctrinall part of our Text in which these 4. Divine truths aphorisms or Documents are observable that 1. Corrupt Doctrine is like Leaven 2. Gods people must with all possible caution and circumspection preserve themselves from being corrupted seduced and poysoned with such Leaven 3. The best of Gods people Christs own family Disciples themselves need charging to take heed and beware of false doctrine 4. The greatnesse or seeming goodness of any mans person should not so captivate or bewitch the people of God that they should suffer themselves to be seduced catched or empoysoned by them To begin with the First Erroneous corrupt Doctine is like Leaven Math. 16.12 (i) Mâ—nâ—me obscurum est quin fermenti nomen Christus simplici puroque Dei verbo opponat utplurimum Scriptura hoc nomine quidvis adventitium designat quo nativa rei cujusque puritas inficitur In hoc autem loco haec inter se duo antitheta haud dubie respondent Simplex Dei veritas figmenta quae ex proprio sensu comminiscuntur homines Neque est quod elabi tentet quispiam Sopista negans de qualibet doctrina hoc debere intelligi quia non alia reperietur doctrina quae purae azymae doctrinae nomen sustineat quam quae a Deo profecta est Unde sequitur fermentum vocari quicquid aliunde mixturae provenit sicuti etiam Paulus docet adulterari fidem simulatque a Christi simplicitate abducimur 2 Cor. 11.2 3 4. Calvin in Math. 1â— 12 and that in sundry respects 1. In regard of the Commonnesse In Vse common Leaven was usually mingled with every batch every loafe of Jewish bread every family among them did all the year-long ordinarily bake and eat leavened bread unleavened was onely or for the most part used at the Passeover Now the common houshold-bread which they dayly ate was not more leavened than the doctrines those hereticall Masters of Israel usually taught the bread of life they brake was bread of death Mors in olla Leaven in every loaf rats-bane and rank poyson in every point As you may observe when our Saviour picks out small yet bane-full crumbs of their corrupt glosses from the pure Word of God on every occasion see Math. 5. c. 2. In regard of the Quantity Little Leaven is but little 2. Little a small piece of old sowre dough (k) si misceatur farinae quae decuplo vel trigecuplo amplius quoad quantitatem fermentum superat totam tamen massam penetrat infint Chemnit Harm cap. 61. which when 't is crumbled among the meal is hardly visible when 't is incorporated with the paste and kneaded up among the lump of dough scarcely
text answered the Germane Anabaptists which was onely truly and fully accomplished in and applyable to the Apostles and Primitive disciples as Saint Peter expounds it Acts 2.16 And now I come to the Practicall part of my discourse to apply and make Use of the point delivered and that for Information Exhortation And is corrupt doctrine like leaven 1. Use of Information 1 See then from hence a reason of the so speedy growth and sudden spreading of pernitious opinions damnable heresies and doctrines of Devils It is no news to see a little leaven sowre heat heave and disperse it self speedily through the whole lump of dough (g) ejusdemfarinae hominibus Chemn The least dram draught drop of deadly poyson spreades from stomach to veins arteries seiseth the vitals and soon dispatcheth a man So doth heresie poyson mens brains spirits and possesseth them with a spirituall phrensie and madnes and this contagious too infecting others which is no wonder in Divinity though it be in Physick mad-men smit not others If there were no other reason to suspect the upstart Sectarie and his new Divinity this might be one enough to stop his mouth that his doctrine conversation practice cannot be right good of God because they but touch and take every one ignorant athiest profane old young boyes wenches all from every quarter hang upon them follow them as proselytes and like tinder take fire at every spark of new pretended light walk in the light of your fire by the sparks that ye have kindled This shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Questionlesse it is erroneous doctrine hellish heresie that like ill weeds grows so fast It is unsound Divinity that is so soon believed received that Mushrome-like or as Jonah's gourd springs up in a night True grace saving knowledge lie warm at the heart sanctifie the spirit soul body the grain of Paradice lieth long under the clods and groweth but slowly what a while was our Saviour in hammering sundry divine truths into his disciples heads how dull and slow of heart were they to believe Be sure then that must needs be naught that is so soon learned embraced believed It is strange now to see but it would not have been believed some few years agoe as a thing possible in the Church of England that there should could be such an overflowing jaundice of unsound