Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	faith_n	speak_v	2,156	5	4.5953	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80766	Hæreseo-machia: or, The mischiefe which heresies doe, and the means to prevent it. Delivered in a sermon in Pauls, before the Right Honourable, the Lord Maior, and the aldermen of the famous citie of London, February the first, M. DC. XLV. And now printed, for the satisfaction of the hearers, and others. / By James Cranford, pastour of Christopher Le Stocks, London.	Cranford, James, d. 1657.	1646 (1646)	Wing C6823; Thomason E329_1; ESTC R200684	45,138	61

precious things which heresies devour First Faith which is taken sometimes ſ Fides quae creditur Fides quâ creditur for the doctrine of faith or the truth beleeved sometimes for the act of faith or the grace of beleeving erroneous opinions overthrow and destroy both 1. Concerning the former the doctrine of faith there can no question be made Errours destroy truth And as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the 2 Tim. 3. 8. truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith Thus faith the Apostle of Hymeneus and Philetus Concerning 2 Tim. 2. 18. the truth they have erred False prophets among the people stole away the word of God every one from his neighbour Jer. 23. False teachers amongst us adulterate and sophisticate the 2 Cor. 2. word of God As it is in nature darkness destroyes the light blindness puts out the sight sicknesse removes health so is it in this matter errours destroy put out remove truth Thus u Dum plures fiunt ad id coeperunt esse nè ulla sit Ad Const Hilarius observes concerning the various confessions of the Arians They made many that thy might have none This is a sore mischief under which our Church for the present labours there is scarcely any truth which is not by one opinion or other directly opposed or indirectly undermined And could any other issue of our wantonness be expected x Abdicatâ quâlibet parte Catholici dogmatis alia quoque atque item alia deinceps alia alia jam quasi ex more licito abdicabuntur Porro autem singulatim partibus repudiatis quid aliud ad extremum sequetur nisi ut totum pariter repudietur Si novitia veteribus extranea domesticis prophana sacratis admisceri coeperint proserpat hic mos in universum necesse est ut nihil posthac apud Ecclesiam relinquatur intactum sed sit ibidem deinceps impiorum ac turpium errorum lupanar ubi erat ante castae incorruptae sacrarium veritatis Contr. Haeres c. 3 1. When any branch of divine truth is by any rejected it is the observation of Vincentius Lirinensis presently another and another after that another and another will be rejected till at last none at all be left remaining Thus it fell out in the Church of Rome which from errours in the beginning little in comparison and almost insensible is become the mistresse and mother of abominations the sink and sea of heresies Thus with the Anabaptists who erring at the first but in one particular have proceeded some of them in other parts to eight and forty more many of them dangerous and racing the foundation Who did not fear whither our late Prelaticall innovations tended It was not without cause that the y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Niss contr Eunom Ancients accounted the least alteration in matters of faith to be the extremest blasphemy and ungodlinesse z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret Eccl. hist l. 4. cap. 16. That they have willingly undergone all kinds of death rather then deserted one syllable of the truth The least errour entertained prepares the way for greater disposes the heart to reject all truth as the pulling one stone out of an arch disposeth the whole to ruine 2. Concerning the latter the grace or act of beleeving the Apostle speaks expresly They overthrew the faith of some This sad effect of erroneous teachers is notably described by Athanasius If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Synod Arim. Saleu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. themselves saith hee had beleeved they would not have made any farther inquiry but their disputings have been no small scandall to those that were initiated in the Christian religion and a great ground of profuse laughter to Pagans in that Christians as newly awaked out of a profound sleep enquire what they ought to beleeve concerning Christ Their new opinions make beleevers infidels and infidels more adverse to faith Wee see this amongst our selves what multitudes unsetled by unsound doctrine have changed their faith either to Scepticisme to doubt of every thing or Atheisme to beleeve nothing And it hath been a just reward upon seducers that themselves have been deservedly a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas ibid. distrusted and deserted by their followers whom they had taught not to beleeve their teachers Thus much of the first mischief of heresies That they destroy faith 2. The second thing which heresies eat up is Peace they devour Peace the legacy of Christ and Love the bond of perfection They overthrow the peace of the Church they disturbe the peace of the Common-wealth From hence that men consent not to sound doctrine but are sick about questions cometh envie strife reviling evill surmisings c. And where envie is where evill surmisings and jealousies what peace can there be When that false doctrine was broached at Antioch there was no small dissention Act. 15. 2 24. and disputation the Church was troubled with words subverting their soules The troubles arose so high that an oecumenicall Synod or Councell of the world was necessary for the composing of that difference The like befell the Churches of Galatia I spare the further confirmation Galat. 