opinions brain-sick whimzies such an overspreading leprosie and gangrene of schisme heresie sects [h] ut sit ibidem deinceps impiorum ac turpium errorum lupanar ubiâ—erat ante castae incorruptae sacrarium veritatis Vincent Lirin c. 31 as now with sad hearts we every where see That a small contemptible handfull of corupt leaven one or two firebrand-factious sectaries in a country like Moses handfull of ashes from the furnace which sprinkled became a boyl breaking forth with blains upon man and beast Exod. 9.8.10 should spoil a whole countrey Church Kingdome and like an impetuous torrent carry all before them cum stabulis armenta [i] So that as holy Polycarpus of the buding heresies in his time each godly Christian might ought to look up to heaven and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good God unto what times hast thou reserved me that I should live to see this The cloud is broken and wets to the skin which was little in the rise but like a mans hand 1 Kin. 18.44.45 So did Arrianism overspread the face of the Primitive Church the whole world became Arrian So Pelagianism Donatism after that And at last Mahometism like an overflowing deluge soul-killing pestilence hath poysoned the Eastern as Popish leaven hath the Western Church Rev. 13.3 all the world wondred after the beast 2. Pet. 2.2 Many shall follow their pernitious wayes but they are unstable souls that are gulled and beguiled by mounte bank teachers Mr Edw. Antapol p. 211. Errours readily enertained truth may stand out of doors long enough quacsalving sectaries that vapour and brag of great things and disparage the grave learned experienced physician Children are taken with every toy rattle hobby-horse guegaw Idle people in a fayre flock after players throng about Ballad singers and so do simple ungrounded credulous Christians after leavening seducers 2. Use of exhortation 2 Is corrupt doctrine like to leaven Let us then do with this mysticall as the Jews at the Passeover did with materiall leaven * Physicum fermentum Par. Natural which being strictly and under severe penalty by God himself forbidden them Exod. 12.18.19 as Pharisaicall and Doctrinall Leaven is Vs in this Text with a most deep Charge and ingeminated Caveat by Christ himself who had a religious custome 1. General Inquirendi Exterminandi Execrandi fermenttum to search out cast out curse out leaven from their houses and habitations (k) Weemse Christian synagogue lib. 1. ca. 6. Scaliger Emendat temp in Prolegom 1 Inquisitio fermenti there was a searching after leaven throughout all the rooms of their houses even to the very mouse-holes (l) Buxtorf Synag Judaic cap. 12. p. 317. 320. on the fourteenth day from Sun-rising they began betimes till ten of the clock usque ad quartam horam post ortum solis 2 Exterminatio a purging out of leaven casting it away burning of it not so much as looking on it or naming it nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread lest they should stirre up in their children a desire to leavened bread to which custome Saint Paul is thought to allude Eph. 5.3 Let it not be once named among you and this ceremonie lasted from ten till twelve of the clock 3 Execratio fermenti a formall and solemne cursing of leaven thus Let all that leaven or whatsoever leavened thing is in my power whether it were seen of me or not seen whether clensed by me or not cleansed let all that be scattened destroyed and accounted as the dust of the earth (m) Buxtâ—rf Synag Judaic cap. 12. page 325. These were the Jewish religious ceremonies about leaven constantly performed by them at the Passeover now Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us and we should therefore purge out the old leaven not of wicked manners only but of corrupt doctrine also 1 Cor. 5.7 from the first day we believe in Christ throughout the whole course of our life (n) Mr Wilson s Christian Dictionary in the word Leaven both every singular person should purge himself from evill doctrine and corrupt manners noted by old leaven and every congregation should excommunicate from among them men of scandalous behaviour But alas the pulse of our zeal beats not so high so strongly we may cry shame to our selves that in Gods and his Churches yea in ou rown souls cause we are so negligent and remisse did we ever make search after false teachers and hereticall leaven did we ever question those that teach otherwise then the truth of Christs Gospel and consent not to wholsome
longissime summoveant Calvin praefat adv fanatic sect Libertin upon the walls of Jerusalem and will not blow the trumpet when the slie enemie under false colours a feigned word which he can give shall pretend he comes as a friend and so cut our throats Alas alas poore England thou hast many malignant watchmen that pretend to descrie and discover danger that are themselves most dangerous that have and do undo thee by daubing cursed silence in such a time as this Est 8.6 that are of thy enemies counsel are at a fee with him his pensioners If it were not so they would not betray the truth of God to vile sectaries as they now do O these carriages would make dumb stones speak It is irremissibile peccatum a sinne against the Holy Ghost saith Luther (t) In Epist ad Spalatin to be mealy-mouth'd when such pernitious leaveners poyson the bread of the houshold of faith 3 Every private Christian look to one look well about you Believe not every spirit but trie their doctrines whether they be of God or not 1 John 4.1 If any come that bring not this doctrine receive him not to house bid him not God speed 2 John 10. say thou of their clandestine meetings and adjure thy self as Jacob of Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.6 O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Pray God by his power to keep thee to salvation Lead not thy self into temptation Julian the Emperour became an Apostate by going to heare Libanius the sophister declame against the Christians Come not near the doore of their house knowest thou not that the dead ar there and that their guests are in the depths of hell Prov. 9.18 If corrupt doctrine be so dangerous take thou heed to thy self in leavening times and places and companies heedfully mind every sermon opinion tenet every book and discourse thou hearest seest readest carefully look unto every bit of bread the least morsell thou puttest into thy mouth lest some unsuspected crumb of unsound leaven be mingled therewith And this is the second point which we are fallen upon and now followeth in order to be handled viz. that Doct. 2 The people of God must with all possible caution and circumspection preserve themselves from being leavened corrupted and seduced Take heed beware (u) Tribus verbis utitur quo Apostoli reliqui omnes intelligant rem illam a qua ipsos tam sancte et serio dehortatur esse modis omnibus detestandam Deus enim etiam levissimas purioris suae doctrinae corruptelas nullo modo ferre potest vult ut sui discipuli Christiani non instar caetorum mox cuivis spiritui applaudant sed spiritus probent Chemnit Harm cap. 82. Deut. 13.3 Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that prophet (w) vid. Vincent Lirin cap. 15. upon that place of Deuteronomy chap. 13. who excellently paraphraseth thereon for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart 8 thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him read the place from vers 1. to the 14. Jer. 23.16 Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesie unto you they make you vain they speak a vision of their own heart Matth. 7.15 Beware of false prophets (x) also on Math. 7.15 read Vinc. Lir. cap. 36. Mar. 4.24 Take heed what you heare Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore to your selves and to the flock 29 shall grievous wolves enter in among you 30 also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them 31 Therefore watch and remember that Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs beware of evil-workers beware of Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoyl you through And good reason have we to be thus carefull in regard of 1 our Own souls 2 Sectaries and leavening Teachers 3 Doctrines delivered by them Reasons 1. In regard of our selves 1 In regard of our selves Because it is a matter which much concerneth us a businesse of great consequence our immortall souls which are more worth then all the world are in danger lie at stake may come to be perverted poysoned destroyed damned through our base neglect Matth. 23.15 they make him viz. The Pharisaicall leaveners make their proselytes two fold more the child of hell then themselves 2 Pet. 2.1 who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them ver 2. and many shall follow their pernitious wayes ver 3. with feigned words make merchandise of you The Apostles words are emphaticall and weighty 1. will not a wise Christian take heed of that which will bring upon him an irrecoverable losse that may undo him for ever and break his back heresies are damnable 2. would a man walk in a way which would bring him to some ill end these are pernitious wayes 3 would a wise and free-born man be bought and sold Like a slave or beast (y) Bez. not Major in 2 Pet. 2. tanquam pecoribus ad nundinationem these with feigned words make merchandise of you As therefore in fairs we look to our purses take heed of cheaters as in times of warwe gird on our swords and will not be unprovided for an enemies encounter as in times of infection we provide Antidotes comfort and preserve our spirits fence and corroborate the vitals so should we take as great care of our souls and blesse our selves out of the company of smitting and contagious