5. of this it is confessed it is evidenced by the Holland Arminians the new-England Familists it will not be much laid to heart being conceived by many as a matter of no great consequence If errours arise in the Church the Common-wealth will not want confusion it must needs suffer as the Physician speaks per consensum and that in regard of the just judgement of God revenging the corrupting of his worship and profanation of his name Thus it befell Israel They served strange gods then was warre in the gates and of all warres Judg. 5. that which is most cruell and destructive civill and intestine warre For Nation was destroyed of Nation Citie of 2 Chro. 15. Citie c. This is the righteous hand of God that they that will not maintain peace with heaven shall have trouble on earth I reade not of any contentions more bitter then those grounded on dissentions in religion The Jewes had no dealings with the Samaritans not so much Joh. 6. 9. as for a cup of cold water or a nights lodging what was the reason The difference in religion one said Ye must worship in this mountain The other Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship The difference was not great onely this the Samaritans would be a Church independent to Jerusalem they would worship in that mountain but there was no dealing between them Ephraim did not cease to envie Judah Judah did not cease to vex Ephraim till they were both turned unto the Lord to serve him with one consent they grow not up into one kingdome Ezek. 37. till they have accorded into one Church It is commonly replyed in Pulpits in Presses That a toleration

himselfe as an example Chap. 3. 10. Thou hast fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience Disce puer virtutem ex me Learn my son painfulnesse and watchfulnesse of mee a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes I require no more of thee then I my selfe have given thee in pattern Thou hast fully known c. Now the Apostle not ignorant of the wiles of the divell his main engines against the two pillars of the Church b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. ibid. faith and love the bonds of our union with our head and with his body and his endeavours to overthrow love by the overthrow of faith hee warns him in a speciall manner to hold fast the forme of sound words and to shew himselfe a workman that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth to avoid profane and vaine janglings which would increase to more ungodlinesse And hee urgeth the same exhortation in my Text from the mischiefe that will come to the Church by such vain janglings Their word will eat as doth a gangrene of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus The Text therefore discovers the mischief of unsound teachers or unsound doctrine where wee consider First the Subject Their word illustrated by an instance Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who have erred c. Secondly the Adjunct Will eat or will have pasture set out by a similitude As doth a canker or a gangrene Thus you have the connexion the scope and parts of this verse out of which I shall propose one Observation In the prosecution of which other things may happely be touched upon in transitu The Doctrine is this Doctr. Erroneous and unsound doctrine is of a devouring i. e. spreading and destroying nature Their word saith the Apostle will eat as doth a gangrene The Apostle Peter speaking of false teachers assures us that they shall privily bring in damnable heresies even denying 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. the Lord that bought them And that many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the truth shall be evill spoken of I pray you observe it Heresies erroneous doctrines are damnable They shall bring in damnable heresies They are of a c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. ad Anaylo l. 2. Tit. 1. 11. destroying nature They are of a spreading nature Many shall follow their pernicious wayes So also Paul averres to Titus They subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake Heresies are of a destroying nature They subvert the house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they undermine it and overturn it from the foundation They are of a spreading nature They subvert whole houses many houses are overturned But by what is all this speaking things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake Our Saviour Christ warns his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Matth. 16. 6. 11 12. which is expounded of their doctrine Their erroneous and false doctrine is compared to leaven which is a fit d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril de ador in sp verit lib. 15. resemblance of all doctrine The doctrine of the Gospel is compared to leaven Luke 13. 22. and the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisees is compared to leaven because As a little leaven leavens the whole lump and quickly sowres all so doctrine e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril ibid. l. 17. when it once sinks into a mans minde and gets into the heart it doth as it were translate the soule and spirit and body even the whole man into the similitude qualitie nature of it selfe It is not onely thus spreading over a person but the Church is a body as saith the Apostle Ye are the body of Christ and members 1 Cor. 12. 27. in particular erroneous doctrine no sooner gets into a Church but it overspreads it runs thorow all and corrupts and sowres all as saith the Apostle Gal. 5. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Erroneous opinions are interpreted by f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. ad ortho qu. 1. some to be those tares which the envious man and the adversary sowed in the field where Christ had sowed his good seed Matth. 13. 25. Tares if they be sowed in a field quickly over-spread the whole field and choak up the good seed and are therefore if wee may beleeve Basil g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Hexam hom 5. a fit resemblance of such who put a false stamp upon the doctrines of Christ and being themselves infected with the doctrine of the divell intermingle themselves with the healthfull body of the Church that they may undiscerned diffuse their poyson into the soules of those that are unlearned or well meaning The same Father in another h Hex hom 2. place compares heresies erroneous opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a noisome canker or carbuncle which is no lesse dangerous then infectious Saint James tels us of a tongue that is set on fire by hell Jam. 3. 6. and setteth on fire the whole course of nature Would you know what tongue this is It is the false tongue the lying tongue which David compares to sharp arrowes of Psal 120. 3. the mighty and coals of Juniper I am not ignorant that Hilary Chrysostome Augustine understand this of the punishment In locum Moller Marlorate Amesius c. of the mischievousnesse of the false tongue which is compared to coals of Juniper hot burning hard to be quenched keeping fire exceeding long and easily spreading it into every subject such coals is an hereticall tongue i Arius in Alexandria scintilla una fuit sed quia non statim oppressa totum orbem ejus flamma populata est Hieron in Gal. 5. lib. 3. Arius was but one single spark yet because not speedily put out hee set the whole world on fire so that the world did admire that it was become Arian And the Prophet compares the tongue to a bow Jer. 9. 3. They Jer. 9. 3. have bent their tongues their bowes for lies and the words to arrowes Psal 64. 3. That they may shoot out their arrows Psal 64. 3. bitter words If these things be true of a slanderous tongue that calumniates men how much more true of a false tongue that perverts truth and blasphemes God There are no words so bitter as the words of heresie they are k Instar sagittarum sermones ipsorum corda vulnerant Novar l. 9. Elect. sac Sect. 13. sharp arrowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arrowes that have teeth these words are devouring words Psal 52. 4. Our Saviour Christ compares false prophets to ravenous wolves whose property it is not to worry a sheep but make havock of a flock not to devour one but scatter all The truth is sufficiently declared out of Scripture Heresies do eat as doth a canker or a gangrene Let us now consider 1. The

that they are fit to hold the weaker Christians whilest the stronger break away and save themselves And let this consideration stay us that wee stumble not and seducers that they triumph not in the great defection unto severall opinions now amongst us They have deceived q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian or 33. children Egregiam laudem and wee have lost r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. de incarnat Christ chaffe Spolia ampla what great prize that a stumbling-block hath been laid before a blinde man and hee hath stumbled at it Certainly such are they even children many in yeers most in understanding that amongst us are perverted by new opinions Secondly The curiosity of the people administers no small advantage to seducers Men are not content with sound doctrine and old truths but as the Athenians spend Act. 17. 21. their time to tell or to heare some new thing men that have itching ears heap to themselves teachers after their own 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. lusts and turn away their ears from the truth and are turned to fables saith S. Paul To be alwayes learning is that which 2 Tim. 3. 6. betrayes silly women to be led captive by seducers And the Apostle Peter tels us that not onely by the lusts of the flesh but much wantonnesse wantonnesse of the brain they that were clean esaped from them that live in errour are 2 Pet. 2. 18. allured It is a notable expression of ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. De Trinit Dial. 1. Cyril comparing some in his time to heifers that run at their ease leave the herd and wholesome pasture to gnaw upon briars and thorns and so possibly catch a prick in their foot that they never go upright after Sure I am it is so with many amongst us who in the wantonnesse of their wits withdraw themselves from the publicke Assemblies from the Ministers whom God hath set over them from the pastures in which they ought to feed and betake themselves to coppices to gnaw at the best on briars and thorns possibly if I may allude to the vision of Robertus Gallus on rocks and stones It is no marvell if they be lean and ill liking if many catch pricks and come halting home To passe from this the Apostle that hee might preserve intire in the faith gives especiall caution against curiosity that questions be avoided and oppositions of science falsly so called But of this hitherto The third generall head from which the successe of heresies ariseth is the providence of God justly permitting that it should be so First as a punishment of the luke-warmnesse of men and want of love to the truth The sin grievous the undervaluing of light the punishment dreadfull light is removed darknesse sent in stead of light God will not endure the despising of light The Gentiles held the truth in unrighteousnesse they delighted not to have God in their knowledge Rom. 1. God gave them over to a reprobate sense and when they professed wisdome they became fools their foolish hearts were darkened Thus God dealt with Ahab hee hated Micaiah with whom the word of the Lord 2 Reg. 22. was and cared not to hear him the Lord therefore gives commission to a lying spirit to seduce his prophets and prevail with him to his destruction Thus with Israel Prophesie not say they the people to them that prophesie They shall not prophesie saith the Lord but if a man walk Micah 2. 