leaveners seducers Touch not that pitch which will not easily be got off S. John that beloved disciple accidentally being in the Bath where Cerinthus was (z) Cerinthus maintained that the world was made by Angels that circumcision and other legal rites were to be observed that Jesus Christ was a meer man not risen again but should rise that Christ should reign a thousand years on earth and men should enjoy al sensual pleasures vid. Augustin de Haeres 8. he leaped out of the Bath unbathed because he feared the Bath should have fallen seeing that enemy to the truth was within Such feare and zeal had the Apostles saith Irenaeus that they would not communicate a word with them that adulterated the truth as Master Fox relateth it Acts Mon-vol 1. P. 48. Secondly because of the number nature of corrupting seducing Leaveners 2 In regard of false teachers 1 For number many false prophets are gone out into the world 1. John 4.1 not as many which corrupt the word of God 2. Cor. 2.17 many walk enemies of the crosse of Christ Phil. 3.18 Therefore as a man that hath a charge of money 1. Many in a way where many robbers haunt in a faire where many cheaters and cut-purses come had need look well about him be very wary and circumspect or as in times and places of the Pestilence where many be infected shut up and die of
Magistrate who by his place ought to defend the faith look to religion and be custos utriusque tabulae There be good lawes against vagrant rogues and fidlers players Gipseys and fortune-tellers that they be not suffered to wander abuse or deceive the Kings liege people 'T is pity mens souls are not as carefully provided for (o) tum ecclesiastici tum polititi ordinis Antistites toti in eo esse debent ut Diaboli fermentum expurgetur populus fidei suae commissus ab eo arceatur nisi aliquando loco panum propositionis Deo offerendorum Satanicas placentas olim in infernalibus prunis excoquendas reponere velint Chem. Harm Evangelic cap. 61. as dearly valued and as much tendered that there be no Searchers appointed for seducing Sectaries In times of a common plague the infected are shut up removed to the pesthouses not suffered to go abroad and infect others Should not the like care be had that schismatical leaveners be not suffered to meet in corners and private conventicles to the perverting and poysoning of mens souls ought not as watchfull an eye to be upon that pestilence of error that walketh in darknesse the destruction that wasteth at noon-day Psal 91.6 * Dominus te totamque familiam ab omni malo ac praesertim a Daemoniis meridianis istic obambulantibus custodiat Beza Epist 1. Andr. Duditio viz. from the Errors of Anabaptisme Brownism Antinomianism Toleration of sects and schisms under pretence of Liberty of Conscience Mr Edwards in Epist to his Anâ—apolog For like Absolom they spread their tent on the top of the house in the sight of all Israel they are not ashamed nor blush to preach on the house tops their places and times of meeting are known proclaimed come who come will Is this to root out heresie schisme or to keep the covenant of our God If the enemie should storm or steale into this garison what a bustling would there be how would every man take the alarum and stand to his armes how would they be censured and fined as malignants that should not so do no enemy so dangerous as Heresie no garison of that consequence as the soul which we are not to suffer to be fraudulently surprized by false teachers nor violently taken from us by the powers of hell There is no proportion or comparison between malignant cavaliers and seducing impostors that more dangerously set up the kingdome of darknesse and tyrannie of the Devil Why should there be any Gallio that careth not for any of these things Acts 18.17 Jeremie sadly complaineth of some great ones that were not valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 Godly Magistrates have forced Antidotes on a distempered corrupted people compelled them to repair to publick ordinances 2 Chr. 15.13.33.16.34 32. brought them into the Bond of a nationall covenant What wonder is it if every wherry swim so swiftly into the bottomlesse abysse when they have so fair a wind so ful a tide when they are preferred advanced countenanced put into places of great trust command and profit and engrosse every gainfull office Mammon of unrighteousnes will not onely work with a Blaam but will biasse a better spirit then his was to seduce others and be seduced himself Every man would be of the winning hand would be of a thriving and gainfull trade no tradesman so custom'd or hath the like return as Sectaries that trade in merchandise of Souls But shall the Godly Magistrate freely suffer them to retail their deceitfull wares In free corporations they will not endure forreiners to set up by them and steal away their customers Market towns have a standard an assize for bread and beere c. Bread that will not hold out weight is to be given away it would do well to see the bread of life to have his true weight And to set a fine on their heads that make and sell that which is light naught unwholesom leavened The Publicans among the Jews sate at the receipt of custom (p) Luke 5.27 Luke 19.2 to see and compell the poore bleeding country to pay tribute unto Caesar taxes and assessements imposed and exacted for the use of the Roman state and our Saviour so far condescended to the necessities of those times that himself payd tribute-money such as was levied and assessed upon him Matth. 17.24.27 But he denounceth a dreadfull woe to the Scribes not because they payd tithe of mint and annise and cummin due by Gods law but that they omitted the weightier matters of the Law judgement mercie and faith these saith he ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Mat. 23.23 Magistrates and men in place should see God have his due as well as themselves have their due they should see that religion be not corrupted Gods word perverted the souls of people destroyed What serve mothers or nurses for but to look to their little ones and not let them eat dirt chalk coals in stead of bread spiders poyson in stead of sugar milk or wholsom nourishment I should think such an undutifull ungracious child not fit nor worthy to be suffered to live in a family that Ishmael like should mock the Isaacks Gen. 21.9 neither are such worthy to live in a Christian * illi certe nullo modo sinendi sunt vivere cum illorum temporalis vita aliis sit aeterna mors Zaâ—ch de Magistr Mr Cotton on Rev. 16. pouring out the seven Vials 3. page 16 17 21. 4. page 17. if any have a conscience to turn men from God he would have men have as much conscience to cut them off church especially not to be cockered countenanced that spit in their aged mothers face the church of England and call her Whore And thus much may suffice for the two first observations out of the Text. The end of the first SERMON The third followeth viz. Doct. 3 THe best of Gods people need charging to take heed and beware of false doctrine Even the Apostles themselves bred up and fed up in Christs own family are in danger of being leavened How doth Saint Paul feare lest the Corinthian Saints should by Satans subtilty be beguiled and their minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 How doth he in sundry places charge and adjure Timothy This charge I commit unto thee to hold faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack of whom is Hymeneus c. 1 Tim. 1.18.19.20 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels 1. Tim. 5.21 I give thee charge in the sight of God and before Christ that thou keep this commandment 1 Tim. 6.13 O (q) O exclamatio iffa praescientioe est pariter charitatis praevidebat enim futuros quos etiam praedolebat Errores Quis est hodie Timotheus nisi vel generaliter universa ecclesia vel specialiter totum corpus praepositorum qui integram divini
another world of men into hell after them Gal 4.16 The Galatians had no reason to be angry with Saint Paul because he told them the truth because he sought by all possible means to unwitch their seduced judgements and to conjure down by ghostly charms and Gospel arguments the malignant spirit of Error risen up among them If thieves were in the way ready to rob and strip the honest traveller could he take it ill to be told and forewarned of them If witches should conspire the death of people (z) Calvin advers Libertin page 603 were it not fit they should be indicted and brought to triall Certainly no theft is so wicked no witchcraft so pernitious as hereticall doctrine it poysons and sends the soul packing to hell What are any people now priviledged from being leavened more then the * ut sicut haec morum mandata ita etiam illa quae de fide cauta sunt omnes pari modo comprehendant Vinc. c. 13. Apostles Are they shot-free of Satans poysonous darts Are their graces and parts more unshakeable then Peters or Christs other Disciples whom Satan sought to winnow as wheat Why then do they censure Vs that freely and boldly speak in the cause of Christ in their own souls cause that now lie a bleeding under cut-throat hereticks as wounders of tender consciences as persecuters of the Saints Is the physician a persecuter that administers pills and potions to the diseased patient Is the surgeon a persecuter that searcheth and lanceth impostumated and festered sores Surely no. Therefore let our people rectifie their judgements concerning us we desire not to rub galled backs to exulcerate mens spirits we had rather pour in oyle apply Lenitives But give us leave to deal faithfully with your souls not to sow pillows under any mans elbows the devil is not become more orthodox now then formerly