7 12. in the spirit and lie he shall be the prophet to this people Thus with the Jews They that would not receive Christ that came in his Fathers Name will certainly receive an impostor that comes in his own name Thus with Christians as saith the Apostle because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the efficacy of errour errour in the strength that they may beleeve a lye This sin made way for Mahumetanisme in the Easterne Churches Popery in the Western was the punishment of this sin God is the same still the same in revenging his despised truth Truth hath been preached amongst us despised amongst us imbraced by very few in the power in the love of it God revengeth it and this revenging hand of God may be sensibly felt and discerned in our distractions Was it possible that a man should burn one piece of a tree and worship another if God had not shut up his eyes t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph de Encratitis Haeres 47. A prudent man may see and wonder and be amazed at the tenents carriages c. of seducers how inconsistent they be how far from shew of truth and at the great defection to them Doubtlesse this is none other but the hand of God upon the seduced for their want of love to that truth which they had received Secondly as a triall of those that are sound There must 1 Cor 11. be heresies amongst you saith the Apostle that the approved may be made manifest It is the winde that discovers and severs the chaffe from the wheat u Ob hoc haereseωn non statim divinitùs eradicantur authores ut unusquisque quàm tenax fidelis fixus catholicae fidei sit amator appareat Et revera cum quaeque novitas ebullit statim cernitur frumentorum gravitas levitas palearum tunc sine magno molimine excutitur ab area quod nullo pondere intra aream tenebatur c. Vincent Lyrinens cap. 25. They that are carried about with diverse and strange doctrines never had any solidity if they had been of us they would have continued with us The house founded on the rock doth not fall though the winds blow the waters rise and waves beat upon the house yet is the rising of the winds and beating of the waves upon the house a sore temptation it had certainly fallen had it not been founded on a rock It was a seasonable question which our Saviour moved to his disciples upon the defection of the Capernaites Joh. 6. Will yee also go away It was a brave resolution that Peter put on Though all men forsake thee yet will not I though I die with thee yet will I not deny thee but hee could not performe it when his Master was taken hee followes a farre off a praeludium to his denyall Qui timidè confitetur negat when hee was in the high Priests hall hee not onely denied but forswore him the knowledge of him with execrations The rising of heresie is a great triall Deut. 13. 1 2 3 4. The Lord your God trieth you saith Moses the prevailing of heresie is a greater an hard matter it is to resist the sollicitations of the father of our flesh the sonne of our loines the wife of our bosomes the friend whom we love as our lives an hard matter it is to swim against

the stream hee is a souldier that stands to his arms when some throw them down and run away some throw them down and call for quarter ready to take pay under the enemy When men of name for parts knowledge piety sufferings shall desert the truth he stands fast that doth not stagger If Peter dissemble Barnabas is carried away with his dissimulation Look to your selves take heed lest you fall God suffers these things for your triall Hee suffers the evill of heresies that by reason of them his truth may be more cleered his people more confirmed hypocrites discovered and shed out of the Church and a purer body left behinde But thus much of the reason And let what hath been spoken suffice to be said of the Doctrinall part That heresies or errours in opinion are of a spreading and destroying nature wherein I have shewed 1. That they eat as a Gangrene speedily incurably mortally 2. What they eat they eat up faith peace piety 3. How it comes to passe they thus eat from hereticks their subtilty and industry from the people their simplicity and curiosity from God his justice both to revenge the want of love to the truth and manifest those that are approved Now a word or two for application Use 1 If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene then here is matter of mourning over the sad and diseased condition of our Churches that have in them many gangrenes because many heresies and all things are bending to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Chirurgians call it the heighth of mortification This is matter of lamentation as Ezekiel speaks and shall be for a lamentation Jobs case over which his friends for seven dayes wept was not so bad as ours his sores were boyles ours gangrenes his would endure scraping ours will not endure touching his body was affected our souls How is the faithfull City become an harlot How is our wine mixt with water our silver become drosse Is it nothing to you O all ye that passe by Was any sorrow like unto ours But sorrow is an helplesse passion It 