Satan is no lesse Satanicall then he was The father of lies is no more converted to speak truth then heretofore nor hath a supersedeas from poysoning souls The envious man will sow tares and is as busie now as ever because he knoweth he hath but a short time and therefore sends out his emissaries seducing spirits giddy Enthusiasts leavening impostors to turn the world upside down to broach subverting principles to undo Church and State he doth strike while the iron is hot loves to fish in troubled waters This is his harvest It ever hath been the Devils manner when the Church is at the point of her deliverance of a man child to be ready with open mouth to devour it In times of desired reformation to bring in a cursed deformation both of Church and State So the Arrians in Constantines time and the Anabaptists in Luthers and I would I might truly say It is not so now but 't is no false alarme that I give you Hannibal ad portas We see everywhere sad symptoms of a distempered diseased infected Church and State Secondly for Exhortation 2. Vse of Exhort Do the best of Gods people need charging to take heed of leaven is there such danger of having our souls seduced infected Why then let us send up strong prayers and cries to heaven that God by his spirit would guide us into all truth and kep us by his own power to salvation of our selves we are of Reubens constitution Gen. 49 4 Unstable as water soon turned out of the right way Pray for the spirit of discerning that the eyes of our understanding being opened we may see embrace love and cleave to the truth and hate every false way that we may have our eys annointed with eye-salve from heaven to see clearly into the mysteries of the Gospel and that he would give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him that we may discern things that differ and be able to distinguish opium from apium hemlock from wholesome herbs sowre leaven from soul-nourishing bread Quest But how may we trie the Doctrines we heare discern and sift out their leaven and discover seducing sectaries their persons and leavening practises Answ 1 For their Doctrines bring them to the touchstone of Holy Scripture (a) quo omnes omnium haerese ω a sceleratae novitates velut quodam spirituali gladâ—o saepe truncatae semperque truncandae sunt Vinc. Lir. weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary To the law and to the testimonie if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 Search the Scriptures John 5.39 Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the Scriptures Mar. 12.24 Object But hereticks bring Scripture for their opinions (b) Novit Diabolus nullam esse ad fallendum faciliorem viam quam ut ubi nefarii erroris subinducitur fraudulentia ibi divinorum verborum praetendatur auctoritas Vincent Lirin cap. 37. Every sectarie can alledge the word of God as well as the orthodox Christian So did the Devil himself to our blessed Saviour Matth. 4.6 It is written (c) Satanam imitati qui verbo ipso Domini in contrariam sententiam distorto ad stabilienda falsissima dogmata abutuntur Beza Annot. Major in Act. 20.28 Solut. 1. They corrupt wrest (d) Haeretici divinae scripturae testimoniis utuntur nam videas eos volare per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina nihil unquam pene de suo proferunt quod non etiam scripturae verbis adumbrare conentur Lege Pauli Samosetani opuscula Priscilliani Eunomij Joviniani reliquarumque pestium cernas infinitam exemplorum congeriem prope nullam omitti paginam quae non novi aut veteris testamenti sententiis fucata colorata sit Sed tanto magis cavendi pertimescendi sunt quanto occultius sub divinae legis umbraculis latitant Vinc. Lirin cap. 35 37. writh and falsifie the texts which they quote sometimes by adding sometimes by clipping and paring away and stamp the private image and superscription of man upon Gods own coyn and rack and torture the Scriptures to confesse that which was never in them 2. They make false constructions and inferences from them spiders suck poyson even from wholesome and sweet flowers 2 Pet. 3.16 3. We must therefore compare Scripture with Scripture this is a notable means of finding out the true sense of them Thus our Saviour brings Scripture against that Scripture which the Devil mis-quoted Mat. 4.7 (e) ad defensionem sui quaedam sacrae legis verba furari atque fallaciter fraudulenter exponere idem c. 39. 2 We may discover the persons of seducing sectaries as our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to discern those wicked leaveners Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians Matth. 7.16 20 by their fruits ye shall know them They be chiefly three All hereticks if we look wistly at them and throughly sift them we shall find they are 1 Self seekers 2 Proud 3 Persecuters 1 Self-seekers Phil. 2.21 they all seek their own