's for a childe to sit still and cry If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene then here is matter of anger against Physicians of no value that would have them if not tolerated connived at if not so yet not proceeded against with any vigour as if like a slight green wound they would cure of themselves or if not cured they were not dangerous men of the temper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres of the Samsaeans in Epiphanius who were neither Christians nor Jewes nor Gentiles but desirous to hold faire correspondence with all religions they were of no religion they were yet to choose of what religion they would be But If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene I beseech you all that are yet sound take heed of them a gangrene is easier prevented then cured and so are heresies Let me prevail perswading to diligence of indeavour to stay the further spreading of this destroying maladie Think you hear the voice of the Church like the cry of the man in the pit Amice vide ut me extrahas if you love me endeavour to heal mee of my sores endeavour to help me out of my errours I shall apply this to three sorts of persons whom I see before mee the People the Minister the Magistrate and in all be very short and so conclude First To the People Dearly beloved brethren for you the net is spread it is for your precious souls that deceivers hunt it is for your sakes that I have pitched upon these meditations I beseech you take notice of what a spreading what a destroying nature heresies are and keep your soules with all diligence lest by any man by any means you be deceived You are fallen into dangerous times into times of great temptation errours like a floud come up over all their channels goe over all their banks overflow goe over and reach even unto the neck and cover the land as the waters the sea And let me tell you what-ever some men say they are dangerous errours many of them razing the foundation and drowning men in destruction and perdition the least of them such as if not deadly in themselves and in their own nature may prove deadly in their consequences and sad effects as preparing the heart to entertaine those that are in their owne nature deadly I beseech you therefore as you love the Lord Jesus Christ as you tender the everlasting salvation of your soules watch be carefull that no man deceive you And that you may not be deceived I commend passing by many others these three rules First Adhere unto your own ministry and wait upon them whom God in his providence hath set over your soules The end why God hath given to his Church Pastors and Teachers is set down by the Apostle to be that we may be no longer children in knowledge tossed to and Ephes 4. 14. fro with every wind of doctrine God will blesse and be effectuall by his owne ordinance by it he will lead in wisdome and in understanding May wee not goe abroad to hear This is besides my purpose But why should you goe abroad to buy when you have food at home God hath been gracious to this City I may speak it without arrogance it was hardly ever better provided for the losse of the country hath been your gain Why should you withdraw your selves The mothers milk is most naturall for the infant the sheep that wanders from the flock is in most danger of the wolfe change of diet is not wholesome for the body is it for the soule Another man may have better gifts then thy Pastour can he have more love to and care of thy soul then hee that must give an account for it Children that often change their Masters seldome prove good scholars nor they solid and understanding Christians that change their Ministers But I will not insist on this I am not against hearing abroad occasionally but for the preventing of misleading desire to perswade the use of the publick Ministery and of your own Ministers whom God hath given you to be your guides And let mee tell you of one great miscarriage and not the least cause of so much defection it is this The people are so strange from their Ministers from private conference communicating their feares their doubts their temptations asking advice and counsell of them at whose mouthes they should enquire the law they bury all in their own bosomes to their great disturbance or ask of others who seduce them by mis-information To passe from this if any of you be mislead yee have the means to prevent it your bloud will be upon your own heads If a virgin betrothed to an husband was ravished Deut. 22. 23. in the city not only hee that ravished her but she her self should die she cried not out that she might have been holpen if she was ravished in the field

resemblance between a gangrene and heresie in the manner of eating 2. What it is that heresies eat 3. How it comes to passe that they so eat And then make some Application First for the resemblance First Heresies like a gangrene eat speedily a gangrene though it shew it self in the farthest part of the body yet in a very little while will be gotten to the heart the principall part of the body and quickly kill the man Hereticall opinions do on the sudden make a large progresse I marvell saith Gal. 5. 6. the Apostle you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ into another Gospel It bred admiration in the Apostle not so much that they were moved as that they were so suddenly moved that there should be such a strange because speedy alteration According to the exposition of l Beda Tyconius apud Pareum Apoc. 6. 5. some S. John sees heresie on horse-back with a paire of balances in the hand it goes not on foot slowly but rides for more haste Arianisme in a short space overspread the East Pelagianisme the world Wee need not search stories for presidents it is lamentable what successe errours have had amongst our selves in these last three or four yeers of Ecclesiasticall Anarchy and confusion whether wee respect the numbers of errours or of the erroneous Amsterdam Poland Transilvania places most infamous for heresies are now righteous compared with England London which in so short a space have broached or entertained above 160 errours many of them damnable of which you shall have an m M. Edwards Gangrene account not long hence Secondly Heresies like a gangrene eat almost incurably It is an hard matter to stop the spreading of a gangrene Ure seca it is the Chirurgians rule Cut and burn the dismembring of the part affected will scarce stay the gangrene and it becomes altogether incurable if it once come to that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height of it I will not give you the reason of it in nature I come not to read a Physick lecture sure I am it is so amongst opinions if they be once received in they are hardly or never cured they are alwayes growing to mortification to make the party senselesse and livelesse in whom they are The Apostle tels us that they that speake lies in hypocrisie have their conscience seared 1 Tim. 4. 2. as it were with an hot iron They are past feeling they 2 Tim. 3. 8. are men n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith They have laesum principium are without understanding They are as trees twice dead and pull'd up by the roots and Jude 11 12. can wee expect a cure It was the complaint of the Church concerning Babylon Wee would have healed Babylon and shee would not be healed It may be our complaint concerning such as are mislead by opinions Wee would have healed them but they would not be healed but rather as the Prophet speaks When I would have healed Hos 7. 1. Israel the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the sin of Samaria c. they grow worse and worse under their medicine o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athan. tom 1. contra Arian orat 4. Athanasius compares some in his time to the serpent Hydra of which the Poets fable that when one head was cut off divers rose in the stead of it it increased by being diminished so saith hee these fighters against and haters of God though often convinced confuted silenced yet will not yeeld study new arguments finde out new cavils and are more impudent then their father the Divell himselfe who would be ashamed and tremble to oppose such light as they contradict and murmure against Thus much that Ancient which our experience verifies Thirdly Heresies like a gangrene eat mortally A gangrene in what part of the body soever if not prevented is mortall it strikes to the heart so it is with heresies and errours in opinion though they seem at first but little spots as a gangrene discovers it self by little black spots in the out-side of the skin yet if they be not stopped will attach the heart In the verse before the Text They will increase to more ungodlinesse Dato uno absurdo sequentur infinita But of this more in another place The Apostle Peter gives them the Epithete of Damnable Paul reckons them up amongst the 2 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 5. 19. works of the flesh which shut out of the kingdome of God This seems an harsh doctrine to Arminians Sectaries other patrons of errour but it is the doctrine of the Scriptures of the Church in all ages p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes Ignatius one of the most ancient and a scholar of the Apostles assures us that both seducing and seduced hereticks shall perish for ever and that with as good reason as amongst men they that break houses are put to death O that wee did seriously consider this Heresies are as mortall as gangrenes The thiefe John 10. 10. cometh not but to steale to kill and to destroy The false prophet like a roaring lion ravening the prey devours soules Ezek. 22. 25. saith the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 22. v. 25. So Cyril q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril in Hoseam They feast it with the souls of simple people which they grinde with the teeth of errour O that this was laid to heart There is no more safety for men under the guidance of erroneous teachers then for sheep under the protection of a ravening wolfe Hereticall opinions are not imbraced without the extremest hazzard of the precious soule Wee fear a gangrene it kils the body why doe wee delight in at least favour and not abhorre erroneous opinions which destroy the soul What shall it profit a man if hee win the whole world Matth. 16. and lose his soul and what will hee give in exchange for his soul Prize wee not that which Christ hath purchased with his dearest bloud Or doe we undervalue that precious bloud by which wee were redeemed Shall wee renounce the Lord that bought us Or shall wee make ineffectuall so great a purchase Are wee enemies to the crosse of Christ Or shall wee make his death vain r Naz. orat 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzene tels us speaking of hereticks that they are unthankfull creatures the off-spring of the divel for whom Christ is dead in vain A hard sentence may some one happely say therefore let us proceed to the second thing proposed and see what it is that heresies destroy 2. The Apostle in the Text useth this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated it will eat it may be rendred will have pasture for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely the action eating but the object also the pasture the food which is eaten up There are three